Notes to the Lord:Grace and Stones

Scripture Reflection:Matthew 21

42Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: " 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?

Lord Jesus--You have become the capstone...the center piece of the salvation history. You were rejected and became savior to all. This is a marvleous thing...the offer of unmerited mercy, grace that was unlooked for and a surprise. It was your choice, from begining to end.

43"Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."

Lord Jesus--It is all about fruit and results of a life lived out in grace. Those who experience grace do not own it. The best that we do is live within the house of grace and to be blessed by it. Lord, I do not control it...or manage its impacts on my life. Grace controls me.

45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus' parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

Up Close and Personal--Lord Jesus I can choose my response to grace, but I can not control its impacts on my life. You will change me in this process as I continue to say "yes" to the Spirit's call. I can choose to be changed or walk away, that is the only choice. Things will never stay the same. The more that I try to make them stay the same, the more the flow of Your grace will push me on. The challenge is to follow you through a life time of changes and to have grace grow in this twisted and sometimes controling heart of mine.

Lord Jesus continue your work.

Notes to the Lord:Vineyards and Ownership

Scripture Reflection: Matthew 21

33"Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. 34When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

Lord Jesus-Remind me that this is your vineyard not mine. I am just a sharecropper, at best a tenant. The produce is yours I am just a care-taker of what you have given me.
35"The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37Last of all, he sent his son to them. 'They will respect my son,' he said.
38"But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance.' 39So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

Lord Jesus--There have been times in my life when I was in rebellion and didn't even know it. Yet, there was grace given and mercy extended. Thank you for your work in my life. The job is not done...that is certain.
40"Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"41"He will bring those wretches to a wretched end," they replied, "and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time."
Lord Jesus--This was aimed at the chief priests and the Pharisees, but it could apply to anyone who knows your will and does not follow it. Rejection and rebellion comes in many forms some ancient, and some modern in its dress.

Up close and personal:There is freedom in resting in you being the owner of this vineyard of life that you have placed me in. I don't have to worry about outcomes, you are the one who sends the rain on the just, the unjust and on your vineyard. You have set the boundaries and all I have to do is avoid the guardrails and I will be blessed by what you have already accomplished. In the middle of it all, you are the Lord, and will soon return to make all things right.

Lord Jesus--Work in this tenant farmer heart, mind and action life to see accomplished what needs to be in this coming day. I rest in your grace.

Notes to the Lord:Let's say no and then go anyway...

Matthew 21
28"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'29" 'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.30"Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.

Lord Jesus--It is not about saying the right words...it is about doing the will of the Father. Words are just words until they are connected with heart felt action and obedience. There is power in words and promises of obedience, but when commitment and obedience are connected lives change.

31"Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Lord Jesus--John's movement of repentance and revival, changed the lives of those who felt as if they were beyond saving. They were the ones that the religious elite would only see as pawns in their game with you. Tax collectors with nagging guilt, and ladies of the evening with hearts that hurt them were finding their way to you. The "way of righteousness" was you. In fact you called yourself " the way, the truth and the life...and John pointed you out.

I wonder if some of the scribes and the leaders at the temple wondered why John was having such success in turning people's lives around? I wonder if they looked at the lives changed and just dreamed, wondered and pondered about...how could that happen in our work? What is missing? Why don't we see lives changed?

Lord Jesus--Don't let me be one of the ones that says they will but then doesn't...work in these times so that lives are changed because people have seen you for who you are...The Way, The Truth, and All there is worth worrying about in life.

Notes to the Lord:On Authority and Quesstions

Scripture Reflections: Matthew 21

23Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you this authority?"

Lord Jesus--It is mind boggling that these men who could not heal the blind, could not make the lame walk, could at the same time question your authority. In the middle of a movement of God authority is not the issue, being changed is. I wonder what would have happened if these same leaders had asked you to change their hearts?

You are still changing lives, changing hearts, and minds and bodies that don't work right. Lord Jesus--work as you see fit in this group at LSCC. Have your way, no questions asked.

24Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25John's baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?" They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' 26But if we say, 'From men'—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet."27So they answered Jesus, "We don't know."

Lord Jesus--Interesting..response by these leaders...they did not stop to discuss what they thought the real answer was. Was John a man of God was he lead by God and did God use the method of baptism to change lives. That was the question that You were asking...but they only thing that they considered was the political ramification of their answer but not the truth.

Then he said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

Lord Jesus--In this day work as you see fit in my heart and life without question.

Notes to the Lord:On Fig Trees and Mountains

Scripture Reflections:Matthew 21

18Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered.

Lord Jesus-- When you were looking for something to eat, leaves were not enough. Lush foliage does not fill an empty stomach. There are times when your church is just like this fig tree, and there times when I am just like this fig tree. We are looking good but just don't have the goods. Having the goods, really requires, obedience to the direction of the Lord, process, and timing. Help me Lord not to just be lush foliage.

20When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked.

21Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

The disciples wanted to know: how. How did the fig tree wither right before our eyes? But the question was really who. If they only put their faith in you: faith that fig trees and mountains yield to your call. Then, nothing would be impossible.

Lord Jesus --Teach me who and not how. You are the One who speaks and mountains, fig trees and anything else that I face will yield.

Notes to the Lord:Collateral Damage

Scripture Reflection:Matthew 21

14The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.15But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.16"Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him.

Lord Jesus--Healing was an essential part of your ministry . It was a validation of the work of God within you. As I write this Lord Jesus I am seeking clarity. I am stinging from a loss that I didn't see coming and really don't understand. As I look at this pasage, I see that there were results that happened in your ministry that just happened. The healing of the blind and lame in the house of the Lord should have been a matter of praise and was to the children that surrounded you.

"Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, " 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?"17And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

Lord Jesus-- Praise would come from those who were able to see for the first time...they did not filter the outcomes of your work in the temple. Praise ordained...is praise that the Father sent as affirmation and blessing in the middle of conflict.

The very people who should have rejoiced and kicked up their heels in their sanctified dancing shoes only had questions even as the lame danced for the first time in the temple courts for the first time right in front of them.

Lord Jesus--Help me to see you at work and be a part of those who praise the work that you are doing...help me to be like these children who just saw you work and jumped for joy.

Notes to the Lord:A Holy House Cleaning

Scripture Reflection:Matthew 21

12Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13"It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'"

Lord Jesus-The money changers and the people buying and selling were supplying what was needed for worship. So what was the big deal? It was the location...the part of the temple that they were using was specifically set aside for the gentiles. It was a place where everyone could worship you, without having to be the right race, the right history, or the right family tree. It was a place overlooked as really a part of the temple, it was the outer court yard.

You were speaking up for people like me...people who were not a part of the promise. How could people who were on the outside ever hope to get in without a place?

So you clean them all out and turn over the tables and sent the coins rolling down the stone hallways with the greedy little cheats scampering after them.

Lord Jesus this wall in Jerusalem is all that is left of the temple ...the place you cleansed that day before your death. You took the risk to make the statement that all should have a place to worship. This act was one of the incidents that brought the cross closer. Yet you went ahead and did it anyway

Lord Jesus remind me again what worship is all about...it isn’t anything other than grace, mercy and hope that ignites in me the desire to worship you. Anything less is not worthy of your house.