Sixth Sunday of Easter: Challenging your Idols

Reading

Acts 17:22-31

Devotion

Peace be with you!

If you are anything like me, you have certain sentimental things that you keep because they hold memories of the past. I have Lolly, the doll the hospital gave me when I was born. I have a cross with a girl praying that has hung above my light switch ever since I can remember, even with all of the moving I have done throughout my life. I have the cross my church gave me for confirmation. I have the wooden bunny Nathan gave me on our first date twenty-some years ago. I have the post card my mom sent me my first week of college twelve years ago. I have several cards mentors, family members, and friends have sent me over the years. Each of these items holds a special place in my heart. These items remind me of the individuals who have supported me throughout my lifetime. Even though treasured items can sometimes be blessings, at times they can become idols in our lives. Even religious items can come to be such idols. We see this to be true in our reading for today.

Paul makes an appeal to the Athenians to look around and examine their relationship with God the Father. The Athenians are highly educated group of people who know the Old Testament and the story of Jesus Christ. The Athenians are artists by trade who have created masterpieces telling the Biblical stories and representing “an unknown god.” Paul commends the Athenians for being religious, yet he questions their intentions. Are the Athenians worshipping the one true God? Or are they worshipping other gods? Why do they need a whole city filled with masterpieces of their religious faith?

Paul points to the shrines that the Athenians have built with their human hands. Paul reminds the Athenians God is Lord of heaven and earth and is not limited to the shrines (Acts 17:24) and does not need to be served by human hands (Acts 17:25). God is the one who made our ancestors’ and our existence possible (Acts 17:26). God controls our movements, our speech, and our existence; he controls time and places. The inscription to “an unknown god” does not honor the God Paul knows and loves. God is known to us in all we do and in the actions of others. Our God is a known God.

Therefore, Paul calls the Athenians to repent for worshipping their idols over the one true God. The Athenians need to repent to God. They need to bring him their brokenness; only in this way can they come to be in a relationship with the God who sent his Son into the world to rise from the dead (Acts 17:31). We are called into a relationship with God who surpasses any limits we set for him. He is a God who knows no boundaries.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for creating the time, the boundaries, the lives of individuals, and the space for us to live in the world. Create in us a clean heart. Remind us to honor the boundaries you set for our existence. Thank you for surpassing our limits. Amen.

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 behavior covenant by commenting on it.) You can answer as many questions as you would like.

What sentimental objects do you hold onto? How do these objects limit God’s presence in the world?
How do you worship the one true God?

Fighting the Guilt Complex

Cerebral Palsy often times gives a person a guilt complex for needing help to do the things she wants and needs to do. The guilt complex can drive a person into depression and make her withdraw from her family and friends. It takes a strong network of family and friends to get a person from being trapped by the guilt complex.

For most of my life and still do sometimes, I have felt like a burden to my family and friends. Sometimes Cerebral Palsy feels like a hindrance, because it keeps me from doing what I want and need to do: feed my pups and myself, clean my house, drive myself to where I want and need to do, and [whatever “it” is] that I need to do.

As older I get, the less I feel like a burden and Cerebral Palsy is less of a hindrance. True, I still have to fight off the paralyzing feeling of being helpless when I am alone and need to do something ridiculously simple, like opening a pill bottle or filling my water bottle. I have learned to adapt and leave things for my personal caregivers to do during their shifts. There is no sense to become frustrated trying to do something my muscles refuse to do. It may even be something I can do, but for whatever reason I cannot do it in that moment.

I have learned a few ways and reasons to ward off the guilt complex:

I am me for a beautiful reason. God created me out of his perfect image and put me here to carry out his plan. Until God calls me home, I will continue to do his work.
I have a unique perspective on life to share with the world. No one else thinks the way I do; I have a unique voice. My thoughts, ideas, and opinion should and need to be heard, plus others really do listen.
I am able and do far more than most adults. I do some amazing activities: cycle some 20 miles, workout, downhill skiing, paint, read, swim, fight for social justice, write, party, travel way too much, and more. I do just as much, if not more, as any other adult.
I am counted and loved. I am an individual who is a mother to three pups, homeowner, daughter, aunt, niece, sister, social event planner, significant other, bestie, mentee and mentor, advocate, speaker, life-long learner, teacher, published author, and Christian. The list could go on, but you get my point: I am an individual who should be and is counted and respected. People love me for me.
I am more than my Cerebral Palsy. Yes, Cerebral Palsy defines what I can and cannot do the “normal” way at any given moment, but I have learned adapt and prepare. What do I mean? My personal caregivers are in the habit of making sure my water bottle and daily pill bottles are filled before they leave. I have giant soap pumps in my shower, so I can bath independently. I pay bills online. I wear sport bras, elastic pants and skirts, stretchy (not big) shirts, and dresses. I can do a lot more once I adapt the activities.
Above all else, I ask for help when I need it. It is important advocate my needs and desirers to others, because they do not know until I speak up. Dwelling on what I am not able to do does not solve the problem, but when I speak up others can help me and/or find a way to adapt it so I can do it. I truly have an amazing support system of family, friends, and colleagues.

I admit fighting against the guilt complex is no easy task and is a constant battle. However, it is a battle worth fighting, because I am an able individual with dreams and self-worth. And so are you.

Blog post first appeared on EMDeerx Muse. A decision has been made to combine the two websites.

Fifth Sunday of Easter: Martyrs – Then and Now

Reading

Acts 7:55-60

Devotion

Peace be with you!

The devil challenges our relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit through brutal acts of injustice. Watching a loved one suffer from cancer, especially when it is terminal, is difficult beyond any imagination. God did not create us to make us suffer – that is the work of the devil. This week a five year-old identical twin, Ben, died after suffering for four months from Stage IV glioblastoma, a brain cancer. His mother, Mindy, blogged throughout the journey and kept her focus on God’s will. The blog entry about the night Ben entered heaven reflected all of the emotions Mindy and her husband are going through – the sadness of never seeing their son on earth again, the joy of knowing Ben is in heaven and no longer in pain, and the anxiety of having to tell his identical twin, Jack. Fortunately Jack noticed Ben was missing and took comfort in knowing Ben, his twin and first friend, was in heaven with Jesus. Mindy writes,

You see, heaven makes all the difference. Because God conquered death, He paved the way for us to be with Him forever. In eternity. Because we serve a Living God who loves us even more than we can imagine, we can have confidence in His ability to care for our loved ones after they take their last breath. Because of heaven, I know that I will be reunited with my Benjamin again someday. And so will Jack. And the rest of us that love Jesus.

Mindy’s words are a true testament of faith as she leans on God the Father for comfort. Ben is in a better place – free of pain.

The devil has been working against God the Father since before creation. When Jesus walked on earth, the devil tempted him for forty days in the wilderness. After Jesus conquered death and ascended into heaven, two groups emerged – the Jewish authorities who rejected Jesus as the Messiah and the apostles who witnessed and experienced Jesus’ ascension after he gave them the Holy Spirit. Stephen is one of the seven men chosen by the twelve disciples to share the good news with other communities (Acts 6:1-6).

Before our reading, Stephen had just finished delivering a sermon to the Jewish authorities who rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Stephen outlined the Jewish heritage to show how the Israelites have a long history of rejecting God’s prophets and leaders. The Israelites believed they were better off in Egypt than in the wilderness – even though in the wilderness, they were with the Lord and headed to the Promise Land. The Israelites rejected the Ten Commandments Moses delivered from God and made their own idols. The Israelites have killed other prophets in the past for speaking God’s message and judgments. The Jews rejected Jesus’ good news and killed him for speaking blasphemy, and therefore they reject Jesus as the Messiah. Stephen challenged the Jewish authorities about where God is really presence. The Jewish authorities believed God lived within the walls of the temple, but Stephen stated that God is present everywhere — including when the Israelites were in the wilderness for forty years. God is not confined to a building but is readily available to everyone everywhere.

In our reading today, we see that the Jewish authorities do not like what Stephen is saying. They believe Stephen is speaking blasphemy against God the Father. The good news of Jesus Christ breaks down everything the Jewish authorities believe is true. Their foundation would be broken down if they accepted the good news. Not only that, but the good news challenges their political views and how they would influence the local politics.

The Jewish authorities just cannot let Stephen go on spreading this “blasphemy,” so they take the necessary actions to stop him: they stone him to death. The brutal act makes us squirm in our seats; after all, Jesus warned us this would happen. Stephen is the first of many martyrs. There are still martyrs today who are killed for believing in the good news of Jesus Christ. For instance, just this week news broke about Meriam Yahya Ibrahim Ishag, a young pregnant mother who was sentenced to death by a Islamic judge for converting to Christianity and marrying a Christian husband. The brutal acts against Christians do not end with the Bible but continue into the present.

Stephen is not afraid to die. He looks towards heaven and sees Jesus standing ready to lift him up (Acts 7:56).

Whether our lives end in martyrdom, are cut short by a devastating illness, or last until old age, one thing is certain: we all die. Stephen understands this life on earth is temporary and not the end. Jesus promises death is not the end, but life continues in heaven with the promise of eternal life from God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

As the Jewish authorities stone him to death, Stephen echoes Jesus’ dying words by saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59 NRSV). Stephen puts his life in God’s hands, because he knows he is going to join God in heaven. Before he dies, Stephen also prays for Jewish authorities, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60 NRSV). Stephen understands this is an act of the devil, and his reward is waiting in heaven.

