The residents of Littleton had always admired the glamorous mansion on the hill just outside of town.  It was enclosed on a small estate by an elegant stone wall with a beautiful wrought-iron gate at the entrance.  Sometimes young children would peek inside the gate and imagine what it would be like to play on the massive lawn that spread before them.  Grown-ups would walk by and look at the grand antebellum architecture, manicured shrubs and arched windows and picture what the indoors must be furnished like.  All wished they could enter the gates and take a look around but no one was ever invited.  The owner, a former silent movie star, was a recluse and being that they were respectful folks, they never bothered or forced their desires upon the self-imposed exile.  But it didn’t stop them from speculating.  “The door knobs must be made of gold!”  “I’m sure every piece of furniture is a priceless antique.”  “I’ve heard all the floors are made of marble from Italy.”  The only person ever seen on the property was a crusty old caretaker who took care of the lawn and shrubs, but even he was unapproachable and people kept their distance when he was seen in town.  One day an advertisement appeared in the local paper.  The movie star had died and the mansion would be open for one day so that people could pay their respects.  The line stretched for miles as curiosity brought many out to finally see if all their speculations were true.  However, when they entered the glorious residence, they were shocked.  It was completely devoid of furniture, stripped of all its finery and basically an empty shell.  Most surprising of all was the man they thought had been the caretaker, was in fact, the former star who had lost everything- except the ability to make the remaining years of his life look like it was still filled with all his former glory.

            In Matthew 6:1, Jesus issues a warning about outward appearances and drawing attention to oneself in matters of faith.  Many translations use the words “be careful” to translate the Greek prosechete.  This word is in the present tense, and it’s emphatic. Jesus is literally telling us “Pay attention to what I’m about to say”, and make sure you’re doing it!  What is Jesus warning us to do, or in this case, not to do?  Focus on making the practice of your faith merely an outward show, for that kind of faith only garners public attention.  Jesus says it’s more important to practice one’s faith “in secret” because a reward from your Heavenly Father is far greater than the highest praise from man.

            Jesus uses four examples to demonstrate this principle throughout the remainder of the chapter: giving to the poor (vv. 1-4), prayer (vv. 5-15), fasting (vv. 16-18) and earthly treasures (vv. 19-21).  With each example Jesus includes a contrast between what it looks like when you do it for public recognition and praise, and what your Heavenly Father desires which in essence is something you do when no one is looking.  All in all, what Jesus relates is that when you give, pray, fast or accumulate wealth for the recognition of your fellow human beings, that’s all you get.  You are no different from our fictional movie star with the empty mansion.  Giving so others can see how generous you are is not rewarded by God because that should not motivate your giving.  Praying loudly or saying the same thing over and over again, does not impress God if it’s not heartfelt.  Making a big to-do over a religious practice such as fasting does not garner any interest from the Lord, but others will certainly take note of it.  And earthly treasures are transient.  It’s true they can be enjoyed for the time we have them but eventually our concern over whether or not we can keep them will consume us if we’re not careful, and sometimes the desire to have more consumes us as well.  It’s better to be satisfied with what you already have which is what the Lord has given you in the first place.

            So, what are we to do?  What should our priority be?  Jesus says to first, seek God’s kingdom, and secondly God’s righteousness.  This kind of seeking is more than just a casual search.  It’s a concentrated effort to gain what is sought after and it takes top priority over anything else we might do.  The item in question is not an earthly kingdom but a matter of the heart and the endeavor to replicate God’s standard of what’s right within it.  Jesus says the when this is the focus of our life, God will not only grant us what we seek, but He will bestow it above and beyond what we expect.  In other words, “Look after God’s standards in His commands as being the top priority in your life, and those things will be added to you in abundance.”  In summary, if all we do is based on whether or not we’ll be seen doing it that is all we will get from what we do.  But if we are not concerned with what others think and what we do springs from a heart that desires to please God, we will receive more than we could ever imagine or think from our Heavenly Father, who both sees and rewards “in secret”.  Where do you want to start your seeking today?

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com/, https://www.linked.com/in/annhlefevre/, https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre/

            What would you say are the top 10 things people pray about?  Would you list any of these: health, money, relationships, jobs, children, unsaved family or friends?  What else would you include?  People generally resort to prayer in times of need, because they have a sense that it works, or that it is important. “I’m praying for you” or “I’ll be praying about that” is a popular thing to say today even if one does not necessarily believe there is a God in Heaven who listens to them!   The disciples also recognized that prayer was important because they saw Jesus praying frequently.  While Jesus prayed, something in Jesus' prayers caught their attention.  They knew they wanted to pray like Jesus, so in Luke 11:1, they asked Jesus to "teach them how to pray".  His response is what we have come to call the Lord's Prayer.

            However, the title is a misnomer.  It was not really a literal prayer that Jesus said rather, it was a teaching tool He passed on to His when they inquired about the supplications a disciple should bring before God, the Father.  Many recite this prayer on a daily basis; others once a week.  Its recitation is a treasured Christian tradition.  It’s even popular now to bash the repetition of it and remove it from worship altogether, but if Jesus taught us to say it, is that the right thing to do?  However, when we do say it, do we really listen to the words and mean what we say?  And what was Jesus teaching us about prayer when He used this prayer as a model for His disciples?

