Reflexion, A Spiritual Community

Meditations In Mark - ch. 10 05/14/2023

When Nicodemus visited Jesus, his first words were, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God Nicodemus was correct -- Jesus is a teacher - Mark tells us teaching people Jesus' “custom” – his usual response when people showed up • that is what we witness as we watch Jesus move through this chapter • Jesus never ran out of things to say ◦ and every word he spoke was enlightenment - one of his teaching techniques was that he allowed people to ask questions • and when they did, he ty...

Meditations in Mark 9

There are at least two ways to read the Bible We can dive into it head-first or we can enter with our heart – of course it’s important to think about what we’re reading • but it’s also important to feel what we read ◦ to be responsive to the content of the text and how it affects us • I study Scriptures with my head and meditate with my heart – my meditations are mostly private • they consist of what God speaks to me regarding my own issues ◦ so why am I sharing my meditations in Mark’s gos...

Meditations In Mark - chapter 8

We are at the center of Mark’s gospel, heart of his message – the hub of the wheel In chapter 8 Mark pulls everything together  - Jesus Christ appeared in the world on a mission • he came to introduce people to the kingdom of God • but making them aware of God’s presence and kingdom proved to be extremely difficult ◦ it is not easy for us to awaken to God’s Spirit - this chapter reveals the tension our worldly mind and spiritual mind more clearly than any other • I tried to describe this te...

Meditations in Mark - chapter 7

I have been blessed with a number of extraordinary friends One of them was incredibly creative - he could hardly complete a project, because he was constantly distracted by new idea • sometimes I would call him when feeling depressed • his creativity was so inspiring, it changed my outlook - he agreed to fill-in for me as a guest speaker • it took him awhile to come up with a title for his talk, but eventually emailed it to me: “Don’t Be the Kind of Christian There Are Already Too Many Of” ...

Meditations in Mark Chapter 6

Years ago, a woman who worked at the church experienced an emotional or psychological breakdown – her therapist recommended a clinic for in-patient care • when she was allowed visitors, her family asked me to go see her • right away I noticed she looked different – lighter, like a weight had been lifted ◦ she was definitely in a better frame of mind ◦ brighter, positive and hopeful – she explained that to get well, she had to detach from her family • she could no longer be around them ◦ hear...

Easter 2023

Every year, one line from the Easter story comes to mind I decided that I would talk about that line today - the women came early in the morning, • and they found the tomb, but they did not find Jesus • however, two men met them, dressed in dazzling apparel ◦ I don’t know about their "apparel," but that sounds like "Project Runway" to me ◦ the only other time Luke uses the word for dazzling, it’s translated “lightning” (later they’re referred to as “angels”--vv. 22-23) they said to them, “W...

Mediations in Mark chapter 6

Meditations in Mark Chapter 5

I have enjoyed this story ever since I was a child When spending the night with cousins or friends, - we would sit in the dark and tell ghost stories • it surprised me to find one of the spookiest of ghost stories in Mark's gospel ◦ and this one is true – it really happened ◦ Mark turns flashlight into his face and tells "The Legend of Legion" • “It all began on the other side of the sea” ◦ this is like saying, “the other side of the tracks” -- it was a bad neighborhood ◦ it was Gentile ter...

Meditations in Mark Chapter 4

I’ve enjoyed the privilege of walking the shores of the Galilee "sea" Sometimes in the early morning, other times in the afternoon, and some evenings as well - so once, when reading this chapter, I put myself there • Jesus could be seen walking those shores frequently ◦ that’s what he was doing when he called his first disciples (Mk. 1:16-20) • in the previous chapter, people found him there ◦ so many, in fact that the press of the crowd threatened to crush him (Mk. 3:8-9) ◦ what he did the...

Meditations in Mark 3

Meditations In Mark Chapter 2

If you haven’t noticed, There’s a pattern that many sermons and Christian books follow – the preacher or author begin with a problem: • what Christians or churches are doing wrong – or not doing • then in the sermon or book they set out to solve the problem ◦ for instance, what we’re supposed to do and how to do it right – every week people hear their preacher begin by pointing out their shortcomings • not praying enough, giving enough, their faith isn’t strong enough, etc. • people go to c...

