Daily Lectionary for August 31, 2010
Psalm 122
Job 12:1, 13:3-17, 21-27
Acts 12:1-17
John 8:33-47
Psalm 122
Following visits to the Holy Land in 2000 and 2001 this became one of my favorite Psalms. "I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord!' Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem."(v.1,2) And further on, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem".(v.6) A quick commercial. If you have any inclination to travel to the Holy Land, I'd encourage you to do it. There is nothing like it. The land is sometimes referred to as the Fifth Gospel and it is hard for me to come up with a better description or a more compelling rationale for going. If I could make it a requirement for seminary students to travel to the Holy Land I'd do it. One can absolutely be a person of faith and never go near the Holy Land, it's not that there is any magical quality that makes you a better person. There is, however, such wonderful insight into Scripture to be gained from standing alongside of the Sea of Galilee and walking the streets of the Old City of Jerusalem. I am greatly looking forward to having the opportunity to return to the Holy Land in January of 2011 - this coming January! If anyone is interested in traveling with the group that my wife and I are going with please contact me at jhgclove@windstream.net. The trip is for ten days and leaves January 19, 2011. The cost is $2298 (plus about $600 taxes and fees) and covers flights, rooms, breakfast and dinner and all admissions to sites. The price is not inexpensive, but if you compare it to other packages traveling to the Holy Land I believe you'll find that it compares rather well. This is the same group that I have travelled with before and they are very good. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested or have any questions at all - I love talking about the Holy Land. One need not fly out Louisville as their first leg. Flights can connect from other cities to our common departure point.
Acts 12:1-17
This is another great passage. Peter is arrested and in jail. "While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently for him."(v.5) They may have prayed fervently, but perhaps not expectantly. Peter is delivered from prison and goes to the house where folks are gathered praying for him. A maid, Rhoda, comes to the door - she is so overjoyed to see Peter that she fails to let him in, instead running to tell the assembled praying church the good news that Peter is standing at the gate. To which they do not respond, "Yes, we knew this would happen, we've been praying for just that." No they resond, "You are out of your mind!" and then when she refuses to stop they say, "It is his angel." (v.15) One can imagine them saying, "Stop bothering us with these stories about Peter being delivered from prison and let us get back to praying for poor Peter to be delivered from prison." How often do we fervently pray with no real expectation that the thing we are fervently praying for will happen? Prayer is powerful and prayer matters.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Who Are You? - August 30 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for August 30 2010
Psalm 15
Job 12:1-4, 13-25
Acts 11:19-30
John 8:21-32
John 8:21-32
Jesus is speaking about himself and about his death in this passage. Jesus is saying things like, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe in me."(vs23,24) The peoples response is, "Who are you?"(v.25) The passage is an extended version of this frustrating interaction. Jesus says things about himself. The people struggle mightily to get any kind of grip on what he is saying. They see a person before them who looks much like any other person; when he speaks of his relationshp with "the Father" he speaks in a way that makes sense to Christians reading his words two thousand years later, but which virtually all of us would have been hard pressed to understand if were standing in his presence in the moment when the words were spoken. I wonder today if we are so accustomed to the divine Jesus that the part of him we struggle more with is the real man standing in front of all those folks debating. We, I think, picture him standing in the midst of the crowds preaching, healing, carrying a lamb on his shoulder and with a lovely golden halo visible for all to see. It baffles us how folks could have misunderstood so regularly who they were dealing with. It is a good thing to be thankful for the power and majesty of the Son of God's life and message, it is maybe not such a good thing to so easily embrace the walking, talking divinity of Jesus that we lost track of the awesome wondrous reality of the flesh and blood person. Christ's divinity carries with it the accomplishment and the message of our salvation. Christ's humanity carries with it the possibilities for human life that are ever before us. Fully human and fully divine is more than a dry theological calculation, it was a walking, talking, living, breathing, loving, compassionate, demanding, hard-to-follow once in a creation happening. The folks in Jesus time struggled with understanding Jesus. If we begin to feel a bit sorry for them and imagine that we understand Jesus, it might be good to take another look at Jesus. I believe we can know something of Jesus, but I also believe that there is always going to be something of my encounter with Jesus that will have me coming back to the same question the people asked - "who are you?" - not out of disbelief, but simply out of my limited ability to understand the totality of who Christ is and what God, through Christ, has done and is doing.
Psalm 15
Job 12:1-4, 13-25
Acts 11:19-30
John 8:21-32
John 8:21-32
Jesus is speaking about himself and about his death in this passage. Jesus is saying things like, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe in me."(vs23,24) The peoples response is, "Who are you?"(v.25) The passage is an extended version of this frustrating interaction. Jesus says things about himself. The people struggle mightily to get any kind of grip on what he is saying. They see a person before them who looks much like any other person; when he speaks of his relationshp with "the Father" he speaks in a way that makes sense to Christians reading his words two thousand years later, but which virtually all of us would have been hard pressed to understand if were standing in his presence in the moment when the words were spoken. I wonder today if we are so accustomed to the divine Jesus that the part of him we struggle more with is the real man standing in front of all those folks debating. We, I think, picture him standing in the midst of the crowds preaching, healing, carrying a lamb on his shoulder and with a lovely golden halo visible for all to see. It baffles us how folks could have misunderstood so regularly who they were dealing with. It is a good thing to be thankful for the power and majesty of the Son of God's life and message, it is maybe not such a good thing to so easily embrace the walking, talking divinity of Jesus that we lost track of the awesome wondrous reality of the flesh and blood person. Christ's divinity carries with it the accomplishment and the message of our salvation. Christ's humanity carries with it the possibilities for human life that are ever before us. Fully human and fully divine is more than a dry theological calculation, it was a walking, talking, living, breathing, loving, compassionate, demanding, hard-to-follow once in a creation happening. The folks in Jesus time struggled with understanding Jesus. If we begin to feel a bit sorry for them and imagine that we understand Jesus, it might be good to take another look at Jesus. I believe we can know something of Jesus, but I also believe that there is always going to be something of my encounter with Jesus that will have me coming back to the same question the people asked - "who are you?" - not out of disbelief, but simply out of my limited ability to understand the totality of who Christ is and what God, through Christ, has done and is doing.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Pit Digging - August 29, 2010
Daily Lectionary for August 29, 2010
Psalm 7
Job 11:1-9, 13-20
Revelation 5:1-14
Matthew 5:1-12
Psalm 7
Has a bit about what God will do to those who don't repent, but am drawn to v. 15-16. "They make a pit, digging it out, and fall into the hole that they have made. Their mischief returns upon their own heads, and on their own heads violence descends." This sounds less to me like God punishing and more like people living with the consequences of their choices. If my choices are not in step with God's will, and if I'm making these choices willfully and rebelliously I am digging a pit so I can fall into it.
Matthew 5:1-12
Reading the Beatitudes through the lens of the two verses from Psalm 7 mentioned above. Just as behavior that is out of step with God's will distances us from experiencing God in growth producing ways and creates difficulties (dig a hole and fall in), so behavior that is in step with God's will draws us closer to experiencing God in growth producing ways and results in mutliple blessings.
So...a good question to keep before us - are we doing more pit digging or are we moving towards being more in sync with God's will?
Psalm 7
Job 11:1-9, 13-20
Revelation 5:1-14
Matthew 5:1-12
Psalm 7
Has a bit about what God will do to those who don't repent, but am drawn to v. 15-16. "They make a pit, digging it out, and fall into the hole that they have made. Their mischief returns upon their own heads, and on their own heads violence descends." This sounds less to me like God punishing and more like people living with the consequences of their choices. If my choices are not in step with God's will, and if I'm making these choices willfully and rebelliously I am digging a pit so I can fall into it.
Matthew 5:1-12
Reading the Beatitudes through the lens of the two verses from Psalm 7 mentioned above. Just as behavior that is out of step with God's will distances us from experiencing God in growth producing ways and creates difficulties (dig a hole and fall in), so behavior that is in step with God's will draws us closer to experiencing God in growth producing ways and results in mutliple blessings.
So...a good question to keep before us - are we doing more pit digging or are we moving towards being more in sync with God's will?
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Hindering God - August 28 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for August 28, 2010
Psalm 89:1-18
Job 9:1, 10:1-9, 16-22
Acts 11:1-18
John 8:12-20
Acts 11:1-18
"If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God."(v.17)
Peter summarizes his whole experience with Cornelius as a part of defending the reception of the Gentiles to the Church leaders in Jerusalem. First, when you are Peter in the early church you probably begin with the benefit of the doubt; they may not have been happy with his actions, but Peter is going to have a moment to be heard - he's Peter. What he says is really good - again, no surprise, he's Peter. Great question - "who was I that I could hinder God?" Suggests one of those handy end of the day kind of questions - what have I done today that hinders rather than helps God's kingdom? Truly, I don't think my actions will hinder God from accomplishing what God sets out to accomplish, that seems unlikely. What I do think is that my actions may hinder me from participating in God's plan in a way that puts me in agreement with God's will moreso than not and, in turn, helps me to experience the life abundant that comes with obedience to God. How have I hindered God today is not a question to figure out what I need to be punished for - it's a question to help me consider how to get out of my way in living towards God's will tomorrow.
Preaching tomorrow on Hebrews 13:1-8,15,16. Continuing with the series, Encouraging Words From Hebrews. The theme will focus around v.15, "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name." The sermon title is "The Part of Life that is Potentially Not Worship (Doesn't Exist)". The uplifiting part, hopefully, will be the message that every moment is an opportunity to honor/worship God. The reality, of course, is that we miss many of these opportunities, but the challenge is to meet more of these moments with hearts that are ready to encounter God rather than tired souls simply looking to get through another day.
Psalm 89:1-18
Job 9:1, 10:1-9, 16-22
Acts 11:1-18
John 8:12-20
Acts 11:1-18
"If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God."(v.17)
Peter summarizes his whole experience with Cornelius as a part of defending the reception of the Gentiles to the Church leaders in Jerusalem. First, when you are Peter in the early church you probably begin with the benefit of the doubt; they may not have been happy with his actions, but Peter is going to have a moment to be heard - he's Peter. What he says is really good - again, no surprise, he's Peter. Great question - "who was I that I could hinder God?" Suggests one of those handy end of the day kind of questions - what have I done today that hinders rather than helps God's kingdom? Truly, I don't think my actions will hinder God from accomplishing what God sets out to accomplish, that seems unlikely. What I do think is that my actions may hinder me from participating in God's plan in a way that puts me in agreement with God's will moreso than not and, in turn, helps me to experience the life abundant that comes with obedience to God. How have I hindered God today is not a question to figure out what I need to be punished for - it's a question to help me consider how to get out of my way in living towards God's will tomorrow.
