Mark 14:26
Today's discussion question: What hymn would you pick to sing in this setting?  Why?


I wonder if Psalm 88 would have ministered to Jesus as he went to the Mount of Olives to pray.
Psalm 88

LORD, you are the God who saves me;
   day and night I cry out to you.
May my prayer come before you;
   turn your ear to my cry.

I am overwhelmed with troubles
   and my life draws near to death.
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
   I am like one without strength.
I am set apart with the dead,
   like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
   who are cut off from your care.

You have put me in the lowest pit,
   in the darkest depths.
Your wrath lies heavily on me;
   you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
You have taken from me my closest friends
   and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;
   my eyes are dim with grief.

I call to you, LORD, every day;
  I spread out my hands to you.
Do you show your wonders to the dead?
   Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
Is your love declared in the grave,
   your faithfulness in Destruction?
Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
   or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

But I cry to you for help, LORD;
   in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Why, LORD, do you reject me
   and hide your face from me?

From my youth I have suffered and been close to death;
   I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
Your wrath has swept over me;
   your terrors have destroyed me.
All day long they surround me like a flood;
   they have completely engulfed me.
You have taken from me friend and neighbor—
   darkness is my closest friend.

PeopleWhoLove

John 13:34-35
Today's discussion question: How do our horizontal relationships affect our vertical?
(I apologize for mixing up yesterday & today's readings.)


Jesus plainly states that everyone will know we are his disciples if we love one another.  He does not say they will know by the crosses we wear around our necks.  He does not say by our picket signs in front of abortion clinics.  He does not say by our regular attendance in worship services.  He does not say by the Christian radio station playing softly in our workstation.  He does not say by our church taking the right stand on women's roles.  He does not say by the charitable contribution line on our form 1040.  He does not say by the brilliance of our PowerPoint presentations.  He does not say by the numbers who attend on Easter Sunday, how big our building gets, or the number of social service ministries we operate.  He says, everyone will know we are his disciples, IF we love one another.


Every item in that lengthy list above can be done with or without love.  Tolerance is not love. Polite greetings do not demonstrate love.  Avoiding conflict with frustrating people who attend worship with us will never substitute for love.  Consider this paraphrasing of 1 Corinthians 13.



PeopleWhoLove do not lose their cool when distracted neighbors are accidentally rude. PeopleWhoLove take time to help a senior citizen in the grocery store. PeopleWhoLove choose to be satisfied with enough when a neighbor has more. PeopleWhoLove do not honor themselves to get special treatment from others.  PeopleWhoLove hold their opinions lightly and express them gently. PeopleWhoLove defend the dignity of others, they trust God to meet their needs rather than holding on to control, they resolve conflicts early and gently to avoid a build-up of tension, they let others "make mistakes" along the way because they value ongoing relationship over strict orthodoxy.  PeopleWhoLove do not enjoy pointing out sin but enthusiastically celebrate every step that draws someone closer to the true character of God.  PeopleWhoLove always protect and avoid wounding, always trust and avoid judging, always hope and avoid discouragement, and always persevere believing the ultimate victory is God's.  PeopleWhoLove win.

To My Father's Glory

John 15:5-8
Today's discussion question: How does living as Jesus taught us count as worship?


The key to the discussion question lies in the last verse.  If we agree that a primary purpose for worship is bringing glory to God, then abiding in Jesus, that is living out his will, becomes central to our thinking about worship.


Cathedrals, beautiful hymns, humble people in prayer all have the power to initiate consideration of God.  Outsiders will recognize that we are worshiping.  The power to cause others to glorify God, comes from godly lives lived in the daily business of our neighbors.


The Christian student who befriends and defends the "loner emo" kid in the cafeteria has the power to bring glory to God.  The Christian employee, who refuses to berate a bossy co-worker behind their back in the employee lounge prevents an opportunity for the enemy to indict the Kingdom.  The Christian father who volunteers his time as a CASA representative for the sake of kids who suffer, shows the compassion of God.


These things demonstrate the true heart of worship.  Don't they?

Tell us about your hopes & goals for 40 Days 'Till Easter.

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Not only my feet...

John13:1-17
Today's discussion question: How does Peter’s reply in vs. 9 clearly express worship?


Consider this paraphrase.  
Jesus came to Simon Peter who said, "Master it is beneath your dignity to wash our feet.  I'll wash my own."  Jesus redirected Peter, "If I am your master why question me?  Telling me no, means you lead yourself and chose your own path not mine."  Peter surrendered, "Then I am wrong to refuse. Please rinse off my feet the filth I've walked through. Cleanse my hands of the evil I've done. Flood my addled head with your clear thoughts."


