Precarious

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”

12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”

15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. (1 Kings 17:8-16, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

Precarious—life is sometimes so very precarious. At times, we, like this widow, have little left in the cupboard of our lives. We swing the doors wide open, searching the highest shelves, the deepest corners, and find only the smallest portion available. What do we do? The widow of Zarephath chooses to use what little she has to feed herself and her son. But she will not prepare it to sustain life; she will make the meal in preparation for death.

The widow goes to gather sticks, just as she does every day. This is the first item needed to make the meal: sticks. She leaves her home and son and heads to the city gates, probably a path she has traveled many times. But this time, she finds more than sticks. She finds a man asking for life and responds to his request with words to this effect: "How can I give you life, when I am preparing to die?"

Elijah's simple words offer her a new option. "Don't be afraid. Go home and prepare your meal, but serve me first—before yourself and your son. In doing this, you will not die. Instead, you will live."

The widow could have stayed home. She could have given in to despair and waited for death. Instead, she performs the common, ordinary task of her every day. She follows her daily practice of gathering sticks—from this she receives life.

What do we do when life becomes precarious? Do we have a well-worn path of daily practice to follow? Do we leave everything behind and go in search of "sticks"? If so, surprised by God, are we willing to serve God first, even in our place of despair? Do we see our survival in seeking and serving God?

Hear the words of God: "Do not be afraid… my provision for you will not fail."

PRAYER:

Lord of Life, your word declares that you have prepared a table before me. Thank you for your abounding generosity and your enduring mercies. Lead me, by your grace, to the table to feast with you there.

WHO AM I?

I am Tres Sansom, and I was deeply challenged by all that took place at yesterday's worship gathering. Everything from Jennifer's message regarding finances, the ongoing video series we've been watching about generous living, and Chris Kirby's message recounting God's rescuing grace. In his kindness and grace, God has been calling me to a deeper level of faith—a faith that will trust him when it looks like all is lost.

Kate and I each have multiple jobs and yet we live on a shoestring budget. We are stretched extremely thin financially. We have no savings. We are up to our eyeballs in debt. We have virtually no "free money" with which to do fun things. We live very frugally and still watch our money disappear each month at lightning speed. I am all too painfully familiar with the temptation to hold back our tithes and offerings. I think of all the ways that we could spend the $350 or so dollars we give on a monthly basis—all the debts we could be slowly paying off, all the things we could purchase for our house, all the things we could afford to do with our children.

And yet, I hear God's call to give and to serve. I read the biblical stories, such as today's passage, that demonstrate God's faithfulness and generosity. I look back over my life and see the ways that God has demonstrated his kindness and his mercy to me personally. I recount the ways that he has faithfully and graciously led me through precarious times of fear and doubt and sorrow and suffering. I remember his goodness and his mercy. I remember his steadfast companionship. And I choose to walk in faith. And I stand before you to declare that to this day, God's provision has not failed.

Do You Love Me?

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. (John 21:15-25, NIV)


REFLECTIONS:
It may be the words to an old Beatles song, but when I read these words in this section of scripture—Jesus speaking to Peter, I feel both sad and excited for Peter.  Sad, because I think Peter feels like Jesus is questioning his love for Him.  Excited, because Jesus is actually restoring him. I’ll come back to this later.

John 21 happens after Jesus has arisen.  In the absence of their Leader, they probably are not sure exactly what they should be doing, so they revert back to the familiar… fishing!  They had been out all night, but hadn’t caught a thing.  I can picture a tired and depressed crew… Longing for the days with their Lord, but life has been forever changed.

A man calls to them from the shore, but they don’t recognize Him.  He asks about their catch (or lack of).  Then tells them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat and their nets were so full of large fish, they couldn’t haul it into the boat.  This was familiar to them.  It had happened before.  The man on shore HAD to be Jesus!

Jesus’ original call to the disciples was to come follow Him and He would make them fishers of men.  I feel certain that the disciples felt comfort when Jesus was there to lead them, whether they fished for fish or men.  There was probably some uncertainty of how and where they should go and do…to fulfill their God-given destiny to fish for men.

