Matthew 1:1 An account of the genealogy* of Jesus the Messiah,* the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Matthew begins his gospel, his story of the life and ministry of Jesus, with a genealogy. I won't type in the whole list of who was whose father and who had which wife and bore which sons and daughters. Feel free to open up to Matthew yourself if you want to create Jesus' family tree.
But here's what I find fascinating: Jesus didn't just come from nowhere. Jesus didn't plop down into the world unconnected to our human story. Jesus was one of us. And this means he was connected to us. Jesus was connected intimately to the human story, and to the story of God's people Israel with all their faithfulness and their doubts. Jesus was a part of that line. Jesus' heritage line traces back to Abraham... the one who laughed at God about the birth of a son. Jesus' heritage line traces back to David, a great and faithful king who sometimes did not-so-great things.
Jesus came into human history as part of human history. Not separate. Not above. Not disconnected. But intimately connected. God chose to enter the world intimately connected to our joys and our hurts. Thanks be to God!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us tonight (Wednesday) for our Blue Christmas service at 7 pm, especially designed for those who have lost someone they love in the past year. Then on Friday (Christmas Eve) we will worship at 3, 5, and 11 with pre-service music one-half hour before each service time. More details at http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Tuesday
Genesis 21:5-6 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Now Sarah said, ‘God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.’
Continuing yesterday's story and message... of course you knew that the promise would come true. God did send a son for 100-year old Abraham and 90-year old Sarah. Isaac was born even though dad had fallen on the ground laughing at God when the promise had come. It just seemed to crazy. It just seemed impossible.
But Abraham's laugh wasn't the last laugh. Sarah has the last laugh in this story. Sarah has laughter now not of derision or disbelief. Sarah has the laughter of joy. Sarah laughs with joy when her son is born and when God's promises are fulfilled.
The laughter of derision, the laughter of enemies may be all around. But that is never the last laugh. God always has the last laugh. And God promises to share that last laugh with faithful servants like Sarah who listen and believe.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us Wednesday for our Blue Christmas service at 7 pm, especially designed for those who have lost someone they love in the past year. Then on Friday (Christmas Eve) we will worship at 3, 5, and 11 with pre-service music one-half hour before each service time. More details at http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
Continuing yesterday's story and message... of course you knew that the promise would come true. God did send a son for 100-year old Abraham and 90-year old Sarah. Isaac was born even though dad had fallen on the ground laughing at God when the promise had come. It just seemed to crazy. It just seemed impossible.
But Abraham's laugh wasn't the last laugh. Sarah has the last laugh in this story. Sarah has laughter now not of derision or disbelief. Sarah has the laughter of joy. Sarah laughs with joy when her son is born and when God's promises are fulfilled.
The laughter of derision, the laughter of enemies may be all around. But that is never the last laugh. God always has the last laugh. And God promises to share that last laugh with faithful servants like Sarah who listen and believe.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us Wednesday for our Blue Christmas service at 7 pm, especially designed for those who have lost someone they love in the past year. Then on Friday (Christmas Eve) we will worship at 3, 5, and 11 with pre-service music one-half hour before each service time. More details at http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
Monday, December 20, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Monday
Genesis 17:15-17 God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.’ Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself, ‘Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?’
In this passage from Genesis we hear God promising a son to Abraham and we hear echoes of another promised son many years later. We celebrate that other birth this week of course. But maybe taking a quick look at this older promise of a son can shed a little bit of light on that birth of a Messiah for us.
God promised the son and Abraham laughed... Abraham fell on his face and laughed at God because he and his wife were too old for having kids. Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90... a bit beyond the normal child-bearing years. So Abraham laughed. It was just too ridiculous and impossible to comprehend. We know of course as we keep reading that it did happen.
And so many years later God promised another birth, this one even more ridiculous and impossible. Is it possible for a virgin to conceive? Is it possible for God to enter the world as a crying human baby? Is it possible for heaven's eternal majesty to break into human existence? Is it possible for us to be saved by this tiny baby?
Just don't laugh.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us Wednesday for our Blue Christmas service at 7 pm, especially designed for those who have lost someone they love in the past year. Then on Friday (Christmas Eve) we will worship at 3, 5, and 11 with pre-service music one-half hour before each service time. More details at http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
In this passage from Genesis we hear God promising a son to Abraham and we hear echoes of another promised son many years later. We celebrate that other birth this week of course. But maybe taking a quick look at this older promise of a son can shed a little bit of light on that birth of a Messiah for us.
