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Bethel United Methodist Church

Midweek Devotional

4/30/2020

Scripture
“And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people. Immediately they left their nets and followed him.” Matthew 4:19-20 (NRSV)

Letting Go
The story of Jesus calling his first disciples always amazes me. These fishermen were hard at work the day Jesus called them into ministry. Andrew and Peter were casting out their net, and James and John were mending theirs. Yet, it was precisely then that Jesus said the words, “Follow me.”
Jesus called them while they were working, and all of them let go of what they were doing and followed him. They followed immediately Scripture tells us. And they would soon find out that following Jesus would mean more than just letting go of their occupations. It would mean letting go of their family, their friends, and the dreams they surely had for their lives.
From a human perspective, following Jesus did not offer many rewards. But they chose to let go earthly rewards, to gain the eternal rewards Jesus promised.
This concept of letting go, of giving up the things we normally do, to do something new, and gain greater rewards, is true in all areas of life. A comfortable retirement requires letting go of some things we may want right now. Good health requires letting go of certain foods and a sedentary lifestyle. More time with our children, may mean letting go of a well-earned promotion that would offer a better income, but keep us from our family.
And a deeper relationship with God, means prioritizing our time, so we have the time to pray, read the Bible, or serve others as God has called us.
In the end, the rewards we choose will depend on what we value the most. Which is the greater reward? Extravagance now, or comfort in our later years? Junk food, or lower cholesterol? More money in the bank, or a good relationship with our children?
Where our relationship with God is concerned, it is also about what we value most, and what rewards we seek. In the end, we must answer the same question that the first disciples did: Are we willing to let go of the things we normally do to gain the greater rewards of following Christ?

Questions for Reflection

Do my priorities reflect earthly values or heavenly values?
Does my use of time reflect a close relationship with my Creator God?
What is one change I could make this week that would help me spend more time in prayer and Scripture reading?

Prayer
Loving God, Risen Savior, you call each of us to follow you. Give us the wisdom to esteem heavenly values and a closer relationship with you, and give us strength and courage for each day; so that our lives reflect your love and light in this world. In Christ’s name. Amen.

April 26th Sunday Worship

4/25/2020

April 19, 2020 Sunday Worship:
Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)”
by Matt Redman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbe7OruLk8I
“Just a Closer Walk with Me”
by Randy Travis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ7z7Gf5Jyo

Call to Worship
(based on Luke 24:13-35)

“For where two or three are gathered in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20 KJV
We need your presence on the long road, Lord.
The road between fear and hope,
the road between the place where all is lost
and the place of resurrection.
Like the disciples walking the road to Emmaus,
we are in need of your company!
Jesus, stand among us, in your risen power,
let this time of worship, be a hallowed hour. (~ written by Carol Penner, and posted on Leading in Worship. http://carolpenner.typepad.com/)

Scripture Reading       Luke 24:13-35                   Sermon         Today’s Scripture passage comes from the Gospel of Luke. Like gospel-writer Mark, Luke is not an eyewitness to the story of Jesus. He was friend and companion of the Apostle Paul, and probably a Gentile. Because of his writing and storytelling ability, and his style (he wrote the book of Acts, also) it is believed that he was well-educated and possibly a doctor by trade.      His purpose for writing his Gospel is stated in Luke 1:1-4. Here we learn that Luke wrote specifically to a man named Theophilus, so that he could be certain of the truth of all he had been taught about Jesus. It is likely that Luke wrote knowing that through Theophilus, others would also receive his message of assurance.

Really, Luke’s resurrection story reads much like that of Matthew and Mark because it starts with women at an empty tomb and ends with Jesus commissioning the disciples to carry on his work, and then ascending to heaven.

However, in the middle of all that, we find something unique to Luke, because we find the story of the journey to Emmaus, an event that is briefly mentioned in other Gospels, but not given the great care that Luke attributes to it.


The Road to Emmaus? Well, this is our story really -- a story that sums up a relationship with Jesus about as well as anything in Scripture. Think about it. There they are, these two disciples, tired and discouraged as they trudge the seven or eight miles from Jerusalem to their home in Emmaus. We don't know why they abandoned the company of their fellow disciples. We just know they decided to walk home. After everything that had happened, maybe it's all they could think to do.

If they could just get home, they could eat a simple meal, and sleep in their own beds. Sometimes that alone is good medicine when times are tough.    And Jesus meets them on the way. He doesn't come to them in Jerusalem. He doesn't wait for them at home.

He doesn't ask them to make some holy pilgrimage up a mountain or undertake some great religious task. Rather, he meets them where they are -- on the road, in the middle of their journey, right smack in the middle of all the pain, frustration, and fear that threatened to overwhelm them. And Jesus met them on that road, even though they don't recognize him.

Consider what takes place: First, Jesus opened up the Scriptures, and he helped them to not only make sense of recent events in light of the Scripture, but also to make sense of all of Scripture -- and in turn, all of life! -- in light of God's redemptive work in and through the cross.

And then Jesus shared a meal with them, he lifted the bread, blessed it, and then he broke it and gave it to them. And because of these simple and symbolic actions they finally recognized him.

