Easter Sunday according to Matthew 28

Matthew's account of the resurrection is interesting!  First, in Matthew 27, we are privy to the conversation of the Pharisees with Pilate, as they REMEMBER the words of Jesus about rising from the dead in 3 days.  They remember and respond to his words by posting guards at the tomb, so that the disciples can't create a grave robbing hoax and say that he is risen.  What's ironic, is THEY remember and the disciples and the women heading to the tomb, don't.  Matthew doesn't record it, but Mark says that the women were going with spices to anoint the body.  If they had remembered and believed Jesus, would they be going to anoint a dead body?

The other irony is that right outside the tomb are soldiers guarding it and when the earthquake occurs and the angel of the Lord comes down and rolls away the stone, the tough macho soldiers, shake (like the earthquake) and fall down like dead men.  So, inside the tomb where death is supposed to exist, it doesn't, and outside the tomb, the guys fall down, as dead.  It sort of fits the male image that there is no conversation between the angel and the soldiers.  But, there is a conversation between the dazzling white angel and the women.  So, God uses this event like a news flash - earthquake and telling the women.  That's enough to spread the news.  [you've heard of the television and the telephone to share news, but the most effective one is used here - tell-a-woman]

So, the women run with the news.  They run with news obtained by HEARING the words - he is risen and by SEEING and empty tomb.  So, they run by faith.  They run, the account says, with fear and great joy.  What a great  mixture of emotions.  Probably best related to if you've ever had a near miss in a traffic accident - only after you swerve or miss being clobbered does your heart pound out of your chest and you wipe the sweat from your brow in great joy that you weren't killed.  Fear and great joy.  Anyway, they run quickly to spread the news and then bump into Jesus!

When they encountered Jesus, they worshiped Him!  And, he repeated the words of the angel!  Do not be afraid!  Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee and meet me there.  So, friends, can we go tell the news?  Can we go in faith like these women, simply by hearing the news and seeing the evidence of lives changed by Jesus Christ?

Matthew 4:1-11

We're now with Jesus in the wilderness.  He just celebrated a glorious moment in baptism, with the Spirit coming down like a dove and the voice of his Father saying "This is my Son, whom I love!" and then the Spirit leads Jesus into a 40 day wilderness ordeal.  Matthew's version doesn't indicate it, (except for the Greek wording for "being tempted," but Mark and Luke indicate that this testing was continuous for 40 days)   So, Jesus, the Son of God, comes into our world to experience it as we do, with continuous temptations and testing.  He comes to set things straight and to point to God, God's Word, and total reliance and trust.  He doesn't come as a model for us to live perfectly, but comes as our Savior to say to us, "simply follow me in my trust in God."  Follow me and I will give you my perfect passing grade for all the tests.  You can't possibly pass the testing, but you can put your hand in mine and allow me to rescue you from the wiles of the evil one.  The evil one does not have the final word.  God does.  Trust me in this and be free from your doubts, fears and anxieties.

When Christ points to the Written Word of God, he is, in an interesting way, pointing to Himself!  Jesus Christ is the Living Word of God.  So, when he says, "It is written," he is saying rely on God's Word, God's Love, God's Son!  When we put our hand, faith and life in His hands, we are given eternal passing grades for the ultimate test in life.

And, that's GREAT news my friends!

John 1:6 - 18

For Jan 5, 2014, we're examining the Gospel of John's birth narrative.  It's a wonderful passage that refers back to Genesis (John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word...)  The verses we're examining speak of John the Baptist as a sign post, pointing to Jesus Christ!  The text says that John was sent by God to point to Jesus Christ.  What's funny about that is that, SO ARE WE!  If we take our real role seriously, we're not here to soak up food, drink and resources and then die.  We're here to point to the life that is REAL life - found in the love and grace of Jesus Christ.

The gospel reading tells the sad tale that Jesus, even though he made everything and everyone, came to earth and was rejected by us and by his own people, the Jews.  But, the good news, and there is always some very good news, is that God is proactive and always breaking in to our world with his grace.  So, we see in verses 12 - 13, that we are spiritually born by God, not by our own decision or someone else's decision.  God, over and over and over again is the actor and the Savior!  Thanks be to Almighty God! 

I'm also very struck by the verse 16 which in the Greek says, ".... we have all received grace upon grace."  In other words, the radical proactive saving, forgiving, enabling grace that God pours out just keeps coming.  It's like the widow's oil or the manna from heaven.  It just keeps coming from God, sustaining us and blessing us!  What a wonderful, loving, grace-filled God we serve.

When even a little of this sinks in, our only natural response is to fall on our knees in worship, thankfulness and adoration.  Let's share some of that in this New Year!

Matthew 1:18-25

Wonderful lectionary reading for Dec 22nd!

We're studying the man of few (or no) words, Joseph!  A man of great conviction, who, scripture tells us is righteous!  A man in the lineage of David, who follows the law and is considered a righteous man.  So, we see the great tension that he lives with as he takes time to stop and reflect on the problem that he faces - he is legally engaged to Mary and she becomes pregnant.  So, in his time of reflection, he considers his path forward - not the strict adherence to the law (Deut 22 type stuff of finding Mary guilty), but following the law of his heart - compassionately and quietly dismissing this and granting a divorce.  It is in this time of "heart strings reflection" that God intervenes with the news as to how this occurred!  God continues to be the primary actor, mover, shaker and maker.  Joseph and Mary simply respond to God's great acts. 

Let me make ONE GIANT leap........ How is God moving in your life today?  How are you responding, reflecting, and considering life from your "heart?"

