David Bahn - Reflections: Recent Episodes
David Bahn
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are James 4:1-8; Jeremiah 3; Hosea 3; Zechariah 1.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are James 3; Psalm 140; Proverbs 16; Isaiah 32.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are James 2; Genesis 15; 2 Chronicles 20; Isaiah 41.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are James 1; Proverbs 2; Daniel 1; Job 15; Psalm 7.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 14; Deuteronomy 11; Psalm 81; Micah 4.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 13:21-22; 1 Samuel 9-11; 13.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 13:20-21; 1 Samuel 3; 7; 8; 1 Chronicles 8.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 13:19-20; Judges 1-3; 10.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 13:19; Joshua 16-19.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 13:1-19; Numbers 32; 33; 34.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 11; Psalm 51; Isaiah 18.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 10; 2 Chronicles 19; Job 34; Psalm 20; Ezekiel 4.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 9; 2 Kings 8; Isaiah 17; Jeremiah 40; 41.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 8; 1 Kings 8; 13; 18.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 7:46-60; Joshua 14; 15; 23; 2 Chronicles 2.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 7:30-43; Amos 5; Exodus 11; Leviticus 27.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 7:17-29; Exodus 1; 2; 1 kings 4.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 7:9-16; Genesis 39; 42; 47.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 7:1-8; Genesis 12; 29; 30.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 6; Exodus 18; Numbers 8; Nehemiah 13.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 4; Psalm 2; 2 Samuel 2; Job 32; Zechariah 10.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 3; Genesis 26; Deuteronomy 18; 2 Kings 13.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 2; Joel 2; Psalm 16; 1 Kings 2.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Acts 1; Psalm 69; 109; Micah 1.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are John 20; Psalm 124; John 21; 2 Samuel 5; Ezekiel 34.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Matthew 28; Daniel 10; Micah 2; Haggai 1.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are John 19; Exodus 12; Numbers 9; Zechariah 12.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are John 18; 2 Samuel 15; 19; 2 Chronicles 11.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Matthew 27:11-66; Genesis 20; Zechariah 6.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Matthew 27:1-10; 1 Samuel 31; Jeremiah 19; 32; Zechariah 11.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Luke 23; Psalm 31; Hosea 10; Exodus 26.
A more thorough discussion of the Crux Theologorum is available here.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are John 17; Ezra 8; Psalm 133; Ecclesiastes 3.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are John 16; Nehemiah 8; Psalm 25; Lamentations 5.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are John 15:13-27; Genesis 44; Psalm 35; Proverbs 18.
Here is a Youtube link to Martin Luther Heretic.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are John 15:1-12; 1 Samuel 18; 19; 20; and Ezekiel 15.
Cindy Steinbeck's Book: The Vine Speaks is available here from Amazon.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are John 13; Psalm 41; 119:1-40.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Luke 23; Leviticus 23; 2 Kings 23; Job 1.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Mark 14; Zechariah 13; Ezekiel 41; 42.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Matthew 26; Leviticus 5; Job 17; Psalm 27.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Matthew 25; Job 31; Proverbs 14; Jeremiah 46.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Mark 13; Isaiah 13; Daniel 9; 11.
I also quote from The Lutheran Study Bible, © 2009 Concordia Publishing House Scripture text © ESV Available in the App Store
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Luke 21; 2 Chronicles 15; Isaiah 19; Hosea 9.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Luke 20; Isaiah 5; Jeremiah 21; Ezekiel 19.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Matthew 22; Exodus 3; Psalm 64; 1 Kings 5.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are John 12; Deuteronomy 15; 1 Kings 1; Isaiah 39.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Mark 11; Isaiah 56; Jeremiah 7; 2 Chronicles 23; Ezra 3.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Luke 19; Numbers 5; 2 Samuel 12; 1 Chronicles 27; Psalm 137.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Luke 18:15-43; Exodus 20; Psalm 123; Zechariah 5.
Other References: Psalm 51:10; Ezekiel 36:26 and Matthew 6:19-20
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Matthew 20; 1 Kings 12; Isaiah 51; Jeremiah 49.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Mark 10; Deuteronomy 24; 2 Samuel 11; Song of Solomon 3; 4.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Matthew 19; Genesis 1; Psalm 127; Song of Solomon 1; 2.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Luke 18:1-14; Psalm 58; 88; Isaiah 58.
Here's the link to the song, To Love, by Kip Fox.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Luke 17:11-37; Genesis 6; 7; 19.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are John 11; 2 Chronicles 30; Job 2.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Luke 15; Genesis 45; Proverbs 29; Jonah 4.
Here's the Phillips, Craig, and Dean song, His Favorite Song of All.
Here's a contemporary version of the Prodigal Son by Michael Zeigler.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Luke 14; 2 Chronicles 12; Isaiah 25; Ezekiel 17.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Luke 13; Psalm 118; 122; Jeremiah 22.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Luke 12; Psalm 49; Job 20; 27.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Luke 10; Deuteronomy 6; Leviticus 21; Job 40.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are John 10:1-21; Exodus 4; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalm 23; 65.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are John 9; 2 Kings 14; Job 21; Psalm 66; Proverbs 15.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are John 8; Exodus 5; 6; Deuteronomy 17; 2 Chronicles 18.
I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are John 7; 1 Samuel 16; Psalm 114; 129.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Matthew 14; Leviticus 18; Genesis 40; 1 Chronicles 10.
I also referenced Luke 17:5 and Mark 9:24, and quoted from the book, The Widow Spy, by Megan Campisi
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Matthew 10; Micah 7; Jeremiah 50; 1 Samuel 14.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Matthew 9; Hosea 6; Numbers 27; 2 Chronicles 35.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Mark 5: Leviticus 15; Psalm 142.
If you wish to hear my message from June 15 at Messiah Lutheran Church, Houston, Texas, you may do so by clicking here.
I preached at Messiah Lutheran Church in Houston on Father's Day/Trinity Sunday, June 15, 2025. My text was John 8:48-59
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Mark 4; Jeremiah 16; Psalm 147; Ezekiel 31.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Matthew 13; Psalm 78; Isaiah 37; Jeremiah 5.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Luke 11; Deuteronomy 26; 2 Chronicles 24; Proverbs 8; Jonah 3.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Matthew 12:22-50; 2 Chronicles 9; 1 Kings 10; Jonah 1; 2.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Matthew 11; 1 Chronicles 22; Isaiah 35; Jeremiah 6; Amos 1.
Today, June 10, 2025 marks the 46th anniversary of my ordination as a pastor in The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. I am thankful to God to serve him in this way.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Matthew 8:1-11; Psalm 107; Jeremiah 30; Malachi 1.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Matthew 7; 1 Chronicles 28; Ezekiel 22; 35.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Matthew 6; 2 Kings 20; Job 38; Proverbs 23; Zechariah 7.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Matthew 5; Numbers 30; 2 Samuel 4; 2 Chronicles 36; Job 25.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Luke 6; Proverbs 21; Psalm 79; Isaiah 15; 16.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Mark 3; Exodus 35; Jeremiah 52; Job 33.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are John 5; Jeremiah 17; Nehemiah 3; and Job 10.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Mark 2; Deuteronomy 23; 1 Samuel 21; 22.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are John 4; Genesis 33; Joshua 8; 24; Isaiah 12.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are John 3; Numbers 21; Proverbs 30.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are John 2; Genesis 41; Leviticus 1; Deuteronomy 14.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Luke 5; Leviticus 14; Psalm 150; Isaiah 43.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Luke 4; Deuteronomy 8; Numbers 15; 2 Kings 5.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Matthew 4; Psalm 91; Isaiah 9; 1 Chronicles 21.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Luke 3; Genesis 10; 11; 1 Chronicles 1; 2.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Mark 1; Leviticus 13; Isaiah 44; 61.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Luke 2:39-53; Deuteronomy 16; Psalm 48; Psalm 84. In today’s readings, do you notice a promise to trust, a command to obey, a truth to embrace, a warning to heed, or an encouragement to rest in? What do you learn about God, about yourself, or about the world? Is there one verse or thought that stands out to you today? Talk to God about it.
I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Matthew 2; Micah 5; Hosea 11; Numbers 24; Joshua 20.
Today's readings are Luke 2:1-38; Exodus 13; Leviticus 12; 2 Chronicles 7. In today’s readings, do you notice a promise to trust, a command to obey, a truth to embrace, a warning to heed, or an encouragement to rest in? What do you learn about God, about yourself, or about the world? Is there one verse or thought that stands out to you today? Talk to God about it.
Today's readings are Matthew 1:18-25; Isaiah 7; Psalm 130; Deuteronomy 22. In today’s readings, do you notice a promise to trust, a command to obey, a truth to embrace, a warning to heed, or an encouragement to rest in? What do you learn about God, about yourself, or about the world? Is there one verse or thought that stands out to you today? Talk to God about it.
Today's readings are Matthew 1:6-17; 2 Kings 3; 18; 19; 1 Chronicles 3. In today’s readings, do you notice a promise to trust, a command to obey, a truth to embrace, a warning to heed, or an encouragement to rest in?
What do you learn about God, about yourself, or about the world?
Is there one verse or thought that stands out to you today? Talk to God about it.
Today's readings are Matthew 1:6-17; 2 Kings 3; 18; 19; 1 Chronicles 3. In today’s readings, do you notice a promise to trust, a command to obey, a truth to embrace, a warning to heed, or an encouragement to rest in?
What do you learn about God, about yourself, or about the world?
Is there one verse or thought that stands out to you today? Talk to God about it.
Today's readings are Matthew 1:1-4; Genesis 38; 46; Numbers 7
Baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we carry the only name that ultimately matters. The name that saves. The people named in these genealogies testify of God's far-reaching grace. Shown in Jesus. Celebrated by saint and sinner alike.
Today's readings are from John 1:1-14; Psalm 36; Job 29; Exodus 40
When the Second Person of the Holy Trinity takes on human flesh he becomes more real for us. And so does religion, faith, truth, hope, love, and salvation. The Word became flesh...full of grace and truth. So profound. So simple. Such a mystery. Such a blessing. This faith we profess and believe is not just a concept. It is embodied in a person, Jesus of Nazareth. Son of Mary. Son of God. Real religion honors him by trusting in him, believing his promises, aligning ourselves with the Truth of his word, and reflecting his grace to all people.
Today's readings are Luke 1:39-80; 1 Samuel 2; Ezekiel 24 & 29
God doesn't smite people for fun - an overstatement to be sure. His ways are part of a more sweeping story of creation, fall, redemption, and consummation. The rise and fall of Babylon, Egypt, and Israel are part of the cosmic span of history. The manner of setting things right falls on the shoulders of Jesus, who will take the strike of God's hand of justice so that we may experience the mercy of God. There will be a day. And on that day we who wait, hope, and trust humbly in God's faithful and gracious love will rejoice in God's salvation.
Today's readings are Luke 1:14-38; Malachi 4; Leviticus 10; Jeremiah 33
Most followers of Jesus are willing to play second fiddle to Jesus. But as Christ-followers, we are also to be willing to play second fiddle to one another. Philippians 2:3 says, "Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves." In other words we ought always be willing to be second.
When we go to worship in a church building we can thank God for those who built it and who make it available for us even today. Although God is present everywhere. He has promised to be present in a very special way where two or three are gathered in his name, and when we receive the Lord's Supper where Jesus' body and blood are present in a mysterious, miraculous, and merciful way.
God delights to be with us. We should delight to be with him as well.
The Great Commission is recorded in some form or another in Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-47; John 20:21-23; and Acts 1:8. These words of Jesus reflect at least 10 references in the Old Testament! This is no new commission. It is the Great Commission. Under the authority of the risen Jesus, for all people of all time to hear the Good News of his redemption and invitation into the reign and rule of God.
This is God’s gift - a peace beyond understanding, a peace unlike the world gives. A peace that is not just a greeting, salutation or closing. “Peace to you,” he says. Believe it. Receive it!
Peace,
dlb
Jesus' resurrection, profoundly good news, and the Holy Spirit's work through the two change hearts, hope, future, purpose, and people.
This is the heart-changing power of God at work—through the risen Christ, the truly good news, and the outpoured Spirit. And just as those first disciples were transformed from fear into joyful witness, so we too are called, equipped, and sent to live boldly in the light of the resurrection, bearing the hope that cannot die and the message that still changes hearts today.
God's Word has created light where there was darkness, hope where there was despair, and life where there was death. Now, through His living Word—Jesus Christ—He calls us to reflect His light into the world.
"For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." - 2 Corinthians 4:6
God's promises are sure to be fulfilled. Our prayers in Jesus' name will be answered. Our sins have been forgiven. We have an eternal hope stored up for us. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus has also said, "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak" (Matthew 12:36). Words matter. Our words can wound or heal. God's words will never fail. His Word to us is the embodiment of grace and truth.
I preached at Messiah Lutheran Church in Houston on April 27. The text is John 21:19-31. Enjoy this special edition of my podcast.
Jesus meets us right where we are—troubled, doubting, hungry for reassurance. He doesn’t shame us for our questions; instead, He offers Himself. His scars. His peace. His life.
And just like the disciples in that upper room, we are invited not just to believe about Him but to know Him, trust Him, and rejoice in the living Lord who comes to us even now, saying:
"Peace be with you.”
Your story may not be as dramatic as that of the Emmaus disciples. But it is the same Lord Jesus who has touched your heart and given you new life. We've all got a story to tell. If we tell it rightly we won't be the hero. We'll point others to Jesus and he will be source of praise, worship, and joy.
God moments. Spiritual awakenings. Moments of inspiration. Wesley spoke of his heart being strangely warmed as he read Luther's introduction to Luther's commentary on Romans. Luther said, when he discovered the gospel message, "It was as though I was born again, and entered into paradise itself." It is the inner peace of Christ, the peace that passes understanding. The Emmaus disciples experienced this when they were in Jesus' very presence.
Grounded in Scripture. Centered in Jesus. Not the source of faith, but a beautiful touch of the Holy Spirit's presence and grace. Leading us to honor Jesus and trust him more fully.
Scripture witnesses to the truth of all Jesus said. In one of his parables, Abraham tells the Rich Man, “They have Moses and the Prophets...If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” Jesus' resurrection validates the message of Moses and the prophets. What more do you need to believe?
Sometimes we may need a bump in the road to gain a new perspective. The pathway there is made possible by Jesus' resurrection. And we can gain that new understanding whenever we remember that the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive!
Next time you have difficulty remembering someone's name, rejoice that Jesus knows your name, he has your name written in the book of life. And keep your eyes open for his presence among his people as he has promised - and especially in the breaking of the bread of the Lord's Supper. He is our loving and living Lord and Savior.
On that Friday long ago...
One man confessed: “Certainly this man was innocent!”
Some beat their breasts in agonizing shame.
A few watched, and waited, and then rested on the Sabbath.
And Jesus' body rested in a borrowed tomb.
As we celebrate Holy Communion we're not just doing a thing that Jesus told us to do. We're participating in the celebration of all that God was and is doing through his Son, Jesus of Nazareth. We do well to believe Jesus' words. We do better by not trying to figure out how to explain his words, or worse, explain them away. We do best when we "do this in remembrance of" all that Jesus has done, is doing, and will ultimately accomplish for us in the life of the world to come.
In whatever manner the events of Holy Week unfolded, the fact remains that Jesus and his disciples were focusing on the deep spiritual meaning of the Passover while the Jewish leaders were counting votes. Jesus knew it was going to unfold toward his suffering and death. The Passover would soon be fulfilled for all time. That's not a fleeting political calculation. That's an eternal reality.
This week is a great week to focus on God. We best not worry about a "how to" series of sermons and studies - all these about being happier and more successful. Better we listen to the accounts of Jesus' last days on earth, and be reminded of God's unwavering faithfulness, grace, goodness, and love. Those are some of the most beautiful facets of God's faithfulness.
Jesus quotes from two Psalms in this chapter, Psalm 118 and 110. These two Psalm verses show that Jesus is God and man. Lord and Servant. But he will not be dismissed. He is the chief of the corner, and we who build our lives on him will not be put to shame.
God uses people to advance the cause of his reign and rule in the hearts of people, by grace, through faith. What a privilege it would be to provide even a manger for Jesus to be laid in. What a joy to know that you could give a drink of water to Jesus on a hot day at noon. How thankful you would be if Jesus used your gift of pure nard to tell of his coming death and said that your action would be told for generations to come. What would it be like to have offered your upper room for Jesus' last Supper with his disciples. What an honor to provide even your tomb on loan for Jesus' lifeless body - if only for three days.
Hosanna! Blessed is the King who has come in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest! Are we ready to offer whatever Jesus needs to honor him?
I cannot fail to draw a conclusion about this parable that relates to the secondary motivation for obedience and faithfulness. That's fear. It's not the primary motivation, but sometimes we need to haul ourselves up short rather than give in to temptation out of fear of God. Sometimes we need to use our talents for fear of being reprimanded if we do not.
Better always, we resist temptation and use our gifts faithfully because we love and trust in God. But this is a good reminder that we are to fear God as well. So we say, "We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things." This is most certainly true!
Our story may not be as dramatic as Zacchaeus' story. But Jesus' grace is as far reaching, and our salvation is just as extraordinary. And his presence in our hearts and lives is just as gracious.
Just as the people of Jesus' day didn't really know what to expect in the Messiah, we are very likely not fully to know what it will be like when Jesus returns and when we are with him face to face. In the meantime, we do well to cultivate a humble faith.
The tax collector in Jesus’ parable went home justified not because he was impressive, but because he knew he wasn’t. He threw himself on the mercy of God—and that’s exactly where grace meets us.
Humility isn’t something we muster—it’s something that happens when we stand before the cross and realize what Jesus did to gain our salvation. There we find what we could never achieve on our own: the smile of God, the welcome of Jesus, and the joy of going home justified.
The fullness of joy is found in a life of faithful gratitude. I'm thankful to God for his faithfulness, and grateful to him even as I pray, "Lord, increase my faith."
PS: Here's my diagram of the interplay between faith and gratitude. What do you think?
Faith & Gratitude Diagram
We may always have the poor among us. But that should not erode our awareness of them or blind us to the opportunities we have to serve them. After all that is what Jesus did to serve poor miserable sinners such as us. He didn't overlook us. He served and saved us and calls us to do the same. Furthermore, Jesus has risen from the dead. Surely we will listen to him!
This parable is one of a trio in the Lost and Found chapter. The lost and found sheep, one of 100. The lost and found coin, one of 10. The lost and found son, one of two. But there is a refrain at the end of the first two parables. This third one describes this truth: “There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Will we join the celebration? Will we return to God if we are far off? Will we come in if we’re standing aloof in bitterness and anger? Every gathering of God’s people is to be a foretaste of the joy to come, a celebration of God’s grace and joy in the fellowship of the redeemed. Don't be mad or sad. Be glad and rejoice in God's grace every day.
The feast of which Jesus speaks is for those who have been made new. They love God and their neighbor. They rejoice when the outcast is redeemed. They celebrate as all God's people gather around Jesus, giving him the honor and praise he deserves. We will certainly not want to miss this feast!
This is the Feast Hymn on Youtube
Jesus was committed only to pleasing God and loving others.
So he healed the bent over woman. On the Sabbath. In front of the whole synagogue. And he took away her infirmity. And he took on their ire. He calls them to account in the process, saying, "And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?”
There are two reactions to Jesus' healing touch. Luke tells us, "As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him."
Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem. He is aware that this is a critical time, and the danger of getting derailed is imminent. The pressure is building from the criticisms of the Jewish leaders and the impatient crowds and the confused disciples. These are not peaceful times in his ministry. Jesus must stay the course if he is to usher in the reign and rule of God.
Prayer is not about my eloquence or performance, but about God’s presence and embrace. He hears, even when my words feel weak, and He welcomes me, even when I struggle to find the right ones. It's not about my ability to pray well, but about his gracious invitation to be with him, and his promise to hear when I call.
Jesus asked who acted like a neighbor in order to get the lawyer out of the loophole looking paradigm and see how God's love is to be shared with all kinds and sorts of people. Even syncretistic foreigners.
Jesus, however, didn't ask questions about how we are to treat one another. He was clear, direct, and unwavering in His command to "love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12). Go and do likewise. No question here. Just go and love like God has loved you.
Next time you feel discouraged about your faithfulness, effectiveness, character, or qualifications, consider this: If I'm reading this right the 12 are hung up on their own personal preferences and protections while the 72 are sent to do amazing things. Yet the 12 are still the 12, and the 72 are not to boast in their personal accomplishments.
Real disciples follow Jesus - however well they are able. And that is our calling. And our names are recorded in heaven.
Do we recognize the majesty of God in this man, Jesus? Do we see it only in the dramatic healing of the man's son, or the majesty of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration? God's majesty is veiled in the person, life, ministry, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But make no mistake: This Jesus is God's majestic Son, Savior, Redeemer, Lord, and Friend!
Here's the Michael W. Smith link.
Sometimes our faithful witness can make us seem fanatical. People might feel as though we're getting carried away with Jesus. Maybe so. But Jesus carried away our sins to the cross, and then he was carried away from his cross to a borrowed tomb. Now he reigns at the right hand of God. He did that to secure our eternal salvation and give us hope and a future.
If I am to go in peace I must ask myself a question or two. Is my life aligned with God’s will insofar as it is possible with me? Am I expecting God to align himself with my ideals rather than living in humble faith in his goodness? Do I realize how great a debt Jesus took on and paid for my sins? Do I believe Jesus who said, “In this world you will have troubles. But rejoice! I have overcome the world”? Do I believe his promise, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27)? Jesus’ resurrection greeting, “Peace be with you,” is a blessing we all need and which Jesus freely gives to those who trust in him.
I want to be under someone’s authority when I serve. Whether it is of the church’s voters, their board or in the case of when I was senior pastor at St. John, the Mission and Ministry Council. I didn’t have authority just because I was ordained. I was acting under their authority. And they, as duly elected servants, were acting under the authority of God.
So when I pronounce absolution, I am ultimately doing so under Jesus’ authority, the One who has been given all authority (Matthew 28:18). Whenever we share the gospel we are doing so under the authority of Jesus. Whenever we forgive one another we are doing so under Jesus' authority.
The solid rock upon which we must build our lives is one of repentance and faith. From such a heart will flow good fruit of love and good works. The good treasure in the heart of such a one is the gospel: the message of God's love, grace, forgiveness, and salvation. This treasure is centered in Jesus, sent from the Father, and made sure by the Holy Spirit's constant work in our hearts. Without the Holy Spirit’s work in our hearts our ruin would be great. Come, Holy Spirit, dwell in our hearts so that we build on the strong foundation of Jesus’ love and truth.
Let the church be a no-judgment zone. Leave the judging to God. He's much better at it. His judgment fell on Jesus so that we can approach the throne of God's grace in faith and receive the blessings Jesus earned by his life of perfect obedience to these and all of God's laws.
Matthew! What a hero of conversion and hospitality. Perhaps we can all follow his example in one manner or another!
Click here for The Chosen episode on YouTube
https://youtu.be/87JIUxqTMLk?si=SMouObPpjvJF1ok2
When the people opened a hole in the roof to get the paralyzed man down to Jesus, there is no mention of the homeowner's annoyance. The Pharisees, though, were upset. The paralyzed man was let down through the roof. The Pharisees went through the roof in anger. For them it wasn't about the hole in the roof or the interruption to Jesus' teachings. It was about Jesus' absolution of this man's sins. Only God can do that. True. And Jesus is God in the flesh.
The message of the Kingdom of God is good news. It is centered in Jesus. He amazes, astonishes, alarms, and ushers in God's good and gracious reign and rule in all who believe. He was astonishingly dedicated to doing that. He was amazingly focused on the purpose for which he was sent. He was alarmingly intrusive into the plans of the devil. He alone alleviates our deepest pains and saves us from an eternity of despair and hopelessness.
The devil's ploys are not often recognizable for what they truly are. We see the fruit, not the poisonous barb. We see the mirage of benefit rather than the dry desert of desolation. Resist him! Look to the Lord who loves truth, gives grace, and authors life for all who rejoice in his unfailing love.
This is our Jesus. He is mighty to save!
Thank God that when we face that final appearing we will be saved by the merciful kindness of God who for the sake of Jesus' suffering and death saved us, forgave us, redeemed us. God's judgment for all those who believe in Jesus is "Not Guilty." That is a cause for eternal joy and glory and praise to the LORD, Jesus Christ.
Next time you see a majestic night sky, a glorious sunrise, a magnificent mountain range, or a beautiful landscape, remember the One who created it all. It is his display of righteousness for all to see seen most fully in the cross of Jesus who is our rightness, hope, and salvation. He is truly the One who preserves the lives of his saints and delivers us from the hand of the wicked. May his name be praised by us today!
Click here to see my first attempt at astrophotography.
We sometimes teach a This is That technique in our training of pastors and spouses with PLI. It's a way of helping people to remember past events and see how the church has navigated those events and changes. This [change, event, plan,] is that [past event] all over again. But in the case of a tyrant, fire and brimstone, judgment and smiting (only) god, That is not This.
Our God is no wimp. He is all powerful. Mighty. Holy. A consuming fire. But he is also merciful and gracious. Loving and kind. He is the God who inspired St. Paul to write, "Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more" (Romans 5:20). We rightly both fear and love God above all things.
God needs no permission to make the laws of physics, morality, or spirituality. He reigns. He is above all things. "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne," says the Psalmist. He rules the world with truth and grace goes the sanza from Joy to the World. This is our God who is above all. He is in charge. So we say:
Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name!
The Psalmist says, "Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!" Then he adds, "Give thanks to him; bless his name!" Our worship is not an exercise in mere thankfulness. It is a practice of honoring our Redeemer and Lord. It is a matter of blessing Yahweh. It is a matter of coming in to God's presence.
God is everywhere. But he has promised specifically to be present where two or three are gathered in his name. He is delighted to receive us when we come. When we show up, we hear him gladly say, "Come on in!"
When I pray to God, I pray to the One who is able to answer decisively and powerfully. It also means that when I pray to the LORD (Yahweh), I don't pray to a generic deity. I pray to the One who has bound himself to me through a covenant that has been fulfilled by Jesus Christ.
Why must we remember that God is good? Because we are his people. We did not make ourselves. We did not choose him to be our God. He created us and chose us for his eternal good pleasure and our everlasting joy and blessing. We are sheep. He is the good shepherd. The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But our Good Shepherd, Jesus, came to give us life. Abundant life. More than enough life. Life that overflows our being into eternal praise.
If God is good - and he surely is - praise him!
We are children of God and moved to praise God, and to serve him. Martin Luther connected that when he offered this explanation to the second article of the Apostle's Creed:
"I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him [emphasis added] in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true."
We are loved by God. We are children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. We praise God also by serving him through serving our neighbor - with gladness!
The purpose of praise is two-fold. First it's a proper thing to do. God is worthy of our praise. When we praise God we're not gilding the lily. We're not engaging in flattery. God doesn't need our praise. He is not insecure or needy. He is worthy of all our praise. It is good, right and salutary that we should praise God.
We also praise God as a witness to the nations. We're calling attention to God, that he is above all powers, all other gods, and beyond any other source of good and blessing. It may be that people will dismiss our praise as emotional froth. But it is not. And honorable women and men will recognize the truth of what we proclaim. God is good. His steadfast love endures forever. His faithfulness spans generation after generation.
Praise honors God - always appropriate. Praise puts our problems in perspective; they cannot separate us from God. Praise puts us in our proper place; we are not in charge. Praise sends the devil fleeing. Praise is always proper - especially at the end of our lamentations.
Yay God!
I like to think of hope as a three-way dance with trusting and waiting. Paul says, "If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied" (1 Corinthians 15:19). We do have hope in this life, but not only in this life. We have an eternal hope secured and founded upon the steadfast love of God in Jesus. We do not live without hope. It grows out of trust. It will never disappoint. In this psalm of lament we turn to God in trust, hope, and love.
The answer to our prayer for help may come by way of divine intervention. When it does, we rightly praise God. Sometimes it arrives as a helper, a fellow traveler along the pathway of life. And sometimes it takes the shape of strength of the Holy Spirit who helps us grow in our faith through the struggles we face. As James also says, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4).
God hears us when we call. He will help us. We can pray confidently, "Help, O Lord! In Jesus’ name. Amen."
Lament is a faithful cry to God. But grumbling is a faithless complaint against God. Or put it this way:
- Lament says, “Lord, I don’t understand, but I turn to You.”
- Grumbling says, “God, You’re not doing enough. I deserve better.”
You may be struggling desperately with troubles, distress, fear, and pain. Bring those to God. He will hear you. God says, "Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you and you will glorify me" (Psalm 50:15).
Check out the St. John Psalm Conversation Starters
This is an appeal to the personal identifiable God. He is known by his name. He is not merely a spiritual force. He is the God of the covenant with his people. When Moses was sent to Pharoah to release God's people from slavery, he told Moses that his name was "I AM WHO I AM. Tell them I AM sent you to them." The divine name YHWH (often pronounced as Yahweh) comes from the same Hebrew root H-Y-H ("to be"), reinforcing the idea that God is the ever-present, self-sufficient One.
Here's the link to St. John's Devotional Resources
It may not be fair that the church today is known for being judgmental and arrogant. But we can do our part to reflect these characteristics of our God - even in a skeptical and hostile world. What better way can we echo Jesus' perfect love than to endure insults if we have to and yet hold to a spirit of love, joy, and peace?
What shall we be known for? More important, how can we better let God be known as the God of perfect grace and life-giving truth?
I was confirmed as a college student. The pastor gave me a confirmation verse that aligns with these thoughts: Jesus says, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
I'm taking this to heart today, and rejoicing that I don't have to fight the Holy Spirit's work in my heart. He leads me back to Jesus, and gives me precious gifts of patience, goodness, kindness, and love.
We are saint and sinner. And the surest sign that we are saints is that we have a conscience that troubles us when we sin. The greatest danger signal to our spiritual welfare is when we stop feeling bad about something that we know is not right or godly.
It is not an easy battle. And there are times we might wish to be done with it. But God calls us into this battle, and promises to protect us.
Next time you feel the brunt of others' criticism, take heart. You are in good company. Sadly, there are those who delight in disturbing others. Being criticized might be thought of as a red badge of courage. On the other hand it is simply a reality of life in a fallen world. And when we do experience such troubles we can take heart in remembering Peter's encouragement: ""Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed" (1 Peter 4:12-13, NIV).
The issue Paul was facing in Galatia wasn't just about circumcision. It was about how that requirement nullified the Gospel and undercut the grace of God. He writes, "I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace."
We must never cede the Gospel in favor of even the finest sounding extra requirements. But more often than not our conflicts within the church are about preferences, and matters of opinion about which honorable men and women can disagree. In that case, civility must prevail. Jesus has freed us from the curse of the Law, from condemnation, and from the power of sin. We honor him best when we love and serve our brothers and sisters in Christ, holding them in honor and esteem - even if they want pink paisley carpet in the chancel... well maybe not pink!
Not every sip of whiskey leads to an alcoholic's nightmare. But there are legitimate dangers we must avoid when dealing with any potential domino effect action. In the case of adding any additional requirement than faith to our salvation the dangers have eternal consequences. Certain clothing. Specific worship forms. Contrived initiation rites. These are the poison-tainted Kool Aide which we must not drink!
Once we get off of the treadmill of doing good so that we're safe from harm, danger, or judgment, we will find great peace and true freedom. We're free - not to do as we please in hedonistic pursuit of every distraction and sin, but to serve one another in love. We're free to give the forgiveness we've received, for we don't have to worry about running out. We're free to serve one another freely for we're not trying to gain anything by our acts of kindness and grace.
I was privileged to lead the people of Trinity Lutheran Church, Amarillo, Texas in a Strategic Mission Planning Event this weekend. I also preached at their three services. This is a recording of my message at the 6 PM service. I pray that you are edified by this message.
Paul speaks of the blessings that came from being connected to the free woman, the mother of the child of promise. We are sons and daughters of the free woman - brothers and sisters of Christ. We’re connected to the promises of God in Jesus, and those are the most valuable connections of all.
If you wish to see some of my photos from this trip, you may see them in my smugmug gallery.
Our motive for sharing the message of Jesus is not so that we raise the living standards of those who come to faith. It is so that they can experience the fullness of God's love in Jesus, and give him the honor he rightly deserves.
And he deserves a lot of honor and has much love to shower upon us!
If you wish to see some of my photos from this trip, you may see them in my smugmug gallery.
I thank God for those who light the path and point us toward Jesus. I pray that some may be moved to repentance and faith in him through this statue so beautifully expressing Jesus' lordship over Cuba and his kindness and grace he so freely gives.
If you wish to see some of my photos from this trip, you may see them in my smugmug gallery.
I thank God for those who light the path and point us toward Jesus. I pray that some may be moved to repentance and faith in him through this statue so beautifully expressing Jesus' lordship over Cuba and his kindness and grace he so freely gives.
If you wish to see some of my photos from this trip, you may see them in my smugmug gallery.
Freedom is a gift of God which has far-reaching blessings. We tend to think of those blessings on the basis of our personal benefit. That is true. But Hagar – though the slave woman – was protected by God. People in Cuba enjoy the same universal blessings of God’s daily provision, the benefits of natural law, and rain and sun. The difference, however, is more than our personal benefit. The difference is the potential for us to extend God’s goodness and grace to others. We’re free not only to worship Jesus, but to spread the message of his love.
Like to Photos from Cuba
Diane and I just returned from a very interesting trip. Several members of the Northwest Houston Photo Club went on a PhotoFly trip to Cuba. In many ways Cuba is in the grips of their socialist leaders and system. For example a university graduate makes the same as salary as a high school dropout. Their infrastructure is in shambles. We had electricity about 50% of the time. The roads are potholed and mostly devoid of modern transportation.
On the other hand, Cuba is full of people for whom Jesus died. Some very few of them confess him as Lord and Savior. Most seem blithely ignorant of his proper place in their hearts and lives. And yet there are many delightful people there.
I'm going to abide for the next two weeks or so. Jesus says, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me." So, in order that I am able to produce more fruit, I will be abiding in Jesus and seeking his renewing grace.
That means I'll not publish these podcasts until sometime after January 26. May God bless and keep you in his care, dear listeners!
https://www.youtube.com/live/bcOCWLHSqlg?si=WQPrVVlmlQLGwefU
The message starts at 36:20
Paul speaks of being in the anguish of childbirth because of the situation in Galatia. He took in the pain they were in danger of inflicting on themselves. He cared deeply for their spiritual wellbeing. He beautifully reflected God's love to them.
We may not be able to carry the pain of the world, but we can certainly open our hearts to those who are hurting, struggling, sinning, and suffering - if only to a point. To do so reflects Christ's love for all people. Bring them to Jesus who carries our sins, griefs, and pains, and makes it possible for us to open our hearts to others in their times of struggles and pain.
Have you ever been smooth-talked into buying something you really didn't need?
During a period of 6 months we were visited by two of the most smooth-talking door-to-door salesmen on the face of the planet.
The proverb says, "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses" (Proverbs 27:6). I'm not sure those salesmen are enemies. But they sure did kiss up to us.
Most of us would rather have it all together, believing we must have no flaws if we are to share the message of Jesus. But the message of Jesus is shared by messy people. We who are broken and are not afraid to admit it can testify to God's grace and power - a far better focus for others' faith than the life of even the most sanctified believer.
Is your life is worth imitating. Do you want others to behave the way you do? Do you want to have people pointing to you and saying, there goes a true believer. It's the opposite of having someone think of you as a hypocrite. It's living a life of real faith. It's about letting people see your struggles and your successes. It means recognizing we are not Lone Rangers. We are part of the Body of Christ. We need each other.
Our pathway to either preference is a product of many different experiences, times of pain and struggle, blessings of joy and favor, and challenges of many kinds. But we come into our own when we recognize the blessings of freedom in Christ and his calling to abandon anything that holds us back from faith active in love. So whether a more formal liturgical style of worship or a more contemporary style is not the point. The point is that we are free in Christ, and as we serve him in that freedom we do truly come into our own.
Any time we believe we can guarantee a good outcome by our efforts we are in danger of setting aside the true message of Jesus. His grace and truth are the foundation upon which we can build a life strong in hope and joyful in freedom. Our hope is in Jesus. Our freedom is in him, and in taking ourselves off the hook of engineering a good outcome by means of our own efforts. That freedom is made possible by his death. That hope is secured in the resurrection of Jesus.
Our labor in the Lord is never in vain. Paul will say that to the Galatians later in this letter: "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9). That's a good reminder for all of us.
We all have our preferences. And as long as we keep them in that category no problem. We acknowledge all modes of baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We recognize that not all people everywhere will find just one type of hymnody edifying or beneficial. But take Christ away, and his message of grace and truth, and we can end up clinging to our preferences to our shame and eternal harm. Better we cling to Jesus and his word.
We do not know what tomorrow will bring. But we do know that God is in every moment and place, situation, and event we experience. Jesus urges us to watch and wait for his appearing, recognizing his grace and goodness in every moment, and rejoicing in his goodness and mercy all the days, seasons, and years of our lives.
The idea that we can call the King of the Universe, "Abba" is a radical idea. This is the Creator of all that exists, the King of kings and Lord of lords. So we call him "Abba?" Daddy? Papa? Father? We do. And this is a reflection of the revolutionary closeness of the relationship between God and His children, as made possible through Jesus. But it is also an acknowledgement of our adoption through Christ.
Growing up into Christ is not only a matter of becoming more spiritually mature. It is also a matter of becoming more deeply thankful for his redemption, forgiveness, grace, and love.
God's grace has appeared to bring salvation to all people. What a gift! What a blessing! And what implications there are to this salvation.
I regularly make the point that our good deeds, our resisting temptation, our faith, and our love for God does not cause God to save us. God's salvation, his saving grace inspires our good deeds, resisting temptation, our faith and our love for God and for one another.
This passage is the clearest reference to the birth of Jesus outside of the accounts in Matthew and Luke. In the fullness of time. When the time was just right. When the Roman roads allowed safe travel. When the world was at peace (Pax Romana). When there was one language which allowed the Gospel to be communicated more universally.
Thousands of good men and women have come and gone who have lived exemplary lives, and made incredible sacrifices. Think Mother Teresa. Martin Luther. Paul himself. But none had power over death. None could raise the dead. None came back to life on the third day. None sit at the right hand of God. The best people who ever live have great limitations to their ability to help us in our hour of greatest need. But Jesus is God and has all power to help us in our greatest need.
Jesus is God. He lives to comfort, heal, bless, and save. He does that because he loves us. He is the Good News of God.
Today we recognize Jesus not only as David’s Son, but also as his Lord. He is our Lord, too, the very Son of God. In fact if Jesus isn’t God he should be dismissed out of hand. But he is God in the flesh - a mystery of profound grace and truth. We worship the man Jesus who is God. We worship the Son of God, Jesus who took on human flesh for us. He is both David’s Son and David’s Lord, and our Savior from sin, death, and hell.
When I was baptized I wore a white robe which I thought was just a matter of wearing something rather than my clothes - or even a swim suit. But the symbolism there is worth noting. Through baptism our sins are washed away. We are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. God calls us his own.
I may not be a clothes horse. But O, my Lord, [Jesus has] dressed me. And I am a wonder dressed in his robes of righteousness! (cf. Walter Wangerin, The Ragman)
In Paul's day special duty slaves called child conductors were assigned to young boys. These trustworthy slaves were charged with the duty of supervising the life and morals of boys belonging to the better class. The boys were not allowed so much as to step out of the house without them before arriving at the age of manhood. The boys probably didn't like that much, and may have tried to find ways of getting around these super-strict child-conductors.
What if we could simply ask God for anything and leave that request at the foot of the cross for him to do as he sees fit with it? What if we could apologize to our friend or family and make no excuse but ask for forgiveness? What if we could be certain of God’s love pure and without strings attached? What if we never had to make an excuse for a failure but could simply ask for forgiveness? We can do that because we are no longer under law, we are under grace. That is a freedom we must never take for granted nor abuse.
I greatly appreciate Paul's example here. He is firm in his conviction and patient in his teaching. That's a powerful combination. Perhaps that is why this letter is so powerful and popular. There is much to learn, believe, and assimilate here. Most of all it has to do with our place in the kingdom of God, by grace through faith. It is also about not being swayed by pious sounding ideas that call into question our place in the heart of God. That place has been secured by Jesus, who is the perfect combination and balance of solicitous fortitude.
Years ago, my vicarage supervisor shared a key insight that has stuck with me for decades: the focus of our quest for truth should not be truth for its own sake, but truth for the sake of the gospel. Whatever issues we may need to clarify, prove, or agree upon, let them serve the gospel message! Let the message of Christ crucified and risen carry the weight of eternal truth. This is the truth that matters most and the truth that sets us free.
Some like to think of the Holy Spirit in human terms as the bashful person of the Holy Trinity. He's happy when Jesus gets the attention. In fact Jesus said of the Spirit, "He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you" (John 16:14).
We are blessed to have received the gift of the Holy Spirit together with all his gifts and workings in the the world, in the church, and in our lives.
The just shall live by faith may have been confusing to them. But it doesn't have to be. It means that we who believe the promises of God, believe that he is good, believe that his grace is fully given in Jesus of Nazareth, God's Son, are right with God. It's a matter of what we think of God. And the enlightenment of those things comes from God's Holy Spirit, working in our hearts.
Faith is realizing that God is good, faithful, just, holy, and gracious. Faith is believing that Jesus is God's Son and our Savior. Faith is trusting in God's promises. Faith is simple and profound all at once. The smallest child can have faith, and the wisest believer can fathom faith's depths and never reach it's ending.
Wherever you or I may be on that continuum we can be sure that God honors faith, and that we are part of God's plan for the redemption of lost people and a broken creation.
We need not worry about issues like circumcision or other Old Testament rituals. Nor do we need to rely on outward manifestations of the Spirit to prove to ourselves that we are true believers. Simply hear God's word. Believe what he says. Rejoice in his salvation. This the the gift of the Holy Spirit.
I'm not sure I like being called evil - by Jesus or anyone else for that matter. But I'd rather be corrected and taught humility than be allowed to abandon God's grace in an ill-advised attempt to impress the king of the universe any day. Truly, "Wounds from a friend can be trusted" (Proverbs 27:6).
I am thankful to be crucified with Christ - to have those parts of me that go against God’s ways nailed there and die. That’s why my life of faith is so precious. I believe that Jesus died for my sins. I believe his promises are true. I believe God is good. I believe it is better to live in ways that honor God. By his power and with his help, I live faithfully and resist temptation. But I never outgrow the need for the cross, Jesus’ forgiveness, and God’s mercy. I believe Jesus gave himself for me, and I am deeply grateful: now and forever.
I believe that’s what it means to be crucified with Christ and yet to live.
Living unto God is more than a two hour Sunday morning stint. It's everyday life in humility, hope, kindness, mercy, and love. It's a reflection of the way Jesus lived. And it is a life free from condemnation because he lived it perfectly and has secured our eternal salvation.
Every year I've offered a light-hearted prayer before the meal at the Northwest Houston Photo Club Christmas party. Here's this year's offering. It's based very loosely on "Sleigh Bells."
Paul died to the law so that he could be alive to God. I want to join him there and celebrate now and throughout eternity his goodness, grace, faithfulness, justice, glory, and love. I hope you will join me there at the foot of the cross.
We are all sinners in need of God's forgiveness and grace. He will also make it clear that God is the author of our faith; it's his gift to us by the Holy Spirit. If we ask how good we must be to please God, to be saved, or to qualify for his love, the goal is far too high. If we ask how good, faithful, gracious and loving God is, we will also never fathom the height, depth, breadth, and length of those qualities.
We must ever keep that in mind.
There may be those who wish to throttle our freedom. And sometimes it can become messy when we encounter different practices and preferences. But I stand on Augsburg Confession Article VII, which says in part, “And to the true unity of the Church it is enough to agree concerning the doctrine of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments. Nor is it necessary that human traditions, that is, rites or ceremonies instituted by men, should be everywhere alike." And I stand on Galatians 5:1, "It was for freedom that Christ has set us free." Let no one spy out that freedom!
God is good all the time. He is the one rock of life and salvation. We may weave and wander. We may stumble and fall. But God is good all the time. All the time, God is good. Never wavering. Never slumbering. Always steady and true.
On this Thanksgiving day, thank God for his goodness and all the gifts you enjoy - all by his goodness and grace. All the time. Thanks be to God!
The saying "Praise in public, correct in private" emphasizes the value of publicly affirming others to build confidence and morale while addressing critiques or sensitive issues in private to preserve dignity and respect. That second part, especially, is very much in line with Jesus' instructions about confronting someone as recorded in Matthew 18. We must do it privately until there is no hearing possible.
I once expressed my view about the mission of God by saying, "When it comes to the Mission of God, I'd rather have chaos than gridlock any day." Chaos that leads to the salvation of more people, and the successful pursuit of God's mission may not be pretty. But in a fallen world it is inevitable. And God has a way of working through fallen people to accomplish great things.
Rather than focusing on the people who detract, dismiss, or despise us, we can take Paul's example to heart - insofar as we represent Christ to others. In other words insofar as we reflect the grace and truth of Jesus and people see Jesus through us, we must pray that God gets the glory. And if people dismiss us because we are faithful witnesses to Jesus, we let that fall on Jesus. It may make us sad. But we need never own the hatred of others because of our Christian witness to God's grace and truth.
Next time someone smiles at you because of an act of mercy or a word of grace, let that be credited to God. May his name be praised. Rejoice in the glory to God on account of your faithfulness, love, and witness.
We may yearn for times of rest and peace. Those times are blessings for which we rightly thank God. But when times are challenging we can also thank God, for he is shaping us and forming us and refining our faith. And God is glorified when we look to him, seek his strength, rejoice in his goodness, faithfulness, and love.
God was the one who called Paul into service. At his conversion Jesus spoke to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" Then at the church in Antioch, the Holy Spirit said, "Set aside Barnabas and Saul for the work I have for them." That said the human factor remains, and having the endorsement of Peter and James would serve him well - some years later as he writes to the Galatians. This will become evident in Galatians 2 when Paul recounts his confrontation of Peter "to his face." Sometimes even within the church and among those who respect each other there needs to be challenging conversation and clarifying discussion. Paul will speak about that also in Galatians 6 where he urges we handle even the erring in gentleness and as we bear one another's burdens.
Paul testifies to the grace of God in regard to his election. He had been set apart before he was born, and called by God's grace to serve Christ. He is writing to the church in Galatia to bring them back to the freedom we have in Christ. And he needed to establish his bonafides as a legitimate servant of God. He needed to pull rank over the people who had come into their church and caused confusion, even leading them away from faith in Jesus.
But he doesn't do this apart from testifying to God's grace. That's the beauty of a true Christian witness. We don't have to prove ourselves to be better than anyone else. We can point to God's grace to us: his undeserved kindness, love and goodness toward us - in spite of the sinful, silly, dumb, hair-brained, and dangerous things we have done.
We might be tempted to wish we had such a dramatic conversion story. We might think that our witness would be more powerful if we could brag about of sinful ways before coming to know Christ. We might imagine we could be more effective in our sharing of the gospel if we could point to a dramatic before and after witness.
But God uses people who are willing to share their faith however they can. For the power of the Holy Spirit depends not on the person sharing the gospel, but on the gospel message we share. Paul himself says, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16). He also confesses that when he is weak then he is strong. That's because the power of God to change hearts and lives is God’s power.
Of course God did not consult us when he "designed" his religion. In fact God didn't design his religion at all. In fact some would say ours is not a religion. A religion is that which man does to manipulate God and get him to do what we want him to do. Ours is a faith in the God who created the world and everything in it. He has revealed himself to be gracious, loving, merciful, just, and holy. He invites our faith and our worship and promises that whoever believes in him will live forever.
That's no design. That's no religion. That is the faith which Paul believed and proclaimed. That's not man's gospel. That is the God's honest truth.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is a precious truth, never to be abandoned or distorted. This is why I keep studying and proclaiming this Good News.
Paul spoke of his refusal to seek the approval of man but also said that a pastor should be well thought of by those outside the church (cf. 1 Timothy 3:7). We must remain faithful to the truth of God's word without fear of what man might think of it. We must at the same time do all we can to give a winsome witness to the grace of God in Jesus.
This is no easy task. But the Savior we serve and whose message we share took on an even greater task to redeem us - fully pleasing God and securing our salvation.
Paul had a striking word for those who perverted the truth of the gospel: "let them be accursed." The Greek word, "ἀνάθεμα" has sometimes been transliterated in English versions of the Bible. The word anathema means that one is completely separated from God's favor and grace. That is a place of outer darkness where there is weeping and wailing and the gnashing of teeth. And he doesn't settle for saying it once. He has to say it again. It weighed heavy on his heart.
The gospel is a simple truth that Jesus died for the sins of the world so that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Add anything to that - no matter how wise or religious it may sound - and it is no gospel; no good news. We cannot add anything to what Jesus has done for us. We must not add anything to what Jesus has done to save us. We need not add anything to what Jesus has done for us. Just believe. Just trust. Just rejoice. Just live. That may be astonishing in a good sort of way. But it's true.
Paul uses the word, "deliver" to speak not of an item delivered, but of us being delivered from this present age. We have been delivered. Rescued. Redeemed. One commentator observed: The idea behind the word deliver is not deliverance from the presence of something, but deliverance from the power of something. We will not be delivered from the presence of this present evil age until we go to be with Jesus. But we can experience deliverance from the power of this present evil age right now.
God's salvation has come to us. It's a gift of faith which saves us, and sends us to save others.
A Commentary on John Calvin's Geneva
In John Calvin’s Geneva, Calvin aimed to establish a city governed by strict adherence to Christian principles and ecclesiastical discipline. His reforms included the creation of the Consistory, a council of pastors and elders responsible for overseeing the community's moral and religious conduct. This body enforced rigid social norms, requiring citizens to attend church, maintain pious lifestyles, and adhere to Calvinist doctrine. Those who deviated faced penalties, which ranged from public admonishments to, in some cases, exile. Geneva under Calvin functioned as a theocratic state where church and civic authorities collaborated to enforce a unified moral and religious vision, but it also led to a stifling environment that restricted personal freedoms and dissenting beliefs. We have been set free by Christ from the condemnation of the Law, and from coercive manipulations toward outward obedience.
This control over both private and public life has been criticized as overly authoritarian. Calvin's governance shaped Geneva into a disciplined, industrious city, yet some historians argue that the rigidity and strict punishments, including for minor infractions, limited citizens' autonomy and created a tense, surveilled atmosphere. His theocratic approach also imposed a sense of collective accountability, as all citizens were expected to uphold Calvin's moral and spiritual laws, resulting in a controversial legacy.
Paul has written about hope was that his people (the Jews) would come to faith (Romans 9-10). Apart from the first Jewish converts that was not the case. But God used this rejection to launch of the mission fully to the gentiles. I’m happy to admit that I don’t know everything. But I do know that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises throughout the Old Testament, and I believe in him.
The kingdom of glory is the true hope of Israel, and the true hope of all believers. Sometimes we hope for that day urgently. Sometimes we forget it. Sometimes we despise that hope. For that reason we rejoice in God's grace to us. We remember that we belong to Christ, and repent and believe, living under him in his kingdom. He rules over all things, and the glory of his kingdom to come is more glorious than we can ever imagine.
While I do pray that our nation turns back to God's ways and values, I pray even more that the Holy Spirit would be poured out upon the Christian Church today, and that true revival would spring forth and more and more people's hearts would be turned back to God in repentant faith, and the Kingdom of God would come among us all. God needs no election win. He much more desires to win our hearts.
It seems to me that fear is behind much of the political posturing, accusations, and vitriol. It's not only a matter of fear mongering either. Fear is gripping people on every side of the political spectrum. People believe that if their candidate loses the future of America is at stake. That renders reasonable discourse impossible.
Of course it takes two. Not only do we need to be ready to listen. Those who speak must be willing to speak the truth. We've lost so much of that today. Thank God for those who do listen respectfully and those who speak truthfully. Best we all seek to get to the truth of the matter. And Jesus is the embodiment of truth.
Paul didn't want only to get to Rome, but to go on to Spain in order to preach the gospel there as well. Paul was singularly gifted and burdened with the mission mandate. He dedicated his life to bringing the Gospel to new lands and places, people and languages. He never lost sight of this mission. Even as he enjoyed the hospitality of Publius, or healed Publius' father, waited three months before setting sail and arriving in Rome, his goal wasn't just Rome. It was sharing the gospel. This he did all along the way. And you and I are beneficiaries of his dedication and God's work through him. Yesterday was Reformation Day. Learn more about the Lutheran Reformation here.
James writes that this ministry of the church is to be exercised by the elders by anointing with oil, confessing sins, and offering prayer (cf. James 5:13-17).
Two things I have learned as I've studied this important ministry. We don't have to say, "If it be your will," when we pray for someone to be healed.. It is God's will to heal all people. Some will be healed miraculously and immediately. Some medically over time. Some mercifully on the day of the resurrection of all flesh. And when you pray for someone and they are healed immediately it is a glorious moment for them and for the Kingdom. But even if it's not immediate, people are blessed by the loving care and appropriate touch of a brother or sister in Christ.
Next time you have the opportunity to pray for someone to be healed, leave the timing up to God and do so with the confidence of his good will to heal. He's really good at it.
Lady McBeth frets in William Shakespeare's play, McBeth, that her husband, MacBeth, is "too full o' the milk of human kindness" to take the ruthless actions needed to seize the throne. In these days of vicious political attacks, we can certainly understand her perceived need for ruthless tactics. I, for one, can imagine powerful politicians, CEOs, administrators, or generals feel the need for ruthless resolve. Some would call it just being decisive. It seems rare, though, that the milk of human kindness would flow from such high-powered men or women.
God moments come at God's pleasure. We may, sadly, sometimes miss them. But we should never pass up the opportunity to do good, offer kindness, or receive help when we are in need. Who knows how the spark might ignite into a flame? Who knows how far the ripples will spread? If God has set the appointment, surely we must not limit its impact.
God sees through every mask and veil. He knows us for who we are. And he loves us. Truly. Ne also loves that cranky neighbor, uncooperative co-worker, constantly-happy friend, and even that stern pastor. He loves you. Let's keep that in mind as we relate to those we meet today.
Trusting God's promises, seeing his hand of protection and provision, and watching Paul's faithful leadership and commitment to God's mission are fertile grounds for our spiritual growth. I'm reminded of Romans 15:4. Paul had not yet set foot to Rome when he wrote these words: "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." Seems pretty clear to me that he took those words to heart. I want to do the same. How about you, dear Reader?
God has promised we who believe in him, and who seek his kingdom first, that all things will be added to us. He will take care of us. So whether in times of desperation, or just in this moment of awareness, thank God for his daily provision. Thank, praise, serve, and obey him. For not only has he promised to take care of us, he does so every day.
Click here for the Martin Luther Heretic Movie on YouTube.
Take care of your body. Eat more (or less???) food. Get more rest. Learn more about God. Good advice - whether Staupitz actually advised Luther to do it. And use the strength you gain to serve Christ more faithfully - not to mention enjoying a foretaste of the eternal rest and the feast to come.
In the case of the shipwreck Paul’s intervention on behalf of the people on the boat, and the centurion’s intervention in behalf of the prisoners both saved lives. All 276 were kept alive and reached land. When we turn around, away from sin, and toward Jesus, our lives are saved for all eternity, and we will reach the eternal Promised Land.
We may need to get out of the boat to experience the fullness of taking our faith seriously. But we need to stay in the church to nurture our faith and encourage others in their faith in the One who is the original Water Walker.
Whatever fear looms large in your mind, or paralyzes your heart, know that God knows your name, and is at work in your life. Sometimes we see that more immediately than at other times. But take heart! God has this. He has you. And he is good. He is the one whom we should fear, love, and trust above all things.
No matter how dire the circumstances may be (brutal facts), there is always hope. Always. The tomb is empty. Our salvation has been won. We will rise with Jesus on the Last Day. That is the kind of hope that withstands even the most dire circumstance and brutal despair.
Face the brutal facts - whatever they may be in your life; and
Hold onto hope - in Jesus' help here and now and in his salvation in the life of the world to come.
Mother Nature isn't the one in charge of the weather. That's God's department. And since the creation of time, the weather has testified to God's omnipotence and man's limits. We may not like to face storms of any severity. But when we do we best look to God for help and salvation. Storms may well remind us of our human limitations, and our need to rely on God. We may need to take action to secure our lives and property in these storms, but we can take comfort in knowing that God is over it all.
It may be too harsh to suggest that the crew of the ship had delusions of adequacy. But they certainly did have to face challenges for which they were ill prepared. I say that because Luke makes two statements in this account that show how bad the situation really was. He says, "we," twice. "We," Luke writes, "gave way to [the strong wind] and were driven along." Then, "we managed with difficulty to secure the ship's boat." It seems Luke was pressed into service in the face of the terrifying storm.
Maslow postulated that there is a hierarchy of needs. According to his reckoning we don't really care about self-actualization if we are worried about self-survival. Yet, at whatever level of needs we find ourselves there is a need for God's grace, his divine provision, and his eternal salvation. We may be numbed to those needs by our first world comforts. There are no atheists in foxholes. Nor should there should ever be ungrateful people in the pleasant places of life.
I'm inclined toward explicitly naming Jesus in my prayers, conversation, and teaching. I want to be sure that I honor his name as clearly as possible. A missionary once shared with me about her and her husband's work in south Asia. "Jesus is not getting the honor he deserves," she said. That really captured my heart. I'm all in for honoring Jesus. I want to do that in word and deed. And I can do that also by remembering that he is in every nook and cranny of life - whether he is named or not.
Decisions made on the basis of godly wisdom may not seem easy, but easy isn't always best. And God's ways - though they may be challenging - are always best. When wise and godly people counsel us we do well to listen to them.
Whether it is a blessing God has in mind for us to receive, or a divine appointment for us to keep, God is in every moment of life's journeys. Whether we're on the way to the grocery store or arriving at a beautiful mountain vista, we must be alert to God's presence and plans for us along the way or at our destination.
We may have the opportunity to show hospitality and kindness - which we should do just for kindness' sake. But God's agenda includes both the kindness received and the blessings that come with it. Those blessings flow down from person to person so that more and more people can hear of Jesus and believe in him.
I doubt that Julius realized how he was furthering the message of the gospel by showing kindness to Paul. The same may be true of us as well: we may not realize how our acts of kindness cause ripples of grace to extend from the epicenter of the act far beyond anything we would ever imagine.
It's a pretty high honor to serve as someone's mentor, inviting someone to do as we do. It's not for someone who says, "Do as I say, not as I do." We are inviting someone to watch us, and learn from us, and see how we navigate difficult decisions, resist temptation, and honor Christ with our witness.
I'm sure Paul failed from time to time. In fact he shares his struggle with temptation and sin in his letter to the Romans when he says, "The good that I want to do, I do not do" (Romans 7:19-25). So it's not about never sinning. It is about resisting temptation, repenting when we do sin, and continuing to repent and believe the gospel every day. That's the one place I'd be happy for people to imitate me: a life of daily repentance and faith, and a renewed desire to serve Christ, loving God and my neighbor.
I’m thinking about thinking differently and in a new way. I’m thinking about engaging and disengaging is some matters of thought. There are the obvious and ongoing battles of the mind. There are thoughts we must constantly abandon. Think lust, greed, fear, envy, and rage. There are also thoughts I need to renew. Think Bible memory, things listed in Philippians 4, pure, lovely, excellent, and praiseworthy things.
It might also mean being more mindful: Thinking about where I lay my phone. Not zoning out when I’m talking with someone who might be boring me. Being present in the moment and not trying to do two things at once. That kind of mindfulness pleases God and honors our creator who has made us and given us our reason and all our senses: our minds.
When we have the opportunity to share the message of Jesus we can be sure the Holy Spirit is attending our throughs and words. And if the message seems to glance off the hearts of those to whom we speak, we can be patient and persistent in sharing the gospel.
This not only applies to our witness to non-believers, it applies also to the conversations and encouragements we have with other believers urging them toward a more faithful walk. They may need to hear more than once that they can fill a critical gap in a ministry, or make a different life choice. In any case repentance and faith is the goal and God is the author of that in our lives.
Someone once said that the problem of many regarding the Christian faith isn't so much a matter of believing as it is surrendering to the Lordship of Christ. That might be partly true, but it is not the whole story. The love of God brings us to faith, changes our hearts, and ushers us into his kingdom. That's more than surrender. That's faith. I believe the prophets because they point me to a loving and gracious God who has redeemed me, forgiven my sins, and given me eternal life.
True witnesses to the Christian faith have never tried to hide these things. The Gospel message welcomes the bright light of full disclosure. The message of the gospel must not be relegated to the corners of life.
Jesus' victory, however, was both through death and resurrection. He didn't just die in agony. He rose in victory. He didn't just carry our sins, taking them into his body. He brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. He didn't just overcome the sharpness of death. He ascended to the right hand of God and reigns there forever. He didn't just confound the naysayers. He confirmed the faithful.
Each of us fit into those categories in some way or another. Tell your story. Who knows how it might inspire, encourage, or bring light to darkness for someone else and shape their lives forever.
Paul will have to endure further trouble, suffering, hardship, and difficulty. This was also part of what Jesus told Ananias - who came and baptized Saul after his Damascus Road experience. I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name," Jesus tells him (Acts 9:16).
Today we walk in the light of God's love, Christ's redemption, and the Holy Spirit's sanctification. It must certainly be this way. The gospel must be preached. The lost must be found. Those walking in darkness must be brought into the light. And in all this, God's name will be eternally praised.
I wish I had more of Paul's courage. I wish I was more bold. But I am thankful for his courageous faithfulness. You and I are beneficiaries of his faithful witness to Jesus Christ. Ignited by Jesus' Damascus Road confrontation and mission mandate. Fueled by God's grace. Sustained by the Holy Spirit's presence. Giving us meaning and purpose today. Anticipating the joyous vindication in the life of the world to come.
Opening eyes, turning people from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, and helping people take their place among those who believe in Jesus is a challenge and an honor. We might shy away from such a high challenge. But here is God's calling through Paul in his letter to the church in Corinth. Written 5 or 6 years before these events before Agrippa.
Jesus died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised (2 Corinthians 5:15).
Martin Luther wrote about it this way: Jesus...redeemed me...so that I may be his own and live under him in his kingdom and serve him.
Such a life - not living for ourselves, living under Christ, serving him in whatever vocation to which we are called - is much more than surviving. That is the abundant life. That is thriving.
Thrive, by Casting Crowns
It's very easy to credit modern medicine, social and psychological factors, and emotional growth in these things. The world always points us in that direction. But just because it's easy to see something, doesn't make it right. And just because Jesus' influence and participation isn't always obvious to us doesn't mean he's not behind it all.
Paul was struck to the ground and had to hear from Jesus directly. He had to be asked, "How long will you kick against the goads?" The reference there is to a sharp stick (goad) used to urge beasts of burden forward. Kicking against them will only hurt, not get rid of them. If Paul had continued in his rigid and strong opposition to the message of Jesus, it would have served only to cause himself great harm. Jesus wasn't going away.
Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? Because our faith is weak. Because we don't understand the depth of God's grace and love. Because we don't know the power and grace of God.
But we do know this. We do believe - even if our faith his weak. Jesus has been raised from the dead. It may be thought to be incredible. But it's true. And it is profoundly good news. There's no question about that.
My own spiritual journey is unlike Paul's except in regard to my earliest spiritual formation. I was raised in a Christian family, and attended Sunday School and church throughout my youth. It was not a strict religious environment, but it was dedicated. My character has experienced reshaping throughout my life. Some of those reshaping moments have been difficult. Other have been almost pleasant.
But I am very much like Paul as he expresses in Philippians 3:12, "Not that I...am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own." God is at work in our lives to shape us more and more into the image of Christ - whatever our training from our youth may have been. So we must not think we're finished growing in our faith or character, but remain humble and open to the Holy Spirit's work in our hearts and minds.
I wonder how many times we stand on hills too small for principles too minor and bloody ourselves in battles that need not be fought. Whenever I help church leaders formulate strategic plans, I like to make the distinction between God's good provision for his mission: the people, pastors, facilities, and programs on the one hand, and God's mission on the other hand. People get stuck on what color the carpet should be, or what program must be retained or abandoned. Or what color should the eternal light be. But carpet wears out. Programs come and go. God's mission goes on until Jesus returns.
Jesus went to a hill and died for the sins of the world. He won salvation for us by his death. His resurrection vindicates his whole ministry. It also give us hope, and reminds us in the face of every challenge or trouble: The tomb is empty. We stand on that truth with confidence and hope.
Sometimes people make much of dramatic conversions and lives of profligate immorality and ungodliness. It's almost as though a person has to have lived an extremely sinful life in order to have a testimony.
Few of us have such a lifestyle to brag about - even if it is to brag about how Jesus changed our lives. All of us, however, have something to say about Jesus. It might be a Bible passage that is particularly meaningful. There are special accounts of Jesus' miracles that we can point to. A prayer answered. A touch of God's grace and peace. It's not up to us to fabricate amazing stories or dramatic transformations. It can be as simple as, "I used to believe...but now I realize Jesus..." That is a true living testimony worth sharing.
If one is not robbed of his retirement savings, yet doesn't hear the Gospel, is not called to faith in Jesus, and brought into the fellowship of the redeemed, the gain is for nothing. And what if a person sells drugs and is caught, but learns about Jesus in prison? No matter what may happen to him from there, the blessings of the Gospel echoes through eternity.
Evil will always collapse under its own weight. And when evil is thwarted we can rejoice that God has good things in store for us through his Son. Jesus and his eternally-good plans will not be thwarted.
Paul will make more than a cameo appearance as this episode unfolds. But his appearance - even as it continues through his long and eventful travel to Rome - is not eternal. Jesus' ultimate appearance will be forever, and every tongue will confess his lordship and reign for all eternity. His final appearance will be The Starring Role, no mere cameo.
I imagine the day of Christ's return when every knee will bow to him. I imagine how the kings of the earth casting down their golden crowns before him. I imagine the glorious scene witnessed by John in Revelation 7:10, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” That's no game of thrones. That's true glory. It belongs to God alone. We all do well to remember that.
This comment of Festus, about the "dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive" caught my eye. And I thought about the waiting of the disciples on that first Saturday and Sunday after Jesus had been crucified. Was he or wasn't he alive? The women told them he was alive. Jesus, himself, had told them he would be killed and be raised from the dead on the third day. But they had not seen him for themselves. Was he or wasn't he alive?
God works through means. Sometimes those means are obvious: Word and Sacrament. Other times it is more subtle: government, regulations, laws, and policies. Just because we can’t see what God is doing doesn’t mean he’s not doing anything. God is at work. Whether it’s Festus, Felix, or King Agrippa, God is at work. That applies even to the tree lady in Arlington. She played a role in God’s work which we may never fully understand.
I am reminded of the need for patience. And key to that is realizing that God is in control of all things, and at work in and through me at all times. Who knows how my kind and patient demeanor might actually bless a fellow commuter who is in a hurry, late for work, or anxious about a loved-one and on the way to the hospital.
Patience is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit, come. Fill my heart with patience!
Paul's martyrdom was a reflection of another. Jesus did not defend himself when he was accused before Pilate. Paul's death was testimony to the power of Jesus' death and resurrection. Jesus knew he would lay down his life as the once and for all sacrifice for the sins of the world. He also knew he would take his life up again. And so he did. When Paul encountered the resurrected Jesus it changed his life.
The thin blue line - the concept that the police are the line between law-and-order and chaos in society - is important to the safety of law-abiding citizens.
I want to suggest that there is also a thin purple line. Purple is the color of royalty. I don't want to equate government with royalty, but I believe that a thin purple line is also vital for the peaceful and orderly functioning of society. The line of proper governmental laws and courts keep the thin blue line from becoming a thick red line of the police state.
We need never speculate as to God's good will toward us. It is all good. Anchored in Jesus' death and resurrection. To be fully realized in the life of the world to come. We might try to imagine what that will look like, how it will be. But we need never speculate as to whether God wants us to experience the fullness of his goodness, grace, and love.
The devil is not the only one relentlessly pursuing us. God is too. In the words of the song, Wreckless Love,
There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me
- Reckless Love Cory Asbury
https://youtu.be/Sc6SSHuZvQE?si=_T5PGgupoUhwJoMv
The most convenient time for us to yield to God's call, repent of our sins, and trust in God is now. Today. Now is the acceptable time. Now is the time of salvation. Now is the time to listen when God is speaking to us. For his words are grace and truth. Life and salvation are found in faith in his words. Now.
What if you never had to defend your actions, justify your words, or prove we are right in our beliefs? What if the pressure is off. We will be publically vindicated on the Great Last Day for our faith in Jesus. Every time we've been ridiculed, suffered for righteousness sake, sacrificed for the benefit of another, and gone the extra mile for love's sake, we will be shown to be right. Good. Holy. Just. And when we've failed and repented and returned to Jesus we will be vindicated before God. That's God's gift: we are declared righteous by grace through faith. Thanks be to God.
By faith we will stand on the Great Last Day. By faith we resist temptation and exercise self-control, knowing that such exercise is far better for us here and now and in The End. By faith we look again and again to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising its shame and now sits at the right hand of God.
Let’s not kid ourselves about what it means to believe in Jesus. The fullness of faith involves constant repentance and a commitment to love God above all and our neighbor as ourselves. It’s a challenging battle, and sometimes we will fail. But our faith in Jesus will call us back to it daily. Whenever the final judgment comes, we can stand on his promises of life and salvation. That’s where I’m standing. How about you?
We all need to hear about “righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment.” For those who believe in Jesus, he is our righteousness. For those who struggle with self-control and fear the judgment, it is far better that we not send God’s messengers away. Listen carefully to what they say, and come to Jesus Christ and hold to faith in him. No matter how the world turns, he will never send you away.
Jesus has won the victory over sin, death, and the devil. We’re just waiting to get back home to celebrate the victory together.
But wait we must. Not all is well here on this earth. Whether it’s air conditioners having to be replaced, or car trouble in rush hour traffic, illness, financial ruin, or job loss, we are constantly reminded that we live in a broken world. This makes hope all the more precious and important. Hope looks beyond today. It waits for God’s deliverance. It trusts in God’s goodness, promises, and grace. Hope, when properly placed, is a marvelous thing!
Grace and truth are beautiful together. One without the other can be a sham of justice, or a hopeless search for self-justification. When we face the truth of our brokenness and sin, and turn to the grace of Jesus’ mercy, love, and forgiveness, we can have a truly clear conscience. We will then surely want to live in such a way that we honor God’s grace and truth, and serve our neighbor in love.
When we pray the Lord's Prayer, we pray, "Forgive us our tresspasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." Did Paul need to pray that prayer? Is it true that, "we daily sin much and surely deserve nothing but punishment?" Such was the conviction of Martin Luther. Paul would write of himself, "O wretched man that I am..." (Romans 7:24). Yet Paul says that he "always takes pains to have a clear conscience toward God and man." The only way that is possible is through the forgiveness of Christ and the gracious attitude of men.
There’s form and then there’s substance. Think of a beautifully-wrapped gift box that contains garbage. Form: Good. Substance: Stinky! Or the other way: treasures wrapped in dirty clothes buried deep in a banged-up suitcase. Good stuff. Garbage in a garbage bag: No surprise here, but still stinky. It’s best when form and substance align.
Paul will offer a substantive defense. He will anchor it in God's truth and the hope of the resurrection.
You know you've gotten to someone when they resort to false-charges, and big guns. Paul has done this - just as Jesus did. But he's not afraid of big guns. He fears God, loves and trusts in him. Such a faith will stand strong against an arsenal of false threats. We're seldom called upon to face such threats. But if we ever are, may we make a good defense - just as we will soon hear from Paul. Jesus has promised that the Holy Spirit will give us the words to say in defence of his gospel message - no matter how big the guns may be.
It's good to recall that our paths are known to God - especially when they are long and winding. But it's vitally important that we remember our ultimate destination whenever our paths are beautifully scenic. For those paths can distract us from our ultimate goal. We can easily forget that the beauty of this world is but a pale reflection of the ultimate glory of the new heavens and the new earth. And however long and winding the road may be, God will certainly bring us safely to our ultimate destination.
Who are these people? And why are they trying to help me? They are servants of the Most High God. They are trying to help me stay true and faithful, and aware of God’s goodness and love.
Those the same kinds of people were helping Paul and keeping him pointed toward God and speeding him along on his missionary journeys - even though they had no clue they were doing so.
We may be small and weak in the face of the might and impressive glory of the ways of the world. Evil can look insurmountable. We all have our giants we must face. But God's arm is not too weak to protect us and defeat our enemies. Sometimes it's an overwhelming show of power as allies line up with us. Other times God simply lets evil collapse under its own weight. But one thing's for sure: I won't count on my 40, 400, or 4000 if I am not on God's mission. And I thank God that he has a plan that will come to eternal fruition, joy, glory, and victory. Jesus has won the victory. We wait for his ultimate deliverance - against all odds.
I doubt I'll ever be put in prison because of my Christian witness. But I may face challenges and situations where my faith is put to the test, and my hope in Jesus becomes ever more pure. Whenever such things happen, we can thank God that he is faithful, gracious, and mercifully present.
Paul’s nephew did some heroic things. That set in motion a visit by Paul to Rome. Who knows what little things - heroic or not - might have a great impact in the kingdom of God? After all the most heroic thing ever to have occurred in God’s kingdom started when a young maiden said, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be to me as you have said.”
God himself made a vow. It is called in the Bible, a covenant. “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people…I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:33-34). God kept his vow by sending Jesus to atone for our sins, and grant us the forgiveness we all need. For none of us has kept his vow perfectly. We can rejoice that God’s oath was kept and is for our eternal good.
Paul will be saved from these forty men. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were saved. We too have been saved by the mighty hand of God - nailed to a cross, dead in our place, risen from the grave, and returning at the end of days to claim us as his own. Forty, forty thousand, or forty trillion notwithstanding, God's got us in his heart, and providential care. That's far more powerful than a mere forty men.
High above all these people, events, schemes, and conversations is the upper story of God's grace, truth, purpose, and plan. Paul will safely go to Rome. Jesus has indicated that to him (Acts 23:11). This episode is a part of that greater story. But there is an even greater arc that reaches even beyond us today. We read about this. It edifies us. It encourages us. It may even challenge us. But the even grander arc reaches into eternity where Jesus is fully and rightly honored. This is where God's glorious grace is consummated, celebrated, and centered.
Perhaps I'm jaded: some of the political trickery and strong arming within the church is not just distasteful, it offends me. It's bad enough that the Jews sought to kill Paul. It is unseemly that Christians fight anyone in the name of Jesus. It is unthinkable that I would ever resort to strongarm tactics to win the day. That may be because I am well past my physical prime. But it is surely more so that I believe the cunning and deceitful schemes of man will never prevail against the grace of God in Jesus Christ, and carried within us by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Our mission may not be as momentous as Joshua's or as critical as Paul's. But our calling is every bit as important. We must sometimes take courage in big or small mission efforts. We can do so - assured of Jesus' presence, strength, and promise - whether we appropriate God's promise to Joshua or Jesus' promise to us all: I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Thank God we can cling to the hope of the resurrection and rejoice in the Holy Spirit's presence and blessings in our lives - and look toward the day when all God's holy angels will gather us into the eternal bliss of the life of the world to come.
What's it all about Alfie is a song connected to the movie, Alphie. Alphie is a young, womanising man leading a self-centred life, focused on his own enjoyment until events force him to question his uncaring behaviour, his loneliness, and his priorities. The song asks some good questions, but not the ultimate one.
It's all about Jesus, Alphie. It's all about Jesus, and Jesus is Lord of heaven and earth.
I wonder what kinds of pettiness and maneuvering Jesus has gotten around in order to bring the gospel message to you and to me. Thank God he was absolutely committed to doing so.
I wish we never had to engage in political debates, or that such debates remained civil. But there is nothing new under the sun. God is never surprised by it. He is not powerless in the face of the most blatant attack on Jesus or his Church. There is another thing to remember in the face of the most vivid displays of godlessness and immorality. God is on his throne. There will be a day of reckoning. Jesus will receive his due honor by all. The ancient truth of God's glorious grace is never old news - even though it is from the foundations of creation. God's mercies are new every morning. Great is his faithfulness. That's the kind of nothing new I want to recall every day.
The fullness of our conversion is to receive forgiveness, confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, and live under Christ’s reign and rule now and forever. We’ll never do this fully and perfectly. But that is still the call. And as we turn again and again to Jesus for forgiveness, confessing him as Lord, we are set again on the path of obedient love and faithful living. All by his grace. All by the Holy Spirit’s power. All for the glory of Jesus’ name.
Many years ago a pastor shared with me what I used as the title for this post: The world begins at the end of your skin. In other words, you don't have to go far to engage in God's mission. It might be across town. Or even another state. But mission trips can also take us to downtown Houston. Your neighbor may be in a place that allows you to bring the love of Christ and the news of his reign and rule to her. Your husband may need the assurance of Christ's forgiveness.
A Harvard MBA student once described the mission of a prominent church as being that of turning pagans into missionaries. Paul wasn’t a pagan. But in some ways he was worse. He had been a sworn enemy of the Christian faith. What turned him around? What made the difference in his life? What was he seeking to display?
Now these three remain, faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.
We who have been baptized have been sealed with the Holy Spirit and connected with Jesus' death and resurrection. Our salvation has been secured. Thanks be to God!
Paul used his identity to defend himself in the face of those who were accusing him of desecrating the temple. We best claim our identity to remind ourselves of who we are and whose we are, and to offer to others a grace-filled way for others to think of us, and to point them to Jesus.
Next time you have an opportunity to do a good work, attach that to God’s grace, and his advance preparation for you to do the good thing. Paul was told about this after Jesus intervened and saved him from persecuting others and continuing on his path of self-destruction. Our rescue may be a bit less dramatic, but our calling is the same: walk in the good works that God has prepared for us to do - for his glory and our neighbor’s blessing.
Just as Peter's encounter with Jesus and his naming as Rock-Man would lead Peter to speak of a living-stone building, Paul's encounter with Jesus' question: "Why are you persecuting me?" will shape his understanding of the church. We are the body of Christ. Redeemed. Sanctified. Saved. Enlightened. Gifted. Holy. One body, working together for the sake of each other.
The New Testament is written in koine Greek - the common language of the common man. God wants our hearts, so he speaks to us in our heart language. Engendering faith. Sustaining hope. Inspiring love.
This is the second of three times Paul will recount the events leading to his conversion. The story is always the same - with new details added or omitted each time. But it goes like this: I was a violent persecutor of the Church and of people who followed Jesus. I was on my way to take more prisoners when I was struck down by a blinding light. Jesus spoke to me asking, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” I learned that Jesus was truly risen from the dead, that he has the power to transform a person’s life, as he did mine. He died for our sins and was raised from the dead. He can transform your life too.
Paul does not protest when the Tribune and soldiers show up to rescue him. It was an Any-Port-in-a-Storm moment for him. Wherever he might find safety and rescue it would be welcome.
I notice, however, that he does not let this traumatic situation move him away from his mission. When the danger has passed - or rather when he is no longer in imminent danger - he will ask to speak. Guess what he will talk about...or who? We'll talk about that tomorrow...
Jesus' followers are urged to be zealous for love and good works. We must be careful that our zeal is tied to the grace and truth found in Jesus Christ.
Please Note: I misidentified the James reference by one verse in my recording today. The correct reference is James 1:20. The quote is accurate.
Sometimes we may need to protect ourselves from those who would desecrate our religion, demean our Savior, or ridicule our faith. But to assume from the outset that someone is not worthy or welcome in God's house is a dangerous and destructive thing to do.
Here is the link to my photos from our teaching time in Tanzania: https://fbgpbd.smugmug.com/Tanzania-2024-PLI-International
God’s source of grace and blessing is inexhaustible. It never runs out. We won’t use it up by passing it on. We won’t siphon the wellspring of his love dry. Jesus offered the woman at the well, living water, “a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” We who have been blessed by the riches of God’s grace are to invite others to take the water of life without price. They won’t hear that invitation unless we take that invitation with us into the world.
Imagine being part of a movement of God that blesses and transforms people, and brings healing to the nations!
We don't have the same kinds of vows that Paul experienced in Jerusalem. But we do have occasions when we must show the sincerity of our beliefs and intentions. It's more than putting earnest money or a deposit down when we buy or rent a house. It is like saying, "I do," or "I promise with the help of God," or I so promise, so help me God." And keep these promises we must!
These offerings, vows, and purifications were done because of God's favor and work in his heart, not as a means of gaining God's favor. His whole message stressed this vital truth - one we must keep in mind whenever we seek to honor God by any means - while we were still sinners, Christ died for us, forgave our sins, and offers us eternal salvation by his grace through faith.
Thousands of people in Jerusalem don't become believers through the influence of 12 apostles alone. When persecution broke out in the church in its earliest days, and everyone except the apostles were scattered. Those who were scattered preached the gospel wherever they went. Something must have also been happening in Jerusalem so that 1000s were brought to faith.
We can learn a lot from these situations and happenings. May 1000s be brought to faith in our cities, communities, neighborhoods and families.
Paul will not have 30 like David did. But he will have four who will stand in the gap with and for him. They will complete a vow and vouch for Paul's faithfulness. There may not be a war in the same way as David fought, but there is a spiritual war going on. And the devil will use anything he can to derail God's mission. Thank God for those who stand with their leaders and fellow servants to defend, protect, pray for, and encourage those servants of the gospel. They are a blessing!
We may want to claim our lane and avoid letting someone in. But God calls us to give way for the sake of Christian love, and as a show of true humility. Paul was willing to do this for he had experienced the grace of God so richly and wanted people to know it so fully. How about us? Have we experienced the grace of God richly? Do we want people to know it fully? Give way!
God's will may not always be harsh or difficult. Sometimes it can be pleasant. He wills that his children love and honor one another. He wills that children are treated with love and compassionate care. He wills that all people be saved. When we see these things happening, we can rejoice in the goodness of God's will. But even when God's will takes us to difficult places, we can be sure that God's will is ultimately and always good. So, indeed, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”
Agabus' message of Paul's impending trouble was not intended to confront him, or call him to repentance. But it was a message that others needed to hear, along with Paul. This is an echo of what God told Ananias when he was sent to pray for Saul and restore his sight. “I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name,” God said of Saul. Paul didn’t just lose his Hebrew name when he started his missionary work. He lost privilege, power, and prestige among his Jewish friends. But he has already said that he is willing even to die for the sake of Jesus. I suspect that Agabus’ message may have been more for the sake of Paul’s friends, and his brothers and sisters in Christ. These wounds may be painful for those people to endure. But they may be trusted – driving them to God for comfort, hope, and peace.
When Paul leaves Tyre, heading to Jerusalem, the people there kneel on the beach in prayer. Luke was there with them. Note the "we" he uses to describe their action. It seems to me that this was an act of humility, foreshadowing the words of the disciples in Caesarea who say, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” Their prayers were urgent, tearful, seeking comfort from God, and protection and courage for Paul no doubt.
They knelt and prayed. What a great example for us today. Humility. Urgency. Sincerity. Faith. These are the inward attributes of one after God's own heart, and they are expressed outwardly in kneeling.
Luke's travelogue of Paul's journey recounts not only places, but people along the way. He connects with disciples in Tyre and stays there seven days. But then he's away again, heading toward Jerusalem. There he will be arrested. At the news of his impending arrest, binding, and being handed over to the gentiles (echoes of Jesus' treatment!), he will not be dissuaded. He says, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Today marks 45 years since my ordination as a Lutheran pastor. I am deeply aware of the incredible privilege I've had over the years. Serving churches in Utah, Colorado, Arkansas, and now Texas has been a journey of joy, tears, challenges, breakthroughs, and deep and lasting relationships. We still occasionally connect with friends from those congregations. Some have stood by us in great stress. Some in joyful celebration. The constant is that Jesus' message of grace and truth has been the glue that holds us together.
The elders at Ephesus knew he had acted faithfully, ethically, and morally. They knew that jealousy and lack of faith drove the attempts at discrediting Paul's ministry. They knew that people were seeking to have their influence over the people in the churches Paul had planted. And they knew that Paul wouldn't be there to defend the true faith - though he would write letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and to Philemon from his Roman prison. Still yet his going was a loss.
But even as we consider powerful missionaries or much-loved pastors leaving beloved people, we must also remember that graveyards are full of indispensable people. There will be others to carry on the mission and keep the church moving forward.
We might want a better car, a nicer home, or even a backyard pool. But we never need to seek these things at the expense of others, or let them get in the way of seeking God's kingdom. A friend of mine decided several years ago to forego building a summer home in Colorado. They had all the money saved. They had the lot picked out and purchased. But they decided that if they built that place he wouldn't be able to teach his Sunday School class; it would get in the way of his pursuit of God's mission.
May gold, silver or apparel never get in the way of my witness or God's rule and reign in my life.
Paul commends the Ephesian elders to God and to the word of his grace. This gift is not earned. It is a gift freely given. It builds us up and grants us an eternally rich and glorious inheritance.
Paul's words are appropriate for me today for any number of reasons. I am deeply thankful for his grace,. I need it constantly. And God's supply is rich and deep. As Paul says in Romans 5: "Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more." That builds me up and keeps me going. As I un-retire again, serving Hope Lutheran Church in Friendswood, Texas, I need that up-building and strength, and the presence of God. I'll take what Paul says to the Ephesian elders as my own and rejoice in the goodness and grace of God.
In the earliest days of the Christian church there were many dangers within and without. The message of the Gospel of Jesus was very different from the then-common religious beliefs - pagan or Jewish. There was every danger of reverting to old ways of thinking and believing. Paul's warnings were not over emphasized.
Reflection based on Acts 20:28-38
It's good for pastors to be reminded, as it is also for you, dear reader, to take good care of yourself so you can offer care, kindness, grace, and mercy to those in your life for whom you have care. Be it a husband, wife, child, grandchild, or friend. Take good care so you can give good care to those in your life who need your care.