Preaching tomorrow on Hebrews 13:1-8,15,16. Continuing with the series, Encouraging Words From Hebrews. The theme will focus around v.15, "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name." The sermon title is "The Part of Life that is Potentially Not Worship (Doesn't Exist)". The uplifiting part, hopefully, will be the message that every moment is an opportunity to honor/worship God. The reality, of course, is that we miss many of these opportunities, but the challenge is to meet more of these moments with hearts that are ready to encounter God rather than tired souls simply looking to get through another day.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Who To Tell? - August 27, 2010
Daily Lectionary for August 27, 2010
Psalm 32
Job 9:1-15, 32-35
Acts 10:34-48
John 7:37-52
Acts 10:34-48
Peter preaches the good news of Jesus. Gentiles respond and believe. Peter decides to baptize them. "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." Not people just like we are. People who have received the Holy Spirit like we have. Peter is just consumed with sharing what he has been witness to. His goal is to get what he knows in his heart, mind and soul out. He is not aiming to control what happens with it once he gets it out - he just wants it out. Faith sharing as Peter does it in this passage is not something to be diagrammed or strategized. He's not concerned with demographics or target audiences. His need is to bear witness to Christ. Sometimes in those moments when God's Holy Spirit is very nearly tangible to us we have a sense of what he must have felt like. God is so near and so real that we can't help but talk about it, share it, pass it along. When we witness Christ at work in our lives and in our world we are moved to bear witness. Not to determine who hears, but to offer the possibility of hearing to anybody within earshot.
John 7:37-52
Jesus says, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink."(v.37-38) Maybe Peter in the passage above was remembering this moment and these words. The good news isn't only for the Jews. It isn't only for the Gentiles. It's for the thirsty. Offer thirsty folks Jesus and if they want to drink they are welcome. Jesus is for the thirsty. That's all of us.
Psalm 32
Job 9:1-15, 32-35
Acts 10:34-48
John 7:37-52
Acts 10:34-48
Peter preaches the good news of Jesus. Gentiles respond and believe. Peter decides to baptize them. "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." Not people just like we are. People who have received the Holy Spirit like we have. Peter is just consumed with sharing what he has been witness to. His goal is to get what he knows in his heart, mind and soul out. He is not aiming to control what happens with it once he gets it out - he just wants it out. Faith sharing as Peter does it in this passage is not something to be diagrammed or strategized. He's not concerned with demographics or target audiences. His need is to bear witness to Christ. Sometimes in those moments when God's Holy Spirit is very nearly tangible to us we have a sense of what he must have felt like. God is so near and so real that we can't help but talk about it, share it, pass it along. When we witness Christ at work in our lives and in our world we are moved to bear witness. Not to determine who hears, but to offer the possibility of hearing to anybody within earshot.
John 7:37-52
Jesus says, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink."(v.37-38) Maybe Peter in the passage above was remembering this moment and these words. The good news isn't only for the Jews. It isn't only for the Gentiles. It's for the thirsty. Offer thirsty folks Jesus and if they want to drink they are welcome. Jesus is for the thirsty. That's all of us.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Soul Rest and Not Getting In The Way - August 26, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for August 26, 2010
Psalm 116
Job 8:1-10, 20-22
Acts 10:17-33
John 7:14-36
Psalm 116
"Return, O my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you." (v.7)
Another verse making the obvious, but still often overlooked in the midst of challenges/trials/difficult times, point that God has always been faithful. Our souls leave their rest on a regular basis and go visit places that get them all stirred up, apprehensive, angry, out of kilter - everywhere, but at rest. God hasn't walked away and has promised repeatedly to be faithful. Praying that my memory can grow to be a little longer than whatever is presently problematic.
Acts 10:17-33
In the midst of yet another story of a disciple following a very demanding call without a moments hesitation we have an illuminating moment with Peter. He arrives at the home of a Roman centurion, Cornelius who has summoned Peter so he can learn more about The Way. Cornelius meets him and falls at his feet and begins to worship Peter (v.25). This can't be all that uncommon. Whether it is Peter or Paul or any of the other Apostles, this tendency to elevate them and to worship them must have been a fairly regular occurrence. Peter is having none of it. "Stand up; I am only a mortal."(v.26) It could have been easy for one of those early leaders to stop pointing beyond themselves and begin pointing to themselves and accepting the accolades of the masses they spoke to. Their practice led to the church of Jesus Christ, rather than the Church of Peter or the Church of Paul, and their example is a reminder to each of us to be pointing beyond ourselves to Christ.
John 7:14-36
A point in Jesus' words in this passage that touches on the point above from the Acts passage. Jesus says, "Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false in him."(v.18) Again, it's not about our glory, but letting God's glory show through.
Psalm 116
Job 8:1-10, 20-22
Acts 10:17-33
John 7:14-36
Psalm 116
"Return, O my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you." (v.7)
Another verse making the obvious, but still often overlooked in the midst of challenges/trials/difficult times, point that God has always been faithful. Our souls leave their rest on a regular basis and go visit places that get them all stirred up, apprehensive, angry, out of kilter - everywhere, but at rest. God hasn't walked away and has promised repeatedly to be faithful. Praying that my memory can grow to be a little longer than whatever is presently problematic.
Acts 10:17-33
In the midst of yet another story of a disciple following a very demanding call without a moments hesitation we have an illuminating moment with Peter. He arrives at the home of a Roman centurion, Cornelius who has summoned Peter so he can learn more about The Way. Cornelius meets him and falls at his feet and begins to worship Peter (v.25). This can't be all that uncommon. Whether it is Peter or Paul or any of the other Apostles, this tendency to elevate them and to worship them must have been a fairly regular occurrence. Peter is having none of it. "Stand up; I am only a mortal."(v.26) It could have been easy for one of those early leaders to stop pointing beyond themselves and begin pointing to themselves and accepting the accolades of the masses they spoke to. Their practice led to the church of Jesus Christ, rather than the Church of Peter or the Church of Paul, and their example is a reminder to each of us to be pointing beyond ourselves to Christ.
John 7:14-36
A point in Jesus' words in this passage that touches on the point above from the Acts passage. Jesus says, "Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false in him."(v.18) Again, it's not about our glory, but letting God's glory show through.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
A Psalm Readers True Confession! - August 25, 2010
Daily Lectionary for August 25, 2010
Psalm 119:145-176
Job 6:1, 7:1-21
Acts 10:1-16
John 7:1-13
Psalm 119
Another good thing about the Daily Lectionary. I am reading all of Psalm 119. Some who know me know that I struggle with the Psalms at times. There are moments when I can read them and resonate with the thoughts and be right there with the Psalmist. Some people can do that on a regular basis. I'm not one of those people. In my not so good moments I can think unpleasant things like read one Psalm and you've read all 150. Or I can come to a Psalm like 119 and think where is the Psalms version of the Deuteronomistic editor 'cause this thing surely could use some editing. The Daily Lectionary doesn't let me get away with that kind of stuff. It pushes me. Asks me to read what's up for the day and see what God has for me there. I've come to find this sort of guidance helpful.
Acts 10:1-16
In which Peter sees a vision of food he has always believed and been taught he is not supposed to eat. He hears a voice (he answers by naming the voice "Lord" so it doesn't appear he is confused about who is speaking to him) that tells him to "Get up, Peter; kill and eat."(v.13) Peter's response in summary is that while he is hungry he has rules for things like this, so thanks but no thanks. Another nudge about the moments when we are tempted to make rules and doctrines primary over God's call.
Psalm 119:145-176
Job 6:1, 7:1-21
Acts 10:1-16
John 7:1-13
Psalm 119
Another good thing about the Daily Lectionary. I am reading all of Psalm 119. Some who know me know that I struggle with the Psalms at times. There are moments when I can read them and resonate with the thoughts and be right there with the Psalmist. Some people can do that on a regular basis. I'm not one of those people. In my not so good moments I can think unpleasant things like read one Psalm and you've read all 150. Or I can come to a Psalm like 119 and think where is the Psalms version of the Deuteronomistic editor 'cause this thing surely could use some editing. The Daily Lectionary doesn't let me get away with that kind of stuff. It pushes me. Asks me to read what's up for the day and see what God has for me there. I've come to find this sort of guidance helpful.
Acts 10:1-16
In which Peter sees a vision of food he has always believed and been taught he is not supposed to eat. He hears a voice (he answers by naming the voice "Lord" so it doesn't appear he is confused about who is speaking to him) that tells him to "Get up, Peter; kill and eat."(v.13) Peter's response in summary is that while he is hungry he has rules for things like this, so thanks but no thanks. Another nudge about the moments when we are tempted to make rules and doctrines primary over God's call.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Where Else Are We Going To Go? - August 24, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for August 24, 2010
Psalm 119:121-144
Job 6:1-4, 8-15, 21
Acts 9:32-43
John 6:60-71
John 6:60-71
One of the best gospel passages. Jesus has just finished explaining to his followers about eating his flesh and drinking his blood and they are understandably confused. "'This teaching is difficult, who can accept it.'"(v.6) Further on in v.66 we are told that many of his disciples "turn back". Jesus turns to the twelve and asks, "Do you also wish to go away?" The disciples routinely get it wrong in these stories. They are slow to understand. They miss Jesus' point and they have to ask him to repeat himself on a regular basis. But here they nail it. They come up big. They say what I hope I would say in their place. They respond to Jesus question with the answer, "Lord, to whom can we go? (v.68) Sure Jesus is hard to understand and it's a demanding existence and it's risky and they aren't quite sure what is going to happen next, but what's the alternative? For all of the uncertainties, it's the most exhilarting life has ever been. Everything else would pale by comparison. It's a great moment that illuminates the journey of faith at its most frustrating and yet its most compelling. Even when we don't feel like we are really getting it the disciples answer can be ours as well. Frustrated? Want to try something else? Where else are we going to go? What else could compare to following Jesus.
Psalm 119:121-144
Job 6:1-4, 8-15, 21
Acts 9:32-43
John 6:60-71
John 6:60-71
One of the best gospel passages. Jesus has just finished explaining to his followers about eating his flesh and drinking his blood and they are understandably confused. "'This teaching is difficult, who can accept it.'"(v.6) Further on in v.66 we are told that many of his disciples "turn back". Jesus turns to the twelve and asks, "Do you also wish to go away?" The disciples routinely get it wrong in these stories. They are slow to understand. They miss Jesus' point and they have to ask him to repeat himself on a regular basis. But here they nail it. They come up big. They say what I hope I would say in their place. They respond to Jesus question with the answer, "Lord, to whom can we go? (v.68) Sure Jesus is hard to understand and it's a demanding existence and it's risky and they aren't quite sure what is going to happen next, but what's the alternative? For all of the uncertainties, it's the most exhilarting life has ever been. Everything else would pale by comparison. It's a great moment that illuminates the journey of faith at its most frustrating and yet its most compelling. Even when we don't feel like we are really getting it the disciples answer can be ours as well. Frustrated? Want to try something else? Where else are we going to go? What else could compare to following Jesus.
