Fourth Monday of Lent: Lent 2014

Lenten Devotional

Luke 8-9

I was missing a few days due to other requirements, but today's reading is full of two fascinating teachings on the church.  They revolve around the twelve disciples and there teaching.  The first revolves around the practical teachings of the disciples.  

The twelve are given an opportunity to practice all they have been taught by being sent out in pairs.  This is just as important form us today.  The twelve are given specific instructions as to how to conduct themselves as they travel.  

"he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”  So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere."

This is a practical way for all people being trained to follow Jesus.  We need to give them a mentor who has spent time already deep in Jesus' teaching and walking his ways.  Then the mentor guides and leads the newer followers of Jesus in the ways of Jesus teaching and giving opportunities to practical in real ways.  This is a training system still used in the building and construction trades today.   

The second moment is when they were sitting after the first experience and the twelve were asked about what they believed about Jesus.  The list of what others believe is long, but Peter comes up with an astonishing statement.  He declares that Jesus is the messiah, the son of God.  This is a point of drastic change for the life of the twelve disciples and the work of Jesus.  From this point all the Gospels take a turn towards what we know to be the culmination of Jesus' mission and life.

This same question is asked of us.  What do you say about me?  There are still people today who will give all the multiple answers given in Jesus' time.  We are asked the question of Jesus' reality in our life as the foundation of how we will live and work.  The question is simple, but the implications are profound.

Fourth Thursday of Lent: Lent 2014

Lenten Devotional
Luke 2-3

Today in Luke we enter into the heart of Jesus birth and young life.  Luke is the only writer to speak about Jesus' early years.  With this, all we hear about is a minor moment when he remands in Jerusalem during a pilgrimage.

This is the part of the narrative I have found intriguing over my life time.  It is because so many times we look down on children and young adults.  They do not have the wisdom or the knowledge that older adults have gained just by being alive.  We might consider a younger person more adapt at technology or new gadgets, but politics and history and theology is for the older and more wise.  But not in this case.

Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.

In the time of Jesus, most of the great and honored teachers were aged and well read.  To have a young man life Jesus at the age of twelve answering and give wisdom greater than the work of the wise teachers was a true miracle.  Jesus was blessed with a great spirit of wisdom even at the young age.  He knew who's he was and what his life was all about.  Can we say the same for our self? 

Are we confident in proclaiming that we are children of God?  Are we willing to trust that God is willing to give us the wisdom we need at the right moment to answer questions posed and the need for wisdom?  

Fourth Wednesday of Lent: Lent 2014

Lenten Devotional 

Luke 1

I have had to a lot of writing and creative work the past few days, and I must admit that there juices are just not flowing well today. So, this is very late in the day. I hope a few people still catch it and read. But if you think I have skipped another day, I understand. But I wanted to get a few notes in for today about our reading. Today we start Luke. The good doctor (at least that is what tradition said his occupation was) is thorough in his report to Theophilus. We are not sure who this Theophilus is or what part he played in the early church. But Luke dedicates two books to telling him all about the life of Jesus and the actions of his followers after the resurrection.  I will admit Luke is a great book for all the information he gives about Jesus life and work.  If it wasn't for name sake I would call Luke my favorite gospel.

My favorite part of the first chapter is that we get to learn so much more about John the Baptist.  In the other gospels we just know he is some person out in the wilderness calling people back to God and making the way ready for Jesus' ministry.  We learn that he also baptizes Jesus to start His teaching ministry.  We learn of the family relationship between Jesus and John.  I enjoy the startling news to Zechariah in the temple that he was going to become a father.  

Many times in the gospel story we just gloss over the ministry of John because it is short, under reported and doesn't seem important.  But, John's ministry is essential to what Jesus was about to start.  John would be called the warm up act in today's circles.  He was the one to get the crowd ready to hear what Jesus was going to teach about and actions accomplished.  John introduced Jesus to a lot of people.  The introduction is just as important as the main act.  With bad introduction, people may not of paid attention of even realized Jess was around.  Everyone needs to be introduced by someone.  

Think back for a moment and think about who introduced you to Jesus for the first time.  Was it a parent, Sunday School teacher, or a close friend?  Where would you be today if they did not introduce you to Jesus?  Now think about all the people you have introduced to friends in your life.  How have those introductions changed their lives?  Did you introduce someone to a soon to be spouse?  A new best friend?  In those introductions how much work did it take on your part?  Not much I assume.  Are we willing to be the introduction of Jesus to others as our best friend?  I hope yes.  Jesus still needs introduced to people today.

Radical Discipleship

I am reading another book. Big shock on that reality. I seem unable to really wrestle and finish one before another book takes its place. Oh well, the radical mind of one crazy pastor. This time I am reading a book by Allen and Debra Hirsch call Untamed: Reactiving a Missional Form of Dicipleship. I will admit that I did not chose the book by the cover this time. I chose it because of the author and previous experiences I have had with his writing and speaking. This book has asked me to re-examin some of my own notions of following Jesus. In the desire to follow Him more closely, I was asked ot re-read the gospels. Not just for information and knowledge, but for an encounter with the living Word of God, Jesus Christ. Allen and Debra call people to a life that is challenged by the radical person of Jesus Christ who lived a radical lifestyle of accepting and offering grace to people. But in His acceptance, He called them to a life not in sin, but to a new way of living. As we want to follow Christ, the authors want us to examine again the gospels.

So, I wanted to re-examine and grow a stronger relationship with Jesus and in turn with God. I started with the Gospel according to Luke. This gospel always has been the harder one for me. I like the works of Matthew (no bias on that one) and Mark. They seem much simpler. I like John because of the great stories and messages we hear from Jesus. Luke just seems to be harder to grasp. Jesus is tougher in this gospel. Maybe that is why I was drawn back to this account of Jesus. Yet I was struck from a great point in the first chapter. I was given to radically different approaches to God's call in our lives.

The first is Zechariah. He was a priest at the turn of the centuries and was the one appointed to serve in the Temple. While in the temple, he was greated by the Angel of the Lord (Gabriel as we learn very quickly). He is told by this messenger of God that Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth will soon have a child. Zecharia's response is smiler to what many older people with no children would be, how, why? All of these and more are the questions in his mind. Given this response, the angel declares that due to Zechariah's lack of faith, he will not be able to speak till the child is born.

The second response is from Mary. She is greeted by the same angel and is given an even stranger proposition. She will have a baby boy. She again asks how. But here question is a real question. She is young unwed. This was a desperate request of God on a person of her age. The answer was given that he child would be from God. Her response was acceptance and willingness.

These two response are very similar to people today. We either accept God's call and go or we start the list of questions and reasons why we cannot. I believe these two are to teach us something profound about the work of God. If we say no like Zechariah, we will be shut up. There will be no words or actions to come from our work. We will become like a silent stone. But if we accept and follow, the great Word of God will come forward. We will be like Mary and be able to exclaim our joy in what God is doing and about to accomplish. We will more importantly share the word of God, Jesus Christ, to the world. I think I would like to be like Mary right now and accept the desire of God. Who are you going to follow?