The Humble Victor

Opening Prayer:  Lord be with me as I continue to live this life of being sheltered in. Remind me to keep in my prayers, those for whom sheltering in is not an option. Help me to do my part with courage and with joy. Amen.

Reading: Colossians 3:12-17 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Message:  My experience as an athlete in high school and college taught me that winning was good. There were undoubtedly many ways my teammates lorded their victory over those who lost. I found this interesting because we all knew after the very next game or match, we could very easily be the ones suffering abuse. Knowing this did not stop us from taunting the opposing team. We were at that moment, the victors. Nothing and no one else mattered.

The readings for this Tuesday after Easter focus primarily on victory. In addition to the passage from Colossians, readings from Psalm 118, A Song of Victory, and Moses’ song of victory from Exodus 15 are included. Psalm 118 and Exodus 15 ring with confidence and faith in God’s power is evident.

The lesson that can be learned from the addition of Colossians 3:12 is humility. It is easy to forget what it was like to be on the bottom. We are victors, and we in Romans 8 are reminded that we are more than conquerors. The way we wear our victory matters. It is when we face others with compassion, kindness, and humility that we can minister to others. It is when our victory is represented by how we forgive, speak with wisdom, and reflect our gratitude that we become the witnesses to the Christ the Victor.

 Closing Prayer:  Christ is Risen. Help me, Lord, to live the victorious life that you died and rose to give me. Help my life always to begin and end with gratitude. Amen.

Maundy Thursday: Sacrificed for All

Opening Prayer: Lord, I come. I come with my baggage that includes fears, worries, concerns, and sins. I thank you that you already know this and still welcome me. Your arms that are always open for me gather me in and make me rest. Help me to accept my place in your arms. Help me to be uplifted by the warmth of your ready smile. Amen.

Scripture(s): * Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14; John 13:1-17, 31b-35

The scriptures are long so I will ask you to read them on your own.

Message: There are two traditions commonly practiced by Christians on the Thursday of Holy Week. The two, what is now called the Eucharist, and washing feet are outlined in our reading from John. This devotion focuses on the Eucharist. Regardless of the number of people at the table, sharing a meal is an intimate and communal affair. It doesn’t matter if the meal was prepared from scratch and cooked for hours, or if it came out of the freezer, is thawed and then microwaved. There is some amount of human care that accompanies the preparation and serving of a meal. Whether you then sit down to plates, cups, and silverware, or eat out of the pot standing up at the kitchen island, there is an amount of care that accompanies placing food in your mouth, chewing or drinking, and swallowing. These well-practiced daily rituals, if you will, define us a human and part of the larger human family.

In order for something to be intimate, there must be some mutual agreement of sharing. It is because of this that I have never understood why many first dates take place over meals. You are, in my opinion really vulnerable at meals. For those suffering from eating disorders, this vulnerability of eating with others causes a great deal of fear and anxiety. They are concerned about how people will look at what they choose to eat, how much they choose to eat, and how they look eating.

Eating is intimate and communal. One must at some level choose to be vulnerable and to enter in a trust agreement that will create community. According to Gillian Crowther, Canadian anthropologist, sharing a meal is found to be a universal manifestation of sociality.[1] It provides a connection. At the same time, my Jewish friends were celebrating Passover last night we Christians were celebrating our Eucharist. Imagine that. The last meal Jesus ate before his resurrection united us! Christians to our Jewish family and all of us to our shared ancestry.

           

In Exodus, the first Passover celebration is outlined. The preparation for the meal and the celebration is outlined. People are to shelter in their homes. They are to obtain an unblemished lamb that was to be eaten in its entirety that evening. Interestingly, there is also a provision for creating a community beyond one household. Exodus 12:4 “If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining one…” The lamb could be an actual lamb or it could be a goat. The poor and the rich could participate in this celebration. Traditions also cite that there were cases in which richer families provided lambs to poorer families. The practice of preparation is communal. Provisions are made so that community can be created through the preparation. The blood on the doorposts is a type of public profession. The household has faith in YHWH.

