Lent – Plattsville Church

Lent: Seven Woes of Jesus ~ Week 6 (RECAP)

Hey everyone – somehow this post and podcast was stuck in “draft” form for quite a while. So its from a couple of weeks ago. But if you missed it here is what happened!

Lent: Seven Woes of Jesus ~ Week 6: Prophet Killers, and Rejecting the Truth

On Sunday we continued in our series looking at how Jesus calls the religious elite of his day to follow God his way. And that’s a message we still need.

So on Sunday we looked at his last “woe” where Jesus essentially condemns the religious leaders as being like their ancestors – people who killed the prophets.

Now the prophets in the Old Testament weren’t so much future tellers, as “forth-tellers” ~ telling the truth to people in power. And this is what got them killed, and it will still get you killed today. The prophets stood up to the kings and powerful and called them out for trusting in military power (horses and chariots), for neglecting the poor, and treating the immigrant and foreigner wrongly. The prophets essentially took the reality of their lives and brought it before the powerful and said, “you are obligated to address this” and if you don’t God’s judgment will come upon you.

And Jesus standing in that tradition comes to the Pharisees and does the same thing. He says that by rejecting him and his message of Good News for the poor and hurting, they are rejecting God and being like those who killed the prophets of old. Jesus says that if they continue to reject the poor, forget about mercy, and neglect justice that judgement and even hell itself will be their destiny.

But here is the interesting part – this isn’t what Jesus wants. Jesus in the passage makes it very clear that what he really wants is to gather them together, like a mother hen, to care and protect. But because the Pharisees reject him, and the truth he brings – they also reject his protection. That when we reject Jesus, we are left all alone with the consequences of our sin. And that’s what happens to the Pharisees – they reject Jesus and suffer the consequences of their own sin.

But here is the hopeful part – we don’t need to make the same choice. We can learn from the example of the Pharisees how hard it is to listen to truth from God, how hard it is to value justice, how hard it is to practice love for the lowly, but how absolutely necessary it is.

So on Sunday we ended with this main point: The Pharisees missed the point, but we can listen and hear Jesus.

Jesus didn’t want destruction, difficulty, and judgement to come upon the Pharisees, but it did because of their rejection of him. Because whenever you miss God’s voice difficulty is on the horizon. But whenever you listen hope is on the horizon

So we ended with a challenge: to listen to Jesus. To actually sit and be open to Jesus, and invite him to speak at least daily into our lives. To let him shape us, and bring up some of the areas we need to change. The truth is hard to hear, but if we want to be gathered together, live like Jesus, and experience his care and comfort we cannot reject him and his way of life. And that begins with hearing and listening.

So on Sunday we had one challenge: To once a day for just 5 minutes a day sit, be open to Jesus, and invite Jesus to speak

Because we each have a choice. A choice to listen and to respond, or not. And that choice can make all the difference.

Sermon Notes:

Big Idea: The Pharisees missed the point, but we have a choice, we don’t have to.

Teaching Points:

Prophets told the truth
Your present reality is dictating your future
Jesus isn’t angry with how they relate to God, but to those around them
God isn’t impressed with religion, and he still isn’t if you ignore the people he sends to direct you and the people you are to care for
When we reject Jesus we are left with the consequences of our sin on our own
the heart of Jesus is still grace
Whenever you miss God’s voice difficulty is on the horizon but whenever you listen hope is on the horizon
The first step to hearing Jesus is opening yourself to Jesus
Invite Jesus to speak to us and change us

Adult Discussion Questions:

What stuck out to you from the sermon? What was challenging to you? What was new? Why do you think that hearing the truth is so hard? What “rises up” or reaction do you have to when someone tries to share with you “the truth”? How have you maybe ignored Jesus in the past like the Pharisees? How can you ensure that you don’t miss or ignore Jesus now?

