A Servan't Healing

    The dictionary defines authority as the power or right to make decisions, give orders, and enforce obedience. Let's face it - we are a culture that does not like authority - we live as if we can make whatever decision we want about our life, and sometimes even the lives of others, without any consequences. We don't trust people in leadership and we let them know in subtle and not so subtle ways that we think we could do things better. We struggle with authority.
    And yet, as Christians we make this claim that Christ has authority over our lives. Which means, according to the dictionary definition, that we give Christ the power to make decisions, give orders, and enforce obedience in our lives. I emphasize in our lives because we like the idea of Christ having authority in the lives of those we don't get along with or disagree with, but I think we struggle a bit more with Christ having authority over us.
    This week's scripture passage was found in Matthew, chapter 8, and spoke of a centurion - one who was given authority by culture - who gave Christ all the authority he was due. And that amazed Jesus. I don't know about you but I want a faith like that - a faith that gives Christ all the honor, and glory, and authority, that he is due in my life. May we become a people who live as if we are truly servants of Christ, who has control in our lives.

A Servant's Healing Devo

July 24th, 2016  

Devotional

“The Gospel of Matthew: A Servant’s Healing” - Matthew 8: 5-13

Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com

Monday: “Came to Him” -Matthew 8:5-6

Jesus entered the place he had made his home away from home - the city of Capernaum. Different cultures existed together there - religious and political - so it wouldn’t have been uncommon to see Roman soldiers around the area. What would have been uncommon is a Roman coming to talk to Jesus.

Perhaps the centurion had heard about Jesus’s reputation. Perhaps he had tried other means of healing before. Whatever the case and circumstance - he now came before Jesus, appealing to him to heal his servant.

We too must come before Jesus - daily - with our prayer requests. Our requests for healing. Not just physical healing, but healing from the sin that has held us captive too long. Healing from broken relationships. Healing from circumstances in our control and those well beyond our control. What do you need to come to Jesus for today? 

Do you find it easy or difficult to bring your request before Jesus? Why?

What are some of your prayer habits? Who do you pray for? When do you pray? Do you thank God when your requests are answered?

Prayer: God, you encourage us to come before you with our prayer requests, both for ourselves and others. Open up our hearts so we come to you in faith, like the centurion, appealing to you. Remove anything that would block us from coming to you in prayer. Hear us we pray. Amen. 

Tuesday: “I Will Come” - Matthew 8:7

After hearing te plea of the centurion, Jesus’s immediate response was that he would come and cure him. We live in a world of instant gratification - we don’t like to have to wait for things. My parents have told my brother and I stories from time to time of people who act badly when they have to wait in line or wait for their prescriptions in their line of work. We probably have all seen people over-react to having to wait for something. 

Sometimes we don’t get the same response of the centurion that Jesus will answer our prayers immediately. Sometimes we have to wait for an answer to be more in line with God’s perfect timing. But Jesus promises to always come and walk beside us, no matter what we are going through in life.

Tell of a time you had to wait for answer to prayer. What happened? How did it make you feel?

How do you know that Jesus is walking beside you in life?

Prayer: Lord, we confess that sometimes we get angry when our prayers are not answered in the same speed as the centurions. We start to doubt you. We start to doubt your timing and sometimes even doubt your presence in our lives. Yet, you walk beside us through each day. Help us sense and rely on your abiding presence at all times. Amen. 

Wednesday: “ I’m Not Worthy” - Matthew 8: 8

For a long time I have signed notes to my friends with “You are WORTHY and LOVED”. We live in a society that tries to base our worth off of our salaries or positions or some other measurable form of success. When Jesus came into the world our worthiness became based off off something completely different - our relationship with God, chiefly that we are called children of God.

The centurion had not yet received the message that he was made worthy by God’s grace and love. Instead, he felt like he was not deserving of having Jesus enter into his home, even to do something as important as heal his servant. So he tells Jesus simply to speak and his servant would be healed. 

Faith and love go hand in hand. The centurion had faith without yet knowing how deeply he was loved by God. How can we communicate to others that they are loved by God and help them grow in their trust and faith in Christ?

When did you first know that you were loved by God?

How do you grow in your personal faith?

Prayer: Lord, sometimes we forget that we are worthy, not because we have deserve what you have given us, but simply because you call us your children. You have lavished grace and mercy upon us, Lord. Undeserved gifts. Help us to appreciate your love and learn to trust you more. Amen. 

Thursday: “Such Faith” Matthew 8: 9-11

Jesus was amazed in the faith of the centurion. It was if he get everything that others were overlooking, even those who should have known better. He understood how powerful Jesus was. He understood the level of authority, or control, Jesus had over things that even the most powerful human could change. While comparing his own authority in overseeing one hundred soldiers at a time, he admitted that he had no authority in comparison to Christ.