The cooking and the eating of the sacrifice is also prescribed. Exodus: 12:11 “This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the Lord.” The sacrifice is taken into the body. Our body as a symbol of what is happening in our hearts, minds, and spirits are to be girded, our feet are shod, our walking stick is in our hand, and we eat in haste. We are spiritually ready to do hard work and to travel where we are led. We have a staff to help us over the rough terrain. New scholars of the Hebrew bible have corrected our typical understanding of the word translated, “hurriedly” or “in haste.” They argue the real meaning is not that God as requiring people to choke down the food, but that the sacrifice must be eaten with a sense of urgency. This makes a lot of sense! Eating is also a preparation, preparation for the journey ahead.

Understanding this has made me wonder what it would be like to participate in our Eucharist in the same way. What if instead of standing in a line, we spent time in our pews preparing? What if we spiritually put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11) and we ate our sacrifice of body and blood with urgency?

Closing Prayer: Lord thank you for calling us to the Eucharist. You, the unblemished Paschal Lamb gave his life so that our sins may be forgiven and forgotten, not just passed over. What a gift! Remind me to prepare for this with at least as much care as when you prepared the way to your heavenly kingdom.

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[1] Bardon, Ester. “How Sharing a Meal Is About Sharing a Culture.” UT Blog, University of Tartu, 23 Dec. 2015, blog.ut.ee/how-sharing-a-meal-is-about-sharing-a-culture/.

Holy Wednesday: Jesus and Mary of Bethany

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

Opening Prayer: Lord, we continue our journey reflecting on the events of your last week. Help us to focus with thanksgiving on the many opportunities given to be transformed by your power, mercy, and love. Amen.

Reading:  Matthew 26:6–13 ESV

Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

Mark 14:3-6 New International Version (NIV)

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some, of those present, were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 

Message: Many traditions memorialize the Wednesday of Holy Week. Some recognize Judas’ meeting with the Sanhedrin. Others honor the Wednesday of Holy Week as the day Mary anointed Jesus. It is this tradition on which I choose to focus today. It is a fascinating story, especially in this time of a worldwide pandemic. Three points are of interest to us this Holy Wednesday. The first is Jesus’ lack of social distancing in the face of a contagion. The second point of interest is the use of Spikenard, and the third point is the practice of anointing.

Jesus and Social Distancing: Jesus is in the house of a leper. What! Weren’t lepers considered unclean? Yes, they were. Leprosy was considered highly contagious requiring constant contact with, like COVID-19, droplets from the nose and mouth of someone who is untreated. Jesus is at the home of a leper and not just standing at the door; he is having a meal. Jesus and the disciples are in the home of an infected man. While this practice along would be enough for a sermon, it is only one part of the story that I want to focus on, so we will move on. 

The use of Spikenard: The Book of John identifies the oil used by Mary as pure nard. Spikenard comes from plants found in Nepal, China, and India. Easily imported from Egypt, this oil was offered on the specialized incense altar in the first and second temples in Jerusalem. Simon’s household most likely had Spikenard because it was a popular treatment for leprosy. 

The practice of anointing:  The practice of anointing was very common as a ritual and as an act of hospitality. You may remember how Samuel anointed David King by pouring oil over his head (1Sam. 16). Priests and prophets were also anointed with oil. Anointing a guest at dinner was not uncommon. What was uncommon was the quality of the oil and the extravagance of its usage. Instead of a drop or two, she poured the bottle’s contents over Jesus’ head (Mt. and Mk.). John is the only Gospel in which, instead of his head, the anointing is of Jesus’ feet. 

The gathered household and guests are shocked not that Jesus is anointed, not at the fact that a woman is performing the anointing. They are shocked by Mary’s extravagance. A costly container broken and a costly, imported oil, all given to freely Jesus. Mary’s extravagance reminds me of the scripture that encourages us to outdo one another in doing good (Rom. 12:10). It is also reminiscent of the parable of the widow who gave all she had (Mark 12:41-44, Luke 21:1-4).

This Holy Wednesday, we might ask ourselves two things.

In what ways am I present to those considered untouchable?

What costly thing can I offer to honor Jesus as a guest in my household? 

Closing Prayer:  “All to Jesus, I surrender, All to Him I freely give. I will ever love and serve him in his presence daily live. I surrender all. I surrender all. All to thee my blessed Savoir, I surrender all. Amen.

