Posts Tagged ‘growth’
Lectionary Scripture for February 22, 2012 – Ash Wednesday
February 20, 2012Pastor’s Ponderings, Wanderings, Wonderings
February 13, 2012
Mark 1:40-45 – 40 A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.
As I read this scripture from the Gospel of Mark I was struck with the desire this outcast had to be healed from this disfiguring, crippling, slow death disease. Jesus shows us His compassion in His willingness to heal this man. We see the Leper’s desire in his daring to even think about approaching a group of Jewish men walking down the road. This leper came to Jesus even though he knew that if he got within 50 paces the Law said that the men were within their right to throw stones at him to keep him at a safe distance. He also was required by Law to shout unclean whenever he was coming upon people. Can you just imagine the compassion that led Jesus to walk up to this man and touch him even though under the Law Jesus would be considered unclean himself. I don’t know but it seems to me that Jesus was there alone with the Leper. The disciples probably kind of hung back to keep the proper distance.
This thought pattern led me to think of how many of us truly seek healing from the touch of Jesus Christ. Many of us are plagued by diseases of the heart, mind and soul. Our spirits are held back and our spiritual growth is stunted because we hang on to the disease we have. It could be drugs or alcohol or sex or pornography or greed or selfishness or jealousy or many other diseases that cripple our souls. Jesus wants us to seek Him out like this leper did. He wants us to call out to Him because we want to be healed by Him. He can and will set us free from the disease that is plaguing us. Is the life you lead making you feel unclean? Do people shun you because of your actions? Seek out Jesus and call on Him. Seek His healing touch. Then go out and tell everyone who healed you.
Have a blessed week,
Randy
Lectionary Scriptures for February 19th, 2012
February 13, 2012Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings
February 7, 2012
In our Bible Study for this Wednesday we will be reviewing Matthew Chapter 20. Jesus tells the parable about workers getting the same pay (1 denarius) for the work they have done. Some of these workers went to work early in the morning, some in the middle of the day and some late in the day. In the parable they all receive the same pay. Jesus is telling His disciples that no matter what time in our life we come to a saving knowledge of Him we will all receive the same reward. That reward of course is our salvation and life eternal in Heaven with Him. The reward however does go further than that. Those of us who come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ early in our lives are blessed with a new outlook that can make our lives much better and can give us the opportunity to witness and share with many more people.
Jesus also was addressing the Jewish belief system which was saying that their favored nation status was being taken and given to all who believed in Him. We who come to this saving knowledge of Jesus Christ become children of God without following the letter of the law. Jesus teaches us that we are to love God and to love our neighbors as the most important guidelines we can follow. He even calls them two new commandments. Very important for us and for the new disciples. Jesus gives us all favored nation status as His children.
A learning for many in churches today would be that no matter how long we have been followers of Jesus Christ we are to be accepting of and care for those who are new believers. We need to remember that our status in God is just the same as the new believer. Our blessings in this life are that we have the opportunity to be known as people who love, care for and support each other no matter how long we have known our Savior. We are to be known as people who reach out to the world and exclude no one.
God’s Peace and Blessings to each and everyone,
Randy Branch
Lectionary Scripture February 12th, 2012
February 6, 2012Lectionary Scripture for February 5th, 2012
January 30, 2012Lectionary Scriptures for January 29th, 2012
January 23, 2012Lectionary Scriptures January 22, 2012
January 16, 2012Lectionary Scriptures for January 15th, 2012
January 9, 2012Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings
January 7, 2012Great Granddaughter meets Great Grandparents. Georgia Ann got to meet her great grandparents Friday the 6th. Her great-grandfather will turn 92 on January 8th and Georgia will turn one month on the 12th. This age difference got me to thinking about all that my dad has seen and all that Georgia has an opportunity to see. The changes that have happened during my father’s 92 years have been amazing for his life and for the way he lived it. Georgia’s life will be filled with changes that will be even more amazing and will affect the way she will live her life in astounding ways.
I hope to baptize Georgia in the next few months. Georgia’s parents will accept responsibility for her spiritual growth and someday she will go through confirmation classes and confirm her belief in God and Jesus Christ. As I think about all that Georgia has to experience as she grows I am excited as the promise of scientific knowledge grows exponentially. The wonderful things that she will see and the changes that will affect her life will be many and many will be brand new discoveries. While there will be many changes it is our hope that her belief in God and her parents efforts at sharing their beliefs with her will be a solid foundation that gives her the one constant that will help her center her life. Her belief will help to center her life around consistent moral values that will lead her through all the changes that will take place in the world around her.
It is a new year with lots of new experiences for us all. Allow your beliefs to center your heart and mind around all the changes that take place in your life. Those who do have a much better chance at enjoying life as it comes to them.
Our baptism is the beginning of a new life in Jesus Christ. We are called to grow in our knowledge of His way and in His Spirit. Remember your Baptism and remember your covenant relation with your God.
Randy
Wesley United Methodist Church, Orange TX 