august 8th

One month and one week into my new appointment.  This next week we are able to move into the parsonage and begin that process of unpacking.  During this month I have had time to reflect on the church, the mission of the church, the issues as I perceive, and where God is in the mix of all of this.  I have had time to look at my new responsibilities and am still in that learning process.  I am thankful for my colleagues and their support.  And for the bishop who has been encouraging.  I am reminded of the TV program NCIS and Gibbs head slaps when someone does something stupid.  Thankfully none have had to adopt that with me, at least not yet.

I have been reflecting on the Great Commission Jesus gave to his disciples found in Matthew 28:18-20.  The United Methodist Church has adapted that as the mission of the church to make disciples of Jesus Christ to transform the world.  I also like what Jesus told the disciples in Acts 1:8.  As one reflects on these commands from Jesus, are they still relevant to making disciples in the 21st century?  I believe that they are still commands we are to remember and to not just know but do.  For me this is the “keeping the main thing the main thing” as Bishop Jones frequently states.  It seems that too often we spend more time arguing internally about what Wesley might consider as non-essentials (certainly what I perceive as non-essential) we lose sight of Jesus’ commands found in the gospels.  It certainly has more to do with loving one another and loving others than in the letter of the law.  I believe we need to return to the heart of the law reading the sermon on the mount in Matthew or the sermon on the plains in Luke.  So how do we go about doing these commands?  That to me is the main question.

I want to challenge churches to remember in all that they do what Jesus has professed for all people. To remember Proverbs 29:18 “Without a vision the people perish (KJV).”  Let every church take time to read the gospels.  To reflect not just on favorite passages but the entire gospel.  Another challenge would be to read a chapter of Proverbs a day as there are 31 chapters.  Let the words of wisdom and of Jesus lead us as we continue to grow in our faith.

Sunday’s sermon

      Last Sunday was my last sermon to the churches of Ainsworth, Johnstown, and Long Pine as their pastor.  Today in the midst of the organized chaos that often surrounds those who are moving, I have had time to reflect on what I preached on that Sunday.  To put it in context, the churches had planned to have a family picnic and only one service in the city park.  It had rained that early morning of Sunday and the parking lot was muddy and the grass was slick. I decided that we would instead meet in the church.

     We had a large number of people from all three churches who attended this special service and to celebrate with a meal Father’s Day.  I was going to preach on the father found in Luke 15 regarding his two sons.  The focus early in the week was that despite circumstances the father never abandons his children just as in this transition God has not abandon us.  Then Wednesday happened in Charleston South Carolina.  I struggled with what I should do as I didn’t want my last sermon to be challenging but to leave on a higher note.  Then I realized that the higher note was to address what happened and what it means for our churches.

     Just a note, I am not a manuscript preacher.  During my preparation with prayer, scripture, and commentaries, I write out almost journal wise my thoughts.  I arrange them in sequence that I would like to see and when I preach I rarely have notes at all.  This Sunday was different and even though I wrote out a manuscript (or at least an outline) I did not read it.  For those who were not present or those who are interested I am copying the manuscript to this blog entry.

Reflection on this Sunday

This Sunday I have such a mixture of feelings. The past three weeks have felt like a tornado has blown me around. From the time of the Bishop’s call to take on new responsibilities that for me was unexpected, flying to Pittsburgh to see my oldest granddaughter graduate from high school, to annual conference and seeing that through a different lens of a pastor and as a member of the cabinet, to trying to figure out moving and packing, to knowing this Sunday is my last preaching day. I had talked about how when we do things for God, Anne Dillard says we should be wearing our crash helmets and buckle ourselves in for we are in the ride of our lives.

So I thought I would talk about Father’s on this father’s day. About how we can know that despite changes and choices that we make our Father is steadfast in His love for us. Despite the rhetoric and disagreements we might have, how much we want to have things our way, ultimately we can come back home where our father will run out to great us. This is what fathering should look like. When we read in 1 John 4:7-16. That we can live in love because God loved us first. He is the ultimate example we have through his son Jesus. Jesus taught and lived love. He used parables and teachings about love that was inclusive of all people. He reached out to those who were different and seen as less than in our society. As he challenged the expectations of what the majority saw, he experienced anger for his concern about the marginalized, about women, about those seen as racially unacceptable such as the Samaritans and ultimately was put to death.

