Mary and her Son, exchange a laugh and conversation. 'Passion of the Christ'
Luke 10:17-24
The seventy-two returned with joy, saying,
"Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!"
18 And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately,
21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!
24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."
Luke 15:20
So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him."
Joy. To see what they saw and to hear what they heard. The seventy-two returned with joy. What would draw us to Father God? The joy He brings in His steadfast love.
Frankly, I was amazed at Social Media's interest, mention and proclamation about Lent.
Wow. Really, with this much upheaval, we are looking to God more to find out what wind is about to move in. Lent is so very ignored because the vast population sees Lent as the step-child or polar opposite to Valentine's Day.
Just as every generation, in our lifetime, is looking at their relationship with Jesus. This generation has changed denominations. As politics became more and more fraught, the people changed Denominations of their entire lives, to move to Churches proclaiming the impossible abilities of God to give us the literal truth in Scripture. The statistics say as Nixon resigned, people started to jaundice on their trust in the Political. And left their normal pew, to find Churches alive in the Holy Spirit.
Then the music changed, the altars changed, the Churches looked more designed for the times. And still Lent was viewed as not the time to show up. Not this year, Honey Child. The Church is packed.
Is Lent the antithesis of Valentine's Day?
Lent prepares us for the massive sacrifice of Jesus to give up His ministry. Sure, we see aerial images showing us 5 people surrounding the 3 crosses on Good Friday. Wrong.
Jesus was invited to live and minister to the Jewish Dispersion as they arrived from Crete and other far-flung places, like Rome itself, in pilgrimage to visit Jerusalem, and to take charge to locate Jesus and ask to Invite Jesus. Probably, because Jesus opened His ministry from His Adult hometown of Capernaum, we know He started with 4,000 people the day Jesus started. Multitudes of women mourned Jesus, in person, on Good Friday. All of Israel knows. Men would have been conscripted like Simon of Cyrene, made to carry Jesus' own cross. The father of Alexander and Rufus. (We very probably hear later, if we look with faith, in the faith eyes and ears, Rufus is a new Christian, a bit later.)
How do we know for sure?
Our heart tells us. Our generation has seen more archaeology revealed than ever before. Because we are in the end of days? No, because more and more and more people visit Israel each year. More and more people move to beautiful Israel. More populations in the cities of Israel than ever before. Most villages and towns for two millenniums barely increased in population in Israel.
Now, again, Israel is Israel resurrected of God, 2 millenniums later and more interest and building has happened.
We do have some magnificence, in this generation, we are all aware of.
Your phone, in your hand isn't rotary dialed manually and fires up, instead you link to satellites. (God Bless Elon Musk for blessing the Ukrainians!)
So, is Lent the antithesis of Valentine's Day?
No. Valentine died in ultimate Sacrifice. For Love. Jesus rose to Heaven and brought the Kingdom of Heaven to be at hand. Jesus made sure we know where He is. It's not vague.
Lent is the Preparation for the sadness of Good Friday and the Joy of Easter, filling every day in our eternal lives.
Luke 15:20
So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
The joy of His holiness making us all complete.
Just as a small child runs to the parent, so does God reach for us. Jesus Christ dwelling with mankind as grace and truth offering His Holy Spirit to dwell with us, today.
Did Jesus suffer terribly the 40 days before Easter?
Frankly, the Disciples were very concerned about Jesus. Thomas, later known as Doubtful Thomas, said when Jesus again made the dead rise, with the healing of Lazarus in the tomb for 3 days, Jesus would be killed for doing too much good.
Now, did Jesus suffer terribly the 40 days before Easter?
No, He did not. He had dinner with Lazarus and his sisters. He refused to reign down fire on the Samaritans, wanting Jesus not to go further to more trouble in Jerusalem. Luke 9. The Samaritans realized Jesus had proclaimed Himself as Messiah to the woman at the well, saw what we read, and hear what we read and hear today about Jesus. The Samaritans wisely wanted Jesus to stay. Stay right with the Samaritans. Smarter than David, letting the Philistines keep the Ark of the Covenant to the blessing of the Philistines. Jesus does not jump up and down and take out nervous fright on the Disciples for wanting fire from Heaven. Jesus lets His no be a no.
Jesus goes on to send out Disciples, out to go forth, and procure a room, an upper room, where Jesus can have a very Special Dinner with the Disciples. This is when the Disciples miss seeing Jesus gathers both a donkey and a horse. They were not with Jesus. Jesus is arranging a Passover Pre Dinner we now call this time, Maundy Thursday or The New Covenant.
