Walking with Jesus through Lent: Week Four
Rev. Vera I. Bourne
4th Wednesday in Lent - Practical Disciples
Matthew 5: 17: You must not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to complete them.
Those familiar with Christian living often espouse freedom in Christ. In today's text we find the basis for this claim. The Law, contained in the Ten Commandments, may be divided into two sections, our responses to God and our responses to others. Through Jesus all the requirements of the Law are incorporated into the two commandments, to love God and to love one's neighbour. Those who follow these commandments have fulfilled all the requirements of the Law. The Prophets brought to the nation of Israel reminders of the requirements of their covenant relationship with Yahweh. These requirements are also incorporated into Jesus' two commandments.
The Law was composed of a series of rules to teach humanity the difference between right and wrong. Though primarily the Law was observed as part of religious practices, it became the basis for moral principles. It provides the foundations on which our present is based and our future proposed. The Scribal Law was finally committed to writing in the middle of the third century AD. Known as the Mishnah, it contains 64 treatises on various aspects of the Law. Commentaries on the Mishnah, called the Talmud, comprised 60 printed volumes in Babylonia. Pharisees were committed to keeping every single aspect of the Law to its utmost degree. The Law listed all those things that were considered taboo, forbidden.
In Jesus all these prohibitions were translated into positive guidelines for Christian living. Gone were the negative demands of the Law, replaced by God's love and grace. No longer were people shackled to the petty demands of the Law, instead they were moved by the impulse or compulsion of Love. We would no longer be subject to the Law; instead we would be governed by God's mercy. The God of justice was revealed through Jesus as the God of mercy. By God's grace we are accepted just as we are, loved, forgiven and restored to our place at God's table. Our conduct and conversation are not governed by thousands of petty prohibitions set down by God or by religious scholars, instead we are directed by love.
There are in today's society those who reinterpret Scripture in ways that exclude certain people from God's love and forgiveness. While these people may choose to define just who is acceptable to God, we must not be swayed by their arguments. John 3: 16 states that, "God so loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him should not be lost, but have eternal life." There are no ifs and buts, no clause that allows any person or group of people to be excluded from this promise. This is the extent of God's love and grace, that all are included in this promise. All who believe in Jesus are saved.
Jesus, the author of this new covenant, asks us to live subject to the laws of love. To this end he makes very clear what this entails in his discourse on the final judgement. We read in Matthew 25: 35-36, "For I was hungry and you gave me a drink. I was lonely and you made me welcome. I was naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you came and looked after me. I was in prison and you came to see me there." These are love's guidelines, set clearly for us to see. We are asked simply to supply love in practical ways for those who are in need. It is not much use loudly declaiming the lack of Governmental services for the sick, poor, homeless or ill. When we are prepared to assist physically or to begin a campaign to redress these deficiencies by public protest and communications with government representatives, we are living Christ's love. Disciples follow the path already trodden by the one they serve, for Jesus spoke out against injustice and unfair laws, and actively addressed the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of those he met. Let us humbly emulate our Saviour.
Prayer: Saviour Lord, you have given us a new commandment to love one another as you have loved us. Keep us alert to ways we may demonstrate your love. Amen.
4th Thursday in Lent - Path Makers, Not Fence Sitters
Luke 11: 23: Anyone who is not with me is against me; and those who do not gather with me are really scattering.
Jesus, like so many honest people attempting to address wrongs, faced opponents who slandered him. Slander is a verbal cancer for it spreads like wildfire, eating away at the reputation of those accused. Once the words are uttered it is impossible to retrieve and destroy them. Too often our ears prefer to hear disparaging comments about people we dislike. We would not countenance the same comments if they were directed against our friends. Slander and libel have wrecked not only reputations and careers but also relationships and families. When tales abound about vehicles purchased from a certain car dealer, would you put your safety at risk in "doctored" cars? Or if you heard a financial or stock exchange agent was being investigated for fraud, would you entrust your life savings to that person? Whatever remedy is sought through legal processes, the damage remains.
Jesus was criticised for the company he kept, for he preferred the honesty of those deemed "unacceptable" rather than the pious hypocrisy of the political and religious leaders of his day. In his attempt to place the Law in its proper perspective, that it was there as guidelines rather than chains, he chose to pluck grain, remove the husk and eat it on the Sabbath and to heal on the Sabbath. These were both considered work and therefore forbidden. Ordinary people looked in awe at him, the Rabbi they respected breaking the law. His opponents met in private so they could scheme and plot against him. Time and again they attempted to stop the work he was performing, that of healing bodies and souls. Some he healed they subjected to rigorous investigation in an attempt to prove the healing had not occurred.
