04/18/2019
This week we will be remembering and re-enacting Jesus being led to be crucified. When they came to a place called “the Skull,” the Roman soldiers crucified Jesus, with one criminal on his left, and one on his right. When Jesus was hung on the cross, He was lowered to the level of a criminal. He was brought down to the same level as two criminals. Many people were mocking Christ, including the two criminals. Luke tells us what one of the criminals said: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!!” “If you’re the Messiah, the Son of God, like you say you are, why don’t you get out of this situation?
Why do we need to re-visit the Thursday and Friday events of Holy Week? Because we need to remember that we too mock Jesus and we too need to repent, ask for forgiveness and receive the grace that God intends through His Son Jesus Christ. We have more in common with the criminals than we would like to admit. In the eyes of God, all of us really are criminals. All of us have led lives of disobedience and rebellion against God.
“Do things this way,” God says. And we say, “No, I’ll do things my way instead.” We live lives that violate God’s will over and over again. We even blaspheme our Savior. When things don’t go our way, we say to Jesus, “I doubt that you are the Savior. I doubt that you are the Son of God. Prove it!” It is because of sin that Jesus suffered...sins of the Jews, sins of the Romans, and sins of you and me.
One man hanging beside Jesus changed his heart. Could our hearts be changed also?
Hope to see you at the Holy Weeks services before celebrating the resurrected Christ!
Pastor Patti
Archived Posts
Such A Rich Passage (Luke 19:1-10)
I reflected a lot on the passage about Zacchaeus because it has been written off as “been there, read that, little guy in a tree.” But it is so rich in getting to the heart of what it means to be saved by grace through faith—to live our lives out of gratitude rather than obligation.
The Power of Presence
This last Sunday I had so much more to share than time to share it. The last Emotional Management Technique was to stay present in the process. Just as Jesus stayed with the woman who was judged and found guilty by the angry crowd, we stay by our children and our friends, especially when they need us the most. Here a couple of examples...
What’s In A Benediction?
Last Sunday I used one of my favorite benedictions.
It was inspired by a saying from about ten years ago:
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
There are several powerful and evocative artworks that depict the scene from Mark 9:14–29, where Jesus heals a boy possessed by an unclean spirit... Some of the following have internet links, the others are worth googling. Enjoy!
The Gift of Ourselves As A Gift of Love
The more the giving of myself costs me something, the greater the power of the gift. You know I love quotes, so after a little research, let me share a few of my favorites on this very subject:
The Loss of a Great Christian Leader
The death today of Pope Francis was particularly poignant, falling as it did on the day after Easter. As Protestant Christians we have a once removed interest in the leader of the Roman Catholic church. Yet the pope is the authoritative leader of 1.4 billion women and men around the world. It is worth our time to pause and consider what kind of man and what kind of legacy Pope Francis left behind.
Everything You Wanted To Know About Judas Iscariot
(Drawn from online sources)