Bible – Your Daily Encouragement

The Crowd is Often Wrong

the cross was God’s plan from the beginning

Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd. —Matthew 27:24

We’re continuing in our Vintage Faith series in the book of Matthew, and in the hours before Jesus was crucified, a crowd had gathered around the governor’s home. They were there to insure that Jesus would be executed.

The governor listened to Jesus, and then told the crowd that he would be releasing him—because he found Jesus innocent of any crime.

But agitators in the crowd called for his execution. “Crucify him!” they chanted.

“But why,” said Pilate the governor, “what crime has he committed?”

Again, the crowd chanted “Crucify him, crucify him!”

The more the governor tried to reason with the crowd, the louder it became. Even to the point of threatening to report the governor to Caesar, claiming Jesus was an enemy of the emperor.

Ultimately, Pilate gave in to their demands and ordered Jesus’ execution.

The crowd is often wrong.

And in the fog of conflict, it is often hard to see what is true. Yet this is when we need the greatest clarity.

Yet now as we look back to the darkness of that day, we see clearly that the cross was God’s plan from the beginning. The cross was the most humiliating and excruciating form of execution ever devised.

But Jesus would use the cross as a bridge to restore us to God himself—and his sacrifice would transform the cross into the greatest symbol of love the world has ever seen.

But that is what love does. It transforms.

The message of the crowd is often wrong. But the message of the cross is always true.

We’re continuing in Matthew’s gospel this Sunday, and would love to have you join us onsite at CenterPoint, or online on our FB page. Either way, hope you can join us this Sunday at 10AM PDT. See you then.

Blessings,
Pastor Bill

Bill Herried is a pastor at CenterPoint Church in Tacoma, Washington and is married to the most extraordinary woman on the planet. Together they have 3 adult children and 5 grandchildren. He has been the lead pastor at CenterPoint Christian Fellowship in Tacoma since 2006.

Image by Guillermo Riera from Pixabay

I Am Convinced

here is the place you can have full confidence

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. —Romans 8:38–39

If there is one thing in life that you can have full confidence in, it is God’s love for you.

Is there anything that can ever separate you from the love of God?

Life? Death? Angels? Demons? Fears, regrets? Anxiety, bad decisions? Failures?

Nope.

None of these things.

Scripture is so clear on this. Nothing in all of creation will ever be able to separate you from the love of God that is revealed in Jesus Christ.

It goes on to say that not even the powers of hell can’t separate us from the love of God! There is nothing in your past and nothing in your present that can’t be redeemed.

That’s what the cross was all about. Which means, that when you come to Christ, you are secure in His affection.

People may come and go in our lives, but God’s love for you never will.

Ever.

He is good. He is gracious. And his lovingkindness goes on forever.

The apostle wrote “I am convinced…”

Be convinced. Don’t allow doubt to cloud your vision.

Be convinced that there is nothing standing between you and the grace and love of God. Walk with Him. Talk with Him. Make Him your first priority. Seek His will. Seek His Kingdom.

And when regrets from your past pop-up in your mind, don’t allow them to drive you to depression. Instead, let them drive you to Christ where there is hope, help and healing.

Standing with you,
Pastor Bill

Say The Words

it’s good for the soul

There is a way this world does business. We all know how it works. It usually ends up with us “looking out for number one.”

But Jesus called his people to think differently—because when you think differently, you live differently. He calls those who follow him to take their cues from him, not from what we see around us in this world.

Here is a great description of what that looks like, from one of the earliest leaders of Jesus’ people. He captures Jesus’ way of thinking:

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. —Philippians 2:5–11

Because God the Son humbled himself, God the Father elevated him—giving him the name above every name.

Jesus is Lord. He is King.

And that is why we say these words, “Jesus is Lord!”—because no one else has overcome the grave. No one else can do what Jesus does. No one else deserves this title—only Christ.

Jesus is Lord!

I love saying these words in every situation.

Jesus is Lord!

When I’m happy and say it, it reminds me where my blessings come from.

Jesus is Lord!

