Tag: Jesus

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Rocks Will Cry Out

I am especially stoked today!  Enough that I am posting a special Sunday edition of the DailyBuffet.  Yes, The Mountaineers did make it to the Final Four last night, and that is part of my jubilation today.  But today is special for another reason, and even if the ‘Eers had suffered defeat last night, I would still be excited today.  Today is the week before the Passover, and the day that is traditionally called “Palm Sunday“.  Whats the big deal you may ask?  Well this is the day that Jesus enter Jerusalem on a donkey, while the people of Jerusalem covered the road with Palm leaves and clothing – which signified the coming of a king.  This started the week which will end with the death and resurrection of the Christ – the Messiah – the Savior.

And right in the middle of all of this Jesus is told to have the people stop, and he says

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

The rocks will cry out that he is Lord! Wow, that’s one of my favorite verses and a big motivator to me.  So I post this today in an attempt to cry out louder then the stones – the Messiah has come. And on a day similar to this one many years ago, he entered the city of Jerusalem declaring his Kingship.

Enjoy the day and think about that “Triumphant Entry”!

Luke 19:28-44 (New International Version)

The Triumphal Entry

28After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30“Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ”

32Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

34They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

35They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

37When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

40“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

41As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

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Happy Birthday Dr Seuss

He wasn’t a doctor at all – he didn’t even play on on TV, but this is one doctor that all of us remember from our youth, and today is his birthday.  Elementary schools across the country – except those out of school because of this latest winter storm – will celebrate Dr. Seuss today.   And here is a fun fact from the first grade teacher who happens to live with me – Dr Seuss was turned down over 20 times for his first book – And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.

The story of Dr. Seuss is another on of those truly inspiring stories of how sticking with something will pay off.  The same is for your walk today.  Stay with it despite the hardships:

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. -James 1:2-3 (New International Version)

And in honor of Dr Seuss, here a little rendition of the Jesus story Dr. Seuss style.  This was written for a Canadian comedy show called Kids in the Hall and I have a feeling it was written as satire, and to be funny, but it still tells a very important story.

And now for the Dr. Seuss Bible:

(Disclaimer: this limerick does not represent the actual word of God and is purely made up by someone else forDr Seuss laughs only)

One day God said, “This is what I will do:
I’ll send down my son. I’ll send him to you
To clear up this humpity bumpity hullaballoo.
His name will be Christ and he’ll never wear shoes.
His pals will all call him ‘The King of the Jews.’”

He didn’t come in a plane.
He didn’t come in a Jeep.
He didn’t come in a pouch
Of a high jumping Voveep.

He rode on the back of a black Sassatoo
Which is the blackiest creature you ever could view.

He rode to Jerusalem — home of the grumpity Jews
Where false prophets were worshiped — some even in twos.
There was Murray VonMyrrh and Ghengis Vovooz –
The one you could worship by taking a snooze.

Christ spoke from a mound
Which is a pile of ground.
People gathered around
Without making a sound.

Thus he spake:

“Sin in socks
Socks full of sin.
How do we quiet
This Jehovaty din?
Do unto others as they do unto you.
That includes you, young Timothy Foo.”

One pharisee said to another he knew,
“What shall we do with this uppity Jew?”
“Let’s wash him in wine and make him all clean
And into Sam Zittle’s crucifiction machine.”

Twirl the Gawhirl
And release the Galeese
And in go the nails
As fast as you please.

And it is said
That he said as he bled,
“Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.
For they walk throughout life in toe crampity shoes.”

Do you?

Amen.

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Donuts and Debate

Many years ago – many years ago, when I was in college in the great town of Nashville, TN, several of my roommates and team mates worked at the best donut shop in the world, The Donut Den. When we were tired of studying or needed a break we would ride over to the Donut Den and hang out in the kitchen talking with the guys making the donuts – and learning how to ourselves. (Eventually, I  had a job there making the muffins several nights a week – Yes, I am the Muffin Man) There was another classmate of ours that worked there on some of the same nights. His name was Aaron, or ‘Aaron the Liberal’ as we called him. Aaron was always up for some good political debate – which I found fascinating as Aaron had vastly different views then the rest of us. However, those donut debates were fun, and free and although sometimes full of frustration, they were never full of hate. Just people discussing topics of importance to them. I think Aaron influenced several of us, and I am sure that we had a small impact of him. Last week, I mentioned that I have been turned off from politics, but posted on entry that teetered on the edge of political a little. The next day, another one of my college classmates tweeted about an article in Relevant Magazine entitled “Can’t We All Just Get Along?”

This article really hit the nail on the head as to why I am frustrated with the political machine. Its not as much Clintons’ sins, or Bush’s decisions, or Obama’s agenda.  I have become tired of the right screaming and yelling, and the left name-calling and using condescending tones etc.  Its all the way around.  And that just doesn’t jive with the words I read in the collection of 66 books.  This op-ed is a ringing indictment on followers of Christ and how we engage in political debate.  I think its worth a read by all of us.  Just to stop and make sure we are treating each other, even in disagreement, with the love and respect demanded of us by Christ.

Anyway, consider it, and as you approach others today, no matter what the conversation is, remember to do so with love. ( Not the sissy kind) But the real, I care about you, love that Jesus showed us and that he begs us to show to each other.  Also, don’t be afraid to talk about ideas – you may grow yourself, and you don’t know the impact you will have on others.

1 John 3:11-24 (New International Version)
Love one another

11This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 13Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

21Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

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Don’t Stay in Bethlehem

Luke 2:52 (New International Version)

52And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Well its over!  Christmas has come and gone.  I sort of feel like Garfield today.  Anyway, we can’t stay in Bethlehem.  Just as Jesus left Bethlehem and grew and served, so must we.  So as you wind down the holiday and move into the next year, make plans for growth. Make plans to leave Bethlehem with a passion for the lost.  Make plans to grow in wisdom, and stature and in favor with God and men. 

I would love to here the ways the ideas you have to grow and serve.  What are you thinking about.  I will share some ideas over the next few weeks.

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The Dilemma is Resolved

Its one week away!  Schools out!  And this is my last day of work for the year, no not the year, the decade!  The big day is just a week away.  Its time for more classic 80’s Christmas from Josh. Today, its back to the early days of MTV  Bill Squier and Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You.  Nice!  Merry Christmas!

Yesterday’s post centered on the frustration of living with sin and duplicity of mind, so it seems just right today to keep going in Romans right in to the next chapter.  Romans 8 is one of my favorite chapters – the way it begins, the way it ends.  It tells the entire story in one chapter. I find it so rejuvenating.  So lets take a look today right at that beginning.

1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.[c] And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.  Romans 8:1-4 (NIV)

Thats right now condemnation.  and then the Message.  Wow it brings it straight home

1-2With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.

3-4God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn’t deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all. The law code, weakened as it always was by fractured human nature, could never have done that.

The law always ended up being used as a Band-Aid on sin instead of a deep healing of it. And now what the law code asked for but we couldn’t deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us. (Romans 8:1-4, The Message)

The Dilemma is Resolved!  Wow, those are great words.  The Law is gone, Forgiveness has arrived – full of mercy and full of grace.  This is why Christmas is so excited.  Its not just the presents and the time off work with family, but the arrival of Grace, the arrival of Mercy.  The arrival of the resolution of the matter!

Rejoice, rejoice Emmanuel.