Faithfulness "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ..." (Galatians 5:22) Day after day continues, time rolls on, and for many the days drag slowly. Solomon lamented, "The sun rises, and the sun goes down .... The wind blows .... All streams run to the sea .... All things are full of weariness .... What has been is what will be ... and there is nothing new under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:4-9) Five weeks ago Jared texted me, "Remember, God is still in control, not the corona virus." (That's how our daily devotions started.) Faithfulness. What does it mean? Faithfulness means "day after day continuing on." Not stopped by obstacles, resistance, or problems that come along. Not distracted, or forgetting, or neglecting the promise or the goal. When the days roll on moving slowly, then faithfulness can become a challenge. When that new thing comes along "staying the course" faithfully can seem frustrating. The days go on -- and we are anxious. We want to get there. We want to get through these days that have such limitations, and get back to venturing out and enjoying life a little bit more. Faithfulness can be hard. Thirty-some years ago a friend in Guttenberg, Iowa was talking with me. He asked, "You know how to plow a straight furrow?" Then he explained, "You can't do it by looking at the field right in front of you, or by looking around. You have to get your eyes on a tree, way out there at the end of the field. You look at that tree and ignore all the other stuff. If there are stumps or rocks you go around them but then you get your eyes back on that tree." (Thank you Ed Walter for an image I have carried with ever since.) That has a lot to do with faithfulness. Our God is faithful, perfectly and completely. The reason why faithfulness is a part of the fruit of the Spirit is because faithfulness is part of the image of God that God is forming in us. God the Father will have us transformed into "the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:29) God is faithful. There is a hymn that describes God as "Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light, Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might". The title for the hymn ("Immortal, Invisible, God only Wise") comes from Paul's first letter to Timothy. "To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever." (1 Timothy 1:17) God is faithful. He ia dedicated to His promises -- never forgetting the goal of bringing us into glory. He continues on, "unresting" and "unhasting." Psalm 90 says, "a thousand years in Your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. (Psalm 90:4) Psalm 90 is marked out in the Bible as "A prayer of Moses". That's how long that verse has been part of the Word of God! God is faithful, unresting, unhasting, unceasing in His dedication to call us into His kingdom and eternal life. Peter explains the Psalm. "The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) Jesus gave His promise. After going to the cross for my forgiveness; and after rising on Easter to promise that I will rise, He gave the promise. It has to do with His faithfulness, with His patience and persistence. With unresting and unceasing attention to His promise, He will lead and guide me into eternal life so I can be with Him. So He spoke the promise: "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) Lord Jesus, thank You for Your incredible faithfulness. I am distracted, discouraged, flighty, forgetful, wandering off, and constantly getting tangled in and tripped up by my sin. Through it all You continue persistent, unwavering, and faithful to every promise. And those promises, life, heaven and eternity; being loved by God and being with You -- those promises cost such a price for You to make them mine. Thank You my Savior. Thank You my Friend. Amen.
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In The Holy of Holies It is a fascinating theme that runs through the Bible; the idea of witnesses. God will have His witnesses. He will have His witnesses because the acts of God are not something to be hidden away. They are to be done right out in public. The theme is built into the Old Testament temple, where the ark of the covenant is placed between 2 Cherubim, one on each side. When God appeared to Abraham he was accompanied by 2 angels. When Jesus was transfigured on the Mount of Transfiguration there were 2 witnesses, Moses and Elijah, who appeared with Him. When Jesus stood trial, His accusers were unable to get 2 witnesses to testify because their testimony did not agree. But when Jesus was crucified there were the 2 witnesses, one on the right and one on the left. Those were the thieves, one of whom repented. God will have His witnesses. Even more remarkable are the 2 witnesses in the tomb on Easter morning. John tells us that Mary Magdalene "stooped down to look into the tomb." Just like in the temple, there were 2 angels. They were "sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and one at the feet." (John 20:12) God will have His witnesses! This is a remarkable picture! In the Old Testament the Ark of the Covenant held the 10 Commandments, the Law of God convicting all sin. But