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Mission: Day 1

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I find it helpful to imagine that it’s my first day on the job. I do this on a regular basis in order to reframe my perspective on what I’m doing and why. If you’ve never tried this, I recommend it as a regular exercise. As anyone would (or should) on their first day anywhere, I like to ask questions like:

  • What is it we’re hoping to accomplish as an organization/company/group of people?
  • What has been done in the past that has sought to move us toward accomplishing that mission, and how was it successful or unsuccessful?
  • How is “success” measured here? Is that the best metric?
  • What blindspots have developed in those who have been at it for a while?
  • What “sacred cows” exist that I need to be aware of, if any?
  • What has not been tried yet? Why not?

Today is Monday morning after Easter (Resurrection) Sunday. Jesus’ followers should probably look at today as “Mission: Day 1.” If you know the story of Jesus’ resurrection, you know that He stayed around for around 40 days and continued to show himself and taught people about His Kingdom. (Acts 1:3)

What we see in his disciples right after Jesus’ resurrection though, was that they went back to work. (John 21) Changed internally by the life-altering reality that their rabbi was back from the dead, it doesn’t (at least at first) seem to make a huge difference in them. Let’s chalk it up to adrenaline or perhaps allowing their new reality to sink in. So, no judgment here. I’ve learned that most people’s default setting when they’re not sure what to do is to do nothing. I get that.

What are we to do today, the day after we celebrate the most incredible, miraculous, history-shaking, unparalleled event that humanity has ever known? Outwardly, is it just another Monday? Probably seems so. But inwardly (making its way out), it’s Mission: Day 1.

The news of Jesus’ resurrection spread as you might expect. He revealed Himself in resurrected/glorified form to hundreds, maybe thousands of people, before He ascended into heaven. So the fact of His resurrection was not merely tabloid fodder. This was the actual reality of the situation: A man had been crucified in front of a huge crowd who all watched him die, proven to be dead, put in a sealed and guarded tomb, and was now alive and walking around.

So, if you’re one of this man’s followers, what do you do on Mission: Day 1? Do you tuck this nugget of news under your hat and simply live as you did before? Or do you celebrate the widely-known fact that your Rabbi is the death-conquering Messiah and Lord?

Honestly, I’m not sure why the disciples went back to fishing after Jesus had been resurrected. But I do believe there’s something there for us to learn. They weren’t in denial of Jesus’ resurrection. They were simply integrating this new reality into their lives the best way they could. Probably trying to figure out for themselves how to live in this new world where their best friend is now the resurrected King of all kings.

Here’s my guess: They probably looked at people radically differently than they had before. Every person they saw was now in one of two categories: The “knows” and the “doesn’t know”. Let’s consider this.

Stop wherever you are right now. Look around. Look at the movement of humans around you right now. What are they doing? How do they appear to you? What do you imagine they are thinking? What do they know about Jesus? Do they know? Are they a “know” or a “doesn’t know”?

I don’t know how to tell you how to let them know. That’s really not my thing to be concerned with. My desire here is not to trigger any emotion in you as you read these words. My desire here is simply to invite you to imagine that it’s Day 1 of this new reality, and that there are still people who don’t know.

Go back up to that list of questions toward the beginning of this post. Now, Jesus followers: Imagine they’re applicable to this new resurrected reality we are all now living in. How would you answer them?

What’s good?

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It’s Monday of Holy Week and I’ve (again) recently been asked this year the question that seems to emerge every year during Holy Week: “Why is Good Friday called Good Friday?”

Rather than launch into some deeply theological or academic answer (you can find a plethora of those on the intrawebs), let me share with you what I hope amounts to more of a personal, internalized response.

When I think of Jesus, I must always keep in the forefront of my mind that He is God incarnate. That is, God in human flesh. By the way, that’s as theological as this post will get. God became flesh in order to satisfy His own demands for holiness and a holy sacrifice. Why was a sacrifice needed at all? Because the Creator will not tolerate not being fully united with His creation. The perfect sacrifice of the perfect Savior created a perfect salvation that is perfectly accessible to any and all who will believe.

