The secret to success? Meditate. Study. Read. The Word of God.
When I was in high school, a speaker at a conference I attended asked, “Do you want to be successful? I know the secret to guarantee your success!”
Like many teens at that stage of life I had one foot that was finishing 12 years of education and my second foot in the “almost-an-adult” world of college. I had plans. I had dreams. I had a career picked out and I couldn’t wait to get there. So of course, the speaker’s question piqued my interest.
He then began to unveil this great mystery by reading a passage of Joshua, from the Bible. The words of the LORD to the new, young captain of the army of God.
“No one will be able to defeat you all your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forget you. Joshua, be strong and brave! You must lead these people so they can take the land that I promised their fathers I would give them. Be strong and brave. Be sure to obey all the teachings my servant Moses gave you. If you follow them exactly, you will be successful in everything you do.Always remember what is written in the Book of the Teachings. Study it day and night to be sure to obey everything that is written there. If you do this, you will be wise and successful in everything.” Joshua 1:5-8 (NCV)
Remember. Follow. Study. Obey. If you follow, if you do this, you will be successful.
What a great promise from God!
Another version says to “meditate” on God’s word. It can mean to pour yourself into it night and day. Listen to the wisdom in the Bible. And then, follow it. This week our pastor told us the Greek word for meditate is “logizomai.” The root of the English word “logic.” He suggested that when we meditate on God’s word, we are thinking clearly, logically, about what it means to us. And it’s the stongest way to fend off anxiety.
Whenever I have found myself in seasons of challenge, times of confusion or wonder, I go back to the Bible to study and hear first-hand what God’s instructions are. I’m a verbal processor, so not only do I read it and think about it, I will often read it out loud to myself so that I can fully grasp it. I may even write the words down in a journal or write out what I perceive God wants me to know about Him through those words. Then, with the Holy Spirit as my guide and the One who gives boldness and courage, I do my best to follow. And God has granted success every time!
Have there been times of trial? Absolutely. For example, I’ve had 22 jobs in the last 34 years. But God has been faithful to me through it all. Why? By His grace I believe it’s because I have done my best to be a student of His word. To read it. To learn it. To teach it. To model it. To meditate on it day and night. I’m so thankful for His promises and the truth that is revealed on page after page of the Text.
It brings comfort. It brings wisdom. It brings understanding.
Have I lived a “successful” life? In the world’s eyes, probably not. My bank account is not overflowing. I don’t live in luxury.
But in God’s eyes? The eyes that matter most to me? Yes, absolutely. I am successful because I am walking every day under His umbrella of true grace, true forgiveness and true joy!
And that’s a secret He calls me, and all of us, to share with the world.
Lessons from my dad (with some input from my sisters, thank you!), in random order:
How to polish my shoes.
How to take calculated risks.
How to provide for your family.
How to work hard.
How to sing with your whole self (especially “How Great Thou Art”).
How to trust others.
How to fix a flat tire.
How to mow the lawn and shovel the snow.
How to be a gentleman.
How to be a Good Samaritan.
How to serve God and honor God.
How to encourage and love your wife.
How to provide for your family.
How to fly a plane.
How to fix just about any broken thing around the house.
How to be a good son-in-law.
How to give good gifts.
How to be a creative problem solver.
How to use my common sense and good judgment.
How to tie a neck tie, a half or full Windsor.
Measure twice, cut once.
How to siphon gasoline out of car and into the lawn mower can (I can still taste the gasoline, yuck).
How to properly tuck in my shirt tail.
How to garden… even gardening and raising vegetables you don’t like yourself.
How compounding interest can add up to big returns.
How to use a slide rule.
How to balance a spoon and fork on the smallest bit of toothpick.
How liquid nitrogen turns a hot dog into glass.
How to put “English” on a pool shot or a ping pong return.
Why playing the lotto is morally wrong.
How to drive. How to drive a stick shift.
How to let the School of Hard Knocks teach me a thing or two.
How to camp. How to build and start a fire.
How to swim.
How to bargain for a car. How to bargain for a casket (now that’s a funny story).
How to give grace. How to laugh. How to love. How to live. How to die.
My favorite story about my Dad: He was a Gideon — best known for being one of those folks who place Bibles in hotels. He was also a private pilot and he would go flying on Saturday mornings. At his memorial service over 30 years ago, his good friend Lou — also a pilot and a Gideon — produced a talley sheet from Dad’s pilot log book that included the names of many, many small airports in the midwest. Lou explained that these were places where he and my Dad had flown to on many a Saturday and placed a Gideon Bible in the pilot’s lounge. And it was something only he and Lou knew about. He combined two loves, flying and the Lord, into something that blessed God and many unknown souls.
I have never really been much of an athlete. I never hit a home run in little league. I never caught a touchdown pass in high school. And yet, here I am in my mid 50’s and by God’s grace and strength, I recently ran my second marathon, 26.2 miles. Running has become my “empty nest” hobby.
The Apostle Paul talks a lot about running races in the New Testament. He notes the value of physical training but says that spiritual training is more important as it prepares us for the life we live in the full presence of Jesus for all eternity.
There are so many different stories to tell and analogies from my experience in running this recent race that parallel life.
Two are quick to come to mind.
The first is this: Nobody gets up and decides they are going to run a marathon today and does it. It takes time. It takes training. It takes discipline. There were many weeks during the winter when I had to get out there and run 20+ miles on a Saturday morning. And this particular winter was not kind to runners, even south Texas runners. Some of those Saturdays were very cold and rainy. But it didn’t matter. I ran the distance that my coach told me to run. Sometimes it was really fun! It was delightful, the wind at my back and not a care in the world. Other mornings it was wet and I bundled up and slogged through the miles. Somedays I carried specific and heavy burdens to the Lord in prayer with every mile. But it was all discipline… training… preparing my body for the grueling task of running for five hours on the first Saturday in April. And because I did three full months of training and stuck to the race day plan, I achieved my goal! I beat the five hour timer with six minutes to spare!
In life there are some seasons that may feel like training runs, where it’s cold and rainy, difficult or challenging. Finances are a mess. The marriage is rocky. Health is compromised. The job is stressful. Children are childish. In order to succeed we must keep getting out there, week after week after week… season after season. And by doing so, as you persevere, you become stronger.
Jamilia Williams runs in the 2015 Irving Marathon carrying the American Flag on April 4, 2015.
Jamila Williams is from Las Cruces, New Mexico. She runs for Team Red White and Blue, an organization that honors our military veterans and wounded warriors. During my marathon she carried a four-foot-tall American Flag for the whole 26.2 miles! With the flag high above the runner’s heads, from the back of the pack I could easily see her for miles and miles. In fact, I chased her for 20 miles. When I finally caught up to Jamila, I thanked her for being an inspiration without knowing it. I told her how I kept seeing those Stars and Stripes ahead and how it egged me on to run faster and run harder. She told me she carries the flag for those who are no longer able to do so. I shared with her the verse in the Bible from Hebrews 12, where we are encouraged to “fix our eyes on Jesus.” I mentioned how when I fixed my eyes on her flag way out in front of me, I was also calling out to Jesus to give me strength for the next mile. We ran back and forth for about a mile. And, since I was following my training plan and drinking lots of water, I had to duck into the port-o-let at Mile 22. When I came out, she was out of reach again. She finished five minutes ahead of me.