that Law of God was covered over by the Cover of the Ark. The Cover became known as the Mercy Seat. Notice: 2 witnesses to the great acts of God, but this time the 2 witnesses are the Law of God and the Mercy of God. The Mercy Seat was where the blood of the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement was sprinkled. That Day of Atonement Sacrifice was a picture of the sprinkled blood of Jesus, the One Great Sacrifice, as His blood covers our sins. Furthermore: You might remember how the curtain in the Temple was torn in two at the death of Jesus. (Matthew 27:50-51)That was because the Mercy of God was coming into our world, bursting through all the separation built up between God and man. The Mercy Seat would be among us. That Mercy Seat would be seen first by Mary Magdalene. When she stooped down to look into the tomb she saw fulfilled what the layout and arrangement in the Holy of Holies was pointing to. There in the tomb on Easter morning was the blood of the covenant, the blood of Jesus covering over the sin, death and judgment that the Law of God would pour out on us. And there were the 2 angels, one on each side, being the witnesses to the mercy of God. By the way, another name for the Ark of the Covenant was "The Testimony." In the Old Testament it was the testimony about God's mighty acts, not only delivering His people through the Red Sea but God's own Testimony about all that He had done from the beginning of the world to bless us. If Jesus is placed between the 2 angels the He Himself becomes the Testimony, the witness by God Himself about all the merciful and saving acts of God. But there is a wonderful and amazing difference. The Ark of the Covenant did not get up and move itself. And the Cover, the Mercy Seat was stationary. But what happened on Easter morning with our Mercy Seat? He, Jesus, the Living Mercy Seat, rose from the dead and left the tomb to go and appear to Mary Magdalene, to walk with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, to appear to the disciples in the Upper Room, to show them His hands and His side and to give them His peace. He is still on the move, because He is a light to the nations, so that as His Father said, "that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth." (Isaiah 49:6) Lord Jesus, You are my Mercy Seat. You are the only place where I can find forgiveness, atonement, and the mercy of God. It is by Your cross and by Your blood that I have a place with God and belong. As Thomas said, "My Lord and my God!" Thank You. Let me walk with You. And let me hear Your invitation to come close and be with God in the Holy of Holies. Let me rejoice to hear Your word and be Your disciple. Amen. The Upward Call There comes a time to leave some things behind. Paul says this in his great chapter on love. "When I was a child I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways." (1 Corinthians 13:11) This does not mean putting things away and doing with less. It means moving on to something more, something greater. When the greater is there and can be had, why stay with the lesser. It's like a man who could have the car of his dreams, or he could have a matchbox model of that car. Does he choose the matchbox? Again, if he has had the matchbox model and then he wins that car in a contest, but the price is turning in the matchbox, does he refuse? So God gives us an upward call. There is more. It is greater and more wonderful. And we are invited. The entire New Testament, from the last chapters of the Gospels, on through the book of Acts, the letters of Paul, James, Peter, John, Jude and on to the book of Revelation -- all of it is written within the reality of Easter. This life is not the end. This world is not all there is. And this body is not all that we are. When Jesus rose from the dead, He at first confused and then reoriented the disciples. He pushed them into a different reality. They were living the entire rest of this life in the presence of the living, risen-from-the-dead God and Savior. God was their friend who was inviting them to be with Him forever. I like the image of "running with Jesus through endless years." It's an upward call. There are things to leave behind. But when Jesus says "Come, follow Me ..." and then He takes off running along with blessings and eternal life, who doesn't want to go along. Paul says, "forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14) It's an upward call. There are things to leave behind. Death, alienation from God, conflict within, sin and its guilt (Jesus will bring us there), and a whole bunch more. Paul says, "I count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him ... that i may know Him and the power of His resurrection, ..." (Philippians 3:8-10) There are promises that come with the "upward call." Jesus promises blessings (Matthew 5:3-12) John tells us "when He appears we shall be like Him ..." (1 John 3:2) God will celebrate that "Behold, the dwelling of God is with man. he will dwell with them, and they will be His people, ..." (Revelation 21:3-4) The Bible says that on Judgment Day Jesus "will exult over you with loud singing." (Zephaniah 3:17) And Psalm 16 finishes with "you