We who serve God’s people do well to remember that they are precious to God, bought with the precious blood of Jesus, and worth whatever burden we must bear in order to serve them well. That’s true no matter where we go and whether that path takes us to green pastures and still waters, or through the valley of the shadow of death. Thankfully God is with us through the journey wherever we go.
This gospel is the good news of God's redemption of a fallen and lost world through Jesus' suffering and death. It's the good news of this redemption's gifts of life and salvation for all people. It's the good news that God wants all people to be saved and will not wait idly by for people to come to him and seek his mercy. He sends people to tell the good news. He comes to them - not only in Jesus, which is essential and of primary importance - but also in Paul and others who bring this gospel of the grace of God to people where they are.
I believe in the One who became man to save us all, pointing us to repentance and faith in God. I trust him. I love him. I entrust my life to him. Such is the stuff of faith. But the most essential element of faith is simple trust. Like a child. Looking to Jesus in anticipation of his favor, blessing, and good will.
Repentance, then, is a matter of turning away from any way in which I fail simply to trust in Jesus. It’s about believing that God is good, merciful, faithful, loving, just, and kind. Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!
When Luke speaks of Paul going on ahead without the rest of the group, and then joining them later at Assos, he is giving us a picture of how the mission of God best proceeds. Paul will not only meet up with Luke and the others, he will pour out his heart to the Ephesian elders. God never intended that mission and ministry would be a solo performance. Jesus’ modeled that in his earthly ministry. We are now his body on earth to carry on his mission. Thankfully we do not have to do that alone.
This is the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of God’s people. It brings Jesus glory. And it brings people to Jesus.
Gathering with other believers for worship and the Lord's Supper is a blessing too easily and often ignored by Christians today. Too often we treat gathering for public worship to be an add-on to life, rather than a springboard of grace into the week ahead. Covid certainly put a dent in people's appreciation and practice of public worship and sacrament. But it is not only a mystery and miracle. It is a treasure not to be despised or abandoned.
Injury by friendly fire is a casualty of war. But friendly fire that isn’t really so friendly is so very sad. Wounds of a friend can be trusted. Let’s do all we can to wound others only for their good, only when absolutely necessary, and only with the kindest heart. Correcting and disciplining a brother or sister must be done gently, as Paul counsels so graciously in Galatians 6:1, “If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” The temptation would be to self-righteousness and pride. The goal is always to win the brother or sister in Christ, and restore her or him to fellowship and faithfulness.
That’s not friendly fire, that’s friendly faithfulness.
They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well it takes a team - the body of Christ - to propel God's mission. You may think of someone who has helped you along the path of faith active in love. Thank God for them. Do it now.
Falling asleep in church isn't the most grave danger. I've done it a couple times in years gone by. Nor is falling out the window - embarrassing as that might be. The greatest danger is being asleep to the word of God, trading the truth of God's word comfort of the pillow, and remaining unaware of God's presence in our lives - in a church service, or a Tuesday afternoon commute.
Luke records that Gaius and Aristarchus accompany Paul as he continues his mission. They are listed in Acts 20:1-6 along with Timothy and others in that journey. He is listed in Romans 16:23 as a gracious host to Paul. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:14 that Gaius was one of the people he baptized. In 3 John 1:1, a man named Gaius is mentioned as a beloved brother in Christ. But the name was apparently common in those days it is not widely believed that these are the same persons.
According to ChatGPT, Aristarchus is portrayed as a steadfast and loyal associate of Paul, playing a significant role in the early Christian movement. His repeated presence alongside Paul in various challenging situations underscores his commitment to the spread of Christianity and his support for Paul’s ministry. He is mentioned here as well as in Acts 20:4; 27:2; Colossians 4:10 (where he is listed as a fellow prisoner with Paul), and Philemon 1:24.
When the city clerk quieted the crowd it ultimately aided the mission of God. Paul was not caught up in the mob. He would make his way to Jerusalem, and on to Rome eventually. But when the crowd was not silenced, and the people continued to shout, "Crucify," it also aided the mission of God! Jesus' crucifixion was part and parcel of God's plan for our salvation. This is akin to Luther's thought, The devil is always God's devil. God limits the power and reach of Satan. So, we could say, the mob is always God's mob. Sometimes they will be quieted, sometimes not.
The message of Jesus is one of peace. Although people will get up in arms against Jesus' followers, we do not represent him well by mob action, boisterous demonstrations, or chaotic comotion. Our best witness is the powerful soft whisper of grace, mercy, and love. Shown in Christ. Empowered by the Spirit. Honoring the Father.
Faith working in love, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and anchored in God's word and promise is a beautiful and magnificent thing. Jesus has done the work that needs to have been done. He is truly great and worthy of our worship.
Martin Luther is credited to having said that there are three conversions. He is quoted as saying, “People go through three conversions: The conversion of their head, their heart, and their pocketbook. Unfortunately, not all at the same time.” He says that we need to have our purses or pocketbooks baptized. This conversion had decidedly not been the case with Demetrius and the silversmiths of Ephesus. He is no-bones-about-it concerned that the message of Jesus would undercut his profits. It didn't make any difference that these prophets fed on the false notions of idol worship. All that these artisans did was make money in exchange for overpriced pieces of silver.
Always forward - in the Spirit. There are times when God's Holy Spirit takes us along paths we had never seen coming. There are times when we propose but God disposes in a different direction. We make our plans. But if we wish to be faithful we will say, as James warns us if it is God's will we will go to this or that place..." (cf. James 4:13-15).
Always Forward Ministries: https://www.alwaysforwardministries.com/our-story
This nor the book burning recorded here were acts of censorship. These were acts of repudiation. They were not saying, "You cannot read these books," per se. But they were saying, "We won't read these books any longer. We repudiate our practice of magic arts and divest ourselves of all that was involved in that practice. These people had a profound change of heart. They were dramatically converted. I'm reminded of Saul on the road to Damascus.
Faith finds the grace of God already there. Faith does not cause God's grace. So when I believed for that struggling wife, or the father of the little girl believed for the sake of his daughter, we looked for something that was already there.
God is the true healer of our body and souls. He heals sometimes miraculously. Sometimes medically. And sometimes mercifully – when he takes us from this veil of tears into the clear and gracious presence of Jesus. And on the Great Last Day we will experience that full and complete healing ourselves – forever.
When someone's skill and competence is not complemented by their character, dangerous things happen. If character is lacking, competent people can do great harm. God shaped Paul's character through his suffering and hardships. We can keep this in mind whenever we meet challenges and difficulties of any kind. God is at work not only in the times of glory and success, but also when we face trials and tribulations. For our good and the good of others.
We live under Christ in his rule and reign of grace and truth. His is the way of life and salvation, glory and joy. Jesus is Lord because he is Redeemer. When I was lost, he found me. When I was ensnared by sin, he forgave me. When I was dead he made me alive. When I was blind, he gave me sight. He did all this so that I may live under him in his rule and reign.
Paul spent months and years teaching, persuading, and reasoning with the people there about the rule and reign of God. That should tell us something. While I may be able to define the Kingdom of God succinctly (and I believe correctly), the implications, significance, and impact of God’s reign and rule are profound and far-reaching. This merits deeper study.
The validation of baptism is not in the pastor’s character who baptizes, nor even the name of the church in which one is baptized. (Don’t get me started by saying, “I was baptized Lutheran.” That’s simply not true.) The validity of baptism is found in the Words used and the confession of the Gospel held by the community of believers where one is being baptized.
Scripture instructs us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, knowing the will of God and doing it (cf. Romans 12). Paul corrects the people on Mars Hill regarding their understanding of God's essence. He tells them that they "ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man." This was their way of thinking about God.
But we are called to think of themselves with sober judgement, and to think about God as one to be feared, loved, and trusted. This is a far better way to think.
Not only was Jesus vindicated by his resurrection, but he will come to judge the living and the dead. Our need for his salvation is exceeded only by his grace and forgiveness to all who repent and believe. “All people everywhere should repent,” says Paul. Luther said that the entire life of a Christian should be one of repentance. We drown the old nature by daily repentance and faith. That’s a good message for all people everywhere.
Godly contentment is a good thing. It is essential to living in the fullness of God's peace. We are soon paralyzed with anxiety if we live in a state of discontent. Paul tells the Philippians years later that he learned the secret of contentment. That state of contentment surely helped him to write those reflective thoughts to the church there. But for now he has a holy discontent that people do not know the source of true life, love, grace, and peace. Perhaps we should feel a little bit of that godly discontent whenever we encounter the broken world around us.
I once attended a workshop for pastors and church leaders. John Maxwell was the presenter and gave this advice to pastors doing ministry or mission, "Take someone along," he said. We're better together - whether that is a band of brothers or the body of Christ, brothers and sisters in Christ who partner with one another for the sake of the Gospel.
This is a corrected version of today's podcast. The correct word (not corrected in the recording - sorry - is apocryphal, not apocolyptic.
Here is a link to the passages I refer to in today's podcast:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+3%3A15%3B+Psalm+22%3B+Isaiah+53&version=ESV;NLT;NRSVA;SBLGNT
Paul and Silas taught that it was necessary for Jesus to suffer and die, and be raised from the dead. The little Greek word, ἔδει (edei) means it was necessary. Gotta happen. Plan of God. Promised by God. Delivered by Jesus. Necessary because of our sin and God's abiding love. He did not flinch from this rescue. He has done it. We have been saved. The seeds of that salvation were sown in the Old Testament. They came to full bloom in the life and ministry of Jesus. They will be fully harvested on the Great Last Day. This is the witness of Scripture.
Here is a link to the passages I refer to in today's podcast:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+3%3A15%3B+Psalm+22%3B+Isaiah+53&version=ESV;NLT;NRSVA;SBLGNT
Paul and Silas taught that it was necessary for Jesus to suffer and die, and be raised from the dead. The little Greek word, ἔδει (edei) means it was necessary. Gotta happen. Plan of God. Promised by God. Delivered by Jesus. Necessary because of our sin and God's abiding love. He did not flinch from this rescue. He has done it. We have been saved. The seeds of that salvation were sown in the Old Testament. They came to full bloom in the life and ministry of Jesus. They will be fully harvested on the Great Last Day. This is the witness of Scripture.
The story of God starts before the foundation of time and goes on through eternity in the life of the world to come. Paul and Silas are very important parts of that story, for they bear witness to Jesus Christ – the center of it all. And because of their witness, the message of Jesus has gone on to the ends of the earth.
The paradox of being of more noble character is that to be of noble character means that you are not easily swayed from convictions firmly founded. But it also means that you're constantly willing to reexamine your beliefs in light of Scripture. It's said that if you don't stand for anything, you'll fall for everything. On the other hand, if you refuse to change your stand, you may find you are standing for the wrong thing. The only way I know of to avoid that is to search the Scriptures in a constant effort to conform to what God has revealed there.
Easter Sunday was a multi-exclamation point day. Beautiful hymns. A powerful message. Joyful Lord’s Supper Celebration. Then delightful time with family. For 2000 years the message of Jesus’ resurrection from the grave has been the cornerstone of the Christian faith. It forms the foundation for God’s Good News of life and salvation through faith in Jesus of Nazareth. Without the resurrection we have no hope. With the resurrection we have people who for centuries have witnessed to this remarkable truth: Jesus Christ is risen!
We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead today. Let the name of the Lord be praised!
Check out these great Easter Hymns:
https://youtu.be/57C7uBkbO5E?si=OFalMuzBQ5H3UgcM
https://youtu.be/rMwPEmUMP7U?si=lrOd7SeJ6N61oSPo
Here is a link to the readings for Saturday of Holy Week.
Matthew 27:62-66, Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56, John 19:40
Each of the seven words of Jesus hold a special place in my heart.
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34)
"Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43)
"Woman, behold your son. Son, behold your mother" (John 19:26-27)
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34)
"I thirst" (John 19:28)
"It is finished" (John 19:30)
"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46)
Many major events occur on Maundy Thursday the Day of Unleavened Bread, the day on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus washes the disciples' feet and gives them a "new command." He institutes the Lord's Supper. He prays in the garden. He is arrested, taken away, and tortured.
These things happened on the night he was betrayed. I love the tender teaching moment when Jesus washes the disciples' feet. I love the new command Jesus gives, "Love one another." I love the care and grace he extends - even to Judas.
It is not clear just what Jesus did on the Wednesday of Holy Week. Perhaps he was staying in the home of Mary and Martha and Lazarus. It would be nearby Jerusalem, and they would be gracious hosts. But the Bible does not tie any particular action or words of Jesus to Wednesday. So I am meditating on these thoughts from John’s gospel. They are a sad refrain of unbelief and rejection.
So many of the events of this week must have tugged on Jesus' emotions. He knew he was facing his last days. The conflict between him and the Pharisees is reaching a climax. He will instruct his disciples before he is betrayed. Then will come the betrayal, the scourging, beating, crucifixion, and death. These events loom before him and his disciples.
One of them - for reasons known only to God - takes matters into his own hands and decides to betray Jesus. Judas will sell his soul for 30 pieces of silver. The Jewish leaders will agree to this bargain. They will question Jesus' authority. But as great of an emotional and dramatic vortex this is, none of it is happening apart from God's will. This is his plan - for our good and his glory.
Here's the link to Pastor DeMik's message on Palm Sunday. The message starts at 46:26 into the service.
Maybe there are tables that need to be overturned in your life. I’m sure there are in mine. Perhaps you recognize there are fruitless and barren spaces in your heart. Thankfully, when Jesus overturns tables, he makes a way for people to come to God. And when fig trees are cursed, he uses it as an opportunity to teach us about the impact of our prayers before the throne of God.
Today is a good day to pray. God has made a way for us to do so. His name is Jesus. And when we pray in his name, we will be heard.
Years ago, when a coworker found out that I was going to the seminary, he asked Diane, "What do you do for fun?" I suppose he thought every moment of a pastor's life was filled with sermonizing, Bible reading, praying, and religious stuff. We do spend all our time with Jesus - at our best - and need him most at our worst. But he's with us on the front lines of the mission as well as in the moments of rest and relaxation life sometimes affords. And on more than one occasion, we've been able to share the gospel even in those down times. You never know when the opportunity may arise.
God's providence shines through all of Paul's missionary work. It is for the sake of Paul's wellbeing and even more for the sake of the gospel message. Followers of Jesus need never be bullied. Standing up for the sake of the gospelis sometimes necessary. Sometimes it may bring trouble. But sometimes even governmental regulations can aid and protect God's servants. I thank God for those brave men and women who will not be sidelined in their witness to Jesus.
Perhaps there was a Mr. Jailer's mother-in-law, or father who was praying that God would touch this man's heart. And now their prayers were being answered - perhaps even beyond their imaginations. To become a God Fearer meant that a non-Jew would be sympathetic to the Jewish faith. They might observe certain of the Jewish customs, rites, and traditions. But they would not be fully Jewish. They would, however, respect and appreciate the Jewish faith, and morality. There is no evidence of any such person in Mr. Jailer's household. But it is interesting to me that the whole household rejoiced that they had believed in God.
There may be a lost son, a wayward daughter, a stubborn husband, an estranged mother, or a good friend for whom you would rejoice were he or she to come to faith. Whether or not there was a person in Mr. Jailer's household who was praying for his conversion, you can be the person who is praying for that one. May God honor your prayers and bring him or her to himself. Hopefully it won't take an earthquake or a night in jail to make it happen!
The true, living, gracious God did not need to be manipulated or bought off. His favor came to people by his grace. And just as the jailer discovered, he wanted nothing more than their faith. And even that was not a matter of his need, but of our blessing. For to believe in his goodness, grace, love, and salvation aligns us with the gifts he offers. We're saved by faith because the gift is already there. Faith receives it.
I'm certain I don't often enough give thanks to God for my faith, for his salvation, for coming to me, for showing me himself. This jailer and his family are good reminders and examples for us all.
Maybe you can identify the place and time the Gospel message impacted you and your loved ones. Perhaps it wasn't a whole family event. It might have been. Be sure of this, however, the stone the builders rejected has made quite an impact in many people's lives down through the ages. And the ripples continue to spread.
Whether or not the Jailer was asking for a worldly salvation, Paul was offering him an eternal one. And in the end the jailer believed and was baptized. Rather than believing in Caesar’s power, his superior’s control, or any of the many false gods of his day, Paul told him to put his faith in Jesus.
“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved,” is still a good message for us. We can look to false gods, fear, money, sex, power, or a myriad of other demigods. None of those will give life, much less eternal salvation. The question is whether or not we fully understand the depth of our need for Jesus, or the full meaning of being saved. When we put our faith in Jesus we will be saved. And there’s no question about that.
Diane and I have gone on several foreign mission trips. Most of them have been to teach pastors and their spouses about effective ways to expand their work in the Mission of God. Many of these pastors and church leaders are completely committed to sharing the message of Jesus Christ. They put into practice what they learn about multiplying disciples, leading change in their churches, and doing this with character and integrity.
But we spend much more time and energy pursuing God's mission right where we are. Thankfully, we've been kept safe here and in our mission travels. It is important for us to remember that safety isn't just so we can live easy lives. But thanking God for "quiet and peaceful lives" we delight to be part of God's work in his mission field wherever we may be.
What's going on here? Is God orchestrating all this just so that Luke has something interesting to report? Is this just the makings of a Christian cinema offering? No. And no. Luke will write about it; we're reading his book even now. And this would make a great movie. But this isn't about books or movies - plotline or not. This is about the grace of God and his desire for all people to be saved. It's about helping us understand that through faith in Jesus we are saved. That's true whether we've lived a life totally apart from God from our birth, or claim a lifelong commitment to Jesus and a front pew in the Church on the Corner of Grace and Truth Streets.
When we were facing some grave medical concerns over our youngest child, I would often go into the sanctuary of the church I served. I'd get there early and pray and sing hymns. I came to love the hymn, Lord, Thee I Love With All My Heart. Now, when I wake up in the middle of the night I'll sing the Agnus Dei or Kyrie (in my heart-not outloud!). I'll silently pray the Lord's Prayer, and recite psalms in those quiet hours. These calm my heart and God grants peace in those moments.
You may or may not have a great singing voice. But I'm confident that God loves to hear the songs we sing from our hearts and to his glory - no matter how well we may sing them.
There are times for the show of great power. And there are times for the witness of faith in the face of suffering. Servants of the Most High God will have occasion to express both. But work of the Most High God is done in the frailty of his Son. Jesus on the cross draws us all to himself. And he is the true servant of the Most High God.
The Holy Spirit brings people to faith, unites us into one body, and keeps them in the faith. We see all three of these things in this passage. Paul and Silas travel to far away places sharing the Gospel and planting churches. Timothy sees what they are doing and joins them in their travels. He eventually becomes a pastor. Lydia is brought to faith and supports these servants in their calling.
The Holy Spirit works from beginning to end in the life of a believer. He calls us to faith, strengthens us in the faith, gathers us with other believers, and sends people into the Lord's harvest to seek and save others. Where is the Holy Spirit working in your life these days?
Lydia was a person of peace - as Jesus described to his disciples in Luke 10:5-6. She welcomed these disciples. She offered them food and shelter. She received their message. Paul, Timothy, and Silas will visit her following their escape from prison.
I want to be like Lydia. I want to be a person of peace. I consider hospitality a privilege to offer. I want to pay attention to what God's servants say. I am thankful to have been baptized. Where do you see Lydia's example as one you might follow?
Next time you take a trip, and you get stuck in traffic, experience a flight delay, or have car trouble, let those moments remind you of how God brought the message of Jesus to people throughout the ages. Thank God for his faithful love, and for those who have endured challenges of many kinds over the years so that the word of God would be spread also to us.
This is a record of a vitally important mission trip - not just a travelog.
What if we made more of an effort to make our choices each day based on how it might impact or impede our Christian witness. I'm thinking of the way we drive, the public political stances we take, the entertainment we seek, our choices on Saturday nights and Sunday mornings. There are times to hold fast and times to bend, and the decision to do either should be made based on how it adorns our confession of Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Perhaps you’re facing closed doors in your life. Desires that cannot be fulfilled. Careers that have hit a dead end. Hopes that will not be fulfilled. Take heart! God does have a path forward for you. It may be challenging. It may require a major reset. But God leads us toward a better tomorrow. When we follow the new paths of his choosing we may be confident that he is also preparing open hearts to await us along the way.
You can call me by whatever name or title you wish. Paul was respected and held in high regard. But we must never lose sight of the One to whom all honor is due. Our Lord Jesus Christ is due all praise, honor, respect, faith, and love. He is the One Paul preached and risked his life for. He is the One who will receive "blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might forever and ever! Amen” (cf. Romans 7:12).
We overestimate what we can do in the short term and way underestimate what God can do in the long term. Ahh...that's where patience comes in. The Christian faith is not a microwave religion. The growth of the church - while occasionally experiencing miraculous multiplication (think Pentecost) - is a long process. And the long view here requires that such questions about the future place of the gentile believers are well handled - with great patience.
We'll never obey God's Law perfectly, but we have been saved by the grace of Jesus Christ - along with all others who believe in him. A life of mercy and justice rather than mere ritualistic external obedience is testimony to the Holy Spirit's work in us. There are many things we cannot do, but God can do great things through those who believe in him.
When we hear of the amazing growth of the church in Ethiopia, Uganda, South America, or down the street the example of the early church is one we should follow. This is good news. Let it bring great joy to your heart. And pray that more people will hear and believe this Good News. It’s not only for those who need to be converted. It’s for you and me.
God cleanses hearts. He saves us not by works of righteousness, but by the grace of the Lord Jesus. We're all the same here. Our standing is one of grace and faith. It's based on God's mercy and love. It's secured in Jesus' death, and guaranteed by Jesus' resurrection. We'll experience this fully only on the Great Last Day when Jesus returns and we are brought into his heavenly kingdom. By grace. Through faith. In Jesus. It's really all the same.
Sadly, I have seen and been brought into church fights. I've seen church leaders resign in disgust. I've heard people say things I can hardly believe I've heard from the mouths of those claiming the name of Christ. Perhaps these behaviors were not of that character. But there was no doubt some real energy behind the conversations.
The solution, however, was not arrived at by fisticuffs, or resignations. The solution was to seek the wisdom and help of those who were charged with guiding the church, and centering the mission in faith in Jesus Christ. The Let's Settle This solution was to be founded on the message of salvation that is for all people. We'll see that in this chapter. And we're living it today. We call ourselves Christians and take our place in the kingdom of God by grace through faith. And that settles it.
I'm all about grace. I know and believe that truth is essential to understanding grace fully. I believe wholeheartedly in truth. Thankfully truth is embodied in Jesus who is full of both grace and truth. But in the end, I default to grace. I love how Paul speaks of this in Romans 5, "Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more" (Romans 5:20).
Through pain God calls us away from self-reliance to faith and trust in him.
God has shown that such faith and trust is well placed by two things. First of all, he came to our rescue in Jesus of Nazareth who taught and did good, ushering in the kingdom of God, and ultimately sacrificing himself for us lost sinners. That shows God’s good will toward us. But he also rose from the dead. God’s intent toward us is not merely an impotent good will. He is mighty to save.
We may have to go through much trouble and tribulation to enter the kingdom of God. But our entry is assured, and his salvation is gloriously good.
The issue is not whether sinners are welcome in the church. We know they are. We’re all sinners. We all need grace. It is a matter of whether we lean toward protecting the church or seeing the church as a place of encouragement, refreshment, and sending. I’m all for good stewardship, care for people - especially the vulnerable. And I’m also all for being in mission. Sometimes that can be dangerous. Sometimes it may require extraordinary effort, long trips, and facing extreme existence. Most often, however, it requires a heart that is open to sharing grace and truth (as needed) with those whom God brings our way.
Jesus taught his disciples that they should be persevere in prayer and not lose heart (Luke 18:1-8). The basis of that persistence is the character and nature of God. He is good and gives good gifts to his children. But the implied urgency is that Satan is evil and dedicated to our destruction.
So just as Satan never gives up, neither should we. Ours will be the victory in the end. Ours will be the joy at the last. We will celebrate with angels, archangels, and all the company of heaven. We must not let down our guard and allow Satan to prevail.
God sends "rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” It's not just that God exists. It's not merely that he is the Creator. There is evidence of his goodness, grace, love, provision, and protection all around us. Will we ignore it? Or will we recognize him as the giver - given the evidence he has left for us?
Martin Luther wrote in his catechism 500 years ago that God does all these things only out of fatherly divine goodness without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this, he says, it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey him.
God is not without witness and we are not without proper response. We are to thank, praise, serve, and obey God for all his good gifts.
"Who's on First" (Link)
The world needs more Barnabases: people who don't care who gets the credit as long as the kingdom of God is manifest and the mission of God is advanced. Is there someone you can encourage this week so that happens as well? I'm guessing there may be. I hope you find a way to do so - no matter who gets first billing, or who's on first!
Paul and Barnabas are saying, "It isn't us. We're not the ones doing these miracles. God is doing them through us. We are not worthy of your worship. We are servants of the living God." That takes a lot of pressure off of us. But it's not a cop out. It's just a salutary acknowledgement that we are not in charge. We have only borrowed power. God gets the glory and praise. We get the privilege of serving him.
Jesus is true God and true man. He has come down to redeem us. He calls us to turn from the vain idols "to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them."
Perhaps there is someone in your personal orbit on whom you must not give up. Until it becomes clear that they have no desire to hear from you about God, keep preaching the gospel. And when rebuffed, what do you do? Keep on sharing the good news of Jesus.
If we believe that faith in Jesus will bring peace we are correct - in the ultimate end of all things. But until that time we live in a fallen world. Not everyone loves Jesus. Not everyone believes in him. I wish it was not so. But I'm thankful for Jesus' willingness to hold to both grace and truth, and for those who maintain that powerful balance - even at the cost of their personal comfort and safety.
We are the light for those who live in darkness. We have the privilege and honor of bearing Jesus' light to others. It's not ours. It is borrowed. We are like the moon which shines with borrowed light. Let the light of Christ reflect from us to others! Be the moon!
God wants all people to be saved: Jew, gentile, slave, free, male and female. No one is beyond his loving grace. We may push him away. We may even push others away from him. In either case this is a grave sin. Thanks be to God that he is always reaching, searching, inviting, and saving people of every race, tribe, people, and tongue. We’re one of those after all!
I've had the chance to lead a large church with a tremendous staff. I've enjoyed some degree of success. I'm glad to say not the degree of success as megachurch pastors have enjoyed. That's because I'm all in for giving God the glory. His is the kingdom, power, and glory. His is the church, honor, and majesty. His is the salvation, praise, and splendor. Let us never be envious of the attention he receives. Rather let's see how much attention we can point toward him.
When is the last time you've begged to hear more about Jesus? I realize we have heard it all before. We're more in danger of dismissing this familiar old story. And that's my point. Peter speaks of how angels long to look into the things of God (1 Peter 1:10-12). Seems to me that by now the angels in heaven might be up to speed about God's gracious work for our salvation. But they're intrigued by the many facets of God's grace, and his works among man.
If we're not yearning to learn more about God, perhaps we need to look closer at his word and discover the depth of the riches of his glorious grace. There is definitely much yet for us to learn. We don't have to beg to learn more about Jesus. But we certainly can yearn to for a deeper understanding and knowledge of his word.
Even though we are sinners, Christ died for us. Even though we were dead in our trespasses and sins, God made us alive. Even though we had deserved death and damnation, God has condemned Jesus in our place and given us the glory he deserves.
You may be in a place of despair, distress, hopelessness, shame, disease, or death. But God has an abundance of grace, hope, life, healing, peace, and joy. He gives that to us by his grace. We may face grave and insurmountable challenges. But God's promises are fulfilled in Jesus, and gives them to us through faith.
God had made promises about his redemption and our salvation. It would be delivered first appearing as a newborn baby, delivered in a stable and laid in a manger. It would be further revealed in Jesus' ministry of teaching and miracles. It would be further seen when Jesus was delivered up to the cross to die. It will be finally shown when we are delivered into the throneroom of God's eternal, glorious, and gracious reign. We will be delivered as promised from this vale of tears into the blissful and joyful paradise of God.
Yes. Delivered as promised!
I'm wondering where I might be tempted to scoff at God's word and promises. Judging from my own personal spiritual inventory it has to do with the grace of God, his promise to hear my prayers, and his unwavering love for me. Sometimes it's just so hard to believe. That's why I'm so thankful that God has said, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself" (2 Timothy 2:13). God is no scoffer.
Jesus' suffering, death, burial, and resurrection was gonna happen. It was done so we could be saved. And by that God is glorified.
"Time in erodes awareness of" is another way of saying that the longer you are in a particular situation - your home, your church, your car, your job - you grow less and less aware of the peculiarities of that situation. The scratch on the door. The funny noise of the brake pedal. The slightly torn window shade. The peculiar smell of the breakroom at work. You grow used to these things. They go unnoticed.
That's the danger of being a lifelong Christian. You might overlook something that is really more important than you think because you've heard it so often. It's like saying the Creed or the Lord's Prayer. It can be pretty easy to slip into autopilot as we speak words of profound spiritual depth and value.
David shows that he is a man after God's heart because he repents. He will not hide behind an unbelieving heart with outward shows of piety. He won't harumph himself up before others in self-righteousness. He calls out to God,
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise. - Psalm 51:15
And,
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin! - Psalm 51:1-2
A man or woman after God's heart will delight in God's glorious grace. Reflecting God's love. Shown in Jesus. Granting us salvation. Capturing our hearts.
Encouraging words are words from the Holy Spirit. They will point us to Jesus and bring eternal encouragement.
Jesus' ministry is more than a bubble on the timeline of history. He is part of the grand sweep of the divine drama of God's redemption and salvation. More accurately, Jesus is the centerpiece of God's story of our eternal salvation.
The saddest thing of all is when people walk away from the faith and fail to pass down to their children. A dismissive yeah, yeah, yeah attitude is a dangerous step that leads in that direction. These Old Testament events are important of themselves and help us more fully appreciate and thank God for Jesus' redemptive grace and sacrificial love. Jesus' work is not a yeah, yeah, yeah matter. ... His salvation is properly a glorious, Yes! Yes! Yes!
God has always been at work. Whether through Abraham or Elijah, Gideon or Moses, God was working. But it wasn't merely to build a kingdom on earth. His is an eternal kingdom with people clothed in justice, mercy, witness, grace, and love. Through faith in Jesus all these are ours. That's what actually does work.
I don't think of myself as all that important. Most of us don't harbor delusions of grandeur. But we all can point to Jesus as the author and source of every good gift. We can all confess him as Lord. We can all claim his salvation through faith. We can all make a way for him in our hearts so that he can use us to gain access to others' hearts.
All kinds and sorts of people make up the church. We who are part of the church will have occasion to interact with all kinds of folks. We must be ready always to offer grace, mercy, hope, and love to those whom we encounter. We may never know how our lives may be woven into others' spiritual journey. But we must do all we can to honor Christ whenever we are part of such encounters.
There are currently more than 600 congregations in our church body that are calling pastors. That’s about 10% of the churches. We need pastors. Please join me in praying that the Lord would send more laborers into the harvest of souls. And while you’re at it, remember this: Immediately after Jesus commands his disciples to pray for workers to be sent into the harvest, Matthew records that Jesus named his 12 disciples and sent them out. They turned out to be part of God’s answer to their own prayers. There may be a roll for each of us in this need for which we are praying.
Paul calls Elymas a son of the devil, and enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy. He asked him, "will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?" Sometimes we must call people to account for their rebellious, reckless and wayward ways.
Those who lead us toward Jesus are the Sons of God, whose feet on the mountains are beautiful.
The Holy Spirit calls us to faith, enlightens us with his gifts, keeps us in the faith, gathers his people, and sanctifies us. And as Martin Luther says, the Holy Spirit “daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.”
This is the Good News (Gospel) of the Holy Spirit. Glory be to You, O Holy Spirit!
I'm thankful that the Holy Spirit moved the church in Antioch to send Saul and Barnabas. I'm thankful, too, that the Holy Spirit moved my parents to share the Gospel message with me when I was a little child. I'm thankful that the Holy Spirit keeps me in this faith. I'm thankful that the Holy Spirit continues to send people share the Good News of Jesus and moves people to believe. I'm thankful that the Holy Spirit has moved you to read this. I pray that he works in you to believe that Jesus loves you, forgives your sins, and grants you eternal salvation.
Hubris will be replaced – either now or later, and either by godly sorrow which leads to repentance, or by worldly sorrow that leads to death. There is a chasm of difference between repentance (contrition and faith), and the faithless regret of comeuppance.
Sadly there are many who resist their whole lives, and will fall never to rise again. But those who bow the knee today, who repent and believe, who do not suppose they may recommend themselves to God, will be raised up. The fall of which Simeon speaks is not the fall into sin, but falling in humble honor before our Lord Jesus at whose name every knee will bow in heaven and on earth. And one day every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. This little baby will bring all that about, with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
It's never too early to set ourselves or our children on the paths of righteousness. Whether it is bringing a child to be baptized, teaching them Christian songs and hymns, bringing them to church and Sunday school, and modeling a life of faith and love. We will never reach perfection this side of eternity. But we have a Savior who is completely and wholly righteous, perfect in the best sense of the word: complete. He is all we need for life and salvation. It's never too early to follow him. Nor is it too late.
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today. So too our walk of faithful love.
When I am privileged to serve Holy Communion I use a blessing that reflects one part of this song. "Depart in peace; the Lord is with you," I say. When God is with us we may be at peace, for our God is rich in grace and mercy. He forgives our sins. He is with us to save us and give us perfect peace. I just recently started saying, "Live in peace; the Lord is with you." Departing or living; waking or dying: we have peace with God for Jesus has saved us. We can live and depart in peace. Thanks be to God!
For centuries the people of Israel remembered the Exodus and celebrated God's salvation. We've had centuries to remember and rejoice in God's salvation. We can look in our mind's eye at the cross and the empty tomb. We can experience a foretaste of the Great Wedding Feast to come at the communion rail. We can feel the weight of sin, guilt and shame lifted when we hear Jesus' word of forgiveness and his promise that whoever comes to him will never be turned away" (John 6:37).
An urgent prayer answered. A weight of guilt and shame lifted. A new hope when all seemed lost. The peace that passes all understanding at the communion rail. The joy of seeing your grandchild baptized. All these are pale reflections of God's salvation. We've seen God's work in our lives. We can live in peace.
Jesus' name is so important to me that I am inclined to use "Jesus" rather than "Christ" when referring to our Lord. So I pray in Jesus' name. I call on Jesus in my prayers. I speak of Jesus' love. I call myself a Jesus-follower. Jesus is my Lord, Savior, Redeemer, and Friend.
I hope he is all that and more for you, Dear Reader.
God's people are urged to clothe themselves in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12). We're not high-powered New York attorneys. We are children of the almighty God. Jesus' swaddling cloths and manger ought to inspire us to that same kind of humility, mercy, love, and grace that we find in God in a manger.
How do we want to think about what is high and what is low in human life? The manger anchors us at one end of Jesus' life on earth. The cross holds us on the other. Jesus is the Son of God, the Savior of the World, the Word Made Flesh. And he is found at his birth in a manger and at his death on a cross. Now he has a name that is above all other names. At his name every knee will bow in heaven and on earth. And every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord - to the glory of God the Father.
God wanted to be in the places of abandoned hope, lost dreams, distressed fears, abject disappointment, and crushed pride. For that is where we all are. Some people hide that well - at least from other people - but never from God. Some people refuse to believe God would come to them in their brokenness and shame - but he does. Some people yearn to know his grace and mercy - and God yearns for them to believe. Trust. Hope. Receive his gift of faith.
Where do I want to be? I want to be with God. And receive his tender comfort. And enjoy his compassionate grace. And live in his kingdom of power, grace, and glory. Forever.
Come, Lord Jesus!
I hope you had the opportunity to ponder the wonders of Christmas yesterday. And...Good news: Christmas lasts for 12 days. The celebration by church calendar timing runs until January 6, Epiphany Sunday, the Christmas of the Gentiles.
NOTE: I'll be taking a break from Acts for these 12 days, pondering with Mary the meaning of the incarnation. Then, as is so appropriate to the season of Epiphany, I'll pick back up with Acts after that time.
Merry Christmas, and Peaceful Christmas Ponderings!
You may or may not love ballet. But there is a beautiful dance between grace and truth that centers in the birth of Jesus, the Word made Flesh. This will be the point of my message today at St. John Lutheran Church. You are welcome to join in person or via St. John's website.
Blue Christmas Image Link
My Blue Christmas image is two images in one. One is of our Willow Tree nativity set's Mary and her child. The other is the exterior of a downtown Houston skyscraper. It reflected the beautiful blue sky on the day I took the photo. By putting it as an overlay (with the lines of the windows becoming a sort of cage, keeping Jesus from us) I was trying to convey the idea that the world does its best to keep Jesus from us and us from Jesus.
But just as Jesus shines through that particular image, so Jesus comes to us. He is not bound. Nor are we prevented from coming to him. As we celebrate Christmas, may the joy, peace, hope, and love of God fill our hearts.
https://vimeo.com/53001417
Sometimes I wish I would get what I deserve. A pat on the back. Fair treatment from a merchant. Value for what I've paid. Promises kept. A word of kindness. None of that is wrong in itself. But if, before God, we were to receive what we deserve, we would have no hope. We're all broken, sinful, rebellious creatures. We deserve to be abandoned by God.
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. - Hebrews 4:12-16
Thankfully our King does not reign by the sword of retribution, but rather from a throne of grace!
Barnabas, Peter, and John Mark will engage each other in these dynamics in the years to come. They will set out for mission trips. There will come a time when Barnabas and Paul challenge each other about what it takes to be in mission. Barnabas will take John Mark and Paul will take Silas at that point. This iron-sharpening-iron moment will give way to the balm of brotherly love some time later. Truth and grace. Reality and hope. Accountability and encouragement. These twin blessings of true fellowship make us stronger and more effective in our lives and service in Christ's kingdom.
Which do you need today? Is there someone to whom you can turn for just that gracious touch? Is there someone you know who needs that gracious touch?
Elijah had Elisha. David had Jonathan. Jesus sent his disciples out two-by-two. Even Jesus himself had Peter, James, and John; John being especially close. Do you have a partner in mission? Is there someone who is allied with you in sharing the message of Jesus, living under Christ in his kingdom, loving God and neighbor to the fullest? You are blessed if you do. If you don't you can make that a matter of your personal prayer, and make an intentional effort to find that person of peace; that partner in mission.
While I might know many more people than 12, the most important name to know is Jesus' name. It's vital, also, that he knows me. I never want to hear Jesus say, "I never knew you." That is reserved for those who try to hide their true identity from him. It doesn't really work, and it has horrific consequences.
Knowing Jesus and being known by him is by far the greatest knowledge to which one can aspire.
Thankfully we're not struck dead when we puff ourselves up with pride. But hopefully we will be brought down a notch or two when we venture too far into self-worship, self-righteousness, and self-aggrandizement. For "whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23:12)
I think of how this is played out so obviously in the Christmas event. The King of the Universe became a baby - humbling himself even to the point of death. Now he has the name that is above every name, and at the name of Jesus every knee will bow in heaven and on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. I can't think of one time Jesus honored himself. Maybe that's a good lesson for us.
But sometimes - not often but sometimes - our prayers do change things and God acts in a manner he otherwise would not have, had we not prayed. This seems to have been one of those occasions. We cannot get into the mind of God to discern how his omniscience impacts his answers to our prayers. But we can pray urgently, fervently, persistently, faithfully, and humbly. And while never telling God what to do, we can rejoice when our will aligns with his will for our good and blessing. And when we see that happening we can praise God for his grace, goodness, faithfulness, and love.
Whether it’s too little faith, too small expectations, or too many distractions, we all need to awaken to God’s goodness, power, and faithfulness, and see how he answers our prayers in ways we would never see if we’re not looking.
All this (Peter’s miraculous escape, et. al.) is happening so that more people will hear the message of Jesus and receive the gift of eternal salvation. Peter will go on to other places, telling other people, and seeing other miracles – all in the mission of God. Centered in Jesus. Anchored in hope. Empowered by the Holy Spirit. Promised by God. Let’s stay awake and see what God is doing.
Wake, Awake! For Night is Flying! This is the call of God for his people. Isaiah has it this way: Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you." (Isaiah 60:1) And that's just one example. There are many others. God would have us fully awake and aware of his work in our world and our lives. His angels are watching over us. His servants are providing for our needs. His people are singing his praises. His messengers are calling us to repent and believe.
It may be easier to live in a dream world. But it's not healthy. Nor is it productive. Better to listen to his messengers, see his provision, rejoice in his blessings, and take note of his presence every day.
Once in a while angels are sent to protect God’s people. Some we may not even recognize. We may have entertained many angels and have been completely unaware of it (cf. Hebrews 13:1-2). They are ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation (Hebrews 1:13-14). That’s you and me. Thank God for his holy angels – recognized or not!
We might want to spiritualize this great escape, drawing the parallel between that escape and God’s freeing grace at work in our hearts. We could talk about being freed from guilt and shame. We could think about being rescued from addictions and hopeless futures. Certainly Jesus does that.
But this is about a real escape from a real prison. Sometimes we need earth-bound relief. Sometimes we need a new address. A new boss. A new job. In this case the escape was an answer to fervent prayer. So perhaps rather than spiritualizing this, we might take a page from the early church and pray for an earthly escape of our own.
When that happens, we can praise God for his gracious rescue.
Saul will take the name Paul when he begins to evangelize the Gentiles. He would write the profound and powerful book of Romans in which he says, "Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more" (Romans 5:20). He would also speak about the grace of God in connection with offerings made by other believers in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9.
Paul knew all about grace. He recognized that he needed it most of all. We should aspire to know all about grace as well. We need it. And so do our loved ones, neighbors, and even our enemies.
The Bible speaks of the fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control (Galatians 5:22-23). The Holy Spirit moves us to see evidence of God’s grace in others and to do acts of grace for others. We need the ever-gracious influence of the Holy Spirit in our world, and in our own lives as well.
Grace is freely given, foundational to God's character, a gift of God to man which is received by faith, and not contingent on human merit. How do you see that?
There are plenty of things to look for and see these days. We can get distracted from God's goodness, grace, faithfulness, holiness, truth, and love. But to look for God's grace will bring great blessings, for we may just recognize that God's grace is also for us to receive and share.
The disciples in Antioch were first called Christians. The term Christian may hold the same place of dishonor in the minds of many today. Those Christians are a bunch of judgmental hypocrites. They are inflexible on social issues, resistant to scientific consensus, and religiously exclusive. Rather than trying to disprove those accusations here, I find it important to embody the qualities of Christ to whatever extent I am able. I'll never do it perfectly, but if I can be gracious and truthful, merciful and faithful, good and humble, that may help at least one person gain a better understanding of what a Christian truly is: a sinner who has been saved by Grace through faith, loves God because of his great love, and desire his honor and glory alone.
When it came to the message of Jesus, his suffering, death, and resurrection, there is need for people to encourage and help others understand and believe the message. And while it was initially a message kept for the Jews, Gentiles soon heard the message. They learned from the new followers of Jesus about his kingdom and the salvation he brought to the world. They believed and turned to the Lord.
