Mark 14:53-61

Mark 14:53-61 

The Message 

  When I think of a trial, I think of the high priest Joshua (not the battle of Jericho Joshua) standing before God in Zechariah 3.  Satan stands ready to accuse, but before Satan can say a word, the Lord rebukes Satan and calls for Zechariah to be honored.  It's one of my favorite passages in Scripture -- Joshua was a great priest, Satan was determined to tear him down, but God intervened regardless of Satan and honors Joshua.  It reminds me how Satan is always ready to attack us, at any time and in any place, and yet God takes the first word and redeems us, honors us, and rebukes Satan, even when we are too weak to do so.

  In the same way, they're drumming up false charges against Jesus, and they eventually resort to lies and made-up stories to try and convict him.  The truth cannot convict him.

  Friends, someday, you and I will stand before God.  Satan tries to convince us that we have to stand before God on our own merit, that we'll have to rely upon our own strength and deeds to pass the test.  May Scripture assure you that when you stand before God, you will be seen as blameless, thanks to the work of Christ.  You will be celebrated as holy, thanks to the work of Christ.  You will be treasured and beloved, perfect in every way, because Christ has suffered the punishment of sin and made life eternal possible for you.  

  We need not fear the trial, no matter the accusations, no matter the things that lie in our past, because our hope is in Christ, who stands ready to forgive, having spoken a word of grace over us that will cover us for all of time.

Mark 14:43-52

Mark 14:43-52 

The Message 

  For tonight's reason why this actually happened:  If you were going to make it up, would you include verses 51-52?  This is thought to be Mark, and he records himself running away naked when caught by the group coming to get Jesus.  He flees for his life, leaving all else behind to save his own skin.  Probably not his finest moment, right?

  Did you notice how they showed up for Jesus in the dead of the night?  They brought swords and clubs, brave behind their weapons in the dark of night.  Would they have been so brave in the middle of the day?  I doubt it.

  I know anxieties well, and they were always the worst in the middle of the night.  I'd lie awake in bed at 3 am, contemplating my own death, asking big questions and terrified of the answers (or lack thereof).  By morning, they were never as intense as they were at night.  

  This is how evil works.  It waits until you're alone, isolated, and at your weakest.  Evil often doesn't come attack us when we're in the midst of community, when we're feeling confidant and grounded.  Instead, it waits, picking its moments, finding our vulnerabilities and preying on them, often subtly, but sometimes with swords and clubs in the middle of the night.

  The older I get, the more often I turn to the 23rd Psalm.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death -- that's when evil pounces, when we're in that valley.  That's when evil whispers in our ear, suggesting this or that.  It reminds me of a Jenga tower -- evil taps on the blocks, looking for weakness, watching our towers, seeing what makes us sway, what threatens to topple us.  Evil is crafty and patient.  Modern life offers comforts, and it often isolates us from uncomfortable things, and so we forget.... and then evil creeps in, tapping away, reminding us of fears long forgotten.

  I shall not fear, for the Lord is with me, his rod and his staff, they comfort me.  I look to the staff, and I see the tool of a shepherd, willing to do whatever it takes to protect the sheep.  I look to the rod, and I see a tool of punishment, the rod that struck the rock in the wilderness and gave water to the Israelites, the rod that strikes the Son on the cross as a punishment for sin, when grace then pours out and gives life to us.  

  In the darkness, in my fears, I look with hope to the hills, from whence my Savior comes, and I cry aloud in hope, to remind myself of the power of God, and to remind my sisters and brothers in Christ that they are not alone, and we need not fear evil, for we are a community of believers linked by our bold hope in Jesus Christ, our Risen Savior!!!

Mark 14:32-42

Mark 14:32-42 

The Message 

  This is only 11 verses, and yet there is so much going on.  Jesus is broken hearted, thinking about the ordeal that awaits him, asking God if there is another way out.  (Note:  it's okay to ask God for alternatives when you don't like what's in front of you.  This isn't freedom to disobey, but it is freedom to ask God big questions as we try and understand better what God is doing.) (Note 2:  Again, verses like this support the claim that this is how it happened.  If the disciples made this up, would they have written it this way?  Would they have Jesus begging for an alternative?  Or would they skip that part and have him going bravely to meet the enemy, filled with confidence?)

  Jesus then discovers that the disciples cannot stay awake.  The one thing he asks of them, they cannot do.  Laziness creeps up over the best of their intentions.  Mark notes that the disciples didn't have a plausible excuse... they were simply tired.

