Yesterday, May 20, 2010, I handed over a parcel containing a script for a comedy titled “Strawberry Fields for Now” to a Post Office clerk. That package is on its way to the Virginia Screenwriting Competition in Richmond. I sent a previous script titled “Feeding Jesus” to this same competition last year. I didn’t make the cut, but got some very helpful feedback that I used to improve the story. “Feeding Jesus” is currently at the Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting; the Super Bowl of screenwriting competitions. You know when they hand out Oscars and the recipient gushes, “I want to thank the members of the Academy…,” well, the Academy sponsors this competition. If I even make the first cut and get into the quarterfinals, I’d be ecstatic.
Getting back to “Strawberry Fields”, I first started writing SFfN around December of 1997. It’s taken THIRTEEN years to finish it (or rather, to finish the current draft (#12)). You see, for many years, I'd tinker with it for a day or two, and then put it away for “later”. On more than one occasion, I almost threw it away. It wasn't until I got serious about writing that I really got anything done to it.
I got serious about writing when I got mad about local politics. “Feeding Jesus” was born out of my anger towards the discrimination that many immigrants (both legal and illegal) faced in my town a few years back. Anger is rocket fuel, and I used it to propel my rear into my chair and my fingers across the keyboard. Finishing "Feeding Jesus" gave me the momentum I needed to go back and restart SFfN. “Feeding Jesus” also gave me the impetus to begin writing my weekly blog.
What has anger moved you to do?
In the Gospel of Mark we find the following interaction:
“Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.
Jesus said to the man, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” Then he turned to his critics and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer him.
He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus.” Mark 3:1-6 NLTse
Did you catch that? Jesus got ANGRY, but instead of using His anger to destroy, He channels it to heal the man (Thanks Rob Bell for this great insight!).
Anger can be very destructive or it can be used for healing. God channeled my anger into developing the discipline of writing consistently. Two scripts, a weekly blog, and a children’s book dealing with a child abandoned by her father, are the result…so far.
We sometimes feel helpless against problems our world faces. There are some things that are out of our control such as when a natural disaster might strike, or coming down with a disease or disability. However, we CAN work together to make things better. There are situations all around us that are patently unfair; Injustice and hunger are just two out of a very long laundry list. “Why does God let this continue?”, we sometimes think. What is it that makes you mad? Might God be whispering in your ear, “I want something done about this and I want YOU to do it”?
The tools to transform the world as we seek to bring about His Kingdom are there for us to use. Once again, the resources are there.
What makes you mad? What are you going to do about it?
Joe
Friday, May 21, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Is God Fair?
On Monday, May 5th 2003, I was in my office at Culpeper Baptist Church getting ready to go home, when I became aware of a loud grinding noise overhead. Our day care was located directly above me, and I thought somebody was just moving some furniture. It wasn’t until later that I found out that we had just experienced an earthquake. The epicenter of the quake was 49.7 miles away and 3.1 miles underground. It measured 3.9 on the Richter scale; strong enough to put cracks in one of the walls by the church’s sanctuary.
Over the past few months, there seems to have been a tremendous amount of seismic activity ranging the four corners of our fragile planet. The volcano Eyjafjallajoekull in Iceland erupted, sending clouds of ash that disrupted air travel around Europe for six days in April, and the major earthquakes in Haiti, Chili, China and Indonesia (to name a few) have caused some to be alarmed. But did you know that scientists record on average 50 earthquakes a day? FIFTY a day! Most earthquakes are so insignificant, you cannot sense them. Others are so devastating that they destroy cities and lives alike in their wake.
Why does God allow such devastation? How can He stand by as people lose their loved ones, their homes, and their livelihoods while others continue their lives in peace and security?
Is God fair?
The human body is a complex organism made up of roughly 10 to 100 trillion cells (one trillion is 1 followed by 12 zeros). The sheer fact that we live, grow, move and breath is a miracle in itself. The body is a self-regulating organism. We can adapt to our environment and we can create new life. We are strong … and we are incredibly fragile. Cancer and diseases fill our hospitals and take their toll on our friends, neighbors and ourselves. A tiny blood clot can end your life as fast as an assassin’s bullet.
For those who have led long and meaningful lives, a terminal illness may not be such a tragedy, but what about children who must be hooked up to machines just to keep them alive? What about babies who are born with bodies that do not function as they should? Why do some live healthy lives of carefree abandon while others must struggle for every breath?
