You Gotta See This

My buddy Gavin sent me this link, and it's so bad I have to pass it on. Enjoy this video!

Holy Week

Just a quick post...I'm reading The Ancient Christian Devotional by Thomas Oden, and one of the readings for this week struck me.

Cyril of Alexandria made this comment around the year 400, "He became like us that we might become like him."

That's a quote that will stop and make you think for a while.

Hot Off The Press

I wanted to share with you our Easter morning title and title slide for April 12, 2009. Our services are at 7:45; 9:15 and 10:45 that morning. Hope you can make it.

Stand Firm

We are in the middle of a teaching series on 1 Peter, and I thougth I would share our title slide graphic with you. Steal it if you like:

U2's "No Line on the Horizon"

U2's new album "No Line on the Horizon" dropped on Tuesday, March 3rd, but I've been listening to it for about two weeks now because the band streamed the album on their website before the official release.

After the first listen, I didn't know what to think - it was definately a departure from All That You Can't Leave Behind and How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.

I have now listened to it about 10 times and here is the verdict: I think this is the second best album U2 has made, behind 1991's Auchtung Baby. I know, I know, all you fundamentalists will argue for The Joshua Tree as the best album. And while this album may not be as seminal as Joshua Tree, it is a deep, layered work that will take many listens to hear all of the intracacies.

Two more quick things. I think it's U2's most overtly Christian album, with songs like Magnificent, Unknown Caller, White As Snow, Fez-Being Born, and Breathe.

Finally, the second track on the album is titled Magnificent and I believe is already, and will go down as the second best U2 song of all time behind Bad.

I can't wait to hear the new stuff live.

Sacrifices, Sacrifices

So I'm reading through Leviticus right now - I know, exciting right.
and I got to thinking about all of the sacrifices that were necessary to make things right between the people and God (provide atonement for the people's sins).

Here is one small example of the many rules and regulations, taken from Leviticus 10:12-15, "Take the grain offering left over from the offerings made to the Lord by fire and eat it prepared without yeast beside the altar, for it is most holy. Eat it in a holy place, because it is your share and your sons' share of the offerings made to the Lord by fire; for so I have been commanded. But you and your sons and your daughters may eat the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented. Eat them in a cermonially clean place; they have been given to you and your children as your share of the Israelites' fellowship offering. The thigh that was presented and the breast that was waved must be brought with the fat portions of the offerings made by fire, to be waved before the Lord as a wave offering. Thsi will be the regular share for you and your children, as the Lord has commanded."

I can't imagine living under these laws. I don't know how Moses, Aaron and the people remembered all they had to do. And an example of the seriousness is the immediate death of Aaron's sons (Nadab and Abihu) for lighting incense at the wrong time. I think some of the reason Nadab and Abihu did this is they simply forgot when/where they were supposed to offer incense.

I'm so thankful I live on this side of the cross, and I don't live under the sacrificial system. I'm grateful for Hebrew's 10:10, "For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time."

He fulfilled the law perfectly so I don't have to!

U2

The new U2 album drops on March 3rd in the U.S., but the album is available for free download at U2's website www.u2.com.In the meantime, below is a video from the band's performance in London of what I think is the best song on the album - Magnificent.

I've listened to the album 5 or 6 times and it keeps getting better and better. U2 continaully reinvents themselves so the sound on "No Line on the Horizon" isn't similar to a lot of U2 songs, although a lot of the signature hooks and riffs can be heard. If I had to pinpoint the sound, it reminds me of a lot of early stuff from Boy and October. Anyway, enjoy the video!