            So, if I could be so bold as to rename it (as others before me have suggested), The Disciple's Prayer can be divided into 2 sections.  The first contains 2 declarations about God and His glory.  The second contains 4 requests that have to do with our daily necessities.   In other words, God is first given His supreme place in our lives, and then we turn our attention to our needs and desires.  Sadly, we often approach God with a list of things we'd like Him to attend to without first acknowledging Him above all else.  William Barclay wrote, "Prayer must never be an attempt to bend the will of God to our desires; instead prayer ought to always to be an attempt to submit our wills to the will of God."

            A quick walk through this prayer reveals first that it can be both an individual or corporate prayer.  That is, when Jesus says, "When you pray," He uses the plural form of you,  which can mean the community of believers (first the disciples, and now the church) or you in the singular (as in each individual disciple, or each believer as in you and I).  Secondly, we are to declare the great truths about God.  He is Father.  His Name is holy.  And we desire to see the fulfillment of His kingdom.  Thirdly, in asking for our daily bread, we recognize that God is the Provider of it, not ourselves.  Fourth, forgiveness has two sides; a side that gives and a side that receives.  The Disciple's Prayer includes both a request for forgiveness and a call for forgiveness.  And lastly, God is recognized as our Protector in that only He can keep us from succumbing to the temptations thrown our way by Satan (1 Pet. 5:8).  The prayer emphasizes the desire to follow God and not to be overwhelmed or destroyed by sin.

            Another commentator wrote, "It was the regular custom for a Rabbi to teach his disciples a simple prayer which they might habitually use.  John (the Baptist) had done that for his disciples, and now Jesus' disciples came asking Him to do the same for them.  Luke's version is shorter than Matthew's, but it will teach us all we need to know about how to pray and what to pray for."  The "Disciple's Prayer" is one of the most thorough passages in all of Scripture dealing with the great subject of prayer.  It is a passage that should be studied time and again.   When we say it together as a congregation, or if we say it on our own, let's keep in mind that Jesus Himself gave us these words to pray.  Although many centuries have come since the initial 12 disciples asked Him to teach "us" to pray, the lesson He gave to them is also meant for us today.  Let's not say them lightly.

            Think about your prayer life this week.  How often to you converse with God?  How deeply?  Do you listen for His response?  Is your prayer life composed of a list of requests or do you include other aspects, such as praise and confession, into your prayers?  One of the beautiful things about prayer is that it is profoundly individual.  There is no "one size fits all" formula that everyone must do in order for it to be done right.  I know people who have a quiet time every morning and prayer for an hour straight.  I also know others who pray while they commute, clean the house, or take a walk.    As you pray this week you may want to begin your prayer time with “The Disciples’ Prayer”.  However, or wherever, you pray, take time this week to listen to God's response.  He hears and He answers.
 
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com/, https://www.linked.com/in/annhlefevre/, https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre/

            I don’t know about you, but I hate it in the Fall when the clocks get changed and darkness comes earlier and earlier.  When the days are short like that, I often feel as if I haven’t accomplished anything when the streetlights turn on in the late afternoon.  I don’t like the “cold” feeling the house gets when the shadows are long and the sun goes below the horizon either.  The only remedy for the darkness which enters my home is the light of my lamps.  Several of them I inherited from my mother and grandmother, two were wedding gifts and one was “inherited” from a neighbor across the street when they moved.  When Hurricane Riley blew through a few years ago, we lost power for six days.  During the day it wasn’t as noticeable when the sunlight was streaming through the windows.  But at night we really missed the power until our neighbor hooked up his generator.  Just one lamp truly made a huge difference in our “comfort” level!

            While most people are drawn to the light of a lamp, there are some who seem to prefer the darkness.  It could simply be an attribute of human nature, but I think the power of light and its positive effect on our inner being, or the adverse with darkness, has spiritual overtones.  The key component to seeing either, of course, is the eye.  And just as the eyes see physical light and darkness, they are also the instruments which introduce both godly and sinful thoughts into our lives.  Jesus illustrated it in this way, “The lamp of the body is the eye; if therefore your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.  If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great the darkness!” (Mt. 6:22-23).  Simply put, what goes into you through your eyes has a direct effect on both your heart and mind.  So, as the children’s Sunday School song goes, “Be careful little eyes what you see.” 

            Several words in Jesus’ admonition drive home this point.  While the word “eye” is obviously the bodily organ which causes us to see.  What we traditionally think of as a lamp did not exist when Jesus spoke these words.  So, what was Jesus talking about?  A “luchnos” was a small, portable clay “pot” with a hole on top to pour oil in and a spout out of its side where a wick would come out.  They looked like a miniature tea pot without the lid.  The wick would be lit and the light produced by it was surprisingly strong.  The word “haploose” which gets translated as clear in our English translations concerns the clarity of how we see.  It literally means to “see things the way they are”.  The adjective “bad” in verse 23 describes a moral condition.  It can be used of people (Mt. 5:45; Lk. 6:35, 45; Acts 17:5; 2 Thes. 3:2), evil spirits and malignant demons (Mt. 12:45; Lk. 7:21; 8:2; Acts 19:12, 13, 15, 16), or Satan when combined with the definite article “the” (Mt. 13:19, 38; Eph. 6:16; 1 Jn. 2:13), things such as the eye (Mt. 20:15; Mk. 7:22) and thoughts or words (1 Tim. 6:14; Js. 2:4; Mt. 5:11; Acts 28:21; 3 Jn. 1:10).  Jesus also makes a figurative contrast between light (as in knowledge which enlightens the mind- Mt. 6:23; Lk. 11:35) and darkness (as in ignorance or error- Jn. 3:19; Rom. 2:19- or a person’s spiritual state- Mt. 4:16; 8:12; Lk. 1:79; Acts 26:18; 1 Thes. 5:4; 2 Pet. 2:9, 17).  Simply put, Jesus is concerned about what fills the lamp.  If the eye is filled with light, then the eye is healthy, but if darkness, the eye is in desperate need of attention.