Like Stephen, Ben, the five year-old identical twin, falls victim to the devil’s curse of death and dies fighting for the good news. Like Stephen, Meriam Yahya Ibrahim Ishag is being killed for standing up for her faith. Like Stephen, we threaten the traditions of the authorities and face being caught between the devil and God. Like Stephen, we stand with God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and will not give in to the devil’s demands. Like Stephen, we hold on to the promise of eternal life in heaven with the Triune God –Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving us the hope of eternal life, no matter how our time on earth ends. Help those who are experiencing suffering for their faith and especially provide strength and hope to our sister Meriam Ibrahim. Be also with Mindy Sauer and Ben’s whole family and comfort all who mourn. Thank you for the rich promises you give us because of Jesus. Amen.

Reflective Questions

What encounters with death have you had that made you struggle with faith?
In what way do Jesus’ death and resurrection provide you with comfort in those situations?
Write a letter on Meriam Ibrahim’s behalf to repeal the Islamic ruling to have her hung for her religious convictions. Information as to where to send the letters can be found here.

Fourth Sunday of Easter: Living in Community

Reading

Acts 2:42-47

Devotion

Peace be with you!

The early apostles devoted themselves to building a strong community centered on Jesus Christ, the Messiah. The apostles lived as Jesus had taught them – a simple life. They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need (Acts 2:45). The apostles took care of those who needed extra tender love and care.

I wonder what God thinks of his disciples today I wonder what God thinks of disciples who allow people to remain homeless, allow the disabled to remain uncared for, allow children to go hungry, and allow [whoever “it” is] to continue to suffer. Christians often say the homeless are too lazy to work. Others say the disabled belong in institutions. Yet each individual has a reason for needing extra care and love. The young women who is homeless may be hiding from an abusive ex-husband. The elderly man who is disabled maybe a war veteran. We are so quick to judge and so slow to listen to the story behind a life that is broken. As Jesus’ followers, it is our calling to tend to the needs of the less fortunate.

As a person who has cerebral palsy, I understand the importance of a community, which works together for the common good. On the average day, I have three to five people coming in and out of my home to help me. The first personal caregiver comes at ten in the morning and is with me four to six hours depending on what I need during the day. She feeds me breakfast and lunch, helps me with shopping, does light housecleaning, and gets me to my appointments. Usually Kim, my step-dad, joins me for breakfast to see if I need his help with anything, such as fixing [whatever “it” is] I broke the night before or running an errand for me. The second personal caregiver comes around five o’clock to feed me dinner and [whatever “it” is] I need set up or organized for the night. Then there are the young man who cleans the pool once a week and my brother who mows my yard twice a week. I also have a landscaper who comes periodically to check on my plants. Although my color-coded planner is overwhelming, I am at ease with the constant flow of people in and out of my home.

Depending on others for daily survival comes naturally to me, and it is also what Jesus teaches us to do in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-13). The early disciples embody this by selling all of their possessions and taking care of those who need extra love and care. The apostles understand the importance of taking care of their own, because everyone needs help and love. It should not matter if you are homeless, disabled, or poor, because we are all children of God.

As Christians, we are to live in a community with each other and love and care for one another. This was important to the early apostles. They spent their days in the temple (Acts 2:46a) studying scripture and worshipping God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. At night, the apostles gather for dinner and break bread together (Acts 2:46b). Gathering as community builds relationships among neighbors, even between individuals you would not expect to get along. A community takes cares of its people.

There is no greater joy than gathering around a table with friends and family members and sharing a meal. In my family, dinnertime always involves laughter and loud talking with hands flying. No matter what kind of day you had, you can always count on dinnertime being entertaining, especially with my mom who enjoys finding the comedy in life. Even as an adult, I still love having dinner with my mom, because 1) I get a good cooked meal, and 2) I am able to discuss the day’s challenges with her and get her insights. Discussing your daily challenges with individuals who uphold the same morals helps keep things in perspective and keeps you grounded.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for blessing us with a community in the family of God. Gather us into your community where individuals love and care for one another. Lead us to welcome others into our community. Thank you for loving and caring for us as your children. Amen.

Reflective Questions

What communities are you a part of?
Who do you gather with to share a meal?

