Betrayal or Devotion?

 

Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told din memory of her.” Jesus Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. (Matthew 26:16-26 ESV).

 

There were many reactions to Jesus during the last week of his life, but two stand out: the devotion of a woman and the betrayal of a disciple. The woman who anointed Jesus was probably Mary, Lazarus’s sister (cf. John 12:3). She was a good friend of Jesus. She loved her Lord. She showed it by taking a jar of expensive perfume and pouring it on Jesus as an act of love and devotion. One gospel says that this costly perfume “could have been sold for more than a year’s wages” (Mark 14:5). But for this devoted follower, nothing was too much for Jesus.

 

Contrast her devotion with Judas’s betrayal of the Lord. For three years Judas had been a disciple of Jesus. He experienced the closest relationship to Christ that anyone could hope for. But he looked for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to the authorities. For what? Thirty pieces of silver — about four months’ wages.

 

I wonder if a price tag could be put on Jesus, how much would he be worth to us? We certainly know what we’re worth to Him. Enough to die in our place. Jesus said his anointing with perfume was preparation for his burial. Judas’s betrayal set the wheels of Jesus’ death in motion. Knowing that we mean so much to him, how will we express our love in return? It is a question worth pondering during this season of Lent.

 

The Path to Greatness

 

And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45 ESV).

 

For over 100 years, the Order of the Arrow (OA) has recognized Scouts and Scouters who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. This recognition provides encouragement for others to live these ideals as well. Arrowmen are known for maintaining camping traditions and spirit, promoting year-round and long-term resident camping, and providing cheerful service to others. OA service, activities, adventures, and training for youth and adults are models of quality leadership development and programming that enrich and help to extend Scouting to America's youth.

 

Isn’t that exactly what Jesus is telling His disciples in our reading today. My dear friend, Terry Westmoreland, is a leader and very involved in the Order of the Arrow. However, more than that, he is one of the great servants of God I have known through the years. We first met at Southern Oaks Baptist Church when I was the pastor during the 80’s. I enjoy following his work in that wonderful church and community.

 

We should learn from such examples. In our reading today, James and John forgot that the path to greatness involves service. They wanted power and privilege. They wanted to be served. But that would not be the path for them. They would suffer for following Jesus. They would suffer in ways like he suffered. These words of Jesus are the theme verses of the book of Mark. They capture the essence of why Jesus came to live among us. He didn’t come for greatness; he came to give his life. Serving others was his mission. Others always came first for Jesus. His service culminated at the cross, where he showed his greatest love in laying down his life for us.

 

When we’re tempted to look for greatness, we need to focus on the cross and remember how Jesus served. Then we need to be willing to lay down our lives as he did.

 

So Much Pain

 

[Jesus said] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:15-21 ESV).

 

Perhaps one of the most difficult things about being a vocational minister is the sheer number of people one encounters who are living in the emotional pain of life. Over the decades I have more and more cherished the wise counsel of my mentors in the ministry. I have been very fortunate to have had these men invest in me their wisdom gained through the crucible of ministry. Bill Shamburger, who was the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Tyler, Texas, was one of those great men. It was he who taught me the value of being truly present with people in their pain. This was especially true during the fresh experience of grief.

 

Pain is truly a part of life. However, as our reading helps us to know, suffering is an option. She found that hope in Jesus and his cross. The cross communicates that God loves us and sent his Son to be our Savior. That it the central message of the gospel. As you worship this week, I hope you can focus on this truth. Perhaps there’s a cross in your place of worship. meet for worship today, there might be a cross in your place of worship, please don’t worship the cross. Worship the Christ of the cross and be overwhelmed by God’s love for you. As someone has said, “When you wonder how much God loves you, see Jesus’ arms stretched wide at the cross and hear him say, ‘I love you this much.’”

 

There is no great illustration and example of true love than this. The Apostle John remembered Jesus’ words at another time as He said: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13 ESV). Believe it… rest in it… be set free from your suffering!

 

Saints and Sinners

He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of1 the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:13-17 ESV).

 

It’s interesting to think about the people Jesus would spend time with if he lived physically among us today. Would he hang out with saints or sinners? Jesus surely would not have neglected either group, but it’s clear that he came for people who were spiritually desperate.