            We’ve all experienced times when light and shadows have played tricks on our eyes.  A coat, blanket, or clothes thrown over the back of a chair appears to be a monster to a child; bushes shrubs or trees take on human form in the night.  Each makes us think it’s something that it’s not.  But by shedding light on the situation we are no longer fooled by the illusion.  It drives home the point of how important the lighting is.  A flashlight with weak batteries for example might not reveal the pile of clothes or the bush, but one of those magnum titanium mega lights “as seen on TV” most certainly would.  What then should we be using as a lamp to enlighten our souls?

            In one of the most powerful scenes in the New Testament Jesus encounters Satan who attempts to change Jesus’ lamp so to speak (Mt. 4:1-11; Mk. 1:12-13; Lk. 4:1-13).  No matter what Satan enticed Jesus with, fame, power or pleasure, Jesus steadfastly refused Satan by quoting God’s Word.  Jesus knew that Satan’s promises were optical illusions and the clearest way to see them was through God’s Word.  Like a lamp turned on in a dark room, God’s Word dispenses light that shows everything for what it truly is.  There was a commercial a while back where a band of crazy Vikings would come crashing into a modern scene and demand, “What’s in your wallet?”  Jesus is not concerned with what’s in your wallet.  He wants to know “What’s in your lamp?”.

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com/, https://www.linked.com/in/annhlefevre/, https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre/

            Jeff and I were not huge television watchers when we had one.  We watched sports and informative shows more than anything else.  We rarely watch the latest shows or fads when it came to TV viewing.  However, there was one show that always entertained us and that was Mythbusters.  The premise of this show was to examine a cultural or historical "myth" by scientific methodology to either prove or disprove whether its claim was true or not.  One of my favorite episodes involved the myth that elephants are afraid of mice.  The hosts headed off to a wildlife preserve somewhere in Africa to run the actual test.  Surprisingly the results indicated that elephants are at least respectful of mice in that they very cautiously avoided the little critters when one crossed their path.  The evidence was not conclusive, but there was some sort of evidence nonetheless.

            Within our culture there is embedded a full-scale belief that if something can be scientifically proven then it is worth believing.  At the same time, and often in conflict with this, is the belief that one's experiences also offer a valid way of gauging whether or not something is true.  What has been lost through the years is the validating of truth with empirical evidence that is relying on observation or experiment, guided by practical experience, and not theory, to verify or prove that something is true.  Of all the impossible things to prove the resurrection would certainly be a target to discredit through any one of these methods.  But Christ's physical resurrection is crucial to Christianity.  No other faith makes the claim that God rose from the dead.

            Through the centuries many theories have been concocted to explain how Jesus did not rise from the dead.  Some believe the resurrection to be part of a hoax and others believe it is purely the stuff fairy tales are made of.  But when the Gospel accounts are read and history is examined, there is evidence and then some to the contrary.  Take, for example, Lk. 24:36-48.  Luke being a trained doctor would most definitely be interested in physical evidence to prove his point.  In this passage he records that Jesus presented physical evidence of His suffering to the disciples and then invited them to touch Him.  "A spirit does not have flesh and bones," Jesus states.  And as if to drive the point home, Jesus proceeds to ask them for something to eat.  Each Gospel writer makes a point of noting that Jesus had a physical body after the resurrection (Mt. 28:9; Mk. 16:6-7; Lk. 24:39; Jn. 20:20) and Luke records in the Book of Acts that Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection "alive" for a period of 40 days (Acts 1:3) offering them "many convincing proofs and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God."

            Not only did Jesus present Himself physically to the disciples, Scripture also records that there were other witnesses of Christ's bodily resurrection.  The most notable testimony of this is Paul's list in 1 Cor. 15:5-9.  Paul states that "appeared to Cephas (Peter) and the twelve" (v.5), then more than 500 witnesses in verse 6, to James and all the "apostles" (those sent out to proclaim the Gospel) in verse 7, and finally to Paul himself (v.8).  Many of these witnesses died for the wonderful news they proclaimed.  The fact that they considered this point worth dying for argues from a practical perspective that Jesus physically rose from the dead.  There are not too many people who will die for a myth (although they might have fun making a TV show around proving or disproving them!).

            Likewise, had the resurrection been added to the Gospel at a later date to bolster support for the teachings of Jesus, there were enough people alive in the first century of church growth, who had also been around at the time of Christ’s death and resurrection, to contest its truth if it had been a lie.  And finally, the disciples themselves are “living proof” that the resurrection was indeed a physical one.  Their transformation from doubting and clueless followers of Jesus to outspoken champions of the faith also demonstrate that their faith in a risen Lord was not a whimsical fantasy, but a fully trustworthy and proven fact. 