Jesus begins to question Peter about whether he loved Him.  Three times Jesus asked, and three times Peter assured Him of his love.  I believe the third time Jesus asked, Peter was probably a little agitated by the question.  Jesus knows ALL THINGS… He should certainly KNOW Peter loves Him.  WHY did He have to continue asking?  OF COURSE Peter loves Him!

Perhaps it was Jesus’ way to restore Peter.  Remember, Peter had denied that he even knew Jesus just days before when Jesus was betrayed and arrested.  He denied Him three times before the cock crowed that morning.  Peter must have felt like the worst of the worst.  He was the one who professed that he would fight for Jesus, yet he coward in fear.  It must have been a blow to Peter’s pride.  Guilt and shame had probably done a number on Peter.  Yet the sweet restoration and love of Christ gave him the opportunity to state his love for Christ three times.  Coincidence?  Maybe…

Coincidence or not, Peter was restored in that forgiving and sweet way that only our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, can do.  He removed the guilt and shame, and gave Peter his marching orders. Answer number one:  “Feed my lambs.”  Answer number two:  “Take care of my sheep.”  Answer number three:  “Feed my sheep.”  The key qualification for this task, as this chapter suggests, is a love for Jesus that is characterized by humility, dependence and obedience. Peter already had a strong devotion to Jesus, but his past was full of pride. I sense a more subdued, respectful Peter in this chapter.  Ready for the job at hand.

Over the last week or so, I’ve really been pondering this scripture and what it looks like for those of us who love Jesus.  What does feeding His sheep and taking care of them mean for us?  What, exactly, are we supposed to do?

My personal conclusion is that we are to help those who cross our paths.  We are to take care of each other.  I believe Jesus will show us the needs and the ways to do that if we are open to serving His sheep. It’s not always convenient.  It’s not always someone we want to spend time with. It doesn’t always look like we think it should.

Today Larry and I took my mom, 92 years young, to the beach… the Gulf of Mexico.  I’ve shared with you in the past how my mom loves to “go.”  I asked her, “When was the last time you were at the beach?”  She didn’t remember.  She said she had washed her hands in the Rio Grande River, but didn’t know about the Gulf of Mexico.  So we loaded her up, put her walker in the car, and went across the street to the beach.  We laughed as I had her sit on her walker while I pushed her UP the ramp that goes over the sand dunes to the beach.  We were laughing at what a sight we must be.  People were grinning and cheering her on as we went.  She walked out to the edge of where the water was lapping up on the shore…just to get her fingers wet so she could claim the Gulf of Mexico as one of her conquests.  Then as we started walking away, a big wave came in that startled her since her back was to the water.  It got up around her ankles.  She squealed and giggled at the thrill of it.  Sea gulls flew very near her and she delighted in that.  I felt like Jesus was saying… “That’s what it looks like to take care of my sheep!” 


TODAY’S CHALLENGE:
Look around you.  Who needs to experience a little extra love?  Be willing to go out of your way, be a little inconvenienced, look a bit silly if need be… to share Christ-like love with someone.  If you love Jesus… feed and care for His sheep. Keep your heart open to recognize the opportunities He puts in your path and nudges your heart to serve.  


PRAYER:
Lord, how we love You!  Please restore us as You did Peter.  We’ve turned our backs on You so many times.  We are no different than Peter denying You.  Because it’s inconvenient, we’ve not fed or cared for Your sheep like You’ve asked us to.  Please forgive us and restore us to Your service.


WHO AM I?
I’m Georgia Arms, and I’m the guilty one.  I’ve dropped the spoon way too many times.  Feeding His sheep is a BIG job.  It’s like… Where do I begin?  I am Georgia Arms, and I want to show Christ my love for Him by serving His sheep.  I want to serve where God wants me.  Lead on…

Let’s Go Fishing!

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. (John 21:1-14, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

Looking at a couple of previous interactions with Peter and Jesus, we can see Peter’s progression of faith in his occupation (fishing).

