pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!


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False Gods and Idols

Reading: Exodus 32:1-10

Exodus 32:7 – “Hurry up and go down! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, are ruining everything!”

Photo credit: Ricardo Gomez Angel

In our Old Testament reading today and tomorrow, Moses is up on the mountain receiving instructions from God. Starting in chapter 25, God gives Moses detailed instructions for the tabernacle and for observing the Sabbath. Moses has been with God for forty days. So at the start of chapter 32 the people come to Aaron, unsure about ever seeing Moses again, and ask Aaron to make them a “god.” The one left in charge gives in to the crowd and forms a golden calf. Two of the popular deities in Egypt were represented by a bull. Aaron does try to turn their focus to God by holding a festival to the Lord. But in the end, the people worship the golden idol. With their only connection to the one true God gone forever, the people turn to a false idol – one they can see and touch and can shape or manipulate with their own hands.

God sees what is happening and says to Moses, “Hurry up and go down! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, are ruining everything!” God’s plan is harsh. We find a hint as God calls them “your people.” With these words, God is rhetorically rejecting Israel. God’s plan is to allow the fury to burn and to devour these stubborn and faithless people. Then God will start all over with Moses!

I wonder if God ever feels this way in our day. I wonder if God ever looks down at our way of living and feels anger rising up inside. Do the false gods and idols that we chase after when we’ve lost our connection to God make God feel like “devouring” us? In these moments I remember that, like Israel in the wilderness, we are still a work in progress. We are yet becoming who God created us to be. In tomorrow’s reading, Moses will intercede for the people. For you, for me, for our world today – we too have an intercessor. The risen Christ stands between us and God, interceding on our behalf. Jesus walked among us. He understands our struggles and temptations. Thank you, Jesus.

Prayer: Lord God, when we drift and our connection with you feels lost, the things of this world seem brighter, shinier, more attractive. In these early moments, when we’re looking towards other “gods,” draw us back to you. Whisper in our hearts, reminding us of your love. May this be what captures our attention, our focus, our worship. Amen.


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Building the Kingdom

Reading: Matthew 21:33-45

Matthew 21:43 – “God’s kingdom will be taken away from you and will be given to a people who produce fruit.”

Photo credit: Summertrain

As a continued response to the religious leader’s questions about Jesus’ authority to tip over tables in the temple, Jesus offers a second parable in the gospel of Matthew. A vineyard is built and is rented to some tenant farmers. At harvest time a portion of the crop is due to the owner. He sends some servants to collect the fruit. They are mistreated – some are beaten and some are killed. After this happens again, the owner sends his own son. The tenants kill him too, thinking that they can then take the inheritance.

Jesus asks the religious leaders what the owner will do now. Their response: “He will totally destroy those wicked farmers.” The vineyard will be rented to others who will give their fruit to the owner. Jesus then quotes from Psalm 118: “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” Suddenly the religious leaders become the focus of the lesson. Jesus tells them bluntly: “God’s kingdom will be taken away from you and will be given to a people who produce fruit.” And this stone that is rejected? It will crush those that it falls upon.

The question for us, God’s people today, is this: Are we, are you, am I producing fruit for the kingdom of God? We have each been blessed by God with gifts and talents, with resources and time, and with an inheritance to share with others. Are we taking what we’ve been given and using it to lift others, to care for others, to encourage others, to stand and speak for others? Doing so, we are planting seeds so that others can one day come to know the Lord. This is the “fruit” we’re called to help produce. When faith sprouts and grows, God will multiply it to build the kingdom of God here on earth. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, open our eyes to the opportunities that you give us to serve and love others. Through the sharing of our faith, may others be blessed. And through these blessings, O God, may faith take root, drawing others towards Jesus so that they too can come to know the Son as the Lord of their lives. Amen.


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God’s Upward Call

Reading: Philippians 3:4-14

Philippians 4:14 – “The goal I pursue is the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus.”

Photo credit: Pablo Heimplatz

Our Epistle reading begins with a list of accolades and accomplishments. These are the titles and things that would impress the religious people of Paul’s day. Modernizing the list, it might read: “I’m a Christian… an American… an elder at my church… I do no wrong…” Outside the church, one might say, “I’m a billionaire… I’m the CEO of ___… I’m an All-Star… I won a Grammy…” These status symbols matter in certain circles. But for Paul, when Jesus found him, he “wrote them off as a loss for the sake of Christ.” As Paul walked with Jesus, the things of this world became unimportant. Paul’s identity was in Christ.