Repentance happens in the heart of a person when the Holy Spirit moves us to acknowledge our need for forgiveness and salvation, and to believe that Jesus has provided that for us by his grace. Repentance is a gift of God.
Next time you feel sorry for your sins, thank God for the Holy Spirit's work in your heart to recognize your sins. But don't stop there. Believe the good news of Jesus Christ. And thank God for the fullness of the Holy Spirit's work to bring you to the repentance that leads to life.
I've been blessed to have been silenced on a few occasions. I was blessed partly because I fell silent. I stopped trying to make excuses. I didn't offer a defense of the indefensible. I was blessed more so because God was offering me grace. And grace is a precious thing.
Next time you are tempted to prattle on ask yourself the question, "Why Am I Talking?" Silence might prove to be a greater blessing to you and those around you. God may want to work on your heart in the quiet moments. Or as I've said before, "Walk a little more slowly. Speak a little softer. Listen more carefully. Because the world is loud and God whispers."
Peter's simple word of grace had an outsized impact. Luke tells us, "When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, 'Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.'”
This is God's gift - sending Jesus to save us, and sending messengers to bring his word to us. Add to that the gift of the Holy Spirit who moves our hearts to repent and believe.
I've seen short-term results from strong blasts from the pulpit. And I've seen life-changes through quiet and gentle admonition. This is the latter kind. I wish every soul was as open to this gentle message of God's grace.
That whole being saved thing must be important. It is a biblical term. So back to the question, "Saved from what?" It just might be that we are being saved from ourselves and our own short-sighted ideas of good and evil, right and wrong, truth and lies. We get it so wrong.
Want proof? How often do you check your foundational belief system against the Bible? How often do you look for a loophole, an end around, or some other means of avoiding the more difficult commandments of God, or the things that don't add up? How easily do you close your eyes to things the Bible says because they don't make sense or align with what you think ought to be? Left to our own devices we'll take the forbidden fruit. And we'll die.
But God has saved us from this dreadful end. He sent Jesus to fulfill all righteousness for us. And through faith in him we are saved. We may not often think of it in such strident terms, but it is true and good and gracious. We've been saved. That's a message we need to hear again and again. Maybe you know someone who needs to hear that message as well.
Peter is not one I would think of as patient - based on his track record as a disciple of Jesus during his three year ministry tour. He was more prone to brash declarations, self-confident pronouncements, and talk-now-think-later speeches. But he seems to have learned something from his time with Jesus, the on-going spiritual formation in the days following Jesus' resurrection, and his experience on Pentecost. Speaking by the power of the Holy Spirit and seeing 3000 people brought to faith and being baptized on one day might make one arrogant. But all that and the most recent experience of the foods let down from heaven seem to have centered his heart. He is showing signs of patience here. Years later he would even write, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
Next time someone new sits in your pew, or a new worship song is introduced, or a new group of leaders comes forward, welcome them. We have been grafted into the vine. Neither they nor we are entitled to this. But there is room for more. And God wants all people to be saved. We're all welcome in Christ's church. The proof of this is in the cross of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts: faith, love, mission, and peace.
We also know under what circumstances we are to give thanks. When we experience God's special and particular favor we should thank God. When we see a beautiful sunset: thank God. When we receive a special gift: thank God. When we are healed: thank God.
We must also thank God in difficult circumstances. "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus," says Paul. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) We thank God for his providential care, gracious love, mercy, faithfulness, and gift of salvation through faith in Jesus. Those gifts don't disappear when circumstances go poorly.
Jesus' first disciples were chosen for a purpose – and so are we. In his mercy, love, kindness, and grace he chose us to receive the forgiveness of sins and salvation through faith in Jesus. Sometimes that may seem to be a burden. But in the end we will rejoice in his grace to us. We and all creation will praise him for his glorious grace. For we have been chosen: a far greater blessing than it is a burden.
We experienced a wonderful Sunday-after Easter worship service while traveling earlier this year. The pastor made the point: When Jesus said, "Peace be with you!", it wasn't a wish. It was a gift. This is God's gift to us. We have peace with God. It is a given. That being so, we must live at peace with one another. God's gift of peace calms the heart and makes peace possible between sister and brother in Christ. That is truly good news.
We don’t always fear God and do what is right. We are all too aware of our sins in thought, word, and deed. The idea of being judged totally impartially is maybe not totally welcome. We’d prefer not to be shown that we stepped out of bounds, were offsides, or didn’t make the play. A totally impartial judgment might not be what we want.
Thank God Peter reminds us that, “everyone who believes in [Jesus] receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” The judgment for our sins fell on Jesus. He fulfilled all righteousness for us. All who believe in him are justified by his death and resurrection. That’s grace. We all need grace. Jesus is full of grace and truth. Whoever believes in him will be saved.
I wonder if I could use a bit of Cornelius' curiosity. Rather than reading the first few paragraphs of a book I've been given, I may need actually to read the whole book. Rather than leaning on the truth that there's nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9), perhaps I should be more humble; that doesn't mean I know everything under the sun that is to be known. I'm pretty quick to dismiss the latest findings by Barna, or insights of recent biblical scholarship - or at least to assume I already know them, or don't need them. A bit of curiosity would serve me well in those areas.
We are individualists. We think about how the political climate will impact us individually. We consider our relationship with God to be a personal and individual issue. While these things are true, God's vision is far wider. He wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. But he doesn't want those who come to faith to be alone in their faith walk. We're better together. This is God's plan.
So don't go alone. To church. To share the gospel message. To serve. To help. Take people along with you. You'll both be blessed for it.
Peter goes to great lengths to determine just what is going on in this encounter with Cornelius. Why did you ask me here? What do you have to say? What do you want from me? He's not jumping to any conclusions here. He's probing carefully to discern what is happening and how he is to be part of it.
Is it because Jesus is gone now? He's ascended to the right hand of God. He's not right there in the flesh to guide, correct, encourage, or challenge Peter. Is it because he sees that the Gospel message is passing into new areas and peoples? That's certainly going to happen. But is there maybe another reason?
There is one big difference between impulsive Peter before and careful, deliberate, and measured Peter we see here. Could it be the Holy Spirit? The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, patience... (Galatians 5). There it is! Patience!
The phrase which Luke uses throughout this book, The Word of the Lord grew, is coming true before our eyes. It may not appear to be that chaotic to our sensibilities. But trust me it was. And for this time - even though God does want things done decently and in order - there will be some chaos. Not 100% chaos, but I'm thinking maybe 75%. What do you think?
This is totally new territory for Peter. He will feel his way forward, all the while thinking, What does this mean?
Peter will now be invited to share God's message with Cornelius. He'll hear it for himself. Peter will have the grand opportunity to tell Cornelius and his household what this means. It means that the gospel message is for Jew and Gentile. It means that God really does love all people. It means that the Word of the Lord is growing. It means that people are being saved.
However long Cornelius prayed, God did (finally?) answer. Peter was dispatched. New things are on the horizon. God's story will continue to unfold. I like to say that we overestimate what we can do in the short term and way underestimate what God will do in the long term. God's timing is perfect and gracious. His answers are always good. That's why we pray faithfully without ceasing and wait hopefully for God's answers - whenever the timing of God brings them to pass.
Jesus himself had 12 partners, three special ones and one beloved disciple. He sent his disciples out two by two in their mission efforts. This is God's design, summarized in the words, "Don't go alone." I thank God for Diane, my partner in life and ministry, as well as others who have come along side of me in each realm. Fellow pastors and friends, church leaders and members, teachers and trainers have all helped me do whatever good I have done. As I've said many times before, "It is not good for the man to be alone." (cf. Genesis 2:18) That's true in life as well as in mission.
Jesus taught us to pray for all manner of things. He also taught us to pray, Thy kingdom come. And in that prayer raised our eyes beyond the urgent needs of the moment to the eternal needs of all people. When we pray Thy kingdom come, we're praying that people are brought to faith in Jesus, that his gracious reign and rule would take root in our hearts and in the hearts of others. That prayer is much aligned with the mission of God. I believe it to be a truly worthy prayer.
Click here to see Jim Cymbala describe the return of his daughter - an answer to fervent prayer.
https://vimeo.com/74900964
I believe God’s promises about prayer, but I’m not sure I believe in prayer. To say I believe in prayer is too broad. It’s as though prayer itself is something to believe in, as opposed to believing in the One who has promised to hear and answer prayers – albeit conditionally. And that conditionally part is why I don’t like to say I believe in prayer.
The Bible is clear about this: God promises to hear and answer the prayers offered in faith, in Jesus’ name, and from a righteous person praying fervently.
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” – 1 John 5:14
“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” – Matthew 18:19-20
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. – James 5:16
So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. – Luke 11:9-10
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. – Matthew 6:7
The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him. – Proverbs 15:8
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. – James 4:3
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. – John 15:8
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. – John 15:16
The Gospel message has been around the world. Believers from every tribe, nation, people, and tongue have heard and believed the Good News of Jesus. But there might be someone in your personal sphere of relationships who would test the limits of your gracious welcome. Perhaps God will bring someone into your life who will push out the boundaries of your sensibilities. In the meantime we can be thankful that Peter had this vision and that subsequent to it we who are not of the chosen nation of Israel are of the chosen people of God: no longer unclean.
You and I may wish for a healing we have not yet received. We may yearn for a tomorrow that is yet to come. We may be praying for God's work in the life of a loved one, and wonder whether we'll ever see it. The most important thing for us is to hold onto the promises of God, and trust him for all good things. Dorcas and Aeneas are wonderful examples (among many others) of God's direct touch. Peter is an example of a great and faithful servant of God, and the people who see all this and turn in faith to God are great examples for the rest of us. The most important thing is that we receive the grace of God, believe in Jesus Christ and enjoy his gift of eternal life and salvation.
t’s good to live a well-planned life that way, with our weeks goals, appointments, and schedules all lined out. That way we don’t waste time. But as we plan our weeks, we do well to leave room for the Spirit of God to interrupt our plans and take us places we had not known of or planned on. Who knows what God may have planned for us? After all, God has prepared good works in advance for us to do, so that we may walk in them (cf. Ephesians 2:10). And in our well-planned weeks there will be times we simply must take the next step; do the next thing.
People can be famous for spaghetti sauce, space exploration, athletic prowess, financial success, beauty, or any number of things. We are called to a different kind of fame - a fame of love and good works. To be famous for such things requires a spirit of humility. Rather than doing good works to be seen by others, we are commanded to do them in a way that God receives the glory.
You don't have to sell someone a bill of goods. You don't have to know all the answers. You just need to be a friend who is willing to let someone know that there is a place where they can hear of God's grace and love, that honors Jesus and his truth, and where the Holy Spirit is at work. When people do that, the word gets out, Jesus gets the glory and people get saved.
You don't have to sell someone a bill of goods. You don't have to know all the answers. You just need to be a friend who is willing to let someone know that there is a place where they can hear of God's grace and love, that honors Jesus and his truth, and where the Holy Spirit is at work. When people do that, the word gets out, Jesus gets the glory and people get saved.
Whether we crave attention, credit, or glory, we all struggle with this temptation of self-idolatry. Thank God for examples like Peter and for a Savior like Jesus. Give him the glory. For some of his most important work is that which he does in people's hearts who awaken to this danger and seek again to bring him the glory that only he deserves.
Perhaps your life is going well. Praise God and rejoice in the Good News of Jesus. Things in your life may not be going well now. Praise God and rejoice in the Good News of Jesus. Even when the news is bad the Good News of Jesus is still good!
When Stephen died, Luke tells us, "Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning." They mourned because death is bad. It is no friend. But they did not mourn without hope. Stephen was not given over to eternal death. Stephen's died confessing Jesus as Lord, and standing at the right hand of God. Jesus had conquered death. Still an enemy, it does not have the final say.
For those who are in Christ, death is no friend. But death ends. We may rightly mourn when a loved one dies. But we look beyond death to an eternity of joy, peace, and glorious life.
Evil will always ultimately collapse under its own weight. Truth prevails. Even when evil fights dirty, it will not win the war. Saul will find that out soon enough. So the next time you are tempted to fight dirty, think again. If you have truth and the high moral ground you will prevail. I firmly believe that. I wish more of God’s people did. Do you?
Now it seems God is using the times of affluence and peace to allow us to support those who are facing persecution and hardship for their faith. There may not be anyone today like Saul of Tarsus, or Emperor Diocletian. And the golden age of the church in America seems to have passed. But God will not coerce. he wants conviction not compliance. He desires that all people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. That happens as God's people share the message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.
PS: For an interesting article on Constantine's influence on the Christian Church, check out this website, or paste the link below into your browser.
https://wearefaith.org/blog/constantines-influence-on-the-church/
There may be someone you know for whom you are praying. You pray that they would repent and believe in Jesus. You pray that they would come to faith. To that I say, keep praying! Look at Saul. He agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. He is no lover of Jesus. He is determined to bring Jesus' followers to jail. He will squash this nascent band of brothers and sisters in Christ.
Or so he thinks. It won't be long that his life will dramatically change. He will be converted. So keep praying for that wayward child, that troublesome coworker, that critical neighbor. And watch. It may take a while, and things might look very bad. But God hears our prayers. And the bigger they are... Well, you know how that saying ends!
We don't really know much about the life of the world to come. We get glimpses in Revelation 21, Jesus' teachings about the Kingdom of God as a wedding banquet, Paul's mention of being taken up to the seventh heaven (whatever that means), and this account of Stephen's vision. We do know that Jesus has conquered death for us, and promises life in the world to come. We see all this with the eyes of faith.
Check out MercyMe's song, I Can Only Imagine
https://youtu.be/ZNDEyxEMNp0?si=E_DQ3BsTqfnJ-ajK
God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness grows ever more precious to me as I age. It's not so much that I feel like I'm staring death in the face. But it is a deepening awareness of how desperately I need God's forgiveness and the righteousness of Christ Jesus.
That became very real and personal to me at that Bible study when I shared Walter Wangerin's Ragman parable. As I was reading it to the few people who were there, I could barely keep from weeping. It was so emotional. And this is the wonder of it all for me: to think that someone so good, so powerful, so strong, so gracious should seek me out an offer me his better clothing touches a place deep in my heart.
When I fall asleep at the end of my life, I look forward to waking up and seeing the my ugly rags shining for cleanness because he died for my sins, and yours, and the world's. And his resurrection fully vindicates all who put their faith in him.
When God gathers people into a worshiping assembly eventually they will want to gather in a building. Whether a house or an awe-inspiring cathedral, the issue is not the building, but the hearts in which God dwells. There is the kingdom of God: the gracious reign and rule of Jesus in the hearts of believers - no matter what building they may be in.
Thank God for those who have gone before us and done the hard work of organizing service projects, coordinating evangelistic efforts, building church buildings, and anything else that has sustained the mission of God and furthered the growth of God's kingdom. Their hard work in the good old days is testimony to the work of God's Holy Spirit and a blessing for which we may rightly give glory to God.
The high priest and Jewish leaders were riled up against Stephen - God's good and faithful witness to the truth of Jesus Christ. It did not accomplish the good things God desires. When we get riled up, we need to keep in mind that God's will is done in people's hearts. God's kindness leads to repentance. We don't scare people into belief in Jesus. God's power is made perfect in weakness. When we are weak, we are strong.
I'm going to try to be riled up in grace, truth, love, and faith. How about you? Let's see how God uses that!
All the trials, missteps, misunderstandings, and failures - those things that didn't work - will be forgotten in The End. Tears will be wiped from our eyes. And we will be forever with our Lord, having learned how truly good, gracious, and glorious he is. One day we'll learn it fully!
All the attributions of greatness given to Moses were meant to point people to him as God's chosen leader. Even those who considered him their great leader failed to follow him as they should. Even we who put Jesus above all others fail to follow him as we should.
But we try to follow Jesus because he redeemed us, and forgives us when we fall short. That's something Moses could not do - at least not to the full extent that Jesus did. Jesus' cred includes his miracles, teachings, faithfulness even to death, and his resurrection from the grave. He has shown himself to be worthy of all honor and glory, faith and love, trust and obedience.
Consider how you think of God. Is he one to be followed, trusted, obeyed, and honored? Or is there a place in your life that you reserve to yourself, thinking that God is only ruler and judge. Do you see God as good and gracious, just and loving? Or do you think of him as aloof, judging, and condemning; one to be appeased. The way you think of God will shape your willingness to fear, love, and trust him. It will determine whether you call on God in humility, awaiting his answer, or you cower in fear and do all you can to stay out of his way, and off his radar.
Stephen's testimony is clear: in spite of God's deliverance through Moses, the people rejected him and decided they wanted to go back to Egypt.
I guess that shouldn't surprise me either. We're living that dream now 3500 years later. We have been delivered from sin, death, and damnation by the curtain-splitting death and earth-shaking resurrection of Jesus. We've been saved. But we too want to go back to Egypt. We give in to temptation. We yearn for the forbidden fruit. We are a broken people who need Jesus, but too often we look to other redeemers and rulers.
Yet there is no other. We must not return to Egypt, but rather return to our Lord. For in Jesus alone is found true refreshment, satisfaction, comfort, peace, and joy.
Humans may have good ideas. I may need to speak with someone. I may need even to contradict what they are saying. But if it's God, I'd better be doing more listening than speaking. And as I listen, I must listen with fear and trembling, faith and love, humility and trust. For God may have an assignment for me. In fact he does. His assignment for all of us is to love him first and most, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. As his children, we are also sent - not to Egypt, but wherever we go - with the message of his grace and truth in Jesus. Let's listen well, fear, love, and trust him, and obey when he calls.
PS: I'm writing this at Camp Lone Star just outside of LaGrange, Texas. Twenty-two years ago I was here for this same conference when I saw the jets fly into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. It's a solemn memory that is vivid yet today. Lord have mercy and heal our world from this evil.
The stories Stephen is recounting are of eternal consequence. They are part of the grand sweep of the story of God's redemption. That grand story is rooted in real people, over real time, facing real challenges, and serving to advance a narrative that would climax in the birth, life, teaching, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Stephen will get to that soon.
This story is all one long woven tapestry stretching from the first moment of creation when God said, "Let there be light," to the final day when Jesus returns and restores all broken, lost, and fallen things to their full beauty and glory. This story is not only true, or even most certainly true, it is eternally true and of the most profound significance of any story ever told. It's not just the same old story.
Let's lean in and listen well!
We are all adopted into God's family unless we are of Jewish ancestry. What a privilege we have along with all the true children of Abraham. It's an adoption by the grace of God which we enjoy by faith. We enjoy fully the privileges of family membership.
Second, God uses whatever circumstance we find ourselves in to shape us for his purposes. Whether we have a large part to play in the story of God, or only a supposed extra in the drama, we're all adopted into God's family and have a place in the family business.
Maybe there are some bad things happening in your life now. Difficulties will challenge us to carry on day to day. Not all things that happen are good. But God is at work through all of these things. And the bad things are not the end of the story. They are the opportunities for God to intervene and show his power and glory. They may still be bad. But God is good and at work for his glory and our good.
Sometimes God uses experiences foreign to the church and faith to shape and prepare us for the great work he has in store for us to do. Many times we don't even realize how we are being shaped. We may even wonder why we're learning or experiencing the things we do. (Think junior high boys having to learn algebra or English.) But God uses all truth, learnings, experiences, and even our unique personalities for his purposes.
We cannot know the ultimate truth about our eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, however, apart from God's special revelation. That comes to us through Scripture - either through reading the Bible, biblical writings, witnesses of the gospel, biblical preaching and teaching. All truth is God's truth. But the greatest and truest truth of all is revealed by God in Jesus' life, death, burial, and resurrection. That truth is exclusive to God and precious to those who believe in Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.
God’s purposes reach far beyond the momentary comfort or sensible actions of convenience we devise. Stephen’s defense will challenge them to the point of irate judgment and vigilante action of their own. They will stone Stephen. What will we do when God disturbs our sensibilities and twists the plot of our lives?
Better we be open to God’s ways and interruptions, and refuse to jump to conclusions about whether a moment in time is good or bad. The larger story of God’s ways ends in a grand celebration of his grace, goodness, justice, and love. These things we do not always see in the middle of the story. But until then, we can wait until the story comes to complete fulfillment.
In the life of the world to come we will be caught up in wonder, love and praise. For we will see more fully the breadth of God's grace and his praise will ring on our lips forever and ever. Worship - true worship - is not a forced compliance. It is the unstoppable expression of glory, honor, praise, and adoration from the redeemed of God to the God of our salvation. Let the praises ring!
Sometimes God puts dreams into our hearts in the manner of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2:12). It might be of a better financial future. It could be the mending of a broken relationship. It may be of a dream vacation or dream home. But sometimes we dream of things not of God. Those dreams turn to nightmares if we follow them. May God help us to know the difference, and to follow his dreams rather than our schemes!
God did not use jealousy to save his people. But he did work through the twists and turns of fallen, arrogant, proud, deceitful, and hateful people. Don't take this as an excuse to act out on your own worst inclinations. But use this example to remember that no matter how bad things get, God can work them for good. He has a grand plan for the redemption of the world and to the praise of his glorious grace. You're a part of it. Never forget it.
We may grow impatient when we hear a promise of God, believe it, and seek to receive it. We may even despair when we see no movement toward relief. But that doesn't mean that God is uncaring, disengaged, or not at work. There is a bigger story of which we are all a part. Some have major roles. Others are supporting actors. But we are all important to God, and his great desire is that we be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
When we see not even a foot's length of movement toward the fulfillment of God's promises we can remember Abraham, the father of faith, and believe in the Lord. God will reckon that to us as righteousness. And that's a very good thing.
Very few questions may easily be answered yes or no. Seldom are we able to give the fullest expression of our faith in a few words. Our faith is not a collection of isolated theological truths. We are a part of God's story. It all starts with God when he calls us like he did Abram, and sends us to places we do not know. And we go in faith, believing that God is leading to a perfect and glorious future. We go, knowing that others are with us on the path. We go, realizing that what we may not understand today we will be something with which we are at perfect peace in the future. We go, thanking God for the great examples of faith and seeking to learn from the not-so-good examples of disobedience by others.
Maybe there is someone in your life who is dedicated to being very far from God, rejecting Jesus, and wanting nothing to do with his reign and rule. Perhaps they are dedicated to an entirely different religion. In that case, I encourage you to pray with me, "Thy kingdom come." Let the reign and rule of Jesus take ever deeper root in my heart and may it also take root in the hearts of those far from him. The latter part of that happens when we embrace Jesus' reign and rule, his grace and forgiveness, love and faithfulness more fully in our hearts, and are emboldened to share that witness with those far from God.
We properly speak about the life of the world to come. It will be truly glorious where we will have glorified resurrected bodies and enjoy the perfect paradise of God, the garden of true godly pleasures. We look forward to that, truly. But we still live here for a purpose. We must not ignore the needs of others, hiding behind a thin veil of spirituality. God cares about our needs now and throughout all eternity. We must remain heavenly minded while we do all we can on earth to serve our neighbor. We must do both.
It's most sad when brothers and sisters in the faith begin to question or challenge one another's motives, ideas, or genuineness of of faith. That soon sets one or the other apart from the faith. Those from the Synagogue of the Freed Slaves, however, do just that. And Stephen will stand in the gap for the faith. We know it will cost him his life. His commitment to the truth of the Gospel is commendable.
As long as we are on this side of eternity, we will have to contend with those who wish to silence the truth. Hopefully it will not lead to our martyrdom. I am thankful for the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace that God has allowed me to experience over these past years. And I am thankful for those who uphold the truth of the Gospel for the glory of Christ and the blessing of their neighbors.
The message of Jesus was being spread from Jerusalem, into Judea and Samaria, and soon it will spread to the ends of the earth. And with that will come conflict, challenge, misunderstanding, and struggle. We all wish it were not so. It would be so good if we could all just get along. But until Jesus returns we will be a part of the church militant. We will struggle throughout our days. And we will need the Holy Spirit's succor to sustain us in faith, hope, and love. May it be so!
The disciples prayed for boldness to bring the message of the Kingdom of God to all people. There is an edge to their prayers; an implied desire for God to judge these enemies of the gospel; perhaps even to bring their plans down around their own heads.
But the main point of their prayer is that they would be bold messengers of Jesus’ death and resurrection. When it comes time for God to stretch out his hand, they pray that it would be stretched out in grace, performing miracles of healings, signs and wonders. All this to the glory of Jesus. All this so that Jesus would be more and more famous.
There are those who align themselves against our Lord. There are those who mock Jesus. Some people deride his teachings and ways. People want nothing of his reign and rule. They will chart their own course. They will make their own plans. Jesus is, for them, a non-factor, an interesting religious character, perhaps an example of a committed life, or a pattern of doing good to those in need. In their minds he is only one of many. They consider Buddha, Confucius, Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, or even Bill Gates as more relevant to our current world.
But they are wasting their time. One day all that Jesus has taught and done, all who believe in him against all odds and every persecution, all those churches that have been dismissed as detriments to society will be vindicated. Every eye will see Jesus. He reigns over all, and his reign and rule is not to be set aside.
When this man who is 40 years old reports that he has been healed – or when the people see this 40 year old man now walking – they know something really happened. This isn’t a last-minute plant, who miraculously gains his sight. This isn’t an insider who is pretending to have won the giant teddy bear at the carnival. They’ve seen this man for years, struggling to get by. He’s old enough not to be taken in. This is the real deal.
Praise can prevent further incursions of evil and trouble. That's what happens here when the people's praise prevented the enemies of the gospel from taking further action against Peter and John.
When the people saw what God had done for the lame man, they rejoiced and praised God. Did they realize the farther-reaching implications of their praise? Do you, when you praise God and give him the glory he deserves?
We don't have quite that level of hearing and seeing. But we have heard the Good News of Jesus' love, grace, salvation, and mercy. We have seen lives changed. We have come to recognize his complete commitment to the salvation of the world and ongoing work in the lives of believers. We've seen prayers answered. We've heard a word of grace and forgiveness. We've knelt at the rail and received his body and blood. We've seen the boldness of others who have spoken out in the face of ridicule and threat of worse. Once in a while we see things we cannot ignore. Sometimes we hear words that must be repeated. When that happens, we can join Peter and John and give our witness in our own way.
It may not be the way of Peter's brashness. It might be the gentler way of John. But let it be the way God works in you, how he has touched your heart, and enlightened your soul. Let it be as real as Jesus' work in your heart and life.
A "mic drop" is a gesture indicating that the last word has been said. There is no more need for comment. People have died because they carried the message of Jesus to new lands and people. But it does not stop God from growing his kingdom. It will not keep his people from witnessing to the truth and grace of Jesus of Nazareth.
There will be a mic drop to end all mic drops on the great last day. Those who criticize and ridicule Jesus’ followers, and those who deny Jesus’ reign and rule will be silenced. The only words that will be spoken then will be words of praise, honor, glory, blessing, and joy before the Lamb who was slain and who reigns forever and ever. Amen (mic drop!)
God uses ordinary people for his extraordinary purposes so that we do not boast. It's also so that people will not rely on just one person, or believe that their favorite pastor, teacher, or mentor is the only one through whom God can work.
What distinguished these men was the impact that Jesus had on them. They had been with Jesus and it showed. Want to be extraordinary? Spend time with Jesus and he will do extraordinary things through you. That's what he does. The extraordinary mission of God is carried out by ordinary people who have spent time with Jesus.
The Holy Spirit was at work in those days through Peter and Paul, Barnabas and John Mark. But he’s not finished. He has worked to bring you and me to faith through the faithful witness of those who have shared the word of God with us. They shared just the right words with us. Words about Jesus. Words about God’s love and grace. Words that inspired faith. I hope to keep speaking those kinds of words whenever I can – all by the power of the Holy Spirit.
No one else prayed that the cup would pass from him (that he would not have to die for the sins of the world), and have that request denied. Either God is a cruel, evil and sadistic God if there was another way than Jesus' death, or there was no other way than Jesus' death for our redemption and salvation.
Jesus prayed that God would glorify him with the glory he had before the world was created (John 17:5).
There is no other way, no other God, no other hope than Jesus. I hope I can learn what that means each day of my life here, and I look forward to experiencing it with God in the life of the world to come.
Peter spoke truth to power. He spoke it to the powerful religious leaders of his day. I notice that it wasn’t just the high priest, but his family and a whole entourage of powerful men to whom Peter was speaking. I’d be intimidated. I’m not sure I could have stood up to these powerful men as did Peter. Sure, Peter was inclined to speak first and think later. But still…these are the power brokers of their day. They had lots of sway over the outcomes of this encounter. Yet Peter gives bold witness.
I don’t know if I’ll ever be confronted by such power, but I do know the truth. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. There is salvation in his name alone. His is the ultimate power and the purest truth.
Martin Luther wrote in his famous hymn, A Mighty Fortress, that one little word can defeat the devil. So whenever we experience opposition to the truth of God's word, we must recall the truth of the Bible, the Good News of Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection. God has promised that through faith in Jesus we are justified, forgiven, holy and blameless.
This is the word those early Christians believed. It is the word we believe and for which we give glory to God and praise to his name.
So many ways to disbelieve - all way beyond doubt. Against that Peter speaks boldly, reminding the people then and there and us today that Jesus died, rose from the dead, and is at work in people's lives. "This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (v. 11-12).
I do sometimes doubt. Many people choose their own reasons not to believe. But the fundamental reality of Jesus' love, God's grace, and the blessings of fellowship with the redeemed centers my heart and calms my soul. This I believe without a doubt.
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses are all great men of faith. They are examples for us, and object lessons of God’s grace, providence, faithfulness, and love. And they all point us to Jesus. For Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of all that God intended for us to be. He is our salvation and life.
Just as these men have a legacy of faith that points to Jesus, I hope to leave a legacy of faith that points people to Jesus.
Peter was an impetuous man. He was brash, bold, and outspoken. He acted first and thought later. Same with speaking. But in this case he is clear: He did not do this. Jesus did this. Our great hope is not well founded if it is in our favorite pastor, political candidate, or national leader. And while Peter is somewhat of a celebrity, at least at this moment, he realized that it was not all about him. He realizes too, that Jesus can easily be overlooked. This miracle was done to bring attention to Jesus the One who is the source of perfect health and hope.
Miracles, by their nature, are rare. They are signs of Jesus' reign and rule. They point us to a good and gracious Father. They are testimony of the Holy Spirit's presence and influence. The next time you see a miracle, take note. Be amazed. Be thankful. Believe.
Simply to look at someone, and even inviting him to look at you is no substitute for helping people in need. But when we acknowledge someone we are acknowledging one for whom Jesus died, and if she believes, one in whom Jesus lives. That’s a tiny part of the gospel message, but it is a powerful start. For Jesus’ redemption sets a high value on people (not gold or silver, but his holy precious blood). I’m wondering how I might express that the next time I see someone holding a WILL WORK FOR FOOD sign.
God will heal all who believe in him. He may do it miraculously – like he did with this lame man. He may do it medically: it is no less God’s doing whether it’s through means or immediately. Or he may heal us mercifully, taking us from this veil of tears into the life of the world to come. But in this case the healing was miraculous and the result is the same in any case of God’s intervening. People rejoice. God is praised. God’s gracious work in our lives is a cause for praise and joy!
The Christian church is growing dramatically in places like Ethiopia. According to one who has been there and seen how God is at work, that's at least partly due to the fact that people have taken God's word seriously and seen themselves as missionaries to their friends, families, neighbors and communities.
God makes the waves. We need to learn to ride them! God grows the church. He uses people to make that happen. Wanna learn to surf? Or maybe even to paddle board?
Check out the PLI International Blog Post interview with Rev. Dr. Scott Rische about the Christian Church in Ethiopia.
https://plileadership.org/whats-different-in-ethiopia/
I am thankful to God for those who read or listen to this blog. You are a part of the fellowship that strengthens me. I do this for myself, but hope you are blessed by it as well. I encourage you to look for God's work in the world around you. I urge you to pray and worship, and I will join you whenever I can. I pray that you have friends with whom you can gather for food and fellowship. I hope you read and meditate on God's word. I rejoice in knowing that you join me in praising God for all his good gifts and blessings. That's the kind of devotion we all need to model. And while it is only a dim reflection of Jesus' devotional life, it is still a beautiful response to his gift of his salvation which is ours through faith.
I am thankful to God for those who read or listen to this blog. You are a part of the fellowship that strengthens me. I do this for myself, but hope you are blessed by it as well. I encourage you to look for God's work in the world around you. I urge you to pray and worship, and I will join you whenever I can. I pray that you have friends with whom you can gather for food and fellowship. I hope you read and meditate on God's word. I rejoice in knowing that you join me in praising God for all his good gifts and blessings. That's the kind of devotion we all need to model. And while it is only a dim reflection of Jesus' devotional life, it is still a beautiful response to his gift of his salvation which is ours through faith.
There is great comfort and an urgent calling attached to being baptized. It's clear that God's gifts of life, love, and salvation are mediated in a miraculous way through baptism. We receive those gifts through faith - a work of the Holy Spirit who is also given us in baptism. Behind all those promises, furthermore, is a calling to live it out. Live as though you are redeemed. Baptism isn't something that happened years or ever days or moments ago. Baptism is the entry point into the reign and rule of Jesus. We most fully express that truth in daily lives of faithfulness, obedience, repentance and faith. What a precious gift that is indeed!
Who might God call to himself that would challenge your spiritual and religious sensibilities? Is it an ethnic group? Is it someone who smells, thinks, acts, and talks differently? Or is it someone you’ve just written off? You’ve determined that John or Jane is just too far gone. Yet God calls them to himself. The abstract becomes real.
Here’s one more: Maybe you’re someone else’s Jane or John. You might be one who is thought to be too far gone, too different, too lost. In that case, rejoice and be glad. God’s grace, love and promises are for you – for all those God will call to himself. Joy or challenge? In either case it is a great blessing to be called to God and promised his gifts. His reach is far and wide. His grace and love deep. His mercy is everlasting.
Thank God for the example of these earliest Christians. They thought God's word neither quaint or forgettable. They were convinced that they needed to do something in response to this new awareness of their need. Thankfully God provides a way to deal with such moments when we become aware of our sin. Repent and believe. That's a call for us daily, and the way of life for all believers. Will we dismiss this as quaintly irrelevant, nothing we really need to deal with, or something that will change our life now and forever?
Some people are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good. We who hope for heaven must keep in mind that we live our lives this side of eternity and so do our neighbors who need our love and support. The real-life-today blessings of God are only an echo of the eternal blessings of God in Jesus. But they are a welcome echo to those who yearn for his blessings today.
Evil will ultimately and always collapse under its own weight. It cannot sustain itself. Death could not hold Jesus captive. He rose. He lives. He is reigning even now in the hearts of the faithful. And he who conquered death will grant to his own that same victory. We will be forever safe, joyful, and alive. It is impossible that it should be otherwise. It is not possible for God's good, gracious, and merciful ways to be thwarted.
I was privileged to preach at Angaza Igoma Lutheran Church in Mwanza, Tanzania. I pray this was edifying to them and to you as well. I will be uploading photos from our trip to my Smugmug site. https://fbgpbd.smugmug.com/Tanzania-Teaching-Trip
Sometimes our hearts need to be broken before the sweetness of Jesus' love finds its way there. God used Peter's sermon that Pentecost Sunday to do just that. Luke reports that, "Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, 'Brothers, what should we do?'” Repent and be baptized Peter says. And you will be saved. That calling remains true today, and continues to strike the hearts of many.
Keeping our hearts and habits open to the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit is a must if we are to follow Jesus. It may mean some very different things happen around and in us. But I’ll quote the Jesus character in the incredibly impactful series The Chosen.When one of the disciples says, “This is different.” The Jesus character says, “Get used to different.” Amen.
Come, Holy Spirit, enlighten the hearts of your people, and guide our paths to follow Jesus!
Some say that they can worship by themselves on the golf course, at the beach, in the woods, or the mountains. Indeed you can. But surely we who believe will want to gather regularly for corporate worship. As the writer of Hebrews says, “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25). You cannot encourage me and others if you are absent from worship. And that is part of the blessing of corporate worship: the mutual conversation and consolation of brothers and sisters in Christ. Gathering together is a command of God, a privilege and a blessing. We should do it to honor God and to bless our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
We cannot believe in Jesus or come to him by our own reason or strength. But the Holy Spirit has called us by the Gospel and enlightened us with his gifts. And that same Holy Spirit has inspired believers down through the ages to share the Gospel message. And we are the recipients of his work. The gale-force wind of the Spirit is still blowing. And even today, as God promised through the prophet Joel, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
I was invited to preach at The Family of Faith Lutheran Church in Houston on Pentecost 2023. Here, for your edification is the message I shared.
God already knows not only who the next pastor of a congregation will be. He also knows all your needs, your challenges, fears, hopes, hurts, and desires. Sometimes he must look past your desires (too often tainted by sin), and in his grace give us better things than we want. Because God's knowledge is inexorably connected with his love, grace, faithfulness, and power, we can be confident that all will be well when we entrust ourselves to his provision, direction, and plan. It is a plan for our eternal good. I need to keep that firmly in mind. I suspect you do too.
Here is the progression of necessity: Jesus' suffering and death, secures our salvation. That mission continues through the Apostles and all believers who share the gospel message of salvation. Then comes the ultimate celebration of joy, and the praise of God's glorious grace. Reminds me of a favorite song I've shared before, but worth sharing again...
https://youtu.be/yGl2DhiMINs
God's plan will not be thwarted. Not by a betrayal of one of the 12 of Jesus' disciples. Not by the misguided actions of fearful disciples. Peter cutting off Malcus' ear, or denying Jesus, or the other disciples fleeing him when Jesus was arrested will not thwart God's plan. Self-righteous priests and conspiring Roman soldiers will not prevent God's plan for the redemption of the world through Jesus Christ, his only Son, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for the spreading of the word and the conversion of millions.
It's easy for us to distance ourselves from the kind of evil displayed in the life of Judas. But we must take this as a warning. We must not imagine that we are invulnerable. We must guard our hearts, and not give in to temptation. And if we do give in, we must repent immediately, and return to the paths of righteousness on which God leads us. May we not leave an ignominious legacy!
God is setting the table for a remarkable expansion of his kingdom. He is using these Apostles in a singularly unique manner. All this was unfolding in real time for the 11, soon to be 12. It was the same for the other 100 plus believers.
The believers were living in times of defining moments. And so are we. What was guiding them should also guide our decision-making processes. Prayer, discernment, and a desire to further God’s kingdom should be top on our list of decision-making criteria – if we want to be part of God’s work in the world today. That is God’s will for us. And it is right, blessed, and good.
Many times we must wait: For the birth of a child. For the return of a son or daughter. For a job promotion. For a vacation. For the results of a medical test. While we wait we might choose to stew and fret. Or we can pray. To that end, I love to pray the Lord's Prayer.
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
I especially think about the first few lines, concluding with Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.
I have an answer for the angels' question. More important than that is the fact that Jesus is reigning at the right hand of God and interceding for us. Today is Ascension Day. Ascension Day occurs during the week rather than on Sunday. As a result, many people miss this feast and the great importance it has for the life of the believer. Remembering this day is of no apparent importance to the followers of Jesus. But perhaps I can ask a question of you: If Jesus is on the throne in heaven, is he also on the throne of your heart? Does his reign and rule bring comfort to you in times of difficulty? Do you need to celebrate that today?
When the disciples ask Jesus if this was to be the time he would restore the kingdom to Israel, he not only didn't answer. He told them it was not for them to know. A roadmap to the future would be a hindrance, not a help to faith. Jesus would supply a different sort of roadmap. Start in Jerusalem, go on to Judea, proceed to Samaria, and go to the ends of the earth. That's not a roadmap. But it is a plan they were to follow...one step at a time. He also promises the Holy Spirit to them as their source of power for their journey.
Ours (yours and mine) may not be as daunting as the disciples in Jerusalem. But it is no less a calling, requiring the Holy Spirit's power and strength. There are no maps for this life's journey. But Jesus promises to be with us every step of the way. Wherever we go and however we serve him.
There is a mystery here: we, like the Apostles, are to rest, wait, hope, trust, and prepare for this great work to which God is calling us. We are to engage fully as God gives us the opportunity in witnessing to Jesus' work in our lives. We are to devote ourselves fully to his work. And it is God who is at work in us to do all this. In other words we are to wait and rest in anticipation and preparation for our work in God's mission. But it is his work to bring people to himself.
I think I need to wait and ponder, and pray about all this. How am I to wait today, heavenly Father? Help me to see the opportunities you provide and act on them; for your glory, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and in Jesus' name. Amen.
It could be a selfish desire to have things the way we want it with little care for the lost and dying. It might be fear of people we do not know or who will be difficult to love. Perhaps we just don't understand the Great Commission and how it applies to all of us. Some of us may just be ignorant of God's heart and mission.
Whatever the case, we must repent of anything that stands in the way of others learning about Jesus and being brought into fellowship with him, and do all we can to help others to learn of Jesus and believe in him. I'll be reflecting on this great challenge and awesome opportunity and honor this week. I hope you will too!
Jesus has moved hearts to love me, encourage us as a family, support us in mission work around the world, and center our lives on his love, grace, truth and mission.
These are just the highlights of Jesus' work in my life. There are many more. And there will be many more, for Jesus' mission is not finished. Until the Great Last Day, Jesus will work in the world and in our lives for the sake of his kingdom. He wants all people to be saved, for he died for the sins of the world. Thanks be to God for Jesus' ongoing work!
John (the one to whom Peter has pointed, and who may or may not die before Jesus returns at this point) has a final word for us. He has already declared his intent for writing this biography of Jesus. "These things were written," he writes, "so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:31) Now he declares that this testimony is a reliable eyewitness account. He didn't write all that Jesus did; the world couldn't contain all the books that would be written if that were to be attempted. Jesus did a lot. A whole lot. Maybe you have something to say about that. Perhaps a testimony you wish to write.
I'll share mine tomorrow.
On this occasion, Jesus asks Peter three times, "Do you love me?" I believe this is because he wants Peter to think deeply about the question. This is not a throw-away question. Jesus wants to offer Peter the opportunity to consider the question from different three different angles.
- Does Peter love Jesus more than he fears those who confronted him the night of Jesus' arrest? Peter denied Jesus three times that night.
- Does Peter love Jesus more than he loves fishing or fish, or hanging out with his buddies?
- Does Peter love Jesus enough to follow Jesus wherever he leads?
Certainly by the third time Jesus asks the question Peter catches on: this is not a throw away question. He needs to consider whether he loves Jesus and what that means.
So do we. Do we love Jesus? What is his word to us who say, "Yes"? I think it's the same as to Peter, "Follow me."
The question at hand, in the end, isn’t about how much more we love Jesus than others do, or than the things of this world. It’s about whether or not we love Jesus. Period. To that we must answer, “Yes. But not perfectly. Not consistently. Not sufficiently. But that’s when Jesus’ love for us becomes evermore precious. And that engenders our love for him.
That’s why I love Jesus. He loves me. And you. His love is perfect and perpetual, steadfast and sacrificial. So, yes, Jesus, I love you because you loved me first and gave your life for me and sacrificed yourself for me and all who do not love you as we ought, but trust your promises. That’s the source of the true love for Jesus!
