Welcome to the April 2025 Archive. You are welcome to read the entire archive, or find a topic on the list below that is of interest to you. Just click the link, and you will be taken directly to the day it was written. Enjoy, and may you know God's peace as you read His Word.
You are welcome to use these writings or pass them on. All we ask is that in all things you remember the Author and give Him the glory, and remember this vessel which He has used to bring them to you. Peggy Hoppes
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Scripture on this page taken from the World English Bible which belongs to the public domain.
A WORD FOR TODAY, April 2025
April 1, 2025
Part of my prayer life during Lent will be an examination of conscience using the seven deadly sins. I will daily pray through a number of questions for each sin: Pride, Envy, Sloth, Lust, Covetousness, Gluttony, Anger. Will you join me? Remember, this is about examining yourself, not seeing others in these questions. If you see others, consider it as a mirror and ponder your own life in light of that judgment.
This week is “Covetousness.”
“Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’ But he said to him, ‘Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?’ And he said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’ And he told them a parable, saying, ‘The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, “What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?” And he said, “I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’” But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.’” Luke 12:13-21, WEB
Covetousness is the one sin we find directly in the Ten Commandments. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” The other sins break the commandments in their own way, but God saw fit to list coveting in the big ten. I think part of the reason is because there is a sense of coveting in all sin, even the sins against God. The original sin was about coveting, as the serpent told Adam and Eve, “You won’t really die, for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” They wanted to be like God; they were not satisfied with Him and wanted authority, power, and control over their lives.
Isn’t that what we do all the time? God made the first table of the commandments, the ones that teach us how to relate to Him, because we need to be constantly reminded that we are not God. God commands us to hold Him above all other gods (including ourselves!). We are not to make idols or to misuse His name. As Jesus taught, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” We sin against God when we covet what truly belongs to Him.
When it comes to the second table of the Law, those commandments that teach us to deal with one another, coveting is the root of those sins, too. We dishonor authority, kill, commit adultery, steal, and bear false witness because we covet something that the people we sin against have.
In the Examination of Conscience that I am using as a prayer practice this Lent, covetousness is defined as “a disordered love of the goods of this world.” The questions this week focus on what we learn about coveting in the Ten Commandments: not desiring people and things. Do I dispose of my money properly or selfishly? Do I discharge my duties in justice to my fellow man? Do I discharge my duties in justice to the Church?
Yet, I think we need to consider coveting from a deeper understanding. Martin Luther thought coveting is the opposite of faith, as it reflects a lack of trust in God's provision and a desire for things outside of His will, and he urged believers to cling to God’s promises and seek contentment in Him. It is all about how we pursue wealth, which can be understood in so many ways beyond tangible blessings. Covetousness, which is often used interchangeably with greed, is an intense desire for something someone else has because they have it and you don’t. Greed is a more general desire for more than we have.
The text for today shows brothers quarreling over stuff. As we saw in the parable of the Prodigal Son, the inheritance was probably set by the laws of that time. This was probably the younger brother wanting his “fair share,” and he wanted Jesus to make things “right.” There is more here than just the stuff but also control over the family estate. He wanted what was not his. Jesus told him that it wasn’t His place to change what was done according to the Law. Then He warned everyone else that our dissatisfaction is a symptom of our lack of trust in God. The problem with coveting is it is an inward attitude, one that others may never even see, but it leads to sin that is acted outwardly, in dishonoring authority, killing, committing adultery, stealing, and bearing false witness.
What do you covet? How is your intense desire destroying the lives of those who have what you do not have? Is your intense desire affecting your faith because you are not content with the life God has given for you to live?
April 2, 2025
Lectionary Scriptures for April 6, 2025, Fifth Sunday in Lent: Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3:(4b-7) 8-14; Luke 20:9-20
“Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, ‘Yahweh has done great things for them.’” Psalm 126:2, WEB
After years of drought, which are not over, we had a wonderful rainstorm a few days ago. The rain was wonderful, but it will take a long time for our water levels to be normal for us. The weatherman said it would take at least three or four storms like we had last week to fill our aquifer. Though there are wildflowers to bloom, there are fewer because the plants did not have what they needed to germinate. Those that did grow over the winter may not struggle as much as we expected. I was happy to see blue patches along the highways in the past week or so, and I caught a glimpse of red the other day. The bluebonnets are late, but growing, and the Indian paintbrush are beginning to shine. The rain also brought out the rain lilies that only grow after a good rain.
Unless we get lucky again soon, we will go back to being dry, but for now we can enjoy the wildflowers. Bluebonnets are many people’s favorites here in Texas, but every place has something to let them know that the long winter is finally over and spring has sprung. For some it is the crocus, for others the daffodil. In Washington it is the cherry blossom. I remember longing for the first lilacs to bloom on our bushes in Pennsylvania. When we see the color on the bushes and in the fields, we know something new is about to happen.
Lent is nearing an end. Holy week begins on Palm Sunday. The long winter is coming to an end and something new is about to happen. Isaiah tells us about the promise. Do you not perceive it? It is like waiting for those first flowers of spring to burst forth; we wait longingly for it to happen and then when it does, we can expect warmer days and green grass.
When I read the Gospel passage, I can’t help wondering how anyone can think that killing the son will make the landowner turn his property over to them. It doesn’t make sense to me and yet seems to make sense to these tenants. They think they have a right to the vineyard; they think that all they need to do is remove the obstacle that is keeping them from what they think they deserve.
I wonder about the same thing when I hear stories about people doing extraordinarily horrific crimes. How does a mother get to the point that she truly believes that God has told her to drown her children in a bathtub? How does a young man decide that the best way to solve his problems is to take guns into a crowded building and shoot anyone in his way? How do residents in a city destroyed by a natural disaster think that it is right to break the windows of stores and take anything they want? How does it help a cause to target people who have nothing to do with the reason the people are protesting?
I know that it is tempting for a hungry person to steal a loaf of bread, and while it is wrong, we can have empathy for that person. However, what about the young man who has been regularly stealing from a grocery store because the store is owed by a billionaire? “I hate that the man has so much money, so I’m going to take my share by stealing.” This doesn’t hurt the billionaire. It hurts the local store. It hurts the employees. It hurts the suppliers. It hurts the neighborhood. Does the end justify the means?
Looting after a natural disaster often begins with one person stealing a loaf of bread or a jar of peanut butter to feed their family, but human nature quickly turns to a different purpose. They don’t steal because they have a need; they use the circumstances to satisfy their desires. They think they deserve what they steal, even if they don’t need it.
In today’s Gospel lesson, the tenants owed the landowner rent, but they decided that they deserved to keep the fruit that they produced. They did all the work. They tended the vines. They harvested the grapes. They even produced the wine. They worked hard: don’t they deserve to keep the result of their hard work? Besides, the landowner was wealthy. Why does he need a few bottles of wine when he already has so much? They made an agreement with the landowner but refused to fulfill their part of the bargain.
This story does not begin with the assumption that they deserved the inheritance. When the landowner sent a servant to collect the rent, they simply said no and sent the servant back with a few bruises. The second and third servants received the same greeting.
Did the tenants actually do all the work? The landowner bought the land and planted the vines; he had a financial stake from the beginning. Is it fair for the tenants to keep all the fruit just because he had more than they? Is it fair for the tenants to live on his land and benefit from his work, without giving him his due? Is it right for them to go against the agreement? The landowner was disappointed by the response of his tenants, but he gave them several chances. He sent servant after servant; each one was beaten and sent back empty handed. How would you respond? Would you send your son?
While I might understand thinking that they deserved to keep the wine, I can’t understand how they thought that they deserved to own the whole vineyard. How does one go from tenant to owner at someone else’s cost? How does anyone justify killing the son? How can they possibly think that the landowner will respond to the death of his son by giving the land to his murderers? They think the end justifies the means, and the only end that matters is the one that will benefit them. Sadly, this is a tendency of human behavior.
We look down on the tenants, just as we look down on those who think that the end justifies the means, but we are no better than either group. We are human and tend to focus on our own self-interest. We think the end justifies the means when it is convenient for our lives. We think we are better than them, but we don’t know what circumstances might cause us to do whatever is necessary to meet an understandable need and then justify our actions as we walk out with more. We think that we should own the vineyard.
This is a story about God’s Kingdom. The scribes and the chief priests understood what Jesus was saying, and it upset them. They perceived that Jesus was speaking against them, saying that they were not serving God as He intended. They were right. The servants sent by the landowner were the prophets who had been sent by God over and over again to call the people to faithful living in the covenant. They claimed to follow the letter of the law, but they did not live in a relationship with God. They pursued a righteousness based on their own good works and they rejected the Son who would make them right with God. And they did exactly what Jesus said they would do: they killed the Son.
Now, before we act holier than thou, let us consider our own human nature. We can easily ask the question, “How did they get there?” when faced with a story like this, or when faced with very real stories that don’t make sense to our consciences. I don’t expect to do anything extraordinarily horrific in my lifetime, but can I honestly say that I’ve never done anything wrong? Can I honestly claim to be righteous before God? Haven’t I rationalized some sin because I faced extraordinary circumstances? Do I ever think that the end justifies the means? Have I told a lie because I thought it was for the right reasons? Have I taken something that wasn’t mine to be helpful to others, even though it is wrong to steal?
Did I kill the Son of God?
It is very easy to see sinfulness in others and think that we would never do what they did. I can’t imagine ever going against a contract with someone who entrusted me with his property, but what would I do if after all my work the harvest was poor due to a drought? What if my house was destroyed in a natural disaster? Would I resort to theft so my family could eat? I hope not, but can I say for sure? I’m human and I can be tempted to meet my needs, and even my desires, at the expense of someone else. I’m not as different from those tenants as I want to be.
Just as the landowner bought the land and planted the vineyard, God set the foundation and planted the seeds for His Kingdom. The Israelites were given the responsibility to take care of what God began, but the Kingdom belongs to Him. He doesn’t ask much in return, just faithful stewardship and respect. They refused to give God the respect He was due; they beat His prophets, and they would kill the Son. They were unfaithful, so Jesus promised that God would give the Kingdom to others.
The scribes and chief priests saw the “others” as being far from God; the gentiles, pagans, and tax collectors were sinners. The Kingdom was theirs because they were the ones that God brought out of Egypt. They were inheritors of the promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Their forefathers were the ones that experienced the exodus. They deserved the Kingdom; they earned it. They were relying on the past, but God had something greater planned. They were relying on their heritage, but God was about to do something new.
After the long wander in the wilderness of Lent, we are waiting anxiously for this new life that is promised in the text from Isaiah. The God of Isaiah, the God of the Israelites, can do amazing things. He made a path through the Red Sea for those who left Egypt to travel as they escaped slavery and oppression. We are not slaves to Egyptians, but we are slaves to our flesh. We are oppressed by the expectations of this world and by the burdens of the Law. We rely on our past and our own good works. We are controlled by our own self-interest.
But God is about to do a new thing. He is about to create a path through the sea of oppression so that we will be free. Jesus Christ is the living water that He promises, water in the wilderness that we are given to drink. Soon, very soon, as the blossoms spring forth in the joyous proclamation of the resurrection, we will sing praise to God with all the hosts of heaven.
My mother managed a fabric store in a mall when I was a girl. I would often go to work with her when I was off of school. I spent the day roaming the mall, hanging out in the drug store or “five and dime.” I usually took some books to read or things to do (this was long before handheld video games!) Sometimes I helped my mom with the store. I often got bored and I’m sure I drove my mom crazy, but I remember the fun I had during those days.
The best days were when my best friend went with me for the day. It was more fun to hang out with a friend than to wander around the mall on my own. We often planned to see a movie on those days, which would use up several hours of our time. One day we went to see “Mary Poppins.” The main feature was preceded by an educational documentary about animals. I can’t remember even the type of animal because we did not pay much attention to that film. Instead, we got the giggles. We were being silly and accidentally spilled popcorn all over the floor, making us crack up with hysterical laughter every time we looked at it. Our laughter annoyed the other movie patrons and even earned us a dirty look or two. We tried to behave and remain calm, but it was hard. The pile of popcorn gave us a good reason to laugh. Now, fiftyish years later, the story still makes us laugh. It is a memory that brings us joy.
There are several places in the scriptures that suggest that we should not laugh but mourn because we are sinners. Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 7:3, “Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.” Laughter is seen in a negative light, which leads many to go about taking life too seriously.
However, the Bible also talks about the joy of God’s deliverance. When the Israelites made it across the Red Sea, Miriam danced. When the Ark of the Covenant arrived in Jerusalem, David danced. It is very difficult to dance in celebration and joy without laughing! Joyful laughter shows the world the condition of our hearts. Joy comes from God, and when we know He loves us, we feel the joy of His salvation. When we know the joy of the Lord, it is impossible not to laugh. When we do, the world sees that God has done a great thing for us.
Do you remember the good old days? This question might bring up different memories for each of us. For some, it is the joy of childhood that is brought to mind, like that day in the movie theater. For others, it is a remembrance of a specific day or year. Some remember a decade as the good old days, others a century. They long to be there, to return to the ways of that culture and the experiences of life in that time. While it is a pleasure to remember, we can’t continue to live in the past. We don’t get very far on a journey if we keep turning back. We don’t see the joy and peace that is coming if we spend so much time thinking about yesterday.
God did amazing things for the Israelites. When God finally led His people into the Promised Land after wandering in the wilderness for forty years, He helped them to begin their new life there. The first thing they did was celebrate the Passover, a remembrance of God’s deliverance from the bondage of slavery in Egypt. Even today, Jews all over the world continue to remember the Passover and celebrate with special meals and ceremonies. It brings them joy.
Centuries after they entered the Promised Land, Israel was exiled to Babylon because they tried to worship false gods alongside God. God spoke to the exiles through Isaiah, assuring them that the promise was still real. God did great things, but He was about to do even greater things. They would be set free from Babylon and sent home. These words were specifically given to the exiles, but they reach far beyond the day they returned to Jerusalem. This is a promise for all creation. Through Isaiah, God told the people to forget the things that had gone before, especially the suffering they experienced. “Behold, I will do a new thing” He said. He spoke of making the water flow in the desert, bringing life into the wasteland. It will look like Texas does after the rains come in spring. This would be such a great thing that even the wild animals would honor God. The people would drink and proclaim praise for God, not just the exiled Jews, but all who trust in Him.
The old is past and the new is coming. The psalmist sang praise to God because He delivered the people from the exile. They rejoiced as they went home, laughing and singing along the journey, giving praise to God in joy and thanksgiving. They once sowed in tears, but they returned with songs of joy. The old is set aside for something new.
Our psalm for this week comes in the middle of a grouping. They were not written together; some are attributed to David (122, 124, 131, 133), one to Solomon (127), several are from during or after the exile, and others may be attributed to descendants of David. The editor of the Psalter, perhaps Ezra, grouped Psalm 120-134 together and added the title “A Song of Ascent.” It is possible that these psalms were already being used by pilgrims traveling toward Jerusalem for a festival at the time of editing, but they were definitely used in liturgical form afterwards. You can almost imagine the exiles singing these psalms on their way home to Jerusalem. Psalm 120 bemoans being far from home, and there are places in these psalms where it seems like the singers were able to see Jerusalem from a distance. Jerusalem was built on a hill, and the temple was made with white marble, so it almost glowed when the sun was just right. In other verses, you can imagine that they’ve lost sight of the city and are feeling tired and frustrated.
