Daily Lectionary Readings for October 30, 2010
Psalm 24
Nahum 3:8-19
Revelation 13:11-18
Luke 12:32-48
Luke 12:32-48
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."(v.34)
Coming on the heels of the words about worry serving no good purpose this verse piles good logic on top of excellent common sense. That which we prize the most will certainly be the place where our heart finds itself tied up the most. There are so many wonderful things in life that it is easy to slip from the enjoyment of that which God has provided to being obsessed with the preservation and care of those things. The answer, which began earlier on in Luke 12 is to not be consumed with worry about our things. Today's reading begins with the admonition to "not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."(v.32) Our predicament is that we too often find ourselves wanting our stuff more than we are desiring God's kingdom. And again the answer lies largely in the spiritual disciplines. Prayer, Bible reading, serving God and others...the things that keep us focused on God, listening for God and striving to follow God. Personal discipleship. Michael Slaughter is th pastor of Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church in Tipp City, Ohio and author of one of my favorite books "Momentum For Life". In it he offers a template for personal discipleship that goes like this -
D - Devotion To God
R - Readiness For Lifelong Learning
I - Investing In Key Relationships
V - Visioning For The Future
E - Eating and Exercising For Life
I can't recommend the book highly enough - it's great. And if we are acrtively pursuing these five areas we will find ourselves more inclined to be seeking the kingdom and putting our treasure in our relationship with God which will land our hearts in a very good spot.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Worry Less - Aim For God's Kingdom - October 29, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 29, 2010
Psalm 26
Nahum 2:13-3:7
Revelation 13:1-10
Luke 12:13-31
Luke 12:13-31
"And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?"(v.25)
I'm pretty sure that the answer to the question is no - worrying won't add a bit to the span of my life. And yet worry I do. Typically about things that don't merit the attention and beyond not adding any length to my life, serves absolutely no practical purpose at all. It goes beyond not being constructive; it's inconsistent with the faith I profess. God surely does care for us and provides for us and walks with us all of which I believe and which suggests that worry is a waste of time. Aiming to worry less and to do as Jesus suggests and "Instead, strive for his kingdom...."(v.31) Striving for God's kingdom - there's a purpose with great upside.
Psalm 26
Nahum 2:13-3:7
Revelation 13:1-10
Luke 12:13-31
Luke 12:13-31
"And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?"(v.25)
I'm pretty sure that the answer to the question is no - worrying won't add a bit to the span of my life. And yet worry I do. Typically about things that don't merit the attention and beyond not adding any length to my life, serves absolutely no practical purpose at all. It goes beyond not being constructive; it's inconsistent with the faith I profess. God surely does care for us and provides for us and walks with us all of which I believe and which suggests that worry is a waste of time. Aiming to worry less and to do as Jesus suggests and "Instead, strive for his kingdom...."(v.31) Striving for God's kingdom - there's a purpose with great upside.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Touching On Bullying - October 28, 2010
Psalm 104:1-23
Nahum 1:15-2:12
Revelation 12:7-17
Luke 11:53-12:12
Luke 11:53-12:12
With bullying very much on folks minds in the last little while it may be that we could speak of the Pharisees in this passage as bullies. They are "hostile" towards Jesus. They are "lying in wait" for him. A crowd gathers around and Jesus speaks to his disciples - in front of the crowd - one presumes in a voice loud enough for the disciples, the crowd AND the Pharisees to hear. And gives us one method of dealing with bullies. Call them out.
"Beware the yeast of the Pharisees, that is, their hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered and nothing secret that will not become known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the housetops."(vs.1b-3)
Whatever we plan, for good or ill, God knows. Whatever our attitude, for good or ill, God knows. Whatever our intent, for good or ill, God knows. Jesus speaks so that those who would plot and scheme and lie in wait and plan traps will be confronted with the truth. They may fool whoever they are able, but God will not be fooled. This strategy, clearly, cannot help every person being bullied. Sometimes the bullies have too much advantage and words such as this would not come. But as they come from Jesus, they should come from people of faith and they should be spoken as reminders to any who would bully - plot - scheme - mistreat another - that however elaborate the plan may be, God knows the heart of what we have done.
Nahum 1:15-2:12
Revelation 12:7-17
Luke 11:53-12:12
Luke 11:53-12:12
With bullying very much on folks minds in the last little while it may be that we could speak of the Pharisees in this passage as bullies. They are "hostile" towards Jesus. They are "lying in wait" for him. A crowd gathers around and Jesus speaks to his disciples - in front of the crowd - one presumes in a voice loud enough for the disciples, the crowd AND the Pharisees to hear. And gives us one method of dealing with bullies. Call them out.
"Beware the yeast of the Pharisees, that is, their hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered and nothing secret that will not become known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the housetops."(vs.1b-3)
Whatever we plan, for good or ill, God knows. Whatever our attitude, for good or ill, God knows. Whatever our intent, for good or ill, God knows. Jesus speaks so that those who would plot and scheme and lie in wait and plan traps will be confronted with the truth. They may fool whoever they are able, but God will not be fooled. This strategy, clearly, cannot help every person being bullied. Sometimes the bullies have too much advantage and words such as this would not come. But as they come from Jesus, they should come from people of faith and they should be spoken as reminders to any who would bully - plot - scheme - mistreat another - that however elaborate the plan may be, God knows the heart of what we have done.
Outside Looking Inside - October 27, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings For October 27, 2010
Psalm 3
Nahum 1:1-14
Revelation 12:1-6
Luke 11:37-52
Luke 11:37-52
"The the Lord said to him, 'Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?"(vs.39-40)
Jesus accepts an invitation to dinner at the table of a Pharisee. He goes to the table without washing before dinner, catching the attention of the Pharisee and other Pharisee guests. Jesus is, of course, after a point. His very direct words above are a reminder of our focus on superficiality rather than depth. Obvious external blemishes may be washed away, but they are a surface issue. Who we are at our core is not a surface question, but a question that goes to the heart of our being. We may play the present day equivalent of the ritual purity game, but Jesus is concerned with our internal makeup. He cites greed and wickedness as examples and there are surely other blemishes trying to find a home on our inner selves. The devestating cost of those blemishes is not something that can be viewed at a quick glance, but rather something that manifests in our behavior and in our relationships in ways that are destructive and deeply harmful. Jesus encourages us to worry less about the surface and to invest ourselves in attending to our inner selves.
Psalm 3
Nahum 1:1-14
Revelation 12:1-6
Luke 11:37-52
Luke 11:37-52
"The the Lord said to him, 'Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?"(vs.39-40)
Jesus accepts an invitation to dinner at the table of a Pharisee. He goes to the table without washing before dinner, catching the attention of the Pharisee and other Pharisee guests. Jesus is, of course, after a point. His very direct words above are a reminder of our focus on superficiality rather than depth. Obvious external blemishes may be washed away, but they are a surface issue. Who we are at our core is not a surface question, but a question that goes to the heart of our being. We may play the present day equivalent of the ritual purity game, but Jesus is concerned with our internal makeup. He cites greed and wickedness as examples and there are surely other blemishes trying to find a home on our inner selves. The devestating cost of those blemishes is not something that can be viewed at a quick glance, but rather something that manifests in our behavior and in our relationships in ways that are destructive and deeply harmful. Jesus encourages us to worry less about the surface and to invest ourselves in attending to our inner selves.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
What! No Ash Heap!?! - October 26, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 26, 2010
Psalm 86
Jonah 3:1-4:11
Revelation 11:14-19
Luke 11:27-36
Jonah 3:1-4:11
Jonah does, grudgingly, as he has been instructed by God and proclaims God's judgment on Nineveh. Nineveh repents and God spares Nineveh. A happy ending. Except, Jonah reveals, not for Jonah. He tells God this is why he headed off in the wrong direction from the outset. God, with his mercy this and his compassion that and his slow to anger nature, Jonah was sure would pass up the opportunity for some seriously well deserved divine wrath. Jonah wanted Nineveh to pay for their actions. Mercy and compassion would just get in the way of justice. God, fortunately, saw it differently, and I think and believe continues to see it differently. I can work up a good fervor and be maybe as nearly as upset with some things as Jonah was with Nineveh while forgetting that my actions, my choices and my decisions have almost certainly harmed others along the way and definitely been, at times, an affront to God. God chose not to follow Jonah's advice on the Nineveh issue and the same mercy that God showed Nineveh has been and continues to be a hallmark of the God revealed to us in Jesus Christ, the God that I experience in the moments where I should really expect punishment and instead find grace. Thanks be to God.
Revelation 11:14-19
"Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of the covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail."(v.19)
This verse concludes todays passage from Revelation and has me wondering if maybe someone is having a peak at the ark of the covenant this afternoon. We've not had the earthquake - not even sure we've had the lightning or thunder much, but the weather has been a bit tempestuous. Wind, wind and more wind. Warm wind and cold wind. And then rain. Light rain. Hard rain. And wind. Being a child of the Xenia tornado of 1974 wind is the one bit of potentially heavy weather with the capacity to make me really nervous. The winds seem to have given way a bit to a steady and somewhat predictable rain. Turning from windy weather of which I am not so fond to a gray, chilly, rainy day that is probably if I had to pick, my weather of preference. Giving thanks for our Company of New Pastors (I'm a co-mentor - who is enjoying listening to wonderfully diverse and creative Advent sermons from our group) gathering in London, Ohio. We began Sunday evening and continue through tomorrow morning, Also thankful for the gift of a couple of spare hours in the afternoon to run in and then read and look out the window at a gloriously drab and dreary afternoon.
