While in seminary, I was tasked with writing psalms in the voices of Biblical characters.  This is one of those psalms.

Of Ezra.
As Ezra anticipated entering the Temple.

O LORD Redeemer, who is able to enter Your courts?
Who is able to abide in Your dwelling place?

Those who are upright and whose feet lead them on blameless paths;
Truth is on their lips,
Goodness is shown to their friends,
And they are honored among their neighbors.

O LORD Restorer of life, who can praise You in Your Temple?
Who can lift their hands while in Your sacred space?

Those who love the Law of the LORD and have not forsaken it;
Their hearts meditate on the law day and night,
The commands of the LORD are written on the hands,
The statutes and ordinances of Yahweh are ever before him.

For the Law of the LORD our God is good,
Instructing His people to everlasting life.

The Law of the LORD does not lead one astray,
The Law of the LORD is a blessing for those who walk in its ways
And a curse for those who trample it under foot.

For the Commandments of the LORD our God is good,
Assuring His people of His covenant promises.

The Commandments of the LORD are a blessing,
Instructing the wise in the way of righteousness,
Condemning the foolish to a life of death.

O LORD our Rescuer, who can worship in Your Holy Temple,
And who can abide by Your Holy Covenant?

Those who do these things,
Those who are wise and prudent.

While in seminary, I was tasked with writing psalms in the voice of Biblical characters.  Here is one of those psalms.

Of Daniel.
When Nebuchadnezzar threatened the wise men of Bablyon.

O mighty God of my ancestors ,
How long will You revile Your faithful servants?
How long, O great God, will you despise Your people,
Those faithful even unto exile?
Have we not suffered enough?
Are our bones not yet broken under Your mighty weight?

Was it not You, the Almighty, who heard the distant cry of Your people in Egypt?
Was it not You, O Lord, who led the people in a pillar fire by night and cloud by day?
Surely the rivers of Babylon do not rush so mightily
That our voices are drowned out of Your hearing?

Surely I could raise my hands as Moses did?
Allow me to raise my hands and receive deliverance
As you delivered our ancestors from the hands of Amalek.
As you gave victory to Joshua before the mighty walls of Jericho,
In a land he did not yet know, though You knew it;
Give us deliverance from the hand of Nebuchadnezzar,
In a land that is foreign to us, but is surely under Your mighty hand.

In this land, Your Name, O God, is mocked.
They scorn us saying, “Their God has abandoned them!”
They blaspheme while saying, “Nebuchadnezzar has defeated Yahweh
by the hand of Bel !”

Therefore, deliver your faithful servants,
Those who profess their loyalty to the God of our ancestors alone.
Show our captors the strength of Your mighty arms,
Let Your Name be renowned among all nations.

Surely You provided strength from meager food
And health from empty plates to show Yourself powerful this day.
Just as you delivered Joseph while he sat in prison
We will trust in Your deliverance, and hope in Your faithfulness.

1. And getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over and came to his own city. 2. And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.’” 3. And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4. But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5. For which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6. But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” – and he said to the paralytic – “Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 7. And he rose and went home. 8. When the crowd saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men. Matthew 9:1-7 ESV

“This man is blaspheming!” thought angry people in the crowd. “Only God can forgive sins” they reasoned.

And of course, their reasoning was right,  – only God can forgive sinners. But what they did not understand, what made their blood boil, what made the bile in their liver quiver was the fact that forgiving sinners was precisely what God was doing. What they failed to see is that Jesus was (and is) God incarnate who came for the forgiveness of our sin.

Some may have looked at the man and said, “He is unworthy! He has done nothing to merit forgiveness.” And they would have been right. Some may have said, “Jesus, that really isn’t why his friends brought him to you.” But that didn’t matter.

You see you are what matters to Jesus. You, the paralyzed man, the friends who brought him, and the angry objectors are what matters to Jesus.

God has chosen to graciously forgive your sins not because you have done so many great deeds but on account of his great mercy. If you are a believer in Christ it is because at some point someone brought you the Good News of what God has done for  you through His Son Jesus. It is because someone has made it known to you that God has forgiven your sins through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and it is because God worked inside of you to create the faith that says, “Yes, Lord I believe.”

And so that you might believe, God said, “Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home.

Jesus’ words entered through the man’s ears healing his body. He did this because he loved the man and met his need. And because he loves you as well God had these words recorded so that you may know that your sins are forgiven in Christ Jesus. Not because you are good. Not because you did something special. But simply because God loves you.

