Readings

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Psalm 25

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Luke 13:31-35

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Two years and four months ago, my brother went into rehab for doing drugs. His habit had taken a toll on our family, especially Mom and me since we were the ones who fighting with him to stop. He had stolen hundreds of dollars from of both us and pawned our belongings to feed his addiction. We would kick him out when he went too far. Of course, my mom and I could never see my brother be homeless, so we would have him move in when his friends kicked him out. Each time when he moved back in, my brother would say he stopped doing drugs, but that was never the case. The vicious cycle repeated itself for years.

Two months before going into the rehab, the police caught my brother with drugs and he finally hit rock bottom. My brother made the tough decision to go into rehab, and we all prayed he would be able to break free of his addictions. Within a week of him being in rehab, I sent my brother a letter. I told him that I should hate him, but that I didn’t; I only wanted my brother back. My brother had a long road ahead of him, and I would see him through it.

Jesus is traveling a tough road – the road to the cross. He knows and understands what lies ahead in Jerusalem as he faces his pending beatings, crucifixion, and death at the hands of the Roman Empire. Despite the terrible road ahead, Jesus is prepared. , This is the mission God the Father sent him to complete.

Despite their motives – whether they met to be helpful or not, the Pharisees warn Jesus that Herod wants to kill him (Luke 13:31). This is not news to Jesus. He has known his whole life that Herod is going to have his hand in Jesus’ pending beatings, crucifixion, and death.

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Jesus simply states what he is doing in the moment: casting out demons and performing cures (Luke 13:32). God sent Jesus into the world to share his love and to invite people– even outsiders–to be in a relationship with him. Jesus will go on doing his work until the day he is on the cross, and then he will continue to call people to know God the Father.

Jesus also knows that many prophets have been killed in Jerusalem. Again it makes sense that Herod wants to kill Jesus who understands his pending beatings, crucifixion, and death are for our redemption and the forgiveness of our sins. Nothing is more important to Jesus and to God the Father than his love, grace, and forgiveness—even at great cost.

As Christians, we forget the power of forgiveness. We become so accustomed to forgiveness as a free gift that we forget its power. Do you remember the first time someone forgave you? Forgiveness lifts up the weight that holds you down. It lifts away the weight of worrying about [whatever “it” is] that holds you back in life. It lifts the weight of feeling lost in the world of darkness. It lifts the weight of being on the defense when the world got the best of you. It lifts the weight of anger from your shoulders. It lifts the weight of everything that comes between you and the Triune God. Jesus came down to restore our relationship with God the Father by giving us his love, grace, and forgiveness.

My brother has been clean for two years and four months. Recovery is a battle he fights daily, but it helps that his family supports him and forgives him of his past. This helps him to move forward in life as well as giving us back the young man we loved and cared for.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the gift of forgiveness, even when we do not deserve it. Help us to turn to you when the darkness seems to close in on us. Remind us of your light as we seek forgiveness from those who we have hurt. Thank you for your grace, love, and forgiveness. 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 do you need to forgive? Why?

2. What does forgiveness mean to you?

 Readings

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

Psalm 51:1-17

2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Each year during Lent we take six weeks to travel to the cross with Jesus. It seems redundant. Why must we go through the pain of watching Jesus be beaten, crucified, and left to die yet again? Isn’t one time enough?

We are sinners who fall and are raised daily; we sin, confess, and seek forgiveness and absolution daily. We are hypocrites, liars, deceivers, thieves, adulteresses, and transgressors. It is not enough to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem once in our lifetime. Lent gives us the opportunity to focus on our need for a Savior (lest we forget) and experience the full impact of the Good News when Easter arrives again.

Psalm 51 is a prayer King David wrote after he committed adultery and murder. One evening, King David spotted Bathsheba bathing on a rooftop and lust filled his heart(2 Samuel 11). He called his servant to go fetch Bathsheba, even though she was married to Uriah, a soldier in his army. King David took Bathsheba into his bed and got her pregnant. To cover up his sin, King David called Uriah home from the battlefield to see his wife, Bathsheba, hoping Uriah would think he had impregnated her himself. However, out of respect for his soldiers still on the battlefield with no opportunity to see their wives, Uriah slept in King David’s courtyard and did not see his wife before heading back to the battlefield.

Since Uriah did not sleep with Bathsheba, King David feared being discovered as the real father of Bathsheba’s baby. With no way to pretend the babe in her womb was Uriah’s, King David sent him to the frontline where he was killed in battle. After Bathsheba had grieved the loss of her husband, King David took her as his wife. The prophet Nathan confronted King David with his sins, and David repented before the Lord. Unfortunately, sin does have its consequences; the baby died soon after birth and the Lord promised a rebellion would happen within David’s household.

King David gives us an example of how we live in the darkness and need to continually confess our sins, so God may recreate us. We fall to Satan’s temptations every day, but if we confess and repent of our sins, God will cleanse us through Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Jesus’ work for us on the cross means grace and forgiveness for our daily lives. Like King David, we are sinners, but we are forgiven when we confess.

Lent gives us the opportunity to be cleansed by the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We are able to set time aside for reflection and confession as we look forward to the Good News of Easter.

You are dust and to dust you shall return.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for allowing us to confess our sins and to seek forgiveness. Help us to reflect on our daily lives. Open our hearts as we confess our sins– even the painful ones that we do not feel deserve forgiveness. Recreate new hearts within us, so we can go out into the world to share the Good News. Thank you for the promise of Easter. 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. Spend time in confession with a friend. What sins weigh on your heart? Hear God’s word of forgiveness through your friend.

2. What practices do you find helpful to your faith during Lent?

Readings

Exodus 34:29-35

Psalm 99

2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2

Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Peter is excited beyond belief when he sees Jesus talking to Moses and Elijah – two of the greatest figures in the Torah. He is so excited that he wants to build three shelters for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah (Luke 9:33) to live in as a way to preserve the moment. Three of the greatest men who lived were all-together for a moment in time. Who would not want to preserve the moment?

At some point in our lives, we all have moments where after a long day we close our lives and relive the happiness. These are the moments where the thought of them puts a giant smile on our face, makes our hearts beat faster, and is noticed by everyone who sees us. We wish time could have stood still in that moment.

However, Jesus experiences the moment drastically different than Peter. The anguish of the conversation about his departure from the world (Luke 9:30) weighs Jesus down in the coming weeks, although Jesus’ appearance changed when he was with Moses and Elijah. The glory becomes apparent on Jesus’ face as well as his dazzling white clothes (Luke 9:29). Jesus understands the moment needs to pass and the scriptures need to be fulfilled. As Jesus is praying, Moses and Elijah come to Jesus to discuss his departure from the world (Luke 9:30-31). Jesus is praying for guidance from the ones who have gone before him as he begins the end of the beginning. It is a moment Jesus probably relives in his mind several times during his journey to Jerusalem, although it is not a pleasant conversation with Moses and Elijah by any standards.

Jesus’ conversation with Moses and Elijah gives him the armor to go on the journey to Jerusalem. He glows, like Moses does after he sees the Lord (Luke 9:29). Unlike Moses, Jesus does not cover his face; he wants all who see him to witness the change in him as the Lord claims him as his son.

When Peter suggests build three huts for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, a voice from the clouds said, “No, this is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him.” (Luke 9:35). Peter has earthy ideas where he wants nothing more than to share this glorious moment with others. However, the Lord has other plans for Jesus, his son and chosen one. The Lord has an even larger glorious moment coming that the whole world will witness and take part in. Unfortunately, it will involve pain and anguish to get there, yet it will change our lives forever.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for letting us witness this glorious moment in Jesus’ ministry. Help us to come face-to-face with you to hear your plan for us. Allow us to glow in order to share your glory with others. Remind us to listen to Jesus and to follow his instructions. Thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to lead us to Jerusalem. 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. Discuss a memory that always causes you to smile.

2. How do you glow in the world?

Readings

Jeremiah 1:4-10

Psalm 71:1-6

1 Corinthians 13:1-14

Luke 4:21-30

Devotion

Peace be with you!

There are certain days that are supposed to be all about you – your birthday, your wedding day, your graduation day, and so on. These are the days when people are supposed to celebrate what you have achieved and new beginnings. What happens when other individuals take over the spot light?

The Jews had their ideas of what the Messiah would do and how he would speak. The Jews were looking for a Messiah who would free them from the Roman Empire and would take them back to the Promise Land. The Jews thought Jesus would lead them into the “Promise Land” where they would be free of the Roman Empire.

Jesus is in his hometown, Nazareth, where he just taught in the synagogue from the book of Isaiah. We discussed last week how Jesus reads the job description of the Messiah: to release captives, to give the blind sight, and to set the oppressed free (Luke 4:18b). The Jews do not agree with this job description.

Jesus goes on to explain how Elijah was not sent for everyone but a few chosen people. God sent Elijah to widow at Zarephath in Sidon and a leper named Naaman the Syrian who he helped through difficult times (Luke 4:26-27). There was a select few who Elijah was lead by God the Father to help and heal. This exclamation outraged the Jews who were listening, and they plotted against Jesus to kill him (Luke 4:28-29). How could Jesus speak out against Elijah? Elijah is our prophet who the Lord sent to us to save us.

Jesus escapes the angry crowd (Luke 4:30) by going on his way. However, Jesus chose to lift up the widow and the leper to tell the people God sent him into the world for the outsiders – the ones who are not welcomed in town and live on the outskirts. Jesus is not in the world who have faith in the Lord – he is but his ministry is for more people than God’s chosen people. Jesus comes into the world for the broken hearted – the ones left behind.

When Jesus preaches this message, the Jews, his neighbors, reject his teaching. His neighbors had high hopes for Jesus as a preacher, but this message goes against everything they believe. The Jews are God’s chosen people. In their mind, no way is God opening his arms to the non-Jews, the Gentiles, the Samaritans, and the other outsiders. The Lord would never want impure people mixed with his chosen ones. The Jews cannot accept Jesus’ teachings about welcoming the stranger.

Yet this does not stop Jesus from going into the world and preaching the good news: the stranger is welcome in the Kingdom of God. His hometown neighbors may not be able to accept the good news, but the world will hear it and the stranger will be invited. Jesus will go out into the world and have conversations with the Samaritan woman, the Gentiles, the blind, the lepers, the crippled, the hungry, the poor, the prostitutes,  and so on, because they are welcomed into the Kingdom of God.

The good news is for us today as much as it was for the people two thousand years ago. We, the Gentiles, are welcomed into the Kingdom of God. By “we”, I mean the sinners, the unbelievers, the poor, the lost, the blind, the crippled, the drug addicts, the strippers, the bullies, the confused, and so on. We are all welcomed into the Kingdom of God, not because we have earned it by any means but because God loves us so much that he wants to be in a relationship with each one of us.

At different times in my life, people have asked me, “How can you hang out with that person?”  The reason is simple: Jesus did and would hang with those people. I may not be the most comfortable around some people, but Jesus calls me to share the good news with all people, not just those like myself.

A few months ago I talked about my friend, Geoff, with tattoos covering his whole body. When I first met him, I did not want my mom to meet Geoff because of his colorful language and different views of the world. Given the chance now, I would be happy to introduce Geoff to my mom, because he is a child of God who Jesus would not ignore.  Why should I ignore him or hide him from my world? The world is filled with individuals who make us uncomfortable, but Jesus calls us to share the good news with anyone who is willing to listen because it is for everyone.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for exceeding the Jews’ expectations by inviting us, the Gentiles, into your kingdom. Help us to understand that the good news is not for a select few but for all people. Show us the way to continue to invite the stranger into a relationship with you and into your kingdom. Push us out of our comfort zone, so we can share the good news with all people.  Thank you for sharing the good news with us. 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 do you expect to be all about you?

2. What expectations do you have about the Messiah?

3. CHALLENGE: Talk to someone who makes you a little uncomfortable. What are your expectations of the conversation? What really happened?

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?

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?

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?

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?

Readings

1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26

Psalm 148

Colossians 3:12-17

Luke 2:41-52

Devotion

Peace be with you!

DISCLAIMER: You have to forgive me: my children have four legs and bark at anyone who comes over. That being said, my illustration is what I know as a mother.

I was doing my morning routine when I realized my second oldest pup, Ava, was nowhere to be found. After checking her usual hiding places (the bed, the couch, the kitchen corner, the four dog beds, and outside), I called my step-dad, Kim, and made sure he did not take her with him to go to the grocery store, as she likes to go for car rides. Nope, Ava should be somewhere in the house. I searched her usual hiding place five more times as I began to panic. Then suddenly after an hour of searching, Ava walked out from under the bed as if she just heard me calling her. I was so glad to see her.

Mary and Joseph were good Jewish parents. Each year Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem for the Passover (Luke 2:41-42). Mary and Joseph were good Jewish parents who taught their son the Torah. Since Jerusalem is central to the Jewish traditions, Mary and Joseph take Jesus there yearly. Jerusalem is central to the Gospel of Luke, because the temple is there and is where God dwells.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph traveled as a community with their friends and family members to and from Jerusalem. Mary and Joseph had left Jerusalem with the group and were heading home when they realized Jesus was not with the group as they had assumed (Luke 2:43-44a). With haste, Mary and Joseph searched desperately among their friends and family member for Jesus, and when he was nowhere to be found they turned around for Jerusalem (Luke 2:44b-45). I am sure any parent can relate to Mary and Joseph’s panic. As parents, it is your job to keep track of your children, to protect them, to feed and clothe them, and so much more. It is a tough job. If that is not enough pressure, Mary and Joseph just happen to be raising God’s only begotten son. So when Jesus goes missing, it is a big deal.

Mary and Joseph rushed back to Jerusalem as if their lives depended on it. I mean what would God do to them for loosing his son? Or is he laughing because they think Jesus is missing? For three days, Mary and Joseph panic about their missing son as they traveled back.

Mary and Joseph get to the temple in Jerusalem and see Jesus listening to the teachers and asking the questions (Luke 2:46). Mary, like any mother in her situation, is beside herself. She has been traveling for three days in sheer panic, and he is fine. And when she asks why he stayed behind, Jesus answers, “Why were you searching for me? How did you not know I would be in my father’s house?” (Luke 2:49).

Mary and Jesus have different definitions of what it means to be missing. For Mary, Jesus was missing because they could not physically find him. He should have been among their friends and family going back to Nazareth. But he was not with the group: he was missing. For Jesus, Mary and Joseph are missing the point: he was where he was supposed to be – with his heavenly father. Mary and Joseph do not understand their family includes the heavenly father who calls Jesus as his own.

Jesus is true to his calling, even at a young age. He understands his place in the world is with God the Father, the one true Lord. According to the Gospel of Luke, the temple is where God dwells and is where you go to be with him. So if Jesus wants to spend time with his heavenly father, he has go to the temple. Mary did not understand the significance of Jesus’ question back to her. The readers at the temple understand at a young age Jesus is answering his calling from God the Father.

We often forget that children are also called to serve the Lord. We think children are too young to serve an important role in the church and the world. Yet, it is the children who  beg a visiting friend or family member to come see them in the Christmas pageant at church. It is the children who run to altar to be blessed during Communion. It is the children who go to the front to hear the good news. It is the children who remind us to pray before meals. We, adults, have a lot to learn. Where does our excitement go? Are we too conservative? Are we too polite? Are we too afraid of what others think? Are we too self conscious?

God calls each one of us differently to tell the good news of Jesus Christ. Our ministries may look different and have different goals, but they all point to the same thing: the forgiveness and grace of Jesus. Maybe we should start answering our calls as Jesus does and stop worrying what others think. You may not understand the grand scheme of the objective, but that will be worked out in the end. Be eager, like Jesus, to serve God the Father.

Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for finding what is missing. Help us to come to answer our call to spread the good news of Jesus Christ with eagerness and without fear. Remind us that what is missing is not always lost – it just may not be where we expect it to be. Thank you for calling us to spread 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 covenant.)  You can answer as many questions as you would like. 

1. What is missing in your life? What seems misplaced?

2. How do you answer your call to serve God the Father by spreading the good news?