Aaron
Erhardt
minister & author
Aaron
Erhardt
minister & author
Startups
Home Alone
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If you have seen the holiday classic “Home Alone,” you’ll remember the dramatic scene Kate McCallister suddenly realized her son had been left behind in Chicago. She was on a plane with her family mid-flight to France when an uneasy feeling arose that she had forgotten something. — Did they turn off the coffeemaker? Did they lock the door? Did they shut the garage? — She then leaned forward and screamed, “Kevin!” Kate was in agony for three long days before finally reuniting with her son. She was impressed to see that Kevin had handled himself quite nicely.
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Mary could certainly relate to that story. She would have known exactly how Kate felt. In Luke 2, Mary and her family were “mid-flight” to Nazareth when she suddenly realized her son had been left behind in Jerusalem. She too was in agony for three long days before finally reuniting with her son. And like Kate, Mary was astonished at how well her son had handled himself. Both boys were just fine in their father’s house!
Henry "Box" Brown
Henry “Box” Brown was a 19th-century slave in Virginia. He devised a plan to escape slavery by having himself mailed to a free state by Adams Express Company, which was known for its confidential and efficient services. It cost him $86 dollars to be shipped in a small wooden crate (3 feet long by 2 feet wide) that was marked “dry goods.” All he had was a single hole for air, a little water, and a few biscuits. Brown almost died along the way, but finally emerged 27 hours later in Pennsylvania.
Brown’s plan required him to be placed in a confined space and carried by others for 27 hours to secure his freedom. God’s plan required Jesus to be placed in a confined space, the womb of a woman, and carried by her for nine months to secure our freedom. Jesus was not being shipped from oppression; He was being shipped to oppression. He went from paradise to a plantation for our liberation!
Broken Beauty
“Kintsugi” is the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics using lacquer mixed with gold, silver, or platinum. It sees breakage as something to be highlighted rather than hidden, and the end result often increases the object’s value. Kintsugi makes the broken beautiful.
Kintsugi perfectly illustrates the Gospel. We are broken; God takes the pieces and puts them back together; and the end result is something more valuable and beautiful than before. Jesus Christ is the lacquer that makes this possible. However, before God can turn our mess into a masterpiece, we must come to grips with the fact that we are broken. Then and only then will God make the broken beautiful!
The Comma
Alexander III was the emperor of Russia from 1881-1894. On one occasion, he signed an order consigning a prisoner to life in exile. It read simply, “Pardon impossible, to be sent to Siberia.” His wife Maria, however, was very compassionate and when she saw the order, did something that would change the prisoner’s life in a big way. She moved the comma. It now read, “Pardon, impossible to be sent to Siberia.”
All of us were guilty of sin and should have been eternally exiled. Yet God made pardon possible through His Son. Jesus left the glories of heaven to die as a perfect sacrifice so we could have the comma changed from “Pardon impossible, to be sent to Siberia” to “Pardon, impossible to be sent to Siberia.”
Marital Bliss
A little boy asked his mom why the girl at a wedding wears all white. His mom said, “The girl is called a ‘bride,’ and she wears white because it is the happiest day of her life.” The boy then asked, “Why is the man dressed in all black?”
Many people view marriage like a hot bath — “once you get used to it, it’s not so hot.” To them, marriage is not a word but a sentence. As one man said, “Marriage is when a man loses his bachelor’s degree and a woman gets her master’s degree.” The truth is, however, when done right marriage is a great blessing. It truly is a gift from God (Psalm 18:22).
Young Solider
During the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, sentenced a young soldier to be executed. It was to take place when the curfew bell sounded. However, the bell did not sound. The soldier’s fiancé had climbed into the belfry and clung to the clapper of the bell to prevent it from striking. When she was summoned by Cromwell to account for her actions, she wept as she showed him her bruised and bleeding hands. Cromwell’s heart was touched and he said, “Your lover shall live because of your sacrifice. Curfew shall not ring tonight!” Cromwell commuted the sentence.
All of us were like that young soldier. The guilt of our sin was exposed and punishment was soon to commence. Then love intervened. It was not in the form of a girl climbing into the belfry and clinging to the clapper of the bell, but in the form of God’s Son climbing down from heaven and clinging to the old rugged cross. Her bruising and bleeding was nothing compared to His. And just as the soldier was spared by her act of love, we are spared by His act of love. If I may slightly modify Cromwell’s words, “We shall live because of His sacrifice!”
No Riding the Fence!
When Michael Jordan saw that his friend’s closet was divided in half between Puma gear and Nike gear, he gathered up all the Puma gear and carried it into the living room. He then grabbed a butcher knife, cut it all up into pieces, and disposed of it in the dumpster. Jordan told his friend, “Don’t ever let me see you in anything other than Nike. You can’t ride the fence.”
