Have You Seen Him Yet? - Luke 2:22-40 - First Sunday after Christmas

 

Luke 2:22-40 ESV

And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
    according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
    that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and for glory to your people Israel.”

And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

Have You Seen Him Yet?

I remember in years past, Herb Neve, a friend in a Men’s Group in which I participated. I was leading a study on the book of Revelation. One of the questions for each individual in the group, went something like this: “What is your desire in the end of time?” Herb’s answer was emphatic and bold, Herb stated, “I want to see Jesus!” Herb meant it too. Yes, Herb really meant it and everyone in the group realized Herb’s passion to see Jesus.

In the life of Christ’s disciples, we are guided by the Holy Spirit. We see God… Jesus… Messiah… Immanuel… through Word and Sacrament. Yes, we see God each and every day of our lives as we come to God in repentance and turn to God for forgiveness.

The Holy Spirit leads Simeon to the Temple to see Jesus. Each day we are led by the Holy Spirit to come to Jesus.

Simeon had seen, through the Holy Spirit, the coming of Jesus, not just for the Jews, but for all mankind.  But here I get a little ahead of the scripture.

Mary and Joseph are following the Law. No one rejects the Law of the Old Testament, in this New Testament passage.

Looking at the offering from Mary and Joseph, it becomes evident that they were poor. Mary and Joseph brought the “poor people’s” offering of turtle doves and pigeons. So, knowing this, we see that Jesus was poor by earthly standards as well. Sort of… not really. I guess it depends on what you consider as poor and how you view earthly standards. Do you view the earth from a heavenly or a worldly point of view.

Mary and Joseph come to the Temple with an offering much more beyond what we see on the surface.

The Gospel lesson seems to begin in the Temple with Zechariah. Remember earlier in the book of Luke how when Zechariah was offering incense at the Temple; an angel of God appeared and told him that his wife, Elisabeth, would give birth to a son, even in her old age? Well, that son was John the Baptist. John the Baptist, who would announce the coming of Jesus, the Messiah.

So… the Gospel lesson begins in the Temple with Zechariah and closes in the Temple with Jesus and the disciples. And, this leads us up to Simeon and Anna, and their prophetic announcements, to the world, of Jesus.

It’s important to understand that prophecy, like what we hear here, and all prophecy for that matter, do not originate by man. No! Prophecy originates from God in the Holy Spirit. Man is always moved by the Holy Spirit to prophecy what God gives to prophecy.

2 Peter 1:21 ESV

For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Simeon mentions, at the end of God’s prophecy…

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and for glory to your people Israel.”

The glory of Israel, Jesus, is a gift for all mankind. ALL mankind… Gentiles… Jews… ALL mankind.

The birth of Jesus is the incarnation (God made flesh). It’s not just a sweet, nice, goody thing alone. No, Jesus’ birth points us to something much larger and bolder. The birth of Jesus is God’s action to save all his people. The birth of Jesus is not really peace on earth, like we desire to think. At least, it’s not peace on earth just yet. The birth of Jesus was the beginning of God’s war on sin, death and the devil.

Some men will love the baby Jesus. But there will be some men that will hate Jesus. They will hate Jesus so intensely that they will put Jesus to death.

This war is more than something we can stand aside of and observe from a distant. Even, as Jeus disciples, and those that love Jesus, we will be challenged.

This man, Jesus, comes to force us to deal with difficult decisions. Jesus forces us to deal with decisions that will reshape our lives. Jesus forces us to decisions to renounce our selfish pride, greed, lust and power.

Jesus calls us to accept things that are outside of ourselves. Things that free us to a new life and a new way of living for God and for neighbor. Jesus calls us to accept him and his life. A life beyond our own selfish life.

Jesus came to bring, to you, to me, to Gentile, to Jew, to all mankind, salvation through love.

Through Jesus humble beginning and life, God brought to flower and fruit what is the humble of this world, what is the common of this world, what is exactly opposite of this world’s values and standards, to bring life, love, hope and eternal life with God.

