Passion of Christ According to St Matthew

Water And The Word

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

                                                                               (Isa 55:9-11 KJV)

Finally, a good storm! This spring has seen very little rain. The pond in my yard is looking pretty low. The little minnows have not had much chance to grow in such little space. The trees also have been looking pretty thirsty. Way too many of the Palm trees' fronds have turned brown. But; finally, we have a good rain!

Even as the waters come down encouraging growth and life so does the word that comes from the Lord. Listen to Him and grow in your life, living each day more fully in Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Palm/Passion Gospel

The Palm and Passion Sundays Gospels are at the following link. I have normally read the Passion Reading every Palm/Passion Sunday as so many do not attend worship to hear the events leading up to the Resurrection Celebration on Easter Sunday. Because of the Corona Virus, there will even be less this year. Please, remember all that our Lord has done for us.

Palm/Passion Sunday Gospel Readings

God's Peace - Pr. J.

His Passion

And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

                                                                            (Matt 21:8-9 KJV)

Today we enter Holy Week. On this Palm Sunday we also celebrate Passion Sunday during worship. I will narrate the whole story; from Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem with palm branches waving to his burial. We do this in order so that as many people as possible can hear the passion story. We will not have as many at worship as we will on Easter Sunday; but, we will have some who will not be with us on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday to hear the story. They will be there to hear of his rising from the grave on Easter morning; but, they will not be there to hear of the actual sacrifice that he made that precipitated his resurrection. Without death there can be no resurrection. Without Good Friday; without the events of Holy Week, there can be no Easter Sunday. Therefore; on Palm Sunday we also remember his passion for us. We remember that because he loves us he was willing to go to Jerusalem to be tried and crucified for us. 

Join us at Christ Lutheran or your local congregation this morning and throughout Holy Week as we remember all that our Lord has done for us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

He Is With You!

"I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

(Joshua 1:9 NRSV)

The servant of the Lord told Joshua to be courageous; the Lord is with you wherever He sends you and no matter what He asks you to do. We are reminded that we too should be courageous in doing the Lord's will. Things will happen along the way; things that don't always feel so good. That should be expected. But, God has a plan. "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28)

Do not worry. Trust the Lord for He is with you wherever you go; wherever he sends you.

God's Peace -Pr. J

Live Your Life In Jesus

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Col 2:6-7 NRSV)

What is the sense of receiving Jesus Christ and then not living in him? If you acknowledge and receive him as your savior; they why would you turn your back on the privilege of living in him? What could possible be worth more than being united with Jesus?

The world really has nothing better to offer than Jesus. But, in Jesus, we can live life in the world in a much more peaceful place.

If he's good enough for you want to be with after death takes you from this world; then he ought to be good enough to live with and in now. Live life in Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Suffered Once For All

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. (1 Peter 3:18a NRSV)

He suffered in order to bring you to God. He did not suffer so that we could be rich here on earth. He did not suffer so that we could be famous or even a little popular. He did not suffer so we could have everything we ever desired. He suffered in or to bring us to God.

He suffered so that we who had no access to the Kingdom of God might have access. He suffered so that we might be reconciled to God and to one another by the blood that he shed on the cross for us.

He suffered that you might be forgiven your sins and be reconciled to God for all of eternity.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Long For Food That Satisfies

Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:1-3 NRSV)

Babies can be pretty focused on getting what they want. When they are hungry they cry until they get the milk that they desire and which will nourish them. There is very little that can stop their yearning. We might rock them and they might quiet down for a bit; but, it won't be long before they once again let us know that they are hungry.

Christians should be so focused in our desire for spiritual milk. Give yourself a break and desire that which is good for your soul setting set aside malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander, which will lead you to waste away.

Drink the spiritual milk that the Lord has provided and see that the Lord is good.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Suffering a Good Thing?

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. 

                                                                                (Rom 5:3-4 NIV)

It would be good if we could all be like Paul and glory in our sufferings; but, most of us cannot. Most of us feel defensive when we suffer and sometimes we get offensive. We feel sorry for ourselves. Why me? What did I do to deserve this? Most of us do not care to suffer for any reason.

It is only by reminding ourselves that God is with us and He has a good plan that we can relax a bit. It is often, after the fact, that we can look back and thank God for the trouble and suffering endured. It may be years later before we can see how the suffering was either for our good or for the good of others. It is often, only then, that we can thank God for those troubling things that we have endured.

