pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: finished


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Human Wants

Readings: Nehemiah 5, Nehemiah 6, Nehemiah 7

Nehemiah 6:16 – “The nations around us were afraid and their confidence was greatly shaken. They knew that this work was completed with the help of our God.”

Internal unrest almost derails the building process. Taxes had gone up due to Persia’s growing war with Greece. A famine has set in. As is almost always the case, these factors hit the poor the hardest. And is often the case, the wealthy and powerful take advantage of the most vulnerable. How little things have changed in 2,000+ years. The poor (roughly 95% of the population) find themselves indebted to the small landowning class. The poor are losing what little they have. Some children have become slaves and more are on their way. The righteous Nehemiah intervenes on behalf of the poor. Land and homes and interest and slaves are returned or freed. The work continues.

External opposition attempts to strike next. Sanballat and Geshem try to lure Nehemiah away to a quiet secluded place… Their human want is for power. They want to eliminate this political rival. After Nehemiah refuses four invitations, they send a letter accusing him of treasonous acts. He replies, “You are simply inventing this.” Tobiah and Sanballat try hiring an Israelite to sullen Nehemiah’s reputation. But God helps him to see and avoid this trap as well.

The wall is finished – in 52 days! This is so amazing that “The nations around us were afraid and their confidence was greatly shaken. They knew that this work was completed with the help of our God.” The gate doors are built and hung. The priests and Levites are appointed to their roles. Hanani and Hananiah are appointed to rule over Jerusalem. This should be easy – it’s almost uninhabited at this point. No homes have been rebuilt. Nehemiah then registers all the families that returned from exile. This list is almost an exact match to the one in Ezra 2 – except there are more singers. The people return to their towns and villages. The spiritual work on the people’s hearts begins in tomorrow’s reading.

Prayer: Lord God, you walk faithfully with Nehemiah and with your people. Yet some forget. This leads to the human tendency to want to accumulate. This want resides in us too. When that tendency surfaces – whether for things or for power – when that desires calls, remind us that we are to be stewards not hoarders, caretakers not overlords. Remind us of our call to love all of your children. Amen.


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A Quiet Death

Readings: John 18 and John 19

Ch. 19, verse 30: “Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

Today’s long Good Friday reading takes us from the arrest of Jesus to the burial of Jesus. Along the way, Jesus is questioned and abused by the religious leaders, is questioned and found innocent by Pilate, and is crucified by Roman soldiers. Jesus acknowledges that he is a king, extends care for his mother, and dies a quiet death. False accusations and lies and intimidation fuel what happens to Jesus. Several times John reminds us that what happened to Jesus was to fulfill the scriptures.

Jesus claims that his kingdom is not of this world in John 18:36. He is speaking to one whose kingdom is of this world. In the flesh, Jesus bridges these two kingdoms. In the incarnation the kingdom of heaven came to earth. During his ministry and life Jesus revealed the core elements of the kingdom of God: love, healing, compassion, forgiveness, grace, welcome, mercy, peace, restoration, joy, hope. All of these are wrapped up in today’s 2 chapters. Some appear again and again.

Towards the end of chapter 19, in verse 30 we read: “Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” As all is completed just as the scriptures had detailed this event, Jesus dies a quiet death. On this day, it feels so appropriate. All that was to be accomplished by the human one was finished. With grace the spirit of Christ returned to God.

Prayer: Lord God, there is so much sadness this day. We feel it as those who loved Jesus then must’ve felt it. Yet Jesus did not. There was a steadiness and a peace about him. There was an assurance and a deep trust. Help us to remember that this was exactly as you planned it to be. Amen.


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Pray, Speak, Stand

Reading: 2nd Samuel 11: 1-5

Verse 2: “One evening David got up… walked around on the roof… saw a woman bathing”.

Photo credit: Joshua Oluwagbemiga

Today we enter one of the uglier stories in the Bible. The story begins with a bad decision and spirals down from there. David decides to stay home when the army goes off to war instead of leading them into battle. But a king can do what a king wants to do. Then one night he can’t sleep. In verse two we read, “One evening David got up… walked around on the roof… saw a woman bathing”. His eyes and heart wander. He spies a very beautiful woman bathing. Lust is born. As the story unfolds one of his servants asks, “Isn’t that Bathsheba… Uriah’s wife”? Hint, hint. But a king can do what a king wants to do. David sends for her and sleeps with her. Forced himself upon her is the much, much more likely reality. David is finished with her and sends her back home. It is an ugly story that ends with an unexpected pregnancy.

