Daily Lectionary Readings for November 30, 2010
Psalm 33
Isaiah 1:21-31
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Luke 20:9-18
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
"Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts."
Paul is speaking about his motivation which he identifies as pleasing God. In pleasing God he is sharing good news and speaking hard truths to people. The good news and the hard truths are both for the good which is why they are pleasing to God. Paul states that God alone is capable of examining the motives of our hearts. While this can mean that no other person can really examine our deepest motivations it is also true that this knowledge applies to us as well. We can tell the story of our motivations to ourselves in ways that are, in fact, not in line with the reality of things. God made us and God sees into our hearts. Our purpose is to please God, because not only is God the only one who can examine the motives of our hearts; God alone is also the only one whose desires for our hearts to be pure. In seeking to please God we come as close as we can to doing the right thing - not because we want to do right, but because God's will for us is invariably right.
If our purpose is to please God, which would seem to be an ideal and worthy purpose then our first task is to discover what pleases God. Which draws us back again to Scripture and to prayer. So many things point us in this fundamental direction. We need to know God. Our most reliable approach to God is our intentional devotional practices - reading Scripture, worshipping, praying. Seeking what is pleasing to God so that we may live towards that purpose.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
The Waiting Is The Hardest Part - November 29, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 29, 2010
Psalm 69:1-15
Isaiah 1:10-20
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Luke 20:1-8
Psalm 69:1-15
A good one for when things haven't been going well and still aren't going well. The Psalmist is asking both for help ("Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck") and for patience to wait on the Lord's answer ("...my prayer is to you O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God in the abundance of yoru steadfast love, answer me.") Both practices - going to the Lord in prayer when answers are elusive and times are challenging and seeking the patience to live through the storm and wait on God's answers. Waiting on God's acceptable time falls in nicely with the Advent theme of waiting on God. This waiting is often not a passive or easy thing, waiting can be difficult, even excruciating. As we discussed in Sunday School yesterday at Hebron, it's not always a choosing between two obvious choices - one good, one bad - often times it is a slow process of discernment between two seemingly meritorious choices, and that requires waiting, waiting, waiting.
Isaiah 1:1-10
Rather comes at waiting from another angle. The activity described in verses 10-15 seems to be empty activity aiming at busyness rather than anything of substance. God is said to be tired of the "multitude of sacrifices", has had "enough of burnt offerings" and cannot "endure solemn assemblies". Rather than many and elaborate worship experiences the people are called upon to do something basic and visceral - repent. "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean, remove the evil of your doings from my eyes." "Learn to do good, seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow." Repent and do good. Tasks of preparation for Christ's advent.
Waiting...
It is easy to write about waiting.
It is not so easy to wait.
It is easy to wait conceptually.
It is not so easy to wait when you are actually anticipating something.
Or when you need something.
Tom Petty was right.
(The waiting is, at times, the hardest part.)
Psalm 69:1-15
Isaiah 1:10-20
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Luke 20:1-8
Psalm 69:1-15
A good one for when things haven't been going well and still aren't going well. The Psalmist is asking both for help ("Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck") and for patience to wait on the Lord's answer ("...my prayer is to you O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God in the abundance of yoru steadfast love, answer me.") Both practices - going to the Lord in prayer when answers are elusive and times are challenging and seeking the patience to live through the storm and wait on God's answers. Waiting on God's acceptable time falls in nicely with the Advent theme of waiting on God. This waiting is often not a passive or easy thing, waiting can be difficult, even excruciating. As we discussed in Sunday School yesterday at Hebron, it's not always a choosing between two obvious choices - one good, one bad - often times it is a slow process of discernment between two seemingly meritorious choices, and that requires waiting, waiting, waiting.
Isaiah 1:1-10
Rather comes at waiting from another angle. The activity described in verses 10-15 seems to be empty activity aiming at busyness rather than anything of substance. God is said to be tired of the "multitude of sacrifices", has had "enough of burnt offerings" and cannot "endure solemn assemblies". Rather than many and elaborate worship experiences the people are called upon to do something basic and visceral - repent. "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean, remove the evil of your doings from my eyes." "Learn to do good, seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow." Repent and do good. Tasks of preparation for Christ's advent.
Waiting...
It is easy to write about waiting.
It is not so easy to wait.
It is easy to wait conceptually.
It is not so easy to wait when you are actually anticipating something.
Or when you need something.
Tom Petty was right.
(The waiting is, at times, the hardest part.)
First Sunday of Advent - Keep Awake - November 28,2010
Daily Lectionary for November 28, 2010
Psalm 10
Isaiah 1:1-9
2 Peter 3:1-10
Matthew 25:1-13
2 Peter 3:1-10
Sounding like today's Sunday lectionary Gospel (Matthew 24:36-44) we find this verse - "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief..."(v.10) This passage speaks about the way time moves as humans experience it and the way that it is experienced by God. In short, what seems like a long time to us may not be such a long time to God. An important idea as we come again into the season of Advent, both remembering the advent of Christ as an infant in Bethlehem AND looking ahead to the advent of Christ when he comes again. Some two thousand years since the time of Christ with Christianity perhaps losing some of its sense of urgency in awaiting the return of Christ the reminder that Christ, in God's good time, could come at any moment is an important message of the season.
Matthew 25:1-13
Similar theme here - "Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."
Psalm 10
Isaiah 1:1-9
2 Peter 3:1-10
Matthew 25:1-13
2 Peter 3:1-10
Sounding like today's Sunday lectionary Gospel (Matthew 24:36-44) we find this verse - "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief..."(v.10) This passage speaks about the way time moves as humans experience it and the way that it is experienced by God. In short, what seems like a long time to us may not be such a long time to God. An important idea as we come again into the season of Advent, both remembering the advent of Christ as an infant in Bethlehem AND looking ahead to the advent of Christ when he comes again. Some two thousand years since the time of Christ with Christianity perhaps losing some of its sense of urgency in awaiting the return of Christ the reminder that Christ, in God's good time, could come at any moment is an important message of the season.
Matthew 25:1-13
Similar theme here - "Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."
Zechariah and Jesus - November 27, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 27, 2010
Psalm 57
Zechariah 14:12-21
Philippians 2:1-11
Luke 19:41-48
Zechariah 14:12-21
"And there shall no longer be traders in the house of the Lord of hosts on that day."(v.21)
This verse, the last verse of Zechariah, brings to mind the event of Jesus clearing the moneychangers from the Temple. Perhaps in his indignation in the moment when he was in the Temple that day, this verse from Zechariah may have flashed in his mind.
Luke 19:41-48
Speaking of Jesus cleansing the Temple.(vs.45-48) The story here immediately follows Jesus lament over Jerusalem. Jesus weeps looking down at what Jerusalem has become, hot on the heels of the triumphal entry and perhaps in his mind asking how one moves from that moment to events that will lead to his death. From that moment of poignantly taking in a view of the great city Jesus walks into a very specific situation in the Temple and righteous indignation bursts forth. Again, perhaps the words of Zechariah were in his mind as he sent the money changers packing.
Psalm 57
Zechariah 14:12-21
Philippians 2:1-11
Luke 19:41-48
Zechariah 14:12-21
"And there shall no longer be traders in the house of the Lord of hosts on that day."(v.21)
This verse, the last verse of Zechariah, brings to mind the event of Jesus clearing the moneychangers from the Temple. Perhaps in his indignation in the moment when he was in the Temple that day, this verse from Zechariah may have flashed in his mind.
Luke 19:41-48
Speaking of Jesus cleansing the Temple.(vs.45-48) The story here immediately follows Jesus lament over Jerusalem. Jesus weeps looking down at what Jerusalem has become, hot on the heels of the triumphal entry and perhaps in his mind asking how one moves from that moment to events that will lead to his death. From that moment of poignantly taking in a view of the great city Jesus walks into a very specific situation in the Temple and righteous indignation bursts forth. Again, perhaps the words of Zechariah were in his mind as he sent the money changers packing.
The Stones Would Cry Out - November 26, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 26, 2010
Psalm 54
Zechariah14:1-11
Romans 15:7-13
Luke 19:28-40
Luke 19:28-40
"'He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out."(v.40)
Luke's Palm Sunday account. Reading the Palm Sunday account always always brings to mind walking the Palm Sunday route when visiting Jerusalem. You wind your way down from the Mount of Olives down into the Kidron Valley and find yourself looking up towards the gates of the Old City of Jerusalem. At the foot of the hill is the Church of All Nations where the Garden of Gethsemane is located. On that hillside is where many Jewish pilgrims would camp during the time of the Passover festival. It's not difficult to imagine the grandeur of the Temple sitting up on the mountain - the crown jewel of Jerusalem, the city on a hill and to picture Jesus, the peasant preacher from the Galilee being greeted as King and conquering hero by a people starving for a liberator warrior. And as you walk down the hill and look to the left you see centuries worth of Jewish graves, many with stones stacked on them, the Jewish way of demonstrating respect when one visits a grave. And with all of those stones stacked on all of those graves one hears Jesus' words (above) echoing across the centuries from the pages of scripture, uttered in response to the Pharisees asking him to silence his followers. The dead would bear witness - the stones would cry out.
