"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men." 1 Timothy 2:1
The word in this scripture which is translated prayer is proseuchi. It specifically refers to a request made to God. By implication and in contrast to supplications which may be made to anyone including God, we see here a type of prayer which I am calling the Prayer for the Impossible. There are some requests we make to God which God often answers through human agency. For instance, we might pray for a new job or that an operation be successful. In these cases, God uses people or other natural forces to provide the answer.
But there are times when we know that no human or natural agency can provide the answers that we need. There are times when we are facing the impossible, times when nothing other than a supernatural intervention by the hand of God will bring about what we need, times when we need more than an answer, times when we need a miracle. To even vocalize such requests requires faith. Faith that forces us to acknowledge the omnipotence of God in the face of extraordinary trials.
God is able, though, to answer these prayers as well as the others. He can heal the incurable illness. He can cause money to appear in an empty wallet. He can cause a gas tank to refill while driving. He can stop a storm and calm the seas. He has done all this and more.
I heard that in October there was an outdoor Christian concert in Northern Louisiana. At that time a storm was moving down in from the Gulf coast. All predictions placed the storm right over the town about the time of the concert. The people organizing the concert went down on their knees and prayed. The storm stopped in The Gulf of Mexico for 12 hours and then started up again. The meteorologists
were baffled. They were not, for they had prayed for the impossible and God took action.
Are you facing an impossible situation in your life? Our God is the God of the impossible. Our requests can never be greater than God's supply.
Lord, help me to have faith today for the impossible. Amen.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Psalm 103:13-14
"As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust" Psalm 103:13-14
Wouldn't it be a scary thing if our God was not compassionate? Could you imagine the fear we would live in if our God were mean like the false gods? You borrow a penny from your wife's purse without her knowing. Is it stealing? Will God strike you with lightning - or worse yet - a lingering fatal illness? You say an angry, hateful thing to your mother. Do you duck for fear of some celestial punishment? Talking about living in fear, that would do it.
Fortunately our God had great compassion on those of us who have a healthy fear of Him. That fear is a healthy respect for, not a breath wrong and you die type of fear. Because of this great love, we live in peace knowing that forgiveness is always available should we sin.
Unfortunately, many of us have forgotten that God can be a severe judge. We take for granted that He will love us no matter what. We have not seen an Ananias and Saphira type of incident in our churches lately. So what is there to fear. We can neither see God nor feel Him nor hear Him with an audible voice. This all gives rise to the question "Does he really exist? And even if He does, is He really interested in what I do?" Sure, we never really ask those questions. But we all too often live like we did. Think about it. What do you really think about God? Who is He really? What is your real relationship with Him? Do you really know Him?
Do you really care about what He says? I urge you to honestly answer these questions. If you do, you may be surprised about how much you have to grow in your spiritual life. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Wouldn't it be a scary thing if our God was not compassionate? Could you imagine the fear we would live in if our God were mean like the false gods? You borrow a penny from your wife's purse without her knowing. Is it stealing? Will God strike you with lightning - or worse yet - a lingering fatal illness? You say an angry, hateful thing to your mother. Do you duck for fear of some celestial punishment? Talking about living in fear, that would do it.
Fortunately our God had great compassion on those of us who have a healthy fear of Him. That fear is a healthy respect for, not a breath wrong and you die type of fear. Because of this great love, we live in peace knowing that forgiveness is always available should we sin.
Unfortunately, many of us have forgotten that God can be a severe judge. We take for granted that He will love us no matter what. We have not seen an Ananias and Saphira type of incident in our churches lately. So what is there to fear. We can neither see God nor feel Him nor hear Him with an audible voice. This all gives rise to the question "Does he really exist? And even if He does, is He really interested in what I do?" Sure, we never really ask those questions. But we all too often live like we did. Think about it. What do you really think about God? Who is He really? What is your real relationship with Him? Do you really know Him?
Do you really care about what He says? I urge you to honestly answer these questions. If you do, you may be surprised about how much you have to grow in your spiritual life. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Luke 4:1-13
A young man was sent to Spain by his company to work in their new office. He accepted because it would enable him to earn enough to marry his long-time girlfriend. Their plan was to pool their resources and put a down payment on a house when he returned.
As the lonely weeks went by, she began expressing doubts that he was being true and faithful to her. After all, there are so many beautiful women in Spain. The young man declared that he was paying absolutely no attention to the local girls. "I admit," He wrote, "that sometimes I'm tempted. But I fight it. I'm keeping myself for you."
A few weeks later the young man received a package from the local post office. It contained a note and a harmonica from his girlfriend. "I'm sending this to you," his girlfriend wrote, "so you can have something to take your mind off those girls." The young man wrote back that he was practicing on the harmonica every night and thinking only of her.
When the young man returned home on holiday his girlfriend was waiting for him at the airport. As he rushed forward to embrace her, she held up a restraining hand and said sternly, "Hold on there. First I want to hear you play that harmonica!"
Every year the season of Lent, which is a 40 days period of preparation for Easter, starts with the story of how Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by the devil.
I think that a great many Christians are alarmed by the fact of temptation, by the fact that when we pause and look into our hearts we notice that there within them are desires that we are know are wrong, wants that we know if indulged will lead to evil.
We are alarmed because we think of ourselves as good Christians - basically honest, hardworking, upright people, yet there - lurking inside a great many of us is anger, jealousy, envy, or bitterness…- inside still others of us, there are cravings of every sort - from the desire to own more and more material things than we now own, to the desire to possess other people – to control other people - to be able to use their bodies for our own pleasure - their time to meet our own needs – their talent to earn praise and profit for our own selves.
The fact of temptation, the fact of evil desire, insofar as it exists in every one of us, as it exists in me, is distressing.
For some people, the more vivid the sense of temptation – the more disturbed they become. They begin to question their spirituality, their faithfulness, their ability to do good; they begin to feel inferior - weak - uncertain - and insecure.
I think that at the heart of this uneasiness, at the heart of this distress, lies the thought that if we are really doing what we should be doing then we would not experience the temptations that we do experience, that our impulses would all be for the good, that our habits would keep us from even considering doing something we ought not to do.
To this feeling the gospel today replies - No! That is not how it works.
Temptation is a part of the human condition - indeed it is so much a part of our humanity - that when we are most connected to God then we are most tempted.
Look at Jesus for a minute - He is raised in righteousness by Mary and Joseph, he studies, he works, he observes the Sabbath, and sits with the teachers of the law, and finally - when the time is right he is baptised by John in the Jordan and the voice of God approves him and the spirit of God settles upon him and then bang – next thing He is tempted in the wilderness... not once – not twice - but three times and we are told that when the devil finally leaves Jesus - he does so only to wait for another time - for an opportune time says my translation...
The good news of today's gospel reading lies in the fact that Jesus himself was tempted.
You are not spiritually or morally inferior because there lies within you desires that are unworthy, you are not less than faithful simply because you consider cutting a corner or two here or there. In fact the opposite might well be the case - you might be experiencing temptation because you are worthy of being tempted.
My dear sisters and brother in Christ - if you are already travelling towards a particular destination as fast as your feet can take you - and that destination happens to be the one that the devil wants you to arrive at - he is hardly going to stick out his leg and try to trip you - he's not going to suggest that you turn around and go the other way is he?
You are not spiritually or morally inferior simply because you experience temptation. Nor are you a sinner because you feel sinful desires. Sin only comes in when you succumb to temptation, when you indulge the impulses that you should not be indulging in.
Some people break down temptation into three categories - categories that roughly match the experience that Jesus went through while wandering in the wilderness in the days immediately after his baptism.
First there are physical temptations - the urges we have to satisfy our physical wants regardless of how we go about it.
Then there are emotional temptations - temptations to indulge one's feelings - one's ego - to make oneself the centre of all things - to receive all glory and all praise and all power – all the attention that you want - that you should have...
And then there are spiritual temptations - the temptation to test God - to dare God to prove his love - to manipulate God - to get God to use his magic powers on your behalf that you may impress others with them - that you may show to others your favoured status in the eyes of the Lord.
Personally I am not convinced by this threefold division of the nature of temptation - though we are tempted in all three ways.
I not convinced - because when all is said and done temptation is always a spiritual matter and because temptation rarely comes to us as a clear cut decision between good and evil.
Temptation always comes to us shrouded in goodness - in plausibility - in attractiveness. It comes as an outgrowth of the circumstances that we are in - circumstances that have their own logic and their own appeal
Do we put on our track suit and walk or run this morning? No. It's raining and we don't want to get sick.
Should we talk about the issue that we have been avoiding with our spouse?
No - the kids will be home soon and we'll be interrupted.
No - she is not in a good mood.
No - it won't do any good anyway...
Should I go to the doctor about the pain in my chest?
No - it's probably just gas.
No - if it is serious then it won't make any difference anyway.
No - other people are sicker than I am and I don't want to abuse the Medical system like others do.
We face situation after situation every day of our lives, some of them relatively trivial, and some of major consequence, in which the choice is not between good and evil, but between what is hard and what is easy.
To be tempted is to accept what comes naturally - food when hungry - water when thirsty - sex when lonely - power when an authority - condescension when working with inferiors - impatience when dealing with the slow, the old or the feeble - rudeness when dealing with those who are paid to serve - intolerance when dealing with those who do not see things or do things our way - hatefulness when dealing with those who contradict you – smugness when considering one's own performance... pride when thinking of one’s own humility, one's own generosity, one's own political astuteness, social grace, tolerance, or faithfulness,
All these things are natural - all these things are easy - and - as you know - all these things are common. They are the fruit of temptations that are hard to refuse.
You're hungry Jesus - if you are the Son of God - do what comes naturally to you - turn these rocks into bread. Use your advantage to your advantage - it won't hurt anyone.
You want to change the world - to make a difference - to see justice done - to help the poor - to set your people free – all you have to do is simply bow down right now and worship me...
Jesus - you know God loves you. Your plan will sell a lot easier if people see that you are special to Him. Let God save you from certain disaster - let his angels carry you up from the ground in the presence of the priests and the teachers and everyone in Jerusalem. You won't have to go around from home to home then -
preaching and healing people. You won't have to work to convince people to follow your way - they'll line up for miles and miles just for a chance to see you...
Temptation is a natural thing. It appeals to our natural impulses - both for good and for bad. Temptation is also an easy thing - that is a major part of it's attraction.
And there is only one cure for it - That cure is focus - or faith.
Christ showed us the way - by rebuffing the things that tempted him with his focus on what God revealed to Israel through Moses and the prophets.
When tempted with the easy way - he drew from his heart to his mind the word of God that he had been taught: One does not live by bread alone - Worship the Lord your God and serve only him. Do not put the Lord your God to the test..
Christ resisted the easy way, the natural way - by recalling God's way - by speaking it out in the midst of his vision, his dream, his temptation.
And so can we - and even more so. More so - because Christ is in us, he who won the victory over the evil one he who resisted successfully dwells within us.
He knows how hard it is to walk the walk and talk the talk - he knows how easy it is to close your eyes to the troubles around you, to close your ears to the cries of need and despair, and to close your hearts to the hearts of those who live with you or near to you. He knows the attraction of the quick fix and the struggle to keep on the difficult road. And he stands ready to help when we call upon him.
When we touch the Christ who is in us - When we reach inside ourselves and ask of ourselves - What would Jesus do here and now - then we are on the road we should be on.
At the end of our days God will not ask us if we did wrong - nor will he ask us if we have been tempted - but he will ask us if we have learned to play the tunes of love on the spiritual harmonica he has given us. He will ask if we have walked the road that Christ was on in the direction that Christ walked it.
And if we have - and in doing so we happened to stumble and fall once in a while - God will bandage the wounds and wipe the tears from our eyes - and give us a hug - for we will have done all that he expects of us.
Praise be to his name. Amen.
As the lonely weeks went by, she began expressing doubts that he was being true and faithful to her. After all, there are so many beautiful women in Spain. The young man declared that he was paying absolutely no attention to the local girls. "I admit," He wrote, "that sometimes I'm tempted. But I fight it. I'm keeping myself for you."
A few weeks later the young man received a package from the local post office. It contained a note and a harmonica from his girlfriend. "I'm sending this to you," his girlfriend wrote, "so you can have something to take your mind off those girls." The young man wrote back that he was practicing on the harmonica every night and thinking only of her.
When the young man returned home on holiday his girlfriend was waiting for him at the airport. As he rushed forward to embrace her, she held up a restraining hand and said sternly, "Hold on there. First I want to hear you play that harmonica!"
Every year the season of Lent, which is a 40 days period of preparation for Easter, starts with the story of how Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by the devil.
I think that a great many Christians are alarmed by the fact of temptation, by the fact that when we pause and look into our hearts we notice that there within them are desires that we are know are wrong, wants that we know if indulged will lead to evil.
We are alarmed because we think of ourselves as good Christians - basically honest, hardworking, upright people, yet there - lurking inside a great many of us is anger, jealousy, envy, or bitterness…- inside still others of us, there are cravings of every sort - from the desire to own more and more material things than we now own, to the desire to possess other people – to control other people - to be able to use their bodies for our own pleasure - their time to meet our own needs – their talent to earn praise and profit for our own selves.
The fact of temptation, the fact of evil desire, insofar as it exists in every one of us, as it exists in me, is distressing.
For some people, the more vivid the sense of temptation – the more disturbed they become. They begin to question their spirituality, their faithfulness, their ability to do good; they begin to feel inferior - weak - uncertain - and insecure.
I think that at the heart of this uneasiness, at the heart of this distress, lies the thought that if we are really doing what we should be doing then we would not experience the temptations that we do experience, that our impulses would all be for the good, that our habits would keep us from even considering doing something we ought not to do.
To this feeling the gospel today replies - No! That is not how it works.
Temptation is a part of the human condition - indeed it is so much a part of our humanity - that when we are most connected to God then we are most tempted.
Look at Jesus for a minute - He is raised in righteousness by Mary and Joseph, he studies, he works, he observes the Sabbath, and sits with the teachers of the law, and finally - when the time is right he is baptised by John in the Jordan and the voice of God approves him and the spirit of God settles upon him and then bang – next thing He is tempted in the wilderness... not once – not twice - but three times and we are told that when the devil finally leaves Jesus - he does so only to wait for another time - for an opportune time says my translation...
The good news of today's gospel reading lies in the fact that Jesus himself was tempted.
You are not spiritually or morally inferior because there lies within you desires that are unworthy, you are not less than faithful simply because you consider cutting a corner or two here or there. In fact the opposite might well be the case - you might be experiencing temptation because you are worthy of being tempted.
My dear sisters and brother in Christ - if you are already travelling towards a particular destination as fast as your feet can take you - and that destination happens to be the one that the devil wants you to arrive at - he is hardly going to stick out his leg and try to trip you - he's not going to suggest that you turn around and go the other way is he?
You are not spiritually or morally inferior simply because you experience temptation. Nor are you a sinner because you feel sinful desires. Sin only comes in when you succumb to temptation, when you indulge the impulses that you should not be indulging in.
Some people break down temptation into three categories - categories that roughly match the experience that Jesus went through while wandering in the wilderness in the days immediately after his baptism.
First there are physical temptations - the urges we have to satisfy our physical wants regardless of how we go about it.
Then there are emotional temptations - temptations to indulge one's feelings - one's ego - to make oneself the centre of all things - to receive all glory and all praise and all power – all the attention that you want - that you should have...
And then there are spiritual temptations - the temptation to test God - to dare God to prove his love - to manipulate God - to get God to use his magic powers on your behalf that you may impress others with them - that you may show to others your favoured status in the eyes of the Lord.
Personally I am not convinced by this threefold division of the nature of temptation - though we are tempted in all three ways.
I not convinced - because when all is said and done temptation is always a spiritual matter and because temptation rarely comes to us as a clear cut decision between good and evil.
Temptation always comes to us shrouded in goodness - in plausibility - in attractiveness. It comes as an outgrowth of the circumstances that we are in - circumstances that have their own logic and their own appeal
Do we put on our track suit and walk or run this morning? No. It's raining and we don't want to get sick.
Should we talk about the issue that we have been avoiding with our spouse?
No - the kids will be home soon and we'll be interrupted.
No - she is not in a good mood.
No - it won't do any good anyway...
Should I go to the doctor about the pain in my chest?
No - it's probably just gas.
No - if it is serious then it won't make any difference anyway.
No - other people are sicker than I am and I don't want to abuse the Medical system like others do.
We face situation after situation every day of our lives, some of them relatively trivial, and some of major consequence, in which the choice is not between good and evil, but between what is hard and what is easy.
To be tempted is to accept what comes naturally - food when hungry - water when thirsty - sex when lonely - power when an authority - condescension when working with inferiors - impatience when dealing with the slow, the old or the feeble - rudeness when dealing with those who are paid to serve - intolerance when dealing with those who do not see things or do things our way - hatefulness when dealing with those who contradict you – smugness when considering one's own performance... pride when thinking of one’s own humility, one's own generosity, one's own political astuteness, social grace, tolerance, or faithfulness,
All these things are natural - all these things are easy - and - as you know - all these things are common. They are the fruit of temptations that are hard to refuse.
You're hungry Jesus - if you are the Son of God - do what comes naturally to you - turn these rocks into bread. Use your advantage to your advantage - it won't hurt anyone.
You want to change the world - to make a difference - to see justice done - to help the poor - to set your people free – all you have to do is simply bow down right now and worship me...
Jesus - you know God loves you. Your plan will sell a lot easier if people see that you are special to Him. Let God save you from certain disaster - let his angels carry you up from the ground in the presence of the priests and the teachers and everyone in Jerusalem. You won't have to go around from home to home then -
preaching and healing people. You won't have to work to convince people to follow your way - they'll line up for miles and miles just for a chance to see you...
Temptation is a natural thing. It appeals to our natural impulses - both for good and for bad. Temptation is also an easy thing - that is a major part of it's attraction.
And there is only one cure for it - That cure is focus - or faith.
Christ showed us the way - by rebuffing the things that tempted him with his focus on what God revealed to Israel through Moses and the prophets.
When tempted with the easy way - he drew from his heart to his mind the word of God that he had been taught: One does not live by bread alone - Worship the Lord your God and serve only him. Do not put the Lord your God to the test..
Christ resisted the easy way, the natural way - by recalling God's way - by speaking it out in the midst of his vision, his dream, his temptation.
And so can we - and even more so. More so - because Christ is in us, he who won the victory over the evil one he who resisted successfully dwells within us.
He knows how hard it is to walk the walk and talk the talk - he knows how easy it is to close your eyes to the troubles around you, to close your ears to the cries of need and despair, and to close your hearts to the hearts of those who live with you or near to you. He knows the attraction of the quick fix and the struggle to keep on the difficult road. And he stands ready to help when we call upon him.
When we touch the Christ who is in us - When we reach inside ourselves and ask of ourselves - What would Jesus do here and now - then we are on the road we should be on.
At the end of our days God will not ask us if we did wrong - nor will he ask us if we have been tempted - but he will ask us if we have learned to play the tunes of love on the spiritual harmonica he has given us. He will ask if we have walked the road that Christ was on in the direction that Christ walked it.
And if we have - and in doing so we happened to stumble and fall once in a while - God will bandage the wounds and wipe the tears from our eyes - and give us a hug - for we will have done all that he expects of us.
Praise be to his name. Amen.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Psalm 84:6
"As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools." Psalm 84:6
The Valley of Baca has been translated both as the Valley of Weeping and The Thirsty Valley. Neither of these are very pleasant names. Obviously, the Valley of Baca was dry, desolate place. Today, you may be walking through your own Valley of Baca. You may be feeling dry in your soul. You may be thirsty and wondering where the living water is to quench your thirst. But lets look at today's scripture again.
What are we to do when we are in this thirsty place, we are to dig a well. What does this mean in our spiritual lives. Well, there are times when we have to step out in faith, to take some sort of action. The word translated well could also be translated pit or ditch. Apparently, there were no streams in the valley of Baca, but there were rainstorms. But the ground just soaked up the rain, unless you dug a pit.
Digging that pit was an act of faith. It was in expectation of a refreshing rain. Too often when we are in a dry place, we do not expect it to rain ever again. We believe that we will not see water again, so we are not prepared when (not if, when) the rain does fall. In that case the rain is refreshing for the time, but after it stops we find ourselves in much the same situation as before.
I know a lot of people who seem to have these vicious ups and downs in their moods. One moment things are terrible. The world is conspiring against them. Everything is awful. Then some blessing comes their way and everything is wonderful for a few days until the next trial.
What many of us need to do is create a reservoir of blessing to sustain us in the dry seasons. The next time God sheds His blessings on you dig a well. Drink in those blessings, bask in them, praise him for them, store up the knowledge of those blessings, learn the lessons he is trying to teach you, find out what you can take from that blessing to help you in the hard times. Then when the dry spell settles down in your valley again, you remember those lessons, you praise God just as you did during the season of refreshing drawing on the strength you gathered during that time. You also remember that the trial before the blessing did end and God delivered you in a marvelous way and that if he did it once he'll do it again.
So, if you have found yourself in the valley of Baca today, take out your shovel. You have some digging to do.
Lord, today let me dig a reservoir for your blessing and in the times of trial let me draw from that well of refreshing you have sent me today. Amen and Amen.
The Valley of Baca has been translated both as the Valley of Weeping and The Thirsty Valley. Neither of these are very pleasant names. Obviously, the Valley of Baca was dry, desolate place. Today, you may be walking through your own Valley of Baca. You may be feeling dry in your soul. You may be thirsty and wondering where the living water is to quench your thirst. But lets look at today's scripture again.
What are we to do when we are in this thirsty place, we are to dig a well. What does this mean in our spiritual lives. Well, there are times when we have to step out in faith, to take some sort of action. The word translated well could also be translated pit or ditch. Apparently, there were no streams in the valley of Baca, but there were rainstorms. But the ground just soaked up the rain, unless you dug a pit.
Digging that pit was an act of faith. It was in expectation of a refreshing rain. Too often when we are in a dry place, we do not expect it to rain ever again. We believe that we will not see water again, so we are not prepared when (not if, when) the rain does fall. In that case the rain is refreshing for the time, but after it stops we find ourselves in much the same situation as before.
I know a lot of people who seem to have these vicious ups and downs in their moods. One moment things are terrible. The world is conspiring against them. Everything is awful. Then some blessing comes their way and everything is wonderful for a few days until the next trial.
What many of us need to do is create a reservoir of blessing to sustain us in the dry seasons. The next time God sheds His blessings on you dig a well. Drink in those blessings, bask in them, praise him for them, store up the knowledge of those blessings, learn the lessons he is trying to teach you, find out what you can take from that blessing to help you in the hard times. Then when the dry spell settles down in your valley again, you remember those lessons, you praise God just as you did during the season of refreshing drawing on the strength you gathered during that time. You also remember that the trial before the blessing did end and God delivered you in a marvelous way and that if he did it once he'll do it again.
So, if you have found yourself in the valley of Baca today, take out your shovel. You have some digging to do.
Lord, today let me dig a reservoir for your blessing and in the times of trial let me draw from that well of refreshing you have sent me today. Amen and Amen.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Psalms 103:11
"For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him" Psalms 103:11
Here are some questions that require some deep thought. How huge is "huge"? How far is infinity? How deep is bottomless? How long is eternity? Where did God come from?
See what I mean? So I'll ask one more: "how great is God's loving kindness towards you and me?" How do you measure it? In pounds? Inches? Cubic feet? There is no measuring it. That's why the psalmist says "as high as the heavens are above the earth." Surely with modern science we can measure that! After all, we have the Hubble telescope. It can see farther than we have ever seen before. WRONG! While we though that wonderful instrument might be able to see the end of the universe, it keeps finding something a little farther out! If the heavens are immeasurable - even today - God's grace and love towards us is even greater. Yet He applies it to you and me.
Have You ever felt God's love? I have. I've felt in when I fell so far that I thought no one could love me. I felt it in His forgiveness. Do you need a bit of His love? Go ahead, take it. It's free. It's renewed every day. It's unending. Take all you need. Take a little extra. There's plenty to go around. Take enough to share with a friend or a loved one. Go ahead. But don't hoard it. It will spoil like warm milk. God's love is intended to be spread around.
Don't know that you could ever love someone in your life? Take some of God's love. It's powerful enough to overcome any amount of evil. Spread it unconditionally on the unlovely. You'll be surprised at how well it can make the ugly vanish! It's the original and only "vanishing cream"! Works every time! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Here are some questions that require some deep thought. How huge is "huge"? How far is infinity? How deep is bottomless? How long is eternity? Where did God come from?
See what I mean? So I'll ask one more: "how great is God's loving kindness towards you and me?" How do you measure it? In pounds? Inches? Cubic feet? There is no measuring it. That's why the psalmist says "as high as the heavens are above the earth." Surely with modern science we can measure that! After all, we have the Hubble telescope. It can see farther than we have ever seen before. WRONG! While we though that wonderful instrument might be able to see the end of the universe, it keeps finding something a little farther out! If the heavens are immeasurable - even today - God's grace and love towards us is even greater. Yet He applies it to you and me.
Have You ever felt God's love? I have. I've felt in when I fell so far that I thought no one could love me. I felt it in His forgiveness. Do you need a bit of His love? Go ahead, take it. It's free. It's renewed every day. It's unending. Take all you need. Take a little extra. There's plenty to go around. Take enough to share with a friend or a loved one. Go ahead. But don't hoard it. It will spoil like warm milk. God's love is intended to be spread around.
Don't know that you could ever love someone in your life? Take some of God's love. It's powerful enough to overcome any amount of evil. Spread it unconditionally on the unlovely. You'll be surprised at how well it can make the ugly vanish! It's the original and only "vanishing cream"! Works every time! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Galatians 6:2
"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2
In a traditional wedding ceremony, the couple vows to love each other "in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse." According to I Corinthians 13, this quality of endurance is characteristic of Agape love whether that love be for a spouse, a friend, a co-worker, family member, fellow Christian or someone to whom you are ministering. We are called to "bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6.2)
Within any type of relationship, difficulties will arise. Sometimes they will arise within the relationship. One or both persons will say or do things which hurt the other. For the most part such hurts are unintentional, but that doesn't always assuage the pain. More often the difficulties arise from outside the relationship itself. Sickness, persecution, financial distress, emotional pain, attacks of Satan which affect one of the people will by extension affect both.
Remember the context in which 1 Corinthians 13 appears. In Chapter 12 is a discussion of the body of Christ and how what affects one member affects all. True Agape love feels the pain of others, and in so doing, helps carry that burden. Their prayer needs become our prayer needs. Their distress becomes our distress. Their need for salvation, deliverance or healing becomes ours as well.
But, you say, that's hard. How can I carry another person's need as though it were my own? That isn't natural. Absolutely correct. It isn't natural. But neither is Agape love, it is supernatural. When you have loved as much as you can in your own strength and that strength begins to lag, step out of the way and let God love that person through you.
To bear another's burdens doesn't require that we need to be strong, it simply requires that we be willing. There will always be another pair of hands helping with that burden. And if you look closely, you will find that they have the imprints of nails in them from a time, when he carried a burden that wasn't his.
Lord, today show me someone struggling under a burden I can help carry. Amen and Amen.
In a traditional wedding ceremony, the couple vows to love each other "in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse." According to I Corinthians 13, this quality of endurance is characteristic of Agape love whether that love be for a spouse, a friend, a co-worker, family member, fellow Christian or someone to whom you are ministering. We are called to "bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6.2)
Within any type of relationship, difficulties will arise. Sometimes they will arise within the relationship. One or both persons will say or do things which hurt the other. For the most part such hurts are unintentional, but that doesn't always assuage the pain. More often the difficulties arise from outside the relationship itself. Sickness, persecution, financial distress, emotional pain, attacks of Satan which affect one of the people will by extension affect both.
Remember the context in which 1 Corinthians 13 appears. In Chapter 12 is a discussion of the body of Christ and how what affects one member affects all. True Agape love feels the pain of others, and in so doing, helps carry that burden. Their prayer needs become our prayer needs. Their distress becomes our distress. Their need for salvation, deliverance or healing becomes ours as well.
But, you say, that's hard. How can I carry another person's need as though it were my own? That isn't natural. Absolutely correct. It isn't natural. But neither is Agape love, it is supernatural. When you have loved as much as you can in your own strength and that strength begins to lag, step out of the way and let God love that person through you.
To bear another's burdens doesn't require that we need to be strong, it simply requires that we be willing. There will always be another pair of hands helping with that burden. And if you look closely, you will find that they have the imprints of nails in them from a time, when he carried a burden that wasn't his.
Lord, today show me someone struggling under a burden I can help carry. Amen and Amen.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Gal 6:7
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." Gal 6:7
Some things in life are certain. Some are not. Today's verse is certain. If a farmer sows beans, he will get beans. If he sows dandelions, he'll get dandelions. What Paul is saying is that what you put into your life, you will get back. If you sow alcoholic beverage into your life, you are likely to grow a case of alcoholism - fancy language for "you may become a drunk!" If you sow illicit sex, you are almost certain to eventually get an incurable disease - AIDS is only the most famous of the batch of incurable STD's. If you sow greed, you may die a very rich, but miserable person.
With this in mind, we can determine that Paul is saying that if you want to push the limits of God's Law and live for yourself, you will end up in Hell. However, if you want to reach Heaven, you will have to push in that direction by obeying the commandments of the Lord. In all reality, the choice is totally yours. No one will force you to go wrong. No one will force you to go right. You may be presented with some pretty powerful arguments one way or the other, but in the end the choice is ours.
Fortunately, if we choose to be heaven bound, we have some good fuel to boost us in that direction. It starts with the Blood of Jesus bringing us to salvation. It continues with the Word of God directing us (the Light for our paths). Along the way we receive some high octane called the Holy Spirit who empowers us to do what God wants us to do with our lives. All in all, it's a pretty good deal. Make Jesus your final answer. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Some things in life are certain. Some are not. Today's verse is certain. If a farmer sows beans, he will get beans. If he sows dandelions, he'll get dandelions. What Paul is saying is that what you put into your life, you will get back. If you sow alcoholic beverage into your life, you are likely to grow a case of alcoholism - fancy language for "you may become a drunk!" If you sow illicit sex, you are almost certain to eventually get an incurable disease - AIDS is only the most famous of the batch of incurable STD's. If you sow greed, you may die a very rich, but miserable person.
With this in mind, we can determine that Paul is saying that if you want to push the limits of God's Law and live for yourself, you will end up in Hell. However, if you want to reach Heaven, you will have to push in that direction by obeying the commandments of the Lord. In all reality, the choice is totally yours. No one will force you to go wrong. No one will force you to go right. You may be presented with some pretty powerful arguments one way or the other, but in the end the choice is ours.
Fortunately, if we choose to be heaven bound, we have some good fuel to boost us in that direction. It starts with the Blood of Jesus bringing us to salvation. It continues with the Word of God directing us (the Light for our paths). Along the way we receive some high octane called the Holy Spirit who empowers us to do what God wants us to do with our lives. All in all, it's a pretty good deal. Make Jesus your final answer. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Gal 6:2-3
"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself" Gal 6:2-3
After his eventful day of murder and mayhem, Cain asked God if he was his brothers keeper. Some centuries later a popular musical hit of the 60's stated "he's not heavy. He's my brother." There is a lot of history in between those two events. The most significant moment in time between them was the life and death of Jesus Christ. It is he who brought about the change from "no" to "yes" (from the human standpoint) to the brother's keeper question. For He taught that we should bear one another's burdens. He said we should love our neighbors. When asked who our neighbor was, He replied "whoever is in need."
By bearing each other's burdens, we fulfill the "law of Christ." What law is that? Try this one on for size. "Love your neighbor as yourself." Or, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Can you imagine what our world would be like if we would only "bear on another's burden?" Who would sell drugs on that dark corner? Who would rape the first girl he saw? Who would commit murder? Who would rob or steal? Would you dare lie to a brother who's burden you were carrying? Would you cheat on your wife or husband? Of course not! You are to bear their burden, not make them heavier. Just in case you think you might be above this command, Paul tells us the man who thinks he is something when in actuality he is just a little, frail human like the rest of us, is deceived - not by Satan, but by his own thoughts. This means that none of us are so high and mighty that we can forget about our brother or sister in their need.
Truthfully, the person who has the most should be willing to help the most. Don't get me wrong. I do not advocate socialism in any way. What I do suggest is that we willingly share out of our bounty with those who are in want. This type of generosity cannot be legislated through taxes. Nor can it be commanded by "generosity police." It only comes through the firm belief that Jesus is our Lord and Savior and that He alone gives us the love we need to be generous. Granted,
there are those who have an innate goodness without Jesus, but they are the exception, not the rule. And even then, they are most likely to have a Christian background. Let's take the opportunity this week to develop a bit of generosity. Instead of looking down on the poor, let us help to lift them up. Instead of shunning the "ugly", let's find the "beauty" in them. Instead of hoarding our meager wealth, let's give it away! I can guarantee that there is no way you will ever out give God. Amen and Amen.
After his eventful day of murder and mayhem, Cain asked God if he was his brothers keeper. Some centuries later a popular musical hit of the 60's stated "he's not heavy. He's my brother." There is a lot of history in between those two events. The most significant moment in time between them was the life and death of Jesus Christ. It is he who brought about the change from "no" to "yes" (from the human standpoint) to the brother's keeper question. For He taught that we should bear one another's burdens. He said we should love our neighbors. When asked who our neighbor was, He replied "whoever is in need."
By bearing each other's burdens, we fulfill the "law of Christ." What law is that? Try this one on for size. "Love your neighbor as yourself." Or, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Can you imagine what our world would be like if we would only "bear on another's burden?" Who would sell drugs on that dark corner? Who would rape the first girl he saw? Who would commit murder? Who would rob or steal? Would you dare lie to a brother who's burden you were carrying? Would you cheat on your wife or husband? Of course not! You are to bear their burden, not make them heavier. Just in case you think you might be above this command, Paul tells us the man who thinks he is something when in actuality he is just a little, frail human like the rest of us, is deceived - not by Satan, but by his own thoughts. This means that none of us are so high and mighty that we can forget about our brother or sister in their need.
