Astonished and Amazed

~~~ Hebrews 12:4-7, 11-15 ~~~ Psalm 103 ~~~ Mark 6:1-6 ~~~

Jesus returned home and began to teach in the synagogue.

The community who regularly came

 to worship there probably had no idea 

Jesus would be teaching that day.

There was no public announcement about his visit. 

He proceeded to the front where he began

 to deliver his teaching.

 ...many who heard him were astonished. 

Astonish means to surprise someone very much.

If you are astonished your eyes may be wide opened

and your jaw dropped down.

Astonished is more than just being surprised.

You are completely caught off guard.

Often you are speechless.

In this case the crowd began to murmur among themselves.

...Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary...

A carpenter's son would not have the knowledge

 or wisdom to speak in such a manner or with such conviction.

They had many reasons to be astonished.

In the end Jesus had much the same reaction to them.

He expected more from them

after all they were sitting in the synagogue.

They were keeping the laws.

They were active participants in their church.

He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Jesus was amazed because there he was standing before them

speaking words that obviously touched them;

yet they were questioning and doubting.

They were not trusting 

what they were seeing or hearing.

How many times do we find ourselves in similar situations?

God speaks to us but we make excuses...

we try not to believe.

We seclude our faith in a corner 

of our mind and heart.

It is God who wants to astound and amaze us.

Will you let him?

Blessed...Astounded...Amazed.

~~~Peace~~~

One 4-Letter Word...LIFE

~~~ Isaiah 49:8-15 ~~~ Psalm 145 ~~~ John 5:17-30 ~~~

I have heard people say that they do not know God,

but in reality we can know God through

his son, Jesus.

Jesus is the visible flesh and blood of God.

Jesus is the substance and essence of God the Father.

...the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what

 he sees the Father doing;
for what he does, the Son will do also.

God the Father models everything good for the Son to exhibit to us.

Jesus is one with the Father in all ways.

Their connection is way more than the traditional

 genetic father son bond.

God the Father is manifested

 before our very eyes in the person of Jesus.

Amazed is such a weak word to describe what is happening 

between the Father and the Son.

...the Father loves the Son
and shows him everything that he himself does,
and he will show him greater works than these,
so that you may be amazed.

Jesus knows without a doubt that he is loved by the Father.

He heard the words as he emerged from the waters of the Jordan...

This is my beloved son, whom I love...

The goal of many types of entertainers is to amaze you;

to make you say 'wow, how did he do that?'

Jesus did indeed work many miracles that we are still amazed and wowed.

There is nothing plain and ordinary about what God does.

God is God; how can we not be amazed?

Jesus has all of the same powers as the Father to use at his discretion.

The Father has given the Son the foundation of his love for us

so that the Son can freely chose when and how

to demonstrate his love.

...For just as the Father has life in himself,
so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself.

The great mystery of the Trinity;

condensed into one four letter word

LIFE.

Lent is about change...

Lent is about Life....

Not only life in this world, but eternal life.

Our salvation must be something that continues to amaze us.

Why would God go to such extravagant means to save us?

He wants to give us a share in life eternal with him

in the kingdom of heaven.

 Blessed with the gift of Life

 here and in eternity.

Peace.