Day of Pentecost: New and Unexpected Places

Readings

Acts 2:1-21

Psalm 104:24-34, 35b

Romans 8:14-17

John 14:8-17, (25-27)

Devotion

Peace be with you!

The majority in the society and the world determines the definition of “normal.” Walking with two feet without assistance of a cane, walker, or another person is the norm. Articulating sounds in the right way so other people can understand you is the norm. Using your hands to eat, dress, shower, and write is the norm. Society determines the norm, which creates discrimination called ableism against those who do things differently.

People with disabilities are discriminated against simply because they do certain things differently than how the norm says it should be done. Most individuals with disabilities need simple adaptations to be able to function in the world. For example, I use an electric wheelchair and a walker for mobility, Intellikeys (an oversized keyboard) to type, an iPad to speak, and a car with a ramp to travel. With a few adaptations, any person with a disability strives in the world.

In his book The Bible, Disability, and the Church: a New Vision of the People of God, Amos Yong talks about his younger brother who has Down syndrome. Yong remembers staying home with his brother every Sunday morning when his parents, both pastors, went to church. Due to his many medical issues, his brother required intense care when he was young.. As a teenager, Yong could tend to his brother’s needs (changing diapers, feeding, bathing) when his parents worked.

The Spirit comes and rests on all of the disciples on the day of the Pentecost (Acts 2:1-3). The disciples begin to speak in other languages and are able to understand each other (Acts 2:4). How incredible that the Holy Spirit could cross the language barrier to allow men and women of different languages to communicate with each other. The language barriers create norms for society – as a general rule Americans speak English and individuals from Japan speak Japanese and are not able to understand each other. Yong’s brother, like myself, has his own language barrier with his speech impediment. Many times when I meet someone new – an unfamiliar listener – they do not take the time to understand me. Just the other day I had a consult with a new doctor who would not slow down to understand me and would look to my step-dad to interpret and to answer her questions. After we left, my step-dad voiced his annoyance, especially since, in his opinion, I was speaking pretty clearly for a change.

The Jews do not understand what is going on. The disciples appear to be drunk, and it is still morning (Acts 2:7, 13). The Jews, who did not accept Jesus’ teachings, are now questioning the disciples’ integrity. The Holy Spirit brings the disciples together, despite language barriers, to worship God the Father and to share the good news with others. The Holy Spirit operates under the power of God, and therefore he sends the disciples, including us, to new and unexpected places of ministry. Our driving force becomes the Holy Spirit, which marks God’s presence in the world.

The prophet-hood makes up the community of disciples who are in the world to make the presence of God known to the lost and the poor. Prophets (including us) are messengers of Jesus’ good news who work to expand the community of believers. Our prophecy becomes proof that God is in the world here and now.

The Holy Spirit becomes a sign of God reaching for us and reclaiming us as his children; he becomes a sign of our salvation from our sins. Without the Holy Spirit, we would not be crossing barriers to spread the good news. With the Holy Spirit, we make God known to the world by spreading the good news and sharing his love, forgiveness, and grace.

The Holy Spirit is in Yong’s brother who has Down syndrome. As an adult, his brother has transcribed the Bible several times and helps his parents lead worship from the pew. His brother is an inspiration to the members of the congregation as he greets everyone at the door and raises his hands while singing. The Holy Spirit rests in Yong’s brother and gathers others around him to see how God the Father and God the Son is forever present in the world.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to blow us to new and unexpected places of ministry. Help us to trust the Holy Spirit to drive us where you need us to be. Gather us into your community of disciples and send us out into the world to share the good news in new and unexpected places. Thank you for making your presence in the world known to 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. How do you feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life?

2. Where does the Holy Spirit gather you and other people together?

Seventh Sunday of Easter: Praising the Lord in Difficult Times

Readings

Acts 16:16-34

Psalm 97

Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21

John 17:20-26

Devotion

Peace be with you!

For every decision you make, there is a consequence – good, bad, or indifferent. As a student, you make the decision whether to do your homework and whether to study for your tests. When you do your homework and study, you get good grades, into the college you want, and scholarships for college. But if you do not do homework and study, you get bad grades and colleges turn you down. Of course, there are exceptions to the rules. Schoolwork comes easily to some students and they can take half the time of other students to get the same grades.

As adults, we face decisions every day. We decide whether to pay our bills, to take a shower daily, to eat healthy, and more. We make decisions every day which affect our not only our lives, but also the lives of others around us, especially our dependent children and elderly parents.

Societies also make decisions regarding the moral codes and laws of the group. They decide who is an insider and who is an outsider. In the United States of America, many states are voting on whether or not gay marriage should be legalized and if gay couples should be granted the same benefits of straight couples. No matter what side you stand on in this debate, there is a part of you that feels threatened by the opposing side. Those who oppose the amendments feel their sense of family values is being challenged. Supporters of the amendments, especially gays and lesbians, fear being outcasts for loving someone of the same gender or supporting friends who are gay or lesbian.

