John 20:1-21:25
Now this is exceeding good news! How wonderful that this disciple, who has seen these things with his own eyes wrote it down so that we could know his story was the truth.
Mary sees the tomb is empty and runs to get help-she didn't want to go in alone, nor did she know what to make of this. The two disciples came running, and yet seeing with their eyes, they did not know what this meant...so they went home. To ponder? To weep? We don't know. We do know that Mary stayed to weep. And it is then that she sees the angels.
What do you think of these two angels? Sitting where the body had been, but was no longer? Had they been with Jesus while he was in there? Were they ministering to him as we heard they did when he was in the dessert? These are the first ones who don't say "Fear Not." Why? Was Mary so upset, she didn't have the heart to be fearful? Had she seen angels before and knew who these were?
She sees a man-who she thinks is the gardener. Huh? What is he wearing that she thinks he is the gardener? Not his grave wrappings because we just heard they were still in the tomb. Certainly not naked, because gardeners don't work in public gardens naked. Hmm. Anyway he asks why she is weeping, and it is when he calls her by name that she recognizes him. And she grabs hold of him. (He obviously isn't a vision if she grabs hold of him.) Jesus sends her to bear these good tidings to the guys! Jesus goes to see his father with this note that His Father, is our father, His Father is God-His God and our God...
They don't say anything about how this news was received, but we see that the guys were holed up in a locked room...and it doesn't say they were celebrating. Jesus comes on in and says "Peace!" And shows them his wounds-he answers their unwritten question 'is it really true?' Now Jesus gives them marching orders. They have things to do and things to understand. Poor Thomas wasn't there-but I am glad because he is given the proof that we might wish for. Jesus says to him-see, touch, believe.
This Gospeler gives an account of why he has written the book as he has, by giving these signs for us we might believe just as Thomas does. That we might be able to cry out with joy: "My Lord and my God!"
And now the guys ...go fishing? Huh? They are out in the boat not catching anything. No wonder, it isn't time for fishing - for fish any more. It is time for something else I think. They don't catch anything until Jesus says put your nets on the other side. And right away they know this is Jesus. This time Peter doesn't wait for Jesus to say "Come." Peter just jumps out of the boat and swims in to shore. Then Jesus says, 'what are you doing with all those fish-I'm hungry.' and out Peter goes to haul it in. One hundred fifty three fish. That is a lot of fish, but it isn't written as just 'a lot' it is written as one hundred fifty three. Someone counted them. It doesn't say about a hundred fifty-no it says one hundred fifty three. Well, I like that. These were real fish, and Jesus was really hungry. They cooked these fish and ate them together.
Jesus tells Peter to 'follow' him. Last time Peter followed, but he denied knowing Jesus. This time Jesus asks him: "Do you love me, more than these?" I heard someone talk about these questions one time and they said the words are somewhat different, but I don't see these differences in the English-just the repetition of the question do you love me. This does drive the question home and allows Peter to firmly state his case. It does allow Peter to recognize that this task he is being given is important. The answering three times allows Peter to convince himself of his answer. At the very least it does these things. If in fact Jesus does ask him 'do you love me like your Lord' And Peter does answer 'I love you like a brother' I don't know. It would help to explain why Peter is saddened by the repeated question. Peter isn't annoyed at having to repeat his answer as he might be if someone wasn't listening...there is certainly more than that going on here. But it is enough for me to know that the question is important to Jesus, the task is important to Jesus, and the answer is important to Jesus-and to Peter.
In the end Peter wants to know about 'the other disciple' and Jesus says pay attention to yourself-what I ask YOU to do-not to him and what I ask him to do. And for our sake the Gospeler says I wrote this for YOU. So you might know and believe. And if you wanted me to write everything down...well that is the world, and how could you write down all of life and the whole world and have it contained inside the world? Jesus is bigger than that. God is bigger than that. But I think what has been written has been enough for us to go on with.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
The Crucifixion
John 19:1-42
We have seen that all authority is God's, and yet we have seen people act according to their own will. This is a strange mixture today of willfulness and fearfulness. Pilate says he has authority, yet acts only according to the mob's rule. He is fearful of the ramifications; from the Jewish leaders and from his Roman government.