Psalm 86
Jonah 3:1-4:11
Revelation 11:14-19
Luke 11:27-36
Jonah 3:1-4:11
Jonah does, grudgingly, as he has been instructed by God and proclaims God's judgment on Nineveh. Nineveh repents and God spares Nineveh. A happy ending. Except, Jonah reveals, not for Jonah. He tells God this is why he headed off in the wrong direction from the outset. God, with his mercy this and his compassion that and his slow to anger nature, Jonah was sure would pass up the opportunity for some seriously well deserved divine wrath. Jonah wanted Nineveh to pay for their actions. Mercy and compassion would just get in the way of justice. God, fortunately, saw it differently, and I think and believe continues to see it differently. I can work up a good fervor and be maybe as nearly as upset with some things as Jonah was with Nineveh while forgetting that my actions, my choices and my decisions have almost certainly harmed others along the way and definitely been, at times, an affront to God. God chose not to follow Jonah's advice on the Nineveh issue and the same mercy that God showed Nineveh has been and continues to be a hallmark of the God revealed to us in Jesus Christ, the God that I experience in the moments where I should really expect punishment and instead find grace. Thanks be to God.
Revelation 11:14-19
"Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of the covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail."(v.19)
This verse concludes todays passage from Revelation and has me wondering if maybe someone is having a peak at the ark of the covenant this afternoon. We've not had the earthquake - not even sure we've had the lightning or thunder much, but the weather has been a bit tempestuous. Wind, wind and more wind. Warm wind and cold wind. And then rain. Light rain. Hard rain. And wind. Being a child of the Xenia tornado of 1974 wind is the one bit of potentially heavy weather with the capacity to make me really nervous. The winds seem to have given way a bit to a steady and somewhat predictable rain. Turning from windy weather of which I am not so fond to a gray, chilly, rainy day that is probably if I had to pick, my weather of preference. Giving thanks for our Company of New Pastors (I'm a co-mentor - who is enjoying listening to wonderfully diverse and creative Advent sermons from our group) gathering in London, Ohio. We began Sunday evening and continue through tomorrow morning, Also thankful for the gift of a couple of spare hours in the afternoon to run in and then read and look out the window at a gloriously drab and dreary afternoon.
Monday, October 25, 2010
It's All Good..Okay, Maybe Not, But There Is Good In It - October 25, 2010
Daily Lectionary for October 25, 2010
Psalm 52
Jonah 1:17-2:10
Revelation 11:1-14
Luke 11:14-26
Jonah 1:17 - 2:10
A classic "things could be worse" moment. Jonah's disobedience has led to a storm, which has led to him being tossed off his boat, which has led to being swallowed by a fish - a bad day by most any measure. So, naturally, the second chapter of Jonah is, from the belly of the fish, a Psalm of Thanksgiving. Because...things could be worse. No fish and Jonah would have just been in the storm tossed waters. God "brought up my life from the Pit".(v.6) "Deliverance belongs to the Lord!"(v.9) Jonah is disobedient at the outset and eventually he will be crabby because of the success of his mission, but here we see Jonah giving us a helpful clue on coping in life. It is more complex than things could be worse - it's why they aren't worse. They aren't worse, because even in awful circumstances Jonah still experiences God's care. We can bemoan the difficulties and challenges of life (and to be clear, Jonah's situation here was self made and quite often ours are as well) or we can look at what could be the gathering gloom and find the way that God is present in it, with us, for us, and loving us.
Psalm 52
Jonah 1:17-2:10
Revelation 11:1-14
Luke 11:14-26
Jonah 1:17 - 2:10
A classic "things could be worse" moment. Jonah's disobedience has led to a storm, which has led to him being tossed off his boat, which has led to being swallowed by a fish - a bad day by most any measure. So, naturally, the second chapter of Jonah is, from the belly of the fish, a Psalm of Thanksgiving. Because...things could be worse. No fish and Jonah would have just been in the storm tossed waters. God "brought up my life from the Pit".(v.6) "Deliverance belongs to the Lord!"(v.9) Jonah is disobedient at the outset and eventually he will be crabby because of the success of his mission, but here we see Jonah giving us a helpful clue on coping in life. It is more complex than things could be worse - it's why they aren't worse. They aren't worse, because even in awful circumstances Jonah still experiences God's care. We can bemoan the difficulties and challenges of life (and to be clear, Jonah's situation here was self made and quite often ours are as well) or we can look at what could be the gathering gloom and find the way that God is present in it, with us, for us, and loving us.
Heading On A Boat In The Wrong Direction In A Storm Of Our Own Making - October 24, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 24, 2010
Psalm 122
Jonah 1:1-17a
1 Corinthians 10:15-24
Matthew 18:15-20
Jonah 1:1-17a
Beginning at full speed, the first two verses of Jonah tell of God commanding Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell them that they are wicked and they need to stop it. The rest of chapter one is the story of the mess that unfolds because Jonah chooses to do something other than what God asks. In fact, it's not just that he chose something other than what God asked, it's that he chose something in opposition to what God asked. He ends up on a ship going to NOT NINEVEH, God blows up a storm and everyone on Jonah's ship is praying to whatever gods they may have to do something about the stiuation. Jonah knows, of course, what the problem is - when his shipmates get to him and ask him about his deity of choice Jonah says, "I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land."(v.9) Stopping for a moment to assess, we have Jonah stating clearly that he worships the God of heaven, the God who made everything AND we find him acting in direct opposition to what his God has asked of him. This sounds ludicrous when it's stated like that, but it's not just a Jonah problem. It's a me problem. It's a lots of people of faith problem. We gather on Sunday mornings and worship - worship the same God who Jonah worshipped and we would make the same professions of faith about God that Jonah made. And after worship we would, like Jonah act in ways that are at odds with what we know - not guess, but know - to be God's will. Some of it may be a little fuzzy or uncertain to us, but there are plenty of things that we know in our hearts that God desires for us and of us which we act in opposition to with regularity. Like Jonah it leaves us on a boat heading in the wrong direction facing a storm of our own making. Why is obedience so hard?
Luke 18:15-20
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."(v.20)
Great verse for the gathering I am participating in for the next couple of days. Meeting with just a few more than two or three folks from The Company of New Pastors. CNP is a program of the Presbyterian Church (USA) which brings together groups of pastors at the beginning of their time in ordained ministry. The oversimplified version of the goal of the group is to keep new pastors thinking about their call to ministry and providing a group to support and encourage that call. There are a multitude of ways to experience the fading and flagging of one's passion for following God's call. This is an attempt to be proactive in meetings those challenges. I am fortunate to be a co-mentor for a group. Fortunate in many ways, not the least of which is that being with folks who are in the earlier stages of their ministry is renewing and invigorating and makes me grateful for my own call and for the faith community at Hebron that I serve. And it's just one more bonus that we meet at the Procter Center in central Ohio within an hour or so of my hometown of Xenia. The area where we are meeting is farm country, flat as all get out and beautiful in a way that only Ohio knows how to be. Sweet to be here.
Psalm 122
Jonah 1:1-17a
1 Corinthians 10:15-24
Matthew 18:15-20
Jonah 1:1-17a
Beginning at full speed, the first two verses of Jonah tell of God commanding Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell them that they are wicked and they need to stop it. The rest of chapter one is the story of the mess that unfolds because Jonah chooses to do something other than what God asks. In fact, it's not just that he chose something other than what God asked, it's that he chose something in opposition to what God asked. He ends up on a ship going to NOT NINEVEH, God blows up a storm and everyone on Jonah's ship is praying to whatever gods they may have to do something about the stiuation. Jonah knows, of course, what the problem is - when his shipmates get to him and ask him about his deity of choice Jonah says, "I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land."(v.9) Stopping for a moment to assess, we have Jonah stating clearly that he worships the God of heaven, the God who made everything AND we find him acting in direct opposition to what his God has asked of him. This sounds ludicrous when it's stated like that, but it's not just a Jonah problem. It's a me problem. It's a lots of people of faith problem. We gather on Sunday mornings and worship - worship the same God who Jonah worshipped and we would make the same professions of faith about God that Jonah made. And after worship we would, like Jonah act in ways that are at odds with what we know - not guess, but know - to be God's will. Some of it may be a little fuzzy or uncertain to us, but there are plenty of things that we know in our hearts that God desires for us and of us which we act in opposition to with regularity. Like Jonah it leaves us on a boat heading in the wrong direction facing a storm of our own making. Why is obedience so hard?
Luke 18:15-20
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."(v.20)
Great verse for the gathering I am participating in for the next couple of days. Meeting with just a few more than two or three folks from The Company of New Pastors. CNP is a program of the Presbyterian Church (USA) which brings together groups of pastors at the beginning of their time in ordained ministry. The oversimplified version of the goal of the group is to keep new pastors thinking about their call to ministry and providing a group to support and encourage that call. There are a multitude of ways to experience the fading and flagging of one's passion for following God's call. This is an attempt to be proactive in meetings those challenges. I am fortunate to be a co-mentor for a group. Fortunate in many ways, not the least of which is that being with folks who are in the earlier stages of their ministry is renewing and invigorating and makes me grateful for my own call and for the faith community at Hebron that I serve. And it's just one more bonus that we meet at the Procter Center in central Ohio within an hour or so of my hometown of Xenia. The area where we are meeting is farm country, flat as all get out and beautiful in a way that only Ohio knows how to be. Sweet to be here.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Giving The Mute Button A Workout - October 23, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 23, 2010
Psalm 15
Micah 7:1-7
Revelations 10:1-11
Luke 11:1-13
Micah 7:1-7
"Their hands are skilled to do evil;
the official and the judge ask for a bribe,
and the powerful dictate what they desire;
thus they pervert justice.
The best of them is like a brier,
the most upright of them a thorn hedge."(vs.3-4)
This passage was in front of my eyes as yet another cartoonish political ad was in my ears (mute button since pushed). The passage seems compatible with the commercial. The powerful do seem to dictate what they desire. The best of them is like a brier and the most upright does seem like a thorn hedge. Each campaign season someone (sometimes me) says, "These are the worst ads ever. They have reached a new low." Usually the low they reach is not a new one, it's the same one they hit last time and will again next time. Something about the campaign process brings out the worst in those of whom we should hope for the best. It's a troublesome time of the year. There are truly issues worthy of discussion and important events at ever level from local to national and yet we are subjected to personal attacks and overly simplistic at best and sladerous at worst portrayals of the candidates. What to do? Pray for the candidates. Pray for our communities. Pray for our nation and for our world. And keep the mute button handy - you'll need it.
