"Do Not Touch"

~~~ Genesis 3:1-8 ~~~ Psalm 32 ~~~ Mark 7:31-37 ~~~

Garden--Snake--Fruit--Woman--God--Disobey--Open

God placed in the garden all that was needed 

to sustain life for his new creatures.

All that he created was good and beautiful...

maybe a little too beautiful.

The special tree with the juicy fruit was placed 

in the center of the garden by God.

The serpent also knew about this tree and its fruits.

The serpent also knew what God had told the couple.

‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.’

This was some tree...not only were they forbidden to eat the fruit, 

they were not to even touch it. 

I have been into a few expensive gift shops with 

'Do Not Touch' signs near some items.

This tree was inviting, but God had labeled it

'Do Not Touch'

In slinks the serpent using his forked tongue

 to contradict the very words of God.

He slithers up to the woman and convinces her 

that God was not really serious about not 

eating from this one tree.

He tells her it is just foolish to believe that God 

would deprive them of this luscious fruit.

This is the very same thing that happens to us 

when we fail to follow God's commands.

Somehow we fool ourselves into believing 

that God was not serious or that he meant something else 

or that he was not talking to me.

Ultimately we reach out pick the fruit, consume the fruit

and things become very messy.

We may find temporary pleasure but in the end; 

we have disobeyed God.

When they heard the sound of the LORD God 

moving about in the garden at the breezy time of the day,

the man and his wife hid themselves from the LORD God

among the trees of the garden.

The choices we make against the commands of God

eventually open our eyes to our own weakness and sinfulness.

God comes to the man and the woman at the breezy time of the day.

Perhaps it is evening and the sun is about to set...

the cool breeze is passing over the land...

the day is drawing to a close.

God did not want Adam and Eve to hide themselves.

He does not want us to hide ourselves from him either.

God will never leave the garden.

He will never abandon us even when we disobey his commands.

God comes to us at the breezy time of the day

even if that is when we lie upon our death bed.

When you are tempted by juicy fruit, disobeying God,

remember the 'Do Not Touch' sign.

God knows our weakness and he also knows the serpent 

of temptation can paint an inviting picture to entice us.

Just as Jesus opened the ears of the deaf he opens our hearts

 to see where we have touched and eaten the forbidden fruit.

With our hearts opened we can seek forgiveness...

and be convicted to turn away from our sins.

God Blesses us with his forgiveness.

He comes into the garden and calls to us.

~~~Peace~~~

The Influence of Fear

 

~~~ Good Friday ~~~

 

~~~Isaiah 52:13-53:12 ~~~ Psalm 31 ~~~ Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 ~~~ John 18:1-19:42~~~

 

Jesus is betrayed during private prayer in a familiar place...the garden.

A place that represented peace and safety...

a place that he had gone before to escape the crowds seeking him.

 

Judas his betrayer also knew the place,
because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.

 

His closest friend, Peter, is so paralyzed with fear

that he cannot admit even knowing Jesus.

 

Jesus speaks in a manner that confuses the authorities.

They cannot process the meaning of his words.

The guards who seized him in the garden

fell to the ground when Jesus responds to who they were looking for....

 

When he said to them, “I AM, “
they turned away and fell to the ground.

 

 

Only God can say I AM...This was since the time of Moses.

Exodus 3:14

Out of the burning bush God speaks to Moses.

He declares the ground to be holy.

God commissions Moses to lead his people out of exile

assuring him of his nearness.

Moses asks God by what name should he tell the people to call him.

 

God replied to Moses: I am who I am.

 Then he added: This is what you will tell the Israelites:

I AM has sent me to you.

 

The guards were well aware of this reference to God.

No one can claim to be God just by using the I AM words

without grave consequences.

God goes on to tell Moses that this is his name forever.

 

Brought before the authorities Jesus seems to speak to them in riddles.

They become more confused and

with each answer he gives to their questions.

 

My kingdom does not belong to this world...

 

Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

 

Finally Pilate succumbs to the raging crowd and consents to their demands.

Pilate acts out of fear that the people will riot and become uncontrollable.

As the crowd screams louder and louder

"Crucify him, Crucify him."

Pilate finally chooses to give them what they want.

