Looking at the Lilies

Saturday, April 7 / Luke 12:8-34

God provides. Jesus offers reassurance of that in today’s passage. “Don’t worry about everyday life…Look at the ravens…” God feeds them. “Look at the lilies…” God dresses them. And God will provide His children with everything we need as well.

On this day after the darkness of Good Friday, I’m thinking of lilies, those beautiful flowers of this holy season. Majestic symbols of purity, hope and resurrection. Exquisite reminders of God’s love, they speak this morning.

God provides. Look at the lilies. Look at the cross. Look at the empty tomb. God has provided a Savior.

And if He, loving us this much, has provided for our most important and eternal need, can’t we trust Him for mere earthly needs as well? Yes, yes, yes! To be reminded of His loving promise, I need only look at the lilies.

This morning I celebrate in anticipation of tomorrow’s glory. Just look at the lilies--God provides!

Precious Truth

Luke 11:37 - 12:7

Over the years, my mom has passed onto me several Rubbermaid bins full of goodies, I’ve accumulated over the years - trophies and awards I received, clothes, pictures, papers, and so much more. Still, I know there are things she’s still holding onto, including a tuft of hair from my first haircut and other symbols of precious memories for her.

Jesus reminds us today that we have great value to God. Although five sparrows could be purchased for 2 pennies, God is aware of each one. Jesus reminds us that we are worth more than a whole flock of birds, that God knows even the number of the hairs on our heads. (He knows the tufts that have been cut and the follicles that no longer produce.) We are precious to him.

So often we forget. We get so caught up in this world he made for us – the pressures and the rewards. We forget the dangers of the yeast of the Pharisees. The hypocrisy of the Pharisees redirects our attention away from God. Sometimes we act like them, creating a façade of righteousness for others to admire and follow. Other times we feel the burden of the Pharisees; we forget that God is the judge, and we put all our effort into pleasing people, rather than God.

Jesus tells us today that the result of both - relying on our own righteousness and working for the approval of others - is misery. We put so much stock in the opinions of others, it’s hard to hear this clearly, “Don’t be afraid of people who can only kill you. Fear, instead, the God of heaven with the power to send you to hell.”

Jesus promises that the day is coming when all will be revealed, when all our secrets will be exposed. Sadly the Pharisees responded to Jesus’ message with hostility rather than repentance. While his message is convicting, it is also a message of hope. The truth will be told about us, and God already knows it. If we are willing to get passed ourselves and admit the truth, we no longer need to fear this powerful God. For our great God and Savior, Jesus, on a Friday years ago, gave up his life on a cross for us. If we try to avoid the truth and hide behind our own claims of goodness, our future is one of misery. But if we admit the truth now and trust Jesus as our Savior, our future is one of promise.

No Middle Ground

Luke 11:14-36

It's as though Jesus is saying, "You say you still want more proof? No,
enough is enough. The kingdom of God has arrived. It's time to choose."
Jesus tells us (verse 23), "Anyone who isn't working with me is
actually working against me." We can't have it both ways. There is no
middle ground. We can't be a "house swept clean" and then stay empty -
not make a choice. If we don't choose for Jesus, we are by default
choosing against him. As opposite as night and day, as the power of
Satan and The Finger of God. These are tough words, then and now.

Jesus claims to be greater than Solomon. Greater than Jonah. Remember
what we heard on the Mount of Transfiguration? The voice from heaven
made it clear that Jesus is greater than Moses, greater than Elijah -
although both appeared in glorious splendor - for the Father has
declared again that Jesus is the Chosen One, on his way to his
appointment with suffering. Soon we will hear the taunts - IF you are
the Son of God, come down from the cross. Now he says there are to be
no more "prove your authority" maneuvers. No middle ground - it's time
to choose. We are either full of light or full of darkness.

Lord, I affirm that I want my whole life to be radiant, every part of
me that you have swept clean now filled with your Holy Spirit.

Deetje Wildes

Ask Yourself...

