Do you remember intertwining the fingers of your hands and saying, "Here’s the church. Here’s the steeple. Open the doors, and see all the people!” It’s a neat little reminder that in the Bible, the church is never a building, but it’s always people—people Jesus lived and died for and brought to trust and love him. But maybe it’s a little misleading, too, because where are all the people? Sure, they're in church, but they're also "out there" where God has called us to live, work, and play. This weekend, remember and celebrate that Jesus is alive. The tomb is empty. And he's with his people in church and out. He's with you. He's with us, St. Andrew, as we pursue his vision for our church.
What would you say has been a crucial time in your life? Was it a time when you made a decision about a career, a move, or marriage? Was it a time when someone else made a decision to reduce staff, offer you a job, or cause an accident? Those were crucial times.
But think bigger. What would you say has been the most crucial hour in the history of the world? That distinction belongs to what took place 2,000 years ago. Jesus of Nazareth paid his last visit to Jerusalem and there determined the destiny of mankind. Never in all of history were the stakes so high or the results so far-reaching. This Holy Week, we’ll examine the biblical record of Jesus in his most crucial hours. May the Holy Spirit bless you with a greater understanding and a deeper appreciation of who you are and what you have because of Jesus’ crucial hours.
A Maundy Thursday devotion by Pastor Randy Hunter
We will be suspending our Matthew series until the end of May to accommodate Holy Week and our A Place of Peace series. So, this weekend it’s . . . Matthew. Ha, but not where we were; we will skip ahead to chapter 21 where shouts of “save us now!” were heard on Palm Sunday. The question we need to ask is this: from what are we asking for salvation?
Turn the other cheek--that's probably one of Jesus' most famous statements. No one criticizes Jesus' command to "turn the other cheek" or to "love your enemy" because to do so would be vile or disgusting. Everyone agrees such actions would be lofty and admirable; but to do it is just impossible. Who can do that? Who wants to do that? Only those radically changed by the love of God in Christ can begin to see how it's possible. What would it look like in your life to "turn the other cheek" or to "love your enemy”? Gather with other radically altered brothers and sisters and seek God's answer in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:38-48.
A Lenten devotion by Minister for Nurture Mark Kjenstad