Too often the “closets of our hearts” are divided between competing interests. — God and money, God and self, God and work, God and sports, God and people. — When that happens, we need to rip out whatever is sharing space with the Lord and throw it away. We can’t ride the fence!
My Name on His Cross
A carpenter in Jerusalem supported his family by making crosses for the Romans to use in crucifixions. His young son often worked with him in the shop. One day, his son came running in with panic on his face and said, “Dad, the preacher that we love so much just passed by carrying a cross.” His dad was quite upset, for he really loved Jesus of Nazareth. His son added, “And it gets worse. They are about to crucify him on a cross that I made.” “I am sure that is not true,” the father replied. “There are many carpenter shops that make crosses for the Romans.” The son began to cry as he said, “You don’t understand, dad, I always sign my work when I am finished. I just saw my name on his cross.”
I can relate with the terror that young boy must have felt, for in a very real sense it is my name on that cross. I made it with my sins and signed it with my guilt. When I close my eyes and envision Jesus being led to Calvary, I see my name on His cross!
Poison
A man went to his father and said, “Dad, I can't take it anymore, my wife is driving me insane! I want to kill her, but I'm afraid someone might find out I did it. Please help me.” The father replied, “I can help you, but this is what you’ll have to do. You're going to have to make amends with her so no one will suspect that it was you when she dies. Take very good care of her — be kind, grateful, patient, caring, less selfish, and help her with chores. Now, do you see this powder here? Just put a little in her food every day so she dies slowly.”
After about thirty days, the son came back to his father and said, “I don't want her to die! I have come to love her. I now realize how wonderful we are together. How do I cut the effect of that poison?” The father answered, “Don't worry. What I gave you was rice powder. She's not going to die, because the poison was in you!”
Stronger Together
There is a Peanuts cartoon where Lucy demands that Linus change the TV channel, threatening him with her fist if he doesn't. Linus asks, "What makes you think you can walk in here and take over?" Lucy says, "These five fingers. Individually they're nothing but when I curl them together like this, into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold." Linus then asks, "Which channel do you want?" And turning away, he looks down at his own fingers and says, "Why can't you guys get organized like that?"
When individual members in the local church come together and act as a single unit, we too form a weapon that is terrible to behold. We become an incredibly powerful instrument for God to use in the world. That’s why the Scriptures talk so much about unity, and why Satan spends so much time trying to keep us apart.
Fasting Felines
Daniel knew of the king's decree. It was clearly worded and widely circulated. It said that anyone caught praying to God for the next thirty days would be cast into a den of lions. Yet with his windows opened and his eyes closed, Daniel bowed his knees in prayer.
Daniel was convicted of violating the king's decree and thrown into the lion's den. However, God saved Daniel by putting the ferocious felines on a fast. He sent an angel to shut their mouths. Daniel was too committed to compromise his convictions, are we?
Cookies
A young lady bought a book and some cookies while waiting for her flight. A man sat down next to her and began reading a magazine. The packet of cookies was on the armrest between them. When she ate the first cookie, he ate one also. She thought, “What nerve! I can’t believe he would do that.” This went on over and over. Each time she would take a cookie, he would grab one too. Finally, there was but one cookie left. Unbelievably, he took half of the last cookie. The lady was infuriated and stormed to the boarding place in a huff.
When the lady boarded the plane and sat down in her seat, she looked into her purse and saw her packet of cookies. It had not been touched. Feeling absolutely ashamed, she realized that the man had shared his cookies with her. May God help all of us develop a love for Him and others that demonstrates itself in our willingness to share the cookies!
No Regrets
When people are asked to name their greatest regrets in life, there is usually one word they all have in common — “not.” Not speaking up, not spending more time, not asking for help, not chasing their dream, not leaving their comfort zone, not expressing their true feelings. Most people regret the times when they "didn’t" do something. Times when opportunities were not seized, or chances were not taken, or resolutions were not kept.
Let’s live today in such a way as to have no regrets tomorrow. Let’s go “all in” and leave everything on the field. That means stepping out in faith and taking some risks, knowing that it is better to try and fail than to never try at all!
Sinless Savior
One of the most stunning statements made about Jesus in Scripture is this: He did not sin. He was a perfect person who never fell short, never missed the mark, never had a moral misstep or blameful blunder during His thirty-three years on earth. The Bible says He “knew no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21), He was “without sin” (Hebrews 4:15), and He “committed no sin” (1 Peter 2:22).
That last verse is particularly powerful because of who wrote it. Peter was not only an apostle, he was part of the Lord’s inner circle. He was with Jesus on a daily basis. There was probably no one who knew Him better or had greater access than Peter. Yet he says that Jesus committed no sin. There was no pride, prejudice, or pretense to be found. He never had a slip of the tongue or lapse in judgment. He was perfect! Therefore, Jesus is qualified to be our sacrifice for sin, “like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:19).