Through the sharing of Scripture and the sharing of the meal the eyes of these disciples were opened and they recognized not just the person of Jesus they always knew, but the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the God whose powerful word said “Let there be light” in Genesis, and their Savior who just three days earlier had conquered sin and death at Calvary.

(A little side note here: In the simple actions of worship and the sacrament of communion, we open ourselves up to seeing Jesus, too. In the bread and the juice, and in the sharing of God’s Word, we have the opportunity to recognize him for who he really is: Our Risen Lord and Savior. And hopefully as we worship together, we recognize him in the love we have for each other. This is one reason why being present in the worship service is so extremely important. This is why each of us adds to the experience if we come ready to fully participate.)

Jesus shared a meal with them. Notice that he, the guest, suddenly becomes the host. They recognized him and then he was gone, and they instantly knew they needed to be gone, too. So, they got up, and begin what was probably a dangerous night journey back to Jerusalem, to tell the others what they've seen. Why? Why take this risky trip? Because they can't help it – they can’t keep good news like this to themselves.

Question: Can you find yourself in this story? Because as I said earlier, I think this story beautifully sums up a relationship with Jesus. We’ve all been tired, we’ve all been discouraged, in life in general, and in our work for the Lord. In fact, if you never get discouraged on your Christian journey, then maybe you’re not doing it right.

Because as Christians we are not promised a perfect life. Knowing Christ does not mean a problem-free existence. Someday, but not yet. In fact, truly living as we are called to live, as God’s holy people, often means rejection and ridicule. And because we are broken humans living in a broken world, we are not exempt from sadness, pain, and loss.    These two disciples on the road to Emmaus didn’t even know what we already know: Jesus is alive. He has risen from the grave. But they didn’t know that as they walked back home. So, they were confused, they were sad, maybe frightened, and in their loneliness, they just wanted to get home. I don’t know about you but I’ve found myself in that story, and that state of mind, from time to time.    I find it interesting that, although other Gospel writers mention or allude to this appearance by Jesus after his Resurrection, Luke goes into a full twenty-three verse discourse about it. In fact, if you took out the Emmaus story in Luke 24, and skipped from verse 12 to verse 36 you'd hardly miss a beat.

You’d still have the women coming that first Easter morning, bringing spices, and finding an empty grave. You’d still have the “He is Risen” message from an angel. And you’d still have Jesus appearing to his frightened and confused disciples, revealing his resurrected body, issuing the Great Commission, and ascending finally to heaven.

Luke has clearly inserted this event into an otherwise stable and traditional telling of Jesus’ resurrection. Which makes me ask why. Why, while others hardly mention it, does Luke tell the story in such great detail?    I think he did it for Theophilus, and I think he did it for the rest of us. The writers of Scripture were inspired by God to write what they did, and I believe that both Luke, and certainly God, knew this was a story to which we would be able to relate, and at times, it is something we would need to hear. Because the Emmaus story responds to our heart’s desire to see and experience the resurrected Christ just as the first believers did.

Here Luke offers a word not only for Theophilus, but a word for those Christians who would come later, starting with Theophilus, and continuing on to each and every individual who would, at some point in time, come together to worship and break bread. Keep that in mind next time we share in the sacrament of communion.

Will you recognize Jesus in the broken bread and the cup of salvation? May it remind you that Christ has died, Christ has risen, and that Christ will come again someday.


Let’s wrap this up with some real-life application: Because it's not a bad pattern to emulate, is it? This meeting people on the road where they are. It’s what the Great Commission is all about really: meeting people where they are just as Jesus did, and still does, for us.

It’s about opening up the Scriptures to men, women, and children, so that they can make sense of their lives in light of God's mercy. It’s about gathering them to the meal at the communion table so they too can be nourished by Christ's own presence. And then it’s about sending them on their way, as new disciples, back into the world to partner in God's work and to share God's grace.

And I know it's not always that simple. The responsibilities each of you shoulder is significant, and finding time to dwell in the world, to be open to it with love and care, to love your neighbor as you love yourself, can at times be daunting. If we're honest, we’ll admit that it is a hard work that we've been given by Jesus.    But it is also good work; work, in fact, that is worthy of the sacrifice you’ll have to make to become a true disciple of Jesus. So, remember Jesus’ promise in Matthew 28:20, “And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus who sacrificed his very life, walks with you, in joy and happiness, and in sadness, doubt, and frustration. He will meet you on the road and walk with you, to the very end of the age. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us
not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Blessing for This Day
May God who comes to us in the things of this world, bless your eyes and be in your seeing. May Christ who looks upon you with deepest love, bless your eyes and widen your gaze. May the Spirit who perceives what is and what may yet be, bless your eyes and sharpen your vision. May the Sacred Three bless your eyes and cause you to see. Amen.
~ written by Jan L. Richardson, and posted on The Painted Prayerbook. http://paintedprayerbook.com/

Wednesday, April 22 - Mid-week Devotional

4/22/2020

Scripture: Psalm 116:12-14 (NIV)
What can I give back to the Lord
    for all the good things he has done for me?
I’ll lift up the cup of salvation.
    I’ll call on the Lord’s name.
I’ll keep the promises I made to the Lord
    in the presence of all God’s people.

What Can I Give?
The story is told of three sons who left home, went out on their own, and prospered. Getting back together, they discussed the gifts that they were now able to give to their elderly mother.
The first said: “I built a big house for our mother.”
The second said: “I sent her a Mercedes with a driver.”
The third said: “I’ve got you both beat. You know how Mom enjoys the Bible and you know she can’t see very well. I sent her a talking parrot that can recite the entire Bible. It took twenty monks in a monastery 12 years to teach him. I had to pledge to contribute $100,000 a year for twenty years but it was worth it. Mom just has to name the chapter and verse, and the parrot will recite it.”
Soon thereafter, Mom sent out her letters of thanks.
She wrote to the first son: “Milton, the house you built is too big. I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house.”
She wrote to the second son: “Marvin, I am too old to travel. I stay home all the time, so I never used the Mercedes… and the driver is SO rude.”
She wrote to the third son: “Dearest Melvin, you were the only son to have the good sense to know what your mother likes……I’m writing to tell you that the chicken was delicious!”

Sometimes receiving a gift can be tricky and lead to a lot of questions: Why did this person give me a gift? What am I supposed to do with this gift? What is this thing anyway?
The writer of Psalm 116 tells the story of being saved by God from certain death. When he came face to face with trouble and grief, he called on the name of the Lord. The Lord heard his cry for mercy and rescued him. Then the psalmist asks another gift-related question we often have, “What can I give back in return?”
Psalm 116:12, “What can I give back to the Lord for all the good things he has done for me?”
This is a question we should ask of ourselves. What can we give back to a God who has given us everything? What can we give to a Savior like Jesus who gave his own life so that we can live?
Perhaps the psalmist offers the best answer to this question in verses 13 and 14, “I’ll lift up the cup of salvation. I’ll call on the Lord’s name. I’ll keep the promises I made to the Lord in the presence of all God’s people.”
The psalmist is saying that his gift to God is worship and praise both in solitude and in the presence of all God’s people. In other words, all the time, every moment of every day he will give glory to God for all he has done.
Remember that it may be human nature to try to choose gifts that are equal in value, or like the brothers in the story, greater in value. But for the Christian, the only gift we can truly give the Almighty God is our thankful and obedient hearts. Be blessed knowing that God will receive this gift with great pleasure and joy! Be comforted knowing God is worthy!

Prayer
Creator God, there is no one like you. You rescue your children from the snares of sin and death. You lift us up in your mighty, strong hand. Transform us to live for you always in grateful obedience. Remind us of your unending faithfulness and love. In the name of our Risen Savior. Amen.

April 19, 2020 Sunday Worship

4/18/2020

“Come to Jesus”
Gaither Vocal Band https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYRAsVwq5x8

I’ll Fly Away
Ransomed Bluegrass https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ29PPC059c

Call to Worship
We gather as people on a journey. We believe and we have doubts,
we do good and we sin.
We are imperfect humans,
and still beloved by God. Love and grace. Hope and faith.
These are the essence of the one we call God.
We seek forgiveness & grace from
the One and from those we’ve harmed. Assured of that grace,
we are ready to grow again.
We yearn for a new way,
a new perspective,
and a clear path. Though we are full of trust
and full of doubt, we are here.

Speak to us, God! Continue creating us!
Inspire our hearts.
Enlighten our minds.
Guide our actions. Amen.    ~ written by Tim Graves and posted on LiturgyBits. https://liturgybits.wordpress.com

Scripture Reading       John 20:19-31 (New International Version)                  Sermon      Sheltered in Place Bright and early on a Sunday morning, after three days in the grave, Jesus Christ rose from the dead. According to the Gospel of John, Mary Magdalene found the empty grave first, and then shared her discovery with disciples Peter and John. Peter and John went to see for themselves, and they too found Jesus’ grave empty.   Verses 8 and 9 lead us to believe that both finally understood what Jesus had been telling them, and that both believed Jesus had risen from the dead. Even so, verse 10 tells us, “Then they went home.” However, Mary Magdalene decided to stay. First, she was met by two angels who asked her why she was crying. Then she met the Living Jesus himself, whom she at first thought was the gardener. And then he gave her a message to take back to the disciples, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”   So Mary did just that. She told the disciples she had seen the Lord, and then she shared Jesus’ message with them.

But even having received Jesus’ message from Mary Magdalene, John 20:19 tells us that, “the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders.”   Even after seeing the empty grave for themselves and believing that Jesus had risen from the dead, and even after hearing his message from their friend, the disciples were locked behind closed doors because they were afraid. Using a term that has become all too familiar to us lately, the disciples were sheltered in place!   Why were the disciples afraid of the Jewish leaders? We might expect that the disciples would be celebrating by this time. Instead, we find them hunkered down because they were afraid. And John specifically states that the doors were locked for fear of the Jewish leaders.   This is likely due to two things. First, it was probably common knowledge at this point that they were Jesus’ closest and most faithful friends. Second, the disciples were probably already well-aware of the rumor being circulated that Jesus had not risen from the dead, but that they themselves had stolen Jesus’ body to make it look that way. The Jewish leaders had been instrumental in Jesus’ crucifixion, claiming Caesar as their only king. So why wouldn’t they hand Jesus’ disciples the same fate? It is also possible that something else was troubling the disciples. They believed that Jesus was truly alive, and maybe they weren’t quite ready to face him yet. After all, they had failed him miserably. Peter had denied him three times, and the rest had deserted him (except for John, who had been at the cross and had taken Jesus’ mother into his home). Perhaps the last person the disciples wanted to meet on that evening was a living, breathing Jesus who they imagined would confront them with their failures.

