God rested from all his work

Holy Saturday, April 11, 2009



Job 19:21-27a; Heb. 4:1-16 (morning); Rom. 8:1-11 (evening)

4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” (Hebrews 4)

Brooke and I have been enjoying a Tim Keller sermon on "Work and Rest" (Redeemer Presbyterian Church, free sermons), I commend it to you.

Another amazing thought with regard to Sabbath ("ceasing," "rest") is that Jesus himself most fully rested on this day, the seventh day, the Sabbath, in Joseph of Arimethea's tomb. There could be nothing more added to this rest. He laid down, as it were, absolutely and completely, trusting in his Father to wake him up. There was no more work he could possibly do, it was finished; he had expended himself, he had poured out his lifeblood to the uttermost and his powerlessness was perfect.

Jesus sanctified this day by his lying in death. He rested from all his works.

Therefore, so can we - who trust in him... "whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his." (Hebrews 4:10)

+ + +

25 For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
yet in my flesh I shall see God,
27 whom I shall see for myself,
and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
(Job 19)

a break in the Dance, a pull into the Dance

Maundy Thursday, April 9, 2009

Jer. 20:7-11; 1 Cor. 10:14-17, 11:27-32; John 17:1-11(12-26)


“Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you...
now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed...
I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word...
All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them...
Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one...
While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them...
now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves...
I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us...
22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
(John 17)

Yes, I butchered the prayer - leaving out some important things - but to highlight a thread through the whole prayer that blesses and strengthens me as we enter the highest, holy days of our Christian year, the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In this prayer just hours before his suffering and outpouring of life, Jesus is pleading and interceding that we would know, that we would be drawn into, that we would not miss what it's all about - that we would know the glory and the unity of the Father and the Son. It's as if he sees his life quickly coming to an end, the hour has come, he cannot do anything more, and he's pulling us into that eternal dance which is the Trinity. The whole point of his being "glorified" by being lifted up on the cross and then lifted up in exaltation, was to restore all things, to unite all things in himself, who is united in love, honor, delight with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Overall this Lent has been better than most for me, in terms of devotion, growing in unity with and freedom in Christ. Reading Great Lent by Alexander Schmemann helped, as did the silent retreat back in the first week of Lent.

I want these last days, remembering him on this last evening, his Last Supper, his washing feet, his agony, his prayer, his mock trial, the violation of his person, his way of the cross, his receiving the nails, the jarring pain of being physically lifted up on the tree, the humiliation, the thorns, the spear, the blood flowing, the ultimate separation from the Father, his loud cries and tears, his heartbreak and expiration, his burial and resting on the Sabbath... and his vindication - victory over every power!!!

And now, though identifying with all that is overwhelming, I am encouraged, inspired and comforted that through it all, this high-priestly prayer is Jesus holding us, grasping us, pulling us in with him into the Dance, into the glory, into the love and unity that he and the Father and the Spirit have always known, and that we will know with them for ever and ever.

Amen. Thank you Lord Jesus.

more on anything and everything

Wednesday in Holy Week, April 8, 2009

[If I haven't heard from you that you read this blog, or visit it, I'd like to hear from you. It's meaningful to me, and helpful, but I'm evaluating whether I'll keep doing it after Lent. I'd especially like to hear from Church of the Apostles people. Thanks. markjdicristina@yahoo.com]

Jer. 17:5-10, 14-17; Phil. 4:1-13; John 12:27-36

5“Cursed is the man who trusts in man
and makes flesh his strength,
whose heart turns away from the Lord...
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord...
9 The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick...
(Jer. 17)

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4)

The images that Jeremiah uses to describe people who trust in man or the "flesh" versus those who trust in the Lord are a shrub rolling around in the desert versus a tree planted by water that sends its roots out by the stream. The one who trusts in the Lord will not fear when heat comes, nor be anxious when drought comes, and will not cease bearing fruit.

Of course, Paul teaches that Christ-followers are to not be anxious about anything, but rather pray and give thanks bringing every concern, request, and temptation to anxiety to God. This is one way we root ourselves by the stream, one way we deepen our trust in the Lord. Rather than "submit" to the fear, the worry, the pressure we are under, to not trust in God, but to trust in our own resources, even our own assessment of how things are just going to be, we consciously and explicitly submit all things to God. This anchors us in God, our hope. This is a way that we reaffirm that we are "rooted and grounded in love" (Eph. 3:17), that we trust in another power at work within us (Eph. 3:16).