make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." (Psalm 16:11) Lord Jesus, Help me to remember the greatness of the promises I have in You, so I will press on knowing that there are blessings ahead, and that following You is not giving up joys and settling for less, but setting aside what is less as You give the greatest and best of all blessings and joys. Help me to live that others may see the joy that comes from walking with You and knowing the power of Your resurrection. Amen. How Does Jesus Look at Us? It's a good question to ask. What is our relationship from Jesus' perspective? A lot of people outside the Church might figure it is a matter of us needing to be obedient followers, His people, servants of an almighty God. Even within the Church many Christians simply live with the ideas of obedience, repentance, service, worship and more obedience. So it is tremendously when we have words and language from Jesus that points to different and much fuller ideas. There are a few wonderful ones. It was Thursday of Holy Week, getting ready to go to the Garden and be arrested, and Jesus was talking with His disciples. He said, "No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing: but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you." (John 15:15) Friends spend time together, and it is not because they have to. They enjoy each other's company. Jesus came to call and to make us His friends. When He was praying before being arrested, He said, "Father, I want them (those You have given Me) to be with Me ..." (John 17:24) What was it like to be with Jesus, in between the miracles and healings? We know that crowds gathered around, and that children were drawn to Jesus. Peter got to walk on water. Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding at Cana. And he described the Father's house using the words "music and dancing". There is another phrase from Jesus -- "My brothers". On the first Easter Jesus told Mary Magdalene to "go to My brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father ..." (John 20:17) But that was not the first time the language and idea "My brothers" had come around. The most vivid actually is connected with the cross, woven into the 4th word. You might remember, the 4th word is the beginning of Psalm 22, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" In a previous devotion I shared about the later verses from the Psalm, Jesus believing the promises and looking forward to the victory. Verse 22 says, "In the midst of the congregation I will praise You." But notice how Psalm 22:22 starts out! "I will tell of Your name to My brothers." There it is! Right in the middle of the hours on the cross Jesus was thinking about us as "My brothers." It isn't language of "lording it over" others. It's family language, where at least in one way Jesus sees Himself as one of us and sees us as a huge family of brothers. Could it be that God the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, has so far stooped down that He in certain ways walks among us as just one of us? There are other places where the Bible says this. "Therefore He had to be made like His brothers in every respect." (Hebrews 2:17) "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14) "When the fullness of time had come God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." (Galatians 4:4-5) And Romans 8 talks about God the Father intending that we should be "conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn of many brothers." (Romans 8:29) There is a question we sometimes ask and answer in Church. Is Jesus the one we worship, or the one who leads our worship? The answer is "Yes! Because He is both! He is both God and man, our God and Savior, and one of us." What will it be like to have eternity to be with "God-who-is-one-of-us"? With Jesus who is truly our brother and our friend? Good and sweet. It will be even better than walking with Him all over the holy land and even (cough, Peter, cough) on the sea of Galilee. Lord Jesus, thank You for calling me your friend and brother, and for Your wonderful desire to have me be with You in Your kingdom, doing all the cool things that happen when God is my BFF, and having all of that actually and really be forever. Thank You for paying the price to make that happen. Amen. Hiding Inside & Venturing Out Do you realize that we are (in a small way) acting out the first Easter? There were the Disciples hiding inside, and there's us stuck inside. They had some serious things to be afraid of. It wasn't a virus, or any other kind of disease. It was the authorities. If they were caught outside would they be arrested? Would the authorities try a mop up action to eradicate the followers of Jesus? Would they be put in prison or maybe even put to death? It was a big step to even think about going out. The first ones were the women, heading to the tomb to care for the body of Jesus. They were more likely to be ignored by the authorities, and so they went; and arrived at the tomb; and met the angel; and heard the message that, "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 delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise." (Luke 24:6-7) They came