WHAT CAN A WEEK HOLD?
Assoc. Pastor Tammy Rottschaefer
WHAT CAN A WEEK HOLD? ....
Well, here we finally are! We have once again entered Holy Week. As Christians, each year we "wade in the water" of Jesus the Christ's final week of human earthly life. It's frustrating though. We've just gotten a good party goin' this morning with a little palm waving, if even only in our imaginations...and its interrupted...by challenges of life. Not only the repeated stories of Jesus' troubles, but everyday troubles of our own as well.
This weeks prayer concerns in our midst have grown...
Joan was taken by ambulance and is currently hospitalized with breathing difficulties due to blood clots found in her lungs. She is improving and has asked for our prayers.
CJ has spent the week battling the flu...mid-week, she too was at the hospital having a CT scan to rule out appendicitis.
We are reminded of Carol's co-worker and his teenage sons, as they continue to grieve the loss of wife and mother.
Family of Tom
Jerry
Amy
Dennis Sr. and Maria
We hold our own personal joys and concerns as well.
And, we hold the world around us...our neighborhood at the church as well as near each of our own homes. We hold concerning news stories that we've already heard about even before this morning's church service.
We try to hold the Palms signaling "triumphal" life...while we hold the news of the day from all of life's sources...the joys and the concerns.
It can get to be a handful! (WAVE PALMS WITH NEWSPAPERS!)
Here we are, alive so many years after initial tellings of Jesus earthly life, death, resurrection and ascension....and long before this morning's waving of palms to recall the welcome for Jesus, plans for our Maundy Thursday Service with Linden Hills UCC folks in their church building this week, and a Good Friday Prayer Station Walk at Linden Hills UCC on Friday evening have been underway.
Sometimes, when tiring out before and during this holy week, I need to keep my palms, colorfully dyed Easter eggs, basin and towel, malted milk balls, loaf and cup, jelly beans, crosses and tombs, marshmallow chicks, burial sheets, Easter baskets with cream-filled Chocolate Cadbury eggs all sorted out and put in their proper day and proper perspective.
Life is, and always has been, for just about everyone...this kind of a juggling act!
As Christ followers, we are ones who repeat stories of Jesus earthly life, death and resurrection....over and over in the midst of living out our own earthly lives. And sometimes...folks ask why...why do you, why do we, repeat the stories over and over? Sometimes, kids in Sunday School want to know...Do we have to listen to that story over again?
I say...quietly... yes. Standing here ...all of you sitting here ... tells us all that we are called to tell the story in ways that make weaves it into our own life's story.
And so it goes....
When day dimmed down to deep'ning dark
the crowd began to fade
‘til only trampled leaves and bark
were left from the parade.
(Quoted from A Cheering, Chanting, Dizzy Crowd, Chalice Hymnal #193)
During this week...even before we jump to Maundy Thursday, Jesus spent his time giving final instructions...listen to the list the Book of Matthew records from Chapters 21 - 26:
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
Curses the Fig Tree
Jesus Teaches:
The Parable of the Two Sons (the teller of truth, not the son who tells what is the hoped for answer)
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
The Question about Paying Taxes
Question about the Resurrection and Marriage
The Greatest Commandment
Jesus denounces the practices of the Scribes & Pharisees of lording the rules over
others but not following them themselves
The Lament over Jerusalem
The Destruction of the Temple Foretold
Signs of the End of the Age
Persecution Foretold
The Coming of the Son of Man
The Necessity for Watchfulness
The Faithful and Unfaithful Servant
The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids
The Parable of the Talents
The Judgment of the Nations....
...Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it (feed, clothe, shelter, release) to
the least of these, you did not do it to me.
Lest we be fooled because our hearts
have surged with passing praise,
remind us, God as this week starts
where Christ has fixed his gaze.
(Quoted from A Cheering, Chanting, Dizzy Crowd, Chalice Hymnal #193)
LEST WE BE FOOLED IN OUR HEARTS...
The week's teachings...a lifetime of teachings is followed up by:
The Plot to kill Jesus DENIAL
His anointing with costly ointment, by an unknown woman (the disciples
considered this wasteful...remember?) DENIAL
The Passover
The Last Supper
PETER'S DENIAL
Jesus Prays at Gethsemane.... Mt. 26:36-46 (NRSV)
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.' 37He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated. 38Then he said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.' 39And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.' 40Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, ‘So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? 41Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial;* the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.' 42Again he went away for the second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.' 43Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. 45Then he came to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.'
__________________________________
I end this morning's telling with the reminder that we are no more superhuman than Peter, Judas, or any of the other disciples that ultimately DENIED the living, loving lordship of Jesus Christ in order not to be crucified themselves. And though we gathered here this morning, we most likely are not here because of our own experiences with daily persecution for practicing our faith. Yet we are aware that persecution for following Jesus Christ does still occur on the planet...so we gather for ourselves and others.
We gather because Jesus does remind us to always be ready to offer LIVING & TELLING of our own story in through the lens of Christ's eternal living love for God, self and neighbor. Jesus helps us on the way ‘getting along.' in life... no matter when death occurs. Because death is not the final word.
This week...take your own Bible and read Chapters 21-27 in the Gospel of Matthew.
We are disciples too...with just as much human vulnerability that encourages our own DENIAL of Jesus as the Messiah... as God's love surrounding us to save us from ourselves for the salving and resurrection of life all around us.
Life...we are each given our own cross...bearing burdens...singing joys...living, loving, laughing, celebrating, sleeping, crying, grieving, healing.... joyous salving in God's gift of LIFE!
Walk this week...this Holy Week, and the next holy week...in its ups and downs...
And pray...always pray... together ...
