CCY Connect april 2025 edition

1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

My goal in life is to be defined by God’s definition of love. So, let’s talk about kindness and how it is defined in the world and by GOD.

Do we act kindly for ourselves or for others?

An example of this that comes to mind is the person that films themselves giving money or food to a homeless person. Is this kind?

It seems to me that they are thinking of how others will see them and think that they have something to gain from this attention. I believe that the person receiving the charity will be embarrassed to be seen in this light. So, wouldn’t it be better to be kind to someone without fanfare?

Matthew 6: 1-4

1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

The former example is an easy example to see. How about this one...

You work with someone that you have witnessed stealing from your employer.

Is it kind to allow this to continue? The world tells you that the employer can afford it, they are rich and heartless. I would venture that it is not kind to the employer. The business owner may be able to afford it but maybe not. What happens when the employer shuts the company because they cannot afford to be stolen from? Everyone suffers that works there as well as their families. Is this kind? Myself, I would probably approach the person and confront them to give them a chance to come clean to the owner. Can you help this person? Then I would have to let the owner know if they didn’t follow through. It’s a different perspective than the world tells us. Love is tough to practice in real world situations.

The parable of the Good Samaritan is an example of kindness. The Rabbi didn’t stop to help, nor the Levite, the Law probably didn’t require them to. But the Samaritan did stop because he was kind.

“Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” – Philippians 2:4

Do you have someone that just rubs you wrong, you don’t know what it is but it’s just there? Every time they are near you just cringe. This person may not deserve your sympathy or kindness because of the way they are. If I read 1st Corinthians 4 correctly it doesn’t prequalify the verse with “if they are nice” being kind to someone that doesn’t deserve it is in my opinion the best way to demonstrate God’s love. Because I am not deserving of His love for me either.

If I demonstrate this kindness to others, aren’t I doing his will? The world doesn’t expect me to be nice, they expect me to demand and fight for my rights, selfishness. We are called to be selfless.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

Can you tell me which disciple deserved Jesus’s love?

Kindness is HARD! If we don’t know God’s love for us, there is no way we can demonstrate it to the world. If we slow down and think of a reply or action, the Holy Spirit will guide us.

I make a commitment today; I will be kind.

Senior Notes of a Christian Believer

Even though I’m 78 years old (not comfortable with that word old either!), I still have difficulty seeing myself as a “Senior”. When I was in my 20’s, a Senior was my Grandparents. When I was 45, a Senior was my Parents. Now I’m that “Senior”.

So, what changed? I’m still the same person (until I look in the mirror). I just never thought of myself as the person who was supposed to have the answers instead of the person who had all the questions. Have you noticed how children are always asking questions….and older folks are always ready with answers!

So, what has changed? I’ve always been “in the church”. I was raised “in the church”. It’s easy to just say that I’ve gain a lot of knowledge; and that would be true. But when I look back on my life, I realize, and recognize the times that the Lord laid out my path. Yes, meeting and marrying my wife, and living together these years has been a blessing and has included many blessings from God. Certainly our children and our grand children have all been blessings. The direction and the track that my path through college and the directions of my career showed God’s hands on me.

But before all of that, I accepted Jesus and was baptized. I grew up reading Bible stories and sang hymns in church. Then, at 18, life and belief in God and Jesus became real. My father died three days before Christmas, my Senior year of High School. And suddenly the future looked very different than it had the day before.

At that point in time there entered a man named Louie. I knew him from church. He was my parents Sunday School teacher and he had two boys about my age. But when he came to visit our home that night, he didn’t just sit and talk. He asked me to come outside and we visited while sitting in his car. Then we prayed, and he asked me if I believed in Jesus, and he led me to my “confession of faith”.

He was the Senior that I recognize to this day. Now I ask the question, am I able to be that kind of person now that I’m a Senior? I think so and, in some ways, I think I have already. I understand how important the church is; not just to an 18 year old but also to a 78 year old. I understand the opportunities of sharing my belief in Jesus with others when I attend church. I learn from others my age as well as from others of all ages. I’ve learned that God brings different people to him in different ways. I’ve also learned that the way to God is truly though Jesus.

I still ask God to give me wisdom and am not surprised anymore that he shows it to me through people young and old. At the same time, I recognize the importance of my making myself available to share my experiences and my faith with those younger than me who may be struggling with something I may have already experienced.

