Where There Is Life, There Is Hope

“The Angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just he said…” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. ‘Greetings,’ he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’” 
Matthew 28:5-6 & 8-10

Still reeling from the events of Thursday night and Friday, the friends, followers, disciples of Jesus were hold up together. They were grieving the loss of the one they were so certain was the Messiah. Wondering about what was next. Perhaps feeling like all hope was lost – dead and buried with their friend, teacher, master. Then something amazing happened.    

In the still and quiet of the early morning, some of the women went to the tomb to in some way be closer to Him. Some of the Gospels say the women went to finish taking care of His body properly after the hasty burial on Friday. Whatever the reason that’s where this week’s passage comes into play. As they are arriving in the garden with the tomb, the earth shakes as an angel of the Lord arrives, scaring the you know what out of the Roman soldiers assigned to guard the tomb. After rolling the stone out of the way the angel takes a seat and speaks to the women. The angel first tells them: “Do not be afraid” and then explains that Jesus isn’t there, “remember He told you all that he would rise” and so he has. After hearing the angel and his instruction to go tell the others – they take off in a hurry only to bump into someone as they go.

I wonder what that scene was really like. Were they so afraid and overwhelmed with joy at the same time that they weren’t paying attention to where they were going and almost run Him over? Did they make quick apologies and hope to continue on their way? Then the stranger they had run into spoke and they instantly recognized Him, fell at His feet and worshiped Him. If hope had started building with the words from the angel – seeing Him, hearing Him must of brought that hope roaring back to fullness. Where there is life, there is hope.  

Under the snows of winter, rests the hope of spring. Beyond the storm clouds and waves, lies the hope of calm, smooth sailing. In the midst of the things that bring us despair and hopelessness – sin, selfishness, suffering – there is a living Savior who understands and brings the hope of forgiveness, selflessness and healing. Where there is life there is hope and HE lives! 

No matter what the circumstances of your life are at this moment – listen for His voice, it is filled with life and it carries hope that will see you through till eternity and beyond.

A Prayer
Father – Thank you for the hope we have because Your Son still lives. In this fallen world it can be so easy for fear, despair and hopelessness to settle into our minds and hearts. Remind us through Your creation and by the gentle voice of your Spirit, that there is hope enough to fill us, no matter what we are facing. Hope enough to drive out fear and despair. Help us to let the hope that we who believe have shine through to those who need a dose of Your hope too. In the name of Jesus, because He lives there is hope – Amen.

Blood, Sweat & Tears

“He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
Luke 22:21-44

There used to be a commercial for deodorant with a tag line that was “never let them see you sweat” the commercial was about being under stress but not letting anyone see it. Do you sweat when you are stressed? Do you cry? Do you hold it all in so no one sees how much you are struggling? We are now in what the Church identifies as Holy Week and in just days we will remember with somberness the day that Jesus died.    

In some ways Thursday was a good day and in other ways it was not. Jesus had shared a good meal with his friends, He had blessed the bread and the wine and called on them to remember Him and the new covenant he was making with the world, that would be sealed with his own body – the time was drawing near for the reason He had come. Jesus also identified his betrayer and told Peter, that he would not stand up to the pressure and would deny even knowing him.

After supper they went out into the country side to a place on the Mount of Olives that Jesus liked to frequent. Jesus wanted to pray, He needed to pray. The human side of him didn’t want to go through with the plan. That’s where we are with this week’s passage from Luke. Matthew and Mark both tell us that Jesus said to them “that my soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38, Mark 14:34). Jesus asked His Father to take the cup from him, Mark says He essentially cried “Daddy, daddy everything is possible for you, take this cup from me” (Mark 14:36).  

Each time he prayed, Jesus seemed to be more distressed. In the passage from Luke we read that at some point an angel appears and provides something that strengthens Him, what we don’t know – perhaps the angel carried a message from the Father, that He understood it was hard but that it would be ok. Perhaps the angel’s presence gave him some supernatural strength. Luke tells his readers that even with the visit from an angel, Jesus was still in deep distress, so much so that not only was He sweating, He was sweating blood. Each time he prayed, He told the Father, even so not My will but Yours be done. Yet by the time Judas arrives with the authorities, Jesus seems to be calm and in complete control, enough to control at any rate to heal the high priest’s servant. Enough control to fulfill Isaiah’s words “…he was led like a lamb to slaughter…” (Isaiah 53:7). 

