May 23 2012

Serving through Education

Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God. (1 Timothy 1:4 NLT)

I am a third generation Salvation Army officer (minister). For three generations, my family has been sharing and showing the love of God in the places where they lived and were sent. Of those three generations, I am the only one who completed my education beyond high school. My grandfather encouraged my parents to go further and they both took many classes beyond high school. My parents encouraged me too further and I completed my college education and in the future, plan to complete my Masters.

While I believe there is value in furthering your education and value in family tradition, if it does not lead people to faith, then it is meaningless. My grandparents and my parents are effective ministers in the places where God sent them, even without the education that I have received. I am effective in the places where God has sent me with the education that I have received. My education and “spiritual pedigree” exists to serve God and His people. If anything, I believe that increased education and understanding only increases our responsibility to go where God sends us and to serve where God places us.

My gifts and abilities, and your gifts and abilities, exist for God and God alone.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Apr 8 2012

Walking with Him to Victory (2012 Easter Sunday)

Title: Walking with Him to Victory
Series: Walking the Roads of Easter (Easter Sunday)
Scripture: Luke 24:13-34
Theme(s): Victory, Success, Easter

Unifying Message: We should return and walk in victory because He has risen like He said He would.
Unifying Need: We as a people should return to our Easter experience each day.

Outline
Issue from the text
Issue in our world
God’s action in the text
God’s action in our world

INTRODUCTION
The path to victory is not always a straight path. Sometimes there are setbacks and u-turns. By daily renewing our Easter experience and experiencing the power of the living, risen Lord can we truly “stay the course” and walk with Him in victory.

ISSUE FROM THE TEXT
In Luke 24:13-34, we find two men identified as followers of Jesus. They were traveling to Emmaus–roughly 7 miles away from Jerusalem. We do not know if they were returning home after Passover or they were fleeing from the loss of their leader and the possible persecution of His followers that may have ensued. They were discussing what had happened over the last week. They were passionately discussing what had occurred and what it might mean. They knew that Jesus had come back again. What is curious about these two men was that instead of being there with Jesus they were walking to another place, away from Jerusalem! Why would these men not be where their leader was? If they knew that He had returned, why were they not sitting at His feet?

ISSUE IN OUR WORLD
As Christians, we are people who all have experienced the incredible work of salvation in our lives. We all know the moment of happiness we feel the love of God flowing through us. After time, things can change. After a while, life continues and situations arise. We lose that Easter experience. We lose that feeling of joy. We, like the two men on the road to Emmaus, are walking away from the Good News and have taken a different path in life. We skirt around the issue. We play at the edges of God’s love. We gather together and try to recreate these experiences, but we still do not know that feeling. Are we still “Standing on the Promises?” Are we still resting in His “Blessed Assurance?” Do we remember “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” of Jesus?

GOD’S ACTION IN THE TEXT
Jesus travels along with the two men on the road. He travels with them and questions them. He even challenges them on what they were talking about. In verse 25, He calls them foolish. He reminds them that the Messiah would have had to endure a period of suffering before He could enter His glory. He then leads them through the teachings of Moses and the prophets. He reminds them about their history and legacy. He reminds them about where they had come from and how it applied to Him. Jesus could have been alluding to the prophecies of His coming and how He fulfilled hundreds of prophecies. When they stopped, Jesus was intending to continue one, but the men urged Him to stay. We get the impression here that the men wanted Him to continue teaching them, to continue sharing with them. Later, in verse 32, they remembered how their “hearts burned within” them as they walked together with Jesus.

He opened their eyes as they broke bread together. He later disappears and they are left with questions. Scripture says that within the hour they packed up and returned home. They made a u-turn. Having “seen” Jesus again for who He was, they had renewed faith and strength, renewed joy and excitement. They had received an Easter blessing! The power of Christ is undeniable and life-changing! When faced with the amazing grace, they returned with a new purpose. They head to the disciples and begin to tell them about what has happened. And, there is Jesus again! He knows the power of continual reinforcement—for continual contact.

GOD’S ACTION IN OUR WORLD
We like the two men on the road to Emmaus are blinded sometimes from the reality and the power of Jesus. We must also be given sight and see Jesus in our everyday lives. By renewing that Easter experience each and every day, we can walk with Him in victory. As Jesus spent time with His followers, so too has God provided for us continual reinforcement and support. He has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit. By the Spirit’s power, we can be reminded of our Easter experience on a daily basis.

Apr 8 2012

A Surprise Along the Way (2012 Easter SONrise Service)

Title: A Surprise Along the Way
Series: Walking the Road of Easter (SONrise Service)
Scripture: Luke 24:1-12
Theme(s): Surprise, God’s provision, Purpose, Importance

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT
Let’s catch up in our story! Jesus, our Lord and leader of our group, has just been killed and buried. According to tradition some of the women have prepared the requisite spices and ointments to anoint His body. They cannot anoint His body right away because of the Sabbath. There can be no work on the Sabbath! So far, everything was continuing on as usual.