To love Jesus is to desire his presence, guidance, mercy, grace, truth, love, favor, and blessing above all things. It means that I recognize that Jesus and all he is and all he wants from me is my highest good. It means I deeply need and joyfully acknowledge his love for me, a lost and condemned sinner apart from his mercy and salvation.
"Do you love me?" Jesus asks. Yes. Not as fully as I ought. Not perfectly. But I do love you more than... (How will you fill in that blank?)
As Jesus' disciples enjoy this time of fellowship and food, it is also a foretaste of an eternal feast that will never end. This day will have come and gone. The meal will be remembered and even reported to us centuries later through John’s witness. This third time Jesus appears is the last John will record. But one day he will appear for all to see. And he will take us to be with him in his heavenly banquet hall. And we will feast and commune like never before. And we will be deeply satisfied.
In the case of the disciples' failure to catch any fish that night, Jesus' question seems like more of an invitation than a challenge. But it is an invitation to admit their failure and lack of resources. And it became an opportunity for Jesus to show his gracious provisional power. Who would have thought it? So now, the questions I posed more than two weeks ago seem ever so appropriate.
- Why did Jesus appear at this time to these people?
- What was the impact in their lives?
- What do I learn from these accounts?
- What am I going to do about it?
Are you willing to ask these questions of yourself?
This fish-eating (or rather the recording of it) is meant to show that Jesus is not an apparition. He's not a ghost. He is real. He has a real body. Thomas can touch his hands and side. Jesus can eat fish.
Jesus' resurrection, God's promises, heaven's hope, and our future joy in the life of the world to come is as real as the fish the disciples caught and Jesus enjoyed with them that day.
153 fish. That is a remarkable number of fish. Maybe you have some wonderment-worthy numbers of your own. Perhaps you’ve seen Jesus show up and bring resources you had no idea of until he made himself known. That relief may come tomorrow. Who knows? And if it does, take a moment to count the fish and praise God for his gracious provision.
I wonder how many times I've struggled with no apparent success only to have Jesus show up and bring a degree of success I could never imagine. I wonder if God has not engineered some things in my life so that I did not succeed until I recognized Jesus' presence and went his way. I do believe Jesus wants to show himself to us because of his love for us. He doesn't come to chide. He comes to bless.
This is an Easter psalm. And as we celebrate Jesus' resurrection from the grave it is much easier to give thanks for the day he has made. Jesus' resurrection is the great show of God's creative power. It also provides us with a reminder of God's goodness and steadfast love. For Jesus' resurrection not only vindicates him and his faithfulness to the heavenly Father. It also bring a promise since he is the first fruits of all who die in faith in him.
In Jesus it is a good day to live or to die. St Paul puts it this way, "For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's." (Romans 14:8) For this I give thanks and rejoice. How about you?
The message of Jesus is getting to new people. Lives are being changed for all eternity. People are being brought to faith. God is at work there. New churches are being planted through the Harvest Partnership. We look with anticipation to the harvest. You can see this worldwide in places like Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, and the baltic states where PLI is at work training pastors and lay leaders to make disciples who make disciples. This is only the tip of the iceberg of God's work - things of which I am aware in my immediate sphere of influence. In fact, Diane and I will be teaching for PLI in Tanzania this summer. But all these groups and ministries would say unequivocally, along with this psalm:
This is the Lord's doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
So we say,
This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Amen!
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. (Psalm 118:22)
I wonder how this verse might apply to us today. Certainly as a reminder that Jesus is the chief of the corner. He defines the building of the church. He defines its angles, dimensions, and measurements. He is essential to our faith. You cannot attach a true hope apart from Jesus. In fact so important is Jesus' resurrection that St. Paul says, "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile." (1 Corinthians 15:14) But indeed Christ has been raised from the dead! He is the chief of the corner. I'll do all I can to build my life off of him, and when I fail, I will repent and look to him for grace, forgiveness, hope, and life. This is God's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes.
Through this psalm we call out,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
And comes the answer:
This is the gate of the Lord;
the righteous shall enter through it.
Jesus is both the door (John 10:9) and the one who has opened it. He died, and says, "behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades." (Revelation 1:18) He has opened up heaven to all believers. The Te Deum expresses it beautifully:
When Thou tookest upon Thee to deliver man: Thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.
When Thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, Thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
"Open to me the gates of righteousness,
Psalm 118 is a great Easter psalm. This is the day the Lord has made, let us be rejoice and be glad in it. O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His steadfast love endures forever. Steadfast love. Pure goodness. God’s making of each day. Redemption. These are the makings of the purest joy.
Jesus triumphed over evil by resisting every temptation, manipulation, intimidation, and pressure to abandon faith in God and give into the deceitful plans of Satan. All Satan wanted was for Jesus to give up reliance on his heavenly Father. All he wanted was for Jesus to fail in his perfect obedience to God. All he wanted was for Jesus to come down from the cross and save himself.
But Jesus did not give into Satan's schemes. He remained true to God. And to do so he prayed. That is so very clear because he explicitly quotes from Psalm 22. That psalm is the most vivid description of Jesus' physical suffering to be found in the Old Testament. This psalm (118), encapsules both the suffering of Psalm 22, with the victory and hope of Jesus' triumph.
This is a Psalm of remembrance and of anticipation. That the right hand of the Lord has done valiantly is history. But it is also prelude. And singing it implies that we are thankful for God's past deliverance and that we are looking for God's future salvation.
We have been saved by Jesus' death and resurrection.
We are being saved by the Holy Spirit's continuing work in our hearts.
We will be saved on the Great Last Day when Jesus returns and takes his own to be with him in heaven.
Until that day we sing our praise to God for his past blessings, and in anticipation of even greater things to come!
Maybe today you're looking for God's redemption, help, blessing, or salvation. Perhaps you have looked for some time and yearned for the hand of God to be revealed for your good. It might not yet have come. And you might be tempted to find help, relief, hope, peace, or comfort elsewhere. Today we must remember, it it better to trust in God than in horses, kings, man, or woman. God alone saves. He has promised. He will do it.
We are all called on to let others know what Jesus has done; whether it seems good to them or not. And you never can tell who will be happy or sad. You can never tell who will welcome Jesus or who will not. The most respectable people of Jesus' day wanted nothing to do with him. They realized that he would turn their world upside down. They realized that their little fiefdoms would be shaken to their foundations. They knew they could no longer ignore the needy, refuse justice to the poor, or use their positions of power for their own benefit. No matter. The people on Palm Sunday called out in praise to God for their king who was coming in the name of the Lord.
We'll be staying with this Psalm for two weeks. There is so much here. And we begin with shouts of praise, honor, glory, and petition: Save us, O LORD, you who come in the Name of the LORD.
Holy week begins with a triumphant procession of Jesus with his disciples entering Jerusalem. Coming down the road from the Mount of Olives crowds cheer him. Palm branches are cut from the trees, waved in the air, and laid on the road on which he is riding. "Hosanna!" cry the crowds. "Save us!" it means. "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna!" Right out of this psalm:
Save us, we pray, O Lord!
O Lord, we pray, give us success!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We bless you from the house of the Lord. - Psalm 118:25=26
I often conflate the coming and going of this psalm, when offering this blessing during baptism. I'm trying to convey the idea that we come into God's house by his blessing, and leave to be a blessing to others. Jesus came to save. He sends us saved ones to save others. We don't just come into the place of God's grace. As long as we live we also go as his ambassadors to offer grace and truth to others - the same grace and truth we have received from God.
May your coming in and your going out be blessed from this time forth and forevermore!
Most often God protects us from the dangers that come by day or at night. We can lament the times trouble intrudes. God receives such prayers. The Psalms are full of them. But we must also thank God daily for his protection, provision, and presence. For that is the far greater and more common experience for most all of God's people.
There is one exception to God's absolute 24/7/365 care for his people. It was 2000 years ago from 9:00 in the morning to 3:00 in the afternoon. That was the time his only Son was on the cross. It was then that God took his eye off Jesus. Jesus cried out, "My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?" He did that so that we could enjoy the eternal blessings of God's glorious grace. There is no down time for God's loving care for us and for all of creation.
Jesus promises that when we call on God in his name, he hears us. A humble cry reaches the heart of God, and he delights to be known by us. Our help comes from the LORD, maker of heaven and earth, redeemer of lost and broken sinners, friend of repentant sinners, and keeper of our lives who has taken on human flesh. He is known as Jesus whom we confess as Lord. When we call on God in Jesus' name we are not simply having good thoughts. We are connecting with the King of the Universe from whom help will surely come.
When trouble comes, God never says, "I didn't see that coming!" There are no surprises in the courts of the heavenly realm. He has good plans for his people. Sometimes those plans are to help others in their time of need. Sometimes those plans are to strengthen our faith through trials and struggles. And sometimes his plans are to send help at an opportune time. In every case when we look to God for help, we are looking toward the right One.
Pause today and remember to be still and know that God is God. He will be exalted among the nations and in all the earth.As we pause and refresh, we will discover not only the life we’ve always wanted, but also the gracious blessing of bearing fruit. All this for the glory of God, your joy, and the blessing of many. For now, though, enjoy the pause that refreshes. And just so you know, I’m not talking about having a Coke! I’m talking about pausing to reflect on God’s word, his promises, his goodness, and reign and rule, and his work in the world. This psalm helps us do just that.
We're all looking for paradise. We want to live in a garden of God's favor and delight. We yearn for his true grace and goodness. We yearn for God himself to be present. This psalm points us to God. And 1500 years later God would speak through the Apostle John with this promise:
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” - Revelation 21:3-4
This is our truest need and God's gracious blessing.
God's desire is for his people to be fully blessed, completely glad. Experiencing his grace and love is the essential beginning of that gladness. The completion of it comes when we pass along those blessings to others. Such is the river of gladness: It flows to us with great and gracious blessing, and from us to others as we give that which we have received from God.
I need both a reminder of God's fear-worthiness as well as the encouragement to draw near to him when the world's dangers threaten. Whether it's direct threats of violence and natural disaster, or the subtle influences of peer pressure or temptation, I need God's help and a reminder that he is worthy of healthy and godly fear. That may be a secondary motivation to faithfulness, but it is still a good one. The greatest motivation is love and faith itself that recognizes and believes in the ultimate goodness of God.
Because of that goodness, we need never fear when we are in his protective and powerful care.
The world sees God as an interloper, an intrusion, and a killjoy. All they see is the outward formidable expression of God's refuge and strength. Those of us who are inside that refuge, know it to be a place of beauty, joy, life, comfort, and true security.
Oh how I long for this to be true: May His favor be upon you | And a thousand generations | And your family and your children | And their children, and their children.
This would be my legacy's hope, more than money, fame, power, or even health. For God's favor makes all the difference in all of life. Without it we are lost. With it we can weather all storms and most fully enjoy the blessings when the boundary lines of life fall for us in pleasant places (cf. Psalm 16:6-8).
Even if you don't have children of your own, I pray that you are able to leave such a legacy to those who have known you and loved you.
A roadmap to the future would be a hindrance, not a help to faith. And God desires that we wait in faith. In fact the idea behind waiting in the biblical sense is tied up in two other facets of the word. We hope while we wait. And we trust while we hope. Hoping, trusting, and waiting go hand in hand. So when it's not clear how soon or not God is going to act, we must simply wait. And hope. And trust.
By considering and numbering we may gain a heart of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom's fulfillment is Jesus himself. Perfect love. Perfect faith. Perfect obedience. Hope realized. A wise heart has considered the proper fear of God, counted its days, and looks for the steadfast love of God to fill its cracks and crevasses. Those with wise hearts will see the work of God and look with anticipation for the blessing of God on their children.
This psalm requires us to look that square in the face. We have sinned. We are fallen. We will die. Not a happy note. But certainly a true one. Neither, however, is it the only note. For in the end of this psalm a note of hope and anticipation rings out.
Return, O Lord! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
God's nature never changes. Our ability to experience him is certainly limited. Our comprehension of God is finite. Our faith in him and his promises wavers. But God is constant. He is the rock. He is the One who will be there whenever we turn to him. From everlasting to everlasting he is. Known by faith. Redeemed by Jesus. Sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Attested to in Scripture. Proven by an empty and open tomb. For him we wait until the number of our days is completed and our faith becomes sight.
Until then we pray:
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!
When we praise God, we express truths that bind the soul in grace and love. It aligns our souls with the reality of God's greatness and our unworthiness in the face of his majesty. Praising God is good for the soul, not just the thing we ought to do. Furthermore, when we sing our praises, something Martin Luther commended, we don't just express joy, we find it.
As I've often said, praising God is good, right and salutary!
So much happens because of God's providential care for the creation we enjoy, and sadly too often abuse. Without him I am certain we would have driven the world to oblivion. Without those who truly do respect the creation litter and pollution would engulf us. But even with the best efforts of the most ardent environmentalists without God's continuing care our world would be an even greater mess.
And think of this: God does all of this out of his "fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me..."So we join with the psalmist and cry: Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed.
This is most certainly true!
God is omnipresent. We cannot hide from him. He is with us always. But he is with us in a very special way when we gather with others in Jesus' name. Those gatherings in Jesus' name transform a place into holy space. The presence of Jesus is what being in church is all about. The temple (and before that the Tabernacle) was the place of God's holy presence. So whether we gather with others in a space and place dedicated specifically to the worship and presence of God, or in a home, or park, or at a hospital bedside, there God is. There joy is. There is the dwelling place of God: with those who mark themselves with Jesus' name and gather with others in his name.
This Psalm reminds me that God has not just wound up the universe and is sitting back and watching it run. It reminds me of God's many ways of caring for me and all creatures. It reminds me that I can come to him with my prayers and requests, and my thanks and praise. It opens my eyes to the breadth of his care for us all. For all this it is my duty to thank, praise, serve, and obey him. This is most certainly true!
We repay God's favor when we praise him. When we come to him in repentance and faith, we are giving God his due. When we take the cup of salvation, celebrating God's deliverance in the Lord's Supper, we are repaying God for his gifts. When we extend the same kindness and mercy to others that God has extended to us, we are repaying that debt. We do this to give him the thanks and praise that is due his name.
Whether the sting of death has bitten hard, or you are crawling out of a dungeon of your own sin, when you seek God's grace there comes along with it, the joy of God's salvation. And what a joy it is! Jesus earned it for you and all people when he died for the sins of the world. He secured it when he rose from the dead. God promises it to all who believe in him. And like David, if we continue that prayer we will recall that the joy of God's salvation is to be shared so that transgressors will be taught the truth of God's salvation and sinners will return to God.
Talk about joy! Take a quick look at Luke 15 and you see played out how complete that joy is. It's shared by God and all the angels in heaven when one sinner repents. What glorious joy that is!
We have begun our observance of the season of Lent. It is a time of repentance and sorrow. It is a time to reflect on the harsh realities of life here and now. Soon we'll celebrate Easter, the feast of victory, the foretaste of the consummation of all that God has promised.
This prayer, especially the verses beginning, "Create in me a clean heart, O God..." are a favorite of many. This is a worthy prayer for us all during this season, and every day.
We need God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness for all three. And it's not just the acts of sin and transgression, it's the condition of our hearts. Fallen, broken, sinful beings that we are, we have no hope of gaining God's favor on our own. But God is rich in grace, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. This is the good news we believe and share. Jesus came to redeem us from the penalty of our sin, forgive us for our transgressions, and rescue us from our self-inflicted entanglements so all manner of sin.
Just as we are not sinners because we sin, God is not gracious because he forgives. We sin because we are sinners. And God forgives us because he is gracious.
We can make excuses for our sins. We can try to deny their true depth and destructive impact. We can pretend they're not all that bad. We can even say, that God will forgive us since we didn't mean to, or because it wasn't all that bad, or that everyone slips up once in a while. But none of that avails before God.
The only thing we have going when we discover we've sinned and turn to God in repentance is his character, nature, grace and steadfast love. Thank God for his steadfast love!
This Psalm is a cry to God for mercy. If grace is receiving something we do not deserve. Mercy is not receiving what we do deserve. And we deserve condemnation, judgment, and every evil consequence for our sin. But God in his mercy withholds more than we know from us in those areas. He does not treat us as we deserve. He relents, and does not willingly bring suffering or grief to anyone (cf. Lamentations 3:33).
Rather than giving us what we deserved (judgment, condemnation, and hell), God in his mercy gave us Jesus, his gift of grace, forgiveness, and life. God not only withholds his wrath from us, he forgives. He saves. He gives life. This psalm has been answered, is being answered, and will be answered whenever we pray it. Thanks be to God for his mercy!
A hope devoid of lament is shallow and easily set aside. It sets us up for catastrophic disappointment. Lament without hope is a prescription for depression. It robs us of the joy of God's salvation. God calls us to both lament and hope, and this psalm expresses that beautifully. Let your cries of anguish, pain, discouragement, and lament call out to God. But in the end, join David in speaking of our eternal hope, found in Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. This will be fully experienced on the Great Last Day when the salvation of God will be fully and completely revealed. Then hope will become reality.
Next time you go to worship, consider not only the needs you carry with you, the desire to be fed spiritually, the desire to be inspired, and the hope to meet God. Think also of the others who are gathering there. Seventy-five to ninety percent of the people who visit a church for the first time have just experienced a week they hope never to repeat again. Perhaps not that many regular church-goers carry those same disappointments, but some surely do. And if you are encouraged, look around for others who may need your smile, a friendly greeting, or to hear your robust confession of faith, and maybe even your sincere and humble confession of sins.
You might just be part of the throng of blessings given and received.
Deep calls to deep. God is calling us to a deep love for him, a deep faith in his goodness, a deep love for one another, and a deep desire to be with him and experience his salvation. That is worthy of deep thought, deep thanks, and a deep desire for more of God.
I've been thinking about the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well (cf. John 4:1-42).
Whenever we face taunting, isolation, fear, sleeplessness, and deep discouragement, God is only a prayer away. We're in good company if we lament our hardships and our sins, and seek God's steadfast love. Whether it's the long way around we take to avoid the taunts of others, the anxious and sleepless moments of dread as we think about possible future happenings, or guilt and shame over past choices and present temptations, we can pray this psalm: with David. With the sinful woman at the well. With the tax collector in the temple (Luke 18:13). And getting to the end of the psalm, we can pray:
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
Amen.
The worst suffering of Jesus was endured on the cross when he cried out in anguish in the face of God's abandonment. (Matthew 27:46) This psalm is a prayer of yearning for the opposite. One day that prayer will be fully and perfectly answered. In those times of anxiety, fear, and loneliness, we can pray this psalm with the confidence that God is with us. We can draw near as be gather with other believers in the name of Jesus. We can celebrate the real presence of Jesus in the Lord's Supper. We can call on God in prayer, confident that he hears us and answers our prayers. And we can bend our yearnings toward the fullness of God's presence in every moment of every day.
We are all urged to confess our sins to God. We are all urged to acknowledge our need for his deliverance. We are all to recognize and avoid the dangerous torrents of destruction that come to those who do not repent, and to rejoice in God's deliverance. Think about it.
Think about it. We suffer if we don't confess our sins. God forgives the sins of those who acknowledge their transgressions. He delivers us from the catastrophic destruction that comes upon those who do not repent. Pause and ponder these things. Think about it!
"The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do," says Paul. (Galatians 5:17)
If you struggle with this, take heart! It is proof of the Holy Spirit's work in you. Otherwise we would never worry about sin, repentance, guilt, or failure. But with the Holy Spirit we can embrace this verse wholeheartedly, confident that by remaining steadfast in our repentant spirit, we will not be overwhelmed by the waters.
Confession brings freedom, forgiveness, and fullness of life. I wish I had checked more carefully my own biases and assumptions about Joe's perspective on the constitution rewrite. But an even greater danger lies in any refusal to admit before God our failures and need for God's mercy and forgiveness. John says that if we say we are without sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Apart from him we have no pathway to the Father. Truth is essential to our salvation. The truth is we need God's forgiveness. We all do. The truth is also God forgives those who confess their sins, and removes them from us as far as the east is from the west. The danger is that we would deceive ourselves into believing we don't really need it.
If we're hiding something we need to bring it to the light of day. That may require admitting to yourself that you have actually done something wrong and truly sinful. (If so, join the club! All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.) You might need to speak with a pastor or someone you can fully trust in order to get it off your conscience. You surely must say it to God. I've found it helpful to write it out. I've done so, and afterward destroyed the document as a means of actively reflecting the reality of confession and forgiveness.
God removes sin from us as far as the east is from the west. We more fully realize this when we admit it and confess our sins out loud.
We do not deserve the blessing of forgiveness. It is God's gracious and precious gift - through Jesus, for all who repent and believe.
Whatever may happen in our lives we can talk about God, "He..." But we can also talk to God, "You..." That's what David does in this psalm. And so did we during various times of challenge, danger, anxiety, and uncertainty in our lives. So can you. Whatever you are facing, you can talk about God. And you can talk to him. He listens...even though he has much to do. Last night we closed our choir practice with prayer. One choir member prayed, "God, you have so much to do. Thank you for hearing our prayers and answering them." In a way, that was talking about God as well as to him. He does indeed have much to do. And we can talk with him about our needs as well. He hears us. Thank you, God! Amen.
The blessing of God's presence will be fully enjoyed by those who love him and yearn for his guidance, provision, and salvation. That's the promise of God recorded in Revelation 21:1-3
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
God's presence is a blessing for which his people long. It's better even than a visit from the grandparents!
Don't Make Me Have to Come Down ThereDolly Parton
Last night I had a dream about God
He was standing on a mountain top
Looking down, around in such dismay
And in my dream I heard him sayDon't make me have to come down there
My children, you had best beware
If you don't pay attention, consequences will be dire
Don't make me have to come down thereI've told you time and time again
You can't disobey and hope to win
I am still the boss here in case there's any doubt
You know I put you in this world and I can take you outDon't make me have to come down there
You've always been my cross to bear
I've let you try my patience as all good Fathers do
You're on my last nerve, I have had it up to here with youI gave you a book, you didn't read it
I gave you my word, you didn't heed it
Gave you a map, you said you didn't need it
And now you've lost direction and you're wandering aimlesslyDon't make me have to come down there
This is not a game of truth or dare
Now I don't want to punish you, but if it has to be
This is gonna hurt you more than it hurts meDon't make me have to come down there
Bridge this great divide and make repairs
Go to your room and pray 'til you can learn to play fair
Don't make me have to come down therePolitics, earthquakes, erratic weather
Pandemics, war, and hate
Turn a deaf ear, a blind eye; I am wondering whether
I should take my Bible belt and whip you into shapeDon't make me have to come down there
My children you had best beware
Clean up this mess and put on something decent to wear
Don't make me have to come down thereDon't make me have to come down there
My children you had best beware
Why can't you learn to listen, and learn to love and share
Don't make me have to come down thereDon't make me have to come down there
Don't make me come down there...Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Dolly Parton
The first step in the AA 12-Step recovery program is to admit that you have a problem. That's an attitude of humility. Other steps require confession, obedience, and even helping others along the way. That's the path of obedience. That's nothing new. These are God's ways from of old. Blessed is the one who will humble himself before God, and who will fully experience the blessings of God in following his paths of righteousness.
Consider this also: David sought to help others along the way of God's blessing. That's why we have this psalm. The fullest experience of God's blessings will come as we follow David's example of repentance, faith, obedience, and leading others as God give us opportunity.
David - 1000 years before Jesus was born - writes about the LORD being his shepherd. And all that he does is good. Safety, security, and rich supply are the LORD's gifts. Eternal joy in his presence is his hope. Confidence in the face of challenge and danger is his fortune.
David identifies the One who supplies all this: the LORD. This is the holy name of God, the One who is, who revealed himself to Moses as "I AM WHO I AM." (Exodus 3:14) He was to tell the children of Israel that "HE WHO IS" had sent him to them. It's lost on us when we use the word, "LORD," even when it's written in ALL CAPS. But this is no throw away term. God has a name - a good name - and wants to be known by us. We can call on his name. He hears and answers when we call.
The imagery of suffering and torment in this psalm surely reflects that of Jesus on the cross: bones out of joint, pierced hands and feet, lots cast for his clothing, people mocking him. Jesus endures this for us because of his love for his Father and for us and all sinners. He perfectly fulfills all this - not just symbolically. I don't know of a situation when David's hands and feet were pierced, but Jesus' certainly were - literally. Jesus also fulfills this most telling of hope's expression:
Posterity shall serve him;
it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,
that he has done it. (v. 30-31)
Thanks be to God that he has done it. Whenever we are facing severe suffering and distress, we can look with Jesus to a day of redemption and the consummation of his salvation. I like to put it this way:
- We have been saved when Jesus lived, suffered, died and rose from the grave.
- We are being saved by God's grace daily as he gives us the Holy Spirit and protects us from the Evil One.
- We will be saved when Jesus comes again at the end of all time to judge the living and the dead and gives to all who believe eternal life.
Jesus is the fulfillment of Psalm 22 and all Old Testament promises and prophecies. I all comes together in him.
You may be facing nearly insurmountable challenges, subject to unimaginable stress, or feeling grave difficulties. God does not want you to deny these brutal facts. But neither does he want you to give up hope. He is good. And our hope has been secured in the One who quotes this psalm from the cross. Our Lord Jesus remained faithful to the very end, and now has the name above every name. At the name of Jesus Christ, every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father. We who hope in him will prevail.
Sometimes in times of grief and sadness we must simply continue in prayer and seek God’s comfort from his word. That’s where the Psalms are so very precious. We can pray the psalms and express our earnest needs and woes through psalms such as this one. But even in this one, we see words of hope-filled faith. That’s the other blessing of praying the psalms: They don’t leave us in the doldrums of grief and sadness. They also express great faith in God. He is good. He will act. He has acted in Jesus. Our ultimate future has been secured. And as lift our cry of abandonment to God, we must also hold to the hope that is secured in Jesus.
Jesus cries, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Though God had forsaken him, he kept faith in God. Please don't try to comprehend the mysteries of the triune nature of God in regard to this. Entire seminary classes are given to Christology including things like the Genus Apostelismaticum, Genus Majestaticum, and Genus Idiomaticum, (the communication of human and divine attributes within the person of Christ). We study how opera ad extra indivisa sunt, and opera ad intra divisa sunt.I've studied all these things, can maybe satisfy a systematics professor that I understand it. But it would be more accurate to say, I believe it. I take it all by faith.
Followers of Jesus cannot read this psalm without thinking of Jesus on the cross. He cries these words as he suffers so unjustly. Later this week, I'll be reflecting more on Jesus' prayer. For now, consider with me the way in which these words - written 1000 years before Jesus so clearly describe Jesus' suffering and death. He did that for you and for me. He was forsaken so that we may never be forsaken by God.
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Not long ago a friend offered this suggestion to overcome insomnia. I had shared that I will pray the Lord's prayer again and again, or sing/pray the Agnus Dei, or a favorite hymn. His suggestion: When you wake up in the middle of the night think of all the things for which you're thankful, things that bring you true joy.I wonder now if the glory of the heavenly witness, the beautiful truth of God's word, the blessed promises of Scripture, and the gift of God's forgiveness and redemption should fill my mind, not only when I cannot sleep, but throughout the day. And then, my words would surely be gracious and full of life as well.
What are we to do as we contemplate our sins, confessing them and seeking God's forgiveness? Certainly we must take seriously the urgent confession in the words, "Declare me innocent from hidden faults." We can sincerely pray, "Keep me blameless and innocent of great transgression." And we can rejoice in Jesus' forgiveness. For we are also promised, "If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) Our blamelessness is by the grace of God through faith in the blood of Jesus. That is unassailable. And it requires that we acknowledge our need for it.
God's word is truly precious. More precious than gold and sweeter than honey. God's words are the word of life (cf. John 6:68-69). They enrich the soul. God's word warns us of dangerous thoughts, words, and actions. It directs us in paths of true joy and blessing. God's word points us to Jesus, the source of eternal life. God's word lifts our spirits to focus on more noble things. And it helps us deal with the very real muck and mire of daily life.
God’s word adds to the testimony of creation and points us to the LORD God and his ways. David speaks of God’s Law, precepts, commands and rules. They revive the soul, give wisdom, joy and enlightenment. They endure forever, are perfectly righteous, precious and sweet. There are great blessings to be had in their keeping.
Creation sings a song of praise to God. Those who hear and read God’s word are blessed so that they too join that song of praise. An even better declaration of praise pours from the hearts of those who hear, read, meditate on, and believe God’s word.
The heavens declare the glory of God. Will we echo that song of glory and praise among others?
This psalm is a lament of God over the sinfulness of humankind. It is a rueful expression of disappointment on God's part that there are none who care for the poor, call upon him in prayer, or do the good he calls for. On the one hand this is an overstatement, for we also see references to the poor and the righteous. They are not under the same judgment. On the other hand, even the righteous must repent daily for our thoughts and words leak out, showing an inner corruption from which we have not fully escaped. And sometimes, we must be numbered among those who do not do good. Sometimes our thoughts become words and our words lead to actions for which we must repent. We are among those who have turned aside.
Thank God we have a champion of righteousness! Our Lord Jesus Christ is the righteousness of God and our righteousness also by faith. Through his suffering and death our sins are forgiven. By his perfect life our faith puts us in the league of the righteous. For Jesus' sake we can both confess our sins, and rejoice in God's salvation. For it has come out of Zion. Our urgent need has been met. And we have been saved.
"In peace, in peace we pray to you..." So begins the Holden Evening Prayer litany and prayer. The refrain throughout the prayer is a beautiful and appropriate call: "God of mercy, hold us in love." I've included a YouTube video below of that beautiful prayer, preceded by the text of the prayer itself. In light of this psalm, it seems to me very appropriate that we call on the God of mercy to hold us in love.
Based on the words and thoughts of this psalm, I offer this rephrasing of this beautiful litany.
God is looking for people who do good. He desires we be righteous--just in our dealings with one another. He values people who seek him. He cares if we care for the poor. He delights when we call upon him in prayer.
Those who live in this manner have no terror of his retribution. And even when we realize we have transgressed against these character markers, we who repent of our sin and return to his ways have no fear of his judgment. For our God is a gracious God. He has delivered us from judgment and condemnation. Salvation has come out of Zion. Jesus has come and saved us. For his sake we live out wisdom's precious practices.
God cares. He is watching. He is not only watching, he is looking, searching, seeking those who are faithful and upright. He is looking for those who are looking for him.
Sadly all he finds are those who foolishly ignore him. All he discovers are those who do not do good. All he sees is a world devoid of people who call on him. He sees people who abuse the poor, take advantage of the weak, and ignore his laws. All this is not lost on him. He cares.
The strong and powerful impose their will on the weak and vulnerable. Foolishly they think they will always get away with it. They don’t call on God in prayer - either in praise or supplication. They do abominable things.
But surely they must always look over their shoulders. There may be someone stronger than they. And, of course, there is irrefutable evidence of God’s glory in creation and his holiness in their consciences. We can hope that they will come to their senses and repent of their sins and believe in God. This is the daily activity of the wise. When we lose our heads and depart from the path of wisdom and life, we repent, return to our good and gracious God, and live in the context of his grace and truth.
Faith is not just belief. It is also trust, and love. And that move in the heart is a miracle of the Holy Spirit that moves us to praise him. When God's Holy Spirit comes to us, and does his work, people are set free. Sins are forgiven. Joy is born. Peace prevails. Praise ensues.
Who alone does this good work in us? Only God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - in whose name we are baptized. And in that moment, God puts his name on us. We are his. O LORD, our LORD, how majestic is your name in all the earth! We and babies and infants sing your praise.
This name, LORD, is majestic and holy. So profound that scholars and rabbis have studied it and his works for millenia. Yet it is so accessible that a child can speak it in great power. It puts substance behind our faith. It is more majestic than the highest heavens, yet comes to the most humble of needy in grace and mercy. It instills fear and inspires love in the hearts of all kinds of people, young and old, rich and poor, mighty and weak, religious and those who do not think of themselves so.
We don't know much about Joseph. But we can see the righteousness of his character in the little we do know. Obedience and patience are not often the counsel of the wicked, sinners, or scoffers. Thank God Joseph did not take their counsel, but obeyed God, believed the angel's message, and waited for God to lead and provide for him: Truly blessed he was indeed.
The promises of this Psalm apply to any follower of Jesus who is willing to reject the influences of this world and love his or her neighbor. We won't do it perfectly. But certainly we must do this - not to gain God's favor, or even merely to get these promised blessings - because God has loved us so fully in Jesus, and by reflecting that love to others we honor him. That's what I want to do, and I pray you do also, Dear Reader.
How is it that Jesus who lived a perfect life in every possible way did not experience total outward success? Why does his life on earth not look like a tree planted beside the waters? He died a cruel and unjust death. How does that square with the psalm?
First of all Jesus went through the valley of the shadow of death for us, carrying our sin to the cross. He took on the consequences of our wickedness, sin, and scoffing. But God raised him from the dead, and exalted him above all. The ultimate fulfillment of this Psalm is connected to Jesus. Through faith in him we will be exalted in glory with him forever.
When the law of God accuses us, that brings us to repentance and a return to God. Whenever that happens, God delights to forgive and receive us into his gracious presence. And when we are curbed from gross acts of disobedience by fear of God or consequences, we can thank God for the law that brings that fear to us, and calls us to repent. That was Jesus' first recorded sermon in Mark's Gospel, "The time has come. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the good news." It's a good message for us to meditate on walking, standing, or sitting.
Because of the Father's great love for us, "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
What a mystery!
What a blessing!
Thanks be to God!
Of the Father’s Love Begotten
Of the Father’s love begotten
Ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega,
He the source, the ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see
Evermore and evermore.
Oh, that birth forever blessèd,
When the virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving,
Bore the Savior of our race,
And the babe, the world’s Redeemer,
First revealed His sacred face
Evermore and evermore.
This is He whom seers in old time
Chanted of with one accord,
Whom the voices of the prophets
Promised in their faithful word.
Now He shines, the long-expected;
Let creation praise its Lord
Evermore and evermore.
O ye heights of heav’n, adore Him;
Angel hosts, His praises sing.
Pow’rs, dominions, bow before Him
And extol our God and King.
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
Ev’ry voice in concert ring
Evermore and evermore.
Christ, to Thee, with God the Father,
And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee
Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving
And unending praises be,
Honor, glory, and dominion,
And eternal victory
Evermore and evermore. Amen.
Text: Public domain
Jesus, Lord at thy birth. Jesus Lord on the cross. Jesus Lord over death and the grave. Jesus Lord at the end of all time. Jesus Lord, confessed by all in the life of the world to come. What a beautiful truth to remember this Christmas!
Somebody needs to send out the message. Bells need to ring. People need to hear. That's why choirs sing his praises. Congregations join in the hymns and carols. Cantatas, concerts, and celebrations of many sorts point us toward Jesus.
Our hope and belief is that right shall prevail. The wrong shall fail. That's why we must not stop and stay at the manger, but follow Jesus on to Calvary, and look with expectation to the life of the world to come. There will be perfect peace!
The angels announce a heaven-born Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). He is the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2). He has laid his glory aside in order to redeem us and give us second birth (Philippians 2:5-8; John 3:3-5). We are to join the refrain of the angels. We too must sing his praises. We too must acknowledge his work in and for us. We too must rejoice in his reconciling work. We too must call the nations to rise and give glory to God for his gift of Jesus.
This is the beginning of a great deliverance. It's only the beginning. But its outcome is assured as the baby is born. Angels announce it. They sing God's praises: Gloooooooooooooooooooooooooria in excelsis deo!Though most likely not in Latin, the message is clear, Glory to God in the highest. No matter how powerful, mighty, important, or high and honored the place or person, the glory to God on this occasion reaches beyond. Good News of great joy. A Savior is born. Glory to God in the highest - and in the deep places of our hearts as well.
The call goes out, O come all ye faithful! Come and behold him, the King of angels. True God from True God is he, light from eternal light, born of a virgin, the only-begotten Son of God. Come and join the angel chorus glorifying God. Indeed, to Jesus may all glory be given.
That is what I want to celebrate and sing. I hope you do too!
The righteousness of God is revealed in the Good News of Jesus. It is a righteousness of faith. It is righteousness from God, given to us for Jesus' sake. For Jesus is purely and perfectly righteous. That never changes. My outward circumstances may change. My faithfulness may waver. My love may ebb and flow. None of that is righteous. But God's perfect righteousness is a gift that never flags or falters. That is good news of great joy for me, for you, and for all the world!
Jesus is ruling even now in our hearts, and for the good of all by his grace. He will return on the Great Last Day and we will forever be with him. Sin, death, and the devil will no more plague us. That will indeed be a great and glorious day. And we will join with the angels and all believers singing God's praises forever. He is truly worthy of all praise and honor - not just because of his sovereignty, but also, and maybe even more because of his grace.
I've not been one to try to put on a show. I try to be real; just me. Once in a while I'll channel someone else's style, voice, or mannerisms. But I'm quickly called on that by my wife. I'm not Ozzie Hoffman, Martin Luther, or Michael Ziegler. I'm me. Acoustic. Unfiltered. Natural. But before you go the wrong way with that, remember, too that I am redeemed. I am made new by the grace of God! Truth be told, yes I'm a sinner. That's the truth. But by God's grace I'm also a saint. That's also true. I'll struggle in that until I'm with my Lord in heaven.
But I can be real because of God's grace. And I am thankful that the Word became flesh so that I could stand in that gracious truth.
That which was at first hidden in a Bethlehem manger shines brightly in the lights, celebrations, proclamations, songs, carols, and services of this season. O that we would be the light that points others to Jesus this Christmas and always!
I believe Jesus is ruling even now at the right hand of God. His is a rule of grace and steadfast love. On that Great Last Day the majestic glory will be fully revealed. Jesus will be honored by all - some under duress, others with joyful delight. Then we will truly rise and shine and rejoice in the full revelation of the Light of the world. Click here for the written version of this podcast DavidBahn-Reflections.com
As good as Jesus' birth is - and it is good news! - the rest of the story is being lived out and will culminate on the Great Last Day and the life of the world to come.
This song presents a wonderful rehearsal of Jesus' ministry. All this leading up to the ultimate act of miracle and mercy: Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection. By this he has delivered not only Mary, but you and me. We look forward to that Great Last Day when we who look to him in faith will be delivered into his presence with joy and eternal praise for this baby boy who now reigns at the right hand of God.
I wonder what fears may need to be allayed within us by which we may become ever more willing servants. That's what God did for us when he took on human flesh. Maybe you or I need to acknowledge our fears to him and see how he deals with them. Mary is an indication of God's gentle spirit toward those who open themselves humbly to his word. She didn't know how things would turn out, but she did finally say, "I am the Lord's servant. Be it to me as you have said." Mary didn't know. But she did believe. And we are blessed for it.
We may put our yearnings in categories of disease, guilt, shame, disappointment, loneliness, emptiness, hopelessness, betrayal, or death's looming shadow. But we're all empty vessels, and sadly we too very often seek to fill ourselves with all the wrong things. Mary may have been different, and for that reason chosen to bear the Son of God. Salvation comes to us by God's grace - from first to last. But those of noble character - though no more saved by grace than you or me - find God's favor in unique ways. And although Mary found favor with God, she would still need herself a Savior. The Child that [she] delivered would soon deliver [her.] We're all broken, but character before God matters.
Mary is a bit unlike David or Saul of Tarsus. They both had to have a sharp rebuke in order to be shaped more fully to God's purpose and plan. Mary's would be much more gentle (cf. Matthew 12:46-50). But Mary had found favor with God. I yearn for that as well. I hope to find it. I pray that you do too, dear reader. I pray that you do too.
I believe that I've had one encounter with an angel. That's a whole different story. But the message I received shaped my entire ministry. Whether we've been visited by an angel or not, however, we all can take a cue from Mary's response to the angel's news. For we've heard good news as well. God has spoken to us in his word. We read the Bible and certain texts speak to us and touch our hearts. Certain truths ring crystal clear. Certain promises, commands, warnings, and prophecies impact us.
What are we to do with all these? Believe, obey, trust, wait, ponder, listen. If we do we will learn more about God, deepen our faith, find greater joy, and experience greater peace. This song helps me do that. Perhaps it will do the same for you. We can all be surrounded by God's grace and favor, marvel at his glory, and play our part in his grand story of redemption.
I love the images of the song...Jesus walking on water, healing sons and daughters, giving sight to a blind man, kissing the face of God. This is an invitation to look forward to Jesus' life and ministry with anticipation every time we read the Gospels. It's like watching The Chosen and knowing the stories of Jesus' ministry, but delighting to see how they will be portrayed.
Jesus is God in the flesh. His ministry impacted thousands in his day, and millions since that time. The mystery and wonder of the incarnation is explored here, and I especially enjoy how this song helps me ponder these things.
Are you rejoicing? Listening to Christmas music - not Grandma got run over by a reindeer! How about Handel's Messiah. Mannheim Steamroller. Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. King's College Christmas Carols. There are certainly many more!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Emmanuel has come. He will come again. His mission is love, grace, truth, and redemption. He has ransomed us. We are his. We need not earn it. But we must live it. He will come again. On that day faith will be turned to sight. All will be right with the world. Justice will be fully and finally served. The humble will be exalted. The arrogant will be abased. We who look for and pray for his coming will be eternally glad. So in anticipation of that, we sing…
We are broken people, living in a broken world, with broken and false remedies to our own rescue. When we realize that, we are ever more ready to sing, "O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel!"
Emmanuel has come. He has ransomed us. So now we rejoice for Emmanuel has come to us. We wait now for his final appearing and pray, "Come, Lord Jesus!"
Because God heard the pleas of his people and sent our Ransom. He has redeemed us, not with gold or silver, but with his holy precious blood and his innocent suffering and death, and his kind, good, gracious, merciful love. How precious are his gifts! How blessed are we. God is with us.
Jesus has come to be with us for only a short while, but long enough to ransom us. One day we will be with him forever. We pray for that in this hymn. Come, Lord Jesus... Emmanuel!
We don't have the perfect family. We each bring our own brokenness or shadow-side with us into every relationship. Nothing is without needed compromise, grace, forgiveness, and on occasion, the ministry of holding one's tongue(cf. Dietrich Bonhoeffer). But I am thankful for my family. My wife is a Proverbs 31 woman, of whom I say, "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." My children are a blessing for which I give thanks. Likewise our 9 grandchildren, and all the others. I thank God for my family. It's # 2 on my list. Tomorrow I'll share #1.
Here's the text of this prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, Creator of the universe; Jesus, Son of God and Savior of the world; Holy Spirit, Comforter and Helper. In these few brief moments we thank you for your goodness, grace, mercy, peace, and abundant blessings, with these heartfelt praises and petitions:
For forgiveness in a world where many live in guilt …
For freedom in a world where many live in slavery …
For family in a world where many live in isolation …
For food in a world where many live in hunger …
For friends in a world where many live alone …
For faith in a world where many live in fear …
We give you thanks O Lord.