The Jewish leaders are fearful of Jesus' following, worried that they will lose power and prestige, and so strangely they appeal to the Roman government for assistance. These people who were told by God that they needn't have a king, give up their freedom to be ruled by foreigners.
This passage today is filled with people and places that we can find historically and geographically, and the gospeler gives us reference points to the Old Testament passages we can remember and in the middle of all this we have Jesus accepting these deeds...why? In the end, he 'gives up his spirit.' He accepts the actions of others, and yet has the power to decide. The other two men are still alive. Jesus says he has finished what he set out to do; he accomplished the task that was necessary, and he sees that his mother is in community and will have the support of this 'disciple that he loved,' and then he says "it is finished."
These two men that had followed at a distance; Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus, now work together to bring Jesus' body to a tomb. Joseph had been afraid of consequences, and yet now, he is not. Joseph openly assists the women in the burial-now when it is supremely obvious that Jesus and his followers are out of favor-no matter. Nicodemus, who had questions, and sought answers, must have been satisfied with them, for now he also works openly for Jesus. Now that it is finished.
But there are more days for us to read. What more is it that happens in this story of who God is, and how He loves the people? How is there deliverance from this death? We heard people ask about Jesus' ability when he had previously healed a man born blind, when wondering if he could have prevented Lazarus' death, and then raising Lazarus from the tomb. What will God do now that Jesus is the one in the tomb? Jesus, this son of whom He is proud; Jesus to whom we should listen; Jesus who spills his own blood for the Passover that we might be marked as children of God and the danger pass-over our lives, and we might live.
What happens next? Where do we go from here?
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
We have seen that all authority is God's, and yet we have seen people act according to their own will. This is a strange mixture today of willfulness and fearfulness. Pilate says he has authority, yet acts only according to the mob's rule. He is fearful of the ramifications; from the Jewish leaders and from his Roman government.
The Jewish leaders are fearful of Jesus' following, worried that they will lose power and prestige, and so strangely they appeal to the Roman government for assistance. These people who were told by God that they needn't have a king, give up their freedom to be ruled by foreigners.
This passage today is filled with people and places that we can find historically and geographically, and the gospeler gives us reference points to the Old Testament passages we can remember and in the middle of all this we have Jesus accepting these deeds...why? In the end, he 'gives up his spirit.' He accepts the actions of others, and yet has the power to decide. The other two men are still alive. Jesus says he has finished what he set out to do; he accomplished the task that was necessary, and he sees that his mother is in community and will have the support of this 'disciple that he loved,' and then he says "it is finished."
These two men that had followed at a distance; Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus, now work together to bring Jesus' body to a tomb. Joseph had been afraid of consequences, and yet now, he is not. Joseph openly assists the women in the burial-now when it is supremely obvious that Jesus and his followers are out of favor-no matter. Nicodemus, who had questions, and sought answers, must have been satisfied with them, for now he also works openly for Jesus. Now that it is finished.
But there are more days for us to read. What more is it that happens in this story of who God is, and how He loves the people? How is there deliverance from this death? We heard people ask about Jesus' ability when he had previously healed a man born blind, when wondering if he could have prevented Lazarus' death, and then raising Lazarus from the tomb. What will God do now that Jesus is the one in the tomb? Jesus, this son of whom He is proud; Jesus to whom we should listen; Jesus who spills his own blood for the Passover that we might be marked as children of God and the danger pass-over our lives, and we might live.
What happens next? Where do we go from here?
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Arrest & Trial
John 18:1-40
This says arrest and trial...not in our western understanding of a trial. And not even in the Old Testament sense of a trial. Jesus says you have heard me speak, ask those who have heard what I said to testify...but no, they don't do that. In fact they don't charge him with anything they can prove, and don't even try. Why do the people ask for a robber instead of Jesus? Pilate gives them that option. Why is it preferable to have a robber on the loose rather than this preacher, this man in whom no fault is found? What is that about?