            People had doubts about the resurrection of Christ almost immediately after that great event.  People still have doubts today.  But the same confidence that propelled the early believers to take the Gospel to the "ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8) because they knew the resurrection to be a provable fact, can be shared by us today.  The documentation of Christ’s death and resurrection in Scripture is trustworthy so that we too can boldly proclaim our faith in the Risen Lord (Col. 4:5-6; 1 Pet. 3:15).  The resurrection not a myth!

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com/, https://www.linked.com/in/annhlefevre/, https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre/

            Heroes, we all want one !  We root for them and applaud them when they win their battles.  When we’re reading a good book or watching an action movie, we anticipate the moment of crisis when the hero comes charging into the fray, sends the bad guys running and then rides off into the sunset.  The Lone Ranger had Silver, Knight Rider had Kit, Captain Kirk commanded the Enterprise, and Batman had his Batmobile.  But what kind of vehicle would the Savior of the World ride upon when He came to put Sin and Death to flight?  What amazing mode of transportation would He ride into the Battle of the Ages (Gen. 3:14-15)?  Would you believe it was a donkey?

            Donkeys in Biblical times were not perceived as they are today.  Instead of a sign of stupidity or stubbornness, a donkey was actually a noble animal and a prized possession.  They were used as a beast of burden, carrying about goods and people- both commoners and kings.  When a king or one of his emissaries entered a city upon a donkey it signified they came with peaceful intentions unlike the powerful message which was sent when a king came riding a stallion.  A stallion signified only one thing, “You are about to be conquered!”  So, it would stand to reason in our way of thinking that when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday that He would ride upon a stallion as a conqueror, since He knew what His death and resurrection were about to accomplish.  But instead Jesus chose a different kind of vehicle; a humble and gentle colt.  Each Gospel writer takes note of this with their own unique viewpoint (Mt. 21:1-11; Mk. 11:1-11; Lk. 19:29-44; Jn. 12:12-17) offering us a more complete picture of what has come to be known as the Triumphal Entry.

            While Matthew and John were eye-witnesses to this event, Mark and Luke wrote their accounts based on what others who were there had told them.  Mark’s style is that of a story teller (Mk. 1:1).  Luke (always the doctor) emphasizes the psychological state of Jesus (Lk. 19:41) and John recalls the inability of the disciples to truly grasp the mission of their Master (Jn. 12:16).  Matthew, however, is most concerned with prophetic fulfillment (Mt. 21:4) and makes note of a second donkey, the colt’s mother, which for the culturally savvy emphasizes the fact that the colt is unbroken and the calming effect the presence of its mother would have contributed in the midst of the crowd.

            Make no mistake- the way Jesus entered Jerusalem is unquestionably a claim that He was both Messiah and King.  But for Jesus, these roles were much different than what the people of His day expected.  Matthew, as well as the crowd, recognized that Jesus was fulfilling the words of the prophet Zechariah (Zech. 9:9).  The imagery is also a reminder of King David who sent his future successor (Solomon) to the people on a donkey (1 Ki. 1:32-35).  But the people of Jesus’ day were expecting the Messiah to overthrow the oppressive Romans and return Israel to the glory days of King David.  By entering Jerusalem on a donkey Jesus was in a very dramatic fashion demonstrating two things:  first, that He was the promised Messiah, and secondly that His mission was one of peace.  One commentator put it this way, “He was not coming as a conquering king or worldly potentate in pomp and ceremony, neither was He coming as the leader of an army to kill, injure, and maim.  Therefore, the people had to change their concept of the Messiah, for He was coming as the Savior of Peace.”

            Like the throng of people who in their exuberant recognition of fulfilled prophecy cut down tree branches (Lk. 19:36-37) and shouted Messianic praises (Ps. 118:26; Mt. 21:9; Mk. 11:9-10; Lk. 19:38; Jn. 12:13), we too will lift our voices and sing praises on Palm Sunday.  But will we make the same mistake as those who celebrated Jesus’ arrival with an impromptu parade and expect Jesus to come to us in a certain way, or in a certain role?  Will we dictate to Him how He should answer our prayers, be present in our lives or solve our problems?  Images of heroes have changed through the years and so has the way we perceive Jesus.  Like the disciples will we misunderstand or fail to see Him as He truly is?  Will we be looking for a hero who rides a dashing white stallion, commands an elaborate spaceship or drives a futuristic car when in reality He is coming to us on a donkey?  Will we praise Him today because He meets our needs and on Friday deny Him and flee because we fear for ourselves more than stand for Him?  Jesus has not necessarily come to rescue us from our foes and woes.  But He has come to bring us peace (Jn. 14:27).  Be mindful this week of the way you see Jesus!
 