Here’s that passage from Hebrews 12:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV)
My point here is that I’m certain there are many who are just like Jamila Williams. You lift high the flag of Jesus, and of your churches, and of your schools, neighborhoods and of your families. You are such an inspiration to many and you don’t even know it. You serve and you love unconditionally and you keep doing so every single day. Even when it’s not easy. Like running a marathon, life is not a flat open course. You have had to run up some very long hills when you just didn’t have the energy to do so. You may have been weary eyed and physically spent. Because you are keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus, you are making it. And you are inspiring many!
And I’m here to tell you, when you are going through your rough struggles, make a plan, stick to it, keep trusting God and you will make it. How am I so sure? First of all, because I made it! The marathon I ran had a long, slow, uphill climb around Mile 23. And yes, by that time in the race, my running form did not look much like it did at Mile 3. It was grueling. But once I made it to the crest, those final miles were downhill and rewardingly easy.
I had trained well, so I finished well. I event sprinted the last 100 yards!
The other reason we all can run well? The Hebrews 12 text says it is because those who have gone before us are cheering us on. Parents, grandparents, friends… They have set the example for us. They have encouraged us to always keep the banner of our King Jesus raised high. And by their inspiration and supernatural presence, we can accomplish much. We can steadfastly accomplish the goal and the vision God has set before us!
So, my call to you: keep on running the race. Keep praying. Keep training. Keep listening to what Jesus has to say to you. Keep His vision set before you. And as He leads, be courageous and follow. Be obedient.
I believe the best part of this race is ahead of us. I also believe when you train and stick to the plan, and keep your eyes on Jesus, you will finish the race as I finished last Saturday’s marathon… with great strength, a fist pump or two, maybe even with tears running down your cheeks… and with great joy!
My friend, Simon, the Pharisee, was having a grand party that day. All of the really important people of the Temple were there… the priests, the servants, the scribes. Everyone was having a great time.
Then the one from Nazareth came in. We all kind of looked and stared at him. We really weren’t sure what to make of him. We had heard he had performed miracles. Just the other day, a young boy was being carried out of town on a funeral stretcher. His mother was in tears. Everyone agreed that parents shouldn’t have to bury their children. So, word has it that this Jesus came up and spoke to the dead lad, who immediately sat up and hopped off the mat.
Many were finding his views convincing. And, it didn’t matter if the people were religious or not. The day before that, up in Capernaum, a Roman soldier had pleaded with Jesus to heal his servant… but the centurion didn’t even ask Jesus to come touch the man or pray for him. He, a Roman officer, said he had faith to believe that Jesus could even heal the servant from a distance. “Just say the word, I know he will be healed.” Jesus made a big deal of the Roman’s faith. Since when do Roman soldiers care anything about the One True God? Turns out the servant was healed. By Jesus? I do not know.
Anyway, so all of us from the Temple were here at the party. My friend, the Pharisee, must have decided to invite this Jesus fellow… just in case, you know? Just in case this man was someone special after all. Some said he was a prophet. And yet, most of us have, frankly, been pretty confused by him. It seems like sometimes he follows the laws of Moses; most of the times, he has his own rules, or no rules at all. People all around the Galilee have been swayed by him, that’s for sure.
During dinner we were all reclining and eating and laughing when she came in. No one invited her. I’m certain she had never been to Temple before. She had a reputation… and not a good one. She went right over to the prophet and fell at his feet in tears. Those sitting nearby got up and gave her distance. No one wanted to admit we knew who she was, and yet everyone knew exactly what she did for a living. Reckless, she was. She knelt there and sobbed uncontrollably, her tears falling on his feet. She then did something that only a man’s wife would do in private: she let her hair down and she wiped her tears with her curls.
Then, if that wasn’t awkward enough, she took the vial of perfume that hung around her neck – all the women of her profession had one – and poured it out, emptying it completely on his feet. And she did that thing with her hair and was kissing and washing His feet with her tears and the last of her perfume.
This went on for several minutes until Simon, our host, had had enough. He spoke out loud to no one in particular, but said what we were all thinking: “If this man was really a prophet, he’d know who was touching and kissing his feet and that she is a sinner!” I thought, “If he was a respectable man he’d dismiss her immediately!”
The teacher caught Simon’s statement and posed a riddle in return. “Suppose two people who owed a lender money,” he started. “One who owed 50 days wages, or about $10,000 to the lender. The other owed him almost $150,000. To both, the debts were forgiven.” Then he asked the Pharisee directly, “Who will love the banker the most?”
Simon answered as we all would have, “The one with the biggest debt.”
Jesus said, “Exactly!”
The Nazarene went on this rant about how Simon didn’t offer Jesus any of the customary things a host should offer a guest who enters his home… he didn’t offer to wash his feet… he didn’t greet him with a kiss… he didn’t offer oil for his head. All of the rest of us had received those gracious gifts from Simon as we entered. And yet, Jesus was not presented with these things. We all felt embarrassed for Simon as the prophet suggested that the woman, that woman, was somehow better than our host because she did all of those things for him.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, Jesus then spoke to the harlot directly. He told her, her, that her sins were forgiven.
Who is he that he can forgive sin?
Then he concluded by telling her that her faith has saved her! Just like the Roman centurion earlier in the week!
But what about us… us who serve our regular times in the Temple… us who keep the laws of Moses… what about us who give our money… us who pray the right ways and eat the right foods and who have memorized Torah and keep the Sabbath? Surely we are more religious than she is!
Then He added this blessing over her: “Go in peace, daughter!”
Peace!? But she is such a sinner!
The first-person story of a friend of Simon, the Pharisee, from Luke 7.
What can we learn from the sinful woman? She was bold, humble, intimate and put her past behind her. How about you?
For 2015, may I encourage you to choose to imitate this woman. Although her actions were admirable, it wasn’t her deeds that saved her. It was her heart. Choose to be a true Follower of Jesus.
Do you not know, that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
1 Corinthians 9:24-25
Crossing the Finish Line!
This weekend I ran my first marathon. 26.2 miles. I ran the San Antonio Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon route with my friend and training partner/coach, Todd. I ran the route on Saturday because the race itself is on a Sunday in two weeks. This year’s Rock n Roll will be Todd’s 12th marathon! He’s amazing.
Most marathons are scheduled on Sunday mornings. I choose not to run on Sundays. Mostly, because I’m a pastor and I have other priorities. But I also favor the principled Eric Liddell, the sprinter who grew up in a missionary family in the early 1900’s. He and his family respected and honored the command to keep the Sabbath day set apart for God. It was always a special day for their family. They went to church together and spent time together. As a family.