Monday, August 23, 2010
More Wonderful Things I Don't Understand - August 23, 2010
Daily Lectioanry for August 23, 2010
Psalm 119:97-120
Job 4:1, 5:1-11, 17-21,26-27
Acts 9:19b-31
John 6:52-59
John 6:52-59
"'Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.'" (vs.54-56)
I have ideas about what Jesus is saying here, but I'll be honest I can't tell for sure what he means. And I can't tell for sure what happens when we try to do what he says here and come to the Lord's Table. I can, having grown up in the church and having put my time in at Louisivlle Seminary, expound on what I think is going on, but I don't know. What I do know, or perhaps better, what I believe is something critical is happening. Something amazing and mysterious and unique happens when we gather at the Lord's Table and share in the feast Christ has prepared. Somehow, in a very specific and important way it brings us together with Christ. At Hebron we do it on the first Sunday of the month, a practice that I was a little leery of when I first came here and which I have come to very much favor and anticipate five years later. In all my previous stops (both growing up and in churches that I served) communion was kind of like a jack in the box. Your turn the crank (show up for worship) and eventually the clown pops out (you have communion). You know it's coming, but it's still a bit of a surprise. Here it is much more a part of the rhythm of our life together. I don't mention that because it's right, but because it's how I've experienced it. Today's passage asks us to consider again the significance of what we are doing. It asks us to contemplate something we really can't completely understand and will not completely understand. It reminds us that this is vital and this is God we are dealing with. God who comes to us, knows we need food and drink of a kind that only God can provide. And God does provide - this I do understand, this I do believe.
Psalm 119:97-120
Job 4:1, 5:1-11, 17-21,26-27
Acts 9:19b-31
John 6:52-59
John 6:52-59
"'Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.'" (vs.54-56)
I have ideas about what Jesus is saying here, but I'll be honest I can't tell for sure what he means. And I can't tell for sure what happens when we try to do what he says here and come to the Lord's Table. I can, having grown up in the church and having put my time in at Louisivlle Seminary, expound on what I think is going on, but I don't know. What I do know, or perhaps better, what I believe is something critical is happening. Something amazing and mysterious and unique happens when we gather at the Lord's Table and share in the feast Christ has prepared. Somehow, in a very specific and important way it brings us together with Christ. At Hebron we do it on the first Sunday of the month, a practice that I was a little leery of when I first came here and which I have come to very much favor and anticipate five years later. In all my previous stops (both growing up and in churches that I served) communion was kind of like a jack in the box. Your turn the crank (show up for worship) and eventually the clown pops out (you have communion). You know it's coming, but it's still a bit of a surprise. Here it is much more a part of the rhythm of our life together. I don't mention that because it's right, but because it's how I've experienced it. Today's passage asks us to consider again the significance of what we are doing. It asks us to contemplate something we really can't completely understand and will not completely understand. It reminds us that this is vital and this is God we are dealing with. God who comes to us, knows we need food and drink of a kind that only God can provide. And God does provide - this I do understand, this I do believe.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Home - August 22, 2010
Daily Lectionary for August 8, 2010
Psalm 119:73-96
Job 4:1-6, 12-21
Revelation 4:1-11
Mark 6:1-6a
Mark 6:1-6a
Mark writes of Jesus' rejection in his hometown. Jesus talks about prophets being without honor in their hometown and the passage ends with the words, "And he was amazed at their unbelief" (v.6a). Wondering if the expectations Jesus brought to his boyhood home might be similar to the ones he brings to other places he would expect to feel comfortable and welcome. Places like our congregations, places like my heart. The hometown folks were so familiar with Jesus, they knew him so well that they knew him too well. That is, they knew him well enough that they knew not only who he was, but who he could not be. Can we be too familiar with Jesus - or, at least, our idea of Jesus? Probably so. How well do we know Jesus and is the Jesus we know similar to the real Jesus we are trying to follow?
Today is the birthday of our oldest, Cameron. He is 16. This is impossible as it has only been, let's see, 16 years since he was born. Okay, I guess it's possible. Kids are a great example of getting to watch God at work. As a parent you try to do your best, but there are points where you see glimpses of God at work building this awesome person and you know that, yes, you get to participate and that's a blessing, but that ultimately they are God's project, and that is an even better blessing. Happy 16th birthday Cameron.
Psalm 119:73-96
Job 4:1-6, 12-21
Revelation 4:1-11
Mark 6:1-6a
Mark 6:1-6a
Mark writes of Jesus' rejection in his hometown. Jesus talks about prophets being without honor in their hometown and the passage ends with the words, "And he was amazed at their unbelief" (v.6a). Wondering if the expectations Jesus brought to his boyhood home might be similar to the ones he brings to other places he would expect to feel comfortable and welcome. Places like our congregations, places like my heart. The hometown folks were so familiar with Jesus, they knew him so well that they knew him too well. That is, they knew him well enough that they knew not only who he was, but who he could not be. Can we be too familiar with Jesus - or, at least, our idea of Jesus? Probably so. How well do we know Jesus and is the Jesus we know similar to the real Jesus we are trying to follow?
Today is the birthday of our oldest, Cameron. He is 16. This is impossible as it has only been, let's see, 16 years since he was born. Okay, I guess it's possible. Kids are a great example of getting to watch God at work. As a parent you try to do your best, but there are points where you see glimpses of God at work building this awesome person and you know that, yes, you get to participate and that's a blessing, but that ultimately they are God's project, and that is an even better blessing. Happy 16th birthday Cameron.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Helping God Out With the Flaws in God's Plan - August 21, 2010
Daily Lectionary for August 21, 2010
Psalm 119:49-72
Job 3:1-26
Acts 9:10-19a
John 6:41-51
Acts 9:10-19a
Ananias takes his spot in biblical history along with the many who point out to God the problem with God's plan. God instructs Ananias to go to where Paul is and help him. Ananias points out some of the issues surrounding Paul...his reputation precedes him (and it's not good), he's done a lot of evil in Jerusalem, the chief priests have sent him to Damascus deputized to make life miserable for the Christian community. Ananias surely means well, and is undoubtedly a little concerned about his own safety. However, in order to express his reservations he must be comfortable expressing doubt in God's plan. Maybe God hadn't thought it all the way through. There are so many details that go along with being God it's hard to keep track of everyone whose been blinded on the Damascus road and is in need of healing. It can't hurt to point out to God who this person really is. Ananias isn't the only biblical person to do this and we continue the tradition to this day. Pointing out the flaws in God's plan. Making sure God knows about our limitations. Emphasizing how big the obstacles are. All the while forgetting, somehow, that this is God we are talking to.
Preaching tomorrow on Hebrews 12:18-29, the second of three sermons in a series called "Encouraging Words From Hebrews". Tomorrows sermon is "Speaking Hope Into A Shaky Today". Central are 12:28-29, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire." Specifically the phrase "a kingdom that cannot be shaken". In kind a variation on the house built on sand and the house built on rock the passage reminds us that all of our kingdoms are transitory, no matter how big we build them and no matter how well we dig in our defenses. What is unshakeable is God's kingdom. Our call is not to hold on to the things that can be shaken but to place our trust in God's unshakeable plan which is being unfolded as we move towards God's unshakeable kingdom.
Psalm 119:49-72
Job 3:1-26
Acts 9:10-19a
John 6:41-51
Acts 9:10-19a
Ananias takes his spot in biblical history along with the many who point out to God the problem with God's plan. God instructs Ananias to go to where Paul is and help him. Ananias points out some of the issues surrounding Paul...his reputation precedes him (and it's not good), he's done a lot of evil in Jerusalem, the chief priests have sent him to Damascus deputized to make life miserable for the Christian community. Ananias surely means well, and is undoubtedly a little concerned about his own safety. However, in order to express his reservations he must be comfortable expressing doubt in God's plan. Maybe God hadn't thought it all the way through. There are so many details that go along with being God it's hard to keep track of everyone whose been blinded on the Damascus road and is in need of healing. It can't hurt to point out to God who this person really is. Ananias isn't the only biblical person to do this and we continue the tradition to this day. Pointing out the flaws in God's plan. Making sure God knows about our limitations. Emphasizing how big the obstacles are. All the while forgetting, somehow, that this is God we are talking to.
Preaching tomorrow on Hebrews 12:18-29, the second of three sermons in a series called "Encouraging Words From Hebrews". Tomorrows sermon is "Speaking Hope Into A Shaky Today". Central are 12:28-29, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire." Specifically the phrase "a kingdom that cannot be shaken". In kind a variation on the house built on sand and the house built on rock the passage reminds us that all of our kingdoms are transitory, no matter how big we build them and no matter how well we dig in our defenses. What is unshakeable is God's kingdom. Our call is not to hold on to the things that can be shaken but to place our trust in God's unshakeable plan which is being unfolded as we move towards God's unshakeable kingdom.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Job, Paul, Us - August 20, 2010
Daily Lectionary for August 20, 2010
Psalm 119:25-48
Job 2:1-13
Acts 9:1-9
John 6:27-40
Job 2:1-13
"Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?"(v.10)
Satan, who has been out "going to and fro on the earth" has brought a dreadful skin disease on Job. Job's wife wants Job to curse God. Job, in his misery, remains resolute. It's not a why do bad things happen to good people question, it's really more of a submission to God's plan. Surely Job sees no good in the plan after all that has befallen him in two short chapters of his story and yet he remains convinced that there is a plan - even if he can't make sense of it. Sometimes patience and resolute faith are the best we can summon.
Acts 9:1-9
Paul's conversion story. Paul at the outset of this passage is still the enemy of The Way (the Christian community). Paul has his famous encounter with God on the road to Damascus. Paul's question is a great one - "Who are you, Lord?" The wording of the question would suggest that Paul knows who he is talking to. Maybe he's stalling for time. Keep God talking to avoid the heart of the matter. Or maybe he's just at a loss for words. It hasn't hit me in a bright light on the Damascus road kind of way, but I've had that experience of knowing God is confronting me on something and trying to willfully convince myself that maybe I'm not really caught and maybe God isn't really the source of my sense of conviction. Paul's experience is dramatic and his response is equally dramatic.
Our day to day situations are often not as dramatic as Paul's conversion or Job's suffering, but they are real. These two passages have something to say to us about holding firm when things seem to be falling apart and about being responsive to God's presence in our lives however we become aware of God's call.
Pins and needles were the seat cushions of choice in the Love household yesterday. Eliza, our 12 year old daughter, had been through four days of middle school basketball tryouts and yesterday was the final cut. She was on the team last year, but past events were no guarantee of future results. So we waited. I waited in the parking lot to pick her up. Julie, was working in another part of the state and checking in regularly by text and phone. Even Cameron, our 15 (16 on Sunday) called while I was waiting to see if she'd come out with news yet. And the result was a good one, she's a Lady General for another year. It's one moment among many and lots of things happened yesterday in the world that are far more important - but it's one of those shared family experiences that will make my memory book. A good, no, great day.
Psalm 119:25-48
Job 2:1-13
Acts 9:1-9
John 6:27-40
Job 2:1-13
"Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?"(v.10)
Satan, who has been out "going to and fro on the earth" has brought a dreadful skin disease on Job. Job's wife wants Job to curse God. Job, in his misery, remains resolute. It's not a why do bad things happen to good people question, it's really more of a submission to God's plan. Surely Job sees no good in the plan after all that has befallen him in two short chapters of his story and yet he remains convinced that there is a plan - even if he can't make sense of it. Sometimes patience and resolute faith are the best we can summon.