I’ve learned that Seniors benefit the church because they have a lot of experience and wisdom. I’ve also learned that Seniors don’t have it all and need that same association and fellowship from everyone who comes to church….because we don’t know it all!

As we get closer to Easter, I want to take a moment to reflect on something that’s been on my mind. We all know Batman, right? I sure know he is a favorite at our house. Who do you think is Batman's most dangerous super-villain? Most people would probably say The Joker. But let me tell you, The Riddler might just take the top spot!

In most TV shows and movies, The Riddler’s antics are played for laughs. But in the comic books, he’s no joke! The Riddler is obsessed with puzzles and riddles, and he loves creating these tricky challenges to outsmart Batman and the Gotham Police. And you know what? He’s good at it! His riddles always seem easy once you know the answer, but figuring them out in time is where the real challenge lies. Batman knows that if he doesn’t solve the riddle quickly, something terrible will happen.

It’s like an Escape Room. Imagine being locked in a room, racing against the clock to solve riddles and escape before time runs out. The Riddler would have a blast designing these escape rooms, and Batman would have no choice but to solve them, or face doom! But even at his most dangerous, The Riddler always gives Batman a way out… if he can figure it out in time.

Speaking of "escapes," we’re about to celebrate the greatest escape of all—Easter! Easter isn’t just a day to celebrate eggs and bunnies; it’s the day we celebrate Jesus’ escape from the tomb, which means we, too, can escape the punishment for sin.

Here’s the cool part: just like The Riddler’s puzzles had clues, the story of Jesus' escape was foretold long before He was born. There were riddles and prophecies in the Old Testament that pointed to Jesus as the Savior. The kids are going to start this Easter season in one of those prophecies—Isaiah 53.

If you know the Easter story, you’ll recognize the meaning behind Isaiah 53. It talks about Jesus—His life, His sacrifice, and the amazing gift He gave us through His death and resurrection.

Jesus came to us humbly, born to a poor carpenter and his wife, far from the riches of royalty. He spent His life serving others—healing the sick, helping the poor, and reaching out to those who were often forgotten. He was kind and loving to everyone, but still, He was accused and condemned for a crime He didn’t commit. He was sentenced to death on a cross, even though He was sinless.

But you know what? Jesus died so that we could be forgiven! Through His death, we are able to escape the punishment for sin. And just like a well-crafted riddle, it didn’t make sense at the time, but when Jesus rose from the dead, everything clicked into place. The escape plan was clear: Jesus' death and resurrection made it possible for us to escape the consequences of sin and live forever with Him.

Here’s a riddle for you: "I am more powerful than God, and more evil than the devil. Rich people want me. Poor people have me. If you eat me, you will die, and if you close your eyes, you can see me. What am I?"

Got it? The answer is… Nothing! Nothing is more powerful than God. Nothing is more evil than the devil. Rich people want nothing, and poor people have nothing. If you eat nothing, you’ll die. If you close your eyes, you see nothing. Once you know the answer, you get the whole picture!

The same is true for the prophecies of Isaiah. At the time, they seemed like riddles that didn’t make sense. But when Jesus rose from the grave, His followers understood clearly. Jesus died to take the punishment for our sins, and by doing so, He made a way for us to escape eternal death.

This Easter, let’s celebrate not only Jesus’ resurrection, but our own escape from the consequences of sin. Let’s remember that Jesus made the ultimate escape for us, and through Him, we have hope and eternal life.

That’s a pretty jarring title I know but hear me out. I first started hearing this phrase and similar sentiments about a decade ago. It even came up during a recent small group meeting with our high school girls. Initially, I thought people who claimed this had a really bad church experience. I’d be lying if I said that at some level I didn’t understand this statement or even agree with it.

Over the last decade I feel like this statement has sadly become more true and more in the public eye than ever. Today with the rise of social media and influencers we are inundated with everyone’s beliefs, thoughts, and concerns. People are constantly sharing how and why we should be one way or another and their own personal experiences. Christians and the Church have not been spared from this. We see this in Christian families vlogging about their lives and faith, individual’s sharing the gospel and their personal testimony, and even those sharing the deconstruction of their faith and why they left the church. This last example is the one that I think is the most telling and concerning.

If you listen to these stories there is a common theme. Many left the church because what was being preached wasn’t being practiced. When asked what caused them to deconstruct the answer you hear the most seems to be they read their bibles. Some will say that in reading their bibles they found too many contradictions or they could not reconcile the vengeful, wrathful God of the Old Testament with the gracious and loving God of the New Testament. These examples always remind of the parable of the sower (Matthew 13).