At first light, the women gather up all of their materials and make their way to the tomb. There is something very striking here about the women’s behavior. Normally the body would have been anointed right away to complete the burial process, but this time it was interrupted by the Sabbath. These women knew the responsibility and its purpose. But, they did not know how they were going to move the covering from the tomb. They did not know how they were going to complete their task, but they knew their duty. They knew how much Jesus had meant to them and this was one way for them to show Him and others that they loved Him. They could have sat at home and wished that they could have completed it. They could have waited a few days and called a committee of the elders together to work on the problem. They could have petitioned to the Romans to have the stone moved away. They could have hired the Jerusalem Rock and Digging Company, Inc. But, they didn’t. They started out. They only knew that it had to be done.

Sometimes, life feels this way. We have a difficult problem or choice before us. We can choose to move or stay. Like the women, we can choose to move in commitment and devotion, knowing that what we are doing is important. Or, we can sit at home and blame people. We can sit around and wait for someone else to take care of it. What is amazing about this story is that if the women had not walked out in faith, then they would have never witness the “surprise along the way.”

Our lives belong to God. He has made us and given us purpose. He has also given us the ability to choose whether we will move out in that purpose or not. How can we know the full measure of God’s care for us if we stay at home? I think this shows us that God delights in surprising His people. He said it was going to happen. He gave them examples along the way that it would happen. He told them over and over. Why wasn’t everyone waiting out in front of the tomb for Jesus to appear? They had seen Him raise Lazarus from the dead. They had seen Him walk on water. He had healed the blind and cured the sick. Why didn’t they believe that Jesus might have one more “trick” up His sleeve?

We feel like that in life. We know all of the great things that Jesus has done for us. He continually tells us of His love and plans for us in His word. Yet, we are not waiting at His feet. Jesus uses these “surprises along the way” to remind us that He is still walking beside us. Whether it was a promotion at work or an unexpected gift from a friend, a kind note from a far away relative or the answer to the secret prayer of our hearts, God still cares for His people. He is not dead. He is not locked up in a tomb. He is waiting right around the next corner with a “surprise along the way.”

Apr 7 2012

Caring for Others Along the Road (Easter Saturday)

Title: Caring for Others Along the Road
Series: Walking the Road of Easter (Misc. Devotional)
Scripture: Luke 23:50-56
Theme(s): Repentance, Compassion, Caring, Stepping Out

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT
After the darkest moment in human history, we find a short telling of a man who was faced with an opportunity to act. Joseph of Arimathea is described by scripture as a secret follower of Jesus (John 19:38) and a member of the Jewish high council (most likely the Sanhedrin). These two descriptors of Joseph would definitely have caused him some tension, especially as they related to the treatment and death of Christ. We are also told in Luke 23:50 that Joseph was a good and righteous man, but John 19:38 tells us that he feared the Jewish leaders. We see a division in the person of Joseph. He knew what to do and how to do it, but something was holding him back. His fear of the Jewish leaders was holding back his full commitment to the cause of Jesus. And maybe we can let him slide for fearing the Jewish leaders. Even though the Jewish leaders did not have the authority to put Jesus to death (John 18:31), they still managed to manipulate Pilate and Herod into doing it. If they could do that to Jesus, imagine what they could do to Joseph. At the very least, he would become a social outcast and lose his status in the community. These sorts of fears were holding him back from becoming the person that God intended him to be.

We have all seen it. There is a homeless man or woman on the street making their request for money or food. How many times have we walked around or driven past them? Have many times have we not stopped and talked with them? Let’s make it even more personal. How many times have we known that someone is going through something but we just don’t want to get involved? We rationalize it. “It’s none of my business.” “I have my own problems.” “They got themselves in this mess, they can get themselves out of it.” “What would people say if they saw me sitting with that person at lunch?” From physical to social issues, we are surrounded by people who just need a touch, a comforting reminder—some care along the road.

The power of God and the witness of Jesus Christ changed the heart and mind of Joseph of Arimathea. It is one thing to say that you are a follower of Christ. It is yet another to actually be a follower of Christ. Joseph risked everything he had and everything that he would ever be when he stepped up to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. You can almost imagine the stares of the other leaders, Roman and Jewish, as one of their own steps forward. He steps out of secrecy and into reality. He is stepping out of the shallow end of the pool into where it is deep. He is stepping out of being an acquaintance and into a relationship with Jesus.

Caring for others along the way will mean that you have to take risks. Like Joseph, you may have to risk your social standing, your popularity, some friendships, a new position, or possibly even your job. It will cost you something. Joseph of Arimathea put Jesus in his own tomb—a tomb meant for himself or one of his family members. This was a personal expense to him with no chance of reimbursement. Jesus taught us in Luke 9:24 that “if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” We must be like Joseph of Arimathea. We need to throw caution to the wind and show compassion to other travelers along the way, especially the ones that no one else will help. When faced with a crisis of faith, we must continue “doing the most good” for everyone around us.

