The Gospel of IDD

Easter Eve               Precious in the sight of the  Lord   is the death of his faithful ones. Psalm 116:15               My daughter was a typical peer in a preschool class for special needs children.   She was an ideal fit as she was used to living with someone on the spectrum.   She was gracious and outgoing, verbal enough for two children and she made friends easily.   As happens with little kids, she got sick one day and had to stay home from school.   We found out that her best friend in the class also got sick and had to stay home.   She got better.   He didn’t.   He had a lot of physical challenges and his little body was not able to fight off the complications that came with the virus.             How do you explain death to a four year old? ...

The Pearl of Great Price               “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.   Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. Matthew 13:44-46               Two men find treasure, treasure so amazing that it is worth all that they have and more.   One of the men knew what he was looking for; he was a collector of fine pearls who was accomplished at studying and evaluating pearls for the tiniest of flaws.   He searched everywhere that he could, pursuing that one, elusive, perfect pearl.   When he finally found it he sold everything that he had in order to be able to buy it and considered the exchange to b...

Shepherd’s Psalm             The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.   He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.   He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.   Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.   You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.   You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.   Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:1-6               Complete trust.   That is what the Psalmist is describing.   He has complete trust in his Lord.   The sheep rely on the shepherd to provide food and safety and rest and direction.   A sheep t...

Boasting in Weakness             Five times I have received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers and sisters; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, hungry and thirsty, often without food, cold and naked. And, besides other things, I am under daily pressure because of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I am not indignant? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.  2 Corinthians 11:24-30             There is...

The Crowd and the Mob               When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates; he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice.    When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, “Friends, why are you doing this? We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to follow their own ways;   yet he has not left himself without a witness in doing good—giving you rains from...

All Have Sinned             But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;   they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:21-26               When we talk about sin, we usually consider it to be dangerous on the level of the co...

The Son of Man lifted up               And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3:14-16             The most famous bible verse in the world is John 3:16. It shows up at sporting events and on posters and on bookmarks.   It is the core of the Gospel that God gave up that which was most precious to Him in order to save us from death and restore us to eternal life with Him.            Connected to that verse is a reference back to Moses and the Israelites and that bronze snake.   That little story, buried in the book of Numbers, is the perfect encapsulation of the ...

The Bronze Serpent             The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the  Lord  and against you; pray to the  Lord to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.    And the  Lord  said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.”    So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. Numbers 21:7-9             The Children of Israel were tired of the journey that God was taking them on.   The road was long and hard…freedom was supposed to be easier.   The people longed to be done with the struggle and decided that God was not out for their good, but rather they were simply pawns for some ga...

Crucifixion             So they took Jesus;   and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them…   When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.” John 19:16-24             There has to be a better story than this.   The Creator of the Universe becomes flesh and walks among His children.   He heals.   He inspires.   He opens their eyes to the realities of the Kingdom of Heaven.   He challenges the status quo a...