Because you and are…well…imperfect, we couldn’t have provided that perfect sacrifice on our own.

So Jesus humbled Himself by taking on the flesh of humanity and came to live among us. As He did, He gave us a clear reflection of God’s Kingdom and all that it entails. He loved, He taught, He shepherded, He healed, He put justice and righteousness on display, and He willingly crescendoed His earthly ministry with a one-two punch that defeated sin and death for all time.

The cross Jesus died on wasn’t a new invention. The Romans had perfected this method of execution. They didn’t invent crucifixion, but it’s fair to say that they nailed it. Pun intended.

So when we think of Jesus, we must always keep His mission central. Jesus didn’t happen to fall onto the cross. He didn’t get himself wrapped up in the wrong crowd and thereby found Himself on the wrong end of the law, and hanging on a cross. This wasn’t a curveball in His mission. It WAS His mission. Jesus wasn’t a victim as He hung on that cross. This was the script from the beginning. The cross was precisely why He came at all. For Jesus, the cross was Job One.

The hours that Jesus spent on that cross were prepared and planned out millennia beforehand. Read Genesis chapter 3. All of eternity had awaited this crushing blow that Jesus delivered through His death.

And all of creation was the recipient of grace through the shed blood of Jesus’ death on that cross. No one is left out of the invitation to come and take the gift that Jesus offers through the work of the cross. The thief that hung next to Jesus wasn’t just a random or mildly interesting addition to the story. No, no, no. The thief is all of us. The guilty given grace. Jesus said to him that day and it echoes for us today: “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Still wonder why Good Friday is Good Friday? Ask yourself these questions:

  1. Since God’s holiness demands a holy sacrifice, what hope do I have in attaining holiness on my own?
  2. If God, through Jesus, provided the necessary sacrifice to forgive my sins, what is keeping me from receiving that gift through faith in Jesus alone?
  3. As a forgiven child of God, how can I set my heart on the good news of Jesus’ sacrificial death on my behalf? Who in my life needs to be told or reminded of His love for them?

I trust that as we move through Holy Week, our hearts will be set on the cross of Jesus and the Good that was done there. I’ll finish where I started: there are other explanations as to why we call it Good Friday, but when it comes to the saving of our souls, I’d argue that none matter as much.

What astounds me?

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Living a life of following Jesus is to live in a certain tension. Well, not just one, but one in particular I’d like to think about and talk about with you.

The core beliefs of someone (like me) who has chosen to accept Jesus’ invitation to “Follow Me*” must live within the tension of the life-altering truth of the gospel that is both familiar and yet foreign.

Familiar because we live and breathe this gospel truth every day. It permeates every part of our daily lives. There is nothing that is untouched by the transformational grace of God. Every thought, question, wrestle, word spoken, confrontation, conviction, relationship, concern, interaction, and every type of decision we make is changed dramatically in the light of Jesus’ love, life, death, and resurrection. It can’t be otherwise. For it not to be this way is to perpetuate what Dietrich Bonhoeffer calls “cheap grace.” This is the catastrophic belief (whether conscious or subconscious) that God’s grace is readily available without requiring any effort or sacrifice from the believer.

And it is this true and real dynamic of faith that creates the connecting link between a familiar gospel and a foreign grace. Let’s now unwrap the foreign side.

Follower of Jesus, I’m addressing you and us together. We must not ever allow the familiar story of Jesus to become so familiar that we do not marvel at it endlessly. The gospel accounts recorded for us so beautifully, no matter how many verses our highlighters glide over, must never become bedtime stories that lull us to sleep. Rather, the life and love of Jesus is the awakening agent of who we are and all we are. The grace of God must always be an astounding and confounding truth that we simultaneously embrace and yet still struggle to embrace. It is in the wrestling that we find the fire. To become complacent in this is to set the gospel on a shelf in our minds and hearts, only to collect the dust of impotence and ineffectiveness. When we do this, our churches are filled with complacent critics rather than wonder-filled worshipers.

