![]() Jesus Is Alive There is so much we mean when we say this. It is so far beyond the platitudes and cliches you hear. "So and so" lives on (in your heart, in your memory, or something else they will say). But Jesus is alive in a whole different way. He is not "off somewhere as a spirit," and He is not just in your memory or in your heart. Jesus is alive, really, truly, fully alive. He acts, He hears prayers and He answers them. He has His own plans and He is carrying them out. The disciples encountered the living, alive Jesus and everything in their lives was changed. Mary Magdalene's tears were stopped. The two going to Emmaus learned wisdom and hurried back to Jerusalem to tell. Peter who denied Jesus out of fear boldly stood up to the ruling council. Paul preached the faith he once tried to destroy. This is not because they held a memory in their hearts. It was because Jesus is alive and He showed them His glorified, risen body. They knew He had beat the stuffing out of death. That meant: Jesus could keep them through any danger. Jesus could keep His promises to raise them from the dead. Jesus could share eternal life with them. So: Who should they be afraid of? All those verses that say things like "what can man do to me?" -- they were absolutely true. They had something no other religious group had -- and it was something people desperately needed. Jesus is alive. He is still the same Jesus. Still inviting people to live forever. Still giving forgiveness through His own cross, his own suffering, and His own blood. Still carrying out His plan of bringing people from every nation and language into His Kingdom and into His family. Right now in our lives -- Jesus is alive. He is the living one. Right now we are confined to our houses most of the time. Jesus is with us. He lives. There was a conversation down in Springfield Sunday (Liam is our grandson): Liam: "Can I have my prison gifts now?" His mother: "Your Easter basket?" Liam: "My prison gifts" His mother: "Liam, I hope you never go to prison." Liam: "I already am in prison." Yes Liam, even if you were in prison the Living Lord Jesus would be there with you. Bars can't keep Him away, because He is Jesus. A bit more on the serious side, this came through the internet from a Pastor friend, John Drosendahl: "My praying is powerless. The Answerer, however ..." This is because " Jesus is Alive!" He holds all the power of God and He has promised to do all things for the blessing of those who know Him, who believe in Him and who know His love shown to us in the cross and in Rising on Easter morning. Jesus is Alive. He acts in our lives. And often enough He surprises us. Lord Jesus, You are the living Lord. You have eternal life and You hold our future in Your hands. Guide me day after day, steer the path of my life and lead me to the blessings that only You can give. Help me to understand that no other blessings can compare with those I have in You. And no problems are worth comparing with the riches I have in You. Amen.
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![]() "My Father and Your Father" For years this has been my favorite 5 words out of all the Easter events. It is a wonderful gift, a beautiful "Easter Egg" that holds a hidden gem within it. You see, Jesus could have done the work of salvation simply so that God could reclaim us as His people. And it would have been enough to have our souls redeemed, and our bodies raised -- so that we could live in God's kingdom. We could be His servants, to do His bidding and be obedient through eternity. But somehow God always finds a way of doing more and giving more. That's where the words "My Father and your Father" come in. It was Easter morning, outside the tomb, and Jesus had just surprised Mary Magdalene completely out of her socks (or sandals). When she heard Him call her by name, she turned, saw Him, recognized Him and called Him "Rabboni" (my Rabbi / my Teacher). And then Jesus had to peel her off Him. Imagine the emotion going on in her. "Do not cling to Me ..." (John 20:17) And then, here come those words ... "Go to My brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.'" Some of those words are expected. Not surprising. "I am ascending ..." "to My Father ..." "...and your God." But the other parts are remarkable, astonishing, maybe even outrageous! Jesus then says, "My Father and your Father". He actually makes us a part of the family of God, children of God the Father. You could say these words are our adoption papers. We belong because of Jesus dying on the cross and rising on Easter morning. We are invited to say "Father." Sometimes I tell the story of one of my friends, back in high school days. He was invited to stay for dinner. We were having spaghetti. During the meal the four Willig boys were saying "Mom, this" and "Mom, that." And then my friend slipped into the pattern, asking for some more of something, "Mom, could I have ...?" There was a slight pause, and a smile and he had that something more. It's an interesting thing to