“WEiRD Time”

During the journey through the Lenten season, we stop and focus on the last season of Jesus’ ministry here on earth. One of the great mysteries for me was why did Christ decide “now” was the time to radically change his ministry. Jesus was at the peak of his ministry, fame, and his teachings. Just when Christ was making the greatest impact on the lives of many, he chose to transition his ministry to something radically different. Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, what we celebrate as Palm Sunday, was the mark of time for all creation. The people had one normal expectation that the time was right for the Savior to free them from Roman control. Jesus had this weird time of reconciling all creation for eternity.  

This week we end our six part sermon series WEiRD: Because Normal Isn’t Working. The intent of this series was not for you to just listen to, agree with, be entertained ,or inspire other pastors of other churches, but for each of you to slow down, ponder God’s message for you, and most importantly begin to adjust your life from normal to weird.  Simply put, the series is about life change.  If you missed any of the messages we encourage you to go to our website and watch them or watch them again. God has a message for you. My prayer is that you begin to live a WEiRD life, not weird for weird sakes but a God WEiRD kind of way.

Today we live in a weird time. Radical changes loom at every corner of our conscious. The threat of the closing of the Disease Control Center and the Murray Center, unstable countries obtain nuclear weapons, and a government election, so it’s vital we understand God’s principles for weird time.  

Normal tells us that busyness equals success. Normal has convinced us that if we stay busy, moving at a hectic pace, we will be successful. Normal tells our church if we just offer more “stuff” no matter if its relevant or not, we will be more successful. Normal concepts of time have us running our children from sports practice to sports practice playing every sport because the busier they are the more successful they will be.  Normal says we don’t have enough time.  WEiRd time reveals to us, we seem to always find time for the things we place value on.  Normal says our job is where we should give our best.  WEiRD time tells us we should give our best when we walk into our house and greet our family. Normal has us convinced that we are too important to disconnect. Normal feeds my ego telling me that others need me. I must stay plugged in all the time. WEiRD reminds me that I am 100% replaceable except in my relationships with God and my loved ones. WEiRD time tells us we are too important to God and to our loved ones to settle living a normal life. Normal is  not working so get weird before you lose something you can’t get back. Jesus’ time for now was about reconciliation, maybe it’s time for us to reconcile the priorities in our life, a broken relationship, our own forgiveness and guilt, and celebrate that our Savior has come to save us. Save us from normal.

Peace, Love & Happiness,
Tommy