Luke 19:1-10 Zachaeus and Jesus

This story of Zachaeus seeking to see Jesus and Jesus seeking to save the lost is fascinating!  It is a unique story to Luke.  It is the only time that the Greek word is used that means "chief tax collector."  It follows right on the heals of Jesus healing the blind man as he approaches Jericho.  And, interestingly enough, Jesus heals a man who wants to SEE and also brings healing to a man who wants to SEE JESUS! 

Zachaeus is hated as a tax collector and considered a dreadful sinner.  [pretty funny that his name actually means pure or righteous!]  But, perhaps his parents set the stage for this ultimate healing, who knows?

Zachaeus humiliates himself by running ahead of the crowd and also by climbing a tree in a robe.  No one of his rank or stature runs or climbs a tree.  He must have been intent on SEEING Jesus. 

When Jesus stops the parade, looks up and calls him by name, he must have been shocked!  But, his response was appropriate.  He came down immediately and welcomed Jesus into his home.  Jesus said, "I must stay with you today!"  The word for stay with really means - abide!  I must abide with you!  Isn't that what Jesus wants to do with you and with me?  Just as it says in Rev 3:20, "Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."  This brings up that famous image of the door with the door knob only on the inside.  Jesus stands and knocks, but can't open the door without it being opened from the inside. 

Then, when Jesus dines with Zachaeus, Zachaeus stands up and says, "Look Lord!  Here and now, I give half my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will repay back four times the amount."  Zachaeus went looking for Jesus, but found the Lord.  He was converted by the experience of looking, finding, having Jesus abide in his home and responding with his wealth and treasures.  Jesus said that Today Salvation has come to this house! 

One more very interesting and dynamic point!  Jesus called Zachaeus down from the tree, down from humility, down from a sinner's status to receive salvation.  And, yet only 10 or 11 days later, Jesus is lifted up on a tree, humiliated, hated, considered a sinner, to die so that we would share the name of Zachaeus - righteous and pure!  To God be all the glory, laud and honor!  Thank-you Lord Jesus for trading places with us!
 

Jesus sets us free

In Luke 13:10 - 17, Jesus is teaching in a synagogue.  During his teaching, he sees a woman who is bent in half.  He interrupts the teaching, calls her forward and completely heals her.  He sets her free from the binding of Satan.  In doing this, he calls her a daughter of Abraham.  By calling her a daughter of Abraham, he is saying that she is living by faith.  She is doing what Abraham did.  Apparently, for 18 long, arduous years, this woman has been faithfully placing one foot in front of the other, practicing her faith, attending synagogue, praying and worshiping the Almighty God.  So, in one way, even though bound physically, she is free spiritually.  She is free spiritually to worship in spite of her physical ailments.  Jesus makes her complete, by aligning her spiritual freedom with her physical freedom. 

Now Jesus contrasts this physically bound woman with the hypocritical synagogue ruler who is bound by legalism.  He is bound by a list of rules so that the job is easy.  Just apply the rules to the situation and totally ignore the human touch, the human side of the equation.  In fact, as Jesus points out, the rules are more in favor of animals than they are for humans on the Sabbath.

I have a simple question.  If Jesus is all about setting us free (Sabbath or no Sabbath), did he also set the synagogue ruler free by humiliating him and calling him a hypocrite?  In other words, does this strategy help to get to the heart of the matter and set two free?  Or, are some of us so bound up by our legalism and rules that, even when the inconsistencies are pointed out, we still don't get it? 

So, the P.S. is:  Can we accept criticism from the Lord and then go and change our ways?  I pray that as we see ourselves in the mirror of scripture, we can notice what needs changed and ask the Lord to work in our hearts and minds and change us for His glory!

Baggage for the Trip

As I prepare for my summer vacation, I’m studying the scripture in Luke 10:1-11,16-20, where Jesus sends out seventy to all the towns he intended to visit.  They’re told to pray, to ask God to send out workers for the harvest is great!  They’re also told to travel light, no purse, no bag, no sandals.  This scripture captivates me for a number of reasons.  First, it carries that all familiar “sending” theme of God.  God sent His Son, Jesus to us to give us life.  Jesus sends out his disciples, then sends out the seventy, and finally in Matt 28, sends everyone out (by again sending the eleven) to baptize, to teach others what he taught us and to make disciples of all nations.  And, in this Matthew passage, we’re reminded that we don’t go alone, but that Jesus goes with us, even unto the end of the age.  The second reason this scripture captivates me is that we’re told to travel light.  I don’t know about you, but I NEVER travel light.  Lisa and the TSA people at the airport scanners marvel at my electronics bag.  I love to take all my gadgets and toys with me.  And, I usually pack more clothes than I’ll wear.  But, these disciples are told to go to other towns without even a purse, a bag or sandals.  Amazing!  How did they do it?  Actually, I think I know.  They were traveling with the faith, the assurance, and the confidence that they were enough.  The Spirit of the Living God lived inside them, encouraged them, empowered them and went with them.  They went with no “preconceived notions,” “prejudice,” “emotional baggage,” “drama” or “judgmentalism.”  They just went.  And, the Lord of the cosmos, the God of all creation, went with them and provided exactly what they needed.  How freeing!  How liberating to just be ourselves.  To leave ALL the extra baggage of life behind.  To become part of the marvelous creation of God that simply relies on His grace, His mercy, His provisional love.  And, if, as it says in Luke 12:11-12, “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say,” then don’t we trust that the words will come in other situations, too?

So, as I finish packing way too much stuff, the words of my Savior roll around in my brain, to pray, to leave some emotional baggage at home and to take “peace” wherever we go!  May these words go with you also this summer.  Pray, take peace with you and leave some baggage behind.