pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: example


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Radical Love

Reading: Luke 6:27-31

Luke 6:31 – “Treat people in the same way that you want them to treat you.”

Photo credit: Christopher Beloch

Today’s passage begins with “But I say to you.” This is a familiar phrase Jesus uses, especially in the Sermon on the Mount. As Luke employs this phrase, he adds to it. His phrasing includes “to you who are willing to hear.” This is Luke’s way of getting his readers, including us, ready to take in and wrestle with a difficult teaching.

In verses 27 and 28 Jesus encourages us to “love your enemies… do good to those who hate you… bless those who curse you… pray for those who mistreat you.” This kind of love is counter-cultural. It calls the followers of Christ to act in a way that surprises the world. Instead of returning hate for hate, which is the norm, do good instead. Radical.

The next two verses provide real world examples. To offer the other cheek, to give your shirt too, to not expect repayment – these too run against the cultural norms. Our culture teaches us to hit back, to hold tightly to all that is ours, to charge high interest. Not so with Jesus. Here he call his followers to a self-sacrificial, others first kind of love. This kind of radical behavior is something that also surprises the world.

Our reading closes with a well known maxim: “Treat people in the same way that you want them to treat you.” This kind of love is given regardless of who the other person is or isn’t, regardless of what they’ve done or not done. This radical love comes from within us. It is motivated by Christ’s example and it is empowered by his Spirit. It is a love for all people. May this be a live we embody and practice daily.

Prayer: Lord God, what a call we hear today: love all people, especially when it is hard or costly or both. Your counter-cultural and counter-instinctual call to sacrificial love is challenging, but so powerful. Walk with us and enable us to overcome evil with good, hate with love, greed with generosity. Use us to change the world. Amen.


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Power Under, Not Over

Reading: Mark 10:32-45

Mark 10:45 – “The Human One didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and give his life to liberate many people.”

As Jesus makes his way towards Jerusalem, Mark makes an observation. The disciples are amazed with Jesus, but the others following him were afraid. The “insiders” – the disciples – have no clue what potentially lies ahead. For the third time in Mark’s gospel Jesus tells them that he will be handed over and condemned, will be killed by the Gentiles (Romans,) and will rise after three days. The “outsiders” following Jesus understand that going to Jerusalem is a risky and dangerous place for Jesus.

Continuing the journey, James and John demonstrate the blindness of the disciples. Jesus has just told them what’s about to happen. Instead of being sad or reflecting somberly on this news, these brothers ask to sit at Jesus’ right and left hand in glory. They envision Jesus “coming in glory” with a powerful army to defeat the Romans. They want to be #1 and #2 in Jesus’ chain of command. Jesus tells James and John that they will indeed “drink the cup” and will one day experience suffering. But right now they are blind. One day they will see and understand the words Jesus speaks. Their request maddens the other disciples. Are they made that they didn’t think to ask first? A patient and kind Jesus gathers them up for a lesson.

Jesus tells them that they will not be “power over” leaders. They will not be like the current rulers who dominate others with their power. No, that’s not God’s plan or way. True power comes from service. This is “power under” – power that lifts others up. It is so with Jesus: “The Human One didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and give his life to liberate many people.” May it be so with us too.

Prayer: Lord God, today we are reminder that although Jesus held all the power in his hands, he chose the path of humble servant. When we are tempted to grab for power or to use the powe that we do have to lord it over others, remind us of Jesus’ words and example. Lead and guide us to be “power under” people, lifting others up, bringing you the glory and praise. Amen.


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Fill Us, O Lord

Reading: Colossians 2:6-12

Colossians 2:11 – “In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not administered by human hands… stripping away the old self dominated by sin.”

Paul begins our encouragement for today by imploring the believers to “live… in the same way you received him.” Harkening back to the day they came to faith, Paul implores the believers to keep up the same fire, the same zeal. Paul encourages them to remain rooted in Jesus and to build up their faith, establishing themselves in Christ. This process, Paul writes, will lead to an overflow of thanksgiving and joy. These are good reminders for us too.

Next Paul invites them to be wary about falling back into our being drawn into the ways of the world. Potential dangers include new philosophies and false teachings that are counter to Christ’s teachings. Perhaps if even greater danger is conforming back to their old ways, back to the selfish and sinful ways of the world.