Is God fair?
What about people who are born with predispositions that conflict with God’s standard for right living? For example, there appears to be genetic factors that contribute to alcoholism. Studies of twins who had biological parents who were alcoholics showed that they also had tendencies toward developing the condition even if they were adopted by parents who didn’t drink. Many people hold onto the argument that if God made them with certain predispositions, that they have a right to live in tune with their nature. Others hold onto God’s standard for right living and struggle mightily against what their own flesh cries out for.
A similar question can be raised by many couples who want to have children, but cannot. Why does God allow some to have many children and others to be infertile? It’s not their choice and it’s out of their power. Why won’t God give them what they want?
Is God fair about these things? Things like natural disasters, diseases, and genetic heredity? Things that we have no control over?
I don’t believe God is fair … at least how we define fairness. Our view of “fairness” is extremely myopic. The mere fact that we are finite creations guarantees that we cannot see “the big picture” as an infinite God can and does.
In the book of Job, a man rails against God and the “injustice” that is being perpetrated against him. He seeks to meet God in a court of law to make his appeal. When God does appear to Job, God does not defend the particulars of why He allowed calamities to rain down on him. God asserts that Job cannot possibly even begin to understand why things happen.
“Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind: “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line? What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” Job 38:1-7
God speaks for three entire chapters about His role in creation; Job’s answer speaks to his humility.
“Then Job replied to the LORD: “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” Job 42:1-6
God’s ways are so much higher than our own that even our best efforts at judging “justice” and “fairness” fall short.
“Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:6-9
Does all this mean that we live fatalistic lives? Does it give us a reason to blame God for those things that make life so difficult? Should God receive any less praise because we don’t understand His ways?
One thing we can know is that God not only loves us, but is at work around us. He can create beauty from pain and diamonds from ashes. He can take away our fear concerning an uncertain future and fill us with bright hope instead.
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28
There are some things in this world that we must accept, because we cannot do anything about them. What we CAN change is our attitude towards them, and how we live our lives despite them.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll discuss ways we can affect our broken lives and fractured world.
Joe
Scripture taken from the NLTse
Over the past few months, there seems to have been a tremendous amount of seismic activity ranging the four corners of our fragile planet. The volcano Eyjafjallajoekull in Iceland erupted, sending clouds of ash that disrupted air travel around Europe for six days in April, and the major earthquakes in Haiti, Chili, China and Indonesia (to name a few) have caused some to be alarmed. But did you know that scientists record on average 50 earthquakes a day? FIFTY a day! Most earthquakes are so insignificant, you cannot sense them. Others are so devastating that they destroy cities and lives alike in their wake.
Why does God allow such devastation? How can He stand by as people lose their loved ones, their homes, and their livelihoods while others continue their lives in peace and security?
Is God fair?
The human body is a complex organism made up of roughly 10 to 100 trillion cells (one trillion is 1 followed by 12 zeros). The sheer fact that we live, grow, move and breath is a miracle in itself. The body is a self-regulating organism. We can adapt to our environment and we can create new life. We are strong … and we are incredibly fragile. Cancer and diseases fill our hospitals and take their toll on our friends, neighbors and ourselves. A tiny blood clot can end your life as fast as an assassin’s bullet.
For those who have led long and meaningful lives, a terminal illness may not be such a tragedy, but what about children who must be hooked up to machines just to keep them alive? What about babies who are born with bodies that do not function as they should? Why do some live healthy lives of carefree abandon while others must struggle for every breath?
Is God fair?
What about people who are born with predispositions that conflict with God’s standard for right living? For example, there appears to be genetic factors that contribute to alcoholism. Studies of twins who had biological parents who were alcoholics showed that they also had tendencies toward developing the condition even if they were adopted by parents who didn’t drink. Many people hold onto the argument that if God made them with certain predispositions, that they have a right to live in tune with their nature. Others hold onto God’s standard for right living and struggle mightily against what their own flesh cries out for.
A similar question can be raised by many couples who want to have children, but cannot. Why does God allow some to have many children and others to be infertile? It’s not their choice and it’s out of their power. Why won’t God give them what they want?
Is God fair about these things? Things like natural disasters, diseases, and genetic heredity? Things that we have no control over?
I don’t believe God is fair … at least how we define fairness. Our view of “fairness” is extremely myopic. The mere fact that we are finite creations guarantees that we cannot see “the big picture” as an infinite God can and does.
