15 July 2010
Psalm 37:1-18; Joshua 3:14-4:7; Rom. 12:1-8; Matt. 26:1-16

The crossing of the Jordan is as simple yet miraculous as the Lord promised. When they had crossed the Red Sea they sang their first worship song to commemorate the Lord’s action on their behalf. Here, the Lord tells Joshua to raise a memorial to this crossing. This is to be a sign to them in a way that made no sense in the wilderness, they weren’t going back there so why erect a monument no one will see. Here, however, they are in the land, their land, the land the Lord is giving them, and if you leave the land you will see the memorial of this day when your people entered the land. Moses was given the commandments regarding keeping the Passover feast and it included the statement that when your child asks what this means you are to tell them what the Lord has done. Joshua here is given similar instructions regarding this memorial.

This unknown woman who anoints Jesus will be remembered forever, whenever and wherever this Gospel is proclaimed. Her service to Him is, for the disciples, a marker on the road to Calvary. They remembered her prophetic action and His prophetic words concerning her action, she was preparing Him for burial when none of them knew it was coming so soon. They saw a wasteful extravagance and Jesus saw the purity of her love for Him. Judas couldn’t bear it any longer, that Jesus was continuing to do and say things that cut against his beliefs and now he took action that will also be remembered whenever the Gospel is preached. The contrast between the woman’s act of love and Judas’ act of betrayal is stark and sets the stage for all that will follow. If it were a drama the curtain would come down as Judas speaks to the chief priests and the final act would begin as Jesus enters the city for the last time.

Paul’s appeal to the Romans has a “therefore” to it. Because of all the things he has just taught them about the mercy of God in election and call, because they have seen the Jews on the outside looking in after they had enjoyed the promise of God for so long, they are called to be transformed, beginning with the renewal of their minds. They are to understand that all this should cause them to think differently about everything. The disciples had to change their way of thinking, the Israelites took forty years to change their thinking and be willing to take the first step into the Jordan in order to see God act. If we are to understand the will of God, we must begin to think like Him not like other people. He then moves to how we think of ourselves and others, appreciating the diversity and design of God in ourselves and in others, knowing our need of one another if we are to do the work that has been given us to do.

Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.