What would need to change in our lives for us to relinquish and idea that we are in control to Christ? What would have to happen for us to affirm, not just with our lips, but with our hearts and actions that Christ has authority over us? What would it take for us to have “such faith” as the centurion? 

What are some ways you show that Christ has authority over your life?

How are authority and faith connected?

Prayer: Lord, we are people who sometimes falter. We confess, O God, that at times we do not have “such faith” as the centurion. We would more easily fall in the category of those who should know about your authority, but those who fail to claim it. Those who fail to give you the credit you are do. Forgive us, O Lord. Help us grow in our confidence in you each and every day. Amen. 

Friday: “Go” - Matthew 8: 12-13

There are other stories in scripture where Jesus spoke and people were healed from a distance. There are other stories where people put their faith in Christ. But what makes this story, in particular, notable is that it wasn’t a religious teacher or even a Jewish follower, but instead the least expected person.

Jesus can change peoples lives in amazing ways. Sometimes its people who know nothing about him. Other times its those who have wondered away from the faith. Still other times it is those who are faithful in all circumstances. Jesus has the power to change lives. While we aren’t told what happened to the centurion after he left, I guarantee his life was changed, not just because his servant was healed, but because of his encounter with Christ. 

How has Christ changed your life? 

Prayer: Lord, you are in the business of changing lives. Even those people that we have discounted. Even the people who seem to have it all together. You are in the business of renewing hearts and turning them back to you. We praise you for that this day, O Christ. Amen and Amen!

Saturday: Preparing for the Word

Family Activity: Talk to your kids about faith. What makes you believe in a person? What makes you believe that your parents will be there for you time after time? Experience. How can we grow in our experience with God so we can have faith that God will always be there for us?

Treasure in Heaven

    I've heard people over the years ask questions such as "what does this house say about me?" or "what does this outfit say about me?" and "what does going to this certain college say about me?" but I don't think I've ever heard the question ask "what does my prayer life say about me?"
   And yet, that is exactly what is on my mind today - what does my prayer life reveal about my heart? Reveal about what I'm concerned about? I'll be the first to admit that there are times that my prayer life is much more robust than others. But on average - what do I pray about? Usually the concerns that other people bring to me as a pastor. But I have to wonder sometimes if there is more - Kingdom things I should be bringing before the throne of grace.
   Jesus's teaching about where our treasure is so is our heart, is only a few short verses after teaching his disciples how to pray through the lens of the Lord's Prayer. How we pray and what we treasure are connected. Yet, so many times, we settle for meager treasure instead of Kingdom sized - we settle for what we see and want here and now instead of the things reflected in how Jesus taught us to pray.
   What does your prayer life reveal about what you treasure?

Treasure in Heaven

Matthew 6: 7-21 “The Gospel of Matthew: Treasures in Heaven”   07/17/16

The Lord’s Prayer. Powerful words that we pray each and every Sunday. Powerful words that I know many of you pray daily. But have you ever stopped to consider exactly what we are praying together with this prayer? Have you ever thought about what Jesus is trying to teach us not just about nature of prayer, and how to pray, but about the Kingdom of God with these particular words.

We are now in our third week of exploring some of the stories found in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus is the Gospel of Matthew found teaching through stories and parable to be crucial to his ministry. He certainly healed people in the text and performed mircales, but Jesus spent more time in the gospel of Matthew instructing the disciples then in the other three Gospel writings. Specifically, Jesus was intent to instruct those who gathered around him about the Kingdom of God. 

Today’s text starts off with Jesus teaching about prayer. In fact Jesus doesn’t start of with the philosophy behind prayer, he simply tells the disciples how to be in an attitude of prayer. Remember that the Gospel of Matthew is written to a primary Jewish audience - they are used to stories from the Hebrew Scriptures about leaders who prayed for them as a people and are used to hearing the great prayers of the Psalmists - but this is a different type of prayer - a personal prayer between them and God. Further, note that in comparing those hearing the teaching to the Gentiles, Jesus is not condemning the Gentiles - that simply isn’t Matthew’s audience here so he is using them as a contrasting point of comparison. 

We are to pray in a way that is simple and straight forward. We are to tell God what is honestly on our hearts. Prayer isn’t about seeking attention or who can talk the longest or getting all the words right. Prayer is about communicating with God. We pray in order to be in deep relationship with God. 

