This is Holy Week. Each day, a reflection from an "old dead guy" - a church father. For Tuesday, here is Augustine (354-430AD).
You carry the cross of Christ on your forehead. The mark stamped on you teaches you what you should profess. He was hanging on the cross, which you carry on your forehead. Do not delight in the sign of the wood but in the sign of the one hanging on it. When he was hanging on the cross, he was looking around at the people raving against him, putting up with their insults and praying for his enemies. While they were killing him, the doctor was curing the sick with his blood. He said, "Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing." These words were not futile or without effect. Later, thousands of those people believed in the one they murdered, so that they learned how to suffer for him who had suffered for them and at their hands. Brothers and sisters, we should understand this from the sign, from this stamp that Christians receive when they are baptized. From this, we should understand why we are Christians. Augustine
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This is Holy Week. We narrow our focus to the suffering of Jesus. For each day of this week, I'll provide reflections from "old dead guys" - church fathers. Meditate on their perspective of Jesus. Today, Marin Luther, 16th century reformer.
"On his soul lay the sins of the whole world. All the anguish and fear of all other human beings are, by comparison, much, much too slight, because the sins of the whole world are resting on Him alone. And He is to pay for them with His death, whereas everyone of us has only his or her own sin to deal with. Yes, human suffering is slight when compared with that of this Man: all the world's sins - committed from the time of the first human being, Adam, until Judgment Day - burden the back of this one Man." You've borne the world's sin;
Will you bear a little more? You dined with the heathen; Will you set a place for me? You endured humanity's immorality; Will you reckon with my misdeeds? You forgave your abusers; Will you forgive my abuses? You took a friend who denied your acquaintance; Will you take me back too? You searched the streets for lost souls; Will you pursue one more stray? They abandoned while you embraced. They betrayed when you befriended. They cursed when you blessed. They took when you gave. You've borne the world on your shoulders; Is there room for one more? Isaiah 53 From a modern marketing perspective, Jesus' strategy would be considered unorthodox if not ineffective. In business today, you have to tailor your product to the consumer. Give them options. Make it easy to want what you're selling. By contrast, Jesus says, "Follow me," and proceeds to make the way difficult. Has he "sold" you on following him? He says, “Strive to enter through the narrow door.” (Luke 13:24.) The way is singular, without all the options and choices. Are you sold yet? I've been wrestling with Jesus' "narrow" statements in Luke's gospel. Here are four observations on the "narrow way" that actually inspire me to follow him. "Earthly goods are given to be used, not to be collected." I often worry about having enough for tomorrow, next year, or in retirement. How much is enough?
I am in favor of prudent planning. But I have often found that accumulated wealth can be a barrier with God. Hoarding is idolatry. In our treasure, we too often find our security, trust, and consolation. What good are my goods if they are only stored? Aren't they given to me so that I can give them away? Do I see my blessings like a classic car that is stored but never driven? Or do I put my blessings to work? "Earthly goods are given to be used, not collected." If you live in St. Louis, MO, you missed church today. Because everyone freaks out about snow in this town. So here's the lowdown on today's sermon in our "Follow the Way" series. Get the message here. Mail your offering in tomorrow :)
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