look back on. For that little while he was part of the family -- because he was invited to be. We are invited to pray and say, "Father." But don't ever forget the cost of that invitation. Jesus had to be one of us. He had to invite us by telling us the Gospel of God who "so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son". And He had to bring us home by carrying us in His own flesh on the cross. We are connected as children by being connected to the Son, the Son of God & God the Son. So there is the family intimacy. "The Father knows what you need before you ask Him." (Matthew 6:8) "I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) "I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever." (John 14:16) Father, thank You for inviting me back into Your family and into Your love. Your Son Jesus called me and invited me to come back home. And He paid an astonishing price for me. As often as I pray and say "Father" help me to remember how much You have loved me and how Jesus gave Himself for my salvation. Amen. ![]() The Day After It's the day after Easter. "Christ Is Still Risen! He is Still Risen Indeed!" But sometimes it takes a while for a new reality to sink in. We know this. We have gone through changes in life, and the bigger the change the more parts of our thinking have to have time to adapt and re-learn. "I was sad when they said to me, come let's update your computer operating system." (Loose Paraphrase pf Psalm 122:1) The disciples saw Jesus that first Easter later in the day when the two returned from Emmaus. (Luke 24:33-35) As they were telling how Jesus was revealed to them in the breaking of the bread, Jesus Himself stood among them. Listen to the struggle of their minds to grasp the changes of death undone, the tomb broken and the actual resurrection of Jesus. "But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit." (Luke 24:37) "And while they still disbelieved for joy ..." (Luke 24:41) After eating a piece of fish and telling them it was all told and predicted in Moses and the prophets, "Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures". (Luke 24:45) It takes us a while, doesn't it? I heard once, years ago, Oprah describe "confirmation bias." She said people could be boarding a plane and see a large hole in the wing. But because they figure the pilots and mechanics know what they are doing they somehow don't even notice. They see what they expect to see. It is amazing how we can completely miss something, and it can be dangerous. It takes a lot to break us loose from seeing what we expect to see. Is that why the two on the road to Emmaus did not recognize Jesus? Because they were so convinced it couldn't be. Is that why Mary Magdalene outside the tomb thought Jesus was the gardener and asked where he had put the dead body of Jesus? Because it just does not happen -- a crucified, executed man just doesn't come back to life open the tomb from the inside and head out? Is that why we are reluctant and hesitate? Because we have become so used to thinking in this-world patterns of the simply physical and material existence; and it is difficult to shift and think as those who are actually in the beginning of eternal life; who are strangers here, pilgrims looking forward to the heavenly city like Abraham is described in Hebrews 11 (verse 10). There is an assignment I have given confirmation classes through the years. It goes like this: Look forward to the day after Jesus returns, after judgment day. A whole lot happened the day before. And now you are living forever. Make a list of three things you want to do "the day after." I have gotten a lot of interesting answers. Some were adventurous. Some were about long separated family members. (The most unique, by the way, was "Jump out of an airplane without a parachute." And then he defended his answer: "You said I was living forever.") ((Note: If you are reading this you know who you are!)) But why this assignment? The purpose was to teach how living in eternal life has a pattern to it that is so completely different from our pattern of life now. It is a struggle to even try to think in such a different way. So how do we adapt to such a complete change in reality as happened with breaking the tomb, undoing the pattern of sin, and death no longer being the final reality? When you read the last chapters, Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20-21, (Seriously, read those "last chapters") you see disciples struggling to get their minds around something so completely different that they sometimes look more than a little foolish. They were out of their depth. But then so are we, and that's part of what it is like following Jesus. Lord Jesus, I am amazed. I struggle to "get" the full measure of the changes You have done to everything: rising so death is not the end; giving forgiveness so I am Yours; making heaven my own and eternity my future. Help me to live with the joy of forgiveness and the boldness of Easter. Amen. ![]() This Changes Everything! "Easter changes