A Fishing Story – Luke 5: 1-11
First, can you imagine being a professional (insert your job) fisherman and a carpenter walking up and telling you how to do your job. How that make you feel? What might have been your response? Think about working all night to catch some food and coming up with nothing and then Jesus comes along and wants you to go back out again. How would you have felt then?
Even if Jesus was my friend, (which I think is safe to say he was friends with these men by this time in his ministry) I am not sure I would have liked being told how to do my job. I can imagine they must have put up a few objections before they gave in to Jesus instructions.
Once they went, they were rewarded. How is Jesus urging or instructing you?
A Healing Story Luke 5: 12-16
When I read this passage this morning, I was wondering, how could Jesus do anything else but heal this man with leprosy? The man actually told Jesus he could heal him if he wanted to. Why wouldn’t he want to? Was the man trying to make Jesus feel guilty? It was obvious that the man need to be healed. Why couldn’t he just say so?
How did Jesus feel?
Other Questions to think about and comment upon:
Why did Jesus tell him not to tell?
Also why did he send him to the priest?
He was already cleans, why did he need the priest to sign off on things?
Did the healed man follow Jesus command?
Did he go and tell others?
Did he ever get to the priest?
One last idea:
The disciples initially balk at Jesus instructions to go out to deeper water. Jesus is urging you today... so what keeps you from go to the deeper water?
Friday, February 8, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Day Two of The Journey
What did you image as you read Luke 4: 31 - 44 today?
I imaged myself as someone in the crowd seeking Jesus after he withdrew from the city. Jesus was healing and curing people. Jesus I am sure had gotten frustrated with the large crowds and the large number of requests for healings. He is only one man. He can not heal everyone. I imaged how people might have gotten upset because Jesus left town and because they had not gotten a chance to have him meet their needs.
I imaged the deserted place Jesus withdrawing to was the old part of the downtown city. I imaged that he thought by getting into a part of town where people do not like to go at night he might find some peace and quiet. I image him warming himself by a 50-gallon barrel that has trash in it burning. As I arrive on the scene, I see the line has begun to wrap around the city block. I watch as Jesus welcomes each person. I watch as he touches, prays with, and listens to each person. This goes on through the night.
I notice that as each persons walks away they are changed… They are different because Jesus has touched them.
Then morning comes. The line is still long, but Jesus leaves. Jesus makes an announcement. He says, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities.”
Questions for reflections…
When you read this story where were you?
Are you one of the people who needs Jesus?
Are you one of the family members who experienced Jesus work within your loved ones life?
As you think about all the miracles being done how do you feel?
Can you believe what you are seeing?
How do you react when Jesus says he must move on?
What about all the people who were still in line, what are they thinking?
I imaged myself as someone in the crowd seeking Jesus after he withdrew from the city. Jesus was healing and curing people. Jesus I am sure had gotten frustrated with the large crowds and the large number of requests for healings. He is only one man. He can not heal everyone. I imaged how people might have gotten upset because Jesus left town and because they had not gotten a chance to have him meet their needs.
I imaged the deserted place Jesus withdrawing to was the old part of the downtown city. I imaged that he thought by getting into a part of town where people do not like to go at night he might find some peace and quiet. I image him warming himself by a 50-gallon barrel that has trash in it burning. As I arrive on the scene, I see the line has begun to wrap around the city block. I watch as Jesus welcomes each person. I watch as he touches, prays with, and listens to each person. This goes on through the night.
I notice that as each persons walks away they are changed… They are different because Jesus has touched them.
Then morning comes. The line is still long, but Jesus leaves. Jesus makes an announcement. He says, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities.”
Questions for reflections…
When you read this story where were you?
Are you one of the people who needs Jesus?
Are you one of the family members who experienced Jesus work within your loved ones life?
As you think about all the miracles being done how do you feel?
Can you believe what you are seeing?
How do you react when Jesus says he must move on?
What about all the people who were still in line, what are they thinking?
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Ash Wednesday - Day one of the journey
Can you believe what Jesus just did?
While reading Luke 4: 16-30, I imaged myself being in the congregation where Jesus was reading from the Prophet Isaiah. Jesus was always in worship and we all lived in the same small town (Nazareth) together. Today was different. Jesus did something I was not expecting.
It was so different that it made me feel uncomfortable. At the same time it made a lot of people around me angry. I'm not sure exactly sure why I felt this way or why people got so upset.
All he did was read the scripture for the day.
The only thing I can think of was the Jesus put the emphasis on me and not on the Spirit of the Lord. All the other rabbies always put the emphasis on the Spirit of the Lord.
I guess it was his personal identification that he was the one the Prophet Isaiah was talking about. That made people so upset.
I was also amazed at how quickly the congregation turned on Jesus. So many were talking about him positively before the service started, but at the end of it they were following him out in to the street and wishing him harm.
I do not understand why this would have been so radical… Can you?
Here are some other questions to reflect upon and comment upon…
Where were you in the story as you read the scripture?
Can you believe he did this so early in his ministry and in his hometown?
What questions does this scripture bring up for you?
What do you understand this scripture saying to you as someone looking in from the outside?
What does it say to you as someone who wants to follow Jesus?
While reading Luke 4: 16-30, I imaged myself being in the congregation where Jesus was reading from the Prophet Isaiah. Jesus was always in worship and we all lived in the same small town (Nazareth) together. Today was different. Jesus did something I was not expecting.
It was so different that it made me feel uncomfortable. At the same time it made a lot of people around me angry. I'm not sure exactly sure why I felt this way or why people got so upset.
All he did was read the scripture for the day.
The only thing I can think of was the Jesus put the emphasis on me and not on the Spirit of the Lord. All the other rabbies always put the emphasis on the Spirit of the Lord.
I guess it was his personal identification that he was the one the Prophet Isaiah was talking about. That made people so upset.
I was also amazed at how quickly the congregation turned on Jesus. So many were talking about him positively before the service started, but at the end of it they were following him out in to the street and wishing him harm.
I do not understand why this would have been so radical… Can you?
Here are some other questions to reflect upon and comment upon…
Where were you in the story as you read the scripture?
Can you believe he did this so early in his ministry and in his hometown?
What questions does this scripture bring up for you?
What do you understand this scripture saying to you as someone looking in from the outside?
What does it say to you as someone who wants to follow Jesus?
Are you ready? Will you join in the journey?
Ash Wednesday
Lent begins…
Will journey to the cross with me?
I am following Jesus as shared in Luke’s gospel…
Join the conversation by reading the daily scripture and posting your comments and reflections.
I hope we can walk together for the next 40 days.
Lent begins…
Will journey to the cross with me?
I am following Jesus as shared in Luke’s gospel…
Join the conversation by reading the daily scripture and posting your comments and reflections.
I hope we can walk together for the next 40 days.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Use Your Imagination...
Imagination helped me as a child make a refrigerator box into a fort, my bicycle into a motorcycle, or a broom into a sword. Do you remember those days?
Why & when did we grow up and think we had stop using our imagination? Why does everthing have to black and white? Or why do we think we can not use our imagination when we read the bible?
Would it be so bad, if we let our imagination go to work when you read scripture? What might happen if we allowed ourself use our imaginatoin when we are reading or listen to scripture?
I would invite you to engage your imagination as you read and listen to the scripture readings. Allow your self to become a person within the text. Jesus' ministry was surrounded by friends, family, and strangers. People observed him and becuase of their observations we have accounts of his life. What if you were to put yourself in the story.
Take the story of Jesus at the temple as a boy (Luke 2:41-52). As you hear or read the story, imagine you are one of the church members watching this young boy (Jesus) setting and asking questions or imagine you are one of Jesus’ parents freaking out that he has come up missing. Allow yourself to be a member of the crowd that witnessed the life of Jesus.
Don't be afraid to imagine or wonder at what was happening. Ask questions like, how did I feel as I watched this child with the priest and leaders of the temple. Wonder and imagine what was going on around the temple. Imagine or wonder how other people were reacting to this young boys questions.
You could also imagine what questions Jesus was asking. Allow yourself to brought into the presence of Jesus. Seek hear how God might be trying to speak to you, where ever you might be in the crowd.
So what did you experience? What questions do you have now? How might your understanding of Jesus be different? I would love to hear how this experience works for you... I will be doing this for the 40 days leading up to Easter this year, as I journey to the Cross by reading The Gospel of Luke, and seeing Jesus journey to the Cross.
Have fun, enjoy, and I will hope that your journey might be richer no matter where you are in the crowd, because you have encounter the living God, through Jesus Christ.
