January 25, 2023 – “Fresh Eyes”

“They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.” The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” John 9:13-23

In the previous devotion I talked about how should strive to hear the Gospel with “Ears open” – to strive to hear bible stories with fresh ears. Now we are going to talk about how we can view the Christ-like life with new eyes. What does it mean to be a disciple? If we come to worship every Sunday, are we a disciple of Jesus? If we pray every night and at every meal, are we disciples? If we believe that Jesus died for our sins, are we disciples? How do you believe a disciple of Jesus should live? If we look to the examples of biblical characters, or even some modern-day examples, perhaps we can understand what a disciple can look like.

If you have been a member of Zion for many years, you may be able to name someone you thought of as a good disciple. I can think of some people from my previous churches: people like Betty Heycock, Verna Bachman, or our own David Myers.

I encourage you do to think upon the question “What does a disciple look like?” Living the Christ-like life is not easy. But to recognize the disciples, the modern-day examples around us, that should not be too hard. It just takes keeping awake, and alert, to see the disciples among us.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, give me the eyes to see and the ears to hear – for there are so many of your disciples around me. Help me to be a disciple today. Amen.

Pastor Dave

January 24, 2023 – “Be Opened”

“Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” Mark 7:31-37

{“Two American tourists are driving through Wales. They decide to stop for a bite to eat in the village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. Baffled by the name, one of them turns to a local and asks, “Would you please say where we are—very slowly?” The Welshman leans over and says, very slowly, “Burrr-gerrr Kinngg.”}

“Be opened”, Jesus says – and the man’s ears were opened, and his tongue released. Often we hear of something like a new historical find or read a book we have never read before, and the world takes on a new look. I am currently reading a book titled “Entangled Life: how fungi make our worlds, change our lives and shape our futures” by Merlin Sheldrake. I had no idea how fascinating mushrooms and lichens could be – how connected things under the earth are — and so gives us a model for how connected humanity should be.

Or, according to the author of another book I am currently reading, we can thank coffee for expanding and opening the minds of so many people since the coffee bean was “discovered” in Yemen by some hungry goats. The author writes: “The discovery of coffee was, in its way, as important as the invention of the telescope or the microscope, without which we should know little of the incredibly vast and nothing of the incredibly small. For coffee has unexpectedly intensified and modified the capacities and activities of the human brain.” (Coffee: The Epic of a Commodity, H. E. Jacob)

How can we open ourselves up to hear the Gospel in new ways? How can the bible be opened to our hearing so that we might hear them with fresh ears? The best way to hear the Gospel is to hear it in multiple formats – to hear it preached – to engage it in bible study – to hear different interpretations – and to listen for the Holy Spirit as you seek guidance in understanding the scriptures.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, help me follow the teaching of Jesus who says “Be Opened” – let my ears hear….Amen.

Pastor Dave