Saturday, December 20, 2014

Mary pondered, a meditation on the hidden gifts of Christmas.

Confusion can be frustrating. It can make us grit out teeth or even scream out in frustration. Confusion can also be a call for reflection. It reminds us, we don't know it all nor do we understand half the things we think we do. It shows us our need and is an opportunity to enter into deep reflection with the promise of discovering something True, Beautiful, or Good. I think this was Mary's experience in that stable so many years ago. 

Hundreds of scholars have debated the pondering of Mary's heart. I guess the thoughts of one hack can't hurt. I want to consider three possibilities. Three confusions found in the Christmas story. Three confusions that remind us of the love of God, his goodness towards man and the glory of Christmas.

Three maybes that Mary may have pondered.
Maybe it was the oddity of the messenger that Prompted Mary to ponder. How odd to her that God would choose to make shepherds, the unclean and shady men who smelled more like an animal than a human. These outliers are chose oracles. No way, that makes no sense. God chooses the great and values the best not the lowly and marginal people. She could have thought, Where these men God's herald? stinky smelly shepherds ordained as God's evangelists? When I have good new, I go first to my loved ones. I run head long to those dear to my heart to share my joy. Is that what God did? If so, what a picture of grace flavored love. God's intention in the form of angelic invitation beginning with the lowly. God's love flowing down to the depths of the valley finding the castaways, hungry souls. Men unfit, barred from the temple, unclean. Men in the night air secretly longing for redemption. Towards such men, God's love runs with good news. Was, God 's love towards such men, the thought she pondered on that night?

Maybe it was the oddity of the message that Prompted Mary to ponder. Maybe Mary pondered the announcement they told her. Now the text, does not say, but Surely the shepherds were asked to explain why in the middle of the night men of bad reputations were going from house to house in search of a baby boy. Any good parent would ask such questions and Mary and Joseph, I am sure where such parents.

In my minds eye I see the shepherds, one part hillbilly the other duck dynasty. I can see them with wild eyed wonder retelling the angels announcement. Of how they were watching over those sheep not far from town, (sheep that a historian 300 years later clams were the flocks set aside for sacrifice in the temple.) I can see those shepherds, faces slightly sunburnt still aglow from the encounter. Telling tales of Angels declaring the birth of a king in the backwoods of Israel. I see Mary intently listening to the Angels words, "I bring you good news of great joy, that is for all people" did Mary ponder that all. A king is over a nation not the "all" of all people. Could it be, the good news of great tidings is bigger than the next political movement? Bigger than Israel, beyond Palestine. Is it news for all people. A king born for all people? Quite confusing for Jewish girl of 18. Maybe that is what she pondered.

Or could it be something else, no less confusing than a God of all grace who's love moves him to choose first, the unlikely, and undone. No less befuddling than a gospel of a king for all people, and not just the privileged few.

There's one more possibility I would like to propose Mary pondered. Maybe it was just her, baby, her little man. Maybe, her confusion over the baby in her arms or just the wonder of a new life. A mother looking at her child for the first time can't help but marvel. Did Mary marvel and just reflect on the little body before her; A little seed of life, full of potential. When she looked at him did she see, an uncertain future? His destiny, mixed in prophecy and sung by angels that night, did it still hold a mystery just out of Her grasp. Did she see the possibility before her, salvation in her hands? The full potential of redemption's plan ready to begin, all wrapped up in swaddling clothes and laying in a manger. Did she consider the implication, unfold them one by one. Was their pause to consider Isaiah's word as she held her child. Did she ever think that this baby, once a man would give himself to be the substitution for a nation, a people redeemed in him.

I don't know what Mary pondered but I know who she held. I have pondered him through in the dryness and days undone by grace. I ponder the truth I have unfolded time and again, a truth resting in that manger, realized on a cross. I have learned in reflection of a special Christmas gift hidden in seed form amidst the hay of that manger. This gift can best seen out of the corner of our eyes, seen in those standing next to us. Mary held the body of Christ. 33 years later that same body would bleed and bind a people beyond time and for eternity, into one new humanity. Just like there is no cross without Christmas, no hope without His first heartbeat. There is no community of faith without a baby in a manger. How silly we would be to gather together as we do, if he were not born yet how profound it is that he was born to gather.

