Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. -Mark 8:30 (NIV)
I serve on a board that interviews candidates for ministry in our denomination. In order to become a pastor in our denomination, one of the things that a person has to do is meet with this board and be able to articulate a call to ministry, demonstrate that she or he possess gifts and graces for specialized ministry, and that he or she understands the theology of our tradition and is able to communicate it effectively.
Many years ago, we were interviewing a candidate for ministry. This candidate was asked to discuss our denomination's understanding of baptism. This person's answer, though technically correct, was incomplete. So we asked the candidate to describe his own understanding of baptism. As he answered, I realized that his response was not an acceptable response for being recommended as a candidate for ministry in our denomination. I tried to help this person by interrupting and saying, "You know, you may just want to stop, collect your thoughts, and then start again."
I wonder if something like that is what is happening in Mark 8. Jesus begins by asking a rather broad question: who do people say that I am? The disciples reply, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." Then Jesus says, "But what about you...who do you say that I am?"
Peter is quick to answer: "You are the Messiah." This answer is technically correct, but incomplete. That's because Peter's understanding of messiahship is much different than Jesus' understanding. Traditional Jewish thought understood the anticipated Messiah to be a person of military might who would restore Israel to power and deliver Israel from political oppression. Jesus' understanding of messiahship is one of a suffering servant who is rejected, killed, and then resurrected. Realizing that Peter's answer is correct (Jesus is the Messiah), but incomplete (not the kind of Messiah that Peter thinks), Jesus warns them not to say any more.
Jesus then tries to teach the disciples what he must do as the Messiah. Peter doesn't like it and rebukes Jesus for it. But then Jesus rebukes Peter, saying, "Your concerns are human concerns, not the concerns of God. Whoever wants to be my disciples must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."
What concerns govern your life? Is it all about you or is all it about God? The season of Lent is a great time to turn from self and turn back to God. May God grant you the grace to deny yourself today and to be more concerned about following Jesus. It may mean rejection or sacrifice or loss. But in rejection, in sacrifice, and in loss, Jesus promises salvation and newness of life.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
How To Love More
Please read Numbers 24-27 and 1 Corinthians 13 if you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year. Tomorrow's readings are Numbers 28-29 and Mark 8.
And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. -1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
If you've ever been in love, do you remember how it happened? You first had to meet someone. You may have liked how this person looked or how this person made you feel. You may have liked what this person stood for or what they stood against. But you probably didn't instantly love them. You may have said, "I think I'm in love," but it was more likely infatuation rather than love. Love isn't simply a feeling; it is an act of the will.
What does that mean? Well, you probably began to love the person only after you began doing loving things for the person and after they began doing loving things for you. You opened the car door for her. You wrote a poem on a napkin for him. You cooked her favorite meal. You made a mix tape of his favorite songs (if you're too old or too young to remember mix tapes, you missed out). The love wasn't immediate. The love came as a result of doing loving things for the other.
I've met with a lot of married couples through the years who came to me because the "love light wasn't burning as brightly" as it used to burn. I always ask why they think that's the case. Usually, it's because they've stopped doing loving things for one another. They've stopped putting the needs and wants of their partners first and have instead focused only on pleasing themselves. How or can you rekindle the love, they almost always ask. By putting your partner first, by doing loving things for your partner. If both partners do this, guess what follows? Love. If you don't do loving things for your partner, guess what? You're not likely to love.
In the assigned readings this morning, Paul discusses love. It's patient. It's kind. It doesn't envy, isn't boastful, and isn't proud. It doesn't dishonor, it is not self-seeking, and it is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs and does not delight in evil. It rejoices in truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails, but it does most certainly require work.
May God grant you the grace today to love. Desire to do loving things for someone else. Work at it. You'll love that person more, or at the very least you'll dislike that person less.
And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. -1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
If you've ever been in love, do you remember how it happened? You first had to meet someone. You may have liked how this person looked or how this person made you feel. You may have liked what this person stood for or what they stood against. But you probably didn't instantly love them. You may have said, "I think I'm in love," but it was more likely infatuation rather than love. Love isn't simply a feeling; it is an act of the will.
What does that mean? Well, you probably began to love the person only after you began doing loving things for the person and after they began doing loving things for you. You opened the car door for her. You wrote a poem on a napkin for him. You cooked her favorite meal. You made a mix tape of his favorite songs (if you're too old or too young to remember mix tapes, you missed out). The love wasn't immediate. The love came as a result of doing loving things for the other.
I've met with a lot of married couples through the years who came to me because the "love light wasn't burning as brightly" as it used to burn. I always ask why they think that's the case. Usually, it's because they've stopped doing loving things for one another. They've stopped putting the needs and wants of their partners first and have instead focused only on pleasing themselves. How or can you rekindle the love, they almost always ask. By putting your partner first, by doing loving things for your partner. If both partners do this, guess what follows? Love. If you don't do loving things for your partner, guess what? You're not likely to love.
In the assigned readings this morning, Paul discusses love. It's patient. It's kind. It doesn't envy, isn't boastful, and isn't proud. It doesn't dishonor, it is not self-seeking, and it is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs and does not delight in evil. It rejoices in truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails, but it does most certainly require work.
May God grant you the grace today to love. Desire to do loving things for someone else. Work at it. You'll love that person more, or at the very least you'll dislike that person less.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Sin and Grace
Please read Numbers 21-23 and Mark 6 and 7 if you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year. Tomorrow's readings are Numbers 24-27 and 1 Corinthians 13.
So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived. -Numbers 21:9 (NIV)
If you've been trudging along in the book of Numbers with me, you've read about the Israelites trudging along toward the Promised Land. You've also read how the Israelites have moaned and groaned practically the entire time. In this morning's assigned readings, they're at it again: complaining that the food is awful and that they don't have any water.
Do you ever get tired of people complaining all the time? Evidently, God does. That's because, according to Numbers 21, God responds to the most recent Israelite grumbling by sending poisonous snakes among the people. The snakes bite many of the Israelites and they die.
Yeah, it seems cruel...but it's effective. The people respond to the snakes by coming to Moses and saying, "We have sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes." And Moses prays.
God tells Moses to make a bronze snake and put in on a pole. When anyone bitten by a snake looks at the bronze snake on a pole, they live.
Now don't miss the powerful symbolism here. The bronze snake is both a symbol of their sin and God's grace. Remind you of anything? It reminds me of the cross. One symbol. Two meanings. A symbol of our sin and God's grace.
The reality is that sin always has consequences. Our sin hurts us and it hurts others. Our sin affects our relationship with God and our relationship with people. The cross is a bitter reminder of sin. But it's also a beautiful symbol of God's grace.
As you continue your journey with Christ to the cross, may God grant you the grace to acknowledge your sin and its destructive power. And may you see in the cross of Christ not just a reminder of your sin, but a symbol of God's amazing grace.
So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived. -Numbers 21:9 (NIV)
If you've been trudging along in the book of Numbers with me, you've read about the Israelites trudging along toward the Promised Land. You've also read how the Israelites have moaned and groaned practically the entire time. In this morning's assigned readings, they're at it again: complaining that the food is awful and that they don't have any water.
Do you ever get tired of people complaining all the time? Evidently, God does. That's because, according to Numbers 21, God responds to the most recent Israelite grumbling by sending poisonous snakes among the people. The snakes bite many of the Israelites and they die.
Yeah, it seems cruel...but it's effective. The people respond to the snakes by coming to Moses and saying, "We have sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes." And Moses prays.
God tells Moses to make a bronze snake and put in on a pole. When anyone bitten by a snake looks at the bronze snake on a pole, they live.
Now don't miss the powerful symbolism here. The bronze snake is both a symbol of their sin and God's grace. Remind you of anything? It reminds me of the cross. One symbol. Two meanings. A symbol of our sin and God's grace.
The reality is that sin always has consequences. Our sin hurts us and it hurts others. Our sin affects our relationship with God and our relationship with people. The cross is a bitter reminder of sin. But it's also a beautiful symbol of God's grace.
As you continue your journey with Christ to the cross, may God grant you the grace to acknowledge your sin and its destructive power. And may you see in the cross of Christ not just a reminder of your sin, but a symbol of God's amazing grace.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Failing to Recognize
Please read Numbers 14-16 and Mark 3 if you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year. Tomorrow's readings are Numbers 17-18, Psalm 9, and Mark 4.
And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons." -Mark 3:22 (NIV)
I probably spent two hours yesterday looking for a form. I was sure that it was in this one particular folder in my filing cabinet because that's where it was supposed to be. I was certain that the form was green so that's the color paper I was looking for in the folder. As it turns out, the form was yellow. I had been shuffling right past the form the entire time but didn't recognize it because it wasn't the color for which I was searching.
In this morning's assigned scripture readings, Jesus enters a house that is so crowded with people that he's unable to eat. His family, presumably because he won't stop to eat, assumes that Jesus has lost his mind. The teachers of the law that have come from Jerusalem conclude that he is possessed by Satan. Jesus was right there in front of them, full of the Holy Spirit power, having taught with authority and healed the sick, and his family and the teachers of the law are unable to fully recognize it. What happened to me yesterday with the form appears to have happened to them. It's as if they were looking for Jesus to look and act one way and because Jesus looked and acted another way, they failed to get it.
The way Jesus comes, the way Jesus calls, and the things Jesus does may not be exactly what you've come to expect. There's a chance that you don't recognize Jesus because you're shuffling through life looking for Jesus in one way when he's trying to reveal himself in another. May God grant you the grace to be open to whatever way Christ would come, be, and do in your life today.
And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons." -Mark 3:22 (NIV)
I probably spent two hours yesterday looking for a form. I was sure that it was in this one particular folder in my filing cabinet because that's where it was supposed to be. I was certain that the form was green so that's the color paper I was looking for in the folder. As it turns out, the form was yellow. I had been shuffling right past the form the entire time but didn't recognize it because it wasn't the color for which I was searching.
In this morning's assigned scripture readings, Jesus enters a house that is so crowded with people that he's unable to eat. His family, presumably because he won't stop to eat, assumes that Jesus has lost his mind. The teachers of the law that have come from Jerusalem conclude that he is possessed by Satan. Jesus was right there in front of them, full of the Holy Spirit power, having taught with authority and healed the sick, and his family and the teachers of the law are unable to fully recognize it. What happened to me yesterday with the form appears to have happened to them. It's as if they were looking for Jesus to look and act one way and because Jesus looked and acted another way, they failed to get it.
The way Jesus comes, the way Jesus calls, and the things Jesus does may not be exactly what you've come to expect. There's a chance that you don't recognize Jesus because you're shuffling through life looking for Jesus in one way when he's trying to reveal himself in another. May God grant you the grace to be open to whatever way Christ would come, be, and do in your life today.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Hopeful in Hopeless Situations
Please read Numbers 12-13, Psalm 90, and Mark 2 if you'd like to read through the Bible in a year. Tomorrow's readings are Numbers 14-16 and Mark 3.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
-Mark 2:5 (NIV)
This is my favorite scripture. Jesus is preaching the word in a Capernaum home. There are so many people in attendance that there was no room left, not even outside the door. But then we're told about four men carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher. Because of the crowd, they couldn't get anywhere near Jesus; the situation appeared hopeless. So what do you do when things appear hopeless? You look up.
The men look up and decide to make an opening in the roof of the home where Jesus is teaching and then they lower the paralyzed man down through the hole.
We're told very little about the paralyzed man. There is no mention of whether this man had any faith whatsoever that he could be healed (if he had faith, don't you think Jesus would have said, "When he saw the faith of the paralyzed man, he forgave and healed him?). We're not told if this was his first attempt to be healed or simply the last. We're not told if the men who brought him were close friends or just people that recognized a need and knew how that need could be met. What we are told is that, when Jesus saw the faith of the four who brought this paralyzed man, he said to the paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
Why do I like this scripture so much? Because it speaks to the power of intercessory prayer. It's a reminder to me that if I look up and if I continue to place others before Christ, he has the power and the desire to heal and forgive, regardless of whether they want or desire forgiveness and healing or not. This is why I keep praying in what appears to be hopeless situations. If I keep placing others before Jesus, I'm hopeful that Christ will perform another miracle in another life.
May God grant you the grace to not give up in situations that appear hopeless. Healing and forgiveness are still possible. Look up and look out for opportunities to place others before Jesus.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
-Mark 2:5 (NIV)
This is my favorite scripture. Jesus is preaching the word in a Capernaum home. There are so many people in attendance that there was no room left, not even outside the door. But then we're told about four men carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher. Because of the crowd, they couldn't get anywhere near Jesus; the situation appeared hopeless. So what do you do when things appear hopeless? You look up.
The men look up and decide to make an opening in the roof of the home where Jesus is teaching and then they lower the paralyzed man down through the hole.
We're told very little about the paralyzed man. There is no mention of whether this man had any faith whatsoever that he could be healed (if he had faith, don't you think Jesus would have said, "When he saw the faith of the paralyzed man, he forgave and healed him?). We're not told if this was his first attempt to be healed or simply the last. We're not told if the men who brought him were close friends or just people that recognized a need and knew how that need could be met. What we are told is that, when Jesus saw the faith of the four who brought this paralyzed man, he said to the paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
Why do I like this scripture so much? Because it speaks to the power of intercessory prayer. It's a reminder to me that if I look up and if I continue to place others before Christ, he has the power and the desire to heal and forgive, regardless of whether they want or desire forgiveness and healing or not. This is why I keep praying in what appears to be hopeless situations. If I keep placing others before Jesus, I'm hopeful that Christ will perform another miracle in another life.
May God grant you the grace to not give up in situations that appear hopeless. Healing and forgiveness are still possible. Look up and look out for opportunities to place others before Jesus.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Repent. Believe. Receive.
Please read Numbers 10-11, Psalm 27, and Mark 1 if you'd like to read through the Bible in a year. Tomorrow's readings are Numbers 12-13, Psalm 90, and Mark 2.
"The time has come," Jesus said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news." -Mark 1:15 (NIV)
Today is Ash Wednesday and the first day of the Lenten season in the Christian tradition. On Ash Wednesday, we emphasize a dual encounter: we confront our own mortality and we confess our sin and our need for a Savior. If you're in or around Fayetteville, I invite you to attend our Ash Wednesday service tonight at 6 pm in our sanctuary at 200 North Elk Avenue.
Regardless of whether your tradition or denomination observes the season of Lent (click the link to read more about what it means), I invite you to join me in preparing your mind and heart to experience the joy of Easter.
Begin today by examining your heart and mind to see how you've wandered away from God. If you haven't done that in a while, then as Jesus says in the assigned reading today, "the time has come." But don't stop with simply acknowledging the ways that you have wandered from God. Jesus says that you must actually repent, which means to have a change of mind. It's more than just feeling sorry for the consequences of your sin; it's actually feeling sorry for the sin itself and turning away from that sin and back to God.
I haven't met a lot of people who really like to admit their sin. But it's necessary. It's also dangerous. Why? Well, when confessing sin, it's easy to get stuck dwelling on sin, becoming overwhelmed by it. "How could I have done that?" "I am such an awful person." "God must really be upset with me." It's so tempting to beat yourself up when confronting your sin.
Please don't beat yourself up. Jesus tells us to repent, to turn back to him, to heed his voice instead of the other seductive voices out there. He invites you to believe
and to trust him. But he doesn't want you to beat yourself up. Repenting and believing is not meant to bring you down; it's meant to lift you up. Jesus wants you to repent and to believe because good news follows.
Today, may God grant you the grace to acknowledge the ways you've wandered from God. Confess these things to God. Turn away from these things and turn back to God. Believe in God. And receive the Good News that comes from being forgiven.
"The time has come," Jesus said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news." -Mark 1:15 (NIV)
Today is Ash Wednesday and the first day of the Lenten season in the Christian tradition. On Ash Wednesday, we emphasize a dual encounter: we confront our own mortality and we confess our sin and our need for a Savior. If you're in or around Fayetteville, I invite you to attend our Ash Wednesday service tonight at 6 pm in our sanctuary at 200 North Elk Avenue.
Regardless of whether your tradition or denomination observes the season of Lent (click the link to read more about what it means), I invite you to join me in preparing your mind and heart to experience the joy of Easter.
Begin today by examining your heart and mind to see how you've wandered away from God. If you haven't done that in a while, then as Jesus says in the assigned reading today, "the time has come." But don't stop with simply acknowledging the ways that you have wandered from God. Jesus says that you must actually repent, which means to have a change of mind. It's more than just feeling sorry for the consequences of your sin; it's actually feeling sorry for the sin itself and turning away from that sin and back to God.
I haven't met a lot of people who really like to admit their sin. But it's necessary. It's also dangerous. Why? Well, when confessing sin, it's easy to get stuck dwelling on sin, becoming overwhelmed by it. "How could I have done that?" "I am such an awful person." "God must really be upset with me." It's so tempting to beat yourself up when confronting your sin.
Please don't beat yourself up. Jesus tells us to repent, to turn back to him, to heed his voice instead of the other seductive voices out there. He invites you to believe
and to trust him. But he doesn't want you to beat yourself up. Repenting and believing is not meant to bring you down; it's meant to lift you up. Jesus wants you to repent and to believe because good news follows.
Today, may God grant you the grace to acknowledge the ways you've wandered from God. Confess these things to God. Turn away from these things and turn back to God. Believe in God. And receive the Good News that comes from being forgiven.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Finding Encouragement on the Journey
Please read Numbers 8-9 and Acts 28 if you're interested in reading the Bible through in a year. Tomorrow's readings will be Numbers 10-11, Psalm 27, and Mark 1
The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged. -Acts 28:15 (NIV)
With news yesterday that gas prices may reach $5 a gallon before summer, it's not the best time to be thinking about vacations. But we haven't been on vacation since I was diagnosed with cancer in May 2010 so we're overdue.
My wife Ivana and I have different approaches to vacationing. I prefer to return to places that I've already visited. I like the familiarity and the security that comes from knowing where things are located. I like to do things a second time that I enjoyed the first time. Ivana, on the other hand, is much more adventurous. She likes to go to new places. She likes to try new things.
One of the things that has really helped me to feel more at home in strange places may actually surprise you. But whenever we travel to a place that I've never been before, I always look for the official symbol of The United Methodist Church: the cross and flame. Whenever I see this symbol of our denomination, I'm encouraged. We always go to church whenever we're traveling and even in strange places, The United Methodist Church has always felt like home.
In today's assigned scripture readings, Paul is on his way to Rome. He's been imprisoned for his expression of the Christian faith and is seeking a hearing before Caesar. No doubt his journey has been rough. It has been long. And he has had to leave his comfort zone of familiar places and faces. But Paul is greeted by a group of believers in this strange place and he is thankful and encouraged.
You are never alone. When the journey is rough, when the journey is long, and when you find yourself in new or strange or difficult circumstances, you're likely to find a cloud of witnesses there to meet you, people who will encourage you and for whom you'll be thankful. And you can be sure that God is there with you as well.
Today, may God grant you the grace to find encouragement in other believers on your journey. May you be a source of encouragement to someone else. And may all be thankful.
