Category: Nspired Posts

What is Maundy Thursday?

What is Maundy Thursday? (Click to find out).Image

John 13

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

 

18 “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’Image

19 “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. 20 Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”

22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”

25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.

So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.

33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

36 Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”

Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”

37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

38 Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

UnTouched Sight

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying

loudly, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

Son of David is a common name of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew

28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

The two blind men persisted by following Jesus into the house. Jesus needed proof they wanted to receive sight, so he asks if they have faith.

They said to him, “Yes, Lord.”

The two blind men confirm they have faith.

29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened.

Jesus touched their brokenness by touching their eyes.

We do not know the degree of their blindness, yet it was enough to affect their lives.

“Their eyes were opened”; in this case it was a physical opening of the eyes. Jesus caused a physical change in their bodies.

Then Jesus sternly ordered them, “See that no one knows of this.” 31 But they went away and spread the news about him throughout that district.

How can these men not tell others. Their entire lives they were blind and now see. There is so much for them to learn through their new found sight.

Anxiety to Asana – A One Month Journey

This past month I decided to begin doing yoga once a day for at least 15 minutes. I was looking for relief from my anxiety and stress.  My doctor suggested I pray 10 minutes a day to alleviate the tension in my body.  I decided to try this but found sitting still was not by strong point so I sought an active way to quiet my mind before God. I began doing yoga for at least 15 minutes a day.  In the past 30 days (January 2014) I did Yoga 22 out of 30 days for at least 15 minutes, many time up to an hour.

Some Christians have apprehension doing yoga, however yoga is a set of exercises we can dedicate to God.

Here are the benefits I received:

1. Reduced anxiety: The tension melts away from my body when I do yoga.  I noticed on days I do not do yoga I am tense and irritated.

2. Fewer body aches: When I do yoga my body hurts less.  Anxiety causes the body to ache throughout the day from the buildup of tension.  Yoga stretching enables me to move without pain.

3. Better Preaching delivery: I’ve noticed I’m more relaxed when I preach on Sunday morning.  I’m more in control of my delivery.  Hopefully the congregation noticed as well.

4. Better able to care for my family: When I’m anxious I can’t be present with my wife and son.  When I not anxious I can care for them.

5. Eating better: Anxiety causes food cravings.  For me that meant a craving for salty snacks.  When is do yoga I have a desire for healthy foods which don’t make me feel worse after eating them.

6. More Time: With anxiety, I seem to never have enough time.  I feels as though time is crashing in on me.  When I do yoga, I am able to prioritize what is important.

7. Physical healthy:  Doing yoga shaped my physical body in one short month.  I am physically stronger (useful when picking up a nine month old baby).  I am in the best shape of my life and am just getting starting.

8. True Confidence: With anxiety, I forced myself to have confidence to make it through the day.  Daily yoga dedicated to God has given me a true confidence to approach the day.  I no longer have to tell myself I am loved, but believe it because God is love.

9. Clothes fit better: Anxiety causes my clothes to feel awkward on me.  They either feel too tight or too loose.  Now they fit how they should.

10. Peace with the World: Anxiety causes me to be tense toward life.  I am just not able to cope wit

Talent Show – Sermon Notes

The Parable of the Talents

 

(Pastor David’s notes are in Blue)

(Matthew 25:14-30)

14 “For it (The Kingdom of Heaven) is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; 15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

A Talent is word 20 years wages; a significant sum of money.

16 The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. 17 In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. 18 But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

What do we do with the Talents God gives us?

19 After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

24 Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’

This third servant acted with emotion regarding the Talent.  He was afraid (an emotion) and acted rashly.

26 But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. 29 For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 30 As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

I used to feel bad for the third servant.  How an God (the master) be so cruel.  The servant was just playing it safe.  However, when we look at the amount of one Talent (20 years worth of work), we can begin to understand the anger of the master.  The master lost money (value) of the Talent.

How do you think God feels when we waste our Talents?