We are the cause of His great distress, we are responsible for the pain He endured. Our judgmental attitudes, our disobedience, our selfishness, our self-reliance, our lack of compassion, our desire to be our own god – these are the things that brought Jesus to the garden, that caused Him such pain. Yet it was His non-judgmental attitude, His obedience, His selflessness, His reliance on His Father, His compassion that allowed Him to pay the cost required of Him, to restore the relationship between God and mankind, to make everyone who believes new creatures, who look like him and will spend eternity with him.

It is His blood, sweat & tears that makes us whole and give us abundant and eternal life    

A Prayer
Father – forgive us for our judgmental attitude, our disobedience, our selfishness, our lack of compassion and our desire to be our own god doing things our own way. Thank you that Your Son, was everything that we are not and that He has shown us a better way. For those of us who believe and have been recipients of Your amazing gift, may our lives reflect Your Son in all we do and say. Give us the strength and the courage to point others to the cross with our actions and words. In the name of Jesus, whose blood, sweat and tears makes us new – Amen.

The Time Has Come

“This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” 
Matthew 21:4-5

As I was thinking about Palm Sunday which marks Jesus’ triumphant entry to Jerusalem, the beginning of the final week of His life on this planet These lines form Lewis Carroll’s poem The Walrus and The Carpenter came to mind “The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things: of shoes & ships and sealing wax of cabbages and kings.” The time has come to talk of the King.   

Both Matthew and John quote the prophet Zechariah as they talk about what we know as the Triumphal Entry. So the time has come to talk of the King. Zechariah speaking to encourage those who had returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile says: “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).

The crowd certainly helped to fulfill Zechariah’s words. Jesus, riding on the colt of a donkey does indeed, receive a king’s welcome into the city. In Matthew’s Gospel the crowd acknowledges that Jesus is the “Son of David (Matthew 21:9). Mark writes “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our Father David” (Mark 11:10) and John writes “Blessed is the king of Israel (John 12:13). The celebration wouldn’t last, between the people not understanding that Jesus had not come to save them from the Romans – He had come instead to save them from their selves and the fear and jealousy of the Jewish religious leaders it would prove to be a hard week leading up to His death and resurrection. 

Another – The time has come moment presents itself as Jesus stands before Pilate. Matthew, Mark and Luke all share a brief exchange between the two men. Pilate asks Jesus if he is the king of the Jews? Jesus replies that he is correct. John however, gives us a bit more of the conversation between these two men (See John18:33-38). After pulling Jesus aside so that they might talk more privately, Pilate asks, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus’ reply is a bit surprising, since until now he has remained mostly silent when spoken to, He responds “Is that your own idea or did some other talk to you about me?” You can almost hear the sarcasm as Pilate says “Am I a Jew? Your own people have handed you over – what have you done?” Jesus takes the time to try to explain and the conversation ends with Pilate asking “What is truth?” 

I often wonder what happened to Pilate later in life. He had gotten to speak to the Son of God, face-to-face, he knew he was sending an innocent man to his death. Pilate aside for watching out for his own interests, played his role in carrying out God’s will. Did his interaction with the King of Kings affect his life later, after he was no longer Governor and responsible for keeping the peace at all cost? Did he and his wife become believers?  

We all have had or will have a – the time has come moment when we will need to talk of the King. If we are on the side of truth, if we desire truth then we will surrender to His Kingship, bowing before Him and then accepting His hand as He lifts us up, made new by His touch.

The time has come my friends to talk of other things: Of forgiveness & compassion, mercy & grace, of light and power, of the cross & the tomb and of the King.    

A Prayer
Father – Thank you for “the time has come” moments you give us. Open our hearts and our eyes to the need around us, to others who need one of those moments with Your Son. Thank you that the truth of who you are and what you have done, makes us new. May we often talk of other things and especially of the King. In the name of Jesus, Our King – Amen.

