Your name

by Sharon O | Apr 11, 2012 | Uncategorized

The days after Easter seem like the calm after the storm.
I often think of the story of Mary when she got up early while it was still dark and looked for Jesus.
It would have been quiet and her heart would be restless.
Wouldn’t that make sense?
If you loved someone and they passed away you would want so much to say one more thing to them, to look into their eyes, perhaps hug them.
So much left undone and if you could see them one more time it would help.
You can’t blame Mary for missing her very special friend.
Her sorrow and grief weighed heavy on her heart as she walked to the place where they laid him.
When she arrived there she found the stone rolled away.
On Sunday morning while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.
Startled and deeply saddened she lost hope that she would ever see him again
not even knowing where or who would have taken him.
Mary Magdalene stood crying outside the tomb. 
She was still weeping, when she saw two angels inside. 
They were dressed in white and were sitting where Jesus’ body had been. 
One was at the head and the other was at the foot. 
The angels asked Mary, “why are you crying?” She answered, “They have taken away my Lord’s body! 
I don’t know where they have put him.”
As soon as Mary said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. 
But she did not know who he was. 
Jesus asked her, “why are you crying? Who are you looking for?” 
She thought he was the gardener and said, “Sir, if you have taken his body away, please tell me, so I can go and get him.”
Then Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
He said “Mary” in a way only she would recognize with his familiar voice and style using her name in a personal way.
Can you imagine?
You are waiting
You are looking
You are weeping
You are feeling hopeless
and you hear ‘YOUR NAME’.
If we want to get someones attention we use their name.
Anyone who has children knows this to be true.
Perhaps Jesus wanted to get ‘her attention’ and let her know
“I am here”… “I have never left you.”
Perhaps he wants to get our attention too.
What would our reaction be if he were to say to us ‘our name’
In a gentle quiet way.
Would we be listening and open?
{verses from John 20:11-16}

The Trees of the Field – Homecoming Friends

by Sharon O | Apr 8, 2012 | Uncategorized

When it was all over

by Sharon O | Apr 7, 2012 | Uncategorized

Last night as I was going to bed I wondered about those who followed Jesus.
When it was all over.
When the sky darkened and the drama unfolded.
What did they do with their reactions as he was led away to be crucified.
When they saw Jesus on the cross disfigured and beaten.
When they saw the soldiers be rough yelling and mocking him causing him more pain.
When they stood there watching his blood dripping with deep agony upon their hearts.
I wonder
What did they feel like when they heard
the weeping and sorrowful screams echoing into the darkness?
Standing in that empty place of betrayal of heart
I wonder deep into their spirits what it felt like to say
I never knew him.
Denying him.
Denying his friendship and love for them.
Denying the dinners shared and memories made with him.
Denying the miracles witnessed and the stories told.
Denying the truth of who he was and the relationship he had with them.
Peter denied him three times 
just like Jesus told him he would.
Judas hung himself (Matthew 27:5)
The others
where did the others go on this horrible night?
Isn’t it like the human nature to protect ourselves at any cost?
If they knew him perhaps they would be put on a cross too.
If they say they didn’t know him they would be safe.
The question that remains for me
was that really a safe way out or just a cowardice intention.
As I went to bed last night my heart was heavy and restless
as I asked myself
would I do any different?
If it was a life or death dilemma where my own life was at risk
if I were to say yes to the question
would I do any different?
It is a question that remains in my restless spirit today.
Perhaps for you too.
When it comes down to the eternal question:
Would we really remain faithful and say we know him?
Peter was sure he would never deny him.
He was positive and angry at Jesus to even suggest it.
Perhaps our Lord knows our hearts intentions much more than we do.
When it was all over the followers had many matters of the heart to deal with and
perhaps we do too.
On this Easter weekend shall we ask ourselves the difficult and hard questions?
I wonder.

At a distance

by Sharon O | Apr 7, 2012 | Uncategorized

The Death Sentence

(Matthew 27.15-26; Mark 15.6-15; John 18.39–19.16)

13Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people. 14He told them, “You brought Jesus to me and said he was a troublemaker. But I have questioned him here in front of you, and I have not found him guilty of anything that you say he has done. 15Herod didn’t find him guilty either and sent him back. This man doesn’t deserve to be put to death! 16-17I will just have him beaten with a whip and set free.” [b]18But the whole crowd shouted, “Kill Jesus! Give us Barabbas!” 19Now Barabbas was in jail because he had started a riot in the city and had murdered someone.

20Pilate wanted to set Jesus free, so he spoke again to the crowds.  21But they kept shouting, “Nail him to a cross! Nail him to a cross!”22Pilate spoke to them a third time, “But what crime has he done? I have not found him guilty of anything for which he should be put to death. I will have him beaten with a whip and set free.”23The people kept on shouting as loud as they could for Jesus to be put to death. 24Finally, Pilate gave in. 25He freed the man who was in jail for rioting and murder, because he was the one the crowd wanted to be set free. Then Pilate handed Jesus over for them to do what they wanted with him.

Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross 

(Matthew 27.31-44; Mark 15.21-32; John 19.17-27)

26As Jesus was being led away, some soldiers grabbed hold of a man from Cyrene named Simon. He was coming in from the fields, but they put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.27A large crowd was following Jesus, and in the crowd a lot of women were crying and weeping for him. 28Jesus turned to the women and said:Women of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me! Cry for yourselves and for your children. 29Someday people will say, “Women who never had children are really fortunate!” 30At that time everyone will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” They will say to the hills, “Hide us!” 31If this can happen when the wood is green, what do you think will happen when it is dry? [c]32Two criminals were led out to be put to death with Jesus. 33When the soldiers came to the place called “The Skull,” [d] they nailed Jesus to a cross. They also nailed the two criminals to crosses, one on each side of Jesus. 34-35Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing. While the crowd stood there watching Jesus, the soldiers gambled for his clothes. The leaders insulted him by saying, “He saved others. Now he should save himself, if he really is God’s chosen Messiah!”36The soldiers made fun of Jesus and brought him some wine. 37They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!”38Above him was a sign that said, “This is the King of the Jews.”

39One of the criminals hanging there also insulted Jesus by saying, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and save us!”40But the other criminal told the first one off, “Don’t you fear God? Aren’t you getting the same punishment as this man? 41We got what was coming to us, but he didn’t do anything wrong.” 42Then he said to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into power!”43Jesus replied, “I promise that today you will be with me in paradise.” [f]

The Death of Jesus

(Matthew 27.45-56; Mark 15.33-41; John 19.28-30)

44Around noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until the middle of the afternoon. 45The sun stopped shining, and the curtain in the temple [g] split down the middle. 46Jesus shouted, “Father, I put myself in your hands!” Then he died. 47When the Roman officer saw what had happened, he praised God and said, “Jesus must really have been a good man!” 48A crowd had gathered to see the terrible sight. Then after they had seen it, they felt brokenhearted and went home. 49All of Jesus’ close friends and the women who had come with him from Galilee stood at a distance and watched.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Isn’t it amazing that those who loved Jesus the most 
stood at a distance from him in his greatest hour of need? 
Did they stand at a distance because of the brutality
or because of their responses to who he was?
Did they stand at a distance because of their shame?
Do we stand at a distance because of ours?
Did you notice that Pilate spoke to the people three times?
Just as Jesus asked for the ‘cup’ to be removed three times.
The whole scene was symbolic of God’s love in a strange way.
Just like the little baby who came into the world alone in the beginning
Jesus was left on a cross on a hill alone in the end.
Rejected by God because of the sin ‘he carried’.
Rejected by all because they ‘didn’t understand’.