Ask yourself – which of the two sisters is the most like me?  Or, put another way, am I too much like Martha, distracted, nervous, determined, complaining, and attempting to please Jesus with a delicious meal?  Am I more like Mary, wanting to ‘save the moments’ with Jesus – seeking, searching and being quiet in His presence?  Some folk may assume that this teaches laziness.  NOT SO!

The old quote says, “Some folks are so heavenly they are no earthly good!”  We will not promote that idea!  No doubt most of us likely need some qualities of both women in our lives!  V. 42 – Ask yourself now, “have I discovered in my trust in Jesus that which nothing will take from me . . .ever?  Chap. 11:1 – Do you feel you really know how to pray?  Most of us feel a need of some help in that regard, I’m quite sure.  The Lord’s Prayer (compare the wording with the Lord’s Prayer as recorded in Matthew 6:9-15).  Chap. 11:5-13 – Jesus taught us, keep on asking the Father.  Don’t give up.  Key words include: ASK, SEEK, KNOCK, FIND.  Do you really feel that the Heavenly Father wants to answer your prayers?  Why?  Why not?  Would you say you have “patience” when you have prayer requests?

 

Donald E. Pardun

Luke 10:13-37

Greetings,

 

Ready for the understatement of the day?  Jesus sure is different than most people.  I didn’t know how to put that without sounding trite, but it is amazingly true.  Here we have the disciples all excited about casting out demons in Jesus name and while Jesus is pleased, He tells them not to rejoice in this, but to rejoice that their names are registered in heaven. 

 

The truly perplexing part of this passage is when Jesus is asked a simple question by an expert in religious law, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  We often speak of Law and Gospel; I would expect a “Gospel” answer to this question such as “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved – you and your household” or “repent and be baptized” or “for it is by grace you have been saved through faith”.  But Jesus seems to give a “Law” answer.  In fact He asks the expert in religious law, “What does the law of Moses say, how do you read it?”  The expert in religious law answers, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and all your mind.  And love your neighbor as yourself.”  Jesus says, “Right, do this and you will live.” 

 

What!?!?!  Did Jesus just say that if you follow the law (love God, love your neighbor) you will inherit eternal life?  This perplexes me because we don’t inherit eternal life by the law, but rather by the gospel.  In other words, there is nothing we can do to earn eternal life, it must be 100% a gift from God.  But Jesus said, “do this and you will live.”  If these things are true, did Jesus answer the question wrong?  Of course not, He is Jesus!!  But do you feel the tension here with me?  This is not an isolated incidence either, remember when the rich young rule asked Jesus the exact same question?  See Matthew 19:16, Mark 10:17, or Luke 18:18.

 

In both these occasions when Jesus was asked this question of inheriting eternal life the conversation didn’t focus on “love God” but on “love your neighbor.”  Our expert in religious law wanted to be sure if he was loving his neighbor so he asked Jesus who his neighbor was.  Does this mean that he thought he was loving God with ALL his heart, soul, strength, and mind? 

 

Can we really love our neighbor in the way that Jesus described in the story of the Good Samaritan?  If we went around helping people in this way, we would soon run out of money!  Also, what about all those hurting people who we don’t notice.  How can we help everybody, even our enemies?  When Jesus was asked this question by the rich young man, the rich young man said, “I have done all these things since I was a child.”  Jesus basically said to him, no you haven’t.  If you really love your neighbor sell all your possessions and give to the poor! 

 

There are two ways “to try” to get to heaven, but only one way works.  The first is the way of Law, “love God and your neighbor perfectly.”  The other is the Gospel, “Jesus has loved God and His neighbor perfectly.  He has forgiven your sins and has credited you with His perfect life.” 

