pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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A Great Crowd

Reading: Revelation 6:1-8:5

Revelation 7:9 – “After this I looked, and there was a great crowd that no one could number… from every nation, tribe, people, and language.”

In chapter 6 the Lamb opens 6 of the 7 seals. The first four bring the four horses and their riders. Death, war, violence, famine, and disease sweep across the earth. One-fourth of humanity dies. The fifth seal is broken and those who have been martyred for their faith cry out, “How long…?” Given white robes, they’re told to wait just a little longer. The sixth seal is broken, first bringing a great earthquake. Then the sun turns black and the moon red. The stars fall from the sky. All the people of the earth try to hide. They beg the mountains, “Fall on us!” They know that the great day of wrath has come upon them.

The seal of God is then placed upon the foreheads of the 144,000 – 12,000 from each remaining tribe of Israel. John looks back to heaven and sees a great multitude. In 7:9 we read, “After this I looked, and there was a great crowd that no one could number… from every nation, tribe, people, and language.” Wearing robes that have been washed white in the blood of the Lamb, holding palm branches, they worship God. They’ve gone through hardship. Now they will not hunger or thirst. God has wiped away every tear. The Lamb guides them to the life-giving waters. The seventh seal is broken and there is silence in heaven for half an hour.

Seven angels with seven trumpets take their places. Another angel holds a bowl with incense. The prayers of the saints rise in the smoke up to God. The bowl is then filled with fire from the altar. It is thrown down upon the earth. The angels are about to blow their trumpets.

Prayer: Lord God, over and over, Old Testament and New, we hear the calls to change hearts and lives. Today in our reading the outcomes of our choices become clearer and clearer. As we rejoice today in the coming of our Savior, remind us of his ultimate purpose at the end of this age. Lead and guide us, O God, to live lives worthy of our calling. Amen.


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Alert and Ready and at Work

Reading: Mark 12:35-13

Mark 13:36-37 – “Don’t let him show up when you weren’t expecting and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: Stay alert!”

We begin in the temple today as Jesus corrects the legal experts. The crowd delights in his teaching. He then condemns the religious leaders self-seeking ways: they wear long robes and say long prayers; they desire the best greetings and the best seats; and, they “cheat widows,” leaving them homeless. A sharp contrast to this arrogance comes in the next verses. A poor widow gives all that she has to live on. The rich give “out of their spare change.” This humble, faithful, trusting widow is the model.

As they leave the temple, one of the disciples points out the grandeur of the temple itself. Jesus predicts its demolition. Peter, James, John, and Andrew later ask him when this will happen… what will be the signs? Jesus warns them of deceivers. There will be wars, famines, and earthquakes. The disciples themselves will be handed over and persecuted (but the Holy Spirit will give them the words to say.) Then the war will culminate as the temple is defiled. People will flee to the mountains to escape the Romans. There will be great suffering.

Sometime after this suffering, the sun and moon will grow dark, the stars will fall, and the planets will shake. Then the “Human One” will come on the clouds in power and splendor. The angels will gather the “chosen people” from the corners of the earth. Jesus tells them that just as the fig tree’s new leaves tell them summer is near, so too will these signs tell the world that his return is near. Jesus tells them (and us), “Watch out! Stay alert!”

Jesus closes his teaching on the end times with a story. As an owner goes on a trip (perhaps back to heaven for a time?), he assigns tasks to his servants. For all disciples, the task will be to “go and make disciples of all nations.” Jesus closes with this warning: “Don’t let him show up when you weren’t expecting and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: Stay alert!” Jesus is coming soon. May we be found ready and alert, working on our task as we strive to live a daily life that seeks to make disciples for the transformation of the world.

Prayer: Lord God, please walk closely in Spirit with us. Attune us to the charge you give each of us. Defend us from our human tendency to make it all about us. Lead us to walk as humble servants, seeking to be witnesses of your love and power in this world. Amen.


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So It Will Be with Us

Reading: Matthew 24-25

Matthew 24:46 – “Happy are those servants whom the master finds fulfilling their responsibilities when he comes.”

Chapter 24 is almost all about the signs of Jesus’ return. The end of chapter 24 and most of chapter 25 is about being ready or prepared for that day. Chapter 25 closes with the consequences of our decisions and actions leading up to that day. The conversation begins outside the temple, where Jesus predicts its destruction. This leads the disciples to ask about the end times when Jesus will return in glory.