Third Sunday of Easter: Dealing with the Silence

Reading

Acts 2:14a, 36-41

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Every time we turn our backs on our neighbors, we turn our backs to Jesus and say, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Every time we do not feed the hungry or clothe the naked, we turn our backs to Jesus and say “Crucify him, crucify him!” How can we be a part of the tight group of apostles when it was our voices that screamed, “Crucify him, crucify him!”? Our sin and our sinful world turn us away from Jesus each and every day.

We know the guilt the Jews are feeling. Recently I heard the song “Car Radio” by Twenty One Pilots. The song struck me, because it talks about what happens when we have to sit in silence (as the singer does when his car radio is stolen)—we have to fill the void with unwanted thoughts of the past. We can plug our earphones in and drown out the people around us. Even without earphones, the world provides enough noise to keep the unwanted thoughts away—[whatever “it” is] in our past that we try to keep secret. In “Car Radio,” the singer says:

Sometimes quiet is violent
I find it hard to hide it
My pride is no longer inside
It’s on my sleeve
My skin will scream
Reminding me of
Who I killed inside my dream. (1)

The noise of Holy Week has now become silence. Jesus has risen from the grave, spent time with his disciples, and ascended into the Kingdom of God. The events of Holy Week fulfilled what was supposed to happen in order to give God glory. However, the good news does not ease the priests’ minds. The Jewish leaders know that Jesus’ blood is on their hands. How can these leaders even think about entering God’s Kingdom? There is no way they enter the Kingdom of God, right?

We have all probably had times when we thought we were not worthy to enter the Kingdom of God. What were these times for you? Maybe you betrayed a dear friend or a family member. Maybe you caused physical harm to someone. Maybe you have helped the devil one too many times. My silence causes me to think about the six years I spent with my ex—and the people I turned my back on to avoid making him upset and the fights I had with my parents. The dangerous thoughts come when I start asking myself, what if I had found Nathan, my childhood friend and boyfriend, sooner? Where would I be if…?

What thoughts hang in the darkness of your silence? Do you feel shut out from God when you face those thoughts?

Peter has good news for all of us who reject Christ in one way or another. We can repent of our sins and be baptized. The church uses these words so often that we forget what it means to repent and to be baptized. Repentance means to reorient our lives to be more like Christ by changing our minds and lifestyles. It means to feel remorse for turning our backs on Jesus and our neighbors. However, once we repent, we are welcomed into the Christian community and given entrance into the Kingdom of God. We are freed from our past mistakes.

When we repent, we can be baptized into God’s family. Baptism is the respond to hearing the good news for the first time and becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. Our sins are washed away, and we are marked with a cross forever. You become a living member of Jesus Christ and are given a new life.

Once we repent and are baptized, we are given a game changer: God the Father forgives us for your sins and gives us the Holy Spirit to be with us in the world. Plus it is for all people—not just the Jews but the Gentiles. Everyone is included in God’s plan and invited to be a part of the Christian community. God believes in inclusion, not exclusion. We engage in exclusion only for our own benefit. God loves us so deeply that he used our sin—the sin that nailed Jesus to cross to ultimately conquer death.

Forgiveness is truly the greatest gift. When my parents divorced, I remember being angry at my mom for months. I would hardly talk to her and did not want to be around her. Then one day we talked about what was going on between her and my dad, and I understood the divorce was not up to me to solve. My mom forgave me, and I released my anger. Forgiveness flowed both directions.

I also love being led by the Holy Spirit. Sometimes I swear the Holy Spirit writes these devotions, because I find my words flowing so easily. The Holy Spirit has a way of using my ideas and thoughts to get God’s point across. If God left me to my own devices, I would not be writing these devotions, but here I am.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for allowing us to repent and be baptized. Help us to accept the forgiveness you offer us, even when we are messy and broken. Through your Holy Spirit, lead us through life’s challenges. Remind us to be mindful of your plan. Thank you for the game changer of forgiveness and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Reflective Questions

Sit in silence and do nothing for five minutes. What were you forced to think about?
What does repentance mean to you?
How has the Holy Spirit led you?

1 Writer(s): Tyler Joseph, Copyright: Warner-tamerlane Publishing Corp., Stryker Joseph Music. From Twenty One Pilots album Vessel. Released: Jan 04, 2013

Second Sunday of Easter: Exciting News of the Resurrection

Reading

Acts 2:14a, 22-32

Devotion

Peace be with you!