Psalm 15
Micah 7:1-7
Revelations 10:1-11
Luke 11:1-13
Micah 7:1-7
"Their hands are skilled to do evil;
the official and the judge ask for a bribe,
and the powerful dictate what they desire;
thus they pervert justice.
The best of them is like a brier,
the most upright of them a thorn hedge."(vs.3-4)
This passage was in front of my eyes as yet another cartoonish political ad was in my ears (mute button since pushed). The passage seems compatible with the commercial. The powerful do seem to dictate what they desire. The best of them is like a brier and the most upright does seem like a thorn hedge. Each campaign season someone (sometimes me) says, "These are the worst ads ever. They have reached a new low." Usually the low they reach is not a new one, it's the same one they hit last time and will again next time. Something about the campaign process brings out the worst in those of whom we should hope for the best. It's a troublesome time of the year. There are truly issues worthy of discussion and important events at ever level from local to national and yet we are subjected to personal attacks and overly simplistic at best and sladerous at worst portrayals of the candidates. What to do? Pray for the candidates. Pray for our communities. Pray for our nation and for our world. And keep the mute button handy - you'll need it.
One Thing That Is Needful (and a good Friday Night) - October 22, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 22, 2010
Psalm 7
Micah 6:1-8
Revelation 9:13-21
Luke 10:38-42
Luke 10:38-42
Jesus stops in to visit with Mary and Martha. Mary drops everything to sit at Jesus' feet. Martha knows there is stuff to be done so she keeps busy and in a spare moment suggests that Jesus set Mary straight and tell her to get to work. Jesus tells Martha she is the one with something to learn and that she can begin her studies by learning from Mary. "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."(vs.41-42) This is the same Jesus who interacted with would-be followers at the end of Luke 9 by refusing to validate what seem to be legifitmate reasons to momentarily delay following him. Martha, with the best of intentions, finds herself with that group - Mary, as Jesus says, gets it. There is need of only one thing. All else must find its place behind that one thing.
Friday Night Lights
What a wonderful ordinary great evening. A Friday night in the fall. Bullitt East playing on the road at Larue County. Julie is at the Galt Hosue working on the National Christian Educators Fellowship Gathering for the United Methodist Church. Eliza is there helping. So I was planning to go to the game and thinking Cameron would probably stay at home. Instead he found out a friend would be there and decided to go. Enjoyed the trip up and back in the car with him - he's been going to high school football games with me for awhile now - he's graduated from sitting in the bleachers during games, but it's just pleasant to know he's there and I'm there and there is football to watch on a chilly Friday night in the fall.
Psalm 7
Micah 6:1-8
Revelation 9:13-21
Luke 10:38-42
Luke 10:38-42
Jesus stops in to visit with Mary and Martha. Mary drops everything to sit at Jesus' feet. Martha knows there is stuff to be done so she keeps busy and in a spare moment suggests that Jesus set Mary straight and tell her to get to work. Jesus tells Martha she is the one with something to learn and that she can begin her studies by learning from Mary. "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."(vs.41-42) This is the same Jesus who interacted with would-be followers at the end of Luke 9 by refusing to validate what seem to be legifitmate reasons to momentarily delay following him. Martha, with the best of intentions, finds herself with that group - Mary, as Jesus says, gets it. There is need of only one thing. All else must find its place behind that one thing.
Friday Night Lights
What a wonderful ordinary great evening. A Friday night in the fall. Bullitt East playing on the road at Larue County. Julie is at the Galt Hosue working on the National Christian Educators Fellowship Gathering for the United Methodist Church. Eliza is there helping. So I was planning to go to the game and thinking Cameron would probably stay at home. Instead he found out a friend would be there and decided to go. Enjoyed the trip up and back in the car with him - he's been going to high school football games with me for awhile now - he's graduated from sitting in the bleachers during games, but it's just pleasant to know he's there and I'm there and there is football to watch on a chilly Friday night in the fall.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Ain't No Exclusionary Circle Large Enough - October 21, 2010
Daily Lectionary for October 21, 2010
Psalm 143
Micah 5:1-4, 10-15
Revelation 9:1-12
Luke 10:25-37
Luke 10:25-37
A lawyer is in the midst of a back and forth with Jesus. The lawyer wants to know what he has to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus asks him what the law says.The lawyer replies the laws instruction is to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus agrees. The young man then gets to the crucial question - "And who is my neighbor."(v.29) Here is the critical difference between Jesus and us. We want to know how big we have to make the circle. Or rather, how small. How many folks must we love and who can we leave on the outside looking in. What is the maximum required? What are the boundaries? And Jesus wants no part of exclusion, no part of boundaries, has no interest in limits. Who are your neighbors? Everyone. The people next door. The people up the street. The people you like. The people you don't like. Everybody is your neighbor. Forget trying to figure out where you can stop loving folks, because there isn't an exclusionary circle we can draw big enough to satisfy Jesus definition of neighbor. Until everyone is inside the circle. Once that's done, we've got it - they are all our neighbors.
Psalm 143
Micah 5:1-4, 10-15
Revelation 9:1-12
Luke 10:25-37
Luke 10:25-37
A lawyer is in the midst of a back and forth with Jesus. The lawyer wants to know what he has to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus asks him what the law says.The lawyer replies the laws instruction is to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus agrees. The young man then gets to the crucial question - "And who is my neighbor."(v.29) Here is the critical difference between Jesus and us. We want to know how big we have to make the circle. Or rather, how small. How many folks must we love and who can we leave on the outside looking in. What is the maximum required? What are the boundaries? And Jesus wants no part of exclusion, no part of boundaries, has no interest in limits. Who are your neighbors? Everyone. The people next door. The people up the street. The people you like. The people you don't like. Everybody is your neighbor. Forget trying to figure out where you can stop loving folks, because there isn't an exclusionary circle we can draw big enough to satisfy Jesus definition of neighbor. Until everyone is inside the circle. Once that's done, we've got it - they are all our neighbors.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Life Abundant And Honest Talk With God - October 20, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 20, 2010
Psalm 32
Micah 3:9-4:5
Revelation 8:1-13
Luke 10:17-24
Psalm 32
Sin. It's front and center in this passage and as such one might imagine it's a kind of gloomy bit of Scripture. Not so much. In fact, discussion of sin, especially confession of sin, as is the case in Psalm 32 is freeing, liberating and joyful.
"While I kept silence, my body wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity;
I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.'
and you forgave the guilt of my sin. (vs.4 and 5)
We sin. We live with it. It weights upon us and takes a physical, mental and spiritual toll. And it's not a secret to God. Whether we take it up with God, God is aware of it and our feelings of dislocation in relation to God grow, in large part because of our focusing of resources on carrying a burden we need not carry. God knows we sin. God knows we will confess a sin today and commit more shortly after we've finished our confession. This is not a call to be dismissive of our sinfulness - we want to strive to follow Christ and to live within God's plan and God's will more faithfully - but it is a call to recognize that our life will have more possibility of being the life abundant Scripture talks about if we aren't devoting ourselves to covering our sinfulness. In acknowledging our sin before God there is forgiveness, there is a lifting of the heaviness that weighs us down, there is the experience of God's grace, there are better possibilities for the future.
Micah 3:9 - 4:5
"Its rulers give judgments for a bribe,
its priests teach for a price,
its prophets give oracles for money;
yet they lean upon the Lord and say,
'Surely the Lord is with us!'
Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field;
Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,
and the mountain of the house a wooded height."
Micah is covering similar ground to the Psalmist. The relationship between God and the rulers, priests and prophets is out of joint, it is dislocated. The proclaim, "Surely God is with us", while at the same time continuing, unrepentant, in behavior that moves them away from God. God is indeed with us, but habitual sinful behavior on our part clouds are ability to hear God's voice and to respond with any degree of faithfulness. We are willfully disobedient and yet, somehow, desirous of God's blessing. It is asking ourselves to pull off a feat of comparmentalization that is really beyond our ability to maintain.
Psalm 32
Micah 3:9-4:5
Revelation 8:1-13
Luke 10:17-24
Psalm 32
Sin. It's front and center in this passage and as such one might imagine it's a kind of gloomy bit of Scripture. Not so much. In fact, discussion of sin, especially confession of sin, as is the case in Psalm 32 is freeing, liberating and joyful.
"While I kept silence, my body wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity;
I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.'
and you forgave the guilt of my sin. (vs.4 and 5)
We sin. We live with it. It weights upon us and takes a physical, mental and spiritual toll. And it's not a secret to God. Whether we take it up with God, God is aware of it and our feelings of dislocation in relation to God grow, in large part because of our focusing of resources on carrying a burden we need not carry. God knows we sin. God knows we will confess a sin today and commit more shortly after we've finished our confession. This is not a call to be dismissive of our sinfulness - we want to strive to follow Christ and to live within God's plan and God's will more faithfully - but it is a call to recognize that our life will have more possibility of being the life abundant Scripture talks about if we aren't devoting ourselves to covering our sinfulness. In acknowledging our sin before God there is forgiveness, there is a lifting of the heaviness that weighs us down, there is the experience of God's grace, there are better possibilities for the future.
Micah 3:9 - 4:5
"Its rulers give judgments for a bribe,
its priests teach for a price,
its prophets give oracles for money;
yet they lean upon the Lord and say,
'Surely the Lord is with us!'
Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field;
Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,
and the mountain of the house a wooded height."
Micah is covering similar ground to the Psalmist. The relationship between God and the rulers, priests and prophets is out of joint, it is dislocated. The proclaim, "Surely God is with us", while at the same time continuing, unrepentant, in behavior that moves them away from God. God is indeed with us, but habitual sinful behavior on our part clouds are ability to hear God's voice and to respond with any degree of faithfulness. We are willfully disobedient and yet, somehow, desirous of God's blessing. It is asking ourselves to pull off a feat of comparmentalization that is really beyond our ability to maintain.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Tuesday Morning Prayer Group - October 19, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 19, 2010
Psalm 116
Micah 3:1-8
Revelation 7:9-17
Luke 10:1-16
Psalm 116
In which the Psalmist offers praise to God for being sustained through hard times. A timely Psalm as we've just finished our Tuesday morning prayer group here at Hebron Presbyterian. In our time together we read Scripture, passages from the book When You Pray, by Rueben Job, and share prayer concerns and celebrations. We culminate our time together with prayer. This Psalm offers encouragement to us as we pray from the perspective of someone who has been through a hard time and emerged in tact. The Psalm also reminds us, by example, that there is great value to watching what we have prayed for and remembering to continue the conversation with God in thanks and praise when we experience God's answers to our prayers.