Truthfully, the person who has the most should be willing to help the most. Don't get me wrong. I do not advocate socialism in any way. What I do suggest is that we willingly share out of our bounty with those who are in want. This type of generosity cannot be legislated through taxes. Nor can it be commanded by "generosity police." It only comes through the firm belief that Jesus is our Lord and Savior and that He alone gives us the love we need to be generous. Granted,
there are those who have an innate goodness without Jesus, but they are the exception, not the rule. And even then, they are most likely to have a Christian background. Let's take the opportunity this week to develop a bit of generosity. Instead of looking down on the poor, let us help to lift them up. Instead of shunning the "ugly", let's find the "beauty" in them. Instead of hoarding our meager wealth, let's give it away! I can guarantee that there is no way you will ever out give God. Amen and Amen.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Neh 8:9
"And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn nor weep." For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law" Neh 8:9
There is something foreboding about the truth - especially when you are trying to hide from it. It seems to reach out and slap you in the face. It takes your breath away. It crushes your pride. It causes great pain. It reveals your true nature. And you weep with great sorrow - and brings you to repentance.
That's what happened to the people who returned from the exile. They were rebuilding the entire city of Jerusalem - making it safe for habitation - making it a place to worship God again. Then someone finds a copy of the law. An assembly is called. The Word of God is read. Sin is revealed - and the wailing begins.
That's one way to look at the truth. Nehemiah had another idea. He saw the truth as an opportunity to begin again. He sent word to stop the weeping. It was not a time to cry, but a time to celebrate. The truth had been revealed. Now they knew why they had been in exile. Now they knew why their plans had failed. Now they knew what to do to correct the problem! Indeed it was a time to celebrate!
I've said that true revival will begin with the sound of weeping - and I still believe that. But after the weeping will come the celebration of life! While we may not enjoy the truth, we all love a good party! Why will we celebrate? We will have found new life. We will have discovered new strength. We will have broken through the barrier that separates us from God. We will have touched the heart of God. We will have entered into His presence.
Yes, we will celebrate. But first comes the weeping in the night. As the psalmist says, "Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy." (Psa 126:5) Amen and Amen.
There is something foreboding about the truth - especially when you are trying to hide from it. It seems to reach out and slap you in the face. It takes your breath away. It crushes your pride. It causes great pain. It reveals your true nature. And you weep with great sorrow - and brings you to repentance.
That's what happened to the people who returned from the exile. They were rebuilding the entire city of Jerusalem - making it safe for habitation - making it a place to worship God again. Then someone finds a copy of the law. An assembly is called. The Word of God is read. Sin is revealed - and the wailing begins.
That's one way to look at the truth. Nehemiah had another idea. He saw the truth as an opportunity to begin again. He sent word to stop the weeping. It was not a time to cry, but a time to celebrate. The truth had been revealed. Now they knew why they had been in exile. Now they knew why their plans had failed. Now they knew what to do to correct the problem! Indeed it was a time to celebrate!
I've said that true revival will begin with the sound of weeping - and I still believe that. But after the weeping will come the celebration of life! While we may not enjoy the truth, we all love a good party! Why will we celebrate? We will have found new life. We will have discovered new strength. We will have broken through the barrier that separates us from God. We will have touched the heart of God. We will have entered into His presence.
Yes, we will celebrate. But first comes the weeping in the night. As the psalmist says, "Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy." (Psa 126:5) Amen and Amen.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Exodus 34:29-35; Psalm 99; 2 Corinthians 3:12–4:2; Luke 9:28-36
O Lord, we pray, speak in this place, in the calming of our minds and the longing of our hearts, by the words of my lips and in the thoughts we form. Speak, O Lord, for your servants listen. Amen.
Today we stand as onlookers with Peter and John and James on a special experience - a mysterious experience.
Jesus and three of his disciples had gone to a mountain to pray. The weary disciples at some point fall asleep - but Jesus continues in prayer, he continues to prepare himself for the events that lie just before him, his trip up the road to Jerusalem, his trip towards the cross that he has
told his disciples awaits him in the Holy City.
As Jesus prays something we cannot explain happens to him - his countenance, and even the robe he is wearing, begins to glow until it is a dazzling white.
As the disciples struggle back to consciousness they see Jesus shining, and with him they see two men - Moses the law-giver, and Elijah the prophet - talking with him, and they are full of fright, full of awe, full of joy at what they see.
Peter tries to capture the moment - "Master," he says, "It is good for us to be here, let us make three booths for you and for Moses and Elijah - three tents..." but even as he says this a heavy cloud sweeps over the mountain, obscuring his view - and the view of the other disciples - and
plunging them into fear once more.
And in this cloud - in the midst of this roiling obscurity, this damp and forbidding darkness, Peter and James and John hear a voice; a voice as clear as the light that had just moments before filled the mountain top; a voice as awesome as the thunder that shook Sinai when Moses went to receive the Torah:
"This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him"
And then the moment is over. The cloud vanishes. The sun shines. The birds sing. Jesus stands alone - near to them. The valley below where the other disciples are waiting for them is once more visible...
The scriptures record that the disciples - that James and John and Peter - are told by Jesus not to speak of this experience until after he has been raised from the dead - and presumably they did not.
But the experience that they witnessed, the experience that they were part of, remained with them, until eventually it was recorded in three of the four gospels. It remained with them - and it shaped them - and it became part of them, part of their testimony -part of their witness to who Christ was - to who Christ is.
In the Second Letter of Peter - Peter writes these words:
"We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been
eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honour and glory from
God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic
Glory saying, "This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well
pleased." We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven while we
were with him on the holy mountain. So we have the prophetic
message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to
this as to a lamp shining in a dark place - until the day dawns and
the morning star rises in your hearts."
As we come into the season of Lent,- the season where we consider the temptations that assail us, - the season where we contemplate the suffering that we, with Christ, undergo,- the season where we gaze upon both the good and the evil that is in this world -and in our own hearts, I think that we do well to be attentive to this vision, to this experience, in the manner that Peter suggests.
WE do well to attend to the fact that Jesus is more than the person from next door, more than a good friend with whom we can walk and talk, more than a good example for our children and our grandchildren to emulate.
Jesus is the Son of God - the chosen one - the one whom we are commanded to listen to.
Jesus is the Chosen One
- the one who is able to carry us into the presence of God - the one who gives peace
- the one who gives joy
- the one who gives victory over sin and death.
Sometimes I think we forget this.
Sometimes I think we fall into our daily routines without a thought about the divinity that surrounds us, without any real awareness of the power that surrounds us and holds us up. We have business to do, we have people to see, we have kids to move from A to B to C and back again.
And in the bustle - in the hurry - in the work that we do we lose track of where we are going; we lose track of whose we are and what has been promised to those who are attentive to him.
I dare say that everyone here today takes time to talk to God
- that everyone here prays to God on a regular basis,
- that everyone here asks God for his help - if not for yourselves - then
for others.
That is good.
But how many of us here today actually listen to God?
How many of us here in our time of prayer stop talking,
- stop reading,
- stop thinking about what concerns us and simply listen,
- listen to the point where you can hear your pulse beating in your ears
and feel the air moving steadily and strongly in and out of your lungs.
- listen to the point where images began to dance on the back of your
eyelids and the spirit begins to put words upon your hearts,
words that you do not think about -
words that come from somewhere within you -
words of praise and of assurance,
words of guidance and of comfort.
How many of us wait upon the Lord until he answers - until he speaks - until he graces us with a dream or a vision - or a set of words - or an experience wherein his will is revealed to us.
How many of us go apart for a while as did Jesus and as did his disciples - and listen to the wind and the rain - and gaze upon the moon and the stars - and enter into the silence that lies within these things – the silence where the words of Christ are not only remembered - but rise fresh
and new?
A friend of mine some years ago asked the question - how many people actually have the kind of experience or vision like that which is described in today's gospel? And if we do - so what?
I can't say I have had an experience like that of Jesus or the disciples.
My robe has never shone any whiter than it is today, yes, I do have white robes, although I rarely use them - a voice from heaven has never come forth from a cloud in my presence.
But I know my friends from the things that I occasionally see when I stop what I am doing and look and listen to what is happening around me deep within me - that there is a vast and great power operating in this world - an invisible power that manifests itself in startling expressions of love and care - and upon occasion in vivid demonstrations of beauty and of raw power. It is a healing power - a sustaining power – a giving power - one able to bear one through the most horrible of times - one that weeps with me when I sorrow - and holds me when I feel close to despair.
This is my Son, my chosen one, listen to him...
Listen to him - listen to what he said to his disciples the night he was betrayed - "The advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."
Are you afraid today?
Are you troubled?
Then today is a time to step aside for a while, to find the quiet space in which you can pour out your heart to God, to climb the mountain of transfiguration and to fix your eyes upon the fire and the cloud of God's presence, and to pray - and to listen.
Today is the time to allow the ordinary bread and wine of our existence to be held up before God and transformed by his love to become symbol of the body and blood of Christ.
Today is the time to allow the liturgy and the message to be the work and word of God in our hearts.
It is God's will that the glory that came upon Moses as he entered the tabernacle of God's presence in the desert of Sinai be seen by all.
It is God's will that the glory that came upon Jesus as he communed with Moses and Elijah upon the mountain, be known by all.
Each one of us is invited into the tabernacle, each one of us is invited to climb the mountain, each one of us is invited to enter the holy of holies, into the place where God abides and to then carry the light that shines upon us in these places into the world - into the place where not only we see it - but others may see it as well.
As Paul writes in today's epistle reading:
"Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the
Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's
glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing
glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
There is a mystery involved in entering into the presence of God, of turning aside and of praying and listening to what he says.
That mystery is not contained in what God says and does, that is meant for all to hear and see, rather it is contained in what God does to us, with us and thru us, as we make ourselves available to him through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Listen to my Son, who I have chosen. Listen to the one whose face not only shone - but his entire being, for in listening we ourselves will be transformed, and God's perfect light will cast out the darkness of sin and death.
Blessed be the God of Moses and Elijah, and Blessed be the name of his Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Today we stand as onlookers with Peter and John and James on a special experience - a mysterious experience.
Jesus and three of his disciples had gone to a mountain to pray. The weary disciples at some point fall asleep - but Jesus continues in prayer, he continues to prepare himself for the events that lie just before him, his trip up the road to Jerusalem, his trip towards the cross that he has
told his disciples awaits him in the Holy City.
As Jesus prays something we cannot explain happens to him - his countenance, and even the robe he is wearing, begins to glow until it is a dazzling white.
As the disciples struggle back to consciousness they see Jesus shining, and with him they see two men - Moses the law-giver, and Elijah the prophet - talking with him, and they are full of fright, full of awe, full of joy at what they see.
Peter tries to capture the moment - "Master," he says, "It is good for us to be here, let us make three booths for you and for Moses and Elijah - three tents..." but even as he says this a heavy cloud sweeps over the mountain, obscuring his view - and the view of the other disciples - and
plunging them into fear once more.
And in this cloud - in the midst of this roiling obscurity, this damp and forbidding darkness, Peter and James and John hear a voice; a voice as clear as the light that had just moments before filled the mountain top; a voice as awesome as the thunder that shook Sinai when Moses went to receive the Torah:
"This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him"
And then the moment is over. The cloud vanishes. The sun shines. The birds sing. Jesus stands alone - near to them. The valley below where the other disciples are waiting for them is once more visible...
The scriptures record that the disciples - that James and John and Peter - are told by Jesus not to speak of this experience until after he has been raised from the dead - and presumably they did not.
But the experience that they witnessed, the experience that they were part of, remained with them, until eventually it was recorded in three of the four gospels. It remained with them - and it shaped them - and it became part of them, part of their testimony -part of their witness to who Christ was - to who Christ is.
In the Second Letter of Peter - Peter writes these words:
"We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been
eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honour and glory from
God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic
Glory saying, "This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well
pleased." We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven while we
were with him on the holy mountain. So we have the prophetic
message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to
this as to a lamp shining in a dark place - until the day dawns and
the morning star rises in your hearts."
As we come into the season of Lent,- the season where we consider the temptations that assail us, - the season where we contemplate the suffering that we, with Christ, undergo,- the season where we gaze upon both the good and the evil that is in this world -and in our own hearts, I think that we do well to be attentive to this vision, to this experience, in the manner that Peter suggests.
WE do well to attend to the fact that Jesus is more than the person from next door, more than a good friend with whom we can walk and talk, more than a good example for our children and our grandchildren to emulate.
Jesus is the Son of God - the chosen one - the one whom we are commanded to listen to.
Jesus is the Chosen One
- the one who is able to carry us into the presence of God - the one who gives peace
- the one who gives joy
- the one who gives victory over sin and death.
Sometimes I think we forget this.
Sometimes I think we fall into our daily routines without a thought about the divinity that surrounds us, without any real awareness of the power that surrounds us and holds us up. We have business to do, we have people to see, we have kids to move from A to B to C and back again.
And in the bustle - in the hurry - in the work that we do we lose track of where we are going; we lose track of whose we are and what has been promised to those who are attentive to him.
I dare say that everyone here today takes time to talk to God
- that everyone here prays to God on a regular basis,
- that everyone here asks God for his help - if not for yourselves - then
for others.
That is good.
But how many of us here today actually listen to God?
How many of us here in our time of prayer stop talking,
- stop reading,
- stop thinking about what concerns us and simply listen,
- listen to the point where you can hear your pulse beating in your ears
and feel the air moving steadily and strongly in and out of your lungs.
- listen to the point where images began to dance on the back of your
eyelids and the spirit begins to put words upon your hearts,
words that you do not think about -
words that come from somewhere within you -
words of praise and of assurance,
words of guidance and of comfort.
How many of us wait upon the Lord until he answers - until he speaks - until he graces us with a dream or a vision - or a set of words - or an experience wherein his will is revealed to us.
How many of us go apart for a while as did Jesus and as did his disciples - and listen to the wind and the rain - and gaze upon the moon and the stars - and enter into the silence that lies within these things – the silence where the words of Christ are not only remembered - but rise fresh
and new?
A friend of mine some years ago asked the question - how many people actually have the kind of experience or vision like that which is described in today's gospel? And if we do - so what?
I can't say I have had an experience like that of Jesus or the disciples.
My robe has never shone any whiter than it is today, yes, I do have white robes, although I rarely use them - a voice from heaven has never come forth from a cloud in my presence.
But I know my friends from the things that I occasionally see when I stop what I am doing and look and listen to what is happening around me deep within me - that there is a vast and great power operating in this world - an invisible power that manifests itself in startling expressions of love and care - and upon occasion in vivid demonstrations of beauty and of raw power. It is a healing power - a sustaining power – a giving power - one able to bear one through the most horrible of times - one that weeps with me when I sorrow - and holds me when I feel close to despair.
This is my Son, my chosen one, listen to him...
Listen to him - listen to what he said to his disciples the night he was betrayed - "The advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."
Are you afraid today?
Are you troubled?
Then today is a time to step aside for a while, to find the quiet space in which you can pour out your heart to God, to climb the mountain of transfiguration and to fix your eyes upon the fire and the cloud of God's presence, and to pray - and to listen.
Today is the time to allow the ordinary bread and wine of our existence to be held up before God and transformed by his love to become symbol of the body and blood of Christ.
Today is the time to allow the liturgy and the message to be the work and word of God in our hearts.
It is God's will that the glory that came upon Moses as he entered the tabernacle of God's presence in the desert of Sinai be seen by all.
It is God's will that the glory that came upon Jesus as he communed with Moses and Elijah upon the mountain, be known by all.
Each one of us is invited into the tabernacle, each one of us is invited to climb the mountain, each one of us is invited to enter the holy of holies, into the place where God abides and to then carry the light that shines upon us in these places into the world - into the place where not only we see it - but others may see it as well.
As Paul writes in today's epistle reading:
"Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the
Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's
glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing
glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
There is a mystery involved in entering into the presence of God, of turning aside and of praying and listening to what he says.
That mystery is not contained in what God says and does, that is meant for all to hear and see, rather it is contained in what God does to us, with us and thru us, as we make ourselves available to him through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Listen to my Son, who I have chosen. Listen to the one whose face not only shone - but his entire being, for in listening we ourselves will be transformed, and God's perfect light will cast out the darkness of sin and death.
Blessed be the God of Moses and Elijah, and Blessed be the name of his Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Friday, February 12, 2010
1 Peter 5:2
"Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly" 1 Peter 5:2
Our ability to speak with authority stems from the same source as was true of Jesus Himself. The authority Jesus possessed was not based on any earthly position, but in the quality, conduct and character of His life.
The true shepherd exercises spiritual leadership with the heart of a servant. As servants, we are subject to the needs of those we are called to lead. That's why Jesus said we will know His disciples by their love. The requirements to be a spiritual leader in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 are all character requirements. All of his is made possible by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Peter writes, "Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock" (1 Peter 5:2-3).