WHAT CAN A WEEK HOLD?
Assoc. Pastor Tammy Rottschaefer
WHAT CAN A WEEK HOLD? ....
Well, here we finally are! We have once again entered Holy Week. As Christians, each year we "wade in the water" of Jesus the Christ's final week of human earthly life.
It's frustrating though. We've just gotten a good party goin' this morning with a little palm waving, if even only in our imaginations...and its interrupted...by challenges of life. Not only the repeated stories of Jesus' troubles, but everyday troubles of our own as well.
This weeks prayer concerns in our midst have grown...
Joan was taken by ambulance and is currently hospitalized with breathing difficulties due to blood clots found in her lungs. She is improving and has asked for our prayers.
CJ has spent the week battling the flu...mid-week, she too was at the hospital having a CT scan to rule out appendicitis.
We are reminded of Carol's co-worker and his teenage sons, as they continue to grieve the loss of wife and mother.
Family of Tom
Jerry
Amy
Dennis Sr. and Maria
We hold our own personal joys and concerns as well.
And, we hold the world around us...our neighborhood at the church as well as near each of our own homes. We hold concerning news stories that we've already heard about even before this morning's church service.
We try to hold the Palms signaling "triumphal" life...while we hold the news of the day from all of life's sources...the joys and the concerns.
It can get to be a handful! (WAVE PALMS WITH NEWSPAPERS!)
Here we are, alive so many years after initial tellings of Jesus earthly life, death, resurrection and ascension....and long before this morning's waving of palms to recall the welcome for Jesus, plans for our Maundy Thursday Service with Linden Hills UCC folks in their church building this week, and a Good Friday Prayer Station Walk at Linden Hills UCC on Friday evening have been underway.
Sometimes, when tiring out before and during this holy week, I need to keep my palms, colorfully dyed Easter eggs, basin and towel, malted milk balls, loaf and cup, jelly beans, crosses and tombs, marshmallow chicks, burial sheets, Easter baskets with cream-filled Chocolate Cadbury eggs all sorted out and put in their proper day and proper perspective.
Life is, and always has been, for just about everyone...this kind of a juggling act!
As Christ followers, we are ones who repeat stories of Jesus earthly life, death and resurrection....over and over in the midst of living out our own earthly lives. And sometimes...folks ask why...why do you, why do we, repeat the stories over and over? Sometimes, kids in Sunday School want to know...Do we have to listen to that story over again?
I say...quietly... yes. Standing here ...all of you sitting here ... tells us all that we are called to tell the story in ways that make weaves it into our own life's story.
And so it goes....
When day dimmed down to deep'ning dark
the crowd began to fade
‘til only trampled leaves and bark
were left from the parade.
(Quoted from A Cheering, Chanting, Dizzy Crowd, Chalice Hymnal #193)
During this week...even before we jump to Maundy Thursday, Jesus spent his time giving final instructions...listen to the list the Book of Matthew records from Chapters 21 - 26:
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
Curses the Fig Tree
Jesus Teaches:
The Parable of the Two Sons (the teller of truth, not the son who tells what is the hoped for answer)
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
The Question about Paying Taxes
Question about the Resurrection and Marriage
The Greatest Commandment
Jesus denounces the practices of the Scribes & Pharisees of lording the rules over
others but not following them themselves
The Lament over Jerusalem
The Destruction of the Temple Foretold
Signs of the End of the Age
Persecution Foretold
The Coming of the Son of Man
The Necessity for Watchfulness
The Faithful and Unfaithful Servant
The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids
The Parable of the Talents
The Judgment of the Nations....
...Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it (feed, clothe, shelter, release) to
the least of these, you did not do it to me.
Lest we be fooled because our hearts
have surged with passing praise,
remind us, God as this week starts
where Christ has fixed his gaze.
(Quoted from A Cheering, Chanting, Dizzy Crowd, Chalice Hymnal #193)
LEST WE BE FOOLED IN OUR HEARTS...
The week's teachings...a lifetime of teachings is followed up by:
The Plot to kill Jesus DENIAL
His anointing with costly ointment, by an unknown woman (the disciples
considered this wasteful...remember?) DENIAL
The Passover
The Last Supper
PETER'S DENIAL
Jesus Prays at Gethsemane.... Mt. 26:36-46 (NRSV)
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.' 37He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated. 38Then he said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.' 39And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.' 40Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, ‘So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? 41Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial;* the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.' 42Again he went away for the second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.' 43Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. 45Then he came to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.'
__________________________________
I end this morning's telling with the reminder that we are no more superhuman than Peter, Judas, or any of the other disciples that ultimately DENIED the living, loving lordship of Jesus Christ in order not to be crucified themselves. And though we gathered here this morning, we most likely are not here because of our own experiences with daily persecution for practicing our faith. Yet we are aware that persecution for following Jesus Christ does still occur on the planet...so we gather for ourselves and others.
We gather because Jesus does remind us to always be ready to offer LIVING & TELLING of our own story in through the lens of Christ's eternal living love for God, self and neighbor. Jesus helps us on the way ‘getting along.' in life... no matter when death occurs. Because death is not the final word.
This week...take your own Bible and read Chapters 21-27 in the Gospel of Matthew.
We are disciples too...with just as much human vulnerability that encourages our own DENIAL of Jesus as the Messiah... as God's love surrounding us to save us from ourselves for the salving and resurrection of life all around us.
Life...we are each given our own cross...bearing burdens...singing joys...living, loving, laughing, celebrating, sleeping, crying, grieving, healing.... joyous salving in God's gift of LIFE!
Walk this week...this Holy Week, and the next holy week...in its ups and downs...
And pray...always pray... together ...
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