In a world that would strip us of who we are to wrap us in other another garment. A world that calls us outliers, stinking Shepard, blind backwards sheep. We are reminded that God is with us; In history and time, in mystery and community. And So in our greeting and treating of each other we are Christ, God with us, in the world. We are Christ with us, given to one another as a gift, to weep with us, to smile with us, to laugh with us, to give the gift of presence. A double meeting where sinner laughs with sinner and sinner and sinner enjoy the savior. A double blessing of presence where the Savior's presence is enjoyed in the presence of believing hearts. It is in our sharing he is revealed. A Sacramental gift, an invisible reality made visible, even tangible, through the smiles and laughter, even in the pancake parties and pajama pants. I see jesus in his body - this is most true for me at Christmas.

So may our meeting have the gravity of "the other" also near, and may our greeting have the levity of costly grace entered in. That we may in whole heartedly honesty with a loving tremble in our voice, say, "Merry Christmas - God is with us, God is with us all, let us rejoice!"

In Him
J. Dawson Jarrell

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Video on Empathy

Empathy is a common grace given to all humanity that should be cultivated.

http://youtu.be/BG46IwVfSu8


In Him
J. Dawson Jarrell

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Walking with Jesus through Good Friday (Part 4)

Below is the scriptural stages of the Cross, with my reflections over the weekend and a prayer. Blessings

Twelfth Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross
Luke 23: 44-46: It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit"; and when he had said this he breathed his last.

Reflections:
Here we have two signs and one example. Such signs are a part of God's ways in dealing with man at major junctions in human history. He knows the desperate stupidity and unbelief of human nature, and so in his mercy gives us a clue to led us on towards faith. There was a sign for an unbelieving world. The darkness at mid-day was a miracle which would compel men to think, "who was this Jesus?". There was a sign for the professing Church. The tearing of the curtain which hung between the holy place and the holy of holies, was a miracle which would state a change has happened. The heart of every religious person may ask, 'how did Jesus death affect how we relate to God?'

One example: There is a sense in which our Jesus' words supply a lesson to all true Christians. They show us the manner in which death should be met by all God's children. They afford an example which every believer should strive to follow. Like our Master, we should fear not at deaths door. We should regard him as a vanquished enemy, an enemy with no teeth. Death make take us but it will be without a sting. Christ has taken on himself and take away in himself the sting of death by His death.

We should await his approaches with calmness and patience, and believe that when it is our time, we are in good able hands that will keep up and deliver us into the glories of our heavenly Father. Happy indeed are those who end well, with hearts confessing, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day." (2 Tim. 1:12)

Prayer: Lord, grant us trust in you that when our time on earth in ended we may enter your rest and ever be with you.

Thirteenth Station: Jesus is Placed in the Tomb
Matthew 27: 57-60: When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over. Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it [in] clean linen and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed.

Reflections: His work is accomplished but what evidence do we have of this finished work. The lamb is dead. The blood has been poured on the alter. This fact is placed beyond dispute, by those that buried him could not have been deceived. Their own hands and eyes attest to the fact, Jesus whom they handled was a corpse.

The importance of the fact before us is far greater than most would suppose.
If Christ did not die, there would be an end of all the comfort of the Gospel. Nothing short of His death could have paid man's debt to God. His incarnation, and preaching, the parables, and miracles, his righteous life and complete obedience to the law, would have been for nothing, if He had not died. Because we did not need a teacher, or therapist or community organizer we needed a Savior. One who would stand in our place, a substitutionary willing and worthy to redeem humanity.

The penalty threatened to the first Adam was death, an eternal death in hell. If the second Adam had not really and actually died in our place, as well as taught us truth, the original penalty would have continued in full force against Adam and all of us as well. It was the life-blood of Christ which was to save our souls. So the sadness of Jesus' life-less corpse is the assurance of a finished payment - the lamb had been sacrificed - our sin has been covered.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the gift of your death. May we see clearly and love dearly what you accomplished in your death.

In Him
J. Dawson Jarrell


In Him
J. Dawson Jarrell

Walking with Jesus through Good Friday (Part 3)

Below is the scriptural stages of the Cross, with my reflections over the weekend and a prayer. Blessings

Eighth Station: Jesus is Helped by Simon the Cyrenian to Carry the Cross
Mark 15: 21: They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.

Reflections: Simon was a chosen instrument not by a roman soldier but by the will of God. He was given the unpleasant task of sharing in the journey of the cross. He was willing to help, not to please the roman soldier but to be an instrument of grace and easy in the journey of Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, grant us willing spirits that we may be your instruments on earth. May our hearts say yes before the request I'd given.

