Just One More Sign

Mark 15:25-32 

"Just one more sign," they said. "We need just one more sign, then we'll believe."

He had walked among them, doing signs and miracles for years. Even His birth was a miracle. But they still needed an sign--just one more sign before they could believe.

Some had already believed--a ragamuffin group of smelly fishermen, crooked tax collectors, prostitutes--sinners--common people... divorcees, sickly people, the demon-possessed... They had believed.

But the leaders of the church--the pious ones--the "good," upstanding, pillars of the church... they  wanted one more sign. Just one more sign.

And what if Jesus had fulfilled their wish for that sign? What if He had come down off that cross? Would they have believed Him then? Would it have been enough?

What then? It wouldn't have mattered--none of the other signs would have mattered--nothing would have mattered.

Because if He had come down off that cross, we'd all be doomed to Hell--the religious leaders, the pillars of the church, the fishermen, the tax collectors, the thieves, the prostitutes and divorcees, the sickly ones and the demon-possessed--we'd all be going to Hell.

Jesus had to pay the price for us, or we'd all be doomed. If He hadn't finished His work, none of the prior signs and miracles would have mattered--it would have been all for naught.

Stop looking for a sign--it's already been done. It's all right in front of you. Only believe. It is finished.

The Sacrifice of Praise

I love corporate worship. Often, I go in, not feeling like praising God at all. I'm so often tired, irritable, distracted and frustrated. But it doesn't take long before all that begins to melt away. Then my head goes down and my hands drift up. I see others around me, who I know are going through painful trials, and it seems the same thing happens to them.

Sometimes it takes more effort than others. But if I take that first step and begin to offer a true sacrifice of praise, God meets me there. But even if I "feel" nothing, I will praise Him, and eventually I will sense His presence because He inhabits the praises of His people.

There's just something about a bunch of broken, dysfunctional, grieving, hurting people joining together and saying, "No matter what life has dealt me, I will praise The Lord." And "I am so far from perfect, yet God still wants my praise, so here's the best I've got, Lord."

When it comes to corporate praise, whether we know it or not, we are all in the same boat. So unworthy, so inadequate, so broken and needy. Yet He desires our praise. How can we not give it!