Finally Jesus, as it were, drew a line in the sand. Those who believed in him would need to follow him wholeheartedly. Those who were not prepared to do this, whose faith was wavering or who preferred to safeguard their reputations, needed to rethink their positions. For, as he had witnessed, all those who were lukewarm and could be swayed this way or that by either a plausible argument or by various fears could endanger the message he was preaching. To quote a modern simile, just as one can not be a little bit pregnant one can not be a little bit Christian. One is either standing ready for service, or one is not, there is no place in God's service for those who shilly-shally.
As disciples how does this ruling affect us? Perhaps we need to be reminded that our life is influenced not only by what we eat, but also by the company we keep and our recreational pleasures. Some use as a guide the rule, "What would Jesus do?" If Jesus were coming to dinner would I not feed him simple healthy fare? If so why am I eating fast foods? If Jesus were with me, would I laugh at suggestive stories? If Jesus were walking through the town with me, how would my behaviour change? Would Jesus be comfortable in the company I keep? Is my reading material and my television viewing such as Jesus would enjoy?
As Christians we follow Christ's example in all things. Others expect us to be honest, charitable, dependable and gentle as was Jesus. Others expect to hear us oppose cruel and unjust laws, as Jesus did when he walked this earth. If our lives are such that Jesus is dishonoured when we call ourselves Christian, what need we do? We are servants of Jesus, those who witness to his life and love by our behaviour and words. When people look at us, do they see Jesus working in our lives? When others listen to us, do they hear a message of love, hope, forgiveness and reconciliation? How often do we stretch out and heal the wounds of those around, wounds of loneliness and fear? Do we witness to ourselves or to Jesus?
Prayer: Loving God, you have entrusted us to be your ears, eyes, hands and voice. May we continue to build your dominion rather than be among those found scattering and destroying your work. Amen.
4th Friday in Lent - New Covenant Of Love
Mark 12: 30-31: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy strength." The second is this, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
The religious leaders of the day tried again and again to trick Jesus, to expose him as a fraud. Here we find him approached by a scribe and asked the question, "What are we to consider the greatest commandment of all?" There is no doubt that any devout Jew would be familiar with the Shema for it was recited daily. The point behind this question must have been to discover if Jesus had an agenda of his own, one that would demand disciples place loyalty to him before God. Instead, Jesus used the opportunity to telescope the entire Law into just two commandments, and it is these commandments that we as disciples are asked to obey. These alone are our guidelines to behaviour that is acceptable to God.
As Christians we are partakers of a new covenant with God, a covenant based on mutual love. When we ignore the obligation to love God or to love our neighbour, we separate ourselves from God. There is no other way we can be distanced from God. Jesus drew up no other set of rules or regulations that could be used as barriers preventing our free access to God. Too often there have been those who claim that God, for one reason or another, cannot accept certain groups of people. Their reasons have no relationship to the two commandments given by Christ, but are based solely on judgements these people themselves have made. Yet so convincing can these people be that some minority groups have been banned from Christian fellowship, church membership and roles in ministry. Women are just one of these minority groups.
How does Jesus expect us to fulfil these commandments in our lives? To love God with one's entire mind, heart and soul is to make God, and not ourselves or our spouses, the central focus of our lives. It is to draw so close to God that when we are apart we actually crave God's presence. It is to trust God enough that each decision of our lives is discussed before we embark on new projects, rather than running on ahead of God and looking over our shoulder, hoping God is following. It is to place our critical responses to behaviour in God's hands, to let God deal with such matters rather than burdening ourselves with them. It is to learn patience and gentleness, accepting the safety provided by the shelter within the shadow of God's wings. It is to become aware that our journey into eternity has already commenced and that we are on our way to Paradise and the everlasting presence of God.
To love our neighbour as ourselves is a commandment that pivots on the love and care we show for ourselves. Often we need to consult a checklist to ensure we actually love ourselves. Are we allowing enough time for unbroken sleep on a regular basis? Do we plan our meals so that we enjoy a balanced diet with plenty of fresh water or fruit juice? Are we conscious of our weight, ensuring we are neither too heavy nor slowly starving our bodies and minds? All forms of communication can offer our minds both healthy and unhealthy diets. Caring for ourselves necessitates making choices; as adults this is our right and responsibility.