In the book of Job, a man rails against God and the “injustice” that is being perpetrated against him. He seeks to meet God in a court of law to make his appeal. When God does appear to Job, God does not defend the particulars of why He allowed calamities to rain down on him. God asserts that Job cannot possibly even begin to understand why things happen.
“Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind: “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line? What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” Job 38:1-7
God speaks for three entire chapters about His role in creation; Job’s answer speaks to his humility.
“Then Job replied to the LORD: “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” Job 42:1-6
God’s ways are so much higher than our own that even our best efforts at judging “justice” and “fairness” fall short.
“Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:6-9
Does all this mean that we live fatalistic lives? Does it give us a reason to blame God for those things that make life so difficult? Should God receive any less praise because we don’t understand His ways?
One thing we can know is that God not only loves us, but is at work around us. He can create beauty from pain and diamonds from ashes. He can take away our fear concerning an uncertain future and fill us with bright hope instead.
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28
There are some things in this world that we must accept, because we cannot do anything about them. What we CAN change is our attitude towards them, and how we live our lives despite them.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll discuss ways we can affect our broken lives and fractured world.
Joe
Scripture taken from the NLTse
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Where Two or Three Gather
One evening in the spring of 1994, a friend of mine and I sat in his car, waiting to pick up another friend who was getting off work. As we often did, Glen and I discussed important life topics (typically: girls, video games, civil war re-enacting, or music). Music was on the forefront of our minds that night; or rather, the LACK of music. At the time, there was no radio station in Miami that played Christ-centered music that rocked. There was a contemporary station, and a few “sermon stations”, but nothing that appealed to young adults like us. Nothing even came close.
So, as we continued to vent about this, we began talking about a vision for a new station. We talked about what it would be like and what it would play. And as we talked about it, we got more and more excited. We decided to pray together about it, quoting what Jesus said in Matthew 18:19-20 as justification.
“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”
We prayed and believed it would happen. That was that. The next day, we ran into a friend of ours who was a DJ at the University of Miami’s radio station. We grabbed him and shared our idea. He shook his head and replied, “Talk to Rob, not me.” Rob Robbins was the other DJ we knew. “But Chris,” we continued, “Wouldn’t this be awesome?!”
“Just talk to Rob,” he repeated. So we hunted Rob down and shared what we had in mind with him. He looked at us kind of funny, then told us he had just started the paperwork to get a radio station started in South Florida. A radio station that point for point matched what Glen and I so eagerly prayed about the night before.
Five grueling years later, CALL FM signed on the air for the first time on February 9, 2000 at 8:05pm.
God used Rob Robbins and his team to achieve what many “experts” believed to be impossible.
God is still at work.
And He starts with two or three people.
Now, I’m not saying that God is a vending machine who takes in prayers like coins; reaching the quota gives you what you want.
What I am saying, is that God works in the hearts of His followers, and as they live in community with Him and each other, He sometimes lets them peek into a little corner of His plan.
I’ve always found it important to pay attention to what God speaks through others ESPECIALLY if He has been saying the same thing to me.
This is why church, a gathering of believers (whether under a steeple or around a coffee table), is so important.
What I find really interesting about Jesus’ describing the church as two or three people is that those verses are sandwiched between verses dealing with Church discipline, and verses dealing with the need to forgive others generously. The church is to honor God with right living, and it is to honor God by mimicking His forgiving nature.
“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die?” says the Sovereign LORD. “Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.” Ezekiel 18:23
Living right and loving others unconditionally is not an easy lifestyle; in fact, it is impossible on our own. However, it defines what a church must do to invite and grow followers of Christ.
If you are a follower of Christ and are not currently connected to a body of faith, I challenge you to find a community where you can grow. If you are part of a community, find new ways you can connect with others.
Joe
Part One of The River Community Church’s Vision
Life Changing
Small groups of people are where it's at. When asked where our church meets, we laugh. "All over the place," is our response. The church is about people, not buildings. Our Small Groups ARE the church. They meet regularly to share life; both its joys and struggles. You'll find them meeting in bars, malls, coffee houses and diners. You'll see them serving others in our community and beyond. And you'll hear about them starting new Groups. There are people all over the place who need to reconnect with God and with others; without new Groups we'd never get to share this journey with them. All kinds of friends are invited to walk along with us. They come because here they discover acceptance and love.
Related Verses
Matthew 18:15-22
Correcting Another Believer
“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.
“I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.
