Monthly Archives: January 2013

Third Sunday after Epiphany: Isaiah Fulfilled

Readings

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

Psalm 19

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

Luke 4:14-21

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Have you ever had someone find out who you are before meeting you and expect you to behave a certain way? If there is one thing I hate, it is when individuals come up to whomever I am with and say, “Bless your soul. It is so good that you take her out and about.” Instead of seeing me as an individual, people see the electric wheelchair and hear someone who is not able to speak clearly (they hear static), and therefore  assume I am a burden on society. My brassy friends will come back with, “Oh, she is getting me out. She goes all over the country visiting friends and family. I am just glad she has time to visit me.” The unexpected individual will go silence usually and walks away as if a nun slapped them on the wrist. My dad usually says as he drops me off at the airport, “She is the traveler of the family. She was just home between trips. She is very independent.” People tend to think an electric wheelchair causes an individual to not be able to perform tasks that “normal” individuals do or that all individuals in wheelchairs do not have the mental capacity  to think for themselves.

Jesus goes to the synagogue and teaches out of Isaiah.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19 NRSV)

As the Messiah, Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit from his baptism (Luke 3:21-22). Jesus has come into the world to sent God’s people free: to release captives, to give the blind sight, and to set the oppressed free (Luke 4:18b). The list of Messianic duties does not sound glorious.

Society has an image of what individuals should look like and how they should act. The Messiah is not supposed to care about the lonely and weak. As God’s son, Jesus should be willing to fight against the enemies of the Jews and give them the “Promise Land” as the Lord gave it to the Israelites when he led them out of Egypt. The Jews are expecting Jesus to physically free them from the Roman Empire. Instead Jesus is going to psychosocially and spiritually free the Jews from the darkness and their sins

By reading Isaiah, Jesus is reading his job description: to release captives, to give the blind sight, and to set the oppressed free (Luke 4:18b). Jesus understands what the Jews expect of him, but God the Father has other plans for him. Jesus will set the Jews (and anyone else who follows him – more on that next week) free by releasing them of their sins through his crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Jesus has a hefty job to do. He has to turns the hearts of the Jews towards God the Father.

Leviticus 25:8-17 instructs the Israelites of the year of Jubilee where individuals are released of their debts and slaves are released every seven years. The Jubilee year is a year of deliverance. Jesus brings the spirit of the Jubilee year into the world by delivering us of our past, present, and future sins through his crucifixion, death, and resurrection.

The Jews do not understand how Jesus, the Messiah, will deliver them from their sins and allow them to be in a relationship with God the Father again.  The bonds the world has on the Jews will be broken, and they will be lifted up to be with God the Father. Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and resurrection will free the Jews beyond their imaginations. He will bring light into the darkness, feed the hungry, and find the lost.

We may not always understand how much we need Jesus deliver us from us, how much we need to be in a relationship with God the Father, and how much God loves us for who we are. God does not expect us to be anything less or more than who we are today. We do not have to prove anything to God the Father. All God asks of us is that we love him, believe in him, and let him lead us.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for loving us so deeply to give us what we need, not what we want. Help us to understand Jesus came to redeem us of our sins through his crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Remind us that we need your love when we are in the wilderness, especially when we are lost and confused. Thank you for redeeming us of our sins. 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 do people view you as an individual?

2. How do you view Jesus as an individual?

3. How does Jesus continue to redeem you from your sins?

Second Sunday after Epiphany: Mary Encourages Jesus

Readings

Isaiah 62:1-6

Psalm 36:5-10

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

John 2:1-11

Devotion

Peace be with you!

As adult children, we learn to swallow the words: “You were right, Mom.” There are times when we bow our heads and say those words with shame and a plea for forgiveness. Sometimes, we say those words because we are wise to see the positive influence that moms have.  My mom has a way of foreseeing the long-term effects of a decision beyond anyone else. When I was a young child, my mom was viewed as a mean parent.  She forced her daughter with Cerebral Palsy to get up earlier than most children to get dress and ready for school instead of letting her sleep and just dress her quickly. During my summer breaks, I got in and out of the pool independently. My mom built in extra time into our routine, so I could do as much as possible myself. Now as an adult, I am flying all over the country visiting friends and family and networking with colleagues. I even live in my own house with four dogs that I built and designed with my mom to meet my needs. My mom was right: I could be independent.

Jesus is having one of those moments with his mom, Mary, who understood his calling. Mary and Jesus are attending a wedding in Cana of Galilee where they run out of wine. Mary goes to Jesus and tells him to do something about it (John 2:3). She knows Jesus is meant to do wondrous things for the world, and it is time to show the world what God the Father has planned.

Jesus says it is not time (John 2:4). I wonder if Jesus was scared and confused to where he should begin his ministry for God the Father. Did Jesus not read the play (maybe rule) book? Whenever I have to start something new or stick my neck out, I am scared. Where do you even start?

I remember having that feeling when I was just beginning to outline my MA thesis. I knew the end product had to be fifty to eighty pages on something on the New Testament. It seemed like a hefty task. What I could possibly write of any worth to fill fifty to eighty pages? I image Jesus had a similar feeling.

A mother always knows when it is time for her child to spread his/her wings. Mary just tells the servants to do exactly what Jesus says (John 2:5). Can you see Jesus’ smirk as Mary walks away? Jesus has not said he would do anything, yet Mary leaves him to do the work. Jesus is in a bind: he is not ready to begin his ministry – he is still discerning – but Mary has suggested him to do something.

Jesus has no choice: he has to instruct the servants what to do. Jesus tells to fills the six empty jars with water to the brim (John 2:6-7), and then he said to draw some out and give it to the chief steward (John 2:8). Jesus puts his trust in God the Father to be used to show the world his glory.

When the servants take the wine to the chief steward to taste, he raved how the bridegroom saved the best wine for last (John 2:9-10). It may not have been Jesus’ plan to begin his ministry in the world this way, but God made his beginning glorious.

Sometimes you just need a shove to do something you keep putting off. Maybe you are not sure where to begin. Maybe you are afraid of failing or being a disappointment. I am going back to school to get my doctorate, which is something I wanted to do for four years. I have decided 2013 is my year to sink or swim. This means I have a lot of work ahead me, including research different programs, studying for the GRE, applying to a program or two, and more. And this is just the beginning. So here I go into the unknown.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for having Mary push Jesus to begin his ministry and for all of the mothers, mentors and important people who gently push their children to make their dreams a reality. Help us to step out of our comfort zone to accomplish your glory. Remind us you are always with us and you will guide us in the wilderness. Thank you for giving us confidence to show the world your glory. 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. Who tends to push you to begin something? How is the Holy Spirit leading you?

2. What do you keep putting off? Is it time for you to sink or swim?

Baptism of the Lord: God Claims and Confirms

Readings

Isaiah 43:1-7

Psalm 29

Acts 8:14-17

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Devotion

Peace be with you!

The world claims us as different people at different times. I am a daughter, a dog lover, a Christian, a biker, a skier, a writer, a leader, an artist, an individual with Cerebral Palsy, an advocate, a social justice poseur, a student, a mentor, a friend, a sister, an American, a thinker, a speaker, a listener, a teacher, a poet, a reader, a crazy girl in an electric wheelchair, and so much more. I wear different hats at different times. The person I am with and what we are doing determines what role claims me at the moment.

People have been traveling to see John the Baptist in the wilderness for some time now. They are beginning to wonder if he may be the Messiah (Luke 3:15) that is promised in Isaiah. The individuals are filled with expectation for the Messiah who will set  them free from the oppression  of the Roman government. The Jews hope they will be freed to rule themselves.

John the Baptist is said to be the Messiah by the crowd, which he rebukes. Someone more powerful than John the Baptist is who will baptize with the Holy Spirit, not water (Luke 3:16). John the Baptist is not the Messiah, and someone more powerful than him is coming and that person is the Messiah. The people must keep waiting for the Messiah to come.

The lectionary leaves out Luke 3:18-20 where Herod puts John the Baptist in prison for speaking the truth about the good news. This piece of information is important to the Gospel of Luke, because it explains Herod’s jealousy and raises questions in the next verses. Herod’s jealousy becomes one of the reasons why Jesus will be crucified and killed. There cannot be two King of the Jews, and Herod came first. Jesus being called the Messiah, meaning King of the Jews, poses a threat to Herod’s kingship.

When Jesus comes to be baptized in the wilderness, the heavens open up and a voice says, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22 NRSV). Based on our discussion on the fact that John the Baptist is prison, who baptizes Jesus? The other three gospels have John the Baptist baptizing Jesus in the Jordan River, but in Luke no one appears to be baptizing Jesus. A voice says, “You are my Son.” (Luke 3:22c). God the Father baptizes Jesus with the Holy Spirit.

