Tag Archives: Jesus

G*d’s Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity, Messiah, Savior

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on December 27, 2015
Tags: Jesus,   

It Was A Three-Day-Tour — Rev. David J. Schreffler

Image result for pictures of Jesus in the temple

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 27, 2015
Sunday

“Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.” Luke 2:41 – 52

“Joseph and Mary search for Jesus for “three days.” When an early Christian heard the phrase “for three days,” one of their first associations would have been to think “resurrection.” Jesus had been raised from the dead after “three days.” Virtually every first century Christian would have made this association automatically. This would indicate that the story should be understood and seen in light of the resurrection.

“In the resurrection, the new family of God supersedes one’s earthly family. In the resurrection, Jesus’ conversation and dialog “in the midst” of the teachers in the Temple is a portrayal of life in the new world of God wherein the hallowed place of tradition–the Temple–is transformed into a place where Jesus is now in the center. From that position, he is in dialog with the tradition, yet with new and astonishing understanding, so much so that the teachers of the tradition look upon him with respect and astonishment. In these opening chapters of Luke, Joseph and Mary are portrayed as especially devout and righteous. They observe the rituals and devotional practices of their people. They have just had Jesus circumcised (2:21) following which they are said to have acted “according to the law” three times. With this accent on the family’s religious devotion, Luke is saying that Jesus’ family life was oriented toward the purposes of God, and that the Jewish boy Jesus grew up in a thoroughly Jewish world.” (Progressive Involvement webpage, December 26, 2012, Christmas 1: Luke 2: 41-52, by John Petty)

Joseph and Mary are searching for Jesus for three days. When Jesus is crucified, he lay in the tomb three days, when his followers come to search for him. Oh they are not initially searching for him, but once they find the tomb empty, the search is on. His parents find Jesus in the Temple where, he tells them, he should be – this is where they should have expected to find him – this is where the search should have begun.

In his early life, Jesus is telling his family that their search for him should begin in G-d’s house. Today, we believe the same. The search initially begins in G-d’s house, but once found, we learn that Jesus is, in fact, everywhere. We are taught to find him in the presence of believers, in the word, in the sacrament, in the Holy Spirit that blows throughout this world. Jesus is found in the face of suffering, in the homes of the oppressed, in the struggle of poverty, in the cries of the despairing. And, we hope, Jesus is found in the worship centers around the world. We still go to church expecting to meet Jesus – but we do not leave Jesus there. Jesus cannot be shut up in a church, or a box of theological principles, or in our minds.

My friends, there are many people in this world who feel like the parents of Jesus, searching and searching everywhere to find him. They are afraid to go to church to find him, because they think they will find all kinds of other things, and people, but they will not find Jesus. It should not take people three days, three years, or three decades to find Jesus – we should all expect to see Jesus, well, everywhere. When you and I are the hands and feet of Christ, we bear the image of Christ to others – and, hopefully, help others to find Jesus.

Pastor Dave

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on December 25, 2015
Tags: Jesus,   

Christmas Day — Rev. David J. Schreffler

 

christmas day             December 25, 2015

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. John 1:1 – 14

“The light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” I love the confident note of hope this verse sounds. One the one hand, it is the declaration of a state of fact: light is stronger than darkness. At the same time, it is also a promise: even when it seems otherwise – and even the briefest scan of the headlines can make it seem otherwise – yet the light continues to shine and the darkness has neither overcome nor understood it. There is an active, even tensive quality to this verse that strikes me as accurately capturing the life of faith. We live confident of the promise that light is stronger than darkness, love stronger than hate, and life stronger than death. Yet not only that is not always apparent in the meantime, but even when we believe it most confidently that doesn’t lessen the amount of struggle a faithful life entails. Christmas reminds us of God’s decision to become one of us, to take on our lot and our life that we might have hope, and to share our mortal life that we might enjoy God’s eternal life. This is not merely a season or celebration, it is a promise that requires our active participation every day of the year. God’s condescension simultaneously glorifies human flesh and endeavors. Our lives matter to God. Our welfare is of tremendous importance to the Almighty. There is no worry too small, no challenge too great, that God is not eager to share it with us. Indeed, God is eager to equip and empower us to share our worries and challenges, as well as our joys and hopes, with each other. As because of God’s decision to come to us in a form we recognize, we are empowered to reach out to those around us.” (David Lose, Dear Working Preacher, Christmas Continued, December 30, 2014)

What are the different ways G-d could come to this world? G-d could have come in the manner that Ezekiel left – a flaming chariot suddenly appearing in the heavens, surrounded by clouds and a multitude of other chariots leading, guiding, heralding his coming. Or, he could have appeared on something like a television, a large screen suddenly appearing in the heavens for every one to see. He could have come in a mighty wind, everyone having to avert their eyes until it calms down, and there stands Jesus in his full glory. None of these would do. G-d determined to come like every other child comes to this earth – through the birth canal. It is not the ordinary way a king announces his reign – but Jesus is not ordinary King.

“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10 – 12)

He could have come on a fiery chariot, but instead he came to set the world on fire with love, mercy and grace.

Pastor Dave