Paul reminds the believers that they have been “filled” with Christ. He reminds them that “In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not administered by human hands… stripping away the old self dominated by sin.” The physical act of circumcision that sets the Jews apart from the world has become a spiritual act that sets the Christian apart from the world. The old self was “buried” in the waters of baptism. The new self emerged and was “raised up” through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Now the power of God resides in Spirit in the believers.

So what must we do to walk daily with and in the Lord? It goes back to the opening verses. Seek to live “in Christ” – to live as Christ lived, following his example. Pour into your faith – build it up, deepen your roots in Christ. Allow the joy of faith to fill your heart to overflowing – share your faith. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, open wide our hearts today and fill us with your love. Open wide our minds today and fill us with your Spirit. Open wide our hands today and fill us with your strength. Then, in all things, use these things, allowing them to flow out of us and into the world, bringing you all the glory and praise. Amen.


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The Narrow Road

Reading: Luke 10:25-37

Luke 10:36 – “What do you think? Which one of the three was a neighbor to the man?”

Photo credit: Jan Huber

Today we turn to the parable of the Good Samaritan. This is very familiar ground. The lessons Jesus taught remain as relevant today as they were the day that he told the story. The religious continue to try and limit who is acceptable and worthy. We continue to see and define others by arbitrary things like ethnicity, race, gender, religion, education…

As the passage opens, a legal expert tests Jesus. The opening question is just to set up the second question. Any 5-year-old Jew could’ve answered the opening question. It’d be like asking a 5-year-old in one of our churches, ‘Who died on the cross for our sins?’ The second question has the meat on the bone. Jesus has been preaching that God’s kingdom and the salvation that he brings is for all people. He’s been eating with tax collectors and touching lepers. Clearly Jesus’ understanding of who a good Jew’s neighbor is needs some correcting.

The story unfolds and Jesus picks a most unlikely hero. A Samaritan would be about as far from a Jew’s neighbor as anyone could be. And he does not just stop and help. Maybe the legal expert could’ve tolerated that. Like, it might’ve been okay to stop and talk to Zacchaeus, but to go to his house and to eat with him? The Good Samaritan goes way above and beyond too. He shows mercy to the one in need. He is the one who sets for us an example.

Of this story, John Wesley writes, “Let us renounce that bigotry and party zeal which could contract our hearts into an insensitivity for all the human race, but for a small number whose sentiments and practices are so much our own.” From about 31 AD to the late 1700s to today. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, encourage and empower us to walk the narrow road. It is narrow. Our faith is assaulted on both sides – culture on the one side, “religion” on the other. The path of Jesus, the way of love, is a narrow lane. As you held back the waters of the Jordan, hold back these evils, O Lord. Be with us each moment as we seek to build your upside-down kingdom of love in this thin space. Amen.


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Modeling Christ

Reading: Acts 10:34-38

Acts 10:34-35 – “God doesn’t show partiality… whoever worships him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”

Today’s scripture from Acts 10 serves as a bridge between the first two of John Wesley’s three simple rules. Peter first acknowledges that “God doesn’t show partiality.” He has come to understand that God accepts the Gentile Christians as they are. Peter now sees that their attempts to make these believers Jews first (then Christians) was wrong and was doing harm to these brothers and sisters in Christ. We too can do harm when we seek to elevate what we think is right over what God is doing at the time. We too can put up barriers to people coming to Christ. We do this when we say or imply that they must look or act or dress or… like us to attend church or to be baptized or…

Peter then recognizes that the Gentile Christians are worshipping God and are living out the example of Jesus. Getting past himself, he has come to understand that they are totally acceptable to God. Indeed, “He is Lord of all!” Reflecting back on his three years with Jesus, Peter can see how Jesus himself engaged one and all. Jesus did not show partiality. Instead he demonstrated welcome, acceptance, and love to all people.

Our passage closes with this observation about Jesus: “He traveled around doing good and healing everyone.” Jesus sought to do good to all. He didn’t first check to see if they really believed in him or belonged to a church. Sometimes faith or belief even came after the good act or after the healing. May we always be generous with our acts of kindness and love. Modeling Christ to others, we draw them towards Jesus and his love.

Prayer: Lord God, open our hearts wide too. Lead and guide us to see all people as Jests saw them. Each person was worthy of his time, his attention, his efforts, his love. Help us to engage our world this way too. Amen.


