Home
JANUARY 5, 2012 # 562
JANUARY 19, 2012 # 564
JANUARY 12, 2012 # 563 DECEMBER 22, 2011 # 560|
Home |
JANUARY 5, 2012 # 562 |
|
JANUARY 19, 2012 # 564 |
|
|
JANUARY 12, 2012 # 563 |
DECEMBER 22, 2011 # 560 |
Pastor Duane writes a weekly e-mail devotional. If you would like to receive his devotional please e-mail him at trinity@midstatesd.net
JANUARY 26, 2012 # 565
Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Mark 1:23-24a (NRSV)
But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. Mark 1:25-26 (NRSV)
Our modern view of demon possession has been influenced by the movie industry. Movies such as the "Exorcist" have helped to shape that view. Either we don't believe in demon possessions. If we do believe in demon possession we believe it is found in someone else not me. When a Gospel lesson is read about demon possession we immediately believe it has noting to say to me. Our translation states that the man who entered the synagogue had an unclean spirit. I believe this helps us get a different perspective on this text. All Christians have evil or unclean spirits. After all we are all sinners. Our evil spirit might be gossiping. Or it could be problems with addictions such as alcohol, drugs, sex or eating. Chamberlain's one act play “We Wear the Mask” dealt with some of the evil spirits that our high school youth deal with such as cutting, eating disorders, racism, suicide, bullying, sexual abuse, etc. The Good News in our text is that Jesus had the power to cast out the unclean spirit. There is an old proverb "One bad apple spoils the whole bunch". Normally in the society that Jesus lived his contact with an unclean spirit would have made him unclean. But Jesus did not follow the norm. Instead of becoming unclean he changed the unclean into clean. The unclean dead were brought back to life. The unclean lepers were healed. Those unclean demon possessed were set free from their unclean spirits. Jesus still has the power to change our bad apples, our unclean spirits today. Jesus can bring healing to our lives by helping to cast out the evil spirits. No matter what kind of unclean spirit we are facing Jesus has the power to forgive us, change us, heal us, make us clean. That message of Good News is one all of us need to hear.
As
Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew
casting a net into the sea--for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them,
"Follow me and I will make you fish for people." And
immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther,
he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending
the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the
boat with the hired men, and followed him. Mark 1:16-20 (NRSV)
The video "God's Pie" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upmyrinWq64 shows a man dividing up an apple pie and giving parts of it to his house, cars, hobbies, fashions, credit cards and finally a small piece for himself. God is left with an empty plate. The only a few words are spoken in the short video, the most potent is when the man representing the BMW responds "dude, he brought the pie". The video is a stewardship video that causes us to ask ourselves where do we spend our money and how much do we give back to God who has given us everything. In the gospel text for this coming Sunday, Jesus calls four disciples to follow him, literally to "come behind me". Peter and Andrew leave behind a successful business while James and John let family relationships take a back seat to following Jesus. Talk about a willingness to sacrifice! There are still Christians today who sacrifice much in service to Jesus Christ. But most of us sacrifice very little of our time or money for Jesus. Last night the confirmation students examined the 3rd commandment "remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy". The skit that went along with the lesson emphasized how much time, money and effort people sacrifice for the yearly Super Bowl and how little time they are willing to sacrifice to worship our Lord Jesus Christ. Some young people think that even giving up an hour on Sunday morning is too much. As one student remarked last night "Sunday morning is the only time I can catch up on my sleep." Jesus not only asked Andrew, Peter, James and John to "come behind me" but is also asking each of us to do the same. When Jesus asked us to "come behind me" he is saying that we are to make Jesus the most important thing in our lives. Are we willing to put our occupation behind us so that Jesus can be first? Are we willing to put our family behind us so that Jesus can become first in our life? Are we willing to put our hobbies, our home, our cars, our possession, etc. so that God can have a piece of our pie? Take some time this week to ponder these questions.
When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." John 1:47-48 (NRSV)
I have struggled with guilt most of my life. I enjoy spending 15 minutes each morning sitting in the hot tub but there were times when I overslept and would feel guilty about spending time in the hot tub when I should be at work. We who have been brought up with a strong work ethic have trouble with people who are sitting around doing noting. We hear of Jesus today commenting on Nathanael sitting under the fig tree. Some might think what a lazy bum, just sitting around, doing nothing, eating the free figs that fell from the tree. However there is indication from the Old Testament that the fig tree was a place of contemplation. Personally, I need times of contemplation. I need times just to sit and be with God. My hot tub is one of those places. But I have found other places along the river where I can just sit and contemplate. I also believe that all Christians need more time of contemplation. It use to be that when one arrived early for worship it was a quiet time that allowed people just to sit, contemplate and prepare for worship. That doesn't seem to happen now days since worshippers arrive at the last minute or if they arrive early they spend the time visiting with others. During the week our schedules become so filled that it becomes almost impossible to set aside 10 or 15 minutes for contemplation and being with the Lord. If we do have some free time we will fill it with noise rather than sitting quietly. Even when the liturgy calls for times of silence we want to rush right on and become uncomfortable if the silence last more than 5 seconds. I truly believe we can become better Christians if we take the time to stop working and just sit and reflect. I would challenge each of you to sit under your own fig tree and spend 10 or 15 minutes this week in silence. If you need something to contemplate then ponder all the ways God blessed you this past year.
