Reading, Reflection and Prayer

Two accounts of resurrection appearances - on the Emmaus road, and eating fish with the disciples. We think about how Jesus uses these occasions to prepare the disciples for the ascension. Bread and wine, scriptures that point to Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit - all given to sustain those disciples and us in our life of faith.

The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. We think about the criminal on the cross who turns to Jesus and says 'Lord, remember me...'. In many ways a model of how all of us are able to come to Jesus aware of our own sinfulness and simply throwing ourselves on his mercy.

The trial scenes. In front of the council of Elders; off to Pilate; referred to Herod; and sent back to Pilate, where he is unjustly sentenced in response to the pressure of the crowd. We reflect on how 'crowd-think' can so easily overtake us.

Jesus and the disciples in the garden of Gethsemane; his arrest and Peter's denial. Ruth reflects on the sorrow contained in this passage. The disciples are so 'exhausted from sorrow' that they fall asleep at a critical juncture. Jesus has no such opportunity - but must go through it all.

The account of Judas' betrayal, of the last supper and of Jesus predicting Peter's betrayal: 'Satan has asked to sift you like wheat'. We compare the role of Satan in these two stories and also think about the way in which Luke gives us just a little more detail of the passover meal - including the cup before the meal as well as the cup following the meal.

Jesus' prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem and the signs of the end of the age. We reflect on his words to the disciples. He tells them that they will be badly treated and imprisoned and some will be killed. It's a long way from a false version of Christian faith that might suggest that faith will lead to things going better for us in this life. Yet - if the disciples stand firm they will be saved in the end.

A series of taxing questions for Jesus (pun intended). The questioners are 'pretending to be honest' in their intent but are really out to get him. We reflect on the wisdom with which he is able to reply. We also think about the way that in our prayer lives we often deceive ourselves, and yet God is also able to bring clarity and truth to bear as we come before him.

The parable of the tenants. We think about what the master was expecting when he sent his servants to the tenants. What is the fruit that the master expects? We also turn our attention to the stone the builders have rejected that becomes the capstone. Falling onto Jesus leads to our being broken, and this is the precondition of our reconstruction and transformation.

The beginning of controversy in the temple. Ruth focusses on Jesus' description of the temple as a house of prayer. How important to remember that prayer is at the heart of things. It's an encouraging reminder to us in Lent to build our prayer muscles and to grow in our relationship with the Lord.

The triumphal entry. After Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem he laments the destiny of the city. It's rejection of him will lead to its destruction. Ruth comments on the 'weeping' that is evocative of deep sorrow. We think about our need to have the same kind of compassion that Jesus does.

The Rich Young Ruler goes away sad because he cannot respond to Jesus' call to give away his possessions and follow Jesus. Zacchaeus the tax collector spontaneously declares that he will give half of what he has to the poor and repay anyone he has cheated four times over. Jesus declares that salvation has come to his house. Ruth reflects on the connection between these two passages and the way in which repentance is identified by what the two individuals choose to do with their worldly wealth once they encounter Jesus.

We talk about the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Ruth identifies with the expectation of getting good things from God in exchange for the kind of good behavior that the Pharisee demonstrates - prayer, fasting and giving. Yet the only way to be in right relationship with God is humbly on our knees praying 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

Two long parables - the shrewd steward and Dives and Lazarus. The steward is losing his job and so uses the authority he has to make friends while he is still in charge of the master's property. Dives does not take care of Lazarus in this life and so finds himself in the wrong place in the next life. Both stories point us towards the importance of using what God has entrusted us with in this life well.

The stories of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin and the Lost Son. We think about the compassion of the Father and how Jesus is teaching us about the nature of God and his love for those who return to him. The compassion of the Father is mirrored by the humility of the returning son, and we pray for ourselves to have the grace and humility to return to God in this Lenten season.

When Jesus dines at a Pharisee's house, he gives advice to extend dinner invitations beyond your normal circle. To the poor, crippled, lame and blind. The parable that follows includes the same invitation. Lent invites us to remember and be aware of our own poverty before God and the need to give up everything if we want to follow him.

We think about the strong call to repentance in Luke's gospel. When Jesus tells his hearers to 'make every effort to enter through the narrow door', his emphasis is not on the many who will be unable to, but the demand on the individual who is listening to him. Lent gives us a chance to reflect on our lives, and turn to Jesus again in repentance.

