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
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God lets Jacob learn through the School of Hard Knocks. Professor Laban is an excellent teacher if you want to learn first-hand how unfair life can be when you live among amoral and self-centered people. Jacob learned some important lessons about himself as well...
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Sunday, I talked about how Jacob was someone who couldn’t take "Yes" for an answer. The question that came out of that observation, which we didn’t have time to talk about it in the sermon, is this: Why do we insist on earning and deserving what is freely given us?
POEM: "Easter is Judgment Day"
I love poetry, but I often find it more difficult to understand than simple prose. It took me a long time to realize that poetry is supposed to call for an entirely different way of seeing and hearing.
From One Detective to Another
The actual quote, that I was alluding to in Sunday’s sermon is from Sherlock Holmes. It is: “When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”
Using Your Blessings to Bless Others
When I said that’s not what Jesus wants from you, I didn’t mean that Jesus doesn’t want your car, home, pans, phone, and TV. He still has need of those things...
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.