Category: 843 Acres

Scripture Focus: Luke 9.51-56
51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village. 

Reflection: Rebuke for Hotheads
By John Tillman

Earthly justice is one thing but fire from Heaven? The Zebedee brothers weren’t joking around. James and John had cause for anger from their point of view.

Jesus had visited the Samaritans. He spoke to them, stayed with them, taught them, and included them. He would even use a Samaritan as the hero of one of his most famous stories. (Luke 10.33-35) Yet, after all Jesus did for them, this Samaritan town rejected and disrespected him.

It’s easy to point fingers at the Zebedee brothers. “Those hotheads! What are they thinking!?”

Then we get on social media and see the latest insults hurled at people we respect…the latest revelations of abuse against people we love…the latest attacks on truths we hold dear…the latest offensive comments…the latest shocking articles… 

If we are honest, in moments of pain, conflict, hurt, and anger, don’t we sometimes want to see things, institutions, or even people “burned down?” Maybe it’s not that we wouldn’t call down fire but that we don’t have the faith to believe that we could. If we did, some of us might try it.

Many in scripture, such as Eve, Abram, David, Herod, and the Zebedee brothers, sought to gain God’s blessings or use God’s power outside of his ways. We often do the same. When we center on hurt, emotion, anger, or pain, we can’t help but want to strike out with any power we have. But God’s power is for his purposes and God’s purpose is to redeem people rather than roast them.

Jesus was not concerned with the Samaritans’ slights. While the disciples worried about Jesus losing face, Jesus “set his face like a flint” to go to Jerusalem. (Isaiah 50.6-7; Luke 9.51) What did he care that one town rejected him? He was about to be rejected and insulted on a much grander scale than the disciples could imagine. He was headed resolutely toward the cross and he expected them to follow.

Like James and John, we can lose sight of the greater mission and be caught up in conflict. At least the two hotheads got one thing right that we can emulate: they took their anger to Jesus first and followed his lead. 

Make no mistake, justice will fall on every wrongdoer for every wrong, no matter how small. Yet, we must follow Jesus and resolutely set our faces toward the cross while simultaneously working for earthly justice.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
Who is like you, Lord God of hosts? O mighty Lord, your faithfulness is all around you.
Righteousness and justice are the foundations of your throne; love and truth go before your face. — Psalm 89.8

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Reading
Exodus 27 (Listen 2:52)
Luke 9 (Listen 8:05)

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We seek truth but not vengeance. There is a time and place for our hand to cease and the will of God to be done.

Scripture Focus: Luke 6.24-26
24 “But woe to you who are rich, 
for you have already received your comfort. 
25 Woe to you who are well fed now, 
for you will go hungry. 
Woe to you who laugh now, 
for you will mourn and weep. 
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, 
for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

Reflection: Blessing and Woes — A Guided Prayer
By John Tillman

Luke’s Beatitudes strike a sharper tone than Matthew’s because Luke pairs them with a mirrored set of woes. Where Matthew mentions that we are like the prophets of old when we are treated poorly, Luke adds the woeful warning that when we are treated well, we are like the false prophets of old.

Pray Luke’s Beatitudes through the rest of this week. Hear God speaking to you in both parts of the prayer.

A Prayer of Blessings and Woes
Lord help us press onward through the blessing of being poor, of being hungry, of weeping, of being hated, excluded, insulted, and rejected. There is blessing in the pain of the journey and surpassing joy on the other side.

Blessed are you who are poor,
    for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now,
    for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you and insult you
    and reject your name as evil,
        because of the Son of Man.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.

May we take heed of the woes we are subject to. May we not deny that we are rich, that we are comfortable, that we are well-fed, that we laugh, and are spoken well of. There is comfort now in acclaim and acceptance, but there is woe and destruction if we turn away from the path of Christ.

But woe to you who are rich,
    for you have already received your comfort.
Woe to you who are well fed now,
    for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
    for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
“Because the needy are oppressed, and the poor cry out in misery, I will rise up,” says the Lord, “And give them the help they long for.” — Psalm 12.5

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Reading
Exodus 24 (Listen 2:48)
Luke 6 (Listen 6:46)

Read more about Seeing God in the Wilderness
Christ extends his hand, inviting us to a joy-filled city, in which the God of creation waits to dine with us.

Read more about Woken by Woe
Amos, Jesus, and other prophets employ the ominous tone of, “woe” to get the attention of their audiences.

Scripture Focus: Luke 3.10-14
10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.” 

Reflection: A Rebellion of Repentance
By John Tillman

John the Baptizer was considered a prophet by the people, even though he did no “signs.” The only signs anyone ever got from John were the tongue-lashing of his teaching, his testimony about Jesus, and his sacramental baptism of repentance.

John was so outside the norms of his society that enemies said he “had a demon.” (Matthew 11.18) He rejected the cushy religious establishment and embraced radical asceticism, rejecting the typical comforts people associated with being blessed. He even rejected the comfortable teaching that, as children of Abraham, the Jews could smugly rely on God’s continued blessing.

If John’s person and message were so discomforting, how was he so popular? Why did the sinful, like Herod, like to listen to him? Of course, he had enemies, but even after his death, the religious leaders didn’t dare to slight him. (Mark 11.31-33)

John’s teaching had barbs of uncomfortable truth but also had hope. John acknowledged that the world was full of snakes but the snake-crusher was coming. (Genesis 3.15) The orchard was stricken with blight, but the axe was about to swing and the fruitless would be cut down.

People wanted to be on the side of the snake-crusher, not the snakes. They wanted the axe-swinger to notice their fruit and spare them. “What should we do?” they asked.

We might expect this crazed, desert preacher to recommend they quit their jobs, flee the city, and live in the desert eating bugs and honey. We expect him to tell the tax collectors, “Your job supports a corrupt empire’s financial system! Quit!” We expect the soldiers to hear, “Stop enforcing the evil laws of the empire!” We expect the downtrodden crowd to hear, “Rebel against the government! Join the uprising!” Instead, all John’s commands are financial in nature and they all involve staying IN the world.

“Don’t cheat. Keep working, even as part of the empire, but with integrity. Don’t steal. Keep bringing order to chaos through the law, but without abuse of power. Be foolishly generous. Be near the impoverished and help them.”

The repentance John describes is a rebellion more radical than violent insurrection. Rebellion out of hate only destroys. John’s rebellion of repentance is motivated by love that longs to restore what is right. The snake-crushing, axe-wielding one is coming. Allies of the snake-crusher will show fruitful repentance that brings justice, fairness, and abundance to the needy.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Morning Psalm
Turn from evil, and do good; and dwell in the land forever.
For the Lord loves justice; he does not forsake his faithful ones.
They shall be kept safe forever, but the offspring of the wicked shall be destroyed.
The righteous shall possess the land and dwell in it forever.
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and their tongue speaks what is right.
The law of their God is in their heart, and their footsteps shall not falter. — Psalm 37.28-33

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Reading
Exodus 21 (Listen 4:44)
Luke 3 (Listen 5:24)

This Weekend’s Reading
Exodus 22 (Listen 4:44) Luke 4 (Listen 5:27)
Exodus 23 (Listen 4:44) Luke 5 (Listen 5:04)

Read more about Become More by Becoming Less
Our culture is radically expansionist…we are pressured to justify our existence. “You aren’t enough the way you are now. Become more.”

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