The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged. -Acts 28:15 (NIV)
With news yesterday that gas prices may reach $5 a gallon before summer, it's not the best time to be thinking about vacations. But we haven't been on vacation since I was diagnosed with cancer in May 2010 so we're overdue.
My wife Ivana and I have different approaches to vacationing. I prefer to return to places that I've already visited. I like the familiarity and the security that comes from knowing where things are located. I like to do things a second time that I enjoyed the first time. Ivana, on the other hand, is much more adventurous. She likes to go to new places. She likes to try new things.
One of the things that has really helped me to feel more at home in strange places may actually surprise you. But whenever we travel to a place that I've never been before, I always look for the official symbol of The United Methodist Church: the cross and flame. Whenever I see this symbol of our denomination, I'm encouraged. We always go to church whenever we're traveling and even in strange places, The United Methodist Church has always felt like home.
In today's assigned scripture readings, Paul is on his way to Rome. He's been imprisoned for his expression of the Christian faith and is seeking a hearing before Caesar. No doubt his journey has been rough. It has been long. And he has had to leave his comfort zone of familiar places and faces. But Paul is greeted by a group of believers in this strange place and he is thankful and encouraged.
You are never alone. When the journey is rough, when the journey is long, and when you find yourself in new or strange or difficult circumstances, you're likely to find a cloud of witnesses there to meet you, people who will encourage you and for whom you'll be thankful. And you can be sure that God is there with you as well.
Today, may God grant you the grace to find encouragement in other believers on your journey. May you be a source of encouragement to someone else. And may all be thankful.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Your Past Can Be a Powerful Witness
Please read Numbers 7, Psalm 23, and Acts 27 if you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year. Tomorrow's reading are Numbers 8-9 and Acts 28
I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. -Acts 26: 17-18 (NIV)
William Barclay tells the story of a famous evangelist named Brownlow North. In his early days, North lived a life that was anything but Christian. Once, just as North was about to preach a sermon, he received a letter. The writer stated that he was aware of some sin from Rev. North's past and the writer planned to interrupt Rev. North during the sermon to tell the entire congregation about this sin if Rev. North insisted on preaching. Rev. North took the letter into the pulpit, read it to the congregation, told of the sin he had once committed, and then told how Christ had changed him. He ended his sermon by describing how God could change others.
Here's another quote this morning, by Chuck Swindoll: "The skeptic may deny your doctrine or attack your church but he cannot honestly ignore the fact that your life has been changed."
When your eyes have been opened, you can see things that you haven't previously seen. When you're walking toward the light and away from the darkness, the path before you is so much clearer. When you're seeking the power of God, you can experience newness of life and forgiveness of sin. And when your present and future has been changed by God in Christ, your past becomes a powerful witness to what God can do.
May God grant you the grace to have your eyes opened and to walk out of whatever darkness surrounds you into God's marvelous light. May you be empowered and may you experience forgiveness. And may you be a testimony to what God can do.
I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. -Acts 26: 17-18 (NIV)
William Barclay tells the story of a famous evangelist named Brownlow North. In his early days, North lived a life that was anything but Christian. Once, just as North was about to preach a sermon, he received a letter. The writer stated that he was aware of some sin from Rev. North's past and the writer planned to interrupt Rev. North during the sermon to tell the entire congregation about this sin if Rev. North insisted on preaching. Rev. North took the letter into the pulpit, read it to the congregation, told of the sin he had once committed, and then told how Christ had changed him. He ended his sermon by describing how God could change others.
Here's another quote this morning, by Chuck Swindoll: "The skeptic may deny your doctrine or attack your church but he cannot honestly ignore the fact that your life has been changed."
When your eyes have been opened, you can see things that you haven't previously seen. When you're walking toward the light and away from the darkness, the path before you is so much clearer. When you're seeking the power of God, you can experience newness of life and forgiveness of sin. And when your present and future has been changed by God in Christ, your past becomes a powerful witness to what God can do.
May God grant you the grace to have your eyes opened and to walk out of whatever darkness surrounds you into God's marvelous light. May you be empowered and may you experience forgiveness. And may you be a testimony to what God can do.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Nothing and then Something
Please read Numbers 3-4 and Acts 25 if you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year. Tomorrow's reading are Numbers 5-6 and Acts 25
They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. -Acts 25:3 (NIV)
Nothing. That's what I got. Nothing.
I've spent all morning reading and re-reading the assigned scriptures for today, looking for some great insight to apply to my own life or to yours. I'm sure it's there. I'm sure you probably see it. But I got nothing.
So I came into the office. Surely a commentary would shed some new light on what I'd read. Nothing. So I looked online. Surely someone has preached a sermon on these texts that would inspire me. Nothing. I was about to give up when I noticed a Bible with notes from Eugene Peterson. It's called Conversations. I opened it up and there it was: a word that brought life to the readings for me. I hope this quote will bring life to you:
"The trials of Acts 24-26 force us, if we're to stay true to the story we're reading, to give up the notion that the Christian community can catch the admiring eye of the world if we just live rightly and obediently. We have ample documentation by now to disabuse us of such thinking. God's revelation is rejected far more often than it is accepted, is dismissed by far more people than embrace it, and has been either attacked or ignored by every major culture or civilization in which it has given its witness."
All Paul had done was be faithful to what Christ had called him to do. He had done nothing wrong. And yet he kept being unfairly accused. He'd been in jail for two years and that wasn't good enough for some: they still wanted him dead. But Paul did not waver. He remained true to his call.
May God grant you the grace to stand firm in your faith. You will be rejected. You will be dismissed. You will be attacked. You will be ignored. But God hasn't called you to be popular. God has called you to be faithful.
They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. -Acts 25:3 (NIV)
Nothing. That's what I got. Nothing.
I've spent all morning reading and re-reading the assigned scriptures for today, looking for some great insight to apply to my own life or to yours. I'm sure it's there. I'm sure you probably see it. But I got nothing.
So I came into the office. Surely a commentary would shed some new light on what I'd read. Nothing. So I looked online. Surely someone has preached a sermon on these texts that would inspire me. Nothing. I was about to give up when I noticed a Bible with notes from Eugene Peterson. It's called Conversations. I opened it up and there it was: a word that brought life to the readings for me. I hope this quote will bring life to you:
"The trials of Acts 24-26 force us, if we're to stay true to the story we're reading, to give up the notion that the Christian community can catch the admiring eye of the world if we just live rightly and obediently. We have ample documentation by now to disabuse us of such thinking. God's revelation is rejected far more often than it is accepted, is dismissed by far more people than embrace it, and has been either attacked or ignored by every major culture or civilization in which it has given its witness."
All Paul had done was be faithful to what Christ had called him to do. He had done nothing wrong. And yet he kept being unfairly accused. He'd been in jail for two years and that wasn't good enough for some: they still wanted him dead. But Paul did not waver. He remained true to his call.
May God grant you the grace to stand firm in your faith. You will be rejected. You will be dismissed. You will be attacked. You will be ignored. But God hasn't called you to be popular. God has called you to be faithful.
Friday, February 17, 2012
The State of You
Please read Numbers 1-2 and Acts 24 if you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year. Tomorrow's readings will be Numbers 3-4 and Acts 25.
Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. -Numbers 1:2 (NIV)
Yesterday, the Tennessee and Memphis Conference Delegations met to prepare for our denomination's (United Methodist) General Conference to be held in April. For those who may not know, General Conference is held every four years and is charged with setting the direction of the denomination. Delegates are elected to General Conference from their respective annual conferences.
At our meeting yesterday, several denominational leaders shared what I would call their "State of the Church" address. We were told how many United Methodists there are across the world, where the church is growing and where it is not, the financial picture of the denomination, and what studies have determined to be the qualities of vital congregations. This was all helpful information as it's important to know where the denomination finds itself presently before we begin considering where we want to go in the future.
In the assigned scripture readings this morning, Moses and the Israelites find themselves at the base of Mount Sinai. They have received specific instructions from God and are now ready to begin their march into the Promised Land. Before doing so, however, God instructs Moses to take inventory of their current situation. They are to identify the men who are able to serve in the army. They are to determine which families are the biggest and where they are located. It's as if God is saying that the journey to the Promised Land begins with an awareness of where you're beginning the journey.
What is your Promised Land? Where do you want to be or to go in the future? If you ever want to get there, you must first begin with an inventory where you are now. What is the "State of You" in this present moment? May God grant you the grace to honestly examine where you are today in relation to where you want to be.
Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. -Numbers 1:2 (NIV)
Yesterday, the Tennessee and Memphis Conference Delegations met to prepare for our denomination's (United Methodist) General Conference to be held in April. For those who may not know, General Conference is held every four years and is charged with setting the direction of the denomination. Delegates are elected to General Conference from their respective annual conferences.
At our meeting yesterday, several denominational leaders shared what I would call their "State of the Church" address. We were told how many United Methodists there are across the world, where the church is growing and where it is not, the financial picture of the denomination, and what studies have determined to be the qualities of vital congregations. This was all helpful information as it's important to know where the denomination finds itself presently before we begin considering where we want to go in the future.
In the assigned scripture readings this morning, Moses and the Israelites find themselves at the base of Mount Sinai. They have received specific instructions from God and are now ready to begin their march into the Promised Land. Before doing so, however, God instructs Moses to take inventory of their current situation. They are to identify the men who are able to serve in the army. They are to determine which families are the biggest and where they are located. It's as if God is saying that the journey to the Promised Land begins with an awareness of where you're beginning the journey.
What is your Promised Land? Where do you want to be or to go in the future? If you ever want to get there, you must first begin with an inventory where you are now. What is the "State of You" in this present moment? May God grant you the grace to honestly examine where you are today in relation to where you want to be.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
No Small Parts
Please read Leviticus 26-27 and Acts 23 if you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year. Tomorrow's readings will be Numbers 1-2 and Acts 24.
