Ordinary Time

It's ordinary time. The Easter season has finally passed and there is plenty of scripture to read and life to live. Take a peek at the Church calendar book this season. :)

An Exhortation!

We've been hinting at and talking about a lot of brokenness that has bubbled up under our spiritual skins, making us sore and achey for relief.

I'd like to claim this 50 day season as a time to take note of beauty, resurrection, re-creation, renewal, hope, and encouragement. Christ is risen and we are living in an age where the dead can rise and the old does not define and the new is available.

This Wednesday, I might mention a resurrection I'm seeing in my mom's life. I don't know how long you've seen a situation of "dying" or "pain," but I witnessed her die inside for a solid 10 years. I'm getting an opportunity to see something that I prayed for with absolutely no faith or desire, but my lack of enthusiasm didn't stop God from the re-creation process. She is alive again and I am happy for her! My love for her has been resurrected as well. Take note of His power and goodness! Seriously! :)

A Good Friday Reflection

 So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.”  Then the people as a whole answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” So he released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.

-Matthew 27:24-26

            It is Good Friday. On this day we remember and embody the story of our Lord Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. While reading the traditional scripture passages for this day, I am struck by how beautifully upside-down God’s kingdom works. Who wins a war by dying? Who heals people by suffering? Who gives life to others by bleeding? “God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength” (1 Cor. 1:25). In Christ, God once and for all dismantled human notions of power and wisdom.

            The Passion story is heavy with irony. For example, as Jesus enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, he is hailed as the Messiah, the King, the One who will overthrow Rome and reestablish Israel’s superiority. The irony comes in that these people are half right. Jesus is their king. He is their Messiah. But he is not the kind of King that they were expecting. He is not the warlord king who will perpetuate human pride by winning through strength of arms. No. Instead, he is their suffering king.  He is their servant king. He is their suffering servant.

Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed… Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great. (Isaiah 53:4-6, 12a)

Jesus is a true king only because he lovingly serves. He only has power because he triumphs through weakness. Another example of the irony is in the sign nailed above Jesus’ head on the Cross: “Hail, King of the Jews.” Again, the sign is truth. What the Romans and chief-priests intended for mockery and slander is in fact a statement to the whole world that Christ is the king they’ve been waiting for.

            Matthew 27:24-26 contains a profound example of this great irony. Pilate, knowing that Christ is innocent and blameless, publically “washes his hands” of the situation, a gesture that would have legally ensured his innocence. In response, the bloodthirsty crowd cries, “His blood be on us and on our children!” In other words, “we will take responsibility for his death; if there is guilt attached to this act, let it fall on us and our descendants.” How interesting. They claim Christ’s blood as a means to an end: his death. They claim their own guilt and condemnation! “They lie in wait—to kill themselves! and set an ambush—for their own lives!” (Prov. 1:18)

            But Christ’s blood is accomplishing exactly the opposite! His blood is procuring their salvation, not sealing their damnation. He pours his blood willingly. We know from the Old Testament that blood symbolizes life. When given in sacrifice it consecrates, sanctifies, atones, forgives, cleanses, etc. This crowd, which is an embodiment of humanity’s total and disgusting depravity, is willing to heap condemnation on their heads just to see Jesus killed. However, in doing so they are allowing Jesus to pour on them the blood of salvation. Now, of course, Hebrews 10:29 warns that there is great punishment for those who have “profaned the blood of the covenant by which they were sanctified.” But isn’t it amazing the way Jesus is subversively “winning” in the midst of this evil? Jesus did not come “into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him!” His blood speaks a better word than guilt, condemnation, evil, murder. His blood speaks the word of salvation, of cleansing, of renewal, and of freedom. Praise God that Christ’s “blood be on us and our children,” because “even though you intended to do harm, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today” (Gen. 50:20).  

Holy Week

My church from home just tweeted a few thoughts and links about Holy Week and I wanted to share them with you guys...

One of the beautiful pictures of Jesus that we find in Scripture is that of the Suffering Servant; the God|Man who lived in flesh and blood, felt the struggles of being human, and demonstrated God's love to us in his suffering and death. Henri Nouwen put it this way in his book, Compassion:

 

The mystery of God’s love is not that he takes our pains away, but that
he first wants to share them with us. Out of this divine solidarity comes
new life. Jesus’ being moved in the center of his being by human pain
is indeed a movement toward new life. God is our God, the God of the
living. In his divine womb life is always born again...The truly good news
is that God is not a distant God, a God to be feared and avoided, a God
of revenge, but a God who is moved by our pains and participates in the
fullness of the human struggle.

