Author: bishopbvb

During this past Holy Week, I decided to read through the gospel of John (3 chapters a day gets you there…although be ready, as they are quite long chapters :).

In John 20, Mary Magdalene interacts with Jesus. Although much is unique to John’s gospel, this conversation is truly unique. Mary goes looking for Jesus, ready to care for his body…but as we know, He is risen. At this point, she goes and finds the disciples. Peter and John come running, confirm the story, and head home. However, Mary lingers…and cries (vs. 11). She finally decides to leave, but she sees someone that she doesn’t recognize in the garden. As the story goes, the unknown person turns out not to be the gardener that Mary thought, but instead, Jesus.

Mary had a problem that we all have at times. She went looking for the Friday Jesus, but the man she met was the Sunday Jesus. On the one hand, there’s no difference. On the other hand, there’s all the difference in the world.

Friday Jesus died. Sunday Jesus lives.

Friday Jesus succumbs. Sunday Jesus overcomes.

Friday Jesus descends. Sunday Jesus ascends.

Friday Jesus is physically finite. Sunday Jesus is truly infinite.

Friday Jesus said tell no one. Sunday Jesus says tell everyone.

Friday Jesus experienced ruin. Sunday Jesus offers restoration.

Friday Jesus was partially known. Sunday Jesus is fully known.

If you are a pastor, your calling may be clear, but over time, you might find yourself succumbing more than overcoming. After pastoring for almost 20 years, my natural tendency is to live out of a “Friday Jesus” mentality more than a “Sunday Jesus” life. Can you relate? If so, you aren’t alone. Thus, the need to be replenished and renewed. The need to proactively get away, get encouraged, and fight the tendency to see Jesus as a gardener instead of The Gardener! Maybe it’s a spiritual pilgrimage to a place that has special meaning. Maybe it’s a Replenish trip. Maybe it’s a conference, or simply a day alone with Him. Whatever it is, take time and make plans today to regain that Sunday Jesus life and leadership.

Notice, when Jesus says her name, “Mary,” she finally recognizes her Lord. Might Jesus be calling your name today, asking you to get away with him…asking you to look to Sunday and move past Friday? Jesus does that you know…He calls us by our name…He’s personal. He’s relational. He’s intimate. And maybe, just maybe, He’s calling your name today, desiring for you to see him in a new light, which begs the question…

Are we ministering in light of Friday Jesus…or Sunday Jesus? Are we living in light of Friday Jesus…or Sunday Jesus? In this post-Easter season, may we seek to lead, minister, and love in light of a Risen, Sunday, Jesus!

I recently had a friend who visited Massachusetts and went on a tour of a cranberry bog. He said that the roots of the cranberry vines are always seeking more water and nutrients.

The Apostle Paul stated in Colossians 2 that, “…just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted (emphasis mine) and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

I take my daughter’s on a monthly basis to our local public school chapter of All Pro Dads. We learn about a different virtue each time we meet. Today’s virtue was persistence. I suppose one could say that cranberry vines are persistent in their pursuit of more nutrients and water.

If you are a follower of Jesus, then are you persistently pursuing more sustenance from the One who provides Living Water, and are you constantly seeking more spiritual nutrients from God’s Word, your local church, faith-filled conversations, etc?

If you are a fan of all things leadership, then are you attending conferences, reading books, blogs, etc, in order to grow your leadership capacity and influence?

The good news: When we are diligent in our pursuit of nutrients and life-giving sustenance, then God always seems to meet us in that endeavor, and we always seem to wind up becoming more of who God longs for us to be.

Replenish. Webster’s defines replenish as “to fill or build up again.” We need to be replenished as humans…and regularly. We must eat and drink daily in order to sustain our physical bodies. We attend conferences or take continuing education courses in order to keep up with the recent trends in our business or workplace.

As a pastor, I find that, after preparing for Sunday services, visiting the sick, leading meetings, etc., the last item on my checklist is to fuel my own soul. I often play to the whirlwind instead of leading out of a full soul. What about you? Could you use time away to fill up that which has been drained?

Like a glass of river water, we only see clearly when we stop long enough for the sediment to settle.

If you are in ministry and you find yourself in need of “filling up again,” take time to do just that. If you aren’t sure the next step, consider going on a trip with a ministry I serve with called Replenish. We take pastors on all expense paid trips in order to help us fill our souls up again.

Do a soul inventory, and if you find yourself in need of replenishing, decide today to do something about it.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton