Walking with Jesus through Lent: Week Five
Rev. Vera I. Bourne
5th Wednesday in Lent - To All Who Believe
John 5:24: I solemnly assure you that all who hear what I have to say and believe in the one who has sent me have eternal life. Such do not have to face judgement; they have already passed from death to life.
So often we have been told that only certain people are acceptable to God, and that the rest of humanity will perish. This has been a divisive barrier raised between denominations and also between religions. John recorded this promise of Jesus many times, yet there are many who attempt to qualify his statements or set their own conditions where Jesus laid none down. Just as John 3:16 clearly states that to all who believe in God will be granted eternal life, so today's text again spells out God's truth, that to every person who believes in God has been granted eternal life.
Jesus taught that God is love. When we too believe that God is love we are able to enter a new relationship with him, one in which fear has no place. To believe in God also means that we accept, without reservation, the way of life Jesus offers. However difficult this way may seem at times, and it can be fraught with seemingly impossible circumstances, the way offered by Jesus is the way of love. The God whom we regarded as judgemental becomes revealed as the author of love. Our concepts of a remote or distant God are replaced as our intimacy with God develops. Born from this intimacy of love we discover a new relationship with our families and those we meet in the streets or on various forms of transport. Whether we are at work or play, God's love permeates all our relationships. We find bitterness transformed into forgiveness, selfishness to selflessness, and love replaces anger and hatred. But the influence of God's love does not stop there, for we too are transformed. In our weakness we rely on God's strength, in times of self-doubt we accept God's confidence, and when stress overtakes us, we find the calming effect of God's peace.
All who accept Jesus' offer discover a new life, for our old lives are transmuted, all the dross is removed and the resultant pure ore becomes revealed by God's own hand. We are no longer creatures of the here and now, for the here and now have also taken on the dimension of the eternal. Each of our days has become but a fragment of unlimited and unrestricted time. We are able to see far beyond our time on this planet and far into the future when we move in to dimension of Paradise. We have awoken, as it were from a dream, and we view everything with eyes that reflect the new life in Christ. As we pass from death to life the world takes on new dimensions. Nothing will ever again be impossible, for in God all things are possible. We know that we will never be lonely, for in God's presence we are never alone.
In serving the needs of others we discover our own deepest needs are also met. We become, as it were, the reflection of Christ's love in every area of our lives. By our speech we identify with love, by our attitudes and actions we are heralds of our Saviour. As we journey the way Jesus offers we may discover hardships never before contemplated, but we may be assured our lives will never again be boring. Challenging or testing our days may appear, but they are filled with dancing sunbeams of love. For any of us living in times of unrest and uncertainty, we may be confident and certain that, whatever happens, our destinies are controlled by God. Neither terrorism from sources abroad nor savagery directed from within our own countries can change our destination, for we are already changed from death to life. To all who believe, this promise is fulfilled. No person or organization has the right to deny this promise, for God gives it, and God does not falter.
Prayer: Gracious God, all your interaction with humanity has been marked by promises. Today we stand before you, confident in the knowledge that we have been changed from finite to infinite beings, assured of everlasting life. Open our ears and eyes so that we may find opportunities to tell others of the promises you offer all who believe. Amen.
5th Thursday in Lent - A Lamp Which Burns And Shines
John 5: 35: John certainly was a lamp that burned and shone, and for a while you were willing to enjoy the light he gave.
Crowds from all over Judea came to the banks of the Jordan to hear John preach on the need for repentance. Those whose hearts were touched entered the Jordan seeking baptism as a sign of their complete change of heart and of God's forgiveness for their confessed sins. John was like God's light in opening the ears and eyes of his listeners to their errors of self-indulgence and their need to draw close to God again. His message penetrated even the most secured places in his listeners' personalities and convicted them of all erroneous words and actions. He brought the clarity of God's light into their lives, and in this light their flaws were exposed.
His was a baptism of repentance and forgiveness, and those who moved into the waters of the Jordan did so as convicted penitents who were prepared to turn their lives over to God for cleansing and renewal. But there were among the crowds those who were angered and aggrieved by the Holy Spirit's probing in their lives as John preached. Not only did they feel uncomfortable, they were also very threatened by such powerful preaching. John urged his listeners to draw ever closer to God. The religious leaders of the day believed themselves to be the mediators between rough humanity and a Holy God. Who could predict where the preaching of repentance and forgiveness could lead?
Most of us today do not feel comfortable in the presence of those who seem to sense each of our failings. The message they bring is not pleasant, for it involves the cutting edge of God's sword. We squirm inwardly, wishing they would be somewhere else. But how else are God's truths to reach us unless someone is prepared to shine God's light into our lives? If we were perfect people there would be no chinks through which this light could penetrate, but as sinners we have less than perfect lives, in fact wherever we look there are flaws. Through these flaws God's light can penetrate to our souls, and we begin to see ourselves as God sees us. While we pretend we are perfect, we will not acknowledge we've shut God from various places in our lives. We have really needed gentle souls, filled with God's grace, to reveal all the areas of our lives we are not prepared to surrender totally to God. God has a tremendous work for us to complete, yet this work is delayed until we are refashioned by God.
John was the herald of the Messiah; we too are called to be heralds of the risen Christ. We too are called to be those lights that penetrate deeply into the lives of others. Just as John constantly refuted claims that he was the promised Messiah, and directed the attention of questioners to Jesus, we too are asked to make Jesus the centre of our life and conversation. It is not our place to seek honour for ourselves, but to point the way to Jesus. It is God alone who can heal and restore lost people to their rightful places as beloved sons and daughters. It is God alone who can provide the light that will illuminate our paths, and will uphold us when life's pathway becomes steep or strewn with obstacles. We are to be signposts to God.
But just as some of John's listeners found his words threatened their comfortable security, and as we ourselves have at times shied away from God's truth, there will be those who would prefer that we were somewhere else. As lamps containing the brightness of God we cause problems in their lives. God's presence disturbs them, and though for a while they were content with our company, there will be times when they deliberately choose to avoid us. So many people do not want their lives disturbed; they are totally committed to today with no thought of the future. Neither lamps nor signposts are aggressive in their testimony; rather, they bring a message of peace, joy and hope. What message do our lives bring to others?
Prayer: God of Light, just as John was your herald to Jesus, so we offer ourselves as Christ's heralds. Take from our lives all that inhibits the brilliance of the love you offer. Amen.
5th Friday in Lent - Getting To Know God
John 7: 28: So you know me and know where I come from? But I have not come of my own accord; I am sent by one who is true and you do not know him!
Possibly the only predictable thing about Jesus is that he would never be fettered by convention or custom, nor would he show deference to those who had not earned it. Why, here he stood, in the pillared colonnades of the Temple precincts preaching to an ever-increasing crowd who were astonished to see his courage in defying the authorities, and at the seeming inability of those authorities to prevent his preaching. Into their minds the thought occurred, "Could this really be the promised Messiah, the Anointed One of God? Is this why the hands of those in authority are stayed?"
The Jewish people believed the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, but that even he would be unaware of his Messiahship until he was anointed by Elijah. Then, suddenly, he would burst upon the world as the long awaited Messiah. But just as swiftly as those thoughts arose, they were quelled as logic reminded these people that this was not the Messiah bursting upon the world but the carpenter of Nazareth, the son of Joseph and Mary. He was an ordinary man, and to them God was not present in the ordinary things of life. Rather, God could only be perceived in unusual or extraordinary events.
This view is not limited to the Jews of Jesus' time; in fact it is alive even today. So many people expect to find God in sacred places - churches, retreat houses or monasteries - but never in the daily events of their lives. It is true that we are aware of "mountain top" experiences in our own lives, but these are rare and indeed prepare us for difficult times ahead. Our lives trace paths through pleasant meadows, rippling brooks, deeply shadowed or rock strewn valleys and mountaintops - all of these combine to produce the lives we experience. As disciples we can never be absolutely sure of tomorrow's destinations or tasks, for God expects us to concentrate our thoughts and energies on each today.
To us has been given the responsibility of living as Jesus lived, depending entirely on God for security and comfort. This is the only way we are able to know God, as we draw close each day in praise and prayer. When Jesus saw the awful consequences his life of love would incur, he brought the horror of it to God. It was from God he drew the strength and love to continue to Calvary. So we also, when faced by the possible outcomes our lifetime of sharing God's love can bring, will find in God all the renewed love and strength to carry us through.
