pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: Christ


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Marching Orders

Reading: Isaiah 65: 17-20

Verse 19: “I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people”.

In today’s reading God lays out a beautiful future. In verse 17 God promises, “I will create new heavens and a new Jerusalem”. To the Israelites, this would be music in their ears. To think of what God could create would bring needed joy and hope and encouragement to the people. Jerusalem, a term representing all of God’s people, will be God’s delight. God says, “I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people”. This vision is a wonderful image to hold in one’s mind and heart.

Today, on Veterans Day, we remember the many men and women who have served our country. Scores upon scores upon scores have served our nation and many gave life for our freedom. The idea of a new Jerusalem ties in. War is a hard thing. War is sometimes necessary. In our nation’s history, war has been fought to make the world a better place. A world without slavery or fascism or genocide or terrorism is a better world. Today we recognize and honor the many men and women who have been a part of making the world and our nation better. I appreciate their service to a nation founded and still guided by faith. The ideal of world peace remains the ideal. I am grateful for those who have served and for those who still serve to protect our nation and this ideal.

In the second half of verse 19 and in verse 20, God fleshes out the picture of a new heaven and earth. There will be no more weeping or crying. Life will be long-lived. God’s vision for what will be is a glimpse of heaven on earth. Today many long for a taste of this vision. This paradise is not a reality for lots of people. Yet for many of us it is a reality. We live in peace with relative abundance. We have both the means and the ability to help others experience more of a new Jerusalem. Whether that involves generously sharing our blessings and talents or guiding them to a faith that brings hope and encouragement in this life, as followers of Jesus we too have our marching orders. Jesus was clear in his call to go to the poor and blind and lonely and lost and broken. The gospel imperative to feed and visit and care for and to teach others about Jesus is clear. May we each joyfully and willingly accept the call of Jesus Christ to be his hands and feet, his light and love in the world.

Prayer: Dear God, thank you first for the many who serve and have served our nation. Bless them and their families, O God. Guide and encourage me to serve you well, bringing your love and hope to all who need it today. Use me as you will. Amen.


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Ever Alive

Reading: Luke 20: 27-38

Verse 38: “He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive”.

In today’s text the Sadducees pose a question to Jesus. Their question is really getting at what Jesus thinks about the resurrection – not about whose wife the woman will be. If there is a resurrection is a point of contention between this group and the Pharisees. In his response to their question Jesus says that in the resurrection we will be like angels, not dying again. The passage today closes with this truth: “He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive”. All who believe in Jesus Christ will live forever. Jesus does not mean that our physical bodies will live forever. Our spirit, the true essence of who and what we are, will live forever with him.

Knowing this truth impacts both this life and the life to come. It removes much fear and anxiety from both. To the believer it offers comfort in a time of loss. It offers reassurance about our earthly relationships that matter the most to us. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus proves what he says. Death no longer has power over us. Because of this, we also are called to live these earthly lives differently.

Without fear of our eternity, we can live more fully in the present. We find a peace in the trials because we know that God controls the here and now too. We find strength in the battles because we walk with the Holy Spirit in the here and now. We find comfort in the suffering, knowing that God carries us when we need it most. We find courage in the times we are called to face injustice and to walk with the lost and the broken because we know that Jesus stands right there with us and the he intercedes for us before the throne. The God of the living and the dead loves all of his children. Because God is good and loving and kind, we are ever alive. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord of life, thank you for both showing and making the way. In this earthly life you revealed what a life lived fully trusting in God’s love looks like. In defeating the cross you made a way for us to the sins of this world. And in defeating the grave you gave us resurrection power and hope. May I live for you in this world so that one day I can live with you in your heavenly kingdom. Amen.


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Lord of All

Reading: Luke 20: 27-38

Verse 36: “They are God’s children since they are children of the resurrection”.

The Sadducees have a question for Jesus. It is a complex issue of which, if any, of these seven devout Jewish brothers will be the husband of the unlucky wife in heaven. They are testing Jesus in two ways. First, the Sadducees do not believe in a resurrection of the dead so they want to know where the teacher stands on this topic. Second, they are testing his scriptural chops. How would a good scholar sort out which two would form the happy couple in heaven? Jesus addresses both of their questions.

First, marriage is for this age, for our time upon the earth. Jesus tells them that in the resurrection – implying that resurrection will happen – we “will neither marry or be given in marriage”. So the answer to the original question is “none”. Neither the woman nor any of the seven who married her on earth will be married in heaven. Jesus goes on to explain why. In verse 36 he says, “They are God’s children since they are children of the resurrection”. The primary relationship in heaven will be our role as child of God. If we experience the heavenly resurrection, our new self will be defined by our place as a child of God. Elsewhere in scripture we gain insight into heaven. We will maintain some form of who we are. We will be reunited with those we love. We will not experience tears, pain, sorrow… But the focus, far and away, will be to worship the Lord of all. We will simply dwell in his presence. We will be the bridegroom of Christ and Christ alone. The relationship that takes absolute priority will center on Christ.

