Nothing…

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they could go and anoint Jesus’ dead body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they came to the tomb. They were saying to each other, “Who’s going to roll the stone away from the entrance for us?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away. (And it was a very large stone!) Going into the tomb, they saw a young man in a white robe seated on the right side; and they were startled. But he said to them, “Don’t be alarmed! You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised. He isn’t here. Look, here’s the place where they laid him. Go, tell his disciples, especially Peter, that he is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you.” Overcome with terror and dread, they fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. (Mark 16:1-8, CEB)

They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

The women left the empty tomb and said nothing to anyone because they were afraid. This is where scholars believe the gospel of Mark originally ended.

The Beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ is how Mark begins, and the author ends the book with the woman saying nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

How is that Good News?

Because my friends, it doesn’t end there…

You continue the story.

You tell about Jesus.

You share the love God has given.

Love like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

Holy Saturday

That evening a man named Joseph came. He was a rich man from Arimathea who had become a disciple of Jesus. He came to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate gave him permission to take it. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had carved out of the rock. After he rolled a large stone at the door of the tomb, he went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting in front of the tomb. The next day, which was the day after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate. They said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will arise.’ Therefore, order the grave to be sealed until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people, ‘He’s been raised from the dead.’ This last deception will be worse than the first.” Pilate replied, “You have soldiers for guard duty. Go and make it as secure as you know how.” Then they went and secured the tomb by sealing the stone and posting the guard. (Matthew 27:57-66, CEB)

How did the Pharisees seal the tomb?

It says that Joseph wrapped the body and laid it in the new tomb and rolled a large stone in front of the opening. Then the Pharisees went to Pilate and said, “He said he would rise after 3 days, so we need to secure the tomb.” And Pilate told them they had guards, they could secure it, and the reading says, “Then they went and secured the tomb by sealing the stone and posting the guard.”

They sealed the stone…

With? Duct tape? Caulk?

Not that it really matters, nothing can stop God from doing what God is going to do.

Know that God’s love can penetrate any seal, and nothing will stand in the way.

Loving People. Loving God.

Good Friday

My God! My God,
    why have you left me all alone?
    Why are you so far from saving me—
        so far from my anguished groans?
My God, I cry out during the day,
    but you don’t answer;
    even at nighttime I don’t stop.
You are the holy one, enthroned.
You are Israel’s praise.
Our ancestors trusted you—
    they trusted you and you rescued them;
    they cried out to you and they were saved;
    they trusted you and they weren’t ashamed.
But I’m just a worm, less than human;
    insulted by one person, despised by another.
All who see me make fun of me—
    they gape, shaking their heads:
    “He committed himself to the Lord,
        so let God rescue him;
        let God deliver him
        because God likes him so much.”
But you are the one who pulled me from the womb,
    placing me safely at my mother’s breasts.
I was thrown on you from birth;
    you’ve been my God
    since I was in my mother’s womb.
Please don’t be far from me,
    because trouble is near
        and there’s no one to help.
Many bulls surround me;
    mighty bulls from Bashan encircle me.
They open their mouths at me
    like a lion ripping and roaring!
I’m poured out like water.
    All my bones have fallen apart.
        My heart is like wax;
        it melts inside me.
My strength is dried up
    like a piece of broken pottery.
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
    you’ve set me down in the dirt of death.
Dogs surround me;
    a pack of evil people circle me like a lion—
    oh, my poor hands and feet!
I can count all my bones!
    Meanwhile, they just stare at me, watching me.
They divvy up my garments among themselves;
    they cast lots for my clothes.
But you, Lord! Don’t be far away!
    You are my strength!
    Come quick and help me!
Deliver me from the sword.
    Deliver my life from the power of the dog.
    Save me from the mouth of the lion.
    From the horns of the wild oxen
    you have answered me!
I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
    I will praise you in the very center of the congregation!
All of you who revere the Lord—praise him!
    All of you who are Jacob’s descendants—honor him!
    All of you who are all Israel’s offspring—
        stand in awe of him!
Because he didn’t despise or detest
    the suffering of the one who suffered—
    he didn’t hide his face from me.
    No, he listened when I cried out to him for help.
I offer praise in the great congregation
    because of you;
    I will fulfill my promises
    in the presence of those who honor God.
Let all those who are suffering eat and be full!
    Let all who seek the Lord praise him!
        I pray your hearts live forever!
Every part of the earth
    will remember and come back to the Lord;
    every family among all the nations will worship you.
Because the right to rule belongs to the Lord,
    he rules all nations.
Indeed, all the earth’s powerful
    will worship him;
    all who are descending to the dust
    will kneel before him;
    my being also lives for him.
Future descendants will serve him;
    generations to come will be told about my Lord.
They will proclaim God’s righteousness
        to those not yet born,
        telling them what God has done.
(Psalm 22, CEB)

The first verse of Psalm 22 is included in the words that Jesus said from the cross.

I was taught that people in Jesus time would pray a psalm by stating the first verse.

If this is true, Jesus saying this makes it sound like he is saying God has abandoned him. But if he is praying the whole psalm, is God leaving him to be alone?

