Hebrews 4:11-16 (NRSV)

Friday after the First Sunday in Lent

Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs.

Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account. 

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The first thing that jumps out at me as I read through this portion of the letter to the Hebrews is, “the Word of God is living and active.” How many times have you thought that the word of God was the Bible and the Bible was a closed volume? You know, Genesis to Revelation, the canon complete, done! However, to me, what makes it Holy, what makes it scripture, is its ability to speak across generations and across cultures as a living and active work. It isn’t a completed volume, but it’s one that is just began as it writes your book and your chapter of the faith. We are continuations of the word.

The “Word” of God isn’t just what you read on the page. I would also like us to think of the “Word” how the Evangelist John thinks of The Word. The Word that became flesh and dwelt among us. It being the Incarnation of God in the person of Jesus. Then the piece of the passage takes on deeper meaning by saying it is living and active. Jesus continues to be living and active in this world. He is made relevant to this broken world by those who know and love him. Jesus is our defender and healer, but he is also our judge, and in his judgment of us, our true nature is revealed. We can never hide our true self from God.

The writer reminds the Hebrews that Jesus is the connection. He is the Word that is living and active. He is the “High Priest” that is interceding on our behalf. Jesus is fully God and fully human, therefore knows what struggles we encounter in this world. He makes God accessible and approachable. Therefore, we are called to hold fast to our connection with Christ in the midst of our struggles. In our time of need, we are able to find God’s understanding, favor and forgiveness because of Christ.

John 1:9-14 (NRSV)

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.  He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.  But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.  And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

Today is the Feast of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary (transferred from 3/25).  The Gospel appointed for the Daily Office is part of the prologue of John.  I’m not sure why this scripture was chosen to mark this event.  The phrase that stands out is, “the world did not know him.”

This portion of the prologue almost acts as a summary of who Jesus is and what happened to him.  Very simply, Jesus was the “true light” that enlightens everyone.  He is God (world came into being through him).  His own people didn’t accept him (ridiculed and criticized by the Pharisees and Scribes of the Jewish faith).  Those who believed and received him were born of God by his power (Holy Baptism).  He shows forth the glory of God, full of grace and truth.

The call today is “know him.”  If we know Jesus, and we are born of God, we can become children of God.  Therefore, in that context, we are heirs that have a share in the resurrection.  We are to “know Jesus.”  But not only to know Jesus, we are to make him known.

John 8:46-59 (NRSV)

Which of you convicts me of sin?  If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?  Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God."  The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?"  Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.  Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge.  Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death."  The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, 'Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.'  Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?"  Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, 'He is our God,' though you do not know him. But I know him; if I would say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word.  Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad."  Then the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"  Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am."  So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

Again, we leave our weekly progression through Mark and we take a detour into the Gospel according to John.  Today we are faced with Jesus being confronted again by the “Jews” who wish to convict him of blasphemy.  The daily lectionary repeats the exact reading that we heard on February 11, 2012; give or take a verse.  The idea that gets my attention today is that they call Jesus a Samaritan, which is ironic because Samaritans do not believe in the resurrection (and Jesus rises from the dead).

The questions continue about the identity of Jesus, and about where his power and abilities come from.  They have now come to the conclusion that Jesus must have a demon.  Jesus tries to explain that his abilities and his glory comes only from God, and that God is the source of all and the judge of all.  Jesus tries to explain his connection to God by telling them that he was before Abraham.

The call that I hear today is “be a keeper of the Word.”  Jesus says that whoever keeps his word will never taste death.  Therefore, everlasting life is the reward of being a “keeper of the Word.”  How do we keep the Word of God, which we know to be Jesus the Christ?  We keep him in faith and practice.  We keep him in trust for others.  To be keepers of the word, we need to be a sharer of the word.  In order to do this, I suggest that we live as St. Francis suggested, “preach the Gospel at all times.  When necessary, use words!”

Mark 4:21-34 (NRSV)

[Jesus] said to them, 'Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light.  Let anyone with ears to hear listen!'  And he said to them, 'Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you.  For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.'  He also said, 'The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.  The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.  But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.'  He also said, 'With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it?  It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.'  With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

“Come to light” is the phrase that stands out today.  Jesus continues to teach in the 4^th chapter of Mark, and makes an argument for the proper use of light, insinuating that light isn’t any good to anyone or anything if it is hidden or isn’t used properly (under a basket or under a bed).  However, if it is put on a lampstand, then it serves it’s purpose.

The passage continues to unfold in the same manner.  Like the light, Jesus tells those he is teaching (we included) that we will be given a measure (Word).  What we do with that measure…  if we serve its purpose, then more will be given.  However, if we ignore its purpose…  if we have nothing, we will loose everything.  More simply put, if we choose to ignore God’s word or if refuse to listen to God’s word, then we will loose an eternity with God.

Jesus continues with the agricultural imagery in his explanation of the Kingdom of God.  He chooses the parable of the mustard seed.  This continues the seed explanation from yesterday’s reflection about the seed cast on good soil.  If the smallest of seeds can produce the greatest of shrubs with great, strong branches, then how much more could we do as receivers and cultivators of the Word.  From the smallest amounts of the received and acted on Word of God, great things can come to build up the Kingdom of God.  The passage says that Jesus continued to speak to his followers in parables, but explained everything to his disciples.

Today, I feel that the call is to make sure that God’s Word is heard and acted on.  It is one thing to hear the Word and it’s another to put it into action.  We can do this in our faith communities, in our families, and in our work places.  I had a friend once that helped me think of my job as ministry, regardless of what it was.  We should figure out how what we do brings glory to God and reconciles the world to Christ.  This will help us bring meaning to our lives as we put God’s Word and God’s love into action.

Mark 4:1-20 (NRSV)

Again [Jesus] began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.  He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 'Listen! A sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil.  And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away.  Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.  Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.'  And he said, 'Let anyone with ears to hear listen!'  When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables.  And he said to them, 'To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that "they may indeed look, but not perceive, and may indeed listen, but not understand; so that they may not turn again and be forgiven."'  And he said to them, 'Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables?  The sower sows the word.  These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.  And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy.  But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.  And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing.  And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.'

This passage, which immediately follows where we left off yesterday, oddly starts with Jesus teaching them “beside the sea” in parables.  It is interesting that this particular parable is not only a parable, but an explanation of the parable.  This is helpful when reading it 2000 years later.  What jumps out to me is that Jesus teaches them many things “in parables.”  The word "parable" comes from the Greek παραβολή (parabolē), that means "comparison, illustration, or analogy.”  It is a succinct story, which illustrates a lesson, or sometimes an instructive or normative principle.

It is worth pointing out that Jesus is teaching using the analogy of a sower in an agricultural society.  This is a great idea.  People new how to plant and harvest, their life depended on it.  Not like today when folks have gardens in their back yard to grow fresh vegetables.  If you didn’t sow wisely, you didn’t reap, and you would probably starve.  One would think that by using this reference, people would more than likely understand what Jesus was talking about, but that isn’t the case.

So, we get a rare opportunity to hear Jesus explain what he is talking about.  He explains how the seed is word (aka Word of God, the Good News, the Gospel, etc…).  Call it what you will.  The path, the rocky ground, thorns, and good soil are all the hearers or receivers of the word.

Jesus relates the Word to the receiver in the agricultural analogy clarifying that good soil bears good fruit.  In other words, the hearer that receives the Word of God, takes it to heart, and acts on it, will in turn do the good work to build up the Kingdom of God.  The call in the scripture today is be good soil!  Be soil on which when the word of God (the seed) falls, it takes it in and acts on it to produce good fruit for the Kingdom of God.

John 8:47-59 (NRSV)

Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God."  The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?"  Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.  Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge.  Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death."  The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon.  Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, 'Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.'  Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died?  The prophets also died.  Who do you claim to be?"  Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, 'He is our God,' though you do not know him.  But I know him; if I would say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word.   Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad."  Then the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"   Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am."   So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.



“They picked up stones to throw at him.”  I think that Jesus has finally reached a point with the leaders that he had no other choice other than to hide and then duck out.  The continued dialogue upsets the Jews to the point of accusing Jesus of having a demon.  They also call him a Samaritan, which is understandable because the Samaritans thought they were the true keepers of the Abrahamic religion prior to the Babylonian exile.

In the past few days, the readings have been leading up to this scene. The Jews (notably the Pharisees and scribes – the leaders) who want to trap Jesus on one side, and Jesus preaching and teaching and offering a new way to everlasting life on the other. The leaders of the community have their authority put into question. 

Jesus thwarts the Jews with his claim to be from God.  They don’t believe him and continue to challenge him bringing up Abraham and the prophets.  Jesus infuriates them by telling them that he was before Abraham.  This leads to the threat of the stones.

The call today is to be firm in our faith; be not only hearers of the word but doers.  Jesus is the perfect teacher and does not base his claims on what he says but on what he does (healing, forgiving, teaching).  The word of Jesus is the word of God and gives life and power to those who believe.  Jesus shows us the way that leads to 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 we doers of God's word, or hearers only?

John 8:33-47 (NRSV)

They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone.  What do you mean by saying, 'You will be made free'?"  Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.  The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever.  So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.  I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you look for an opportunity to kill me, because there is no place in you for my word.  I declare what I have seen in the Father's presence; as for you, you should do what you have heard from the Father."  They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing what Abraham did, but now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.  This is not what Abraham did.  You are indeed doing what your father does." They said to him, "We are not illegitimate children; we have one father, God himself."  Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here.  I did not come on my own, but he sent me.  Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot accept my word.  You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father's desires.  He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.  But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.  Which of you convicts me of sin?  If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?  Whoever is from God hears the words of God.  The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God."

My initial thought surrounds Jesus’ statement, “there is no place in you for my word.”  Jesus continues to banter with the Pharisees and scribes who don’t understand what he is trying to tell them.  They seem like they aren’t even trying to understand.

Jesus continues to explain his identity in this passage - and how his word is from God and contains truths that not everyone understands (especially the scribes and Pharisaic leaders).  This his because of who he is.  The leaders are quick to assert their Abrahamic heritage, claiming their inheritance of God’s favor as God’s chosen people.  Jesus is aware of the schemes to trap him and kill him and in turn points out that the leaders have no idea what it means to love God, because they do not love him.   He then compares them to children of the devil.  The lies about Jesus and deception has clouded their minds and made them unable to comprehend the truth that is right in front of them.

I feel that our call today is trust.  Trust in Jesus to lead the way; trust in his truth; trust in his leadership and his teaching.  Trust that he is God that came to reconcile the world.  If we are receivers of Jesus’ words with an open mind, and let them resonate in our soul, then we uncloud our minds and hear the word of God.