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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion March 14, 2005 Ouch! |
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FRONTLINE DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2005 by Fritz
Foltz
Matthew
26: 31-35
This is one of those very difficult lessons. We hear Jesus predict tough times
when his followers will abandon him. When people say such things, we usually
tell them not to be so negative. Things can not be that bad.
So Peter and all the other apostles tell Jesus to lighten up. They shall all be
there whenever he needs them. Peter is especially adamant that he will be loyal
to his last breath.
Ouch! We know what happens. They all abandon him, and Peter becomes the classic
example. Before the next dawn he denies he even knows Jesus not one but three
times. Survival becomes the priority when the chips are down.
The lesson makes clear Jesus will never desert us. Even as the apostles weakly
pledge their allegiance, Jesus promises he is ready to give his life for them
and promises he will be there for them even beyond death. They will meet again
in Galilee even though they fail him now.
After Jesus’ resurrection survival lost its power for these same people. Many
of those early Christians were ready to die for their faith. The Church was
built on their blood.
We see a perverted form of that powerful kind of witness each day as Muslim
suicide bombers kill people in Iraq. Many respond this is sick. And it is in the
sense that in their death, they are killing others. It is also pathetic when the
suicide bomber is a young person manipulated by others who convince her or him
to do the dirty work.
However, being willing to die for our faith is not sick. Christians believe
there are more important things than personal survival. The lesson warns us to
be careful when we take promises of loyalty until the last breath lightly. We
are called to follow Christ, and we can never tell when it might involve taking
up our own crosses.
Let us pray: Grant us the courage of our convictions, Lord, that our words might
never be empty but might match our actions. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry on the "Frontlines" of the world. Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily. Sign up by clicking on the box to the left. Pastor Dave welcomes feedback. Contact him at pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org. |
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