Tribunal

"I do not know this man," Mark 14:71.

That was Peter's sworn testimony. About Jesus. He cursed by the warm fire outside while soldiers slapped and spit on and beat on Jesus inside for testifying he was God's son. Yep. Jesus confessed to that crime in the tribunal of man. Maybe Peter just had a momentary lapse. Forgot that Jesus had called him to the gospel; that Jesus had healed his family; that he had fed him; that he had given him miraculous powers; that he had paid temple taxes for him; that he had shown him unspeakable glory on the mountain. That Peter earlier, amazed, confessed: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God! Forgot he had promised a few hours ago to have Jesus' back all the way. Yeah. That was probably it. Just slipped his mind. And heart.

Meeting a brother or sister today we pay very close attention to the truth of Jesus, our Lord. And together we give humble thanks for the One who never betrays us, but ever is faithful.

Handbuilt

"Have you no answer to make?" Mark 14:60.

No. Jesus didn't. All sorts of testimonies sprang up against him at his first trial. But no two agreed. You can't condemn somebody on unsubstantiated charges. The best somebody came up with: He said he'd destroy the handmade temple and he himself would build a not handbuilt one. Still, no accord. That's when the high priest challenged with the question above. (Well, what do you say to lying testimonies? Nothing.) Exasperated, the priest then asked: Are you the Christ, Son of the Blessed One? Jesus said: Yes. Yeah. And that's why we killed him.

We meet a brother or sister today confessing Jesus as the Christ of God. And together we praise God that Jesus made the good confession here, there, and elsewhere for our salvation.

Kissy

"The one I will kiss is the man," Mark 14:44.

All sorts of secret signals and signs to get to the end. Jesus had set up his own passwords (remember?) to get to Gethsemane not until he was ready. Judas set up his kissy signal for the armed mob who had no idea what the man they looked for looked like. And God. God, of course. His password? The cross. God at work. Secretly. In the middle of the night when bad stuff happens. But nobody knew. He was there. In the midst. Yes, all sorts of subterfuge and fakes and deceiving and twists and turns moving in a straight line to the place called the Skull.

We visit with a brother or sister transparently today to share lives in Jesus. And together we give thanks to God for embracing us, his children, truly.

Pled

"He started to dread deeply and to to be distressed," Mark 14:33.

Who did? Jesus. Jesus? We thought he never worried about anything. Never anxious. Well. We thought wrong. He did. So what did he do about it? He prayed desperately. He invited his most closest friends to plead together in his most deepest agony. And, yes, they really wanted to. But just couldn't handle the intensity so they went to sleep. But he pled. Alone. He begged to be saved from the terrors ahead. Though he was heard by his Father, his Abba, the ordeal ahead held steadfast. So he gave it to God and went to the cross. That's what he did.

As we visit with a brother or sister today we give our own worries over to God. And we give him thanks in trust that God will ever honor Jesus' faithfulness for us.

Welcomed

"They all said the same," Mark 14:31.

Who said? Boldest of all, Peter. And then the other ten, too; James, John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (Alphaeus' son), Thaddeus, and Simeon (not Judas Iscariot - absented himself to betray). So what did these all say? Never to deny Jesus. Even under death penalty. But, in fact, they all, every last one of them, ran for their lives. But, in fact, after Jesus welcomed them back, every single one one of these lived out their lives serving their Lord to death.

We get together with a brother or sister today in reminder of our promises to follow. And together we give heart-broken thanks that God welcomes us back, too, when we've denied him.

Hymn

"They had sung a hymn," Mark 14:26.

Jesus and his eleven friends sang. What hymn do you sing when one friend has betrayed you, another before night's out will deny he's ever known you, and the rest run away from you for their lives? What hymn do you sing anticipating torture and execution? Really, Jesus, you sing a hymn? Really. What song? Maybe: We Shall Overcome? Or, We Are One in the Spirit? Or, Next Year in Jerusalem? No. A hymn is a praise song to God. Oh. Maybe: Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow. Yeah. Something like that.

When we visit today with a brother or sister we sing a hymn. And together we praise God in the midst of this broken world.

Collect

"I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God," Mark 14:25.

Jesus said that. He said it to his friends at their last meal together before he died. He said the bread they had eaten together was his body. He said the wine they drank together was his blood. His blood of the covenant. His blood poured out for many. And he said he said he'd drink it again only in the kingdom. Consider: When we fellowship together in communion, we commune together in his kingdom. His presence drinks with us. His is drink indeed. His body, spiritual food. His Spirit, giving life.

We collect with a brother or sister today to engage in fellowship with Christ. And in a new covenant together we celebrate God's mercy with thanksgiving.

Guestroom

"Where is my guestroom?" Mark 14:14.

That's part of the password phrase Jesus established on a need to know basis. He gave it only to two closest friends. In fact, he set up a series of secret events nobody else knew about: Go to town. Then meet a guy with a water jug. Then follow him. Then he enters some house. Then to the master of the house give the passphrase. Then the master reveals the room. Eating the Passover with his dozen closest friends served as the capstone of Jesus' ministry. He wouldn't go to the cross without it. He allowed no hostile to bag him prematurely. Teaching that evening happened nowhere else - establishing an eternal covenant with them. And with all people who learned about it through them.