Each of these Psalms has a simple theme and can easily be adapted to other situations for focused prayer. I’ve used them as I’ve prayed for our nation, fitting the words to fit our needs, praying for God to help us. These psalms have words of lament, comfort, confidence, celebration, thanksgiving, wisdom, instruction, deliverance, penitence, forgiveness, unity, and praise. They go back and forth between lament and celebration. Isn’t that our life’s journey? We struggle and we praise. We lament and thank God for His blessings.
In Psalm 126, the psalmist wrote, “Those who sow in tears will reap in joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed for sowing, will certainly come again with joy, carrying his sheaves.” We rejoice with the harvest, just as they must have done, but there’s more to this passage than praise and worship for God's provision.
Some suggest that these verses about sowing in Psalm 126 reflect the myth of Baal. One practice in their worship included mourning as they scattered seed in the field, as if they were scattering the Baal’s body after death, but the sadness of that moment was overcome with the joy that came with the growth of new life and the harvest of the fruit. Though this was not the way God intended for His people to worship, it was embraced by His people, especially the common folk, because it was a practical way of understanding the mystery of nature.
They didn’t stop worshipping the God who delivered them out of Egypt, but they added to their worship the god that suited them. Over and over again the people continued to fall into the patterns of the world around them, rejecting God for their own ideal. The prophets warned the people over and over again to reject the local gods, but when they did not, God turned His back. Over and over again they repented and turned back to God. He always heard their cry and saved them from the consequences of their unfaithfulness. They learned their lesson until the next generation, which fell into the patterns of the world. It is still happening; we continue to conform to the world, rejecting the God who has called us to work His vineyard, killing the Son to steal that which is not ours without God’s grace.
Thankfully God does not allow us to wallow in the consequences of our unfaithfulness. We stand with the Pharisees, knowing that the story of the tenants is about us and that we, too, killed the Son. However, God did not end the story with His death; the death of Jesus Christ brings forgiveness and resurrection for all those who repent and believe in Him.
Paul had a great set of credentials. He could easily have held his genealogy and his blamelessness above all others because he was right with God according to the Law of Moses. But, in Christ he realized that his credentials were meaningless. Instead of being someone above all others, he knew that his place in God’s kingdom made him a servant of all. He realized that he was not greater than anyone and even suggested that of all sinners he was the greatest. He had persecuted Christ’s church and thus persecuted the Savior. He knew now, in Christ, that all that he had was useless. Only in Christ is there righteousness.
The letter to the Philippians was written as a thank you note for the ministry support given to Paul by the church in Philippi. It was also written to encourage them to stand fast in what they knew to be true. They were facing persecution, perhaps from the Romans who lived in the town, but also from the Jews who were trying to convince the Gentile Christians that they needed to be circumcised to be true believers. Paul reminded them that they did not need to pursue a righteousness that comes from obedience to the Law; Christ made them righteous by His work on the cross. They couldn’t earn their place in the Kingdom; Jesus the Son gave them their place in it. Paul had every reason to believe that he deserved to inherit the Kingdom, but he knew that it was all worthless. The only thing that mattered was to know Jesus. The only thing that matters for us today is to receive the Son.
Paul did not believe that he has already obtained it all; he was striving for that which has already been promised and was assured by God’s faithfulness. He encouraged the Philippians and all God’s people to set aside what has gone before so that we can continue moving forward toward the promise. God has done something new. While the acts of God from the past are great, we can rest in the promise that the best is yet to come.
We are no different than those tenants, trying to take control of the Kingdom which belongs to God. The death of His Son is on our shoulders, as it was on theirs. But God’s mercy is never ending, and even such a great offense is not held against us. We who now believe are welcome into the Kingdom and we are forgiven, even when we fail. Whose vineyard is it? The vineyard does not belong to us, it belongs to God. He has made us stewards and calls us to serve him with humility and joy.
Like the Israelites, we have entered the Promised Land and returned home from exile, but we still face the temptation to conform to the ways of the world. Let us pray that He will always be the center of our faith, so that all might benefit from the grace He has promised. We may go out weeping as we sow the seeds, but God will produce a harvest that will bring such great joy that the whole world will rejoice. He has promised those He has chosen, but His blessings rain on all. Don’t let the wild animals sing His praises louder, for God has created you to declare His praise for all the world to hear.
April 3, 2025
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them. For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity, that they may be without excuse. Because knowing God, they didn’t glorify him as God, and didn’t give thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, four-footed animals, and creeping things.” Romans 1:18-23, WEB
I didn’t address April Fool’s day on Tuesday. I did see several posts on Monday that warned readers not to believe anything they saw on April 1st. I have been fooled in previous years by posts from some of my favorite retail establishments or fast food joints. I’ve seen posts from friend that made me think twice. There’s a post that is put out every year about the “bluebonnet rattler,” a rattle snake that has adapted to living in the bluebonnet fields by becoming blue. I confess that I was amazed the first time I saw it, until I realized that it was April Fool’s Day. I didn’t see that post this year. As a matter of fact, I didn’t see very many posts on Tuesday. They didn’t show up until Wednesday, a day late. When the post didn’t make sense, I checked the date it was posted and realized it was a joke.
Most of them were just silly this year, easily understood to be a joke. This is good, because sometimes we need a little laugh. The best joke came from Dinosaur Valley State Park, which is in Glen Rose, Texas. The park has several large sculptures of dinosaurs, and the post showed Bronto, an extremely large (lifesize?) brontosaurus had escaped the park. The comments under the post were hysterical as everyone claimed Bronto was in their neighborhood. The best responses, however, came as the other state parks began posting photo shopped pictures of Bronto in their parks. Bronto was sighted all over Texas this week. It made me laugh and wonder if it was a planned joke, or if the other state parks jumped into the fray on their own.
April Fool’s day is a day filled with foolishness. People like to play practical jokes on their family and friends. How did this tradition get started? It is likely that the tradition began in medieval times, when the Gregorian calendar was established. Before the mid-16th century, the Europeans celebrated New Year in the springtime, around April 1st. In 1564, King Charles IX of France accepted the more accurate Gregorian calendar, which placed New Year’s on January 1st. Some people were too stubborn to change, or they had not received the news of the change, so they continued to celebrate on April 1st. They were called “April Fish.” They were looked upon as fools and were targeted with foolish gifts and invitations to celebrations, which were not happening. Eventually everyone accepted the new calendar, but they continued to play pranks on April Fool’s Day.
Most jokes are just harmless fun, but not all jokes have a happy ending. Some people go to great lengths to plan and execute practical jokes, but at times they end in pain and heartache. It may be funny on April Fool’s day to cause someone to be a fool, but in the kingdom of God it is better to be wise than to be a fool. This is certainly what we’ve been learning in our study of the Book of Proverbs.
Paul tells us that the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
Are we at a time when foolishness is creeping into the hearts and minds of men? There are many religions, even some that call themselves Christian, that have turned from the one True and Living God. They do not teach the truth of the scriptures or the message of Jesus Christ. They have traded the Gospel for something they desire: doctrine that tickles their fancy and touches their flesh. Many preachers today are teaching wealth and perfection, Gnostic ideas about special knowledge from God. They are teaching the people to walk away from Christ s body the Church, to forsake the scriptures and commands of Christ and to live a spiritual existence that seems right but is actually separate from Christ. Satanists and other non-Christian religions are giving the appearance of truth, drawing people into their lies.
Chasing a dinosaur all over Texas is fun, making us laugh at the joke, but how many ways are we living lives that do not glorify God? How many ways is the world causing us to turn away from our Lord? The truth of God, the incredible grace, mercy, and nature of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Power of the Holy Spirit are clearly seen, not only in scriptures but also in the creation. Are you wise, or a fool? Do you truly know God, or are you following the images created by men?
April 4, 2025
“Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:5-7, WEB
Benedict the African was born to parents who were African slaves in sixteenth-century Sicily. They were given Italian names and became Christians. As loyal servants of their master they were granted freedom for their son before his birth. He was uneducated and illiterate. As a youth, he worked as a shepherd, and though he earned a pittance he was extremely generous, sharing what little he had with the poor. As an adult, he was publicly insulted because of his skin color. His response was patient and dignified, refusing to be angered by the insult. He was noticed by the leader of a group of hermits that followed the rule of St. Francis of Assisi and invited to join them. He gave up all his earthly possessions and became one of them. He served as a cook for the community in the beginning but eventually took over as leader of the group. He later joined the Franciscan Friary of St. Mary of Jesus, beginning first as a cook, but then moving into positions with more responsibility, despite the fact that he was a lay brother, not a priest, and was still illiterate.
He grew in his spiritual life and was widely respected for his deep, intuitive understanding of theology and Scripture. Many people sought him for counseling and healing. He took his responsibilities seriously. He helped the order adopt a stricter version of the Franciscan Rule of Life. His kind and humble attitude drew many people. In his later years, his love of cooking took him back into the kitchen. It is said that Benedict predicted the very day and hour he would die.
Benedict faced racial prejudice and taunts because of his skin color with patience and understanding. He is the patron saint of African Americans. There are a number of historically black Roman Catholic parishes that bear his name. Many of those churches have vibrant ministries that reach out to transient, disenfranchised, and isolated people.
There is no doubt that racism is still a problem in our world. People are taunted for their skin color. Some are profiled. Others are falsely imprisoned. We have made great strides in the past hundred years, but there are always people who see appearances rather than character. It isn’t just skin color that affects our relationships with others. We judge people in all sorts of ways. Children with disabilities. Obesity. Secondhand clothing. The wrong job. The wrong neighborhood. The wrong school. Benedict could have gotten angry, and perhaps even responded with violence at the persecution and the taunts, but he remained patient and humble. He did not demand anything from anyone, but he received far more than he could have imagined.
Today is Benedict the African’s saint day, and we are reminded through his life to take heed of Peter’s words. God knows what is going on in His world. He knows about all the prejudices and taunts that hurt people. He sees the suffering of those the world has cast only injustices. God resists the proud, so we need to learn to be aware of the way we see and respond to our neighbors, because our words and actions can hurt. On the other hand, we also need to learn how to respond when our neighbors are unaware of the ways they are hurting us. As we grow in faith, we can become like Benedict, humbly trusting that God will exalt the downtrodden in His way and in His time. We can cast all our worries on Him because He cares for all of us.
April 7, 2025
“Jesus answered them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Don’t work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him.’ They said therefore to him, ‘What must we do, that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’” John 6:26-29, WEB
I once visited a museum that had a Plexiglas box with a beehive inside. It was built right into the wall, with access to the outside world for the bees to do their daily work. As I watched, I could see bees coming and going, constantly moving around the hive doing their work. In a beehive, it is necessary for every bee to do its job. The queen produces larvae, the drones mate with the queen, the worker bees get the pollen that feeds the hive. Every bee does its share and the hive works together to accomplish the daily work.
The bee exhibit was fascinating to watch. The bees were in constant movement, going in and out of the hive. With the Plexiglas walls, you could see the action inside, as the worker bees took pollen into the honeycomb. With so much action, one would think that each bee would produce large quantities of honey. Actually, bees only produce 1/12 teaspoon of honey in their entire life. The direct impact on food production that an individual bee makes is minuscule. Yet, bees are vital to our lives. The work of bees affects 1/3 of the food we consume. As they search for pollen to sustain their hive, they pollinate the plants that we eat. Without bees, we would starve. Wild and domestic animals also rely on the work the bees do. It seems as though they don’t accomplish more than just a drop of honey, but they impact the world in a mighty way.
Unfortunately, bees have not always been given the protection or respect they need and deserve. We are learning that the chemicals we use to grow perfect lawns are killing the bees that are necessary for the food supply. We are sometimes afraid of bees that swarm, or annoyed by bees that fly our way, swatting them to protect ourselves. “It’s just one bee” we think, but we quantify the work of that one bee, we are learning that every bee is necessary to keep our world working well. In the case of bees, every life matters, even if there is no way for us to count the impact they have.
We want to quantify everything. We want to see tangible evidence of the value of our work. Many people with jobs in our modern world can’t show physical proof that they have been hard at work. They try to show their value by the number of customers they serve or the amount of money their work produces. Still, how do you quantify the lives we impact by our daily lives? I like to think that my work as a mother has touched more than just my children. I like to think that holding the door for a frazzled mother with young children in tow. Did I boost someone’s spirit with a kind word or a smile? Did that boost impact someone else’s day. We never know.
The more important question we should ask is whether we have impacted the world with our faith. Now, some people want to quantify this, too, but counting how many people they’ve introduced to Jesus. I knew some people online who could number how many people were “saved” by their work. It is true that we are meant to shine the light of Christ in all we do and pray that our work will make a difference in every way, including spiritual, to the people who cross our path. Is it up to us to number the lives that have been changed because of us? It isn’t our job to actively convert people and keep a ledger to account for the people we have “saved.” If we do, it is time to stop. This is not the work God has called us to do.
A bee produces a drop of honey but touches all our lives in hidden but incredible ways. Many think the success of a church or ministry has to do with numbers. We think that if we have a congregation of a thousand, we are more blessed by God than one that has only a hundred. Ministries think it is necessary to be built up visibility by doing miraculous things to prove that God is working through them. They want to show the world tangible evidence of God’s blessings. But God works through the faith of His people. A thousand people who are working to accomplish worldly things will not have the impact that just one person of faith will have. That one person might make the tiniest impression on the world, but they will touch so much more with their faith than we will ever see.
April 8, 2025
Part of my prayer life during Lent will be an examination of conscience using the seven deadly sins. I will daily pray through a number of questions for each sin: Pride, Envy, Sloth, Lust, Covetousness, Gluttony, Anger. Will you join me? Remember, this is about examining yourself, not seeing others in these questions. If you see others, consider it as a mirror and ponder your own life in light of that judgment.
This week is “Gluttony.”
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are expedient. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be brought under the power of anything. 13 “Foods for the belly, and the belly for foods,” but God will bring to nothing both it and them. But the body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 Now God raised up the Lord, and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Don’t you know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! 16 Or don’t you know that he who is joined to a prostitute is one body? For, “The two”, he says, “will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee sexual immorality! “Every sin that a man does is outside the body,” but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, WEB
I have never quite thought of myself as guilty of most of the seven deadly sins, but as I have read through the questions for each one, I realize that I am guilty, even if it is only a little bit. The thing is: with sin, even a little bit is too much sin. If we blame others without considering our own fault in this broken world. If we are sad when we see the success of our neighbor. If we lounge when I pray. If we tell impure jokes. If I misuse my money. If I drink too much, even once. If I think about getting even. These all seem like no big deal, but they go against God’s intent for our lives. Sadly, little sins can grow into big ones.
This Lent practice has convicted me to look at my life in a new way, forcing me to ask how I have been sinning against God and my neighbor in ways I did not consider. However, when it comes to today’s deadly sin, I don’t have difficulty seeing myself as guilty. I have gotten better about treating my body as the Temple of God, but even now I don’t always use food as I should. In the Examination of Conscience that I am using as a prayer practice this Lent, sloth is defined as “a disordered love of eating and drinking.” Do I eat to live or live to eat? Do I drink to excess? Do I get drunk? Do I misuse prescription drugs? Do I use illegal drugs? Have I allowed myself to become addicted to alcohol and/or drugs?
The Bible mentions gluttony as an excessive and indulgent consumption of food and drink. In several passages, gluttony is condemned as a sinful behavior that goes against the principles of temperance and self-control. Proverbs 23:20-21 warns against overindulgence, stating, “Don’t be among ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat; for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.”
Additionally, the New Testament also touches upon the idea of self-control in relation to eating habits. Philippians 3:18-19 states, “For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things.” This passage suggests that prioritizing physical desires, including indulging in excess food, can lead one away from spiritual and moral virtues.
The Bible encourages believers to practice moderation, gratitude, and stewardship in all aspects of life, including their approach to food and drink. While enjoying the nourishment provided by God is not inherently sinful, the emphasis is placed on maintaining a balanced and disciplined lifestyle, avoiding the pitfalls of gluttony and excess that may lead to spiritual and physical harm. God wants us to remember every day as we face the temptations that will lead us to sin in so many different ways, that our body is His Temple, He created us and redeemed us, buying our lives with the sacrificial blood of His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus.
April 9, 2025
Lectionary Scriptures for April 13, 2025, Palm Sunday and Sunday of the Passion: John 12:12-19; Deuteronomy 32:36-39; Psalm 118:19-29; Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 22:1-23:56
“See now that I myself am he. There is no god with me. I kill and I make alive. I wound and I heal. There is no one who can deliver out of my hand.” Deuteronomy 32:39, WEB
The life and ministry of our Lord Jesus was filled with incredible signs, wonders, and teachings. From the first miracle at Canaan when he changed water into wine, to the raising of Lazarus from the dead and everything in between, Jesus showed Himself to be different from anyone the world had ever seen. People were amazed at the Word He taught in the temple and on the hillsides because it became alive before them. He helped people understand that there was a better way of living and that there was a deeper meaning to the scriptures.
Jesus was controversial. Many would follow and listen as He breezed through a town or village. However, there were others that did not believe Jesus came from God. His own hometown rejected Him. Many claimed He was from Satan. Some tried to stone Him for the things He said and did. The teachers in the temple and other religious leaders began to fear His power over the people.
The people saw Jesus as the answer to their prayers. They sought a Messiah, someone who would set them free from the oppression of the Roman invaders of their land. They wanted to be a free nation again and live as they did during the Golden Age of David and Solomon. As Jesus gained fame and followers, His disciples pleaded with Him to go to Jerusalem and claim His place. They knew that there were enough people to support Him, and that they would fight to give Him the throne they felt He had come to fill. However, Jesus refused to go to Jerusalem until the right time.
As the Passover of His third year of ministry approached, Jesus knew the time had come for Him to fulfill the promise of His Father. It was time to go to Jerusalem. He was in control of every moment, of every detail of what was to come. A donkey was waiting, to carry Him into Jerusalem; it was a sign of His kingship. Yet, this gathering of praise and thanksgiving for God’s mercy would not last very long. It seems impossible that the crowds who sang “Hosanna” on Palm Sunday would be screaming “Crucify Him” just a few days later. But this is how it was meant to be. We can read about the three years of ministry and be amazed at His wonders, impressed by His teaching, and excited about His ministry to the poor and outcast, but Jesus’ life was about much more than feeding the poor and healing the sick. The Passion was all part of God’s plan, a plan we do not fully understand, but one that brought salvation to the world.
The people had every reason to look for a king that would be like David. Their ruler, if you can call him that, was nothing but a puppet for Rome. He was one of them, but not really. He was willing to compromise and tolerate the Roman rule because he had the power to make himself comfortable. The religious and other leaders felt the same way. The Romans may have abused the average citizen of Israel, but they had everything they needed. They even had justification in their interpretation of the Law: if the people were suffering, it was their own fault. They were sinners that deserved everything that came to them. The people in power did not want anything rocking the boat.
They may have talked a good game, teaching the people about caring for neighbor and living according to God’s Law, but they were hypocrites who promoted that which benefitted them and rejected the suggestion put forth by Jesus that they had lost touch with God. They demanded offerings and sacrifices but forgot what it meant to be merciful. They insisted on strict obedience to their laws but lost sight of God’s laws to love Him and one another. It was more important for a son to give an offering to the Temple than to care for his aging parents. It was better to speak long agenda filled prayers than to admit that they were sinners in need of a Savior.
In the text from Deuteronomy, we are told that the Lord will judge His people. The problem with human nature is that we tend to create our own gods, and we ignore or reject the true God. For those in the days of Moses, the gods were localized, specifically attributed to certain aspects of the world. They had a god for rain and one for the sun. They had a god for procreation and another for the harvest. If there was a death in the family, they prayed to a god that helped their beloved go to the afterlife.
The gods we create are not always so easy to identify, especially when we claim to believe in the one true and living God. The gods of Jesus’ day were, of course, the Greek and Roman pagan gods, but even the Jewish religious leaders had their own gods. They conspired with the secular authorities to keep their power, and by doing so honored their ruler as a “god.: In some ways, they even acted as if they were also gods because they put their power and position ahead of God. They missed the grace and mercy of God in Jesus Christ because they were focused entirely on themselves. We are, too often, our most beloved god.
So, in Deuteronomy, when God sees that His people have stumbled and that they are left powerfulness, He asks, “Where are their gods? Where are the ones they relied upon to save them? Where are the gods that ate their sacrifices and drank their wine?” Those gods, whether they are the ancient gods of the pagans, the Olympic gods of the Romans, or the gods of self and power and position, have no power to save. There is no god but our God; no god has the power of our God. He can kill and He can bring life. He wounds and He heals. And no one can do anything to defeat His power.
The tide turned very quickly for Jesus. He didn’t present Himself as the conquering hero they expected. He didn’t call the troops to arms or confront the Roman leaders who were oppressing them. Instead, He confronted the priests and religious practices, attacking the piece of their world they thought was right. They willingly supported Barabbas, a Jewish insurrectionist who was in Roman custody. Instead of choosing Jesus as their Messiah, they chose the man they thought would lead them to a victory against their oppressor. They didn’t understand that they were oppressed by something greater.
There was once a funny commercial for a tissue company that showed some sort of holy man being kind to several different kinds of animals. He sneezed and grabbed a tissue but then read the words on the side of the box: “kills 99.9% of germs.” He was torn because it was obvious from his kindness that saving life was important to him. How could he kill anything, even germs?
Perhaps this seems extreme, but there is a story about another holy man. He was sitting on the bank of a brook while meditating when he noticed a scorpion that was caught in a whirlpool in the brook. Every time the scorpion tried to climb on a rock, it slipped back into the water. The holy man took pity on the scorpion and tried to save it from certain death, but whenever the man reached out to the creature it struck at its hand. A friend passed by and told the man that his actions were futile because it is in the scorpion’s nature to strike. The man said, “Yet, but it is my nature to save and rescue. Why should I change my nature just because the scorpion doesn’t change his?”
On Palm Sunday Jesus rode victorious into Jerusalem on a donkey, greeted by crowds of people singing “Hosanna.” The Jewish leaders were already very nervous about the things Jesus said and the things Jesus did, especially the raising of Lazarus. They were beginning to conspire against Him. In another Gospel, we are told that the Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke His disciples, but Jesus answered that even the stones would cry out if the people were silent. It seemed like all that was happening was beyond Jesus’ control.
This seems especially true as we read the Passion story. As each day passes, the signs of the end become clearer. Jesus was ready to die, and He was unwilling to do anything to stop it. He could have pronounced Himself king on Palm Sunday, but that was not His purpose. He, like the holy man with the scorpion, came to bring life even when it meant death to Himself.
Human nature is not much different than a scorpion’s: we quickly strike out even at those who want to help, even if we are trying to share the Gospel message. It doesn’t make sense, it is impractical, it is foolish to think that one man had to die for all of humanity. The message of the cross turns the world upside down, going against our expectations and desires. Those who do not believe in the Christian story or message think Jesus was nothing more than a man who got stung by the scorpion and died.
Lent is almost over. This Sunday, Palm Sunday, begins Holy Week. We have spent the last six weeks considering our own place in the Passion of Jesus Christ. Why did He have to do this? What have I done? We’ve tried to repent, to turn back to God. We’ve fasted and prayed. We have done our spiritual disciplines, read our devotionals, and gone to church a little more than normal. We’ve walked with Jesus toward the cross.
Though Sunday is Palm Sunday, most churches will also look at the entire Passion Narrative, which is two chapters of Luke this year. It begins with Judas’s betrayal, through the Last Supper and prayer on the garden, the trial and journey to Golgotha, and then the nailing of His flesh to the cross. It ends with Joseph of Arimathea asking for permission to bury Jesus’s body. We can’t possibly talk about every detail in this devotion, and no pastor can preach on every detail on Sunday, but sometimes the stories are best read without comment anyway. It may seem like a very long passage to read, almost overwhelming, but I suggest that you take the time to read every word, no matter how familiar you are with the story. As a matter of fact, it would be valuable to read it out loud, either to yourself or gather with a group of friends to share the reading of this story once again.
It is overwhelming, not only in the length of the text, but also in what it says. After all, this is story of Jesus’s struggle in the last days of His life. We tend to skim over these stories because we know them so well, after all, we’ve heard them a thousand times before. However, each time God’s word is read there is something for us: a word of comfort, a word of hope, a word of peace. Maybe this time you will find a word of warning or admonition. When we assume that we know the story so well, we stop listening to what God has to say to us today.
We could spend years studying this text, line by line trying to understand what was happening and what God would have us get out of the story. Yet, there are times when we should just let the Word of God speak for itself, to listen to the story as it was given. There are so many subtleties that could be brought out, details that could be debated. There are so many verses that have both historical relevance as well as spiritual meaning. There are hundreds of questions to be asked, some of the answers are widely accepted and others are contested. Yet we all can find common ground in the belief that in the story of the Passion Jesus did for humankind what no other human being was able to do: He died so that we might be reconciled to God. Whatever path His Passion took, our faith rests on that moment when Jesus hung from the cross, because without His death we would never know life as God intended.
We might act as if we would never leave His side, but the reality is that we are more likely to be like Peter than John. At the Last Supper, Peter insisted that he would stand with Jesus even unto death, but it was Peter who denied Jesus three times. Peter eventually received forgiveness from Jesus, but he went into hiding during the three days like the rest of them. We like to think that we wouldn’t be like that, but how often do we deny Jesus in our everyday lives? How often do we continue to willfully sin when we know what we are doing is wrong? How often do we ignore the call of God’s Spirit, going our own way and doing our own thing? How often do we stay silent when we should be speaking the Gospel? We might think that we would have followed Him to the very end of this journey, but we wouldn’t be able.
We are sinful, imperfect, frail human beings. It is beyond our ability to be righteous, to be the people God has created us to be. We are fallen from the first man, and no matter how hard we try we will betray and deny our God in our thoughts, words and deeds. We will run and hide from the dangers of faith. Oh, we can claim that we haven’t been too bad; we can claim our neighbors are worse sinners than we. However, even the tiniest sin against our neighbors and God’s creation is a sin against God. No matter how we try, no matter how good we are, we are still sinners in need of a Savior.
That’s why Jesus walked this journey that ends in a cross. We have followed Him this Lenten season to be reminded of our need to repent.
Our Father knows that we are unable to be righteous, so He sent His Son to be our righteousness. Even when God judges us, He has mercy. Even when He knows we have turned to false gods, He keeps His promises because He knows that those false gods cannot do for us what we think they can. He has compassion on us “when he sees that their power is gone; that there is no one remaining, shut up or left at large.” We will abandon Jesus at some point in our lives, probably many times. Every time we sin, knowingly and unknowingly, we are doing so. The disciples disappeared because they knew they had no power over what was happening to Jesus. They just didn’t realize that Jesus had all the power.
God is in control. Always. Even when we think we have everything in our own hands. “See now that I myself am he. There is no god with me. I kill and I make alive. I wound and I heal. There is no one who can deliver out of my hand.”
The Passion and Easter story is the most difficult thing about Christianity to believe and to accept. Why did Jesus have to die and how does that line up to the ideal of a loving and caring God? How does that help Jesus’s social ministry and seemingly political aspirations? It doesn’t make sense. It might seem like Jesus had no control, but the reality is that Jesus was in control of every moment. The disciples could see with hindsight that Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of the past during His passion. Every moment that followed the Triumphant Entry was planned and foreseen as God’s plan for the salvation of His people through His chosen One, the Messiah. Every moment of the Passion, from Judas’s betrayal, through the Last Supper and prayer on the garden, the trial and journey to Golgotha, and then the nailing of His flesh to the cross, was purposeful. Jesus knew what He was doing, and He did so for our sake. At the very moment of death Jesus commended Himself to the hands of God. The Father never abandoned His Son, but was there all along, watching as Jesus was obedient as we have never been able to be.
Paul wrote, “Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.”
Paul is not calling us to die like Jesus; we are to follow Jesus wherever He leads us. We can’t do what Jesus did; He already finished that work. But we have been saved for a purpose, to continue the work that Jesus began. Now that sin and death have been defeated, it is up to us to take God's promise of forgiveness, healing and restoration to the world. We can't do that if we are busy chasing after our self-created gods. We can’t do that if we are focused on ourselves.
It won’t be easy. We will suffer persecution at the hands of those who would rather worship their own gods. Should we let it stop us? Jesus did not and Paul encourages us to have the same mind as Christ. After all, He left the glory of heaven to come to earth in flesh to reconcile us to God our Father. His nature is to love and save. He willingly suffered humiliation in life and death. We are called to do the same, not necessarily on a cross but in our everyday experiences.
We all deserve God’s wrath, but Jesus took it for us. Shouldn’t we try, as best we can, to make sure our neighbors know that Jesus died for them too? Until they recognize Jesus as Lord, they will remain enemies of God, chasing after their own gods and following their own way thinking they have all the power. We are not yet perfect, but we have something the world needs: the promise of salvation. We know that God recognizes that our power is gone and that the gods we rely upon can’t help us. He has mercy. He relents for the sake of His people, no matter how much we fail. We deserve the consequences of our failure to live according to God’s Word. We deserve His judgment, but Jesus Christ has made us children rather than enemies, and by His blood we are saved.
God did not abandon Jesus, and in the end His plan was fulfilled. We all rejected Jesus in our own way, but God made Him the cornerstone of our lives. We see how He had promised all along to make these things happen for our sakes. We see how we mistakenly expected God to do what we want rather than what He knows is best. With our hindsight, we know it was all for good and that knowledge fills our hearts with joy and peace. We can join in singing with the psalmist, “I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me, and have become my salvation.” This is indeed God’s work and it is marvelous. This is the day which God has made, not only the joyful day of Resurrection, but every day including the day Jesus died on the cross. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Through our baptism and faith, we are called to live in Christ and be of His mind in all we do. We live in a world where there are many people whose nature is like the scorpion’s: quickly striking at anyone who wants to help. Even when we share the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, those with such a nature will reject it and us. We suffer persecution at their hands, just as the holy man risked being stung by the scorpion. Do we let it stop us? Jesus did not. After all, He left the glory of heaven to come to earth in flesh to reconcile us to God our Father. His nature is to love and save and He willingly suffered humiliation in life and death. We are called to do the same, not on a cross, but in our everyday experiences so that others might know God’s love and mercy and grace. The day will come every knee will bow to our Lord Jesus Christ, but will they bow in thanksgiving or fear? We are called to bring salvation to the world even when it strikes back so that all will bow by faith.
