You probably followed the news about the pastor who predicted the world would end on May 21st. Since that didn’t turn out, he is now saying October 21st, which is not a good day for me since the Giants will probably be in the play-offs.
Isn’t it amazing that someone can believe they know the date of Christ’s return when Jesus said no man knows the hour or day, including the Son of God? The presumption over Jesus Himself is truly staggering.
One thing I am thankful for though is this pastor, in his misguided way, has turned our attention to Christ’s return. The only thing worse than trying to predict the date of Christ’s return is to ignore it altogether or live indifferently to this glorious truth – Jesus is coming back. And we are told basically one thing: watch for it. Let’s live our lives and ministries in the light of this blessed hope. I personally think we don’t live intentionally enough on this one.
I love memories of Christmas approaching as a child. There was an “I can’t wait” factor that colored everything. It gave energy, joy, anticipation that we carried with us as children. It was contagious. It obliterated the drudgery of daily life with a looking forward.
What would our lives and ministries look like if we cultivated this, talked about it, proclaimed it in word and deed? Would we not be changed by this watchfulness and urgency?
What would this mean to our friends in club? I personally love to talk to them about Jesus’ return and the glimpses they are getting of the imminent kingdom and the coming King. I love to encourage them by reminding them this is not all there is. There is something more. Something better God has planned. Something wonderful on the horizon.
Watch for it. Expect it. Paul exhorted the Thessalonians to expect Christ’s return. Paul said, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (I Thessalonians 5:11)
Hebrews 10:23-25 says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the day approaching.” Let’s look for Jesus on the clouds of heaven together every day in a way that transforms us and our ministries.
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come Lord Jesus.’” (Revelation 22:20)
In glorious day by day hope!
Nick
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Pentecost - May 23 2011
As we enter the final lap of the club year, many with weariness and longing for refreshment, I can think of nothing better to talk about than Pentecost. Because that’s when we were allowed to drink from the Fountain of living water – the Holy Spirit.
We sit with our 120 sisters and brothers: ordinary like us, sin-prone like us, failures in many ways like us, but we have a secret. We have seen the Risen Jesus. Our minds are spinning while our hearts fill with wonder and our spirits with joy. And we wait. What’s next? Jesus gave us our crazy mission. Go proclaim throughout the whole world, but how? We are weak, tired, and inadequate.
Suddenly (because that’s the way God moves) we are interrupted by the sound of a mighty rushing wind and tongues of fire hovering over our heads. Many of us scream – I think it was John and Mary of Magdala that together say, “It is the Holy Spirit”.
And as we all open our mouths to reply in praise, words and a language that is not ours gush forth. Language, that great barrier, is obliterated as the Good News is poured out across all language barriers.
My eyes catch a crippled teenager at the Gate Beautiful. I have seen her many times, but felt only pity that she was cursed and outside the promises of God. However, in this moment the Holy Spirit has given me eyes to see into her spirit. And what I see is what my beloved friend, Lydia, always tells me; “their minds might be delayed but their spirits are not”. And I begin to converse with the beautiful little blonde girl. And she understands the love of Jesus as I talk to her. Yes, Pentecost! Yes, the Holy Spirit transcends all languages and barriers.
The Holy Spirit equips all of us to do work we would not choose, with strength we do not have. The Holy Spirit is the one who qualifies us for the mission and that means everyone. The Holy Spirit is not for certain people. The giving of the Holy Spirit puts us all on level ground. Our abilities, wealth, talents, appearance, none of this matters or qualifies us. “The hills have been brought low and the valleys lifted us”, as our brother Luke quotes. This is Good News for our friends with disabilities. What is their qualification for life and ministry? The greatest qualification of all – the Holy Spirit.
This is also good news for those of us that seemingly have all the gifts of life and privilege. We no longer define our worth by what we can do but by the Holy Spirit in us, who makes us His own through the Sacrifice of Jesus and the creative love of the Father.
What good news as we run this race to the finish line. Because it is not by glory, not by strength but by my Spirit says the Lord. (Zechariah 4:6)
Immerse us Jesus in the Fountain of Living Waters!