everything!" And "Easter is the unchanging fact that makes everything new." When you put those 2 things together it means that the Resurrection of Jesus sweeps away everything else. All kingdoms and powers; all enemies and hindrances to the Kingdom of God. No matter what nation, power, philosophy, movement, or force every one of them will be pushed aside by the power and force of the life that is in Jesus and has come out of the tomb with Him in order to take hold of us and make us eternally living -- with Jesus and transformed to be like Him. The final enemy to be destroyed is death. It will be destroyed, yielding to the Eternal Life that is in Jesus as He pours that Eternal Life into our souls and then into our bodies. So, Alleluia! Christ Is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! The words, "This changes everything!" are interesting words in the middle of so much change. How many weeks ago were we happily going about our business. We traveled, went to restaurants, met in large groups, worshiped together, and even shook hands. And then changes came, the most radical and extreme I have ever seen in such a short time. Things will change again. Nothing is permanent here. But the changes sweeping through are only variations in the pattern of life and death, sin and its consequences, and the struggle to hold on to something good. None of the changes in the past months come anywhere close to -- and no change however wonderful or terrible in the months ahead come anywhere close to -- the undoing of death that Jesus has done. Not even dying, the end of this life, comes anywhere close to what Jesus has done. He has taken hold of death and broken it. And nothing at all can keep on being what it was before. Jesus begins the change in Himself, there within the tomb returning to life and transforming His body. Then Jesus changes us, beginning deep within the soul. The change in the soul is sudden and complete when the risen Lord Jesus speaks His words into our soul. Think about Mary Magdalene outside the tomb on Easter morning. She was weeping and in despair. But with one word Jesus completely changed everything. (Jesus said to her "Mary." - John 10:16) Suddenly she knew that Jesus lives, death is undone, and she is going to live forever with God. And so with a few words to the disciples in Emmaus (Luke 24:30-31), the ten in the upper room (Luke 24:36-43), Thomas a week later (John 20:27-28), Paul riding the road into Damascus (Acts 9:3-6), and the list goes on. And there is more to come. Jesus will one day "transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself." (Philippians 3:21) And then Easter will be complete. Alleluia! Christ is Risen! ... Lord Jesus, there are so many changes in life, and these days are full of confusion. But in You I find eternity, and in Your empty tomb I have something that can not ever be undone. Help me to hope in everything You have promised, and to celebrate Easter and eternity through everything and anything that happens. Help me to have the refrain within my soul, "Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Amen." ![]() It Was The Sabbath It wasn't just any Sabbath. This was The Sabbath. It was the Sabbath that had never happened, not from the beginning of the world. This was it. Let me explain: We read about it in Genesis 2. "And on the 7th day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the 7th day .... So God blessed the 7th day and made it holy ..." But there is more. What was the Sabbath for? From our side there are 3 purposes for the Sabbath: 1) to stop from all the busy-ness, 2) to have time with God, and 3) to hear the words and receive the blessings of God. We learn what the Sabbath was for from God's side when the Lord came walking in the garden in the cool of the day. He had 1) completed His work, and was there 2) to spend time with Adam and Eve, and He was there 3) to speak His promises and bring His blessings. But the Sabbath had been broken. Adam and Eve had: 1) ignored the words and blessings of God, breaking His command and defying Him, 2) gone back to work, sewing clothes out of fig leaves, and 3) hid from God refusing to have fellowship with Him. And so with every Sabbath ever since. The entire human race was rebellious, violent, out of harmony with God, hiding from Him, denying His words and blessings and always ready to blame someone else. Until Jesus. He came to restore us to God, so at the end we could live forever with a God who gives endless blessings and life. In order to restore us Jesus had to carry the "In the day that you eat of it you will surely die." It was not His to carry but He came to carry us back to fellowship and we came with a curse. So Jesus took our sin (my sin) along with the separation. It was a long journey back, carrying us. Adam & Eve ate; Jesus fasted. We hid from God; Jesus presented Himself before His Father covered with our sin and guilt. We threw away the words and blessings of God; Jesus took the word of God for His life and strength, even the parts that