“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”
Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor
Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!
Hebrews 10:23-25
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Selected verses taken from NLTse.
So, as we continued to vent about this, we began talking about a vision for a new station. We talked about what it would be like and what it would play. And as we talked about it, we got more and more excited. We decided to pray together about it, quoting what Jesus said in Matthew 18:19-20 as justification.
“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”
We prayed and believed it would happen. That was that. The next day, we ran into a friend of ours who was a DJ at the University of Miami’s radio station. We grabbed him and shared our idea. He shook his head and replied, “Talk to Rob, not me.” Rob Robbins was the other DJ we knew. “But Chris,” we continued, “Wouldn’t this be awesome?!”
“Just talk to Rob,” he repeated. So we hunted Rob down and shared what we had in mind with him. He looked at us kind of funny, then told us he had just started the paperwork to get a radio station started in South Florida. A radio station that point for point matched what Glen and I so eagerly prayed about the night before.
Five grueling years later, CALL FM signed on the air for the first time on February 9, 2000 at 8:05pm.
God used Rob Robbins and his team to achieve what many “experts” believed to be impossible.
God is still at work.
And He starts with two or three people.
Now, I’m not saying that God is a vending machine who takes in prayers like coins; reaching the quota gives you what you want.
What I am saying, is that God works in the hearts of His followers, and as they live in community with Him and each other, He sometimes lets them peek into a little corner of His plan.
I’ve always found it important to pay attention to what God speaks through others ESPECIALLY if He has been saying the same thing to me.
This is why church, a gathering of believers (whether under a steeple or around a coffee table), is so important.
What I find really interesting about Jesus’ describing the church as two or three people is that those verses are sandwiched between verses dealing with Church discipline, and verses dealing with the need to forgive others generously. The church is to honor God with right living, and it is to honor God by mimicking His forgiving nature.
“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die?” says the Sovereign LORD. “Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.” Ezekiel 18:23
Living right and loving others unconditionally is not an easy lifestyle; in fact, it is impossible on our own. However, it defines what a church must do to invite and grow followers of Christ.
If you are a follower of Christ and are not currently connected to a body of faith, I challenge you to find a community where you can grow. If you are part of a community, find new ways you can connect with others.
Joe
Part One of The River Community Church’s Vision
Life Changing
Small groups of people are where it's at. When asked where our church meets, we laugh. "All over the place," is our response. The church is about people, not buildings. Our Small Groups ARE the church. They meet regularly to share life; both its joys and struggles. You'll find them meeting in bars, malls, coffee houses and diners. You'll see them serving others in our community and beyond. And you'll hear about them starting new Groups. There are people all over the place who need to reconnect with God and with others; without new Groups we'd never get to share this journey with them. All kinds of friends are invited to walk along with us. They come because here they discover acceptance and love.
Related Verses
Matthew 18:15-22
Correcting Another Believer
“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.
“I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.
“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”
Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor
Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!
Hebrews 10:23-25
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Selected verses taken from NLTse.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Cold Comfort Camping
Growing up camping, there was a lot of togetherness, but not necessarily comfort. That meant six (and occasionally more) people enduring a road trip of roughly fifteen hundred miles (each way!) in a vehicle with only three seatbelts (actually only two since nobody wanted to sit in the middle of the mini-pickup with the manual transmission gearshift bruising your kneecaps). It also meant huddling for warmth in a frosty tent and spending time hiking trails with sore feet. Even when we camped close to home, we endured gravel campsites and dense swarms of mosquitoes.
BTW, mosquitoes like cologne (Dad found that lesson out the hard way).
Needless to say, we went through enough privation growing up that we not only grew accustomed to it, we actually kinda liked it. This helped immensely during my year in ROTC because I just didn’t care if I wasn’t comfortable. Oh, I WAS miserable at times, I just didn’t complain about it. College brought me my fair share of walking (even when I wasn’t mad). Finally, in seminary, my palate became numb to my daily dose of ramen noodles, shredded cheddar cheese, and canned spaghetti sauce (I called it seminary goulash and my wife forbids me from making it at home…sigh).
Through the process of getting older, I have also grown somewhat softer.
You see, I LIKE being comfortable.
I especially like that I have a programmable multi-remote that lets me control the TV, VCR, DVD player, digital cable box, and sound system without having to dig out a bunch of remotes. I like having my Cuban Coffee in the morning. I like having a garage door opener that opens with a simple push of a button. I like having the house frosty at night so I can cocoon myself in my down comforter. Every morning, I am reminded of Proverbs 26:14, which says, “As a door turns back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in bed.” It DOES feel like my back is attached to the bed!
