Reading The Bible Is Different Then Playing A Slot Machine - September 30, 2010

Daily Lectionary Readigns for September 30, 2010
Psalm 78:1-39
Hosea 4:1-10
Acts 21:27-36
Luke 6:1-11

Psalm 78:1-39
"Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
 incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
 I will open my mouth in a parable;
 I will utter dark sayings from of old,
 things that we have heard and known." (vs.1-3)

This passage fits beautifully with a conversation that I've been a part of over the past couple of days at our Tuesday Morning Prayer Group and last night at Wednesday Night Church.  We've been discussing the discipline of Scripture reading and the value of that discipline.  I have heard one of our Hebron folk reference a Scripture passage that we read last week during Wednesday Night Church on two occasions to make two separate good and distinct points.  Independent of encountering that Scripture in that gathering those points probably don't occur to her in the subsequent days, but being present for worship and being open to God's Word, she heard and then applied what she heard.  The lines above ask us to listen for God's word to us which we can do in many ways, one of which is surely reading Scripture.  The utility of this is evident immediately in verse 2.  "I will open my mouth in a parable".  Knowing Scripture, knowing the stories of Scripture, the people of Scripture makes us familiar and able to access those people and their stories in our own lives.  They help us to be able to take the complex step of incorporating the stories into our own parables and to understand the complexity with which others may speak of the stories and people of Scripture.  Reading Scripture as a discipline - whether it is the Daily Lectionary or some other approach - is not analagous to playing a slot machine.  With the slots you pull the lever and you either receive something or you do not.  Scripture may bless us immediately.  We may find or hear just the word that we need for a particular moment right at that moment.  But exposure to that reading puts the idea into our mind and we cary it with us to the various contexts that we visit throughout the day and the coming days and it works in us and perhaps an application (or more) in a few hours or days or weeks.

Acts 21:27-36
Stunning, electric moment as Paul is beaten an arrested in Jerusalem.  The passage ends with Paul standing before a hushed crowd, prepared to make a speech in his defense.  Very dramatic passage - love the book of Acts.

Luke 6:1-11
One of those backwards, how do the Pharisees (and how do we) find ourselves in moments like this with clearly sideways passions like this.
So Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath.  Watching to see what he will do and then seeing him not do it secretly but right out in the open as kind of an object lesson the response of the Phrarisees is..."they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus".  Because that's what you would want to do with someone who made people whole - be mad at them and want to hurt them/curtail them in some way.  Right?

Sinners In The Hands Of A Gracious God - September 29, 2010

Daily Lectionary Readings for September 29, 2010
Psalm 37
Hosea 3:1-5
Acts 21:15-26
Luke 5:27-39

Luke 5:27-39
"Jesus answered, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.'"(v. 31-32)
Jesus has called Levi to follow him.  Levi has thrown a huge dinner and the Pharisees, predictably, get upset and want an explanation for why Jesus would hang out with tax collectors and sinners.  Jesus answer, pretty much, is that independent of tax collectors and sinners, he'd have no one to eat with.  He doesn't say it precisely that way, but it's there.  Jesus does say he didn't come for those who have no need of a physician.  So, basically, he didn't come for himself.  That leaves all of the rest of us throughout human history that he came for - sinners in need of being called to repentance.  The Pharisees model a behavior that is to easy to fall into - that is seeing the sin and need for repentance in folks around us, while seeming to be blissfully ignorant of the sin and need for repentance in our own selves.  Levi has heard Jesus call and responded because he has recognized his need.  The Pharisees have yet to come to the realization of need.  The Bible being the Bible this is more than a look at what happened once story, but a dynamic story in which we too are called and in which we too will need to respond.

NL Central Division Champions!
"The National League Central Division Championship belongs to the Cincinnati Reds".  That's what Marty Brennaman said last night after Jay Bruce hit a game winning walk-off homerun to propel the Reds to victory over the Astros.  One broadcaster threw out a stat (unchecked on) that this was only the fifth time in baseball history that a division championship had been clinched by a walk-off homerun.  It was sweet.  This has been an easy team to love - not a bunch of big stars, but a good collection of good players who seem to like each other and who can get blasted to pieces one day and seem to have totally forgotten it the next.  They are resilient.  They are gamers.  They are, for the first time in fifteen years, division champions.  And now a week to revel in it before the playoffs start.  Well done to my Reds!

What's Up With the Prosperity Gospel? - September 28, 2010

Daily Lectionary Readings for September 28, 2010
Psalm 106:1-27
Hosea 2:16-23
Acts 21:1-14
Luke 5:12-26

Psalm 106:1-27
Early on in this Psalm we find the following verses: 
"Remember me, O Lord when you show favor to your people;
 help me when you deliver them;
 that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
 that I may glory in your heritage."(vs.4 and 5)
Herein lies the problem with the idea of the prosperity gospel.  Too often a passage like these two verses is lifted out and used to exhort the faithful to seek God's favor so that we may see God cause us - the chosen ones - to prosper.  Size of house, make of car, appropriate presence of brand names is not a measure of faithfulness.  It's just not.
On the other hand too many folks seem willing to toss the word prosperity out the window for fear of being confused with the prosperity gospel folks.  Like evangelism and the Holy Spirit, prosperity is one of those words that some just resist using because of what they might bring to mind.  Let us not give up on prosperity and on God's favor.  Let us place these ideas in context as the Psalmist does.  God makes awesome provision for the people, the people are at times appreciative and at times callously indifferent.  Time and again God shows favor on God's people and time and again the people are fickle in a big way.  Prosperity and favor are not determined by how much material stuff God lands in our lap.  Prosperity, favor, the life abundant is found in grasping on to God's way and hanging on for dear life and trying very hard to appreciate it along the way even when it's hard and challenging and difficult. 
"Remember me O Lord when you show favor to your people...."

