03/18/2024
One more thing about Pastor Jessica's message:
To Be Jesus’ BFF
There are Bible scholars who have come to believe that Lazarus was probably the best friend Jesus had—outside his family and disciples. He is often in the home of Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus. When there, it feels like Jesus is in a place where he can let his hair down among friends.
What an incredible compliment: to be the place at which Jesus feels most welcome and at home. To be a friend who doesn’t want something or need something or expect something from this extraordinary man. To be able to enjoy Jesus for who he is without an agenda other than to appreciate all the things that made him unique—wow—how fantastic would that be?
One of the undersold aspects of prayer is a kind of Listening Prayer in which we simply invite ourselves to come into the presence of Jesus on his terms, with no expectation of getting anything other than the gift of his presence. There is great satisfaction in simply ‘being’ in a kind of reverent companionship with our Master. In fact, Jesus goes out of his way in John’s gospel to say that he doesn’t regard us only as his disciples, or servants, or heralds—but that he welcomes us as friends.
As we get closer and closer to Easter, I’d encourage to try and find new and creative ways to appreciate and enjoy the friendship Jesus is offering you. Take a short ten minutes every day to come into the presence of this amazing man and let him set the agenda. Just be in the presence of he who is in so many ways “the ground of our being.”
What a friend we have in Jesus, the great, old hymn proclaims. It’s time to step into the shoes of Lazarus and learn once again what it means to move through life with that kind of companionship and friendship.
Archived Posts
One Final Scene About Scrooge
There was one more scene in Dickens’s novel that reveals something of what has happened to Scrooge over the years. I did not have time to share it on Sunday, but I believe it reveals a great deal about the regrets in Scrooge’s life....
What Jacob Marley Would Do,
If He Could Do It…
I thought about using the following for a benediction—since Jacob Marley was warning Scrooge about the danger of loving money and what it could buy. Ends up with the Cantata and everything else going on, I didn’t have the time. So here is what you might have heard if the sermon itself was 5 minutes shorter!
A Confirming Word on Old King Herod
I just want to echo what Rick said in his fine sermon yesterday (Nov. 23). Herod was a ruthless tyrant and skilled politician. When the Magi don’t report back to him, he decides to kill all the male children of Bethlehem under the age of 2. That’s one paranoid dude.
Power Without Conscience?
I ran out of room for this vignette in Sunday’s sermon. Remember the quote that could be the headline for Ahab and Naboth: “All that’s needed for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.” The following reinforces that truth.
The Cars Are Looking for A King
I don’t have a thing to add to Pastor Jessica’s excellent sermon this last Sunday. The fable/parable she shared has been one of my favorites for all the lessons she pulled from it in her message. I was playing around with my friend Chat GPT and after several abortive attempts, we came up with the following modernized version of Judges 9:7-15.
The Lost Benediction
Depending on the length of the sermon, I try to add a little something extra in my benedictions. This week I wrote up a benediction but then realized we’d be singing and waving our umbrellas to some New Orleans jazz.
Change of Focus This Week
Instead of sharing with you about yesterday’s sermon I’d like to invite you to do some background reading for next Sunday’s “Only Murders in the Bible.” Seeing that it is All Saints Day this Sunday, we are going to look at the very first Christian martyr, Stephen.