Word for Today, Fri, 26 Mar 2004: Two Messages For Holy Week
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
Dear friends,
I have subscribed, two or three times, to a devotional series
that comes out specifically for the Lenten season, the season in
the Christian calendar that depicts the events leading up to the
suffering, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus
Christ. The series comes from Christianbook.com, who advertise
their books. I'm not here to advertise anything, but I did leave
the information about the book, just in case anyone happens to be
interested in it.
What interests me is that Jesus Christ withheld nothing at all,
not even His own life as He came to seek and save the lost,
which is each one of us. Every single one of us, apart from
Jesus Christ, is lost in our sins.
I shared something to what I'm about to share with you the other
day with a dear friend, whom I know only through Email
correspondence, yet we have a common heart and spirit on many
matters. Changing just a few words, here's what I shared, much
of which I can say to each of you:
Here's what I believe: 14 For this reason I kneel before the
Father, 15 from whom his whole family[1] in heaven and on earth
derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he
may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner
being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18
may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide
and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know
this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to
the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is
able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be
glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all
generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21, NIV)
...and this:
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not
be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And
the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard
your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers,
whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever
is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything
is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. 9
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen
in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with
you.
Finally, I believe this:
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of
many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith
develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so
that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If
any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously
to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But
when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who
doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
7That man should not think he will receive anything from the
Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
I've had those beliefs tried and tested at every corner.
Personally, I've wavered, but God hasn't, not once. That
strengthens my faith! I still waver, from time to time, but the
most my faith can do is waver a bit - it can't be toppled. I
worry as little as possible. If I get into a worrying fit, I
know I'm capable of descending into a deep depression, for it's
happened before to me. Nah, I've learned my lesson, Lord
willing, for the last time, at least on that point. My prayer
today is that I've learned those lessons well enough so that God
can work on me in OTHER areas of my life.
I pray for you as a group often, and those of you I happen to
know personally, I pray for you specifically on many occasions.
I pray that the things that discourage you will not snare you,
that your life will be always filled with hope, joy, and peace.
Yours in Christ,
Brian
____________________________________________________________
March 26, 2004
The Torn Curtain
In that week that we call `Holy,' there are many symbols upon
which we can reflect. Christ's crown of thorns, by itself, calls
to mind the crucifixion, as does the cross. But seldom do we
think about a picture of a curtain in the temple being torn in
two. Yet, in Matthew, when he has told us that Jesus yielded up
his spirit (cf. Matthew 27:50), he immediately turned to what
happened in the temple. "And behold, the curtain of the temple
was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and
the rocks split . . ." (Matthew 27:51).
To understand the symbolism of this event, we need to recall the
floor plan of the temple. There were three major areas within
the temple: the outer court, the holy place and holy of holies.
When the people gathered to worship, the women and God-fearers
(Gentiles who had been converted to Judaism) had to remain in
the outer court. The next court--the holy place--was the arena
in which the men worshiped. The final section of the temple was
the holy of holies that only the priests could enter. But now
all of that has. been changed. Jesus is the Word made flesh who
dwells among all people. (cf. John 1:14) Now, we are all called
to accept this new fellowship with the one true God. As Jesus
said to Philip, when he said, "Lord, show us the Father, and we
shall be satisfied;" "He who has seen me has seen the Father..."
(John 14:8,9).
Paul, writing to the Ephesians about the division between Jew
and Gentile, said, "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were
far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ. For he is
our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the
dividing wall of hostility, . . . and might reconcile us both to
God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the
hostility to an end, . . . for through him we both have access
in one Spirit to the Father" (Ephesians 2:13-18). What applied
to these two groups--Jews and Gentiles--applies now to all
others and to individuals. Therefore, our continual task is to
be ambassadors of reconciliation (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17-6:1).
March 27, 2004
The Suffering of Jesus
There are many terms that we use to remind us that Jesus is the
one we should listen to as we seek true life. We call him:
Emmanuel (God with us), Lord, Master, Teacher, Good Shep-herd,
Priest and King. Jesus asked us to listen to him when he said,
"If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you
will know the truth, and the truth will make you free" (John
8:31). As disciples we must be willing to learn from the teacher
who came to give us abundant life (cf. John 10:10).
One of the repugnant things about the Crucifixion is the way
that Jesus was treated by the people he came to help. He had no
desire to be an earthly king to those people (cf. John 6:15).
But he did want his disciples to respond to him as one who could
teach them and rule them for good. "You call me Teacher and
Lord; and you are right, for so I am" (John 13:13). "Why do you
call me 'Lord, Lord'" and not do what I tell you?" (Luke 6:46).
Part of what we must face, in the season of Lent, is this fact
that we also fail to fully understand what it means to call
Jesus "Lord and Master." All of life is a struggle to live out
the implications of what we believe about him. From him, we
learn to forgive, and to love the unlovable. From him, we learn
what God requires of us. "A new commandment I give to you, that
you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also
love one another" (John 13:34). When we fail to do so, we mock
his kingship. Jesus set the goal before us: "A disciple is not
above his teacher, nor is a servant above his master; it is
enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant
like his master" (Matthew 10:24, 25).
It is not required that we reach this standard so that we may be
accepted by God in Christ. Instead, we place the standard before
us because we believe that, having accepted Jesus as Lord and
Master, it is what God wants for us so that we can live life as
he intended it to be lived. The picture of what God wants for us
helps us to face the need to repent, to turn life around and go
forth in a new direction, in God's direction.
"What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered Was all for sinners' gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, But Thine the deadly pain. Lo,
here I fall, my Saviour! 'Tis I deserve Thy place; Look on me
with Thy favor, Vouchsafe to me Thy grace." --Ascribed to
Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153)
These devotionals were excerpted from:
The Lent Instructor: Reflections On The Symbolism And Events Of
Holy Week
Kenneth A. Mortonson
Retail Price: $6.95
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( In Stock )
This daily devotional for the Lenten season contains 40 brief
meditations on various symbols and scenes from the Passion of
our Lord. Each includes several scripture references, as well as
verses from familiar hymns. A scripture index and hymn index are
also included. Visit our Lenten Devotional page.
This message brought to you by:
Christianbook.com
P.O. Box 8000
Peabody, MA 01961-8000
We hope that you find this newsletter fun and informative.
=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/
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