pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Our Brother, Jesus Christ

Reading: Hebrews 2:10-18

Hebrews 2:17 – “He has to be made like his brothers and sisters in every way.”

Today’s reading from Hebrews 2 speaks of how and why Jesus is our “great high priest.” The author begins by declaring that it was “appropriate” for Jesus to experience suffering. These experiences prepared him to be our “pioneer of salvation.” Suffering is a part of our lives. Because Jesus in the flesh experienced this too, we can be confident that Jesus in Spirit will be present to us during our times of suffering. This common experience is one way that we are brothers and sisters with Jesus.

In verse 11 the writer of Hebrews declares that both Jesus and all who seek to walk in his ways “all come from one source.” Using three quotes from the ancient scriptures, the author reminds the Hebrews and us that we are all born of the divine, that we are all made in the image of God. This is the second way that we are brothers and sisters with Christ.

Our brother, in order to set us free from the power of death, sacrificed himself so that we too could be resurrected to new life. This death was for our benefit. Without fear of death we didn’t have to chase after the things of this world. Freed from this we can pursue the things of God instead. This freedom allows us to focus on joyful and complete obedience to the will and way of God.

In verse 17 we read, “He has to be made like his brothers and sisters in every way.” Jesus chose to spend time up close and personal with humanity. His time with us fallible and imperfect creatures led to two things. First, it is what led Jesus to die for us too. He paid the atoning price for our sins, freeing us from the power that sin can hold over our lives. Second, it is what allows Jesus to be our “merciful and faithful high priest.” Being made like us, experiencing the temptation and suffering that we experience, it is what empowers Christ to intercede for us before God. And it is what draws our brother to us during our difficult times in this life. For the freedom from sin and death, for the presence and strength in times of need, we say, “Thank you, Jesus!”

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for taking on flesh to better understand, to better connect, to better be our advocate before God in heaven. You know our joys and sorrows, our griefs and elations, our sufferings and our victories. You were made like us so that we could become more like you. Thank you. Amen.


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Our Intercessor

Reading: Exodus 32:7-14

Exodus 32:10 – “Now leave me alone! Let my fury burn and devour them.”

Exodus 32 begins with Moses and Joshua already up on the mountain, speaking with God. They are up there a long time – apparently too long. An impatient people decide that they need something new to follow and worship. A gold bull calf is fashioned. An altar is made. The image is worshipped. Before moving to today’s reading, let us ponder how often we either get impatient with God and take matters into our own hands or… how often we worship things other than the Lord our God.

In verse 7 God instructs Moses to “Hurry up,” to return to “Your people” because they are “ruining everything.” God recounts to Moses the making of and worship of an idol. God is very upset with this “stubborn people.” God then says to Moses, “Now leave me alone! Let my fury burn and devour them.” God is ready to simply wipe the Israelites off the face of the earth. God will just start over with Moses. Referring back to our earlier pondering, I wonder, how often does God get to this same place with us? Collectively we must regularly tempt God to just burn it down in order to start over.

What happens next is amazing. Moses intercedes on behalf of God’s “own people.” Moses tells God to calm down, to change God’s mind, to remember the covenant promises. And God does. Moses had walked long enough with these people to understand their struggles with being faithful 100% of the time. The good news for you and for me? Jesus – God in the flesh – walked long enough with humanity to truly understand our struggles. Just as Moses did, the risen Christ intercedes for you and for me, standing between us and God, pleading our case. Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ, our intercessor and friend.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for you day to day patience and for your unconditional love. We are so imperfect. We must push your buttons regularly, like a difficult two-year-old with a very tired parent. We rejoice in Jesus, our intercessor before you. We thank you too for the Holy Spirit, our indwelling friend who helps us in our walk with you. And, God, thank you for your saving grace and unending mercy. You are a most awesome God. Amen.


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Trusting, Confessing

Reading: Romans 8:18-10:21

Romans 10:10 – “Trusting with the heart leads to righteousness, and confessing with the mouth leads to salvation.”

Photo credit: Shane Rounce

As we continue in Romans 8 today we find great hope. First Paul reminds us that this present suffering is nothing compared to the coming glory. With hope we await being “set free” as we who have the Spirit become the “first crop.” Today these words remind me of the rapture imagery found in Revelation.

Paul then speaks of the Spirit’s role in our lives. The Spirit intercedes for us, praying for us, “consistent with God’s will.” Accordingly, God works all things – us included – towards the good. God is good. To work this process out, we are increasingly conformed to Christ’s image. In this process we become less and less like the world. Therefore nothing worldly – trouble, harassment, famine… death, rulers… – nothing can separate us from God’s love that we find in and through Jesus. Hallelujah!