“When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. “ -Matthew 13:19 NIV

Others who deconstructed did so as a result of reading their bible expressing concern and frustration that what they see in the words and actions of Christ and the example he lays out for us doesn’t align with the actions of the Church and the people in it. This sentiment I can sadly and wholeheartedly understand. In the current cultural and political climate we live in it is not difficult to find those who express their frustration and dislike and even distrust of Christians.

This topic is something that I have been very conscious of for years. I will be the first to tell you that I am in no way perfect and I need mercy every single day. I know there are areas in my own life I am working on daily to be more like Christ. I also believe that the first step in living our life like Christ after loving God is seen in how we treat others.

Galatians 6:10 (CSB) says

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.”

We are called to action time and time again especially in the New Testament. It stands out to me as important that we are often called outward to serve and love others. I fear that in our current day there has been a societal shift in Christianity to focus heavily outward and not enough inward (Matthew 7:3-5). In that it would seem that an emphasis has been placed on enforcing our ideologies and the morals and values we abide by on others, often missing the opportunity to invite non-believers to join us at God’s table. If God desired legalistic compliance from us; he would have never given us free will or Jesus for that matter. We choose to have fellowship and faith in God. We are therefore called to share the Gospel. I believe there is no better way to do that than to act our lives out like Jesus' love, dignity, and grace and to share how God has changed or moved in our lives.

When I first started thinking about what I would write, the phrase “There is no hate like Christian love”, was the first thing that came to my mind. I prayed over it often and what I felt God was putting on my heart is a lack of accountability in the church as a whole, especially within our nation. I happened to be reading through 1 Corinthians and chapter 5 stood out to me. In chapter 5 Paul condemns spiritual pride. His main focus in the beginning is an issue with a member of the church in Corinth who was living in sexual sin and this was well known to the members of the church. He tells the church that they should be ashamed and how they should discipline this man. Later in the chapter he further explains the accountability we should hold for fellow believers.

“When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.

It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5: 9-13 (NLT)

It breaks my heart at how often I see others using their faith and Christian morals to grandstand some form of superiority over others. This kind of pride and the rhetoric that seems to follow is harmful to the Church turning new and non-believers away. I am extremely grateful to belong to a church like CCY. Where we practice what we preach. I love that our leadership and the body have a heart for service and loving people where they are at while guiding and growing their faith. My hope is that as each of us go about our daily interactions that when we come across our fellow believers who are struggling in sin that we may come alongside them and guide them back to righteousness in love. I pray God would give each of us wisdom and discernment when it comes to holding accountable those believers that seek to use the gospel as a weapon not a guide.

Join Us for Holy Week at Christ’s Church of Yukon

As we remember Jesus’ journey to the cross and celebrate His resurrection, we invite you to walk with us through a powerful week of reflection, worship, and hope. Whether you’ve been part of our church family for years or this will be your first visit, we’d love to see you.

PALM SUNDAY - SUNDAY APRIL 13TH

Worship Service at 10:30 AM | Join us as we begin Holy Week, remembering Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

GOOD FRIDAY - FRIDAY, APRIL 18TH

Come & Go | 5:00 – 7:00 PM | Reflect on Jesus' sacrifice in this personal, prayerful experience. Come at your own pace to reflect on the Stations of the Cross, communion, and reflection. We will have the baptism ready for anyone wanting to get baptized.

EASTER EGG HUNT - SATURDAY, APRIL 19TH

Saturday, 1-3 PM | Fun for All Ages Glow in the Dark Egg Hunt! - Join us for an egg hunt like no other! Our first-ever family Easter event - Glow in the Dark Egg Hunt in the gym at Christ's Church of Yukon! How it works: Kids will be split into age groups to hunt for glowing eggs filled with fun prizes! Each age group will have a chance to find a Golden Egg, which can be exchanged for a grand prize! Bring the family!

RESURRECTION SUNDAY - APRIL 20TH

Potluck Breakfast – 9:00 AM | 🍽 Bring a dish and enjoy breakfast together before service, in the South building at Christ's Church of Yukon.

Easter Worship Service – 10:30 AM | Celebrate the resurrection of Jesus with powerful worship, an uplifting message, and a welcoming community.