so first it was the mice. they are still here, by the way. we found a half eaten piece of candy in the storage room where maggie sleeps. then there was the lizard. i haven't had any more in the house, but everytime i open the door to the carport i tell the albino lizard things to stay back. they like to hang out above the door.
now there are ants. they are in the pantry. i told them this wasn't a picnic but they don't seem to care. i don't know how they got in there or where they keep coming from. every couple of minutes i go over with the vaccuum cleaner and suck up about a ton of them. then i give them a few minutes to send out more scouts, looking for the ones who haven't returned. they come back out when it's quiet and they don't hear the noise of the sucking death-to-ants machine. that's when i make another attack.
well, it's been quiet for a few minutes now...looks like it's time to defend my territory, again.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Friday, June 08, 2007
Life of Praise, june 8
Psalm 117
Praise GOD, everybody!
Applaud GOD, all people!
His love has taken over our lives;
GOD’s faithful ways are eternal.
Hallelujah!
(The Message)
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship.
(TNIV)
So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.
(The Message)
“For you are awesome, God of the Nations, Lion of Judah/ Rock of the Ages, Alpha, Omega/ You’re worthy of all praise/ More than these hands I’ll raise/ I’ll live a life of praise”
Those are the lyrics to a song called “Life of Praise” by Casting Crowns. Maybe you remember hearing it some this week.
Living a life of praise is what MOSAIC is all about. It’s easy to come together and go out and work on houses in the Long Beach community. But that is only part of what God has called us to do. God has called us to life our lives as “living sacrifices.” That is what true worship and praise is all about.
Read both versions of Romans 12: 1. What do you think it means to be a living sacrifice?
Psalm 117 has been our theme for the week. Only two verses long, it is the shortest of all the psalms. Even so, it has a powerful message. All people, all over the world and called to praise God. Why? Because God’s loving kindness has taken over our lives. Everybody is to praise God because God loves his people! In addition God is faithful and is faithfulness is eternal!
In what ways has God shown love to you?
How have you seen God’s faithful ways in your own life?
Hallelujah is a word we do not use very often. It ends Psalm 117 and sums it up perfectly. Hallelujah means “praise the Lord!” May “Hallelujah!” be the perfect explanation for your encounters with God this week.
HALLELUJAH!
A Prayer
Dear God, thank you for being with us this week at MOSAIC. It would be pointless to be here without you. We know that you have worked in our lives while we have been working in the lives of others. We give you praise for your work in and through us.
As we leave this place and return to our homes keep teaching us! Help us to constantly be learning what it means to fellowship, pray, worship, and serve. Help us grow into better people, more loving examples of people who follow after you. Conform us into the image of Jesus, who is both our sacrifice and our salvation. Make us more like him!
We want to live lives of praise for you, God. Give us the strength to keep living what we say we believe. Lead us out into the world to shine for you. May the world know who you are as it sees us. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit we pray. Amen.
Praise GOD, everybody!
Applaud GOD, all people!
His love has taken over our lives;
GOD’s faithful ways are eternal.
Hallelujah!
(The Message)
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship.
(TNIV)
So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.
(The Message)
“For you are awesome, God of the Nations, Lion of Judah/ Rock of the Ages, Alpha, Omega/ You’re worthy of all praise/ More than these hands I’ll raise/ I’ll live a life of praise”
Those are the lyrics to a song called “Life of Praise” by Casting Crowns. Maybe you remember hearing it some this week.
Living a life of praise is what MOSAIC is all about. It’s easy to come together and go out and work on houses in the Long Beach community. But that is only part of what God has called us to do. God has called us to life our lives as “living sacrifices.” That is what true worship and praise is all about.
Read both versions of Romans 12: 1. What do you think it means to be a living sacrifice?
Psalm 117 has been our theme for the week. Only two verses long, it is the shortest of all the psalms. Even so, it has a powerful message. All people, all over the world and called to praise God. Why? Because God’s loving kindness has taken over our lives. Everybody is to praise God because God loves his people! In addition God is faithful and is faithfulness is eternal!
In what ways has God shown love to you?
How have you seen God’s faithful ways in your own life?
Hallelujah is a word we do not use very often. It ends Psalm 117 and sums it up perfectly. Hallelujah means “praise the Lord!” May “Hallelujah!” be the perfect explanation for your encounters with God this week.
HALLELUJAH!
A Prayer
Dear God, thank you for being with us this week at MOSAIC. It would be pointless to be here without you. We know that you have worked in our lives while we have been working in the lives of others. We give you praise for your work in and through us.
As we leave this place and return to our homes keep teaching us! Help us to constantly be learning what it means to fellowship, pray, worship, and serve. Help us grow into better people, more loving examples of people who follow after you. Conform us into the image of Jesus, who is both our sacrifice and our salvation. Make us more like him!
We want to live lives of praise for you, God. Give us the strength to keep living what we say we believe. Lead us out into the world to shine for you. May the world know who you are as it sees us. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit we pray. Amen.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
iServe (or, giving ourselves to others) june 7
Psalm 134
A Pilgrim Song
Come, bless GOD, all you servants of GOD!
You priests of GOD, posted to the nightwatch in GOD’s shrine,
Lift your praising hands to the Holy Place, and bless GOD.
In turn, may GOD of Zion bless you- GOD who made heaven and earth!
(The Message)
**Priests were people who lived and worked in God’s temple. They offered sacrifices to God and took turns being on duty day and night. This Psalm instructs those priests to bless God and God will in turn bless them.
Already this week you have had the opportunity to give of yourself by serving someone else. Maybe you have painted someone’s living room. Maybe you helped build a shed. Maybe your hands were helpful in carrying limbs or boxes or furniture.
In what ways have you been able to offer yourself in service this week?
Sometimes our service is very visible to those around us. Sometimes our service is behind the scenes and we get no recognition for it. No matter what kind of service you do, let it be as an act of worship and praise to God.
In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells us we should not give our gifts to people or serve them as a performance or act. This is not pleasing to God. Rather than looking for the applause of the world we should work quietly behind the scenes, like God so often does.
Has there been a time in your life when your service was for the applause of other people and not for God?
Psalm 134 calls the priests of God to bless him and lift their hands in praise. Through Jesus, we Christians are now God’s priests on earth. We do not offer animal sacrifices, but we do offer God a living sacrifice, which is our own life. As you serve, remember to bless God in all you do. Do your work today as an act of praise to Him. You just may find he blesses you in return.
How can your work today be an act of praise to God? How will you worship him through your service?
A Prayer...
God, you know it is going to be hot outside today. We may find it hard to do our work. We may find ourselves at odds with someone else on our team. We may find that we like to work, but we do for our own glory, not yours. Whatever we may face today, please be with us God. Give us strength to work for you.
Thank you for sending Jesus to serve you and people while he was on the earth. Thank you for giving us the perfect example of what a servant should be. Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice for us. He died for us! May Jesus’ sacrifice be our inspiration as we live our lives for the good of other people.
You never said service would be easy, God. But you did say you would be with us, even while we work in the hot sun. Thanks for working with us. We pray in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
A Pilgrim Song
Come, bless GOD, all you servants of GOD!
You priests of GOD, posted to the nightwatch in GOD’s shrine,
Lift your praising hands to the Holy Place, and bless GOD.
In turn, may GOD of Zion bless you- GOD who made heaven and earth!
(The Message)
**Priests were people who lived and worked in God’s temple. They offered sacrifices to God and took turns being on duty day and night. This Psalm instructs those priests to bless God and God will in turn bless them.
Already this week you have had the opportunity to give of yourself by serving someone else. Maybe you have painted someone’s living room. Maybe you helped build a shed. Maybe your hands were helpful in carrying limbs or boxes or furniture.
In what ways have you been able to offer yourself in service this week?
Sometimes our service is very visible to those around us. Sometimes our service is behind the scenes and we get no recognition for it. No matter what kind of service you do, let it be as an act of worship and praise to God.
In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells us we should not give our gifts to people or serve them as a performance or act. This is not pleasing to God. Rather than looking for the applause of the world we should work quietly behind the scenes, like God so often does.
Has there been a time in your life when your service was for the applause of other people and not for God?
Psalm 134 calls the priests of God to bless him and lift their hands in praise. Through Jesus, we Christians are now God’s priests on earth. We do not offer animal sacrifices, but we do offer God a living sacrifice, which is our own life. As you serve, remember to bless God in all you do. Do your work today as an act of praise to Him. You just may find he blesses you in return.
How can your work today be an act of praise to God? How will you worship him through your service?
A Prayer...
God, you know it is going to be hot outside today. We may find it hard to do our work. We may find ourselves at odds with someone else on our team. We may find that we like to work, but we do for our own glory, not yours. Whatever we may face today, please be with us God. Give us strength to work for you.
Thank you for sending Jesus to serve you and people while he was on the earth. Thank you for giving us the perfect example of what a servant should be. Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice for us. He died for us! May Jesus’ sacrifice be our inspiration as we live our lives for the good of other people.
You never said service would be easy, God. But you did say you would be with us, even while we work in the hot sun. Thanks for working with us. We pray in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
iWorship (or, celebrating God), June 6
Psalm 96
Sing GOD a brand-new song! Earth and everyone in it, sing! Sing to GOD- worship GOD!
Shout the news of his victory from sea to sea, Take the news of his glory to the lost, News of his wonders to one and all!
For GOD is great, and worth a thousand Hallelujahs. His terrible beauty makes the gods look cheap; Pagan gods are mere tatters and rags.
GOD made the heavens-Royal splendor radiates from him, A powerful beauty sets him apart.
Bravo, GOD, Bravo! Everyone join in the great shout: Encore! In awe before the beauty, in awe before the might.
Bring gifts and celebrate, Bow before the beauty of GOD, Then to your knees - everyone worship!
Get out the message - GOD Rules! He put the world on a firm foundation; He treats everyone fair and square.
Let’s hear it from Sky, With Earth joining in, And a huge round of applause from Sea.
Let Wilderness turn cartwheels, Animals, come dance, Put every tree of the forest in the choir-
An extravaganza before GOD as he comes, As he comes to set everything right on the earth, Set everything right, treat everyone fair.
(The Message)
Everybody worships something. We can worship money, music, homework, cell phones, and ourselves. These things we worship are called idols. We know we worship them if we spend time on them, make a big fuss over them, or rearrange our schedules for them. God is the only one deserving of true worship. Too often, we replace him with idols.
Do you replace God with any idols?
Psalm 96 is a psalm of worship to God. It reminds us why God is worthy of our worship. According to the song, God is victorious. God is great and beautiful. All idols look like worn out rags compared to God. God created the earth and is unique in his power.
What other things has God done that make him deserving of our worship?
How are we to worship God? We are to sing to Him. We are to remember the great things He has done. We are to bring gifts to Him, to celebrate Him by bowing at his feet.
But we are not alone in our worship of God. The whole of creation joins in: the sky, the earth, the ocean, all animals, trees, and plants. Everything God has made worships Him.
Have you seen creation worship? Have you ever seen God’s greatness through his creation? When? Where? How did it cause you to worship God?
A Prayer...
God, when we look outside we see magnolia and oak trees. We can feel the wind coming in from the gulf. We cannot imagine the creativity of your imagination; the different kinds of birds, bugs, animals you have fashioned. You even made unique people out of nothing.
We cannot thank you enough. It is hard to find the right words, or enough of them. Our only response then, is worship. Hear our shouts of praise. Accept our silent awe. We join creation in celebrating you. We pray in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sing GOD a brand-new song! Earth and everyone in it, sing! Sing to GOD- worship GOD!
Shout the news of his victory from sea to sea, Take the news of his glory to the lost, News of his wonders to one and all!
For GOD is great, and worth a thousand Hallelujahs. His terrible beauty makes the gods look cheap; Pagan gods are mere tatters and rags.
GOD made the heavens-Royal splendor radiates from him, A powerful beauty sets him apart.
Bravo, GOD, Bravo! Everyone join in the great shout: Encore! In awe before the beauty, in awe before the might.
Bring gifts and celebrate, Bow before the beauty of GOD, Then to your knees - everyone worship!
Get out the message - GOD Rules! He put the world on a firm foundation; He treats everyone fair and square.
Let’s hear it from Sky, With Earth joining in, And a huge round of applause from Sea.
Let Wilderness turn cartwheels, Animals, come dance, Put every tree of the forest in the choir-
An extravaganza before GOD as he comes, As he comes to set everything right on the earth, Set everything right, treat everyone fair.
(The Message)
Everybody worships something. We can worship money, music, homework, cell phones, and ourselves. These things we worship are called idols. We know we worship them if we spend time on them, make a big fuss over them, or rearrange our schedules for them. God is the only one deserving of true worship. Too often, we replace him with idols.
Do you replace God with any idols?
Psalm 96 is a psalm of worship to God. It reminds us why God is worthy of our worship. According to the song, God is victorious. God is great and beautiful. All idols look like worn out rags compared to God. God created the earth and is unique in his power.
What other things has God done that make him deserving of our worship?
How are we to worship God? We are to sing to Him. We are to remember the great things He has done. We are to bring gifts to Him, to celebrate Him by bowing at his feet.
But we are not alone in our worship of God. The whole of creation joins in: the sky, the earth, the ocean, all animals, trees, and plants. Everything God has made worships Him.
Have you seen creation worship? Have you ever seen God’s greatness through his creation? When? Where? How did it cause you to worship God?
A Prayer...
God, when we look outside we see magnolia and oak trees. We can feel the wind coming in from the gulf. We cannot imagine the creativity of your imagination; the different kinds of birds, bugs, animals you have fashioned. You even made unique people out of nothing.
We cannot thank you enough. It is hard to find the right words, or enough of them. Our only response then, is worship. Hear our shouts of praise. Accept our silent awe. We join creation in celebrating you. We pray in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
iPray (or, a conversation with God) June 5
Psalm 141
A David Psalm
GOD, come close. Come quickly! Open your ears - it’s my voice you’re hearing!
Treat my prayer as sweet incense rising; my raised hands are my evening prayers.
Post a guard at my mouth, GOD, set a watch at the door of my lips.
Don’t let me so much as dream of evil or thoughtlessly fall into bad company.
And these people who only do wrong - don’t let them lure me with their sweet talk!
May the Just One set me straight, may the Kind One correct me,
Don’t let sin anoint my head. I’m praying hard against their evil ways!
Oh, let their leaders be pushed off a high rock cliff; make them face the music.
Like a rock pulverized by a maul, let their bones be scattered at the gates of hell.
But GOD, dear Lord, I only have eyes for you.
Since I’ve run for dear life to you, take good care of me.
Protect me from their evil scheming, from all their demonic subterfuge.*
Let the wicked fall flat on their faces, while I walk off without a scratch.
(The Message)
*subterfuge means deceiving someone in order to get what you want
There are as many ways to pray as their are people on the earth. God has never put limits on how we talk to him. Neither has God given us strict instructions on how to pray. Prayer at its basic level is having a conversation with God.
We have conversations all the time. We talk to our family members. We talk to our friends. Sometimes, after we have spent a lot of time talking with a friend, we feel like we can finish their sentences or know what they will say next. We can even tell what they will say by the way they stand or their facial expressions.
How do you talk to your best friend? What kinds of things do you talk about?
Do you think you could talk to God that way? Do you spend time talking to God like you spend time talking to your best friend?
When we talk to God, we can talk to him about anything. We have the freedom to ask God for anything. According to Psalm 141, what kinds of things does David ask of God?
When you pray, what do you ask of God? Do you confess your sins? Do you ask God to help you not to sin? Do you ask for God to set you straight? Do you cry out for God’s justice?
A Prayer...
Father God, sometimes we don’t do a good job of praying. Some days we forget to pray altogether. Some days we do not know what to pray for. Will you help us? Forgive us for not knowing how and when to pray. Help us be aware of the Holy Spirit in us. We know the Holy Spirit helps us pray and even prays for us. Help us hear him.
