pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!


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As We Receive Mercy…

Reading: Matthew 18:21-27

Verse 23: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.”

After Jesus’ teaching about how to solve conflicts in the church, Peter wants to define the expectations. On second thought, no, Peter wants to limit the expectations, much like the expert in the law did when he asked Jesus to define his ‘neighbor’ (Luke 10). Yes, Peter is generous in offering to forgive 7 times. He is going way past the current cultural norm of 3. As it was with the parable of the Good Samaritan, in this week’s gospel passage Jesus blows the doors off of somehow trying to limit God’s love, grace, and mercy.

In verse 22 Jesus tells Peter, “I tell you, not 7 times, but 77 times.” Jesus is not, however, playing Peter’s game. He isn’t really setting 77 as the magic number. His point here is simple: quit counting. Counting wrongs is an exercise in patience, not forgiveness. When we keep a count of wrongs against us, we are just asking, ‘How long do I have to put up with this person?!”

Jesus then launches into a parable, beginning with, “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.” In the parable the king represents God and we are the servants. The debt is our sin. The first servant owes a HUGE debt. He begs for forgiveness. The king is moved; he forgives the debt. The servant is set free. Now, what if this is really the king’s (God’s) goal in calling in the servants (us)? The king (God) doesn’t want to punish or extract payment. No, the king (God) wants to grant mercy to the servant (us). God desires that as we receive mercy, not 7 or 77 or 7,777 times, that we then, in turn, extend it to others. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, help me, O font of mercy, to model your heart for mercy, reconciliation, and forgiveness. Above all, you want a relationship with us. You’ll go to almost any length to achieve that. Lead me to do the same, both with you and with all those in my life. Amen.


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Accountability

Reading: Romans 14:1-12

Verse 10: “You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt?”

Photo credit: Ditto Bowo

Our Epistle reading begins with the directive to accept others without passing judgment. I’m not sure if the first or second is harder to adhere to. Maybe both are an equal struggle as they are so closely related. This seemed to be the case for the church in Rome. It remains a big struggle in many of our churches today.

In what Paul terms “disputable matters” these Christians are struggling to allow for understandings and practices that are different from their own. The Gentile Christians thought their faith was “stronger” because they didn’t have to follow all of these rules to maintain their relationship with Jesus. Thus, they viewed the Jewish Christians as “weak.” The Jews, for example, only ate vegetables as a way to keep the Jewish food purity laws concerning meat. It was hard to find meat that they were sure was kosher in that pagan culture of Rome. The Gentile believers saw this as a weakness of faith because they themselves could eat anything and still be right with God.

Paul reminds all of those in the church that “none of us lives to himself [or herself] alone.” Instead, he insists, “we belong to the Lord” – both in life and in death. With these truths in mind, Paul then asks these two pointed questions: “You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt?” He reminds us that if Jesus submitted to the point of death on a cross, then we should submit to unity in spite of minor differences in understanding and practice. He closes with a sober reminder: one day we will all come before the judgment seat. May our accounting of how we treated our brothers and sisters in Christ bring glory to God.

Prayer: Lord God, it’s so easy to slip into judging and looking down on others. It’s an area of weakness for me. Jesus set the example – engaging others as equal, worthy, beloved, valued. Build up my inner being and remove my weakness so that I can better live like Jesus. Amen.


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God’s Dominion

Reading: Psalm 114

Verse 7: “Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord.”

Psalm 114 speaks of the deep and intimate relationship that God has with the chosen people. The psalmist writes of three of God’s nights act on behalf of the people. Remembering how God parted the sea, turned back the Jordan, and brought water from a rock in the desert reminds Israel of both God’s power and might AND of God’s provision for them. In response the psalmist calls out to the world, saying, “Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord.” The invitation is to recognize that God is not just their God, but is the God over all of creation.

At times in our lives God will act or intervene or guide in powerful and awesome ways. Think back over your life. When have you felt God’s presence or guidance? When has God encouraged or strengthened or even carried you? And when have you been a part of something that God has done? Was it in your church or at an event or on a mission trip? These God moments remind us of God’s power and might, of God’s love and care. They remind us that God is the Lord of our life.

In verse 2 the psalmist writes, “Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel God’s dominion.” This is the writer’s way of saying that God was present to the chosen people. As we fast forward in the big story of God’s people, we have now entered that family through our relationship with Jesus Christ. God is our sanctuary, our lives are God’s dominion. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, you remind us again and again of your love for us. You touch our lives in so many ways – some big and powerful, some small and almost beyond noticing. You are always there, always watching over, always providing, always ready to respond or act. Thank you for your great love. Amen.


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Stepping Forward

Reading: Exodus 14:19-31

Verse 22: “The Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.”

In our time with this passage yesterday we focused on God’s role in the story. Today we shift to the Israelites. This focus allows us to enter the story too.

The Israelites have been slaves in Egypt for 400 years. Many generations have come and gone since Joseph brought his family there to survive a famine. Slavery in Egypt is all they now know. It is a hard life, but it is home, and there is routine. It is the only home and life that any have ever known. Now they find themselves out in the desert, trapped. Have you ever felt like you were in a similar situation, trapped?