Acts 9:1-9
Paul's conversion story. Paul at the outset of this passage is still the enemy of The Way (the Christian community). Paul has his famous encounter with God on the road to Damascus. Paul's question is a great one - "Who are you, Lord?" The wording of the question would suggest that Paul knows who he is talking to. Maybe he's stalling for time. Keep God talking to avoid the heart of the matter. Or maybe he's just at a loss for words. It hasn't hit me in a bright light on the Damascus road kind of way, but I've had that experience of knowing God is confronting me on something and trying to willfully convince myself that maybe I'm not really caught and maybe God isn't really the source of my sense of conviction. Paul's experience is dramatic and his response is equally dramatic.
Our day to day situations are often not as dramatic as Paul's conversion or Job's suffering, but they are real. These two passages have something to say to us about holding firm when things seem to be falling apart and about being responsive to God's presence in our lives however we become aware of God's call.
Pins and needles were the seat cushions of choice in the Love household yesterday. Eliza, our 12 year old daughter, had been through four days of middle school basketball tryouts and yesterday was the final cut. She was on the team last year, but past events were no guarantee of future results. So we waited. I waited in the parking lot to pick her up. Julie, was working in another part of the state and checking in regularly by text and phone. Even Cameron, our 15 (16 on Sunday) called while I was waiting to see if she'd come out with news yet. And the result was a good one, she's a Lady General for another year. It's one moment among many and lots of things happened yesterday in the world that are far more important - but it's one of those shared family experiences that will make my memory book. A good, no, great day.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
A Magical Story - August 19, 2010
Daily Lectionary for August 19, 2010
Psalm 119:1-24
Job:1:1-22
Acts 8:26-40
John 6:16-27
Psalm 119:1-24
"Your decrees are my delight, they are my counselours." (v.24) The idea of God's decrees as my counselours is illuminating. God's decrees are perhaps not iron clad statements that can be placed with precision into any context and work perfectly. God's decrees, the totality of what God has made known to us in Scripture is a counselour. It speaks to our situation, not so much in an absolute "God says do this" kind of way, but in a way that guides, directs and invites us to interaction as we seek God's will for the particular moments of our lives.
Acts 8:26-40
This is a magical story. Phillip runs into a Ethiopian court official on a road in the wilderness. The Ethiopian had been to Jerusalem to worship. Now on his way home he is reading scripture. Phillip has been led here and joins him. He interprets scripture for him. The man spots water and asks, "What is to prevent me from being baptized." God put the Ethiopian and Phillip on the wilderness road at just the right time that they'd come to water at just the right moment. So many moving parts in this story that have to work out just right for all the parts to come together as God planned. In v. 40 it says that after all this Phillip "found hinmself in Azotus". What Phillip seemed to understand is that whereever he "found" himself, God intended for him to be there. Where are we "finding" ourselves this day. Why has God put us here?
Psalm 119:1-24
Job:1:1-22
Acts 8:26-40
John 6:16-27
Psalm 119:1-24
"Your decrees are my delight, they are my counselours." (v.24) The idea of God's decrees as my counselours is illuminating. God's decrees are perhaps not iron clad statements that can be placed with precision into any context and work perfectly. God's decrees, the totality of what God has made known to us in Scripture is a counselour. It speaks to our situation, not so much in an absolute "God says do this" kind of way, but in a way that guides, directs and invites us to interaction as we seek God's will for the particular moments of our lives.
Acts 8:26-40
This is a magical story. Phillip runs into a Ethiopian court official on a road in the wilderness. The Ethiopian had been to Jerusalem to worship. Now on his way home he is reading scripture. Phillip has been led here and joins him. He interprets scripture for him. The man spots water and asks, "What is to prevent me from being baptized." God put the Ethiopian and Phillip on the wilderness road at just the right time that they'd come to water at just the right moment. So many moving parts in this story that have to work out just right for all the parts to come together as God planned. In v. 40 it says that after all this Phillip "found hinmself in Azotus". What Phillip seemed to understand is that whereever he "found" himself, God intended for him to be there. Where are we "finding" ourselves this day. Why has God put us here?
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Jesus Draws Crowd! - August 18, 2010
Daily Lectionary for August 18, 2010
Psalm 44
Judges 18:16-31
Acts 8:14-25
John 6:1-15
Acts 8:14-25
Simon, a practitioner of magic we met in Acts 8:9 is central in this passage. He's taken with Phillips message and is baptized and stays with Phillip. In our passage Peter and John come to administer the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the people at Samaria. Simon is still a little confused as to process - he sees the disicples lay on hands and understands that this is how one receives the Spirit which leads him to make an offer that has a modern day feel to it. Simon would fit in well in the everything has a price culture we live in - he offers Peter and John money - so he can have a Holy Spirit dispensing franchise as well. Heavy rebukes follow and Simon asks for prayer so that judgment won't befall him. There is a stewardship message in here somewhere. The things of God, the things of faith are not cars, or houses, or silly bandz or any other sort of commodity. They are not for sale. Stewardship is not offering money and in exchange receiving God stuff. There are two temptations here to be avoided. First is the temptation that Simon faced - seeing something spiritual and imagining he could buy it. The second is the temptation the Apostles faced - turning faith into a commodity available at a reasonable price. For churches in the present economic downturn that are feeling the pinch in their budgets this temptation may start showing up more and more. Perhaps not in obvious ways, but in subtle ways and sometimes even unconsidered ways. It is important to be clear. Stewardship is a whole life thing, yes, but it is also a money thing. It is sharing our resources with God in joyful response to what God has done for us. It is not a financial arrangement wherein God offers a basic, deluxe and premium package. God's gifts aren't for sale.
John 6:1-15
"A large crowd kept following him, because they saw th signs that he was doing for the sick." (v.2) People saw the signs that Jesus was doing and they followed. Not because of a strong advertisign campaign. Or a winning slogan coupled with excellent branding. Not because he had an attractive building. Because they saw what he did and wanted to experience more. Jesus goes up to a mountain and sits down with the disciples. They look up and here come the crowds. When Jesus is at work in our midst people will be drawn to it.
A church member mentioned to me yesterday that she had been in conversation with another member about our adult Sunday School class. The woman she had been talking with is a more recent member who shared that she hadn't known we had an adult class until she'd been invited by this lady to come and participate. The class is mentioned in the bulletin and in the newsletter and has been sited regularly in sermons during worship. Which is to say, that I don't think you can institutionalize communication about things like a Sunday School class. Some may see the announcement in the bulletin for the Sunday School class or the ad in the paper for your church - I'm not saying we shouldn't try to communicate our calendar. What I am saying is that much of that type of communications whether it's a printed announcmenet or a billboard with a pithy message tends to be interesting white noise. What pierces through all the messages and makes a compelling invitation is one person saying to another, "Come and see."
Psalm 44
Judges 18:16-31
Acts 8:14-25
John 6:1-15
Acts 8:14-25
Simon, a practitioner of magic we met in Acts 8:9 is central in this passage. He's taken with Phillips message and is baptized and stays with Phillip. In our passage Peter and John come to administer the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the people at Samaria. Simon is still a little confused as to process - he sees the disicples lay on hands and understands that this is how one receives the Spirit which leads him to make an offer that has a modern day feel to it. Simon would fit in well in the everything has a price culture we live in - he offers Peter and John money - so he can have a Holy Spirit dispensing franchise as well. Heavy rebukes follow and Simon asks for prayer so that judgment won't befall him. There is a stewardship message in here somewhere. The things of God, the things of faith are not cars, or houses, or silly bandz or any other sort of commodity. They are not for sale. Stewardship is not offering money and in exchange receiving God stuff. There are two temptations here to be avoided. First is the temptation that Simon faced - seeing something spiritual and imagining he could buy it. The second is the temptation the Apostles faced - turning faith into a commodity available at a reasonable price. For churches in the present economic downturn that are feeling the pinch in their budgets this temptation may start showing up more and more. Perhaps not in obvious ways, but in subtle ways and sometimes even unconsidered ways. It is important to be clear. Stewardship is a whole life thing, yes, but it is also a money thing. It is sharing our resources with God in joyful response to what God has done for us. It is not a financial arrangement wherein God offers a basic, deluxe and premium package. God's gifts aren't for sale.
John 6:1-15
"A large crowd kept following him, because they saw th signs that he was doing for the sick." (v.2) People saw the signs that Jesus was doing and they followed. Not because of a strong advertisign campaign. Or a winning slogan coupled with excellent branding. Not because he had an attractive building. Because they saw what he did and wanted to experience more. Jesus goes up to a mountain and sits down with the disciples. They look up and here come the crowds. When Jesus is at work in our midst people will be drawn to it.
A church member mentioned to me yesterday that she had been in conversation with another member about our adult Sunday School class. The woman she had been talking with is a more recent member who shared that she hadn't known we had an adult class until she'd been invited by this lady to come and participate. The class is mentioned in the bulletin and in the newsletter and has been sited regularly in sermons during worship. Which is to say, that I don't think you can institutionalize communication about things like a Sunday School class. Some may see the announcement in the bulletin for the Sunday School class or the ad in the paper for your church - I'm not saying we shouldn't try to communicate our calendar. What I am saying is that much of that type of communications whether it's a printed announcmenet or a billboard with a pithy message tends to be interesting white noise. What pierces through all the messages and makes a compelling invitation is one person saying to another, "Come and see."
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Scattered With Pinpoint Accuracy - August 17, 2010
Daily Lectionary for August 17, 2010
Psalms 123
Judges 18:1-15
Acts 8:1-13
John 5:30-47
Acts 8:1-13
Following the stoning of Stephen at the end of Acts 7 we have this summation of what is happening: "That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria." Further on in v. 4, "Now those who were scattered went from place to place, proclaiming the word." It continues by telling of Phillip's success in Samaria and then (I peaked ahead) a little later in Ch.8 it's going to talk about Phillip with the Ethiopian. What draws my attention is the word scattered. It probably appeared they were scattered. It felt like they were scattered. Scattered implies kind of a random scurrying, a getting away from one place without much planning as to what the place one is going to will be. All of which may be true. They were scattered and they felt like it. But God has a whole different perspective on scattering. God scatters with pinpoint accuracy. Phillip doesn't end up in places where his message will flourish by accident. He doesn't magically show up just where an Ethiopian is looking for someone to interpret scripture for him. Phillip lands there because God scattered him directly to where he was needed. We are where we are for a purpose. Even if it feels random to us, God scatters with pinpoint accuracy.
John 5:30-47
Jesus on Bible study. "You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life." Jesus, I think, is all for us reading the Bible. It tells his story. We find him in it. But reading and knowing the story is not the whole project. Reading and knowing the story brings us to a knowledge of a living God who wants us to seek him in our lives, in our actions. If we find God in scripture and God stays there we may not have found God in scripture.
Did a funeral for a non-member this morning and am thinking about that in relationship to the Acts passage for this day. Someone kind of randomly gets referred to me as someone who might be able to do their mother's funeral. Call came out of the blue on Sunday evening and the funeral was this morning. It felt a little like a random occurence that might happen or maybe not. But I happened to answer the phone Sunday night, my schedule happened to be open this morning; I'm reexaming the whole experience. What was God up to in this?