Christians find themselves in two worlds at times. The Bible teaches us a moral code to live by; it teaches us the Ten Commandments and the value of loving our neighbor. Societies have many of the same moral codes: no killing or stealing. Yet there are places where societies and the Bible contradict each other. For instance, what is more important: success and money or God and living in a community with other Christians? As Americans, the society says success and money are important to one’s livelihood. How much money you have determines what you can do and where you can live. As Christians, the Bible teaches us having a relationship with God and living in community with other Christians are the most important. We value the love, grace, forgiveness, and promise of eternal life that the Triune God gives to us freely.

In today’s reading, Paul and Silas are caught in the cross fire between the world and the Lord. A woman who is possessed with a spirit of divination keeps bothering the two men while they are in the city for days – proclaiming Paul and Silas are slaves of the Most High (Acts 16:16-17). Finally, Paul has enough of the woman – or maybe of the spirit of divination – bothering them, so he orders it to come out of her (Acts 16:18).

The woman’s slave owner is greatly upset with Paul for releasing her from the spirit of divination. When the spirit of divination was in the woman, the slave owner made a lot of money from the woman’s fortune-telling (Acts 16:16, 19). Paul takes away the slave owner’s source of income by releasing the woman from the spirit of divination and imposes economic hardship on him. For Paul’s “wrong doing,” the slave owner takes Paul and Silas to the Roman officials and charges them with disturbing the peace and advocating for unlawful activities (Acts 16:20-21). The Roman officials order Paul and Silas to be beaten and thrown into jail (Acts 16:22-23).

We have all been where Paul and Silas are – at odds with others for doing a good deed. When we give loose change to the beggar on the corner, we are told that we are advocating laziness. When we take an extended leave from work to care for a parent who needs care, our sibling criticizes us for kissing up and tells us to just put them in a nursing home. No matter what we do, someone will criticize us.

Paul and Silas give us a great example to live by when facing criticism: sing praises to the Lord (Acts 16:25). Paul and Silas are in the most inner jail cell with shackles around their ankles, tied to the wall, singing praises to the Lord (Acts 16:24-25). Who does that? Paul and Silas show the Lord their thankfulness for all he has provided them.

The Lord hears Paul and Silas, and there is an earthquake causing the jail doors to open and the chains to be unlocked releasing the prisoners (Acts 16:26). Upon seeing the damage of the earthquake, the jailer threatens suicide until Paul says we are all here (Acts 16:27-28). The jailer is overwhelmed with gratitude for if Paul and Silas escaped, he would have lost his job.

The jailer asks how he can be saved (Acts 16:30). Obviously the jailer listened to Paul and Silas singing praises to the Lord and felt the earthquake was the answer to their prayers. Paul and Silas spoke to the jailer about the grace, love, and forgiveness of God the Father and told him to believe in the Lord and he would be saved (Acts 16:31-32). The jailer released Paul and Silas and took them to his house to clean their wounds (Acts 16:33a). Upon hearing the good news, the jailer and his household got baptized and celebrated with Paul and Silas (Acts 16:33b-34).

I am always amazed at how the Lord uses the most unlikely situations to share the good news through us, his children. I was running late to my flight a few months ago when I realized I did not have my cell phone. I quickly scanned my surroundings looking for someone to ask to call my cell phone and my step-dad. I decided to ask a family, and they were more than willing to help. Unfortunately, by the time we got a hold of my step-dad on my cell phone, he was already twenty minutes away. Luckily, I had my iPad, which I could use to send my friends texts. The Lord used my forgetfulness to show a random family how he had blessed me, despite my disability. The family was amazed at how I could use my iPad to communicate with them and my friends. I was also able to share my website and the good news with them.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for helping us to make decisions according to your will. Help us to share the good news in difficult places and situations. May we sing your praises, even when we are being criticized. Remind us the good news is for everyone, not just a lucky few. Thank you for using us to share the good news. Amen.

Works Cited

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

Reflective Questions

1. How are you criticized as a Christian?

2. What unexpected place did you share the good news?

Sixth Sunday of Easter: Difficulty in Understanding Jesus’ Call

Readings

Acts 16:9-15

Psalm 67

Revelation 21:10, 21:22-22:5

John 14:23-29

Devotion

Peace be with you!

What does God want me to do? Where does God want me to go? How does God want me to spread the good news? No matter what life stage you are in, these questions run through your mind, especially on days when things do not make sense. We expect teenagers and even college students to feel a bit lost as they begin to look for their place in the world. They are just entering the world as adults with their own opinions and ideas; they are looking for ways to leave their mark on the world and to make a difference.

What happens when adults have a successful career, but they begin to feel lost in the shuffle? Their boss no longer values their input and ideas. Their industry begins to take a new direction in the world, leaving them behind in the process. The company downsizes and lays off the older generation in order to focus on the new ideas and ways of the younger generation. People are forced to find new callings at different times in their lives.

Throughout our entire lifetime, we are moving from one transition to another. Relationships end; situations change; people move; supply and demand fluctuates; societies evolve; technology gets faster and more efficient. Life as we know it today will not be the same in a year.

In our reading today, Paul is at a crossroads. He has travelled throughout Galilee and Judea spreading the good news about the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Paul has wanted to go into Asia to share the good news, but the Holy Spirit always stopped him (Acts 16:7). Now Paul has a dream about a man calling him to Macedonia, a Roman province just north of Greece (Acts 16:9).

