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Honoring Family Matters.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“So Moses went back home to Jethro, his father-in-law. “Please let me return to my relatives in Egypt,” Moses said. “I don’t even know if they are still alive.” “Go in peace,” Jethro replied.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭4‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

A lot had transpired in a chapter and a half of Exodus, God won as well Moses won in many ways. Moses had no idea what the next 40 years would look like for him! Who really does know what will happen when you say “yes” to God’s will?

Remember what Moses’ day started like in Exodus 3? “Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian.” Jethro, or Reuel, was a well known, well established non-Israelite priest, a descendant of Abraham through Keturah. Jethro had taken in a fugitive, allowed him to marry his daughter and trusted Moses to care for his flock, becoming a vital part of the family business. Moses at forty, had found a new family. And, it’s likely that Moses brought God’s blessing for Jethro taking him in and helping rebuild his identity.

After negotiating with God for likely the whole day, Moses returns with the decision that he will obey God and must leave Midian and go back to Egypt. But before he does so, he meets with his father-in-law. Moses asks Jethro for permission to leave. He honored Jethro in his ask! Moses had not only become an integral part of family, giving Jethro two grandsons, Gershom and Eliezer, he had also become invaluable to the family business. Letting Moses go must have been difficult on the whole tribe. It must have been a difficult plea of reality, because he had become such a big part of family. Moses tells Jethro, I must go back to see my relatives (not knowing if they were even alive anymore).

Moses does not tell Jethro at this point, at least, “God spoke to me and I must obey!” Wouldn’t that sound like a better reason for leaving? Jethro, being a highly wise and religious man, would have understood Moses’ dilemma. But Moses chooses to tell him he had to return to his birth family. I just think it is significant that Moses records what had happened before he met with God and what happened after. Moses left Jethro one day and came back a much different man. Jethro releases Moses with a blessing, “Go in peace.”

The Bible is open and honest about the family dynamics throughout God’s grand story. Moses’ story is key in showing us the tragedy of a forced abandonment as a baby. Also a view into being raised by a foster family. Then, being received and accepted into a kind of adopted family – even as a grown man. And finally, Moses recognizing how to honor both his father-in-law and willingness to go back to reconnect with his birth family. God even reassures Moses on the trip back home, “the Lord said to him, “Return to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you have died.” Studying Moses’ family struggles and structure is fascinating and becomes very much a big part of the leader that God called him to be!

Prayer

​Dad,
I think about all that Moses went through to become the man you would use to lead Your people out of 400 years of slavery and head towards the land of promise that would be theirs. The land of Israel today is just as contested and controversial as it was in ancient history. And, the Jewish people, are still prominently involved in Your story. I am so thankful that you have included the raw truth of family struggles and redemption. It gives me hope for all those, like me, who have been adopted twice. Once as a child and again as your son!

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Trying to escape a calling.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?” Then the Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied. “Throw it down on the ground,” the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Moses is the classic example of trying to dodge a clear, direct order from God. In Exodus chapter 3, God says, “Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”

“I am sending you,” and “you must,” is pretty straightforward. Moses, having a common, self-reflecting moment, asks God the BIG question. “Who am I?” Wow. That’s a really good question to ask under normal circumstances!

We now live in a saturated milieu of self awareness – it’s expected that one knows their own faults and failures and are also well aware of their ability to harm others. Not everyone is there yet, but the expectation is culturally common. Comments like, “I didn’t know I was a bad mother”, or “I didn’t know I was an alcoholic, are met with suspicious surprise with little sympathy. The underlying idea is “you should have known, everyone else did!”

Did Moses know he had deep traumatic issues that grew into a hair-pin justice trigger, causing him to often snap with rage? Was he aware that his speech impediment was likely caused by his perceived abandonment and identity crisis? Moses question went far deeper than just a question of calling or capability, it hit a nerve of apparent failure to be the kind of man everyone expected him to be. “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” Exodus‬ ‭3‬:‭11‬.

