Set Apart

Sermon given at Sydenstricker UMC 5/27/18

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^NIV Acts 6:1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. ² So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. ³ Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them ⁴ and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." ⁵ This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. ⁶ They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. ⁷ So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

In C.E. Montague's novel, Rough Justice, a memorable scene describes a little boy named Bron going to church for the first time with his governess. He watches with interest every part of the service. The preacher climbs into the high pulpit and Bron hears him tell some terrible news. It is about a brave and kind man who was nailed to a cross, terribly hurt, a long time ago, and who still feels a dreadful pain even now, because there was something not done that he wants them all to do.

Little Bron thinks that the preacher is telling the story because a lot of people are there and they will do something about it. Bron is sitting impatiently on the edge of the pew. He can hardly wait to see what the first move will be in righting this injustice. But he sits quietly and decides that after the service someone will do something about it. Little Bron begins to weep, but nobody else seems at all upset. The service is over. The people walk away as if they had not heard such terrible news, as if nothing remarkable had happened.

As Bron leaves the church, he is trembling. His governess looks at him and says, "Bron, don't take it to heart. Someone will think you are different."

Different - to be alive and sensitive in one's spirit.

Different - to show emotion.

Different - to listen to what is going on in God's house, really to hear, to respond.

Different - to take Jesus Christ seriously.

Ought not Christians be different? Ought not we be distinct, separate, not the same, out of the ordinary, unusual? Christ was distinct, separate, out of the ordinary, and he called his followers to be like him.

Today we come to celebrate 30 years of service of the Stephen Ministry program at Sydenstricker. 30 years ago a need was recognized that congregation members may need additional care from time to time. A Stephen Minister comes alongside a hurting person and meets with that person on a weekly basis to listen, care, encourage, pray, and provide emotional and spiritual support. Men are paired with men; women with women. Over the years, well over one-and-a-half million people across the country have benefited from the one-to-one, Christ-centered care of a Stephen Minister. Today there are a number of folks who give of their time to minister to the needs of the congregation. In addition to their Stephen Ministry duties, a number of them serve on the congregational care team and routinely visit homebound and hospital bound members of the congregation. As a Senior Pastor, I would not be able to serve you well without the dedicated willingness of Stephen Ministers to step up and serve.

Our scripture today reminds us that in the time shortly after Jesus ascension into heaven, the Apostles began to be overwhelmed with the needs of the community. I can identify and appreciate that understanding. They daily were struggling with providing for the widows of the community, the sick and those in prison, having been given the commission by Jesus to care for them, to visit with them and to make disciples of all people. Caring for a growing flock can be daunting at best. So they decided to set apart some for the task of serving. In our ministry orders in the United Methodist church, we have established deacons and missionaries to do some of this work. In each congregation there are people who show a willingness to serve who then share that responsibility with the Pastor and Staff by visiting the lonely, feeding the hungry and sharing time with those who are in need. Stephen Ministry was created as an organization to assist with caring for folks facing life struggles.

So the twelve gathered to figure out a way of dealing with the challenge before them. Widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. Widows in that day were outcasts if there were no children to take care of them. They choose seven men to serve, among them Stephen who would go on to be the first martyr and who would experience the glory of God. Stephen, whose name is given to the program we celebrate today, was set apart.

What does it mean to be set apart? It begins with a call from God to do some unique and special thing that God desires of you. Maybe it is being called to minister to the children of the community, maybe the youth or maybe teach adult ministries. All of these things are special calls by God. Some of you may be called to mission work or even to be called to become part of our staff or maybe, some among you are feeling called to set apart ministry. Set apart ministries are places where you will receive training and be commissioned to serve. Some of you may even feel called to step up here with me one day. Set apart means that you answer a call to be in a different role than simply participating in the life of the church. Interestingly, the scripture tells us that because of this setting apart, the number of disciples and priests increased to a large number.

In honor of this weekend, I want to talk about another call and another example of being set apart. In my day, young men were subject to a special kind of call. Fortunately, for me that never happened but I chose to serve as many of my friends did. They used to call us young folks, junior lifers at the VA hospital, because we were full of big dreams and had not seen or registered the other side of serving. Today we honor the men and women who choose to serve, whether called or not, that went to places with names we cannot even pronounce. Some are there even now protecting, defending and serving. We have monuments to their names, places where their names are forever enshrined for all to see. This weekend is one of those weekends when we celebrate their set apart service. The caveat is this. To be enshrined on one of those monuments usually means that answered that call and never came home again to live long happy lives. They were willing to give it all so that you and I can celebrate this weekend, or July 4^th or any day of the week we want, how we want and where we want. That we can worship freely and yes, that we can voice our feelings freely. So let us not forget what these young men and women have given us. 

Today we celebrate being set apart. All of us are called by Christ to follow Him in this quest for loving one another. All of us are called to the ministry of sharing our faith life with one another so that everyone can be in relationship with a God who loves us unconditionally.

God says that we are known in the womb. Before we take our first breath, God has already offered a purpose for our lives. We are made in God’s image, the image of love and we are tasked with loving one another. Are you feeling set apart today? Are you feeling called to be led by God?

We are called to mission

Sermon given at Sydenstricker UMC 5/20/18

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Scripture Reading: Galatians 5: 22-23; Acts 2: 1-24

^NIV Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

^NIV Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. ⁵ Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. ⁷ Utterly amazed, they asked: "Aren't all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome ¹¹ (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-- we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" ¹² Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" ¹³ Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine." ¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵ These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! ¹⁶ No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ¹⁷ "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. ¹⁸ Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. ¹⁹ I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. ²⁰ The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. ²¹ And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' ²² "Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. ²³ This man was handed over to you by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. ²⁴ But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

We come to this place celebrating the choice a number of our youth are making by opening their hearts to Jesus. I want to share that this is never an easy decision and they have been in preparation for this moment for a year of their lives. We will celebrate with them. Many in this congregation have taken that same step in one place or another and in one way or another. Some of us simply came to the rail and professed our faith while others when through a process of discernment to get there. However you got there, you came in that moment to share your life with Christ. What does that mean? What does it ask of you? This sermon is maybe after the fact but maybe we need reminded of what we committed to be.