One of my favorite praise songs isn’t sung very often. Maybe because its not upbeat. Maybe because it just isn’t known very well. But its entitled ‘If I Could Just Sit With You Awhile’. “If I could just sit with you a while. If you could just hold me. Nothing could touch me though I’m wounded, though I die. If I could just sit you a while, I need you to hold me, moment by moment until forever passes by.” Friends, we have a holy, loving, Father who invites us to just come and sit with him in prayer. To cry. To be silent. To express our heart’s joy. To tell Him about our day. And to be loved. That is the attitude we approach prayer with.

At the same time, Jesus is teaching us to pray for big things - not just empty requests that we feel like we have to say. This can be a scary prayer to pray. Maybe you don’t want God to actually occupy all of your life. Maybe you want to hang on to control. So you don’t think about the boldness in the request “Thy Kingdom Come”. You avoid praying it in your own prayers, yet alone praying it first and foremost and instead settle for smaller requests. Personal wants and desires. What is God grants our heartfelt prayer to have the Kingdom of God come? What would that mean in our lives? In our town? In our nation? In our world? Our God invites us to make this request. Our Lord instructs us to pray in this way, that the Kingdom of God come and be known among us! Praise be to God! Do we believe our request will be granted? Do we pray as if it is coming? Or do we simply recite the words, not seeing and believing the power behind them? Jesus tells us not only to pray that the Kingdom of God come, but that God’s will be done. But once again, do we realize the power behind what we are praying? Time and time again in scripture we see the disciples just not getting it. They expect Jesus to come and overthrow the Roman government, even though Jesus came to overthrow the power of sin and death. They expect him to be a conquering King, not a humble Messiah. The walked with Christ for three years and still didn’t get what the will of God was.

God wants us to pray prayers that have the power to change the course of history. God wants us to ask for big things for the Kingdom on Heaven and Earth. But we shy away from this. Maybe because we are afraid that we will be disappointed, or that the answer will be no. We don’t want to take that risk, so we’d rather not pray for big things, life changing things at all. I think we all can tell stories of times we have pleaded with God for something and haven’t received the answer we wanted. And brothers and sisters, I can’t tell you why that happens, it is the way of God. But even if I don’t understand God’s ways, I do know that we are encouraged to keep praying for these big things, because sometimes God answers yes to our requests and lives are truly transformed.

God doesn’t just want us to pray prayers that can change the course of history, but also prayers that can change our very hearts. We can probably all think of someone who has hurt us. Someone who has wronged us. Someone who owes us something - maybe a thank you or an apology. Maybe something much more. Some of us are carrying around the weight of wounds from several years ago. The wounds of debts that we feel that someone owes us. Maybe you even have a list of “should haves”. People that should have treated you differently. But have you ever stopped to consider the times that you have been on someone else’s debt list? Times that you have hurt someone else?  Brothers and sisters, when we pray “Forgive us our debts as we have been forgiven” we remember the powerful truth of the cross. We remember the undeserved and unearned grace that we received through Jesus Christ and we desire to show others that grace, letting it shine through our lives.  We cannot control what other’s do with the forgiveness we offer them, we are simply admonished to forgive. To not let things eat us up or define us, for in the end that will harm us even more.  When we pray this prayer, we remember the people that we have hurt in our lives. We seek reconciliation. But even if they do not forgive us we know we are forgiven by God.

But Jesus didn’t just teach people about prayer, he went on to link it to acts of devotion. Remember that we often miss the links in Jesus’s teachings because we read bits and pieces about them or expound on smaller chunks in Bible Study or on Sunday morning. But Jesus kept teaching after presenting the Lord’s Prayer. He spoke about how to fast as well, and how fasting, like prayer, should be done in a way not to attract attention but rather to connect deeply with God. 

The final piece of this teaching I want to look at this morning is one that we rarely connect with prayer - our treasure. Treasure is defined as anything that is of value to us. There are some things that seem to have universal value - property, money, etc. But there are other things that we highly value for their personal memories for us. Treasure is more than something that has a monetary value, it can have an emotional value as well. 

Jesus teaches to not store up our treasure here, on this earth. And that is a really hard teaching we can consider another day. He says instead to store it up in the Kingdom of God. In ancient society treasure was stored in places, temples, shrine - the royal dwelling place. For us the royal dwelling place of our God and King in heaven. But here is the important line in this teaching “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Do you pray about what you treasure most? Do you pray that others will be blessed with what you treasure? Do you treasure things like forgiveness, mercy, all being fed, and God’s Kingdom coming, as expressed in the Lord’s prayer? Or do you often find yourself focused more on the here and now - gaining what you think you need. What would it look like if we took time to consider if what we treasure is the same thing God treasures? How can our hearts and attitudes about treasure be changed through praying the Lord’s Prayer? Lord, change us we pray. Amen. 

