Thursday - Travelling Light

Prayer:   Great God,  what ever journey You set out for us today,  we will give You thanks.  Heavenly God,  what ever journey You set out for us today,  we will give You our peace.  O Christ,  Son of God,  what ever journey You set out for us today,  we know that we will do Your will for we live and dwell in Your love forever.  Amen.

Read  St Luke  10:  1 -  16

Jesus sends out seventy followers.  He sends them out in pairs to go to every town and place where Jesus is about to go.  What is this?  Is this called the promotional arrangements tour?     Nope,  not at all.  This is called the sharing of the Good News of the Kingdom of God by word of mouth.  Jesus has encountered three people who will not follow him.  Now Jesus sends out seventy to spread the Good News of the Gospel.  The Kingdom of God is near.      

Jesus gives them specific instructions:

 The seventy are to travel light. 

 No loitering and making small talk

 Enter a home and greet the family by saying, “Peace”

 If your greeting is received,  then stay

 If your greeting is not received then leave

 Stay at one home and eat your meals at this place

 Do not move from home to home

 Eat what is put before you

 Heal anyone who is sick and tell them, “God’s kingdom is right on your doorstep”

 If a town you enter does not receive you,  say, “The only thing we got from you is the dirt on our feet, and we’re giving it back. Did you have any idea that God’s kingdom was right on your doorstep?”  (St Luke 10: 11)

In our Churches today,  do we send out our Elders to knock on the doors of people who live near the Church and tell them about the Kingdom of God?  Does Session even know the neighbours who live near the Church?   Do Elders meet with neighbours for prayer and healing?    Does the Church send out flyers letting the neighbourhood know of  what we are doing in our Church?  Does the Church send flowers or provide food to neighbours during times of joy and sorrow?    Does the Church have a big announcement board outside the Church announcing Bible Studies,  Worship times,  Kids Groups?    How does the Church you belong to tell the neighbourhood that the Kingdom of God?  

God’s kingdom is right on your doorstep.   The  kingdom of God is near.  This Lent,  reflect on the phrase “the kingdom of God is near” and how your Church responds to this announcement. 

Prayer:   Great God,  what ever journey You set out for us today,  we will give You thanks.  Heavenly God,  what ever journey You set out for us today,  we will give You our peace.  O Christ,  Son of God,  what ever journey You set out for us today,  we know that we will do Your will for we live and dwell in Your love forever.  Amen.

Wednesday - following Jesus

Prayer:  O Lord,  set us free to see those in this world who need You.   O Lord,  set us free to help those in this world who need You.  O Lord,  set us free to prayer for those in this world who need You.  Christ have mercy.  Amen.

Read St. Luke 9: 57 – 62

This is the story of the three men.   On  the road to Jerusalem,  two men come up to the disciples and Jesus and want to join with them on the journey.  Jesus asks another man to follow them.

The first man states that he will follow Jesus wherever Jesus goes.  But once Jesus says that they are not staying in high class hotels,  the man leaves.  Was not having a place to stay each night a deterrent for this follower?  Yes indeed.  

Then Jesus invites  a man to join with them.   This second man requests that everyone needs to wait while he buries his father.   Is phrase is odd in itself.  If this man’s father had just died this second man would have been unclean and not out on the roadways. He would have been home preparing the body for burial.  After the burial there would have been the time of mourning.   The time of mourning was anywhere from 7 to 30 days.  At the end of the time of mourning,  the man would go to the Synagogue and offer sacrifices to become clean again.      

Jesus responds, “First things first.  Your business is life, not death.  And life is urgent:  Announce God’s kingdom!”  (Luke 9: 60  The Message Navpress,  2005).

The  third man wanting to follow Jesus wants everyone to wait until he says good-bye to his family.   Jesus responds, “No procrastination.  No backward looks.  You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day.”  (Luke 9: 62  The Message Navpress,  2005).

Jesus is teaching that there is cost to being a follower of Christ.   What,  do you think are the costs of following Christ?    What are the demands of following Christ?

This Lent,  what one thing will you do so that others will know that you are a follower of Christ?

Prayer:   Lord God Almighty,  may we be true members of Your body,  able to help in a time of need.   What ever we can do for the least of these,  help us to do our best to share Your love.  This we ask in Christ’s name. Amen.

Tuesday - welcoming guests

Prayer:    “Eternal God,  You know what for us is hidden… bless Your people as we lay before You the hardness of our hearts.  Strengthen us in Your might,  deliver us from all that is evil and confirm us in faith,  through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.”  (Taize “Praise in all our Days”  Mowbray,  1981, pg. 184).