Paul and his companions, Silas and Timothy, go to Macedonia to share the good news with the people there (Acts 16:10). The three men are convinced the Lord is calling them to share the good news with a man in Macedonia. After travelling for a few days, Paul, Silas, and Timothy arrive in Macedonia and spend the next week getting to know the area (Acts 16:12). It takes a few days for the men to find the individual who the Lord sent them to share the good news with. Unfortunately, the Lord did not give Paul a name or even a physical description of the man.

At some point in our lives, we have all been a little lost as to where and what the Lord is calling us to do. You got your Masters of Divinity so you could be a pastor, but you can’t find a church position anywhere. You got a business degree, only to find out that the pressures of the corporate world are too much for you. When you started your degree, the economy was booming, but four years later, the economy no longer supports the unique job you dream about. The [whatever “it” is] prefect scenario is never there when you are ready for it – and if it is take it.

Then there are the relationships in our lives, which are also always undergoing change. The girl who has always been there for you through breakups and transitions is suddenly your whole world…and then your wife! Or perhaps the guy who you married and promised to spend the rest of your life with walks out the door after six years. Suddenly, the world crashes around you, and you wonder what happened

Transitions are life’s necessary changes to help us grow and make us wiser and stronger. They are exciting, because they mean new possibilities to experience, new people to meet, and new places to go. However, transitions are also scary because we are stepping out on a limb. We know the Lord is here [wherever “it” is], but how?

Paul is asking the Lord why he has called him to Macedonia. The man in his vision has not made himself known to Paul. Where do you start in a new region? Who do you approach first? Who will listen? How do you know people will be receptive to your message of the good news?

The three men come to a place of prayer on the Sabbath and spend time talking to the women who are gathered there (Acts 16:13). Lydia listens to the men talking, and the Lord opens her to hear and to accept the good news (Acts 16:14). Brian Peterson writes on Working Preacher, “At this crucial point, Paul practically disappears from the story. It is not the charismatic personality of the pastor or preacher that has the power to create faith; it must come from God’s own merciful activity. From beginning to end, this text stresses that it is God who is in charge of the mission, God who sets its direction, and God who determines its results” (Peterson 2013). Paul is not at the central of the mission – God is.

Lydia and her whole household are baptized, and the three men stay at her home (Acts 16:15). Paul expected to share the good news with a man, but he finds himself alongside a river with a group of woman who accept his message.

God’s plan is not always clear. Sometimes it is exhausting to figure out where God is calling you. At some points, it would be easier to walk away and do something easier and more fun. Yet along the way, you see God’s blessings, love, and grace. This is what makes transitions worthwhile.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending people into our lives to share the good news with us. Help us through the transitions in our lives. Guide us as we answer your calling. Catch us as we stumble around. Help us to figure out how our callings further your mission. Thank you for the many blessings in our lives. Amen.

Works Cited

Peterson, B. (2013 йил 5-April). Commentary on Acts 16:9-15. Retrieved 2013 йил 3-May from Working Preacher: http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1627

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

Reflective Questions

1. What kind of transitions are you going through?

2. How do you feel the Lord is calling you?

3. Where do you see God’s blessings in your life?

Fifth Sunday of Easter: Difficulty in Answering Jesus’ Call for Forgiveness

Readings

Acts 11:1-18

Psalm 148

Revelation 21:1-6

John 13:31-35

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Erin with the blanket her great grandma made her as a child.

The easy thing to do would be to send the surviving bomber of the Boston Marathon to Guantanamo Bay without a trial. Most Americans agree the bombing was an act of terrorism – an attack on Americans’ way of life. Vice President Joe Biden said:

“They do it to instill fear, to have us — in the name of our safety and security — jettison what we value most, and the world most values about us: our open society, our system of justice that guarantees freedom, the access of all Americans to opportunity, the free flow of information and people across this country, our transparency, that’s their target.” (CNN Staff, 2013).

The Tsarnaev brothers made Americans feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods as police, FBI, and more searched their streets and homes for the suspects.

This story in our reading today is found three times in the Book of Acts, but this is the only time Peter tells it himself. Circumcised believers question Peter as to why he eats with uncircumcised men (Acts 11:2-3). By asking this question, the circumcised believers are making a division between the circumcised and the uncircumcised (which was normal before the coming of Jesus). Through the following story, Peter rebukes any “us versus them” division.

Through a dream, Peter gets a message from the Lord to kill and eat unclean meat (Acts 11:7). In his dream, Peter argues with the Lord, because he thinks the Lord is testing his loyalty. Ever since the Lord has given Moses the laws in the wilderness, the Jews have not eaten unclean meat. Peter is convinced the Lord is testing him and refuses to kill and eat the unclean animals.

However, the Lord is not testing Peter; rather, he is showing him something new. The Lord says, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” (Acts 11:9b NRSV). Through Jesus’ crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension, God the Father has made all things clean. Just like us, the unclean animals are made clean. There is no longer a division between clean and unclean, because through Jesus Christ every living thing is made clean.