Ann H. LeFevre , M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com/, https://www.linked.com/in/annhlefevre/, https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre/

            I have a set of salt and pepper shakers on my kitchen counter that get used daily.  They bring to mind a fun story concerning the LeFevre family.  My husband grew up with four brothers and one sister.  Mealtimes were always lively and his mom did her best to feed them on a limited budget.  One time she’d served tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches to her hungry crew but the soup was hot so Jeff and his siblings dug into the sandwiches first- all except his brother Scott who proceeded to “cool down” his soup by adding salt.  Tablespoon after tablespoon was dumped into the bowl but the soup didn’t cool down!  Finally, when it was salted beyond human consumption, Scott lamented he couldn’t eat the soup because it tasted bad.  His mother took a sip and realized what he’d done and asked why.  “Because it takes away the heat” Scott insisted.  Mrs. LeFevre managed to put together another bowl for him and emphatically told him, “Salt does not cool down hot soup.  No more salt!”  The family still gets a chuckle out of that story.

            Salt is not only good for adding flavor to a meal it is an essential for life.  Composed mainly of sodium chloride, this crystalline mineral in its natural form is known as rock salt.  The purified form we use for our food is either mined or gathered by evaporating sea water.  Some salts have proven to have benefits beyond adding flavor to a tasty dish.  Two of the more popular salts, Sea Salt and Himilayan Salt, have risen in popularity for the numerous advantages they have when added to your diet.  According to the popular health physician Dr. Axe Sea Salt is rich in trace minerals, helps avoid dehydration by balancing your fluids, is an excellent source for electrolytes which regulate the heartbeat during muscle contractions during activity, is essential for proper brain, muscle and nervous system function, aids in digestive health, alkalizes the body, eliminates mucus build up, and helps to the build the body’s immune system.  Himilayan Salt also regulates water content throughout the body, eliminates food particles through the intestinal tract, supports respiratory health, promotes sinus health, strengthens the bones and supports the libido.  Both promote blood sugar health, reduce signs of aging, and regulate sleep and blood pressure.  I don’t know about you, but after reading all that information I ordered some!

            Salt was a common seasoning in the Bible too.  It was an important addition to a diet that was comprised mainly of grains and vegetables.  It was obtained by evaporating the waters of the Dead Sea which is seven times saltier than regular sea water or mined from a great ledge of rock salt in a nearby valley.  The purer form of this salt was used in flavoring food and rock salt was spread lightly on soil as a fertilizer.  Salt could also be used medicinally as in Ezek. 16:4 where it is used as a solution to wash a newborn infant.  In NT times salt was used as a form of payment by the Roman army to its officers and men.  Salt is mentioned 35 times in Scripture in a number of settings, the most unusual is probably the story of Lot’s wife who turns into a pillar of salt when she glances back at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:26).  Scripture also uses salt symbolically as a representation of purity, loyalty and either desolation or fruitfulness.  It was a required part of the OT sacrifices (Lev. 2:13; Ezek. 43:24) and the prophet Elisha used it to purify a poisonous spring (2 Ki. 2:19-22).   Salt was also associated with the land, especially in connection with the negative impact it could have (Jud. 9:45; Dt. 29:23). 

            But it is Jesus’ words about salt that most people remember (Mt. 5:13).  In this passage Jesus is referring to the rock salt which was used as a fertilizer.  When it contained minerals which gave it some form of taste, the salt added nutrients to the soil.   But those minerals could be leached from the salt by moisture causing the salt to deteriorate under high heat.  Without its “saltiness” the salt had no value to anyone.  Jesus is admonishing His followers to keep the value of their salt at its most useful level.  Paul also used salt to describe the conduct of believers.  In Col. 4:6 he writes, “Let your speech always be with grace as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person”.   Whether it is rock salt or table salt, each kind is useful; one for agriculture, the other for food.  But the key is that the salt is useful.  Lawrence O. Richards noted, “As our lives reflect our personal relationship with God the Father, we “fertilize” others, stimulating their spiritual growth, enabling them to taste and see the goodness of our God.”  I want my salt to be just as beneficial to others as Sea Salt or Himilayan Salt is to me.  The only way I can do that is to let Jesus be the Salt that fertilizes me (Gal. 5:16-23; Phil. 2:1-8; Col. 3: 12-17).  How’s your saltiness these days?

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            Asher followed along behind his parents.  It was not because he wanted to!  He would have preferred to stay home today; playing in the village square with his pals after studies were finished at the synagogue and snatching a bite or two from whatever Mother was cooking over the hearth when she wasn’t looking.  But Father had heard about a Teacher who was traveling about the Galilee and he wanted to see and hear this man for himself.  So, Mother had packed up a parcel of food and now they were headed to Capernaum where the Teacher was known to be in hopes that he would be there today and preaching.  Asher was surprised to see so many people had done the same but the sloping hillside on the northwestern side of Kinnessert (another name for the Sea of Galilee) perfectly accommodated the crowd and the acoustics allowed the Teacher to sit as was customary for a man of his importance and speak while the crowd listened attentively to every word.  Asher was about to wander off into an adventurous daydream to pass the time away when something the Teacher said caught his ear.  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall inherit the kingdom of God.”  What was this?  Was the teacher talking about his name? (Asher means “happy”.)  And what was this about inheriting the land?  Weren’t they already in the land?  How could they inherit something they already had?  Asher, in spite of his youth, could not help but listen and when the Teacher finished he knew what he had to do.  On that day Asher joined a Kingdom that has no end.