God baptizes Jesus as his son with who he is well pleased with (Luke 3:22d). Baptizing is an action done by God the Father where he is claiming and confirming Jesus Christ as his only begotten son. The action belongs to God the Father alone.

When we are baptized, God is claiming and confirming us as his beloved children to the whole world. By claiming and confirming us as his children, the world cannot argue that we do not belong to God the Father. We belong to God no matter what happens.

No matter what the world claims me to be, I am always God’s child, which he claims and confirms daily through his love and grace. You are claimed and confirmed as a child of God.

Come, oh Lord, come!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for claiming and confirming Jesus as your only begotten son and us as your children. Help us to understand that you claim us at our baptism. It is your loving action that welcomes us into the fellowship of disciples. Thank you for providing us with your love, forgiveness, and grace. 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. What does the world claim you to be?

2. How does God continue to claim and confirm us as his child?

Epiphany: The Dangerous World

Readings

Isaiah 60:1-6

Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14

Ephesians 3:1-12

Matthew 2:1-12

Devotion

Peace be with you!

The world is a dangerous place to live. There are individuals who do not like you and feel threatened by your minor presence in the world. These individuals will do anything to get rid of you, including destroying your career or ending your life. To these individuals, you stand in their way from a job promotion or someone special. You are a threat.

King Herod gets three visitors who inquirer about the Messiah: who is he? (Matthew 2:2). The three visitors are called magi or wise men and are scientists who study the stars. The wise men have observed a new star in the sky and have followed it to Jerusalem. Based on their question, the wise men had some knowledge of Numbers 24:17. Of course, King Herod has no idea who they are talking about and gathers the chief priests and scribes to find out about the Messiah. (Matthew 2:4).  The chief priests and scribes tell King Herod what the scripture says:

“In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you shall come a ruler

who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:5-6 NRSV)

This information poses a threat to King Herod, because the Messiah would lead the people of Israel away from his rule. King Herod is imaging a rebellion among his people in resistance to his rule. The Messiah is posing a real threat to King Herod who will do anything to stop the Messiah from causing a rebellion. Some Messiah will not out do King Herod.

King Herod sends the three wise men to find the Messiah to pay their respect and asks them to come back to tell him where they found the baby boy so he can do the same (Matthew 2:8).

The wise men go on their way to find and pay respect to the Messiah by following the star (Matthew 2:7, 9). When they find Mary with baby Jesus, the wise men are overcome with joy and give him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:10-11).

The wise men are warned through a dream not to go back to King Herod and go back home a different way (Matthew 2:12). Before he sent them on their way, King Herod asks the wise men when they first observe the star in the sky (Matthew 2:7b). This tells King Herod approximately how old the Messiah is. When the three wise men do not return to Jerusalem to inform him where the Messiah is, King Herod orders all boys under the age of two to be killed (Matthew 2:16). The cruelty of King Herod is aimed at the Messiah out of fear. King Herod views the Messiah as a threat who will be able to overthrow his kingship for he will be the true King of the Jews. However, kingship means sometime different to God and Jesus than the kings in the world. To the kings in the world, kingship means political power and riches, while God and Jesus think of kingship as the responsibility of tending to the needs of the people, his children who will follow Jesus.

Jesus escapes the cruelty of King Herod when Joseph, his father, gets a visit by an angel in a dream who tells him to take his family to Egypt and to remain there until King Herod dies (Matthew 2:14-15). Even as a child, Jesus has people dying on his behalf and escapes death because it is not his time.

There will always be individuals who are jealous of us, or don’t like us. We cannot let their distain  prevent us from doing what the Triune God calls us to do. God will always provide a way to fulfill our call. We just need to trust God has a plan, even as we walk in the wilderness and through the darkness. God will lead you to the right place at the right time. We just need to trust him, even when we are confused and lost. The world is a dangerous place – not even Jesus was safe.

Come, oh Lord, come!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for protecting us from the cruelty in the world, like you saved Jesus from King Herod. Help us to follow the path that you are leading us to follow, even in our confusion and frustration. Guide us in the wilderness where the world plots against us. Remind us that you have a plan greater than us.  Thank you for guiding and leading us through the wilderness. 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 has God lead you to where you need to be? Where is God calling you to be?

2. How has God protected you?