As we look today to Jesus’ last words from the cross, we need to remember just how important last words can be. If you’re a United Methodist minister, for instance, you probably know the last words of John Wesley: “The best of all is, God is with us!” The best of all, indeed, is that God is with us. In just a few short words, and because they were his last—so important, John Wesley gave us words of hope, and words to live by, as he did. The reality of...
Our journey with Jesus picks up today not at the Eastern Gate—though it is Palm Sunday, but after his time of prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, when he was arrested. Listen to this part of our story for today (Matthew 26:47-50, 55-57, NLT)… And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. 48 The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal:...
So, it’s Thursday. Midnight. The Passover meal with his disciples is over. He’s washed each one’s feet, showing himself the servant that he wants them to be. He’s graciously shared in the bread and the wine with all of them, ushering in the celebration of Holy Communion to his followers everywhere. And he’s sent Judas, the turncoat, on his way to do what he was determined to do… Let’s now share in today’s part of the story (Matt. 26:36-46, NLT): Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called...
Today, I’m going to read the account of that first Holy Thursday from the Gospel of Mark. However, this story is also found in the Gospel of John with some extra details that I’ll be talking about today. I’ll give you references as I get to those sections. But first, here’s our text for today from Mark, Chapter 14 (10-26, NLT): Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them. 11 They were delighted when they heard why he...
Let me read our scripture for today (which sounds like it should be Palm Sunday already), then I’ll get into it (Mark 11:1-11, NLT)… As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2 “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If...
Folks, last week we started off by talking about Jesus’ decision to go on to Jerusalem and face the end of his life—the one God had in mind for him. As the NRSV translates it, Jesus ‘set his face to go to Jerusalem’; he was determined to reach that destination because he knew that if he did he’d be fulfilling God’s will for his life … and saving the world from itself. So, on down the road he went, from that lonely mountain in Galilee … south to Jerusalem… But...
Have you ever ‘set your face’ to do something? Jesus did! It really means that we ‘determine’ to do something—no chance involved; whatever we’ve decided to do we do deliberately! And Jesus did that when it came to doing his Father’s will—completing his Father’s will for his life… Jesus was in Galilee, you see, among many agrarian villages and towns where thousands gladly listened to him. (I’d call that a great appointment!) He performed healings and he reached out to marginalized people, like lepers standing by the wayside. He even...
Jesus ‘set his face’ toward Jerusalem (Luke 9:51, NRSV); that’s what our Lenten worship series will be all about this year. And what does that mean … to ‘set your face’? It means to determine to do something—to do something deliberately, with no chance involved. Whatever you’re determined to do, to ‘set your face’ to, you mean to do just that; in other words, it’s deliberate… For Jesus, it was ‘setting his face’ toward Jerusalem—going up to Jerusalem (since it’s located on a mountain) … and all that that meant....
About 5 months after my bypass surgery, I did something that I never thought I would do! Encouraged by the nurses in cardiac rehab, I entered myself (and Jane) in a 5K walk. Yes, I’m a walker, but not really in a competitive way. 5 months earlier, I’d had my chest cracked open and a very talented surgeon went in and replaced some of my arteries to open up the way for good blood flow. It was not something I would consider routine. It was a very delicate surgery that...
Welcome back to our Bod4God worship series. And before I get into it, I just want to say that I have 2 goals for this church. #1 – I want our church to be spiritually as healthy as it can be. Each and every week, we’ll be looking at spiritual principles from the Bible and spiritual steps we can all take to be healthy in that way. My second goal—#2—is that I want our church to also be physically healthy as we can be. Why? Because I don’t want any...
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