When was the last time you were excited to tell people about big news–[whoever “it” was]? Maybe you just got engaged. Maybe you just found out you were going to be a father. Maybe your daughter took her first step or said her first word. Maybe your best friend woke up from a coma. No matter what the news is you are excited to tell everyone you meet about it, because you cannot hold it in. I remember being so excited to find out my childhood best friend, Nathan, is still alive and painting amazing pictures. For most people my age, reconnecting with a childhood friend is exciting, not miraculous, but for me having Nathan back in my life is a miracle. See, Nathan has Leigh’s dystonia, causing his whole body to be paralyzed and preventing him from speaking more than a few words. All Nathan can do is turn his head, move his left arm, talk with his eyes, and speak a few words. A cold can send Nathan to the intensive care unit. It is truly a miracle for Nathan to be alive and painting amazing pieces. I could not be around anyone in the weeks following finding his mom on Facebook without telling them about Nathan.

The disciples cannot hold in the good news: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The words of Psalm 16:8-11 have come true (Acts 2:25b-28):

I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.

The things of this world do not corrupt Jesus—he was sinless. God the Father does not abandon Jesus in Hades after he suffers and dies on the cross, but he raises him up to new life. God the Father never truly abandons Jesus physically as well as psychosocially. The news of Jesus’ resurrection is nothing like anything the world has witnessed. It is a miracle.

Not only that, God the Father uses the corruption of the world to carry out his glorious plan. The crowd (you and I) decides Jesus’ fate on the cross. We yell out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” every time we sin and go against God’s wishes by doing the devil’s work. We repeatedly say those words because we live in a broken world. Yet God the Father repeatedly raises Jesus (and us) up to new life, because God’s power cannot be held down (Acts 2:22-24).

The power of God’s plan causes the apostles to have faith in the Triune God. God the Father conquers death through Jesus’ crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension. The apostles believe and know God’s love has the power to protect them, provide for their every need, and lead them to where he needs them to be. This news is exciting for the apostles, because there is something more than the darkness in the world. Jesus Christ is the apostles’ light in the world. The apostles hang onto the promise of the good news of Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.

My colleague and dear friend, Rebecca Florence Miller, wrote a blog post as to why a decline in the “Christian Nation” may be good thing for the faith. Rebecca states,

[W]hen we are culturally dominant [a Christian Nation], it can be oh so easy to hide the junk in our lives. It can be easy to stay in our little Christian huddle, our church club. It can be easy to think that our Bible pounding is actual devotion to God rather than a prideful attempt to stay at the top of the heap. It can be easy to skate by and pretend we have an active, growing faith when we are actually just going through the motions and trying to impress others.

Rebecca continues by saying when Constantine declared Roman Empire a Christian Nation, true discipleship began to decline. Christendom led to many abuses within the Church, especially during the Inquisition and the Crusades. And some individuals continue use the church for their personal gain today.

However, as Christendom declines, true discipleship is on the rise. If you are a disciple, you understand and believe Jesus emptied himself on the cross for your sins. As a disciple, your life is about serving Jesus Christ, not yourself. Discipleship is a selfless occupation for the sole purpose of serving God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Not only that, as a disciple, you are beyond thrilled to share the good news with others who do not know God yet, because he protects, provides, calls and leads, and gives you eternal life. Nothing else matters.

As I listen to the excitement behind Peter’s words, I find myself trying to remember the last time I was excited to share the good news of Jesus’ resurrection—the excitement behind God’s love and grace. Do I have similar enthusiasm to share the good news as I did when I found out Nathan had defeated the odds and was still alive? Lately, I have been wondering how I can get that excitement back. I am finding God is tweaking my call to write these devotions by making them more personal with stories of my own healing experiences. God is also calling me to educate others about disabilities, especially cerebral palsy, and about how individuals with disabilities can be a productive, important part of society. With God’s guidance, I feel my own excitement for the good news growing again.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for Peter’s excitement for the good news and his example of discipleship. Help us to be true disciples of our risen Savior. Remind us Jesus’ resurrection about your love, grace, and promise of eternal life—it is not about us. Swell our hearts with your love, so we can feel excited again. Thank you for calling us back to you. Amen.

Reflective Questions

Share a story of the last time you couldn’t keep some good news to yourself.
How are you excited to share the good news of Jesus’ resurrection?
What does discipleship mean to you?

1 Photo: Nathan with his painting entitled “Migration of the Trumpeter Swan.”

Easter Sunday: Go and Tell, Jesus is Risen

Readings

Matthew 28:1-10

Devotion

Peace be with you! The Lord is risen! Alleluia!

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary go to the tomb early in the morning the day after the Sabbath (Matthew 28:1) to prepare Jesus’ body for a proper burial. Suddenly there is an earthquake as an angel descends from heaven and rolls away the stone from the tomb (Matthew 28:2).

We all know how much earthquakes—literal and symbolic—change people’s lives: their environment, their interrelationships, and how they live day-to-day. When I got divorced, I had to adapt to living alone, finding my group of friends again, and taking care the house. My foundation was shaken. I did not know whom I could trust and who just wanted information. My divorce changed my perspective on my life. Similarly, Jesus’ resurrection changes our lives. We change the way we live as we begin to follow Jesus Christ as his disciples. This gives us as a new identity as God’s children.

