ALLELUJAH!

Allelujah means "Praise the Lord." We sing it in so many ways on Resurrection Day. Yet, the day is still filled with fear. In Matthew's account, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. As they approached, there was a violent earthquake and an angel appeared before them. He rolled back the stone and sat on it. This was such a frightening sight that the soldiers that had been placed at the tomb to guard it ran away. The women were also afraid. The angel assured them that all was well. "Do not be afraid. Go, tell the disciples that Jesus has been raised and that He will meet them in Galilee. As they ran from the tomb, Jesus suddenly met them in the path. "Greetings," He said. Can you imagine how perfectly wonderful that greeting would sound to your ears, while also sounding perfectly frightening. The women had never experienced such an amazing thing. Even the raising of Lazarus was nothing compared to what they were seeing in their path. The only one who could have raised Jesus from the dead was dead Himself! And yet, here He was, standing before them. Was He really alive? Was it a ghost? Was it someone diguised as Jesus to fool the women into taking them to the hiding place of the disciples? I imagine all these things ran through their head.

However, they recognized Him, clasped His feet and worshipped Him. Jesus knew they were still afraid. In their joy they still did not fully understand what was happening. He reached out and touched them to the very depths of their emotions. "Do not be afraid." He repeated the command and the promise, "Go tell the disciples. I will meet them in Galilee."

When we are afraid, Jesus reaches out to us, also, in our joy and in our fear. He reminds us that He is with us. He reminds us of His command. And He reminds us of His promise.

We have so much to fear in this world. As Christians, we also fear the response of non-Christians to the message we have to bring, even though it is a message of forgiveness and grace. We are afraid to share that message. Jesus meets us on the road. Greets us warmly. Reveals Himself to us. He reminds us not to be afraid and He tells us to Go! He is faithful. And in His faithfulness we can go forth in faith without fear to share the Good News.

ALLELUJAH!

Missed another one

Well, I missed my blog on Saturday, although there wasn't much to say.

Where was everyone else at this point? Judas, so upset by the events of the day, went back to the priests and confessed his sin against Jesus. He gave back the money. But there was no one left who could help him see the forgiveness offered by Jesus. The priests did not care, they got what they wanted. Jesus was unable to speak to Judas, and the disciples were scared and hiding. So, Judas did the only thing he felt he could do. He committed suicide to end the pain.

The disciples spent that day in fear and confusion. They hid from the world and mourned the loss of their beloved teacher and companion. Can you imagine the things they must have thought about, and talked about? Who was Jesus? Why did He die? Why did we spend these years following Him? What will happen to us? Had we truly wasted three years of our lives? Is this really the end?

We, too, consider these questions as we journey with Jesus, particularly at times of sorrow and distress. Why me, why now, why this? Is this really the end?

A Fictional Account of the Passion

I am posting a fictional account of the Crucifixion that I wrote several years ago for this Good Friday evening. I pray it is a blessing to you.

Wow, it has been an incredible night. I don't even know how we got to the point where we are now, but I am standing at the foot of a cross. My rabbi, my Lord Jesus is hanging there.

It all started so great. Jesus and all His friends, including me, were gathered here in Jerusalem for the Passover. We were having such a good time, plenty of food and drink. Then Jesus got really strange, talking about leaving us, about how people would hate us. At one point, He said the bread was his body and the wine was His blood. What was that all about?

Jesus always did talk really deep. He knew so much about God, but most of what He said went right over my head. And He did such amazing things. He healed sick people and cast out demons. He even raised Lazarus from the dead just a few days ago. He fed people and made them feel safe. He even forgave people of their sins. We desperately wanted a king, someone to deliver us from the Romans, but He spent so much time talking about another world.

Suddenly during the dinner, Judas left. I can't say I ever really liked Judas. He was always a bit high-strung and I did not trust him. We didn't understand why he would go away at that moment. Jesus gave him some bread and whispered in his ear, then Judas got up and walked out, right in the middle of dinner!

