Month: April 2022

Our scripture this morning is Romans‬ ‭1:8-12‬.

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.”
‭‭

Paul begins his letter to the Christians in Rome with thanks to God for their faith and his desire to share that faith together. This is something we have likely missed over the last two years as well, the gathering of the faithful separated due to the pandemic. Being together as the body of Christ is important to our spiritual well-being.

Jesus modeled a prayer life that included quiet time alone with God, but most of His life and ministry was with people, spending time in small groups for discussion and large groups for teaching. We were created for relationship with God and each other, and this exchange is essential for our growth in faith.

Paul longed to be in personal contact with the family of believers in Rome instead of just writing to them. If you have been separated from family, friends and church due to the infection, consider ways you can safely begin to be part of the gathering again. While our technology has helped us stay in touch, nothing beats face to face human contact. God wants us all to be together!

Heavenly Father, thank You for making us to be connected, with You and our brothers and sisters. Bless us to strengthen our faith and to share it in love with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 20:26-31.

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

I have always longed for the experience the disciples had, seeing the risen Christ in person. Even the Damascus Road experience of Paul (Acts 9:1-19) would be wonderful, hearing Christ call me into His service. However, these were not given to me for the same reason they were given to the disciples and Paul.

In this passage we hear of Jesus appearing to His disciples in the locked room. Thomas had not been with them during the first visit, and had said “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” (John 20:25). Thomas is only asking to have the same experience the others had, wanting desperately to believe but needing the blessing of Christ’s presence again.

Thomas and the others had known Jesus in person as their friend and teacher, so it was essential to their credibility that they see the Lord in person after His resurrection. They have been charged with carrying on His ministry and sharing the Good News far and wide. Jesus tells them “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (v. 29). This is the reason we believe, the faithful testimony given by those who knew Him, and the reason we are called to carry on the mission.

Loving Lord, thank You for meeting our need to hear the Gospel, handed down by believers through time. Strengthen us and send us to do the same, loving as Jesus did and telling the world that Your kingdom has come near. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Corinthians 5:6-8.

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Paul speaks to the Corinthians using an analogy about dough that also applies to our lives. He teaches that a small amount of disobedience can affect everything we do individually, and likewise individual bad actions can negatively influence a larger group. He tells us what we think and do is important, not just to us but also to those around us.

Our conduct as Christians is especially important because others watch God’s children to see if all this “Jesus talk” is just that – empty words. If our behavior does not match what we profess in Christ, we are failing Him. Paul encourages us to be “the unleavened bread of truth and sincerity” (v. 8).

Jesus was willing to be obedient to God, even unto death. While it is unlikely that any of us will be called to face death for our faith today, we must always be ready to testify to the truth of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection to save us from sin. Jesus has called us as the disciples of today to share the Gospel with everyone.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to teach us and redeem us. Bless us to go in Your name, telling the world the Good News of Your kingdom. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 20:1-18.

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

The grief that followers of Jesus felt after His crucifixion was deep and painful. Their wonderful friend and teacher had been put to death by a combination of religious and political power. How would they live out His lessons if it meant they might die for their faith?

The answer of course is that many would willingly face death for their belief in Christ, even in the 21st century. After Jesus appeared to Mary, she ran to share the news with the disciples, and reports came in from others to whom He had appeared as well (Luke 24:13-35). Death has been defeated and we all begin a new chapter in our faith, following Christ’s Great Commission to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

Today we celebrate with the same joy as His first followers and go in His name as they did that all the world may know the blessing of His resurrection. We ask His forgiveness for our sin and unbelief, and by His blood we are washed clean. Christ is risen; He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Loving Lord, we are amazed at Your saving power and Your mercy toward us. Help us to share the love You showed through Christ’s sacrifice for us and send us into all the earth to tell others the wonderful redemption story. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Peter 4:1-8.

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

While Jesus was in the tomb, the disciples grieved and hid. Perhaps none were quite so devastated as Peter, who had denied in public that he had even known Jesus. It was a dark time as they asked themselves why the man they claimed as Lord and Savior had to die in this manner.

After the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples, forgiving and restoring Peter (John 21:15-19), calling him to be a leader of the believers and a voice for the Way. In today’s scripture passage Peter speaks to God’s children everywhere, encouraging them to give up the sinful behavior they have known and live a new life in Christ.

He tells us specifically to “love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (v. 8), reminding us that whatever we may have done in the past is past, and Jesus stands ready to forgive us when we repent of our disobedience. We are all called to turn from our evil thoughts and activities and follow the path to eternal life that Jesus has showed us, sharing God’s love with everyone.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to teach and save us. Bless us to be the disciples of today, carrying Christ’s message of hope and love to all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Hebrews‬ ‭10:16-25‬.

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days” says the Lord: “I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds,” he also adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The Letter to the Hebrews shares wonderful wisdom as we remember Christ’s example and sacrifice for us. It speaks of the humble thankfulness we feel knowing that Jesus was obedient even unto death for our sins. Our Lord went to the cross that we might be saved.

We could never repay the enormous debt of our sins, but Jesus paid it all through His crucifixion. He waits for us to give up these sins to Him that they may be forgotten. Through His sacrifice we may be washed clean forever and become His representatives here on earth.

What an amazing gift! God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to teach and save us. If we accept Him as Lord and Savior, we are blessed to follow His path, sharing God’s love with all His children.

