pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: Jesus


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Shining the Light

Isaiah begins the passage today by declaring that he will not be silent.  Instead he will continue to speak until “righteousness shines out like the dawn”.  Each morning as the sun rises at dawn, the light slowly creeps forth and it lights up everything.  All is illuminated.  Isaiah claims his role to continue to speak out so that all will know salvation.

Jesus again spoke out to proclaim this same message of salvation for all people.  Everywhere He went and to all He spoke with, Jesus exemplified this same righteousness shining out like the dawn.  To all He ministered to Jesus was love and kindness and mercy.  He offered an alternative to the things people were struggling with.  Jesus offered a new way to live, a way that gave freedom from sin and death.  His focus on God’s kingdom also lifted our eyes off of all these earthly trappings.

Jesus called us too to be the light that is always shining out into the world.  He called us to be the same righteousness that brings light to all around it.  And He does not want us to ever be silent until all come to know the light.  Here is where the struggle begins.  There is so much that can distract us and cause our light to not always be shining out.

Do we remember when we first fell in love with God?  Do we remember how it consumed us?  For some that passion slowly dies away as it is not fed on a regular, steady basis.  For some life grows to be so busy as we allow work, sports, and other activities, pursuits, interests, and responsibilities to take up our time, energy, or both.  God must be our first priority.  If He is not, we must stop the whirlwind and place God back at the center.  Carving out time with God every day has to be the starting point.  Time in prayer and the study of His Word will allow that light to shine out into all we do.  When we center our lives on Jesus, then His light in us will be like the dawn, shining out to bring light to all.  May Jesus be our all in all we do this day and every day.

Scripture reference: Isaiah 62: 1-5


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The Journey

God’s promises to Zion are promises to us too.  In the broad sense, Zion is the place where God and mankind connect.  People of all walks of life, from a wide variety of circumstances and situations, and from all over the world come and connect to God.  Each of us are such people.  We are drawn by the promises of freedom from sin and death, of abundant life in the here and now, and of eternal life in the time to come.  God’s promises bring love, hope, joy, and peace.

In order to live in and enjoy all of God’s promises, we must go on and be on a journey.  Our journey begins with another’s faith.  We come to know God through our parents or through a friend as we see faith in them.  Our desire to “have” what they have leads us into our own personal relationship as we choose to declare Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Through our own servanthood and discipleship we begin to live into God’s promises.  We see the world from a new perspective.  As we continue to walk in this new relationship we experience the constant renewal of our mind and heart as we grow closer and closer to Him.

We cannot stop walking though.  Some do.  Some say they have accepted Christ and act as if that is the end point.  It is not.  Our journey of faith continues until the day we die.  Every day we are  called to know Him more and to fall deeper and deeper in love with Him.  Our role also expands.  We add witness to servant and disciple.  It is the “go” part of the great commission.  We all need to become His light and love in the world so that others might see our life in Christ and say as we once said: I want some of that.  May our light and love draw others to His light and love.

Scripture reference: Isaiah 62: 1-5


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Each Opportunity

While at the wedding at Cana, Jesus experiences something we all experience – a request to help someone.  In this case Jesus must have known the wedding party as He and the disciples were invited to the party.  As I reflect on who I struggle most with when asked for assistance, it is with the stranger that I most often struggle.  In this story from the book of John, Jesus teaches us both what we are to do and what we are not to do.

The first thing Jesus did was to be open to the needs of others.  When His mother asked, He could have ignored her or dismissed the request.  Much like when the Spirit prompts us, do we pay attention or do we act like we did not hear or feel anything?

The second thing Jesus did was to decide what the greatest need was.  This can be hard to weigh or evaluate correctly.  At times people in need of assistance have a root need that is much deeper than the asked for need.  But we are called to be in relationship with and to walk alongside people in need.  Warning: to be in relationship and to walk alongside another is a much deeper commitment.  But it is only when we do this that we can begin to understand and address these deeper needs.

The third thing Jesus teaches us is something not to do: He did not judge the situation or the person.  This is often where I struggle most.  It is usually in the immediate need requests that I struggle with this the most.  When I have entered into a helping relationship with another, I learn that they are much like me and it is easier not to judge them.  But in the immediate request from a person I encounter on the street who is asking for $5 for food, for example, it is harder to not judge the validity or worthiness of the request.  In God’s view, we are to help if we can, no questions asked.

The last thing Jesus teaches us is to respond and act to the best of our ability.  He didn’t just make wine, He made good wine.  We too are called to be honest, genuine, and fully invested.  Each of our relationships and encounters should receive our best efforts.  Jesus offered no less.

May each opportunity to come alongside another be done with all the love, compassion, and ability that God has placed within us.  Lord, may it begin with me.

Scripture reference: John 2: 1-11


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The Gift of the Holy Spirit

Baptism marks us as a child of God and brings us into His family.  In the early church and in non-infant baptisms today, it is also an affirmation of one’s own faith in Jesus Christ.  In all cases of Christian baptism today, one is baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  In our text from Acts, this was not the case.  The new believers had been baptized but had not yet received the Holy Spirit.

