God's response to suffering

Good evening friends,

As we've been talking about suffering in our daily readings and our worship, today we come to God's ultimate response to human suffering. In Jesus, God joins in every part of human life, including facing suffering head on. Whatever we think about the cause or fairness of suffering, we know that God is not far from our suffering.

God bless,

Sam

Mark 15:25-39

²⁵It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. ²⁶The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” ²⁷And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left. ²⁹Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, ³⁰save yourself, and come down from the cross!” ³¹In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. ³²Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.

³³When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. ³⁴At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ³⁵When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah.” ³⁶And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” ³⁷Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. ³⁸And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. ³⁹Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”

Holy Saturday

Good afternoon sisters and brothers,
I've never quite known what to do with today. Good Friday Jesus dies and is buried; tomorrow he will rise again. Today, we wait. Someone once told me that Holy Saturday is his favorite day in the church calendar because it reflects our whole life. We know Jesus has come, but we're waiting for him to return. Our life is lived in the tension between what God has already done in Christ and the full redemption of creation for which we wait when Christ returns. So today we rest, we wait, we reflect.

May it be a blessed time for you,
Sam

Luke 23:50-56

⁵⁰Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council, ⁵¹had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God. ⁵²This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁵³Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. 

⁵⁴It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning. ⁵⁵The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid. ⁵⁶Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

who's boss?

Good evening friends,
Remember that at 7:30 tonight there's a great worship opportunity at St. Ambrose to hear the story of Jesus arrest and execution. It's a great way to get into the story of Jesus' last week. We'll have another great opportunity to enter the story as we celebrate a potluck supper on Thursday at 6 and continue with worship remembering Jesus' last night with his disciples. 


We see the conflict brewing between Jesus and the religious leaders in our passage tonight. The leaders want to trip Jesus up so they can arrest him. Jesus is honest and clever, as we see.

God bless,
Sam

Luke 20:20-26

²⁰So they watched him and sent spies who pretended to be honest, in order to trap him by what he said, so as to hand him over to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor. ²¹So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and you show deference to no one, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. ²²Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” ²³But he perceived their craftiness and said to them, ²⁴“Show me a denarius. Whose head and whose title does it bear?” They said, “The emperor’s.” ²⁵He said to them, “Then give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” ²⁶And they were not able in the presence of the people to trap him by what he said; and being amazed by his answer, they became silent.

Sunday to Friday

Good evening friends,
We're right at the start of Holy Week, a time that covers today's story of Jesus' triumphant entrance to Jerusalem to his crucifixion less than a week later. To say it's a week of high contrast and drama is a serious understatement. Jesus was welcomed as God's servant king and then denied and condemned by the same crowd. Our job this week is to put ourselves in the story, to spend time imagining being with Jesus in those last days. We may not have walked with him then, but we can walk with him now.

Also, tomorrow night (Tuesday at 7:30) we'll be sharing a service with some of our partner churches at St. Ambrose (Culver and Empire). It's a lovely service of gathering darkness as we hear the story of Jesus' last days in a new way. I hope you can be there.

God bless,
Sam

Luke 19:28-48

²⁸After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, ³⁰saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

³²So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. ³³As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴They said, “The Lord needs it.” ³⁵Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. ³⁶As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. ³⁷As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, ³⁸saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!” ³⁹Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” ⁴⁰He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

⁴¹As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, ⁴²saying, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. ⁴³Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. ⁴⁴They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.” ⁴⁵Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things there; ⁴⁶and he said, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer’; but you have made it a den of robbers.” ⁴⁷Every day he was teaching in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people kept looking for a way to kill him; ⁴⁸but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were spellbound by what they heard.

convicted

Good evening/morning sisters and brothers,
We're skipping through these readings from Jesus' life pretty quickly, since the story is familiar to most of us. Throughout the story of Jesus' ministry, the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders grows. Jesus challenges their sense of order and their power. Finally, things come to a head and they see an opportunity to have Jesus arrested. They try him of blasphemy and convict him in religious court, but they don't have the power to put him to death. For that, they need the Roman governor to condemn him as well. His next step is off to see the governor, Pontius Pilate. As we see, Pilate condemns him to avoid upsetting the crowd, not because he believes Jesus is guilty. Jesus was innocent, but suffered for us.

God bless,
Sam

Mark 15:1-15

As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. ²Pilate asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ He answered him, ‘You say so.’ ³Then the chief priests accused him of many things. ⁴Pilate asked him again, ‘Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you.’ ⁵But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.