I love this story of Pentecost. The disciples have been spending their time in prayer since the ascension of Jesus. They have been opening themselves to what God has in store for them without really knowing what that means. Isn’t that how it worked for us? How could we know what is in store when we give our lives to Christ? For the disciples, it meant being patient while the Holy Spirit began its work on them. It meant preparing for that moment when God would call them without knowing what or where or how. It meant that they put themselves in a place where they could pray unceasingly for God to direct and guide them. What if we did the same thing? What if we took time to listen to the voice of God in our own lives through the power of prayer? What might we learn? What might we see? Who might we become? The power of the Holy Spirit that fills us discerns wisdom for us and ultimately guides us into new and different realities of life.   

We share in this story that moment when the Holy Spirit whipped through them like a strong wind, even bringing the image of fire to tap their brains into a new reality. All of this because they were willing to let the spirit fill them. Scary stuff you know! Letting someone or something else control your thoughts, your future and your lives. They were willing because they had total trust in God. Do you? You have come to this moment in time professing your faith in Christ. Do you really believe and trust in God so much that you would open your hearts and let Jesus in? That is what you have just told me. That is what you have shared with this congregation and God. All the rest of you did it again, in the agreement of the when you said you believe in God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Do you? Really? Are you willing to take on this spirit as part of your lives every moment of every day?

Almost right away, the sceptics, the non-believers, those who want to find fault or doubt begin to attack the very character of God. They may not be so bold as to attack God directly but they do it through the disciples. They must be drunk to do what they are doing, they say. They must be out of their minds to follow around like this. They must be delirious to speak in other languages and to talk about dying and rising again. Here is important news for you. They will attack you too! They might do so in subtle ways or for some of our brothers and sisters in Christ, the attack is outright and physical. Some of you may be called to places in the world where practicing your faith is subject to great persecution. Will you go if called and will you persevere? It is that trust thing again. Are you willing to be different in the face of culture and society? Are you willing to love one another regardless even when the world declares you are the people you love unlovable? See that is what we are saying when we declare that we believe in God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit and we want to have that spirit come into our hearts. This whole Jesus thing can be rather disruptive and scary.

So what lesson do we glean from the disciples? They faced the ridicule of those around them and in that day and time, even the chance to be beaten or put to death for their faith. Yet, they did not run away, rather they stood firm in their faith. They responded to the ridicule. No, we are not drunk unless you could say we are filled to overflowing of the spirit of God. No, they said, they are the fulfillment of what God intended from the beginning and had spoken about through the ancient prophets of what was to be. We are called to witness, bravely, proudly and boldly. Just like the disciples at Pentecost we are called to trust God, to invite the power of the Holy Spirit within our own minds, hearts and bodies and then to go forth in bold proclamation of the Word of God. Disciples who no longer are students of the order only but now Apostles leading the way for others. Are you ready? Have you shared this love for Christ with your classmates, your friends and your families? Have they called you nuts yet? I love being a fool for Christ, it means I can live my life in love regardless of what the world around me is saying or doing. My life then becomes a witness to that love by showing other people what the message of God is really all about. We are called to witness our faith through our actions, those things we do, our deeds, those things are remembered for and our words when necessary, those things we say. As new or not as new Christians we are called to share the message of God throughout the world. So I ask you, do you know the message? Hint - Four letters, begins with l. Are you willing to share that message through your actions, deeds and sometimes using words with the world? You see that is what you just agreed to do.

So how do we do that? Great question, glad you asked! Paul, the writer of much of the New Testament and who has set the framework for much of what we do in the church, says it this way. ^NIV Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law. In simpler words maybe, we are called to be in mission to the world through the power of love. We have given our lives to Christ and through the willingness of being obedient to the power of the Holy Spirit, we are transformed. What did you hope for? Being transformed into a super hero maybe? I think you have been and here is the thing. This transformation will continue to change you today, tomorrow, next year and every moment of your life……if you let it! The world around you will begin to see a more peaceful, more loving and gentler person than the you before this moment. A person who loves kindness and goodness. A person who finds self-control a little easier each and every day. You also become a person concerned about the people around you, especially the ones who are hurting through illness or life struggle, the homeless and the hungry. All of these because we are called to mission through this thing called faith. You will spend the rest of your lives on a journey of relationship with God who will call you at times to the tough places to make a difference in lives you may not even know. Will you be faithful to that call? Each of us who have given our lives to Christ will face these challenges. God is faithful and God is with us every step of the way. Congratulations confirmands! Remember this day for the rest of your lives. Congregation, remember your day and be thankful for it. Now go out into the world, making disciples of Jesus Christ through your actions, deeds and words, baptizing them in the power of Pentecost through the Holy Spirit and teach them to love one another. We are called to mission.

Parallel Chapter Ten

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Chapter 10

Passion Narrative, Death and Resurrection

           The Passion Narrative is the most famous and most intriguing stories of the Bible. What did Jesus know, when did He know it and how is that message conveyed are interesting questions to be answered? How did it happen and who were the players in the crucifixion of Jesus are important not only for history but are important in order to convey the story. Is the Jewish religious leadership the guilty party alone or do the Romans and Pilate share in that? Why would that make a difference to the story line and who would stand to gain by being guiltless of the crime? So many things at play during that week we celebrate when we celebrate Holy Week in the church.

           For the most part I have left John’s Gospel out of the discussion but when it comes to the passion narrative I want to include John. Why? First and foremost John intends that the reader understand that Jesus is God and understands Himself to be God. So throughout the narrative we find references to Jesus acknowledging Himself in that way. Interestingly enough, we also find references in John to a subordinate role as Son of God.  Many of the things in the synoptic Gospel accounts are left out of John’s Gospel. Did he know of the other stories and figured to add onto the storyline, filling in what they had left off? On the other hand, did he simply want to project a different story of Jesus? Maybe the answer is yes and yes!

           We start with Jesus in Jerusalem as we saw in the story from last session.  Jesus and the disciples have arrived at the time of Passover, a high celebration in the Jewish world. It is a chance to remember their roots and the miracle of God through Moses parting the Red Sea (may be Reed Sea), leading the children of Israel into the wilderness where they receive the Ten Commandments and eventually land back in Israel, their ancestral home. Jesus in Matthew prophesizes His death while Mark and Luke simply discuss the desire of the Sanhedrin to bring it about. Matthew takes the viewpoint that Jesus clearly knows what is coming. This fits the need to convey to the Jewish people, Matthew’s audience that Jesus is the Messiah and clearly is following the path that God has set before Him.

