He was frightened by the charges of those around the fire.

He was terrified by the accusing voices in the darkness.

He was petrified by the allegations of a teenage girl.

Jesus told us to take up our cross to follow Him. He taught that we would suffer in His name. He explained that the enemies of the Gospel are always on the prowl looking to devour us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ – and especially you confirmands - it costs something if you are going to attach that title of “Christian” to your name. Don’t ever forget that. Jesus despises lukewarm Christianity. He is nauseated by a tepid faith. He is disgusted when we are indifferent to our Savior and His will for our lives.

It is Thursday night of Holy Week. Jesus is in the Upper Room with His disciples giving them some last minute instructions before He goes to the cross to die for the sins of the world. As part of those last minute instructions, Jesus teaches them, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

“Gone fishin’!”

That’s the proverbial vacation sign, isn’t it? The sign on the door of the business that’s closed because we need to get away, to spend some time alone, to clear our minds, to rest and recover from the hustle and bustle of life.

When Jesus hears that His good friend, Lazarus, is sick, He informs His disciples that they are heading back to Judea to see him (John 11:7). The disciples protest, “That’s a very bad idea, Rabbi. Just a short while ago the Jews were trying to stone you and now you want to go back there” (John 11:8)?

In mid-December of 1944, Allied forces were surprised by a massive German offensive through the Ardennes Forrest in Belgium, France. Caught in what would become known as the “Battle of the Bulge,” the 101st Airborne Division of the U.S. Armed Forces was holed up in the town of Bastogne while German armed forces encircled the town.

The Israelites were trapped. They had been slaves in Egypt for over 400 years. But then God used His chosen servant, Moses, to go to Pharaoh and proclaim God’s thunderous demand, “Let my people go!” When Pharaoh refused, God brought His divine judgment upon Egypt in order to force Pharaoh’s hand. Plagues of blood, frogs, gnats, flies, death to the livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and death to the firstborn pummeled the land, its people, and its animals.

Brad and Emma (not their real names) had serious marriage problems. He had cheated on her. Multiple times. Emma accepted Brad back. Though she was willing to work on the marriage … he obviously wasn’t. Even after begging for Emma to trust him, to forgive him, and promising never to even look at another woman … he did it again. He cheated on her. Finally, Emma had enough. Brad had run out of chances.

Emma wouldn’t be fooled anymore. 

A grandmother dies unexpectedly. A middle school student learns she has cancer. A friend is hospitalized. Another friend becomes weak and homebound. A senior citizen suffers a heart attack while on vacation. A baby is born 3 months prematurely. A family member is murdered.

These are all events that have happened recently to Epiphany members or friends and family of our members.

So why do these kinds of bad things happen to us?

I used to raise chickens as a child on my parents’ farm. We had three chicken coops full. One coop was full of Leghorns which were good for laying eggs. The second coop was full of Rhode Island Reds, Buff Orpingtons, and Barred Rocks for butchering. The third coop was full of our show birds for 4-H – Black Cochins, Yokohama and Polish chickens.