The resurrection is a pivotal change in history. It introduces a new way of life for individuals as disciples of Jesus Christ. The resurrection allows individuals to be in a relationship with the God the Father. The world Jesus rises from is not the same as it was when he entered it. God sends his light into the world and offers us forgiveness for our sins.

When we accept the light God offers to us, we experience psychosocial and spiritual healings. The light brings God into the world in a physical form, so we could get to know God the Father. Now two thousand years later we still have the light in the world as we continue to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. We continue to live with the light.

The angel says to Mary Magdalene and Mary, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you” (Matthew 28:5-7).

Just as the angel sends Mary Magdalene and Mary to go and tell, we are to go and tell others about Jesus’ resurrection. We are a part of the announcement, that proclaims Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and resurrection and that frees us from our sins.

The gift of reconciliation is for all individuals who come into a relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. On the way, Jesus sends Mary Magdalene and Mary to Galilee to say, “Go and tell my brothers to meet me in Galilee” (Matthew 28:10).

Jesus reconciles with his disciples who fled when he was arrested. Jesus forgives his disciples, because he understands the hostility they would have experienced. Jesus understands his disciples are only humans. Jesus forgives both his disciples and us, and he reserves a spot in heaven for us. Jesus is the ambassador between God the Father and us. Jesus gives us an opportunity to be in a relationship with God the Father.

After my divorce, I found out I had a lot more friends than I thought. Individuals who did not come around while I was married started coming around when I got divorced. My relationships with others continue to blossom because my ex-husband is no longer around. I also started to learn amazing things about myself—how I like boiled eggs more than fried eggs, how I enjoy sending cards to friends each month, how organized and neat I am, how I enjoy exercising a few days a week, and more. I also found a church where I feel called to be apart of, which helped to bring me back into the Christian community. I have grown closer to the Triune God, because I can be apart of a church community without feeling as though I am going behind anyone’s back. The church community also uses my gifts and talents, which fulfills my sense of belonging and calling. My personal resurrection happened as a result of a bad relationship ending. I got a whole new perspective on life.

So go and tell the good news that Jesus Christ is risen!

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for overcoming death for us, so we can be in a relationship with you. Help us to go and tell the good news of Jesus’ resurrection. Lead us into new life with you. Thank you for loving us. Amen.

Reflective Questions

Please feel free to answer the reflective questions through comments. Please agree to disagree and be respectable to each other. Please take a moment, if you have not already, to sign the covenant. You can answer all or just one of the questions.

Why does the resurrection matter to you?
How have you experienced a resurrection in your life?

Saturday of Holy Week: Burying Jesus

Readings

Matthew 27:57-66

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Yesterday Jesus Christ died on the cross. Today we read about how Joseph, one of Jesus’ disciples, goes to Pontius Pilate to ask if he can bury Jesus’ body (Matthew 27:57). Pontius Pilate grants Joseph permission to take and bury Jesus’ body. Joseph takes the body, wraps it in a clean linen cloth, and lays it in his own tomb which he carved out of rock (Matthew 27:59-60). Tombs were used to bury several generations of a family. This tomb is special because no one else was buried in it. Because it was the Sabbath, Joseph rolled a great stone over the opening of the tomb and went away (Matthew 27:60).

All the while, Mary Magdalene and another woman named Mary watch from a distance (Matthew 27:61), because they could not prepare the body for burial until the next day. These women never leave Jesus’ side when he was alive; they are there to tend to his needs even after his death. Both of the women love and care for Jesus deeply.

Following Jesus means caring for him even leaves the world. Today, you care for Jesus by caring for others. His mission does not end when Jesus leaves the world but continues through you every time you provide clothes for the naked, shelter for the homeless, and food for the hungry. Life continues, just as Jesus’ mission continues through us.

The day after Jesus’ death is still the Sabbath for the Jews. The chief priests and Pharisees meet with Pontius Pilate, because they are worried someone may come and steal Jesus’ body. After all, Jesus said, “After three days I will rise again” (Matthew 27:62-63). It is so striking that they actually did understand his point: it wasn’t that he was going to destroy the temple and raise it, but that he was going to die and his body would be raised. Pontius Pilate does not want a political uprising, and the chief priests and Pharisees do not want more rabble-rousing from this Jesus figure. Surely Pilate will punish them if more tumult ensues. So they petition Pontius Pilate and he agrees to seal the tomb and send out a guard soldiers to watch over the tomb. Pontius Pilate is agreeing to cover all the bases for the chief priests and Pharisees to ensure the Jesus figure does not cause any more problems.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving us the opportunity to know Jesus. Help us to understand why Jesus had to die. Remind us Easter is coming. Thank you for your love. Amen.

