The Past is Dead Because He Died

Holy Week Meditation on Wednesday

Death to Life                                                  Luke 24:1-12

Grave yards are places we bury the past. We bury a lot more than bodies these days. We bury bad memories. We cover over hurt feelings, fears, anger, disappointments and shame. We bury them and roll a stone in front of the tomb hoping not to see them or hear from them again. Jesus wants to roll away the stone.

Some of us are alive physically, but we are dead emotionally. We look for life and the living among the dead. Old memories, past hurts and fears. We have pushed down so much that we don’t even know everything that is in there. We want to bury all the secrets of our life and forget they exist.

Jesus wants to give us new life. He wants to heal us and raise us. He wants to empty the tomb so there is nothing to hide, nothing to dread, and nothing to fear. He wants to release the death within us and breathe new life into us.

We cannot change the past but, in His strength, we can face it, so that He can release and cleanse us from it. It is the only way we can be truly free, and alive. The decision before us is whether to stay in our self-made tomb or rise with Christ to New Life.

Joe Valentino

Child of God

Read 1 John 2:28-29

Most of my adult life I have found my identity in what I do. Joe Valentino: “Minister of Youth,” “Parks and Recreation Director,” “Assistant City Manager,” “Executive Director for Ministries.” After I got married, I started to learn part of my identity was wrapped up in my relationships: Peggy’s husband, Josh and Tori’s dad. Even as I walked the dog in the neighborhood I was Bernie's or Max’s owner. I have struggled my entire life to live into my identity. Who am I? Jay and Vera’s kid, the owner of the big white house down the street, good teacher or preacher, friend, brother, good cook, leader, etc.

In 1 John 2:29 I began to find my true identity: “If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” I am born of God; I am a Child of God! And in chapter 3 of 1 John we find: “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” My true identity, child of God! And I know He loves me. Join me this year in living into our identity as CHILDREN of GOD!

QUESTIONS:

1. Where do you get your identity? Who do people think you are? Do others see you as “Child of God”?

2. Have you ever just crawled up into Father God’s lap and sat with Him—no agenda just enjoying time with Him? How about today?

PRAYER:

Father God, thank you for choosing me to be Your child. Help me to take some time now just to sit with You, my Father.

Joe Valentino

Great is the LORD

Read 1 Chronicles 16:23-27

King David brought the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of God's presence, to Jerusalem and placed it in the tabernacle built for it. As he placed the Ark in its home, David led the people in singing praise to God.

Sing to the LORD, all the earth;

Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.

Declare His glory among the nations,

His wonders among all peoples.

For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised;

He is also to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the peoples are [a]idols,

But the LORD made the heavens.

Honor and majesty are before Him;

Strength and gladness are in His place.

Generations later, God, the Holy Spirit, brought Jesus the Son of God, and placed Him in a new tabernacle, Mary’s womb. Nine months later Jesus was born 100% human, and 100% divine. This wonder brought salvation to all whom God called to Himself.

This leads to yet another tabernacle, our hearts, where Jesus the Lord of the universe, now takes up residence. Jesus now lives in the hearts of those He calls to reside with Himself forever.

QUESTIONS:

1. What would it take for you to sing God's praises the way David led his people to sing to the Lord?

2. What is the ramification of Jesus living in your heart?

PRAYER:

Lord, we declare Your glory, You are great and You are to be feared above all gods. All honor and majesty are Yours.

Joe Valentino

The Loving King

Sunday February 25, 2018

Mark 2:13-17

Have you ever found value in something that very few valued?

As Jesus was walking he saw Levi sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. Levi’s encounter so changed him he invited his friends to his house to meet Jesus. While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, they wanted to follow him. The religious people saw Jesus eating with the sinners and tax collectors, and asked “Why does He eat with these sinners?” Jesus overheard them and said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Levi discovers Jesus and wanted to let all his friends know that there is someone different from others. Someone who doesn’t judge them, by their occupation, but looks straight to the heart.