Many years ago, I read a book that I think I’ve mentioned on my website many times. It’s a book called “Dangerous Wonder” by Mike Yaconelli. I want to recommend it to you. And while you’re picking up that one, you may as well grab its follow-up, “Messy Spirituality.” These two books served as a tour-de-force in my spiritual life, inspiring me with a faith that is unfamiliar, scary, unpredictable, revolutionary, and was exactly what my heart needed to move from a performance-based religiosity to a grace-based love affair with Jesus.

Christians crack me up. At this writing, we are two days away from what we refer to as “Palm Sunday,” which ushers us into Holy Week: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy (Silent) Saturday, and, of course, Resurrection (Easter) Sunday. Of course, Easter is the biggest holiday on the Christian calendar (sorry, Christmas) due to the reality that we are celebrating the fact that Jesus rose again from the grave, conquering sin, hell, and death. And no, that’s no rumor or myth. Maybe you’ll consider the words of an Oxford professor:

“I have been used for many years to study the histories of other times, and to examine and weigh the evidence of those who have written about them, and I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair inquirer, than the great sign which God hath given us that Christ died and rose again from the dead.”

—Thomas Arnold, Professor of History Oxford

It is for me, and should be for you, that the resurrection of Jesus is validated and verified fact. If it is (and it is), what level of marvel and wonder do we meet it with? When we consider the cross, do we callously utter the words “Well, of course, He did. I knew He would” because we have the luxury of the full story? If the onlookers at the moment of Jesus’ death were able to form the words “Surely this was a man of God” (Matt. 27:54), can we assume to do no less two-thousand years later? Are we so familiar with the story that we no longer stand, mouth gaping, at the door of His vacant tomb?

What astounds me? What astounds you? I fear we may have lost the edge of our sense of wonder at the cross. I fear we may be taking the empty tomb more in stride with the spring-time season than a life-shattering, moment-by-moment, dead-in-your-tracks truth that keeps us living passionately pointing to that cross and that tomb. Lord Jesus, would you bring us back to your cross and your tomb and refill our minds and hearts and decisions with the kind of awe that is due such a beautiful and miraculous gift, bought for us by the shed blood of Jesus and the authority put on full display by a stone slap draped in empty grave cloth?

May we not treat this next week as an annual occurence, but as a daily celebration what cause our hearts to cry out in wonder, because we’re astounded at the depth of love God has shown us through Jesus.

*Jesus said, “Follow Me” in the following places through the four gospels:

Matthew 4:19

Matthew 8:22

Matthew 9:9

Matthew 16:24

Matthew 19:21

Mark 1:17

Mark 2:14

Mark 8:34

Mark 10:21

Luke 5:27

Luke 9:23

Luke 9:59

Luke 14:27

Luke 18:22

John 1:43

John 10:27

John 12:26

John 13:36

John 21:19

John 21:22

Oh, and another thing…

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I had the privilege of preaching yesterday at Southside Church. I was delivering a message as part of a 7-week series called “Big Questions” and yesterday’s message answered the question, “Does God really care about me?” I know this is a biased statement, but I’m not sure how you could have heard that message without being fully convinced that you are indeed cared for deeply and desperately by God.

For all that was shared during our time together, there’s far more to share. I just thought I’d throw in a “p.s.” of sorts to act as further evidence I can personally present to you that not only does God care about your soul, but He cares about your day. Every minuscule detail of your daily life is in his full view. God cares about what’s going on in your mind right now.

Let me take you back about 20 years or so. It was summertime, and the high school mission trip I was leading as the youth pastor was quickly approaching. My wife and I have 4 kids, and at that point, they ranged from toddler to early elementary school age. So here I was, the dad/youth pastor, going out of the country and leaving my wife to deal with these four little humans who need her constantly. Wanting for that time away to go as smoothly as possible for her, I had a long list of things to get done before I left for that mission trip, things that I hoped would make for a less difficult time of being separated.

I’m happy to report to you that I got all the things done on my list. Well. Except for one. My son Crews had a battery-operated remote control racecar that he loved to play with. The problem was that the metal antenna that extends from the controller (that controls the racecar) had broken. I had hoped to get a replacement antenna before leaving. But I had failed. I felt bad about it because it would’ve allowed him to enjoy playing with that car while I was gone.

