Have you ever had something bad happen to you and it made you ask if God is punishing you or why God allowed it to happen? Well if you have, you’re not alone. People have asked this question since the beginning of time, and this same question is the foundation of the Gospel reading from Luke 13:1-9.

That particular reading mentions two incidents that are not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible-Pilate’s slaughter of the Galileans in the Temple and the collapse of the tower. Pilate had proven himself capable of killing Jews who displeased him or opposed his policies. The crowd apparently wanted to see Jesus’ response to Romans slaughtering righteous Jews as they performed their Jewish religious duties.

There was a belief at that time that severe calamities happened only to people who deserved God’s judgment and that the truly righteous were spared suffering. Jesus said that this was not true. Jesus said in effect that the precariousness of life in a fallen world should prompt us to take stock of our spiritual conditions. Jesus’ words about judgment and repentance are scary, but they depict human life as a gift.

There are still some people today who believe that a person’s suffering is a result of his/her actions. This is true to some extent. For example, an alcoholic who develops cirrhosis of the liver has no one to blame except himself and his decision to drink alcohol to excess. Some churches are also guilty of this sinful belief. For example, there was a church that taught that God’s approval, love and blessing were all conditional based upon one’s performance. As a consequence, some people who have experienced spiritual abuse and hold a distorted image of God see God as a policeman who will punish them for any wrongdoing.

Suffering is not a form of punishment. God does not want anyone to suffer. He wants us to turn away from sin and turn to him so we can have abundant lives. On the other hand, Jesus didn’t deny the connection between sin and disasters, because many disasters are the result of the curse of human sin. He does challenge the notion that people who survive disasters are morally superior than the victims. Disasters are not God’s way of singling out evil people for death. Disasters are God’s way of warning all sinners. Since disasters occur without warning, we must always be ready to meet God.

For Jesus, the real sin is not bearing fruit when we have been given the responsibility to do so. We are planted where we are and we are called to be responsible disciples who do God’s work in whatever calling we have.  

Jesus told several parables relating to vineyards during his teaching. In each parable, the vineyard represented both the people of Israel and us. According to Old Testament law, no one was to eat the fruit from newly-planted trees. This fruit belonged to God. God gave Israel plenty of time to repent and bear fruit, and he gives us plenty of time to repent and bear fruit. Eventually, judgment will come. God wanted to show compassion to the people of Israel, and he wants to show us compassion as well, but his compassion has a limit. We must not presume upon God’s grace and patience.

The voice of the gardener is a voice for mercy. More time is given for the tree and us to bear fruit. The tree can’t do it on its own, so the gardener will take steps to help the tree be fruitful. Similarly, God has taken steps to help us be fruitful. He has sent Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins. He has given us instructions in the Scriptures. God is always on our side. He always sends us help and encouragement in our need to change and live fruitful lives. The life of a disciple of Jesus consists of daily repentance and renewal. Each day is a day of grace, providing the opportunity to repent and bear the fruits of repentance. When our time is up, it’s up. God will give us many opportunities to repent and obey the gospel, but if we don’t, God will deal with us.

Both of the stories we heard from Luke’s Gospel are calls to repent. God wants us to repent. He wants to be involved in our lives and give us the promise of heaven and spiritual blessing. He wants to plant something in us that will grow and bear fruit. This fruit will change the way we live and it will impact our actions, decisions and character. Jesus’ purpose is to redeem us. Jesus wants to see something grow within us as a result of his presence in our lives. We have no right to be taking up space in church if we aren’t being fruitful. We need to share Christ with other people. We do this by inviting them to church or by talking about Jesus with them over a cup of coffee.

Time can be a grace for us. It gives us space and time to grow, mature spiritually, reform our lives, serve the Lord and remove the obstacles between God and us and between us and others. It doesn’t matter what size the obstacles are.

During this season of Lent, we are called on to give thanks to the one who spared us from his wrath and gave us the gift of today. We must not waste this gift by returning to the ways of sin. We must use this season of Lent to examine our own behaviours and make the changes we need to make. We do this by following these steps:

1. We must acknowledge our need for God in prayer and in our hearts.
2. We must confess our sins.
3. We must accept God’s forgiveness and lay claim to his love.
4. We must change our minds and re-examine some things about our lives, our priorities and our patterns of activity.
5. Finally, we must bear fruit. We have to show some new actions, practices and behaviours that reflect the love that God has for us and the love we have for God.

When we walk with God, we will be strengthened by his presence and we will find hope through his love. That makes all the difference to us. When times are tough, we know that we are not alone. We know that God will help us. Our faith will keep us on the right path. It will help to keep us moving. It will help us to do the right thing. God walks with us even through the valley of the shadow of death, because Jesus opened the doorway to eternal life for us. That gives us hope, and that hope is a blessing.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1413)
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
4. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
5. Robin Dugall, “What Fruit Are You Growing?” Retrieved from homeword.com
6. “Each and Every Person.” Retrieved from com@crosswalkmail.com
7. Pastor Dick Woodward, “An Unfruitful Disciple.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
8. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, Third Sunday of Lent (C).” Retrieved from preacherexchange.org
9. Arland J. Hultgren, “Commentary on Luke 13:1-9.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org./preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1578
10. The Rev. Joseph Evans, “Spared the Axe.” Retrieved from http://day1.org/4534-spared_the_ax.print
11. The Rev. Dr. James B. Lemler, “Changing Your Mind, Bearing Fruit.” Retrieved from http://day1.org/1033-changing_your_mind_bearing_fruit.print.
12. “Spiritual Abuse Warps Our View of God: How to Heal”. Retrieved from preachitteachit.org/articles/detail/spiritual-abuse-warps-our-view-of-god-how…
13. Exegesis for Luke 13:1-9. Retrieved from lectionary.org

Hello boys and girls!

How many of you like to listen to or read stories about fairies or pixies? Well, you’re in luck because today I’m going to tell you a story about a pixie named Clarrie. Clarrie was a very naughty pixie who bullied and intimidated the gentle fairy Delphinium. But when Clarrie tore her wing, and was therefore grounded indefinitely, it was Delphinium who cared for her and showed her genuine forgiveness.

CLARRIE was very, very angry. The Head Pixie had just informed her that a good fairy had been assigned to look after her. Clarrie didn’t want anybody to look after her. She certainly didn’t want some fairy, and she most definitely didn’t want a fairy who was good. Clarrie was not good. She worked hard at being bad, which was why the Head Pixie in despair, had turned to the fairies for help. Almost all fairies are good, and so are particularly suited to caring for others, even for bad pixies like Clarrie

Clarrie’s worst sins were hurting other pixies. She delighted in pinching pixie wings, or stamping hard on pixie toes, or hiding in the trees, then at night when it was dark and scary, jumping out with a loud shriek. All the other pixies were terrified of CLARRIE and avoided her whenever they could. So CLARRIE had no friends and was always alone. That was the way she liked it. She couldn’t be bothered with any of the other pixies, they were so boringly well-behaved. They never had any fun. Well, only feeble fun like playing games or flying sedately in a kind of pixie crocodile.

The Head Pixie had long despaired of Clarrie but kept on and on forgiving her, hoping she’d perhaps become loveable one day. CLARRIE regarded the Head Pixie with contempt. She considered the Head Pixie to be a total wimp, and every time the Head Pixie forgave her, CLARRIE would immediately fly off and hatch a new plot which was even worse than previous schemes. (Pause)

The crunch had finally come when CLARRIE had torn a piece out of another pixie’s wing. She hadn’t actually meant to tear the wing, she’d only nailed it to a tree with a pine needle when the pixie was asleep. But the pixie had woken up with a start, and the wing had torn, and a little piece of wing was still nailed to the tree. Pixie wings are very delicate. Any damage to a pixie wing is extremely painful, so the little pixie was in agony. CLARRIE, whose wings had never been damaged, laughed out loud to see the little pixie’s suffering. The Head Pixie had been horrified by CLARRIE‘s lack of remorse, and had resolved to call in the fairies. And when CLARRIE had begged and pleaded and implored forgiveness, the Head Pixie had stood firm and refused to budge.

It was a terrible disgrace to be put into the charge of a fairy. CLARRIE didn’t care about the disgrace, she rather enjoyed it and swaggered and boasted about how she was the worst pixie in the world. But when the good fairy Delphinium arrived, CLARRIE‘s swagger changed to a depressed sort of limp, and her boasting became an angry moan. The trouble with good fairies is, you can’t get away from them. Delphinium stuck to CLARRIE like glue. CLARRIE had no opportunity for any mischief, because Delphinium was always there, like a kind of shadow.