Some of course, will get angry. They will object. They will reject. Maybe this includes you. If so, it is for your sake in particular that Jesus also said, “Rise, pick up your bed and go home” so that you might see and believe the Good News of forgiveness in Christ.

Washes over us like the shower at my in-law’s house.

When you step into this shower, the first thing you notice are the smooth rocks that make up the floor of the shower.  These are rocks that were stealthily picked out from the north shore of Lake Superior specifically for this purpose.  Every step is like a massage for your beat up and often neglected feet.

And then the water is turned on.  At first it comes from a showerhead that isn’t oversized, but neither is it too small.  It is, as Goldilocks said, just right.  I don’t know what temperature they have their water heater set for, but if you want the water to be hot, it will be hot. And of course, there is the steam.  The steam alone will wake you up and allow you to truly breathe as though you were a new born baby taking in your first taste of air.

If you are able to turn your face down from the refreshing spring of life sprinkling over you to open up your now alert eyes, you will see not one, but two more shower heads!  A flip of a switch is all it takes and suddenly every inch of your body is engulfed with water and it feels as though the cold and grime of the morning drips down through your legs and out your toes.

And when it is all over, you can’t help but feel like a new person.

Today I will share with you the account of Jesus’ death as told by Sally Lloyd-Jones in the Jesus Storybook Bible: Every story whispers his name.

The Sun Stops Shining

The crucifixion from Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19

“So you’re a King, are you?” the Romans soldiers jeered. “Then you’ll need a crown and a robe.”

They gave Jesus a crown made out of thorns. And put a purple robe on him. And pretended to bow down to him. ‘Your majesty!” they said.

Then they whipped him. And spat on him. They didn’t understand that this was the Prince of Life, the King of heaven and earth, who had come to rescue them.

The soldiers make a sign – “Our King” and nailed it to a wooden cross.

They walked up a hill outside the city. Jesus carried the cross on his back. Jesus had never done anything wrong. But they were going to kill him they way criminals were killed.

They nailed Jesus to the cross. “Father; forgive them,” Jesus gasped. “They don’t understand what they are doing.”

“You say you’ve come to rescue us!” people shouted. “But you can’t even rescue yourself.” But they were wrong. Jesus could have rescued himself. A legion of angels would have flown to his side – if he’d called.

“If you were really the Son of God, you could just climb down off that cross!” they said. And of course they were right. Jesus could have just climbed down. Actually, he could have just said a word and made it all stop. Like when he healed that little girl. And stilled the storm. And fed 5,000 people.

But Jesus stayed.

You see, they didn’t understand. It wasn’t the nails that kept Jesus there. It was love.

“Papa?” Jesus cried, frantically searching the sky. “Papa? Where are you? Don’t leave me!”

And for the first time – and the last – when he spoke, nothing happened. Just a horrible, endless silence. God didn’t answer. He turned away from his boy.

Tears rolled down Jesus’ face. The face of the One who would wipe away every tear from every eye.

Even though it was midday, a dreadful darkness covered the face of the world. The sun could not shine. The earth trembled and quaked. The great mountains shook. Rocks split in two. Until it seemed that the whole world would break. That creation itself would tear apart.

The full force of the storm of God’s fierce anger at sin was coming down. On his own Son. Instead of his people. It was the only way God could destroy sin, and not destroy his children whose hearts were filled with sin.

They Jesus shouted out in a loud voice, “It is finished.” And it was. He had done it. Jesus had rescued the whole world.

“Father!” Jesus cried. “I give you my life.” And with a great sigh he let himself die.

Strange clouds and shadows filled the sky. Purple, orange, black. Like a bruise.

Jesus’ friends gently carried Jesus. They laid Jesus in a new tomb carved out of rock.

How could Jesus die? What had gone wrong? What did it mean? They didn’t know anymore. Except they knew their hearts were breaking.

“That’s the end of Jesus,” the Leaders said.

But, just to be sure, they sent strong soldiers to guard the tomb. They hauled a huge stone in front of the door to the tomb. So that no one could get in.

Or out.

End story

God, in his great love, has sent His son to die for you. And to rise from the dead for you. In Jesus, God forgives your sins. And clothes you in righteousness. And gives you eternal life. Even now God is preparing a place for you  – a Heavenly home where we will be with Him. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord.