You have all been in our thoughts and prayers. If there are special prayer requests please call or text me, pastor Carl, at (352) 870-7030 so we can get the word out to our congregation.
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Before we moved to Brazil in 1979, due to the evening news, Shirley and I carried a sense of destruction with us. There was so much being said about nucelar weapons, war and death that these thoughts entered our psyche and were frightening. To have survived one more day was a blessing.
Then suddenly, with a journey to South America, it was all gone. Of course the language changed and we did not speak Portuguese so that eliminated television. Once we were in language studies one of the first things our professors told us was:
1. Watch the evening news. Because the journalist speak perfectly with proper diction.
2. Watch the prime time evening Novella (Soap Opera) that lasted a few months, not 24-30 years, because you will learn slang, cursing and things they joke about.
As we learned the language, the stories of nucelar destruction did not exist much in Brazil.
Other things were more important so those tensions stopped. The culture was more relaxed. An evening meal in a restaurant went on for two or three hours and the bill did not come until it was requested.
Long before Brazil, I was very interested in other cultures. We learned that there is no one correct way to do things but rather a DIFFERENT way.
In Bulgaria, you shake your head back and forth to mean yes, not no. In many countries your left had is “unclean”.
Even if you are left handed, you don’t touch, eat or exchange money with your left hand. The mannerism you would use to hail a taxi in one country may be very rude in another. Smiling or looking at someone can be very disrespectful in a different country, even if though mother said, “I told you to look at me when I was talking to you!” Examples can go on and on. Many people from other world areas think North Americans are VERY rude for talking so loud. We cannot help it if we were advised, “Speak up, I cannot hear you!” Finally, in parts of China, India and Bahrain, a small burp after eating is to show appreciation for a meal a served. So who is correct?
All of that has been said because during biblical times, God’s people (the Jews), were often scattered and thrown into other cultures. They all became different due to association with other people. The Jewish “diaspora,” meant that they had been taken out of their homeland, Israel. “The first permanent Jewish diaspora was the settlement in Babylon created by Nebuchadnezzar’s deportations from Judah in the 590s-580.” Wars and turning away from God happened, causing another diasporas. In the time period of Jesus, many Jews, were living in Israel under Roman authority. Pilate wrote “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Judeans” and nailed to the cross for Christ’s crucifixion. Earlier encounters with Roman authorities, concerning his crucifixion, happened.
Jerusalem was a London or New York City of that era. Many peoples, languages and cultural mixes were a part of daily life. Paganism, Jewish life and those embracing the teachings of Jesus and various false prophets caused a noticeable mix of beliefs and cultural.
The Broadway play, “Fiddler on the Roof” set in the early 1900’s depicts the drastic change facing one Jewish family. This was pre-holocaust years.
God’s people have existed with hate and diverse reactions across their history. They changed much across the years. If you were to visit New York today you would find a huge variety of Jewish families from orthodox to very unorthodox.
It is hard for the Gentile community to realize that Jesus came to minister to them. His death came to include the Gentiles, as I spoke of last week. Now all mankind has a direct path to God. Paul’s letters are for new Christians and their problems and joys of embracing Christ as Messiah!
Now, take your bible, open it to Luke 24:13-35 and read this scripture slowly allowing it to sink in. Let God saturate your mind with this pre-Covid19, no self-distancing story.
What do you think the reason was that Jesus entered others traveling and broke into their conversation. The walk is about seven miles each way.
Ever since I was a teenager, I loved this story. If you ever have travelled by train along the Northeast corridor during a rush hour you soon realize that most of the commuters have a news paper or book to read. Rarely do they look at you to begin a conversation. I remember being warned, before taking the train from London to Warrington, that if I started to speak to the person facing me (some sets of seats face each other), it is quite possible they might respond, by tilting their head, looking above glasses and newspaper to dryly say, “Excuse me, I do not believe that we have been properly introduced!” Then they would return to reading. I would have quickly been shut out! Quietness would resume. But in this scripture, Jesus joined two men traveling to Emmaus. Through the power of God, these men did not recognize Jesus. “He asked them, 17. ‘What are you discussing together as you walk along?’ They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, ‘Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?’ 19 “What things?” he asked. ‘About Jesus of Nazareth,’” they replied.
Jesus literally started begged the question and the two men shared the Easter Story! This was one of the first proclamations of “Good News.” Then with his acting abilities Jesus, as they approached Emmaus, made it seem as though he was traveling further to see what would happen. Sure enough, the men invited Jesus to spend the night. Scripture does not say, but due to customs, Jesus probably was given water to wash his dusty feet. Then he was summoned to eat with them:
“30 When he [Jesus] was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.”
Talk about crazy strange, as he gave thanks those around the table saw him for who he was. Praise God! But then he was gone. No more questions, insights or staring at him….. GONE. Now the closing: “32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.”
What an ending. The hosts jumped up and returned to Jerusalem that evening.
If this happened to us now we would probably wait until morning to drive the seven miles to Jerusalem.
Those in the house asked each other, “were not our hearts burning while he spoke to us!” John Wesley stated in his testimony that when he heard the reading of the introduction to Romans, “His heart was strangely warmed.” I can personally state that when I was anointed for physical healing my body was warmed/heated while God was touching me.
My question, today is this; “During these days of stress, loneliness and illness, will you look to Jesus and be healed? Will you reignite your relationship with Christ? Does his presence still bring warmth or is it just a ‘word testimony’ without the real intervention of the living presence of Christ? Do you know “Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory?” Around 1968 the Church of the Nazarene had a quadrennial theme song for the Nazarene Young Peoples Society. I have racked and racked my mind but all I can remember are these words “Alive unto God am I and happy and free, Alive unto God am I ……..”
Now for your heart warming up-to-date testimony write and finish the statement, “Alive unto God am I _________________________
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If you desire, post what you wrote. Let others hear our exciting testimonies from many!
Dear Father, help us to be honest and open with our spiritual journey. Help us to learn how to be in renewal giving our fullest efforts in serving you. Be with us as we heal in our emotional and physical ways. Give us strength to move forward. Be with our family and friends. We look up to you, oh God, as we request these things in your holy name! Amen.”