A Soldier's Servant
Luke 7:1-1
After Jesus had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.2A centurion there had a slave whom he valued highly, and who was ill and close to death.3When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave.4When they came to Jesus, they appealed to him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy of having you do this for him,5for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us.”6And Jesus went with them, but when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof;7therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed.
A CENTURION WAS A ROMAN soldier, an officer who commanded 60 to 100 soldiers. As for the particular centurion in today’s Scripture, some have suggested that he was retired. He seems to have been a man of some means, having built the synagogue in Capernaum for the Jewish people. (He may have donated the funds or procured them from Rome.) In the DVD that is available for The Way, I show you the ruins of a later synagogue built atop the synagogue this centurion had constructed.
The centurion’s highly valued servant was near death, so the centurion asked the town elders to seek Jesus’ help. Jesus showed no hesitancy about going to heal the servant of a centurion in the Roman occupying army. Nor did he appear hesitant to enter the home of the centurion.
As Jesus was on his way, the soldier sent his friends to say, “Lord, do not trouble yourself to come to my house. I’m not worthy for you to enter my home. Just say the word and my servant will be healed.” Jesus found this remarkable. While many Jews did not yet understand or believe that Jesus was the Messiah, this man recognized Jesus’ ability to heal and his authority over illness, even at some distance. Jesus noted, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith” (Luke 7: 9 NRSV.) Jesus gave the word, and the man’s servant was healed.
Just a few verses earlier, in Luke 6, Jesus taught his followers to love their enemies and do good to those who mistreated them (Luke 6: 28-38). In the story of the centurion, Jesus demonstrated what he had just taught and what he would teach again and again: that his was a call not to take up arms against Romans, but to win them over by acts of kindness and mercy.
We’re not in a land under occupation, so who today is the equivalent of the Roman soldier needing our help? Could it be someone of the opposing political party, a Republican or Democrat? Could it be a person of an entirely different faith from our own? Walking in the footsteps of Jesus means ministering to those who need us, even if they appear to be an outsider or an enemy.
Lord, you dropped what you were doing to heal the servant of your people’s enemy. You did not see him as your enemy but as someone who needed you. Help me to demonstrate love and care for those who are outside my social group, particularly for those who might naturally be considered my enemies. Amen.
Adam Hamilton, The Way: 40 Days of Reflection: Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Thursday, February 28, 2013
WHO ARE YOUR STRETCHER-BEARERS?
Mark 2:1-5
When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
IN THIS ACCOUNT, MARK NOTES that Jesus was “at home” in Capernaum. Once again, as had happened that first night in Capernaum, Jesus was ministering in a house, likely Simon’s home where he was staying. The houses were relatively small, and there were perhaps twenty or thirty people surrounding him as he taught, with more standing in the doorway and at the windows. So, when the friends of a paralyzed man brought him on a stretcher to be touched and healed by Jesus, they could see that there was no getting into the house.
Some friends would have given up, saying, “We’ll have to bring you to Jesus another time,” but not these friends. Refusing to take “no” for an answer, they climbed to the roof of Simon’s house, hoisting their paralyzed friend up with them and intending to lower him through the roof. Luke tells us that the roof consisted of tiles. Mark tells us, in the Greek, that they dug through the roof, which would imply a roof made of mud and reed or palm branches. In either case, these men were determined that Jesus would touch their friend, and they were willing to tear the roof off Simon’s house to see that it happened.
Can you imagine the boisterous Simon Peter looking up as dust began to fall from the ceiling, then seeing the four men pulling off the roof to lower their friend? I can imagine him roaring in anger, “What in the name of Abraham are you doing to my house!?” But I picture Jesus reaching out his hand to calm Peter down. The men lowered their friend before Jesus. Mark tells us, “Seeing their faith, he spoke to the paralytic” and healed him. In other words, the man was healed not because of his own faith, but due to the faith Jesus saw in his friends!
Everyone needs stretcher bearers like these— friends who will carry you when you are at your weakest, friends who not only will pray for you but will do whatever it takes to help you get back on your feet. In my experience, the only way to have such stretcher-bearers is to be a stretcher-bearer like that for someone else. Who are your stretcher-bearers? Whose stretcher-bearer are you? Investing in them could change your life. It did for a man in Capernaum.
Lord, help me to be a stretcher-bearer for others— to give the time and energy to care for them and carry them when they need it most. Help me to be open to the care of others in my time of need. Amen.
Adam Hamilton, The Way-40 Days of Reflection
Mark 2:1-5
When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
IN THIS ACCOUNT, MARK NOTES that Jesus was “at home” in Capernaum. Once again, as had happened that first night in Capernaum, Jesus was ministering in a house, likely Simon’s home where he was staying. The houses were relatively small, and there were perhaps twenty or thirty people surrounding him as he taught, with more standing in the doorway and at the windows. So, when the friends of a paralyzed man brought him on a stretcher to be touched and healed by Jesus, they could see that there was no getting into the house.
Some friends would have given up, saying, “We’ll have to bring you to Jesus another time,” but not these friends. Refusing to take “no” for an answer, they climbed to the roof of Simon’s house, hoisting their paralyzed friend up with them and intending to lower him through the roof. Luke tells us that the roof consisted of tiles. Mark tells us, in the Greek, that they dug through the roof, which would imply a roof made of mud and reed or palm branches. In either case, these men were determined that Jesus would touch their friend, and they were willing to tear the roof off Simon’s house to see that it happened.
Can you imagine the boisterous Simon Peter looking up as dust began to fall from the ceiling, then seeing the four men pulling off the roof to lower their friend? I can imagine him roaring in anger, “What in the name of Abraham are you doing to my house!?” But I picture Jesus reaching out his hand to calm Peter down. The men lowered their friend before Jesus. Mark tells us, “Seeing their faith, he spoke to the paralytic” and healed him. In other words, the man was healed not because of his own faith, but due to the faith Jesus saw in his friends!