Boats & Helicopters

“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Colossians 1:13-14

You’ve heard me say or you have read it in one of these devotions, that God often uses ordinary, everyday people and things to provide what we need. Gifted doctors bring healing, first responders rescue and protect us. A stranger’s smile can brighten our day. Our pastor shared a story that illustrated how sometimes we miss the miracles around us because we are looking for something extraordinary. The story went something like this. A man is trapped by rising flood waters, so he prays for God to rescue him. Soon a boat arrives to rescue him, but he sends it away saying God would rescue him. The waters continued to rise until the man was on the roof. He prayed again for God to rescue him and along came a helicopter to carry him to safety. The man waved off the helicopter saying God would rescue him. The water continued to rise and the man was washed away. When he arrived in heaven he asked God why he hadn’t rescued him – God’s reply I sent a boat and a helicopter you didn’t accept either of them.   

We live in a dark world, darkened by human selfishness, pride and disobedience. While God often uses ordinary people and things to provide for our needs, only He can bring us out of the darkness of this world. In this week’s passage from Paul’s letter to the Colossian believers he reminds them that God is responsible for rescuing them from the “dominion of darkness” and for making them subjects of Jesus’ kingdom, who has provided the redemption and forgiveness they needed – that we need.

Here is the thing though – just like the man caught in the flood we have accept God’s rescue attempt. God doesn’t force us to accept his love, mercy, forgiveness – He reaches out His hand and tells us to grab hold of His nail pierced hand and to trust him with our lives - we can choose to knock the hand away or to grab hold for all we are worth.

God is so committed to rescuing us from the darkness that we allow into our world that more than 2000 years ago He put on skin like ours, showed us a better way and then paid the price we could never have paid and can never repay and He stretched out his hands as far as the east is from the west, to rescue anyone who will believe and grab hold. 

Once we have grabbed that offered hand, and surrendered our need for the darkness, we are expected to live like children of the King, living in the kingdom of light. Our lives should be overflowing with gladness and joy – not because life is perfect, but because our King is and He is making us perfect day by day.

He won’t let you go once you have grabbed His hand, because He holds you in His heart. I want to challenge you as we step even closer to the cross of Good Friday and the empty tomb of Easter that as you hold firmly to His saving grace, that you reach your hand out to someone who needs to be pulled from the darkness of loneliness, soul sickness and rejection and use the power He has bestowed on you to bring them within reach of His hand and heart.    

A Prayer
Father – Thank you for the times when you use ordinary people and things to provide for us. There isn’t anything we can say for what you have done to rescue us from the darkness of this world. Help us to show our gratitude in the way we worship you each day with our lives. Show in fresh ways the power Your love gives us and help us to reach out a hand to someone who needs to reach you. In the name of Jesus, who sometimes sends boats and helicopters and sometimes reaches out His own hand. – Amen.

His Mission Is Grace... So Is Ours

“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God…”
Ephesians 2:6-8

Jesus liked to hang out with ordinary people and people who were considered outcasts. Scripture shares more than once how he spent time with tax collectors and sinners. Zacchaeus and Matthew are just two examples. Recently, I was reading a blog by Pastor Austin Maxheimer about missional grace. The idea is that we who have been showered with Jesus’ gift of grace should be showering that grace on the people around us, especially the people who are different from us or who might be considered outcast by our communities. Three things Pastor Maxheimer said particularly captured my attention. First he said: “Grace cannot be understood through religion; it has to be understood through relationship.” The next thing in the blog that caught my attention was: “When grace is put to work, it multiplies. When God’s free (emphasis mine) gift is unleased in the life of someone who loves Jesus, it is unstoppable.” Finally, “Grace is a gift. Relationship is the reward.”   

In this week’s passage from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Paul is reminding the readers and hearers of the letter that it because of the incomparable riches of God’s grace poured out of Jesus over all of the people who experienced Him, that we are saved. Yes, Jesus’ grace for us meant he would pay a high personal price, but it was, just that a personal price – it had nothing to do with finances and everything to do with relationship. His was on a mission of grace, a mission to treat us in a way we did not deserved to be treated. His mission was to treat us with dignity, compassion, love and mercy. His mission was to build relationships, to restore the most important relationship between man and God.