Psalms 123
Judges 18:1-15
Acts 8:1-13
John 5:30-47
Acts 8:1-13
Following the stoning of Stephen at the end of Acts 7 we have this summation of what is happening: "That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria." Further on in v. 4, "Now those who were scattered went from place to place, proclaiming the word." It continues by telling of Phillip's success in Samaria and then (I peaked ahead) a little later in Ch.8 it's going to talk about Phillip with the Ethiopian. What draws my attention is the word scattered. It probably appeared they were scattered. It felt like they were scattered. Scattered implies kind of a random scurrying, a getting away from one place without much planning as to what the place one is going to will be. All of which may be true. They were scattered and they felt like it. But God has a whole different perspective on scattering. God scatters with pinpoint accuracy. Phillip doesn't end up in places where his message will flourish by accident. He doesn't magically show up just where an Ethiopian is looking for someone to interpret scripture for him. Phillip lands there because God scattered him directly to where he was needed. We are where we are for a purpose. Even if it feels random to us, God scatters with pinpoint accuracy.
John 5:30-47
Jesus on Bible study. "You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life." Jesus, I think, is all for us reading the Bible. It tells his story. We find him in it. But reading and knowing the story is not the whole project. Reading and knowing the story brings us to a knowledge of a living God who wants us to seek him in our lives, in our actions. If we find God in scripture and God stays there we may not have found God in scripture.
Did a funeral for a non-member this morning and am thinking about that in relationship to the Acts passage for this day. Someone kind of randomly gets referred to me as someone who might be able to do their mother's funeral. Call came out of the blue on Sunday evening and the funeral was this morning. It felt a little like a random occurence that might happen or maybe not. But I happened to answer the phone Sunday night, my schedule happened to be open this morning; I'm reexaming the whole experience. What was God up to in this?
Monday, August 16, 2010
Stone The Messenger - August 16, 2010
Daily Lectionary for August 16, 2010
Psalms 111
Judges 17:1-13
Acts 7:44-8:1a
John 5:19-29
Psalm 111
A snatch of a phrase from v.5 - "he [God] is ever mindful of his covenant". Which is a glaring difference between us and God. God is ever mindful of his convenant. Guided by his covenant. Following it's every detail in every corner of creation. We tend towards awareness of the convenant when we remember a promise that will benefit us. As God acts the covenant is intrinsically a part of God's ever unfolding activity in history. As we live it tends to be kind of like a warranty that we tuck in the drawer in case something breaks (that we can hold God responsible for).
Acts 7:44-8:1a
The story of the stoning of Stephen is sad and predictable not based on what I know of his time, but what I know of myself and my time. Shoot, or stone, the messenger. Stephen has delivered a lengthy message building on Old Testament history and culminating with the point that the people are "stiff-necked" as they continue to oppose those who would be helpful to them. The prophets, Christ, and now the Holy Spirit - they have in every instance exercised their right of first refusal. This is not want they want to hear so they stone him. Which proves his point, but this was never about the cogency of the argument; it was about trying to shut up legitimate criticism and a call to a new and different way of life. I've not stoned anyone, but I've repeatedly tuned out difficult critiques not because they were wrong, but because they were uncomfortable.
Last nights episode of "Rubicon" on AMC very nearly made sense to me from beginning to end. The program follows the activities of intelligende analysts in post 9/11 America. The program is in no hurry to get anywhere and feels no compulsion to explain itself or make the narrative a little more user friendly. This can be maddening at times, but it is also welcome. So much of television requires so little of us, that it is refreshing and a bit of a pleasant challenge to run into a show that expects a little audience brain engagement.
Psalms 111
Judges 17:1-13
Acts 7:44-8:1a
John 5:19-29
Psalm 111
A snatch of a phrase from v.5 - "he [God] is ever mindful of his covenant". Which is a glaring difference between us and God. God is ever mindful of his convenant. Guided by his covenant. Following it's every detail in every corner of creation. We tend towards awareness of the convenant when we remember a promise that will benefit us. As God acts the covenant is intrinsically a part of God's ever unfolding activity in history. As we live it tends to be kind of like a warranty that we tuck in the drawer in case something breaks (that we can hold God responsible for).
Acts 7:44-8:1a
The story of the stoning of Stephen is sad and predictable not based on what I know of his time, but what I know of myself and my time. Shoot, or stone, the messenger. Stephen has delivered a lengthy message building on Old Testament history and culminating with the point that the people are "stiff-necked" as they continue to oppose those who would be helpful to them. The prophets, Christ, and now the Holy Spirit - they have in every instance exercised their right of first refusal. This is not want they want to hear so they stone him. Which proves his point, but this was never about the cogency of the argument; it was about trying to shut up legitimate criticism and a call to a new and different way of life. I've not stoned anyone, but I've repeatedly tuned out difficult critiques not because they were wrong, but because they were uncomfortable.
Last nights episode of "Rubicon" on AMC very nearly made sense to me from beginning to end. The program follows the activities of intelligende analysts in post 9/11 America. The program is in no hurry to get anywhere and feels no compulsion to explain itself or make the narrative a little more user friendly. This can be maddening at times, but it is also welcome. So much of television requires so little of us, that it is refreshing and a bit of a pleasant challenge to run into a show that expects a little audience brain engagement.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Intentionality and Touch - August 15, 2010
Daily Lectionary for August 15, 2010
Psalms 103
Judges 16:15-31
2 Corinthians 13:1-11
Mark 5:25-34
2 Corinthians 13:1-11
In the midst of this warning from Paul to the folks in Corinth to get their acts together comes this gem - "Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in faith."(v.5) One of my favorite words in relationship to the journey of faith is intentionality. I have become convinced over the course of the past several years that being intentional about faith and the disciplines of faith is a key - maybe the key - to faithfully following after Jesus. Very little of our growth as disciples of Jesus happens by accident or because we stumble into it. God places tools and opportunities in our path, it is up to us to make utilizing them a priority. To be clear I believe growth comes from God, but as Paul says elsewhere "I planted, Apollos watered and God gave the growth." Intentionality is how much careful attention we pay to our tasks of planting and watering. It is, among other things, doing what Paul suggests here and examining ourselves to see whether we are living in faith. If we do not evaluate we will perhaps imagine we are doing all that we can do to be what God has made us to be and is calling us to be. Close examination can help us to be honest with ourselves and with God. It can help us, not to focus on where we are falling short, but to focus on where we have opportunities for growth. Which is to say it is not to promote beating ourselves up, but to grow our relationship with God.
Mark 5:25-34
I love the tactile nature of this story. The woman seeking to be healed has it in her mind that simply touching Jesus will be enough. That's her plan. Touch Jesus. Maybe she will be healed, he won't notice, no one will be bothered, it'll all be good. She's partly right. She is healed. But Jesus notices. He notices the power leave his body. Jesus wants to know who touched him and the disciples are incredulous and a little exasperated, "You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, 'Who touched me?'" Which is a great question, I'd be wondering that as well. I am wondering that. How does that work exactly? Jesus isn't up for explaining - it is what it is. He simply wants to talk to the woman, not to reprimand her, but to commend her on her faith. Touching so often plays a role in the Gospel stories of Jesus, a variety of healing stories, the anointing of his feet, his washing the disciples feet. Reminders that Jesus is not an apparition wandering through the highways and byways of Jerusalem and the Galilee, but a physical person to whom touch mattered. What happens when you touch the robe of God incarnate? I'm not sure in every instance, but in this very specific instance, a woman by faith and by touch is healed.
Psalms 103
Judges 16:15-31
2 Corinthians 13:1-11
Mark 5:25-34
2 Corinthians 13:1-11
In the midst of this warning from Paul to the folks in Corinth to get their acts together comes this gem - "Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in faith."(v.5) One of my favorite words in relationship to the journey of faith is intentionality. I have become convinced over the course of the past several years that being intentional about faith and the disciplines of faith is a key - maybe the key - to faithfully following after Jesus. Very little of our growth as disciples of Jesus happens by accident or because we stumble into it. God places tools and opportunities in our path, it is up to us to make utilizing them a priority. To be clear I believe growth comes from God, but as Paul says elsewhere "I planted, Apollos watered and God gave the growth." Intentionality is how much careful attention we pay to our tasks of planting and watering. It is, among other things, doing what Paul suggests here and examining ourselves to see whether we are living in faith. If we do not evaluate we will perhaps imagine we are doing all that we can do to be what God has made us to be and is calling us to be. Close examination can help us to be honest with ourselves and with God. It can help us, not to focus on where we are falling short, but to focus on where we have opportunities for growth. Which is to say it is not to promote beating ourselves up, but to grow our relationship with God.
Mark 5:25-34
I love the tactile nature of this story. The woman seeking to be healed has it in her mind that simply touching Jesus will be enough. That's her plan. Touch Jesus. Maybe she will be healed, he won't notice, no one will be bothered, it'll all be good. She's partly right. She is healed. But Jesus notices. He notices the power leave his body. Jesus wants to know who touched him and the disciples are incredulous and a little exasperated, "You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, 'Who touched me?'" Which is a great question, I'd be wondering that as well. I am wondering that. How does that work exactly? Jesus isn't up for explaining - it is what it is. He simply wants to talk to the woman, not to reprimand her, but to commend her on her faith. Touching so often plays a role in the Gospel stories of Jesus, a variety of healing stories, the anointing of his feet, his washing the disciples feet. Reminders that Jesus is not an apparition wandering through the highways and byways of Jerusalem and the Galilee, but a physical person to whom touch mattered. What happens when you touch the robe of God incarnate? I'm not sure in every instance, but in this very specific instance, a woman by faith and by touch is healed.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Expecting Nothing Will Happen - August 14, 2010
Daily Lectionary for August 14, 2010
Psalm 94
Judges 16:1-14
Acts 7:30-43
John 5:1-18
John 5:1-18
This passage speaks of a pool in Jerusalme - Bethzatha - where folks go to be healed. One man has been ill for thirty-eight years. Jesus asks him if he wants to be made well. The sick man answers that he has no way to get to the pool when the water is stirred up. When he tries to get to the water someone else gets there first. Which is kind of a curious and complicated answer. On the one hand he must want to be made well - he keeps coming back to the pool. On the other he seems to have no expectation that it will happen - he seems resigned to the reality that when the water moves he will not be the first person to reach it. Jesus heals him, but I want to stay with the beginning of the story. There is something instructive about the man's behavior. He was going through the motions of what healing could look like, but had no belief that it could actually take place. Jesus changed all that. Encountering Jesus jolts us out of a life with low expectations and going through the motions. Following Jesus keeps us from returning to those ruts.
Preaching the first of three sermons in a row out of Hebrews tomorrow. Basic premise - we're going positive - "Encouraging Words From Hebrews". The gospel from todays set of readings gives a great example of why we need to listen for the encouragement Scripture offers. Life can too easily become a chore that comes complete with anxiety and fear. Texts like tomorrows from Hebrews are reminders that we are a part of something much larger than what happens in any one particular day. That's encouragement to take a second look at what each of those days offers.