Psalm 116
Micah 3:1-8
Revelation 7:9-17
Luke 10:1-16
Psalm 116
In which the Psalmist offers praise to God for being sustained through hard times. A timely Psalm as we've just finished our Tuesday morning prayer group here at Hebron Presbyterian. In our time together we read Scripture, passages from the book When You Pray, by Rueben Job, and share prayer concerns and celebrations. We culminate our time together with prayer. This Psalm offers encouragement to us as we pray from the perspective of someone who has been through a hard time and emerged in tact. The Psalm also reminds us, by example, that there is great value to watching what we have prayed for and remembering to continue the conversation with God in thanks and praise when we experience God's answers to our prayers.
Monday, October 18, 2010
The Wee Small Hours of the Morning - October 18, 2010
Daily Lectionary for October 18, 2010
Psalm 119:145-176
Micah 2:1-13
Revelations 7:1-8
Luke 9:51-62
Psalm 119:146-176 and Micah 2:1-13
I rise up before dawn and cry for help;
I put my hope in your words.
My eyes are awake before each watch of the night,
that I may meditate on your promise.(Psalm 119:148)
Alas for those who devise wickedness
and evil deeds on their beds!
When the morning dawns, they perform it,
because it is in their power.(Micah 2:1)
Found it interesting that both of these passages seem concerned with what's going on in our restful hours. The Psalmist talks about how rising early to turn to God and approaching the watches of the night fixed on meditation. Micah speaks of those who go to sleep planning bad actions and wake up prepared to carry them out. A watch word of my understanding of the faith journey over the past several years has been the word intention. Disicpleship is not throwing oneself blindly into each new day and hoping for the best. Discipleship is intentionally aiming to position oneself in places where it seems most likely that God may put us to use in positive ways. The spiritual disciplines are all about intent. Prayer. Scripture reading. Worship. Acts of service. Sharing our faith in word and deed. Looking for God at work in our world and in our lives. Anticipating God's action in our lives as we start the day and reviewing the day at the end to see where we can discern God's Spirit at work. There is no magic to this, but there is common sense. If our minds are set on anger, bitterness, division and the like our days will most likely be consumed with these things. If our hearts are set on God, it is not that God is more likely to act, it is more likely that we will notice that God is acting all the time.
Rubicon
AMC's Rubicon ended it's intial season last night. The show which has been slow, thick, hard to follow and brilliant remained so through it's final scene. There were a number of payoffs last night, but nearly as many new questions were raised which leads to the hope that rumors of the show not being renewed are just that, rumors. Very much enjoyed season one of Rubicon and very much hoping for a season two.
Psalm 119:145-176
Micah 2:1-13
Revelations 7:1-8
Luke 9:51-62
Psalm 119:146-176 and Micah 2:1-13
I rise up before dawn and cry for help;
I put my hope in your words.
My eyes are awake before each watch of the night,
that I may meditate on your promise.(Psalm 119:148)
Alas for those who devise wickedness
and evil deeds on their beds!
When the morning dawns, they perform it,
because it is in their power.(Micah 2:1)
Found it interesting that both of these passages seem concerned with what's going on in our restful hours. The Psalmist talks about how rising early to turn to God and approaching the watches of the night fixed on meditation. Micah speaks of those who go to sleep planning bad actions and wake up prepared to carry them out. A watch word of my understanding of the faith journey over the past several years has been the word intention. Disicpleship is not throwing oneself blindly into each new day and hoping for the best. Discipleship is intentionally aiming to position oneself in places where it seems most likely that God may put us to use in positive ways. The spiritual disciplines are all about intent. Prayer. Scripture reading. Worship. Acts of service. Sharing our faith in word and deed. Looking for God at work in our world and in our lives. Anticipating God's action in our lives as we start the day and reviewing the day at the end to see where we can discern God's Spirit at work. There is no magic to this, but there is common sense. If our minds are set on anger, bitterness, division and the like our days will most likely be consumed with these things. If our hearts are set on God, it is not that God is more likely to act, it is more likely that we will notice that God is acting all the time.
Rubicon
AMC's Rubicon ended it's intial season last night. The show which has been slow, thick, hard to follow and brilliant remained so through it's final scene. There were a number of payoffs last night, but nearly as many new questions were raised which leads to the hope that rumors of the show not being renewed are just that, rumors. Very much enjoyed season one of Rubicon and very much hoping for a season two.
The Testing That Is Common To All Of Us - October 17, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 17, 2010
Psalm 119:121-144
Micah 1:1-9
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Matthew 16:13-20
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
"No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he willl not let you be treated beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it."(v.13)
One of the truisms that often pass the lips of people of faith is that God will not give us a weight so heavy that we are not able to carry it. This must be one of the bedrock pieces of the foundation of such sayings. The passage is a series of reminders of those who have not been faithful in the past and from whose example we are to learn. What I find most helpful here is not the fact that God won't ask more of me than I can endure. God knows me far better than I know myself so I don't reallyfind this all that surprising. I'd surely ask very little of myself, with a low expectation of what I might be able to take. What really speaks to me in this verse is the beginning sentence. "No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone." Our suffering is not unique to us. It is not some punishment visited upon one of us that the rest of us do not have to deal with. Pain is common. It's fundamentally a part of our human experience. And somehow I suspect that the joys and the pleasures of life don't work without the testing that is common to all of us. The testing tha tis common to all of us is a constant remidner that something larger is going on and that God's plan is ever unfolding. And how awesome, if at times difficult and troubling, to be a part of that unfolding reality.
Preached this morning on the 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 passage. Second of a three sermon set called "Letter To A Friend" and reflecting on Paul's advice to his protege Timothy and how it applies not only to Timothy, but to us. This morning was titled "There Is A Truth" and was built around Pauls counsel that Timothy hold fast to the truth of Scripture, remembeing who he had learned it from and what the message of Scripture spoke to him. There are many doctrines that may sound more appealing, comfortable and may be offered as alternatives or modifications of the truth he encountered in Scripture. He is to be wary of such things. So are we.
Psalm 119:121-144
Micah 1:1-9
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Matthew 16:13-20
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
"No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he willl not let you be treated beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it."(v.13)
One of the truisms that often pass the lips of people of faith is that God will not give us a weight so heavy that we are not able to carry it. This must be one of the bedrock pieces of the foundation of such sayings. The passage is a series of reminders of those who have not been faithful in the past and from whose example we are to learn. What I find most helpful here is not the fact that God won't ask more of me than I can endure. God knows me far better than I know myself so I don't reallyfind this all that surprising. I'd surely ask very little of myself, with a low expectation of what I might be able to take. What really speaks to me in this verse is the beginning sentence. "No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone." Our suffering is not unique to us. It is not some punishment visited upon one of us that the rest of us do not have to deal with. Pain is common. It's fundamentally a part of our human experience. And somehow I suspect that the joys and the pleasures of life don't work without the testing that is common to all of us. The testing tha tis common to all of us is a constant remidner that something larger is going on and that God's plan is ever unfolding. And how awesome, if at times difficult and troubling, to be a part of that unfolding reality.
Preached this morning on the 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 passage. Second of a three sermon set called "Letter To A Friend" and reflecting on Paul's advice to his protege Timothy and how it applies not only to Timothy, but to us. This morning was titled "There Is A Truth" and was built around Pauls counsel that Timothy hold fast to the truth of Scripture, remembeing who he had learned it from and what the message of Scripture spoke to him. There are many doctrines that may sound more appealing, comfortable and may be offered as alternatives or modifications of the truth he encountered in Scripture. He is to be wary of such things. So are we.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
An Eternally Flawed and Forever Disappointing Endeavor - October 16, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 16, 2010
Psalm 119:970-120
Hosea 14:1-9
Acts 28:17-31
Luke 9:37-50
Hosea 14:1-9
"O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols?
It is I who answer and look after you.
I am like an evergreen cypress; your faithfulness comes from me."(v.8)
I love when a familiar thought gets turned a bit and provides a different view. That's happening here. Idols are not good things. They get in the way of our relationship with God and we find ourselves drawn to them for whatever they seem to promise. We get that theme a lot and, of course, it's right. The turn here is that God's question moves past the why do you chase after idols question to make the point that chasing after idols is an eternally flawed and forever disappointing endeavor. It's not just a violation of our relationship with God it flies in the face of our experience. As is pointed out, it is God who answers us and looks after us. Idols, being idols, do not do either.
Acts 28:17-31
"Go to this people and say,
You will indeed listen , but never understand,
and you will indeed look, but never perceive.
For this people's heart has grown dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing,
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and listen with their ears,
and understand with their heart and turn -
and would heal them"(vs.26-27)
Paul's words to those who fail to receive his teachings fall somewhere on the spectrum with the thoughts on the Hosea passage. What causes us to continue to think we will find answers somewhere other than God - or why do we continue to turn a deaf ear to God's voice calling to us? Perhaps because our hearts can grow dull. Tomorrow is Sunday and with Sunday comes the opportunity to gather with the body of Christ and worship. In doing this we offer praise to God and we practice a discipline that helps us to keep our heart committed to God.
Psalm 119:970-120
Hosea 14:1-9
Acts 28:17-31
Luke 9:37-50
Hosea 14:1-9
"O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols?
It is I who answer and look after you.