With you in Him,
Nick
We sit with our 120 sisters and brothers: ordinary like us, sin-prone like us, failures in many ways like us, but we have a secret. We have seen the Risen Jesus. Our minds are spinning while our hearts fill with wonder and our spirits with joy. And we wait. What’s next? Jesus gave us our crazy mission. Go proclaim throughout the whole world, but how? We are weak, tired, and inadequate.
Suddenly (because that’s the way God moves) we are interrupted by the sound of a mighty rushing wind and tongues of fire hovering over our heads. Many of us scream – I think it was John and Mary of Magdala that together say, “It is the Holy Spirit”.
And as we all open our mouths to reply in praise, words and a language that is not ours gush forth. Language, that great barrier, is obliterated as the Good News is poured out across all language barriers.
My eyes catch a crippled teenager at the Gate Beautiful. I have seen her many times, but felt only pity that she was cursed and outside the promises of God. However, in this moment the Holy Spirit has given me eyes to see into her spirit. And what I see is what my beloved friend, Lydia, always tells me; “their minds might be delayed but their spirits are not”. And I begin to converse with the beautiful little blonde girl. And she understands the love of Jesus as I talk to her. Yes, Pentecost! Yes, the Holy Spirit transcends all languages and barriers.
The Holy Spirit equips all of us to do work we would not choose, with strength we do not have. The Holy Spirit is the one who qualifies us for the mission and that means everyone. The Holy Spirit is not for certain people. The giving of the Holy Spirit puts us all on level ground. Our abilities, wealth, talents, appearance, none of this matters or qualifies us. “The hills have been brought low and the valleys lifted us”, as our brother Luke quotes. This is Good News for our friends with disabilities. What is their qualification for life and ministry? The greatest qualification of all – the Holy Spirit.
This is also good news for those of us that seemingly have all the gifts of life and privilege. We no longer define our worth by what we can do but by the Holy Spirit in us, who makes us His own through the Sacrifice of Jesus and the creative love of the Father.
What good news as we run this race to the finish line. Because it is not by glory, not by strength but by my Spirit says the Lord. (Zechariah 4:6)
Immerse us Jesus in the Fountain of Living Waters!
With you in Him,
Nick
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Theological Musings - April 29 2011
Theological Musings Continued…
What does Jesus’ ascension tell us in our ministry with our YL Capernaum friends?
First, it tells us there are times we experience Jesus’ absence. Our friends know absence intimately: absence of friends, sometimes absence of parents, absence of opportunities to experience in friendship. All of this collectively can make it seem God is absent.
Yet Jesus’ absence ironically means God’s greater presence.
“Now I am going to Him who sent me, yet none of you asks me where are you going? Because I have said these things you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth; it is good for you that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go I will send him to you.” (John 16:5-7)
The disciples were grieved. With absence comes loss and grief. Our friends know this intimately. But God is a God who fills gaps and holes. This absence is to allow the Holy Spirit to give us a 24/7 experience of God’s presence; a presence in the depths of our being not dependent on physical presence. What great news for us and our friends. Our friends, many times, are limited in what they can do and where they can go. This creates absence and grief. But Jesus leaves and then comes the Holy Spirit with a constant, everywhere presence.
All of this influences how we minister and serve with our friends. We must live out a ministry of absence with them. We must not allow our friends to become dependent on us or addicted to us. We must combine absence with presence so they can breathe in the ever-present Holy Spirit on their own. In this way we, as we embrace Jesus’ ascension and absence, facilitate our friends’ growth in discipleship and primary dependence on the Holy Spirit.
He died for us! He was buried! He rose! He ascended!
And now He is always in us, in every moment and every place.
Easter Blessings Upon You,
Nick
What does Jesus’ ascension tell us in our ministry with our YL Capernaum friends?
First, it tells us there are times we experience Jesus’ absence. Our friends know absence intimately: absence of friends, sometimes absence of parents, absence of opportunities to experience in friendship. All of this collectively can make it seem God is absent.
Yet Jesus’ absence ironically means God’s greater presence.
