Jennifer T. Kaalund, Professor of Religious Studies at Iona College sets a perfect contextual foundation for us as we read the apostle Paul encouragement to the believers in Philippi, She says that believers, all through the new testament, are encouraged to be imitators of God, to be like Jesus. To walk, love, and forgive like Jesus, to be kind to one another like Jesus.
’In Philippians 2:5-11 Paul encourages us to have the same mind as Christ. The Greek here can also be translated as thinking. So, it can be understood as a directive for us to think as Jesus thought.’
Jennifer T. Kaalund
As you read, take note of the special words such as humility, obedience, and form.
Have a great day and I hope to see you tonight and this coming Sunday!
Psalm 118 was probably originally a liturgy response as the people were approaching and entering the temple. The first three verses echo what we saw last week, “the Steadfast love of the lord endures forever’, then look at vs. 20 was said as they approached the temple ‘Open the gates that I may enter through them.
In between there is an accounting of difficult times, struggles and pain.
However, especially as we read this just prior to Holy Week, we cannot help but see the work and purpose of Christ, Christ live and Christ Crucified. He is the cornerstone. Read this twice, once imaging going to the temple even while struggles are on your mind. Then read it from the perspective of the cross and the resurrection.
Great to be back with you. I had planned on continuing these last week as Andrea and I were out of town, however, technology and I had a bit of a disagreement and technology won.
Our passage today is Isaiah 50:4-10
This is a fairly simple passage with a powerful message in regard to Isaiah’s pursuit his calling, and to Jesus’ following his calling, and, it hopefully is an example for us in our calling. Isaiah’s mission, as you probably remember, was to call the people to turn back to God. And, as you also may remember, the people were not only unresponsive, sometimes they were hostile and abusive towards him. Now, a true prophet is called by God, and, they go a out this calling knowing that they are not only the mouthpiece for God, but they walk a fine line toward their own destruction if they become a mouthpiece for themselves or someone else instead. Isaiah, and most all of the prophets take this very seriously and it has a difficult impact on their life. However, in this passage, where Isaiah is stating the obvious to those who want to silence him, he plainly states that what he says it not up to them it is up to God. He is resolute in his following God’s calling.
Have a great day and I hope to see you tonight and this coming Sunday!
I was probably 19 years old, home from college for the weekend, a Saturday morning, and still in bed. This was before the aging process had taken the joy of sleeping very late away from me. However this wonderful ‘stay in bed’ morning was interrupted by a loud voice from downstairs insisting that everyone look out the front windows. This was a bit irritating. It was Saturday morning and I was snug in my beg, but the voice did not give up so I rose up and went to the window. I’ll admit now, it was worth it – as I looked out there, probably just 10-15 feet away was two humans, standing in a basket, floating in the air under a hot air balloon. I had never seen anything like it. The two waved at me as if they had been waiting for me to get out of bed and then one pulled a lever raising them up away from my window. Although my bed was still warm and waiting, I stood there at the window looking for more balloons and more never before seen sights. Later I found out that Norman was hosting a Hot Air Balloon Festival bringing many balloon enthusiasts to the area as well as many to their bedroom windows. The rest of the day I was looking up, I had seen what I had seen, and I knew there was always a possibility of another balloon just waiting for me to look up.
This Sunday our focus will be on looking up and seeing a sight we have not seen before, seeing hope and healing. We will be concentrating on the Numbers Numbers 21:4-9 and our gospel passage from John 3:14-21. If you have a chance take another read of both of these
If we assume the chronological order chosen by John, the author of the gospel of John, is relevant to our understanding, then, the chronological placement of today’s passage is a head scratcher. The reason, not much has happened up to this point. Jesus has been proclaimed and baptized by John the baptizer, he has chosen this disciples, saved wedding hosts from humiliation by creating the bast wedding wine ever, and now we have Nicodemus, a pharisee leader, coming to see Jesus after dark has settled in.
Whether it was due to a busy work day, or that he didn’t want to be seen, Nicodemus visited Jesus after dark. This is the first time, in John, that we see an interaction between Jesus and the Religious institution. Other than the pharisees’ brief questions addressed to John the baptizer, this is the first time we have see or heard anything from the religious leaders. There is one contextual point, however, that surely plays into this visit,
When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.
John 2:23-25
Did Nicodemus come to visit Jesus out of fear of the crowds that were watching Jesus, or did he come because he genuinely was seeking truth? We cannot really know his motivation for sure, however, there is no question that Jesus was very honest and blunt with him, as we witnessed in Jesus words,
“Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
John 3:10b
Our passage is then a continuation of the discussion of these two men following the question Jesus poses.
Also, we have a reference to the bitting serpents from our Numbers passage, which is very significant.
Usually when the lectionary schedule give us a passage but does not include all the verses, or, as is the case of Psalms, we are just assigned a portion of the Psalm when it would be best to read the entire Psalm – usually, I will just tell you to read the entire passage. In Psalm 107, however, I think reading just a couple of sections is best. That is why our reading seems so dissected for today.
Psalm 107 addresses four different groups of people who have been rescued and redeemed by God. All four sections are introduced by the first 3 verses of the Psalm – which introduces the primary thread which is God’s steadfast love. Honestly, you could walk through a craft show in Oklahoma and you will undoubtedly find many items for sale that include something from these first three verses (you could do the same with Christian songs) however, you are seldom going to find anything from the remainder of the Psalm, especially not the second part of our assigned passage. It is not a pretty or heartwarming passage, unless you realize that this steadfast love of God, in reality, if for everyone, even if their life is messy, ugly, disobedient, unloving, etc.
