Grace & Peace

Today's scripture reading is from Matthew 28:1-10.Although betrayed by his religious community, abandoned by his closest followers, and beaten and killed by the government unjustly, King Jesus has not remained in the grave, but has risen. 

Today's scripture is from Matthew 27:62-66.The religious leaders of Jesus' day were notorious for trying to maintain their reputation through manipulation

Today's text comes from  Matthew 26:30-35.When we look at what is written about the events of this day (Matt. 26:17-75), we can easily focus just on the Lord's supper, but if we do so, we may miss the broader arc that encompasses this day's events and all the way to Jesus' death on Good Friday. 

Our Holy Wednesday scripture reading comes from Matthew 26:6 - 16.The disposition of our hearts is revealed in the way that we respond to Jesus. In these verses, we find the responses of several people, including a woman, identified in other gospels as Mary of Bethany, and one of the disciples, Judas Iscariot.

The third day of Holy Week starts off with an unusual story about Jesus cursing a fig tree and him going on to tell his disciples that they can move mountains through prayer. But the day actually goes on for several more chapters and is filled with parables and confrontations with religious leaders and apocalyptic tales of the end of the world. It was a very strange day indeed. This day and its teaching is often referred to as the Olivet Discourse as it starts and ends on the Mount of Olives just outside of Jerusalem. 

Monday of Holy Week, today's scripture reading comes from Matthew 21:12-22. 

The first day of Holy Week. Today's scripture reading comes from Matthew 21:1-11.

We end today at the beginning of Luke. Luke's account, which we have just read a portion of over the past few weeks begins here but remains timeless. This flashback reminds us that the story of Christ expanded out across many people and places and is still relevant today. 

Herod, sometimes called “Herod the Great” ruled Judea for 30+ years. He was at the end of his life when Jesus was born.

After following a star that appeared in the sky, the Wise Men arrived at King Herod's and asked, “Where is the new king?”. After determining they may be asking about a new king prophesied about in scripture, Herod secretly meets with the Wise Men.

Herod the King was troubled by the appearance of wise men who threatened his kingdom with the promise of a new king so he called in the Chief Priests and Scribes to find out where the baby would be born.

Anna is an elderly widow who, quite literally, lives at the temple, devoting her entire life to the service and worship of God. She loves God with her whole being and rejoices at the appearance of Jesus, the Messiah. 

Mary and Joseph present Jesus as their firstborn son to the temple. Simeon, a righteous priest, has been given a message and is guided by the Holy Spirit.

After hearing a message of great joy for all people to hear, the shepherds don't hesitate before rushing off to find Jesus with Mary and Joseph. They proclaim the good news to anyone who will listen and deliver exhortations to Jesus, praising him as King.

The shepherds here are taking shifts, watching over their flock at night, as they normally would that time of year. As they diligently tend to their business, night suddenly turns to day as the glory of the Lord falls around them and angels arrive to deliver a message. 

After his ascension to the throne of the Roman Empire, Caesar Augustus' reign was the start of what was called Pax Romana, or the Roman Peace. This peace lasted for 200 years and was a great benefit to the world, but it came at a cost.

The Jews, God's chosen people, believed that a Messiah would come to save them. Some imagined that their Messiah would come with great wealth and power, a prince or warrior who would overthrow the Romans. They would have never guessed He would come through a poor girl, like Mary. Mary knows that the Messiah she carries in her womb would challenge the world's cultural mentality of religious and economic privilege.

Mary was one of a faithful remnant of Israel, who for 400 silent years had been awaiting the arrival of their prophesied Savior. Now that His arrival is finally upon her, she is so filled with exceeding joy, that she cannot contain her worship. From her mouth comes an outburst of praise, filled with marvel and wonder. Though Mary may have never guessed her response would be made known to others, the church would echo her canticle for thousands of years.

After hearing about her relative Elizabeth's pregnancy from the angel Gabriel, Mary hurries into the hill country—a considerable distance of about 90 miles—to visit Elizabeth.

We read about the annunciation yesterday, and this is Mary's response. She doesn't answer with joy, but with a desire to understand and a willingness to be used.

Gabriel greets Mary as the favored one, whom the Lord is with. Luke tells us that she is greatly troubled at the saying. Apparently, she is also afraid and at a loss for words.

Matthew connects the prophecy of the coming Messiah, about 700 years prior (Isaiah 7:14), to Joseph'sencounter with an angel in a dream. Originally, Isaiah spoke this prophecy to King Ahaz, to encourage him to trust in the Lord's deliverance for Judah. But the overwhelming Assyrian empire was more real to Ahaz than God was. Though King Ahaz was faithless towards God, God was still faithful in delivering Judah. This very prophecy of the virgin birth, which is unfolding in Mary's womb, is now brought to light by an angel in Joseph's dream. Unlike King Ahaz, Joseph is compelled by God's command.

The author, Matthew, focuses on Joseph's response to this surprising news - Mary is pregnant, but not with Joseph's child.

As Zechariah continues his spontaneous poem, he turns his attention to his newborn son. He reveals the purpose of John's life, that he will be the one to declare Jesus to the nation of Israel. He will prepare Israel for Jesus, speaking of God's salvation and His desire to forgive them of their sins. All because of his tender mercy, God is here again to save his people.

Zechariah's tongue is finally loosed and he is able to speak. Filled with the Holy Spirit, he erupts into a spontaneous poem of remembrance of who God is. It's as if the writer of the story, Luke, is pulling back the curtain and we are getting a glimpse into the bigger picture of God's plan.

The town is abuzz during the circumcision ceremony of Zechariah and Elizabeth's new son, who was born under unusual circumstances.

