Welcome to the defender podcast, a resource to help mobilize and equip the body of Christ to manifest the gospel to orphans and vulnerable children. This podcast is a ministry of Lifeline Children Services, and I'm your host, Herbie Newell. It's Wednesday, March 27, 2024, and Dr. Rick and I are coming to you from Birmingham, Alabama. Well, this is what is so typically known in the Christian calendar as holy week, and we are in the middle of holy week, as Jesus is making His way to the cross. And certainly this week, on Friday, we will celebrate, but also contemplate Good Friday, the day that, our savior took on our wrath, which was due us.

He took it on, and in exchange, gave us His life. But of course, Good Friday is not good if Easter Sunday doesn't happen when Jesus absolutely abolishes death and the grave and resurrects on Easter morning. But before Dr. Rick and I and I opine about this beautiful, holiday that we have coming up this week, I want to remind you with Easter approaching this weekend, that we wanted to highlight a new resource for families that help open up a conversation about our identity in Christ. Whose Am I?

Is a bilingual Spanish and English children's book that shares true life experiences about adoption, redemption, and finding our identity in Christ. Because it is written for children and parents together, this book provides opportunities to discuss difficult topics such as abandonment and identity. We believe this book could be an excellent resource for any foster or adopted families as well as those who would like more insight into helping others find their identity in Christ. Visit our Amazon store to purchase a book for yourself and your family, or for other books and gifts that we are helping families connect with, you can go to our website at lifelinechild.org/amazon. Again, that's lifelinechild.org/ Amazon.

Well, of course, it's the time of the podcast that people know and love when the infamous Dr. Rick is able to be brought on. We're grateful for doctor Rick and for his celebrity. We know many of you are listening to this podcast because of the celebratory status of the silver haired, silver tongued one, Dr. Rick. Certainly, what a great week to be a believer. This is the this is the the the the hope of our redemption, Holy Week, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

But also, you know, even as we talk today, Good Friday and Easter is really the seal of our spiritual adoption, which is what so much we mirror in physical adoption and orphan care.

Yeah. For sure, Herbie. I think, you know, as as believers, this is, like, this is the pinnacle. And, you know, culturally, in our in our world, in our society, I think we put more emphasis on Christmas for whatever reason. But, you know, I mean, the the apostle Paul was right in, you know, in first Corinthians 15.

If, If there's no resurrection, then there's no hope. And so, this week and all that we seek to remember on, you know, on this week is key and central to our faith. And as you said, I mean, this is the we talk sometimes about the costliness of adoption. And we talk about in in the sense of an earthly adoption and paralleling that with our spiritual adoption. And we can get our skis pretty fast and doing that because certainly, what we do is not really like what God has done, But, but it's somewhat like what God has done.

And one of the things that we, you know, we talked to adoptive families about, you say it every single time we have, we have a group of prospective adoptive families here that we're working with and doing training that we talk about the costliness of adoption. And I think, as we look at Holy Week, this is the place where we understand the cost of our adoption. And we really understand the burden of our own sin and what it is that Jesus really conquered. And so, you know, I I like it's it's been interesting. I, you know, I grew up in a tradition just like you did.

We grew up in Baptist churches that and we commemorated Good Friday and Easter Sunday was a big deal for us. But I think it's only really been as an adult and it's really been in the last decade and a half or so that really we've gotten a little closer to a more liturgical understanding of all of Holy Week. And so like I had I had never been to a Maundy Thursday service and had never really spent the spent the day and spent the evening really considering the walk of Jesus to the cross and thinking and really focusing on those things. And that's been really helpful in just thinking in a timeframe about that last week of Jesus' life and just about all that means for us. And praise the Lord, we get the opportunity this week to celebrate the fact that, that the grave couldn't hold Jesus because He is the King.

And he is exactly who he says he is. And, you know, what better news can we have for us? What better news can we have for the world? And, and what greater assurance can we have for our adoption into the family of God than what Jesus has demonstrated to all of the universe and about his, his undeniable sovereign claim to it all.