Paul came to understand that because Christ was in him, his righteousness was “not my own.” It had been before. In his old life, Paul knew an outward righteousness based upon what he did. In and with Jesus, Paul came to know an inward righteousness – one based on faith alone. Because it is grounded in Christ’s faithfulness, this inward righteousness is not tied to the things of this world. With Christ in his heart, Paul strove to live in right relationships with God and with his fellow human beings. Through faith in Christ, we can strive to live this way too.

In the last few verses, Paul lifts his spirit and his thoughts heavenward. First recognizing that he has not yet “been perfected,” Paul declares that he is still pursuing eternal life. Forgetting his past, Paul looks forward and upward. In verse 14 we read, “The goal I pursue is the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus.” Living faithfully day by day, loving God and neighbor, trusting in the power of Jesus Christ, Paul presses on for the prize: perfect fellowship with Jesus in glory. Day by day, may we press on for the prize.

Prayer: Lord God, through the power of your Holy Spirit in us, lead and guide us to live a good and just and righteous life. Fill us with your love so that love guides all of our thoughts, words, and actions. As we walk in faith each day, drawing ever closer to eternal glory, use our life and witness to bring more of heaven to earth. Amen.


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Great Reward

Reading: Psalm 19:7-14

Psalm 19:11 – “No doubt about it: your servant is enlightened by them [God’s law]; there is great reward in keeping them.“

Moving into the second half of this week’s Psalm we move into David’s love of God’s word. Through the instruction, guidance, and commands found in the Bible, God seeks to order human behavior in ways that are loving, just, compassionate, kind, merciful, and joyful. Earlier this week we spent time with the Ten Commandments. These ten laws are amongst the best known commands in the scriptures. These words of God and the rest of God’s words found throughout the scriptures seek to lead and guide us to live day by day in right relationship with God and with one another.

For David, God’s laws are “perfect… right… pure… correct… true… more desirable than gold.” It is so for David because of how following God’s laws affect him and his life. For David, God’s laws are “reviving… gladdening… giving light… sweeter than honey.” David offers this great summary statement in verse 11: “No doubt about it: your servant is enlightened by them [God’s law]; there is great reward in keeping them.” When we delve into God’s word, when we mine the scriptures for wisdom, strength, comfort, grace, guidance, direction… we too are “enlightened” and we also find “great reward.” The reward magnifies when we strive to live out these instructions in our daily lives. It is good and it is a blessing because God’s word leads us to live in right relationships with God and with one another.

Psalm 19 closes with a prayer that is offered regularly in worship, maybe in a slightly different translation or phrasing. But the spirit of these words remains. This can also be a prayer that we offer over each of our days. We close today with these words: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, while there are many laws and many different examples of faithfulness in the scriptures, all hinge on a simple idea: love. So lead us to make love our first thought. May it begin with a deep love for you and your ways. And then may it extend to one another. Amen.


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Connecting to Presence

Reading: Psalm 19:1-6

Psalm 19:1 – “Heaven is declaring God’s glory; the sky is proclaiming God’s handiwork.”

When we were recently in Ireland, we went to several beaches. As a fair-skinned person I easily sunburn, so beaches were not my thing growing up. But as we walked the beach, as we saw the birds in the surf, as we saw and felt the waves, I could sense God’s presence in all of it. The same presence is there when I go outside on a dark night and gaze up into the sky. It is there when I walk along a path in the quiet woods on a sunny day. It is not just the heavens and the sky that declare God’s glorious handiwork.

Creation speaks to us and touches our hearts. As David writes in verses 3 and 4, there is “no speech, no words.” Yet while their voices cannot literally be heard, creation’s “sounds” are all around us and are everywhere. We not only “hear” creation when on a beach, in the woods, on a mountaintop, or gazing at the stars, but we can also “feel” creation as we sense God’s presence in all of the created world.

We live in a busy and hectic world. It is noisy, fast-paced, and demanding. It is easy to get caught up in it, to wake up today and to wonder what happened to Tuesday and Wednesday. When life is like this, we tend to lose touch with the Creator. In these days and seasons of life, it is important to reconnect. Find a few minutes here and there to connect to the created world and to God. Both are always present. Sip a little coffee out on the deck or patio or balcony. Take a short walk in nature. Step outside for a few moments, looking heavenward, breathing deeply, filling your lungs and heart. God is there.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for surrounding us with your presence. Pull us into those moments and places of connection, renewing and refreshing our spirits and minds. And if we can’t quite get there physically, guide us to close our eyes, to quiet the voices, to breathe deeply, and to go to those places in our minds. Even there, you are present. Thank you, God. Amen.