Jesus, in His yes, is changing the world to be saved in Jesus Christ.
And the world did begin to change rapidly. See Roman History and weather.
During John 14, 15, 16 and 17, we know what Jesus said to His Disciples. His exact conversation. We do not hear of weeping and wailing. Jesus instead tells us living with Jesus, Holy Spirit within us daily, we will have Joy. Or be Joy seekers. His mercies renew each day.
Learning to let God's Plan unfold.
Lent has a 2 millennium history!
This is when
all
the parents pray their children and grandchildren will receive the Holy Spirit
and Churches will be packed like Easter.
Yes, this is true for millenniums and even when Jesus was being invited, living on earth as Grace upon Grace, by those on pilgrimage to live in Crete or even Rome.
If we are willing to ask our families and the people we love to Walk with Jesus every day.
This year, the ENTIRE worldwide Church has the attention of those Seeking God for Peace in our Time.
We need to look at the ENTIRE Church population for the last 50 years.
Easter is Recognized as go to Church.
Lent isn't populated, usually avoided, generally because it is the same as the decades when suddenly Church is sometimes scary. Ashes, sin, remorse, guilt, sorrow, your fault. Your gloom. Your death. God died. What happened. The Spanish Inquisition.
My Church did just fine, as always, bringing this into God's Love.
If you are the Church, it is important to recognize God first. And God has something to say
about His Son, Jesus Christ. God calls Him Beloved. God calls Jesus Wonderful.
1 Corinthians 11:29
New International Version
For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.
New Living Translation
For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.
English Standard Version
For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
Lent prepares us to be Holy for Easter.
If we turn Lent into a Renewal, with the Holiness of God, we have pleased God. If we Turn Lent into I'm okay, you're okay, we have vastly taken the Blessing of God down to sadness.
When Lent is a Renewal, we are walking the path of Jesus approaching the Cross. Good Friday is Solemn. For intense purposes of God.
The Purpose of the Sabbath is Jesus Christ. 52 Times a Year. God of Love. God of Encouragement. God of Renewal. Jesus Christ is the same Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.
The Holy Spirit is alive and working. So is Lent to reflect Jesus. The Helper, the Teacher, the Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, The Holy Spirit.
When we look at the Early Church, operating in the Holy Spirit, this is everyone's Church.
1 Corinthians 11:29
New International Version
For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.
New Living Translation
For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.
English Standard Version
For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
Look at the Word of God again, we must prepare holiness, but we must also "Discern the Body." Jesus urges Peter, Victorious Jesus, urges Peter to feed His Children. Discern the Body of Christ. Feed my Lambs, Jesus says. Feed my Children.
World War II saw tremendous interest in going to Church. Then, people were angry at the Liturgy for just being read. Now, we don't do the Liturgy, but we should Never, Never pick and choose what to leave out forever.
Just as we should not offer up Lent all up, without discerning the Body of Christ and the Living Souls in Distress.
We say Walk with Jesus. Jesus did not turn His Easter Preparation into gloom. But Jesus Surely Expects Holiness and not skimping on the Holiness. Lent didn't see Jesus in sack cloth and ashes and flagellation. I'd bet, quite a few of the population would be surprised to find out the New Covenant four entire Chapters is about Joy with God.
Examine the Scriptures for Jesus' life during the 40 days of His Plan.
Jesus had 12 Disciples.
Then 70 and then two more wishy washy types, bringing the Disciples to 72 in number. And Jesus gave News of the New Covenant, the population of Disciples went back down. Jesus would never change the message of God's Good Will and His Plan, but Jesus didn't follow the Disciples in the street shouting who could have Shame and crt. Now we know this Plan of God's worked because as Jesus preached for 40 days victoriously, 1 Corinthians 15:6 says Jesus Victorious had 500 people.
Abba, Father,
God's Good Creation.
The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof.
We have lived the Exodus Pandemic.
And Pandemic History 'reunfolds'.
We pray this prayer:
Exodus 33
Moses asked: If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you,
and I will give you rest.”
Jesus our Living Water
Let Jesus roll down like
cleansing waters,
and righteousness
like an ever-flowing stream.
And we will be blessed indeed.
Jesus the Lord. Alleluia
and Amen.
Jesus the God of ALL.
Jesus, we pray Life and healing
Joy and Love in Families Enduring with Hope.
Jesus, God of Encouragement.
Jesus, Hope and Future.
Jesus the Lord
saves the world
Amen.
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