How is it possible that we are on the fifth Wednesday of Lent? What just happened?!!! I'm starting to hyperventilate as I consider all the things I have to do before and including Easter Sunday. There are flowers to order, a Seder Supper to plan, cinnamon rolls to be made and eggs to be dyed. I am thankful for these daily readings from "God is on the Cross" and my other readings that keep me focused on the real meaning of the season. I know that those other items will eventually get crossed off my list but I'd rather be grounded in the why and for Who I do it all for.
Last week we discussed the purpose of suffering. When we look outside of ourselves, we are more empathetic to others that are suffering and that may need our help and prayers. Along with our desire to help others in need, we are more concerned with their spiritual need! We suffer because we are Christians. This is not a punishment but a means to draw us closer to him, to remind us of our need for him and how he has fulfilled all our needs. Suffering produces endurance, character, hope and patience. And only through being built up in the means of grace can we miraculously rejoice in our sufferings!
This week, we discuss the theme "The Cross". And I'd also like to discuss - am I missing something that the reading for this upcoming Sunday is for Palm Sunday and going into Holy Week? Because I know the time has flown but I get another week, right? According to the back of the book, there are 40 devotions that "will guide and inspire readers as they move thematically through the weeks of Lent and Easter." Did they forget that Sundays are not included in the 40 days of Lent? That's what I get for reading a liturgical book not published by CPH or NPH...
13 comments:
You had mentioned you welcomed any suggestions in the area of Issues,etc podcasts or whatever I could pass along. The Issues podcasts I've been listening to the last week or two haven't specifically been about the church year of Lent so I've listened to a three part series on marriage, commentary on the latest Jesus movie and commentary on the book by Bill O'Reilly "Killing Jesus". Nothing too earth shattering that's a must listen to - only if you're interested. Otherwise, I can always suggest to anyone that they can listen to MY FAVOURITE PASTOR preach anytime at http://www.divinewordottawa.ca/site/audiodownloads.asp?sec_id=180014038
You may notice our last name is the same….
Wednesday - Without any Illusion
I like the way this first reading is focused and grounded in Christ alone. No illusions. The cross is the reality where life and death collide and life wins. All the other stuff he mentions that are illusions - the basic good in people, how (human) good triumphs, the greatness of our morality or culture or the role of human power in the church - is all "feel good crap" that Hollywood movies are made of. Or the stuff that's preached in those motivational speeches on TV that people call "sermons" given by "pastors".
"Rather, believers believe solely in God, who creates and does the impossible, who creates life out of death, who has called the dying church to life against and in spite of us and through us. But God does it alone."
Also appreciated Catherine of Siena's quote.
The scripture mentioned was a good choice to highlight this truth!
Keep us, Lord Jesus, from any illusion that salvation and the cross is dependant on us. Help us look at reality with clear eyes. We praise you for completing that good work in Christ alone!
Wednesday - Without Any Illusion
My initial comment about this reading was simply "BEAUTIFUL!" I can't even pick my favorite sentence or line. It's just all fantastic. All I can say is "Amen." Even the Bible passage is at the same time stunning and comforting. "...and we will be changed."
Thank you for the link to your "favorite pastor's" sermons! Online audio sermon archives are such a blessing! I will add this to my list of sermon archive sources.
And yes, how strange that there is a week missing in these readings! I think my plan will be to hold off on the Bonhoeffer starting on Sunday and pick it up again on the ACTUAL Palm Sunday. I may take a day or two to review the book up to this point, and then for the rest of the week I'll probably make use of some online Lent sermons.
Thursday - His Yoke and Burden are the Cross
Another beautiful reading from today! Along with the Matthew 1:28-30 quote, I would add another:
Hebrews 4:15, 5:2, "We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness."
What comfort there is found under the cross! That he understands what we're going through, that he loves and cares for us by having been under the cross himself in the first place! That he comes to our side when we stumble to be there - even though we have only ourselves to blame for being there! He loves us and picks us up from our fall, dusting us off and equipping us through the gospel in word and sacrament to keep going the journey.
This is our Lenten pilgrimage. This is why we need this time of year to ponder these truths!
"Fill your mind with the vision of this glory hidden for you in his stumbling. Let your heart and soul be filled with the grace and mercy that has always been there for you when you fell." Theology of the Cross, page 259.
Thursday - His Yoke and Burden are the Cross
"Jesus calls all [...] to cast off their yoke..." This brought to mind Hebrews 12 "let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles."