 

...the Jews cried out,
“If you release him, you are not a Friend of Caesar.

 

This seals the fate of both Jesus and Pilate.

My Lord and God

this solemn day causes me to reflect on

who you are;

I AM.

Our Creator God is also our Saving God.

By your cross and resurrection you have redeemed the world.

Where is the Rich Soil?

~~~ Jeremiah 3: 14-17 ~~~ Psalm response Jer. 31 ~~~ Matthew 13: 18 23 ~~~

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Hear the parable of the sower.

The gospel today is one of the very familiar parables

about the seeds and what happens to them.

Jesus is giving his commentary on a previous teaching.

I like analogies they clarify things and make them relevant.

An analogy helps you to connect a story to your own life.

The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the Kingdom
without understanding it,
and the Evil One comes and steals away
what was sown in his heart.

If you sow your seeds on the path they will surely be trampled

by the footsteps of others. There is not any way to protect the seeds.

If you are on the path you are probably in transit...

you are moving along the path.

To create a path there must be previous usage of the same area.

Sometimes a path can be created by those ahead of you.

It is easy to take the existing path for granted.

How many times in our busy lives do we just hear the Word

without taking the time to understand?

Simply hearing the Word is not sufficient to sustain your soul.

The seed sown on rocky ground
is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy.
But he has no root and lasts only for a time.
When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word,
he immediately falls away.

If you leave the path you encounter the rocky ground.

The stones which you find here may have been intentionally

pushed aside in order to clear the path.

The seed which falls on this rocky ground is unstable.

You are more apt to lose your balance when walking on rocky ground.

The rocks roll and move around under your feet.

Things do not adhere to rocks they just slip off.

The seeds sown here among the rocks almost make it to the ground,

 but many do not.

These seeds lay on the surface not having any way to anchor themselves.

They cannot even send out roots, for if they do they will be met

with a harsh hard surface.

Our hearts can become like these rocks...hard and cold.

The Word of the Lord cannot penetrate into a heart as hard as stone.

When the Word cannot sends its roots into the heart

it is easily blown away by the winds of trials and tribulations.

These seeds seem to serve no long term purpose;

 so they are not cared for and are eventually swept away.

Receiving the Word with joy without letting it send

its roots deep within will also not sustain the soul.

The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word,
but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word
and it bears no fruit.

For years we had wild blackberries in the front flower bed.

These tenacious little vines are covered with tiny thorns.

They literally made it impossible to pull them up, so they flourished.

The birds came and fed on these wild blackberries.

They were not bothered by the thorns.

As these vines flourished they choked out the other flowers.

The thorns attach to the surrounding plant life binding them bound to the ground.

They strangle all vegetation near them.

It took many years before we were able to rid this bed of these blackberries.

When the Word falls among the thorns it is so difficult to get

past them that it is just easier to give up.

The thorns of worldly anxiety scares you into abandoning the rest of the garden.

You do not want to be pierced by the thorns so you practice avoidance of the Word. This avoidance fosters fear making the easy way out appear more attractive.

It is possible to remove the thorns with patience and perseverance.

Once the thorns are removed there is a much higher probability that

the rest of the garden will bear fruit.

But the seed sown on rich soil
is the one who hears the word and understands it,
who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirty fold."

The seed sown on rich soil.

How does one get the rich soil?

Do you just have the local dirt guy dump a truck load in your front yard?

How do you get rich soil in your heart?

In order to have rich soil it takes time, dedication, hard work.

Rich soil is tilled up and aerated. Rich soil has some nutrients mixed into the soil.

Rich soil drains well. The presence of a few earthworms

is another indication of rich soil. Rich soil does not just happen.

Rich soil is not on the beaten path...

Rich soil is not burdened with rocks...

Rich soil is not choked with thorns...

Rich soil is the ideal environment to yield positive results in your garden.

The better prepared the soil the more it will bear in the end.

So what do you want?

Are you safe on the path?

Can you just kick the rocks aside?

Can you avoid the thorns?

Will you risk being tangled in the thorns?

Are you willing to create the rich soil needed?

 Your heart yields the most when the Word falls on well prepared soil.

There you will find the 'rich soil'.