Amen. And towards that point, one of the things that I just happened to be in Dallas on on Ash Wednesday. And, of course Mhmm. You know, as as well, the tradition we came from, you didn't really look at Lent, and you didn't really look at Ash Wednesday. And and we almost even looked at it as that's just liturgical, and and it's, you know, I think even from the tradition you and I are from, is it it it, you know, and not not that this is true, but there was a feeling of rote as opposed to Right.

Emotive. Right? Mhmm. But I just happened to have a church partner and a brother of mine that that leads a a multisite campus multisite church in, in in Dallas, and and I'll I'll give a shout out to Fielder Church and Jason Paredes. And he said, hey.

I'm not gonna be able to see you unless you come to our Ash Wednesday service because of how busy this week is. And so I showed up. And, bro, like, it was so impactful, for a lot of different reasons. I mean, one of the reasons it was just so impactful is because, you know, one of the things he even said is because he grew up in that same Southern Baptist tradition, building a Southern Baptist Church, was, hey. We we prepare ourselves for Advent, and we prepare ourselves to get ready for Christmas.

Mhmm. But but we really need to prepare ourselves for the cross and look forward to the cross and look forward to Easter because it is that pivotal pivotal time in the life of of a of a believer. And I thought even as he led the the flock there and the congregation there, you know, one of the things he kept saying is, I want to encourage you to think about something you can fast from over the next 40 days as we prepare for Easter, but I don't want you to just give something up. I want you to put something on. And so, you know, think of something that you can sacrifice, that you can fast from so that even when you but but, of course, you know, he made the joke, don't don't fast from something that you don't typically encounter on a day to day basis.

But as you do, be reminded of the cross. And and also, as you're fasting from these items, you know, be it social media or types of food or or or activities, add something in there to pray for maybe a loved one, or to find a different person to pray for every day, or to encourage someone every day. And and I made that commitment, and as I did, you know, as I've come face to face with some of those things that I determined I was going to put aside for 40 days, It really this has been one of the more, to be honest, emotive times preparing for Easter because of what I did that has reminded me so that the hustle and bustle leading up to Easter hasn't just been 40 days leading up to Easter and oh yeah Easter Sunday's in 2 weeks, but as a reminder of of the cross, as a reminder of drawing in and and celebrating, as a reminder of what Christ Jesus has done for us. And, you know, even as I thought about it and and, you know, my sweet wife has been great, We've always had Lent devotion leading up to Easter.

By the way, for all of those that are listening, I'm not saying that we are perfect, like we don't miss a day, but we we we've tried to to to be consistent about about the Lent devotionals as we're drawing up to Easter, sometimes more consistent than others. But this time has really reminded me that in life, we really do need organization, we do need a plan, we do need to make intentionality, not just to draw our own selves back to the Father, but also to help draw our families. And and as many families, obviously, that are listening to our podcast, it reminds us even of the order that we bring for our adoptive and foster children that ultimately help them draw into our family. God is a God of order that gives us order and that gives us a remembrance so that we remember Him and we remember His sacrifice. And again, I think for me, and I know for you, it's that whole idea again of preaching the gospel to yourself each and every day.

Yeah. You know, we were talking just a couple of weeks ago in Bible study with our staff, And, and it was we were in a little bit earlier than what I just quoted, you know, a few minutes ago or pointed to in 1 Corinthians 15, or a couple of chapters earlier, where Paul's talking to the church at Corinth about the Lord's Supper. And he's honestly getting into them a little bit about the fact that they've really, and I use this word intentionally, they had perverted the Lord's supper. Not in a sexual perversion, but they perverted it in the fact that they've turned it into something that was about them and about them getting full and them getting too much to drink and all this. And I think the reason that Paul was so harsh with them and was so pointed with them is tied up in what he said to them very simply, which was he just went back to what Jesus had said.