  We've all been here, right?  Simply tired.   Worn out from all sorts of things, without a great excuse, and missing out on our spiritual responsibilities.  Guess what?  Join the crowd.  The disciples set a precedent for us.  It's not an excuse... but a reminder that you are human, just as Peter was.  

  Finally, Jesus goes to meet his betrayer, who has been a friend for years.  He goes to meet his fate, motivated by love for you, for me, for us.

Mark 14:27-31

Mark 14:27-31

The Message 

  Have you ever failed, despite believing with all your heart that you'd succeed?  How did you feel beforehand?  How did you feel afterwards?  What did you do next?

  I have failed many times.  I'm usually not afraid to try something new, and sometimes it works out great, while other times...  not so much.

  Here, Peter tells Jesus that of all the people in the world, he would never abandon or deny Jesus.  He has the strength, the character, the fortitude to stand up against any threat, even if it costs him his life.  He says this to Jesus' face, and I'm sure he meant it.  He thought he'd be able to...

  But you may know the rest of the story.  Peter ends up denying Jesus, despite his best intentions.  (Stories like this help us reach the conclusion that the Gospels are true.  If you were going to make this up, would you include this?  Would the disciples write stories that make the disciples look bad?   Of course not.  No one would do that.)  The disciples all claimed they would never abandon Jesus, but when the Roman soldiers came, they all did.

  The best part?  

  Jesus knew they would do it ahead of time, and Jesus choose them anyway.  Then, after they had abandoned him, Jesus still loved them.  He still went to them.  He still called them and sent them.

  And Jesus does the same to you.  No matter your failures, no matter your weakness.  Jesus chooses you.  He calls you.  He sends you.  He uses you.  He loves you.

Mark 14:22-26

Mark 14:22-26 

The Message 

  Do you think the disciples realized what was happening as they ate and drank?  Do you think they were aware they were sitting at the outset of a sacrament, one that would be repeated millions of times over the centuries to follow?  Do you think the full weight of Jesus' words were captured in their hearts as they passed the chalice, as they received the bread?  

  I can see it both ways.  Often we only recognize moments once they've passed and we've filtered them through subsequent events.  Other times we know in the heart of the moment that it's one we'll never forget.  Did the disciples realize that everything was coming to a head, that their leader and friend would be crucified shortly, or did they imagine that his ability to escape every snare of the Pharisees would continue?

  May we treasure our days, for we know not what the future holds.  Let us give thanks for the gift of today, for the moments we have, and hold lightly to our plans.  The last year has taught us much about how quickly life can change -- perhaps, as the world re-opens, we'll be less hurried and find more delight in the many precious moments of our days.  They are a gift.

Sermon for February 21, 2021 -- John 6 (I am the Bread of Life)

Mark 14:17-21

Mark 14:17-21 

The Message 

  I've always found this section fascinating -- Jesus has spent 3 years with the disciples, teaching them and healing in front of them and performing countless miracles.  They surely know how they feel about him, having left so much behind to follow him, and feeling like they gained even more.  Judas' desire to betray Jesus likely isn't anything new, but something that has been fomenting for some time.

  And yet, when Jesus speaks of betrayal, they all ask if they are the one who will betray him.

  How well they know the human heart, which has been called a factory of idols.  How well they know humanity, which can turn against one another at the drop of a hat.  How well they know loyalty, which can often be fickle and blow with the prevailing winds!

  The disciples know themselves well enough to admit that they might betray him, despite not thinking that they would in the moment.  They know they are capable of anything.

  So let us be on the guard, and may none of us consider ourselves above sin.  It's easy to look at certain sins and think that we'd never do that... but times and circumstances change.  May we be wary, and may we give thanks that Jesus comes to us knowing our hearts ahead of time, knowing us fully and loving us all the same!

Mark 14:12-16

Mark 14:12-16 

The Message 

Traitor to the Son of Man 

  12 On the first of the Days of Unleavened Bread, the day they prepare the Passover sacrifice, his disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations so you can eat the Passover meal?” 

  13-15 He directed two of his disciples, “Go into the city. A man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him. Ask the owner of whichever house he enters, ‘The Teacher wants to know, Where is my guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ He will show you a spacious second-story room, swept and ready. Prepare for us there.” 

 16 The disciples left, came to the city, found everything just as he had told them, and prepared the Passover meal.

****************

  I'm not always a great directions follower.  I often think I know better and complete step 1, then do whatever I think is best for the rest of the steps, sometimes blindly stumbling into the right answer, often ending up far from the desired destination.  I use my freedom to do what I want, ignoring the directions that have been given to me by the one who designed humanity and not only knows what is best for us but also wants what is best for us.