Holy Tuesday: Jesus Before Pilate

Opening Prayer: Lord on this Holy Tuesday we thank you that you deeply know us. There probably were many who thought they knew Jesus. But in the end, their surprise at Jesus’ promise to rise again, shows how little they really knew him or took him at his word. Help up to always, always take you at your word, to remember your

promises, and to put our trust not in our faith but in the truth of your essence which is to love, to above all things, to love. Amen.

Reading: John 18:28-40 New International Version (NIV)

“Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. So, Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.” Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” “But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die. Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this, he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.

Message: The story of Jesus before Pilate is one of betrayal, but more importantly, I think it is about how people choose to use their power and influence. The encounter between Jesus and Pilate is put into motion by Judas. We know that Judas had some authority within the group of disciples because he was the keeper of the money bag (John 12:6). Matthew tells us that Judas contacted the chief priests and initiated the contract to betray Jesus (Mt. 26:14-16). Judas used his power and his influence to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

The chief priests representing the religious sector had been trying to figure out a way to be rid of Jesus for some time. Jesus’ first trial is before the Sanhedrin, a group of 71 members who controlled civil and religious law. They use their immense power and influence to devise a way to capture Jesus in secret and to bring him before Pilate. In effect, the Sanhedrin use their great might to pass the buck onto Pilate. Pontius Pilate, the fifth governor over Judea under Emperor Tiberius, wants to use his power to free Jesus but caves, and by the washing of his hands, Pilate passes the buck back to the Sanhedrin. The choices made by Judas, the Sanhedrin, and Pilate sentenced Jesus to death on the cross. They used their power to destroy, rather than to bring life. They used their power to their own benefit and to maintain the status quo.

Thanks be to God. We also know that it was Jesus’ choice to go to the cross. We know that it was the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead, permitting him to walk among his disciples before he ascended into heaven. God used God’s power to send the Holy Spirit to be our Comforter. We also know that God’s power is not a power that seeks glory for itself but is generated out of God’s love for us. Let’s be mindful of the ways we can use our power to be regenerative, giving life.

Closing Prayer:  Thank you God for your life-giving power. Let it this power flow freely in me and through me that the world may experience the regeneration that Agapé love brings. Amen

Holy Monday: Jesus and the Temple Moneychangers

Opening Prayer: Good morning Lord. As I enter the second day of Holy Week, I want to remember the echoes of the crowds, just yesterday, but I must remember to remember not only to look back to the time when Jesus was honored as a king with loud Hosannas. Courageously, I want to look forward into the darkness, assured that at the end of the dark night there is light, the light of the Resurrection. Amen.

Scripture: John 2:13-17 English Standard Version (ESV)

“The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the moneychangers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the moneychangers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Message:

 This special devotional series focuses on the activities historically celebrated as happening during Holy Week. Today we are focusing on Jesus clearing out the moneychangers from the temple. Like any encounter between God and humans, this story has been used appropriately and in some cases inappropriately to decide what should and should not happen in the Sanctuary, the church building, or the church parking lot. As our devotion, let’s take a look at what was happening and explore why Jesus is angry? 

The scene that is set before us takes place as everyone is preparing for Passover. Preparations for Passover included finding a good place, fixing the meal, and offering sacrifices. It makes sense that not everyone would have access to appropriate sacrifices and so it was a service to offer these animals for a price. The problem was that there was a lot of price gouging going on. Jesus is not angry that people are engaged in the enterprise of buying and selling. He is angry that this holy rite is being corrupted by commerciality. Jesus is angry that the focus of preparing one’s heart and mind for the celebration of God’s saving grace has been changed to a festival of one’s buying power. 

Imagine if on Communion Sundays we offered freshly baked primo bread and Welch’s grape juice, or medium generic bread and juice, or day’s old bread and watered-down juice, all for a price. The focus would then be on who could afford the better communion elements. Eventually, the quality of the communion elements would be equated with the quality of the person who could afford the communion elements. Can you see how competitiveness and shame could easily enter into the picture? Did you notice how our attention has been shifted away from the grace that God gives us through receiving Communion and onto the cost of the elements and the people who can or cannot afford the better elements? 