What we see as God’s children are the same objects that worldly man sees. Yet as God’s children, what we see is different. As God’s children we see a world full of suggestions of God. We see the goodness of God, in this world we see the wonder of God, in this world, through the gift of Jesus, we see the grace of God. In this new world in which we live with Jesus, we see the best of God’s creation. And that’s only the beginning of it.

And what does God see? Well, God looks straight into your soul AND he loves you eternally.

Soon Jesus will come again, to this sinful, evil world and will put a stop to it all. Soon, God will declare enough is enough. Soon Jesus will come and make all things new. Soon, Jesus will come with the clouds and begin a resurrection like no other. Soon and very soon…

Yes, Herb Neve, yes Bill, yes to all of God’s children, yes to all people… We will see Jesus…

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
    according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
    that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and for glory to your people Israel.”

Yes, God works wonders. Yes, God gives us the clothing of salvation. Yes, God wants to show us all Jesus.

Thanks be to God! Come, Lord Jesus come… today… tomorrow and forever.

Amen

I leave you with a beautiful YouTube creation of a beautiful song, that reflects this reflection. God bless you this First Sunday after Christmas.

... "In Christ Alone" ... follow the link below...

In Christ Alone

Favored? For What? --- Luke 1:26-38 --- The Fourth Sunday of Advent

 

Favored? For What?

Luke 1:26-38 ESV

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

---------------

This Scripture is referred to as the Annunciation or the Announcement to Mary. God’s eye came to rest on Mary, a humble woman.

Enter the angel, Gabriel. Angels really DO exist! The name Gabriel means “Hero of God.” Gabriel, sent from God. Gabriel, sent to Mary, a virgin engaged to a man, Joseph. Gabriel, comes with a greeting for Mary, “O favored one, the Lord is with you!”

In this announcement from Gabriel proceeds some negativity in the worldly realm of Mary. Mary is a virgin, engaged, and she is now told she is to give birth to a son. What? How?

But God is the great one that overturns all of the apple carts. Out of this worldly negative comes a heavenly positive. Mary’s child is to be born of God.

Mary is favored and chosen by God to give birth to Jesus. Jesus both Man and God.

This unheard-of birth is prefaced in the Old Testament by another angel pronouncement of birth. Not a God/Man birth, but a lead-in, to the birth of Jesus through Mary. God does fantastic births throughout time.

Genesis 16:11 ESV

And the angel of the Lord said to her, (Hagar, servant of Sarai)

“Behold, you are pregnant
    and shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael,
    because the Lord has listened to your affliction.

 

Through Mary came Jesus. A unique human being. Jesus, both God and Man. Jesus, both Spirit and Flesh. Jesus, born of Mary and born of God.

Mary is giving birth to the One present, and part of, God’s whole creation. God’s being as Jesus IS the work of the Holy Spirit. This birth is a sign of God’s salvation activity, in and through Spirit and Man.

(Jesus speaks these words after his Resurrection and before his Ascension into heaven)

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

This same Holy Spirit that Jesus speaks to us, his disciples; is the same Holy Spirit coming to rest on Mary. In this passage, the Holy Spirit is referred to as the “Power of the Most High,” others refer to as the “Glory of God.”

And this “Glory of God” is the same God in the Holy Spirit that Moses witnesses in the book of Exodus.

Exodus 40:35 ESV

And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

Moses witnessed the Glory of God resting on and in the Tabernacle; and upon Mary rests the Glory of God. The Holy Spirit, once again, with Father and Son, present from eternity. The Holy Spirit resting with the People created of God for God.

And Mary accepts all of this as a humble servant of God. Mary accepts God’s call in obedience to the Word. The Word of God announced through the angel Gabriel.

But… Now, come on!

Favored One? Favored for what!

Just look at this situation…

Mary is disgraced by pregnancy out of wedlock.

Mary travels to Bethlehem while pregnant. This is on foot stuff. Not in a car. Maybe riding on a donkey. While pregnant, Mary travels!

Mary gives birth to Jesus in an animal stable. Not a clean hospital, or even the back of a taxi cab. No! Mary gives birth in a nasty ol animal shelter.

And then, after giving birth, Mary has to go back to Nazareth. No time for a baby shower. No time for the mother-in-law, or mother to come over and help with the baby. Nope! Take a ride, or walk while carrying a baby back home. Sorry about your luck, Mary!