Keep us from sin. Help us not follow people who are doing wrong. We do not want to fall into evil’s traps. Give us strength, confidence, and power to be good examples to our friends. Take care of us.
Bring justice, God. Free people who are oppressed. Heal people who are broken. Comfort people who are hurting. Keep your people safe. We pray to you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
A David Psalm
GOD, come close. Come quickly! Open your ears - it’s my voice you’re hearing!
Treat my prayer as sweet incense rising; my raised hands are my evening prayers.
Post a guard at my mouth, GOD, set a watch at the door of my lips.
Don’t let me so much as dream of evil or thoughtlessly fall into bad company.
And these people who only do wrong - don’t let them lure me with their sweet talk!
May the Just One set me straight, may the Kind One correct me,
Don’t let sin anoint my head. I’m praying hard against their evil ways!
Oh, let their leaders be pushed off a high rock cliff; make them face the music.
Like a rock pulverized by a maul, let their bones be scattered at the gates of hell.
But GOD, dear Lord, I only have eyes for you.
Since I’ve run for dear life to you, take good care of me.
Protect me from their evil scheming, from all their demonic subterfuge.*
Let the wicked fall flat on their faces, while I walk off without a scratch.
(The Message)
*subterfuge means deceiving someone in order to get what you want
There are as many ways to pray as their are people on the earth. God has never put limits on how we talk to him. Neither has God given us strict instructions on how to pray. Prayer at its basic level is having a conversation with God.
We have conversations all the time. We talk to our family members. We talk to our friends. Sometimes, after we have spent a lot of time talking with a friend, we feel like we can finish their sentences or know what they will say next. We can even tell what they will say by the way they stand or their facial expressions.
How do you talk to your best friend? What kinds of things do you talk about?
Do you think you could talk to God that way? Do you spend time talking to God like you spend time talking to your best friend?
When we talk to God, we can talk to him about anything. We have the freedom to ask God for anything. According to Psalm 141, what kinds of things does David ask of God?
When you pray, what do you ask of God? Do you confess your sins? Do you ask God to help you not to sin? Do you ask for God to set you straight? Do you cry out for God’s justice?
A Prayer...
Father God, sometimes we don’t do a good job of praying. Some days we forget to pray altogether. Some days we do not know what to pray for. Will you help us? Forgive us for not knowing how and when to pray. Help us be aware of the Holy Spirit in us. We know the Holy Spirit helps us pray and even prays for us. Help us hear him.
Keep us from sin. Help us not follow people who are doing wrong. We do not want to fall into evil’s traps. Give us strength, confidence, and power to be good examples to our friends. Take care of us.
Bring justice, God. Free people who are oppressed. Heal people who are broken. Comfort people who are hurting. Keep your people safe. We pray to you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
ifellowship (or, getting along with others) june 4
Psalm 133
A Pilgrim song of David
How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!
It’s like costly anointing oil flowing down head and beard,
Flowing down Aaron’s beard, flowing down the collar of his priestly robes.
It’s like the dew on Mount Hermon flowing down the slopes of Zion.
Yes, that’s where GOD commands the blessing ordains eternal life.
(The Message)
**Anointing oil was used in the Old Testament to show God had chosen someone. The oil was poured on a man’s head. It was expensive and always taken seriously. In this psalm, our unity with our brothers and sisters is compared to the anointing oil used to show Aaron was God’s chosen priest. Aaron was the first priest of God’s people.
Another image in this Psalm is that of dew. Apparently, dew was common on Mt. Hermon. The writer of the Psalm says our unity is like the amount of dew on Mt. Hermon, but flowing down Zion- a mountain where the people believed God dwelt. Zion was God’s chosen place.
God’s blessing of eternal life flows down, like anointing oil on God’s chosen people or dew on God’s chosen place. God thinks our getting along is worthy of such a blessing.
One day in a crowded department store, a little girl was crying. Her little brother kept touching her and picking at her as their mom waded through racks of clothes. Finally, the little girl decided she had had enough and screamed! Her mother scolded the girl’s bad behavior. Through her tears, the little girl responded, “But I never wanted a brother, anyway!”
If you have a brother or sister in your immediate family, you probably know what it’s like to not get along. There are days you want to slam the door in each other’s face or yell because you want to be left alone. You probably also can remember a time when you and your siblings did get along. How did it make your parents feel?
Not everybody has a sibling in their immediate family. But, as Christians, we have brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world. God is pleased not only when we get along with our natural family members, but also when we get along with our youth group family, church family, and family of believers across the earth. We spend time together a lot. It’s called fellowship.
Think of a time you did not get along with your siblings or a close friend. How did you feel? How did your family feel?
Think of a time when everybody in your family did get along. What were you doing? How did it make you feel? How did it make the rest of your family feel?
How does your youth group get along? How do you think it makes God feel?
A Prayer...
God, you know what it’s like to have relationships with others. You sent Jesus so you could have a relationship with us! We have many relationships with other people. We have families made of parents and brothers and sisters. We have families of close friends. Even our youth group is a family. Forgive us for the times we have not gotten along. Help us recognize when we hurt each other’s feelings or are at odds. Give us the ability to change our ways and sacrifice our own desires for those of others. Help us look out for each other and get along. And celebrate with us when we do get along. May our fellowship be a glimpse of a perfect relationship with you. We pray to you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
A Pilgrim song of David
How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!
It’s like costly anointing oil flowing down head and beard,
Flowing down Aaron’s beard, flowing down the collar of his priestly robes.
It’s like the dew on Mount Hermon flowing down the slopes of Zion.
Yes, that’s where GOD commands the blessing ordains eternal life.
(The Message)
**Anointing oil was used in the Old Testament to show God had chosen someone. The oil was poured on a man’s head. It was expensive and always taken seriously. In this psalm, our unity with our brothers and sisters is compared to the anointing oil used to show Aaron was God’s chosen priest. Aaron was the first priest of God’s people.
Another image in this Psalm is that of dew. Apparently, dew was common on Mt. Hermon. The writer of the Psalm says our unity is like the amount of dew on Mt. Hermon, but flowing down Zion- a mountain where the people believed God dwelt. Zion was God’s chosen place.
God’s blessing of eternal life flows down, like anointing oil on God’s chosen people or dew on God’s chosen place. God thinks our getting along is worthy of such a blessing.
One day in a crowded department store, a little girl was crying. Her little brother kept touching her and picking at her as their mom waded through racks of clothes. Finally, the little girl decided she had had enough and screamed! Her mother scolded the girl’s bad behavior. Through her tears, the little girl responded, “But I never wanted a brother, anyway!”
If you have a brother or sister in your immediate family, you probably know what it’s like to not get along. There are days you want to slam the door in each other’s face or yell because you want to be left alone. You probably also can remember a time when you and your siblings did get along. How did it make your parents feel?
Not everybody has a sibling in their immediate family. But, as Christians, we have brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world. God is pleased not only when we get along with our natural family members, but also when we get along with our youth group family, church family, and family of believers across the earth. We spend time together a lot. It’s called fellowship.
Think of a time you did not get along with your siblings or a close friend. How did you feel? How did your family feel?
Think of a time when everybody in your family did get along. What were you doing? How did it make you feel? How did it make the rest of your family feel?
How does your youth group get along? How do you think it makes God feel?
A Prayer...
God, you know what it’s like to have relationships with others. You sent Jesus so you could have a relationship with us! We have many relationships with other people. We have families made of parents and brothers and sisters. We have families of close friends. Even our youth group is a family. Forgive us for the times we have not gotten along. Help us recognize when we hurt each other’s feelings or are at odds. Give us the ability to change our ways and sacrifice our own desires for those of others. Help us look out for each other and get along. And celebrate with us when we do get along. May our fellowship be a glimpse of a perfect relationship with you. We pray to you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Saturday, June 02, 2007
MOSAIC is coming!
MOSAIC, the summer mission camp hosted by our church in Long Beach starts next week. We have been busy preparing for the camp. I have been helping plan worship services, paint banners, supervise our students as they ready the church building, and playing on the new computer making videos and slideshows for worship. It's been fun but we are tired already! Ben is the camp's director and has been doing everything from coordinating volunteers to visiting worksites to answering the same questions over and over that I would not have the patience to do.
We will have 80 students living at the church next week. During the day they will go out into the Long Beach community to do yardwork, house repairs, and other such projects. Many of them are connected with Hurricane Katrina. After a hard days' work, the students will come together for worship each night at our church.
Each morning, the students will be given fifteen minutes to use as quiet time with God, and a devotional reading guide. I will attempt to post these guides each day so that you also may read and pray along with us. Thanks for checking this blog and remembering the work we do in Long Beach.
We will have 80 students living at the church next week. During the day they will go out into the Long Beach community to do yardwork, house repairs, and other such projects. Many of them are connected with Hurricane Katrina. After a hard days' work, the students will come together for worship each night at our church.
Each morning, the students will be given fifteen minutes to use as quiet time with God, and a devotional reading guide. I will attempt to post these guides each day so that you also may read and pray along with us. Thanks for checking this blog and remembering the work we do in Long Beach.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
"THE TAIL! THE TAIL"
Of course there is always much excitement in the Barlow household. Yesterday was no exception.
We decided that while there was a few moments of free time before The Well (Wednesday night's youth group) we should finish planting the flowers we had bought. We bought marigolds, impatiens, and begonias. We also bought a flagpole. We tried to buy a flagpole back in the fall because we have a bracket on the house for a flagpole and a UK flag. But, the man at Lowes said they only have flagpoles in the spring and summer. Now that it is the spring, we bought the flagpole.
After we finished with the flowers we decided to finally hang up the UK flag. Great timing, seeing as basketball season is OVER. But, I am still willing to fly the flag, especially in celebration of the hiring of Billy G.
Ben stayed outside to open up the flagpole and I went in the house to retrieve the flag.
The flag was being stored in a plastic storage box on the top shelf of the closet in the guest bedroom. I promise that as I stepped into the doorway of the guest bedroom that something feel from the ceiling to the floor, right next to the closet. I walked around the bed, fearing the presence of a mouse. (How a mouse would be on the ceiling, I have no idea, but there have been mice in our house before...see previous blog entries.)
It was no mouse. It was a lizard! Okay, maybe not a lizard, but one of those gecko/salamander things. At any rate, I did not like the look of it. So I ran to get Ben of course. You need a guy around to kill things.
"THERE IS A LIZARD IN THE BEDROOM! COME QUICK!"
"What?"
"THERE IS A LIZARD IN THE BEDROOM!"
"No there isn't."
"YES THERE IS! IT'S IN THE CLOSET!" I had seen the lizard/gecko scurrying under the closet door.
Ben started sliding the closet door around. He was complaining that he didn't see anything and that I had made it up. He picked up a pair of shoes. There was the lizard.
"Oh crap! There it is!" This was Ben's response.
By this time, I was standing on the bed. Maggie joined me. (Did you catch that? A bassett hound with metal pins holding her leg together jumped on the bed, which is on risers. How she cleared the bed I do not know.) We were both jumping on the bed while Ben tried to trap the lizard.
Ben started thinking about how to trap the lizard. "Go get me something to catch it in." Like what?!
"Go get me a paper towel or rag or something, unless you want a big blood spot on the floor." Maggie and I went to get a paper towel.
We returned, and jumped back on the bed. I threw the paper towel at Ben. "CATCH IT!!"
He went in for the kill. Or at least the trap. I screamed. Then Ben screamed: "THE TAIL! THE TAIL!" Ben had half of the lizard in his hand and half was flopping around on the floor. While he was pointing out the tail, the rest of the lizard started crawling out of the paper towel. "AAAAAAHHHH!!!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
I hit my head on the ceiling fan when I jumped. Maggie's ears were at full alert. "GET ANOTHER PAPER TOWEL!"
I went to get another paper towel.
Maggie and I returned and jumped on the bed. Again.
Finally, Ben trapped the tail.
Never a dull moment. And the flagpole didn't even fit in the bracket on our roof.
We decided that while there was a few moments of free time before The Well (Wednesday night's youth group) we should finish planting the flowers we had bought. We bought marigolds, impatiens, and begonias. We also bought a flagpole. We tried to buy a flagpole back in the fall because we have a bracket on the house for a flagpole and a UK flag. But, the man at Lowes said they only have flagpoles in the spring and summer. Now that it is the spring, we bought the flagpole.
After we finished with the flowers we decided to finally hang up the UK flag. Great timing, seeing as basketball season is OVER. But, I am still willing to fly the flag, especially in celebration of the hiring of Billy G.
Ben stayed outside to open up the flagpole and I went in the house to retrieve the flag.
The flag was being stored in a plastic storage box on the top shelf of the closet in the guest bedroom. I promise that as I stepped into the doorway of the guest bedroom that something feel from the ceiling to the floor, right next to the closet. I walked around the bed, fearing the presence of a mouse. (How a mouse would be on the ceiling, I have no idea, but there have been mice in our house before...see previous blog entries.)
It was no mouse. It was a lizard! Okay, maybe not a lizard, but one of those gecko/salamander things. At any rate, I did not like the look of it. So I ran to get Ben of course. You need a guy around to kill things.
"THERE IS A LIZARD IN THE BEDROOM! COME QUICK!"
"What?"
"THERE IS A LIZARD IN THE BEDROOM!"
"No there isn't."
"YES THERE IS! IT'S IN THE CLOSET!" I had seen the lizard/gecko scurrying under the closet door.
Ben started sliding the closet door around. He was complaining that he didn't see anything and that I had made it up. He picked up a pair of shoes. There was the lizard.
"Oh crap! There it is!" This was Ben's response.
By this time, I was standing on the bed. Maggie joined me. (Did you catch that? A bassett hound with metal pins holding her leg together jumped on the bed, which is on risers. How she cleared the bed I do not know.) We were both jumping on the bed while Ben tried to trap the lizard.
Ben started thinking about how to trap the lizard. "Go get me something to catch it in." Like what?!
"Go get me a paper towel or rag or something, unless you want a big blood spot on the floor." Maggie and I went to get a paper towel.
We returned, and jumped back on the bed. I threw the paper towel at Ben. "CATCH IT!!"
He went in for the kill. Or at least the trap. I screamed. Then Ben screamed: "THE TAIL! THE TAIL!" Ben had half of the lizard in his hand and half was flopping around on the floor. While he was pointing out the tail, the rest of the lizard started crawling out of the paper towel. "AAAAAAHHHH!!!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
I hit my head on the ceiling fan when I jumped. Maggie's ears were at full alert. "GET ANOTHER PAPER TOWEL!"
I went to get another paper towel.
Maggie and I returned and jumped on the bed. Again.
Finally, Ben trapped the tail.
Never a dull moment. And the flagpole didn't even fit in the bracket on our roof.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Easter Sunday, April 8, 2007
John 20:1-18 (The Message)
Resurrection!
1-2 Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone was moved away from the entrance. She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, "They took the Master from the tomb. We don't know where they've put him."
3-10Peter and the other disciple left immediately for the tomb. They ran, neck and neck. The other disciple got to the tomb first, outrunning Peter. Stooping to look in, he saw the pieces of linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Simon Peter arrived after him, entered the tomb, observed the linen cloths lying there, and the kerchief used to cover his head not lying with the linen cloths but separate, neatly folded by itself. Then the other disciple, the one who had gotten there first, went into the tomb, took one look at the evidence, and believed. No one yet knew from the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.
11-13But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been laid. They said to her, "Woman, why do you weep?"
13-14"They took my Master," she said, "and I don't know where they put him." After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn't recognize him.
15Jesus spoke to her, "Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?"
She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, "Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him."
16Jesus said, "Mary."
Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" meaning "Teacher!"
17Jesus said, "Don't cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, 'I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.'"
18Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: "I saw the Master!" And she told them everything he said to her.
Have you ever stood in a cemetery? Can you imagine being in one and turning around and being greeted by a stranger? What if that stranger turned out to be the very person you KNEW was dead and buried in that cemetery? What if they said your name?
That is exactly what happened to Mary Magdalene. She KNEW Jesus was dead; she most likely was a witness to his death on the cross. She wanted to visit Jesus’ tomb, but when she got there, she noticed it had been disturbed. She did not hang out to investigate, but ran back to two of the disciples, Peter and “the one Jesus loved” (probably John), and told them Jesus had been taken from his tomb.
When they get there, Peter enters the tomb first, though John has already looked in it. They see that the cloths used to cover Jesus body are lying their empty; the cloth that covered his head, neatly folded. Then they left.
Mary stayed, crying outside the tomb. She spoke with two angels. Then Jesus stood behind her. She did not recognize him, and had a conversation with him, assuming he was the gardener of the cemetery.
When Jesus says her name, Mary realizes it is him. Jesus gives her a message, and sends her back to proclaim it to the disciples.
The message Mary took back to Jesus’ disciples is the same message we are to give people today. “Jesus is not dead. Jesus lives, even now, even after death! And he loves us and wants us to love too.”
“Resurrection” is the word that describes this event. Jesus, who was killed on a cross and buried in a tomb, was dead for three days. On the third day, he was raised back to life. He never died again, but was taken into heaven where he lives and reigns with God the Father.
Why did Jesus die, only to be raised again? He did it because it was by dying that he could carry the weight of all our sins. As a result, we do not have to be punished for our sin. He was. Through his willingness to die in our place, we are made right with God. We can enter into a relationship with God and discover what it means to truly live.
As for us, if we believe in Jesus, we too will experience “resurrection.” Though we will all physically die, we will be raised to a new life and be with God. This is a mystery, how and when it will happen. But, it is a mystery with incredible hope.
So what about you? Do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe he was who he claimed to be? Do you believe he was a healer, a worker of miracles, a great teacher, a leader, the King, and the savior who died for us, but is now alive? Believe and live it, that you may have new life and hope in the mystery of the Resurrection.
Resurrection!
1-2 Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone was moved away from the entrance. She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, "They took the Master from the tomb. We don't know where they've put him."
3-10Peter and the other disciple left immediately for the tomb. They ran, neck and neck. The other disciple got to the tomb first, outrunning Peter. Stooping to look in, he saw the pieces of linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Simon Peter arrived after him, entered the tomb, observed the linen cloths lying there, and the kerchief used to cover his head not lying with the linen cloths but separate, neatly folded by itself. Then the other disciple, the one who had gotten there first, went into the tomb, took one look at the evidence, and believed. No one yet knew from the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.
11-13But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been laid. They said to her, "Woman, why do you weep?"
13-14"They took my Master," she said, "and I don't know where they put him." After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn't recognize him.
15Jesus spoke to her, "Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?"
She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, "Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him."
16Jesus said, "Mary."
Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" meaning "Teacher!"
17Jesus said, "Don't cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, 'I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.'"
18Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: "I saw the Master!" And she told them everything he said to her.
Have you ever stood in a cemetery? Can you imagine being in one and turning around and being greeted by a stranger? What if that stranger turned out to be the very person you KNEW was dead and buried in that cemetery? What if they said your name?
That is exactly what happened to Mary Magdalene. She KNEW Jesus was dead; she most likely was a witness to his death on the cross. She wanted to visit Jesus’ tomb, but when she got there, she noticed it had been disturbed. She did not hang out to investigate, but ran back to two of the disciples, Peter and “the one Jesus loved” (probably John), and told them Jesus had been taken from his tomb.
When they get there, Peter enters the tomb first, though John has already looked in it. They see that the cloths used to cover Jesus body are lying their empty; the cloth that covered his head, neatly folded. Then they left.
Mary stayed, crying outside the tomb. She spoke with two angels. Then Jesus stood behind her. She did not recognize him, and had a conversation with him, assuming he was the gardener of the cemetery.
When Jesus says her name, Mary realizes it is him. Jesus gives her a message, and sends her back to proclaim it to the disciples.
The message Mary took back to Jesus’ disciples is the same message we are to give people today. “Jesus is not dead. Jesus lives, even now, even after death! And he loves us and wants us to love too.”
“Resurrection” is the word that describes this event. Jesus, who was killed on a cross and buried in a tomb, was dead for three days. On the third day, he was raised back to life. He never died again, but was taken into heaven where he lives and reigns with God the Father.
Why did Jesus die, only to be raised again? He did it because it was by dying that he could carry the weight of all our sins. As a result, we do not have to be punished for our sin. He was. Through his willingness to die in our place, we are made right with God. We can enter into a relationship with God and discover what it means to truly live.
As for us, if we believe in Jesus, we too will experience “resurrection.” Though we will all physically die, we will be raised to a new life and be with God. This is a mystery, how and when it will happen. But, it is a mystery with incredible hope.
So what about you? Do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe he was who he claimed to be? Do you believe he was a healer, a worker of miracles, a great teacher, a leader, the King, and the savior who died for us, but is now alive? Believe and live it, that you may have new life and hope in the mystery of the Resurrection.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Holy Saturday, April 7, 2007
John 19:38-42 (The Message)
38After all this, Joseph of Arimathea (he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, because he was intimidated by the Jews) petitioned Pilate to take the body of Jesus. Pilate gave permission. So Joseph came and took the body.
39-42Nicodemus, who had first come to Jesus at night, came now in broad daylight carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. They took Jesus' body and, following the Jewish burial custom, wrapped it in linen with the spices. There was a garden near the place he was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been placed. So, because it was Sabbath preparation for the Jews and the tomb was convenient, they placed Jesus in it.
Matthew 27:62-66 (The Message)
62-64After sundown, the high priests and Pharisees arranged a meeting with Pilate. They said, "Sir, we just remembered that that liar announced while he was still alive, 'After three days I will be raised.' We've got to get that tomb sealed until the third day. There's a good chance his disciples will come and steal the corpse and then go around saying, 'He's risen from the dead.' Then we'll be worse off than before, the final deceit surpassing the first."
65-66Pilate told them, "You will have a guard. Go ahead and secure it the best you can." So they went out and secured the tomb, sealing the stone and posting guards.
After his death on the cross, Jesus’ body was taken by two of his disciples, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. We have heard of Nicodemus before. In John 3 we read about how Nicodemus came to Jesus in the dark of night to ask questions about being “born from above.” Now, Nicodemus no longer sneaks around at night. He comes to prepare Jesus’ body for burial in broad daylight. Joseph and Nicodemus followed their customs of getting a person’s body ready to be entombed.
Then they placed Jesus in a new tomb.
These men did not have much time to spend with Jesus’ body. It was almost time for the Sabbath, the holy day of rest, to start. Once the Sabbath started they were no longer allowed to be working or be in the presence of the dead.
According to Matthew’s gospel, the Pharisees, the Jewish religious leaders started to worry. They remembered Jesus had talked about being raised after the third day. They were afraid there would be some sort of conspiracy that Jesus’ disciples would steal his body on the third day and then everyone would believe Jesus had been raised from the dead.
Pilate hears their concern and offers guards for the tomb. The stone was sealed, and the guards took their posts.
But is that enough to stop the God who created the universe, a big rock and a few soldiers? His power knows no bounds…
38After all this, Joseph of Arimathea (he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, because he was intimidated by the Jews) petitioned Pilate to take the body of Jesus. Pilate gave permission. So Joseph came and took the body.
39-42Nicodemus, who had first come to Jesus at night, came now in broad daylight carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. They took Jesus' body and, following the Jewish burial custom, wrapped it in linen with the spices. There was a garden near the place he was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been placed. So, because it was Sabbath preparation for the Jews and the tomb was convenient, they placed Jesus in it.
Matthew 27:62-66 (The Message)
62-64After sundown, the high priests and Pharisees arranged a meeting with Pilate. They said, "Sir, we just remembered that that liar announced while he was still alive, 'After three days I will be raised.' We've got to get that tomb sealed until the third day. There's a good chance his disciples will come and steal the corpse and then go around saying, 'He's risen from the dead.' Then we'll be worse off than before, the final deceit surpassing the first."
65-66Pilate told them, "You will have a guard. Go ahead and secure it the best you can." So they went out and secured the tomb, sealing the stone and posting guards.
After his death on the cross, Jesus’ body was taken by two of his disciples, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. We have heard of Nicodemus before. In John 3 we read about how Nicodemus came to Jesus in the dark of night to ask questions about being “born from above.” Now, Nicodemus no longer sneaks around at night. He comes to prepare Jesus’ body for burial in broad daylight. Joseph and Nicodemus followed their customs of getting a person’s body ready to be entombed.
Then they placed Jesus in a new tomb.
These men did not have much time to spend with Jesus’ body. It was almost time for the Sabbath, the holy day of rest, to start. Once the Sabbath started they were no longer allowed to be working or be in the presence of the dead.
According to Matthew’s gospel, the Pharisees, the Jewish religious leaders started to worry. They remembered Jesus had talked about being raised after the third day. They were afraid there would be some sort of conspiracy that Jesus’ disciples would steal his body on the third day and then everyone would believe Jesus had been raised from the dead.
Pilate hears their concern and offers guards for the tomb. The stone was sealed, and the guards took their posts.
But is that enough to stop the God who created the universe, a big rock and a few soldiers? His power knows no bounds…
Good Friday, April 6, 2007
John 19:16-37 (The Message)
The Crucifixion
They took Jesus away. Carrying his cross, Jesus went out to the place called Skull Hill (the name in Hebrew is Golgotha), where they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, Jesus in the middle. Pilate wrote a sign and had it placed on the cross. It read: JESUS THE NAZARENE. THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20-21Many of the Jews read the sign because the place where Jesus was crucified was right next to the city. It was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. The Jewish high priests objected. "Don't write," they said to Pilate, "'The King of the Jews.' Make it, 'This man said, "I am the King of the Jews."'"
22Pilate said, "What I've written, I've written."
23-24When they crucified him, the Roman soldiers took his clothes and divided them up four ways, to each soldier a fourth. But his robe was seamless, a single piece of weaving, so they said to each other, "Let's not tear it up. Let's throw dice to see who gets it." This confirmed the Scripture that said, "They divided up my clothes among them and threw dice for my coat." (The soldiers validated the Scriptures!)
24-27While the soldiers were looking after themselves, Jesus' mother, his aunt, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene stood at the foot of the cross. Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her. He said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son." Then to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that moment the disciple accepted her as his own mother.
28Jesus, seeing that everything had been completed so that the Scripture record might also be complete, then said, "I'm thirsty."
29-30A jug of sour wine was standing by. Someone put a sponge soaked with the wine on a javelin and lifted it to his mouth. After he took the wine, Jesus said, "It's done . . . complete." Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit.
31-34Then the Jews, since it was the day of Sabbath preparation, and so the bodies wouldn't stay on the crosses over the Sabbath (it was a high holy day that year), petitioned Pilate that their legs be broken to speed death, and the bodies taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man crucified with Jesus, and then the other. When they got to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn't break his legs. One of the soldiers stabbed him in the side with his spear. Blood and water gushed out.
35The eyewitness to these things has presented an accurate report. He saw it himself and is telling the truth so that you, also, will believe.
36-37These things that happened confirmed the Scripture, "Not a bone in his body was broken," and the other Scripture that reads, "They will stare at the one they pierced."
The Jews deny Jesus is their king, even unto his death. Pilate, the Roman judge, affirms what they deny. The sign he places above Jesus on the cross proclaims Jesus is the king of the Jews. How ironic that the very people to whom Jesus taught and preached were the ones who did not recognize his kingship!
And so Jesus dies. Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled, and the King of the Jews suffers and offers up his spirit.
The Crucifixion
They took Jesus away. Carrying his cross, Jesus went out to the place called Skull Hill (the name in Hebrew is Golgotha), where they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, Jesus in the middle. Pilate wrote a sign and had it placed on the cross. It read: JESUS THE NAZARENE. THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20-21Many of the Jews read the sign because the place where Jesus was crucified was right next to the city. It was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. The Jewish high priests objected. "Don't write," they said to Pilate, "'The King of the Jews.' Make it, 'This man said, "I am the King of the Jews."'"
22Pilate said, "What I've written, I've written."
23-24When they crucified him, the Roman soldiers took his clothes and divided them up four ways, to each soldier a fourth. But his robe was seamless, a single piece of weaving, so they said to each other, "Let's not tear it up. Let's throw dice to see who gets it." This confirmed the Scripture that said, "They divided up my clothes among them and threw dice for my coat." (The soldiers validated the Scriptures!)
24-27While the soldiers were looking after themselves, Jesus' mother, his aunt, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene stood at the foot of the cross. Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her. He said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son." Then to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that moment the disciple accepted her as his own mother.
28Jesus, seeing that everything had been completed so that the Scripture record might also be complete, then said, "I'm thirsty."
29-30A jug of sour wine was standing by. Someone put a sponge soaked with the wine on a javelin and lifted it to his mouth. After he took the wine, Jesus said, "It's done . . . complete." Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit.
31-34Then the Jews, since it was the day of Sabbath preparation, and so the bodies wouldn't stay on the crosses over the Sabbath (it was a high holy day that year), petitioned Pilate that their legs be broken to speed death, and the bodies taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man crucified with Jesus, and then the other. When they got to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn't break his legs. One of the soldiers stabbed him in the side with his spear. Blood and water gushed out.
35The eyewitness to these things has presented an accurate report. He saw it himself and is telling the truth so that you, also, will believe.
36-37These things that happened confirmed the Scripture, "Not a bone in his body was broken," and the other Scripture that reads, "They will stare at the one they pierced."
The Jews deny Jesus is their king, even unto his death. Pilate, the Roman judge, affirms what they deny. The sign he places above Jesus on the cross proclaims Jesus is the king of the Jews. How ironic that the very people to whom Jesus taught and preached were the ones who did not recognize his kingship!
And so Jesus dies. Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled, and the King of the Jews suffers and offers up his spirit.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Maundy Thursday, April 5, 2007
John 18:28-19:16 (The Message)
The King of the Jews
28-29They led Jesus then from Caiaphas to the Roman governor's palace. It was early morning. They themselves didn't enter the palace because they didn't want to be disqualified from eating the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and spoke. "What charge do you bring against this man?"
30They said, "If he hadn't been doing something evil, do you think we'd be here bothering you?"
31-32Pilate said, "You take him. Judge him by your law."
The Jews said, "We're not allowed to kill anyone." (This would confirm Jesus' word indicating the way he would die.)
33Pilate went back into the palace and called for Jesus. He said, "Are you the 'King of the Jews'?"
34Jesus answered, "Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you this about me?"
35Pilate said, "Do I look like a Jew? Your people and your high priests turned you over to me. What did you do?"
36"My kingdom," said Jesus, "doesn't consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn't be handed over to the Jews. But I'm not that kind of king, not the world's kind of king."
37Then Pilate said, "So, are you a king or not?"
Jesus answered, "You tell me. Because I am King, I was born and entered the world so that I could witness to the truth. Everyone who cares for truth, who has any feeling for the truth, recognizes my voice."
38-39Pilate said, "What is truth?"
Then he went back out to the Jews and told them, "I find nothing wrong in this man. It's your custom that I pardon one prisoner at Passover. Do you want me to pardon the 'King of the Jews'?"
40They shouted back, "Not this one, but Barabbas!" Barabbas was a Jewish freedom fighter.
John 19
The Thorn Crown of the King
1-3 So Pilate took Jesus and had him whipped. The soldiers, having braided a crown from thorns, set it on his head, threw a purple robe over him, and approached him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Then they greeted him with slaps in the face.
4-5Pilate went back out again and said to them, "I present him to you, but I want you to know that I do not find him guilty of any crime." Just then Jesus came out wearing the thorn crown and purple robe.
Pilate announced, "Here he is: the Man."
6When the high priests and police saw him, they shouted in a frenzy, "Crucify! Crucify!"
Pilate told them, "You take him. You crucify him. I find nothing wrong with him."
7The Jews answered, "We have a law, and by that law he must die because he claimed to be the Son of God."
8-9When Pilate heard this, he became even more scared. He went back into the palace and said to Jesus, "Where did you come from?"
Jesus gave no answer.
10Pilate said, "You won't talk? Don't you know that I have the authority to pardon you, and the authority to—crucify you?"
11Jesus said, "You haven't a shred of authority over me except what has been given you from heaven. That's why the one who betrayed me to you has committed a far greater fault."
12At this, Pilate tried his best to pardon him, but the Jews shouted him down: "If you pardon this man, you're no friend of Caesar's. Anyone setting himself up as 'king' defies Caesar."
13-14When Pilate heard those words, he led Jesus outside. He sat down at the judgment seat in the area designated Stone Court (in Hebrew, Gabbatha). It was the preparation day for Passover. The hour was noon. Pilate said to the Jews, "Here is your king."
15They shouted back, "Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!"
Pilate said, "I am to crucify your king?"
The high priests answered, "We have no king except Caesar."
16-19Pilate caved in to their demand. He turned him over to be crucified.
Is this any way to treat a king? Days earlier this crowd which shouts “Crucify” greeted Jesus as a king. Now, they pledge allegiance to the world’s king, to Caesar, the ruler of Rome. The people choose an earthly, physical citizenship, rather than the spiritual one.
Jesus, God’s chosen and anointed king, is treated like a criminal. He is beaten and mocked. Instead of royal robes and a jeweled crown, Jesus is adorned with a purple robe and crown of thorns. This crown is crude, painful, and humiliating.
Jesus, what was it like for you to stand there, innocent but treated as guilty? We can never comprehend it, but we offer sincere thanks for what you did. We know that by your suffering, we are saved. It is a supernatural mystery. Have mercy on us, for taking your sacrifice and humiliation for granted. Have mercy on us; it was our sins for which you died. Amen.
The King of the Jews
28-29They led Jesus then from Caiaphas to the Roman governor's palace. It was early morning. They themselves didn't enter the palace because they didn't want to be disqualified from eating the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and spoke. "What charge do you bring against this man?"
30They said, "If he hadn't been doing something evil, do you think we'd be here bothering you?"
31-32Pilate said, "You take him. Judge him by your law."
The Jews said, "We're not allowed to kill anyone." (This would confirm Jesus' word indicating the way he would die.)
33Pilate went back into the palace and called for Jesus. He said, "Are you the 'King of the Jews'?"
34Jesus answered, "Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you this about me?"
35Pilate said, "Do I look like a Jew? Your people and your high priests turned you over to me. What did you do?"
36"My kingdom," said Jesus, "doesn't consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn't be handed over to the Jews. But I'm not that kind of king, not the world's kind of king."
37Then Pilate said, "So, are you a king or not?"
Jesus answered, "You tell me. Because I am King, I was born and entered the world so that I could witness to the truth. Everyone who cares for truth, who has any feeling for the truth, recognizes my voice."
38-39Pilate said, "What is truth?"
Then he went back out to the Jews and told them, "I find nothing wrong in this man. It's your custom that I pardon one prisoner at Passover. Do you want me to pardon the 'King of the Jews'?"
40They shouted back, "Not this one, but Barabbas!" Barabbas was a Jewish freedom fighter.
John 19
The Thorn Crown of the King
1-3 So Pilate took Jesus and had him whipped. The soldiers, having braided a crown from thorns, set it on his head, threw a purple robe over him, and approached him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Then they greeted him with slaps in the face.
4-5Pilate went back out again and said to them, "I present him to you, but I want you to know that I do not find him guilty of any crime." Just then Jesus came out wearing the thorn crown and purple robe.
Pilate announced, "Here he is: the Man."
6When the high priests and police saw him, they shouted in a frenzy, "Crucify! Crucify!"
Pilate told them, "You take him. You crucify him. I find nothing wrong with him."
7The Jews answered, "We have a law, and by that law he must die because he claimed to be the Son of God."
8-9When Pilate heard this, he became even more scared. He went back into the palace and said to Jesus, "Where did you come from?"
Jesus gave no answer.
10Pilate said, "You won't talk? Don't you know that I have the authority to pardon you, and the authority to—crucify you?"
11Jesus said, "You haven't a shred of authority over me except what has been given you from heaven. That's why the one who betrayed me to you has committed a far greater fault."
12At this, Pilate tried his best to pardon him, but the Jews shouted him down: "If you pardon this man, you're no friend of Caesar's. Anyone setting himself up as 'king' defies Caesar."
13-14When Pilate heard those words, he led Jesus outside. He sat down at the judgment seat in the area designated Stone Court (in Hebrew, Gabbatha). It was the preparation day for Passover. The hour was noon. Pilate said to the Jews, "Here is your king."
15They shouted back, "Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!"
Pilate said, "I am to crucify your king?"
The high priests answered, "We have no king except Caesar."
16-19Pilate caved in to their demand. He turned him over to be crucified.
Is this any way to treat a king? Days earlier this crowd which shouts “Crucify” greeted Jesus as a king. Now, they pledge allegiance to the world’s king, to Caesar, the ruler of Rome. The people choose an earthly, physical citizenship, rather than the spiritual one.
Jesus, God’s chosen and anointed king, is treated like a criminal. He is beaten and mocked. Instead of royal robes and a jeweled crown, Jesus is adorned with a purple robe and crown of thorns. This crown is crude, painful, and humiliating.
Jesus, what was it like for you to stand there, innocent but treated as guilty? We can never comprehend it, but we offer sincere thanks for what you did. We know that by your suffering, we are saved. It is a supernatural mystery. Have mercy on us, for taking your sacrifice and humiliation for granted. Have mercy on us; it was our sins for which you died. Amen.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
John 18:1-27 (The Message)
Seized in the Garden at Night
1 Jesus, having prayed this prayer, left with his disciples and crossed over the brook Kidron at a place where there was a garden. He and his disciples entered it.
2-4Judas, his betrayer, knew the place because Jesus and his disciples went there often. So Judas led the way to the garden, and the Roman soldiers and police sent by the high priests and Pharisees followed. They arrived there with lanterns and torches and swords. Jesus, knowing by now everything that was coming down on him, went out and met them. He said, "Who are you after?"
They answered, "Jesus the Nazarene."
5-6He said, "That's me." The soldiers recoiled, totally taken aback. Judas, his betrayer, stood out like a sore thumb.
7Jesus asked again, "Who are you after?"
They answered, "Jesus the Nazarene."
8-9"I told you," said Jesus, "that's me. I'm the one. So if it's me you're after, let these others go." (This validated the words in his prayer, "I didn't lose one of those you gave.")
10Just then Simon Peter, who was carrying a sword, pulled it from its sheath and struck the Chief Priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. Malchus was the servant's name.
11Jesus ordered Peter, "Put back your sword. Do you think for a minute I'm not going to drink this cup the Father gave me?"
12-14Then the Roman soldiers under their commander, joined by the Jewish police, seized Jesus and tied him up. They took him first to Annas, father-in-law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the Chief Priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was to their advantage that one man die for the people.
15-16Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That other disciple was known to the Chief Priest, and so he went in with Jesus to the Chief Priest's courtyard. Peter had to stay outside. Then the other disciple went out, spoke to the doorkeeper, and got Peter in.
17The young woman who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, "Aren't you one of this man's disciples?"
He said, "No, I'm not."
18The servants and police had made a fire because of the cold and were huddled there warming themselves. Peter stood with them, trying to get warm.
The Interrogation
19-21Annas interrogated Jesus regarding his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered, "I've spoken openly in public. I've taught regularly in meeting places and the Temple, where the Jews all come together. Everything has been out in the open. I've said nothing in secret. So why are you treating me like a conspirator? Question those who have been listening to me. They know well what I have said. My teachings have all been aboveboard."
22When he said this, one of the policemen standing there slapped Jesus across the face, saying, "How dare you speak to the Chief Priest like that!"
23Jesus replied, "If I've said something wrong, prove it. But if I've spoken the plain truth, why this slapping around?"
24Then Annas sent him, still tied up, to the Chief Priest Caiaphas.
25Meanwhile, Simon Peter was back at the fire, still trying to get warm. The others there said to him, "Aren't you one of his disciples?"
He denied it, "Not me."
26One of the Chief Priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "Didn't I see you in the garden with him?"
27Again, Peter denied it. Just then a rooster crowed.
Judas is the one of Jesus’ twelve disciples who betrays him. Judas knows a garden where Jesus often prays, and he leads a group of Roman soldier and police to that garden to make the arrest. The soldiers are sent by the high priests and Pharisees, the religious officials who have been out to arrest and kill Jesus for some time.
Jesus is always bold when he speaks the truth. This night in the garden is no different. Jesus asks the soldiers who they are looking for, and when they answer, “Jesus the Nazarene,” he plainly and honestly answers, “That’s me.”
Peter tries to come to Jesus defense with a drawn sword, but Jesus feels like this is part of a greater plan. He knows God the Father has a will for him, and that will includes suffering. When Jesus says, “Do you think for a minute I'm not going to drink this cup the Father gave me?” he is saying “Do you think I will not follow the Father’s plan for me?”
Jesus is arrested, tied up, and carried away to appear before the religious officials. They question Jesus about his teaching and about his disciples. Jesus always answers with the truth, even when he gets slapped in the face for it.
While Jesus is suffering for telling the truth, Peter is getting away with telling lies. Three times Peter is asked if he is a disciple of Jesus. Three times Peter lies, and says no.
Telling the truth is always the right thing to do, even when it is unpopular, even if you know it will cost you.
Seized in the Garden at Night
1 Jesus, having prayed this prayer, left with his disciples and crossed over the brook Kidron at a place where there was a garden. He and his disciples entered it.
2-4Judas, his betrayer, knew the place because Jesus and his disciples went there often. So Judas led the way to the garden, and the Roman soldiers and police sent by the high priests and Pharisees followed. They arrived there with lanterns and torches and swords. Jesus, knowing by now everything that was coming down on him, went out and met them. He said, "Who are you after?"
They answered, "Jesus the Nazarene."
5-6He said, "That's me." The soldiers recoiled, totally taken aback. Judas, his betrayer, stood out like a sore thumb.
7Jesus asked again, "Who are you after?"
They answered, "Jesus the Nazarene."
8-9"I told you," said Jesus, "that's me. I'm the one. So if it's me you're after, let these others go." (This validated the words in his prayer, "I didn't lose one of those you gave.")
10Just then Simon Peter, who was carrying a sword, pulled it from its sheath and struck the Chief Priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. Malchus was the servant's name.
11Jesus ordered Peter, "Put back your sword. Do you think for a minute I'm not going to drink this cup the Father gave me?"
12-14Then the Roman soldiers under their commander, joined by the Jewish police, seized Jesus and tied him up. They took him first to Annas, father-in-law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the Chief Priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was to their advantage that one man die for the people.
15-16Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That other disciple was known to the Chief Priest, and so he went in with Jesus to the Chief Priest's courtyard. Peter had to stay outside. Then the other disciple went out, spoke to the doorkeeper, and got Peter in.
17The young woman who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, "Aren't you one of this man's disciples?"
He said, "No, I'm not."
18The servants and police had made a fire because of the cold and were huddled there warming themselves. Peter stood with them, trying to get warm.
The Interrogation
19-21Annas interrogated Jesus regarding his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered, "I've spoken openly in public. I've taught regularly in meeting places and the Temple, where the Jews all come together. Everything has been out in the open. I've said nothing in secret. So why are you treating me like a conspirator? Question those who have been listening to me. They know well what I have said. My teachings have all been aboveboard."
22When he said this, one of the policemen standing there slapped Jesus across the face, saying, "How dare you speak to the Chief Priest like that!"
23Jesus replied, "If I've said something wrong, prove it. But if I've spoken the plain truth, why this slapping around?"
24Then Annas sent him, still tied up, to the Chief Priest Caiaphas.
25Meanwhile, Simon Peter was back at the fire, still trying to get warm. The others there said to him, "Aren't you one of his disciples?"
He denied it, "Not me."
26One of the Chief Priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "Didn't I see you in the garden with him?"
27Again, Peter denied it. Just then a rooster crowed.
Judas is the one of Jesus’ twelve disciples who betrays him. Judas knows a garden where Jesus often prays, and he leads a group of Roman soldier and police to that garden to make the arrest. The soldiers are sent by the high priests and Pharisees, the religious officials who have been out to arrest and kill Jesus for some time.
Jesus is always bold when he speaks the truth. This night in the garden is no different. Jesus asks the soldiers who they are looking for, and when they answer, “Jesus the Nazarene,” he plainly and honestly answers, “That’s me.”
Peter tries to come to Jesus defense with a drawn sword, but Jesus feels like this is part of a greater plan. He knows God the Father has a will for him, and that will includes suffering. When Jesus says, “Do you think for a minute I'm not going to drink this cup the Father gave me?” he is saying “Do you think I will not follow the Father’s plan for me?”
Jesus is arrested, tied up, and carried away to appear before the religious officials. They question Jesus about his teaching and about his disciples. Jesus always answers with the truth, even when he gets slapped in the face for it.
While Jesus is suffering for telling the truth, Peter is getting away with telling lies. Three times Peter is asked if he is a disciple of Jesus. Three times Peter lies, and says no.
Telling the truth is always the right thing to do, even when it is unpopular, even if you know it will cost you.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
John 13:18-38 (The Message)
The One Who Ate Bread at My Table
18-20"I'm not including all of you in this. I know precisely whom I've selected, so as not to interfere with the fulfillment of this Scripture:
The one who ate bread at my table
Turned on his heel against me. "I'm telling you all this ahead of time so that when it happens you will believe that I am who I say I am. Make sure you get this right: Receiving someone I send is the same as receiving me, just as receiving me is the same as receiving the One who sent me."
21After he said these things, Jesus became visibly upset, and then he told them why. "One of you is going to betray me."
22-25The disciples looked around at one another, wondering who on earth he was talking about. One of the disciples, the one Jesus loved dearly, was reclining against him, his head on his shoulder. Peter motioned to him to ask who Jesus might be talking about. So, being the closest, he said, "Master, who?"
26-27Jesus said, "The one to whom I give this crust of bread after I've dipped it." Then he dipped the crust and gave it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. As soon as the bread was in his hand, Satan entered him.
"What you must do," said Jesus, "do. Do it and get it over with."
28-29No one around the supper table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that since Judas was their treasurer, Jesus was telling him to buy what they needed for the Feast, or that he should give something to the poor.
30Judas, with the piece of bread, left. It was night.
A New Command
31-32When he had left, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is seen for who he is, and God seen for who he is in him. The moment God is seen in him, God's glory will be on display. In glorifying him, he himself is glorified—glory all around!
33"Children, I am with you for only a short time longer. You are going to look high and low for me. But just as I told the Jews, I'm telling you: 'Where I go, you are not able to come.'
34-35"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."
36Simon Peter asked, "Master, just where are you going?"
Jesus answered, "You can't now follow me where I'm going. You will follow later."
37"Master," said Peter, "why can't I follow now? I'll lay down my life for you!"
38"Really? You'll lay down your life for me? The truth is that before the rooster crows, you'll deny me three times."
One wonders what Jesus would have felt, sitting at the table with his closest friends and students, and at the same time knowing that one of them was about to betray him and another would deny him three times. Jesus spoke these truths out loud, but the disciples have any clue as to the depth of the betrayal and denial?
Jesus, in preparing for his coming death, tried also to prepare his disciples. They had followed him all over the country, to many different towns, but now Jesus had to go somewhere and they could not follow. Yet, he leaves them with a short but powerful command they can follow. “In the same way I loved you, you love one another.”
This is the same command Jesus gives us. Do we betray him? Or do we follow him?
The One Who Ate Bread at My Table
18-20"I'm not including all of you in this. I know precisely whom I've selected, so as not to interfere with the fulfillment of this Scripture:
The one who ate bread at my table
Turned on his heel against me. "I'm telling you all this ahead of time so that when it happens you will believe that I am who I say I am. Make sure you get this right: Receiving someone I send is the same as receiving me, just as receiving me is the same as receiving the One who sent me."
21After he said these things, Jesus became visibly upset, and then he told them why. "One of you is going to betray me."
22-25The disciples looked around at one another, wondering who on earth he was talking about. One of the disciples, the one Jesus loved dearly, was reclining against him, his head on his shoulder. Peter motioned to him to ask who Jesus might be talking about. So, being the closest, he said, "Master, who?"
26-27Jesus said, "The one to whom I give this crust of bread after I've dipped it." Then he dipped the crust and gave it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. As soon as the bread was in his hand, Satan entered him.
"What you must do," said Jesus, "do. Do it and get it over with."
28-29No one around the supper table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that since Judas was their treasurer, Jesus was telling him to buy what they needed for the Feast, or that he should give something to the poor.
30Judas, with the piece of bread, left. It was night.
A New Command
31-32When he had left, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is seen for who he is, and God seen for who he is in him. The moment God is seen in him, God's glory will be on display. In glorifying him, he himself is glorified—glory all around!
33"Children, I am with you for only a short time longer. You are going to look high and low for me. But just as I told the Jews, I'm telling you: 'Where I go, you are not able to come.'
34-35"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."
36Simon Peter asked, "Master, just where are you going?"
Jesus answered, "You can't now follow me where I'm going. You will follow later."
37"Master," said Peter, "why can't I follow now? I'll lay down my life for you!"
38"Really? You'll lay down your life for me? The truth is that before the rooster crows, you'll deny me three times."
One wonders what Jesus would have felt, sitting at the table with his closest friends and students, and at the same time knowing that one of them was about to betray him and another would deny him three times. Jesus spoke these truths out loud, but the disciples have any clue as to the depth of the betrayal and denial?
Jesus, in preparing for his coming death, tried also to prepare his disciples. They had followed him all over the country, to many different towns, but now Jesus had to go somewhere and they could not follow. Yet, he leaves them with a short but powerful command they can follow. “In the same way I loved you, you love one another.”
This is the same command Jesus gives us. Do we betray him? Or do we follow him?
Monday, April 2, 2007
John 13:1-17 (The Message)
Washing His Disciples' Feet
1-2 Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world to go to the Father. Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end. It was suppertime. The Devil by now had Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, firmly in his grip, all set for the betrayal.
3-6Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, "Master, you wash my feet?"
7Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later."
8Peter persisted, "You're not going to wash my feet—ever!"
Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you can't be part of what I'm doing."
9"Master!" said Peter. "Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!"
10-12Jesus said, "If you've had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you're clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you're clean. But not every one of you." (He knew who was betraying him. That's why he said, "Not every one of you.") After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table.
12-17Then he said, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do. I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer. If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life.
The story of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet is a familiar one for people who have spent a lot of time in church. Sometimes when we think we already know a story we forget to pay attention to it. May that never be the case with the story of Jesus.
Most people agree that Jesus washing his disciples’ feet is an extreme example of Jesus being a leader by being a servant.
Most of the time when we think of a leader we think of a person who has other people to do the service part, or even who has people to serve him or her. Just as Jesus did not fit our expectations of a king, so he also does not fit our expectations of a leader. Rather than having other people to do his work, or other people to serve him, Jesus does the work and he serves the people he leads.
Why is this an extreme example of service? Typically in Jesus’ time, the people wore sandals and traveled dirt roads. When you entered a house, especially to eat, the lowest of the family’s servants would wash the feet of each person, to make them clean. Jesus takes the role of the lowest servant when he washes the disciples’ feet.
Why did Jesus do this? He did it because he loved his disciples, all of them. He wanted to provide them an example of how they each should live and lead, as servants, just like him.
Thank you Jesus, for leading in love and service. Teach us to always follow your example. Amen.
Washing His Disciples' Feet
1-2 Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world to go to the Father. Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end. It was suppertime. The Devil by now had Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, firmly in his grip, all set for the betrayal.
3-6Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, "Master, you wash my feet?"
7Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later."
8Peter persisted, "You're not going to wash my feet—ever!"
Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you can't be part of what I'm doing."
9"Master!" said Peter. "Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!"
10-12Jesus said, "If you've had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you're clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you're clean. But not every one of you." (He knew who was betraying him. That's why he said, "Not every one of you.") After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table.
12-17Then he said, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do. I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer. If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life.
The story of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet is a familiar one for people who have spent a lot of time in church. Sometimes when we think we already know a story we forget to pay attention to it. May that never be the case with the story of Jesus.
Most people agree that Jesus washing his disciples’ feet is an extreme example of Jesus being a leader by being a servant.
Most of the time when we think of a leader we think of a person who has other people to do the service part, or even who has people to serve him or her. Just as Jesus did not fit our expectations of a king, so he also does not fit our expectations of a leader. Rather than having other people to do his work, or other people to serve him, Jesus does the work and he serves the people he leads.
Why is this an extreme example of service? Typically in Jesus’ time, the people wore sandals and traveled dirt roads. When you entered a house, especially to eat, the lowest of the family’s servants would wash the feet of each person, to make them clean. Jesus takes the role of the lowest servant when he washes the disciples’ feet.
Why did Jesus do this? He did it because he loved his disciples, all of them. He wanted to provide them an example of how they each should live and lead, as servants, just like him.
Thank you Jesus, for leading in love and service. Teach us to always follow your example. Amen.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Palm Sunday, April 1, 2007
John 12:12-19 (The Message)
See How Your King Comes
12-15The next day the huge crowd that had arrived for the Feast heard that Jesus was entering Jerusalem. They broke off palm branches and went out to meet him. And they cheered:
Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in God's name!
Yes! The King of Israel!
Jesus got a young donkey and rode it, just as the Scripture has it:
No fear, Daughter Zion:
See how your king comes,
riding a donkey's colt.
16The disciples didn't notice the fulfillment of many Scriptures at the time, but after Jesus was glorified, they remembered that what was written about him matched what was done to him.
17-19The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, was there giving eyewitness accounts. It was because they had spread the word of this latest God-sign that the crowd swelled to a welcoming parade. The Pharisees took one look and threw up their hands: "It's out of control. The world's in a stampede after him."
We celebrate “Palm Sunday” on the Sunday one week before Easter. Some churches re-enact this story by actually waving palm branches and reciting the cheer of the crowd. Sometimes we call this story “The Triumphal Entry” because it tells how Jesus entered Jerusalem.
This event was important in the life of Jesus. Jesus had not been in the city of Jerusalem for some time, but like other Jewish people came to Jerusalem in order to celebrate the Passover. (The Passover is a Jewish holiday which remembers how God freed the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt.)
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem turned into a parade of sorts. The crowds saw that Jesus was entering the city and rushed out to meet him. They cheered and waved palm branches in the air. Why did the crowd do this? They had heard about Jesus and the signs Jesus had done, especially raising Lazarus from the dead. They thought Jesus was special, so special that they were welcoming him as they would have welcomed a king.
Jesus was and is indeed a king. But most kings of his day would have entered the city riding a big horse or in a chariot. Jesus did not enter that way. He rode a donkey, a humble and low animal compared to a mighty war horse. Jesus was not the kind of king the people expected.
In a few short days, this crowd, which cheered Jesus on his entry into Jerusalem, would change their shouts. They would no longer say “Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in God's name!
Yes! The King of Israel“
but rather, “"Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!"
How could the crowds turn their backs on Jesus in such a short time? They want to murder the one they hailed as a king.
Have you ever treated Jesus this way?
See How Your King Comes
12-15The next day the huge crowd that had arrived for the Feast heard that Jesus was entering Jerusalem. They broke off palm branches and went out to meet him. And they cheered:
Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in God's name!
Yes! The King of Israel!
Jesus got a young donkey and rode it, just as the Scripture has it:
No fear, Daughter Zion:
See how your king comes,
riding a donkey's colt.
16The disciples didn't notice the fulfillment of many Scriptures at the time, but after Jesus was glorified, they remembered that what was written about him matched what was done to him.
17-19The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, was there giving eyewitness accounts. It was because they had spread the word of this latest God-sign that the crowd swelled to a welcoming parade. The Pharisees took one look and threw up their hands: "It's out of control. The world's in a stampede after him."
We celebrate “Palm Sunday” on the Sunday one week before Easter. Some churches re-enact this story by actually waving palm branches and reciting the cheer of the crowd. Sometimes we call this story “The Triumphal Entry” because it tells how Jesus entered Jerusalem.
This event was important in the life of Jesus. Jesus had not been in the city of Jerusalem for some time, but like other Jewish people came to Jerusalem in order to celebrate the Passover. (The Passover is a Jewish holiday which remembers how God freed the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt.)
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem turned into a parade of sorts. The crowds saw that Jesus was entering the city and rushed out to meet him. They cheered and waved palm branches in the air. Why did the crowd do this? They had heard about Jesus and the signs Jesus had done, especially raising Lazarus from the dead. They thought Jesus was special, so special that they were welcoming him as they would have welcomed a king.
Jesus was and is indeed a king. But most kings of his day would have entered the city riding a big horse or in a chariot. Jesus did not enter that way. He rode a donkey, a humble and low animal compared to a mighty war horse. Jesus was not the kind of king the people expected.
In a few short days, this crowd, which cheered Jesus on his entry into Jerusalem, would change their shouts. They would no longer say “Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in God's name!
Yes! The King of Israel“
but rather, “"Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!"
How could the crowds turn their backs on Jesus in such a short time? They want to murder the one they hailed as a king.
Have you ever treated Jesus this way?
Friday, March 30, 2007
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Psalm 31:9-16 (TNIV)
9 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and body with grief.
10 My life is consumed by anguish
and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction,
and my bones grow weak.
11 Because of all my enemies,
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors;
I am a dread to my friends—
those who see me on the street flee from me.
12 I am forgotten as though I were dead;
I have become like broken pottery.
13 For I hear many whispering,
"Terror on every side!"
They conspire against me
and plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, LORD;
I say, "You are my God."
15 My times are in your hands;
deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
Imagine Jesus praying this prayer while he was dying on the cross. It should give us hope to know that Jesus trusted in God even as he was taking his last breaths. Jesus knew God would save him in God’s unfailing love.
Make this your prayer when you are in your darkest hour.
9 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and body with grief.
10 My life is consumed by anguish
and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction,
and my bones grow weak.
11 Because of all my enemies,
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors;
I am a dread to my friends—
those who see me on the street flee from me.
12 I am forgotten as though I were dead;
I have become like broken pottery.
13 For I hear many whispering,
"Terror on every side!"
They conspire against me
and plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, LORD;
I say, "You are my God."
15 My times are in your hands;
deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
Imagine Jesus praying this prayer while he was dying on the cross. It should give us hope to know that Jesus trusted in God even as he was taking his last breaths. Jesus knew God would save him in God’s unfailing love.
Make this your prayer when you are in your darkest hour.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Friday, March 30, 2007
Philippians 2:5-11 (The Message)
5-8Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.
9-11Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.
Do you have a best friend? Does your friend have certain words or phrases that he or she is always saying? Have you ever found yourself saying those same things? This is something that happens to all of us. When we hang out with a person we like for long periods of time we start to become like that person.
That is how it should work with Jesus. If we build a relationship with him and spend a lot of time getting to know who he is, we ought to start becoming like him.
This passage from Philippians tells us that we should be like Jesus in that we think of ourselves the way Jesus thought of himself. That way of thinking is called humility. Jesus was God, but he set aside his special powers and privileges in order that he might be human and die the worst kind of death, a slow painful one of suffocation while hanging on a cross. Because Jesus chose to live this life of humility in obedience to God, Jesus will be exalted and worshiped as king of everything.
Do you think of yourself the way Jesus thought of himself? Are you humble?
Are you obedient to God’s instructions in your own life?
What can you do to become more like Jesus?
5-8Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.
9-11Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.
Do you have a best friend? Does your friend have certain words or phrases that he or she is always saying? Have you ever found yourself saying those same things? This is something that happens to all of us. When we hang out with a person we like for long periods of time we start to become like that person.
That is how it should work with Jesus. If we build a relationship with him and spend a lot of time getting to know who he is, we ought to start becoming like him.
This passage from Philippians tells us that we should be like Jesus in that we think of ourselves the way Jesus thought of himself. That way of thinking is called humility. Jesus was God, but he set aside his special powers and privileges in order that he might be human and die the worst kind of death, a slow painful one of suffocation while hanging on a cross. Because Jesus chose to live this life of humility in obedience to God, Jesus will be exalted and worshiped as king of everything.
Do you think of yourself the way Jesus thought of himself? Are you humble?
Are you obedient to God’s instructions in your own life?
What can you do to become more like Jesus?
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Isaiah 50:4-9 (TNIV)
4 The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.
5 The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears;
I have not been rebellious,
I have not turned away.
6 I offered my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;
I did not hide my face
from mocking and spitting.
7 Because the Sovereign LORD helps me,
I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint,
and I know I will not be put to shame.
8 He who vindicates me is near.
Who then will bring charges against me?
Let us face each other!
Who are my accusers?
Let them confront me!
9 It is the Sovereign LORD who helps me.
Who will condemn me?
This passage was recorded by the prophet Isaiah, many years before Jesus was born. Isaiah was a messenger of God, who taught and preached to the people of Israel. We can imagine that in this passage Isaiah was describing his own life, how he was been instructed and helped by God. He was God’s representative, even though there were people who mistreated, confronted, and condemned him.
Do you think Jesus could have felt like Isaiah did? Why or why not? How was Jesus instructed and helped by God?
4 The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.
5 The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears;
I have not been rebellious,
I have not turned away.
6 I offered my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;
I did not hide my face
from mocking and spitting.
7 Because the Sovereign LORD helps me,
I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint,
and I know I will not be put to shame.
8 He who vindicates me is near.
Who then will bring charges against me?
Let us face each other!
Who are my accusers?
Let them confront me!
9 It is the Sovereign LORD who helps me.
Who will condemn me?
This passage was recorded by the prophet Isaiah, many years before Jesus was born. Isaiah was a messenger of God, who taught and preached to the people of Israel. We can imagine that in this passage Isaiah was describing his own life, how he was been instructed and helped by God. He was God’s representative, even though there were people who mistreated, confronted, and condemned him.
Do you think Jesus could have felt like Isaiah did? Why or why not? How was Jesus instructed and helped by God?
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
John 16:16-33 (The Message)
16"In a day or so you're not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me."
Joy Like a River Overflowing
17-18That stirred up a hornet's nest of questions among the disciples: "What's he talking about: 'In a day or so you're not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me'? And, 'Because I'm on my way to the Father'? What is this 'day or so'? We don't know what he's talking about."
19-20Jesus knew they were dying to ask him what he meant, so he said, "Are you trying to figure out among yourselves what I meant when I said, 'In a day or so you're not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me'? Then fix this firmly in your minds: You're going to be in deep mourning while the godless world throws a party. You'll be sad, very sad, but your sadness will develop into gladness.
21-23"When a woman gives birth, she has a hard time, there's no getting around it. But when the baby is born, there is joy in the birth. This new life in the world wipes out memory of the pain. The sadness you have right now is similar to that pain, but the coming joy is also similar. When I see you again, you'll be full of joy, and it will be a joy no one can rob from you. You'll no longer be so full of questions.
23-24"This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I've revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and he'll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks!
25-28"I've used figures of speech in telling you these things. Soon I'll drop the figures and tell you about the Father in plain language. Then you can make your requests directly to him in relation to this life I've revealed to you. I won't continue making requests of the Father on your behalf. I won't need to. Because you've gone out on a limb, committed yourselves to love and trust in me, believing I came directly from the Father, the Father loves you directly. First, I left the Father and arrived in the world; now I leave the world and travel to the Father."
29-30His disciples said, "Finally! You're giving it to us straight, in plain talk—no more figures of speech. Now we know that you know everything—it all comes together in you. You won't have to put up with our questions anymore. We're convinced you came from God."
31-33Jesus answered them, "Do you finally believe? In fact, you're about to make a run for it—saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I'm not abandoned. The Father is with me. I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world."
As usual, the disciples are confused at the way Jesus teaches. He has been talking about how the disciples will not see him in a day or so but then they will see him another day or so after that. We can understand their confusion when we remember that the disciples did not yet understand that Jesus was going to die and then be raised to life again.
Jesus tells the disciples they will experience sadness while the rest of the world is happy. We know that is what happens: the disciples are sad when Jesus is crucified, but the rest of the world is happy.
Jesus also gives the disciples some instructions about prayer. The disciples are to ask God the Father for things in accordance with Jesus’ will and in Jesus’ name. Jesus no longer has to be go between God the Father and the disciples; because of the disciples’ faith in Jesus they can go directly to the Father.
Jesus knows that despite his best efforts at preparing the disciples for his death, they are going to leave him when things get tough. He also knows that God the Father will never leave him, even if things are tough. Jesus gives the disciples this reminder: they will still face trouble in the world, but there is hope and reason to rejoice, Jesus has already overcome the world. His resurrection (being raised to life after having died) will soon prove it.
Just as the Father never abandoned Jesus, the Father will never abandon us. Like the disciples, we can face the troubles of the world. We know that Jesus has overcome the world.
During your day today, you or someone you know will face trouble or difficult situations. How can you remind yourself or someone you know that God never abandons you in your times of trouble and difficulty?
16"In a day or so you're not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me."
Joy Like a River Overflowing
17-18That stirred up a hornet's nest of questions among the disciples: "What's he talking about: 'In a day or so you're not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me'? And, 'Because I'm on my way to the Father'? What is this 'day or so'? We don't know what he's talking about."
19-20Jesus knew they were dying to ask him what he meant, so he said, "Are you trying to figure out among yourselves what I meant when I said, 'In a day or so you're not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me'? Then fix this firmly in your minds: You're going to be in deep mourning while the godless world throws a party. You'll be sad, very sad, but your sadness will develop into gladness.
21-23"When a woman gives birth, she has a hard time, there's no getting around it. But when the baby is born, there is joy in the birth. This new life in the world wipes out memory of the pain. The sadness you have right now is similar to that pain, but the coming joy is also similar. When I see you again, you'll be full of joy, and it will be a joy no one can rob from you. You'll no longer be so full of questions.
23-24"This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I've revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and he'll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks!
25-28"I've used figures of speech in telling you these things. Soon I'll drop the figures and tell you about the Father in plain language. Then you can make your requests directly to him in relation to this life I've revealed to you. I won't continue making requests of the Father on your behalf. I won't need to. Because you've gone out on a limb, committed yourselves to love and trust in me, believing I came directly from the Father, the Father loves you directly. First, I left the Father and arrived in the world; now I leave the world and travel to the Father."
29-30His disciples said, "Finally! You're giving it to us straight, in plain talk—no more figures of speech. Now we know that you know everything—it all comes together in you. You won't have to put up with our questions anymore. We're convinced you came from God."
31-33Jesus answered them, "Do you finally believe? In fact, you're about to make a run for it—saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I'm not abandoned. The Father is with me. I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world."
As usual, the disciples are confused at the way Jesus teaches. He has been talking about how the disciples will not see him in a day or so but then they will see him another day or so after that. We can understand their confusion when we remember that the disciples did not yet understand that Jesus was going to die and then be raised to life again.
Jesus tells the disciples they will experience sadness while the rest of the world is happy. We know that is what happens: the disciples are sad when Jesus is crucified, but the rest of the world is happy.
Jesus also gives the disciples some instructions about prayer. The disciples are to ask God the Father for things in accordance with Jesus’ will and in Jesus’ name. Jesus no longer has to be go between God the Father and the disciples; because of the disciples’ faith in Jesus they can go directly to the Father.
Jesus knows that despite his best efforts at preparing the disciples for his death, they are going to leave him when things get tough. He also knows that God the Father will never leave him, even if things are tough. Jesus gives the disciples this reminder: they will still face trouble in the world, but there is hope and reason to rejoice, Jesus has already overcome the world. His resurrection (being raised to life after having died) will soon prove it.
Just as the Father never abandoned Jesus, the Father will never abandon us. Like the disciples, we can face the troubles of the world. We know that Jesus has overcome the world.
During your day today, you or someone you know will face trouble or difficult situations. How can you remind yourself or someone you know that God never abandons you in your times of trouble and difficulty?
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Philippians 3:4-14 (The Message)
3-6The real believers are the ones the Spirit of God leads to work away at this ministry, filling the air with Christ's praise as we do it. We couldn't carry this off by our own efforts, and we know it—even though we can list what many might think are impressive credentials. You know my pedigree: a legitimate birth, circumcised on the eighth day; an Israelite from the elite tribe of Benjamin; a strict and devout adherent to God's law; a fiery defender of the purity of my religion, even to the point of persecuting the church; a meticulous observer of everything set down in God's law Book.
7-9The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I'm tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God's righteousness.
10-11I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.
Focused on the Goal
12-14I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.
One of the most famous followers of Jesus is the apostle Paul. Paul was a missionary who started many churches and wrote several books of the Bible. He wrote the book of Philippians from which we read today.
In the first part of this reading, Paul is listing his credentials. He is doing this because many people were bragging about their own credentials and saying they could get to heaven on their credentials alone. (Credentials are all the good qualities you have and the good things you have done.) Paul says that of anybody, he has the best religious credentials there are. But, he would throw them in the trash. Paul knows his credentials are not what will save him. What will save him is knowing Jesus.
Paul also writes that he does not have everything together. He is still in the process of knowing Jesus and living like Jesus did. But even though Paul is not an expert on living like Jesus, he is committed and focused on the goal. Paul writes “I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.”
Can you say, like Paul, “I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back“?
3-6The real believers are the ones the Spirit of God leads to work away at this ministry, filling the air with Christ's praise as we do it. We couldn't carry this off by our own efforts, and we know it—even though we can list what many might think are impressive credentials. You know my pedigree: a legitimate birth, circumcised on the eighth day; an Israelite from the elite tribe of Benjamin; a strict and devout adherent to God's law; a fiery defender of the purity of my religion, even to the point of persecuting the church; a meticulous observer of everything set down in God's law Book.
7-9The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I'm tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God's righteousness.
10-11I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.
Focused on the Goal
12-14I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.
One of the most famous followers of Jesus is the apostle Paul. Paul was a missionary who started many churches and wrote several books of the Bible. He wrote the book of Philippians from which we read today.
In the first part of this reading, Paul is listing his credentials. He is doing this because many people were bragging about their own credentials and saying they could get to heaven on their credentials alone. (Credentials are all the good qualities you have and the good things you have done.) Paul says that of anybody, he has the best religious credentials there are. But, he would throw them in the trash. Paul knows his credentials are not what will save him. What will save him is knowing Jesus.
Paul also writes that he does not have everything together. He is still in the process of knowing Jesus and living like Jesus did. But even though Paul is not an expert on living like Jesus, he is committed and focused on the goal. Paul writes “I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.”
Can you say, like Paul, “I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back“?
Monday, March 26, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Isaiah 43:16-21 (The Message)
16-21This is what God says,
the God who builds a road right through the ocean,
who carves a path through pounding waves,
The God who summons horses and chariots and armies—
they lie down and then can't get up;
they're snuffed out like so many candles:
"Forget about what's happened;
don't keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new.
It's bursting out! Don't you see it?
There it is! I'm making a road through the desert,
rivers in the badlands.
Wild animals will say 'Thank you!'
—the coyotes and the buzzards—
Because I provided water in the desert,
rivers through the sun-baked earth,
Drinking water for the people I chose,
the people I made especially for myself,
a people custom-made to praise me.
Our God can do anything. According to Isaiah, a messenger of God’s word, God builds roads through the ocean and stills mighty armies. God can also do new things. Isaiah says God is going to do something new by making a road through the desert and bringing water. Wild animals will thank God for it, and God’s chosen people will drink it.
Sometimes when the Bible talks about deserts it is referring to the kind of deserts that are geographical features, the kind of places that do not get much rain. Other times when the Bible mentions deserts it is using the term as a metaphor. A desert might not be a geographical feature but rather a condition in which people live, a place where people live without God’s rain/reign.
The desert in this passage from Isaiah could be either kind, but we might suggest it refers to the kind of desert in which we live. This passage comes up a lot during Lent. It may be because we think of God sending Jesus to earth to live as “something brand-new”. Jesus, who is “the Way”, or as the Message translates, “the Road” is a “road through the desert”. Jesus brings “living water” to our spiritually dry conditions. When we drink from him, we will not thirst again and will be given real, eternal life.
Have you ever felt like you were living in a desert? When? What did you do?
When you are in a desert place, do you call out to God?
How has Jesus brought water to your spiritually dry condition?
16-21This is what God says,
the God who builds a road right through the ocean,
who carves a path through pounding waves,
The God who summons horses and chariots and armies—
they lie down and then can't get up;
they're snuffed out like so many candles:
"Forget about what's happened;
don't keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new.
It's bursting out! Don't you see it?
There it is! I'm making a road through the desert,
rivers in the badlands.
Wild animals will say 'Thank you!'
—the coyotes and the buzzards—
Because I provided water in the desert,
rivers through the sun-baked earth,
Drinking water for the people I chose,
the people I made especially for myself,
a people custom-made to praise me.
Our God can do anything. According to Isaiah, a messenger of God’s word, God builds roads through the ocean and stills mighty armies. God can also do new things. Isaiah says God is going to do something new by making a road through the desert and bringing water. Wild animals will thank God for it, and God’s chosen people will drink it.
Sometimes when the Bible talks about deserts it is referring to the kind of deserts that are geographical features, the kind of places that do not get much rain. Other times when the Bible mentions deserts it is using the term as a metaphor. A desert might not be a geographical feature but rather a condition in which people live, a place where people live without God’s rain/reign.
The desert in this passage from Isaiah could be either kind, but we might suggest it refers to the kind of desert in which we live. This passage comes up a lot during Lent. It may be because we think of God sending Jesus to earth to live as “something brand-new”. Jesus, who is “the Way”, or as the Message translates, “the Road” is a “road through the desert”. Jesus brings “living water” to our spiritually dry conditions. When we drink from him, we will not thirst again and will be given real, eternal life.
Have you ever felt like you were living in a desert? When? What did you do?
When you are in a desert place, do you call out to God?
How has Jesus brought water to your spiritually dry condition?
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Sunday, March 25, 2007
John 12:1-11 (The Message)
Anointing His Feet
1-3Six days before Passover, Jesus entered Bethany where Lazarus, so recently raised from the dead, was living. Lazarus and his sisters invited Jesus to dinner at their home. Martha served. Lazarus was one of those sitting at the table with them. Mary came in with a jar of very expensive aromatic oils, anointed and massaged Jesus' feet, and then wiped them with her hair. The fragrance of the oils filled the house.
4-6Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, even then getting ready to betray him, said, "Why wasn't this oil sold and the money given to the poor? It would have easily brought three hundred silver pieces." He said this not because he cared two cents about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of their common funds, but also embezzled them.
7-8Jesus said, "Let her alone. She's anticipating and honoring the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you. You don't always have me."
9-11Word got out among the Jews that he was back in town. The people came to take a look, not only at Jesus but also at Lazarus, who had been raised from the dead. So the high priests plotted to kill Lazarus because so many of the Jews were going over and believing in Jesus on account of him.
Jesus was keeping a low profile in a desert town, but he returned to Bethany, where Lazarus, Mary, and Martha live. Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were dear friends of Jesus. While eating dinner at their home, Mary poured perfumed oil over Jesus’ feet and dried his feet with her hair. It was common and expected that a person would have their feet washed before a meal. After all, the roads in Jesus’ day were made of dirt and everybody wore sandals. Can you imagine how dirty their feet would get?
It is out of the ordinary that Mary used such expensive perfume to wash Jesus’ feet. It might have been the same kind of oil that was used to anoint kings. Judas, who was already misusing the disciples’ money did not like the use of something so expensive. But Jesus approved. He used this as another way to remind the disciples he was going to die. He said that Mary was anointing him for burial.
While Mary may not have realized she was anointing Jesus for his burial she did know she was giving a great gift to him. Maybe she did realize Jesus was a king. To Mary it did not matter how much the oil cost, and she did not see it as a waste. Instead, by anointing Jesus’ feet, Mary was showing her love and devotion to him, her faith in him.
Would you be willing to give your most expensive possession to Jesus?
Loving God, thank you for accepting Mary’s gift of love and devotion. Teach us how to give gifts like that, gifts where we do not hold back but lay gifts at your feet in extravagant and generous ways. Teach us to give gifts worthy of our king. God, we love you and we want to show you our faith in you. Help us learn to be your devoted followers. Amen.
Anointing His Feet
1-3Six days before Passover, Jesus entered Bethany where Lazarus, so recently raised from the dead, was living. Lazarus and his sisters invited Jesus to dinner at their home. Martha served. Lazarus was one of those sitting at the table with them. Mary came in with a jar of very expensive aromatic oils, anointed and massaged Jesus' feet, and then wiped them with her hair. The fragrance of the oils filled the house.
4-6Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, even then getting ready to betray him, said, "Why wasn't this oil sold and the money given to the poor? It would have easily brought three hundred silver pieces." He said this not because he cared two cents about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of their common funds, but also embezzled them.
7-8Jesus said, "Let her alone. She's anticipating and honoring the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you. You don't always have me."
9-11Word got out among the Jews that he was back in town. The people came to take a look, not only at Jesus but also at Lazarus, who had been raised from the dead. So the high priests plotted to kill Lazarus because so many of the Jews were going over and believing in Jesus on account of him.
Jesus was keeping a low profile in a desert town, but he returned to Bethany, where Lazarus, Mary, and Martha live. Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were dear friends of Jesus. While eating dinner at their home, Mary poured perfumed oil over Jesus’ feet and dried his feet with her hair. It was common and expected that a person would have their feet washed before a meal. After all, the roads in Jesus’ day were made of dirt and everybody wore sandals. Can you imagine how dirty their feet would get?
It is out of the ordinary that Mary used such expensive perfume to wash Jesus’ feet. It might have been the same kind of oil that was used to anoint kings. Judas, who was already misusing the disciples’ money did not like the use of something so expensive. But Jesus approved. He used this as another way to remind the disciples he was going to die. He said that Mary was anointing him for burial.
While Mary may not have realized she was anointing Jesus for his burial she did know she was giving a great gift to him. Maybe she did realize Jesus was a king. To Mary it did not matter how much the oil cost, and she did not see it as a waste. Instead, by anointing Jesus’ feet, Mary was showing her love and devotion to him, her faith in him.
Would you be willing to give your most expensive possession to Jesus?
Loving God, thank you for accepting Mary’s gift of love and devotion. Teach us how to give gifts like that, gifts where we do not hold back but lay gifts at your feet in extravagant and generous ways. Teach us to give gifts worthy of our king. God, we love you and we want to show you our faith in you. Help us learn to be your devoted followers. Amen.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Psalm 71:1-14 (TNIV)
1 In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
2 In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
turn your ear to me and save me.
3 Be my rock of refuge,
to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
4 Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.
5 For you have been my hope, Sovereign LORD,
my confidence since my youth.
6 From birth I have relied on you;
you brought me forth from my mother's womb.
I will ever praise you.
7 I have become like a portent* to many,
but you are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with your praise,
declaring your splendor all day long.
