Christianity – Page 33 – LOVE | ACCEPT

Lent 2009 – 31 Steps to the Cross

As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone” and “ A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the message – which is also what they were destined for. (1 Peter 2:4-8)

Sacrifice. The focus of our Lent reflections. With Peter as the vehicle, we can see the progression of ‘less of me and more of you’ in response to Christ and the change that it brings. We turn to Peter’s first letter today and ponder his call to Be the Church. Believers are to build themselves into the Church, the body of sacrifice modeled on their Lord’s oblation. The question we meditate upon is whether we can accept being despised in the same way Christ was. Have we given up enough of self to make this possible or are we still concerned with what men think?

Lent 2009 – 32 Steps to the Cross

“For, said Peter, “it is written in the book of Psalms,

“’May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’

and,

“’May another take his place of leadership.’ (Acts 1:20)

Peter is continuing the conversation he has been having with the remaining disciples after they had confronted the betrayal by Judas (33 Steps). In Acts we see a Peter who is maturing as the Spirit has confronted his worst tendencies and worked His transformation. The Apostle now turns his attention to filling the emptiness among the Eleven and fulfilling their mission. His use of scripture is a turning point for Peter; he has put aside his raw emotion in decision making and is applying the Word to the situation at hand.

The lesson for us is plain. Our maturity as Christ followers is measured by those moments in which we put aside our self reliance and rely on the revealed Word and the Spirit’s direction in plotting our direction in life. Make note of the twin requirements: we must know God’s Word and discern the Spirit’s guidance. Growth in these areas only comes from devotion to study and prayer.

Do you need to renew your commitment?

Lent 2009 – 33 Steps to the Cross

In those days Peter stood up among the believers ( a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus – he was one our number and shared in this ministry. (Acts 1:15-17)

We are all hurt by the betrayal of another person at some point in our lives. Young or old, male or female, at some point we are going to feel the sting of someone in whom we trusted is going to let us down and our Christianity provides no bulwark against it. Our reaction, on the other hand, is a measure of the depth of our faith.

We may take as long as Peter did to see God’s hand in the ebb and flow of life. Though the Cross was an unspeakably wicked act on behalf of those who committed it, it fulfilled the plan of God for our redemption. Judas was a part of that plan as Peter would come to understand. Is there a betrayal in your life that you can reflect on today that serves a greater purpose with the benefit of hindsight? Maturity as we see in Peter only comes with this kind of meditation. Devote today to this helpful examination.

Lent 2009 – 34 Steps to the Cross

Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”

But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”

Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” (Luke 8:40-48)

Peter’s education on the nature of faith took many forms and we can gain much by spending time in those situations where he seems to play an insignificant role. He is with Jesus as the Lord heads toward the home Jairus to heal his daughter. Peter understands this mission and we can almost picture the burly fisherman blocking for The Healer as the crowd pushes in to be closer to Him. Suddenly, Jesus stops and demands to know who has touched him in the crowd. Peter is obviously stunned, wondering how He could ask this question of a crowd that presses in from all sides to be in contact with Him. The fisherman states the obvious.

Jesus knows that this touch was different. It was a touch of faith, a hand reaching out of the crowd that believed that He was the Healer. Peter misses this because he is focused on ‘the mission.’ Any deviation from the journey is unacceptable to him. Jesus knows differently though. He knows that a needy faith encounter can occur at any moment and in any situation. Commitments of faith do not occur only at the altar or when they are programmed. We can learn this same lesson as Peter did. We can train ourselves to be more aware of our surroundings, of those interactions that might not seem significant, and to look for those who need the touch of Jesus.

Lent 2009 – 35 Steps to the Cross

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who call us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (2 Peter 1:3-4)

Before Peter could write these truths, he had to learn them for himself. Before the Lord called him away from the lake, Peter had developed a pair of traits that would undergo a transformation as he followed Jesus through the land. As a hard working fisherman he had no doubt developed a high level of self sufficiency. He knew how to fend for himself as a businessman and on the dangerous waters that he fished, especially in situations where he could rely on no one else to get him out of trouble. As a Jew, Peter had also been steeped in the legalistic practices of Judaism.