Apr 6 2012

Walking the Darkened Path (2012 Good Friday)

Title: Walking the Darkened Path
Series: Walking the Roads of Easter (Good Friday)
Scripture: Luke 23: 1-49
Theme(s): Walking the right path even in the face of adversity

OUTLINE
Jesus walked without company
Jesus walked without blame
Jesus walked without complaint
Jesus walked without support
Jesus walked for you and me

INTRODUCTION
On Good Friday, Jesus chose to walk a darkened path. He walked a path through hatred, selfishness, politics, deception, and jealousy.

HE WALKED WITHOUT COMPANY
• Greeted like a champion on Palm Sunday and days later ignored.
• Shunned and condemned by the religious leaders of the day, the very people who were the supposed followers of the Father.
• Betrayed by Judas, a close confidant.
• Abandoned by the disciples, His closest followers.
• Denied by Peter, one of the “inner circle”
• Passed over by the crowds when they shouted for His life in exchange for Barabbas’ pardon.

We have all known the shock of betrayal, the wounds of denial, the stigma of being shunned, the pain of abandonment, and the utter loss of being passed over for another.

Jesus walked the darkened path without company.

HE WALKED WITHOUT BLAME
• Accused falsely of instructing other to not pay their taxes. The religious leaders knew that Rome did not care about their petty religious squabbles, but taxes, money, that was a different matter.
• Pilate did not find any fault with Him and passed Him on to Herod.
• Herod could not find any blame, but used Him to gain favor with Pilate (v. 12). He was used for political gain.
• He was released by Rome, but condemned by Israel
• Sold for one criminal, and hung between two others.

Jesus walked the darkened path without blame.

HE WALKED WITHOUT COMPLAINT
• He never boasted or bragged about who He was or what He had done.
• He answered the questions simply and directly, and later gave up answering at all.
• They mocked Him and mistreated Him.
• They sold Him in exchange for the life of a known terrorist and murderer (v. 18).
• He asked for their forgiveness, not their punishment (v. 34).
• They stole His possessions and gambled them away (v. 34b).
• He was insulted and ridiculed (v. 35).
• He showed compassion to others when He was receiving none Himself (v. 43).
• He was innocent and everyone from Pilate (v. 14) to the common soldier (v. 47) knew it.

Jesus walked the darkened path without complaint.

HE WALKED WITHOUT SUPPORT
• No one defended Him, even when He defended others.
• No one supported Him, even as He lifted others up.
• No one protected Him, while He was protecting all of us.
• Pilate had a chance and gave in to social pressure (v. 22).
• Herod could have stopped it but chose the easier and more acceptable way (v. 11).
• The crowds followed after Him but did not lift a finger (v. 27). They wept for Him, but never argued for Him.

Jesus walked the darkened path without support.

CONCLUSION-HE WALKED FOR YOU AND ME
He walked where we could not, would not, and did not want to go.
We stand on this side of Calvary and condemn the religious leaders for their choices and their lies, and we are not very different.
• Do we not still mock His name?
• Do we not still take Him for granted?
• Do we not still gamble our lives, His possessions, away?
• Do we not still betray Him?
• Do we not still falsely accuse Him, blame Him, lie to Him, try to deceive Him?
• Do we not still take the easier path to avoid accepting responsibility?
While we were still consumed by our sin, Jesus died for us. Despite what we’ve done, God still chooses to love us and sent His son so He could be with us. That’s what one can call incredible grace.

Apr 5 2012

Those We Walk With (Maundy Thursday 2012)

Title: Those We Walk With
Series: Walking the Roads of Easter (Maundy Thursday)
Scripture: Luke 22:7-30
Theme(s): Fellowship, Company, Friendship, Communion, Community
OUTLINE
Stop and smell the roses (22:7-16)
Remember the past and realize the future (22:17-20)
Be careful who you walk with (22:21-27)

INTRODUCTION
As we travel down the various roads and paths of life, we come across fellow travelers. Some of these travelers are headed to the same destination we are, and some are headed to other places. As we walk with these other people, we develop relationships, a kind of communion, with them. These special relationships help to start our own community of living. During their travels, Jesus spends some important, quality time with His followers and during that time, we can find some guidance for us as we travel along together. The message of fellowship and walking together still echoes down through eternity to us today. Jesus is showing us that we need to: stop and smell the roses; remember the past and realize the future; and to be careful who we choose to walk beside.

STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES
While we travel, we should enjoy the special moments that we come across. We should take time to pause and embrace the joy of fellowship.

Jesus was excited and eager to take this moment with His followers—His closest friends and His traveling companions. Jesus was happy to and even desired to share this experience with those He was closest to (v. 15). They had just finished a trip together leading up to His triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem. Along the way, He had led them through some very interesting places and introduced them to many interesting people. He knew the importance of taking time while He had it. Jesus was prepared for their last meal together (v. 13). He wanted everything to be perfect. He wanted this moment for them. He knew what He was going to have to face and go through. He even alluded at the end of verse 15 to a time when He would experience great suffering. He knew His time was short. And yet, He still took these precious moments to break bread with these His closest friends.

