Living Alive

In John 14:2, Jesus says: “In my Father’s house there are many mansions… I go to prepare a place for you.”

The places of the Bible bring the readings to life. The faces of the Bible bring the message home. Jesus’ teachings are words of life that should hit close to home. That is, Jesus’ words should touch our hearts.

One of the places that we’re “visiting” (via video) in worship this Sunday is Korazin, which was about 2 miles north of Capernaum where Jesus spent most of his earthly ministry.

HolyLandPhotos.org

This may give you a sense of what it was like in that time & place. So when Jesus says something like: “In my Father’s house…” you may imagine that the people who heard him say this, would be thinking of this kind of structure (not like the “palace” that you or I live in today).

The people of that time & place lived together in close quarters. When an adult child married, they’d build onto the back of the family home. They stayed connected as a family.

So, when a young man got engaged back then, he might say something like this to his fiancé: “I will go & prepare a place for you,” meaning, he was going to expand his father’s house, to make a living quarters for his beloved.

Jesus says to us, his beloved, those for whom he was willing to die, “I go to prepare a place for you.”

What do you think he means? Who does it make us in relation to Christ? How should you respond if Christ asks for your hand in “marriage”?

These images & ideas are actually heart-warming. This message does speak peace to our hearts about our future home.

The wedding day is – according to Jewish tradition – the on which your sins are forgiven. Heaven will be greater than we can even understand, because, for the first time, our future will be sinless.

What will it be like when you die? For those who believe, it’ll be like a great celebration – like a wedding.

Mitzvah Tantz, Jewish wedding dance; Wikipedia.org

Acknowledgments & Resources:  W. Willimon; Ray Vander Laan, “That the World May Know” Ministries; holylandphotos.org; Rob Bell, “Velvet Elvis”, “Nooma  video series”

 Sundays 10am

Jesus’ Prophecy & Jewish Resiliency:  Masada | Sunday, 4/19/09, 10:00am

Jesus was crucified, buried & raised around the year 33 a.d. The growth of the church (see the Book of Acts) and the writings of the New Testament occurred in the remainder of the first century (from about 36-90ad; the Gospel according to John being the last NT book written).

During this time, the Jews in Jerusalem revolted against their Roman oppressors in 66a.d. and some very interesting things happened next.

You may recall (Mark 13) that Jesus had made a stunning prophecy just before his death, regarding the Jewish temple in Jerusalem:  “Not one stone will be left upon another.”

Josephus, Jewish historian, records an account of the First Jewish War.  A collector’s copy, ca. 1850, of his Antiquities has been given to the Macedonia Church Library in the Upper Room, Reference shelf.

 Josephus, Wikipedia.org

 To read the ebook:  http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2850

Josephus writes about the heroic Jews who holed-up in the rock fortress, Masada, after Jerusalem fell to the Romans in 70ad.

 Masada, Wikipedia.org

The Romans built a long ramp to reach top of the fortress.  A better sense of scale can be seen in this photo below from holylandphotos.org.

holylandphotos.org

After a long siege, the Jews who occupied this mesa-top complex committed mass suicide.  That’s 960 people – choosing to take their own lives. Why?

What part of their faith would motivate them to do such a thing?

When I was in elementary school, there was a tv miniseries on Masada that I watched with my dad.  I have wondered about this question ever since.  Would you have gone along with the mass suicide?

It would have only made sense if one believed that God would prefer them to take their own lives rather than be killed by the “heathen” Romans.  It would only make since if there was a different kind of victory in this sacrificial act. 

What do you think?

The Jews had retreated to this remote fortress after Jerusalem was sacked and the temple destroyed (70ad).

 The Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem, by David Roberts (1850).

Jesus prophesied about the fall of Jerusalem in Mark 13:1-4 (also good to read the rest of the chapter).

As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”

“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”

What do you think?

Jesus’ foreknowledge: was it divine or human?

The significance of the prophecy for us today:  what might be a modern application?