judged and condemned. Everything reached its climax on the cross as Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" He had borne the separation that Adam & Eve did to themselves as they ate and hid. It was finished. As in Genesis when God finished His work and rested, Jesus finished His work and it was time for the Sabbath. There is still among the Jews the practice of finishing work 3 hours before sundown, to prepare for the Sabbath. "There was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour [after sunrise] ... then Jesus calling out with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!' And ... breathed His last." (Luke 23:44-46) As Jesus commits His spirit into His Father's hands, He is fulfilling the sabbath. Jesus the Man has finished His work and is setting aside the day for fellowship with His Father. The Sabbath is not just for rest. It is for setting aside our work and spending time with God. It is for fellowship, God sharing His blessings, eternal life, and joy with us. Jesus was resting. Along with resting, it was time to be with the Father and hear the Father say, "This is My Son, with whom I am well-pleased!" The time of blessing has begun again. All the blessings of God are given and poured out on Jesus. Of Him the Bible says, "You have ... crowned Him with glory and honor ... given Him dominion over the works of Your hands, ... put all things under His feet ..." (Psalm 8:5-6) Like everything else in His ministry Jesus does these things for us. He holds all these blessings in trust for the day when we are glorified. In fact "the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God ... the redemption of our bodies." (Romans 8:19, 23) The time will come the next day for the revealing. But this Sabbath is a time for the close and loving fellowship of the Father with His Son Jesus. God and Man have come to the day of rest and the day of fellowship and blessing. It is a re-set of everything that was supposed to be in our relationship with God. Lord Jesus, thank You for restoring us, all Your people, to the fellowship and blessing You have wanted for us from the beginning. Let me find rest for my soul in You, rest from the turmoil and problems of life, and rest through hearing Your words and knowing Your promises, and rest in knowing that You are faithful and will bring me into endless blessings. Amen. ![]() Worry & Faith: Part 3 When Everything Falls Apart It is Good Friday. We have just come home from Church. We are looking forward to Easter. But that first Good Friday was very different. The disciples were crushed, completely in despair, and afraid they might be next. The women were weeping and getting ready to prepare spices to cover the stench of the decaying body of Jesus. They had forgotten His words that He was going to Jerusalem and would be put to death and on the third day rise. Or they were confronted by all the things that called Jesus' promises a lie, and they didn't know where to turn. Even worse in their minds, was what had happened to Jesus. They had thought that He was the Christ. Why then had God forsaken him? He said that Himself. He prayed, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" It was "when everything falls apart." That's what they were dealing with. But this is exactly where faith comes into its own. The measure of faith is taken when it is put to the test. That is part of the definition. Faith is to believe the words and promises of God -- simply believing His words and promises. Not seeing. Not having it proven. Simply believing. It means in the middle of everything to say, "I know that God loves me and that He is faithful." Faith means (Part 1) to believe the words and promises of God, (Part 2) no matter what. There are times I will ask someone in our congregation, "How's your 'no-matter-what' today?" And they will smile, or sigh. And we will talk. The disciples had more "no-matter-what" than they thought they could ever endure. And they would go through that "no-matter-what" until Sunday. But they were disciples of Jesus, and Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of faith. He is the one who invented it, began the walk of faith, and teaches every one of His people, from the fall back in the Garden of Eden, to the end of the world. Faith is very specific. And faith has an object. It is to believe the words and promises of God. This is not a cliche, just some nice saying. And it is not an unanchored hope. It has to be bound to something. The Word of God is the stuff of faith, and it is the stuff of the life of God. The Word of God is part of the fellowship within the Trinity, the communion between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And this is the pattern of life that Jesus knew before He came into the world. When Jesus took human flesh He had to walk by faith. No longer seeing in the same way He had to hold on to the words and promises of God. Morning after morning He went to spend time in the Word of God, reading the words, meditating on the promises, and preparing for the work of that day. (Isaiah 50:4 and Mark 1:35) But faith has to be tested. Without testing it is not believing without seeing. Matthew 4 tells about the temptations. With each one of them Jesus responded by turning to the Word of God. He said to the first one, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4) At the cross Jesus brings the words and promises of God all the way to the most forsaken, condemned and darkest place. There, when His Father judged Him and was pouring out wrath and judgment, what did Jesus pray? "My God, My God ..." This is the beginning of Psalm 22. Realize first that Jesus was praying, and was still believing the promises of His relationship with His Father. It is the ultimate persistence of faith, to hold to the promises no matter what -- no matter the pain, looming death, and fearful darkness. "My God ..." is a claim of that eternal relationship. Then, second, realize how Psalm 22 continues. After the description of crucifixion it continues on. Verse 22 says, "I will tell of Your name to My brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise You." Right there in the middle of the suffering of the cross, Jesus claimed and held on to the promise of praising His Father and celebrating with us after everything was done. Now that is the mastery and perfection of faith; to hold on to the promise even when God hides His face of grace and love and all Jesus saw was wrath, judgment and death. But that is exactly the point. Jesus went to the most extreme place, to show to us that the promises of God hold true even there. Even in our darkest place we can trust those promises. Because whatever our darkest place is, however far from God that is -- Jesus went farther. He hung there in the darkness of "Why have You forsaken Me?" and He prayed and believed. That's why Jesus is able to teach faith. He has been there. He knows the patterns of faith. He knows the promises of God and how to hold on to them in spite of everything. He knows how to guide you with the promises of His word. And He knows how to strengthen you in holding on to them. "Therefore ... let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2) Lord Jesus, teach me faith. I need it a lot! You know Your way around facing troubles, holding on to promises, taking the words of God into Your soul. Remind me of the faithfulness of Your promises. When I am discouraged give me hope. When I forget, be my Shepherd and seek me out. Keep me as Your own all the way into the life that is eternal. Amen. ![]() Scattered "... to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad." (John 11:52) It is John's comment on some of the events after the raising of Lazarus. But the one word "scattered" is in the middle of our experience right now. The people of God have been scattered. We try to hold our connection with each other and with our Church. But it happens and has happened all through history. The people of God are scattered. This is Maundy Thursday. We connect by internet and video links. But we have not gathered as a congregation around the Lord's Supper. We are scattered. There are hardships with being scattered. It is harder to see, but there are good things that God does through times of scattering. Did you know: What was the first great evangelism program after the Day of Pentecost? Read about it in Acts 8:1-4. It says, a great persecution arose and "they were all scattered .... Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word." Can you imagine a Mission Committee planning this out and presenting it to the Voters' Assembly? It would sound completely insane. They would be removed from their office. And it is a horrible idea if it comes from our planning. Besides, it is exactly the opposite of how any of us would think. But God knows when to scatter and when to gather. So we are hearing stories from all over the country where the Gospel is getting into places we would have never expected. God sends out; and He gathers in. He send us out to live our faith in a world of troubles, and He arranges it so we are living by faith right in front of our neighbors. That is a powerful witness and it is a call from God. I do wonder. How many millions have come to faith from seeing Christians living by faith through so many of the troubles that every human being is touched by? And so God gathers. Do we call it "sneaky," wonder at the audacity of it, or say God is "making it real." This is the reality of human life. There is trouble, but there is Jesus who says, "Take heart. I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) There is suffering, but Paul says "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18) There is right now a scattering, but Jesus was sent to be the "one man" who would "die for the people". (John 11:50) That was Caiaphas plotting the death of Jesus, not knowing that he was prophesying about salvation and forgiveness of sins "and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad." (John 11:52) Jesus knows every one of His own. (John 10:14, 27) Even