Looking for Something to do Sunday?

Have you ever wondered why the first Sunday of every May it is incredibly hard to drive anywhere in Lincoln without being delayed by an enormous amount of runners? If you have, you know where this is going. If you haven't....I probably just jinxed you and you'll find out tomorrow (you are welcome). Tomorrow marks another year of the Lincoln Marathon, and if you have never experienced this event, you should come out and join the fun tomorrow morning.

This Sunday thousands of feet will pound the pavement of Lincoln’s streets.The 37th Annual Lincoln Marathon will commence at 7am on May 4 at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln City Campus. The course spans all across Lincoln, beginning at 16th and K and ending at Memorial Stadium.

While the course is clearly marked, here are some fun landmarks of Lincoln for the strolling spectator to enjoy along the way:

• The State Capitol

• South Street (grab a cup of coffee at Meadowlark Coffee & Espresso as you cheer the first round of runners on!)

• Lincoln Country Club

• Sunken Gardens

• Antelope Park

• Holmes Lake

• Union College (grab the second round of coffee from The Mill across the street)

• Memorial Stadium

The number of entrants totals 12,500, and that doesn’t even account for all the spectators who will be cheering them on. (Fun fact for your weekend: The marathon usually sells out within hours on opening entry day.) Every year hundreds of friends, family and volunteers create an atmosphere of camaraderie that help inspire the runners to race over 26 miles, or 13 miles for the half marathon runners.

For more detailed information about the schedule, awards, and even the weather, visit the website!

Photo Credit: Stuart Grout

What's So "Good" About Good Friday?

Good Friday is the day of the year where Christians remember and celebrate the death of Jesus.  Death isn't something that we typically celebrate, so… what is it that is so "good" about Good Friday?

To make sense of this, we need to understand something about sin, something about blood, and something about Jesus.

Sin

The Bible teaches that every single one of us is sinful.  This includes you and it includes me.  Biblically speaking, however, we're not just considered sinful because we don't do what we should do (sins of omission) and do do what we shouldn't do (sins of commission); rather, we're born sinful.  Sin therefore infects every aspect of who we are - our actions, thoughts, emotions - everything.  

Another way to say that is to say: we're not sinful because we sin, we sin because we're sinful.

The Bible further teaches that because of our sinfulness, we are at odds with God and that when we die, if our relationship with God is not repaired, that we will spend eternity apart from God in what the Bible calls hell.

Blood Must Be Shed

When it comes to repairing our relationship with God, the Bible teaches that we are not able to do that in-and-of ourselves because everything we do is tainted by our sinfulness.  What that means is that even our best efforts to seek God or please God are not enough to repair the broken relationship with God.  Nothing we do can repair it.

Going to church every week can't do it. Reading the Bible every day can't do it.  Praying every morning can't do it.  Alleviating poverty can't do it.  Nothing we do can repair our broken relationship with God.

Instead, the Bible teaches, blood must be shed.  In fact, as you read through the Old Testament, that's exactly what the sacrifice system is all about: making atonement.  Making atonement is just a fancy way of saying that it is through the sacrifice that God's wrath is removed for an offense against God (sin).  More simply: blood must be shed in order for the wrath of God which we deserve for our sin to be appeased.

Enter Jesus.

Jesus

The Bible teaches that Jesus came to repair, once for all, the broken relationship between us and God.  That God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Jesus died for us (Romans 5:8).  That Jesus, the Son of God, was sent by the love of God the Father to rescue us in our brokenness and to repair our relationship.

When Jesus died on the cross on Good Friday, he put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.  Having come and having lived the perfect life, he died the perfect death, in our place for our sin.  It was the sacrifice to end all sacrifices and he did it for us.

And when we believe and trust in Jesus, this is effective for us.  Not only is the wrath of God due to us for our sin appeased, but we are forgiven, redeemed, and restored according to the riches of his grace which he lavishes upon us.  When you believe and trust in Jesus, your broken relationship is fully and finally repaired.

That's what is so good about Good Friday.  That's why we, as Christians, remember and celebrate this day.  

Celebrate With Us

If you'd like to learn more about Good Friday or simply need a place to remember and celebrate it, we invite you to join us this Friday at 6:30pm for a one-hour worship gathering at the 2 Pillars Church building on the corner of 15th and South.

Photo Credit: Jason St Peter

Love on the Run

Uploaded by David McGee on 2014-03-03.

Each year, Porridge Papers serves the city of Lincoln by hosting Love on the Run, a free event founded on the idea of giving love back to the local community. Last month marked the event's seventh straight year.

In the video above, Lincoln photographer David McGee captures some of the action from this year's event, including interviews with Porridge Papers owner, Christopher James, and other Love on the Run volunteers. 

As you'll see in the video, Love on the Run is a great event for the Lincoln community! If you haven't participated in years past, I suggest you take a few moments now to mark your calendar for 2015. It's only eleven months away, you know.

Until then, check out Porridge Papers and Love on the Run online:

Porridge Papers website

Porridge Papers Facebook page

Love on the Run website

Love on the Run Facebook page