Hosea 2:16-23
Just wonderful prose about God's ardor for God's creation.  The hope for tomorrow doesn't get much more beautifully stated then it is here.  God will renew us, make us clean, grant us peace, hold us close forever.  Great passage.

Swamping Our Boat - September 27, 2010

Daily Lectionary for September 27, 2010
Psalm 60
Hosea 2:2-15
Acts 20:17-38
Luke 5:1-11

Hosea 2:2-15
Similar to yesterday's theme from the Psalm, here we have a passage about what we do with the opportunities and resources that God gives us.  In an odd way, it's a stewardship piece.  God gives us grain and wine and oil and silver and gold and wool and what do we do with these many blessings?  We make idols of them.  We imagine they are self-producing, not bothering to step back and see that they are all gifts from God.  The hurt that this attitude brings to God and the yearning for the relationship to be set right just pours out of these verses.  It is hard to read these verses and not feel chastened and yet it is also hard to read these verses and not feel God's intense love for each of us.

Luke 5:1-11
Jesus finishes preaching (from his position in Peter's boat) and when he is done he has them take him out to deeper water and asks them to let down their nets in spite of the fact that they have been fishing and have caught nothing.  "When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break."(v.6)  Same lake, same boat, same folks, same fish - add Jesus and they get a different result.  Yesterday in worship we sang the hymn "Count Your Many Blessings".  I suspect that many times we find it very easy to count our burdens, count our challenges, count the things we are anxious about, count our problems.  And for the most part, we have those things and they are real, not our imagination.  But they can cloud our vision to where we count those things to the exclusion of the primary thing, the main thing which is our blessings.  This Monday let's try to listen for Jesus, let down our nets and see if the blessings in our boat don't just about swamp the thing.

God's Pleasure - September 26, 2010

Daily Lectionary for September 26, 2010
Psalm 147
Hosea 1:1-2:1
James 3:1-13
Matthew 13:44-52

Psalm 147
"His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;
but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love."
Great insight about God from the Psalmist.  God doesn't take delight in strength or pleasure in speed.  God gave the strength and the speed.  What does give God pleasure is those who "hope in his steadfast love".  That is more than a simple utilization of the skills and abilities with which God has blessed us - it is a decision to hope in God - an acceptance of God's provision and love and a commitment to hope in God, to love God back in response.  God loves our good choices.

James 3:1-13
"From the same mouth come blessing and cursing."  So says James in a great passage on the ability of the tongue to do good and not so good.  Echoing the theme lifted from the Psalm above is the idea that the tongue is subject to how we use it.  We can curse with it which cannot please God or we can bless with it which God most likely prefers.  The choice is in our hands.

Important passage...
The washer and dryer that were purchased some 17 years ago when we were renting a house in St. Charles, Missouri have served through all of our years in eastern Kentucky and the first five years here in Mt. Washington.  The dryer may have a bit of life left in it - the heating element was recently replaced and it seems to be perking right along.  The washer is giving several indications that it has about done its time.  On Thursday a new dryer will arrive and this one will be relieved of duty.  Funny how replacing a washer can be one of those times of reflection on all that has happened over the years. 

Tips For Sleeping During Sermons - September 25, 2010

Daily Lectionary Readings for September 25, 2010
Psalm 118
Esther 9:1-32
Acts 20:1-16
Luke 4:38-44

Esther 9:1-32
Something of a summary and tying together of what has happened in the book of Esther and an explanation of the ongoing signifigance of these events - this is the origin  of the Jewish festival Purim.
Having gone through Esther again in the past few days I find myself not sure how much I like the character of Mordecai in this story.  He seems opportunistic and perfectly happy to let Esther do the heavy lifting.  But not averse to reaping the benefits of her risks.

Acts 20:1-16
One of those passages to warm a preacher's heart.  Paul goes on for so long that someone falls asleep and falls out the window their death.  Paul asserts that they young man will be fine - which he turns out to be.  Heads up sermon listeners:  The pews are a good bet.  Stay away from the windows.

Being Joyful Before God - September 24, 2010

Daily Lectionary Readings for September 24, 2010
Psalm 68:1-10
Esther 8:1-8, 15-17
Acts 19:21-41
Luke 4:31-37

Psalm 68:1-10
But let the righteous be joyful:
let them exult before God;
let them be jubilant with joy.
Sing to God, sing praises to his name.(vs.3 and 4)
A characteristic of the righteous (which I don't think we can declare ourselves to be, but which we can strive to be like) is that the righteous are joyful before God.  They are jubilant with joy.  They sing praises to God's name.  Which is different then being joyous and then going to God and sharing that joy with God.  I believe God loves it when we share our joy with God, but I think the point here is that whatever our state of mind when we get there, when we place ourselves in God's presence, it's cause for joy.

Steven Colbert appeared before Congress to offer testimony at hearings related to immigration.  And received tremendous press coverage.  And deservedly so, Colbert is a sharp guy, able to make a point and draw a laugh at the same time.  What is unfortunate is that that particular skill set - bright, articulate, funny - seems to be in such short supply in the vicinity of congress.  Why must so much of the discourse offered by our elected leadership be in simplistic sound bites, woefully lacking in meaningful points and devoid of anything approaching a light touch.  Just curious. 