Take time this week to read this story. As a matter of fact, read and reread it several times before Good Friday. Make the reality of the Passion a part of your being. Don’t try to pick it apart or try to understand every detail, simply listen to God’s story. Put yourself in the place of the characters – the crowds, the disciples, the Pharisees, Pilate. Experience it, not as a theologian trying to understand its meaning two thousand years later, but as someone who was there in Jerusalem that horrific day. Feel the pain, the anger, the hatred, the guilt, and remember that Jesus experienced it all for you. Remember that this was God’s way of making things right between Himself and His people. God was in control every moment. There is none like Him, and only by His grace will we ever know salvation and peace.
April 10, 2025
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer. Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so you are also of the comfort. For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia: that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life. Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver, on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us, you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift given to us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-11, WEB
Dorothy was a young girl who was transported to a land far beyond the rainbow with her little dog Toto. The people in that land are different, unusual, and her only desire is to go home. She was sent on a journey with her dog to the Emerald City which was a place where she might find help. She encountered many people along the way, some good and others bad, although each encounter helped her grow as a person. She met Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion, and Tin Woodman, each of which had their own desires that might be fulfilled in the Emerald City, so they joined Dorothy on the journey. Together they faced obstacles including a wicked witch who sought the pair of ruby slippers that Dorothy wore on her feet.
This is the story of the “Wizard of Oz” written by Frank L. Baum. The new friends on this fantastic journey were helped by Glinda the Good. She had the answers to the questions they had and guided them in the right direction to get what they needed. She could have made it easy for them, but she knew they needed to learn the lessons gained along the journey. Glinda encouraged the travelers, stirring the desire to go on just when they wanted to give up. She exhibited the gift of exhortation, which is the ability to share words of comfort and support to help someone continue on the right path.
Barnabas was a man described in the book of Acts who had the gift of exhortation. He was like a big brother, spurring others on to greatness while he followed quietly with love, direction and kindness. He sold property so that the church in Jerusalem would have the financial resources necessary to feed the poor. He endorsed Paul before the Jewish leaders, bringing him into the fold of the church. He also helped Paul develop into a great leader. His life was lived for the glory of God and the strength of the church. His encouragement resulted in Paul rising above Barnabas, but his unselfishness gave the church a great leader that may have been lost to oblivion without the use of his gift. He encouraged the gentile church of Antioch. He took his nephew Mark under his wing, seeing the potential in the young man, helping him even after Mark deserted the ministry for a time.
Ministry is a difficult course of life to travel, whether it is ordained or lay. Attacks come from every direction trying to keep the people of God from doing the work they are called to do. Ministers need people like Barnabas who will help them continue to see the potential of their gifts, to spur them on in joy and obedience. Exhortation may come in many forms. It can be a word of kindness or a gift of financial resources. It might even be a message of correction and rebuke, but when it comes from God, it is an act of comfort and edifies the one to whom it is given.
There may be moments when you are called to exhort those around you. There are some to whom this is a special gift, like Glinda and Barnabas, and they are called to give of themselves in a way that the church will prosper and grow under the direction of those who receive those words of exhortation. Even if we don’t have the gift, God may give us opportunities to exhort one another, to help build the church and make it stronger. We are called and equipped to help one another grow in faith and in obedience to God’s will, including those whom God has chosen to minister to us. Together we will be the Church that shines God’s hope and peace to the world.
“Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises. Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.” James 5:13-16, WEB
I am at the point in my health journey that I’m at a roadblock. The medicines that I was on helped, but now that I don’t need them anymore, I’ve experienced some bounce back. Two steps forward, one step back, if you know what I mean. I have to convince myself daily that I’ve done well, that I am in a good place. I am reminded how far I have come every time I see a photo of my old self. I visited a friend this week that I hadn’t seen for a few years, and she was shocked. “You look so different,” she said. I know I do, but sometimes I don’t really think it is true. I confess that I am impatient. I want the quick fix. I want to overcome the latest hurtle and I have read books and watched videos promising the change I want. I am tempted, but doubtful. Will this really be the answer? I do the only thing that will really make a difference: I pray.
I have to be patient. God reminds me every day at how much He has done for me, so I promise to wait. I promise to listen. I promise to keep on a path of good health, eating right, exercising, resting, and keeping my eyes on Jesus. I take a few supplements, but I know none of them will be short term solutions. I am not trying to have a twenty-year-old body, I’m trying to have a body that will give me a long and happy life. Everyone has advice. Some advice comes from people who want to sell me their book or their program or their juice that will change my body in weeks. Some advice comes from friends who have found their own path to health. Some of the advice has been helpful, if only in helping me get into a better mindset. There are always naysayers who doubt everything, and while they might help make good decisions, sometimes the negative advice keeps us from trusting God who has our best interest at heart.
The Gospels tell us the story of Jairus, a synagogue ruler in need of help: his twelve-year old daughter was ill, and he pleaded with Jesus for help. As Jesus and the disciples were making their way to Jairus’ house, the crowd followed and pressed in on them. Luke even tells us that the crowd almost crushed Him. A woman who had been bleeding for twelve years touched the hem of Jesus’ cloak and was healed. Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” but the disciples just brushed it off; “Don’t you see the crowds?” they said. It could have been anyone. It was probably someone who just got too close.
We know the story well. It is part of our lectionary, and it is often used in devotions about faith. There is so much in this story to consider: Jairus and his trust in Jesus, the woman and her faith, the disciples and their practical point of view, the crowds and their desire to be near Jesus.
But today we are going to look at those we usually ignore: the people from Jairus’ house. While Jesus was dealing with the bleeding woman, the people told Jairus, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher anymore?” Jesus answered, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.” They continued on their way to Jairus’ house. Despite the wailing and ridicule of the mourners, Jesus went in and raised the child.
So, what do we make of these people from Jairus’ house? What were they thinking? How did they react to Jesus’ confidence? Jairus was an important man, I am sure they were afraid to tell him the bad news. Were they upset or offended by Jesus’ comment about the daughter being made well? After all, Jesus’ encouragement to Jairus might have seemed critical of those who’d seen the dead girl. How could Jesus know that the child could be healed? Did they have faith in Jesus, like Jairus? Or were they concerned that Jairus the synagogue leader would turn to this strange teacher? Were they truly concerned about not bothering Jesus, or were they looking for an excuse to get Jairus away from the dangerous “prophet?”
And what can we learn from these people? We have all encountered people who are naysayers, who see no hope in any situation. They come to us in the midst of our trials and say, “There is no reason to trouble Jesus about this.” Too many of them offer something they claim will be the quick fix, the easy path. They want to sell us healing or peace that is less than we can get from God. Some of the products and programs may help for a time, but those solutions are never lasting, no matter what they say.
Jesus tells us not to believe the naysayers. “Don’t be afraid, only believe.” So, when we are confronted by those who would tell us our prayers are pointless, those who tell us we shouldn’t bother the Lord with our troubles, we can listen to the voice of God saying, “Come to me, and I will heal you.” As James tells us, the prayers of those who trust in God are heard and answered. I don’t know how or when I will see more change in my health, but I can trust that God will help me be patient, to learn to wait, to seek His guidance so that I hear the good advice and ignore that which will only lead me down a wrong path. One thing I have learned is to be happy with where I am today, and follow Jesus into tomorrow, knowing that He truly has my best interest at heart.
April 14, 2025
“Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life. If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” John 12:24-26, WEB
Every story follows a pattern; there is a beginning, middle, and an end. The beginning of the story sets up the background, such as characters, setting, and plot. The middle of the story takes us through the story, developing characters and story line. We see the plot thicken as we progress through the pages and a conflict is created that needs a conclusion. At the end of the story, we see the resolution of the conflict.
The Bible is the Story of God and His people. The book starts with “In the beginning” and tells us about God and creation. Throughout the book, we see the development of Israel and the world around them. We meet many characters, each having a purpose in the story. The conflict that is developed is the desire of God to be close with His children, but our sin stands in the way of that relationship. Jesus Christ is the conclusion to His story.
Jesus ministered to God’s people for three years, teaching them how to live according to the promise of God. The Gospels are filled with stories of His healing, teaching, and love. He was loved by many, but not by all. The Word He spoke was difficult to understand and those who were set in their thoughts and ideas could not accept it. The people thought they knew God and thought they were living a godly life. However, Jesus came to share the truth.
Jesus was an incredible teacher because He was able to reach right into people’s hearts through their own lives. He often used examples from their occupations, such as fishing and farming. In this way, the people could understand through real life experiences the spiritual concepts He was sharing. We learn from nature that without death there cannot be life. Jesus had to die so that the seeds for eternal life could be planted in us, and now we too must die to our old selves so that we can have that true life. Eternal life is not just a future hope, it is a present reality because of what Jesus did on Holy Week.
Toward the end of His ministry, Jesus began to show the people, particularly those close to Him, that there was only one way for us to be able to live according to God’s promises. There had to be one final sacrifice. He had to die. His disciples and the people did not understand when Jesus spoke about death, because they saw His life as triumphant. They saw Him as a king among men.
The people thought Jesus was the answer to their prayers, the Messiah they expected according to the promises of God in the scriptures. They wanted to be a free nation. As Jesus gained in fame and following, His disciples pleaded with Him to go to Jerusalem and claim His place. Jesus did not go until it was the right time. As the Passover of His third year of ministry approached, Jesus knew the time had come for Him to fulfill the promise of His Father. It was time to go to Jerusalem. On Sunday of His final week, Jesus entered triumphantly to the cries of Hosanna from the crowds.
Holy Week was a busy time for Jesus. Jerusalem was packed with people. It was a holy week for the Jews; the festival of Passover was just days away and many people were in town for the feast. The streets were packed; the hotels were filled with people who came to the Temple to worship. This was a time of remembrance, and to be cleansed in the Temple by sacrifice. It was difficult to travel many miles with the animals needed for those sacrifices, so local vendors were readily available with birds, sheep, and goats for sale. It was a convenience for pilgrims, and it benefited the Temple treasury. The market was set up within the walls of the Temple, in the Gentile court. Moneychangers were available to trade foreign monies for the specific coins acceptable in the Temple. The Court of Gentiles was meant to be a place of prayer for the world not a marketplace, so when Jesus went back the day after His Triumphant Entry, He entered the courtyard with righteous anger and turned over the tables of the money changers and vendors.
Jesus spent His evenings with His friends Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, traveling from Bethany to Jerusalem each day. He returned to their home after His Triumphant Entry on Sunday, but He had much to accomplish before the Passover celebration. The people had to learn about true faith in God. His teaching was not unanimously accepted, however, and the leaders began to plot against Jesus. Jesus was controversial. Whenever he breezed through a town or village, many would follow and listen. However, there were those who did not believe Jesus came from God. His own village rejected Him. Many claimed He was from Satan. Some tried to stone Him for the things He said and did. The teachers in the temple as well as other religious leaders began to fear his power over people. It did not help when He turned
Tuesday of Holy Week is the most written about day in the scriptures. This was a day of controversy and stories. Jesus spent time in the Temple teaching, where the leaders sent men to catch Jesus in some sort of crime so that they might have him arrested. His authority was questioned, and He was set up with the question about taxes. He warned of false teachers and the end of the age, so that His children would recognize the times He has promised throughout the Word. As He spoke these words, the leaders became more determined to be rid of Him. He seemed untouchable.
The Bible is silent about what Jesus did the day before Passover. While Tuesday is the most written about day, Wednesday has nothing. Jesus knew the time of His death was growing close, why wasn’t He in the Temple trying to reach those that He had not yet touched? I would have felt a desperate need to go continue the ministry until the very last moment, to reach as many as possible. Jesus knew a better way. It is likely that Wednesday was a quiet day of prayer and fellowship with His friends.
In Jerusalem, the leaders were plotting against Jesus. They had to find a way to rid the city of this man they saw as a threat to their power. We do not know exactly when Judas went to the Temple to offer help, however it could have been this day. It is difficult for us to know exactly why Judas would betray Jesus. It is possible that he thought that perhaps putting Jesus on the line would get him to take his rightful place as king. Judas wanted power, but did not understand the kind of power that Jesus was to show. The Gospel of Luke shows us that in this situation, Judas did not have control.
We will look at the rest of Holy Week at the end of the week, but we can already see where the events early in the week were leading. Jesus was upsetting the balance of power. He was proving Himself to be everything He said He was by His miracles and the authority of His teaching. The leaders, both Jew and Gentile, were worried about the possibilities if Jesus was crowned. There would be no happy ending to this story, and yet the events of Jesus’ Passion were exactly as God intended. Jesus had to be planted and die so that He could rise again to give us new life in His true Kingdom.
April 15, 2025
“Jesus entered into the temple in Jerusalem. When he had looked around at everything, it being now evening, he went out to Bethany with the twelve... They came to Jerusalem, and Jesus entered into the temple and began to throw out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers’ tables and the seats of those who sold the doves. He would not allow anyone to carry a container through the temple. He taught, saying to them, ‘Isn’t it written, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations”? But you have made it a den of robbers!’” Mark 11:11, 15-17, WEB
Part of my prayer life during Lent has been an examination of conscience using the seven deadly sins. I prayed daily through a number of questions for each sin: Pride, Envy, Sloth, Lust, Covetousness, Gluttony, Anger. Did you join me? Remember, this was about examining yourself, not seeing the guilt of others. If you do see the sin of others, consider it as a mirror and ponder your own life in light of that judgment.
This week is “Anger.”
My Sunday school class is studying the book of Proverbs, and our focus this past week was on discipline. We are encouraged by the scriptures to give discipline, particularly parents, to encourage their children to live a life that follows a good and right path. We are also encouraged to accept discipline, particularly from God, so that we will walk in the way. This means obedience to the Word and Law of God. The struggle that we all have as human beings: what is discipline? When many people hear the word, they think of corporal punishment, or just punishment in general. But there is a difference.
What is the difference between discipline and punishment? Discipline aims to teach and guide individuals toward positive behavior and self-control, while punishment focuses on penalizing misbehavior for past actions. Discipline emphasizes learning and understanding, while punishment focuses on retribution and immediate cessation of undesirable behavior.
The difference in the way we respond to undesirable behavior is often the level of anger we are feeling. During our conversation on Sunday, we talked about the best way to discipline children. The lesson made me think about Jo Frost, the nanny who used to have a television show that taught parents how to deal with their out-of-control children. Though her methods included some punishments as necessary, she focused more on discipline, not only for the children but also for the parents. Those parents often responded with anger, not tempered by mercy or grace. This is one of the reasons why she included “time-out” for bad behavior. That “time-out” was not just for the child to think about what they did, it was for the parents to have time to calm down so that they weren’t dealing with bad behavior with heightened emotions, which often led to inappropriate punishment, and even violence.