Why & when did we grow up and think we had stop using our imagination? Why does everthing have to black and white? Or why do we think we can not use our imagination when we read the bible?
Would it be so bad, if we let our imagination go to work when you read scripture? What might happen if we allowed ourself use our imaginatoin when we are reading or listen to scripture?
I would invite you to engage your imagination as you read and listen to the scripture readings. Allow your self to become a person within the text. Jesus' ministry was surrounded by friends, family, and strangers. People observed him and becuase of their observations we have accounts of his life. What if you were to put yourself in the story.
Take the story of Jesus at the temple as a boy (Luke 2:41-52). As you hear or read the story, imagine you are one of the church members watching this young boy (Jesus) setting and asking questions or imagine you are one of Jesus’ parents freaking out that he has come up missing. Allow yourself to be a member of the crowd that witnessed the life of Jesus.
Don't be afraid to imagine or wonder at what was happening. Ask questions like, how did I feel as I watched this child with the priest and leaders of the temple. Wonder and imagine what was going on around the temple. Imagine or wonder how other people were reacting to this young boys questions.
You could also imagine what questions Jesus was asking. Allow yourself to brought into the presence of Jesus. Seek hear how God might be trying to speak to you, where ever you might be in the crowd.
So what did you experience? What questions do you have now? How might your understanding of Jesus be different? I would love to hear how this experience works for you... I will be doing this for the 40 days leading up to Easter this year, as I journey to the Cross by reading The Gospel of Luke, and seeing Jesus journey to the Cross.
Have fun, enjoy, and I will hope that your journey might be richer no matter where you are in the crowd, because you have encounter the living God, through Jesus Christ.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Peace in this year????
You might be thinking to yourself this morning, The Gift of Peace? Right now in the world we live. Is peace on your Christmas list and can it come this year?
This week I was thinking Wouldn’t it be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if there wasn’t so much killing going on right now in Iraq? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if the Muslims and Christians in the Sudan would miraculously started to live together in peace? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if there were no death squads in Columbia and people weren’t shooting each other? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if there were peace on earth?
Or, if you can’t have peace between nations this year, wouldn’t it be nice to have peace within our families? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a whole week together as husband and wife and not have a fight? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if your children did not fight with each other? Wouldn’t it be nice to go on a family vacation and not have any blow-ups? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if tempers didn’t flare so quickly, like a match that suddenly ignites? If you can’t have peace in Iraq, maybe we could have peace at home and in our families. That would be nice.
Or, if that isn’t possible, wouldn’t it be nice to have peace within myself? Wouldn’t it be nice if I weren’t so harsh with myself? Wouldn’t it be nice if I didn’t explode at myself in anger? Wouldn’t it be nice if my guts were calm? Wouldn’t it be nice if I could sit around all night and not have a compulsion to eat ice cream or drink in order to calm my nervous stomach? Wouldn’t that be nice? If I can’t have peace between nations or peace within the family, maybe I could at least have some peace within me?
Or, if I couldn’t have these, wouldn’t it be nice to have peace at least a few days before or after Christmas? We all know what time of year this is, Christmas time. During Christmas, we are often short of money, short of time, and short of temper. In preparation for the Prince of Peace, wouldn’t it be nice to have a little bit of Christmas peace at your house or mine?
What about you???
O Come, O Come Emmauel!
On the journey we seek and find peace through Christ Our Lord... but it takes work, through justice, forgiveness, compassion, wisdom, and righteousness, that only comes through God's grace and purifying work in our lives.
This week I was thinking Wouldn’t it be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if there wasn’t so much killing going on right now in Iraq? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if the Muslims and Christians in the Sudan would miraculously started to live together in peace? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if there were no death squads in Columbia and people weren’t shooting each other? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if there were peace on earth?
Or, if you can’t have peace between nations this year, wouldn’t it be nice to have peace within our families? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a whole week together as husband and wife and not have a fight? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if your children did not fight with each other? Wouldn’t it be nice to go on a family vacation and not have any blow-ups? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if tempers didn’t flare so quickly, like a match that suddenly ignites? If you can’t have peace in Iraq, maybe we could have peace at home and in our families. That would be nice.
Or, if that isn’t possible, wouldn’t it be nice to have peace within myself? Wouldn’t it be nice if I weren’t so harsh with myself? Wouldn’t it be nice if I didn’t explode at myself in anger? Wouldn’t it be nice if my guts were calm? Wouldn’t it be nice if I could sit around all night and not have a compulsion to eat ice cream or drink in order to calm my nervous stomach? Wouldn’t that be nice? If I can’t have peace between nations or peace within the family, maybe I could at least have some peace within me?
Or, if I couldn’t have these, wouldn’t it be nice to have peace at least a few days before or after Christmas? We all know what time of year this is, Christmas time. During Christmas, we are often short of money, short of time, and short of temper. In preparation for the Prince of Peace, wouldn’t it be nice to have a little bit of Christmas peace at your house or mine?
What about you???
O Come, O Come Emmauel!
On the journey we seek and find peace through Christ Our Lord... but it takes work, through justice, forgiveness, compassion, wisdom, and righteousness, that only comes through God's grace and purifying work in our lives.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Advent... Christmas is only 26 days from today...
Are you ready for Christmas? This Sunday we will start the church calendar countdown to Christmas. Advent, as Christians is the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the coming of Christ. Christmas is not suppose to be about parties, trees, and presents, but is the date we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. During this period of time we celebrate Joy, Hope, Love, and Peace. Beyond the commercialism of Christmas, life can make Advent difficult. In my experience these weeks can be far from holy, joyful, hopeful, peaceful, or full of love.
Last year was one of those years. I had trouble finding a lot of joy leading up to Christmas. The music, ads, wish lists, and constant sales of Christmas in the retail sector did not help with matters. Grief and dissappointment were the feelings that filled my life and the weeks leading up to Christmas.
At this time last year, I was so overwhelmed with family medical situations we did not even put up a Christmas tree. What was the point? There was only two of us and no one was coming to our house for Christmas. It was difficult for us to find the joy in the season, because of the disappointment and sadness of the previous year of life. It was hard to be joyful.
It is hard to believe another year has gone by.
What a difference a year can make in ones life.
We put up a Christmas tree and we are looking forward to Christmas day. See this year we were blessed with a Child. As we prepare for Christmas this year we are seeking to help make Christmas about Christ. Having my daughter in my arms gives me a new image and feel of Christmas. I have a clear idea of how much fear, discomfort, and anxiety that Mary and Joseph were feeling in the days leading up to Jesus birth. At the same time, I understand the peace and joy that came into my life when my daughter was born. I understand how much love and hope surrounds our family and our relationship.
How much more is that love, hope, peace, and joy that is shared by our God. There must have been such joy and peace with Mary and Joseph once they held Jesus in their arms.
This Christmas as I remember how my daughter has changed my life, how much more Jesus birth changed my life and the world. Oh come, Oh come, Emmanuel… to transform me and the world.
The journey continues... I can only wait to see what will happen this next year with Jesus changing, leading, molding, transforming my life.
My Christmas Change your life!
Last year was one of those years. I had trouble finding a lot of joy leading up to Christmas. The music, ads, wish lists, and constant sales of Christmas in the retail sector did not help with matters. Grief and dissappointment were the feelings that filled my life and the weeks leading up to Christmas.
At this time last year, I was so overwhelmed with family medical situations we did not even put up a Christmas tree. What was the point? There was only two of us and no one was coming to our house for Christmas. It was difficult for us to find the joy in the season, because of the disappointment and sadness of the previous year of life. It was hard to be joyful.
It is hard to believe another year has gone by.
What a difference a year can make in ones life.
We put up a Christmas tree and we are looking forward to Christmas day. See this year we were blessed with a Child. As we prepare for Christmas this year we are seeking to help make Christmas about Christ. Having my daughter in my arms gives me a new image and feel of Christmas. I have a clear idea of how much fear, discomfort, and anxiety that Mary and Joseph were feeling in the days leading up to Jesus birth. At the same time, I understand the peace and joy that came into my life when my daughter was born. I understand how much love and hope surrounds our family and our relationship.
How much more is that love, hope, peace, and joy that is shared by our God. There must have been such joy and peace with Mary and Joseph once they held Jesus in their arms.
This Christmas as I remember how my daughter has changed my life, how much more Jesus birth changed my life and the world. Oh come, Oh come, Emmanuel… to transform me and the world.
The journey continues... I can only wait to see what will happen this next year with Jesus changing, leading, molding, transforming my life.
My Christmas Change your life!
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