“In Jesus’ day, the story of God came into its own. Jesus’ contemporaries believed, because their ancient prophets had told them so, that their God had promised to live in their midst, in the Jerusalem Temple, which was the lineal descendant of Solomon’s Temple, which was itself the successor to the wilderness tabernacle constructed by Moses. But–again, as the prophets had said—Israel’s God had abandoned the Temple at the time of the exile to Babylon. Ever afterwards, the same prophets had promised that he would one day return.” (“Who Should Be King?”, Simply Jesus,  N. T. Wright, p. 40-41)

The scriptures say it again and again – “The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his Temple” (Malachi 1) What would it mean for us, today, in America, for us to have Jesus live in our midst? What would that look like, do you think? What if we, Christians, people of Christ, were following Jesus as he walked this land – preached his Gospel of love and forgiveness – and healed people at an unprecedented rate?

There are various “spiritual healers” in our land who claim to have the ability to heal – either through prayers, invisible surgeries, and other “folk medicines”. People flock to them with money and hope – and there is no lack of followers who are convinced of their ability to heal. They may have the ability to heal – and they may have a message of love and forgiveness – but does their ability come from G-d? Or are they just really good charlatans? We are told to expect Jesus to come again – it is a promise that we continue to live in – the same promises that the Israelites placed their hope—one day he will come. Be alert. Be prepared.

Pastor Dave

“Earth wobbles and lurches; huge mountains shake like leaves,
Quake like aspen leaves because of his rage.
His nostrils flare, bellowing smoke; his mouth spits fire.
Tongues of fire dart in and out; he lowers the sky.
He steps down; under his feet an abyss opens up.
He’s riding a winged creature, swift on wind-wings.
Now he’s wrapped himself in a trench coat of black-cloud darkness.
But his cloud-brightness bursts through, spraying hailstones and fireballs.
Then God thundered out of heaven; the High God gave a great shout,
spraying hailstones and fireballs. God shoots his arrows—pandemonium!
He hurls his lightening—a rout! The secret sources of ocean are exposed,
the hidden depths of earth lie uncovered. The moment you roar in protest,
let loose your hurricane anger.” (Psalm 18:7-15, The Message)

“That sounds pretty much like a hurricane to me. (Psalm 18) And perhaps something more. Whatever else the ancient Israelites believed about their God, he was not a tame God. He was not the cool, detached God of ancient Epicureanism or modern Deism. But nor was he simply the personification of those forces of nature. He uses them, riding on the wind. At other times he tells the winds to be quiet. He remains sovereign over the elements. He is, after all, their creator. The first century Jews told stories not only about their national history, but about their God. They celebrated his power, singing psalms like the one quoted. Jerusalem, as ever, stood at the point where the tectonic plates of the world crashed together.” (“The Hurricane”, Simply Jesus,  N. T. Wright, p. 40)

I have lived through several hurricanes. I have never survived a true, clashing of tectonic plates we call an earthquake. We get small, seemingly benign earthquakes in this part of Pennsylvania – nothing like they experience in Japan, in California, or even in Mexico. Hurricanes and earthquakes both have power. One uses the wind and water to cause destruction. The other moves the whole earth, the actual crust of the earth moves, lifting and shaking the ground under our feet. Both have power – both can change our perspective on the world.

Looking at many of the images that have come to us from places that have been devastated by hurricanes or earthquakes, the devastation can be total and complete. Nothing, not levies, not boundary islands, not even seismic detectors can predict, prevent, nor prevail over such disasters. But Jesus could, or so the bible tells us so. He could calm the storms on the sea – he could walk on water – he could raise the dead. His power over death, disease, and destruction was overwhelming. And his power, like that of hurricanes and earthquakes, should change our perspective on faith, and life, and the world. As we hear Jesus say in Matthew 17: “…you’re not yet taking God seriously,” said Jesus. “The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith, a poppy seed, say, you would tell this mountain, ‘Move!’ and it would move. There is nothing you wouldn’t be able to tackle.”

My friends, every day we need to rejoice in the Power of the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Dave