With all that in mind, I saw a man sitting in a planter this morning as he waited for work. He literally was sitting on top of a pile of dirt and rubbish.
And he looked comfortable.
What is it that makes a person comfortable in a seemingly difficult position? Have my sensibilities gotten so soft that I look down with disdain at anything that requires “needless” exertion (and yes, I do go to the gym)?
What makes us comfortable now? What have we gotten so used to that we’ve lost our edge? Have you ever tried cutting a tomato or raw piece of chicken with a dull knife? You’re just as liable to cut yourself! When a knife is sharpened, it actually loses tiny pieces of the edge. Afterwards, a honing steel is used which actually straightens out the ragged edge and makes the knife razor sharp.
What can you start doing to sharpen yourself? What habits must be developed? Which ones must be discarded? Who can help you to hone yourself?
What is ONE thing you need to change today? This week? This month? This year?
Related Verses
Matthew 9:14-17
One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?”
Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
“Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.
“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.”
Proverbs 27:12
As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.
Matthew 4:12-17
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee. He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah:
“In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.”
From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
Scripture quotes taken from the NLTse
BTW, mosquitoes like cologne (Dad found that lesson out the hard way).
Needless to say, we went through enough privation growing up that we not only grew accustomed to it, we actually kinda liked it. This helped immensely during my year in ROTC because I just didn’t care if I wasn’t comfortable. Oh, I WAS miserable at times, I just didn’t complain about it. College brought me my fair share of walking (even when I wasn’t mad). Finally, in seminary, my palate became numb to my daily dose of ramen noodles, shredded cheddar cheese, and canned spaghetti sauce (I called it seminary goulash and my wife forbids me from making it at home…sigh).
Through the process of getting older, I have also grown somewhat softer.
You see, I LIKE being comfortable.
I especially like that I have a programmable multi-remote that lets me control the TV, VCR, DVD player, digital cable box, and sound system without having to dig out a bunch of remotes. I like having my Cuban Coffee in the morning. I like having a garage door opener that opens with a simple push of a button. I like having the house frosty at night so I can cocoon myself in my down comforter. Every morning, I am reminded of Proverbs 26:14, which says, “As a door turns back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in bed.” It DOES feel like my back is attached to the bed!
With all that in mind, I saw a man sitting in a planter this morning as he waited for work. He literally was sitting on top of a pile of dirt and rubbish.
And he looked comfortable.
What is it that makes a person comfortable in a seemingly difficult position? Have my sensibilities gotten so soft that I look down with disdain at anything that requires “needless” exertion (and yes, I do go to the gym)?
What makes us comfortable now? What have we gotten so used to that we’ve lost our edge? Have you ever tried cutting a tomato or raw piece of chicken with a dull knife? You’re just as liable to cut yourself! When a knife is sharpened, it actually loses tiny pieces of the edge. Afterwards, a honing steel is used which actually straightens out the ragged edge and makes the knife razor sharp.
What can you start doing to sharpen yourself? What habits must be developed? Which ones must be discarded? Who can help you to hone yourself?
What is ONE thing you need to change today? This week? This month? This year?
Related Verses
Matthew 9:14-17
One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?”
Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
“Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.
“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.”
Proverbs 27:12
As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.
Matthew 4:12-17
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee. He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah:
“In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.”
From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
Scripture quotes taken from the NLTse
Friday, April 23, 2010
Just a Coincidence?
This coming Friday (April the 30th), Downtown Culpeper will be transformed from 6-10pm into a festival celebrating Latino culture aka “CULPEPER FIESTA”. There is food, live music, professional dancers in traditional costumes, and more. Hispanics and non-Hispanics alike have a great time together. Kathy and I have been to Culpeper Fiesta several times over the past few years, and we thought this would be a great opportunity for us to serve our community with the love of God. The River often gives away freshly made Cuban Coffee (or Café Cubano) at various community events.
I tried tracking down someone who was in charge of the event but had no “luck”.
On this last April Fools Day (Thursday, April 1, 2010), I wrote on the Facebook wall of Culpeper Fiesta, asking for someone to get in contact with me regarding this request to give out free Cuban Coffee.
After writing on their wall, I headed off to my part-time job at the Culpeper Library. It was a normal, hectic day, when out of the blue, someone approached the circulation desk and asked me if she could post a flyer.