The first situation is when Andrew brings his brother, Simon (Peter) to meet Jesus, the Messiah (John 1:41-42).  This is just after John the Baptist claims Jesus as the Lamb of God.  However, it appears that Simon Peter is not all in at this time because we see Simon Peter going back to his fishing trade. 

The second situation happens sometime later, when we see Simon Peter deciding to go all in and give his whole life for Jesus.  In Luke 5:1-11, Jesus tells Peter to cast his nets on the right side of the boat.  Peter explains how they had fished all night and hadn’t caught a thing, but because Jesus said so, he would let down the nets.  Even at this point, at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, Peter is trusting in Him even though it doesn’t seem logical; he is willing to set aside his understanding in order to obey.  The result was a boatload of fish, causing this response in Peter:

“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.’  So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.”

That brings us to the present passage, and third situation.  There is no indication of why the disciples are fishing back in Galilee after having been commissioned by Jesus. Maybe the great commission was starting to feel overwhelming.  Maybe they were going fishing to help raise money for their mission work.  For the disciples, their lives and expectations of how things should be were upside down. The kingdom of God came by Jesus sacrificing His life on the cross for our sins instead of Jesus building up an army on earth to overthrow the Roman government.  Jesus is no longer with the disciples in person telling them what to do each day.  It must have felt overwhelming; even after being with Jesus for three years and seeing all of the miracles performed by Jesus. It was only a few weeks ago that Simon Peter denied Jesus after telling Jesus that he would die for Him. Thomas did not believe Jesus was raised from the dead until a few days ago when Jesus appeared to the disciples and asked Thomas to place his hand in the wound on His side. The disciples did not have the New Testament for instructions on how to start or run a new church. They don’t have any money because Judas (their treasurer who held all the money) ran off and killed himself.  Saul (Paul) is trying to kill all of them because they are Jesus followers. They must have thought; how can eleven men (now without Judas) transform the whole world as Jesus commissioned them to do? 

At dawn, Jesus calls out to them and asks them if they caught anything (knowing already they did not catch a single fish). Then Jesus asks them to throw the net off the right side of the boat just like the first time when Simon Peter and the other disciples first gave everything up to follow Him. Again, just like the first time, the nets are full and the boat is about to sink because there are so many large fish. Simon Peter is so overwhelmed again by Jesus that he jumps out of the boat just to get to Jesus.     

POINT OF ACTION:

I love the way Jesus keeps seeking after Simon Peter no matter what Peter does.  Jesus always sees the great potential in Peter and overlooks Peter weaknesses. In the same way with Peter, Jesus always sees the great potential within all of us and not our weaknesses.   

God wants us to realize that we can do nothing on our own and God’s way of doing things is totally opposite of how the world does things. The disciples did everything by the world’s logic of how to catch fish and they did not catch anything all night long. They fished at night so the fish would not be able to see the large nets. The disciples listened to Jesus, even though it did not seem logical to let down the nets at dawn when the fish would be able to see the heavy net.  However, they did what Jesus commanded and they caught so many fish that the boat started to sink within a few minutes.

Sometimes it’s hard to wait on God’s timing and to do everything His way because we are so sure on how it should be done and when it should be done; only to find out we actually know very little or nothing at all, and God knows everything and is in control of everything.

I love the way Jesus keeps reaching out to the disciples. Jesus does not rebuke them for their doubts or their feelings of being overwhelmed. The disciples have to trust His timing and be obedient to God on how everything should be done. 

Things that spoke out to my heart as I meditated on these verses:

• God will provide for all of our needs when performing His will on earth. 
• God’s provision for us will normally come in a way that we’re not expecting. 
• God will provide and do everything in His timing and not ours.
• God has everything under control; so why should we worry or be anxious about anything.
• God is amazing and God wants to do things in amazing ways.
• God sometimes waits until things seem impossible so His glory can be seen by others when the impossibility is finally overcome by God.
• Submit everything to God.
• Immediately take action when God tells us to do something.
• Continually give thanks to God for all of His wonderful blessings and favor on our lives.
• Believe and trust God in everything!
• God is God and we’re not. 

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, help me to let go of my own expectations of how things should be. You always want the best for me and always provide for my every need. You are always faithful. You never let me down. You always love me unconditionally. I love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength!