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Love… Neighbor or Self?

Reading: Exodus 20:12-20

Exodus 20:17 – “Do not desire and try to take your neighbor’s house… wife… servant, ox…”

As we wrap up our time with the Ten Commandments, we shift to the commands that provide guidance for our relationships with one another. These six commands seem relatively straight forward. But there is nuance and depth to these commands. In the New Testament, Jesus unpacks many with his “You’ve heard it said… but I say to you” statements found in Matthew 5.

The fifth command is to “honor” our parents. These words aim at intergenerational righteousness – treating one another in just and good ways. This leads to honoring the wisdom and the experience of those who have walked longer with God. This, in turn, leads to a long walk for their children.

Commands six through nine are short and easy to understand – again, at least on the surface. “Do not kill… commit adultery… steal… testify falsely.” Yet each command extends far beneath the surface. When Jesus delves deeper, we come to see and understand this reality. For example, Jesus explains that adultery begins long before the sexual act occurs. He explains that the sin begins with a simple look that generates lust in our hearts.

The tenth command leans into this idea. It is the only interpersonal command that deals explicitly with our inner thoughts. This command begins with “Do not desire…” Desire is the root of many sins. The list that follows the outward action of taking ends with a catch-all “anything.” Almost anything can cause desire and selfishness to rise up in our hearts.

The passage ends with Moses explaining that these commands are to “test” the people, keeping them from sin. The testing begins in our hearts, where we weigh the way of God against the way of the world. Here we decide if we will love God and neighbor or if we will love self. One leads to life and one leads to death – first in our relationships and then in our hearts.

Prayer: Lord God, breathe life and love into our hearts. Through your Spirit’s presence, lead and guide us to walk in your ways. Guard our hearts and minds against the selfishness and pride that leads to sin. Amen.


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Closer to God, Closer to One Another

Reading: Exodus 20:7-9

Exodus 20:7 – “Do not use the Lord your God’s name as if it were of no significance.”

Photo credit: Aaron Burden

Turning to the third and fourth commandment today, we begin with this: “Do not use the Lord your God’s name as if it were of no significance.” The more familiar translation warns us against using God’s name “in vain.” Along these lines, we can use God’s name in an inappropriate way when we hit our thumb with a hammer or when someone cuts us off in traffic. A similar misuse can slip right out when we’re really angry or frustrated. I like today’s translation because it also reminds me that I can also use God’s name in other ways that are not honoring to God. For example, a phrase like “I swear to God” falls into this category.

But the greatest and most significant way that we misuse the name of God is when we put our name in the place of God’s name. When I assume that I am in control or when I am sure that I know what is right, I’m taking a place that is not mine to take. When I judge or think others are less than or are unworthy, I am going where I should not go. When and how do you act like God or take a role that is God’s to fill?

The fourth commandment helps us in this struggle. (And in our struggles with 1, 2, and 5-10!) Number four instructs us to set a day aside for God. The Sabbath is to be a day of rest and worship, of reflection and renewal. Setting aside a day for God provides time for thanksgiving and for introspection. The weekly practice of evaluating our walk with God and with one another is a vital tool for growing in our relationships with God and with one another. Whether it is Sunday or another day, may we use our holy day to draw closer to God and, in turn, closer to one another.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the reminder of who you are and of who we are not. As we remember, may our humility grow and may our selfishness decrease. Turn us to you on a regular basis, speaking into our heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. Through the Spirit’s power, encourage us and convict us, lift us up and refine us. In all of these ways, may our lives then bring you all the glory. Amen.


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“I Am the Lord”

Reading: Exodus 20:1-4

Exodus 20:3 – “You must have no other gods before me.”

Photo credit: Paul Pastourmatzis

For the first three days this week, we will work through the Ten Commandments. While very well-known, these commands are foundational to faithful living. In the story of God’s people, they arrive at Mount Sinai and set up camp. Up on the mountain there is thunder and lightning and a great cloud. God is present. Moses goes up the mountain to hear from God. In today’s verses we read the first two commandments.

Moses’ encounter with God begins with this declaration: “I am the Lord your God.” This statement is followed by two commands that focus on living into this declaration. The first is this: “You must have no other gods before me.” Command two is like an addendum: “Do not make an idol for yourselves.” In our day, when we think of “gods” as imaginary beings in the sky, these ideas seem almost silly. But for the Israelites, living in a time when all the other nations worshipped many different gods, these commands set Israel apart – radically and completely. But Israel would long struggle with the worship of false gods. Again and again they sought to be like those around them and to fit in rather than to stand out or be set apart for God.

