Ascension Day- Acts 1; Luke 24

 This year, Thursday, May 29, is Ascension Day, the fortieth day after Easter. The Ascension is an important teaching of Scripture (Luke 24; Acts 1; Matthew 28; Mark 16; John 20; Ephesians 1 & 4), and it is a core Christian belief affirmed in the ancient creeds. Unfortunately in our time, this key event in Christ's ministry is often overlooked, and it deserves more attention.

Among the many meanings of the Ascension of Christ, here are three key points. 1) The Ascension marks the end of Jesus' Resurrection manifestations to the band of original disciples, the completion of His earthly ministry, and Jesus' return to His heavenly Father. 2) The Ascension also points toward and prepares for Pentecost. As Christ tells His followers more than once in the "Farewell Discourses" in the Gospel according to John, His return to the Father will lead to a new and powerful working of God the Holy Spirit among them. Christ's return to heaven means that the mission of His disciples can become less local and more universal. 3) Christ's Ascension also means that His followers have a heavenly mediator and intercessor at the right hand of the Father. From heaven, our Lord Jesus Christ watches over us in all places and at all times. He intercedes for our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being and for our eternal salvation. 

Thus, we see that Christ's Ascension ties many Christian beliefs together. It reminds us of all that Jesus Christ has done and is doing to pour His grace into our lives. It is an affirmation of Jesus' earthly ministry and His Resurrection. It is a kind of seal of divine approval on the Incarnation. The Ascension is also a concrete illustration of His continuing work as our unique heavenly intercessor and mediator. In addition, as the angels tell the disciples in Acts 1, the Ascension is a reminder of the Christian hope that Jesus Christ will come again to complete earthly history. Thanks be to God for our crucified, risen, and ascended Savior!

Easter V, Rogation Sunday- John 16:23-33

 Historically, the Fifth Sunday after Easter has been called Rogation Sunday, and the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of this week have also been known as Rogation Days. The term "rogation" comes from the Latin verb rogo, rogare. This is one Latin term for praying and is used in the Latin version of John 16:26, "that I will pray" (rogabo). Rogation Days date back to sixth-century Rome where Christian prayers for crops were appointed to replace certain pagan customs. Early processional litanies were associated with this observance, and other prayers of supplication were included during times of disaster.

The traditional Gospel appointed for this Sunday (John 16:23-33) is one of several from the Farewell Discourses, and it is especially appropriate for the Sunday before the Ascension. The theme is in the words, "Whatever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you" (16:33b). This is a bold claim and has been misunderstood by some. Using Christ's name in Christian prayer is an ancient and laudable practice, but the real meaning goes beyond certain liturgical formulae. We truly pray in Christ's name when we approach the Father in Christlike humility. Such prayer includes the attitude of Christ in Gethsemane: nevertheless not what I will but what thou wilt (Mark 14:36b). What the Father gives us is through our participation in Christ and in accord with His great purposes of redemption. When we pray in that spirit, God is doing greater things for us than we in our human limitations can comprehend.

At the time of the 16th-century English Reformation, practices were simplified, but the Rogation Days continued as occasions for the Litany and prayers for agriculture. Although many modern people are far removed from the agricultural way of life, it is good for us to continue to be aware of and pray for the natural cycle that sustains earthly life.  Furthermore, as we approach Ascension Day, it is appropriate that we be more aware of Christ as our heavenly Intercessor; it is in His name and spirit that we are to offer up all our prayers.

Easter IV- John 16:5-15

 The Gospel for this Fourth Sunday after Easter is John 16:5-15. Like some other selections during this season, these verses are from our Lord's Farewell Discourses to the Twelve on the evening of Maundy Thursday. In these discourses, our Lord addresses some of the misunderstandings and worries of the disciples. He is about to go away (first through His Passion and Death, later through His Ascension). He strengthens and encourages His followers by speaking of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. In John 16:13, Jesus says, "when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth..." (KJV). Then in John 16:15, Christ asserts, “All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he [the Holy Spirit] shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

The situation of the disciples is changing. Jesus will not be them in the ordinary physical way, but the work of the Holy Spirit will continue Christ’s ministry on earth.  The Holy Spirit is not confined by location, ethnicity, language, or time. The Spirit guides believers into truth. Yet, this truth is not some new message. It is the same eternal truth that has been revealed by God the Father to Israel over the ages. And it is the same truth revealed in the earthly life of Jesus Christ. 

