Tag Resurrection

WHAT IS SO ORDINARY ABOUT ORDINARY TIME?

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

A Season the Church Calls Ordinary

Across much of the Christian world, especially within reformed and liturgical traditions, the rhythm of worship is shaped by what is known as the common lectionary. This structured calendar divides the year into seasons—Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and the long stretch that follows known as Ordinary Time. These seasons were intended to guide congregations through the life of Christ and the story of redemption in a predictable, orderly fashion, giving shape to the church’s worship and teaching throughout the year.

For many congregations, Easter stands as the pinnacle of this cycle. Sanctuaries fill, choirs swell, banners rise, and the church gathers in its greatest numbers to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet once Easter morning passes, the atmosphere shifts. The lilies are removed, the choir robes are stored, and the church quietly returns to its familiar routine. Though the weeks that follow are still technically part of Eastertide, the energy fades as congregations drift toward summer schedules and lighter commitments.

Then comes Pentecost Sunday—often acknowledged, sometimes noted, rarely emphasized—and immediately after it, the lectionary enters its longest season: Ordinary Time. The very name suggests a return to normalcy, a settling into the predictable, a season without urgency or intensity. It is the church’s way of saying, “The high moments have passed; now we resume our regular pace.”

But this assumption is precisely what must be challenged, because nothing about the life of the early church was ordinary, nothing about the age we live in is ordinary, and nothing about the risen Christ or the outpoured Spirit invites us into a season of spiritual neutrality. The lectionary may call it ordinary, but heaven does not.

The Church Returns to Routine, but Heaven Does Not

The modern church often treats Easter as a spiritual summit, a moment of heightened celebration followed by a gentle descent back into routine. Yet the early church knew nothing of this rhythm. For them, the resurrection was not an annual observance but a daily reality. Luke tells us, “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.” Acts 4:33. They did not commemorate the empty tomb; they lived in its power. They did not treat Easter as a holiday; they treated it as the beginning of a new creation.

The modern church celebrates the resurrection as an event. The early church lived the resurrection as a lifestyle.

Pentecost: Christmas and Easter Fully Realized

If Easter is the moment the church celebrates Christ’s victory, then Pentecost is the moment the church receives its purpose. In the life of the Living Church of God, Pentecost is not a footnote to Easter; it is the fulfillment of everything Christmas and Easter set in motion.

Christmas is God with us. “They shall call his name Emmanuel.” Isaiah 7:14.

Easter is God for us. “He is not here: for he is risen.” Matthew 28:6.

Pentecost is God in us. “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” John 14:18.

At Christmas, Christ came to dwell among humanity. At Easter, Christ conquered death for humanity. At Pentecost, Christ came to dwell within humanity.

Pentecost is not an appendix to Easter; it is the purpose of Easter. The resurrection was the victory; Pentecost was the transfer of power. The resurrection declared Jesus Lord; Pentecost made the church His body. The resurrection opened the tomb; Pentecost opened the heavens.

And yet, in the modern church, Pentecost is often treated as a liturgical afterthought. It is rarely celebrated with the same intensity or expectation as Easter, even though it is the day the church received its identity, its mission, and its power. Heaven, however, has never forgotten Pentecost. Heaven still burns with Pentecostal fire.

Man‑Made Religion Cannot Produce What Only Christ Can Give

The church’s drift into routine is not merely a scheduling issue; it is a spiritual condition. Man‑made religion, with its holidays, symbols, and ceremonies, often becomes devoid of real meaning because it excludes the truth found only in Christ. It offers rhythms without revelation, rituals without relationship, and celebrations without surrender. When Christ is not at the center, even the most sacred observances become hollow.

This is how symbols become idols. This is how holidays become substitutes for holiness. This is how a people who once knew the living God become a people who merely commemorate Him.

Christ did not come to establish a holiday in His honor; He came to establish a people who serve Him. He did not come to create a calendar; He came to create a kingdom. He did not come to inspire seasonal devotion; He came to ignite lifelong discipleship. He did not come to be remembered once a year; He came to be obeyed every day.

“Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people.” 1 Peter 2:9.

Christ shed His blood to create a people, not a program; a kingdom, not a calendar; a church, not a holiday.

The Early Church Walked in Power — The Modern Church Walks in Caution

When we look at the book of Acts, we see a church that healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons, opened blinded eyes, and confronted darkness wherever it appeared. Nothing about their lives was ordinary. Nothing about their gatherings was predictable. Nothing about their witness was safe. They lived in the power of the risen Christ, walked in the fire of the Holy Spirit, and carried the authority of the kingdom of God.