As you take time this week to meditate on this passage put yourself in the story, would you get up and follow Jesus? Would you go to the dinner full of tax collectors and sinners? Would you be like the religious people finding fault that Jesus would eat with sinners?

Invite a friend to dinner this week. Do you love Jesus enough to introduce Him to your friend?

Do you love your friends enough to introduce them to Jesus?

  

                                                                             Joe Valentino

Share the Good News of Jesus Christ

ApriL  8

Read Matthew 28:18-20 and reflect on the passage.

As someone who believes disciple-making is key to the church, and part of how we should live as followers of Christ, Matthew 28:18-20 have been key verses in my life. All authority has been given to Jesus. He commands us to go and make disciples, teaching disciples to obey the commands He gave, and then gives us the assurance that He is always with us. Great stuff!

But don’t miss the five words that start verse 18, “Then Jesus came to them.” In the summer of 2001, I was content to do ministry at UALC, but God began to move my heart to leave my job and work for the City of Upper Arlington. Most of my friends were part of the church and followers of Jesus—how was I going to go and make disciples. Could I live the life of a follower of Jesus outside of the church, like so many of you with jobs in the real world? Was God calling me to them?

The answer is yes, and He is calling all of us to go. We, UALC, are the body of Jesus in our community—will we follow His example? “Then Jesus came to them.”

Questions

1. Is God calling you out of your comfort zone?

2. Do the people you work, live, or go to school with know you are a follower of Jesus? How?

Prayer

Father, thank You for sending followers of Jesus into my life. Now help me to be Your example for someone else.

—Joe Valentino

Paul perseveres

March  23

Read 2 Corinthians 11:23-30 and reflect on the passage.

When Peggy and I first read the passage for today, we thought we Must have looked up the wrong passage. I mean this is a devotional, this should be encouraging, a light story with a point. But no, this was the right passage. Paul boasts about his suffering: being in prison, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and left for dead.

As we began to talk, we thought about what we would write on a résumé or obituary: accomplishments, awards, and who we know; the many Bible studies we have led; special moments like being in the first Tetélestai, meeting the President of the United States, having dinner with Elisabeth Eliot, taking John Ness to camp—a very different list then Paul’s.

It would be easy to feel bad until we remembered the privilege of watching God work: sitting in hospital rooms with dying men and women, crying over lost children, presiding over funerals, visiting students in treatment centers or jail. To be honest we often did not have answers, but in our weakness God worked. How is God using your weakness this season? “If I must boast, I boast of things that show my weakness.”


Questions

1. What would your list of boasts look like?

2. Have you asked God to join you in your difficulties?

Prayer

Father, help us not get caught in our own accomplishments. Teach us to let You use our pain and weakness so You may be glorified.

—Joe and Peggy Valentino

Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory

2 January

Scripture Reading

Read Hebrews 1:1-12 and reflect on the passage.

Happy New Year! Day 2 of the new year has come—have you started your New Years’ resolution? It seems that every year I make the same list of core commitments to myself—eat healthy, lose weight, get in the gym, save money, spend time with family, read through the Bible, pray every day, read books, watch less TV, control my calendar, and be more disciplined. I typically don’t start until today—the 2nd of January—because I stayed up to watch the ball drop and there is always food left over from Christmas. I’m just trying to be practical.

Unfortunately, starting on the 2nd shows my true commitment and inability to grow into my new life on my own. What I have discovered is that I need help to make real change. Someone who knows me and is strong enough to push me when I get stuck or stubborn.

The good news is that is that I know the One “who made the universe” and sits at the right hand of God. He too wants me and you to have new life—new life in Him. Through His power we can change and have new life.

Questions

1.      Are you satisfied with your life? Are you who you want to be?

2.      When did Jesus become more than just a name to you? Will you let Him help you become the person God made you to be?

Prayer

Jesus, I want to change and I can’t do it myself. Send Your Spirit to help me be the person You made me to be. Amen.

—Joe Valentino