on the body and the spirit‏

^{Mark 7: 14} Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone,  ¹⁵ Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a man defiles him.^16] [f]
17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. ¹⁸ “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? ¹⁹ For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
²⁰ He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. ²¹ For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, ²² adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. ²³ All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

If you touch a turtle and then eat a piece of cheese you might get “salmonella poisoning."

Keep your turtle out of your mouth. And remember to wash your hands

Did Jesus understand the risk of infection by bacteria entering the body?

The creator of the body must understand how it works and it’s limits. But Jesus is speaking about something more than the body. He is concerned about you as a person with eternity in the equation. In this equation what you say and think and your emotions are of more importance than what you eat. If you die with your heart at peace with God you live forever, even if your life in the body is cut short by disease. But if you have a healthy body and don’t thank God , your life in the body may be long but it comes to nothing in the end.

If we are good stewards we will feed and care for the body as a gift, but we are more concerned about our actions and attitudes. We ought to have a healthy mind and spirit with a capacity to give and receive the love of God. Then you are truly fit to live.

Amen.

a gift with no strings‏

2 Corinthians 8:. ⁷ But since you excel in everything —in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you^[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

⁸ I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. ⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 

Read 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 to get a feeling for what Paul was commending and praising in the congregation at Corinth. This is not a fund raising campaign. It is an opportunity to see what God can do in a community of faith. He showers them with grace and watches them grow. It begins with an offering to God: “first they gave of themselves to the Lord then they gave for the offering for the church in Jerusalem." The marks of this collection are joy and freedom not drudgery and guilt. And it all is made possible because of the gift of Jesus. He became poor so we could be rich. He exchanged his glory for the cross so that we might have life.
We have heard about the life of Jesus and we want to have what he had. Have fullness of joy. Have open communication with the Father. Ask for whatever you need and believe that he will give it to you.
And now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God: be honor and glory and blessing forever. 
Amen.

Psalm 30

^{Psalm 30:} I will exalt you, Lord,
    for you lifted me out of the depths
    and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
² Lord my God, I called to you for help,
    and you healed me.
³ You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead;
    you spared me from going down to the pit.

⁴ Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;
    praise his holy name.
⁵ For his anger lasts only a moment,
    but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
    but rejoicing comes in the morning.

I hope none of you were lifted out of a soggy pit this morning. The rain lasted all night but it appears to be abating. David knew the glories of kingship included favor from many but threats of death by others. He could feel the gloating of his enemies so he called out to the Lord. He was almost dead but the Lord saved and restored him.

There is no guarantee of perpetual safety in the Kingdom. There will be times of danger and we will call out to the Lord for healng. We will sense his anger at times followed by his favor. We may weep at the misfortunes of this night but awaken to joy in the morning. So praise God for his wondrous works in your life. You have come through the time of trial and you trust God to bring you home.  Pray for the homeless and those who have lost power and phones in the rainstorm. Amen.

Make ready the way.‏

Psalm 92

A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day.

¹ It is good to praise the Lord
    and make music to your name, O Most High,
² proclaiming your love in the morning
    and your faithfulness at night,
³ to the music of the ten-stringed lyre
    and the melody of the harp.

⁴ For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord;
    I sing for joy at what your hands have done.
⁵ How great are your works, Lord,
    how profound your thoughts!

What did you accomplish on the Sabbath that clears the way for you to accomplish your best this week? Did you worship and sing praises to the Lord? Was God highly exalted so that your vision is clear to see what God wills for your week? ”God is highly exalted." That means he is above all other’s to contend for your loyalty. You owe him first. He has demonstrated his faithfulness and so you trust those first steps out the door this morning. Wherever you go it becomes the way of the Lord.  

Your brother, Christ, has cleared the way. He has defeated your adversary, Satan. All of his tricks and accusations are disarmed. You are a son or daughter of the great King. It’s amazing how one hour of worship can set your feet on the path that leads to everlasting joy! So make sure you have reserved a place in God’s House this Sabbath day. It is a good thing to give thanks and to sing praises to our God.