Psalm 54
Zechariah14:1-11
Romans 15:7-13
Luke 19:28-40
Luke 19:28-40
"'He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out."(v.40)
Luke's Palm Sunday account. Reading the Palm Sunday account always always brings to mind walking the Palm Sunday route when visiting Jerusalem. You wind your way down from the Mount of Olives down into the Kidron Valley and find yourself looking up towards the gates of the Old City of Jerusalem. At the foot of the hill is the Church of All Nations where the Garden of Gethsemane is located. On that hillside is where many Jewish pilgrims would camp during the time of the Passover festival. It's not difficult to imagine the grandeur of the Temple sitting up on the mountain - the crown jewel of Jerusalem, the city on a hill and to picture Jesus, the peasant preacher from the Galilee being greeted as King and conquering hero by a people starving for a liberator warrior. And as you walk down the hill and look to the left you see centuries worth of Jewish graves, many with stones stacked on them, the Jewish way of demonstrating respect when one visits a grave. And with all of those stones stacked on all of those graves one hears Jesus' words (above) echoing across the centuries from the pages of scripture, uttered in response to the Pharisees asking him to silence his followers. The dead would bear witness - the stones would cry out.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thanksgiving Day Edition - November 25, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 25, 2010 - Thanksgiving Day
Psalm 12
Zecheriah 13:1-9
Ephesians 1:15-23
Luke 19:11-27
Zecheriah 13:1-9
Couple of fairly random observations from this passage.
Random observation #1 - V.4 mentions the prophets "will not put on a hairy mantle in order to deceive." Which makes me wonder about whether there was some expectation that someone in the prophetic office was expected to don a "hairy mantle" which puts me in the mind of John the Baptist. My study Bible offers cross references with passages in 1 Kings 19:13, 19 and 2 Kings 2:8, 13.
Random observation #2 - V.5 mentions prophets who will self-identify as something other than prophets, in this instance, "tillers of the soil". This brings to mind Amos and his assertion that he's not a prophet, but a vindedresser. See, I said random.
Ephesians 1:15-23
Paul speaks here about having the "eyes of your heart enlightened". When the eyes of our hearts are enlightened we see things as they are. We see our need. We see what God has done that only God has done. We see the futility of the worlds solutions and the brilliance of God's bold plan. We see that scarcity is a plot and abundance - God's abundance - is what we are made for. Good passage for Thanksgiving Day. When we see with the eyes of our hearts we see how thankful we should be for all that God has done, is doing and has promised to do.
Luke 19:11-27
Jesus parable of the ten pounds. One slave is given ten pounds, one five and one is given one. The ten and the five pound recipients double their gift and return it to their master. The one, in fear, hides the one and is glad to return it to get it out of his hands. Going backto the observations from the Ephesians passage the fearful slave saw with the eyes of fear rather than the eyes of his heart. He embraced scarcity rather than the abundance of God's gift. It is not about socking it away (our gifts, talents and abilities) in order to presever them - it is about seeing what God wants us to do with these gifts.
Thanksgiving 2010
An odd Thanksgiving for us, but a good one. Our natural rhythym is to go to Julie's parents home for Thanksgiving and to share a big meal on Thankgiving Day with her family including her brother. Christmas is usually at our house and we without fail assemble again at that time. You come to take this for granted. Utnil this year when Julie's mom has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Went through an eight hour surgery two weeks and one day ago and, after being home from the hospital over the weekend, went back in on Tuesday. We scrambled a bit. Ordered a Thanksgiving dinner takeout from Cracker Barrel which we'll use as the basis for the big meal on Friday (into Saturday). And just the four of us had Thanksgiving Dinner at Cracker Barrel in Berea. Her mom was released from the hospital in the early evening and is home now. Following our Cracker Barrel meal our family went and saw the new Harry Potter movie. So I'm thankful for J.K. Rowling and for Cracker Barrel and for a Dr. with communication gifts and good commons sense. I'm thankful for Julie and Cameron and Eliza. I'm thankful that I get to put up with children who argue with each other as I know I'll miss it when they don't anymore. I'm thankful for days when things are not as they should be, for odd Thanksgivings if you will, because they point out how magnificent so many family gatherings have been and how richly God has blessed us.
Psalm 12
Zecheriah 13:1-9
Ephesians 1:15-23
Luke 19:11-27
Zecheriah 13:1-9
Couple of fairly random observations from this passage.
Random observation #1 - V.4 mentions the prophets "will not put on a hairy mantle in order to deceive." Which makes me wonder about whether there was some expectation that someone in the prophetic office was expected to don a "hairy mantle" which puts me in the mind of John the Baptist. My study Bible offers cross references with passages in 1 Kings 19:13, 19 and 2 Kings 2:8, 13.
Random observation #2 - V.5 mentions prophets who will self-identify as something other than prophets, in this instance, "tillers of the soil". This brings to mind Amos and his assertion that he's not a prophet, but a vindedresser. See, I said random.
Ephesians 1:15-23
Paul speaks here about having the "eyes of your heart enlightened". When the eyes of our hearts are enlightened we see things as they are. We see our need. We see what God has done that only God has done. We see the futility of the worlds solutions and the brilliance of God's bold plan. We see that scarcity is a plot and abundance - God's abundance - is what we are made for. Good passage for Thanksgiving Day. When we see with the eyes of our hearts we see how thankful we should be for all that God has done, is doing and has promised to do.
Luke 19:11-27
Jesus parable of the ten pounds. One slave is given ten pounds, one five and one is given one. The ten and the five pound recipients double their gift and return it to their master. The one, in fear, hides the one and is glad to return it to get it out of his hands. Going backto the observations from the Ephesians passage the fearful slave saw with the eyes of fear rather than the eyes of his heart. He embraced scarcity rather than the abundance of God's gift. It is not about socking it away (our gifts, talents and abilities) in order to presever them - it is about seeing what God wants us to do with these gifts.
Thanksgiving 2010
An odd Thanksgiving for us, but a good one. Our natural rhythym is to go to Julie's parents home for Thanksgiving and to share a big meal on Thankgiving Day with her family including her brother. Christmas is usually at our house and we without fail assemble again at that time. You come to take this for granted. Utnil this year when Julie's mom has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Went through an eight hour surgery two weeks and one day ago and, after being home from the hospital over the weekend, went back in on Tuesday. We scrambled a bit. Ordered a Thanksgiving dinner takeout from Cracker Barrel which we'll use as the basis for the big meal on Friday (into Saturday). And just the four of us had Thanksgiving Dinner at Cracker Barrel in Berea. Her mom was released from the hospital in the early evening and is home now. Following our Cracker Barrel meal our family went and saw the new Harry Potter movie. So I'm thankful for J.K. Rowling and for Cracker Barrel and for a Dr. with communication gifts and good commons sense. I'm thankful for Julie and Cameron and Eliza. I'm thankful that I get to put up with children who argue with each other as I know I'll miss it when they don't anymore. I'm thankful for days when things are not as they should be, for odd Thanksgivings if you will, because they point out how magnificent so many family gatherings have been and how richly God has blessed us.
Getting On Board With God's Plan - November 24, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 24, 2010
Psalm 78:40-72
Zechariah 12:1-10
Ephesians 1:3-14
Luke 19:1-10
Ephesians 1:3-14
Lots of talk here of purpose and plan. God's purposes and plans. Talk of wisdom and insight. God's wisdom and insight. As to us, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of our grace."(v.7) We begin to have some awareness of God's purpose and plan when we can begin to have some experience of our need for forgiveness along with the stunning realization that God has provided precisely this thing that we need.
Luke 19:1-10
The story of Zacchaeus, which is kind of a very specific version of the passage from Ephesians 1 above. Zacchaeus begins to have some awareness of God's purpose and plan - and his role in that purpose and plan - when he meets Jesus and is confronted with his need of forgiveness and gratefully accepts that gift and has his life transformed.
Psalm 78:40-72
Zechariah 12:1-10
Ephesians 1:3-14
Luke 19:1-10
Ephesians 1:3-14
Lots of talk here of purpose and plan. God's purposes and plans. Talk of wisdom and insight. God's wisdom and insight. As to us, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of our grace."(v.7) We begin to have some awareness of God's purpose and plan when we can begin to have some experience of our need for forgiveness along with the stunning realization that God has provided precisely this thing that we need.
Luke 19:1-10
The story of Zacchaeus, which is kind of a very specific version of the passage from Ephesians 1 above. Zacchaeus begins to have some awareness of God's purpose and plan - and his role in that purpose and plan - when he meets Jesus and is confronted with his need of forgiveness and gratefully accepts that gift and has his life transformed.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Favor and Unity - November 23, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 23, 2010
Psalm 78:1-39
Zechariah 11:4-17
1 Corinthians 3:10-23
Luke 18:31-43
Zechariah 11:4-17
Zechariah serves as a shepherd with two staffs. One he names Favor, the other Unity. He breaks the one called Favor, symbolizing the breaking of the covenant. He then accepts payment of thirty pieces of silver, tosses it into the temple treasury and breaks the staff called Unity - anulling the ties between Judah and Israel. No precise correlation to be made, but find the amount (thirty pieces of silver) interesting and am curious about how Judas might have reflected on this passage as he took his thirty pieces of silver and thought about the breaking of the unity of his relationship with Jesus.
Psalm 78:1-39
Zechariah 11:4-17
1 Corinthians 3:10-23
Luke 18:31-43
Zechariah 11:4-17
Zechariah serves as a shepherd with two staffs. One he names Favor, the other Unity. He breaks the one called Favor, symbolizing the breaking of the covenant. He then accepts payment of thirty pieces of silver, tosses it into the temple treasury and breaks the staff called Unity - anulling the ties between Judah and Israel. No precise correlation to be made, but find the amount (thirty pieces of silver) interesting and am curious about how Judas might have reflected on this passage as he took his thirty pieces of silver and thought about the breaking of the unity of his relationship with Jesus.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Lifestyle Passages - November 22, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 22, 2010
Psalm 37
Zechariah 10:1-12
Galatians 6:1-10
Luke 18:15-30
Psalm 37
"Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.
Do not fret - it leads only to evil."(v.8)
Lots in this Psalm about the consequences of wickedness and a long-term perspective on what faithfulness brings as opposed to what wickedness brings. The above verse is one that encourages the avoidance of anger, wrath and fretting. Anger and wrath I think are pretty clear in our minds in terms of their potential for connection with evil. Fretting is one where it may not be so obvious, yet it surely is there. When we fret, when we are anxious we respond increasingly out of fear and fear clouds are judgment and can lead us to bad choices which have a way of piling one on top of the other.
Galatians 6:1-10
"So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. so then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for th good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith."(vs.9-10)
Like the Psalm above this is a long-haul, lifestyle passage. Doing what is right is not a glib instruction, it's hard work. We pray that we can stay with it and not grow weary of it - if it were easy and required little we would not need to worry that we might grow weary. The need for doing what is right is constant - the call is to work for good in all things with special attention to the way that begins within the family of faith. I don't find tha to be an "if you get nothing else right, get the family of faith right" type instruction as much as I hear it as an "if we are unable to get the family of faith right, how will we ever reach beyond that family" kind of question.
Luke 18:15-30
The story of the rich young ruler which fits with the above as a lifestyle question that the young ruler asks of Jesus. Jesus speaks of how hard it is to do the right thing, especially when we have great resources (because rather than share our tendency is to hang on), but he offers hope when the people who are listening start to question whether faithfulness is even possible. ""'What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.'"(v.27) Aim to do what is right and good and lean not on ourselves, but on God for the strenght needed for the endeavor.
Psalm 37
Zechariah 10:1-12
Galatians 6:1-10
Luke 18:15-30
Psalm 37
"Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.
Do not fret - it leads only to evil."(v.8)
Lots in this Psalm about the consequences of wickedness and a long-term perspective on what faithfulness brings as opposed to what wickedness brings. The above verse is one that encourages the avoidance of anger, wrath and fretting. Anger and wrath I think are pretty clear in our minds in terms of their potential for connection with evil. Fretting is one where it may not be so obvious, yet it surely is there. When we fret, when we are anxious we respond increasingly out of fear and fear clouds are judgment and can lead us to bad choices which have a way of piling one on top of the other.
Galatians 6:1-10
"So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. so then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for th good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith."(vs.9-10)
Like the Psalm above this is a long-haul, lifestyle passage. Doing what is right is not a glib instruction, it's hard work. We pray that we can stay with it and not grow weary of it - if it were easy and required little we would not need to worry that we might grow weary. The need for doing what is right is constant - the call is to work for good in all things with special attention to the way that begins within the family of faith. I don't find tha to be an "if you get nothing else right, get the family of faith right" type instruction as much as I hear it as an "if we are unable to get the family of faith right, how will we ever reach beyond that family" kind of question.
Luke 18:15-30
The story of the rich young ruler which fits with the above as a lifestyle question that the young ruler asks of Jesus. Jesus speaks of how hard it is to do the right thing, especially when we have great resources (because rather than share our tendency is to hang on), but he offers hope when the people who are listening start to question whether faithfulness is even possible. ""'What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.'"(v.27) Aim to do what is right and good and lean not on ourselves, but on God for the strenght needed for the endeavor.
Monday, November 22, 2010
I'll Have The Statue of the Ox Eating Grass - November 21, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 21, 2010
Psalm 106:1-27
Zechariah 9:9-16
1 Peter 3:13-22
Matthew 21:1-13
Psalm 106:1-27
"The made a calf at Horeb
and worshiped a cast image.
They exchanged the glory of God
for the image of an ox that eats grass."(vs.19-20)
Hmmmm. When you say it like that it doesn't seem like such a good choice.
It's funny how when we say out loud the things that we give priority over God it comes out sounding pretty much like these verses. God grant us wisdom.
Zechariah 9:9-16
Prophecy that foreshadows the events of Palm Sunday.
1 Peter 3:13-22
"For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God's will, than to suffer for doing evil."(v.17)
If we our suffering, why are we suffering. Is our suffering the result of disobedience and being out of step with God's will or is our suffering the result of fidelity to God and striving to follow Jesus. It sounds odd to rate the relative merits of various types of suffering, but I think it makes good sense. Suffering, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. Suffering that we are experiencing because we are making the choices that God would have us make and trying to live the way that God would have us live will surely have a whole different feel to it than suffering which comes from separation from God's will and plan. The one is a suffering that is superficial and while it may be deeply painful there is a deeper resevoir of hope beneath it. The other is a suffering that makes each day another journey through misery.
Matthew 21:1-13
Matthew's Palm Sunday account wherein we see Matthew utilizing the Zechariah passage and pointing to prophecy fulfilled in the actions and person of Jesus.
Preached today on...
Used the Luke 23:33-43 and Colossians 1:11-20 passages to preach this morning. Basic thrust that faith is very often about relearning definitions of what we imagine to be familiar terms. King for instance here, on Christ the King Sunday, is reshaped for the people of Jesus day and for us. The people are looking for David - powerful poltiical and military leader - and instead we have the story of the crucifixion with the mocking of Jesus as King, the sign placed on the cross and two criminals, one to either side of Jesus. One who understands his kingship and one who does not. And the Colossians passage which describes Christ's ministry in beautifully poetic language, demonstrating how death on a cross is truly the act of a King.
Psalm 106:1-27
Zechariah 9:9-16
1 Peter 3:13-22
Matthew 21:1-13
Psalm 106:1-27
"The made a calf at Horeb
and worshiped a cast image.
They exchanged the glory of God
for the image of an ox that eats grass."(vs.19-20)
Hmmmm. When you say it like that it doesn't seem like such a good choice.
It's funny how when we say out loud the things that we give priority over God it comes out sounding pretty much like these verses. God grant us wisdom.
Zechariah 9:9-16
Prophecy that foreshadows the events of Palm Sunday.
1 Peter 3:13-22
"For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God's will, than to suffer for doing evil."(v.17)
If we our suffering, why are we suffering. Is our suffering the result of disobedience and being out of step with God's will or is our suffering the result of fidelity to God and striving to follow Jesus. It sounds odd to rate the relative merits of various types of suffering, but I think it makes good sense. Suffering, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. Suffering that we are experiencing because we are making the choices that God would have us make and trying to live the way that God would have us live will surely have a whole different feel to it than suffering which comes from separation from God's will and plan. The one is a suffering that is superficial and while it may be deeply painful there is a deeper resevoir of hope beneath it. The other is a suffering that makes each day another journey through misery.
Matthew 21:1-13
Matthew's Palm Sunday account wherein we see Matthew utilizing the Zechariah passage and pointing to prophecy fulfilled in the actions and person of Jesus.
Preached today on...
Used the Luke 23:33-43 and Colossians 1:11-20 passages to preach this morning. Basic thrust that faith is very often about relearning definitions of what we imagine to be familiar terms. King for instance here, on Christ the King Sunday, is reshaped for the people of Jesus day and for us. The people are looking for David - powerful poltiical and military leader - and instead we have the story of the crucifixion with the mocking of Jesus as King, the sign placed on the cross and two criminals, one to either side of Jesus. One who understands his kingship and one who does not. And the Colossians passage which describes Christ's ministry in beautifully poetic language, demonstrating how death on a cross is truly the act of a King.
Prayer - November 20, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 20,2010
Psalm 60
Malachi 3:13-4:6
James 5:13-20
Luke 18:9-14
James 5:13-20
Encouragement to pray whether suffering or cheerful. No matter our circumstance, tending to our relationship with God is critical.
Nothing more than noting a coincidence, but interesting that in the Malachi passage, the last passage of the Old Testament there is mention of Elijah and here in the last passage of the book of James there is the mention of Elijah as well. Again, no correlation is suggested, beyond reminding again of the shadow cast by the giants of the Old Testament, Abraham, Moses, David and the one mentioned here - Elijah.
Luke 18:9-14
The Luke passage is the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector praying in the temple. Where the James passage exhorts us to pray, this passage indicates both a poor attitude for prayer (the Pharisee) and a preferred attitude for prayer (the tax collector).
Psalm 60
Malachi 3:13-4:6
James 5:13-20
Luke 18:9-14
James 5:13-20
Encouragement to pray whether suffering or cheerful. No matter our circumstance, tending to our relationship with God is critical.
Nothing more than noting a coincidence, but interesting that in the Malachi passage, the last passage of the Old Testament there is mention of Elijah and here in the last passage of the book of James there is the mention of Elijah as well. Again, no correlation is suggested, beyond reminding again of the shadow cast by the giants of the Old Testament, Abraham, Moses, David and the one mentioned here - Elijah.
Luke 18:9-14
The Luke passage is the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector praying in the temple. Where the James passage exhorts us to pray, this passage indicates both a poor attitude for prayer (the Pharisee) and a preferred attitude for prayer (the tax collector).
Saturday, November 20, 2010
James Talks Advent Sort Of - November 19, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 19, 2010
Psalm 147
Malachi 3:1-12
James 5:7-12
Luke 18:1-8
James 5:7-12
"Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord."(v.7)
James urges the followers of Christ to be patient in their waiting for his return. This is an interesting passage to come across with the beginning of the liturgical season of Advent a week and a day away. Advent has become the preamble to the celebration of Christmas and when we think of the Advent of Christ it seems most often to be the coming (or Advent) of the Christ child that is in our minds. Of course Advent points not only to remembering the Advent of the Christ child, but ahead, to the future, to the coming of Christ. I wonder how many of us actually have the sense of urgency and anticipation about Christ's coming that would ever lead us to feel impatient. The people James is speaking to our impatient for the Lord's return. Two thousand years later we've become accustomed to waiting. Used to it. Yet God's time is God's time and we are reminded by this passage perhaps that Christ's return can be anytime - our call is not to live with a sense of panic or impatience, but to live for certain with expectation that Christ who came will come again.