Careful With Those Invocations - September 23, 2010

Daily Lectionary Reading for September 23, 2010
Psalm 66
Esther 7:1-10
Acts 19:11-20
Luke 4:14-30

Acts 19:11-20
The interesting case of the seven sons of the Jewish high priest named Sceva.  Impressed with the miracles they see Paul doing in the name of Jesus they employ the name of Jesus to attempt to exorcise a demon.  "But the evil spirit said to tehm in reply, "Jesus I know and Paul I know; but who are you."(v.15)  I think it's not so much that the name of Jesus shouldn't have been invoked.  It's more that when one does invoke the name of Jesus one had best not be playing at some power game - one had best believe in what they are doing. 

September 23, 1949 was Bruce Springsteen's birthday.  That would make September 23, 2010 his 61st.  Happy birthday to the Boss and here's hoping there are many more ahead.

An Opportune Time - September 22, 2010

Daily Lectionary Readings for September 22, 2010
Psalm 43
Esther 6:1-14
Acts 19:1-10
Luke 4:1-13

Luke 4:1-13
The story of the temptation of Jesus always stands at the beginning of Lent so it feels a little different to run into it on the borderline between summer and fall.  The devil tempts Jesus and Jesus, utilizing Scripture throughout, resists each temptation.  Verse 13 gives an important insight into the devil's work.  "When the devil had finished every test, he deaprted from him until an opportune time."  He did not depart permanently.  He did not depart discouraged.  He did not depart resigned to the fact that Jesus could not be had sooner or later.  He departed - until an opportune time.  Temptation is never finished with us.  As long as we are aiming to follow Jesus the devil will be searching for opportune times to tempt us to follow something else.  The devil is not a cartoon character with a pitchfork and pointy ears.  The devil is a persistent foe who tests us and tests us and does not relent. 

Paul Passes It On - September 21, 2010

Daily Lectionary Readings For September 21, 2010
Psalm 14
Esther 5:1-14
Acts 18:12-28
Luke 3:15-22

Acts 18:12-28
In the early verses of this passage we get glimpses of Paul traveling and nurturing, revisiting places where churches have been planted and tending to them.  In vs.24-28 we meet Apollos, an example of the fruit of all that planting and nurturing and tending.  Apollos is learning the Way of God.  He is enthusiastic and ready to share what he knows, but is also ready to learn more.  Enter Priscilla and Aqulla, traveling companions and folks who have learned from Paul and who now pass their learning on to Apollos.  The passage concludes with Apollos replicating the process by traveling to Achaia and becoming a powerful messenger of Jesus as Messiah.  We watch how discipleship worked in the early church and we see how it can work in the church today.  We get excited about our relationship with God, we listen to those who have traveled ahead of us and now share lessons about the journey with us and we travel on, eventually reaching the point where we may also look back and become guides to the next group of folks who will become excited about a relationship with God.

For Such A Time As This - September 20, 2010

Daily Lectionary Readings For September 20, 2010
Psalm 39
Esther 4:4-17
Acts 18:1-11
Luke (1:1-4) 3:1-14

Esther 4:4-17
Mordecai asks Esther to intervene with the King on behalf of the Jewish peope who face massive slaughter because of the actions of Haman.  Esther says that if she goes to the King without being summoned the penalty is death.  Mordecai responds that if she doesn't go, as a Jew, she'll die anyway.  He says, "For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, bu you and your father's family will perish.  Who knows?  Perhaps you have come to royal dignity, for such a time as this."(v.14)  The phrase, repeated twice in this verse, "for such a time as this" was the theme of this summer's Presbyterian Youth Triennium.  It's a powerful thought.  Wherever we find ourselves it leads us to ask ourselves what opportunities for service God has placed us there to accomplish.  Even in chaos or crisis moments it is important to ask if God has placed us here "for such a time as this".

Acts 18:1-11
In which we learn the source of the terminology often used for pastors who also have a second occupation - tentmakers.  Paul meets Priscilla and Aqulla who are tentmakers and stays with them because, the text says, "he was of the same trade"(v.3)

Anger Getting In The Way - September 19, 2010

Daily Lectionary for September 19, 2010
Psalm 105:1-22
Esther 3:1-4:3
James 1:19-27
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

James 1:19-27
"let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God's righteousness."(v.19)  More than a word of advice - listen, don't rush to speak, be slow to anger - but also a rationale - our anger does not produce God's righteousness.  What would I stop doing if I ran it through the lens of what produces God's righteousness?

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
Follows the James passage nicely.  Words about piety and giving and fasting.  Do these things because they are growth producing spiritual disciplines between us and God.  Don't do these things to be observed doing these things and congratulated for it.  Do these things seeking to experience God's righteousness in our lives.

Sermon this morning...
I have been absolutely loopy in my reading of the calendar the past few days and inverted the lectionary from the 19th and 26th so today's sermon wound up being from the 26th lectionary because it was too late to turn back by the time I realized what I had done.  The congregation seemed not irreperably damaged by hearing the wrong scripture passage for the day.
Preached on Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15 and 1 Timothy 6:6-19.  Paul speaks to Timothy about the trouble we get into when we trust in wealth rather and riches rather than trusting in God's rich provision.  Jeremiah makes an interesting case study in light of Paul's words - Jeremiah is called upon to trust in God's provision and wisdom rather than on prudent financial decision making.  God's instruction?  Buy land in a country that is about to be completely taken over by Babylon.  The reason?  To make the prophetic statement that one day the people would return to their land.  It doesn't make good sense.  It's not logical.  It is obedient.  This is what Paul is talking to Timothy about I believe.  We follow Jesus, we seek to be obedient and we trust in God's rich provision.

