DAY 23: 20 days to E-day

TWENTY DAYS TO EASTER

Reading for Monday, March 15:
Matthew 21:28-32 & 33-46
Mark 12:1-12
Luke 20:9-19

I have to be out of town for tomorrow - so need to write my entry early. In reality, I started with the humor section, and have returned to write the rest after getting home from 'Bite of Missions.'

I will pre-warn any readers that we are going out of sync in the Bible texts the next several days. Sunday March 14 began the countdown from 3 weeks until Easter....21 days....but we are going to excerpt some portions 'out of sequential' time to tackle some of the stories surrounding Jesus final days. Then when we get down to about 9 days and counting, we will catch up with Him again and follow what he did his final days on earth while He - fully God - walked clothed in the garment of humanity.

Jesus parable of the two sons is straightforward. No need for explanation. I want to be like the obedient son who followed through. Jesus was making it very clear to the elite Jews that they in essence promise to work for God - but never follow through - - and that it is the riff-raff of their society who are hearing the truth and accepting it.

The other parable for today is repeated in all three synoptic gospels. A man buys a field; gets it all prepared for production; then rents it out to farmer-tenants. And the familiar story unfolds. As soon as Jesus was done with the story, the religious leaders understood immediately that Jesus was talking about them. The field is symbolic for their own country - and the multiple servants that were sent were all of the prophets who had come before. Now, at last, the Master of the land sends his own son - and the tenants conspire to kill him. Tney understand what he is saying - but rather than consider whether he might actually be the promised Messiah, the Son of Man, the Son of God...they seethe with anger and look for a way to arrest him. He is laying the foundation for what is to come - and providing a framework for those who come to believe to see that He was who He claimed to be.

But - even though He was fully God, the rejection hurt. He experienced the same pain we do - but even more intensely than we feel it - - for in all of our troubled times, we have one who walks with us through the storm. When we fall at His feet - - and fall on Him, the Stone the builder's rejected, we will be broken - - but in a good way. And He takes the clay of our lives, remolds it and makes a vessel He can use for His glory. Like the line in the movie 'Dances With Wolves:' good trade.


HUMOR FOR TODAY:

The Children's Bible in a Nutshell, continued (Part 2)
(This was purportedly written by a child who was asked to write a book report on the entire Bible.)

[The last post has part 1]

After Noah came Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jacob was more famous than his brother, Esau, because Esau sold Jacob his birthmark in exchange for some pot roast. Jacob had a son named Joseph who wore a really loud sports coat.

Another important Bible guy is Moses, whose real name is Charlton Heston. Moses led the Israel Lights out of Egypt and away from the evil Pharaoh after God sent ten plagues on Pharoah's people. These plagues included frogs, mice, lice, bowels and no cable.

God fed the Israel Lights every day with manicotti. Then he gave them his Top Ten Commandments. These include: don't lie, cheat, smoke, dance or covet your neighbor's stuff. Oh, yeah, I just thought of one more: Humor thy father and thy mother.

One of Moses' best helpers was Joshua who was the first Bible guy to use spies. Joshua fought the battle of Geritol and the fence fell over on the town.

After Joshua came David. He got to be king by killing a giant with a slingshot. He had a son named Solomon who had about 300 wives and 500 porcupines. My teacher says he was wise, but that doesn't sound very wise to me.

After Solomon there were some Major League prophets. One of these was Jonah, who was swallowed by a big whale and then barfed up on the shore.

There were also some Minor League prophets, but I guess we don't have to worry about them.

[Part 3 next time....]