Our Gospeler today does a good job of telling us all the points where Jesus had spoken about what would happen, and in fact what the prophets had said about this, so that is helpful for us as we follow this narrative. We hear Peter claim not to be with him, and yet stay because he couldn't leave without knowing the outcome. How hard it would be to stand and wait. This narrative tells us that another disciple went in with Jesus, and I can't believe it was any easier to do that.
Jesus doesn't answer these questions directly, he asks questions of the questioner, and perhaps we see that the answers, had they been different could have made a difference to them-as well as to Jesus.
In the end Pilate asks what is truth? This equivocation sounds very familiar to us today. When accused of a crime, we ask others to define their question or answer in such a narrow way so as not to lie, but not tell the truth either. Jesus, on the other hand says he was born for this; to bear witness to the truth. After the readings we have been doing we can see that this truth that he speaks of is the Lord's truth. That which has been from the beginning and still is today. His life bore witness and through the writings of the Gospelers it still does for us now.
For us today, what will we do with this truth? Will we deny the Son of God, and ignore the Lord's teaching? Or will we walk with Jesus, unnamed into the headquarters of those who would question us as to what is truth?
I pray that I can go with Jesus where he goes. Boldly or unnamed, but go none the less.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
This says arrest and trial...not in our western understanding of a trial. And not even in the Old Testament sense of a trial. Jesus says you have heard me speak, ask those who have heard what I said to testify...but no, they don't do that. In fact they don't charge him with anything they can prove, and don't even try. Why do the people ask for a robber instead of Jesus? Pilate gives them that option. Why is it preferable to have a robber on the loose rather than this preacher, this man in whom no fault is found? What is that about?
Our Gospeler today does a good job of telling us all the points where Jesus had spoken about what would happen, and in fact what the prophets had said about this, so that is helpful for us as we follow this narrative. We hear Peter claim not to be with him, and yet stay because he couldn't leave without knowing the outcome. How hard it would be to stand and wait. This narrative tells us that another disciple went in with Jesus, and I can't believe it was any easier to do that.
Jesus doesn't answer these questions directly, he asks questions of the questioner, and perhaps we see that the answers, had they been different could have made a difference to them-as well as to Jesus.
In the end Pilate asks what is truth? This equivocation sounds very familiar to us today. When accused of a crime, we ask others to define their question or answer in such a narrow way so as not to lie, but not tell the truth either. Jesus, on the other hand says he was born for this; to bear witness to the truth. After the readings we have been doing we can see that this truth that he speaks of is the Lord's truth. That which has been from the beginning and still is today. His life bore witness and through the writings of the Gospelers it still does for us now.
For us today, what will we do with this truth? Will we deny the Son of God, and ignore the Lord's teaching? Or will we walk with Jesus, unnamed into the headquarters of those who would question us as to what is truth?
I pray that I can go with Jesus where he goes. Boldly or unnamed, but go none the less.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Monday, May 9, 2011
The Last Supper
Luke 22:1-46
I don't know what to say today. There are quite a number of things taking place and even those who were there don't seem to know what is going on.
We did read that the people in power were afraid of Jesus' following. That they might lose some or all of their own power. Too bad for them, I think.
It is enough for us to notice that these verses say that Satan entered into Judas in order to find a way to betray him. Later we notice that Jesus says 'pray you will not enter into temptation.' This should be our own earnest prayer. And it probably should be daily. Since here we see that Judas has been among the guys all along and part of the small group who has been close and listening regularly to what Jesus said and taught and yet, in the end it just says that Satan entered into him. This change of spirit-change of heart-change of leadership and focus could happen to anyone who wasn't watching and praying against the occurrence.
However in the middle of these things we have Jesus directing his crew to go and prepare the Passover meal. We know of this anniversary meal of remembrance that the Jews celebrate in thanksgiving for their deliverance during the period of the Egyptian slavery. So we can understand what the beginning of this meal is about. How interesting that Jesus had a place all ready-and yet they were with him all along. How he found the time to have whatever conversations were necessary to make arrangements is one we can ponder. It is cool anyway that just as he described, it was accomplished.