After the supper, we went to a garden. Jesus wanted to pray and we often went to this garden because it was quiet and away from the crowds. Jesus spent so much time in prayer, talking to God just like a child would talk with a parent. He asked us to keep watch while he prayed. I watched Him for a little while. He knelt there, so still, so intense. But it was getting late and you know what kind of effect a big meal has on a body. I just shut my eyes for a moment. I wasn't the only one; we all fell asleep. Jesus got so upset that we couldn't stay awake for Him. We were exhausted after all that we had been doing and the air was so cool and calm. We often slept outside since we were always traveling to new towns to tell people about God. Besides, it was just another night, right?

But then Judas came back as suddenly as he left. He walked right up to Jesus and kissed Him. Judas was followed by a company of Roman soldiers and a bunch of those religious folk from Jerusalem. Jesus talked about them a lot. He even got into a discussion with them on Tuesday, when they tried to trick Him. He beat them at their own game, and now they are mad. But why the Romans, why the weapons? Had we really done something wrong? I have to admit that I was getting pretty scared.

We were not going down without a fight, so someone drew a sword. In the struggle, a Roman guard was hurt - his ear was cut. Jesus stopped the fighting and told us to put away the sword. And then Jesus healed the man. Can you believe that He would do that? They wanted to take Him away, perhaps even to His death, but Jesus showed him mercy by healing his ear and then went willingly with the soldiers. We followed as best we could and tried to stay near Jesus, but there was such a great crowd that it was hard to see what was happening. We heard that Jesus was taken before some sort of court and that He just stood there. People were lying about Him and saying all sorts of bad things, but He did not even try to defend Himself.

They took Jesus before Pontius Pilate. When Pilate questioned Him, Jesus talked about another world again. Doesn't He know what's at stake?

Jesus looked so sad, so hurt. He was always such a strong, healthy guy, but He looked beaten and dirty.

Pilate didn't want to deal with this case. He couldn't convict Jesus of anything according to the law and he saw no reason to crucify Him. But the crowd was getting out of control and there was talk of wanting Him dead. DEAD! Pilate gave us a choice of a prisoner to be freed for Passover - Jesus or Barabbas. I don't know how it happened, but the crowd chose Barabbas. He was a murderer! Jesus did nothing but talk about love and making things right. I just don't understand all this.

I don't know where the other disciples were; we had gotten separated in the confusion. We were all so afraid. We wanted to be with Jesus, but we hid in the crowd, afraid to be recognized as one of His disciples. I heard that Peter even said that he didn't know Jesus three times. You know, at the supper last night, Jesus said that Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed, but we couldn't believe it. Peter loved Jesus so much.

When Pilate asked the crowd what he should do about Jesus, people started to yell, "Crucify Him." Crucify Him? What in the world did He do to deserve that? And what will happen to the rest of us? I wanted to go hide, but I couldn't leave my Lord. What will we do? How will we go on? We gave up everything to be with Jesus, and now… and now it is all over.

Now I stand at the base of a cross, seeing Jesus hanging there hurt and suffering. I can't believe we've gotten to this point. What went wrong? What could we have done different? They've made Him look like such a fool. They took His clothes, and divided them among themselves. They put a crown of thorns on His head, and a sign at the top of the cross that says, "This is the King of the Jews."

The crowd is taunting Jesus. "Hey, King of the Jews, save yourself and we'll believe in you." Even the other prisoners are yelling things at Him. Jesus is saying something but it is so hard to hear. He must be thirsty; someone is giving him some sour wine.

What was that? Can you believe this is happening? Jesus just asked God to forgive them, as if they did not know what they were doing.

"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" Where have I heard that before? Oh, I remember, it is from one of King David's Psalms... My God, Why have you forsaken Jesus?

Look, the sky is so dark. The earth is quaking. Jesus just said, "It is finished." Does He know it is His time to die? Listen, He says, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." It is almost as if He has control over His very life.