6 Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. ⁷Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. ⁸So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. ⁹Then he answered them, ‘Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?’ ¹⁰For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over. ¹¹But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. ¹²Pilate spoke to them again, ‘Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?’ ¹³They shouted back, ‘Crucify him!’ ¹⁴Pilate asked them, ‘Why, what evil has he done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Crucify him!’ ¹⁵So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.

questions on the road

Good morning brothers and sisters,
First I'd like to remind you about the exciting opportunity to participate in the Christian Life and Witness Class offered by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association over the next three weeks. It is a series of three classes focused on deepening our faith and sharing that faith with others. From the preview I received at a pastor's gathering, the quality and style is excellent. I think you'll find it refreshing, encouraging and challenging. The class is offered Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings from 7-9 and Saturday mornings from 10-noon at various sites. I'll be attending the class on Saturdays at Bridge Builders Church at 1787 Norton Street (between Waring and Goodman). The class is free and is an great opportunity to deepen your faith and hear a different perspective than you'll normally hear from me.


Today's reading takes place Easter afternoon. Two of Jesus' disciples are going to a nearby town after hearing the report of the women who went to Jesus' tomb and found it empty. As you read, try to imagine being one of Jesus' disciples processing the crazy last week of his life.

God bless,
Sam

Luke 24:13-24

¹³Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, ¹⁶but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. 

¹⁸Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” ¹⁹He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. ²¹But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. 

Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. ²²Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, ²³and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. ²⁴Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.”

waiting

Good morning brothers and sisters,
There's no reading exactly for the day between Good Friday and Easter. It was the Sabbath, so nothing happened. Our reading concludes Jesus' death and shows him laid in the tomb. On the Sabbath the women who followed Jesus and the other disciples followed the commandment to rest. The disciples, including us, and all of creation waits to see what will happen next. May your waiting be fertile time for your faith to grow.

God bless,
Sam

Mark 15:33-47

33When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34At three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 35When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, "Listen, he is calling for Elijah." 36And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down." 37Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. 38And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was God's Son!"

40There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41These used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.

 

42When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, 43Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44Then Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead for some time. 45When he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. 46Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 47Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was laid.

the shadow of the cross

Good afternoon sisters and brothers,
Today we stand in the shadow of Christ's cross to see his suffering and his love for us. We see him abandoned by his disciples, beaten and mocked and tortured. It's tempting to skip right to Easter, but first we need to spend time with the condemned Jesus. He suffered for us out of amazing love.

God bless,
Sam

Mark 15:16-32

16Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. 17And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. 18And they began saluting him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 19They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. 20After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

21They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. 22Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). 23And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. 24And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take.

25It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him. 26The inscription of the charge against him read, "The King of the Jews." 27And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left. 29Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30save yourself, and come down from the cross!" 31In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.

for everyone

Good morning sisters and brothers,

In this passage some Greeks who worship Israel’s God want to meet Jesus. Jesus doesn’t directly respond to this request, but the moment is a sign that Jesus is not just the savior of Israel, but also of the whole world. Approaching his death Jesus talks about life and death. He also says that his death is both glorification and the moment where the evil powers that seem to rule the world are judged and defeated. Life in Christ is bigger than us; it’s about being part of God’s life-giving rule in the world.

God bless,

Sam

John 12:20-33

²⁰Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. ²¹They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” ²²Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. ²³Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. ²⁵Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.

²⁷“Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. ²⁸Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” ²⁹The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” ³⁰Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. ³¹Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. ³²And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” ³³He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.

forsaken

Good morning friends,
Happy Pi day, for those celebrating the mathematical holiday. Today's reading is a follow up from Sunday's topic of being separated from God by our sin. Psalm 22 is a Psalm of lament. It's a powerful and emotional Psalm, all the more so because Jesus quoted it from the cross. Even when we feel far away from God, we know that Jesus once felt the same way. Jesus suffered, but God did not abandon him. God will never abandon us either; even in the darkness we can seek God's light.

God bless,
Sam

Psalm 22:1-11

¹My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? ²O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest. ³Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. ⁴In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. ⁵To you they cried, and were saved; in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.

⁶But I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people.

⁷All who see me mock at me; they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;

⁸“Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver— let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”

⁹Yet it was you who took me from the womb; you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.

¹⁰On you I was cast from my birth, and since my mother bore me you have been my God.

¹¹Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.

Elijah?