The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul...But when the son of Paul's sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul. -Acts 23:12-16 (NIV)
When I was a theater major at Ole Miss, on more than one occasion I heard the adage, "There are no small parts, only small actors." That statement can be interpreted any number of ways, I guess. But the way I always interpreted it is, "Your part may be small (and remember: my claim to fame at Ole Miss was being cast as a dancing tree in the show Into the Woods), but if your part wasn't important to the story, the playwright would have never created the part."
In this morning's assigned scripture reading, we are introduced to Paul's nephew. To my knowledge, it's the only time that Paul's nephew appears in scripture. The poor guy is not even identified by name. And yet, Paul's nephew plays an important role.
The story begins when a plot to kill Paul is devised. A group of 40+ men planned to ambush Paul on his way to appear before the religious leaders and murder him. Paul's nephew overhears the plan and informs his uncle Paul. Paul instructed his nephew to go to the Commander with this information. After learning of what Paul's nephew overheard, the Commander took steps to protect Paul and sent him to Caesarea.
Because of the role Paul's nephew played, Paul was able to escape death and continue the mission to which he had been called. The nephew didn't get a lot of air time or attention, but he played no small part in God's plan.
In the grand scheme of things, you may never consider yourself a major player in God's plan for the world. But your part is not small; it's vitally important in the unfolding of God's plan.
May God grant you the grace to realize that you're an important part of God's story today. If you were not important, God wouldn't have written you into the script of life. May you sense your important role in God's work and may you have a profound impact on the life of another.
The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul...But when the son of Paul's sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul. -Acts 23:12-16 (NIV)
When I was a theater major at Ole Miss, on more than one occasion I heard the adage, "There are no small parts, only small actors." That statement can be interpreted any number of ways, I guess. But the way I always interpreted it is, "Your part may be small (and remember: my claim to fame at Ole Miss was being cast as a dancing tree in the show Into the Woods), but if your part wasn't important to the story, the playwright would have never created the part."
In this morning's assigned scripture reading, we are introduced to Paul's nephew. To my knowledge, it's the only time that Paul's nephew appears in scripture. The poor guy is not even identified by name. And yet, Paul's nephew plays an important role.
The story begins when a plot to kill Paul is devised. A group of 40+ men planned to ambush Paul on his way to appear before the religious leaders and murder him. Paul's nephew overhears the plan and informs his uncle Paul. Paul instructed his nephew to go to the Commander with this information. After learning of what Paul's nephew overheard, the Commander took steps to protect Paul and sent him to Caesarea.
Because of the role Paul's nephew played, Paul was able to escape death and continue the mission to which he had been called. The nephew didn't get a lot of air time or attention, but he played no small part in God's plan.
In the grand scheme of things, you may never consider yourself a major player in God's plan for the world. But your part is not small; it's vitally important in the unfolding of God's plan.
May God grant you the grace to realize that you're an important part of God's story today. If you were not important, God wouldn't have written you into the script of life. May you sense your important role in God's work and may you have a profound impact on the life of another.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
A Forgetful God
Please read Leviticus 25-26, Psalm 25, and Acts 22 if you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year.
Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you, Lord, are good. -Psalm 25:7 (NIV)
Occasionally I run into someone that I grew up with in Pulaski. As is often the case when I see someone I haven't seen in years, I'll get asked what I'm doing with my life. When I tell them that I'm a United Methodist pastor, my long lost acquaintances usually laugh and say something like, "Tommy, you've still got that great sense of humor! What are you really doing?" Sometimes it takes a while to convince them that I'm serious.
After I convince them that I am in fact now a pastor, it's apparently funny to people to recall my more mischievous days. "Remember when you..." is almost always the next phrase that comes out of people's mouths.
I am thankful that God does not remember the sins of my youth or my rebellious ways. My hometown friends might, but God doesn't. Why? If the psalmist in this morning's assigned readings is right, it's because God is merciful and loving. It's because I pray daily that He will show me His ways. I'm much more intentional about asking Him to guide me in truth. I yearn for Him to teach me and I want more than ever to be teachable. In a way that I didn't always do as a child, I'm placing my trust in the Lord.
Oh yeah, I occasionally lose my focus (more times than I'd like to admit). But when my eyes are on Him, He keeps me out of the snares that seek to entrap me.
May God grant you the grace today to place your trust in the Lord. May you know the freedom that comes from knowing that your sins are forgiven and forgotten by God. May you experience the joy that comes from walking with God as you are guided in truth. And may God's tender mercy and love be everywhere you look.
Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you, Lord, are good. -Psalm 25:7 (NIV)
Occasionally I run into someone that I grew up with in Pulaski. As is often the case when I see someone I haven't seen in years, I'll get asked what I'm doing with my life. When I tell them that I'm a United Methodist pastor, my long lost acquaintances usually laugh and say something like, "Tommy, you've still got that great sense of humor! What are you really doing?" Sometimes it takes a while to convince them that I'm serious.
After I convince them that I am in fact now a pastor, it's apparently funny to people to recall my more mischievous days. "Remember when you..." is almost always the next phrase that comes out of people's mouths.
I am thankful that God does not remember the sins of my youth or my rebellious ways. My hometown friends might, but God doesn't. Why? If the psalmist in this morning's assigned readings is right, it's because God is merciful and loving. It's because I pray daily that He will show me His ways. I'm much more intentional about asking Him to guide me in truth. I yearn for Him to teach me and I want more than ever to be teachable. In a way that I didn't always do as a child, I'm placing my trust in the Lord.
Oh yeah, I occasionally lose my focus (more times than I'd like to admit). But when my eyes are on Him, He keeps me out of the snares that seek to entrap me.
May God grant you the grace today to place your trust in the Lord. May you know the freedom that comes from knowing that your sins are forgiven and forgotten by God. May you experience the joy that comes from walking with God as you are guided in truth. And may God's tender mercy and love be everywhere you look.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Clean Hands and Pure Hearts
Please read Leviticus 23-24, Psalm 24, and Acts 21 if you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year.
Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. -Psalm 24:3-4 (NIV)
I remember two things most about Helen. The first thing I remember is that it was in her living room that we watched the World Trade Center Twin Towers collapse on 9/11. The second thing that I remember about Helen is that she refused to wear slacks in the sanctuary of our church; she always wore a dress or a skirt.
Helen wasn't one of those legalists who lived by the strict letter of the law. She just believed that when you approach God in worship, you need to do so thoughtfully, prayerfully, and intending to wear and to offer God your very best. For Helen, that meant no slacks in the sanctuary.
In the psalm this morning, the writer (presumably David) is preparing to worship God on His mountain and in His holy place. David is mindful that the earth and everything in it is the Lord's and that God is the creator of all. And in approaching God to worship, David has his own idea of what it looks like to offer God his very best: clean hands and a pure heart.
If you know me, you know that I'm going to approach God with clean hands. I always have a bottle of hand sanitizer with me. But somehow I don't think that's what David means.
If you know me (and some of you reading this really do), you know that I am no different than anyone else: I don't always have a pure heart. Sometimes I think things I shouldn't think (thank goodness I don't say everything I think).
So what does David mean in saying that clean hands and a pure heart are important in standing before God in worship? Well, I think he means that worship begins long before 8:30 or 11 on Sundays. I think worship really begins long before we walk into the gym or the sanctuary. We prepare for worship by examining what's going on inside us (in our hearts) and outside us (with our hands). Seeking clean hands and pure hearts is a pre-requisite for authentic worship.
Have you looked at your hands today? What about your heart? May God grant you the grace to examine your life, inside and out, before arriving in God's holy place to worship. In so doing, may you receive a special blessing from the Lord.
Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. -Psalm 24:3-4 (NIV)
I remember two things most about Helen. The first thing I remember is that it was in her living room that we watched the World Trade Center Twin Towers collapse on 9/11. The second thing that I remember about Helen is that she refused to wear slacks in the sanctuary of our church; she always wore a dress or a skirt.
Helen wasn't one of those legalists who lived by the strict letter of the law. She just believed that when you approach God in worship, you need to do so thoughtfully, prayerfully, and intending to wear and to offer God your very best. For Helen, that meant no slacks in the sanctuary.
In the psalm this morning, the writer (presumably David) is preparing to worship God on His mountain and in His holy place. David is mindful that the earth and everything in it is the Lord's and that God is the creator of all. And in approaching God to worship, David has his own idea of what it looks like to offer God his very best: clean hands and a pure heart.
If you know me, you know that I'm going to approach God with clean hands. I always have a bottle of hand sanitizer with me. But somehow I don't think that's what David means.
If you know me (and some of you reading this really do), you know that I am no different than anyone else: I don't always have a pure heart. Sometimes I think things I shouldn't think (thank goodness I don't say everything I think).
So what does David mean in saying that clean hands and a pure heart are important in standing before God in worship? Well, I think he means that worship begins long before 8:30 or 11 on Sundays. I think worship really begins long before we walk into the gym or the sanctuary. We prepare for worship by examining what's going on inside us (in our hearts) and outside us (with our hands). Seeking clean hands and pure hearts is a pre-requisite for authentic worship.
Have you looked at your hands today? What about your heart? May God grant you the grace to examine your life, inside and out, before arriving in God's holy place to worship. In so doing, may you receive a special blessing from the Lord.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Stay Awake
Please read Leviticus 18-22 and Acts 19 and 20 if you're interested in reading the Bible through in a year.
Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. -Acts 20:9 (NIV)
In one of the churches I served, there was a man who slept during worship every single week. His friend, who sat faithfully beside him and who had a wicked sense of humor, decided to drop a piece of peppermint candy in his open mouth while he slumbered one morning. It ended up not being very funny as the poor guy almost choked to death. Amazing enough, he didn't sleep nearly as much in church after that!
