Friends,
This is the final blog that I will post at this site. I have had some technical difficulties and switched to a new site. I have totally transferred everything from this site to the new one. You will be able to continue your Lenten Reflection readings at the new site.
Please visit The Pastor's Ponderings at its new location:
http://revtdg.wordpress.com
Visit me at the new blog and bookmark the new address.
Terry Goodman
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Saturday, March 03, 2007
God's Love for Your Enemies
Daily Lectionary Reading
Psalm 55
Deuteronomy 11:18-28
Hebrews 5:1-10
John 4:1-26
John 4:1-26 New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
John 4
Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman
1The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, 2although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.
4Now he had to go through Samaria. 5So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" 8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])
10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
11"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"
13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
15The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."
16He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."
17"I have no husband," she replied.
Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. 18The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."
19"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. 20Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."
21Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
25The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."
26Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."
--------
As Jesus is moving from one region to another, he passes through Samaria. Let's just say, there was no love lost between the Jews and the Samaritans. Yet on his journey he stops about noon at Jacob's well. He was tired, thirsty and hungry. The disciples had gone to get food, but the thirst could be quenched at the well. The only problem was that he had no way of getting the water. In addition, it was customary for water to be drawn from the well during the early morning hours when things were cooler. Thus, he really shouldn't expect anyone to be there at this time of day. Yet, a Samaritan woman did approach. Some suggest that she may have been an outcast of sorts within the village since she didn't come early in the morning when the other women of the town came. Whatever her situation, we can only guess.
What we can be sure of, though, is that she was no different than Nicodemus. Her spiritual sight was just as blind as his. Jesus begins talking with her about "living water". She talks with him about physical water. He talks about a water that can quench an eternal thirst. She talks about water to satisfy her physical thirst. She makes reference to a coming Messiah, he proclaims that "I who speak to you am he."
To a Samaritan woman Jesus reveals that he is Messiah. She was from an outcast race and she was a woman. Men just didn't talk to strange women and yet here was Jesus not only talking but teaching and revealing who he was to her.
That suggests that there is hope for everyone. If he would reveal God's plan to her, then it is also available to me.
---------
Prayer: Lord, though I don't deserve to hear your Good News, thank you for revealing it to me.
Psalm 55
Deuteronomy 11:18-28
Hebrews 5:1-10
John 4:1-26
John 4:1-26 New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
John 4
Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman
1The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, 2although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.
4Now he had to go through Samaria. 5So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" 8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])
10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
11"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"
13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
15The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."
16He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."
17"I have no husband," she replied.
Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. 18The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."
19"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. 20Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."
21Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
25The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."
26Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."
--------
As Jesus is moving from one region to another, he passes through Samaria. Let's just say, there was no love lost between the Jews and the Samaritans. Yet on his journey he stops about noon at Jacob's well. He was tired, thirsty and hungry. The disciples had gone to get food, but the thirst could be quenched at the well. The only problem was that he had no way of getting the water. In addition, it was customary for water to be drawn from the well during the early morning hours when things were cooler. Thus, he really shouldn't expect anyone to be there at this time of day. Yet, a Samaritan woman did approach. Some suggest that she may have been an outcast of sorts within the village since she didn't come early in the morning when the other women of the town came. Whatever her situation, we can only guess.
What we can be sure of, though, is that she was no different than Nicodemus. Her spiritual sight was just as blind as his. Jesus begins talking with her about "living water". She talks with him about physical water. He talks about a water that can quench an eternal thirst. She talks about water to satisfy her physical thirst. She makes reference to a coming Messiah, he proclaims that "I who speak to you am he."
To a Samaritan woman Jesus reveals that he is Messiah. She was from an outcast race and she was a woman. Men just didn't talk to strange women and yet here was Jesus not only talking but teaching and revealing who he was to her.
That suggests that there is hope for everyone. If he would reveal God's plan to her, then it is also available to me.
---------
Prayer: Lord, though I don't deserve to hear your Good News, thank you for revealing it to me.
Friday, March 02, 2007
A Graceful Exit
Daily Lectionary Reading
Psalm 40
Deuteronomy 10:12-22
Hebrews 4:11-16
John 3:22-36
John 3:22-36 New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
John the Baptist's Testimony About Jesus
22After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. 24(This was before John was put in prison.) 25An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew[a] over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."
27To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ[b] but am sent ahead of him.' 29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30He must become greater; I must become less.
31"The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God[c] gives the Spirit without limit. 35The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."[d]
----------
John the Baptist comes back into the picture long enough to be pushed out of the picture. Jesus and his followers are now baptising and some folks come to John basically saying, "It look's like that guy you baptized. The special one. Is stealing some of your thunder."