WHO AM I?

I am Max Peeples, a man starting to let go of his expectations so he can allow God to do amazing things in his life. God has blessed me with a beautiful wife (Beth) that is beyond my wildest dream or my greatest expectation.  Attached is a picture my wife took when at the Sea of Galilee. 

I Send You!

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:19-31, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

Try to imagine the “buzz” of discussion going on in that locked room on the evening of the day Christ arose from death.  John tells us (verse19) “the doors were locked for fear…”  Fear or not, these disciples had a great deal of information to share and process.  There had been at least four earlier resurrection appearances that same day: 1) Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18); 2) the other women (Matt. 28:9-10); 3) Peter (1 Cor. 15:5); and 4) the two Emmaus disciples (Luke 24:13-32).  Talk about having a LOT to share!!!  In the midst of their fear, confusion and excitement, who should suddenly be standing among them?  Our risen Lord, with a typical greeting—“Shalom!” (Peace be with you!).  Are you surprised Jesus felt compelled to say Shalom twice (v. 19 and 21)?  After showing them His hands and side, the disciples were overjoyed (v. 20).  I imagine the commotion created by their joy was expressed loudly, causing Jesus to again say “Shalom” (Peace).  I picture the second “Shalom” as more of a “Shush—I have more to tell you!”  Did He ever have more to share!

“As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.”  This single, short sentence communicates volumes!  I certainly have a difficult time fully accepting the comprehensiveness of Jesus’ assignment to the disciples (including us).  This one sentence seems to clearly and concisely summarize why Jesus was on earth (the Father sent Him) and why He came back to earth following His resurrection (to send us).  Notice, Jesus did NOT say, I have come to “save” you, but to SEND you.  Two helpful quotes from Dallas Willard’s book, The Spirit Of The Disciplines, follow:  1) “… the resurrection had the meaning it did to those early believers just because it proved that the new life that had already been present among them in the person of Jesus could not be quenched by killing the body.”; and 2) “The church’s understanding of salvation then slowly narrowed down to a mere forgiveness of sins, leading to heaven beyond this life. And Christ’s death came to be regarded as only the merit-supplying means to that forgiveness, not as the point where his life was most fully displayed and triumphant, forever breaking the power of sin over concrete human existence.”  Try to spend some time today comparing this information with your personal understanding of the meaning of Christ’s resurrection.      

A commentary by Warren Wiersbe points out that after Jesus had reassured the disciples and had given them the task of world evangelism, He enabled them (us) to accomplish this assignment through the Holy Spirit.  Dr. Wiersbe states “John 20:22 reminds us of Genesis 2:7, when God breathed life into the first man.  The breath of God in the first creation meant physical life, and the breath of Jesus Christ in the new creation meant spiritual life.” 

Jesus’ next recorded statement regarding forgiveness of sins, in verse 23 can, as translated, be perplexing.  Dr. Wiersbe provides the following clarification: “A correct understanding of the Greek text helps here.  The correct translation both here and in Matthew 16:19 should be: “Whosoever sins you forgive shall have already been forgiven them and whosoever sins you retain shall have already not been forgiven them.”  In other words, the disciples did not provide forgiveness; they proclaimed forgiveness on the basis of the message of the gospel.”

While it seems that this resurrection party was just getting started, John ends his report of this exciting evening with Jesus by simply reporting (v. 24) that Thomas was not present.  Furthermore, Thomas apparently would not later believe ANY of the eye-witnesses and told them (v.25) he would not believe until he saw and touched the risen Jesus for himself.  My question is, what did Thomas have to do that evening that was more important than meeting with the other disciples to discuss the day’s events?  We aren’t told why Thomas was ‘missing in action’, but John tells us Thomas managed to clear his schedule to meet with the others the next Sunday evening.  Perhaps Thomas had a divinely-inspired wardrobe malfunction the previous week in order to give Christ the opportunity to say to us,   “. . . blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (verse 29).  Thanks Thomas!

I love John’s ending!  Basically, there is much more to report, but this is enough for you to believe. 