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Holy and Righteous

Readings: Proverbs 2:11-12 and Hebrews 12:7-10

Proverbs 2:11 – “Don’t reject the instruction of the Lord… don’t despise his correction.”

When I was growing up and would misbehave, my parents would discipline me. At the time I saw it as punishment. Once, my mom found me playing with my G.I. Joes and I had new clothes for them. She put two and two together. The next morning my parents brought me to the store, had me hand over the stolen clothes, and had me apologize to the manager. He offered words of thanks and grace – both to me and to my parents. I learned a lot from that experience.

In today’s verses from Proverbs, we read, “Don’t reject the instruction of the Lord… don’t despise his correction.” There is love behind the correction that God offers. To raise a child in the way he or she should go, to train up a disciple to walk in the way of the Lord – both are examples of receiving favor. It is not easy to correct a son or daughter. Our parents and our Lord do the hard thing because they want the very best for us. That, to me, is a major difference between punishment and correction.

Turning to Hebrews 12, our verses come in the middle of a chapter that speaks of running the race of faith. The call is to run with discipline, remembering one’s training, persevering and not giving up. The writer reminds the reader of Jesus’ example then quotes our passage from Proverbs 2. In verses 7-9 we are first encouraged to “Bear hardship for the sake of discipline.” We’re then reminded of how our parents disciplined us out of love and then to recognize the greater love that God has for us. The discipline we receive from God leads us to “share in his holiness.” Through this sharing, as we mature, we will yield “the fruit of righteousness.” These are the ways that God works to transform us more and more into the image of his son, Jesus Christ. For this love we say, thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, open our hearts and minds to your transforming love. Bend our will to yours, allowing us to follow your lead and to accept your guidance and direction, your discipline and correction. We recognize that you desire the absolute best for us. Fill us with your Spirit and with wisdom, empowering us to follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.


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Not My Will

Readings: Luke 22:39-42 and Matthew 21:18-22

Luke 22:42b – “However, not my will but your will must be done.”

Photo credit: Falaq Lazuardi

As Jesus enters his final days on earth he goes to the Mount of Olives to pray. In the first verse we read “as was his custom.” Jesus Christ was a person of prayer. Even though he was God in the flesh, as a man he was also human. Perhaps his admonition to his disciples to not fall into temptation was also a reminder to himself. Jesus knows what lies ahead. This is the “cup of suffering” that he prays about. It is a cup that the human Jesus would rather not have to drink at this moment. At its core this is a “if there’s another way, God” kind of prayer. We’ve all prayed this kind of prayer – in many forms, in many situations. Then, from a place of humility and faith and surrender, we’ve prayed as Jesus prays, “Not my will but your will must be done.”

Our Matthew passage for today also comes from Jesus’ final week. It’s a few days earlier – on Monday instead of Thursday. Returning to the city, Jesus is hungry. He sees a fig tree but finds nothing but leaves. This tree is symbolic of Israel’s fruitless faith. With a word from Jesus, the tree dries up. The amazed disciples are told, “If you have faith and don’t doubt” then they will do this and more. They will even be able to move a mountain with their words. Extending the idea of the power of faith without doubt, Jesus adds, “If you have faith, you will receive whatever you pray for.”

If we combine the core teaching of these two lessons from Jesus, we find a key practice of our prayer life: pray in faith, aligned with God’s will. We do not always know God’s will. In these cases, we are to pray as Jesus prayed in the garden, with humility and surrender, “Not my will but your will must be done.”

Prayer: Lord God, as we walk through this life, seeking to be faithful and true to you, strengthen our faith and our trust in you. By your Spirit, lead us to grow in our faith, aligning ourselves more and more with your will and way. And using Christ’s example, guide us to humbly bend our will to your will. Amen.


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Foundation and Guide

Reading: 2nd Timothy 3:14-17

2nd Timothy 3:16 – “Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character.”

In today’s reading Paul is encouraging Timothy to stay connected to scripture. God’s word is the foundation of our faith and the guide in our life. This is as true for us as it was for Paul and Timothy or any other person of faith.

