“… So while I engage in a bit of idolatry by congratulating Jesus on his brilliant teaching style, let’s not forget that the content of the debate is as important as the debate itself. There are two demands that God places on us…” To learn more, chick here.
As unworthy as we are, we are loved… and as we come to the heavenly banquet… he will take us by the hand, and tell us that though we came to the lowest seat at the table in humility… yet for the sake of His love for us… and in blessing for our humility… He will raise us up to life… He will raise us up to a place of honor at the heavenly table… He will raise us up to be with Him in heaven.
By Bishop Council Nedd
Jesus in today’s story doesn’t go through any elaborate ritual like the great prophets Elijah and Elisha when they raised children from the dead. He doesn’t even mutter a brief prayer. At Nain, he offhandedly says to the corpse: “Okay, Kid, get up.”
And at the graveyard in Bethany, he basically strolls up to the newly opened tomb and hollers, “Lazarus, come out!”
Both of these events must have stunned the onlookers, and not just because of what he had done, but because of the way in which he did it. Raising people from the dead was one of the signs by which the Jews of the First Century expected to identify the Messiah. However, he didn’t perform the miracles in the way they expected the Messiah to perform them.
His approach left everyone asking… Who Does He Think He Is?
Not the film starring Sidney Poitier, but rather the real story from which the film got it’s title. Since the beginning of human history, humans have strived to take control of their destinies – this striving has been in vain. To learn why click here.
As often as we might pray, we have to recognize the superficiality of them. These type of prayers are trite when measured against the collect for purity that I use to begin our service every Sunday…
“Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known and from whom no secrets are hid . . .”
There is no hiding anything from the all-powerful God mentioned in that prayer. The God mentioned in that prayer knows our innermost secrets. The God mentioned in that prayer knows the darkest thoughts in our minds and imaginations. He knows the things we won’t divulge to even our oldest and closest friend. In fact, he knows our thoughts before we do.
This raises the question… if God already knows… What’s the point of prayer? For the answer to that question, click here.
Council Nedd II 