In our fast-paced, Wi-Fi, social network, web conference, email, text, smartphone-enabled, and speed dating lifestyles, we do not take a lot of time to connect in real life. Online shopping is replacing shopping at stores. Borrowing a book has been replaced by downloading one digitally. How many of us have more Facebook friends than actual friends? We are not taking time anymore to connect, to mentor, to love, to guide. Conversations are being shortened to quick language texts. Letters between friends are being replaced by quick emails. Did you know that phone companies are developing a phone that you cannot make a call from? It is for email, text, and Internet only. Jesus tells His followers that He will not celebrate Passover with them again. He would not celebrate with them like this ever again. This was the last party, their last time together. He wanted them to take a moment and enjoy each other’s company.

REMEMBER THE PAST AND REALIZE THE FUTURE
If we ignore our past, we are doomed to repeat it. There is a tendency to only focus on what is ahead and not where we have come from. We must never forget where we come from because then, and only then, do we know how far we have come. You can’t gauge progress without having a starting point.

There were two elements to Jesus’ presentation during His last meal with the disciples. First, He held up a cup of wine. He thanked God and shared it with His friends. He would later explain that this cup would represent the new covenant between God and His people. Earlier in Jewish history, God had made a covenant promise with Abraham to give him, and by extension the people, the Promised Land. This was a covenant promise that God later fulfilled. He has been keeping His word. Now, through the “blood” of Christ, He was making a new covenant promise with His people. What makes this new covenant so special? It is special because Jesus guarantees it with His own blood. The old covenant promise with Abraham was made with the blood of animals, sacrificed for the people. This new covenant was stronger because it had a better guarantee: the blood of Christ.

Secondly, He offers His followers the pieces of bread. He instructed them to do this in “remembrance of me.” He was offering them a piece of Himself. He was helping them to create a memory they could come back to and remember. This was a mile marker along their journey. They could see how far they had come and how much they had progressed by these mile markers of remembrance.

As we journey together, there is a lot of talk about what the future holds, where we are going as a society, the great promise our collective future will bring. And, while we truly have a great future in eternity with the Father, we must take a moment to acknowledge what got us here. Jesus said earlier in His time with the disciples that He had come to fulfill the law and not to destroy it (Matthew 5:17). What is ironic about this moment is that His biggest adversaries were the teachers of the law! They thought that He had come to take away their “followers.” In essence, He was carrying on the legacy handed down by their forefathers and completing it. Through this time, Jesus was calling them to remember their past and realize their future. They were to build on what had gotten them to this point as a people.

BE CAREFUL WHO YOU WALK WITH
John Maxwell says that everybody that we meet is an elevator. Some people take you up and some take you down. Some people build us up and some people tear us down. We have to be careful who we choose to share our journey with.

In Luke 22: 21-27, Jesus gives us two examples of those who are not going to help us along the way. The first example is a direct example. Jesus tells His followers that one of them is going to betray Him. The second example comes when Jesus sees His followers arguing amongst themselves. They had just been told that one of them was a traitor. After spending a couple moments trying to figure out who the person was and never showing concern about Jesus, they start to fight. They are trying to figure out who the greatest among them was. Both the direct and indirect examples are of people who are not going to help us along the way.

Jesus deals with both of these bad examples of relationships by telling them that things are going to be different for them. He asks them a question about who is greater: the one who sits at a table or the one who serves them? While He is directly speaking to the infighting among them about rank, you can see that He is also responding to Judas’ betrayal. Judas was being coerced and seduced by the leaders who wanted Jesus out of the way. But let’s face it, Judas was dealing with his own issues. In an earlier story, Judas was the one who complained about the expense of the offering the woman used to anoint Jesus’ feet. John 12:6 also mentions that he was a thief and as keeper of the money bags, would often dip into them himself. Stealing and working with the religious leaders speaks of a quest for power and position. Judas wanted it all. He wanted the position and prestige. Judas wanted to be the one who was being served at the table. Jesus “turns the tables” on this kind of thinking by saying that the one who serves is greater.

Both the direct and indirect examples can hinder our development and our progress. True friendships and caring relationships are hard to come by these days. It takes work to develop and nurture these special bonds. Sometimes for us to see growth, we have to be willing to not allow certain influences in our lives.

Apr 4 2012

Walking to Renewal (Easter Wednesday)

Title: Walking to Renewal
Series: Walking the Roads of Easter (Easter Wednesday)
Scripture: Luke 19:45-48
Theme(s): Renewal, Loss of purpose, Second chance

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT
Have you ever gone for a walk in the woods? As you push your way through trees and bushes, you occasionally come across paths that have been created in the woods. You can sometimes see paths that have not been created on purpose, but because man or animals have walked that way time and time again. It might be the quickest way to a source of water. It might avoid some natural predators in the area. It might simply be the easiest way from one point to the other. These paths have been created because of frequent travel. After someone started going that way and broke through the bushes, pressed down the grass, and parted the trees, others that came along the way started following that path. Why? It is simple. It is often easier to follow an existing path than to make a new one. The person or animal who started the path probably never expected to create it or for others to follow it, but it happens. We find comfort in following the easy, comfortable way everyone else is going. It is not easy to take a different path, a new way. It is not always easy to begin “walking to renewal.”