back telling the message, but to the disciples "these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them." (Luke 24:11) The next one to venture out was Peter who went to the tomb, saw the linen cloths and "went home marveling". (Luke 24:12) Fear is a powerful motivator. It kept the disciples inside, behind closed doors. They did not let go of it very easily. The next we hear about venturing out were two who decided later in the day to leave Jerusalem. It probably seemed like a good idea -- get away from the dangers in Jerusalem. And so they were walking to Emmaus (about 7 miles away). They could get there shortly before dark, and shelter in place until they could figure out what to do next. As they went, Jesus came up and wanted to walk with them. (Luke 24:15) He told them the whole meaning of what had happened (while keeping them from recognizing Him). They needed the message. They needed to know why, and what it was all for. It had all been told by the prophets. He asked them, "Was it not necessary" for the Christ to "suffer these things and enter into His glory?" (Luke 24:26) And He interpreted the Scriptures and explained the plan of salvation. In this way Jesus lifted the fear and sadness off of them. And then He revealed Himself as He broke bread. Hiding inside or venturing out? They raced back to Jerusalem. Who cares about authorities, arrest, prison, or anything else when you have seen the risen Lord. The authorities couldn't hold Him. Neither could the cross or the tomb. Death itself was powerless against Jesus. So they came back to the disciples who were still hiding inside. They shared the news, what happened along the road, and in the house in Emmaus. And then Jesus came to those "hiding-inside" disciples. It was time to lift their fear off of them -- and then they could venture outside. Jesus came to them behind closed, locked doors. But they were frightened and thought He must be a ghost. (Luke 24:37) He showed them His hands and His side and He invited them to touch Him. But they still "disbelieved for joy". (Luke 24:41) Finally -- it was eating a piece of fish (broiled fish, to be precise) that dispelled the doubts and opened up the joy for them. (Luke 24:42-43) Sometimes it is the right thing to shelter inside. We wait for the good news. We miss the freedom and long for the worries to be lifted. And when it happens it will feel so good. In a small way we are experiencing the pattern of confinement and worry; one day to be followed by freedom and joy. That first Easter was filled with tremendously powerful fear and worry -- followed by a joy and freedom that is absolutely immeasurable. It is a freedom and joy that has spanned almost 2,000 years. And it is a freedom and joy that will span all the years of eternity. Lord Jesus, You lifted the fear and worry from the first disciples. You filled them with a joy that is beyond understanding, as You set them free from sin and death. Lord Jesus, help me to know the freedom I have in You so I can celebrate the joy of Easter every day through all time and eternity. Help me to have that joy through this day, and know that I too walk with the risen, living and victorious Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus Is Alive There is so much we mean when we say this. It is so far beyond the platitudes and cliches you hear. "So and so" lives on (in your heart, in your memory, or something else they will say). But Jesus is alive in a whole different way. He is not "off somewhere as a spirit," and He is not just in your memory or in your heart. Jesus is alive, really, truly, fully alive. He acts, He hears prayers and He answers them. He has His own plans and He is carrying them out. The disciples encountered the living, alive Jesus and everything in their lives was changed. Mary Magdalene's tears were stopped. The two going to Emmaus learned wisdom and hurried back to Jerusalem to tell. Peter who denied Jesus out of fear boldly stood up to the ruling council. Paul preached the faith he once tried to destroy. This is not because they held a memory in their hearts. It was because Jesus is alive and He showed them His glorified, risen body. They knew He had beat the stuffing out of death. That meant: Jesus could keep them through any danger. Jesus could keep His promises to raise them from the dead. Jesus could share eternal life with them. So: Who should they be afraid of? All those verses that say things like "what can man do to me?" -- they were absolutely true. They had something no other religious group had -- and it was something people desperately needed. Jesus is alive. He is still the same Jesus. Still inviting people to live forever. Still giving forgiveness through His own cross, his own suffering, and His own blood. Still carrying out His plan of bringing people from every nation and language into His Kingdom and into His family. Right now in our lives -- Jesus is alive. He is the living one. Right now we are confined to our houses most of the time. Jesus is with us. He lives. There was a conversation down in Springfield Sunday (Liam is our grandson): Liam: "Can I have my prison gifts now?" His mother: "Your Easter basket?" Liam: "My prison