           We come to this curious story of the oil. Why is it here? Luke has it earlier in the ministry in Chapter 7 while Matthew and Mark include it as part of the Passion narrative. All three use it as a strong statement for faith that Jesus will not be with them forever and the faith of this young woman who brings the oil is important. Matthew and Mark also use it as a stepping off point for Judas while Luke states that Satan enters into Judas as the reason for his betrayal. Many theologians believe that the point Matthew and Mark are making is that Judas was trying to force Jesus hand to become the Messiah image that Judas had, rather than the plan that God had.

           All four Gospel accounts are very similar in the preparation for the Passover meal, that Jesus indicates a person already chosen to play a part by providing the Upper Room. Then we come to the Last supper or institution of the Holy Communion we celebrate today. In all four Gospel accounts, Judas is identified as the person who will bretray Jesus. All four indicate that Judas participates in the meals though John never mentions the Last Supper, as we understand it. John has a foot washing as the center part of this gathering and then an extensive final teaching of the disciples. Luke has an argument among the disciples about who is the greatest disciple. Luke includes the line, “…my body given for you…”. Why is this important? Every time you hear someone say, “this is my body broken for you” it violates the scripture and suggests then that Jesus is not the Messiah. Why? Because in order for Jesus to be the Messiah, his death must complete the prophetic message and in Numbers 9:12, the body of the Messiah would not be broken. Therefore Luke’s interpretation is correct and more likely the words of Jesus at the table.

           Following the meal Jesus tells the disciples that all will betray Him. Peter of course denies it and Jesus tells the Cock crows three times story. Luke is a little different in the telling but the story is the same. John does not include it in his recount of events but then John does not include the Last Supper in the same way the other writers do.

           From here we move the Gethsemane though again, Luke descirbes it differently as going back the Mount of Olives. Matthew and Mark have Peter, James and John going with Him while Luke has all the disciples. Matthew has Jesus praying, My Father, Mark, Abba, which translates Daddy, and Luke simply Father. Mark’s writing is to the Gentile, which makes the prayer more endearing and intimate. In Luke’s Gospel Jesus, anguish is so great He actually is bleeding. Some years ago, I read an account that extreme anguish can in fact cause bleeding. There on the Mountain, or in the Garden, Jesus is arrested. Judas who uses a kiss to identify Jesus leads the arresting body. An interesting side note is that the Mafia use this scripture reference for their famous “Kiss of Death.” In the story, the synoptic writers say one of the disciples cuts off an ear of one of the arresting body while John identifies this person as Peter. Why? Maybe John wants to elevate Peter in the eyes of the faithful. There is a curious element to the story in Mark. It concerns a young man who forever remains unidentified that is arrested but slips away naked. Who is this young man? Over the generations there is has been much speculation.

           Now comes the heart of the passion story. Jesus is hauled off to the Sanhedrin who has no authority to do what they desire. Their desire is to put Jesus to death believing that by doing so Jesus ministry will end. In the story in Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus is hauled before the Sanhedrin who finds Him guilty. Small surprise there of course. Then He is hauled before Pilate because the Sanhedrin does not have the power to put a person to death. Pilate cannot resolve Jesus guilt so he allows the promise of setting a Hebrew free to prevail. The crowd stirred up by the Sanhedrin of course calls for Jesus to be crucified. In the Luke story, Pilate sends Jesus to Herod who then sends Him back to Pilate. In the Gospel of John, Pilate begs for the truth of what constitutes sending Jesus to His death. In the three synoptic Gospels Pilate washes His hands of the matter. You might wonder at the reason for this in the Gospels and there has always been much speculation. All four accounts have different audiences but likely want to express the same thing, that Rome did not crucify Jesus, the Jewish leadership did. This would have allowed the Christian movement to thrive if their focus is on the Jewish Leadership and not on Rome.

           From this point on several important points. Much of the story of Jesus crucifixion is written in a similar way in the four Gospels. Since Jesus death is a historical event, the sequence of events would be documented and the writers would want to share it with us. The three synoptic writers include a story about a Cyrene named Simon who carries the cross when Jesus, already beaten and weak, cannot do so. In Matthew Jesus is offered wine with gall early in the story. Matthew likely includes it to make a connection with the prophecy in Psalm 69. Jesus however refuses it and most scholars would point to the idea that Gall would have meant poison. Mark indicates it is wine mixed with Myrrh, the burial perfume. Luke and John do not mention Jesus being offered anything to drink. Matthew focuses on the prophetic message from the 22^nd Psalm and recounts the events to assure that Jesus fulfills them.

           We have the story of the Two Thieves that is included in all four Gospel accounts. John does not identify them. Matthew indicates they taunted Him. In Mark’s rendition the thieves do not taunt Jesus while Luke has one taunting and one asking for Jesus to remember him. It is the Luke account that points current day belief in an immediate arrival into heaven upon death.

           Jesus death is a dramatic event in Matthew, Mark and Luke but in different ways. In Matthew, Mark and Luke the Temple curtain is torn in two, in Matthew and earthquake occurs. John’s rendition simply calls us to read that Jesus died. It is important to note that in John’s Gospel account, Jesus is in control even at the end of His life and He determines when it happens. I might add that over the years I have seen numerous examples of will power over death in the end transition of life. So I personally find it no surprise that Jesus could decide the moment. Luke has the guard say that Jesus was innocent while Matthew and Mark have him saying, Jesus really was the Son of God. Again, remember who the audience and what the writer is trying to convey. John makes no mention of an explanation upon Jesus death.

           Upon His death, all four Gospel accounts indicate that Joseph of Arimathea, a rich man, comes to take His body to the tomb. Two important points about this. The first is that this fulfills the prophecy in Isaiah 53:9 that the Messiah would be buried in a rich man’s tomb. Second, this happens before sundown in order that Passover can begin for the parties involved. The Hebrew tradition would require Jesus body be placed in the grave before sundown or the people performing that service would not be able to participate in the Passover celebration. In John’s account, Nicodemus is also involved. Mark includes the identification of one of the Mary’s as Jesus mother though the other three do not. This will be important to the continuation of the story.