You never hear Jesus say, "You do this because I'm God." What happens to a marriage relationship when a husband authoritatively demands obedience because he is the head of the home? Nothing good, let me assure you. The spiritual head of a home, church, Sunday school class, Bible study group, etc., assumes his responsibility by meeting the needs of those under his care. Being a leader is an awesome responsibility, not a right to be demanded. A wise leader listens carefully to the counsel of his charges and depends on the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit's enablement, he can live a righteous life out of which he can lead with loving authority.
As spiritual leaders, we must be like Christ and base our leadership in the quality, conduct and character of our life. We may speak with authority if what we say is true according to God's Word and when our character is Christ like. Amen and Amen.
Our ability to speak with authority stems from the same source as was true of Jesus Himself. The authority Jesus possessed was not based on any earthly position, but in the quality, conduct and character of His life.
The true shepherd exercises spiritual leadership with the heart of a servant. As servants, we are subject to the needs of those we are called to lead. That's why Jesus said we will know His disciples by their love. The requirements to be a spiritual leader in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 are all character requirements. All of his is made possible by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Peter writes, "Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock" (1 Peter 5:2-3).
You never hear Jesus say, "You do this because I'm God." What happens to a marriage relationship when a husband authoritatively demands obedience because he is the head of the home? Nothing good, let me assure you. The spiritual head of a home, church, Sunday school class, Bible study group, etc., assumes his responsibility by meeting the needs of those under his care. Being a leader is an awesome responsibility, not a right to be demanded. A wise leader listens carefully to the counsel of his charges and depends on the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit's enablement, he can live a righteous life out of which he can lead with loving authority.
As spiritual leaders, we must be like Christ and base our leadership in the quality, conduct and character of our life. We may speak with authority if what we say is true according to God's Word and when our character is Christ like. Amen and Amen.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Psalm 100:4
"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name" Psalm 100:4
Praise and thanksgiving are part of every level of prayer. They are continuous as we walk in the light. To come before God with thanks-giving is no different than coming before our earthly parents with an attitude of gratitude. Nothing disturbs a parent more than a child who is always demanding, forever complaining, and never satisfied. How would you feel if you've given as much as you can as a parent and your child still wants more, more, more? On the other hand, how would you feel toward the child who snuggles up and says, "Thanks for being who you are. I just love you and I know you're doing the best you can for me." What a great parent-child relationship.
Can you imagine approaching God and demanding, "I want more!"
And He responds, "I gave you My only begotten Son."
"But I want more!"
We ought to start every day by saying, "Thank You, heavenly Father. I deserved eternal damnation, but You gave me eternal life. How may I serve You today?
Praising God is acknowledging His attributes. I try to be aware when I pray that God is the ever-present, all-powerful, all-knowing, loving heavenly Father. I don't praise Him because He needs me to tell Him who He is. He knows who He is. I am the one who needs to keep His divine attributes constantly in my mind. I try to keep the knowledge of God's presence foremost in my thoughts. No matter where I go, He is with me. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Praise and thanksgiving are part of every level of prayer. They are continuous as we walk in the light. To come before God with thanks-giving is no different than coming before our earthly parents with an attitude of gratitude. Nothing disturbs a parent more than a child who is always demanding, forever complaining, and never satisfied. How would you feel if you've given as much as you can as a parent and your child still wants more, more, more? On the other hand, how would you feel toward the child who snuggles up and says, "Thanks for being who you are. I just love you and I know you're doing the best you can for me." What a great parent-child relationship.
Can you imagine approaching God and demanding, "I want more!"
And He responds, "I gave you My only begotten Son."
"But I want more!"
We ought to start every day by saying, "Thank You, heavenly Father. I deserved eternal damnation, but You gave me eternal life. How may I serve You today?
Praising God is acknowledging His attributes. I try to be aware when I pray that God is the ever-present, all-powerful, all-knowing, loving heavenly Father. I don't praise Him because He needs me to tell Him who He is. He knows who He is. I am the one who needs to keep His divine attributes constantly in my mind. I try to keep the knowledge of God's presence foremost in my thoughts. No matter where I go, He is with me. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
2 Corinth. 4:8
"We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair." 2 Corinth. 4:8
Do you worry? It's okay to admit it. No body else is around. You don't have to impress any other Christians with your faith. Okay, I thought so. As human beings we worry. It comes from having a peculiarity of vision. We can see where we are, and we can see where we've been, but we can't see ahead. Imagine being on a dark road at night and having to drive your car backwards down that road with only the dim tail lights lighting the way in front of you and the headlights brightening the path behind.
So, it is with the Christian walk. And there are rare people among us who don't get worried. In fact, Paul says clearly it will happen in II Corinthians 4:8. He says we are : "afflicted in every way, but not crushed, perplexed but not despairing." The word translated perplexed means to be confused, unsure of direction, and "worried" according to my Greek lexicon.
I'll tell you when I read that, it was a great relief to me. Obviously, even Paul got worried on occasion or he wouldn't have included this in the letter. But didn't Jesus say to be anxious for nothing. Yes. But that is a completely different word. It means to be overcome with fear or to be overly cautious. There is a sense in which the anxiety is controlling one's life to such an extent that one forgets God.
But rarely does the Christian reach that state of anxiety. What we face is doubt. Not doubt about God or His goodness, but doubt about our own resources, doubt about the future, doubt about the eventual outcome. Remember the car driving backwards down the dark road. You know as long as you stay on the road you are okay, but that doesn't make the journey any less stressful. The Good News in this passage, though, is that Paul says even though we are worried, perplexed, in doubt, without resources, and uncertain about what to do or where to turn, that we are not in despair which means utterly without hope.
Yes, Worry will happen to us. But when the road gets dark and the tail lights dim, we know that if worst comes to worst, we can turn the wheel over to the one who has perfect night vision and He will drive us safely home.
Lord, through all the stresses of today, let me not forget that you are still in control. Amen and Amen.
Do you worry? It's okay to admit it. No body else is around. You don't have to impress any other Christians with your faith. Okay, I thought so. As human beings we worry. It comes from having a peculiarity of vision. We can see where we are, and we can see where we've been, but we can't see ahead. Imagine being on a dark road at night and having to drive your car backwards down that road with only the dim tail lights lighting the way in front of you and the headlights brightening the path behind.
So, it is with the Christian walk. And there are rare people among us who don't get worried. In fact, Paul says clearly it will happen in II Corinthians 4:8. He says we are : "afflicted in every way, but not crushed, perplexed but not despairing." The word translated perplexed means to be confused, unsure of direction, and "worried" according to my Greek lexicon.
I'll tell you when I read that, it was a great relief to me. Obviously, even Paul got worried on occasion or he wouldn't have included this in the letter. But didn't Jesus say to be anxious for nothing. Yes. But that is a completely different word. It means to be overcome with fear or to be overly cautious. There is a sense in which the anxiety is controlling one's life to such an extent that one forgets God.
But rarely does the Christian reach that state of anxiety. What we face is doubt. Not doubt about God or His goodness, but doubt about our own resources, doubt about the future, doubt about the eventual outcome. Remember the car driving backwards down the dark road. You know as long as you stay on the road you are okay, but that doesn't make the journey any less stressful. The Good News in this passage, though, is that Paul says even though we are worried, perplexed, in doubt, without resources, and uncertain about what to do or where to turn, that we are not in despair which means utterly without hope.
Yes, Worry will happen to us. But when the road gets dark and the tail lights dim, we know that if worst comes to worst, we can turn the wheel over to the one who has perfect night vision and He will drive us safely home.
Lord, through all the stresses of today, let me not forget that you are still in control. Amen and Amen.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Ex. 3:2
"And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed" Ex. 3:2
I must admit that this is not a direct face-to-face encounter between a man and God - but then we have very few true... actually we have NO true face-to- face encounters to discuss. But, this is close.
Moses is doing his thing tending the sheep of his father-in-law, Jethro, when he sees something quite unusual. A bush is burning on the hillside, but it has the appearance of not being consumed. Skeptics tell us that there is an oily bush in the Sinai region that sometimes self-combusts and takes forever to burn. Their conclusion is that this is no miracle. They are wrong. If this was not a miracle, then the Voice heard by Moses was just "thunder" or the "moaning of the wind" through the valleys. And if the Voice was not real, then the message of the Angel of the Lord was not real. And if the message was not real, then the actions of Moses were not inspired. And if the actions were not inspired, then the redemption of Israel from Egypt was an act of rebellion and the results lay a false foundation for Judaism and thus Christianity.
WHEW! That was one long batch of "ifs"!
We know, through faith, that the events of this fateful day in Moses' life were true. Let's note how the burning bush and the Voice of God affected Moses. First, Moses was filled with wonder. (Vs. 3) Second, Moses recognized that he was on holy ground. The Voice spoke of this and Moses took off his sandals. (Vs. 5) Then Moses was humbled by the experience. He "hid his face for he was afraid to look at God." (Vs. 6) Fourth, our man admitted to the One True God that he could not do the task presented him - delivering Israel. (Vs. 11) And it was true. Moses had done the human thing and tried to save one Israelite and had been rejected by both Israel and Egypt. How could he save millions of them? Fifth, Moses tried to get out of the job. "What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say?" (4:1) He was hoping that God would let him off the hook! Moses also tried the "I don't have the skills to do this" trick - and God provided Aaron as a spokesman. Finally, Moses capitulated. He went to Egypt and we know the results.
We face God daily - not in a burning bush - not in a face-to-face confrontation - but He speaks to us. And we often respond like Moses. We are awestruck. "God spoke to ME? How awesome!" We recognize the holiness of the moment. We are humbled feeling unworthy. We admit that we are unable to do the task. AND WE TURN AND RUN IN ANOTHER DIRECTION! Or, we do the "elder brother" thing and become angry. Or, we tell God that HE is wrong and WE are right - that is the humanistic and, I must warn, a
dangerous thing to do.
Few of us follow through like Moses and accept the challenges that come when we meet God face-to-face. We fold under the pressure. But, we must - we absolutely MUST - answer God's call. We will never be satisfied with our lives - and our lives will never be complete - until we do answer the call of God.
Today, look for your own personal "burning bush" and answer the call. Perhaps you have already walked away from the "bush." You can return. Remember, it was burning without being consumed. God is still there. And, He is still calling you. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
I must admit that this is not a direct face-to-face encounter between a man and God - but then we have very few true... actually we have NO true face-to- face encounters to discuss. But, this is close.
Moses is doing his thing tending the sheep of his father-in-law, Jethro, when he sees something quite unusual. A bush is burning on the hillside, but it has the appearance of not being consumed. Skeptics tell us that there is an oily bush in the Sinai region that sometimes self-combusts and takes forever to burn. Their conclusion is that this is no miracle. They are wrong. If this was not a miracle, then the Voice heard by Moses was just "thunder" or the "moaning of the wind" through the valleys. And if the Voice was not real, then the message of the Angel of the Lord was not real. And if the message was not real, then the actions of Moses were not inspired. And if the actions were not inspired, then the redemption of Israel from Egypt was an act of rebellion and the results lay a false foundation for Judaism and thus Christianity.
WHEW! That was one long batch of "ifs"!
We know, through faith, that the events of this fateful day in Moses' life were true. Let's note how the burning bush and the Voice of God affected Moses. First, Moses was filled with wonder. (Vs. 3) Second, Moses recognized that he was on holy ground. The Voice spoke of this and Moses took off his sandals. (Vs. 5) Then Moses was humbled by the experience. He "hid his face for he was afraid to look at God." (Vs. 6) Fourth, our man admitted to the One True God that he could not do the task presented him - delivering Israel. (Vs. 11) And it was true. Moses had done the human thing and tried to save one Israelite and had been rejected by both Israel and Egypt. How could he save millions of them? Fifth, Moses tried to get out of the job. "What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say?" (4:1) He was hoping that God would let him off the hook! Moses also tried the "I don't have the skills to do this" trick - and God provided Aaron as a spokesman. Finally, Moses capitulated. He went to Egypt and we know the results.
We face God daily - not in a burning bush - not in a face-to-face confrontation - but He speaks to us. And we often respond like Moses. We are awestruck. "God spoke to ME? How awesome!" We recognize the holiness of the moment. We are humbled feeling unworthy. We admit that we are unable to do the task. AND WE TURN AND RUN IN ANOTHER DIRECTION! Or, we do the "elder brother" thing and become angry. Or, we tell God that HE is wrong and WE are right - that is the humanistic and, I must warn, a
dangerous thing to do.
Few of us follow through like Moses and accept the challenges that come when we meet God face-to-face. We fold under the pressure. But, we must - we absolutely MUST - answer God's call. We will never be satisfied with our lives - and our lives will never be complete - until we do answer the call of God.
Today, look for your own personal "burning bush" and answer the call. Perhaps you have already walked away from the "bush." You can return. Remember, it was burning without being consumed. God is still there. And, He is still calling you. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Amos 5:5-6
"But do not seek Bethel, Nor enter Gilgal, Nor pass over to Beersheba; For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, And Bethel shall come to nothing. Seek the LORD and live, Lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, And devour it, With no one to quench it in Bethel" Amos 5:5-6
So you've set out on the high road of the King. Things are rosy. The sun is shining. The view is breathtaking. The air is cool and clear. Life is good. That's the way it is the day after you receive Jesus as you Savior - or after you rededicate yourself to serving Him with all your life - or revival has come to your heart. Life is good and you never want to go back to your old ways. Then, something happens. A storm cloud appears on the horizon. An old memory is stirred. A whiff of scent turns on the video of your past. A taste, a longing, a problem, whatever it is - it turns your mind back to the old ways.
Now you stand at a crossroads. Do you go back to the old ways, use the old methods to solve problems, do the old things that brought temporary relief. Or, do you draw closer to the God who redeemed you and set you free?
Israel is at the same crossroad in this Amos passage, so Amos tells them like it is. "Draw nearer to God," he says, "so that you may continue living." Then he adds, "If you don't, destruction like you have never seen will be your portion." That is about as plain as it can get. Sometimes we need to have a line drawn in the sand in order to help us make up our minds.
God is asking "Are you with Me or are you against Me?" There is no middle ground. No straddling the fence. No safety zone. No gray area. Only black and white. You either go my way or you go your way. Take your pick."
Sounds tough. It is tough. I am struggling with it. I suspect we are all struggling with it - and that is good. If we weren't struggling, we would have a 50/50 chance of being spiritually dead - or near perfection! I don't fit either classification. Do you? Amen and Amen.
So you've set out on the high road of the King. Things are rosy. The sun is shining. The view is breathtaking. The air is cool and clear. Life is good. That's the way it is the day after you receive Jesus as you Savior - or after you rededicate yourself to serving Him with all your life - or revival has come to your heart. Life is good and you never want to go back to your old ways. Then, something happens. A storm cloud appears on the horizon. An old memory is stirred. A whiff of scent turns on the video of your past. A taste, a longing, a problem, whatever it is - it turns your mind back to the old ways.
Now you stand at a crossroads. Do you go back to the old ways, use the old methods to solve problems, do the old things that brought temporary relief. Or, do you draw closer to the God who redeemed you and set you free?
Israel is at the same crossroad in this Amos passage, so Amos tells them like it is. "Draw nearer to God," he says, "so that you may continue living." Then he adds, "If you don't, destruction like you have never seen will be your portion." That is about as plain as it can get. Sometimes we need to have a line drawn in the sand in order to help us make up our minds.
God is asking "Are you with Me or are you against Me?" There is no middle ground. No straddling the fence. No safety zone. No gray area. Only black and white. You either go my way or you go your way. Take your pick."
Sounds tough. It is tough. I am struggling with it. I suspect we are all struggling with it - and that is good. If we weren't struggling, we would have a 50/50 chance of being spiritually dead - or near perfection! I don't fit either classification. Do you? Amen and Amen.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
WHO ARE YOU?
The Pharisees and the Scribes criticized Jesus, because he ate with sinners, and tax collectors. And so Jesus told them a story. The story what we know of as the Prodigal Son, but I honestly think that the name of the story should be the Prodigal Family, as it is the story of the entire family and not just only about the son.
I know that the story we heard in today’s reading is a very familiar one to those of us who have been attending church for a few years. Many of us have heard it at least a few times, perhaps read it several times, and maybe even taught it a few times.
It is a very rich story – a story that you can tell it or have it examined from many different angles. A story that can be identified with from a variety of essential points.
MANY PEOPLE LOOK AT IT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE YOUNGEST SON – the prodigal son – the one who wasted all his money and time living in a foreign land and ended up going from bad to worse until – at long last – he comes to his senses and make his way homeward, hoping against hope that at home, he can at least put his life together again – even if he might have to work there as a servant – for he knows that in his father’s house, even the servants live a better life than he has been living in the foreign land.
John Newton – the writer of one of my favourite hymns identified himself with the youngest son.