9 Do not cast me away when I am old;
do not forsake me when my strength is gone.
10 For my enemies speak against me;
those who wait to kill me conspire together.
11 They say, "God has forsaken him;
pursue him and seize him,
for no one will rescue him."
12 Do not be far from me, my God;
come quickly, God, to help me.
13 May my accusers perish in shame;
may those who want to harm me
be covered with scorn and disgrace.
14 As for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more.
[*a portent is like a bad omen, threat, or warning]
Have you ever needed to pray a psalm like this one? When? Was it a desperate or hopeless situation?
Do you think Jesus ever needed to pray a psalm like this one? When? Was it when there were threats out to arrest and kill him? Was it when he hung on the cross?
Look at verse 14 again. Could you tell God that even in the midst of your desperate or hopeless situation?
Do you think Jesus would have prayed verse 14? Why or why not?
Copy Psalm 71:14 on a note card. Put it somewhere, maybe by your computer or mirror, where you will see it often. Pray it, even when you do not think you can.
1 In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
2 In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
turn your ear to me and save me.
3 Be my rock of refuge,
to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
4 Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.
5 For you have been my hope, Sovereign LORD,
my confidence since my youth.
6 From birth I have relied on you;
you brought me forth from my mother's womb.
I will ever praise you.
7 I have become like a portent* to many,
but you are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with your praise,
declaring your splendor all day long.
9 Do not cast me away when I am old;
do not forsake me when my strength is gone.
10 For my enemies speak against me;
those who wait to kill me conspire together.
11 They say, "God has forsaken him;
pursue him and seize him,
for no one will rescue him."
12 Do not be far from me, my God;
come quickly, God, to help me.
13 May my accusers perish in shame;
may those who want to harm me
be covered with scorn and disgrace.
14 As for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more.
[*a portent is like a bad omen, threat, or warning]
Have you ever needed to pray a psalm like this one? When? Was it a desperate or hopeless situation?
Do you think Jesus ever needed to pray a psalm like this one? When? Was it when there were threats out to arrest and kill him? Was it when he hung on the cross?
Look at verse 14 again. Could you tell God that even in the midst of your desperate or hopeless situation?
Do you think Jesus would have prayed verse 14? Why or why not?
Copy Psalm 71:14 on a note card. Put it somewhere, maybe by your computer or mirror, where you will see it often. Pray it, even when you do not think you can.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
John 11:45-57 (The Message)
The Man Who Creates God-Signs
45-48That was a turnaround for many of the Jews who were with Mary. They saw what Jesus did, and believed in him. But some went back to the Pharisees and told on Jesus. The high priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the Jewish ruling body. "What do we do now?" they asked. "This man keeps on doing things, creating God-signs. If we let him go on, pretty soon everyone will be believing in him and the Romans will come and remove what little power and privilege we still have."
49-52Then one of them—it was Caiaphas, the designated Chief Priest that year—spoke up, "Don't you know anything? Can't you see that it's to our advantage that one man dies for the people rather than the whole nation be destroyed?" He didn't say this of his own accord, but as Chief Priest that year he unwittingly prophesied that Jesus was about to die sacrificially for the nation, and not only for the nation but so that all God's exile-scattered children might be gathered together into one people.
53-54From that day on, they plotted to kill him. So Jesus no longer went out in public among the Jews. He withdrew into the country bordering the desert to a town called Ephraim and secluded himself there with his disciples.
55-56The Jewish Passover was coming up. Crowds of people were making their way from the country up to Jerusalem to get themselves ready for the Feast. They were curious about Jesus. There was a lot of talk of him among those standing around in the Temple: "What do you think? Do you think he'll show up at the Feast or not?"
57Meanwhile, the high priests and Pharisees gave out the word that anyone getting wind of him should inform them. They were all set to arrest him.
This passage follows after the passage we read yesterday when Jesus raised Lazarus back to life. Many people were with Jesus when he called Lazarus out of the tomb. People had come to mourn with Mary and Martha, and there were probably people with Jesus, following him around to hear his teachings. A lot of people saw what Jesus did. There were two reactions to Jesus’ action. After seeing Jesus raise Lazarus to life, some people started to believe in him. Others decided to be tattle-tales and went and reported Jesus’ actions to the religious leaders, the Pharisees.
The Pharisees were afraid of Jesus. Jesus was different. He was teaching radical lessons in radical ways. The Pharisees knew that if more people began following Jesus, less people would be following the Pharisees, and they did not want to give up their power. They also did not want their teaching to be proven wrong.
As a result of their fear, the Pharisees began to plot to murder Jesus. They sent word that they wanted Jesus arrested, then they would have him killed.
Do you ever wonder how Jesus felt, knowing that people were planning to arrest him and kill him? It is like Jesus’ face being on a “Wanted” poster, hung up in all the prominent market places. He could no longer go out in public, but stayed in a desert town with his disciples until the right time.
In many countries around the world, followers of Jesus experience what he once did. There are Christians who have to hide because the government and the police have their names on “Wanted” lists. Some governments, like the Pharisees do not want people to believe in Jesus. Take a few minutes to pray for Christians around the world who, on a daily basis, hide because they might be arrested, and even killed.
The Man Who Creates God-Signs
45-48That was a turnaround for many of the Jews who were with Mary. They saw what Jesus did, and believed in him. But some went back to the Pharisees and told on Jesus. The high priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the Jewish ruling body. "What do we do now?" they asked. "This man keeps on doing things, creating God-signs. If we let him go on, pretty soon everyone will be believing in him and the Romans will come and remove what little power and privilege we still have."
49-52Then one of them—it was Caiaphas, the designated Chief Priest that year—spoke up, "Don't you know anything? Can't you see that it's to our advantage that one man dies for the people rather than the whole nation be destroyed?" He didn't say this of his own accord, but as Chief Priest that year he unwittingly prophesied that Jesus was about to die sacrificially for the nation, and not only for the nation but so that all God's exile-scattered children might be gathered together into one people.
53-54From that day on, they plotted to kill him. So Jesus no longer went out in public among the Jews. He withdrew into the country bordering the desert to a town called Ephraim and secluded himself there with his disciples.
55-56The Jewish Passover was coming up. Crowds of people were making their way from the country up to Jerusalem to get themselves ready for the Feast. They were curious about Jesus. There was a lot of talk of him among those standing around in the Temple: "What do you think? Do you think he'll show up at the Feast or not?"
57Meanwhile, the high priests and Pharisees gave out the word that anyone getting wind of him should inform them. They were all set to arrest him.
This passage follows after the passage we read yesterday when Jesus raised Lazarus back to life. Many people were with Jesus when he called Lazarus out of the tomb. People had come to mourn with Mary and Martha, and there were probably people with Jesus, following him around to hear his teachings. A lot of people saw what Jesus did. There were two reactions to Jesus’ action. After seeing Jesus raise Lazarus to life, some people started to believe in him. Others decided to be tattle-tales and went and reported Jesus’ actions to the religious leaders, the Pharisees.
The Pharisees were afraid of Jesus. Jesus was different. He was teaching radical lessons in radical ways. The Pharisees knew that if more people began following Jesus, less people would be following the Pharisees, and they did not want to give up their power. They also did not want their teaching to be proven wrong.
As a result of their fear, the Pharisees began to plot to murder Jesus. They sent word that they wanted Jesus arrested, then they would have him killed.
Do you ever wonder how Jesus felt, knowing that people were planning to arrest him and kill him? It is like Jesus’ face being on a “Wanted” poster, hung up in all the prominent market places. He could no longer go out in public, but stayed in a desert town with his disciples until the right time.
In many countries around the world, followers of Jesus experience what he once did. There are Christians who have to hide because the government and the police have their names on “Wanted” lists. Some governments, like the Pharisees do not want people to believe in Jesus. Take a few minutes to pray for Christians around the world who, on a daily basis, hide because they might be arrested, and even killed.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
John 11:17-44 (The Message)
17-20When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead. Bethany was near Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away, and many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother. Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house.
21-22Martha said, "Master, if you'd been here, my brother wouldn't have died. Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you."
23Jesus said, "Your brother will be raised up."
24Martha replied, "I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time."
25-26"You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?"
27"Yes, Master. All along I have believed that you are the Messiah, the Son of God who comes into the world."
28After saying this, she went to her sister Mary and whispered in her ear, "The Teacher is here and is asking for you."
29-32The moment she heard that, she jumped up and ran out to him. Jesus had not yet entered the town but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When her sympathizing Jewish friends saw Mary run off, they followed her, thinking she was on her way to the tomb to weep there. Mary came to where Jesus was waiting and fell at his feet, saying, "Master, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died."
33-34When Jesus saw her sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing, a deep anger welled up within him. He said, "Where did you put him?"
34-35"Master, come and see," they said. Now Jesus wept.
36The Jews said, "Look how deeply he loved him."
37Others among them said, "Well, if he loved him so much, why didn't he do something to keep him from dying? After all, he opened the eyes of a blind man."
38-39Then Jesus, the anger again welling up within him, arrived at the tomb. It was a simple cave in the hillside with a slab of stone laid against it. Jesus said, "Remove the stone."
The sister of the dead man, Martha, said, "Master, by this time there's a stench. He's been dead four days!"
40Jesus looked her in the eye. "Didn't I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
41-42Then, to the others, "Go ahead, take away the stone."
They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, "Father, I'm grateful that you have listened to me. I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here I've spoken so that they might believe that you sent me."
43-44Then he shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to toe, and with a kerchief over his face.
Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him loose."
In this passage we see two important aspects of who Jesus is. One is that Jesus is God and he had the power to raise Lazarus, who had already been dead for four days, back to life. The second is that as a human just like us, Jesus felt emotions. What different emotions did Jesus feel in this passage?
Jesus cried because he was sad. He loved Lazarus and his family and mourned death with him. Jesus also felt anger. Maybe he was angry that Lazarus had died. Maybe Jesus was angry that the people doubted him and what he could do. The passage does not really tell us why Jesus was angry, but that he was.
Does knowing Jesus felt emotions help you trust him? Why or why not?
Does knowing Jesus has the power to raise the dead help you trust him? Why or why not?
17-20When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead. Bethany was near Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away, and many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother. Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house.
21-22Martha said, "Master, if you'd been here, my brother wouldn't have died. Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you."
23Jesus said, "Your brother will be raised up."
24Martha replied, "I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time."
25-26"You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?"
27"Yes, Master. All along I have believed that you are the Messiah, the Son of God who comes into the world."
28After saying this, she went to her sister Mary and whispered in her ear, "The Teacher is here and is asking for you."
29-32The moment she heard that, she jumped up and ran out to him. Jesus had not yet entered the town but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When her sympathizing Jewish friends saw Mary run off, they followed her, thinking she was on her way to the tomb to weep there. Mary came to where Jesus was waiting and fell at his feet, saying, "Master, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died."
33-34When Jesus saw her sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing, a deep anger welled up within him. He said, "Where did you put him?"
34-35"Master, come and see," they said. Now Jesus wept.
36The Jews said, "Look how deeply he loved him."
37Others among them said, "Well, if he loved him so much, why didn't he do something to keep him from dying? After all, he opened the eyes of a blind man."
38-39Then Jesus, the anger again welling up within him, arrived at the tomb. It was a simple cave in the hillside with a slab of stone laid against it. Jesus said, "Remove the stone."
The sister of the dead man, Martha, said, "Master, by this time there's a stench. He's been dead four days!"
40Jesus looked her in the eye. "Didn't I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
41-42Then, to the others, "Go ahead, take away the stone."
They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, "Father, I'm grateful that you have listened to me. I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here I've spoken so that they might believe that you sent me."
43-44Then he shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to toe, and with a kerchief over his face.
Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him loose."
In this passage we see two important aspects of who Jesus is. One is that Jesus is God and he had the power to raise Lazarus, who had already been dead for four days, back to life. The second is that as a human just like us, Jesus felt emotions. What different emotions did Jesus feel in this passage?
Jesus cried because he was sad. He loved Lazarus and his family and mourned death with him. Jesus also felt anger. Maybe he was angry that Lazarus had died. Maybe Jesus was angry that the people doubted him and what he could do. The passage does not really tell us why Jesus was angry, but that he was.
Does knowing Jesus felt emotions help you trust him? Why or why not?
Does knowing Jesus has the power to raise the dead help you trust him? Why or why not?
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
John 10:1-21 (The Message)
He Calls His Sheep by Name
1-5 "Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he's up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won't follow a stranger's voice but will scatter because they aren't used to the sound of it."
6-10Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. "I'll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn't listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.
11-13"I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary. A hired man is not a real shepherd. The sheep mean nothing to him. He sees a wolf come and runs for it, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and scattered by the wolf. He's only in it for the money. The sheep don't matter to him.
14-18"I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. In the same way, the Father knows me and I know the Father. I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself if necessary. You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They'll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd. This is why the Father loves me: because I freely lay down my life. And so I am free to take it up again. No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own free will. I have the right to lay it down; I also have the right to take it up again. I received this authority personally from my Father."
19-21This kind of talk caused another split in the Jewish ranks. A lot of them were saying, "He's crazy, a maniac—out of his head completely. Why bother listening to him?" But others weren't so sure: "These aren't the words of a crazy man. Can a 'maniac' open blind eyes?"
Here we have another example of Jesus being called crazy. This time, he has been using the example of a gate and shepherd to talk about himself. As the gate, Jesus is the way we go in to God, the way in to be cared for. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus gathers his sheep (his people). They know him and he knows them. He also will go to every length to keep his people safe, even if it means compromising his own safety.
Once again, people are confused. Some people are saying Jesus is crazy, but then other people, people who have been blind, have been healed; they can see! A crazy person might call himself the gate of a sheep pen but how could a crazy person heal people?
Think about sheep. Sheep are supposed to be dumb. They follow each other and wander around aimlessly unless they are being guided by a shepherd. Which would be better to have a shepherd who takes care of the sheep just to get a paycheck or a shepherd who takes care of the sheep because he knows and loves them?
Jesus is the second kind of shepherd. He knows and loves us. He is willing to sacrifice himself for us. He did. And he is not crazy.
Are you willing to be one of his sheep?
He Calls His Sheep by Name
1-5 "Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he's up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won't follow a stranger's voice but will scatter because they aren't used to the sound of it."
6-10Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. "I'll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn't listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.
11-13"I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary. A hired man is not a real shepherd. The sheep mean nothing to him. He sees a wolf come and runs for it, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and scattered by the wolf. He's only in it for the money. The sheep don't matter to him.
14-18"I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. In the same way, the Father knows me and I know the Father. I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself if necessary. You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They'll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd. This is why the Father loves me: because I freely lay down my life. And so I am free to take it up again. No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own free will. I have the right to lay it down; I also have the right to take it up again. I received this authority personally from my Father."
19-21This kind of talk caused another split in the Jewish ranks. A lot of them were saying, "He's crazy, a maniac—out of his head completely. Why bother listening to him?" But others weren't so sure: "These aren't the words of a crazy man. Can a 'maniac' open blind eyes?"
Here we have another example of Jesus being called crazy. This time, he has been using the example of a gate and shepherd to talk about himself. As the gate, Jesus is the way we go in to God, the way in to be cared for. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus gathers his sheep (his people). They know him and he knows them. He also will go to every length to keep his people safe, even if it means compromising his own safety.
Once again, people are confused. Some people are saying Jesus is crazy, but then other people, people who have been blind, have been healed; they can see! A crazy person might call himself the gate of a sheep pen but how could a crazy person heal people?
Think about sheep. Sheep are supposed to be dumb. They follow each other and wander around aimlessly unless they are being guided by a shepherd. Which would be better to have a shepherd who takes care of the sheep just to get a paycheck or a shepherd who takes care of the sheep because he knows and loves them?
Jesus is the second kind of shepherd. He knows and loves us. He is willing to sacrifice himself for us. He did. And he is not crazy.
Are you willing to be one of his sheep?