Challenge for the Week: To once a day for just 5 minutes a day sit, be open to Jesus, and invite Jesus to speak

Sermon Preview

Welcome to Lent

Well this Sunday we are launching a new series for Lent. Lent has started and it’s an absolutely necessary Christian practice. And come Sunday we will be exploring what Lent is, why it’s needed, and also how it can change your life. Lent isn’t an easy time, but it is a necessary time.

So throughout Lent we are going to be looking at the “7 Woes of Jesus”. This is where Jesus condemns the religious, moral, and spiritual elite of his day and shares with them how they are missing the point. The point for us is that if the religious, moral, and spiritual elite can miss the point – so can we as Christians. So we want to explore how we might be missing the point in our lives, and getting them back on track.

Lent is a time of reflections, repentance, and rededication and we want to do that through asking the Spirit to speak to us, challenge us, and convict us. So I know it’s not a fun time, but a necessary time.

Oh and since its Valentines Day, we’ll talk a little bit about love too 🙂 I know a bit disjointed but we’ll work it all together. Mostly because my lovely wife said “You need to talk about love on Valentines day” and since I love her, that’s what we’ll do too 🙂

7 Woes

Podcasts, Sermon Reflections

Seven Words: “My God, My God Why Have You Forsaken Me” ~ Answering Jesus’ Question and Prayer

On Sunday we discussed one of the last sayings of Jesus, where he cries out in a loud voice:

“My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

And this is a verse with a lot of tensions and complexities. Many scholars don’t like the idea of the Father abandoning the Son. This also raises consternation and concern about the Father’s character for me too. So scholars offer two solutions. One, that Jesus isn’t actually being abandoned by God, he is just feeling like he is. But that just seems like semantics to me, and goes against what seems obvious: that Jesus is experiencing being abandoned by God, because he is being abandoned by God.

Other scholars point out that Jesus is quoting Psalm 22 (which he is). And taking the Psalm as a whole, it ends with vindication. That the suffering victim is eventually vindicated, justified, and that God overcomes the wrongful suffering. So they say Jesus is actually saying that he will trust in God to overcome this wrong. They (rightly) point out that speaking on a cross is incredibly painful and difficult. So Jesus couldn’t have quoted the whole Psalm (I agree), so he quotes one verse to bring the whole Psalm into view.

Again though I just think this goes against the plain reading. If Jesus could only quote one verse because of pain, and wanted to talk about God vindicating him, he could have quoted the last verses of Psalm 22. But he doesn’t, he quotes a verse about being abandoned.

So even though I might not like the idea of the Father abandoning or forsaking his Son, I think we are left with the plain reading of Scripture.

But there is one obvious fact that needs to be stated, that actually changes the whole perspective of this verse. It is stated from Jesus’ perspective. We don’t hear the Father’s perspective. So Jesus is being forsaken by the Father, and then we assume, that the Father is above pouring out wrath on Jesus in an emotionless dispassionate state.

People struggle with this verse because it makes it seem like Jesus is nice, whereas, the Father is stern, uncaring, judge, who abandons his son when he needs it most. But this is all based on an assumption, that the Father is unmoved by what his Son is going through. And this assumption is wrong, and what I not only challenged but worked through in more detail (download the sermon for more).

Jurgen Moltmann writes,

“In forsaking the Son, the Father also surrenders himself, though not in the same way. For Jesus suffers dying in forsakenness, but not death itself; for men can no longer suffer death, because suffering presupposes life. But the Father who abandons him and delivers him up suffers the death of the Son in the infinite grief of love…The son suffers dying, the Father suffers the death of the Son”.

And here is his key thought: “The grief of the Father here is just as important as the death of the Son.”

And this is what we need to get, that the Father and Son are both affected and separated because of our sin. It isn’t a singular choice on the Father’s side to abandon his son. It is a choice within the Trinity to experience the separation of sin so that we could be welcomed into fellowship with God. The Father doesn’t kill his Son, to forgive us. The Father experiences an abyss of separation from his beloved Son, so that we could become incorporated into the family of God. Sin ruptures, that’s what it does. And it does this at the heart of the Trinity. So yes, Jesus experienced being forsaken by the Father, and the Father experienced the death of the Son.