Psalm 147
Malachi 3:1-12
James 5:7-12
Luke 18:1-8
James 5:7-12
"Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord."(v.7)
James urges the followers of Christ to be patient in their waiting for his return. This is an interesting passage to come across with the beginning of the liturgical season of Advent a week and a day away. Advent has become the preamble to the celebration of Christmas and when we think of the Advent of Christ it seems most often to be the coming (or Advent) of the Christ child that is in our minds. Of course Advent points not only to remembering the Advent of the Christ child, but ahead, to the future, to the coming of Christ. I wonder how many of us actually have the sense of urgency and anticipation about Christ's coming that would ever lead us to feel impatient. The people James is speaking to our impatient for the Lord's return. Two thousand years later we've become accustomed to waiting. Used to it. Yet God's time is God's time and we are reminded by this passage perhaps that Christ's return can be anytime - our call is not to live with a sense of panic or impatience, but to live for certain with expectation that Christ who came will come again.
Friday, November 19, 2010
November 18, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 18, 2010
Psalm 108
Malachi 2:1-16
James 4:13-5:6
Luke 17:20-37
Psalm 108
Just a great Psalm of praise, particularly vs.1-6.
Malachi 2:1-16
God commends the leaders for "true instruction" and for walking in "integrity and uprightness". Leaders who cause "many to stumble" are taken to task. It is a sobering passage for pastors and for teachers - for anyone serving in a leadership position in the church. God has expectations that our effort will be our best effort and that our intent will be service to God not building up of ourselves.
James 4:13-5:6
John McCain drove around in a campaign bus that was known at the "Straight Talk Express" - here is real straight talk....
"Anyone then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin."(4:17)
Psalm 108
Malachi 2:1-16
James 4:13-5:6
Luke 17:20-37
Psalm 108
Just a great Psalm of praise, particularly vs.1-6.
Malachi 2:1-16
God commends the leaders for "true instruction" and for walking in "integrity and uprightness". Leaders who cause "many to stumble" are taken to task. It is a sobering passage for pastors and for teachers - for anyone serving in a leadership position in the church. God has expectations that our effort will be our best effort and that our intent will be service to God not building up of ourselves.
James 4:13-5:6
John McCain drove around in a campaign bus that was known at the "Straight Talk Express" - here is real straight talk....
"Anyone then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin."(4:17)
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Giving Our Best, Giving Thanks - November 17, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 17, 2010
Psalm 68:1-10
Malachi 1:1-14
James 3:13-4:12
Luke 17:11-19
Malachi 1:1-14
"Would you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not wrong? Try presenting that to yoru governor; will he be pleased with you or show you favor?"(v.8)
Nice verse for stewarship season. The gifts we would be embarrased to give to anothr person whose opinion we value we are not at all embarrased to offer to God. Whatever our best is is what God expects.
Luke 17:11-19
Jesus heals ten lepers and one of the ten is moved to thank Jesus. In the Malachi passage the issue is witholding our best from God. In this passage it is a similar issue - God has done great things for us and how thankful are we. Do we go on blithely with our day or do we stop and offer thanks and praise. I know too often my answer would be I give less than my best and I receive blessings from God for which I fail to offer thanks.
Psalm 68:1-10
Malachi 1:1-14
James 3:13-4:12
Luke 17:11-19
Malachi 1:1-14
"Would you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not wrong? Try presenting that to yoru governor; will he be pleased with you or show you favor?"(v.8)
Nice verse for stewarship season. The gifts we would be embarrased to give to anothr person whose opinion we value we are not at all embarrased to offer to God. Whatever our best is is what God expects.
Luke 17:11-19
Jesus heals ten lepers and one of the ten is moved to thank Jesus. In the Malachi passage the issue is witholding our best from God. In this passage it is a similar issue - God has done great things for us and how thankful are we. Do we go on blithely with our day or do we stop and offer thanks and praise. I know too often my answer would be I give less than my best and I receive blessings from God for which I fail to offer thanks.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Life Abundant (And a Mention of Bruce Springsteen) - November 16, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 16, 2010
Psalm 42
Habakkuk 3:1-18
James 3:1-12
Luke 17:1-10
Psalm 42
"My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and behold
the face of God?"(v.2)
"Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you disquieted within me?"(v.11)
These verses have fundamental truths which I think apply to every person. Every single person. My soul thirsts for God. It does. Even when I'm behaving badly or being selfish or rude or some other unattractive thing my soul thirsts for God. I think yours does too. Everyone's soul thirsts for God. It's how we are made. It is how God made us. We thirst for our maker. We don't always seek the right answer to that thirst. The thirst is there, but we sometimes throw other things at it, hoping to find something that will stick. Sometimes hoping to find something that seems potentially less demanding than God appears to be. When we seek that which is not God to fill the space that only God can fill we find ourselves cast down. It is disquieting. When we drink deeply of God, of God's word and of the things that God is leading us to our souls are more likely to fill at peace, a peace that passes all understanding. That is the life abundant. And when we neglect our relationship with God that is when the disquiet and discontent begin to take root and grow.
The Promise
Looking forward very much to hearing "The Promise", a collection of 21 songs that did not make it onto Bruce Springsteen's 1978 classic "Darkness On The Edge of Town". "The Promise" contains a couple of studio versions of Boss songs that were hits for other people - "Because The Night" (Patty Smith) and "Fire" (The Pointer Sisters). Springsteen fans have long known that there are myriad tracks that exist out there in a vault somewhere. My fear has been that we'd never get them until Bruce died. I like this way much better. Very anxious to sort of time travel to a place in time that I suspect will feel a bit like a bridge between "Darkness" and "The River". And very confident that Bruce's "Darkness" benchwarmers will be better than virtually anyone's very best.
Psalm 42
Habakkuk 3:1-18
James 3:1-12
Luke 17:1-10
Psalm 42
"My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and behold
the face of God?"(v.2)
"Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you disquieted within me?"(v.11)
These verses have fundamental truths which I think apply to every person. Every single person. My soul thirsts for God. It does. Even when I'm behaving badly or being selfish or rude or some other unattractive thing my soul thirsts for God. I think yours does too. Everyone's soul thirsts for God. It's how we are made. It is how God made us. We thirst for our maker. We don't always seek the right answer to that thirst. The thirst is there, but we sometimes throw other things at it, hoping to find something that will stick. Sometimes hoping to find something that seems potentially less demanding than God appears to be. When we seek that which is not God to fill the space that only God can fill we find ourselves cast down. It is disquieting. When we drink deeply of God, of God's word and of the things that God is leading us to our souls are more likely to fill at peace, a peace that passes all understanding. That is the life abundant. And when we neglect our relationship with God that is when the disquiet and discontent begin to take root and grow.
The Promise
Looking forward very much to hearing "The Promise", a collection of 21 songs that did not make it onto Bruce Springsteen's 1978 classic "Darkness On The Edge of Town". "The Promise" contains a couple of studio versions of Boss songs that were hits for other people - "Because The Night" (Patty Smith) and "Fire" (The Pointer Sisters). Springsteen fans have long known that there are myriad tracks that exist out there in a vault somewhere. My fear has been that we'd never get them until Bruce died. I like this way much better. Very anxious to sort of time travel to a place in time that I suspect will feel a bit like a bridge between "Darkness" and "The River". And very confident that Bruce's "Darkness" benchwarmers will be better than virtually anyone's very best.
The Faith Works Thing - November 15, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 15, 2010
Psalm 43
Habakkuk 2:1-20
James 2:14-26
Luke 16:19-31
James 2:14-26 and Luke 16:19-31
James makes his assertion that faith without works is dead and Luke shares the parable about the rich man and Lazarus wherein the rich man finds himself in an uncomfortable spot in the afterlife. The point of the parable would seem to be that what happens in this life matters. Our actions in this life matter and have consequences. Which points to the heart of what James is saying. I find the doctrinal issues that arise from the book of James to be beside the point. James is not tearing down the role of God in salvation; James is stating that recepients of God's grace live changed lives. Not to earn their salvation, but because it is categorically impossible not to. And those changed lives now prepare us for life in God's kingdom to come - prepare us to hear the message of faith that the rich man, from beyond the grave, wants for someone to go and tell his family.
Psalm 43
Habakkuk 2:1-20
James 2:14-26
Luke 16:19-31
James 2:14-26 and Luke 16:19-31
James makes his assertion that faith without works is dead and Luke shares the parable about the rich man and Lazarus wherein the rich man finds himself in an uncomfortable spot in the afterlife. The point of the parable would seem to be that what happens in this life matters. Our actions in this life matter and have consequences. Which points to the heart of what James is saying. I find the doctrinal issues that arise from the book of James to be beside the point. James is not tearing down the role of God in salvation; James is stating that recepients of God's grace live changed lives. Not to earn their salvation, but because it is categorically impossible not to. And those changed lives now prepare us for life in God's kingdom to come - prepare us to hear the message of faith that the rich man, from beyond the grave, wants for someone to go and tell his family.
Monday, November 15, 2010
What's My Motivation? - November 14, 2010
Lectionary Readings for November 14, 2010
Psalm 14
Habakkuk 1:1-2:1
Philippians 3:13-24
Matthew 23:13-24
Philippians 3:13-24
“Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”(v.12)
Why do we try to be obedient? Why do we try to sin less and love God more? At times I think the message the world has received from the body of Christ is that we do these things because they are good for us. We do them because if we can get them to the “enough” point we are more likely to spend eternity in heaven rather than in hell. I very much want to spend eternity in heaven, but a motive as selfish as living an obedient life in order to get myself there rather defeats the purpose of obedience. Paul is great in this verse – “I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Life is most fully life as God intends when we live in accord with God’s intent AND when we recognize what Christ has done for us that we 1) couldn’t have done for ourselves and 2) wouldn’t have known to ask or seek remedy for left to our own devices. As graceful recipients, rather than as folks seeking to avoid hell, we live, striving to obedient and to follow Jesus.
Matthew 23:13-26
Another passage that focuses on the inner life – pointing us to the core of what we do and why we do it. Superficial behavior may be good or bad, may be obedient or disobedient, but beyond the act there is the intent. Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees here, but I think it blends well with the theme above from the Philippians passage. Our obedience is obedience at a surface level if it is the result solely of self-interest. Our obedience is more deeply rooted when we get our motivation right.