Meditations In Mark Chapter 1

Last week a friend asked me “What Bible book to read to get to know Jesus–the person?” – my immediate answer was Mark’s gospel • that’s the book where I meet Jesus – and feel that I’m drawn close to him ◦ this is my experience, even though Mark is most condensed of the four Gospels • in fact, he tends to downplay some of the exciting episodes ◦ for instance, Jesus’ temptation (Mk. 1:12-13) – blink and you’ll miss it – for forty plus years I have read and re-read this book, • spending time in...

Deuteronomy 3:23-27

 Growing up, our family vacation was Christian summer camp  We would drive through deserts of California and Arizona to Williams - we traveled without air-conditioning and with games that grew old fast • three of us older children were crammed in the back seat and fought a lot defending our invisible walls • children can make that kind of eight hour journey miserable - imagine the agitation of that drive and multiply it times 600,000 • then, extend the travel time from eight hours to forty...

Numbers 11 -Moses' "Staff Meeting"

This is an odd story.  Not only for the strange miracle that God sets up, - but also because it seems unnecessary in the context of the larger narrative • the people of Israel were disappointed and discouraged ◦ their situation was primed for discontent and insurrection • four rebellions had been staged and subdued: ◦ Moses’ sister and brother (ch. 12) ◦ the whole nation turned from God at the border of Canaan (ch. 14) ◦ a clan of rebels that refused to follow Moses any further (16:1-3, 12-3...

Numbers 11 - The Rod of Arron

The Mystery of the Parables

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites. Show me the coin for the tax.” And they ...

For times like these

Jim Calhoun We live in an anxious age. I think I begin most of my talks with this observation. But we need to remind ourselves that today has its own flavor. That today isn’t just like yesterday. We haven’t been here before. We continue to observe a decline in civility, of decency. We continue to observe increasing aggression in words, in deeds. On the road, at the market, between friends and acquaintances. Our culture, our society is changing and it is creating pressure on people and grou...

Finding God's Will for Your Life

Intro: I wasn’t going to mention anything about depression today Everyone goes through stuff – and we just have to ride it out - I feel like the poet who in Psalm 13 asks God, How long, O LORD, Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul  and have sorrow in my heart all the day? (Ps. 13:1-2)

Don't Be Like the Gentiles

You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? ...

New Years Day morning devotional

Is there anything Christmas brings that can last the whole year?  The answer is obvious: Christmas brings Jesus Christ - his last words to the disciples in Matthew’s gospel: And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Mt. 28:20) 

Christmas 2022

Advent Sunday - Love

The oracle of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” Malachi 1:1-3

Advent Sunday - Joy

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you;  righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey,  on a colt, the foal of a donkey. . . .  and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea,  and from the River to the ends of the earth Zechariah 9:9-10

Phil Aguilar

Advent Sunday - Hope

When St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, he told them, He was impressed by three qualities that they demonstrated: your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thes. 1:3) - faith, love, and hope – essential building blocks of a Christian life So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love (1 Cor. 13:13) • Paul may have looked for evidence of these traits in the churches he visited • do they walk by faith, han...

Luke 22:39

Steve Gumaer

Luke 21:34-36

I feel like we’ve taken an intensive course – on prayer Luke provides lessons Jesus taught on prayer that are not not found in the other gospels – he has also reported times Jesus prayed than no one else recorded • so it has taken us a long time to get this far • Luke is a rich source information and it is helpful to learn what he has to tell us – the prayers we’ll look at today are pretty basic • there’s no new form of prayer and nothing exotic • nevertheless, the situation of each prayer ...

Luke 19:45-46

I try not to say much about prayers that go wrong There is no good reason to feel nervous about praying – we’re children coming to a good, loving Father to ask for bread • in fact, Jesus taught us to use prayer to rid ourselves of anxiety ◦ we can ease into prayer and find rest in God’s presence • you will pray right, if your heart is right – so we pray with confidence, but we also know that prayer can malfunction • that’s what we’ll learn from Jesus in our two passages from Luke’s Gospel ...