Before I continue, let me repeat what I said a minute ago: God cares about the smallest details of your daily life.

So, now I’ve been out of the country for several days, and it’s my last day of this mission trip. It’s a Sunday, and I’m getting myself ready for church. I’m getting dressed and pulling on the khakis I packed to wear that day. As I get them on, I feel something in the pocket. I reach into the front pocket of those pants I’d be wearing when I see my son later that day. And can you even guess what was in that pocket?

I kid you not. That very antenna right there. I have no logical human explanation of how it got there. I have simply come to believe and be convinced that God put it there. I truly believe that God, this Good Father we have, cares deeply about the things we care about.

So later that day I was reunited with my family and was able to give my young son the thing that would allow his racecar to race again.

By the way, I took that photo this morning. I’ve kept that antenna for all these years as a reminder that God cares deeply about what’s going on in my life right now and always.

Now, let me add that as time has gone on, the truth this story taught me has evolved and grown. I don’t merely think that God cares about things like little boys’ remote control cars, though He clearly does. I also believe the “why” because God’s care for us is this:

God cares about the things that we care about because He’s inviting us to care about the things He cares about:

So that situation that tempts you to feel like you’ve been forgotten? He’s there.

That problem that seems to have far more question marks than exclamation points? He’s there.

That relationship that feels beyond repair? He’s there.

That situation at school with that teacher no one likes? He’s there.

That frustrating person at work that no one likes? He’s there.

That issue that you seem to be at odds with people over? He’s there.

That hurt you have that you’ve been hiding from others? He’s there.

The dream of a future that still seems unfulfilled? He’s there.

Because…

That coworker who always seems negative? It’s because of pain and He wants you there.

That neighbor who doesn’t know your name yet? He wants you there.

That person you see who’s always eating alone? He wants you there.

That acquaintance who clearly has different spiritual views? He wants you there.

That cashier who seems beaten down and never seems to smile? He wants you there.

That hungry family who can’t seem to catch a break? He wants you there.

The overlooked, marginalized, and vilified of our culture? He wants you there.

God is caring right now about what you care about because He wants you to care about the people He cares about.

Okay, so if you still need convincing that God cares for you, then read each of these verses:

  • 1 Peter 5:7
  • Psalm 23
  • John 3:16
  • Isaiah 41:10
  • Romans 8:31
  • Psalm 121:5-8
  • 1 John 4:16

One powerful picture.

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I use my phone for so much. But this morning, my phone gut-punched me. Stopped me right in my tracks. Your phone probably presents “featured photos” to you on a regular basis. Well, today’s photo was…well…let me try and explain.

First, here’s the photo (It was taken on Sunday, September 8, 2019, at 11:42 am in Goshen, VA, at Young Life Rockbridge Camp, at the end of another amazing middle school retreat called “Modgnik”. It’s our group photo of middle schoolers and adult leaders who love them):

I don’t know how to explain how this photo makes me feel, but I’m going to try.

I gotta start with the front row, far left. That’s Ally Weaver. Right now, Ally is standing with (or dancing with, or having lunch with) Jesus. We hired Ally to join our student ministry team. When we hired her we knew about her past battles with brain cancer. But during her short time with Southside Students, it came back with a vengeance and ultimately was what took her home. Just seeing her makes me so happy and so sad all at the same time.

Let’s go to the opposite corner. Look upper right, the dude just to my left and the woman directly to his left. That’s Chase and Alaina Van Syckle. They both grew up in our student ministry. I’ve known them for nearly as long as I’ve lived in Virginia, since 2004 and definitely since their own middle school years. And here they are as husband and wife, leading middle schoolers on this retreat. I watch them continuously pour into young people. Just last month, Chase and Alaina became parents as they welcomed their own young person to the world, Ezra Van Syckle.

