Holy week is a time when Christians reflect on the unconditional love of God, the substitutionary sacrificial suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the power and permeating presence of the Holy Spirit.
Tomorrow night, many churches will commemorate the last supper Jesus shared with His disciples before his crucifixion. That meal established the practice of Holy Communion, a sacred ordinance that perpetually places us at the table with Jesus and the disciples.
As we think about taking a seat at that Communion table, we would like to think that we would be one of Jesus' faithful disciples--perhaps along the lines of James or John. But, have we ever considered how often we are most like the least-liked disciple of all--Judas?
Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat, he said, "Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me." And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, "Lord, is it I?" And he answered and said, "He that dippeth [his] hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me." (Matthew 26:20-23)
How often have we walked and talked with Jesus, communed and observed communion with Him, and yet betrayed Him?
Judas, the one who was to betray Jesus, had many devilish thoughts influencing his mind, one of which could have been jealousy. Scripture recounts how Judas was enraged at Mary for "wasting" expensive perfume by lavishing it on Jesus--money he intended to steal. He wanted everyone to think that he was passionate about investing the money in the poor and needy. Perhaps he thought there would be a memorial to him some day touting his "great works" in the name of the Lord. Instead, Jesus defends this "lowly" woman and says:
"Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.
How often do we get upset when our works are not recognized, but someone else's is? How hypocritical are we when we do big deeds with wrong, selfish motives and resent others for the simplicity and purity of their acts? Matthew recounts how after Jesus finished touting the purity and potency of Mary's worship that "... one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him. (Matthew 26:13-16)
Was jealousy the final straw that broke the camel's back, driving Judas straight to Jesus' enemies? Jealousy has a way of leading us places we never intended to go....
Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. (Matthew 26:48-49)
False praise and a deceptive kiss were Judas' weapons of choice. What have we used to betray Jesus? All have sinned and come short, so we might as well face up to that fact and truly examine our lives. This week is a good time for unedited reflection and repentance.
Let's not feign ignorance as Judas did when he sat at the communion table and asked Jesus, "Is it I?"when Jesus declared that one would betray Him. Judas' pseudo innocence was met with Jesus' solid truth as He, in essence, turned the phrase around to say, "Judas, it is you!"
As we prepare our hearts to commemorate Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, let us consider that, had we been sitting at that table, Jesus could have turned to us and asked, "Judas--is it you?"
"Were you there when they crucified my Lord...Sometimes it causes me to tremble...."
BNcouraged
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Don't Forfeit What Peace Is by Force Fitting Pieces
"Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh what needless pain we bear.
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."
Many of you will recognize those lines from the classic hymn, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." The song reminds us that Jesus is a friend who is near and dear to us and is just a prayer away. It also laments the fact that far too often we seem to prefer the drama and trauma of life over the peace that God offers through Jesus Christ.
We may not realize it, but some of us have consistently chosen the broken and fragmented pieces of happiness and success that the world offers instead of the full-fledged peace of God, which passes understanding.
Some of us have chosen to be in relationships where we settle for a piece of someone who is already married or in some other way unavailable.
Others of us settle for the fleeting pieces of joy that drugs and alcohol provide or chase after the elusive pieces of intimacy found in the beds of strangers and other persons not committed to us.
The gym or the workplace can even become objects of obsession in which we desperately look to our physical or professional statures to fill in the missing pieces of our self-esteem.
On the extreme end, cutting and self-mutilation are desperate attempts at finding and feeling peace. Tattooing and piercing could also be included somewhere along this spectrum as they are also forms of inflicting bodily pain to provide a sense of release and peace. For some, these acts do provide some sense of satisfaction, and generate desired extra attention, but they simply cannot provide true peace, which is why one cut, one piercing, or one tattoo is never enough.
One of the many names for God is El Shaddai, the all sufficient God, the God who is more than enough. So, if God is more than enough, yet we keep looking to things that are never enough, why are we surprised when we get caught up in a merry-go-round, getting dizzier by the round or even worse, spinning out of control?
Some of us take great pride in our pieces of peace and take great offense at the suggestion that they could be in any way harmful or out of order. Like mismatched pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, we have force fit the various pieces together and have created an image of ourselves that is a distortion of the proportions God originally designed for us, but we can't handle the truth about our condition. And so, we sail further and further away from the shore, thinking all is well because there are so many others who are also out to sea.