That day in addressing the crowds, Jesus told them bluntly that they did not know God. This was the turning point for many. Some would believe in him, but many more would term his statement as blasphemy. Even today we must decide whether his claim - to have been sent by God - is the truth or blasphemy. Whether Jesus is the Son of God or not, no-one can decide for us. Either we accept or reject his claims; there is no middle ground. Those who reject him and his claims are left to flounder as best they can, for Jesus will never force himself or his salvation on any. The world would dearly love to find an acceptable compromise, one that could admit Jesus was special, but not the Son of God. Fortunately many who have tired to rationalise in this fashion have discovered that they simply cannot manage their lives without God. No amount of intellectual perspective could eliminate the sense of emptiness in their lives. We were never meant to live without God, and our lives reflect this fact. Not the God of the earthquake, the roaring thunder or the rushing wind, but the God who is present in all the events of our daily lives - the same God whose face we see reflected in the lives of those who walk with Jesus. Have we looked deeply into the events of today and discovered God there, or are we awaiting supernatural events in which to find God?
Prayer: Sooner or later, God, we come face to face with you, for you are there in the person of Jesus our Saviour. May we experience your presence each day of our lives. Amen.
5th Saturday in Lent - Prejudiced Justice
John 7:51: But surely our Law does not condemn the accused without hearing what he has to say and finding out what he has done?
The basis of our legal, or justice, system reflects the words of Deuteronomy 16: 1-2, that every person, great or small, must be tried justly and without fear or favour. Part of this justice required that the accused had the right to state his or her own case, and that no one could be condemned on second-hand information. Nicodemus protested when it became apparent that the Pharisees were about to break this law, but when taunted by the Pharisees he ceased his argument. He was afraid he would be tarred with the same brush as was Jesus, and so his words gave way to silence as he stood ashamed.
Across the world and across time there have been reports of unjust trials. Kangaroo courts they are termed in Australia, places where either the accused is absent or is unable to defend themselves against the accusations of others. The Spanish Inquisition presented prime examples of this rough justice when they thought Satan had aided those people who were thrown into ponds and survived, and so these were found guilty of witchcraft. Those who were deemed innocent drowned. We have seen this type of justice dealt out to indigenous peoples wherever white races have usurped native customs, traditions and property. Members of other minority groups have been treated similarly, the forced sterilization of intellectually challenged women and girls is but one example. Until legislation regarding service dogs was enacted, blind and physically challenged people were denied their rights and dignity.
In today's white society these same courts still operate, sometimes within religious circles. Defendants are either gagged or disregarded, or in some cases such trials are held in their absence. I have personal knowledge of such a trial that occurred in Australia in July 1996, at which assumptions based on incorrect evidence were made. By the time the truth came out such an awkward situation had arisen, wherein none of those words could be recalled, that it caused a rift which has not yet been healed. But it is not only groups who judge people without hearing their story, for as individuals, each time we repeat opinions based on cultural or racial differences, we judge unfairly. There is no word or catch phrase that describes any group of people accurately, and to make assumptions based on such flimsy evidence is to expose ourselves and act as foolish and prejudiced people.
Ask those who remain outside our churches why they shun Christianity, and you will hear tales that reflect the words and actions of those who call themselves Christian. People stay away, not because of what Jesus has to say but because of the conduct of those who claim to represent him. Never will these people hear Jesus speak of God's love and forgiveness, for we, purportedly members of the living church, have drowned out his words. Perhaps when our lives really reflect God's love and care, then the accusations against the church will be stayed and all will hear Christ's testimony.
While we judge those who are different, whether they be homeless, down-at-heel, challenged intellectually or physically, from different countries or cultures to be anyone other than God's beloved children, we have judged incorrectly. To those of us to whom God has given gifts, and doesn't that include you and me, is given the responsibility of sharing those gifts in whatever manner God leads us. You are reading my words, but what are you sharing of your gifts? If we were to see every person as a child of God, and every situation as an opportunity to serve God, then love would beam across the world. It would bounce from one continent to the next, from the mountains, from person to person, be reflected on the rooftops and find a home in the arid and lonely areas of our world. This would be Christ's living testimony.
Prayer: God of love, help us suspend judgement, for we do not know each other's stories. Give us cups filled with compassion to quench the thirst of all who call for justice. Amen.
5th Sunday in Lent - Walking In The Light
John 12:35 -36: Go on while the light is good, before the darkness comes down upon you. For those who walk in the dark have no idea where they are going.
When Jesus spoke these words he was appealing to his listeners to believe he was the Son of God before the cross snuffed out his life. Too late would many look back and wish they had again the chance to walk as a disciple alongside Jesus. Too late they remembered the way he spoke of God, his eye for detail and his compassion. Without his presence the world seemed flat and grey.