After years of waiting, an old woman finally becomes a mother.

After his interaction with the angel, Zechariah is left unable to talk.

As Zechariah is going about his priestly duties in the innermost part of the temple, he is surprised by an angel who gives him a startling message.  

The beginning of Jesus's birth story starts in a strange place, not with him, or his parents, but with his relatives and their child. 

God has been at work throughout history, in Israel through Moses and now in Jesus, trying to make himself known to humanity. 

The gospel of John was written “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). Today's scripture highlights that membership to God's family is based on belief rather than ethnic descent or human effort and provides a cautionary tale to illustrate what disbelief can look like. 

The Jews are anticipating the arrival of several leadership characters—Christ, the anointed one, a king from the house of David who would overthrow all injustice and usher in an era of global peace (Isaiah9:6-7); Elijah, who would return to herald the day of the Lord's coming, when the Lord will destroy the wicked (Malachi 3:1, 4:5); and the Prophet, a figure who would lead God's people like Moses did(Deuteronomy 18:15-18). When John the Baptist appears, baptizing and preaching, they are not sure what to make of him.

Advent, Day 1. Today's reading: John 1:1-5."In this poetic cold open to the fourth Gospel, the Apostle John takes the audience back to where it all started—Genesis 1 and the creation of Heaven and Earth."

This part of scripture is so simple that I think we often skip right over it, but two things are happening here. First, Jesus is asking them to do something they feel is unnecessary and kind of redundant. They have already tried all night and have caught nothing, what would have changed in the last few hours? Secondly, they acted in obedience even though they weren’t totally there with their belief and Jesus met them right at the crossroads of their faith and doubt.

As we leave Luke 4, Jesus had gone away to a solitary place, the crowds found him and tried to keep him there with them, but he says, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” So we find him obediently teaching and preaching to the crowds, as he was sent to do. Meanwhile, in the area where Jesus was teaching, there were men going about their everyday ordinary lives. They weren’t there to listen to Jesus, they were there after a day of fishing cleaning out their nets. Nothing flashy or special, just another day. Then Jesus walks into the boat, and into their lives, and requests Simon to push the boat from shore. Simon did as he asked and Jesus continued to teach.

Here we hear Isaiah asking God how long he has to carry out the difficult task of bringing unpleasant news to people. And God answers, “this is going to be tough.” He paints a picture of mass destruction and empty lands. His reference to “a tenth remain” while interpreted in various ways, universally refers to God’s portion, either sacrificially or as a people group set aside and purposed by God. The image of a tree and stump gives hope to Isaiah that this sacrifice, these people, will have purpose, and that the fertile seed will eventually produce new fruit.

Isaiah, the writer of this book, and the people of Israel are the main focus in this story. This passage starts right after Isaiah's vision from God. Immediately after seeing the vision, Isaiah hears God calling out for someone. Without even knowing the task, Isaiah steps forwards and says, “Here I am! Send Me.” God then gives a message for Isaiah to deliver to the people of Israel. Isaiah, in carrying out this task, shows great faith with God as God gives him the heads up that this message will not be well received.

This passage in Isaiah follows after the description of God on a throne with celestial seraphim by His side. Isaiah must be keenly aware of the holiness of God. With nowhere to go and nowhere to hide, Isaiah cries out in helplessness and distress, “Woe is me!” In a spiral of anguish and complete vulnerability, Isaiah can only declare his shortcomings, “I am a man of unclean lips”. Even as a prophet of God his inadequacies make him unfit to stand before God. At that humble moment, one of the seraphim moves to the altar of the temple. The altar is where sacrifices are made; the altar is where death covers sin. The angel takes coal from it and, touching Isaiah’s mouth, says the sweetest words our earthly hearts could long for, “Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

In this passage of Isaiah, Isaiah opens with a vision of God in His temple. The image he paints contains typical elements in an Eastern monarch: a figure of authority in robes on a throne and attendants by his side showing proper respect for his position. However, the figures Isaiah describe are anything but typical. The “attendants,” angels, at His side are seraphim (the word seraph means “to burn”), heavenly beings who are eternal and terrifying in their own right, cover their faces and feet. The action is a traditional way to show deference in the face of royalty. The ethereal, flaming, winged, humanoid creatures at God’s side can do nothing but wait on the Lord. With great humility and reverence, they cry out with praise for God’s name and authority. While Isaiah describes the seraphim in great detail, he is incapable of describing God other than by the way his robes overwhelm the throne. If such creatures as seraphim are helpless to God’s great holiness, how incapable are we to comprehend God’s power and majesty?

In the verses leading up to this passage, the psalmist talks about how he had failed God and was rude to him. Yet, here he approaches God with such assurance. How can you show the psalmist’s confidence in approaching God again?

The psalmist here calls out to God in his suffering. Ask God to help you be confident in His forgiveness, knowing you have a Savior who leans in when you are in distress.

The psalmist here says that those that are forgiven will have an inheritance and close relationship to our Father. Ask God that as you continue to build that relationship, you bear good fruit and maintain His peace in your soul.

We learn here that it is okay to tell God how you feel, even when you know that it’s not true, even when you know the theology that proves your feelings wrong and the memorized verses to go with it. Yet how prone we are to still feel this way. Spend some time calling out to God and telling Him how you honestly feel. Be vulnerable. Be as specific or broad as you feel best represents you right now. Call on God to remember.

The psalmist, King David, asks to be taught and led in the way of the Lord. Ask God to teach you something new about Him or to show you a new piece of His character this day.

Ask God for a new heart that speaks the same words of love and faithfulness that God spoke to you while you were yet a sinner. That, through you, others would see the grace and mercy poured out over them already.