John responds in a Godly manner. He does not become indignant. He does not put down Jesus' ministry. Rather he reflects on how God's plan is unveiling itself. He sees himself as a helper in God's plan and not as the central figure. He refers to the joy he had in helping get things ready for Jesus' coming and now he states, "He must become greater; I must become less."
I wish that some of us could have that same humble attitude toward serving God. We've all know of persons that have for years served in a particular role in the church. Everyone around can see that the time has come for the person to step down. Yet he or she doesn't. They want to remain in center stage rather than let the person with the true gifts and graces take over. Perhaps, we can all learn from John the Baptist.
---------
Prayer: Lord, help me to understand my role in your plan and help me to step aside and let others lead when my role is completed.
Psalm 40
Deuteronomy 10:12-22
Hebrews 4:11-16
John 3:22-36
John 3:22-36 New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
John the Baptist's Testimony About Jesus
22After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. 24(This was before John was put in prison.) 25An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew[a] over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."
27To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ[b] but am sent ahead of him.' 29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30He must become greater; I must become less.
31"The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God[c] gives the Spirit without limit. 35The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."[d]
----------
John the Baptist comes back into the picture long enough to be pushed out of the picture. Jesus and his followers are now baptising and some folks come to John basically saying, "It look's like that guy you baptized. The special one. Is stealing some of your thunder."
John responds in a Godly manner. He does not become indignant. He does not put down Jesus' ministry. Rather he reflects on how God's plan is unveiling itself. He sees himself as a helper in God's plan and not as the central figure. He refers to the joy he had in helping get things ready for Jesus' coming and now he states, "He must become greater; I must become less."
I wish that some of us could have that same humble attitude toward serving God. We've all know of persons that have for years served in a particular role in the church. Everyone around can see that the time has come for the person to step down. Yet he or she doesn't. They want to remain in center stage rather than let the person with the true gifts and graces take over. Perhaps, we can all learn from John the Baptist.
---------
Prayer: Lord, help me to understand my role in your plan and help me to step aside and let others lead when my role is completed.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
You Can't Have it Both Ways
Daily Lectionary Reading
Psalm 50
Deuteronomy 9:23-10:5
Hebrews 4:1-10
John 3:16-21
John 3:16-21
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.[b] 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."[c]
----------
The story of Nicodemus and his encounter with Jesus continues with today's reading. It begins with, perhaps the best know verse in the Bible--John 3:16. Jesus is trying to explain eternal life to a man that cannot see what he is talking about. I find it interesting that Jesus refers to himself at Light. "Light that has come to the world." He knows that Nicodemus, as brilliant as he might be, is still literally in the dark when it comes to understanding God's plan for humanity. Jesus proclaims, "men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." He then goes on to equate a right relationship with God with living in truth. Those that live in truth have come into the light.
This light and dark theme will appear at other places in John's Gospel. I especially like the fact that there is no gray area. Jesus paints it rather plainly, you are either in the light or you are in the dark. There is no in between. You can't have one foot in the light and the other in the dark. You are either on board with God's plan or you are firmly in the world's grasp. Too many Christians like to think that they can have it both ways. It's okay to be lax in one area of my life as long as I am strong in another. I don't think that this is what Jesus is saying. Either we believe or we don't. There's no middle ground.
----------
Prayer: Lord, help us to believe and stand firmly in the Light.
Psalm 50
Deuteronomy 9:23-10:5
Hebrews 4:1-10
John 3:16-21
John 3:16-21
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.[b] 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."[c]
----------
The story of Nicodemus and his encounter with Jesus continues with today's reading. It begins with, perhaps the best know verse in the Bible--John 3:16. Jesus is trying to explain eternal life to a man that cannot see what he is talking about. I find it interesting that Jesus refers to himself at Light. "Light that has come to the world." He knows that Nicodemus, as brilliant as he might be, is still literally in the dark when it comes to understanding God's plan for humanity. Jesus proclaims, "men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." He then goes on to equate a right relationship with God with living in truth. Those that live in truth have come into the light.
This light and dark theme will appear at other places in John's Gospel. I especially like the fact that there is no gray area. Jesus paints it rather plainly, you are either in the light or you are in the dark. There is no in between. You can't have one foot in the light and the other in the dark. You are either on board with God's plan or you are firmly in the world's grasp. Too many Christians like to think that they can have it both ways. It's okay to be lax in one area of my life as long as I am strong in another. I don't think that this is what Jesus is saying. Either we believe or we don't. There's no middle ground.
----------
Prayer: Lord, help us to believe and stand firmly in the Light.
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