The yoke of the human nature is man-made. Bonhoeffer says it is comprised of self-made laws and burdens. In short, it is sin. It is not natural for us to think of this as a yoke at all. Without the work of the Spirit in us we have no idea that we are slaves to sin! So when Jesus calls weary people to take on a yoke, our natural reaction is to run the other way. Discipleship is not appealing to our old Adam in the least!
The context of the "throw off everything that hinders" passage is that it comes right after the Hebrews 11 "hall of faith." And then comes this:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." -Heb 12:1-3
The following verses of Hebrews 12 go into a discussion about God's disciplining of His children.
I like the way the readings have led me to make connections between different passages of Scripture that I would not have made before.
I have an image in my mind of myself carrying an old-fashioned yoke - maybe a thick piece of wood curved over my shoulders with perhaps some buckets of water hanging over each end. I am weary. Jesus comes to me and says "throw that thing off! Come to me and carry this one instead!" And he leads me over to a big wooden cross. It's not curved or rounded or smooth, and it looks heavier than what I was carrying before. But Jesus gets up under it and beckons to me to join him. He tells me just to keep my eyes on him and put one foot in front of the other, and he tells me that he will be gentle and that it won't be too difficult for me to bear. It's not that it feels comfortable as we begin to move forward under its weight, but I find that as I keep my focus on Him, even though I am expending effort I do not grow weary. I begin to enjoy His company as we go, and my heart is happy. My soul is at rest.
I think I have a tendency to keep trying to carry the original yoke of my rules and burdens and sin and lots of other stuff that hinders as I then take up my cross. Jesus, help me cast off all that stuff! I want your yoke instead!
"A king who dies on the cross must be the king of a rather strange kingdom." That really did make me LOL! :) The rest of that quote makes a great point.
Beautiful illustration of our yoke we carry and finding Jesus in our cross! Thank you:) And it seems we were both drawn to the book of Hebrews yesterday - great minds think alike! haha!
I agree to your plan on putting off Palm Sunday's reading until Palm Sunday and using that extra week to meditate on what we've considered already.
Friday - Jesus' love is love that takes upon itself the cross
I think I understand the point he's trying to make in that do we really understand the love of Jesus for us and have experienced it personally? But I so hesitate to embrace the phrase "a personal experience" as used as a tagline in today's Christianity. I don't think this is used in the same context but the point I'd like to make is worthy of mentioning regardless. We can't trust our feelings. We're no more saved if we "feel" it. It's nice when we feel it but it's a huge comfort to me that even during moments of my life where the feeling isn't there or strong, I know his love for me is unchanging, unmoved and unwavering. I look to Christ's experience, not mine.
The body of the reading had me think of Scripture I think you mentioned a few weeks ago.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
New International Version (NIV)
"4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
Jesus has done all that perfectly! And I would add to the final sentence of the reading, "He accepts us as we are" … through Jesus.
Friday - Jesus' Love Is Love That Takes upon Itself the Cross
Pondering the love of Jesus is just so beautiful. I have experienced it, yes, but I don't think it's possible for our human psyche to fully absorb all that Jesus' love is and does - for ME! What grace!
"Jesus' love - that is love that shrinks from no pain, no renunciation, no suffering, if it helps the other person." What an example! Oh, that I would love others in this way!
The shorter quote from Bonhoeffer is such a helpful concept, too, when struggling to forgive those who wrong us. "The cross of Jesus is valid for all." This concept came into our Advent readings, didn't it? The fact that Jesus means hope even for the seemingly hopeless. His love supplies forgiveness even for the seemingly unforgivable.
The passage from John reminds us that the mark that the world sees on us - that makes it clear to them that we belong to Jesus - is His love in and between us.
Thank you, Jesus, for loving me as I am - unlovable, unloving, ungrateful, stained with sin. Thank you for loving me with your eternal, ever-faithful, unstoppable, unlimited, self-sacrificing love. Remind me of your love, fill me with your love, and then may your love overflow from me into others!
Again we are posting at the same time!
OK - now it's just getting weird;)
Actually, it's kind of neat!
Saturday - Where the Cross Stands, the Resurrection is Near
This reading was a nice way to end as we anticipate the start of Holy Week a week from tomorrow.
The purpose of Lent isn't to bang ourselves over the head and despair of our sins and unworthiness. Even as we reflect on our failures, the crosses we each carry and the pain and suffering our Saviour experienced out of love for mankind, there's always hope there too. We know the end is not in Good Friday. We know Easter Sunday is coming and the joy of the resurrection! So yes, there's the cross - Christ's cross and then our cross, but there's always hope! The hope is grounded in "Christ {is} alive and near." "Where the power of darkness wants to overcome the light of God, there God triumphs and judges the darkness."