And Delphinium was so boring. For a start, she was always nice, no matter how rude CLARRIE was to her. And she enjoyed fairy pursuits, like dancing in a ring and sitting on toadstools, and helping whenever she could. All things which CLARRIE hated. CLARRIE sat and sulked and tried to work out a way to shake off Delphinium. She tried kicking and pinching and scratching and punching Delphinium, but the good fairy was quick and light, and could fly out of trouble very fast indeed. CLARRIE never got near enough to do any real damage. But she did say really nasty things to Delphinium, and jeered and sneered at her so much, that once or twice CLARRIE noticed tears creep into Delphinium’s blue eyes, and her rosebud mouth droop in despondency.

One day, when CLARRIE had shouted long and loud at Delphinium and told her how much she hated her, Delphinium turned her head away and closed her eyes for a moment. It was all the time CLARRIE needed. Quick as lightening, she slipped the sharpest pine needle she could see into the palm of her hand. When Delphinium turned towards her again, CLARRIE slashed at her face with the pine needle. Delphinium screamed, a tiny, high fairy scream, and covered her face in her hands. CLARRIE saw a drop of fairy blood ooze between Delphinium’s fingers, and with a sigh as soft as thistledown, Delphinium crumpled into a little fairy heap on the ground.

CLARRIE gasped. She hadn’t meant to hurt the fairy so much. She’d just wanted to frighten her. Suppose Delphinium was dead? She was lying very still. CLARRIE took to her wings and started to fly as fast as her wings would carry her. But she was in such a hurry, she flew straight into a thorn bush. The last thing CLARRIE remembered, was the agonising pain in her wing as she caught it on a thorn and tore its delicate tissue.

When CLARRIE came to, she was lying on a bed of soft moss, and somebody was gently bathing her injured wing in a soothing solution. As she struggled to sit up, Delphinium pushed her quietly back. “Hush now,” whispered Delphinium. “You’ve hurt your wing quite badly. It’ll heal in time, but I’m afraid there’ll be no more flying for a while.”

She looked so concerned and spoke in such a gentle voice that CLARRIE stared at her. Eventually CLARRIE said: “Don’t you hate me? I’ve done such terrible things to you. Why don’t you just leave me in pain? Why are you helping me?”

Delphinium laughed, a musical fairy laugh. “I don’t hate you,” she said. “I just want you to get better. And I’ll help you all I can. I promise not to get in your way, and when you’re really better, I’ll ask the Head Pixie if you can be by yourself again. I know you don’t really like having me around.”

But to her surprise, CLARRIE heard herself saying: “Don’t go, please don’t leave me. I wish you’d stay.” Then she caught hold of Delphinium’s hand and clasped it tightly. “I’m so sorry for all I’ve done to you and everyone else,” she whispered. “I know you must hate me. I hate myself.”
But Delphinium simply put her arms around CLARRIE and hugged her. “I’m your friend,” she said. “I could never hate you.”

And do you know, after that CLARRIE changed so much, she became the Best Pixie in the World, and everyone was her friend. She never hurt anybody again, and she soon became the happiest pixie anyone had ever known.

Boys and girls, Jesus is just like Delphinium. He is always willing to forgive us, and he will never leave us not matter how badly we behave.

Let’s bow our heads and close our eyes for a moment of prayer. Dead God, thank you for your love. Thank you for being with us no matter how badly we behave. Help us to say we’re sorry when we sin and help us to act like you want us to act. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN

Bibliography

 1. Janice H. Scott, “The Worst Pixie in the World.” Retrieved from https://store.sermonsuite.com/content.php?i=788017559

As you may know, the fox and the hen are natural enemies. There is a story called “The Fox and the Little Red Hen”. In the story, Papa Fox sneaked up quietly behind the little red hen, grabbed her, and put her into his bag. Then he quickly ran off down the hill toward his home to eat some chicken dinner. Inside the fox’s bag, the little red hen remembered that she had some scissors in her pocket. So, when the fox stopped to rest, she cut a hole in the bag, slipped out, put a large stone in the bag, and ran away. When the fox got home, all he had in his bag was a stone. The little red hen was too smart for the sly old fox!

In Luke 13:31-35, a group of religious leaders went to Jesus and said to him, “Get away from here if you want to live! Herod Antipas wants to kill you!” Jesus replied, “Go tell that fox that I will keep on casting out demons and healing people today and tomorrow; and the third day I will accomplish my purpose. Yes, today, tomorrow, and the next day I must go about my business. It just wouldn’t do for a prophet of God to be killed anywhere but in Jerusalem.”

Then Jesus went on to compare himself to a mother hen. “Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.”

What a beautiful picture of Jesus. The fox couldn’t defeat him, but like a mother hen gathers her chicks beneath her wings to protect them, Jesus willingly gave himself to save his children—even though they had rejected him time and time again. Jesus still loves his children today. He still wants to gather them in his arms and protect them and care for them. Sometimes we stray away, but Jesus still loves us just the same.

The Scriptures don’t tell us if the Pharisees mentioned here were genuinely concerned for Jesus’ welfare or simply wanted to scare Him away. In any case, Jesus declared His intention to continue His kingdom ministry but implied that its days were growing short, despite the intrigues of “that fox”. The mention of “the third day” may imply a period of suffering followed by vindication or may be meant to remind readers of Christ’s resurrection-or both.

Jesus was very popular, and Herod might not have dared openly to put Him to death, but Herod wanted to remove Jesus. Consequently, Herod might have sent the Pharisees to advise Jesus in a friendly way to leave. Jesus knew what type of man Herod was. Jesus died because of people like Herod. Jesus died because He paid attention to those the world deemed to be insignificant. Jesus died because He proclaimed a God who loved everyone and embraced everyone. His resurrection is a story of triumph of sacrificial love over death, hatred, injustice, bigotry and everyone and everything that opposes God.

Jesus was determined to complete the work God sent Him to do. He would be ready to go only when the work was completed. He refused to be intimidated. The time of His death was approaching, and He wanted to reach as many people as possible before He died.

When He faced down the Pharisees, Jesus showed us how to act courageously. He didn’t flee from the challenge. He met it head-on. This shows Jesus’ character. Jesus shows us that vulnerability is essential for courage. Courage gives us strength to be open to the needs of people around us. Jesus uses the image of a hen gathering her brood of chicks to her for protection and safety to illustrate God’s love and concern for His people.

Although Jesus is much more than a prophet, He is connected to the prophetic tradition He inherited-a tradition that continues today. Prophets come in many shapes and sizes and they speak about many different ideas, but according to Jesus the one thing they have in common is that their truth is quietly rejected by those who have a stake in maintaining power and the status quo.

Prophets challenge the status quo. They speak God’s truth, and that threatens the world’s power structure. They challenge the world’s power structure. Prophets teach others about God’s Word, but teaching happens everywhere. People are looking to those around them to decide what to do and how to live. If we want to be prophets-if we want to show Christ to the world-our lives have to be grounded in the truth of Christ. God calls us to make our voices heard no matter how small the act of love or the witness of hope.

Those of you who are parents have probably seen many situations where your children defied you. You probably wondered how you could get them to learn. Jesus knows how you feel because His children-the Israelites-pushed Him away and defied Him.

Jesus lamented how far the Israelites had fallen. Satan saw the power of worship and pilgrimage the Israelites had, and he concentrated his forces to defeat them. Satan does the same thing today. He concentrates his forces at the point of our greatest strength. If we are tempted, it is a sign that we have become close enough to God that Satan has decided to target us. When that happens, we can take comfort in the knowledge that God loves us and He will help us resist the devil.

In the original Greek, and in Luke’s Gospel, the word “Jerusalem” occurs three times in a row at the end of verse 33 and the beginning of verse 34. Luke focuses his readers’ attention on that city and the events about to happen there. Jesus warned the Israelites that they would face God’s judgment. They rejected Him, and Jesus knew that God was going to abandon them and leave Jerusalem open to its enemies. The “desolate” house anticipates the destruction of the temple. The result of the hardness of their hearts was their destruction at the hands of the Romans in 70 AD.

Jesus sadly accepts the fact that there are people who will reject Him. The agony He had over the Israelites and their hard hearts is the same agony He has for people who reject Him today. He grieves over those who don’t accept what He is offering,

What will happen in Jerusalem-the arrest, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ-will take place exactly as God ordained. The stubbornness of the city’s religious officials did not take Jesus by surprise, nor would their actions leading to His execution.

There are several lessons in this passage that we can apply to our lives today. First, we need to have a spirit of calmness and confidence about things that have yet to happen. This doesn’t mean that we become irresponsible and do nothing. We should try to follow Jesus’ example. Second, we must remember God’s compassion towards all people. We need to follow Jesus’ example and show patience and compassion for those who are not at the same stage on their spiritual journey as we are.

When it comes to our relationship with God, no amount of building materials, covenant neighbourhoods, fresh-fruit markets medical services or technology can repair it. We’re no different than the chicks in Jesus’ illustration. The season of Lent invites us to realize that we’re a lot more dependent on God than we realize. Lent is a time to realize that, just like the chicks in Jesus’ illustration, we’re helpless on our own.