“First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may become clean.”(v.26)
Psalm 14
Habakkuk 1:1-2:1
Philippians 3:13-24
Matthew 23:13-24
Philippians 3:13-24
“Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”(v.12)
Why do we try to be obedient? Why do we try to sin less and love God more? At times I think the message the world has received from the body of Christ is that we do these things because they are good for us. We do them because if we can get them to the “enough” point we are more likely to spend eternity in heaven rather than in hell. I very much want to spend eternity in heaven, but a motive as selfish as living an obedient life in order to get myself there rather defeats the purpose of obedience. Paul is great in this verse – “I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Life is most fully life as God intends when we live in accord with God’s intent AND when we recognize what Christ has done for us that we 1) couldn’t have done for ourselves and 2) wouldn’t have known to ask or seek remedy for left to our own devices. As graceful recipients, rather than as folks seeking to avoid hell, we live, striving to obedient and to follow Jesus.
Matthew 23:13-26
Another passage that focuses on the inner life – pointing us to the core of what we do and why we do it. Superficial behavior may be good or bad, may be obedient or disobedient, but beyond the act there is the intent. Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees here, but I think it blends well with the theme above from the Philippians passage. Our obedience is obedience at a surface level if it is the result solely of self-interest. Our obedience is more deeply rooted when we get our motivation right.
“First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may become clean.”(v.26)
Not Most - All - November 13, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 13, 2010
Psalm 39
Joel 3:9-17
James 2:1-13
Luke 16:10-17
James 2:1-13 and Luke 16:10-17
“For whoever keeps the law, but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” (James 2:10)
“Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much, and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.” (Luke 16:10)
These two statements make for some interesting interplay between these two passages from today’s lectionary. James says you fail at one point in the law and you are guilty. Luke has Jesus saying that an inclination towards being faithful in the small things indicates an inclination to be faithful in large things as well. I think these two passages work nicely together and have a couple of points that jump out at me. One is that our actions matter and that it is our actions with which we must first be concerned. It is not our job to judge the actions of others, but it is our call to be aware of our obedience or lack of obedience in our own lives. A daily review of the ways in which I have been at odds with God’s law, the ways I have been honest with myself about my sin are important. What I do with what is entrusted to me matters. Whether it is great or small it is my opportunity to be faithful. Second, everything matters, everything counts, stewardship or obedience – either one – are whole life issues. Being obedient in ninety-percent of my actions (and I’m not claiming that by any stretch) would not lessen my culpability for the one percent. Our whole life matters. Faithfulness with many things is not the same as faithfulness in all things. God desires faithfulness in all things, great and small.
Psalm 39
Joel 3:9-17
James 2:1-13
Luke 16:10-17
James 2:1-13 and Luke 16:10-17
“For whoever keeps the law, but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” (James 2:10)
“Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much, and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.” (Luke 16:10)
These two statements make for some interesting interplay between these two passages from today’s lectionary. James says you fail at one point in the law and you are guilty. Luke has Jesus saying that an inclination towards being faithful in the small things indicates an inclination to be faithful in large things as well. I think these two passages work nicely together and have a couple of points that jump out at me. One is that our actions matter and that it is our actions with which we must first be concerned. It is not our job to judge the actions of others, but it is our call to be aware of our obedience or lack of obedience in our own lives. A daily review of the ways in which I have been at odds with God’s law, the ways I have been honest with myself about my sin are important. What I do with what is entrusted to me matters. Whether it is great or small it is my opportunity to be faithful. Second, everything matters, everything counts, stewardship or obedience – either one – are whole life issues. Being obedient in ninety-percent of my actions (and I’m not claiming that by any stretch) would not lessen my culpability for the one percent. Our whole life matters. Faithfulness with many things is not the same as faithfulness in all things. God desires faithfulness in all things, great and small.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Forgetting Who We Are - November 12, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 12, 2010
Psalm 105:1-22
Joel 2:28-3:8
James 1:16-27
Luke 16:1-9
James 1:16-27
"But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like."(vs.22-24)
The person who looks in the mirror and goes away and immediately forgets what they look like is an evocative image. If we remember we are children of God we will act like children of God. If however we only experience connection with God in worship or during a time of devotions - a specifically religious moment set aside for that purpose - and fail to carry that interaction with God out into our lives we will forget what we look like - we will forget that we are chldren of God. The call to be doers of the word is a call to be useful in the world, but it is more than a call to serve others - it is also a call to be true to who we and to live our lives as what we were made to be - children of God.
What's going on...
For the first time since I began this in August I got a few days behind beginning on Wednesday. That corresponds with a significant event in our family, my mother-in-law, Joy Hager, underwent an eight hour surgery to remove cancer on Wednesday. As I type I am in her hospital room during the overnight hours. She is recovering pretty well, but this is not going to be a short recovery. Following the initial recovery from the surgery itself there will be chemotherapy. Your prayers are appreciated for her recovery.
Psalm 105:1-22
Joel 2:28-3:8
James 1:16-27
Luke 16:1-9
James 1:16-27
"But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like."(vs.22-24)
The person who looks in the mirror and goes away and immediately forgets what they look like is an evocative image. If we remember we are children of God we will act like children of God. If however we only experience connection with God in worship or during a time of devotions - a specifically religious moment set aside for that purpose - and fail to carry that interaction with God out into our lives we will forget what we look like - we will forget that we are chldren of God. The call to be doers of the word is a call to be useful in the world, but it is more than a call to serve others - it is also a call to be true to who we and to live our lives as what we were made to be - children of God.
What's going on...
For the first time since I began this in August I got a few days behind beginning on Wednesday. That corresponds with a significant event in our family, my mother-in-law, Joy Hager, underwent an eight hour surgery to remove cancer on Wednesday. As I type I am in her hospital room during the overnight hours. She is recovering pretty well, but this is not going to be a short recovery. Following the initial recovery from the surgery itself there will be chemotherapy. Your prayers are appreciated for her recovery.
Desire, Sin, Death - November 11, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 11, 2010
Psalm 128
Joel 2:21-27
James 1:1-15
Luke 15:1-2, 11-32
James 1:1-15
"When that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death."(v.15)
After beginning with the instruction to consider trials of any kind "nothing but joy", James draws this passage to a close with the above verse about desire leading to sin leading to death. James is such a sturdy, practical, relevant book. Looking forward to making my way through James again - always good territory to review. As with the desire, sin death trajectory, what James describes carries the weight of credibility in that the hard things he says ring very true when compared with my experience of life. And that voice in my head - ir is it my heart - that agrees with James that I am much better off when I can corral things at the desire stage, because what comes next will be sin and then things are really headed in a bad direction.
Psalm 128
Joel 2:21-27
James 1:1-15
Luke 15:1-2, 11-32
James 1:1-15
"When that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death."(v.15)
After beginning with the instruction to consider trials of any kind "nothing but joy", James draws this passage to a close with the above verse about desire leading to sin leading to death. James is such a sturdy, practical, relevant book. Looking forward to making my way through James again - always good territory to review. As with the desire, sin death trajectory, what James describes carries the weight of credibility in that the hard things he says ring very true when compared with my experience of life. And that voice in my head - ir is it my heart - that agrees with James that I am much better off when I can corral things at the desire stage, because what comes next will be sin and then things are really headed in a bad direction.
Keeping the Sense of Urgency - November 10, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 10, 2010
Psalm 55
Joel 2:12-19
Revelation 19:11-21
Luke 15:1-10
Luke 15:1-10
Jesus asks which one of us having a hundred sheep and missing one of them wouldn't go all out looking for the lost one. My guess is a number of us would not go searching right away. He asks what woman having ten coins and losing one wouldn't turn the house inside out looking for the missing coin. Again, I'd guess several of us would be just find with nine out of ten unless we really needed that tenth coin. Point being, we may be content with things at a level which is fine for us, but which disappoints Jesus. Our sense of urgency in sharing our faith may be at a place where we are comfortable, but may fall short of what Jesus anticipates. These parables call us to that sense of urgency for the one opportunity before us rather than to be complacent and happy with ninety-nine out of one hundred or nine out of ten.
Psalm 55
Joel 2:12-19
Revelation 19:11-21
Luke 15:1-10
Luke 15:1-10
Jesus asks which one of us having a hundred sheep and missing one of them wouldn't go all out looking for the lost one. My guess is a number of us would not go searching right away. He asks what woman having ten coins and losing one wouldn't turn the house inside out looking for the missing coin. Again, I'd guess several of us would be just find with nine out of ten unless we really needed that tenth coin. Point being, we may be content with things at a level which is fine for us, but which disappoints Jesus. Our sense of urgency in sharing our faith may be at a place where we are comfortable, but may fall short of what Jesus anticipates. These parables call us to that sense of urgency for the one opportunity before us rather than to be complacent and happy with ninety-nine out of one hundred or nine out of ten.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Yeah, I Know My Transgressions Alright - November 9, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 9, 2010
Psalm 51
Joel 2:3-11
Revelation 19:1-10
Luke 14:25-35
Psalm 51
""For I know by transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me."(v.3)
Sin is really not a huge mystery to us. When we slow down for a moment and examine our choices and our actions and our motivations it does not take a lot of in depth analysis to know that much of the weight we are dragging around is the residue of sin. I do know many, if not all, of my transgressions and sin does have a way of getting out in front and leading. Which is why this is such a great Psalm. Many times confession of sin is viewed as a trip to the woodshed. It's time to fess up and take our whipping. Except it's not that at all. Rather it's time to be honest about the extraneous stuff we are hauling around that is holding us back from being the people we want to be and more important the people God made us to be. Psalm 51 is a wonderful, holistic exploration of sin and confession and how it can free us for God's plan and purposes.