So, maybe like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, they were trying to hide from their failures and from the Almighty Himself. Jesus, however, was not to be stopped by locked doors. And Jesus, who is the “door” of the sheep himself (John 10:7), came right through those locked doors that night, and appeared in the middle of all of them.

But Jesus’ words were not chastisement or rebuke. He didn’t confront his disciples with their failures. He came to grant them peace. His greeting, “Peace be with you,” carries the sense of the Hebrew greeting “shalom,” a blessing that connotes not just tranquility, but a deep and holistic sense of well-being -- the kind of peace the world cannot give (John 14:27). Then Jesus showed his disciples his hands and his side, so that they could see that he was the real, crucified Jesus in the flesh. They weren’t seeing a ghost or having a vision. And finally, the disciples responded by rejoicing in seeing Jesus alive again, just as he had promised (John 16:22).

As we consider our own lives it’s hard not to think of our current global situation. COVID-19 does not offer peace. Like the disciples sheltered in place for fear of the Jewish leaders, we are facing a lot of unknowns in the days and weeks to come. Maybe the question asked most often is, “When will we get back to normal?” Right now, that’s a question for which we do not have an answer. Realistically maybe we will never return to the old normal. Instead, as was the case with the 9/11 attack, our culture will shift and we will find a new normal. I think it’s safe to say that the disciples never returned to their old normal. They didn’t go back to being fisherman and tax collectors. The resurrection of Jesus rendered them forever changed. They had been transformed into bold, courageous men who would carry the Good News of Jesus into the world. Most of them died as martyrs for their faith.   But how did they find the strength? Why did their fears subside so much that they were able to leave behind the locked room Jesus found them in that Sunday evening? I believe it had something to do with Jesus greeting, “Peace be with you.”

We are familiar with the phrase “peace that passes all understanding.” When we say these words, we are talking about the peace that we have because of our relationship with God. We can only know this peace because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross at Calvary. This is the peace Jesus offered his disciples that day, and it is the same peace that he offers to all who believe. It is the true peace and the everlasting peace. The apostle Paul tells us this in Ephesians 2:13-14,”In Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one.” In this letter, Paul was addressing the cultural crisis of his day: a divide between Jewish and Greek Christians. For hundreds of years, the Jews had believed that if you were Jewish, you were in; if you weren’t, you were out. Even if a non-Jew took steps toward the one true God, he was marginalized in Jewish society. So, Paul was saying something revolutionary here. He preached there was no more division in the body of believers, because we are one now. And the only reason we are one is because Jesus died on the cross, taking on the punishment of our sins.

The Hebrew word for peace in Ephesians 2:14 is eirene, and it means “peace, quietness, rest” but it also means “set at one again (or set right again).” Eirene is a word of reconciliation and unification. Because Jesus paid the price for our sins when He died on the cross, we are now at peace with God and with one another — no matter our past, no matter where we came from, and no matter the color of our skin. In Jesus, we are one. He truly is our peace. How did the disciples transform in such a magnificent way? Because God’s peace, the peace that Jesus brought through his sacrifice on the cross, had reconciled them back to their Creator God. And peace with God means we have nothing to fear.

Peace didn’t mean the disciple’s lives would become easy. It didn’t mean they would return to their old lives. The peace they had through their Savior changed them and regardless of what they faced, they were able to conquer the world with the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection. “Peace be with you.” Those words are as true for the believer today as they were then. “Peace be with you.” It doesn’t mean we won’t face trials and tribulations. What it does mean is this: You have peace with God through his Son Jesus Christ. He will walk through all things with you and give you strength for each day. He will be with you always through the indwelling of his Holy Spirit. May the peace of our Risen Savior be with you as we begin a brand-new week!

The Lord’s Prayer Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us
not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Blessing for This Day   Trusting in God’s Promises May you trust in God’s promises to his people: peace, security, blessing, even when they are difficult to believe. May you know that God’s news is good news, Nourishing, true, even when people tell you it is not. And when you encounter doubt, may you strengthen your belief guiding you in his perfect wisdom and counsel. Amen.
~ posted on Jeff’s Blog. https://blog.wisch.org/category/benedictions-and-prayers/

April 15th Devotional

4/14/2020

Psalm 16:8-11 (NIV)
“I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore, my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Where is Your Focus?
“Keep your eye on the ball.”
There weren’t a lot of kids in the neighborhood where I grew up. We were scattered in age, but we all managed to get along, and many of us are friends to this day. In the summertime, we played a lot of baseball in the evenings, even though we barely had enough players for one team, let alone two.
Often my father would join us and give us tips on how we could improve our game. One thing he said quite often was, “Keep your eye on the ball.”
Being typical kids, we were easily distracted. His point was that we were never going to hit the ball if we didn’t focus on it. This one piece of advice helped us all to become pretty good hitters as time went on.