Matthew was at work, collecting taxes and probably padding his own pockets when Jesus walked past, paused and said: “Follow me.” Incredibly Matthew left work and followed Jesus and the next thing we know they are at Matthew’s house having dinner (Matthew 9:9-12) and getting to know one another. It cost Jesus time and nothing more at that point to change Matthew’s life.

Jesus and those with him were passing through Jericho on their way to Jerusalem. Jesus’ superstar status was drawing crowds as usual. Zacchaeus a chief tax collector probably had been pushed to the back of the crowd and because he was short couldn’t see Jesus – so he climbed a tree. Interesting that when Jesus got to the tree, He looked look up, called Zacchaeus by name and essentially said to him “I’m going to hang out with you today” (Luke 19:1-10). It was Jesus’ treatment of the little tax man, His desire to spend some time with him, that changed Zacchaeus and then grace just started pouring out of Zacchaeus. 

Jesus the incarnation of the One True Living God came here on a mission of grace. A grace so powerful it changed lives, it was a grace built on relationship – Jesus’ relationship with the Father and the Father’s desire to restore the relationship between Himself and His creation. The gift of grace that was given to us so freely came at a high personal cost for Jesus – His life. No amount of money could have paid for such a gift.    

I want to encourage you to share the gift of grace you have received with those around you, especially those who are the tax collectors and sinners of today. Give it by spending time with them, listening to their story, sharing their life and treating them with the dignity, compassion, love and mercy that world is not able to give. Watch how grace will change them and you.    

A Prayer
Father – Thank you for Your extravagant gift of grace. Thank you for desiring to know us and to have a relationship with us, even though we are so undeserving. Open our eyes to the people around us who the world and even some who claim to follow you push to the back of the crowd, undeserving of our love and not really welcome in this life. Once we see them with Your eyes, may the abundance of grace that has been given us in Christ Jesus, flow straight from our hearts to those who need to experience Jesus and be made new, be welcomed into relationship with You. You sent Your Son on a mission of Grace and that is the mission he passed on to us – may our actions bring glory to You and You only. In the name of Jesus, missionary of grace – Amen.

It's More Than Money

“Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.”
Matthew 10:9-10

Have you ever noticed that as Jesus prepared those He had chosen to carry His message to the world, that he was constantly warning them of the high personal cost - not the dollars cost, necessarily, but the emotional and physical cost of following him? Jesus had a trade – he was trained as a carpenter and while the Scriptures don’t share, there must have been times when He plied the trade.  

In this week’s passage from Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is preparing to send out the twelve men He had handpicked to teach, on their first mission trip. A domestic trip was planned to let these twelve men practice what they had learned so far. Jesus had given them the spiritual power they would need to carry out the tasks they would encounter and then He began the rest of the trip instructions by telling them not to take anything with them. He tells them to forget stopping by the bank to pick up some cash, don’t pack a bag, don’t take anything extra with you. When you get to where you are going, find someone to stay with and make yourselves useful for your room and board. The Message puts this’s week’s passage like this: “Don’t think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don’t need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light.” A little further on in verses 17-19 He tells them to expect to be arrested and beaten, verse 22 that they will be hated and verse 23 that they will be persecuted. Of course Jesus encourages them to stand firm and rely fully on the power He has given them to complete the call He has placed on them.

Back in chapter eight Matthew talks of the cost of following Jesus. A teacher if the law comes and tells Jesus: “…I will follow you wherever you go” (Matt. 8:19). “Jesus replied,’ Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Matt. 8:20). Then of course there is the rich, young man of Matthew 19 who is unwilling to pay the cost when Jesus tells him that to “… be perfect he should go sell his possessions and give the proceeds to the poor, then come follow me” (Matt.19:21).

There was a time when, if Jesus, a homeless carpenter and my Savior demanded that of me I would have gone there. The willingness was rewarded with a small, simple home in a place where I can do what I was called to do. How many of us would leave the comfort of our homes and the car or cars we own - to go where Jesus tells us to go? How many of us would travel to the other side of the state or country or world taking nothing with us but the clothes we are wearing? How many of us are prepared to be arrested and beaten or worse? How many of us would chose to be hated by those around us?    