Turning The World Upside Down - September 17, 2010

Daily Lectionary Reading for September 17, 2010 Psalm 55
Esther 1:1-4, 10-19
Acts 17:1-15
John 12:36b-43

*note - In a confused state I put Saturday's readings on Friday so I've redated Friday so that it is correct and am going back and picking up Friday's readings - the completist in me can make no other choice.

Acts 17:1-15
One of those great, great verses here.  Paul and Silas are doing the usual preaching and teaching and stirring things up and a group of believers is taken before the authorities.  The accusers say, "These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also."(v.6b)  What exactly are they saying that's turning things upside down.  "The are all acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor, saying that there is another king named Jesus."  So essentially, they are in big trouble for telling the truth of things.  A call to us to remember who the king is and that when we say it sometimes it will be recieved with joy and sometimes it will be poorly received by those who might imagine that they are, or work for, the king.

John 12:36b-43
Follows the above nicely.  A discussion of those who experience the work of Christ and are blind to what it means.  The concluding verses are one that is a caution to us in our discipleship - "Buyt because of the Pharisees they did not confess for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue, for they loved human glory more than the glory that comes from God."(vs.42b-43)  That human glory can be seductive stuff.

Pointing Beyond Ourselves - September 18, 2010

Daily Lectionary for September 18, 2010
Psalm 128
Esther 2:5-8, 15-23
Acts 17:16-34
John 12:44-50

Acts 17:16-34 and John 12:44-50
"And whoever sees me sees him who sent me."(v.45)
Simple.  Jesus acts and in his obedient action creates a window through which he points beyond himself to God.  Jesus is not about pointing to Jesus, except in those ways where pointing to himself illuminates God beyond himself.  We won't reach that point, but it's worth aspiring to point beyond ourselves on occasion.  The Acts passage is Paul's encounter with the Athenians on the topic of their many gods.  Paul's aim to point beyond himself and beyond these gods to the living God.  He's passionate about it - driven. Praying that I can be passionate about things that point beyond myself to the God in whom, as the Acts passage puts it, "we live and move and have our being".(v.28)

Where Is Wisdom - September 16, 2010

Daily Lectionary for September 16, 2010
Psalm 36
Job 28:1-28
Acts 16:25-40
John 12:27-36a

Job 28
Okay - I jumped the gun yesterday - seems we aren't quite out of Job yet.  And a good thing - great passage today - Job asking the question, "Where is wisdom?"  "But where shall wisdom be found?  And where is the place of understanding?"  After going through the places one might look and not find - the deep and the sea - and then asking how it can be obtained - not with gold or silver or even the topaz of Ethiopia - an answer is arrived at in v.28.  "Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding."  If our primary orientation is one of proper awe of the Lord we will have at the very least the wisdom to want to turn away from evil.  Today's Psalm has a short verse that applies here:  "He sets himself up in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil."(v.4)  The person in question does not show wisdom, but rather the opposite.  And interestingly it is not the seeking of evil, it is a more passive not turning away from evil.  Evil doesn't have to have an invitation - we don't have to go try and do it.  It'll come on it's own - will we "reject" it, will we show "understanding"?

Acts 16:25-40
Again Paul is in the right place at the right time to share the good news.  The right place, in this instance, is prison and the way he got there at that particular moment was by healing a slave girl which brought on a beating and an arrest and finally prison.  That sequence of events woul seem like a disaster if one was planning how one wanted this missionary journey to go.  The healing would be okay, but the beating and arrest and jail would seem like one disaster after another.  Take away the beating, the arrest an the jail though and you don't have the encounter between Paul and the jailer.  God puts us in places, sometimes even unpleasant places it seems, for purposes.

John 12:26-36a
Nice picking up of the theme of light in this passage and the Psalms passage.  Not necessarily a relationship between the two, but interesting to get to "light" passages in the same daily reading, so that one seems to echo the other. 
Psalm 36:9  "For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light."
John 12:35-36  "So Jesus said to them, The light is with you for a little longer.  Walk while you have the light, so that darkness may not overtake you.  If you walk in teh darkness, you do not know where you are going.  While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.
In God's light we see light.  Walking in Christ's light allows us to see our way through the darkness.  We may become children of light.
All of which, to pick up on the Job passage, sounds like a path towards wisdom.

We Want To See Jesus - September 15, 2010

Daily Lectionary for September 15, 2010
Psalm 5
Job 42:1-17
Acts 16:16-24
John 12:20-26

Job 42:1-17
First off - last day in Job and I'm ready for something else.  Job is a chore.
Second, God has a word here for Job's buddies - "you have not spoken of me what is right"(v7) an again "for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has done."(v.8)  They are held accountable by God and directed to make a sacrifice and then have Job pray for them.  They perhaps have been working out of conventional wisdom or out of what they thought should be right, but God is not pleased to be misrepresented.  Something to keep in mind when we consider our God talk  Have we carefully considered what we say about God. Is it converntional wisdom?  Is it what we imagine ought to be true about God.  The point would not be that we should not speak about God - I think the point would be that it is not a trifle to do so and it should engage our hearts and minds and not be a perfunctory activity.