Now during this meal we hear Jesus say that his is the blood of the covenant. We have read about all these things; the covenant with Abraham, and with Noah, and the blood of the unblemished lamb used to mark the people of Israel so the angel of the Lord will pass over their household...but now this blood is from Jesus. That is what he says. He also says someone will betray him...and they start arguing. Yup, I can see that. "WHO?" they ask. Not me-I really love him, I wouldn't do anything like that...and so on into the next discussion of if it isn't me, I can prove it because I am going to be the most important in this new kingdom...and on and on.
It is interesting that Jesus asks them about when he sent them out with no money or extra sandals-and they respond that they always had enough. Good reminder for them-and for us of course. And in the end Jesus prays fervently, earnestly: with passion! I once had a terrible head ache and was out with family while traveling. It was so bad I thought I would be sick and so I excused myself from the table. I went and prayed very earnestly because I didn't know what else to do. Amazingly the headache went away and I wasn't sick. A friend remarked that it is a wonder we don't pray with that intensity more often.
That is the difference between a normal prayer-time and this prayer-time that is described for Jesus. He poured his whole being into it. Not always do we have the necessity or the time for such fervent prayer, but it is something to remember; there is a difference between casual prayer and full-on committed prayer. We need to make time for this second type of prayer along with our everyday ordinary prayer. "That we may not enter into temptation." And like Jesus remember to ask that the Father's will be done and His plan accomplished, even if it isn't what we wish. God has a bigger view and knows what really needs to be accomplished. It is for us to join Him in that plan.
Amen. See you tomorrow.
-maggie
I don't know what to say today. There are quite a number of things taking place and even those who were there don't seem to know what is going on.
We did read that the people in power were afraid of Jesus' following. That they might lose some or all of their own power. Too bad for them, I think.
It is enough for us to notice that these verses say that Satan entered into Judas in order to find a way to betray him. Later we notice that Jesus says 'pray you will not enter into temptation.' This should be our own earnest prayer. And it probably should be daily. Since here we see that Judas has been among the guys all along and part of the small group who has been close and listening regularly to what Jesus said and taught and yet, in the end it just says that Satan entered into him. This change of spirit-change of heart-change of leadership and focus could happen to anyone who wasn't watching and praying against the occurrence.
However in the middle of these things we have Jesus directing his crew to go and prepare the Passover meal. We know of this anniversary meal of remembrance that the Jews celebrate in thanksgiving for their deliverance during the period of the Egyptian slavery. So we can understand what the beginning of this meal is about. How interesting that Jesus had a place all ready-and yet they were with him all along. How he found the time to have whatever conversations were necessary to make arrangements is one we can ponder. It is cool anyway that just as he described, it was accomplished.
Now during this meal we hear Jesus say that his is the blood of the covenant. We have read about all these things; the covenant with Abraham, and with Noah, and the blood of the unblemished lamb used to mark the people of Israel so the angel of the Lord will pass over their household...but now this blood is from Jesus. That is what he says. He also says someone will betray him...and they start arguing. Yup, I can see that. "WHO?" they ask. Not me-I really love him, I wouldn't do anything like that...and so on into the next discussion of if it isn't me, I can prove it because I am going to be the most important in this new kingdom...and on and on.
It is interesting that Jesus asks them about when he sent them out with no money or extra sandals-and they respond that they always had enough. Good reminder for them-and for us of course. And in the end Jesus prays fervently, earnestly: with passion! I once had a terrible head ache and was out with family while traveling. It was so bad I thought I would be sick and so I excused myself from the table. I went and prayed very earnestly because I didn't know what else to do. Amazingly the headache went away and I wasn't sick. A friend remarked that it is a wonder we don't pray with that intensity more often.
