Hope

Things Left Behind

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Matthew 28:6 KJV

imported from phone 1942

It is often told of how Jesus left the wonders of heaven to come to earth; but today we want to also remember what things Jesus left behind before He returned from earth to heaven. First He left the honored place as oldest son and Joseph’s carpenter in order to begin His ministry to the poor and downtrodden. He also left behind His simple village life in exchange for a desert where He fasted and was tempted by the devil for 40 days. Later as people saw the miracles He performed, the crowds grew to multitudes; but Jesus turned and walked away from fame and power.

At the Last Supper Jesus humbled Himself further by taking off His robe in order to wash His disciples’ feet. After the meal He went out into the garden to pray and, piece by piece gave up His will to the Father. Then, Jesus left behind His disciples to be betrayed by Judas and arrested by the soldiers. The next day, He received the death sentence of the cross where He suffered for six mind numbing hours. Last of all with His final breath He gave His spirit into the hands of into His Father.

So, as the sun prepared to rise on the morning of the third day they went to the tomb but they could not find Him because He had already given Himself away!  He left it all behind and has risen from the dead!

He Is Knocking – Part 1

/ pastorpete51

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:19-20 KJV

This verse wasn’t written just for folks who had gold stars on their Sunday school papers. In fact this is the church who Jesus just got done telling that he was ready to spit them out because they were like lukewarm water! But at the end of His rebuke  Jesus reminds me of my Dad telling me He only was spanking me because he loved me. Here is the first of two messages of hope for those of us who have been lovingly spanked.

The wonderful news is that He is standing right outside  our door not only today but every day. Whether we have been as pure as the Virgin Mary or as sinful as the woman caught in the act of adultery; Jesus stands outside waiting for our response to His knock. Why not fling open the door every morning and invite Him in? How does that work? Let’s imagine being inside the door of a home in the days of the apostles.

First Jesus says that if we will open the door He will come in and sit down with us at our table.  In that time the first thing to do for a guest would be to kiss Him on the cheek in greeting. My father from the old school Italian tradition often kissed me like that and as a teenager it was way more than I wanted! His kiss told me that He was delighted to call me his son and that anything I needed he was prepared to give. My father was always more generous with me than I deserved.

Next a guest upon entering the home would be provided a basin of  water and a servant who came to wash his feet. Our humble repentance  of  everything  displeasing to him is both our loving duty and our privilege. Once we open the door He willingly comes in and allows us to wash His feet which are clean then remember that He has chosen to wash our feet that are dirty. Last the host put a few drops of olive oil on his palms to wipe the guest’s hair clean from the  dust of the road. The oil that we can give Him at the doorway  is our joyful and grateful praise that He has  come. He is at every one of our doorways this morning knocking. The sooner we run to fling open the door. The sooner the Lord will come in.  Why wait even one more moment?1546260575853_image.jpg

 

Is That a Trumpet?

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet.             Revelation 1:10 NRSV

It might seem strange that God’s voice sounded like a trumpet, but in John’s day the trumpet was commonly used for a number of things. The trumpet was actually a ram’s horn called a shofar and was blown at the beginning and end of religious festivals. The trumpet also called the public together for meetings and was sounded for armies to advance in battle. We should not be afraid when God blows a trumpet in our lives because is a sign He loves us and has a message we need to hear.

Shofar

The apostle John had been deported and imprisoned on an island as far from home as he had ever been. But in his isolation, rather than surrendering to despair John worshiped. Few of us experience those circumstances, but like John, in our own times of difficulty God is with us and, we can hear his voice.

Prayer: Father recently I have been battling fears and feelings of isolation. Thank you that You remember where I am and are blowing a trumpet so I can hear your voice in my life today!