Anger can be either righteous or sinful. After the Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem, Jesus attacked the very foundation of the faith of the Jews. He overturned the tables in the Temple, disrupting their religious ritual and their time with God. Note, however, that Jesus didn’t respond with emotion. After the Triumphant Entry, Jesus went to the Temple and looked around. He then went back to Bethany to spend the evening with His disciples and friends. It was not until the next day that Jesus went back to deal with the wrong that He saw in the Temple. Righteous anger is directed toward injustice and sin, but sinful anger is fueled by emotion, leading not to discipline but punishment.
God got angry. We know this to be true because the whole point of the cross was for Jesus to take on God’s wrath for our sake. He did so with restraint, for He could have (or should have) taken out His wrath on His people over and over again. We learn from His self-control that anger can be a valid emotion when it is appropriately directed. However, anger can also be destructive, especially when it is uncontrolled and fueled by selfishness.
In the Examination of Conscience that I am using as a prayer practice this Lent, anger is defined as “an emotion of the soul, which leads us violently to repel whatever hurts or displeases us.” This definition leads us to ask: Am I prone to anger? Does practically any little thing arouse my temper? Am I what is generally termed “a sore-head”? Do I fail to repress the first signs of anger? Do I fail to get along well with everybody? Do I ponder over slights or injuries and even presume them? Do I rejoice at the misfortunes of others? Do I think of means of revenge? Of “getting even”? Am I of an argumentative disposition? Have I a spirit of contradiction? Am I given to ridicule of persons, places, or things? Am I hard to get along with? Do I carry grudges, remain “on the outs” with anyone? Do I talk about the faults of others? Do I reveal the faults or defects of others? Do I reveal the faults of others from the wrong motive?
I think, perhaps, that anger is one of the hardest of the seven deadly sins for us to control in our lives. We are reminded by the scriptures that there is such a thing as righteous anger, but we have to remember that we are not Jesus. Most of our excuses for lashing out are not justifiable. Christians find themselves angry all the time and we seek a theological framework to justify it, so we point to Jesus and say, “See, Jesus got angry, too.” Yes, God can be angry in the Bible, that doesn’t mean we can properly be angry. We, after all, aren’t righteous without Jesus. Christians are called to repent of anger and to respond to those who anger us with mercy and forgiveness.
Now that we have reached Holy Week, it is time to consider the days of Lent and the impact of our fasting and other practices. We have spent the last six weeks praying about the sin in our lives and preparing our hearts for the great sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. Has anything changed in your life? For those of you who gave something up for Lent, are you anxious for Lent to be over so you can take it up again, or have you given it up forever? What have you discovered during this time of preparation that you need to acknowledge before the Lord? Confess it today and know His forgiveness.
April 16, 2025
Lectionary Scriptures for April 20, 2025, Easter Sunday, the Resurrection of our Lord: Easter Sunrise: Job 19:23-27; Psalm 118:15-19; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; John 20:1-18 or Easter Day: Isaiah 65:17-25; Psalm 16; 1 Corinthians 15:19-26; Luke 24:1-12
“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15:22, WEB
It is always strange to write about Easter on the Wednesday before Good Friday, especially since we’ve been following the footsteps of Jesus during His week of Passion. While Tuesday of Holy Week is the most written about day, the record is relatively silent about Wednesday. The leaders of Israel were meeting to plan how to deal with Jesus and Judas visited them to offer help. We don’t know what Jesus did. Jesus probably spent the day with the disciples in Bethany with Lazarus, Martha, Mary and other followers. He probably continued to teach the disciples, preparing them for what was to come. He likely spent much time in prayer. There is still much to happen: He will celebrate the Passover meal with them. He will be arrested, beaten, tried, and crucified. He will die. But today we’ll look ahead to the promise that is fulfilled with the raising of Jesus in just a few short days.
Six weeks ago, we buried the Alleluias as we considered our place in God’s Kingdom and our need for repentance. We have prepared for this week with fasting, prayer, and devotional practices. Are we ready for what is to come?
There are two separate lectionaries for Easter Sunday. The first is meant to be read early in the morning, at sunrise. Some churches hold special services away from their regular worship spaces, often partnering with other churches. We attended a beautiful sunrise service on a dew-covered hilltop when we lived in England. There is something sobering about greeting the day when it is still dark outside, as it might have been for the women who went to the tomb that first morning.
We go to church on Easter Sunday excited about the end of Lent, knowing the secret that Jesus has been raised, but those women had no idea. They were going to the tomb to do what they couldn’t do on Good Friday. They were there with arms filled with spices to properly prepare Jesus’ body. He was dead and they were mourning, the work they would do that first Easter morning was part of the process for grieving. Their eyes were probably red and puffy, they were tired from lack of sleep. They were angry at what happened to their Lord. It wasn’t a happy day. We forget that when we walk into a church building filled with the scent of lovely spring flowers and other Christians wearing beautiful new clothes. By the time we hear the lectionary for Easter Day, the somberness of Good Friday is long past for us. But it wasn’t for those women.
Hindsight is twenty/twenty vision.
We also know how the Old Testament scriptures and prophecies fit into God’s plan. So did the disciples, including the women who went to the tomb. They had followed Jesus for as much as three years, heard Him teach and expound on the scriptures. They heard His promise that He would die and rise again, but they didn’t understand what He was saying because it was beyond the reality of the world in which we live. Even though Jesus raised the widow of Nairn’s son, Jairus’ daughter, and Lazarus of Bethany, they couldn’t see how He would be raised after He died. They saw Him control nature, feed crowds, and heal many. They saw Him do the things only the Messiah would be able to do.
According to Rabbinical tradition, there were three miracles that could only be accomplished by the Messiah: healing a leper (Matthew 8:2-4, Mark 1:40-45 and Luke 5:12-16), healing a man born blind (John 9:1-41). The religious leaders investigated Jesus as soon as He accomplished the first of these miracles. There was a process to authenticate the identity of the Messiah, just like the Catholic Church goes through a series of steps to decide whether a person can be canonized as a Saint. The religious leaders were following Jesus, asking questions, investigating to find the truth, but they had their own understanding of what the Messiah should look like. Instead of looking for the truth, they tried everything to prove that He was not actually the Messiah. He didn’t fit their expectations, and though Jesus accomplished the very miracles that they claimed only the Messiah could do, they refused to believe.
Though the disciples, including the women, believed that Jesus was who He said He was, they still didn’t understand it from God’s point of view. The Messiah was never meant to be a warrior king who would take an earthly throne. The Messiah would be the Savior that fulfilled the promises of the Old Testament, the covenantal promises given to Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. He was the fulfillment of the many Old Testament promises that pointed to a New Covenant.
The disciples, including the women who went to the tomb on that Easter Sunday, knew the words and hoped for their promise, but it wasn’t until after the Resurrection that they know it was true. In today’s Old Testament lessons, we see Job and Isaiah pointing to Jesus and His work on the cross. Job said, “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth.” Isaiah said, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered, nor come into mind.” Jesus is our Redeemer. He is our Salvation. He gives us life. His New Covenant will bring new things to the world. It was planned; the promises were fulfilled on the cross and then in the empty tomb.
We will see in the texts for the next few weeks, during the forty days of Easter, that Jesus had to reteach everything He had taught them in the three years leading up to the cross. Even then, they needed Pentecost to bring it all together.
God created new heavens and a new earth through Jesus. This was as great an accomplishment as the first heavens and the first earth, also created through Jesus. The first creation was made out of chaos, out of nothing, out of darkness. With just a Word, the Logos which is Christ, God made everything good. The new creation is made out of the failures of God’s people. We were created and commanded to care for the earth, but we failed. We failed to care for all that was entrusted to us, especially our relationships. In our sin we broke the harmony between God and man and between one another and creation. Our sins, though against each other, hurt God even more because in our sin we were not living as He intended us to live.
But God’s love for His people is greater than our failure. He is faithful to His promises even when we are not. So, in response to our sin, He promised to make things new, a new creation that will lead to a new beginning for the world. This promise of new heavens and a new earth is a future promise, something that will come in the day God has promised. That day began with Jesus Christ, who lived and died for the sake of mankind. He restored the relationship of men and God, made it possible for men to restore their relationships with one another. Yet, the fulfillment of that day is not now; it will be some day. Though things began anew with the raising of Jesus, there is another day coming when we will see everything as it was meant to be.
Though Isaiah speaks of the heavens in the first verse of this passage, everything else is about the earth. The future promise is for today, also. The future fulfillment is the hope of today and in that hope, we can live in joy and peace. We aren't to see the Easter story as one that is still to be completed. God's salvation is now. In that salvation we live and breathe the Gospel in this world, offering hope and peace to those who are still lost in the darkness. The world is being recreated one heart at a time as we, God's people, share His love to the world. In our words and works, things are transformed, and people are changed. We can see a glimmer of what is to come when we will no longer labor in vain or be subjected to misfortune. How great a day it will be when the earth is new, when the wolf and the lamb, the lion and the ox shall share the bountiful gifts of God's abundance.
Easter is about life. Certainly, the raising of Jesus is about new life for Him, but it is also about new life for all of us. The empty tomb means that we will receive the eternal life that is promised by God to those who believe. In baptism we die with Christ, in faith we are raised again. Life is the end of all we face in Christ. That is completely upside down from what we experience in the world. No matter what we do, our flesh will perish and decay. Believing in Jesus will not keep us from dying. Our Christian lifestyle might extend our life a bit, because good and healthy living in body, mind, and spirit can keep death at bay, but not forever. We will die.
Churches often have cemeteries on their property so that the people are buried in hallowed ground. In places where the church buildings are hundreds of years old, the more prominent members of the congregations were often buried inside the church. There are often engravings on the stone floors marking the resting place of some wealthy landowner or exceptional member of the clergy. Churches like Westminster Abbey appear to be little more than huge, elaborate tombs. While the church is known for other things, like weddings and coronations of monarchs, funerals and even secular gatherings, most people visit the site to see the resting places of hundreds of famous people from poets to kings.
That is why we visited. I wanted to check out Poets Corner where there are monuments to people like Chaucer, Tennyson, Browning and Dickens. Some of the most amazing minds are remembered in that corner of the church. Though he is not buried in the church, there is even a memorial to William Shakespeare. I was also interested in the legacy of the Tudors, several of which are buried there. Fascinating stories about their life battles and death reunions make a visit to the church like watching a soap opera. The architecture, something that always fascinates me, is amazing and beautiful. It is worth a trip for anyone who visits London, England.
While it is a tourist site, it is a living church. People gather there each Sunday for worship, to hear God’s Word and to receive the sacraments. As a matter of fact, the church offers several worships every day, including weekdays at lunch, so that people visiting and working in the city can gather to worship the living God in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life. We happened to be visiting over lunch hour, and heard the worship announced over the loudspeaker that there would be a brief communion service. We asked one of the staff how to get to the service and he was so excited that we wanted to worship that he took us through red velvet ropes and against the flow of visitors so that we could be there in time.
I was disappointed when we arrived at the worship area to discover that there would only be a few dozen worshippers. There were easily a thousand people in that church that day, and in the midst of that chaos we few received the body and blood of Christ. I wondered, as I watched the visitors filing by, why they would spend so much time with the dead when they could be worshipping the living God. For them, Westminster Abbey was nothing more than a tomb.
Our world is truly upside down. After the resurrection, the women went to the tomb seeking Jesus’ body so they could finish the work of anointing Him for death. As they were there, two men in dazzling robes appeared asking them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” They did not yet know that Jesus had been raised, though He told them to expect it. They did not understand what He meant until later when He appeared before them alive. As Christ lives, so do we. But we see the world with a skewed point of view, seeking death instead of life. We would rather spend an hour looking at the tombs of famous people then worship the living God. This is true of our daily lives, also, as we chase after the things that will perish and decay when we can be worshipping the living God.
In the account from John for Easter Sunday, Mary Magdalene is found at the tomb alone. There is grief in her eyes; she’s been weeping, perhaps for days. It was still dark, so she probably had no sleep, anxious to stand vigil at the tomb as she waited for the other women. Instead of finding everything as it had been left on Friday, she found the stone had been rolled away. She didn’t look inside but ran to tell the disciples. “They’ve taken the Lord!” she exclaimed. Peter and John went to the garden toward the tomb. John reached it first and looked inside, seeing the linen clothes. Peter arrived and went inside, noticing not only the clothes from His body that were cast aside but also the one from His face which was neatly folded. They didn’t understand; they had not yet pieced together the promises of scripture that Jesus would rise from the dead. They left, sadder than before.
There is a story that in the days of Jesus, there was a Hebrew tradition that a servant would stand near the table when the master was eating, waiting for the time to clear the table. The servant knew that he should not touch the table until his master had finished eating. When the master was finished, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers and mouth, clean his beard, wad up the napkin and toss it onto the table. Then the servant could do his work. A wadded-up napkin means, “I am finished.” However, if the master neatly folded the napkin and set it by his plate, that meant “I am coming back,” so the servant would wait patiently.
It is said that the neatly folded face cloth was Jesus’ way of saying “I am coming back.”
Peter and John left the garden, but Mary stayed by the empty tomb, weeping. She looked inside and saw two angels at the head and foot of where Jesus’ body had been laid. There significance of that scene is found in the atonement rituals of the Old Testament. Each year the High Priest scattered the blood of the Lamb on the mercy seat of God, which was the atonement cover of the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark had two angels, one at each end. It is as if Mary was peeking into the Holy of Holies, where the very presence of God dwelt among men. The stone where Jesus’ body was placed was the mercy seat of God. There we see that God’s forgiveness was complete and the promises of God were fulfilled.
The angels asked Mary why she was weeping, and she answered that they had taken Jesus away. She then turned and saw Jesus but did not recognize Him. We wonder how that could be. The disciples, including Mary, spent years with Jesus, and it had only been a few days. When we don’t see someone for a long time, it is easy to mistake them for someone else. Haven’t you ever been in a position where you see someone you think you should know, but can’t place them?
Mary didn’t expect to see Jesus standing in front of her. He was dead. There may have been something about His appearance that was different, although she recognized Him as soon as she said her name. Would we have known it was Jesus if we were there in that garden so early that first Easter morning? Probably not. Jesus appeared to others in the first days after the Resurrection and none of them knew it was Him. The disciples on the road to Emmaus didn’t know until He broke the bread. The disciples in the Upper Room didn’t know until they saw His wounds. They saw what they expected: a gardener, a fellow traveler, a spirit. They didn’t see Jesus until He revealed Himself to them.
It is easy for us to look back at those first disciples and think that they were foolish for missing it. Didn’t Jesus tell them this is how it had to be? How could they not realize that a little patience would prove Jesus’ words to be true? It is easy for us for two reasons: we know the rest of the story and we have the Holy Spirit to help us see. We would not have been any different if we had been there. We will experience the grief of Good Friday with the knowledge that it happened because of our own sin and for our sake, but we will do so with the knowledge that we’ll sing Hallelujah on Sunday.
Mary went back to the disciples and told them everything Jesus said to her. That dark, sad morning was beginning to look brighter.
