Sanctuary

Reclaiming the Truth

Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21.20-21

Redeeming the Time

During Passion Week, Jesus spoke gently and compassionately. He also spoke with great boldness and conviction. In this text, Jesus curses a fig tree. It was the season for this tree to produce fruit, the tree itself looked like it should have produced fruit, the leaves were in good shape, the soil, the structure and other trees in the area were full of figs, but not this one. Jesus speaks about the rejection of the nation of Israel. The religious leaders were only days away from arresting Jesus and finally being finished with Him, or so they thought. 

Jesus also uses this opportunity to teach His apprentices about prayer. “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Jesus even uses this tree as an object lesson. He has faith the tree will be cursed, and so it was as He spoke. His point was a little faith can accomplish great feats. Jesus makes a very important point here. He’s not saying we get everything we ask for, rather He is saying when we pray, we are to believe God can do anything we request, and He will do what is consistent with His will and what He has promised to do. 

One of the most repeated prayers at Sanctuary has been the prayers of the dad who brought his sick son to Jesus. After a brief interaction with Jesus, the man says, “I believe. Help me with my unbelief.” (Mark 9.24).

Jesus is not calling for us to muster up belief. He’s not saying if we only believed more then He would act. He’s inviting us to believe in greater things. He’s inviting us to believe He can, He will, and His love will prevail. 

Do you believe?

Reflection

• How do you resonate with the prayer, “I believe. Help my unbelief?” 
• How have you seen your faith grow during this season of Lent?
• Where and when are you most tempted to disbelieve? What brings you to that place? How has God met you there in the past? 

Resting in His Redemption

Rest and receive the words of Kathleen O’Meara (1839-1888).

“And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and grew gardens full of fresh food, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced.  Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.

And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.

And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they themselves had been healed.”

Reclaiming the Truth

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” Matthew 21.12-13

Redeeming the Time

Seven hundred years prior to the arrival of Christ, God spoke through the prophet Isaiah. 

“These I will bring to my holy mountain
    and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
    a house of prayer for all nations.”  – Isaiah 56.7

Jesus is now in Passion Week, just days before His crucifixion, and he makes this same statement, and he makes it dramatically. Thomas Constable notes, “In this statement, Jesus is speaking on two levels. Not only were the religious leaders robbing the people financially, but because of this they had also robbed them spiritually by stealing from them the opportunity to come to know God genuinely.”

“My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” God’s little house on Mars Hill and Due West Road largely sits empty. People drive by it every day. Some people look at it when they drive by, some people ignore it. The banner outside Sanctuary says, “We are praying for you.” 

Prayers are being prayed. Worship is happening. Christ is being lifted up. God is being glorified. But it’s not happening in the church building that sits vacant. It’s happening in your home. 

Prayers are being prayed. Some are praying throughout the day, some are praying at 7:00 p.m. Worship is happening. Some are worshipping throughout the week, some are tuning in on Sunday’s at 9:15 or 11:00. Christ is being lifted up. In a season of fear and anxiety, conversations are happening pointing heavy hearts back to our Healer. God is being glorified as husbands and wives and kids and neighbors and life groups and DMD groups and Men’s groups and women’s groups and 20 Something’s groups are gathering in new ways, smiling, laughing, blessing, learning, loving and praying. 

Your house is becoming a house of prayer. Mine too. May it be so. 

Reflection

• What’s changed in the way you think about church?
• How are you seeing and sensing your house becoming a house of prayer?
• What difference is God making in your house and in your heart in this season? 

Resting in His Redemption

Rest and receive in the prayer attributed to Clement of Rome (35-99).

We ask you, Master, be our helper and defender. 

Rescue those of our number in distress; 

raise up the fallen; 

assist the needy; 

heal the sick; 

turn back those of your people who stray; 

feed the hungry; 

release our captives; 

revive the weak; 

encourage those who lose heart. 

Let all the nations realize that you are the only God, that Jesus Christ is your Son, 

and that we are your people and the sheep of your pasture. 

Amen. 

