Monthly Archives: October 2012

Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost: To See is to Believe

Readings

Jeremiah 31:7-9

Psalm 126

Hebrews 7:23-28

Mark 10:46-52

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Jesus is leaving Jericho for Jerusalem with his disciples, surrounded by a crowd. As he goes on his way, a blind man yells out to Jesus, begging for healing. The crowd gathered around Jesus attempts to silence him (Mark 10:46-47, 52). With a sense of urgency, the blind man yells out again, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me” (Mark 10:47b, 48b; NRSV).

How many times do we hush others when something more important – in our eyes – is going on? Maybe we just want the individual to wait for a more appropriate time. Parents will ask their children to be quiet when an adult is talking. The crowd senses Jesus is on an important mission as he leaves Jericho for Jerusalem. After Jesus’ three predictions of his crucifixion, the readers understand Jesus is heading to the cross to bring about the forgiveness of our sins. The needs of the blind man seem small in comparison. How often have you felt that your prayer concerns were so small in comparison with the needs of the world? How many times do you stop yourself from asking Jesus Christ for [whatever “it” is] that would make your life easier?

However, perhaps the blind man understands that this is his last chance to be healed by Jesus. He calls out to Jesus, desperate for his mercy and healing. Jesus stops and calls the blind man over to ask what he wants (Mark 10:49a, 51a). The blind man springs forward asking Jesus to allow him to see again (Mark 10:50, 51b). Jesus knows something the crowd does not know: the blind man will become a follower of Jesus and will become one of his disciples (Mark 10:52b).

Jesus answers the blind man’s request by simply saying, “Go; your faith had made you well.” (Mark 10:52a; NRSV). Upon regaining his sight, the man follows Jesus to Jerusalem (Mark 10:52b) where Jesus will die on the cross for our sins.

Jesus knows he is not just healing a blind man; he is calling a man to become one of his disciples. What seems like something minor to us can be something huge to the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. By healing the blind man, Jesus is bringing the man into the light and giving him the blessing of eternal life. The blind man knows what it is like to live in the darkness; he understands the dangers of the darkness; he knows the feeling of being alone.

When the blind man seeks the healing, he is not only asking for his sight back, but he is asking to live in the light in community with Jesus’ disciples. The blind man wants a relationship with God. Nothing is more important than bringing an individual into the light to be in a relationship with the Triune God and in community with other followers of Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for stopping to tend to the needs of the blind man, even as you were heading to the cross. Help us to ask for [whatever “it” is] that burns on our hearts and holds us back from sharing the good news. Remind us that no prayer request is too small or too insignificant for you to answer.  Thank you for healing us of [whatever “it” is] that holds us back, so we can continue to share the good news. Amen.

Works Cited

Thanks to the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Reflective Questions

Please answer the following reflective questions in the comments below.  Please agree to disagree and be respectful to each other. (If you have not already done so, please also take a moment, to sign the comment.)  You can answer as many questions as you would like. 

  1. What are the things you have trouble bringing to Jesus in prayer, worried that they are too insignificant? How could [whatever “it” is] help you further Jesus’ good news?
  2. How does Jesus continue to call you to share the good news?

Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost: Jesus Endures Our Sins

Readings

Isaiah 53:4-12

Psalm 91:9-16

Hebrews 5:1-10

Mark 10:35-45

Devotion

Peace be with you!

I do not deserve Jesus’ forgiveness through his grace. I hated my mom as a teenager. I have lied to friends and family. I am divorced. I do not keep the Ten Commandments – let alone all of the laws of the Torah. I am a sinner.

Jesus comes into our lives and becomes the ransom for our sins. Jesus enters the world as both God and a sinless human being; he is perfect. He is above the law because he is sinless, and yet he associates with sinners and outsiders, not with the elite. How many times have you walked away from a situation or a person because you felt above them? I do it all the time, and when I catch myself doing it I stop myself and try to understand the situation or person. I have a colorful set of friends from all different walks of life. I have friends with tattoos all over their bodies to friends who are pastors. Jesus hung out with all sort of people from all different walks of life. He knew these folks are not as burdened with pride, but are much more humbly aware that they need a Savior.