PRAYER:

Dearest Jesus, thank You for breathing Your Spirit into us, enabling us moment by moment, to do Your perfect will as You have sent us to do.  Thank You for patiently encouraging us, through Your Holy Spirit to simply hear and obey.

WHO AM I?

I am Linda Stewart and I am amazingly blessed!!

Jesus in Disguise

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

.

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. (John 20:1-18, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

Hey friends, I know this is just another installment in an ongoing collective Bible reading experiment, but this particular passage has grabbed my heart. If I’m not mistaken, it’s the third time I’ve written on this scene, but suddenly I see it with new revelation. I hope it is as meaningful to you.

 “At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus” (verse14).

Let me get this straight.  Mary went to the tomb looking for Jesus and then didn’t recognize Him when she saw Him? Mary… who once knelt before Him to wash His feet in unhindered adoration… now could not recognize the One her heart longed for most?  Yes she was distraught, but surely she could’ve done a little better than mistaking Him for the gardener. She was… well, she was a lot like you and me.

Mary had once experienced a life altering encounter with Jesus and now nothing else would do. That’s good right? But like you and I so often do, her heart treasured the familiar way Jesus appeared to her, and when He came in a way different than she expected, her mind and heart couldn’t perceive Him… until He spoke her name.

Here’s the deal: in the Old Testament, God visited His people in various forms: a cloud, a pillar of fire, heavenly messengers, even, arguably, in human form (Genesis 18 or Daniel 3 for example), but when Jesus came as God with skin on, He was the complete, once-and-for-all expression of what heaven on earth could look like. It was left up to us as humans to pay attention, learn, adjust and imitate Jesus if we wanted to follow after God. One of Jesus’ more puzzling teachings, both then and now, is recorded in Matthew 25, where He explains that when He “comes in His glory” sitting “on His glorious throne” the one deciding factor of who sincerely followed Him and lived like citizens of His Kingdom will be whether you and I served “the least of these.” To put it more bluntly, He said “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

Back to Mary at the tomb: Jesus died, and though Mary couldn’t understand it yet, had risen to take His throne as King over life and death, but there He was, standing behind her, looking like the gardener… the guy who shovels manure to tend the graveyard. Surely this man looked and smelled like “the least of these.” This is the first time Jesus appeared in disguise.

Modern-day missionary Heidi Baker tells a story of hearing Jesus tell her to “stop for the one” in front of her and He would use it to change the nation of Mozambique.  She says the sole reason she has seen countless miracles is because she is simply obedient to touch, serve, and love the most hopeless, because it’s in those cases that God shows up in the most miraculous ways. Like Mary, Heidi knows Jesus and recognizes His voice, even when it comes from an unexpected direction.

Friends, this is the revelation! So many times in my life I have cried out “Jesus, let me see You! If I could just know that You were with me I could bear the ugliness of this world” when He was there all the while, I was just looking in the wrong place. Will you recognize Him when He directs your gaze from your own self to someone else? A sure sign of maturity in Christ is when you can remember the familiar feeling of His full love and attention on you and then direct that to someone else who needs it. The next time you want to ask “Jesus where are you” be prepared to turn around and find Him there looking needy. Will you choose to love the one in front of you, on the chance that he or she might be a “least of these”?  Will you take the time to recognize His voice?

WHO AM I?

I’m Leigh Anne Bland, and a few years ago I heard Jesus say to me that I was made to advocate for those with no voice in a motherly sort of way. That calling is so much a part of me that our home life is shaped around it. Today, Jesus looks like a 5 year old boy with an earache and stuffy nose. He also looks like a friend’s baby that keeps spitting up on my freshly ironed clothes. It’s not glamorous but it is Jesus.

An Intimate Portrayal

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”

22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

24 “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”

This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,

“They divided my clothes among them
    and cast lots for my garment.”

So this is what the soldiers did.