Like our Hebrews chapter says, God disciplines us because we are His children and to be a legitimate child, we must go through discipline. God wants to walk with us through that discipline even though it is hard. "He first wants to share [our pains] with us..."

May we finish this week learning to struggle well in our fasts and experience a wholeness with a God who came to earth so that He might suffer with us in our struggles. 

Also, this is a link to a Holy Week timeline that BibleGateway.com put together. Its interesting. I'm going to try to read through the passages each day and keep up with what was actually happening in Christ's life during the week leading to the cross. Feel free to do that too if you want :) 

http://bg3-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/holy-week-timeline.png

Love you guys. Can't wait to see you on Wednesday!

Today's Readings

I really liked the pairing of Psalms 6 and Hebrews 12:1-11 today. First I came to the Lord in my devotions, and then I was exhorted as to why I was coming by Paul.

Ideas that I treasure:

• That Christ pioneered my faith and that He will perfect it as I live.
• That to live as Christ is to resist sin to the point of shedding blood. Phew.
• That the Lord disciplines His children. I am His child.
• That I am promised righteousness and peace.

Psalm 101 Friends

As I read Psalm 101, I was reminded of the "Psalm 51 woman" concept. Psalm 101 tells me how to deal with others in my search for holiness. It tells me that I shouldn't be in relationship with people who practice sin. It also infers that I should challenge people that I am in relationship with when I see negative things come out of them. I should prepare myself to be challenged likewise.

Don't look with approval at vile things (that people do)
Don't love what faithless people do
Don't associate with the perverse of heart
Don't associate with what is evil (that people do)
Don't stand silent in the presence of gossipers
Don't practice tolerance with the proud or haughty
Don't be hospitible to liars

Lent is for real.

I read Heaven Is For Real yesterday, and I got excited thinking about the reality of heaven. The reality of God hit me over the head and the realization that He will become SO much more real to me after I die.

I was reading our passages for today and thinking about the promises God gives those who love, glorify, and obey Him. What great assurances. What real assurances from a real God.

Therefore let all the faithful pray to You while You may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance... Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!


Remember to continue in your reading, fasting, devotions, and memorizing! God will meet you, convict you, encourage you, calm you, and answer your prayers. He's real like that.

rebuked and learning child

"'My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.' 

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all children have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 

Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we have respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?"

I've been learning to treat the unloving with love. And I've definitely messed up, but God is honoring my efforts and my genuine desire to imitate Christ with a feeling of peace. I had felt pounded down by inner rebukes as I have realized my short-comings, but I am choosing to not define myself by my short-comings. I am choosing to define myself by Christ, and allow Him to syphon those things out of my heart. And it is good to know that God acknowledges me as His child during this time.

Psalm 130

So, as I was reading Psalm 130 today, I read about how much God loves us. I feel like a lot of my focus during the first few weeks of Lent was on how messed up I was. Though this is part of it, I didn't remember how much God loves me in spite of all this and wants to transform me. Small group last week helped remind me of that and Psalm 130 reinforced it. Instead of trying to fix things about ourselves, we have to go through the painful but hopeful process of finding our areas of sin or struggle, tracing them back to lies they stem from, and giving it all up to God. Because HE is the one that will redeem us of our sins. And he wants to. He loves us.


If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.

O Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption
He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.

Psalm 130: 3-8

THANKFUL

I have definitely been struggling with high-horse thoughts as well as complaining. Loneliness and the high school have been dragging my attitude down! It's not an excuse, but an external attack on my flimsy internal self. Thank GOD for conviction. After coming home yesterday, all I wanted to do was complain and threaten to quit the profession and run away to the mountains somewhere... where there are mountains. My attitude, admittedly, was extremely poor.

Instead of posting my woes on a public forum, I read a book on thankfulness. I read quotes that talked about thankfulness and trust washing away complaints and fears. I ate a bowl of cereal. I asked for PRAYER on facebook, instead of divulging complaints. I napped. THEN, after I had slept, I talked to Mike and Rachel on the phone and they both listened as the dams crashed down and I admitted my discouragement. They pointed me towards God and encouraged me.

God answered prayers today. He sent me a very clear message of my weakness. He also sent me a very clear message of His strength. Thank God for growth. He will provide.