This led us to some simple but personal conclusions.

First, that we need to be in reverent thanks of what the Father, Son, and Spirit went through to include us in their life. The Son died, so we could live. And this affected all the Trinity, and for that we need to be grateful. We need to be reverently worshipful of the depth of what God went through for each and everyone of us.

Second, we talked about that sin is serious. That sin brought separation to the heart of God, and we need to own that. We did that. We killed the Son (read the Book of Acts). We need to recognize the seriousness of sin, and confess, repent, and rid ourselves of sin. If sin did this to God, we need to work at ridding ourselves of it.

So we ended with a challenge, to sit in thanks to God, and repent for sin. When we see the depth of what God went through, I think that is the right response: reverence and repentance.

Martin Luther said, “God forsaking God, who can understand it?” I know for sure we don’t all understand it because of one sermon (I certainly don’t), but I hope we got a little closer and most of all, a little more reverent and repentant.

Sermon Notes:

Big Idea: Jesus was abandoned by the Father for us; and the Father experienced the abandonment of the Son for us.

Teaching Points:

Challenge for Lent: 1) Pray Weekly Prayers of Repentance, 2) Pray Daily Corporate Prayers 2 Chronicles 7:14, 3) Fast Something for Lent
“God forsaking God. Who can understand it?” – Martin Luther
Jesus’ death is a moment of cosmic significance, and the cosmos recognize it by darkening
This passage is not about us, but what Jesus is experiencing.
We need to be honest with text – Jesus is being forsaken
Jesus is stating what is true from his perspective
Just as Jesus was forsaken, so too was the Father forsaken from the Son
If our sin separates Jesus from the Father; it separates the Father from the Son.
The grief of the Father here is just as important as the death of the Son. Moltmann
We cannot understand the depth of our sin, unless we understand that both Jesus and the Father are suffering in this moment on the cross.
The Son is losing the Father, but the Father is losing the Son.
Our sin doesn’t just affect Jesus, but affects God as a whole.
We should have holy and reverent awe for God.
We should repent and cast off sin.

Adult Discussion Questions:

What stuck out to you from the sermon? What was challenging to you? How did God speak to you through it? What was new? Have you practiced Lent before? What can you fast or give up this year? Had you ever struggled with the idea of the Father forsaking the Son before? Had you ever thought of what the Father went through when Jesus died? What do you think it was like for him? How does it make you appreciate God? How does it change or deepen how you see sin?

Discussion Questions for Young Families

Read the story today with your kids. Talk to them about the verse we read, about how Jesus was separated from his Dad because of our sin. About how hard it was, but that he did that for us. So that we can be loved, and welcomed in. Give them a chance to confess anything to Jesus in thankfulness for what he did.

Challenge for the Week: To sit and contemplate what Jesus went through, confess any sin, and reverently worship him this week

Podcasts, Sermon Reflections

Seven Last Words: “It is Finished” – Jesus ~ Lenten Reflection

On Sunday we looked at three of the most powerful words in Scripture, where Jesus says, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

Here though is the difficulty with these words: what is the “it”?

Because the context isn’t actually all that clear, lots of people have lots of ideas about “what” is finished in Jesus’ last words. People say things like sin, death, evil, Jesus’ mission, pain, and others. And surely all of them have theological warrant, but what we really wanted to get at was what does Jesus mean?

We have a tendency (and have been taught) that Jesus dies primarily for our individual sins. So when we come to a passage like this, we read our ideas into the text. So traditionally many people say that the price of sin has now been paid. That’s what’s finished.

But the text doesn’t mention sin, evil, payment or anything like that. So what is actually “finished”? That’s what we explored on Sunday.

And when the immediate context doesn’t help, you need to widen your scope, so we began in the beginning of John.