To care for others as we do for ourselves therefore involves more than just a casual greeting in passing. It means being aware when others are tired, in pain, lonely or hungry for love - both physical and spiritual. It means that at times we may need to forgo some of out own pleasures to ensure that others are able to access spiritual gifts they believed were denied them. It involves living our lives in such a manner that we are beacons lighting the pathway to God. Such loving directed toward others may cause us to loosen our purse strings a little so that we may share some of the benefits provided by God in our own lives. Today let us pause to examine the love we demonstrate toward God, and to our neighbours.
Prayer: Covenant God, you have asked but two things of us, that we love you and our neighbours. Open our eyes so we may see how to demonstrate that love more clearly. Amen.
4th Saturday in Lent - Honest To God
Luke 18: 14: For each person who sets themselves up as somebody will become a nobody, and the person who makes himself nobody will become a somebody.
In the world of commerce it seems as if someone out there is promoting a product every second of the day. In annual reports of all corporations there is a sizeable line item named "Advertising." This is why ten minutes of every hour of commercial television are allocated to attempts to extract money or loyalty from the audience. Some advertising is clever and witty, other is second-rate and boring, some can even be offensive. Thousands of staff are employed worldwide to develop methods that will attract potential buyers, shareholders and even voters. Promotion is indeed an art in which fantasy is used to captivate the minds and loyalties of those who purchase newspapers or magazines, and those who listen to the radio or watch television.
We are also aware that when we are applying for a job, or beginning a new relationship, we set out to impress. We are intent on persuading others that without us their lives, or their businesses, would be the poorer. This form of self-promotion and self-confidence is acceptable, even encouraged, in our society. But how different it is when we meet someone who has no conversation but about themselves. How totally boring and superficial is such a person; in fact we devise ways to avoid their company.
From time to time we read of individuals who have promoted themselves so well they have swindled hoteliers, restauranteurs and even jewellers of services and goods worth millions of dollars. Con men these are called, and though we may wonder at their audacity we are glad when they are finally apprehended.
Jesus was showing self-important listeners the difference between self-righteousness and righteousness in God's eyes by relating the tale of two men at prayer. One, a Pharisee, was promoting himself marvellously to God, listing all his virtues. In fact he had made a fetish of observing more fasts and greater tithes than prescribed in the Law. Like his prayer, these acts were directed to win the praise of the widest audience, but had no bearing on his relationship with God. There he stood like a smug child, reciting his "virtues" to the entire world without noticing God's absence. The second man was a tax collector, one who was always accused of lining his own pockets, yet a man conscious of his own failings. His prayer is one most of us have used, "O God, be merciful to me - the sinner." Not just one of a number of sinners, but the worst sinner of all. Commenting on their two forms of prayer, Jesus noted, "It was the heart-broken, self-despising prayer which won him acceptance before God."
We may deceive the whole world, including family members and those in our community of faith, but we can never deceive God. When we undervalue our gifts, just as when we proffer an overstated description of ourselves, we forget God knows our real worth. Those who push and shove in queues, those who attempt to persuade us that new legislation offering them substantial pay increases is beneficial to us, the taxpayers - all these are known to God. Equally known to God are those who quietly sit by hospital beds comforting those in pain and illness, and those who make donations to charities to alleviate hunger and hopelessness. God knows, and in God's time those who sought no fame for themselves, preferring to serve as did Jesus, will discover the value God places on their lives. As for the others, they too are in God's hands. Somewhere each of us fits into one or other category, either we are content to walk with Jesus, serving the needs of our community, or we seek fame and fortune for ourselves while disregarding the true values God has set in place. Are we able to work anonymously, or must we hear shouts of applause before we are content with our day's work?
Prayer: Grant us today, God, the humility and gentleness that marked Jesus' life. May we seek to give you, rather than ourselves, the glory in all the situations of our life. Amen.
4th Sunday in Lent - This Is Our Story
John 9: 25: "Whether he is a sinner or not, I couldn't tell, but one thing I am sure of," the man replied, "I used to be blind, now I can see!"
Here is our story, recorded in this text, for it tells of the miraculous change that Jesus has brought into our lives. "Once I was blind", unconscious of the damage being caused to my soul by the way I lived and the company I kept. Perhaps I didn't include under the heading of theft not only the phone calls made or received at work (theft of my employer's time) or the paperclips and rubber bands (after all there's a line item in the budget for them) but also the fact that each time I listened to or repeated gossip, I stole another's reputation. Again I was blind to the danger of skin cancer caused by sunbaking on the beaches, and equally the need to protect those same beaches by reducing the rubbish that washes down through stormwater drains. Maybe I was blind to the fact that I was a created a perfect soul, for others had called me unredeemable, worthless, an abomination in God's sight.