The
LORD bless you and keep you; the
LORD make his face to shine upon
you, and be gracious to you; the LORD
lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26 (NRSV)
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." Mark 1:9-11 (NRSV)
I have had the opportunity to give last rites to people shortly before they have died. I usually conclude by pronouncing the blessing from the book of Numbers and making the sign of the cross on the person’s forehead. I have had the opportunity to bless an individual at the end of life a couple of times during the last few weeks. I also pronounce a blessing two times each weekend at the end of the worship service. This has caused me to think about the act of blessing. We might say "bless you" after someone has coughed or even wish someone a blessed New Year. Do we mean it? Do we really listen to the blessing at the end of the service or are we busy looking up the concluding hymn and thinking about the coffee we will drinking after the service? Have we ever though about what it means to bless someone or to be blessed? To the Jews a blessing was a very special act. We read about Jacob steeling the blessing from his brother Esau and the care Jacob took in bestowing a blessing on each of his twelve sons. Webster defines bless as invoking divine care for another and to confer prosperity or happiness upon another. At Jesus baptism God voice came from heaven "You are my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased". Jesus received God's blessing at this baptism. In the same way the words are spoken at our baptism "You are now my child, I love you and I am pleased with you". In other words God gives us a blessing at our baptism. Every Sunday the worship service comes to an end asking that God would continue to bless us and concludes with the baptismal words "in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" to remind us of the first time we were blessed by God in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. We who have been baptized are a blessed people. This week I would challenge each of you to repeat to yourself "I am blessed by God" and repeat it enough times that you will hear it and believe it.
After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Luke 2:21 (NRSV)
The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. Luke 1:30-31 (NRSV)
"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:20-21 (NRSV)
Do you know why you received your name? I called my mom this morning to ask her why she and Dad picked the names of Dennis and Duane for us. All she could remember was that they did not have a name picked out before they were surprised with two boys and had to come up with something. Our two middle names were easier for I received my grandfather Geidel's first name of Oswald while my brother Dennis received my grandfather Neugebauer's first name of Fred. I guess my two names fit me for Duane means “a little dark one” which was true since I had darker skin than my brother as well as brown hair and eyes while my brother had blond hair and blue eyes. The name Oswald means “divinely powerful” and I pray that it this also fits me. Sunday will be New Years Day. For those who follow a church year January 1st is also the day we remember Jesus circumcision and celebrate Jesus receiving his name. In the Hebrew culture the giving of a name was important. In the case of Jesus his future name was revealed by an angel to both Mary and Joseph. It was an important name that meant "God saves his people from their sins". In Jesus case his name spoke of his mission here on earth, a mission that was accomplish when Jesus gave his life for our sins on the cross. We receive names for various reasons. Sometimes the names we receive fit us and other times they don't. In the case of Jesus, he fulfilled the name that was given to him and we remember and give thanks to God for that on January 1st.
In
those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be
registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was
governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Luke 2:1-4 (NRSV)
One of the top news stories this past week was the disagreement in congress over extending the payroll tax cut for two months which was passed by the Senate by a large margin. The House on the other hand rejected the Senate bill because they want the tax cut to be extended for a year. I mention this because Luke in writing the story of Jesus birth begins with the historical context. He mentions the name of the emperor and the governor. Luke wanted to explain how Jesus ended up being born in Bethlehem and the reason was that Joseph had to register. And what was the purpose of registering? It was to pay taxes. Jesus was born in Bethlehem because of taxes! The world Jesus was born into was not so different from the one we live in. And that really is the point of Jesus birth, Jesus becoming human to live among us. Because of Jesus birth we can be assured that Jesus knows what our life is like. He knows when members of congress disagree. He also knows when families disagree and face hardships because he experienced those things during his life on earth. But more important Jesus came to bring peace, in our family, community, state, nation and world. Through Jesus saving death on the cross we have forgiveness and through that forgiveness we can forgive others and begin anew. It's the only way that peace will be achieved. Remembering Jesus coming each year at Christmas reminds us that we too can begin anew and try to achieve peace in our own lives. May you experience the peace that Jesus brings during this Christmas season.
This page was last updated on 01/26/12