The Story of Scripture: Do You Believe in Miracles? 5/22/11
II Kings 4:1-7, John 14:1-14, Hebrews 2:1-4
Last week, my daughter saw me heating up a hot cross bun in the microwave. What is that Daddy? She asked. When I told her what it was, she then shared that 'she didn't like that'. For the record, she had never seen a hot cross bun in her life.
Upon opening the microwave door, she decided that maybe the basic equivalent to a warm doughnut would be a likeable proposition. "Can I have one Daddy?", that was the next question.
Upon answering in the affirmative, I was invited to sit next to her on the dining room bench.
Ah, the miracle happened. I was invited into the inner circle.
This miracle provided me with great satisfaction. In life, I do not need miracles like the
parting waters, sun standing still, fire devouring false prophets, being rescued from lions...
but that is part of our story of faith.
the definition of a miracle: the extraordinary entering human history, with its laws & consequences, cause and effects.
Latin: marvelous event that causes wonder
An event that causes people to think beyond natural forces, to the supernatural, to a superhuman power.
The natural, ‘everyday miracles’, is really called the providence of God. These miracles, they are simply God’s goodness displayed. For believers, they are a daily reminder of the glory of God.
part of the story of Scripture:
Jesus as God/human, teacher, healer, miracle worker
what not to do with a miracle?
explain it: it is not natural or rational
justify it: only God has to answer for it, and God doesn’t answer to anyone
compare it: it is God’s answer to a particular event
what to do?
enjoy it. glory and amaze in it.
Hebrews: God’s gifts to the church
Passage: to pay careful attention to what we have heard, and to not drift away
Consequences of the Law, given by angels…how much more, so great a salvation
· Salvation, announced by the Lord, confirmed by his followers
· Signs
· Wonders
· Various miracles
· Gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to God’s will
Do you believe in miracles?
(al Michaels, famous phrase)
Yes? no? Maybe? Not sure?
The answer doesn't matter.
It is more important, do you believe in the one who can do miracles?
John: Jesus is the Miracle
The one who is preparing a place: to not gloss over this, preparing a place for you, many rooms. We can be where Jesus is. That is a miracle.
The One who is the way: how do we get there? A universal question we wonder about, "follow me, I am the way", that we even have an answer, that is a miracle
The One who is the image of God: what I am doing, God the Father is doing, we are working together. Do you believe that I am in, and my father is in me? If you do, that is a miracle.
The One who showed the image of God to people: believe, and if you can't believe, at least look at the miracles. That deed accompanied word, that is a miracle.
The One who says 'ask anything'.
What would you ask of God?
Money, fame, other shallowness of requests.
How would you like to bring glory to God this day?
If you really need a miracle today, then ask for it. but statistically speaking, we probably don't. Yes, we might think we do,
Sophie: I wouldn't have thought to ask God for a great big laugh regarding a hot cross bun...it wasn't in my creative radar...but I am sure glad God thought of it...and that my friends, is a miracle.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Be Healed
The Story of Scripture: Be Healed 5/15/11
Jeremiah 8:15-22, Mark 2:1-12, Mark 7:24-30
Healing is difficult topic:
1. There is a randomness to healing/not being healed.
2. God is God, and moves in his ways
3. In a purely human sense, all of us are mortal, and we go to the grave.
4. Technological advancements that blur quality of life dynamics.
Quadrant:
Great faith/receive requests Great faith/do not receive request
Little faith/receive requests Little faith/do not receive requests
Different Types of Healing
Physical Healing:
Mental Healing: peace of mind
Emotional Healing: from bitterness, anger
Relational Healing: from conflict, from distance
Spiritual Healing: with God, in one’s spirit
Jeremiah: Sometimes, there is no healing.
We had hoped for peace and healing, but it did not come
--the imminent judgment from Babylon
Isn’t the Lord in Zion? Is her king on the throne?
Summer is past, and we are not saved
Isn’t there a balm in Gilead? Why is there no healing for my people?
Mark 2: Sometimes, Jesus heals.
Give ourselves a moment to imagine this stunning scene
--the sounds of the men climbing on the roof
--ceiling falling around as they dug…people looking up
--Jesus must have had a smile on his face: What he was seeing from
the fully God/fully human perspective.
--did the people help the man on the mat as he was closer to ground?
--I don’t think the religious leaders lifted a finger.
--what was their look when Jesus read through their soul & thought?
--imagine the man, lying on the floor, helpless, when Jesus is discussing with the religious leaders: So that you might know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sin, I tell you…
--get up, take your mat, and go home…AND HE DID JUST THAT
--ultimately, Jesus is interested in the healing of spirit. For that is how we live forever.
Mark 7: Sometimes, we give reason for healing.
A shepherd to the lost sheep of Israel
Impressed by the logic and wisdom of the woman
Always wonder about the people who hear Jesus saying go, it is done. They have to leave, believing, they have to wonder as they go home, they have to have sweaty palms as they open the door to their home, to look at their loved one, to see if what this holy man had said came true.
Paul: II Corinthians 12: God’s strength is made complete in our dependence and weakness.
Jesus: Fully God/Fully Human
Teacher
Healer
Today, if we need healing, and we find it praise God.
If we need healing, and we do not find it, pray to God.
In all situations trust God.
In Jesus, we see the healer was also the teacher.
God is teaching the world through us about his grace. We are part of the story, therefore, let us never travel far from the master storyteller. He is the way, the truth, and the life.
Christ is Risen!
He has risen indeed!
Jeremiah 8:15-22, Mark 2:1-12, Mark 7:24-30
Healing is difficult topic:
1. There is a randomness to healing/not being healed.
2. God is God, and moves in his ways
3. In a purely human sense, all of us are mortal, and we go to the grave.
4. Technological advancements that blur quality of life dynamics.
Quadrant:
Great faith/receive requests Great faith/do not receive request
Little faith/receive requests Little faith/do not receive requests
Different Types of Healing
Physical Healing:
Mental Healing: peace of mind
Emotional Healing: from bitterness, anger
Relational Healing: from conflict, from distance
Spiritual Healing: with God, in one’s spirit
Jeremiah: Sometimes, there is no healing.
We had hoped for peace and healing, but it did not come
--the imminent judgment from Babylon
Isn’t the Lord in Zion? Is her king on the throne?
Summer is past, and we are not saved
Isn’t there a balm in Gilead? Why is there no healing for my people?
Mark 2: Sometimes, Jesus heals.
Give ourselves a moment to imagine this stunning scene
--the sounds of the men climbing on the roof
--ceiling falling around as they dug…people looking up
--Jesus must have had a smile on his face: What he was seeing from
the fully God/fully human perspective.
--did the people help the man on the mat as he was closer to ground?
--I don’t think the religious leaders lifted a finger.
--what was their look when Jesus read through their soul & thought?
--imagine the man, lying on the floor, helpless, when Jesus is discussing with the religious leaders: So that you might know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sin, I tell you…
--get up, take your mat, and go home…AND HE DID JUST THAT
--ultimately, Jesus is interested in the healing of spirit. For that is how we live forever.
Mark 7: Sometimes, we give reason for healing.
A shepherd to the lost sheep of Israel
Impressed by the logic and wisdom of the woman
Always wonder about the people who hear Jesus saying go, it is done. They have to leave, believing, they have to wonder as they go home, they have to have sweaty palms as they open the door to their home, to look at their loved one, to see if what this holy man had said came true.
Paul: II Corinthians 12: God’s strength is made complete in our dependence and weakness.
Jesus: Fully God/Fully Human
Teacher
Healer
Today, if we need healing, and we find it praise God.
