3rd March Lent 3 John 2 v.13 – 22
When the Jewish Passover was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts He found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and money changers seated at their tables. So He made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle. He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those selling doves He said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a marketplace!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for Your house will consume Me.” On account of this, the Jews demanded, “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do these things?” Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.” “This temple took forty-six years to build,” the Jews replied, “and You are going to raise it up in three days?” But Jesus was speaking about the temple of His body. After He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this. Then they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Passover. He would have visited he Temple when He arrived, and possibly each day He was there. As He arrived, He seems to have been struck by the way the people were people were behaving. Even though it would have been one of the outer courts, Jesus thought their behaviour was inappropriate. He showed them what He thought of it in no uncertain terms! He then went on to teach the people about the future of the Temple. Even now, it has never been completed and Jesus words next revealed why. He likened His own body to a temple. His disciples did not understand at the time, but John goes on to say that after the Resurrection, His words became clear to them.
There will be things we don't understand now, but we must continue to trust Jesus as we journey through our lives. At the end, we shall understand everything we need to for a perfect relationship with God. What does it mean to you that Jesus' body can be likened to a temple? How do we treat our places of worship?
10th March Lent 4 Luke 2 v. 33- 35
The child’s father and mother marvelled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
The Fourth Sunday of Lent is a day of celebration. It is sometimes known as Refreshment Sunday, but more usually we call it Mothering Sunday because it is the Sunday when we thank God for mothers. More often nowadays we also remember the part played in families of fathers, foster parents, godmothers and others who play a large part in the lives of children – loving and caring about them in many ways.
Give thanks to God for the love of parents, godparents and others who pay an important role in the lives of children and young people. Remember, with gratitude all who played a significant part in your time of growing up.
17th March Lent 5 John 12 v. 27 – 33
“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
We have reached the last two weeks of Lent – sometimes known as Passiontide. (Passion means suffering ) We read about Jesus just at the time when the reality of what is going to happen to Him seems to hit Him. He tells the disciples that the immense suffering He would undergo, though, will bring glory to God, and that as He will hang there in pain, it will draw all people to Him. Later, as He hung on the Cross, a Roman soldier who had taken part in the crucifixion was heard to say - “Truly This was the son of God” In 2024, as we imagine Jesus on the cross, it reminds us that we should share our belief with others, that - “He truly is the Son of God”
Look at a picture of the crucifixion or imagine the scene. Try to see it as His hour of glory and try to take it in that He did it for you. How can you speak out about it to others, so that they can see it too?
24th March Palm Sunday John 12 v. 12 – 16
The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! ” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
In John's Gospel, we read that Jesus went to Jerusalem several times, but the time was drawing on and He would not return to Galilee before His Death The next time He would do so would be to meet His disciples as the resurrected Christ. The crowds also in Jerusalem for the Passover, greeted Jesus joyfully. They were calling Him King and He let them do so. He, however, was acting out a short parable. He rode in, not on a horse as a king would have done, but in humility on a donkey. Jesus was showing that He was a Servant King. His death and Resurrection would be His final act of service.
How can we follow Jesus' example of service in our lives?
31st March Easter Day John 20 v. 10 – 18
Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
Today is the most important day in the Christian Year. It is upon the reality of the Resurrection that the whole of our faith is built. We read that the crucified Jesus rose from death. His message to us is that He did this to save us all - whoever we are and whatever we have done. He is alive for evermore and has prepared a place with Him for each one of us to be with him for ever! All we have to do is acknowledge Him as Lord of all and follow him day by day as best we can day by day.
A very Happy Easter to you all. ALLELUYAH!!