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“As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them” (Luke 24:15)

Have you have ever journeyed with an unexpected stranger? In Luke 24 we read about two disciples who are accompanied by one “they were kept from recognising” (verse 16). He took interest in them and asked questions, as they discussed everything that happened prior to this journey – presumably the life and teaching of Jesus, as well as their experience of His death, crucifixion and missing body. He rebuked their foolishness and disbelief in verses 25-27 but was invited to stay with them regardless (verse 28). Perhaps they were concerned for His welfare? They certainly recognised something significant about Him and His heart burning Word (verse 32). Of course, this stranger was no stranger at all. He was their Friend, Master and King; the crucified and resurrected Lord Jesus. Eventually He was revealed to them, breaking bread and sharing it with them in a very familiar and symbolic act (verse 30). This story causes me to remember that Jesus walks with us, whether we recognise Him or not. He listens, even to our disbelief, and speaks words of life and truth. Recognise His presence with you today and listen for His heart burning guidance as you live for Him.

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“Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.”

(John 20:15-18)

Mary Magdalen’s encounter with the risen Jesus contains important revelation about the nature and scope of the resurrection. It was:

· Historical, happening at a moment in time and space

· Shocking, Mary’s first experience was of the risen absence of Jesus from the grave

· Comforting, an anticipation of the day when weeping and mourning will be over

· Physical, Mary hugged Jesus and had to be told to let go

· Personal, “Woman” becomes “Mary”, “Sir” becomes “My Teacher”

· For Everyone, evidenced by the choice of a lowly woman with a questionable past as the first witness and messenger

· Transforms Death, with both progressive and retrospective implications for those who follow Jesus

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“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: “He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.” Now I have told you.’” (Matthew 28:5-7)

What a moment this must have been for those women and so dramatic in nature. Their hearts and minds must have been all over the place. What would have been your emotions? Theirs were twofold:

First, they were afraid. We may have become familiar with fear in recent months – fear to leave the home, fear to be in the company of others, fear to enter shops or even churches. The fear in these women was not only for themselves but for the whereabouts of Jesus’ body they had so servant heartedly come to anoint.

Their second emotion is joy. Not only did their Master and Friend rise from the dead, but He proved Himself to be the long awaited Messiah and Saviour in doing so. Fulfilling Old Testament prophecy and His own predictions concerning the Son of Man. Rightfully the realisation of this salvation plan brought joy to the women in Matthew 28 but equally should give joy to every one of us because we, as Paul put it in Ephesians 2, were once dead in our transgressions and sins but by the grace of God have been and can be made alive with Christ! Hallelujah!

Let’s allow the joy of His resurrection to overflow in us and lead us to the worship He deserves for defeating sin and death in exchange for life in all its fullness. One day we will all be reunited with our Creator, He will judge the living and the dead, and in that moment how will our emotions compare with those of the women in Matthew 28? Will we be afraid? Afraid for our own salvation? Not having really known Jesus or having lived in accordance with His will? Or will we know joy? Because our time has arrived to not only gaze upon the Saviour and clasp His feet, but live with Him in the promised eternal life of His Kingdom.

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“A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!’” (Matthew 21:8-9)

What’s going on in this familiar passage? Well, I want to draw on two particular narratives. The first is the story of worship. As Jesus makes His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, we read about the very large crowd (in verse 8) who spread their cloaks on the road, cut branches from the trees and shouted words of worship over Jesus quoted from Psalm 118. This act of worship was joyful and, according to the parallel Gospel of Luke, would have been declared by the stones should human voices be silent (40). Because this Jesus is the fulfilment of Old Testament prophesy in Zechariah 9:9 concerning the Messianic King. But the second is more solemn, the story of suffering. It strikes me, that in the midst of this joyful worship and shouting, Jesus passes through what will be the place of great future agony – the Mount of Olives and garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane in Hebrew means “olive press,” and it was probably an orchard of olive trees with a press for extracting oil that gave the place it’s name. It spoke powerfully of the Messiah’s commission as King to be pressed and crushed for the salvation and ransom of many as prophesied in Isaiah 53. Jesus needed in Gethsemane, not only the company of His Heavenly Father but the company and prayers of His friends. This triumphant entry reminds us that Jesus is absolutely worthy of our worship and questions whether we are prepared to lay down our lives for Him? But also passing through our own agony during covid-19, asks whether we can support one another as we all find healing and strength for the road ahead.

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“Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Your father and your brothers have come to you, and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock.’” (Genesis 47:5-6)

We see within this passage not only the rich settlement of Joseph’s father and at least 69 other members of his family in Egypt but the lofty commission to care for Pharaoh’s livestock. We read in verses 6 and 11 about the land and property given to Josheph’s family by Pharaoh. Goshen, as some suggest, was well watered, fertile and yet away from the centers of Egypt’s activity. And we read in Genesis 47:6 and 11 that this rich settlement was “in the best part of the land”. The lofty commission of Joseph’s family was (in verse 6) to care for the livestock of Pharaoh. And this was an important role, especially in a time of scarcity and entering smoothly into the community without alienating and taking jobs from their host nation. Noticeably, Joseph’s family were ready to serve. This story has something to say (I believe) about our own rich settlement and lofty commission, with repentance and faith in Christ Jesus. The prospect of rich settlement in God’s kingdom and adoption into His family (Colossians 1:13-14 and Hebrews 9:15). The invitation to serve Jesus with various lofty commissions given in the Gospels (Mark 12:30-31, Luke 9:23 and Matthew 28:19-20). But are we ready to serve? Whether it is during this liminal space or after it? And how?

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“Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.” (Genesis 45: 4-7)

Joseph finally reveals himself to his terrified and repentant brothers. They expect punishment and anger after their treatment of Joseph many years before. Instead, they find grace, forgiveness and love.

Through Joseph, Chapter 45 reveals much about the heart of God for us:

A God of Grace – Perhaps we expect punishment and anger when we come close to God. Instead, we find undeserved love, forgiveness and grace.

A God of Restoration – God redeemed the repentant brother’s sin to save their lives and the lives of others. Nothing in God’s hands is wasted when we are in right relationship with him.

A God of Abundance – The brothers are given more exceedingly abundantly above all they could ask or imagine. Family, land and provision. God is the author of generosity and abundance, giving his beloved son to die for us. He asks we do the same, pouring out our lives, hearts and best products to Him.

A God of Resurrection – Jacob’s precious sons are all alive, as are his promises and dreams from God. We worship a God who brings life from death. We ask Him to breathe life into what we thought we had lost during the last year.

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Genesis 43:30, “Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there. After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, ‘Serve the food.’”

When reading Genesis 42 and 43, it was the reunion of Joseph with his brothers that particularly stood out to me. We read here about two very different reunions caused by famine in Canaan but fulfilling dreams spoken about in Genesis 37 as Joseph’s brothers “bowed down to him with their faces to the ground” (42:6 and 43:26). In the first reunion, we encounter a fairly suspicious Joseph who treated his brothers “harshly” (42:7). He falsely accused his brothers of being spies and imprisoned them for three days before releasing all except Simeon. The second reunion was quite different however. On arrival to Egypt, harsh words were replaced with generous hospitality and a feast in the governor’s residence. As I have considered this tale of two reunions, I have come to reflect on the liminal space that we have encountered during this pandemic and especially the latest winter lockdown. Many of us have been deprived of precious reunions at Christmas and have the hope of these reunions as restrictions are lifted in the coming weeks and months. As this liminal space draws to a close, perhaps this tale causes us to consider what these moments of reunion could be like – heavy in suspicion and harsh words or moments of rich hospitality and even joyous weeping? And perhaps we need to consider our certain reunion with Christ. Do we really know and love him or do we need to be reunited with Him before it is too late.

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“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6: 18-20)

Both Joseph and Jesus went through times of considerable trials and temptations. Both emerged victorious and without sin, as God was with them.

Joseph fled from sexual temptation at the hands of Potiphar’s wife by literally running out of the house, leaving his cloak in her hand.

All Christians who follow in the footsteps of Christ will come up against times of testing and temptation. It is not a bad thing for us, producing perseverance and refining our faith (James 1: 2-4)

However, we need to use God-given strategies through the Holy Spirit to withstand temptation.

Joseph and Jesus modelled a tenacious focus, love and obedience for God. Joseph cried out “how then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” Our “yes” to the surpassing worth of Christ is vastly superior to that to which we say “no”.

Jesus demonstrated the importance of fasting to battle temptation. We need the life given by God and His word more than physical nourishment.

Finally, we must keep accountability with Christian brothers and sisters, knowing we all face these battles and not allowing Satan to shame us into silence and isolation.

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“His brothers said to him, ‘Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?’ And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.” (Genesis 37:8)

Before we get into this passage, let me first explain what we mean by the series title, ‘Liminal Lent’. ‘Liminal’ means ‘threshold’ – the space in-between two different places or seasons, with the past very much behind and the ‘new’ not yet clear. Lent is a liminal space and of course we find ourselves in a liminal season now. But we will discover in the example of Joseph that he too experienced a significant liminal season, between dreams much later fulfilled. Two dreams in Genesis 37 concern the reign of this loved and yet hated young man, specifically over his immediate family as “the prince among his brothers” (Deuteronomy 33:16). Perhaps understandably, the reaction to these dreams was pretty strong. Joseph had already experienced favouritism from his father Jacob and loved more than any of his other brothers but these dreams further elated Joseph and hate to rise in his brothers. They planned to kill Joseph but eventually stripped him and threw him into an empty cistern before being sold. With his life sustained however, his dreams were kept alive. You may have dreams yet fulfilled, perhaps due to this recent pandemic and liminal season. But as we remember the example of Joseph, keep on dreaming for God will work His purposes out.

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“When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, ‘Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’” (Acts 21:12-13)

We find the closing chapters of Acts to focus on Paul and his journey to Jerusalem before finally settling in Rome. In Acts 21 words are exchanged between Paul and some disciples in Caesarea, with two particularly striking narratives in the scene. The first, is the church’s love for Paul. As the people pleaded with him not to go to Jerusalem and following a prophetic warning through Agabus.  But second, is Paul’s determination to serve God despite the warnings. He says in verse 13, “I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Wow, what an example. Are we prepared to do the same? But the book closes with a surprising and inconclusive ending as Paul witnesses in his rented house, proclaiming the kingdom of God and about the Lord Jesus Christ. For Gavin and Anne Calver, as well as other Bible commentators, this serves as a challenge to past, present and future believers to follow Paul and play our part in the mission of God. We are invited to write the next chapter and so may we respond with the words of Isaiah, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).