New Rules

•April 10, 2012 • Leave a Comment

Have you ever felt that people are watching over your shoulder?  Waiting to see if you get something wrong, make a mistake, stray from the expected route?  People waiting to sit in judgement, ready to pounce and prove you inadequate or misleading?

A Question about the Sabbath

23One Sabbath Jesus and his disciples were walking through some wheat fields. His disciples were picking grains of wheat as they went along. 24Some Pharisees asked Jesus, “Why are your disciples picking grain on the Sabbath? They are not supposed to do that!”25Jesus answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his followers were hungry and in need? 26It was during the time of Abiathar the high priest. David went into the house of God and ate the sacred loaves of bread that only priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his followers.”

27Jesus finished by saying, “People were not made for the good of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for the good of people.

Moan, whinge… “your disciples shouldn’t be doing that”.  Stick to our rules, not yours.  Conform.  Do what we say.  We make the rules around here.

Now we discover what the Sabbath was for.  The Sabbath was for freeing, not tying hands.  The Sabbath was for life, not death.  The old rules no longer apply – Jesus, by his resurrection, has made all things new.  Are we going his new way, the way God meant it to be all along, or still worrying about the old way?

Tom’s prayer for today (p 180):

Show us,

Lord of all wisdom,

where we are clinging to the old signposts

when you are leading us forward to the goal

This year, I am again following the BigRead using Tom Wright’s Lent for Everyone – Mark.  I’ll reflect here – if you’re following it too, or even if you’re not, please share with me.

Posted in Easter, Jesus
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All Gone

•April 9, 2012 • 1 Comment

I am notorious for my packing when we go on holiday.  I don’t take new things, I take old things – toiletries with very little left in, even clothes that are worn out – not because I’m a cheapskate, but because those things don’t have to be brought back.  That gives us less weight – and more opportunity to bring back things we might want to.

I kind of think Easter is like that.  We all have things in our lives that would be better not being.  Easter is the opportunity to leave those things behind, to leave them at the foot of the cross, or buried in the tomb, whichever you prefer – to make room in our lives for all the good things God brings us.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

9Very early on the first day of the week, after Jesus had risen to life, he appeared to Mary Magdalene. Earlier he had forced seven demons out of her. 10She left and told his friends, who were crying and mourning. 11Even though they heard that Jesus was alive and that Mary had seen him, they would not believe it.

Jesus Appears to Two Disciples

12Later, Jesus appeared in another form to two disciples, as they were on their way out of the city. 13But when these disciples told what had happened, the others would not believe.

 What Jesus’ Followers Must Do

14Afterwards, Jesus appeared to his eleven disciples as they were eating. He scolded them because they were too stubborn to believe the ones who had seen him after he had been raised to life. 15Then he told them:

Go and preach the good news to everyone in the world. 16Anyone who believes me and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe me will be condemned. 17Everyone who believes me will be able to do wonderful things. By using my name they will force out demons, and they will speak new languages. 18They will handle snakes and will drink poison and not be hurt. They will also heal sick people by placing their hands on them.

   Jesus Returns to Heaven

19After the Lord Jesus had said these things to the disciples, he was taken back up to heaven where he sat down at the right side of God.

Mary is crying.  Jesus comes to her.  He brings her comfort and hope – he is alive, it was all true.

She, in her turn, passes the message on to the other disciples who also need to know.  So hard to believe, but Jesus is there with them too.

Jesus meets them in their need, their fear, their confusion – and he takes that, and in it’s place gives comfort, hope, and the new thing God is doing.  Now they can see just how different it is.  But it is not just to be spectacular, but to give people a new way to be.  The past with it twists and turns, misunderstandings, failures and going the wrong way no longer need have any effect.  Jesus’ resurrection changes all that.  It can be left behind in the place of death, as we walk in Jesus’ way of new life.

Thank you Lord for new life –

your new life,

and the new life you give me.

Thank you that the things of the past are done,

and you lead us in God’s new way

This year, I am again following the BigRead using Tom Wright’s Lent for Everyone – Mark.  I’ll reflect here – if you’re following it too, or even if you’re not, please share with me.

Posted in Easter, Jesus
Tags: , , ,

Jesus is Alive

•April 8, 2012 • Leave a Comment

Wondering what to do, which way to turn now.  We approach the tomb, with our fears, our tears, so many questions…

Mark 16

Jesus Is Alive

1After the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary the mother of James bought some spices to put on Jesus’ body. 2Very early on Sunday morning, just as the sun was coming up, they went to the tomb. 3On their way, they were asking one another, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance for us?” 4But when they looked, they saw that the stone had already been rolled away. And it was a huge stone!5The women went into the tomb, and on the right side they saw a young man in a white robe sitting there. They were alarmed.

6The man said, “Don’t be alarmed! You are looking for Jesus from Nazareth, who was nailed to a cross. God has raised him to life, and he isn’t here. You can see the place where they put his body. 7Now go and tell his disciples, and especially Peter, that he will go ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you.”

8When the women ran from the tomb, they were confused and shaking all over. They were too afraid to tell anyone what had happened.

Wahoooo!  Jesus is not dead.  I cannot for one moment begin to explain what has happened, but I know what it means – Jesus was The One – God is doing something new, something spectacular, something we could never have dreamed of.  He is behaving in a way that we could never have grasped.

Now God really is doing something new – I can’t wait to find out…

Tom’s prayer for today (p 175):

Lord of life,

risen from the dead,

lead us on through fear and astonishment

to share in the new work of your Kingdom

This year, I am again following the BigRead using Tom Wright’s Lent for Everyone – Mark.  I’ll reflect here – if you’re following it too, or even if you’re not, please share with me.

Posted in Easter, Jesus
Tags: , , , ,

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