The end of this psalm talks about hod God heard the cries and came to aide the one crying out. God vindicated and stood by the person.

God did not abandon Jesus on the cross.

God will never abandon you.

Loving People. Loving God.

Maundy Thursday

Before the Festival of Passover, Jesus knew that his time had come to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them fully. Jesus and his disciples were sharing the evening meal. The devil had already provoked Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew the Father had given everything into his hands and that he had come from God and was returning to God. So he got up from the table and took off his robes. Picking up a linen towel, he tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he was wearing. When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand what I’m doing now, but you will understand later.” “No!” Peter said. “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t have a place with me.” Simon Peter said, “Lord, not only my feet but also my hands and my head!” Jesus responded, “Those who have bathed need only to have their feet washed, because they are completely clean. You disciples are clean, but not every one of you.” He knew who would betray him. That’s why he said, “Not every one of you is clean.”
When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Human One has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify the Human One in himself and will glorify him immediately. Little children, I’m with you for a little while longer. You will look for me—but, just as I told the Jewish leaders, I also tell you now—‘Where I’m going, you can’t come.’ “I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.” (John 13:1-17, 31b-35, CEB)

Love each other, just as I have loved you.

This after Jesus just washed the feet of the disciples. Taking on the role of the servant and doing what only the lowly would do.

Be a servant to others and show them love, by doing what you think if beneath you.

You do not get the seat of honor, you are to serve all.

Love others, as I have loved you.

Unconditionally.

Love like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

Wednesday of Holy Week

After he said these things, Jesus was deeply disturbed and testified, “I assure you, one of you will betray me.” His disciples looked at each other, confused about which of them he was talking about. One of the disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was at Jesus’ side. Simon Peter nodded at him to get him to ask Jesus who he was talking about. Leaning back toward Jesus, this disciple asked, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It’s the one to whom I will give this piece of bread once I have dipped into the bowl.”Then he dipped the piece of bread and gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son. After Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” No one sitting at the table understood why Jesus said this to him. Some thought that, since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus told him, “Go, buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. So when Judas took the bread, he left immediately. And it was night. When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Human One has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify the Human One in himself and will glorify him immediately. (John 13:21-32, CEB)

One of you will betray me…

The word translated as betray actually means “to grant someone the opportunity or occasion to do something” or “to expose oneself willingly to a danger or risk” or as an idiom “To hand over life”.

When I preside at communion I say, “In the night in which Jesus was handed over…” Not betrayed. Judas did what needed to be done and Jesus knew it was going to happen. The way I understand betrayal is that someone does something to someone that they know nothing about. Jesus knew what Judas was doing. Judas didn’t betray Jesus, he handed him over.

Judas gets a bad rap. And when Judas left, Jesus knew it was going to happen.

Maybe we should be like Judas and do what we know the others will not and possibly do the thing that will get followers to question our motives. Follow God in all circumstances.

Loving People. Loving God.

And a little humor for a dark day…

Tuesday of Holy Week

Some Greeks were among those who had come up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and made a request: “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” Philip told Andrew, and Andrew and Philip told Jesus. Jesus replied, “The time has come for the Human One to be glorified. I assure you that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it can only be a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their lives will lose them, and those who hate their lives in this world will keep them forever. Whoever serves me must follow me. Wherever I am, there my servant will also be. My Father will honor whoever serves me. “Now I am deeply troubled. What should I say? ‘Father, save me from this time’? No, for this is the reason I have come to this time. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd standing there heard and said, “It’s thunder.” Others said, “An angel spoke to him.” Jesus replied, “This voice wasn’t for my benefit but for yours. Now is the time for judgment of this world. Now this world’s ruler will be thrown out. When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to me.” (He said this to show how he was going to die.) The crowd responded, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Human One must be lifted up? Who is this Human One?” Jesus replied, “The light is with you for only a little while. Walk while you have the light so that darkness doesn’t overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness don’t know where they are going. As long as you have the light, believe in the light so that you might become people whose lives are determined by the light.” After Jesus said these things, he went away and hid from them. (John 12:20-36, CEB)

This is the same reading from Lent 5 which was the Sunday before Palm Sunday, except today we add 3 verses to the end.

As long as you have the light believe in the light so that you might become people whose lives are determined by the light…

Is your life determined by the light?

Do you do the things you do for your own gain, or to make the world a better place?

Do you share love or hoard what you have?

Do you love like Jesus?

Share love and have your life be determined by the light!

Loving People. Loving God.

Monday of Holy Week

Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, home of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Lazarus and his sisters hosted a dinner for him. Martha served and Lazarus was among those who joined him at the table. Then Mary took an extraordinary amount, almost three-quarters of a pound, of very expensive perfume made of pure nard. She anointed Jesus’ feet with it, then wiped his feet dry with her hair. The house was filled with the aroma of the perfume. Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), complained, “This perfume was worth a year’s wages! Why wasn’t it sold and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would take what was in it.) Then Jesus said, “Leave her alone. This perfume was to be used in preparation for my burial, and this is how she has used it. You will always have the poor among you, but you won’t always have me.” Many Jews learned that he was there. They came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. The chief priests decided that they would kill Lazarus too. It was because of Lazarus that many of the Jews had deserted them and come to believe in Jesus. (John 12:1-11, CEB)

Judas is said to have been stealing from the purse because he held the money for the group. I have never seen any other evidence of this and we believe it because it is written here. The author of John or maybe a scribe at some point said Judas was a thief. And no one has questioned this.