Once home, Mary raises Jesus. Does she raise Jesus like a King? Not any kind of earthly king, that’s for sure!

Then, once she has raised Jesus, she gets to watch her humble son, loved by humble, needy, sick, poor, people… but… hated by the powerful people and the religious leaders of the day.

Mary gets to see her son, Jesus, taken by the priests and rulers of his own people, to be brought before the Roman rulers in hopes of killing her son, Jesus!

Mary gets the privilege of watching crowds make fun of her son, Jesus.

And then… Mary gets to see her son, Jesus, hang on a cross and die naked in front of the crowds.

The favor of God? For what?

This favor of God, for Mary, in this world, was certainly no life of happiness!

Forget about all this Prosperity Gospel stuff! Not for Mary. Not for the disciples. Not for believing Christians. That’s a worldly fantasy!

Some in the church and many in this world view God’s favor as pleasure, prosperity and easy living.

But the real “Favor of God” is our call to something beyond ourselves. God’s call is a call to bear the bruises of this sinful, selfish, evil world. God’s call turns us from ourselves as we repent and turn to God, so that we can see and live something outside of ourselves. God’s call is to live in the grace and love of God, as we witness to the grace and love of God to all those God gives to us each day of our earthly lives.

The “Favor of God” comes in God’s calling and choosing us.

Yes! We disciples of Christ are called by the Holy Spirit, out of the waters of our baptism, to live in this world of sin, death and destruction; to witness to a different world, a different Kingdom. This new Kingdom is fulfilled and freely given to us through Jesus’, life, suffering and death; to live with God into eternity.

So… Yes! Mary was called and favored!

And…

You are called and favored out of the waters of your baptism, freely given by God.

You, baptized disciple, are favored for something new and eternal.

You are favored and called to something beyond yourself.

You are favored to life with God in eternity.

You are favored to an existence with God in God’s Kingdom that is totally turned upside down to the reality of this earthly kingdom that you live in for this brief moment of time.

God will reside with us in Jesus forever. God has been made known. Heaven and earth sing praise to God!

Jesus… ever and always present…

Holy Spirit… may I be favored with your call.

Come, Lord Jesus, come… today… tomorrow… and forever!

Amen… Yes! It shall be so!

The link below is a wonderful Hymn about this very Gospel Scripture... enjoy!

The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came

Who Are You? - John 1:6-8, 19-28 - The Third Sunday of Advent

 

Who Are You?

John 1:6-8, 19-28 ESV

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

What matters is not what we do as humans. What matters is what God does.

In this passage of scripture; John’s purpose in life is to give witness to the Light. And that Light that John witnesses to is Jesus. John is here to point the world to the Light of God made flesh in Jesus. And in this action, John sets the example for the purpose of the Church through all ages. The purpose of the Church, is to give testimony, to lead all the people to receive the faith that God gives freely, to lead each and all of us to believe in the loving grace of God in Jesus. That grace that turns us from our sinful natures to face God in our sin and receive eternal life with God forever.

It sounds too simple. And it really is, for the Church and all people. After all, God does all the work and we do all the receiving. Any action we take in order to receive from God is an action that leads us away from God and into ourselves. God does not call us to act in order to receive his saving grace. God gives freely and we act not to receive. We do not merit grace by doing good works. We receive grace because it is God’s will.

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Remember, Paul had just written…

Ephesians 2:8 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

So, this faith, this gift from God; is the only means by which we have forgiveness of our sin. It’s not some work we do or decision we make to be forgiven. All the work is God’s. And all the receiving is in us.

So, what about the “good works” stuff?

In our baptism, God comes to us. Baptism is God’s work… not mine, our yours or anyone’s. In baptism, we receive the Holy Spirit through the faith God freely gives to us. Our hearts are renewed and we are given new direction and a new way of living. We are free from the power of sin in our lives.

We aren’t free from sin, just yet. We will still sin. But we are free from the power of sin to bring eternal death. So, we have new affections in life. We have a new purpose. And that purpose is able to bring forth good works.