In the year 1779, after a life as a sailor, after serving as the captain of a slave ship, after living a dissolute life, a bitter and angry life in which he mocked all those who believed in God and tore down the faith of those who live decently, he finally came to his senses and he gave his life to Christ, and he found in Christ a welcome – a love – that till that time he had only dreamed of.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see. It was grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved, how precious that grace appeared the hour I first believed.
AMAZING GRACE INDEED!
OTHERS OF US IDENTIFY WITH THE PARENT IN THE STORY – especially those of us who are parents who have children who have gone, or are in the process of going wrong. Think of the father in today’s Gospel reading for a minute. Think of the pain he must have been going through. His youngest child – his little baby – his youngest son has turned out badly.
He loves the child dearly – and what happens? The young boy demands to have his inheritance, what he claims will in any case be his when the father dies. Upon receiving his inheritance, he leaves home, and not a word has been heard from him ever since.
We do not know why the father gave in to the demands of his younger son for the money. Loving parents know that children are different. It is not at all possible to treat all our children in exactly the same way, because each child is unique. That is what makes bringing up a child the most complicated of all human tasks. A Professor once said that no man knows his own true character until he has run out of gas on the highway, declared bankruptcy and raised a teenager.
Maybe the father gave in because he thought that if he did not comply with the demands of his son, his son would only become more rebellious. Maybe he gave in because he did not know what else he could do, or maybe he gave in due to love for his son. Just like God, who gives us the freedom to choose which path we may wish to take, whether we wish to go on a life of wandering, or a life of love at home with him.
Whatever the reason may have been – I think that many of us here today can identify ourselves the pain that the father must have felt; the pain – the second guessing – the constant worry – as well as the constant wondering….
- Will my baby make it?
- Will my baby survive?
- Will my baby become a decent man?
- Will my baby ever come home?
- Is my baby safe?
- Has my baby enough to eat?
- Has my baby enough clothing to wear?
- When will I see my baby again?
And so, there are some of us who understand what happens at he end of the story of the prodigal son. They understand why the father upon seeing in the distance his son returning home lifts up his robes around his thighs and runs all the way down the road to meet the son.
They understand – and they pray that such a scene might be enacted in their own lives. That they might be able to embrace their own baby and say to him or her – welcome home!
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER SON IN THE STORY?
What about the oldest brother? How many of us, I wonder, identify with him?
Le me do something for a second – let me take a poll – How many of you are the oldest child in your family? How many first-born do we have? Would you hold up your hands?
O.K. thank you.
Now, how many of you were the baby in your family? Would you hold up your hands please? Thank you.
Now, for those in the first group – the oldest children. How many of you felt that the baby of the family got away with things that you yourself never could have got away with? Will you hold up your hands please?
I think a lot about the older brother in the story of what I call the prodigal family.
The older brother is a like so many of us. He gets up early in the morning and goes to work every day and tries his best to be a responsible person. Indeed he feels that as the eldest son he must be. It is expected of him just because he is the eldest son of the family. So you can understand why he would be upset with his baby brother.
First of all, that brat was asking for his inheritance early, while father was still alive. That was extremely selfish and an insult. It was the same as wishing that their father was dead. It was exactly the same as wanting the death of his father, and no matter what your cultural background is, or what time in history we are talking about, such a request is unthinkable. It is an insult to the father and an insult to the family. It is a most offensive act. His leaving home also signals an abandonment of tradition, a complete rejection of his family and his roots. This is unlike the migrating to another country for work or adventure. This is a cutting off from his past.
And then, it was just like him to have spent and wasted it all. He never was a responsible person. He took the money, went away, wasted it all, and never even a word back home to let people know how he was getting on. Nobody knew whether he was well or sick, dead or alive.
All that money that took generations for our family to accumulate. He just spent it all on sports car and women and high living. It served him right that he ended up feeding somebody’s pigs. He rightly deserved it.
But now he finally comes home. And can you guess it? Dad is throwing a welcome home party for him. He always could get away with murder around this house of ours. Nobody in this house ever threw a party for me. Nobody in this family ever shows any appreciation that I am the one who stuck around and did what I was supposed to do. I never did waste any of dad’s money. I worked hard in the fields each and every day. Nobody in this family of mine ever butchered anything for me, so I could have a party with my friends? NO!
And who do you think will be the one to be responsible enough to take care of dad when he grows old and feeble? Do you think that it will be that baby brother of mine? No, it will fall on my shoulders, because I am the only responsible one around here.
Yes, dad, little brother can come home – but do not throw a welcome home party for him! Demean him a bit. He asked to come back to be a servant. We should let him do that for a while. He does not deserve to wear your fine robes or your rings.
Does this in some way sounded familiar to you?
It should – because that older brother is the responsible part inside all of us, who does not like it when somebody else gets something for doing nothing at all.
It should – because that older brother represents the resentful part of us. The part who is
The older brother is that part of us that measures and weighs every deed for its value – every person for what they have earned or deserve – and has decided that by comparison we are not getting the deal that we definitely deserve to get – or that somebody else is getting more than he or she deserves.
It is important today for us to understand to whom Jesus told that story to 2000 years ago in Israel and the reason why he told the story.
The tax collectors and sinners whom Jesus ate with are not simply friendly people who have been misunderstood by everyone else. Tax collectors were making a very good living by helping the occupied forces take money off their own people and pocketing part of the money themselves. Sinners were so called because they sere people who were ejected from the synagogue due to their behaviour or the kind of profession they were in.
The Pharisees, the scribes and other guardians of law and order of Israel could see the corrosive effect of not distinguishing between good and evil people in their world.
Do you not find the sayings: “birds of a feather flock together” or “evil companions make evil morals” sound at all familiar to you?
Think about it – does not forgiving such people look a lot like condoning or encouraging people to go ahead and sin?
To Jesus’ listeners 2000 years ago and perhaps to some of us present here today, the welcome home party is what really is the most offensive part to the elder brother in the entire story.
Let the repentant sinner return, there is nothing wrong with that. Both Judaism and Christianity allow for that. But let him return to bread and water, not fatted calf, young lambs and fruit of the vineyard; to sackcloth and ashes and not to expensive robes and rings and merriment…
Those people whom Jesus told the story of the prodigal family were responsible people. They followed the letter of the law. They did what they supposed to do. They did what they were expected to do. And what did they see when they saw Jesus?
They saw in Jesus a man whom they recognized as a holy man – a man whom some people said was the Messiah, whom some other people said was the Son of God, welcoming sinners and eating with them. Showing them the honour of his presence. Telling them that God loves them…
The Pharisees did not like that one little bit. Because those sinners did not toed the line. Yes, let them come, but humble them, make them suffer for what they did.
The Pharisees, in all their super sense of responsibility were missing the party. They were not getting the message. They could not hear that God had enough love for them too.
Who are you in this story?
Are you the older son, jealous that somebody else is receiving God’s love?
Are you the younger son, afraid to come home and ask for God’s love?
Are you the Pharisee, so aware of what you have done and what others have failed to do, that you cannot have a good time at the party? You hate it so much that you resent God for being loving and forgiving?
WHO ARE YOU?
The youngest son learned an important lesson while starving in a foreign land. He learnt about priorities in life. He learned that his father was a life giver.
That is something that all of us here need to learn. What our real priorities are in life. Where life is to be found – and how good that life really is.
In our lives here in this world, sometimes it seems that love is limited. That our parents, our husbands or wives, or our children, simply do not have enough love to go around. But that my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, is not the case in the family of God.
The story that Jesus tells to the Pharisees and the scribes who resented his eating with sinners, in the story he told to the oldest brother or sister that lives inside our hearts he says:
“My child, you are always with me. You are very special to me. Indeed all that I have is yours – understand that – and rejoice with me that your younger brother – he was dead, is now alive – he who was lost – but now is found.”
Hear the Good News. God’s love is for you. Let your hearts soften a little. Throw away the things that are blocking you from receiving the fullness of the love that God is looking forward to give to you – and party a little.
Embrace your brother or your sister. Welcome them. Pray for them. Give thanks for them. The world will not end if you do that. It will, in fact, become a much better place for everyone. Amen.
I know that the story we heard in today’s reading is a very familiar one to those of us who have been attending church for a few years. Many of us have heard it at least a few times, perhaps read it several times, and maybe even taught it a few times.
It is a very rich story – a story that you can tell it or have it examined from many different angles. A story that can be identified with from a variety of essential points.
MANY PEOPLE LOOK AT IT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE YOUNGEST SON – the prodigal son – the one who wasted all his money and time living in a foreign land and ended up going from bad to worse until – at long last – he comes to his senses and make his way homeward, hoping against hope that at home, he can at least put his life together again – even if he might have to work there as a servant – for he knows that in his father’s house, even the servants live a better life than he has been living in the foreign land.
John Newton – the writer of one of my favourite hymns identified himself with the youngest son.
In the year 1779, after a life as a sailor, after serving as the captain of a slave ship, after living a dissolute life, a bitter and angry life in which he mocked all those who believed in God and tore down the faith of those who live decently, he finally came to his senses and he gave his life to Christ, and he found in Christ a welcome – a love – that till that time he had only dreamed of.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see. It was grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved, how precious that grace appeared the hour I first believed.
AMAZING GRACE INDEED!
OTHERS OF US IDENTIFY WITH THE PARENT IN THE STORY – especially those of us who are parents who have children who have gone, or are in the process of going wrong. Think of the father in today’s Gospel reading for a minute. Think of the pain he must have been going through. His youngest child – his little baby – his youngest son has turned out badly.
He loves the child dearly – and what happens? The young boy demands to have his inheritance, what he claims will in any case be his when the father dies. Upon receiving his inheritance, he leaves home, and not a word has been heard from him ever since.
We do not know why the father gave in to the demands of his younger son for the money. Loving parents know that children are different. It is not at all possible to treat all our children in exactly the same way, because each child is unique. That is what makes bringing up a child the most complicated of all human tasks. A Professor once said that no man knows his own true character until he has run out of gas on the highway, declared bankruptcy and raised a teenager.
Maybe the father gave in because he thought that if he did not comply with the demands of his son, his son would only become more rebellious. Maybe he gave in because he did not know what else he could do, or maybe he gave in due to love for his son. Just like God, who gives us the freedom to choose which path we may wish to take, whether we wish to go on a life of wandering, or a life of love at home with him.
Whatever the reason may have been – I think that many of us here today can identify ourselves the pain that the father must have felt; the pain – the second guessing – the constant worry – as well as the constant wondering….
- Will my baby make it?
- Will my baby survive?
- Will my baby become a decent man?
- Will my baby ever come home?
- Is my baby safe?
- Has my baby enough to eat?
- Has my baby enough clothing to wear?
- When will I see my baby again?
And so, there are some of us who understand what happens at he end of the story of the prodigal son. They understand why the father upon seeing in the distance his son returning home lifts up his robes around his thighs and runs all the way down the road to meet the son.
They understand – and they pray that such a scene might be enacted in their own lives. That they might be able to embrace their own baby and say to him or her – welcome home!
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER SON IN THE STORY?
What about the oldest brother? How many of us, I wonder, identify with him?
Le me do something for a second – let me take a poll – How many of you are the oldest child in your family? How many first-born do we have? Would you hold up your hands?
O.K. thank you.
Now, how many of you were the baby in your family? Would you hold up your hands please? Thank you.
Now, for those in the first group – the oldest children. How many of you felt that the baby of the family got away with things that you yourself never could have got away with? Will you hold up your hands please?
I think a lot about the older brother in the story of what I call the prodigal family.
The older brother is a like so many of us. He gets up early in the morning and goes to work every day and tries his best to be a responsible person. Indeed he feels that as the eldest son he must be. It is expected of him just because he is the eldest son of the family. So you can understand why he would be upset with his baby brother.
First of all, that brat was asking for his inheritance early, while father was still alive. That was extremely selfish and an insult. It was the same as wishing that their father was dead. It was exactly the same as wanting the death of his father, and no matter what your cultural background is, or what time in history we are talking about, such a request is unthinkable. It is an insult to the father and an insult to the family. It is a most offensive act. His leaving home also signals an abandonment of tradition, a complete rejection of his family and his roots. This is unlike the migrating to another country for work or adventure. This is a cutting off from his past.
And then, it was just like him to have spent and wasted it all. He never was a responsible person. He took the money, went away, wasted it all, and never even a word back home to let people know how he was getting on. Nobody knew whether he was well or sick, dead or alive.
All that money that took generations for our family to accumulate. He just spent it all on sports car and women and high living. It served him right that he ended up feeding somebody’s pigs. He rightly deserved it.
But now he finally comes home. And can you guess it? Dad is throwing a welcome home party for him. He always could get away with murder around this house of ours. Nobody in this house ever threw a party for me. Nobody in this family ever shows any appreciation that I am the one who stuck around and did what I was supposed to do. I never did waste any of dad’s money. I worked hard in the fields each and every day. Nobody in this family of mine ever butchered anything for me, so I could have a party with my friends? NO!
And who do you think will be the one to be responsible enough to take care of dad when he grows old and feeble? Do you think that it will be that baby brother of mine? No, it will fall on my shoulders, because I am the only responsible one around here.
Yes, dad, little brother can come home – but do not throw a welcome home party for him! Demean him a bit. He asked to come back to be a servant. We should let him do that for a while. He does not deserve to wear your fine robes or your rings.
Does this in some way sounded familiar to you?
It should – because that older brother is the responsible part inside all of us, who does not like it when somebody else gets something for doing nothing at all.
It should – because that older brother represents the resentful part of us. The part who is
The older brother is that part of us that measures and weighs every deed for its value – every person for what they have earned or deserve – and has decided that by comparison we are not getting the deal that we definitely deserve to get – or that somebody else is getting more than he or she deserves.
It is important today for us to understand to whom Jesus told that story to 2000 years ago in Israel and the reason why he told the story.
The tax collectors and sinners whom Jesus ate with are not simply friendly people who have been misunderstood by everyone else. Tax collectors were making a very good living by helping the occupied forces take money off their own people and pocketing part of the money themselves. Sinners were so called because they sere people who were ejected from the synagogue due to their behaviour or the kind of profession they were in.
The Pharisees, the scribes and other guardians of law and order of Israel could see the corrosive effect of not distinguishing between good and evil people in their world.
Do you not find the sayings: “birds of a feather flock together” or “evil companions make evil morals” sound at all familiar to you?
Think about it – does not forgiving such people look a lot like condoning or encouraging people to go ahead and sin?
To Jesus’ listeners 2000 years ago and perhaps to some of us present here today, the welcome home party is what really is the most offensive part to the elder brother in the entire story.
Let the repentant sinner return, there is nothing wrong with that. Both Judaism and Christianity allow for that. But let him return to bread and water, not fatted calf, young lambs and fruit of the vineyard; to sackcloth and ashes and not to expensive robes and rings and merriment…
Those people whom Jesus told the story of the prodigal family were responsible people. They followed the letter of the law. They did what they supposed to do. They did what they were expected to do. And what did they see when they saw Jesus?
They saw in Jesus a man whom they recognized as a holy man – a man whom some people said was the Messiah, whom some other people said was the Son of God, welcoming sinners and eating with them. Showing them the honour of his presence. Telling them that God loves them…
The Pharisees did not like that one little bit. Because those sinners did not toed the line. Yes, let them come, but humble them, make them suffer for what they did.
The Pharisees, in all their super sense of responsibility were missing the party. They were not getting the message. They could not hear that God had enough love for them too.
Who are you in this story?
Are you the older son, jealous that somebody else is receiving God’s love?
Are you the younger son, afraid to come home and ask for God’s love?
Are you the Pharisee, so aware of what you have done and what others have failed to do, that you cannot have a good time at the party? You hate it so much that you resent God for being loving and forgiving?
WHO ARE YOU?
The youngest son learned an important lesson while starving in a foreign land. He learnt about priorities in life. He learned that his father was a life giver.
That is something that all of us here need to learn. What our real priorities are in life. Where life is to be found – and how good that life really is.
In our lives here in this world, sometimes it seems that love is limited. That our parents, our husbands or wives, or our children, simply do not have enough love to go around. But that my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, is not the case in the family of God.
The story that Jesus tells to the Pharisees and the scribes who resented his eating with sinners, in the story he told to the oldest brother or sister that lives inside our hearts he says:
“My child, you are always with me. You are very special to me. Indeed all that I have is yours – understand that – and rejoice with me that your younger brother – he was dead, is now alive – he who was lost – but now is found.”
Hear the Good News. God’s love is for you. Let your hearts soften a little. Throw away the things that are blocking you from receiving the fullness of the love that God is looking forward to give to you – and party a little.
Embrace your brother or your sister. Welcome them. Pray for them. Give thanks for them. The world will not end if you do that. It will, in fact, become a much better place for everyone. Amen.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Nahum 1:7
"The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him" Nahum 1:7
It's nice to be known. When you walk into a room full of strangers, you immediately look for a familiar face. Why? We don't like to be alone. If we see two faces that we know and they are on opposite ends of the room, we have a choice to make. Invariably we move to the end housing the person with whom we are most comfortable. We just like to have company in a strange or uncomfortable situation.
