Weekly Update// Pastor Chris

 Dear Asbury Family,

Kevin Bacon, one of Hollywood’s biggest actors who has received numerous accolades over the course of his long career, recounts when his 6-year-old son (who’s now 33) saw the movie Footloose for the first time: 

 He said, "Hey, Dad, you know that thing in the movie where you swing from the rafters of that building? That’s really cool, how did you do that?" 

I said, "Well, I didn't do that part – it was a stunt man." 

"What's a stunt man?" he asked. 

"That's someone who dresses like me and does things I can't do." 

"Oh," he replied and walked out of the room looking a little confused. 

A little later he said, "Hey, Dad, you know that thing in the movie where you spin around on that gym bar and land on your feet? How did you do that?" 

I said, "Well, I didn't do that. It was a gymnastics double." 

"What's a gymnastics double?" he asked. 

"That's a guy who dresses in my clothes and does things I can't do." 

There was silence from my son, then he asked in a concerned voice, "Dad, what did you do?" 

"I got all the glory," I sheepishly replied. 

 That’s what Holy Week and Easter are all about: God doing for us, in Jesus, what we could not do for ourselves. We were incapable of getting to God. We were in no position to rescue ourselves. But God did all the work for us. On Good Friday God took the weight of human sin upon his own body, and in rising victoriously from the grave on Easter Sunday, he defeated sin and its devasting effects once and for all! God does all the work, but we enjoy the fruit of that work.  

 I hope you will join us for our remaining Holy Week services. Our Maundy Thursday Service is happening at 7pm this evening in the Sanctuary. Then we have our Good Friday Tenebrae Service tomorrow night at 7pm in the Sanctuary. Both these services will be livestreamed if you’re not able to attend in person. 

 On Easter Sunday, we have three services: 6:30am Sunrise Service at our Lakeside Chapel; 9:30am Contemporary Service in the Fellowship Hall; and 11am Traditional Service in the Sanctuary. In the latter two services (which will be livestreamed), we will wrap up our series on the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life with the message titled “Death’s Funeral.” I am very excited to preach it! 

 Remember today you are deeply loved. Jesus’ death and resurrection demonstrate that. I pray you celebrate that love and allow it to shape every piece of who you are. 

  Blessings,

Chris