These are the central issues. (1) God’s grace is free, all of the time. All of the time, God’s grace is free; and (2) God’s grace through which we receive forgiveness of sin is never about who we are. It is always about who God is. The practice of selling and price gouging put yet another veil between God and God’s people. Making money became the primary focus, not our reliance on receiving forgiveness through God’s grace. As you ponder the events of Holy Monday, think about the abundance of God’s grace that can never be bought or sold.

Closing Prayer: Together we sing that wonderful hymn chorus, “How marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior’s love for me”. Thank you Lord!

Run the Race

Opening Prayer: I thank you Lord that I can be assured that you are with me. Help me in these times of self-quarantine to focus on the joy of your presence. Help me to see my small sacrifice of personal closeness in the light of your great sacrifice for me. Help this perspective to fill me with a peace that I will help me to better run this particular race.

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Message: I am sure the feeling of weight is a shared experience today. We all are burdened with worry, fear, and concern. Much of this weight is on us and within us because in the age of the internet, we have almost too much information. I usually think “the more information the better,” but the fact that we live in an age where the information is not only plentiful but contradictory makes it difficult to know who or what to believe. In these times, as in times of calm, it is important to remember that there is one place and one person in whom we can place our trust and from which we can receive the truth.

It is equally important to remember that the author of our faith is also the finisher of our faith. This fact alone makes me breathe easier as it lifts a bit of weight off me. It is not up to me to see to my faith’s completion in perfection. This is Jesus’ realm. Now, we must be careful because trusting Jesus to be the author and the finisher of our faith does not mean that there is nothing required of us. On the contrary, a race is placed in front of us. We are called to run by “laying aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely.” It is the act of turning away from sin and toward Jesus that allows us to be able to run the race “with perseverance.” I can think of no better prize on which to keep our eyes than the loving arms of our Savior and Lord. Give your burdens and your sins to Jesus and run the race with these weights lifted by forgiveness through grace. Run unencumbered toward the light of the world.

Closing Prayer: My heart is heavy. The sound of my voice echoes around my quiet home. I ache for the healing touch of another human being. Yet, I will praise you. I will joy in the Lord of my hope. I will become creative in the ways I let those I love know I love them. Help me to bear this season of personal distancing with courage. Remind me to look ahead and to use this time to prepare my soul for the next season to which I will be called. Amen

Living in Limbo Land

Waiting, 1880–1882. 48.2 cm x 61 cm. Norton Simon Museum at the J. Paul Getty Museum, Pasadena, Los Angeles.

Opening Prayer: Dear Lord, it’s me again. Thank you that I can take joy in knowing that you always receive me with joy. I am never too much. I can never talk to you or be with you too much. Help me during the period of living in limbo-land to enjoy the precious ability to have time in abundance. Help me to use it wisely to renew our relationship and to build on that renewal daily. Amen.

Scripture: Isaiah 40:28-29

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

He gives power to the faint and strengthens the powerless.

Meditation: My least favorite place to live is in limbo-land. This season in which we are asked to “shelter in place” feels like limbo-land. We know that this is not the way it will always be, but we have no idea how long this season will last. We also have no idea once this period ends how long it will take to get back to a sense of normalcy, or even what normal will look like. Living in limbo-land makes me feel anxious and the anxiety I am feeling causes me to feel tired, restlessly tired. In some ways, waiting provides too much potential. I wonder if it is this that makes me nervous. What if after all of this waiting, my next step is wrong? What if it turns out that I have wasted all of my time waiting in limbo land, only to find myself worse off than before?

In times like these, it is important to force ourselves to focus. Worries due to feelings of powerlessness or unfocused energy making us feel faint wastes these rare opportunities. Focus instead on the "everlasting God the Creator of the ends of the earth." Focus instead on our God who does not grow faint or weary. It is when we shift focus, that we can find hope in the promises God makes in Isaiah to give power to those who feel faint and strength to those who feel powerless. 

Living in the season of limbo is not fun and can stir up a sense of powerlessness, leading us to feel faint. I encourage you to shift your focus a bit and to revel in the potential afforded us to receive power and strength from one who offers both abundantly.

Closing Prayer: Dear Lord teach me not to lean on just my own strength and power, but to drink deep at the well that does not run dry. Calm my fears and feelings of powerlessness. Help me to see all of the power I have in you. Provide me with rest in this time of restlessness and help me to see with hope the potential afforded me. Amen.