Psalm 94
Judges 16:1-14
Acts 7:30-43
John 5:1-18
John 5:1-18
This passage speaks of a pool in Jerusalme - Bethzatha - where folks go to be healed. One man has been ill for thirty-eight years. Jesus asks him if he wants to be made well. The sick man answers that he has no way to get to the pool when the water is stirred up. When he tries to get to the water someone else gets there first. Which is kind of a curious and complicated answer. On the one hand he must want to be made well - he keeps coming back to the pool. On the other he seems to have no expectation that it will happen - he seems resigned to the reality that when the water moves he will not be the first person to reach it. Jesus heals him, but I want to stay with the beginning of the story. There is something instructive about the man's behavior. He was going through the motions of what healing could look like, but had no belief that it could actually take place. Jesus changed all that. Encountering Jesus jolts us out of a life with low expectations and going through the motions. Following Jesus keeps us from returning to those ruts.
Preaching the first of three sermons in a row out of Hebrews tomorrow. Basic premise - we're going positive - "Encouraging Words From Hebrews". The gospel from todays set of readings gives a great example of why we need to listen for the encouragement Scripture offers. Life can too easily become a chore that comes complete with anxiety and fear. Texts like tomorrows from Hebrews are reminders that we are a part of something much larger than what happens in any one particular day. That's encouragement to take a second look at what each of those days offers.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Faith and God's Time - August 13, 2010
Daily Lectionary for August 13, 2010
Psalms 69:1-15
Judges 14:20-15:20
Acts 7:17-29
John 4:43-54
Psalm 69:1-15
Here are two thoughts in one prayer that could put some pressure on one another. To feel that one is "sinking in mire" and needs to be "delivered from deep wather" while concerned that the "flood sweep over me or the deep swallow me up or the Pit close its mouth over me" on one hand while on the other praying, "At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me". What seems alarmingly immediate at times often is not; that does not make it any easier to pray for God to act in God's time rather than in my time.
John 4:43-54
A royal official whose son is dying tracks Jesus down to seek his help. He asks Jesus to come and heal his boy and Jesus says, "Go, your Son will live." The story says "the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way." One wonders where that level of faith showed up from. What kept the man from saying, "I believe you and everything, but maybe you could come with me just in case." Maybe it was Jesus demeanor or his tone of voice. Or maybe, in that moment, the officials faith was just that strong. In a way this connects to the Psalms passage - we offer our prayer asking God to act in God's time and then we are left to believe, to have faith that God will act in God's time and that it will be for the best. This is not a "keep your receipt in case you are unhappy with your results" kind of faith. It's a faith that requires us to place ourselves in God's presence and then leave ourselves accepting that God's outcome will always be preferable to our own.
Friday the 13th
I am no fan of Friday the 13th, but it's not the day specfically - it's the number 13 in general. I will do what I can to avoid it. In college working in the Boone Tavern Dining Room if I was asked to set up a party of 13 (which did happen on more than one occasion) I'd set the table for 14, figuring the extra place setting couldn't hurt and that I was probably doing the reckless party a favor. Hoping your Friday the 13th seems just like a Friday the 12th or 14th.
Psalms 69:1-15
Judges 14:20-15:20
Acts 7:17-29
John 4:43-54
Psalm 69:1-15
Here are two thoughts in one prayer that could put some pressure on one another. To feel that one is "sinking in mire" and needs to be "delivered from deep wather" while concerned that the "flood sweep over me or the deep swallow me up or the Pit close its mouth over me" on one hand while on the other praying, "At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me". What seems alarmingly immediate at times often is not; that does not make it any easier to pray for God to act in God's time rather than in my time.
John 4:43-54
A royal official whose son is dying tracks Jesus down to seek his help. He asks Jesus to come and heal his boy and Jesus says, "Go, your Son will live." The story says "the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way." One wonders where that level of faith showed up from. What kept the man from saying, "I believe you and everything, but maybe you could come with me just in case." Maybe it was Jesus demeanor or his tone of voice. Or maybe, in that moment, the officials faith was just that strong. In a way this connects to the Psalms passage - we offer our prayer asking God to act in God's time and then we are left to believe, to have faith that God will act in God's time and that it will be for the best. This is not a "keep your receipt in case you are unhappy with your results" kind of faith. It's a faith that requires us to place ourselves in God's presence and then leave ourselves accepting that God's outcome will always be preferable to our own.
Friday the 13th
I am no fan of Friday the 13th, but it's not the day specfically - it's the number 13 in general. I will do what I can to avoid it. In college working in the Boone Tavern Dining Room if I was asked to set up a party of 13 (which did happen on more than one occasion) I'd set the table for 14, figuring the extra place setting couldn't hurt and that I was probably doing the reckless party a favor. Hoping your Friday the 13th seems just like a Friday the 12th or 14th.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Come and See - August 12, 2010
Daily Lectionary For August 12, 2010
Psalm 10
Judges 14:1-19
Acts 6:15-7:16
John 4:27-42
John 4:27-42
Another "Come and see" instance. The woman at the well is moved by her interaction with Jesus. She goes to the city and says, "Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done!"(v.29) Authentic interaction with Jesus rarely seems to leave people passive. They are changed. And they are compelled to tell someone else. Jesus insight into her life astonishes the woman in a way that leads her to want to invite others to have the same experience. I don't think I say "Come and see" enough. I don't think most folks in communties of faith say "come and see" enough. I'm not sure if it's complacency or something else, but the biblical witness seems clear - when people encounter Jesus they want someone else to encounter Jesus as well. Recognizing this shortcoming in myself along with exposure to teacher/leaders like E. Stanley Ott, creator of the Acts 16:5 Intiative (for a thumbnail description of the Acts 16:5 Initiative go to hebronpc.net and click on Acts 16:5 on the side of the page), is what has pushed me to become far more disciplined in daily Scripture reading and in intentionally making time for prayer. And encouraging folks in our church to be reading the Bible and praying in a regular, discipined manner. Scripture and prayer are two of our best tools for encountering Christ. I want to encounter Christ and I want others to encounter Christ, because it's in that encounter that our lives are transformed. And it's in that transformation that we are moved out of our lethargy and become enthusiastic followers of Christ who can't help but issue the invitation, "Come and see."
Jet Blue Guy
We've had one of those cultural moments in the past couple of days in the person of the Jet Blue flight attendant who had all he could take of rude passengers and finally snapped. He took to the speaker in the plane to offer some choice words and then grabbed a beer and left via the emergency exit. It's the most recent example of the "Network" (I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore) moment. Jet Blue Guy is becoming a folk hero as he's the stand in for everyone who has fantasized about making a slash and burn exit from a job that has driven them to distraction. And perhaps even beyond that he's representative of a lot of folks today who feel like there are large forces in play that leave the individual barely worthy of notice. High unemployment rates, mortgage pressures - an economy that may be recovering, but for many in a way that seems more like abstract indicators going up rather than anything measurable about their personal circumstances. Jet Blue Guy's bravado says that one individual can still, at least for a moment, get the attention of the world and communicate the disssatisfaction that is brewing up in many who have nearly reached the mad as hell and not going to take it any more point.
Psalm 10
Judges 14:1-19
Acts 6:15-7:16
John 4:27-42
John 4:27-42
Another "Come and see" instance. The woman at the well is moved by her interaction with Jesus. She goes to the city and says, "Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done!"(v.29) Authentic interaction with Jesus rarely seems to leave people passive. They are changed. And they are compelled to tell someone else. Jesus insight into her life astonishes the woman in a way that leads her to want to invite others to have the same experience. I don't think I say "Come and see" enough. I don't think most folks in communties of faith say "come and see" enough. I'm not sure if it's complacency or something else, but the biblical witness seems clear - when people encounter Jesus they want someone else to encounter Jesus as well. Recognizing this shortcoming in myself along with exposure to teacher/leaders like E. Stanley Ott, creator of the Acts 16:5 Intiative (for a thumbnail description of the Acts 16:5 Initiative go to hebronpc.net and click on Acts 16:5 on the side of the page), is what has pushed me to become far more disciplined in daily Scripture reading and in intentionally making time for prayer. And encouraging folks in our church to be reading the Bible and praying in a regular, discipined manner. Scripture and prayer are two of our best tools for encountering Christ. I want to encounter Christ and I want others to encounter Christ, because it's in that encounter that our lives are transformed. And it's in that transformation that we are moved out of our lethargy and become enthusiastic followers of Christ who can't help but issue the invitation, "Come and see."
Jet Blue Guy
We've had one of those cultural moments in the past couple of days in the person of the Jet Blue flight attendant who had all he could take of rude passengers and finally snapped. He took to the speaker in the plane to offer some choice words and then grabbed a beer and left via the emergency exit. It's the most recent example of the "Network" (I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore) moment. Jet Blue Guy is becoming a folk hero as he's the stand in for everyone who has fantasized about making a slash and burn exit from a job that has driven them to distraction. And perhaps even beyond that he's representative of a lot of folks today who feel like there are large forces in play that leave the individual barely worthy of notice. High unemployment rates, mortgage pressures - an economy that may be recovering, but for many in a way that seems more like abstract indicators going up rather than anything measurable about their personal circumstances. Jet Blue Guy's bravado says that one individual can still, at least for a moment, get the attention of the world and communicate the disssatisfaction that is brewing up in many who have nearly reached the mad as hell and not going to take it any more point.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
What Can It Mean? - August 11, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for August 11, 2010
Psalm 89:1-18
Judges 13:15-24
Acts 6:1-15
John 4:1-26
Psalm 89:1-18
v.1 "I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations."
Okay, maybe some current praise music isn't thick with theological terms, but for critics of praise music, in a generic blanket sense, I read this verse and ask what am I missing?
Judges 13:15-24
The Bible just has some funny moments. Manoah and his wife (Samson's mom and dad) have just been visited by what they believe might be an angel of the Lord. At the conclusion of the visit the maybe angel suggests that rather then offer him a meal they could offer a sacrifice to God. They do so and "the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar while Manoah and his wife looked on...."(v.20) The angel doesn't appear again and v.21 reports, "Then Manoah realized that it was the angel of the Lord". Like perhaps he was going to watch this and go, "Maybe an angel, maybe not." Love scriptural understatement.
Acts 6:1-15
The apostles make structural changes to the ministry in order to address weakness and enhance the efficacy of their witness. Can't think of any application for this passage.
John 4:1-26
Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well. He engages her in conversation, learns about her and offers her an alternative to the way of life she has experienced up to that point which had apparently had more than its share of difficulty. Meet, listen, converse, offer living water. Again, struggling to find application.
School Days
School starts back in Bullitt County today, and as I check up on my friends on Facebook it appears that this is so other places as well. My son is off to his Junior year, my daughter to the seventh grade. We did the obligatory first day of school picture this morning - a tradition our children gracefully indulge their parents in. Praying that they know how precious and loved they are and that this school year is awesome for them and for all the students heading back to school this day (and for teachers, administrators, support staff - everyone in the educational process).
Psalm 89:1-18
Judges 13:15-24
Acts 6:1-15
John 4:1-26
Psalm 89:1-18
v.1 "I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations."
Okay, maybe some current praise music isn't thick with theological terms, but for critics of praise music, in a generic blanket sense, I read this verse and ask what am I missing?