Treasure in Heaven Devo

July 17th, 2016

Devotional

“The Gospel of Matthew: Treasures in Heaven” - Matthew 6: 7-21

Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com

Monday: “Hallowed” - Matthew 6: 7-9, Luke 15: 11-32

Christ our Lord and Savior invites us into this house of God by telling his disciples to pray saying, “Our Father”. For some of us the image of Father brings up problems. It drags up painful memories of our own fathers who may have hurt us physically or emotionally. Or abandoned us. For others it is a beautiful reflection of our own Father’s love for us. But how many of us when we hear the words “Our Father” think first to the story Jesus tells of the prodigal son. The son who disowned his father, squandered his inheritance, and then returned thinking he would work for his father as a hired hand, only to find out that he celebrated, love, reinstated. We were once far from our Heavenly Father, separated by sin. But now we are welcomed into the Kingdom in loving arms. This is the Father we pray to. The one who loves us unconditional, with an eternal forgiveness. The one who reminds us that while we may want to stop being God’s child, disowning Him, he will never stop being our Father.

The word used in scripture is even more intimate. Abba. Our Daddy. The one that we run to as children when we have a scraped knee, a bruised heart, or have accomplished something wonderful during the day. A family relationship that we are welcomed in to through the blood of Jesus Christ.

How do you imagine God?

How do you relate to God?

Prayer: God, we confess that we often imagine you as far off from us or distant from our personal struggles and problems. Yet you say that you are our heavenly parents. Help us to draw close to you this day and always as we communicate with you through prayer. 

Tuesday: “Thy Kingdom Come” - Matthew 6:10

Jesus tells us not only to pray that the Kingdom of God come, but that God’s will be done. But once again, do we realize the power behind what we are praying? Time and time again in scripture we see the disciples just not getting it. They expect Jesus to come and overthrow the Roman government, even though Jesus came to overthrow the power of sin and death. They expect him to be a conquering King, not a humble Messiah. The walked with Christ for three years and still didn’t get what the will of God was.

Many of us know the verse from Jeremiah that states, I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper and not harm you. But we don’t know what those plans are. We don’t understand the will of God in our own lives, let alone the will of God for our world. How can we discover what the will of God is and pray together in hope and certainty “Thy Will be Done”?

What does God’s Kingdom look like?

Do you mean it when you pray that God’s will be done? What potential stumbling blocks are in your life from embracing this part of the Lord’s Prayer?

Prayer: Almighty God, we at times don’t pray as if we really want your Kingdom to come. We are comfortable with how things are, comfortable with our own ways. Forgive us Lord. Let us truly seek your Kingdom and will in our lives and the life of the world in which we live. Amen.

Wednesday: “Daily Bread” - Matthew 6: 11

It seems like such an abrupt change, from asking for God’s kingdom to come, to asking for our daily bread. But they are connected. For it is only after we know who God is that we can begin to seek God to fulfill our needs. Trust that the God of the universe is concerned about our daily needs. For this reason, in the words of Pastor Max Lucado, the prayer is structured to “reveal God to us before revealing our needs to God.”

The story is told that during the bombing raids of World War II, thousands of children were orphaned and left to starve. Some were rescued and put in refugee camps where they were given plenty of food and good care. But the care givers soon realized that they had a problem, these children who had lost so much - their family, their home, their security - could not sleep at night. They were afraid that one day they would wake up and find themselves again without a home and food. Even the care they were receiving and the bounty of the food around them could not calm their fears. Then one of the care givers had an idea - give each of the children a piece of bread to hold during bed time. The children, holding the bread, could finally sleep in peace as they were reassured, “today I ate and tomorrow I will eat again.”

The Lord’s Prayer has the same reassurance for us. That today we were provided for by God and tomorrow we will be provided for as well. Yet all too often we hesitate to ask God for what we need, hesitate to show our dependance on God.

How does your life reflect a dependance upon God?

Prayer: God, help us come before you daily to meet our needs. We know that we seemingly need so much Lord, food, water, shelter, community - the list goes on and on. Yet, you remind us that you will provide for our needs. Help us give up our sense of control and lean into your provision and grace. Amen.

Thursday: “Forgive Us” - Matthew 6: 12-15

Because of the Fall, we hurt each other. We may not mean to. We may try our very best, but angry words still slip out. Intentions are misunderstood. And other times we intentionally hurt each other. We live in a broken world as broken people. It is easy to see how we accumulate debts against each other. Hold grudges. But we owed another type of debt as well. A debt to God. For all of us have sinned against God and fallen short of the glory that was prepared for us. When we don’t follow God’s leading. When we purposely do something we know we shouldn’t. This is sin. This is a debt against God. Its the debt that a simple apology and future good intentions couldn’t erase. A spiritual debt the wage of which was death.

And yet, Christ paid our debt for us. A debt that he did not owe. He paid our debt out of loving kindness.  Because of the cross and resurrection our debt is covered by the grace of God. When we pray “Forgive us our debts as we have been forgiven” we remember the powerful truth of the cross. We remember the undeserved and unearned grace that we received through Jesus Christ and we desire to show others that grace, letting it shine through our lives.

Who do you need to forgive in your life?

Who do you need to approach and ask for forgiveness?

Prayer: God, we thank you for the gift of forgiveness. The gift of having our debts forgiven because of the cross. Let us extend that forgiveness to others so that we can live peaceably with all. Amen. 

Friday: “Deliver Us” - Matthew 6:13

The ironic this is, the more Satan tries to tempt humans, the more God overrides him with his power for redemption. Just look at scriptures. Think back to Job. How Satan asked God if he could bring calamity to Job’s life to prove that he only serves God because God so richly blesses him. God allows it, with the caveat that Satan cannot kill Job. But no matter what Satan did or how much his wife and friends tried to argue that Job must have offended God, he stuck to his deep devotion and trust to God. Even though he didn’t understand what was happening, he believed in God’s redemption. Satan didn’t get the upper hand.

But how exactly does Satan tempt us? The ways seem to be endless, which is why we need to fervently pray that Satan does not get a foothold. For some examples, look again to scripture. Think back to Paul and how highly he thought of himself. He proclaims that he was the Pharisee among Pharisees, the top notch of his class, well respected amongst his kin. Yet, all of his accomplishments and hastiness seemed to block him from hearing the call of God, until God had to literally blind him to get his attention. When we think too highly of ourselves we become deceived into thinking that we don’t need God. That we are the center of the universe. That we can do it on our own, which are all lies.

Another way Satan gets a foothold is causing mayhem amongst the body of Christ. When we forget that we need each other. When one thinks themselves to be more vital than another. When we argue and bicker. That is Satan trying to rip us apart and all too often we let him succeed. 

But take hope! For in the midst of the many ways we can be tempted by the Evil One, we have a hope in Jesus Christ. For in Christ we have the power to pray that Satan not lead us into temptation and that we are delivered from evil. We can pray that prayer because Christ defeated death and Satan’s plan. We share in his victory, if only we ask for God’s guidance, strength, and help.

What temptations do you struggle with? How do you give God the power over these temptations?

Prayer: We want to be people who make it on our own, but in doing so often make our lives harder. We forget that you want to help us defeat the power the Satan in our lives - in fact, it is you alone, O God, who can have this victory in our lives. Let us hand our temptations over to you, so the victory may be won. Amen. 

Saturday: Preparing for the Word

You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “The Gospel of Matthew: A Servant’s Heart” - Matthew 14: 15-21

Family Activity: Write down your prayer requests and put them on slips of paper. Pull each of them out and see how they fit in with the Lord’s Prayer. 

The Beatitudes

“The future of God challenges and transforms the present of those who hear” - Larry Bouchard (Feasting on the Word: The Gospel of Matthew)

        The Beatitudes speak to us about the present and the future. About a time that is coming when all other standards apart from God's will fade away, and a time now when we get to choose to see God's ways and ideals as a blessing. But sometimes that choice is hard. Sometimes it seems easier to fit in with everyone else or to live into our own ideas of blessings instead of God's. That's what made the Beatitudes so radical to the hearers in Jesus's time, and what makes them just as risky for us today. But the beatitudes can transform us - as individuals and as a church - if we let them. What in the Beatitudes challenges you the most? 

Devo - The Beatitudes

 July 10th, 2016 

Devotional

“The Gospel of Matthew: The Beatitudes” - Matthew 5: 1-17

Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com

Monday: “Came to Him” - Matthew 5: 1-2

One of my choice phrases to end correspondences with is “Be blessed to be a blessing.” But the sentence and its sentiments are both tricky. It raises more questions for me then kind thoughts. What does it mean to be blessed? What does it mean to be a blessing to someone else?

Apparently the English language is just as confused about what to make of the word bless, having no less than fourteen different definitions for it including seemingly polar meanings including to give a benediction to (with the example being that of death) and to confer a sign of prosperity or happiness on. Other definitions include making the sign of the cross over someone in order to call on God for protection, to concentrate, to praise or glorify, and to invoke blessings upon. 

Now with all of the uncertainty of this loaded word we turn to today’s gospel passage. Often when we think of the Sermon on the Mount we mix in what we have been taught over the years about a similar passage in the gospel of Luke known as the sermon on the plain. While the sermon in Luke is full of woes as well as blessings, Matthew focuses solely on blessings. And while the sermon in Luke is preached to a great crowd, this passage is not. When Jesus saw the crowds he turned away going up the mountain. This was not so more people could see and hear his teachings. No, it was because he wanted a moment of intimacy with those closest to him, his disciples. When the small group had gathered and sat together, he began to teach them.