“And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people.” Acts 5:12.

“These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also.” Acts 17:6.

But today, the modern church often turns a blind eye to sin, buries the dead instead of raising them, prays for the sick without expecting healing, tolerates darkness instead of confronting it, and avoids impact to avoid persecution. It chooses safety over surrender, comfort over calling, and predictability over power. The early church walked into cities and demons screamed; the modern church walks into cities and nothing notices.

The early church prayed and prison doors opened; the modern church prays and hopes the service ends on time. The early church preached and hearts were pierced; the modern church preaches and feelings are soothed. The early church lived in the fire of Pentecost; the modern church lives in the fog of “Ordinary Time.”

The Danger of Calling Anything Ordinary

The lectionary’s term “Ordinary Time” may be organizational, but spiritually it is dangerous. It trains the church to expect nothing unusual, nothing supernatural, nothing disruptive, nothing that would require surrender or obedience. Yet Scripture calls believers to the opposite posture.

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15–16.

“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep.” Romans 13:11.

There is no ordinary time for a Spirit‑filled church. There is no ordinary time in a shaking world. There is no ordinary time when the kingdom is advancing. There is no ordinary time when Christ dwells within His people.

The only thing ordinary is the faith we have settled for.

These Are Not Ordinary Days

Look at the world. Look at the nations. Look at the church. Look at the signs of the times. These are not ordinary days. These are prophetic days—days of shaking, days of sifting, days of awakening. The church is acting as though we live in ordinary times, but we do not. We have not lived in ordinary times since Christ rose from the dead. The resurrection ended ordinary. Pentecost ended predictable. The Spirit ended routine.

A Call to the Church Before Pentecost Arrives

Pentecost is approaching, and this is a timely word. The Spirit is calling the church to wake up, rise up, and step into the fire that birthed it. The Spirit is calling us to reject the predictable rhythms of Churchianity and embrace the unpredictable movement of God. The Spirit is calling us to remember that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead now dwells in us.

Christ now dwells with us and works to do His will among us—if we let Him.

Pentecost is not ordinary. Pentecost is not optional. Pentecost is not a footnote. Pentecost is the heartbeat of the church.

May the church awaken. May the fire fall again. May the people of God rise from the ashes of routine and step into the extraordinary days for which we were born.

After Easter: Teaching Children to Seek Christ

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

Introduction

Easter weekend has come and gone, and the familiar rhythm has played itself out once again. The eggs were scattered across the yard, the children ran with excitement, the baskets were filled, and the candy disappeared almost as quickly as it was found. Yet when the noise settles and the sugar rush fades, a deeper question rises to the surface, one that lingers long after the decorations have been boxed up and the plastic eggs have been stored away. What, exactly, have we taught our children to search for? What desires have we shaped in them? What appetites have we awakened? And what kind of treasure have we placed before their eyes?

The Biblical Metaphor of Searching

Jesus spoke often about searching, but His stories carried a weight far greater than seasonal traditions or childhood games. He described a man who stumbled upon something so valuable that it redefined his entire life. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” [Matthew 13:44] He also spoke of a merchant whose entire livelihood revolved around discerning value, a man who spent his days searching for pearls, until one day he found a pearl so surpassingly precious that it eclipsed everything else he had ever seen. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” [Matthew 13:45–46]

These stories were not about candy, prizes, or seasonal excitement. They were not about momentary joy or temporary rewards. They were about Christ Himself, the Treasure hidden in plain sight, the Pearl of Great Price whose worth cannot be measured and whose glory cannot be exhausted. Jesus was not calling His followers to a weekend of searching but to a lifetime of seeking. He was not inviting them to a brief moment of excitement but to a continual pursuit of the One who alone satisfies the soul.

The Problem with Cultural Traditions

Yet when we look at the patterns we place before our children, we must be honest about what we are actually teaching them. At Christmas, we tell them to look under the tree. At Easter, we tell them to search for eggs. Throughout the year, we reward behavior with trinkets, treats, and temporary pleasures. Without realizing it, we disciple them into a rhythm of searching for what is fleeting rather than what is eternal. We train them to chase what is hollow rather than what is holy. We hand them empty eggs while Christ offers a tomb that is gloriously filled with resurrection power.