           The creed tells us eloquently that Jesus has been crucified, dead and buried. On the third day, the women go to the tomb to finish the hurried job of preparing the body for death. In the Hebrew tradition, the body would be covered with oils, perfumes to mask the smell of death. Those perfumes would include Myrrh, which has a rich fragrance. The body then would be wrapped, first with a face cloth over the face and then cloth would be placed around the entire body as it lay there on the stone tomb surface. In Matthew’s Gospel account we have two Mary’s that go, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary who is not clearly identified. Is this mother Mary? In Mark’s account, Mary Magdalene and Mary, mother of James and Salome who is thought to be Jesus mother’s cousin goes to the tomb in the morning. Luke’s account includes Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James and other women. John’s account only includes Mary Magdalene. Only Mary Magdalene is in all the accounts as having gone to the tomb.

There are other differences as well. In Matthew, a great earthquake moves the stone from in front of the tomb and an Angel appears to the women who tells the women to go and tell. Jesus appears to them before they leave the tomb area.  This would set the stage for the belief that Mary Magdalene is the first true apostle of Jesus to go and tell. In Mark, the stone is already rolled away and an angel tells them to go and tell. Curiously, it also says that they tell no one. Luke’s account also has the stone rolled away but there are two angels in the tomb. The women are not told to go and tell but to remember His words. This sets the stage for a great visual in that the two angels are at each end of the tomb, an image that should have brought the Ark of the Covenant into view for the listener. John’s Gospel has no angels, Mary goes and tells Peter, John the tomb is empty, they check out the empty tomb and leave, and then Jesus confronts Mary. Why are they different? Wrong question maybe! Each author is remembering the story in his or her own way. The basic story line stays in sync, Jesus is out of the tomb, risen indeed, the woman or women arrive and find it empty and then the telling that Jesus is risen begins.

From that point the writers all diverge. Matthew moves to Jesus meeting the disciples on the mountain and gives them the Great Commandment to go and change the world. There is no mention of the ascension of Jesus in Matthew. Mark has a short version where Jesus does not appear to the disciples but they begin the work of witness. The longer version of Mark has this curious story of the two men on the road to Emmaus who meet Jesus along the way. Then Jesus meets the eleven in the Upper Room and gives them a different version of the Great Commission before he ascends to heaven. Luke’s Gospel account is the same story as in Mark. Did Mark not know this story and then add it later or did someone else know the story in Luke and make an addition to Mark? We don’t know. John’s account has Jesus appearing in the Upper Room to the ten disciples, less Thomas, and then a week later to them all where we get the doubting Thomas story. Jesus encounters Peter and offers him forgiveness, not once but three times to overcome Peter’s denial. Peter asks Jesus what will happen to John at this point and Jesus tells him it is not his worry, simply follow Jesus. This may have been written by John to let us know that he alone of all the original disciples lives a long life. There also is no ascension story in John.

We have come to the end of this parallel study. My hope is that I leave you with a couple of important points. One, ask the right question, which is not why they are different, but who is their audience. Two, to look at the differences and realize that these oral traditions include what the writer knew or has heard. Where they are all the same or similar, even if it occurs at different times in the account, we are confident the basic story is true. Matthew is preaching to the Jewish people in and around Jerusalem and his Gospel is a series of preaching stories collected in a way to make it easy to teach the story. His emphasis is on assuring the Jewish people understand Jesus to be the Messiah. Mark and Luke are preaching to the Gentile and Roman people throughout the Mediterranean. Their desire is to share the teachings of Jesus while lifting Jesus up to be the Son of God. Their focus allows the reader to see the authority of Jesus in His teaching in order to make disciples, followers of Jesus. John’s Gospel is to the Roman and the Greek and clearly wants the reader to know that Jesus is God.  

^NRS Joshua 24:15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Mary's Song

Sermon given at Sydenstricker UMC 5/13/18

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^NRS  Luke 1:46 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, ⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, ⁴⁸ for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; ⁴⁹ for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. ⁵⁰ His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. ⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. ⁵² He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; ⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. ⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, ⁵⁵ according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

We woke up this morning to war in the world. But then, we have always had war. We woke up this morning to illness in the world. But then, we have always had illness. We woke up this morning to greed and evil in the world. But then, we have always had greed and evil in the world. We woke up this morning to poverty and hunger in the world. But then, we have always had poverty and hunger. What if I told you that this morning you could experience something entirely new? What if I told you that you could experience something that had never been before? Would you look forward with anticipation to that new experience? Or would you fear what might be? Or look back with regret in what might have been? Too many questions and too much gloom maybe. Fear can prevent us from enjoying what we have and what can be. The story of Joshua that I told you last week is a story about fear that could have prevented the people of Israel from enjoying the fruits of 40 years of wandering. Fear is the opposite of trusting God.

So I asked you earlier what you would do if you could experience something entirely new. My friends it is the new you. On this day you have the opportunity to begin your life new by recommitting your life. You have the opportunity to present a new person to the people around you starting right now. You see while we were sitting here thinking about where I might be going with this, millions of cells in your body regenerated, began anew, some of them if you believe it, even in your brain. I believe that spring is a great time of year to reflect of what we have and what can be. Several short weeks ago, it was snowing and cold. So what could be? However, before we get there, let us for a moment remind ourselves how it all began. We don't often think or ponder on the mother of Jesus much now do we? But her life is as important to the birth as the child itself. One without the other does not happen. When we think of famous people throughout the course of our history, we seldom if ever know anything about their mothers. Think on that for a moment. Who was Henry VIII's mother? Who was Caesar's mother? How about Abraham Lincoln? On the other hand, even, how much do you know about the president’s mother? My point is this, famous people in our history all had mothers and yet we know very little of them, their lives or even their names. What we do know is that they had mothers and they had fathers, right? We accept that the world requires both sides from a scientific standpoint in order to have conception. But think for a moment on what chance we would have of knowing the child, if the mother lived in obscurity, poverty, or shame?