In verses 14 and 15 Paul reminds Timothy of this foundation. He was taught the faith by his mother and grandmother, Eunice and Lois. These two women taught him not only the words of scripture but they also lived out their faith, setting for him an example. Hearing and doing the word “leads to salvation through faith that is in Jesus Christ.” Reflecting on your own past, who was it that taught and modeled faith for you?

In verse 16 we read, “Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character.” First, scripture is inspired by God. These words of Paul that we read today, for example, were words breathed into or given to Paul by God. These words still contain that “breath” of God. Those who read and do the words of God receive God’s life-giving breath, guidance, direction, correction, training…

In verse 17 our passage comes back around. Living in and through the word of God, one is “equipped to do everything that is good.” Just as Eunice and Lois were equipped, so will Timothy be equipped, so can we be equipped. May the word of God be our foundation, our guide, our power and strength.

Prayer: Lord God, your word has power – power to lead us to do good, to turn us back around when we stray, to cleanse us when we fail, to build us back up when we falter. Guide us daily to lean into and to stand upon your word. Use us to then be the word lived out in the world. Amen.


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Blameless and Rejoicing

Reading: Jude

Jude 1:3 – “Instead, I must write to urge you to fight for the faith delivered once and for all to God’s holy people.”

Jude focuses mostly on repudiating the false teachers or “dreamers” that are present in this community of faith. In the opening verses Jude states that he wanted to write to them about their shared salvation. But… “Instead, I must write to urge you to fight for the faith delivered once and for all to God’s holy people.” These “godless people” have taken grace and turned it into an excuse for “unrestrained immortality.” Doing so, they deny Christ.

Jude then uses several examples of people who have turned from their faith, doubting God or becoming inwardly focused. Perhaps following 2nd Peter’s lead, Jude names the exodus’ first generation, the fallen angels, and Sodom and Gomorrah. He includes Cain and also adds Balaam and Korah. Using wonderful metaphors from nature, Jude likens these dreamers to “jagged rocks just below the surface” and to “waterless clouds.” He reminds them that Enoch prophesied about these people and the judgment that they will receive.

Jude then closes with words of encouragement. First, he says, remember the words of the apostles. They too warned about these scoffers. Second, stay together. Build each other up, pray in the Spirit, keep each other in God’s love. Be people of mercy and rescue “from the fire” those you can. The letter closes with a beautiful blessing. We are reminded that “glory, majesty, power, and authority” belong to “the one who is able to keep you from falling, to present you blameless and rejoicing before his presence.” Yes, may all of this and more be our blessing!

Prayer: Lord God, Balaam, Korah and such may be unfamiliar to many, but the temptations of this world and our natural tendency towards selfishness are very familiar realities. Walk with us, O Spirit of God. Encourage us to walk with one another in faith. Draw us to your beautiful blessing. Amen.


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The Pioneer

Reading: Hebrews 1-3

Hebrews 2:10 – “It was appropriate for God… to use the experience of suffering to make perfect the pioneer of salvation.”

Hebrews begins by declaring that God first spoke through the prophets (the Old Testament) and then spoke through a Son (the New Testament Gospels.) Jesus is “the imprint of God’s being.” The Son then died to cleanse people from their sins, returning to glory to sit at God’s right hand. It is a powerful opening statement.

The author then exhorts the audience to pay attention to the good news they’ve heard lest they “drift away.” He or she asks, “How will we escape [hell] if we ignore such a great salvation?” Great question. This gift of salvation was announced by Jesus and confirmed by the disciples and apostles. God offered validity through “signs, amazing things, various miracles, and gifts from the Holy Spirit.”

Hebrews then turns to who and what Jesus was and is. First, he tasted death so that we can taste grace. Jesus also lived as a human. In 2:10 we read, “It was appropriate for God… to use the experience of suffering to make perfect the pioneer of salvation.” Christ mediates for us based on experiencing what we experience. Jesus walked our road, experiencing suffering, when tempted. Through it all, Jesus was faithful to God. Because of his example and sacrifice, we can have hope and confidence. We can encourage one another every day so that one day we can “enter his rest.” May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for sending your Son, he who walked this earth as one of us. In those 30+ years he experienced what it is like to be human – the suffering, the temptation, the pain. Yet in living he also revealed your love and the joy, hope, peace, contentment, and forgiveness found in that love. Help us today to walk in step with the Spirit, sharing that love, bringing you all the glory. Amen.