 

Levi (also known as Matthew) was that sort of man. He was a tax collector for the enemy Roman government. Like other tax collectors, he may also have been corrupt, growing rich by charging excessive taxes and pocketing the extra change. He was the kind of person that hardworking, respectable people didn’t like. Most would have thought he had no chance with God. Yet, he was someone whom Jesus went after in his grace. Levi was just the kind of person Jesus came to save.

 

Jesus’ words remind us that there’s no one his love cannot reach. He didn’t come “to call the righteous, but sinners.” He came to share God’s love with people who were spiritually sick and unsavory. He came for each of us, no matter our sin. And he has called us to follow him.

 

Jesus also calls us to reach out with his love. There are none of us who do not have a past. It’s not our past that should concern us; it’s our future. And the only way to have a future free of death is through Jesus. He came to call us to that freedom. Answer His call today with the same acceptance of Matthew who got up and left everything to follow Jesus.

  

It's Too Late for Me

 

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43 ESV).

 

Our reading today recalls for me one of the experiences I had years ago, when I was the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Mt. Pleasant, I was encouraged to go and visit with an elderly man of the community. He could be found nearly every day on the corner of two of the major roads in the city. There wasn’t really a “building” on the grassy lot. He often had an awning set up in the summer months to provide some shade jutting out from the storage building he had erected to house his wares. He sold “junk” (his words, not mine). Most of the items he collected from what others had discarded and repaired or cleaned them up for sale on his lot. I had been warned that visiting with the old man would be a unique experience. It seemed many people had gone to see him only to be ridiculed and rebuffed.

 

He certainly was a skeptic, as well as colorful in his language and demeanor. I pulled on to the grassy parking area one sunny day and walked to where he was sitting on an old stump. He had a small fire going on an old camp stove with a pot of coffee brewing. As I walked toward him he glanced up at me and said, “You must be the new preacher in town.” Frankly I was a bit surprised by that evaluation and said, “What makes you think that?” He laughed a bit and said, “They always send to new ones to try and save my soul; and you look like a preacher.” I confessed I was the new preacher. He said, “Well, whatever you say ain’t gonna do no good. It’s way too late for me.” I said, “Is it too late for me to get a cup of that coffee your fixin’?” I suppose that surprised him. He invited me to get an old chair from his “inventory” and sit down while he “fetched a clean cup.”

 

We talked about everything but whether he could be saved that day. He remarked about how hot it was getting. He told me about some of his more prized items. He shared some of his past. And, after about an hour, he said, “You ain’t like no preacher I ever met.” (I get that a lot, by the way) I said, “Well, I do my best, even if I look like a preacher, not to sound too much like one.” He laughed and I said my goodbyes asking if I could drop by again for another cup of coffee. He said, “Sure… I’d like that. Most folks don’t come here to listen to me talk. They like to tell me how bad I am.” We shook hands and over the next few weeks I went back and we sat there drinking coffee and talking. More and more he told me his story. It was full of remorse and pain. Finally, one day I said, “Would you like to get rid of all that pain?” He looked at his feet and whispered, “Yep. But it’s too late for me.” I read him the story of the thief on the cross. He simply said, “Will your Jesus do that for me?” And I said, “Yep. He did it for me.” …Oh, by the way… He’ll do it for you too!

You Don't Know How Bad I've Been

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1-2 ESV).

 

Often, I have opportunities to talk with people who are struggling with a certain sin and who sometimes wonder whether there’s any hope of forgiveness. They feel guilty and condemned. I’ve also had people tell me that I could never know how bad they’ve been. If I did, I surely would not believe that they could be forgiven and restored. The answer the Bible gives is to rely on the blood of Jesus. When you’re guilty, you need someone to argue your case. You need someone who can help you win. That’s impossible for us to do on our own because the evidence of sin in our lives is damning.

 

But the Bible pictures Jesus as our defense attorney. Jesus speaks to God, the Judge, in our defense and pleads our case. What makes him qualified to do that? What guarantee is there that his defense will bring forgiveness and acquittal? The evidence he brings to God is not our sins, but his sacrifice. Jesus is the Righteous One who perfectly obeyed God for us. He became the atoning sacrifice for our sins; he died to cover them. And on that basis the Father hears and pardons.

