One Last Meal

For our C.I.A. Meeting this morning we continued our journey through the book of Mark. We talked about Mark 14:1-31. This passage takes place during the final week of Jesus' life on earth.

In this passage we find Jesus visiting a house a couple days before passover. It is the house of a man named Simon the leper. While Jesus was there a woman came in and poured some perfume on his head. Judas becomes mad at this, but Jesus corrects him. Judas goes to those seeking to kill Jesus and agrees to betray him for 30 silver coins.

Two days pass and Jesus and his disciples prepare for the passover.

As they are eating Jesus announces that one of them will betray him. They all deny it. Then he took some bread, broke it, gave thanks, and had them all eat it. He told them it was his body that would be broken for them. He then passed a cup to them and had them all drink from it. He told them it was his blood for a new covenant with them. Afterward he told them again that he would be arrested and that they would scatter. Peter denied this, saying he was willing to die for Jesus rather than deny him. Jesus told him that he would deny him three times before the rooster crowed in the morning. They then left the room and sang a hymn.

During our application time we talked about how we wanted to remember us when we died. What exactly do we want people to remember us for? Then we discussed how to make that happpen, which is by saying it and acting it out/living it out. Jesus wanted us to remember that he died for us and that through him we can have a relationship with God. He helped us remember this by saying, living it out, but also by giving us the symbol of communion. Communion helps us remember why Jesus came, what he did, and that he will one day return!

I give this morning: C+

Favorite moment of the morning: Josh wanting people to remember him for his ability to fly

Video from Wednesday, March 25th

That's My King, Do You Know Him?

C.S.I. Jerusalem -- Was It The Romans? -- Matthew 27:27-31 -- March 25th

Tonight we continued our series called CSI Jerusalem. This week our suspect for the crime of killing Jesus was the Romans. The Romans had conqured Israel many years before. They had soliders and governors in place in order to rule and keep peace. Let us look at the evidence that might point them out as the guilty party.

Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the
whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet
robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head.
They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him.
"Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on him, and took the staff
and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him,
they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to
crucify him. -- Matthew 27:27-31 (NIV)

#1 The Romans did mock Jesus and did in fact beat him. This included the mocking from the verses above as well as a flogging. Flogging is whipping somone severely.

#2 The Romans took Jesus to crucify him, which is how he died.

#3 The Romans had the authority to execute and did it by crucifixion.

The evidence is pretty strong that the Romans were guilty of the crime. But they were not guilty of killing Jesus. But why? They did in fact cruicy Jesus, but we can not blame a whole people group like this. There were Romans that were not involved in this death at all. Beyond that the ones that we talked about this week were soldiers. Soldiers would not have killed him on their own authority, they must have been ordered to do it, but by who?

We then started to apply the passage from Matthew to our own lives. Jesus is presented as a king in a mocking way. They place a scarlet robe on him, crown him with thorns, and give him a stick as a scepter. The interesting part is that Jesus is actually king. He is God, He created the world, He has all power and authority, and He deserves to be obeyed and worshipped as king. So the question becomes, How do you treat Jesus? Do you treat him as a mock king or an actual king? Your actions will show which Jesus is for you.

If Jesus is your mock king you will say He is king, but not do the things He tells you to do. You will go to church and act one way, but as soon a syou leave church you will act another way. You will do whatever you want, as long as you can get away with it.

If Jesus is your actual king you will obey what he tells you to do or not do. You will have a life that is matching in and out of youth group. You will ask Jesus what He wants you to do or not to do.

God wants us to treat Jesus as our actual king. Do your actions show that to be true? Maybe today is the day you should make him your real king.

I give tonight a: A-
Favorite moment of the night: The made-up word Crucification

The End is Near

For our C.I.A. Meeting this morning we continued our journey through the book of Mark. We talked about Mark 13:1-37. This passage takes place during the final week of Jesus' life on earth.

As he is leaving Jerusalem he tells his disciples that the city will soon be destroyed.

When they sit down on a nearby hill they ask him for further signs of when this will happen.
Jesus tells his disciples some signs of when this is getting near.

He finishes with a story about a man going on a long journey, leaving his house in the care of his servants. He tells the disciples that we Christians are those servants and we are warned to be ready at any time for his return and for the end of time.

The question for us then is, how do we make sure that we are prepared for his return? I think that the best way is to make sure that our relationships are strong with God, making sure that nothing is standing in the way.


I give this morning a: C-
Favorite moment of the morning: Missionaries are bringing about the end of the world

Videos from Wednesday, March 18th

Leprechauns are real!

Muppets Sing Danny Boy!

C.S.I. Jerusalem -- Was it Judas? -- Matthew 26:20-28 -- March 18th

Tonight we continued our series called C.S.I. Jerusalem. Each week we have been trying to figure out whose fault it was that Jesus died. Tonight we looked at Judas Iscariot. Judas was one of the disciples of Jesus, handpicked. He was in charge of the money for the group and followed Jesus for three years. But why would we think it was his fault? Let's look at the evidence.

"When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.
And while they were eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will
betray me." They were very sad and began to say to him one after the
other, "Surely not I, Lord?" Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his
hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as
it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It
would be better for him if he had not been born." Then Judas, the one who
would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "Yes, it is
you."" -- Matthew 26:20-25 (NIV)

#1 -- Judas was accused of being the one who would betray Jesus, in fact later on in the Bible we find out that he did in fact betray Jesus for 30 peieces of silver.

#2 -- Judas did take care of the money bag, but he also took care of himself by stealing from the money bag.

#3 -- Though it is never spelled out, Judas most likely was looking for a king that would save the Jewish nation from the Roman Empire. He was hoping that Jesus would throw off Roman oppression and become king. When it became evident that he wouldn't turn against the Roman government, he turned against Jesus, disappointed that he wouldn't fulfill what he was loking for.

We know the evidence and it seems that Judas was at fault for Jesus death, but he wasn't guilty of it. Why? Well, he did betray Jesus but he didn't kill Jesus. How do we know this? He committed suicide before Jesus was killed.

The second part of our message was from Matthew 28:26-28:

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it
to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took
the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of
you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for
the forgiveness of sins." (NIV)

We spend the rest of night talking about Communion. What is communion? Literally it is eating some bread and drinking some wine (in our case grape juice). But it means more than that. Symbolically the bread represents Jesus' body, that was broken for us. It is a reminder that he went through a painful death and it was for our benefit. The cup is a symbol of his blood poured out for us. It is a reminder of a new covenant (deal) with each of us. It is a reminder that his blood took the place of animal blood, it was once and for all, enough to cover all our sins. They both remind us that we have taken Jesus into our lives and that he provides us with strength and new life. It is also a reminder that Jesus will one day return, and for that we are all truely grateful.

I give tonight a: B
Favorite moment of the night: Agent Shawna being X'd out

Welcome To The Tab Blog

Just wanted to say welcome to those who see this blog. This blog will be used to share what we cover during our services during the week, to share videos that are worthwile, to post some fun pictures, etc... I hope you enjoy!