Lent is the time in the church year when we practice the spiritual gift of letting go. One of the ways we let go is through lament or weeping over the things that stand in the way of becoming new beings. Lent is the moment to shed tears over the losses we have experienced. Lent is a time of feeling that things will never be the same again.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p.1414)
2. “The Fox and the Hen.” Retrieved from Sermons4Kids.com
3. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 12 Bible software package.
4. Larsen, B. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 26: Luke (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983; pp. 222-224)
5. David Mainse, “Luke 13:34.” Retrieved from www.100words.ca
6. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Herod’s Death Threat.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
7. Dave Wyrtzen, “Crying Over Jerusalem.” Retrieved from TruthEncounter.com
8. Pastor David J. Risendal, “As A Hen Gathers…” Retrieved from OneLittleWord.org
9. The Rev. Christopher Girata, “Your Prophetic Voice.” Retrieved from day1.org
10. Richard Niell Donovan, “Exegesis for Luke 13:31-35.” Retrieved from lectionary.org

There are three stages in every successful relationship, including romance. First, you must get to know the other person. Second, you must like the other person. Finally, you must love the other person. Our relationship with Jesus involves all three stages. Paul emphasizes this in Romans 10:1-13.

Knowing Jesus involves knowing what he wants us to do so we can be saved. The Jews were outwardly eager to know God, but they were not eager to know Christ. They failed to submit to God’s righteousness. They tried to be righteous before God on the basis of their own works. They sought to establish their own righteousness and missed the gift God offered them. For the Jews to receive God’s righteousness, they had to stop relying on works and start believing in Christ’s work.

Asking Christ to be our Saviour requires us to give up control in order to have real life. The Jews did not want to give up that control. Asking Christ to be our Saviour also involves breaking through the barriers of generation gaps, social status and culture-something else that the Jews did not want to do. True happiness only comes when we discover the treasure house that Jesus makes available when we come to Him in faith.

Asking God to save us but not change us is like asking a surgeon to remove a cancerous growth from our bodies without cutting. Cutting and breaking are a part of healing in God’s kingdom. Healing can only come when we allow Jesus to enter our hearts and remove anything that is useless or harmful.

Knowing Christ involves knowing what he did for us. The word “end” means that Christ is the goal or fulfillment of the Old Testament law. He was the object to which the law pointed. The Mosaic law is no longer binding on us as Christians. The Mosaic law looked forward to Christ. It ended when Christ came to earth.

If a person chooses to be justified by the law, he or she must live by the law. There is no room for error. The entire law must be kept because keeping a portion of it has no value. If someone breaks one of the laws, he or she breaks all of them. The law demands absolute perfection without any mitigation. Christ was the only person who obeyed the law perfectly, so he was the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

An outward expression of our faith in Christ gives outward evidence of inward faith. We need to believe in the resurrection and the complete truth connected with it. That includes Jesus’ sin-bearing death in our place and God’s approval of Christ’s work. Trusting in Christ is the pathway to salvation, not deeds. We can’t earn salvation through our own efforts. It can only be obtained through faith in Christ. Faith is a heartfelt belief in the reality of Christ’s resurrection. In Christ’s resurrection we see that his claim to deity is valid. We also see that his death brings salvation to us.

When we place our faith in Christ, God looks at us just as He looks at Jesus. Jesus completely obeyed the law, without exception and without fault. Christ’s perfect record becomes ours through faith. Anyone who puts his or her faith in Christ will be saved and will receive eternal life.

Paul speaks of righteousness as if it is a person. We do not need to ascend to heaven to bring righteousness down. Christ has already done that. We do not need to descend into the grave. Christ has already been raised from the dead. We do not have to go on a journey around the world to find it. Christ is accessible by faith, as near as our mouths and hearts. All we have to do is reach out and receive Him by faith.

Knowing Christ involves confessing that Christ is our Saviour. Confessing Christ is evidence of genuine faith. Salvation comes through belief in Christ, acknowledging that He is God, and was raised from the dead. His death satisfied God’s demand for the penalty for sins. His resurrection validated both His claims and the Father’s statements that He is God.

When we are saved, we need to anchor our faith in the promises of God and nothing else. If we pray a prayer of salvation, our hearts and mouths must go together. Words are not enough. Real life begins when we depend on Jesus, when we call out to Him to give us what we can’t earn ourselves-a right relationship with God. That can only happen through faith in what He did for us on the cross.

When we are saved, that does not mean that we won’t have any problems in life. What it does mean is that our eternity will be set in heaven with God. In return, we are to tell the world about Jesus. We are called to either go where God sends us or donate money or anything else that will help others go into the mission field.

Because Christ is God, His death, burial and resurrection took care of the world’s sins. Just as all who sin will be judged, all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. Christ lived the life we could not live and took the punishment we could not take to offer the hope we can’t resist. His sacrifice forces us to ask the question: If he so loved us, can we not love each other?

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, pp. 1558-1559)
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. Briscoe, D.S. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 29: Romans (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; pp. 193-198)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
6. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010)
7. Bayless Conley, “Wise Counsel.” Retrieved from com@crosswalkmail.com
8. Anne Graham Lotz, “One Life.” Retrieved from angelministries.org
9. Elizabeth Cole, “The Call.” Retrieved from homeword.com
10. Pastor Ed Young, “Acknowledge Who God Is.” Retrieved from edyoung.com
11. David Jeremiah, “Sending and Sent.” Retrieved from www.davidjeremiah.org
12. Dr. Gregory Seltz, “Call on Him.” Retrieved from www.lhm.org
13. Charles Stanley, “The Mission Question.” Retrieved from www.intouch.org
14. Pastor Bobby Schuller, “Supposed to Be.” Retrieved from hourofpower.org
15. Os Hillman, “The Eternal Sales Call.” Retrieved from marketplaceleaders.com
16. “Crossing the Gap Between Us.” Retrieved from com@crosswalkmail.com
17. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Our Treasure House.” Retrieved from ltw.org
18. Exegesis for Romans 10:5-15. Retrieved from sermonwriter.com

During Lent we prepare ourselves to share in and celebrate the real reason for our faith; namely, Christ’s death and resurrection. Lent is a spiritual desert similar to Christ’s 40 days in the desert, or the Israelites’ 40 years in the desert in the Book of Exodus, or Christ’s journey to Jerusalem. We live this experience in our lives during the annual observation of Lent.

One of the ways people of faith mark this period of time is by fasting, just like Christ fasted for 40 days in the desert. People can give up more than just food for Lent. They can give up things such as bad habits, text messaging or social networks such as Facebook, but for centuries the main thing that was given up for Lent was food. For example, we can give up things such as:

1. Anger and hatred
2. Judging others
3. Discouragement
4. Complaining
5. Resentment or bitterness
6. Spending too much money

Anything that controls us or that we can’t say no to lords over us. If it takes God’s place in our lives, it is an idol and we are living in something similar to idolatry. When we come to a fork in the road of life, we may be tempted to give in to our physical needs and ignore our spiritual needs. Unless we have disciplined ourselves and attended to our spiritual needs in an ongoing way, we may give in to the tempter. In other words, we might be tempted to used one of comedian Flip Wilson’s famous lines—“The devil made me do it!”

Fasting helps us to gain enough control to surrender our lives to God by making us more aware of our great need for God. It makes us more aware of our sinful desires and allows us to honour Jesus’ fasting not only in the desert, but in the weeks leading up to his crucifixion. It allows us to face temptations just like Christ faced temptations in the desert, but by facing these temptations and overcoming them, we will grow stronger in faith. Fasting is a weapon we can use against the enemy’s strongholds and bondage in our lives, just like Christ used the results of his fasting in the desert to fight Satan’s temptations.

Fasting is a metaphor for our desire for God. It makes some people feel cleaner, purer and more in control. It allows us to have a simpler life, even if only for a short period of time. It teaches us something about God as Jesus shows God to us. It allows us to call on Christ’s power to shove out sin so that we can live spiritually. Fasting forces us to remember our spiritual poverty, which in turn allows us to recognize God’s loving action to make things right between him and us through Jesus Christ. The result is a spiritual death that shows our sorrow for our sins. It makes the path to the cross inexpressibly and unbelievably rewarding. True fasting is good for our health (spiritually and physically), self-discipline, helping us break bad habits, appreciating what we love, and preserving the ability to do without.