 

Good Friday and Easter are soon to come, their power and significance should not have escaped us in our preparation for the celebration of the resurrection. There simply is no sin so great or so heinous that Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection cannot provide our absolution. As He comes to you proffering the gift of grace through His work, accept it and rest in His promise to forgive and cleanse us from every unrighteousness (cf. 1 John 1:9). Celebrate your freedom and peace through Him.

  

The Way Home

 

[Jesus said] “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:1-7 ESV).

 

 

In my freshman year at Texas A&M one of the restrictions was no cars on campus. Of course, that meant there were very few distractions off campus. And, being in the corps that was a very good thing. However, on those few weekends that I had time off and was able to secure an off-campus pass to go home my choices of transportation were very limited. I could ride the bus (yuk), or I could hitchhike. My choice was always the latter. I’d dress in my uniform and carry my Aggie duffel bag. I still have that little bag and attached a picture for your amusement. I was amazed at the ease of getting a ride from someone going that way when they realized I was a student at A&M.

 

Inevitably I was always asked, “Where you headed?” I’d answer, “Dickinson.” Being a small town, they would follow with, “Where’s that?” I learned quickly to simply say, “Galveston.” Everyone seemed to know where that was. It was also not unusual to need more than one ride along the way. They might be going part of the way, but as they reached their destination before I made it home, they’d stop and let me out and I’d put my thumb out to catch the next kind traveler going that way. It was still much better than smelly bus stopping at every little town in between College Station and my hometown.

 

As we continue our journey to Easter Sunday, please take note of Jesus’ words in our reading. He explains that we have no need trying to find a ride home. He has already prepared it for our arrival and has come to get us to bring us there Himself. Even if we are unsure of all the roads we must take to get there, He says, “I am the way.” Trusting in Him will get us home!

 

O Death Where Is Your Victory?

 

I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:50-58 ESV).

 

Today, as we continue our journey to Easter Sunday, we come to one of the most comforting passages in the Scripture. Life on this earth is not without dark times. We can identify periods in history when evil and darkness seemed to be in control. We can look back on our own lives and recall times of grief, hurt, loneliness, or despair. Or maybe those times are happening right now, and life seems empty of meaning or purpose. Maybe all of life seems like a dark, empty space.

 

Jesus knows what that’s like—and even more. On the cross he suffered the agony of complete separation from God so that we wouldn’t have to—and his body was placed in a tomb till he rose to life again on the third day. Jesus’ work of salvation for us would not have been complete if he did not suffer the full punishment of “unspeakable anguish, pain, and terror of soul” on the cross to pay the price for all our sins (Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 44). And on Easter he rose in victory over death so that we might share in the power of his resurrection and enjoy new life with God. (cf. Luke 23:42-46.)

 

Our journey into new life in Christ may take us through times of darkness. Yet, as hard as those times may be, we can be assured that death, loneliness, and despair do not have the final victory; Jesus conquered them. As you walk through valleys of shadow in your life, lean on Jesus, the Savior—who knows you and is walking with you into new life.

 

The Full Life of Christ

 

[Jesus said] “Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.” And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.” (Luke 17:32-37 ESV).

 

As this season of Lent continues, we come closer and closer to the dangerous cross. We realize that Jesus Christ paid an enormous price for our salvation. And he did so willingly as he “resolutely set out for Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). As the Anointed One (Messiah), Jesus was obedient to God the Father. And, as our chief Prophet, Jesus revealed to us the will of God concerning our salvation. As our only High Priest, the one sacrifice of his body paid the penalty for our sins. And today as our eternal King, he governs us through his Word and Spirit, always defending and preserving us for work in his kingdom. His life becomes our example. The full life of Christ requires the same commitment as Jesus exhibited. We must lose our life in the saving of it.

 

God calls us to join in His holy work as prophets, priests, and rulers serving the King. We too are anointed and share in this grand work of redeeming love. As we worship, pray, share his good news, and bring blessing to others, we grow nearer to God and help to bring others into his presence.

 

The words of Jesus in today’s verse remind us that if we shy away from the things of God’s kingdom, we will miss out on the full life God intends for us. If we accept and embrace our Spirit-led identity, we will experience everlasting life in Jesus Christ. As we proceed toward becoming more like Christ, we may lose our life as we now know it, but we will gain so much more.