Heavenly Father, we are grateful for Your saving grace, demonstrated in the life, death and Resurrection of Your son, Jesus Christ. Help us to be the people created in Your image, spreading the Gospel to everyone. Amen.

Today many churches celebrate Maundy Thursday, commemorating the Last Supper Jesus shared with His disciples. “Maundy” is a modern adaptation of the Latin “mandatum” meaning “command”. Jesus initiated our practice of Holy Communion during the Passover meal with those closest to Him, teaching them to “do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19-20).

Our scripture today is John 13:1-17.

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

One of my seminary professors once remarked that if the cross were not the sign of our faith, it should be the towel and basin, representing Christ’s servant love for us and that we are to share that servant spirit in the same way. I also heard that we all want to be servants – right up to the point that someone treats us like a servant! How do you feel about being a servant?

Footwashing was usually performed by the lowest servant in the household. However, Jesus showed in this passage the love and care He felt toward His disciples, and all of God’s children, taking on this task without shame, in the same way He went to the cross for us. Jesus showed that no task is beneath us when it is done out of love for God and each other.

Are we willing to go in Christian love and service to do whatever is needed to care for God’s children? Jesus told us the way would be difficult and we might be ridiculed as He was for our faith. He taught that no one is above serving others and that sharing God’s love everywhere is a blessing, no matter what the setting or circumstance.

Loving Lord, sometimes our pride gets in the way of our faith and duty. Help us to go as humble servants to share the joy of our relationship with You to all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Hebrews 12:1-3.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Paul exhorts us to give up our sinful ways and focus on what Jesus has taught and shown us. This is the difference between Jesus and most earthly teachers – He never waivers from what God has called Him to do and demonstrates a life of obedience to God for us. Paul mentions those who have gone before not so much that they are watching what we do to catch us but that they rejoice when we choose to follow Jesus and encourage us on our walk with Him.

However, it is essential that we choose to follow Jesus. We are all called but no one is forced. No one will be dragged kicking and screaming into eternal life, we must make a conscious decision and a continuing effort. In Matthew 19 we read about a young man who has it all – faith, knowledge and unfortunately, wealth. He is unable to obey Jesus when He instructs him to give it to the poor and we hear that “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth” (Matthew 19:22).

Jesus has asked us to give up the things that separate us from a sincere relationship with God, no matter what that object or behavior may be. He knows our weakness but through His strength and forgiveness, we can be saved if we choose to follow Him. May we all feel His love and continue on the path to which He has called us.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Jesus who came to love and save and free us. Help us to be strong in our faith and to share Your love with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 12:23-26.

Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.

Jesus spoke many times about His death, hoping to prepare His disciples for what was to come. (They weren’t prepared.) Sometimes He revealed this openly as in Matthew 16:21, Matthew 17:9, Matthew 17:22-23 and Matthew 20:17-19. In today’s scripture He speaks somewhat more cryptically, using the example of a grain of wheat.

The disciples did not accept this prophecy of His death well. Witness Peter’s reaction in Matthew 16:22 where he exclaims “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus has to explain to Peter (and us) that this is part of God’s plan, and while we may not always understand, we must always obey.

In John’s account, Jesus says that if the grain of wheat “dies” it bears much fruit, a reference to His death and resurrection bringing people to faith in God. He reminds us that earth is not our forever home in verse 25, and that those who accept Him as savior and Lord will be with Him at the end and honored by God. We must always remember that easy was not promised but eternal life is assured for those who take up their cross and follow.

Loving Lord, we are amazed at Your sacrifice for us. Help us to be the servants we are called to be, using our gifts to share Your love with all the world. Amen.

Hello again! Holy Week has come and I have been away from my daily post far too long. I have been fighting back issues, now doing physical therapy and meds for relief. We’ve had family things, travelling, the same issues we all deal with on a regular basis. As things got more complex, it became easier and easier to put off writing every morning. It just goes to show how quickly any of us can fall out of a faith routine if we don’t practice it regularly. My apologies for my weakness, I’ll do my best to not succumb to laziness again, at least regarding daily posts. Bless you all for the inquiries and messages of encouragement! May we walk through Holy Week (and always!) with the remembrance of what Jesus has done for us and what He calls us to do for one another.

Our scripture this morning is Hebrews 9:11-15.

‘But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. ‘

God has made covenants with us from the very beginning. He promised Abraham who was old and childless that he would be the father of nations (Genesis 15:5). He promised the children of Israel that He would be their God and they His people (Exodus 19:5). Through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God offers us a new covenant, that we are washed clean of our sins and called to go to all the world in His name.

Holy Week is a time when we remember the final days of Christ’s earthly ministry – the lessons He taught right up to His death, the courage He displayed in the face of evil, and the love He showed even to those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34). He had told us before “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). We are all called to sacrifice for the good of others, as Jesus did for us.

That’s a pretty heavy instruction, but Christ expects us to take up our own cross and follow Him. While we may be called to give our lives for others as He did, I believe we are also called to give our lives to others, to share the joy we know in Jesus and live in love for God’s children as He did. This is the New Covenant we are called to, God’s promise of eternal life with Him.

Gracious God, we are amazed at Your love for us and blessed by Your sacrifice. Help us to live in Your love and share it with everyone everywhere. We kneel at the foot of the cross and commit ourselves to the coming of Your kingdom. Amen.