Fasting and Lent provide us with a time to focus on what is always true. God is always reaching out to enable us to change, be renewed and deepen our commitment to him and his chosen community. We do this through repentance. Fasting is just one way of showing our desire to repent. Our repentance is a gift of grace. Repentance by itself does not cause6 forgiveness or make us worthy to receive it. It is based on grace-specifically, the knowledge that God is kind and ready to forgive. Fasting counteracts our daily habits of excessive consumption and makes us aware of God’s promptings and the needs of others. Leo, Bishop of Rome, once wrote:

“The sum total of our fasting does not consist in merely abstaining from food. In vain do we deny our body food if we do not withhold our heart from wickedness and restrain our lips so that they speak no evil. We must so moderate our rightful use of food that our other desires may be subject to the same rule. They therefore who desire to do good works, let them not fear that they shall be without the means, since even for two given pennies, the generosity of the poor widow of the Gospel was glorified!”

Fasting in repentance means we realize that what we did was wrong, and that whatever replaced God in our lives was wrong. Fasting forces us to change our way of living for awhile. It allows God to step in and change the course of our lives. It allows us to put our basic needs into a lower priority so that we can concentrate on the task at hand. In this case, the task at hand is the commemoration of Christ’s death and resurrection.

Fasting does not mean totally abstaining from food. In the words of Saint Thomas Aquinas, fasting should be introduced in order to “bridle the desires of the flesh, which regard pleasures of touch in connection with food and sex”. We need to eat to live, and not the other way around. Those who are fasting are asked to eat only what is necessary, usually only one or two meals a day. Snacking, sweets or indulgences are not allowed.

There is a time and a place for fasting. It must not be done during a time of celebration such as a wedding anniversary. In fact, the 40 days of Lent DO NOT include Sundays because they are a celebration of Christ’s victory over death and sin. Fasting is not to be used as a substitute for dieting. It must also not be used as a form of self-punishment or as an excuse to harm yourself in a way that would make you a burden to others. It is not an excuse for being grouchy, stingy or rude. Fasting must be done in such a way that it shows our dependence on God, brings us closer to God, and gives energy to our prayers.

Fasting does not serve to change God’s mind, speed up his answer, or manipulate his will. Instead, it prepares us to hear from him by temporarily laying aside anything that competes for our attention. It allows us to focus on Christ and hear him clearly

Jesus began his ministry by fasting for 40 days in the desert. He suspended his earthly appetite in order to focus not only on preparing for his earthly ministry, but also to satisfy his spiritual hunger. Fasting puts us in touch with the fact that we ARE created with an appetite for God, just like Jesus had an appetite for God. It really does not matter what one abstains from in fasting. The important thing is to suspend the usual earthly appetites in life that seek immediate gratification so that we can recover our deeper spiritual hunger and thirst for God and his ready grace.

In our faith journey, there will be times when we have to hold out in the midst of spiritual battles. Fasting can give us the strength we need to achieve victory. It gives us the strength to hold on. God has promised us that we will not be placed in situations where we will have more put on us than we can bear. Fasting serves as a whet stone that we can use to sharpen our discernment, expose our wrong thinking and wrong attitudes, and bring about a single-minded focus on the things of God. Jesus used his fast to prepare him not only for Satan’s temptations, but to focus on his earthly mission and his father’s will. Contrary to what most people might think, Jesus was not weak from his fast. In fact, just the opposite—he gained spiritual strength for his journey to the cross and the ultimate success of his mission.

In Deuteronomy 8:3, we read “He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the Lord”.  There is a connection between the manna that the Israelites received in the wilderness and the bread with which the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Israel’s need for bread was secondary to Israel’s need to understand that God gives bread. Because he understands that fact, Jesus can resist the temptation to take matters into his own hands.

We are in the same situation. Our earthly needs are secondary to our need to understand that God will supply our earthly needs. I emphasize the word needs. God will not supply us with a Mercedes-Benz car when a Volkswagen Beetle will be sufficient. God will not supply us with a huge mansion when a two-room bungalow will be sufficient. God will not provide us with a banquet that is fit for a king when a sandwich will be sufficient. He will supply our needs, and not our wants or desires. Fasting from anything that is not necessary for our earthly life will allow us to focus on the preparations we have to make for our spiritual life. Fasting is a spiritual discipline. It reminds us of our human weakness and encourages us to acknowledge our dependence on God.

Life is not just about the material things. It is also about a Word coming from the very mouth of God. In response to the temptation to throw himself into the rat race called material satisfaction, Jesus finds a calm centre, an anchor in the word of God. That centered faith will enable him to deal with all the other temptations to come. As it was with Jesus, so it is with us.

Works Cited

Bass, G. M. (n.d.). The Call of the Trumpet. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from Esermons.com: http://www.esermons.com

Brockhoff, B. (n.d.). Fasting in a Fast-Food World. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from Esermons.com: http://www.esermons.com

Donovan, D. (n.d.). Luke 4:1-13 The Frst Sunday in Lent. Retrieved Feb. 21, 2010, from Sermonwriter.com: http://www.sermonwriter.com

Dunnam, M. (n.d.). At the Fork in the Road. Retrieved Feb. 28, 2010, from Esermons.com: http://www.esermons.com

Fitzpatrick, D. L. (2009, January 16). Lenten Fasting & Abstinences for Children. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from Catholic Practices: http://www.catholic-practices.suite101.com/article.cfm/lenten-fasting-and-abstinence-for-children.html

Harnish, J. E. (n.d.). Out of Solitude. Retrieved Feb. 28, 2010, from Esermons.com: http://www.esermons.com

Hohenthaner, C. (2008, March 1). Bishop discusses Lent, fasting. Retrieved Jan. 27, 2010, from Rapid City Journal: http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/lifestlyes/faith-and-values/religion/article_4f2878e7-5b2…

Hyde, D. R. (n.d.). Luke 4:1-13 According to the Scriptures. Retrieved Feb. 2010, from Lectionary.org: http://www.lectionary.org.

Klaus, R. K. (2005, February 15). Fasting. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from Lutheran Hour Ministries: http://www.lhm.org/dailydevotions.asp?date=20050215

Nash, F. A. (n.d.). Lent. Retrieved Feb 23, 2010

Sison, M. N. (2010, Feb. 16). Lent: A time to take stock, get back on track. Retrieved Feb. 16, 2010, from Anglican Journal: http://www.anglicanjournal.com/100.article/lent-a-time-to-take-stock-get-back-on-track

Stanley, D. C. (2010, January 26). Biblical Fasting. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from Crosswalk: http://www.crosswalkmail.com

unknown. (n.d.). Fasting. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from Spirit Home: http://www.spirithome.com/fasting.html

unknown. (n.d.). Fasting for Lent. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from Holy Spirit Interactive: http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/features/lent/dev_fasting.asp

unknown. (2009, March). Fasting: Act of Devotion or Violence? Retrieved january 27, 2010, from Preaching Peace: http://preachingpeace.blogspot.com//preaching_peace/2009/03/fasting.html

unknown. (n.d.). Lent: 40 Days of Prayer & Fasting. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from Prayer Foundation: http://www.prayerfoundation.org/lent_40_days_or_prayer_&_fasting,htm

Waldman, S. (2009, February). Fasting for Lent: Reduce Your Lustful, “Seminal Matter”. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from Beliefnet: http://blogspot/beliefnet/com/stevenwaldman/2009/02/fasting-for-lent-reduce-your-listful-seminal-matter.html

Tom scowled as he furiously raked leaves. “I was gonna collect aluminum cans today to make a little money for a new skateboard,” he muttered to himself, “but no! Dad says I have to help rake the lawn first, so here I am, doing dumb yard work.” Just then, he noticed a large hole in the base of a big tree. “Look, Dad,” he called as he knelt to peer inside. “I never noticed this before. This would be a good place to hide stuff.”

Dad walked over to look. “Maybe there’s a cache of jewels or a sack of stolen money inside,” he teased. He poked his rake into the hole, and they heard a scraping sound as the rake hit a metal object.

“Something is hidden in there!” cried Tom. Plunging his hand inside the cavity, he felt around and finally pulled out a small box. “Wow! A real treasure chest!” he shouted. “I wonder who put it there.” Eagerly, Tom opened the old box and looked inside. Then he let out a disappointed groan. The treasure turned out to be a handful of multicolored stones, a rusty pocketknife, and a soggy, moldy book about fishing.

“Somebody must have hidden these things, but then forgot about them,” said Dad. “Now look at them. I hope whoever stored these here put most of his treasures in a better place.”

“Yeah. Maybe he got smart and started putting important things in one of those safe deposit boxes at the bank,” suggested Tom.

“I was thinking of an even better place than that,” said Dad. “Jesus said we should put our treasures in heaven, where they’ll never be ruined or stolen.” Dad shook his head. “We often put so much emphasis on things here on earth–things like houses and clothes and cars . . .”

And skateboards, thought Tom.

“We need to remember that things won’t last,” said Dad. As Tom looked at the rusty pocketknife, he realized that what Dad was saying was true. I still want a skateboard, he thought, but I guess I shouldn’t get so upset over it. He put the box back into the hole in the tree and picked up his rake.