 

Does Easter Really Matter?

 

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19 ESV).

 

I’ve often thought that Easter Sunday is a bit misleading in some ways. We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on that one day with great energy. However, I also think that after the bright colors of our best Easter “dress” and worship services filled to capacity we simply wake up on Monday facing our circumstances the same as before. We return to school or work or at home facing the pressures of everyday life. Our reading today gives us a very keen insight into how important the resurrection ought to be in our lives. The Apostle Paul goes so far to say that if it doesn’t make a difference “we are a people most to be pitied” (v. 19).

 

It is often true that the risen Savior may not seem nearly as close today, and little may seem to have changed. We're still faced with that lingering disease, that broken relationship, those financial problems, or those hardships that come with growing older. We hear about poverty and persecution, about war and conflict in so many countries, and we wonder if Easter really makes a difference at all. Are things any better in the 21st century than they were in the first century?"

 

Though nations, technology, and social institutions have changed a lot since then, the human condition is much the same. God's image bearers are still addicted to sin. Jesus warned his followers, "In this world you will have trouble." But because he has overcome the world, we can have new life in him and peace despite our struggles. We can strive to enact God's restoration in our daily lives. We can share his love with others and look forward together to the day when the risen Savior will return! That’s the difference! Take that belief into the routine of your life each day and experience the difference Easter makes!

 

Thin Places

 

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be9 against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39 ESV).

 

As we continue our path through Lent ending in our celebration of the resurrection on Easter Sunday, we have looked at what it means to be prophets and priests and to serve our Lord as kings and queens. All people who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior share these roles as God works in us and through us to make us more like him. Today I want to explore what has come to be known as “Thin Places.”

 

Celtic spirituality speaks of “thin places,” where the natural and spiritual come together, as if separated only by a thin veil. Many examples in nature reveal this. We see it in the beauty and intricacies of flowers and fruit trees, the human body, coral reefs, majestic mountains, and much more. We see it in the delicate balance of countless species that depend on each another. There are also times when our prayers and Scripture reading come alive and we sense the Holy Spirit at work. We can also see this in good literature based on Jesus’ teaching, and in world affairs in which leaders aim to do what is right and good for all people.

 

When we think of ourselves as prophets, priests, and kings and queens, we find our identity. The Lord and King who loves us has brought us into fellowship with himself. Our task is to have faith and believe and to show that God reigns in our lives. Today, live like a child of the king, a priest of the Lord, and a prophet of the Most High God. Create your thin place meeting Jesus in a way that affects everyone around you positively.

 

Living in the Light

 

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15 ESV).

 

Yesterday I wrote about being “in the light.” If the statistics are correct, we have not been especially good at that. According to a the most recent Barna Group study of spirituality, 72 percent of people in the United States call themselves Christians, but only 31 percent practice their faith. This research also revealed that only 35 percent of believing Christians go to church more than twice a month. And although 75 percent say they pray, only 19 percent read their Bible. Looking at these statistics, we might not think the kingdom of God is near. In fact, there can be times when it seems rather far away. When Jesus says, “The kingdom of God has come near,” what does he mean?

 

It’s less of a place and more of a presence and a way of life. The rule and reign of Christ is around us and in us. Jesus wants us to know that God’s authority and power will not be denied. It can be found in all followers of Jesus. As kings, we carry out God’s kingdom purposes in our worship, service, and obedient living.

 

Through Christ, you and I can live today in the kingdom of God, although the ways of darkness and sin and the devil still influence this world. When we seek God’s agenda for our lives, when we live for his purposes and glory, we are kings and queens reigning with Christ. Don’t let the devil and his lies have any place in your life. God’s kingdom is near, and God wants to work in us and through us to bring goodness and light into this world.

 

Lent is the perfect time to be reminded of our opportunity to confess our sin and turn toward the Light of Jesus. It is never an easy task to make new habits, but the first step in the process is always an acknowledgement of our need to make changes. These changes can be accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit living within us. We are in the light, now we can also behave light that.

 

Daylight Savings Time

 

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from ethe domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:9-14 ESV).