We wake up to great excitement on Easter Sunday as we realize the fasting of Lent is over. We dress in our finest and go to a church that is filled with beautiful flowers and joyous music to worship God with praise and thanksgiving. We get to say “Alleluia” again. However, many people do not understand the significance of our Easter celebrations. They focus on the secular aspects like the baskets full of candy and brunch with family. I saw a report on a news show the other day which talked about the religious aspects of Holy Week, but every video clip showed children hunting for plastic Easter eggs and family gatherings. It isn’t like they could not have found any video that shows the Church at worship. Our city has many events, including multi-denominational gatherings and a Passion procession.
The world may see our faith, but they think our Alleluias are pitiable, they focus on the fun. Paul recognized that this was the way non-believers looked at the church. He even used the word “pitiable” in the passage from his first letter to the Corinthians. Why spend time in church when we can fill our plates so that they are overflowing with scrumptious brunch offerings? They think we should be pitied because we believe in Jesus of Nazareth. They think that we should be pitied because we believe in eternal life in heaven with our Lord Jesus Christ. They think that it does not take faith in God or Jesus to be good people, and non-Christians do many good deeds and live rightly in this world.
We are different. We believe in something more, something beyond this life. The people to whom Paul was writing lived in a pagan world, where dozens of gods were available for human consumption. There were massive temples in honor of those gods in every major city, where you could enjoy the physical pleasures of that religion: the food, the wine, and the prostitutes. Christianity has a different standard of moderation and of self-control. We are reminded that though our Lenten fast is over, we do not have to indulge but should consider how our practices have transformed our lives.
For many people, Christianity is to be pitied because they prefer to live for the satisfaction of their hedonistic desires, which the religions of Paul’s world satisfied. Unfortunately, many today have the same expectations, even some Christians. Faith, to them, is about feeling good, about self-satisfaction, to live their best life. And though the Christian response to God’s grace often brings about good feelings, satisfaction, and a transformation into something new and better, Christ never promised that our life with Him in this world would be easy. As a matter of fact, Christian faith is hard. The Christians in Paul’s day were persecuted because they did not live by the societal expectations. Even though they had faith, Christians got sick and died. Some Christians had wealth, but many were outcast and poor. Too many Christians suffered persecution from the secular world, even martyrdom for their faith. Christians truly are to be pitied if you expect faith to be rewarded in this life.
If there is no eternal life then we are indeed to be pitied, but we have a hope that goes beyond today. The non-Christian who pities a Christian sees no purpose of living beyond the here and now, they want an immediate reward. They can’t see the point. A person once told me that Jesus is dead, and that I should just get over it. But our hope and the foundation of our faith is that Jesus Christ was the first of many: He is the first born of the dead. He rose and through faith we will rise with Him. Christ lives and in Him we live also.
We wandered in the wilderness with Jesus for forty days during Lent, learning everything we need to know in a world full of chaos and confusion. Now we will spend forty days after Easter relearning everything we need to know, but there’s something different. We see that chaotic and confused world through a new perspective. During Lent we see the promise as they did in Jesus’ day, that the Messiah came to set us free from the world. During the Easter season we finally see that Jesus wasn’t an earthbound king we must follow, but that He is the Living God who redeems us and sets us free from sin and death. The Old Testament promises have new meaning, and we have a much different purpose. We are not called to simply follow Jesus, but we are sent out to be His people, to take the Gospel to the world.
Easter Sunday began dark with the disciples sad and fearful, but as Jesus appeared to them, they saw the truth: He is risen, He is risen indeed. Alleluia. It was just the beginning of something new, a life of sharing Jesus with the world.
The empty tomb of Easter does not mean that everything will go well. The empty tomb set the apostles on a road to persecution; most of them were martyred. The empty tomb is the guarantee that we will join our Lord Jesus in eternity. He was the first of many, raised to a new life to live forever in the new heavens and earth. We know our Redeemer lives, that Jesus is our Salvation. He makes us alive. Death no longer rules, and God is restoring the world as He always intended it to be. We can rest in the promise that we will dwell in the presence of our Father forever because Jesus made it so.
April 17, 2025
“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also. Where I go, you know, and you know the way.” John 14:1-4, WEB
Today is Maundy Thursday. In many different Christian denominations, congregations will gather to share the final moments of Jesus Christ’s life and ministry.
Jerusalem was bustling with preparation for the Passover feast. Pilgrims were in town, and many were curious about the man Jesus about whom they had heard so much. His Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem on Sunday gave them hope that He was the Messiah for whom they were waiting. Was the day of deliverance near? Passover was an ideal time for Jesus to grasp His Kingship. It would be significant to the Jews who would make the connection between Jesus and Moses. Just as Moses delivered the Hebrews from the Egyptians, Israel’s new King Jesus could deliver them from the Romans. As Passover drew near, the people expected something incredible to happen in fulfillment of God’s promises and the prophecies of the scriptures.
In the days that followed, Jesus did not fulfill their expectations. Rather than fighting the Romans, Jesus fought the religious establishment. Rather than take a throne, Jesus knocked over the tables in the Temple. Rather than build an army, Jesus made many people mad with the words He spoke and the message He preached. He took a day to rest and pray as the leaders schemed about how to end His ministry. Jesus and His disciples, the Twelve and many others, spent time together during that week sharing food, fellowship, worship, and more learning, but on Thursday the gathered to celebrate the Passover. This was an important meal because of the ritual and religious significance, but it was made even more special because it was His farewell dinner, though they really did not understand at the time.
The disciples asked Jesus where they were to celebrate the Passover feast. As usual, the preparation was in the hands of God, and Jesus gave them instructions where to go, who to see. As the evening drew close, the disciples gathered in the upper room, ready to celebrate this meaningful night with their Lord. It seems odd to us that Jesus would begin this meal with something so humble that it was shocking to those who watched. The first thing He did was serve them.
From the beginning of His ministry to the very end, Jesus always put others before Himself. Washing the feet of His disciples was a sacrificial action: it was a job meant only for the lowest of all the servants. Jesus showed them what it meant to be the Messiah; He loved them with a very active, humble, sacrificial love. At the supper, He removed His cloak and wrapped a towel around His waist and got on His knees to wash their feet. This menial task was one that only a servant would do. Peter was so incensed by the action he rejected Jesus with the words, “No, you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus persisted because He was showing them by example the way they were called to lead the continuation of His ministry. The disciples were specially chosen to serve the Lord. It was not to be a ministry of power, but of humble service.
Jesus finished the foot washing with a call for all those who love Him to do the same for others. We are to do what Jesus does, to serve rather than be served. We are to sacrifice for the sake of life and share everything which Jesus did for us with others. We are blessed if we too live, and die, as Jesus did. For it is in the serving we truly know and understand the attitude of Christ and live the blessed life He has called us to live.
The rest of the evening was no less shocking. Rather than speak about being a king, Jesus spoke of being a servant. He spoke of death, betrayal, and denial. Peter made great claims of his love for Jesus and his willingness to even die. Jesus told him that he would in fact, that very evening, deny Him three times. Jesus knew Judas was the betrayer and was clearly in control as He told Judas to do the task quickly. The disciples were confused and became agitated as the vision they had of a kingdom began to fall apart before their eyes.
During the supper, Jesus instituted a new covenant of faith. The Passover ritual meal was a remembrance of the deliverance of the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt. The meal was highly symbolic, recalling the bitterness and affliction of life in Egypt, as well as the rebirth and joy of their new life of freedom as God’s chosen people. The people celebrated the Passover each year in expectation that the Messiah would soon return to deliver them again. They thought Jesus was the One.
Jesus made no such promises. Rather, He spoke through the elements of the Passover and made a new covenant with them. He took the bread, gave thanks to God and gave it for all to eat. He had told His followers that He is the bread of life. In this new covenant He told them to eat the bread regularly to remember that He is the true bread. After the supper He took the cup of redemption, gave thanks and gave it to all to drink. He told them that this cup is His blood, and that only His blood would redeem them from their sins. By His death we would be forgiven. Today, and every time we gather around the Eucharistic table, we recall those words and His promise. By His death, by His blood, we are forgiven.
Jesus spoke of humility and service, betrayal and denial, but several of the disciples got into an argument about who would be the greatest among them in the kingdom. Even at this late hour, after all Jesus had spoken to them about sacrificial love, they still sought the power of this world. It might seem like His plans were falling apart because the disciples were acting according to their flesh, but Jesus was always in control.
Jesus took the disciples to Gethsemane so that He could spend time in prayer. It is at this moment that Jesus Christ makes the final and most incredible act of submission to His Father’s will. He committed to the only path He could take: the path to the cross. The ministry of Jesus Christ was about to close in a most painful and horrible manner, but He stood and walked right into the hands of His betrayer, receiving his kiss. It was the will of God.
We think about the horror of Good Friday, but I think perhaps Maundy Thursday was the harder day for Jesus. Physical death, even horrific physical death, is nothing compared to things He had to experience that day. It was the day He said good-bye to those He loved. It was the day He saw that they still didn’t understand the reason for His life and ministry. It was the day He saw the betrayal and denial and abandonment of His disciples. It was the day when He agreed to follow the path His Father demanded. Even in the midst of betrayal and denial, Jesus comforted His disciples. He promised them the Holy Spirit, that they might continue His work after His death. He established a new covenant with His people, a covenant of life, hope and remembrance. It was the day that He willfully went to prepare a place for us, the day He set His feet on the path that would assure us eternal life in His true Kingdom.
April 18, 2025
“Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope: and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a good person someone would even dare to die. But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:1-8, WEB
The events of Maundy Thursday meld into Good Friday. After praying in Gethsemane, Jesus was arrested and taken to be tried. He was given over by the hands, and kiss, of His friend Judas. The next few hours were chaotic, and the world seemed to be in control. Jesus was lead before the chief priest and the Roman governor. He was questioned, mocked, and beaten.
It had been approximately thirty-three years since the birth of Jesus. He spent His last three years sharing the Kingdom of God with the people. He did many incredible things: He healed the sick, cast out demons, and fed thousands. He even raised the dead. He preached a lost truth to the people: that God is merciful, full of forgiveness and love. He also taught that following Him would not be easy, that He demands much from our lives.
Peter tried to stop the arrest by swinging his sword; a guard was injured but Jesus healed the wound. The will of God would not be hindered by the desires of men. Jesus appeared before Caiaphas, the chief priest, so that the Sanhedrin could find some crime worthy of death. They found him guilty of blasphemy, but by Roman law, they could not carry out the sentence.
The disciples scattered. They hid in the crowds, trying to see each moment, but afraid of being discovered. Peter warmed himself over a fire, trying to fit into the crowd. Three people approached him and claimed they had seen him with Jesus. Three times, Peter denied knowing him, just as Jesus said. After the final denial, a rooster crowed, and Jesus looked directly at Peter. Peter wept bitterly because he knew that he had betrayed his Lord.
Jesus was taken before Pilate, the Roman governor, but Pilate could find nothing that Jesus did against Rome that would be punishable by the death penalty. When Pilate discovered Jesus was from Galilee, he sent him to be tried by Herod. Pilate was anxious to get rid of this problem. His wife had a dream in which Pilate was be blamed for the death of this innocent man. Leaders from the temple were scattered in the crowd that watched the proceedings. He was taken to Herod who was quite excited about seeing Jesus face to face. He’d heard so much about the man that he wanted to see some mighty miracle performed before him. When Jesus would not prove himself, Herod humiliated Him and sent Him back to Pilate.
Pilate saw no reason for the death penalty, so he took the question to the crowd. He first tried to get past the problem by offering to set a prisoner free for Passover. They insisted on Barabbas, a notorious prisoner guilty of murder. Pilate was shocked, after all Jesus had done nothing wrong. But Barabbas’ name means “the son of the Father,” so the crowds cried for his release at the instigation of the crowds. When Pilate asked what he should do with Jesus, someone yelled, “Crucify him!” The crowd that yelled, “Hosanna” just days earlier were so agitated that Jesus refused to be their warrior king, that they turned into an angry, fearful, and violent mob. They yelled, “Crucify him!” and Pilate had no choice. The final betrayal came when the people said, “We have no king but Caesar,” rejecting the Lord God Almighty as their King.
Through all this, Jesus was humiliated, beaten, and stripped of everything. They took His clothes and His dignity. They forced a cross onto His already sore and bleeding back and pushed Him on to Golgotha. He walked His final footsteps on this earth; along the way He faced the women who were weeping over His fate. He told them to weep for themselves, because the time would come when they would face great suffering.
It was difficult for Him to carry the cross; He fell under the heavy burden. A man named Simon was ordered to carry it for Him. Other condemned prisoners were taken to the hill. The world went dark for three hours, from the sixth hour to the ninth hour. One thief begged Jesus to save them, but the other humbled Himself in repentance and accepted responsibility for the wrongs he had done. Jesus welcomed that prisoner to His kingdom. The soldiers mocked Jesus and tried to serve Him a poison that would bring death more quickly, but Jesus refused. He saw His mother at the foot of the cross, standing with John, the only disciple who did not disappear. He asked John to care for Mary as if she were his own mother and asked Mary to take John as her son, ensuring their welfare even in the midst of His pain. He controlled every moment, even the moment when He cried out “It is finished,” and breathed His last breath.
The dramatic account of the death of Jesus Christ ends rather abruptly: it is finished, Jesus Christ is dead. There is such finality to that statement. Jesus died at the ninth hour, 3:00 PM. The earth rocked with the anger of God. The ground shook and the rocks split. A centurion pierced Jesus in the side, and His blood spilled into the earth. The curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom. This curtain was not some flimsy piece of material like lace, easily ripped. It was thick, a wall like protective covering over the Most Holy Place, the dwelling place of God Himself. The curtain covered the room where the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat were kept. This was the Throne of God. When Jesus died, God ripped the curtain from top to bottom, opening the way into His presence for all people, not just the High Priest. God would no longer live in a box, and we would be called the priesthood of all believers able to approach the throne of grace.
The rest of the day was spent dealing with the aftermath. Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for His body. The hour of the Passover Sabbath quickly approached, and it was necessary to take care of the body as soon as possible. Pilate was shocked that He died so quickly, but when the death was confirmed, Pilate agreed. Joseph was one of the few Sanhedrin that believed in Jesus, although he did so privately; he refused to consent to the condemnation of Jesus. He took the body, wrapped it, and laid it in his own newly hewn tomb. Joseph rolled a heavy stone in front. The women watched where Jesus was laid, expecting to return after the Sabbath to anoint the body properly for burial. Then they went away to mourn.
Sometime during the day, Judas was seized with remorse and tried to return the blood money to the priests, but they refused to take it or offer him comfort in his repentance. They laid the responsibility entirely on him. He threw the money at their feet, went away, and hanged himself.
During the Easter Vigil on Saturday, we mourn alongside the disciples as they reflected on Jesus’ life. They probably gathered in the Upper Room, waiting anxiously for the knock at the door that would take them to be tried and crucified. The disciples hid in fear and confusion. Can you imagine the things they must have thought about, and talked about? Who was Jesus? Why did He die? Why did we spend these years following Him? What will happen to us? Had we truly wasted three years of our lives? Is this really the end? We, too, consider these questions as we journey with Jesus. Why me, why now, why this? Is this really the end?
