the church of the
ascension
in the city of
new york
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Wednesday, March 11
Psalm 72 / Jeremiah 3:6-18 / John 5:1-18
Our country gained its freedom by overthrowing the rule of a king, and I have always had a problem with the concept of the "divine right of kings." As a Christian, I believe that there is only one King, and He derives his authority legitimately from God His Father. But in today's readings, from Psalms and Jeremiah, I am reminded that kingship was a part of life and an accepted concept during Christ's lifetime and for centuries to follow.
Psalm 72 anticipates the reign of a righteous king, a king who defends the cause of the poor and gives deliverance to the needy. The Psalmist asks that the king's name endure forever and that all nations call him blessed. We as Christians know that this anticipation and longing will be fulfilled in Jesus.
In Jeremiah 3, the Lord calls on the faithless children of Israel to return to Him, their God and King. The cross that comes at the end of our Lenten fast accomplishes this by gathering us all together as God's children with Christ's outstretched arms and lifting our eyes to God from whom our help comes.
In the Gospel reading from John 5 we are clearly called to forsake the rule of man. This call is embodied in Christ, demonstrated in his acts and spoken in his teachings. In the reading the Jews are furious that Jesus heals the sick man by the pool of Bethesda and instructs him to "rise, take up your pallet and walk." To them, the law to honor the Sabbath is of more importance than carrying out God's work. Christ reminds them that as children of God we must all strive to do the will of the Father. To paraphrase Dr. King, it is always the right time to do the right thing. Christ set the example that we are not to put our faith in our own strength nor in the might of horses or kings but in God, our rock and our salvation.
— David Lehmann
Our country gained its freedom by overthrowing the rule of a king, and I have always had a problem with the concept of the "divine right of kings." As a Christian, I believe that there is only one King, and He derives his authority legitimately from God His Father. But in today's readings, from Psalms and Jeremiah, I am reminded that kingship was a part of life and an accepted concept during Christ's lifetime and for centuries to follow.
Psalm 72 anticipates the reign of a righteous king, a king who defends the cause of the poor and gives deliverance to the needy. The Psalmist asks that the king's name endure forever and that all nations call him blessed. We as Christians know that this anticipation and longing will be fulfilled in Jesus.
In Jeremiah 3, the Lord calls on the faithless children of Israel to return to Him, their God and King. The cross that comes at the end of our Lenten fast accomplishes this by gathering us all together as God's children with Christ's outstretched arms and lifting our eyes to God from whom our help comes.
In the Gospel reading from John 5 we are clearly called to forsake the rule of man. This call is embodied in Christ, demonstrated in his acts and spoken in his teachings. In the reading the Jews are furious that Jesus heals the sick man by the pool of Bethesda and instructs him to "rise, take up your pallet and walk." To them, the law to honor the Sabbath is of more importance than carrying out God's work. Christ reminds them that as children of God we must all strive to do the will of the Father. To paraphrase Dr. King, it is always the right time to do the right thing. Christ set the example that we are not to put our faith in our own strength nor in the might of horses or kings but in God, our rock and our salvation.
— David Lehmann