The easy thing to do is to call the Tsarnaev brothers terrorists and stop there, failing to see how we and they are united by our common sinful natures. We feel the need to separate ourselves from those who harm us, especially those who harm a mass amount of people. We would never harm others, right? Most of us yell, “Yes!” Yet we say things out of anger to hurt the other person’s feelings or shut others out of our lives when we have had enough. We justify our actions by saying we are standing up for our beliefs, ways of life, or [whatever “it” is]. I am sure the surviving Tsarnaev brother would say he and his older brother were standing up for their beliefs or [whatever “it” is].

The Lord calls us to forgive the Tsarnaev brothers. Jesus tells us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44b). This is when it is difficult to be a Christian. It is easy to forgive a friend or family member, because we know them personally and have a history with them. Even our public enemies in our neighborhoods are easier to forgive than the Tsarnaev brothers, because we have or can have a conversation with these individuals. We can come to some kind of agreement and we have some kind of working relationship with them – as dysfunctional as it may be. Most of us never heard of the Tsarnaev brothers before the Boston Marathon tragedy. The only history we have with the Tsarnaev brothers is when they set off the two bombs – killing three people, causing fourteen people to be amputees, and injuring over one hundred more people. We know them also for their murder of a MIT police officer. How do we possibly forgive the Tsarnaev brothers?

The Lord tells Peter to follow the three men from Caesarea, the capital of Judea, and to not to make a division between him and them (Acts 11:11-12). The three men take Peter to a man’s house where the man explains how an angel told him to send for Peter so that his whole household would be forgiven (Acts 11:13-14). As Peter speaks to the men, the Holy Spirit falls upon them, which reminds Peter how Jesus said John baptized with water but he would baptize with the Holy Spirit (Acts 11:15-16).

By telling us this story, Peter is rebuking any “us versus them” division. The Lord sends Peter to Caesarea, a Gentile city, to speak the message of forgiveness to a Gentile household. The Gentiles threatened the Jewish way of life, because they did not follow Jewish laws. However, God the Father no longer defines his people by one special group of people who follow the Old Testament commandments. Anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord is given the right of passage into the Kingdom of God. We are all forgiven through Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Now we are called to pass on the forgiveness to others.

The easy thing to do would be to hate the Tsarnaev brothers. The easy thing would be to want the surviving brother to sit in Guantanamo Bay for the rest of his life or to sentence him to death. Most of us feel justified in these thoughts – they killed four people, caused fourteen people to be amputees, and injured over one hundred more people; they took away our sense of safety; they imposed on our celebration. Forgiveness for the Tsarnaev brothers is far from our minds.

Unfortunately, this is not what Jesus calls us to do. Jesus says to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44b). Our enemies include the Tsarnaev brothers who persecuted us for our way of life. The only way I can personally forgive the Tsarnaev brothers is with the knowledge and compassion that they are children of God, just like you and me, and God loves them unconditionally. However, it does not mean we should allow the surviving Tsarnaev brother to live free and go without punishment. Paul writes that God ordains the sword for the government (Romans 13:1-7), which means the government to punish the surviving Tsarnaev brother within their means and within reason. It is important for the State to find the answers to our questions and to deliver a fair and just punishment, which will give us the grace of a trustworthy world. And the cries of the victims will be heard by a loving God.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the gift of forgiveness through Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Help us to forgive the Tsarnaev brothers for attacking our way of life. Remind us the Tsarnaev brothers are your children whom you love unconditionally. Guide the governmental authorities with justice and truth as they move forward in investigation. Lead us to forgive all others who are our enemies by showing them your love and grace. Thank you for welcoming us into your kingdom as your children. Thank you for forgiving us our great sin. Amen.

Works Cited

CNN Staff. (2013, April 25). Latest developments in the Boston bombing investigation. Retrieved April 25, 2013, from CNN U.S.: http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/25/us/massachusetts-boston-bombings-latest-developments/index.html

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

Reflective Questions

1. How do you rebuke “us versus them” divisions?

2. How do we possibly forgive and love the Tsarnaev brothers?

Palm Sunday: The Trouble in Celebrating the King

Readings

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

Luke 19:28-40

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Today there is a large commotion in Jerusalem. A man named Jesus is riding on a colt though the Mount of Olives in the mountains. As Jesus goes by on the colt, people are throwing their cloaks down on the road and shouting, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven” (Luke 19:38 NRSV). The people are excited to be welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem.

However, the Pharisees are beside themselves. The people are shouting “Blessed is the king!” and that makes the Pharisees anxious. The religious leaders may have been nervous because of fear from a backlash from Rome. Jesus did claim to be God, particularly in the book of John, as the one who will save us from our sins through forgiveness and grace. No one should be called “king who comes in the name of the Lord.” That is blasphemy. How dare these people claim this man Jesus comes in the name of the Lord!

The Pharisees approach Jesus and demand his disciples to stop the commotion (Luke 19:39:). The people are disturbing the peace with all of their shouting, “Blessed is the king.” The Pharisees must be thinking: “Do his disciples and his followers not know the seriousness of their statement? What are they thinking calling Jesus the king? This man Jesus does not come in the name of the Lord. How dare these people make such a bold blasphemy? What will the Roman government think of this out cry of foolishness?” The Pharisees have religious and political concerns, which cause them to take action.

