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The Briefing
Jesus, the Man
While Jesus was unquestionably “fully human” and “fully God”, we must recognize that being fully human did, in fact, bring significant limitations. While Jesus was clearly connected to God, it was also a requirement of his humanity to be disconnected from God at the same time.
Jesus received his power from the Father, but Jesus admitted that there were things the Father knew that were hidden from the Son:
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
Mark 13:32 While in human form, Jesus was not the Father, and had the requirement of consulting with God throughout the day, often late at night or early each morning in prayer. His mission was his ministry, to proclaim the Good News, to seek and save the lost, and to train others to lead the church when he was gone.
Luke 4:42-43, Luke 5:31-32 It is this example of prayer
Luke 5:16 and, most importantly, the reason for prayer, that concerns us.We see Jesus’ ministry take him from here to there, but he was not everywhere! We see his human limitations at work. He never transported himself nor his friends to other places, but used his human abilities to conduct his ministry of teaching, serving, training, and healing.
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Jesus, Rescue Me!
How many times has Jesus called out to me and asked me to climb out of the boat? And how many of those times he asked, did I? But in the times I did, I was amazed at how easily I could do things I didn’t think I could do; things I could only do with Jesus leading. He makes me bold, and gives me the power to do such great things.
But too often, when I stop moving towards Jesus, I am given the opportunity to look around and see the reality of the world around me, and the waves seem so much higher than they did before. One moment I am in awe of His love and power, and I feel invincible and unstoppable because He is there, walking by my side or walking ahead and showing me the way. But just for a moment, I take my eyes off Jesus, and the waves consume me. I sink into what I see as reality, and turn off his power like a switch.
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Holding On
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”
Mark 8:34-35 A number years ago, it was easy. Everything I thought I knew had been wrong, and Jesus showed me—gave me—a new way: His way.
It made so much sense, and life seemed simpler then. The kids were young with minimal activities, and I had just discovered God’s awesome power and love.
So I was “all in” in those days. Whatever God asked through his Word or the Church, I didn’t question, regardless of the challenge. I just acted in faith. Some may call that “passion” or “zeal”. Others may have called it naïveté.
But whatever, it was real and powerful, and I was given the strength and confidence to make big changes in my own life, and receive every blessing that came my way, because my life was no longer my own. I had become God-serving, no longer self-serving as I’d once been.
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What Have I Done?
Matthew 26-Present What have I done?
This man has done nothing wrong
Yet I’ve betrayed him into the hands of men
He stands condemned though he was innocent all alongI can’t live with the pain
What have I done?
I claimed not to have known you
I did just what I promised I wouldn’t do
What kind of friend is concerned only for himself?My Lord, please forgive me
You’ve done nothing wrong!
Except be a friend to those who needed love
You took a stand to show the world the truth they never knew
You took the burden of our sin and you gave us all
A chance to be forgiven
But we mistreated you and we tortured you
And we betrayed the trust you gave
Yet still you loved us
When you could have walked away
Still you died that day…What have I done?
Surely this was the ‘Son of God!’
Yet I crucified him with my own hands
I closed my eyes and now I am filled with tearsHow could I have been so blind?
What have I done?
All you’ve ever done is give your love
I thought that I could live my life alone
I turned my back and ignored all of your waysHow could I be so cold?
But you’ve set me free
From the chains of the sin that had a hold on me
You’ve helped me be
A new creation that I now can let the world see
You lifted me out of my despair
While you were still nailed there
Though I mistreated you
And I spat in your face
And laughed at you in your pain
You stood up for me
And begged God to forgive
What I couldn’t even seeMy God! What have I done?
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The Spirit of Choice
“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious . . .
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:19, 22-23 Have you ever wondered why you never seem to have an abundance of the aforementioned “fruits?” Why do we find that these promised blessings are always just out of reach, while we continue to struggle with that ol’ sinful nature, never quite seeming to grasp all of that wonderful fruit?
They are sometimes referred to as the “gifts” of the Spirit, but, while this is somewhat true
Hebrews 2:4 , that’s not the context of what Paul has written in the text we see above. In the current context, Paul is emphasizing the clear differences of how we “chose” to live when we were slaves to sin, in contrast to the choices available to us now with the Spirit of God as our master. -
Scattered Truth
Luke 8:4-15 It gets tossed along the busy streets
Where every kind of bird and insect feed
Trampled underfoot and turned to dust
The hungry find their fill
Yet they remain unsatisfiedIt often lands upon the gravel road
A place that’s rough where the rain hardly falls
There’s no place for the roots to grow
The child finds the sugar
It’s sweet but does not endureSometimes it’s forced to grow among the shadows
Of the prickly-pear or the thorns of a pretty rose
Cut off by the others growing there
It starves for attention
And silently passes awayBut once in awhile it falls in a lovely place
Where life-giving water flows
And the radiance of a loving sun glowsIt grows into a mighty tree
That scatters a hundred or thousand seeds
To be blown by the wind to places unknown… -
Unforgivable
I know it wasn’t me you considered
As you hung there on that cross
In death you won sweet victory,
Bringing home so many who were lostBut I’ve been left behind to suffer
And to pay for all I’ve done
I’ve sinned too greatly against you,
Not worthy to be called your sonWhat I’ve done is unforgivable, even for you, O God
My sin is greater than your love could ever be
We shall always be at oddsI know I’m unforgivable and I must pay the price
Cast me aside and forget me, Lord
Just ignore my silent criesI can’t accept this gift you bring
For it’s me who should give something to you
And I’m not ready, I’ve too much shame
I’m a fake and you are the TruthWho I am is unforgivable and I cannot stand the light
Because I’m afraid the world will see me
And know that I am rightWhen I say that I’m unforgivable, don’t waste your time with me
I am deserving of only death
It should have been me upon that treeYet you continue to pursue me
Could it be I’ve misunderstood?
After all I’ve done you’d still let me in?
I just don’t understand why you wouldThere must be someone else more deserving
One with honor, morals and love
Someone other than this wretch before you
One that’s worthy of help from aboveOr is it that no one’s unforgivable, no sin that’s greater than your love?
Is it true you knew me since before I was born
That I was the one you were thinking of?I at least can say I’m sorry and then run right home to you
If you promise to forgive me
Then my heart will be renewedI guess no one’s unforgivable, not even the likes of me
It’s never too late to set things straight
Or set the guilty free“There’s no one more deserving, child
Of the love I’ve always had for you
I want you to stay with me forever
It’s good to have you home…” -
The Truth About Independence
Let me start by sharing an observation. And that’s that children seek not independence, but “the freedom to act according to emotion without fear of consequence.”
As adults, given the gifts of increasing responsibility, we know that independence is a great responsibility. As adults, not as children in grown-up bodies, we understand that we have established “the responsibility to act in accordance with the law with fear and consequence.”
Yay Independence! Some days, we’d really rather someone just told us what to do for awhile . . .
Still, it is often difficult to understand that independence is not the requirement to handle all your problems on your own, or answer all the questions by yourself. Being independent does not mean you must act alone.
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Run Free
“I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.”
Psalm 119:32 So many demand freedom, but don’t understand its meaning. Freedom means to be at “liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint; exemption from external control, interference, regulation; the power to determine action without restraint.” — Dictionary.com
When the founding fathers spoke of freedom, and carved it into parchment, their freedom was from the control, interference and regulation of the throne of England. They were not slaves, but already free men, who wanted to govern their own lives and families. But in their success, they formed a government that now intrudes in the lives of its citizens. But whose fault is that?
All of us. Sin and brokenness. The bastardization of the idea of freedom, and the notion that freedom is really the power or right to live without boundaries or consequences.
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In the Garden (of Gethsemane)
Matthew 26:36-42 My heart is heavy, my spirit weak
How can you ask me to go on?
This cup is too full, I cannot drink
Is there any other way?As I try to shine as a light for you
To show your people the way
They cover their eyes
And drown me out with their fears
Their sorrow overwhelms me;
Father, please give me strength
For what you ask — I cannot doIt’s so hard for me to see right now
The value of this task
I feel I could do so much more
If only I was given the chanceThough many try to believe your words
Which through me they hear
They cannot understand
This world pulls them away
Even now, my closest friends sleep —
The ones who are supposed to walk with me;
The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.
I feel cold — I am alone
My Father, please stay by my side
Do not abandon meWhy can’t they all believe me
And believe who I say I am
I only want to bring them hope and peace
And to bring them close again to youSo many are the wicked
That they have sent me here to die
Why should I go through with
All this pain and suffering
When they don’t even care?
When they don’t even know my name?My heart is filled with sorrow;
It hurts so much I could die
Please take this cup away from me
For I cannot drink it.
Don’t you love me?
Why would you ask this of me?
Do you love them all that much?
Despite all that they’ve done to you?Father, if this is the way it must go
May it be as you command
Please give me the strength
To carry out all that you have plannedFather in heaven, as I pray to you now
You fill me with your love
I trust in you with all my heart, that
Your will be done in heaven and on earth;
If I must drink this cup that it may go away
So shall it be —
For my life is but a mist, and what I want
Has no meaning
I am your humble servant, O Father;
So let’s complete what we’ve begun.
Together.
