Why do you look for the living among the dead?

Luke 24:1-6 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: “

We have arrived at the E day of the C&E Lutheran church-goer season. C&E stand for Christmas and Easter. Some folks chose to attend worship services on Christmas & Easter only. I guess their thought process is getting their spiritual tank refilled twice a year, and on really big days, is enough. My heart goes out to those who chose this type of faith. You miss so much the rest of the year. Certainly you miss all those good Lutheran potlucks!

The tomb is empty! He is risen indeed Alleluia, Amen! These are the words we long to hear each Easter morning. This Disciples rejoiced when they heard he had risen. Although slow to accept that possibility, it  brought joy to their hearts. Personally, I struggle during Lent with the concept of annually walking through the Ash Wednesday through Good Friday activities. The reason I struggle is I know what happened. I accept the Gospels as truth. Being reminded of the trials and tribulations of Jesus and His Disciples is good. But I just hold so dearly to the love shown on that cross, and knowing the tomb will be empty on Easter morning. I know am imperfect by the best of my own efforts. I routinely fail. A sinner is what I am. But I am made perfect in Christ. (Colossians 1:28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.) My sins are no longer red. Rather they are washed white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”) I am saved by grace by grace through faith. My only hope rests on the words of Ephesians 2:6-9 (And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.)  

Others may chose to not accept the promise of life and salvation. They may go through life desperately trying to earn grace. Sadly this will be in vain. And others who accept grace still feel a need to do something to help earn grace. It is as if the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross was not enough. Faith can be a struggle for many. Almost as if they are constantly working a deal with God. “God if you show me your love by doing ________, I will continue to believe in you.” My heart also goes out for this group. Theirs is a long and difficult faith walk. 

Today we listen with anticipation to the words of the angels from Luke 24. “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:” Our hopes and our prayers rest not just the Jesus who died on the cross for our sins. Our hopes rest with the whole Jesus. This Jesus who died on the cross and was raised from the dead. That Jesus was seen in a resurrected state by thousands, not just His disciples. That is my hope. And that is the lesson to be shared. We do not look at just the cross. We look with great hope and the promise held by the empty tomb. Share that message today and everyday with those you encounter in your life. It is a life giving message.

PRAYER: Almighty God, You who raised Jesus from the grave are our sole hope. We place our trust in You Lord. No other way to grace will work as a substitute. The gift of grace given is one we seek to hold on to in our hearts and minds. Help us to stay convicted of that promise. Give us the words to share with those who do not hold firm to that promise. We as this in the name of our Risen Savior, Your Son Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Spirit are one God now and forever, Amen.

He Claimed To Be The Son Of God

In walking through the Season of Lent this year, I sought to align the sequence of events in the Gospels with how they are presented in a time line. At different times in our Christian walk, some parts of scripture stand out more than others. This year, for me the verses shown below are in sharp focus. In a earlier devotional I spoke of how the truth can be inconvenient at times and hard to accept. For the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the High Priests, Jesus was an inconvenient truth. Jesus spoke a truth that was not in synch with the truth as espoused by the Jewish rulers of His day. The truth Jesus spoke threatened the livelihood and the very existence of the Jewish rulers. At some point, the rulers knew they would lose their status and place in leadership. So extreme measures were viewed as appropriate. 

John 11:45-53 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all!  You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

When Jesus was betrayed by Judas, He was brought before Annas for what we would call today a preliminary hearing. The results were predictable. The wheels of justice, as determined by the Jewish leaders were set in motion. 

John 18:19-24 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”  When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded. “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?”  Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.

After the preliminary hearing, Jesus was taken to Caiaphas the high priest. The foregone conclusion that he was guilty and should die was to play out for all to see. Jesus did not back down. He remained firm is His convictions, and this played into the hands of those who sought to end the threat he posed to them.

Matthew 26:63-66 But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” “He is worthy of death,” they answered.

Things were complicated for the Jewish leaders. They could not themselves kill Jesus. To accomplish the desired end required they enlist the support of the Roman Governor of the region, Pontius Pilate. Pilate was between a rock and a hard place. He was charged with keeping the peace. The Jewish leaders were stirring up the citizenry. If Pilate could not keep the peace, he would be replaced and recalled to Rome where he would be killed for his failures. Try as Pilate might, he was being forced into taking an action he did not want to take.

John 19:7-11 The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

John 18:37-40 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews 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 a rebellion.