Jesus answers the Pharisees, “No, and if I did, the stones would shout” (Luke 19:40 NRSV). Somehow, God the Father would find a way for Jesus, the one he has sent, to be worshipped and glorified. It is impossible for Jesus to not be glorified on this day. Jesus is to be glorified, because he is the Son of Man and the Son of God, was sent by the Lord to redeem all the people in the world.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for letting us glorify your son, Jesus, as he enters Jerusalem. Help us to recall the excitement of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem as we follow him to the cross. Thank you for sending Jesus to the cross so that we might be saved. Amen.

Works Cited

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

Reflective Questions

1. How do you celebrate Palm Sunday?

2. Describe the excitement you feel when you worship Jesus.

Fourth Sunday of Easter: Raising the Dead

Readings

Acts 9:36-43

Psalm 23

Revelation 7:9-17

John 10:22-30

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Several times this week I sat on my couch with my pups and my baby blanket wondering where to find light in the midst of much darkness. This week has been one long /emotional rollercoaster for our nation and the world. The week started with the joyous celebration of Patriot’s Day with the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15, 2013 – a date now forever engraved in our minds. Two young men changed the joyous celebration into fear and trauma. The nation spent the week on edge as police and FBI agents came together to find the two terrorists. By Friday, Boston and surrounding areas were on lockdown as the police, FBI, and more went into homes and searched for the second suspect after a bloody battle late Thursday night took the life of the first suspect. Friday evening, the second suspect was captured and taken into custody. A joyous celebration followed in Boston and on social networks. Yet for the injured, maimed and grieving, the nightmare is still not over. Families sit awaiting news of their loved ones who were injured in the week’s events and plan funerals for those who were lost.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013 is another date engraved into our minds this week as a fertilizer plant exploded, destroying a whole town and neighborhood. Fourteen people were killed in the explosion while several others are injured. Some of the first responders were among the causalities.

Nothing about this week has been light-hearted. Even the history books cast a dark shadow on the dates of this past week. On April 15, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was killed. On April 19, 1995, the Oklahoma City bomb exploded. On April 20, 1999, two teenagers killed thirteen people at Columbine High School. I remember having drills in school following this event just in case it happened at our school. And if that is not enough to put a pit in your stomach, April 20 is Hitler’s birthday. These kinds of events inspire fear and hopelessness in our hearts.

Erin with the blanket her great grandma made her.

It is on weeks like this when I dig into my memory boxes from my childhood and take out the two blankets my great grandmother made me. The blankets were made by hand in her home – a single room schoolhouse with no running water. The first blanket was my baby blanket made from patch squares. My great grandma made one pink and white flower blanket to match my “big girl bedroom” when I was a child. You cannot buy blankets like my great grandma created with her fragile arthritic hands. The pink blanket my great grandma made me sits on lap as I write this devotion. The world seems darker after the Boston Marathon tragedy and the Texas explosion, but the blanket gives me hope for tomorrow. Born in 1900, my great grandma lived through the Great Depression, both World Wars, and the Cold War, and she still had hope in the future as long as she had her shot of whiskey in her coffee each morning! Hope is stitched into the blankets she made; through them, she ensured her grandchildren and great-grandchildren would always keep warm.

In our first reading, Peter gets news that a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ has died and is asked to come visit her friends and family in Joppa. Tabitha is a woman beloved by her community where she did many works of charity such as helping widows and mothers by making them tunics and clothing (Acts 9:36). She was the Mother Teresa of the first century, caring for those that needed extra care and love. By her good works, Tabitha gained the trust of those in her community as a beloved disciple of Jesus Christ. She also brought different cultures together because she was a Greek who came to believe in the Jewish Messiah, Jesus. She lived out the true meaning of discipleship by sharing Jesus’ love with others.

Her friends and family are gathered in her home, recalling memories of Tabitha. Some of her friends probably do not know what they will do without her, because Tabitha did so much for them. Others are hoping to continue to share her handmade tunics and clothing with others and to help those in need. It is a time of grieving as they call on Peter to visit.

Peter has brought back people who were dead before. Jesus was raised from the dead and walked on earth before he ascended into heaven. It was well known that Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave. Tabitha’s friends and family have hope that she will be given new life through Jesus Christ.

In the days that follow the Boston Marathon tragedy and the Texas explosion, it is this hope that keeps me going – death is another chapter in one’s life. Hope carries us beyond the grave and into eternal life. Psalm 23:4 says:

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I fear no evil;

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff—

they comfort me (NRSV).

Jesus Christ brings this light into the darkness to give us hope and to lead us into eternal life. In the darkness, angels continue to whisper, “Do not be afraid. The light is showing you the way home.” It is hard not to be afraid when tragedies occur. Fear is our first instinctive mechanism when tragedies happen, because we want to feel safe. However, the Lord calls us to keep calm and to have hope.

When Peter raises Tabitha to life (Acts 9:40), it is not so much a miracle as it would be today, because it was a common practice – Jesus raised Lazarus and Peter raised others. People come to believe in the Lord (Acts 9:42), because Tabitha being brought back to life changes how the world views death. Before Jesus came into the world, death had the final say. Now people are being raised from the grave. The world is changing right in front of those who watch.