In our assigned reading this morning, Paul is preaching. Because he intended to leave the next day, he had a lot that he wanted to say. It was well after midnight and Paul was still going strong. (And you thought my sermons were long)
You have to figure that those listening to Paul had put in a long day of work and were exhausted. They had broken bread together which meant that there tummies were full. The room was probably packed full of people. Couple that with lots of oil lamps burning and it was probably hot. If you were lucky enough (the name "Eutychus" means "lucky" in Greek), you could get a window seat. That would allow you to enjoy whatever breeze might be blowing and it would also give you other things to look at if the preacher goes on too long (in my church, people count organ pipes or play games on their smart phones).
Eutychus may have been lucky enough to get a good seat, but his luck ran out when he fell asleep and fell out the third-story window to the ground below. Members of the crowd picked Eutychus up dead but Paul went down and discovered that there was life in him yet! Then Paul went back upstairs and continued his sermon.
Now, I realize that people fall asleep during sermons for any number of reasons. One, the sermon may simply be boring. I've heard (and preached) a few of those. People also sleep because they're tired. Sometimes it's not enough just to get to church; getting some much needed rest the night before is also important. Still others sleep in church because of medication that they're taking, medication that they can't do without.
Regardless of why people sleep during sermons, why do you think this story of someone falling asleep during a sermon is included in scripture? If I had been Paul, I would have lobbied that this story not be included in scripture. Who wants to be known as the one preaching when a kid named "Lucky" fell out a window and died?
I'm guessing that this story was included because of what happens immediately following this story. Paul bids farewell to the leaders of the Ephesian church. He's on his way to Jerusalem, he knows that he will never see these people again, and he knows that once he's gone they will be attacked on all sides in an attempt to distort the truth of the gospel. And Paul's warning to these leaders is this: stay awake.
Have you started to doze off? Why do you think you're falling asleep? How will your slumber affect the way you respond when you're being attacked from every side?
May God grant you the grace to "stay awake" today.
Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. -Acts 20:9 (NIV)
In one of the churches I served, there was a man who slept during worship every single week. His friend, who sat faithfully beside him and who had a wicked sense of humor, decided to drop a piece of peppermint candy in his open mouth while he slumbered one morning. It ended up not being very funny as the poor guy almost choked to death. Amazing enough, he didn't sleep nearly as much in church after that!
In our assigned reading this morning, Paul is preaching. Because he intended to leave the next day, he had a lot that he wanted to say. It was well after midnight and Paul was still going strong. (And you thought my sermons were long)
You have to figure that those listening to Paul had put in a long day of work and were exhausted. They had broken bread together which meant that there tummies were full. The room was probably packed full of people. Couple that with lots of oil lamps burning and it was probably hot. If you were lucky enough (the name "Eutychus" means "lucky" in Greek), you could get a window seat. That would allow you to enjoy whatever breeze might be blowing and it would also give you other things to look at if the preacher goes on too long (in my church, people count organ pipes or play games on their smart phones).
Eutychus may have been lucky enough to get a good seat, but his luck ran out when he fell asleep and fell out the third-story window to the ground below. Members of the crowd picked Eutychus up dead but Paul went down and discovered that there was life in him yet! Then Paul went back upstairs and continued his sermon.
Now, I realize that people fall asleep during sermons for any number of reasons. One, the sermon may simply be boring. I've heard (and preached) a few of those. People also sleep because they're tired. Sometimes it's not enough just to get to church; getting some much needed rest the night before is also important. Still others sleep in church because of medication that they're taking, medication that they can't do without.
Regardless of why people sleep during sermons, why do you think this story of someone falling asleep during a sermon is included in scripture? If I had been Paul, I would have lobbied that this story not be included in scripture. Who wants to be known as the one preaching when a kid named "Lucky" fell out a window and died?
I'm guessing that this story was included because of what happens immediately following this story. Paul bids farewell to the leaders of the Ephesian church. He's on his way to Jerusalem, he knows that he will never see these people again, and he knows that once he's gone they will be attacked on all sides in an attempt to distort the truth of the gospel. And Paul's warning to these leaders is this: stay awake.
Have you started to doze off? Why do you think you're falling asleep? How will your slumber affect the way you respond when you're being attacked from every side?
May God grant you the grace to "stay awake" today.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
How Crab Apples and Goats Remind Me of Sin
Please read Leviticus 15-17 and Acts 18 if you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year.
He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites-all their sins- and put them on the goat's head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness. -Leviticus 16:21-22 (NIV)
I spent many nights of my childhood at The Exchange Club Baseball Park. On nights when my team wasn't playing baseball, I could be found playing cup ball (wadding up a Coke cup to use as the ball) or catching craw fish in the creek that ran alongside the park.
The park also had Crab Apple trees and we would often have crab apple fights where we'd divide up into teams and throw apples at each other. I remember one night when Derek, his brother Jeff, and I loaded up the back of their El Camino with crab apples. On the way home, Derek and I decided that it would be fun to throw apples at cars and people as his dad drove. We never expected that one of our targets would flag Derek's dad down on the side of the road and tell on us.
In the presence of our accuser, Derek's dad asked who threw the apple. I really don't remember if it was me or Derek who threw it. All I can remember is that it wasn't Derek's brother, Jeff. But when asked who threw it, almost in unison, Derek and I said, "Jeff!"
Poor little brother. He ended up taking punishment that he did not deserve. We sat there and watched. I still feel guilty.
Chances are, you've avoided the Leviticus readings the past several days or at the very least just skimmed them. The Levitical laws seem so foreign to our modern way of living; it's hard enough to adhere to the big Ten Commandments. But in today's assigned reading, God instructed Moses about what Aaron should do on the Day of Atonement.
One of the instructions was to present two goats to the Lord. One goat was to be sacrificed as a sin offering. Aaron was to take the other goat and pray over it, confessing all of the sins of the people and symbolically placing those sins on the head of the second goat. The goat was then to be sent into the wilderness carrying all of their sins to a remote place away from them.
When I read these instructions, I couldn't help but be reminded of the seriousness with which God regards sin. Sin separates us from the life and the relationship that God desires for people to experience. In other words, sin leads to death. The death of the first goat, at the very least, represents the death that results from sin.
The second goat, taking on the sins of the world (even though the goat had done nothing to deserve it) leaves me thinking of my friend Jeff in the back of that El Camino. But even more so, it leaves me thinking of Jesus. He experienced punishment that he did not deserve, taking on my sin and yours, so that we might have the abundant life that God desires. That's how serious sin is. And that's how great God's love is.
May God grant you the grace to realize the seriousness with which God regards sin as well as sin's destructive power (a destruction that leads to death) in our lives. And may the actions of Jesus on the cross lead you to turn from sin, experience forgiveness, and receive the new life that God desires for you.
He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites-all their sins- and put them on the goat's head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness. -Leviticus 16:21-22 (NIV)
I spent many nights of my childhood at The Exchange Club Baseball Park. On nights when my team wasn't playing baseball, I could be found playing cup ball (wadding up a Coke cup to use as the ball) or catching craw fish in the creek that ran alongside the park.
The park also had Crab Apple trees and we would often have crab apple fights where we'd divide up into teams and throw apples at each other. I remember one night when Derek, his brother Jeff, and I loaded up the back of their El Camino with crab apples. On the way home, Derek and I decided that it would be fun to throw apples at cars and people as his dad drove. We never expected that one of our targets would flag Derek's dad down on the side of the road and tell on us.
In the presence of our accuser, Derek's dad asked who threw the apple. I really don't remember if it was me or Derek who threw it. All I can remember is that it wasn't Derek's brother, Jeff. But when asked who threw it, almost in unison, Derek and I said, "Jeff!"
Poor little brother. He ended up taking punishment that he did not deserve. We sat there and watched. I still feel guilty.
Chances are, you've avoided the Leviticus readings the past several days or at the very least just skimmed them. The Levitical laws seem so foreign to our modern way of living; it's hard enough to adhere to the big Ten Commandments. But in today's assigned reading, God instructed Moses about what Aaron should do on the Day of Atonement.
One of the instructions was to present two goats to the Lord. One goat was to be sacrificed as a sin offering. Aaron was to take the other goat and pray over it, confessing all of the sins of the people and symbolically placing those sins on the head of the second goat. The goat was then to be sent into the wilderness carrying all of their sins to a remote place away from them.
When I read these instructions, I couldn't help but be reminded of the seriousness with which God regards sin. Sin separates us from the life and the relationship that God desires for people to experience. In other words, sin leads to death. The death of the first goat, at the very least, represents the death that results from sin.
The second goat, taking on the sins of the world (even though the goat had done nothing to deserve it) leaves me thinking of my friend Jeff in the back of that El Camino. But even more so, it leaves me thinking of Jesus. He experienced punishment that he did not deserve, taking on my sin and yours, so that we might have the abundant life that God desires. That's how serious sin is. And that's how great God's love is.
May God grant you the grace to realize the seriousness with which God regards sin as well as sin's destructive power (a destruction that leads to death) in our lives. And may the actions of Jesus on the cross lead you to turn from sin, experience forgiveness, and receive the new life that God desires for you.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Know Your Community
Please read Leviticus 13-14 and Acts 17 if you're interested in reading the Bible through in a year.
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. -Acts 17:16-17 (NIV)
How well do you know your community? How well do you know the behaviors and beliefs of the particular area in which you live? I moved into a new community once and made an appointment with several city leaders to ask them about the place that had recently become my new home. These leaders had no trouble telling me some of the wonderful qualities about the community but struggled to answer questions about what problems faced the community and how the church I was serving might help.
