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This week at Riverside during our time of worship our band will be playing a song titled, “All Things New” by Elevation Worship. I love this song so much. The message is so simple yet so impactful. Jesus says in Revelation 21:5 “Behold, I am making all things new.” Every time I hear these words or think about the message of this song, I am reminded of one of the many scenes from Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ” film that caused me to just breakdown and cry.

In this scene from the movie, Mary the Mother of Jesus asks to be taken to where Jesus is as He walks the Via Delarosa carrying the cross to be crucified. In this “station of the cross” Mary sees Jesus fall and she flashes back to the memory of Christ as her little child running and falling and crying to his mother for help. As she flashes back to this memory in her head where she is running towards her little boy, she finds herself running towards Christ now, beaten, battered, bruised and ready to carry out the sentence of death.

Jesus and Mary lock eyes and He says to her, “See Mother, I am making all things new.” Gibson and his writers certainly take some creative license here but there’s a major ring of truth to this scene as we view Revelation 21:5 and the teachings of Christ in regard to the sacrifice of His own life that had to be made so that we could be made like new in Christ Jesus Himself.

all_things_new_ws

The lyrics to this song are as follows:

Peace be still, You are near
There’s nowhere we can go
That You won’t shine redemption’s light
Our guilt withdrawn

As You rise, we come alive
The grave has lost, the old is gone

And You’re making all things new
You are making all things new
You are making all things new
And we are free

Hope is found, You are here
Our hearts forever sealed
By this love that came for us
Now we are Yours

As You rise, we come alive
The grave has lost, the old is gone

And You’re making all things new
You are making all things new
You are making all things new
And we are free

Your love never ending
Your grace never failing
Redemption is calling us home

And You’re making all things new
You are making all things new
You are making all things new
And we are free

DAVE

Because of Jesus Christ we get to call ourselves Christians.

Sometimes our outward lives seem to reflect that we leave Christ out of the label Christian.

It’s all because of Jesus that I’m alive. He alone is worthy of every part of me.

Jesus Christ.

Say His name today… Jesus Christ…

I invite You in Lord Jesus.

I claim Christ!

My 3-year-old son Braden loves to play the “first one to… is the winner” game with us. I usually allow him to be the winner as I play the coveted role of loser, one that I’ve become quite familiar with throughout my life. However, sometimes I allow him the opportunity to be the “loser” either to teach him a lesson or just because I need the enjoyment of watching his reaction.

What happens when he loses? Most of the time he has this special cry that I’ve come to love and appreciate. I call this his loser cry. Now don’t judge me – it IS perfectly okay to play this game with my son – no matter what your psychology books tell you.

Last night I was again reminded how to act appropriately as a loser. If you know me and my family – you’ll know that we are die-hard Pittsburgh Steeler fans. Last night, our team lost in the playoffs against the Broncos. That’s it. Season over. The end of a dream for now.

I follow most of the Steelers on twitter. Last night I saw tweets from losers that had winning class. I’ll share one tweet with you from Ryan Clark, “Thank God for teaching me humility. Thank my loved ones for showing me unconditional love!”

We’ve all heard that you shouldn’t be a sore-loser. Well I think you can be a sore-loser, just don’t be an inappropriate sore-loser. Don’t deny the pain that you feel in losing or in loss – just act on that pain appropriately.

I was talking with my daughter the other day about winning vs. losing. I told her that anyone can be a winner and that it doesn’t take a great person to handle winning (although maybe it does). I also told her that it does however take a great person to be a loser and handle it appropriately.

In the game of life we are bound to lose. At some level we are all losers. And it’s in those times of losing or in loss that we can win the most. It’s in those times where our character and integrity are put to the ultimate test. It’s in those times where we ask ourselves what we’re even playing for?

What game are you playing? Are you playing to win…. or to lose…. or to just be in the game?

Copyright © 2013 Dave Longstreth. All rights reserved.

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