Earthly vs. Heavenly Treasures

Scripture speaks plainly about the difference between earthly treasures and heavenly ones. Jesus warned His disciples with unmistakable clarity: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” [Matthew 6:19–21] Earthly treasures fade, break, melt, or disappear. Heavenly treasures endure forever. Earthly rewards satisfy for a moment. Heavenly rewards satisfy for eternity. Earthly searching ends in an empty basket. Heavenly searching ends in a transformed heart.

The Open Invitation to Seek Christ

The world hides plastic eggs in the grass, but the Father does not hide His Son in the same way. He reveals Him openly in the Scriptures, where the prophets, the psalms, and the apostles testify of Him. He reveals Him in creation, where the heavens declare the glory of God. He reveals Him in the quiet tug of the Spirit, who draws the heart toward repentance and faith. The prophet Isaiah issued a timeless invitation that still echoes across the centuries: “Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near.” [Isaiah 55:6] The call to seek God is not seasonal. It is not tied to a holiday. It is not dependent on decorations, traditions, or cultural rhythms. It is a daily summons to pursue the One who pursued us first.

Living the Resurrection Daily

Every year, Easter fades. The decorations return to their boxes. The baskets are shoved into closets. Life resumes its ordinary pace. Yet the resurrection was never meant to be a weekend event. It was meant to be the launching point of a lifelong pursuit. The early church did not gather once a year to remember an empty tomb. They lived in the power of the resurrection every single day. Luke records that they “continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” [Acts 2:42] Their lives were marked by continual devotion, continual seeking, continual hunger for the presence of God.

Reclaiming the Search

Somewhere along the way, we traded that daily pursuit for a calendar event and a candy hunt. We replaced the search for Christ with the search for trinkets. We substituted the Pearl of Great Price with plastic eggs. We exchanged the eternal for the temporary, the holy for the hollow, the substantial for the superficial.

Perhaps it is time to reclaim the search. Perhaps it is time to teach our children that the greatest treasure is not hidden in the yard but revealed in the Word. Perhaps it is time to show them that the most valuable pursuit is not for what melts in the sun but for the One who reigns at the right hand of the Father. Perhaps it is time to remind them that the greatest discovery is not found in a basket but in a Savior who stepped out of the grave.

Conclusion

The invitation still stands, as clear and compelling as ever: “Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.” [Isaiah 55:6] After the candy is gone and the decorations are boxed up, let us point our families to the only Treasure worth searching for, the only Pearl worth selling everything to obtain, the only Savior who conquered death and offers life everlasting. And may our children grow up knowing that the greatest search of their lives is not for what is hidden in the grass but for the Christ who is revealed in the Gospel, the risen Lord who calls them to Himself with love, truth, and eternal promise.

WHAT MUST COME DOWN BEFORE GOING UP

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

A Resurrection Reality Check for a Farcical Season

The Rhythm of Descent and Ascent

There is a rhythm woven into the Kingdom of God that the world cannot imitate and religion cannot counterfeit. It is the rhythm of holy descent followed by God‑given ascent, the pattern of a God who steps down so that He may raise the humble up. Heaven’s gravity works in reverse. What comes down in God’s hands does not remain down, because the Lord delights in lifting the lowly. Before anything rises in the Kingdom, something must bow. Before anything is exalted, something must kneel. Before anything goes up, something must come down.

This is not punishment but posture. It is the way of Christ, the way of the cross, and the way of every saint who has ever been raised by the power of God.

The Pattern of Humility from the Beginning

Moses came down from the mountain carrying the Word, the covenant, and the revelation of God’s character. “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai… the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.” (Exodus 34:29). Yet Israel did not rejoice in what came down. They were too busy worshiping what they had lifted up, a golden calf of their own making. Humanity has always preferred what ascends when we are the ones climbing. We build towers, chase platforms, exalt ourselves, and admire the view from the top.

But God overturns this instinct. The Kingdom begins with going down, not in defeat but in humility, not in shame but in surrender, not in weakness but in obedience.

The Descent of Christ: The Model of All Humility

Jesus did not descend because He was defeated. He descended because He was humble. “Though He was in the form of God, He did not consider equality with God something to cling to, but emptied Himself… He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6–8). He came down from glory, laid down His rights, bowed down in obedience, and humbled Himself for our sake. His descent was not accidental but intentional. Because He went down in humility, the Father raised Him up in glory. “Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name.” (Philippians 2:9).

