Estill, Joe 5

Scripture: John 1:1 (NIV) - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Message: In my vision, most Israelis in Jesus' time were religious villagers and small town dwellers, and like Joseph and Mary, lived by the Law as well as they could. They were farmers, merchants, weavers and house builders (carpenters). They supported their local synagogue and endeavored to travel to Jerusalem on feast days 7 times a year. Goods often changed hands by bartering. Villagers knew who had the honest scales and measures. This was Jesus' world. His earthly father taught Him the house building trade. I like to think Joseph and Jesus built houses with square corners and plumb walls better than anyone in Nazareth. He also was an outstanding student of the Hebrew Bible. Who was His Rabbi? The Bible doesn't tell us, but His Father in Heaven imparted wisdom from above and gentle Mary was His confidant and coach in how to relate to others.

When His time for ministering came, He had no trouble getting disciples to leave their nets and go fishing for men, and He persuaded a tax collector to leave his business to join Him. The disciples were helpers of a vagabond preacher. People flocked to this charismatic prophet. For 3 years it went this way, but then the Spirit led Him to Jerusalem.

Jesus was not new to Jerusalem, but He continued to preach love and forgiveness, according to His new Law, not the ritual Law. He criticized the scribes, the priests and the Pharisees. Finally, they put Him on trial where He stated He was the Son of God. This was heresy! A few, like Nicodemus, believed in Him, but the high priest wanted to kill Him, but had no authority. So they arranged a trial before Pilate to hear Jesus say He was the King of the Jews. Palestine was a Roman province of which Caesar was emperor and Pilate had the authority to have Jesus executed. The Romans crucified Him. That was Friday, and we know Sunday's a-comin'. That's my story. It's more than a Lenten story, but "I Love To Tell The Story, The Old, Old Story', Because I Know Tis (Still) True."¹

Prayer: Lord, as we approach Lent we pray for Your guidance to keep us focused on Jesus' example. His message is our inspiration and our command. Amen.

Joe Estill (deceased)

1. “I Love to Tell the Story” by Katherine Hankey. 1868. Public Domain.

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Scripture: Luke 12:35-37a (NIV) – “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.”

Message: Staying home nearly all the time can easily become fretful. We feel like crying: “How much longer, Lord, will we have to live like this. I’m not sick. I'm ready to get on with my life.” But there’s a reason we need to stay in. By cooperating with CDC instructions – sick people need to isolate, or go to hospital and the rest of us stay six feet apart and not congregate – the wave of illness will likely pass.

We are fortunate to have Pastor Mike Luzinski, musicians and technical people who broadcast worship services to us on FaceBook. If you didn’t like FaceBook before, now you have a broadcast you can appreciate! If you need help connecting to FaceBook, find a grandchild, or a techie to help you. Tonight we commemorated the Last Supper Christ shared with His apostles through the on-line Maundy Thursday, Holy Feast that Pastor Madeleine led. There’s no reason to miss church, even while you’re at home.

We don’t know how long this sequestering will last, but staying in touch (figuratively) with friends and family will help time pass. We need to be as watchful and awake as those servants in the scripture above, ready to spring back to action when this confinement passes. It will be wonderful to gather in worship as a congregation again with music from choir and bell choir; this will be a major step to normalcy. It will be like the rising of Christians from the catacombs which eventually led to cathedrals. We are charged to carry the Word at home and abroad and to “know the love of Jesus Christ and PASS IT ON!

Prayer: Lord, we praise Your Holy Name and thank You for giving us life, health and strength to carry Your Word to Maitland and beyond. We thank You for the many friends and the Pastors we have at Asbury. We pray for Pastor Cameron (now deceased) to be restored to health and for Pastor Mike to continue to be inspired as he carries on the many duties thrust upon him. Amen.

Joe Estill (deceased)

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Scripture: Psalm 95:1-2 (NIV) - "Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song."