Luke 18:9-14

Before we jump into these verses, take a breath Remember who is telling the story – he is not a stranger – we know this person – this storyteller • we met him when as children we were dragged to church ◦ or when a friend first introduced us ◦ or when we picked up the Bible and read one of the Gospels • we know Jesus, we trust him with our lives, and we love him – it’s good for us to occasionally clear our calendar, • perhaps go on retreat or find our own place of quiet solitude ◦ and there,...

Luke 18:1-8

A friend once told me, I had changed his thoughts about Jesus This man was a few years older than I, and a deep thinker - he had an unusual perspective on things that I found interesting • what he said was that the way I talked about Jesus had bugged him • he had a very manly, tough and unflinching image of Jesus ◦ but I emphasized his tenderness, kindness, and compassion ◦ he equated those qualities with weakness and vulnerability, not masculinity - what happened for him is, he began to se...

Luke 11:11-13

Jesus asked a question, and immediately we see that it is rhetorical He wasn’t looking for an answer – he was making a point - when we went through the previous parable, we learned, • when Jesus began a question with, "Who among you?" ◦ the answer is already known and always negative ◦ “None of us would act this way” or “No one would do such a thing” - Jesus poses this question in a story-like setting • there’s a father and there’s his son ◦ Jesus invites his listeners into this story world...

Luke 11:9-10

Jesus has just used a parable to encourage his disciples to pray He is about to illustrate a condition of prayer with another parable - but between the two parables, he does something unusual • Jesus tells them how to respond to these parables And I tell you could be translated So I tell you or Likewise, I tell you ◦ Jesus connects the statement in verses 9-10 to the parable that came before • most of the time, he lets the parables speak for themselves ◦ he would teased their minds with a m...

Luke 11:1

We have come to an important waypoint in our journey A message that has been forming the behind curtain is brought onto the stage – alongside the story, Jesus has taken time apart to pray • the difference here, is that Luke uses the disciples to make this point explicit Lord, teach us to pray

Luke 10:17-20

In any series of talks I give it's helpful to have a reminder We are following Jesus through Luke’s gospel learning prayer, - by listening to Jesus and by watching him • I sometimes forget the absolute necessity of prayer ◦ when that happens, I treat prayer like it’s optional • many people think prayer is asking God for things, ◦ and if they don’t get what they want, ◦ they decide it doesn’t make any difference if they pray - that’s like a married couple who consider communication to be un...

Luke 10:1-2

In the first half of this chapter, Jesus launches a campaign Of course, like Jesus himself, the operation is modest - there’s no funding and its reps are unskilled volunteers • but it’s the crew Jesus chose and the plan is simple and low-key • there is a twofold purpose for this mission: ◦ prepare people for Jesus’ arrival and ministry ◦ for these disciples to experience their first solo-flights in doing his work - Jesus begins their preparation with an observation: The harvest is plentiful...

Luke 9:18-20

I like the strange passages that call attention to themselves – and force me to pay closer attention to what is there • I would not say I did my best Bible reading this past week ◦ I took three of my grandchildren to Flagstaff, Arizona, ◦ where we shared a hotel room – so there was no private space for me to read and pray • nevertheless, I tried, but with many apologies to the Lord – so yesterday I sat down with this strange scripture, • and it demanded that I pay attention • I heard these v...

Luke 3:21-22

There are three words in these verses I want to highlight “and was praying” - between the time Jesus was immersed in water and the heavens opened, • he was praying – and this intrigues me ◦ in the life of Jesus, this is the first mention of him praying • of course we have only a glimpse of his childhood ◦ but those snapshots reveal someone already conscious of God And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him (Lk. 2:40) And Jesus increased in wi...

Joy!

Cheryl Brodersen

Ruth 4

 Last week, Naomi set the plot in action - we could say that her maneuvering was relational; she was working with people • this week, Boaz sets the plot in action, and his maneuvering is legal; he is using the law - moving through the interaction that takes place in this scene, • is an important factor that we could miss in all the action • that is, the reality and depth of Boaz’s devotion to Ruth ◦ last week, Ruth asked Boaz, Spread your wings over [me] ◦ that is what Boaz does in this epis...

Ruth 3

Intro: This past week was about getting things done Not everything on my to-do list–not even one, one-hundredth - one appointment was scheduled several weeks ago • another one that I had to plan and prepare myself to complete ◦ I’ll have more to say about this later • my point is that in our day-to-day passage through life, ◦ I am no different than you ◦ we all have to deal with schedules and appointments and getting things done - the Book of Proverbs offers us a guide to wise decisions and...

Ruth 2

Ruth Chapter 2 Intro: In the apartment complex where my son Scotty lives, There’s an old vending machine where residents can buy sodas - Calum was six the first time I bought him a cola drink from it • we inserted the money, he pressed button, machine rumbled, ◦ and a can of soda dropped into the slot at the bottom • then before we could insert more money, the machine rumbled again and another soda dropped down ◦ as I was worrying about how we could return the drink we had not purchased, ◦...

Ruth 1:1

In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons Ruth 1:1 Intro: With these words, we walk through a gate and into what may be the most enchanting story in all of scripture - but because it took place long ago and in a strange culture far away, • we need some help orienting ourselves • when, where, what, and who occur in the first verse and set the tone and create atmosp...

Genesis 4

How did we wind up in Genesis this morning? Many preachers have their sermons lined up for the whole year - I’ve never been that organized or thought that far ahead • it’s when I finish a series of talks that I think about what’s next • usually that has a lot to do with what is pulling on my heart in that particular moment - so we’re in Genesis, because it provides a seed for my talk • I’m not sure what’s next – I’m thinking, the Book of Ruth • that’s because it beautifully illustrates what...

Colossians 3:15-16

Whenever you come to instructions in the Bible, Remind yourself, “I don’t have to do this alone” - God made us to become these new persons that we are • and we have to do some of the repairs and maintenance • however, he doesn’t expect us to do even that part on our own ◦ we can trust Jesus – his burden is light and his yoke is easy - we’ve learned what to take off (old self with its vices) • and what to put on (new self and its virtues) • Paul now tells us what we are to take in

Easter Sunday - 1st Peter 1:3

 Peter is celebrating Jesus’ resurrection  His first line is praise to God (the English Standard Version adds an exclamation mark) - his specific point is what Jesus’ resurrection means for us • I’ve been reading in Acts this week and this is the same message Peter and the apostles preached there • Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead ◦ and doing so, he opened a new way to know God and be right him ◦ Peter preached this in his first sermon, and every speech afterward  

John 12

The story of Palm Sunday is told in all four gospels  John’s account is the most streamlined, Luke’s account is the most dramatic - that is where Jesus warns that if the crowd remained silent, the rocks would cry out • but prior to any gospel, there was a message hidden the Psalms The stone that the builders rejected  has become the cornerstone. This is the LORD’s doing;  it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the LORD has made;  let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we pray...

Colossians 3:14

Preparing this talk was difficult Not because there is nothing to say about love - we could line the freeway from here to San Diego with books and papers written on love • clinical studies, philosophical essays, poetic explorations, ◦ not to mention all the books by religious authors • but all this information has made little impact on our nation - maybe it was just a tough week week for me – too much exposure to sorrow, • but it feels like love has reached an all-time low in the world

Colossians 3:12-13

Before fire engines, cities relied on the "bucket brigade" Volunteers would rush to the scene of a fire and form a human chain - beginning at a source of water–a well, river, or pond if close by–, • draw water, and hand the bucket to the first person in the chain ◦ then the bucket would be passed from person to person until poured on the fire ◦ empty buckets would be returned down the chain, filled and passed again • imagine, that the buckets stopped moving and no empties were returned ◦ s...

Colossians 3:12

The first detail to notice, is where we find meekness on list Meekness is hiding behind humility - we wonder, was it even necessary to include meekness in addition to humility? • if we were to be honest, we don’t take meekness seriously ◦ it is a virtue no one wants – like patience or submission • we read that Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek” ◦ but it doesn’t leave a strong impression on us ◦ it is not as compelling as poor in spirit or mourn - meek doesn’t draw attention to itself – does...