Ok yes, there are other big things in this passage we should look at, the perfume, the fact they are with Lazarus after he was dead, Jesus saying there will always be poor and that he will not always be with us.

There is a lot here to chew on. And this is a big week to do it in.

Jesus won’t always be with us. In 3.5 days we will prepare for his lynching.

How can we change the way we look at others, to show love and maybe take care of the poor? How can we bring more of the love of God into the world by the actions we seek to do daily?

How can you be an agent of God’s love for the betterment of the world?

Love like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

Palm Sunday

When Jesus and his followers approached Jerusalem, they came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives. Jesus gave two disciples a task, saying to them, “Go into the village over there. As soon as you enter it, you will find tied up there a colt that no one has ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘Its master needs it, and he will send it back right away.’” They went and found a colt tied to a gate outside on the street, and they untied it. Some people standing around said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They told them just what Jesus said, and they left them alone. They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes upon it, and he sat on it. Many people spread out their clothes on the road while others spread branches cut from the fields. Those in front of him and those following were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessings on the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest!” Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. After he looked around at everything, because it was already late in the evening, he returned to Bethany with the Twelve. (Mark 11:1-11, CEB)

Its master needs it…

You know in all of the recorded things we have Jesus saying he only says he needs one thing. A donkey.

He needs a donkey to fulfill a prophecy about the Messiah riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. That is what he needs. Knowing that in less than a week he will be murdered/lynched. He needs a donkey to fulfill a prophecy.

What do you need?

Loving People. Loving God.

Your faith has healed you…

Jesus and his disciples were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, with Jesus in the lead. The disciples were amazed while the others following behind were afraid. Taking the Twelve aside again, he told them what was about to happen to him. “Look!” he said. “We’re going up to Jerusalem. The Human One will be handed over to the chief priests and the legal experts. They will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles. They will ridicule him, spit on him, torture him, and kill him. After three days, he will rise up.”
Jesus and his followers came into Jericho. As Jesus was leaving Jericho, together with his disciples and a sizable crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, Timaeus’ son, was sitting beside the road. When he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was there, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, show me mercy!” Many scolded him, telling him to be quiet, but he shouted even louder, “Son of David, show me mercy!” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him forward.” They called the blind man, “Be encouraged! Get up! He’s calling you.” Throwing his coat to the side, he jumped up and came to Jesus. Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said, “Teacher, I want to see.” Jesus said, “Go, your faith has healed you.” At once he was able to see, and he began to follow Jesus on the way. (Mark 10:32-34, 46-52, CEB)

Ok, so why hasn’t my faith healed me?

Why do I get sick?

Why do the people I love die?

All of these are valid questions from this passage.

And I have to say I do not know. We die because we are human and eternal life does not mean no death.

But I can not answer those questions. It isn’t because you don’t have faith, don’t believe the right way, or because you are sinning.

That is life. Jesus never said life would be perfect, God promised to always be with us and we would always be with God. That doesn’t mean we will get what we want, or be healed the way we think we should be. Sometimes healing comes in ways we don’t want or expect it to.

Know that your faith is good enough and so are you.

God is always with you.

Loving People. Loving God.

Do everything

Therefore, my loved ones, just as you always obey me, not just when I am present but now even more while I am away, carry out your own salvation with fear and trembling. God is the one who enables you both to want and to actually live out his good purposes. Do everything without grumbling and arguing so that you may be blameless and pure, innocent children of God surrounded by people who are crooked and corrupt. Among these people you shine like stars in the world because you hold on to the word of life. This will allow me to say on the day of Christ that I haven’t run for nothing or worked for nothing. But even if I am poured out like a drink offering upon the altar of service for your faith, I am glad. I’m glad with all of you. You should be glad about this in the same way. Be glad with me! (Philippians 2:12-18, CEB)

Do everything without grumbling and arguing so that you may be blameless and pure, innocent children of God surrounded by people who are crooked and corrupt.

Do not grumble or argue. Treat people as God treats you, with love even when you don’t deserve it. The day I wrote this devotion, I also shared a image on Facebook and this passage and verse reminded me of that picture.

If you ever get the chance to treat them the way they treated you, I hope you choose to walk away and do better. Walk away and do not return evil for evil.

The other day at a local congregation I was at someone commented on my beard and the color it was and the comment was Southern nice. The person said it in a way that was a jab at me, I simply replied thank you and walked away. I could have said, “I didn’t color it for you.” But I didn’t. I don’t say this to make me look good. trust me when I say I do enough to not look good every day. But at that moment I was the bigger person. May we all have those moments, and make the world a little bit better place.

Love like Jesus. Which sometimes means, we just walk away.

Loving People. Loving God.