As followers of Christ in this time and place, we are called to live out this same idea. Following Jesus, our relationship with him should be our top priority. From there family, work/school, and self should round out the list. How easily we get the order wrong at times. How easily we elevate self or work or school or family above our faith. Here, in this life, we can struggle with our fleshy and worldly desires. In the resurrection that will be no more. Jesus Christ will truly be our all in all. What a glorious day that will be!

Prayer: Lord of all, what a day it will be when we stand in your presence! As I live out this life, please help me to walk more like I will in heaven – focused solely on you. May it be so. Amen.


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Strength, Hope, Power

Reading: 2nd Thessalonians 2: 1-5 and 13-17

Verse 13: “From the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth”.

Paul opens chapter two by addressing the return of Jesus. Some have claimed that Jesus has returned and the Thessalonians fear they missed out. Paul encourages them not to be deceived but to remember what they were taught. The basic plan has been laid out. The time has not yet come. At times we too can wonder if we are on the brink of the return. Natural disasters and plagues and wars and violence have led people to wonder if the end is near. After all, these are signs to look for. We must also balance this with what Jesus said – he will come again like a thief in the night. The accompanying advice was to always be prepared and ready. If we are stuck in worry and fear, we are not prepared and ready.

In Paul’s time and in our time many live with fear and anxiety and worry over happenings in our world and in their lives. To hear and understand the truths and promises is not the same thing as living into them. I can hear and understand Jesus’ words to be prepared and ready to meet him at any moment. But can I live my life always within that reality? Therein lies the struggle.

In today’s passage Paul reminds the Thessalonians that “from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth”. God has chosen each who believed on the gospel and in Jesus. Because of their good confession of Jesus as Lord, they are saved. Paul goes on to encourage them to “stand firm and to hold onto the teachings”. The promises and truths that Paul and others taught will help them to stand firm in the face of fear and anxiety and worry. Paul closes this chapter by praying to the Lord Jesus Christ for the Thessalonians. Paul seeks encouragement and hope and strength for them as they continue to live out their faith.

These words of Paul speak to us as well. When the clouds seem to be rising, may we too remember that we who have confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior are saved. Our salvation is secure. Nothing in this world can separate us from that. May we also remember that the Holy Spirit and Jesus himself, the mediator, continues to offer prayers and intercessions on our behalf, keeping us ever before the throne of God. Knowing all this to be true, may we lay our worries and burdens down before the Lord as we call upon his strength, hope, and power to live this day for the glory of the Lord God. May it be so!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for all you have done and for all that you continue to do. Thank you too for the gift of your constant presence in my life. As the Holy Spirit lives and dwells in me I am reminded again and again of your love and truth. Thank you Jesus! Amen.


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His Everlasting Kingdom

Reading: Daniel 7: 1-3 and 15-18

Verse 18: “The saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever”.

Today we turn to Daniel and to his vision. Starting in chapter seven it is Daniel who receives the dreams and visions. Up to this point he has interpreted other people’s dreams and visions. In this vision Daniel sees four winds that churn up the sea. Then four beasts rise up out of the tumultuous sea. In a reversal of situations, Daniel must ask another to interpret his vision. He is told that the four beasts represent kingdoms that will rise to rule the world. In verses four through fourteen we learn that each beast has its turn ruling, each a little more violent than the one before it. But then “one like a son of man” comes and is given all authority and power. All peoples that come to him worship him and become part of his everlasting kingdom.

In this vision there is both hope and despair. Daniel learns that yes, one day God will make all things right as Jesus comes to reign. But until then there will be much tumult and war and hardship. We long for Jesus to return as we look at our world today. We too are like each previous generation that looks at the world and wonders if it could get any worse. “Things are not what they used to be” is the cry of each passing generation. And yet each day new life blooms.

In the midst of our lives and in the world around us we see Jesus continuing to be at work. Jesus continues to transform lives, to redeem broken people and broken situations, to work in people’s hearts and minds. There is still much hope in my world. The faithful continue to love God and neighbor. Followers of Jesus Christ still seek to be light and love in the world. Believers yet walk out their faith in the world, drawing others into relationship with Christ.

Our passage from Daniel closes with “the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever”. Those saints that have come to the end of their earthly journey, those long past and those in our generation, join Jesus Christ in his everlasting kingdom. This too is our hope. As faithful disciples we too await the day when Jesus reigns. With the saints we say come Lord Jesus, come! Until that day we walk as committed followers, walking in the way of Jesus.