Their leader, Moses, stretches out his hand and parts the sea. The water walls up, a path in the middle forms. In our difficult situations, God can open a door or show us a path to walk. To move forward, to find peace, to begin anew – it requires a step of faith. Those walls of water – standing tall against every fiber of logic – those are what the Israelites must walk through. Imagine what that would be like!

When we are called to move forward, it often feels like this. Like it was with the Israelites, these difficult steps are taking us to someplace new, to a place that is unknown and unfamiliar. And like the Israelites, may we step forward in faith and trust, knowing that the Lord our God goes with us, leading us forward in love.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for always being there, for joining me where I am at. Thank you for coming alongside me, helping and guiding me to move forward. Thank you for the strength and courage. Thank you for the faith and trust. Continue to be our God of provision and of love. Amen.


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God Is Faithful and Good

Reading: Exodus 14:19-31

Verse 31b: “The people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.”

We begin this week with a familiar Old Testament story – the parting of the sea. It is a wonderful reminder of how the Lord can make a way when we see no way forward. Because we face challenges in our lives, we can relate to and connect to this situation and to God’s response to the Israelites’ crisis.

The Israelites find themselves up against an immovable and insurmountable barrier. The Egyptian army is in hot pursuit. Because of the 10 plagues, Pharaoh had freed the Israelite slaves. But he later changed his mind. The Israelites say to Moses (and to God), “It would have been better to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert.” If I were God, I’d have been tempted to say, “So be it.” But here’s what God says: “Stand firm, and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.” This context is so important to the passage today.

In verses 19-31, God acts in powerful and awesome ways. First, God adds a layer of protection – a buffer between Israel and the pursuing army. It gives them a moment to recollect themselves. Who has come alongside you in a crisis or time of need? Second, God provides a way. How has God shown you a way forward when you thought there was no way? Lastly, God removes their fear. When has God moved you past a barrier or obstacle, allowing you to go forward in faith and trust?

God was faithful to the covenant and was good for the promise just made. In response, “the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.” Reconsider your answers to the questions in the previous paragraph. Is this also your response to God?

Prayer: Lord God, you have parted the waters; you have carried me through. You have given strength when mine has failed; you have provided hope in the midst of despair. Thank you for your love and care and provision. You are the Lord of all creation and you are my king. Amen.


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Covered in Christ

Reading: Romans 13:11-14

Verse 12b: “So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

Our passage today begins with Paul urging the Roman Christians to “wake up from your slumber.” He is calling them to have an urgency about their living. Paul reminds them that they are closer to their salvation than ever before. Driving Paul’s urgency was the belief that Jesus Christ was coming back any day. We too hold this belief but, apparently like his audience, we’ve become rather ho-hum about it. Most of us do not live like the day could be this day.

Paul spells out the choice concerning how Christians are to live in this world. He states that “the night is nearly over.” The time of darkness and evil is coming to a close. While it seems slow by our standards, in God’s time things may be moving along quickly. Not knowing the date of Jesus’ return, we should live like it could be today.

Our passage encourages us to “put on the armor of light.” The alternative choices are spelled out in some detail in verse 13. The light, simply put, involves this: “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.” While this maybe feels simple and generic, it is not. Paul isn’t saying to be kinda like what’s-his-name. He is saying to become like Christ – literally to be so like Christ that we are indistinguishable from Jesus. Doing so we will not only be love lived out, but we will also be covered in the armor of his light. Jesus will be a hedge of protection all around us as we seek to be Christ to and in the world. Thanks be to God. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, first, help us to live each day like our salvation will be realized that day. Second, give us the strength to really wear the armor of light – to deny the lures and temptations of this world, to live as aliens yet as examples of Christ’s love. Walk with us, encourage us, empower us today and every day. Amen.


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Sing a New Song

Reading: Psalm 149

Verse 1: “Sing to the Lord a new song.”

God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are the same then, now, and forever. The scriptures have existed in their present format for almost 2,000 years. When we read today, “Sing to the Lord a new song,” is the psalmist still speaking to us today?

Music has always been a part of the worship of God. Even before the Psalms were written and sung, God’s people were expressing their faith through music and song. The Psalms run the gamut of expression – from the laments to heartfelt prayers to the celebration of God’s presence and activity among the people of God. The tradition of proclaiming our faith has continued throughout the history of the church. Music – be they hymns or gospels or contemporary praise songs – it all teaches theology and offers shared experiences of our encounters with God through sung expression. When each of these works were written and shared, they were a “new song” to the Lord.

These new songs run the gamut of the Psalms. Many address what we Methodists call “social justice” and “social holiness.” Music centered on love and peace, hope and justice calls us and society to a better world, to a holier way of living and of treating one another. Some of the voices come from the edges, adding to this rich mix of music, expressing the pain of being ignored or shunned or marginalized, sharing the hope of truly being a part of the family of God. Through these new songs we can become more aware of and engaged with the needs of our day. These new songs are evidence of God’s Spirit at work. They are invitations to be a part of God’s growing kingdom here on earth. As people of God and as people of love, peace, hope, and justice, may we too sing these songs.