the ones who do not know Him yet. And His mission is to gather every one of them -- each one called and led by the Good Shepherd, until He brings us all together and we are that Great Multitude that no one could count. (Revelation 7:9) This is the plan. It is the Commission given to Jesus by His Father. (Isaiah 49:6 "I will make You as a light to the nations, that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.") Jesus is fully, completely up to the job. So have confidence. He is bringing you through many things, but bringing you into the glory of the kingdom of God. Have confidence and smile at the "scenery" along the way. It will make a great story later. Lord Jesus, let me hear Your promises along the paths of my life. No matter how twisting the path help me know that You are able to lead me and bring me fully into life, glory, and joy. Help me, then, to walk the paths of life with faith and prayer, trusting quietly or calling out in my need, but always turning to You. Amen. ![]() When the Time was Right "But when the fullness of time had come ..." said Paul (Galatians 4:4) We are learning lessons about waiting, and how some things are not going to happen until the time of waiting has been completed. There are a lot of things we are not in control of, and we simply wait for the time in-between to slowly pass. We will not get there any faster by being impatient. A little lesson I have learned -- when I am stuck in a traffic jam one of the first things I do is to look at my watch. I make a mental note and I time how long it actually takes to get through. It is surprising how often it feels like twice as long as it actually is. And then I say to myself, "That wasn't as bad as it seemed." When the time had fully come, God sent His Son. It had been thousands of years waiting for the first Christmas and for God to come and walk among us. But when the time had fully come there was a census, a journey to Bethlehem, shepherds in the fields, and wise men. When the time had fully come, Jesus began His ministry. It had been about 30 years since the first Christmas, and the world was waiting for the work of salvation to get underway. Writers and movie makers speculate what had happened in the meantime with the shepherds and the wise men. But when the time had fully come, there was John's preaching and baptism, the temptations, the wedding at Cana and a Sermon up on a mountain -- all seeming to come in a flurry of activity. When the time had fully come, Jesus came riding into Jerusalem. It had been about 3 years of ministry, And although those years were filled with teaching and miracles, with proclaiming the Gospel and how salvation was going to happen through His work, it was still years of waiting. The disciples had gotten used to the "normal state of affairs," and when it was time to go up to Jerusalem they were not ready. When the time had fully come, it was time to eat the Passover, pray in the Garden, stand before Pilate, suffer, die and rise. You see, when we are waiting for the time to fully come it all seems to move so very slowly. But when the time has fully come everything happens very, very quickly. All that has been being prepared seems to come in a rush. The disciples were hardly able to realize what was happening before everything changed again. That's how it is when the time has fully come. When the time had fully come it was time to earn salvation, forgive sins, bring the promise, begin the resurrection of all His Christians. In a whirlwind the political and religious forces gather and are defeated, along with death and the devil. All so very quickly. And the Gospel was fulfilled. And then it was time for more waiting. Paul spent his youth learning from the Rabbis and great scholars of his day. He did not welcome the changes sweeping through with this new teaching about Jesus. But when the time had fully come he was on a road to Damascus and had his life completely turned around by Jesus. He then preached Jesus as the Christ. And then came 17 years of quiet study until Barnabas asked him to come to Antioch and teach the new Gentile believers. And then very quickly the time was fulfilled and there were mission journeys to do, all over the Roman world. We are waiting again for the time to fully come. Events will move slowly, and then suddenly all at once. That's how life is, slow days in-between big changes. Each of those days in-between is given by God. A part of discipleship is to learn how to go through the in-between times keeping on walking as the disciple, because all of the slow in-between days are days to learn from our Teacher. The time will come when we are able to gather again, and we will look back on these days of waiting. And one more time we are waiting for the time to be fulfilled. On to the end day after day will look very much like any other day. But when the time has fully come, once again everything will come in a rush. The stars will fall, the trumpet will sound and Jesus will return. We have in-between days, and each one is a day