Month: November 2019

Our scripture this week is Luke 23:33-43.

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
Luke 23:35-37

It must have been emotionally painful to Jesus to hear this. He is the King and He can save Himself…but He chooses not to because God has a plan and Jesus obeys. Even the pain and agony of crucifixion can’t break His connection to the Father.

Jesus has been tempted to use His power wrongly before. Immediately after His baptism He went to the desert to fast and pray. Satan came to Him and attempted to trick Him into using the gifts God had given improperly (Matthew 4:1-11).

Then as now, Jesus was obedient, even unto death. We may never be called to endure a trial such as this, but our obedience is tested every day by worldly things. Stand with Jesus and He will stand with you against all evil you encounter.

Gracious God, we are weak but Jesus is strong. Help us to trust in all He has taught us and to turn away from sin. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 23:33-43.

When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
Luke 23:33-34

When reading this passage, some people focus on the strangeness of the soldiers dividing Jesus’ clothing by casting lots (kind of like rolling dice). As we shall hear later in this passage, this is mentioned in Psalm 22:18. Psalm 22 is the prayer Jesus was praying on the cross as well.

While this is a connection to the Old Testament and shows Jesus came to fulfill prophecy, we would do better to focus on His statement “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” in verse 34. Even as wicked humankind put Him to death, He prayed for God to forgive us all. This is Jesus doing what He had taught us, even under the worst of evil occurrences.

He forgave us to save us, and that is a gift we can never repay. We can live in His grace by following His example of unconditional love and forgiveness. Forgiving doesn’t undo the act, but it can repair the relationship, and reconnect us to God and our brothers and sisters.

Loving Lord, we don’t deserve the gift of unbelievable forgiveness, but You give it anyway. Help us to live in the ways Jesus taught us that we may be found worthy to be called Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 23:33-43.

I feel some explanation is in order for this week’s posts. I use the Revised Common Lectionary as my guide as to what scripture I will use here and in my sermon on Sunday. It gives me time to be fully involved with the passage in order to preach it, and those who will hear it Sunday time to prepare to listen. I think many of you who don’t attend one of my two churches still hear the same scripture when you go to your own church, regardless of denomination.

November 24 is the last Sunday in our liturgical calendar that marks the seasons of the church. On December 1 we begin the season of Advent, leading us to the hope, peace, joy and love of Christmas. If you have already looked at this week’s scripture you know that this passage is Luke’s description of the Crucifixion. I must admit, I almost chose another passage to preach on and write about here. Why would we read about His death when we are preparing to celebrate the coming of the baby Jesus?

There is logic to this, even if our emotions tell us it is wrong – as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:23 “we preach Christ crucified”. I have heard it said “You can’t have the cradle without the cross”. Advent and Christmas, as joyous as they are, point us to Good Friday. Perhaps we need to remember that connection.

We also need to remember that Easter is the reason for Christmas at all. Christ came as a baby to offer Himself as a sacrifice to save us, the greatest gift ever given. It was God’s plan and Jesus followed the Father’s instructions completely. We can celebrate Christmas today only because Jesus gave Himself up for us. As we prepare for the time of joy, keep in mind the goal of all of God’s action for us – to redeem us from sin and bring us to be with Him eternally.

Gracious God, we can’t begin to understand the depth of Your love and mercy for us. Thank You for sending Jesus to save us and show the way to reconnect with our brothers and sisters and You. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 21:5-19.

Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?” He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.” Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.

Jesus has taught us some hard lessons in this passage. Hearing about the things we know being destroyed and the people we love turning against us is difficult. Being persecuted for our faith is not something most of us have faced before. Jesus tells us that we must stand firm through all of this.

Jesus knows that we are often fair-weather believers, following the path when it is easy, but turning aside when things are rough. Even when we have seen God’s love and care, circumstances can cause us to doubt. After God brought the children of Israel safely out of Egypt through the Red Sea, the people were still unfaithful, saying “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” (Exodus 16:3)

The warning in this lesson from Jesus is sharp – “Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.” Especially when things seem worst, we must remain faithful and trust that God’s plan is being carried out.

Mighty God, sometimes we don’t understand the events that happen in our lives, but we know that You are sovereign and hold all things in Your hands. Help us to be faithful when times are hard for us. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 21:5-19.

Jesus has told us that we will not know the day or time when God chooses to bring this world to a close. In Matthew 24:36 He says “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Later in that lesson He urges us “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
(Matthew 25:13).

We have gotten better at predicting when severe storms will occur, but even with all our technology, we can’t be certain of when or even if a certain storm will hit a certain place at a certain time. If we can’t be certain of the timing of earthly things, how could we be certain of the timing of heavenly things? Jesus tells us not to worry – “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:7)

Here is something of which we can be certain: Jesus came to save us all and to send us as His representatives to the world. His love and truth must be shared with everyone. We don’t need to worry about when God will choose to end this world if we are about the Lord’s business while we are here.