So redemptive truth is Trinitarian. It comes from God the unseen heavenly Father. It has been made known by the divine Word over the ages and finally become incarnate in Jesus. This same eternal truth also works through the Holy Spirit. It will continue to work in the world until the end of history. The Spirit of Truth works in many ways, but chiefly He works through the Scriptures and the sacraments. He works in the church as the community of believers, and He works in the lives of faithful individuals.

Our verses from John 16 proclaim a simple and clear basic point. The work of the Spirit comes from God the Father, and it is consistent with the revelation of Jesus Christ, the eternal Word of God. The work of the Holy Spirit is not a new or separate revelation; it is a series of living applications of the divine truth already revealed, especially revealed in Jesus Christ. This is good news!

Shorter Family or Individual Daily Prayers (1928 BCP)

 MORNING.

¶ After the reading of a brief portion of Holy Scripture, let the Head of the Household, or some other member of the family, say as followeth, all kneeling, and repeating with him the Lord’s Prayer.

OUR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread. 

And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. 

And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. 

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

O LORD, our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day; Defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings, being ordered by thy governance, may be righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶ Here may be added any special Prayers.

THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of  God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

EVENING.

¶ After the reading of a brief portion of Holy Scripture, let the Head of the Household, or some other member of the family, say as followeth, all kneeling and repeating with him the Lord’s Prayer.

OUR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread. 

And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. 

And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. 

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

LIGHTEN our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and  by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

¶ Here may be added any special Prayers.

THE Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make his face  to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us. The Lord lift up his countenance upon us, and give us peace, this night and evermore. Amen. 

(pp. 592-593, Book of Common Prayer 1928 US)

Simple Daily Prayers

In the Anglican tradition since 1549 (and even before 1549 in common practice), there have been two daily orders of prayer, Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer. These two offices have usually been expected of the clergy and encouraged for the laity. In some form, Morning and Evening Prayer have been the mainstays of Anglican devotion or spirituality. However, there are circumstances where reading or saying the complete offices is not possible. Factors such as work, health, travel, emergencies, or the availability of Bibles, Prayer Books, or electronic devices my limit our options.

Thus, like many devout believers throughout Scripture and Christian tradition, we may need simpler practices that are the biblical origins for the Daily Office. One Scriptural example is the Jewish use of the Shema, "Hear O Israel," from Deuteronomy 6 as a creedal prayer. This prayer was repeated at various times, especially at bedtime and rising (Dt. 6:7). In all likelihood, it was included in the prayers that Daniel and other pious Judeans would have offered three times a day (Daniel 6:10,13). By New Testament times, more elaborate patterns of prayer in the morning, around midday, and in the evening seem to have been developing among the rabbis. Perhaps, a simple version of these practices is what the Gospels have in mind when the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray (Matthew 6: 5-15; Luke 11:2-4). A reference to common Christian prayer practices is also recorded in Acts 2:42. 

Near the end of the first century, the Didache enjoins saying the Lord's Prayer three times a day (ch. 8). Although some details of practice are murky, it seems to have remained common for Christians of many types to pray three times a day, especially in the morning and in the evening. There are examples in the Eastern Church, and in the medieval Western Church, a basic pattern developed in both Latin and vernacular languages. This pattern usually included an invocation of the Trinity, the Apostles' Creed, the Our Father, the Gloria Patri, and perhaps a prayer related to the time of day.

At the time of the Reformation, Martin Luther continued traditional patterns of prayer and included basic memorizable forms for morning and evening in his Small Catechism. Similar practices developed in 17th and 18th-century England, and American Books of Common Prayer since 1789 have included forms of family prayer. These prayers are beautiful but sometimes wordy for everyday use or memorization; so the 1928 American BCP developed shorter forms consisting of the Lord's Prayer, a collect or short prayer suitable for the time of day, and the option to add other prayers and Scripture. After the Tractarian movement in 19th century, there were devotional books which suggested similar patterns (a 20th century Anglican example is the St. Augustine's Prayer Book).

When unable to say the full Daily Office forms, I have found this basic mental outline useful.

1. Begin "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

2. Perhaps say a verse of Scripture from memory.

3. Pray the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed from memory.

4. Pray the Lord's Prayer.

5. Pray a memorized or extemporaneous prayer appropriate for the time of day.

6. Add notable personal prayer concerns.

7. Conclude with the Grace (II Cor. 13:14) or another prayer for blessing.

This simple pattern is consistent with Scripture and Christian devotional tradition and with the basic content of the Prayer Book Daily Offices. Whatever our situations or access to Bibles, Prayer Books, or devotional manuals, we can and pray early and late each day. We should also include some items from Scripture and Christian tradition along with our personal words or thoughts. We are always praying as members of Christ's Church.

Easter III- John 16:22

The Gospel for this Third Sunday after Easter is from John 16:16-22. This is one of several selections during Eastertide from the “Farewell Discourses” where Jesus gives some final instructions to His followers before the crucifixion. In all likelihood, He may have repeated similar instructions during His forty days with them after Easter.

A key verse in the passage is John 16: 22: “ And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.” Joy is a major of Easter and the following season, but we are tempted to ignore its great importance. The joy of Christ's living presence should remain in our hearts and minds. 

Jesus Christ rises from the dead. He wins an eternal victory over Satan, sin, and death, and He offers us true joy. This joy of Christ goes beyond passing earthly happiness. Christian joy is a spiritual gift. It transforms the sorrows of this world. It comes from the grace of God embodied in Jesus Christ. As believers, we still have both sorrows and joys, but there is one joy that surpasses our earthly circumstances. We still have bad times in this life, but the joy of Christ can remain through our worldly sorrows. Since this joy comes from our Lord, no one can take it from us. We can forget it or ignore it, but the gift is still there. So in faith, we should reclaim joy if it fades and abide in it. This is the great joy of knowing that the presence of the risen Christ is with us, in this world and the next!

Easter II- I Peter 2; John 10

 The Epistle for the Second Sunday after Easter is from 1 Peter 2:19- 25. At first glance, this passage is a moral exhortation that does not say a lot about resurrection, but if we look at the context, it is related to what the Apostle says in 1 Peter 1:3-4. There the Apostle refers to Christ's Resurrection as the basis for faith, hope, and Christian living.

Thus, our passage in 1 Peter 2 is based on faith in the risen Lord Jesus. Peter is not merely giving some practical advice about a moral life. He is teaching that those who believe in Christ's Resurrection should live in accord with what they profess. The problems that believers undergo in this world should point us to Christ's innocent sufferings. He is the Suffering Servant who has triumphed over pain and death. Jesus Christ has risen from the dead, and He offers us new life. He is the shepherd and overseer of our souls, and He calls us to live in ways that reflect our faith in Him.

So as Jesus teaches us in John 10, He is truly the Good Shepherd. He has walked through the valley of the shadow of death for us and risen to life. He has cared for us as sheep in His flock, and He continues to guide and protect us. Although there are real dangers and threats to our physical and spiritual well-being, nothing should destroy our Christian hope. Our Good Shepherd has overcome our greatest dangers, and He is still leading us and providing for us. 

Easter Day, the Feast of the Resurrection- Colossians 3; John 20

He is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! (Mark 16:6; Luke 24:34) With these scriptural words or similar phrases, Christians have greeted one another for almost two thousand years. The greatest Christian celebration has finally arrived. The primary Gospel in the Book of Common Prayer is St. John 20:1- 10. This passage makes clear how surprising and important Christ's Resurrection was to the first disciples. Believing in the empty tomb and bodily resurrection of Jesus are essential affirmations for being a faithful Christian disciple. 

The Epistle from Colossians 3. 1-4 applies the reality of Christ's Resurrection. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 

In these words, St. Paul applies the meaning of the historical reality of the Resurrection to the lives of believers. First, Christians have been incorporated into Christ's Resurrection. This has taken place through Baptism and faith; believers have died to their old sinful ways and risen to new life in the Lord. (as explained by the Apostle in Romans 6). Secondly, being raised with Christ means that Christians seek "those things which are above." Believers are to look heavenward because Christ is now at the Father's right hand. As a result, Christians do not set their affection on earthly things. We live in a new and different way because we believe that Christ will return to lead His followers into glorious realms. 

So Easter, the Feast of the Resurrection, is multi-dimensional for those who have faith in Jesus Christ. Yes, there is a unique and glorious event at the basis of the church's celebration. Jesus of Nazareth conquered death and arose to life in bodily form. He showed us His true nature as the divine Savior. He could not be destroyed by the powers of death and evil. And because He lives, He can offer us new and eternal life with Him!