Everyone needs stretcher bearers like these— friends who will carry you when you are at your weakest, friends who not only will pray for you but will do whatever it takes to help you get back on your feet. In my experience, the only way to have such stretcher-bearers is to be a stretcher-bearer like that for someone else. Who are your stretcher-bearers? Whose stretcher-bearer are you? Investing in them could change your life. It did for a man in Capernaum.
Lord, help me to be a stretcher-bearer for others— to give the time and energy to care for them and carry them when they need it most. Help me to be open to the care of others in my time of need. Amen.
Adam Hamilton, The Way-40 Days of Reflection
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
The Gentle Healer
Luke 4:38-40
38After leaving the synagogue he entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked him about her.39Then he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately she got up and began to serve them.40As the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various kinds of diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on each of them and cured them.
IN THE COMPANION BOOK TO this devotional, I describe Simon’s house in Capernaum, which appears to have been converted to a church during the early centuries of the Christian faith. In the DVD, I take viewers to see the ruins of this home and the church that was later built over it. This home was likely the house where Jesus stayed when he was in Capernaum.
Upon entering the house following his first Sabbath service in Capernaum, Jesus found Simon’s mother suffering from a high fever. Have you suffered from a high fever? I recently had my appendix removed because it was on the verge of rupturing. The night, before finally going to the doctor, I lay in bed, shaking and suffering with a high fever. The fever continued after surgery, keeping me in the hospital for several days. Though my illness was relatively minor compared to many, by the third night I was more than ready to be done with it and to sleep in my own bed.
That day in Capernaum, as Jesus stood over Simon’s mother-in-law, he told the fever to leave, and with his words the infection in her body was destroyed. Her fever dissipated, and she got up and began to care for Jesus and the guests. I love this: Jesus spoke and the bacteria were banished— the virus vanished.
That night, people from around the countryside brought their sick to Simon’s house, and Jesus touched each of them and healed them. He stayed up all night long healing them. This episode tells us, among other things, that Jesus was filled with compassion for the sick.
Today, Jesus’ primary instrument of healing is still through human touch, by doctors and nurses and physical therapists. Before going in for surgery on my appendix, I asked the surgeon if I could pray for him. I took his hand, thanked him for his compassion and care for the sick, and then prayed, “Lord, thank you for Dr. McCrosky. I pray that you would use him to bring healing to my body. Bless him and help him as he seeks to help me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” In the end he removed my appendix, treated my infection, and three days later I was home and feeling great. God used him as an agent of healing.
Those in the medical professions— doctors, nurses, hospital technicians, and therapists— all follow in the footsteps of Jesus through the work that they do.
The stories of Christ’s healing ministry point to his compassion for the sick. When you are sick, know that he is always near. And pray for your doctors and nurses, because they are the instruments he uses most often to bring healing to our bodies.
Lord, grant me compassion for others when they are sick. Thank you for doctors and nurses and for all who work in the medical professions. Bless them in the work that they do. Amen.
Adam Hamilton, The Way-40 Days of Reflection
IN THE COMPANION BOOK TO this devotional, I describe Simon’s house in Capernaum, which appears to have been converted to a church during the early centuries of the Christian faith. In the DVD, I take viewers to see the ruins of this home and the church that was later built over it. This home was likely the house where Jesus stayed when he was in Capernaum.
Upon entering the house following his first Sabbath service in Capernaum, Jesus found Simon’s mother suffering from a high fever. Have you suffered from a high fever? I recently had my appendix removed because it was on the verge of rupturing. The night, before finally going to the doctor, I lay in bed, shaking and suffering with a high fever. The fever continued after surgery, keeping me in the hospital for several days. Though my illness was relatively minor compared to many, by the third night I was more than ready to be done with it and to sleep in my own bed.
That day in Capernaum, as Jesus stood over Simon’s mother-in-law, he told the fever to leave, and with his words the infection in her body was destroyed. Her fever dissipated, and she got up and began to care for Jesus and the guests. I love this: Jesus spoke and the bacteria were banished— the virus vanished.
That night, people from around the countryside brought their sick to Simon’s house, and Jesus touched each of them and healed them. He stayed up all night long healing them. This episode tells us, among other things, that Jesus was filled with compassion for the sick.
Today, Jesus’ primary instrument of healing is still through human touch, by doctors and nurses and physical therapists. Before going in for surgery on my appendix, I asked the surgeon if I could pray for him. I took his hand, thanked him for his compassion and care for the sick, and then prayed, “Lord, thank you for Dr. McCrosky. I pray that you would use him to bring healing to my body. Bless him and help him as he seeks to help me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” In the end he removed my appendix, treated my infection, and three days later I was home and feeling great. God used him as an agent of healing.
Those in the medical professions— doctors, nurses, hospital technicians, and therapists— all follow in the footsteps of Jesus through the work that they do.
The stories of Christ’s healing ministry point to his compassion for the sick. When you are sick, know that he is always near. And pray for your doctors and nurses, because they are the instruments he uses most often to bring healing to our bodies.
Lord, grant me compassion for others when they are sick. Thank you for doctors and nurses and for all who work in the medical professions. Bless them in the work that they do. Amen.
Adam Hamilton, The Way-40 Days of Reflection
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Exorcising Demons
Luke 4:31-35
31He went down to Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and was teaching them on the sabbath.32They were astounded at his teaching, because he spoke with authority.33In the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice,34“Let us alone! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.”35But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” When the demon had thrown him down before them, he came out of him without having done him any harm.
JESUS LEFT NAZARETH AND MADE his way to the lakefront village of Capernaum, on the Sea of Galilee. There he attempted to teach and preach in the synagogue, as he had at Nazareth. But what a difference! The people “were astounded at his teaching.”