We are given new life through Jesus Christ and his ascension to heaven. Jesus gives us eternal life in his crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension. Tabitha’s friends and family witness new life when Peter brings her back to life; they witness the Lord working through Peter to conquer death. The world no longer has to feel threatened by death, because it is no longer gets the final say. We can hold on to hope that God the Father raised the two runners, the young boy, and the policeman killed on Monday, April 15, 2013 during the explosions in Boston. We can lift up the fourteen people killed on Wednesday, April 17, 2013 in the Texas explosion.

The end of death: this is exciting news for Christians to hear. Satan brought death into the world when he told Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. However, through his crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus conquers death. Where Satan brings darkness, Jesus shines for all to see. This is the good news we, as disciples, are called to share with the world.

Everyone in our family has a blanket handmade by Great Grandma. My mom just had her blankets out and, upon seeing them, I was a little girl again, laid out on a blanket watching my great grandma sew, knit, or crochet all while telling me about God’s love. On days when a tragedy happens, I wrap myself in one of her blankets. Her loving hands were busy creating something for us to treasure. My great grandma lives through her blankets, even today.

Runners have announced their intention to run the Boston Marathon next year to keep the memory of those who died in the bombings alive. Someone placed a jersey on the historical statue at the Boston hockey game with the name of the young boy who died. After the second suspect was captured, people crowded the streets of Boston and surrounding areas and sang the national anthem in memory of those who died in the Revolutionary War and the Boston bombings. God shines his light into the darkness and raises up the innocent, the helpless, the hopeless, and the shameless to new life.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for raising Tabitha up to new life. Help us to share the good news with all those who come into our lives. Remind us the gift of new life starts with Jesus Christ, your Son, and is for all people. Thank you for the gift of new life. Amen.

Works Cited

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

Reflective Questions

1. Where do you find hope in the darkness? How do you keep calm when tragedies happen?

2. How do you share Jesus’ love with others?

Third Sunday of Easter: The Lord Calls Who?

Readings

Acts 9:1-6, (7-20)

Psalm 30

Revelation 5:11-14

John 21:1-19

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Everyone is called by God in some shape or form. You do not have to be a clergyperson / ordained minister to be called by God. A nurse is called by God to tend to the sick; a social worker is called to help people get back on their feet; a police officer is called to keep our neighborhoods safe; a teacher is called to educate others in their field; a parent is called to care for and nurture their children. Everyone has a calling from God to further the good news of Jesus Christ.

As a high school student, I decided I wanted to go to seminary, though at the time I felt called to be a pastor. Somewhere along the way God called me to write as more people, especially former Dean Patricia Lull at Luther Seminary, would nudge me to write. Two years after graduating from Luther Seminary I felt called to write weekly lectionary-based devotions that revolved around the theme of healing. I was scared to begin writing, not knowing who would read the devotions or even what I was getting myself into. The unknown is scary.

In our readings for today, the Lord calls an unlikely individual: Saul who is known to threaten and kill Jesus’ disciples (Acts 9:1). Saul is on way to Damascus to visit the synagogues and find anyone, man or woman, who is a disciple of Jesus. He plans to bring them back to Jerusalem to punish them (Acts 9:2). I think the last person who should be called as a church leader is someone who persecutes Christians. Sometimes I have a difficult time believing the Lord calls me, let alone someone who has killed God’s children. It would be scary to think of the Lord calling Hitler or a serial killer. But God does call and use people who have done terrible things–as he did when he called Saul.

The Lord gets Saul’s attention with a flash of light (Acts 9:3) when he asks, “Why do you persecute me?” Saul is dumbfounded and replies, “Who are you, Lord?” (Acts 9:4-5a). If you have never asked that same question, you may be fooling yourself. I think everyone wonders at some point in their lives who God really is. Maybe your question was, “How are you calling me, Lord?” or “Where are you sending me, Lord? North Dakota? Why not somewhere warmer?” or “What do you want me to do here, Lord?” When the Lord calls you, it is not very simple, because it takes time to fully understand your call.

The Lord answers Saul, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” (Acts 9:5b-6 NRSV). “Just go, Saul, and you will be told what to do.”

“Sure, Lord, could you give me a little more to go on?” A temporarily blinded Saul gets up and is led into Damascus by his two traveling companions (Acts 9:8). Saul is blind, even though for the first time he saw the light and he now believes in Jesus’ glory. He sits in prayer for three days without eating or drinking (Acts 9:9).

The Lord has his work cut out for him by calling Saul, so he calls upon Ananias to show him the way. The Lord says, “Ananias, I need you to go to downtown Damascus and go to Judas’ house where Saul of Tarsus is staying and praying. He had a vision that a man named Ananias would come, lay hands on him, and heal him of his blindness” (Acts 11-12). Ananias takes a minute to collect his thoughts and says, “Do you know who this Saul guy is, Lord? By the authority of the chief priests, he persecutes people who follow you. Are you sure about this?” (Acts 9:13-14). Even faithful disciples of Jesus question him when they are confused.