In Luke 19:45-48, we find Jesus entering into the temple and not liking what He finds. We find Christ confused about what He is seeing but sure about He needs to do about it. In defense of the people who were selling animals for sacrifices, they were providing a necessary service. People would travel from all over the nation of Israel to come to the Temple to sacrifice. Families who traveled from these distant places could not always transport the required sacrifices with them from home. They needed a place to purchase these sacrifices for their families—sacrifices that were an important part of the Jewish tradition and culture.

Catch what Jesus says at the end of verse 46: “You have turned it (the Temple) into a den of thieves.” What Jesus alludes to here is that these people were taking advantage of the people coming to the Temple to sacrifice. They could have been charging too much for the sacrifices or treating them unfairly. They could be selling them substandard animals. Part of the sacrifice tradition was that the sacrifices were to be pure and without blemish. They were stealing from God’s people. They were stealing from Him. They were utilizing their advantage of location and ability to take advantage of others.

Our thought today comes in right here. While they may not have started out being “thieves”, this is where Jesus found them now. It became comfortable. It became easy. It might have started to become acceptable—to become their right. They lived here and these foreigners should pay to come here. Somebody had to get them the right animal. Is there anything wrong with making a little profit? “I have bills. I have a family to feed. I have needs.” You see how easy it is—how quick it is to slide down to that place. How easy it is for Jesus to find us there.

Jesus knew He had to do something radical. This was not a time to call together the Temple Better Business Bureau to discuss suspension options. It was not time to form a committee to discuss possible repercussions of dishonest trade franchises. It was time to clean house! I don’t know where God has found you, but there are times in my life where God has cleaned house within me. He has removed all of the stuff that I thought was so important and that I had made important. Like a dentist removing a cavity before putting in a filling, if you build on decay and sin, you will not have a sure foundation. Jesus started them down a “walk to renewal.”

Like starting any exercise program, it is never easy at first. You will get tired and frustrated. You will wonder if there are any results. You will constantly question your motivation and commitment. Renewal is a lot like that. It is not easy to start something new—to make a positive change. Ask someone who is losing weight! One of the most frustrating experiences in weight loss is that healthier foods are more expensive and harder to find than unhealthy foods. Forging a new path through the forest can sometimes come with consequences. You may have to change who you associate with and where you like to go. You may have to try new things and make greater sacrifices. Your family may not understand, and your friends probably will not.

“Walking to renewal” must be your choice. You must initiate it. God has promised us support and help. He has sent His Spirit to convict, comfort, and guide us through this and the rest of our lives. Will you make a covenant with Him today?

Apr 4 2012

Walking in Triumph (Palm Sunday)

Title: Walking In Triumph
Series: Walking the Roads of Easter (Palm Sunday)
Scripture: Luke 19:28-40
Theme(s): Palm Sunday, Easter, Victory, Celebration

Image
OUTLINE

  • Preparing for worship (19:28-34)
  • Worship with all that you are (19:35-38)
  • Not letting others steal your joy (19:39-40)

INTRODUCTION
To “walk in triumph”, there is a path to follow and pitfalls along the way. One must prepare for walk. They must put themselves completely into the process. And, you cannot allow others to stop you. This morning, we will learn to “walk in triumph” together!

PREPARING FOR WORSHIP (19:28-34)

We find at the beginning of this part of our journey Jesus and his followers approaching Jerusalem. As they reach the outlying area, Jesus sends two disciples ahead of the group to gather what was needed for their entry. He is very specific about His instructions. He tells them that as they enter the village they will find a colt. And, not just any colt, but a colt that no one has ever ridden! He also instructs the two disciples in what they are to say if they are questioned about why they are taking the colt.

Jesus seems very specific about his instructions in preparation for His entry into Jerusalem. Jesus did not need an animal to ride into the city of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. In fact, this is the only recorded moment in the life of Jesus where he is riding an animal. He rode in on the colt to fulfill a prophecy of scripture. Jesus spent much time in preparation.

For us to truly walk in triumph, we must prepare ourselves to worship and praise God. Too often do rush into the house of God without preparing ourselves. How many times have you left worship with the thought that you had not received anything? Is it perhaps because you were not prepared for worship yourself? How do we prepare for worship?

We can prepare our hearts for worship through prayer and meditation. This is developing and maintaining a focus. We prepare for worship by involving ourselves with scripture. This is a form of inspiration. What good is focus without something to focus on? Some programs include a “call to worship.” This is an attempt to focus our minds and attention on God—to prepare us for worship.