Okay, go with me to upper left corner, and look at the second dude in on the top row. The one grinning from ear to ear. That’s Hayden. Here he is as a middle schooler. But today, Hayden (now 19) serves as our Minister for Student Worship & Outreach. I’ve watched this young man flourish in his own sense of self and his very real calling God has clearly placed on his life. I love Hayden with all my heart. And now to walk together on staff with a former students is so cool.

Right in front of Hayden is JJ. JJ (Jeremy) currently lives with his parents in Paraguay, South America. Jeremy is leveraging every skill and ability he has for the gospel. He’s learned guitar, and excels at sports, and loves technology, and has grown so much in his passion for Jesus and even though he wasn’t the decision maker in his family moving as missionaries to Paraguay, he has laid himself fully on the altar as a living sacrifice so that Jesus can use his life to tell the story of God’s love. It’s beautiful to watch.

Next to Ally is Ray, another one of our amazing youth leaders. Much like Hayden, Ray has also been brought on staff in order to serve as Minister for Student Growth and Serving. Ray is one of those youth leaders that this youth pastor would love to clone and have an army of. Since this photo was taken, Ray has grown tremendously in his love for Jesus and his love for people. He’s currently in school, learning all he can about theology, Bible learning, and hermeneutics to name a few. But if you know Ray, he’s not doing any of that to impress anyone. He’s doing it simply because he hears Jesus’ voice calling. And like Ray does, he’s answering.

I’d rather not dwell on this next one, but go with me to the fifth person from the left in the top row. That’s Carson Lacy. God, help me here. Carson was tragically killed in an accident at work just this past year. Carson was the embodiment of the expression “zest for life.” Carson was always smiling, always hilarious, and always welcoming every person, no matter who they were. Even in middle school, he was just so much fun to be around. He was a people magnet. And I hate that he’s not here for you to know. I hate it so much. I hate it for his parents and siblings and grandparents. I pray for them often. When Carson was in high school (a few years after this photo), I once mentioned that I always wanted to learn how to weld and Carson heard that and quickly came up to me to tell me he’d be glad to teach me. When I see Carson again, I’m gonna take him up on that offer.

To Carson’s right is Riley. Riley and Carson were super close. Just a couple days ago after not seeing Riley (now a young adult) for quite a long time, he reached out to me to ask about our Young Adult Community Group. Understandably, Riley is wrestling with losing his friend Carson, and quite frankly, as everyone does, needs spiritual community in order to help the healing process. I’m excited to get reconnected with my friend Riley.

Front row, center is Cassie (holding the green bottle). Cassie graduates high school this year. I’m so so so proud of how Cassie has loved her friends and boldly lived her faith on her high school campus. God has used her life powerfully to impact the lives of so many other teenagers. Cassie even invited me a few times throughout her high school years to come to her school and speak at the FCA club she helps lead. I don’t know if you know this, but for a youth pastor to be invited by one of your students to interact with their “world” at high school…well, that’s a HUGE deal. I love Cassie so dearly and can’t wait to see what God does with this young woman after high school. I also know that Cassie loved Carson dearly as well and that losing Carson created a huge wound in her heart. But Cassie has leaned on God’s love to help her heal. I’m so proud of her for that.

Far right, second row up is Ali. Ali is an amazing blessing to me today. Since middle school Ali has continued to grow in her own faith and walk with Jesus. Ali continues to reach out to her friends and high school campus so that more people can know how loved they are. I was so encouraged to learn a while back that Ali regularly hosts a devotional bible study in her home BEFORE school! Do you know how teenagers don’t generally like to get up any earlier than absolutely necessary? Ali has been gathering with other teenage girls for the purpose of sharing what God is doing in her life and encouraging them in their own faith. How amazing is that???

Yep, I could go through many more of these young people and tell you about more of them. But I hope I’ve given you enough to see why, when I saw this photo this morning, I just had to stop and process my thoughts about it. As a pastor to young people, I can certainly forget all the history I’ve lived through and the lives I’ve been impacted and shaped by. So the gut-punch was actually a good thing.

