pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: exalted


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Humble Servant

Reading: Matthew 23:8-12

Matthew 23:11 – “The greatest among you must be a servant.”

Photo credit: Clay Banks

In the second half of this week’s gospel lesson, Jesus stresses the equality we share as children of God. Each and every one of us is created by God, made as God intends us to be. God loves us all exactly the same. There is nothing we can do or not do to change that reality.

The rabbis in Jesus’ day were much like Jesus. They gathered to themselves a group of disciples, and they taught them their interpretation of the scriptures. Most young Jewish boys wanted to be a rabbi when they grew up, like many today who want to grow up and play in the NFL or NBA or… The thinning out process was much the same. Many dreamed of being a rabbi but very, very few ever made the grade. Speaking into this hierarchical system, Jesus reminds his disciples that they have “only one teacher.” He is not speaking of himself, but of God. Jesus is reminding them of the supremacy of God. This is also what he is getting at as he tells the disciples not to call anyone else “Father.” He is not talking literally here. Because God’s love and mercy never fail, God will always be elevated above all earthly figures.

Verses 11 and 12 connect back to verses 1-7, where Jesus addressed the words, actions, and behaviors of the religious leaders of his day. In verse 11 we read, “The greatest among you must be a servant.” Jesus is not saying that people can’t be “great.” He is saying that even the great must be servants too. A servant focuses on loving God and neighbor. They serve without regard for themselves. Jesus modeled this. He is our example of humble service. Jesus calls us to walk in his footsteps. When we do serve others in humility, we too will be exalted by God, just as Jesus was exalted. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, open our eyes to see the people and the opportunities that you bring our way today. Eyes opened to see, move our hearts to action. Put into action, use us to serve others, sharing your love and our love with them. Amen.


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Forever Love

Reading: Psalm 89: 20-37

Verse 24: “My faithful love will be with him, and through my name his strength will be exalted”.

Photo credit: Pat Whelen

In our Psalm today God’s covenant with David and with Israel is celebrated. Early in his life David was identified by God and was anointed with sacred oil by Samuel the prophet. From that day on, the Spirit of God was with David. In most Christian denominations today, this idea of anointing is mirrored in our sacrament of baptism. As a baby in some traditions or as a believer in other traditions, we “anoint” a person with water, marking them as a child of God. We believe that the Holy Spirit becomes a part of that person’s life in and through the waters of baptism.

In today’s Psalm, the covenant is God’s steadfast and forever promise of his love. In verse 24 we read, “My faithful love will be with him, and through my name his strength will be exalted”. God’s love will endure, strengthening David and his line. In verse 27 we gain understanding of the ‘forever’ part of the covenant. Here God tells us that he will “appoint my firstborn” to David’s line and that his Son will be “the most exalted of the kings of the earth”. Jesus Christ is the one at whose name “every knee shall bow” (Romans 14:11). In and through Jesus, the “covenant with him will never fail”. Thanks be to God!

In the next few verses God acknowledges that David’s sons (and humanity in general) will “forsake my law” and will “violate my decrees”. Yes, God will punish the sin but he will not take his love away or betray his faithfulness. God reiterates that the covenant will remain forever. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are part of this covenant too. Sealed with the Holy Spirit at our baptism, we are marked as beloved and chosen sons and daughters of God. Again, today we say thanks be to God for his covenant, forever love of you and me.

Prayer: Lord God, like with David, you lay claim to each of us. Like with David, you declare unending love for each of us. The indwelling Spirit is the constant presence of our inheritance, our eternal place within your love. Thank you for choosing us as a part of your forever family. Amen.


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Praise the Lord!

Reading: Psalm 148

Verse 14: “He has raised up for his people a horn”.

As we begin the week leading into Christmas, we begin with a beautiful Psalm that calls all of creation to praise the Lord. The psalmist begins by inviting the heavens – angels and the rest of the heavenly host – to praise the Lord. From there he invites the sun, moon, and stars to join the chorus of praise. And then the writer adds the “waters above the skies” into the choir. All are invited to praise the Lord because “he commanded and they were created”.

Beginning in verse seven the psalmist turns to the things of the earth itself. First, he invites the creatures of “all ocean depths” and then calls the lightning, hail, snow, clouds, and wind to join in. Continuing on with the created world the psalmist invites the mountains and hills, the plants, animals, and birds to add their voices to the chorus of praise to the Lord. All of the choir is now assembled, save one. Beginning in verse eleven the psalmist calls for all of humanity to sing out their praises to the Lord. From kings and princes to young men and maidens to old men and children, the psalmist declares, “let them praise the name of the Lord”. All of humanity joins all of creation in praising the Lord “for his name alone is exalted”.

In verse fourteen we get to the culminating point. The world and universe created by the Lord has been assembled. Because all has been created by the Lord, all are connected to the Lord. This very connection calls forth our praise. Yet in the earthly, created sense all of this is temporary. Even the stars and mountains, those things that seem timeless to us, even these will fall from the sky and will fall into the sea. In verse fourteen the psalmist writes, “He has raised up for his people a horn”. The horn is the horn of salvation. The horn connects you and me and all of creation to the eternity of God. The horn of salvation is Jesus Christ the Lord and he alone offers salvation. Jesus offers us salvation from the chains of both sin and death. Freed from all that binds, we are made brothers and sisters in Christ, freed to raise our voices to the one who saves. Freed and created, we will one day raise our voices as we gather around the throne. One day we will offer our praise to the Lord face to face with glory itself. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord, what a way to begin the week we celebrate the birth of your son, the horn of salvation! All praise to you, the Lord of all. May all I do and say today bring you the glory! Amen.