When I’m in difficult times, it reminds me where my help comes from.

Jesus is Lord!

Say it when you’re up! Say it when you’re down. Declare it when you’re unsure of your future. Because if Jesus is in control of it all, what is there to fear? I can release worry with a single phrase:

Jesus is Lord!

Say the words!

Image by GrumpyBeere from Pixabay

Never A Victim

more than conquerors

One of my earliest memories of spiritual things happened to me when I was about six or seven. My dad taught us to read at an early age, and from time to time my sister and I would spend weeks with my grandparents at their home. And they had some children’s books about the Bible. I had never seen books like this before.

As I read these books through young eyes, my mind focused on the tragedy of Jesus’ death on the cross. “Poor Jesus” I thought. I saw him as a victim of circumstances. Misunderstood and hated for doing good.

He was arrested and flogged. Then they shoved a crown of thorns into his scalp, striking the thorny crown with sticks, driving the thorns into his head. After that he was crucified to death. “How could this have happened?” I thought.

What my young mind didn’t understand, is that Jesus was no victim. Jesus was in total control—from start to finish. There is so much that Jesus said on this, which his disciples recorded, that I could write a multi-part series. But let me give a few examples that are (to me) most compelling.

First, the prophets spoke about the suffering of the Promised One, and what that would look like, over and over. Just a couple of examples are Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53. Psalm 22 was written about 1,000 BC and describes in detail what Jesus experienced in crucifixion, centuries before crucifixion existed. God revealed to his people in advance what was coming.

Second, Jesus repeatedly told his disciples what to expect: that he would be arrested, flogged, crucified and would die. “But,” he reassured them, “I will rise from the dead.” Still, they struggled with what that meant, “to rise from the dead.” I don’t think they could imagine Jesus ever dying.

But one of the most eye-opening scenarios in the New Testament is how Jesus had control over his arrest. John—who was present in the garden on Gethsemane that night—tells us that a cohort (speira) of Roman soldiers, with some of the temple soldiers as well, marched into the camp where Jesus and his disciples were resting.

A cohort was a 10th of a legion, which would be about 600 soldiers. The religious leaders had waited for the right moment to arrest Jesus and they devised a plan that would cover any escape attempt.

Judas, one of Jesus’ disciples, betrayed Jesus by leading the soldiers carrying swords, torches and clubs, directly to him. But instead of shrinking back, John says that Jesus stepped toward the soldiers, announcing loudly, “Who are you looking for?” They replied “Jesus of Nazareth!”

Jesus responded “I Am.” When he said this, John tells us that the soldiers drew back and fell to the ground. Obviously there was a moment of confusion and most likely embarrassment from the soldiers, but Jesus wastes no time in pressing them again. Looking at them on the ground, he said “Who is it you’re looking for?” They responded (I imagine somewhat bewildered) “Jesus of Nazareth?”. Jesus said, “I’ve told you that I Am he. So if it is me you’re looking for, let the rest of these go.”

Normally Jesus referred to himself as “The Son of Man”, a reference to Daniel the prophet’s vision of the coming Messiah. But faced with this mob, Jesus invokes the name of God, that was revealed to Moses—”I Am.” And when he announces who he is, the soldiers aren’t able to stand before him.

After they picked themselves up—restoring what was left of their dignity—the soldiers tied up Jesus’ hands and led him away. A crowd with clubs and swords tie up an unarmed man and lead him away.

Jesus wasn’t a victim. Jesus was victor. He surrendered to them to accomplish the very reason he had come. To restore us back to him.

And as for the tragedy of Jesus’ death: the reason he went to the cross wasn’t because he was misunderstood, an enemy of the state, or just got a bad deal. The reason he died was to pay for my sin. For your sin. Our sin was the reason he died. His love for you is what held him to the cross.

Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples later wrote the purpose for Jesus’ crucifixion:

He personally carried our sins
in his body on the cross
so that we can be dead to sin
and live for what is right.
By his wounds
you are healed.
—1 Peter 2:24

By his wounds, you are healed.