That is the difference between a normal prayer-time and this prayer-time that is described for Jesus. He poured his whole being into it. Not always do we have the necessity or the time for such fervent prayer, but it is something to remember; there is a difference between casual prayer and full-on committed prayer. We need to make time for this second type of prayer along with our everyday ordinary prayer. "That we may not enter into temptation." And like Jesus remember to ask that the Father's will be done and His plan accomplished, even if it isn't what we wish. God has a bigger view and knows what really needs to be accomplished. It is for us to join Him in that plan.
Amen. See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Raising Lazarus from the Dead
John 11:1-57
I can see a fair number of similarities between today's passage and the last couple of days. In the first paragraph we have Jesus saying that the illness is for the glory of God and to bring glory to the Son of God. This sounds like what Jesus said to the disciples when they asked why the man was born blind. Are their eyes open this time?
In that same earlier passage we hear Jesus say: "We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
And today he says something similar when talking about going where his friend has died. Jesus says: "If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."
So, what is going on here? This friend is dead and his sisters mourn. They no longer have a means of support and may not have a right to their land; not only do they lose their brother whom they love, they are in dire straights. We have this strong love of Thomas for Jesus who says, 'ok, if they are going to kill Jesus, let's go with him, even if it means being killed ourselves.'
Then we have the discussion between Martha and Jesus: (Verses 21-27)
"Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you. "Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. "Jesus said to her, " I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world."
Martha says you could have done something to prevent this, ...and even now you could change what happened. Jesus says not only is there resurrection later, I AM the resurrection now: Do you believe THIS?
Yes, she says I believe... but what does she believe, does she know what she believes?
All these people crying and mourning; have you ever been to a wedding or a funeral when there is so much emotion that you find yourself adding your tears? It says here that Jesus was deeply moved, and wept. I know what that feels like. These emotions of others are part of what we feel and add to our own sorrow and we weep too. Jesus wept. He was right there in the midst of their sorrow and suffering. Walking with them to the tomb. This is what a friend does.
Interesting that the group of people said: couldn't he have "kept this man from dying?" since he opened the eyes of the blind man. I have found other similarities to that reading that I mentioned above, perhaps there is a reason they were there, to bring this question into focus? Is opening the eyes of a blind man like preventing death?
Now we have Jesus at the tomb. Lazarus has been dead four days. That is Dead, dead, dead. Martha, who just a paragraph ago said, Yes I believe...says WAIT, he's gonna smell! What did she believe? Jesus says COME. Just like he said to Peter in the boat: Come! Just like Peter, Lazarus comes. He is not dead-but he was. Jesus says unbind him and let him go. Lazarus is free from death. No waiting. Now. He is living the resurrection life.
Many who were with Mary, believed in Jesus. These may have been the ones who were already wondering if he who opened the eyes of the blind man could have prevented death. In this case he does more than prevent death, he undoes it. Death is no more. Just as Jesus had the mastery of the sea, he has the mastery over death. Yes, this does bring glory to the Son of Man.
It also brought trouble. Why do these others plot to kill him? What kind of logic is this: "What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."
The high priest says better that one man dies for a nation than a nation perish. I am not sure their logic actually works. How is this an if-then statement? Why do they fear that they will lose their nation if the people believe in Jesus? Ok, I can see them losing power if everyone listens to someone else, but losing the nation doesn't follow as far as I can tell. So they decide if they kill the one man, they keep power and that means they don't lose their nation.
What happens next? We will wait and see. In the meantime, do WE believe, in the resurrection here and now?
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
I can see a fair number of similarities between today's passage and the last couple of days. In the first paragraph we have Jesus saying that the illness is for the glory of God and to bring glory to the Son of God. This sounds like what Jesus said to the disciples when they asked why the man was born blind. Are their eyes open this time?
In that same earlier passage we hear Jesus say: "We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
And today he says something similar when talking about going where his friend has died. Jesus says: "If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."
So, what is going on here? This friend is dead and his sisters mourn. They no longer have a means of support and may not have a right to their land; not only do they lose their brother whom they love, they are in dire straights. We have this strong love of Thomas for Jesus who says, 'ok, if they are going to kill Jesus, let's go with him, even if it means being killed ourselves.'
Then we have the discussion between Martha and Jesus: (Verses 21-27)
"Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you. "Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. "Jesus said to her, " I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world."
