John 11:45-56

Meditation: Do you allow fear or opposition to hold you back
from doing God's will? Jesus set his face like flint toward Jerusalem,
knowing full well what awaited him there (Luke 9:51; Isaiah 50:7). It was
Jewish belief that when the high priest asked for God's counsel for the
nation, God spoke through him. What dramatic irony that Caiaphas prophesied
that Jesus must die for the nation. The prophet Ezekiel announced that
God would establish one people, one land, one prince, and one sanctuary
forever. Luke adds to Caiphas's prophecy that Jesus would gather into
one the children of God who are scattered abroad. Jesus came to lay
down his life for the many, but not in a foolish reckless manner so
as to throw it away before his work was done. He retired until the time
had come when nothing would stop his coming to Jerusalem to fulfill his
Father's mission.
Augustine wrote: "The passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is
the hope of glory and a lesson in patience. ..He loved us so much that,
sinless himself, he suffered for us sinners the punishment we deserved
for our sins. How then can he fail to give us the reward we deserve for
our righteousness, for he is the source of righteousness? How can he, whose
promises are true, fail to reward the saints when he bore the punishment
of sinners, though without sin himself? Brethren, let us then fearlessly
acknowledge, and even openly proclaim, that Christ was crucified for us;
let us confess it, not in fear but in joy, not in shame but in glory."The
way to glory and victory for us is through the cross of Jesus Christ. Are
you ready to take up your cross and follow Christ in his way of victory?
"Lord Jesus, may we your disciples be ever ready to lay down our lives
in conformity to your will, to willingly suffer and die for you, that we
may also share in your victory and glory."
This reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager (c) 2012, whose website is located at http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings

John 10:31-42

Meditation: Is your life consecrated to God? The scriptural understanding
of consecration is to make holy for God – to be given over as a
free-will offering and sacrifice for God. Jesus made himself a sin-offering
for us, to ransom us from condemnation and slavery to sin. He spoke of
his Father consecrating him for this mission of salvation. Why were the
religious leaders so upset with Jesus that they wanted to kill him? They
charged him with blasphemy because he claimed to be the Son of God. Jesus
made two claims in his response: He was consecrated by the Father
to a special task and he was sent into the world to carry out his
Father's mission. Jesus challenged his opponents to accept his works
if they could not accept his words. One can argue with words, but
deeds are beyond argument. Jesus is the perfect teacher in that he does
not base his claims on what he says but on what he does. The word of God
is life and power to those who believe. Jesus shows us the way to walk
the path of truth and holiness. And he anoints us with his power to live
the gospel with joy and to be his witnesses in the world. Are you a doer
of God's word, or a forgetful hearer only?
"Write upon my heart, O Lord, the lessons of your holy word, and grant
that I may be a doer of your word, and not a forgetful hearer only."
This reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager (c) 2012, whose website is located at http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings

From my Samsung Galaxy Pro GT-B7510
Robin K Brookes
69 Beresford Road,
LOWESTOFT,
NR32 2NQ
UK
Mobile: +447920881439

Matthew 26:1-13 Tom Wright, Lent for Everyone

WEEK 5: FRIDAY

Time to become a fly on the wall again, this time in a little house just two or three miles east of Jerusalem. If you're in the old city of Jerusalem first thing in the morning, the chances are that when the sun rises it will come up right through Bethany, the village in question.

The word 'Bethany' means, most likely, 'house of the poor'. There is some evidence that it was a place where some of the poorest people could be cared for. And it was a place where Jesus had close friends, Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus. On this occasion, though, he was in a different house, that of 'Simon the leper' — presumably a cured leper, or he wouldn't be living in the village at all. Let's join the gathering and see what happens.

Everyone is excited because it's Passover time. After what Jesus did in Jerusalem the other day, they're all wondering what's coming next. Is he going to make another move? Is he going to give the signal for a serious uprising? He has secret contacts all over the place; are they getting swords and clubs ready for action?