The choices we make today affect our future. Our words, our actions, how we use our money, the time we spend in prayer can be translated to eternal treasure when they are submitted to God. What the world offers isn’t what we are looking for. It leaves us disappointed.

Trumpets are sounded as signals to large groups of people. Anyone who draws attention to himself is said to “blow his own horn.” For example, the temple compound housed 13 large chests with funnel-like openings into which people placed their financial contributions. Hypocrites often converted their gifts into the largest number of coins possible so their money would make a loud noise when dropped into the chest. This is what the Pharisees did when they gave alms. These alms were given to be seen by men, so every effort was made to prevent people from missing the sight. The Pharisees had the reward they were looking for-the admiration of the people. It was the only reward they would receive.

When we give, we should give with a pure motive-obedience to God, out of love for our fellow man, or just wanting to help someone else who is trying to make it through another day here on earth. When we give not to be seen by men but out of a right heart, God will reward us openly. Everyone will see that God’s hand is on us. God’s blessings will come into our lives.

The hypocrisy of the Pharisees extended to public prayer. They stood in the synagogues and on street corners and, with faces turned to heaven and hands lifted high, offered silent prayers. It was a pretended act of paying respect to God when it was really an effort to obtain honour from men. Standing does not merely describe the upright position of a person’s body. It also suggests striking a pose to gain attention. The Pharisees were committed to praying at set hours: at six, nine, twelve and three o’clock. They arranged to be in the most public places at these times so they would be recognized for their commitment to God. Jesus is not condemning public prayer but prayer that is self-serving.

Jesus modelled for us the proper way to pray and give alms. Both were to be done in secret. For example, many times Jesus went off by Himself to pray to God. Sometimes He took people aside to heal them in private. The time we spend with God in prayer should be free from disguise and pretense.

Prayer involves opening our lives to God. It is inviting Him to act in our lives. Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance, it is being willing to accept His will in our lives. Prayer moves the hand of God by giving Him the moral freedom to do in our lives what He has been waiting to do. God doesn’t impose His will upon us. He can function in our lives in accordance with the degree of freedom we surrender to Him.

Jesus doesn’t say how often we should pray to God in secret. The reasons may have been:

1. That it should be voluntary
2. Setting times would make religion formal and heartless.
3. Occasions would be so numerous that it would not be easy to fix rules.

Jesus did suggest times when secret prayer would be proper:

1. In the morning, after we have been protected during the night and when we are about to face the trials of another day.
2. In the evening to ask for forgiveness, give thanks and ask for protection from the dangers of the night.
3. In times of embarrassment and difficulty.
4. When we are tempted.
5. When the Holy Spirit prompts us to pray.

Part of our prayer life should include fasting, provided that it is not a ritual but a voluntary time of meditation when drawing near to God. Fasting deprives us of the normal performances of life for the sake of enriching our Christian lives. The proper way of fasting is to empty ourselves so we can be filled with God. It is by truly giving of ourselves that we will be truly found. We do these things not to be hypocrites but to be real about our origins and our destiny.

Jesus warns against the use of fasting-going without food or water to devote oneself to prayer-as a means of impressing others. Fasting is never to be an outward display but an inward discipline. Rather than looking sad and disfiguring their faces when fasting, believers should seek to appear normal-thus the command to “anoint your head and wash your face.”

In New Testament times, treasures were not always stockpiles of coins. Since wealthy garments often represented a person’s holding, Jesus spoke quite literally when He warned the people that moths could destroy the worldly wealth. It is better to place one’s hope in the Person and promises of God than in anything this world has to offer.

Earthly treasures have two characteristics-they decay and because of their value, there is always concern for security. Treasures in heaven can’t be stolen, and they won’t decay. The treasures of eternal life are the securities that remain. They are matters of character-a godly personality, minds that can enjoy the great thoughts of God and His creation, and hearts that can overcome selfishness by loving.

Jesus is not against the accumulation of wealth and property if they are not used for our own selfish purposes. These resources are to be used to help the poor and spread the Good News of the Gospel. Only then will we have true happiness, because our reward will be waiting for us in heaven, and our reward will last.

It is the true nature of Christianity to help the poor and needy. Christians don’t have to be told to do it. All they have to do is ask for the chance. To give and do charitable deeds in secret reflects a person’s desire to please God more than people. God blesses those who honour Him.

Jesus emphasized service for the sake of righteousness or fellowship with God. When we serve for the praise of God, we will be blessed, but it won’t be noticed by other people. Our reward will be a good conscience and peace with God. We must not scheme or plan for our advantage or to get human attention. We must give and serve others in complete trust when the gift is in the spirit of love and the giving must be for the good in the experience itself rather than from personal benefit.

Sometimes we feel that we aren’t appreciated when our efforts aren’t recognized by other people. God knows what we’re doing. He sees what others don’t see. It pleases Him when we serve for His sake and not for man’s praise. The hand that is closed can’t receive the treasure that God wants to give.

It’s when we think no one is watching that our true allegiances are revealed. In the quietness of our alone time, we’re either exposed as people who are seeking the things of God, or we’re exposed as people who are seeking the things of the world. That’s because God knows our hearts and sees everything we do.

 Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1291-1292)
2. The New Testament Commentary, Vol. 1-Matthew & Mark. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
4. Augsberger, M.S. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 24: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982, p. 18)
5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
6. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
7. Leslie Koh, “God Knows.” Retrieved from donotreple@email.rbc.org
8. “The Right Treasure.” Retrieved from keys@lists.keysforkids.org
9. Anne Graham Lotz, “How to Receive Treasure.” Retrieved from info@angelministries.org
10. “How You Can Avoid a Secretly Sinful Life.” Retrieved from com@crosswalkmail.com
11. Steve Arterburn, “Belonging.” Retrieved from newlife.com
12. Neil Anderson, “What We Treasure.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
13. Bayless Conley, “A Matter of the Heart.” Retrieved from answersrbc.org

Have you ever had a day that was so wonderful that you wanted it to last forever? I am sure you probably have. Did you know that Jesus’ disciples had days like that too? The reading from Luke 9:28-36 is about one of those days.

One day, Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him up onto a mountain to pray. As Jesus was praying, something very strange happened. The Bible says that the appearance of his face began to change and that his clothing became as bright as a flash of lightning. Then, Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus. When Peter saw this, he was so excited that he told Jesus that he thought that they should just stay up there on the mountain and build three tabernacles — one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.

God sends a lot of happy days into our life. The day that we meet Jesus is, without a doubt, the happiest day of our life, but it isn’t a stopping place — it is a starting point for a journey that leads to eternal life in heaven with Him.

Peter didn’t understand that this wonderful experience on the mountain was not a stopping place — it was a starting place. It was a starting place for God’s greatest gift — the gift of salvation. Following this moment on the mountain, Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and rose from the grave so that you and I could have eternal life in heaven.

How many of you have even tried to do a do-it-yourself project by yourself? That attitude comes naturally to us. It starts when we are toddlers, when we insist on walking ourselves, feeding ourselves or dressing ourselves. God never designed our lives to be lives of do-it-yourself projects. He created us to be in relationship with Him.

There is one do-it-yourself project that Jesus had to complete.  He paid the price for our sins when He took our place on the cross. His suffering satisfied God’s wrath at our sins. He set us free to help those who are suffering. He set us free to share each other’s struggles and bring others’ need in prayer to God.

On this, the Transfiguration Sunday, we see another side of Jesus’ revelation. We have moved from stable and river, weddings and fishing boats to the mountain. The mountain reveals that Jesus’ mission will move Him to the valley of the shadow of death.

Jesus was a man of prayer, and we are to be people of prayer also. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus was often found praying alone, and we also know that there is a blessing to be gained by being in prayer alone in God’s presence.

Prayer does change everything. When He was transfigured, Jesus’ glory and heaven’s pure light shone on His garments. When we pray, our thinking and our conduct will be altered. They will be in close proximity with the holy Spirit. We will be changed and others will see it too. It will be because Jesus’ light will shine through us.

Have you ever looked at someone you love and seen them in a new light? Did you understand for the first time the wonder of that person? Peter, James and John did. On the mountaintop, they saw Jesus in a new light.

The cloud represents God’s power and presence. God came to be with Jesus, Moses, Elijah, Peter, James and John in a special way. God tells us to listen to Jesus. In John 6:68, Jesus mentions that He “has the words of eternal life.” We are to listen to them, hear them, eat them as if they are the bread of life and drink them as if they are the water of life. He calls us to a deeper understanding of who He is as the Son of God and the implications of following Him.

When God spoke from the cloud, He told the disciples the same thing He tells us today. He said that Jesus is greater than all the ways of the Old Testament. Don’t centre your attention on the prophecies of the Old Testament. Jesus is more important than the Old Testament laws and prophets.