How many areas of our lives has our blindness affected? Christ's death at Calvary was described as punishment for our sins, yours and mine, and we believed this. No one was there to open our eyes and hearts to the news that it was because of God's love that Jesus chose to come to earth, live among us and suffer the horrible fate of legal execution. We never knew God was waiting for us to look up and discover how much we are loved. No one told us that God would run towards us the moment we retraced our steps to our spiritual home. Because opinions and judgements of others had caused us to regard ourselves as flawed, we never discovered the brilliance of the talents with which we had been created, and we let so many opportunities go by because we saw ourselves as unworthy.
And then we encountered Jesus. At once things changed, for Jesus held up our heads and looked deeply into our eyes. Jesus reached out and peeled the scales away from our eyes. And we saw God in the form of love. The light of God's presence dazzled us for a moment, until we discovered the same radiance streamed from our souls. We were truly children of God, our Creator and Redeemer.
Like any person whose faculties have been restored we ran to share the miracle with others, the miracle of how Jesus has changed us. Among those we told there were some who doubted our story, who denied the change in us, and who asked us to explain. That Jesus could change us, open those eyes previously unable to see, it seemed too preposterous. But we knew it was true, for we now saw ourselves as beloved. Jesus opened our eyes to the mystery and wonder of God's love. This love had always been there, but we were so blind we could not see how God loved and treasured us. Not only could we now see how God loves us but also we began to understand that God loves every person, regardless of who they are and what they do. God's love pours like an ever-flowing fountain, cleansing and refreshing each of us until we are immersed in this river of life.
Perhaps we will meet some who feel threatened by the change in us. They enjoyed the old us and saw no reason for a change. Our families and the significant others in our lives may not choose to share us with Jesus. They do not appreciate the clarity with which we see our old habits, old pastimes. They cannot understand why we need to spend time alone with God each day, and sometimes more than just once. They do not understand the all-encompassing love with which God has filled us, and cannot comprehend how it is we can choose to forgive those who have hurt us, and to pray for those who have been our enemies. Yet to all their concern and criticism we have but one answer, "Once we were lost but now we are found; once we were chained but now we are free; once we were blind but now we can see."
Prayer: Wounder Healer, may we never lose our awe and wonder that you have restored our bodies, emotions and spirits, and made us a forgiven and freed people, your beloved. Amen.
4th Monday in Lent -A Measure Of Faith
John 4: 53: The father knew that this must have happened at the very moment when Jesus had said to him, "Your son is alive and well. And he and his whole household believed in Jesus.
The Samaritans believed, because they had heard Jesus speak truths only God could expound. The Galileans believed, because they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem. Since we can neither see nor hear Jesus in the same manner as did these believers, on what is our faith based? There is a truism that God has no grandchildren, for none other may choose Jesus on our behalf. For each of us Jesus waits, inviting us to join him. The crowds from Sychar listened to the experiences the woman had at the well, then came themselves to hear Jesus. They believed in him because of the evidence of their own ears. But what if that woman had been lack-lustre in her belief, if the story she told had lacked conviction? Would any of the townspeople bother to return with her to witness the truths Jesus presented? I think not!
It is the appeal our lives attest, those changes Jesus has made in us, that echo her words, "Look what he has done for me." We are the evidence of Christ's power on earth today, our lives testify to the love God has poured into the world. It is through us that others catch a glimpse of Jesus. If our faith is sporadic, if the change in us once was real but of late we have slipped into our old patterns and habits, how convincing will we sound when we speak of Jesus? Jesus warned that there would come a time that to many who claimed to be his followers he would say, "I never knew you." To be known by Jesus is to spend time with him, it is a two-way dialogue that includes every area of our lives, hopes and dreams. It is our awesome responsibility as a follower of Jesus to be his ears and eyes, feet, hands and voice. If those in pain do not see love and pity in our eyes, where else will they find it? If we are not altogether reliable, honest and trustworthy, are we like Jesus?
There are times when we need to reach out and touch Jesus, to know first-hand his peace and healing. We too need to believe that no matter what circumstances we face, no matter what prayers we utter, Jesus hears and responds. We may find, like the courtier, that Jesus answers our requests but not always in the manner we expect. Again our faith may be challenged, for Jesus has no time for those who seek signs, but only for those who seek God's dominion.