God patiently addressed his question, but doesn’t tell Moses who Moses is or what he will become. God just says, “I will be with you.” Anyone who has struggled with mother or father abandonment issues knows how difficult it is to trust anyone! In Moses’ case, he wasn’t abandoned, because he was supposed to have been murdered by drowning him in the Nile. Moses’ mother, Jochebed, hid him for 3 months, then saved his life by life-rafting him down the river.

In a second volley of trying to get God to just move on and leave him alone, Moses asked God, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” Which is interesting because God already told him who He was, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,” causing Moses to pause and reflect on his extraordinary heritage. Moses’ father was Amram, but it’s unclear if Moses ever had a meaningful relationship with him. Moses was a rejected foster son in Pharaoh’s family. Moses boldly asks for God’s name and in that tender moment God tells Moses His personal, intimate name – “Yahweh,” God says.

Yet, even after God tells Moses He will go with him and allow Moses to use God’s personal credentials in an audience with the Pharaoh, Moses is still not convinced – he truly believes God is choosing the wrong man for the job! First it’s I’m not qualified, then it’s no one knows me, now it’s – what if they don’t believe me. Moses questions his convince-ability.

It is here that God allows Moses to have a crutch, a literal shtick, a physical object lesson to carry with him to boost his confidence – the humble shepherd’s staff that becomes a symbol of supernatural power! Moses continued beg God to choose someone else, even reminding Him of his speech impediment. Moses, was not able to get God to completely let him off the hook, but was happy that God allowed his brother Aaron to step in and be the spokesperson.

Prayer

​Dad,
What a journey to convince Moses not only of who he was – a leader, but who he would become, a great patriarch and hero in Your grand story, It seems as though Moses did grow to be a man of great faith, but always carried some of his sorrows and frustrations of his early life as a Jewish foster son in the house of Pharaoh. I see many folk’s trying to escape their calling, even when You assure them that You be will them and use them in the Kingdom of God. Thank you for your patience with all of us!

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Hello, my name is…

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” God replied to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Of course this total scene out of Exodus 3 is a spectacular moment on so many levels. The miraculous meeting between God and Moses out in the middle of nowhere. This actual, physical conversation with God and Moses. Abram also had a conversation with God, 430 years earlier. But unlike Moses, God introduced himself to Abram with one of His attributes, El Shaddai, God Almighty, not a personal name.

God enlists Moses to go before Pharoah and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses, never forgetting the authority structures of his past life, not only wants to know who he is speaking to, he also wants the Pharaoh to know who he is working for. As an emissary, it would be proper to tell the Pharaoh who he represents. And, when the Israelites demand to know who is speaking on their behalf, Moses would also tell them.

It isn’t unusual for Moses to think, that the Pharaoh or the leaders of the Israelites would have no idea who Moses was at all. “But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?”” “God answered, “I will be with you.’” Moses reply still sounds legit. It doesn’t sound dodgy or disrespectful! Okay, so Moses tells the Israelite leaders, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,” like some kind of clandestine code phrase. Moses says to God… they still will ask, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?””

Moses is standing barefooted, in front of a supernatural, unconsumed fiery bush, and is having a conversation with THE creator of all things, THE God of gods. And God is so patient with him!

But then, God speaks His name to Moses. God speaks His personal, intimate name for the first time in recorded human history. Granted, we see God’s title and personal name show up in Genesis 2:4, “LORD God” (elohim Yhvh). But this is God introducing Himself and letting Moses know who He is and by what authority He sends Moses in to go before Pharaoh and speak on behalf of His people. What a powerful, beautiful moment.

God says, “this is me, I AM eternal.” Of course we know that Moses needed much more convincing, but God was allowing Himself to be known by Moses and gets really close to knowing the God who walks with man, not in the garden of beauty and perfection, but the desert of desolation and brokenness!