Ninth Station: Jesus instructs the Women of Jerusalem
Luke 23: 27-31: A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.' At that time, people will say to the mountains, 'Fall upon us!' and to the hills, 'Cover us!' for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?"

Reflections:It is compassion to warn of coming danger.
He tells them of the total Destruction of Jerusalem that was soon to happen, in less than 30 years. He was operated in His prophetic office in giving this remarkable prediction. It can be said that Jesus was 'busy. He had been 'tied up, in meetings all day and their was a lot on his mind. Using our standards of jusgment, we could say, Jesus would've been justified in being distracted and inward focused. He had the cross before him yet he took time to help others avoid suffering. Pain can make us turn inward and focus on ourselves yet in the middle of great suffering Jesus is still other-focused.

Prayer: Lord, grant us gentle spirits that we may comfort those who mourn.

Tenth Station: Jesus is Crucified
Luke 23: 33-34: When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. [Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."]


Reflections: Our Lord's words of gracious intercession. Jesus' first words were, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." His own racking agony of body did not make Him forget others. The first word from the cross was a prayer for the souls of His murderers. He operates in his priestly office by interceding for those who crucified Him. "Father," He said, "forgive them.". He is the one who forgives and are given the task of sharing what he has done and his word "forgiven".

Prayer: Lord, grant us merciful hearts that we may bring your reconciliation and forgiveness to all.

Eleventh Station: Jesus Promises His Kingdom to the repentant Thief
Luke 23: 39-43: Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us." The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Reflections: Here we see jesus imply he would soon operate in his kingly office. he would soon win the victory and swing wide the door of paradise to the repentant thief. Jesus is the only one who can say, "you will be with me in Paradise". No one but Jesus has that kind of authority. he is the king and we are all like the thief people whose crimes against the king are punishable by death.

I marvel at Thief's words. His response in so few words, says so much. It is a lifetime of prayer, and a world of desperation packed into three little words. "Jesus, remember me." Such a short prayer has a library of truth behind it. 7 truths can be deserved from his words. They are outlined below.

1. He believed in an afterlife, that Humanity lives on after the body is dead.
2. He believed in an eternal judgement - At that time there will be a judgment. The life of each man would be judged.
3. He believed something special, different, holy was happening in Jesus suffering.
4. He believed Jesus was the righteous king - Christ alone have the right and authority to rule in such judgments. Only at Jesus' word was one granted entrance to that Kingdom.
5. He believed salvation was found in gaining entry to this kingdom. Jesus' kingdom was a better world than the present evil world.
6. He believed jesus was a Gracious King. Giving pardon on those who truly repent and granting access into his eternal kingdom, a kingdom of which no man did not deserve entry.
7. He believed jesus was the only way of salvation - He trusts fully upon a dying Savior for salvation.

Prayer: Lord, grant us perseverance that we may never stop seeking you. That in our desperation we seek you, in our suffering we seek you and we pray boldly with truth under us as if our life depended on it. Help our hearts grasp your Lordship and may we not just call you but be servants of the king.

In Him
J. Dawson Jarrell

Walking with Jesus through Good Friday (Part 2)

Below is the scriptural stages of the Cross,

Fourth Station: Jesus is Denied by Peter
Matthew 26: 69-75: Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the maids came over to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." But he denied it in front of everyone, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about!" As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazorean." Again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man!" A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; even your speech gives you away." At that he began to curse and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately a cock crowed. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: "Before the cock crows you will deny me three times." He went out and began to weep bitterly.

Reflections:
Peter did not clearly see himself, even when Jesus told him. He did not discern his heart level beliefs. He believed he loved God more than he did. Our own hearts are a labyrinth of an unknown design. It is a mix of pagan temples and mental cages with paths that lead nowhere, turning back in on itself, taking us back around to the same answers and idols as before. Yet unlike before we assure ourself that we have proven our case in sure logic and sound argument. In the end, We reinforce our original position and worship our old idols for we have only dabbled in the art of self-deception and traveled the path of a thousand fruitless journeys.

Only in the light of the Gospel do I see the danger of my own deception for I am a sinner. I see my life to be lived by the faithfulness of the Son of God who loves me. And the grace of freedom in the gift of the Spirit, who can transform a labyrinth of folly into a temple of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:
Lord, grant us the gift of honesty, the clarity of knowing how you see the world,
that we may not fear to speak the truth even when difficult.

Fifth Station: Jesus is Judged by Pilate
Mark 15: 1-5, 15: The chief priests with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin, held a council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate questioned him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He said to him in reply, "You say so." The chief priests accused him of many things. Again Pilate questioned him, "Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of." Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.... Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barrabas... [and] handed [Jesus] over to be crucified.

