Lent Day Twenty-Two

Day Twenty-Two: The Widow's Pennies

I write this message today after spending time with our area youth as they cleaned up the church camp in preparation for the camp season. As I worked with them, the following thought came to mind. "These youth do not have any money to give to this camp, but they are giving everything that they have in their labor"! As we talked about the camp this day, we talked of all the things that it needed and all the things that an influx of money could do in the care of the camp, but yet what great things could happen if everyone gave all they had in an attitude of resources and spiritual gifts, and God given talents.

When Jesus Christ was seated near the temple treasury he witnessed people giving their tithes, he saw the rich people giving large amounts of money. Then along came an elderly woman that gave only two copper coins that equaled one penny, it was everything that she had. As the rich gave out of their abundance, the poor lady gave all she had out of poverty, she gave her whole living.Brothers and Sisters, it is not the amount of money or efforts that we give to the Lord, it is the heart and the attitude behind our gifts to God that count. My prayer for all of us this day is when we do ministry for God, that we go with the attitude of the elderly lady with two coins.

Bible Readings for Day Twenty-Two

Luke 21: 1-4

Mark 12: 41-44

1 Timothy 5:8

Matthew 6:21

 

Lent Day Twenty-One

Day Twenty-One-Symbol Of Community

After raising Lazarus, Jesus and the others gathered at Martha's house for a meal. As they gathered around a meal of fellowship, memories of a few day earlier came to mind. After Lazarus died, many of their neighbors gathered around Martha and Mary to support them in their time of grief and sorrow. The same can be said for the upper room when Jesus gathered with his disciples, as Jesus needed community around him. In the Garden, Jesus took three three of his disciples with him for support and witness, and while on the cross those closest to him (his mother Mary and John his disciple), gathered around him.

Brothers and Sisters, this twenty-first day of Lent is all about community and how community cares for one another. When we speak of church we must be careful not to link the word church to bricks and mortar and a structure. When we do this we limit what true community is and disregard the fact that when a community of God is formed, they are stronger than the strongest concrete or steel.  

A few weeks ago our community lost one of its dearest and most beloved members. When this occurred the church community formed around the family in support and fellowship just as the community gathered around Martha and Mary. Friends, we need people around us to live a full life, and we need to be there for other people as they live life, celebrate, mourn, and as they pass to eternity with Christ. 

As I prepared this morning's message I contemplated what image to place on this page, as I thought and prayed I decided on a picture that is an image of a healthy community. The picture is of a group of young ones gathered around a table in laughter and fellowship, a better image of how Christ calls us to fellowship in community never existed.

 

My prayer for all of us this day twenty-one of Lent is that we all have a community of Christ loving support around all of us, and as we are community, we allow others to be community with us. 

Thanks for letting me be part of your community

Pastor Tim. 

Day Twenty-One Bible Readings

John 12:1

John 11:19

Romans 12:15,16

Mark 2:2-12

James 2:15-17

Lent Day Twenty

Day Twenty - Jesus Wept.

As a child growing up I can only recall one time seeing my father (my step-father, but I never use the word "step") weep. I was in fifth grade when my Grandmother Blauvelt passed away, and when dad and I stood in front of her casket, I began to weep and so did my father. To this day I cannot say I have seen my father weep as I did on that day. That day in front of Grandma's casket, I saw the totally human and emotional side of my father come out and something inside me said: "Dad is real"! 

As we enter day twenty, half way to the forty days of Lent, I approach today's message with a message of another man that showed his true emotions. As he witnessed Mary and Martha and others weeping over Lazarus, Jesus was moved in the emotional response of the people. Jesus knew that he had caused this pain by delaying his arrival to Lazarus, even though his delaying was necessary. 

When Jesus approached the gates of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, scripture tells us that Jesus wept over the city, and wished that it would be a city of peace. With this we see the Messiah, the Divine Jesus, showing his human side and allowing people to see that he was "real". Brothers and Sisters, Jesus was and is real and weeps this very day when we turn from him and cause others pain. 

In my life I have witnessed many people weep, and often they apologize for weeping. Friends, weeping is a normal side of who we are as an emotional people that God created and who Jesus died for. As Jesus was moved at the weeping over Lazarus, so he was moved to weep over a city that was in need of peace. My prayer for you this day is that we understand that weeping is an emotional response that shows the true heart and true identity of the God that created each and every one of us. Weeping is a sign to others that you are emotionally distraught and is God's true signal indicator for his people to come to the person weeping, as Christ comes and takes care of us in our times of distress. 

Weeping is God's creation in which we are able to show our true selves, and the fact that life is real and that we are reaching out for others to give us strength as we endure pain. As you progress through day twenty of Lent, understand that Lent and Easter are times of real and true emotion, and as you weep, Jesus weeps with you while holding you at the same time.

Thanks for letting me be "real" 

Pastor Tim.

Day Twenty Bible Readings

John 11:35

John 11:37

John 11:33

Luke 19:41, 42

Romans 5:3-5

Matthew 28:20

Lent Day Nineteen

Day Nineteen - The New Martha

As we enter day nineteen of Lent we are drawn to Martha and often think of her as the sister diligently working preparing a meal as her sister Mary sat at the feet of Jesus listening to him speak. We often think about Martha being to busy to just sit and listen like her sister Mary. As we think of Martha this day, we should also remember her as the faithful follower and sister of Lazarus. Martha was the faithful person that told Jesus that God would supply what ever he asked of him, and also the person that believed Jesus when he stated that he was the resurrection and the life. When she returned home instead of bragging she simply told Mary: "The Master is here and is looking for you". 