Acts 16:16-24
Similar dynamics to yesterday's story where Jesus was displeasing the Pharisees by rasiing Lazarus to life.  One reads the story and wonders how you get so attached to a particular way of life that when a glimpse of a still more spectacular way of life comes into view one quickly moves to slam the door on it.  Today we have Paul casts a spirit out of a slave-girl who is a money maker for her owners in that she has a spirit of divination.  The owners haul Paul and Silas before the authorities who dutifully have them flogged for their transgression of helping the girl.  This is what faith is up against culturally and in our individual lives.  The view into what is possible can be breathtaking, but the loss of grip on the present - unpleasant or not - is apparently untenable.

John 12:20-26
Slightly odd detachment to this story.  Some Greeks come to Philip and say "'Sir, we want to see Jesus'".  the disciples pass this along to Jesus who begins teaching and there is not an account of the meeting.  Still a great passage as the Greeks in this story stand in for anyone on the outside of a relationship with Jesus looking for the thing they are hardwired for yet have not yet experienced.  "We want what goes in this space in our being" the world says in its struggles for meaning.  Which to the ears of the church, I think, should sound very much like "We want to see Jesus".  How will we respond?

Here On Purpose - September 14, 2010

Daily Lectionary for September 14, 2010
Psalm 50
Job 40:1, 41:1-11
Acts 16:6-15
John 12:9-19

Acts 16:6-15
This passage from Acts wraps up with a very specific recounting of Paul and Silas meeting a woman named Lydia.  Lydia was from Thyatira; they meet her in Phillipi in the district of Macedonia.  How do they get to that moment.  By not going to some places - places that the Holy Spirit forbade them to go.  On the face of it that seems odd.  The great evangelist traveling through fertile fields in which he is not allowed to bear witness.  In the midst of traveling through these places where they have been forbidden to preach Paul has a vision of a Macedonian man encouraging them to come to Macedonia.  And so they go passing through several places landing eventually outside the gate of Phillipi in the presence of Lydia of Thyatira.  The sort of thing that could easily be chalked up to happy coincidence.  I'd argue not coincidence at all - God had plans that involved Paul and Silas and Lydia meeting on that particular day.  Wherever we find ourselves today, tomorrow...it is worth asking what God has brought us to this particular moment in this particular place to do and experience.  I supposed we could be here by accident.  I just don't believe we are.

John 12:9-19
John casts the Palm Sunday triumphal entry story in the shadow of the raising of Lazarus.  The Pharisees see the Lazarus event not so much as a miracle as a threat to their power and authority.  The consideration is not of the power of the miracle, but of the problem (?) presented by the miracle.  As this passage begins they are considering killing Lazarus, one assumes in order to correct the wrong of bringing him backfrom the dead (??).  The Palm Sunday crowd clearly has them alarmed as the passage concludes with the concerned Pharisees talking amongst themsleves - "You see, you can do nothing.  Look, the world has gone after him!"  It's possible to feel a sense of sadness for the Pharisees - so consumed with maintaining the status quo that they miss the reality of what Christ is doing in their midst.  It is also possible, unfortunately, to feel some kinship with the Pharisees for the same reason - my own stubborn holding on to the way things are rather than risking complete openness to the reality of Christ in our midst.

The Acts 16:5 Initiative - September 13, 2010

Daily Lectionary Readings for September 13, 2010
Psalm 47
Job 40:1-24
Acts 15:36-16:5
John 11:55-12:8

Acts 15:36-16:5
A hint of early church conflict in the Paul and Barnabas disagreement and break-up.  Paul decides to travel with Silas.  Alongside of this account is the theme that the disciples are planning a return visit to places where they have planted the seeds of the good news.  This would seem to convey the idea that nurturing is indeed part of the process of faith and a part of the expectation of leadership in communities of faith.
Acts 16:5 is the verse used by Presbyterian pastor Stan Ott for his groundbreaking church vitality process "The Acts 16:5 Initiative".  Our Presbytery, the Presbytery of Mid-Kentucky, just completed our three years in the program this past spring.  Stan is great - both visionary and practical.  Acts 16:5 has been used by many Presbyteries and is currently underway in more.  Most of us in the Presbyterian Church can agree that there is a malaise that threatens our denomination.  Not so many of us have a practical tool to work against that malaise.  Stan does.  For more on Acts 16:5 visit the Vital Churches Institute at...
http://www.vitalchurchesinstitute.com/pages/acts-16-5
For more of me describing the Acts 16:5 Initiative (and a bit on one of my favorite books - Michael Slaughter's "Momentum For Life")...
http://hebronpc.net/index.php?p=1_15_Acts-16-5-Initiative

Practical Bits - September 12, 2010

Psalm 109
Job 38:1, 18-41
Revelation 18:1-8
Matthew 5:21-26

Revelation 18:1-8
"Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, so that you do not take part in her sins, and so that you do not share in her plagues."
Great advice from Revelation.  If the place we are is not conducive to the following Jesus lifestyle we are trying to lead, it's a good idea to put ourselves in a better/different situation.

Matthew 5:21-26
Nice passage on anger and what to do with it.   "So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift."(vs.23-24)  Kind of a worship version of don't let the sun go down on your anger.  Some of the same thinking that places the prayer of confession early in the worship service as an opportunity to confess our sins to God and be forgiven so that we may come to the Word and to the proclamation without those barriers.

Preached this morning on...
Psalm 14 and 1 Timothy 1:12-17.  The fool says in their heart there is no God.  There are some folks who may say flat out there is no God.  But there are many of us who say very clearly there is a God and yet in our hearts say there is no God.  How so?  Intellectual assent is not all that is being asked for here.  If we say there is a God, how can we possibly ignore that God has a will and a desire for our world and for our lives.  When we are willfully disobedient we are acting in a way that says there is no God.  Saying there is a God means living as though there is a God who cares about us and about the decisions that we make.