Along with their grief, however, let us consider our own place in this story. Jesus Christ died on that cross for me a terrible, awful sinner. It is hard to say the words because in general we think we are pretty good people. I do good things for my neighbor. I’ve never committed any significant crimes. I go to church, pray, and read the scriptures. I am a Christian, and I think the world can see that in my words and deeds.
Easter Vigil is a time for us to remember the role we played in Jesus’ death. I was among the religious who missed God’s presence manifest in Jesus Christ. I was among the crowds who were easily manipulated by lies to believe whatever I was told. I was among the Romans who beat, humiliated, and crucified our Lord. I was among the disciples who were afraid and confused, who betrayed and denied their master, teacher, and friend. We are all Barabbas, undeserving of grace, but granted life anyway because Jesus took our place. We were all there, sinners in need of a Savior. Jesus saw us; He took upon His own shoulders the very sins that put Him on the cross and died to save us from the wrath that we deserve. We mourn His death, but today it would do us well to mourn our own fault as well.
We know the end of the story. We know that it is finished, but Good Friday finish is really just the beginning. We know that there is hope and forgiveness. We know that there is eternal life in Christ. We know that Easter Sunday will be a day of jubilation as we rejoice with the disciples that their story was not over. There would still be reason to fear; they would be persecuted, beaten, imprisoned, and humiliated. Some would even follow Jesus to crosses. Christians throughout history and the world live with the same fears. But we have a hope that can’t disappoint; a hope that came to us on the cross. We put Him there, but only because He chose to be there for our sake. We can’t know His grace without knowing our sin. So, while we wait for Easter, let’s pray and ponder the reason He died: to win for us forgiveness of sin and the victory over death, guaranteeing our place in God’s Kingdom forever.
April 21, 2025
“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, ‘“As I live,” says the Lord, “every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”’ So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” Romans 14, 1-12, WEB
We had a huge Eggstravaganza at our church on Saturday. We invited children from our church, school, and community to come and play, eat, craft, and then hunt Easter eggs. I know there are some who are bothered by this practice. As a matter of fact, a man approached me as we were getting ready to go inside and eat our lunch. He asked, “What’s going on here?” I wasn’t sure about his purpose, but I said, “We are about to go in for lunch. Would you like to join us?” He didn’t seem to have children with him, but we are always open to visitors, and who wouldn’t enjoy a corn dog on a fun and lovely Saturday?
He became verbally aggressive and said, “You know you are celebrating a pagan holiday, right?” I have heard this many times in the past. Yes, some of the theories of the name “Easter” seem to point to some pagan celebration at the spring solstice, but there is actually no real evidence of this being true. I have seen several theologians talk about this very question several times, and I’ve done some research myself. I answered, “No we are not.” He said, “Do the research. You are.” I repeated, “I have done the research, and we are not,” because eggs and bunnies or not, we were celebrating our faith in Jesus Christ by sharing love and grace with our neighborhood. We were reaching out to the community, feeding them, welcoming them, sharing the story of Jesus in story time and with gifts. We invited them to come back on Sunday to hear once again the glorious story of Jesus’ resurrection and the life we have in Him. I wish I had said more, but the man turned around and left us to our pagan ways.
I don’t want to make this devotion about justifying our practices, but I read something interesting about coloring Easter eggs. There was a time when eggs were forbidden during Lent, along with certain other foods, like meat products such as milk, lard, and butter. Fruit was also forbidden because it was sweet. Isn’t it interesting that Lent falls at the end winter when many of these foods were not readily available? Chickens stop laying eggs. Fruit doesn’t grow. Even milk production can go down. So, the Lenten fast not only promoted sacrifice in spiritual and devotional ways but also gave the source of those foods a rest until springtime. It helped store foods until spring when fresh ingredients were becoming available again. We don’t understand how difficult it was at the end of winter for them because we can go to the grocery store and buy everything we need, but most people in the old days suffered from hunger by April because there was not enough food left in their cupboards. Coloring eggs became a way to celebrate the first eggs of spring; the colored eggs were cracked open and eaten on Easter. This was a fun way to break the Lenten fast and it symbolized the emergence of Jesus from the tomb.
I have to admit that I have the same struggles with Easter Egg hunts as I have with Halloween. Sometimes these events bring out the worst in our children. Some become aggressive and greedy. They overindulge. And no matter how much we focus our attention on Jesus being the reason for the season of Easter, many of the families were there on Saturday just for the fun. The best we could do was share God’s grace and pray God’s Spirit would plant seeds and work in the hearts and minds of our visitors. The man who approached me may have had a point about the origins, but we were not celebrating a pagan holiday during our Eggstravaganza. We were celebrating Jesus with fun and laughter and love. And if just one more family came on Sunday to hear the Gospel, then it was worth it all.
This is not a new problem. Paul had to deal with the question in the churches he established and encouraged through his letters. Many of the Christians in Rome were former pagans. They knew that the meat that was purchased in the marketplace had most likely been sacrificed as part of the ritualistic worship of the pagan community. They did not feel they could eat that meat because they knew where it had come from and why it had been slaughtered. They did not want to support the worship and ministry of the pagan communities, so they chose to avoid eating that meat. Paul knew that though the meat was slaughtered as part of a ceremony that the meat itself was still good and acceptable to God. He also knew that it would weigh on the conscience of those former pagans. So, he treated the issue with grace.
Paul called the community to join together not based on what they would eat, but on the Christ they worshipped. Eating meat or not eating meat is not a salvific issue. Hunting eggs or not hunting eggs is not a salvific issue. Instead of rejecting or judging one another, the Romans were encouraged to see Christ in their brothers and sisters and to live together in a way in which both could do the work they were called to do as a community of faith. The meat-eaters and the vegetarians all had gifts, gifts that are needed to do the work of God in the world. To reject or judge others means cutting off a part of the Church that Christ has called together. Like those Christians who reject the celebration of Easter, especially with bunnies and eggs, we tend to think the world must conform to our vision of what the church is meant to be. But God has a much greater vision in mind, a vision that includes all those who believe using their gifts for His sake.
April 22, 2025
“Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city and told the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they were assembled with the elders and had taken counsel, they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers, saying, ‘Say that his disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept. If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him and make you free of worry.’ So they took the money and did as they were told. This saying was spread abroad among the Jews, and continues until today.” Matthew 28:11-15, WEB
I watch the weekly celebrations and memorialization of the Saints, sometimes using their stories for this devotion. This week is interesting because it is the Holy Octave of Easter, an extended celebration that focuses on the central mystery of the Resurrection of Jesus, and Saints’ days are moved or given lower priority during this period. Hearing the stories of the saints can teach us how to be Christian in the world, they can give us courage and build our faith. We don’t worship those who died for their faith, but they are part of the great cloud of witnesses that have shared the Gospel message and faith with us. That’s why I like to tell their stories, to show how their faith fits into the story of God.
That great cloud of witnesses began in the days following the Resurrection, as Jesus filled the disciples who had followed Him as He ministered with the knowledge they needed to continue His ministry in the world. They weren’t sure what was happening at first, but they soon began telling others that Jesus was alive. They weren’t the only ones talking about it. After Jesus died and was buried, the chief priests and Pharisees remembered that Jesus said He would rise again. So, they placed guards at the tomb to ensure the disciples could not steal the body and pretend Jesus’ words came true. They also sealed the stone to make it as secure as possible.
Their seal could not keep God from doing what He had intended. An angel of the Lord appeared and rolled away the stone. The angel spoke to the women and told them that they would not find Jesus among the dead, but that He had risen. He told them to go tell the disciples. Meanwhile, the soldiers were so afraid that they shook and became like dead men. After they reported what happened, the elders paid them to lie, to tell others that the disciples stole the body.
So, in the days following the resurrection two stories began to circulate about what happened to Jesus. Those who had seen and heard that Jesus had been raised believed in Him and rejoiced. They believed everything He said about Himself and the kingdom of God. But in those early days there were many who heard the story of the soldiers, the lie that the disciples had simply taken the body and hidden it. There are even some today who still believe that story to be true. Though they may believe that Jesus existed, He is nothing to them but a teacher and a good man. They still wait for a Messiah to come to set them free but missed the One who came to save them because they believe the lie.
It is amazing how fast such things can spread. The story that was told by the soldiers made a lot of sense to those who did not see the resurrected Lord. After all, the soldiers were eyewitnesses, and it seemed like they had nothing to gain or lose. The story the disciples told greatly benefitted their cause, giving their followers hope in the future. would greatly benefit their cause, giving their followers hope in the future. This is why we know that Jesus came from God: even the lies of the enemy were unable to keep the message of Jesus from spreading, even to this day. Though there are still some who refuse to believe, more people coming to every day by the grace and mercy of God.
April 23, 2025
Lectionary Scriptures for April 27, 2025, Second Sunday of Easter: Acts 5:12-20 (21-32); Psalm 148; Revelation 1:4-18; John 20:19-31
“We are his witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” Acts 5:32, WEB
We have seen some extraordinary weather all around the country for the past few weeks. There has been snow when it should be spring, severe storms causing incredible damage. Texas is still undergoing an extreme drought, which has made conditions sufficient for wildfires. This weather has made this a bad year for wildflowers in many places around our state. At least the temperatures we lovely in our area for Easter weekend, but there was one year that was so cold that it was difficult to hold Easter Egg Hunts, and brand new Easter dresses were left hanging in closest because it was simply too cold to wear them.
It is almost too hard to see the joy of Easter through the mist of extreme weather. We have to look beyond the drought and damage to rejoice in the great thing He has done. Unfortunately, very few people have eyes that see the light in the midst of trouble. They can’t see the sun shining behind the clouds. Yet, there are times when God grants us a vision of what heaven will look like. Sometimes it appears in a dream, but often He simply uses the beauty of His created world to give us a foretaste of the world to come. I’ve seen heaven in the laugh of a baby; from the top of a mountain overlooking a hidden valley; in a meadow filled with flowers; in a rainbow after a storm. I can’t see these things and ignore the majesty of my Creator.
When we were living in England, I saw the most incredible sight in the sky as I was standing at the sink washing the dishes. In an otherwise cloudless sky, there was a large, dark mushroom shaped cloud. The waning sun was behind this cloud and the rays shown from behind, creating a halo around the cloud. It was as if God was behind a curtain, and His light was trying to break through to the world. As I continued with my work, the bottom “stem” of the cloud began to split, like the curtains on a great stage. The sun’s rays broke through, and the stage behind was breathtakingly beautiful. This foretaste made me long for the day when I will stand in His presence and worship at His throne.
I have also seen a much different vision of heaven. One day as clouds covered the earth and rain fell from the sky, I saw one of the first hummingbirds of that season. He took a moment at our feeders, but the wind was bitter, and the rain was cold, so he took refuge under the bush that is near my window. He sat there for a long time, and though he seemed to be shivering, he was also safe and dry. I could almost see God’s hands surrounding him, protecting him from the cold.
I could tell you about rainbows and waterfalls, sunrise at the beach and grizzly bears eating berries in a National Park. While this has been less than extraordinary year for wildflowers, I have seen fields with millions of bluebonnets and butterflies seeking the flower nectar of every color of flower you can imagine. I’m sure you could come up with your own examples of times when God spoke to you with the voice of His creation.
God reveals Himself in His creation so that we will have a vision in our hearts and our minds of the heavenly realms. He gives us a glimmer, to draw us ever closer to Him and to keep us on His path. We just have to take the time to see Him, to witness the beauty of His creation and His constant presence in His world. That glimmer is not necessarily going to be something as grand as the sun bursting forth from behind a cloud. It might be someone in need, someone who needs to know God’s loving presence in their life. How will He reveal Himself to you today? Perhaps it will be the kind words of a friend or the awesome power of lightning in a thunderstorm. Perhaps it will be someone who needs to get out of the cold. Go about with your work today but be ever mindful of His presence. Perhaps you’ll catch a glimpse of heaven.
For the disciples and those who lived in Jesus’ day, God revealed Himself in an extraordinary man named Jesus. This same Jesus lived, died, and rose again to win the greatest battle ever won, the one that would guarantee eternal life for us. The cross seems like a violent way to reconcile us to God, but through Jesus, God fulfilled all His promises.
Ninth century in England was a violent and bloody time when men fought with swords for their life, their women, and their land. It wasn’t enough to defeat their enemy to claim victory, they fought to destroy them. One particularly famous and infamous battle was the final conflict for Wessex between Alfred the Great and the Dane Guthrum. Historical fiction authors can often describe these moments with such clarity that you almost believe that you are in the midst of battle.
When we watch movies about the wars between ancient peoples, the directors often give the impression that these battles are between millions of people. The reality is that there were likely less than ten thousand people on that battlefield of that great war in 878 A.D., including the women who followed their men. But hand to hand combat was deadly, swords against swords leave the field bloody and covered with bodies.
Victory was not won simply by getting the upper hand in the actual fighting; they began by trying to overpower the mind and courage of their enemies. Courage is vital when coming face to face with someone determined to kill you, and it is the warrior’s job to make the enemy afraid. The armies shouted insults and obscenities, banged on their shields with their swords to make thunderous noise; they put on displays of strength and power so that the enemy will know what they are up against.
One of the most disgusting things they did was to put the severed heads of dead enemies on poles above the gates to their fortresses. This was a display of dishonor, because it meant the body was not properly disposed of according to the traditions of their people. If the head was separated from the body, then the warrior could not go into the afterlife with honor. The head would be picked clean by the birds, leaving only the skull and some hair flapping in the wind. The equivalent of this dishonor in Jesus’ day was to ‘hang someone on a tree.’ When someone was put to death for a crime, they were hung on a tree and left for the birds. They were not only punished for their crime, but they were dishonored as well.
It wasn’t easy to be a Christian. Faith in Jesus went against everything in both their secular and religious worlds. The Romans doubted the truth of the resurrection and the Jews rejected the claims that Jesus was the Messiah. The leaders in Jerusalem looked for ways to put a halt to the cult growing around Jesus. No matter what the enemies of the Gospel did, it seemed as though more and more people heard the words of the evangelists and were coming to faith. It didn’t help that the miraculous signs and wonders of Jesus continued with the apostles.
The Christians were a curiosity, but questions and doubts followed them. Today’s lesson from Acts follows the incredible story of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11) who were struck dead by their unfaithfulness to God. On the one hand, the disciples of Jesus were healing the sick and casting out demons. It was said that even the shadow of Peter could make a man well. On the other hand, there was something frightening about the power they seemed to have. Can you imagine if the people in your neighborhood found out that someone keeled over and died as Ananias and Saphira? The story was surely reported to people outside the church; a great fear came upon them all. “What if my faith isn’t good enough?” is a question any of us might ask. Only those with true faith dared become part of the group because pretenders and those with half-hearted belief risked the same fate as Ananias and Saphira. Despite the fear, the Gospel was doing its work in the hearts of many because more and more began to believe in the Lord.