Thankfully, no matter how far from the peaceful shore we have sailed and travailed while chasing after pieces of a dream, the Master of the sea can hear our despairing cry and lift us out. Through the grace of God we can stop settling for fleeting moments of peace and fully embrace the peace that only God can give.
God's peace is a gift to us, one that should not be taken lightly, and certainly one that should not be so thoughtlessly rejected in favor of the paltry substitutes we so naively accept.
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." (John 14:27 New Living Translation)
God's peace is not available in stores, but there is an abundant supply in store for all who ask. So...ask! And, remember, peace in, peace out!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."
Many of you will recognize those lines from the classic hymn, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." The song reminds us that Jesus is a friend who is near and dear to us and is just a prayer away. It also laments the fact that far too often we seem to prefer the drama and trauma of life over the peace that God offers through Jesus Christ.
We may not realize it, but some of us have consistently chosen the broken and fragmented pieces of happiness and success that the world offers instead of the full-fledged peace of God, which passes understanding.
Some of us have chosen to be in relationships where we settle for a piece of someone who is already married or in some other way unavailable.
Others of us settle for the fleeting pieces of joy that drugs and alcohol provide or chase after the elusive pieces of intimacy found in the beds of strangers and other persons not committed to us.
The gym or the workplace can even become objects of obsession in which we desperately look to our physical or professional statures to fill in the missing pieces of our self-esteem.
On the extreme end, cutting and self-mutilation are desperate attempts at finding and feeling peace. Tattooing and piercing could also be included somewhere along this spectrum as they are also forms of inflicting bodily pain to provide a sense of release and peace. For some, these acts do provide some sense of satisfaction, and generate desired extra attention, but they simply cannot provide true peace, which is why one cut, one piercing, or one tattoo is never enough.
One of the many names for God is El Shaddai, the all sufficient God, the God who is more than enough. So, if God is more than enough, yet we keep looking to things that are never enough, why are we surprised when we get caught up in a merry-go-round, getting dizzier by the round or even worse, spinning out of control?
Some of us take great pride in our pieces of peace and take great offense at the suggestion that they could be in any way harmful or out of order. Like mismatched pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, we have force fit the various pieces together and have created an image of ourselves that is a distortion of the proportions God originally designed for us, but we can't handle the truth about our condition. And so, we sail further and further away from the shore, thinking all is well because there are so many others who are also out to sea.
Thankfully, no matter how far from the peaceful shore we have sailed and travailed while chasing after pieces of a dream, the Master of the sea can hear our despairing cry and lift us out. Through the grace of God we can stop settling for fleeting moments of peace and fully embrace the peace that only God can give.
God's peace is a gift to us, one that should not be taken lightly, and certainly one that should not be so thoughtlessly rejected in favor of the paltry substitutes we so naively accept.
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." (John 14:27 New Living Translation)
God's peace is not available in stores, but there is an abundant supply in store for all who ask. So...ask! And, remember, peace in, peace out!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Smoke Signals
 |
| Pope Francis |
After a relatively brief process, Catholics world-wide were pleasantly surprised today by the sight of white smoke billowing above the Sistine Chapel, announcing to the world that a new Pope had been elected.
While some of my Protestant brothers and sisters may debate the role or importance of the papacy, there is no debating that history has been made as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergolio, now known as Pope Francis, I, is the first non-European to be elected pope in more than 1,000 years and the first Latin American pope as well as the first Jesuit pope.
And, there is no debating that the lines that divide Protestants and Catholics are not thick enough to keep the motion on one side from affecting those on the other side. It's a small world after all and history made in Catholicism has ripple effects that are felt throughout Protestantism.
As people of faith in the God of the Bible, the bloodline of Jesus Christ transcends our differences and connects Protestants and Catholics who are all faced with the same challenges of remaining relevant in society while remaining true to the call of God.
An NBC News article quotes Pope Francis I as saying,“Jesus teaches us another way: Go out. Go out and share your testimony, go out and interact with your brothers, go out and share, go out and ask. Become the word in body as well as spirit.... It’s true that when you get out into the street, as happens to every man and woman, there can be accidents. However, if the church remains closed in on itself, self-referential, it gets old. Between a church that suffers accidents in the street, and a church that’s sick because it's self-referential, I have no doubts about preferring the former.”
The article goes on to explain that when he was a Cardinal, Pope Francis gave up a limousine for the bus, and cooked his own meals. His first act as Pope was to choose the name Francis, after St. Francis of Assisi, who gave up riches for a life of poverty and prayer.