Judges 13:15-24
The Bible just has some funny moments. Manoah and his wife (Samson's mom and dad) have just been visited by what they believe might be an angel of the Lord. At the conclusion of the visit the maybe angel suggests that rather then offer him a meal they could offer a sacrifice to God. They do so and "the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar while Manoah and his wife looked on...."(v.20) The angel doesn't appear again and v.21 reports, "Then Manoah realized that it was the angel of the Lord". Like perhaps he was going to watch this and go, "Maybe an angel, maybe not." Love scriptural understatement.
Acts 6:1-15
The apostles make structural changes to the ministry in order to address weakness and enhance the efficacy of their witness. Can't think of any application for this passage.
John 4:1-26
Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well. He engages her in conversation, learns about her and offers her an alternative to the way of life she has experienced up to that point which had apparently had more than its share of difficulty. Meet, listen, converse, offer living water. Again, struggling to find application.
School Days
School starts back in Bullitt County today, and as I check up on my friends on Facebook it appears that this is so other places as well. My son is off to his Junior year, my daughter to the seventh grade. We did the obligatory first day of school picture this morning - a tradition our children gracefully indulge their parents in. Praying that they know how precious and loved they are and that this school year is awesome for them and for all the students heading back to school this day (and for teachers, administrators, support staff - everyone in the educational process).
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Reds Still In First - August 10, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for August 10, 2010
Psalms 57
Judges 13:1-15
Acts 5:27-42
John 3:22-36
Judges 13:1-15
Ranging a bit far afield here, but am a little captivated by the angel, or what appears to be an angel, that appears to Samson's mother and eventually to Samson's mother and father. The angel tells them that Samson will be set apart and there are certain restrictions and in that sense it's got the feel of a very specific legendary story - it's about Samson. Stepping back a bit - this is where the ranging around in the field comes in - who doesn't want to hear that their child is special. That their child is set apart for something special by God. That what they do as parents can make all the difference in their child realizing that potential. We, any one of us, can be that angel - or sort of angel - speaking to parents and parents to be the truth that God has a plan for their child. Not in an overbearing sort of way, but in a what an awesome gift God has given you and what a great part in the development of that gift you can play. In short, most parents could live with a visit from an encourager.
Acts 5:27-42
Gamaliel makes such good sense. Why, he asks, are we putting ourselves in the place of God. If what the disciples are about is not of God, it will fail and if it is it can't be stopped. "You might even be found fighting against God!" (v.39) The argument carries the day. So much of what we argue about individually and corporately in the church is spoken to by Gamaliel's argument. Today we prefer sound bites and simplistic, easily understood arguments. We want resolution and we want it now or sooner. We find ambiguity to be intolerable. Maybe a little more ambiguity isn't a such a bad idea. Maybe ambiguity is somehow about finding resolution on God's timeline rather than on ours.
Reds Still In First
It is August 10, 2010 and the Cincinnati Reds, my Cincinnati Reds are still in first place in the National League Central. The second place Cards came to Cincinnati last night to play the first of a three game set and on a whim at 3:30 in the afternoon I called Julie and said, "Let's go to the game." She was agreeable, which as she pointed out later was a major step for her as this kind of thing is done by planning, not by just going. Cameron and I jumped in the car, went by the office and picked up Julie and Eliza and made the two hur trip to the Queen City. We got to the game and to our seats with about ten minutes to spare. The crowd was really into it through three innings and it could have been great...except for the 7 runs the Cards put up in the top of the fourth. From there on the fire just wasn't there. It was interesting. The elements were in place. First place team and second place team. A city hungry for their beloved Reds to do well. A hot, but pleasant night resulting in 36,000 fans at Great American Ballpark. What a scene the later innings could have been if the game had been competitive. Did not happen. The lead shrank to one game and folks began filing out around the 7th inning. It was a fun night, it's always a good night at the ballpark, but it wasn't what it might have been. Playing, in my mind, with how often life is like that - all the pieces are in place, but the outcome, the moment turns out to be not what we'd hoped for or expected. This life thing is an inexact science. We keep living and trying to put ourselves in position. And sometimes, sometimes, sometimes it soars and shines. Sometimes not so much.
Psalms 57
Judges 13:1-15
Acts 5:27-42
John 3:22-36
Judges 13:1-15
Ranging a bit far afield here, but am a little captivated by the angel, or what appears to be an angel, that appears to Samson's mother and eventually to Samson's mother and father. The angel tells them that Samson will be set apart and there are certain restrictions and in that sense it's got the feel of a very specific legendary story - it's about Samson. Stepping back a bit - this is where the ranging around in the field comes in - who doesn't want to hear that their child is special. That their child is set apart for something special by God. That what they do as parents can make all the difference in their child realizing that potential. We, any one of us, can be that angel - or sort of angel - speaking to parents and parents to be the truth that God has a plan for their child. Not in an overbearing sort of way, but in a what an awesome gift God has given you and what a great part in the development of that gift you can play. In short, most parents could live with a visit from an encourager.
Acts 5:27-42
Gamaliel makes such good sense. Why, he asks, are we putting ourselves in the place of God. If what the disciples are about is not of God, it will fail and if it is it can't be stopped. "You might even be found fighting against God!" (v.39) The argument carries the day. So much of what we argue about individually and corporately in the church is spoken to by Gamaliel's argument. Today we prefer sound bites and simplistic, easily understood arguments. We want resolution and we want it now or sooner. We find ambiguity to be intolerable. Maybe a little more ambiguity isn't a such a bad idea. Maybe ambiguity is somehow about finding resolution on God's timeline rather than on ours.
Reds Still In First
It is August 10, 2010 and the Cincinnati Reds, my Cincinnati Reds are still in first place in the National League Central. The second place Cards came to Cincinnati last night to play the first of a three game set and on a whim at 3:30 in the afternoon I called Julie and said, "Let's go to the game." She was agreeable, which as she pointed out later was a major step for her as this kind of thing is done by planning, not by just going. Cameron and I jumped in the car, went by the office and picked up Julie and Eliza and made the two hur trip to the Queen City. We got to the game and to our seats with about ten minutes to spare. The crowd was really into it through three innings and it could have been great...except for the 7 runs the Cards put up in the top of the fourth. From there on the fire just wasn't there. It was interesting. The elements were in place. First place team and second place team. A city hungry for their beloved Reds to do well. A hot, but pleasant night resulting in 36,000 fans at Great American Ballpark. What a scene the later innings could have been if the game had been competitive. Did not happen. The lead shrank to one game and folks began filing out around the 7th inning. It was a fun night, it's always a good night at the ballpark, but it wasn't what it might have been. Playing, in my mind, with how often life is like that - all the pieces are in place, but the outcome, the moment turns out to be not what we'd hoped for or expected. This life thing is an inexact science. We keep living and trying to put ourselves in position. And sometimes, sometimes, sometimes it soars and shines. Sometimes not so much.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Numbers Matter - August 9, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for August 9, 2010
Psalms 12
Judges 12:1-7
Acts 5:12-26
John 3:1-21
Psalm 12
v.6 "The promises of the Lord are pure."
Pure. Sure and certain are certainly qualities of the Lord's promises as well, but pure is a wonderful quality to highlight. My promises tend to have motives left and right and agendas to spare. God's promises are pure. Another reason for me to really look closely at whose promises I'm prioritizing.
Acts 5:12-26
This passage has a couple of those verses that I think are critical to communities of faith today. Verse.14 talks about the addition of "great numbers of men and women". Verse 16 again uses the words "great numbers" to talk about those responding to wha the Apostles are doing. Acts has these type of references throughout. Someone was paying attention to how many folks were participating. Numbers mattered. Not for their sake, but for what they were indicative of - a powerful response to the representation of God's good news. Numbers are no final measuring stick, but there does seem to be clear indication that when God is at work in the midst of people, other people get curious about what is going on. Our actions and our witness become irresistible invitations, not because of any magic in us, but because people are getting glimpses of God.
John 3:1-21
A follow-up on the above in the context of this passage. Nicodemus is one of those folks who is in the group that can be identified as a person drawn to the message and person of Jesus. Nicodemus gets portrayed often as a little dense and a little cowardly. A little dense for not getting what Jesus is talking about and a little cowardly for coming to Jesus under the cover of darkness. I think there is something to the simple fact that Nicodemus came to Jesus at all. Surely not a popular move among his colleagues should he be found out. There is risk involved, but he sees something and is drawn to it. When we are able to really present Jesus and Jesus' message people will be drawn to it.
Preaching Notes...
While this blog is still in the defining stages I think one of the things I want to do is make the occasional note to myself - sort of thinking out loud - about what the upcoming preaching schedule looks like. Towards that end...
Having just spent the past four Sundays around the theme of Treasure Seekers (borrowed our recycled VBS theme and used lectionary passages to explore how we seek the treasure of relationship with God) am now looking to go to Hebrews for three Sundays. Each of the three passages have a positive emphasis; May opt for some other title, but working connecting theme is "Encouragement From Hebrews".
Hebrews 11:29-12:2 - "You'll Never Run Alone"
examples of OT folk who were faithful. We have access to the same God they did - surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses we have that example and support as we run with perseverance the race set before us.
Hebrews 12:18-29 - "Speaking Hope Into A Shaky Today"
Love the image of the Kingdom that cannot be shaken. How attractive is that in the wildly unpredictable kingdom we are living in now
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15,16 - "The Part Of Our Lives That Is Potentially Not Worship (Doesn't Exist)"
Connects continuous worship (v.15) with concrete measures that show up in our lives (v.16)
Psalms 12
Judges 12:1-7
Acts 5:12-26
John 3:1-21
Psalm 12
v.6 "The promises of the Lord are pure."
Pure. Sure and certain are certainly qualities of the Lord's promises as well, but pure is a wonderful quality to highlight. My promises tend to have motives left and right and agendas to spare. God's promises are pure. Another reason for me to really look closely at whose promises I'm prioritizing.
Acts 5:12-26
This passage has a couple of those verses that I think are critical to communities of faith today. Verse.14 talks about the addition of "great numbers of men and women". Verse 16 again uses the words "great numbers" to talk about those responding to wha the Apostles are doing. Acts has these type of references throughout. Someone was paying attention to how many folks were participating. Numbers mattered. Not for their sake, but for what they were indicative of - a powerful response to the representation of God's good news. Numbers are no final measuring stick, but there does seem to be clear indication that when God is at work in the midst of people, other people get curious about what is going on. Our actions and our witness become irresistible invitations, not because of any magic in us, but because people are getting glimpses of God.
John 3:1-21
A follow-up on the above in the context of this passage. Nicodemus is one of those folks who is in the group that can be identified as a person drawn to the message and person of Jesus. Nicodemus gets portrayed often as a little dense and a little cowardly. A little dense for not getting what Jesus is talking about and a little cowardly for coming to Jesus under the cover of darkness. I think there is something to the simple fact that Nicodemus came to Jesus at all. Surely not a popular move among his colleagues should he be found out. There is risk involved, but he sees something and is drawn to it. When we are able to really present Jesus and Jesus' message people will be drawn to it.