On Sunday in church we talked about breaking down walls and about standing with the abused, oppressed, taken advantage of… We would have loved to have been there and to have stood up for Bathsheba. We think we would have stood and shouted, “No more of this ‘But a king can do what a king wants to do’ stuff”! Yet today people with power continue to force their way, to coerce others, to play by their own set of rules. Naming realities helps to break down walls. Sex trafficking and other forms of sexual exploitation are still alive and well. One of the top sex trafficking events in the US will take place just up the road in a couple of weeks. I believe the Sturgis Rally is second only to the Super Bowl. Most of us are appalled by and disgusted by the story of David and Bathsheba. Are we equally so when we recognize that sex trafficking and pornography are huge business in our nation?

Just as those in David’s palace should have stood up for and then cared for Bathsheba, so too must we pray for and speak for and stand with those who are exploited and used by others. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, we peak today at the ugliness of a person in power forcing his way. Hold our eyes and hearts for a few moments; help us to connect to Bathsheba. Then turn our eyes and hearts to the ugly realities of today. Money and power and lust still lead to ugliness today. Guide us all to do what we can – some to pray, some to speak, some to stand with the victims. May your love bring healing to the brokenness of our world and lives. Amen.


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It Is Finished

Reading: John 19: 16-30

Verse 30: “Jesus said, ‘It is finished’. With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit”.

In John’s gospel we move quickly from Pilate handing Jesus over to Jesus being on the cross. In the other gospels there is not much attention paid to the painful and torturous process that Jesus actually went through. The focus is on the fact that Jesus went to the cross for us. Once there, John focuses on a few details.

First, the sign. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”. The religious leaders protest but Pilate does not budge. The truth remains atop the cross. Second, the four soldiers divide His clothing and cast lots for the 5th item – the perfect one. This fulfills a passage from Psalm 22. Third – the human side of Jesus emerges. He is near the end and looks down and sees His mother. Also present is John, “the disciple whom He loved”. In an act of care and compassion, Jesus arranges for His mother’s care.

A bit later the time comes. After a sip of wine vinegar, “Jesus said, ‘It is finished’. With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit”. The sins of the world had been heaped upon Jesus. He was ready to depart. Jesus was not at the point of death by crucifixion. He was not suffocating. The task had been completed and it was time for Jesus to end the earthly pain. His last breath was on His terms.

The body that God has inhabited hung on the cross, naked, bloodied and beaten, lifeless. It showed how God’s love had entered the world and lived among us. It showed how God endured much pain and suffering for our benefit. The scars are the scars of our sin. The marks represent what Jesus bore for you and for me. Jesus was wounded for and by our transgressions. It would be a tragic end to a really good three years of ministry and teaching if it all ended here on the cross.

The body will be laid in the tomb. Two brave men go and get the body of Jesus, prepare the body, and leave it in the tomb. The Sabbath is near. The Jewish day of preparation is drawing to a close. God was preparing for much more. We await it upon Easter Sunday. God bless.

Prayer: Come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.


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God’s Plan

Reading: John 18:1 to 19:42

Verse 19:30 – Jesus said, “It is finished”.

Good Friday is here!  Jesus has been arrested and has been brought before Annas and Caiaphas.  Before this parade will move on to Pilate, Peter will deny Jesus three times – just as Jesus said.  Before the high priest Jesus asks, ‘What did I do wrong’?  Jesus reminds them that He taught in the temple and said nothing in private.  Yet early in the morning, Jesus ends up before Pilate, the Roman governor.

It is interesting that Jesus ends up here.  They are asking a political leader to offer a solution to their religious conflict.  On at least a few occasions, these same leaders have picked up rocks to stone Jesus.  It was an option.  It was a practice used by the Jews to punish certain sins.  The blasphemy they accuse Jesus of would qualify.  But the crucifixion fulfilled the words Jesus himself had spoken about His own death.  It was another example of how God was fully in control of what was unfolding.

Peter’s denials also fit into this category.  It seems odd that the one on whom Jesus would build the church would be the same one to deny even knowing Jesus.  God’s plan at work.  In a short time, the risen Jesus will ask Peter three times if he loves Him.  Three times to wash away the three denials.  Jesus restores Peter and now he is ready to be the Rock.  God’s plan even includes Pilate.  Pilate declares Jesus innocent.  His is an important statement.  Yes, an innocent man will die.  Jesus used the word ‘truth’ with Pilate and it must have stuck.  Pilate has a sign prepared and placed on top of Jesus’ cross.  It reads: “Jesus of Nazareth.  King of the Jews”.  It was written in three languages so that all could read it and take in the truth of it’s message.  All in God’s plan.

As death approaches, Jesus offers one last act of love.  He provides for His mother’s care.  It is a beautiful gesture.  Now that all is right in the world and now that all has gone according to God’s plan, Jesus is ready to die.  He says, “It is finished” and breathes His last.  The tomb awaits.  But He won’t be there long!