Saturday, April 7, 2012

When Joseph and Nicodemus placed Jesus in the tomb and covered it with the stone – He was dead, lifeless and entombed.

In Anne Graham Lotz’ book, Just Give Me Jesus, she gives a thought provoking analogy for modern day entombment.

“What efforts to keep Jesus buried have you seen?

• Our modern-day culture tries to keep Him buried in the church –
• The church keeps Him buried in traditions or rituals –
• Churchgoers keep Him buried on the weekend like a holy hobby –
• The religious masses keep Him buried as an icon of history –
• The religious leaders keep Him buried in their programs.
• The intellectuals keep Him buried in debate. 
• The agnostics keep Him buried in doubt.

Without consciously trying , have you been keeping Him buried yourself…

• In neglect?
• In excuses for sin?
• In selfishness and pride?
• In alcohol?
• In drugs?
• In unconfessed sin?”*

I also call it the Sunday Morning God syndrome.  OR 
The Weekly Bible Study syndrome.  (You see, I suffered from this syndrome for many years.)

He’s God and on the throne while in church or at Bible study, but entombed the rest of the week.

Jesus didn’t die this horrible death just to be our Sunday morning God or our Bible Study God… And then be forgotten about the rest of the week.  And He didn’t die just to save us out of hell.

He wants to be LORD of every area of our lives:

• Professionally
• Personally
• Our finances
• Our marriages
• Our parenting
• Our ministries
• In our communities –
• In our minds –
• In the secret places of our heart –
• In our dreams –
• Our ambitions
• Our decisions –
• Our diets –

Do you get the picture? 

Where is He in your life?  Entombed?  Or is the tomb empty???

*Just Give Me Jesus, Anne Graham Lotz; W Publishing Group 2000; p296-297