to live as a follower of Jesus, knowing He is with us, and that we are children of God, held in His mercy and being brought by a Good Shepherd to share His life and blessings. "You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; ..." (Psalm 16) Lord Jesus, let today be a day of following You, learning of Your grace, Your mercy, and Your providing care. Guide me into Your words and promises, and let me build my life, my hopes, and daily pattern around Your presence in my life. Amen. ![]() Something for the Body; Something for the Soul It's a beautiful little formula. It reminds us who we are and that there is more to us than our physical needs; and it is something we are feeling pretty sharply right now. Even if we were able to keep ourselves perfectly and absolutely safe, staying inside for the rest of the year, that is not enough. We need the something for the soul. Today I saw a group of friends sitting out on someone's lawn, lawn chairs way far apart, keeping each other company. The something for the soul was companionship. On the other hand, I know of parents who provide every physical need for their children by working so many hours that there is no time left in their days, and then wonder why their children are not content. The something for the soul is love and we need that. It is that way with the things of the faith. We bring a baby to church. Water is splashed and words are spoken. Something for the body -- the water that carries a blessing of life and resurrection. And something for the soul -- the word of God (carrying the name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) tucked deep within the soul for us to turn to and remember the promises of God. We come to the Lord's Supper. We will be waiting this Thursday and we will hunger for the time when we can gather at the Table of the Lord. Jesus calls us to receive something for the body and something for the soul. Something for the body -- the actual risen from the dead body of Jesus, and the sin forgiving blood of Jesus, that He joins with our mortal bodies to carry the reality of Easter into our lives and one day bring us to the rising of our bodies into eternal life. And something for the soul -- the words and promises of Jesus when He says, "for the forgiveness of sins" and promises forgiveness, life and salvation. Time after time He feeds us building and forming faith within us. Christianity is all the way through "something for the body; something for the soul." We cannot be without either. Christianity is not "only for the soul." That would be ridiculous. Especially this week, leading up to Easter we know how completely we needed Jesus to be laid in the tomb and rise from the tomb. From the beginning in Bethlehem, Jesus was born because God values your life, and that means your physical, bodily life. He plans to raise this body you live in and make it glorious. And because Jesus took our human flesh we believe that our neighbor's physical life and needs matter. That is actually why so many of the hospitals around our nation are religious, and so many are named for saints. What Jesus did in the body is the greatest force for caring for our neighbor there has ever been in the history of the world. But Christianity is not "only for the body" either. That would sell us short. It would fall so far short of what we are made for, to think that food, shelter, money and possessions are all that we need. We were created to know hope, virtue, beauty, goodness and so many other things. We long for the things of the soul, and we know that God created and calls us to walk with Him. There are many, many stories through generation after generation of people holding onto hope in spite of everything, inspired by the grace and mercy of God. And then there is the story of Mary anointing Jesus with expensive ointment just before He entered Jerusalem. (John 12:1-8) One of the disciples complained. It could have been sold to meet physical needs. But Jesus praised Mary's devotion. Things of the soul lead us through the hard times. And they enrich and give meaning to the blessings in life. We need them. Something for the body. We live in this world and God gives us to each other and invites us to join Him in caring for others. And something for the soul. We live, within our souls, in the presence of God. That is an eternal relationship, and it is the beginning and heart of who we are. That relationship has its beginning with God. "O Lord, you have searched me and known me!" and "How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand." (Psalm 139:1, 17-18) And it finds its fulfillment at the end. "When He appears we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." (1 John 3:2) Lord Jesus, as I live in this world help me remember that while I am in this world I am also walking with You. Thank You for Your work, done in the body to purchase and win me from sin and death. Thank You for the forgiveness You earned at the cost of Your bodily suffering and death. And guide me, deep within the soul, that