John is pretty clear in John 1:1 that he is telling a creation story. John begins with “In the beginning…”; this is a clear echo to Genesis. So John, right off the bat, is saying his story is going to echo, or be a riff, on the Genesis story.

The next thing we noticed was that in John he is counting miracles. He actually says this straight out (this is first miracle, the second miracle, etc). And if you count the miracles there are 7 miracles Jesus does. Seven acts of Jesus, just as in the beginning Genesis story there are seven acts of God.

There is this parallel between what Jesus is doing in John, and what God was doing in Genesis.

But then comes the twist. Jesus dies and was resurrected. This is miracle number 8. This is the start of a new week, this is new territory, this is a new beginning.

It’s as if John is saying, that Jesus is starting a brand new creation story, that the old is gone. In fact, if you look at end of God creating the world in Genesis, he says “it is finished twice” in close connection. And John has Jesus uttering the same thing in John 19. He says “it is finished” twice in close connection (John 19:28; 30).

John is alluding to the fact that the old creation account is now complete. It is not just “evil, or sin” but the entire old way of living under the burden of sin is complete. That creation account, that world, that way of living is now finished. And with Jesus’ resurrection (miracle number 8) a brand new way of living is founded. A new kingdom, a new way of living, a new creation is starting.

John through hints, allusions, and out right clarity – is insisting that with Jesus’ death and resurrection, it is not just about our personal sin.

It is about a whole cosmos being infected with sin being finished, and a new world being birthed out of Jesus’ resurrection.

And he gives us two giant clues, or “wink, wink, nudge nudges” to see this. Jesus’ side is pierced and out comes water and blood, the classic two symbols of birth. And then when Jesus is first encountered, Mary thinks he is the gardener. You can almost sense John saying, “See? Do you get it? New gardener, new Eden, new creation. Wink wink – nudge nudge”

Jesus’ death and resurrection is the finishing of the old world, and the starting of the new. That’s what is finished, and what is before.

So we ended with asking are there any areas of our lives we are living in the old world. Are we seeking to earn God’s approval? Are we tied to sin? Are we choosing to live in sin – rather than in God’s kingdom? Because Jesus says that whole way of living is finished, there is a new way to live – a new gardener is here.

So our challenge was to live in God’s kingdom this week. And to help that we went old school – giving us a verse to memorize and pray daily this week. It’s from Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again”. There is our word again, “finished”.

So this week live in God’s new kingdom of hope, love, and peace. Don’t slide back into the old world of sin that is finished. And when you feel yourself sliding, pray this verse – trusting that God will finish what he has started. Because Jesus is right, the old is finished, and with him the new has come.

Sermon Notes:

Big Idea: The old is gone and finished, and a new world is here.

Teaching Points:

Challenge for Lent: 1) Pray Weekly Prayers of Repentance, 2) Pray Daily Corporate Prayers 2 Chronicles 7:14, 3) Fast Something for Lent
Whenever something gets familiar we are in dangerous territory.
What is familiar is not understood because it is familiar – Hegel
Beginnings are crucial to understanding endings
John is telling a story about a new Genesis
John’s gospel is about a new creation story
Jesus’ death and resurrection isn’t just about Jesus dying for our sins, it’s about Jesus creating a brand new world.
Finished = Teleo in Greek
The old world is finished, and when Jesus rises again with him is a new world.
John is saying with Jesus’ death, the old world is finished, and a new world is being birthed because of Jesus.
Is there anything that needs to be finished in our lives today.
Some of us might still be living in the old world of earning God’s approval.
Some of us are still living under the lie that we are sinners, and unable to break free from sin.
Some of you are choosing to live in the old world of sin, evil, and hurt and you know it.
And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again” Phil 1:6

Adult Discussion Questions:

What stuck out to you from the sermon? What was challenging to you? How did God speak to you through it? What was new? Have you practiced Lent before? What can you fast or give up this year? Had you ever noticed some of the connections between John and Genesis before? Which ones were most surprising to you? What does the “old world” way of living look like – in your life? What does living in a new kingdom look like, and feel like? Is there anything that is “old” that you need to let go and say – it is finished too?