How often in our lives do we feel misunderstood, and how often do people relate to us in reference to a event in our past? Brothers and Sisters we that are followers of Jesus Christ who is the resurrection and the life, are so much more. We that live lives for Christ are not just one paining, but rather a clean canvas that is constantly being painted with the broad brush of the creator. As we contemplate life let us think of Martha as a clean canvas that contains more than one picture, more than one event. The same can be said for each and every one of us in the fact that Jesus is constantly paining new pictures and new stories in our lives, we are a story that has yet to be completed and through Jesus Christ we are always a work in progress. 

My prayer for all of this day is that we never limit a person to one life event, one occurrence that paints the picture of their lives. Instead let us all help others to clean their canvas as Jesus paints new pictures in their hearts and lives. We do this by letting all know that the: "The Master is here and is calling for them"!

Thanks For Calling Me As Your Pastor

Tim.

Jesus Calls Us (Cecil Francis Alexander, 1852)

Jesus calls us; o'er the tumult
of our life's wild, restless sea,
day by day his clear voice soundeth,
saying, 'Christian, follow me;'

as, of old, Saint Andrew heart it
by the Galilean lake,
turned from home and toil and kindred,
leaving all for his dear sake.

Jesus calls us from the worship
of the vain world's golden store;
from each idol that would keep us,
saying, 'Christian, love me more.'

In our joys and in our sorrows,
days of toil and hours of ease,
still he calls, in cares and pleasures,
'Christian, love me more than these.'

Jesus calls us! By thy mercies,
Savior, may we hear thy call,
give our hearts to thine obedience,
serve and love thee best of all. 

Day Nineteen Bible Texts

Luke 10:38-42

John 11:19

John 11:22

John 11:27

John 11:28

John 4:29

Lent Day Eighteen

Day Eighteen - Why Wait?

As we enter day eighteen of Lent, let us place the image of Jesus waiting in our mindset today. When word was sent to Jesus to come and be with Lazarus, he waited and his disciples thought that he was in fear of the people that were trying to kill him. Jesus waited as to increase the faith of the disciples as well as those that were summoning him to come to Lazarus. Jesus understood that his time had not fully come, and that when the time was right he would come. The delaying of Christ in coming to the aid of Lazarus was not because Jesus didn't care, Jesus saw beyond this event and new that when the time was right he would come, thus fulfilling a greater revelation of God. 

Brothers and Sisters, I know that there are times in my daily life that impatience plays a heavy part in my life. Recently my wife and I placed an offer on a new house and we are so very impatient for the loan to go through, and for us to take possession of this new dwelling for the family. When this impatience occurs, I need to look back in the scriptures and understand that even Christ waited, because he knew when the time would be right. I believe that the same goes for many of us in relationship to our deaths, when we worry about death and when it will come to us? Friends, when Christ was nailed to that cross the worry was removed from us and patience was given to each and every one of us. 

With Christ taking upon our sins and with his resurrection, those that believe in Christ need not worry and need not be impatient. The plan has been set and the time set, be not impatient, but rather live your lives to the fullest knowing that God does what God does. Instead of being a clock watcher or hour glass watcher, be a life liver, and a life lover that has been saved by the body and blood of Jesus Christ. 

My prayer for you all this day is that you take impatience out of your mind and replace it with the patience of or Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that understood that waiting was not a bad thing.  Help others to find patience this day and tell them that Jesus is waiting for them and that they have the ability to be waiters and watchers for Jesus as well. Today is the day of salvation, today is the day to let go and let Christ into your hearts, and give him your impatience as he gives you the love and peace and the ability to wait until God determines the appropriate time. 

Bible Readings for Today

John 11: 8

John 11: 14, 15

John 6: 8 

Mark 1: 15

Matthew 26: 18

Lent Day Seventeen

Lent Day Seventeen - The Lazarus Event

 

Just before Psalm Sunday, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus was very sick. His sisters, Mary and Martha, sent word to Jesus saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." But Jesus waited. The time had come for a special sign. Lazarus died and four days later, Jesus called him out of his tomb and returned him to life in this world. 

During this miracle, Jesus told Martha, "I'm the resurrection and the life; those that believe in me, though they die shall live, and whoever lives and believes shall never die. Brothers and Sisters, this seventeenth day of Lent speak to our primary belief and focus as followers of Jesus Christ. All of us must ask ourselves this day, "Do we believe in Jesus, and do we believe that through him we have eternal life"? The validation to this question was when God raised Jesus from the dead and when the tomb of death was beaten and turned into a tomb of resurrection. If Christ had not been raised from the dead, then our professing the Gospel would be in vain, and our faith would be in vain...

 Yesterday in church I spoke of being Temple builders and repairers, and those of us that follow Christ understand that with his resurrection the Temple was truly rebuilt in three days, as Christ promised. Are you aware of somebody that is dead inside and in need of spiritual resurrection? Do you know of marriages that are dead inside and need restored? Are you aware of family relationships that are dead inside? Are you aware of church and friendship relationships that have died? Brothers and Sisters today is the day of the resurrection in reference to these relationships, through Jesus Christ. We have the ability to resurrect relationships that have flat-lined and restore them to a perfect beating rhythm, by giving these relationships the life restoring love that only Jesus Christ of the resurrection can provide. 

My prayer for you this day is that you find relationships that have perished, and that through Jesus Christ you perform a Lazarus moment and raise something that was dead and restore it to a full and vibrant life. 

Thanks for calling me as your pastor.

Tim

Bible Texts For Today's Message

John 11: 1-54

John 11: 25, 26

1Corinthians 15: 13, 14, 19

Matthew 27: 52, 53

John 12: 18

John 12: 19

John 12: 10, 11

Matthew 12: 30