Mark 11:1-11 Jesus' Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem

Over the last couple of weeks, I have read, processed, absorbed, and mulled over the scriptures of Holy Week... I have noticed small details of the events of Jesus' final week on earth... more so than I ever have.  I have struggled with journaling these scriptures artistically because there are so many details that drew my attention. Over the next few days, as I process these stories artistically, I'll be sharing them with you.  Today, I spent two hours on these eleven verses... and a beautiful, meaningful, and contemplative two hours they were!  

S. (Scripture): Matthew 11:1-11

O. (Observation): Key words and phrases: Hosannah! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

A. (Application): This is the story of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem... the journey that ushers in Holy Week... the celebration of Palm Sunday.  Jesus sent a few men into the village prior to his arrival to bring an unridden donkey, telling anyone who asks what they're doing or why they're taking the donkey that the Lord needs it and it'll be returned soon.  So they went... and they found the donkey, just as Jesus had said they would.  They brought it to him, covered its back with their cloaks and Jesus sat upon the donkey. People threw their robes into the path before Jesus and others put leafy palms on the ground... they gave him a red carpet entry!  As I read through this passage, it dawned on me that this is something that we recite in the Episcopal liturgy every week... 

            

            Holy, Holy, Holy Lord; God of power and might.

            Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

            Hosannah in the Highest.

            Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

            Hosannah in the Highest. 

Wow. This, for me, brings new meaning to the words I recite each week in church... it gives me visuals to tie to the repetitive nature of my faithful practices. It's a renewed reminder that HE IS... not only RISEN... but HE IS COMING BACK... and that entry will be triumphant!  

P. (Prayer): Lord, thank you for your Son... thank you for your presence in my life. Thank you for bringing these scriptures to life for me, helping me to apply them in my daily life.  Help me, Father, to understand these scriptures to the fullest extent so that your name may be glorified in all that I do. Help me to live out the example that you've given me through Jesus. Thank you for the details... all the details... and thank you for this life. Bless me in my journey to come to others in your name.

Renewed peace give I to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Peace give I to you.

Until later,

Sara +

Mark 6 - A patchwork illustration of Jesus' nourishment

The scripture passage for this journal entry is Mark 6:30-46 - the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000.  Go ahead and click on the orange-hilighted link and read the passage.  Doing so will help you understand my ramblings that are about to follow.  Go ahead.  I'll wait....

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Oh great! You're back!  That's a great story, huh?  There's a lot of imagery in Mark's depiction of this miracle that Jesus performs.... and I'll talk about those images, but first, I want to point out a few things...

1. Jesus and the apostles were tired, hungry, and worn from their ministerial endeavors across the land. Jesus recognized the need to rest and he encouraged his apostles to sit a spell for some rejuvenation. 
2. On the way to their resting place, a few people saw that they were headed in the direction of the mountain - to which Jesus often retreated to pray.  Word spread like wildfire that they were going to be in that location and because they had heard about Jesus, people came in droves to hear him.  They were hungry for God.
3. When Jesus approached the crowd, his heart broke.  He saw many people, seemingly wandering in aimless directions and the picture before him reminded him of a flock of lost sheep with no shepherd.
4. Even though Jesus and the apostles were tired, weary, hungry, and flat-out exhausted, they knew that God was calling them to continue.  They didn't blink at the opportunity to spread the Gospel.... they just went back to work... without complaining.

Now... about those images.  While reading this passage, several images crossed my mind.  

1. The image of Jesus and the apostles... tired and on their way to rest.
2. The image of seeing all the people gathered on the grass waiting with baited breath to hear Jesus speak.
3. The image of the people rushing to get to the place that they had heard Jesus would be.
4. The image of the flock of sheep, wandering aimlessly in the field.
5. The obvious images of the five loaves of bread and the 2 fish.
6. In The Message translation, the image of a patchwork quilt of wildflowers spread out on green grass (vs. 39) is used to describe what Jesus saw when he saw the people gathered on the hill.
7. Jesus blessed the bread and broke it, lifted his face to heaven and then fed the people.
8. The disciples gathered 12 baskets full of leftovers after everyone had eaten.
9. There were 5,000 people present for this miracle.
10. Jesus sent the disciples out in the boat towards Bethsaida.
11. Jesus blessed the crowd and dismissed them.
12. Jesus climbed the mountain, alone, to pray.

That's a lot of imagery!  How do I choose which one to focus on?  Which one should I illustrate?  Decisions, Decisions!

The image that drew my attention first was the "patchwork quilt," so I decided to illustrate the story using the idea of a patchwork quilt. 

The center is a cross, representing Jesus.  I drew 12 sheep, representing the 12 disciples and the 12 baskets of leftover food... but also reminding me of the imagery of the sheep without a shepherd.  I drew 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish - reminding me that Jesus fed the 5,000 with little physical food but their hearts were full.  The people sat in groups of 50-100 people, which made me think of circles of friends (depicted by the circles).  The Shepherd's staff reminds me that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and he will tend his sheep - even when they are lost, he will go and find them and bring them back to the flock.  The green represents the grass and the blue represents the water.