  If we follow God's commandments and put God first, love each other selflessly, we discover, often enough, that we find things to be just as Christ told us they would be.  Not always, because there is still brokenness in the world, but Jesus knows what he is doing when he issues commands and offers guidance.  When we follow the directions, we find ourselves far closer to the joy and peace that is offered to us by God.  

  My struggle is finding the humility to admit that I don't always know the next best step and to trust and accept being led by God.  How do you struggle?

  And how do you make room to hear the promises of God, that you are beloved and treasured in spite of whatever struggles you may have?

Mark 14:6-11

Mark 14:6-11 

The Message 

  I saw a notice the other day that the Bezos' have given away something like $7 billion, and Mackenzie Bezos has given away something like $6 billion of that.  Really makes the $100 I give to a charity feel pretty small.

  So I love the way this is phrased -- the woman gave what she could when she could.  

  I think that's a beautiful summation of how we're called to give -- to give what we can, when we can.  Part of this is a reminder to give as we get things, not to always wait until later to give.  The other part is a reminder to give what we can.  It's not about beating someone else or being noticed or wondering if we've given enough.  In the moment, we give what we can.  And we entrust the Holy Spirit to take our humble gifts and turn them into something marvelous.  

Mark 14:1-5

Mark 14:1-5 

The Message 

  I'm willing to bet that you wouldn't have to think too hard to come up with an example of someone bursting with indignation over something recently.  There are plenty of people bursting with indignation over things, often surprisingly small things.  It's largely a way to have control over something -- we're all feeling a little overwhelmed and out of control, so losing one's mind over something gives you a sense of control over that thing.  It doesn't make it right, but it reminds me that I probably need to react first with a little bit of grace rather than writing someone off completely.

  In this instance, a woman has decided to make an offering to God.  She has a bottle of very expensive perfume, and she pours it on Jesus.  Others decide she could have used it in different ways, and they're happy to criticize her choice.  Whenever we stand ready to criticize the offering of another, let us first be sure that we're ready to answer the question, "Well, what have you been offering?"  It's always easy to spend someone else's offering, while often much harder to part with our own.

  They respond with indignation, furious that she chose to use this resource in this way.  

  We all worship a little differently.  May we give thanks for the diversity within the Christian church.  When we ask questions of one another, may we do so with humility, genuinely seeking to grow in understanding and learn from the wisdom of another, rather than asking with the purpose of proving that we are correct and the other is acting foolishly.  

Mark 13:28-37

Mark 13:28-37 

The Message 

  Here, the weather services are keeping a close eye on things, knowing that snowmaggedon is coming.  Or maybe it's already here...  I feel like I haven't seen anything green in 10 days, and plenty more snow is coming.  It's supposed to be above freezing on Thursday and it's going to be glorious!  But we know the snow is coming because very smart people have learned how to predict weather (sometimes, they're even right!).  They read the signs, and they know what is coming.  

  We don't know when the End Times are coming.  Jesus says here that not even the angels in heaven know, and if they don't know, we definitely don't know.  So don't spend all your time trying to figure it out... but stay alert.  Be on the lookout.  Watch for God at work in the world, and when the Holy Spirit calls you, follow.  We don't know where God leads.  It's easy to stay comfortable, to sit tight because we don't know where things are going... but God is calling us forward, inviting us to trust, and we are to follow, wherever God may lead.  The road of discipleship is unpredictable, but God is reliable.  

  When the weather predicts snow, we listen, and we prepare.

  When the Holy Spirit moves in the world and the church is called to act, we should follow, we should serve, we should love.  In doing so, we honor Christ, and we invite others to be on the lookout for what God might do next.

Mark 13:21-27

Mark 13:21-27

The Message 

  There have been plenty of people who have claimed to be Jesus over the years, some saner than others.  If you were to chase after every single one, you'd end up exhausted, likely broke, and surely disappointed.  Some are crazy, while others have an agenda or thirst for power.  Jesus warned us about people like this two thousand years ago.  He told us that when he returns, we won't miss it -- the return of Jesus will not happen quietly, but rather the Arrival will fill the sky, with angels from pole to pole.  

  So may we live with the confidence of a people freed from uncertainty and worry, trusting in the God who comes to save, who comes to deliver, who comes to pour his life out as a random for you and I.  May we not be so consumed with anxiety over the future, but may we live in the present moment, paying attention to the community around us and loving them with the same selfless love that Christ loves us, pouring ourselves out while the Holy Spirit fills us.  