Jesus immersed himself in communities where the “righteous” religious people refused to go. Not only that but Jesus took on the sins of the world – past, present, and future – and made them his own. Luther says in his Commentary on Galatians 3:13, “And all the prophets saw this, that Christ was to become the greatest thief, murderer, adulterer, robber, desecrator, blasphemer, etc., there has ever been anywhere in the world. Now He is not the Son of God, born of the Virgin.  But He is sinner, who has and bears the sin of Paul, the former blasphemer, persecutor, and assaulter; of Peter, who denied Christ; of David, who was an adulterer and a murderer, and who caused the Gentiles to blaspheme the name of the Lord (Rom. 2:24). In short, He has and bears all the sins of all men in His body—not in the sense that He has committed them but in the sense that He took these sins, committed by us, upon His own body, in order to make satisfaction for them with His own blood.”

Jesus fulfills the law and brings forgiveness and grace into the world. According to the law, we should do righteous works and earn our own way into heaven, which we fail to do on a daily basis. Jesus takes on our sins and takes them to the cross so that can become the righteousness of God in him (Mark 10:45).

Jesus takes on our sins as if they are his own and pays the ultimate price. Jesus takes the sins of the world – past, present, and future – and pays the ransom. This salvation is nothing we could do on our own; only Jesus could accomplish our freedom from the penalty of sin.

Although I am a sinner, I am forgiven through Jesus Christ paying the ransom on the cross.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending Jesus to accept our sins as his own and to meet us in our daily routines. Help us to live a life worthy of all you have done for us.  Thank you for loving us when we were “yet sinners” (Romans 5:8). Your love is unconditional. Amen.

Works Cited

Thanks to the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Reflective Questions

Please answer the following reflective questions in the comments below.  Please agree to disagree and be respectful to each other. (If you have not already done so, please also take a moment, to sign the comment covenant.)  You can answer as many questions as you would like. 

1. The Great Exchange means that Jesus has taken all of your sin on himself and given you his righteousness in its place. How does the Great Exchange affect your daily life?

2. How does the freedom we have found in Christ call us to a new life?

Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost: Sharing Your Wealth

Readings

Job 23:1-9, 16-17

Psalm 90:12-17

Hebrews 4:12-16

Mark 10:17-31

Devotion

Peace be with you!

I have more money than most individuals my age. When I was born, the nurse forgot to put the oxygen on when she placed me in the incubator. This disastrous mistake led caused me to develop Cerebral Palsy; consequently, my parents were able to get a settlement from the hospital. The blessing of having money is that I can do what I want. I can take trips around the country to visit friends and family. I can afford a second electric wheelchair that can break down and fit in most cars for when I travel. I can afford things most of my friends can only dream about buying – not that I am particularity proud of the fact. However, it is a responsibility to have money, because I am called to share my wealth with those that have little. So maybe I do not buy new clothes as I would like, and instead I use the money to help a friend buy food for her family. My abundance allows me to serve others in order to give them the knowledge, tools, and resources they need to be successful in the world.

A rich man approaches Jesus with a question: How does one enter the Kingdom of God? (Mark 10:17). Jesus begins by recalling the Ten Commandments: you shall not commit murder, adultery, steal, or lie and you shall honor your mother and your father (Mark 10:19). Anyone who grew up reading the Torah knew the Ten Commandments and was also able to obtain a higher education if their parents had money. The rich man had studied the Torah and kept the laws of the Torah (Mark 10:20). Any other teacher would commend the rich man for keeping the Law since his youth – but not Jesus. It is not enough to keep the Ten Commandments. Jesus says the rich man needs to sell all of his possessions and give the money to the poor (Mark 10:21). It is a harsh word for the rich man to hear, because he has many possessions that mean a lot to him. The rich man was keeping the bare minimum of the Law, but he was not fulfilling the larger challenge to use his resources to help those in need.

As humans, we accumulate a lot of things over our lifetime. We are always looking for something better — for ourselves. People stood in line for hours — or even days – when the new iPhone 5 was released. Men are always looking forward to buying a new car with more horsepower. Women like their clothes and jewelry. I have enough books for a small library. We like to surround ourselves with stuff.

Yet Jesus calls us to surrender all of our stuff in order to help the poor. He calls us to use our wealth to build community by helping those who do not have the essentials. Maybe instead of buying a new iPhone whenever Apple releases a new version, you could donate food to the food pantry every other time. The $199+ could feed a family of four for a week. There is a responsibility when you have money, because there is always someone who needs a hand.