While teaching, Jesus was confronted by a man who was possessed by a demon. This was the first of many times in the Gospel record in which Jesus encountered the demonic. What we find in these encounters is that the demons were always afraid of Jesus, and they had no power compared to his. In Luke 4: 34, a man possessed by a demon shouted at the top of his voice, “Jesus of Nazareth, have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God."
Recently I sat down with a young man struggling with what the doctors diagnosed as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He was having thoughts that God did not want him to sit in a certain chair, or to drive on a certain road, or to walk into a certain place, and if he disobeyed, he believed he was betraying Christ and serving the devil. This was an otherwise healthy, successful, and intelligent young man.
The OCD was using his spirituality to rob him of life. I suggested that the OC thoughts were destructive and in fact were the antithesis of the freedom Christ intended him to have. In this sense his illness was demonic— demonic being the opposite of Christ’s way. I said that I did not know if the voices he was hearing were merely his own, shaped by OCD, or if there was a spiritual entity behind them. Either way, the stories of Jesus’ exorcism of demons could be helpful.
I reminded the young man about the story of the demon-possessed man in the synagogue at Capernaum, and how the demon was silenced when Jesus said, “Be still!” Then the demon left when Jesus said, “Come out!” I suggested that, in addition to receiving therapy and medicine, the young man should say to the voice he was hearing, “I know you are lying to me. In the name of Jesus Christ, leave me alone!” Several weeks ago I heard back from the young man, who told me this approach had provided a degree of relief from his OCD that medication and therapy alone had not provided.
When I have thoughts that I know are not of God— such as temptations, fears, or ideas that would lead me astray— I speak aloud to the devil, and perhaps to myself, “In the name of Jesus Christ, leave me alone!” Whether the thoughts are the whispers of demons, or merely the dark side of my own psyche, they are almost always silenced when I command them to leave in the name of Jesus.
Lord Jesus, in your presence the demons were silenced. When you said, “flee” they were forced to flee. Set me free from the voices that would lead me away from you. Help me to walk in freedom and joy. Protect me from the evil one. Amen.
Adam Hamilton, The Way-40 Days of Reflection
JESUS LEFT NAZARETH AND MADE his way to the lakefront village of Capernaum, on the Sea of Galilee. There he attempted to teach and preach in the synagogue, as he had at Nazareth. But what a difference! The people “were astounded at his teaching.”
While teaching, Jesus was confronted by a man who was possessed by a demon. This was the first of many times in the Gospel record in which Jesus encountered the demonic. What we find in these encounters is that the demons were always afraid of Jesus, and they had no power compared to his. In Luke 4: 34, a man possessed by a demon shouted at the top of his voice, “Jesus of Nazareth, have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God."
Recently I sat down with a young man struggling with what the doctors diagnosed as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He was having thoughts that God did not want him to sit in a certain chair, or to drive on a certain road, or to walk into a certain place, and if he disobeyed, he believed he was betraying Christ and serving the devil. This was an otherwise healthy, successful, and intelligent young man.
The OCD was using his spirituality to rob him of life. I suggested that the OC thoughts were destructive and in fact were the antithesis of the freedom Christ intended him to have. In this sense his illness was demonic— demonic being the opposite of Christ’s way. I said that I did not know if the voices he was hearing were merely his own, shaped by OCD, or if there was a spiritual entity behind them. Either way, the stories of Jesus’ exorcism of demons could be helpful.
I reminded the young man about the story of the demon-possessed man in the synagogue at Capernaum, and how the demon was silenced when Jesus said, “Be still!” Then the demon left when Jesus said, “Come out!” I suggested that, in addition to receiving therapy and medicine, the young man should say to the voice he was hearing, “I know you are lying to me. In the name of Jesus Christ, leave me alone!” Several weeks ago I heard back from the young man, who told me this approach had provided a degree of relief from his OCD that medication and therapy alone had not provided.
When I have thoughts that I know are not of God— such as temptations, fears, or ideas that would lead me astray— I speak aloud to the devil, and perhaps to myself, “In the name of Jesus Christ, leave me alone!” Whether the thoughts are the whispers of demons, or merely the dark side of my own psyche, they are almost always silenced when I command them to leave in the name of Jesus.
Lord Jesus, in your presence the demons were silenced. When you said, “flee” they were forced to flee. Set me free from the voices that would lead me away from you. Help me to walk in freedom and joy. Protect me from the evil one. Amen.
Adam Hamilton, The Way-40 Days of Reflection
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
Nazareth Rejects Jesus
Luke 4:16, 29
16When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,
29They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff.
JESUS HAD JUST RETURNED HOME after a two- to three-month journey that included his baptism by John and forty days of fasting in the wilderness. On the Sabbath, he entered the small synagogue in Nazareth to preach what may have been his first sermon in his hometown. Jesus’ family was present, along with those who had grown up with him and those who had watched him grow up. Jesus all but announced that he was the Messiah, come to bring good news to the poor. He went on to make clear that he would minister not only to Jews but also to Gentiles.
It was Jesus’ willingness to minister with Gentiles that most upset those in the synagogue. Pondering this, I could not help but think of politics in America. In some churches, a pastor who admitted voting Democrat would be run out of the congregation, while in others, a pastor who admitted voting Republican would suffer the same fate. Our convictions about who is in and who is out, about who is loved by God and who isn’t, often run deep.
Jesus’ reference to Gentiles’ receiving the grace of God infuriated many in the synagogue. By the time he was finished, the men of the synagogue were so angry that they dragged him outside and planned to throw him off a cliff! Had that been my first experience preaching in my own hometown, I think it also would have been my last experience preaching. I might have given up.
This would not be the last time Jesus was rejected. The religious leaders would reject him again and again. Even many of his followers would turn away. At times people would beg him to leave town. One of his disciples would betray him. The others would deny knowing him. Ultimately he would be crucified.
Rejection is a part of life. We all know it from time to time. After experiencing rejection, there comes the temptation to give up. It hurts, and we don’t like being hurt, so we choose never again to say or do the things that caused us to be rejected.