 

No, I have not missed Daylight Savings Time. I am aware that it was last Sunday. We set our clocks forward one hour and recaptured a bit more daylight in our waking hours. It is a bit of an adjustment but Mary and I both like the “longer” hours of light in the evening rather than the morning. Daylight Savings Time also signals the change of seasons, springtime brings longer days and shorter nights. So, in a sense, as we move from winter into spring and summer, we leave behind days of darkness as each day brings more sunlight.

 

In our reading today the apostle Paul uses the image of light and dark to talk about our spiritual condition. The point here is that we are not only delivered out of something but are also brought into something as well. As followers of Jesus, we are transferred into the kingdom of light. We “share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.” Light often symbolizes glory, truth, holiness, and life. It has to do with the authority and sovereign rule of the King. Because of Christ’s work to save us from sin, we are no longer in the dominion of darkness. We are freed to live fully in the precious, grace-filled, compassionate, and loving rule of Christ. Christ shares this kingdom with us.

 

C.S Lewis once said, “We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with worldly ambitions when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

 

Today, let yourself be rescued, and enjoy the life of light that Jesus offers. Then share that light with others!

 

Royalty with Christ

 

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore, I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:12 ESV).

 

When we begin to think of “royalty” it is most common to think of the British Royal Family. In this picture taken before the death of Queen Elizabeth II, we see all of the family together. Recently there has been much written and spoken on the news about differences within the British family. I am always a bit surprised by the global interest in such things, though I suppose it makes sense when you think of the long history and influence felt across the world. Our reading today tells us about a different “royal family” of which we are a part. In fact, the Apostle Paul says that as Christ reigns and rules forever, we also will live and reign with him forever.

 

Genesis 1-2 and Psalm 8 remind us that God made us the crown of his creation and appointed us to take care of it and rule over it for his glory. Because of sin we forfeited our ability to do this completely, but Christ has succeeded in reigning over creation as a fully human being who is also fully God. So, we can look forward to the final day when the reign and rule of Christ is perfectly realized.

 

In the meantime, we should not forget that we are even now reigning with our Savior. Sin no longer has dominion over those who believe in Jesus, for we live in the gracious era in which we have been adopted as God’s children (cf. Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 3:26-4:7). By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can now conquer sin and grow in holiness. We are also free from the tyranny of the law. Forgiven in Christ, we may fulfill the royal law of love in serving our Creator.

 

We may not often think of ourselves as kings and queens who rule over (take care of) creation, but this result of being saved in Christ connects us with who we are created to be in the first place. Our salvation sets us back on our rightful throne. Easter reaffirms this truth. It also gives us even more to celebrate.

 

Riding a Donkey

 

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double. For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made Ephraim its arrow. I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior’s sword. (Zechariah 9:9-13 ESV).

 

In this Lenten season as we reflect on the sacrifice of Christ, we see him riding a donkey as he comes to Jerusalem as the final and ultimate King. This animal was symbolic of humility, peace, and King David’s royalty (cf. 1 Kings 1:33). Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey to show publicly that he was the chosen Son of David, which was another name for the promised Messiah. Our reading today is from the Old Testament prophet Zechariah as he foretells this event.

 

It is a bit surprising as we might have expected a stallion. But this surprising King rides a donkey. Jesus identifies with the lowly. The kingdom of God is totally different from the “here-today, gone-tomorrow” kingdoms of the world. Don’t mistake this King on a donkey for the kind of ruler we usually see in this world.

 

From Jesus we learn that being a king in God’s kingdom is about service and humility. A king serves. So, as we fulfill our calling, we serve the Lord, and we serve one another. As we live by the guidance of the Spirit, visit people who are sick, care for those who are poor, and love our neighbors, we are kings and queens of the kingdom of heaven. That is when we are most like Jesus, who calls us to reign with him today and for eternity.

 

Jesus once came riding on a donkey. Next, he will come riding on the clouds of heaven (cf. Mark 14:61-62) to live with us in the new heaven and earth forever (cf. Revelation 21- 22). Come, Lord Jesus!

 

Being Set Apart

 

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and agave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1:13-21 ESV).

 

There are so many times when we practice the task of setting things apart. I especially practice this in doing the laundry. Since I wear so many maroon clothes, it has been a long practice not to wash those pieces with any of the white clothing. This is really important when your practice is to wear white underwear! I just have a very difficult time thinking about putting pink underwear on. I suppose there is some psychological childhood issue in that regard. You know the enjoinder: “You never know when you might have an accident and you wouldn’t want strangers to see you with that on.”

 

In our reading today we see that phrase used in reference to who we are in Christ. To be holy means to be “set apart.” We are called to distance ourselves from sin and impurity, even as we live among all kinds of people in this world. “Going with the flow” is not a practice for believers. By calling his people to be holy, God wanted them to be a shining light of his blessing to the nations (Genesis 12:2-3). But Israel continually failed to be the holy nation God formed them to be. That is why the prophets kept calling them back to living God’s way—that is, by loving God with all their heart, mind, and strength and by loving their neighbors as themselves.

 

In this Lenten season, we and others are called back to living for God and showing his love, as Jesus did. The world continues to be shaped by Christians who push back the darkness and reclaim this lost world for Christ. Sometimes it is a fearful thing to be a prophet. It can also be exciting and fulfilling work. The world needs more prophets today.

 

The Sounding of the Amen!

 

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. (2 Corinthians 1:20-22 ESV).

 

While many churches do not still practice the use of the word “Amen” in response to a spoken word any longer, it is a very important word in the Scripture. It is deeply rooted in the affirmation of our desire and intent. It means “let it be so.” This is the reason we often use it at the end of a prayer. However, it also has another meaning when seen in the Scripture. The apostle Paul shows us, this little word can even help us celebrate our anointing. He reminds us that all God’s promises are fulfilled in Christ and that our lives are like an Amen! to that fact as we live out the anointing he has given us.

 

All Christians have been anointed by the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, the only persons anointed by God were prophets, priests, and kings. Their anointing equipped them for service. As we yield to the work of the Spirit in us, he enables us to serve God and to live godly lives. The Spirit gives us the discernment and wisdom we need to serve God faithfully. And in the New Testament we see that we share in Christ’s anointing as prophets, priests, and kings and queens.

 

It is of more than a passing interest to understand why the Bible is so full of this talk of anointing. It all has to do with the glory of God. We are to use our spiritual anointing to God’s glory, honor, and praise. Though you may not usually think of yourself as anointed, or as a prophet, priest, or ruler in God’s kingdom, you are. And hopefully you have found a place to serve and use your gifts for the Lord. As you bless others with your time, talent, and treasure, you carry out that anointing.

 

As we continue to walk closer to Easter use this Lenten season to reexamine your anointing. Renew your commitment to use the gifts God has given you in miniatry and service. Sound the Amen!

 

The Grace of Repentance

 

What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also, that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man. I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. (Ecclesiastes 3:9-14 ESV).

 

Lent usually begins with what the church has called Ash Wednesday. Lent should be a season of reflection and repentance leading up to Resurrection Sunday (Easter). In some church traditions a mark of ashes is placed on a person’s forehead, as a reminder of sin and of Christ’s sacrifice to save us. In the Old Testament, people put on sackcloth and ashes as a sign of mourning, often because of their sins. They recognized that their sins grieved their Lord and God.

 

Similarly, people would be anointed with oil as a sign of repentance. This was not a signal of mourning. Being anointed with oil was a sign of favor and holiness, a calling that God had in mind for you. This was an outward sign of an inner reality. If you or your children have been baptized, the symbolism is similar. Baptism marks us as God’s covenant children, called to be part of his family. The water symbolizes the washing away of sin and the rising to new life we receive in Christ.

 

In the days and weeks to come, it is a great time to reflect on your journey. There is no better time than now to confess your sins and to begin to strive toward holiness. This is an outcome of the reflection of the journey of Christ to the cross. It is a time to mourn our shaky obedience. But it is also a time to rejoice. We take comfort and joy in the fact that Christ’s sacrifice for us paid the penalty for our sin. We can go forward in calm, delightful assurance that Jesus’ anointing becomes ours, with the promise of new life with God forever!

 

An Anointing of the King

 

The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” Samuel did what the LORD commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. (1Samuel 16:1-5 ESV).

