Luke: 23: 13-25

    Rejected by the Gentiles

My first taste of being unjustly accused was in kindergarten. It was play time and the class had just finished a painting project. Each masterpiece was strategically laid out on the floor to dry in the kitchen area. At some point two of my classmates ran through that area and over the top of the paintings. The teacher was furious when she discovered the footprints. She had warned us all not to go into that space. She demanded we all gather around and admit who had run over the paintings.

One student hesitantly raised her hand. The teacher said, “Who was with you?” The girl pointed at the child next to me, but Mrs. Gerhartz thought I was the culprit. She raised her voice again telling the girl to sit behind the piano. Up to that point, my favorite teacher, then took me by the hand, pulled me over to the piano, slapped my hands and forcefully sat me down behind the piano with the other offender. I sobbed.

Things changed that day.

Jesus was brought before Herod and wrongly accused by the Jews. Then he was presented to Pilate and condemned by Gentiles.

Things changed that day.

I do not mean to minimize the intensity of Jesus plight by comparing it to my kindergarten experience but things do change as a result of learning to follow the will of God and live our lives as Jesus did. I have had many experiences since that day in kindergarten when my character, intentions or faith were wrongly judged. Lashing out never brings about positive results. Grace always wins.

As we step into the Father’s will it is no longer about our feelings or hurts. Worldly power is temporary. True power is sacrifice.

No matter what our age, when we make it about God and not ourselves, we don’t feel the pain in the same way. When we leave things in the hands of the Father we truly can get through anything.

“When your eyes are on the storm, you wonder if I love you still.

But when your eyes are on the cross, you know I always have and I always will.”

(Lyrics by Casting Crowns)

Listen to/Read Luke23:13-25

Life Isn't Fair

When my kids were little, we had family rules posted on the refrigerator, perhaps 5 in all. The Number One rule was, “Life isn’t fair.” Whenever one of the kids would say, “That’s not fair!”, Brenda or I could reply, “Go see rule Number 1.”

(Rule Number 2 was, “You must pay taxes”.  Brenda and I could use rule Number 2 to grab a spoonful of whatever delicious treat, such as ice cream, that was being enjoyed. When Rule Number 2 was invoked, inevitably Rule Number 1 was also discussed.)

Today’s reading, Luke 23:1-25, is an example of life not being fair. Jesus was put on trial to face bogus charges. The Gentile leadership (represented by Pilate) found no crime committed. The Jewish leadership (represented by Herod) also found no crime committed. Yet Jesus was sentenced to death, simply to appease a mob of unbelievers.  This certainly was not fair to Jesus.

Jesus’ rejection by the world should not surprise us. The Bible is a history of humans rejecting God and his commands. Adam and Eve rejected God’s commands. Humanity rejected God and God then sent a flood to start over with Noah. Years later mankind rejected God when they built the Tower of Babel to honor pagan gods. (The Tower was a ziggurat, which Sumerian records tell us were “footstools of the gods”.) Even after Moses led the Jews out of Egypt, their history is one of rejecting God.

 In spite of our sinfulness, Jesus died on the cross to take away our sins, so that we may live with him forever and ever. Jesus gets punished for our sins and we get eternal life. By anyone’s account, getting the opposite of what we deserve certainly is not fair!

How do we respond to such “unfairness”? Jesus answered this question. He told us to let others know about him and make disciples of them. He told us to love our neighbors and to love God.

We deserve death, yet we are blessed because of Jesus.

Fortunately for us, life is not fair!

Matthew 2: 1-12

                                                      Epiphany Sunday

                                            God in the Flesh                                   

Epiphany comes from two Greek words basically meaning to shine upon, to reveal, or to appear or manifest. At this place in scripture, the Epiphany celebrates God’s revealing or manifesting of Jesus’ identity as true God, Messiah, and Savior of the world.

From The Journey (A bible for seeking God and understanding life)

Reasons to Believe:

Seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Micah wrote that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5: 2) When the Maji and King Herod wanted to know where the new king would be born, the Jewish leaders who knew the passage well were able to tell them. Detailed predictions like these, show that the Bible is unlike any other religious book in the world. Jesus is the only holy founder of a major world religion whose birthplace was prophesied hundreds of years in advance of his birth.

Today “wise” men and women continue to seek the word of God, and strive to live as Jesus lived. The Maji (wise men) who followed the star and found the Christ child, were a great example of ignoring worldly directions to protect the sanctity of the Lord. Herod told them to find the child and report back to him so he too could go and worship the child. Knowing that the intentions of the king were not to worship but to harm the baby, they did not comply with his command.

Each day of our lives we are faced with worldly choices that can result in dishonoring the word of God. We can choose to ignore the negative forces in this world for the honor and glory of His name, or we can weaken and comply. Though we may falter along the way, and it is difficult to remain strong, it is “wise.”

Read/Listen to Matthew 2:1-12 

Matthew 2: 13-23

                                                                           Flight to Egypt

We care for and protect our children because we love them. We hover day and night, for they are innocent and precious to us, and are not aware of the harm that can come to them. Our babies at times seem to be on a mission to self destruct as they unknowingly reach for things that can burn or cut them, they will tumble to the ground if we do not catch them, they will go out in front of moving vehicles unaware of the danger and be crushed without our intervention. These are typical daily events in the life of a parent, and we naturally protect our children because they are just that….children.

In today’s reading, “Flight to Egypt,” Joseph certainly protects his infant, Jesus from the elements and typical baby dangers. He also shelters him from something far more sinister. The type of danger we never have to face. King Herod plans to search for and kill Jesus. Just think of the terror in knowing the king’s men could be bursting in any minute to rip your baby from your arms and violently take his life! 

“Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” (Matthew 2:13) Without hesitation, Joseph obeyed and escaped to safety with Mary and Joseph. The story goes on to tell of Herod’s anger and orders to have all boys two years and younger killed as not to miss Jesus. The horror of that time was prophesied in Jeremiah. After Herod’s death it seemed safe to return to Egypt, but Jesus’ family instead headed to the district of Galilee and settled in Nazareth, as Joseph was afraid to return to Israel since Herod’s son Arhelaus had taken his place. Jesus became a Nazarene.

The love and protective instinct of a father is boundless. That is not to say a father protects his child from hurt, disappointment, heartache, or pain, but that he watches over and allows such things in order to help his child grow and learn. We must take example from the Ultimate Father; as stated in the daily devotional Streams in the Desert, “We cannot see what loss, sorrow, and trials are accomplishing. We need only to trust. The Father comes near to take our hand and lead us on our way.”

Read/Listen to Matthew 2:13-23