Discussion Questions for Young Families

Why not actually act out this with your kids? Get some cardboard, some glue, or paper mache and make a creation story. Make up trees, maybe a volcano for some fun, and talk about how God made the world. Talk about how Jesus re-made the world too, and with it we don’t need to hold onto hurt or hate anymore.

Challenge for the Week: Trust and live in the new world, the old is finished.

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Three Powerful Words: It is Finished

There are three really powerful words when put together. And no it’s not “I love you”, although those are powerful words too.

The three words I’m thinking of are these: “It is finished.”

Those are really wonderful and powerful words to be able to say. Sometimes it feels good just to say them after remodeling or renovating your house. Sometimes it feels good to say them after a hard day at work, saying “it is finished”. Sometimes it is really powerful to say them after a huge project, or event.

But these words are really more powerful and meaningful when they are shared about soul level stuff.

Like when you can finally look back at a brutally dark period of your life and finally say, “It is finished”.
When you can look at a hurtful person, and finally because of forgiveness say, “it is finished”.
When you can look at some of your addictions (drugs, drinking, pornography, power, importance whatever) and be free from them and say, “It is finished”.

When you can look back on hurtful periods, sinful things, or difficult things and finally say “It is finished”, those are some of the most powerful three words to utter.

And come Sunday we are going to look at how you can say them in your life, over the things that hold you trapped. But first we are going to look at who said those three words first, what they mean, and how they can change your life.

“It is finished” – Jesus (John 19:30)

Podcasts, Sermon Reflections

Seven Last Words of Jesus: “Father Into Your Hands…” Lenten Reflection

On Sunday we looked at this saying of Jesus on the cross: “Father into your hands I commend my Spirit”.

There is a lot to be said about this statement, but we just focused on a few details. First, that this is a prayer that quotes Psalm 31:1. This is important because on the cross it was virtually impossible near the end to speak. You died of asphyxiation so speaking was not only difficult, but excruciating. So Jesus, for his last words, prays the first line of this Psalm. And here is the rest of the verse:

I entrust my spirit into your hands. Rescue me, Lord for you are a faithful God. Psalm 35:1

When we take Jesus’ words in light of the rest of the verse we see that Jesus’ prayer is both a prayer of trust, and rescue.

The second thing we noticed was that while the translation of the word, “spirit” is correct in English, it is lacking. When we hear “spirit” we think of soul or the opposite of “body” or the material world. But the word in both Greek and Hebrew has earthy roots. Jesus here is not praying to hand over his “soul” but his entire being. This is why Eugene Peterson’ in his translation, translates this verse as, “I’ve put my life in your hands”. And this gets at the heart of what is happening. Jesus is trusting the Father, not just with his soul, but his entire life.

And what is so remarkable about this, is that Jesus at the end of his life turns to faith. We sometimes cheapen this moment by thinking, “Well Jesus…was Jesus he knew he would be resurrected”. But we are saying that on this side of history. Jesus hasn’t lived it yet, and so while he has faith the Father will rescue him, it simply put hasn’t happened yet. So Jesus is starting into death, darkness, and the weight of sin knowing he is about to be abandoned but in his last moments he doesn’t give up on faith, he gives in to faith. He says “Father I trust you even now”, you are all I can hold onto.

What is beautiful is that because Jesus prayed this prayer so can we. We will never know what Jesus experienced, nor will we ever go through the depth of what he experienced. But because of Jesus, even when we are at our worst, in our deepest struggle, because his spirit lives and moves within us – we can pray this prayer like him. When we come up against darkness that doesn’t quit, death that steals our life, we can choose to trust in God. To say, “Father I trust you with my life” which is where we ended on Sunday.

It was a prayer of unquestioning trust…Uncalculating trust. A no-questions-asked readiness to leave everything in the hands of the Father. Eugene Peterson

Sermon Notes:

Big Idea: That if Jesus prayed this prayer, so can we.