How important it is then that we know the Lord. Even more important that He knows US! There have been times that I walked up to that familiar face only to discover that the person didn't know (or remember) me! Now that's embarrassing. What do you say when you greet a person with a hearty "Hello, Bob. How are you." Only to be greeted with a puzzled look and a "Do I know you?" It makes you want to melt through the cracks in the floor!
It certainly is comforting that we are known by the Lord when we take refuge in Him. Not only are we known by Him, but He welcomes us with open arms. He asks how we are doing. He inquires about our spouse, our kids, the job . . . . He is interested in all our doings. He makes us feel welcome - at home - at ease. When we are in His refuge, His shelter, His fortress, we have nothing to fear. If you are outside the stronghold looking in, open your door and enter. Yes, you read me right. The only door that keeps you out of God's presence is the door that you keep closed to Him - your door - your heart - your privacy. In all reality, God has no doors on His kingdom for He is willing to accept all comers. It is only our refusal to accept Him as our Savior, our Lord, our King, that separates us from the joy and peace we all seek.
So, open your door and walk into the presence of Jesus. Though you may have done it before, you can do it again - every day. Don't allow yourself to be kept apart from Him. He certainly wants you in His presence. He will never turn you away if you are seeking His face. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
It's nice to be known. When you walk into a room full of strangers, you immediately look for a familiar face. Why? We don't like to be alone. If we see two faces that we know and they are on opposite ends of the room, we have a choice to make. Invariably we move to the end housing the person with whom we are most comfortable. We just like to have company in a strange or uncomfortable situation.
How important it is then that we know the Lord. Even more important that He knows US! There have been times that I walked up to that familiar face only to discover that the person didn't know (or remember) me! Now that's embarrassing. What do you say when you greet a person with a hearty "Hello, Bob. How are you." Only to be greeted with a puzzled look and a "Do I know you?" It makes you want to melt through the cracks in the floor!
It certainly is comforting that we are known by the Lord when we take refuge in Him. Not only are we known by Him, but He welcomes us with open arms. He asks how we are doing. He inquires about our spouse, our kids, the job . . . . He is interested in all our doings. He makes us feel welcome - at home - at ease. When we are in His refuge, His shelter, His fortress, we have nothing to fear. If you are outside the stronghold looking in, open your door and enter. Yes, you read me right. The only door that keeps you out of God's presence is the door that you keep closed to Him - your door - your heart - your privacy. In all reality, God has no doors on His kingdom for He is willing to accept all comers. It is only our refusal to accept Him as our Savior, our Lord, our King, that separates us from the joy and peace we all seek.
So, open your door and walk into the presence of Jesus. Though you may have done it before, you can do it again - every day. Don't allow yourself to be kept apart from Him. He certainly wants you in His presence. He will never turn you away if you are seeking His face. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Matthew 5.44
"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.
Abraham Lincoln was a master of forming alliances between peoples of divergent opinions. He incorporated people who disagreed with him into his personal staff. This didn't always promote harmony in the White House. One day one of his advisors came to him and said, "Mr. President, you really have to destroy your enemies." Mr. Lincoln smiled and said, "Isn't that what I do when I make them my friends?"
There is great wisdom in that statement. Yet that wisdom predated Lincoln by 1800 years. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus announced a revolutionary way to deal with your enemies. He said, you return kindness for injury, love for hate, courtesy for dishonor. It seems backwards, but it works. It's really very hard to hate someone who is busy loving you and doing good for you.
In addition, it is baffling to them. They can't understand what is up. They wonder why the person is not retaliating or snubbing them. The smile on that person's face is like a spotlight of conviction. It eventually becomes too difficult to go on hating the other. It also becomes futile since that person really isn't hurting. Curiosity arises and the person begins to wonder what is there about this person which causes them to remain friendly when others are not. That curiosity leads to questions which can eventually lead to the only answer worth giving.
That answer is that we love those who hate us because God did the same for us. In Romans 5.10 Paul writes: "When we were enemies [of God], we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." God defeats his enemies by making them his friends. Indeed he goes one step further and makes them his sons and daughters. Praise God that I was one enemy he destroyed by recreation of my soul.
Lord, let us remember that we were once your enemies and you loved us. In that same way let us love and convert those who oppose us. Amen and Amen.
Abraham Lincoln was a master of forming alliances between peoples of divergent opinions. He incorporated people who disagreed with him into his personal staff. This didn't always promote harmony in the White House. One day one of his advisors came to him and said, "Mr. President, you really have to destroy your enemies." Mr. Lincoln smiled and said, "Isn't that what I do when I make them my friends?"
There is great wisdom in that statement. Yet that wisdom predated Lincoln by 1800 years. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus announced a revolutionary way to deal with your enemies. He said, you return kindness for injury, love for hate, courtesy for dishonor. It seems backwards, but it works. It's really very hard to hate someone who is busy loving you and doing good for you.
In addition, it is baffling to them. They can't understand what is up. They wonder why the person is not retaliating or snubbing them. The smile on that person's face is like a spotlight of conviction. It eventually becomes too difficult to go on hating the other. It also becomes futile since that person really isn't hurting. Curiosity arises and the person begins to wonder what is there about this person which causes them to remain friendly when others are not. That curiosity leads to questions which can eventually lead to the only answer worth giving.
That answer is that we love those who hate us because God did the same for us. In Romans 5.10 Paul writes: "When we were enemies [of God], we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." God defeats his enemies by making them his friends. Indeed he goes one step further and makes them his sons and daughters. Praise God that I was one enemy he destroyed by recreation of my soul.
Lord, let us remember that we were once your enemies and you loved us. In that same way let us love and convert those who oppose us. Amen and Amen.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Luke 14:2-3
"And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" Luke 14:2-3
Jesus never backed away from a task just because it flew in the face of contemporary convention. In this case the rabbinical interpretation of the Sabbath commandment was that absolutely no work could be done on the Sabbath. So, when presented with an afflicted man, Jesus asked whether it was right to heal him. This put the Pharisees in a spot. If they said "yes", they would be contradicting their own teachings. If they answer "no", they would incur the wrath of the populace. Being good politicians (rather than good spiritual leaders), they did not answer at all.
Jesus healed the man.
"So what?" you ask. "I can't heal someone. I don't even know if my prayers to God for healing work. I've prayed for this certain person and they got worse and died. Again I ask, so what?" It wasn't so much the healing that was important here. It was Jesus' example of obedience to God rather than man's interpretation of God. He went against the flow. He swam upstream - and He did it gracefully and perfectly.
You and I are often asked by God or one of His representatives to go against the flow. Most often we refuse. God may be pointing out something in your life that needs to be removed. Remove it. Don't argue. Don't buck. Do it! He may be asking you to go to the mission field - or tell your neighbor about Jesus - or change jobs from the lucrative one you have to one that is more fulfilling but lower paying. What ever it is - no matter what others say - if you are sure God is in it JUST DO IT!
As Jesus found favor with the Father, so will you - and you will be blessed on earth as well. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Jesus never backed away from a task just because it flew in the face of contemporary convention. In this case the rabbinical interpretation of the Sabbath commandment was that absolutely no work could be done on the Sabbath. So, when presented with an afflicted man, Jesus asked whether it was right to heal him. This put the Pharisees in a spot. If they said "yes", they would be contradicting their own teachings. If they answer "no", they would incur the wrath of the populace. Being good politicians (rather than good spiritual leaders), they did not answer at all.
Jesus healed the man.
"So what?" you ask. "I can't heal someone. I don't even know if my prayers to God for healing work. I've prayed for this certain person and they got worse and died. Again I ask, so what?" It wasn't so much the healing that was important here. It was Jesus' example of obedience to God rather than man's interpretation of God. He went against the flow. He swam upstream - and He did it gracefully and perfectly.
You and I are often asked by God or one of His representatives to go against the flow. Most often we refuse. God may be pointing out something in your life that needs to be removed. Remove it. Don't argue. Don't buck. Do it! He may be asking you to go to the mission field - or tell your neighbor about Jesus - or change jobs from the lucrative one you have to one that is more fulfilling but lower paying. What ever it is - no matter what others say - if you are sure God is in it JUST DO IT!
As Jesus found favor with the Father, so will you - and you will be blessed on earth as well. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Luke 14:1
"Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely" Luke 14:1
Jesus never had a moment's peace. Everyone was watching Him. From the day He walked into the Jordan River to be baptized He took on celebrity status. The first year was wonderful. Everyone loved Him. The second was more trying. The third - well let's say it would have driven a mortal man insane!
The people watched Him because He did exiting things - and maybe, just maybe it would happen to them. People haven't changed much. We still like to think the good things will happen to us. They all hoped that Jesus would touch them, speak to them, heal them, deliver them. The Romans watched Him - He just might challenge the power of Rome and they couldn't have that! As His popularity grew, their eyes grew more jaundiced. A large crowd could certainly mean trouble in an occupied country. But it was the religious leaders who watched Him the most - and trusted Him the least. He spoke with authority. The quoted the old teachers as though they were afraid to have an original thought!
He fed the multitudes - they only taxed them. He healed the sick - they condemned them as sinners. He cast out demons. They thought that authority - though seldom used - was theirs alone. He raised the dead - not that had to be 'the work of the devil. No human could do that - not even the high priest - the most holy of them all (or at least the most politically savvy.) Yes, they watched Him like a hawk watched a mouse play in the field. They waited for Him to get too far astray - then they would swoop down on Him and do away with Him - then their power would remain strong.
Jesus didn't seem to mind. He just did what the Son of God would do even if they didn't watch. He healed the sick - even on the Sabbath! Didn't bother Him in the least. He raised the dead - even the gentile dead. He cast out demons - in the name of the Father. In short, He just did what Daddy said to do.
People are watching you. They want to see your faith in action. They want to see if you crack under pressure. They want to know if this Jesus you worship is real - real in you. They are watching. How do you respond? Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Jesus never had a moment's peace. Everyone was watching Him. From the day He walked into the Jordan River to be baptized He took on celebrity status. The first year was wonderful. Everyone loved Him. The second was more trying. The third - well let's say it would have driven a mortal man insane!
The people watched Him because He did exiting things - and maybe, just maybe it would happen to them. People haven't changed much. We still like to think the good things will happen to us. They all hoped that Jesus would touch them, speak to them, heal them, deliver them. The Romans watched Him - He just might challenge the power of Rome and they couldn't have that! As His popularity grew, their eyes grew more jaundiced. A large crowd could certainly mean trouble in an occupied country. But it was the religious leaders who watched Him the most - and trusted Him the least. He spoke with authority. The quoted the old teachers as though they were afraid to have an original thought!
He fed the multitudes - they only taxed them. He healed the sick - they condemned them as sinners. He cast out demons. They thought that authority - though seldom used - was theirs alone. He raised the dead - not that had to be 'the work of the devil. No human could do that - not even the high priest - the most holy of them all (or at least the most politically savvy.) Yes, they watched Him like a hawk watched a mouse play in the field. They waited for Him to get too far astray - then they would swoop down on Him and do away with Him - then their power would remain strong.
Jesus didn't seem to mind. He just did what the Son of God would do even if they didn't watch. He healed the sick - even on the Sabbath! Didn't bother Him in the least. He raised the dead - even the gentile dead. He cast out demons - in the name of the Father. In short, He just did what Daddy said to do.
People are watching you. They want to see your faith in action. They want to see if you crack under pressure. They want to know if this Jesus you worship is real - real in you. They are watching. How do you respond? Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Isaiah 26:4
"Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is an everlasting Rock" Isaiah 26:4
Here's a question for you: Why should we trust in the Lord because He is a Rock?
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Give up?
Off the top of my head I can think of several reasons. First, during the Exodus we find that the Rock provides water. When it was struck, out of it flowed rivers of life giving water. What's more, in Hebrews we find that the Rock followed the people while they were in the desert places. So we see that the Lord is a Rock of life - we cannot survive without water. We cannot survive without the Lord.
Second, the Rock is a hiding place. Isaiah talks about being hidden in the shadow of the rock. Many a man has found protection from his enemies, the weather, wild animals, and more by hiding in the rocks. When the storms of life come upon us, when our enemies surround us, all we have to do is take shelter in the Rock, Jesus Christ.
Third, the Rock is a foundation. Jesus talked about the foolish builder and the wise builder. Which one of them built his house upon the rock? Of course it was the wise man. Jesus said to Peter that He would build His Church upon the Rock. What was that Rock? The fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God - Jesus is the rock. Jesus referred to Himself as the chief foundation stone. The wise man builds his life upon the foundation of which Jesus is the chief cornerstone.
We all need to trust in the Lord for He is our sustainer, our protection, and our strong foundation. Those who rely upon Him in these ways will find salvation. I pray that you are one of them. Renew your reliance daily. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Here's a question for you: Why should we trust in the Lord because He is a Rock?
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Give up?
Off the top of my head I can think of several reasons. First, during the Exodus we find that the Rock provides water. When it was struck, out of it flowed rivers of life giving water. What's more, in Hebrews we find that the Rock followed the people while they were in the desert places. So we see that the Lord is a Rock of life - we cannot survive without water. We cannot survive without the Lord.
Second, the Rock is a hiding place. Isaiah talks about being hidden in the shadow of the rock. Many a man has found protection from his enemies, the weather, wild animals, and more by hiding in the rocks. When the storms of life come upon us, when our enemies surround us, all we have to do is take shelter in the Rock, Jesus Christ.
Third, the Rock is a foundation. Jesus talked about the foolish builder and the wise builder. Which one of them built his house upon the rock? Of course it was the wise man. Jesus said to Peter that He would build His Church upon the Rock. What was that Rock? The fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God - Jesus is the rock. Jesus referred to Himself as the chief foundation stone. The wise man builds his life upon the foundation of which Jesus is the chief cornerstone.
We all need to trust in the Lord for He is our sustainer, our protection, and our strong foundation. Those who rely upon Him in these ways will find salvation. I pray that you are one of them. Renew your reliance daily. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Psalm 20:1-3
"May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you; May He send you help from the sanctuary, And strengthen you out of Zion; May He remember all your offerings, And accept your burnt sacrifice." Psalm 20:1-3
I humbly pass this blessing on to you. You deserve it. Go ahead, it's yours! I sincerely pray that your prayers will be answered - always. From experience I know that it is not easy having questions unanswered. It is better to receive a sharp "no" than to hear nothing. I pray that all your prayers be answered in such a way that you will know the answer without doubt. You are set aside for God. He has lifted you out of the quicksand and placed you squarely in the center of His family. You are His child. He loves you. Because you have called upon His name, you ARE exalted on high - and in the end, we will all reign with Him.
When you are in trouble, may He always send help. It may be an angel. It may be a friend. It may be supernatural. Or it may be a natural occurrence, but God will always send you help. God is good - All the time. He answers prayer - especially a prayer offered in unity by His children.
May the Lord find all your sacrifices acceptable. Those sacrifices may be financial, temporal (time), emotional (praise, thanksgiving, and worship), prayer, or any other type of offering. I pray that God will meet you at every turn and find you acceptable. I ask that He will give you an unquenchable thirst for Him. In this way, all that you do will be pleasing to Him. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
I humbly pass this blessing on to you. You deserve it. Go ahead, it's yours! I sincerely pray that your prayers will be answered - always. From experience I know that it is not easy having questions unanswered. It is better to receive a sharp "no" than to hear nothing. I pray that all your prayers be answered in such a way that you will know the answer without doubt. You are set aside for God. He has lifted you out of the quicksand and placed you squarely in the center of His family. You are His child. He loves you. Because you have called upon His name, you ARE exalted on high - and in the end, we will all reign with Him.
When you are in trouble, may He always send help. It may be an angel. It may be a friend. It may be supernatural. Or it may be a natural occurrence, but God will always send you help. God is good - All the time. He answers prayer - especially a prayer offered in unity by His children.
May the Lord find all your sacrifices acceptable. Those sacrifices may be financial, temporal (time), emotional (praise, thanksgiving, and worship), prayer, or any other type of offering. I pray that God will meet you at every turn and find you acceptable. I ask that He will give you an unquenchable thirst for Him. In this way, all that you do will be pleasing to Him. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Genesis 50:15-21; Psalm 103; Matthew 18:21-35
O Lord, we pray, speak in the calming of our minds and in the longings of our hearts, by the words of my lips and in the thoughts that we form. Speak, O Lord, for your servants listen. Amen.
One clergy family decided to let their three-year old son record the message for their home answering machine. The rehearsals went smoothly: “Mommy and Daddy cannot come to the phone right now. If you will leave your name, phone number, and a brief message, they will get back to you as soon as possible.” Then came the test. The father pressed the record button and their son said sweetly, “Mommy and Daddy cannot come to the phone right now. If you will leave your name, phone number, and a brief message, they will get back to you as soon as Jesus comes.”
The three readings of this morning speak to us today of sin and of forgiveness.
Our first reading shows Joseph’s brothers begging him, in the name of the God of their Father, to forgive them. And Joseph does – saying as he does:
“Do not be afraid. Do I act for God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives…”
You may remember, Joseph, was sold into slavery by his brothers, who were envious of the favoritism shown by their father towards him and resentful of the attitude that Joseph seemed to have towards them. They would have murdered him, but for their reluctance to actually have his blood on their hands, but the fate that they condemned him to was little better than murder, for no slave is able to do as they wish, and the life of a slave could be taken at the whim of his master.
