Thought for March 29, 2024

•  1798: Republic of Switzerland forms
• 1867: Congress approves building Lincoln Memorial
• 1932: Jack Benny premiers on radio
• 1943: Meat, butter and cheese rationed
• 1951: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg convicted of spying and sentenced to death
• 1961: 23rd Amendment ratified allowing D.C. residents to vote in Presidential elections
• 1971: William Calley convicted in My Lai massacre
• 1974: Terracotta army discovered in China
• 1976: 8 National Guardsmen indicted for Kent State shooting
• 1981: Louisiana Tech defeats Lady Vols in AIAW Championship
• 1982: "Chariots of Fire" wins Best Picture on the birthday of the music's composed, Vangelis
• 1987: Lady Vols wins NCAA Basketball Championship
• 1989: "Rainman" wins Best Picture
• 1998: Lady Vols complete three-peat
• 2020: Anthony Fauci warns of 100,000-200,000 Covid deaths in US
• Born: Santorio Sanctorius [invented thermometer], John Tyler, Cy Young, Eugene McCarthy, Man O' War, Sam Walton. John Belk [retailer], Walt Frazier, Earl Campbell, Kurt Thomas, Elle McPherson, Lucy Lawless, Jennifer Capriati
• Died: Charles Wesley, John Jacob Astor, Mark Hopkins, Gustavus Swift [meatpacker], Bill Travers, Johnnie Cochran, Patty Duke

On this date in 1887, Ray Palmer died. He was trying to get ready for the ministry in 1832--working days in a dry goods store, attending classes at Yale, and teaching classes at a girl's school. He was approached by Lowell Mason who was producing a hymnal and asked to contribute. Palmer was too tired to take on another assignment but gave Mason a poem he had written. So we have the hymn "My Faith Looks Up to Thee." You might sing that hymn this morning if you are feeling tired, overwhelmed, exhausted--look at the later verses--Lord give me grace to strengthen my fainting heart, inspire my zeal for You, help me love You purely with a living fire. Lord, wipe my tears away, turn darkness into day, and never let me stray. Lord, help me face death with love, without fear knowing You will bear me safely home. 

Thought: 

Today, I am looking at Luke 23:26-49. We have heard many sermons on this day when Christ was crucified, although I think it was Thursday. Today I am looking at the crowd and what they said to Jesus as He was dying for them. 

• 23:35--"He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One."
• 23:37--"If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself."
• 23:39--"Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us."

These mocking statements really raise the question, why did Jesus come? All the way back in His meeting with Nicodemus, Jesus announced that He came to give sinners life, eternal life, if they believed in Him. From the cross, Jesus says "Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." And the mocking of the soldiers and the crowd and the prisoner demonstrate that they did not understand. The crowd, the soldiers and the prisoner all urge Jesus to prove who He is by saving Himself. Prove that you are the Christ by saving Yourself. Prove that You are the Chosen One by saving Yourself. Prove that You are King by saving Yourself. They had it backwards--He did not come to save Himself. He came to save the crowd, the soldiers, the prisoner. But saving them meant He had to die in their place, for their sin, to cancel their debt. 

What can I learn from this---Jesus told me to take up my cross and follow Him. It is in dying to myself that I live. It is in dying to my wants that I find His will. It is is dying to my flesh that I receive His gifts of love, joy, peace, patience. If I try and save Larry's will, Larry's desires, Larry's attitudes, Larry's life---I cannot get the life He wants me to have. It is in dying that we really live. Maybe that's why Jesus told us that greater love has no man than to lay down his life for a friend. 

Many churches will have services today. Maybe I need to lay down my life again today--Romans 12 speaks to this---worship by presenting a living sacrifice. 

Blessings

Larry