Teaching Points:

Challenge for Lent: 1) Pray Weekly Prayers of Repentance, 2) Pray Daily Corporate Prayers 2 Chronicles 7:14, 3) Fast Something for Lent
There is cosmic significance to what is happening.
I entrust my spirit into your hands. Rescue me, Lord for you are a faithful God. Psalm 35:1
Jesus’ prayer is both a prayer of trust, and rescue.
That if Jesus prayed this prayer, so can we.
It was a prayer of unquestioning trust…Uncalculating trust. A no-questions-asked readiness to leave everything in the hands of the Father. Eugene Peterson

Adult Discussion Questions:

What stuck out to you from the sermon? What was challenging to you? How did God speak to you through it? What was new? Have you practiced Lent before? What can you fast or give up this year? Is there any difficulty you are facing right now? What is it? Can you name it? Can you trust God in the midst of it? What might that look like? Can you pray the prayer Jesus prayed?

Discussion Questions for Young Families

Read the story today with your kids. Talk to them about how Jesus, in the most difficult moment, trusted in his Father. Remind them they can always trust in God.

Challenge for the Week: Pray, “Father I trust you with my life”

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Where Are You God?

On Sunday we are tackling one of the most difficult texts in the Bible actually. It’s a familiar one so sometimes we don’t push back against it very much. But when you start to think about it – it raises tons of questions.

The text is this, where Jesus cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

And that’s the question we want to really pursue. Why? Why? Why would the Father abandon his only Son? Why would the Father who is demonstrated and revealed by Jesus to be full of grace and forgiveness – abandon his Son when he needed him the most?

And don’t just give the easy answer of – “well he did this for our sin. “

Years ago when I was a youth pastor, one of my Jr. High’s pointed out, “sometimes the problems’ with the easy answers.” I had just told him that exact answer, and in clarity he raised a new tension for me with this verse.

He said this:

“Well Andrew, when I forgive my sister I don’t have to kill my cat, or abandon my dog. Why does God kill his son, and abandon him. Why doesn’t he just forgive?”

And that gets to the heart of the tension with this text – why God? Why are you doing this? What is going on? WHY?

And we’re in good company raising our voices, shouting, and screaming “why would you do this God”? Because Jesus does the same thing.

So we are going to try to walk through some of this, examine it, and hope to find some answers. It will be tough, as Martin Luther the great reformer said, “God forsaking God, who can understand it?”

Well on Sunday we are going to give it a shot.

Podcasts, Sermon Reflections

“Today You Will Be With Me in Paradise” ~ Lenten Reflection

On Sunday we looked at the fourth word of Jesus found in Luke 23:43. Jesus says this, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

We looked at how Luke introduces us to two thieves who hang next to Jesus. The word “thieves” though probably bring up the wrong connotations for us. We think of common street thugs, when we should be thinking political terrorists. Because that’s what these two thieves were in the eyes of Rome – insurrectionists, revolutionaries, or political terrorists.

They are expecting a Messiah to show up and to overthrow Rome. The Messiah would “save” them from Rome. The Messiah would, through strength, power, and violence if needed, toss out the Romans and inaugurate God’s reign (or Kingdom) in Israel. This is what they were waiting for. This is what they were looking for.

So when these two men look at Jesus, all they see is a failed Messiah. Real Messiahs don’t get nailed to cross. Real Messiahs don’t get crushed by Rome, they overthrow Rome.

So one of the thieves hurls abuse at Jesus. The Greek word is a strong word, and it demonstrates that this thief continues to hurl abuse and blasphemy at Jesus constantly. It’s not once or twice, it’s a constant barrage of abuse.

But we get a completely different reaction from the second thief. He seems to have had a change of heart. He isn’t hurling abuse; Jesus seems to have somehow convinced him that he is who he says he is.

What is interesting is two men experience the same thing, but have different responses. One hurls abuse at Jesus, the other accepts Jesus.