Prayer: Lord God, continue to bring to our ears the cries for justice and equality and fairness. Guide this music and these cries to trickle down to our hearts, moving us to be people who invite all into the circle of your family. Lead us to speak out and even to fight when it is needed to welcome others into the family of God. You created us all. You love us all. Amen.


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Conflict Resolution

Reading: Matthew 18:15-20

Verse 20: “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

In this week’s gospel text Jesus addresses how to deal with conflict within the church. As followers of Jesus Christ we are not immune from being human. As such, we can hurt and even harm one another. For Jesus, this is a given. So in today’s passage he gives direction for how to lovingly deal with the inevitable.

Step one is personal – go to that person and explain how they hurt or harmed you. This will resolve most issues. If that does not bring healing to the relationship, the next step is to bring one or two people along as you again explain the offense. Often other perspectives help to work things out. And it is a check on our motives. If this too fails to bring resolution then we are to bring the matter before the church. There the collective wisdom and love of the body can be used to bring healing and reconciliation to the broken relationship. If even this step fails, then the final steps for the church is to exclude the offender from the body. This is not meant to be punitive. It brings awareness that such behavior is unacceptable and it invites the offender to introspection and repentance.

None of these four steps are easy. That is why Jesus continues in verses 18-20. Jesus first promises that if we follow these steps then our decisions and actions will be godly and just. Accordingly, they will stand both in heaven and on earth. How is it possible to be godly and just in the middle of conflict, hurt, and harm? “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” In the midst of our conflict resolution, if we ask Jesus into the conversation, he will be there. With Jesus Christ leading and guiding the efforts, what we ask for and the just resolution that we seek – “it will be done for you by my father in heaven.” What a way to approach conflict resolution!

Prayer: Lord God, when the inevitable comes, lead and guide us through those difficult times in the life of the community of faith. Be present in our thoughts, in our words, in our actions. Through the Spirit’s loving presence, guide us in mercy, grace, love, honesty, humility, and forgiveness, bringing unity back to the body of Christ. Amen.


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Remember and Celebrate

Reading: Exodus 12:1-14

Verse 8: “Eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast.”

The lamb or goat and the meal shared together are the central focus of the Passover. The giving of life to protect and insure life is a foreshadowing of what Jesus will do for us on the cross. The blood and bread that are part of Passover also foreshadow the meal that Jesus will share with his disciples in the upper room as his crucifixion nears. We continue to hold these events sacred in our Christian traditions.

Each year at the end of Christmas Eve services we light the candles, turn out the lights, and sing “Silent Night.” Just reading these words evokes memories. This tradition is practiced in many churches. Each of these elements connect us to not just that time and place. It connects us to other Christmas Eves. Some remember a loved one not present that year. Others remember a child’s first Christmas Eve or a special memory from another year. The words of the song touch us at our core. They remind us of that which we celebrate – the silence, the waiting, the birth and what it all means for us and for the world.

The meat roasting over the fire, the blood of protection spread on the door frames, the bitter herbs, the bread baking, the family gathered, the words – together they remember and celebrate what God has done for them. Remembering also helps them to look and move forward, knowing that God will be present to them then and there too. Our moments and remembrances connect us to God and to one another. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, you are the God of all time – past, present, future. You connect to us in so many ways, reminding us of our intimate relationship again and again. Thank you. Amen.


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Love Does No Harm

Reading: Romans 13:8-10

Verse 10: “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

Turning to the first half of this week’s Epistle reading, Paul calls us to love one another. Paul, just as Jesus did, emphasizes that “he who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the Law.” Paul, again reiterating one of Jesus’ teachings, offers a few of the 10 Commandments and says these and all other commandments are summed up in “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Whether reading Paul or reading Jesus, the charge is clear: love one another.

In verse 10 Paul writes, “Love does no harm to a neighbor.” Many years later this concept would become the basis for the first of John Wesley’s “Three Simple Rules”: Do no harm. Wesley picked up on Jesus’ example and on Paul’s words, making the verbage shorter while also expanding the scope to include things like the environment. While the world has changed greatly since the days of Paul or Wesley, this rule of life is still greatly needed in our world and in our lives.

How can we, how can you and I, embody and live out “love does no harm to a neighbor?” How do we model a love that intentionally chooses not to harm our fellow humans or the world we all live in? We begin by accepting the call to minister to all the world. We next recognize and engage the image of God that is inside all people. And then we really commit to loving all of our neighbors, especially when it is hard. From this place of being in the world as Christ was in the world, we will do no harm as we encounter each person from a place of love. May it be so for us all today and every day.

Prayer: Lord God, open my heart wide to all people – those like me, those that are beloved by you. All people. Fill me with your love, Lord. Use me and guide me to truly love as you love – without condition, generously, abundantly. As I gather with others may it always be in your name. May your presence be with us and in us. Amen.