Christian Reflection and Prayer

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)

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Lenten Devotion

(Jesus said) "You are those who have stayed with Me
in My trials, and I assign to you, as My Father
assigned to Me, a kingdom, that you may eat and
drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Luke 22:28-30).

Read Luke 22:28-30.

Though Jesus was generally well-received by the crowds
throughout His ministry, He faced ever stiffening
opposition and hostility from the Jewish religious leaders.
But the disciples faithfully stood by Him through it all.
Peter said it well: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have
the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have
come to know, that You are the Holy One of God"
(John 6:68b-69).

Jesus looks around the table at them. A moment ago
they disputed which of them was greatest, but He knows
in the future they will suffer as He will-beatings,
imprisonment, exile, even death. So Jesus points them
beyond those sufferings to the glorious reward that waits
for them at the end. When their earthly lives are
completed, they will receive a greater honor, privilege
and glory than anything they could have sought on earth.
Here they will serve in humility and suffering, but in
heaven they will find true glory and honor. The promise
is true for you and me as well.

Though our daily work for the Lord often seems to go
unappreciated and unrecognized, Jesus assures us that
God marks it well and will faithfully reward it in eternity.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, thank You for teaching us a new way to
think about ourselves and our place in Your world. Help
me grasp the beauty and grandeur of it all, that I may
live as You did, in humble service and self-sacrifice.
Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)