May these realities and remembrances inspire each and all of us to service, to your world and to your church, and to many other expressions of your great love for mankind, that your gifts to us may be used as a blessing for others. In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
I am thankful for my brothers and sisters in Christ. Some may require extra grace. Others may be called on to provide that extra grace to me. But what a blessing it is to know we're all sisters and brothers in Christ. We don't have to face life's challenges alone. We should never withhold our praise at the joy of others. We may need to comfort others in their loss (a high privilege). We might need comfort from others in our times of sorrow. And whenever we simply enjoy each others' company and companionship, a meal, a moment of fun, or the shoulder-to-shoulder blessing of working together on a project, we are experiencing a foretaste of the feast to come. We will then stand shoulder-to-shoulder in praise of the Lamb, enjoy a "feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined" (Isaiah 25:6), and the fullness of perfect love between one another as the redeemed of God.
All this because Christ has redeemed us all, and God has put his name on us in our baptism, and we are brothers and sisters in Christ.
I'm thankful for that. How about you?
Jesus put it well, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's." Our government officials deserve our respect. God deserves our thanks and praise. All four of our sons have served in the armed forces of the United States. One of them is an officer in the US Navy. We are proud of them and thankful for the freedoms they protect. So today I am thankful to God for the freedoms we have here in the United States of America, and for all who serve to make that freedom possible and safe.
While these physical blessings are least important in my Top Five List of thanksgiving blessings, they do come from God. And it is fitting that we give God thanks for them all. Or as Martin Luther says, "For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true."
The example of Jesus and Paul is for us to seek God's reign and rule, be fully devoted to Him, no matter what our vocation, and live productive and peaceful lives. We'll never do it as perfectly as Jesus did. Not even many missionaries today are as sold-out as was Paul. But we can all follow the example of obeying God, loving Him and our neighbor, and living a life of repentant faithfulness. In the words of Paul, "May the Lord direct [our] hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ."
God uses the nuts and bolts of daily living to make a thing of beauty when we take seriously not only our heavenly calling but our earthly responsibilities.
One of those responsibilities - which Paul mentions just a few verses prior to these - is to bring the Gospel message to the world. That's by no means a mere nuts and bolts proposition, but however we are able to bring that about is also a part of our service to God and our neighbor.
You cannot reflect what you do not see. You cannot give God's love if you've not received it. You cannot be steadfast if you're not convinced of Jesus' steadfastness. And even when we've received God's love, and been convinced of Jesus' steadfastness, we need constantly to turn our hearts toward Jesus for his never-ending supply of love and grace. Thankfully it is never-ending. Steadfast. Reliable. Perpetually present. May our hearts be drawn toward that and our faith embrace them and give us courage and the will to express them to others. We'll be blessed by it, and bless others in the process.
Paul realized that when we are completely dependent on God we are strongest in our faith. So now his prayer is for God's word to be received and honored. His heart is for the people who do not know Jesus, whom God has chosen for him to convert. I wonder if his prayer life is instructive for you. I know it is for me.
Open a door for my witness, dear God. Speed your word along through me today! In Jesus' name. Amen.
We often call on our pastors and church leaders to pray for us. That is good and proper. Today, I urge you to pray for your pastor. Maybe also send him a note, telling him that you thank God for him and have him in your heart and prayers today. He needs those prayers. You'll bless him by doing that.
The only way we can obtain the glory of Jesus is by his grace which we receive through faith in Christ alone. And here’s the stunning thing about that: He desires to give it to us. He has called us to this through the gospel message so that we may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s an unimaginable gift. There’s no way we could ever earn it. We simply must receive it by faith.
Even though the validity of the Gospel is not dependent on the one who proclaims it, a lifestyle at odds with the message of Jesus will definitely undercut people's willingness to listen or to hear. And the most competent leader of any kind devoid of character can cause great harm. Jesus commands us to love God and to love our neighbor. These are the two great commandments of God. Not suggestions. Not mere ideals. This is a command to reflect God's nature, character, and love for others.
But let not God's name or fame be forgotten. Because we have been saved, forgiven, brought into the fellowship of the redeemed, we are God's royal priesthood, his holy nation, a people of God who are to declare the glory of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.
That's why Paul here prays for the Thessalonians and us to be established in every good work and word.
I share five of my favorite church traditions today, and one I do not observe-good as it may be.
What's your favorite tradition? Does it honor Christ? Does it edify the believer? Does it serve the cause of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus? Does it express the reality of Christ's reign and rule in your heart? I think those are good ways to uphold edifying traditions.
Martin Luther railed against the traditions of the church in his day that got in the way of the truth of God's word and obscured the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He believed that traditions can be helpful. But he also knew that they can also easily become more important than the very things they are supposed to uphold. The sale of indulgences, unquestionable Papal authority, relegating the laity of the church to inferior status are just a few examples of harmful traditions in Luther's day.
Some good traditions remain today. Kneeling or standing for prayer, coming to the altar rail for communion, standing when the gospel is read in church are all excellent traditions. But if the standing or kneeling become more important than the act of prayer, the gifts of Christ's body and blood in the Lord's Supper, or the gospel message itself we have a grave problem.
We are in a sermon series at St. John with a clever motto: Keeping it Real: It's about the heart. Not about playing a part. This is Paul's message here. The traditions he is pointing to are all about the heart. They are those truths, teachings, and practices that center our hearts in Jesus Christ. His love, mercy, grace, goodness, and truth are the focus of every good tradition.
True traditions are not just about making the village work. True traditions anchor us to Jesus. They fill our hearts and souls with life and joy.
The deep and abiding love of God in Jesus for us, the Good News that he forgives us, and the blessing of his steadfast love captures our hearts. Martin Luther spoke of being called by the gospel.It’s not through an encounter with the power, might, holiness, and righteousness of God; though that may be the prelude. God may set us up to realize our need for his grace through the message of the Law. But faith comes through the message of God’s tender mercy, eternal comfort, and good hope through grace.
To this we hold fast. It’s our turn to be reminded of this. It’s also our turn to make sure that future generations hear it as well. We may not see the fruits of our efforts, but every good work and word must give testimony to his grace and love’s work in us.
Whenever we choose to sin, cave into temptation, get led astray by friend or foe, or fail to do the good we know we should do, we enthrone another god in the temple of the True God. Whenever anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ takes first place in our hearts, we replace the Lord of Life with a cheap, transitory, impotent, ineffectual, deceptive, and destructive imitation. I'd rather not acknowledge that I ever do that. But I do. We all do. Even if for a moment. That's why we need a Savior.
And that Savior has come. His name is Jesus. He died for our sins. He rose for our justification. In him we have the promise of eternal salvation and life forevermore.
That's why we can always talk about "the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him" with hope and anticipation and joy. Yes! We must talk that.
Paul writes to clarify our knowledge of God and the world, encourage our love for one another, and remind us of God's promises to embolden our faith. Few of us today are distracted by worries of Jesus' Second Coming. More likely we are distressed by the abandonment from the faith of many. We are rightly distressed by the way the world is going. We may even feel like we're under attack for our beliefs.
Do not be shaken by any of the devil's schemes. Be stirred by God's love and faithfulness, his grace and mercy. And look toward the time when every evil plot and scheme will be revealed for what it is, and Satan himself will be brought to nothing.
We who love the truth, thank God for reminders that we live in a rented world. For our hope is not properly tied to any earthly thing. We’re not there yet. Turmoil, trouble, and confusion is God’s way of inviting us to repent and believe the Good News of Jesus’ love, life, grace, and salvation. Let no one confuse you about that, nor deceive you into believing there is any answer other than God’s true promises in this rented world. A promise that is centered in Jesus, secured by his life, death, and resurrection, and will be fully enjoyed in the life of the world to come. Jesus will come again at the End of All time and receive us to live with him forever.
Satan is doing all he can to confuse, misdirect, and deceive God's people. He is set on killing, stealing, and destroying everything good and every hope that we have for God's good grace. The answer is quite simple. When God determines it's time to bring things to an end The End will come. When the fullness of God's patience and grace is fulfilled Jesus will return. We may not be most fit for heaven when we are least happy on earth. But we are not wrong in praying, "Come, Lord Jesus!" When Jesus comes all confusion will be laid to rest.
I believe the Antichrist will come. And I believe he will be overcome by Jesus. I believe there will be no doubt when Jesus returns. And I truly do look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. The real truth is centered in and anchored in and secured in Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He loves us perfectly and eternally. He, alone, is worthy of our true love.
PS: Click here for a fuller discussion of millennialism. Or paste this into your browser window to see this article in the Lutheran Cyclopedia. [https://cyclopedia.lcms.org/display.asp?t1=m&word=MILLENNIUM]
Unbelievers might expect us to praise God when things go well. And well we should! God deserves all the praise for every good and perfect gift: it comes down from the Father of lights with whom there is no shadow of change (cf. James 1:17). But in the throes of suffering we offer praise to God it's as though a candle has been lit in the darkest of night. It brings light to all. Fellow believers are encouraged. Unbelievers surely take notice.
This is no call to seek hardship and suffering. But it is a reminder to us that when we praise God in the midst of suffering we show our faith to be pure and good. And we light a candle of hope for all to see.
Ultimately, the name of Jesus Christ will be glorified. Every tongue in heaven and on earth and under the earth will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God (cf. Philippians 2:11). Will it be a joyful exaltation of God's grace or a cry of utter duress? Thanks be to God who has called us to repentance and faith so that we can experience an eternity of his glorious and gracious presence!
Those who acknowledge their sin and look to Jesus will be saved. This is the promise and the hope held out over against this dire prediction of doom and damnation. It is by the grace of God any of us has hope. And God is clear on this: He wants all people "to be saved, and come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4).
Jesus is the truth. He sets us free. And although it is very clear here about the vengeance of God, God's greater desire is for us all to turn from our sinful ways and live. "As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live" (Ezekiel 33:11).
Hell: Let's not go there. Let's repent daily and live.
Because I am a servant of Christ, I have the privilege of using his name in prayer, experiencing his grace in repentance, and living under Christ in his kingdom. That's the privilege of being a son or daughter of the covenant.
Then comes the responsibility of being his representative of his reign and rule. We do that when we do the good works God provides for us. We do that when we forgive others who have harmed us. We do that when we take the high road of kindness, integrity, mercy, and justice. We do that when we pray for someone to be healed. We do that when we point to God who alone is worthy of praise and who does us the favor of calling us into his kingdom.
All this, "so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." Wow! What a privilege!
Starting with thanks is proper, good, right, and salutary.We say it in the communion liturgy: It is good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks go you Holy God..." Good: beneficial, blessing, and edifying. Right: proper, appropriate, and decent. Salutary: beneficial, up-building, and confirming.
One of the condemning failures of sinful man is a failure to Give thanks to God. "Although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him," says Paul in Romans 1:21. Praise is proper. It puts things in perspective. It honors God. It puts problems in perspective. We properly start with praise and thanks to God for his grace to us and his work in others. It's the right thing to do.
God sets us aside for his special care. He sets us aside for focused attention when we pray. He sets us aside for his glory and our good.
One of my favorite ways to pray for someone is to ask God to set aside the person for his special attention and care. It’s a way of raising the level of attention and care toward one in need. And the promise here is that God is faithful. He will surely do this: setting us aside because of his love and for our eternal joy, peace, blessing, and glory when Jesus Christ returns.
When I fail, it's not because I want to be a rule breaker. It's because of the weakness of my flesh. I get distracted. I occupy my time with less important or noble things. I don't slow down enough to recognize the need or sense the prompting of the Holy Spirit. And sometimes I skid right off the runway into the mire of sin.
One earmark of evil is a refusal to acknowledge our own sinfulness. From that we must surely always abstain.
This is why I hold fast to what is good. That would be God and his word. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever(Psalm 107:1). And we must not ever forget the GOOD NEWS of God's love shown in Jesus Christ. The prompting of the Holy Spirit will lead us to acknowledge our sin and need for God's mercy. The prompting of the Holy Spirit will turn us to Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. The prompting of the Holy Spirit will bring us to faith. That's truly GOOD NEWS. The prompting of the Holy Spirit will move us to share that GOOD NEWS with others whenever the opportunity arises.
When God's people are committed to God's mission, to prayer, seeking God's help, looking for his will to be done, and rejoicing in his grace and goodness, there is very little opportunity to quarrel and bicker. Peace flows like a river through such a congregation. If I'm a part of that, then my heart is at peace as well.
Focus on the mission. Be constant in prayer. Seek the Holy Spirit's influence. This is the pathway to peace. And to think, this is God's will for us all: for me, for you, for all our brothers and sisters in Christ. For God's glory and for our good.
Perhaps you can identify with one of the biblical terms Paul uses here: weak, discouraged, or fainthearted. If so, hear these words from God for you:
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) Good words, these. Very good words.
Diane and I sit in the pew now on Sunday mornings, and I want to go on record expressing my appreciation for my brother pastors and all brother and sister church leaders. Theirs is a vitally-important task. As Paul says here, we are "to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work."
I thank God for Mark, Jeff, Michael, John, Al, Steve, Tim, Jason, Jon, Jock, Gail, Linda, Tina, Diane, and many more. I hold them in high regard, and pray that they are completely successful in their service for the cause of Christ's reign and rule. Long and joyfully may they serve!
Some people seek to comfort themselves with the idea that "God needed another angel," so he took their loved one. Others think they can talk with their departed loved one and that he or she is looking down from above upon them. There is no biblical basis for these sentiments.
Rather than thinking of Jesus' Second Coming as an add-on to our faith, what about making it part of our hope? In other words, the fullness of our redemption will come on the Great Last Day when Jesus returns in glory and we will be with him forever. This is not an add-on to our faith. It is our true Christian hope and source of purest and perfect comfort.
Paul says here that we are children of the light and not of the darkness. We who follow the true light who has come into the world (cf. John 1:9), are called to stay in the light. We are called to live as though people can see what we are doing and give glory to our Father in heaven. We who are of the light must live as though we are in the light. Awake. Honorable. Decent. Faithful.
I'm all too aware, however, that we who belong to the light sometimes turn it off. We depart from the light in fits of anger, moments of weakness, and even times of purposeful rebellion. We're just like Adam and Eve. We have it all - eternal life, the presence of God, and his loving provision - and we think we want more. Whose are we then?
It's been so long since Jesus promised his return, so long since Paul wrote to the Thessalonians. It's easy for me to put it in the back of my mind. It's easy for me not to think of it. Until I'm struggling with earthly woes and challenges; then I'm praying that prayer! When I don't want to face the suffering, when I'm feeling inadequate to the challenges before me, I'm ready to pray, Come, Lord Jesus!
But I'm reminded of two truths in regard to these feelings: We are not most fit for heaven when we are least happy on earth.And, A roadmap of the future is a hindrance, not a help to faith. So, there is my answer: faith. Take it on faith. Don't try to figure it out. Don't think I've got to have it all figured out. I don't need to worry so much about how I feel or how much I am able to understand this mystery. I can simply believe Jesus' promises and the Bible's teachings. There we will find comfort for our souls.
“Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever,” Paul says. This is his gift. This is our joy. He is totally dedicated to getting us there. Sometimes he must raise the level of challenge. Sometimes he must pour on us the balm of Gilead. Always he is working for our eternal good, and he wants us to live in light of that eternal grace, and encourage each other toward that end as well.
THE END has not yet come...or at least it hasn't come if you are in fact reading this now. Paul has just laid out the calling to love sincerely, speak truthfully, and serve faithfully. Now he says, say awake the whole while. Don't go to sleep at the wheel. The End will come. We wait for it not in a sad attitude of fatalism, but wide awake with anticipation and hope. We wait for it anticipating a glorious day when we will be with Jesus forever. Come, Lord Jesus!
One day Jesus will return, with all his angels. The "cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God" signals his return in victory over all the forces of evil. Immorality will see it's sad, sad end. Slavery of every kind will be abolished. Forgotten and ill-treated will be restored. Those who suffer will be comforted. Those who have held true to the faith will be vindicated. The dead will be raised. We, too, will be caught up into the clouds. We will all be with Jesus in eternal joy, praise, glory, celebration, and delight.
We may face fears as well. Who gets in? How will I survive the Last Day if I'm still alive? How will I die? How will I make it through this valley of the shadow of death that I'm walking because of the loss of my spouse? How will I ever be forgiven for succumbing to temptation? These are all real fears. But Jesus has promised to be with us through them all. He died for our sins. He was raised for our justification. And because we believe we can take hope and comfort in being with him now and forever, and with our loved ones who have died in the faith when Jesus returns on the Great Last Day.
Truth be told: death hurts. Truth be told: death does not have the final say. Truth be told, we'll likely need to relearn this again and again until we are with Jesus and all the saints. Truth be told: Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted (Matthew 5:4). Truth be told, Jesus will never break that promise.
Paul urges us to comfort one another with these words. Sometimes we may wonder whether or not we will make it into the presence of God almighty. We may carry great loads of guilt over past sins. We may struggle against formidable temptations as we seek to live faithfully under Christ in his kingdom. We may wonder whether we're worthy of joining all the saints.
Recently a friend forwarded a link to a sermon clip by Alistair Begg. It's a real winner. It's a clever portrayal of a supposed interview between the angels in heaven and the thief on the cross. They are questioning him about how it was that he would come to be with them in heaven. After some questioning the thief finally says, "The man on the middle cross said I could come." Jesus has said we can all come through faith in him. That's our entry into the glory of all the saints. We're all there on the basis of his righteousness, not our own. We will be with the Lord forever.
We don’t live with the same sense of the imminent return of Jesus. It’s been so long now, many of us can’t imagine it being that close. This afternoon at 3:24? Next Friday at 1:00 AM? Whenever it will be I want to be ready. I take comfort that I don’t need to imagine it all. I just need to believe in Jesus. And I do.
Jesus calls us to abstain from sexual immorality, love one another near and far, and to live quiet, respectful, and productive lives. Such lives would stand out against the ways of the world in Paul's day. They would make us stand out today as well. Jesus has saved us so that we can stand out, and by such a life gain a hearing by others.
What might we tell them? That God is love. That he has saved us. That he wants us to live in love toward him and one another. And that an eternity of joy awaits those who put their faith in him. So says Jesus, the Son of God and Savior of the world. His word is gold.
Our lives as followers of Jesus is to be different, but not merely otherworldly. We are to be good citizens. We are to add value to our neighborhoods. We are to bless our friends. We are to attach our hearts to the hope of the life of the world to come. But this is not to be at the expense of living life fully engaged in this world.
It doesn't have to be heroic. But we are called to be faithful in common ordinary ways...to the praise of God and the blessing of our neighbor, and in anticipation of being able to give witness to God's love for us and for all people in Jesus.
If we are doing what God calls us to do we will live differently from the world. Our love will look different. We will refrain from sexual sins. And for that we may be ridiculed. Others may take advantage of us. In those moments we may be reminded of Jesus' life, suffering, and death.
And when we encounter people who are not living in that way, we can point them to Jesus, his love, sacrifice, resurrection and promise of forgiveness. That is a remarkably different kind of love, thanks be to God!
You are not called to do or don't so that you're good enough to be saved. You're not. Neither am I. But God is gracious enough to save us. And he has. Jesus has come, forgiven our sins, and promised us eternal life. When we sin we repent. But we live this kind of life so that..."people who are not believers will respect the way you live." We do that so that we might gain the opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus with them. And that good news isn't do or a don't. It's a done. It's all been done by Jesus. And we do need to share that with others.
This message, based on the Prodigal Son parable on Sunday, September 18, 2022 at Fishers of Men Lutheran Church, Port Isabel, TX
May God bless the sharing of his word!
Paul speaks of his friends in the faith as well as partners in ministry. They are precious to him and he hopes he is precious to them. They build each other up in the faith and bring great joy. The same is true for me. Friends in the faith are the silver and gold of human relationships. They are a delightful blessing for with we can thank God: in the middle of the night, and in this very moment. Thank you, God, for our friends in faith. They make the love of Jesus ever more real.
As Paul writes here I can see two things he wishes for the people of Thessalonica. He prays that their love for one another and for all people would grow and overflow, and that their hearts would be strong, blameless, and holy. Those are worthy gap fillers. They are filled by embracing God's love and grace, holding to his truth, and daily repenting of our sins and renewing our faith in Jesus.
Suffering is inevitable. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble." But he also said, "Rejoice, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). This is our hope in the face of the inevitable troubles we must all face. Thank God for those who do not give the false-hope of a troubleless life, and for those who are willing to stand with us in the face of those inevitable troubles. They may be inevitable. But they are not final.
The devil is a clear and present danger to our faith. He is the thief who wants to steal, kill, and destroy. Our prideful idea that we must take care of all things, never leaning on others, or asking for help, or sending others into the fray is also a clear and present danger. Sometimes people fall prey to that idea, thinking that only the pastor can provide spiritual care. They forfeit the prayers of the saints and miss the comfort of mutual conversation and consolation that brothers and sisters in Christ provide.
God's love is mediated through the Body of Christ, and we're all part of that body. Failing to take advantage of that gives the devil yet another opportunity to steal our joy, kill our hope, and destroy our faith. Thank God when he sends others to our side to help in that struggle.
If you believe you must live a perfect life in order to be saved, you will soon end up living a hypocritical life to cover your sin. But you can never hide from God. If you believe that God welcomes sinners, receives us when we fail, or even betray our faith, you will find great comfort in God's mercy and steadfast love.
What do you believe? Do you believe in the forgiveness of sins? Do you believe in the goodness, grace, truth, mercy, and steadfast love of God? I do. And that matters a lot...a whole lot!
Ephesians 4:11-16
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Maybe you know someone who is on the leading edge of every change ever suggested. He is the one first in line when the new Apple iPhone 14 comes out – or he may have already gotten a pre-production version to test. He’s also the one who gets burned sometimes because he’s too far out in front. After all, the leading edge is also the bleeding edge!
Gathering for worship is so important. You can relate to people in all three levels: as neighbors, friends, and as close friends. God's gift of the Lord's Supper is a further extension of this, for in that we experience a deep intimacy with Jesus and all the company of heaven, together with all the saints who join us at the communion rail.
Sometimes we must resort to some sort of virtual experience. But there's nothing like being there, face to face, and as appropriate, heart to heart. May Jesus allow that for us all!
Perhaps you can identify with being cared for and valued as a child of God. A dedicated servant of God has expressed love and encouragement to you. You have been in the prayers of a prayer warrior. Someone who is a follower of Jesus has visited you, offering God's word of grace and truth. That's where you can be in this picture of Christian love and concern.
May it never be that we are in the group who seeks to thwart others from gaining access to Jesus. We must not be the source of discouragement to faithful followers of our Lord. We must never get in the way of one who is spreading the word of Christ. Ridicule, criticism, grumbling, and fault-finding all do exactly those things. Let that never be our place in the picture!
Whenever we can we ought to invite others to imitate our faith and way of life. You say you've got some failures, sin, and missteps in your walk with Jesus? So does everyone else. Lead by example of contrition, repentance and a renewed commitment to live out the truth that God has revealed to us. He will come for his own and we will be eternally happy because of his great love and merciful redemption. Perhaps our example will embolden others to follow that path of faithfulness as well.
When a love of truth is combined with an attitude of humility great beauty unfolds. Discarding truth sullies humility, turning it into sentimentality. Truth held without humility is like a noisy gong and clanging cymbal (cf. 1 Corinthians 13). We have both of these in these few verses. I hope to display that beauty in my teaching and life. I hope you will too.
The word of God, and the conviction that I stand on God's word, clearly expressed and conveyed gives me the strength and will to continue. I wouldn't suffer much resistance for any other reason. No political affiliation, no human association, no club oath, no ethnic identity deserves such complete and total allegiance.
Jesus is at work in us. He even now offers supplications before the Father's throne, and seeks our good. He works also through those who serve his kingdom's goals, and sometimes in spite of us.
And his work is not in vain if we daily repent of our sin, and take up our cross and seek to "walk in a manner worthy of God."
Paul speaks of his attitude toward the people at Thessalonica when he says, "We were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children" (v. 7). There is a time for tough love. There were times when Paul was harsh. But on this occasion especially, his tone is kind and gentle, reflecting the very nature of God's tender love for us. That soothes my soul and comforts my heart. I hope it does yours as well.
Some people don't feel the need for God's grace. Their consciences are seared. Some reject the idea that he is the sole repository of truth and the only way to God. Some people reject God's word. Some people want nothing to do with what they call, "your truth." But this is our confession, our delight, and our joy: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father apart from him. We need not look elsewhere. No one else has died for us. No one else has conquered death. No one else offers the pure joy and peace that he offers. And that's the truth. Let it be told!
If I am to order my life around pleasing God, I will be true to his word. I will obey his commands. I will encourage others in their walk. I will look to him for guidance. I will trust him above all things. That will sometimes mean suffering. I may be ridiculed. I may forego some worldly pleasures. I may miss out on some so-called fun. But I am choosing to align myself with God's will and ways. When I fail, I repent and God forgives. How about you, Dear Reader? What pleases you?
I'll be away from the microphone this week so there will be no audio version of my blog posts. I look forward to getting back to recording soon. Blessings in Jesus!
We’re not God. We don’t have the wherewithal to speak things into existence. We cannot know all there is to know. We don’t see the whole panorama of history. We don’t have a full grasp of even our own sins or motives. We cannot take the place of God and try to improve on what he has revealed. Nor are we well served by taking out things that God has said. There are only two religions in the world: that which God has revealed in Scripture, and that which man imagines. God’s religion is the far better choice.
“All the prophets of the Bible, all the apostles of the Bible, all the threatenings of the Bible, all the promises of the Bible, gather themselves up, and focus themselves into this one burning ray, ‘Come to Jesus. Come, and take the water of life freely.’” (Charles Spurgeon)
Have you heard this invitation? Heed it. Invite others to join you as you come to Jesus and receive his free gift of the water of life.
Here we have a final word - a single ping, if you will - at the end of the whole book. "Amen." While some of the ancient Greek manuscripts omit the "Ἀμήν" (Amen), many modern translations include it. And it is found in other ancient Greek manuscripts. The word means truly. It's the exclamation point of all that John has seen through this revelation of Jesus Christ to him. "Yes, yes, it shall be so," as Martin Luther puts it. All of the foregoing truths, prophecies, pronouncements, praises, and proclamations are in fact most certainly true.
Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. These are the true words of God. You don't want to miss this party! Neither do I.
In Revelation 19 we have a picture of the end of all deceivers, persecutors, tormentors, and tempters. They suffer utter doom. They are completely vanquished. And the hosts of heaven rejoice in their demise. They realize how destructive those are who attack followers of Jesus. They realize how much Christians have suffered for the faith. And now that it is ended, they rejoice in God's vindication. All the pain, tears, troubles, and disappointments have actually happened. There is no guarantee of a painless life for Jesus' followers. In fact, the opposite is true: "If they persecuted me, they will persecute you," Jesus says (John 15:20).
But all persecution - as real, horrific, distressing, and terrible as it may be - will come to an end. The world, the devil, and our flesh may attack. But God's people will be saved. And we will join all the redeemed in praising the One who has saved us. Hallelujah!
Revelation 18 is a rehearsal of the fall of Babylon, symbolizing the complete demise of Satan's kingdom and powers. It reads almost like one is gloating at Babylon's downfall. And make no mistake, its downfall is horrific and cataclysmic. Complete and undeniable. Total and irrefutable. One after another judgment is pronounced in poetic form. It is a scathing judgment against all the powers, forces, conspirators, antagonists, and people who do not repent. They are utterly doomed. It is sad, and a difficult chapter for me to read.
Then come the hymns of praise to God in this chapter. Hallelujah! Again and again rings out the refrain, "Hallelujah!" Five times in these few verses goes up the shout, "Hallelujah!" And to make certain we get it, in verse 5 we have, "Praise our God!" There's just a whole lot of praising going on. Paeans of praise have replaced laments of Judgment. Joy, delight, gladness, thanksgiving, honor, and glory have replaced gloom, despair, judgment, and damnation.
God's judgments are just. And as we reflect on his holiness and purity, his justice and righteousness, it is good to realize that there will be a day of judgment. That day will be catychlismically horriffic. But we take comfort in the end in two things: Jesus has satisfied God's justice for all who believe. And God's greater delight is to forgive and save. Save us, O God! Have mercy and save us! Amen.
This hymn of Revelation 16 makes the point that God's judgements are completely just. That's the point of the second of these two hymns of praise. “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” Amen.
But let us never forget that the judgment of God was unleashed 2000 years ago...on his Son. Jesus bore the sin of the world. And no one need endure the kinds of eternal doom that is described here. God's will, in fact, is quite the opposite. His will is that all would repent and believe.
Our yearning for justice and vindication may not be as urgent, it is certainly well-founded when we desire God's ultimate rule and reign in our lives. When he reigns we are able to rise above the tumult of this fallen world. When he rules we are able to find joy even in our sufferings. When his justice and righteousness prevails, schisms, divisions, and scandals are healed.
All that happens when we embrace God's justice, truth, holiness and righteousness by faith. We look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, redeemed us, forgave us, and justified us before God. For his sake we are declared righteous, just, holy, and pure. Whenever we express that in our interactions with others, we reflect the true nature of God, and give evidence of the grace and truth of his ways.
The days leading up to the Great Last Day will be tumultuous. Many will faint for fear. And those apart from God will not have smooth sailing by any means. But the redeemed of God recognize their need for a Savior, and realize that Savior is Jesus Christ who has come to redeem us. We will find perfect peace in him. I look forward to that day. I think it's getting close.
There are times when the apparent winning ways of the world overwhelm. There are times when we are amazed at man's accomplishments. There are times when we celebrate great human accomplishments as though they are the ultimate expressions of power and glory. There are times when we laud the athlete, idolize the celebrity, or put our hopes on a political leader. None of these are truly great and amazing. That's God's realm. His praise will go on for all time, and so will our rightful and proper amazement at his stunning grace and glorious majesty.
Our Lutheran founding father spoke of the wrath of God as a great reality about which they had not merely read in books, but the withering blasts of which they had felt in their own hearts. Likewise the grace of God was to them not a mere titulus, but a boon which had come to them like the dawn of a bright morning after a night of harrowing gloom and destructive storms. God's wrath will one day end.
While we wait, God shows his wrath by taking his hands off those who do not believe. And in their unbelief they go farther and farther down the road to perdition (cf. Romans 1:18-32). But God's hands-off approach is not entirely wrathful. For he is also waiting patiently so that some will repent and not perish (2 Peter 3:9). This is his greatest desire. This is his will: our eternal salvation and perfect joy. And until the end of all time there is hope. But that time will one day come to an end. His wrath will end. And his own will enjoy heavenly bliss forever.
Suffering will one day end. Worldly worries will cease. Troubles will be completely forgotten. Faith will become sight. Hopes will be realized. Temptation, trials, troubles, and tumult will all end. We must remember this and join in the hymns of praise to the One who will replace them with pure joy and true happiness, which will never end.
For a photo of our family in Florida, click on the link below...
https://fbgpbd.smugmug.com/Florida-Family-Retirement-Celebr/i-chG6pZp
The salvation that belongs to our God is his gift to all. But sadly not all want this gift. They want to live under the delusion that they can chart their own course. They don't want to be accountable. They do not want to admit they need a Savior. We can do nothing about that except continue to proclaim the truth of God's majestic might and his glorious grace. In the end his might will be fully realized by all, and his salvation will be enjoyed by all who believe.
“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” That's a brutal lesson for atheists, but the joyful confession of we who believe!
The main focus of these hymns in Revelation points us to an eternity of praise to God. And in that space and place we will never grow weary of doing that. The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23). There will be a new cause for praise to God each new morning in heaven. and our focus will be fixed on God.
The hymn, Behold a Host Arrayed in White expresses beautifully the joy of singing the praises of the One who is worthy of all blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might forever and ever! Amen!
When we see this picture of heaven in Revelation 7, with living creatures, elders, angels and multitudes of people falling down in worship of the Lamb, it makes an impression. Every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth. And every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (cf. Philippians 2:10-11). And not only do they fall down in worship, they fall on their faces in worship. This is no half-hearted acknowledgement. This is from the core of their being honor being bestowed on our Lord.
Next time you gather with others in worship, think of this scene. And join with the heavenly host, the great and small, the famous and infamous in majestic humility, praising God. For he alone is worthy. And whether or not you are famous, your worship of him is a delight to me, your brothers and sisters in Christ, the whole host of heaven, and to God himself.
From skinned knees to cancer's cruel injury to the worst unimaginable injustice, God's mercy and grace overflows. He comforts us with his love. Whatever we must face we can know his goodness will prevail and we will be comforted because he is faithful. He is worthy of all honor and praise.
Sometimes we state the obvious and it seems completely unnecessary. It sure is hot. This is Monday.But in this case the obvious in heaven is spoken as a reminder to us on earth. These hymns give testimony to us who are yet on earth and who must live by faith, not by sight. Their hymns not only glorify God, they edify us. They not only flow from hearts overflowing with joy and grace. They encourage us to look forward to joining that hymn. And even if you don't think you can sing, it's an invitation you will certainly be blessed to accept.
These hymns from Revelation express something we do not yet see, but which we believe. For now Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, rules our hearts by grace through faith. We delight in him and look for his influence in our lives and the lives of our families and friends, our neighbors near and far.
Psalm 22:3 says that God is enthroned on the praises of Israel. So let us enthrone him now in our praises and worship. He is worthy. And we are all the better for his reign here and now, and for all eternity.
This vision enriches our appreciation for the blessing of prayer. Not only are we able to call on God with confidence and hope. Here we see that he keeps our prayers. Like a keepsake only more precious. Like a treasure only more highly prized than any treasure on earth. Our prayers are kept in golden bowls, and guarded by the elders in heaven.
I've not thought of my prayers in this manner before. I know I should pray. And I do. Earnestly: all of those prayers I mentioned above. And God not only listens to my prayers, answers them according to his goodness, wisdom, grace, and promises, he keeps them. They are a treasure to Him.
The Lamb who was slain has now begun his reign. Whatever shame and ignominy he suffered is now put to rest. His humiliation is now turned to glory. All the insults, the suffering, the derision, the dishonor is now replaced with praise. Those who know Jesus' steadfast and redemptive love, grace, truth, and mercy delight to see this scene. Whatever dishonor we must endure in his name will one day be fully redeemed. We will exalt in the exaltation of the Lamb who sits on the throne forever and ever! Amen.
Praise puts our problems in perspective. Praise puts us in our proper perspective toward God. That's good to remember, for hope in our trials and humility in our approach to God.
If you want to read the book of Revelation in any truly meaningful way, read it with a view from a prison cell or severe hardship and fear because you are a Christian. Then you'll get past the apocalyptic imagery and symbolic numerology and hear a message of hope and comfort for the people of God. This book is not for fanciful speculation, but for comfort and courage to Jesus followers as we see the world around us spinning out of control, or must endure ridicule because we hold the to-the-world-quaint belief that God is real, his judgment imminent, and Jesus is our only hope.
Way One, The Way of the Thief: Whatever is yours is mine and I'll do anything I can to get it.
Way Two, The Way of the Selfish: Whatever is mine is mine and I'll do everything I can to keep it.
Way Three, The Way of Compassion: Whatever is mine is a gift of God and I'll do whatever I can to share it.
Thanks be to God, Jesus lived and died as the perfect expression of Way Three. His story of the Good Samaritan illustrates how we are to reflect this Way of Life in every day situations. He says, "Go and do likewise."
Paul had gone to war with several people whom he names here in these closing thoughts of this letter. It is significant that he ties his relationship to them with some of the troubles they had endured together. These experiences had forged a bond that was deeper than being next-door-neighbors, or even members of the same family. They had suffered together. And they continued to serve the cause of Christ's kingdom in the face of hardship, suffering and trials of various kinds. They were fellow prisoners and prayer warriors. They had been battle buddies.
Brothers and sisters in Christ ought always seek to be reconciled. Jesus makes that point when he speaks of giving an offering and remembering that someone has something against you. When that happens, you are to leave your offering, first go be reconciled and then give your offering. Restoration of broken human relationships is more urgent even than giving an offering. Paul’s attitude toward these once-estranged fellow missionaries is evidence of this being worked out.a
We may receive an employee of the month award. Perhaps we'll be recognized for having the best yard in the neighborhood. We might have been voted most likely to succeed in high school. Or you might have been elected president of your neighborhood association. All those are great accomplishments. They should not be taken lightly. But to be named by anyone as a faithful and beloved brother or sister in Christ, or a fellow prisoner for the sake of the gospel is an even higher honor. Such a naming is the kind we should all strive for. But the highest honor is given to the One who makes all this worth it. The name of Jesus is the one at whose name every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth, and under the earth. Jesus Christ is Lord and I am thankful to be named as his follower.
More than 100 pastors and spouses are attending year two of PLI International training. Our focus is Leading Change for the Sake of Christ’s Mission. Here’s our most recent email about this trip. Thanks to Diane for putting most of this together. She’s a great partner in mission! We celebrated her birthday here complete with a birthday cake that they provided, and some joyous singing of Happy Birthday. I have videos that I will post when we are able to get a better internet connection.
We were on the way to the airport in Houston and Aliou, our Uber driver, asked where we were going. “Tanzania,” we said. “No kidding!?!” he replied. “I’m from Mali!” Our conversation went on from there. We shared a little about our trip two years ago to dedicate the school in Mwanza, and now that we are going to teach pastors and their spouses about Leadership and Change for the Sake of Christ’s Mission. He was very impressed and encouraging to us.
But he also taught us something along the way.
Who knows what such divine appointments will lead to? God does, and he wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth of Jesus Christ. Pray for us to have open doors...and for yourself...and for the people in your life who know and love Jesus too.
Please pray for us that we may be sensitive to people's feelings, fears, and impatience (also a problem with those who are more ready than others to change!) as we encourage these Jesus followers to lead change for the sake of the mission.
I'm wondering whether you are being led to consider changes you need to make for the sake of Christ's mission. You can pray about that as well. Then listen carefully for God's answer.
Please pray for us that we may be sensitive to people's feelings, fears, and impatience (also a problem with those who are more ready than others to change!) as we encourage these Jesus followers to lead change for the sake of the mission.
I'm wondering whether you are being led to consider changes you need to make for the sake of Christ's mission. You can pray about that as well. Then listen carefully for God's answer.
Last time I checked, everything means every thing. So no matter what you are called upon to do today, do it as unto Jesus, in his name, as his ambassador, to his glory, and in his loving grace. For God has an incredible inheritance prepared for us who are his. And if we're his, we will surely want to serve him well - he who served us perfectly and completely, and saved us: Our Lord Jesus Christ.
I try, once in a while, to listen to talk radio, or top 40, pop, or (don't judge me!) even easy listening music. I enjoy movie soundtracks and highly regard John Williams' incredible movie soundtracks. But I come again and again to classical (with many religious/faith roots and allusions) or Christian contemporary music. These bolster my spirits and shape my soul. How about you? What's on your playlist?
Diane and I celebrate our 47th wedding anniversary today. Some reflections on that, with special application to the thoughts of Colossians 3:12-19
What is your station in life? Are you husband, wife, child, mother, worker, employer, teacher, student, customer or vendor? You will likely have an opportunity to express the unique manner in which Jesus' love and calling takes shape in your life. And no matter who you are, Jesus' command to love God first and love your neighbor as yourself is perfectly fitting.
There are many troubling things in the world. They vie for our attention, concern, and even prayers. We are not to close our eyes to others' suffering. Nor are we to shut our hearts to the pain we feel in the face of loss. But we do not grieve without hope. We do not despair of God's goodness in the face of evil. Sometimes, however, we do need to shift our focus to the eternal blessings of God. Even as we live, and move, and have our being in this broken and fallen world we can look to Jesus and rejoice in his love and salvation.
A paradigm shift will mean we are brutally honest with the troubles we face, while being eternally hopeful for the goodness of God to sustain us and those we love.
We’re called to truth-telling, and truth living. We need never pretend. We must not deceive ourselves, but confess our sins, and acknowledge our need for our Savior. We certainly ought never boast in anything other than the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Cf. Galatians 6:14) And that’s no lie.
God's words to those who realize their sin, and turn to him in repentance are words of mercy and grace that heal sin-sick souls. He says, "I do not condemn you. I forgive you. You are mine. Now, go and speak truth to your neighbor in kindness, gentleness, humility, and love. Those are words that heal.
Language is a powerful tool to bless and heal, or to hurt and offend others. God's calling to truth telling is not just a matter of being polite, but a matter of giving witness to his character. How will you honor him today with your words? Let's speak the truth in love!
From my blog, DavidBahn-Reflections.com.
When Jesus hung on the cross he cried out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" This is the cry of anguish when we experience the wrath of God. His abandonment creates a void that absorbs our very soul. This is wrath of the worst kind: God takes his hands off of us. If he is chastising us, and his hand is heavy on us, there is hope of his presence, kindness, goodness, and grace. His hand may be heavy, but it's there. But what if there is no hand. No goodness. No love. No grace. Just the utter black hole of a godless eternity. I do not want to face that.
Thankfully we don't have to face that utter black hole of a godless eternity. Instead we look to the nail-scarred hands of Jesus, in whom we hope, and for whom we look in glory.
Jesus had tons of spiritual capital. He had wisdom, power, and authority beyond all comparison. He healed diseases. He raised the dead. He walked on water. He confounded his enemies. He had "all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). Jesus was and is the source of incredible power for us today as well. Paul prays that we know "the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead"(Ephesians 1:19-20).
We live in a very individualistic society and time. Everyone wants to define for themselves what is good or evil; what is praiseworthy or abhorrent. We climb on the latest scandal (and, Lord have mercy, there are many many lamentable things happening in the world today!). We beat up on the latest villain - too often of our own personal reasons. Somehow we've lost the more complete understanding of the Body of Christ, the community of believers, the communion of saints.
God loves the whole church. His desire is for us to flourish as his community of the redeemed. Paul suffered greatly for the name of Jesus and for the sake of the Body of Christ - of which we are a part.
Paul here is predating Newtonian and Einsteinian thinking. Newtonian: I'm hard pressed, suffering, and agonizing for you because I want you to realize just how important this message is. Einsteinian: This message is important because only in Christ is true hope, life, salvation, knowledge, and wisdom.
OK...I realize this may not be the best analogy for understanding this passage. But it is good to know both: the message of Jesus is of vital importance because he is the only source of life, hope, wisdom, knowledge, and salvation.
We might want to make a hero of Paul. Surely he would serve well as a hero of the faith. His life and complete dedication to spreading the gospel are heroic and emulatable. Sometimes Paul does seem to dance on the fine line of showing how important the message is and of showing how dedicated he is to delivering that message. But these words here point me toward believing that Paul is making the point of how far he has gone not so that they would trust him. He's doing this to point them to the One whose message he is carrying. He's doing it to encourage hearts, to knit people together, and to point them toward all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge centered in Jesus. What more can any hero do?
When you hear someone preaching Jesus, urging faith in him, pointing people to God's promises anchored in Jesus' death, resurrection and final return, lean in. Listen well. Maybe that pastor isn't a rock star. Maybe he doesn't have his name on the side of a megachurch. Maybe he isn't all that great. But if he is pointing you to Jesus, listen well. And rejoice whenever anyone points beyond himself to the One in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. In Jesus, after all, is the true hope of glory.
Thanks be to God for his mercy and grace! We do have a past. But we also have a Savior by whom we have been reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to be presented holy and blameless and above reproach before him. I don't believe we never sin after our conversion. But I do believe we must not take any sin lightly, and by so doing cheapen the grace of God. A sober reminder for me. Maybe for you, too, dear reader.