Joel 2:3-11
Joel continues with the theme of confession and forgiveness. Repentance and grace. Joel has just pronounced judgment on behalf of God, but follows with these words:
"Yet even now, says the Lord,
return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love,
and relents from punishing."(vs.12-13)
Joel tells us that God is not poised and anxiously waiting to punish; rather God is prepared to restore right relationship and allow us the awesome opportunity to experience grace and new beginnings.
Psalm 51
Joel 2:3-11
Revelation 19:1-10
Luke 14:25-35
Psalm 51
""For I know by transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me."(v.3)
Sin is really not a huge mystery to us. When we slow down for a moment and examine our choices and our actions and our motivations it does not take a lot of in depth analysis to know that much of the weight we are dragging around is the residue of sin. I do know many, if not all, of my transgressions and sin does have a way of getting out in front and leading. Which is why this is such a great Psalm. Many times confession of sin is viewed as a trip to the woodshed. It's time to fess up and take our whipping. Except it's not that at all. Rather it's time to be honest about the extraneous stuff we are hauling around that is holding us back from being the people we want to be and more important the people God made us to be. Psalm 51 is a wonderful, holistic exploration of sin and confession and how it can free us for God's plan and purposes.
Joel 2:3-11
Joel continues with the theme of confession and forgiveness. Repentance and grace. Joel has just pronounced judgment on behalf of God, but follows with these words:
"Yet even now, says the Lord,
return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love,
and relents from punishing."(vs.12-13)
Joel tells us that God is not poised and anxiously waiting to punish; rather God is prepared to restore right relationship and allow us the awesome opportunity to experience grace and new beginnings.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Now - November 8, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 8, 2010
Psalm 5
Joel 1:15-2:2
Revelation 18:15-24
Luke 14:12-24
Luke 14:12-24
"'Come for everything is ready now.'"
The final word is maybe the most critical. Now. Everything is ready - now. I am presently reading a book by Bill Hybels entitled "The Power Of A Whisper: Hearing God, Having The Guts To Respond". Hybels basic idea is that God is whispering to us on a regular basis - are we listening. The book is full of great illustrations of folks who took major steps in their lives - sometimes risky steps - because they listened to the whispers of God. What this passage impresses on us is the importance of both listening and acting in a timely manner. The window of opportunity in any particular situation may be large or it may be small. There may be time to come at it leisurely or it may be that God means now.
Psalm 5
Joel 1:15-2:2
Revelation 18:15-24
Luke 14:12-24
Luke 14:12-24
"'Come for everything is ready now.'"
The final word is maybe the most critical. Now. Everything is ready - now. I am presently reading a book by Bill Hybels entitled "The Power Of A Whisper: Hearing God, Having The Guts To Respond". Hybels basic idea is that God is whispering to us on a regular basis - are we listening. The book is full of great illustrations of folks who took major steps in their lives - sometimes risky steps - because they listened to the whispers of God. What this passage impresses on us is the importance of both listening and acting in a timely manner. The window of opportunity in any particular situation may be large or it may be small. There may be time to come at it leisurely or it may be that God means now.
Loving and Sharing the Imperfect Church - November 7, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 7, 2010
Psalm 50
Joel 1:1-13
1 Corinthians 14:1-12
Matthew 20:1-16
1 Corinthians 14:1-12
Rob Warren, a good clergy friend here in the Louisville area who possesses an excellent sense of humor, once posted on their churches sign a message something like the following: "We Aren't Full of Hypocrites: We Have Room For More". I love this and never grow tired of repeating it. It's great in a number of ways one of my favorites of which is I think it works as a bit of a defense of the church. As a person who loves the church it feels at times as though there is no end of people who want to take shots at the church. For instance, the church is filled with hypocrites. Well, yes, yes it is. And maybe there are folks who would make the argument that the church is devoid of hypocrites, but as long as there are people in it we will struggle with hypocrisy in one way or another. The quick summary of much of the critique of the church is that it is imperfect and filled with imperfect people. And again, I'd say yes, it is surely imperfect and filled (well, maybe filled isn't the right word, filled may be too optimistic, peopled is probably better) with imperfect folks. The goal of the church is not, in my estimation to airbrush away any signs of our sinfulness so that we may seem to be very near to perfection, but rather a place where people who are sinful, yet hopeful, selfish, yet compassionate, idolatrous, yet faithful can come together and aim at being something more than what we would be on our own. I would not argue that we should be content with our sinful ways and fallen natures, but that it is in coming together and being honest about these less attractive attributes that we together can move a little closer to being the kingdom people God desires us to be. It is important for those of us who are active in congregations to understand some of the misconceptions about what is going on in our gatherings or what some may believe we are aiming to accomplish with our worship and meetings and bazaars and potlucks. One of our centrals tasks as followers of Jesus is building up the body.
Paul uses that phrase several times in the 1 Corinthians 14 passage which ostensibly is about speakingin tongues and prophecy and the relative merits of the two. One could get caught up in the argument between tongues and prophecy, but I'm drawn to a phrase that is used as the yardstick for both of them, the critical piece for evaluation of their purpose and efficacy - building up the church. Verses 4, 5 and 12 all contain some variation on this phrase. Paul in this specific argument I believe gives us a broader measure for everything that we do as communiites of faith. Be it a prophetic word or tongues or Tuesday morning prayer group or a yard sale a basic question should be does it build up the church. Does it communicate the mission and ministry of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with the world and does it help those who may be on the outside looking in at our congregations understand better what we are about and invite them to join us in the journey.
Psalm 50
Joel 1:1-13
1 Corinthians 14:1-12
Matthew 20:1-16
1 Corinthians 14:1-12
Rob Warren, a good clergy friend here in the Louisville area who possesses an excellent sense of humor, once posted on their churches sign a message something like the following: "We Aren't Full of Hypocrites: We Have Room For More". I love this and never grow tired of repeating it. It's great in a number of ways one of my favorites of which is I think it works as a bit of a defense of the church. As a person who loves the church it feels at times as though there is no end of people who want to take shots at the church. For instance, the church is filled with hypocrites. Well, yes, yes it is. And maybe there are folks who would make the argument that the church is devoid of hypocrites, but as long as there are people in it we will struggle with hypocrisy in one way or another. The quick summary of much of the critique of the church is that it is imperfect and filled with imperfect people. And again, I'd say yes, it is surely imperfect and filled (well, maybe filled isn't the right word, filled may be too optimistic, peopled is probably better) with imperfect folks. The goal of the church is not, in my estimation to airbrush away any signs of our sinfulness so that we may seem to be very near to perfection, but rather a place where people who are sinful, yet hopeful, selfish, yet compassionate, idolatrous, yet faithful can come together and aim at being something more than what we would be on our own. I would not argue that we should be content with our sinful ways and fallen natures, but that it is in coming together and being honest about these less attractive attributes that we together can move a little closer to being the kingdom people God desires us to be. It is important for those of us who are active in congregations to understand some of the misconceptions about what is going on in our gatherings or what some may believe we are aiming to accomplish with our worship and meetings and bazaars and potlucks. One of our centrals tasks as followers of Jesus is building up the body.
Paul uses that phrase several times in the 1 Corinthians 14 passage which ostensibly is about speakingin tongues and prophecy and the relative merits of the two. One could get caught up in the argument between tongues and prophecy, but I'm drawn to a phrase that is used as the yardstick for both of them, the critical piece for evaluation of their purpose and efficacy - building up the church. Verses 4, 5 and 12 all contain some variation on this phrase. Paul in this specific argument I believe gives us a broader measure for everything that we do as communiites of faith. Be it a prophetic word or tongues or Tuesday morning prayer group or a yard sale a basic question should be does it build up the church. Does it communicate the mission and ministry of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with the world and does it help those who may be on the outside looking in at our congregations understand better what we are about and invite them to join us in the journey.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
The Best Company - November 6, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 6, 2010
Psalm 59
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Revelation 18:1-14
Luke 14:1-11
Zephaniah 3:14-20
"The Lord has taken away the
judgments against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in
you midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.(v.15)
Great reminder here - "The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more." This is similar to a theme I'll be highlighting tomorrow in worship from Haggai. In the Haggai passage the people are despondent and despairing about their future as symbolized by the temple. They have a memory of what it once was and they are pretty sure it can't be that again. They don't have the energy. They don't have the resources. They don't have the faith. Haggai's prophecy sounds very similar to Zephaniah's in pointing out to the people that whatever is against them, God is for them and really that is game, set and match. There is nothing better than knowing that God is with us.
Psalm 59
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Revelation 18:1-14
Luke 14:1-11
Zephaniah 3:14-20
"The Lord has taken away the
judgments against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in
you midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.(v.15)
Great reminder here - "The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more." This is similar to a theme I'll be highlighting tomorrow in worship from Haggai. In the Haggai passage the people are despondent and despairing about their future as symbolized by the temple. They have a memory of what it once was and they are pretty sure it can't be that again. They don't have the energy. They don't have the resources. They don't have the faith. Haggai's prophecy sounds very similar to Zephaniah's in pointing out to the people that whatever is against them, God is for them and really that is game, set and match. There is nothing better than knowing that God is with us.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
A Beautiful Spot Where Pharisees Do The Right Thing - November 5, 2010
Daily Letionary Readings for November 5, 2010
Psalm 109
Zephaniah 3:8-13
Revelation 17:1-18
Luke 13:31-35
Luke 13:31-35
The Dominus Flevit Church is a small chapel on the side of the Mount of Olives with the above pictured very striking view of the Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock. It is supposed to be on the spot where Jesus stood looking at the Temple and more generally at Jerusalem and spoke the following words of lament: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!"(v34)
The spot is truly striking and one of my favorite locations in the Holy Land. I can remember being there with our tour group in 2001, when I traveled there with a good friend as part of a group of clergy. What I can remember most vividly is the person who led the devotional talked about how they were having a wonderful experience, but very much missing their family and how their words brought tears to my eyes as I realized how much the words hit home with me and how much I was missing my wife and our two children that particular moment. Something about that quite visceral moment overlooking the Old City has stayed with me and whenever I read the story of Jesus lament over Jerusalem I remember that feeling of being struck by the absolute beauty of what I was seeing and at the same time the absolute sadness of missing the people who were so far away and so important to me.