25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” 37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”

38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. (John 19:16b-42, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

John crafts the narrative of Jesus’ death and burial in a way that is quite different from the other three Gospels.  John wrote this well after the fact, a man reflecting on who Jesus was.  Remember, John started his Gospel declaring Jesus was the Word made flesh; he now ties in various Scriptures that are fulfilled with Christ’s crucifixion.  There is the fulfillment of lots being cast for His clothes, the fulfillment of vinegar on hyssop, and the fulfillment of no broken bones only a pierced side.  John uses the written Word (Scripture) to prove the living Word (Jesus).

The Gospel of John is a stand-alone Gospel.  The other three Gospels are known as the Synoptic Gospels, meaning that they derive from each other (Matthew and Luke have Mark as their basis); John is the only one that claims eye-witness status.  So, John has an exceptionally unique approach and it is seen within this passage.  (Click here if you'd you’d like to see the gospels in comparative form.)

Two areas where John provides a different perspective than the other Gospels are found in his more historically accurate portrayal of the day of Christ’s crucifixion and in his intimate account of the crucifixion.

According to John, it was the day of Preparation (verses 31, 42) when Jesus died.  While the other Gospels record this day as well when speaking of Jesus’ burial, prior (at the Last Supper) they mention it being the first day of Unleavened Bread (which occurs after the Day of Preparation).  Now, I do not mention this to cause distress or to bring into question the other Gospels.  It is simply one of those details that becomes more important when one is writing, as John was, with a goal of proving who Christ was.  John is all about proving Jesus’ divinity and, in this passage, His role as the Passover Lamb. 

On the 14th day of Nisan (the first month of the Biblical Jewish new year), the Passover lambs were sacrificed; commemorating the release from exile in Egypt.  This was the Day of Preparation and the sacrifices would occur between noon and sometime before the sun’s setting.  Jesus’ death also occurred during these hours.  To echo John, this was to fulfill the Scripture, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

So, while John notes the specific day of Christ’s crucifixion, it seems his attention to detail has deeper roots.  And it is in looking carefully, we discover that he is not merely playing a detached historian or reporter; he is weaving together the final hours of his dearest friend.  John describes the scene more intimately than the other Gospels—he inserts himself at the foot of the cross, listening to Jesus until the very end.  This was a man who hadn’t bolted.  He was there, with the women, watching his beloved teacher and friend die.  Gone from John’s Gospel are the dramatic scenes of the temple curtain ripping in two, the thunder, the shouts of the mockers, and the cry of “My God, my God why have You forsaken me?”  Instead we are given a more subdued account.  Jesus interacts with John at the cross.  This is the account given by a man so enraptured with Christ that none of the loud, violent declarations around him could capture his attention.  All he knows is Jesus.  All he hears is Jesus.  Only John hears Jesus say He thirsts.  Only John records the piercing of Jesus’ side.  Drama is happening all around him but his only focus is Jesus.  These are the signs of intimacy.  These are the clues into the relationship John had with Jesus.

When my best friend killed herself in high school, for years afterwards all I could remember were the little things.  The last places we talked, the last plans we made, the last time we laughed.  Gone were the memories of going to hear President Reagan speak, or the score of our school’s basketball game, or anything bigger that was transpiring in the world (globally and locally) around the time of her death.  All that mattered were the intimate moments we shared; the rest was simply noise.

This is how I imagine it was for John.  And as he tells his story of Jesus’ death, he invites us into the same intimacy he and Jesus shared.  We are brought to the foot of the cross; brought face-to-face with the greatest friend we will ever know.  Larger-than-life dramatic scenes are drowned out because His love is quietly thundering in our hearts as His gaze rests on us.  The powerful truth of who He is:  the Lamb of God, sacrifice for our sins; the Living Word of God, even as He is dying, enlightens our minds as we realize He is the fulfillment of every prophecy and every promise given to us by God.

PRAYER:

Jesus, thank You for being willing to endure incredible torture and death for us.  Thank You for looking at me when You were on the cross, for choosing me.  Thank You for being the final and complete sacrifice for my sins.  My heart aches to think of what You went through and yet I am flooded with the deepest gratitude that You, Most High God, would choose to bear our suffering.  I love You.

WHO AM I?