Knowing your community and knowing the culture of your community is important if you're ever going to make a difference. In today's assigned scripture reading, Paul visits Athens. It's obvious that Paul knew this community and he uses that knowledge to affirm the positives (they are religious) but also to point out the negatives (they are ignorant to think that God is an image made by human design and skill). You may disagree with his style (Paul can sound quite abrasive at times), but you cannot deny that he was well aware of the behaviors and beliefs of the community and sought to affirm what he could affirm, but correct what he couldn't affirm.
May God grant you the grace to know your community, its beliefs, its behaviors, its positives, its negatives, its needs, and its growing edges. And may you use this information to make your community a better place not only to live but to grow in faith.
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. -Acts 17:16-17 (NIV)
How well do you know your community? How well do you know the behaviors and beliefs of the particular area in which you live? I moved into a new community once and made an appointment with several city leaders to ask them about the place that had recently become my new home. These leaders had no trouble telling me some of the wonderful qualities about the community but struggled to answer questions about what problems faced the community and how the church I was serving might help.
Knowing your community and knowing the culture of your community is important if you're ever going to make a difference. In today's assigned scripture reading, Paul visits Athens. It's obvious that Paul knew this community and he uses that knowledge to affirm the positives (they are religious) but also to point out the negatives (they are ignorant to think that God is an image made by human design and skill). You may disagree with his style (Paul can sound quite abrasive at times), but you cannot deny that he was well aware of the behaviors and beliefs of the community and sought to affirm what he could affirm, but correct what he couldn't affirm.
May God grant you the grace to know your community, its beliefs, its behaviors, its positives, its negatives, its needs, and its growing edges. And may you use this information to make your community a better place not only to live but to grow in faith.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Reflect the Son...
Please read Leviticus 10-12 and Acts 16 if you're interested in reading the Bible through in a year.
About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. -Acts 16:25 (NIV)
A Facebook friend alerted me to the beautiful moon that was shining earlier this week. I went outside to see it. It was breathtaking. Whenever I see the moon, I am reminded of what the moon does: it reflects the rays of the sun into the dark night. Then I am reminded that I am called to do something very similar: reflect the rays of God's Son into the darkness of our world.
We encounter a similar reminder in today's assigned reading. Paul and several others were met by a female slave who was possessed by a spirit. Paul became so annoyed that he commanded the spirit to come out of her (in the name of Jesus) and this action landed him and Silas in jail.
When I visited the Holy Land a few years ago, I toured what was believed to be a jail during the time of Jesus. This jail was more like a dungeon: small, dark, and damp. Much like our jails today, this jail was likely overcrowded with many hardened criminals. Places like this were meant to instill fear and isolation.
But Paul and Silas were not overcome with fear in their jail cell; they were overcome with worship. Like our moon, they saw their existence as an opportunity to reflect the rays of the Son into the darkness of that cell.
Even after the earthquake, when their shackles had been broken and they were free to leave, they remained in the jail cell because the jailer was contemplating suicide. They decided to be a light in his darkness. They treated his life as more important than their own. And it made a difference: the jailer decided not to take his own life and he and his entire family came to faith in Christ and were baptized.
May God grant you the grace to be light in someone's darkness today. There's no telling what kind of difference you can make.
About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. -Acts 16:25 (NIV)
A Facebook friend alerted me to the beautiful moon that was shining earlier this week. I went outside to see it. It was breathtaking. Whenever I see the moon, I am reminded of what the moon does: it reflects the rays of the sun into the dark night. Then I am reminded that I am called to do something very similar: reflect the rays of God's Son into the darkness of our world.
We encounter a similar reminder in today's assigned reading. Paul and several others were met by a female slave who was possessed by a spirit. Paul became so annoyed that he commanded the spirit to come out of her (in the name of Jesus) and this action landed him and Silas in jail.
When I visited the Holy Land a few years ago, I toured what was believed to be a jail during the time of Jesus. This jail was more like a dungeon: small, dark, and damp. Much like our jails today, this jail was likely overcrowded with many hardened criminals. Places like this were meant to instill fear and isolation.
But Paul and Silas were not overcome with fear in their jail cell; they were overcome with worship. Like our moon, they saw their existence as an opportunity to reflect the rays of the Son into the darkness of that cell.
Even after the earthquake, when their shackles had been broken and they were free to leave, they remained in the jail cell because the jailer was contemplating suicide. They decided to be a light in his darkness. They treated his life as more important than their own. And it made a difference: the jailer decided not to take his own life and he and his entire family came to faith in Christ and were baptized.
May God grant you the grace to be light in someone's darkness today. There's no telling what kind of difference you can make.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
When You Disagree
Please read Leviticus 7-9 and Acts 15 if you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year.
This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. -Acts 15:2 (NIV)
I am thankful for the opportunity to serve God as a pastor. I enjoy what I do. But there are parts of the job that are still troubling to me even after 15 years of doing what I do. One of the more troubling parts is disagreement in the church. It breaks my heart when people within the body of Christ get upset at one another and are unable to reconcile.
In the assigned reading this morning, there is disagreement in the early church: whether Gentile Christians were required to adhere to the law of Moses. Gentile Christians were believers in Jesus who had not previously been Jewish. There were Jewish Christians who believed that the law, especially circumcision, was still necessary for salvation.
Paul and Barnabas (along with some other believers) were sent to Jerusalem to discuss and debate this issue in the hopes of resolving the disagreement. They listened to the wisdom of respected leaders. They also examined scripture to see what it might say to the issue. Once they made a decision, they wrote a letter and sent it with it some of the leaders who could present the letter and help interpret it. This particular portion of the story ends well as those who read the letter were encouraged and strengthened.
Unfortunately, some time later Paul and Barnabas (two of the leaders entrusted to resolve the issue of adhering to Mosaic Law) have a disagreement of their own. Unfortunately, the disagreement was so sharp that they parted company over it. I'm sure that was painful. I've seen things like that happen all too frequently in my own life and ministry.
Yet as I read the scripture this morning, it occurred to me that good still came from this disagreement between Paul and Barnabas. Yes, they ended up going separate ways with different people but the separation increased the territory of their influence and further strengthened the churches.
May God grant you the grace, when disagreement arises, to come together in Christian love to prayerfully and thoughtfully discuss the issue. Listen to leaders you trust and respect. Examine scripture to see what it might say to the issue you're discussing. And may there be resolution to your disagreement that encourages and strengthens all parties. If the disagreement leads to a parting of ways, may God still strengthen you and the Kingdom.
This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. -Acts 15:2 (NIV)
I am thankful for the opportunity to serve God as a pastor. I enjoy what I do. But there are parts of the job that are still troubling to me even after 15 years of doing what I do. One of the more troubling parts is disagreement in the church. It breaks my heart when people within the body of Christ get upset at one another and are unable to reconcile.
In the assigned reading this morning, there is disagreement in the early church: whether Gentile Christians were required to adhere to the law of Moses. Gentile Christians were believers in Jesus who had not previously been Jewish. There were Jewish Christians who believed that the law, especially circumcision, was still necessary for salvation.
Paul and Barnabas (along with some other believers) were sent to Jerusalem to discuss and debate this issue in the hopes of resolving the disagreement. They listened to the wisdom of respected leaders. They also examined scripture to see what it might say to the issue. Once they made a decision, they wrote a letter and sent it with it some of the leaders who could present the letter and help interpret it. This particular portion of the story ends well as those who read the letter were encouraged and strengthened.
Unfortunately, some time later Paul and Barnabas (two of the leaders entrusted to resolve the issue of adhering to Mosaic Law) have a disagreement of their own. Unfortunately, the disagreement was so sharp that they parted company over it. I'm sure that was painful. I've seen things like that happen all too frequently in my own life and ministry.
Yet as I read the scripture this morning, it occurred to me that good still came from this disagreement between Paul and Barnabas. Yes, they ended up going separate ways with different people but the separation increased the territory of their influence and further strengthened the churches.
May God grant you the grace, when disagreement arises, to come together in Christian love to prayerfully and thoughtfully discuss the issue. Listen to leaders you trust and respect. Examine scripture to see what it might say to the issue you're discussing. And may there be resolution to your disagreement that encourages and strengthens all parties. If the disagreement leads to a parting of ways, may God still strengthen you and the Kingdom.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Be an Agent of Healing
Please read Leviticus 4-6 and Acts 14 if you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year.
When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" -Acts 14:11 (NIV)
When I was diagnosed with cancer, someone from a church I previously served recommended that I get Dr. Barbara Murphy as my oncologist. I called to make an appointment with her only to be told that she was not currently accepting new patients. As I had prayed about this important decision, I felt certain that Dr. Murphy was supposed to be my oncologist. So I called back. I told the receptionist that I was a person of faith, that I had been praying, and that I felt certain that Dr. Murphy was to be my doctor. I asked her to tell this to Dr. Murphy. If she still felt like she couldn't accept me as a patient, I'd accept it, but if she would accept me, I'd be most grateful. After telling Dr. Murphy my story, she agreed to take me on as a patient. And I must say that she has been a blessing.
The quality that I have appreciated most about Dr. Murphy is that she has always seemed to know when what I needed most was a hug and when what I needed most was a swift kick in the behind. She has always been able to just look at me and see what was most appropriate in that particular moment. Folks, I don't think they teach that in medical school. I believe that such a quality is a gift from God.
Paul seems to have had that quality too. In the scripture lesson for today, Paul encounters a lame man who had been that way since birth. Paul looks at him and somehow senses exactly what is going on inside him and exactly what he needs.
God uses Paul as an agent of healing and the man who had never walked jumps up and begins to walk (I bet he skipped). When the crowd sees what happened, they quickly conclude that "the gods have come down to us in human form," that Paul is some divine miracle worker. Paul corrects them, saying that he is very much human and simply an agent through whom God has chosen to work.
