Mission Faithwalk

          Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe   and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.          Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”          As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”          But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”          The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”          When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9  and he went back inside the

“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you (John 14:15-18)               Three thoughts from this morning’s passage. The first is that loving Jesus isn’t an easy, breezy feeling of a fluttering heart. It means obedience…voluntary slavery. It doesn’t matter what the command it, or whether you agree with it or not. If He says something is right, it’s right. If He says it’s wrong, it’s wrong. We are to follow His example, period. That might seem harsh, but He’s God. He designed and created all that we know and have, and therefore He knows best how they should all function together. To claim that we know better or that He doesn’t understand is to reject His godhood. That’s not loving Him.  

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:12-14) Oh boy! I can ask anything…anything in Jesus’s name and He’ll do it! OK, well, let’s get started….           Ten billion dollars, in Jesus’s name, please and thank you.           My dream house in its dream location (even if I’m not sure what those are yet), in Jesus’ name, thank you very much…           To write fifty best selling novels and books in the next two years, in Jesus’ name. You’re the greatest, Jesus….            All my enemies humiliated, in Jesus’s name….           My body in great physical condition, in Jesus’ name….           To take all the pictures I’d like to be able to take, in Jesus’ name…           Oh, and so that it’s not entire sel

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”             Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him .” (John 14:4-7)   Once again, Jesus returns to this theme, and this is the theme I return to because so many insist that it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you sincerely believe it. “My god,” they declare “would never deny heaven to anyone .” To those who declare such things, I must say that they are calling Jesus a liar. For that matter, they’re calling Mohammed, the Buddha, and the founders (I suspect) almost all other religions liars, too. Except for the Universalists, I know of no religion that promotes the idea that everyone goes to heaven. Many claim that everyone can go to heaven, but they all have their own requirements. For Christianity, the requiremen

          “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’   I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am.   Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me….”                 … Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”           Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! (John 13:18-21 & 36-37)          In other passages detailing this evening, we’re told that the disciples started arguing among themselves as to which of them was the greatest. I believe these statement

          After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”          Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”                 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”              Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”               “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”          Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.          When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You cal

            The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,         “Hosanna!”         “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”         “Blessed is the king of Israel!”            Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”                At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.   Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has g

The wise woman builds her house,   but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down . (Proverbs 14:1)                 In the ancient Jewish culture, the man was the public or business face of the household, but the woman was really the master of the home. She was expected to manage the estate, no matter what its size. The success of the home was her responsibility. I don’t think the proverb is any less true today. Neither do I think it any less true if it is expanded to include both men and women, and both houses and societies. Put simply, a wise person builds, and a foolish person destroys, the things they claim to hold dear.                 I suppose it’s been going on forever, but for the last sixty years at least, there has been a concerted effort to fundamentally transform. That requires that everything, down to the smallest social unit, be other than what it was. That requires that what was be torn down, torn apart… and the goal was to replace it with political unit

  I remain confident of this:      I will see the goodness of the Lord      in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord ;      be strong and take heart      and wait for the Lord . (Psalm 27:13-14)         This morning is a time of frustration. Schedules have changed. Our departure is now set for Sunday. I have a couple of days to relax and get more done here. The problem is, now I have to wait two more days before getting to the work that needs to be done. No big deal, unless you hate living in limbo.           What’s most frustrating is my attitude. I have things set so that we should not encounter much snow or ice, and we won’t even have to travel after dark (at least, not much.) That means we’re taking longer to get home, but t also gives me a chance to see some of the scenery. I may be able to see some of that goodness of God in the land of the living, if I don’t spend the whole time fretting because I had to change my plans.          That’s one of the problems with o

          I call on you, m y God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. Keep me as the apple of your eye;   hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me. (Psalm 17:6-9)           If you read about plotting a novel, it’s all about man versus… man, nature, himself, God, etc. The reason that resonates is because life is like that. So often, it seem like it’s me against everything, or perhaps more accurately, everything against me. Oh, I know it’s not true. Most of the time everyone else is going about their lives just as I’m going about mine, and I know the weather doesn’t have anything against me, but this weekend is a big project and I can’t get started on the biggest part of it until Friday, so everything is looming large and theatrically threatening. I’m no good at