Liddell’s story is legendary. He was one of the fastest 100 yard sprinters in the world going into the 1924 Paris Olympics. But he made the difficult choice of not running the 100 at the Olympics because it was scheduled on Sunday. So, with a team-mate’s suggestion, he switched to the 400, which was run on Thursday. He won the 400 on Thursday and a Jewish friend and competitor won the 100 on Sunday. His story is captured in the Oscar winning film “Chariots of Fire.”
So, in honor to God and in the spirit of Eric Liddell, I have personally decided not to run races on Sundays. If you run races on Sundays, that’s your call. My hope, however, is that you get a Sabbath-type day of rest at least once a week where you spend it with people you love.
What do you do if you if you want to run in your town’s premier marathon? Well, you can do what I did. I joined a free running club. This one is called the Downtown Run Group and is championed by a retired man and his wife, Bo and Pat, who have the incredible gift of encouragement. He is also an elder at our church. We meet every Saturday morning at The Pearl, an old brewery in San Antonio that has undergone a recent transformation and is now an urban center. Some mornings there have been over 100 runners. Some are seasoned marathoners. Some are first timers like me. Most will run the half-marathon in two weeks. Yet Bo respected my position and encouraged me to run my individual race on Saturday. He’s famous for saying, “It’s not a big deal. But it IS a big deal!”
The unexpected hardware!
A little background: In 1994, I ran a 5K run sponsored by our neighborhood YMCA in Cincinnati. Afterwards, someone asked if I’d ever like to run a full marathon. I thought about it and said, like many other people, “Yes! Someday, I’d like to run a marathon.” I ran my first half marathon last year (a Saturday event) and decided to run the full marathon this year. I’ve had some great running companions during those 6 a.m. runs. It was an encouragement to me as I began training in August to accomplish this 20 year goal of running a marathon.
The actual run on Saturday was pretty good. The weather was a perfect 54 degrees and it was misting at the start. There was a steady rain for much of the 6 hour run. My head was clear and my body mostly cooperated… until we hit the 21 mile mark. That’s when it became really challenging. We were running a 3:1 interval. That means we ran for three minutes and walked for one minute the whole race. Miles 21 through the end I couldn’t wait for the beeper to go off. “I’ll take that walk break!” I exclaimed often.
When we turned the corner at The Pearl and headed for the finish line 100 yards away, we were surprised to see a handful of friends and family cheering us on. My wife Linda even took off work to make sure I saw her smiling face at the Finish. We whooped and hollered and celebrated those final steps! What an incredible feeling!
Todd and I pause at the turn. We’re half-way home. Todd’s dog, GW, and wife Debbie were there to cheer us on!
And thanks to Todd, I got an unexpected prize medal inscribed with the Scripture noted above.
But as the author of Corinthians states, the true crown of victory every believer earns, will last for all eternity! It’s an amazing principle of God’s economy.
Will I do it again! You betcha!
Our Downtown Run Group says to each of us “Run inspired!” Run with purpose. So, whether you run marathons or bake cookies with your kids or manage millions of dollars in assets or create beautiful art or wait on tables or care for the sick, do it to win the prize.
And God says to the believer, “Here’s a prize that will last for all eternity! Life!”
Welcome in the name of Yeshua, Jesus our Messiah! Tonight we will celebrate Pesach (pah-SACH)… Passover. This is the celebration of the most incredible feast in the Jewish and Christian calendars. It intricately weaves a story of God’s power, faithfulness and love for mankind in both the Old and New Testaments. It was celebrated in the Ancient World, in Jesus’ time, and is still celebrated in traditional Jewish homes today.
The first Passover was not a celebration. It was a night of apprehension, fear and expectation for the beginning of a new journey for the children of Israel. The Word tells us that the Hebrews were to take the blood of a perfect lamb, and paint it on their doorposts. By following this command, the Angel of Death which moved through Egypt that night would “pass over” their homes. But since the Angel of Death did not pass over Pharaoh’s house, and his first born son was taken from him, his hardened heart was finally softened and the next morning Pharaoh let the Hebrew slaves go free. This meal that we celebrate tonight, the Seder, is symbolic of the rush to leave Egypt and the bondage it represents.
We also celebrate the significance of Yeshua’s last meal, sometimes called the “Last Supper,” a traditional Passover meal, with His disciples in the Upper Room. There is a lot of symbolism between the Old Covenant meal and the New Covenant meal. We hope you’ll enjoy learning how Yeshua tied the two meals together… and how it is applicable for us all.
Tonight, we tell a story, the Haggadah, of how the blood of a lamb saved the people of God in the Ancient times… and still saves today.
John 1:29: The next day, John the Baptizer saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
Reading: Luke 22:7-20
Let us celebrate the Passover together!
THE SEDER PLATE
Tonight we celebrate the Seder… the word Seder means “Order” and as we know, God is a God of order. The Seder is a celebration that usually takes place in homes… and at the center of the table at home is the Seder plate. It contains items that we’ll talk about tonight… unleavened bread or Matzah, bitter herbs, sweet apple mixture called the “Charoset” … parsley… a cup of salt water and a lamb bone. As we tell the story tonight, the “Haggadah,” we encourage you to take in the sights and smells, tasting each ingredient and listening to every word… to hear and see and feel the truth of God’s love for us.
LIGHTING THE YOM TOV CANDLES
Like the Sabbath meal, tonight we light the Yom Tov, or the festival candles. There are two candles on the table… the candle of Creation and a candle of Redemption. For everything that God creates, He has a plan for redemption. The whole Passover story, both the Old Testament one and the New Testament one, is a story of this plan for our redemption.
Light is a symbol of God’s presence. In Him there is no darkness. Tonight is a special night for we’ll see first-hand that Yeshua, the Light of the world, is our true redemption.
In a traditional home, the woman of the household lights the Yom Tov candles… symbolic of Miriam, you know her as Mary, who was the human that God used to physically bring His Light into the world.
And for every item we talk about tonight, there is a prayer of blessing, for the Hebrews have a prayer for everything. So my wife, Linda, will light the Yom Tov candles and I’ll say the prayer in Hebrew, the words will be on the screen for you to repeat in English.
Praised are you O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who sanctified us through the commandments and the death and resurrection of Yeshua, our Messiah, the Light of the World and the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Praised are you O Lord, our God, King of the Universe who commands us to light the festival lights.
SONG:
Shine, Jesus, Shine
Fill this place with the Father’s glory.
Blaze, Spirit, blaze. Set our hearts on fire.
Flow, River, flow. Flood the nations with grace and mercy.
Send forth your Word, Lord, and let there be light. (repeat).
We’re going to drink four cups of wine, or grape juice, tonight. They represent four promises God gave to Moses in Exodus 6: 6 and 7. At your table, please pour the first cup for us to drink together. And while you’re pouring, let me tell you what the four promises were:
I WILL bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.
I WILL free you from being slaves.
I WILL redeem you with an outstretched arm.
I WILL take you as My own people and I WILL be your God.