            Many people recognized Jesus as a great teacher in the early days of His earthly ministry.  Teachers were highly respected and considered authorities on many subjects.   So, it is not surprising that He attracted large crowds who wanted to hear what He had to say.   What we call The Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5-7) is most likely a synopsis of all of Jesus’ teachings as He traveled around the Galilee region.  The setting that we often associate it with was a place where Jesus did teach- right near Capernaum, awesome acoustics, and lots of room for people to sit.  Jesus’ teachings can be divided into lessons concerning personal attitudes, practices and purpose.  “The Beatitudes” (Mt. 5:1-12) kick off Jesus’ teachings in the Gospel of Matthew after Matthew has established the main thrust of both John the Baptist’s and Jesus’ message, “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand” (Mt. 3:2 4:17).  Throughout the course of the next three chapters, Matthew will record for us how Jesus answered three important questions: What do Kingdom people look like?  How does the Kingdom work?  And how do Kingdom people live?

            Curiously, the word “beatitude” does not appear in the English Bible.  It actually comes from a Latin word that was later associated with this passage in regards to the Greek “markarioi”, which sometimes gets mistranslated as “happy” but should be literally translated as “Oh the blessedness of…”.  In other words, what Jesus is doing here in these verses is making a “declaration of blessedness”.  These types of declarations occur frequently in the Old Testament (Ps. 32:1-2; 41:1; 65:4 for example) and the New Testament also contains isolated beatitudes (Mt. 11:6; 13:16; 16:17; 24:46; Lk 6:20-23; Jn. 13:17; 20:29; Rom. 4:7-8; Js. 1:12).  But the word is most commonly used of the declarations of blessedness made by Jesus in the discourse recorded in Mt. 5:1-12 (as well as Luke’s acct. in Lk. 6:20-23) respectively called the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain.  One in the same?  Or 2 different deliveries of the same material?  It doesn’t matter!  But the content does.

          The Beatitudes should not be isolated, verse by verse, but understood as a whole. And it is important to note that Jesus qualifies these attributes with the phrase “on account of Me.”  Blessedness, therefore, is an attribute that can only be associated with God and being a member of His Kingdom.  When one is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, God’s nature is in him/her and so is the Kingdom (Lk. 17:21).  “Blessed” also means to be fully satisfied.  This satisfaction, however, is not due to the circumstances of life nor the fulfillment of the conditions prescribed in these Beatitudes, but due to Christ’s indwelling.  Therefore, it is wrong to translate “markarioi” as “happy” because happy is connected with happenstance; hap as in the word “happen”.  People can be happy because of favorable circumstances, but they can only be blessed because of Christ (Phil. 4:11-13 is Paul’s take on this kind of living).  Blessedness then is that basic condition created by Christ’s indwelling in our heart which brings a fundamental satisfaction in the life of a believer.  Jesus says this is what Kingdom people look like.  This is how Kingdom people live.  Is this what people see in your life?  Do they know you are part of the Kingdom?
 
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

          1986 saw a record and drastically low season of rainfall in the Galilee region.  But that didn’t bother Moshe and Yuval Lufan, two amateur archaeologists whose family had been fishermen on the Sea of Galilee for generations.  With the water far from the shore line, it gave the brothers time to explore the lake bed in hopes of making a discovery and boy did they!   They found what appeared to be the remains of an old boat and called the Israeli Antiquities Authority which conducted further testing on the wood and confirmed that indeed, this was of historic significance by dating it to the first century A. D.  A team of archaeologists from the IAA, the Ginosar Kibutz where the Yuvals lived and volunteers from all over the world worked over a 12-day span to remove the delicate vessel from its muddy bed.  They did so by carefully digging around the boat and replacing the earthen cradle with a fiberglass and spray-foam one.  Once removed, the boat was then submerged in a wax bath for 12 years so that it would be able to go on display without destroying the ancient wood.  It is now housed in its own museum at the Ginosar Kibbutz and it truly is an amazing artifact to see.  While it may not be a boat used by Peter, Andrew, James or John, it is most certainly fashioned the same way as one they would have used.  With a length of 27 feet and width of 7 ½ feet wide, and only 4.3 feet deep, it explains why seasoned fishermen like the aforementioned disciples would have been concerned when one of the Sea of Galilee’s infamous squalls kicked up.  (See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Galilee_Boat for more information.)

          The Sea of Galilee is actually a misnomer.  The “sea” contains no salt water as does its neighbor to the south, the Dead Sea.  It is also very small as far as the size of a sea should be.  But it has several other names which are more accurate- Lake Gennesaret (Greek) or Lake Kinnor (Hebrew) which describe its harp-like shape and the Sea of Tiberias after the largest city in the region, Tiberias, which was named after the Roman emperor who ruled from A. D. 14 to 37.  The northwestern corner where the “Jesus Boat” (a. k. a. The Ancient Galilean Boat) was discovered had several cities connected to the fishing industry in Jesus’ day- Capernaum, Bethsaida and Tabgha.

