Jesus: Shepherd and Trailblazer

 "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want,."

(from Psalm 23)

Psalm 23 highlights God's comfort and care also inviting us to connect with the deeper radical claims confronting our experiences of suffering, fear, hostility, and alienation.

The rural comparation connects strongly with Christians, especially in seeing Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Pointing to God’s ongoing blessing and presence.

Awareness of Psalm 23 can hide new meaning in the Psalm.

Careful study reveals it as a journey from rest through valleys, always guided by God.

For example, there is a real “Valley of the shadow of death” known as the Wadi Qelt.

steep-sided desert valley (wadi) in the Judean Desert, extending from near Jerusalem to Jericho. Known as a "valley of the shadow of death" due to its steep, treacherous terrain, considered the setting for the Good Samaritan parable.

Travelers on the dangerous 7-mile journey from Jerusalem to Jericho could expect to be beaten and robbed.

Jesus is seen as the trailblazer of the paths of righteousness guiding us towards right relationships with both God and each other.

According to the psalm, these righteous paths don't simply connect the green pastures to the house of the Lord.

Instead, they pass through the valley of the shadow of death".

Rather than enemies, "goodness and mercy" pursue the psalmist, and "dwell" might be better interpreted as "return," suggesting ongoing pursuit of God's presence.

“Paths of righteousness” refer to living in a way that honors God and maintains relationships.

 Jesus the trailblazer guides us through the paths of righteousness, even in hardship to God’s continuing blessings 

Hope in Unexpected Twists and Turns

Hawk's Nest Overview

" Now on that same day 

two of disciples were going to a 

village called Emmaus, 

about seven miles[ from Jerusalem, 

and talking with each other 

about all these things that had h9appened." 

(from Luke 24:13-35)

The Hawk’s Nest is a scenic, cliff-hanging stretch of NY State Route 97 offering dramatic views of the Delaware River.

 Originally a one-lane dirt road built in 1859, it is known for bald eagle sighting, scenic overlook, and its twists and turns.

 "Just as the Hawk’s Nest Road winds unpredictably, so too do our days.

 For example, one day started off unpredictably, with the electrician arriving at 7:30, followed by the plumber at 8:30, and then a sincere thank you note delivered in person at 9.

 "Our current polarized society creates complex, unexpected twists and turns that are difficult to navigate."

The Emmaus Road story is one of hope in times of twists and turns. 

The first unexpected twist and turn happen a grieving disciples discuss what has just happened, hoping to make sense, when Jesus himself joins them on their journey.

 The unexpected twists and turns continue as Jesus, using Moses and the prophets, explains the necessity of him being lifted into glory.

 In yet another unexpected twist and turn, when the disciples offer to host a meal for their guest, Jesus reverses the event and hosts the disciples by offering and sharing bread.

 Finally, when Jesus takes, blesses, and shares the bread, everything changes, because in this simple act at an ordinary table we get a glimpse of Jesus’ transformative kingdom.

 The hope in our unexpected twists and turns is that when the bread is blessed, broken and shared, we see that Jesus has been with us all along.

God is with us always in our unexpected twists and turns.

Our Potion and Cup

'Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;

you make my lot secure.

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

surely I have a delightful inheritance."

(from Psalm 16)

As I sat at the breakfast table this morning enjoying my cup of coffee, I watched two blue birds, several sparrows, a Downey woodpecker, and the usual band of deer make their appearances."

Just as a cup holds what sustains us, I choose the Lord to fill my life with meaning and strength each day."

When I am looking for a closer, more intimate connection, I read from the Psalms because

    “the Lord is my chosen portion and cup”

Some Psalms I read over and over, while others I return to less frequently, but each time I reflect on them, my relationship with the Lord deepens.

For example, Psalm 16 has comforted me during difficult times, reminding me that I am never alone

This has been true for centuries, as the psalms describe the Lords actions in people’s lives, especially in troubled times

While the Psalms offer a vision of fulfillment rooted in spiritual connection, our society often defines the “cup of good life” through material desires and temptations, such as greed and lust.

The Psalms gentle and heartfelt intimacy has encouraged me to trust, even when I feel uncertain or afraid.

The Psalms language—along with the thoughts and emotions guiding the Psalms—fosters a unique sense of closeness, a gentle and heartfelt intimacy that invites us to experience God's presence more deeply

Gradually letting go of material possessions and worldly desires until nothing remains but a connection with God is the fullness of life, the experience of complete joy."

"Many of great saints of the church have found that as they release attachments to material things, their lives become richer in meaning and happiness."

The Psalms tell us that “when the Lord is our chosen cup” God always meets our needs.

Resurrection Moments

 To trap Jesus, the Sadducees who don’t believe in resurrection, asked complicated question about a widow who’d   been married seven times according to Moses Law.

Sadducees ask, “Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”

Jesus states they are wrong because they do not know the Scriptures or God's power.

He explains that in the resurrection, people neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

Earthly marriage systems, Jesus says, don’t apply to the resurrected state.

The Sadducees basically asked an uninformed question.

Over the years I preached on the Resurrection that as a Christian you must believe it

 Resurrection is something you conveniently declare during worship.

Jesus’ resurrection isn’t something we completely understand.

Caroline Lewis tells of the time, after a lecture a woman spoke to her saying, “My cup was empty. Today was my road to Emmaus.”

The “empty cup”, I think, refers to believing, declaring, and understanding.

The Road to Emmaus” she referred to, I feel is a story of the beginning of her journey.

It was her experience, her resurrection moment.

Resurrection moments change life.

 Samaritan woman at the well, the healing of the man born blind, the raising of Lazarus, change one from death to life, darkness to light.

Resurrection means encountering Jesus, being called out of darkness, and sharing a meal with him.

When we are experiencing darkness or an “empty cup”, Jesus calls us into the light to walk and dine with him, to have a resurrection moment.