Mercy, Not Sacrifice

Is it just me, or does this text about Matthew just scream “STOP BEING SO JUDGMENTAL??!!!” Is it the mood I’m in this morning as I compose this? Could it be that I’ve overhead a conversation that irritated me in regards to this…or read a newspaper…or even worse…could it be that I experienced this within myself?? Heaven help us (and I DO mean ALL of us)!

Jesus reminds all of us this morning to be merciful, to stop dividing us versus them. To live together in Christian fellowship…for those of you who were at COS yesterday morning this might start sounding familiar, apparently I wasn’t quite done preaching yet!

Jesus says to Matthew “Follow Me”, and he is still asking us today, “Follow Me”. When we do just that we are not given an exclusive pathway that is just for us alone…no, we join many others on a pathway that is beautifully scattered with other souls that we have the privilege to journey beside. Thanks be to God we are not on the pathway alone!

*In the text today which person do you most resonate with?
*Have you chosen to Follow Christ?

Parts of the Whole

The story of Caiaphas, the High Priest, reminds me of a large puzzle coming together. He is one piece of the whole in how the crucifixion of Christ took place. In the moments of that meeting, when the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and the question was posed "What should we do?"...can you imagine if someone would have said..."Well...Jesus is wise and seems to have amazing insight. Maybe we should rethink this whole thing and should, perhaps, listen to him."

Of course, the prophets had foretold what was to come, and Caiaphas was responding to a prophesy that he had made...but it still makes us see that there were so many different moments of the story leading to the crucifixion, and how one moment may seem insignificant, but it leads to something larger.

I want to make my "moments" count. I hope that as I go along life's journey that I am able to realize, little by little, that I am building an entire life-time of moments.

*What will you do TODAY that will lead to something greater tomorrow? Will you connect w/ a friend? How about love and support your children? Will you do something to serve the church?

*Were the words of Caiaphas inevitable...or did he make a choice?

Jairus, Mark 5:21-43

21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered round him; and he was by the lake. ²²Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet ²³and begged him repeatedly, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.’ ²⁴So he went with him.

And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. ²⁵Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years. ²⁶She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. ²⁷She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ²⁸for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’ ²⁹Immediately her haemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. ³⁰Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ ³¹And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, “Who touched me?” ’ ³²He looked all round to see who had done it. ³³But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. ³⁴He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’

35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?’ ³⁶But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’ ³⁷He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. ³⁸When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. ³⁹When he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.’ ⁴⁰And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. ⁴¹He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha cum’, which means, ‘Little girl, get up!’ ⁴²And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. ⁴³He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Jairus doesn't surprise me in his desperation for his child's healing...as a parent I'd do anything to help Caleb that I could, at this point I've not been pressed to that point and I pray that I never am. But I believe that I'd do anything to help him. So my focus in this scripture and the person of Jairus is the challenge that it must have been to hear the words of Jesus, "Do not fear, just believe", after it seemed that all hope was lost.

I want to challenge you...and I challenge myself...to live this entire day with that thought playing over and over again in our heads. Now, I don't think this is to be said in a callous, get over it, kind of a way. Instead, I think it is expressed with a love and kindness that looks beyond the surface of circumstance into the great unknown and understands that God is present in the midst of all of our circumstances, good, bad and all of those things in between. So...we have a conflict at work and feel shaken up by it "Do not fear, just believe". We hear of rumors of war and terrorist acts in the news "Do not fear, just believe". Our loved ones are struggling with disease "Do not fear, just believe".

Do Not Fear...Just Believe....

Zechariah and Elizabeth, Luke 1:5-22

5 In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. 7But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years. 8 Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty, 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense. 10Now at the time of the incense-offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. 13But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. 14You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. 16He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’ 18Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.’ 19The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.’ 21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, and wondered at his delay in the sanctuary. 22When he did come out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak.

We might marvel at Zechariah and his questioning of the angel of the Lord...but sometimes it is harder for those of us who have been in the church for years and years and years to see the hand of God at work. Maybe because we somehow "get used to" seeing God in action, maybe we become a bit more cynical? I know that as a pastor I enjoy the wise insights of the saints of our church...but I so enjoy the insights of those who haven't been in the church their entire lives because they see things in such a fresh, exciting way.

I liken it to the joy that I experience as I watch Caleb, our 5-year-old, discover the amazing world around him. I have scrapbooks filled with pictures of "first-times". Maybe somewhere in heaven God has scrapbooks with our first-time pictures?!! "Oh...here is Becky when she first experienced a rainbow...look at the wonder on her face! And there she is when she really grasped that I love her unconditionally...isn't she beautiful??!"

*What insight about God really AMAZES you today?
*Have you ever received a miracle such as Zechariah and Elizabeth did?

Jesus Christ, John 1:1-18

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. 15(John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” ’) 16From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.


When I read this text the section that jumps out at me is this THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS...AND THE DARKNESS DOESN'T OVERCOME IT. I think it jumps out at me because that phrase seems to tell our story.

Know what I mean?

Each and everyone of us has a story...especially of the things that have been hard, those things that could really break our hearts if we let them. But...the light shines in the darkness and the darkness doesn't overcome it. We lose a job, a relationship ends, a loved one passes away...and the light shines in OUR darkness...and the darkness doesn't overcome it. I'm so glad that all of the ways that Christ is portrayed in the scripture, in the very beginning of the book of John Jesus is potrayed as "LIGHT".

*What part of the above text jumped out at you today...why?
*Do you have a story of Jesus being the light in your darkness?
*How can you shine the light of Christ in another's life today?

John the Baptist, John 1:6-34

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. 15(John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” ’) 16From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
19 This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ 20He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ 21And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ 22Then they said to him, ‘Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ 23He said, ‘I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord” ’, as the prophet Isaiah said.
24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25They asked him, ‘Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?’ 26John answered them, ‘I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, 27the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.’ 28This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” 31I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ 32And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” 34And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’

John the Baptist was the "voice of one crying out in the wilderness"...John is known for his devout faith, he was an "all or nothing" kind of a fella...and he was faithful all the way.

During this season of Lent we are given an opportunity to serve others and also to reflect upon our own faith journey. In light of John's amazing, even "larger than life" faith...I have a few questions that we might ponder....

*When John baptizes Jesus he sees a dove from heaven and also hears God's voice...have you ever sensed God's presence in such a "real" or "tangible" way?

*Does John's faith challenge you in your own faith journey?

*Do you "cry out in the wilderness" about your faith in Christ?

Joseph, Matthew 1:18-25

¹⁸This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

²⁰But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

²²All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" which means, "God with us."

²⁴When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Now...I've been wanting to write about Joseph...or at least something more positive than Herod :) . Joseph seems to me to be the ultimate "good-guy". Shocked by the news of his betrothed and her pregnancy he is going to quietly divorce her (this is a very kind act in light of the circumstances...think of the many other ways in which Joseph could have responded?!), but instead he encounters an angel in a dream (not as uncommon as it might seem to us today...Joseph has it happen 3 times), he trusts himself and his dream (and ultimately God), and he follows through.

*I want to challenge you today to choose one word that really describes Joseph...just one...and then figure out why that is the word that you chose...and maybe even how/why it applies in your own life. And if you feel so inclined..comment about it below so we can all grow from your life experience as well.