To this day, when I am trying to finish a task and I get distracted, I hear my father’s words again, “keep your eye on the ball.” In other words, say focused on the task that matters the most right now.

David offers similar advice when it comes to our spiritual life in Psalm 16:8-11. We need to stay focused on what matters the most, which for the Christian is our relationship with God.

In keeping his eyes on the Lord, David discovered 3 things:

God is our strength: With Him by our side, we will not be shaken. We can rest in complete assurance that He is with us in all situations.
He gives us joy and is faithful: He takes delight in us and views us as His perfect and most beautiful creation. He is faithful to us and is always with us.
He gives us direction and all eternal pleasures: By keeping our eyes on the Lord, we can know the path of life, we are filled with joy and His eternal pleasures! No wonder the enemy would love for us to take our eyes off the Lord.

Keep your eyes on God, my friends, and may you find strength and joy in his presence today!

Prayer
Creator God, thank you for your love and protection. Thank you for always being faithful. Help us to turn our eyes toward you today, so that we may be filled with your joy and peace. In the name of our Risen Savior Jesus. Amen.

April 12, 2020 Easter Sunday Worship

4/10/2020

   Opening Prayer for Easter Sunday Creator God, you raised Christ Jesus up and out of the chains of death. Praise and glory to you!   You opened for us the way to eternal and abundant life. You saved us from sin and the grave!
May our worship and praise be pleasing to you And bring honor to your holy name, that we may be revived again by your Spirit to serve you in your Kingdom. In the name of our Risen Savior Jesus we pray. Amen.
Morning Like This by The Gaithers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAq2lnI94BA
Call to Worship for Easter Morning*       We are not eye-witnesses to an event, as were Mary and the disciples; we have not journeyed through a dangerous city to seek answers or consolation; we have not seen angels gathering at the rim of this day, or wept in the garden this morning because we could not find Him.
But we are here to attest to a story that has not lost its power during twenty centuries of change and conflict.
We are here because those before us carried this story as if it were precious gold; cherished it as if it were the key to a hidden wisdom.
Sisters and brothers in Christ, take your places here today in celebration and in awe. What you are about to hear again, has the capacity to change the world. Your very presence attests to the rising up of life from the tomb of despair, and to the uncontrollable power of God.
It is Easter morning again: and we will celebrate! written by Ann Siddall, in Lent to Easter liturgies: Year C. Found at www.reworship.com
Scripture Reading           Luke 24:1-12            Sermon      He is Risen!    It was the first day of the week, and some of the women who had followed Jesus throughout His earthly ministry came to the site of His burial tomb. The tomb was probably carved out of a solid rock, and a stone had been specially carved so that it would fit perfectly in the entrance so that no one could get in.    When the women arrived, they discovered two things: The stone had been rolled away AND Jesus’ body was nowhere to be found. Some said the disciples had plotted to remove Jesus’ body to make it appear that he had risen from the dead. But considering these women, who traveled with Jesus and his disciples, knew right where to find Jesus’ grave, this seems unlikely. Had there been a plot on the part of the disciples to move the body of Jesus, these women surely would have known about it.    Note that the women still believed Jesus was dead at this point. Verse 4 tells us that while they were wondering about this, two men, clothed in shining garments, appeared and stood by them.      And the men ask the women this question, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, He is risen!”    I imagine the women were still perplexed even upon hearing this. But the men continued by reminding them of what Jesus had said when they were all still together in Galilee.    The men quoted from something Jesus had said to his disciples earlier in Luke 18:31-34, “Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.” The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.”    And then the women remembered that Jesus had said this, and by all Gospel accounts of the resurrection story, they finally understood, and went back to the others to tell them all they had heard and proclaim that Jesus their Lord had risen from the dead.    “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” That’s a good question for us to consider this Easter Sunday.      Because many people are still looking for Jesus among the dead. I think of scholars who study the words of Jesus and the gospel manuscripts but do not believe in Christ’s resurrection. I think of the archaeologists who two thousand years later are still trying to find Jesus’ body and bones in the tomb but keep coming up empty. I think of people who touch the body of Christ on a crucifix but do not know the reality of the living Christ.    These people all have one thing in common. They are all looking for Jesus among the dead.   And if you are looking for Jesus among the dead, you will not find him. Because he is not there.    A man named Frank Morison is a great example of this. He went looking for Jesus among the dead.    Morison was a British journalist who lived early in the twentieth century. He was not a Christian, although he admired the historical figure of Jesus and his teachings. But Frank was a skeptic at heart who believed that these stories about Jesus were nothing more than myth or legend, especially the story of the resurrection.    So, Morison had a brilliant idea. Why not prove that the resurrection never happened? Why not use his research skills as a journalist to dig into history and prove that Jesus never rose from the dead? He would do his research and then write a book presenting the historical facts about Christ and the events surrounding his death.    And so, Frank Morison went looking for Jesus among the dead. And guess what? He never found him.    What he did find is exactly what Luke said in verses 2-3: He found the stone rolled away, but he did not find the body of Jesus. Instead he found the risen Christ and put his faith in him as Lord and savior. Although, Morison did end up writing a best-selling book called, “Who Moved the Stone?”. The title of the first chapter? He called it: “The Book that Refused to Be Written.”    Frank Morison set out to write a book disproving the resurrection of Christ. Instead, he ended up writing what has become a Christian classic presenting the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. Morison went looking for Jesus among the dead. But he did not find him there. You will not find him there either. If you want to find Jesus this morning, you must look among the living. And that brings us to the good news of Easter.    The angels proclaimed the Good News in Luke 24:5-6, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!”    That, my friends, is the good news of Easter. Jesus Christ has conquered sin and death and the grave. He rose from the dead that Easter morning. He is alive and well today. You will not find him among the dead because he lives and dwells within the heart of every believer through his Holy Spirit.    And he offers new life to you and me. The Bible tells us that those who trust in Christ will share in his resurrection. The fear of death and judgment is taken away because Christ is risen! He turned death upside down. We can all find resurrected and renewed life in him. That is the good news of Easter. Only one question remains. How will you respond?    If you are a believer in Jesus’ resurrection this morning and you have confessed your sins and proclaimed with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” then your response should be to share your faith with others, just like the women at Jesus’ tomb did.    Jesus died and rose again. That is good news! And good news is for sharing. We are not meant to keep the good news of Easter all to ourselves. That would be selfish!    Or maybe your response has been more like that of the apostles. Remember the initial response of the apostles. Look at Luke 24:11: “They did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense,”    The women believed the good news of Easter and shared their faith with others. The apostles did not believe, and so they did nothing. Although I am happy to report the apostles later changed their minds on this matter.    But their first response mirrors the response of a lot of people today. Because many folks still don’t believe in all this Jesus stuff. It all seems like so much nonsense to them, and so they do nothing. They dismiss the story of Jesus outright and continue to live their lives as though nothing happened that first Easter morning.    I’ll finish by saying this: The angels asked the women that first Easter morning, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Let me say it to you again. If you are looking for Jesus among the dead, you will never find him because he is not there. But if you look for Jesus among the living, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will know the message of Easter, and you will experience a new, transformed life in Christ: Jesus Christ is alive. He is risen! And someday He is coming again! May God’s deepest peace be with you this Resurrection Day! Amen.          Closing Prayer & Blessing        inspired by John 14:15-21 God of all time and space, you initiated the relationship of love and generosity with creation at a time before and beyond all knowing. Through the Word and the Spirit, you continue in eternal love for all beings. Fill us with a deep and abiding awareness of your presence, your call, and your grace in our lives and in our world. Shape us to into the people you have made us to be – poured out in creative mercy for the sake of Jesus Christ in all creation. Amen.
Christ the Lord has risen from the grave, my friends. May God’s deepest peace rule in your hearts, minds, and body as you celebrate this blessed day!
*Prayer written by Lutheran Julia, and posted on RevGalBlogPals.
Christ the Lord is Risen Today Mormon Tabernacle Choir   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFjnlBn0K10