Prayer: Lord God, I again thank you for the saints who have come before and who have helped my walk of faith. Keep my walk true to you and your call to make disciples of all nations and peoples. Draw me each day closer to you. Amen.


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Shine the Light

Reading: Psalm 149

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

Psalm 149 is a song of praise. It comes to us in two parts. In the first five verses it is a song filled with singing and rejoicing and dancing and tambourines and harps. It calls for the exuberant worship of God. The psalmist reminds us that God delights in us and gives salvation to the humble. In turn, we rejoice and sing for joy over this gift. What wonderful praise!

Then we turn to verses six through nine. This section brings swords and vengeance and punishment and binding with shackles to our attention. It speaks of carrying out “the sentence written against them”. At first this seems like an odd form of praise. But in Hebrews 4:12 we read, “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword”. And in Ephesians 6 Paul refers to “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”. Living out our faith, we can praise God by using God’s word and truth to free people from sin and from the lies of the world. We can live out God’s justice and compassion by helping people caught up in oppression and abuse and injustice. We can share the good news of Jesus Christ with the poor and broken in spirit, binding up their earthly desires of the flesh and lifting their spirits to God.

When we shine the light of Christ into the dark places of people’s lives, the darkness flees and heaven rejoices. May it be so today.

Prayer: O Lord God, may it be so! May I shine the light into the darkness of the world, leaving only your light. Fill me with your Spirit and your word of truth today, King of Kings. May all of do and say be praise to you. Amen.


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Glorify Jesus

Reading: 2nd Thessalonians 1:1-4 and 11-12

Verse 11: “We pray for you that our God may count you worthy of his calling and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours”.

The opening chapter of 2nd Thessalonians is a prayer for the church founded there. The prayer first thanks God for their faith that is growing and for their love that is increasing. This wonderful work of God is something that Paul, Silas, and Timothy share with other churches in the region. In the midst of the trials and persecutions it is amazing that the Thessalonians’ faith and love continue to grow. This would be encouraging for all of the other churches facing the same issues and challenges. It is also a good reminder for many of our churches today. To be reminded that the church can and should flourish amidst the trials and sufferings is timely indeed.

We pick up the prayer again in verse eleven. Here we read, “We pray for you that our God may count you worthy of his calling and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours”. First, they are reminded that they must be worthy of the calling they heard in Christ Jesus. For them, it meant standing strong and being steadfast in their faith no matter what came at them. This remains true for all churches and for all Christians today. If we waffle or if we are a Christian in one situation but not in another, it weakens our witness to Jesus.

Second, Paul and company pray that God would work in and through the church. They call upon God’s power to fulfill the purposes of the church. Those purposes would be to love God with all that they are and to love people as Christ first loved them. It is a big love that Christians are called to. It is faith that leads that love into words and action. When faith leads, we tend to be in alignment with God’s will and way rather than with our own will and desires. For God’s power to be at work, the focus must be on God’s will and way.

The prayer concludes with why the church is to seek to fulfill God’s purposes. “so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified”. There is no other name to be glorified. May we, like these early disciples, lift the name of Jesus higher and higher, glorifying him in all that we do and say. May it ever be so.

Prayer: Lord of light and life, may you be glorified. Be glorified first in my heart and mind. Then may the words of my mouth and the actions of my hands all bring you glory so that your name is known by more and more who are broken and lost. To God be the glory! Amen.


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Pour Out Faith

Reading: Joel 2: 25-32

Verse 28: “I will pour out my Spirit on all people”.

Faith is a wonderful gift. For each of us, we can trace the giving of this gift. For me it began to be given by my parents. Seeing them live out their faith through their words and actions made real the stories and lessons I learned in Sunday school and church and later in youth group. In high school my youth pastor poured into me and grew those seeds that had already been planted. Even after I claimed Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior, others have continued to help me along my journey of faith. Many people have had a hand in the growth and development of my faith. Yet nothing or no one plays a greater role than the Holy Spirit.

Since the day we are marked as a child of God the Spirit works in us. God’s grace leads and guides us even before we enter into a saving relationship. God woos and seeks to draw us in. This is accomplished through the people in our lives and by God’s actions in our lives. In verse 28 we read of God’s ideal plan: “I will pour out my Spirit on all people”. All were created by God to be in an eternal relationship with God. This is the God of love’s greatest desire: to be in relationship with each one of us. Once we confess Jesus Christ as Lord, the Holy Spirit comes alive in our hearts. God’s indwelling presence, the gift of the Holy Spirit, leads and guides, corrects and protects. The gift of the Holy Spirit reminds us of all we know about Jesus and also leads us to know more and more.