          It took a special kind of personality to run a fishing business.  One had to not only know the habits of fish and the best time to catch them, a fisherman also needed to understand the weather of the region.  While it was mostly pleasant there a good portion of the time, the Sea of Galilee was also known for its tempestuous storms.  These dangerous squalls were stirred up by the wind as it traveled through gorges known as “scarps” which fed into the sea’s basin.  It was not unlikely that even a seasoned veteran could be caught off-guard when one of these storms picked up (see Mt. 14:22-27; Lk. 8:22-25).  When Jesus set up His ministry in Capernaum He was settling in the heart of the fishing industry- an interesting location for One who saw Himself as the Good Shepherd (Jn. 10:11-18).  But it is here along these fruitful shores that Jesus calls His first disciples- also a twist as most rabbis of the day were sought out by their students and not the other way around.  Jesus saw something in these hard-working men and they saw something in Him.

           Matthew notes that the dialogue was rather short and sweet.  We learn from John’s Gospel that Andrew and Peter may have been familiar with Jesus’ ministry in the area (Jn. 1:35-42).  But what Matthew finds as noteworthy is the immediacy with which Peter and Andrew respond.  We get the sense that once Jesus says, “Follow Me,” they drop what they are doing and do so.  The response is the same from James and John who even leave their father behind to take care of the rest of the nets!  Thankfully, with family-run businesses like most of those in the Galilee region were, this was not as rude as it sounds.  But it does indicate the power of “the Call”.   These men understood they were being invited to not only take part in a grand mission, but that this journey was going to change them.  Jesus offered no destination or distance, but by trusting Him step by step they would arrive wherever He determined to go.  Little did they know it would take them to Jerusalem and Jesus to the cross.

          Jesus has called each one of us to “come and follow Him”. Sometimes the call is dramatic and spectacular, while at other times the call is quiet and simple.  Jesus’ call matches the nature and needs of the person He is calling.  Some may need a more emotional call; some may need a more rational one.  What matters the most is your response to the call.  Is Jesus calling?  How will you answer?

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com/, https://www.linked.com/in/annhlefevre/, https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre/

            Most homes have a calendar hanging somewhere on the wall.  Where is yours?  I actually have several scattered around my home- one the refrigerator in the kitchen, one by the computer and one in my dining room.  The latter was a gift from my younger son when he was in high school.  And unlike those in the printed format, this one is made of wood.  As a perpetual calendar, with little tiles that you can slide around to coincide with the month and days, it not only is functional, it is decorative as well.  Specialized tiles highlight holidays such as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Most calendars highlight well-known holidays such as those previously mentioned but a number of them take note of eclectic and quirky holidays too.  For example, March 3rd is “If Pets had Thumbs Day”, March 14th is “National Potato Chip Day”; the 30th is “Take a Walk in the Park” day, the 27th is “Quirky Country Music Song Title Day” and the 22nd (my favorite) is “National Goof-off Day”!  

          The Christian calendar has significant days as well.  Among them are Epiphany (the visitation of the Wisemen), Pentecost (the birth of the church), and Ash Wednesday which inaugurates the season of Lent.  It appears from the writings of the early Church that the observance of Lent most likely began sometime in the 4th century.  By the 5th century Lent was a permanent fixture in the liturgical calendar.  During this time acts of penance and fasting emphasized the fallen condition of mankind- both personal and corporate.  Early Christian writings show that the church grappled with rehabilitating those who had fallen into serious sin.  A public demonstration of repentance became the outward symbol of an inward turning away from sin.  In the days of Augustine and Jerome public penance was considered more therapeutic than a form of punishment, although in our day and age it appears harsh and demoralizing.
The date of Ash Wednesday is determined by the date of Easter and can fall on our calendars any time between February 3rd to March 10th.  Several denominations share the practice of placing ashes on the forehead to mark this somber day (Catholics, Anglicans, Lutheran, and some Methodists).  The length of Lent is derived from the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness being tempted by Satan, therefore many devout observers of Lent will also fast, pray and abstain from things of pleasure during this time.  In this light Ash Wednesday becomes a call to worship through self-examination, repentance, prayer, Bible reading, self-denial, meditation on the life of Christ and His death, and of giving of oneself to those who suffer or are in need.  The ashes placed on the forehead during the Ash Wednesday service echo the words of Gen. 3:19, “You are dust and to dust you shall return” and they are worn until they wear off.

          Ashes are widely used as a symbol of mourning throughout Scripture (Gen. 18:27; Job 2:8; Jonah 3:5-10; Lk. 10:13).  Ashes could also signify repentance (Job 42:3-6).  In Scripture, the act of repenting carries both a physical reality and a cerebral reality.  Simply put, it is a change both in action and in the mind.  Richard’s Complete Bible Dictionary defines repentance as, “A deep, radical change of both perspective and commitment, resulting in a moral and spiritual transformation”.  In the Old Testament this was pictured in the use of the word shuv which meant “to turn” and was often used in conjunction with the prophets’ call for Israel to turn away from idols and turn to God (Is. 45:22; Jer. 18:11; Ezk. 14:6).  John the Baptist and Jesus called for similar acts of repentance (Mt. 3:2, 4:17; Mk. 1:4, 14-15; Lk. 13:3, 5) as did Peter concerning the Gospel (Acts 2:38, 3:19).
 