Reflective Questions

How do you feel about burying Jesus in the tomb?
What is your worst fear?

Good Friday: Jesus Suffers for our Benefit

Readings

Matthew 27:27-56

Devotion

Yesterday Pontius Pilate had released Jesus Barabbas and sent Jesus Christ to be crucified. Today the light will disappear.

After Jesus is sent off to be crucified, the Roman soldiers take him to the governor’s quarters and strip him of his clothes. To mock Jesus, the soldiers dress him in a scarlet robe and crown of thorns, and they put a reed cane in his right hand. Then they kneel down and said, “Hail, King of the Jews” (Matthew 27:27-29). Then the soldiers beat Jesus with the reed and spit in his face before dressing him again in his own clothes and taking him to be crucified (Matthew 27:30-31). The soldiers do not respect Jesus; to them, Jesus is a threat to the Roman Emperor by claiming to be the King of the Jews. What the soldiers do not understand is that Jesus claims to be a king of heaven, not on earth.

On the way to crucify Jesus, the soldiers make a man from Cyrene named Simon carry Jesus’ cross to Golgotha, the place of the skull (Matthew 27:32-33). Jesus is so weak; he can barely move his own body, let alone carry the cross beam. When I had MRSA this past summer, I felt incredibly weak from all of the antibiotics. I can only imagine how weak Jesus was after being beaten and how hard it was to walk to Golgotha.

The soldiers divide Jesus’ clothes and start bidding on it (Matthew 27:35). Then the soldier put a sign above Jesus on the cross charging him with being “King of the Jews” (Matthew 27:37). They continue to mock Jesus, even as he is struggling to breathe. Jesus is on his last finger, not even his last leg, and all the soldiers do is mock him.

What is interesting is that the women (Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, the mother of the sons of Zebedee, and others) follow Jesus to the cross and tend to his needs (Matthew 27:55-56). When I had MRSA, my mom came over every night on her way home from work to make sure I had everything I needed. Even though Jesus’ disciples have scattered, the women—his caretakers—follow him as he travels to death. He is not alone, just as he abandons us.

On the same day, two other bandits are crucified with Jesus. The bandits and the chief priests mock Jesus. They are baffled by the fact that Jesus said he would destroy the temple and raise it up again in three days and yet he seemingly cannot save himself. They are expecting the building to fall, not Jesus.

Then there is the fact that Jesus calls himself the Son of God and the King of Israel, and yet he cannot save himself from death. He can save others and not himself. It does not make sense. Save yourself! Jesus calls out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus understands this is all part of God’s plan, but it does not make it any easier. Jesus is not only fully God, but also fully human; he is emotional; he wants to live.

When the individuals watching realize Jesus is calling for Elijah, one man grabs a sponge, soaks it with wine, and puts it on a stick to give him a drink (Matthew 27:48), while others want to see if Elijah would save him (Matthew 27:49). For individuals who claimed not to believe, they are sure holding out for a miracle.

Then Jesus cries out and breathes his last breath (Matthew 27:50). All their hope is gone. The one who called himself the Son of God dies. It is the end. Or is it?

At the same moment as Jesus dies, the curtain in the temple is torn in half, and the tombs of the dead saints open up and they enter the holy city (Matthew 27:51-52). There is an earthquake too. Everything important to the world is torn apart. The curtain protecting individuals from God is taken away. A change in theology is taking place. Individuals will not need the chief priests to speak to God on their behalf; now they can talk to God themselves.

After witnessing today’s events, the centurion says, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” (Matthew 27:54). Today’s events have made the centurion a believer. But is it too late?

You have probably experienced a Good Friday where hope seemed to have gone away. Maybe it was when you got in a fight with a dear friend, a spouse, a child, etc. Maybe you lost your job. My Good Friday was when I got divorced and had to reinvent myself as a single young lady. I was emotionally exhausted, physically weak, and spiritually lost. Over six years, I became a stranger to myself—dependent on an individual who only thought about himself. I had to find the parts of myself that I had lost during my marriage.

When it comes to your Good Friday moment, no matter the situation was, you thought your life would end.

But Easter, the Resurrection, is coming. Stay tuned…

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for Jesus accepting to do your will. Help us to travel to the cross with Jesus, just like the women did, to tend to the needs of the world. Remind us we are never alone, even when the light disappears. Thank you for the promise of new life. Amen.

Reflective Questions

What part of Good Friday gets to you the most?
Where are you in the Good Friday events?
How have you experienced a Good Friday?

Thursday of Holy Week: Jesus is Questioned

Readings

Matthew 27:1-26

Devotion

The morning brings light into the world and reveals what we did the night before. Sometimes we are proud of what we did; other times we want to disappear and never see the light of the day again.

Last night, Judas betrayed Jesus to the chief priests for thirty pieces of silver. Monday we read about Judas going to the chief priests and agreeing to betray Jesus. Judas showed us his greedy side; he desires nice things for himself.

Today we see a different side of Judas. A new day has brought the light back into the world, and the light shows Judas the consequences of handing Jesus over to the chief priests: Jesus has been condemned to death.

Judas repents (Matthew 27:3) that he betrayed Jesus, which got him condemned to death. He must be thinking, “What have I done? The man is innocent and has never done wronged me or anyone else. All Jesus ever did was love everyone who crossed his path.”

Judas goes back to the chief priests and gives back the thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 27:2-5). He tells the chief priests, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” (Matthew 27:4a). Judas deeply regrets betraying Jesus to the chief priests, but they could not care less–they got what they wanted: Jesus Christ, the one called the Messiah. The chief priests tell Judas, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” (Matthew 27:4b). Judas is left to deal with his guilt and sin, so he throws all thirty pieces of silver at the chief priests and hangs himself (Matthew 27:5).

The Pharisees have a debate as to what to do with the blood money since it cannot go back into the treasury. The thirty pieces of silver were used for an unholy purpose–to capture and kill an innocent man. By giving Judas the silver, the chief priest went against what the Lord had commanded in the Old Testament. The money could not go back into the treasury because it was unholy silver.

Then the chief priests decide to buy a potter’s field for a place to bury foreigners with the thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 27:7). The chief priests attempt to do something worthy of God with the blood money as an apology just like my brother apologized for taking my money when he realized he broke my trust. The chief priests want to be back in God’s graces, just as my brother wanted to regain my trust.

Later the chief priests take Jesus to Pontius Pilate who talks to him to gather an understanding as to why the chief priests want to put him to death. When Pontius Pilate asks him if he is the King of the Jews, Jesus replies with “You say so” (Matthew 27:11). This is the same answer Jesus gave to the chief priests when they asked him if he is the Messiah (Matthew 26:63-64). Jesus does not want to incriminate himself, and why should he? Nothing he will say will help his case against the chief priests.

Then Pontius Pilate asks Jesus, “Do you not hear what they are saying about you?” Jesus stays quiet, like he did with the chief priests (Matthew 26:63-64). Again, what else Jesus say? The chief priests are ignorant and do not understand who he is. I am sure Pontius Pilate at least heard about Jesus’ teachings in passing. There was nothing more to say. The scriptures have to be fulfilled, and Jesus is willing to fulfill them.

Pontius Pilate realizes the chief priests handed Jesus over to him out of jealousy (Matthew 27:18). Since it is during the festival when it is customary to release one prisoner of the crowd’s choosing, Pilate matches Jesus Christ up against notorious criminal Barabbas, thinking Jesus’ popularity would win him his release. To Pontius Pilate, it is an easy decision: release Jesus Christ, not the actual criminal. Pontius Pilate did not think the chief priests would persuade the crowd to have Barabbas released (Matthew 27:20). So when the crowd shouts for Barabbas to be released, Pontius Pilate asks what to do with Jesus (Matthew 27:21-22). The crowd answers, “Crucify him.” When asked why by Pontius Pilate, the crowd just yelled, “Let him be crucified.” (Matthew 27:23).

Since the crowd has spoken and he does not need a riot on his hands during the festival, Pontius Pilate takes a bowl of water and washes his hands and says, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves” (Matthew 27:24). Pontius Pilate knows Jesus Christ has not done anything wrong and does not want to be included in killing an innocent man. Barabbas is the notorious criminal who should be killed, yet Pontius Pilate needs to avoid a riot and avoid angering his superiors. Pontius Pilate decides to leave it up to the crowd to see to it that Jesus is crucified–he wants no part in it.

The crowd agrees that Jesus’ blood will be on them. So Pontius Pilate releases Barabbas and hands Jesus over to be crucified. The light reveals all–-the good, the bad, and the ugly. Pontius Pilate may not understand or agree with the crowd, but one day the light will reveal to them what they have done. The truth always comes out.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending the light into our lives. Help us to understand why Jesus has to be crucified. Lead us to do your will–no matter the cost. Thank you for being our light and for Jesus agreeing to do your will. Amen.

Reflective Questions

What is the light revealing in your life?
When and why have you repented?
When has someone gone against your wishes?