As we meet with a brother or sister today we fellowship in that guestroom by his careful invitation. And together we offer thanksgivings for Jesus' now revealed secret to save us.

Opportunity

"He sought an opportunity to betray him," Mark 14:11.

He? Judas Iscariot. Him? Jesus. That's what Jesus' secrecy was about. Password for the donkey. Password for the space for the upcoming Passover. Sneaking out to Bethany in the evenings. Or to a park to pray. He wanted to finish everything he had to teach and do before he got caught by the temple authorities. The authorities were scared of the crowds so they had to grab Jesus when he was alone, and they had no clue where he was outside the crowds. Had to be an inside job. And they got it with Judas, a favorite of Jesus. They'd pay him for it. Not that he wanted money, of course. Maybe he would donate it all to some worthy charity. Yeah. That was probably it.

We visit a brother or sister today sobered by human betrayal and subterfuge. We give thanks together that God planned for Jesus' cross anyway.

Exquisitely

"She broke the flask and poured it over his head," Mark 14:3.

She who? Some random woman. Whose head? Jesus'. A flask filled with what? Pure nard. Well. That didn't help. What's nard? A very expensive (like, about $30,000, based on 2025 Alaska minimum wage) perfume concentrate from a Himalayan plant. (Yeah, India, up high in the mountains.) And she wasted it on Jesus? The whole thing. Couldn't she have fed, like, a thousand people for a month or two with it? I guess so. What a stupid woman! Yep. That's exactly what the good folk watching all this thought, too. But Jesus. He said: She's none of your business. Her beautiful work's getting me ready to die. You. You help the poor with what you've got. You. With. What. You. Have. You.

We meet with a brother or sister today and we give thanks for the only human, that stupid woman, who prepped Jesus so exquisitely extravagantly on our behalf for his sacrifice for all of us.

Controls

"But about that day or that hour, only the Father knows," Mark 13:32.

About what day and hour? The day when the upheavals Jesus detailed moments ago come to consummation. Nobody knows when that'll happen. No angel knows. Jesus doesn't. We not know. Only the Father calls the shots here. Nobody, but nobody else. God makes the end call. Suddenly. Skies, earth, all's gone within the generation. All except. Except Jesus' words. They stay. Whatever trial, he says - Stay ready. Stay on guard. Stay awake. One minute we were doing life's normal stuff. A blink later the hour struck us. Suddenly. But we're Ready! On guard! Awake!

We visit with a brother or sister today in wonder of God's sovereignty. And together we give thanks his love for us controls for that day and hour.

Collect

"Then he will send out the angels and gather his elect," Mark 13:27.

Man, O man! Jesus presses on with dire words relentlessly, doesn't he? So after the worst tribulation ever: When you run for your life, get out of town, escape to the mountains, barely flee with the shirt on your back, hope you're not pregnant or nursing a baby, or that it's not winter time. Yeah. After that time (spoiler alert: does not get better), the sun will go dark. The moon won't shine. Stars will fall. Sky powers will tremble. Then. (And only then.) Every one will see the Son of Man coming in clouds in power and glory. Then. (And only then.) He will send angels out to collect his chosen from wherever they've scattered in time and space. God bends every event to his order.

So we meet with a brother or sister today fixing eyes upon the Risen Christ. And together we give thanks that he will see us through every lousy event of this planet.

Limits

"If the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved," Mark 13:20.

What days? Those days ahead. In the worst distress ever. Yes, even from the beginning of time to its end. Who's cutting them short? God. God at work. And why does God cut short such tribulation? On behalf of his chosen people. Because God wants his people saved. And God knows even the elect can be overwhelmed without his intervention. Yep. False christs and false prophets would arise to lead astray, if possible, the chosen. But God. God will not allow. No. Never. God sets the limits to any distress that would destroy his own. Yes! We trust in him through our distress.

We visit with a brother or sister today to remember God interrupts distress development. And together we give thanks he is trustworthy to save us from anything.

Remains

"Whoever remains to the end will be saved," Mark 13:13.

Jesus is still answering his followers' question: When's the end? Temple's end? World's end? His answer: Just be ready, right now! For whenever it is. All sorts of troubles between now and then. Arrests in front of councils. In meeting halls. Governors. Kings. Brother against brother. Father against child. Child against parents. Hated. Put to death. All this, Jesus says, just because of Christ, faith in Christ. But when you face any of this, don't worry at all. The Holy Spirit will guide your words. Yes. And the Good News will be announced everywhere! Jesus will save the remains.

We visit a brother or sister today without worry of the end. And together we give thanks to God for his sure salvation in Christ.

Bothered

"Don't get all bothered when you hear about wars and rumors about wars," Mark 13:7.

Jesus said that. Too, he said nation will rise up against nation, kingdom against kingdom, earthquakes, famines. No, don't weird out by any of these things. They're barely the beginning of birth labors. Yeah, just to mention that all sorts of people will come saying they're God's answer to humankind. Sure - all that stuff's got to happen. But it's not the end of the world. Lots of people will get deceived, but don't you go astray. Pay attention to the right newscasters - announcers of the Good News! On guard!