As we continue our journey to the cross of Good Friday and the empty tomb of Easter, let us consider the mission Christ has called us to – it’s about way more than money. It’s about picking up that heavy and painful cross, it’s about sacrificing our comfort to build a real relationship with someone, so that they can meet Jesus. It’s about the best relationships being built on love, trust and hard work.   

A Prayer
Father – Thank you for the difficult lessons of life. Thank you for making it clear that following you and being obedient to Your call will not be easy, it will demand much of us – physically, emotionally, intellectually and yes even at times financially. You make it clear so we can choose if we are willing to go where you tell us to go and do what you ask us to do. I have no doubt Lord, that when the rich young man turned and walked away, that Your heart broke. He was told the cost and he wasn’t prepared to pay it. Grant us the strength, to go the distance with You. Help us daily to use our lives to reflect You to the world around us. In the name of Jesus, who makes it clear that it about more than money – Amen.

My Cross... Your Cross

“Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me. He must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.’”
Luke 9:23-24

Generations before Jesus walked on this planet, talking about the kingdom of heaven, a man called by God picked up a “cross” and carried it – he had no idea the example he was setting. We first meet this man in Genesis 12 when God call Abram to go to a place God would show him and he went. He left behind all that was known to him, what was comfortable, what felt safe and secure when responded to God by going. Sometime later, God would change his name to Abraham and promised a son to him in his old age. God was faithful to keep the promise a beloved son Isaac was born. Then another “cross” was presented for Abraham to carry. A more difficult one than the first. A call to take his promised and much loved son and make him a burnt offering to the very God who had given the son. Abraham willingness to carry out God’s instruction resulted not only in Isaac’s life being spared, but a blessing upon the descendants of Abraham that reaches into present day. 

This week’s passage from Luke’s Gospel comes as Jesus is trying to make it clear to his disciples what is coming, what He himself will face and what they too should expect. This particular narrative is also found in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, and share something Luke’s version doesn’t. Jesus is telling His disciples and those in ear shot what is going to happen to him in just a little while and before he can continue Peter who suffers from acute foot in mouth disease – tries to rebuke Jesus for saying such things. Jesus gives a harsh rebuke in return telling Peter to “Get behind me Satan… you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men” (Mark 8:32-33). This rebuke of Peter by Jesus is important in understanding Jesus’ call for us to pick up our cross daily and follow after Him. You see Peter was being selfish in his rebuke of Jesus, he didn’t want to hear of suffering and death – he wanted his friend, his Christ to be with him.    

The Amplified Bible brings some additional clarity to this week’s passage about taking up the cross. Stating that in denying self, we are to set aside our selfish interests and that in taking up the cross we are expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come, so that by following Him we will make clear that we believe in Him, that we are ready to follow His example in living and if need be in His example of suffering and dying because of our faith in Him.   

A Roman cross was a brutal form of execution that no one would willingly take up, no one except Jesus that is. In the midst of the brutality of the cross of Christ, there are somethings that are not so brutal and yet in our world are likely perceived with almost equal fear because they are so against the current of how the world works. The cross of Christ, is a brutal instrument of suffering and death yes, but it is also a cross of grace, it is a cross of mercy, it is a cross of forgiveness, it is a cross of restoration, it is a cross of selfless love and powerful compassion, it is a cross that leads to life.

We are in the season of Lent, a time of looking deeply at our lives in light of Christ’s cross. What is keeping you from picking yours up and following after Him? It won’t be easy – He never said it would be. But what you will face as you carry it will seem like nothing in the light of eternity and the blessings He has in store for all who like Abraham will walk by faith.

A Prayer
Father – It seems so difficult to pick up the cross you have for each of us. We humans want life to be easy and safe and yet you call us into a place where we might suffer, where it is not safe, where we are meant to put You and others first. In our self-centered and selfish world that is hard and frightening sometimes. Yet Your Son willing laid down His life for us on a brutal Roman cross to show us that we too if our hearts are open to walk in faith with Him, can carry whatever cross you have for us. As we do Lord help us to show others the grace, mercy, forgiveness, restoration, selfless love, compassion and life that is present there also. In the name of Jesus, who teaches us how to take up our cross – Amen.