Palm Sunday: To Tell the Truth

Palm Sunday: To Tell the Truth

Matthew 16:15 [Jesus is speaking to his disciples]

"'But what about you?' he asked. 'Who do you say I am?'"

You are the one currently seated in the spotlight.

The question is repeated.

"But what about you?--Who do you say I am?"

Silence enters the room like a train slowly clacking its way through town.

You begin a response, "I--uh--I--well--um--at church, they said--"

Jesus kindly interrupts in order to save you, and to get the conversation back on track. 

"I asked who you say I am. I didn't ask about your church--or any organized religion--for that matter." 

His voice lowers to a whisper. "Please, tell me who you say I am.--Who am I to you?"

Sustained silence. The question swirls in my head like leaves in a wind tunnel.

Who do I think Jesus is?--He's Jesus, of course, but who is Jesus to me?

John 12:13

"They [the great crowd that had come for the festival] took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, 'Hosanna!' 

'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'

'Blessed is the king of Israel!'"

The great crowd knew who Jesus was. Who do I say He is?

I Peter 3:15

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."

Always have an answer. I think it is time for me to stop my "activity" in order to formulate a response.

Psalm 46:10

"He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

If you do not have an answer to this question, let me offer a few suggestions for reading in order for you to develop your own response. For each of us need to be able to answer this question for ourselves.

Genesis 1:1

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

John 1:1

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning."

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

John 14:6

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"

This Palm Sunday reflect on who Jesus is to you.

Read one or more of the Gospel accounts this Easter season.

Prepare an answer.

Believe that Jesus is who He says He is.

Prayer: Almighty God, 

Hosanna! Jesus is the Word, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Thank You for sending Your Son. Thank You for the truth of Your Word in Scripture. Guide me to a better understanding of who You are. Help me to be prepared to have an answer to who You are in my life. Help me grow closer to You during this Holy Week. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Facing Dumpsters

 "...In this world you will have trouble..."

Recently, as I threw away my trash, I did the unthinkable.

The hand that was holding my phone released its grip, and by the time my brain caught up with what my hand had done, my brain was also processing the thud as my phone came to rest on the pizza box at the bottom of dumpster. 

So, what's next?

I looked around desperately seeking a superhero...someone braver than I, more nimble than I...no such luck. 

Next option, call someone to help...

Um, clearly not an option as we have already established, my phone was nestled comfortably on top of the pizza box.

With a deep sigh, I realized this one was all on me. 

The dumpster had a gap or chute-looking thing on the side where I could put my foot. With my left foot there, I hauled myself up to the edge. From there...well...I didn't pause too long to think about the next step because, well, the next step was lowering myself deep into the dark belly of the dumpster. 

Fortunately, I could put my left foot down on some rolled up fencing, but in order to reach my phone, I had to also put my right foot down somewhere. This foot came down with a crunch, a crackle, and a sensation of cool, sticky trash juice oozing between my toes. 

I lunged for my phone and clutched it in my grasp. 

Victory! 

And yet, I had to get myself back out of this beast. 

The fencing held for me to make the return trip and I mustered enough strength to perch back on the rim of the dumpster. Turning slowly, I lowered my left, non-gooey, foot back to the side chute and landed safely back on the pavement. 

The whole saga amounted to maybe three minutes of time...

so, why am I being so dramatic about it? 

I did it! I just fished my phone from a dumpster! Not everyone can say they've faced that challenge!

Life Lessons:

• Be careful.
• Life is full of dumpster moments. 
• Sometimes these moments have to be faced alone. 
• Don't stay in the dumpster. 
• Sanitize.
• Share...even your dumpster moments.
  
  
  

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." ~Jesus (John 16:33)

Beware the Thorns! (2/2)

 

 Beware the Thorns! (2 of 2)

"Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants." ~Matthew 13:7

We need to reflect on this passage a little more. In the first post we put our focus on the thorns. The modern-day thorns of work, schedules, social media, and other diversions that clamor for our attention, divide our hearts, and choke out the seeds of God's Word in our lives. Despite the fact that those words were extremely convicting, Scripture does give us encouragement. 

Today, we are going to put our focus on the seed of God's Word. 

Isaiah 55:6-11

"Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake their ways 
and the unrighteous their thoughts. 
Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, 
and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 
'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 
neither are your ways my ways,' declares the LORD.
'As the heavens are higher than the earth, 
so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, 
and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, 
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 
so is my word that goes out from my mouth: 
It will not return to me empty, 
but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.'"

It can be some comfort to know that while I have allowed the thorns to grow in my own life, God's Word will still accomplish its purpose: "It will not return to me empty..." The one who misses out here? Me! 

I have missed the blessing of sharing God's Word. 

I have missed the blessing of a fruitful life. 

I have missed it. 

This particular opportunity is over, and thankfully, God will accomplish his purpose through someone else while I watch just one more TikTok, binge five more episodes on Netflix, or scroll through the new posts on social media. I allowed the thorns to choke this opportunity.

Jesus' teaching with the parable didn't end with the tragic story of those of us who allow the seeds to be choked with our modern-day thorns. Jesus went on to share that another option is possible; the people who allow the Holy Spirit to work in their lives in order to produce fruitful lives. 

"Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop--some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown." ~Mark 4:20

Let us learn our lesson and be vigilant against the "busy" thorns in our lives that create barriers that keep us from a fruitful life filled with the blessing of sharing God's beautiful promises. 

Prayer: 

Almighty God, we thank You for the opportunity to share Your Word. Forgive us, Lord, for giving our precious time and attention to various thorns. Guide us away from thorns in our lives that choke out Your Word. Help us recognize these thorns and weed them out of our lives. In Jesus' Name. Amen