With a loud cry, my Lord breathed His last breath. A centurion nearby saw what happened and he is terrified, "Surely this was the Son of God!" But now it is too late. It is finished.

Of course, we know that this is not the end. But we will have to wait for Easter to hear the rest of the story.

The Supper

Jesus spent Thursday evening with His disciples in the upper room having a Passover meal.

This is the day many had waited for, the day of Deliverance. Those that surrounded Jesus saw Passover as the ideal time for Him to grasp His kingship. This would have great meaning to the Jews, making a connection to Moses and the deliverance out of slavery from Egypt. The Messiah was to come and save the people, so throughout the week as Passover grew near, the people were expectant for something incredible to happen.

The disciples asked Jesus where they were to celebrate the Passover feast. As usual, the preparation was in the hands of God, and Jesus gave them instructions – where to go, who to see. As the evening drew close, the disciples gathered in the upper room, ready to celebrate this meaningful night with their Lord.

The evening did not go as they’d hoped. Rather than speak about being a king, Jesus spoke of being a servant. He spoke of death, betrayal and denial. Peter, as usual, made great claims of his love for Jesus and his willingness to even die. Jesus told him that he would, that very evening, deny Him three times. Jesus knew Judas was the betrayer, and was clearly in control as He told Judas to do the task quickly. The disciples were confused by the words of Jesus, and became agitated as the vision they had of a kingdom began to fall apart before their eyes.

Even in the midst of betrayal and denial, Jesus comforted His disciples. He promised them the Holy Spirit, that they might continue His work after His death. He established a new covenant with the people, one of life, hope and remembrance.

John tells us that Jesus got up during the feast and got a bowl of water. He went around the table washing His disciples' feet. It was a poignant moment, a teaching moment. Jesus was telling them that they were called to be servants and He gave them a new commandment. "Love one another." That love is not just a love with words, but a love with deeds. He was their Lord and Teacher, but He was willing to lower Himself to a humble place to do the work of a slave. They were called to do the same. "The student is not greater than the teacher," He said.

Jesus also gave them a new covenant. During the dinner, He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, giving it to His disciples. "This is my body, given for you." Then, after the supper, He took the cup, blessed it and gave it to His disciples. "This is my blood, given for you." He told them that whenever they should share the bread and the cup often, in remembrance of Him. We still join in that feast, along with the first disciples and all the Christians from every time and place. It is a foretaste of the feast to come. It is a glimpse of the Promise of eternal life. In that day we will share an even greater feast, but as we gather together and share the sacrament, we escape time and place to gather with all the saints in remembrance of Christ Jesus. At that brief moment in time, we embrace the timelessness of God's promises and see what we will enjoy when we share in His Glory.

Silence

I missed yesterday, and though it was not on purpose, it was appropriate for the Bible is silent as to what happened on the Wednesday of Holy Week. This is not surprising since Tuesday was such a busy day. It is also not surprising because Jesus often lived as an example to us in how to deal with the big moments of our lives. He was silent because it was a day to prepare for that which was to come. I imagine He spent the day with His friends, enjoying their company, sharing the last few moments together. He probably talked to them about the same things He had said all along, reinforcing the lessons taught over the years. Most of all, I am certain He prayed. The Passion would not be easy for Him in flesh or in spirit. He was about to face the worst persecution. He was about to be arrested for no good reason, lied about, and condemned to die. All this by God's hand. It was the plan all along. But it couldn't have been easy. It would take more strength, more assurance, more faith than anything else He had done. Now, more than ever, He needed to be 'in touch' with God.

So, the fact that Wednesday was silent is not surprising. Jesus was preparing for that which is to come.

BUSY!

The Tuesday of Holy Week is the most written about day in the Bible.

It was a day of controversy and stories. Jesus spent time in the temple teaching, where the leaders sent men to catch Jesus in some sort of crime so that they might have him arrested. His authority was questioned and He was set up with the question about taxes. He warned of false teachers and the end of the age, so that His children would recognize the times He has promised throughout the Word. As He spoke these words, the leaders became more determined to be rid of Him. He seemed untouchable.

We are busy people. Schedules are filled with work and school and then we fill in the empty spots with our leisure activities. If we aren't busy with something, we are busy taking care of our homes, going to the grocery store or running the kids to whatever activity we've scheduled for them.

Not only are we busy, but we live in a noisy world. The television or radio is always on. The noises of construction ring all around us. Kids are screaming, dogs are barking. It is so easy to lose touch with God when the world around us is so loud and busy.

Jesus is getting ever closer to the cross and these were the final moments for Him to speak God's word into the lives of the people before they turned completely. The things He said were not always acceptable. He offended many, who then turned away. As they heard the stories and warnings they stopped believing. They didn't really believe anyway--they wanted Jesus to be someone that He was not. As Jesus preached in those final hours, they saw more clearly that Jesus was not the expected Messiah.

He was a much different Messiah.

Temple

I hear tell that there are some churches that have installed ATM machines in their lobby. I have not seen it with my own eyes, but I can imagine that it might happen. Of course, the church can easily justify the addition as being a convenience for members and guests. So few people carry cash these days; it is much easier to use a debit or credit card. An even smaller number of people carry checkbooks. We don't want visitors to feel bad that they don't have anything to put into the offering plate, so we make it as easy as possible.

Things don't change. They may not have had ATM machines in Jerusalem during Passover week, but they did make it convenient for visitors. In preparation for the Passover, the people went to the Temple to atone for their sins, offering the appropriate animals for sacrifice. The journey was hard, especially for those who had come a long way, and it was too difficult to carry along the animals. A perfect sheep could be harmed or lost along the way. So, there was a marketplace set up in the Temple area to sell animals for sacrifice.

The other problem was currency. Many of the people had come from far away; they had currency from foreign nations. The foreign currency was not acceptable in the Temple offerings, so there were money changers available in the Temple courts for the convenience of the pilgrims.

Jesus had been in the Temple before, but on this particular trip into the city He found great offense at what was happening in the courts and marketplace. He overturned the money changers' tables and set free the animals. His problem was not that there were animals for sale or that the money changers were there. This was a necessary part of Temple life. The problem was that they had set up this marketplace in the area of the Temple that was supposed to be available for Gentiles to worship God and pray. The smell of the animals and the noise of the crowds had made that impossible. They had no respect for others, concerned only about fulfilling the letter of the Law and not about the needs of others. It was a matter of mercy and grace.

The attitude of the people began to turn with this trip to the Temple. Jesus was not willing to leave the status quo. The message He preached was not something new, but it was something that had been forgotten in the midst of their religiosity. They were more concerned about outward appearances than about the heart. They were more concerned about doing their duty than rejoicing in the greatness of God. They had been blessed to be a blessing to the world, but they were caught up only in assuring their own blessedness that they missed the opportunity to bless the foreigners that had come to be in their midst.

Are the ATMs a bad thing? Would Jesus be pulling them out of the wall if He visited those churches today? I'm not so sure. He would, however, do so if they made it impossible for people to worship and pray in His house. If the ATMs became more important than the message, if the offerings drowned out God's grace, then Jesus would be throwing them out the door.

Palm Sunday

Well, yesterday I posted that I did not want to use this blog for 'religious' ideas, but today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week, and the subject matter seemed to be a good place to begin a better habit of writing a daily blog. Since neither A WORD FOR TODAY or MIDWEEK OASIS will focus on the Holy Week events, this is as good a forum as any to share my thoughts about the coming of Easter and the cross through which we have to pass.

I have titled this blog "Palm Sunday" but in many churches it was also called "Passion Sunday." The Church is filled with people who make it into a church building just a few times a year--Christmas and Easter. Some also make the trip to church on Palm Sunday.