“Now I am going to Him who sent me, yet none of you asks me where are you going? Because I have said these things you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth; it is good for you that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go I will send him to you.” (John 16:5-7)
The disciples were grieved. With absence comes loss and grief. Our friends know this intimately. But God is a God who fills gaps and holes. This absence is to allow the Holy Spirit to give us a 24/7 experience of God’s presence; a presence in the depths of our being not dependent on physical presence. What great news for us and our friends. Our friends, many times, are limited in what they can do and where they can go. This creates absence and grief. But Jesus leaves and then comes the Holy Spirit with a constant, everywhere presence.
All of this influences how we minister and serve with our friends. We must live out a ministry of absence with them. We must not allow our friends to become dependent on us or addicted to us. We must combine absence with presence so they can breathe in the ever-present Holy Spirit on their own. In this way we, as we embrace Jesus’ ascension and absence, facilitate our friends’ growth in discipleship and primary dependence on the Holy Spirit.
He died for us! He was buried! He rose! He ascended!
And now He is always in us, in every moment and every place.
Easter Blessings Upon You,
Nick
Do Not Grow Weary - April 19 2011
Blessings in our Lord my dear friends,
I have been focusing on the accounts of Jesus passion in the Gospels. It portrays Jesus as resolute to fulfill His mission. To do so would mean unspeakable suffering and weariness. You can really feel this when Jesus falls and can’t go on. Simon of Cyrene has to take His cross. At this point of Jesus’ mission is a weary walk towards fulfilling His Fathers call.
In 2 Timothy 4 we see Paul at the end of his life abandoned and weary, and yet we know he went to his death faithful to Christ, refusing to bow to Caesar. It’s so easy to start something when everyone is so excited. Everyone wants to pitch in, but as days go by people start to drop off. It’s not new anymore and people are tired. The result for those who are left can be discouragement.
I am in a weary season right now with 32 days of travel out of 90 days. How do we handle weariness? How do we stay the course? How do we fight discouragement? There are a number of things we can see in the examples of Jesus and Paul.
First we have to constantly renew our call from God as Jesus did. One of the places He did this was in the garden before His arrest. He wrestled with God in honest prayer and ultimately said “yes” to His Father and was strengthened by angels.
When we are weary and fall like Jesus, we must be willing to receive help from others. We must not refuse the “Simon’s” God sends us. We must bear one another’s burdens and help carry each other’s cross by dropping our pride and asking for help.
We must endure weariness and the cross for the joy set before us as Jesus did; it is the joy of doing the Father’s will. As Paul says in Galatians 6:9, “We must not grow weary and give up for in due time we shall receive a harvest.” I know this first hand because I spent 14 years laboring to see YL Capernaum conceived in Young Life before its growth exploded in 1999. There were plenty of times I was tempted to give up but God is faithful. We must lean on Him and do this in His strength or we will burn out.
Paul was not afraid to be vulnerable and ask for help. He says, “All abandoned me but the Lord defended me and stood by my side.” And for 2000 years we have benefitted from Paul’s writings because of his faithfulness. So friends as Paul said to Archippus in Colossians 4:17, “God has ordained you to your ministry. See that you complete it. I love you all and I am praying for you.”
All my love in Jesus.
Nick
I have been focusing on the accounts of Jesus passion in the Gospels. It portrays Jesus as resolute to fulfill His mission. To do so would mean unspeakable suffering and weariness. You can really feel this when Jesus falls and can’t go on. Simon of Cyrene has to take His cross. At this point of Jesus’ mission is a weary walk towards fulfilling His Fathers call.
In 2 Timothy 4 we see Paul at the end of his life abandoned and weary, and yet we know he went to his death faithful to Christ, refusing to bow to Caesar. It’s so easy to start something when everyone is so excited. Everyone wants to pitch in, but as days go by people start to drop off. It’s not new anymore and people are tired. The result for those who are left can be discouragement.
I am in a weary season right now with 32 days of travel out of 90 days. How do we handle weariness? How do we stay the course? How do we fight discouragement? There are a number of things we can see in the examples of Jesus and Paul.
First we have to constantly renew our call from God as Jesus did. One of the places He did this was in the garden before His arrest. He wrestled with God in honest prayer and ultimately said “yes” to His Father and was strengthened by angels.
