This Sunday marks the triumphant arrival of the King! We also look forward to the coming Passion as we prepare to start Holy Week.
And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” (Mark 11:7-10)
Start this week with meditating on these Sunday readings, then each day in Holy Week!
Bible Reading plan for Lent, Year B: Feb. 22, 2012 - Apr. 1, 2012
Bible Reading plan for Holy Week, Year B: April 2-7, 2012
O Gracious God and most merciful Father, who has granted us the rich and precious jewel of Your holy word, assist us with Your Spirit, that it may be written in our hearts to our everlasting comfort, to reform us, to renew us according to Your own Image, to build us up, and to instruct us into the perfect building of Christlikeness, sanctifying and increasing in us all heavenly virtues. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
(adapted from the “1599 Geneva Bible” Tolle Lege Press, 2006-2007)
Fifth Sunday of Lent, and the Annunciation of The Lord: 3/25
This week we focus on the announcement of the Savior, and on Jesus' announcement of His sacrificial act.
I'll start my short devotional from this weeks reading with Isaiah. The prophet's name, Isaiah, means "Yahweh is salvation." His prophecy is from around 700 years BC (before Christ).
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary... and the angel said to her, “... behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.” (Luke 1:26-33)
Jesus answered, “... And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:30-32)
Treasure the mercy and grace of God through Jesus Christ in this weeks reading:
Bible Reading plan for Lent, Year B: Feb. 22, 2012 - Apr. 1, 2012
O Gracious God and most merciful Father, who has granted us the rich and precious jewel of Your holy word, assist us with Your Spirit, that it may be written in our hearts to our everlasting comfort, to reform us, to renew us according to Your own Image, to build us up, and to instruct us into the perfect building of Christlikeness, sanctifying and increasing in us all heavenly virtues. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
(adapted from the “1599 Geneva Bible” Tolle Lege Press, 2006-2007)
Fourth Sunday of Lent: 3/18
This week we focus on God's mercy and goodness to save us even though we are sinners. Powerful reading for this week. I hope you take the time to read, reflect, pray, and give thanks!
And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” (Numbers 21:7)
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. (John 3:14-15)
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!
(Psalm 107:21-22)
Bible Reading plan for Lent, Year B: Feb. 22, 2012 - Apr. 1, 2012
O Gracious God and most merciful Father, who has granted us the rich and precious jewel of Your holy word, assist us with Your Spirit, that it may be written in our hearts to our everlasting comfort, to reform us, to renew us according to Your own Image, to build us up, and to instruct us into the perfect building of Christlikeness, sanctifying and increasing in us all heavenly virtues. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
(adapted from the “1599 Geneva Bible” Tolle Lege Press, 2006-2007)
Third Sunday of Lent: 3/11
This week we open with the Ten Commandments.
We all know certain things are wrong: murder, theft, lying, etc...
But why? If ethics are just a product of popular cultural opinion then it's ok to kill a child in the womb, or becoming more popular today, some time after birth! (1)
But deep down inside we know it's wrong. Because ethics and morality come from outside, above, our humanity. They are transcendent. They come from God.
Often we will try and avoid the guilt by using Politically Correct newspeak. For instance, "Politicians speak of being in favor of 'a woman’s right to choose …' but they seldom complete the sentence. Somehow to say they are in favor of a woman’s right to choose to kill her preborn infant, is too honest, too clear—we might add, and too chilling." (2)
Newspeak may ease our collective conscience for a time, but we will be judged. As the Apostle Paul explains in his letter to the Romans, "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them... So they are without excuse... the work of the law is written" on our hearts. (Romans 1:18-23, Romans 2:14-15)
God has revealed His law to us, we are without excuse.
