"But on the first day of the week,at early dawn, they (the three women) came to the tomb, taking spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled aweay from the tomb, but when they looked inside they did not find the body." (Luke 24:1-2)
If I asked you to think of three women who made a difference
in your life and faith- who would you say?
For me those three women would have to be my mother Carolyn
Who grounded me in the faith that I have today;
My wife Joan who is my partner in ministry and life and inspires me
To be the best pastor, husband, father, brother, I can be;
And last might well be my mother-in-law Almira whose wisdom
Inspires me to strive to be patient, kind, wise and faithful
As I live the second half of my life on earth.
Yes, I believe that these are three women
who made a difference in my life and faith.
And I bet you can think of three influential women in your life as well.
But I would suggest that even though we would each name different
Women in our individual lives, that the three women
Who went to that tomb on that first Easter morning
Were influential in all of our lives:
Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Mary mother of James.
As I reflect on these three women, I am thankful for their faith, hope and love.
Their faith allowed them to go to the tomb even though they didn't know how they would roll away the stone to get to the body- but they went believing that God would open up the possibility. Their love allowed them to go to annoint the body of Jesus even after he had been brutally killed. And their hope allowed them to proclaim the Gospel of Christ's resurrection even when the people didn't at first believe. Only one disciple, Peter was curious enough to check it out for himself. And with that journey, the Christian church and witness in the world began.
Who will you witness to this Easter? If only one person is curious to follow up on your testimony, them God might just change the world through you as well.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Day 37 in the Wilderness with Jesus
Tonight we will act out the story of Jesus Last Supper with his disciples and the washing of feet. I will have the privilege to act out the role of Jesus and Pastor Laura will play the part of Peter, having his feet washed. The contemporary Bible paraphrase "The Word on the Street" (by Rob Lacey) reports it this way:
So Jesus gets up from the table, takes off his jacket, rolls up his sleeves and puts a towel around his waist. He pours water into a bowl and, one by one, washes his team's dirty, sweaty feet and dries them with a towel.
Pete's next in line and he can't quite handle it: "Boss, no way you're washing my feet, surely?" Jesus answers. "You can't take it in right now. But one day you will get it." "No way!" says Pete. "I'm not having you wash my feet." "If I don't, you're not part of it all," says Jesus. "OK, then wash me head to toe. I'm in- totally!" When Jesus finished all twelve (including Judas Iscariot!) he explains: "If I've washed your stinking feet and I'm your boss, your mentor, your coach, then you've got to wash each other's feet. As ever, I'm not asking you to do something that I wouldn't do. I'm your example- so copy me: get washing!" (John 13:3-15)
What do you suppose Jesus was thinking? What is it like to wash another's feet? It is certainly humbling- servants usually had that job. The use of the word "dirty, sweaty" and "stinking" in Rob Lacey's paraphrase really hammers home the fact that it was humbling for both Jesus and the disciples. It is actually an intimate act to wash someones feet. It is what your mother or father does for you after a day at the beach. It's what a nurse does for you when you are bedridden in the hospital. It is the powerful act of hospitality and compassion. And that was, I think, Jesus' message for us- to dare to enter into this intimate community in which he is the center. And it is messy- to be in community with each other, to be vulnerable with each other, to care for each other, and to wash each other's "stinking" feet. Jesus loves us enough to wash our feet. To enter into the grimy parts of our life and help us to clean up our act. And he commands us to do likewise but also to receive the love and care and concern that others offer us in Christ's name and by Christ's example. We are called to be both- the foot washers and the foot washees- that's the Jesus way.
So Jesus gets up from the table, takes off his jacket, rolls up his sleeves and puts a towel around his waist. He pours water into a bowl and, one by one, washes his team's dirty, sweaty feet and dries them with a towel.
Pete's next in line and he can't quite handle it: "Boss, no way you're washing my feet, surely?" Jesus answers. "You can't take it in right now. But one day you will get it." "No way!" says Pete. "I'm not having you wash my feet." "If I don't, you're not part of it all," says Jesus. "OK, then wash me head to toe. I'm in- totally!" When Jesus finished all twelve (including Judas Iscariot!) he explains: "If I've washed your stinking feet and I'm your boss, your mentor, your coach, then you've got to wash each other's feet. As ever, I'm not asking you to do something that I wouldn't do. I'm your example- so copy me: get washing!" (John 13:3-15)
What do you suppose Jesus was thinking? What is it like to wash another's feet? It is certainly humbling- servants usually had that job. The use of the word "dirty, sweaty" and "stinking" in Rob Lacey's paraphrase really hammers home the fact that it was humbling for both Jesus and the disciples. It is actually an intimate act to wash someones feet. It is what your mother or father does for you after a day at the beach. It's what a nurse does for you when you are bedridden in the hospital. It is the powerful act of hospitality and compassion. And that was, I think, Jesus' message for us- to dare to enter into this intimate community in which he is the center. And it is messy- to be in community with each other, to be vulnerable with each other, to care for each other, and to wash each other's "stinking" feet. Jesus loves us enough to wash our feet. To enter into the grimy parts of our life and help us to clean up our act. And he commands us to do likewise but also to receive the love and care and concern that others offer us in Christ's name and by Christ's example. We are called to be both- the foot washers and the foot washees- that's the Jesus way.
Day 36 in the Wilderness with Jesus Christ
Today is Maundy Thursday. It is always confusing for people who ask: "Is it Monday or Thursday?" The name comes from the Latin for command or mandate that Jesus gives in John 13:34 "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you should also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
I preached on this passage on my first Sunday at Covenant and I have spent the last nine years seeing it lived out in the life and faith of the congregation. It was lived out last night as Josh, Lilly, Callie, Christina, Lauren and the children of Covenant served us dinner at Wednesday night fellowship. They were loved and encouraged by the congregation that appreciated them. It was acted out in the Palm Sunday service when several of our deacons left worship for a moment to give food from our food cupboard to a family who was hungry. It was lived out as phone call after phone call came into the office to check how Laura V. was doing after we prayed for her in worship. (She and the baby and Guy are doing fine.) It was lived out as April (or was it Amber) came up to me and motioned for me to pick her up and hold her during Wednesday night supper. It was lived out as the prayer group gathered to lift up their brothers and sisters in prayer on Wedneday evening.
I thank God that in the midst of a busy, impersonal world; that we have the opportunity to live out this command of Jesus and to enjoy the ocmmunity in Christ that results. Thanks be to God!
I preached on this passage on my first Sunday at Covenant and I have spent the last nine years seeing it lived out in the life and faith of the congregation. It was lived out last night as Josh, Lilly, Callie, Christina, Lauren and the children of Covenant served us dinner at Wednesday night fellowship. They were loved and encouraged by the congregation that appreciated them. It was acted out in the Palm Sunday service when several of our deacons left worship for a moment to give food from our food cupboard to a family who was hungry. It was lived out as phone call after phone call came into the office to check how Laura V. was doing after we prayed for her in worship. (She and the baby and Guy are doing fine.) It was lived out as April (or was it Amber) came up to me and motioned for me to pick her up and hold her during Wednesday night supper. It was lived out as the prayer group gathered to lift up their brothers and sisters in prayer on Wedneday evening.
I thank God that in the midst of a busy, impersonal world; that we have the opportunity to live out this command of Jesus and to enjoy the ocmmunity in Christ that results. Thanks be to God!
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