May God help us to always acknowledge that whatever happens God is with us and He has a good plan. (Rom 8:28)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Living God

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matt 16:15-16 NIV)

Today is the day to rejoice for our God is a living God. He is not a god made with human hands or imaginations. He lives and he loves us. He loves us enough to send His only begotten Son to die that we might be saved from our sins. 

Believe Him. Believe in Him. Trust Him. Rejoice, for the living God loves us enough to send His only begotten Son to live and die for that we who were not His sons and daughters might be his sons and daughters. 

With Peter and all of the saints let us all confess, "Jesus is our Savior, the Son of the living God!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Praise The Lord!

I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. (Psalm 119:7 NIV)

Praise, ye the Lord! He has done marvelous things for us. From the very beginning until today and for all of eternity, he cares for his creation. 

We have an awesome Lord and Savior. He was willing to give his life that we might live. What will we do in response? Will we praise him at all times and in all places? Will we take the time to learn of the Way that he has prepared for us. He commands us to go and make disciples, to teach others what he has taught us; and to love one another. 

Of course, we are not bound by the law. The blood of Christ has set us free. Yet, what has it set us free to do? What shall we do for one who loves us so much that he would die for us? 

Let us praise the Lord for all that he has done in all that we say and think and do!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Kingdom of God; Our True Home

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36 NIV)

We fight to keep the places that we feel that we deserve in this world. We want what we want and we're going to get it. The only thing Jesus wanted was for us to be reconciled to his Father, our Father, in heaven and to one another. He was willing to die so that might happen. He did not even want his followers to fight for his life here on earth. 

So, if the Kingdom that is our true home is not of this world, why are we so often fighting for our places in this world? Why do we fight over something that we will lose when we leave this place; something we cannot take with us when we go to the home that Jesus has prepared for us? 

God provides us with the things in this world that are necessary for us to be able to live and to serve the Lord. But, there are also things that will only distract us from following Jesus and living the kingdom where he reigns. There are things which will keep us from following Jesus and living with him. There are things worth fighting for and there are things that are not. May God give us the wisdom to discern the difference.

And, may God help us to place as a priority being reconciled to him and one another even as we live in this world today.  

God's Peace - Pr. J

Passionate Contrast

The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the king of Israel!”

Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
“Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.”

                                                   John 12:12-15 NIV

We enter Holy Week singing and shouting Hosanna; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, with such great passion! What a start contrast between the praises sung today and the fears and the passionate tears of the people who loved Jesus by Friday.

Our faith can often be like that. One day we are so passionate about our love for Jesus and would give everything for him. But, by the next morning our passions may be turned to fear as wonder where he is. Why is he not here to be with us? Has he deserted us?  He has not deserted us. He will never leave us. All too often, it is we who desert him. It is we who betray him. It is we who deny him. 

By Friday, his followers will be in tears. But; for today, let us rejoice without fear for our king has come!

God's Peace - Pr. J

No Easter Without Good Friday

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 NIV

What a gift! In exchange for our sins, we have received eternal life through the sacrifice of our Lord, Jesus. Tomorrow is celebrated as either Palm or Passion Sunday in many congregations. I prefer to celebrate both the final entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem and the events following up to and including the crucifixion.  

It is important that we remember that even as everyone welcomed and honored Jesus when he entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, many turned their backs on him by Friday.

He died, an innocent man. As he hung on that cross he carried the weight of our sins upon himself. He bore them so that all who believe in him might be forgiven our sins and receive the gift of eternal life through the shedding of his blood. Without the events of Holy Week; without the death of Jesus; there would be no resurrection; there would be no gift of eternal life for us.

And, this is why we remember the entire Holy Week on Palm/Passion Sunday: way too many people have the mistaken notion that if they show up on Sunday (some believe Christmas and Easter is enough) that they are saved. The reality is: we are saved by God's grace alone by faith in the one who lived and died and lives again for us.

What a gift! We have eternal life because he suffered and died for us. Wherever you are, please, make the effort to attend worship throughout this Holy Week so that you might better grasp why it is that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and our eternal life on Easter Sunday. The resurrection and the gift of eternal life to us came at great cost. It cost Jesus his life. Hearing what he has done for you ought not be too great a cost to you.