WORSHIP WITH ALL THAT YOU ARE (19:35-38)

As Jesus entered into Jerusalem, the city of David, his followers began to “praise God in loud voices.” They were sharing “all the miracles they had seen.” They were bearing witness to the worthiness of Christ. They were demonstrating His worth by worshipping Him.

There is an often-overlooked section directly before this worshipful scene. In some of the other gospels, palm branches are mentioned, but here in Luke, they spread their cloaks, their outer garments, along the path. It is ironic that this passage is not more highlighted because it is this section that leads to the name, “Palm Sunday.” People, in an act of worship, laid all that they had at the foot of Jesus. During Jesus’ time, people did not own that many changes of clothing. They laid what they had along the way of Jesus.

Jesus in another passage tells a woman that there will come a time when people will worship in Spirit and in truth. Part of the truth of worship is that we cannot afford to hold anything back. We must be all in! There is no halfway with God. There is no in-between.

NOT LETTING OTHERS STEAL YOUR JOY (19:39-40)
During Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem, the religious leaders of the day came up to Jesus. They instructed Him to quiet His followers. They were making too much noise. They were drawing too much attention. Possibly, they were taking people’s focus off of those “leaders” in exchange for the true Leader that God provided for them.

Often, when others attempt to stifle the expressions of praise and joy in others, it is because they sense their own deficiency, their own weakness, where they fall short. We find an example in today’s culture. Whether you like the Denver Broncos or not, you probably know who Tim Tebow is. Is it possible that those who find fault in his witness are those who do not have a witness themselves?

You can imagine the look on Jesus’ face! He has just been accosted by the leading religious figures. Here He is the very embodiment of the scriptures, and yet they claimed they were the “chosen” teachers. He is the fulfillment of the prophecies that their forefathers and heroes of faith recorded. He was the promise and the fulfillment of God’s plan of redemption. And they were only thinking of themselves. They were worried about the power and control they would lose if this new Teacher gained a following. It was fine for Him to teach while He stayed out in the countryside, but now He was coming into downtown Jerusalem—the big leagues—and this would not do!

Jesus looked over at them and told them simply, if someone didn’t say something, the very ground, nature itself, would have something to say about His coming! Our joy comes in the knowledge that Jesus is the finishing line! We “walk in triumph” because we know who waits at the finish line. We are all striving for the moment when we are told, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

AUTHOR’S NOTE

This is not meant to be a complete sermon. This is merely a catalyst to help the writing and preaching process.

Feb 12 2012

Oh, How He Loves

Mark 1:40-45 NLT

“Everyone needs compassion, a love that never fails.”

Graphic from www.tsamtk.org

We live in a world where there are hurting people everywhere. Failed relationships, death, the economy, and loss of self cause people, including ourselves, to feel disconnected and in pain. We have lost faith with our communities. We have lost faith in our government and the officials that run it. We have lost faith with our families and our social circles. Unfortunately, we have even lost faith with the church and our spiritual foundations. Where do we turn?

How many of us have more friends on Facebook that in real life? How many of us have phone numbers for people we don’t really know? Do we still send cards or letters to people we have not seen face-to-face in many years? Why do we text rather than call? We claim efficiency and progress. We tell ourselves that we can communicate more information to more people even more quickly. We are quickly becoming a society of digital hermits and paranoid recluses. We are scared to touch. We are scared to care. We do not choose to love beyond what we know. It is easy to love something or someone you know or that loves you back. It is harder to love what no one else loves.

Do we love enough? Are we caring enough? Are we taking the time to get to know our fellow man? Do we still know our neighbors like we used to? Or, are we more concerned about what is happening in our own world? Are we more concerned about what people might say if they saw us spending time with “those” kind of people? Look at how far, we Christians, we believers, have fallen. We used to be “those” people, but God still loved us.
We need to learn how to reconnect and re-engage with this world and it’s people. We need to spend less time determining who has what or who has more. We need to spend time figuring how to get people what they need. We need to love, need to learn, need to lead. The church, us, we, are in a unique position in today’s world to love the unlovable, to care for the “un-careable”, to befriend the friendless, to bind up the broken-hearted, and to set the captives free (Isaiah 61:1).

Our story in today’s Word for us addresses that very issue. In Mark 1:40-45, Jesus is preparing to continue traveling and ministering to people. He is packing to leave and a man comes and kneels before Him. We are told in verse 1 that he has leprosy. Leprosy then, and still today, is more than a disease. It is a social condition. At the time of this story, if someone had leprosy, they would be required to stay away from people. If someone were to get near them, they had to call out, “Unclean!” People avoided them. Families disowned them. Society did not have time for them. They did not have a place for them. They were exiled to colonies filled with other people with leprosy. They were exiled there to wait to die. There was no reacceptance, no chance of parole, no pardon. They were cut off from the world and forgotten about. This man who knelt before Jesus could have been related to one of his close followers. Everyone probably knew him and his family. But, in their eyes, he was less than human. The government could do nothing for them. Sadly, the priests of the day avoided them for fear of becoming unclean themselves. They were not necessarily concerned with contracting the disease. They were concerned that it would make them spiritually unclean. It would hurt their standing at temple. It would lower their social status. The man asked Jesus for two things that day. We make a mistake if we see them as the same thing. He asked to be healed and to be made clean. It is true that leprosy is a disease that harms the body and can cause death. But, what was different and possibly worse, the social disconnection also harmed and caused a kind of death, separation.

