Matthew 26:30-35
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's only 6 verses, but fascinating in everything that happens. Jesus predicts the disciples will all fall away, but Peter is bold enough to say that everyone else will, but he will not. There is a pride here, as well as a stubbornness and an unwillingness to admit his weakness. Peter can't fathom himself failing, even though Jesus knows that he will and tells him directly. Peter then leads the remaining disciples into this false bravado -- Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves.
What is astounding here is not that Jesus knows that we will fail, but that he loves us ahead of time. He warns us that we will fail, and yet he dies for us anyway. That's what is so important -- Jesus knows our weakness ahead of time, and yet he still ascends the cross and absorbs our sin and our sorrow and our shame to redeem us, despite knowing that we'll falter and fail and deny him.
You are imperfect, yet you are perfectly loved. Hold that close, so that when you fail you don't give up, but rather remember that God knows you will fail and offers redemption in Christ regardless.
Friday, August 31, 2018
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Matthew 26:26-29
Matthew 26:26-29
English Standard Version (ESV)
When you sit down and eat Thanksgiving leftovers, you do so with the memory of the great meal and the community that was formed around the table. At the same time, you're probably already looking forward to the next Thanksgiving meal.
Communion is the same. It's a memory of the meal that Jesus had, a reminder of what he did for us on the cross. We stop and give thanks for the blood that was poured out, for the sacrifice that was made, for the community that forms around his body.
And it's a foretaste of what is to come. We remember, and we anticipate Jesus gathering us to himself in the last days. Our sins are forgiven, and we look forward to joining with the saints of the church around the throne of the lamb and singing 'Holy, Holy, Holy'! Our food sustains us for today, and it points us forward to the day when Christ alone will sustain the community of believers in the Kingdom of God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
When you sit down and eat Thanksgiving leftovers, you do so with the memory of the great meal and the community that was formed around the table. At the same time, you're probably already looking forward to the next Thanksgiving meal.
Communion is the same. It's a memory of the meal that Jesus had, a reminder of what he did for us on the cross. We stop and give thanks for the blood that was poured out, for the sacrifice that was made, for the community that forms around his body.
And it's a foretaste of what is to come. We remember, and we anticipate Jesus gathering us to himself in the last days. Our sins are forgiven, and we look forward to joining with the saints of the church around the throne of the lamb and singing 'Holy, Holy, Holy'! Our food sustains us for today, and it points us forward to the day when Christ alone will sustain the community of believers in the Kingdom of God.
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Matthew 26:17-25
Matthew 26:17-25
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ever been at a dinner table where things got very quiet all of a sudden? I can imagine that happening here. Everyone is eating dinner, and all of a sudden Jesus starts talking about betrayal. These disciples have been together for years, living together as a community, and then they learn that one of them will betray their leader, their Messiah.
This is a reminder that we rarely know people as well as we think we do. This happens everywhere, even in the church. People keep secrets, families keep secrets, churches keep secrets. As I mentioned, it's vital to find community, but it's also important to set an example by not burying your secrets. When you're having a terrible day, don't hide it -- trust the church, your friends, to help you carry that burden. Don't put up a false front and pretend to be someone you are not. We are one body of believers, and we are invested in one another to help move us all forward. Everyone in church is dealing with something -- make your churches a safe place for people to be open and honest. Take the time to listen, to truly listen, to one another, rather than rushing by to get to wherever you need to be. Put down the electronic devices and be present, and may God work through that presence.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ever been at a dinner table where things got very quiet all of a sudden? I can imagine that happening here. Everyone is eating dinner, and all of a sudden Jesus starts talking about betrayal. These disciples have been together for years, living together as a community, and then they learn that one of them will betray their leader, their Messiah.
This is a reminder that we rarely know people as well as we think we do. This happens everywhere, even in the church. People keep secrets, families keep secrets, churches keep secrets. As I mentioned, it's vital to find community, but it's also important to set an example by not burying your secrets. When you're having a terrible day, don't hide it -- trust the church, your friends, to help you carry that burden. Don't put up a false front and pretend to be someone you are not. We are one body of believers, and we are invested in one another to help move us all forward. Everyone in church is dealing with something -- make your churches a safe place for people to be open and honest. Take the time to listen, to truly listen, to one another, rather than rushing by to get to wherever you need to be. Put down the electronic devices and be present, and may God work through that presence.
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Matthew 26:14-16
Matthew 26:14-16
English Standard Version (ESV)
Go ahead, pick your scandal of 2018. It seems as though countless powerful people have fallen from grace, some toppled by the courageous women who come forward and face their abusers, while others have fallen as the depth of their hubris has finally been revealed.
Sadly, if you went back to them in their earlier years, when they were first starting out, most of them would never imagine that such a thing could happen to them. Sure, they understood that they'd be tempted, but they probably suspected that their ideals and values would help them navigate the ethical minefields they would face. Few could have predicted what the future would look like.
I'm sure Judas didn't start to follow Jesus with the thought that he would betray him one day. It was an idea that grew in him like a weed, until one day it took over and destroyed his life.
So how do we avoid a similar fate? Community, community, community. Find someone who knows you well, and I mean really well -- is there someone in your life (not a spouse, in my opinion) to whom you are completely accountable, to whom you're willing to share your weaknesses and temptations, who will be in prayer for you and who you trust completely? Find that person -- and set up a pattern of mutual confession, where you can be honest about what you're celebrating and struggling with, and you can grow together.
The biggest things we struggle with thrive in the darkness. Like secrets, they grow and grow in power the fewer people know about them. Expose them to the light.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Go ahead, pick your scandal of 2018. It seems as though countless powerful people have fallen from grace, some toppled by the courageous women who come forward and face their abusers, while others have fallen as the depth of their hubris has finally been revealed.
Sadly, if you went back to them in their earlier years, when they were first starting out, most of them would never imagine that such a thing could happen to them. Sure, they understood that they'd be tempted, but they probably suspected that their ideals and values would help them navigate the ethical minefields they would face. Few could have predicted what the future would look like.
I'm sure Judas didn't start to follow Jesus with the thought that he would betray him one day. It was an idea that grew in him like a weed, until one day it took over and destroyed his life.
So how do we avoid a similar fate? Community, community, community. Find someone who knows you well, and I mean really well -- is there someone in your life (not a spouse, in my opinion) to whom you are completely accountable, to whom you're willing to share your weaknesses and temptations, who will be in prayer for you and who you trust completely? Find that person -- and set up a pattern of mutual confession, where you can be honest about what you're celebrating and struggling with, and you can grow together.
The biggest things we struggle with thrive in the darkness. Like secrets, they grow and grow in power the fewer people know about them. Expose them to the light.
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