When we are weary and fall like Jesus, we must be willing to receive help from others. We must not refuse the “Simon’s” God sends us. We must bear one another’s burdens and help carry each other’s cross by dropping our pride and asking for help.
We must endure weariness and the cross for the joy set before us as Jesus did; it is the joy of doing the Father’s will. As Paul says in Galatians 6:9, “We must not grow weary and give up for in due time we shall receive a harvest.” I know this first hand because I spent 14 years laboring to see YL Capernaum conceived in Young Life before its growth exploded in 1999. There were plenty of times I was tempted to give up but God is faithful. We must lean on Him and do this in His strength or we will burn out.
Paul was not afraid to be vulnerable and ask for help. He says, “All abandoned me but the Lord defended me and stood by my side.” And for 2000 years we have benefitted from Paul’s writings because of his faithfulness. So friends as Paul said to Archippus in Colossians 4:17, “God has ordained you to your ministry. See that you complete it. I love you all and I am praying for you.”
All my love in Jesus.
Nick
A Celebration - April 3 2011
Dearest Friends in Capernaum
This past Saturday night was one of the greatest nights of my life. We held a celebration of 25 years of Young Life Capernaum in San Jose, but that celebration is truly about 25 years of Capernaum in Young Life, which means we celebrated you.
Pam, Amira, and our fabulous coordinators Suzanne, Liz, and Lyn were there personally representing all of you. I so love these dear women and all of you who labor together amongst our wild and crazy friends with disabilities.
The church was full of people from our 25 years of history. We rehearsed our history and God’s wonders. We laughed, we cried, we celebrated God’s amazing story that He continues to write. I was in awe of God’s miracles and at His people. It truly was a night of worship. One of my dear former staff friends, Valerie Bryan, cam up to me weeping and said, “The 18 months I spent here were the most significant months of my life.” I was struck by how many people who were, or are, involved as leaders, drivers, staff, committee, and donors said similar things.
Is it not for the glory and by the grace of God that we enter kids’ worlds in response to His invitation to serve and it is we who are transformed?
One of my favorite things is honoring and recognizing people who have served long and well in Capernaum.
Ken & Alice Kerley and Esther Quement – original committee
Mike & Kristie Morrison – 25 year volunteers
Joe Palermo – driver for 15 years
Robert Latone – driver for 23 years
Lee Jaramillo – Administrator for 22 years
Shelley Smith –our 2nd Area Director in 25 years, leading YL Capernaum San Jose
And my favorite – my wife Sue – lifetime achievement award for enabling me to do what I do in YL Capernaum.
What about you? How long has your ministry been running? One year? Three years? Five years? Seven? 10? Whatever it is, rejoice! Praise God for His miracles and His servants. Is it hard right now? I understand! Those 25 years were filled with hardship and tragedy. But, friends, God is faithful! He has been faithful to us and He will be for you and for your 25 years!
In awe of His grace, faithfulness, and mercy!
Nick
This past Saturday night was one of the greatest nights of my life. We held a celebration of 25 years of Young Life Capernaum in San Jose, but that celebration is truly about 25 years of Capernaum in Young Life, which means we celebrated you.
Pam, Amira, and our fabulous coordinators Suzanne, Liz, and Lyn were there personally representing all of you. I so love these dear women and all of you who labor together amongst our wild and crazy friends with disabilities.
The church was full of people from our 25 years of history. We rehearsed our history and God’s wonders. We laughed, we cried, we celebrated God’s amazing story that He continues to write. I was in awe of God’s miracles and at His people. It truly was a night of worship. One of my dear former staff friends, Valerie Bryan, cam up to me weeping and said, “The 18 months I spent here were the most significant months of my life.” I was struck by how many people who were, or are, involved as leaders, drivers, staff, committee, and donors said similar things.
Is it not for the glory and by the grace of God that we enter kids’ worlds in response to His invitation to serve and it is we who are transformed?
One of my favorite things is honoring and recognizing people who have served long and well in Capernaum.