As we debate about who is to be included or who is excluded, who is acceptable and who is not, I am reminded of what Jesus had to say as the Pharisees brought the adulteress woman to him and he said to them let the one without sin cast the first stone. As the youngest son returned home, it would have been so easy to judge his actions and to condemn him for his sin. How often we judge others without seeing ourselves and the choices that we make. How often we want to condemn people for who they are just because they are different than we are. It is so easy to take a morally superior road until we look in a mirror. I have often spoken about our tendency to not debate but to demonize those who disagree with us or are different than us. We worry more about foreign terrorists and not look at the terrorists that are among us.

Than Wednesday June 17^th happened at a sister church that we have connections to in the Pan-Methodist connections. A group of parishioners gathered at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church one of the oldest African American churches in downtown Charleston South Carolina. This act of domestic terrorism took the lives of 9 congregational members of the church who had gathered to pray and to have a bible study. This was not an attack on Christianity it was a racially motivated mass murder, an act of domestic terrorism. It is easy to dismiss this as a person who was the shooter as mentally unstable but that is a way of sweeping under the rug the environment that seems to be occurring in parts of our nation. Already efforts are made to individualize this sin rather than look at the societal context and results of what we are doing to ourselves.

Habakkuk 1:2-4 cries out to God how long must we witness these horrendous acts before we rise up and to seek justice that will roll down like water from the mountains. How long we will continue to act towards one another without remembering what we hear in 1 John, what we read about the father in Luke. This is a day of lament. It is more than praying for those who no longer have fathers to go home to, mothers to care for them, whose future was taken away by this terrorist. Emmanuel was often a place to speak to the civil rights movement in the 60’s. What was accomplished sometimes with the blood of martyrs seems to again cry out for justice. Lament is not just saying we are sorry but is a call to action. To discuss and not demonize either the young man or blame the victims. It is a time to say enough is enough.

I believe it will not be foreign terrorists that will destroy our nation, but will happen domestically through the injustice and hatred that we perpetuate on ourselves. As a follower of our Savior Jesus, I am greatly concerned about our world and our nation. I pray that God can use me and those I know to be messengers of the love God has for all of us. Let our lament be a call to action to end the violence that we do to ourselves not through war but through our own hatred, to see all people as our brothers and sisters in God’s family whether or not they look like us, whether their skin color is different than us, regardless of gender or even sexual orientation.

So you may ask what can we do here in Ainsworth, Johnstown, Long Pine? This seems to be something that has happened far away from us. What can we do except to pray for those who have been involved? There are things we can do. We can teach each other and especially our children that hatred of those who are different is not God’s way. If we want to abide in the love of God, we need to love one another. We need to resist making or putting up with racial comments or statements. We need to no longer post on social media inflammatory statements that only lead to further divide our nation. I believe we need to take seriously what Jesus taught us and to live that out. If we want to be called that people of the book than let us put our words into action. To be instruments of peace of reconciliation. To hear once again the prayer that is attributed to Francis of Assisi:

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

Let us walk in the light of our Lord and Master Jesus.

Amen.

As I continue to prepare for my transition into new call, I pray that we never cease to remember all of God’s creation.  That we not only hear God’s call to us for justice but not to be so distracted by what John Wesley would call non-essentials that we miss the heart of Scripture which is Love of God and Love of neighbor.  We are the church the body of Christ with Jesus the Head.  As we debate the issues of today, my prayer is that we never lose sight of our relationship with the Triune God as seen in the life of Jesus, his death, and his resurrection.

Eldon

Good Friday?

Friday Mark 14:32-15:47

32 And they came to an olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, "Sit here while I go and pray."

 33 He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he began to be filled with horror and deep distress.

 34 He told them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me."

 35 He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by.

 36 "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine."

 37 Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. "Simon!" he said to Peter. "Are you asleep? Couldn't you stay awake and watch with me even one hour?

 38 Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak."

 39 Then Jesus left them again and prayed, repeating his pleadings.

 40 Again he returned to them and found them sleeping, for they just couldn't keep their eyes open. And they didn't know what to say.

 41 When he returned to them the third time, he said, "Still sleeping? Still resting? Enough! The time has come. I, the Son of Man, am betrayed into the hands of sinners.

 42 Up, let's be going. See, my betrayer is here!"

 43 And immediately, as he said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a mob that was armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent out by the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders.