Good afternoon friends,
I'd like to start with a reminder about Ash Wednesday tomorrow. Ash Wednesday begins the reflective season of Lent. We'll begin the season with a short and simple worship service in the sanctuary at noon. We'll have a very similar service at 6:40 (between Supper and Scripture and Choir rehearsal) as well, also in the sanctuary. Our noon service will also be the beginning of a 24 hour prayer vigil in the sanctuary continuing until noon on Thursday. You can sign up for any hour of that that you would like. Come, pray, enjoy the silence and reflect on how you can prepare your heart for Christ's journey to the cross. I'll be at the church the whole time, so you won't be alone.

Today's reading continues yesterday's story of the transfiguration. Jesus and his disciples reflect on the traditional belief that the Prophet Elijah would return to prepare the way for the Messiah. The question is timely since they have just seen a vision of Elijah talking with Jesus. Jesus also helps them see that John the Baptist fulfills the role of Elijah, but the leaders didn't want to hear his message either. May our ears be open this season and always.
God bless,
Sam

Mark 9:9-13

⁹As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean. ¹¹Then they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” ¹²He said to them, “Elijah is indeed coming first to restore all things. How then is it written about the Son of Man, that he is to go through many sufferings and be treated with contempt? ¹³But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written about him.”

status and the cross

Good morning sisters and brothers,
This is a classic moment in the disciples missing the point. Jesus explains to them that he is about to be crucified and the next thing that happens is the disciples get worked up about status symbols in the kingdom of heaven. It's almost funny when we watch the disciples do it, but when we look at our own lives we probably can find plenty of times when we have forgotten to apply Jesus' teachings about power and service as well. May we be open to the Spirit's leading as God transforms our lives.

God bless,
Sam

Matthew 20:17-28

17While Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, 18“See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death; 19then they will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified; and on the third day he will be raised.”



20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. 21And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”



24When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers. 25But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 26It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; 28just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

predictions

Good night sisters and brothers,
Paul continues this 12th chapter with practical advice for living out the Christian faith. It is still good advice for us today. Right after Peter proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah, Jesus called him the rock on which Christ would build the church. Even then, when Jesus starts talking about the cross, Peter becomes very uncomfortable. God’s rule doesn’t always look like we expect it to. How can we seek what God is doing now, seeking divine things instead of the human desires that surround us?

God bless,
Sam


Romans 12:9-21
9Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord”; 20No, if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads. 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Matthew 16:21-28
21From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” 23But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

24Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
27“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 28Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

crucified Lord

Good morning/evening friends,
This reading is a break from First Peter. We go back here to Peter's sermon at Pentecost to the assembled Jewish crowd after the disciples began speaking in tongues. Peter explains who Jesus is from scripture and shares how Jesus' life played out in their time. What does it mean for us that Jesus is Lord?
Blessings on your day,
Sam

Acts 2:32-36

32This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. 33Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear. 34For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 35until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ 36Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

to the cross

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Today takes us to the depth of Jesus' love for us at the cross. The disciples have fled, sentence has been given, and Jesus is mocked and nailed to a cross. Spend some time with this story and in prayer with Jesus today. Let the reality of Christ's suffering and the truth of his love sink into your heart. If you want to open your Bible for something to read along with this try the first 12 verses of Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22. Jesus took on all this suffering for us to set us free to love God and love others. Thanks be to God.

To help us enter the story, if you're free during the day there is a Good Friday walk that pairs stations of the cross with what God is doing in the city now. The worship walk starts at West Avenue United Methodist (right at Bull's Head, West and Chili) at 8:45 this morning. There's a group leaving from the church at 8:15. We're also worshiping at Laurelton at 12:30. If you work a more traditional schedule, St. Ambrose (Culver and Empire) is sharing the passion story through mime at 8 pm. Whether on your own with prayer and silence or in worship with others, spend some time with the story today. Jesus loves us and this dark day shows us how much.

God bless,
Sam

Matthew 27:32-54

32As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross. 33And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; 36then they sat down there and kept watch over him. 37Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”


38Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads 40and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying, 42“He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. 43He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he said, ‘I am God's Son.’” 44The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way.


45From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 46And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 48At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. 49But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. 51At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. 54Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”

death and new life

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Yesterday Paul talked about how grace is more powerful than sin, so even when the law revealed how much we sin, grace covered all that sin up. Today he starts by responding to a rhetorical question: does that mean we should sin more so grace has more opportunity to show its power? The answer is, "Of course not." Here he helps us see what baptism really means.

When we were baptized into Christ's body, that means we were joined to his death. That means two things: first, we died to sin. Sin has no more power over us because, through Christ's death, we can say our old, sinful self is dead. It also means we will be raised with Christ, first now in that we have the power of Christ's new life working in us, then on the last day when the dead are raised from the dead, we will rise to be with Jesus. So we are able to be totally done with sin because our death and new life with Christ let us put it away.
Enjoy your new life today,
Sam

Romans 6:1-12

What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? 2By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? 3Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.


6We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 7For whoever has died is freed from sin. 8But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12Therefore, do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions.

suffered death and was buried

Good morning brothers and sisters,
Yesterday I had the joy of celebrating with Susan Orr as the presbytery recognized her achievement in completing her certification by the Presbyterian Church as an Associate Christian Educator. That certification represents lots of hard work and we're grateful for Susan's many gifts as she continues to serve the church in education and mission. We'll have a chance to recognize this achievement in worship at Laurelton on December 5th. I hope you'll be there to take part.

Today's reading shows us Jesus' death and burial. It feels strange to be reading this part of the story as we get ready for Advent; at the same time Christ's death and resurrection are the culmination of his ministry. The cross humbles me and helps me see how deeply God loves each of us. As we give thanks with friends and family tomorrow let us also give thanks for God's love for us in Jesus Christ. There could be no greater gift, and it came at great cost to our Lord.
May God bless you in your ministry today,
Sam

Luke 23:44-56

44It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last. 47When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent.” 48And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. 49But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.


50Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council, 51had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God. 52This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. 54It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning. 55The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

trial and a cross

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Sorry for the long readings this morning; I want to have the whole story of Christ's crucifixion in front of us for today's service. We've read in the last couple of days about Jesus' arrest, trial and conviction by the religious leaders. Today they bring him to Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor to be sentenced there, because the religious authorities were apparently not allowed to execute a person.

God bless and see you in a couple hours,
Sam

Luke 23:1-25

Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate. 2They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king.” 3Then Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He answered, “You say so.” 4Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation against this man.” 5But they were insistent and said, “He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to this place.” 6When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7And when he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.

8When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign. 9He questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an elegant robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate. 12That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies.

13Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, 14and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16I will therefore have him flogged and release him.” 18Then they all shouted out together, “Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!” 19(This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.)

20Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; 21but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.” 23But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed. 24So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. 25He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.

*Sunday

Luke 23:26-43

26As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. 28But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29For the days are surely coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ 30Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

32Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 35And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” 36The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, 37and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

39One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

crucifixion and healing

Good morning brothers and sisters,
We're moving steadily towards the climax of Luke's Gospel as Jesus and the disciples keep coming closer to Jerusalem. Jesus tells his disciples for the third time that Jerusalem will be the end of the road for his ministry as they know it. This time is the most detailed of his predictions about his death, but still the disciples don't get it. We have to imagine not understanding a message like this one has a lot to do denial.

This prediction is paired with a healing miracle. I remember Carl preaching a powerful sermon on this passage a few months ago. As soon as the blind man hears that Jesus is on his way he knows his chance has come. He shouts out to get Jesus' attention, and he keeps shouting even when people tell him to be quiet. I wonder what would happen in the church if we weren't worried about what people thought about us. What would happen if we didn't feel the need to keep our worship within the bounds of social acceptability? What if we refused to let anyone keep us away from Jesus?

Blessings on your seeking today,
Sam

Luke 18:31-43

31Then he took the twelve aside and said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32For he will be handed over to the Gentiles; and he will be mocked and insulted and spat upon. 33After they have flogged him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise again.” 34But they understood nothing about all these things; in fact, what he said was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

35As he approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38Then he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39Those who were in front sternly ordered him to be quiet; but he shouted even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40Jesus stood still and ordered the man to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him, 41“What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me see again.” 42Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.” 43Immediately he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, praised God.

Saturday

Good morning brothers and sisters,
Someone once told me that Saturday of Holy week was his favorite day of the church year because it parallels our life. Our life is spent in that in between space, waiting for the new life of the resurrection to bloom into the complete redemption of all creation. For the disciples it must have been a hard day. The raw pain and frantic pace of the day before had probably felt surreal. The Sabbath left them "resting according to the commandment," to dwell on their grief and their thoughts.

Today's reading completes the story of the passion begun yesterday and takes us into Saturday. Jesus commends his spirit to God and dies on the cross. He's buried by a secret disciple and mourned by the women who see where his tomb is. Then creation takes a breath and waits.
May waiting deepen our spiritual lives.
Blessings,
Sam

Luke 23:44-56

44It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last. 47When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent.” 48And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. 49But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

50Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council, 51had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God. 52This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. 54It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning. 55The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.