Serving others do not mean we give out handouts to everyone who asks for help. Some people will always use the system and so giving wisely is important, but even those who might not have made the best decisions in life need help to become better individuals. We need to equip individuals with knowledge and tools to be productive in our society, so they can go out and serve others. As the Chinese Proverb says, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Last January, I went on a cruise where I met a mother with a son who could not verbally communicate. I basically handed the young boy my iPad and showed his mom and him my Proloquo2Go app, which allows an individual to program phrases and sentences to use when he is talking to others. The young boy was able to be involved in our conversation. The mother and I talked about how she could get her son an iPad with the Proloquo2Go app through insurance and other funding sources. I gave the mother knowledge to get her son the tools he needs to be successful in school and participate more in society. Jesus calls us to share our knowledge, tools, funding, and all of our other resources to help others to be successful. When we answer Jesus’ call, we put our trust in the Triune God who will take care of us in our time of need.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving us an abundance to share with others. Help us to put our trust in you as we go out and serve others. Remind us that wealth is a blessing and a responsibility to serve others.  Thank you for allowing us to serve others in order to make them successful in the world. Amen.

Works Cited

Thanks to the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Reflective Questions

Please answer the following reflective questions in the comments below.  Please agree to disagree and be respectful to each other. (If you have not already done so, please also take a moment, to sign the comment covenant.)  You can answer as many questions as you would like. 

1. How much are you willing to give up? What are you not willing to give up? Why?

2. What do you trust God with? How?

3. How do you serve God? How do you serve others?

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Jesus on Marriage

Readings

Genesis 2:18-24

Psalm 8

Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12

Mark 10:2-16

Devotion

Peace be with you!

This passage cuts a bit close to home. I was eleven when my parents separated and eventually got divorced. I am not quick to share about this time in my life and few people know about it, unless they knew me then.  Flash forward two decades and after six years of being in a relationship with a man I called my husband I find myself having to end my marriage after much careful prayer and discernment.

Divorce. A few centuries ago hardly anyone knew anyone who was divorced. It just was not something done. Mark 10:2-16 was probably read with a nod. Individuals who were divorced got looked down upon. Today is another story. I envy my few friends with parents who are still together and I admire the couples who are able to weather the storms throughout the years together. I remember my mom squirming in the pew when my pastor preached on this text a few years after my parent’s divorce. I did not completely understand why my mom eventually walked out during the sermon. Now I do.

Jesus has some harsh words regarding the topic of divorce. Any man or woman commits adultery when he/she divorces his/her spouse for another (Mark 10:11-12). It is not an easy statement to swallow. Yet I invite you to think about what Jesus is saying. To me, Jesus is saying, “Do not divorce your spouse just because you are having a rough time. Marriage is a relationship between two people who are committed to each other.” I think of how the Gazettes have reports on the shortest marriages. Most of us have heard the jokes regarding Britney and Jason’s fifty-five hour marriage. Marriage is not taken very seriously in our culture today. Jesus’ stern tone reminds us that marriage is a serious relationship between two people and is not meant to be entered into unless the two individuals are committed in making the marriage last the long haul.

I also believe Jesus does not want individuals with an abusive spouse or a cheating spouse to be in an unhealthy marriage – a relationship God intends to be holy. God wants his children to experience the unconditional love that he has for all of us. Marriage is a holy relationship that two individuals enter into by committing themselves to the other person. When one spouse repeatedly breaks the relationship with harmful words and actions, the marriage becomes harmful to other spouse. I do not think God intends an individual to stay in a marriage where it is harmful to them.

Even with Jesus’ harsh words regarding divorce, I also hear his words of grace. The Kingdom of God belongs to the little children (Mark 10:14-15) who are innocent and love with their whole hearts. Although I am divorced, I love as a little child; I am forgiven; I am still invited to enter the Kingdom of God.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for making marriages holy with your love. Help us to enter into marriage with another individual who will love us unconditionally and help us to love our spouses with unconditional love as well. Give individuals in marriages that are broken the courage to do what is best for both parties. Give your love to the couples struggling to make it through the storms.  Thank you for inviting us to enter the Kingdom of God, even in the midst of our brokenness. Amen.

Works Cited

Thanks to the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Reflective Questions

Please answer the following reflective questions in the comments below.  Please agree to disagree and be respectful to each other. (If you have not already done so, please also take a moment, to sign the comment covenant.)  You can answer as many questions as you would like. 

1. Where is God in the midst of a troubled marriage?

2. How do you know if a marriage is irreparably broken?  How do you know when you should keep trying?  How does this passage inform your view?