Ken & Alice Kerley and Esther Quement – original committee
Mike & Kristie Morrison – 25 year volunteers
Joe Palermo – driver for 15 years
Robert Latone – driver for 23 years
Lee Jaramillo – Administrator for 22 years
Shelley Smith –our 2nd Area Director in 25 years, leading YL Capernaum San Jose
And my favorite – my wife Sue – lifetime achievement award for enabling me to do what I do in YL Capernaum.
What about you? How long has your ministry been running? One year? Three years? Five years? Seven? 10? Whatever it is, rejoice! Praise God for His miracles and His servants. Is it hard right now? I understand! Those 25 years were filled with hardship and tragedy. But, friends, God is faithful! He has been faithful to us and He will be for you and for your 25 years!
In awe of His grace, faithfulness, and mercy!
Nick
The Capernaum Project - March 12 2011
The Capernaum Project
It’s 3:44 am on Thursday, March 10, 2011. I cannot sleep. I am rehearsing a day that changed my life 25 years ago today. As my wife and 3 sons soundly sleep, my faithful dog Archie is up with me as I write and ponder a now 25 year-old miracle. Twenty-five years ago today I was at the very first Young Life Capernaum club. I remember it like yesterday. Will you share it with me and rejoice at what God has done from that very small beginning 25 years ago. The Lord says in Zechariah 4:10 “Do not despise small beginnings.”
MaryAnn, my supervisor and “big sister”, along with Kelly, Valerie, and I aimed at our 4th attempt to pull off a club for kids with disabilities. We had failed 3 times in the first 3 weeks. The day after our 3rd failure Kelly, MaryAnn and I met and were discouraged but decided we wanted to try again. To accomplish something that day, I suggested we name this ministry that Young Life was embarking on. I read that morning in Mark 2:1-13 of a paralytic, four magnificent friends’ faith through every obstacle, and Jesus who saw a person and not a disability. It all happened in Capernaum. I suggested we name it the Capernaum Project because of the story and the fact that we were going to be a 2 year pilot project here in San Jose.
So one week later MaryAnn, Valerie, Kelly and I acted as the 1986 version of the four Capernaum friends. We brought 5 kids in wheelchairs to the 1st club; Jim, Brett, Alison, John, and Lori. Amazingly, Lori is still with us today as a volunteer. We had a handful of my campaigner kids from the typical club I led.
We met in a small room of the Adult Independent Development Center in Santa Clara, California. That room had a hard time containing the joy and excitement that was pulsating all around us. We sang and I had never experienced such joy singing. We all made a joyful noise to the Lord. We played musical hats for the skit. The laughter, smiles, and joy at something so simple astounded me. I told kids about our club talks and that we would talk about Jesus and their challenges. I asked what they would like to talk about. They all said death. Their bus driver had died 2 weeks earlier and they were grieving.
Then we celebrated Jim’s birthday with a chocolate cake and candles. Valerie presented the cake to Jim and we sang Happy Birthday. Jim was so happy that I thought he might have a seizure. It would have been the 1st Capernaum seizure of many in the arms of loving friends.
When we finished club that day I drove kids home in our leased lift-equipped van. I’ve always, since that day, considered our van rides home as 2nd club. What a time we had for 2 hours in the van talking, laughing, getting lost, singing, and playing Mr. Radio. If you don’t know what that is I will teach you sometime. What a day it was.
Our committee of Carol Kerley, Ken and Alice Kerley, Esther Quement, and Alan Metelak were behind the scenes giving visionary support, prayer, and money. We loved each other deeply and gave ourselves to this new project in hopes of making it one in many in Young Life. Our vision was always the world and not just local.
A few months later my beloved MaryAnn asked me to be Area Director for Capernaum. MaryAnn believed in me when no one else did. I owe her my vocation. She is a spiritual mother that helped me birth Capernaum.
So here we are 25 years later. Every one of you is the offspring of this small beginning created and led by Jesus who loves kids with disabilities. I praise and worship our faithful God who got us started. I praise our miracle God who has led us today to have Capernaum around the world. But we are on our way to the next 25 years. I hope and pray to be around to see what God will do.