The meal that evening is in full swing, when suddenly one of the women comes in. Normally women didn't join the men; it wasn't the done thing. So that's a shock for a start. But then — you shrink back in embarrassment — she's bringing a jar full of ointment, and she begins to pour it out, all over Jesus' head! You smell the delicious aroma, above the various smells of the meal, and you watch the mixture of delight and dismay on everyone's faces. What a wonderful smell; but what on earth is she up to?

Then some of Jesus' followers, perhaps expressing complex social discomfort as much as real concern, start complaining. You can see their point. Here we are in a place set aside to look after the poor, and you go pouring out a month's wages just like that? What can you be thinking about?

There is a pause. The woman looks down, ashamed at being told off and yet still pleased to have done what she did. Everyone waits. There's only one person who can settle this.
Jesus speaks. 'What's your problem?' he asks. 'This was a good thing she's done. As for the poor, there will be plenty of time to look after them; but you haven't got long to look after me. You know what she's done? She has prepared my body for burial!'

A horrified gasp goes round the room, but Jesus goes on: 'Let me tell you this! Wherever the good news is announced, right around the world, what she has done will be told. That will be her memorial.'

Now the emotions are truly mixed. The woman is both thrilled at Jesus' affirmation and distraught at the mention of burial. People look this way and that. Does he actually mean it? I know he's been talking about the Son of Man being crucified, but we all assume — or we hope — that that's just a way of talking about a time of great struggle and suffering. If he is actually going to die, what good news will there be to tell around the world? How does that make any sense?

Jesus may or may not have known, but he will certainly have guessed, that after his actions in the Temple the chief priests would be looking for a chance to kill him. What none of the disciples yet realized is that, for Jesus, this was not only the direct and foreseeable result of his whole kingdom- mission. It was the means by which that mission would be accomplished.

You are left in a corner of the room with one or two friends, puzzling it over, wondering what to do next. Pause there awhile and listen to what the others are saying. Then imagine that Jesus himself comes over, pulls up a chair, and starts to talk a bit more, to you in particular. What's he going to say?

TODAY
Lord Jesus, give us wisdom to understand your strange vocation, and to tell your good news throughout the world.

John 8:51-59 Meditation

Meditation: Do you submit to Jesus' words as if your life depended
on it? Jesus made a claim which only God can make – "if any one keeps my
word, he will never see death." St. Augustine of Hippo, in his commentary
on John's Gospel, explains this verse: "It means nothing less than he saw
another death from which he came to free us – the second death, eternal
death, the death of hell, the death of the damned, which is shared with
the devil and his angels! This is the real death; the other kind
of death is only a passage." [Tractates on the Gospel of
John 43.10-11]
When God established a relationship with Abraham, he offered him an
unbreakable "everlasting covenant" (Genesis 17:7). Jesus came to fulfill
that covenant so that we could know the living God and be united with him
both now and for all eternity. God made us to know him and to be united
with him and he gives us the gift of faith and understanding so that we
may grow in the knowledge of what he has accomplished for us through his
Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus challenged the people of Israel to accept his
word as the very revelation of God himself. His claim challenged the very
foundation of their belief and understanding of God. Jesus made a series
of claims which are the very foundation of his life and mission. What are
these claims? First, Jesus claims unique knowledge of God as the only begotten
Son of the Father in heaven. Since he claims to be in direct personal communion
with his Father in heaven, he knows everything about the Father. Jesus
claims
that the only way to full knowledge of the mind and heart of God is through
himself. Jesus also claims unique obedience to God the Father. He thinks,
lives and acts in the knowledge of his Father's word. To look at his
life is to "see how God wishes me to live." In Jesus alone we see what
God wants us to know and what he wants us to be.
When the Jewish authorities asked Jesus who do you claim to be?
he answered, "before Abraham was, I am." Jesus claims to be timeless
and there is only one in the universe who is timeless, namely God. Scripture
tells us that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever"
(Hebrews 13:8). Jesus was not just a man who came, lived, died, and then
rose again. He is the immortal timeless One, who always was and always
will be. In Jesus we see the eternal God in visible flesh. He is God who
became a man for our sake and for our salvation. His death and resurrection
make it possible for us to share in his immortality. Do you believe the
words of Jesus and obey them with all your heart, mind, and strength?
"Lord Jesus, let your word be on my lips and in my heart that I may
walk in the freedom of your everlasting love, truth and goodness."
This reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager (c) 2012, whose website is located at http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings

John 8:21-30

Meditation: Do you know the healing power of the cross of Christ?
When the people of Israel were afflicted with serpents in the wilderness
because of their sin, God instructed Moses: "Make a fiery serpent, and
set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live"
(Numbers 21:8). The bronze serpent points to the cross of Christ which
defeats sin and death and obtains everlasting life for those who believe.
The result of Jesus "being lifted up on the cross" and his rising and exaltation
to the Father's right hand in heaven, is our "new birth in the Spirit"
and adoption as sons and daughters of God. God not only redeems us, but
he fills us with his own divine life and power that we might share in his
glory. Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit that we may have power to be his
witnesses and to spread and defend the gospel by word and action, and to
never be ashamed of Christ's Cross. Are you ready to witness the truth
and joy of the gospel to those around you?
While many believed in Jesus and his message, many others, including
the religious leaders, opposed him. Some openly mocked him when he warned
them about their sin of unbelief. It's impossible to be indifferent to
Jesus' word and his judgments. We are either for him or against him. There
is no middle ground or neutral parties. When Jesus spoke about going away
he was speaking about his return to his Father and to his glory. His opponents
could not follow him because by their continuous disobedience to the word
of God and their refusal to accept him, they had shut themselves off from
God. Jesus warned them that if they continued to refuse him they would
die
in their sins. Jesus' words echoed the prophetic warning given to Ezekiel
(see Ezekiel 3:18 and 18:18) where God warns his people to heed his word
before the time is too late. God gives us time to turn to him and to receive
his grace, but that time is right now.
To sin literally means to miss the mark or to be off target.
The essence of sin is that it diverts us from God and from our true purpose
in life – to know the source of all truth and beauty which is God himself
and to be united with God in everlasting joy. When Adam and Eve first sinned,
they hid themselves from God (Genesis 3:8-10). That is what sin does; it
separates us from the One who is all loving, all-wise, and all-just. Jesus
went on to explain that if people could not recognize him in his word,
they would have the opportunity to recognize him when he is "lifted up"on
the cross of Calvary. Jesus pointed to the atoning sacrifice of his life
on the cross as the true source of healing and victory over the sin of
the world. The sacrifice of Christ's life on the cross for our sins is
the ultimate proof of God's love for us.
God so loved the world that
he gave us his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish
but have eternal life (John 3:16). To fail to recognize Jesus and where
he came from is to remain in spiritual darkness; to believe Jesus and his
words is to walk in the joy and light of God's truth. There are certain
opportunities in life that come and do not return. Each of us is given
the opportunity to know and to accept Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior.
But that opportunity can be rejected and lost. Life here is limited and
short, but how we live it has everlasting consequences. Do you take advantage
of the present time to make room for God so that your life will count for
eternity?
"Lord Jesus, grant this day, to direct and sanctify, to rule and govern
our hearts and bodies, so that all our thoughts, words and deeds may be
according to your Father's law and thus may we be saved and protected through
your mighty help."
This reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager (c) 2012, whose website is located at http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings

From my Samsung Galaxy Pro GT-B7510
Robin K Brookes
69 Beresford Road,
LOWESTOFT,
NR32 2NQ
UK
Mobile: +447920881439

Joyce Meyer Meditation

"The Spirit of the LORD is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the LORD's favor has come."

God Can Set You Free from the Prison of Your Past

I come from a background of abuse and was raised in a dysfunctional home. My childhood was filled with fear and torment.

As a young adult trying to live for Christ and follow the Christian lifestyle, I believed that my future would always be marred by my past. I thought, "How can anyone who has the kind of past I do ever be really all right? It's impossible!"

But Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me...He has sent Me to announce release to the captives...." Jesus came to open the prison doors and set the captives free.

I couldn't make any progress until I realized that God wanted to release me from the prison of my past. I had to believe that neither my past nor my present determined my future, unless I let it. I had to let God miraculously set me free.

You may have had a miserable past that continues to affect your present in negative and depressing ways. But I say to you boldly, your future is not determined by your past or your present! Let God break off the chains of your past.

Prayer Starter: God, I believe that You are more powerful than my past. I receive the freedom You give me. My past will not determine my future.

From my Samsung Galaxy Pro GT-B7510
Robin K Brookes
69 Beresford Road,
LOWESTOFT,
NR32 2NQ
UK
Mobile: +447920881439

John 5:17-30

Meditation: Who can claim all authority and power over life and
death itself? Jesus not only made such a claim, he showed God's power to
heal and restore people to wholeness of life. He also showed the mercy
of God by releasing people from their burden of sin and guilt. He even
claimed to have the power to raise the dead to life and to execute judgment
on all the living and dead. The Jewish authorities were troubled with Jesus'
claims and looked for a way to get rid of him. He either had to be a mad
man and an imposter or who he claimed to be – God's divine son. Unfortunately,
they could not accept Jesus' claim to be the Messiah, the anointed one
sent by the Father to redeem his people. They sought to kill him because
he claimed an authority and equality with God which they could not accept.
They failed to recognize that this was God's answer to the long-awaited
prayers of his people: "In a time of favor I have answered you, in a day
of salvation I have helped you" (Isaiah 49:8). Jesus was sent by the Father
as "a covenant to the people" to reconcile them with God and  restore
to them the promise of paradise and everlasting life. Jesus' words and
actions reveal God's mercy and  justice. Jesus fulfills the prophecy
of Isaiah when he brings healing, restoration, and forgiveness to those
who accept his divine message.
The religious authorities charged Jesus as a Sabbath-breaker and a blasphemer.
They wanted to kill Jesus because he claimed equality with God – something
they thought no mortal could say without blaspheming. Little did they understand
that Jesus was both human and divine – the eternal Son with the Father
and the human son, conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary. Jesus
answered their charge of breaking the Sabbath law by demonstrating God's
purpose for creation and redemption – to save and restore life. God's love
and mercy never ceases for a moment. Jesus continues to show the Father's
mercy by healing and restoring people, even on the Sabbath day of rest.
When the religious leaders charged that Jesus was making himself equal
with God, Jesus replied that he was not acting independently of God because
his relationship is a close personal Father-Son relationship. He and the
Father are united in heart, mind, and will. The mind of Jesus is the mind
of God, and the words of Jesus are the words of God.
Jesus also states that his identity with the Father is based on complete
trust and obedience. Jesus always did what his Father wanted him to do.
His obedience was not just based on submission, but on love. He obeyed
because he loved his Father. The unity between Jesus and the Father is
a unity of love – a total giving of oneself for the sake of another. That
is why their mutual love for each other is perfect and complete. The Son
loves the Father and gives himself in total obedience to the Father's will.
The Father loves the Son and shares with him all that he is and has. We
are called to submit our lives to God with the same love, trust, and obedience
which Jesus demonstrated for his Father.
If we wish to understand how God deals with sin and how he responds
to our sinful condition, then we must look to Jesus. Jesus took our sins
upon himself and nailed them to the cross. He, who is equal in dignity
and stature with the Father, became a servant for our sake to ransom us
from slavery to sin. He has the power to forgive us and to restore our
relationship with God because he paid the price for our sins. Jesus states
that to accept him is life
– a life of abundant peace and joy with God. But if we reject him, then
we freely choose for death
– an endless separation with an all-loving and merciful God. Do you want
the abundant life which Jesus offers? Believe in him, the living Word of
God, who became a man for our sake and our salvation, and reject whatever
is false and contrary to the gospel – the good news he came to give us.
"Lord Jesus, increase my love for you and unite my heart and will with
yours, that I may only seek and desire what is pleasing to you."
This reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager (c) 2012, whose website is located at http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings

From my Samsung Galaxy Pro GT-B7510
Robin K Brookes
69 Beresford Road,
LOWESTOFT,
NR32 2NQ
UK
Mobile: +447920881439