We pray for Joseph and for Bonnie. 

Amen.

there's love at the core‏

^{John 3: 4} Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,¹⁵ that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 

A drilling project might try to find out what is at the very center of our earth. So far we have only scratched the surface going down a couple of miles when the center is another four thousand miles to go. What we know about God is that small: we have only scratched the surface. But, what we know about him from his Son, Jesus, gives us a confident estimate of what the Father is really like. Jesus is not just another visitor to the earth, he is the only begotten Son. He is not taking and giving, but only giving of himself. His life is love poured out for people to enjoy and to find real life.  His love is both strong and tender as we see on the cross tough enough to take the punishment and tender in forgiving his executioners. His love is the one thing that will save and redeem us and the entire world. At the core of our being there is a "God shaped vacuum" that only God can fill. Listen! I hear him knocking now! 

 Amen.

Something strange is happening here?‏

Acts 2 :1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³ And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

⁵ Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 

1- The day of Pentecost was a harvest festival , fifty days after the Passover. We celebrate 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus. There were about 120 followers of Jesus in a room., including the twelve disciples, and Mary and some of the women. They had been instructed by Jesus to wait in Jerusalem until they were filled with power from on high. 

2- Although they were in a room with closed doors they heard the sound of a rushing wind from heaven. The wind was the breath of God. It was God speaking to his people. The wind was telling them that God was in the room. It also said that God was speaking his creative word that brings life and purpose into the world. God was about to do something decisive! As the cloud of God glorious presence filled the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle, this wind from God filled the entire room.

3- Above the heads of each of them there was a holy flame that indicated the blessing of God upon each person. This was not one general fire for the entire room but one for each occupant.

4- They were all possessed with the indwelling Spirit of God..The external means of identifying this one Spirit resting upon 120 individuals was the manifestation of speaking and praying in an unknown language. Their speech was not guided by their own will or intellect but by the Spirit of God that dwelt in them. The transformation of their life and witness was starting to happen. So they spoke as God gave them utterance.

5-Jerusalem was the center of Jewish life and worship for people of that faith around the world. It was the place they came to visit in order to come close to God. Their native language might be Latin, Greek, Arabic or Coptic but their worship was done in Hebrew.

6- And a crowd of those people came to the place where the disciples were meeting because they heard their own native language spoken . It was a worship and praise in their native dialect. How surprised they must have been to hear it in Jerusalem!    

  If this happened that day in Jerusalem, what might happen in our congregation in Winter Haven

Life in the Spirit‏

Psalm 104: 24 How many are your works, Lord!
    In wisdom you made them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures. 
²⁵ There is the sea, vast and spacious,
    teeming with creatures beyond number—
    living things both large and small. 
²⁶ There the ships go to and fro,
    and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.

²⁷ All creatures look to you
    to give them their food at the proper time.
²⁸ When you give it to them,
    they gather it up;
when you open your hand,
    they are satisfied with good things.
²⁹ When you hide your face, 
    they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
    they die and return to the dust. 
³⁰ When you send your Spirit, 
    they are created,
    and you renew the face of the ground.

³¹ May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
    may the Lord rejoice in his works —

Take in these words and marvel at the miracle of your life. You are who you are because God has placed in you his Holy Spirit. He feeds and tends and guards your life from danger. He feeds you with feelings about his holy Kingdom, with ideas about the meaning of life and the purpose we are coming to see. Think of the playfulness of the Leviathan and know that God delights to see you play . It is not the work of your hands that keeps you alive. It is his holy will to bless you. And he keep our hearts tuned into the music of heaven. We sing "There is a balm in Gilead" and we know that he anoints us with healing. Let us praise this marvelous God with hearts and hands and voices. 

 Amen. 

the glory train‏

^{John 17: 6} “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. ⁷ Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. ⁸ For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. ⁹ I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. ¹⁰ All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. ¹¹ I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of^[ your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.
Who was the most famous disciple or who was the most important apostle? 