It was only due to Joseph having favour in the eyes of God that Joseph was able to prosper even in his slavery and, after many trials and tribulations, including a spell of over two years in prison for an offence that he did not commit, rise to the position of being at the right hand of the Pharaoh, where he was appointed with the task of keeping Egypt safe from seven years of drought and famine.
Certainly his brothers committed a grave sin against Joseph. And yet, many years later, when hunger brought them into Egypt – he fed them; indeed he provided richly for both them and his father, saying even then, that God had a purpose in allowing them to sell him into slavery, for it made it possible for him to save them and all his people in their greatest time of need.
God gave to Joseph the grace to see beyond the pain to the gain. The grace to see what while evil was done to him – God was able to use that evil for good.
Often that is a most difficult thing for us, at least it is for me.
We cannot see anything good coming out of the harm that others have done to us. We cannot see any reason for giving out mercy, we cannot see any reason for giving to them forgiveness, even if, in other areas of our life we may have prosper.
We carry the wounds of the past with us, we remember the hurt done to us.
We tend to think of what might have been, rather than taking a look at our life as it is now, and seeing in it the hand of God to do good for many, and from that point of view, forgiving other people for the harm that they may have done to us in the past, and often in the very distant past.
If the truth ever be told – even in the story of Joseph, sin remains sin, even though God brought good out of it.
That is a simple fact of truth, and we should never lose track of it.
No matter what God does with the sins that have been committed against us, they remain as sins.
The Psalm reading of this morning speaks to us of what God does with our sins. Let me quote from the first eleven verses:
Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases…the LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens above the earth, so great is this love of those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us…
God does indeed remove our sins from us. Out of love for us, God forgives us our sins. God cancels them out. God makes the debt that in justice we owe to him – of no account. That is the great message of the cross 0 that God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whosoever believes in him might not perish, but have eternal life.
As we all know from our experience in life sin is serious. Sin is always wrong, it is always bad. It always hurt someone. However, the incredible news is, that while sin always hurt, its power to hurt ends when forgiveness is applied to it.
We have all been forgiven by God. Sin no longer has the power to harm our relationship with God. It has been washed away; it has been nailed to the cross. It has been buried by God, never to rise again. In the place of sin has new life comes forth, a life that we have but to reach out to receive.
That is what God does for each and every one of us. Instead of punishing us for our sins, instead of keeping us away at arm’s length, instead of turning away his face from us as we so very much deserves, God turns to us.
God turns to us, and in pain, and in tears, and finally in death itself, he forgives us and calls us, as well as empowers us, to live as ones who are able, just like Joseph, to save many lives – as ones, just like Jesus, are able to bring the word of life to those who are living in darkness, the word of love those who are perishing on account of their lack of love.
Max Lucado in his thesis “The Grip of Grace” tells us that “God does not condone our sin, nor does he compromise his standard. He does not ignore our rebellion, nor does he relax his demands. Rather than dismiss our sin, he assumes our sin and, incredibly, incredibly sentences himself. God is still holy. Sin is still sin. And we are redeemed.”
We are indeed redeemed. We have been bought out of slavery to sin and death. God is good to us – even though some of our brothers and sisters have not been good to us – even though we ourselves have not been good to God.
And so, we finally arrive at the Gospel lesson of today as well as at the title of our Sermon “as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
After listening to Jesus speak to him and the other disciples about how to treat a brother or a sister who has sinned against them, Peter comes up to Jesus and asks him:
“Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” And then Jesus gave his famous answer - “I tell you not seven times, but seventy times seven times”.
And then Jesus tells them an alarming parable about how the Kingdom of Heaven is like a King who wanted to settle accounts with his servants, and how one of these servants, even he is forgiven a massive debt by his master, fails to be equally forgiving of a fellow servant who owes him but a very small debt.
“You wicked servant” says the master to the one he had forgiven so much. “I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” And in anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
This is alarming, is it not? And how much more so when you remember the punch line of Jesus. “This”, says Jesus “is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
This parable is alarming because a lot of people find it difficult to forgive. And because, in some way or other, from the parable, it seems like that the forgiveness that we will finally receive from God depends on the forgiveness we give….
“This”, says Jesus, “is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” And again, from earlier in the Gospel according to Matthew, when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. This, says Jesus, is how you should pray, “forgive our trespasses, as we forgive those who have trespassed against us.”
God loves and forgives us – even before we even ask. His forgiveness is total and unconditional, and he calls on us to open our live to him and to accept that love and forgiveness.
If you are worrying about not being able to forgive someone one time, let alone seventy times seven times, there is something you can do about it. Or if you are worrying that your perhaps your prayer to God might be fulfilled before you are ready for it, and that God will end up in forgiving you in the same way that you forgive others, there is something you can do about it.
That something is this:
Surrender your judgment to God, surrender your judgment to God and keep on praying the prayer that Jesus taught us, and pray this prayer with deep earnestness. From time to time try changing the words. Change them from “And Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” to “And, as You have forgiven us our trespasses, help us to forgive those who trespass against us”, and change the words back again.
Pray the prayer of Christ and taste the grace of God of which our Psalm reading sings of today.
Remember that sin is sin –and that it all hurts – and yet God removes it from us as far as the east is from the west. He forgives us, he has compassion for us, like a father has for his children, like a mother has for her child.
Taste what that means for you. Think of how God has shown love for you, forgiveness to you, even before you even asked for it, even before you thought to ask.
Then you will be, as the Psalm puts it, “Like a tree planted by streams of water”. You will be drawing upon the love of God – the story of God’s wonder and grace – the word of God. You will be able to yield your fruit in season, and your leaves will not wither, your actions, and later even your feelings, will be good.
Yes, sin is sin, and we have every right to be angry about it. We should be angry about it. But work to let go of your anger to those who have sinned against you. Work on it by not only remembering what God has done for you, but also by remembering who is in the end, the only one who has the right to render judgment.
Forgiveness means that we must forever give up the idea that we are the judge.
I, personally, am so happy about that, because I know that I will make a lousy judge. Because I know also how my judgments of other people have in times past proven wrong, and I know how even when they have been “right”, they have done nothing to improve the situation for me. For those I am worried about. For the one that has done wrong.
Think on all these things. Think about how God’s ways are greater than ours, and how God cares for us, and wants us to care for other people.
Then pray again. “Lord, forgive my trespasses as I forgive those who trespass against me” and again, “Lord, as you have forgiven my trespasses, help me to forgive those who have trespass against me.”
God will certainly help you, as he has helped me, as you remember what is near to God’s own heart – and ask his help with it. God will help you even as you continue the prayer as Jesus taught us to pray.
Fear not that you have already lost – or will loose your salvation – your joy or peace. Rather keep trying to forgive – for in trying to forgive, forgiveness comes.
Do not fear your failures to forgive despite your resolve to forgive. The Lord who calls us to forgive seventy times seven times has himself done the same – and indeed even more.
Your salvation is not lost by one act of malice, or even by a series of such acts. It can only be lost if you commit what the Scriptures call the unforgivable sin, the sin against the Holy Spirit, the sin which we understand to be the denial of God and of God’s power; the denial of the Truth of God that seeks to leaven your life.
The truth of God is that God is forgiving.
The power of God is the power to help you to stand firm and to show that truth to others, through the love that we give.
Praise the Lord, O my soul. All my innermost being, praise his holy name. Amen.
One clergy family decided to let their three-year old son record the message for their home answering machine. The rehearsals went smoothly: “Mommy and Daddy cannot come to the phone right now. If you will leave your name, phone number, and a brief message, they will get back to you as soon as possible.” Then came the test. The father pressed the record button and their son said sweetly, “Mommy and Daddy cannot come to the phone right now. If you will leave your name, phone number, and a brief message, they will get back to you as soon as Jesus comes.”
The three readings of this morning speak to us today of sin and of forgiveness.
Our first reading shows Joseph’s brothers begging him, in the name of the God of their Father, to forgive them. And Joseph does – saying as he does:
“Do not be afraid. Do I act for God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives…”
You may remember, Joseph, was sold into slavery by his brothers, who were envious of the favoritism shown by their father towards him and resentful of the attitude that Joseph seemed to have towards them. They would have murdered him, but for their reluctance to actually have his blood on their hands, but the fate that they condemned him to was little better than murder, for no slave is able to do as they wish, and the life of a slave could be taken at the whim of his master.
It was only due to Joseph having favour in the eyes of God that Joseph was able to prosper even in his slavery and, after many trials and tribulations, including a spell of over two years in prison for an offence that he did not commit, rise to the position of being at the right hand of the Pharaoh, where he was appointed with the task of keeping Egypt safe from seven years of drought and famine.
Certainly his brothers committed a grave sin against Joseph. And yet, many years later, when hunger brought them into Egypt – he fed them; indeed he provided richly for both them and his father, saying even then, that God had a purpose in allowing them to sell him into slavery, for it made it possible for him to save them and all his people in their greatest time of need.
God gave to Joseph the grace to see beyond the pain to the gain. The grace to see what while evil was done to him – God was able to use that evil for good.
Often that is a most difficult thing for us, at least it is for me.
We cannot see anything good coming out of the harm that others have done to us. We cannot see any reason for giving out mercy, we cannot see any reason for giving to them forgiveness, even if, in other areas of our life we may have prosper.
We carry the wounds of the past with us, we remember the hurt done to us.
We tend to think of what might have been, rather than taking a look at our life as it is now, and seeing in it the hand of God to do good for many, and from that point of view, forgiving other people for the harm that they may have done to us in the past, and often in the very distant past.
If the truth ever be told – even in the story of Joseph, sin remains sin, even though God brought good out of it.
That is a simple fact of truth, and we should never lose track of it.
No matter what God does with the sins that have been committed against us, they remain as sins.
The Psalm reading of this morning speaks to us of what God does with our sins. Let me quote from the first eleven verses:
Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases…the LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens above the earth, so great is this love of those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us…
God does indeed remove our sins from us. Out of love for us, God forgives us our sins. God cancels them out. God makes the debt that in justice we owe to him – of no account. That is the great message of the cross 0 that God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whosoever believes in him might not perish, but have eternal life.
As we all know from our experience in life sin is serious. Sin is always wrong, it is always bad. It always hurt someone. However, the incredible news is, that while sin always hurt, its power to hurt ends when forgiveness is applied to it.
We have all been forgiven by God. Sin no longer has the power to harm our relationship with God. It has been washed away; it has been nailed to the cross. It has been buried by God, never to rise again. In the place of sin has new life comes forth, a life that we have but to reach out to receive.
That is what God does for each and every one of us. Instead of punishing us for our sins, instead of keeping us away at arm’s length, instead of turning away his face from us as we so very much deserves, God turns to us.
God turns to us, and in pain, and in tears, and finally in death itself, he forgives us and calls us, as well as empowers us, to live as ones who are able, just like Joseph, to save many lives – as ones, just like Jesus, are able to bring the word of life to those who are living in darkness, the word of love those who are perishing on account of their lack of love.
Max Lucado in his thesis “The Grip of Grace” tells us that “God does not condone our sin, nor does he compromise his standard. He does not ignore our rebellion, nor does he relax his demands. Rather than dismiss our sin, he assumes our sin and, incredibly, incredibly sentences himself. God is still holy. Sin is still sin. And we are redeemed.”
We are indeed redeemed. We have been bought out of slavery to sin and death. God is good to us – even though some of our brothers and sisters have not been good to us – even though we ourselves have not been good to God.
And so, we finally arrive at the Gospel lesson of today as well as at the title of our Sermon “as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
After listening to Jesus speak to him and the other disciples about how to treat a brother or a sister who has sinned against them, Peter comes up to Jesus and asks him:
“Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” And then Jesus gave his famous answer - “I tell you not seven times, but seventy times seven times”.
And then Jesus tells them an alarming parable about how the Kingdom of Heaven is like a King who wanted to settle accounts with his servants, and how one of these servants, even he is forgiven a massive debt by his master, fails to be equally forgiving of a fellow servant who owes him but a very small debt.
“You wicked servant” says the master to the one he had forgiven so much. “I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” And in anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
This is alarming, is it not? And how much more so when you remember the punch line of Jesus. “This”, says Jesus “is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
This parable is alarming because a lot of people find it difficult to forgive. And because, in some way or other, from the parable, it seems like that the forgiveness that we will finally receive from God depends on the forgiveness we give….
“This”, says Jesus, “is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” And again, from earlier in the Gospel according to Matthew, when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. This, says Jesus, is how you should pray, “forgive our trespasses, as we forgive those who have trespassed against us.”
God loves and forgives us – even before we even ask. His forgiveness is total and unconditional, and he calls on us to open our live to him and to accept that love and forgiveness.
If you are worrying about not being able to forgive someone one time, let alone seventy times seven times, there is something you can do about it. Or if you are worrying that your perhaps your prayer to God might be fulfilled before you are ready for it, and that God will end up in forgiving you in the same way that you forgive others, there is something you can do about it.
That something is this:
Surrender your judgment to God, surrender your judgment to God and keep on praying the prayer that Jesus taught us, and pray this prayer with deep earnestness. From time to time try changing the words. Change them from “And Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” to “And, as You have forgiven us our trespasses, help us to forgive those who trespass against us”, and change the words back again.
Pray the prayer of Christ and taste the grace of God of which our Psalm reading sings of today.
Remember that sin is sin –and that it all hurts – and yet God removes it from us as far as the east is from the west. He forgives us, he has compassion for us, like a father has for his children, like a mother has for her child.
Taste what that means for you. Think of how God has shown love for you, forgiveness to you, even before you even asked for it, even before you thought to ask.
Then you will be, as the Psalm puts it, “Like a tree planted by streams of water”. You will be drawing upon the love of God – the story of God’s wonder and grace – the word of God. You will be able to yield your fruit in season, and your leaves will not wither, your actions, and later even your feelings, will be good.
Yes, sin is sin, and we have every right to be angry about it. We should be angry about it. But work to let go of your anger to those who have sinned against you. Work on it by not only remembering what God has done for you, but also by remembering who is in the end, the only one who has the right to render judgment.
Forgiveness means that we must forever give up the idea that we are the judge.
I, personally, am so happy about that, because I know that I will make a lousy judge. Because I know also how my judgments of other people have in times past proven wrong, and I know how even when they have been “right”, they have done nothing to improve the situation for me. For those I am worried about. For the one that has done wrong.
Think on all these things. Think about how God’s ways are greater than ours, and how God cares for us, and wants us to care for other people.
Then pray again. “Lord, forgive my trespasses as I forgive those who trespass against me” and again, “Lord, as you have forgiven my trespasses, help me to forgive those who have trespass against me.”
God will certainly help you, as he has helped me, as you remember what is near to God’s own heart – and ask his help with it. God will help you even as you continue the prayer as Jesus taught us to pray.
Fear not that you have already lost – or will loose your salvation – your joy or peace. Rather keep trying to forgive – for in trying to forgive, forgiveness comes.
Do not fear your failures to forgive despite your resolve to forgive. The Lord who calls us to forgive seventy times seven times has himself done the same – and indeed even more.
Your salvation is not lost by one act of malice, or even by a series of such acts. It can only be lost if you commit what the Scriptures call the unforgivable sin, the sin against the Holy Spirit, the sin which we understand to be the denial of God and of God’s power; the denial of the Truth of God that seeks to leaven your life.
The truth of God is that God is forgiving.
The power of God is the power to help you to stand firm and to show that truth to others, through the love that we give.
Praise the Lord, O my soul. All my innermost being, praise his holy name. Amen.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
1 Peter 1:13
"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" 1 Pet 1:13
Most of us tend to forget that we, as Christians, are in a war zone - fighting a very real battle. For the most part, our lives are pretty easy as believers. We haven't been thrown in prison for our faith. Our church buildings have not been nvaded by armed police. We haven't lost our jobs because we are Christians. The grocery store will still take our cash and our checks. We aren't thrown out of our homes to live in the street. Life is pretty good!
Peter reminds us that we are enlisted in a mighty army. He warns us that we need to be in a state of readiness, prepared for battle. We need a constant "mind awareness" that we could be called into action at any moment. We must keep focused upon Jesus and the duties at hand.
This means that we have an absolute mandate to not let the world and it's affairs distract us from our mission in life - to be good and faithful servants of the Lord, Jesus Christ. It is too easy to come home from a hard day at work and "unwind" in front of the TV. We often don't feel the "need" to attend services every time the door is open. (Services are part of the war training that we must have to be ready to fight spiritual battles.) Prayer is something that we do on a "when the need arises" basis - my need, that is, not yours.
I suspect that Peter would cringe at our state of readiness - or lack thereof. His life literally depended upon and was consumed by his need to serve Jesus as a willing "slave." I doubt that he would understand all of our "needs." Rather he would shake his head in wonder at all of the "things" that so easily distract us - then prepare a special "tactical drill" that would show us our weakness! Amen and Amen.