I think it has to do with seeing Jesus offer forgiveness to those who killed him. For the one thief this is a betrayal of his most deeply held beliefs. You do not forgive your oppressors; you kill them and overthrow them. Yet for the other thief, he sees a different thing. He sees not weakness in forgiveness but strength, and it causes him to believe that even as Jesus is dying – he is somehow coming into his kingdom.

So he says essentially two words: Remember me. Remember me. Remember me.

He doesn’t confess his sins, he doesn’t offer a prayer of repentance, he just says “remember me”. And it’s enough. And it’s always been enough. So Jesus says something remarkable – “today you will be with me in paradise.”

And from this we asked a very personal but poignant question: what type of prisoner are you?

Are you like the first – hurling insults at Jesus and seeing nothing but weaknesses and irrelevance?
Or are you like the second – who sees something more amidst the hell he was going through?

Because it is the second that received a promise, in the midst of his own personal hell, for paradise to enter his life. This is a promise that is worth finding. This is a promise worth hearing – but it only comes when we choose to trust in Jesus.

So we ended with that question, and invited a response. That if today you want to find paradise and Jesus, to simply say two words: “remember me.” The thief didn’t know how paradise would enter his world, and I don’t know how it might enter yours if you trust in Jesus. What I do know though is that it is always through Jesus, and begins by saying “Remember me”.

Sermon Notes:

Big Idea: What type of prisoner are you?

Teaching Points:

Challenge for Lent: 1) Pray Weekly Prayers of Repentance, 2) Pray Daily Corporate Prayers 2 Chronicles 7:14, 3) Fast Something for Lent
Crucifixion was a punishment that the Romans used almost exclusively for the crime of sedition. Reza Aslan
Jesus is not dying because of his religious ideas, but because of his political ideas.
The people were expecting a messiah who would save them, not die for them.
What kind of prisoner are you?

Adult Discussion Questions:

What stuck out to you from the sermon? What was challenging to you? How did God speak to you through it? What was new? Have you practiced Lent before? What can you fast or give up this year? Had you thought of Jesus dying before because of politics and power more than religion? What do you think about that? What thief can you relate to more and why? Have you ever been like the first thief hurling abuse? What brought you there? Have you ever been like the second thief trusting? What brought you there? Where are you today – trusting – or distrusting?

Discussion Questions for Young Families

Today read the story and talk to your kids about Jesus’ words. Help them to see that if we choose to trust in him, he will promise us paradise in our lives. Ask them if any of them might want to trust in him.

Challenge for the Week: Pray – Remember me

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Finding Paradise

On Sunday we are looking at the 4^th word Jesus says, before he dies, where he says, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise”. Luke 23:43.

This is truly a beautiful statement and promise Jesus gives to a thief that hangs next to him.

What I find interesting is that both thieves mock Jesus. Both thieves seem to disbelieve in Jesus. Both thieves seem to think Jesus is a joke. But then both thieves have the same experience with Jesus. They both hear his words, they both see how he is nailed to the cross, they both see the look on his face as people mock him. And yet one thief continues to hurl abuse at Jesus, where the other has a change of heart.

And this change of heart prompts him to hear, “Today you will be with me in paradise”. On Sunday I want to look at this phrase, and what led the one thief to the place where he could hear that phrase. Because if there is something I think we all need, it’s to be with Jesus. This is the promise the thief receives, because of how his heart changed. So we will look at how that happens, and how it might happen in us as well.

Podcasts, Sermon Reflections

Seven Last Words of Jesus: Father, forgive them…

On Sunday we really waded deeply into this well known saying of Jesus. “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing”. Luke 23:43.

The first thing we noticed is how the “them” in this prayer is pretty vague. Jesus is surely referring to the guards killing him, the officials who sentenced him, and the religious leaders who arrested him. But I also think when Jesus says, “Forgive them” he also means “Forgive us”. I think the “them” includes us. And here is why:

Is it not also our sin, that causes Jesus to be killed? Is he not killed because we too are sinful, and complicit in a sinful and evil world?