If there was a way to make this truth marketable, I assure you that this truth of our reality would sell out quickly. As you read it, take comfort in that reality that is met by God’s steadfast love.
The first words of today’s passage provide our context for today,
‘Your were dead…’ Ephesians 2:1a
It is pretty clear cut, we were dead, and now, we are not.
Pastor Adam Hearlson states that
‘Any consideration of grace requires, as a prerequisite, a reflection of death’
This is the catalyst for Paul’s words to the believers at Ephesus, it is impossible to recognize life unless we have death as a point of reference, it is impossible to live in the light unless we first remember life in the darkness.
For an embarrassing long time, I have expected and accepted darkness every time I enter my parent’s house. I don’t even reach for the switch anymore and mom has wondered if her eyesight has gotten worse. The former light illuminating that room was gone and as a result, we couldn’t see (literally and conceptually).
Repeatedly, on my way out of the house I would promise to fix the problem next time I came over. This past Sunday it was time.
I got the step ladder and climb up to the fixture, mom grabbed the lightbulbs, and Andrea stood by to protect me from a fall. I replaced the bulbs, we switched the switch and we could see. There is was, we had become so comfortable that now the light was an adjustment. But now, there was light. It was a whole new reality to adjust to.
The account of Jesus cleansing the temple occurs in all four gospels. The synoptic gospels all place it during Holy Week, however John places it much earlier in the ministry of Jesus. Scholars disagree if John’s different placement was an intentional chronological change to stress that Jesus ministry was confronting the abuse of the believers and signaling that change was coming, or if this was actually a separate story. Regardless, it is a powerful story with much meaning to us over 2 thousand years later. We will be focusing on this story from John’s perspective this Sunday which deals with the coming change, but there is so much more. In all accounts it was a final straw for Jesus, his zeal for mercy and compassion could not help but be seen, it was time for a change. So, between now and Sunday, think about what change God is calling for in our world, in your world? What change does God desire to come out of this strange year we have experienced?
Holy Week is the week between Jesus entry into Jerusalem and Jesus Cruxificion/Resurrection. A lot happens during that week, including a couple of nights that Jesus dismisses him self from the crowds for a much needed rest at the home of his dear friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. The events of that Holy Exhausting/Devastating/ Exalting/Surprising/Rejecting/Hateful/LoveFull/Tears/Misery/…. week are observed with tradition and consistency in our Catholic and many liturgical protestant brothers and sisters, however, most protestants do not partake in the full schedule of the week (although there are some that are attempting to adopt at least some of these events). Just to give you an idea of the power of the Holy Week for many faith traditions, here is a partial list of these activities (if you want details or explanations just go on the internet and type in any one of these events):
Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday)
Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday.
Holy Wednesday (Spy Wednesday)
Maundy Thursday.
Good Friday.
Holy Saturday (Black Saturday)
The reason I point this out here is that our gospel reading today and through March 21 are going to seem to be chronologically out of place – we will be making this detour, however, from our Mark readings in order to help us have an understanding the catalyst and insight of Holy Week (not and explanation of human observances but reflections from Jesus that can explain the foundational reasons).
One think to have on your mind as you read today’s passage:
When the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem they also destroyed the temple. So, the Israelites came home to no temple, and no Ark of the Covenant. They quickly set out on a journey to rebuild the temple, a journey that lasted decades and ultimately involved some very unsavory characters – but they could not rebuild a new Ark or duplicate its contents. The Ark was the Presence of God. No Ark, No Presence, No God.
We understand that the presence of God is not held in a building but this was a new concept at this time. Yet, Jesus, says, ‘Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!’ God did not live in a building, so what was Jesus saying?
Context note, the merchants consisted of two different primary groups. The first was those selling the needed animals for the sacrifices to those who had traveled a long distance and had arrived at the temple without their sacrificial items. The second group were the money changers – they were changing the believers money into the exact amounts they needed for the purchases and for the temple tax, while withholding a nice percentage for themself.
The Temple Tax was a painful reminder to Jesus that the church and oppressive government were in an unholy unity. The government cozied up to the church by instituting a Temple Tax that paid the rabbis and priests. The Church, in turn, willingly accepted the oppressive politicians giving them an unholy influence – the politicians then received the assistance from the religious officials to help keep the people under control.
Now, as you read consider why Jesus would have found this abusive collusion abhorrent, and think about Jesus statement ‘My Father’s House’.
Psalm 19 is an amazing Psalm! It proclaimed God in his creation as well as his word and then it invites God in to teach and guide. It has everything!
It might be easier to grasp if you consider it in 3 different sections.
The first section is about verses 1-6, in which we see the Psalmist declare the revelation and presentation of God in his creation. If you have access, read this in The Message in addition to your regular transition. However it is beautiful in all translations. One note – The word used for ‘God’ in this section is the Hebrew ‘el’ which is actually a word used more for a generic reference to God.
The second section is verses 7-10, where we hear, or hear of, the word of God. It is an explanation of what we failed to see in God’s revelation in his creation. Here we see the reference move from a generic God to which all can ascribe to a more specific God, Our God, ‘Yahweh’.
The third section, verses 11-14 is an invitation to God to break into our reality and teach and guide us.
Order, Words, & Voices 