While I don’t know the specifics of every middle schooler in this photo in terms of where they are today in their faith walk with Jesus (different factors have taken some of them further from me than I’d like), I can say without hesitation that I love each of them and continue to pray for all of them. I haven’t shared about all the ones I could have, but rest assured that seeing this photo has brought me a deep sense of joy, emotion, and reminders that God is willing to use even me in the lives of others.

And for that I’m so very grateful.

Rockfish Youth Conference 2025 (Recorded message by Jerry Varner)

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I had the privilege to speak to a group of teens at the annual Rockfish Youth Conference recently. We had a wonderful time under this year’s theme: “Rooted”.

(The video has subtitles, and I hope to also upload an audio-only version.)

If this message is an encouragement to you, please feel free to share it, and if you’d like to talk about me speaking at your event, just click on the “Speaking At Your Event” tab. Thanks!

The Stick God Carries

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You’ve likely heard the twenty-third psalm at some point in your life. Probably at a funeral. For some reason, it’s one of the greatest hits at funerals. Probably because it has the words “…valley of the shadow of death…” so we figure a funeral is a good place to put it.

It’s not that that’s not appropriate or true, but to relegate this powerful chapter to a spot at the end of life really does miss the point of what the psalmist is saying (singing) throughout this amazing chapter. And today I want to center in an often-overlooked and beautiful truth found tucked in the lines of these verses.

Here’s all of verse 4 of Psalm 23 (read the whole chapter sometime):

“Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.”

David (the author) was a shepherd himself, so he was well acquainted with the usefulness of the shepherd’s staff. A shepherd without a staff was…well…a ridiculous thought. Shepherds needed a staff like a baker needs a bowl, a policeman needs a pistol, a plumber needs a wrench, or a seamstress needs a needle. Absolutely essential.

But what you may not know is that the shepherd’s staff was used in two different ways. In order to understand this, we simply need to think about the love of the shepherd for the sheep of his flock.

Let’s look again at this line in verse 4: “your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

So what is the shepherd carrying? Is it a rod, or is it a staff? The answer is yes. The stick the shepherd carried played two important roles: to protect and to correct. And so it is with the Good Shepherd. And so it is with God’s shepherding heart toward you right now.

The staff that a shepherd carried was used to protect his flock from predators. The length of the staff was useful in warding off whatever came the way of the flock. The shepherd would poke, swing, jab, and possibly even throw–whatever needed to be done to keep the enemy of the flock from having any way to get near to them.

Right now, in the heavenly realm, God the shepherd is warding off the attacks of the enemy. You, at times, might catch a glimpse of these protective movements, but I’d dare say that most of them are invisible to you and me. David’s acknowledgement of how God protects him ought to be a point at which we also acknowledge that God is at work in our lives, too. The business end of that staff is thwarting the attacks of your enemy on your behalf. The “rod” part of the staff was what we would normally understand as the end lowest to the ground; that end that touches the ground and would be nearest to any danger.

The other end of the staff was what we normally think of as the “crook” or the “hook”. It was very common for shepherd staff to have this bend in them for the sake of placing around the neck of a wayward sheep that starts to wander while the flock is moving along. It might also be used when a flock is feeding on a grassy place and a sheep isn’t paying much attention to the fact that they’re wandering off and into dangerous places. At those times, the shepherd’s hook was useful in corralling a sheep back in the direction of security. This would be the end of the stick that we’d imagine was closer to the shepherd’s head and shoulders, always ready for deployment in the direction of a sheep who’s headed into a direction different than what the shepherd desires.

So, sheep….what abaaaht you? (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) Where do you see God’s protection in your life? Where do you see God’s desire for correction in your life? Can you recognize that God is working on your behalf to only allow into your life what would bring Him glory and what would ultimately be for your good growth? Can you recognize that God is lovingly corralling your heart toward His? Can you hear and recognize the voice of our Shepherd? Jesus Himself told us that those who know Him know, recognize, and follow His voice. Are you listening? Are you wandering? Are you pulling away? Are you trusting?

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this shepherd’s stick God carries for our good. Feel free to comment or reach out via email. As always, I’m grateful for anyone/everyone who takes the time to read these posts.