I understand why the people said what they said about Paul. When I think about how incredibly awesome Dr. Murphy is, I'm tempted to give her all the credit for her part in ridding my body of cancer. And yet I know that, as incredibly awesome as she is, Dr. Murphy is simply an agent through whom God has brought healing.
May God grant you the grace to know exactly what's going on inside someone else’s life today and may God use you as an agent through whom healing takes place.
When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" -Acts 14:11 (NIV)
When I was diagnosed with cancer, someone from a church I previously served recommended that I get Dr. Barbara Murphy as my oncologist. I called to make an appointment with her only to be told that she was not currently accepting new patients. As I had prayed about this important decision, I felt certain that Dr. Murphy was supposed to be my oncologist. So I called back. I told the receptionist that I was a person of faith, that I had been praying, and that I felt certain that Dr. Murphy was to be my doctor. I asked her to tell this to Dr. Murphy. If she still felt like she couldn't accept me as a patient, I'd accept it, but if she would accept me, I'd be most grateful. After telling Dr. Murphy my story, she agreed to take me on as a patient. And I must say that she has been a blessing.
The quality that I have appreciated most about Dr. Murphy is that she has always seemed to know when what I needed most was a hug and when what I needed most was a swift kick in the behind. She has always been able to just look at me and see what was most appropriate in that particular moment. Folks, I don't think they teach that in medical school. I believe that such a quality is a gift from God.
Paul seems to have had that quality too. In the scripture lesson for today, Paul encounters a lame man who had been that way since birth. Paul looks at him and somehow senses exactly what is going on inside him and exactly what he needs.
God uses Paul as an agent of healing and the man who had never walked jumps up and begins to walk (I bet he skipped). When the crowd sees what happened, they quickly conclude that "the gods have come down to us in human form," that Paul is some divine miracle worker. Paul corrects them, saying that he is very much human and simply an agent through whom God has chosen to work.
I understand why the people said what they said about Paul. When I think about how incredibly awesome Dr. Murphy is, I'm tempted to give her all the credit for her part in ridding my body of cancer. And yet I know that, as incredibly awesome as she is, Dr. Murphy is simply an agent through whom God has brought healing.
May God grant you the grace to know exactly what's going on inside someone else’s life today and may God use you as an agent through whom healing takes place.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Just Beyond the Next Door
Please read Exodus 39-40, Leviticus 1-3, Psalm 15, and Acts 12 and 13 if you're interested in reading through the Bible in one year
You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "it must be his angel." But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded." -Acts 12:15-16 (NIV)
I have been trying to get away from the subject of prayer. It's an important subject, to be sure. It's just that I've talked about it a lot lately and I don't want people to start thinking, "Oh, goody. Another sermon or devotional on prayer" and then zone out on me. But if the last few days are any indication, God's not ready for me (or you) to move away from the subject of prayer just yet. Why do I say that? Well, when Ann mentioned a sermon idea about prayer for this past Sunday, I thanked her but said that I was going to move in a different direction. I got sick on Saturday afternoon and Ann had to fill the pulpit in my absence on Sunday. Guess what she talked about? Prayer. This morning, as I read the scripture readings for the past two days, the subject of prayer again surfaced. God must be trying to tell me something.
In our scripture this morning, Peter was arrested because of his association with the church. Many people gathered at the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, to pray for him, presumably for his release. When Peter was freed from prison by a messenger of God, he went to the house where the people were praying and knocked at the door. When Rhoda, the servant girl who answered the door, went to tell the others that Peter was at the door, the praying people thought that Rhoda had lost her mind. They were astounded to learn that the one for whom they had been praying, was free and before them.
How often do you pray to God about something and receive an answer from God only not to believe it? How many times has God answered your prayer only for you to act surprised or astonished? May God grant you the grace to pray with boldness and to pray expectantly today. And may the answer to your prayer be just behind the next door.
Note: I've been sick this past weekend and that's why the devotional is a little late today. My apologies.
You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "it must be his angel." But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded." -Acts 12:15-16 (NIV)
I have been trying to get away from the subject of prayer. It's an important subject, to be sure. It's just that I've talked about it a lot lately and I don't want people to start thinking, "Oh, goody. Another sermon or devotional on prayer" and then zone out on me. But if the last few days are any indication, God's not ready for me (or you) to move away from the subject of prayer just yet. Why do I say that? Well, when Ann mentioned a sermon idea about prayer for this past Sunday, I thanked her but said that I was going to move in a different direction. I got sick on Saturday afternoon and Ann had to fill the pulpit in my absence on Sunday. Guess what she talked about? Prayer. This morning, as I read the scripture readings for the past two days, the subject of prayer again surfaced. God must be trying to tell me something.
In our scripture this morning, Peter was arrested because of his association with the church. Many people gathered at the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, to pray for him, presumably for his release. When Peter was freed from prison by a messenger of God, he went to the house where the people were praying and knocked at the door. When Rhoda, the servant girl who answered the door, went to tell the others that Peter was at the door, the praying people thought that Rhoda had lost her mind. They were astounded to learn that the one for whom they had been praying, was free and before them.
How often do you pray to God about something and receive an answer from God only not to believe it? How many times has God answered your prayer only for you to act surprised or astonished? May God grant you the grace to pray with boldness and to pray expectantly today. And may the answer to your prayer be just behind the next door.
Note: I've been sick this past weekend and that's why the devotional is a little late today. My apologies.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
A Good Way to Begin the Day
Please read Exodus 37-38, Psalm 19, and Acts 11 if you're interested in reading the Bible through in a year.
"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer." -Psalm 19:14 (KJV)
There are lots of people studying the New Testament book of James in our church right now. Hardly a day goes by that I don't hear someone speak to some truth or application that they've gleaned from this scripture. One person recently shared that James' instruction to "be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry" (James 1:19) as her biggest growing edge.
I was reminded of that statement as I read this morning's psalm. In Psalm 19:14, the psalmist writes, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."
A lot of preachers make this their prayer before they preach on Sunday mornings. I can certainly understand. When I'm standing before the people of God proclaiming the Good News of God, I'm more than a little concerned that the words I speak are acceptable to God and it's largely because of another verse in the book of James (3:1): "Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly."
But I wonder how my life would be different if I made Psalm 19:14 my prayer, not just before preaching, but before everything? I wonder the same about you. How would your life be different if you began each day saying, "Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing or acceptable to you today"? Do you think it would change the way you react to the person who cuts you off in traffic? Or to the person who straddles two parking spaces at Walmart? Or when it takes too long to get your food at lunch?
May God grant you the grace today to commit the words of your mouth and meditations of your heart to being acceptable to Him...and may this decision not only make God's day more pleasant, but yours as well.
"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer." -Psalm 19:14 (KJV)
There are lots of people studying the New Testament book of James in our church right now. Hardly a day goes by that I don't hear someone speak to some truth or application that they've gleaned from this scripture. One person recently shared that James' instruction to "be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry" (James 1:19) as her biggest growing edge.
I was reminded of that statement as I read this morning's psalm. In Psalm 19:14, the psalmist writes, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."
A lot of preachers make this their prayer before they preach on Sunday mornings. I can certainly understand. When I'm standing before the people of God proclaiming the Good News of God, I'm more than a little concerned that the words I speak are acceptable to God and it's largely because of another verse in the book of James (3:1): "Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly."
But I wonder how my life would be different if I made Psalm 19:14 my prayer, not just before preaching, but before everything? I wonder the same about you. How would your life be different if you began each day saying, "Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing or acceptable to you today"? Do you think it would change the way you react to the person who cuts you off in traffic? Or to the person who straddles two parking spaces at Walmart? Or when it takes too long to get your food at lunch?
May God grant you the grace today to commit the words of your mouth and meditations of your heart to being acceptable to Him...and may this decision not only make God's day more pleasant, but yours as well.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Seeing Red...
Please read Exodus 35-36 and Acts 10 if you're interested in reading the Bible through in a year.
Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all." Acts 10:34-36 (NIV)
This morning, I am remembering "Red." Those of you who live in Fayetteville probably remember "Red." Before his death, he could be seen walking all over town asking for money to buy alcohol and cigarettes. On Sunday mornings, you could be sure that he would make his way to our church. He was always dirty, always foul-smelling, always begging.
The easy thing to do would have been to turn Red away at the door or quickly give him some money so that he'd leave without too much of a disturbance. But that's not what happened. Instead, good people from our church invited Red to come worship with us. They sat with him. They helped him find the hymns in the hymn book. They helped him find the scripture reading in the pew Bible. They asked him how he was feeling and inquired about his needs. When the offering plate came by, they'd put some money in Red's hand. At first, Red tried to keep the money for himself, but he was told that the money was to be given to God as an expression of thanks. He reluctantly put it in the plate the first few times, but soon became more of a cheerful giver. At the end of worship each Sunday, church members would make sure that Red had the means to get a warm meal...and (I'm guessing) another cigarette.
Red could be a disruption. You never knew when he might get up to go smoke or to take a seat in the choir loft. But Red was welcomed in our church because our church believes that Jesus is Lord of all.
In today's scripture reading, Peter falls into a trance and heaven is opened. Peter sees all sorts of animals and is told to kill and eat them. Peter initially resists because early Jewish-Christian tradition regarded many of these animals as impure and unclean. But the voice tells Peter that he should not call anything impure what God has made clean. Peter is then prompted by the spirit to go to a man who already has three strikes against him (he's a Gentile, a Roman citizen, and a member of the army that is occupying Israel at the time) to testify to the fact that Jesus is Lord of all.