There are times when our rejection comes because we missed the mark. In those cases we have to learn from rejection, allowing it to be a springboard for getting it right the next time.
But there are other times when what we said or did was right, yet it led to our rejection. Every great leader in the Bible and throughout history knew this type of rejection. What made these leaders great was that they refused to give up.
When you have been criticized, persecuted, or rejected for saying and doing what is right, you must
follow the example of Jesus who, when he was rejected, refused to give up.
Lord, thank you for persevering in the face of rejection. Help me to learn from rejection and to grow through it. When rejection comes because I've said or done the right thing, give me the strength and courage to not give up. Amen.
Adam Hamilton, The Way-40 Days of Reflection
29They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff.
JESUS HAD JUST RETURNED HOME after a two- to three-month journey that included his baptism by John and forty days of fasting in the wilderness. On the Sabbath, he entered the small synagogue in Nazareth to preach what may have been his first sermon in his hometown. Jesus’ family was present, along with those who had grown up with him and those who had watched him grow up. Jesus all but announced that he was the Messiah, come to bring good news to the poor. He went on to make clear that he would minister not only to Jews but also to Gentiles.
It was Jesus’ willingness to minister with Gentiles that most upset those in the synagogue. Pondering this, I could not help but think of politics in America. In some churches, a pastor who admitted voting Democrat would be run out of the congregation, while in others, a pastor who admitted voting Republican would suffer the same fate. Our convictions about who is in and who is out, about who is loved by God and who isn’t, often run deep.
Jesus’ reference to Gentiles’ receiving the grace of God infuriated many in the synagogue. By the time he was finished, the men of the synagogue were so angry that they dragged him outside and planned to throw him off a cliff! Had that been my first experience preaching in my own hometown, I think it also would have been my last experience preaching. I might have given up.
This would not be the last time Jesus was rejected. The religious leaders would reject him again and again. Even many of his followers would turn away. At times people would beg him to leave town. One of his disciples would betray him. The others would deny knowing him. Ultimately he would be crucified.
Rejection is a part of life. We all know it from time to time. After experiencing rejection, there comes the temptation to give up. It hurts, and we don’t like being hurt, so we choose never again to say or do the things that caused us to be rejected.
There are times when our rejection comes because we missed the mark. In those cases we have to learn from rejection, allowing it to be a springboard for getting it right the next time.
But there are other times when what we said or did was right, yet it led to our rejection. Every great leader in the Bible and throughout history knew this type of rejection. What made these leaders great was that they refused to give up.
When you have been criticized, persecuted, or rejected for saying and doing what is right, you must
follow the example of Jesus who, when he was rejected, refused to give up.
Lord, thank you for persevering in the face of rejection. Help me to learn from rejection and to grow through it. When rejection comes because I've said or done the right thing, give me the strength and courage to not give up. Amen.
Adam Hamilton, The Way-40 Days of Reflection
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Week Two
The Healing Ministry
Capernaum
The Healing Ministry
Capernaum
Matthew 4:12-13
12Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.13He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,
Mark 1:21-25
21They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught.22They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.23Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit,24and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.”25But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”
Mark 1:29-32
29As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once.31He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.32That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons.
Notes for the week come from The Way-worship package, Matthew Kelley
Jesus
continues to demonstrate how he stands in the shoes of human beings by being
present in, and redeeming, the worst situations we create for ourselves. A
number of these demonstrations take place in the context of healing. Jesus
healed people of diseases and demon possession and even raised people from the
dead! Our reaction? These are pretty incredible stories, but how can something that
seems so fantastic and supernatural have anything to do with God meeting us on
a mundane, human level?
Well, if we set aside for a moment
the more sensational aspects of these stories and look at them as one human
being interacting with another, we see that the people Jesus healed all had
something in common. Their afflictions isolated them from everyone else.
Jesus spent most of his ministry in
the rural areas of northern Israel, not in cities like Jerusalem. Towns such as
Nazareth and Capernaum were isolated from the hustle and bustle of the big city,
and many of the folks there probably didn’t know or care about the latest news
from across the empire. But one of the ironies of a small, isolated town is
that it’s hard to be anonymous. Everybody knows everybody else, and they all
know each other’s business. In a big, densely populated city, someone with a
skin disease or other affliction could easily hide and get lost in the crowd,
but in a small town, everybody knew who the lepers and the demon-possessed
people were. These people were isolated because everyone knew who they were and
shunned them. It’s into this particular pain of loneliness and isolation that
Jesus met the people he healed.
Early in Mark’s gospel, a
demon-possessed man interrupted when Jesus was teaching the crowds. This
probably was not the first time the man had interrupted a public gathering, and
the people were probably ready to run him off again. But Jesus commanded the
unclean spirits to come out, restoring the man to sanity and enabling him to
rejoin the community. Jesus did more than cast out demonic spirits; he healed
this man’s isolation and loneliness.
Jesus did the same thing for blind
men and a man unable to speak (Matthew 9:27-34). By making them whole again, he
enabled them to participate fully in the life of their community. Jesus did the
same for ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19) who were shunned because of their skin
disease.
Jesus identified with those who were
shunned and isolated because he had been there, too. Jesus found himself
rejected by the people in his hometown after he proclaimed that Isaiah’s
prophecy of the “year of the Lord’s favor” was being fulfilled (Luke 4:14-30). Then,
as now, Jesus stands in our shoes, goes through everything we experience, and
shows us it is possible to start a new path and walk in God’s way.
...What areas in our lives long for God's healing, wholeness and salvation? May we know the healing that is God's love as we continue this journey together! Rich Greenway
Friday, February 22, 2013
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Money and Power
Matthew 4:8-10
8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor;9and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”10Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’”
IN APRIL OF 2011, A SEVENTEEN-year-old Chinese high school student named Wang made news around the world after it was discovered that he had sold one of his kidneys to buy an iPhone and an iPad. His mother later reported that, in fact, Wang had received $ 3,500 for his kidney, and only after receiving the money did he decide to buy the technology devices. Nevertheless, Wang’s story became a kind of parable about confused values and the lure of money. Five people were arrested for luring Wang to sell his kidney, including the surgeon who harvested it.
