March 31

Matthew 26:3-16

When you read this passage do you focus on Judas' betrayal of Jesus or the woman's extravagant act of preparation? My attention keeps drifting towards Judas, however, what Jesus says is that this woman will always be remembered wherever the gospel is preached. We know how badly Judas fails, but Jesus doesn't point at Judas in this passage, he points at the woman. Maybe he wants us to recognize her stunning act of generosity and learn from her.

March 30

Matthew 21:18-25

The last three months we have heard the expectation that our lives bear fruit. Sometimes we fall short. Like I did yesterday when I forgot to write! (I had to be at a hospital at 5:30 for a surgery and I just forgot.) God has expectations for me, but God is also willing to forgive. What God asks of us is to not fail once and quit. God asks in the face of failure we repent. We acknowledge our failure, and seek to live a new way. God's grace opens the way for this new beginning. We may fail to bear fruit today but that failure is not the final word on our life.

3/27 - Mark 15

Mark 15

I wonder what it was like for Simon to carry the cross. That he is identified as the father of Alexander and Rufus is a clue. In the ancient world, men were identified by who their father was. To identify a man by his son's was unusual, unless the reader knew the sons. Thus it is very likely that Matthew was writing his gospel to Christians who know Alexander and Rufus. Who were most likely Christians. In other words, it appears that carrying Jesus' cross influenced Simon's family to the point that they became believers. God was working in all kinds of ways to bring about good on this day.

March 26

Matthew 27:57-66

A guard is posted over his tomb. The religious leaders remembered his claim about rising after the third day and are afraid the disciples will steal the body. The irony is that the disciples either did not remember what he said or did not believe what he said. How could his enemies remember his teaching but his disciples not remember? How could they not believe? Maybe their fears were so great they overwhelmed every remembrance of Jesus at this moment?

Fear is a very powerful emotion. Fear shapes how we see the world, how we respond to what is taking place around us. Fear can easily replace faith. Look in your life for your greatest fears. Spend time in prayer today asking God to help you have faith in face of your fears.

March 25

Matthew 27:33-56

I find it amazing that the two robbers hanging on the cross also taunted Jesus. You would think that if you were dying on a cross, taunting would be the last thing on your mind. I like the other gospels telling of this story, Luke 23:39-43, where on of the criminals repents. Jesus tells that man he will be with him in paradise. What I love about Luke's telling of the story is that it is never too late to repent.

March 24

Matthew 27:27-32

The Message translation of this passage uses the word "fun" twice. "The soldiers assigned to the governor took Jesus into the governor's palace and got the entire brigade together for some fun.....When they had had their fun, they took off the toga and put his owns clothes back on him." Their fun was the manner in which they beat and mocked Jesus. It is amazing how sin can so grip our lives, that brutalizing another human being becomes 'fun'.

March 23

Matthew 27:11-26

Pilate washes his hands while saying that he is innocent of this man's blood. He is not innocent. He is the Roman authority. He has the power to put Jesus to death or to free him. Just because he gives into the wishes of the crowd does not diminish his responsibility in the death of Jesus. The passage makes it clear that Pilate believes Jesus is not guilty of the accusations brought against him. However, Pilate does not want to stand against the crowd. It is easier to blame the crowd than takes responsibility for his actions.

We are often tempted to think we are not responsible for our actions or words. It is easier to blame others. In calling us to repentance, God asks us to accept responsibility for our actions, to acknowledge what we have done. Until we are willing to do so, change can never really take place in our lives.

March 22

Matthew 27:1-10

It would be helpful if we knew Judas' reason for betraying Jesus. Some believe that Judas was trying to force Jesus' hand in leading a revolt against the Romans. The Gospel of John implies that Judas was a greedy man and that greed inspired his action. We really don't know. What we do know is that Judas betrayed Jesus. Regardless of the reason for his betrayal, in this passage he is overcome by regret. He confesses his sin, but his confession changes nothing. His final response is to commit suicide. The tragedy is that Jesus would have forgiven him. But Judas never gave Jesus the chance. Peter denies Jesus three times that same night. Jesus offers him forgiveness and Peter ends up leading the early church.

Everyone sins. We fall short of what God intended. The point of Jesus coming was that God wants to forgive us. God's forgiveness is always a possibility when we fail. We just need to ask.