Message: Saint Nick, fir trees, animals in a stable and gift exchanges are examples. December 25^th is a traditional date, not historically accurate. These traditions originating from early church fathers, possibly pagan converts, mostly from northern Europe, were embellished over the years to become our modern Christmas festival. Throw in department stores and the office party and we have the secular "Xmas" festival celebrated by nearly everyone.

We, as believers, have our own tradition which is to proclaim that Christ is our reason for Christmas, and we celebrate Him in our lives and actions the whole year around and every year. Yes, we give gifts. Each gift reminds us that Jesus gave us the greatest gift - the gift beyond price, the gift of new life traded for our sins. And we sing. We proclaim His birth with special choral and instrumental performances and give praise with our joyful noise. JOY TO THE WORLD, CHRIST IS BORN TODAY!

Prayer: Lord, we thank You for the gift we celebrate at Christmas: Your Son, born to Mary in Bethlehem long ago, but dear in our hearts always. Bless the children and help us to be upright examples in their eyes as they grow in their Christian journey. We ask this in His blessed name. Amen.

Joe Estill (deceased)

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Scriptures: Matthew 2:1-2 - (NIV) – “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’”

Matthew 2:11-12 (NIV) – “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”

Micah 5:2 (NIV) – “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clansof Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

Message: The Magi came to Jerusalem to find the king foretold by following His Star. They inquired of King Herod where they might find this new king. The old despot called priests and scribes, who knew that the prophet Micah predicted a king would be born in Bethlehem of Judea (Micah 5:2). So the Magi went to the village of Bethlehem and found the child at His parents' home.

They worshiped Him and bestowed valuable gifts, but most importantly, they departed by a different way without telling Herod. Because of their actions, Joseph and Mary could carry the blessed child to a safe place. These wise men saved Jesus!

Of course, we are privy to the rest of the story each year celebrating Christmas, mourning at Good Friday, then celebrating Easter. But what is our duty to honor Christ the King at Christmas? Shall we shower our loved ones with treasures, or is it our charge to save Jesus from the holiday hype and praise Him above the commercial clamor?

Yes, we must proclaim Christ in Christmas to everyone we encounter, especially the secular crowd we rub shoulders with. It's the birth of baby Jesus we celebrate!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, let me be bold enough to proclaim You to those I encounter this Christmas season. Amen.

Joe Estill (deceased)

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Scripture: Matthew 23:39 (ESV) – “For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Message: During Lent the emphasis of most essays and sermons is on Christ’s passion and the events of Holy Week and their meaning. Remember, though, that Jesus told, or tried to tell, His disciples what was going to happen that week and beyond.

In Matthew 23:37, Christ is weeping for the innocents of the Holy City, but as we know, the religious powers will see that their “justice” is done. And in verse 39, He predicts: “For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Mark says in 13:9-13 that Jesus is trying to tell His followers of the sometimes bitter cost of discipleship. Lent is remembrance of what Christ went through, yet our longer view is remembrance that He foretold that we, as disciples, could be called to share His agony.

Luke tells us again that the disciples did not understand. Sometimes we can be as deaf to plain words as were the disciples. Jesus told them plainly, but they listened without hearing.

John, The Elder, tells in 16:2-6 that Jesus tried to show the future to the disciples just as Isaiah, ages before, had predicted: the rough places would be made plain and the high places be brought low. But Isaiah’s lofty poetry doesn’t match the reality of the persecutions that were to befall the disciples of our Lord. Jesus, in contrast to Isaiah, spoke the plain truth.

We can take away in this Lenten period that Jesus, the prophet, tried to tell His followers what to expect, but His words were lost to them. We, enlightened as we are and equipped with The Word, need to listen and hear and pray for understanding.

Prayer: Father, remind us during this Lenten season to listen, so that we can hear and heed the plain truths that apply to us. Amen.

Joe Estill (deceased)
(first published Lent 2014)

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