The flyer looked very familiar.
It was a flyer for Culpeper Fiesta, and the woman holding it was one of the organizers.
She hadn’t known about my plea on Facebook just a few hours earlier.
Just a coincidence?
I constantly run into people who share similar stories. You probably experienced a few yourself. Where does this stuff come from?
Coincidence is defined by Wikipedia as, “The word is derived from the Latin co - ("in", "with", "together") and incidere ("to fall on")”
My loose translation? “To fall together.”
Our plans sometimes “fall apart”, but God is not surprised by anything.
The Bible teaches that God not only created everything, but he pays attention to details of life that we are completely unaware of; down to even counting our hairs.
John 5:17 states that Jesus said to (the religious teachers), “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”
Knowing that God is not at rest but is actively at work in our world should give us joy! The big question is “Where is He at work around me, so I can join in with what He is doing.”
Related Verses
Matthew 10:28-31
“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
Job 38:1-41
Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind: “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line? What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
“Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb, and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness? For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores. I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop!’
“Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east? Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night’s wickedness? As the light approaches, the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal; it is robed in brilliant colors. The light disturbs the wicked and stops the arm that is raised in violence.
“Have you explored the springs from which the seas come? Have you explored their depths? Do you know where the gates of death are located? Have you seen the gates of utter gloom? Do you realize the extent of the earth? Tell me about it if you know!
“Where does light come from, and where does darkness go? Can you take each to its home? Do you know how to get there? But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced!
“Have you visited the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of hail? (I have reserved them as weapons for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war.) Where is the path to the source of light? Where is the home of the east wind?
“Who created a channel for the torrents of rain? Who laid out the path for the lightning? Who makes the rain fall on barren land, in a desert where no one lives? Who sends rain to satisfy the parched ground and make the tender grass spring up?
“Does the rain have a father? Who gives birth to the dew? Who is the mother of the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens? For the water turns to ice as hard as rock, and the surface of the water freezes.
“Can you direct the movement of the stars— binding the cluster of the Pleiades or loosening the cords of Orion? Can you direct the sequence of the seasons or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens? Do you know the laws of the universe? Can you use them to regulate the earth?
“Can you shout to the clouds and make it rain? Can you make lightning appear and cause it to strike as you direct? Who gives intuition to the heart and instinct to the mind? Who is wise enough to count all the clouds? Who can tilt the water jars of heaven when the parched ground is dry and the soil has hardened into clods?
“Can you stalk prey for a lioness and satisfy the young lions’ appetites as they lie in their dens or crouch in the thicket? Who provides food for the ravens when their young cry out to God and wander about in hunger?
I tried tracking down someone who was in charge of the event but had no “luck”.
On this last April Fools Day (Thursday, April 1, 2010), I wrote on the Facebook wall of Culpeper Fiesta, asking for someone to get in contact with me regarding this request to give out free Cuban Coffee.
After writing on their wall, I headed off to my part-time job at the Culpeper Library. It was a normal, hectic day, when out of the blue, someone approached the circulation desk and asked me if she could post a flyer.
The flyer looked very familiar.
It was a flyer for Culpeper Fiesta, and the woman holding it was one of the organizers.
She hadn’t known about my plea on Facebook just a few hours earlier.
Just a coincidence?
I constantly run into people who share similar stories. You probably experienced a few yourself. Where does this stuff come from?
Coincidence is defined by Wikipedia as, “The word is derived from the Latin co - ("in", "with", "together") and incidere ("to fall on")”
My loose translation? “To fall together.”
Our plans sometimes “fall apart”, but God is not surprised by anything.
The Bible teaches that God not only created everything, but he pays attention to details of life that we are completely unaware of; down to even counting our hairs.
John 5:17 states that Jesus said to (the religious teachers), “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”
Knowing that God is not at rest but is actively at work in our world should give us joy! The big question is “Where is He at work around me, so I can join in with what He is doing.”
Related Verses
Matthew 10:28-31
“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
Job 38:1-41
Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind: “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line? What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
“Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb, and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness? For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores. I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop!’
“Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east? Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night’s wickedness? As the light approaches, the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal; it is robed in brilliant colors. The light disturbs the wicked and stops the arm that is raised in violence.
“Have you explored the springs from which the seas come? Have you explored their depths? Do you know where the gates of death are located? Have you seen the gates of utter gloom? Do you realize the extent of the earth? Tell me about it if you know!