Was it Peter or Paul? That kind of question makes no sense in the life of a Christian. In the world of entertainment or sports or finance we ask that kind of question like: "Who is on top of the ladder of success or fame? Christians may make a powerful impact on their generation so we know the reputation of Billy Graham or Mother Theresa. But the credit belongs to God. A true mark of living in the Kingdom and not in the world is that we don't need recognition by other people or the media."

It's like a having a "non-compete " clause in your contract. The result is that when we are "one in the Spirit" we rejoice when our sister or brother does well. There is a sense of unity in doing God's will to bring back the world for God. The Father sent his Son with his powerful Word. He gave that Word to his disciples and they accepted that Word and recognized that it came from heaven. Their common belief that Christ is the Way to the Father enabled them to go to the ends of the earth and proclaim the gospel.
The word we speak to lift up Jesus comes from the Son and gives glory to the Father.

So may the words of our mouth and the meditations of the Holy Spirit be acceptable in your sight, O God, our strength and our Redeemer.

We continue to lift up Tom and the people who serve at the Mission.
Amen.

The last word on love‏

You did not choose me and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. So I command you to love each other. John 15:16-17 (CEV)

Because it is so hard for us to live together in peace maybe we should just try to "get along." We wouldn't have to like each other, just respect differences and limits. That seems to be the strategy of the world. But for God that is not enough. He wants us to grow into the kind of person that his Son, Jesus, is. He will not be satisfied until we throw down our defenses and trust him. Ask him for whatever you need "in the name of Jesus." We're not imposing. Just getting closer to his grace. So Christian people, live as God made you to live. Live in anticipation of a showeer of blessings that will enrich and forever change your life. Come into the presence of the Father in the name of the Son by the power of the Spirit. 
Amen.

Thank you, Lord, for giving us this wonderful chapter 15 of the Gospel of John to feed our souls. In the name of Jesus. 
Amen. 

What a difference a faith makes!‏

Acts 10:44  While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. ⁴⁵ The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, ⁴⁶ for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" ⁴⁸ So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

The Holy Spirit broke into the house of Corneilus. He was not expected to appear because the Jewish believers in Christ did not think that Gentiles could share in their faith in Jesus. It took a demonstration of God’s handiwork to convince them that this was indeed a work of God’s Spirit. These believers had received the gift of speaking in other tongues or languages that indicated their new life in Christ.

Think of the testimonies of people who have received the Gospel of Jesus and have had a change in their lives. Deion Sanders wore a Super Bowl ring playing football for the Dallas Cowboys and played major league baseball. He had $275,000 Lamborghini.

I tried everything. Parties, women, buying expensive jewelry and gadgets, and nothing helped. There was no peace. I mean I was playing great. I got all this media attention and everything the world has to offer, but no peace, no joy, just emptiness inside.

Deion hit bottom when his wife left him and took his kids. His baseball career was on the skids and Deion was on the verge of suicide.

My life was falling apart. I was pretty much at the bottom during all this. My baseball game started to fall off and before long some of the guys on the team could see something was wrong. But I don’t think anybody ever guessed that my life was in shambles.

I was lying there in bed about four o’clock in the morning when I was awakened by these awesome lights in my room. I say it was like a 747 had landed beside my bed, and there was this incredible rush of wind that felt like a helicopter had come in with it.

I remember opening my eyes just the slightest bit and saying, “God, if that’s You, take me! Take me, Lord,” and I was trembling all over. Before long it was silent and the lights disappeared, and later that night I got up and opened my Bible to a passage that said, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10). The words hit me like a ton of bricks. I knew they were meant for me and at that precise moment I was delivered.

The change that came was a peace and purpose to his life. He has this testimony:”I can tell you the difference between a life without God and a life with Christ. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind your testimony and thank God for the change he made in your life. And don’t be afraid to tell it to someone who needs God’s help. It will make your spiritual life grow. 

 Amen.