Our Gospel reading tells of a royal official in the court of Herod who had heard of the miracles performed by the carpenter of Nazareth. Improbable as it seems, this court official came hurrying the twenty miles (thirty-six kilometres) from Capernaum to Cana to beg a favour from Jesus. Can you imagine the sensation this would have caused, it would have been the talk of the town. In front of the crowd that gathered Jesus challenged this man, accusing him of seeking signs and wonders before he would believe. The crowd stood open-mouthed waiting for the courtier's reaction. To their astonishment the man asked quietly, "Sir, come down before my lad dies." To this man, who believed in Christ's power to heal, Jesus' answer tested that faith to the extreme, for he said, "Go your way. Your son lives."
Here is faith against all odds demonstrated, for the courtier turned and began his journey home. Just because Jesus had assured him of his son's healing, the man believed it was so. And on the way home his servants met him and announced the child was healed. Once again we see the chain of events; the miracles Jesus performed and his message of God's love had penetrated even Herod's court, so that when the lad became critically ill his father commenced the journey to Jesus. Because of his unswerving faith the miracle he sought was effected. Are our lives such a testimony to Jesus that others will begin their journey to meet him face to face? If we were asked why we believe, what would we answer?
Prayer: Merciful God, sometimes our faith wavers in the face of unusual problems. Fill us with the Holy Spirit so that all who see us at those times may witness our faith in you. Amen.
4th Tuesday in Lent - Being Whole
John 5: 6: " Do you want to get well again?"
It is always a thrill when someone who loves us asks what we would like for our birthday, anniversary or Christmas. Imagine if neither finance nor time were limited, just what would you wish for? A cruise on a luxury liner, a world trip with enough time to visit all those far away places, a well furnished home and car, or is there something else that features more prominently in your dreams?
Jesus, one day when he was in Jerusalem for the Feast, visited the pool called Bethzatha that was located by the sheep gate. The water in this pool had the reputation of curative qualities for the first person to enter the pool after its' surface was disturbed by the bubbling up of a subterranean stream. Around its perimeter lay those in need of healing - the crippled, the blind and those with withered limbs - all awaiting a miracle. One man had lain there thirty-eight years. It was to this man Jesus addressed the question in our text. At first glance this seems a crazy question, for what other reason had the crippled man spent the past thirty-eight years at the pool. Yet, like so many of Jesus' questions, this has a far deeper significance. If the man were healed he would need to support himself and take an active part in society.
Jesus asks the same question of each of us, not just once, but many times during our walk together. It is fascinating to listen to excuses given by those who state they want to be free of an addiction, excuses made to explain their constant failures. As an ex-smoker I know that until I really wanted to be healed of the addiction, nothing worked. Too often we resemble scooter riders, the foot supporting our body weight rests on the scooter and would move ahead freely were it not impeded by the other foot insistent on remaining on the ground. We really want to surrender to Jesus all those habits, prejudices and resentments that weigh us down - and yet, not quite now, not all at once. We try to rationalize our excuses, but deep down we know Jesus and others see through these excuses. We exhibit the symptoms of "I want to be well, but right now is not the appropriate time."
Amongst our acquaintances there are those who find excuses to blame everything bad in their lives on others. Their parents didn't love them enough, or preferred another sibling to them, or perhaps had adopted them. They didn't receive an adequate education because no one was interested in teaching them or the subjects were boring. They lost employment opportunities not through any fault of their own, but because someone else was better dressed or knew the personnel officer, or perhaps because they lived in a depressed area. The simple truth is they are not prepared either to accept responsibility for their own lives or to make a sincere contribution to society. For them it would be a fearful thing if Jesus offered to heal them, as they see themselves financially and socially crippled.
When Jesus heard it was only the lack of friends to assist him enter the water that precluded this man's healing, Jesus told him to do the impossible. To the crippled man he said, "Get up! Lift up your bed and walk!" If in his innermost heart this man had not wanted healing, or if he were unwilling to make the effort to work with Jesus for the change, his healing would not have been effected. In our lives there are so many challenges we face that, unless we rely on the power of Christ to overcome hopeless situations, we are doomed to failure. This Lent are we prepared to work with the Master Physician to heal us, remove all the scars we've worn as trophies, and make us whole? It is not just a matter of faith; it is also a matter of our willingness to hand over to God all those things that impair our wholeness. When we hear Jesus ask that question, "Do you want to get well again?", what will be our response? Will we accept this healing, or are we frightened at the idea of being whole again?
Prayer: Divine Healer, once I offered you my life and resources. Today I offer you my whole life, every part, and ask for your healing of each flawed portion of my being. Amen.
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