The apostle shifts gears in chapter 9. Paul laments Israel’s rejection of Christ. He would give up his salvation to see Israel turn to Christ. Yet Paul also recognizes that this is God’s plan unfolding, not his. This is a good reminder to us. It is God who shows mercy and compassion to whom God chooses. This is why it is the Gentiles who came to faith that leads to righteousness. The Jews instead sought to “establish their own righteousness.” But keeping all of the Law proved impossible. The righteousness that leads to salvation comes only through faith. Paul summarizes in 10:10 – “Trusting with the heart leads to righteousness, and confessing with the mouth leads to salvation.” May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, faith, trust, hope, obedience, surrender – such simple concepts in many ways. In an ideal world, so easy. Yet our world is not easy or ideal. Many things can challenge or assault our faith – real things like death, harassment, famine… Lord, may your Spirit intercede for us always and may it walk with us, strengthening and encouraging us in our walk of faith. As ones who are conformed to your Son, and therefore to you, use us as love and mercy and compassion in your world. Amen.


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Moving Forward

Readings: Numbers 15, Numbers 16, Numbers 17, Numbers 18

Numbers 18:29 – “You will present each gift offering to the LORD from all your gifts, from its best portions and its holiest parts.”

On the heels of choosing fear over faith and being doomed to wander the wilderness for 40 years, in chapter 15 God details the offerings to be given when they do enter the Promised Land. The wander is clearly a detour. God has a plan. So God reviews the offerings required for unintentional sins. God is clear that there is no reconciliation offering for deliberate or intentional sin. They are cut off. In the next chapter we will see what that looks like. The chapter closes with instructions to place blue fringes on all of their clothing. Blue represents holy. The fringes will remind them of the commitment to their holy God.

Chapter 16 contains challenges to Moses and to Aaron. Korah and his Levite clan want more power. Dathan and Abiram think Moses has too much power. Korah and his family are gathered. God plans to consume Korah’s entire household. Moses intercedes for the innocents. God relents. Dathan and Abiram refuse to appear before Moses. They and their families are swallowed up by the earth. Korah and his 250 followers are consumed by God’s fire. The community grumbles against these deaths and therefore against Moses and God. God sends a plague. Moses sends Aaron out into the community to stop the plague. Aaron stands between the dead and the living, halting the plague.

To reiterate God’s call on Aaron, the staffs of the 12 tribal leaders are gathered and placed with Aaron’s staff before the chest. Aaron’s staff buds, revealing God’s choice. The people lament. For now they fail to see the humility required to be in God’s presence. Today’s readings close with priestly duties and their compensation. It mostly reiterates earlier instructions but also adds a requirement of the priests. Since they belong to the Lord they will not be given a land inheritance. Instead they will receive the tenth of the crops and herds given to the Lord. In turn God will require them to give 1/10 of this to the Lord as their gift offering. It is to be “from its best portions.” May we too return to the Lord a portion from the best of our blessings.

Prayer: Lord God, in spite of the Israelites’ disobedience and rebellion and sin you keep the plan moving forward. You see and know the end results. In our lives we disobey and rebel and sin. You continue to work in our lives as well, leading and guiding, shaping and forming us into who and what you call us to be. In response, may we gratefully give our best to you in all situations. Amen.


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God Is…

Readings: Exodus 31, Exodus 32, Exodus 33, Exodus 34

Exodus 34:6-7 – “The LORD! A God who is compassionate and merciful, very patient, full of great loyalty and faithfulness… forgiving.”

Photo credit: Diego Gennaro

Chapter 31 begins with the appointment of two skilled artisans to oversee the building of the tabernacle. This is followed up by a reiteration of the Sabbath guidelines. God’s point: even the building of God’s home is not to be used as an excuse to break the Sabbath. All of our excuses pale by comparison.

The story of the gold bull calf fills chapter 32. The people go astray and Aaron goes along. Moses has been gone a long time. The people forget who and what God has been and done. An idol is made and is worshipped. God is ready to “devour” them in fury, but Moses intercedes, reminding God of their history. God’s anger relents. Moses and Joshua return to camp. Moses becomes furious, smashing the covenant tablets. He destroys the bull calf and forces the Israelites to drink its ash mixed in water. Moses then rallies the Levites. About 3,000 are killed by the sword. A plague then follows.

As chapter 33 begins, God refuses to go with these stubborn people. Moses sets up a tent outside of the camp, symbolic of real separation that their sin has created. God meets with Moses in the tent. The people are faithful, paying close attention. Moses again intercedes for the people, laying his relationship with God on the line. God relents. Moses is then allowed to see God’s glory. Passing by Moses, God declares that God is “compassionate and merciful, very patient, full of great loyalty and faithfulness… forgiving.”