The first cup is the Cup of Sanctification. In the Old Covenant, the Hebrews were saved by the blood of the lamb. In the New Covenant, we are sanctified by the blood of Yeshua. It is no surprise that our Sanctification is so important to God that celebrating it is the first thing we do together. It is the first of four cups we drink. He has redeemed us… and He has set us apart, just as He set the Hebrews apart. He continues this work of sanctifying us throughout our lives. Tonight, we celebrate our freedom from sin and the bondage it represents. Let us lift our cup together and bless the name of the Lord! And when we raise our cup, let us do so with our right hand as it symbolizes strength and the right arm reminds us of our Messiah, our strength.
Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheynu Melekh ha’olam borey pri hagafen.
ALL:
Praised are you, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
URECHATZ, THE WASHING OF HANDS
The Urechatz is symbolic of the purification of the priests in the temple. And for us in the New Covenant, it can symbolize baptism and the washing away of our sins.
Let us consider what Yeshua did at the Passover meal. John 13 describes how he washed His disciples feet… let me take you there… think of the dusty roads of the hills of Galilee and the desert rocky paths of Qumran. Think of the cobblestone streets in the old city of Jerusalem… Think about in the Ancient Days when the master would be gone on business for a day or several days, having traveled under the hot, sizzling Israeli sun, and coming home tired and worn out and feeling like his feet were going to fall off. And the slave, his servant, comes and meets him at the door with a towel and a basin of water to wash his feet. Oh, this is great comfort and a soothing relief. He is the master and this is his due. And the other, his servant, his slave, his property… this is his position and he belongs to the master.
Now, Jesus is so incredible! HE takes that towel and that basin of water, and HE the Master, God in the flesh, God incarnate, God with ten fingers and two legs and two arms and two eyes and two ears and a mind and a heart that feels like we do… GOD took that towel and that basin of water and HE washed the feet of His talmadim, disciples. You may recall that that night Peter was the “designated servant” — for Jesus had told him in Luke 22 to go ahead and prepare the Passover meal. Some scholars have suggested that Peter sat at the first position around the table, the servant’s seat. So, it’s easy to understand why Peter said, “NEVER! Never shall you wash my feet!” You see, because what Jesus had done is He had reversed the roles of the social norm of the Ancient Days. Incredible!
So, you are going to dip your hands in the bowl of water on your table – the larger one, it contains fresh water, the smaller one contains salt water and we’ll talk about that next. Remember the promise of David in Psalm 24: Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart… he will receive blessing from the Lord.
Praised are you O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who sanctified us through the commandments and the death and resurrection of Yeshua, and who has commanded us to wash our hands and our hearts tonight.
KARPAS, THE PARSLEY AND THE TEARS
The Parsley is the Karpas. It is fresh and it represents life!
But life in Egypt was a life of pain for the children of Israel… suffering, tears, turmoil. Together now, we will take a sprig of parsley and dip it into the bowl of salt water, remembering that life is sometimes immersed in tears. May our gratitude for the blessings we enjoy today help to soften the pain of sorrow… and convert tears of mourning to tears of joy! Just after the Passover meal, Jesus told His disciples that they would go through a time of mourning “in just a little while” while the rest of the world would celebrate their Messiah’s death. But He also promised that their grief will turn to joy. (John 16:20). We also remember the greatest tears shed, those of Yeshua in the Garden… tears of blood… tears of submission… tears that said, “not my will, but, Father, your will be done.”
Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheynu Melekh ha’olam borey pri hagafen.
ALL:
Praised are you, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the earth.
YACHATZ, THE MATZAH
On the main table here, we have a stack of Matzah… unleavened bread. In the Ancient World leaven, or yeast (the ingredient that makes the bread rise) can symbolize sin. Tonight, we eat “sinless” bread.
One of the most significant traditions before Passover is for the wife to go throughout the house and remove every spec, every morsel of leaven, for the entire week of Passover the family will not eat bread that rises.
I’m going to take three pieces of Matzah… and take the middle Matzah and break it… and take the piece of broken Matzah and put it here in the cloth… This is called the Afikomen, and I’m going to hide it for dessert later. So, I need all the children to close their eyes as I hide the Afikomen. Okay?
(Hide the Afikomen and place the remaining broken piece of Matzah back in between the other two and place the stack back in front of the table host).
Can someone tell me why there are three pieces of Matzah? In the Old Covenant, they might represent Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But why break Isaac, represented by the middle Matzah? In the New Covenant, we can suggest that three Matzah represents God the Father, God the Son, Yeshua and God the Holy Spirit. The broken Matzah, called the Lechem Oni, is the Bread of Affliction as referenced in Deuteronomy 16:3, and it can symbolize the death of Yeshua on the Cross at Calvary.
MAH NISHTANAH, THE FOUR QUESTIONS
The children of Israel were preparing to leave the land of bondage… and oh, how this night is different from all the other nights… this meal is different than any other meal.
A child asks:
On all other nights we eat bread OR matzah. On this night, why do we ONLY eat matzah?
The Answer:
Tonight we only eat the unleavened bread, because, as the children of Israel knew that they would be released from their captivity in the morning, the bread would not have time to rise. We remember their haste… and we eat the bread without yeast, without sin.
Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheynu Melekh ha’olam ha-motzi lechem min ha-aretz.
ALL:
Praised are you, oh Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth… the bread of life!
(Eat Matzah)
A child asks:
On all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables. On this night, why do we ONLY eat bitter herbs?
The Answer:
Tonight we eat the Maror, the bitter herbs, so that we might taste bitterness. It reminds us how bitter it was for the Hebrews to be enslaved by Pharaoh in Egypt. The slavery to sin is just as bitter.
Praised are you, oh Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who has set us apart by His Word and commands us to eat the bitter herbs.
(Eat Bitter Herbs on a Matzah)
A child asks:
On all other nights we do not dip our vegetables even once. On this night, why do we dip twice?
The Answer:
Tonight we dip twice during the course of the meal. The first time was with the Karpas, the parsley, as we tasted the tears of bitter circumstances. Now, we will dip in the Charoset, replacing the tears with the sweetness of the hope we have in God to free us from bondage and suffering. In the same way, the Hebrews were counting on God to free them from Pharaoh. And, oh, how sweet the freedom was going to be after hundreds of years of slavery. Some have suggested that the Chorset reminds us of the mortar used in the bricks that the Hebrews made. You might ask “if that’s the case then why is it sweet?” Well, it has been said that “even the bitterest of our toils becomes sweet when we know that our redemption is near.”
(Eat Charoset on a Matzah)
A child asks:
On all other nights we eat our meals sitting at the table OR reclining on the floor. On this night, why do we ONLY recline and sit on the floor?
The Answer:
Tonight we sit on the floor and recline because in the Ancient Times this was a sign of freedom. Kings and royalty ate their meals leisurely while reclining. Slaves and servants stood. We are not rushed or hurried by what tomorrow brings as the Hebrews were on the first night of Passover. We demonstrate our sense of complete freedom by reclining during the meal.
THE SECOND CUP, THE CUP OF PLAGUES
(Refill your cup if you need to.)
When people defy the will of God, they bring pain and suffering upon themselves. God’s law provides blessing and prosperity. To deny His Law and to do evil brings destruction. When Pharaoh defied the command of God to release the Jewish people, he invited curses upon himself and his people. With the second cup we remember each of the plagues that God used against Pharaoh to bring him to the point of releasing the Hebrews from slavery and bondage.
A full cup is the symbol of complete joy. Joy in God’s mighty deliverance to His children. Joy in life through Yeshua! We are going to diminish the wine in our cups to give expression to our sorrow over the losses which each plague exacted.
We’re going to take our pinky finger and dip it into the cup for each plague and allow a drop of juice/wine to fall on our plate. Ready?
LEADER STARTS, ALL REPEAT:
Blood! Blood! Blood!
Frogs! Frogs! Frogs!
Gnats! Gnats! Gnats!
Wild Beasts! Wild Beasts! Wild Beasts!
Cattle Disease! Cattle Disease! Cattle Disease!
Boils! Boils! Boils!
Hail! Hail! Hail!
Locusts! Locusts! Locusts!
Darkness! Darkness! Darkness!
Death of the Firstborn! Death of the Firstborn! Death of the Firstborn!
DAYENU, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH!
Great and numerous are the kindnesses which the Lord extended to the Jewish people… And for each of his kind acts, we offer thanks and humble gratitude. Any one of these would have been sufficient to show His love for us, His compassion for His chosen people. How great God’s goodness is! We declare “Dayenu! It would have been enough!”
If the Lord had merely rescued us, but had not judged the Egyptians…
ALL: DAYENU! IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH!
If He had only destroyed their gods, but had not parted the Red Sea…
ALL: DAYENU! IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH!
If He had only drowned our enemies, but had not fed us with manna…
ALL: DAYENU! IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH!
If He had only led us through the desert, but had not given us the Shabbat, the Sabbath…
ALL: DAYENU! IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH!
If He had only given us the Torah, the Word of God, but not the land of Israel…
ALL: DAYENU! IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH!
But, the Holy One, provided all of these blessings for our ancestors… and not only these but so many, many more!
ALL:
Praised are you O Lord, our God, King of the Universe. You are our Jehovah Jireh, our provider, for you have in your love and mercy supplied all our needs.
THE PASSOVER LAMB
Much could be said about the significance of the Passover Lamb and Yeshua, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The lamb shank on our Seder plate represents the Lamb of that first Passover whose blood saved the Children of Israel.
Think about the smell of a lamb with all sorts of spices being roasted over an open fire. That smell is a delight to the Father. It fills His senses with delight for us, His chosen ones… His children.
Exodus 12: 8, 11-13:
That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with the bitter herbs and bread made without yeast. This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover. On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn, both men and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. (NIV)
You see, the Hebrews lived in a section of Egypt called Goshen. And for nine of the ten plagues, they were not affected, for they were geographically separated from the Egyptians. But the tenth plague would affect the entire land. So, they took the blood of the lamb, and as the text suggests, they painted the top of the doorpost, and the two side posts… effectively making a cross… to protect them from the angel of death. And like the children of Israel, when death comes to visit us, we who are Believers in Yeshua Ha’Mashiach the Lamb of God, death will pass over each one of us and we will have eternal life.
There is a red scarf on your chair for each one of you. As we now give thanks and eat our Passover meal together, we encourage you to wear this red cloth, reminding each of us of the blood of the Lamb, painted over the door of our home, and worn over the door of our hearts… and remember that the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Yeshua, was made to spare us all from the Angel of Death… to give us Life! John 10:10 reminds us, in the very words of Yeshua: “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”
WE NOW EAT OUR PASSOVER MEAL TOGETHER
(Pray for the meal and provide eating instructions).
THE AFIKOMEN, THE DESSERT
Our Seder meal tonight follows God’s plan for redemption. The first two cups of wine/juice we drank before the meal speak of God’s redeeming us from Egypt and the bondage it represents, through the blood of the lamb and God’s great acts of power!
Now, after the meal, we’ll focus on the resurrection of Yeshua and His looking forward to His second coming. This Passover Seder is a rehearsal of God’s complete redemptive plan.
Now, let’s talk about the Afikomen:
The word “Afikomen” means dessert. It is the last food eaten at our meal tonight. Remember when I hid the Afikomen earlier? It is time for the children to go and find it and bring it back to me.
(Children go and find Afikomen).
To the child who brings the Afikomen: Thank you! Here’s a small reward for finding it. (Leader gives child a reward).
It is said that in a traditional Seder meal, the child who finds the Afikomen remembers what happened last year and they will barter with the father concerning a price to be paid for the Afikomen. The father then gives the child a gift in the form of a down payment as his promise to the child who found the Afikomen. And then promises to make the rest of the payment at a later time. In the Jewish tradition, this is called The Promise of the Father. In this, we understand that God paid a great price for our redemption.
Now, what does the Afikomen represent? Remember how we took the middle Matzah out and broke it and wrapped it up in the cloth? And now it has been found again! This Matzah represents Yeshua, the bread that was sent from heaven. Notice how the Matzah has stripes on it? Notice how it is has been pierced in the baking process in order to make it bake quickly? And notice the burn marks from the oven? As Isaiah 53 states: “He was pierced for our transgressions… and by His stripes we are healed.”
At the Last Supper, in Luke 22, Jesus said, “This is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” The Passover cannot be completed without the Afikomen. Nor can our redemption be complete without Yeshua, the Bread of Life, our Messiah.
Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheynu Melekh ha’olam ha-motzi lechem min ha-aretz.
ALL:
Praised are you, oh Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who brings froth bread from the earth… the bread of life!
(Eat Matzah)
THE THIRD CUP, THE CUP OF REDEMPTION
(Refill cup as necessary.)
In the Ancient Days of the Old Covenant, the first cup after the Passover meal expressed gratitude for the freedom which the Lord God granted His people.
But again, during the Last Supper in the Upper Room, Jesus did something different. You see, it was the custom in the days of Jesus’ time that when a man desired to marry a woman, he went to her father and offered him a cup of wine, “take and drink” he would propose. If the woman’s father accepted the cup, it was his way of saying “yes, you may have my daughter’s hand in marriage.”
During this last formal meal together, Jesus offers bread as His body and then He offers His talmadim, His disciples, a cup and He says, “take and drink.” It was His way of saying “I want to marry you. You are my bride. Will you accept my proposal of marriage?” And His disciples accept, on behalf of us, the Church, His bride, by taking the cup and drinking. And do you see? This is where we get communion, the Lord’s Supper. Jesus says that He won’t drink the fruit of the vine again until the Kingdom of God comes (Luke 22). That will be when the Father tells the Son that He can go get His bride, the church… us! Oh, how Jesus loves us… passionately… as a bridegroom loves his bride! He demonstrated that passion throughout His ministry, but perhaps not so intimately as when He offered this Cup of Redemption to His closest companions, His talmadim, in a quiet upper room.
The word “Pesach” which we translate “Passover” is literally translated “Protection.” Jesus, in not drinking this Cup of Redemption, forfeits God’s protection against the Angel of Death.
Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheynu Melekh ha’olam borey pri hagafen.
ALL:
Praised are you, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
ELIJAH THE PROPHET
There is a section of the Passover Seder that teaches us that before Messiah returns, Elijah will come (Malachi 4:5). The Messiah always has a forerunner, a preparer of the way. During the first coming of Yeshua, Jesus said in Matthew 17 that Elijah already came in the person of John the Baptist. Luke 1:17 explains that John is of the spirit and power of Elijah. And yet the Jews today don’t know that Jesus is Messiah, so they are still waiting… first for Elijah… then for Messiah.
So, in the homes of Jewish families today, at this time a young child opens the front door of the home, in effect, welcoming Elijah, and ultimately welcoming the Messiah.
Since we know that Jesus has already come, we skip this portion… But we should be reminded that Jesus will come again. And He tells us in Revelation 22: “Look, I am coming soon!”
So we say:
ALL:
Maranantha! Come Lord Jesus. Come!
THE FOURTH CUP, THE CUP OF PRAISE
(Refill your cup as necessary.)
Let us lift one more cup tonight, the Cup of Praise and let us give thanks to God… Again from Revelation 21, Jesus is not only the Passover Lamb, but He is the Tabernacle of God
I heard a loud shout from the throne saying, “Look, the home of God is now among men, and he will live with them and they will be his people; yes, God himself will be among them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. All of that has gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new!” (Revelation 21:3-5, NLT)
Let us drink the Cup of Praise together!
Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheynu Melekh ha’olam borey pri hagafen.
ALL:
Praised are you, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
THE HALLEL, PSALM 136
(Read entire Psalm from a Bible)
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good.
ALL:
And His love endures forever!
THE FIFTH CUP, THE CUP OF WRATH
Some Biblical scholars have suggested a fifth cup… one that only Jesus drank… the Cup of Wrath. Malachi 4 and Joel 2 describe the “great and terrible” day when the Lord comes again. As Jesus prayed in the garden, following the Passover Meal, as recorded in Matthew 26:29, He asked: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” As we said earlier, Jesus did not drink the Cup of Redemption, the Cup of Protection… so He, by going to the Cross on our behalf, drank the cup of death. Death caused by our sin, the sins the nations. And as He drinks this Cup, only He brings salvation to the world.
He did it again! He took an ordinary moment… the whole evening… and turned it into a teaching moment for all eternity.
THE BLESSING OF AARON BY MOSES
(Numbers 6:24-26)
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord turn His face toward you all the days of your life
And give you His peace.
“NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!”
Lashanah haba’ah bi Yerushalayim!
DANCING!
Move the furniture out of the way and dance and celebrate the Life we have through Yeshua, the Passover Lamb!
THANK YOU
Thank you for joining us for this wonderful celebration of truth, redemption and a looking forward to our Messiah’s return.
We’d like to encourage you to take time during the coming days to read the whole story of Passover in Exodus. It is so powerful to see the compassion our Abba, Father has for His chosen people. For us! For you!
We are all called to live the Sh’ema, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and might, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Know that God desires us all to walk in relationship with him and His son, Yeshua. It’s not a “religion.” It’s communing with Him daily. Praising Him first thing in the morning and continuing to do so until you fall fast asleep each night.
The Word is true. The prophesies are true. Jesus came to fulfill the Old Testament Law not to abolish it. Isn’t it amazing how the first Passover, celebrated at least 1500 years before Jesus celebrated it with His disciples, has such meaning now that we know Yeshua IS “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” ?
May you be blessed in your relationship with Yeshua!
If you would like to know more about Belonging, Growing and Serving in God’s Kingdom at Oak Hills Church North Central, please contact Rich Ronald, North Central Campus Minister at richr@oakhillschurch.com.
Quiet streams of Living Water in the Wilderness of Zin in the middle of the Israeli Desert. A place of rest. A place of peace. A place of refreshing. A place of intimacy.
Do you have a “One Word” for 2014? A single, focused idea or goal for the New Year? My word is “intimacy.” As in, “I want to walk closer in intimacy with God the Father.” To do so, I think, means to be stretched in my times of prayer. My hope is that it means significant prayer. True connecting prayer. Two way conversations of prayer between God and me. Lingering prayer. Not check-list prayer.
Intimacy. A good pastor friend of mine used to say it this way: “Into me, see.” As in opening your heart and life to one who truly sees into your heart and soul. For most of us, that’s our spouse. But isn’t it also God? And I believe that His true desire is for us to see as deep into His heart as we acknowledge that He sees into ours.
That’s the deep, intimate, prayer-stretching kind of focus that I desire in my personal walk with God the Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit in 2014.
In the past ten days I have eaten up a book I literally stumbled upon at Barnes and Noble the day after Christmas. Its title grabbed me: Signs, Wonders and a Baptist Preacher, How Jesus Flipped My World Upside Down.[1] The Bible says in John 14:12 (NIV): “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” Have you ever wrestled with these words of Jesus?
My spiritual background has included seasons of beauty in seeing God move supernaturally. It has also included seasons of awful abuse of the Biblical text and manipulating God and people seeking Him in prayer. The bad seasons soured my praying for people for years.
And yet God…
In His grace and love I’m wondering if there is a new season ahead for me personally and others in my circle of friends and family and prayer partners… a time of seeing Him move “in power” as a direct result of walking in intimacy with Abba, Father?
Curiously, it’s been a long time since a single book spoke to me the way this one has. The author’s unassuming approach is delightful. I can’t believe how much I’ve underlined, circled and starred… thoughts and ideas that have struck a chord in my heart. Perhaps they will speak to you?
Author Chad Norris talks about walking the walk that Jesus walked while He was here on earth. Can the supernatural be natural for us? Here are a few direct quotes from the first chapters:
If we had followed Jesus while He was on the earth, what would He have asked us to do? … The only answer I can come up with is that He would have asked us to do what He asked His other disciples to do, even if it led to some awkward moments that left us wondering how we ever got into such a strange situation. (p.43)
I want things that I cannot explain to happen in my life on a daily basis. I want heaven to be attracted to my life in the way it was attracted to Jesus’ life. (p.44)
I yearn to do the things my Master did while He was here. This is not because I want superpowers, this is because I want to follow Jesus. (p.45)
If you long to see more… or maybe just different and faith stretching from God, great! Let’s talk and pray and see where it leads.
I spoke about some of this in a sermon on December 29, 2013. If you want to listen to it you can find it on iTunes. Search “Rich Ronald podcasts.” Look for the sermon called “Gideon’s Power is Our Power Too.”
I’m eager to be more intimate with God the Father in 2014 and see where He guides. How about you?
The weapon of Gideon’s army was the power of light! God gets the victory with just 300 fighting men!
Have you ever seen an angel of the Lord? I have. In the midst of a season of complete disobedience by the people of Israel, an angel visited me and told me that God was with me.
With me? With my people? If that is so, then why has Jehovah let the Midianites completely ruin us?
The angel called me a “mighty soldier” and said that God would make me strong… Strong enough to defeat them?
“Right,” I sarcastically agreed. “Sir, I am Gideon,” I told him. “I am from the lowest family of the lowest tribe of all of Israel’s sons. And, quite frankly, I am considered the lowest son of the family. How will I defeat the hordes of Midian?”
It was then that I realized that I was not merely talking with an angel of the Lord, but rather, I was speaking with Jehovah directly. He assured me that He would be with me and it would be His strength that would bring about this conquest. How did I know it was God? His presence consumed my offering right before my eyes.
God then gave me my first assignment. I believe He was testing me. He told me to destroy my father’s false idols to Baal and Asherah. I was nervous, to say the least, but I did as the Lord commanded. When the villagers wanted my head the next day, I was surprised that my father came to my rescue, defending my actions. That gave me hope that if I could bring about change in my own family, maybe God was indeed with me.
And yet, I wondered… when I saw the armies of Midian and the neighboring nations gathering, I doubted, for their victory against us appeared to be guaranteed.
And yet, God had promised… so since He had tested me, I decided to test God. I laid a lamb’s fleece out on the threshing floor one night and asked God to allow it to be covered in dew, while the ground around it would remain dry. Sure enough it happened as I had asked. The next morning, I wrung out a whole bowl of water from the lambskin.
And while it was obvious that God had answered me, something in my head thought to test God again, just to be sure it wasn’t merely a coincidence. This time, I asked Him to make the fleece dry and the dust around it, wet. Again, the Lord had patience with me and did as I asked.
Surely, now I knew for certain that nothing was impossible with God.
The battle with the Lord’s army was on, and I was His newly appointed commander!
I put out the call and 32,000 troops of Israel reported for duty to defeat the Midian army. But God knew my heart. He knew that I would brag about my own strength if these men crushed our enemy. So He told me to send home any who were afraid. Two thirds of my men left me.
Again, God challenged my heart and He culled my troops down to a mere 300 fighting men.
God had a plan to ensure our success and His victory.
Later that night, I snuck into the enemy camp. I crawled passed a fire of still glowing embers and overheard one man describe a nightmare he had just had to another. The interpretation of this bad dream? I couldn’t believe my ears as the man’s tent mate said: “This can only mean one thing. Gideon is going to massacre us all!”
With renewed hope, I returned to my 300 men with a battle plan. We surrounded the thousands and thousands of Midianites. There were so many of them we couldn’t begin to count the camels, much less the foot soldiers!
It was just past midnight. I took 100 of our militia men to the outer edge of the Midian camp. There were another hundred of our soldiers on a second hill, and the final hundred on a third knoll overlooking the site. Oh, and the weapons we had with us for this battle? Trumpets and lamps. Yep, we looked more like worshippers than an army. Maybe that was God’s intent?
First, my unit blew our trumpets and broke our clay jars so the light would burst forth into the dark night. The other two units followed our lead and did the same. With trumpets blasting and lights brightly shining and coursing through the smoke of campfires we shouted “For the Lord and for Gideon!” The Midianites were thrown into complete confusion.
Panic ensued. And you wouldn’t believe what happened next. The men of Midian began killing their comrads of Amalek. And they slaughtered each other from one end of the camp to the other while we watched and cheered from the distance. It was pandemonium.
We didn’t do anything really. God did it all. A few hundred men defeated an army of thousands. He was surely with us.
In the days that followed, the generals and leaders and kings were chased down and killed one by one. The Midianites have never recovered. Our land is at peace.
And the men of Israel wanted me to be their king.
No, I could never be their king, nor would my son. The Lord, Jehovah, is our King!
This is the first-person story of Gideon from Judges 6, 7 and 8. It’s applicable as we approach 2014. Are you willing to let God use you in an extraordinary way? To use tools of worship, like trumpets and lights, to defeat the enemy?
Paul says in Romans 8:2 that “the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed us from the vicious circle of sin and death.”
That was the same circle of the children of Israel. They drew close to God, then they began to sin and worship other gods, then they would repent and draw close to God again. In Gideon’s story, it was only when Gideon first destroyed his father’s man-made gods of Baal and Asherah, that began the process at that time of God delivering His people from the Midianites.
And I believe that is what the Holy Spirit helps us do today… He comes along side of us to comfort us, to give us boldness to share the hope of the Gospel message and He helps us destroy the idols of the world that are in our life. And in doing so, it draws us back to Jesus. So let me ask you, what idols do you need help destroying as you enter a New Year?
Just like Gideon routing the thousands of Midianites with just a few soldiers, God will bring tremendous victory to you as well. A victory for you that will bring glory to Him!
Jesus is my brother and my friend. (photo from the movie “The Gospel According to Matthew” with Bruce Marchiano as Jesus, distributed by the Visual Bible, 1993).
Throughout Advent, let’s look at the people of the story of Christ’s birth. Today: James, the brother of Jesus. Here is my take on a possible first person narrative from Matthew 1, Luke 2 and the book of James.
I’ll never forget the story my Mom and Dad used to tell about that night. I wasn’t there. I’m the little brother. So, I have to rely on the memory of others.
My name is Jacob. You know me as James, the brother of Jesus. I called him Yeshua.
Our Dad’s name is also Jacob. But you know him as Joseph. Oh, the stories he would tell about those days. And Mom? Well, as any woman in her final weeks of pregnancy she was, according to Abba, “cranky.” Every little thing was a big thing. “Do you have to hammer so loudly?” she would ask. Dad’s hammering was always the same volume.
It was late in the day when Dad heard the news. Laws are laws. Caesar commanded that everyone return to their hometown to be counted in a census. Since our family is of the Tribe of David, that meant a four day journey to the City of David. A four day trip? With Mom in her condition? My Dad was such a gentleman, but how was he going to do this? Such an excursion with such a pregnant wife! He says he found a couple of extra blankets to put on the back of the donkey. Mom was the adventurous type, but I’m pretty sure this was just one journey she didn’t enjoy. Dad’s plan was to keep a positive outlook saying that they could make the trip as quickly as possible, register for the census and get back to Nazareth in time for the baby to be born… in time for my brother to be born.
Mom says she was very quiet sitting up on the donkey for most of the trip. Dad says he kept thinking about the son inside of Mom, and our family and our family’s future, and what the angel had said in two different conversations to both Mom and Dad.
Then it happened! All of sudden everything changed. Mom started talking and chattering in quick words and phrases. The energy level changed and there was a rush of anticipation. It was time! Can you see them? Not now! Not on the road! Not on a donkey! This is not at all what my Dad had planned!
They got to the town of Bethlehem and there were people everywhere. Not the usual empty, sleepy village. It was night, close to midnight and Mom was holding on to her belly. Dad told Yeshua and me years later that the sounds coming from her mouth rivaled the noise of that old donkey. She needed a place, a bed, a clean room. The baby would be born that night.