Bible Reading plan for Lent, Year B: Feb. 22, 2012 - Apr. 1, 2012
1. In fact, if ethics are what we make them, you could be reduced to believing, as Hitler did, that the best “good” would be to advance and evolve the human race, and your own personal genes, at any cost, including over 6 million murders! Watch this 33 minute documentary: 180movie.com
2. Newspeak, Hate Speech, Offensive Speech, what about Free Speech?
O Gracious God and most merciful Father, who has granted us the rich and precious jewel of Your holy word, assist us with Your Spirit, that it may be written in our hearts to our everlasting comfort, to reform us, to renew us according to Your own Image, to build us up, and to instruct us into the perfect building of Christlikeness, sanctifying and increasing in us all heavenly virtues. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
(adapted from the “1599 Geneva Bible” Tolle Lege Press, 2006-2007)
Second Sunday of Lent: 3/4
Once again, the story of family legacy in the unfolding of God's plan opens this weeks reading!
Last week we opened with the covenant account between God and Noah. After Noah's faith rescued his family, he must rebuild a people for God, he must "be fruitful and multiply" to leave a Godly legacy.
This week we open with the covenant account between God and Abraham. God has ordained that Abraham and his wife will be the parents of an entire nation for God.
Is it clear how important our families are to God? We must be building an ark of salvation for our households! "According to the Barna Research Group, three in five 'Christian' kids abandon the church after the age of 15. Eighty-four percent of 18- to 29-year-olds who call themselves 'Christians' admit that they have no idea how the Bible applies to their occupation." (Colson)
How can that be when The first commandment is for families to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28), and the greatest commandment, quoted by Jesus, is to love the Lord our God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength, and to keep God's commandments upon your heart and impress them upon your children! (Deuteronomy 6:5-7, Matthew 22:36-40)
It's time to awaken a new generation of Godly husbands and fathers to take up the leadership in their households! We are in a battle for souls. Particularly for our children's souls. We know we are victors through Christ, but the battle in America is at hand.
Psalm 22:27,30-31
All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before you. . .
30 Posterity shall serve him;
it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,
that he has done it.
Bible Reading plan for Lent, Year B: Feb. 22, 2012 - Apr. 1, 2012
O Gracious God and most merciful Father, who has granted us the rich and precious jewel of Your holy word, assist us with Your Spirit, that it may be written in our hearts to our everlasting comfort, to reform us, to renew us according to Your own Image, to build us up, and to instruct us into the perfect building of Christlikeness, sanctifying and increasing in us all heavenly virtues. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
(adapted from the “1599 Geneva Bible” Tolle Lege Press, 2006-2007)
First Sunday of Lent: 2/26
So I recently blogged about how Noah "in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household," and the First Sunday of Lent this year starts with a reading of the Genesis covenant account between God and Noah. (Hebrews 11:7)
It deserves repeating, that we must be building an ark of salvation for our households! What a great way to start the First Sunday of Lent with this reading and reflection!
Bible Reading plan for Lent, Year B: Feb. 22, 2012 - Apr. 1, 2012
Lent
Lent is generally a forty day devotional season of fasting and prayer in preparation for Easter.
“Originating in the fourth century of the church, the season of Lent spans 40 weekdays beginning on Ash Wednesday and climaxing during Holy Week with Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday), Good Friday, and concluding Saturday before Easter. . . Christians today use this period of time for introspection, self examination, and repentance.” (Bratcher, 1)
The term lent in Middle Ages English meant spring. (Wiki) It is derived from the Latin quadragesima, meaning the fortieth, as in the fortieth day before Easter. (Mershman)
Bible Reading plan for Lent, Year B: Feb. 22, 2012 - Apr. 1, 2012 by the Vanderbilt Divinity Library
What is Lent? The Bible Gateway Blog
Works Cited:
Bratcher, Dennis. (1) “The Season of Lent” The Voice, CRI/Voice, Institute. 2007 (http://www.cresourcei.org/cylent.html) (2) “The Days of Holy Week” The Voice, CRI/Voice, Institute. 2007 (http://www.cresourcei.org/cyholyweek.html)
The online Revised Common Lectionary. The online Revised Common Lectionary is a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, a division of the Jean and Alexander Heard Library. (http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu)
Mershman, Francis. “Quadragesima” New Advent – Catholic Encyclopedia. 1911 (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12589a.htm)
Wiki. “Lent” From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent)
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