What we know of Mary is this; she was around 14 years of age when she had Jesus. She was engaged to a man named Joseph who was not the father of her child. More importantly, we know that middle-eastern custom in the first century would have allowed Joseph to either put her out in the street or have her killed for the sin of adultery. But how can this be you ask? Simply answered, because she was pregnant and the unborn child was not his. And the fact of the manner is that not only was she pregnant, she was pregnant in a society where not being married and pregnant was a major sin, one where death by stoning was considered the sentence of repentance. So while we sit here and sing songs, smile and be festive, we should be reminded that two thousand plus years ago, there was a young girl whose life was turned upside down. A life that would be marked by gossip and anxiety! A life that meant that she would be shunned by her friends and family! Yet, God had chosen her.

Let me ask you a question here, if Mary was a friend of yours, would you believe her if she said to you, I am going to have God's child? We are all too cynical for such a thought to cross our minds. We would likely have told Mary she was over the edge insane. And for a moment can you imagine how Joseph's family and friends would be concerned more about the shame and laughter they would endure because of it. Isn’t that human nature? Some of us would be concerned with Mary’s welfare but most would take the opportunity to share a juicy tale. What I find incredible is that even living in the time that they did, that they made it to Bethlehem in the first place.

But Mary doesn’t let that bother her. She goes to visit her aunt Elizabeth. Maybe she went to get affirmation of what had happened to her. Maybe she went for advice in how to deal with this unique situation because Gabriel had told her that Elizabeth was given a special child of God. For whatever reason she went, she went with excitement and eagerness the scripture tells us. And when she arrived, Elizabeth who did not know of her pregnancy makes a remarkable statement. She tells Mary that ^NRS Luke 1:41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit ⁴² and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. ⁴³ And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? ⁴⁴ For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord." Did you hear that? Elizabeth tells Mary that the mother of her Lord has come to her. I have often wondered what it must have been like to be in the presence of Jesus. Apparently, even in the womb, folks sensed him. This would have been the affirmation that Mary needed to hear. Elizabeth sharing with her that she feels the presence of God in the baby in Mary’s womb.

So Mary responds with one of the most beautiful love songs we may ever hear. She begins by lifting up her praises to God. Every prayer we make, every thanks we give should include the God that gives us so many blessings. Even public figures should remember that it is God that we need to thank, not people, but the one who created us, loves us and forgives us. Mary then acknowledges her place in the world. Now we need to regress a little here. Mary is not lower than anyone else in the eyes of the Lord. In fact she stands pretty tall. But the truth is that Mary is a common person in the world like most of us. She is not royalty. She is not favored in the eyes of the world. She is probably not rich. But to God she is faithful and that is the most important thing we can be to God.

Now comes the true meaning of love. His mercy is for generation to generation. God’s love is continuous from beginning to end. God lifts up the least and promised them the keys to the city of everlasting life. God keeps promises made hundreds if not thousands of year before the birth of Jesus. God fills the hungry with good things. God does that through God’s faithful servants in places like Springfield. The story reminds us that God loves us all, no matter where we come from and no matter where we have been or what we have done. God uses us, broken, criminals, thieves and murderers who repent their sins and are used by God for great things. God uses us when we humble ourselves like Mary so that God can accomplish great things in the world around us. When we humble ourselves and submit to the will of God, the world around us changes. The world around us becomes a better place to live for those who we encounter.

I love the song of Mary. Probably the best way for me to acknowledge her song is to open my eyes and ears this time of year. It reminds me that the grace of God smiled down on the world through her. That if it were not for mothers most of us would still be ignorant, could not read or write, would not know how to interact with each other and would be emotionally challenged. I say that since mothers are the reason we know all those things and feel the way we do. My mother taught me to read, taught me to persevere, taught me that I could be whatever I desired and shared with me how to interact with the world. We celebrate today, Mother’s Day, as a day when we recognize the personality of God that is given to the woman of the world.

So take this day and Mary’s song and find the new in it. Become a person who is focused on being nicer to those around you. Be a person who takes what little they have and shares it with those who have less. Enjoy the laughter and music of spring, a new dawning and embrace the love of creation it brings with it. The new you is the one who takes this experience and keep it all year long. The new you is the one who realizes that inside we are all like Mary, favored by God, so that God can do great things in God’s name through us. Are you ready to be made new?

Parallel Chapter Nine

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Chapter 9

Jesus in Jerusalem and the Olivet Discourse

           We will explore Jesus ministry in Jerusalem just before the Passion narratives along with the Olivet Discourse, the message He gave the disciples about the end in the Mount of Olives. We begin the story with his entrance into Jerusalem. For the reader this is a curious story. Why would He ride in on a donkey? The donkey story is important in several ways and is repeated but all four Gospel writers. Donkeys were used by conquering leaders to denote that they come in peace, not war. This story is also important in that it is another fulfillment of prophecy (Zechariah 9:9). All four accounts are basically the same, there were great crowds singing and waving palms and placing in His path. This was an ancient custom done to welcome hero’s into the city and is the reason we now have Palm Sunday. There is one curious exception in that Luke remarks that Jesus weeps over the city and what is to come of it.

           This narrative immediately finds Jesus seeking His way into the city and into the Temple where He has an angry confrontation with the Temple money changers. In that day and time, your money must be exchanged for Temple money and your sacrifice had to be with Temple bought birds and animals, a way for the leadership to make money from the people. Jesus overturns the tables and in the Gospel of Mark and Luke makes the remark that His house is intended to be a house of prayer. John has this story early in his narrative in the 2^nd chapter will the three synoptic writers include in towards the end. Did it happen? Wrong question! Since all four gospel writers account for it there is high likelihood that the story is true. Why is it important? For all four writers it sets the stage for the leadership of the Jewish religion to be against Jesus and sets up the passion narrative.

           Matthew and Mark have a strange story of the fig tree withering. One can only wonder why Jesus would be angry at a tree that did not have fruit to the point of condemning it forever. More than likely the story is simply a pretext for the statement on faith that follows. Oddly, Luke does not include it at all.   

           All three writers again include the story where the Jewish leaders question Jesus on what authority He speaks. All three use almost the same words in telling the story, which leads us to believe the story is true and probably came from the same source. Interestingly enough, Jesus never answers their question but leaves them in a quandary over His question about whether John the Baptizer was sent by God. The conclusion of Mark and Matthew’s narrative on Jesus ministry in Jerusalem ends with the question posed to Him by the Jewish leaders, what is the greatest commandment. They had hoped to set Him up to accuse Him. However, He responds with the Shema, the Jewish prayer from Deuteronomy (6:4-9) and the message from Leviticus (19:18) to Love God and love neighbor. Again, Luke diverges from this in that this story comes much earlier in his narrative and it is the lawyer who responds with the answer.  Jesus then leads us into the Good Samaritan parable in Luke’s Gospel.

           We come now to what is known as the Olivet Discourse. It is not in the Gospel of John. It is prefaced as the disciples wanting to know when the end of days of coming and what will be the signs. Curiously, Mark tells us that Peter, James, John and Andrew request the telling while Matthew and Luke tell us that all the disciples are involved in the conversation. It starts with the prophetic message that the Temple will be torn down with no stone still resting on top of another. This in fact happens in 70 AD when the army of Rome destroys Jerusalem. Historians remark on the fact that much of the Temple was wrapped in gold and the stones were likely taken down to recover it.

           Jesus words are repeated by all three writers that in the end there will be rumors of wars, nation against nation and many will come saying that they are the Messiah (in Matthew) or from God. Famines and earthquakes will be prevalent, persecution of the disciples and followers of Jesus will happen. Jesus gives hope in that the Kingdom will be preached in all the world before the end comes. Several things to note, all three writers discuss being persecuted while Luke in chapter 12 and 21 says not to prepare an answer but let the Holy Spirit speak through them. All of this leads to the destruction, which comes after the desolating sacrilege in Matthew and Mark and the surrounding armies in Luke. Some suggest that this is a future event yet to happen while others point to the battles between 40 AD and 70 AD where Antiochus IV set up a statue of Zeus and Emperor Caliqula in the Temple. Emperor Hadrian set up a statue of Jupiter on top of the rubble of the Temple following its destruction in 70 AD.

           Matthew and Mark talk about the false prophets that will try and pervert the followers. Luke does as well but has it much earlier in the conversation in chapter 17. We end with Jesus telling us in all three Gospel accounts that we are to be alert, diligent and prepared for the end. Matthew and Mark tell us that no one knows the hour of the end while Luke uses a parable of the buds on a fig tree.

           Is this Olivet discourse events that are yet to happen or those that already have passed us in the ancient past?

Heart of Jesus: A Victorious Heart

Sermon given at Sydenstricker UMC 5/6/18

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^NRS John 17:1 After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, ² since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. ³ And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. ⁴ I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. ⁵ So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

There was a woman at work when she received a phone call that her daughter was very sick with a fever. She left work and stopped by the pharmacy to get some medication for her daughter. She returned to her car to find that she had locked the keys inside the car when she went into the pharmacy and was now unable to get into her car to drive home.
She didn’t know what to do and started to panic, so she called home and told the baby sitter what had happened and that she did not know what to do. The baby sitter told her to find a coat hanger and see if that would open the door. The woman looked around and found an old rusty coat hanger that had been thrown down on the ground, possibly by someone else who also had locked their keys in their car. Then she looked at the hanger and said, "I don’t know how to use this." So she bowed her head and asked God to send her some help. In so doing, she obeyed the command to never stop praying. Do you think God would reward her for that?

Within five minutes, a motorcycle roared up and pulled into the parking space next to her car. A rough, dirty-looking biker got off and saw her situation. He asked if he could help her. The woman thought, "This is what you sent to help me, God?" She finally told him yes, as she needed to hurry and get home to her sick daughter. He walked over to the car, and in less than one minute, the car was opened. She hugged the man and through her tears she said, "Thank you so much! You are such a nice man." The man replied; "No, I’m not, Lady. I just got out of prison for car theft." The woman hugged the man again and with sobbing tears cried out to God, "You even sent me a professional."

As we celebrate this week lets return to the Passion narrative of Easter. Jesus is looking into the face of death itself. He knows what is coming soon and in spite of that, He asks God to stand by the promise that all of humanity is given into the hands of Jesus. Jesus tells us that He has complete authority over the whole earth and all of its inhabitants, not just for the first century but also for all time. Jesus is asking God to give us, those that believe in the love of God brought through the love and sacrifice of God’s Son, Jesus, to receive the promise of eternal salvation and life. All of this while looking into the very depths of Hell itself and death. What love there is that can do this kind of thing? One that we cannot truly understand or appreciate. However, this is exactly what happened and what we must be forever thankful. How can we ever repay that which is given to us freely and without strings attached unless we spend our lives witnessing to the grace and mercy of God? How can we ever truly sit at our tables or in our houses comfortable without thinking about the sacrifice that God has given to us? Thanksgiving is a time to do that very thing. Jesus is saying to us that He is ours if we are willing to open our hearts to Him and invite Him in. Will you, can you, won’t you?

Jesus has a victorious heart, made up of all the woes of the earth, all the joys and tears and celebrations that we can imagine. That sounds a bit like an oxymoron but the truth is Jesus death and resurrection allows Him to hold all of that in tension. The beauty of this story is that God sent Jesus, the very example of physical living love into the world so that we might see that example and learn to live into it in our own lives. Jesus wants us to know that we are free from the chains and binding holds of this world. Jesus wants us to know that we have eternal life at the asking just by loving God and loving one another. He is calling us to an unconditional love for God and for each other. In that love, Jesus shares the victory over death with us. That is the good news of the Gospels, the good news of the Biblical story that began with God’s love for the world in the Garden of Eden that carries through the last chapter in John’s Revelation.

We live in a difficult time in the world today. There can be no doubt that there is more violence and bloodshed, hate and anger, than when many of us were young. The world is full of terrorism and hate amongst the peoples of the world. We saw it played out in Paris, Beirut, and Mali in recent days. We must also remember that there are thousands of people who are struggling in the places where hate originates. They are fleeing to bring better lives for their families and themselves. Is that any different from the story of the Exodus from Egypt by the people we call Israelites under Moses? For most of us, the stories of our ancestors who came to this country fleeing religious persecution, difficult times in their homes countries of Europe, Italy and the Middle East. Can we but take a moment and remember that if not for the generosity of this place we call America; all of us would have lived and died in places like Syria though the names would have been Scotland and Ireland, Germany and Italy among many. Are we not the country that has said to the world, “Give me your tired, your poor/ your huddled masses yearning to breathe free/The wretched refuse of your teeming shore/Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me/I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” So let us this season remember that we are all aliens in a strange land with the exception of our Native Americans. We all washed with the blood of a loving God who gave His blood for our eternal lives.

In Jesus we are victorious. Death is beaten and the promise of eternal life in a place where joy, peace and celebration abound is fulfilled. Jesus gave His life so that we might share in the Garden in our lives. Not just at some future point in time but right now. We have the opportunity to share in this promise by living our lives in the image of Jesus, an image of the creating God, the image of love in the world. Our victories come when people from all nations, ages, sexual preferences and life’s understandings can live in peace with one another. A world where differences allow our unique talents to better the world rather than divide it. Jesus promise is to all people. Should we act any differently? The victory of God is when we live our lives every day in love for one another. Come to the table all you who are weary and I will give you rest. Isaiah’s promise that we will all sit at the table of God is available to all of us right now in this place.

I dream of a world where the church called Sydenstricker is so focused on loving one another that the world desires to be a part of our family. Where everyone can find sanctuary and love in this place regardless. Where discipleship is the core foundation of who we are as we gather for worship, study and small groups where we lift each other up daily. Dr. Martin Luther King reminded us that we may not get there together but we can build the foundation on which this vision is built. Moses looked out from the mountain and saw all that God had promised. Joshua led them through the Jordan to the Promised Land. My friends, Jesus has won the victory on the cross. The Tomb is empty and the promise of eternal life is yours for the taking. The cost to you is living your life as a loving sacrifice to the world. The price is priceless.

Heart of Jesus: A Burdened Heart

Sermon given at Sydenstricker UMC 4/22/18

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^NRS Matthew 11:28  "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

We are nearing the end of the Heart of Jesus series. Each week we have explored a personality or a dynamic of the heart of Jesus. All of this is simply another way of understanding the love and grace of God. We know that as Christians that God loves us so incredibly well that God sent us Jesus to show us how to love one another and be the disciples God has called us to be. Our church, Sydenstricker has taken a definitive resolve to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We know that Disciples are lifelong learners who influence others to serve and we are learning what all of that means. Today I want to talk to you about life and the struggles that we all face. Each of is in this place having gone through or going through some kind of burden, some kind of hurt, some kind of illness and more than ever we could use a lift up from where we are.

August 10, 1628, was a dark day in naval history. On that day, the royal warship Vasa set out on her maiden voyage. After taking 2 years to build, lavishly decorated and holding 64 cannons, the pride of the Swedish navy sank only one mile out to sea. What went wrong? The excessive load was too heavy to make her seaworthy. Excess weight pulled the Vasa to the bottom of the ocean.

Over 16.9 million people in this country are suffering from the effects of depression. That is over 6.9 % of the total world population. Our people today struggle with how to deal with the world around us in ever-increasing ways of anxiety. Never before in the history of the United States have some many people struggled so much with every day stuff, not to mention the political challenges, social challenges and fear for jobs and security. I see young people today who have such high level of anxiety in school and home that they have periods where they simply cannot function. We are a truly burdened society.

I remember a number of years ago, sitting in the cancer center. I was there with my mother as she was having some procedures to assist in her healing after a radical mastectomy. When you sit in that kind of emergency room, you cannot help but pay attention to the people around you. Some of them clearly were struggling, physically and mentally as they tried to deal with the illness that was knocking them down. Some of them came from the doctor’s room crying, some just empty while others had received good news and came with a smile, almost ashamed of it, but it was there none the less. Over the course of 16 years, I have talked with a number of people struggling with cancer and other serious life threatening illnesses. All of them carry that burden like the world lifted on their shoulders. However, some of them have a lighter outlook. What is the difference? The ones who know Jesus seem to have a better time of it.

Flora Wuellner writes of a story where the people in Hell to come to heaven once in eternity for the day. Upon arrival, many are soon uncomfortable in the joy and wonder that we understand heaven to be and begin to ask to go back to Hell. Why, the angels ask would you want to leave this for that. “Because, we do not deserve to be here,” was their reply, “we failed to measure up and carry the weight of those sins with us even now”. Notice what they said, they carry the weight of those sins even now. How many of us come to this place on this day carrying the weight of past sins on our shoulders and around our necks like the ball and chains of yesteryear? How many of us come to this place harboring the pain of past mistakes often from so many years ago that everyone but us has forgotten? I remember the old man crying in my arms asking for forgiveness for what he thought was a sin he had committed in Normandy beach sixty plus years ago. He was broken because of it. We are all broken because of our own mistakes, our iniquities if you remember that word and we refuse to let go of them. We make our lives a living monument to our mistakes by wearing them on our sleeves and in our faces and in our actions.

So here we are. We carry the burdens of our past, our own mistakes, our illnesses, our life decisions and even today, we carry the burden the world has placed on us just because we live in this place and this time. What if we could release that and let it go? What if we had the ability to find peace and comfort in our lives regardless of the issues we face?

Into this discussion comes Jesus. Now the scripture we heard today suggests that Jesus has no burdens or very few since His burden is light and easy. I am not sure that the understanding of the scripture leans in that direction for the truth is Jesus carries with Him the burdens of the world. I believe that Jesus understands those burdens in the scope of time and space. Our lifetime is such a small portion of the eternity that we will share with God and one another. So in fact, maybe our burdens are not that mountainous, as we believe. It might be our perspective after all.

Today is may be a bit difficult to understand the idea of yoking, especially if you have never been around farms where bulls are used to pull the plows that turn over the ground. However, in Jesus day, many would have understood His statement. You see a yoke is that thing placed around the head of the animal to connect him with the piece of equipment, trailer or plow that he is going to pull. Yokes typically are made of wood at least that was the choice du jour of Jesus day. Things made of wood tend to have splinters and burrs that can irritate or cut. So often the farmers would spend a great deal of time, sanding and working the inside the yoke so that it was smooth. When they get it just right they often say that the yoke is easy, meaning it is easy to wear without irritation or hurt. Young bulls are full of energy and they would often need to be tamed in order to become a good working animal. The method to do that was to yoke a young bull with an older bull in a double yoke. The young bull would tug and fight while the old bull would just move forward doing the job it was asked to do. Over time the young bull would relax and found that when it did the yoke was easy, not rubbing or chaffing as it was when the young bull was fighting against it.