I am like an evergreen cypress; your faithfulness comes from me."(v.8)
I love when a familiar thought gets turned a bit and provides a different view. That's happening here. Idols are not good things. They get in the way of our relationship with God and we find ourselves drawn to them for whatever they seem to promise. We get that theme a lot and, of course, it's right. The turn here is that God's question moves past the why do you chase after idols question to make the point that chasing after idols is an eternally flawed and forever disappointing endeavor. It's not just a violation of our relationship with God it flies in the face of our experience. As is pointed out, it is God who answers us and looks after us. Idols, being idols, do not do either.
Acts 28:17-31
"Go to this people and say,
You will indeed listen , but never understand,
and you will indeed look, but never perceive.
For this people's heart has grown dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing,
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and listen with their ears,
and understand with their heart and turn -
and would heal them"(vs.26-27)
Paul's words to those who fail to receive his teachings fall somewhere on the spectrum with the thoughts on the Hosea passage. What causes us to continue to think we will find answers somewhere other than God - or why do we continue to turn a deaf ear to God's voice calling to us? Perhaps because our hearts can grow dull. Tomorrow is Sunday and with Sunday comes the opportunity to gather with the body of Christ and worship. In doing this we offer praise to God and we practice a discipline that helps us to keep our heart committed to God.
Friday, October 15, 2010
It's Beyond Us - October 15, 2010
Daily Lectionary for October 15, 2010
Psalm 119:73-96
Hosea 13:9-16
Acts 28:1-16
Luke 9:28-36
Acts 28:1-16
If the texts above look familiar it's because I think I listed today's texts yesterday. Just to further the confusion though the Acts text on Paul's shipwreck that I referenced yesterday was Acts 27:27-44 which was the right text for yesterday. So on we go.
Today the shipwreck folks find that the island they are on is the island of Malta. They make a fire because it's cold and the text says that a viper jumps out of the brush that Paul is using on the fire and "fastened itself on his hand." The response of the onlookers in interesting. They first interpret this as a sign of divine judgment. They anticipate that at any moment Paul is going to get all swollen up and fall over dead - or some variation on that theme. What else could this possibly mean? Paul, however, does not swell up and does not keel over at this point which forces a reevaluation of the event. Paul goes from being the object of judgment to being a god. Paul does some curing and some praying and most likely some preaching and teaching as the opportunity arises. What is well worth pointing out is that Paul shows no inclination to embracing his recently conferred godhood. Paul, like the disciples, does amazing things, but always with a hand pointing beyond himself to Christ.
Luke 9:28-36
(yesterday's Luke passage was actually to have been Luke 9:18-27)
Luke 9:28-36 is the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus. He's on a mountain when he becomes all dazzling white and suddenly Moses and Elijah are talking with him. Some disciples see this, have a brief interaction with Jesus about how they should respond to what they see and then continue on their way. "And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen."(v.36b) Because really how would that sound to someone from the general population - "Hey - I just saw Jesus and he started glowing and then Moses and Elijah were talking with him." Never mind that people don't glow, that Elijah is long dead, that Moses is even longer dead and so on...yes, I suppose they might have kept quiet about this for a bit. And the thing is that this kind of extraordinary stuff was happening all the time as they followed Jesus around. Eventually, post-resurrection, they process this wealth of itneractions and begin to bear witness to what they have lived. Pointing to Jesus. Which circles back around to the theme above out of the Paul passage. Paul did not follow Jesus around and did not share all of these experiences, but Paul did have his Damascus road experience with the risen Christ. The folks who encountered (and who encounter) Christ are changed. They (and we) are moved by the relationship in a way that leads us to point beyond ourselves to Christ. They are changed. We are changed. And it is a joy to point to the source of that change.
Psalm 119:73-96
Hosea 13:9-16
Acts 28:1-16
Luke 9:28-36
Acts 28:1-16
If the texts above look familiar it's because I think I listed today's texts yesterday. Just to further the confusion though the Acts text on Paul's shipwreck that I referenced yesterday was Acts 27:27-44 which was the right text for yesterday. So on we go.
Today the shipwreck folks find that the island they are on is the island of Malta. They make a fire because it's cold and the text says that a viper jumps out of the brush that Paul is using on the fire and "fastened itself on his hand." The response of the onlookers in interesting. They first interpret this as a sign of divine judgment. They anticipate that at any moment Paul is going to get all swollen up and fall over dead - or some variation on that theme. What else could this possibly mean? Paul, however, does not swell up and does not keel over at this point which forces a reevaluation of the event. Paul goes from being the object of judgment to being a god. Paul does some curing and some praying and most likely some preaching and teaching as the opportunity arises. What is well worth pointing out is that Paul shows no inclination to embracing his recently conferred godhood. Paul, like the disciples, does amazing things, but always with a hand pointing beyond himself to Christ.
Luke 9:28-36
(yesterday's Luke passage was actually to have been Luke 9:18-27)
Luke 9:28-36 is the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus. He's on a mountain when he becomes all dazzling white and suddenly Moses and Elijah are talking with him. Some disciples see this, have a brief interaction with Jesus about how they should respond to what they see and then continue on their way. "And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen."(v.36b) Because really how would that sound to someone from the general population - "Hey - I just saw Jesus and he started glowing and then Moses and Elijah were talking with him." Never mind that people don't glow, that Elijah is long dead, that Moses is even longer dead and so on...yes, I suppose they might have kept quiet about this for a bit. And the thing is that this kind of extraordinary stuff was happening all the time as they followed Jesus around. Eventually, post-resurrection, they process this wealth of itneractions and begin to bear witness to what they have lived. Pointing to Jesus. Which circles back around to the theme above out of the Paul passage. Paul did not follow Jesus around and did not share all of these experiences, but Paul did have his Damascus road experience with the risen Christ. The folks who encountered (and who encounter) Christ are changed. They (and we) are moved by the relationship in a way that leads us to point beyond ourselves to Christ. They are changed. We are changed. And it is a joy to point to the source of that change.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Menacing Windshields Advancing With Intent - October 14, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 14, 2010
Psalm 119:73-96
Hosea 13:9-16
Acts 28:1-16
Luke 9:28-36
Hosea 13:9-16
"I will destroy you, O Israel, who can help you?
Where now is your king, that he may save you?
Where in all your cities are your rulers, of whom you said, 'Give me a king and rulers.'" (v.9-10)
Hosea is pronouncing God's judgment on Israel. Things are about to fall apart in the northern kingdom of Israel. God's words remind the people that on the other side of all of the things they would confer power upon (kings and princes for instance) there is ultimate power in the hands of God alone. I've read in various places about the concept of the "tyranny of the urgent". Typically the idea is that we rush through life from thing to thing that demands our attention, paying attention to the urgent at the expense of stepping back and leaving a moment or several for long term thinking and considerations. It's a recipe for a non-reflective life, the life of a bug desperately trying to avoid menacing windshields advancing with intent. This passage gives another dimension to the tyranny of the urgent idea - we pay attention and homage to the most immediate power on the horizon. Be it king or prince or boss or celebrity. We encounter what appears to be a repository of power and we are drawn in for a closer look. They can be magnetic and irresistible. And they are close by, right here, right now. Like the folks in Hosea's Israel we can forget that the power of this world is illusory. When pushed to the brink we may remember this and cry out to God for help. How much more depth might we find in our lives if we could more regularly remember the power resides now and always with God and live our lives and make our decisions with that reality in sight?
Acts 28:1-16
The Acts passage echoes the above point. The storm threatens to destroy the ship and kill everyone on it. The storm strips away the difference between the caste system of the ship, between crew and prisoners, at this point they are all people whose lives are in danger.
Luke 9:18-27
And finally Luke weighs in with this - "What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?"(v.25) Gain the power of the kings and princes and CEO's and national leaders and at the end of the day who is in charge? Still God who is still looking at the faithfulness of our response to whatever gifts and resources have been placed in our path.
Psalm 119:73-96
Hosea 13:9-16
Acts 28:1-16
Luke 9:28-36
Hosea 13:9-16
"I will destroy you, O Israel, who can help you?
Where now is your king, that he may save you?
Where in all your cities are your rulers, of whom you said, 'Give me a king and rulers.'" (v.9-10)
Hosea is pronouncing God's judgment on Israel. Things are about to fall apart in the northern kingdom of Israel. God's words remind the people that on the other side of all of the things they would confer power upon (kings and princes for instance) there is ultimate power in the hands of God alone. I've read in various places about the concept of the "tyranny of the urgent". Typically the idea is that we rush through life from thing to thing that demands our attention, paying attention to the urgent at the expense of stepping back and leaving a moment or several for long term thinking and considerations. It's a recipe for a non-reflective life, the life of a bug desperately trying to avoid menacing windshields advancing with intent. This passage gives another dimension to the tyranny of the urgent idea - we pay attention and homage to the most immediate power on the horizon. Be it king or prince or boss or celebrity. We encounter what appears to be a repository of power and we are drawn in for a closer look. They can be magnetic and irresistible. And they are close by, right here, right now. Like the folks in Hosea's Israel we can forget that the power of this world is illusory. When pushed to the brink we may remember this and cry out to God for help. How much more depth might we find in our lives if we could more regularly remember the power resides now and always with God and live our lives and make our decisions with that reality in sight?
Acts 28:1-16
The Acts passage echoes the above point. The storm threatens to destroy the ship and kill everyone on it. The storm strips away the difference between the caste system of the ship, between crew and prisoners, at this point they are all people whose lives are in danger.
Luke 9:18-27
And finally Luke weighs in with this - "What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?"(v.25) Gain the power of the kings and princes and CEO's and national leaders and at the end of the day who is in charge? Still God who is still looking at the faithfulness of our response to whatever gifts and resources have been placed in our path.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Storm! Shipwreck! It's Alright! - October 13, 2010
Daily Lectionary Reading for October 13, 2010
Psalm 119:25-48
Hosea 13:1-3
Acts 27:9-26
Luke 9:1-17
Acts 27:9-26
Right here towards the end of the book of Acts a Clive Cussler novel breaks out. There is a storm brewing - Paul counsels not heading into the impending danger, but his advice is not heeded and off they go. They storm comes, thinks are touch and go and Paul steps forward once again to speak a word of hope - sort of - that is they may lose everything, but they are going to live. A powerful piece of the story is how we can use the language and vocaublary of this story to talk about the poor decisions we make in life (let's set sail) which result in being caught up in storms and difficulties. In the midst of all that there is hope - in this story a very specific word of hope from Paul, but a specific word based on a larger promise of God's faithfulness. When things are tough and your boat is maybe about to be not your boat anymore, God still has a word of hope.
