March 25th Reflection

Friday 3/25/2005

Matthew 21.28-46 - So don’t just say the right thing - don’t just tell God what you think he wants to hear - it’s better if you just go and do what is right than to be all talk - just repent of sin and go do what God wants me to do - God has sent so many people to talk to me - he has given me the Bible to read - the prophets -- how much more can be done- I must believe and not kick out any more people - I must believe that the Son has come and not reject the very cornerstone

Numbers 19-20 - All this stuff with contact with the dead and unseemliness- well at the center of the tent was pure life- life we can’t even understand- once we are presented this pure life we shouldn’t go back to the dead ways of the past - we have been given this pure life in the death and resurrection of Jesus -that’s life- we must not go back - we must not slide back into the death that we completely turn from God and deny him - yea we will sin - but we know that we have come from death to life - we give our lives over to God and must always focus on his life - not my own - his love - and God’s kingdom - we have moved from death to life.--Oops there goes Moses and Aaron off into that way of making themselves greater than God - the people are grumbling again about water- Moses and Aaron suggest that they can produce water from the rock - Moses and Aaron can’t do squat! -- Only God saves - remember that! - it’s oh so easy to start to take credit for what God does - remain humble - after all Jesus was even humble - so I need to be real humble! - get that in my head -- humble is good! - So neither Moses or Aaron will enter the Promised Land - only Joshua and Caleb - Aaron dies on the mountain in a ceremony where Eleazar get the high priests robe.

Ecclesiastes 11.9-12.14 - Everything you were taught cab be put into a few words: Respect and obey God! -- This is what life is all about. -- Makes me think of Greg Havey - in HS SS his answer was either of two -- Jesus or Pray and go to church. -- maybe he wasn’t so far off after all! -

It’s about a community of faith-love-forgiveness and God’s grace.

From a parade-to death-to life

God gives us authority through Jesus Christ to forgive sins -- forgive each other then!

John 18.1 - 19.42 - All those people mentioned in this passage - and one loving Savior!- forgive me! - lead me!

John 3.16-17 - Real LOVE!

Psalm 68 - God is might- God is powerful - God is majestic - See his power is in the skies - Awesome is god in his sanctuary- he give power and strength to his people -Blessed be God!

Prayer - From death to life- today I see the pain of death - a death you died for me - a death you did not deserve - I death I deserve - a final - once for all death I deserve for my sin - but you died - you suffered - your blood has been poured out at the base of the altar- you have been nailed to that walking stick - you have been spit upon - you have been whipped - you have been sneered at - for what? - for teaching? - for healing? - for being friends with the poor , the sinful. The sick? - For me? -From death to life - this day - there is no sign of life - only greed - wickedness and death - we’re even glad to steal your clothing - we even like the rain - we even like how gloomy it all is cause we are so evil - from death to life - where is the life - where is the life in your blood? -- today - only death -- but wait! -- you speak to one next to you - another person at the bottom of the scale in society - hanging there with you - you tell him - you will be with me in paradise -- what? -- from death to life- only death today -- but after hearing these words - maybe hope - maybe hope - maybe hope - we’ll see - Lord - today let me die with you - let me die to my sin - let me die to my sinful way - give me that hope that you gave that criminal - give this criminal that ray of hope - that it’s all about you - nothing about me - give me that death and that ray of hope I pray. --- Amen