 44 Judas had given them a prearranged signal: "You will know which one to arrest when I go over and give him the kiss of greeting. Then you can take him away under guard."

 45 As soon as they arrived, Judas walked up to Jesus. "Teacher!" he exclaimed, and gave him the kiss.

 46 Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him.

 47 But someone pulled out a sword and slashed off an ear of the high priest's servant.

 48 Jesus asked them, "Am I some dangerous criminal, that you come armed with swords and clubs to arrest me?

 49 Why didn't you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day. But these things are happening to fulfill what the Scriptures say about me."

 50 Meanwhile, all his disciples deserted him and ran away.

 51 There was a young man following along behind, clothed only in a linen nightshirt. When the mob tried to grab him,

 52 they tore off his clothes, but he escaped and ran away naked.

 53 Jesus was led to the high priest's home where the leading priests, other leaders, and teachers of religious law had gathered.

 54 Meanwhile, Peter followed far behind and then slipped inside the gates of the high priest's courtyard. For a while he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire.

 55 Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find witnesses who would testify against Jesus, so they could put him to death. But their efforts were in vain.

 56 Many false witnesses spoke against him, but they contradicted each other.

 57 Finally, some men stood up to testify against him with this lie:

 58 "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this Temple made with human hands, and in three days I will build another, made without human hands.'"

 59 But even then they didn't get their stories straight!

 60 Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, "Well, aren't you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?"

 61 Jesus made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the blessed God?"

 62 Jesus said, "I am, and you will see me, the Son of Man, sitting at God's right hand in the place of power and coming back on the clouds of heaven."

 63 Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, "Why do we need other witnesses?

 64 You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?" And they all condemned him to death.

 65 Then some of them began to spit at him, and they blindfolded him and hit his face with their fists. "Who hit you that time, you prophet?" they jeered. And even the guards were hitting him as they led him away.

 66 Meanwhile, Peter was below in the courtyard. One of the servant girls who worked for the high priest

 67 noticed Peter warming himself at the fire. She looked at him closely and then said, "You were one of those with Jesus, the Nazarene."

 68 Peter denied it. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, and he went out into the entryway. Just then, a rooster crowed.

 69 The servant girl saw him standing there and began telling the others, "That man is definitely one of them!"

 70 Peter denied it again. A little later some other bystanders began saying to Peter, "You must be one of them because you are from Galilee."

 71 Peter said, "I swear by God, I don't know this man you're talking about."

 72 And immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Suddenly, Jesus' words flashed through Peter's mind: "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times." And he broke down and cried.

NLT Mark 15:1 Very early in the morning the leading priests, other leaders, and teachers of religious law-- the entire high council-- met to discuss their next step. They bound Jesus and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.

 2 Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "Yes, it is as you say."

 3 Then the leading priests accused him of many crimes,

 4 and Pilate asked him, "Aren't you going to say something? What about all these charges against you?"

 5 But Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate's surprise.

 6 Now it was the governor's custom to release one prisoner each year at Passover time-- anyone the people requested.

 7 One of the prisoners at that time was Barabbas, convicted along with others for murder during an insurrection.

 8 The mob began to crowd in toward Pilate, asking him to release a prisoner as usual.

 9 "Should I give you the King of the Jews?" Pilate asked.

 10 (For he realized by now that the leading priests had arrested Jesus out of envy.)

 11 But at this point the leading priests stirred up the mob to demand the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus.

 12 "But if I release Barabbas," Pilate asked them, "what should I do with this man you call the King of the Jews?"

 13 They shouted back, "Crucify him!"

 14 "Why?" Pilate demanded. "What crime has he committed?" But the crowd only roared the louder, "Crucify him!"

 15 So Pilate, anxious to please the crowd, released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to crucify him.

 16 The soldiers took him into their headquarters and called out the entire battalion.

 17 They dressed him in a purple robe and made a crown of long, sharp thorns and put it on his head.

 18 Then they saluted, yelling, "Hail! King of the Jews!"

 19 And they beat him on the head with a stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship.

 20 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.

 21 A man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the country just then, and they forced him to carry Jesus' cross. (Simon is the father of Alexander and Rufus.)