I am Beth Peeples and as I was reading this passage, my mind and heart kept moving back to when I was so very privileged to visit Israel, and Jerusalem.  This picture is of one of the corners of the Via Dolorosa.  It is commonly known as the place where Jesus fell as He carried the cross, and a man named Simon of Cyrene was chosen to bear that cross the rest of the way to Golgotha.  I cannot fathom what impact it must have had on his life:  chosen to bear the cross of the Christ.  And yet, isn’t that, in part, what we are also chosen to do…

No King but Caesar

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.

4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” 5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”

6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”

But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”

7 The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”

8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”

13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.

“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.

15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”

“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.

“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.

16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. (John 19:8-16a, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

Last December I wrote a devotional on this chapter, focusing primarily on Pilate's declaration: "Here is the man!" (verse 5). If you're interested, you can read it here. In an effort to suck some more marrow out of this passage, today we'll primarily focus on verses 8-16. But first, a story…

[It might seem a little irreverent to use a sports analogy to describe the passage in which Jesus is condemned to crucifixion, but it's what comes into my mind at the moment.]

Having spent my childhood years in Houston, I was a huge Houston Oilers fan. For years and years, I had cheered and supported a team that was mediocre at best, and time and again found myself heartbroken at the end of the season. But, something seemed to be different during the season of 1992-1993. The Oilers were pretty darn good that year. In fact, on the last game of the season, they had defeated the Buffalo Bills by a score of 27-3 to reach the playoffs. And, here they were, facing the Bills again, this time in the Wild Card game. During the first half of the game, the Oilers totally dominated the Bills. At halftime, the score was 28-3. Immediately after halftime, the Oilers scored again. Houston now had a commanding 32-point lead, 35-3. But then, things began to change. The Bills returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 35-10. They kicked an onside kick, which they recovered and promptly turned into another score. The extra point made the score 35-17. To save myself the pain of recalling all the details, let me summarize what happened: the Oilers unraveled and the Bills took advantage of every mistake. Guided by backup quarterback, Frank Reich, the Bills scored several touchdowns and eventually took the lead, 38-35. Miraculously, the Oilers evened the score and sent the game into Overtime. But… this game was destined to cause heartache for Oilers fans everywhere. The Oilers turned the ball over and the Bills eventually kicked a field goal to win the game, 41-38. I was totally devastated. Even this day, many years later, I am still stunned by it all. I cannot help but think of that one pivotal moment when the game began to swing away from my favorite team. Houston had what seemed to be an insurmountable lead, and I was certain that they were going to win. But then, almost in the blink of an eye, things changed. And Oilers fans everywhere were left grieving.

That is the feeling I get at verse 12 in today's passage. Pilate is in charge. He's the governor. His word is law. He can kill people if he wants to; he can let them go if he wants to. Heck, he could order troops to kill the chief priests themselves, if he thought he could get away with it. And when he decides that he really does want to let Jesus go, we assume that he is going to be able to do it.

But then something changed. The one constraint on Pilate is what people think of him back in Rome. Down through the years, a number of Roman governors had been prosecuted for poor administration of their districts. Provinces and cities would take their cases to Rome, insisting on justice against the man who had been ruling them in Rome's name. There were famous instances of ex-governors paying heavy penalties. Under the empire, if the emperor decided one of his deputies was a nuisance of any kind, he was quite capable of sending a message advising the man to commit suicide, to save the soldiers the bother of killing him themselves.

The threat of what Caesar might think is the secret weapon the chief priests have been keeping up their sleeves all along. They didn't know whether they would have to use it, but when they realize that Pilate is wavering, and then has decided to let Jesus go, they bring it out. "If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar" (verse 12). And from that moment Pilate is lost. What will people in Rome think? He can hear their sneers. You mean you had a man in front of you on a charge of making himself a rebel king—and you let him go? What sort of governor are you? Don't you know you are supposed to be looking after Rome's interests? What is Caesar going to think of all this?