Jesus looks beyond all of that. Oh, how He loves! He loved beyond the physical. He was willing to help. He was willing to heal. He was willing to change the situation. Oh, how He loves! He was willing to reach out. He was willing to touch. He was willing to break through the social barriers. Oh, how He loves! He did what no priest would have ever done. He reached out and touched him. He touched his leprosy, his disease. He didn’t see the disease. He didn’t see the situation. He saw the person who needed love. He saw a person who needed to be touched. Oh, how He loves!

After the physical healing, Jesus tells the man to go to a priest and make the required offering. Although Jesus had removed the problem, the disease, he still knew that the man needed more. The man had asked Jesus for healing and he asked Him to make him clean. I am struck by an interesting thought. Couldn’t Jesus have removed the social stigma from the man? Didn’t His own authority exceed the authority of Moses? The answer is yes! He could have made the man clean. But, as He said many times, He did not come to destroy the Law. He came to uphold and validate it.

We need to follow Jesus’ example. We need to reach beyond how we feel about something or someone. We need to reach out from what we think is our comfort area. We need to go beyond what we know to find out where God really wants us to be. We should be willing to reach out and touch. We cannot stop when we see the “leprosy” around us. Today, “leprosy” can be dirt, poverty, old age, lack of education, social standing, political affiliation, race, physical attractiveness, or religious beliefs. We need to reach out beyond the four walls of our homes, our neighborhoods, and our churches. We have to go beyond only what we know!

Today, Jesus has taught us how to love others. We should love like He loves, and, oh, how He loves! What are we willing to do differently? Are we willing to love people who are friends do not love? Are we willing to befriend people who are not accepted by our friends and social circles? Are we willing to risk becoming socially disconnected ourselves for the sake of Christ? Can we love other like He did?

Soli Deo Gloria!

Feb 5 2012

Alone Time with Him

Mark 1:29-39

Car races are fast becoming one of America’s favorite ways to pass time. Hundreds of thousands of people each year watch these professional drivers as they race over asphalt, dirt, city streets, and mountainous terrain. These drivers train continually and are constantly seeking ways to improve their equipment and support structures. But, these drivers are only as good as their pit crews. These unsung heroes of the racing scene are what translate to success on the race track. Good pit crews usually involve a team leader who provides instruction and direction, a chief mechanic who supports the needs of the car, and usually high up in the stands, a spotter who can advise the driver of where he is and what he needs to accomplish to win the race.
We are running the race of life and we also need a good pit crew to succeed. Fortunately for us, Jesus is all the support we could ever need. He can teach us how to receive, renew, and refocus during our journey so that we can become effective in the race.

Time to receive

Shared from www.creationswap.com, edited by Storm McClure

Jesus has been traveling, healing, preaching, and dealing with His followers. He has been engaged in the day-to-day work of ministry. While there is nothing wrong with work or ministry, there are times when the constant outpouring can deplete our strength and energy. We can become drained by helping and serving others. After preaching at the synagogue, Jesus goes to Simon and Andrew’s home. He heals their mother. After she prepares them a meal, people come from all over bringing their sick and demon-possessed friends and relatives. There is an expectation that people are developing concerning the ability and accessibility of Christ. People are discovering that He can heal and do miraculous things. They know that they can come to Him for release and help with their troubles. The people of that time were looking for leadership and direction. They were a conquered people who have been tossed back and forth by other nations. No longer ruling themselves, they have become a society with a local puppet leader who answered to Rome and not to them. They needed a Deliverer. They needed a Messiah. They needed Jesus. It was the reason that God sent His Son for “such a time as this.” People needed Jesus. But, sometimes Jesus needed the Father more. Beth Moore says that “Jesus went from place of prayer to place of prayer and doing miracles in between.”

Taking time to be fed rather than always feeding is crucial and life-giving. Taking time to be filled rather always pouring out can become mission critical.

Taking to time to receive is healthy and vital. Taking time to be fed rather than always feeding is crucial and life-giving. Taking time to be filled rather always pouring out can become mission critical. How can we serve if we are drained? How can we help if we are depleted?

We cannot increase others from a deficit in ourselves.