There would be no Easter without the events prior to Jesus' resurrection. Without Good Friday; without the execution of Jesus, there would be no Easter morning. Remember, all that he has done for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Receiving the Gospel; Living in the Light

For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last." 1 Thess 2:14-16 NIV

The gospel is not always received very well. There will always be opposition to the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. St. Paul continued to proclaim it for the sake of others in the face of much opposition. The truth can be quite offensive to those who follow in their own ways. The light of truth can bring us to rejoice in in Jesus; but, it can also send those who reject it scurrying further into the darkness as they attempt to hide from the truth. The truth sometimes stirs up fear and hatred and ultimately the persecution of those who do believe. In spite of hardship and persecution, those who follow Jesus will continue to share the good news with others so that all might know the joy of living in relationship with God our Father and our Lord, Jesus Christ.

May God grant us the knowledge, wisdom, courage and strength to speak the truth no matter what the opposition might be so that we might all know the glory of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

His Love Is Always There

"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Psalm 73:25-26 NRSV

Family and friends are great. We need them. We cannot live and actually thrive in isolation. But, for whatever reason sometimes they simply cannot be there for you. Sometimes, they do not seem to be able to comprehend what you might be enduring or they are busy trying to work through their own problems or maybe they are helping someone else who is having a crisis. But, there is one who does understand everything you are going though. He is there for you always. His love for us gives us the strength to endure all things.

We know that He is always there for us. He will always love us. We are never alone. It is difficult not to desire even more of He who loves us so much.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Seek The Lord

Seek the Lord while he may be found,
    call upon him while he is near;

let the wicked forsake their way,
    and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
    and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.

Isaiah 55:6-8

 

God's Peace be with you all. Pr. J

False Apostles and Prophets

I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.” I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
                                                                                                               2 Corinthians 11:2-9 NIV

Do not be deceived by false apostles. There are many who preach a different Jesus than the one whom Paul preaches and teaches. There are many who would preach a different gospel today, as well. Beware, of those with slick tongues, but have very little knowledge. The best way that I have found to know whether someone is an apostle of Christ or a deceiver of Satan is to know scripture. Read your Bibles. Hear the Word of God speak to you through the written word. If what someone tells you cannot be supported by scripture then toss that notion away. It is not for you.

One of the biggest lies that I hear today is preached by those who would teach that if we do this or that, God will give us everything we want. We will be prosperous. Paul was willing to endure hardship; others were willing to give of their own abundance, in order to make it possible for neighboring communities to hear the proclamation of Jesus and his kingdom. God does not promise that we will be wealthy in this world if we follow all the rules and regulations that our little minds can contrive. He does; however, promise us peace of heart and mind even while we are in the midst of persecution for proclaiming the truth.

There is only one reason to want to follow in the footsteps of Jesus into his Kingdom, and that is to be with Jesus. If a preacher is preaching some other reason or goal than Jesus, who is the Kingdom, then run. No, maybe a better alternative to running is to do what St. Paul did: speak the truth. Proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God so that all might believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Lord Is Our God

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might."

Deut 6:4-5

Lonely, frustrated, tired?

Throughout my life, I have spent a lot of time alone mainly due to either my husband's or my careers. I have often been asked if it bothers me to be alone. The answer is no. I am never alone. I have lived long enough to know that there is One who loves me more than all others. He is with me always. He is there for you always.

When we find ourselves tired and weary; lonely or frustrated, there is one we can turn to. Love the Lord your God, who loves you, with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your might even when you think you don't need him. That is when you really need Him the most.

May the Lord bless and keep you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

What Marvelous Things

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him”

1 Corinth 2:9

There are times when I think that God is not answering my prayers fast enough. It is in those times that I have to rethink what I am asking for. Am I being specific and asking for things that is not according to God's will? Maybe, I am asking for less than God desires for those whom I pray for.

When my prayers seem to go unanswered, maybe it's time to recognize that my heart cannot even begin to conceive of the blessings that God has prepared for those whom I care for and pray for. There are times that maybe I should just be praying for God to protect and bless them with the knowledge of how much He loves them instead of trying to steer their lives in the way that I think that they should go. Maybe, I should let go and let God work in their lives more often. That's not to say I shouldn't pray for and help them when they are in need. But, that I should let God do the marvelous works that He does and not interfere quite so much!

May God help us to better understand that our will does not always agree with the will of God for His children.

God's Peace - Pr. J