Most of us tend to forget that we, as Christians, are in a war zone - fighting a very real battle. For the most part, our lives are pretty easy as believers. We haven't been thrown in prison for our faith. Our church buildings have not been nvaded by armed police. We haven't lost our jobs because we are Christians. The grocery store will still take our cash and our checks. We aren't thrown out of our homes to live in the street. Life is pretty good!
Peter reminds us that we are enlisted in a mighty army. He warns us that we need to be in a state of readiness, prepared for battle. We need a constant "mind awareness" that we could be called into action at any moment. We must keep focused upon Jesus and the duties at hand.
This means that we have an absolute mandate to not let the world and it's affairs distract us from our mission in life - to be good and faithful servants of the Lord, Jesus Christ. It is too easy to come home from a hard day at work and "unwind" in front of the TV. We often don't feel the "need" to attend services every time the door is open. (Services are part of the war training that we must have to be ready to fight spiritual battles.) Prayer is something that we do on a "when the need arises" basis - my need, that is, not yours.
I suspect that Peter would cringe at our state of readiness - or lack thereof. His life literally depended upon and was consumed by his need to serve Jesus as a willing "slave." I doubt that he would understand all of our "needs." Rather he would shake his head in wonder at all of the "things" that so easily distract us - then prepare a special "tactical drill" that would show us our weakness! Amen and Amen.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Philippians 3:8-9
"Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith" Philippians 3:8-9
One of the first things that the Holy Spirit will do in us is to wipe out those things that we rely on naturally. Paul argues this out in Philippians 3, in which he catalogs who he is and the things in which he might have confidence; "but," he says, "I deliberately renounce all these thing that I may gain Christ."
One of the biggest differences between Christianity and the occult is to simply examine their sense of power. An occult will claim that you can receive some special power to be used at your beckoning will, at your command, it is a sure sign that God is out of the loop, and you must reject all of it and run. Believe me, if you find that the slightest bit humorous, you are mistaken.
Let us get this understanding right up front, the only way any of us can ever be of service to God is when we are willing to renounce all natural abilities and determine to be weak in Him. Whenever we think we are of use to God, we hinder Him. We must form a habit of letting God carry on His work through us without obstruction or hindrance from our own determination to do good works apart from Him. Amen and Amen.
One of the first things that the Holy Spirit will do in us is to wipe out those things that we rely on naturally. Paul argues this out in Philippians 3, in which he catalogs who he is and the things in which he might have confidence; "but," he says, "I deliberately renounce all these thing that I may gain Christ."
One of the biggest differences between Christianity and the occult is to simply examine their sense of power. An occult will claim that you can receive some special power to be used at your beckoning will, at your command, it is a sure sign that God is out of the loop, and you must reject all of it and run. Believe me, if you find that the slightest bit humorous, you are mistaken.
Let us get this understanding right up front, the only way any of us can ever be of service to God is when we are willing to renounce all natural abilities and determine to be weak in Him. Whenever we think we are of use to God, we hinder Him. We must form a habit of letting God carry on His work through us without obstruction or hindrance from our own determination to do good works apart from Him. Amen and Amen.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Phil 3:20-21
"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself." Phil 3:20-21
I've said it before and I'll say it again. We cling far too hard to this life. We all claim to want to go to heaven - but not today! We become ill with a possibly terminal disease - and we fight it with all our resources. We want to stay alive. Why?
There is the need of family and responsibilities. We want our children to grow up with mother and father both being present - and that is good. We want to make sure our children and grandchildren are able to go through college if they want to - and that is good.
There is the need of excitement. I don't know what life has to offer tomorrow, but I want to try it. I've not done all the things I want to do yet. I haven't tried sky diving, or bungy jumping. I haven't seen Spain, or Greece, or Israel. I haven't been on an cruise around the world.
There is the need of fulfillment. I don't think my life is finished. There is still a lot of work to do. I have a house mortgage to pay for, a boat to buy, a job to finish. We could even be spiritual - I haven't had time to become a missionary yet. I haven't preached the perfect sermon yet. I haven't . . .and the list could go on and on and on.
The simple fact is this: if we didn't cling so hard to this life and all its needs, and clung instead to God, maybe we would be living life fuller. We have our life mapped out. But don't you think that God could map you a more exciting route? I suspect He could - and would if we let Him. We want so much to get from point A in our lives to point B, that we forget that God may have some special things for us along the way. If we will let Him be our guide, if we will claim our citizenship in Heaven instead of on earth, if we won't cling so hard to this life, then God will make our lives much richer than we could ever dream possible. And all the things that keeps us on earth? It is nothing compared to what God has in store. The BEST is yet to come. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. We cling far too hard to this life. We all claim to want to go to heaven - but not today! We become ill with a possibly terminal disease - and we fight it with all our resources. We want to stay alive. Why?
There is the need of family and responsibilities. We want our children to grow up with mother and father both being present - and that is good. We want to make sure our children and grandchildren are able to go through college if they want to - and that is good.
There is the need of excitement. I don't know what life has to offer tomorrow, but I want to try it. I've not done all the things I want to do yet. I haven't tried sky diving, or bungy jumping. I haven't seen Spain, or Greece, or Israel. I haven't been on an cruise around the world.
There is the need of fulfillment. I don't think my life is finished. There is still a lot of work to do. I have a house mortgage to pay for, a boat to buy, a job to finish. We could even be spiritual - I haven't had time to become a missionary yet. I haven't preached the perfect sermon yet. I haven't . . .and the list could go on and on and on.
The simple fact is this: if we didn't cling so hard to this life and all its needs, and clung instead to God, maybe we would be living life fuller. We have our life mapped out. But don't you think that God could map you a more exciting route? I suspect He could - and would if we let Him. We want so much to get from point A in our lives to point B, that we forget that God may have some special things for us along the way. If we will let Him be our guide, if we will claim our citizenship in Heaven instead of on earth, if we won't cling so hard to this life, then God will make our lives much richer than we could ever dream possible. And all the things that keeps us on earth? It is nothing compared to what God has in store. The BEST is yet to come. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Eph. 2:8-9
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Eph. 2:8-9
Many years ago, a conference was held on world religions. During one of the sessions a discussion ensued about what was unique about Christianity among all the world religious systems. It's moral teachings are echoed by many religions. The incarnation is not unique. Other cultures have had gods becoming men. Resurrection? No, many myths speak of people and gods being raised from the dead. But each conferee had his own views on the subject and were striving to be heard.
C.S. Lewis was at this same conference. When he came into the room he said "What's the rumpus about?" And someone explained that his colleagues were discussing Christianity's unique contribution among world religions. "Oh, that's easy." Lewis replied. "It's grace."
This is so true. Because throughout world religious systems the message is always that you have to EARN your salvation. Do enough good deeds, make the proper sacrifices, perform the proper rituals, be buried with the right spells and you can be saved. But Christianity says that all the good deeds you do, all the sacrifices you make, all the gifts you give, all the rituals you perform will not bring you one millimeter closer to heaven. Instead of asking for you to climb the stairway to heaven, God himself comes down in the form of Jesus Christ, takes you in his arms and carries you.
Jesus' death on the cross was not a political statement nor was it an empty martyrdom for a cause. His death gives us life and his blood spilled over the writing of the charges against us so that they could not be read.
And his grace is abundant not only for salvation, but also to cover our failings after salvation. When I sin, I can bow before him, confess my sin and ask his forgiveness and that blood pours forth from Calvary cleansing my heart. And in the words of an old Southern Gospel song, "He gives me grace one more time."
Lord, I thank you today for your grace and for the terrible price you paid to give it to me. Amen and Amen.
Many years ago, a conference was held on world religions. During one of the sessions a discussion ensued about what was unique about Christianity among all the world religious systems. It's moral teachings are echoed by many religions. The incarnation is not unique. Other cultures have had gods becoming men. Resurrection? No, many myths speak of people and gods being raised from the dead. But each conferee had his own views on the subject and were striving to be heard.
C.S. Lewis was at this same conference. When he came into the room he said "What's the rumpus about?" And someone explained that his colleagues were discussing Christianity's unique contribution among world religions. "Oh, that's easy." Lewis replied. "It's grace."
This is so true. Because throughout world religious systems the message is always that you have to EARN your salvation. Do enough good deeds, make the proper sacrifices, perform the proper rituals, be buried with the right spells and you can be saved. But Christianity says that all the good deeds you do, all the sacrifices you make, all the gifts you give, all the rituals you perform will not bring you one millimeter closer to heaven. Instead of asking for you to climb the stairway to heaven, God himself comes down in the form of Jesus Christ, takes you in his arms and carries you.
Jesus' death on the cross was not a political statement nor was it an empty martyrdom for a cause. His death gives us life and his blood spilled over the writing of the charges against us so that they could not be read.
And his grace is abundant not only for salvation, but also to cover our failings after salvation. When I sin, I can bow before him, confess my sin and ask his forgiveness and that blood pours forth from Calvary cleansing my heart. And in the words of an old Southern Gospel song, "He gives me grace one more time."
Lord, I thank you today for your grace and for the terrible price you paid to give it to me. Amen and Amen.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Romans 6:6
"Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." Romans 6:6
So you are saved. You've attended church for weeks, months, or years. You've confessed that you are a sinner. Now you're saved by grace. The only problem is that you seem to continually fall into the same sins you used to do before you became a Christian. Now what?
Let me draw a word picture. You've been outside working hard cleaning out the yard. You're dirty, smelly, sweaty - you're a mess. So you head to the house. At the door you take off as many of your dirty clothes as possible - especially the shoes! You head to the bathroom where you remove what is left and take a hot steamy shower. A-a-a-h! That feels good. You use a really nice shower gel with a wonderful fresh scent. You scrub real hard getting off all the dirt and grime. You wash your hair and use a real special conditioner. Finally you get out and dry off. At last you're clean! You pick up your dirty clothes and put them back on. You go to the door and put on the garments you left out there - including the shoes - and head for Church. Arriving just in time for the evening service, you can't help but wonder why people keep looking at you in a weird way. Then you see that they begin to move to other seats in the building. Some even leave the service gagging! Why? You took a shower. You're clean. What's the problem?
I guess you figured it out by now - it's the dirty clothes. No matter how clean you are, dirty clothes will spoil the effect. They return you to a dirty condition. So it is with our spiritual makeup. We have been cleansed by the Blood of Jesus. Our hearts are made right. But many of us put on the old filthy rags we took off when we accepted Jesus. Is it any wonder that people look at us as though we are filthy? Is it any wonder we find ourselves doing the same evil things over and over?
"What can I do?" you ask. Paul has the answer in the context of today's verse. You must be baptized. (For sake of commonality we will accept the Greek definition of "baptize" - to be immersed. That's what it meant to Paul so we will accept that.) What happens in baptism? The old man is stripped away like the removal of an old filthy garment. We can get rid of the old man - the old nature of sin - and we can replace it with a new man - the nature of Christ. If you are suffering from the old sins, I ask you "Have you been baptized since you accepted Jesus?" If your answer is "no," head to the nearest Church and ask to be baptized. If your answer is "yes," have you taken up the old garments again? If the answer is again "yes," strip them off, give them to Jesus, ask Him to destroy them, and ask Him to clothe you in new garments of righteousness.
Oh, one more thing. When you are tempted to play with the things that made you dirty to start with, turn immediately and run in the opposite direction -- IMMEDIATELY! AMEN and Amen.
So you are saved. You've attended church for weeks, months, or years. You've confessed that you are a sinner. Now you're saved by grace. The only problem is that you seem to continually fall into the same sins you used to do before you became a Christian. Now what?
Let me draw a word picture. You've been outside working hard cleaning out the yard. You're dirty, smelly, sweaty - you're a mess. So you head to the house. At the door you take off as many of your dirty clothes as possible - especially the shoes! You head to the bathroom where you remove what is left and take a hot steamy shower. A-a-a-h! That feels good. You use a really nice shower gel with a wonderful fresh scent. You scrub real hard getting off all the dirt and grime. You wash your hair and use a real special conditioner. Finally you get out and dry off. At last you're clean! You pick up your dirty clothes and put them back on. You go to the door and put on the garments you left out there - including the shoes - and head for Church. Arriving just in time for the evening service, you can't help but wonder why people keep looking at you in a weird way. Then you see that they begin to move to other seats in the building. Some even leave the service gagging! Why? You took a shower. You're clean. What's the problem?
I guess you figured it out by now - it's the dirty clothes. No matter how clean you are, dirty clothes will spoil the effect. They return you to a dirty condition. So it is with our spiritual makeup. We have been cleansed by the Blood of Jesus. Our hearts are made right. But many of us put on the old filthy rags we took off when we accepted Jesus. Is it any wonder that people look at us as though we are filthy? Is it any wonder we find ourselves doing the same evil things over and over?
"What can I do?" you ask. Paul has the answer in the context of today's verse. You must be baptized. (For sake of commonality we will accept the Greek definition of "baptize" - to be immersed. That's what it meant to Paul so we will accept that.) What happens in baptism? The old man is stripped away like the removal of an old filthy garment. We can get rid of the old man - the old nature of sin - and we can replace it with a new man - the nature of Christ. If you are suffering from the old sins, I ask you "Have you been baptized since you accepted Jesus?" If your answer is "no," head to the nearest Church and ask to be baptized. If your answer is "yes," have you taken up the old garments again? If the answer is again "yes," strip them off, give them to Jesus, ask Him to destroy them, and ask Him to clothe you in new garments of righteousness.
Oh, one more thing. When you are tempted to play with the things that made you dirty to start with, turn immediately and run in the opposite direction -- IMMEDIATELY! AMEN and Amen.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Luke 8:53
"And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead" Luke 8:53
Has anyone ever ridiculed or laughed at you? No, not the giggle "you did something silly" laugh. I mean the really big "You are an absolute fool" kind of laugh? Hurts doesn't it? Sure, and you know why? Because you probably did something that they thought was foolish, and you probably thought so yourself.
Jesus said something the people thought was stupid. This girl was dead. If He were the Son of God as He claimed, He would know that. But He said "She sleeps." Some prophet He is.
Does this seem to bother Jesus? If it did, He certainly did not show it. He calmly walks up to the girl and tells her to awake. Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle. "The fool doesn't have a clue...Wait a minute . . . what's that? Did her eyes blink? Was her hand twitching? Who said she was dead? Joanna? Are you the one who called us to mourn for her? How stupid can you be, Joanna? See, she is not dead. She WAS sleeping."
God sometimes asks us to do something the world would call foolish. He might ask us to quit a high paying job and take a job as a missionary. He might call us from a position of power and direct us to work as a minister to homeless people. He might tell us to sell all that we have and give it to the poor. How foolish in the sight of the world. How dumb. What a poor career move. "And you wanted to climb the ladder to success? You can't do it by throwing it all away."
They laugh. It hurts. But you know that it is the right thing to do, so you do it. While the world may never understand "at least on this side of the Heavenly Gates" the last laugh will be on them when they hear the Father say, "Well done. You are a good and faithful servant. Enter into My graces. Sit on the throne with Me." And a few moments later, as they confidently walk up to the Judgment Seat, expecting praise and adulation, the Father says, "I knew you not. I called and you did not answer. I directed and you would not turn. Depart from me, you have worked iniquity."
I doubt that we will laugh. Jesus didn't. But we will rejoice. Doing the will of the Father always has that effect on His servants. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Has anyone ever ridiculed or laughed at you? No, not the giggle "you did something silly" laugh. I mean the really big "You are an absolute fool" kind of laugh? Hurts doesn't it? Sure, and you know why? Because you probably did something that they thought was foolish, and you probably thought so yourself.
Jesus said something the people thought was stupid. This girl was dead. If He were the Son of God as He claimed, He would know that. But He said "She sleeps." Some prophet He is.
Does this seem to bother Jesus? If it did, He certainly did not show it. He calmly walks up to the girl and tells her to awake. Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle. "The fool doesn't have a clue...Wait a minute . . . what's that? Did her eyes blink? Was her hand twitching? Who said she was dead? Joanna? Are you the one who called us to mourn for her? How stupid can you be, Joanna? See, she is not dead. She WAS sleeping."
God sometimes asks us to do something the world would call foolish. He might ask us to quit a high paying job and take a job as a missionary. He might call us from a position of power and direct us to work as a minister to homeless people. He might tell us to sell all that we have and give it to the poor. How foolish in the sight of the world. How dumb. What a poor career move. "And you wanted to climb the ladder to success? You can't do it by throwing it all away."
They laugh. It hurts. But you know that it is the right thing to do, so you do it. While the world may never understand "at least on this side of the Heavenly Gates" the last laugh will be on them when they hear the Father say, "Well done. You are a good and faithful servant. Enter into My graces. Sit on the throne with Me." And a few moments later, as they confidently walk up to the Judgment Seat, expecting praise and adulation, the Father says, "I knew you not. I called and you did not answer. I directed and you would not turn. Depart from me, you have worked iniquity."
I doubt that we will laugh. Jesus didn't. But we will rejoice. Doing the will of the Father always has that effect on His servants. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
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