I think that this “them” must include us, because we cannot so distance ourselves from this event to pretend that we are innocent of it. We cannot say, since we were not there we have no part in it – since we take part in the culture of sin everyday that nailed Jesus to the cross. We too are complicit and also then thankfully included in his forgiveness.

The second thing we noticed is that when Jesus said “forgive them, for they know not what they are doing”. That in one sense the guards, officials, and religious leaders knew exactly what they were doing. They were killing someone who might be innocent, for the claims of being the Son of God and upsetting the political power structures of the day. That’s why Jesus was killed. So what does he mean by that statement when he says? It’s not as if the people involved didn’t cognitively know they were killing someone. What I think they didn’t know, and didn’t see is how the kingdoms of this world are caught in systems of violence, power, evil, and sin. We get in Genesis a picture of the world being founded on sin and violence and it continues today. Power, violence, and empire all get wrapped up into one – so much so that we lose sight of what we are doing. The guard, officials, and religious leaders believe they are saving and keeping society going by killing Jesus. That’s what they don’t see, how complicit they are in a system of violence, evil, and sin – and so often neither do we.

We also noticed how odd Jesus’ prayer must have struck his hearers. What people would be expecting is vengeance, promises of retribution, and curses. That’s what was expected. Just look at the story of the Maccabees, or Samson, or even Elijah. People expected judgment and vengeance when a prophet or a revolutionary was killed, not forgiveness. But here Jesus forgives his oppressors, as they are killing him. This is so radical and so unexpected that it shocked some of the guards into believing Jesus was the Son of God. We’ve heard this verse so often that’s it’s lost its shock, but it should shock us. Because it is revealing to us the heart of God, and it is radically about forgiveness.

And that’s where we landed at the end. That this amazing prayer of Jesus, while it certainly involves us, is not about us. What this prayer is actually about is revealing the heart of God. Jesus prays to the Father, “Forgive them”. We are getting a glimpse of the inner heart of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and it is all centred on forgiveness. So while this prayer affects us and frees us, we cannot just narrow it to be about us. Because it is really about revealing God. And what it should evoke out of us, is a sense of reverent awe and thanks.

And that’s where we closed on Sunday. Challenging people to sit in reverent thanks of a God who died, to answer his own prayer of forgiveness. To sit in thanks of a God who would be killed for us, so we can be saved. To sit in worshipful awe of a God who would rather forgive than kill, and for that we should be thankful.

Sermon Notes:

Big Idea: That God’s heart is forgiveness

Teaching Points:

Challenge for Lent: 1) Pray Weekly Prayers of Repentance, 2) Pray Daily Corporate Prayers, 2 Chronicles 7:14, 3) Fast Something for Lent
Who is the “them” Jesus is forgiving?
We are all complicit in Jesus’ death.
Society is built on murder and sin
The kingdom of this world is built on rivalry, accusation, violence, and domination.
Messiahs weren’t expected to forgive oppressors, but overthrow oppressors.
The story of Luke has a trajectory of forgiveness first.
That we are tempted to narrow this amazing last request to about us and being forgiven by God
Jesus’ last prayer reveals the heart of God.
God is still about forgiveness because God is always about forgiveness

Adult Discussion Questions:

What stuck out to you from the sermon? What was challenging to you? How did God speak to you through it? What was new? Have you practiced Lent before? What can you fast or give up this year? Had you thought about this verse deeply before? Do you think that the “them” does include you? How come? What else was new to you in this sermon? Can you imagine how unexpected these words of Jesus would be? How can we regain some of their initial shock and radicalness? How can you be thankful to God today for what he did for us?

Discussion Questions for Young Families

Today read the story and talk to your kids about Jesus words. Share with them how Jesus even when he is being hurt, forgives. That at his heart is forgiveness. Tell them today that if they need anything forgiven, Jesus is willing because he is always willing.

Challenge for the Week: Today spend time being grateful to God