 22 And they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which means Skull Hill).

 23 They offered him wine drugged with myrrh, but he refused it.

 24 Then they nailed him to the cross. They gambled for his clothes, throwing dice to decide who would get them.

 25 It was nine o'clock in the morning when the crucifixion took place.

 26 A signboard was fastened to the cross above Jesus' head, announcing the charge against him. It read: "The King of the Jews."

 27 Two criminals were crucified with him, their crosses on either side of his.

 28

 29 And the people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. "Ha! Look at you now!" they yelled at him. "You can destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days, can you?

 30 Well then, save yourself and come down from the cross!"

 31 The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. "He saved others," they scoffed, "but he can't save himself!

 32 Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!" Even the two criminals who were being crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.

 33 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o'clock.

 34 Then, at that time Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

 35 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah.

 36 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a stick so he could drink. "Leave him alone. Let's see whether Elijah will come and take him down!" he said.

 37 Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last.

 38 And the curtain in the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

 39 When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, "Truly, this was the Son of God!"

 40 Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph), and Salome.

 41 They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for him while he was in Galilee. Then they and many other women had come with him to Jerusalem.

 42 This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached,

 43 an honored member of the high council, Joseph from Arimathea (who was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come), gathered his courage and went to Pilate to ask for Jesus' body.

 44 Pilate couldn't believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman military officer in charge and asked him.

 45 The officer confirmed the fact, and Pilate told Joseph he could have the body.

 46 Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth, and taking Jesus' body down from the cross, he wrapped it in the cloth and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance.

 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus' body was laid.

Good Friday!  I have wondered what was so good about this day.  Jesus praying for the cup to pass him by and surrounding to God’s will.  The betrayal of not just Judas but all of the disciples.  What it must of have felt like to feel abandoned by one’s closest friends, those who you thought you could count on?  Beyond the betrayal of Peter, the rest of the disciples scatter to not be heard from again until after the resurrection.  Those, who just a few verses earlier, swore that they would stand by Jesus.  Those who were to remain awake as Jesus prayed fell asleep.  Today how many of us who claim Jesus as the Messiah are asleep in our lives?  Too often I don’t see people, and sometimes if I’m honest myself, acting in ways that are judgmental and unloving.  Sometimes we act more like the Pharisees than we do as Christians.  Whenever we sin, we betray Jesus.  Thank God he is merciful.

To be tried illegally, alone surrounded by those who have already made up their minds.  They are so convinced of his guilt that they would have people perjure themselves breaking the commandment about bearing false witness.  His silence and finally his answer to whether or not he is the Son of God and answers I am.  Which statement the high priest can use to declare him guilty of blasphemy.  We hear often about trials that are biased and the accused does not have a chance.  How often do we judge someone guilty regardless of the facts?

When morning came, Jesus is taken to Pontius Pilate.  For it was only by Roman law could someone be executed.  The great irony is when the people choose Barabbas over Jesus.  According to other gospels the first name of Barabbas was also Jesus.  Barabbas might be more like what people expected as a messiah.  He was a warrior and was involved in an insurrection that murdered Romans.  Much like the choices we have to make in our lives.  Do we follow the path of the world which is power and might, or do we follow the path of Jesus which is the path of love.

It was not enough to sentence Jesus to the cross, but he was tortured by the Roman soldiers.  This was more than their job.  They took pleasure in the torture which we have seen in many conquering armies.  Finally about 9 am they crucified Jesus until about 3.  The women who followed Jesus were the only ones there.  Throughout all the gospels it was the women who remain faithful.  The symbolism of the curtain tearing that separated the holy of holies in the temple signifying the both the judgment on the temple and also opening access to God for the people.

Joseph of Arimathea willingness to get the body so close to Passover and Sabbath was an act of courage and love.  Such an action would make him unclean.  What is interesting was that he was a member of the Sanhedrin that condemned Jesus.  So in asking Pilate for the body was a sign of his devotion.  Again the mention of the women who saw where the tomb was is important for the day following the Sabbath.

What is so good about Good Friday?  Everything!  For Jesus choose the nails, he suffered the humiliation and torture even death on a cross, so we could have freedom from our sins and life eternal.

A word about Saturday is in order.  Nothing in Mark, Luke, or John mentions Saturday.  Only in Matthew do we hear about the leaders of the Sanhedrin wanting to post guards at the tomb to prevent the disciples from stealing the body.