Septermber 11 - September 11, 2010

"The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."       Psalm 118:2

Daily Lectioanry For September 11, 2010
Psalm 18:1-20
Job 38:1-17
Acts 15:22-35
John 11:45-54

Job 38:1-17
God responds to Job.  A helpful word from God about God's perspective and how vastly different it is then our own.  Nine years after 9/11, watching the replay again - that I can't not watch - on MSNBC, it is still incomprehensible.  I think I watch partially because it feels as though it is still happening and to watch over time somehow unpacks the layers of the incomprehensibility a bit.  It is real and raw and painful and shared by so many.  Reading God's response to Job doesn't make the incomprehensible any more clear.  Reading God's response to Job assures that there have been things beyond our understanding for as long as we have been around,  but that ultimately we are in God's hands.

The Voice That Calls Us Forth - September 10, 2010

Daily Lectionary for September 10, 2010
Psalm 145
Job 29:1, 31:24-40
Acts 15:12-21
John 11:30-44

Acts 15:12-21
One of the interesting side stories peeks out in this passage - specifically, James, the brother of Jesus serving as head of the church in Jerusalem.  It's kind of amazing that rather than Peter, probably the most vividly realized disicple in the gospels or James, the brother (that's BROTHER) of Jesus, it is Paul who comes to play probably the largest role - after Jesus - in the development of Christianity.

John 11:30-44
That peson in Lazarus tomb.  It was Lazarus - and it was/is us.  It is us in our lostness and living in a world of deathness and that is Jesus coming up on us in such a state and in seeing our state he, the Son of God, is deeply moved, moved even to tears.  And he has the stone holding us captive moved aside and speaks our name, calls our name - calls it because he knows it and because he wants us to emerge.  And in spite of our lostness and living in a world of deathness that voice reaches us and we, like our brother Lazarus, may come forth.  And gather together.  And worship and praise and unbind one another to follow the one whose voice called us forth.

Promises For Right Now - September 9, 2010

Daily Lectionary for September 9, 2010
Psalm 28
Job 29:1, 31:1-23
Acts 15:1-11
John 11:17-29

John 11:17-29
The Lazarus story continues.  Jesus is greeted by Mary and Martha.  Which must have been awkward.  Mary and Martha are both thinking what ultimately gets verbalized - if Jesus had been there Lazaurs would not have died.  Jesus says, "Your brother will rise again."  Martha responds appropriately, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection of the last day."  Which Jesus may have meant, but he meant something more immediate as well it will turn out and that is important.  The promises of faith are indeed for the future.  But they are not simply nice promises for a future beyond our lifetime, rendering this lifetime something we try our best to make the best of and endure.  Jesus says to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life.  Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.  Do you believe this?"  It is important how we understand and how we answer the question.  Assent to Jesus' question is only to receive the promise of the eventual arrival of God's kingdom.  Assent - that is belief - is to receive a new way of life right now.  Yes there is life eternal with God in the days beyond these days, but in these days there are amazing things for the people of God.  Lazarus will come forth - the dead will rise.  Are we treating faith like a life insurance policy that becomes relevant in the next life or are we catching the full import of Christ's words and actions and understanding that Jesus' "I am the resurrection and the life" changes everything right now as well.

Courageous Thomas - September 8, 2010

Daily Lectionary for September 8, 2010
Psalm 2
Job 29:1, 30:1-2, 16-31
Acts 14:19-28
John 11:1-16

Acts 14:19-28
Paul is stoned and left for dead.  The disciples gather around and he gets up and goes back into the city.  They just threw rocks at him till they thought he was dead and he gets up and goes back in to the city.  Next day he leaves and goes to another city where he "proclaims the good news".  One might think there would be a bit of hiding out, licking wounds and so on.  And there is no strategizing about what went wrong.  No record of the discussion about how to make the message more user friendly so as to avoid aggravating the authorities and getting into situations where people want to stone you.  Just get up and keep telling the good news.

John 11:1-16
Following on the heels of Jesus leaving Jerusalem to avoid being stoned he prepares to return in that direction to attend to his friend Lazarus.  Thomas deserves a shout out here.  Thomas who, when he is remembered, is typically remembered for his supposed doubting, is no doubter here.  He distinguishes himself.  The disciples are not pleased that Jesus is planning to head back towards Jerusalem.  "'Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?'"(v.8)  Further conversation ensues at the end of which Thomas says, "'Let us also go that we may die with him.'"(v.16)  The group counsels caution and staying put.  Jesus says he is going.  Thomas isn't interested in the danger - he is interested in following Jesus.  That's not doubt - that's courage and that's faith.

Book Burning
A quick word on the organization in Florida encouraging folks to burn Qu'rans.  REALLY? 
Do not burn books.  Don't do it.  This suggested action is wrong in every way I can think of - I'm not the biggest fan of the whole WWJD thing, but that would work here.  Or maybe WSHBIWINWJTHAIECMM (What stupid, hateful, backwards idea would I never want Jesus to have any idea ever crossed my mind?)
Again, do not burn books.  Maybe...love your neighbor.  Let's try that.

