Lent 2010 - Third Sunday

Luke 13:1-9: (The Inclusive Bible)
"On the same occasion, there were people present who told Jesus about some Galileans whose
blood Pilate had mixed with their own sacrifices.
Jesus replied, "Do you think these Galileans were the greatest sinners in Galilee just
because they suffered this? Not at all! I tell you, you'll all come to the same end unless
you change your ways. Or take those eighteen who were killed by a falling tower in Siloam.
Do you think they were more guilty than anyone else who has lived in Jerusalem? Certainly
not! I tell you, you'll all come to the same end unless you change your ways.
Jesus told this parable: "There was a fig tree growing in a vineyard. The owner came out
looking for fruit on it, but didn't find any. The owner said to the vine dresser, "Look
here! For three years now I've come out in search of fruit on this fig tree and have found
none. Cut it down. Why should it clutter up the ground?""
"In reply, the vine dresser said, "Please, leave it one more year while I hoe around it and
fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine; if not, then let it be cut down.""

THOUGHTS:
This story is similar to the one in Mark 11:12-14. In that story, Jesus curses a fig tree
for being fruitless. Mark notes that it was not fig season - however, fig growers know that
when leaves first appear on the tree, (during the time of year we know as Lent,) there are
almond-sized mini-figs, called the breba crop, that were often left for the poor to pick off
and eat. The tree had leaves, but no mini-figs - and if there are no mini-figs, there will
be no real figs that year. Also, since the mini-figs and leaves tend to grow together, the
appearance of leaves without figs were a form of false advertising. Essentially, the tree
wasn't "walking it's talk."

Back in Luke 13, we read in v2-5 a speech that would not be out of place on a TV preacher's
lips after some disaster - saying, perhaps, it is a curse for allowing things like feminism
to take root. Yet it wasn't prostitutes and tax collectors Jesus was speaking to, but the
religious. Many preachers who talk about God cursing Others have also been subjects of news
articles detailing their multi-million-dollar spending habits. Is greed less sinful just
because it's popular? We are ALL sinners, from preachers and priests to pimps and embezzlers
- who among us has the arrogance to throw stones?

Let's combine these ideas: Jesus wants to see fruit. He doesn't want classy sounding
theological words, which are just so many leaves. He doesn't want us to waste time pointing
fingers and bickering about other people bringing disaster in their wake because God has
somehow cursed them more than us. (Weren't we all cursed by Adam's fall?) Jesus cares about
generosity, gratitude, humility, patience, how much hope we spread, how much faith and trust
we have in God, and - most importantly - how much we love. He doesn't even care if we aren't
there yet - He doesn't expect perfect figs, even little, tiny, mini-fig tries will please
Him. What matters is whether or not we're letting God take our heart of stone and turn it
into a heart of flesh (Ez 36:26). What matters is if we're there to look into the eyes of
those who believe life is hopeless and that even God can't heal and forgive their past - and
then not only tell, but show them that God loves them.

PRAYER:
Jesus, forgive us for thinking of others as worse sinners than ourselves.
Soften our hearts to Your voice, so that we may produce True Fruit this Lenten season.
Amen.

--
Thoughts by Victoria Meixell, student at George Mason University and community member of Lutheran Campus Ministry

Easter 2009

Mark 16:1-8 
1 When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 They had been saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?" 4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you." 8 So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

THOUGHTS:

These women walked toward the tomb worrying about problems the stone would cause them, yet when they arrived, it was already rolled away!  They were understandably disturbed, and even more confused when a man sitting in the tomb tells them that Jesus has been raised.  Some of the oldest copies of Mark end here at verse 8, with these women fleeing the tomb in terror and amazement, too scared to tell anyone about it.

We proclaim the Gospel:

HE IS RISEN!  HE IS RISEN INDEED!

ALLELUIA!  PRAISE BE TO GOD!

PRAYER:

Lord God, we fall on our knees in wonder, and we shout the Good News in joy: "Jesus is risen from the dead!"  May be dwell in the awe of that first Easter morning today.  In Jesus holy name we pray, AMEN.

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REMINDER: Carpool to worship with us TODAY (4/12) for EASTER worship services.  Meet at 10:25am for a ride from SUB 1 room 207.  

SPECIAL INVITATION: This Wednesday (4/15), our "747" worship experience will be super exciting as students are planning and leading worship as a project for their class on "The Sacred and the Erotic".  Join us, and reclaim your body in light of the resurrection of Christ.  7:47pm in the JC Bistro.

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These devotions are provided by Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University .  Feel free to share them with your friends!  For more information on our ministry and events, see http://gmu.edu/org/lutheran  

You can subscribe to these devotions by RSS or email from http://lentendevotions.blogspot.com

Lent 2009 #19

Mark 11:15-19  15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves; 16 and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 He was teaching and saying, "Is it not written,

'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers."

18 And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. 19 And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

THOUGHTS:

All 4 gospel writers describe Jesus walking into the temple and getting not just angry, but table-flipping furious when he sees people using its courts as a marketplace.  These passages depict our savior, who is usually so composed and compassionate, as being in need of some serious anger management counseling.  Think about it.  He walks into what is functioning as a market and goes on a rampage flipping over display tables and driving everyone out even as their coins were probably still rolling across the floor!  In John's version, Jesus even take the time to make a whip to drive them out!  

I'm sure the disciples were absolutely mortified.  It can also be a bit embarrassing for us.  I mean, isn't this the same Jesus who seems to effortlessly absorb interruptions by children and the untouchable?  What could have possibly made him lose his cool?

It appears the culprit is the commercialization of religion.  People were selling animals for sacrifice in the temple, essentially selling forgiveness!  Martin Luther called out the church for a similar crime against God in the selling of indulgences 1500 years later.  The "Christian entertainment" market is now valued at over $5 billion annually...

How do we see the commercialization of religion around us?  Where do we draw the line?

PRAYER:

Lord God, enlighten the sometimes dark recesses of our minds.  Fill us with faith, root us in hope, and enable us to work in humble service to you in all that we do.  May your will be done, and may we do our part in illuminating your kingdom on earth.  In Jesus name, AMEN.

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TODAY:

+ discuss faith in SUB I Patriot's Lounge at 4:30pm with Pastor Lisa Hufford.

+ worship with us at 7:47pm in SUB I room B (3rd floor).

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These devotions are provided by Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University .  Feel free to share them with your friends!  For more information on our ministry and events, see http://gmu.edu/org/lutheran  

You can subscribe to these devotions by RSS or email from http://lentendevotions.blogspot.com

Lent 2009 #10

Mark 8:27-30 
27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" 28 And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." 29 He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah." 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

THOUGHTS:

Who do we say that Jesus is?  
The world hears about Jesus by observing how Christians act and live.

When we judge people, we are telling them that Jesus is judgmental.

When we retaliate, we are telling those around us that Jesus is vengeful.

When we say one thing and do another, we are telling the world that Jesus can't be trusted.

When we heal the sick, we are telling people that Jesus cares about them.

When we comfort the suffering, we are telling them that Jesus is compassionate.
When we act out of love, we are telling the world that Jesus is loving.

So really, who do you say that Jesus is?

PRAYER (A Four-fold Franciscan Blessing):

     May God bless you with a restless discomfort about easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships, so that you may seek truth boldly and love deep within your heart.
     May God bless you with holy anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may tirelessly work for justice, freedom, and peace among all people.

     May God bless you with the gift of tears to shed with those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, or the loss of all that they cherish, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.

     May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you really CAN make a difference in this world, so that you are able, with God's grace, to do what others claim cannot be done.

     And the blessing of God the Supreme Majesty and our Creator, Jesus Christ the Incarnate Word who is our brother and Saviour, and the Holy Spirit, our Advocate and Guide, be with you and remain with you, this day and forevermore. AMEN.

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These devotions are provided by Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University.  Feel free to share them with your friends!  For more information on our ministry and events, see http://gmu.edu/org/lutheran  

You can subscribe to these devotions by RSS or email from http://lentendevotions.blogspot.com

Easter Sunday

HE IS RISEN!

 

HE IS RISEN INDEED!

 

HALLELUJAH!

Mark 16:1-8 (TNIV)

1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"  4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.  6 "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' "  8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

THOUGHTS:

Lent is over.  We move on not merely by reverting to life as it was before.  We are changed.  We have not reached a final destination, but we have taken another step along the journey.  Spending time with God, we grow closer to God.  Think about the ways that you will continue down the journey, and the communities that you immerse yourself along the way.  Contine to pray each day about how you can live in tune with God.  Celebrate the spectacular grace of Easter.

 

PRAYER:

God, you are great in ways we cannot fully comprehend.  We thank you for freeing us through, and in, Jesus.  May we always strive to try to see the world through your compassionate and loving eyes.  For Jesus's sake.  AMEN. 

 

HE IS RISEN!   HE IS RISEN INDEED!   HALLELUJAH!

 

Lent Day #35

Mark 11:12-14,20-25 (ESV)

12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard it.

20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered." 22 And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

THOUGHTS:
It feels to me like when Jesus encounters the fig tree, we see a different side of Jesus. Hungry, he approaches a tree in the hopes of eating figs. Since it isn't fig season he finds none. Therefore, he curses the tree so that no one will ever eat from it again.

What emotions were running through Jesus that day?

Does it seem silly to you? Imagine a farmer who owned an orchard of apple trees in Maryland going out today, finding no apples, and therefore cutting down all the apple trees. What does this mean?

I expect Jesus to recognize that it isn't fig season and he's ruining a perfectly good fig tree. I expect him to think about all the hungry people the tree might be able to feed when fig season rolls around. He apparently doesn't.

Is the whole thing just an illustration of the power of faith for the disciples? Maybe, but couldn't that have been accomplished just as effectively by saying "Next time I see you, I want a few dozen figs." The next morning as they walk by, the disciples would be equally shocked. The teaching about the power of faith would pack the same power.

That brings me right back to wondering what emotions Jesus was dealing with the day he encountered the fig tree. Scripture records this event as happening within a couple of days after Palm Sunday. Is Jesus so focused on the end of his life that he lashes out in anger and bitterness at the world around him?

I consulted some resources that seem to chalk it up to "parabolic action" -- a lived out parable. My Bible commentary fumbles around a little bit, suggesting that maybe the fig tree represents the Jewish people -- that the unfruitful tree represets an unfaithful people symbolizing that this was not the proper time for the Jewish leaders to bear fruit by accepting Jesus.

Think about it. Pray about it. What do you think?

PRAYER:
Dear Lord, we admit that we sometimes struggle to understand. We ask that you guide us to understand those things you want us to know, and to help us to accept on faith those things that are beyond us. For Jesus sake, AMEN.

Lent Day #15

Mark 8:27-33 (ESV)
27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" 28 And they told him, "John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets." 29 And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ." 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."

THOUGHTS:
Who do we say that Jesus is? What role does our answer play in our lives?

Peter told Jesus that he believes he is the Christ -- the Messiah who will redeem and heal Israel. Jesus tells him to keep his view a secret, and then starts describing how he is going to have to suffer and die. Would you have challenged this notion like Peter did? I probably would have. I mean, Peter basically says "Jesus, you're the one! ALL of our hopes rest in you." Jesus responds with "Shh, I'm going to be tortured and killed soon..." Peter's whole brain probably blinked in confusion.

If you've seen movie "The Matrix", imagine if when Neo hears people tell him he's the one, he says "you know, I'm really thinking I'll just let them kill me." Those who believed he was the one would probably be telling him "NO -- you can't do THAT!"

Is that how Peter felt? I can't imagine I wouldn't have tried to talk Jesus out of it too. We so often get our minds focused on the way we think the world works, or the way we think that God should work. It's so easy to forget that God's ways are not our ways. God's ways are sometimes the farthest things from our comprehension at a given moment.

How do we remain open and ready to hear God's ways? How do we figure out when God is leading us in comparison to when our own ideas are the ones tugging us along? How do we set our mind on the things of God?

PRAYER:
Dear God, this Lent, we acknowledge that we tend to follow our own ideas down tangental rabbit-holes. We admit that sometimes we think we've figured out the point, and that our own certainty can sometimes lead us to miss out on Your still small voice whispering in our ears. Help us to work as a community to follow you. Help us to rely on each other, and to support each other. Help us to do Your will today. In Jesus name we pray, AMEN.