Thursday

Thursday Mark 14:12-31

12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread (the day the Passover lambs were sacrificed), Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go to prepare the Passover supper?"

13 So Jesus sent two of them into Jerusalem to make the arrangements. "As you go into the city," he told them, "a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him.

14 At the house he enters, say to the owner, 'The Teacher asks, Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?'

15 He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is the place; go ahead and prepare our supper there."

16 So the two disciples went on ahead into the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover supper there.

17 In the evening Jesus arrived with the twelve disciples.

18 As they were sitting around the table eating, Jesus said, "The truth is, one of you will betray me, one of you who is here eating with me."

19 Greatly distressed, one by one they began to ask him, "I'm not the one, am I?"

20 He replied, "It is one of you twelve, one who is eating with me now.

21 For I, the Son of Man, must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for my betrayer. Far better for him if he had never been born!"

22 As they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and asked God's blessing on it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "Take it, for this is my body."

23 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.

24 And he said to them, "This is my blood, poured out for many, sealing the covenant between God and his people.

25 I solemnly declare that I will not drink wine again until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God."

26 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

27 "All of you will desert me," Jesus told them. "For the Scriptures say, 'God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'

28 But after I am raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there."

29 Peter said to him, "Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will."

30 "Peter," Jesus replied, "the truth is, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times."

31 "No!" Peter insisted. "Not even if I have to die with you! I will never deny you!" And all the others vowed the same.

This is the upper room. We often call this the Last Supper, the Lord’s Supper, the Great Thanksgiving, or communion. All are appropriate. When we read this in 1 Corinthians 11:25-26, we are to celebrate this sacrament to remember Jesus. In Mark it is to usher in the new kingdom of God. This scene does portray a sense of secrecy and stealth. So as the chief priests and the traitor look for opportunities to arrest Jesus, we have Jesus stealthily telling the disciples how to find the upper room to celebrate the feast of the unleavened bread.

It is on this day the Passover lamb will be sacrificed and the blood used to remember in Egypt that the angel of death passed over the houses that the blood was put on the doors. So we are preparing ourselves for Jesus to take the role of that Passover Lamb that his blood shed will allow us to be passed over by the angel of death. The meal that was served would be similar to the Seder meal of today.

When Jesus predicts that all of the disciples would betray him not just Judas, they are assure him that will not happen. Peter is most vehement about his loyalty. Yet, we know that they are did betray him and Peter most directly. I will talk more about this tomorrow. We do have a foreshadowing of Jesus approaching all of this alone.

Wednesday

Wednesday Mark 14:1-11

NLT Mark 14:1 It was now two days before the Passover celebration and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus secretly and put him to death.

2 "But not during the Passover," they agreed, "or there will be a riot."

3 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had leprosy. During supper, a woman came in with a beautiful jar of expensive perfume. She broke the seal and poured the perfume over his head.

4 Some of those at the table were indignant. "Why was this expensive perfume wasted?" they asked.

5 "She could have sold it for a small fortune and given the money to the poor!" And they scolded her harshly.

6 But Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. Why berate her for doing such a good thing to me?

7 You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But I will not be here with you much longer.

8 She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time.

9 I assure you, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman's deed will be talked about in her memory."

10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them.

11 The leading priests were delighted when they heard why he had come, and they promised him a reward. So he began looking for the right time and place to betray Jesus.

After the long day of Tuesday and all that happened, Wednesday is quite short. The start of the passage reminds that readers that this is occurring during the Passover and the festival of the Unleavened Bread. It is at this holy time that the chief priests and the scribes are looking to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. They are afraid because of the crowds. How often rather than being open and above board in the way we treat others, we too do things by stealth whether that is gossip or ridicule or even by discrimination? Caiaphas, in the gospel of John, stated better one man die for Israel than a nation. The irony is that is true. Better that Jesus die for our salvation rather than depend on a nation.

The anointing of Jesus reminds us of the various anointing’s of kings in the Hebrew scriptures. Indeed Jesus is the King of kings but this anointing was also to prepare him for death. Nard was a very expensive ointment from the Himalayan Mountains. When the disciples object because the money could have been used to help the poor, Jesus responds with “For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. (14:7 NRSV)” Jesus was not saying that we should not care for the poor for he has commanded us to do so. Rather we need to honor the sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf. Often we struggle with taking care of ourselves and the willingness to care for others. Churches face this struggle in how to respond to the generosity of the members. To what extant should the money be spent on the church and how much should go to mission work? Jesus is this passage may be suggested it is not an either/or but and/both. We need to support the ministries of the church as well as the church facilities.

Wednesday ends with Judas agreeing to betray Jesus for money. I know that there are times the lure of money to do something that is wrong is tempting. We read every day about scandals involving politicians, pastors, business owners who will violate their ethical decisions based on some sort of monetary donation. So Judas’ decision to betray the trust of Jesus continues today when those in power betray the trust of those that they are supposed to care for. You might want to read Ezekiel 34:1-24. The prophet is talking about the shepherds who were supposed to care for the sheep and ended up exploiting them by not feeding, healing, and not sought the lost. When we think only of ourselves we too are betraying Jesus, whether or not we receive some sort of monetary recompense.

Holy Week Tuesday

Tuesday Mark 11:20-13:37

20 The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it was withered from the roots.

21 Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, "Look, Teacher! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"

22 Then Jesus said to the disciples, "Have faith in God.

23 I assure you that you can say to this mountain, 'May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,' and your command will be obeyed. All that's required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart.

24 Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it.

25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too. "

26

27 By this time they had arrived in Jerusalem again. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders came up to him. They demanded,

28 "By whose authority did you drive out the merchants from the Temple? Who gave you such authority?"

29 "I'll tell who gave me authority to do these things if you answer one question," Jesus replied.

30 "Did John's baptism come from heaven or was it merely human? Answer me!"

31 They talked it over among themselves. "If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn't believe him.

32 But do we dare say it was merely human?" For they were afraid that the people would start a riot, since everyone thought that John was a prophet.

33 So they finally replied, "We don't know." And Jesus responded, "Then I won't answer your question either."

NLT Mark 12:1 Then Jesus began telling them stories: "A man planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country.

2 At grape-picking time he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop.

3 But the farmers grabbed the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed.

4 "The owner then sent another servant, but they beat him over the head and treated him shamefully.

5 The next servant he sent was killed. Others who were sent were either beaten or killed,

6 until there was only one left-- his son whom he loved dearly. The owner finally sent him, thinking, 'Surely they will respect my son.'

7 "But the farmers said to one another, 'Here comes the heir to this estate. Let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves!'

8 So they grabbed him and murdered him and threw his body out of the vineyard.

9 "What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do?" Jesus asked. "I'll tell you-- he will come and kill them all and lease the vineyard to others.

10 Didn't you ever read this in the Scriptures? 'The stone rejected by the builders has now become the cornerstone.

11 This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous to see.' "

12 The Jewish leaders wanted to arrest him for using this illustration because they realized he was pointing at them-- they were the wicked farmers in his story. But they were afraid to touch him because of the crowds. So they left him and went away.

13 The leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to try to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested.

14 "Teacher," these men said, "we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don't play favorites. You sincerely teach the ways of God. Now tell us-- is it right to pay taxes to the Roman government or not?

15 Should we pay them, or should we not?" Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, "Whom are you trying to fool with your trick questions? Show me a Roman coin, and I'll tell you."

16 When they handed it to him, he asked, "Whose picture and title are stamped on it?" "Caesar's," they replied.

17 "Well, then," Jesus said, "give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God." This reply completely amazed them.

18 Then the Sadducees stepped forward-- a group of Jews who say there is no resurrection after death. They posed this question:

19 "Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will be the brother's heir.

20 Well, there were seven brothers. The oldest of them married and then died without children.

21 So the second brother married the widow, but soon he too died and left no children. Then the next brother married her and died without children.

22 This continued until all the brothers had married her and died, and still there were no children. Last of all, the woman died, too.

23 So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her."

24 Jesus replied, "Your problem is that you don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God.

25 For when the dead rise, they won't be married. They will be like the angels in heaven.

26 But now, as to whether the dead will be raised-- haven't you ever read about this in the writings of Moses, in the story of the burning bush? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'

27 So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error."

28 One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the discussion. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

29 Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord.

30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.'

31 The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these."

32 The teacher of religious law replied, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other.

33 And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbors as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law."

34 Realizing this man's understanding, Jesus said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

35 Later, as Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple, he asked, "Why do the teachers of religious law claim that the Messiah will be the son of David?