And he said, you know, that the Lord's Supper is supposed to be an observance for us to remember. And when you go back through the Old Testament and you look at the times when God talks to the people about remembering and when, you know, when he when he talks to the people and he and there's condemnation for the people forgetting and all that sort of thing. There was this concept in the Hebrew mindset that if God forgot you, if God failed to remember you, you would fail to exist. Like, that our very existence is tied up in the memory and in the mind of God. And so, when Jesus commands us to remember, there was a gravity in what He said and in how He said that to those that were in the upper room that they understood at a much deeper level maybe than we do today.

And I think, I just think, man, you point out a really rich truth that I think I grew up thinking about Lent and those sorts of things, not being in a liturgical church, thinking that it was a little bit weird because I because what I perceived, and this was probably as a child, but what I perceived was is I perceived that it was people that were that were giving something up because they were somehow trying to earn God's favor. And I think maybe that's something that we still believe is a little bit of a lie in our society today. Many people, I think, are still there in that mindset that what lent is about is it's about this denying of yourself so that somehow you can show yourself to be, like, worthy to God. Right. And that's so not the point.

The reason we give something up is so that we can create the space to remember.

right. It's it's just like it's it's just the fact that we're saying, like, we're we're taking out the clutter and and we're and we're clearing out the the the space in our lives, the time, the, the mental focus to be able to take something that's been about us and to you know, end up end up focus on the Lord and to remember what it is that He's done and to, really drink deeply into, you know, into the story of the gospel. And so, what an incredible opportunity we have this week every year. And I hope folks will be excited and will be attentive this week to participate in different ways and to I hope folks will be really mindful this week to be able to focus and participate in whatever it is that is helpful to be able to think about the sort of the steps and the events and the things that that Jesus took on the way to the cross. But that we do that with the incredible confidence that Sunday's coming.

Amen. Amen. Yeah. Well, you know, and and even as you say that, you know, all all of the all of the things, if you look at the Old Testament where Jesus reminding them, there were there were there were there were rhythms for them to remember God the father, but also to remember his grace. Even in the Old Testament to remember his grace.

You know? Right. You think of the year of Jubilee every 50 years was to remember God's grace as how he had freed them from slavery in Egypt, how he had put them in a promised land, how He had given them even a sacrificial system to be able to be right before Him. And so at the same time, we have these remembrances. And I think so many times inside of the cross, we kind of throw away those remembrances, and that's really what the Lenten season's for, it's what Advent is for.

It's why on the Christian calendar, we celebrate Easter every year. It's a remembrance. It's why, you know, one of the sacraments, if we can use that word in a Baptist content of the church, right, is is the Lord's supper, is is communion that we have on a regular basis. Why? As Paul says that Jesus said, this is my body.

It was broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me. And and this is the this is the cup of the new covenant, which is my blood shed up shed for you. Do this in remembrance of me. And I think so many times on this side of the cross, we live in a such a grace based culture too Yep.

That we we forget to remember the cost of that grace. That was it was not cheap grace that Jesus gave. It was it was costly grace. And I think when we draw in and remember Easter, when we draw in and and remember that that Jesus gave up his right full inheritance and came as a baby. He gave up His wealth in order to become impoverished so that through His poverty we could be rich, when we remember those things, the Holy Spirit can really get a hold of us, and it can it can create in us the the kindness and the gentleness and the goodness and the fruit of the Spirit overwhelming.

And and it reminds us of the gospel, that that we we begin to keep short accounts and we begin to to actually our priorities change, and for you, for me, in very different ways. Right? But part of the reason that God called us into caring for orphan and vulnerable children was not because we woke up one morning altruistic. It's not because we woke up one morning thinking, hey. You know, we wanna we feel guilty, and so we wanna do something for somebody else.

It was because of God's grace and His His over abundant grace that we celebrated Easter that said, hey, I want to emulate That's right. Christ. I want to show a piece of Christ. There's a there's an old wise man that used to give an analogy, and I loved it. And it and it was, you know, you don't go to Costco or Sam's on Saturday in order to make lunch.

