Saturday 4/23/2005
Acts 9.26-43 - So Saul gets to Jerusalem- you can imagine you people are afraid of him and don’t trust his motives- Barnabas took Saul to the Apostles and explained how Saul had changed- his life changed once he met Jesus- all lives change once you meet Jesus- but Saul spoke what was on his mind and was always arguing with the Jews - then the Jews tried to kill him- so the followers found out and took Saul to Caesarea and on to Tarsus for protection -- then we jump to Peter - he is like Elijah and Elisha -- heal Aeneas and brings Dorcas back to life (how would you like to be a female named Doras?- wonder if your nick name would be Dork?) -- actually Dorcas means deer -- (now why do they tell you that?) - anyway - Peter raises her from the dead- pretty good- and it is all in the name of Jesus so a bunch of people began to believe!
Joshua 5.2-6.27 - Ayyyy!-- what a way to start - Make some flint knives and circumcise the men and boys! -- they hadn’t been circumcised for forty years in the desert -- they had better tools than this then- but this was some ritual thing -- sounds like using a butter knife to me!!- OUCH!!--and will you look at the name of the location! - Haaraloth Hill--or “Foreskin Hill“-- ayyyyhhh!- how would you like to take a vacation honey?- lets go visit Foreskin Hill, maybe they have a museum there. It‘s a really neat place - they have this big pile of foreskins to look at! - Whooopeee!- So these guys had to rest a while before going into battle- it’s not like they were still babies and couldn’t remember what happened! --for obvious reasons- it would be hard to run a charge in that condition! - so they camped at Gilgal- after a couple of weeks God stopped the manna- wouldn’t need it anymore- they are in the Land of Milk and Honey- and they celebrated Passover- just like the Passover was celebrated before leaving Egypt and crossing the Red Sea- Passover is celebrated again here before after leaving the desert, crossing the Jordan and entry to the Promised Land- this is a big deal! - this in an occasion of God- never forget this- God is about to fulfill a promise here- remember it!- then think about Jesus celebrating the Passover- then his death and resurrection - a big big big deal!-- mark it with Passover- remember it- celebrate it! - oh the significance of the bread and the wine- the body and the blood- another big deal from God- another act of salvation and love for his people- the Red Sea- the Jordan and the Promised Land- Communion and Jesus saving act! -- a huge deal! -don‘t forget how gracious and saving God is! - EVER!- Joshua sees a man standing near by one day- goes to find out who’s side he is on- neither- he says - I’m here as commander of the LORD’s army- Joshua fell to his knees- take off your sandals- “This is a holy place.”-- So Joshua took off his sandals- sounds like Moses encounter with the burning bush -but it’s like the rest of the story is left out- makes you wonder what else happened- then the battle for Jericho -- odd- you wonder if the people grumbled - what’s this dumb crap about - march around once a day for six days- then on the seventh day march around seven times- blow horns and yell! -- The wall will fall down and you can run in and take the city-- yea right! -- but it worked! -I need to have faith in God- I need to trust God and obey when he tells me to do something that sounds absurd-- look at the results- look at the faith and trust the Israelites now have -- God is pretty dern smart - I guess that’s why only he can be God and not me--ok so we save Rahab and her family-- really neat thought here- Rahab is one of Jesus ancestors- a prostitute! -- God loves us all that much!- and look how she was saved! -- rescued by God- a calling she didn’t even know about would develop into the Savior of the world- hide them spies Rahab! -- do the work of God!- so Rahab was one of the very few people saved in the city of Jericho- I appreciate how God has saved me- I don’t deserve it either- but I believe it!
Job 23 - Job wishes he could find God- complain to God and tell God that he is innocent so that God would set him free. And Job realizes that God alone is God and God will do as he pleases.
Don’t fake it - be real as Jesus is real and demonstrates leadership through redemption. Point to Jesus and remember the nourishing gift of grace. Accept it and minister for life.
At the last hour take me from the troubles of this world to God in heaven-- or as Luther said when he thought he was about to die-- “I am like a ripe stool, and the world is like a gigantic anus, and so we're about to let go of each other." -- and off to heaven I go - cause God will deliver me from evil!
1 Peter 2.2-10 - taste that pure spiritual milk- God is good - come to him, a living stone- reminds me of those stones the Israelites stacked up at the Jordan- Jesus is my living stone- let me be built in him- I must proclaim the mighty acts of him who called me out of darkness into his marvelous light!
Matthew 20.1-16 - I love the pay- I love to work all day in your Kingdom- that is my reward! - to work in your Kingdom - all day long and for the same pay as the ones who only worked an hour- I rejoice in their pay also and wish I could have worked with them all day too! - I love the pay- I love to work in your kingdom all day long-- Work?-- it’s easy! -- it’s more like play! -- Let’s play!- Come on! -- the day is coming to and end-- join in!- the pay is great! -- the play is even greater!
Psalm 49 - “I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.” - sounds pretty neat!- I wanna play a game and listen to music!
Prayer- Jesus- it’s time to play - it’s time to run around the city telling about you - even if it makes some people mad- for when I met you - it all changed- just like Saul - it all changed- if I’m in danger you will protect me-- you prepare me for battle- you prepare me for your kingdom - sometimes in some real strange ways- and then you lead me- you throw a party first- we party first so I can remember how great you are- what a big deal you have made of me- then we go do some really strange things- I gotta trust you in all those strange games we play - and it all works out through you - you take care of it all- and use some of the weirdest people like me as your playmates- and the pay is great! - what more could I ask for? - it’s a Saturday - a day to go out to the park - to go out to your kingdom and play! - Let’s play! -- Amen
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