We draw out the links between the parable of the rich fool and Jesus' teaching the disciples not to worry. The rich fool builds bigger barns for his possessions and is determined to eat, drink and be merry. The ravens don't have barns, and the disciples are not to worry about what to eat or drink. We think about the need to let go of the hold that material possessions have over us.

Jesus doesn't pull his punches with the Pharisees and Experts in the Law. Hypocrisy is called out, and their religiosity and pride in their own righteousness leads to Jesus calling down woes on them. It seems much better in Luke's gospel to be a wicked person who can see their need of repentance, than a righteous person who is proud and sees no need of God's work in their heart.

We cover a lot of ground in this bible reading - the parable of the Good Samaritan, Mary and Martha, Prayer, Jesus and Beelzebub. We're struck by the persistence in asking that is covered in the section on prayer along with the gift of the Holy Spirit that is promised. It resonates with the story of Mary and Martha. The most important thing is our desire for God himself.

Ruth reflects on the vision Jesus has of Satan falling from heaven. As the disciples are sent out with Jesus' authority to cast out demons and proclaim the kingdom of God, so is Satan's downfall assured. It's important for us, as disciples of Jesus, to know and have confidence in this ultimate victory.

We think about the instruction to the disciples to take nothing with them when Jesus sends them out. No staff, bag, bread, money or extra tunic. Ruth connects this with a recent decision to let go of some things. We have more possessions than we need. What are the spiritual implications of that?

We reflect on the parable of the Sower. Both the way in which worries, riches and pleasure can crowd out spiritual growth and health. And also on the value of perseverance. The good fruit comes as a consequence of faithfully hearing and doing over time. We'd like an instant fix for faith and so this word is encouraging, as it reminds us to stick with following Jesus day by day.

We especially think about the story of Simon the Pharisee and the woman who washes Jesus' feet with her tears. Simon is so short on hospitality that Jesus calls him out on it. We contrast that with the love poured out from the anonymous woman in the story.

Jesus calls Levi and is questioned about why his disciples don't fast. He delivers the Sermon on the Mount. We think about our need to know our spiritual poverty to be able to receive God's blessing. We reflect on how challenging it is to love our enemies and do go to them rather than seeking to get justice or what is fair.

We're reading longer sections of Luke this week. Beginning with the temptation of Jesus, we see that the tool the devil uses to deceive Jesus is the bible! 'It says...' is the strategy of temptation. It's a reminder that we need to read scripture with wisdom and humility, informed by the Holy Spirit. Similarly, the crowd love Jesus when he is saying things that they like, but once he hits a nerve with him, they want to kill him.

The introduction to the ministry of John the Baptist locates us in a real historical event - just like the accounts of Old Testament prophets. The genealogy of Jesus serves a similar purpose of locating Jesus in a particular point of the continuous salvation history of God. We think about the fact that the repentance that John preaches is supposed to look like a changed life, not just a changed heart.

The birth of Jesus and the story of Jesus in the temple as a 12 year old. We reflect that Mary 'treasures these things in her heart' - both at the announcement of the angels and after seeing Jesus in the temple as a child.

John the Baptist is born, and given a name which is unusual for his family. With his birth, Zechariah's speech is restored and he signs a wonderful song of praise and prophecy. This child will prepare the way for the Lord and proclaim the forgiveness of sins.

Gabriel gives Mary some big news, which she accepts humbly. Her cousin is filled with the Holy Spirit when she meets with the pregnant Mary; and Mary responds in a song of praise which reflects the depth of her understanding of what is about to happen through her son.

John the Baptist's birth to a mother who cannot have children is similar to the birth of the prophet Samuel, whose mother is also barren and where an encounter in the temple changes that. Samuel prepare the way for King David and John the Baptist for Jesus. We think about the way that God looks at the heart of Elizabeth and Zechariah as he calls them to this particular role is his salvation history.

Jesus asks Peter 'do you love me'? three times - one for each time that Peter denied him. We reflect on the way that Jesus carefully restores Peter. This leads to a commission from Jesus: 'feed my sheep' and the instruction 'follow me'. The call to follow Jesus came at the beginning of the gospel when Jesus was with the disciples in person. They must now follow him, not in person, but by the leading of the Spirit.

Two accounts of resurrection appearances. Ruth comments that she, like Thomas, would like to see signs of God at work. We think about the way in which the gospel of John leads us to a decision to believe in Jesus and so have life in his name.

Ruth reflects on the piercing of Jesus' side and the water and the blood that flows from there. We share in our lives through baptism and communion in the life and death of Jesus.

John's gospel makes much more of the title 'King of the Jews' than the other gospels. Once Jesus describes real authority as coming from above and identifies himself as the Son of God, Pilate becomes much more circumspect. Perhaps Pilate is beginning to grasp the real significance of who Jesus is. The chief priests declare that their 'only King is Caesar' - and we think about our need to declare Jesus as King in our own lives and ways in which we might resist that.

Jesus prays for himself, for his disciples and for all who will come to believe through them. Ruth is awed by Jesus' desire for us to be with him in his glory, and we think about his prayer for us to be protected from the evil one, and for our lives together as church to reflect the life of God.

Jesus is arrested in a familiar place that he often went with his disciples. It is dark in the description. It must often have been full of light. We reflect on the way in which Jesus is present with the disciples both in good times and bad, and on the betrayal of Peter.

We think about the gift of the Holy Spirit as 'the Counselor'. He's always available and we can listen to his counsel whenever we choose. Ruth reflects on how important it is to learn to listen to his voice at work in our lives.

Jesus is the vine, we are the branches. The command to love one another and the gift of the Holy Spirit. We think about what it means to ask for things in Jesus' name, and about the nature of love - demonstrated in foot washing and then in Jesus' death on the cross.

Jesus tells the disciples that if they have seen him they have seen the Father. He is the way, the truth and the life. Judas (the other Judas) asks why this is not revealed to the whole world. Jesus explains that for anyone who loves him and chooses to obey his teaching it is fully available. God will come and dwell with them.

We talk about the way in which 'the full extent of Jesus' love' is demonstrated in the act of washing the disciples feet. Love has a very concrete and down to earth expression in this act of service. Peter imagines that his love for Jesus will never fail - but Jesus knows that is not going to be the case.

The crowd welcome Jesus into Jerusalem, proclaiming him as their king. Jesus looks towards the cross and the judgement that will bring on the 'prince of this world'. We think about the way in which the freedom that Jesus has come to bring is more powerful and far-reaching than anything the crowd might have imagined.

The leaders are worried that the success of the Jesus movement will mean collapsing the status quo with Rome, and hence is an existential threat to the Jewish nation. We think about the way in which wanting to keep things that are good in and of themselves can lead to not wanting the power of God if it seems to possibly threaten that.

Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. We think about the sisters who both say to Jesus 'Lord, if you'd been here my brother would not have died.' We think about how hard it must have been for them to have dealt with the fact that Jesus did not come to them in a timely fashion. We think about the way in which this resonates with grief and pain that we all face.

We compare the attitudes of the Pharisees with the attitude of Jesus. The first function as policemen for the law - keeping everyone within bounds. Jesus acts as a doctor for the soul - transforming people's hearts and tending his people as a shepherd cares for his flock.

Jesus is both gate and good shepherd in this section of the gospel. Richard reflects on the fact that Jesus as the gate is one of the memory verses from Rooted in Jesus, while Ruth shares the image of a gate that God showed her in the night and which this passage has brought light to.

We read the story of the man born blind. The Jewish leaders are keen to find some flaw in his testimony. They describe themselves as Moses' disciples, not Jesus' disciples - where does Jesus even come from they ask. We reflect on the fact that Moses had a hard time in his lifetime and that the Pharisees maybe wouldn't have been so loyal to him had they been around in his day.

Everyone who sins is a slave to sin, but for those who come to Jesus, the truth sets them free. We reflect on the way in when we sin it makes it harder for us to hear God and easier to deceive ourselves.

The woman caught in adultery and Jesus' testimony about himself. We think about the way that Jesus does not judge or condemn and yet expects the woman to go away and lead a transformed life. We reflect on our unwillingness in our culture to identify ourselves as sinners in need of God's forgiveness and transforming power.

Ruth reflects on the elitism of the Pharisees, who have no respect for anyone without their own learning. Richard is struck by Jesus' description of living water flowing from within those who receive Jesus. We pray for open hearts to know more of Jesus, and to receive fresh water every day.

Jesus says that he does not speak on his own, but speaks what the Father gives him. It's those who choose to do God's will that are able to discern God's voice in the person of Jesus. We reflect on the way in which it is faith, not intellectual smarts or study that are determinative in hearing God.

Jesus tells his disciples that they must eat his flesh. This causes quite some misunderstanding and is the occasion of a number of disciples deserting him. We think about this visceral teaching and the resonance it has with Holy Communion.