God began a conversation with Moses that would last for 40 years. And it was so unique and precious that God personally buried Moses when he died! “The LORD buried him in a valley near Beth-peor in Moab, but to this day no one knows the exact place.” Deuteronomy 34:6. It is so exciting to think of this kind of life NOW and LATER with God. Now, because of Jesus, we can directly talk to our Abba Father through the Holy Spirit. But later, in a new heaven and new earth, with resurrected brand new bodies, we will walk and talk with Yahweh. As it was in the beginning, it will be in the end that lasts forever!

Prayer

​Dad,
I absolutely love talking with you (and listening too)! To know you, to love you, as well as being known and loved by you is beyond words. I really like the intimacy found in your relationship with well known Bible characters because it shows both who You are as well as who we are. I can’t wait to catch up with each and every one of those moments with those who lived their life ages ago and see Your glory in their lives one day in heaven. Thank you for your loving mercy that allows me to be your son.

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A Valuable Harvest,

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.” ‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

After James roasts the rich, he quickly shifts to Jesus’ return. Asking the church to be patient. He, along with the other New Testament writers absolutely believed Jesus would return in that first century. Why? Because the world, the culture surrounding them at that time, was in total chaos! So much was shifting, and it was all happening so fast. Every “sign of the times,” was signaling that Christ’s return was imminent. But Jesus did not return then!

James makes such an interesting comparison to why we must be patient. He uses a common agricultural illustration to help us understand why patience is necessary. Because the farmer is, thus we are, eager to see the valuable harvest to ripen. The NLT translation really had me thinking that James was referring to the salvation of human souls when it says, “valuable harvest.” But, looking at the direct Greek translation, James isn’t writing about souls that need saving, he’s writing about our own spiritual growth and maturity!

James is saying that Eschatology (studying end times) should drive our ethics – our moral behaviors, not our escape plans. Life here isn’t disposable, even though it’s brief, it should be intentional to our formation of Christ’s character. The act of waiting patiently is active, not at all passive about our growth. Christian hope has never been escapism, it’s faithfulness! And suffering doesn’t become meaningless. Suffering becomes the milieu, the soil where we grow. Jesus’ coming is God keeping His promises of justice and completion. It’s not the abandonment of this world, it’s the fulfillment!

Here’s a great thought not of my own, “James doesn’t say, ‘Hang on until you get out of here.’ He says, ‘Because Jesus is coming, let God grow something in you here; something worth harvesting.’” Our own soul’s development is the valuable harvest. We feel like the “parousia,” the coming of the Lord, should be seen as a rescue operation, but it’s really culmination of a celebration, like the bridegroom arriving for the wedding of his beloved. In James’ mind, we are the farmer and our character, our maturity, is the valuable harvest ripening.

Prayer

Dad,
You ​are serious about both the redemption of the wayward, broken soul, but you are also purposeful about our soul’s development, growth and maturity. And the waiting is not a punishment, nor a lesson in pain, it is for our own good! When we cry, “maranatha,” come quickly Lord Jesus, it should be out of an eagerness of seeing things wrap up well, like a great scene of a movie, where there is celebration – because it all comes together and makes sense. I want to be a good farmer who is patient, watching my own character grow to that perfect ripeness, so I can bring my best to you at your coming.

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Supernatural Curiosities.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it. ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Moses is out doing his thing, taking his father-in-laws flock far out into the wilderness. A dry, desolate desert. Moses had left the modern lifestyle of the big city, to now live as a nomadic. The desert has some unique advantages to focus and settle the soul. It’s quiet. Blissfully, deafeningly quiet. The other one is that you can see for miles.

An angel of the Lord, a theophany (Jesus showing up in the Old Testament). showed up in a blazing fire. Fires in the desert are not unusual, but this one was unique. This fire burned in a bush but did not consume it. I like to think that fire was an excellent way to get the attention of a man because there’s a little bit of a pyro in all of us! I love what happened next. Moses thought this strange phenomenon was amazing. But more than that, it made him talk to himself saying, “WHY?” Why isn’t the bush being consumed? It was more than amazement, it was CURIOSITY! Oh the things we see but don’t understand. Many are peaked by curiosity but don’t pursue it. Moses wanted to investigate it further – he had to get a closer look.