Easter Even or Holy Saturday- Matthew 27:57-66; I Peter 3:17-22

 Traditional Books of Common Prayer call this day "Easter Even," while more recent liturgies use the name Holy Saturday. In either case, it is a very low-key day liturgically. There is no celebration of the Eucharist during this day. [Any Easter Vigil Eucharist is technically for Easter Day and should be after sundown].  Nevertheless, although subdued, this is an important day that should not be ignored.

The Scriptures for the day emphasize the reality of Christ's death and His Sabbath in the tomb, and they call believers to quiet reflection. The Gospel from Matthew 27 begins late Friday with the burial of Jesus, and it shows both the private mourning of Christ's followers and the continued plotting of His enemies. The Epistle from I Peter 3:17-22 speaks of the reality of Jesus' physical death as well as His spiritual survival. Even in death, our Lord continues to minister. He preaches to the dead. I Peter 3:19 (and also possibly Ephesians 4: 9-10) form the basis of the article in the Apostles' Creed, "He descended into hell." In other words, Jesus really spent time among the dead.

So as we look back to the Cross and anticipate the Resurrection, we should not neglect the time between. Except for sin, Jesus of Nazareth fully identified with the human experience. He really died and experienced the separation of body and spirit. That fact indicates the drastic importance of His Resurrection. It is truly powerful and transformative. His time among the dead also means that His Resurrection is more meaningful and hope-filled for us human mortals!

Good Friday- The Passion according to St. John

Good Friday is one of the most important and solemn observances of the Christian year. Christians have developed a variety of devotions appropriate for the day. One of my favorites is a timeline previously posted on this blog. Some timelines draw together the different Passion accounts, but several years ago, I developed the following one based on St. John chapters 18 and 19 which are used in the traditional readings for the day. This timeline along with traditional prayers has served as a good basis for reflection.

Friday morning just after midnight - Confrontation in Garden and Jesus' Arrest (John 18:1-12)

Friday early morning hours– Jesus is taken to the house of Annas, former High Priest; Peter's first denial; Jesus receives initial physical abuse (John 18:13-23);

Jesus sent to the High Priest Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin Court –Peter's second and third denials; Jesus bloodied by abuse (John 18:24-27).

Friday 6:00 a.m.-8:30 a.m. - Hearing before the Roman governor Pilate; Pilate tries to release Jesus but the Judean mob objects and prefers the release of Barabas (John 18:28-40).

Pilate has Jesus beaten.- Pilate's Roman soldiers take Jesus into the court ("Praetorium") and engage in mockery and torture, including a brutal crown of thorns (John 19:1-3).

Pilate hesitates but the mob still cries out against Jesus (John 19:4-15).

Friday 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon - Pilate hands Jesus over for crucifixion. Weakened by interrogations, sleep deprivation, and beatings, Jesus is forced to carry his own cross to the place of execution; then He is crucified under the charge of being "King of the Jews" (John 19:16-22).

The soldiers cast lots for His garments (John 19:23-24).

Friday 12:00 noon - 3:00 p.m. - Jesus continues to suffer on the cross. His mother, other women followers, and one male disciple (usually identified as John) remain with Him. Jesus commends His mother into the disciple's care (John 19:25-29).

Friday 3:00 p.m. - Death: Jesus says, "It is finished" and expires. The soldiers do not even bother to break His legs, but one pierces His side with a spear (John 19:30-37).

Friday before sunset - Burial: With the Sabbath approaching, Joseph of Arimethea and Nicodemus make arrangements for a quick but respectful burial in a nearby rock tomb (John 19:38-42)

Thursday before Easter, commonly called Maundy Thursday- I Cor. 11:23-26

 One reading for this day is I Corinthians 11:23 ff which is St. Paul's account of the Lord's Supper. Although Anglicans have sometimes had differing theological opinions about the Sacrament, we have been clear that this Sacrament instituted by our Lord is more than simply an act of remembrance. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away sin and death by offering Himself on the cross. Anglicans and most other Christians have agreed that in some mysterious and unique way, Jesus comes to be with us along with the consecrated bread and the wine.

The proper minister or celebrant uses Christ's Words of Institution to bless the bread and the wine and assures believers of Christ's living presence. Jesus brings us His forgiving and strengthening grace through the outward means that He established. We are tangibly offered grace whenever we observe the Lord's Supper/Holy Communion/Eucharist. We are called to repent and receive the Sacrament in faith and in reverence.

Hopefully, we can enjoy this great gift as we commemorate its institution on this Thursday of Holy Week. Unfortunately,, external circumstances or schedules make it impossible for some to gather and receive the Sacrament on this day. Yet, we can still meditate upon the Scriptural accounts and contemplate the Lord's Supper. Looking to past and future observances of the Sacrament, we can still pray for Christ to come and be with us wherever we are. Thanks be to God for Christ's special Presence in the Lord's Supper and for His spiritual communion with believers scattered throughout the world!

Holy Week Readings

 Whether in common prayer or private devotions, the basis for a good Week before Easter, generally called Holy Week, is reading and reflecting on Holy Scripture. Traditional Books of Common Prayer provide daily Epistles and readings from the Passion Gospels. The readings for the Daily Office from the 1943 lectionary in the 1928 BCP focus on the Gospel of John, chapters 14-19.  For easy reference, here is a list for Morning and Evening Prayer.

MORNING-

Mon. before Easter                Ps, 71    Isa. 42:1–7 John 14:1–14

Tues. before Easter                Ps. 6, 12   Hosea 14 John 15:1–16

Wed. before Easter                Ps. 94     Zech. 12:9-10 & 13:1, 7–9  John 16:1–15

Maundy Thursday                  Ps. 116   Jer. 31:31–34 John 13:18

GOOD FRIDAY                    Pss. 22, 40:1–16, 54   Gen. 22:1–18 or Wisdom 2:1, 12–24  John 18

Easter Even                            Pss. 14, 16    Job 14:1–14 John 19:38 or Heb. 4

EVENING- 

Mon. before Easter                Pss. 42, 43        Lam. 1:7–12 John 14:15

Tues. before Easter                Ps. 51      Lam. 2:10, 13–19 John 15:17

Wed. before Easter                Ps. 74    Lam. 3:1, 14–33 John 16:16

Maundy Thursday                 Pss. 142, 143   Lam. 3:40-58 John 17

GOOD FRIDAY                    Pss. 69:1–22 & 88     Isa. 52:13–53:12   1 Pet. 2:11

Easter Even                            Ps. 27       Job 19:21–27a     Rom. 6:3–11

Sunday next before Easter, commonly called Palm Sunday- Phil. 2

Many people know this Sunday as Palm Sunday from the Gospel accounts of Jesus entering Jerusalem on this day.  Many also expect the long account of Christ's Passion from Matthew 27. Although the events are distinctive, these two readings from the Gospel tell us what happened this week. Jesus our Lord was glorified and then rejected and horribly killed.  As human beings, we may have some difficulty keeping these two aspects of Holy Week together in our thoughts.  Yet, they belong together, and in the Epistle from Philippians 2, the Apostle Paul ties the themes together in a beautiful way. 

Philippians 2: 5 -11 reads: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This passage from Philippians may be an early Christian creedal hymn, and the words can be applied to many commemorations of the Christian faith. As we look at them on Palm Sunday, the words are very appropriate at the beginning of Holy Week. Their devotional significance is to draw us closer to the "mind" or attitude of Christ (2:5). The divine and unique Son of God deserves praise as the King of Israel and the King of all creation. Yet, He comes in humility in order to redeem human beings.

We see this humble acceptance of the human condition at His birth and throughout His earthly ministry, but it culminates in Holy Week and Good Friday: "He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (2:8). These words summarize the details of the Passion Gospels. Christ voluntarily humbled Himself. The divine Son became the servant so that He could accomplish the ultimate obedience to holy principles, obedience unto death which had no rightful dominion over Him. Furthermore, the death He accepted was not just any death but death upon the cross. He accepted crucifixion, one of the most degrading and horrifying means of torture and execution devised by cruel men.

The Cross of Christ should always be at the center of Christian preaching, doctrine, and devotion. It is at the heart of Christ's earthly ministry, and it is a basic element in understanding the profound meaning of divine love. Nevertheless, as central as the Cross is to our Christian faith and life, the words of Philippians 2:9-11 also teach us that believers should look beyond the Cross. The Cross is necessary and central to our faith, but Jesus Christ transforms the Cross. He suffers as a human being, but He is also God the Son who cannot be conquered in the end. His perfect obedience and sacrifice are accepted, and He is exalted. He receives "a name which is above every name."