Martha says you could have done something to prevent this, ...and even now you could change what happened. Jesus says not only is there resurrection later, I AM the resurrection now: Do you believe THIS?
Yes, she says I believe... but what does she believe, does she know what she believes?
All these people crying and mourning; have you ever been to a wedding or a funeral when there is so much emotion that you find yourself adding your tears? It says here that Jesus was deeply moved, and wept. I know what that feels like. These emotions of others are part of what we feel and add to our own sorrow and we weep too. Jesus wept. He was right there in the midst of their sorrow and suffering. Walking with them to the tomb. This is what a friend does.
Interesting that the group of people said: couldn't he have "kept this man from dying?" since he opened the eyes of the blind man. I have found other similarities to that reading that I mentioned above, perhaps there is a reason they were there, to bring this question into focus? Is opening the eyes of a blind man like preventing death?
Now we have Jesus at the tomb. Lazarus has been dead four days. That is Dead, dead, dead. Martha, who just a paragraph ago said, Yes I believe...says WAIT, he's gonna smell! What did she believe? Jesus says COME. Just like he said to Peter in the boat: Come! Just like Peter, Lazarus comes. He is not dead-but he was. Jesus says unbind him and let him go. Lazarus is free from death. No waiting. Now. He is living the resurrection life.
Many who were with Mary, believed in Jesus. These may have been the ones who were already wondering if he who opened the eyes of the blind man could have prevented death. In this case he does more than prevent death, he undoes it. Death is no more. Just as Jesus had the mastery of the sea, he has the mastery over death. Yes, this does bring glory to the Son of Man.
It also brought trouble. Why do these others plot to kill him? What kind of logic is this: "What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."
The high priest says better that one man dies for a nation than a nation perish. I am not sure their logic actually works. How is this an if-then statement? Why do they fear that they will lose their nation if the people believe in Jesus? Ok, I can see them losing power if everyone listens to someone else, but losing the nation doesn't follow as far as I can tell. So they decide if they kill the one man, they keep power and that means they don't lose their nation.
What happens next? We will wait and see. In the meantime, do WE believe, in the resurrection here and now?
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Healing a Demon Possessed Man
Mark: 5:1-20
The heading says Jesus heals a man with a demon, but the beginning paragraph shows us that the man has a whole lot of demons living in his...I don't know, head, body, spirit-whatever he had a lot of them and they were running the show. It is the demon(s) that speaks to Jesus and control the poor man's life. These demons don't want to leave-but say 'Jesus don't torment us and don't send us out of the country; please send us into those pigs.'
Why? I don't know. There were certainly enough of them for each little demon to have its own little mind to control. But they don't do it well. The man was always thrashing about and lived alone in the tombs, so he couldn't have offered much life to these demons. The pigs, either didn't like the demons-or the demons didn't like themselves because as soon as they were free of the man they flung themselves into the sea and died. Are demons bent on self-denial, and self-destruction? It seems they ruined the man's life well enough.
This man has a sit down in his own clothes calmly and has a nice chat with Jesus. AHH. That sounds good. The poor people who were used to the man out of his mind weren't so peaceful. They knew what to do with the little life this man had; they just stayed away. The pig-farmers lost their entire cash crop. Did they ask for reimbursement? Did they rejoice that this man was alive and none of his demons had come to trouble their lives? No, they said please, Jesus get out of here. You scare us. We don't know what to do with this occurrence.
The man understandably wishes to stay with Jesus. Jesus gave him his life back. Jesus cared enough not to walk away or stay away. Jesus came directly into his life, and brought him out of his locked-in life. But that isn't all Jesus does for the man, he doesn't say this is the end of all the good things that will happen to you, there is more. Go to your friends and tell them what God has done for you.
This was not like what happened to the guys (the three disciples) on the mountain when Jesus said don't tell anyone...that was only something they saw, but this is something that changed the man. This was his own story and his friends will know the difference because, just as yesterday's scene affected more than the blind man, this new life for this man affected all his friends and those that knew of him before. All of them could see the difference, no one had to tell them there was a change, what the man could do is tell them how he came to be in his right mind, and how thankful he was for this new life. Are we able to see these changes in our lives and to give thanks for these changes, and tell people who has made the difference in our lives?