I am thankful for Lent. Thank you if you are praying/have prayed for me. Please continue to do so if you feel led. :]

It's not easy to be human.

Bethany Berens posted this video/article on the Exit facebook page, but I just wanted to emphasize it to you guys. Contemplative prayer is really neat and I like Huertz' take on it as a center in living a life of social justice. Keeps our intentions pure and helps us to remember that we are human and cannot do the work of the Lord WITHOUT the Lord's strength. I know it seems so elementary, but I find myself trying to do things without His strength and failing pretty bad...  

http://www.faithandleadership.com/multimedia/phileena-heuertz-its-not-easy-be-human

1 Peter 4:11

"If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."

Ezekiel 36, 37.

Happy Spring Break all you non-student-teaching IWU-ers. Happy teaching to Bethany. Happy working to Sean and Brian.

Our Lent reading for today is the "Dry Bones" passage in Ezekiel 37. I hope this is a good reminder of our time together last week, and our discussion of God's desire to do a powerful work of re-creation and resurrection in our lives.

In chapter 36 Ezekiel prophesies words of restoration to the land of Israel and redemption for God's people. Ezekiel 37 then provides the object lessons that embody these promises. I read a little further this morning in Ezekiel 37.  Following the "Dry Bones" passage is a story about "the Two Sticks." Ezekiel is told to take two sticks -- one representing the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and one representing the Southern Kingdom (Judah) -- and join them together into one stick. This is to represent a fundamental principle of God's redemption: healing of division."I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all. Never again shall they be two nations, and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms" (v. 22).

I believe that when God does works of re-creation and redemption people who were once divided are unified. I believe that one calling we have as Christians is that of unification and healing. God's people are not meant to be divided; they are meant to be one. Let God show you where you are divided with others during this Lent, and then ask him to perform a work of re-creation, one that fills your dry bones with spirit and heals your divisions.

Some Lenten Encouragment

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/02/the-secret-to-fasting-in-a-lent-that-is-failing/

This is too good.

Epiphany Begins Today!

Hello friends! 

I am excited to see you all and start meeting again. Here is the game plan:

1. We are going to continue meeting on Wednesday nights this semester at 7:45. 

2. I'd like to start ASAP, so this week! That'll be January 11. 

3. This semester we cover a lot of awesome stuff: Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost, Ordinary Time. Buckle up!

We will talk about this much more extensively, but I wanted to give a short introduction to the season of Epiphany. The Feast of Epiphany is today (January 6th). This kicks off a 4-9 week season of Epiphany; the length fluctuates based on the date of Easter, which determines the date of Ash Wednesday, which determines the length of Epiphany. 

The season of Epiphany focuses on the Manifestation of Christ. In other words, it focuses on 1) Christ's manifestation of his identity and mission in the Gospels, and on 2) our manifestation of Christ in the world through witness. 

The four primary texts for this season are 1) the visit of the wise men, 2) the baptism of Jesus, 3) the wedding in Cana, and 4) the Transfiguration.

Christ is the light of the world. We are stars shining in the world, testifying to the light. 

This year, we will have four or five small groups during Epiphany, and I am working on what I want to talk about. But one thing is for sure: It will be Jesus (Gospels) focused with implications for how we manifest Christ in the world. 

In Advent we waited. 

In Christmas he came.

In Epiphany he works; and we tell about him!

Here are some ways that you could prepare for our discussions:

1) read the Epiphany chapter in the Bobby Gross book

2) read through a Gospel account

3) prayerfully consider in a new way what it means to be a witness

I'll see you all in less than a week!

Captivating My Thoughts

One of my new years resolutions kind of snuck up on me. There has been a variety of ways God communicated my need to captivate my thoughts. It began as just something I heard as a sermon, then something I read in my devotions, and finally with a few opportunities that arose to put my learning into practice.

Sin never sleeps. Sin is looking for someone to devour. It is obvious in our world that sin is hungry and won't stop consuming those who let it. Yet, we must learn to take off our wallpaper in our minds of lies that we find ourselves enslaved in and learn how to wallpaper new walls of truth. This is war for our souls. The war has begun, and I have seen plenty of opportunities in my own life. Yet, we know he has won the war already. We know we have hope in Christ who will always protect and love us.

I have been encouraged through opportunities that have presented themselves to captivate my thoughts of lies and replace them with truth. I'm trying to figure out a productive way to do this well but those are where my thoughts are heading for this year.