Lastly, I give celebration to this day in honor of Steve, Donny, Robbie, Julie, Mike, Jose, Antwon, Ben, Lucia, Herbie, Brandon, Ju, Diego, David, and others I didn’t know quite as well. They all died during our time here in San Jose. All were involved in club. All met the Lord. We will see them as ushers in Heaven.
Happy Birthday Capernaum! Let’s blow out the candles, celebrate, and go forward into all God has for us in the next 25 years.
The recipient of God’s grace!
Nick, the blessed
It’s 3:44 am on Thursday, March 10, 2011. I cannot sleep. I am rehearsing a day that changed my life 25 years ago today. As my wife and 3 sons soundly sleep, my faithful dog Archie is up with me as I write and ponder a now 25 year-old miracle. Twenty-five years ago today I was at the very first Young Life Capernaum club. I remember it like yesterday. Will you share it with me and rejoice at what God has done from that very small beginning 25 years ago. The Lord says in Zechariah 4:10 “Do not despise small beginnings.”
MaryAnn, my supervisor and “big sister”, along with Kelly, Valerie, and I aimed at our 4th attempt to pull off a club for kids with disabilities. We had failed 3 times in the first 3 weeks. The day after our 3rd failure Kelly, MaryAnn and I met and were discouraged but decided we wanted to try again. To accomplish something that day, I suggested we name this ministry that Young Life was embarking on. I read that morning in Mark 2:1-13 of a paralytic, four magnificent friends’ faith through every obstacle, and Jesus who saw a person and not a disability. It all happened in Capernaum. I suggested we name it the Capernaum Project because of the story and the fact that we were going to be a 2 year pilot project here in San Jose.
So one week later MaryAnn, Valerie, Kelly and I acted as the 1986 version of the four Capernaum friends. We brought 5 kids in wheelchairs to the 1st club; Jim, Brett, Alison, John, and Lori. Amazingly, Lori is still with us today as a volunteer. We had a handful of my campaigner kids from the typical club I led.
We met in a small room of the Adult Independent Development Center in Santa Clara, California. That room had a hard time containing the joy and excitement that was pulsating all around us. We sang and I had never experienced such joy singing. We all made a joyful noise to the Lord. We played musical hats for the skit. The laughter, smiles, and joy at something so simple astounded me. I told kids about our club talks and that we would talk about Jesus and their challenges. I asked what they would like to talk about. They all said death. Their bus driver had died 2 weeks earlier and they were grieving.
Then we celebrated Jim’s birthday with a chocolate cake and candles. Valerie presented the cake to Jim and we sang Happy Birthday. Jim was so happy that I thought he might have a seizure. It would have been the 1st Capernaum seizure of many in the arms of loving friends.
When we finished club that day I drove kids home in our leased lift-equipped van. I’ve always, since that day, considered our van rides home as 2nd club. What a time we had for 2 hours in the van talking, laughing, getting lost, singing, and playing Mr. Radio. If you don’t know what that is I will teach you sometime. What a day it was.
Our committee of Carol Kerley, Ken and Alice Kerley, Esther Quement, and Alan Metelak were behind the scenes giving visionary support, prayer, and money. We loved each other deeply and gave ourselves to this new project in hopes of making it one in many in Young Life. Our vision was always the world and not just local.
A few months later my beloved MaryAnn asked me to be Area Director for Capernaum. MaryAnn believed in me when no one else did. I owe her my vocation. She is a spiritual mother that helped me birth Capernaum.
So here we are 25 years later. Every one of you is the offspring of this small beginning created and led by Jesus who loves kids with disabilities. I praise and worship our faithful God who got us started. I praise our miracle God who has led us today to have Capernaum around the world. But we are on our way to the next 25 years. I hope and pray to be around to see what God will do.
Lastly, I give celebration to this day in honor of Steve, Donny, Robbie, Julie, Mike, Jose, Antwon, Ben, Lucia, Herbie, Brandon, Ju, Diego, David, and others I didn’t know quite as well. They all died during our time here in San Jose. All were involved in club. All met the Lord. We will see them as ushers in Heaven.
Happy Birthday Capernaum! Let’s blow out the candles, celebrate, and go forward into all God has for us in the next 25 years.
The recipient of God’s grace!
Nick, the blessed
He Is Risen - February 18 2011
I have felt over my years of involvement in the Young Life Proclamation that we fail to give enough attention to the Resurrection. There is a very significant detail of the Resurrection that is especially poignant for our friends in YL Capernaum. I will point that out a little later in this reflection.
One of the first things of note about the Resurrection is that it’s first witnesses and evangelists were the marginalized. Women. This is astounding when you realized that a woman’s testimony would not be valid in that culture. And yet, the Gospel writers all agree on this. I find it so beautiful that the first witnesses and evangelists to the birth of Jesus – shepherds – and the first witnesses and evangelists to the Resurrection – women – are marginalized members of society. This is Good News for our friends.
The women rush to the disciples but are not believed. They are brushed away, as so many of our friends are. But these women stood in the confidence of what they had witnessed and would not deviate from their story. Their confidence was in the risen Jesus and not what the men thought of them. And we know how the Risen Christ appeared to so many of our friends and how He reveals Himself through them whether acknowledged or not. They are witnesses!
Mary of Mogdola, in tears and grief, lingers at the tomb. She runs into who she thinks is the gardener. Until she hears her name, “Mary!” That familiar voice! The marginalized are rarely known by their names. So many women in the Gospels and throughout the scriptures are unnamed. They are seen through their marginalization as non-persons, but not with Jesus. He utters a woman’s name. “Mary!” And not with our friends. He doesn’t call them by their disability: Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, and Down Syndrome. No, he calls their names: Janae, Adan, Big D, Carmela, Caroline. With Jesus the marginalized have names.
Jesus, on that first Sunday night, appears to the disciples behind locked doors. Locked doors mean nothing to Jesus. Isn’t it true that our friends have dealt with constant locked doors all their lives? Good News! Jesus doesn’t just open locked doors, He goes through them. He does this for our friends.
Eight days later Jesus appears to Thomas who does not believe. He urges Thomas to see and touch his wounds. Jesus was beaten beyond recognition on the cross. Now He is risen and His body healed…except for his wounds. His scars. A person with a physical disability can take great comfort that their Savior bears physical scars and wounds for all eternity. Jesus understands their bodies. Our Jesus is risen for all people, including our friends.
Nick
One of the first things of note about the Resurrection is that it’s first witnesses and evangelists were the marginalized. Women. This is astounding when you realized that a woman’s testimony would not be valid in that culture. And yet, the Gospel writers all agree on this. I find it so beautiful that the first witnesses and evangelists to the birth of Jesus – shepherds – and the first witnesses and evangelists to the Resurrection – women – are marginalized members of society. This is Good News for our friends.
The women rush to the disciples but are not believed. They are brushed away, as so many of our friends are. But these women stood in the confidence of what they had witnessed and would not deviate from their story. Their confidence was in the risen Jesus and not what the men thought of them. And we know how the Risen Christ appeared to so many of our friends and how He reveals Himself through them whether acknowledged or not. They are witnesses!
Mary of Mogdola, in tears and grief, lingers at the tomb. She runs into who she thinks is the gardener. Until she hears her name, “Mary!” That familiar voice! The marginalized are rarely known by their names. So many women in the Gospels and throughout the scriptures are unnamed. They are seen through their marginalization as non-persons, but not with Jesus. He utters a woman’s name. “Mary!” And not with our friends. He doesn’t call them by their disability: Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, and Down Syndrome. No, he calls their names: Janae, Adan, Big D, Carmela, Caroline. With Jesus the marginalized have names.
Jesus, on that first Sunday night, appears to the disciples behind locked doors. Locked doors mean nothing to Jesus. Isn’t it true that our friends have dealt with constant locked doors all their lives? Good News! Jesus doesn’t just open locked doors, He goes through them. He does this for our friends.
Eight days later Jesus appears to Thomas who does not believe. He urges Thomas to see and touch his wounds. Jesus was beaten beyond recognition on the cross. Now He is risen and His body healed…except for his wounds. His scars. A person with a physical disability can take great comfort that their Savior bears physical scars and wounds for all eternity. Jesus understands their bodies. Our Jesus is risen for all people, including our friends.
Nick
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