We learn that as Moses approached the bush, a voice comes out of it, calling his name along with a warning. The voice says, STOP, take off your sandals because you’re on holy ground. What follows is a one-of-a-kind interaction between God and Moses. The day had come when God would reveal Moses’s purpose in life. Moses would never be the same. This reminds me that God is always at work, always looking for someone who will see, be curious and investigate. God is always looking to share His purposes with us and for us. Moses wasn’t unique in this, but it’s encouraging to know that he came from a slave family, foster-cared and raised by Pharaoh’s daughter. He was educated and learned from the most advanced culture of its time. Moses also had major anger/justice issues that caught up with him when he murdered an Egyptian officer for mistreating an Israelite. All this ended by getting him exiled out of Egypt. He was 40 years old when he fled from Egypt and spent another 40 years in Midian before encountering God at the burning bush. The number 40 appears frequently throughout the Bible, often associated with periods of trial, testing, and preparation.

This major turning point in the desert started with God getting his attention and letting his curiosity drive him to discover what this supernatural moment would mean. I more strongly believe in providence and no longer see anything as coincidence. I also more quickly realize when God has something for me in everyday amazing moments.

Prayer

​Dad,
I see you working in so many ways that used to escape me. I was too busy, too self absorbed or just too stressed. I am thankful you still amaze us. And, I am so thankful you created us to be curious and open to learning from you.

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Real forgiveness and freedom.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The author of Hebrews writes about the mystery of the Old Testament Law and its inability to fulfill our salvation or fix our standing with God. Yet, the Law did have a purpose. To show us, “to remind us of our sins.” This whole understanding of the Law teaching us, giving us a perspective of perfection and our intent to rid ourselves of our rebellious ways is most difficult to understand as a Gentile, a non-Jew.

Yet, even though the weight of the law escapes most of us, Hebrews tells us its value and purpose. It was a preview of the good things to come. What were those good things? They were the perfect sacrifice and freedoms that Jesus brought all of us with his death and resurrection! If observing and keeping every aspect of the law, had worked, Hebrews says, the sacrifices would have ceased. For all those who love the law and struggled to perfectly keep it, this was hard to understand and incorporate this fulfillment, this perfection through Jesus.

Hebrews highlights it twice – “IF” keeping the law could have pulled it off – worshippers would have been permanently purified! And “IF” it had worked their guilt would have disappeared. We don’t sacrifice, as an identification with an innocent animal, which gave its life, its blood for a payment for sin. We don’t kill an animal to rid ourselves of guilt either. Because of Jesus, we do get to live free under the, “once and for all” of His perfect sacrifice. This was God himself, providing the permanent forgiveness and release from guilt.

Even though, Gentiles (non-Jews) may not fully comprehend the legal aspects of the sacrificial system of the Old Testament Law, we can completely understand what forgiveness and freedom feels like today – every day. We know what our own sin, our selfishness does to our hearts. We know the weight of guilt we feel for trying to live with horrible decisions we’ve made that hurt ourselves and others.

Folks still do struggle with these truths!
How can a perfect God really forgive me?
How can the death and resurrection of Jesus really give me freedom from things I’ve done and give me another chance to live without guilt?

It can because it was God’s plan of mercy and grace all along. It can because God himself bore the cost and responsibility to make the payment of death for our sin! Even if it seems impossible, it is very true and very real. The much bigger question is this; why would anyone reject that offer? I guess they don’t believe it’s true, or they stubbornly believe there are no consequences, now or in eternity, for their sins. Of course, the most common belief is that somehow our good deeds balance out or wipe away our bad deeds! No one knows how that all works or who is the final judge making that decision. And, this is offered, “I am a good person,” or “I’m not as bad as the next person.” Basically, we lie to ourselves and pretend it will all work out for us, so that we avoid the truth as long as possible.

Prayer

​Dad,
I understand what Hebrews is talking about when it comes to the law, but because I had no context or discipline from childhood and beyond about the Old Testament law, it doesn’t have the same affect on me. However, I completely understand your holiness, my own sin and failings of perfection. And, I have learned how beautifully critical it is to understand Jesus death, giving his life for my sin. I am so very thankful for forgiveness and freedom that have been granted me!

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Battle of “if’s.”

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.” Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As mentioned before, this is first battle Jesus, as the son of God, faces with the adversary (a descriptor more than a title). Every mention of this evil character never gives this supernatural being the honor of a title. It is a specific insult to remind us, this creature is not worthy of anything! It has many descriptors, all of which designates a single, personal, supernatural being who stands in absolute opposition to God and His redemptive purposes. He is neither a mere force nor an impersonal principle but is consistently portrayed as a conscious, strategic adversary with intellect, emotion, and will. Its bag of title-tricks include, slanderer, tempter, accuser, schemer, murderer, prince of the power of the air & beelzebub (ruler over all other demons, some of which are fallen angels, but also include other spiritual beings, even mythological figures, and malevolent creatures that exist in our world.)

In this first physical, spiritual standoff, Jesus, at what will be his weakest moment, is led by the Holy Spirit to go out into the Judean wilderness. Jesus’ task; to be tempted, tested! This battle had no physical weapons, no swords, spears or slings – just words. It was all a verbal, mental battle of specific questions to be asked by a liar and refuted by absolute truth. All the training and preparation from birth until the pre-launch of His ministry, Jesus would have his moment with the one cast out of heaven and given dominion over this dark planet.

It was only a three question examine, but it would both reveal the patterns and plans of the accuser that had been used since its first conversation with the woman in the garden – undermining the will of God. These three questions did not directly confront God, nor His will or ways. What questions would you ask God’s own son to get him to betray his father and please himself, rather than doing the hard job of fulfilling God’s will? The deceiver didn’t just go after Jesus’ hopes and dreams, his aspirations and future accomplishments. It went after Jesus’ identity!

Three temptations all started with, “If you are the Son of God.” If, if, if… then prove it by: Taking care of your own physical needs. Challenging the true nature of care, love and safety of your Father, by choosing self-harm. And, taking the shortcut to power by accepting a path that does not require suffering. It might seem simple. It might seem silly.

To authenticate his own self perception and purpose, all he to do was make some bread out of stones, leap off the 450 foot, 30 story building to the desert floor below. And, to quickly secure his inheritance in the future, all he had to do was accept the seemingly “generous,” “no-strings attached offer,” from the temporary governor of the planet. Three questions that start with identity, then the attempts at subverting God’s will taking shortcuts to self fulfillment. Sound familiar?

Even in Jesus’ exhausted state of mind and body, he saw through the lies and was not fooled by the veiled threats of God’s ability to keep his promises. The enemy of God and of our soul has not changed its primary motives or methods. The liar still lies, the supplanter still schemes and slanders. And, not surprisingly, we still fall for it all the time.

The tricks of temptation still attack our identity first. “If you are a child of God.” Then the same ol’ process to get us to take shortcuts in our own disordered desires. To buy now, pay later. To click and receive immediate results. To have our physical, emotional and soul’s needs cared for expediently.

We’ve all got our battles of “ifs.” No desert, or forty-day fasts are necessary to reveal the schemer’s real motives. The murderer cannot kill God, nor win THE battle. So the tempter comes after us, to take as many as it can, to ultimately be separated from God forever. Know this; WE choose the lie over truth, we desire the shortcuts of sin – to fulfill the now, forgetting the later. Even though we (all of us) are a created child of God, God still gives us choice, the autonomy of will to walk away from his love instead of living in it.

Prayer

​Dad,
The battle is very real today as it was since the beginning. Even when we see truth, and know truth, we still choose the lie. We can still question who we really are and struggle with what we really desire! But your love, your grace and mercy is stronger, especially when we hide Your Word in our heart and use it as a powerful weapon against the “ifs” and the shortcuts. Help us O’ Lord! Help us to know you, walk with you, trusting you over our own delusions and delights. To resist the lie and the liar so it will flee!