Monday, March 19, 2007
Isaiah 53 (The Message)
1 Who believes what we've heard and seen? Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this?
2-6The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,
a scrubby plant in a parched field.
There was nothing attractive about him,
nothing to cause us to take a second look.
He was looked down on and passed over,
a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.
One look at him and people turned away.
We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—
our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.
We thought he brought it on himself,
that God was punishing him for his own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him,
that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!
He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
Through his bruises we get healed.
We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost.
We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.
And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong,
on him, on him.
7-9He was beaten, he was tortured,
but he didn't say a word.
Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered
and like a sheep being sheared,
he took it all in silence.
Justice miscarried, and he was led off—
and did anyone really know what was happening?
He died without a thought for his own welfare,
beaten bloody for the sins of my people.
They buried him with the wicked,
threw him in a grave with a rich man,
Even though he'd never hurt a soul
or said one word that wasn't true.
10Still, it's what God had in mind all along,
to crush him with pain.
The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin
so that he'd see life come from it—life, life, and more life.
And God's plan will deeply prosper through him.
11-12Out of that terrible travail of soul,
he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it.
Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant,
will make many "righteous ones,"
as he himself carries the burden of their sins.
Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly—
the best of everything, the highest honors—
Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch,
because he embraced the company of the lowest.
He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many,
he took up the cause of all the black sheep.
Does it surprise you to know that this passage was written by the prophet Isaiah long before Jesus was born? How does it describe how Jesus lived and died?
What does it say about why Jesus died?
How does that make you feel?
Say a prayer to God, telling him about those feelings.
1 Who believes what we've heard and seen? Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this?
2-6The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,
a scrubby plant in a parched field.
There was nothing attractive about him,
nothing to cause us to take a second look.
He was looked down on and passed over,
a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.
One look at him and people turned away.
We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—
our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.
We thought he brought it on himself,
that God was punishing him for his own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him,
that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!
He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
Through his bruises we get healed.
We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost.
We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.
And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong,
on him, on him.
7-9He was beaten, he was tortured,
but he didn't say a word.
Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered
and like a sheep being sheared,
he took it all in silence.
Justice miscarried, and he was led off—
and did anyone really know what was happening?
He died without a thought for his own welfare,
beaten bloody for the sins of my people.
They buried him with the wicked,
threw him in a grave with a rich man,
Even though he'd never hurt a soul
or said one word that wasn't true.
10Still, it's what God had in mind all along,
to crush him with pain.
The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin
so that he'd see life come from it—life, life, and more life.
And God's plan will deeply prosper through him.
11-12Out of that terrible travail of soul,
he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it.
Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant,
will make many "righteous ones,"
as he himself carries the burden of their sins.
Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly—
the best of everything, the highest honors—
Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch,
because he embraced the company of the lowest.
He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many,
he took up the cause of all the black sheep.
Does it surprise you to know that this passage was written by the prophet Isaiah long before Jesus was born? How does it describe how Jesus lived and died?
What does it say about why Jesus died?
How does that make you feel?
Say a prayer to God, telling him about those feelings.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (The Message)
16-20Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons!* Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you. 21How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.
[*burgeons means to blossom or grow]
God’s desire is that we would all be made right and be in a relationship with Him. God wants to be our friend. That is why he sent Jesus. God let Jesus carry all our wrongs so that we would not have to and we could be made right.
As followers of Jesus, we are supposed to continue his work in the world. Once Jesus walked on the earth and helped people see that God has already fixed their relationships with Him, and that they could ask for forgiveness of our sins and be made new. Now, because we represent Christ as we walk on the earth, we are asked to help other people see these same things, that God has already fixed their relationships with Him, that they can ask for forgiveness of their sins and be made new.
God is offering his friendship to us. It is like he has sent a friend request to every person’s MySpace or Facebook page. All people have to do is click “Accept.”
Dear God, it makes us feel so special that you would want to be friends with us! And you go to such lengths to make that happen. You have already done all the work necessary. You sent Jesus to teach us who you are and to carry the weight of our sins for us. All we have to do is accept your friendship. Thank you for being our friend. Teach us how to help other people accept your friendship. Help us be good representatives of Jesus. Amen.
16-20Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons!* Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you. 21How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.
[*burgeons means to blossom or grow]
God’s desire is that we would all be made right and be in a relationship with Him. God wants to be our friend. That is why he sent Jesus. God let Jesus carry all our wrongs so that we would not have to and we could be made right.
As followers of Jesus, we are supposed to continue his work in the world. Once Jesus walked on the earth and helped people see that God has already fixed their relationships with Him, and that they could ask for forgiveness of our sins and be made new. Now, because we represent Christ as we walk on the earth, we are asked to help other people see these same things, that God has already fixed their relationships with Him, that they can ask for forgiveness of their sins and be made new.
God is offering his friendship to us. It is like he has sent a friend request to every person’s MySpace or Facebook page. All people have to do is click “Accept.”
Dear God, it makes us feel so special that you would want to be friends with us! And you go to such lengths to make that happen. You have already done all the work necessary. You sent Jesus to teach us who you are and to carry the weight of our sins for us. All we have to do is accept your friendship. Thank you for being our friend. Teach us how to help other people accept your friendship. Help us be good representatives of Jesus. Amen.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Luke 15 (The Message)
The Story of the Lost Sheep
1-3By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, "He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends." Their grumbling triggered this story.
4-7"Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, 'Celebrate with me! I've found my lost sheep!' Count on it—there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.
The Story of the Lost Coin
8-10"Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she'll call her friends and neighbors: 'Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!' Count on it—that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God."
The Story of the Lost Son
11-12Then he said, "There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, 'Father, I want right now what's coming to me.'
12-16"So the father divided the property between them. It wasn't long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.
17-20"That brought him to his senses. He said, 'All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I'm going back to my father. I'll say to him, Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.' He got right up and went home to his father.
20-21"When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: 'Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again.'
22-24"But the father wasn't listening. He was calling to the servants, 'Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We're going to feast! We're going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!' And they began to have a wonderful time.
25-27"All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day's work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, 'Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.'
28-30"The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. The son said, 'Look how many years I've stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!'
31-32"His father said, 'Son, you don't understand. You're with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he's alive! He was lost, and he's found!'"
Have you ever been lost? Really lost? Maybe it was while driving in an unfamiliar place or hiking in the woods. When you were a kid did you get separated from your mom in Wal-Mart? Do you know that feeling? It is a feeling of emptiness that sort of tears at your stomach. It is a sense of hopelessness that causes you to think that you will be forever separated from everything that is familiar and good.
Often times this feeling can be used to describe our spiritual lives. We may find that our “journey” has led us to a place that is unfamiliar or disconnected. It is as if we have somehow taken a wrong turn and found ourselves on a gravel road with no streetlights and absolutely no sign of life. We are lost. We are just like the lonely sheep, the misplaced coin, or perhaps the son who chose to wander off course. No matter how we get to that place of disorientation there is always a road home. There is always hope.
Where are you?
How did you get there?
Where do you want to be?
Are you hiding?
Are you willing to be found?
The Story of the Lost Sheep
1-3By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, "He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends." Their grumbling triggered this story.
4-7"Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, 'Celebrate with me! I've found my lost sheep!' Count on it—there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.
The Story of the Lost Coin
8-10"Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she'll call her friends and neighbors: 'Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!' Count on it—that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God."
The Story of the Lost Son
11-12Then he said, "There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, 'Father, I want right now what's coming to me.'
12-16"So the father divided the property between them. It wasn't long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.
17-20"That brought him to his senses. He said, 'All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I'm going back to my father. I'll say to him, Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.' He got right up and went home to his father.
20-21"When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: 'Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again.'
22-24"But the father wasn't listening. He was calling to the servants, 'Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We're going to feast! We're going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!' And they began to have a wonderful time.
25-27"All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day's work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, 'Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.'
28-30"The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. The son said, 'Look how many years I've stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!'
31-32"His father said, 'Son, you don't understand. You're with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he's alive! He was lost, and he's found!'"
Have you ever been lost? Really lost? Maybe it was while driving in an unfamiliar place or hiking in the woods. When you were a kid did you get separated from your mom in Wal-Mart? Do you know that feeling? It is a feeling of emptiness that sort of tears at your stomach. It is a sense of hopelessness that causes you to think that you will be forever separated from everything that is familiar and good.
Often times this feeling can be used to describe our spiritual lives. We may find that our “journey” has led us to a place that is unfamiliar or disconnected. It is as if we have somehow taken a wrong turn and found ourselves on a gravel road with no streetlights and absolutely no sign of life. We are lost. We are just like the lonely sheep, the misplaced coin, or perhaps the son who chose to wander off course. No matter how we get to that place of disorientation there is always a road home. There is always hope.
Where are you?
How did you get there?
Where do you want to be?
Are you hiding?
Are you willing to be found?
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Psalm 32 (TNIV)
Of David. A maskil.
1 Blessed are those
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed are those
whose sin the LORD does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD."
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD's unfailing love
surrounds those who trust in him.
11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!
Have you ever done something wrong and then tried to keep it a secret? How did that make you feel?
In Psalm 32 David writes about how he felt when he kept his sins a secret. He says that when he was silent, his bones were wasting away and he did not have any strength. Has the guilt of your sins ever made you physically sick?
David tells us though that when he confessed his sins to God, they were forgiven. God took away the guilt he felt. Now David is blessed because God does not count his sin against him.
During the period of Lent we often reflect on the sins we have committed. This is because we are focusing on Jesus going to the cross and we remember that our sins are forgiven through his death there.
Do you have any sins that you need to confess to God? He will ALWAYS forgive them and take away your guilt. God has unfailing love and he wants you to know it.
If you have confessed your sins to God, follow the advice of verse 11: Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!
Pick your favorite praise song or hymn and sing it now to God.
Of David. A maskil.
1 Blessed are those
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed are those
whose sin the LORD does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD."
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD's unfailing love
surrounds those who trust in him.
11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!
Have you ever done something wrong and then tried to keep it a secret? How did that make you feel?
In Psalm 32 David writes about how he felt when he kept his sins a secret. He says that when he was silent, his bones were wasting away and he did not have any strength. Has the guilt of your sins ever made you physically sick?
David tells us though that when he confessed his sins to God, they were forgiven. God took away the guilt he felt. Now David is blessed because God does not count his sin against him.
During the period of Lent we often reflect on the sins we have committed. This is because we are focusing on Jesus going to the cross and we remember that our sins are forgiven through his death there.
Do you have any sins that you need to confess to God? He will ALWAYS forgive them and take away your guilt. God has unfailing love and he wants you to know it.
If you have confessed your sins to God, follow the advice of verse 11: Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!
Pick your favorite praise song or hymn and sing it now to God.
Friday, March 16, 2007
John 8:48-58 (The Message)
I Am Who I Am
48The Jews then said, "That clinches it. We were right all along when we called you a Samaritan and said you were crazy—demon-possessed!"
49-51Jesus said, "I'm not crazy. I simply honor my Father, while you dishonor me. I am not trying to get anything for myself. God intends something gloriously grand here and is making the decisions that will bring it about. I say this with absolute confidence. If you practice what I'm telling you, you'll never have to look death in the face."
52-53At this point the Jews said, "Now we know you're crazy. Abraham died. The prophets died. And you show up saying, 'If you practice what I'm telling you, you'll never have to face death, not even a taste.' Are you greater than Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you think you are!"
54-56Jesus said, "If I turned the spotlight on myself, it wouldn't amount to anything. But my Father, the same One you say is your Father, put me here at this time and place of splendor. You haven't recognized him in this. But I have. If I, in false modesty, said I didn't know what was going on, I would be as much of a liar as you are. But I do know, and I am doing what he says. Abraham—your 'father'—with jubilant faith looked down the corridors of history and saw my day coming. He saw it and cheered."
57The Jews said, "You're not even fifty years old—and Abraham saw you?"
58"Believe me," said Jesus, "I am who I am long before Abraham was anything."
59That did it—pushed them over the edge. They picked up rocks to throw at him. But Jesus slipped away, getting out of the Temple.
Jesus says a lot of things that confuse the people to whom he speaks. He also says a lot of things that make them mad. In this passage, Jesus says things that both confuse and anger people. Jesus has made some comments that if people follow him that will not have to face death.
We can see how this is confusing. Everyone who has ever lived, even the religious heroes like Abraham and the prophets, has died. How could people who follow Jesus not die? It must be that Jesus is talking about something spiritual, supernatural, while the people with whom he argues cannot get their minds around anything but physical stuff.
As a result, the people just assume Jesus is crazy. But what is even crazier, is Jesus’ next comment. He said Abraham saw him. This would have been very confusing for the people. They knew that Abraham had been dead for hundreds of years. How could Abraham have seen Jesus? Jesus is not even old!
Now comes the part where the people get angry. Jesus tells them “I am who I am long before Abraham was anything.” This makes the people angry because they know that by making this statement Jesus is claiming to be God. Do you remember the story of Moses and the burning bush? When Moses asks God’s name God replies “I AM WHO I AM.” The people try to kill Jesus by stoning him. They do not think anyone should claim to be God.
Jesus is eternal. There has never been a time when he did not exist. That is how Abraham could have seen Jesus and how Jesus could have existed before Abraham was born. Jesus really is God. People in his day and people today have trouble believing Jesus is who he claimed to be. They think it is easier to call him crazy.
What do you think?
I Am Who I Am
48The Jews then said, "That clinches it. We were right all along when we called you a Samaritan and said you were crazy—demon-possessed!"
49-51Jesus said, "I'm not crazy. I simply honor my Father, while you dishonor me. I am not trying to get anything for myself. God intends something gloriously grand here and is making the decisions that will bring it about. I say this with absolute confidence. If you practice what I'm telling you, you'll never have to look death in the face."
52-53At this point the Jews said, "Now we know you're crazy. Abraham died. The prophets died. And you show up saying, 'If you practice what I'm telling you, you'll never have to face death, not even a taste.' Are you greater than Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you think you are!"
54-56Jesus said, "If I turned the spotlight on myself, it wouldn't amount to anything. But my Father, the same One you say is your Father, put me here at this time and place of splendor. You haven't recognized him in this. But I have. If I, in false modesty, said I didn't know what was going on, I would be as much of a liar as you are. But I do know, and I am doing what he says. Abraham—your 'father'—with jubilant faith looked down the corridors of history and saw my day coming. He saw it and cheered."
57The Jews said, "You're not even fifty years old—and Abraham saw you?"
58"Believe me," said Jesus, "I am who I am long before Abraham was anything."
59That did it—pushed them over the edge. They picked up rocks to throw at him. But Jesus slipped away, getting out of the Temple.
Jesus says a lot of things that confuse the people to whom he speaks. He also says a lot of things that make them mad. In this passage, Jesus says things that both confuse and anger people. Jesus has made some comments that if people follow him that will not have to face death.
We can see how this is confusing. Everyone who has ever lived, even the religious heroes like Abraham and the prophets, has died. How could people who follow Jesus not die? It must be that Jesus is talking about something spiritual, supernatural, while the people with whom he argues cannot get their minds around anything but physical stuff.
As a result, the people just assume Jesus is crazy. But what is even crazier, is Jesus’ next comment. He said Abraham saw him. This would have been very confusing for the people. They knew that Abraham had been dead for hundreds of years. How could Abraham have seen Jesus? Jesus is not even old!
Now comes the part where the people get angry. Jesus tells them “I am who I am long before Abraham was anything.” This makes the people angry because they know that by making this statement Jesus is claiming to be God. Do you remember the story of Moses and the burning bush? When Moses asks God’s name God replies “I AM WHO I AM.” The people try to kill Jesus by stoning him. They do not think anyone should claim to be God.
Jesus is eternal. There has never been a time when he did not exist. That is how Abraham could have seen Jesus and how Jesus could have existed before Abraham was born. Jesus really is God. People in his day and people today have trouble believing Jesus is who he claimed to be. They think it is easier to call him crazy.
What do you think?
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