This is precisely where these commands hit home today. While far from the gods of Moses’ day, we can treat status, beauty, wealth, popularity, and such like a god that we worship, love, and trust. And while not carved from stone or wood, we can place possessions and titles and other things of this world on the throne of our hearts. It is not difficult to find “gods” to chase after, to prioritize, to hoard, and even to worship. Yes, we too need to be frequently reminded: “I am the Lord your God.” O Lord, may it be so day by day.

Prayer: Lord God, we know the charge is to set our minds on Christ, to focus daily on imitating Christ with our lives. Yet we can turn from this time together, opening an app or turning on the television, and temptation is right there. The call of the world and the allure of its ways are ever before us. O Lord, strengthen and encourage us. Be present within us. Lead and guide us to walk faithfully with you. Amen.


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Faithful and Obedient

Reading: Matthew 21:28-32

Matthew 21:31 – “Which one of these two did his father’s will?”

Continuing their conversation on authority, Jesus tells the religious leaders a story. A father has two sons. He tells each son to go and work in the vineyard. A good son would surely obey his father. The first son says “No.” But later he goes and works in the vineyard. The second son says “Yes,” but never goes to work. Jesus asks the leaders, “Which one of these two did his father’s will?” The first son, of course. He actually did what the father commanded.

In our journeys of faith, we play the role of both sons. At times God asks us to do something or places someone or something upon our heart. We tell God and maybe even ourselves that we will do it, but then we don’t. Some of the time we genuinely plan on doing it. Other times it is just lip service or we say “yes” because others are in earshot. And then some of the time we say “no” or we try and ignore God or the Holy Spirit. Yet in the end we do God’s will, being obedient in our faith.

As Jesus’ story continues, he lets the religious leaders know that they are like the second son. They’ve said “yes” to God and now they say the right things, but they don’t do them. Jesus then points to the tax collectors and prostitutes – those who said “no” initially with their lives. But then they heard John’s call and changed their lives, saying “yes” to God’s call. When the religious leaders saw this happening, they still refused to change their own hearts and lives.

When we are obedient to God, we find again and again that we are blessed. When we feed a neighbor or comfort a friend, yes, they are blessed. But we too are blessed by our obedience to God. After each experience, we feel joy because we said “yes” to God. In those moments when we hesitate or even feel like denying God’s call, may we remember how we grow in our faith and in our love of God when we are faithful.

Prayer: Lord God, work in our hearts and lives, placing a deeply rooted faith and trust in our spirit. When you call, O God, move us to a faithful and obedient response, loving others as you love us. Fill us with joy each time we serve you and others. Amen.


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Authority

Reading: Matthew 21:23-27

Matthew 21:23b – “What kind of authority do you have for going these things? Who gave you this authority?”

As we delve into our gospel reading today and tomorrow, we begin with some context. We are in the last week of Jesus’ earthly life. The triumphal entry that we know as “Palm Sunday” started off the week. Large crowds cheered and shouted praises, identifying Jesus as “the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus proceeds to the temple, where he tips over tables and chairs, causing a ruckus in this “hideout for crooks.” Jesus then heals the blind and the lame right there in the temple. The children run around, continuing the excitement of the palm parade, shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

The next day, as Jesus entered the temple, the religious leaders asked him, “What kind of authority do you have for going these things? Who gave you this authority?” Jesus sees right through their hypocrisy. They’re more concerned about maintaining their place of authority, the status quo, and the side hustle selling and buying in God’s house. Jesus turns their question back on them, substituting John the Baptist as the focus of where true authority comes from. The religious leaders are afraid to answer. Either answer will take away some of their earthly authority. So they act like politicians, saying what they need to say to maintain their status and power.

Even against those with real earthly power, Jesus stood on the power and truth of God. The religious leaders were not willing to accept Jesus for who he was because it would cost them socially, politically, and economically. When our faith and the actions that it leads us to cause us to be questioned, challenged… may we too stand firmly on God’s power and truth. This is the source of true authority.

Prayer: Lord God, when our faith has led us to stand or speak against an injustice or to give voice and power to the oppressed and marginalized, encourage and strengthen us when those with power over question or move against us. Be present to us in Spirit. Fill us with the words to speak and with the conviction to stand. Thank you, Lord. Amen.