Jesus wasn’t a victim. He was Victor.
Jesus wasn’t a casualty, he is Conqueror. Jesus is King.

The one who conquered death and the grave—for us.
This is who we love, serve and follow. This is Jesus.

And we’ll be looking at this passage this week! Would love to have you join us at CenterPoint, 10AM this Sunday. Or, if you’re out of town, why not join us on our FB page here. Same time, 10AM Pacific time zone. Either way, look forward to seeing you then.

Love you,
Pastor Bill

Image by Izabella Jasper from Pixabay

Jesus’ Return, Pt. 2

Don’t be misled. Don’t be distracted. Honor Jesus.

Yesterday I quoted Jesus’ response to his disciple’s questions about his return. Jesus told them over and over of his coming Kingdom, and they wanted more information.

Among other things, Jesus pointed to a huge sign of the last days. He said “Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12).

I can’t think of a better description of our time: rampant sin and hard heartedness.

You can’t scroll through “X” (formerly ‘Twitter’) without seeing videos of brutal violence and cold, heartless comments toward a victim or the person making the post. Violent. Hate-filled. Evil.

But notice the locus of this rampant sin: Jesus said it would be ubiquitous: it would be “everywhere.” And, the love of many will grow cold.

But Jesus always brings hope and encouragement. He promised that when he returns, two things will happen: first, he will deal with the evil in our world. Evil, sin and death will be done with, once and for all.

And second, he will gather his people to himself. Jesus himself will preserve his people and oversee our gathering into his Kingdom (Matthew 24:30-31).

He called it paradise. Forever.

Which means, the safest place you can be is in his hands.

When will he return? We don’t know. No one does. Jesus said that even he doesn’t know—only the Father does (Matthew 24:36). So, you can ignore anyone who tells you that they do.

And, as we approach the day of his return, let me give you three things to keep in front of you:

Don’t be misled
Don’t be distracted.
Honor Jesus.

Don’t be misled: Jesus is coming back. Walk with him.
Don’t be distracted: Ignore the temptations of the skeptic. Follow Jesus with all your heart.
Live your life in him: Honor him by living out his Kingdom priorities in your every day life. Day by day.

Be encouraged. His return is near.

Love you,
Pastor Bill

Bill Herried is a pastor at CenterPoint Church in Tacoma, Washington and is married to the most extraordinary woman on the planet. Together they have 3 adult children and 4 grandchildren.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Jesus’ Return, Pt. 1

Don’t be misled. Don’t be distracted. Honor Jesus

Over and over Jesus referred to his coming Kingdom. The return of paradise. Evil will be dealt with and death will be a part of the past.

So, naturally his disciples wondered when this would take place. They asked him “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3)

Jesus gives them 9 areas to watch for, signaling his return. I can’t go into complete detail on all 9 in this post, but let me touch on two areas that are salient for our time.

First, Jesus warns them “Don’t let anyone mislead you. For many will come in my name claiming to be the Promised One (the Messiah).”

Every generation looks for an answer to the problems of life—a savior—a utopian ideal. Could be social, political, material or religious. And we think:

“If only we had a more equitable system of distributing wealth, then we would be at peace.”
Or, “If only we had _______________ (fill in the blank) party in power, that would change everything.”
Or, if only we had more money, then we would be happy.”
Or, “If only we had a religion everyone could agree on. Then there would be peace.”

And history has shown us that every attempt to create a utopia on our own terms has led to disappointment, chaos and death. Earthly utopias promise much, but can’t deliver. One system, in particular, has failed miserably everywhere it’s been tried.

Joseph Stalin wanted to create paradise on earth, so he imposed Marxism over Russia. To realize “the greater good,” Stalin butchered over 50 million of his own people on the altar of dialectic materialism. That is nearly 10X the number of people that Hitler murdered.

Pol Pot was motivated by Marxism in Cambodia, resulting in the annihilation of 25% of the total population of that country. Mao Zedong did the same in China and eliminating somewhere between 40-80 million of his comrades as well.

