Easter: Monday, April 14, 2008

Old Testament Lesson

Exodus 32:1-20

The thing that is most amazing about this passage is that Moses was up on the mountain, literally in front of their eyes.  If they just would have looked up to the mountain, they would have seen the very presence of God.  Instead, they choose to look down at their circumstance, at their fear, at their desire, and they wound up worshiping idols.  All because they didn't see what was right their in front of them. 

In life sometimes we get so focused on all the stuff going on around us that we can lose our way.  Instead of looking up to God, we look down at our circumstances. And just like the Israelites, we can think that God is not there with us. All we have to do is look up.  Open our eyes, open our ears.  Let the Holy Spirit speak. And, we will know that He is there. Today, let us look up, and know our God is with us.  

New Testament Lesson

Colossians 3:18-4:18

One of the boundaries that we are to treat everyone by in the faith is to be fair. To treat everyone the same. To treat everyone with love and respect.  To, as our Lord said, do unto others as we would have them do unto us.  We see that notion here in this passage. Each person here is suppose to treat one another with the respect that is due a child of God.  So today, let us treat one another as we would like to be treated.  

Gospel Lesson

Matthew 5:1-10

We see here in this passage that the blessings aren't alway to who we think that they may be. The blessings are to those that turn their hearts to God. And blessings themselves are not always what we think they may be.  The truest blessing is that close walk with God, and blessings that go with a heart that is close to God. For then we see that the truest blessings come from God. Today, may we realize how blessed we are