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Luke 22:1-23:56 - Lectionary for Wednesday in Holy Week

4/2/2021

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4/2/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

The traditional Gospel readings during Holy Week are rather long. The intention is to read the arrest, trial, and crucifixion account from each of the Gospels.

Jesus entered Jerusalem with crowds singing his praises and welcoming him as a king. Less than five days later he was arrested and tried in the night. He was then condemned to death, with crowds calling out for him, rather than Barabbas, a known criminal, to be killed. What happened in this time? Why did public opinion shift so radically?

We look specifically at Luke 23:18 and following to make it plain. The crowd around Pilate's headquarters, where he issued judgments, was demanding the freedom of Barabbas and the death of Jesus. They were ready to condemn Jesus, no matter what.

Who made up the crowd around Pilate? It was composed of priests, scribes, Pharisees, Saduccees, household and temple attendants. These were people who had been involved in the arrest and alleged trial of Jesus. 

Jesus was brought to Pilate early in the morning. Influential Romans received visitors at the first hour of the day, shortly after dawn. We might think of it as a before-breakfast meeting. At that time, they would grant favors to those who came to them with pledges of faithfulness. They would receive tokens of appreciation for past favors done. Those who were in positions of authority as a judge or a governor would hear brief cases and issue judgments. The Jewish leaders brought Jesus and his charges at this early morning time for that specific purpose.

The leaders who brought Jesus were accompanied by their own attendants, making a crowd in the courtyard. These people were supporters of the high priests. They wanted Jesus dead.

We read slighly later, in verses 26 and following, that public sentiment had not changed since Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. As Jesus was sent to the place of crucifixion, a large number of people of Jerusalem, some natives and doubtless some who were just there for the Passover celebration, followed along, mourning him. They didn't want Jesus dead. He was showing himself to be a Messianic figure. They had welcomed him as the king. 

In our world there are those who want Jesus dead, and there are those who want Jesus alive. Regardless of what they want, Christian testimony is clear. Jesus was killed for our sins, rested in the tomb, and rose again the third day, to eternal life. He also delivers eternal life to all who believe on him. We want to be those who would receive him as the king and ruler of all.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Revelation 1:5b-7 - Lectionary for Wednesday in Holy Week

4/1/2021

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4/1/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

Revelation 1:5b says something startling, if we think about it. The doxology, or statement of glory, dedicates our devotion "to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood." We can easily understand the idea of someone rescuing us from a variety of dangers "by his blood." For instance, when a soldier dies in battle, we commonly use the metaphor of his purchasing our freedom by his blood. One person loses his life, another lives.

When this idea is applied to sins it becomes much more difficult. After all, we generally think of our sins as something primarily within us, though they poke their heads out and do mischief around us as well. But they are ours to deal with, to control, and sometimes to lose control of.

The Bible takes sin very differently. It considers sin as that which leads to death. The soul who sins must die (Ezekiel 18:20). And the instrument of death is ultimately sin, rather than anything else. 

What can we do about this deadly thing that lives within us? How do we take it away. Is it by our good works or our effort? Maybe if we are perfectly sincere? Or perhaps it is by repenting, being sorry for our sins? The problem is that we have to be entirely sorry for our sins, which normally leads us to lying about the severity of our sin or the genuineness of our repentance, which is yet another sin.

What recourse do we have? In Revelation we are told that Jesus is able to die for our sins. It is through his blood, i.e., giving his life, that we receive forgiveness of sins. 

This is a battle, just as real as the soldier who dies while protecting us from enemy invasion. But it is one which is applied not to our external world, but to the inside. Our sin is paid for. It is forgiven. Rather than costing us our life, it is costing Jesus his life.

This is the price Jesus willingly pays, out of love for you, love for me. So we give thanks to him. It's all we can do.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Psalm 70 - Lectionary for Wednesday in Holy Week

3/31/2021

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3/31/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

When we are afraid, what do we do? We cry out to God for help. Psalm 70 asks God to hurry up and help!

I know I have been in the position of such fear many times in my life. Yes, fear. It isn't always a lack of faith. It is a perfectly normal and valid response to times of trial. There's no need to deny it.

What makes the fear turn into a sinful lack of faith? It's when our fear is accompanied by a commitment to the idea that we are the ones who have to work out our salvation. It's when we put our trust into something or someone other than the Lord.

What trial was facing the Psalmist? We don't really know. But it was serious. There were some sort of enemies involved. There were probably offenses, and they were real issues. 

Yet I want to be clear. The outcry in Psalm 70 is not rooted in sinful fear. It is rooted in faith that God is the savior, God is the one who can rescue us from enemies, and a realization that we need to be rescued.

Preferably right not. Or maybe even sooner.

The fact that the Psalm could be written down tells us something, doesn't it? We don't usually write a piece of poetry reflecting on our need for God's rescue during the actual time of trial. We write it later, after some of the trial has passed. Having this Psalm written is an indicator that the situation did pass. God did rescue his servant.

When I am afraid, then, I will commit to trust in God. I will call out to him, not curse him. I will try my hardest to escape the danger, but I will be asking the Lord to rescue me, knowing that I probably can't outrun all the dangers I face.

God, the strong deliverer of his people, is there to rescue them. We who trust in Christ can call upon him. He is ready to help in our time of trouble.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Isaiah 62:11-63:7 - Lectionary for Wednesday in Holy Week

3/30/2021

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3/30/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

When we distract ourselves from God's priorities and look at the condition of our world, it's easy to fall into discouragement. 2020 has, in some ways, become a verb, and it indicates doom and gloom. Apparently, 2021 has done the same, though it seems to be more like 2020 version 2.0. Recent news has spoken of political intrigue, sharp division among political and cultural factions, and recently a major shipping channel blocked by an accident which has partially paralyzed supply lines for much of the world. What kind of hope do we have?

I might quickly add that nothing has actually changed. The trials we face are different in their specifics, but they are not new. In the time of Isaiah the world was suffering from warfare, political intrigue, diseases, invasions, and all the like. There were no huge ships blocking canals and nobody was carrying goods all around the world, but there were certainly plenty of supply line problems. Trials, disappointments, and dangers are nothing new.

Isaiah gives us some good news, though, and it is still good news for us today, no matter our position in society, in the geography of the world, or our need. In Isaiah 62:11-12 the prophet has a message to "the daughter of Zion" - to everyone who believes God is their savior and reward.

Your salvation comes.
His reward is with him.
He has people, and they are not forsaken.
You who believe in him are his people.

What confidence can we take from this? He may seem slow in coming at times. In fact, it might seem like a promise that we may never realize.

Christians confess that in Jesus, the Lord has come, with salvation. It is by his grace that we are saved. We who believe that He is the Lord can take courage. God's people are not abandoned. 

How does this help us?

Even in a time of plague, even in a time of division, even in times of suffering and warfare, even when we are uncertain how our needs will be met, Jesus has shown himself to be the one who can even conquer death.

Nothing will stand before this King who is coming to rescue his people. Nothing at all. He brings his reward. It is not our reward, it is his. Even though we might be too troubled to do anything, even if we are weak, even if we are at the point of death, Jesus promises that he is our life and salvation. 

With a savior like that, do we really have anything to fear?

Christians are sometimes accused of being "so heavenly minded they are no earthly good." Yet even amidst those accusations, it is Christians who have been at the forefront of moves for justice, for equality, for charity, for showing mercy. Jesus' reward for his people is delivered thrdough his people.

In this there is great hope. There's purpose. There's all the confidence in the world, because God has called all who believe on him "redeemed," "sought out," and "not forsaken." Our prayer is that we will see that realized, to some extent in this life, and in spades on the last day!

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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