Heavenly Father, often we are distressed by not knowing all the details of Your plan. Help us to see what is important – sharing the Gospel and being ready all the time – and not to be distracted by wanting to know all the answers. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 21:5-19.

But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life. Luke 21:18-19

Hearing about the last days is unsettling to say the least. Jesus has warned us about false prophets, false accusations, friends and family turning against us. We must stand on the truth and keep faith with the one who will never turn against us.

Jesus promised life to those who accept Him, even when our world seems to be in chaos. Humans have a bad habit of taking the wrong path, sometimes even when they know better. If we stand firm as Jesus taught, we will be able to see through the chaos of this life to the life everlasting.

Jesus didn’t say we’d avoid trouble or pain, but if our faith is firm, we will see that these things are temporary, while His promise is eternal. The old hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” tells us “this body they may kill; God’s truth abideth still!” When we stand firm with Jesus, we can become part of that eternal truth in Him.

Gracious God, we are grateful for the love You sent in the Messiah. Help us to trust in Your unfailing grace and mercy now and forever. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 21:5-19.

You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me.
Luke 21:16-17

Jesus has strong words about what will come for His followers. These are hard to hear, but necessary. Jesus has told us before that things will be difficult – “For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.” (Matthew 10:34-36). It’s not a pretty picture or the promise of the easy way.

Jesus wants us to follow him in truth and love, and that means choosing Him over everything else, even those who are closest to us. We must be ready to give up whatever binds us to this life, including possessions and relationships. Anything that stands between us and Him is a stumbling block we must avoid.

So is Jesus telling us not to have anything or love anyone? No, but He is saying that these things can’t give us the satisfaction and fulfillment of being close to God. On the last day, only that will matter.

Loving Lord, we are weak and we grasp for the things we want here on earth. Help us to see that nothing we have or do can save us, that only our relationship with You leads to salvation. Amen.

Our scripture for the week is Luke 21:5-19.

“But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
Luke 21:12-15

Jesus has told us before that it won’t be easy to follow Him. In the Beatitudes we are taught “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.” (Matthew 5:10-11) We know that there will be opposition from those who do not know the Messiah.

Jesus also tells us that we need not worry about how to defend ourselves, that He will give us the words that need to be said. Most of us don’t know what it is like to be persecuted for our faith, but there are still places in the world where it is dangerous to be a follower of Jesus. However, in spite of the threat of even death, faith persists.

Those of us who enjoy religious freedom must never take it lightly. We must stand ready to offer the testimony Jesus will give us when challenged and pray for our brothers and sisters who suffer persecution. While the Lord needs no help from us, we need Him and we need each other.

Mighty God, help us to be strong in the faith and ready to share Your love with the world. Use us as You will to spread the Gospel to everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 21:5-19

He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.” Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
Luke 21:8-11

Jesus tells us some frightening things about the end times. One of the most concerning is the coming of false prophets, those who would lead us astray. Jesus warns us that things will seem to be falling apart, but we must put our trust in Him and no one else.

Thinking about terrible things such as this can lead to panic and despair. Jesus tells us things will be this way so we will not lose hope. He also taught us that anyone who claims to know the time is wrong, because only God will decide when this occurs.

Perhaps Jesus is telling us to focus on the here and now, on what we know to be true and what we are called to do. When we worry about the future, we only make ourselves afraid and we miss the opportunity to do good in the present time. God is in control and we can take comfort in knowing we are fulfilling His purpose through love and care for one another right now.

Gracious God, You have set creation in motion according to Your will, and things will occur as You command. Help us to let go of our want to control things and follow the plan You have for all of us. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 21:5-19.

Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?” He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.” Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.

When the disciples praise the beauty of the Temple, Jesus tells them that the day will come when it all will be destroyed, a sign that Israel itself will fall. I’m sure that was hard for them to hear and many likely shook their heads in disbelief. Naturally they are concerned and ask what will be the warning signs that it is coming.

We are often proud of the things we have built, but Jesus warns no matter how magnificent we believe them to be, they are only temporary. I returned to my home town after 20 years away with the Air Force and found things quite different, old landmarks gone and new unfamiliar things (or sometimes nothing) in their place. Jesus warns us that we will experience calamitous change as a result of our faith.

The scriptures say that the changes will come according to God’s schedule and plan. In Acts 1:7 Jesus tells His disciples “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.” He taught us to follow His commandments and trust in God always so that we can face the changes that come in faith.

Loving Lord, You warn us that following You will be a challenge, that there will be hardship along the way. May we be firm in our faith and strong in Your love to withstand the changes that come. Amen.