I note that God was pleased to do this. Reconciling us and all things to himself. Doing it through the cross. Coming to earth and dwelling in bodily form. Making all this happen through the cross - the death of His own son. God was pleased to do this. The Greek word, εὐδόκησεν, is an expression of God's pleasure and indicates that God was not begrudging in this act of reconciliation and salvation. The word has the same root as is used at Jesus' baptism, "This is my Son, with him I am well pleased." It enlarges God's heart to see us redeemed, reconciled, restored, and rescued.
God is all in for us, and pleased to be so. Where do we need to reflect that today?
A missionary working in east Asia spoke of the many people there who do not know Jesus and are not giving him the honor he deserves. That phrase caught my attention. I want Jesus to be honored. He is my Savior and Lord. He is pure and good. My friend identified her place of missionary activity as east Asia because she is actually potentially in danger if the wrong people get wind of her work where she is. But her desire to honor Jesus has moved her to this. I hope that I can honor Jesus similarly wherever I serve him - not just in my sermons or blog posts, but in all I think, say, or do. He is surely worthy of it.
Praying for other believers to know God's will, to have wisdom and understanding, and to live a life worthy of our Lord Jesus is an important prayer. We pray these things over those who have been saved, not in order that they may be saved. Once saved, however, the temptations and challenges to our faith do not magically stop. That's why we must also pray the we who bear the name Jesus will bear fruit, increase in our knowledge of God, and endure in our walk of faith.
God has delivered us. We have been redeemed. Our sins have been forgiven. From that foundation of God's grace and salvation we pray, giving thanks to the Father for those who walk with us in the light of God's love.
Paul is urging us to look to God. He's pointing us toward our heavenly hope. He's reminding us that God's plans are for blessing, good, and eternal joy. He invites us into that hope.
That doesn't mean we don't mourn for the lost. It doesn't mean we don't seek to bring the message of Jesus to more and more people. Quite the contrary. We rejoice in God's work in the lives of more and more people, and do whatever we can to help make the world come alive around us. His message of Good News enlivens that hope and sustains us in that effort.
This is the good news: Jesus Christ came to save sinners. I am one of them. And he is my Savior and Lord. That word needs to be spread to the whole world. The signs on our church marquees should read, "Sinners Welcome."
This is no excuse for sinning further. This is a call to praise God for his glorious grace, and live in that grace day by day.
Paul never claimed to be alone. He constantly mentions other people who were partners in the gospel. Whether it's Timothy, Epaphras, Silas, Acquilla, or Priscilla, Paul partnered with these people. And the kingdom of God grew. Do you have a partner who is dedicated with you for the sake of the Kingdom?
Paul's claim to be an apostle was not a matter of personal aggrandizement. It was for the sake of the gospel message. It was so that he could offer grace and peace through our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is my claim as well. I stand little on being a pastor as a place of authoritarian power, but much more on the basis of sharing the grace and peace that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. This is Paul's claim and purpose. He is not alone. Nor is this happening only in Collassae. I look forward to reflecting on that this week.
At the end of Luke's account of Jesus' ministry he mentions two significant things. Jesus ascended in the view of the Apostles. And the Apostles return with joy and continually bless God in the Temple. Make no mistake, they're there because of what's in their hearts. But what's in their hearts is there because of God's work in the world and in their hearts.
The only reason there is anything good in our hearts is because of Jesus' presence there. Otherwise we would have only the sinful nature. Jesus' assessment of the sinful nature is unvarnished. He says, "If you, being evil, know how to give good things to your children..." (Matthew 7:11). We who are evil need a physician., and Jesus is that physician. He has redeemed us, and made us new. He reigns in grace, and because of all he has done, we delight to worship him. Not so that he will see the good in us, but because he has redeemed us and we are truly and deeply thankful to him!
We weren't there 2000 years ago when these things happened. But we have the witness of the Scriptures. We read Isaiah's prophecies (Isaiah 53). Moses records God's promise of a seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). Jeremiah speaks of a New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Then Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John record Jesus' teaching, suffering, death, resurrection, ascension, and promised return. The remainder of the New Testament helps us understand what it means to live out the reality of our redemption.
So when we see that kind smile, act of kindness, answered prayer, the faithful witness from God's word, let that be a reminder to see again what is behind it all. God loves you. He sent his Son. He died for you. He rose in victory over sin, death, and the devil. That's something none of us need to unsee!
If God's got this, should we just sit back and let someone else proclaim the word? Should we just watch God work, rather than engaging in his mission? May it never be! How could we who have heard this message want to keep it to ourselves? The message will be preached. It should be. In would be (now and in previous years). We're living proof of that. Thanks be to God. Is there someone you know who needs to hear it?
If we pay attention, God may be showing up and calling us to repent and believe - just like the Apostles. If we sense that, there is no better place to go than to the Scriptures. The wisdom literature offers us insights and direction about managing life itself. The Psalms give voice to deep emotions and yearnings of the soul. The letters of the New Testament reveal how the faith is to be lived day to day. The gospels point us to Jesus the source of life and salvation.
When we are mindfully open to the God moments of life be sure to follow the trail to faith in Jesus. Be open to his word of grace and truth. For surely this is God’s ultimate desire for us all. And as we are mindfully open to his teaching we will certainly be blessed.
We give up too easily. We lose sight of God's promises. We acquiesce too quickly to the discouragement and distractions of the world. Better we lean into what God has promised. Read it, mark, learn, and meditate upon it. There we'll learn not only of God's promises - which are sure to come true - but of God's goodness, grace, justice, faithfulness, and patience. He hasn't given up on us. Let's recommit ourselves to clinging to his promises and keep our hopes alive in him.
Jesus asks, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?" He doesn't do that because he is ignorant of their thoughts or struggles. He does that to call them to a new place of hope and peace. So the question today is for you and me: “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?" Jesus is risen. The tomb is empty. He reigns at God's right hand. His greeting is, "Peace!"
Jesus came to his discouraged and disappointed disciples and offered a greeting of peace. Then he gave proof of the reality of that moment…by eating fish. He comes to us as well, with a greeting of peace and grace. And he offers us proof of that when we have those moments of clarity and focus and peace that only he can give.
I’m really lousy at manufacturing my own peace. But Jesus’ peace is a grace beyond expectation and human understanding. Peace! What a marvelously delightful gift! Soon will come the focus and direction. That too is a gift. Next week…
Jesus came to his discouraged and disappointed disciples and offered a greeting of peace. Then he gave proof of the reality of that moment...by eating fish. He comes to us as well, with a greeting of peace and grace. And he offers us proof of that when we have those moments of clarity and focus and peace that only he can give. I'm really lousy at manufacturing my own peace. But Jesus' peace is a grace beyond expectation and human understanding.
Peace! What a marvelously delightful gift! Soon will come the focus and direction. That too is a gift. Next week...
I'm not sure I really understand Jesus' bodily resurrection. I confess belief in it each Sunday. "I believe in the resurrection of the body," we say in the Apostle's Creed. That's based on Jesus' bodily resurrection which we also confess in the Creed, "the third day he rose again from the dead." How that's possible, and what it looked like remains a mystery. But just because something is a mystery does not mean it's untrue.
I believe in the resurrection of the body, and look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. It's a mystery. And I believe it.
Jesus' presence itself didn't enlighten the disciples, although surely it did help. It seems, however, that it was as Jesus broke bread with these two disciples the light went on. Maybe it was a flashback to the Upper Room that opened their eyes. Perhaps they hadn't previously recognized Jesus because his appearance was altered from what it had been before. Could be that their sadness and disappointment had clouded their vision. But something changed in that moment. And new excitement, hope, and purpose shaped their hearts and lives from that time on.
Maybe you're ready for a fresh wind of the Holy Spirit. God may be ready to open your eyes to some deeper understanding of his grace and truth. There may be a moment in your future when the disappointment, grief, or discouragement will be replaced with a new vision of God's faithfulness, love, and power. If...or when!...it happens, do what they did: Tell your friends and loved ones. And rejoice in the Good News of God.
One of my great privileges as a pastor is to speak similar words to the people who gather for worship: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. I hope the people who hear these words are happy to hear them not only because they signal the end of the worship service, but because this heartfelt blessing offers a gift from God that calms their hearts and brings them comfort and courage.
The disciples who heard Jesus' greeting of peace certainly did need both comfort and courage. I do too. How about you?
God had in mind the redemption of the whole world. And Jesus was committed to that vision. It cost him his life. It meant that his followers were disappointed. It wasn't his fault, but it was his burden to carry. And so as he joins them on the road, they are deep in conversation. And he begins probing. What are you talking about? Who is this one?
And he will do far more. He will reveal himself to them. He will warm their hearts with the grace and truth that pours from the essence of his being. He will secure their hopes in something far better than they thought they had lost.
Maybe we do that as well. Maybe we sell God short. Maybe we settle for too little. Or worse, maybe we don't recognize the fullness of God's redeeming love in the face of the dark valleys and disappointing turns of events. Maybe we need to check ourselves when our WPD quotients are high, and pause to listen to Jesus. He has something very good to say. Worth every moment of silence it requires of us to hear it.
How silly it was for these two to ask whether Jesus was the only one who did not know.Better we remember the saying by Francis Rossow, a professor at Concordia Seminary, "We know precious little about God. But the little we know is precious."
Some say that the church ought to interpret Scripture. Others say the individual should interpret Scripture. I say let Scripture interpret Scripture. And Jesus as the Word made flesh is certainly best qualified to enlighten our understanding of what God's word actually says. Hint, hint...it points to him!
The central message of the Bible is the love of God shown fully and graciously in Jesus Christ. His death was the proof of that grace. His resurrection was proof of his glory. I don't want to miss that. Jesus does not want us to miss it either.
Right now I’m basking in the Easter joy afterglow. But there will come times of confusion, discouragement, and disappointment. Thank God Jesus shows up. Thank God he’s more faithful than my weak faith. Some difficult things may be necessary. But Jesus reigns. For me, now this is enough.
On this Easter Sunday, I offer Walter Wangerin, Jr's allegory of Christ as a ragman. Wangerin is a gifted author who provides in this allegory a picture of Jesus taking our sorrows, sins, shame, and sickness all upon himself. And giving us his righteousness and life in exchange. We who are baptized into Christ have clothed ourselves in Christ (Galatians 3:27).
Let's look at the Seven Words of Jesus from the cross on this Good Friday:
- Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Luke 23:34
- Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise. Luke 23:43
- Jesus said to his mother: "Woman, this is your son." Then he said to the disciple: "This is your mother." John 19:26-27
- My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34
- I thirst. John 19:28
- It is finished. John 19:30
- Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. Luke 23:46
Each of these express terrible agony, deep love, and redemptive purpose. The saying I go to more often than the others, is recorded in both Matthew and Mark. It is the only one recorded in both gospels. And it speaks of a pain we do not have to bear because Jesus stood in for us. And, although it is a grave lament, and expresses an unfathomable sense of abandonment, it also expresses faith. For in the hour that God abandoned Jesus, Jesus still calls him, "My God." His God. He has been abandoned. But he will not abandon God.
That's good for us who wish to claim Jesus' righteousness as our own. And that is exactly what we do when we put our faith in Jesus. We claim his righteousness. His robe of righteousness is given to us in baptism (Galatians 3:27).
Wednesday is silent. Thursday bursts with activities. And there are many things that capture my attention. But I will focus on two mandates of this day. The “Do this“ of the Lord’s Supper, and the “Love one another” of Jesus’ new command.
There is no specific record of Jesus‘ words or actions on Wednesday of Holy Wee. But don’t mistake inaction on his part for complacency or impotence. All is well in hand. Nothing is spinning out of control. Even though it may seem as though God is absent, he is not abandoning either Jesus or his people. That will come on Friday. God will abandon his Son – the horror! But all things are now in motion according to God’s plan.
The plots, schemes, plans, and strategies of the evil one and his minions will only play into God’s plans.
Maybe you feel like God is all too silent. Too aloof. Too removed. Too inactive. Trust me – or better yet, trust God – he has a plan. It is good. Better than anything we might even try to plan. It will come to pass.
We may wish to join the disciples in marveling at the withered fig tree. We can certainly delight in seeing Jesus answer the criticisms of his detractors. We should hear in our hearts Jesus' teaching in the parables. But we must keep in mind these two commandments:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Jesus is in the process of living them out. May we follow him in that spirit of love for God and our neighbor.
Let's walk with Jesus this Holy Week. Let's see how he lives the last week of his life on earth. To be more precise, let's see how he lives the week of his death on the cross. After his resurrection Jesus appeared to his disciples several times as recorded in the gospels. Those appearances are important in their own right. We'll look at those next week. But for now let's look at the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion.
What appears to be the irredeemable loss of Jesus' death on the cross gives way to Jesus' resurrection, and ascension. His Great Commission to his disciples. His promised return at the end of all time. What starts here will be fully and eternally expressed for all who believe in Jesus. This will end when the final battle with Satan is consummated and he is thrown into the pit of hell prepared for him and all his angels (cf. Matthew 25:41). This will resolve in the full and unfettered reign of health, freedom from oppression, life, release from captivity, and the favor of God. It is a reign of hope, joy, purpose, and comfort. It is a place of God's presence in an atmosphere of glorious grace.
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. - Revelation 22:17
Jesus' reign and rule is a glorious, inspiring, delightful place of grace, blessing, joy, and love. And you and I've been invited. Come, Lord Jesus! Bring me into the fullness of your reign and rule!
Jesus is large and in charge here as he begins his ministry. There will come a time, however, when God’s reign and rule looks very different. The King of kings will be enthroned on a cross. He will be hailed by mockery. He will triumph by dying. It will look nothing like Jesus’ glorious moments of power and authority does here. But that is the secret of Jesus’ true power. His outward success doesn’t establish it. Jesus’ true power is the power of faith. His unwavering commitment to God’s ways no matter what gave him the moral authority to triumph over the demons.
That same commitment would lead him to the cross three years later. But it won’t stop there. It will go from the cross to the grave and from the grave to the glory and splendor of majesty at God’s right hand once again. And just as we have to believe that Jesus was reigning when he was being crucified, we must now believe he is reigning in the face of war, violence, injustice, disease, and even death. His is a word of life and grace for which I am deeply thankful. It’s very obvious when fever is lifted and evil is vanquished. I must remember that also in the dark times. How about you?
To the extent we engage our faith, commitment to God's reign and rule, and understanding of God's will (think Romans 12:2), we too can be powerful in opposing Satan and his minions. We can even rebuke him. And as to our witness to Jesus' identity and his reign and rule, we will never be perfect. But we certainly would not wish to discredit Jesus. We would never wish to mock him outright. So speak up! Confess Jesus is Lord. Let the world know who he is and how he has blessed you.
Paul tells Timothy that God's word is profitable for reproof (2 Timothy 3:16). This should never be taken lightly or used in a cavalier manner. Thank God that Jesus knew when to rebuke, and did it! I wonder whether I need to be a little more courageous whenever I see evil having its way. God give me courage to do so when the need arises.
We may have to come as dogs getting the scraps from the master’s table. (Matthew 15:27) We may need to call out, “Lord I believe! Help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) But we must never be defiant. We dare not use Jesus’ name in vain. We know who he is and what he has done. And we look forward to seeing him again at the end of all days. We know who he is. He is the One who answers our prayers, died for our sins, rose for our justification. He deserves always to have his name used in prayer, praise, thanks, and blessing.
I preached at Peace Lutheran Church in Groves, TX on Sunday, February 27. I hope you find this edifying.
Things are not always as they seem. That includes also Jesus' intent in challenging his hometown folks. He isn't interested in inciting a riot. He doesn't want merely to make them angry. He wants to point out their need for a different attitude toward God, faith, repentance, and grace.
Sometimes we live under the illusion that we are in control of all things. In fact we have control over very little. And the sooner we recognize this, and align ourselves with God's truth and purposes, the sooner we will experience the abundant storehouse of God's grace. He is not only in charge. He is full of grace and truth and love and faithfulness. I, for one, am glad he's in charge.
My question is what do you focus your eyes on as you think of Jesus? What do you hear him say? Do you listen for his word in humility? Do you seek to see who he really is? And when your heart is revealed to be broken, corrupt, and faithless, do you try to throw him off the cliff? Or does this take you to a place of repentance at the foot of the cross? Do you seek his mercy and rejoice in God's favor shown in Jesus? And do you let him reveal his true self to you and seek to hear his full counsel?
Sadly we will show our brokenness all too often in the face of Jesus' teaching and truth. But the fullness of that truth is seen in how Jesus really did fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah. It would cost him incredible pain and suffering, and even his very life. But this was the means of God's favor coming to us.
That's what I want to see and hear. Lord Jesus, open my eyes, ears, and heart by your Holy Spirit so that I may see and hear your grace and truth always! Amen.
Perhaps that's the lesson we are to learn when our prayers aren't answered while other's are. Our loved one is not healed, and someone far from God is. I don't think this is a punitive thing on God's part. But it may be a lesson to others about the far reach of God's grace and the breadth of his love.
When we do receive the special touch of God's grace we can be deeply thankful that God looked upon us with his favor. We don't deserve it. That's the nature of grace after all. But it is so sweet when we do receive it. That's because Jesus knew who he was, remained true to his true identity, and deeply connected with people who received his grace in humble faith.
Lord give me such a humble faith, so I can define myself as one loved by you and connected with you for all eternity.
We could spiritualize the things on the list Jesus references from Isaiah: spiritual blindness, captivity to sin, poverty of spirit. These are all real conditions we might consider in an honest moral self-inventory. I'll leave you to consider how that might apply to you.
But I want to suggest a different approach to how we hear and respond to Jesus' words here. There are people who are actually oppressed, poor, imprisoned, and blind. They need our prayers. They need Jesus' presence and deliverance. It all starts with the favor of God, and the Good News of his love and salvation through the life, death, resurrection, and final coming of Jesus. It might be that we pray for them to be delivered physically and spiritually from these ills. And as we do we might discover that we have been delivered from the blindness to others' needs, freed from the captivity of constant self-absorbed fretting, and enriched with the true treasures that are found in life in Christ.
I don't know too many people who presume upon God's grace. Or do I? Perhaps you and I do this all the time. Maybe we think we deserve special treatment because we're God's people. We think that because we believe in Jesus we get to go to the front of the line when it comes time for God to hand out favors. We might look at others less deserving in our own estimation thinking God owes us before he gives anything good to them.
One thing is for sure though. Jesus came to proclaim good news to the poor. He was sent to "proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” Unless we are willing to admit our neediness, and rejoice in God's favor to others in need, we will find no joy in Jesus' presence. If we do admit our need for his favor, and rejoice in that favor to others we will find great joy in Jesus' gifts of sight, freedom, release, and good news of God's favor - no matter what town we're from.
Jesus was led into the wilderness, the abode of Satan, the realm of wandering. When the Israelites were led into the wilderness to escape Egyptian slavery, they gave into temptation. They fashioned an idol of gold. They grumbled. They refused to believe. They criticized their leaders. Jesus is being led to face temptation by the devil and he will not give in to it. He will be all that Israel was supposed to be.
I'm thankful for that, and have an ever deepening appreciation for Jesus' stalwart faithfulness, the urgency of praying against temptation, and undying thankfulness for his help and presence in the face of Satan and his schemes.
We don’t have to be always in a defensive posture. It’s not that we wait for Satan to sneak up on us. We’ve got a calling to live under Christ in his kingdom and serve him in righteousness and purity (resisting temptation). But when Satan does come our way, we can stand firm with the armor of God, and fight him just as Jesus did with God’s word.
Whether it’s praying the Psalms, reading and memorizing Scripture, or meditating on God’s word daily, Scripture is a powerful weapon against Satan and his schemes. We may fail. We may give in. That’s why Jesus’ victory is so precious. For he is our Savior. He forgives us when we fall, and empowers us to get back up and live to his glory and toward our eternal destiny – all secured in Jesus.
Scripture interprets Scripture. There are some difficult passages in the Bible. Some even appear to contradict one another. The rule that Scripture interprets Scripture helps us here, pointing us to the clear teachings of the Bible in place of the sensational or confusing passages.
Satan will have none of that. He will use Scripture for his own purposes. He quotes from the Old Testament Scriptures. He twists truth to his own agenda: deceive Jesus, taking him down, thwarting God's plan. In every case - not just when Satan twists Scripture - Jesus appeals to the clear teachings of God's word.
Psalm 119:11 offers us great wisdom: I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Jesus' example shows how this actually works. We do well to let God's word speak to us so that we may resist temptation and thwart Satan's efforts to deceive us. God's word, after all, is a fountain of life-giving truth!
We cannot prevent the three enemies of our souls from intruding upon us. There is the devil. He will come and go. But we can use God's word to thwart his ploys. Then comes our own sinful nature, the flesh, in which "nothing good dwells" (cf. Romans 7:18). This we must daily drown by contrition and repentance, remembering that we are baptized into Jesus' death and resurrection, remembering that we are no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:1-6). But the world is all around us. And everywhere we turn it will seek to force us into its mold. Against that we must renew our minds (Romans 12:1-5).
Satan will come again for Jesus. Peter will be his messenger (cf. Matthew 16:13-23). But we must remember that Satan's days are numbered. And the daily troubles and tribulations we experience are nothing compared with the glory that will be ours through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:18). He has overcome Satan - despite his relentless attacks, innuendos, and schemes.
Jesus is truth incarnate. And his word embodies truth in every letter. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He promises that if we continue in his word we will know the truth, and by that truth find true freedom. And here's the mystery and paradox of Jesus' truth: "If we say we are without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8).
To abide in Jesus' word and know the truth is to recognize our need for a Savior, to believe in Jesus of Nazareth as the one and only Son of God. It means that we recognize the reign and rule of God in Jesus, repent and believe the gospel. Then we hear him say, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). And believing that we dare not hold to anything that is not truly true. That means holding to Jesus.
On this Valentine's Day, rejoice in the true love of God - shown in Jesus, and pure and good in every way.
Whether it’s appetite, applause, or ambition, the devil’s plays those to us in myriads of ways. A shortcut to success. A one-time fling to satisfy a deep yearning. Willingness to go along against our better judgment just so we can fit in. And Jesus withstood each one of these after 40 days of fasting.
Nothing is wrong with bread. God had promised to guard him with angels. And the temple was truly his abode. The problem with each was that Satan was setting the agenda. Satan was seeking to lead Jesus in this hour of temptation. And his intent is only to steal, kill, and destroy.
I’m not certain every temptation can be traced back to appetite, ambition, or applause. But I am certain I have fallen prey to all three one way or another. Satan will throw out some tasty-looking bait. But the bait always hides a sharp barb. Now, truly, we are not unaware of his schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11). And Jesus gives us a means by which we can overcome his temptations…faith in God and a deep knowledge of his word.
Let's be clear: Jesus is God in the flesh. And that means we will have do deal with him. Not only as he speaks to the lost, telling them that they are forgiven and saved, but also in his harder sayings. Calling us to take up our cross and follow him. Commanding that we forgive someone 70 times 7 (most scholars believe this not to be a literal number, but a command that reaches as far as needed - 5000 times if need be). Confronting self-righteousness. Condemning self-serving religion. Pointing us to lose life in order to find it. Commanding us to give, not letting the right hand know what the left has given.
But let's also be blessed: Jesus, Son of God, also died for the sins of the world. He laid in the grave and on the third day rose again, ascended to heaven and now sits at the right hand of God. We have no weak Savior. We have no supposed savior. We have a Savior who loved us so much that he took on human flesh, lived among us for a time, suffered and died for us. And now when we pray, he who is God also knows our human frame. He has compassion and mercy on us. He loves us. This is not supposedly true. This is most certainly true.
When Eve was tempted by the serpent to eat of the forbidden fruit, she was offered something that was pleasing to the eye, desirable for wisdom, and good for food. Glory. Fame. Bread. He has no new tricks. Jesus will not fall for any of these. None of them fill the soul - even though we need all of them to live and move and have our being.
But Jesus realizes that it is better to lose one's life than one's soul. He will not trade his true destiny for the best bread, the greatest fame or the most opulent glitz. For he knows who he is. And to let Satan direct his ways - even toward legitimate needs (bread certainly has to be on that lis!) - will take him down a path of which there is no return.
Perhaps we can learn something from Jesus' encounter with Satan. The most important thing is that Jesus withstood the temptation, and began his vanquish of the Old Evil Foe. This is the first round. It will not be the last. But Jesus will prevail. Thanks be to God!
Jesus was real. No fake. No illusion. No cardboard cut-out. A real air-breathing, heart-beating, flesh-laden, living being. This guy really happened. He really lived. He really taught. He really suffered and died.
Jesus was also true. True to God his Father in heaven. True to the Law of God. True to all God intended man to be. True to his friends. True to his enemies. True to all with whom he came into contact. Nothing false about him. No sham. No deceit. The truth, the whole truth, but truth coupled inexorably to grace and love.
No one else can claim that. Not to mention that he was also true God. And we'll look at that tomorrow. For how let the humanity of Jesus, his true/real manhood bolster your faith. Learn from him what it means to be a true man or woman.
Jesus has a checkered lineage. But that lineage will not define him in its failures. He is fully human, yet without sin. But he is also fully God. The mystery of the incarnation is therefore twofold. How could God become a man? I don't know, but he did. And Why did God become a man? This I know: to save and redeem us, to seek us and bring us with him into present purposefulness (apart from any human lineage), and eternal joy and bliss.
Thanks be to God!
Our sin has severed our relationship with God. All of us have done it. We've all sinned. We've failed to meet God's standards of perfection. So "the soul that sins will die," is not just a theological concept, it's a profound truth with which we must all deal. And because of that we fall short of God's glory.
But the word in Romans 3 is actually properly translated, "praise." All have sinned and fallen short of [earning, receiving] the praise of God.
But hear what God says to Jesus at his baptism: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Sounds like praise to me. And want to hear the best part of all? Through faith in Jesus we are credited with Jesus' righteousness! We who are baptized into Christ are clothed with Christ.
Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. To do so required that he fully participate in the human experience. So he did - including being baptized along with a bunch of sinners. Now that he has begun that mission in public, the Father praises him. Jesus will not fall short. Nor will any who put their faith in him.
Herod is using Satan's playbook. He will not give up. Not content with having Herodias as his wife, he will lock up John in prison, and ultimately have John beheaded in a foolish satan-inspired promise to Herodias' daughter (cf, Matthew 14:1-12). Not only is Herod using Satan's playbook, he's serving as Satan's shill. Satan is using Herod, and he will be the worse for it.
Josephus says that Herod, "feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it in his power and inclination to raise a rebellion; for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise." Whatever the reason - coopted by Satan, serving as his pawn, captured by fear - Herod will not give up. Even more so Satan. We must stand up to him. May God give us his Spirit of courage, strength, wisdom, and discernment.
Winnowing forks and unquenchable fire imagery conjures thoughts of judgment. But what of wheat barns? Judgment isn't just for the evil ones. It's not all about God giving us justice against those who wrong us. It's also about being saved, and finding an eternal home in God's storehouse of life and love. Jesus' first appearance would challenge the religious self-righteous (judgmental) ones. His second appearing will bring his own into that place of eternal safekeeping - free from every threat to body, heart, and soul. That's why Luke calls John's preaching good news. Jesus is coming to save. To judge and separate the chaff to be sure. But most of all to save.
I know of no other judge than Jesus who I would wish to judge me and all people. He knows our frame. He has walked among us. He knows God's heart. He has come from the Father. I trust his winnowing fork. I yearn for his wheat barn.
When Jesus makes his appearance he does little to trumpet is greatness. He requires no special treatment. He has no logo sown onto his tunic. He requests no special treatment, not even excusing himself from being baptized. This is the continuation of a remarkable journey. Jesus has come from the highest glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He has laid aside that glory, abandoned his heavenly throne, abandoned the worship of angels, and taken on human flesh. He became a baby. Unfathomable! Now he will step into the muddy waters of the Jordan River along with all the other members of the Brood of Vipers gang as though he needed to repent! This just isn't right. Not very "GOATish."
But this reveals a side of greatness that is seldom seen and often overlooked entirely. Jesus greatness is rooted in his love for his people. It is expressed in his searching for and seeking the lost. It is seen in his willingness to be baptized - identifying with those he came to save. And now it is witnessed to by John.
John's witness is nothing to sneeze at. Jesus speaks of John this way: “I can guarantee this truth: Of all the people ever born, no one is greater than John the Baptizer" (Matthew 11:11, GNT). He will die because of his unwavering commitment to God's ways. But he is not the greatest of all time. There is only One who fits that category. And it is our great privilege to believe in him and to witness to his greatness whenever we can.
Some people will tout one political candidate over another as the savior of America, freedom, Democracy, or peace in our time. Others may yearn for the superstar doctor to attend to them when they're ill. Still others long for a financial partner who will bail them out or solve all their retirement woes. Those may or may not be false hopes.
But we must be clear: Jesus, the Son of Mary, the Son of God is the True Messiah. He alone saves. Whoever points us to him is a great blessing and one to be appreciated. I hope I do this for you. But I'm not your Savior. Most all of you know that. All of you should.
The devil will attack us in both ways. He will try to lead us away from faith in Jesus and therefore to abandon the righteousness of Christ that saves. He will also tempt us to behave poorly toward others. Whether it's motivated by or an appeal to selfishness, fear, anger, lust, or greed, Satan delights to lead us to disobey God and harm our neighbor.
I'm a big fan of prayer, worship, giving, and all manner of godly religious practices. That's good. But the true evidence of that is the way I treat my neighbor. I hope that as you and I have any interactions they will testify to God's work in my heart and the presence of Jesus' righteousness - through faith, by grace.
Next time you sit down to open up your Bible, why not take a minute (or 10 or 30) of silence. Think about all the people who invested in you and made you who you are today. Think about God's precious word and the promises and truths that shape your faith. And thank God for them all. For although God may be silent, he has spoken clearly in his word, and is always up to something - no matter how long it's been since you listened for him.
John is the one sent by God to raise the valleys and lower the mountains. He exalts the lowly and brings down those in high places. Jesus is the great leveler. No one has an exclusive hold on his grace and love.
Sometimes we need to be taken down a notch or two. We may be too puffed-up for our own good, and certainly for the good of others. Other times we may need a word of grace, hope, encouragement, and affirmation. Jesus provides that. Whether it is the form of Jesus calling the Jews whitewashed tombs, or telling Zacchaeus he must go to his house (even before Zacchaeus repented!), that's what Jesus does. And John is paving the way for Jesus' ministry. He did that so that people would see the salvation of God. And we see that best on the level ground at the foot of Jesus' cross.
Baptism was a big deal for the Jews of John's day. God was moving people to a right relationship with himself. It is a big deal today as well, for the blessings of Jesus await us in these waters. And we who have been baptized do well to listen to John. Remembering our baptism daily in repentance we must also "bear fruits in keeping with repentance." It's that big a deal.
We have all manner of leaders and powerful people who care more about their power than their relationship with God. But even if they don't repent we must. And that is the second truth: now is the time for us to repent. Joe Biden is President of the United States. Vladimir Putin is President of Russia. Greg Abbot is governor of Texas. Matthew Harrison is President of the LCMS. Michael Newman is President of the LCMS Texas District.
You might have thoughts about each of these men and their need to repent. But that is for them to deal with. We each must repent and rejoice in knowing that God has prepared a level and straight path to life and salvation: the path of faith that leads us to Jesus.
God has a big-picture view of life. He is writing a saga of redemption, salvation, glory, and blessing for all people through Jesus. And I believe that Mary knew this. I don't think she fully understood it, but she seems to have believed it. So she treasures the good and the bad, because Jesus, her son, is the Son of God. His birth was miraculous. His life would unfold in ways that would defy simple assessments of good or bad moments.
This is good for me to remember. What may seem like a set-back may be a set-up for something profoundly good. What may seem good may become a moment's fleeting joy that dissolves into disappointment. But when we look to God, and see ourselves as part of his grand story of redemption we can hold all manner of things in our hearts. When we do we can look for God's redeeming love to sustain us and work all things for our good.
For God is good and is working for the eternal blessing of all people. And it's all connected to our faith Jesus.
When it comes to presumptuous behavior we human beings have that down to an art. Somehow we get the idea that we can call God into account for his actions toward us. We can question how God is drawing the lines in our lives and the lives of others. We can put God in the dock as C.S. Lewis speaks of. We can act as though God has to answer to us. But he does not.
Jesus would ask questions his whole life and ministry. "What do you think? A man had two sons... What does the Word say? How do you read it? What can a man give in exchange for his soul? Who among you, by worrying, can add even a single hour to your life?Or, "What do you want me to do for you?"Jesus, as a 12-year-old boy is just now getting started.
What question would Jesus ask you? Would it be a challenge? Would it lead you to repentance? Would it be an invitation? Would he point you to hope? In either case, his questions might well amaze us too.
Martin Luther famously said, "When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ called us to repent, he meant that the entire life of the believer should be one of repentance." And when we repent, we will discover that Jesus has already come to us, is waiting for us, and has open arms (think the cross!) and an open heart. Just like Jesus' parents discovered that he was not lost at all, we will discover that he has never abandoned us. We've abandoned him. Thank God he's ready to be found, and welcomes us back into his heart whenever we repent.
Jesus' actions are all about us. He was where he was because he had to be about his Father's business (or in his Father's house). Most translations have "Father's house." But the Greek says, literally, "about the things of my Father." Jesus shows that he is very clear about two things here. First that he knew there was a necessity to which he must attend if he was to be true to his identity as the Savior. Second, that Joseph as not his true Father. He was the Son of God. He knew where his allegiance lay.
Jesus was the embodiment of all that man was created to be. And it was beginning to unfold in the sight of the world in these days. up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
But it would not come immediately. Jesus’ ministry would not unfold publicly for 30 years. He would grow up in his hometown of Nazareth, under the care and guidance of his parents, and as his age, wisdom, physical strength, and social stature progressed. Jesus was not delivered as a done deal, a complete package.
Jesus will grow up healthy and strong. Although he was already filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was already on him, there would be more to learn, more to be done. More opportunities to display his love for God and man. And while his earthly destiny would lead him to a horrific death on a cruel Roman cross, his ultimate destiny is that at his name every knee would bow in heaven and on earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
It's easy to get into a conversation these days. Mention COVID. Ask about families' health. Comment on masks, vaccines, or mandates. You're likely to unplug a pent-up spew of words - all emotionally-laden and charged. But what if we would learn to see Jesus at work in our lives. What if we would marvel at his grace toward us? What if we made a point of bringing people words of grace and life.
Anna couldn't help herself in that moment. Perhaps you'll experience a moment like that as well, when God has shown up, and reminded you of his goodness, faithfulness, and love. Maybe we could pray for such moments. That's what Anna had been doing prior to this encounter.
We don't often think of Jesus as needing help. He is the Son of God after all. He is the Word who was in the beginning with God; who was God. He is the one to whom every knee will bow. He is the alpha and the omega.
But Jesus does need help. He cannot do the things required of in the Law of Moses. He had to rely on his parents to bring him to the temple. He had to rely on the priests to perform their duties. He had to live from his earliest age in dependance and obedience to his parents. He would need to learn and grow and become a man in the truest and fullest sense. Why would he choose to put himself in that situation?
Jesus did all this in order to redeem and save us.
Anna is noted for her relentless pursuit: She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She pursued God. Day and night. In the temple. Worshiping and praying. And because of her habitual presence there, she was present when the baby Jesus was brought for his dedication and circumcision. She pursued God, and God showed up.
We don't know much about Anna. We know she was a prophetess. But we don't fully know what that means, and how that would compare to John the Baptizer. We know she was devoted, and regularly and often in the temple. But we know little of in what capacity she was there; though we might surmise that she was there to worship and pray and prophesy. We know she saw the baby Jesus and immediately began to tell everyone about him. So Luke tells us that Anna was a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, and completely devoted to worship by fasting and prayer.
One commentator (David Guzik) says, "Anna was a remarkable woman. As a widow she knew pain and loss but had not become bitter. As an elderly woman she had not lost hope. Perhaps it was because she was a woman of worship and a woman of prayer."
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Jesus came not just for this small and insignificant, beleaguered and oppressed nation of people. And that out of that nation came the Savior of the world. And the Savior of the world, coming from the Jewish people came for gentiles as well as Jews.
So radical was this idea that there is an entire chapter devoted to the issue in Luke's Acts of the Apostles.This was radical. That a nation would share its god with other nations! That the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would be the God of Greeks and Jews alike, not to mention people from all over the world. Nearly unthinkable.
A well-loved and ordered life is not a sign of God's favor. It may be a gift of his kindness and grace. It may be a hint of a better and even more full goodness to be experienced in the life of the world to come. But it is not a sign.
Jesus has appeared. And we are the richer for it. We can look back on what God has done in Jesus to save us. Yet we, too, must wait, hope, and trust. For although we have been saved by Jesus, we are yet being saved day-by-day through the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit. And yet we look forward to the time when we will be saved on the Great Last Day. Then all of God's promises will be fully fulfilled. Then we will be fully consoled. Then our hearts will have no rival god to woo us from the True God and his salvation.
Powered by the Holy Spirit, we wait. Secured in Jesus we hope. Emboldened by God's promises we trust. That's the trinity of faith we must all embrace until we see it ourselves, and we see Him face to face.
God has acted. He has taken on human flesh. He has revealed this to shepherds in the fields. He has announced it with the praise of angels. The shepherds have told everyone they met of the message of the angels and birth of the Savior. Now he is letting Simeon know that he can depart in peace. He has fulfilled his promise. Jesus is God's salvation, and Simeon has seen it with his own eyes.
I need to recalibrate my spiritual chronometer. God does not work on my schedule. I need to align myself with his timing. I also need to be open to seeing just how he is working today through people who may seem inconsequential. There is only one Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, born 2000 years ago. But there are many people who God uses each day to further the cause of his kingdom. I wonder who I might see today? Those two perspectives go far to a life of peaceful joy.
You may recall my previous post regarding Mary's song. I used the Rick Warren, "If-my-bullet-fits-your-gun,-shoot-it" rule, although I applied it to the "bullet" supplied by Alistair Begg. He had an excellent message on Mary's song, and noted that she points us to a God who is mighty, merciful, and mindful. Those three words are actually in her song. Not all three words are in Zechariah's song, but the same three apply to his witness to God's character here.
Is there an area of your life you would wish Jesus would not visit? Is there a place you want to keep for your own purposes - no matter what he would call you to? Is there a time you wish to have it your way, apart from God’s way? If so, this is the time to repent. To recognize that you are in need of redemption. To seek God’s salvation from a self-seeking and self-destructive way of life.
And God is coming to you now through his word, to visit you with his grace and truth, his love and commands. Will you rejoice at his coming? Will you welcome him?
Jesus has come to guide us to the path of peace. It is not found apart from his presence. Peace does not come in paths that turn from his commands. We will not find it seeking the fools gold of the world's glamor.
We might use the saying, "It suddenly dawned on me..." Like an idea popped into our minds. Jesus' appearing is like that - only more dramatic and far reaching. His is the light that shines on in the darkest night, and illuminates the pathway of true peace.
Every December for the past several years when the Northwest Houston Photo Club holds its Christmas party, I am invited to offer a prayer. I take it as an opportunity to give a light-hearted witness to my Lord Jesus whose birth we celebrate. So, here is this year's prayer...
Every December for the past several years when the Northwest Houston Photo Club holds its Christmas party, I am invited to offer a prayer. I take it as an opportunity to give a lighthearted witness to my Lord Jesus whose birth we celebrate. So, here is this year's prayer...
What would you number as the world's greatest problems? War? Poverty? Human trafficking? Godless leaders? Human rights? Social injustice? Immoral political leaders? Financial inequities? To every one of these problems Jesus' grace and truth speaks. He is the prince of peace. He lifts up the poor and needy. He speaks truth to power. He points us to faithful suffering if need be and promises ultimate relief in the resurrection and the life of the world to come.
The world is a mess. And Jesus has come to redeem the world and all who are in it. He brings life and salvation. Thanks be to God!
Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied. God opened his mouth to express his praise, and help the people look beyond even this current moment of great joy. After all, John has been born. She who was said to be barren has born a child. And no matter what anyone thought, his name would be John. As good as that was, Zechariah was moved to express praise to God for things reaching far beyond that moment.
So now the question is two-fold. Will we speak well of God? And will we recognize any good moment as a blessing from God, but look beyond the moment to the greater blessing of salvation through Jesus Christ? That means that whether we are experiencing God's immediate blessings, or yearning for them, looking to his ultimate blessing in Christ will move us to speak well of him.
Mary's glorification of God is not for his benefit. It's so we will be directed toward the source of true joy, hope, life, and salvation. We may get distracted by celebrities and led astray by those who lack character. She is focusing our attention and directing our faith toward the Mighty One who has done great things. She is reminding us that the True God casts down the mighty from their thrones, and fills the hungry with good things. He is truly worth being magnified - not for his ego's sake, but for our faith and devotion.
Hymns of praise serve purposes beyond their beauty. They set things in their proper perspective. When we praise God, we acknowledge his majesty, power, goodness, mercy, love, faithfulness, and holiness. He is like no other. And as we sing his praise, we realize - hopefully! - that there is no other who deserves such glory. The best athlete, finest artist, greatest musician, or most famous actor hold no candle next to God. He alone is worthy of all praise.
God’s heart is tender toward us. He is not just present and powerful. He allows himself to feel our pain, and no trite manner. His Mercy is to those in need for each we can all say thanks be to God!
Mary’s song is the first song of Advent. We begin my learning from her about the grace and glory of God.
I see three ways beyond balanced scales that justice is reflected by God's people. Justice from the perspective of God is far more than balanced scales. In fact the notion starts with righteousness, which is a matter of faith. Genesis 15:6 is not a one-off. We are counted righteous by faith. And here we have faith expressing itself in three dimensions.
- Humility and willing to help others
- Willingness to carry our own load
- Persevering in doing good
All of this is sustained by those who teach about God's justice. This also reminds me of Micah 6:8, "He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"
Naturally, if everyone lived by these values and behaviors, all of life would be better. In fact the three areas of my life for which I wish justice would be resolved. But the results of this kind of justice are more far-reaching. These values touch far more than balancing the scales of right and wrong.
It is very easy to opt out of helping people in need. Take your pick: too busy. Too tired. Too poor. Too inept. Not really sure what is needed. Maybe sometimes we just don't care for that brother or sister in need. Maybe even within the family of faith there are those we'd just as soon ignore.
But the walk of faith is fraught with distractions, temptations, challenges, and missteps. If we think we can go it alone, we're dangerously mistaken. And if we think others don't need our help to stay on the straight and narrow, we're just plain wrong.
Helping people can be messy. In fact Jesus got really messy when he helped us out. Obviously when he suffered and died it was a brutal mess. But even before that - early on and throughout his ministry he got messy. He consorted with tax collectors and sinners. He ate with prostitutes and people of questionable character. For that he got less respect. He was accused of improper relationships. Bad fellowship. But he changed people's lives by becoming involved.
We're certainly not more important than Jesus! And we've been saved. Forgiven. Redeemed. Made new.