When Paul says "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," he is speaking as one who has been brought to the end of himself (2 Cor. 12:9-10). He speaks as one who is not trusting in man or the strength of the flesh, but as one who has learned that God's power and provision are sufficient, even when there is no power left within him, no money for food or basic support...

while I love Stefan Currie and Tim Tebow, who both have this verse written on them when they compete (Stefan, Davidson b'ball star, has it on his shoes; Tim on his eye black strips), I'm not sure what Paul would think about that. To the extent that these young men are learning to not depend on their own resources, and working out their salvation and discipleship, and to the extent that they are really saying that it doesn't matter whether we win or lose but our faithfulness in serving Christ with all that is within us, that is, with all his strength, that's good and I respect them; but "advertised" in such a way can very easily give a wrong idea or impression of the "secret" of facing deprivation and plenty, of facing absolute powerlessness in one's health or the pumped up feeling of being strong and alive, of having the terrifying sense of no where to turn or having the world by the tail - all in a full-on discipleship and stewardship of the mystery and grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

When do the roots go deep anyway?? If I'm not mistaken it's in tough times, dry times, times of stress and heat - O Lord, help us trust you, may we know the indwelling presence of Christ and strengthening of your Spirit, that indeed we may be more and more deeply and firmly rooted and grounded in your love.


Collect for Wednesday in Holy Week
Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

how life comes

Tuesday of Holy Week, April 7, 2009

[If I haven't heard from you that you read this blog, or visit it, I'd like to hear from you. It's meaningful to me, and helpful, but I'm evaluating whether I'll keep doing it after Lent. I'd especially like to hear from Church of the Apostles people. Thanks. markjdicristina@yahoo.com]

Jer. 15:10-21; Phil. 3:15-21; John 12:20-26

20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. (John 12)

Jesus seems to say here to these God-fearing Greeks who evidence by their question that the Father is drawing them to him (6:44) that you will see me, you will see me glorified when I am lifted up and draw you to myself. I preached on this two weeks ago, and am still feeling moved by the whole thing.

Immediately Jesus speaks about his "glorification." And he also ties it in with following him (ie. this is true for me, and if you follow me, it's true for you...). He says that life, God's life, real life, comes through (1) death, (2) rightly ordered love, and (3) service.

He displays these in his own life and in his own death. As we look to him in honor, in awe, in gratitude, in brokenness, may God give us grace to (1) die to ourselves, to break that hardened shell we so often cultivate around our hearts, (2) set love in order, to love God above all things simply for the sake of himself, and love all other created things appropriately for his sake, and (3) to give ourselves in service as servants of all.

This is beautifully exemplified for us in the events we commemorate this week.

Thanks be to God.

loss, gain

Monday of Holy Week, April 6, 2009

[If I haven't heard from you that you read this blog, or visit it, I'd like to hear from you. It's meaningful to me, and helpful, but I'm evaluating whether I'll keep doing it after Lent. I'd especially like to hear from Church of the Apostles people. Thanks. markjdicristina@yahoo.com]

Jer. 12:1-16; Phil. 3:1-14; John 12:9-19

whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ... (Phil. 3:7-8)


Here again is that gospel theme we considered in the Passion Narrative yesterday of
"power through powerlessness," or
"life through death"
"life through rightly ordered love"
"life through service."

Three times Paul speaks of "loss." He counts his gain, indeed everything, as loss for supreme worth of knowing Messiah Jesus. He has "suffered the loss of all things" in order to gain Christ.

To trust in and rely on anything inherent in me, or that I have gained through inheritance, through study or training, through being where I have been blessed and gifted to have been at every stage of my life, is ultimately to miss out on huge areas of knowing the life and grace and presence of God. To aim for my good, or what I consider my best life, or to have as the end for which I am working, posturing, or hoping the enlargement or security of myself, is to be actually undermining the whole security, good, and "best life" that God has for me in Christ. Rather, I pray for the end of myself, the grace to truly consider as loss all the many, many things that are a "lesser good" than in fact knowing God intimately in Messiah Jesus.

In each area of my life I would aim for the end of myself - the end of myself as both resource (that on which I rely) and as goal (that for which I am aiming and living).


I am thankful for this Holy Week, for the gift and opportunity to
know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (vs. 10-11)

Through faith in Christ (v. 9), or through the faithfulness of Christ, through relying on and trusting in him and his work alone, we are to share his sufferings and become like him in his death... that is, I think, to suffer the loss of everything in order to know him, to know his power at work in and because of my powerlessness, and to know his victory, his life, and the fellowship of all the "much fruit" of his dying and rising.

One way we can do this is by remembering him, uniting with him in his passion, through Bible reading and prayer, and through liturgy. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services are gifted to us for this - to share with him in his suffering and to become like him in his death. I am looking forward to these times as this forty day journey nears its end and its destination.

Have a blessed and Holy Week. Peace.

Lazarus, in Lent

Friday, April 3, 2009 [Happy Birthday, Michael!]

