As we continue our journey through Lent, we are just a little over two weeks away from Easter. If you made the decision to “give up” something for Lent, how are you doing with that? I jokingly told the congregation that I was giving up liver! Truth is I hate liver and would rather eat dirt so then giving up liver for Lent would not be a good thing. In reality I gave up French fries and for me that is a ‘sacrifice!”
Why do we “give up” something for Lent? The most compelling reason is that Lent should be a time of reflection and repentance. Giving up something is a very small way for us to contemplate just what Jesus gave up for you and for me. I would encourage you to take this time we call Lent as a time to reflect on where you are spiritually. I also would encourage you to understand that at the end of lent we come face-to-face with the cross of Jesus! With that said, today we live in a world that at times can seem hopeless. At some time I am sure we may wonder if God hears our prayers at all! But I can assure you that God does hear every prayer that is said. Because of the cross and the empty tomb of Easter morning, you and I have hope that cannot be defeated. Jesus came as God in the flesh with one purpose in mind and that was to bring peace and hope to a world in desperate need of both. In the emptiness of the Easter morning tomb, we find peace. Certainly there is no peace in many of our lives, at least not the kind of peace we can enjoy right here right now. But the peace Jesus brought was a peace that assures everyone who proclaims “Jesus as lord of their life,” will have eternal life in heaven with God, Jesus and all those Christians who have gone before. That peace brings us hope but we must trust in God’s words and promises. We also must obey God’s commandments! Now, as we continue this journey through Lent, walk with hope and peace knowing that God is always faithful to us; all we need to do is be more faithful to God! Amen. This past weekend I went to see the movie version of “The Shack.” I had read the book when it first came out and I had forgotten lots of what the author wrote. Prior to going to the movie, I took my copy of the book off my bookcase and skimmed through it to refresh my memory. It is a very interesting story and the movie is very well done and is also very close to the book.
The movie, at least to me is about two things: forgiveness and being in a right relationship with God. It also leads us down a path that asks the hardest question anyone ever asks: “How can an all-loving, all-knowing, omnipresent God cause or even allow all the horrific things we humans do to each other—especially what some adults will do to children?” The simple and truthful answer is that we live in a world permeated by and with evil. Could God stop all this evil—certainly but to do so would remove what we call “free will!” The one thing that hit me hard in the movie (and in the book as well) is when Mack is taken into a cave and comes face-to-face with Sophia (wisdom). She points out to him that he is very judgmental and that judging others belongs to God and God alone. She moves out of her seat and has Mack sit there and tells him that he is now in the place of God and that he is now THE judge. Then she says something to the effect of, “You have two children. You have to send one of them to Hell and the other will go to heaven. Which one goes to Hell?” Mack stammered and stuttered and finally told her he could not make that choice. “But you have to, choose one! Come on Mack we don’t have all day!” (Paraphrase mine!) Finally, Mack said to her that rather than choose to send one to Hell he would go in their place, and that was the point she was trying to get across to him. The truth is, God loves everyone and it is not up to us to judge anyone—that is God’s job and God’s alone. Think about that this week as you go along the busyness of life. Someone once said “you can’t judge another person unless you have walked in their shoes.” (Source unknown) I believe that once we understand what it really means to forgive and to live in a right relationship with God, judging others will quickly disappear from our lives! Amen. In John 8:1-11 we read a most interesting story. It seems as though the Temple leaders have caught a woman in “the very act of committing adultery!” (v4) They then quote the law of Moses which demands that such a woman be stoned to death. They then ask Jesus what he has to say concerning this matter.
There is one major problem with this story – where is the man? Unless I am mistaken, it requires two to commit adultery! OF course, Jesus sees right through their scheme and the way he responds should teach us today how we should respond to similar situations. Jesus says nothing at all! Recently at a meeting of sports officials in the Kansas City area, we were told to be very careful what we say when a coach or player argues with us. “Silence cannot be quoted,” the person leading the meeting said. “Silence cannot be quoted!” That is so simple to say and so hard to do! We humans like to open our moths and try to impress others with what we “know!” Someone once said “it is best to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubts!” Jesus does not fall into the trap so precisely set by the Temple leaders. Instead, he simply bends down and begins to write in the dirt. What he writes we are not told but it could be that he writes there in that dirt some of the very sins these Temple leaders have themselves been committing. The scribes and Pharisees push him harder for a response. Jesus finally stands up, holds out a stone in his hand and says, “Let anyone among you who is without sin, be the first to throw a stone at her.” (7b) Immediately he bends back down and continues to write. Beginning with the oldest one there, they walk away I imagine with their heads hung low! He then turns to the woman and tells her to go home and “sin no more.” (11b) Today, we know that no matter how hard we try to live a sin-free life, we are going to fail. All of us sin each and every day and to God, there is not a numerical list of the severity of sins. The harsh truth is that any sin separates us from God. It is only through God’s grace, brought and given by Jesus the Christ, which allows us to walk day to day not perfect, just forgiven. I carry a rock in my pocket as a reminder to me that I cannot cast that first stone – can you?
The Old Testament reading for this week is the story of God calling Abram to move from the comfort of his home to an unknown place. When I say “unknown,” actually what God said to Abram was “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1b NIV) Without asking any questions at all Abram packs up all his “stuff” including his animals and started on a journey to an unknown destination. Now, today, how many of us would do that? Whether we Christians like it or not, Abram (who later become Abraham) is the father of three of the world’s major religions: Christians, Jews and Muslims. Something else we don’t like to admit is that Abraham’s God was the one thing all three of these religions had in common, at least in their earliest days! Believe it or not, when Muhammad founded the Muslim faith, he demanded protection for Jews and Christians alike. “This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them. Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them…No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).” (https://www.onfaith.co/onfaith/2009/12/30/prophet-muhammads-promise-to-christians/125) These are words from Muhammad dated around 628 ACE. However, it did not take too long after Muhammad died until all this changed! Today, Muslims and Christians make up about 50% of the world’s population. (same source as above). What would happen if these two religions could come together in a peaceful gathering? We would be half way toward world peace. While I know full well that this is a far-fetched dream, it is a possibility. As descendants of Abram, we are in a sense brothers and sisters all serving the same God! IF we could (both groups here) have the same deep and trusting faith that Abram had, we could change the world as we know it! Amen. |
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This blog consists of reflections written by the minister each week for the Sunday bulletin. We hope that you enjoy the musings! Archives
January 2020
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