  The End will come when it comes.  I don't know.  No one knows when.  Until then, there are plenty of people to love, plenty of work to be done, plenty of worship to celebrate and joy to share.

  

Mark 13:14-20

Mark 13:14-20 

The Message 

  There is a wide range of faithful Biblical scholars who have differing views on the end times.  I have chosen to place my trust in Jesus Christ, who has promised a joyful end to the story.  Trusting that my hand rests in his, I will follow where he leads, like a child follows a loving parent.  I look at it a little like a child about to cross the street -- I take my child's hand at busy intersections, guiding them safely across.  Whatever the traffic may look like in the end times, I will look to the one who has promised to guide me safely across the street, into what lies beyond.

Mark 13:9-13

Mark 13:9-13

The Message 

  We'll add this to the list of verses they don't print on inspirational t-shirts.  No one gets a tattoo of Mark 13:9 when Jesus tells us that it'll go from bad to worse after you get dragged into court.  Jesus was upfront with the apostles about the hardships they would go through.

  But here's what we need to remember -- 11 of the 12 stayed committed to following Jesus, despite being warned ahead of time about the suffering they would face.  Jesus was upfront with them about the danger, about the risk, about the violence that would come their way.

  And still they followed.

  Why?  What compels someone to continue to follow an itinerant Jewish teacher who was rejected by the Jewish leadership, threatened with death, and eventually hung naked on a cross to die?  Who risks their life for him?

  Only people who are absolutely convinced, through supernatural means, that Jesus Christ is truly the son of God.  Only people who are compelled forward by what they have seen and what they have heard can give everything to follow him.  None of them took this lightly, almost all of them gave their lives.

  The reward was worth it.

  So may we value the treasure that is passed down through the church, and may we run our race well, with endurance, with our eyes on what lies ahead, beyond the finish line, knowing that whatever obstacles we face, whatever challenges we must endure, are worth enduring because Christ is the way, the truth and the life.

Mark 13:1-8

Mark 13:1-8

The Message 

  There's something big going on here -- Jesus is telling us that the most impressive and permanent things in the world around eventually going to fade away.  All the things that we associate with power in the world will one day be just remnants.  It's hard to believe, and yet it's true.  At some point, the Babylonian empire was the most powerful empire in the world.  Or at one point, someone who lived in Egypt would never have believed that the Egyptian empire would shrink.  And yet it happens -- time passes, empires pass, ages pass -- so what remains?  How do we know what to cling to?

  The disciples, naturally, are eager to know when the end times will come.  They want to know what to look for.  Jesus, however, is trying to give the disciples confidence.  He's trying to give us confidence -- remember, Scripture doesn't speak only to that specific time and place -- it speaks to every time and place.  So we can read this thousands of years later and know that Jesus wasn't just talking to the Roman empire, but he's talking to our nation as well -- it will pass away, but the Kingdom of God remains forever.

  How do we know this?

  Because we worship a Savior who died and then rose again.  It hangs on that -- Jesus' demonstration that he is stronger than death.  Death may claim much else that we think is powerful in this world, but it cannot claim Jesus, because he is stronger than death, and because it cannot claim him, we can trust that we who are baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus will one day experience death and resurrection for ourselves.  We will triumph over death, because Jesus triumphed over death.  This allows us to look into the chaos in the world around us and trust that it is not a final end.

Sermon for Sunday, February 7, 2021 (2 Kings 5)

Mark 12:38-44

Mark 12:38-44 

The Message 

  It's always easy to criticize what someone else gives.  Lately, celebrities get criticized whenever they give to a cause because they're not giving enough -- someone is always suggesting they should give more.  Spending other people's money is easy.

  It's worth noting that Jesus sat by the offering box and watched what people gave.  It matters how we give.  It matters what we give.  

  We'd love an easy rule that says exactly what each should give, how much we should all give.  The tithe is a good place to start, but Jesus often didn't give blanket rules.  The poor widow gave what she could, while others seemed to give just enough to receive the honor associated with their gifts.  

  Each of us need to prayerfully consider how much we can give.  It shouldn't be easy, but it should be meaningful, that our giving leads us to be grateful for what God has given us and mindful of those around us who have less, thinking about how our gifts can build up the community, how they can glorify God and join in the things God is doing in the world around us.

Mark 12:35-37

Mark 12:35-37

The Message 

  What would delight you to hear from Jesus?

  The crowds hung on his every word.  They wanted to hear what he had to say.  Here, he's telling them that the Messiah is the Lord of David.  He's telling them how great the Messiah is.  Do they realize that it's him, in the flesh?  Do they know?