We are shocked by such stories of misguided and potentially deadly acts in pursuit of more, and yet, aren’t many of us in a way guilty of similar acts? I think of the economic crisis of 2008 that unfolded first in the United States and then around the world, which continues to shape our economy years later. Americans mortgaged their futures to buy iPads and iPhones, big screen televisions, and mini-mansions. Even those not living beyond their means benefited from increases in the stock market and housing market that resulted from unbridled spending.
Jesus, too, was tempted by wealth. The fact that he knew its allure allowed him to teach powerfully on the subject. He taught his disciples that one’s life does not consist of the abundance of possessions. He preached that we cannot serve both God and money. He taught and modeled for his disciples that “the one who would be great among you must become your servant.” In this temptation, Jesus came face to face with the lure of wealth and power and said, “No! For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve only him’ ” (Matthew 4: 10).
In what ways do you struggle with materialism? How much energy do you devote to “storing up treasures on earth?” Jesus was right to associate this temptation with false worship. Without even realizing it, we can make the desire for wealth into an idol.
Jesus knew this temptation, and he sought to show us a better way. Wealth is not evil in and of itself. But, Paul rightly wrote, “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6: 10). Paul offered the antidote when he advised us to “do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up . . . the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that [we] may take hold of the life that really is life” (1 Timothy 6: 18-19).
Lord, you know what it is to be tempted by the desire for riches. Help me to say no to the false gods of wealth and power, and instead to worship and serve only you. Help me to be generous and ready to share. Amen.
Adam Hamilton, The Way-40 Days of Reflection
IN APRIL OF 2011, A SEVENTEEN-year-old Chinese high school student named Wang made news around the world after it was discovered that he had sold one of his kidneys to buy an iPhone and an iPad. His mother later reported that, in fact, Wang had received $ 3,500 for his kidney, and only after receiving the money did he decide to buy the technology devices. Nevertheless, Wang’s story became a kind of parable about confused values and the lure of money. Five people were arrested for luring Wang to sell his kidney, including the surgeon who harvested it.
We are shocked by such stories of misguided and potentially deadly acts in pursuit of more, and yet, aren’t many of us in a way guilty of similar acts? I think of the economic crisis of 2008 that unfolded first in the United States and then around the world, which continues to shape our economy years later. Americans mortgaged their futures to buy iPads and iPhones, big screen televisions, and mini-mansions. Even those not living beyond their means benefited from increases in the stock market and housing market that resulted from unbridled spending.
Jesus, too, was tempted by wealth. The fact that he knew its allure allowed him to teach powerfully on the subject. He taught his disciples that one’s life does not consist of the abundance of possessions. He preached that we cannot serve both God and money. He taught and modeled for his disciples that “the one who would be great among you must become your servant.” In this temptation, Jesus came face to face with the lure of wealth and power and said, “No! For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve only him’ ” (Matthew 4: 10).
In what ways do you struggle with materialism? How much energy do you devote to “storing up treasures on earth?” Jesus was right to associate this temptation with false worship. Without even realizing it, we can make the desire for wealth into an idol.
Jesus knew this temptation, and he sought to show us a better way. Wealth is not evil in and of itself. But, Paul rightly wrote, “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6: 10). Paul offered the antidote when he advised us to “do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up . . . the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that [we] may take hold of the life that really is life” (1 Timothy 6: 18-19).
Lord, you know what it is to be tempted by the desire for riches. Help me to say no to the false gods of wealth and power, and instead to worship and serve only you. Help me to be generous and ready to share. Amen.
Adam Hamilton, The Way-40 Days of Reflection
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Friday, February 22, 2013
Suspending the Laws of Physics
I LOVE TO BE DARING— not too daring, but just a bit. I like to ski, fast. I enjoy riding my motorcycle with the wind at my face and the pavement under my feet. I like to hike in the mountains, getting fairly close to the edge. I enjoy taking mission trips to developing nations, hiking alone with a backpack across Israel, and traveling to retrace Moses’ life even as Egypt is experiencing turmoil.
These things all come with risks. I try to calculate those risks and minimize them by, for example, wearing a helmet when riding my motorcycle or avoiding trips to locations that are too dangerous. But I’m also aware that there is some element of risk in almost everything we do. It’s impossible to avoid completely. Every time I get in my car to drive, there is risk involved.
Do I believe that because I am a Christian, a pastor, a tither or because I carry a Bible in my back pocket every day, nothing bad will happen to me? No. Bad things happen to Christians, to pastors, and to tithers.
I knew a man who died while showing off driving his very fast car. His friends were angry, wanting to know how God could have let it happen. The man was in the prime of life, was the father of two children, and he was a follower of Jesus. But the laws of physics still applied.
This is part of what I think the devil meant when he suggested that Jesus jump from the pinnacle of the Temple. The devil even quoted one of the beautiful Psalms of promise: “Jump, Jesus, for the Scripture says he protects those he loves, and he’ll protect you” (Matthew 4: 6, paraphrase). In jumping, Jesus could prove to himself, and to all in the Temple courts, that he really was the Son of God. But Jesus responded, “It is also written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” In other words, even Jesus wasn’t expecting God to suspend the laws of physics if he jumped.
Jesus, at times I've been confused by the tragedies that happen in our world. I want you to suspend the laws of nature and protect those I love, and yet I see that even you did not expect this from the Father. Help me to live wisely, and to trust that in living and dying I will belong to you. Amen.
