About March 5, I noticed a sudden change outside…
2024 Sun March 10
Salt Blog, Lent 4 – “The Saving action of God” for everyone
The bronze serpent (which Moses erected in the Negev desert) on Mount Nebo created by the Italian artist Giovanni Fantoni, visually merging the healing bronze serpent set up by Moses in the desert, and the Crucifixion of Jesus.
“In any case, the center of gravity in stories from Numbers in the Old Testament (Bronze Servant) and the Gospel (“For God so Loved the world” — and the key link between them — is the saving action of God, as well as God’s intention to save not just a select few but rather “everyone” who looks upon the bronze serpent (Numbers), and indeed the entire world (John).”
To make his case, Jesus alludes to the Israelites in the wilderness (Numbers 21) and to Abraham and Isaac (“gave his only Son”; John 3:16; Genesis 22)… Jesus puns on the phrase, “lifted up”: Moses lifted up the bronze serpent and Jesus will be lifted up on the cross, and at the same time the phrase also alludes to Jesus’ resurrection and ascension (John 3:14). Above all, however, the reference to the story from Numbers highlights God’s character as the One who saves even and especially in the face of rebellion. The Israelites had self-destructively turned against God, but when they asked for deliverance from the consequences of their sin (and please note, their plea isn’t out of any high-minded piety, but rather is driven by self-preservation!), God gracefully delivers them.”
Old Testament – Lifted Up
The verses before the familiar John 3:16 recall the text from Numbers 21 that is the Lent 4B reading from Hebrew scripture. Moses is instructed to make a metal snake and place it on a pole. That episode is what is called to mind before we are reminded of how much God loved the world (John 3:13-22).
Mount Nebo is an elevated ridge or hill approximately 2680 feet above sea level in what is now western Jordan. There are great views from the summit providing a panorama of the Holy Land and, to the north, a more limited view of the River Jordan Valley. According to scholars, Mount Nebo is where Moses was given a view of the promised land given to the Jews by God. "And Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho." (Deuteronomy 34:1).
Today, atop Mount Nebo is a sculpture by Italian artist Giovanni Fantoni. Mount Nebo is identified in the last chapter of Deuteronomy as the vantage point from which Moses is given a view into the Promised Land. Fantoni’s sculpture, called the Brazen Serpent Sculpture (also Serpent Cross Sculpture), illustrates the story from Numbers but overlays it with Christ’s crucifixion. The large metal piece features simplified forms expressed through various textures, lines and combinations of forms.
“Letting Go” – Diocese of Atlanta, Week 4
Letting Go of Condemnation
If God had a tattoo, like some of us do, across God’s strong forearm it would read, “I love the world.” Everything God seems to do flows from that reality. God loves the world so much, God responded by giving God’s self, God’s son, to the world. Jesus coming among us is God’s love-errand, so that we wouldn’t “perish” or be “condemned” but have “eternal life.” That is life beyond biological definition now, and life so long and deep that years fail as a measurement tool.
The purpose of God coming among was/is not to “condemn” but to “save.” If that is so, I’m pretty sure that means as recipients of this gracious purpose and act of God, we have to let go of the right to condemn others. Decades ago I was a U.S. Navy Search and Rescue Diver. We were deployed in helicopters when things went really bad. We were deployed for rescue not to condemn people for being in situations that required rescue.
Forgoing condemnation of others or even ourselves is deeper than performing politeness toward others or better, kinder, self-talk. Letting go of condemnation is about the appreciation of how God uses power. And, mercy is a sublime expression of power. Having received mercy, our pride and insistence on one-upmanship is purged and real relationship is now possible.
Lent 4, “Mothering Sunday”
The fourth Sunday in Lent is traditionally known as “Mothering Sunday” or Refreshment Sunday. In some parts of Great Britain, the custom was to return to the “mother church” or the cathedral for a special service on this day, and it also became customary to celebrate or pay special respect to one’s own mother on this day, a sort of Anglican “Mother’s Day.”
Another custom is the relaxation of austere Lenten observances on this day, the baking of simnel cakes (light fruit cakes covered in marzipan), and in some places the replacement of purple robes and liturgical hangings with rose-colored ones. Simnel cakes are called such because of the fine flour (Latin “simila”) they were made of.
Children of all ages were expected to pay a formal visit to their mothers and to bring a Simnel cake as a gift. In return, the mothers gave their children a special blessing. This custom was so well-established that masters were required to give servants enough time off to visit out-of-town mothers – provided the trip did not exceed 5 days! This holiday became Mother’s Day in America.
Bulletin, Fourth Sunday in Lent, March 10, 2024
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God’s Garden – Lent and Holy Week
Welcome all children ages 5-9!
They are still working on their Lord’s Prayer for Easter but will be learning about Holy Week beginning on March 10.
The Creeds Class, Part 3, March 6, 2024
We had 8 participants. Thanks to all who attended.
The second part of the creed deals with Jesus (Who do you say that I am?) Look at the creed, The first part of section 2)
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made.
Lord—The very oldest Christian creed is one sentence. “Jesus is Lord.” (I Corinthians 12:3) The Greek term is Kyrios, which means Sir, this term is also used for pagan gods. When early Christians confessed that Jesus was their Lord, they deliberately rejected the many lords and at some personal risk, also challenged the claims to dominion on the part of secular rulers. To call Jesus Lord is to testify that our lives are oriented around Jesus and his teaching about the will of God for our lives.
The name Jesus—comes from the Greek version of the Hebrew name Joshua, meaning Yahweh is salvation. Both Matthew and Luke write in their gospels that Mary’s son be given this name.
Christ, Greek Christos, is a translation of the Hebrew Messiah, the anointed one. A king, descended from David, who would conquer the enemies of Israel in a decisive battle, and establish a universal kingdom of peace and justice for all. We can’t know precisely why the early Christians called Jesus the Messiah, but it is clear that they found his kingship to be other than a geographical realm on earth. “My Kingdom is not from this world.”
Sunday’s Thoughts – March 10, 2024
The scriptures this week especially from Numbers and John concentrate on what God is doing. It is definitely the God show. As Lawrence writes, “God is turning the world around, redeeming even the worst of the worst, swords into ploughshares, serpents into salves, crosses into trees of life — making all things new.” We have no way to affect it, change it o alter it.
There is much summary. Luther called John 3:16 “the Gospel in a nutshell. ” Tom’s sermon this week said as much. It covers “the fullness of the word of God to us because it lays out for us God’s purposes of God’s love and God’s plan for eternity.”
Sometimes I wonder why the certain weeks of the lectionary are placed where they are. This one takes the story of Jesus past the naming him as God’s son, the various healings that he did like Peter’s mother-in-law to consider his overall role and purpose. Last week it was transforming the temple into more than a building. This week it is about mission involving God, his son and man which involves life beyond Easter. As Lawrence wrote “to correct what can be corrected and makes all things new.”
It was all about the larger issues of life. One of the last segments of God’s Garden took up the “golden rule”. The children reflected the difficulty of applying this to their own family members but much easier to their outside friends.