It seems worship should be more than peppy songs and positive speeches to pump me up on Sunday.  Worship in Spirit and Truth must sometimes bring my misdirected thoughts and stubborn will into direct conflict with the holiness of Christ.  Biblical descriptions of people in the presence of God demonstrate that unveiled worship humbles humans. (see Isaiah 6:1-7 and Revelation 1:9-20)


Human emotions ebb and flow.  Not every Sunday assembly or private prayer will result in earth shaking revelations or exuberant fountains of praise.  But can anyone truly worship week after week and year after year with no experience of godly sorrow, deep regret, sudden alarm at the misdirection of their life?  It seems in worship believers should intentionally expose themselves to God's redirection of their lives.


What do you think?

Tell us about your hopes & goals for 40 Days 'Till Easter.

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The Necessity of Worship

Mark 14:3-9
Today's discussion question: Will extravagant worship always provoke criticism?

At a previous dinner with Mary, Martha and Lazarus, Mary was criticized for sitting at Jesus' feet while preparations were made.  Jesus affirmed her actions as "necessary." (See Luke 10:41-42.)  At this dinner, Mary again worships out of necessity. (See Matthew 26, and John 12 to piece together all the details of this story.)


This large dinner party gathers to honor Jesus in the home of Simon the Leper.  The next day the crowds will celebrate Jesus as he enters Jerusalem.  And, a week from now he will be crucified and buried.  His body will be quickly wrapped in broad linen strips and rushed to a borrowed tomb before Passover begins at sundown.  


Jesus lies on the floor next to a low table raised up on one elbow enjoying fellowship with his friends.  Mary enters and kneels at his feet.  She takes his hand and helps him sit up. Jesus, sitting cross-legged, faces Mary who kneels in front of him.  He looks at her face.  She looks down to her lap and lifts a stone bottle with a narrow neck and a stopper sealing it.  She does not unstop it. She slams the mouth of it on the edge of the table, breaking the narrow neck of the bottle.  The deep musky scent fills the room.  Mary places a hand on top of Jesus' head and he bows to receive her anointing. She pours the entire contents of the bottle on the crown of his head and it streams down his hair, flows onto his feet and forms a puddle around them.  As Jesus straightens his back brushing back his hair and wiping his eyes, Mary extends her legs and reclines at his feet.  She begins to wipe the excess oil with her hair. How could she more fully immerse herself in worship?


Do you wonder if at the foot of the cross, as Mary bowed her head to weep, if her hair fell in her face and she caught the lingering scent of the perfume?  Did she worship again?


Why do modern Christians so easily settle for worship that is strictly cerebral and excludes the body and its senses?

Tell us about your hopes & goals for 40 Days 'Till Easter.

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Rendering Unto Caesar

Mark 12:13-17
Today's discussion question: What did Jesus mean, “Give… to God what is God’s?”



"I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before me. "You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God..." Exodus 20:2-5


Let's consider for a moment that in this story Jesus may be challenging his listeners belief in the necessity of participating in the Roman economy.  They want to use Roman roads, buildings, even Roman soldiers and Roman money without paying taxes.  They no the Roman coin is unholy. That is why money changers make a profit at the Temple trading Roman coin for Temple coins.  Yet, in so doing they participate fully in the pagan monetary system.


How about us?  We don't worship Lincoln on our nickels or Benjamin Franklin on our $100 bills. But have our lives, every faith-based action and financial transaction been rendered unto God?

Tell us about your hopes & goals for 40 Days 'Till Easter.

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Ire for the IRS?

Luke 19:1-10
Today's discussion question: What happened to make this man give up his treasure?


Really Ron?  We're reading about Zacchaeus the tax-collector on April 15th?  Yes, we are.  And it seems fitting. The news is filled with arguments about government spending and budget cuts. One side wants to restore increased taxes on the wealthy.  The other side argues we don't have a revenue problem we have a spending problem.  Meanwhile services are cut to the poor and teachers lose jobs, but the salaries of lawmakers usually remain unchanged.  And you and I pay our taxes.  


Did we take any deductions this year?  Ever met anyone over 30 who not only uses form 1040 EZ, but donates 10% extra to the government just to help out? What would happen if all those citizens calling for increasing the tax burden on the wealthy to benefit programs for the poor actually gave 2% of their own income to those programs?  Would it make any difference if those who want decreased spending rallied their troops to invest 2% of their income into local education?  


And here we are near the end of 40 Days 'Till Easter, and our preacher wants us to read about some little tax-collector getting religion and doings something crazy with his money! Let's go one degree crazier. 


Zacchaeus gives without expectation of personal benefit.  He is not generous to friends who will reciprocate.  He doesn't give to the synagogue to get his name on a plaque.  He, in fact, intends to possibly bankrupt himself by giving four times what he owes to the folks who despise him most!  How can this be?  


What would make a man choose to lose so much?

Tell us about your hopes & goals for 40 Days 'Till Easter.

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