When Peter went out of his comfort zone to acknowledge Cornelius' inclusion in God's kingdom, the Scripture records that the Holy Spirit descended upon them. Maybe that's why I often sensed the Holy Spirit in a special way when I'd look to the back of the church and see Red sitting there.
May God grant you the grace to embrace that Jesus is Lord of all and provide you with a Red or a Cornelius with whom to share the Good News today.
Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all." Acts 10:34-36 (NIV)
This morning, I am remembering "Red." Those of you who live in Fayetteville probably remember "Red." Before his death, he could be seen walking all over town asking for money to buy alcohol and cigarettes. On Sunday mornings, you could be sure that he would make his way to our church. He was always dirty, always foul-smelling, always begging.
The easy thing to do would have been to turn Red away at the door or quickly give him some money so that he'd leave without too much of a disturbance. But that's not what happened. Instead, good people from our church invited Red to come worship with us. They sat with him. They helped him find the hymns in the hymn book. They helped him find the scripture reading in the pew Bible. They asked him how he was feeling and inquired about his needs. When the offering plate came by, they'd put some money in Red's hand. At first, Red tried to keep the money for himself, but he was told that the money was to be given to God as an expression of thanks. He reluctantly put it in the plate the first few times, but soon became more of a cheerful giver. At the end of worship each Sunday, church members would make sure that Red had the means to get a warm meal...and (I'm guessing) another cigarette.
Red could be a disruption. You never knew when he might get up to go smoke or to take a seat in the choir loft. But Red was welcomed in our church because our church believes that Jesus is Lord of all.
In today's scripture reading, Peter falls into a trance and heaven is opened. Peter sees all sorts of animals and is told to kill and eat them. Peter initially resists because early Jewish-Christian tradition regarded many of these animals as impure and unclean. But the voice tells Peter that he should not call anything impure what God has made clean. Peter is then prompted by the spirit to go to a man who already has three strikes against him (he's a Gentile, a Roman citizen, and a member of the army that is occupying Israel at the time) to testify to the fact that Jesus is Lord of all.
When Peter went out of his comfort zone to acknowledge Cornelius' inclusion in God's kingdom, the Scripture records that the Holy Spirit descended upon them. Maybe that's why I often sensed the Holy Spirit in a special way when I'd look to the back of the church and see Red sitting there.
May God grant you the grace to embrace that Jesus is Lord of all and provide you with a Red or a Cornelius with whom to share the Good News today.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Don't Give Up
Please read Exodus 33-34, Psalm 16 and Acts 9 if you're interested in reading the Bible through in a year.
"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name." -Acts 9:13 (NIV)
For most of my father's adult life, he was a practicing alcoholic and not a Christian. I can remember that most of my childhood prayers centered around asking God to help my father stop drinking and start going to church. But nothing changed. I'm ashamed to admit that I reached a point when I seriously doubted that even God could affect change in my father's life. He had been doing what he was doing for too long, I concluded.
Through a series of events that are too many to list here, my dad had an encounter with Christ. He stopped drinking. He started going to church. He walked the aisle of Pulaski First United Methodist Church, confessed his sin, acknowledged his need for a Savior, and (thanks to Jim Beaty's invitation) I was there to baptize my father. Before he died, my father took part in all of the Disciple Bible Studies and my most treasured possessions of my father are these books where his notes reveal his first serious study of God's word.
I had my doubts about my dad ever being able to make these significant changes in his life. But my dad became one of the best examples that I've ever seen of what Christ can do in a person's life.
It sounds as if Ananias had some doubts about Saul being able to overcome his past. When Jesus called to Ananias in a vision and told him to go to Saul, Ananias pointed out that this Saul was a pretty shady character. He had brought harm to many believers. He was breathing out murderous threats to all believers. It's as if he was saying, "There's no use wasting time with this guy. Saul will never change."
But Jesus instructed Ananias to nevertheless go to Saul because Saul was an instrument of God to proclaim Christ to the people. Ananias went and did as Jesus commanded and Saul went on to become of the faith's best examples of what Christ can do.
Is there someone in your life that you've been praying for endlessly but have begun to wonder if transformation is possible? May God grant you the grace to not give up on that person. I'm not suggesting that God wants you to stay in a bad relationship or a bad situation. But what I am suggesting is that nothing is impossible for God. And the person you've been praying for most may be the next instrument that God intends to use to proclaim the good news of Jesus.
"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name." -Acts 9:13 (NIV)
For most of my father's adult life, he was a practicing alcoholic and not a Christian. I can remember that most of my childhood prayers centered around asking God to help my father stop drinking and start going to church. But nothing changed. I'm ashamed to admit that I reached a point when I seriously doubted that even God could affect change in my father's life. He had been doing what he was doing for too long, I concluded.
Through a series of events that are too many to list here, my dad had an encounter with Christ. He stopped drinking. He started going to church. He walked the aisle of Pulaski First United Methodist Church, confessed his sin, acknowledged his need for a Savior, and (thanks to Jim Beaty's invitation) I was there to baptize my father. Before he died, my father took part in all of the Disciple Bible Studies and my most treasured possessions of my father are these books where his notes reveal his first serious study of God's word.
I had my doubts about my dad ever being able to make these significant changes in his life. But my dad became one of the best examples that I've ever seen of what Christ can do in a person's life.
It sounds as if Ananias had some doubts about Saul being able to overcome his past. When Jesus called to Ananias in a vision and told him to go to Saul, Ananias pointed out that this Saul was a pretty shady character. He had brought harm to many believers. He was breathing out murderous threats to all believers. It's as if he was saying, "There's no use wasting time with this guy. Saul will never change."
But Jesus instructed Ananias to nevertheless go to Saul because Saul was an instrument of God to proclaim Christ to the people. Ananias went and did as Jesus commanded and Saul went on to become of the faith's best examples of what Christ can do.
Is there someone in your life that you've been praying for endlessly but have begun to wonder if transformation is possible? May God grant you the grace to not give up on that person. I'm not suggesting that God wants you to stay in a bad relationship or a bad situation. But what I am suggesting is that nothing is impossible for God. And the person you've been praying for most may be the next instrument that God intends to use to proclaim the good news of Jesus.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Those Who Know Tell Those Who Don't
Please read Exodus 30-32 and Acts 8 if you're reading through the Bible in a year.
Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. -Acts 8:35 (NIV)
I'll begin this morning's devotional with a joke that I tell all the time. Yes, you've probably heard it but it fits with what I'd like to lift up about today's scripture.
A seminary student was taking a preaching class but absolutely afraid of preaching in front of his peers. When it came his time to preach, he stood up and said, "Do you know what I'm going to say today?" Everyone shook their head, "No," and the student said, "Neither do I. Let us stand for the benediction."
The instructor obviously wasn't satisfied and called on the student again during the next class. He once again began by saying, "Do you know what I'm going to say today?" Having been in class the day before, the other students nodded "Yes." "Good," the preacher said. "There's no use saying it again. Let us stand for the benediction."
Not surprisingly, the instructor wasn't pleased and called on the student a third time. Again the student asked the question, "Do you know what I'm going to say today?" Half of the students shook their head "no" and half of the students nodded "yes." "Good," the student said, "Those who know tell those who don't know. Let us stand for the benediction."
You and I live in a world where at least two generations of people have grown up outside of the church. Most people still claim to believe in God but a surprising number of people are spiritually illiterate. At the same time, people are surprisingly more open to having spiritual conversations than at any time that I can remember.
Today's scripture is a reminder that those who know have a responsibility to share with those who don't know. It's important to note that Philip met this Ethiopian official on his turf and on his terms. He noticed that the official was reading from the book of Isaiah so he used that passage as the starting point to introduce the man to Jesus. Philip allowed the official to frame the conversation and ask questions. The Ethiopian responded by being baptized and went on his way rejoicing.
May God grant you the grace today to share what you know with people who don't know. May God reveal to you how to meet people where they are and may God empower you to share the good news in a way in which people can receive it, respect it, and respond to it. And may you all go away rejoicing.
Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. -Acts 8:35 (NIV)
I'll begin this morning's devotional with a joke that I tell all the time. Yes, you've probably heard it but it fits with what I'd like to lift up about today's scripture.
A seminary student was taking a preaching class but absolutely afraid of preaching in front of his peers. When it came his time to preach, he stood up and said, "Do you know what I'm going to say today?" Everyone shook their head, "No," and the student said, "Neither do I. Let us stand for the benediction."
The instructor obviously wasn't satisfied and called on the student again during the next class. He once again began by saying, "Do you know what I'm going to say today?" Having been in class the day before, the other students nodded "Yes." "Good," the preacher said. "There's no use saying it again. Let us stand for the benediction."
Not surprisingly, the instructor wasn't pleased and called on the student a third time. Again the student asked the question, "Do you know what I'm going to say today?" Half of the students shook their head "no" and half of the students nodded "yes." "Good," the student said, "Those who know tell those who don't know. Let us stand for the benediction."
You and I live in a world where at least two generations of people have grown up outside of the church. Most people still claim to believe in God but a surprising number of people are spiritually illiterate. At the same time, people are surprisingly more open to having spiritual conversations than at any time that I can remember.
Today's scripture is a reminder that those who know have a responsibility to share with those who don't know. It's important to note that Philip met this Ethiopian official on his turf and on his terms. He noticed that the official was reading from the book of Isaiah so he used that passage as the starting point to introduce the man to Jesus. Philip allowed the official to frame the conversation and ask questions. The Ethiopian responded by being baptized and went on his way rejoicing.
May God grant you the grace today to share what you know with people who don't know. May God reveal to you how to meet people where they are and may God empower you to share the good news in a way in which people can receive it, respect it, and respond to it. And may you all go away rejoicing.
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