In Our Image
A teacher asked one of her students what he was drawing. The little boy answered, "I am drawing a picture of God." The teacher told the boy that he cannot draw a picture of God because no one knows what He looks like. The boy replied, "Well, they will when I am finished."
We all have our picture of what God looks like, don't we? This can be dangerous because we tend to envision Him in our own image, fitting neatly into a mode that we have developed. In other words, we confine God to our ways rather than conform ourselves to His ways. Be careful that your picture of God does not "draw" you away from the truth!
No Worries
A woman picked up a glass of water and asked her audience, “How heavy is this?” Guesses ranged from 8 ounces to 20 ounces. The woman replied, “The actual weight does not matter. What matters is how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, my arm will ache. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and even paralyzed.” She continued, “And so it is with worry. If I worry for a little while nothing seems to happen. If I worry for a bit longer I begin to hurt. If I worry all day long, I feel paralyzed and incapable of doing anything.”
Jesus did not want His warriors to be worriers. He urged them to trust God, keep things in the proper perspective, and realize they do not have to carry their burdens alone. Moreover, research shows that 85% of what we worry about never happens. So, the best thing we can do is “let go and let God.” Pass that glass!
Feeling Empty
Do you have a “void” inside that can’t seem to be filled? Most of us do. But here’s the irony, the more we try to fill that void the emptier it becomes. For instance, if we try to fill it with food, we’re left feeling hungry; if we try to fill it with people, we’re left feeling lonely; if we try to fill it with money, we’re left feeling bankrupt; if we try to fill it with entertainment, we’re left feeling bored. These things may provide temporary relief, but they offer no permanent solution.
To truly find that which can make us full, we must look to that which is empty. “Some of our men went to the tomb and found it empty…” (Luke 24:24, GW). The empty tomb of Jesus Christ holds the answer to being made full.
Shark Bait
A marine biologist placed a shark in a tank with bait fish. The shark quickly swam around and ate all of them. The biologist then inserted a piece of clear fiberglass into the tank, creating two separate sections. When more bait fish were put in the other side, the shark quickly attacked but hit the divider and bounced off. Over time the shark got less aggressive and finally gave up altogether. When the fiberglass was removed, the shark did not attack the bait fish swimming around because he still believed the barrier existed.
Some Christians are like that shark. They have been so discouraged by past setbacks that they stop trying and just give up. They convince themselves that barriers are always standing in the way, even when they aren’t. However, Jesus taught His followers to be persistent and not to lose heart. Both sharks and saints would do well to remember the old proverb, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!”
Jesus Spoke
Jesus did not pen a single page of the New Testament. He was not a writer, but a speaker. And he spoke like none other. His words left crowds stunned, critics silenced, cruelty stifled, and creation shaken. They were both piercing and powerful.
Jesus spoke and the sea stood still; Jesus spoke and the demon stood down; Jesus spoke and the deceased stood up; Jesus spoke and the disabled stood tall; Jesus spoke and the detractor stood corrected; Jesus spoke and the sinner stood forgiven. We speak because He spoke!
Perfect Gift
A man was crossing the desert and found a wonderful spring filled with cold water. It was so refreshing that he filled a leather bottle and took some to his king. Unaware that the water had been tainted by the container, he presented it to his lord. The king took a deep drink and then highly commended his loyal subject for the gift. It was not the water the king enjoyed, but the love that motivated the man to bring it.
Like that king, our God is gracious and kind. He looks beyond the imperfection of the gifts we offer to the love that motivated those gifts in the first place. Such love makes bitter water better!
Crucifixion
Jesus gave up magnificence for mundane, harmony for hatred, reverence for revulsion, and loftiness for lashings. He left His throne for thorns, His nobility for nails, and His crown for a cross.
Crucifixion was a particularly prolonged, painful, and public way to die. In fact, the word “excruciating” means “out of crucifying.” The person usually lingered for hours before finally succumbing to heart failure, shock, asphyxia, or dehydration. The ISBE says, “The victim of crucifixion literally died a thousand deaths.” And yet Jesus willingly took up His cross for us. Are we willing to take up our crosses for Him?
The Rock
Andrew introduced his brother Simon to Jesus, the Lord looked at him intently and said, “You shall be called Cephas,” or Peter (“rock”). Have you ever wondered why Jesus changed Simon’s name? It had nothing to do with his physical appearance or the conversation that took place later at Caesarea Philippi. It had everything to do with the potential Jesus saw in him. He looked beyond what Simon was to what Simon could become.
Reaching Simon’s potential was not easy. He made plenty of mistakes. There was the reckless rebuke (Matthew 16:21-23), the presumptuous proposal (Matthew 17:1-5), the selfish sleeping (Matthew 26:40-44), the detestable denials (Matthew 26:69-75), etc. However, he finally lived up to his new name and became a “rock” for the Lord. In Peter, we see that there is no limit to our capabilities if we don’t “cap” our “abilities.” So, what does the Lord see in you?