This is the law of the Kingdom: what bows low is lifted high.

Paul: Struck Down to Be Raised Up

Paul understood this truth because he lived it. He was the rising star of Judaism, educated, disciplined, respected, and zealous. Yet when Christ appeared, Paul had to be struck down before he could truly see. He fell to the ground, blinded and helpless. “He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’” (Acts 9:4). Every accomplishment he once boasted in, he now called loss. “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8).

Paul discovered that humility is not the lowest place but the safest place. It is the beginning of resurrection.

The Descent and Ascent of Jesus

Jesus came down from the cross lifeless and wrapped in linen. He went down into the grave sealed and guarded. He went down into the depths, into the territory hell believed it owned. “He also descended into the lower parts of the earth.” (Ephesians 4:9). Every downward step looked like loss, yet in the Kingdom, down is never the destination. It is the doorway.

The same Jesus who descended also rose. He went up the hill, up the mountain of transfiguration, up out of the grave, and up into heaven. “He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” (Acts 1:9). He will one day raise His people with Him. “He raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 2:6).

This is the divine reversal: what comes down in humility must go up in glory.

The Farce of Our Seasonal Jesus

Every year the church calendar reenacts the same tragic cycle. In December, Christ is placed back in the cradle—small, harmless, and sentimental. In spring, He is placed back in the tomb—tragic, noble, and safely contained. Then the props are packed away, the pageantry folded, and life returns to normal.

We reenact His birth, His death, and His burial, but we rarely reenact His reign. We do not enthrone Him, crown Him, or place Him at the center of our will. We keep Christ in the cradle because a baby makes no demands. We keep Christ in the tomb because a dead man issues no commands. But a risen, reigning Christ requires surrender.

We treat the resurrection as a holiday rather than a hierarchy, as a story rather than a sovereign, as a symbol rather than a King. This is why the calendar feels farcical: it keeps Christ rotating through roles He has already outgrown. He is not the baby in the manger, the victim on the cross, or the body in the tomb. He is the Head of the Church, the Lord of Glory, and the One seated far above all rule and authority.

Israel made the same mistake with the ark. They carried the ark on their shoulders, proud of their proximity to God, but they never embraced the God within the ark. They carried Him, but they never let Him carry them. We do the same. We carry Jesus into our holidays, traditions, and services, but we do not let Him carry our will, our obedience, or our lives.

The Real Resurrection Direction

The resurrection does not point down to the cradle, back to the cross, inward to our emotions, or outward to our traditions. The resurrection points up to the enthroned Christ who reigns now. The only way to rise with Him is to bow before Him. “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6).

Humility is not the end of the journey but the beginning of resurrection. It is the doorway into the Kingdom. The proud cannot enter because the doorway is too low. The humble rise because they kneel.

A Call to Yield to the Risen King

Time is growing short, and the hour demands clarity. Christ is not waiting to be rediscovered in a cradle or reburied in a tomb. He is not a seasonal figure to be lifted up for a holiday and set aside when the calendar turns. He is the risen and reigning Lord, seated at the right hand of the Father, calling His people to bow before Him in humility and truth. The path upward begins with the posture downward. The Kingdom does not rise on the strength of the proud but on the surrender of the humble.

The psalmist understood this long before the empty tomb. “My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother.” (Psalm 131:1–2). This is the posture of ascent. This is the doorway into resurrection life. This is the heart God lifts.

Let us therefore lay down our pride, our self‑importance, our insistence on carrying Christ on our shoulders while refusing to let Him carry us. Let us bow low before the One who descended in humility and rose in glory. Let us yield our will to the King who reigns, so that in due time He may lift us up. What comes down must go up, because the One who calls us to kneel is the same One who raises His people to stand with Him in the heavenly places.

Lego Jesus

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

A statue of Jesus Christ made entirely out of Lego construction bricks
stands in a church at Vasteras, Sweden, April 12, 2009.
The 1.8 metre (5.9 fet) tall statue, a copy of Thorvaldsen’s “Resurrected Christ”,
has taken parishioners 1.5 years to construct out of
30.000 tiny plastic pieces. (AP Photo/Jonas Ekstromer)

The journey of a 30,000 Legos begins with only one. I had a hard time building the designs that came on the actual box of Legos when I was a child. I would have never thought about doing anything like this. Isn’t it amazing what can be done if someone just gets a vision for it?

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