God then renews the covenant with the people. God warns the people about making a covenant with those that God will drive out. God instructs them to purge the land of the idols and altars that are there. They are warned about marrying the locals. God then reiterates much of the material from the first covenant. This time Moses comes down with a face aglow – reflecting God’s glory.

In today’s return to a story format we can again see ourselves – at times as the sinful, idol-worshipping Israelites and at times as Moses as he pleads with God. We can see ourselves as the Israelites eagerly watching for God and as the people who need warnings about the pagan culture around us. Through it all, though, both then and now, God remains compassionate and merciful, patient and forgiving. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, how true and faithful you are. What a long, patient walk you have been on with your children. I am awed by your love. Amen.


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Mercy and Justice

Reading: Psalm 123

Verse 3: “Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.”

This week’s Psalm is a song of ascents. It would’ve most often been sung as people made their way up to the temple. As they walked and as they prepared themselves for worship, the opening verse would set the tone: “I lift my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven.” Read today, these words feel like words spoken to a benevolent God who reigned from a distant place. Christ has not yet come to bring God’s presence among and within us.

Verse 2 can be difficult. Slaves and masters, maids and mistresses – these terms have negative connotations. We cannot dismiss them as “then” and skip on to verse 3. These relationships were common for a long time in our world and even in “Christian” circles. This is a sad truth of our common history. Here in the Psalm the writer parallels these relationships with their traditional relationship with God. It speaks to a dependence on the one with power, to a trust in their good care and benevolence. The psalmist looks to this God to show mercy to the people.

Verses 3 and 4 reveal the unfortunate reality of many power dynamics. The faithful in the Psalm are not the ones with power. They are enduring contempt and ridicule. Those with power are prideful and arrogant. The faithful call on a good God to have mercy, to end this injustice. At times we are in this position, calling in God to intervene on our behalf. In these times we too lift our eyes to heaven. But sometimes we are in an observers role – we are not the one with all the power but we do have some power to act. We see or become aware of an abuse of power. In these cases we cannot remain silent. Our good God calls on us to intercede on behalf of the oppressed, bringing justice and mercy to the situation. Stepping out in faith, the God of mercy will be with us.

Prayer: Lord God, walk with us day by day. In your presence, encourage us in those times of suffering. Be our defender, be our redeemer. And in your presence, O Lord, spur us to action when injustice and oppression are evident in our worlds. Empower us to work for justice and good. Walk with us day by day, O God. Amen.


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Interceding

Reading: Exodus 32:11-14

Verse 13: “Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel…”

Photo credit: Shane Rounce

As we continue in the Exodus passage for this week Moses seeks God’s favor, interceding on behalf of the people. This is not the first or last time that Moses will do this. Nor is he the first prophet to do this. This practice is not limited to prophets either. The practice of interceding on behalf of one another is at the core of the community of faith.

Using the same language as God, Moses doubles down, asking, “Why should your anger burn against your people?” Moses reminds God that it was actually God who brought the people out of Egypt. This is a type of prayer that we pray too. We remind God of what God has done in the belief that God will do it again. Moses wants God to rescue them not from Egypt but from their sin this time. Moses also reminds God of the relationship and its foundations. First, Moses says, “Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel…” Moses then reminds God of the promises. Yes, we too pray both of these prayer types too. We invoke our relationship (or another’s relationship with God) and we recall the promises found in the scriptures both as a reminder to ourselves and to God as well.

Can we change God’s mind with our prayers? Perhaps? Is God just using such prayers to reinforce our faith and trust? Maybe? While we do not know the answers to these questions, we do know that we are brought before God regularly and divinely. The Spirit interceded for us, often in groans and always in ways aligned with God’s will (Romans 8:26.) Christ himself also intercedes for us as he sits at the right hand of God (Romans 8:34.) I believe the content of these prayers comes from his time on earth.

May we too choose to stand in this long line of faith, interceding for one another, lifting one another before the throne of God.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for being for us. Thank you for the ways that you, the three-in-one, intercede on our behalf – evidence of your great love for us. We know that you have good plans for us and that you seek to work these out. Help us to be a part of this today. Empower us to be a part of this great prayer effort today, both for ourselves and for one another. Amen.


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Living Out Love

Reading: Hebrews 2:10-18

Verse 14: “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity.”