Read St. Luke  9: 52 – 56

The Samaritans  would not provide hospitality to Jesus and the disciples because they were heading to Jerusalem.    Wow.   A middle eastern community not offering hospitality to travellers is a real shock.  What is behind the shunning of hospitality? 

There was a longstanding feud between the Jews and the Samaritans.  A feud that like most feuds was grounded in history.     The Samaritans were Hebrews who had not been taken away to Babylon.   They continued worshipping in the old style with centuries of local flavour being added in to their worship.  The Jews such as James and John’s historic family were part of the tribes that were taken to Babylon and lived in exile. 

James and John want to bring down fire from heaven onto the town.    But Jesus rebukes James and John.     And they travelled on to another village.    Jesus has taught by example that when you come up against a hard rock wall of hatred,  that one does not stand in the middle of the road and yell, “You hard hearted people!”  but one merely acknowledges the situation,  says prayers for the people and then travels onward to another village where hospitality is provided.

We shake our head at these stubborn stiff necked people.  But are we any better?   This Lent,  look at what you believe and what strong opinions you hold.      Really look at your beliefs and strong opinions.     Are your strong opinions like the feud between the Samaritans and the Jews?   

For Churches,  when you have a guest in your midst, are they made welcome?  Or do the guests/visitors slide into the pew and at the end of worship slide out of the pew without anyone greeting them in the name of Christ?    Is the entrance to the Church hospitable looking? Are the walls of the entrance washed and clean walls….  Clean carpet or floor tile… no buckets under rain stained ceilings or walls?  Are Posters and Sign Up Sheets current?   Is the Guest Book easily accessible?   Are there people to greet everyone?    Greeters must be trained to go toward each person that enters the Church rather than the guest coming to the Greeter. Does the Greeter take the guest around and show them where to hang their coat,  find the washroom,  and after worship coffee hour?    While these are all very simple things,  they are basic hospitality that our denomination has frequently forgotten.

This Lent,  really take a look at your Church.  Would James and John be welcomed or would they be travelling on to another “town”?

Prayer:   Eternal God,  help us to welcome all those who enter Your doors so that they may be given Your love and Your peace.  Open our hearts to attend to those who are new or have lost their way.   Lord have mercy.   Amen.

Monday - journey to Jerusalem

Prayer:  “Return to the Lord, Your God,  for God is tenderness and compassion.  O God of tenderness and compassion,  O Master slow to anger,  full of love and full of truth,  turn towards us and have compassion.   Give Your strength to Your servant, and salvation to all peoples.  Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and wisdom,  strength, healing and love.  Amen.”  (Taize  “Praise in all our Days”  Mowbray,  1981, pg. 183).

Read  St Luke  9: 51

Jesus knows that he is on a journey to Jerusalem.  This journey will not be easy.  It will be a time of teaching,  a time of preaching,  a time of healing but most importantly it will be a time of preparation.  Jesus will be preparing the disciples for living as a Christian after he is sent to death.   It will also be a time of preparation for Jesus  as he lives knowing that his death is in the not too distant future.

And how does Jesus prepare himself?   The Bibles says that he resolutely set out….he   steeled himself….  he  steadfastly set his face towards Jerusalem.    He did not go on this journey alone.  He was constantly in prayer with God.  Jesus also had the disciples.  While they did not understand the journey Christ was to take,  they are Jesus’ students and friends.   They are with him on this journey.  

We call Lent a journey to Easter.   Lent is a time when we do something more so that we can prepare our hearts to return to God.      While we often think that Lent is a personal time of repentance,  Lent is a time for the whole Church to journey together.    As a congregation,  we journey together through worship.    

Each Sunday we come together to worship God.   During the time of Holy Week  we worship together in Maundy Thursday Worship,  Good Friday Worship,  Holy Saturday Worship,  and then Glorious Easter Worship.   One of the responsibilities that Session has to the congregation is to inform everyone of these times of extra Worship.      If you do not know if the Church you attend has extra worship services,  now is the time to ask!

Prayer:  “Lord God,  it was Your will to call us,  instructing us and opening the way for us to follow.  You have given us wisdom and understanding for life eternal.  Be our rock and our fortress, O Lord.  Amen.”   (Taize,  “Praise in all our Days”  Mowbray,  1981,  pg. 184)

Sunday - Lent 4

Prayer:  “O Christ, of Your fullness we have all received.  You are our eternal hope.  You are patient and full of kindness.  You are generous to all who call upon You.  Lord hear our prayer.  O Christ,  fountain of life and of holiness.  You have taken away our sins.  You were loaded with insults and crushed beneath the burden of our faults.  Lord hear our prayer.  O Christ,  obedient unto death,  source of all comfort, our life and our resurrection, our peace and our reconciliation.  Lord  hear our prayer.  O Christ,  salvation of all who hope in You,  hope of all who die in You, and bliss of all the saints.  Lord here our prayer.  Lamb of God,  You take away the sin of the world,  Lord forgive us.  Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world,  Lord hear us.  Lamb of God,  You take away the sin of the world,  Lord have mercy upon us…..  We give our thanks to God. Amen.     (Taize  “Praise in all our Days” Mowbray,  1981,  pg. 178 – 179)

 

Saturday - Lenten Retreat

Today is the opening gala of our Museum Exhibit "Serving King, Queen and Country".  For the military,  this means serving the King or the Queen... but what about as Christians?  How do we serve our King?    During this time of Lent.... this time of reflection... this is a great pondering question to ask ourselves.      What happens when we say we're "too busy" to serve our King?  What happens when we have awesome ideas for spreading the Good News within our community but the Church is not listening as they are "too busy"  or "don't have enough funds" or the Ministers and Elders say they are "overworked"?   

Looking back over the people featured in our Museum Exhibit,  each of the individuals passionately served their King.  They knew if they didn't serve their King,  then we would loose our freedom.   Kinda puts the Church in perspective doesn't it.   It is time again to serve our King,  Jesus Christ with passion and devotion. All it takes is a simple "yes, Lord,   I will".   

  

Prayer:  Jesus Christ,  my Lord and Saviour,  You call me to follow You and to become like You.  You call me to live in communion with God and with each other.  I do not always know where you are leading me but I know that You lead me beside green pastures.   Jesus Christ,  Son of God,  I love you with my whole heart and soul and mind.   Amen.  

 

Prayer:   Jesus,  I come into Your presence today knowing that You love me for who I am.    Jesus, I come into Your presence today knowing that listen to all I say.    Jesus,  I come into Your presence today basking in Your love and glory.  Jesus, You have brought me to this moment and I love You.

Reflect over the Scripture readings of this past week.  Ask yourself:

*  How do these Scripture readings apply to me?

*  I ponder   the actions, gestures and emotions of Jesus from the Scripture readings this past week. 

 *   What touched my heart about this scripture?   What did I find difficult?

   *   Was there something I would like to return to?

   *   Was there a phrase of verse that I would like to remember?

 Picture Jesus sitting beside you.   Tell Jesus why he is your Lord and Saviour.    Be aware of the love Jesus has for you.  Share any questions you have about Jesus and just let the questions be in Jesus’ presence.  You don’t need to answer the questions yourself.

Prayer:  Jesus Christ,  my Lord and Saviour,  You call me to follow You and to become like You.  You call me to live in communion with God and with each other.  I do not always know where you are leading me but I know that You lead me beside green pastures.   Jesus Christ,  Son of God,  I love you with my whole heart and soul and mind.   Amen.  

Friday - reflection

Prayer:  Great God,  this day may we listen,  hear,  read,  and thirst for Your Holy Word.  May we read Your scriptures with delight in our hearts.   As we reflect upon Your Word this day,  may You fill us with all joy and all peace in believing.  Amen.

St Luke 9: 49 – 50

John speaks up and says to Jesus that they saw a man using Jesus’ name to heal others.  John was concerned that the man was not a disciple.   The man had not been taught by Jesus.   

Jesus responds by saying that the disciples should not stop the man.   Jesus continues to state that whoever is not against you is for you.    If he is not an enemy,  he is an ally.

Chapter 9 is Jesus’ teaching on leadership.  In these two verses,    John thinks he is being a good leader by bringing forward a man who is using Jesus’ name to heal.   And with Jesus’ response of do not stop the man,  we can almost hear John go, “Rats.  I thought I understood the teachings of Jesus!”

Leadership.  There are many books written, videos,  websites, and  courses on leadership and leadership styles within the Church.    Yet what leadership for Christians  really boils down to is prayer,  reading the scriptures,  meditation, and God’s call.    Like John,  we do not know what we believe and can’t be a  leader until we understand Jesus’ teachings and live in the love of God.  

Today,  spend time in reflection.  Reflect upon Biblical people—Old and New Testaments.  What three Biblical people would you say were great leaders.  

 Reflect upon why they were great leaders.

 Did these people have an easy time as a leader? 

Did these people frequently stumble and fall in their leadership but got back up again and carried on because of their love for God?   

Think of two people from your life who have been great Christian leaders. 

What set them apart?

What about current leaders in the Church.  Can you name three people in your Church that are great Christian leaders and set awesome examples of how to serve Christ?    What about teens or children in the Sunday School?  Are any of these people Christian leaders yet? 

Prayer:  Holy God,  we give You thanks for all Your servants who have passed from this life in faith and in love.  We pray that we may follow their example and discover the joy of following Your Word and Your love.  Amen.