Adam Hamilton, The Way-40 Days of Reflection
Matthew 4:5-7
5Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple,6saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’”7Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
I LOVE TO BE DARING— not too daring, but just a bit. I like to ski, fast. I enjoy riding my motorcycle with the wind at my face and the pavement under my feet. I like to hike in the mountains, getting fairly close to the edge. I enjoy taking mission trips to developing nations, hiking alone with a backpack across Israel, and traveling to retrace Moses’ life even as Egypt is experiencing turmoil.
These things all come with risks. I try to calculate those risks and minimize them by, for example, wearing a helmet when riding my motorcycle or avoiding trips to locations that are too dangerous. But I’m also aware that there is some element of risk in almost everything we do. It’s impossible to avoid completely. Every time I get in my car to drive, there is risk involved.
Do I believe that because I am a Christian, a pastor, a tither or because I carry a Bible in my back pocket every day, nothing bad will happen to me? No. Bad things happen to Christians, to pastors, and to tithers.
I knew a man who died while showing off driving his very fast car. His friends were angry, wanting to know how God could have let it happen. The man was in the prime of life, was the father of two children, and he was a follower of Jesus. But the laws of physics still applied.
This is part of what I think the devil meant when he suggested that Jesus jump from the pinnacle of the Temple. The devil even quoted one of the beautiful Psalms of promise: “Jump, Jesus, for the Scripture says he protects those he loves, and he’ll protect you” (Matthew 4: 6, paraphrase). In jumping, Jesus could prove to himself, and to all in the Temple courts, that he really was the Son of God. But Jesus responded, “It is also written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” In other words, even Jesus wasn’t expecting God to suspend the laws of physics if he jumped.
Jesus, at times I've been confused by the tragedies that happen in our world. I want you to suspend the laws of nature and protect those I love, and yet I see that even you did not expect this from the Father. Help me to live wisely, and to trust that in living and dying I will belong to you. Amen.
Adam Hamilton, The Way-40 Days of Reflection
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Tempted by Food
Matthew 4:1-4
4Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.2He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.3The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”4But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
I weighed myself this morning. I was one pound heavier than yesterday. How did that happen? Ugh! It's a constant battle in my life. Do I eat that extra piece of pizza? Do I grab a handful of dark chocolate peanut M&Ms from the jar by my desk? Do I super-size it, or accept the smallish regular size? And yes, I like my cake a la mode.
I struggle daily with the temptation of food. The percentage of Americans who are overweight tells me that I'm not alone.
Immediately after hearing the voice of the Father saying he was God's beloved son, Jesus left John and the Jordan behind and made his way to the wilderness to fast and pray for forty days. The wilderness of Judea is breathtakingly beautiful. It is a desert made up of mountains and hills and hundreds of ravines cut by rivers that flow when the rains come. Caves line the walls of the ravines and the sides of the mountains. Once, thousands of monks lived in those caves; a few monks who still live there can be found in one of the handful of monasteries built into those mountainsides.
Jesus came to the desert to fast for forty days, just as Moses and Elijah had done centuries before him. Fasting is difficult because food is our most basic of needs. Our brains are wired to be looking constantly for the next meal. Fasting is a way of reminding ourselves that we "do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."
The devil came to Jesus near the end of his fast. I doubt that the devil appeared in physical form; instead, he probably came as he does when tempting or testing us, through a whisper or a thought planted in our brain that will not let us go. The temptation was for Jesus to break his fast and eat. It was food the tempter tested him with, just as he had tested Adam and Eve in the Garden long before.
Interpreters have seen much more in this temptation. The devil twice remarked, "If you ar the Son of God..." as if Jesus' struggle was whether he really believed what God had said at the Jordan River. This is precisely how the devil tempted Adam and Eve: "Did God really say not to eat the fruit of this treee?" (Genesis 3:1). Perhaps Jesus' real temptation was to use his power to alleviate the hunger he felt, just as later he was tempted to use his power to avoid the cross. Maybe the devil was planting a seed in his mind that if he could turn stones to bread, he might also win followers while bypassing the cross. All of these thoughts may have been part of the temptation that day.
Ultimately, as I read this temptation, I remember that Jesus was tempted by the very thing I struggle with each day. He had the self-control to say no to the devil's whispers, to neither break fast nor use his powers for self-preservation. Jesus reminded himself and the devil that we don't live by bread alone. We live by the words that proceed from the mouth of God. Thin, in the end, is the point of fasting.
Jesus, thank you for revealing the story of your temptation to the disciples, who share those stories with us. It is good to know that you, too, struggled with temptation. Help me in my struggles with the tempter. Amen.
Adam Hamilton, The Way-40 Days of Reflection
I weighed myself this morning. I was one pound heavier than yesterday. How did that happen? Ugh! It's a constant battle in my life. Do I eat that extra piece of pizza? Do I grab a handful of dark chocolate peanut M&Ms from the jar by my desk? Do I super-size it, or accept the smallish regular size? And yes, I like my cake a la mode.
I struggle daily with the temptation of food. The percentage of Americans who are overweight tells me that I'm not alone.
Immediately after hearing the voice of the Father saying he was God's beloved son, Jesus left John and the Jordan behind and made his way to the wilderness to fast and pray for forty days. The wilderness of Judea is breathtakingly beautiful. It is a desert made up of mountains and hills and hundreds of ravines cut by rivers that flow when the rains come. Caves line the walls of the ravines and the sides of the mountains. Once, thousands of monks lived in those caves; a few monks who still live there can be found in one of the handful of monasteries built into those mountainsides.
Jesus came to the desert to fast for forty days, just as Moses and Elijah had done centuries before him. Fasting is difficult because food is our most basic of needs. Our brains are wired to be looking constantly for the next meal. Fasting is a way of reminding ourselves that we "do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."
The devil came to Jesus near the end of his fast. I doubt that the devil appeared in physical form; instead, he probably came as he does when tempting or testing us, through a whisper or a thought planted in our brain that will not let us go. The temptation was for Jesus to break his fast and eat. It was food the tempter tested him with, just as he had tested Adam and Eve in the Garden long before.