Baptism Is Dangerous - September 7, 2010

Daily Lectionary for September 7, 2010
Psalm 11
Job 29:1-20
Acts 14:1-18
John 10:31-42

Acts 14:1-18 and John 10:31-42
In which the lesson is again delivered that this is dangerous stuff.  Paul and Barnabas are having mixed results in Iconium.  Some are receptive, some want to kill them.  There is mention of intent to mistreat and stone them - one wonders what the mistreating was to be if the other option was stoning.  They flee the city.  Jesus is at the Temple in the John passage.  Religious folks are becoming angry with Jesus' teachings again and are doing the religious thing and taking up stones to stone him (Jn.10:31).  Interestingly, Jesus eludes them and leaves the immediate area, traveling to the part of the Jordan where John had been baptizing.  Somehow this seems appropriate as for Jesus and moreso for Paul and Barnabas, the trouble all began with their baptism.  Once baptized life changes and the call to announce the kingdom and follow Jesus become the guiding principles.  Live out ones baptism faithfully and eventually, perhaps, someone will want to take up stones against you.  You'll help a lot of people, bringing good news and hope and all sorts of good stuff as well, but don't expect everyone to be thrilled.

Do The Right Thing - September 6, 2010

Daily Lectionary for September 6, 2010
Psalm 24
Job 32:1-10, 19-33:1, 19-28
Acts 13:44-52
John 10:19-30

Psalm 24
In answer to the question "Who shall ascend to the hill of the Lord?  And who shall stand in his holy place?", the Psalmist writes, "Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do now swear deceitfully."  Which makes me believe again that there are times when we overthink what it is we are to do and the choices God wants us to make.  Have clean hands and pure hearts, don't embrace false things and try to keep from swearing deceitfully.  So, try to do the right thing, right?  Amazing, God desiring that we do the right thing.

Acts 13:44-52 and John 10:19-30
Both passages touch on...what's the word...shh...the idea of predestination.  "When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and praised the word of the Lord; and as many as had been destined for eternal life became believers."(Acts 13:48) and "My sheep hear my voice.  I know them, and they follow me."(John 10:27)  When I saw the first one in Acts I wasn't going to mention it, but then when the idea was there in the gospel passage as well - just thought I'd throw it out there.  What do you do with that?
Freedom
Have started reading Jonathan Franzen's new book "Freedom".  Drawn in by the hype that has surrounded the release of this book I downloaded the sample to my Kindle and was drawn in even more.  Initially it reminds me of things I like about John Updike.  Nice explorations of what is going on in the minds of regular (upper middle class version) folks done in a way that is insightful, clever, occasionally mean-spirited and often funny.  The Kindle doesn't give page numbers so I know that I'm 8 percent into it.  Looking forward to more.

City On A Hill - September 5, 2010

Daily Lectionaryfor September 5, 2010
Psalm 26
Job 25:1-6, 27:1-6
Revelation 14:1-7, 13
Matthew 5:13-20

Matthew 5:13-20
"You are the light of the world.  A city built on a hill cannot be hid."(v.14)
Great words exhorting those who hear to let the light of Christ show through our lives - like a city on a hill that cannot be hid.  And there are these words that Jesus says..."let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven".(v.16)  Jesus seems not to be overly moved by the faith vs. works thing.  He talks like they are inextricably linked to each other.  When we embrace all that Christ has done for us, it leads us to want to be that city on a hill, to point beyond ourselves to  God.

Sports Round-up
Well, the Reds lost two of three to the Cards over the weekend, but we are still up by 7 games.  UK handled U of L 23-16 - seemed like it was going to be a little easier than it turned out but it's always good to beat U of L.  Ohio State got it all started on Thursday night by rolling to an easy win over Marshall.  Pretty much a good sports weekend.

"Can A Mortal Be Of Use To God?" - September 4, 2010

Daily Lectionary for September 4, 2010
Psalms 63

Job 22:1-4, 22:21-23:7
Acts 13:26-43
John 10:1-18

Psalm 63
"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."(v.1)  The Psalmist writes of the need that exists within each of us for God.  It's how we are made.  It is how we are hardwired.  Our lives are closest to finding meaning when we are able to recognize the truth of these words.  Our souls thirst for God.  Not for anything else - for God.

Job 22:1-4, 22:21-23:7
Job's friend Eliphaz the Temanite asks "Can a mortal be of use to God?"(22:1)  Seems like a solid question.  Brings to mind Psalm 8 with its "What are human beings that you are mindful of them?"(v.4).  The answer the Psalmist offers is the wondrous surprise - "Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor."(v.5)  God could certainly accomplish God's plans without us, what a gift that God chooses to involve us.

"What Are You Becoming?"
Preaching tomorrow on Jeremiah 18:1-11.  Will be working with the God as potter image.  The passage talks about God being able to take that which seems hopeless and build it up into something great.  The passage also talks about God being able to take something that seems great and tear it down.  God is not limited by our ability to imagine what could happen.  While there is clearly a word of warning here, I think this is a hopeful passage - too many of us have very limited ideas of what we can contribute.  On our own, we'd be right.  But remember the question of the Job passage "Can a mortal be of use to God?"   Our thought may be not really.  God has other, better ideas for us.