God’s glory is only possible if lived together in community. No one can shine alone-not even Jesus. Only when we are together can God’s radiant light up our lives. We can only make sense of ourselves if people who came before us are present in our struggles.

Jesus separated Himself from the crowds to pray, taking Peter, James and John with Him. The time of prayer quickly turned into an event itself; God parted the curtain between earth and heaven and allowed Jesus’ three closest friends to get a glimpse of His future glory.

Why did Jesus talk to Moses and Elijah? Perhaps He needed comfort. He knew that His road home to heaven would pass through Calvary, so perhaps He put in a call to heaven. God was quick to answer His call. Moses and Elijah were perfect comfort givers. Moses understood tough journeys and Elijah could relate to an unusual exit. The three of them talked about Jesus’ upcoming death. Moses led the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. On the cross, Jesus would lead those who believe in Him out of slavery to sin and into the fullness of life with Him.

None of the Gospel writers explained how the three disciples recognized Moses and Elijah. Perhaps they identified them from comments the two men made; possibly Jesus called them by name. Or maybe the disciples just knew the two men were Moses and Elijah without an introduction. If so, this could be a clue to the age-old question of how Christians will know their loved ones in heaven.

Peter was so overcome by the event that once again he put his foot in his mouth. He spoke heresy. Three monuments would equate Moses and Elijah with Jesus. God reminded Peter that no one else shares the platform with Christ.

Similar experiences happen to us. Who hasn’t seen a glimpse of opening gates during moments of meditation and prayer? Who hasn’t in the secret place of Holy Communion felt the rush of emotion-a foretaste of the blessed? Once we encounter God, all we have left is silence in response, just like the disciples were silent after they heard from God. What dazzling signs will it take for us to see God in our world? What signs do we often overlook in our busy world? Why do we misunderstand the meaning of these signs when we do see them?

In our world we want to know things. We want to have Google at our fingertips. We’re always hungry and thirsty for knowledge. As technology has advanced throughout history, we want more and more knowledge all of the time. Our relationship with God is the same. We want to know about God. We want to know how to relate to God. We want to know how to apply His teachings to our life. God is a mystery, and the best way to learn about God is to pray.

Jesus’ mission isn’t about worshipping at shrines. It’s about death and resurrection. He was chosen for that mission, and through that mission we are delivered from sin if we accept Him as our Saviour by faith. A Scottish theologian named Henry Drummond once said, “God does not make the mountains in order to be inhabited. God does not make the mountaintops for us to live on the mountaintops. It is not God’s desire that we live on the mountaintops. We only ascend to the heights to catch a broader vision of the earthly surroundings below. But we don’t live there. We don’t tarry there. The streams begin in the uplands, but these streams descend quickly to gladden the valleys below.”

There are people all around us who are living lives that are worse than a disaster movie. They are slaves to sin, but they can’t see it. There are people all around us who are drowning in hopelessness and despair. They are dying for lack of love. Jesus calls us to shine His light into their darkness. He wants them to hear His voice speaking through us.

How do we handle coming down off the mountains? There are moments in our lives when we feel especially close to God. How do we hold onto those and carry them into the other, less spiritually aware moments of our lives? God is present in the mountaintop experiences of life. He’s present in life’s special moments. He’s present in life’s trials. He’s present 24/7. He is Emmanuel-God with us.

The Transfiguration was all about making a transition. It was a time for Jesus to show the disciples and us that He meant business and what His business was all about. He also had to show them and us who had authority. God is in control. The Transfiguration includes those who are drawn into the Kingdom of God and participate in its destiny. That’s the new creation that Jesus promises. It’s the destiny to which we are drawn.

Luke reminds us that we need to be awake to discern God’s presence and purpose in our lives. We can understand who God is and trust what God is doing when we meet God in prayer. God calls all of us to climb the mountain with Jesus. God is found on the mountaintop, where our vision is clear and the noise of everyday life subsides. God in Christ is always with us. Whether we go up the mountain for answers or we go up the mountain for a good question or we go up the mountain simply to recognize that it is good to be there, the point of it all is that God is always with us. Because soon we will need reminding that God is always with us. Soon Jesus will be placed on the cross, and it will appear that all is lost.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p.1405)
2. “Mountaintop Experiences.” Retrieved from Sermons4Kids.com
3. Larsen, B. & Ogilvie, L.J,: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 26: Luke (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983)
4. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010; pp. 1413-1415)
5. B. Cowman, “Streams in the Desert: Luke 9:29-32.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
6. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Do-It-Yourself.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
7. Pastor jack Hibbs, “Prayers is the Key.” Retrieved from devotion@reallifewithjackhibbs.org
8. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, Second Sunday of Lent -C-.” Retrieved from preacherexchange.org
9. The Rev. Jason Cox, “Be transfigured, The Feast of the transfiguration-August 6, 2017.” Retrieved from epipscopaldigitalnetwork.com
10. The Rev. Matt Rawle, “Wibbly-Wobbly, Timey-Wimey Transfiguration.” Retrieved from day1.org
11. The Rev. Janet Hunt, “And They Kept Silent…” Retrieved from dancingwiththeword.com
12. Rick Morley, “In the Chord.” Retrieved from rickmorley.com/archives/2292
13. William Loader, “Transfiguration.” Retrieved from staffmurdoch.edu.au/~loader/LKTransfiguration.htm
14. “Lectionary Blogging: The Transfiguration: Luke 9:28-36.” Retrieved from https://www.progressiveinvolvement.com/progressive_involvement/2010/02/lectionaryblogging.com
15. Pam Fickenscher, “The Bait and the Switch: Recognizing the Moments of God’s Special Visitation.” Retrieved from journeywithjesus.net/Essays/20070212JJ.shtml
16. Claudio Carvalhaes, “Commentary on Luke 9:28-36 (37-43).” Retrieved from workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2756
17. The Rev. Edward Markquart, “Series B: The Transfiguration: Gospel Analysis.” Retrieved from sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_transfigurationGA.htm
18. Dennis Bratcher, “Last Sunday after Epiphany: The Transfiguration.” Retrieved from crivoice.org/lectionary/YearC/Ctransfignt.html
19. Samuel Zumwalt, “The Transfiguration of Our Lord, 18 February 2007.” Retrieved from theologie.uzh.ch/predigten/archiv-9/070218-5-e-html
20. The Rev. Edward Markquart, “Mountains, Valleys and Plains.” Retrieved from sermonsfromseattle.com/series_a_mountains_valleys_and_plains.htm
21. The Rev. Edward Markquart, “Visions on a Mountaintop.” Retrieved from sermonsfromseattle.com/series_a_vision_on_a_mountaintop.htm
22. The rev. Francis Miller, “Listening Openly, Visiting Earnestly.” Retrieved from day1.org/641-listening_and_openly_visitng_earnestly.print

Katie ran into the kitchen out of breath. She poured a glass of cold water and gulped it down. A few minutes later, her sister walked in.

“Why didn’t you wait for me?” Kennedy asked.

Katie shrugged. “I saw you were walking home with Seth, so I decided to go for a run.”

Kennedy sighed. “Are you still mad at him for what he did last month?”

“He tripped me on purpose and made me get a big scratch on my face on picture day!” Katie exclaimed.

“But he apologized,” Kennedy reminded her. “He’s having a birthday party at his house this weekend and told me to invite you.”

“I’m not going!” Katie said firmly. “Not after what he did.”

Dad walked into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. “Not going where?” he asked.

“To Seth’s birthday party,” said Kennedy. “Katie’s still mad at him for tripping her over a month ago.”

Just then a fly landed on the rim of Dad’s glass. “Ew!” said Dad. He poured the rest of the water in the sink. “I’ll teach that fly to try swimming in my water. I’m never drinking water again!”

Katie stared at her dad, puzzled. “Dad,” she said, “it’s just a little fly! And besides, you have to drink water–your body can’t survive without it.”

“So giving up water would hurt me more than the fly?” Dad asked. Katie nodded. “Well, it sounds to me like you’re trying to hurt Seth for what he did to you, but you’re just going to end up hurting yourself a lot more. I know that what he did was wrong, but he said he was sorry. And Jesus tells us to forgive others because He forgave us. He tells us to do that so we can show His love to others, but also because He knows that when we hold on to bitterness and anger, we hurt ourselves more than anyone else. You’re trying to get back at Seth, but you’re going to be the one sitting home by yourself while your sister and friends are having fun at his party.”

Katie sighed. “Okay, Dad,” she said. “Maybe it’s time I finally forgive him.”

When someone treats us badly, how do we respond? How do we treat them? The answer matters a lot. Negative responses such as back-stabbing don’t solve conflict. They don’t give us peace. Christ tells us to pray for those who persecute us. When we pray for them, God sets us free from the anger, the resentment and the pain. Sometimes the enemy changes, and sometimes they don’t, but praying for our enemies changes us.

When we are persecuted or harassed, we need to respond with a blessing. This is what God wants us to do. It isn’t easy, but it’s the most powerful witness we have about God’s love. When we respond to hatred with love, God will be pleased and we will be blessed.

Loving our enemies doesn’t mean we condone their actions or letting a pattern of abuse to continue. Loving someone who doesn’t deserve it is hard to do, but if love and mercy were given only to people who deserve it, all of us would be lost. God’s love and grace are like rain-they fall on both the just and the unjust. Because of Christ’s death, all of us have been judged by God. We receive His mercy even though we are unworthy and don’t deserve it.

Jesus has introduced something new. Loving everyone, even if they don’t deserve to be loved, is contrary to what the world teaches. If we follow Jesus’ new way of life, we will be energized by a new Spirit. We will act in a new way because of the God we worship. He changes us and encourages us to be to others what God has been to us.

Jesus was not speaking to a general audience but to those who were aligning themselves with Him. To them He gave a standard of behaviour impossible to achieve except through the Holy Spirit. Christians should respond to hatred with love and to antagonism with blessing. This rule applies to individual believers, not to states or governments assigned with keeping the peace.

The Golden Rule cited here did not originate with Jesus, although He gave it its most memorable form. He put this principle in a positive context. He tells us to accept our suffering. We will dishonor God if we retaliate. God will deal with those who persecute us in His own time and in His own way. Forgiveness is like a muscle we have to exercise. It’s proactive. It’s doing.

A person’s behaviour reveals the true nature of his or her relationship to God. The first-century world operated by an “I give to you so that you might give to me” equation: Jesus turned such thinking on its head. Those who are children of God will behave in an others-centered way.

When Jesus tells us to give, most of us think He is referring to giving to the church, but that’s not always the case. If He puts something else in our heart, or if He places someone in need in our lives, it’s okay to give to that person. This involves doing the Lord’s work because it involves giving to our neighbour, and no one knows our neighbours as well as we do.

Remember that failing to tithe is the same as robbing God. It reflects our spirit toward God. If we aren’t willing to give of our money, time or talents, we’re probably not willing to give our whole hearts and lives to God. He won’t let us have a key to His house and steal from Him at the same time. Can we afford not to give to God?

Another reason to give to those in need is because what we have is a gift from God, and God is concerned about how we use those gifts He has given us. Many of us have the philosophy of “get all you can, can all you get, sit on your can.” One instant is all it takes for us to lose what we’ve hoarded. Someday we might need help. What we sow is what we reap-and that has been proven countless times throughout history. The Law of Investment- “Give and it shall be given”-works whenever it is put into practice. A person who puts this principle into practice will know some measure of God’s blessing in this realm.

A good example of how God blesses those who give to Him is found in the story of Elijah and the widow, which is found in 1 Kings 17:10-16. When Elijah arrived at the gate of the city of Zarephath, he saw a widow gathering sticks. He asked her to bring him some water. When she did, he asked her to bring him a morsel of bread. She replied that she only had a little flour and oil, and that she was going to prepare them for herself and her son so they could eat it and die. Elijah told her to go ahead with her plans, but to make him a small cake and bring it to him first. He promised that in return God would provide flour and oil until the rains came. She did what she was told to do, and God did provide flour and oil.

Throughout Luke’s presentation of the Beatitudes, the underlying theme remains the same: those who claim to know God should act as God does. Since God is merciful, His children should be merciful.

The principle expounded by Jesus in verse 37 extends through all of life: those who judge others should not be surprised when they are judged in return. The command to “judge not” does not relieve Christians of their responsibility to be discerning but instead warns against harbouring a contemptuous, condemning attitude.

Following Christ leads us away from the logic of the world. It requires a divine amount of grace-laced empowerment. Christ will bless us for allowing His mercy to flow through us in a way that brings good things to those who don’t deserve it.

When it comes to God’s blessings, the measure we use is what is measured back to us. If we use a serving spoon, we will get an overflowing serving spoon. If we use a shovel, we will get an overflowing shovel back. If we do things for the right reasons, they will come back to us.

Jesus teaches us the true managing of God’s grace. It’s an attitude of kindness, mercy and love toward us that God has chosen, not because of what we have done for Him but because of His decision to show kindness, mercy and love.

A few years ago, someone put together the Paradoxical Commandments. Here they are:

1. People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Love them anyway.
2. If you do good, people will accuse you of ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
3. If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
6. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.
7. People favour underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
8. What you spend years building might be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
9. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.
10. Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

We have to love. It’s the only weapon we have against our enemies. Love creates a barrier against bitterness and cynicism. It’s an antidote to hatred and indifference. We don’t love people because they are likeable. We love them because we and they are children of God.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p.1396-1397)
2. “Giving Up Water.” Retrieved from info@keysforkids.org
3. Paul Estabrooks, “Cross-Turning the Other Cheek.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
4. Pastor Bobby Schuller, “Give to Your Neighbour.” Retrieved from hourofpower@hourofppower.org
5. Harold Sala, “Why Should I Give?” Retrieved from info@guidelines.org
6. Pete Briscoe, “The M in BEMA Stands for Mercy.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
7. Berni Dymet, “Love Thy Enemy.” Retrieved from christianityworks.com
8. Berni Dymet, “Generosity.” Retrieved from christianityworks.com
9. Vikki Burke, “Positioned for the Supernatural.” Retrieved from christianityworks.com
10. Berni Dymet, “Forgive and Forget.” Retrieved from christianityworks.com
11. Mary Southerland, “To Forgive or Not to Forgive.” Retrieved from girlfriendsingod.com
12. Tony Evans, “The Restitution and Reversal of Theft.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
13. Jim Burns, “Go for It.” Retrieved from homeword.com
14. Bayless Conley, “What’s Your Measure?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
15. Bayless Conley, “Giving to Get.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
16. Pastor Mark Justice, “What do You Mean ‘Grace’?” Retrieved from christianity.com/devotionals/grace-moments-devotions/
17. Pastor Rick Warren, “Do Good to Those Who Oppose You.” Retrieved from connect@newsletter,purposedriven.com
18. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, 7^th Sunday, -C-.” Retrieved from preacherexchange,org

Have you ever heard of a man named Charles M. Schultz? He wrote a comic strip called Peanuts which has been appearing in daily newspapers since 1950. The main characters in the comic strip are Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Schroeder and a dog named Snoopy.

Charles Schultz also wrote a lot of books, including one titled “Happiness Is A Warm Blanket.” The book is mostly about a little boy named Linus who carries his cuddly blue blanket with him wherever he goes. Linus carries that blanket to make him feel secure. According to Schultz, “Everyone has things that make them feel secure. “You know what? When we feel secure, we are also happy!

Jesus had something to say about being happy. The passage from Luke 6:17-26 is one of those times. The lesson begins with Jesus surrounded by a huge crowd of people. Have you ever noticed that wherever Jesus went, he drew large crowds of people? Why do you suppose that was? Maybe it was because many of them were sick, crippled, or injured and wanted Jesus to heal them. Perhaps some of them had a troubled mind and they had heard that Jesus was able to cast out demons and evil spirits just by speaking a word. In other words, many people came to Jesus because they had heard what he could do for them. The Bible says that people crowded around Jesus and tried to touch him because power was coming from him and healed them all. Do you think that made the people happy? It sure did!

Notice that Jesus didn’t say, “Happy are they who have a lot of money “or “Happy are they who have plenty to eat and dine in fancy restaurants.” He didn’t even say, “Happiness is a warm blanket.” What he did say was, “When you follow me, happiness will come. Leap for joy! A great reward awaits you in heaven.”

Jesus’ teachings were radical. They were a window into God’s values and priorities. He blessed those who were poor, who hunger now, who weep, who were hated and excluded. He warned those who were rich, full, happy and popular. Conventional wisdom, then and now, says quite the opposite.

The rules for living that Jesus gives us are revolutionary. Most of us don’t like rules, but at the same time we need and demand rules. For example, imagine how many traffic accidents would happen if we didn’t have traffic rules. These teachings tell us how we must live in order to fulfill Jesus’ mission, which is also our mission. Without these teachings, there is no alternative to our modern society.

The word “blessed” doesn’t mean happiness. Happiness is a gift God bestows on us. We don’t earn God’s blessings. We just need them and God notices. Those who have nothing and those who are weeping will receive God’s favour.

To be blessed means that we have God’s attention. We will never be alone. We are valued and important because God has made us priceless. God stands with the poor when they are used and abused by the rich. This is a reversal of our usual world view. The world blesses the rich and looks down on the poor. God came in the form of Jesus to live among the poor and announce the Good News to them. Woe to those who oppose God’s rule and Jesus’ message. He is firm in His statement that because He came the world as we know it is turned upside-down.

Being poor means more than just being poor financially. It also means being poor spiritually. In that sense, Jesus has come for all of us because we are poor spiritually. The poor are those who recognize that they depend on God. The rich don’t want to commit themselves. They are comfortable with the way things are now.

In Luke’s Gospel, it is clear that only God can align our lives and realities to make us whole and healthy, and to give us a life worth living. In Jesus’ mind, poverty and its accompanying hunger and sadness is powerful because it frees us from maintaining earthly power and control. God’s kingdom is not of this world, so it goes against the world’s view of what is logical or sensible. Poverty is powerful because it strips us of the illusion that power is anything but a temporary thing. Poverty involves a lack of worldly power. For the poor, being without power frees them from the need to maintain human structures of power. They are free to redefine the meaning of power and re-define their ideas of what is healthy, life-affirming and valuable.

The hungry will be blessed because they will be filled. The weeping will be blessed because there is a real chance they will cease being poor. Many of Jesus’ teachings are about how change can take place right now. It includes sharing food and resources, especially as represented by Holy Communion. The blessings are all about possessing the Kingdom of God, of being eternally satisfied in union with God, of experiencing the joy of possessing a reward in Heaven.

The poor, hungry and weeping are in a better position to receive and respond to the Kingdom than those who have security in riches, a stable environment, and personal well-being. They are in a better position to be open to spiritual matters because they are not hindered by material prosperity or self-sufficiency.

If we understand the rules Jesus outlined, what then? We might feel discouraged because we know we won’t keep all of them. We could also be like the Pharisees and the scribes, who were pleased to hear rules because they are smugly certain that they have kept them since childhood. We might also look for loopholes.

Knowing and keeping the rules doesn’t mean that we should use them to keep others out. That’s the attitude the scribes and Pharisees had at that time. They uses their elaborate set of rules to keep out people who didn’t follow them. Jesus refused to exclude people who didn’t obey the rules. He hung out with sinners and outcasts because God’s Kingdom is open to everyone who believes.

Because we know Jesus’ rules, the Holy Spirit points out the sinful areas in our lives, and we can be forgiven and brought back to life. If there are no rules, then we can’t repent. We are lost in our sins. The sin against the Holy Spirit is to say that we are innocent when He says we are guilty.

If we live for God, we will face times of adversity. Many of us have suffered from the maladies Jesus referred to in this passage. When that happens, we can trust God with our lives. It will make us better followers of Jesus. Luke tells us that Jesus has entered into our condition and will restore us to health if we will have faith. Whatever problems we may have, we can give them to Jesus and then get some rest. We might not feel better right away, but we will be healed in God’s time.

Even when we are persecuted, we are to continue witnessing and sharing about Christ. We are to love everyone, even those who criticize us, hate us or reject us. Even when our outer peace has crumbled, we are to speak the truth of the Gospel. Jesus doesn’t tell us to accept or receive persecution gracefully. We are to rejoice because the persecuted disciples of Jesus will receive great rewards in heaven. We will also be in the company of the prophets who were persecuted.

Jesus is placing a choice before us. Will we choose to live according to His beatitudes or according to the world’s beatitudes? What the world values is worthless. God blesses the poor, hungry and weeping. They will be filled at God’s banquet table.

Churches must make certain that they don’t neglect the poor or the marginalized. If churches really follow Jesus, they will use their resources to help the poor and marginalized. The choice is theirs and ours, and the new life Christ gives us makes such a choice possible.

When we come to worship, we come down from the stratosphere broken, bloody and hungry people. We feast on God’s Word, get up and go again as God directs our paths. Instead of criticizing the minister or the choir when we leave church, we should ask ourselves, “What did God say to me? What would God do with me?”

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p.1396)
2. Larsen, B. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 26: Luke (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983, pp. 120-127)
3. Macarthur, J.F. Jr.: The Macarthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
4. “Rejoicing in Persecution.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
5. Jim Woodrum, “Luke’s Prescription of Hope.” Retrieved from www.ssje.org
6. Jack Graham, “Iron in Your Soul.” Retrieved from www.PowerPoint.org
7. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Responding to Rejection.” Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org
8. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, 6^th Sunday -C-.” Retrieved from preacherexcchange.org
9. “Happiness Is…” Retrieved from sermons4kids.com
10. Christy Randazzo, “The Paradox of a World Turned Upside-Down-Luke 6:17-26.” Retrieved from https://politicaltheology.com
11. William Loader, “Epiphany 6:17 February Luke 6:17-26.” Retrieved from http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/LkEpihany6.htm
12. “Sunday 6C, Epiphany 6C, Gospel.” Retrieved from lectionarystudeis.com/studyg/Sunday6cp.html
13. “Sixth Sunday After Epiphany.” Retrieved from crivoice.org/lectionary/YearC/Ceiphany6nt.htm
14. The Rev. Mark Larsen, “We Deserve to Weep.” Retrieved from http://day1.org/8331/-mark_larsen_we_deserve_to_weep.print

The story of Jesus teaching from the boat in Luke 5:1-11 occurs early in his earthly ministry. He preached to the crowd, and then he asked Peter to do something that did not make sense to Peter. He asked Peter to go fishing in the daytime. As someone who had fished in this particular area for most of his life, Peter knew that the best time to catch fish was at night, because during the day the fish went deeper into the water to keep cool and stay out of the light. Peter didn’t catch anything the night before. He was hesitant to obey Jesus at first, but eventually he obeyed Jesus’ request. The result was a catch so big that he needed help from other fishermen to bring it ashore.

Obeying orders leads to success. For example, several years ago General Dwight Eisenhower, the man who led the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II, told an interviewer how the decision was made to go on June 6, 1944. He wanted to go on June 4th or June 5th, and June 4th, 1944, was a beautiful, starlight night. The commanders of the Allied troops were gathered with General Eisenhower at their command post in England. The chief army weatherman was there also, and he told General Eisenhower that gale-force winds and high tides would be hitting the Normandy beaches by the next morning.

General Eisenhower had a decision to make. Should he believe what he saw-a beautiful, clear starlight night-or should he listen to the man who knew. His answer was “No go”, even though it would have cost him his first choice and prolong the wait for the troops who were waiting on the ships. On the next day-June 5th-the weather was stormy, just like the weatherman had predicted. The weatherman came in and said, “We’re going to have improved weather tomorrow with moderate winds and tides. It’s going to be a good day to go.” General Eisenhower had to decide to go by his senses or by the man who had the authority. The general paused for about 30 seconds, and then he said two of history’s most famous words-“Let’s go”. The room was clear in two seconds, and the rest is history.

Peter also had a decision to make. Would he obey Jesus’ request? Workers like Peter usually hate to obey orders unless they recognize the authority of the person who is giving the order. I know how they feel, because when I worked at a local lumber mill, I had many bosses that I hated to take orders from, but I still obeyed their orders because I respected their authority even if I didn’t respect them as people. Peter respected Jesus and therefore he obeyed Jesus’ orders. The result was a huge reward. When Peter saw the catch of fish, he saw a miracle. He knew that he was in the presence of a holy person, and he was ashamed because of his sinful nature. If we obey Jesus, he will clean us, make us whole, and give us the tools we need to do his work in our world.

God often calls us to do things that are often simple for us to do but important to him. The simplest tasks we do for God can result in a revelation, discovery or even greater faith. Obedience to even the simplest of orders results in great rewards from God. All we have to do is look at the staff who work at a nursing home. They do God’s work by taking care of the residents’ needs, and their reward is the satisfaction they get from a job well done.

Peter obeyed Jesus’ order to become a fisher of men. After Jesus ascended to heaven, Peter became the leader of the disciples and the early Christian church. In fact, the Roman Catholic Church traces its origins to Peter. Peter’s small step of obedience led to the miracle that changed his life. God prepared Peter for the call just like he prepares us for our call. He allowed Peter to endure failure by not catching any fish. He also allows us to endure personal failures.

Once we realize who Jesus is, we can see ourselves in a new light, just like Peter saw Jesus in a new light when he realized who Jesus was. Sometimes that sight is too much for us to handle, but we need to see ourselves in that light so we can be changed by God and be prepared by God for the work he wants us to do. God shook up Peter because he wanted to shake up the world. He can also shake all of us up so he can shake up the world-and boy does it ever need to be shaken up. When we obey God, we will become fishers of men, and the catch we will get will be even greater than Peter’s great catch of fish.

Bibliography

• Ron Hutchcraft, “Your Hard Times”. Retrieved from http://www.hutchcraft.com
• Exegesis for Luke 5:1-11. Retrieved from http://www.sermonwriter.com
• Ray Pritchard, “How God’s Will Can Mess Up Your Life in a Good Way”. Retrieved from http://www.keepbelieving.com