Luke 9:1-17
The passage opens with an instruction to the twelve who are being sent on a missionary journey. They are told to take nothing with them - to travel light. Further on we have the story of the feeding of five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish - which typically would not be enough for five thousand people. In light of the shipwreck story where Paul tells his shipmates that they will survive, but not much of their stuff will survive with them, these stories from Luke drive home the point that we can do much with little in the way of material resources. And further makes the point that we are our most valuable resource for making a difference. How will God use us.
Psalm 119:25-48
Hosea 13:1-3
Acts 27:9-26
Luke 9:1-17
Acts 27:9-26
Right here towards the end of the book of Acts a Clive Cussler novel breaks out. There is a storm brewing - Paul counsels not heading into the impending danger, but his advice is not heeded and off they go. They storm comes, thinks are touch and go and Paul steps forward once again to speak a word of hope - sort of - that is they may lose everything, but they are going to live. A powerful piece of the story is how we can use the language and vocaublary of this story to talk about the poor decisions we make in life (let's set sail) which result in being caught up in storms and difficulties. In the midst of all that there is hope - in this story a very specific word of hope from Paul, but a specific word based on a larger promise of God's faithfulness. When things are tough and your boat is maybe about to be not your boat anymore, God still has a word of hope.
Luke 9:1-17
The passage opens with an instruction to the twelve who are being sent on a missionary journey. They are told to take nothing with them - to travel light. Further on we have the story of the feeding of five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish - which typically would not be enough for five thousand people. In light of the shipwreck story where Paul tells his shipmates that they will survive, but not much of their stuff will survive with them, these stories from Luke drive home the point that we can do much with little in the way of material resources. And further makes the point that we are our most valuable resource for making a difference. How will God use us.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
"I'm Not Dead. I Think I'll Go For A Walk" - October 12, 2010
Daily Lectionary for October 12, 2010
Psalm 119:1-24
Hosea 12:2-14
Acts 26:24-27:8
Luke 8:40-56
Luke 8:40-56
Jairus' daughter dies while Jesus is en route to save her. He arrives to anguished folks "weeping and wailing for her". Jesus says, "'Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.' And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead."(vs.52 and 53) Jesus calls the girl to life and the parents are astounded and all seems to end well. The place I want to focus is on the awareness of the people that the girl is dead. There are several instances, including Jesus death and resurrection, where folks in the Bible are dead and then return to life. One of the outs which some want to apply to the text is that these were ancient people who weren't really as adept as we are at telling when someone was dead. As though these were backwards folks who went about handing out death certificates to people with a slight cold. These stories are not told so we can figure out how it was that lightly sick people were mistakenly declared dead. Scripture tells these stories to impart to us the power of Christ who can call people from death to life. I think folks in Bible times saw death enough that they knew what it was. And I believe that when Jesus chose to (and when he chooses to) he can indeed call people from death to life.
Psalm 119:1-24
Hosea 12:2-14
Acts 26:24-27:8
Luke 8:40-56
Luke 8:40-56
Jairus' daughter dies while Jesus is en route to save her. He arrives to anguished folks "weeping and wailing for her". Jesus says, "'Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.' And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead."(vs.52 and 53) Jesus calls the girl to life and the parents are astounded and all seems to end well. The place I want to focus is on the awareness of the people that the girl is dead. There are several instances, including Jesus death and resurrection, where folks in the Bible are dead and then return to life. One of the outs which some want to apply to the text is that these were ancient people who weren't really as adept as we are at telling when someone was dead. As though these were backwards folks who went about handing out death certificates to people with a slight cold. These stories are not told so we can figure out how it was that lightly sick people were mistakenly declared dead. Scripture tells these stories to impart to us the power of Christ who can call people from death to life. I think folks in Bible times saw death enough that they knew what it was. And I believe that when Jesus chose to (and when he chooses to) he can indeed call people from death to life.
Paul Tells The Story (Again) - October 11, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 11, 2010
Psalm 44
Hosea 11:12-12:1
Acts 26:1-23
Luke 8:26-39
Acts 26:1-23
Paul appearing before King Agrippa to defend himself against the charges brought by the Jewish leadership. It takes little time for him to get to a story he tells in several places in Scripture and which, I suspect, he told many more times throughout his life - the story of his conversion on the Damascus Road. Paul's regular retelling of this seminal moment in his life can serve as an example to us. Many of us are reluctant to speak of our faith - we don't want to impose, we feel like we are being pushy. Whether we had a conversion experience of a dramatic sort as Paul did or something less dramatic, but no less meaningful - we came to know Christ somehow. It is important for us to retell the story of how we came to know Christ as it, first, speaks to our excitement in coming to this life changing relationship and, second, shares an example that relationship came into being for us. By telling and retelling our story we become comfortable with the story and learn to tell it in a way that is not an imposition and not pushy, but simply an authentic part of who we are.
Psalm 44
Hosea 11:12-12:1
Acts 26:1-23
Luke 8:26-39
Acts 26:1-23
Paul appearing before King Agrippa to defend himself against the charges brought by the Jewish leadership. It takes little time for him to get to a story he tells in several places in Scripture and which, I suspect, he told many more times throughout his life - the story of his conversion on the Damascus Road. Paul's regular retelling of this seminal moment in his life can serve as an example to us. Many of us are reluctant to speak of our faith - we don't want to impose, we feel like we are being pushy. Whether we had a conversion experience of a dramatic sort as Paul did or something less dramatic, but no less meaningful - we came to know Christ somehow. It is important for us to retell the story of how we came to know Christ as it, first, speaks to our excitement in coming to this life changing relationship and, second, shares an example that relationship came into being for us. By telling and retelling our story we become comfortable with the story and learn to tell it in a way that is not an imposition and not pushy, but simply an authentic part of who we are.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Parents and Children - October 10, 2010
Daily Lectionary for October 10, 2010
Psalm 107:1-22
Hosea 11:1-11
1 Corinthians 4:9-16
Matthew 15:21-28
Hosea 11:1-11
A wonderfully tender passage with God expressing his love for his children - Ephraim and Israel. The ache at the willful disobedience of the children is palpable and the promise of grace that God makes is uplifting. Especially uplifiting when we have that jolt of realization that we are right there with those disobedient children and we surely need that grace.
1 Corinthians 4:9-16
More talk of disobedient chldren. Pauls says, "I am writing this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children." Paul encourages the folks in Corinth to be "imitators" of him. Another aspect of the parent metaphor - a parent shows the way, provides an example and the child then does what they will with that example as they find their own way.
Matthrew 15:21-28
The Matthew text shows us an actual parent at work on behalf of her child. A woman, a Canaanite woman, come to Jesus seeking healing for her daughter. The disciples ask Jesus to send her away and Jesus seems inclined to do so, but she is relentless and Jesus ends up doing what she asks and praising her faith. This mother gives us another layer to add to our insight into God as parent as we see her unflagging love for and attachment to seeking the best for her child.
And so it goes...
The Reds finish out a season to remember with a series to not remember too much. But the disappointment is not to great - the Phillies (who I hope ill for) are a very good team with superb pitching) - and the season was a great ride. So thanks to the 2010 National League Central Division Champion Reds - you are great! And now that they have bowed out, go Yankees!
Psalm 107:1-22
Hosea 11:1-11
1 Corinthians 4:9-16
Matthew 15:21-28
Hosea 11:1-11
A wonderfully tender passage with God expressing his love for his children - Ephraim and Israel. The ache at the willful disobedience of the children is palpable and the promise of grace that God makes is uplifting. Especially uplifiting when we have that jolt of realization that we are right there with those disobedient children and we surely need that grace.
1 Corinthians 4:9-16
More talk of disobedient chldren. Pauls says, "I am writing this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children." Paul encourages the folks in Corinth to be "imitators" of him. Another aspect of the parent metaphor - a parent shows the way, provides an example and the child then does what they will with that example as they find their own way.
Matthrew 15:21-28
The Matthew text shows us an actual parent at work on behalf of her child. A woman, a Canaanite woman, come to Jesus seeking healing for her daughter. The disciples ask Jesus to send her away and Jesus seems inclined to do so, but she is relentless and Jesus ends up doing what she asks and praising her faith. This mother gives us another layer to add to our insight into God as parent as we see her unflagging love for and attachment to seeking the best for her child.
And so it goes...
The Reds finish out a season to remember with a series to not remember too much. But the disappointment is not to great - the Phillies (who I hope ill for) are a very good team with superb pitching) - and the season was a great ride. So thanks to the 2010 National League Central Division Champion Reds - you are great! And now that they have bowed out, go Yankees!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Two Perspectives On Covenant - October 9, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 9, 2010
Psalm 111
Hosea 10:1-15
Acts 25:13-27
Luke 8:16-25
Psalm 111 and Hosea 10:1-15
One of the things that is helpful about reading the lectionary is reading passages in layers. A Psalm, an Old Testament passage, a New Testament passage, a Gospel passage. Sometimes you are drawn to one, sometimes to several and sometimes the passages seem to speak to and/or with one another. Here Hosea and the Psalmist illuminate the idea of the covenant relationship between God and humanity by coming at it from different perspectives.
"They utter mere words;
with empty oaths they make covenants...."(Hosea 10:6a)
"He provides food for those who fear him;
he is ever mindful of his covenant" (Psalm 111:5)
The people, Hosea says, speak easily and don't attach any credibility or value to their words. God on the other hand, the Psalmist points out, is ever mindful of the content of the covenant and acts accordingly. God is always faithful in his covernant relationship with us. These passages remind us to aim to make our side of the covenant relationship one not of words alone, but of honest struggle to be faithful to the core and content of our faith.