36 For David himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said, 'The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.'

37 Since David himself called him Lord, how can he be his son at the same time?" And the crowd listened to him with great interest.

38 Here are some of the other things he taught them at this time: "Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they love to parade in flowing robes and to have everyone bow to them as they walk in the marketplaces.

39 And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and at banquets.

40 But they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property, and then, to cover up the kind of people they really are, they make long prayers in public. Because of this, their punishment will be the greater."

41 Jesus went over to the collection box in the Temple and sat and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts.

42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two pennies.

43 He called his disciples to him and said, "I assure you, this poor widow has given more than all the others have given.

44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has."

NLT Mark 13:1 As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, "Teacher, look at these tremendous buildings! Look at the massive stones in the walls!"

2 Jesus replied, "These magnificent buildings will be so completely demolished that not one stone will be left on top of another."

3 Later, Jesus sat on the slopes of the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him,

4 "When will all this take place? And will there be any sign ahead of time to show us when all this will be fulfilled?"

5 Jesus replied, "Don't let anyone mislead you,

6 because many will come in my name, claiming to be the Messiah. They will lead many astray.

7 And wars will break out near and far, but don't panic. Yes, these things must come, but the end won't follow immediately.

8 Nations and kingdoms will proclaim war against each other, and there will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, and famines. But all this will be only the beginning of the horrors to come.

9 But when these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the courts and beaten in the synagogues. You will be accused before governors and kings of being my followers. This will be your opportunity to tell them about me.

10 And the Good News must first be preached to every nation.

11 But when you are arrested and stand trial, don't worry about what to say in your defense. Just say what God tells you to. Then it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

12 "Brother will betray brother to death, fathers will betray their own children, and children will rise against their parents and cause them to be killed.

13 And everyone will hate you because of your allegiance to me. But those who endure to the end will be saved.

14 "The time will come when you will see the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing where it should not be"-- reader, pay attention! "Then those in Judea must flee to the hills.

15 A person outside the house must not go back into the house to pack.

16 A person in the field must not return even to get a coat.

17 How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for mothers nursing their babies in those days.

18 And pray that your flight will not be in winter.

19 For those will be days of greater horror than at any time since God created the world. And it will never happen again.

20 In fact, unless the Lord shortens that time of calamity, the entire human race will be destroyed. But for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days.

21 "And then if anyone tells you, 'Look, here is the Messiah,' or, 'There he is,' don't pay any attention.

22 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform miraculous signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God's chosen ones.

23 Watch out! I have warned you!

24 "At that time, after those horrible days end, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give light,

25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.

26 Then everyone will see the Son of Man arrive on the clouds with great power and glory.

27 And he will send forth his angels to gather together his chosen ones from all over the world-- from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

28 "Now, learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its buds become tender and its leaves begin to sprout, you know without being told that summer is near.

29 Just so, when you see the events I've described beginning to happen, you can be sure that his return is very near, right at the door.

30 I assure you, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these events have taken place.

31 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever.

32 "However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.

33 And since you don't know when they will happen, stay alert and keep watch.

34 "The coming of the Son of Man can be compared with that of a man who left home to go on a trip. He gave each of his employees instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return.

35 So keep a sharp lookout! For you do not know when the homeowner will return-- at evening, midnight, early dawn, or late daybreak.

36 Don't let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning.

37 What I say to you I say to everyone: Watch for his return!" (NLT)

Tuesday of Holy Week is found in the above scriptures. By far the longest day beyond Good Friday. A lot happens during this day that continues to increase the tension between Jesus and the leaders of Jerusalem. It begins with the disciples noticing that the fig tree that Jesus cursed is now withered. Another example of God’s displeasure with Israel that did not produce fruit worthy of God. Lest not read into this a condemnation of Jews but of the Temple elite who have been exploiting the poor. When Peter remarks on this, Jesus states “Have faith in God.” When you are able to have faith, you can find yourself doing remarkable things and producing fruit that is worthy of God.

Jesus ends this by reminding us that we are to forgive if you have anything against anyone; so that God can forgive your trespasses. Every Sunday we say the Lord’s Prayer asking for God’s forgiveness of our sins. Yet, Jesus reminds us that for us to forgive we must be willing to forgive others. How many times do we hold on to past hurts and grudges? How would it be for us if we would let go of those? We would be healthier and be more at peace if we can.