What does the word “bless” mean to you?

Prayer: God the Teacher, we thank you today for this important lesson you passed on to us through our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you that he took the time to be with his disciples and instruct them in your ways, instruct them about your Kingdom. Continue to teach us this day and always. Amen. 

Tuesday: “Blessed are those who Mourn” - Matthew 5: 3-4

In the intimacy of that moment, Jesus turned everything they had been taught through their upbringing in Jewish scripture and oral traditions. Blessed are those who are poor in spirit, for theirs in the Kingdom of Heaven. I can only imagine how absurd this sounded to those gathered at Jesus feet. In ancient Judaism there wasn’t a concept of the Kingdom of Heaven. There was God who created the Heavens, meaning the sky and everything beyond it, but the notion of God’s everlasting reign as something that people could be co-creators in just didn’t exist. Further, there would be questions surrounding the timing of this Kingdom of Heaven, for the concept of an afterlife, a Heaven that one goes to after perishing, wasn’t common. The best way to be blessed was to be wealthy and have many offspring, things that are tangible in the present moment, the now. And what is this poor in Spirit that Jesus speaks of? Generally those who are poor need to be taken care of by the community – how does that apply to the spirit?

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Well known amongst the Jewish community would be the story of Job that begs to ask why some people suffer and what God’s idea of comforting anyone is or should be? Who really wants to mourn? Especially when you only mourn when you loose something or someone truly dear to your heart. Is the pay off of being comforted really worth the pain of that which caused you to mourn?

What is Jesus trying to communicate when he said, blessed are the poor in spirit?

How can those who mourn be blessed?

Prayer:  Lord, we confess that the blessings of the Beatitudes are sometimes the very last things that we want. We don’t want to be poor in spirit or to mourn. Yet these times can become blessings when we turn them over to you. So we give this day into your hands and ask that you mold and shape it, as well as us, for your glory. Amen. 

Wednesday: “ Blessed are the Merciful” - Matthew 5: 5-7

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. In a society that is waiting for a Messiah, waiting for a conquering King that would rescue them from the oppressive rule of the Romans, what is the benefit of being meek? And who would want a meek King? Further you have this idea of inheritance – something that is bequeathed to you upon the death of someone else. Inheritances do not come suddenly, but after a long period of waiting – so how long must one wait to inherit the earth?

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. When you hunger and thirst for something – there is a process. What you crave is something that you want deep within, but something that has yet to be fulfilled. Like an inheritance, how long will you have to wait to be filled?

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive the mercy. Like being meek, one does not really want to be a person who receives mercy. To bestow mercy shows power – the ability to hold something over someone, but to receive mercy – to receive that which is not deserved, involves admitting that you did something wrong. Is this truly a blessing?

What do these particular blessings bring to mind for you? What makes them easy or difficult?

Prayer: Lord, your Kingdom is built on mercy, yet we do not seem to see enough of it in our daily lives. We live in a word that focuses on justice at best, vengeance at worst, forgetting about your forgiveness and mercy. Help us to embody these aspects of your kingdom in our lives. Amen. 

Thursday: “Blessed are the Peacemakers” - Matthew 5: 8-10

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Seeing God is not necessarily a good thing. Those who have seen God’s face will perish immediately. 

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Peace making has been called one of the most difficult task. This is not peace keeping; this is creating something that does not exist out of the chaos of dissent. The name Yahweh up until this point in history has not even been associated with peace; the name was recognized by surrounding peoples as a God of war. Throughout scriptures we have seen Israel fighting everyone for things ranging from conquest, to revenge, and family squabbles. Yet, peacemakers will be called the children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. And there is the pesky reoccurring idea of the kingdom of heaven. Who really wants to be persecuted? What makes this statement even more humorous is that Jesus is speaking to the disciples who have been born out of the minority of the Jewish culture, persecuted by Roman rule and picked on by tribes that far out number then. The entire community is persecuted. And yet, Jesus is foretelling that there is more persecution to come. More sufferings to be taken on for God.

How can you embody being a peacemaker?

What does persecution for righteousness sake look like? How is this different from how we usually talk about persecution?

Prayer: Lord, help us seek your face. Call us your children. Use us to proclaim your Kingdom come. Thank you Lord, for giving us permission to reimagine our lives and see how you are using us every day to spread the good news of the gospel. Amen. 

Friday: “Blessed” - Matthew 5: 11-12

So are these blessings really what we think of for blessings? Are these things that we would wish upon those dear to us? Our family? Our children? Our friends? 