Jesus taught him something completely different as He sought to make the notion of grace clear. Peter could not nor should not bring anything to the party. God provided everything and any attempt to supplement that gift simply got in the way of the outworking of grace. Like Peter, we often find ourselves struggling with grace. We impose restrictions on ourselves that God has not in an attempt to infuse godliness into our lives but in doing so, we get in the way of the work of the Spirit. He was given to us so that the transformation of our souls could come from within, not from our own efforts. The extent of work should simply be reliance of the work of the Holy Ghost. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness…”

Lent 2009 – 36 Steps To The Cross

While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher any more?” Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. (Mark 5:35-37)

As we saw yesterday, our calling and ministry are not self-selected. Instead, we are called into specific ministries at the behest of the Lord. In our competitive age it is easy to become envious of the call or ministry of another but the lesson in humility that we are to understand is that all ministry in the name of Jesus is important. In the instances such as the above, what would have been the effect of the other disciples complaining that they were not among the three allowed to accompany Jesus to Jairus’ home? Would the chaos have furthered the kingdom message or checked it?

Modern ministry is often caught up in worldly comparisons among churches and pastorates and the backlash gives those outside of the church the negative impression that many have. Where is our humility? Why can we not be rested in our specific calling while allowing the ‘three’ to go on to their ministry? Perhaps this Lenten season is our opportunity to determine how much of our ego is wrapped up in the ministry decisions we make.

Galli on Lenten Focus

Take a few minutes and read this lengthy post by Mark Galli on our focus during this Lenten season. Read it slowly and note the risks that he highlights. I read this in light of our walk with Peter and considered how easily we can see ourselves in him. We can become too inwardly focused in these meditations and miss out on the true meaning of the season.

Lent 2009 – 37 Steps To The Cross

These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); (Mark 3:16)

When we come upon this verse in Mark’s gospel, Jesus and His disciples have withdrawn ‘into the hills’ so that He can clarify the calling and set aside twelve for special office. Their commission will be unique: to be with him and to preach and cast out demons. Like that of the Lord himself, the ministry of the Apostles will be to announce the Kingdom of God. They are intimately sharing in His mission. In our modern reading, we are called to a similar ministry without needing the title given to his inner circle.

We are not told why Jesus elects to give Peter, James, and John their new surnames. Thus far, Peter has not distinguished himself as deserving of special calling but we, like Simeon himself, must simply trust the Lord’s foreknowledge and mission. Our modern world, filled with qualification tests and the prominence of credentials, can lead us to the mistaken belief that we are required to prepare ourselves for calling. In fact, as we learn from Jesus’ methods, he calls us to our ministry and will supply all of the necessary preparation through the Holy Spirit. Do we trust Him enough to simply follow closely along with Him and await His direction?

Psalm 29 ~ The Lord Thunders Over the Mighty Waters

Recite the first two verses of this psalm out loud, the first time in a whisper and the second time in full voice using the full power of your diaphragm.

Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty one, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness. (vv 1-2)

This psalm, in its structure and prose, demands to be fully voiced. The call to worship and praise found in these introductory verses practically rings the kind of praise that we feel in our hearts but rarely have the courage to voice. Compare it to the tepid “Good morning, how’s everybody doin’” that serves as the call to worship in so many churches and it leads you to wonder what would happen if someone got up and belted this out.

In fact, continue to read and you’ll find your blood rising and heart beating harder as the volume and power rise in your head.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders.

The Lord Thunders over the mighty waters.

The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. (vv 3-4)

Why not also close the service with the closing affirmation:

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever.

The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace. (vv 10 – 11)

Amen

Lent 2009 – 38 Steps To The Cross

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)

Any journey gets immeasurably easier when the destination comes into sight. In our lives, our objective is to submit to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit as he leads us to finally become Christlike, but many times, I know that I have trouble seeing how my current state will ever be like the glorious Lord. Sometimes we find our confidence growing as we look toward intermediate markers along the road, things that can be reached in a shorter period. Watching Peter stumble along trying to follow Jesus but stubbing his toes over and over along the way we find a fellow follower more in our image.

Peter brings us hope as we step toward the cross because even though he is flawed like us, he get’s it after learning things the hard way. We get angry, we blurt out inappropriate things, we fail to see what is right before us, and we even fail to see the bigger picture but Peter gives us hope because his messy transformation is our halting, sputtering, tumbling transformation. Not perfect by any stretch, but humbly following close behind our savior.