Aw! Come on! Many of us were babies at our baptism! How can this be?

Well… like I said above. In baptism, God comes to us and gives us new life. God gives and we receive. We don’t need to understand, we don’t need to decide a thing. We receive.

And it’s like this with forgiveness. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. A calling out of our sin that we may turn back to the God that wants so much to give that we may receive.

We need God. And in God’s baptism we find God coming to give.

So, Jesus tells us…

John 15:5 ESV

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

So…

Who are you?

The “Who are you,” refers not to my or your identity. It doesn’t even refer to the identity of John the Baptist. No, the “Who are you,” refers to our religious status and claim. The priests and the Levites of John’s day, wanted to know what religious status or claim John had to do what he was doing by calling people to repent, to turn to God.

Likewise for Jesus disciples today, “Who are you?” Who are you to call people to repent? Who are you to point to Jesus? Who are you to celebrate Jesus coming into this world as a baby? Who are you to look for Jesus to come again? Who are you to point to the Light of Jesus? Who are you to witness to the action of God’s grace in your life? Who are you to point to the Word spoken, written and proclaimed in the Church? Who are you to speak of God’s giving and our receiving God’s grace in baptism? Who are you to receive Jesus into your being at the Communion Table in the bread and the wine and the body and blood of Jesus? Who are you? Where did you gain this status?

Who am I? Well, I’m certainly not Jesus! But like John the Baptist, I’m a voice. A voice that points to the Light. A voice that points to Jesus. A voice that points to God’s grace in all God has done for me and for you, through the actions and love of Jesus coming into this world, to love all of us to the death of ourselves, and the life in him for all eternity.

God dresses each one of us with his salvation. God does great things. God permits us to live in joy. So, rejoice, be glad, give thanks; because God is the one giving us sanctification and righteousness.

Who are you? Who am I?

A humble voice of one calling in the wilderness. A humble voice that points to the Light.

God upends the I AM in Jesus to the AM I in our baptism.

Who AM I? --- A child of God… today… tomorrow… and forever! All because of what God has freely given to me and I thankfully receive.

Come, Lord Jesus, come!

I leave you with a song by Casting Crowns that is appropriate for this reflection... God Bless.

Who Am I by Casting Crowns

 

Road Word Ahead --- Mark 1:1-8 --- Second Sunday of Advent

 

 

Mark 1:1-8 ESV

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
    who will prepare your way,
the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
    ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
    make his paths straight,’”

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

First of all, John’s baptism was not Christian. Sure, we call him John the Baptist, but that doesn’t mean the same as what we think of today in churches that baptize. Nope, John’s type of baptism was to prepare Israel… the Israel of his day for the coming reception of Jesus.

Jesus’ coming begins in revival. People then and today want to think that Jesus’ coming is for political change. But political change is NOT why God sent Jesus into this world. Jesus was sent to revive the people yesterday, and today, to eternal life. with, and in, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Here, in this beginning of the Gospel Book of Mark, we learn of the word gospel.

Gospel is the message of salvation through Jesus. Gospel is not “good advice.” Rather gospel is good news. Gospel is much more than guidance. Gospel is life changing.

John’s message is a fulfillment of the Isaiah prophecy of one sent to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus. In the preparation, the priority is not on John. In the preparation, the priority is on Jesus.

John, or the Church, or ourselves, for that matter; must not do anything to block Jesus’ entry into this world, the Church or our hearts. We are to prepare for Jesus sure entry. Get ready for it! Because Jesus is coming! Like it or not…

And Jesus does come… into the world… into the Church… into the lives of all people.

Yes, Jesus comes in the wilderness of John, Jesus comes into the wilderness of life… Jesus comes yesterday… today… and tomorrow. Prepare for Jesus coming. It’s a sure thing.

But how?

How do we pave this road for Christ? How do we prepare?

Well, it’s certainly not through our actions of paving the road for Christ. Preparation is not about what we do. It’s not about our work. No! The paved road of Jesus coming is not made for me or for you. The paved road is for Jesus coming. So, are we going in circles here? Not at all…

First let’s consider sin. We were all born into a sinful world. We were born into sin and will go out of this world in sin. Sin exists. Want proof? Look around at the war, greed, sexual immorality, gluttony, the lies, the murder, the stealing, the abuse of one another for whatever reason. We sin! I don’t even need to drag Adam and Eve into this thing about sin. Just look around, read the news.

