Tuesday, 03 April 2012

• Fruit of the Spirit and Holy Week

  By Sam at Creative Theology

  Our church just wrapped up a 5-month sermon series on the Sermon on the Mount. Yesterday, Paul Stewart preached on the fruit of the spirit being a result of abiding in God. Not something we can work at, but something that results from abiding in God. As an exercise, he had us write down the 9 gifts Paul (the apostle, not my pastor) references in Galatians. Then, we placed one of the following indicators, based on our self-assessment: S = superior, P = pretty darn good, and N = needs improvement.

  1. Love
  2. Joy
  3. Peace
  4. Patience
  5. Kindness
  6. Generosity
  7. Faithfulness
  8. Gentleness
  9. Self control

  It was a unique exercise, judging the qualities that result not from effort but from abiding in God. I instantly felt the tension of wanting to try really hard to improve my “scores” in both my eyes, and in the eyes of God. Of course, I’ll never get “good” at love, joy, peace, etc. unless I seek Christ above all things. Paul (pastor not apostle) presented the message in an equally convicting, comforting way. You can get the entire sermon here. It was an appropriate reflection for entering into Holy Week.

  Speaking of which…today is Holy Monday. Join me today in reflecting on the processional to Jerusalem during this Holy Week.

  Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages. ” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “ It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him. The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.

  This is a part of a series of daily reflections on the season of Lent.

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