We, born too late in time, have no opportunity to walk the roads of Galilee with Jesus. For us, however, there is an intimacy of a different nature as Jesus reveals himself in a myriad of ways. From the first time we heard his voice Jesus has spoken to us whenever we pause to spend time with him. His presence has brought God's love and light into our lives, and we have discovered anew the wonders of creation. His light has revealed the pure soul within each and every person. His love has disclosed how precious we are, counted it seems among his treasures.
Light is good; without it the process of life ceases. Both humans and plants assimilate light in their growth. Light also reveals snares and tangles on the paths we walk, and allows us to gauge distances. The difference between light and darkness is immense, for in the absence of light there are no shadows - all is darkness. We know well enough that during life's journey we will encounter incidents when shadows prevail. These are times of sorrow, doubt and uncertainties, and also times when fear takes hold of us. Each change of circumstance, every time we relocate we are anxious about what lies ahead. For those who suffer hereditary illnesses there will be times of concern about the future. When shadows fall across our path we may choose to snatch up Paul's words and hold them like a banner, "God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" Through sunshine and shadow Jesus walks with us, as closely as we will permit. His, the hand that steadies our footsteps; his, the voice encouraging us even when we endure pain and grief. The Light of the World has become the lamp that illuminates each and every part of our journey.
But for those who turn from the Light, perhaps fearing what it will expose, what of these people? These are the people of whom Jesus said, "They have no idea where they are going." Whether we conclude this statement deals with their time on earth or after death's door has closed on them, the result is the same. No joy will spring from their soul in response to Jesus, for they have abandoned him. I can only shudder when I contemplate a life dependent solely on my own efforts. What allowance would such people make for periods of illness, grief or loneliness in plotting their own course? No matter how carefully they planned they would always be stumbling over concealed obstacles. The darkness may hide our shame, but it also denies us the opportunity to witness colour, shade and rainbows.
Indeed the warning is not yet complete, for Jesus' words also contain the advice to seek the light while there is still time in our lives. Too often folk put Jesus "on hold", meaning to get back to him at a more convenient time. But days become weeks, months and years and our ears lose the sound of Christ's voice. Then for us, as it was for those who neglected Jesus during his time on earth, it will be too late. The light will have gone and we will know only darkness for eternity. At the end of a lifetime, struggling along under the weighty burden of unforgiven sin, we would find no release even in death. Life is too precious and Jesus too loving for us to take such a chance. The Light of God awaits our answer today; will we seize life eternal as we grasp our Saviour's hand or will we choose isolation's darkness?
Prayer: Living Light, you shine thorough our lives exposing each part that needs healing and restoring. May we choose to walk each day with you as you remould us for your use. Amen.
5th Monday in Lent - Living In Glass Houses
John 8: 7: Let the one among you who has never sinned throw the first stone at her.
These words of Jesus, spoken so quietly to the men who had dragged before him a woman found in an adulterous situation, still resonate in their implications. So often when we are tired or in pain, petty little incidents cause us to lose our patience and we have words with those in our proximity. Afterwards as we realise what we have done and said, we feel foolish and ashamed. Not one of us is perfect, yet we expect those we love to be different from the rest of humanity; they must be faultless. Marriages and relationships are built on love, trust and fidelity, yet at times we are more intent on nit-picking than in reinvigorating all those qualities we admire so much in one another.
Our society repeatedly falls into the habit of separation as we adopt the "them" and "us" attitude. People we dislike or who differ from our group become the "them' in conversation. In times of civil unrest it is always someone else's fault - the "they", when taxation levels rise we blame governmental policies - again the "they", and when we learn of graft and corruption it is always someone else we blame. We move ourselves into positions where everything that is unjust, illegal or unloving is the fault of others. We make no effort to change governmental policies by lobbying equipped with accurate statistics; on television we watch scenes of genocide or famine yet do nothing to become part of the solution. When we say we share Christ's love and do not stand amongst those who actively work and pray for peace, equality and justice in the world, we are revealed as hypocrites.
The "righteous" men who dragged that woman to the feet of Jesus left the scene shamefaced when Jesus challenged them in the words of today's text. Each time we presume to criticise others, those same words challenge us - "Who gave you the right to judge, by whose authority do you speak on behalf of God, the only righteous judge?" Until we are perfect we are better occupied removing from our own lives all those expressions and actions of self-indulgence and lovelessness. God is more than capable of dealing with the lives of those we deem to be at fault. God's wisdom and patience are infinitely greater than our own.