Maundy Thursday Post

4/9/2020

Holy Thursday Devotional: The Last Supper
Scripture: Matthew 26:17-30, Mark 14:10-26, Luke 22: 14-23, John 13:1-35

Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday, is the day on which we gather in sanctuaries all over the world to remember the night on which Jesus shared a final meal with his disciples.

But this year, we will not be able to gather and remember the significant events of this night. The traditions with which we commemorate Maundy Thursday, such as holy communion, and acts of care like foot or hand washing are not possible right now. So, how do we remember the Last Supper? How do we remind ourselves of what this night meant for Jesus, and truly for all of us?


I offer you this suggestion: Perhaps the answer lies within John’s Gospel. If you look at this night through the lens of each Gospel reading, you will find two ways in which Jesus took on the role of a servant with his friends. He washed their feet and he served them a meal. It was not his place to do either of these things. Servants did these things. Jesus chose to do these things, and he chose it to teach his friends an important lesson: that in order to become great in God’s Kingdom, they would have to join ranks with the least of these on earth. As disciple of Jesus, you would not be served. Instead, you would become the servant. Here, the King of Glory set the example by becoming a servant himself.

Jesus washed the disciple’s feet and served them at the table as an example of how they should care for each other when he couldn’t be with them anymore.

Or as John writes in John 13:34-35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”


“Love one another” was the meaning behind all that Jesus did that night for his friends, because he knew he would soon face his death on the cross, his greatest act of love, and the disciples would then be called to carry on his work until he returned to reign through eternity.

And “love one another” is how we can choose to remember Maundy Thursday during a global pandemic in which social distancing removes our ability to gather together in one place. Because acts of compassion and servitude are not limited to foot washing and receiving the bread and the cup. Let’s “love one another” this week by staying at home and doing all we can to protect each other, knowing that we are one in the Spirit as the body of Christ.