However, the Lord is determined for Ananias to heal Saul, because he is going to use Saul to bring the good news to the Gentiles, the kings, and the people of Israel. The Lord tells Ananias that Saul will also suffer in his name (Acts 9:15-16). Maybe it is the fact the Lord says Saul will suffer that helps Ananias decide to do what he is called to do, but he does go to see and heal Saul. Saul is then baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17-18). Saul spends time with the disciples in Damascus and proclaims Jesus is the Son of God in the synagogues (Acts 9:19-20).

From a persecutor of Jesus’ disciples to being one of his disciples: Saul is transformed into a new person – someone who believes. Sometime during our call process, we have all been transformed into someone new. A light bulb goes on when we begin to understand what we are called to do and that creates excitement within us.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for calling each one of us to spread the good news. Help us to slow down and to listen to how you are calling us to fulfill your plan. Remind us it is not our will but your will. Continue to guide us as we walk in your way. Thank you for having patience with us as we stumble sometimes in our calls. Amen.

Works Cited

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

Reflective Questions

1. How is Jesus calling you to spread the good news?

2. Who guided you through the call process?

Second Sunday of Easter: Changing the World

Readings

Acts 5:27-32

Psalm 118:14-29

Revelation 1:4-8

John 20:19-31

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Sometimes a moment happens that forever changes things for those that come thereafter.

Before 1976, individuals with disabilities were shunned by society. The few individuals with disabilities fought for the American Disability Act to ensure rights for all individuals with all abilities. These individuals changed the way our society viewed disabilities. No longer did the inability to walk or to be fully independent mean the person was not able to think for themselves. Individuals with disabilities were finally viewed as persons.

A few weeks ago I took part in the Clean Air Ride along the biking trail near my home with my step dad, Kim, and my friend, Peggy. When I went up to check-in, the lady asked me how far I was driving my electric wheelchair. Peggy quickly corrected her by saying, “She is biking fourteen miles on her tricycle.” After that, the lady got us the waver to sign and off we went. Without the American Disability Act, I would not be able to be a part of the amazing cycling community.

In our reading today, the Jewish authorities challenge the teachings of the apostles and even imprison them for not stopping healing the sick, preaching Jesus’ words, and casting out unclean spirits. While imprisoned, the apostles are brought before the Jewish council for a trial (Acts 5:27). The high priest scolds, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.” (Acts 5:28 NRSV). Does the Jewish council feel guilty for having Jesus crucified? What is wrong with teaching in his name.

The conflict between the apostles and the Jewish council is rooted in the apostles’ actions after Jesus’ resurrection. The apostles continue to heal the sick, cast out unclean spirits, and preach the good news. The Jewish council feels threatened by the actions of the apostles, because their message is spreading throughout Judea and Galilee. The good news is something the people are hungry to hear and live out. The Jewish authorities no longer hold the people in fear by requiring them to make sacrifices. God’s message to the world is changing, because it is no longer just for one special group of people but for all people.

The apostles continue to draw attention to Jesus – the man the Jewish authorities had killed. The Jewish authorities are now feeling the negative consequences of having Jesus killed. Drawing attention to Jesus’ love, grace, and forgiveness indirectly places blame on the Jewish authorities. The apostles are challenging the authority of the Jewish council as well as the Roman Empire for killing an innocent man. No one likes to be blamed for something or to be reminded of their past sins. By continuing to heal the sick, cast out unclean spirits, and preach the good news, the apostles are blaming the Jewish authorities for killing Jesus, even if this is not their primary intention.

Peter beautifully rebukes the Jewish authorities in his arguments against their judgments. The apostles answer to a higher power; their first allegiance is to God the Father (Acts 5:29b). No other authority comes before God’s authority. When a human authority contradicts God, the apostles follow God’s authority. Jesus tells the apostles to continue to heal the sick, cast out unclean spirits, and preach the good news just as he did when he was in the world. The apostles do as Jesus instructs them.

Second, Peter points out that, despite the Jewish authorities’ best efforts to put a halt to Jesus and his message, God raised him up (Acts 5:30). Jesus physically overturns death by rising on the third day. Death no longer gets the final say. Jesus’ resurrection confirms his Lordship for the entire world. He who was killed as a criminal is raised up as Lord of all on God’s right hand (Acts 5:31a). The Jewish authorities condemn Jesus as a criminal, but God makes him Lord.

God raises Jesus up in order to give Israel the ability to repent and to receive forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:31b). God does not have Jesus crucified just for the fun of it but to give Israel two gifts: repentance and forgiveness. These gifts challenge the Jewish authorities (…and us), because it is a new way of thinking and being. We no longer have to kill our best calf to show our loyalty to God the Father; all we need to do is repent and ask for forgiveness. We have to let go of everything that keeps us from having a relationship with God the Father – anger, fear, and resentment – and go into the light.

The apostles are witnesses to Jesus’ glory and are empowered to spread the good news with the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32). As witnesses, Jesus calls the apostles to share the good news with all people.

Just as the American Disability Act changed the relationship between individuals with disabilities and individuals without disabilities, so did Jesus’ message to the world. There are no more outsiders, because all are welcomed to be in a relationship with the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for Peter’s wisdom to stand up for your authority and not be pressured to keep quiet. Help us to be like Peter as we go out to spread the good news. Keep us from being trapped by other authorities. Thank you for providing a change in the world by welcoming all of us into your Kingdom. Amen.