“Where does light come from, and where does darkness go? Can you take each to its home? Do you know how to get there? But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced!
“Have you visited the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of hail? (I have reserved them as weapons for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war.) Where is the path to the source of light? Where is the home of the east wind?
“Who created a channel for the torrents of rain? Who laid out the path for the lightning? Who makes the rain fall on barren land, in a desert where no one lives? Who sends rain to satisfy the parched ground and make the tender grass spring up?
“Does the rain have a father? Who gives birth to the dew? Who is the mother of the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens? For the water turns to ice as hard as rock, and the surface of the water freezes.
“Can you direct the movement of the stars— binding the cluster of the Pleiades or loosening the cords of Orion? Can you direct the sequence of the seasons or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens? Do you know the laws of the universe? Can you use them to regulate the earth?
“Can you shout to the clouds and make it rain? Can you make lightning appear and cause it to strike as you direct? Who gives intuition to the heart and instinct to the mind? Who is wise enough to count all the clouds? Who can tilt the water jars of heaven when the parched ground is dry and the soil has hardened into clods?
“Can you stalk prey for a lioness and satisfy the young lions’ appetites as they lie in their dens or crouch in the thicket? Who provides food for the ravens when their young cry out to God and wander about in hunger?
Thursday, April 15, 2010
A New Way to be Human
A year and a half ago, our dear sister Margo passed away after a long fight with cancer. Kathy and I were privileged to be at her bedside, holding her hand as she passed. The experience still leaves me filled with awe and wonder because I saw her transition from death to life with mine own eyes.
Yes, death to life.
She traded in her dying body for a new life with God. She was taken up into the arms of Jesus.
This is the hope we have. It is a hope that lives because we believe that Jesus is alive. Two weeks ago, many of us celebrated Easter, the triumph of Christ over death; a triumph that made it possible for us to walk with God.
The apostles were not only witnesses, they were historians; seeing to it that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus was recorded for the sake of posterity. Most were martyred as a result. They believed that there was more to this world than their eyes could see, their hands could touch, and their mouths could taste. The apostles of course were skeptical at first when the heard about Jesus being raised from the dead:
Luke 24:36-43 "While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence."
The apostles saw a spiritual dimension that coexisted alongside the physical one we live and move in. Growing up, I had a serious misunderstanding concerning the nature of God. I saw Him in church, I saw Him around priests, I saw Him on special days. I saw myself here, and saw Him as “the God over there.” One day I also discovered that this wasn’t true; His love and care surrounded me, despite my circumstances.
A love that shines a beacon of life, of the true life to come.
Revelations 21:1-7 "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son."
It is through this relationship with God, made possible through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, that we finally become whom we were born to be.
A new way to be human. Not a way of brokenness and pain, but one of joy, peace, and right-living. It is a way He offers to each of us.
Do we dare take it?
Yes, death to life.
She traded in her dying body for a new life with God. She was taken up into the arms of Jesus.
This is the hope we have. It is a hope that lives because we believe that Jesus is alive. Two weeks ago, many of us celebrated Easter, the triumph of Christ over death; a triumph that made it possible for us to walk with God.
The apostles were not only witnesses, they were historians; seeing to it that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus was recorded for the sake of posterity. Most were martyred as a result. They believed that there was more to this world than their eyes could see, their hands could touch, and their mouths could taste. The apostles of course were skeptical at first when the heard about Jesus being raised from the dead:
Luke 24:36-43 "While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence."
The apostles saw a spiritual dimension that coexisted alongside the physical one we live and move in. Growing up, I had a serious misunderstanding concerning the nature of God. I saw Him in church, I saw Him around priests, I saw Him on special days. I saw myself here, and saw Him as “the God over there.” One day I also discovered that this wasn’t true; His love and care surrounded me, despite my circumstances.
A love that shines a beacon of life, of the true life to come.
Revelations 21:1-7 "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son."
It is through this relationship with God, made possible through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, that we finally become whom we were born to be.
A new way to be human. Not a way of brokenness and pain, but one of joy, peace, and right-living. It is a way He offers to each of us.
Do we dare take it?
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Eleven Miles
When I was in high school (and especially in college), I was known for my short fuse. I would not only easily lose my temper; I’d do some really dumb things in my anger.
For example, there was the instance when I lashed out at my mom for “interrupting” my morning prayer time. There was also the time I walked out of a restaurant after attending youth group because one of the guys was going to lie and claim that it was someone’s birthday to the waitress. Another time, I got so mad, that a friend of mine left the room TO PRAY FOR ME.
But the time that I really went off the deep end takes the cake. I was having dinner with two good friends, Glen and Raul in a shopping center called The Falls in Miami. At some point during the evening I got so mad, I got up and went home.
Uh, Glen had the car.
I walked up US-1, took the Metrorail from Dadeland Station to The University of Miami Station, then walked down Miller Drive from UM to my house in Westwood Lakes.
Roughly eleven miles on foot.
It was a long, long walk for someone who has flat feet. I was afraid that I’d get run over, mugged, or worse. After the initial adrenaline wore off, I was tired.
So tired.
I was alone and the road seemed to endlessly stretch before me. I had driven or ridden on these streets countless times before, but never on foot. It was surreal. My heart was heavy; making my leaden footsteps even slower. I got home between 2-3am. To say my feet were sore was an understatement. Of course, my friends and I patched things up and I apologized for my stupidity. I forgot what I got mad about; but I’ll never forget that walk.
There were two guys who had spent time walking with Jesus. After Jesus was arrested, crucified, and buried, these men walked away. They were walking from Jerusalem to a village named Emmaus (which was about seven miles away). They were sad and confused. Jesus’ body was missing and some of the women were claiming that they had received a report from angels who asserted that Jesus had risen from the dead.
At some point, Jesus (incognito) joined them in their journey and chided them for their lack of understanding concerning what the Messiah was about. When they ate dinner together, their eyes were finally opened concerning who sat before them. Jesus vanished.
Elated, they raced back to Jerusalem where they discovered that Peter also had seen Jesus alive!
The road from Emmaus must have seemed a great deal shorter to them than the road to Emmaus.
-What road are you on today? The road to Emmaus filled with pain, doubt and sorrow? Or, the road back to Jerusalem filled with wonder, joy and anticipation?
Joe
Luke 24:13-34
That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. But God kept them from recognizing him.
He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”
They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”
“What things?” Jesus asked.
“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.
“Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”
Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!
They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter. ”
For example, there was the instance when I lashed out at my mom for “interrupting” my morning prayer time. There was also the time I walked out of a restaurant after attending youth group because one of the guys was going to lie and claim that it was someone’s birthday to the waitress. Another time, I got so mad, that a friend of mine left the room TO PRAY FOR ME.
But the time that I really went off the deep end takes the cake. I was having dinner with two good friends, Glen and Raul in a shopping center called The Falls in Miami. At some point during the evening I got so mad, I got up and went home.
Uh, Glen had the car.
I walked up US-1, took the Metrorail from Dadeland Station to The University of Miami Station, then walked down Miller Drive from UM to my house in Westwood Lakes.
Roughly eleven miles on foot.
It was a long, long walk for someone who has flat feet. I was afraid that I’d get run over, mugged, or worse. After the initial adrenaline wore off, I was tired.
So tired.
I was alone and the road seemed to endlessly stretch before me. I had driven or ridden on these streets countless times before, but never on foot. It was surreal. My heart was heavy; making my leaden footsteps even slower. I got home between 2-3am. To say my feet were sore was an understatement. Of course, my friends and I patched things up and I apologized for my stupidity. I forgot what I got mad about; but I’ll never forget that walk.
There were two guys who had spent time walking with Jesus. After Jesus was arrested, crucified, and buried, these men walked away. They were walking from Jerusalem to a village named Emmaus (which was about seven miles away). They were sad and confused. Jesus’ body was missing and some of the women were claiming that they had received a report from angels who asserted that Jesus had risen from the dead.
At some point, Jesus (incognito) joined them in their journey and chided them for their lack of understanding concerning what the Messiah was about. When they ate dinner together, their eyes were finally opened concerning who sat before them. Jesus vanished.
Elated, they raced back to Jerusalem where they discovered that Peter also had seen Jesus alive!
The road from Emmaus must have seemed a great deal shorter to them than the road to Emmaus.
-What road are you on today? The road to Emmaus filled with pain, doubt and sorrow? Or, the road back to Jerusalem filled with wonder, joy and anticipation?
Joe
Luke 24:13-34
That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. But God kept them from recognizing him.
He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”
They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”
“What things?” Jesus asked.
“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.
“Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”
Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!
They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter. ”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