Comment on this blog or email me at pastor@macedoni-umc.org   This post is meant as a reference & supplement to the talk given today.

More resources:  www.bibleplaces.com;  www.holylandphotos.org

Look for:  Ray Vander Laan, “That the World May Know” ministries, dvds

I’ve filed my taxes electronically the last few years – so April 15th has kinda lost it’s pressure point for me. But it’s still a good occasion for a blog about “paying up.”

Note to the reader: This is not about money.

I am reminded, often & especially every 15th of April, what a blessing it is to live in America. This nation, founded upon Christian principles, is the greatest place to live on planet earth.

Think of our standard of living (materially speaking): we are very well off; we have good water, sanitation, schools, fine roads, many of us live in houses (probably “mansions” compared to half the world’s population). I could go on & on.

We are blessed! Therefore, I’m fine with paying taxes.

Are you grumbling today? Here’s a word for you “pay up.”
I mean, pay your compliments & praise UP to God. Pay “upwards” the respect that is due our Creator for the many blessings we take for granted daily.

Upset about the number of dollars you’re owing in taxes? What about this modest proposal: pay God one prayer of praise for every dollar you owe the government!

“Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” – Jesus

RESURRECTION DAY

What is so important about Easter (Resurrection Day)?
I’m a father of two school-aged children. Current events in the news don’t bode well for their future. I am concerned about the direction of our nation, about the ballooning national debt (not to be confused with reports about the budget deficit – see my blog below, “One for the Money”). It’s a fear-filled time to be alive. I confess that I have fears (about these things and more). Fear is part of life. Every brave person fears. Scripture often mentions “fear & trembling” as a necessary part of a life of faith.
“Fear and trembling have beset me…” ~ Psalm 55:5
“The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom.” ~ Psalm 111:10
“continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling…” ~ Philippians 2:12
“Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb.” ~ Mark 16:8

The women who went to Jesus’ grave on the morning of the first Easter, were certainly afraid. Yet what awaited them was joy.
Easter has a powerful meaning: fear is met with faith and to be overcome with the help of the Risen Christ.
So, as a father, as a disciple, as a pastor, I’m challenged daily to face fear with faith. We have faith to face, not only today’s fears, but tomorrow’s challenges as well.
Easter – Resurrection Day—signals the future resurrection that we will have.
“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” ~ 1 Thess. 4:16
We will be raised, as Jesus was. Perhaps my concerns about the future are too down-bound by the world ~ my worries and fears are only material! Jesus promises that we will rise like Him! There is a future joy beyond our wildest dreams.
May God raise your sights as well, this Easter season!

Weekly Resources: “Just Like Jesus”, M. Lucado; A. Hamilton, COR.org. Rob Bell, “Shells”

Jesus’ Last Week: Daily Highlights

Sunday: Jesus rides into Jerusalem as the people hail “Hosanna” (our God saves); Mark 11:1-11

Monday : Jesus cleanses the temple (turning the tables over & quoting scripture); Mark 11:12-19

Tuesday: Jesus curses a fig tree (it’s really not about the tree); Mark 11:20-25; 12:18-27

Wednesday: Judas goes to the priests to set-up the betrayal; Mark 14:1-11

Thursday: The Last Supper, Prayer in the garden(“not my will but Yours”); Judas’ kiss; Jesus’ arrest & night-time trial; Peter’s denial; Mark 14:12-72

Friday: Trial before Pilate, Jesus’ torture; Jesus crucified; Jesus dies; Jesus buried; Mark 15

Saturday: the Sabbath; Jesus’ body remained sealed in the tomb (no specific action recorded in Mark)

Sunday: He Lives! God raises Jesus from the dead in bodily form; the women are the first to the tomb just before sunrise; Jesus appears in bodily form to the disciples, multiple times (Matt 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20-21)

Perhaps you’d like to journey with Jesus through these events. Read the scriptures.

For more resources: The Last Week, M. Borg; The Moral Vision of the New Testament, R. Hays