The Spirit works within us to share our faith with others. To many we will become one of those people who pours into the life of another. We do so for our children and grandchildren. We do so for others at church, at work, in school… We each become part of accomplishing God’s plan of salvation. As we live out our faith we help others to know God. In verse 32 we read, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”. May we each be a part of making that happen.

Prayer: God of all, may the words of my mouth and the actions of my hands and feet connect others to you. Sensitize me to the power of the Holy Spirit within me. Guide me to do your will. Amen.


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Christ Brings New Life

Reading: Luke 18: 9-14

Verse 7: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted”.

Pride. One can take pride in one’s work or in something one is doing. If all it leads to is doing your best and being happy and content with the result or outcome, then pride is a good thing. But if it leads to boasting or bragging, then there is a problem. When one begins to feel superiority and arrogance creeping in, then pride has taken root. From there it is only a small step to judging and even condemning others because they fall short of your standards or expectations. Here sin has fully taken root. This is a path that the voices of the world seek to lead us down. Worldly success is measured in volume of wealth and possessions, in titles and appearance. Pride easily takes root in the pursuit of worldly success and gain.

In our parable today, the Pharisee struggles with pride. His pride is not rooted in wealth or possessions in a worldly sense. The Pharisee’s area of expertise is the Law. He has excelled at learning and now practicing the Law. He has risen up the religious system to the highest accolade: Pharisee. Rising to the top naturally fuels one’s pride and ego. Even in religious systems it can be a battle to keep pride in check. In our story, the Pharisee has failed to do so. His exquisite practice of the law has clearly elevated him far above others. His words call out the obvious differences between himself and those several rungs down the ladder – the robbers, evil doers, adulterers, and tax collectors. The Pharisee even thanks God that he is not like them.

The other option would be to look at such as these and to be moved towards empathy and compassion. This option would lead to ministering to them, to helping them to come to know God, to introducing them to the only one who can help them overcome their sin. It is so much easier to sit in judgment and to just go on with ones own life.

It is messy to enter into someone’s life if they are struggling with adultery or some other form of evil such as an addiction or abuse. If one has walked that same road, it is not easy to think that maybe you can “fix” them. There’s that pride again. Only the Lord Jesus can bring complete healing and wholeness. With a humble servant’s heart we must simply bring Christ to them and then step back, allowing Jesus Christ to work in them. We can bring the gospel; it is Christ that brings new life. May it be so.

Prayer: God, convict me when pride rises up and starts to gain a hold. Help me to die to my pride. Fill me instead with the heart of Christ, ever seeking to help others know the healer, the redeemer, the restorer – Jesus. Amen.


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Encouraging and Uplifting

Reading: 2nd Timothy 4: 16-18

Verse 17: “The Lord stood by my side and gave me strength, so that the message might be fully received”.

As a young married couple my wife and I became part of a couple’s group at our church. Each month when we would gather, we would talk about marriage and we would listen to the stories of the two older couples who led the group. Their experiences made our marriages better. Over the course of the past 20+ years I have been blessed to be in and eventually to lead numerous Bible studies and other small groups. In each of these settings there were always more experienced disciples of Christ. From these would and do come stories of faith and of when God acted in their lives. These witnesses to the faith were encouraging and uplifting for my journey of faith.

Paul has been mentoring young Timothy. He has chosen him to carry on the work of spreading the gospel. Paul is entrusting his life’s work to this young disciple. Timothy has shown himself capable and gifted. This is not a random selection. So in today’s passage Paul has a few stories to share with Timothy. He begins by sharing that at times one may feel alone in ministry – “everyone deserted me”. Paul quickly follows up with a deeper truth: “The Lord stood by my side and gave me strength, so that the message might be fully received”. God did not ever desert him! Just the opposite – God delivered him “from the lion’s mouth”. With an assurance based on both faith and experience, Paul adds that God has rescued him from every evil attack and will continue to do so as God brings Paul “safely to his heavenly kingdom”. Paul is sharing his faith and his experiences as a way to encourage and uplift young Timothy.

As I have progressed into my middle years, I find that I too have some stories to share. On the journey of faith we all have experiences when God guided or intervened or rescued us. These are the stories we have to tell to encourage and uplift those that we gather with on Sunday mornings, that we sit around a table with, that we work with… Like Paul, may we be intentional about passing the faith along to both those in our lives who are on the journey with us and to those yet to begin the journey, all for the glory of God.

Prayer: Father God, thank you for the journey so far. You have been with me in many ways and many times. Each experience with you builds up my faith and helps me grow closer to you. Open my eyes to the blessings and to the opportunities to share my faith with others. Amen.