Write my name on the board?

So my Dad, who is retired, has decided to do some substitute teacher gigs. I find this very interesting. It's hard to picture my Dad up at the front of a classroom full of 5th graders saying "Good morning class, my name is Mr. Signs."
The other day, after finishing the day at an elementary school, he discovered that it was considered to be the worst school in the district and he had one of the worst classes. I guess after that, he can handle just about anything.
He starts each class by writing his name on the board "Mr. Signs" and then drawing a Stop Sign next to it. I told him that he should draw several signs, since it's plural.

Ironically, I'm teaching a class today. My friend Mike Lovato, who is the High School Pastor at Magnolia Ave. BC right across the street from Cal Baptist, teaches "Introduction to Youth Ministry." He's on a mission trip this week, so I'm headed over there shortly to teach his class for him.

This has made me re-visit some of the foundations of my own ministry. It's good to re-visit foundations every now and then. I think that sometimes, in any career or venture, when we get into the flow of doing and being busy, we sometimes forget the foundations. I'm having to go through my whole Philosophy/Foundation for Youth Ministry and It's a good thing. Ironically, I'm pulling some stuff from yesterday's Sunday School lesson.

When it comes to foundational things, and I think about looking back at the basis for everything, I can't help but think about the Gospel. The Gospel is the foundation of everything for a Christian. As Easter approaches, I think it's even more appropriate to remember the foundation. The core of the Gospel is 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 "...Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day..." and along with that, 2 Corinthians 5:21 "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Put those two together and you have an amazing story. It's not my story, it's God's story. But where God's story intersects my life, I am reminded that when Jesus was on the cross, God punished Him for my sins. If there was a list of every sin I ever have or will commit then those sins were ones that Jesus atoned for on the cross. When I remember that, and meditate on it, it drives me to a deep sense of humility and thankfulness. When I remember (and I should be doing this daily) what Christ did for me on the cross, how can I not desire to be obedient to all that He commands? How can I not deeply desire to proclaim the Gospel whenever I get a chance?