  We often don't grasp the full weight of what Jesus' words mean.  When we hear that Jesus loves us, do we fully grasp the weight of that love?  Do we recognize the power of the love God has for us?  Do we realize the cost of God's love?

  Jesus promises to always abide with us.  The Psalmist tells us that God will find us even in the depths.  Do we hear the fullness of that promise?  Do you stop and think that the God who created the universe will be with you, no matter what?

  Do you find delight in the words & promises of God?

Mark 12:28-34

Mark 12:28-34

The Message 

  The horizontal and vertical intersect at the cross.  At the heart of the cross is the demonstration of the fullness of God's love for us.  Jesus Christ died so that we might be reconciled to God and to one another, because sin fractures the relationship we have with God and with one another.  It's all broken, and so God has set to make all things right, all things new.  So when we recognize that the central thing in life is not only the right worship of God but also to live in sacrificial and selfless love towards one another, then we're right there, right on the border of God's Kingdom, so close we can smell the sweetness wafting around us, so close we can sense it, so close the presence of the Holy Spirit surrounds us and whispers to our souls, reminding us who we are and whose we are.

  

Mark 12:18-27

Mark 12:18-27

The Message 

  I can't read this without thinking of the saying that you can remember the Sadducees don't believe in resurrection because they're sad, you see.  (I don't know if it translates in writing.  But it always makes me laugh.)

  There's all sorts of questions we have about heaven.  What will it be like?  What will resurrection bodies be like?  Will we recognize people?  Will ________ be there?  Do I really get a harp?  Is the country music there the old country music that sounded like country music or the new stuff that's pop music where the lead singer holds a guitar?  Do Cincinnati sports teams ever win anything there?

  I don't know the answers to these questions.  There's no harm in asking them, but when we get hung up on them and spend all our time focusing on heaven and miss the chance to worship God here on earth, we miss the point.  

  If we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he came to earth, predicted his own death and resurrection and then rose from the grave three days after his crucifixion and later ascended to heaven, and this same Jesus promises to go ahead of us and prepare a place for us, we have to trust in Christ.  Heaven is a good and wondrous place, more marvelous than our hearts and minds can imagine, and it will exceed any expectation you can make about it.  In our heavenly worship, we will find every need met and we shall lack for nothing.

  In our earthly lives, let us practice for heaven by seeking to meet the needs of the people around and discover, in the process, that we find joy in serving others.  In our earthly lives, may our excitement for heaven guide our relationships as we live with joy towards God and others.  May our trust in God's heavenly provision help us hold less tightly onto our own resources and teach us to invest in the lives of those around us, teaching them about God's eternal love through our words and deeds.

Mark 12:13-17

Mark 12:13-17 

The Message 

  I'm taking part in a study of Ezekiel right now, which is far from the most uplifting book in the Bible, but the first 7 chapters really push to ask what belongs to God.  How do we live in such a way that consistently honors God?  The people of Ezekiel's time had clearly turned from faithful worship of God.  They were literally building other altars to sacrifice to other gods.

  When I listen to Ezekiel, and I read this, I can't help but be overcome by the magnitude of God's claim on our lives, on the world.  If we are to give to God what is God's, then it all belongs to God, right?  It is God that made us, and we are his.  It is God that gives us life, that redeems us from death, that gives us every single good thing in our lives -- they all originate from God and point back to God.

  So to live as though parts of life do not belong to God is to shrink God down into a God we can control.  

  But how to live a life fully dedicated to God, living in the fullness of an awareness of God's abiding presence and God's consistent companionship?  

  That's a hard question.  But it's folly to avoid the question.  What now?  How do I, how do we, continue to ask that question, faithfully, every day?

Sermon from January 31, 2021 on 2 Kings 5 -- Naaman and the King

Mark 12:1-12

Mark 12:1-12 

The Message

  It's heartbreaking when people are viewed as disposable, as the means to an end.  In this story, the farmhands kill the servant and then the son, because they want to keep the profits.  The people aren't treated with dignity because their greed has blinded them.

  In Genesis, we learn that all people are created in the image of God.  Throughout Scripture, we see God reaching out to the weak and the downtrodden.  We see Jesus honoring those who are outcast, healing the sick, reaching out to those on the fringes of society.  

  When you look at society, who do you see that is lost, that is forgotten, that is viewed as disposable?  The Gospel is always leading us into those places, calling us to serve, calling us to honor our brothers and sisters who are made in the image of God.  May we pray for the wisdom to see the places where we shall serve, and the courage to go and serve!