Right? You have all those little, those those little, samples at Costco and and and Sam's, and they don't intend, right, for you to take that sample and to make a meal off the sample. They intend for you to buy the huge box so that you can enjoy it at home. And that's what we're to be, a taste of the kingdom of God placed on the lips. And it it was an old wise man that I heard from the story.

Wouldn't it more of a middle aged wise man that said that to you?

I remember it was a it was a man named Dr. Rick Morton, but, man, he's he's an older guy right now. But but your analogy, bro, is so true. And that's the gospel in us remembering the gospel of Easter, remembering the gospel on every Sunday, remembering the gospel every day, preaching the gospel ourselves, but Easter and these these these annual remembrances draw us to the point of of remembering the sacrifice of Christ, but also preaching the gospel to ourselves and seeing, wait, the gospel comes alive in us and calls us and commands us, to to to emulate Christ to the world.

Yeah. It's you know, Herbie, it's funny that I think we look through the old testament and and we sort of get frustrated with Israel, right? Because it's like, how can they keep making the same mistake over again? How in the world can they, in the face of all that God does for them and all that God is for them, how can they how can they forget? How can they turn their back on God?

How can they and and then, you know, we realize that, like, we have the same heart. And and that and then absent of the, you know, absent of the work of the Holy Spirit and absent of of of what you know, Jesus has done, we stand as guilty and as condemned as, you know, as Israel did before God. The difference between them then and us now, and I don't want to get into a whole theological eschatological conversation. But the truth is that where they in the moment suffered God's judgment, we bask in God's grace not because we've done anything great, but because he's done something great. And so, what an incredible privilege to live a life that we get to in very small and honestly, in the cosmic sense, pretty like not remarkable kinds of ways.

We, you know, we get to do these things that point to the, the true character of who our God is and the true power and the true sovereignty of our God, and that we get to tell the world, that's our dad. And that's what Easter is all about. And so I think it's funny. It's like every year, one or the other of us gets the gets the question or gets the opportunity and somebody comes along and says, hey, would you write would you write an op ed about about adoption and Easter? And and we just laugh because it's it's like, well, sure.

And and, like, people and people think it's novel. That's what I what I think is funny is it's like it's like somebody comes and they have this idea and they go, hey, would you write an an op ed about, about Easter and, you know, or in in adoption? And and it's like, well, man, it's like what we talk about all the time. Like the season of the year, focuses us in a different way. But the truth is that when when we think about adoption adoption and why we do it, when we think about orphan care and why we do it, we do it because Easter's real.

Because Jesus got up out of the grave, because the gospel's true, because and because ultimately, God has demonstrated His power and we've been adopted into His family. And so praise the Lord, man, we get to we get to hand out some samples and get to do some things to be able to point the world to a current reality, but also be able to point the world to a coming reality. And the fact is that this world that we live in and all is broken, this won't endure. And that Jesus is coming and He's coming back to set it right. And He's going to finish the work that He started, in due time and in due course.

And that the evidence of which and the deposit of which he paid on Easter, that he is going to finish that work and it's going to be paid in full and sealed and better than we can ever imagine

Mhmm.

Is our future. Amen. Amen.

Well, you know, Dr.. Rick, I think a lot of times, you know, people obviously like to hear us opine on the theological, but sometimes it's just the the day to day life stories. I I I would be interested to hear, maybe and I'll follow. What's your favorite Easter moment? And what's your funniest Easter moment?

Oh, good. From the years. And and I know it's gonna probably be easier for me because I've not lived nearly as much life as you have. I

just don't, you know, when you get to be my age, you forget stuff. And, and so, you know, I, I really like, I think, you know, just having those having those memories as a kid of, you know, Easter always meant new clothes and dressing up and stuff. And it was really uncomfortable and I hated it because that meant, you know, that meant in the day that I grew up, that meant I was getting a new suit and a new shirt and tie and all that kind of stuff. And I was gonna have to dress up and stuff that I wouldn't ever want to ever wear again. But, but like just the the excitement, the excitement of, you know, with my mom and dad and, and, you know, getting pictures taken and all that kind of stuff.

And it's just like those are just those are just really sweet family times. And, you know, and I I, like, I still think it's funny. It's it's weird. And I and like, I had this Easter basket that I bet I had until I was 18 years old. And it was ginormous.

And so, they're, like, we don't want to talk about the Easter bunny and all that kind of stuff, but like that was a that was a big part of it. But it was a big part of it because it was a family celebration. But this celebration was like the pinnacle of the celebration was Easter Sunday being together, celebrating the resurrection, ham and potato salad afterward, and all that sort of stuff. And we've replicated that with our kids. I think the funniest that I can remember is a few years ago, we were all, you know, I think at this point, only 2 of our kids were home.

And we had not yet adopted Nastia, but my mother and father-in-law came for Easter. And the night before, we realized that it just had been a really busy time and we were kind of doing some things as a family. But typically, we had gotten to the practice of going out on Easter, and we realized that every restaurant in town was full and we didn't have like we didn't have reservations to go anywhere. And so, like Denise and I looked at each other and we went like, like, what are we going to do? We don't have Easter lunch taken care of.

And we don't really have anything in the house to fix. And so, I literally snuck out of church, like, as the invitation was being given, and went to the grocery store and bought like a rotisserie chicken and like potato salad out of the deli and all this kind of stuff and went and grabbed all that stuff up and took it home. And we tried to fake, like, we actually had a plan for Easter dinner and my mother-in-law who makes everything from scratch is the best cook in the world, just about had a heart attack. And it was so funny watching her try to eat this like pre fab grocery store Easter meal, and and try to be gracious over the fact that she was there the whole time eating it going like I could have done better in 20 minutes than, you know, whatever you guys did. And that's probably not funny to anybody else, but it's, it's completely hilarious to us.

Several things from different time periods. You know, one of the the traditions in our family has become resurrection roles on Easter Sunday. Of course, it's a crescent roll with a marshmallow and some cinnamon glaze and Yep. You read the scripture and know, the marshmallow is Jesus' body and, you know, you put the butter and the cinnamon on it and it's the spices to anoint, and then the linen shroud is the crescent roll. And you place it into the tomb, which is the oven.

Of course, when you get them out and you eat them, the marshmallow is gone.

It's Right.

And there's a it's hollow. It's a it's a hollow thing. And I'll especially when our kids were young, I'll never forget. We would sing that, you know, God's not dead. No.

He is alive. And just hearing my kids belt out, all 3 of them, you know, at young ages, you know, God's not dead. No. He is alive. You know, just was a it's a memory that then even at a young age, we were able to have conversations about what does this mean?

What is this what is this going on? And then probably not super spiritual. Actually, not spiritual at all. I don't know why I remember this with my folks, but because I was an only child like you were. And I know you'll remember this, but every Mother's Day and Father's Day, you know, you could take your parents to McDonald's and they could get a big breakfast for free.

100%. Well, on Easter Sunday, for whatever reason, we had a rhythm of going to McDonald's before church for breakfast. And it was the one time as a child that I could get the big breakfast. Right? I could actually they'd actually order it for me.

And, again, that's just silly, but I remember that as a kid. Did you finish it? Did I say Did you eat the whole thing? I mean Not doubtful, which is why I never got any other time. Right?

And then also, again, in the moment, I didn't it was funny. I'm not trying to draw off of you, but how many times I thought I looked so good on Easter Sunday in the white suit and the pastel shirt and the pastel tie. And I really just looked at the old Easter egg.

Like, you look at those pictures now, and it's just so cringeworthy.

Oh, it's so cringeworthy. So cringeworthy.

