This is weird stuff because Jesus is weird. He’s not a cut-and-paste, trimmed-down moral teacher. He’s a friend to sinners who always does good and heals all under the devil's power because he’s God. Jesus takes on all the burden of life in this world in a catastrophically beautiful act of love, crucified for you.

And today, there’s a lovely rhyme in the life given to Harriet. Gary worked at the co-op, handling planting and harvest. Harriet took the grain that was harvested and transformed it into beautiful cakes for her family and friends. This, too, is a lovely picture of how Jesus takes the things He has made and combines, mixes, and transforms them into beautiful new creations. The seed is given to the sower, the harvested grain is given to the baker, and the baker adds water, salt, and leavening and transforms it into bread for the eater. 

We confess our sins in humility, acknowledge our faults, and ask for forgiveness in Jesus’ name. And here, week after week, you don’t need to exalt yourself. Instead, Jesus exalts you as He forgives, restores, and resurrects you from the death of sin to life with God. And God the Spirit will call with us more sinners, humbled by their iniquities but gathered to be forgiven and exalted in Jesus’s justification, too. 

I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”

This is precisely why Jesus came to Jerusalem that Holy Week, to bear the sins of His people. He wept because He knew that most of His people would not recognize Him as the source of their forgiveness and peace. After Jesus arose, He came to His disciples and gave them peace, and then He breathed out His Holy Spirit upon them, and with that Spirit, the ministry of the forgiveness of sins. This was what made for their peace. 

The whole proclamation of the Christian Church is to speak the truth, and the calling of every Christian is to believe what Jesus says. We’re not given only to take the white pills and leave those ugly black ones for the gloomy types. No, we’re given to consume the whole scroll of God’s Word, bitter and sweet. We are called to be honest and true, not liars and fake. 

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”

For this work of Jesus, our heavenly Father commends him for His wisdom and shrewdness. By dying, rising, and giving the wealth of the Father to those who do not deserve forgiveness, He has won friends for the Father to dwell with Him in the eternal tabernacles. Indeed, while from your perspective, you owe your God outstanding debts, from His perspective, He has forgiven them. And His forgiveness is far greater than the anti-type of the unjust steward. He has not forgiven only 20 or 50 percent of your debts to Him. In an act of utter worldly wastefulness (or godly forgiveness), He has removed the entire wage for your sin. Balance owed? Zero. Merit needed? Nothing. Worthiness to work on? Zip.

God’s name is kept holy when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead holy lives according to it. Help us to do this, dear Father in heaven! But anyone who teaches or lives contrary to God’s Word profanes the name of God among us. Protect us from this, heavenly Father!

The Manual of Discipline and the Didache.

2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Jesus looks upon you and has compassion for you. He sees your hunger and feeds you. He knows your needs and provides for you. He draws your eyes off the vain pursuit of more and bigger and better and fixes your eyes on Him. You have been with him “for three days” and hear His words, “It is finished!” Everything and anything that your heart wants is yours already in Jesus. As He gives you to dwell richly in His Word, you’ll also find your heart is changed, and you’ll stop demanding what you think you deserve and gladly receive even crumbs from the Master’s table.

Jesus has been healing the sick, casting out demons, and preaching. That's the Jesus job. But what have Peter and the other disciples been given to do? Follow Him, to be sure. That's the common calling of all disciples, Christ-followers. To follow the Way of Jesus is to listen and do what He says. But as you have experienced, that's easier said than done. As Jesus says, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able" (Luke 13:24). The life of the Christian is simple, but it is not easy. We are being conformed to the image of Jesus through pain, suffering, toil, and crosses. 

Everybody wants to rule the world. So the song goes. But if not the world, then their community. Or they may set their sights lower and seek to rule their congregation. But perhaps that is too much, so they seek to rule their home. But all the while, they fail to rule over themselves. Set aside for the moment whether they have any calling to rule over others. Even this world’s rulers know that their subjects will only subject themselves to a king who manages themselves and their household well. Even if it's all appearances, artificial and fake, when the time comes, they wear the crown, stand tall, and process with dignity and pomp. They show control of their emotions, words, posture, and demeanor. And often, their subjects will willingly follow.

23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Some wander away from the Truth, Jesus, and get lost in this wicked world. Some forget or neglect Jesus where He’s promised to be and get lost. Some pursue their heart's deceitful desires and wants and squander their lives. Some get caught up in their ideas of what it means to follow Jesus and a different Word while thinking they are faithful. There are plenty of ways to get lost, but only one way to be found. However you’ve gotten lost, Jesus never stops seeking to find, rescue, and save you. 

Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.