Those people who constantly find fault, judge and criticise others are basically insecure and fearful. Sometimes their accusations are made as a smoke screen to hide the errors they have made themselves. There are also those who set out to undermine the reputations and contributions of others in an attempt to gain prominence over these others. People who constantly find fault have lost their faith in God and therefore rely on their own devices to achieve certain results. Should they be successful, what then? Will they discover that such gains leave but the taste of ashes in their mouths? They will not rejoice and find satisfaction in such positions, for they will always suspect someone else will oust them by similar methods.
We, created as perfect and spotless souls, have by our thoughts, words and actions muddied our lives. When we first met Jesus and answered his call he cleansed us from all the grime of which we were aware. But that was not the end for, though we would rather not, we still do sin, and muddy our lives again and again. In love and humility we approach Jesus time and again seeking the cleansing only he can provide. Remembering those moments as we knelt before Jesus, can we turn and presume to judge others and condemn what we believe to be errors in their lives? Would we not be better suited to bring them before Jesus in prayer asking that he enfold them in his love? To those who are truly humble, all humanity stands on but one level, that of each being utterly loved by God. None is better, none is worse; none is poorer or richer than the rest. We are all equal in the sight of God.
Prayer: Loving God, teach us to keep our eyes and minds on the task ahead, not allowing the actions of others to distract us. We entrust all others to your everlasting care. Amen.
5th Tuesday in Lent - Too Late For Regrets
John 8: 28: When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realise that I am who I say I am.
Children accept what they are told without the need to prove everything, but not so adults. In our business dealings we are more like to choose someone or a firm whose reputation has preceded them. When we employ staff we not only examine their qualifications but also their personal references. We seek to know the background and character of the people we meet.
Throughout his ministry Jesus spelled out to his listeners exactly who he was. His power, he claimed, came directly from God, to whom he was obedient in all things. His critics, the religious leaders of Jerusalem, claimed Jesus derived his power directly from Satan, for they feared the consequences if his claims were accurate. To the world God had made and loved Jesus came, but the blindness of sin in the lives Jesus encountered caused him to remain unrecognised. He brought with him the cure for sin - forgiveness, grace, love, strength and cleansing - yet few were prepared to accept this cure and so return to wholeness.
Finally God, in the human form of Jesus, agreed to pay the full penalty for humanity's wilfulness and disobedience, and so a wooden cross held Jesus between earth and heaven until his last breath was taken. The extent of God's love was revealed, that love that never despairs of any of us, the love that will not let us go. To humanity that day and each day since has been revealed such a love that there is no end to it. No matter where we go, wherever we hide, or how much we attempt to deny the facts, the image of God hanging suspended between life and death will not go away. Perhaps if Jesus died for the so called "good" or "respectable" people we could cope better, but he died for us, and we know how unworthy we are of such a sacrifice,
It is always difficult to stand firmly for what you believe in the face of opposition, and many a person has finally turned and sadly walked away, for they counted the cost to themselves and those they love too great to bear. Jesus knew the authorities would look for ways to silence him, for the presence of God in the midst of rapacious and petty-minded men was uncomfortable, to say the least. He presented depths of knowledge of God they had never before plumbed, though their lives were subject to their understanding of God. He challenged every convention that stood, as a stumbling block for the unwary, deeply embedded in the Law. "Who is he?" they constantly asked one another, yet dared not hear a true reply. To them God was represented by the Law, a just, righteous and holy God. Jesus presented God as the author of love, a love whose incredible devotion had never been comprehended.
How could these men, who feared what Jesus might be, judge the implications of such love? How do we, knowing the story of Jesus, judge the implications of divine love? Can we gauge the extent of such a love that refused to turn away from the terrible suffering of the cross? Presented with Jesus, the carpenter of Nazareth, who do we say that he is? Do we find in his life, his teachings, his miracles or his death proof that satisfies us as to his identity, or are we still undecided? To those who were undecided during his lifetime, what did his death represent? Did they hear the awful fate dealt out to the man they had crowded on so many occasions to hear? Surely he could not have died without word spreading like proverbial wildfire. What then did parents tell their children? What hope was left for those who had not yet brought crippled bodies and souls to Jesus for healing? Where again would they find such love, and where again will we ever be loved so completely as Jesus loves us? What love is this, that God shrank not from the price of teaching love?
Prayer: God of love, in Jesus you demonstrated that love could overcome all forms of prejudice and hatred. You have given us a measure of this love; help us share it with others. Amen.
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