Works Cited

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

Reflective Questions

1. How has the world changed in your lifetime?

2. How does the Easter promise change you?

Easter Sunday: Having Faith in Jesus

Readings

Acts 10:34-43

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

1 Corinthians 15:19-26

Luke 24:1-12

Devotion

Photo Credit: Amber Sue Photography, www.ambersuephotography.com

Peace be with you!

After the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women go back to the tomb with burial spices they have prepared (Luke 24:1), only to find the stone only from the tomb (Luke 24:2). The women go in the tomb and discover Jesus’ body is missing (Luke 24:3). First, their Lord, who they had followed for three years, was brutally killed and now his body is missing. All of the women saw Joseph of Arimathea place Jesus’ linen-wrapped body wrapped in the tomb two nights ago. Where could it have gone? Who would take it?

Then the women are confused when they suddenly see two angels (Luke 24:4) who frighten them. However, the angels say, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again” (Luke 24:5-7). Jesus told them he would not be there on the third day, and yet the angels needed to remind the women. Then a light bulb goes off in the women’s heads and they remember what Jesus had said (Luke 24:8).

Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women race back to tell the eleven disciples about what the angels told them (Luke 24:9-10). The disciples are mystified by the news and do not believe the women (Luke 24:11). However, Peter runs to the tomb, looks in, and sees the linen cloths laying there (Luke 24:12a). Peter goes home and is amazed (Luke 24:12b).

One difficult part of faith is believing in the impossible. How can a man can rise again after being dead for three days? Like Peter, you want to see it for yourself,. Sure, Jesus said he would rise again, but it is impossible in our minds. How can it be? God the Father creates a way through Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son and our Lord

At Bible camp, “trust falls” are frequently used to illustrate what it means to put your faith in someone. One person falls backward into the arms of another. This is a tough part of faith: falling back and trusting Jesus will catch you. After all, in real life, how many times do we put our trust in someone only to have them to let us fall? We have done it countless times. We just cannot trust Jesus’ words when he says he will rise again and we will rise with him. It sounds like a fairy tale – all of our dreams will come true.

The last difficult part about faith is that we will be criticized for believing in the unseen. We will be asked (as the women asked the angels) how it can be so.

Yet having faith in the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit – gives us such peace. God the Father sent Jesus to die for our sins to give us love, peace, grace, and forgiveness. We cannot earn our way into the Kingdom of God on our own merit. We need Jesus to die on cross, to rise again, and to ascend into heaven to be with God the Father. This is the truly amazing gift of Easter – the life-giving gift that Jesus gave us when he overcame death. He provided us with a way into the Kingdom of God.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for showing us the empty tomb. Help us to grasp the Easter miracle as we go about our day. Remind us that you will catch us when we fall. Thank you for your love, peace, grace, and forgiveness. Amen.

Works Cited

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

Reflective Questions

1. When did you find the empty tomb?

2. What is difficult about faith for you? How does faith give you peace?

Saturday of Holy Week: Not Everyone Agreed

Readings

Psalm 31:9-16

Philippians 2:5-11

Luke 23:50-56

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Not all of the Jewish leaders agreed with the majority decision to get rid of him. After Jesus dies yesterday, Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Jewish council shows his dissent by going to Pilate and asking for Jesus’ body (Luke 23:50-52). Luke tells us this story because he wants us to fully understand that Jesus is now dead. Because Joseph cares for Jesus’ body, he is in a position to assess and witness to this fact. Only dead bodies are placed in tombs.

Joseph takes great care with Jesus’ body by taking it down from the cross and wrapping it in linen cloth (Luke 23:53ab). Because the Sabbath is beginning at dusk, Joseph lays the dead Jesus in his own new tomb (Luke 23:53c-54). Although Joseph is a Jewish authority figure, he gives Jesus a burial of honor after his unjust execution as a criminal.

Joseph does not hide his actions. The Galilean women (probably Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary mother of James as noted in Luke 24:10) follow Joseph to the tomb and see where he lays Jesus’ body (Luke 23:55). The women who cared for Jesus during his ministry follow him to the cross and the grave. Their devotion stands in contrast to the fearful betrayals and denials of some of the disciples.

Since it is the Sabbath, Joseph and the women go home to rest according to the commandment (Luke 23:56c). They are faithfully following the Ten Commandments and honoring their Lord. Their devotion to Jesus never ceases, even in his death. After the Sabbath, the woman will return with prepared spices and ointments to care for Jesus’ body (23:56ab). The women’s love for Jesus goes beyond death and the grave; they will keep his love and ministry alive.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Jesus, Thank you for taking our beating, our cross, our punishment for us. Help us to live a life worthy of your sacrifice. Thank you for the power of your love. Amen.

Works Cited

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

Reflective Questions

1. In our culture today, what rituals are done to prepare a body for burial? How do these compare to those that were used during the time of Jesus?

2. Where are you in the story after Jesus’ death? With Joseph who only finds the courage to break with the Jewish council after Jesus’ death? With the devoted women who do not abandon Jesus in his death and burial? With the disciples who hid out in fear? What happens in your faith life when the going gets tough?