EChurch@Wartburg: 04/11/2020: Wade Burleson: Do Not Be Afraid

 

A Good Friday Prayer link

My Lord,
your son has suffered so much, shed so much blood.
I was born with so many faults
and my nature is so full of weakness,
and yet your son Jesus has died on the cross.
For me.
I know your grace has the power
to cleanse me of my many sins
and to make me more like your Son.
Thank you for your goodness and love for me.
I ask you, Father, to watch over me – always.
Amen

The Lord’s Prayer link

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory
forever and ever.
Amen.

Luke 12:22-33 NIV

Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.
For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them.
And how much more valuable you are than birds!
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life
Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin.
Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today,
and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!
And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.
For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.
But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out,
a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

A Closing Good Friday Prayer and Benediction from the Mennonites link

God thank you for being with us in this wondering moment
where we stand poised between life and death,
filled to the brim with sorrow,
filled with thoughts of what has been
and what lies before us.
Thank you for the gift of life.
Thank you for our friend Jesus
who was a gift to the world,
a gift in each of our lives.
Comfort us even as we are shaken by the horror of these last hours.
Be our friend in this time of sorrow,
and sustain us in the days to come.

Now Jesus, may God bless you and keep you,
May the very face of God shine upon you, and be gracious to you,
May God’s presence embrace you and give you eternal peace.
Amen.

 

Comments

EChurch@Wartburg: 04/11/2020: Wade Burleson: Do Not Be Afraid — 3 Comments


  1. Notice: Undefined variable: button in /home/guswo2wr8yyv/public_html/tww2/wp-content/plugins/quote-comments/quote-comments.php on line 127

    1 BAM


  2. Notice: Undefined variable: button in /home/guswo2wr8yyv/public_html/tww2/wp-content/plugins/quote-comments/quote-comments.php on line 127

    Good for Wade! The text on “using unrighteous mammon to make friends for yourselves…” is quite relevant, and he’s right that this is a text that tends to be avoided — it seems to be too “horizontal”; perhaps is at variance with the widespread “fund my ministry” preference for use of parishioners’ funds.

    This crisis will disclose the degree to which churches have promoted horizontal “one another” community, and the degree to which they have preferred vertical “pastor/parishioner” dependence. Hopefully it will be a growing time.

    But also a grieving time. Perhaps 2 Cor 1:9 is relevant.


  3. Notice: Undefined variable: button in /home/guswo2wr8yyv/public_html/tww2/wp-content/plugins/quote-comments/quote-comments.php on line 127

    Samuel Conner: they have preferred vertical “pastor/parishioner” dependence.

    … preaching that the parishioners rely on/look to God, while they nurture their own financial dependency on funding from parishioners.

    Widows and orphans? Not so much.