[If I haven't heard from you that you read this blog, or visit it, I'd like to hear from you. It's meaningful to me, and helpful, but I'm evaluating whether I'll keep doing it after Lent. I'd especially like to hear from Church of the Apostles people. Thanks. markjdicristina@yahoo.com]

Jer. 29:1,4-13; Rom. 11:13-24; John 11:1-27

The appointed Gospel reading for these last two days before Holy Week are the account of Lazarus, dying and being raised from the dead. In the Orthodox tradition, this whole week is dedicated to the Lazarus story - Christ's encounter with death, before his encounter with Death (in our BCP Daily Office, it's only in "Year One").

The post a few weeks ago at my dicristina site (and yes, my last post there) on memory is from this "Lazarus" section of "Great Lent" by Alexander Schmemann. Here's some more:

"Liturgical celebration is thus a re-entrance of the Church into the event, and this means not merely its "idea," but its joy and sadness, its living and concrete reality... It is one thing to explain that the resurrection of Lazarus was "to confirm the universal resurrection." It is quite a different thing to celebrate day after day for one entire week this slowly apporaching encounter between life and death, to become part of it, to see with our own eyes and feel with our whole being what was involved in John's word: "He groaned in the spirit and was troubled and ... wept" (John 11:33-35). For us and to us all this happens today. We were not there in Bethany at the grave with the crying sisters. For the Gospel we only know about it. But it is in the Church's celebration today that an historical fact becomes an event for us, for me, a power in my life, a memory, a joy. Theology cannot go beyond the "idea." And from that point of view of idea, do we need those five long days when it is so simple just to say, "to confirm the universal resurrection"? But the whole point is that in itself and by itself the sentence confirms nothing. The true confirmation comes from celebration, and precisely from those five days on which we witness the beginning of that mortal fight between life and death, and begin not so much to understand as to witenss Christ going to put death to death... (p. 82-83)

I do believe Lent is a gift. Working it, walking it out, is a gift from God through the Church - to help us know a more full union with Jesus Christ, and to bear much fruit (John 12:24). And so meditating on this Lazarus account, is an amazing springboard into Holy Week... just as it was God's way to launch Jesus into his final week, his final encounter in the holy city with all those holy people, a powerful empire, and our ultimate enemy.

Also, check out My Utmost for October 11. I heard this read at Will Pufall's funeral yesterday, he had posted a year and a half ago, after the death of a friend of his... it's a good balance to John Eldridge.

hearing his voice

Thursday, April 2, 2009

[If I haven't heard from you that you read this blog, or visit it, I'd like to hear from you. It's meaningful to me, and helpful, but I'm evaluating whether I'll keep doing it after Lent. I'd especially like to hear from Church of the Apostles people. Thanks. markjdicristina@yahoo.com]

Jer. 26:1-16; Rom. 11:1-12; John 10:19-42

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27)

This verse is one of the main premises for John Eldridge's book, Walking with God. (and this theme is a recurring one in John 10) It's a good and important book, but does raise questions regarding what a "normal Christian life" looks like. Essentially it is a year long journal of his, with comment from John for the reader. In particular, a main theme in the book is hearing from God and wanting to hear from God - even for things like, "should our family go on this trip this weekend?"

Honestly, I started reading it and after about a quarter of it I put it down. Some of my concerns were as a pastor, that I was not comfortable with his encouraging people to listen for God's voice, with virtually no comment on discernment (he does address this later in the book); but also, it was cutting close to home. I wasn't sure I really wanted to hear from and submit to/ trust God with regard to some of the things in my life, like watching TV too much and chowing down on junk food. And what if God told me to do some big, uncomfortable thing? some huge, life adjusting call? some heart tearing selfless task?

Yes, I went back to reading it - because deep in my heart is the life and love of God. Because I do want to live in the freedom of the children of God. Because I do trust my Father, that he is good and for me, merciful and mighty.

I still have concerns about the book, and what to be expected as normal Christian living - I think we can become too introspective about this, obsessed and/or guilt ridden or silly. I wonder where being a mature and wise son or daughter to whom the Father says, "I've raised and trained you well, that is your decision. I love you and will be with you always, irregardless of what you decide." Or in the metaphor of John 10, when the shepherd lets the sheep just graze and walk around and get a drink... And at the same time, God sees what I can't see. And while, I don't think God wills to direct us around all evil and suffering in this world - I think he might want to direct us around, or even toward, some of it.

So yes, at any time, the ear of my heart ought to be attentive, soft and "directable", to hear Jesus call and say come, follow me this way. In the end, this whole chapter is not about the sheep. It's about the shepherd. It's about his voice. His goodness. His motivation and commitment to give life abundant. His attentiveness and power to protect so that nothing can snatch us out of his hand. And in the end, I think this is the upshot of Eldridge's book; as a friend told me in sharing why it meant a lot to her, it encouraged intimacy with God and this was healing for her. It instilled a desire and a freedom, a hopefulness and trust, that God loves us, is always thinking of and attentive to us, and wants to speak to our deep heart regularly.

Thanks be to God.