When they arrive in Jerusalem, they are confronted by the temple priests, scribes, and elders who question Jesus’ authority to disrupt the business of the temple. Jesus does not offer a direct answer but like a good diplomat answers the question with a question. He then shares a parable of a vineyard that has tenants to care for it. This is like Isaiah 5:1-7 about God’s vineyard. The tenants are those who have been questioning his authority. The tenants kill the messengers and finally sent his beloved son who also is killed. Certainly speaking of himself and the prophets that had been sent before him. God will then destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Jesus predicting the coming crisis (or actually following the destruction of the temple) and of his own death.

There are number of attempts to discredit Jesus by trying to trap him in saying things that would get him arrested by the Romans. I am reminded of the discourses of people today who spend more time trying to discredit others rather than engage in civil discourse. I wonder if at times we even in the church spend more time much like the Sadducees and Pharisees arguing over non-essentials and overlook what God is doing in our lives. Re-read verses 12:38-40. Jesus also points out it is not how much you have or the status you have that makes you special. Rather it is like the poor widow who was willing to give everything she had to the Lord.

Chapter 13 speaks of the end times. How often we spend an inordinate amount of time and effort and even money on trying to figure out when the end time will come? Jesus tells us that, “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father (13:32).” His charge to us is to stay awake for we do not know when. I would even suggest that not to worry about the when but live faithfully today. At the beginning of the gospel Jesus states that we are to repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. It is not some future event but is now. It is not to be figured out but it is to be lived out. Be disciplined by prayer, reading scriptures, believing in Christ, and living out what Jesus says.

Monday

Monday Mark 11:12-19

12 The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus felt hungry.

13 He noticed a fig tree a little way off that was in full leaf, so he went over to see if he could find any figs on it. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit.

14 Then Jesus said to the tree, "May no one ever eat your fruit again!" And the disciples heard him say it.

15 When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the merchants and their customers. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the stalls of those selling doves,

16 and he stopped everyone from bringing in merchandise.

17 He taught them, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be called a place of prayer for all nations,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves."

18 When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so enthusiastic about Jesus' teaching.

19 That evening Jesus and the disciples left the city. (NLT)

Again Mark begins to Holy Week with two images that speak to the challenging of the leaders of the Temple. Mark uses framing of scripture to make a prophetic statement. The cursing of the fig tree is an example of this framing. We will see this on Tuesday of Holy Week. Jesus goes to the fig tree which is in leaf but has no fruit. Even though the author points out that it is too early for it to bear fruit Jesus curses it. This is a symbolic statement against the Israelite tradition which is not bearing fruit. It is a statement that underlies what follows in the cleansing of the Temple.

The Temple was dependent on the temple taxes and tithes of the people to support the priesthood and had become the central religious and economic institution of the Jerusalem state. It had been rebuilt the ruling families and by King Herod. It had become one of the wonders of the Roman imperial world.

What was happening is that in order to follow the Torah, people would make pilgrimages to the Temple at least five times a year if possible. In order to bring sacrifices that were acceptable, many would have to buy animals or grain in Jerusalem as they could not travel with their own animals. Also when giving monetary gifts people could not use Roman coinage as it bore the image of Caesar and they would have to exchange for money appropriate for the Temple. So what had started as a means for the people to worship now became a business enterprise. Often business owners would pay the priests a fee for their ability to have the best locations for their merchandise.

This greatly affected the poor who had no other ability but to pay what the sellers would quote. Those who were in business would make a profit from their wares and soon both Judeans and non-Jews would trade in the large court of the Gentiles, the principle public space in Jerusalem. One can only imagine what that would be like to come to worship and offer your sacrifices amongst the crying out of the merchants.

When Jesus came and saw this, he began to drive out those merchants and prevented anyone from carrying anything through the temple. He quotes Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah’s prophecy against the first Temple. Using Jeremiah, he equated the moneychangers and the merchants as bandits who were exploiting the people and then seek refuge in the blessings of the priests.

It is in this act that the temple priests began to put into action the desire to kill him. They are concerned though that if they would do this publically the people might revolt and cause the Roman army to respond. Today when someone does something that creates problems with the making of money, people continue to respond negatively. It raises the question, I believe for churches as to what should the money we are entrusted with by used for?