God promised the son and Abraham laughed... Abraham fell on his face and laughed at God because he and his wife were too old for having kids. Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90... a bit beyond the normal child-bearing years. So Abraham laughed. It was just too ridiculous and impossible to comprehend. We know of course as we keep reading that it did happen.
And so many years later God promised another birth, this one even more ridiculous and impossible. Is it possible for a virgin to conceive? Is it possible for God to enter the world as a crying human baby? Is it possible for heaven's eternal majesty to break into human existence? Is it possible for us to be saved by this tiny baby?
Just don't laugh.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us Wednesday for our Blue Christmas service at 7 pm, especially designed for those who have lost someone they love in the past year. Then on Friday (Christmas Eve) we will worship at 3, 5, and 11 with pre-service music one-half hour before each service time. More details at http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday
Matthew 8:28-34
28When [Jesus] came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way. 29Suddenly they shouted, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” 30Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them. 31The demons begged him, “If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.” 32And he said to them, “Go!” So they came out and entered the swine; and suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the water. 33The swineherds ran off, and on going into the town, they told the whole story about what had happened to the demoniacs. 34Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood.
We usually only include a verse or two in these devotions, but some stories need to be shared in full. This story of the demoniacs entering the pigs and then rushing off the edge of the cliff is one of those stories, I think. There are so many great components of it: the large herd of swine, the demons who beg to be sent into the herd of swine, the whole jumping off the edge, and then, most curious, the whole town coming to see Jesus and beg him to leave.
Usually the stories of Jesus visiting a community focus on the healing and the power of the word that Jesus speaks. Usually people rejoice and give praise when Jesus visits them. If they are filled with fear, it is accompanied by being filled with joy. But these folks beg him to leave. I suppose we could be thankful that even Jesus wasn't always welcome. But what speaks to me more from this story is that we don't have to be afraid of Jesus, we don't have to beg him to leave our lives, we don't have to be afraid. Do not be afraid.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
PS. Join us this evening for Holden Evening Prayer at 7:00; come at 6:00 for dinner. Dinner will be served in Heedum Hall on the lower level. See you there!
28When [Jesus] came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way. 29Suddenly they shouted, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” 30Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them. 31The demons begged him, “If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.” 32And he said to them, “Go!” So they came out and entered the swine; and suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the water. 33The swineherds ran off, and on going into the town, they told the whole story about what had happened to the demoniacs. 34Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood.
We usually only include a verse or two in these devotions, but some stories need to be shared in full. This story of the demoniacs entering the pigs and then rushing off the edge of the cliff is one of those stories, I think. There are so many great components of it: the large herd of swine, the demons who beg to be sent into the herd of swine, the whole jumping off the edge, and then, most curious, the whole town coming to see Jesus and beg him to leave.
Usually the stories of Jesus visiting a community focus on the healing and the power of the word that Jesus speaks. Usually people rejoice and give praise when Jesus visits them. If they are filled with fear, it is accompanied by being filled with joy. But these folks beg him to leave. I suppose we could be thankful that even Jesus wasn't always welcome. But what speaks to me more from this story is that we don't have to be afraid of Jesus, we don't have to beg him to leave our lives, we don't have to be afraid. Do not be afraid.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
PS. Join us this evening for Holden Evening Prayer at 7:00; come at 6:00 for dinner. Dinner will be served in Heedum Hall on the lower level. See you there!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
ASLC Devotions-- Tuesday
Ezekiel 47:1
Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple; there, water was flowing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.
Several years ago when I lived in Iowa I stopped to look at a church that struck me from the outside as interesting. In the middle of the narthex, or entering space, there was a fountain of water that then flowed under the wall of the sanctuary to a baptismal pool or font in the middle of their worship space. The worship space itself was built for worship to be "in the round" with the altar and preaching stand in the very middle with pews or seating all around. It was a stunning space, and not surprisingly I was incredibly taken with the idea of running water! In the building! Under the wall! Can you even imagine?!