Preaching Notes...
While this blog is still in the defining stages I think one of the things I want to do is make the occasional note to myself - sort of thinking out loud - about what the upcoming preaching schedule looks like. Towards that end...
Having just spent the past four Sundays around the theme of Treasure Seekers (borrowed our recycled VBS theme and used lectionary passages to explore how we seek the treasure of relationship with God) am now looking to go to Hebrews for three Sundays. Each of the three passages have a positive emphasis; May opt for some other title, but working connecting theme is "Encouragement From Hebrews".
Hebrews 11:29-12:2 - "You'll Never Run Alone"
examples of OT folk who were faithful. We have access to the same God they did - surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses we have that example and support as we run with perseverance the race set before us.
Hebrews 12:18-29 - "Speaking Hope Into A Shaky Today"
Love the image of the Kingdom that cannot be shaken. How attractive is that in the wildly unpredictable kingdom we are living in now
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15,16 - "The Part Of Our Lives That Is Potentially Not Worship (Doesn't Exist)"
Connects continuous worship (v.15) with concrete measures that show up in our lives (v.16)
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Problems and Solutions - August 8, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for August 8, 2010
Psalm 78:40-72
Judges 11:1-11, 29-40
2 Corinthians 11:21b-31
Mark 6:35-41
Psalm 78:40-72
This section of Psalm 78 spends a good deal of time recounting the ways in which God delivered the people from bondage in Egypt and brought them to "his holy hill, to the mountain his right hand had won". Specific reference is made to the various plagues that God visited on Egypt reminding the people that it was God who acted mightily on their behalf. The culmination point is v. 56, "Yet they tested the Most High God and rebelled against him. They did not observe his decrees, but turned away and were faithless". Which is to say, once they got where they were going they forgot how they got there. They woke up one day and liked the view and somehow imagined that they had brought themselves to that point. A caution to us to both take care to remember the ways in which God has blessed us and been active in our lives and to remember that we don't arrive anywhere on our own.
Judges 11:1-11, 29-40
I've got nothing. Be careful what promises you make, maybe...or what promises your father makes. I mean, really, you make a promise like that, who is going to come out the door and you are going to go, "Oh good."?
Mark 6:35-41
Jesus and the disciples are out in a deserted place, it's getting late, folks are getting hungry and the disciples are getting nervous. They go to Jesus, explain the situation and ask him to disperse the crowds so they can go find food. Jesus answers, "You give them something to eat." I like these disicples a lot. Identify the problem and then turn it over to Jesus for fixing. I can find all sorts of things for God to fix. Then Jesus responds, "You found the problem. Excellent. Now get to work on the solution."
Psalm 78:40-72
Judges 11:1-11, 29-40
2 Corinthians 11:21b-31
Mark 6:35-41
Psalm 78:40-72
This section of Psalm 78 spends a good deal of time recounting the ways in which God delivered the people from bondage in Egypt and brought them to "his holy hill, to the mountain his right hand had won". Specific reference is made to the various plagues that God visited on Egypt reminding the people that it was God who acted mightily on their behalf. The culmination point is v. 56, "Yet they tested the Most High God and rebelled against him. They did not observe his decrees, but turned away and were faithless". Which is to say, once they got where they were going they forgot how they got there. They woke up one day and liked the view and somehow imagined that they had brought themselves to that point. A caution to us to both take care to remember the ways in which God has blessed us and been active in our lives and to remember that we don't arrive anywhere on our own.
Judges 11:1-11, 29-40
I've got nothing. Be careful what promises you make, maybe...or what promises your father makes. I mean, really, you make a promise like that, who is going to come out the door and you are going to go, "Oh good."?
Mark 6:35-41
Jesus and the disciples are out in a deserted place, it's getting late, folks are getting hungry and the disciples are getting nervous. They go to Jesus, explain the situation and ask him to disperse the crowds so they can go find food. Jesus answers, "You give them something to eat." I like these disicples a lot. Identify the problem and then turn it over to Jesus for fixing. I can find all sorts of things for God to fix. Then Jesus responds, "You found the problem. Excellent. Now get to work on the solution."
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Still Haven't Found What We Are Looking For - August 7, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for August 7, 2010
Psalm 63
Judges 9:22-25, 50-57
Acts 4:32-5:11
John 2:13-25
Psalm 63
v.1 "O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water."
U2 made an anthem out of the words, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". Partly because it's a great tune and partly because most of us, one way or another, haven't found what we are looking for. Like the psalmists awareness of what the real need is in this passage. A lot of our frustration - a lot of my frustration I think - is the realization that we (I) have these moments where we KNOW we are in a dry and weary land where there is no water. What we (I) are often less aware of is what the water is for which we are thirsting. The psalmist nails it - our souls thirst for God. Try what we like nothing but God will satisfy.
Acts 4:32-5:11
Acts 4:32-37 followed by 5:1-11 make a jarring pair. The first gives the ideal picture of the early Christian community. Everyone shared everything, no one was needy, Barnabas ("son of encouragement") sells his field and gives the proceeds to the Apostles. It's all good. Chapter 4 could end with, "And they lived happily ever after..." Except they don't. Chapter 5 begins with the story of Ananias and Sapphira who keep back some profits from selling a piece of land. And then they lie about it. Storm clouds show up quickly in this new community. To their credit just as they didn't live happily ever after, they now don't disband the whole thing as a failed project. So it is in our faith communities now as well. We have moments of excellence and bask in God's glory. And we have moments of something less than excellence and things fall apart. God sustained the community then and God sustains us now.
Thanking God for...
A beautiful morning. After the heat, it was almost a fall morning. Okay, it's August 7 so the heat isn't going anywhere just yet, but what a welcome touch the sunshine and light, nearly cool, breeze was this morning.
Psalm 63
Judges 9:22-25, 50-57
Acts 4:32-5:11
John 2:13-25
Psalm 63
v.1 "O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water."
U2 made an anthem out of the words, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". Partly because it's a great tune and partly because most of us, one way or another, haven't found what we are looking for. Like the psalmists awareness of what the real need is in this passage. A lot of our frustration - a lot of my frustration I think - is the realization that we (I) have these moments where we KNOW we are in a dry and weary land where there is no water. What we (I) are often less aware of is what the water is for which we are thirsting. The psalmist nails it - our souls thirst for God. Try what we like nothing but God will satisfy.
Acts 4:32-5:11
Acts 4:32-37 followed by 5:1-11 make a jarring pair. The first gives the ideal picture of the early Christian community. Everyone shared everything, no one was needy, Barnabas ("son of encouragement") sells his field and gives the proceeds to the Apostles. It's all good. Chapter 4 could end with, "And they lived happily ever after..." Except they don't. Chapter 5 begins with the story of Ananias and Sapphira who keep back some profits from selling a piece of land. And then they lie about it. Storm clouds show up quickly in this new community. To their credit just as they didn't live happily ever after, they now don't disband the whole thing as a failed project. So it is in our faith communities now as well. We have moments of excellence and bask in God's glory. And we have moments of something less than excellence and things fall apart. God sustained the community then and God sustains us now.
Thanking God for...
A beautiful morning. After the heat, it was almost a fall morning. Okay, it's August 7 so the heat isn't going anywhere just yet, but what a welcome touch the sunshine and light, nearly cool, breeze was this morning.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Beginning - August 6, 2010
What better time to decide to start a blog then when it's 100 or so degrees outside. Folks keep saying things like, "The heat index is 114 this afternoon". It gets a little blurry. Let's just say it's hot. Has been a few days and apparently will be a few days more. My car has one of those temperature displays on the dash that has been overwhelmed by all of this. It throws up whatever temperature it can think of at that moment. I kind of like knowing the car is just guessing - sort of like the rest of us.
My intent is to use this as a devotional space to interact with the Daily Lectionary Readings as briefly, or not, as seems appropriate to the day. I'll list the readings as that might be helpful for some - and then make comments, share observations and so on for the day. Looking forward to giving this a try.
Daily Lectionary - August 6, 2010
Psalm 37
Judges 9:1-16, 19-21
Acts 4:13-31
John 2:1-12
Psalm 37
v. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Like verses like this a lot, but think they are sometimes misunderstood. We jump to the God giving us the desires of our heart part, without considering what the "taking delight in the Lord" might mean. Taking delight in the Lord - really - might just shape the desires of our heart a whole different way. It's not God waiting to dispense whatever we can think of - it's us being open to the gifts that God wants to be the desires of our heart.
Acts 4:13-31
The Daily Lectionary has just begun making its way through Acts again which is great because Acts is a such a good read. In this passage Peter and John are in trouble with the authorities for healing folks, speaking about their faith and other undesirable stuff. The deicision is made that they really haven't done anything wrong, but they are asked to cut it out - cease and desist. Peter and John respond, "Whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard." (4:19-20) If faith is alive and at work in us it won't stay in us - we will be compelled to share.
Praying this day for...
The Yard Sale at Hebron Presbyterian Church, today and tomorrow, 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. both days. Our PW works hard to put these Yard Sales together. They get a great response from the community and we have folks who we stay in contact with via their visits to our Yard Sale. The PW supports a lot of great mission work with the proceeds - just the other day they were able to make a donation to help finish a wheel chair ramp for a mobile home used by a Bullitt County helping agency to assist folks who are homeless. Praying for all the folks who will be working, all those who will be stopping by and all those who will benefit from the PW's gifts.
What are you praying for this day?
My intent is to use this as a devotional space to interact with the Daily Lectionary Readings as briefly, or not, as seems appropriate to the day. I'll list the readings as that might be helpful for some - and then make comments, share observations and so on for the day. Looking forward to giving this a try.
Daily Lectionary - August 6, 2010
Psalm 37
Judges 9:1-16, 19-21
Acts 4:13-31
John 2:1-12
Psalm 37
v. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Like verses like this a lot, but think they are sometimes misunderstood. We jump to the God giving us the desires of our heart part, without considering what the "taking delight in the Lord" might mean. Taking delight in the Lord - really - might just shape the desires of our heart a whole different way. It's not God waiting to dispense whatever we can think of - it's us being open to the gifts that God wants to be the desires of our heart.
Acts 4:13-31
The Daily Lectionary has just begun making its way through Acts again which is great because Acts is a such a good read. In this passage Peter and John are in trouble with the authorities for healing folks, speaking about their faith and other undesirable stuff. The deicision is made that they really haven't done anything wrong, but they are asked to cut it out - cease and desist. Peter and John respond, "Whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard." (4:19-20) If faith is alive and at work in us it won't stay in us - we will be compelled to share.
Praying this day for...
The Yard Sale at Hebron Presbyterian Church, today and tomorrow, 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. both days. Our PW works hard to put these Yard Sales together. They get a great response from the community and we have folks who we stay in contact with via their visits to our Yard Sale. The PW supports a lot of great mission work with the proceeds - just the other day they were able to make a donation to help finish a wheel chair ramp for a mobile home used by a Bullitt County helping agency to assist folks who are homeless. Praying for all the folks who will be working, all those who will be stopping by and all those who will benefit from the PW's gifts.
What are you praying for this day?
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