Thanks to Jenni for writing the blog last week!

March 20

Matthew 26: 69-75

In this passage Peter does exactly what Jesus said he would- he denied Him three times before the rooster crowed. These past few readings have made me really think about if I deny Jesus in my life- maybe not through my words, but through my actions. I think back to school. It's not always 'cool' to be a Christian- was I like Peter? Did I deny knowing Jesus? I think that if we are like Peter for long periods of time we start to believe what we are saying- we start to believe that we don't know Jesus. Once we 'don't know' Him, it becomes easy to lead a life opposite of what He wants for us. I was distant from Jesus-denying Him with my actions. I am so thankful that He gave me a wake up call-like Peter and the rooster-and allowed me to come back to Him. His grace and mercy never seizes to amaze me!

-Jenni

March 19

Matthew 26:57-68

I must have read this passage before because it was underlined and noted. It is a very powerful passage-Jesus is put before the Council and sentenced to death.

Like the Council, do we ever question Jesus' true existence? The Council was trying Jesus for anything they could think of so that He may be sentenced to death as quickly as possible. They took scripture out of context to use against Him. I have to wonder if I am ever guilty of that- do I twist things to hear what I want to hear? Am I ever like the Council and try to use it against Jesus? I think that is easy to do if I am feeling alone or having a bad day. Throughout all of the false accusations Jesus remained silent. By remaining silent He fulfiled the prophecy stating that His accusers would be responsible for His death. That, to me, is absolutely amazing-any time Jesus fulfills a prophecies I can't help but smile-He did that for me and my sin!

-Jenni

March 18

Matthew 26: 47-56

"But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?...But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled."

It is amazing to think about the fact that Jesus went through all of this pain and torture for me and my sin. Jesus did not have to suffer for me-as He said, He could have called on His Father and had twelve legions (72,000) angels at His side. He didn't though. In the midst of being betrayed and arrested, He still had His Father's will at the forefront of His mind.

Jesus is the perfect example to follow of how to wholeheartedly give our life to God and follow His will.

The fact that Jesus willingly suffered for me seizes to amaze me.

-Jenni

March 17

Matthew 26: 36-46

"The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

I can completely relate to that verse and I find comfort in knowing Jesus struggled with this, too, as Ken spoke about on Sunday. Jesus wanted to do whatever was required by His father. He followed God totally and completely. The fact that Jesus struggled with this is proof that following God's path is not easy. He is calling us to take the road less travelled, full of bumps, twists, and turns and forgo the main highway of life.

-Jenni

March 16

Matthew 26:26-35

Communion and the Lord's supper is a very powerful experience that I think sometimes becomes too routine: bread, juice, kneel, go. It is so much more than that! IT is symbolic of what Jesus did for us- giving His body and shedding His blood so that we may be forgiven, that we would not know God's wrath.

Verses 30-35 tell of another disciple, Peter, denying Jesus. I have to wonder, too, how Peter felt when he was told he would deny his Lord not once, but three times before the rooster crows. (I would make sure to avoid all roosters!) It's somewhat unnerving to think about if we would be like Peter, if put to the test, would we deny our Lord?

-Jenni

March 15

Matthew 26:20-25

"'Is it I, Rabbi?' He said to him, 'You have said so.'"

Jesus is sitting with the disciples knowing that one of them will betray Him. I have to wonder how the disciples felt when Jesus told them that He would be betrayed by one of them. Did they have a guilty conscious? I more wonder how Judas felt when Jesus confirmed that he would be the one to betray Him. Do we betray Jesus in our lives? Do we do so intentionally? What would Jesus' answer be to us if we were to ask the same question as Judas- "Is it I?"

-Jenni

March 13

John 12:37-50

John tells us that many of the leaders believed in Jesus but would not confess their faith in him because of what it would cost them. They feared they would lose their position in the synagogue, they would lose the praise of men.

We do some things for the praise of people, we do other things to avoid the scorn of people. Some of these actions really don't make much difference, like wanting to fit in with the current styles in attire. But there are moments when it really does matter. Moments when wanting the praise of others we engage in behavior that is unbecoming of our faith. In those moments we face the same decision that the leaders faced. Do we long for the praise of people or of God?

March 12

John 12:20-36

"The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."