May God’s grace and peace be with each of you today, and throughout this Holy Week, as we look forward to Resurrection Sunday!

Reflection: What is something you can do on Maundy Thursday to “love one another.” Perhaps a card, text, or phone call, or a special meal for your family or yourself? Or time in prayer for all who are in need?

Prayer: Gracious God, you are compassionate and kind. We see this most clearly in your Son Jesus’ care for each of us. Create in us a new heart that is eager to serve both friend and neighbor; so that others will see your love and be drawn to you. In Christ’s name. Amen.

One Bread One Body by John Foley & New Dawn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG9T8UmN6VY

Please take time to explore this online Stations of the Cross for Holy week:

https://unforsakenguide.com

Sermon for April 5th

4/7/2020

April 5, 2020 Palm Sunday Worship: Two Parades Scripture Meditation   Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV) “Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Opening Prayer for Palm Sunday Creator God, this is the day that you have made: you have filled it with signs of your presence; your Spirit breathes in us every moment; your grace fills each experience; and your promises move within each event, always pulling us toward hope. Lord, receive our thanks. Receive our praise, through Christ our Lord for in his love we know your deep love, your faithfulness, and your amazing, unending grace. Amen.

10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord, O My Soul)   Matt Redman video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E

Call to Worship    Psalm 118:1-2, 24-29   (NIV) 1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 2 Let all Israel repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.” 24 This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Please, Lord, please save us. Please, Lord, please give us success.
26 Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God, shining upon us. Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my God, and I will exalt you! 29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.
Scripture Reading   Matthew 21:1-11 & Matthew 27:11-54

Sermon      Two Parades    In the final days of Jesus’s life before his crucifixion, he would walk in two parades. The first parade was the story you read in Matthew 21:1-11, Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem during the feast of the Passover.      At this point in Jesus’ ministry, he had gained great popularity. He had healed the sick, fed the thousands, and socialized with the marginalized. But the events of Matthew 21, and this parade, would be a turning point in his ministry, a door would swing, and things would change dramatically within the course of a few days, including the opinion of the crowd.

If you read what follows in Matthew 22-26, you will see that Jesus goes on to clean out the temple because it had been turned into a place of corrupt business practices by a “den of thieves.” He would teach in parables that frightened and angered the religious leaders. He would teach about obligations to the government and the national law, and to “render unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar.” He would warn against hypocrisy and misuse of God’s Law, teachings that were specifically aimed at the religious authority of the day. And He would prophesy about the destruction of the temple and end times.

In other words, Jesus spoke hard and controversial truth that angered people, and he challenged the status quo of the religious and political systems of the day. He became a threat and his popularity waned. As the tide quickly turns, Jesus is then betrayed by his disciple Judas, he is arrested, he is abandoned by the rest of his disciples who are running scared, and even Peter publicly denied Jesus three times.

And soon, Jesus would find himself in the middle of another crowd, and another “parade.”       That’s the story we read about Matthew 27:11-54. The crowds began to gather as Jesus stood before Pilate, on trial basically for treason because Jesus said he was the King of the Jews. Then Pilate would hand him over to be crucified, he would be mocked by the Roman soldiers, and finally led away to carry his own heavy, wooden cross to the place he would be executed: Golgotha, the Place of the Skulls. And there Jesus, perfect and sinless, would be left to suffer and die.

As Lent comes to a close this week, it’s good to remember that Lent was not invented as a 40-day build-up to Good Friday, but rather it was created to be a season of preparation to follow Christ as a disciple. While Palm Sunday certainly invites us to shout our Hosannas to Jesus the King, it also turns us toward Holy Week, and reminds us that as we move closer to the cross at Calvary on Good Friday, we have a decision to make ourselves.    The decision is this: Will we attend with gladness the first parade, and celebrate Jesus entry into our own life? Or will we choose to also attend the second “parade,” by taking up the cross and following Jesus as a true disciple? Will that be our greatest desire?

After all, Jesus’ kingly entry into Jerusalem during Passover wasn’t a first-century version of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Jesus meant it as a statement. And according to Matthew that certainly was the case.    Matthew is clear in his Gospel: Jesus rode into town as a returning king, and the crowds greeted him as such.

And the hosannas the people cried that day had both religious and political overtones. They greeted him as the Lord’s Messiah AND they expected him to overthrow the Romans.

And the Romans took note. This helps to explain why, in fact, he was crucified. It wasn’t just an accident. It wasn’t because he simply offended the religious authorities of the day. It was because Jesus proclaimed another kingdom – the kingdom of God – and he called people to give their allegiance to this kingdom first, not to Caesar and Rome.

He was, without doubt, a threat to the establishment and he would suffer the consequences of being such a threat, and remember that he suffered them on our behalf, too.    One tragedy of that first Palm Sunday is that the people were half right. He did come as God’s Messiah. But they misunderstood what that meant.    It was not to be a “regime change” by violence, but rather the love of God poured out upon the world in a way that dissolved all the things we use to differentiate ourselves from others, and the formation of a single humanity that knows itself – and all those around them! – as God’s beloved people.   The other tragedy of the day is that the religious and political authorities are also half right because Jesus was a threat, and for that matter, he still is.