Psalm 111
Hosea 10:1-15
Acts 25:13-27
Luke 8:16-25
Psalm 111 and Hosea 10:1-15
One of the things that is helpful about reading the lectionary is reading passages in layers. A Psalm, an Old Testament passage, a New Testament passage, a Gospel passage. Sometimes you are drawn to one, sometimes to several and sometimes the passages seem to speak to and/or with one another. Here Hosea and the Psalmist illuminate the idea of the covenant relationship between God and humanity by coming at it from different perspectives.
"They utter mere words;
with empty oaths they make covenants...."(Hosea 10:6a)
"He provides food for those who fear him;
he is ever mindful of his covenant" (Psalm 111:5)
The people, Hosea says, speak easily and don't attach any credibility or value to their words. God on the other hand, the Psalmist points out, is ever mindful of the content of the covenant and acts accordingly. God is always faithful in his covernant relationship with us. These passages remind us to aim to make our side of the covenant relationship one not of words alone, but of honest struggle to be faithful to the core and content of our faith.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Good News For Cities And Villages and Workplaces and Gas Stations - October 8, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 8, 2010
Psalm 103
Hosea 9:10-17
Acts 24:24-25:12
Luke 8:1-15
Luke 8:1-15
The passage contains one of the basic features of many good stories - folks on a journey. Jesus spends his ministry on a journey - this is one specific journey within that larger framework. "Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God."(v.1) It is the story of a specific journey and it gives some details about some of the folks along for the trip - the disciples as well as several women who helped provide for the needs of the group. It generally though is the story of the larger journey, both of Jesus and hopefully for us. We venture forth each day to our workplaces and our schools, to our recreation and our pumping of gas - to all the stuff that we have to do. And in that journey for this day, for every day, there is opportunity. Opportunity to, as we go through our version of cities and villages, to proclaim and bring the good news of the kingdom of God. This bringing of the good news is not peripheral to what we really need to get done, it is the thing, finally, that brings meaning and purpose to all that we do every day of our lives.
Psalm 103
Hosea 9:10-17
Acts 24:24-25:12
Luke 8:1-15
Luke 8:1-15
The passage contains one of the basic features of many good stories - folks on a journey. Jesus spends his ministry on a journey - this is one specific journey within that larger framework. "Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God."(v.1) It is the story of a specific journey and it gives some details about some of the folks along for the trip - the disciples as well as several women who helped provide for the needs of the group. It generally though is the story of the larger journey, both of Jesus and hopefully for us. We venture forth each day to our workplaces and our schools, to our recreation and our pumping of gas - to all the stuff that we have to do. And in that journey for this day, for every day, there is opportunity. Opportunity to, as we go through our version of cities and villages, to proclaim and bring the good news of the kingdom of God. This bringing of the good news is not peripheral to what we really need to get done, it is the thing, finally, that brings meaning and purpose to all that we do every day of our lives.
Unpleasant, Handy Character Traits - October 7, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 7, 2010
Psalm 94
Hosea 9:1-9
Acts 24:1-23
Luke 7:36-50
Acts 24:1-23
Tertellus making his case against Paul before the Roman governor Felix....
"We have, in fact, foun this man a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of th sect of the Nazarenes." I suspect if Paul was on the opposite side of an issue from you on something you felt strongly about he might seem to be described perfectly here. He is tenacious, he is bold and he does seem to be able to agitate with the best of them. What unlikely characteristics floating around in us is God planning to utilize in the manner that God so completely used these in Paul?
Luke 7:36-50
Jesus is at a Pharisees house for dinner. A woman, with a questionable reputation anoints Jesus feet. Jesus tells a brief story (there are two creditors one who owes five hunred denarii and one who owes fifty - who is happier when the debt is cancelled?) and then makes his point. "But the one to whom little is forgiven loves little".(v.47) Jesus' lesson is for each of us. Set this story alongside of the recent story of the speck in the neighbor's eye that we are trying to critique despite the log in our own. We all have a great burden of debt that has been cancelled by Christ's life, death and resurrection. To more fully appreciate what Christ has done for us we must be honest about the depth of our need and our inablity to have met that need on our own.
Psalm 94
Hosea 9:1-9
Acts 24:1-23
Luke 7:36-50
Acts 24:1-23
Tertellus making his case against Paul before the Roman governor Felix....
"We have, in fact, foun this man a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of th sect of the Nazarenes." I suspect if Paul was on the opposite side of an issue from you on something you felt strongly about he might seem to be described perfectly here. He is tenacious, he is bold and he does seem to be able to agitate with the best of them. What unlikely characteristics floating around in us is God planning to utilize in the manner that God so completely used these in Paul?
Luke 7:36-50
Jesus is at a Pharisees house for dinner. A woman, with a questionable reputation anoints Jesus feet. Jesus tells a brief story (there are two creditors one who owes five hunred denarii and one who owes fifty - who is happier when the debt is cancelled?) and then makes his point. "But the one to whom little is forgiven loves little".(v.47) Jesus' lesson is for each of us. Set this story alongside of the recent story of the speck in the neighbor's eye that we are trying to critique despite the log in our own. We all have a great burden of debt that has been cancelled by Christ's life, death and resurrection. To more fully appreciate what Christ has done for us we must be honest about the depth of our need and our inablity to have met that need on our own.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Sharing Jesus - October 6, 2010
Daily Lectioanry For October 6, 2010
Psalm 69:1-15
Hosea 8:1-14
Acts 23:23-35
Luke 7:18-35
Luke 7:18-35
John sends two of his disciples to question Jesus - to discover if "he is the one who is to come". Jesus, being Jesus, does not answer yes or no, but instead gives John's followers an assignment - "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them."(v.22) It is not a matter of having to vouch for Jesus - the evidence of who he is and what he has done is everywhere to be seen - they do not need to tell John Jesus is the one - they need to tell John what Jesus has done. And so it is with us. We are called to share with folks the ways we have witnessed Jesus at work in our world and in our lives. We may certainly profess that Jesus is Lord, but the point will be made that much stronger when we tell of the ways that we perceive the world to be different because Jesus is alive and at work in it.
Psalm 69:1-15
Hosea 8:1-14
Acts 23:23-35
Luke 7:18-35
Luke 7:18-35
John sends two of his disciples to question Jesus - to discover if "he is the one who is to come". Jesus, being Jesus, does not answer yes or no, but instead gives John's followers an assignment - "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them."(v.22) It is not a matter of having to vouch for Jesus - the evidence of who he is and what he has done is everywhere to be seen - they do not need to tell John Jesus is the one - they need to tell John what Jesus has done. And so it is with us. We are called to share with folks the ways we have witnessed Jesus at work in our world and in our lives. We may certainly profess that Jesus is Lord, but the point will be made that much stronger when we tell of the ways that we perceive the world to be different because Jesus is alive and at work in it.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Hope In God For The Downcast and Disturbed - October 5, 2010
Daily Lectionary For October 5, 2010
Psalm 42
Hosea 7:8-16
Acts 23:12-24
Luke 7:1-17
Psalm 42
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God. (v.5)
I'm not feeling particularly downcast today - just the opposite really as it's a beautiful, nearly flawless fall day outside; a great day in the best season of the year - so probably a good day to think about the logic of this verse as opposed to the feeling of this verse. When I do feel downcast - I think when most of us feel downcast - it's no easy trick to move past to the postive spot described in this verse. Yet even when life is bleak and it's not a perfect fall day outside the underlying foundational truth is that God is with us and will not abandon us. Need to save a bit of this day and access it, and this verse, on one of the more challenging ones.
Luke 7:1-17
After healing a centurion's servant Jesus travels to a town called Nain. As Jesus is arriving a funeral procession is making its way out of the town, a crowd of folks surrounding a grieving mother who has lost her only son. "When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, 'Don't cry.'" (v.13) An extraordinary window into the heart of God. In our moments of despair and grief, uncertainty and loss, God's heart goes out to us as well. A reminder that we don't navigate this life alone, but that, amazingly God has come to us and walks with us and at just the moment we reach our lowest ebb (when our soul is downcast and disturbed within us for instance) the heart of God aches for us. And beyond that ministers to us.
Psalm 42
Hosea 7:8-16
Acts 23:12-24
Luke 7:1-17
Psalm 42
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God. (v.5)
I'm not feeling particularly downcast today - just the opposite really as it's a beautiful, nearly flawless fall day outside; a great day in the best season of the year - so probably a good day to think about the logic of this verse as opposed to the feeling of this verse. When I do feel downcast - I think when most of us feel downcast - it's no easy trick to move past to the postive spot described in this verse. Yet even when life is bleak and it's not a perfect fall day outside the underlying foundational truth is that God is with us and will not abandon us. Need to save a bit of this day and access it, and this verse, on one of the more challenging ones.
Luke 7:1-17
After healing a centurion's servant Jesus travels to a town called Nain. As Jesus is arriving a funeral procession is making its way out of the town, a crowd of folks surrounding a grieving mother who has lost her only son. "When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, 'Don't cry.'" (v.13) An extraordinary window into the heart of God. In our moments of despair and grief, uncertainty and loss, God's heart goes out to us as well. A reminder that we don't navigate this life alone, but that, amazingly God has come to us and walks with us and at just the moment we reach our lowest ebb (when our soul is downcast and disturbed within us for instance) the heart of God aches for us. And beyond that ministers to us.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Logs, Specks, Food Fights, and the Mission of the Church - October 4, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 4, 2010
Psalm 54
Hosea 6:7-7:7
Acts 22:30-23:11
Luke 6:39-49
Acts 22:30-23:11 and Luke 6:39-49
In the Acts passage we have the blow by blow of a meeting of religious leaders to deal with/judge Paul. Paul knows just the thing to say to really ignite a blow-up between the Pharisees and the Saducees and chaos ensues. One can't help but believe that everyone must have felt like they'd accomplished a lot after that meeting.
The Luke passage starts off with Jesus teaching about the difficulty of pointing out the speck in someone else's eye while sporting a two by four in your own eye. The faults of others are often so easy to spot, it seems, even given that we have to somehow see past our own shortcomings to get a glimpse of what ails the other.