This verse is challenges the way we see life. Jesus expresses similar thoughts in other places, like Mark 8. He teaches us that if we make life about ourselves, if we focus just on what we want. We will ultimately miss life. Life is found as we give our lives away. He sets the example for us.

March 11

Luke 22:1-6

If Satan entered Judas, does that remove responsibility from Judas for his action? Does Satan's enter Judas because Satan is so much more power that Satan can overwhelm him? If Satan could overwhelm Judas, does that mean that Satan can overwhelm us? How we answer the question of Satan entering Judas has broad implications in how we understand being responsible for our actions.

In 1 Corinthians 10:13 Paul writes, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." Paul teaches we always have a choice. That God will keep the temptation from being so powerful that it would overwhelm us. We always have a choice. We are responsible for our actions. The implication for Judas seem to point that Satan entered him because Judas opened the door. Judas' actions made it possible for Satan to enter his life.

March 10

Luke 21:5-37

Jesus teaches us to be ready for the end of time. What does it mean for us to be ready? It means that we are prepared at all times for the return of Christ. Many like to speculate as to when that time will be. There are many books and teachings concerning the timing of his return. But in Matthew 24:36 Jesus says, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Jesus is rather clear, no one knows when he will return. The focus of our energy is not to be determining the time but to set our lives to doing what God desires every day. If we are doing that, we will always be ready.

March 9

Luke 21:1-4

We will be reading from Luke for a few days. These are passages that Luke puts in the week leading to the resurrection that Matthew does not.

The point of Jesus drawing attention to the widow's gift is not the size of the gift, but the size of her heart in giving. The actual amount of her gift is tiny. What it represents to her life is huge. I believe that is the issue for us. How do our gifts represent our hearts?

The church's response to helping the poor for lent has been so exciting. Hundreds of people are giving of their lives in service to others. So many are responding out of the call to their hearts to serve others in the name of Jesus.

John 12:1-11

John gives many more details to this story than the other gospels. John tells us that they are at Lazarus' house. The woman is named, it is Jesus' friend Mary. We are told that Judas is upset by the extravagance of the act because he is a thief. A large crowd gathered outside to see Jesus and Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Whether the details are part of the story or not, Jesus is headed towards his death. I can't help but think that he must have found a moment of comfort as Mary put the ointment on him. Maybe for that moment he could forgot about the cross that laid before him.

March 6

Matthew 25:31-46

"Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me -- you did it to me." This is verse 40 in the Message translation. I found it thought provoking for I have become so accustomed to the phrase "the least of these". I think it gives it a different feel to consider that the least of these in terms of being "overlooked or ignored". I don't know about you but at times I become so focused on tasks that I completely ignore others. Others seem to be so in touch with the needs of people around them, I am not that way. However, I don't think that excuses my behavior. I believe Jesus expects me to be intentional in how I live.

March 5

Matthew 25:1-30

Remember this is a passage from Tuesday. By Friday Jesus will be on the cross. When we keep that context in mind, we can hear how Jesus is giving a final call for us to live in such a manner that we are always prepared for his return. He wants us to live so that it does not matter when he returns, for we will have used our lives in a way that carries out his work and our souls are ready for his return.

March 4

Matthew 24

Many love to speculate as to when the end of time will be. They take parts of scripture, like Matthew 24 or Revelations, and try to determine when Christ will return. Yet, Jesus is rather direct in saying that no one will know the time (verse 36). What Jesus is doing is calling us to right living. That if we live in relationship with him, it will not matter when the end comes, we will be ready.

March 3

Matthew 23

Do you think Jesus is unhappy with hypocrites? What I had never noticed before is how Jesus tells the crowds, "So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach." Striving to make our words and our actions consistent is a vital part of the life of faith.

3/2 - Matthew 22

Matthew 22

Over the last several months, as a church we have spent a great deal of time focusing on the second commandment, to love your neighbor as yourself. One thought to remember is that it is the second commandment. The first commandment is to love God. All the rest of our lives, including loving our neighbor is based on our love of God.

March 1

Matthew 21:23-46

This section includes some of the most direct teaching of Jesus. He is on the way to the cross and there is little time. Jesus is challenging the religious leaders with the lack of results in their lives. He tells them the Kingdom of God will be taken away from them and given to others who will produce fruit. What would Jesus say about the fruit of your life?