This great river that God shows to Ezekiel brings water to all people so that they might have life. The water brings life to the fish that swim in it and the plants and trees that draw from it and in turn bear fruit. The leaves of the trees will be for healing. This is a glorious vision. We don't have water that flows by mechanical pump in our space, but the baptismal water is no less moving, no less alive, no less life-giving. As you have been washed in these waters and brought your children to be washed in them, how do you keep the water flowing and moving? Having been watered by the Holy Spirit, how does your life become a witness to that Living Water that you have received in Christ?
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
PS. Join us for worship Wednesday evening at 7:00; come at 6:00 for dinner. Dinner this week will be served in Heedum Hall on the lower level. See you there!
Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple; there, water was flowing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.
Several years ago when I lived in Iowa I stopped to look at a church that struck me from the outside as interesting. In the middle of the narthex, or entering space, there was a fountain of water that then flowed under the wall of the sanctuary to a baptismal pool or font in the middle of their worship space. The worship space itself was built for worship to be "in the round" with the altar and preaching stand in the very middle with pews or seating all around. It was a stunning space, and not surprisingly I was incredibly taken with the idea of running water! In the building! Under the wall! Can you even imagine?!
This great river that God shows to Ezekiel brings water to all people so that they might have life. The water brings life to the fish that swim in it and the plants and trees that draw from it and in turn bear fruit. The leaves of the trees will be for healing. This is a glorious vision. We don't have water that flows by mechanical pump in our space, but the baptismal water is no less moving, no less alive, no less life-giving. As you have been washed in these waters and brought your children to be washed in them, how do you keep the water flowing and moving? Having been watered by the Holy Spirit, how does your life become a witness to that Living Water that you have received in Christ?
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
PS. Join us for worship Wednesday evening at 7:00; come at 6:00 for dinner. Dinner this week will be served in Heedum Hall on the lower level. See you there!
Friday, December 10, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Friday
2 Peter 3:13 But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.
Someday all of this will be over. All of this fear and instability and all of this jealousy and warfare will pass away. All of these tears will be dried up. All of these doubts will be comforted. All of it will pass away and something new and something glorious and something far better is waiting for us.
I don't know the details. Nobody knows the details. But Peter gives us a glimpse today... a place where righteousness is at home. That sounds like a place I want to live. I look forward to being at home in a place where righteousness is also at home. I look forward to seeing you all there.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This Sunday is our annual cantata at both services (8:30 and 11). Invite your friends and neighbors.
Someday all of this will be over. All of this fear and instability and all of this jealousy and warfare will pass away. All of these tears will be dried up. All of these doubts will be comforted. All of it will pass away and something new and something glorious and something far better is waiting for us.
I don't know the details. Nobody knows the details. But Peter gives us a glimpse today... a place where righteousness is at home. That sounds like a place I want to live. I look forward to being at home in a place where righteousness is also at home. I look forward to seeing you all there.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This Sunday is our annual cantata at both services (8:30 and 11). Invite your friends and neighbors.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Thursday
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you,* not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.
One of the eternal questions of the faithful (by which I mean eternal... people have been asking for millenia) is "Why doesn't God seem to answer my prayer?" Or why does God take so long? Or how can I get more patience to wait for God.
Peter turns that idea on its head a little bit and saying that maybe we don't need to get more patience to wait for God: maybe God is just being patient with us. Perhaps God is being patient and giving us time to grow in faithfulness and trust. Perhaps God is being patient and giving us time to learn to depend more and more on God and less on our own devices. Perhaps we need to NOT learn so much about patience but to learn to trust in God's patience.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This Sunday is our annual cantata at both services (8:30 and 11). Invite your friends and neighbors.
One of the eternal questions of the faithful (by which I mean eternal... people have been asking for millenia) is "Why doesn't God seem to answer my prayer?" Or why does God take so long? Or how can I get more patience to wait for God.
Peter turns that idea on its head a little bit and saying that maybe we don't need to get more patience to wait for God: maybe God is just being patient with us. Perhaps God is being patient and giving us time to grow in faithfulness and trust. Perhaps God is being patient and giving us time to learn to depend more and more on God and less on our own devices. Perhaps we need to NOT learn so much about patience but to learn to trust in God's patience.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This Sunday is our annual cantata at both services (8:30 and 11). Invite your friends and neighbors.
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