Our text from Hebrews focuses on Jesus’ connection to us, to his brothers and sisters. Our connection begins in the garden, where God formed humankind in God’s own image. Perfection fell away quickly as temptation led to sin and to a new dynamic in our relationship with God. From that point on, temptation and sin would be part of our human nature. At just the right moment, God came in the flesh. Jesus, God incarnate, came and lived among our sin and suffering, among the pain and brokenness of life. Verse 14 puts it this way: “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity.”

In order to be the provision for our sin Jesus had to know what he was dying for. He had to know the depth of our need. Jesus had to be made like us “in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest” for us in heaven. Because of this experience Jesus can intercede for us and can stand between us and God’s wrath over our sin. And because of this experience, Christ “is able to help those who are being tempted.” Because he too felt temptation, in Spirit he helps us in our battles with sin. In Spirit, Christ is right there with us.

In his earthly life Jesus was face to face with suffering and hardship. Here too is another connection. In love he fully engaged this side of life. Jesus touched the sick and the unclean. He walked and ate with the outcasts and the shunned. Christ sought relationship with those outside the family of God. Jesus identified all of these as the ones he came to save, as the ones that he shared humanity with. Being brothers and sisters with Christ, may we too seek to live out love, caring for and ministering to the needs among us.

Prayer: Lord God, I am so grateful that in Christ you came and lived among us, experiencing all aspects of this life. You know our weaknesses and our proclivity towards self. In response you gave life for our sins and then you gifted us the Holy Spirit, your presence alive in our hearts. In and through this we find life – both here and now as well as one day in eternity. May my grateful response be to love as you love, especially amongst those most in need of your love, mercy, and care. Amen.


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Our Mediator

Reading: 1st Timothy 2:5-7

Verse 5: “There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

Photo credit: Brett Jordan

In today’s verses from 1st Timothy 2, Paul shifts gears to our ultimate authority. Part of our reality is that we live under human leaders. As good as the best leaders are, they all have flaws and shortcomings. None on this side of heaven is perfect. But God is perfect. God is all-knowing and all-powerful, good and just, loving and merciful. And no matter what comes or happens in this world, God is in control of all things.

Because humanity is flawed and God is perfect, there is a sort of gap between God and us. It’s not a physical or spiritual gap – maybe more of an understanding gap. Sin, evil, death – these are foreign to God’s character. God knows what they are (as the creator God designed and made all things) but God has never nor will ever experience them. As flawed and imperfect creatures, we experience sin and evil all the time. We brush up against death and will one day know it personally. Into this gap Jesus came. He did not come as one who was all-knowing, all-powerful… Jesus came and lived as a humble servant. Although he was without sin, Jesus experienced life in the flesh. He felt our emotions, our joys, our sorrows, our temptations, our pain, our struggles.

In verses 5 we read, “There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Because Jesus came in the flesh, the risen Christ can stand as our mediator. Jesus Christ intercedes for us. He stands between God and our sin and pleads our case, helping God to understand, a little bit at least, our flaws and failures. Jesus reminds God of the choices to come and live among flesh and to “give himself as a ransom for many.” Jesus Christ is for you and for me. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the gift of Jesus. Your love was enough, flawed as we are, to lay aside glory and power to come in the flesh. Being one of us opened a new way to relate to us, to understand us, to close that gap. Thank you for a love that led to so great a sacrifice. You are a good, good God. Thank you, thank you. Amen.


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Eye on Jesus

Reading: Hebrews 7: 23-28

Verse 26: “Such a high priest meets our needs – one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.”

Today in Hebrews 7 we read about Jesus Christ, our priest forever. While in ministry on earth Jesus provided us an example for how to live out and live into God’s perfect love. Unlike earthly priests, Jesus was raised to new life and “because Jesus lives forever he has a permanent priesthood.” Jesus continues his saving work in heaven “because he always lives to intercede” for you and for me. Jesus prays for you and for me on a continual basis, ever bringing us before God.

In verse 26 we read, “Such a high priest meets our needs – one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.” This list is quite the list! It is also the example that we are called to follow, the footsteps that we must walk in. If this list feels intimidating or if it seems impossible we must remember that Jesus himself is praying for us – for us to be faithful disciples, for us to love God and others well, for us to be forgiven when we sin, for us to be strengthened when tempted, for us to be comforted when in sorrow, for us to… The one who died to save us is praying for us on our journey of faith.

To be holy, blameless, pure… is a high calling. But we are called to a high calling: to be like Christ. Jesus is for us; he is on our side. We know that with God all things are possible. Therefore let us keep our eye on Jesus, seeking to live as his faithful disciple day by day.

Prayer: Lord God, empower me to model Jesus Christ today. Help me to be love lived out, to be grace poured out freely. In and through me may others see and come to know Jesus Christ, the author and perfector of our faith. Amen.