How hard must it had been for Jesus to look at a city teeming with people, people he loved so much and who he knew would summarily reject him and seek to take his life. How hard especially when he could look across that valley and literally see the ground he would have to cover in order to set in motion the events of Holy Week, the events that would lead to his arrest and crucifixion.
Don't miss the words of v.31. As I read them they are a bit of a bright spot and point to something that we should factor in to our thinking about the Pharisees. Often times the Pharisees are the bad guys in the gospel stories. They are out to get Jesus, to trick him, to trip him up. And yet he hangs around with them regularly and discusses faith with them regularly. They are his nemisis at times, yes, but they are also, I suspect, his friends at times as well. "At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, 'Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.'"(v.31) These words can be interpreted perhaps in a variety of ways, but they sound to me like words of warning from one friend to another. Take care - you are in danger. The Pharisees are not two dimensional villains in a set piece. They are living, breathing folks who have some very bad moments in the gospel accounts, but who also undoubtedly have some good moments as well and who I also would say undoubtedly are represented in the group that Jesus would have counted as his companions and friends.
Psalm 109
Zephaniah 3:8-13
Revelation 17:1-18
Luke 13:31-35
The Dominus Flevit Church is a small chapel on the side of the Mount of Olives with the above pictured very striking view of the Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock. It is supposed to be on the spot where Jesus stood looking at the Temple and more generally at Jerusalem and spoke the following words of lament: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!"(v34)
The spot is truly striking and one of my favorite locations in the Holy Land. I can remember being there with our tour group in 2001, when I traveled there with a good friend as part of a group of clergy. What I can remember most vividly is the person who led the devotional talked about how they were having a wonderful experience, but very much missing their family and how their words brought tears to my eyes as I realized how much the words hit home with me and how much I was missing my wife and our two children that particular moment. Something about that quite visceral moment overlooking the Old City has stayed with me and whenever I read the story of Jesus lament over Jerusalem I remember that feeling of being struck by the absolute beauty of what I was seeing and at the same time the absolute sadness of missing the people who were so far away and so important to me.
How hard must it had been for Jesus to look at a city teeming with people, people he loved so much and who he knew would summarily reject him and seek to take his life. How hard especially when he could look across that valley and literally see the ground he would have to cover in order to set in motion the events of Holy Week, the events that would lead to his arrest and crucifixion.
Don't miss the words of v.31. As I read them they are a bit of a bright spot and point to something that we should factor in to our thinking about the Pharisees. Often times the Pharisees are the bad guys in the gospel stories. They are out to get Jesus, to trick him, to trip him up. And yet he hangs around with them regularly and discusses faith with them regularly. They are his nemisis at times, yes, but they are also, I suspect, his friends at times as well. "At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, 'Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.'"(v.31) These words can be interpreted perhaps in a variety of ways, but they sound to me like words of warning from one friend to another. Take care - you are in danger. The Pharisees are not two dimensional villains in a set piece. They are living, breathing folks who have some very bad moments in the gospel accounts, but who also undoubtedly have some good moments as well and who I also would say undoubtedly are represented in the group that Jesus would have counted as his companions and friends.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
God Is God And We Are Not - November 4, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 4, 2010
Psalm18:1-20
Zephaniah 3:1-7
Revelation 16:12-21
Luke 13:18-30
Psalm 18:1-20
This Psalm is not unique, but is a great representation of one of the characteristics of a number of the Psalms. Here the Psalmist creatively combines the Lord's concern with the specific, individual life of the writer and the cosmic majesty of what it means to be God. The Psalm is an acknowledgement of God's help, but it moves past being a thank you note to God to being effusive praise for God who is so much more than a magic helper waiting to solve our problems. Here is the creator God in all of God's glory and majesty and here is the great good news that this awesome and spectacular God cares deeply for individuals like us. After a particularly grand and powerful description of God's might we land on v.19 - "He brought me out into a broad place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me." With all that is virtually beyond the ability of words to describe about God's nature the Psalmist leads us to a point that Scripture's story draws us to again and again - this amazing God has a deep and abiding love...for us.
Zephaniah 3:1-8
"Ah, soiled, defiled, oppressing city!
It has listened to no voice;
it has accepted no correction."(v.1)
This verse marks a sharp contrast to the theme mentioned above in the Psalm. God, who is the creator and whose power can truly only be discussed in words that attempt to convey an idea of power on a grand and cosmic scale takes note of us and cares for us. On the other hand, the prophet here describes a city, Jerusalem in this instance, that imagines itself to be grand and powerful on a great scale and which is indifferent to it's creator. God who could easily have not a care for us instead loves us. We who depend on God for everything live at times as though we are beholding to no one.
Luke 13:18-30
The Luke passage kind of draws this together as Jesus speaks about the kingdom of God and about the narrow path that leads to God's kingdom. His closing words in this passage drive home the point that it is not power - real or perceived - among people that leads one to the God's kingdom. Rather it is about obedience and aiming to follow Christ on that narrow path. "Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."(v.30) In the shadow of election day and the echoes of acceptance and concession speeches these words of Christ have a particular relevance. Much of politics is about the trappings of and exercise of power. Too often it becomes simply about gaining and maintaining power. Jesus is clear - the power is a tool among other tools, the decisive and all important factor is not the measure of power, but the desire to be obedient. While mentioning politicians as examples I'd be remiss if I did not confess that the first person I need to hear Christ's call to obedience is me. Praying today that we all will be a little more obedient and Christlike today then we were yesterday.
Psalm18:1-20
Zephaniah 3:1-7
Revelation 16:12-21
Luke 13:18-30
Psalm 18:1-20
This Psalm is not unique, but is a great representation of one of the characteristics of a number of the Psalms. Here the Psalmist creatively combines the Lord's concern with the specific, individual life of the writer and the cosmic majesty of what it means to be God. The Psalm is an acknowledgement of God's help, but it moves past being a thank you note to God to being effusive praise for God who is so much more than a magic helper waiting to solve our problems. Here is the creator God in all of God's glory and majesty and here is the great good news that this awesome and spectacular God cares deeply for individuals like us. After a particularly grand and powerful description of God's might we land on v.19 - "He brought me out into a broad place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me." With all that is virtually beyond the ability of words to describe about God's nature the Psalmist leads us to a point that Scripture's story draws us to again and again - this amazing God has a deep and abiding love...for us.
Zephaniah 3:1-8
"Ah, soiled, defiled, oppressing city!
It has listened to no voice;
it has accepted no correction."(v.1)
This verse marks a sharp contrast to the theme mentioned above in the Psalm. God, who is the creator and whose power can truly only be discussed in words that attempt to convey an idea of power on a grand and cosmic scale takes note of us and cares for us. On the other hand, the prophet here describes a city, Jerusalem in this instance, that imagines itself to be grand and powerful on a great scale and which is indifferent to it's creator. God who could easily have not a care for us instead loves us. We who depend on God for everything live at times as though we are beholding to no one.
Luke 13:18-30
The Luke passage kind of draws this together as Jesus speaks about the kingdom of God and about the narrow path that leads to God's kingdom. His closing words in this passage drive home the point that it is not power - real or perceived - among people that leads one to the God's kingdom. Rather it is about obedience and aiming to follow Christ on that narrow path. "Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."(v.30) In the shadow of election day and the echoes of acceptance and concession speeches these words of Christ have a particular relevance. Much of politics is about the trappings of and exercise of power. Too often it becomes simply about gaining and maintaining power. Jesus is clear - the power is a tool among other tools, the decisive and all important factor is not the measure of power, but the desire to be obedient. While mentioning politicians as examples I'd be remiss if I did not confess that the first person I need to hear Christ's call to obedience is me. Praying today that we all will be a little more obedient and Christlike today then we were yesterday.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Times When Healing Is A Bad Thing - November 3, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 3, 2010
Psalm 145
Zephaniah 2:1-15
Revelation 16:1-11
Luke 13:10-17
Psalm 145
Several verses quoted out of sequence. First from the second half of the Psalm...
"The Lord upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. (vs.14,15)
A great promise that God will be with us in hard times, particularly when we are most in need, when we are looking to God. An earlier verse from this Psalm gives us a clue how this happens.
"On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate."(v.5)
When we take the time to meditate on God's wondrous works and on all the ways God reveals God's majesty to us in our daily lives we find an awesome God for sure, but I believe we find more. We find an awesome God who cares for us. In the midst of all the striking things that God has done when we meditate on God's actions we become aware that God cares deeply about us and is undeniably active and at work in our lives. God is always those things - active and at work in our lives - but we can easily ignore or choose to overlook the presence of God. Being in tune with that work in our regular meditation helps us to experience God at those times of crises, hopelessness and despair in our lives - the times when we are "bowed down".
Luke 13:10-17
Yesterday's Luke passage contained the story of a fig tree that no longer bore fruit. The suggestion was made that we may have some "fig trees" in our lives that are not bearing fruit and perhaps what such a passage might be asking us to do is to evaluate and consider doing away with such trees so that we could put our energy in other, more productive directions. A friend commented that one of the places we may encounter fig trees is in the life of the church. I agree. And believe that it's a good discipline to do as Stan Ott, of the Acts 16:5 Initiative suggests and not simply repeat last years programs again this year because we did them last year. The church can surely be a place where traditions become entrenched and we continue doing things over the years sometimes for little reason than that we've been doing them for a long time. There is certainly nothing wrong with longstanding traditions, but all of them are worthy of examination at least to ask why we are doing them and what purpose we believe is being accomplished in their being done. Today's Luke passage features Jesus healing a woman who has been bent over, unable to stand up straight for many years. Jesus heals her - he frees her from her ailment - and trouble ensues. Jesus has, again, healed on the Sabbath. Some traditionalists are angry with him. Which raises the question how do you get angry with someone for healing someone in any circumstance? Here it is because it runs headlong into a tradition - the Sabbath is a time when no work is to be done. Those who are angry are unable to look past the bottom line of the tradition to examine the content of the action. In a way it is a similar message to yesterday's - we do ourselves no favors when we are so tied to a course of action that we are unable to actually see what the course of action is leading us to do AND what it may be keeping us from doing.