God’s Love and Ours

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

¹³ This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.¹⁵ If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. ¹⁶ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

We enter into life with God through his love and he gives us assurance of that love through the Holy Spirit.  God gave us the demonstration of his love by sending his Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. When we live in gratitude for that gift of love he actually lives in us. The mystery of his great love is this: we think that love belongs to us but in fact it comes from God. At this moment, all the love that I can know and experience is God's love. The gift of faith that enables me to face every obstacle and to prraise him in the midst of all struggles with pain and sorrow is the gift of God. It is an inward reality St. Paul called the inner man that is to grow under the influence of God's Word in fellowship with other believers. The testimony of the early Church was a community that shared their goods, ate together and prayed for each other; they shared God's Word and his holy supper with joy. So the goal of the Church is to share the love of God that resides in us. The story of Jesus is our calling card. We gladly share that story with all who listen and come to a knowledge of the truth. 

Check it out! Christ is alive in you. 

 Amen. 

refining the precious metal‏

^{1 Peter 1: 6} In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
It's hard to understand how going through difficulties can be a positive influence that strengthens your faith and adds a permanent quality to your life. That is the assertion of Peter and many Christian writers since him. C.S. Lewis wrote The Problem of Pain to explore what he calls the "redemptive aspects of human suffering". The idea is that we share in the suffering of Christ and learn to depend on his consolations. Our faith in Jesus is made stronger in the process. We don't seek pain on purpose but when we go through it we find our Savior is right with us. We sing, "Jesus keep me near the cross" to remind us that it was through a cross that we were given salvation. That is more precious than gold. 
We pray that all those who endure suffering might turn to the cross and find relief. Amen.

it's in the will‏

^{1 Peter 1: 4} and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

A net result of the resurrection of God's Son is that you are written into his will. You have a hope that is supported by God's will. It says that you are a beneficiary of God's riches in glory. Not only that, but since God knows that Satan will try to keep you from getting what you have been promised, the Father will supply "Secret Service men" to protect your body and soul from harm until you come into his estate. Your salvation is guaranteed by God's will. 
Thank and praise him, always. Lord God, we thank you for an imperishable promise of life that never fades. In Jesus' name.

Amen.

WE are witnesses‏

1 Peter 1:  ³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 
What is on your agenda for today? Do you look forward to meeting the challenges set for you to meet? If not, then have "a living hope." If you have a deadline, a grueling task, or just boredom  to face, have a living hope. Christ is alive in you. You can make a difference. Believe that and watch the Spirit go to work. 
Read the story of Edith Burns, the Easter Lady. 
We pray for those who are facing another two months of school.

The Fellowship of Christ‏

Psalm 133  Behold, How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!

It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard

On the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!

It is lie the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion!

For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.

After the excitement of Easter I awoke in a combination aches and pains and sinus drip this morning. Then I remembered it was April 9, the day we recall in 1945 when a good Pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was executed for standing up to Hitler. He had the best theological training available in Berlin and received his doctorate just as Hitler was taking power in Germany.

Hitler had a dream of a super race and regime to rule the world. In that scheme the church was the servant of the state. All pastors and teachers of the church were subservient to the interests of the Third Reich. Bonhoeffer saw that this was no church because a man had taken the position of God. So Bonhoefffer and other faithful pastors took the church underground. In 1939 Dietrich was invited to New York for a series of lectures at Union Theological Seminary. His teaching was so inspirational that the Seminary tried to persuade him to stay here in safety.

But Dietrich could not bear to stay here while his country was suffering under the rule of a mad man. He went back to serving in the underground church. He was later arrested for implication in a failed plot to assassinate Hitler. While in prison he was an inspiration to the other prisoners. After many attempts to secure his release, Bonhoeffer was transferred to Flossenburg prison and was executed just a month before VE Day. His life is a testimony for the Easter victory over the power of death. He is my brother in Christ even though he died the year I was born. He is alive in Christ forever and continues to inspire those who feel the Spirit is moving them to take an unpopular stand for Christ. .   

Behold, How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!

Easter People

^{Mark 16: 4} But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
 ⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

Everything that could go  Wrong did. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem in triumph his followers thought that it was finally happening. Jesus would be named “the king of the Jews.”But he began to talk about going away and leaving them. He got into some really hot arguments with the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin. Then he gathered us together for the Passover and said Judas would betray him. That night turned into the longest day of our lives. Interrogation. Cross examination. False witnesses. Beating. Flogging Crucifixion! All our hopes were crushed.

After his burial all kinds of rumors circulated. Some said the tomb was empty. Another said the women had seen an angel on the tomb. Others believed that his body had been stolen to trick people into believing he was still alive. But in spite of it all we began to see that he was alive. We went everywhere and told people about Jesus. That even death could not contain him. We urged them to believe in Jesus and they could have a new life. All the past mistakes, the sorrow and regret would be wiped away. We could believe in him and our lives would change.

If you had time I could tell you about all the men and women who thought it was a privilege to die with the Christ. All of the twelve and Paul died for their testimony.

Justin, Columbia, Valentine and Thomas a Beckett, just to name a few. If you read Hebrews 12 you will see how drastically different the life of a disciple can be. You could attend our Bible study on Wednesday which is focused on these great stories of faith. But when the angel on the tomb challenged the women to believe that Jesus was risen, he started a great movement of faith that still works in our lives today. Faith is the substance of everything we hope for. We don’t expect to get our reward here but have a city built in heaven for us to inhabit. Your imagination can’t outdo what the Father has prepared for those who love him.

When Jesus stepped out of the tomb he proved the Chief priest and the Sanhedrin were wrong. The Romans had it wrong, too. All those who think you can buy or threaten your way to getting what you want. .He made us servants who excel in showing grace to all in need. We are new people: we’re Easter people from now on! Join the song and join the family of Easter people. 

Hallelujah! He is risen!This is the day the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad in it. 

Amen.

Pass it on‏

^{1 Corinthians 11: 23} For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

The things that Jesus does this week have crucial significance for our lives from this point on.  In the Gospel  of St. John we read of the great teachings of Jesus to his disciples. In each of the gospels his crucifixion and death are recorded. And though we are separated by time and culture and all we call modern life we still have access to what Jesus did through the sacrament which the apostle received and handed down to the Church. 
In Holy Communion, all the distance that separates us from God’s Son is washed away. It’s like a window that has been opened to grace and truth. Come and celebrate his last supper with the disciples. 
Keep the new commandment : to love one another just as he loved us.

Wednesday in Holy Week‏

^{John 13: 21} After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”

Wednesday in Holy Week: Read John 13:21-32

Reflection” How does the betrayal of Jesus by Judas add to the tragedy of Jesus’ death? In spite of human weakness, Jesus triumphs over death and wins the victory over sins and death.

Almighty God, your Son, our Savior suffered at human hands and endured the shame of the cross. Grant that we may walk in the way of his cross and find it the way of truth and life. Through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

Sing: “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?”

Holy Tuesday worship‏

1	Corinthians 1:23  but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,
	but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Today we commemorate Holy Tuesday. Sing Hymn  293(LBW) , “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less…” Let Us Pray: Lord Jesus, you have called us to follow you. We pray that our love may not grow cold: in your service, and that we may not fail or deny you in the hour of trial. Read John 12:20-36.

Meditate on this passage:

31 Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out; 32 and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."

How does your faith in Jesus lift you up in a greedy world to see where true joy is found? Pray for the power of the Gospel to lead and enable faithful service in our congregation.

Jesus at his Last Supper

John 13:1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 And during supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and girded himself with a towel. 5 Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded.

Jesus was committed to do the Father’s will. He would depart out of this world and leave the disciples behind to finish his work. He had prepared and trained them to go out and proclaim the Kingdom of God in every village and town. But there was one more important part of their preparation that still needed work. They needed to have a servant heart. The disciples were amazed at the great deeds of power that Jesus performed. But they were still seeking the position of authority within the group. Their motives were corrupted by individual ambition.

Jesus takes the moment before supper to teach them one more time. Without a word, he shows  each of them how to treat one another. He took the position of the most humble servant and gave himself to comfort the rest. Without a word, he shows them the love of God given to all. As we prepare for the last week of Jesus’ life, Holy Week, let us learn to serve with the heart of Jesus. Find the time to serve your brothers and sisters in need. Bring the comfort and consolation of the Holy Spirit. 
Then you will be ready to dine with Jesus at his Last Supper. 
Amen. 

Riding on a donkey‏

Zechariah 9

⁹ Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey,
   on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
¹⁰ I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
   and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations.
   His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River^[b] to the ends of the earth.
¹¹ As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you,  I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. 

¹² Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.

Israel has lost her past glory. She has been divided, conquered and plundered.. But she still has the promise of a Savior to come to her rescue. This is a son of David who will chase off her enemies and rebuild the city of David. But what kind of Savior is this? He comes humble and riding on a young donkey! But you may remember that David was disgraced by his son, Absalom. He was deposed and chased out of town. As he rode away, a man in the crowd cursed at David. Is this the same David who was promised to come to Israel’s rescue?

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey like his “Father” David. The show of pomp was simple but meaningful because the King was coming into the city for his coronation. He would be crowned Lord of Lords and King of Kings on a cross. In his humility and obedience to the Father he was exalted above every name on earth or even above. 

"O' come, let us adore him.” 

a donkey shows up‏

^{Mark 1:1} As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, ² saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”
As we prepare for our celebration of Holy Week and Easter we are reminded that Jesus's disciples had their work to do to get ready for Jesus in his "Mighty Acts of Salvation."Among them was to get a donkey. Like everything else about him, he had only to pass the message "The Lord needs it." and it was done. A few years ago we were getting our palm branches ready for Palm Sunday when Jake pulls up in the Church yard with a real live donkey! You can imagine the excitement for kids and adults alike.
You may ask, "Was it necessary?" And I will tell you it was Jake's way of teaching a lesson to the kids. If the Lord needs a donkey or a disciple we will respond. We're his disciples. If we are as obedient as Jake then people will hear about Jesus and come. 
We pray for Julie as she grieves the death of her daughter. 
Amen.  

a new and living way‏

^{Hebrews 10: 19} Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

 

Because the Church has been around for two thousand years it seems hard to see Church worship as "a new and living way." But because the world and it's methods are older than that, it still takes something different to overcome the world, defeat sin and make believers free. That new way is through the body of Christ. It takes a body , which is God's people who are fully human but only alive in Christ to come before the father who offers such freedom and life. So don't try some end run that avoids sacred worship and the fellowship of the body. We can actually help and encourage each other to grow in faith and obedience to God's will. 

Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Be with Julie as she goes to pray for her daughter who is gravely ill. Amen.

A Mighty Fortress‏

Psalm 46

 ¹ God is our refuge and strength,
   an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
   and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
   and the mountains quake with their surging.^[c]

 ⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
   the holy place where the Most High dwells.
⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
   God will . help her at break of day.

Anatomy of a healthy heart:

You know where to go when you get into trouble. You could find some friends or check your bank account or rely on physical training and conditioning, but you know an unfailing source of strength. That is your God. You turn to him in every time of need and he will not fail to help.

In hurricanes or sunamis, when the earth seems to be cracking apart, there is one place that is secure. That is the Church of the living God. Where Christians league together to battle for what is right, there you will be. It stands like a castle or fortified city. Luther called it, “Ein Feste Burg.”

In this last week before Holy Week let us be sure that we know the way to the City of God. Through prayer and scripture we will be led by the Spirit to take our place with followers of Christ through the centuries who have made their stand against the forces of Satan in league with brothers and sisters in Christ.

We continue to lift up Jack and Norma.  Amen

who's falling beside you?‏

  Psalm 91: ⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
   ten thousand at your right hand,
   but it will not come near you.
About one-fourth of my High School graduating class of 1963 at Miami High School have deceased. And the numbers are growing! That means that over 200 of the "kids" who went to school with me have died. It started like a trickle with the car accident even before we graduated. We lost some in Viet Nam and some got hooked on drugs and began a self-destructive life style. In the last twenty years it has really accelerated with heart disease and cancer taking the lion's share. One of my class mates was working on a cure for black lung disease and he died of cancer! Then I wonder about myself: why am I still here?
I could have been killed on a motorcycle in my teen years or a car wreck. I could have gotten in trouble with the law. I could have been killed in Viet Nam. But there was someone watching over me, all night and all day long. It wasn't because I was always careful or better at what I was doing that I survived. God protected me and kept me for his purpose. That makes that much more grateful to God but also motivated to find my purpose and do it!
Be thankful to God who saves you and ask him to show you what is your divine appointment. Why are you here?
Lord God, I am thankful that you have shielded me the arrows of death and kept me to proclaim your name in my environment. Keep me , my family and friends for your loving purpose. Amen.

What's biting at you?‏

^{John 3: 14} Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,^{[a] 15} that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”^[b]

The children of Israel were hurting and dying because of poisonous snake bites. Moses hung a snake on a pole so that all who looked at it would be healed of the fearsome snake bites. Jesus offered himself to be hung on a pole (the cross) so that sinners could look up and live.

When someone looks worried and anguished we say to them. “What’s eating you?” Why might just as well ask, “What’s biting you?” To those who are not walking in faith and obedience to God there are many painful consequences both for yourself and those who love you.  But to those who know that there is healing in the name of Jesus, he offers us to look upon his painful death on our behalf and receive mercy and comfort.

So we lift up Christ crucified to all who suffer the painful bite of sin that they might look up and see God’s love that heals all wounds.

Amen. 

He's here.‏

John 14:  ¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be^[c] in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹ Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. ²¹ Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
Jesus walked with his disciples through Judea and Galilee two thousand years ago. Today he walks in your town, in your home, in you. The gap between people and God has been closed. The yearning to seek God has been satisfied. We listen for his voice and it isn't in a wind, or lightning or somewhere out there. We listen and we obey and we sense his presence. Celebrate your walk with Jesus today. Tell me what happens!
We pray for the children God will send our way.

Amen.

The privilege of knowing Christ‏

Phil 3:7

 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Who are the people you really know? They are the ones who have gone through the valleys with you. You have been open to share your pain and failure along with the triumphs. The people you know give you a lift because they understand you and know what you have endured. When you think about knowing God, ask yourself,"What does God know about me? Does he still love me in spite of all that?"

There is an additional benefit to knowing Christ: he knows the way to the Father. He has made arrangements for you to become like a child and sit on the lap of your heavenly Father and pour out your heart. He promised to wipe away every tear from your eyes. With him there is fulness of joy that never ends. And once you know him, you will love him.                      
Amen.

Who is the Master of the House?‏

 John 14:1  "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. ² In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.

Suppose you were going to buy a house you had never seen. You have the floor plans and you know it is situated in a beautiful mountain ridge with fruit trees and a bubbling stream nearby. But you wanted some recent photographs from the salesman. Instead, he said, “Let me tell you about the builder. He is the finest craftsman of native rock and wood in the region. His patience and persistence in doing things ‘the right way’ are un-matched  His honesty and integrity are legendary.” Would you buy the house based on what you know about the builder?

Christians who are looking forward to eternity in heaven have been given that kind of option. Take the Palace of Versailles or the Hermitage and compare them to heaven and you don’t get a good idea of what it would be like to live there. All the crystal and gold in those historical relics don’t make a home. In fact, if I were to describe heaven it would be more like my Grandfather’s Florida Room. What made that place a refuge for me was not the structure, it was the constructor, my Grandpa Ken.

He showed me how to build and use tools and treated me with respect. He told wonderful stories about his travels and adventures around the world.  My knowledge of Jesus is like that, it welcomes me home. Gates of pearl might keep me out but my Lord goes out to meet me and brings me in. As you go about your business and plans for the day, include quality time with the Lord.

 Let the Holy Spirit take you away to the place where your Father sits on the throne in glory. 

Amen.