The story of the Triumphant Entry is a happy story. Jesus rides into Jerusalem to the shouts of praise raised by the crowds. He is loved. He is adored. He is honored as one who is a king. The donkey seems to us to be a humble beast, unworthy of a kingly rider, but the donkey was often used as the mode of transportation for kings. However, it was a powerful image to the people who were waving palm branches and singing Hallelujah that day. Jesus was the one for whom they were waiting. He was the Messiah. He was the one who would restore Israel.

It is an exciting image. However, the praise quickly died and the atmosphere in Jerusalem changed dramatically. Within days the people were willing to scream "Crucify him!" Whatever made them change tune, something horrific happened later in Holy Week.

However, most of those Christmas and Easter people never hear the story of the cross. If they come on Palm Sunday, they experience the jubilation of praise to the long expected Messiah, but if they wait until Easter to return to Sunday, they generally miss the rest of the story.

Until now. I am not sure how long it has been part of the lectionary, but we now hear the entire Passion Story on Palm/Passion Sunday. Since the cross is vital to the Resurrection, those who do not hear the story only see the triumph of palms and empty tomb do not truly understand the depth of God's love for His people and the sacrifice of Christ's life. Without the cross, the triumph of palms and empty tomb are meaningless.

I love to follow the story throughout the entire week. We had a pastor in California who did that. We had worship daily, following the story as Jesus went from triumph through suffering and then back to triumph again. I suppose that's what I'll do this week. Hopefully I won't get lost in the busy-ness of spring break and manage to find the time to post on the blog.

It frustrates me that we have to hear the entire story in one day. After all, it is an experience to be savored -- not like we savor chocolate or prime steaks -- but as we linger over the stories that change our lives. Good and bad, joy and horror, it is the entire story that makes us who we are. Yet, I'm glad that we do hear the entire story so that those who can't, or won't, get to church during Holy Week will truly understand the depth of God's love which was glorified not in the empty tomb, but on the cross. It is there that Christ overcame sin and death. It is there that we were saved.

Thanks be to God.

Failure to Blog

Obviously, I failed. I posted last on New Year's Day, promising to be more regular with my posts. It is now March 15, and I am finally getting around to posting something on this blog. Not that there's anything to say. I suppose that's why I'm not doing such a good job with keeping the resolution. I just have very little to say.

Now, there are a great many people who would scoff at that statement, especially since I can get very wordy with A WORD FOR TODAY and MIDWEEK OASIS, my two daily devotionals. I manage somehow to find hundreds, sometimes even thousands of words to say when I am writing those. After eight and a half years, I'm still constant and regular with those postings, all which have a Christian and Biblical subject matter.

However, when it comes to this blog, I don't seem to have much to say. I don't think I really want to write more faith stuff -- not that it is a bad thing, but because this blog was designed to be something the family does to keep our friends and family "in the know." As you can see, my family has not been any better about posting. They certainly have far more interesting lives than mine, but I suppose that's why they don't have the time. I guess for now you'll have to enjoy what they have posted about our vacation to Disney which was almost a year ago!

I don't mind that I do not have an exciting life. As a matter of fact, I've learned something recently. It is nice to have some freedom from the busy schedule. It is nice to have time to watch some television, read a book and take my time at the grocery store. I should clean my house. I should get on with some of my craft projects. I should do some more volunteer work. Perhaps I should even think about getting a job. However, I am enjoying the freedom I have with so little on my plate. I am also working on some writing that is not being posted on the Internet. Maybe this is my time to find that book or novel that I know is trying to get out. Perhaps soon I'll be posting the exciting news that you can pick up my book at your local Borders Store.

For now, I'm making the promise again. I am going to post more. Since I have so little to say; since there is so little excitement in my life, it may be little more than tedious rambling. It would be good to come, though, because I might come up with some brilliant thought or remarkable perspective. Probably not, but visit anyway.