Faith in Jesus was risky. The Romans were carefully watching this growing cult, and the Jewish leaders were concerned. Solomon’s Colonnade was a public marketplace. It was also a gathering place where people went to talk to the teachers of the day, to learn about God’s Law and to ask questions. Jesus often taught there, so the disciples continued to use this space to preach and teach about Him. He changed their lives and they wanted to share His life-changing message with others. God was continuing to reveal Himself through the disciples.
Perhaps the Jewish leaders were jealous. The disciples were doing things they could not do, impacting lives in physical as well as spiritual ways. The priests were upset that the disciples were intruding on their ministry. The priests had the disciples arrested and imprisoned, but during the night an angel of the Lord set them free. They were back in the Temple before the leaders even knew they were gone. The authorities took the disciples again, but they did so quietly because they feared the crowds.
Peter, in his speech to defend himself before the Sanhedrin, acknowledged that they not only killed Jesus, but they dishonored Him by hanging Him on a tree. He told them they did this not to a man that wanted to be king. They did it to God’s Messiah, the Son of God. They killed and dishonored Jesus who was the One sent to redeem Israel. The disciples were witnesses to these things and they could not do anything but preach the Word that God had given to them. Jesus had been dishonored, which the leaders hoped would bring fear into the hearts of His followers, but they were not afraid because resurrection vindicated God’s Son and gave them hope for the future. They continued to preach and teach all that Jesus had given them. They knew their strength was not in human power and authority. By God’s grace they could do nothing but obey.
It did not happen immediately. After the crucifixion, the disciples hid behind locked doors. They were afraid that they would suffer a similar fate as Jesus. Jesus revealed Himself to one disciple after another. The women, the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the disciples in the Upper Room. Thomas was missing on that first Easter, we don’t know where he had been. When he returned to the company of followers, Thomas did not believe the incredible tale they were telling.
We pick on Thomas for his attitude in this story. He said, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Why wouldn’t he believe based on the word of his friends? Shouldn’t he have accepted what they had to say, based on their reports? After all, the disciples were not the first to proclaim this good news: even Jesus told them it would happen before He was crucified. The women reported the missing body; Mary said that she had seen the Lord. How many witnesses would it take for Thomas to believe?
We shouldn't be so hard on poor Thomas because none of the others believed until they saw Jesus for themselves. They didn’t believe the women, thought they were mumbling nonsense. Even when Jesus appeared, they thought He was a ghost and were glad only after they had seen the physical evidence of His crucifixion, knowing that indeed the one who appeared before them was their Lord. When Jesus addressed Thomas’s faith having seen the evidence, He was speaking to all of us. Haven’t you also had moments when you demanded proof of God’s mercy and grace? Yet, we know we cannot believe because we have seen anything by our own power. We believe because we have been given the power of the Holy Spirit and by that power we can believe. Thomas was not present when Jesus breathed on the disciples; he did not have the faith that comes from God, the faith on which our assurance is built.
None of them believed without God’s help. For Thomas and the other disciples, the help came in the appearance of Jesus before them. He appeared from outside the locked door, almost like a ghost. Yet, He was not a ghost, He was a living being, that incredible man through whom God revealed Himself, made even more incredible by the resurrection. He let them touch Him, to see His wounds. They reported His presence with joy to Thomas, who did not believe them. Thomas is not alone in this unbelief. Many people in the world still do not believe in the Living Lord. They have not had the opportunity to see Him in the flesh like Peter and the others, or Thomas. It is no wonder that they do not believe.
Yet, many people do believe. The resurrection is an incredible miracle, but so is the faith of every believer. We believe not based on the physical presence of Jesus, but on the word of the witnesses. We believe not because we have any sort of proof, but because we have been breathed upon by God and anointed with the Holy Spirit. We believe by the mercy of God, for it is only by His grace can we have faith. We have the Word given to us in the scriptures, to speak the testimony of the witnesses into our lives. As John wrote, “Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name.” We are the blessed ones, because we believe by God’s power, not because we are eyewitnesses or have been given any sort of proof.
This coming Sunday, the first Sunday following Easter, has been historically known as “Low Sunday.” Though the meaning of this is uncertain, to our modern ears it makes perfect sense. The Sunday service following Easter is often the very poorly attended. Perhaps that day seems unimportant compared to the significance of the Holy Week and Easter worship. Perhaps it is a letdown after the celebrations of the week before. Perhaps everyone is exhausted! The pastors and lay people, even those who simply attended, were so busy during Holy Week that they need to rest, so they take a day off. Many pastors take a vacation to recover, and many parishioners skip the Sunday worship when the pastor is away.
It doesn’t help that we hear the same story every year on the Second Sunday of Easter. We hear over and over again the story of Doubting Thomas. It is an uncomfortable story to hear because we think so negatively about doubt, and yet we all experience some level of doubt when it comes to the stories about Jesus Christ, especially during Lent when we are pondering the foundation of our faith. It is always interesting that during the weeks leading up to Easter, the news is filled with reports questioning the truth of Christ and the Christian life. Tombs are located, historical writings surface, books are popular that cast a shadow on the things we have learned in Sunday School and have experienced in worship. These reports cause us to doubt.
However, doubt is not the opposite of faith. Indifference or apathy is the opposite of faith. Doubt makes us question, makes us seek, and makes us study to know and understand. Doubt makes us grow, and it often makes our faith deeper and more real than it was before we had those questions. Thomas doubted. He refused to believe the disciples when they said, “We have seen the Lord.” He needed to see Jesus for himself. Don't we all? Perhaps we can hear the stories of Jesus and believe them to be true, but we also doubt. We need a very real experience of God’s revelation to us for us to truly believe. That revelation comes at Baptism, when the Holy Spirit comes upon us and grants us the faith by which we will live. We can't do it on our own. Without God’s help, we would not only doubt, we would be indifferent because we will not have the faith to believe. Doubt leads us to faith because it makes us seek to know and understand that which God has given to us.
Another name for this Sunday is Quasimodo Sunday. I know you are asking, “Why would we name the first Sunday after Easter after a character from the Victor Hugo story? In reality, the character was named Quasimodo because he was left on the church steps on the Sunday after Easter. The words “quasi modo” in Latin mean “in the manner of new born babes.” Quasimodo was the main character in the story “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” who fights to protect the beautiful Esmeralda. His faith is innocent, his hope is child-like. His name is appropriate, “in the manner of newborn babes.”
Jesus tells Thomas and the other disciples those who believe without seeing is blessed. They have a childlike, innocent faith. That faith is true; it is real because it is not based on human effort but on the work of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet, we all grow up. We all lose our innocence. We face difficulties. We face persecution. We face the attempts by the devil and the world to break our faith and cause us doubt. Doubt is, unfortunately, a part of maturity, because we are forced to define that which we have been given. We are forced to seek out for ourselves the meaning of our faith when it is questioned by the world. Our doubt, and overcoming our doubt, becomes a witness to the world, just like Thomas’s faith has become a witness to us. He doubted, but in the end he made the greatest confession of all, “My Lord and my God.”
Witnessing, as is seen in the story from Acts and Revelation, are the work of both God and the one whom God uses. Together, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the faithful will speak the Word into the lives of those who will hear. In this way, God’s story has been shared with every generation since the resurrection of Jesus.
It isn’t any easier to be a Christian today than it was for those first Christians. I’ve often written about the persecution of Christians around the world, and while we don’t face beheadings in the United States, the danger is becoming more real for all of us than we expect. Could you imagine going before the most powerful authorities in our day and saying, “We must obey God rather than any human authority”? If we were to do that today, we’d be counted as insane, or at least ridiculous.
How often have we heard the distain, even from other Christians, when people talk as if they are doing God’s Will? “She talks to God? And God talks back?” We might just find ourselves in the position when we have to say that we cannot obey human authority over that of God. Will we have the courage to be obedient, even when it seems dangerous? Or will we hide behind locked doors like the disciples? Jesus promised them peace, but they were in the midst of the most difficult turmoil they had ever known. So, when Jesus appeared to them, He reminded them of His promise. Peace would not be found in giving up, in running, or even in hiding. Peace is found in Jesus. That’s where we will find peace, too.
It is a tough job to be a witness. We will face those who hate us because of our faith in Jesus Christ. There are many like Thomas who need more than words to make a confession of faith. There are those like the Jewish and Roman leaders who will try to halt the work of God. There are those who think that any name will do, any path is right. There are many, too many, who believe that they do not need a Savior at all. But we are called to take forgiveness to them anyway, because God has assured us that He will bless the work we do in His name. He has given us His Spirit to teach and guide us on our way.
How will He reveal Himself to you today? Perhaps it will be the kind words of a friend or the awesome power of the weather. Perhaps it will be in a magnificent sunset or someone who needs to get out of the cold. Go about with your work today but be ever mindful of His presence because you just might catch a glimpse of heaven.
And so, let us go forth singing with the psalmist the praise and thanksgiving in our hearts. Let us not be afraid to share the Gospel message with the world. We are witnesses to the amazing things God has done through Christ Jesus our Lord because He has revealed Himself to us in so many ways. The world needs His grace and love and peace, and God calls us to be the vessels through whom He reveals Himself to them. The world needs us to be obedient to God so that they, too, will experience the risen Christ and believe.
April 24, 2025
“Commit your deeds to Yahweh, and your plans shall succeed.” Proverbs 16:3, WEB
I am leaving this afternoon for a four-day crafting retreat at my favorite camp. It is only four days, but the pile of luggage makes it seem as though I’m going somewhere for a month. I feel this way every year, but I’m not overpacking, even though that’s my habit when I travel. I’ve never been very good at packing lightly. I like to take road trips because then I can carry anything I want. I like my own pillows. I like to take extra clothes and shoes just in case something gets wet or the weather surprises. I like to make sure I have more than enough reading material. I usually fill the empty spots with easy to carry projects like prayer beads or woven bookmarks just in case I have a few minutes. I always take my laptop, tablet, e-reader, phone, and all the necessary charging accessories. I also carry a camera bag. I confess that I usually don’t use half the stuff I take, but I feel better having it with me, just in case.
I need a few extra things when I go to the craft retreat. Since I am crafting, I need the materials for the project I’m planning to make while I am there. Since it is a retreat (with a bunch of women) I have to take snacks, including chocolate, because it is impossible to craft without it. I also need linens for my bed and bath. The pile isn’t too bad this year, but it still seems like I’m moving. Even though I only have enough craft supplies for a very specific project, and I’m limiting my extras, I still have a few things packed just in case.
“Just in case” is the attitude that many of the Israelites had in ancient times. They believed in the God of Abraham, but they followed the practices of their neighbors just in case. After all, what harm could it do to pour out an offering to the rain god when the land is suffering from a drought? Why wouldn’t it be helpful to keep an idol on the mantle to honor the local goddess? Even today we will say we believe in God, but we rely on the things of the world just in case.
In today’s scripture passage, Luke tells the story of an encounter Jesus had with a woman who had a long-term infirmity that left her hunched and unable to stand straight. Jesus freed the woman of her infirmity, which upset the leaders in the Temple. It was the Sabbath, and it was unlawful to heal on the Sabbath.
Jesus called the religious leader a hypocrite because he insisted on obeying the law but willingly had mercy when his own interests were at stake. There is a tension in our relationship with God. He demands so much from His people, as we can see in the laws listed in the scriptures. Our God is a jealous God. He has promised to care for us, to give us whatever is necessary to live well in the world He has created. His lovingkindness endures forever, which means that God will always be faithful to His covenant promises and we can trust that He will do what is right. Oh, we may deal with drought once in a while, but it will do no good for us to turn to rain gods “just in case” because there are no true gods but the God who controls the waters above and below the earth.
They were hypocrites because they claimed to be faithful to God’s Word, but they rejected Jesus who was the Word of God made flesh. The woman waited for eighteen years for something in her life to change. When God came, He did not wait another day but offered her immediately the freedom in body and spirit that she needed for so long.
There are so many things that we carry with us in our spiritual lives, and though they may seem good, they are actually extra baggage that keeps our focus away from the one true God. Jesus Christ was God incarnate, standing before them in the Temple that day, healing and granting peace to one of God’s people, but the religious leaders did not see Him as He is because they were so busy carrying the baggage of their self-righteousness and power. What sort of baggage are you carrying today that is keeping you from relying totally on the God you claim to trust? What do you hold on to “just in case” that keeps you from living faith in the only one who can make all things right? Give it to God, and He will make your plans succeed to His glory.
April 25, 2025
“On his way out of the temple Jesus saw a man who had been born blind. His disciples asked Jesus, ‘Master, was this man born blind because of the wrong things he did, or was it the wrong things his parents did?’ Jesus answered, ‘It was not that he or his parents did any wrong thing. But it was so that people would see what God will do in him.’” John 9:1-3, WEB
I used to volunteer at a local inclusive theme park in San Antonio. I remember one crazy day; we had almost too many visitors. Several schools were scheduled to visit, and it was always a challenge when hundreds of people showed up at the front door at the same time.
The parent chaperones were asked to wait patiently while everything was settled. Unfortunately, they were as anxious as everyone else about visiting and they were not patient. They crowded the doors, complained about the disorganization, and some even tried to sneak in through another door.
Meanwhile, we had to continue to do our work. There were other schools and individual families that needed to be served. I am sure it must have been frustrating to see other groups easily entering while they were stuck waiting. I am sure that they did not think it was fair that others were being escorted through the crowds while they had been standing there for a long time. They did not understand our system and could not understand why those latecomers were allowed to go inside while they were stuck outside the door. They took their frustration out on anyone wearing a uniform. I heard the grumbling; those of us on the front line were blamed for their inconvenience.
We are very quick to lay the blame on whoever happens to be in our way when things are not going well for us. Have you ever gotten angry with a driver on the highway? Or the clerk at the grocery store? Or the postal worker at lunch hour? Or your child’s teacher? Or your supervisor? Or a government worker? I’m sure each of us can think of someone with whom we have been angry recently. We blame them for our troubles, whether or not they are really at fault for our frustrations and inconvenience. We do not consider our own role, or the roles of others, in the problem. Perhaps we were driving just a little too fast, making it difficult for that driver to move into the lane to exit. Did the management of that store schedule too few cashiers that day? We know the post office will be crowded at lunchtime: why did we choose to go then? You get the idea: the person we blame might not be at fault.
Now, don’t get me wrong: sometimes other people are at fault. Sometimes that teacher does not know what he’s doing. Sometimes that supervisor really does not do her job properly. Sometimes that government worker is really incompetent. But it would do us well to remember that no one is perfect (not even us), sometimes we are simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Today’s passage is a little hard for us to grasp, because we have a hard time accepting that God would allow someone to suffer blindness for His glory. We say this because we see it as an imperfection, something that makes someone less than good. In Jesus’ day, they even thought imperfections were punishment for past sins. We do suffer the consequences of our sin. For example, some accidents are due to unsafe driving. Some broken relationships are due to our self-centered points of view. Some illness is a direct result of our actions.
But when we look at our suffering from Jesus’ point of view, we see that God can make good things happen out of any situation, even our frustration and inconvenience. God can be glorified even when we are being blamed for the troubles others face. So, let us remember that God has His hands in places we might never expect, and let us stop and consider how God might bring light to the darkness and order to the chaos that troubles us.
April 28, 2025
April 29, 2025
April 30, 2025