Interpreters have seen much more in this temptation. The devil twice remarked, "If you ar the Son of God..." as if Jesus' struggle was whether he really believed what God had said at the Jordan River. This is precisely how the devil tempted Adam and Eve: "Did God really say not to eat the fruit of this treee?" (Genesis 3:1). Perhaps Jesus' real temptation was to use his power to alleviate the hunger he felt, just as later he was tempted to use his power to avoid the cross. Maybe the devil was planting a seed in his mind that if he could turn stones to bread, he might also win followers while bypassing the cross. All of these thoughts may have been part of the temptation that day.
Ultimately, as I read this temptation, I remember that Jesus was tempted by the very thing I struggle with each day. He had the self-control to say no to the devil's whispers, to neither break fast nor use his powers for self-preservation. Jesus reminded himself and the devil that we don't live by bread alone. We live by the words that proceed from the mouth of God. Thin, in the end, is the point of fasting.
Jesus, thank you for revealing the story of your temptation to the disciples, who share those stories with us. It is good to know that you, too, struggled with temptation. Help me in my struggles with the tempter. Amen.
Adam Hamilton, The Way-40 Days of Reflection
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
The Baptism of Jesus
Matthew 3:13-17
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.14John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”15But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.16And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
Jesus was intentional about beginning his public ministry by coming to his cousin, John, to be baptized. This was a kind of ordination and unveiling for Jesus.
But why would Jesus be baptized? Why would he need a "baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins?" This is a question Christians have wrestled with since the first Gospels were written. Matthew raises the question for us by citing John's words to Jesus: "I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?" (Matthew 3:14).
In choosing to be baptized, Jesus was identifying fully with humanity. He stood publicly with those who felt alienated from God and in need of Grace. He waded into the water with the broken, the guilty, and those who felt far from God. This was a foreshadowing of what he would do in his ministry, when he befriended sinners and tax collectors, and ultimately when he died on the cross.
I'm reminded of Joan Osborne's 1995 song, "One of Us," that famously asked, "What if God was one of us / Just a slob like one of us." When Jesus stepped into the Jordan River to be baptized, he was "just a slob like one of us." He was showing himself to be the "Son of Man," a phrase that appears eighty-one times in the Gospels to describe Jesus.
But even as Jesus showed himself to be the Son of Man, the heavens opened, the Spirit descended, and the heard the voice of God say, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). He was not only the Son of Man. He was the beloved Son of God.
Jesus was called "Beloved" by the father. The greek word is agapetos, and it is a term of great affection. I think of the love I have for my daughters and my wife, who are beloved to me. The apostles came to use the word as a way of addressing their fellow Christians. Again and again in the letters on the New Testament, the apostles addresse Christians as "Beloved." Who are they beloved by? They, and we, are beloved by God.
We believe that in our baptism God claims us as his beloved children, just as he did with Jesus, his only begotten Son. When we remember our baptisms, we remember our identity, and we remember that God has a deep affection for all of us. We are God's beloved children.
As you reflect upon Jesus' baptism, remember his humility in choosing to identify with broken and sinful people. Remember the Father's claim in his baptism, that Jesus was his beloved son. But pause for a moment to remember your own baptism. Know that God has claimed you as his beloved child.
Jesus, thank you for identifying with our human brokenness--that we might identify with your diving sonship. Help me to believe that I really am one of the Father's beloved.
Amen.
Adam Hamiliton, The Way-40 Days of Reflection
Jesus was intentional about beginning his public ministry by coming to his cousin, John, to be baptized. This was a kind of ordination and unveiling for Jesus.
But why would Jesus be baptized? Why would he need a "baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins?" This is a question Christians have wrestled with since the first Gospels were written. Matthew raises the question for us by citing John's words to Jesus: "I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?" (Matthew 3:14).
In choosing to be baptized, Jesus was identifying fully with humanity. He stood publicly with those who felt alienated from God and in need of Grace. He waded into the water with the broken, the guilty, and those who felt far from God. This was a foreshadowing of what he would do in his ministry, when he befriended sinners and tax collectors, and ultimately when he died on the cross.
I'm reminded of Joan Osborne's 1995 song, "One of Us," that famously asked, "What if God was one of us / Just a slob like one of us." When Jesus stepped into the Jordan River to be baptized, he was "just a slob like one of us." He was showing himself to be the "Son of Man," a phrase that appears eighty-one times in the Gospels to describe Jesus.
But even as Jesus showed himself to be the Son of Man, the heavens opened, the Spirit descended, and the heard the voice of God say, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). He was not only the Son of Man. He was the beloved Son of God.
Jesus was called "Beloved" by the father. The greek word is agapetos, and it is a term of great affection. I think of the love I have for my daughters and my wife, who are beloved to me. The apostles came to use the word as a way of addressing their fellow Christians. Again and again in the letters on the New Testament, the apostles addresse Christians as "Beloved." Who are they beloved by? They, and we, are beloved by God.
We believe that in our baptism God claims us as his beloved children, just as he did with Jesus, his only begotten Son. When we remember our baptisms, we remember our identity, and we remember that God has a deep affection for all of us. We are God's beloved children.
As you reflect upon Jesus' baptism, remember his humility in choosing to identify with broken and sinful people. Remember the Father's claim in his baptism, that Jesus was his beloved son. But pause for a moment to remember your own baptism. Know that God has claimed you as his beloved child.
Jesus, thank you for identifying with our human brokenness--that we might identify with your diving sonship. Help me to believe that I really am one of the Father's beloved.
Amen.
Adam Hamiliton, The Way-40 Days of Reflection
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Fruits Worthy of Repentance
Luke 3:8-11
Luke 3:8-11
(And John the Baptizer said to them,) 8Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” 10And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” 11In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.”