Yet these blessings, which would signal the least and the last of society, are things to be rejoiced over. That takes the entire idea of blessings even further – not only are you to accept this contrary way of life, but you are to recognize it as a blessing and rejoice in it. How strange! How seemingly impossible.

If you were a disciple hearing this message for the first time, how would you react? We’ve taken something so radical and have beaten it to the point of familiarity and sanitation. Jesus is telling the disciples to be radical people, living a way that will be recognized as not strange. It’s living in such a way that prompts questions from those around us. It is living intentionally in such a way that prepares the disciples for the more shocking blessing yet to come – the resurrection of Jesus Christ! 

After studying the Beatitudes this week, we return to the question from Monday: what does the word “bless” mean to you? How has your definition changed by studying the Beatitudes in the Gospel of Matthew?

Prayer: God, we are blessed by you in so many ways that we do not readily recognize. Thank you for teaching us through your Word, now use us to go into the world with your message. Amen. 

Saturday: Preparing for the Word

You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “The Gospel of Mathew: Treasurers in Heaven” - Matthew 6: 7-21

Family Activity: Talk about something that happened that you didn’t think was very good, but turned out okay because of God. Would you consider this situation to be a blessing? Why or why not? How can we see God’s blessings in whatever we go through?

Temptation

   Temptation - an unpopular word. Temptations - those things that we like to deny and pretend that if we don't talk about them, they simply don't exist. Temptation - the things that can bring us down into a pit of darkness more quickly then we would ever like to admit.

    We face temptations every day. The temptation to put ourselves first. The temptation to think about our needs instead of the needs of the world. The temptation to live by our own power, not by the power of God. The temptation to assume. The temptation to gossip. The temptation to bring other people down. Shall I go on?

    We would like to think that temptations diminish with age and wisdom, but that simply isn't the case. As we grown older and our decisions as adults have even more far reaching consequences, the greater the temptation to give in and stray into doing things our own way in order to protect our own interests.

    When I read the story of the temptation of Jesus - I also see one very large temptation glaring forth that we don't like to talk about perhaps even more than the rest - the temptation to try to put Jesus in a box or predict Jesus's actions instead of living for Jesus. Here's the thing - no one who was looking for the coming of the Messiah would have expected him to show up in the wilderness or the Galilean country side. They expected for him to be in Jerusalem - no where else. So people started to discount Jesus's ministry before it had even begun because of their own assumptions, instead of seeking the Kingdom of God.

    When are the times that our own assumptions about Jesus get in the way of us proclaiming the Kingdom of God? Where are the places when our temptations become major stumbling blocks, both for ourselves and other, in proclaiming the reign of God? May we pray this week that the light of Jesus expose the truth about our temptations and that the power of God keep them in check, so that we can continue with what it most important - sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.

Temptations Devo

July 3rd, 2016 

Devotional

“The Gospel of Matthew: The Temptations” - Matthew 4: 1-17

Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com

Monday: “By Bread Alone” - Matthew 4: 1-4

This story of the temptations of Jesus is often told as the three temptations, but in a very real way they are actually three versions of just one temptation - the temptation for power. During the first version, Jesus is tempted to turn stones into bread. Remember that Jesus has now been alone, fasting for 40 days. He would be hungry. And Satan presents him with the opportunity to eat. To be filled. And not to even need to go searching for bread, for the very stones could become his sustenance. 

  At first glance, this seems like a simple temptation about eating, but really it speaks to power - the power to overthrow God’s created order. Bread is food. Stones are not. And one should not be able to be made into the other. By changing stones into bread, Jesus would be creating a new order in nature, displacing the one that God created in Genesis and said was “very good”. 

What does the temptation to have power over God’s creation look like in your life? How do you prepare yourself to face temptations?

Prayer: Loving God, we confess that sometimes we act like we are in charge - like we are mini-gods, instead of remembering that you alone are God. Forgive us, O Lord. Let us respect all the good gifts you have given us, and keep us from turning these good gifts into idols. Amen. 

Tuesday: “Testing God” - Matthew 4: 5-7

The second temptation involved Satan commanding that Jesus throw himself off the highest point, telling him that if he did so angels would rescue him, for he could not die. In other words Satan was tempting him to create a spectacle of himself as the Son of God.

  The Church has sometimes stumbled here. Even though Jesus resisted the temptation to make himself into a spectacle, we went right ahead and did that for him. Through bobble-head Jesus toys and t-shirts that proclaim “Jesus is my homeboy”. We’ve made the face of Jesus recognizable and acceptable in society, making him into a hero of sorts, without actually telling anyone about the message of the gospel. And we’ve put Jesus on par with Superman or the Hulk, without proclaiming that the power of the Cross and Resurrection is so much more. We’ve reduced Christ to a celebrity, so we can be accepted as well as his followers.