We could go down the list of every group that’s imposed Marxism, promising a paradise on earth, but in every case it’s ascendency was built on the death of millions who opposed their totalitarian leaders.

The problem with a political system is that it cannot change the human heart.

But this is what Jesus specializes in. Hope begins with him, and the promise of what is coming is life-changing.

Will finish with part 2 tomorrow.

Bill Herried is a pastor at CenterPoint Church in Tacoma, Washington and is married to the most extraordinary woman on the planet. Together they have 3 adult children and 4 grandchildren.

Image by Aristal Branson from Pixabay

The Greatest

to serve is to love

The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. —Matthew 23:11

Ever wanted to make a difference? Maybe to create something of significance for future generations?

There are a ton of people working to leave their mark on the world—influencers of all stripes. And a vision with goals is good. But what will make the greatest impact? What will stand the test of time?

Follow me on this for a moment: when you think of great people in your life, who comes to mind? A celebrity? A politician? An influencer? Military leader? Not usually.

Some people in history have titles of greatness (e.g. “Alexander the Great,” etc.). But these aren’t the first people who come to mind when we consider who are most important in our lives.

Usually when we think of the people who have made a real difference in our world, it is someone who stepped into our lives—someone who has come alongside us in a moment of need…could be a family member or someone outside our family.

Many of the “influencers” of this generation will be forgotten by most of us in the years to come, and certainly will be unknown to the next generation. So, while our definition of “greatness” may change with the passing of time, there is a greatness that endures.

Jesus described this other kind of greatness—a greatness that would echo into eternity. He said that this greatness—God’s definition of greatness—is found in serving the needs of others.

And the reason Jesus sees this so clearly is that he gives us reality from the viewpoint of eternity. These are the very words of heaven.

You want to be great? Become a servant of Christ. Do you want to make a difference in this world? Become a student of how to use your strengths to strengthen others. Do you want to become a leader? Lead by serving.

Jesus said that there are two things that will transcend this world: people and God’s word. That reality gives us clarity for our priorities.

Got some goals? Great. Go for it! Just understand that the tides of time will one day wash away the temporal trends that hit our inbox everyday. And the things that do remain will not be what we’ve accomplished, but the people we’ve served.

Love you,
Pastor Bill

Bill Herried is a pastor at CenterPoint Church in Tacoma, Washington and is married to the most extraordinary woman on the planet. Together they have 3 adult children and 4 grandchildren.

Image by RÜŞTÜ BOZKUŞ from Pixabay

The Power of Identity

and the winsomeness of humility

Don’t hold too tight onto your life or your job, but make sure your identity is in JESUS. —Brock Purdy

I am not a 49ers fan, but last Sunday I was a 9er for a day—for two reasons

1.) SF is west coast
2.) The humility of Brock Purdy.

Check out this link to an an interview where Purdy said: “Don’t hold too tight onto your life or your job, but make sure your identity is in JESUS.“

Thank you for the reminder, Brock. Hold on to everything in this life loosely.

One day, we will leave all of our work and accomplishments behind: certificates, degrees, trophies, social media trending, everything.

But the one thing that can never be taken away from you is your identity as a follower of Christ.

When you begin following Christ, you become a child of God. And there is nothing in in heaven above or in hell below that can alter that.

So keep this in mind: while some jobs are more visible than others, you are never what you do. Your worth comes from whose you are. You were made in the image of God and you were purchased by the sacrifice of the Son of God.

Make sure your identity is in what can never fade away. Make sure your identity is in Jesus.

Bill Herried is a pastor at CenterPoint Church in Tacoma, Washington and is married to the most extraordinary woman on the planet.

photo courtesy Christhlete

Warrior Dad

Dad, you are the key

“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me…His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.” —Malachi 3:1, 4:6

God sent a messenger with a specific purpose: that he would turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers.

What is that all about?

One of the most disturbing trends in our time is the villainization of men. Complaints of “toxic masculinity” and the pejorative “mansplaining” are thrown around with zero definition to silence men—along with the idea that men aren’t even necessary in the family—has gone viral.