Being Ready To Walk Through The Door - September 3, 2010

Daily Lectionary for September 3, 2010
Psalm 3
Job 19:1-7, 14-27
Acts 13:13-25
John 9:18-41

Acts 13:13-25
In which Paul and Barnabas are in Antioch of Pisidia on the sabbath day.  They go to the synagogue and after the reading of the law and the prophets an official of the temple says to them, "Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, give it."  Paul doesn't have to be asked twice and is up in short order giving an exposition on salvation history.  An invitation was given, a door was open and Paul was more than willing to walk through it.  And prepared to walk through it as well.  Our invitations to give a word of exhortation to the people may not be so clear cut - although maybe they will.  The thing here is that when the opportunity to share our faith presents itself we, like Paul, need to be prepared to walk through it.  There is no reluctance in Paul.  Invitation issued - Paul on feet speaking.  I find myself more guarded and less forthcoming and I think I'm not alone in that.  We don't want to be pushy, don't want to overstep our bounds, don't want to force our beliefs on anyone.  First, I think, we must listen (and watch) closely for the invitations.  Second, when an invitation is extended, that is when an opportunity presents itself to share something of our faith we must hesitate less and venture forth more.  It does not require pushiness or forcing what we believe on others - instead it is an opportunity to say, this has been transforming for me, I believe it can be transforming for you.  That's not pushy - that's potentially lifegiving.

Julie's Home!
After a week away at Lake Junaluska, Julie is back this Friday evening.  That is a good thing.  And she came bearing gifts.  Silly bands for Eliza.  A Toy Story lunchbox for our Disney/Pixar fan Cameron.  And, for me, a recently released new translation of the New Testament called the Common English Bible.  I have too many Bibles.  But I love them.  I love comparing different translations.  I like what the Jerusalem Bible does with the Psalms, I love some of the archaic language of the King James, I grew up on the RSV which has made me a fan of the English Standard Version, and I rely for the most part on the NRSV.  Occasionally I'll visit the Message to see if there is a fresh spin on things to be found there.  I look forward to spending some time with the Common English Bible - I'll let you know what I find.

Seeking An Undivided Heart - September 2, 2010

Daily Lectionary For September 2, 2010
Psalm 86
Job 16:16-22, 17:1, 13-16
Acts 13:1-12
John 9:1-17

Psalm 86
Kids successfully transported to school, the next thing up was going to be easy - daily devotionals - read the lectionary.  Except that there were clothes to move from the washer to the dryer and more to be put in the washer.  Cameron has a soccer game this afternoon and as he had one last night some things need to have a quick turnaournd so they will be ready for him this afternoon.  Two things for church crossed my mind on the way home - not pressing things, but things that tempted me to "just take care of these couple of details while they were fresh in my mind".  And so on.  Then this from todays Psalm, "Teach me you way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name."(v.11)  There are so many things that are worthwhile to divide my heart before I even come to the less worthwhile things.  God, give me an undivided heart.

Acts 13:1-12
The Holy Spirit requests that Paul and Barnabas be set aside for the work to which they are called.  The people respond by fasting and praying and then laying hands on them before sending them off.  Focusing on the fasting and praying that was done in preparation for their departure.  How easy is it to skip that step?  The Holy Spirit says go, there is great excitement, you send them off.  The people did not do this - they made the intentional space to fast and to pray - intentionally and with specificity - for Paul and Barnabas.  Then they sent them.  And it is important.  In Cyprus they enounter a magician, a "false prophet" named Elymas.  In verse 10 Paul takes on Elymas in no uncertain terms.  Surely such courage to confront was a part of Paul's makeup, but I can't help but think that the foundation that was laid in the prayer and the fasting were criticial to Paul being able to do what he did.

John 9:1-17
Jesus heals a man blind from birth, restoring his sight and causing a ruckus. The people don't believe it's really the man, then they want to know exactly what happened and decide this is a matter for the Pharisees.  The Pharisees are divided in their opinion of what has happened.  A man is cured of blindness which he has lived with all his life and the religious leadership is divided as to what to make of it.  This is one of those passages that begins with frustration at the religious leaders attitude - frustration that quickly transitions to self-examination.  A man is granted sight and many sighted people seem unable to see what has happened.  What sights, what works of God am I regularly blind to?

High Stakes - September 1 2010

Daily Lectionary for September 1, 2010Psalm 92
Job 12:1, 14:1-22
Acts 12:18-25
John 8:47-59

Job 12:1, 14:1-22
Couple of random thoughts out of the Job 14 passage related to sayings of Jesus.  First Job 14:4, "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?" reminds me of Jesus discussion of the harmful things not being the external things, but that which is within.  Second, Job 14:7, "For there is hope for tree, if it is cut down that it will sprout again, and that it's shoots will not cease." brings to mind Jesus direction to cut down that which does not produce, perhaps with the second part of this statement in mind - cut it down and let it begin again.

Acts 12:18-25 and John 8:47-59
Both of these passages feature some of the risk and danger that seems to attach itself to Jesus and the journey of faith.  In Acts we have the aftermath of Peter's deliverance from prison.  While cause for joy for Jesus and the believers who had been praying for his release it turns out to be bad news for the guards who were supposed to be watcing him.  Herod has them executed.  The powers that be feel threatened by these people of the Way and someone must be made to pay.  In the John passage Jesus is debating with some of the Jewish leadership.  They suggest he is possessed of a demon.  Jesus denies this and talks about his relationship with his Father.  The scene turns fron discussion to ugly and concludes with v.59, "So they picke up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.  Again the powers that be feel threatened, this time by Jesus' words that they do not understand; the means to deal with this seems to be not further discussion, but finding a good size rock.  Faith is no smooth ride once can infer.  Following Jesus is no guarantee of days of ease.  And I've not even brought Job into the discussion - he surely would have a few things to say about hardship.  Important for me to keep passages like these before me when I feel like things are unneccesarily difficult.  I haven't begun to have anything approaching this type of difficulty in life and sometimes, apparently, when we follow Jesus this is the sort of thing that will be part of the journey.  The stakes are high - this is important stuff.