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A Blessed Life

1/21/2015

Matthew 5:1-20 click here for the reading

Matthew 5:3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”

What makes people happy? If we asked people you know, what kind of answers would they say? How would you answer? What would make you really happy?

The Beatitudes in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-20) outline nine scenarios for the Blessed Life. This Blessed Life has deep joy that doesn’t depend on easy circumstances. In fact, Jesus has a long list of life goals that seem upside down for us: poverty of spirit, sorrow, humility and submission, persecution and insults. Not many of us would list those as goals for ourselves or our children. And yet, Jesus leads us to a satisfying life that begins by recognizing our need for HIM. When we see our need for a Savior, grieve over sin, and submit our strength to God’s control, we discover a Blessed Life. A Blessed Life that sustains and strengthens us through the ups and downs of life.

The things that we strive for in our world so often fade and disappear. Jesus offers a Blessed Life that weathers the storms of life and leads us to deep joy.

Marcia Marquardt

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Testing, Testing....1, 2, 3

1/14/2015

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Matthew 4:1-17 click here for the reading

"Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights." Matthew 4:1-2

What is the difference between a test and being tested? Christians use the words interchangeably. Unfortunately often mistakenly. Any time that we are confronted with adversity or trouble, we might say "the Lord is testing me." This would be a mistake when we look at Jesus being tempted by Ha Satan - The adversary.

Jesus was taken into the wild by the Holy Spirit.....to prepare for the test. He does so by fasting and praying for 40 days and nights.

The Devil is the one who gives the test.

This story of Jesus' temptation has a resonance in the book of Job. (Shameless plug for upcoming Lenten Bible Study on the book of Job). Jesus endures 3 times, 1st- bread to feed his hungry stomach, 2nd to have angels catch him if he falls, 3rd - to give him the kingdoms of the whole world in exchange to worship the devil.

Jesus' faithfulness to the obedience of God in the midst of these trials, temptations, or tests gives us an idea of what God intends for us to experience 'God with us.' Jesus vulnerability in the testing helps us see God at work in the lives of all humanity. In the temptations of Jesus, God fully experiences the powers of the dark side to the extent of conquering over these temptations, trials and tests.

Jesus was a better test taker than mist of us.....thank God!

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Jesus' Baptism, John's Reluctance

1/7/2015

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Matthew 3:1-17 click here for the reading

"John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Matthew 3:14-15

There is a reluctance in our relationship with God. This Sunday'sscripture (Matthew 3:1-17) shows us that there is a reluctance for repentance. That was is far too easy to see in others and ourselves. It is what prevents us from a deeper discipleship, what Jesus later requests of us in dying to our selfish ways (Matthew 16). But here, with John, we see a reluctance of righteousness. Jesus request of John to baptize him (the son of God) appears normal. I mean it is Jesus. But maybe John is making to much of his reluctance to participate.

Jesus' baptism is the very connection he makes with his people. It is Jesus' baptism that fully identifies him with the people he has come to save. Jesus insists that John do so in order to fulfill all righteousness. By doing so, John and others here the affirmation from heaven; "this is my Son with whom I am well pleased." In our own baptismal identity we are linked with the same adoption. We are claimed as God's children through Jesus' death and resurrection. And that would be sufficient for all righteousness. BUT God then calls us to participate in the righteousness that God is bringing into the world. That is when we might even be more reluctant than ever.

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Death of the first borns

1/5/2015

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Exodus 12:28 click here for the reading

Looking into Herod's killing of the innocence and the Holy Family's escape to Egypt, we are prompted to a familiar story in Exodus. The death of the first borns in Egypt as one of the plagues that released God's people from their place of Slavery. Now the family of God is headed back to that same place to seek refuge from a different political tyrant. The similarities are obvious and confusing.

Political tyrant: Pharaoh & Herod
Killing of innocent children: by God and by Herod
Protection provided to: Hebrews & Jesus family
reason: freedom from slavery & freedom from death

This story relates to the slaughter of the innocence in Matthew 2 because it reminds us that the incarnational reality of Jesus being born to be God with us, does not give him a free pass from the evils and trial violence of this world.

Jesus does not escape the slaughter of the innocence but God provides a passover for Jesus and the Holy Family for this time. Because Jesus ultimately will suffer from the death of innocence. Pilate will say he has found no fault in him, Jesus was blameless and sinless, and yet he dies on the cross for us.

Lord, in the ways you show up in the world that we cannot understand, reveal to us your willingness to go into the deep dark places and death of innocent children of our own world to see you at work in the redemption of all that you have created.

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Slaughter of the innocence

1/3/2015

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Matthew 2:13-23 click here for the reading

A famous preacher was asked about another young preacher's sermon. In response the older preacher commented: "I didn't think it had enough blood on it." His reference was to the cross but certainly is poignant. Now that the world has stopped celebrating Christmas, the church turns to the narrative directly following the birth stories. Now that Jesus has been born, his genealogy thoroughly examined, the shepherds told the story, and the Magi have come to worship him, Jesus life is being threatened by a political tyrant; King Herod.

The shiny christmas story loses its glimmer at the slaughter of innocent children. This story reminds us at the need of a savior from the violence of this world. If asked about our christmas sermons and approach as a society maybe the older preacher was right, maybe it doesn't have enough blood on it.

The slaughter of the innocence, as this scripture is referred, confronts us with a reality we all know to be true...Innocent children are being murdered everyday. How quickly the Christmas story turns from celebration to bloodshed.

As we watch the news of children in Pakistan being murdered in their schools, or we see the violence of another school shooting, or the death of a 13 month old in Milwaukee in a house shooting, this scripture hits far too close to home. It is there that Matthew holds us in tension with the gospel message. The christ child is not immune from the horrors of this world and this is exactly what it means for Jesus to be Immanuel, God with us. God with us in flesh and blood threatened by the powers and principalities of the devil and evil forces. By the end of this story Matthew intends for us to hear that bloodshed has turned to celebration but for now we sit in the reality of the slaughter of the innocence, a reality Jesus has come to save us from.

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A Blessed Life

Testing, Testing....1, 2, 3

Jesus' Baptism, John's Reluctance

Death of the first borns

Slaughter of the innocence

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