 

Jesus was confronting people who were trying to inherit eternal life by way of the law.  I think Jesus wanted to show them that this is impossible.  Their correct response to Jesus should have been one of confession and repentance, “Lord, I can’t do this!  I am a sinner.  I need forgiveness.”  Before the Gospel was proclaimed to these people, they first needed to be crushed by the law.  They needed to realize that when Jesus said, “do this and you will live” they couldn’t “do this” – they needed a savior.  The Savior was standing right in front of them, and they didn’t even know they needed Him.

 

Are you crushed by the demands of the Law or are you proud of your good life (like being able to cast out demons in Jesus name, like the disciples).  The savior is standing right in front of us in the Bible, offering us forgiveness of our sins! 

 

Grace and Peace,

 

Pastor Adam Berge

 

Yes, But

Luke 9:51-10:12

Of course I'll offer grace to Londa for back-posting (while I'm adding my blog here at the very end of a discombobulated day! :)

I am amazed sometimes, how my youngest kid can work his way out of some directive from me. It is a verbal twist he has learned and made into an art form. The key is his turn on the words, "Yes, but..."

It allows Nate to say precisely what I want and expect to hear: "Yes". I am always glad to hear that word winsomely come from his lips. It gives the indication that he has heard me, that he understands my wishes, and that he desires to obey and has good intent to do so.

But then quicker than a comma he attaches that word: "but". And, with effortless verbal jujitsu, entirely undoes -- reverses the meaning of the "yes" just preceding. He is really saying "no", but it is "no" with a smile and the sound of a "yes".

In our reading today, three people (9:57-61) say "Yes, but" to Jesus. The first actually brashly volunteers his "yes". "I will follow you wherever you go" he calls out to Jesus like some adoring fan at a rock concert. Jesus knows he has NO IDEA what he has said yes to, and if he did that he would be adding a great big "but". So, almost comically Jesus provides it for him! "Great, but did you know following me can be hard? I have no home."

The second is called by Jesus to follow, and he enthusiastically agrees, "yes, but Jesus, I'll be right with you after I bury my father". Well, that certainly sounds understandable... until we read the experts who believe all likelihood is that the yes man's dad here is not even currently ill, no less deceased. "Yes, but..." He is really saying, "no Jesus I won't drop everything and follow you now nor anywhere, but if and when and where as I choose later, I may follow you. Sound familiar?

The third (v61) literally says, "Yes, but". "Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family." The point is not that this isn't a perfectly reasonable excuse (at least on the surface). Who knows?! Maybe the goodbye would last a decade. Maybe the man would be a no-show, never actually returning to follow Jesus. We don't know. The point is when Jesus calls people to follow, there's always something.

"Jesus, I confess & repent that my yes-es most have a comma rather than a period following them. Will You stoop down and give me the faith to just say, "Yes.""

PPaul

Luke 9:28-50

Back-posting to the day before is the sign of a delinquent blogger. Thanks for the grace you offer.

The transfiguration has always seemed a mysterious passage to me. Jesus
goes up a mountain with James and John. While he is there a visit occurs
from Moses and Elijah followed by a reconfirmation from the Father that this
is His Son.

Not that I have it all figured out, but a couple things stuck out to me as I
read it this time. First of all when Moses and Elijah appeared they began
speaking to Jesus of, "how He was about to fulfill God's plan by dying in
Jerusalem." Both Moses and Elijah lived lives of faithfulness in the hope
of the coming Messiah. Now He was here. He was about to go to the cross.
What a blessing for them to have precious time of talking to their Savior
about His gracious act that is made not only for the people of that time and
of the future, but also for their very lives.

Second, it seems intriguing to find the disciples asleep knowing that they
will soon sleep again in the garden. They seem to sleep at the most
inopportune times. Times when significant acts of Christ are occurring.
The battle of the flesh rages to pull us away from the spiritual reality
happening around us.

Third, I love to see the Father reconfirming His Son. It would be a
blessing to all three parties. Moses and Elijah rejoicing in the nearer
completion of redemption, Peter and James having eyes opened to a greater
understanding of who Christ is, and Jesus having the good word of the Father
spoken over what He knows to be a tragic, but graciously necessary,
redemption.