This means that as believers, we see a deeper reality. The way of the Cross is the path toward Resurrection and true Life. So like our Lord, we walk the way of the Cross both figuratively and in the real trials of human existence because we trust that God uses the Cross for our redemption and true life.

Lent V- John 8:58

On some traditional Western liturgical calendars (including the 1928 BCP), the Fifth Sunday in Lent has been called Passion Sunday. The original meaning of the word passion is suffering, and we know that there are many aspects of Christ’s suffering.  There had been social, political, and religious opposition to Jesus since early in His ministry. Nevertheless, as His ministry approaches the end, the conflicts intensify. Something about Him makes His opponents even more determined to destroy Him.

Today’s Gospel from John 8 reflects this deeper conflict. The central issue is Jesus' identity and His character. He makes claims that some of His opponents find outrageous. He crosses the boundaries of acceptable eccentricity. Some of His sayings even frighten potential sympathizers. In  John 8, Christ implies that no one can convict Him of sin. He says that He can conquer death, and He implies that He is greater than the patriarch Abraham. Even more bluntly He says, “Before Abraham was, I am” (Jn. 8:58). In the Jewish context of Exodus 3:14, “I am” is a title for God that Jesus alludes to several times in John's Gospel. So Jesus implies that He shares the divine nature, and His listeners sense His claim.

This claim to share the divine nature is earth-shattering for first-century Jews. Christ’s Judean listeners confront a clear and radical choice regarding His identity. They can no longer ignore Jesus as a simple religious teacher from the backwoods of Galilee. This choice is what C.S. Lewis calls “the Shocking Alternative.” Either Jesus is telling the truth about His relationship with God the Father or He is a liar. There are three possibilities. Either Jesus shares the divine nature, or He is dangerously crazy, or He is a blasphemer who despises all that was sacred. Many of His hearers made a choice. They decided that He was guilty of blasphemy, the worst of sins. And given their assumptions, they felt bound to seek His death.

Most people in our time, whether Christian or non-Christian, fail to recognize the radical choice that Jesus Christ demands. Many contemporaries merely view religion as an expression of ethics. And they just think of Jesus as a nice guy who did some good deeds. So people in our time fail to see what He means.

However, Jesus knows what He is saying, and so do many of His opponents. Jesus asks for a radical choice- accept Him or reject Him: lukewarm admiration is not a real option. The biblical message still confronts each of us with the same choice. Jesus Christ asks us to have faith in Him as our divine Savior. The central point is whether people believe Christ’s claims.  If Jesus is who He says He is, then we are talking about the most basic human choice- to accept or reject God Himself. Every human soul that hears Jesus' claims must choose. We need to be in prayerful contemplation. We need to ask ourselves whether we have accepted Jesus in sincere faith. And if by grace we do have faith in Jesus Christ, we need to repent of our shortcomings each day and seek to grow in grace.

 

Lent IV- Galatians 4; John 6

The Collect for Lent IV, the Epistle from Galatians 4:21-31, and the Gospel from John 6:1-13 all provide contrasts between the natural human condition and the human condition under divine grace. The Collect prays for grace and comfort despite our evil. Galatians 4 notes the difference between two covenants. This is the distinction between being children of bondage with legalistic considerations and being children of the divine promise, born anew to freedom through the Holy Spirit. The Gospel from John 6 is the familiar miracle of Jesus feeding the 5000. On the literal level, the miracle shows how Jesus uses His power to care for the hunger of those who have come to hear Him teach. However, especially in John's Gospel, such physical miracles point beyond themselves and are also signs of spiritual truths. As the context in John indicates, Jesus can also feed higher and deeper human hunger with His words and with Himself.

Thus, the theme of this Sunday can be summarized as a contrast between the fallen human condition in the world and the redeeming power of God's grace. This theme is always important for people to hear and keep in mind, but it has a special relevance to those who are observing Lent. As Christians prepare to appreciate Easter, the Church historically emphasizes good disciplined behavior. Every human being needs to hear that emphasis. We need to be reminded of God's Law and our needs, especially the need to repent.

Unfortunately, we humans have a natural tendency to get too caught up in the externals. We tend to focus on commandments, specific actions, and physical needs more than we do on divine grace, spiritual perspectives, and the good news of redemption through Christ. So as we continue through Lent, let us not be overly legalistic; rather, let us view our self-discipline in light of divine grace and focus on the redemptive message of the Gospel.