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Wisdom is LOUD!

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. She calls to the crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gate: “How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools hate knowledge? Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬-‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Solomon & others nail this truth all through the book of proverbs. Wisdom is way louder than we think.

It’s just that we are DEAF to it or have highly selective hearing. God is not quiet about being known and telling us how to live the life we were intended to live – our best life is to follow the pattern, the path God designed for us.

Wisdom personified, shouts in the streets and cries out in the places where societal decisions are made… in public. Wisdom does not hide, nor make backroom, secretive deals to benefit those who have God-given authority and power to lead us. Wisdom does not do double-speak, it does not serve word-salads. It’s prevalent not private. It’s forthright not fake. It’s determined not dodgy. Wisdom has nothing to hide, but openly declares its availability to all; even the (“pthiy,” naive) simple, the (“luts,” scoffer, turning truth into rebellion) mocker, and the (“kesil,” morally disrespectful) fool.

Wisdom asks the soul-splitting question, “why do we hate knowledge?” I would ask, “why do we deafen our ears to drown out wisdom’s cry?”

When God says He is always right, true and just, we want to challenge it. Or worse, we want to disprove it with our own foolishness. We say, “I know better,” “I can do better,” than God himself. Even though wisdom is loud and clear, we want to challenge it by being defiantly louder. Come on, you see it in yourself, just like I see it in me! Solomon lived his life as a warning; he had it all, lost it all and became the dumbest man on the planet – consumed by idolatry and unfaithfulness. Wisdom (God) plain-speaks, “I will share my heart with you and make you wise…” IF we’ll listen and obey.

Prayer

​Dad,
I seriously lacked wisdom as a young man. I was happily content playing the fool! When you changed my life, you also challenged me to discipline and wisdom. Learning it was hard, but it yielded so many benefits. Most of it was learned from this book of Proverbs. Reading and memorizing it as a young man, I knew it was working in me. I pray that wisdom continues to be loud in my life and that I don’t tone it down to lean on my own ways and understanding.

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Communion – January 4, 2026

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Moving from betrayal to blessing.

Communion through Mark’s perspective. 

Mark’s gospel describes Jesus meeting with his disciples for the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Eating the yeast-less for seven days gives us a glimpse of both the speed and of a spiritual purification of how the Jewish people left Egypt. 

All four gospels mention Judas betrayal, Matthew, Mark & John mentions it right away. Of course, John goes on to give us the foot washing with no mention of the communion moment. Luke puts the betrayal after the Lord’s blessing. 

Mark writes, 

“In the evening Jesus arrived with the Twelve. As they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me here will betray me.” Mark‬ ‭14‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This all happened in this close, intimate meal, celebrating the oldest celebrations Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, with family and friends. 

It’s like sitting down for the family Christmas meal and announcing the worse possible news involving someone at the table – before the blessing! 

This timing emphasizes the contrast between Judas’ treachery and the love and community celebrated during the meal.

This abruptness lets us know two things about communion:

1. We live in a world filled with conflict between light and darkness, loyalty and betrayal.

2. By placing the betrayal before the blessings, we see the contrast; first Judas’ then Jesus’ behavior. Jesus comes with themes of love, sacrifice, and even unity within communion. 

Family and friend betrayal is the worst, but it doesn’t have to be the final word, leaving years of bitterness, anger and resentment. We can follow Jesus’ lead to get over and beyond betrayal to reconcile, love and stick together. You’ll notice that Judas was the only one who left the room to do the deed. The rest stayed and experienced Jesus’ promise to gather in the future newness of the Kingdom of God!

“As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it, for this is my body.” And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many. I tell you the truth, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.” Mark‬ ‭14‬:‭22‬-‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Can we move from betrayal to blessing as we take communion together in this new year? Will you join me in forgiving those who hurt us. Will you join me in reconciling, even to bless those who have betrayed us?

