I don’t know exactly what Nicodemus was expecting when he came to meet with Jesus that night. Nicodemus was a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, and he acknowledged that even though the Sanhedrin opposed Jesus, they knew that he was a teacher sent from God.
It has been well said that from our perspective, there are three kinds of answers we can receive to our prayers. Sometimes, God answers, “Yes,” and he gives us what we have asked for. Sometimes, God answers, “No,” and he gives us something better than what we asked for. And sometimes, God answers our prayers, saying, “Yes, but not yet,” and we are left to wait for our requests to be fulfilled.
In the middle of our text is the little word “zeal.” A relatively benign little word. Zeal is defined as “great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective.” Sounds like a pretty good thing. It’s when you get into some of the words derived from “zeal” that things begin to take a turn.
Do you have a favorite Lenten hymn? Maybe it seems a little out-of-place to speak of a “favorite.” There are so many good ones! To ask you to name your favorite is like asking which of your children is your favorite child. But we like what we like. From the time I was a little boy “Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain” has been one of my favorites. Which ones do you like?
In the Old City of Jerusalem, there is a route marked out known as the Via Dolorosa. Via Dolorosa means “Sorrowful Way” in Latin, and this route called the “Sorrowful Way” has been suggested as the path the Savior may have walked when he went from his sentencing under Pontius Pilate to his execution outside the city on a hill known as Golgotha. In total distance, the Via Dolorosa measures about 2,000 feet.
In these Wednesday services throughout the season of Lent, we will be taking time to consider some of the psalms which our Savior quoted. Specifically, we’ll be considering psalms which he quoted during the week of his passion.
Our text for this morning is really a little bridge. It connects two major events in Jesus’ ministry. Just before our text we have the baptism of Jesus. That was the day Jesus was introduced to the world as the Messiah, the Christ. A new King was anointed! Immediately after our text, this newly anointed King begins his public ministry. He announces the nearness of the Kingdom of God: The kingdom of God has come near! (Mark 1:14)
John 14:1-3
14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
Magdalena’s funeral was held at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church on Thurs., Dec. 10 at 1:00 p.m. Following the funeral, her body was committed to the ground at Onalaska Cemetery, there to await a glorious resurrection at the return of Jesus Christ.
The funeral service was recorded at St. Paul’s in Onalaska, WI. stpaulsonalaska.org.