What does the word temptation mean to you?

How have you stumbled into the temptation of changing the message of Jesus Christ in order to make you more acceptable as his follower?

Prayer:  Lord, we confess that sometimes we do not proclaim your message - do not proclaim the power of the Christ and the good news of the resurrection - because we want to be like everyone else. We want to fit in - and so we try to make you fit in - instead of proclaiming you are Lord and Savior of our lives. Forgive us, we pray. Amen. 

Wednesday: “Get Away from Me Satan” - Matthew 4: 8-11

The image of the “normal” looking Satan has come to my mind again and again this week. All too often we expect Satan to tempt us in grand ways, ways that we can easily identify and overcome, like he did with Jesus. But Satan isn’t tempting us to turn stones into bread, or jump off of a tower, or telling us we could be ruler of all. But he is still tempting us. Tempting us into believing that we deserve to have our own needs met first - selfishness. Or tempting us into thinking that we aren’t good enough to be a child of God - insecurity. Tempting us to think that we are the best - pride. Or that we could lose what little power we have - fear. Or tempting us to try to be the master of the world and people around us - control. Its these every day temptations that trip us up. Because we think they aren’t a big day. Think that they are just a normal part of ourselves or our lives. So we don’t repent of them. Don’t address them. 

What do you need to address in your life? What do you need to repent of? What temptations do you need to ask Christ to give you freedom from? Christ was in the desert for 40 days, Noah was in the ark for 40 nights, Moses was on Mt Sani for 40 days before receiving the 10 commandments.40 is a biblical number that symbolizes being on the precipice of something. Being on the edge of something life changing, something faith changing. 

How have you tried to ignore temptations instead of confessing them in the past? What was the result? What did you learn? 

Prayer: Lord, sometimes we would rather ignore the sin our lives instead of confessing it to you. It is as if we believe that turning a blind eye will make it go away, even if we know in the heart of our hearts this isn’t true. Lead us to repentance, O Lord. Accept our confession, we pray. Amen.

Thursday: “Made His Home” - Matthew 4: 12-13

People did not expect the Messiah to make his home in Capernaum. They did not expect his to be tempted in the wilderness. They did not expect the Messiah to look or act like Jesus or proclaim the Kingdom of God instead of trying to overthrow the powers of this world. And yet, that is exactly what Jesus did. He came and made his home in Capernaum, not the expected place of Jerusalem, and he proclaimed God’s love and a message of repentance, not one of overthrowing the Roman occupation.

Sometimes we miss out on what Jesus is doing in our lives, our church, and our world, because it isn’t what we expect. It doesn’t look like what we imaged it would. Let us free ourselves from the temptation to make Jesus live into our expectations and assumptions, and instead like Jesus reign in our lives as Lord in unexpected ways. 

How have you tried to place your expectations on Jesus?

What can you do to free yourselves to let Jesus completely reign in your life?

Prayer: Lord, you encourage to let go. To let go of our expectations and the ways that we want things to go, and instead embrace your ways, which are high above ours. Give us the strength to trust you and the courage to follow you. Amen.  

Friday: “The Kingdom of God is Near” - Matthew 4: 14-17

It is hard for us to imagine, let alone comprehend, the magnitude of the Kingdom of God. I think at times it scares us. So we try to make the Kingdom of God smaller, by focusing on what it means to us, or how it will help us achieve our desires, instead of focusing on what it is really about - the very reign of God. 

Jesus speaks more about the Kingdom of God then anything else in the Gospel of Matthew. It’s that important to him - and therefore, should be that important to us. How can we keep our focus on the Kingdom in the coming weeks and months?

What do you think of when you hear “the Kingdom of God”?

Prayer: God, help us to go about the work of your kingdom, not ours. Helps us proclaim your message, not our agendas. Put us to work for your purpose alone, mighty God! Amen.

Saturday: Preparing for the Word

You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “The Gospel of Matthew: The Beatitudes” - Matthew 5: 1-20

A story was once told about a young boy who was getting ready for his birthday party. His mom had made his absolute favorite cookies and left them sitting on the counter to cool with instructions that he should not eat them. The little boy kept hanging around the kitchen counter, the smell luring him in. Finally, when his mom left the kitchen for a few minutes, he took one cookie, then two, then three. The time came for the party and everyone in attendance at the party got three cookies. Except the little boy. When it came to be his turn his mother simply told him that 3 cookies were missing so there were not enough for him. It was a seemingly small incident, but the little boy remembered it for years to come, every time he was tempted by other cookies. 

Share this story as a family. What does it teach us about temptations?