When we meet a brother or sister today we refocus attention on God's power for salvation. And together we give thanks for the Good News of Jesus, our only Lord and Savior!

Monumental

"Not one stone, no, not one, will be left stacked on stone but will be overthrown," Mark 13:2.

What's Jesus talking about? talking about the annihilation of the temple with its monumental stones. (You can still see the massive foundation of the ancient temple campus, the Wailing Wall, in Jerusalem today - Google it.) But where's the glorious temple and its gorgeous outbuildings? Gone. Wiped off the quad. Like Jesus prophesied. Gone about 2000 years now. The temple did not recognize the time of His Visitation. It did not fulfill His design as a space of prayer for all nations. So God withered it away like the unfruitful fig tree before it.

We meet with a brother or sister today preparing each other for His next Visitation. And together thankful, we ready for His coming in the clouds to gift forever life.

Spreadsheets

"They all contributed out of their abundance," Mark 12:44.

Jesus shows God's deep interest in relative truth, despite humans' conflicted thoughts. Humans look at spreadsheets to decide who gets to call the shots. The bigger the dollars, the more a richer person can buy truth, ethics, and morals. Don't believe it? How many agencies lately, public or private, quickly dropped a perceived moral high ground of inclusivity in order to keep big dollars flowing into them? But God's not bought. He looks at the heart. And he notices when a nobody gives him next to nothing, but it was all she had to live on.

We visit a brother or sister today to share hearts and livelihood. And together we give thanks that God sees how we depend on him.

Cosplay

"They will receive the greater condemnation," Mark 12:40.

Says who? Jesus. About whom? The experts in religious law. Which experts? Oh, the ones that cosplay. That wear most excellent religious costumes in their role. That like to show off their religiosity with each other in public spaces. That get the best seats at religion showtime. Yeah. That prey voraciously on the goodwill of trusting folk. And that pray verbosely with lots of religious sounds. Watch out for them. They're the ones who get sentenced to hell way more so than others.

We visit with a brother or sister today careful to be real and not playacting. And together we give thanks that God made Jesus real in this world to bring us home for real.

Labyrinth

"How can he be his son?" Mark 12:37.

With all the tricky questions they laid on him, now it's time for a maze from Jesus. So. Jesus said that the law experts said that Messiah was David's son. Then Jesus quoted David: The Lord said to my Lord. I.e., David heard the Lord (Jehovah God) speak with David's Lord (Messiah). Then Jesus asked: how can Messiah be David's son if David calls him Lord - centuries before Messiah would be born? How can David hear God talking to David's unborn offspring at all? And how is it possible that David recognizes this son of his as his Lord? Nobody knows. Riddle. Labyrinth. Puzzle. Mystery. Jesus knows the answers. But he's not telling. Yet. Huge crowds liked the Q&A with Jesus.

When we meet with a brother or sister today we hear Jesus answering Yes to all the promises of God. And together we give thanks that God sent Christ from ivory palaces to camp out with us.

Near

"You are not far from the kingdom of God," Mark 12:34.

Who said that? Jesus. To whom? to a scribe. A super expert in all the writings of God's law. (Aren't these the guys usually opposed to Jesus' teachings? (yes)). Why did he say it? because the scribe answered him wisely. So what's the wisdom that places somebody near God's kingdom? This: 1. Love God with all you got. 2. Love your neighbor as yourself. 3. Those two are way more important than any religion. Wisdom. Jesus' wisdom.

We meet up with a brother or sister today to share in God's wisdom. And together we give thanks for Christ, the wisdom of God's heart.

Power

"They say there is no resurrection," Mark 12:18.

Says who? The Sadducees. Big Jewish denomination, powerful political influencers. Anyway. Here's their proof against resurrection: There was this woman, see, who married seven brothers in turn - they kept dying on her one after the other - but she never had a kid. She finally dies, too. Then they all get resurrected. Now, Jesus, tell us, whose wife is she? (That's it. Yeah. That was their best argument.) Jesus answers: You're a bunch of ignorants. You don't know. Don't know the Scriptures. Don't know God's power. (How is it that we humans, as smart as we are, keep on making boldly confident assertions about stuff we're clueless about, without even understanding what we're saying about it?)

Humbly, we meet with a brother or sister today seeking forgiveness for our arrogance. And on our knees together we give thanks to the only wise God powerful to make the dead live again.

Trap

"They sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to him," Mark 12:13.

Who sent them? The chief priests (and others). Sent to whom? Jesus. Why? To trap Jesus in his teachings. Why didn't the chief priests do it themselves? Because they were scaredy-pants. They feared the crowds who thought Jesus somebody special. So who'd they manipulate to go to him? Religious fanatics. Political fanatics. (just like modern times). What did these sharpies ask? This: Should we pay unpopular taxes? Jesus said: Give Washington the money stamped with Washington's image. And give God heart, soul, mind, and strength stamped with God's image.

We meet today with a brother or sister recognizing the image of God pressed into each other. And together we give thanks for Jesus alive in us by faith.