          Who told of this from the beginning, so we could know, or before hand, so we could say, ‘He was right’? No one told of this, no one foretold it, no one heard any words from you. (Isaiah 41:26)                     Over the past week or so, I’ve watched the weather forecast for Erie, PA and Beckley, WV as I anticipate our journey north. One day, it looks good, the next day, I wonder if we should put off the trip until after the next nor’easter finishes its rampage. Of course, I know it’s no good to fret over the forecast, because the models can’t really predict more than three days out with accuracy, and of course, I do fret and pray because I don’t want to face hours of snowy, unfamiliar, mountainous roads in Virginia and West Virginia. Right now, it’s looking pretty good.          This is one of the things I like about Judaism and Christianity. God tells the Jews early on that if anyone tells them something is going to happen, and it doesn’t, they are to stone the false

          Praise the Lord . Blessed are those who fear the Lord , who find great delight in his commands.   Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.   Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.   Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.   Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.   Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever.   They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord .   Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.   They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor.   The wicked will see and be vexed, they will gnash their teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked

          May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13            Hope is the belief that things can improve if they aren’t as we’d like or remain if they are. Joy is the belief that one is being cared for by someone who is capable of doing so. Peace is agreement, or submission when agreement is lacking. Trust? Trust is continuing to believe and to do those things even when it doesn’t look like anything you want to happen is happening.          So... may the God who can make things better and keep them good (hope) fill you with the belief that you are cared for and that He is willing and able to care for you (joy), and with the with agreement with Him (peace) as you continue to believe (trust) that He can make things better (hope), that He will take care of you (joy), and that His way is best (peace), so that you may overflow with the belief that things can and will get b

          Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.   Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:31-32)          Yesterday was Saint Patrick’s Day, when everyone becomes Irish for a day. Do you know that St. Patrick wasn’t Irish? He was a Roman Briton who was enslaved by the Irish. He escaped slavery, returned to Britain, and became a cleric. He claimed that he saw a vision: I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: "The Voice of the Irish". As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut , which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: "We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.”           He had no reason to like

           Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (Colossians 3:12)           Clothes are multipurpose pieces of material. One job clothes have is to protect the body from the weather, the sun, critters that might attack, weapons, and from unwanted attention that might be given to parts we prefer weren’t the center of everyone’s attention. Another purpose is to draw attention to ourselves in general or to parts that we do want to be the enter of everyone’s attention. (And if those clothes are successful in directing that attention, it should hardly be considered the fault of the person whose attention has been directed.) The key thing about clothes is that they are not naturally a part of us. They are foreign material that we apply to ourselves to make our lives simpler, safer, and less embarrassing, and sometimes even more attractive, more attention-grabbing.           Paul writes

          Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. (I Corinthians 13:4-8)          Since I mentioned love yesterday, it seems appropriate to delve a little further, to return to this well-known, well-loved, but perhaps not well-considered description of the subject. I call it a description rather than a definition because it doesn’t tell us what love is so much as it describes what it looks like. If I tell you that I am 5’4” tall and overweight, but that I don’t smoke, does that define me?           So, love is patient. Are you screaming yet? Patient

          For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (II Peter 1:5-8)           It all begins with faith. It always all begins with faith. What we believe, really believe is the ground from which our behaviors grow. That’s why the self-esteem programs of the past couple decades are so dangerous. Their belief of what they’re told, with a childlike absolute faith produces negative actions (or more properly, reactions) when they discover that the rest of the world doesn’t agree.           Strangely, what follows faith isn’t love. Love is the greatest commandment, but we’re not told to add it to faith. Instead

          The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions   and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.   But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,   gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.   Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.   Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Galatians 5:19-26)          Today’s passage gives another list describing the life of those who are not living according to the New Covenant: sexually immoral, impure, debauched, and practicing idolatry (the worship of anything other than God) and/or witchcraft.   It

          For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.   Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.   Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.   In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Furthermore,