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God goes for the rejected.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

“When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭4‬:‭16‬-‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Luke gives us the story we were all so curious about. What happens when a kid comes back home, as an adult? Wow! Themes of familiarity, knowing someone when they were little, but now they are all grown up. Mothers who speak of feeding, burping and changing your diapers. Fathers who use phrases like, “knee high to a grasshopper.” Older friends talking about very stale stories when you were a child or teen, laughing about your “awkward” stage. Jesus went home, but he had changed even though Nazareth had not! It’s gets me.

I’m guilty of and surrounded by the stories of “back in the day.” Unfortunately, it’s one of the things you have to face when you’ve kept life-long friendships and relatives that are more sentimental than ever. Jesus went home and home only had memories of his past and a few stories of what had happened since he left. What a moment to capture! Thank you Dr. Luke for giving us such a dramatic, transitional moment in Jesus’ life, but also an amazing insight into how we tend to keep people locked in our memories, not allowing them to grow into God’s design.

To get the best possible picture of what these short moments in the local Nazareth synagogue looked like, you have to watch The Chosen, Season 3, Episode 3, called, “Physician, Heal Yourself.” To summarize: At the synagogue, Jesus reads a scroll from the Prophet Isaiah and declares its fulfillment on that day. Jesus uses the examples of Elijah with the widow of Zarephath and Elisha with Naaman to prove His pronouncement of salvation in the Year of Jubilee. Jesus then proclaims Himself as the Messiah, enraging and upsetting the hearers. The people of Nazareth reject and condemn Jesus for His proclamation as the Law of Moses, driving Him out of the town to throw Him down a cliff, but Jesus passes through their midst.

Wow! Jesus, comes home and literally causes a violent riot, with the local religious activists fully intending to kill him. Luke tells us, “When they heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious,” Luke‬ ‭4‬:‭28‬. What exactly were they furious about? Because right after Jesus said the prophetic promise was fulfilled that day. Luke tells us they spoke well of him and they were even amazed by his grace with authority. It was most likely the next thing Jesus told his own community leaders that ruffled their defensive feathers.

Jesus, led by the Spirit and reading the room, simply spoke what they were all thinking. What were they thinking? They were thinking about an ancient proverb that says, “Physician, heal yourself”— meaning, “Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.” Then Jesus presents the pharisaical elephant in the synagogue. “Your legalistic, religious zeal has blinded you because that same selfish spirit is what killed the prophets that brought God’s truth!” Jesus said, “no prophet is accepted in his own hometown,” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭4‬:‭24‬.

Bringing light and salt to their fake facades Jesus quickly summarizes two stories about two of the most favored, famous prophets; Elijah and Elisha. Elijah with the widow and Elisha with the Syrian general. Instead of God sending these two prophets to their own people, the Jews, God sent them to Gentiles – despised foreigners! Hard truth: God has passed you by because you’ve rejected truth, and God has moved on to invite all people – namely, the Gentiles, the Samaritans, the rejected and lost. This is what caused them to pick up their proverbial pitch forks and torches! They didn’t like what Jesus inferred, so they dealt with it exactly how our modern mobs deal with truth – let’s just kill the truth teller! Of course it was not Jesus’ time, it would come later. But, we all know you can’t kill truth, it will endure beyond individuals.

God still goes after the rejected. Paul even says God goes after His enemies – even while we were yet sinners… Christ died for us. Apparently that really makes self righteous folks really mad. The good news for the poor is the understanding that we know we’re broken, but God comes not to condemn us but to save us. If we can’t figure out how broken we are, then when we see God’s mercy given to someone not so good, it makes us angry not grateful.

Prayer

​Dad,
Sinners, know thyself! I know who I was and who I am now. I was not just lost, I was miserable. I knew without you, I would not have anything, no life, no future. You changed my life and I must see others through the same eyes that recognized just how broken I was. Thank you.