Pilate had been afraid when he heard the chief priests say that Jesus had claimed to be the Son of God (verse 7). He was even more afraid when they pulled out this trump card (verse 12). From here on out, he has lost the argument. But, along the way, we discover something important about the nature of authority. Jesus—who remains silent about himself at this point—is still prepared to explain to Pilate how God's providence works. And we also discover, more darkly, something startling and sad about the corner into which the chief priests have painted themselves.

Jesus doesn't challenge the authority that Pilate has over him. He merely informs him that it comes from above, from God (verse 11). Like many Old Testament writers, Jesus accepts that even pagan rulers and empires hold their rule under the ultimate authority of the one true God. Now, that isn't to say that God, or his followers, need to approve of everything these pagan rulers do; it only means that God, in his sovereignty, takes the energy and organization of even wicked people, and makes it bring at least some order into the world. That is partly why the apostle Paul could say what he did in Romans 13:1-7. If Jesus could acknowledge even Pilate's authority, clearly a Christian view of secular power has to acknowledge some wiggle room and not to quickly construct a black-and-white scheme in which some leaders are good and others, if not most, are evil.

Jesus warns Pilate that, although he holds delegated power, this doesn't mean that there isn't real evil afoot. But this is a million miles from the corner that the chief priests have painted themselves into. The real sting of this passage comes at the end. In order to reject the claim that Jesus is the true reflection of their one true God, the chief priests find themselves driven back into the arms of the pagan empire. "We have no king but Caesar," they declare (verse 15).

What a devastating thing to hear, especially coming from the lips of the official representatives of Judaism. The Scriptures, songs, and revolutionary slogans of Judaism had spoken for hundreds and hundreds of years of its God as the true king, of the coming Messiah as God's true king, and of pagan rulers as shams, pawns of wickedness, and a bunch of trumped-up idolaters. But, now, the chief priests are declaring allegiance to Caesar. What would Isaiah have said to these chief priests? How would they feel, next time they heard the psalms sung in the Temple? What would they say to the crowds, many of whom had supported Jesus precisely because they believed that he would be the King who would set them free from Roman oppression?

These questions still linger today. They still float in the hazy air of our puzzled world today. Who is the world's true lord? What kind of authority do governments have, and how does that relate to the authority of God? Many times, when people don't want Jesus as Lord, they find themselves driven—like the chief priests—into some form of pagan empire.

These pagan empires come in all shapes and sizes. It may appear as totalitarianism which claims divinity, and hence absolute authority, for itself. Sort of like what we saw in the days of Nazi Germany or in many of the Islamic nations in our world today. Or, it may appear as a liberal democracy (or democratic republic) that banishes "God" from its system altogether, and then regards itself free to carve up the world to its own advantage without restraint of any kind. Either way, the choice becomes stark…

Are we with Pilate—nervously allowing himself to be maneuvered into a dangerous compromise?

Are we with the chief priests—pressing home a political advantage without realizing that we are pushing ourselves towards complete capitulation?

Or are we with Jesus—standing silent and serene, continuing to reflect the love of God into this muddled and tragic world?

PRAYER:

Beloved Savior, strengthen us to follow your example the standing strong, silent, and serene in the face of opposition. Through the power of your Spirit, inspire us and direct us into a way of life that delights to lay down our lives for the good of others and the expansion of your kingdom. We long to glorify you and your Father by declaring with our lips and our lives that we believe in the one true God, the King of heaven and earth.

WHO AM I?

I am Tres Sansom, and I suppose I am destined to cheer for mediocre football teams. Just about the same time that the Oilers broke my heart in that game against the Bills, I had the privilege of meeting Michael Irvin, who at the time was a receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. He came to visit me a number of times in rehab, and we struck up a friendship that lasted for a couple of years. This led me to begin cheering for the Cowboys. After the Bills destroyed the Oilers, they went on to make it to the Super Bowl. In that game, the Cowboys got some measure of revenge (for me) by demolishing the Bills, 52-17. The Cowboys went on quite a run during the early- to mid-90s, winning three super Bowls in four seasons. But, since that time, they've been a mediocre team. It seems that each year they do just enough to keep me hopeful that they will be successful, but they inevitably crumble and cause me pain. Ugh! In my frustration, I've pulled out so much of my hair that I no longer have any.