We need to recharge, to re-energize.
In our world today, we are surrounded by gadgets. They have invaded every part of our lives. From young to old, all of us have some kind of electronic device. While these devices range from iPads to remote controls, radio-controlled cars to Easy Bake Ovens, pacemakers to mobile phones, there is one constant among them. They need power, energy to operate. If they are not plugged into an outlet, then they need a mobile power supply. We call it batteries. Whether mobile or stationary, alternating or direct current, without power, these devices are just expensive paper weights.
Physically, we are a lot like these devices. We eat to store up energy so we can go about our day. We use that energy to accomplish the tasks that we have planned. Spiritually, we are also like these devices. We need to recharge our spiritual batteries so we can continue serving and ministering to those around us. The problem is that we forget how to recharge these “spiritual batteries.” We teach our children how to do it, be we forget as we move into adulthood. Do you remember this? “I promise to pray, read my Bible, and, by His help, to lead a life that is clean in thought, word, and deed.” This is part of the promise that all junior members of our church share when they join. Somewhere along the way we forget how to keep recharged. We forget to “keep God” in our lives.
We need to take time alone with Him and receive all of the wonder that He has set aside for us. We need to switch our emotional, mental, and directions from giving to receiving. We need to receive the love and beauty that God wants to pour into our lives.

Time to renew
Let’s listen to some of the words from the scriptures today. “At daybreak”, “went out”, “isolated”, “later”, “find Him”, “looking for You” All of these phrases say one thing over and over again. Jesus was somewhere else. He was not here. The Messiah was not in. He had removed Himself from the equation. He removed Himself from the social distractions and limitations. He had gone on “walkabout.” A walkabout is an Australian term for when an Aboriginal young man goes on a solitary journey. The intent of walkabout was to find some distance from where you were, so you could see where you are headed next.
Jesus isolated Himself and did not tell anyone where He was going. His followers told Him that everybody had been looking for Him. He was needed. People needed to see Him, so He could make them well.

Need is wonderful to the ears, but can be damaging to the spirit.

There is a great trap we can fall into when we are constantly filling other’s needs. We like to feel needed. We like to feel like we have an input into a situation or someone’s life. But, if we are not careful, we can miss out on what God is doing for us and to us. We can let other people’s priorities and experiences wash away what God has planned for us. We lose sense of our own value, our own place in God’s creation. We have to daily renew our minds and hearts.
If you participate in any kind of financial dealings from service plans to club memberships to labor contracts, you have heard the same fateful phrase. “It is time to renew your agreement.” Depending on the length of the deal, you will have to go over your existing relationship and renegotiate for how it will look and operate in the future. The period of renewal is healthy for the company and for you. It gives both parties a chance to decide whether to continue working together. It also gives everyone involved a chance to acknowledge the value of what the other party is offering. In some cases, it gives both a chance to revalue the offerings. We can often find a “hidden gem” inside of an old contract that we have not utilized before. The act of search and renegotiating can help add additional value to old relationships.
In many ways, prayer can be that catalyst for change in our lives. The time alone with Him, we have a chance to revalue what has done in our own lives and where He might be leading us to in the future. We have a chance to “spiritually” see the distance from where we were and see where we are headed next!

Time to refocus
After His followers found Him and lightly chastised Him for leaving them without a “forwarding address”, Jesus replies. He tells them that it is time to move on. It is time to “go on to other towns.” It would have been easy for Jesus to stay right where He was. He was at the beginning of His formal ministry He had just gathered a group of followers. We was becoming well-known, well loved, and praised (1:22) for His activities in the area. He was in a good place surrounded by friends and followers. It would have been easy for Jesus to stay right where He was. He wouldn’t have to endure the torture and ridicule of Calvary. Jesus could stay and remain a local hero, a man of God that everyone knew and respected. But that is not why He came!
He had come to minister to all. He came to share with all. He came to save us all. Perhaps He knew people would get complacent. Perhaps He knew that people would want to stay in their comfort zone. Perhaps He knew all of that. He did know that there were others, and there are still others today, who are hurting. There were others who needed His healing touch. He knew why He had come!
There was a trend in the “art” world many years ago that used to give some people a headache. You can still some of this work here and there, but there was a time when mall kiosks were crowded with them. I am talking about those pieces of art which looked chaotic and busy on the surface but contained a “hidden picture” in them. There are people who cannot see these “hidden pictures.” It doesn’t matter if they stand on one leg, squint their eyes, cock their head, hold their tongue just so, or position their arms like a set of old rabbit-ear antennae. They just cannot see the hidden picture, the hidden message, that is hidden below the confusion. The only way to see the picture with the picture is to look at it from a different perspective. You have to ignore the obvious image and see the message that is behind it. That is why Jesus came!
He came to love all. He came to see the world from a different perspective.

We need to refocus our attention from the obvious to the hidden message.

When we pray or “network” with God, He can help us see past the distractions and obstacles of life. He can help us see the “hidden message”, the deeper calling or motivation, which He has for every one of us. It would be easy for us to stay where we are. It would be easy to stay in our comfort zone. God can help us refocus our “eyes” and see all that He has for us. He can remind us of “why we came.”

As we take a few turns around the race track of life, there are times when we need some help to stay in the right direction. There are times when we need to receive guidance and direction, love and support, comfort and encouragement. There are also times when we need to renew ourselves to the wonder of our uniqueness and the blessings that God has placed in our lives. And, there are also times when we need someone to help us refocus on why we are racing and where we are headed. We need to find time alone with Him.