Both of these passages give some food for thought to the church today as it continues to do battle within its walls over a variety of social issues. Primary mandates like sharing the good news of Jesus Christ have been put temporarily on hold while we try to see past the logs in our own eyes to point out the speck in the eyes of those with whom we disagree. We would probably feel quiet comfortable at the meeting portrayed in the Acts passage because if we've been at all active in larger church life (at least in the PC(USA) - my denomination), we've been to that food fight. We had different names for the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the attire was probably a bit different, but the basic idea of chucking a verbal tomato at the person we disagree with has translated well to the modern day. Our temporary hold on sharing the good news has become a thirty plus year hold - give or take - and it grows more and more frustrating even as it continues to suck us in. This is not to say that the church hasn't done some wonderful things (both in its local and larger governing body modes) in that time, but fight we have, early and often.
For today we perhaps could decide to have a look at the log in our eye and see if we can't get a better perspective on that other person by working on our log rather than railing about their speck.
Psalm 54
Hosea 6:7-7:7
Acts 22:30-23:11
Luke 6:39-49
Acts 22:30-23:11 and Luke 6:39-49
In the Acts passage we have the blow by blow of a meeting of religious leaders to deal with/judge Paul. Paul knows just the thing to say to really ignite a blow-up between the Pharisees and the Saducees and chaos ensues. One can't help but believe that everyone must have felt like they'd accomplished a lot after that meeting.
The Luke passage starts off with Jesus teaching about the difficulty of pointing out the speck in someone else's eye while sporting a two by four in your own eye. The faults of others are often so easy to spot, it seems, even given that we have to somehow see past our own shortcomings to get a glimpse of what ails the other.
Both of these passages give some food for thought to the church today as it continues to do battle within its walls over a variety of social issues. Primary mandates like sharing the good news of Jesus Christ have been put temporarily on hold while we try to see past the logs in our own eyes to point out the speck in the eyes of those with whom we disagree. We would probably feel quiet comfortable at the meeting portrayed in the Acts passage because if we've been at all active in larger church life (at least in the PC(USA) - my denomination), we've been to that food fight. We had different names for the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the attire was probably a bit different, but the basic idea of chucking a verbal tomato at the person we disagree with has translated well to the modern day. Our temporary hold on sharing the good news has become a thirty plus year hold - give or take - and it grows more and more frustrating even as it continues to suck us in. This is not to say that the church hasn't done some wonderful things (both in its local and larger governing body modes) in that time, but fight we have, early and often.
For today we perhaps could decide to have a look at the log in our eye and see if we can't get a better perspective on that other person by working on our log rather than railing about their speck.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Seriously Dangerous - October 3, 2010
Daily Lectionary for October 3, 2010
Psalm 57
Hosea 5:8-6:6
1 Corinthians 2:6-16
Matthew 14:1-12
Matthew 14:1-12
The strange tale of the demise of John the Baptist. My hearing of this passage is always flavored by my memories of one of those biblical costume epics that portrays the sequence of events presented here. It's a story that I find myself putting in a place separate from the mission and ministry of Jesus which misses a big point of this story - this is dangerous stuff. John was out in the wilderness for a variety of reasons, but one of those reasons was it was safer for him out there. He said things that put him at odds with the religious authorities and here he clearly got on the wrong side of Herod. And clearly it doesn't take long for Jesus to hear about what has happened which means the consequences of being on the wrong side of the religious leaders and the secular leaders is strikingly obvious to him as well. And to his disciples.
Preached today on...
Luke 17:5-10 and the disciples request to Jesus, "Increase our faith." It's a stellar request on their part. Coming on the heels of vs. 1-5 they might well have asked, "Decrease our responsibility", but rather than get cold feet or want to back out they seek what they know they will need - more faith. When things are especially difficult "increase our faith" can make a great prayer for us as we try to find our way forward.
Psalm 57
Hosea 5:8-6:6
1 Corinthians 2:6-16
Matthew 14:1-12
Matthew 14:1-12
The strange tale of the demise of John the Baptist. My hearing of this passage is always flavored by my memories of one of those biblical costume epics that portrays the sequence of events presented here. It's a story that I find myself putting in a place separate from the mission and ministry of Jesus which misses a big point of this story - this is dangerous stuff. John was out in the wilderness for a variety of reasons, but one of those reasons was it was safer for him out there. He said things that put him at odds with the religious authorities and here he clearly got on the wrong side of Herod. And clearly it doesn't take long for Jesus to hear about what has happened which means the consequences of being on the wrong side of the religious leaders and the secular leaders is strikingly obvious to him as well. And to his disciples.
Preached today on...
Luke 17:5-10 and the disciples request to Jesus, "Increase our faith." It's a stellar request on their part. Coming on the heels of vs. 1-5 they might well have asked, "Decrease our responsibility", but rather than get cold feet or want to back out they seek what they know they will need - more faith. When things are especially difficult "increase our faith" can make a great prayer for us as we try to find our way forward.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
In Case of Ease - Read This Text - October 2, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 2, 2010
Psalm 63
Hosea 5:1-7
Acts 22:17-29
Luke 6:27-38
Acts 22:17-29
Paul invokes his Roman citizenship again, this time to avoid being flogged by a Roman soldier. Bringing into view once more the way that the Pax Romana in general and Paul's Roman citizenship specficially aided the fledgling Christian movement. Also to be noticed is Paul's lack of reluctance to use this advantage where it will help. His goal is to spread and nurture the Gospel. If utilizing the benefits of the power structure will help make that happen he is inclined to use it. Jesus talks, at some point, about taking advantage of the wisdom of the world and Paul seems to have taken the lesson to heart. What are the sometimes problematic, but also potentially helpful pieces of culture and society today that we Christians may be able to put in service of our faith. Social networking? The internet? Television? Freedom - in most places in the United States - to gather and to share our faith?
Luke 6:27-38
Wonderful passage. If Chiristian faith gets to seeming too easy read this text.
Psalm 63
Hosea 5:1-7
Acts 22:17-29
Luke 6:27-38
Acts 22:17-29
Paul invokes his Roman citizenship again, this time to avoid being flogged by a Roman soldier. Bringing into view once more the way that the Pax Romana in general and Paul's Roman citizenship specficially aided the fledgling Christian movement. Also to be noticed is Paul's lack of reluctance to use this advantage where it will help. His goal is to spread and nurture the Gospel. If utilizing the benefits of the power structure will help make that happen he is inclined to use it. Jesus talks, at some point, about taking advantage of the wisdom of the world and Paul seems to have taken the lesson to heart. What are the sometimes problematic, but also potentially helpful pieces of culture and society today that we Christians may be able to put in service of our faith. Social networking? The internet? Television? Freedom - in most places in the United States - to gather and to share our faith?
Luke 6:27-38
Wonderful passage. If Chiristian faith gets to seeming too easy read this text.
Friday, October 1, 2010
When Is A Good Time For Turning Away? - October 1, 2010
Daily Lectionary Reading for October 1, 2010
Psalm 78:40-72
Hosea 4:11-19
Acts 21:37-22:16
Luke 6:12-26
Psalm 78:40-72
After recounting God's action in leading the people out of Egypt like a shepherd with a flock a familiar refrain in 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
like their acestors;
they twisted like a treacherous bow."
And again as we read we are reminded these verses don't really come to us as mere descriptions of how a people in a particular place at a particular time turned away from God whose provision was constant; they come to us as a call to listen, to pay attention, to observe - to be thankful to God and to try very hard not to forget that the God we run to quickly in adversity is the God we are called to be faithful to all of the time.
September 30 Revisited
Yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of the service at St. Charles Presbyterian Church in St. Charles, Missouri when I was ordained. Five years as Associate Pastor there (under the remarkable, invaluable, and most excellent of mentors, Robert R. McGruther), ten years as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Prestonsburg, Kentucky and now five years as pastor (the first four Designated and now installed) at Hebron Presbyterian Church in Shepherdsville, Kentucky (not really in the actual sense of being in Shepherdsville, but in the post office sense of Shepherdsville casts a wide net). Each congregation has had much to teach and has showed remarkable patience as I tried to figure our what I was and am called to do. Twenty years in and I feel like I'm still working at the figuring out part. Thanks to all who have shared the journey to this point; you have all helped, challenged, inspired and been great companions. I commented on Facebook that it seemed more like six or seven years than twenty. Somehow, here we are in 2010. Looking forward to what's to come.
Celebrate Life!
(Bob always signed his newsletter articles that way and I borrowed that from him as well.)
Psalm 78:40-72
Hosea 4:11-19
Acts 21:37-22:16
Luke 6:12-26
Psalm 78:40-72
After recounting God's action in leading the people out of Egypt like a shepherd with a flock a familiar refrain in 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
like their acestors;
they twisted like a treacherous bow."
And again as we read we are reminded these verses don't really come to us as mere descriptions of how a people in a particular place at a particular time turned away from God whose provision was constant; they come to us as a call to listen, to pay attention, to observe - to be thankful to God and to try very hard not to forget that the God we run to quickly in adversity is the God we are called to be faithful to all of the time.
September 30 Revisited
Yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of the service at St. Charles Presbyterian Church in St. Charles, Missouri when I was ordained. Five years as Associate Pastor there (under the remarkable, invaluable, and most excellent of mentors, Robert R. McGruther), ten years as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Prestonsburg, Kentucky and now five years as pastor (the first four Designated and now installed) at Hebron Presbyterian Church in Shepherdsville, Kentucky (not really in the actual sense of being in Shepherdsville, but in the post office sense of Shepherdsville casts a wide net). Each congregation has had much to teach and has showed remarkable patience as I tried to figure our what I was and am called to do. Twenty years in and I feel like I'm still working at the figuring out part. Thanks to all who have shared the journey to this point; you have all helped, challenged, inspired and been great companions. I commented on Facebook that it seemed more like six or seven years than twenty. Somehow, here we are in 2010. Looking forward to what's to come.
Celebrate Life!
(Bob always signed his newsletter articles that way and I borrowed that from him as well.)
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