 

This story is so familiar to so many. God sends Samuel on a mission to anoint a new king. All Samuel knows is that God will choose one of Jesse’s sons. So, Samuel prepares Jesse and his sons and invites them to a special ceremony. Jesse brings his seven eldest sons. One by one they appear, tall and strong men who are proven warriors. However, God chooses none of them. What? “Are these all the sons you have?” Samuel asks. Jesse explains that the youngest is out tending the family’s sheep. Samuel sends for him and they wait until the young shepherd arrives.

 

In this awkward, unlikely scene, we witness an unexpected and awesome pause. God does not make decisions the way people do. And God, not anyone else, will make this choice. David the young shepherd is anointed to become king of Israel. God tells Samuel to anoint him because “the Lord looks at the heart” rather than merely outward appearances. And by God’s power working through him, David goes on to become one of the greatest kings in Israel’s history.

 

Jesus, God’s Son, is a shepherd as well (cf. John 10:11-16). He came to be the Messiah (“Anointed One”), the long-promised deliverer of God’s people. In a way like Jesse’s family had to wait, Israel waited for the Messiah. Jesus was God’s chosen one. We are identified and chosen by God by his grace and mercy, not by the outward appearance of our life. Thank God that is true. His forgiveness was extended “even while we were in our sin” (cf. Romans 5:1).

 

An Anointing of Healing Oil

 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:5-6 ESV).

 

Most of us wouldn’t ask to have oil poured over our heads. Oil is greasy, slippery, and hard to wash off. But people who knew about raising sheep in ancient Israel—and still in some places today—would understand the blessing of anointing.

 

David, the writer of this psalm, knew a lot about herding sheep. As a caring shepherd, he would have applied olive or grain oil to a sheep’s nose and ears. Sheep were often troubled by insects that buzzed about their heads and tried to lay eggs on the moist membranes of the animal’s nose and ears. The sheep became distracted and obsessed with keeping those bugs away. So, shepherds applied oil as a soothing remedy that kept the pests away. It was part of the shepherd protecting his flock. Relief was immediate. Gone were the aggravation, the frenzy, the irritability, and the restlessness. It was an incredible transformation.

 

This is a beautiful picture of anointing. Describing himself as a sheep, the psalmist says that the Lord, his shepherd, anoints his head with oil. The calming influence of oil on a sheep’s head is meant for us as well. The irritants and annoyances of life disappear.

 

Jesus is often described in the New Testament as the “Good Shepherd.” His “oil” is the blood He shed on the cross. Of course, it is not seen as a literal anointing. Spiritually, however, every believer is anointed with this covering of blood that comes through the Holy Spirit and brings spiritual health and eternal life. It is an incredible picture of how far God is willing to go to protect and empower us through life.

 

I hope you are able to picture yourself receiving an anointing like this from God. We all need his healing balm to cope with the problems of each day. Allow the good shepherd to anoint you with his grace, mercy, and love.

 

An Anointing of Joy

 

To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah; a love song. My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe. You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever. Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendor and majesty! In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds! Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; the peoples fall under you. Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. (Psalm 45:1-8 ESV).

 

This psalm has been called a king’s wedding song. It brims with royal pageantry and wedding imagery. The bridegroom here is a king of God’s people preparing to marry the one he loves. This psalm was probably used at many royal weddings in ancient Israel. Later in Israel’s history this psalm came to be seen as a picture of the promised Messiah-King, who would come to deliver and unite with God’s people. And in the New Testament God’s people recognize Jesus as the Messiah-Savior and see the church (God’s people) as his bride, based on teachings about a wedding feast in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 22:2; 25:1; Revelation 19:7; 21:2).

 

The psalmist talks about being anointed with “the oil of joy.” The joy we have in Christ as our Savior can be with us always. And yet we are often distracted by worries and troubles in this world, forgetting the amazing blessings and potential we have as Christ’s anointed ones.

 

Don’t miss the application here. Weddings are joyous events. So even as we deal realistically with the struggles of this world—just as Jesus does—we can look forward to full life with him in the kingdom of God. Everyday is a day of reminder that we are the bride of the King of the Ages. So often we forget this great joy that is eternally ours in Christ. Let this penetrate your heart breaking through the fog of your circumstances. Rejoice!