CR at University Carillon

  Read Isaiah 53 https://www.biblegateway.com/ passage/?search=Isaiah%2053& version=NLT   Isaiah 53:10-11- But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.   Unsurprisingly,  the early church read Isaiah 53 and immediately saw that Jesus fulfilled every word of Isaiah's prophecy here. In this picture of the "substitutionary atonement" that Jesus freely offered Himself in sacrificial love to redeem and save us, we see it wasn't an offering to an angry Father. Instead, it was a sacrifice revealing the full expression of of love and a willingness to make up the difference between the...

I want to share a little story, and a short video at the end, that I used to kick off the UC CR leaders at our monthly leadership meeting this past Saturday. I hope you find something in it, too... John Ortberg, in his book “Steps”…yep, those Steps…he’s a recovery guy, who in fact  has spoken at CR Summit in the past…in his book Steps John Ortberg tells a story of speaking with the great Pastor Dallas Willard about a lack of traction he was experiencing in leading his church. According to Ortberg, “I asked him what I needed to do to help our church experience greater levels of spiritual growth.” Long pause . . .Willard says, "You must arrange your days so that you’re experiencing deep contentment, joy, and confidence in your everyday life with God." Huh? "No," I corrected him.   "I wasn't asking about me.   I was asking about other people.   I was wondering what I need to make the church do.   I was thinking about a book everyone should read, or a pro...