Matthew 27:22-24 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”

John 19:14-16 It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 

And so the crucifixion of Jesus took place. He suffered the humiliation of the cross. It was a horrible, painful death from asphyxiation. But, Jesus submitted to the will of His Father and …

Luke 23:44-46 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

On this day after Good Friday, we look back on the events that transpired in that seemingly distant past. Our Good Friday worship services served as a reminder bringing the past into the present even if for just a short period of time. We grieve, mourn, meditate on our own sinfulness and remember that our sins also drove the nails into Jesus’ hands and feet. Our hands were also on the hammer that pounded each nail home securing Him to that cross. He bore our sins willingly because God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit love you and I that much. We are blessed beyond measure with that love and need to remember that. We look with anticipation towards the dawn of Sunday when Christ, the Risen Savior returned.

PRAYER: Our Father In Heaven, thank you.

The New Covenant In My Blood

Luke 22:19-20 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you."

I have discovered something about writing that most professional writers know and I did not. There is a thing called writers block. You hit a point where righting is no longer fun or productive. When you try to "power through" the block, it is miserable and so are the words you put down on paper ( or on the screen). There are times when you need to stop forcing the writing, take a break and regroup. Some folks hit that point quicker or more frequently than others. We are all unique. And when you have given the block time to pass, writing is once again a joy. You remember why you started writing in the first place. I suspect the same holds true in most creative endeavors.

The Season of Lent can serve as a reminder of the full weight of our sin and the price paid for that sin. We celebrate Lent to help us remember the gravity of our lives and how we chose to live our life. Without the reminder of Lent, my thought is we would become very complacent in our lifestyle and possibly our faith. We can easily take for granted the grace we fully rely on for our salvation. From Ash Wednesday through Good Friday the scriptures we read in church services and the messages we hear preached are focused on helping to remember the sacrifice on the cross. Jesus, Son of God, full member of the Holy Trinity died a very painful death for our sake. He did not seek glory, He did seek to serve and did so with the full measure of His life. Without Lent, we may forget “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." Lent is also a time of renew of the spirit.

But Lent comes around once a year so we frail humans need a more constant reminder. And that is why we remember Christ in Holy Communion. The words of Jesus “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me," and "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you" become very tangible. The bread and the wine in with and under the words of Christ point us towards Christ. He is there in that bread and wine. We know this to be so, because he has told us it is so. The reminder of the sacrifice, and the new covenant that came with that sacrifice are brought forth for us to hold onto. When we forget how much it cost, or how much we are loved, the not-so-subtle reminders are right in front of us at the communion rail. If your regular worship service is missing the element of communion you are really missing something. The blood of Christ was poured out on the cross and in communion, we remember that act of sacrifice, love, and the gift of salvation we received. Friends of the Risen Savior, I pray that you will take the time to cherish the experience of communion during this season of Lent. Remember, Christ is really there for you.

PRAYER: Father, we thank You for the gift of Holy Communion. To opportunity to remember in a tangible way Your Son, His sacrifice, and our salvation all rolled up into one is a blessing. Help to experience this often and through Your Holy Spirit to fully grasp the length, width, and breadth of Your love. We ask this in the strong name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Fall Into Temptation

Luke 22:39&40 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 

I have been enjoying the social media app Pinterest. This app allows me to browse pictures and dig into similar pictures posted by others who also enjoy Pinterest. It is an activity called Pinteresting. It is a diverting activity. And once  I figured out what it was diverting me from I realized it was not a good diversion. Like all things, Pinteresting only good in moderation.

We are surrounded by temptations. Not all temptations are bad. Some temptations are good. But all too many are not beneficial to our well being. Some among us fall victim to temptation to the point of addiction. Many become lost in addiction to the detriment of their lives, and the lives of family and friends. Addiction can be all consuming. I have family members and former family members who have and still struggle with addiction. It is a struggle that does not ever end. It is something that occupies many of my times in prayer. I pray for healing from the addiction I pray for peace in their lives. I pray for patience in their process of healing. And I pray for strength to overcome their addiction. There, but for the grace of God go I. I am blessed to not have the problems of others in my family and circle of friends. And I do not forget that blessing. The words from Jesus, from Luke Chapter 11, to His disciples regarding how to pray come to mind when I ponder temptation. Luke 11: 1-4 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”

In or out of temptation, we need to pray. Pray for those lost to temptation and addiction. And pray a prayer of thanksgiving if you are not lost in temptation and addiction. We reach out in love and prayer because that is exactly how Christ would have us share His love.

PRAYER: Lord, our world is filled with temptations that are not good for us. Many of these temptations seek to turn us away from You and Your love. They would seek to fill a perceived hole we sense where no real hole exists. You provide all that we need and we forget that all to often. Help us to focus on You when we have temptation reaching out to us. Keep Your loving arms wrapped around us when we yearn for the emptiness of the temptations of the world.This we ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.