He threatens our penchant to define ourselves over and against others. He threatens the way in which we seek to establish our future by hoarding wealth and power. He threatens our habit of drawing lines and making rules about who is acceptable and who is not. He threatens all of these things and more. But the authorities were wrong in thinking that they could eliminate this threat named Jesus Christ by violence.    Because Jesus would overcome the violence. Jesus’ resurrection – which in Matthew is accompanied by the shaking of the very foundations of the earth – affirms that God’s love is stronger than hate, and God’s life is stronger than death.   And eventually all will yield to the mercy and majesty of God.    I’ll wrap this up by asking this question: Will you walk in one parade with Jesus, or two? I’ll warn you that if you opt for both parades, Jesus will continue to be a threat. Because he will threaten your reliance on anything – your wealth, position, political identity, good works, relationships or, for that matter, your limitations or life tragedies. He will in fact challenge anything other than God’s grace, and mercy, and love.

What’s hard about this message is that we all have come at times to seek our identity and secure our future in things other than God. But the blessing of this message is that none of these other things are up to the task. Because no matter what we trust in, we will be disappointed, as only salvation through Jesus can declare us as not just acceptable, but as blessed and beloved children of God.    Jesus’ journey to the cross shows us just how far he was willing to go to demonstrate to us God’s unconditional love and acceptance. And once you hear that message of grace, mercy, and love, there is no doubt we have good reason to shout our hosannas on Palm Sunday with all the joy and hope we can muster. May God’s grace and mercy be with you this day as we look forward to Easter Sunday!

Pastoral Prayer for Palm Sunday Gracious God, as we stand at the gates of the city, give us grace to recognize the king we proclaim, give us courage to walk in both parades - and the courage to be a part of your kingdom - even when it goes against our ways and the ways of the world, and even when it leads us where we do not want to go.

Empower us to free ourselves from the tempting alternatives of power and wealth and status, and embolden us to live lives of thanksgiving and praise. Strengthen us so we may trust you for all things, and yet have a healthy concern for the struggles of the day. Remind us that worry only draws us away from you. Lord, today we pray for all who are struggling with illness and health concerns. We pray for all who are mourning the loss of loved ones. We also pray for the mental and physical health of each other, and of our friends and family. Great God our King, give us wisdom for each day, that we may do your will. We pray this in the name of our Savior Jesus. Amen.

Turn You Eyes Upon Jesus       Alan Jackson video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO4uIyz_d90&feature=youtu.be       Closing Prayer & Blessing    King of glory, thank you for revealing your love to us today. May your grace and peace be with us on this day that you have made. Bless us, Lord, with your unfailing love, and may all things done in your name prosper. Keep us safe in the palm of your hand and guide us through each of our tomorrows. And bless our homes, especially now, in this different time we now live in. In Jesus’ name, we believe and pray. Amen.

April 01st, 2020

4/1/2020

Don’t Worry?   Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:19-34

One of my favorite Bible verses is Matthew 6:34, “Therefore, stop worrying about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Common English Bible)    Those are the words of Jesus himself, words that I have repeated to myself many times through the years. Jesus’ words bring me peace and remind me that he is in control and I can always trust him.

And while I continue to find peace in this verse, and believe that God is in control, I have to wonder how we can possibly not live worry-free at a time like this. Because it is one thing to have faith, and know in our hearts that God will walk with us through all things. But it is another to live this out daily when our reality has become stay-at-home orders, empty grocery store shelves, unemployment, financial worries, and coronavirus numbers that trend upward by the hour. How can we not be worried?

Perhaps the best thing we can do is to understand the difference between being worried and being concerned. Because we should all be deeply concerned right now.

In Matthew 6:19-34, Jesus contrasted heavenly values to earthly values. He explained that our first loyalty should be to the things that do not fade, cannot be stolen or used up, and never wear out. He teaches that if we are too fascinated with our own possessions, our possessions will soon own us. His point is simply that God alone deserves to be our Lord and Master.

So, either we store our treasures with God (6:20-21) and remain focused on him and serve him alone, or we don’t serve him at all. Focusing on God, and placing our trust in him, helps alleviate worry. Focusing on God, helps us instead to have a healthy concern for our situation.

How do we differentiate between worry and concern? Constant worry has many negative effects: damaged health, lower productivity, an inability to interact well with other people, and a reduce ability to trust in God. In short, worry immobilizes us.

Healthy concern, however, especially when we seek God’s wisdom, has positive effects: it moves us to make plans, to take action, and to trust in God’s guidance. Planning is time well-spent and it alleviates worry.

We have two choices right now, it seems: we either trust God, or we don’t. Remember that to “seek the Kingdom of God above all else” (6:33) means to put God first in your life, to fill your hearts with his desires, to take his character for your pattern, and to serve and obey him in everything. Spend time in prayer and Bible reading. Be blessed in knowing him more deeply. And don’t let worries about tomorrow affect your relationship with God today.

Prayer: Creator God, life is complicated more than usual right now. Give me understanding and patience with myself and with others. Give me wisdom to make plans for each day that honor you. In Christ’s name. Amen.