          Repentance is the starting point of the Gospel.  Both John the Baptist and Jesus emphasized it as an act of faith (Mt. 3:1-2; 4:17; Mk. 1:14-15; Lk. 3:1-3).  In Paul’s writings, metanoia, or repentance is a life changing decision.  When someone repents it changes the course or direction of his/her life.  Although it contains some emotion (2 Cor. 7:10) it is more closely associated with the mental recognition that God’s gift of salvation is greater than any other offer life presents which brings about saving faith (Rom. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:25; 2 Pet. 3:9).  As Richards puts it, “True faith in God will always be expressed by turning from evil and turning to the Lord.”  Ash Wednesday reminds us that we all struggle with our mortality and sin.  It is a great time to examine our priorities and the way we spend our time and money.  It is also a time to remember the price that was paid for our salvation and that the best decision we can make in life is to put Jesus before everything else.  Lent is more than a time period to plan Easter travels, holiday meals or a couple weeks where we give up something we love.  It is a time to test our soul and see if it’s heading in the right direction.   

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com/, https://www.linked.com/in/annhlefevre/, https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre/

            They stood in an arena made of coarse sandy soil and little vegetation; opponents, each a formidable foe, but one was more powerful than the other.  As quickly as it started, the first round was over.  The arena morphed to a beautiful city with one building in particular glistening in the sun.  Another round came and went in a swift exchange.  And then as quickly as in the previous change of scene, the arena moved to a mountaintop which gave the opponents an amazing view.  Would the third-round end in the same way as the first two?  It was a tense and dangerous competition but this battle was not fought with sword or spear.  It was a war of words and the Victor would prove His understanding of God’s Word was far deeper and more truth-filled than the crafty foe who was trying with all the twisted ingenuity he could muster to thwart the mission his opponent had come to fulfill.  Yes, you have surmised correctly if you think I am illustrating the temptation of Jesus by Satan, a battle which took place shortly after Jesus met up with John the Baptist by the Jordan River.

            If you’re thinking that this scenario is somewhat familiar and harkens back to the Garden of Eden you would be correct.  In fact, this is a role Satan has played since the dawn of Creation.  The synonymous names of Devil (the English equivalent to the Greek designation in the NT) and Satan (in the Hebrew of the OT) both mean “accuser” or “adversary”, reminding us of the courtroom scene in Job 1.  Another name, Lucifer (Is. 14:11-15), means “light-bearer”.  It stands to reason then that the adversary in the Garden, the adversary to God in Heaven, and the adversary in Jesus’ temptation would twist the “light-bearing” words of God to accomplish his goal.  He was somewhat successful in Heaven (as Scripture notes some angels rebelled alongside him).  He was successful in the Garden.  But he was not successful in the desert.

            Jesus’ temptation not only reminds us of the failure of Adam, but also the failure of Israel when they wandered in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land.  While Satan’s temptation in the desert with Jesus are aimed directly at the role He would play as the Messiah, Jesus is faced with similar questions the Israelites failed to answer correctly on their journey to their future home.  Who will provide you with food?  Who will be your guide?  Whom will you serve?  Like Adam, the Israelites chose to believe the words of the Tester and acted accordingly.  But Jesus answered differently.  Satan’s crafty challenges are not based on doubt.  Many translations read, “IF you are the Son of God…”.  But they could also “SINCE You are the Son of God…”.  The ultimate challenge then becomes whether or not Jesus will stay true to the course His Father has set for Him.  And He does.

            Matthew’s account of the temptation of Jesus includes a command the others do not (see Mt. 4:10), but they are echoed in James 4:7 signifying the power of God’s Word in any and every situation where we find ourselves tempted.  As we see in this battle the devil is quite capable of quoting Scripture to make sin look even more plausible (2 Cor. 11:14).  The Scripture is taken out of context and Jesus puts it into proper perspective with a quote of His own.  Jesus, from the very beginning of His earthly ministry and up to its completion on the cross, is portrayed as the “more powerful One” standing guard over His Father’s plan and obedient to the Scripture itself.  The use of Scripture to thwart the attacks of Satan is a significant point which James also speaks of in Js. 4:7, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you”.  There is nothing stronger at repelling temptation than the Word of God.

            Temptation is a part of life.  Most of the temptations will encounter are due to our own short-comings (Js. 1:13-14).  But Scripture also reassures us that there is no temptation that we encounter which does not have a route of escape (1 Cor. 10:13).  Peter warns that Satan’s attempts to pull us off-track are like a lion on the hunt (1 Pet. 5:8).  If he can entice us to follow our own ways, the guilt and shame we will suffer as a result of recognizing our sin can make us ineffective and unproductive in the kingdom of God- something he does not want to see grow (Lk. 8:13).  Jesus’ temptation demonstrates to us that we do not have to be weak and ineffective.  We are not bound to fail every time we are tempted to stray from the life our Heavenly Father wants for and desires from us.  Instead, we have a formidable weapon in the Word.  Jesus understands this.  He has been where we are (Heb. 2:18; 4:14-16).  Therefore, if we are to follow His example, we should immerse ourselves in the Word (Ps. 119:105-112) and wield it as our first line of defense when temptation comes our way (Ps. 18:30; Eph. 6:10-11, 17; Heb. 4:12).  Temptation is often a test of purity, much like a metallurgist uses heat to test the purity of gold and silver.  If you’re immersed in God’s word, according to James, you’ll be able to take the heat (Js. 1:2-4).  Jesus did- and so can you.

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com/, https://www.linked.com/in/annhlefevre/, https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre/