Christian Reflection and Prayer

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Lenten Devotion

Jesus said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day,
until you deny three times that you know Me" (Luke 22:34).

Read Luke 22:33-34.

Jesus' warning should humble Peter, but the proud disciple will
hear none of it. With characteristic boldness and overbearing
self-reliance he protests his loyalty to his Lord, and promises to
stay by His side-even if it costs his freedom and his life. He
doesn't say, "With God's help," or "With Your help." He is
confident he can stand on the ardor of his own adoration and
commitment to Jesus.

But Jesus knows precisely what Peter will do in a few short hours.
That's when this quiet upper room will be exchanged for a
threatening courtyard filled with menacing soldiers. The Lord
gives a simple, assured answer. Echoing Peter's misplaced
self-confidence, Jesus shifts from "Simon" to "Peter"-the rock. His
words are poignant: the rooster will not crow to mark the coming
of the sunrise before the rock has crumbled and denied knowing
Jesus three times.

From that next morning on, Peter would never hear a rooster
again without being reminded of that dreadful, shameful sunrise.
But at the same time, the sound of that crowing will be a daily
reminder of Jesus' gracious salvation. It was that fateful hour when
the rooster's crow recalled Jesus' words to Peter, and that brief
glance from Jesus' eyes called Peter back, rescuing him from
Satan's grasp, and springing forth the tears of godly repentance
that poured from his eyes and led to his restoration.

We all stumble and fall, disowning our Savior in our silence and in
our disobedience. Yet Jesus prays for us, strengthens us, and
restores us by His constant grace.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, in Your still small voice, humble my pride and foolish
self-confidence. Guard and protect me as I flee to You, the Rock
of my salvation. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Lenten Devotion

(Jesus said) "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to
have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have
prayed for you that your faith may not fail. ..." (Luke 22:31).

Read Luke 22:31-32.

Already in this meal Jesus has foretold His coming suffering
and death, established a new Sacrament to give us His own
body and blood in bread and wine, and exposed the betrayer
who will set it all into motion. Now He turns to the leader of
His disciples, bold and impetuous Peter. His words seem
totally at odds with the Peter we meet in the Gospels-confident,
strong, impulsive. But Jesus knows.

With deep concern and tender care He speaks Peter's given
name twice, "Simon, Simon." Back when this disciple
expressed his faith that Jesus was God's Son, the promised
Savior, the Lord had given him the name Peter, which means "
rock." But this night Peter will be the furthest thing from a rock
as he crumbles before servant girls and soldiers.

Confident in his foolish pride, Peter will put himself in great
danger. Satan will seek to use that bitter moment of denial to
shake Peter with deep guilt and regret in an attempt to crush
his faith. Peter's leadership will be severely hampered as he
asks how he could possibly remain one of Jesus' chosen apostles.

But Jesus steps in to reassure Peter. "I have prayed for you.
" The gracious voice of God's Son will overpower the tempter's
foul accusation. By Jesus' power, Peter will turn from his denial,
and follow his Savior yet again. Then a restored Peter will
strengthen his brothers and sisters. As we recall the depth of
Peter's fall and see Jesus' gracious restoration, Peter's
experience encourages us to leave behind our guilt and regret
and boldly trust in Jesus' full and complete forgiveness for all
our sins and failings.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, You plead for me before Your Father in heaven.
Reassure me of Your complete and free forgiveness every time
I fall. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

It's Embarrassing to Be an Evangelical This Election

 I find myself saying in the face of the fact that Donald
Trump has now captured the votes of more “evangelicals”
in the Republican primaries than any other candidate.

First, I point out that when the media says “evangelicals”
they really mean “white evangelicals” and virtually never
measure the opinions and voting practices of black, brown,
or even young evangelicals.

So I have to define the word evangelical. I find it’s best to
use the words of Jesus himself, words white evangelicals
need to listen to if they are, as they claim, believers in Jesus.

Jesus announced his mission in the little town of Nazareth,
as recorded in Luke chapter 4, verse 18.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free.”

Does that sound like anything you have heard from the
“evangelicals” the media is covering in this election?

When Jesus chose this text from Isaiah 61 to read in the temple,
he was proclaiming his mission, as recorded in the Luke 4 text.
These were the first public words out of his mouth, his first
sermon, his first public appearance, his opening gig, and his
mission statement. I've always called it his "Nazareth manifesto.
" Very clearly, justice would be at the center of his mission. He
came to "bring good news to the poor." The root of the Greek
verb Jesus uses there for "good news" is evangel, from which
we get the words "evangelize" and "evangelical." Jesus' movement
was to be based on proclaiming the good news. Without a doubt,
Jesus' gospel was always to be good news for the poor. Therefore,
any of our gospels that are not good news to poor and vulnerable
people clearly fall short of what Jesus proclaimed in his opening
statement about why he came. In other words, any gospel that
is not good news to the poor is simply not the gospel of Jesus
Christ.

White evangelicals should have to explain, on the basis of their
biblical faith, how they find themselves among these statistics,
how they can feel comfortable with Trump’s proposed policies of
rounding up, deporting, and destroying the families of 11 million
immigrants; killing the families of terrorists; restricting the religious
liberty of Muslim citizens; banning Muslim refugees; and appealing
to the worst and most dangerous instincts of white Americans.

It’s time to put “evangelical” ahead of “white” and to revisit
Galatians 3:28, “There is no Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or
female; for we are all one in Christ Jesus.”

( Excerpts from Jim Wallis)