God created paradise. But we sure don’t live in a world of paradise!

So, how do we prepare?

Repentance leads to John’s type of baptism. In John’s baptism the Israelites were to turn away from sin and turn to the coming God in Flesh… Jesus.

Repentance is not just being sorry for your sin. Repentance is NOT confession. In true repentance God breaks me and you down. God turns me and you around to face him. Repentance is an act of God upon you or me. In a sense God is the one that repents you or me. As we turn from our sinful, selfish, lost lives and turn to God, we are made aware of our sinfulness and need for salvation. We see our need for the Gospel. God makes it obvious. We don’t… we can’t… this repentance is God’s work.

This turning from sin to God is not a simple turn. This turn, this metanoia (Greek), is a complete change. In John’s baptism the people came to confess their sin and bury that sin deep in the water to die there under that water. Therefore, John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. A turning from one way of life in the Law to a new way of life in the Gospel of the coming, and soon presence of Jesus.

In this action of God, we separate from the world’s material glory, the world’s power and greed, our own sinfulness and turn to God instead.

Now back to the paving of the road. Jesus enters upon the pavement and shows all the world that Jesus is greater than all. We discover that the paving of the road was never about what we do. The paving of the road belongs to Jesus and the paving of the road points to Jesus coming. Jesus comes to us with a different kind of baptism.

In Jesus’ baptism, it’s not about our own “do” or “go.” Rather, Jesus’ baptism is about “come” and “receive.” In Jesus’ baptism the Holy Spirit comes to us and invades us. In Jesus baptism life becomes outward, instead of inward. Our life turns away from our selfishness and becomes a life lived in love of God and love of all those God gives to us each and every day.

God wants no one to perish. So, God comes to us upon the road paved straight into our lives at Baptism. God’s Word stands forever. In God’s Word we receive… Through Jesus comes love, faithfulness, righteousness and peace. And they all kiss in Christ.

Come. Lord Jesus, come… today… tomorrow… and forever. --- Amen

 

 

Watch Out!!! - Mark 13:24-37 - First Sunday in Advent

 

Watch Out!!!

Mark 13:24-37 ESV

“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”

I just won’t know. As I reflect on this passage of Jesus words, it reminds me of Bob Ross paintings. I love to watch Bob Ross paint. I love his calm voice. I love the techniques he uses in his art work. I love how he uses putty knives, big brushes and such. I think I love Bob Ross techniques because it tickles the maintenance man in me with the tools, he uses to create artwork.

So, why does Bob Ross remind me of these words of Jesus? Bob Ross paints in layers. It’s hard to tell the distance between layers. We really don’t know how far away those mountains are from the trees in the foreground. We just don’t know and can’t really tell.

Jesus speaks in layers here as well. Layers of time. We just don’t know when he will come again. Yet, like the trees in the foreground of a Bob Ross painting; we know that Jesus has come to us in our present time. Jesus comes to me in my Baptism and Jesus comes to me in his spoken Word, and Jesus comes to me in Holy Communion.

Yes, Jesus is here and now, in the foreground, yet his return is with the mountains in the background of the Bob Ross painting. That distance, that time… I just won’t know. When will Jesus come again? I just won’t know.

So how do we handle the knowing yet not knowing aspect of Jesus coming to us.

You see, Jesus was “in the beginning.”

Jesus came to this earth and was born of Mary.

Jesus comes to the baptized and all people in the here and now.

Jesus will come again and raise all the people.

In this passage we are reminded of Daniel the prophet. We are reminded of Daniel 7:13…

Daniel 7:13 ESV

“I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven
    there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
    and was presented before him.

The Mark passage is like the reverse of the Daniel passage of scripture. In Daniel, the Son of Man, Jesus, ascends from earth to heaven. In the Mark passage of scripture, Jesus comes from heaven to earth. It’s interesting to note how Jesus refers to himself in Old Testament prophecy. To me, this reaffirms Jesus’ presence from the beginning of time. It may refer to his presence even before time, which speaks once again to the layers of time thought, from my Bob Ross paintings.

Among the layers of Jesus; is the hope of the Church. As the Church, and as believers in the Church, we are called to wait for Jesus’ return. Jesus’ presence is sure. Jesus’ return is sure. Jesus’ coming is only the outer shell of the eternal joy to come. There is much more to Jesus’ coming than what we see on the surface. There is joy beyond anything we can imagine, inside the shell of Jesus’ return.

Yes, Christ’s return is sure. Jesus’ Word never passes away. Jesus’ Word is eternal Truth. As we get inside the shell, Jesus moves ever closer and closer to our inner shell. Jesus moves inside our shell as well. Jesus gets inside of his believers.

And then, as Jesus approaches us, we find, the only substance in this world in which we live, is NOT substance after all. The only substance in our world, in our lives, in believers, is the Word!

 

John 1:1 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

 Christ’s return is sure. Time is an uncertain layer in life.

 So, watch, be aware, be vigilant, be faithful in loving God and your neighbor.

 Yes, watch, live alert, live with all your senses. And, pray against sin that traps us up and turn away from sin, daily, and turn to Jesus. For we just won’t know.

 Watch Out!!!

Anticipate it!!! It will be a joyous day, when Jesus comes to you… today… tomorrow… and forever.

 Come, Lord Jesus, come!

An Apple Called to Live - Christ the King - Matthew 25:31-46

 

An Apple Called to Live

 Can you believe it? Did you see what they did?

 I’ve been in this tree all of my life and I still can’t believe what they did!

 Well, let me tell you about my life. First off, before I was even formed, there was a seed in the ground. With that seed grew new life. It took years for a trunk to come along and then there were the branches. All of this fed with water and nourished with soil. And oh, how warm that wonderful sun provided warmth and vitamins.  All the soil and the water were gifts from God. Gifts given even in the very seed of formation.

 Anyway, after the trunk increased in diameter and branches formed, there came along some blossoms. All of this cared for by someone other than me, that’s for sure.

 There was fertilization, pruning and weeding that took place. All of this happened without any effort at all by myself. It just happened by my loving and caring creator and owner.

 My source of life became familiar with its environment. My source of life knew when to rest, when to produce me and when to grow a little more. Year after year this took place. All through no effort of my own.

 As my predecessor, the flower formed, these honey bees from what seemed like another planet came by and did something called pollination. These honey bees just loved the sweetness and the smell of the nectar inside of my flowers.

 And this is when some magic took place. Almost like it was sent from above. And it was, in some ways, as the honeybees swirled and buzzed around, the flower’s pollen would stick to the hair of the honeybee and the honeybee would spread that pollen from flower to flower all around the other trees in the field around me. And it’s in this that I can spring to new life.

 I grow.

 I grow and become fruit. I produce without any effort of my own. It just takes place. Somehow. And God is happy with me. God loves me and calls me his own. It’s not anything that I have done, that makes me so sweet and wonderful to all the world. It’s all the work of God.

 You see, my only action was to depend on what God gives me and let it happen. As I grow, I become wonderful in the eyes of God.

 The others were wonderful in the eyes of God as well. But they decided to do something different. They grew and were nourished and loved just as I was, but they decided to do something different.

 They decided to try and go it on their own. They decided to separate from the love and nourishment of God and pull away from the branch. And they dropped! Can you believe it? Why? God gave them everything needed to live! Why?

 As they lived their lives separated from God, they sat on the ground and rot. Some were eaten by animals and many made the animals sick in themselves.

 The rest of us? The ones that depended on God to live? We were gathered together and taken to a great feast with God. How wonderful is that!

 All we had to do was live with God in his Kingdom. God took care of it all!

 It’s a funny way to live, but believe it! God will take care of you from start to finish.

 Matthew 25:31-46 ESV

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Lord, you are my life. Christ, you are my King. As I innocently do the works you call me to do, may I always look to you and depend upon you for life. As I kneel before you, my Maker and Savior, make me live in and for you… today… tomorrow… and forever. --- Amen