I may learn Your teachings and walk by faith. Amen. ![]() Little Footsteps in Bigger Footsteps Jesus said, "But if God so clothes the grass of the field ... will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:30) Actually, it's even sweeter the way Jesus said it than our English translations. One day a friend of mine (Pastor Ralph Laufer) said, "Is that a diminutive?" And so we looked. The Greek word is "oligopistoi." Taking the word apart: pistis is the Greek word for faith; oligo is the word for little; and the ending oi means ones. Putting it together it means "little-faith-ones." And yes it looks like a diminutive; it's a term of endearment! It isn't a scolding word. It's a word with lots and lots of affection. The next time in Matthew we run into the word is out on the water, after Peter called out to Jesus and said, "Hey! Lord! If it's You command me to come to You on the water!" (my paraphrase) And Jesus said, "Come." and Peter was out there walking on the water; and then looking around and getting afraid; and then beginning to sink; and then Jesus grabbed him by the hand and lifted him up. That's when Jesus said, " oligopiste (Little-faith-one) why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14:31) (And then they walked back to the boat together.) Jesus is the teacher of faith, and faith means "believing the words and promises of God." For just a moment there Peter was doing exactly that, but it was little steps of faith. Yes, even walking on water was "little steps" of faith. Jesus is the teacher of faith. Like a basketball coach, or a marshal arts teacher, He shows as He teaches. He demonstrates. Jesus had been doing that for the disciples all along -- facing temptation, hours of prayer, trusting His Father when the storm came up, and on and on. He was training them in faith as His "little-faith-ones" and there were a lot more lessons to come. But it all came back to the same thing over and over; believing the words and promises of God. Jesus would demonstrate faith in His Father's promises all the way to Jerusalem, the Garden, the Cross and the Empty Tomb. In addition to being forgiven, saved and being given eternal life, they would watch the astonishing faith of the Son of God "who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2) I heard a scientist tell about examining footprints making a trail through long since dried mud. In some places there were 2 sets, one big, the other small. In other places only the big one. So he looked closer. He examined the places with only one set. As he looked inside them he found much smaller footprints there within the larger prints. He said, "Like children all over the world there was a child following behind and walking in the footprints of their father or mother." I remembered that, because I remembered back when I was very little and there was a big snowstorm. I was following my father out into the back yard, and I didn't want to get snow in my boots. So I tried to walk in His footprints. I remembered that when I had my own children, and I remember sometimes taking very short steps, so they could walk in my footprints. Jesus is the great teacher of faith. He called His disciples to follow, and He took some of those small steps. He showed them what it was like to walk in faith as a human being. He was tempted, and by faith held firmly to God's Word. He wept for his friend Lazarus and the sisters Mary and Martha. He was hungry. And He struggled as He prayed in the garden. As He taught them, Jesus still teaches faith and we are His students and disciples. Time after time the lesson goes back to the same thing, believing the words and promises of God. It may be when we are not sure which path to choose in life. It might be in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. And it will almost certainly be after all this mess right now is done and we have the question, "Will I continue to follow?" There are footprints. They are the footprints of the Son of God, who was born to be one of us. And they are His footprints of faith, step by step believing the words and promises of God. And they are proofs that Jesus has set down, proving that God's words and promises are solid, and they give life, and they are all bound together in Jesus. They are given by Jesus who says, "Come, follow Me ..." and who says, "Because I live, you will live." So then, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the Author and Perfecter of faith ..." (Hebrews 12:2) Lord Jesus, be my teacher. Guide and train me. Let me learn faith from You, that in the middle of all the things happening all around, I may go back, time and time again, to hear Your words. Help me to find rest and peace in the faithfulness of Your promises, that I may endure through my whole life. Strengthen and keep me in faith, that I may see Your glory and live in Your kingdom. Amen. |
Rev. Mark WilligPastor Willig is pastor emeritus of Friends in Christ Lutheran Church. Archives
December 2023
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