In our materialistic, self-centered society, we can all learn from a man who challenges us to live out the Great Commission, to live simply so that others may simply live, and to risk failure and pain for the sake of keeping the Gospel fire burning in our churches and in our hearts.
Here's hoping that today's smoke signals Holy fire for my brothers and sisters of the Catholic faith and that some of that fire will spread to the rest of us.
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
There's Something About That Name....
What's in a name? A name provides critical insight into someone or something. Names create identities. Names identify purpose. Names can convey a warm invitation or a stern warning.
Names are quite powerful, which is why the Bible tells us "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches...." (Proverbs 22:1) and " A good name is better than precious ointment...." (Ecclesiastes 7:1.)
Sadly, some parents don't seem to be aware of how important it is to provide names their children will be proud to live up to, rather than embarrassed to share.
Names are essentially a pronouncement of what a child is expected to become or to contribute in life, which is why they should be carefully and prayerfully chosen. Names should mean something. Names should say something. Names should point a child in the direction of their divine destiny.
Jesus' name means "the Lord is salvation", or "God saves." One of the names of Jesus is "Emmanuel" which means "God with us." It is a very fitting name since Jesus did indeed fulfill His destiny by walking with mankind.
A prayerfully chosen name informs the child and the world that someone special has arrived. On the other hand, selfishly saddling an innocent infant with a mindless moniker or careless concoction creates a caustic cacophony that incessantly induces nasty name-calling and weird word play.
Having fun with words, as I demonstrated above, is best left to poetry and other forms of communication, not as a source for baby names. Believe it or not, parents have actually given names to their children like "Espn" and "Google." There's also "Chocolate", and "Inny" (if they had twins I guess the other child would have been named "Outy"). And, there's "Rogue"--there should be no complaints from these parents when the child grows up to fulfill that name! I guess "Rogue" will make good friends with "Vice" and maybe they will even call up their pal, "Burger" when they're ready for a good meal. "Typhoid" probably would not be invited to join them, however.
All of the names I mentioned above are actual names of children--yes, actual names. Let's pray that more parents will take their roles seriously and remember that children are not toys or jokes but the future leaders of the world. As such, children need to be set up for success, not endless ridicule. Life and death are in the power of the tongue and the words or names spoken over our children must be words of life and love. After all, how awkward would it be to have to make an appointment with Dr. "Typhoid" or to vote for Vice President "Vice!"
BNcouraged! (Please don't use this as a baby name!)
Rev. Karen
Names are quite powerful, which is why the Bible tells us "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches...." (Proverbs 22:1) and " A good name is better than precious ointment...." (Ecclesiastes 7:1.)
Sadly, some parents don't seem to be aware of how important it is to provide names their children will be proud to live up to, rather than embarrassed to share.
Names are essentially a pronouncement of what a child is expected to become or to contribute in life, which is why they should be carefully and prayerfully chosen. Names should mean something. Names should say something. Names should point a child in the direction of their divine destiny.
Jesus' name means "the Lord is salvation", or "God saves." One of the names of Jesus is "Emmanuel" which means "God with us." It is a very fitting name since Jesus did indeed fulfill His destiny by walking with mankind.
A prayerfully chosen name informs the child and the world that someone special has arrived. On the other hand, selfishly saddling an innocent infant with a mindless moniker or careless concoction creates a caustic cacophony that incessantly induces nasty name-calling and weird word play.
Having fun with words, as I demonstrated above, is best left to poetry and other forms of communication, not as a source for baby names. Believe it or not, parents have actually given names to their children like "Espn" and "Google." There's also "Chocolate", and "Inny" (if they had twins I guess the other child would have been named "Outy"). And, there's "Rogue"--there should be no complaints from these parents when the child grows up to fulfill that name! I guess "Rogue" will make good friends with "Vice" and maybe they will even call up their pal, "Burger" when they're ready for a good meal. "Typhoid" probably would not be invited to join them, however.
All of the names I mentioned above are actual names of children--yes, actual names. Let's pray that more parents will take their roles seriously and remember that children are not toys or jokes but the future leaders of the world. As such, children need to be set up for success, not endless ridicule. Life and death are in the power of the tongue and the words or names spoken over our children must be words of life and love. After all, how awkward would it be to have to make an appointment with Dr. "Typhoid" or to vote for Vice President "Vice!"
BNcouraged! (Please don't use this as a baby name!)
Rev. Karen
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