Psalm 145
Zephaniah 2:1-15
Revelation 16:1-11
Luke 13:10-17
Psalm 145
Several verses quoted out of sequence. First from the second half of the Psalm...
"The Lord upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. (vs.14,15)
A great promise that God will be with us in hard times, particularly when we are most in need, when we are looking to God. An earlier verse from this Psalm gives us a clue how this happens.
"On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate."(v.5)
When we take the time to meditate on God's wondrous works and on all the ways God reveals God's majesty to us in our daily lives we find an awesome God for sure, but I believe we find more. We find an awesome God who cares for us. In the midst of all the striking things that God has done when we meditate on God's actions we become aware that God cares deeply about us and is undeniably active and at work in our lives. God is always those things - active and at work in our lives - but we can easily ignore or choose to overlook the presence of God. Being in tune with that work in our regular meditation helps us to experience God at those times of crises, hopelessness and despair in our lives - the times when we are "bowed down".
Luke 13:10-17
Yesterday's Luke passage contained the story of a fig tree that no longer bore fruit. The suggestion was made that we may have some "fig trees" in our lives that are not bearing fruit and perhaps what such a passage might be asking us to do is to evaluate and consider doing away with such trees so that we could put our energy in other, more productive directions. A friend commented that one of the places we may encounter fig trees is in the life of the church. I agree. And believe that it's a good discipline to do as Stan Ott, of the Acts 16:5 Initiative suggests and not simply repeat last years programs again this year because we did them last year. The church can surely be a place where traditions become entrenched and we continue doing things over the years sometimes for little reason than that we've been doing them for a long time. There is certainly nothing wrong with longstanding traditions, but all of them are worthy of examination at least to ask why we are doing them and what purpose we believe is being accomplished in their being done. Today's Luke passage features Jesus healing a woman who has been bent over, unable to stand up straight for many years. Jesus heals her - he frees her from her ailment - and trouble ensues. Jesus has, again, healed on the Sabbath. Some traditionalists are angry with him. Which raises the question how do you get angry with someone for healing someone in any circumstance? Here it is because it runs headlong into a tradition - the Sabbath is a time when no work is to be done. Those who are angry are unable to look past the bottom line of the tradition to examine the content of the action. In a way it is a similar message to yesterday's - we do ourselves no favors when we are so tied to a course of action that we are unable to actually see what the course of action is leading us to do AND what it may be keeping us from doing.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Is It Time To Get Rid Of A Fig Tree Or Two? - November 2, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings For November 2, 2010
Psalm 28
Zephaniah 1:14-18
Revelation 14:14-15:8
Luke 13:1-9
Luke 13:1-9
Jesus tells this parable about a fig tree that doesn't produce figs. The man who owns the vineyard is upset. The tree hasn't produced for three years - he wants it removed. The gardener asks for an extension. One more year. "If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not you can cut it down."(v.9) You can do several things with this story, as is often the case when Jesus tells a parable. We can imagine ourselves in the place of the fig tree. God has put us here to bear fruit. Grace is extended when we are not bearing fruit and we are given additional time. But there is a day when fruit will be expected. Another way of coming at this story though is to ask where the barren fig trees are in our lives and what are we doing with them. How much of our time and energy is wrapped up in efforts that do not bear fruit, which actually may be more life taking than life giving. Why do we keep pouring ourselves into these activities? Habit? Duty? A sense that there is hope for the fig tree? Perhaps the gardner's solution is one that might be helpful to us. Give it a year (or pick your own time frame) and then reevaluate. Perhaps by leaving some of our less fruitful activities behind we might find a new and lifegiving activity or passion that God has planned for us.
Psalm 28
Zephaniah 1:14-18
Revelation 14:14-15:8
Luke 13:1-9
Luke 13:1-9
Jesus tells this parable about a fig tree that doesn't produce figs. The man who owns the vineyard is upset. The tree hasn't produced for three years - he wants it removed. The gardener asks for an extension. One more year. "If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not you can cut it down."(v.9) You can do several things with this story, as is often the case when Jesus tells a parable. We can imagine ourselves in the place of the fig tree. God has put us here to bear fruit. Grace is extended when we are not bearing fruit and we are given additional time. But there is a day when fruit will be expected. Another way of coming at this story though is to ask where the barren fig trees are in our lives and what are we doing with them. How much of our time and energy is wrapped up in efforts that do not bear fruit, which actually may be more life taking than life giving. Why do we keep pouring ourselves into these activities? Habit? Duty? A sense that there is hope for the fig tree? Perhaps the gardner's solution is one that might be helpful to us. Give it a year (or pick your own time frame) and then reevaluate. Perhaps by leaving some of our less fruitful activities behind we might find a new and lifegiving activity or passion that God has planned for us.
All Saints Day - November 1, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for November 1, 2010
Psalm 2
Isaiah 26:1-21
Revelation 21:9-22:5
Matthew 5:1-12
Revelation 21:9-22:5 and Matthew 5:1-12
These two passages seem appropriate for All Saints Day, a day specifically placed to remind us of those who have gone before us, lived the faith and left us a legacy for which we can only be thankful. The Revelation passage is one of vivid hope. The light of God's coming Kingdom will be brighter than the sun - it's a glorious passage in which the light illuminates the hope of the book of Revelation. It seems that Revelation is forever being explored by those who would use it as a biblical version of tea leaves as though if one looks at it just right, with just enough imagination and creativity and divine inspiration one will know with great specificity what the completion of history will look like in a highly literal way. To which I can only think, what? Without traveling much farther down that road I'd simply point to passages where Jesus implores us to keep awake because he could return at any time, combined with passages where he suggests that it's not for us to know with precision what the end will be like. Revelation is not a road map wrapped in a secret code - it's good news and here in this passage is the good news - the very good news that inspired all those saints who we remember. The words of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 of course also point us to the lives of the saints who have gone before us - to the way they lived their lives, the way those lives inspire us and push us to be more and more the people God created us to be. Thanks be to God for the folks who did the day after day work of living grace filled lives and for the hope that calls us forward into each new day and to God's glorious future.
Psalm 2
Isaiah 26:1-21
Revelation 21:9-22:5
Matthew 5:1-12
Revelation 21:9-22:5 and Matthew 5:1-12
These two passages seem appropriate for All Saints Day, a day specifically placed to remind us of those who have gone before us, lived the faith and left us a legacy for which we can only be thankful. The Revelation passage is one of vivid hope. The light of God's coming Kingdom will be brighter than the sun - it's a glorious passage in which the light illuminates the hope of the book of Revelation. It seems that Revelation is forever being explored by those who would use it as a biblical version of tea leaves as though if one looks at it just right, with just enough imagination and creativity and divine inspiration one will know with great specificity what the completion of history will look like in a highly literal way. To which I can only think, what? Without traveling much farther down that road I'd simply point to passages where Jesus implores us to keep awake because he could return at any time, combined with passages where he suggests that it's not for us to know with precision what the end will be like. Revelation is not a road map wrapped in a secret code - it's good news and here in this passage is the good news - the very good news that inspired all those saints who we remember. The words of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 of course also point us to the lives of the saints who have gone before us - to the way they lived their lives, the way those lives inspire us and push us to be more and more the people God created us to be. Thanks be to God for the folks who did the day after day work of living grace filled lives and for the hope that calls us forward into each new day and to God's glorious future.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Receiving Grace and Dispensing Something Else - October 31, 2010
Daily Lectionary Readings for October 31, 2010
Psalm 22
Zephaniah 1:1-6
1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13
Matthew 18:21-35
Matthew 18:21-35
A friend was just commenting on the disappointment she felt when she encountered mean-spirited and ugly attitudes and actions from folks who profess to be Christian. Those sorts of statements are painful because it not difficult to imagine what she mentioned taking place and because it's not all that difficult to imagine being guilty of such behavior. What she says is important, not because we Christians are ever going to be perfect, but because it would seem that we who have experienced and acknowledge experiencing the awesome depth of the grace of God might, hopefully exhibit that grace in our dealings with others. Today's Matthew passage makes a similar point. A man, a slave, owes a great debt which his lord forgives. That slave, newly free of debt, encounters a fellow slave who owes him money. With a complete lack of a sense that he understands that magnitude of what the master has just done for him he demands of his fellow slave, "Pay what you owe"(v.29) all the while seizing him by the throat. How is it, that we who experience mercy and grace from God so often fail to extend grace and mercy in our relationships?
Psalm 22
Zephaniah 1:1-6
1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13
Matthew 18:21-35
Matthew 18:21-35
A friend was just commenting on the disappointment she felt when she encountered mean-spirited and ugly attitudes and actions from folks who profess to be Christian. Those sorts of statements are painful because it not difficult to imagine what she mentioned taking place and because it's not all that difficult to imagine being guilty of such behavior. What she says is important, not because we Christians are ever going to be perfect, but because it would seem that we who have experienced and acknowledge experiencing the awesome depth of the grace of God might, hopefully exhibit that grace in our dealings with others. Today's Matthew passage makes a similar point. A man, a slave, owes a great debt which his lord forgives. That slave, newly free of debt, encounters a fellow slave who owes him money. With a complete lack of a sense that he understands that magnitude of what the master has just done for him he demands of his fellow slave, "Pay what you owe"(v.29) all the while seizing him by the throat. How is it, that we who experience mercy and grace from God so often fail to extend grace and mercy in our relationships?
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