gifts" His mother: "Liam, I hope you never go to prison." Liam: "I already am in prison." Yes Liam, even if you were in prison the Living Lord Jesus would be there with you. Bars can't keep Him away, because He is Jesus. A bit more on the serious side, this came through the internet from a Pastor friend, John Drosendahl: "My praying is powerless. The Answerer, however ..." This is because " Jesus is Alive!" He holds all the power of God and He has promised to do all things for the blessing of those who know Him, who believe in Him and who know His love shown to us in the cross and in Rising on Easter morning. Jesus is Alive. He acts in our lives. And often enough He surprises us. Lord Jesus, You are the living Lord. You have eternal life and You hold our future in Your hands. Guide me day after day, steer the path of my life and lead me to the blessings that only You can give. Help me to understand that no other blessings can compare with those I have in You. And no problems are worth comparing with the riches I have in You. Amen. "My Father and Your Father" For years this has been my favorite 5 words out of all the Easter events. It is a wonderful gift, a beautiful "Easter Egg" that holds a hidden gem within it. You see, Jesus could have done the work of salvation simply so that God could reclaim us as His people. And it would have been enough to have our souls redeemed, and our bodies raised -- so that we could live in God's kingdom. We could be His servants, to do His bidding and be obedient through eternity. But somehow God always finds a way of doing more and giving more. That's where the words "My Father and your Father" come in. It was Easter morning, outside the tomb, and Jesus had just surprised Mary Magdalene completely out of her socks (or sandals). When she heard Him call her by name, she turned, saw Him, recognized Him and called Him "Rabboni" (my Rabbi / my Teacher). And then Jesus had to peel her off Him. Imagine the emotion going on in her. "Do not cling to Me ..." (John 20:17) And then, here come those words ... "Go to My brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.'" Some of those words are expected. Not surprising. "I am ascending ..." "to My Father ..." "...and your God." But the other parts are remarkable, astonishing, maybe even outrageous! Jesus then says, "My Father and your Father". He actually makes us a part of the family of God, children of God the Father. You could say these words are our adoption papers. We belong because of Jesus dying on the cross and rising on Easter morning. We are invited to say "Father." Sometimes I tell the story of one of my friends, back in high school days. He was invited to stay for dinner. We were having spaghetti. During the meal the four Willig boys were saying "Mom, this" and "Mom, that." And then my friend slipped into the pattern, asking for some more of something, "Mom, could I have ...?" There was a slight pause, and a smile and he had that something more. It's an interesting thing to look back on. For that little while he was part of the family -- because he was invited to be. We are invited to pray and say, "Father." But don't ever forget the cost of that invitation. Jesus had to be one of us. He had to invite us by telling us the Gospel of God who "so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son". And He had to bring us home by carrying us in His own flesh on the cross. We are connected as children by being connected to the Son, the Son of God & God the Son. So there is the family intimacy. "The Father knows what you need before you ask Him." (Matthew 6:8) "I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) "I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever." (John 14:16) Father, thank You for inviting me back into Your family and into Your love. Your Son Jesus called me and invited me to come back home. And He paid an astonishing price for me. As often as I pray and say "Father" help me to remember how much You have loved me and how Jesus gave Himself for my salvation. Amen. The Day After It's the day after Easter. "Christ Is Still Risen! He is Still Risen Indeed!" But sometimes it takes a while for a new reality to sink in. We know this. We have gone through changes in life, and the bigger the change the more parts of our thinking have to have time to adapt and re-learn. "I was sad when they said to me, come let's update your computer operating system." (Loose Paraphrase pf Psalm 122:1) The disciples saw Jesus that first Easter later in the day when the two returned from Emmaus. (Luke 24:33-35) As they were telling how Jesus was revealed to them in the breaking of the bread, Jesus Himself stood among them. Listen to the struggle of their minds to grasp the changes of death undone, the tomb broken and the actual resurrection of Jesus. "But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit." (Luke 24:37) "And while they still disbelieved for joy ..." (Luke 24:41) After eating a piece of fish and telling them it was all told and predicted in Moses and the prophets, "Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures". (Luke 24:45) It takes us a while, doesn't it? I heard once, years ago, Oprah describe "confirmation bias." She said people could be boarding a plane and see a large hole in the wing. But because they figure the pilots and mechanics know what they are doing they somehow don't even notice. They see what they expect to see. It is amazing how we can completely miss something, and it can be dangerous. It takes a lot to break us loose from seeing what we expect to see. Is that why the two on the road to Emmaus did not recognize Jesus? Because they were so convinced it couldn't be. Is that why Mary Magdalene outside the tomb thought Jesus was the gardener and asked where he had put the dead body of Jesus? Because it just does not happen -- a crucified, executed man just doesn't come back to life open the tomb from the inside and head out? Is that why we are reluctant and hesitate? Because we have become so used to thinking in this-world patterns of the simply physical and material existence; and it is difficult to shift and think as those who are actually in the beginning of eternal life; who are strangers here, pilgrims looking forward to the heavenly city like Abraham is described in Hebrews 11 (verse 10). There is an assignment I have given confirmation classes through the years. It goes like this: Look forward to the day after Jesus returns, after judgment day. A whole lot happened the day before. And now you are living forever. Make a list of three things you want to do "the day after." I have gotten a lot of interesting answers. Some were adventurous. Some were about long separated family members. (The most unique, by the way, was "Jump out of an airplane without a parachute." And then he defended his answer: "You said I was living forever.") ((Note: If you are reading this you know who you are!)) But why this assignment? The purpose was to teach how living in eternal life has a pattern to it that is so completely different from our pattern of life now. It is a struggle to even try to think in such a different way. So how do we adapt to such a complete change in reality as happened with breaking the tomb, undoing the pattern of sin, and death no longer being the final reality? When you read the last chapters, Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20-21, (Seriously, read those "last chapters") you see disciples struggling to get their minds around something so completely different that they sometimes look more than a little foolish. They were out of their depth. But then so are we, and that's part of what it is like following Jesus. Lord Jesus, I am amazed. I struggle to "get" the full measure of the changes You have done to everything: rising so death is not the end; giving forgiveness so I am Yours; making heaven my own and eternity my future. Help me to live with the joy of forgiveness and the boldness of Easter. Amen. This Changes Everything! "Easter changes everything!" And "Easter is the unchanging fact that makes everything new." When you put those 2 things together it means that the Resurrection of Jesus sweeps away everything else. All kingdoms and powers; all enemies and hindrances to the Kingdom of God. No matter what nation, power, philosophy, movement, or force every one of them will be pushed aside by the power and force of the life that is in Jesus and has come out of the tomb with Him in order to take hold of us and make us eternally living -- with Jesus and transformed to be like Him. The final enemy to be destroyed is death. It will be destroyed, yielding to the Eternal Life that is in Jesus as He pours that Eternal Life into our souls and then into our bodies. So, Alleluia! Christ Is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! The words, "This changes everything!" are interesting words in the middle of so much change. How many weeks ago were we happily going about our business. We traveled, went to restaurants, met in large groups, worshiped together, and even shook hands. And then changes came, the most radical and extreme I have ever seen in such a short time. Things will change again. Nothing is permanent here. But the changes sweeping through are only variations in the pattern of life and death, sin and its consequences, and the struggle to hold on to something good. None of the changes in the past months come anywhere close to -- and no change however wonderful or terrible in the months ahead come anywhere close to -- the undoing of death that Jesus has done. Not even dying, the end of this life, comes anywhere close to what Jesus has done. He has taken hold of death and broken it. And nothing at all can keep on being what it was before. Jesus begins the change in Himself, there within the tomb returning to life and transforming His body. Then Jesus changes us, beginning deep within the soul. The change in the soul is sudden and complete when the risen Lord Jesus speaks His words into our soul. Think about Mary Magdalene outside the tomb on Easter morning. She was weeping and in despair. But with one word Jesus completely changed everything. (Jesus said to her "Mary." - John 10:16) Suddenly she knew that Jesus lives, death is undone, and she is going to live forever with God. And so with a few words to the disciples in Emmaus (Luke 24:30-31), the ten in the upper room (Luke 24:36-43), Thomas a week later (John 20:27-28), Paul riding the road into Damascus (Acts 9:3-6), and the list goes on. And there is more to come. Jesus will one day "transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself." (Philippians 3:21) And then Easter will be complete. Alleluia! Christ is Risen! ... Lord Jesus, there are so many changes in life, and these days are full of confusion. But in You I find eternity, and in Your empty tomb I have something that can not ever be undone. Help me to hope in everything You have promised, and to celebrate Easter and eternity through everything and anything that happens. Help me to have the refrain within my soul, "Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Amen." It Was The Sabbath It wasn't just any Sabbath. This was The Sabbath. It was the Sabbath that had never happened, not from the beginning of the world. This was it. Let me explain: We read about it in Genesis 2. "And on the 7th day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the 7th day .... So God blessed the 7th day and made it holy ..." But there is more. What was the Sabbath for? From our side there are 3 purposes for the Sabbath: 1) to stop from all the busy-ness, 2) to have time with God, and 3) to hear the words and receive the blessings of God. We learn what the Sabbath was for from God's side when the Lord came walking in the garden in the cool of the day. He had 1) completed His work, and was there 2) to spend time with Adam and Eve, and He was there 3) to speak His promises and bring His blessings. But the Sabbath had been broken. Adam and Eve had: 1) ignored the words and blessings of God, breaking His command and defying Him, 2) gone back to work, sewing clothes out of fig leaves, and 3) hid from God refusing to have fellowship with Him. And so with every Sabbath ever since. The entire human race was rebellious, violent, out of harmony with God, hiding from Him, denying His words and blessings and always ready to blame someone else. Until Jesus. He came to restore us to God, so at the end we could live forever with a God who gives endless blessings and life. In order to restore us Jesus had to carry the "In the day that you eat of it you will surely die." It was not His to carry but He came to carry us back to fellowship and we came with a curse. So Jesus took our sin (my sin) along with the separation. It was a long journey back, carrying us. Adam & Eve ate; Jesus fasted. We hid from God; Jesus presented Himself before His Father covered with our sin and guilt. We threw away the words and blessings of God; Jesus took the word of God for His life and strength, even the parts that judged and condemned. Everything reached its climax on the cross as Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" He had borne the separation that Adam & Eve did to themselves as they ate and hid. It was finished. As in Genesis when God finished His work and rested, Jesus finished His work and it was time for the Sabbath. There is still among the Jews the practice of finishing work 3 hours before sundown, to prepare for the Sabbath. "There was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour [after sunrise] ... then Jesus calling out with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!' And ... breathed His last." (Luke 23:44-46) As Jesus commits His spirit into His Father's hands, He is fulfilling the sabbath. Jesus the Man has finished His work and is setting aside the day for fellowship with His Father. The Sabbath is not just for rest. It is for setting aside our work and spending time with God. It is for fellowship, God sharing His blessings, eternal life, and joy with us. Jesus was resting. Along with resting, it was time to be with the Father and hear the Father say, "This is My Son, with whom I am well-pleased!" The time of blessing has begun again. All the blessings of God are given and poured out on Jesus. Of Him the Bible says, "You have ... crowned Him with glory and honor ... given Him dominion over the works of Your hands, ... put all things under His feet ..." (Psalm 8:5-6) Like everything else in His ministry Jesus does these things for us. He holds all these blessings in trust for the day when we are glorified. In fact "the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God ... the redemption of our bodies." (Romans 8:19, 23) The time will come the next day for the revealing. But this Sabbath is a time for the close and loving fellowship of the Father with His Son Jesus. God and Man have come to the day of rest and the day of fellowship and blessing. It is a re-set of everything that was supposed to be in our relationship with God. Lord Jesus, thank You for restoring us, all Your people, to the fellowship and blessing You have wanted for us from the beginning. Let me find rest for my soul in You, rest from the turmoil and problems of life, and rest through hearing Your words and knowing Your promises, and rest in knowing that You are faithful and will bring me into endless blessings. Amen. |
Rev. Mark WilligPastor Willig is pastor emeritus of Friends in Christ Lutheran Church. Archives
December 2023
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