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
The heading says Jesus heals a man with a demon, but the beginning paragraph shows us that the man has a whole lot of demons living in his...I don't know, head, body, spirit-whatever he had a lot of them and they were running the show. It is the demon(s) that speaks to Jesus and control the poor man's life. These demons don't want to leave-but say 'Jesus don't torment us and don't send us out of the country; please send us into those pigs.'
Why? I don't know. There were certainly enough of them for each little demon to have its own little mind to control. But they don't do it well. The man was always thrashing about and lived alone in the tombs, so he couldn't have offered much life to these demons. The pigs, either didn't like the demons-or the demons didn't like themselves because as soon as they were free of the man they flung themselves into the sea and died. Are demons bent on self-denial, and self-destruction? It seems they ruined the man's life well enough.
This man has a sit down in his own clothes calmly and has a nice chat with Jesus. AHH. That sounds good. The poor people who were used to the man out of his mind weren't so peaceful. They knew what to do with the little life this man had; they just stayed away. The pig-farmers lost their entire cash crop. Did they ask for reimbursement? Did they rejoice that this man was alive and none of his demons had come to trouble their lives? No, they said please, Jesus get out of here. You scare us. We don't know what to do with this occurrence.
The man understandably wishes to stay with Jesus. Jesus gave him his life back. Jesus cared enough not to walk away or stay away. Jesus came directly into his life, and brought him out of his locked-in life. But that isn't all Jesus does for the man, he doesn't say this is the end of all the good things that will happen to you, there is more. Go to your friends and tell them what God has done for you.
This was not like what happened to the guys (the three disciples) on the mountain when Jesus said don't tell anyone...that was only something they saw, but this is something that changed the man. This was his own story and his friends will know the difference because, just as yesterday's scene affected more than the blind man, this new life for this man affected all his friends and those that knew of him before. All of them could see the difference, no one had to tell them there was a change, what the man could do is tell them how he came to be in his right mind, and how thankful he was for this new life. Are we able to see these changes in our lives and to give thanks for these changes, and tell people who has made the difference in our lives?
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Friday, May 6, 2011
Healing a Blind Man
John 9:1-41
Boy what a lot of discussion goes on today about seeing! He sees, who sees, he's blind, who did it, whose fault is it...a LOT of talking, and not a lot of listening. Again and again questions are asked, the same questions to more than one person. I think the questioners wish for a different answer and so keep asking in hopes of getting some other answer. I have seen children do this. Ask Mommy, she says no; ask Daddy he says no; ask sibling and then there is a yes, ok now that is the answer they were looking for and they can go ahead and do whatever it was they wished to do in the first place...
The first question comes from the disciples and they want to know who is at fault here, who can we blame. This puts some distance between us and the person. We don't have to deal with the individual and we don't have to help them, we can use it as an intellectual discussion-and stay out of it. Whose fault is it that this man is blind? Jesus doesn't give that answer, he says that isn't the correct question. Jesus says the works of God might be displayed in him (the blind guy). How, we wonder?
How Jesus heals the blind man isn't a normal how to like a cook book. I don't think if I spit on the dirt and put mud on someone's eyes that they would see, how much spit what kind of dirt, I don't think it is a recipe. This blind man does what the Lord says, he goes and washes and comes back seeing.
Neighbors, parents, important educated people, they all say this guy was blind and now he sees. HOW does he see? Well they don't know and they don't like the answer so they complain and contradict-they too are asking whose fault is it-in this case not that he is blind but that he can see. Why is that?
The parents say, yes it is our son and yes he was born blind. If you want to know what changed you'll have to ask him, he is old enough to answer for himself. Now we don't know if being blind had kept the young man out of the synagogue anyway, and when they cast him out, he didn't 't lose anything new, but I guess he already was missing out on this fellowship. On the other hand, his parents get to stay with their friends.But I think they lose out on the wonder of new sight that the son has. Not only can he see with his eyes, but he speaks boldly to the scribes and pharisees. "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?"