Like, I I I have these pictures with, like, these big knots that were as big as my head, you know, with a with, like, a big polyester tie and stuff. And and, and just and I look at it and just think, what were my parents thinking?

Oh, and it's close. And and those clip on ties, I mean, I know they were easy, but how in the world does that look good? I mean, it just does. It just didn't look good. And, you know, of course, for you and I I mean, of course, you were a middle aged man in the eighties.

I was just a young buck. But, you know, what what fashion in the eighties was just interesting. Late seventies, early eighties, fashion just was interesting. But, you know, I think another just moment and again, probably, you know, in some regards, it's not the best because Easter is about being with the body of Christ. But I I 2020 Easter during COVID, to be honest, it was one of the most special times we've had because it was just the 5 of us.

We couldn't go anywhere. We actually, as a special treat, ordered in from a great place here in town called Taziki's for lunch. But there was a there was a cathartic spiritual experience being in our living room and not just watching an Easter service and and praising God by singing the songs, but by the instant feedback. Because, you know, when you leave church, you know, you go get in the car, and and you talk about it a little bit over dinner

Yeah.

Or lunch. But but this was, like I mean, the sermon was over, and it was instant feedback. And I just remember us getting into a time which is celebration about, you know, all the things we were thankful for about Easter. It was just a sweet time with my family. Again, I wouldn't want every Easter to be in my home quarantined from the rest of the world.

But but in that moment, I think too because of where Easter hit during that quarantine phase, it was just a really sweet time for us to remember, too, God's on the throne, God's in control, He has redeemed us, and the world's not coming to an end. So that was just a really sweet memory that certainly I have of Easter. Here's just another goofy thing real fast. I remember

on Easter, our church every Sunday would, we would all do the Lord's supper together every Sunday. Right? Your church is the same way. And so we were like, we just forgot. And so we're sitting there and all of a sudden it comes to that time and our pastor is saying now, gather whatever you have.

And we celebrated the Lord's Supper with a Twinkie and Kool Aid. It was, so I'm proud to say it was Kool Aid, so we're still very Baptist. But with the closest thing that we could find to bread at the moment was a Twinkie. And we honestly were very thankful for the elements that day. So goofy, funny things that happened during the pandemic.

Well, and of course, you've also got the Christer Christians. And so, of course, always on Easter Sunday was the day you brought out the metal chairs and the extra seating. And Right. You know, but as a kid, I remember loving it because it was like, hey, this is packed out. And again, it it it felt so worshipful from a standpoint of, hey, everybody's here, and everybody's here to worship.

And, and I just you know, fun memories, but ultimately, what a good God that we have, and what a great reminder to celebrate him, to celebrate the goodness that he's given us, and and ultimately to come around his throne. And so we're thankful for an opportunity, again, an opportunity that we don't take for granted, an opportunity to remember Easter, an opportunity to remember the cross, an opportunity to remember what our Savior has done for us. And beloved, we hope that it's not just on Holy Week, it's not just on Good Friday, and it's not just on Easter that we think about the cross and the gospel, but it's our daily reality, moment by moment, day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year. Thank you for joining us and know that Lifeline is here not because of an altruistic or humanitarian need, but because of the hope of the gospel of Christ Jesus that we celebrate this Easter Sunday. We look forward to celebrating with the body of Christ, the resurrected Lord on Sunday, and joining you next Wednesday for the defender pod Podcast.

Thanks for listening to the Defender Podcast. If you enjoy making this podcast a part of your weekly routine, we'd love for you to take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review The Defender Podcast to make it easier for more people to find. For more information on how you and your church can partner with Lifeline, visit us at lifelinechild.org. If you want to connect with me, please visit herbynewell.com. Follow us at life line on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter by searching for Lifeline Child.

You can email us directly at info at lifelinechild.org. Beloved, will you allow god to use the gospel to you to impact the life of a child? Please contact us because we are here to defend the fatherless. We'll see you again next week for the Defender podcast.