Not everyone can go into every sinful and dark corner of the world. Women may well help other women gain their freedom from human trafficking. Men may do well to avoid those places. But wherever women or men are willing to be less important than they have a right to be, they can have a huge impact in other's lives.
Sometimes the littler things are more difficult to do than the big challenges. But we fulfill the law of Christ when we do the little things just as well as when we do the heroic ones.
Perhaps few Jesus followers actually do cross the line of mocking God. But if James 2:10 means anything, it serves as a reminder that in fact, "there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). We all need help once in a while.
Sometimes that help takes the form of sever intervention. Hopefully more often we intervene before drastic action is needed. But the purpose in every such intervention is to restore the sister or brother to the faith and fellowship of the redeemed. And that's the thing we must all remember: ours is a fellowship of the redeemed. We stand on level ground at the foot of the cross.
The difficulty we have in keeping on the straight and narrow and consistently displaying the fruit of the Spirit, and being distressed about this is evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our hearts and lives. If we did not have the Holy Spirit. We wouldn’t care. But we do care. And we are distressed when we discover we’ve forfeited the fruit of the Spirit in any situation. Thanks be to God that Jesus welcomes us back. And we can pray with David, “take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation,” whenever we sin. That, too, is the Spirit’s work. And it is not too difficult for God.
Those apart from Christ may have great storehouses of self-control. They may train harder, focus more intently on the task ahead, or manage their anger better than others. But apart from Christ and the presence and influence of the Holy Spirit they will not know true peace. Love will never be fully experienced. Joy will be momentary. Patience will have no God-factor. Gentleness will have nothing to do with faith.
Those who have the Holy Spirit, have Christ, and with him the truest expression of these gifts. Self-control helps us display that reality from a heart set free by the One who has ransomed our souls from the wanton abandonment of God's ways.
Gentleness and humility accompany those who recognize their deep brokenness, need for mercy, and potential for falling prey to the devil's charms. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. And a great encouragement to me is that the older I get, the more aware I become of my own brokenness, need for mercy, and potential for falling prey to Satan's pull - or the pull of my own sinful flesh. Maybe you can identify with that. If all that makes us more gentle, more aware of our need for the mercy of God, the forgiveness of Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, that's a good thing. It's also evidence of the Holy Spirit's work in us. Thanks be to God!
There are times when gentleness is not called for. Jesus gave us one when he overturned the moneychanger's tables in the temple courts. Paul gets pretty close when he talks about the circumcision party, suggesting a slip of the knife toward them would be welcome (Galatians 5:12). It's interesting that this verse is in the same chapter as these verses on the fruit of the Spirit! When it comes time to stand firm, to protect the weak and vulnerable, to prevent harm to another we may need to assert ourselves. It may not be gentle in that moment.
But those are the exception and must not set the rule. For anger gives the devil a foothold. Held to and nurtured it not only gives ulcers, it allows our more base instincts freer reign.
Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit. Sometimes a stern warning may be needed. If a child is running into the street, yelling may well be appropriate. But to do the work of the Holy Spirit we must not interpose our anger and brash bluster upon others. God spoke to Elijah in a still small voice. And when it comes to touching our hearts with his love, the message may be quiet and gentle. But the impact will be profoundly good.
Gentle now, dear reader. Gentle. Let the Holy Spirit have his way with you, and through you with others
When it comes to our need for the fruit of the Spirit to be evident in our lives and influencing our hearts, we need the whole package of God's armor. For there is a foe who wants to sow seeds of hatred, misery, discord, agitation, and harsh bitterness. And he seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. He wants to take us down. To remove the joy, undercut the peace, destroy the love, incite rebellion, and bring death.
That's one reason holding onto the fruit of the Spirit is so challenging. Not only do we lose sight of it on our own, but the world challenges this place of pure and joyous faith, and the devil is firing his darts at us left and right. We need God's armor to keep the gift the Holy Spirit gives.
When it comes to our need for the fruit of the Spirit to be evident in our lives and influencing our hearts, we need the whole package of God's armor. For there is a foe who wants to sow seeds of hatred, misery, discord, agitation, and harsh bitterness. And he seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. He wants to take us down. To remove the joy, undercut the peace, destroy the love, incite rebellion, and bring death.
That's one reason holding onto the fruit of the Spirit is so challenging. Not only do we lose sight of it on our own, but the world challenges this place of pure and joyous faith, and the devil is firing his darts at us left and right. We need God's armor to keep the gift the Holy Spirit gives.
We must live under grace not law - especially when it comes to the influence and evidence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. We don't often go even through our waking hours with only kindness, patience (don't forget that commute!), or gentleness in every personal encounter. We'll never get this all correct and proper day in and day out. Hopefully, on the balance, we will, however, display the evidence and influence of the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives. Hopefully we'll be more like Sally than the harsh and bitter, impatient, and disturbing folks who might cross our paths on any given day. Sadly there are many.
Patience is the ability to keep in mind the myriad of connections with others and within the spiritual realm while we struggle against the currents and obstacles of life in a fallen world. The movie Bruce Almighty is a cute but irreverent movie about God giving Bruce all the powers and prerogatives that God has (but not the wisdom). In frustration at one point of the movie Bruce decides to answer all prayers, "Yes." Chaos ensues. God's wisdom shapes his prayer answers, his moving through life and death, and his providential care for us all.
Patience is born of the awareness of our limited understanding of all things, and faith in God's goodness, power, and grace for us and our neighbor. We see this most perfectly in Jesus. Not only is he the Prince of Peace, but he is the giver of patience.
God is the key to true patience. He models it for us. And he requires it of all of us...unless we have molded for ourselves a false patience. I would call that passivity, denial, or surrender. For patience is not a matter of giving up hope. It's not a matter of waiting someone out. It's not a matter of grinding your teeth. Patience is a matter of waiting for God to give the best. It's a matter of trusting in his goodness. It's a matter of looking forward with anticipation and humility to what God has in store for you. It is a matter of applied faith. Severely, singularly, wholeheartedly applied faith.
Remembering God's goodness, faithfulness, and love, his good will and power over sin, death and the devil, and having a view that sees beyond the immediate next moments are the building blocks of patience. And this is the realm of the Holy Spirit's work. The Holy Spirit helps us become more aware of these things as he focuses our attention on Jesus. Our preoccupation with the things of this world will lead us to works of impatience, frustration, and anxiety.
My mind is definitely not focused on the spiritual realm and the promises of God when I'm frustrated behind the slow driver. But a focus on God's promises, Jesus' death and resurrection, coupled with a humble spirit will ground me in an attitude of patience that gives testimony to the Holy Spirit's work in me.
The gospel commission of God is for all of his followers, given with all authority, for all people. And his presence will be with us for all time.
I've struggled recently with worry. The reasons are not important. In fact they have no eternal weight at all. Either they will simply dissolve over time, or they will be resolved justly. Even so, I worry. That means I am not experiencing the peace which is the fruit of the Spirit. And to some extent I have been captive to the idea that I cannot stop. I have no control.
And therein lies the solution: giving up the illusion of control, and giving it all to God. Or, it may be taking control of those things I can, and making decisions that need to be made. A phone call to set a thorny financial issue to rest. A decision that simply needs to be made. A plan that needs to be settled. It can be as simple as that.
And where I have no control, letting go of the illusion that I should be able to. Praying the serenity prayer for real:
Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
O Holy Spirit, fall afresh on me, and grant me the fruit of your presence: peace!
Justice has been established in the foundations of reality through Jesus' death on the cross. His resurrection proves this to be so. And his first word to his disciples on that Eater morning was, "Peace." More than a greeting it was a blessing, a gift, a legacy that followers of Jesus are to treasure and embody.
The Holy Spirit's work is to bring glory to Jesus (John 16:14). Certainly when we are reminded of Jesus as the Prince of Peace, and the One who has made peace between us and God, Jesus is glorified. I hope somehow to embody that in my life today. How might we do that...together?
Jesus is first. Others are second. I am last. And Jesus promises that whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for his sake and the gospel's will save it (Mark 8:35). The most miserable people in the world are those consumed with their own happiness, rights, and blessings. Jesus offers joy of a completely different kind.
When the situation is dire and God shows up we find the strongest expressions of joy. The dark hours of deep contrition give way to the glory of sin's weight lifted. The restrictive bonds of worry are loosed by the peace of God in a moment of prayer and Scripture. The gloom of despair is cleared by the revelation of God's goodness. These come as the Holy Spirit has his way in us. Moving us to repentance. Opening our eyes to a path of blessing. Reminding us of the hope we have because of Jesus' resurrection. Rescuing us from disease.
Joy reigns in the believer's heart insofar as he has crucified the sinful flesh. When we're consumed by sexual immorality, excessive indulgence in sinful pleasure, anger, envy or drunkenness, joy is far away. And although these do not bring joy, they appeal to a side of us that will never be satisfied by their pursuit. Drunkenness of any kind is never satisfied and yields only the rue of hangover or the disappointment of poor choices' outcomes.
Experiencing joy of this kind is a two-fold process. First is to crucify the sinful flesh. Denying the impulses to self-service, cheap thrills, and emotions' reign. Second is to lean into the Holy Spirit's presence in our hearts, through the word of God and prayer. All this is a matter of faith. Looking beyond the glitter and glory of the world's lure, we attach our hearts to God's promises, goodness, grace, and faithfulness. And his love.
This message was delivered at St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Houston Texas on October 17, 2021.
Few times in life are we tested to the extent God tested Abraham. If we are, we who wait, hope, and trust in God will see the goodness of God in the land of the living. Perhaps we can find strength to wait and hope in him as we recall his daily provision, along with those special touches of his grace along life's way.
Abraham was being tested by God. But the stakes were much higher than passing an ESL test. His son was on the line. His faith, too, was being tested. And so was his willingness to obey. Abraham passed the test. According to Hebrews 11 he believed that God could even raise someone from the dead if Isaac had actually been killed. Abraham is, after all, the Father of Faith.
James tells us that God does not tempt anyone. He never seeks to lead us away from himself. But he may test our faith. To make us stronger. To refine us. To focus our hearts and minds on him and his word. That's a good thing.
God will provide. What a powerful promise. Isaac saw that up close and more personally than any of us could every imagine. He saw it at the last moment. When there was no way of escape. Except God provided. It was a dramatic show of God's providential care and faithfulness - even as it was a test of faith and obedience for Abraham.
But we don't call this mountain The Mountain of Obedient Faith, we call it On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided. We remember Abraham's faith. But we are pointed toward God's faithfulness. We are reminded of God's grace. We are grounded in God's provision of a lamb.
Abraham's trek from his home to the mountain that God would show him is anything but a slouch. Nor is it toward Gomorra. This is a long trek of faith toward an incredible test of faith and a resolute devotion of obedience to God. Three days. If it's me, my stomach is in knots after the first day. I am thinking through every possible scenario. I'm planning contingencies. I'm working out explanations. I'm wondering deep in my soul, is this really the voice and command of God? Did I hear him right? Did he really say that?
Today the only way we can know if a thought or idea is of God is by testing it against God's word. And then we can only know that the thought is not from God - if the thought is contrary to a clear command of Scripture. If it is not contrary to God's word, it may be from God, or it may be sanctified reason bubbling up in our minds.
We want to domesticate God. We make him our personal place of safety, comfort, and security. But While Jesus came as a servant, he is not our personal assistant. We don't order God around. We do not demand that he answer us. We must remember who is God and who is not. Sometimes his demands might seem unreasonable. But who are we to judge?
The only thing that anchors my soul in times of turmoil, God's unpredictability, or my confusion is the belief that God is good. He is faithful and true. He is gracious and loving. And whatever else might come my way, the faithfulness, goodness, love, and kindness of God is the constant. Maniac? No? Crazy? Not. Unpredictable? Yes. Good? Thanks be to God he is.
We may not always understand how in need of God's grace we are. That is made clear, however, by Jesus' initial gift to the paralyzed man. Whether he was disappointed at being told his sins were forgiven - as opposed to being healed by Jesus - is not clear. But Jesus makes two points in his action on this occasion. First of all he sees and responds to our greatest need: the need for forgiveness. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is life and salvation (Luther). And he makes the point that he has the authority to forgive sins. Only God can forgive sins. Jesus is God. In the flesh. Full of grace and truth.
Whenever we bring someone to Jesus, we are bringing them to truth and grace. We are doing a very good thing. Truth be told, we need to do that with each other every moment of every day.
Grace will always look for a way other than judging and condemning. Grace will free people. Grace will put people on a different path.
Grace will even challenge the self-righteous. For they will either have to become even more judgmental and discredit others' kindness, or give in to their own need for it. Grace opens the door to the latter. And when people walk through that door they walk into freedom.
That was certainly true for the woman caught in adultery. She was free to go her way, her sins were forgiven. She was to live a new life, "Sin no more." But so is this true for the scribes and Pharisees who walk away one by one. They are free at least for the moment from a judgmental attitude that held them captive to a righteousness they could never really achieve.
We have no specific record of who brought the charges and what their lives were like after this encounter. Nor do we know for certain who this woman was. But we do know God's grace frees us. If we're not aware of our need for it, or we live in condemning judgment over all, we're missing the freedom that Jesus gives as he showers his grace upon us.
Jesus didn’t have to tell the woman at the well that her current living situation was sinful. She knew it. But he did invite her to expose this need for grace. When she did, he didn’t condemn her, but continued his conversation with her. He didn’t have to talk with her in the first place, but he did. He could have done what so many others surely had done, looking past her rather than seeing her and talking to and with her. He even broke two social barriers by this. He spoke to a woman. And the woman was a Samaritan.
Finally, Jesus teaches her about God, worship, and himself as Messiah. He is the embodiment of grace and truth. As a result her life was changed. Instead of avoiding people (by coming to the well when she would others not to be present), she now goes into the village and invites everyone to come see Jesus and hear his teaching.
Elijah's actions around the sacrifice to the LORD God set up a dramatic display of God's power and control over all of creation. Even after the altar is prepared and drenched with water, God rains down fire from heaven and consumes everything. "The Lord, he is God; The LORD, he is God!" goes up the cry after this mighty display. Elijah seizes and kills the prophets of Baal.
You'd think that this would put Elijah on a high that would never end. But it is not so. He had defeated the Prophets of Baal, but King Ahab, and Jezebel did not give up. They threaten him relentlessly. They were still trying to kill him. He had hoped that his victory was sufficient, but it was not. He was very discouraged. He needed extra grace - even after seeing the mighty hand of God powerfully displayed.
We need to understand, first of all, that we all need grace. Some people, however, may be extra challenging in their attitude or actions toward us or the gospel message. Those people are called Extra Grace Required people (EGRs). They may live next door, work with you, or be part of your family. In fact, you may be an EGR! They push our buttons, manage always to illicit a negative response in us, try our patience, or turn us away. We all need grace. And God's supply is limitless. EGRs, however, need extra grace, humanly speaking: more than we might wish to give.
God loves EGRs, and it’s a good thing, for we all need grace. Sometimes we may need more than at other times. And the love of God changes our hearts. It is shown in Jesus’ ministry, seen in Jesus’ death on the cross, and will be celebrated for all eternity in the life of the world to come.
The love of a human being is a thing of great blessing. I am thankful for the love of my wife, family, brothers and sisters in Christ, and my friends. But human love - of a mother, sister, brother or even a spouse - has its limits.
The love of the Heavenly Father has no limits. He sees all. He knows all. And he is writing a narrative that stretches from Hagar to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jesus, and to you and me. Whatever plot lines or twists, the end of the story is of eternal blessings. Worth waiting for. Worth remembering. Even as human love fades and fails, God's love conquers all.
God does not turn his head or heart from pain and suffering. He does not ignore difficult and distressing situations. He draws near. And 2000 years ago he took on all of that in his Son, Jesus. Jesus embraced the pain, suffering, sickness, and sin of the world. He also experienced it himself. And although God forsook him at his darkest hour, the true hero of our faith, Jesus, still called out to his Father, "My God, My God..."
We too often judge God's goodness based on what we see or do not see. But we're all too selective in our perception. We don't have a whole world view. We don't see it all. But God does. And what God sees moves him. That means he sees you. He sees me. He notices. He loves. He cares. He acts.
We may think we know what we’re waiting for. But truth be told, we have only an inkling of it. Sometimes we may be exactly correct. The result comes back negative (good for medical tests). The wedding day gives way to the honeymoon. The judge calls your name and you’re on the jury. Or not.
But sometimes there comes a Crazy Ivan. Sometimes God breaks in in unexpected ways. Like here…God opens Hagar’s eyes and she sees a well nearby. It was there all along. But she did not see it. Maybe God is waiting, too, for us to see his provision. Perhaps we are the ones on whom God is waiting. Waiting for us to repent and believe the good news. Waiting for us to take him up on his promises. Waiting for us to mend a broken relationship. Waiting for us to come to the aid of someone in need.
There will be times of sadness and distress along life's way. We may be put into difficult and near hopeless situations. At those times, the slightest breeze can cool our sweaty brows, and a kindness of someone may be as a cup of refreshing water. Then we must take courage, stand again, and move forward with the assurance of God's presence, and the hope of the ultimate deliverance.
I'm wondering who will bring that refreshing cup of water to me today. And I'm thankful for Jesus who give me grace and hope.
If we're consumed with our own desires, and constantly worried about getting our due, we'll forfeit joy. If we see the good things others experience as testimony to God's goodness and grace, rather than resenting them for their good fortune we'll begin to touch the edge of joy. When we celebrate God's goodness to others with them, we come even closer. And when we see that God's goodness is the source of every good gift, we will find true joy.
I hope you join the laughter and the celebration. God is good!
When was the last time you laughed because God brought joy to your heart? It need not take bearing a child at the age of 75 to bring joy. In fact, joy is a byproduct of hope, community, and grace. When God's grace visits us, and we enjoy that grace in the community of others who know the blessing of grace, hopes are kindled for a better tomorrow. And that brings true joy.
Perhaps we need to reclaim such joy. That's God's gracious gift. It's best shared in community ("everyone who hears will laugh..."). It brings us hope for a future pure and eternal joy founded in Jesus and celebrated together with all who see God's gracious hand at work in our lives.
Much of this Abraham and Sarah narrative is not about the delivery of the promised child. It is about the struggles, foibles, and setbacks that come along the way. Life is not a series of yay God days,one after the other for most people. We can easily identify with Abraham and Sarah in their times of testing, waiting, struggling, questioning, and nearly giving up hope. The Bible is clear about that.
The biblical record is also clear about God's good will and trustworthy nature in those times of waiting. God will make good on the good things he has promised.
There is no hiding the fact that sin had been committed. Although Abimelech had not "approached" Sarah, there had been deception, and a dangerous path was afoot. And everyone had excuses for his behavior. Nevertheless Abimelech did what he could to rectify the situation. He returned Sarah to Abraham, and provided gifts meant to show his and Sarah's innocence.
On some level you'd have to say that Abimelech made it right. And God healed Abimelech and his wife and the women of his household. Because Abraham prayed for him, much had been and subsequently was set aright.
This is the goodness, righteousness, faithfulness, justice and mercy of God. And although we may not need to be in a 12 Step program, we all have hurts and addictions small and great that need God's touch of grace and healing. You may need to start with step 1, grapple with steps 4 and 5 (cuarto y quinto), help someone in the same manner you have been helped, or somewhere in between. There is a path to walk with God and he will be with you every step of the way.
One of the foundational truths of God’s word is that he is creator of all that exists. His creation is fallen, broken, and corrupt(ed). The devil has been at work and had his way with us. And whenever we give into the temptations of the evil one, our own sinful flesh, or the world’s allure, we sin against God.
Maybe that’s not profound to you. But it is to me. I need God’s forgiveness. And so do you. For all my sins, great and small. Sometimes God prevents us from sinning, just as he did with Abimelech. But sometimes we run right past the roadblocks and warnings he posts. When we do, we confess with David, “Against you, you alone, have I sinned.” And we thank God that he forgives sin. And has done so in Jesus, his Son, who never ran past the roadblocks or warnings. But died with the weight of the world’s sin on his heart and shoulders. In him we have redemption and forgiveness. I need to hear that again and again. And I thank God that it is a message I am able to proclaim again and again. Whew! I really needed that. You?
Abraham and Sarah succumb to the same temptation that is recorded in Genesis 12:10-13. Now more than 25 years later, they try the same scheme. Abraham's and Sarah's fear and forgetfulness conspire to take this path of deceit. Thankfully that path is cut short by God. His intervention takes the form of the dream of Abimelech, and the stern warning to him. Why not Abraham? Why not Sarah? It is not clear. What is clear, however, is that the intervention works and Sarah is restored to Abraham, and this episode passes. Another chapter in the long saga of a fallen man of faith.
God's people are sinners. They are forgiven sinners. And they are also the ones God uses to intercede for others. We serve the Father as broken vessels of God's grace. And if, once in a while, our brokenness becomes evident, we can be thankful that God's grace abounds. And perhaps it will leak out from us and be a source of blessing and favor to others.
We will certainly not place ourselves in this story as the One who orchestrates it all. We're not the One to whom everyone else must answer. We are not the One who holds life and death in our hands. We are not the One who saves and destroys.
We are, however, his. And that identity is most important of all. We are the children of God. His beloved. His redeemed. His precious. His delight. His joy. And from whomever else's perspective we may view the events in this account, our true identity is found in his loving kindness toward us and our place of delight in his heart.
The sins of the world in which we live do not escape his attention. And this is where we live. This is no fairy tale world. Whether it's the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the horrific destruction of earthquake, famine, or hurricane, God's people are not exempt from life as it really is. These may be direct acts of God's judgment or the real and harsh consequences of life in a fallen world. But in any case these are God's call to repentance and fair warning of a more grave and ultimate judgment.
Thanks be to God that there is a place of safety in our Zoar: Jesus Christ our Lord. In him we have redemption, rescue, life, and salvation. We can hold to that hope in the midst of all of life.
I'm serving at Fishers of Men Lutheran Church in Port Isabel, TX during September 2021. This message is about the Priesthood of All Believers and our calling to pray for the lost and erring.
Perhaps Zoar is a symbol for Jesus: a little town, a man of little human consequence (cf. Isaiah 53). But his commitment to doing the right thing never wavered. He never flenched from loving God. He never failed in his pure and perfect love for sinners. He is our refuge from the coming destruction of every evil power, plan, pretension, or place known to man and the powers of this world. But step through the door of this city and discover just how large is God's heart and love, his grace and kindness. The joy of his salvation knows no bounds. It rings through eternity. To the praise of his glorious grace!
How easy it is for us to dismiss the urgent call to repent, reorder our lives, abandon evil pursuits, or escape judgment or destruction! Lot almost falls prey to the lure of waiting and ignoring the imminent danger that will soon befall Sodom and Gomorrah. Had the angels not compelled him - taken him by the hand - he likely would have perished.
I suspect there are some lessons for me here. There may be a sin to confess, a promise to claim, a warning to heed, a hope to embrace, a vice to abandon that I need to act on more urgently. Perhaps you do too. While it is day, there is time to do so. But we who really do need to recalibrate must not be lulled into a false sense of security in our laxness toward God just because The End has not yet come.
We may have a lot in common with Lot. His prayer is weak and pleading. We might occasionally feel very weak. While there may be times for us to claim a faith like Abraham's, we can lean into the goodness, mercy, and kindness of God in every situation. In those weak and uncertain moments, we can remember this encounter with Lot and the promise of Isaiah 42:3, which says that God "will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle." Knowing that may make even the weakest prayers stronger.
Here in Genesis, God's mercy delays the city's destruction to allow Lot and his family to escape. Ours may not be as dramatic or obvious. But one thing remains: God's mercy is a precious gift. If grace is receiving something we don't deserve and mercy is being exempted from punishment we do deserve, we can rejoice in both. We see it here in Genesis. We ought to look for it every day of our lives and give thanks to God for it.
Is there a warning you’re ignoring? Are you too ready to conclude that people are crying wolf when they sound the alarm? I have no strong opinion about the current crises call about climate change. I’m pretty certain that the COVID-19 crisis is real. But I’m totally convinced that God’s call to repent and believe the gospel is absolutely vital. It is a message that must be heard. And believed. And heeded.
Maybe it’s a relationship that gets patched up. Perhaps it is a sin to be abandoned. It could be an overall laxness toward God’s word and will. It might be a failure to pray. But wherever God is calling you to repent and believe, take heed! And rejoice! God’s call is to life, salvation, blessing, and true joy.
It may not be obvious that we should care to multiply God's kingdom...until we give thought to what Jesus did to bring us into his gracious reign and rule, and why he did it.
Some people, for fear of rejection or other loss simply don't speak up. They don't want to look silly in the eyes of others. They don't want to sacrifice relationships for the sake of a clear witness. They don't want to sound extremist, or alarmist. Or fanatical. Maybe I'm one of those people.
I haven't always been. In college I took my Bible to a philosophy class and shared Jesus' words from Matthew 5. I was jeered at and summarily dismissed. The girl I was really interested in dating told me, "Don't be a fanatic, Dave." That hurt. I've had other times when I've sounded the alarm, and it had short-term success. But it was short term, and I abandoned the clarion call - for reasons only God can ultimately judge. More recently Diane and I have had conversations with a family member or two about Jesus, faith, grace, and godly living. We've not been shown the fullest extent of our effectiveness. We do at least hold on to hope that we will see the impact of God's word.
We might think we can distance ourselves from a dismissive attitude toward God. We might assume that we always pay attention to God's warnings. We might even labor under the false idea that since God hasn't done one of his direct and dramatic acts of retribution in our recent memory, he won't deal summarily with us. We've skated this long. We've been able to bend God's will to ours all this time. He won't come down on us. If you know how this story unfolds, you'll recall that the sons-in-law and Lots's wife's nonchalance will not be well-rewarded.
Maybe you've seen or felt the rescuing hand of God. Maybe you've not. But the angels of God watch over his people. And sometimes circumstances unfold that can only be the providential care and rescue of a loving God who wishes none to be lost, for all to be found and be saved from eternal doom.
Let no one misunderstand what Jesus did when he died on the cross. He stood the devil down. He did not give in - even when forsaken by his Father. He did not let their jeers, taunts, and torture dissuade him from his perfect love for God and lost sinners reaching its pinnacle. He died in faith, sacrificing himself for the sake of sinners. And he destroyed the power of the devil. We may wish for a more obvious and dramatic show of God's judgment. But when it does not come we must remember why God seems slow. He is waiting for us to repent. And in that moment he shows his complete defeat of the ev
A life of gluttonous indulgence of any kind certainly does not honor God. And pride in any sort of lifestyle that does not honor God is idolatry of the worst kind. I have no doubt that the most obvious sin of Sodom seen here is a lustful homosexual desire. But I know from my own heart that sin too easily deceives. And warnings that we might dismiss as excessive and unnecessary ought not to be taken lightly, nor spoken in jest.
We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We can have a positive impact in the world. We can enlighten people about the reign and rule of God. And in the process, perhaps we can prevent the catastrophic consequences of sin from having free reign and destroying our communities and us.
There are times we need to stand in the gap for loved ones and difficult situations. Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and others have done this. Maybe you have too. Thanks be to God for Jesus who stood in the gap for us, and by whom we are saved, preserved, and enlightened. As his followers we must do all we can to be salt and light in a world that is rapidly decaying, and in the grip of darkness.
Nothing less than 100% purity is sufficient for our standing before God. James 2:10 tells us clearly that, "whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." And Paul tells us, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law, and do them" (Galatians 3:10). Jesus himself tells us that our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees if we are to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20).
So what are we to do? I don't know anyone who is 100% without sin. I'm not sure I know anyone who is 90% without sin. (Sorry, Dear Reader, not even you!). Well, that's not actually true...the 100% without sin part. I do know someone like that. His name is Jesus of Nazareth. And those who repent of their sins and believe in him are clothed with his righteousness.
We have been told by God of his intent for the future of the whole world. We've learned of this through his word. This is no trivial factoid. There is a weight that goes with this knowledge. As we think on that, it might even shape our desire to know of our neighbor's latest bit of gossip. Knowing of our neighbor's need brings the weight of acting in love toward that neighbor. Helping him. Praying for her. Listening to their stories. Walking with her through the dark valleys. Rejoicing with him on the mountaintops.
Look at Abraham! He is not only willing to speak out, he's willing to speak out to God!He stands before the Lord: "Abraham still stood before the Lord." That's bold. That's brave. That's gutsy! Or maybe, just maybe that's what bold faith looks like.
It's called Fides Heroica (Heroic Faith). And the Father of Faith (Abraham is known by that name) is exercising it here. Heroic Faith will stand up to God. Not in defiant arrogance, but in expectant boldness. Not in inopportune insistence, but in confident expectation.
God may let us know of things so that we may be warned. It could be that his intent and even his revelation of that intent (consider the book of Revelation for example), is so that we may be warned. It might also be so that we are prepared. In other words, as we read the prophecies of Scripture (think again of Revelation), those ought to prepare us for the challenges we may face, and remind us of God's justice, holiness, and most of all his love.
I may need that reminder now and again. And I suspect you might too.
The timing of God is an elegant and marvelous thing. He is seldom in a hurry. Never late. Never early either. And while we wait for his promises to become reality we must do all we can to live into them, and act on those things over which we do have control...all the while imagining how wonderful it will be to experience the fullness of their fulfillment.
And experience them we will. For that is God's promise to us, secured in his Son, Jesus Christ, to be fully and completely realized at the end of all time.
God is over all things. And while that is not the center of my theology, it is a immutable truth connected to the central hub of God's grace. And the translation of the NASB helps get at that. I believe, more than anything else, that God is gracious and merciful. He is forgiving and good. God is love. And he has all the power needed to do the good things he has in mind for Abraham. And for you. And for me.
I need to remember that. For there are times when his ways are difficult and other paths look so inviting. Nothing is too wonderful for God (check the ESV note: Is anything too hard[d] for the Lord?). So I must lean into his goodness and trust in his loving kindness and rely on his power to bring me through.
Today we took our granddaughters to the Children's Museum in downtown Houston. Then we went to the "It's my pleasure," place (Chick-Fil-A) for lunch. I don't know who came up with that idea. Try it sometime...say thank you to a Chick-Fil-A worker and you're sure to get, "It's my pleasure," in return.
I wonder whether we need to be more like those workers. More like Abraham. More like the best Hotelier. The most sincerely-accommodating maître d'. Lydia. Check out her story in Acts 16:11-15. Who knows what kind of good news you might hear!
Sometimes God shows up in power and might. Think Elisha and the prophets of Baal. Or Isaiah in the year King Uziah died. Or God talking straight with Job. Think the crossing of the Red Sea. There can be no mistaking the power, majesty, glory, and dominion of God in those moments.
But think, too, of the still small voice. Remember Jesus' silence before Pilate. Call to mind God walking in the Garden in the cool of the day, and asking simply, "Adam, where are you?" This moment in Abraham's life is an encounter with God. And God somehow manages to interact with him in such a way that he does not die (Exodus 33:20).
There's something about real people communicating real truth to real people. On this occasion the angels assume all the properties of real people. And their message is a message from God. We may think of angels as winged creatures with etherial appearance. But the message makes the angel. For the word angel itself means messenger. How many times have we heard a message from God and not recognized the messenger as an angel from God?
Whether child or adult, the blessings of baptism come from God through the word. And whether adult or child, they remain in the water apart from faith. Martin Luther rightly says, "Baptism is the water comprehended in God's command and connected with God's word." It offers the blessings of God: forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. And it does all this because the word of God is connected with the water. And those blessings are received by "faith that trusts that word of God(again, Luther).
And God is gone. We don't have a clear expression of God's omniscience at this point in the biblical narrative. God has not revealed himself as redeemer. God has not necessarily even revealed his name. There is no threat either. No, "or else." No, "if you don't..." Just a promise and a command. You will have a son. Circumcise all the males of your family. Perhaps here we need to read "family" as "household," a very extended grouping of people related to Abraham in any manner whatsoever.
Perhaps you are an Isaac: a child of God with whom God has established his covenant. Maybe you are a Sarah, one who will yet deliver a gift to the world. Are you a laughing boy, the child of promise, the fruition of your parents' hopes and dreams? If so, fulfill your destiny and become all God intends for you to become - under his gracious favor - no matter what your name may be. You might be an Ishmael, one who is not part of the covenant, but whom God will bless. Will you receive the invitation to join the covenant of the redeemed? Will you let God put his name on you and make you part of his family?
Maybe you've thought as I did that it was Sarah who first laughed and who therefore triggered the naming of Isaac (his name means, he laughs). Funny thing (pun intended!). I had it wrong. Abraham laughs first. So did Abraham. Sarah will have her time later, and will be called on it. God's word will be accomplished. What he says happens. From, "Let there be light," to "You will have a son," when God speaks, things happen.
Is there a promise of God that would invite your faith? Your tears? Your laughter? Believe this: God's promises are absolutely reliable, good, profound, and life-saving. That's no laughing matter.
Do you believe, trust, hope in, and wait for the eternal blessings of Jesus? Do you believe he is your righteousness? Are you baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Do you repent daily and daily drown the old nature? Do you rely on God's grace in Jesus? It's that simple. Faith in Jesus gives eternal life. Without faith it is impossible to please God.
The more aware we are of our identity as children of God through baptism, perhaps the more aware we will be of others who share that identity.
The idea of God’s grace is no new idea, originating even in the times of Abraham. It springs from eternity, from the heart and character of God. And this covenant of grace is eternal in its consequences: God’s grace impacts every aspect of our lives throughout all eternity.
What does it mean to live by faith? It is a beautiful braid of waiting, hoping, and trusting in God’s promises.
God has a claim on us because of his love. He calls us to a life of faithful obedience. The more we learn about God’s character, the better we will be able to express that in our daily lives.
God has a claim on us because of his love. He calls us to a life of faithful obedience. The more we learn about God’s character, the better we will be able to express that in our daily lives.
The place of utter humility on our face before God is not meant to be a permanent place. We need to go there to the extent that God convicts us of our sins. But we need, also to hear God's call to walk with him faithfully, and live to his honor. And trust his promises. He will not fail you. Or me. Or anyone who puts her faith in him.
In the end, our posture will be hands raised in joy and praise to God for his glorious grace. That will be quite a day!
On this occasion God reveals a new name for himself. He is God Almighty (Hebrew: El-Shaddai). This is the first time God reveals this name. There is something new here. The term is quite properly translated God Almighty.This will be a revelation of God's power. Sarah will bear a son.
Times pass slowly as we wait to see the fulfillment of these promises. That's why God has repeated them for us to hear and believe. As we wait, we who are both saint and sinner, need also to be reminded to live up to our identity as daughters and sons of God.
God has reminded us of this many times. Because once is not enough.
There are choices and consequences we all make and face. But we have been found by God. God's first action is to seek and save the lost. While we thank God for his rescue, let's not ignore his commands, nor fail to heed his warnings.
The One whose eye is on the sparrow has a heart for lost and hurting people. He sees. And he saves.
Faithlessness always leads to sin of one kind or another. And sin begets sin. Repent! Believe! Bring forth the fruit of repentance!
A child. A resentful mother and angry mistress. The father of faith stumbling. Thank God for the Savior who would one day be born!
Who are your neighbors? Your friends? Your co-workers? Did you choose them...really?!? Perhaps you can consider the providential work of God as you reflect on your vocation and your location.
Abram is in a deep sleep. Then comes a strange vision. God is making a promise. God is good at that ... and at keeping the promises he makes!
Redemption is costly, brutal, and difficult. But it ends in the glorious resurrection and ultimate deliverance of all who believe in Jesus.
How long are you willing to wait for God's promises to be fulfilled? However long, the wait will be worth it.
We may not understand God's ways, but we can be certain of his good will and love for us. No matter what he calls us to do!
Faith does more than just believe. It is a relationship of trust in God and his goodness and promises.
A heart settled on God's goodness, trusting in his promises, and desiring his blessing will find rest and a landing place. We all struggle at one time or another with whether God's ways are truly good. We sometimes doubt that we can be satisfied with God's promises. We too often look for ways to fill our hearts with the peace that only God gives. But God calls us back to himself again and again. He offers us a place to land and to be by his grace. We arrive there through faith.
Faith justifies. Faith inspired obedience and sacrifice. Faith looks not to itself, but to God.
Is faith something we gin up by our internal musings, or something that recognizes God’s goodness, faithfulness, righteousness and grace? Hint: It’s the latter!
Are you one who cares about people in need? This is the way of the kingdom of God: Caring for others, opening your heart to them, and doing what you can to help those in need.
Bad things do happen. But they can serve as a reminder of our fallen world and a call to lean into God's goodness...all the time.
God's promises are worth a careful look. Keeping them in view will help you navigate the here and now.
God's faithfulness, grace, and generosity are good reason for our Remembering, Recounting, and Deeply-Thankful Regard
How do you choose when the opportunities are before you? Does the allure of glitz and glamor distract you? Is there a better choice to make?
What does it take to honor God and live fully to his glory? Abram's life gives us some clues.
A riddle: What is greater than God, More evil than the devil, The poor have it, The rich need it, And if you eat it, you'll die? Hint..."Nothing" is greater than God.
There's plenty of blame to go around these days. What a refreshing experience it is when someone takes responsibility for his own actions!
No matter what station we have in life, we will all one day answer to the One True King.
Self-serving fear is so powerful! It can derail our obedient faith. It can thwart our proper place in God's reign and rule. It can short-circuit prayer and an even greater reliance on God.
Drastic times call for drastic actions. But the most drastic action is that of continued faithfulness in the face of temptation and fear. The most drastic action is that of loving God and relying on him in every situation.
The greatest sign of success is seen by God alone. It is the sign of a broken and contrite heart, taking refuge in God's goodness and mercy.
Faith is a personal matter. But the influence of family has a powerful impact on faith's formation and expression.
Are you missing the blessings and joy of life today in anticipation only of what might come tomorrow?
Following Jesus means going with him as he is on the move in your heart, family, neighborhood, and world.
Are we blessed to be blessed? Or does God bless us so that we can bless others? The latter is our calling as children of Abraham.
Do you think of being called as the providence only of pastor types and their families? Think again. Our text is Genesis 12:1-9
God brought an abrupt halt to the work on the Tower of Babel. Why doesn't he do that more often today?
Is this an invitation or a challenge? A prod or an encouragement? A stick or a carrot? Consider how God is inviting you to bloom where you're planted no matter how you got there.
We may wish we could predict the future and then plan accordingly. But God calls us to pray and prepare for how he will use us for his kingdom's sake.
Maybe you know someone who wants to look good at all costs, but everyone sees right through them. God sees us for who we are and welcomes the repentant sinner rather than those who try to cover their faults and sins with outward success.
How well do you understand the worker at the fast food drive through window? How about even worse misunderstandings? What's the source of true understanding?
May the blessings of God abound to your children and their children...to a thousand generations!
Some things are better left unseen. God's love, grace, and forgiveness is not one of those things!
Our sins require more than a simple "oops." And God's forgiveness is a rich treasure for those who acknowledge their sin.
I'm not sure all dogs go to heaven, but I do have a strong opinion that animals will be part of the New Heaven and New Earth that God is preparing for his creatures.
God's promises are sure and precious. But there's something even better than God's promises: That's his promises believed, trusted, and lived-out.
Have you ever needed a do-over? Of course you have. Learn how completely different God's do-overs are in today's post.
Is the Bible only a rulebook for godly living? Or is it a love letter calling us to faith in Jesus?
God doesn't need a place to be. He is present everywhere. We need a place to worship. Noah builds an altar as a place of worship.
God has grand plans for the world he created. As long as life goes on, let's not miss the divine appointments he has set for us.
Noah did not direct that a monument be erected in his honor. He built an altar and worshipped the Lord God.
We live after the deliverance; but still wait for the fullness of our salvation to be experienced.
Do you know what time it is? God's time? Your time? When they intersect great blessings emerge.
Let's remember Noah's 150 days, his additional 2-½ months, and his 40 more days. And the dove. And the sprig of the olive tree that the dove will bring. I'm believing that the wait will be well worth it.
What do you do while you wait for the final victory celebration to begin? You don't lose hope.
Is today the 150th day of waiting? Maybe tomorrow will be day 151...a day of God's remembering.
We know precious little about God - and even the flood and Noah's ark. But the little we know is precious.
The story of Noah and the ark is really the story of Noah and God. We all have a place in the Story of God...through Jesus, for his glory, and our eternal joy.
God will destroy the world, but he will save Noah and his family and the animals. Times may be difficult BUT God is always at work for our good.
Too often we want to fit in rather than stand out from the crowd. God wants people to be exceptional in their love, grace, godliness, and mercy. Noah was such a man. Jesus is The Exception for all time.
We do what we do because we believe what we believe. What do you believe? Are you showing it in everyday ways?
Evil is easily seen and all too often obvious. God's people need to be exceptions to that. And when we fail, we can thank God for the perfect exception in Jesus!
How do you learn the hard lessons of life? Your own school of hard knocks? Or through the mistakes of others? Noah has something to teach us about God's ways - far beyond the flood.
What kind of grief did God experience in these ancient days when the evil of men and women grew unfettered?
Who are your heroes? Large and in charge people? Godly and humble servants? The Hero of Heaven is mighty to save...and we need such a hero desperately!
Noah's name means relief, rest, or comfort. But relief is not spelled N-O-A-H, or C-H-I-L-D-R-E-N, or S-P-O-U-S-E. There is, nonetheless, even here a prospect of something more.
Do you make exceptions? Do they become the new rule? What about God. Be glad he doesn't make exceptions to his promises we receive by faith!
Would you want to live 930 years? Or are these lifespans in Genesis 5 simply symbolic? Even at face value, there's a lesson here, reflected in Psalm 90:13: Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Genesis 5 has a refrain, "And then he died." It's a result of sin, and it makes the message of Easter ever more welcome!
Easter joy is abundant, and rightly so. But the fullest experience of Jesus' resurrection will lead us to fear, love, and trust in the God who saved us through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection!
Do you know the three prayers of Jesus on Good Friday? Which of these is the most profound?
Is it my fervent intensity or God's gracious promise and name that gives prayer its power?
Is prayer ever not appropriate? Don't be too quick to answer, even though praying in Jesus' name is always appropriate.
What do we do when we're confronted with bullies and those who take advantage of their power for their own good and to our or others' harm? Pray!
A little nibble here. A larger taste there. Pretty soon you're downing giant gulps. That's the way with sin, and we see it unfolding in these last verses of Genesis 4
We all grew up east of Eden. That means the best we might experience in this world is but a dim reflection of the Paradise of God to which God invites us.
Our actions have ripples. They can be ripples of love and grace or ripples of harm and danger.
What are the impact of our actions on others? Are you aware of how your actions might lead others toward or away from Jesus?
How are you with the idea of blood? How does Abel's blood compare with Jesus' blood? Listen as it speaks...
Do you really want repayment from those who have wronged you? Are you ready to repay your harm of others? There is a better hope in the blood of Jesus.
Did the worship wars begin in the 1980's or much, much earlier? Listen today and find out.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidbahn-reflections.com/2021/03/15/when-tough-love-is-truly-love/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidbahn-reflections.com/2021/03/12/blood-sweat-and-tears/