So, with great fear Dad tied the mule up by a tree and sat our Mom down on the blankets by the side of the road and he ran off to find an appropriate place. No one would help him out. Everyone was interested, but not a single person would offer assistance.
So he went back to where he had left Mom and the donkey. He helped her back up onto the mule and they began wandering through the tangled streets and alleys of Bethlehem together. Not sure how it happened, but the animal led them to a cave. It was smelly. Wet. Dark. Dank. Not even a nice place for animals. My gracious Mom assured Dad that it would be fine. Dad felt terrible. This is not at all what he had planned. He would tell us years later, “I’m the carpenter, the one who makes solutions, not problems. I earn a living fixing things!” He truly felt like he had let both Mom and my soon-to-be-born big brother down.
Dad laughs about it now, but, the next thing he realized, he was the midwife. Dear Mom led Dad to a place where most husbands never venture. Together they heard the first cries as the baby was born… as Yeshua was born! Dad used his knife and cut the cord and handed the baby up to Mom.
Amazing!
Dad still says that as he watched Mom and Yeshua together, by the light of a single candle, surrounded by animals, that that moment was the most special moment of his life… the moment when his dear bride was the most beautiful.
Mom and Dad had other children after that night. I came along a few years later.
And yes, Yeshua is a special brother to me. While it took me a few years to understand the supernatural part of him — that he is God’s son — he is still my brother.
We grew up together. We played games together. We fished in the Sea together. We helped Dad make furniture as he taught us how to build walls and homes with our hands. I always enjoyed conversation around a meal or a fire with Yeshua. He had a great sense of humor.
He was about as real a friend and brother as you can find.
As a big brother, he was always looking out for me. He was an incredible teacher. He taught me how to find peace in the midst of trials and that Godly wisdom means more than street smarts. He taught me about temptation and how to stay right and strong and pure. He encouraged me to put my faith into action. He cautioned me often about the words I speak, for my tongue seems to get me in trouble regularly. He told me to look for the best in others. And to be willing to admit my faults. And to pray for, and with, each other.
I saw some pretty incredible miracles walking along side Yeshua.
But mostly, I saw the greatest kind of love a brother can offer… unconditional and everlasting love.
Our mutual friend John said it best about him: Greater love has no one than this, than he who lays down his life for his brother.
Throughout Advent, let’s look at the people of the story of Christ’s birth. This week: a shepherd. Here is my take on a possible first person narrative from Luke 2.
It was just another night, really. Nothing too special about it. The sheep were grazing or sleeping on the rolling meadow, just north of Bethlehem. The air was cool, but not cold yet, so we let the animals continue to stay out in the fields rather than finding a cave for shelter.
My name? It’s not really important, for I am a lowly shepherd. There are none in all of Israel that think of our people as anyone special. We do not command much attention and merely go about our work in a quiet, nondescript manner. We feed the sheep and goats. We water the sheep and goats. We guard the sheep and goats. We move them about so they will find plenty to eat and just the right amount to drink. And this we do day in and day out.
Shepherding is the only job I have ever had. I know my sheep, and they know me. As of today, I have 109 sheep in my flock: 32 rams, 41 ewes, and 36 lambs. There are another 88 goats. Everything I own is in a pack on my donkey. It’s not much. Another tunic. Some candles and pottery. A few ropes and animal skins. A small bag of nuts and raisins. Oh, and my flute. I so enjoy the gift God has given me to play music. It is a joy to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all while simply blowing across hole in a hollowed out piece of wood. I think the sheep like it as well.
My brother has his flock just over there. My brother-in-law is along that ridge.
So, about “that” night… The air was crisp. The moon was full. The sky bursting with bright stars. We had just thrown another log on a small fire. We kept watch for coyotes, for this is the time of the year when they prey on the members of our flock. We were talking about heading back to our village and meeting up with our families as it was the season to go up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast. Of course, we do not ever get to go to the Temple, for we must be out here. But some in our family are blessed to be able to make the short journey to Mt. Zion.
We were making our plans when suddenly the night sky became very bright, as if it was the middle of the day. The sheep were startled and began to cry and low and move about anxiously. The three of us, did our best to keep them calm, all the while our hearts raced frantically. We had never seen this happen before. We had heard of earthquakes but had not experienced one. Was this that? Or some other natural phenomenon? Was this some sort of army moving across the plains? The dogs were barking, the sheep bleating, the donkey braying. We were terribly frightened.
Through the bright light a man appeared… a man like we had not ever seen previously. His first words? “Do not be afraid!” And yet we were terrified! It was truly a challenge to slow our heart rate and calm our breathing.
And then he said he was a messenger bringing good news, joyful news. Our Savior was born this very night and we were to go quickly down to the village of Bethlehem and see this new baby. A baby? Our Messiah? What was he saying? Who was this man? While he didn’t tell us he was an angel, we quickly figured that out when a multitude of others joined him and they started singing. Singing! And proclaiming the birth of a Savior.
“Glory to God!” they sang. “Peace on earth!” echoed across the valley, amplified by the night air.
Who were we to hear this message? We are not priests or rabbis or Pharisees or King Herod. Maybe they should go and proclaim this news to people of stature?
And just as quickly as they appeared, they returned again into the heavens.
So, of course, we did what they told us to do. We gathered our things; rounded up the flocks. And we ventured across the meadow in the middle of the night, down the rocky path to the village of Bethlehem. We looked and searched all over town. Can you see us? With our sheep? And our goats? And our donkeys? And the shepherding dogs? Oh, what noise we made as we meandered through the village in the middle of the night.
A man named Jacob came to greet us. He asked what we were doing wandering around? We told him of the angels and the singing and the bright lights in the sky. We shared the message of good news they had shared with us. He was stunned and had this look on his face I’ll never forget. It was a look of disbelief and belief all at the same time… like something very real and very special just dawned on him. With an eager jump in his step he led us to a small, dark, dank cave. He apologized as he motioned for us to enter. Inside were a few animals and a woman, who he said was his wife, lying in some straw. Her face was illuminated by a single candle. And she nursed a new born baby.
“Miriam!” he whispered with enthusiasm. “These men… they saw angels who told them to come find us… to find him… our son.”
We looked at each other with doubt in our eyes. Is this our Messiah? Our king? The savior of the world? But wouldn’t he be born in a royal palace attended to by a multitude of nurses and midwives and servants? Wouldn’t he be wrapped in silk or fine linens, not these swaddling rags?
Jacob could read our thoughts as our faces betrayed our skepticism. “He was born in this simple cave,” he said with humble honesty, “because he was born for you.”
“But we are lowly shepherds,” we explained. “And he is a king?”
“Yes,” Jacob replied. “Yes, indeed. He has been born for you and for them. You, however, you are the first to see Him. His name is ‘Immanuel. God with us.’ Go! Go tell everyone you see what a great thing God has done for all of us.”
And so, we did. Our suspicions turned to great joy. We returned to the fields and we praised the God of our Fathers … for the angels, for Jacob, for Miriam, but mostly for this baby, our Savior, born this very night!
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