Reflections: A way of viewing life that is not like the world sees. Pilate for all his learning could not discern the truth. The crowd in all their fervor did not discern their king right before them.

Prayer:
Lord, grant us discernment that we may see as you see, not as the world sees. May we know truth and live truth as you are the truth.

Sixth Station: Jesus is Scourged and Crowned with Thorns
John 19: 1-3: Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged. And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head, and clothed him in a purple cloak, and they came to him and said,"Hail, King of the Jews!" And they struck him repeatedly.

Reflections:
If we call ourselves Christians, we should expect a crown of thorns and not the red carpet. The more we let our light shine, the more we act out of step with the new morality. The more we live counter cultural, the more the "Pilate" of this world dismiss us. The more we stand up for the truth, the more the "political forces' of this world mock us and place on us the purple cloaks of satire. The oppression and marginalizing of the gospel message reveals both darkness in the hearts of the powerful and Jesus like courage in the hearts of his people.

Prayer:
Lord, grant us patience in times of suffering
that we may offer our lives as a sacrifice of praise. For we know and understand suffering for your name sake is a part of the Christian life.

Seventh Station: Jesus Bears the Cross
John 19: 6, 15-17: When the chief priests and the guards saw [Jesus] they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him. I find no guilt in him." ... They cried out, "Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your king?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha.

Reflections: Only Jesus could take up his cross. It was his purpose and mission in life. Our strength is directly related to our commitment to the mission and our dependance on God. Two things Jesus lived flawlessly. Even when faced with profound rejection he did not waver but remained fixed on the purpose for with he had come.

Prayer: Lord, grant us strength of purpose that we may faithfully bear our crosses each day and be on mission for your glory.

In Him
J. Dawson Jarrell

Walking with Jesus through Good Friday (Part 1)

Below is the scriptural stages of the Cross, with my reflections over the weekend and a prayer. Blessings

First Station: Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane
Matthew 26:36-41: Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, "My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me." He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will." When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, "So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Reflections: here we look out at biblical strength and wisdom, the Son of God in prayer. Christ teaches us that in all activity, the first activity is prayer. Also here we see the first drops of atoning blood, a for taste of the work to come.

Prayer: Lord, give us the blessing won at Gethsemane. Give us a heart of prayer. May our prayers grow to faintly resemble our Lord's heart, give over to worship, willing to choose your will even if it is hard. May it be granted to us the strength and wisdom found in the first drops of shed blood sprinkled on the altar of prayer. And in so ground us in Gethsemane' strength and wisdom won by Christ that we may seek to follow God's will in all things.


Second Station: Jesus, Betrayed by Judas, is Arrested
Mark 14: 43-46: Then, while [Jesus] was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs, who had come from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying, "the man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him and lead him away securely." He came and immediately went over to him and said, "Rabbi." And he kissed him. At this they laid hands on him and arrested him.

Reflections: A symbol of friendship was bent into a sign of betrayal. Who knows Judas motives? No one knows why, he did what he did. What is clear is Jesus did not respond to betrayal with bitterness. He responded only to the will of the Father not the malice of men. He responded with Gospel!

Prayer: Lord, grant us the courage of our convictions, that you are sufficient for all our needs, that our lives may faithfully reflect the good news you bring. And when we are touched by the betrayer's kiss me we respond with Gospel.

Third Station: Jesus is Condemned by the Sanhedrin
Luke 22: 66-71: When day came the council of elders of the people met, both chief priests and scribes, and they brought him before their Sanhedrin. They said, "If you are the Messiah, tell us," but he replied to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I question, you will not respond. But from this time on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God." They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied to them, "You say that I am." Then they said, "What further need have we for testimony? We have heard it from his own mouth.

Reflections:
Unlike the progression of the day, hearts remain dark long after daylight turns to noonday. We are all the Sanhedrin. We have all pass judgment on Jesus. We have all tried to build our own kingdom. We are all in need of his righteousness to dispels all the darkness. We are all in need of his discerning light, so we may live as a people of daylight justice in a dark world. Power struggles are messy, only because we struggle for power instead of working for his justice in the service of our king.

Prayer:
Lord, give us the grace to loose the struggle for power, empower trust to win in our hearts. Grant us an sense of what moves your heart, an understanding of what makes you smile and a knowledge of your righteousness that we may never cease to work, to bring about the justice of the kingdom that you promised.