Makes me wonder how many of us are young bulls? How many of us are fighting against the world? Maybe we are fighting because the world decided to throw a torrential downpour of frogs at us through no fault of our own. Maybe we are fighting because the rules we have to live by are difficult to master and we would rather be doing our own thing anyway. Maybe we are fighting out of shame of guilt for our actions. I do not know about you, but I find myself worn down when I am fighting the yoke of life. I find myself depressed and tired. Some days I think, why get out of bed; it is going to get worse from here. Have you felt that way?

Then I remember Jesus words. Come all of us who are struggling, depressed, burdened with illness, guilt, shame, anxiety or just life. Jesus is calling us to come to Him. Our young bull instincts yoked with His calm grace and view of eternity that we cannot see. I remember then that Jesus came into the world and lived life just as I am now. That He shared in the joys and sorrows of His family and friends. That He watched men and women falter under the oppression of Roman rule and heavy Roman and Jewish taxation. He watched as people struggled to make ends meet, just like today, and how they often lost everything. I think about how He watched those who would put Him to death and I cannot help but think that He did so with such agony and pain. Yet He did! Not only did He watch, He reached out to bring comfort and peace to many. Then He went to the cross so that you and I could find peace in the midst of agony, comfort in the midst of anxiety and life in the midst of death.

AS I ponder these things, a song often comes to my mind.

Do you still feel the nails
Every time I fail?
Have I crucified you, Jesus,
With my sin?

If you are here today and you are feeling the burdens of life, come on down to the altar. If you are here today and you feel an emptiness where peace and comfort should be, open your heart to Jesus.

If you are here, today and you know that there, is something bigger and better but cannot seem to find it, offer your heart to Jesus.

Jesus has a burdened heart carrying all our sorrows, all our anxieties, all our mistakes and iniquities, and all or illnesses and He is offering to carry the weight of that burden on His shoulders if you will let Him.

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Parallel Chapter Eight

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Chapter 8

Ministry in Judea

           We are going to explore Jesus ministry in the Judean region of Israel. John puts this ministry following a visit to Jerusalem, which the other Gospel accounts do not mention. John may have wanted to show a desire by Jesus to win over the leadership of Israel and have them acknowledge Him as Messiah. If that had happened the world would have changed dramatically and the need for the crucifixion may have no longer been needed. John may have wanted the Gentile world to know that Jesus had the desire to bring change without the necessity of sacrifice. In the four Gospel accounts, His ministry in Judea is where most of His teaching occurs.

           I often refer to this section as the Beginning of the End since it is here that Jesus begins the process of making true disciples, teaching the hard lessons of discipleship and setting His vision on Jerusalem, death and resurrection. It is during this period of time that He begins to let the disciples in on the coming events and how their world is about to dramatically be changed. But it is also a time of testing for them, assuring that they understand the lessons He is teaching them.

           We begin with an interesting account in Matthew 19 about the confession of Peter. Jesus reaches out to the disciples asking them who they believe Him to be. Peter says that Jesus is the Messiah. It is at this point that Jesus tells Peter that he will be the person who will build the new church of followers of Jesus. It is important to note here that the other two Gospel accounts do not make this assertion so it is possible that Matthew, speaking to the Jews, is trying to increase their awareness of Peter’s importance and authenticate the movement. What is also interesting is that Matthew’s account does not follow the departure of the other disciples who find Jesus teaching too difficult.

Jesus begins the process of telling the disciples what the future holds though it is doubtful that they truly understood until after His death and resurrection. All three follow this story in the same way so it is highly likely that Jesus did in fact have this conversation with the disciples and it is recorded here. Why is it important? For us the readers thousands of years later, we know by this account that at this point in time Jesus had full knowledge of what awaited Him in Jerusalem. This is immediately followed by the transfiguration story where Jesus meets Elijah and Moses on the mountaintop and is transfigured into the heavenly image. Again, did this story happen in this way is not the question though the fact that all three accounts report it is important. This event would mark the disciples for the future and gave them a glimpse of how Jesus really is. Matthew and Mark follow this story with the story of Elijah. The reasoning for this account is to show fulfillment of the prophecy that Elijah would come before the Messiah. Both authors want the reader to see John the Baptizer as the spirit of Elijah who would come to proclaim the coming of the Messiah. Surprising Luke does not include it in his Gospel account.

Jesus continues to teach the disciples and admonishes them to stay faithful not only to the teachings but not to teach others differently than what they have been taught. All three share the same story although Mark tells it earlier in the ministry than Matthew and Luke. Do not cause others to stumble is the way Jesus admonishes all of us to stay faithful and that we are to be judged more harshly as teachers if we teach a false Gospel. (See James 3:1 to see this understanding stated for those who teach.)

Several of the stories we are familiar with like the sending of the seventy out into the world ahead of Jesus and storing treasures in heaven are only in the Gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke. There is a possibility that Mark was not familiar with those stories or that they had no special relevance for his ministry to the Gentile world. It is interesting that Matthew sends the seventy out much earlier than Luke does. Luke’s accounts suggests that Jesus sends them out to pave the way for His movement toward Jerusalem.

We then come to another story that is included in all three Gospel accounts. Interestingly enough, John does not include this account in his account of Jesus teaching. Matthew includes it earlier in the ministry than Luke and Mark likely because it fit better there. Mark and Luke indicate that the first will be last and the last will be first and in fact this all Mark has to say about this. Matthew and Luke spend more time focusing on how hard it is to be a follower and included. Another interesting note is that Matthew and Luke both allude to a future time when the followers will come to Israel, from the east and then the west, the north and then the south. For those who may be interested in “End times” revelation, this is precisely how the repopulation of Israel by the Jewish people has taken place and the migration from the south is the most recent large migration of people into Israel.

Finally, we come to the story known as “The Day of the Son of Man”. All three Gospel writers account for this story and most theologians believe this is Jesus teaching on how He will return. It is a prophetic message of the coming again of God and in fact Matthew and Mark use the same words as clearly referencing the Day of the Lord in Joel 2: 30-31. Jesus message from these three Gospel accounts in many ways is a parallel to the Parables where He preaches to be prepared and ready for His return.

In the next chapter, we will explore Jesus entrance into Jerusalem and the Olivet Discourse.