Reclaiming the Truth

“As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it….” Luke 19.41

Redeeming the Time

Jesus cries over Jerusalem at least three times. Jesus is speaking here from a place of deep grief. In some ways, He is weeping over the tragedy of lost opportunity. Rick Flanders notes, “The Israelites that assembled in Jerusalem for the Passover missed the opportunity to be saved from both earthly and eternal destruction. They were visited by their Savior, but they did not know it. Instead of receiving Him, they killed Him.”

The opportunity before the Church in this day is immense. Pastor Tim Keller of Redeemer Church in New York City recently discussed the events in his church following the tragic events of 9/11. Keller talked about how in the days and weeks after 9/11, there was a “coming together.” He said, “everyone was frightened, so everyone came together.” In the days after 9/11, the people of New York City flocked to the churches. Keller’s church grew by 5 times in a matter of weeks. 

We are in a vastly different place. We live in a different kind of fear and yet are not allowed to come together. After 9/11,  people came to the Church for comfort and refuge. Today our Churches are closed. 

After 9/11, the people came to the Church. Now it’s time for the Church to go to the people. 

There is an opportunity before us. It’s an opportunity that may never be offered to us again. We have the opportunity to personally connect with our neighbors and neighborhood. We, the Body of Christ, are literally the manifest presence of Christ in the world. The world doesn’t need a church building to attend to seek refuge. The world can find refuge in you. 

Reflection

• Describe a time when you sensed you missed an opportunity for the Gospel? 
• Where do you see an opportunity for Gospel seeds to be sown in your neighborhood?
• How is your heart and home being refined to be a refuge for others?

Resting in His Redemption

Rest and receive in the prayer attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. (1182-1226)

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

Reclaiming the Truth

“See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” John 12.19

Redeeming the Time

Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Passion Week. Today we celebrate the public inauguration of Jesus as King. It’s here on this day Jesus entered His last week on earth riding into Jerusalem on a donkey under a canopy of palm branches with crowds hailing Him as their king. 

Jesus was not surprised by this parade of praise. Jesus chose this day, this time to announce He indeed is the Messiah. Jesus chose this specific time, the Passover Festival, a time when all Israel would be gathered in Jerusalem, a place where huge crowds would see Him. It was here on this road where His mission became unmistakable. 

Huge crowds gathered to get a glimpse of Jesus, to honor Him, to celebrate Him. Check out how John the Beloved describes what happens in John 12:12-15. 

“…The great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Blessed is the king of Israel!”

Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

“Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
     see, your king is coming,
     seated on a donkey’s colt.”

The “great crowd” celebrated. The “great crowd” declared. The “great crowd” cheered. The “great crowd” lifted high the Name of Jesus. In our day, we might say the mission of Jesus went viral. 

Palm Sunday is a day for His people to celebrate, to declare, to cheer, to lift high the Name of our King. 

It wouldn’t take long before the religious leaders would try and silence Jesus. The religious leaders had tired of Jesus’ rising popularity. They were looking for ways to stop His mission of indescribable love. In Dr. Luke’s account of what we call, “The Triumphal Entry,” he includes this exchange:

“Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Luke 19.39-40

We live in a moment of time where we are prohibited to gather together to publicly declare the glory of our Messiah. We don’t have others around us to form a “great crowd.” It’s just us. It’s just you. Is your voice enough? Is one voice, or two enough? Is the voice of one family enough? Does it make any difference in the landscape of mourning and fear in which our world is now living and dying? 

Jesus makes it clear that should we stay silent, the very rocks will cry out His praises. What might it look like for you to declare His praise publicly today? What might your declaration sound like, what might it feel like, what might it love like? What difference will your declaration make today? 

Reflection 

• What does this text show me about the loveliness of God? 
• What is it about God in this text that calls for my love for him? 
• What does this text show me about people and about what love requires of me on their behalf? 
• As one who has been shown mercy and love from God, what empowerment from Him do I need to overcome my obstacles to love? 
• What about the love of God in Jesus gives me hope and provision for my own lovelessness?
• What does this text show me about people and about what love requires of me on their behalf? 
• What does it look like to rest and receive in His redemptive love today? 

Resting in His Redemption

Write a prayer of thanksgiving in response to His redemptive love.