In this story, Jesus satisfied the people and fed them spiritually first... then he satisfied their human need for physical nourishment and fed them with food. Priorities in line.  Jesus saw His flock wandering aimlessly... and he tended to them.  Jesus and the disciples may have been tired... but they did not give into fleshly desires.  They could've easily ignored the crowd and gone in another direction to continue on to rest... but they didn't... they did what God called them to do - to feed the flock - WHEN He called them to do it.  They recognized a need and they filled it. What a wonderful world this would be if we all approached challenges this way, huh?

I'm going to leave you with this tonight.  What character(s) in the story do you most identify with?  The hungry crowd?  The anticipating people?  The weary disciples? The compassionate Shepherd? The lost sheep? The onlooking Father?  

Today, I've felt like a lost sheep... but I know my Shepherd's voice and I am doing the best that I can to listen for it so I can find the path that He wants me on.

Goodnight friends,
~Sara 

Just keep reaching... Mark 5:21-43

Today was a ... day.  

It was full of high "ups" and really low "downs."  It was full of prayer... and tears... and laughter... and conversation... and pain... and peace... experience and growth.  

This evening, I focused my study on Mark 5:21-43... It begins with the story of a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years.  As Jesus made his way through the crowd to see a girl who was very ill, this woman squeezed through people to reach Jesus because she had heard about him. She had been ill for 12 years - consulted MANY doctors - paid MANY dollars - and still had not been healed.  She said to herself "if I could just touch the hem of his robe, I will be healed" as she reached for the hem.  Jesus knew, as soon as she had touched his garment that healing had gone out of Him and he asked "who touched my robe?". 

Picture this... Jesus is walking through a CROWD and stops to ask "who touched me?".  His disciples must've been thinking "are you serious?"... you're surrounded by people and you want to know who touched your robe? 

As Jesus continued to look around, the healed woman, realizing what had just happened in her body because of His power, fell at his feet and told him what happened.  Jesus' response was so merciful... He simply told her that she was healed, not by the power within him, but by the faith that she had in Him.  

She reached... and reached... and reached... until she could brush her fingers against the mere hem of Jesus' robe.  

In times of need, when I pray to God, I always picture myself reaching up to hold God's hand, as if I were a child reaching for the hand of a parent prior to crossing a busy road.  I may spend days, weeks, months, or even years seeking help from those here on earth, but my help comes when I reach for God.  So in light of the occurrences of the last week and especially today, I am reminded to just keep reaching.  Yesterday, God said "I am with you."  Today, His message for me is to remind me to reach for Him.  

Lord, thank you for the gentle reminders... and the not so gentle reminders that you give me to encourage me to seek you in all situations.  Help me reach, Lord, beyond myself... beyond those around me... beyond this world... Help me reach for your hand - even if I can only reach the hem of your garment, I know it will be enough.

Peace give I to you; not as the world gives, give I to you... Peace give I to you.

Until tomorrow,

~Sara

Mark 4:11-12 and 21-34

The scripture passage that I will be journaling on today will be Mark 4:11-12and Mark 4:21-34.  The daily office only lists Mark Chapter 4, verses 21 through 34; however, I think it is important to understand why Jesus spoke in parables, so I added verses 11 and 12 to my study for today.   

I will be hosting a Bible journaling class from 11:30-1:00 today. I hope to journal in my Bible during this class and upload the results of my study prior to 10:00 tonight. 

Update with reflection and journal entry: 
A mustard seed is the smallest seed - Christians are a small group - we began small with Jesus' ministry.  As we lean on God for guidance and understanding, His kingdom of believers grows and will continue to grow until it is the tallest plant in the garden.  We can't always see God at work but as the seed sprouts, so do things that God has been nourishing and cultivating.

Lord, help me trust that the seeds I have scattered in your name will sprout as you shower them with love and shine light upon them with time.  Help me to rest, knowing that the harvest of my efforts will come... in its due season.

Happy study!
         ~Sara +

John 17 - I'm blown away.

John 17 is Jesus' High Priestly Prayer.  I first happened upon this passage of scripture about 4-5 months ago when I was sitting in on a "seeker forum" for newcomers to our church.  (As the newcomer minister at Good Shepherd, I attend these classes with newcomers to get to know them better and to get a better idea of what they are looking for in coming to church.)  Anyway... I was sitting in the class one day and we were discussing some of the foundational beliefs that the Christianity is built on and we came across the topic of the trinity... God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit... the three are one in the same, hence, the "Trinity."  Fr. Geoff directed us to John 17 and asked me to read aloud to the class.  As I read aloud, I had an epiphany.  Not only did Jesus go to the Father in prayer on behalf of those who had come before Him... he also prayed for those who were on earth with Him... He finished this beautiful prayer by praying for those who would come and hear about Him through stories... He prayed for you and for me.  

This. Is. Sobering.

This. Is. Powerful.

This... Is... Humbling.

Think about it... Jesus prayed for me.  Say that out loud.  

The Lord of Lords... the King of Kings... Emanuel... the Messiah... 

GOD prayed for LITTLE OL' INSIGNIFICANT ME.

I don't know if this needs any more words, so I'm just gonna leave that right there. I'm interested in your thoughts and responses. 
Peace and humility, my friends. 

In Awe,

~Sara