If we need healing, and we do not find it, pray to God.
In all situations trust God.
In Jesus, we see the healer was also the teacher.
God is teaching the world through us about his grace. We are part of the story, therefore, let us never travel far from the master storyteller. He is the way, the truth, and the life.
Christ is Risen!
He has risen indeed!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Story of Scripture: Just Like I Said
Deuteronomy 6:1-9, I John 1:5-2:14, John 6:60-69
Parenting brings a completely new and different self-understanding regarding our relationship with God.
Sometimes, and possibly for some of you, I am conjecturing here, might say to yourself, when the screams are loud and the tears are flowing and the legs are kicking and the body is quivering over such audacious requests as ‘time to come to the table’ or ‘we’ll finish watching the tv show later’…in those moments, we might, just might, ask God…
Could we really be this stubborn? This self-focused? Could we really have this short of an attention span? This close to falling off the spiritual equivalent of steps and beds and couches?
At the same time, there are also multiple moments when we also look at children and think of God and wonder…
Could we really be this loved? Could we really bring this much joy and delight to God? Are we really this beautiful?
In short, the answer is yes.
Because we are fully loved by God, and because we can be clueless, we need Jesus to be our teacher. We need him to show us the way.
Jesus is fully God and fully human. He is perfectly qualified to be our teacher. He came to speak and live God’s righteousness and goodness.
In Christ, we find the a heaven-sent teacher, whose substance speaks to the very source of everlasting life.
Teaching the Greatest Commandment: Deuteronomy
In our first passage, Moses is preparing the people to finally enter the land that was promised a generation before. Remember, the people disobey God after the Exodus and have the equivalent of a 40 year time-out. But now they are ready. Moses has gathered them and gotten them ready for their new set of rules for their new home. These rules came from God, for the people. They are rules to be taught, for they are God’s commandments, to be applied in the nation’s daily life.
Why be taught?
--you, your children and grandchildren may fear the Lord God
by keeping the commandments
--and so that you may enjoy long life.
What is God’s commandment?
HEAR: Israel, God is One. Hear that. Listen and embrace that.
OBEY: be careful to obey. Don’t be stubborn, if you follow, there
is a lot of blessing to be had.
LOVE: the greatest commandment in the Bible: Love. Love God
with all your heart, soul and strength.
What do we do with the commandments?
IMPRESS: Impress them upon your children TALK: when you sit at home and walk along the road.
(If I may interject one thought for how this verse applies to our modern living, I would like to say this, which is my personal opinion. It is good to use your eating and travel time to talk together as a family. I know there are a plethora of entertainment options. I’m not saying it is wrong to have a special night where you eat pizza in front of the TV watching a family movie, or that you blare the radio while driving. But, there is a lot of time in meal and travel time that can be used for talk, and important talk, and, from a parental perspective, teaching talk. It is a discipline of time. It is an investment of time, energy and focus. But, it is also an investment with biblical support.)
TIE/BIND/WRITE: There were specific Jewish traditions that
emerge out of this verse. But there are also spiritual value in our day
to having a meaningful verse or saying near you, or displayed for
people to see what your values are.
Teaching the Difficult Commandment: John
This Easter season, we will focus on the Story of Scripture’s central figure: Jesus Christ. Last week, we learned of Jesus as fully God and fully human. This week, we are focusing on Jesus as teacher. The Gospels tell of Jesus’ first teaching: Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near. They also speak of Jesus gathering large crowds and amazing his audiences with wisdom, insight and his power of words. Today’s reading sheds light on a different side of Jesus’ teaching: his words can be difficult to hear and obey.
Jesus was giving a discourse on being the bread of God. The bread from God, not unlike human bread, was to be eaten, and digested.
Jesus told his disciples that ‘He is the body and blood of God, and
the one who wants to live must take his body and blood’
The reaction to this teaching is that many of the disciples grumble. There were more than 12 disciples who followed Jesus. At this point in his ministry, he was wildly popular, and many followed him. But upon hearing a difficult concept, one that stretched and challenged the hearers, the people react much like we might expect. The reaction to a difficult teaching is to recoil, for it challenges our comfortable standard of living we have created for ourselves. This is hard, who can accept this?
It is the end of the first week of training camp
It is the final few days of an extended business trip.
It is the third week of a diet.
This is hard, is it worth it? The disciples ask themselves.
In addition, Jesus hears the complaint, “Are you offended?”
It is Just as I said, “no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him..
What is the reaction? Many disciples leave. They turn their back on Jesus and no longer follow him.
What a tragic end to a story. This is more than giving up the corner office or fast track career, or benefits of club membership. This is being face to face with the One sent by God. This is eating and listening and working alongside the Son of God, and then saying, NO THANKS. This is a big deal.
Out of this shocking turn in the story, Jesus turns to the twelve. With an astounding confidence, devotion to his mission, and self-awareness, Jesus says: how about you? Are you in or are you out?
Peter, the one who often would put his foot in his mouth, he got it. Where else would we go? Seriously, there is no other place on earth that I’d rather be than the road that leads to heaven (SCC). Jesus, I’m in. You have the words of eternal life. They may be difficult, they may challenge every fiber of my being. But I can’t stay away. I can’t stay away from you.
We like to tame Jesus, keep him in a cage and bring him out at our convenience, showing him off like something we own. But the Scripture describes Jesus in a different light. Some descriptions include the Lion from Judah. He is the bread that gives eternal life. He is the bright morning star. He shines in darkness. I am the beginning and the end. I am A through Z. I am the great shepherd who kills the wolves that seek my sheep. I am the one who speaks to demons and commands them to be quiet. Jesus is our teacher. And he is God’s teacher, saying what God wanted to be said. Convenient or not.
Jesus is not neutral. His teachings are not neutral. Sometimes, his teachings are difficult. But they are always good and for our good, and they lead to everlasting life.
Teaching the New Commandment: I John
John, one of those twelve disciples, who would later write to the larger church, includes amazingly profound but simple sayings in his first letter to the church.
--God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all
--If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is
not in us
--If we walk in the light, we have fellowship with one another
--We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands
--Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
These are beautiful and true sayings. In our grey world, they sort of shock our system. There must be some wiggle room in these verses, we rationalize. But in many of John’s words, it is exactly what he says it is.
In the rules of interpretion, rule number one is that the plain and simple reading is correct.
There is a new commandment:
You can’t hate your brother (or sister)
When you love your brother (or sister), you live in the light, and nothing is going to make you stumble.
John includes a poem that has been open to some debate, especially when you look at the greek words that he used. In Koine Greek, there was often multiple ways to say what modern languages have one word for. But generally speaking, this is a poem that speaks to the life cycle, and to spiritual phases that we all go through.
If I may bring a scripture from another part of the Bible, the Apostle Paul is reviewing his life in his letter to Timothy, he tells his disciple: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (II Tim. 4:7)
Children:
--Your sins have been forgiven
--You have known the Father
FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT
Young Adults:
--You have overcome the evil one
--You are strong, and the word of God lives in you
RUN THE RACE
Parents:
--You have known him who is from the beginning
KEEP THE FAITH
Today, on Mother’s Day, we have a family stand up for baptism. In fact, a father and his son both receive the sacrament this day. This child's parents will learn to teach, to teach the truth and to teach what is just and right. And believe it or not, as he grows older, the child might question you. (I know, I know, this is shocking). But you stick to your message. You teach. You teach about one who is greater than you or I. And when he gets it, and when God stands by his promise, you get to say something very gratifying to your child: It is just like I said.
And the reason it is gratifying is not because you win in that moment. It is not because you have emerged for one moment, triumphant in the long game we call parenthood. It is because in that moment, we understand a little bit about what God is like: For God has taught us, and when we have listened, we look to God, like a child looks to his or her parent, looking for that approval, and God’s response is the same: Just like I said.
Today, let us be taught, let us teach, and let us learn from the One whose promise is good, whose performance is faithful and whose perfection brings us to glory.
Whoever claims to live in Christ must walk as Jesus did. And when you obey Christ’s word, God’s love is truly made complete in you.
Just as he said.
Christ is Risen.
He is risen indeed.
Deuteronomy 6:1-9, I John 1:5-2:14, John 6:60-69
Parenting brings a completely new and different self-understanding regarding our relationship with God.
Sometimes, and possibly for some of you, I am conjecturing here, might say to yourself, when the screams are loud and the tears are flowing and the legs are kicking and the body is quivering over such audacious requests as ‘time to come to the table’ or ‘we’ll finish watching the tv show later’…in those moments, we might, just might, ask God…
Could we really be this stubborn? This self-focused? Could we really have this short of an attention span? This close to falling off the spiritual equivalent of steps and beds and couches?
At the same time, there are also multiple moments when we also look at children and think of God and wonder…
Could we really be this loved? Could we really bring this much joy and delight to God? Are we really this beautiful?
In short, the answer is yes.
Because we are fully loved by God, and because we can be clueless, we need Jesus to be our teacher. We need him to show us the way.
Jesus is fully God and fully human. He is perfectly qualified to be our teacher. He came to speak and live God’s righteousness and goodness.
In Christ, we find the a heaven-sent teacher, whose substance speaks to the very source of everlasting life.
Teaching the Greatest Commandment: Deuteronomy
In our first passage, Moses is preparing the people to finally enter the land that was promised a generation before. Remember, the people disobey God after the Exodus and have the equivalent of a 40 year time-out. But now they are ready. Moses has gathered them and gotten them ready for their new set of rules for their new home. These rules came from God, for the people. They are rules to be taught, for they are God’s commandments, to be applied in the nation’s daily life.
Why be taught?
--you, your children and grandchildren may fear the Lord God
by keeping the commandments
--and so that you may enjoy long life.
What is God’s commandment?
HEAR: Israel, God is One. Hear that. Listen and embrace that.
OBEY: be careful to obey. Don’t be stubborn, if you follow, there
is a lot of blessing to be had.
LOVE: the greatest commandment in the Bible: Love. Love God
with all your heart, soul and strength.
What do we do with the commandments?
IMPRESS: Impress them upon your children TALK: when you sit at home and walk along the road.
(If I may interject one thought for how this verse applies to our modern living, I would like to say this, which is my personal opinion. It is good to use your eating and travel time to talk together as a family. I know there are a plethora of entertainment options. I’m not saying it is wrong to have a special night where you eat pizza in front of the TV watching a family movie, or that you blare the radio while driving. But, there is a lot of time in meal and travel time that can be used for talk, and important talk, and, from a parental perspective, teaching talk. It is a discipline of time. It is an investment of time, energy and focus. But, it is also an investment with biblical support.)
TIE/BIND/WRITE: There were specific Jewish traditions that
emerge out of this verse. But there are also spiritual value in our day
to having a meaningful verse or saying near you, or displayed for
people to see what your values are.
Teaching the Difficult Commandment: John
This Easter season, we will focus on the Story of Scripture’s central figure: Jesus Christ. Last week, we learned of Jesus as fully God and fully human. This week, we are focusing on Jesus as teacher. The Gospels tell of Jesus’ first teaching: Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near. They also speak of Jesus gathering large crowds and amazing his audiences with wisdom, insight and his power of words. Today’s reading sheds light on a different side of Jesus’ teaching: his words can be difficult to hear and obey.
Jesus was giving a discourse on being the bread of God. The bread from God, not unlike human bread, was to be eaten, and digested.
Jesus told his disciples that ‘He is the body and blood of God, and
the one who wants to live must take his body and blood’
The reaction to this teaching is that many of the disciples grumble. There were more than 12 disciples who followed Jesus. At this point in his ministry, he was wildly popular, and many followed him. But upon hearing a difficult concept, one that stretched and challenged the hearers, the people react much like we might expect. The reaction to a difficult teaching is to recoil, for it challenges our comfortable standard of living we have created for ourselves. This is hard, who can accept this?
It is the end of the first week of training camp
It is the final few days of an extended business trip.
It is the third week of a diet.
This is hard, is it worth it? The disciples ask themselves.
In addition, Jesus hears the complaint, “Are you offended?”
It is Just as I said, “no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him..
What is the reaction? Many disciples leave. They turn their back on Jesus and no longer follow him.
What a tragic end to a story. This is more than giving up the corner office or fast track career, or benefits of club membership. This is being face to face with the One sent by God. This is eating and listening and working alongside the Son of God, and then saying, NO THANKS. This is a big deal.
Out of this shocking turn in the story, Jesus turns to the twelve. With an astounding confidence, devotion to his mission, and self-awareness, Jesus says: how about you? Are you in or are you out?
Peter, the one who often would put his foot in his mouth, he got it. Where else would we go? Seriously, there is no other place on earth that I’d rather be than the road that leads to heaven (SCC). Jesus, I’m in. You have the words of eternal life. They may be difficult, they may challenge every fiber of my being. But I can’t stay away. I can’t stay away from you.
We like to tame Jesus, keep him in a cage and bring him out at our convenience, showing him off like something we own. But the Scripture describes Jesus in a different light. Some descriptions include the Lion from Judah. He is the bread that gives eternal life. He is the bright morning star. He shines in darkness. I am the beginning and the end. I am A through Z. I am the great shepherd who kills the wolves that seek my sheep. I am the one who speaks to demons and commands them to be quiet. Jesus is our teacher. And he is God’s teacher, saying what God wanted to be said. Convenient or not.
Jesus is not neutral. His teachings are not neutral. Sometimes, his teachings are difficult. But they are always good and for our good, and they lead to everlasting life.
Teaching the New Commandment: I John
John, one of those twelve disciples, who would later write to the larger church, includes amazingly profound but simple sayings in his first letter to the church.
--God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all
--If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is
not in us
--If we walk in the light, we have fellowship with one another
--We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands
--Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
These are beautiful and true sayings. In our grey world, they sort of shock our system. There must be some wiggle room in these verses, we rationalize. But in many of John’s words, it is exactly what he says it is.
In the rules of interpretion, rule number one is that the plain and simple reading is correct.
There is a new commandment:
You can’t hate your brother (or sister)
When you love your brother (or sister), you live in the light, and nothing is going to make you stumble.
John includes a poem that has been open to some debate, especially when you look at the greek words that he used. In Koine Greek, there was often multiple ways to say what modern languages have one word for. But generally speaking, this is a poem that speaks to the life cycle, and to spiritual phases that we all go through.
If I may bring a scripture from another part of the Bible, the Apostle Paul is reviewing his life in his letter to Timothy, he tells his disciple: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (II Tim. 4:7)
Children:
--Your sins have been forgiven
--You have known the Father
FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT
Young Adults:
--You have overcome the evil one
--You are strong, and the word of God lives in you
RUN THE RACE
Parents:
--You have known him who is from the beginning
KEEP THE FAITH
Today, on Mother’s Day, we have a family stand up for baptism. In fact, a father and his son both receive the sacrament this day. This child's parents will learn to teach, to teach the truth and to teach what is just and right. And believe it or not, as he grows older, the child might question you. (I know, I know, this is shocking). But you stick to your message. You teach. You teach about one who is greater than you or I. And when he gets it, and when God stands by his promise, you get to say something very gratifying to your child: It is just like I said.
And the reason it is gratifying is not because you win in that moment. It is not because you have emerged for one moment, triumphant in the long game we call parenthood. It is because in that moment, we understand a little bit about what God is like: For God has taught us, and when we have listened, we look to God, like a child looks to his or her parent, looking for that approval, and God’s response is the same: Just like I said.
Today, let us be taught, let us teach, and let us learn from the One whose promise is good, whose performance is faithful and whose perfection brings us to glory.
Whoever claims to live in Christ must walk as Jesus did. And when you obey Christ’s word, God’s love is truly made complete in you.
Just as he said.
Christ is Risen.
He is risen indeed.
Monday, May 2, 2011
The Story of Scripture
The Story of Scripture: Leaving It All With All You Have 5/1/11
Isaiah 9:6-7, John 1:1-18, Philippians 2:1-11
Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled the most successful kingdom in the whole wide world. He drank out of golden goblets, the finest chefs prepared the tastiest and healthiest meals imaginable, what he said was law, in fact, he was the law and the rule. He lived in the finest palace and was well liked by everyone. The people thought he could do no wrong, hard for a someone in government to accomplish. Oh yeah, did I mention the weather was always 70 degrees and sunny?
And one day, the king got up from his elaborate bedroom, ready for another day of policy-making and luxury living. He looked outside his palace and decided that he should give it all up. And he did. He got dressed, and walked out the door. He found a humble dwelling near the edge of town, and asked to stay there in exchange for his 12 hours a day of hard manual labor. The king went on to live like this for the next three decades, and then he died.
Quite a story, isn’t it?
It is a story not unlike the story of our King: The King of kings.
During Lent, we focused on the prophets, and their message of repentance and return to the Lord. During Easter, as part of our year long study of the story of Scripture, we will look at Jesus Christ.
Our focus will be on Jesus and the roles he filled during his time in Israel: Jesus was God and human, Teacher, healer, miracle worker, story teller, Lord and Savior.
What Jesus did was like an episode of Undercover Boss, only his reward was to bring the sons and daughters back into the presence of God and grant everlasting life. Jesus said, “Here I am, and the children God has given me”.
Jesus: Left it all
Jesus: with all he was, continued in God’s service.
Jesus becomes the mystery: God and human.
I was trying to think of a way for us to wrap our minds around this concept. And I think I found one in the ballpark. I’ll give you three clues to whom I am referencing:
1. Faster than a speeding bullet
2. more powerful than a locomotive
3. able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
Is it a bird? A Plane? No, it’s Ubermensch!
Superman!!!
Superman:
Similarities:
Came from a far away place to earth (Kansas)
Taken in and raised by human parents
He was human and super-human (Clark Kent and Superman)
Strong morality for the purpose of bettering humanity
Man of Steel and Man of Tomorrow are nicknames that could fit Jesus.
Sought to right wrongs of the era’s they lived
Ubermensch is coined by Frederick Nietzsche, who envisioned a
perfect man beyond moral codes, where Superman and Jesus, live
within morality and culture.
Fought social injustice, tyranny, racism
Emerge out of Great Depressions as Hero’s to the masses
Yet as immigrants, they seek to balance living between two cultures
Men of Peace (original Superman wasn’t, but he takes a vow not to kill)
Superman’s Kryptonite name: Kal-El (Hebrew, voice of God)
Powers caused loneliness on earth
Die and later come back to life
Differences:
Superman a fictional character
Superman’s appearance is distinctive
Extraordinary feats of strength that break the laws of nature
Batman: admonished Superman for being too human
Kryptonite:
Commentary: “Only a man with superpowers can survive in this world”
No longer an American citizen, he joined citizen non-violent protestors in Iran, urging for a change in the government, the Iranian government viewed this as an act of war, and the United States National Security Advisor sits Superman down to talk, upon which Superman decides it is better to fight injustice from a global perspective.
(I’m not making this up—supermanhomepage.com)
Ultimately, Superman gets our imagination working, and our minds exercising, so that we can pursue a deeper knowledge of Jesus. But like all human examples, it does fall short. Scripture provides our best guide.
Isaiah
The Prophet Isaiah, 800 years before Christ is born, is predicting what the future Messiah will be. What does he say about the Messiah embracing deity and humanity?
Wonderful Counselor: with wisdom and knowledge straight from God
Mighty God: remember, the Jewish perception was the Messiah would be a human, and yet here, for the first time, is also referenced as deity
Everlasting Father: eternal
Prince of Peace over David’s Throne, ruling with justice and righteousness
John
With God, was God, was with God in the beginning
In the world, but the world didn’t recognize him
Word became flesh, and dwelt among us
Embodied grace and truth
God has made him known
Philippians
Being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped
Made himself nothing, and took on the nature of a servant
Made in human likeness and appearance as a man
For you and I: we are called to follow this Christ with all of our heart, strength, soul, spirit and heart.
We are called to leave all that hinders us from Christ behind, and to follow the Lord with all we have.
We are not God, but Scripture does provide descriptions of how we should become: godly, Christ-like, Spirit-filled. We are not to be like the world, we are to leave that behind. We are to be like Christ, going after that with all of our might.
And we do not do this alone: alongside others we become like-minded, having one love, being one in spirit and purpose. We do not live out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but we take on humility. We consider others better than ourselves. We look out for other people and their interests. We take the attitude of Jesus Christ.
The end goal of being Christ-like is eternal life. In Christ is light, the light that shines before all. We all will bow, but it is better to bow with Christ’s life within us, rather than the forces of darkness.
God exalted Christ to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every other name. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven, and earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Christ is Risen! He has risen indeed.
Isaiah 9:6-7, John 1:1-18, Philippians 2:1-11
Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled the most successful kingdom in the whole wide world. He drank out of golden goblets, the finest chefs prepared the tastiest and healthiest meals imaginable, what he said was law, in fact, he was the law and the rule. He lived in the finest palace and was well liked by everyone. The people thought he could do no wrong, hard for a someone in government to accomplish. Oh yeah, did I mention the weather was always 70 degrees and sunny?
And one day, the king got up from his elaborate bedroom, ready for another day of policy-making and luxury living. He looked outside his palace and decided that he should give it all up. And he did. He got dressed, and walked out the door. He found a humble dwelling near the edge of town, and asked to stay there in exchange for his 12 hours a day of hard manual labor. The king went on to live like this for the next three decades, and then he died.
Quite a story, isn’t it?
It is a story not unlike the story of our King: The King of kings.
During Lent, we focused on the prophets, and their message of repentance and return to the Lord. During Easter, as part of our year long study of the story of Scripture, we will look at Jesus Christ.
Our focus will be on Jesus and the roles he filled during his time in Israel: Jesus was God and human, Teacher, healer, miracle worker, story teller, Lord and Savior.
What Jesus did was like an episode of Undercover Boss, only his reward was to bring the sons and daughters back into the presence of God and grant everlasting life. Jesus said, “Here I am, and the children God has given me”.
Jesus: Left it all
Jesus: with all he was, continued in God’s service.
Jesus becomes the mystery: God and human.
I was trying to think of a way for us to wrap our minds around this concept. And I think I found one in the ballpark. I’ll give you three clues to whom I am referencing:
1. Faster than a speeding bullet
2. more powerful than a locomotive
3. able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
Is it a bird? A Plane? No, it’s Ubermensch!
Superman!!!
Superman:
Similarities:
Came from a far away place to earth (Kansas)
Taken in and raised by human parents
He was human and super-human (Clark Kent and Superman)
Strong morality for the purpose of bettering humanity
Man of Steel and Man of Tomorrow are nicknames that could fit Jesus.
Sought to right wrongs of the era’s they lived
Ubermensch is coined by Frederick Nietzsche, who envisioned a
perfect man beyond moral codes, where Superman and Jesus, live
within morality and culture.
Fought social injustice, tyranny, racism
Emerge out of Great Depressions as Hero’s to the masses
Yet as immigrants, they seek to balance living between two cultures
Men of Peace (original Superman wasn’t, but he takes a vow not to kill)
Superman’s Kryptonite name: Kal-El (Hebrew, voice of God)
Powers caused loneliness on earth
Die and later come back to life
Differences:
Superman a fictional character
Superman’s appearance is distinctive
Extraordinary feats of strength that break the laws of nature
Batman: admonished Superman for being too human
Kryptonite:
Commentary: “Only a man with superpowers can survive in this world”
No longer an American citizen, he joined citizen non-violent protestors in Iran, urging for a change in the government, the Iranian government viewed this as an act of war, and the United States National Security Advisor sits Superman down to talk, upon which Superman decides it is better to fight injustice from a global perspective.
(I’m not making this up—supermanhomepage.com)
Ultimately, Superman gets our imagination working, and our minds exercising, so that we can pursue a deeper knowledge of Jesus. But like all human examples, it does fall short. Scripture provides our best guide.
Isaiah
The Prophet Isaiah, 800 years before Christ is born, is predicting what the future Messiah will be. What does he say about the Messiah embracing deity and humanity?
Wonderful Counselor: with wisdom and knowledge straight from God
Mighty God: remember, the Jewish perception was the Messiah would be a human, and yet here, for the first time, is also referenced as deity
Everlasting Father: eternal
Prince of Peace over David’s Throne, ruling with justice and righteousness
John
With God, was God, was with God in the beginning
In the world, but the world didn’t recognize him
Word became flesh, and dwelt among us
Embodied grace and truth
God has made him known
Philippians
Being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped
Made himself nothing, and took on the nature of a servant
Made in human likeness and appearance as a man
For you and I: we are called to follow this Christ with all of our heart, strength, soul, spirit and heart.
We are called to leave all that hinders us from Christ behind, and to follow the Lord with all we have.
We are not God, but Scripture does provide descriptions of how we should become: godly, Christ-like, Spirit-filled. We are not to be like the world, we are to leave that behind. We are to be like Christ, going after that with all of our might.
And we do not do this alone: alongside others we become like-minded, having one love, being one in spirit and purpose. We do not live out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but we take on humility. We consider others better than ourselves. We look out for other people and their interests. We take the attitude of Jesus Christ.
The end goal of being Christ-like is eternal life. In Christ is light, the light that shines before all. We all will bow, but it is better to bow with Christ’s life within us, rather than the forces of darkness.
God exalted Christ to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every other name. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven, and earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Christ is Risen! He has risen indeed.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Hurray! Jesus is here
The Story of Scripture: Hurray! Jesus is Here
Genesis 2:15-17, Matthew 1:18-25, Matthew 28:1-10
It is a special day, one of the most cherished days on the church and world’s calendar, celebrated by hundreds of millions of people. It was a day that changed everything. The world was never the same because of the events that are celebrated. There is magic in the air centered around the joy and happiness people feel. The day inspires us to feel and act in a more caring and loving way. The spirit we feel is because of a miracle. And yes, the season also brings any grief we might feel to the surface, because the event brings us face to face with the solution to mortality. In the church, this day is so special that we take more than just one day to celebrate it. It is such a beautiful day because it reminds us of the reality that Jesus is here.
Of course, this special day I am talking about is…Christmas.
Yes, you heard me correctly.
Christmas.
Christmas? On Easter? What is going on?
When we mapped out our year long study of the Story of Scripture, God, in his great kindness, allowed our schedule of the end of the Hebrew Scriptures and the beginning of the Gospels to fall on today: Easter Sunday. How fantastic is that? For both Christmas and Easter have the same message for the bookends of birth and resurrection: Jesus is here!
Genesis 2:15-17
Reviewing our yearlong story of Scripture, we remember one of our early readings. The story of the Garden of Eden gave humanity its destiny. This destiny was from God, and it was for our good. It contained promise, permission and one prohibition.
Promise. Work the Garden and take care of it.
Permission. You are free to eat of any tree in the garden.
Prohibition. Do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Yet the people disobeyed the one command. And they got what they wanted. We can know. We can know good. We can know evil. Humanity brought upon itself blessing and curse. When we know evil, it separates people from their Holy God.
Matthew 1:18-25
Relying on the destiny of humankind, given by God, as one of promise, permission and prohibition, we continued on through the story of Scripture. We heard of Abraham and Israel, Joseph and Moses, slavery in Egypt and Let my people go. We heard of wilderness wandering and law for the covenant community. What was Israel’s job? To be God’s people in the world, and eventually give birth to a Messiah.
As the story goes on, the people do not always follow God, they demand earthly leadership, and turn to kings. The kings often do not bring people closer to God. Eventually the people forsake God and turn to idols, and are judged by world empires Assyria, Babylon and Persia. And finally, during the Persian Empire, the people are allowed to return to their land. Through all the ups and downs, prophets guide the people. We looked at some of these prophets during Lent.
The last prophet in Hebrew Scripture was someone named Malachi. He tells that one is coming who will announce the coming of the Messiah. 400 years later, John the Baptist announces Jesus Christ and his public ministry.
We were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. At just the right time, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of being children of God. Because you are God’s children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Father, Father”. So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and since you are a son, God has made you an heir
--Galatians 4:4-6
But before Jesus became a public minister of his Heavenly Father, there was that miracle: Birth, as a baby. The Messiah would surely come in triumph and military power. He came as a baby, weak and dependant.
Mary took care of him. Mary had him inside her, and grew him and gave birth to him, and cared for him and raised him. And Joseph partnered with Mary, at first skeptical of this holy miracle, announced by an angel, Joseph seeks to be honorable. But honor was staying with Mary, and raising this child, who had come from the heavens.
Mary and Joseph, this child…you should name him Jesus, because he is the savior! He will rescue the people from their sins.
Do you remember the prophet Isaiah: He said long ago, that the virgin would be with child and that child would be Immanuel. God is with us!
It all seemed like a dream to Joseph, because, quite frankly, it was. But dreams do come true. And this one did. Not in a comfortable home, but in a barn, for there was no room at the inn. The sheep and cows joined God’s chosen parents, in welcoming a little child. This little child would grow up to be Savior. But in the beginning, I imagine Mary and Joseph only had one thought when they looked into that baby’s eyes:
Hurray! Jesus is here.
Matthew 28:1-10
Last Sunday we observed Palm Sunday, the story includes praise to the King, as Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem. The story ended well.
No, he died. You didn’t hear. The whole city knows about it. He died. Jesus died.
That is what is great about stories. There is a point when challenge questions a hopeful outcome, when it is dark, when it doesn’t look good. Jesus had died. What did the disciples talk about when they were locked up in their rooms, hiding out of fear of Roman authorities? Did doubt seep in?
After the Sabbath, the day where rest was commanded, but also the day after Jesus had died, and there was so much to do, as soon as Mary and Mary were able, they went to look at the tomb.
What were they looking for?
An earthquake violently erupts. And Angel of the LORD comes down from heaven. The angel goes to the tomb and Rolls back the stone…and sits on it. Upon seeing this angel, whose appearance was like lightning and bright like snow, the guards charged with keeping the tomb shook, almost dying.
Mary, the angel says. Don’t be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus. He was crucified. But he is not here. He is not here in this gravesite. He has risen. Do you remember, that is what he said he was going to do! Go ahead, look inside. Look for yourselves. And after you do that, go quickly and tell those disciples (who aren’t here), he has risen from the dead. And he is going to Galilee. That is where you’ll get to see him.
And the angel said what the angel needed to say.
The women, they are so nervous, so filled with excitement and anxiety, they run. They run to get those disciples. And then Jesus met them.
Greetings, Jesus said.
There he was. There was Jesus. Right before the women. They fell down to worship. They held on. He was there. It was him.
And Jesus repeats the angel’s message: Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers, go to Galilee and we will see each other.
Hurray! Jesus is here.
The message of Christmas is the same message of Easter. Hurray! Jesus is here.
Christ is risen.
Genesis 2:15-17, Matthew 1:18-25, Matthew 28:1-10
It is a special day, one of the most cherished days on the church and world’s calendar, celebrated by hundreds of millions of people. It was a day that changed everything. The world was never the same because of the events that are celebrated. There is magic in the air centered around the joy and happiness people feel. The day inspires us to feel and act in a more caring and loving way. The spirit we feel is because of a miracle. And yes, the season also brings any grief we might feel to the surface, because the event brings us face to face with the solution to mortality. In the church, this day is so special that we take more than just one day to celebrate it. It is such a beautiful day because it reminds us of the reality that Jesus is here.
Of course, this special day I am talking about is…Christmas.
Yes, you heard me correctly.
Christmas.
Christmas? On Easter? What is going on?
When we mapped out our year long study of the Story of Scripture, God, in his great kindness, allowed our schedule of the end of the Hebrew Scriptures and the beginning of the Gospels to fall on today: Easter Sunday. How fantastic is that? For both Christmas and Easter have the same message for the bookends of birth and resurrection: Jesus is here!
Genesis 2:15-17
Reviewing our yearlong story of Scripture, we remember one of our early readings. The story of the Garden of Eden gave humanity its destiny. This destiny was from God, and it was for our good. It contained promise, permission and one prohibition.
Promise. Work the Garden and take care of it.
Permission. You are free to eat of any tree in the garden.
Prohibition. Do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Yet the people disobeyed the one command. And they got what they wanted. We can know. We can know good. We can know evil. Humanity brought upon itself blessing and curse. When we know evil, it separates people from their Holy God.
Matthew 1:18-25
Relying on the destiny of humankind, given by God, as one of promise, permission and prohibition, we continued on through the story of Scripture. We heard of Abraham and Israel, Joseph and Moses, slavery in Egypt and Let my people go. We heard of wilderness wandering and law for the covenant community. What was Israel’s job? To be God’s people in the world, and eventually give birth to a Messiah.
As the story goes on, the people do not always follow God, they demand earthly leadership, and turn to kings. The kings often do not bring people closer to God. Eventually the people forsake God and turn to idols, and are judged by world empires Assyria, Babylon and Persia. And finally, during the Persian Empire, the people are allowed to return to their land. Through all the ups and downs, prophets guide the people. We looked at some of these prophets during Lent.
The last prophet in Hebrew Scripture was someone named Malachi. He tells that one is coming who will announce the coming of the Messiah. 400 years later, John the Baptist announces Jesus Christ and his public ministry.
We were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. At just the right time, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of being children of God. Because you are God’s children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Father, Father”. So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and since you are a son, God has made you an heir
--Galatians 4:4-6
But before Jesus became a public minister of his Heavenly Father, there was that miracle: Birth, as a baby. The Messiah would surely come in triumph and military power. He came as a baby, weak and dependant.
Mary took care of him. Mary had him inside her, and grew him and gave birth to him, and cared for him and raised him. And Joseph partnered with Mary, at first skeptical of this holy miracle, announced by an angel, Joseph seeks to be honorable. But honor was staying with Mary, and raising this child, who had come from the heavens.
Mary and Joseph, this child…you should name him Jesus, because he is the savior! He will rescue the people from their sins.
Do you remember the prophet Isaiah: He said long ago, that the virgin would be with child and that child would be Immanuel. God is with us!
It all seemed like a dream to Joseph, because, quite frankly, it was. But dreams do come true. And this one did. Not in a comfortable home, but in a barn, for there was no room at the inn. The sheep and cows joined God’s chosen parents, in welcoming a little child. This little child would grow up to be Savior. But in the beginning, I imagine Mary and Joseph only had one thought when they looked into that baby’s eyes:
Hurray! Jesus is here.
Matthew 28:1-10
Last Sunday we observed Palm Sunday, the story includes praise to the King, as Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem. The story ended well.
No, he died. You didn’t hear. The whole city knows about it. He died. Jesus died.
That is what is great about stories. There is a point when challenge questions a hopeful outcome, when it is dark, when it doesn’t look good. Jesus had died. What did the disciples talk about when they were locked up in their rooms, hiding out of fear of Roman authorities? Did doubt seep in?
After the Sabbath, the day where rest was commanded, but also the day after Jesus had died, and there was so much to do, as soon as Mary and Mary were able, they went to look at the tomb.
What were they looking for?
An earthquake violently erupts. And Angel of the LORD comes down from heaven. The angel goes to the tomb and Rolls back the stone…and sits on it. Upon seeing this angel, whose appearance was like lightning and bright like snow, the guards charged with keeping the tomb shook, almost dying.
Mary, the angel says. Don’t be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus. He was crucified. But he is not here. He is not here in this gravesite. He has risen. Do you remember, that is what he said he was going to do! Go ahead, look inside. Look for yourselves. And after you do that, go quickly and tell those disciples (who aren’t here), he has risen from the dead. And he is going to Galilee. That is where you’ll get to see him.
And the angel said what the angel needed to say.
The women, they are so nervous, so filled with excitement and anxiety, they run. They run to get those disciples. And then Jesus met them.
Greetings, Jesus said.
There he was. There was Jesus. Right before the women. They fell down to worship. They held on. He was there. It was him.
And Jesus repeats the angel’s message: Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers, go to Galilee and we will see each other.
Hurray! Jesus is here.
The message of Christmas is the same message of Easter. Hurray! Jesus is here.
Christ is risen.
Friday, April 22, 2011
I Remember
I Remember
The cross is where Jesus remembered you and me.
Only God and his Son can say “I remember”, and do so perfectly.
Isaiah 52:13-53:12, the passion story
“As we face the cross, we can say to ourselves both ‘I did it, my sins sent him there’ and ‘he did it, his love took him there’” John Stott
I was reading this week about the golden era of the Greek Empire. It was an era in history where the written word was slowly replacing the spoken word as the way of preserving the past. Poets were the stars of the day. They had written down clever and helpful ways of telling the stories of the past, and these written ways were then dramatically proclaimed to the gathered crowd in the amphitheatre. Some ancient amphitheaters held up to 17,000 people at one time. And they were there to hear a story told and unfold. They were there to hear how their story mingled with the universal themes of being human. Their stories were of gods and men, fate and destiny, tragedy and triumph. Their stories spoke to the heart and captivated the mind. Their stories were told in community and were a reason to gather, they were an event.
In the story of the cross, humans encounter the most dramatic and shocking story ever told. It is a story of me, and how my sin caused God to leave the heavens. It is a story of God, and how his love caused him to come and rescue the sons and daughters of Adam.
Who was watching this divine drama as it actually happened?
Who were the people watching, and their reasons for doing so:
· The religious council of priests and teachers watched: watching every word of Jesus, hoping he would slip up, ready to pounce upon him
· Pilate watched, interrupted, being political
· Herod watched, looking for a magic show, and not getting one
· Simon the Cyrene watched, a visitor to town pausing to look at a procession passing before him, he is brought onto the stage
· The weeping women watched: shocked and saddened at the injustice of the whole situation
· Two criminals watched, they woke up that day to find it was the last day of their life. Did they know they would meet God before going to meet God?
· Soldiers watched, doing their job, making a difficult finish to those punished by the state. Were they able to see innocence as they looked upon the suffering Jesus?
· Creation: becoming dark, it was the only appropriate response
· Centurion: surely this was a righteous man. How did he say this? Was he angry at what he just saw? Did he realize the error of the situation part way through the crucifixion
· The gathered crowd SAW, beat their breasts and walked away. What else could one do?
· Those who knew him (and who had followed him), stood at a distance, WATCHING these things. Did eyes of faith know that the story was not finished? Or hope? Or pray?
· Joseph: he was waiting for the kingdom of God. Was his wait nearly finished? Or did it seem farther than ever after this event?
· The women preparing for burial: bringing dignity, tradition and honor to a difficult situation.
· Ultimately, God and heaven. A Father watched his only Son die. Heaven sees the eternal worshipped one meet an earthly end.
Surely the story wasn’t supposed to be like this. But it was. Once sin entered, this was the only solution. God’s love sent Jesus.
What did the people watch? And you and I, what do we watch through the reading and listening of this story? What do we do with this story? In a word, we “remember”.
We remember the human plea, the divine pleasure and the new promise.
We remember THE HUMAN PLEA
Jesus remember me: The thief says
Here is a wise man.
He understood his time had come.
He understood his just sentence.
He encounters someone who is innocent and defends him.
He sees by faith who this person was.
Jesus remember me: you and I say
We sing the words of the Scripture, and they act as a plea to the Holy
God of the universe.
We are more like the thief than we are like Jesus.
And so we ask for mercy from the one that we have come to know as
good and true, Jesus, remember me.
We remember THE DIVINE PLEASURE
Jesus remembers the thief: Today you will be with me in paradise.
This is an astonishing statement. Two men dying next to one another. This story was not going to end well. Jesus looks to this man, in the midst of a horrible situation, and says Today. Today, we are going to paradise.
Jesus remembers you and I:
Isaiah wrote, “After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light
of life and be satisfied.”
Jesus remembers you and I.
In his god-ness, he remembered you and I while suffering on a cross.
It pleases the Lord to save. That is why Jesus died, to save. To bring back the sons and daughters of Adam into the presence of God. When we come, it pleases God. It is another fulfillment toward the divine desire, the divine pleasure, that we might have eternal life, forgiven and freed.
God kicked humans out of the garden. If we would have eaten from the tree of life in our fallen states, we would live forever marred by sin.
God was pleased to send Jesus. Finding him, we find eternal life, one that triumphs over the enemies of sin, death and devil. An eternal life lived in the presence of God; pure beauty, abundant life, divine holiness, friendship with the living God. That is God’s pleasure.
We remember THE NEW PROMISE
The new promise we make: I remember Jesus:
Lent calls us to repentance. The Holy Week events bring us face to face with Jesus and his sacrificial work. We remember as we look to Jesus. We take part in the amphitheater of life, looking at the true and real divine tragedy, and we see Jesus. It is Jesus that we remember. I remember Jesus.
‘I remember’ Jesus says.
The punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Proclaimed the prophet Isaiah.
Jesus won the victory. The resurrection was the proof that death could not bind the perfect Son of God. Resurrection validates the cross, but we get ahead of ourselves.
“As we face the cross, we can say to ourselves both ‘I did it, my sins sent him there’ and ‘he did it, his love took him there’” John Stott
I was reading this week about the golden era of the Greek Empire. It was an era in history where the written word was slowly replacing the spoken word as the way of preserving the past. Poets were the stars of the day. They had written down clever and helpful ways of telling the stories of the past, and these written ways were then dramatically proclaimed to the gathered crowd in the amphitheatre. Some ancient amphitheaters held up to 17,000 people at one time. And they were there to hear a story told and unfold. They were there to hear how their story mingled with the universal themes of being human. Their stories were of gods and men, fate and destiny, tragedy and triumph. Their stories spoke to the heart and captivated the mind. Their stories were told in community and were a reason to gather, they were an event.
In the story of the cross, humans encounter the most dramatic and shocking story ever told. It is a story of me, and how my sin caused God to leave the heavens. It is a story of God, and how his love caused him to come and rescue the sons and daughters of Adam.
Who was watching this divine drama as it actually happened?
Who were the people watching, and their reasons for doing so:
· The religious council of priests and teachers watched: watching every word of Jesus, hoping he would slip up, ready to pounce upon him
· Pilate watched, interrupted, being political
· Herod watched, looking for a magic show, and not getting one
· Simon the Cyrene watched, a visitor to town pausing to look at a procession passing before him, he is brought onto the stage
· The weeping women watched: shocked and saddened at the injustice of the whole situation
· Two criminals watched, they woke up that day to find it was the last day of their life. Did they know they would meet God before going to meet God?
· Soldiers watched, doing their job, making a difficult finish to those punished by the state. Were they able to see innocence as they looked upon the suffering Jesus?
· Creation: becoming dark, it was the only appropriate response
· Centurion: surely this was a righteous man. How did he say this? Was he angry at what he just saw? Did he realize the error of the situation part way through the crucifixion
· The gathered crowd SAW, beat their breasts and walked away. What else could one do?
· Those who knew him (and who had followed him), stood at a distance, WATCHING these things. Did eyes of faith know that the story was not finished? Or hope? Or pray?
· Joseph: he was waiting for the kingdom of God. Was his wait nearly finished? Or did it seem farther than ever after this event?
· The women preparing for burial: bringing dignity, tradition and honor to a difficult situation.
· Ultimately, God and heaven. A Father watched his only Son die. Heaven sees the eternal worshipped one meet an earthly end.
Surely the story wasn’t supposed to be like this. But it was. Once sin entered, this was the only solution. God’s love sent Jesus.
What did the people watch? And you and I, what do we watch through the reading and listening of this story? What do we do with this story? In a word, we “remember”.
We remember the human plea, the divine pleasure and the new promise.
We remember THE HUMAN PLEA
Jesus remember me: The thief says
Here is a wise man.
He understood his time had come.
He understood his just sentence.
He encounters someone who is innocent and defends him.
He sees by faith who this person was.
Jesus remember me: you and I say
We sing the words of the Scripture, and they act as a plea to the Holy
God of the universe.
We are more like the thief than we are like Jesus.
And so we ask for mercy from the one that we have come to know as
good and true, Jesus, remember me.
We remember THE DIVINE PLEASURE
Jesus remembers the thief: Today you will be with me in paradise.
This is an astonishing statement. Two men dying next to one another. This story was not going to end well. Jesus looks to this man, in the midst of a horrible situation, and says Today. Today, we are going to paradise.
Jesus remembers you and I:
Isaiah wrote, “After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light
of life and be satisfied.”
Jesus remembers you and I.
In his god-ness, he remembered you and I while suffering on a cross.
It pleases the Lord to save. That is why Jesus died, to save. To bring back the sons and daughters of Adam into the presence of God. When we come, it pleases God. It is another fulfillment toward the divine desire, the divine pleasure, that we might have eternal life, forgiven and freed.
God kicked humans out of the garden. If we would have eaten from the tree of life in our fallen states, we would live forever marred by sin.
God was pleased to send Jesus. Finding him, we find eternal life, one that triumphs over the enemies of sin, death and devil. An eternal life lived in the presence of God; pure beauty, abundant life, divine holiness, friendship with the living God. That is God’s pleasure.
We remember THE NEW PROMISE
The new promise we make: I remember Jesus:
Lent calls us to repentance. The Holy Week events bring us face to face with Jesus and his sacrificial work. We remember as we look to Jesus. We take part in the amphitheater of life, looking at the true and real divine tragedy, and we see Jesus. It is Jesus that we remember. I remember Jesus.
‘I remember’ Jesus says.
The punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Proclaimed the prophet Isaiah.
Jesus won the victory. The resurrection was the proof that death could not bind the perfect Son of God. Resurrection validates the cross, but we get ahead of ourselves.
The cross is where Jesus remembered you and me.
Only God and his Son can say “I remember”, and do so perfectly.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Someone's Calling
Someone’s Calling
Malachi 4, Matthew 3:1-13, Matthew 21:1-11
Someone’s Calling: The Story of Scripture
God: to creation: out of nothing, creation bursts forth
God: in the garden, to humankind, “Where are you?
God: to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
God: to Noah, “Go and build and Ark” (the scripture says up until that time it had not rained)
God: to Abraham, “I will make you into a great nation” (Abraham and Sarah were barren)
God: to Abraham, “I need your one and only son” That was everything to Abraham, but he acknowledged “God will provide”
God: to Jacob, who was aware, “Surely God was in this place and I did not know it”
God: to Jacob, “I am giving you a new name”
Pharaoh: to Joseph, prepare the land for a famine
God: to Moses, “Moses! Moses!” (by name), “I am your God”, “Go to Pharaoh and say, ‘Let my people go!’”
Moses: to the Israelites through law, “Thou shalt not have any gods before
the LORD.
God: To Joshua, Get ready to cross the Jordan and enter the land I promised you.
(Isaiah had said, when you pass through the deep waters, I will be with you)
God: To Samuel, “Go and Tell Eli” (a youth called to confront a powerful yet unjust priest)
God: To Elijah, “What are you doing here? There are 7000 that have not bowed the knee to false gods”
God: To Isaiah, Who shall go for me? Whom shall I send? Tell them…
God: To Jeremiah, “Before I formed you, I knew you”
God: to Habakkuk, “Write this down, you won’t believe it”
Nebuchadnezzar: to Daniel, “Come out from the den if God has rescued you”
Artaxerxes: To Nehemiah, Return to your land
Malachi: to the people, Revere the name of God, and the sun of righteousness will rise up with healing in its wings.
Tell the people; Elijah is coming, and he will announce the Lord’s coming. He’ll turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the children back to their fathers. Or else.
(the understanding that Elijah was going to return and announce the coming of the Messiah. Jesus states that if the people could accept it, John the Baptist was the Elijah to come)
John the Baptist: to the crowds
Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance
Don’t rely on your past merits and your titles
God will raise up children from these stones, don’t feel entitlement
I am baptizing with water, but one is coming after me, who will
baptize with the Holy Spirit.
The crowds: to Jesus
Praise the Lord. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Jesus: to the skeptics: If the people stay quiet, the stones will cry out.
Someone’s Calling: TO YOU & TO ME
Common Responses to Call:
Fear: fear of the unknown
Anxiety: change can be challenging
Wonder: the heart begins to expand
Adventure: we respond to the invitation
Getting to work: obey and follow Jesus.
Faith: what keeps us going.
Fear and Anxiety are the negative extreme. Wonder and adventure are the positive extreme. But much of life is lived in the middle. The middle and center of life is work, and faith.
The One Who calls is Faithful
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
(II Thessalonians 5:23-4)
Someone’s Calling: TODAY
We have journeyed through Lent.
We have arrived at Holy Week.
Our God speaks to us today through the events that we remember, and are about to remember. These events are shocking, were unexpected in their day, contrasted the way of the world. And yet they also brought resurrection from the dead, the answer to the problem of sin and death and the devil.
Someone is calling: That someone is God. God calls us to have faith. And faith works.
Malachi 4, Matthew 3:1-13, Matthew 21:1-11
Someone’s Calling: The Story of Scripture
God: to creation: out of nothing, creation bursts forth
God: in the garden, to humankind, “Where are you?
God: to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
God: to Noah, “Go and build and Ark” (the scripture says up until that time it had not rained)
God: to Abraham, “I will make you into a great nation” (Abraham and Sarah were barren)
God: to Abraham, “I need your one and only son” That was everything to Abraham, but he acknowledged “God will provide”
God: to Jacob, who was aware, “Surely God was in this place and I did not know it”
God: to Jacob, “I am giving you a new name”
Pharaoh: to Joseph, prepare the land for a famine
God: to Moses, “Moses! Moses!” (by name), “I am your God”, “Go to Pharaoh and say, ‘Let my people go!’”
Moses: to the Israelites through law, “Thou shalt not have any gods before
the LORD.
God: To Joshua, Get ready to cross the Jordan and enter the land I promised you.
(Isaiah had said, when you pass through the deep waters, I will be with you)
God: To Samuel, “Go and Tell Eli” (a youth called to confront a powerful yet unjust priest)
God: To Elijah, “What are you doing here? There are 7000 that have not bowed the knee to false gods”
God: To Isaiah, Who shall go for me? Whom shall I send? Tell them…
God: To Jeremiah, “Before I formed you, I knew you”
God: to Habakkuk, “Write this down, you won’t believe it”
Nebuchadnezzar: to Daniel, “Come out from the den if God has rescued you”
Artaxerxes: To Nehemiah, Return to your land
Malachi: to the people, Revere the name of God, and the sun of righteousness will rise up with healing in its wings.
Tell the people; Elijah is coming, and he will announce the Lord’s coming. He’ll turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the children back to their fathers. Or else.
(the understanding that Elijah was going to return and announce the coming of the Messiah. Jesus states that if the people could accept it, John the Baptist was the Elijah to come)
John the Baptist: to the crowds
Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance
Don’t rely on your past merits and your titles
God will raise up children from these stones, don’t feel entitlement
I am baptizing with water, but one is coming after me, who will
baptize with the Holy Spirit.
The crowds: to Jesus
Praise the Lord. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Jesus: to the skeptics: If the people stay quiet, the stones will cry out.
Someone’s Calling: TO YOU & TO ME
Common Responses to Call:
Fear: fear of the unknown
Anxiety: change can be challenging
Wonder: the heart begins to expand
Adventure: we respond to the invitation
Getting to work: obey and follow Jesus.
Faith: what keeps us going.
Fear and Anxiety are the negative extreme. Wonder and adventure are the positive extreme. But much of life is lived in the middle. The middle and center of life is work, and faith.
The One Who calls is Faithful
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
(II Thessalonians 5:23-4)
Someone’s Calling: TODAY
We have journeyed through Lent.
We have arrived at Holy Week.
Our God speaks to us today through the events that we remember, and are about to remember. These events are shocking, were unexpected in their day, contrasted the way of the world. And yet they also brought resurrection from the dead, the answer to the problem of sin and death and the devil.
Someone is calling: That someone is God. God calls us to have faith. And faith works.
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