But nothing could be further from the truth. Men are essential.

According to data collected by Promise Keepers and Baptist Press, dads are essential to the spiritual health of their families. Here is what they uncovered:

“If a father does not go to church, even if his wife does, only 1 child in 50 will become a regular worshiper. If a father does go regularly, regardless of what the mother does, between two-thirds and three-quarters of their children will attend church as adults. If a father attends church irregularly, between half and two-thirds of their kids will attend church with some regularity as adults.

“If a mother does not go to church, but a father does, a minimum of two-thirds of their children will end up attending church. In contrast, if a father does not go to church, but the mother does, on average two-thirds of their children will not attend church.”

“Another survey found that if a child is the first person in a household to become a Christian, there is a 3.5% probability everyone else in the household will follow. If the mother is the first to become a Christian, there is a 17% probability everyone else in the household will follow. However, when the father is first, there is a 93% probability everyone else in the household will follow.” (courtesy of Nick Cady)

Here is the point: Dads, you are essential.

There is a spiritual battle being fought in our world dads—and you are the target. The enemy’s goal is to make you feel depressed, unnecessary, or thinking that church is irrelevant. Either way, he wins.

But you play a massive role. You are a key influencer in your children’s and grandchildren’s lives. You have waaaaaaay more impact than you imagine.

And with God’s strength, you will overcome.

So the question for us as men is this: “Do I want my family to be healthy spiritually? Do I want God’s blessings on our family, our marriage and on my children’s lives?” I can’t overemphasize how important you are in all of this.

It starts with us.

And why not join us this Sunday at CenterPoint? You can join us in-person, 10AM PST in Tacoma, or online on our CenterPoint FB page. Either way, I look forward to worshiping with you then.

Fighting for you,
Pastor Bill

Bill Herried is a pastor at CenterPoint Church in Tacoma, Washington and is married to the most extraordinary woman on the planet.

The Life-Changing Power of Service

to serve is to love

“Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.” —Matthew 20:26-27

This is crazy…

Two of Jesus’ closest disciples had their mother request a favor from Jesus: she asked that her boys be #1 and #2 to Jesus in his kingdom. They thought that greatness came from position.

But the rest of his disciples weren’t so happy about this. And they made it known.

Jesus had to sit them all down, and told them that greatness doesn’t come from position, a title, or recognition. It comes in serving others. In fact, this overlooked truth is the key not only for greatness in leadership, but is the key to every single relationship in life.

We know how powerful service is in our work lives. Every business person knows that the company who serves their customers best will be most successful.

But this truth is especially powerful in our closest relationships.

For example, when your goal is to serve the needs of your spouse, your marriage will flourish. When you serve the needs of your family, your family relationships will be strengthened.

When you have a heart to serve your place of employment, or your neighbors, people will sit up and take notice. Why? Because this is uncommon. People recognize the thoughtfulness that comes in serving them. It is love in action.

To serve is to love.

And while it’s true that you can serve people without loving them, you can’t love without serving.

And when you lead with a heart of service, it will impact every relationship in your life.

Every. Single. One.

Jesus finishes this teaching with these words:

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. —Matthew 20:28

Jesus himself said that his purpose for coming wasn’t to be served, but to serve us—and ultimately to give his life on the cross to pay the ransom for our offenses against God.

So when you serve the needs of others, you are most like Christ.

You want to be great? Greatness is found in a life of service. To serve is to love.

Why not join us this Sunday, 10AM at CenterPoint as we continue in our Vintage Faith series in the book of Matthew? You can join us online on our FB page, or onsite in Tacoma. Look forward to seeing you then.

Love you,
Pastor Bill

Bill Herried is a pastor at CenterPoint Church in Tacoma, Washington and is married to the most extraordinary woman on the planet. Together they have 3 adult children and 4 grandchildren. He has been the lead pastor at CenterPoint Christian Fellowship in Tacoma since 2006. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Washington in Seattle, and Master of Divinity from Corban University in Salem, Oregon—and he loves a good biryani.