Repentance involves the entire person: head, heart, and hands. The word in Greek, metanoia, means literally to "think differently afterward" and signifies a change of thinking that leads to a change of heart that leads ultimately to a change in behavior. It is not enough, John said to the multitudes who came to be baptized, to step into the water. Repentance is accompanied by a change in life--there must be fruit born of repentance and baptism.
It is interesting to note that in the Gospel According to Luke, when the people asked what this fruit looked like, all three of John's responses were economic in nature. Fruit worthy of repentance involved a person who had two coats sharing one with a person who had none (verse 11). For tax collectors, it was making sure not to overcharge people when collecting taxes (verse 13). And for soldiers, it was refusing to extort money through false accusations and being content with their pay (verse 14).
John's list wasn't comprehensive, but it was interesting nonetheless. If you and I are seeking to live as those who are repentant sinners--as those who wish to live for God--then we'll share with those in need, we'll be fair in our business dealings, and we'll be content with our pay.
My experience is that people who live this way--who are generous and giving, who seek to be honest and fair, and who are not focused on constantly yearning for more--are happier in life and usually more successful. Who do you admire more: people who are generous or people who are greedy? Who would you rather do business with: people who only look out for themselves or people who have your best interest at heart? Who would you rather have as a friend: people who are never content and slander others or people who are content with what they have and speak well of others?
Reed lives by John's list. A banker and a member of the church I serve, he's one of a thousand people I know like him. Reed carries his success with humility. He is genuinely interested in his clients and puts their needs before his own. And if he saw someone who needed a coat, he would give it without being asked. Reed isn't perfect, but to me he exhibits the economic fruit of repentance John called for.
Are you producing the fruits of repentance? Are you regularly giving help to those in need? Are you fair and honest in all your dealings? Do you speak well of others? And are you cultivating contentment with what you have?
Lord, help me to produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Help me to be generous, honest, and content with what I have. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Adam Hamilton, The Way--40 Days of Reflection
Monday, February 18, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
Baptism and Forgiveness
Mark 1:4-5
4John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
The Jordan River, when John was baptizing, was an eight-hour walk through the desert from Jerusalem. Yet Mark tells us that many from Jerusalem made the trek to hear John preach and to be immersed by him in the Jordan. Why did they walk eight hours, some more, to answer John's call to repent?
John dressed in the garments of a prophet. He spoke powerfully. People came believing that God had sent this man, and that his message was from God. He called the people to repent and to be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. What John offered at the Jordan was God's forgiveness and a chance to begin anew. Which of us doesn't long for this at times?
She was in her thirties and had lived a hard life? She began attending our church, yearning for a new beginning. She had come to be baptized, and I spoke with her about the meaning of this act. In my tribe (Methodists), baptism has a kaleidoscope of meanings. Among these, it is a dramatic sign of God's grace and mercy--his willingness to wash and make us new. It is an outward sign of God's forgiveness.
As she approached the baptistery she had tears in her eyes. She asked, "Pastor Adam, does God really forgive all that I've done? I've done a lot of terrible things." I assured her that as she came to God, repentant, he would forgive it all. And I reminded her that Christian baptism is a sign not only of God's forgiveness for sins in the past, but a promise of forgiveness when, in the future, we stumble and need his grace. And thus, with her baptism, she began a new life.
Do you ever feel a yearning for forgiveness and a new beginning? Every morning as I step into the shower, I remember my baptism and ask God to wash me and make me new. At times I feel a profound sense of my own sin and my longing for his grace. At other times I simply know that there are ways in which I have not lived up to his calling on my life. Either way, I recall with gratitude God's forgiveness and his claim upon my life.
If you have yet to be baptized, speak with your pastor about this profound act. If you have been baptized, remember your baptism each day as you bathe, inviting God, once again, to wash you and cover you by his grace.
Lord, in thought, word and deed, by what I have done and what I have left undone, I have sinned against you and others. Remember the promise you made at my baptism, and wash me anew. I call upon the grace you offer us in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Adam Hamilton--The Way, 40 Days of Reflection,
Mark 1:4-5
4John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
The Jordan River, when John was baptizing, was an eight-hour walk through the desert from Jerusalem. Yet Mark tells us that many from Jerusalem made the trek to hear John preach and to be immersed by him in the Jordan. Why did they walk eight hours, some more, to answer John's call to repent?
John dressed in the garments of a prophet. He spoke powerfully. People came believing that God had sent this man, and that his message was from God. He called the people to repent and to be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. What John offered at the Jordan was God's forgiveness and a chance to begin anew. Which of us doesn't long for this at times?
She was in her thirties and had lived a hard life? She began attending our church, yearning for a new beginning. She had come to be baptized, and I spoke with her about the meaning of this act. In my tribe (Methodists), baptism has a kaleidoscope of meanings. Among these, it is a dramatic sign of God's grace and mercy--his willingness to wash and make us new. It is an outward sign of God's forgiveness.
As she approached the baptistery she had tears in her eyes. She asked, "Pastor Adam, does God really forgive all that I've done? I've done a lot of terrible things." I assured her that as she came to God, repentant, he would forgive it all. And I reminded her that Christian baptism is a sign not only of God's forgiveness for sins in the past, but a promise of forgiveness when, in the future, we stumble and need his grace. And thus, with her baptism, she began a new life.
Do you ever feel a yearning for forgiveness and a new beginning? Every morning as I step into the shower, I remember my baptism and ask God to wash me and make me new. At times I feel a profound sense of my own sin and my longing for his grace. At other times I simply know that there are ways in which I have not lived up to his calling on my life. Either way, I recall with gratitude God's forgiveness and his claim upon my life.
If you have yet to be baptized, speak with your pastor about this profound act. If you have been baptized, remember your baptism each day as you bathe, inviting God, once again, to wash you and cover you by his grace.
Lord, in thought, word and deed, by what I have done and what I have left undone, I have sinned against you and others. Remember the promise you made at my baptism, and wash me anew. I call upon the grace you offer us in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Adam Hamilton--The Way, 40 Days of Reflection,
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