This formerly blind man now is cast out of the temple, and finds Jesus who has been looking for him. When Jesus asks do you believe in the Son of Man, he responds who is he that I may believe. Jesus says you have seen him...yes this would be the first day that anyone could say 'you have seen him.' Lord, he says I believe!
Now Jesus says I have come to judge so that those who don't see may see and those that do see may be blind. Do we look in order to see, do we ask questions in order to get answers or do we look and not see and do we ask without listening? I think there is something in this that matters. Something more than a blind man getting his sight back. Because while it is very important to him to get his sight, there are a lot of people in this discussion who want to know about it and what happened and what it means to them and what it means about God. I think this man's sight is as important in the lives of these others who ask about God, and who wish to have new sight, and new belief. Notice Jesus doesn't ask the man what's it like to see? Do you like the new colors around you? Are you happy to know that you can now become a productive member of society? No, these aren't the things that Jesus asks him. What he asks is do you believe? And the young man says, Yes I believe, and worships.
I think I would like this new sight. I believe.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Boy what a lot of discussion goes on today about seeing! He sees, who sees, he's blind, who did it, whose fault is it...a LOT of talking, and not a lot of listening. Again and again questions are asked, the same questions to more than one person. I think the questioners wish for a different answer and so keep asking in hopes of getting some other answer. I have seen children do this. Ask Mommy, she says no; ask Daddy he says no; ask sibling and then there is a yes, ok now that is the answer they were looking for and they can go ahead and do whatever it was they wished to do in the first place...
The first question comes from the disciples and they want to know who is at fault here, who can we blame. This puts some distance between us and the person. We don't have to deal with the individual and we don't have to help them, we can use it as an intellectual discussion-and stay out of it. Whose fault is it that this man is blind? Jesus doesn't give that answer, he says that isn't the correct question. Jesus says the works of God might be displayed in him (the blind guy). How, we wonder?
How Jesus heals the blind man isn't a normal how to like a cook book. I don't think if I spit on the dirt and put mud on someone's eyes that they would see, how much spit what kind of dirt, I don't think it is a recipe. This blind man does what the Lord says, he goes and washes and comes back seeing.
Neighbors, parents, important educated people, they all say this guy was blind and now he sees. HOW does he see? Well they don't know and they don't like the answer so they complain and contradict-they too are asking whose fault is it-in this case not that he is blind but that he can see. Why is that?
The parents say, yes it is our son and yes he was born blind. If you want to know what changed you'll have to ask him, he is old enough to answer for himself. Now we don't know if being blind had kept the young man out of the synagogue anyway, and when they cast him out, he didn't 't lose anything new, but I guess he already was missing out on this fellowship. On the other hand, his parents get to stay with their friends.But I think they lose out on the wonder of new sight that the son has. Not only can he see with his eyes, but he speaks boldly to the scribes and pharisees. "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?"
This formerly blind man now is cast out of the temple, and finds Jesus who has been looking for him. When Jesus asks do you believe in the Son of Man, he responds who is he that I may believe. Jesus says you have seen him...yes this would be the first day that anyone could say 'you have seen him.' Lord, he says I believe!
Now Jesus says I have come to judge so that those who don't see may see and those that do see may be blind. Do we look in order to see, do we ask questions in order to get answers or do we look and not see and do we ask without listening? I think there is something in this that matters. Something more than a blind man getting his sight back. Because while it is very important to him to get his sight, there are a lot of people in this discussion who want to know about it and what happened and what it means to them and what it means about God. I think this man's sight is as important in the lives of these others who ask about God, and who wish to have new sight, and new belief. Notice Jesus doesn't ask the man what's it like to see? Do you like the new colors around you? Are you happy to know that you can now become a productive member of society? No, these aren't the things that Jesus asks him. What he asks is do you believe? And the young man says, Yes I believe, and worships.
I think I would like this new sight. I believe.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
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