And funny - the Bible passages today are the very ones you quoted for Thursday!
A podcast to add to your list over the next week fits perfectly with what we've been discussing - suffering. Check out - http://issuesetc.org/2014/04/02/3-christianity-and-suffering-dr-andrea-pitkus-4214/ if you get a chance!
Saturday - Where the Cross Stands, the Resurrection Is Near
It is indeed noteworthy that the "theme of the Bible" is so "repulsive" to the human nature, but to us who see through the eyes of faith, it is "marvelous!"
Writing that reminded me of the passage that says, "the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes." So of course I had to look up that passage to see what it was that the Lord had done that was being celebrated. I found that it was in Psalm 118, and as I read that Psalm, I thought of some other interesting things. I'll see if I can note them clearly:
SEE THE NEXT POST, SINCE MY TEXT GOT TOO LONG! :)
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Psalm 118
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
2 Let Israel say:
“His love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say:
“His love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord say:
“His love endures forever.”
[Opening section of praise]
5 When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord;
he brought me into a spacious place.
6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper.
I look in triumph on my enemies.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in humans.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
[A good description of a right attitude to have during trial or suffering.]
10 All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
11 They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
12 They swarmed around me like bees,
but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the Lord helped me.
[Seems like an example of a specific instance for which the psalmist is praising God for his deliverance.]
14 The Lord is my strength and my defense[a];
he has become my salvation.
[Statement reiterating the theme of the Psalm]
15 Shouts of joy and victory
resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!
16 The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”
[Noting that this not only happens in the psalmist's own life, but it is common among God's people. They come into hardship, the Lord saves them, and they praise him.]
17 I will not die but live,
and will proclaim what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord has chastened me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
[Something of a vow going forward, that the psalmist will live to proclaim God's praises as an expression of thanks for what God has done for him.]
ON TO THE NEXT POST AGAIN...
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19 Open for me the gates of the righteous;
I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous may enter.
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.
[The "gate of the righteous:" suffering? Jesus earned our salvation by going through the "gate" of suffering. As soon he passed through that final and most extreme gate of the cross, the resurrection was there, as our Bonhoeffer reading points out. And we also take up our cross, because that's what discipleship is about - "This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter." I know it is a "safer" analogy to equate Jesus to the gate in this statement rather than equating suffering to the gate. However, our readings have pointed us to the fact that suffering is a necessary part of discipleship, so in the context of our discussion here I do think it's an interesting connection to mull over. Just when we are suffering the most is when salvation is the most near, Bonhoeffer says. We pass through the gate, and then we praise the Lord for delivering us. Jesus is the gate, yes, but he is the "narrow gate" which involves suffering. The comfortable wide gate leads to destruction. I think that what I am concluding through all this rambling is that Jesus, suffering (both his suffering and our cross-bearing), and our salvation are inseparable. I would be interested to hear your favorite pastor's take on this, if you have a moment to present it to him.]
22 The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
23 the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.
25 Lord, save us!
Lord, grant us success!
[And here is the passage that drew me to this psalm in the first place! "The stone the builders rejected" - the fact that Jesus took on such a humble position in life and then suffered and died like a lowly criminal is "repulsive" to the world. But he has become the "capstone" - the one necessary piece without which everything our faith is built on would crumble. But in our eyes, this is marvelous! Now here's the really fun part: "Lord save us!" - Isn't that the meaning of the word Hosanna??? This is the very word that the people shouted when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the day we are leading up to in our reading!]
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.[b]
27 The Lord is God,
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up[c] to the horns of the altar.
[More Palm Sunday connections!!!]
28 You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
[Amen!]
I listened to the podcast you recommended, and I had a couple thoughts to add when it comes to talking about the Christian response to suffering.
They posed the question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" This questions is asked so often. Just the asking of this question reflects a false belief in the mind of the asker. The fact is, there are no good people. As Romans 3:10-12 and Psalm 14:1-3 tell us, "There is no one who does good. Not even one." So the more realistic question is "Why do good things happen to bad people?"
The podcast didn't really emphasize this very much, but I think it is very important when talking about the question.
We recently heard a sermon that applied some of Jesus' words to the question of whether sufferings are punishments for sin. John chapter 9 says Jesus' disciples asked him about a man who was born blind, "Who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him."
Another Scripture that was used was Luke 13:1-5:
1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
So as the podcast discussed, suffering is a result of sin in the world (we can't blame it on God), but it is not a punishment from God. Suffering should be a warning to us, that we WILL receive punishment for our sin if we do not repent!
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