Jesus says there will be many things that will happen. There will be false prophets and false christs. There will be war, famine, earthquakes, great suffering, and persecution. Many will fall away. Then the sun and moon will go dark and the planets will shake. Christ will come on the clouds in great splendor and power. The angels will gather the chosen ones. Jesus then reminds us that no one knows the day or hour. It will come upon the earth just as the flood came upon the people of Noah’s day. The message is clear: stay alert, always be prepared for the day.

From 24:45 through 25:30 we find three parables that describe what it looks like to be alert and prepared. In the first parable we read, “Happy are those servants whom the master finds fulfilling their responsibilities when he comes.” The bad or unfaithful servants will be cut to pieces and thrown into hell when the master returns unexpectedly. In the second parable the wise bridesmaids had plenty of oil (faith.) They will enter the wedding (heaven) when the late groom (Christ) arrives. The door will be closed. The foolish or unprepared will hear, “I don’t know you” when they try to get in. In the third parable the faithful who have put their gifts to work will hear, “Come, celebrate with me.” The lazy and evil will be thrown into the “furthest darkness.”

We close with the parable of the sheep and the goats. This summarizes the results of how one lived. The sheep lived for others, feeding the hungry, visiting the prisoners, welcoming the strangers. They did so in the name of Christ. Eternal life is their final reward. The goats ignored the hungry… Their final reward is eternal punishment. So it will be with us.

Prayer: Lord God, how we live day by day matters. Keep us faithful in the small things, attending to all that you place before us, using the gifts and blessings you have given us to bring your kingdom to fruition. Amen.


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Power and Majesty

Reading: Psalm 29

Verse 11: “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace”.

Photo credit: Lili Popper

Yesterday nature flexed her muscles a little bit. The rains fell and fell, the wind roared and roared. Our rain gauge shows 1.6″ this morning. At times I was mesmerized by the power of nature on display yesterday. Our Psalm today speaks of the power and majesty of the Lord. In verse three the psalmist writes, “The voice of the Lord is over the waters”. It was on full display yesterday.

As one reads all of Psalm 29 one is reminded over and over of the power and majesty of God’s “voice” in the natural world. The thunder and the lightning, the magnificent storms, the earthquakes – all physical reminders of God’s place “enthroned as king forever”. Psalms like this are good reminders of God’s place in our world and in our lives. It is too easy to get caught up in the rat race, getting busier and busier. David’s words in our Psalm today call us to slow down, to marvel at God’s power and majesty. It is also very easy at times to get lost in our own little world. We too easily get obsessed with some small thing, some unimportant event that has become a mountain. The Psalm again reminds us of God’s power and majesty, reminding us that the one who is so much greater than anything life can bring also loves us. Verse eleven speaks of this: “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace”. Strength and peace – wonderful gifts of the Lord of power and majesty. May these fill your life today!

Prayer: Lord God, you are in the mighty wind and in the abundant rains. Your might and power are evident, fully on display in the created world. Yet you also bring me strength in my weakness, peace in my storms. You are an awesome God. Amen.


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Our Assignment

Reading: Mark 13: 1-8

Verses 5 & 8: “Watch out that no one deceives you… nation will rise against nation… earthquakes and famine… these are the beginnings of birth pains”.

Leaving the temple, one of the disciples observes, “What magnificent buildings”! Jesus then indicates that a time is coming when “every stone will be thrown down”. A bit later, in private, the disciples want to know when this will happen. They want to know the signs so that they can be prepared for Jesus’ return.

Jesus gives them some signs to look for. In addition to wars, Jesus says, “Watch out that no one deceives you… nation will rise against nation… earthquakes and famine… these are the beginnings of birth pains”. There will be deceivers – false prophets and teachers trying to gain power and wealth for themselves, hiding behind lies and fake religion. There will be wars where nations square off against one another. These wars will have many injuries, much destruction, and large loss of life. Nature will also be heard from – earthquakes! Masses will struggle as famine grips parts of the world. All if these will be signs – “birth pains” – indications that the end is drawing near.

Ever since these words were spoken and later recorded, many generations have read it, reflected on the words, and thought that the end is at hand. We do today as well. We have had no shortage of false teachers, wars, famines, disease, and natural disasters of all kinds. Yet here we remain. We continue to ask: when? The best answer is: when God is ready. God’s plan is unfolding according to God’s plan. That simple. I think a big part of the “not yet” is the work yet to be done by the church. There are many unsaved people that still need to hear the gospel and to experience the saving power of Jesus Christ. The Great Commission remains unfinished. Our assignment is still to make disciples of all peoples. When will the new creation come? Maybe when we have accomplished our assignment.

Prayer: Patient God, guide me to the next person that needs to hear the good news if your Son, Jesus Christ. And then guide me to the next and the next and the next… May it be so, all for your glory. Amen.