John and Peter go to the newly baptized believers in Samaria to offer them the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Through prayer and the laying on of hands, these new members of the family of God receive the Holy Spirit.  To invite the Holy Spirit to come and dwell in them was essential.  For them and for us, the Holy Spirit is the living presence of Jesus Christ in our lives.  This presence guides and leads us to live life as a follower or imitator of Jesus.  The life of one indwelled by the Holy Spirit is a life that bears fruit in the world and shares the light and love of Christ with others.

The Holy Spirit also acts as a connector or unifier.  It leads and guides us all in the same way, bringing us together as the body of Christ.  Much as baptism brings each new believer into the one family of God, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit imparts into each of us a common DNA, making us one in Christ.

This day may we invite the Holy Spirit to be active and present in our lives.  This day may we attune our ears and hearts to the voice of the Holy Spirit.  This day may our hands and feet be receptive to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Come Holy Spirit, come!

Scripture reference: Acts 8: 14-17


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Prayer Invite

Within each person is a spark of the divine.  This is what causes us to see God in our world and to have an innate pull within us to connect to God.  As John began to baptize in the wilderness, people started to wonder if he was indeed the Messiah that they were longing for.  John must have sensed this and Jesus’ imminent coming as he announced that he was not the Messiah but that the One was indeed coming.  John’s call to repent and to live a righteous life was to prepare the way for Jesus.

As we awaken and face each new day, are we like the people on the river bank?  Are we heading into our day expecting to see and experience God at work in our lives and world?  Do we face each day with the expectation that God can and will be present and active in our lives?

It is God’s desire to be present to and active in our lives each day.  So how do we invite God in and learn to live with eyes that are focused on seeing God?  It begins with us as it began with Jesus – in prayer.  After He was baptized, Jesus prayed to God and the Holy Spirit descended on Him.  Prayer is our initial point of connection to God as well.  Prayer draws us into relationship with God.

Sometimes we can lose our sense of expectation.  Life can get routine and we fail to see God in the ho-hum of the day to day.  But God is always there.  He desires to play the lead role in our life, but He does not force His way in.  Today and each day may we begin in prayer, inviting God to be present to us throughout our day.

Scripture reference: Luke 3: 15-17 and 21-22


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Praise the Creator

Yesterday we celebrated the gift of Jesus Christ to us and to our world.  The psalm today celebrates all of God’s other gifts that we find in our world.  God clothed creation in amazing beauty – from the stars, sun, and moon to the snow, frost, and rain.  He also created much that is also beautiful.  From the birds and animals to the mountains, trees, and flowers, we find much beauty in our world.

God created much with an amazing amount of diversity and creativity.  We do not see just roses, but tulips and daffodils, and morning glories.  We don’t just see red roses, but white and pink and…  There is not just one type of mountainscape.  Some are beautiful in their rugged splendor and others are pine-covered and inviting.

Today at my house it is very cold and windy and snowy.  In a few months the grass and plants will burst forth with beautiful green and young birds will chirp.  In just a few more months the hot sun will bring forth growth and the occasional thunderstorm to remind me of God’s power and might.  And soon thereafter the leaves will turn a variety of yellows, reds, and oranges and cool evenings will return.

Today may we connect to the many incredible ways that God has created the earth and all that is in and on it.  As we consider and marvel at the work of His hands, may we praise and thank our loving and amazing Creator God.

Scripture reference: Psalm 148


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God with Us

This day God becomes flesh to dwell among us.  Our greatest gift this day is Jesus.  No matter how big the best gift was under the tree or how much love was poured into a gift we got for Christmas, it cannot compare to the incarnation.  In Jesus, our Emmanuel, we have God with us.

May we both rejoice in and rest in this today.

Scripture reference: Hebrews 1: 1-12


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Surrounded by Love

Wrapping the baby Jesus in swaddling clothes was the common practice of the time.  It is still the common practice in many places.  By wrapping the baby head to toe, it is kept warm and its delicate skin in protected.  Being laid in a manger, maybe Jesus even needed a little extra protection.  All one could see of the baby was their little face, gazing up at them.

In the culture of Jesus’ day and in many places still today, at the end of life the body is again wrapped in a cloth.  This time it is called a shroud and it covers all of the body.  The body is wrapped with fragrant spices and laid to rest in a protetcive little coccoon.  The cycle is complete.

Tonight the communion will be covered by a cloth except when being served.  The elements are representative of Jesus’ body and blood, so it is appropriate and respectful to cover them.

In our Christian walk, God’s love continually surrounds us much like the swaddling clothes do a baby.  God wraps His love and protection around us as He walks through the ups, downs, and middles of life with us.  As we walk we will stumble and we will sin.  But God is present then too for His love never fails.  In these moments we also receive His love and grace as well.  They surround us too and make us new and clean and whole.  Through Jesus’ work on the cross, we are forgiven and restored to walk again in God’s loving presence.  Thank you Jesus.

Scripture reference: Luke 2: 1-20


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Clothe Ourselves Well

We are often concerned with what we wear.  We like to look good or at least be presentable!  If our hair is a little wild or our make-up a little smudged, we neaten it up a bit.  Many will give themselves a quick once over in the mirror to make sure they can be seen in public.

In our reading from Colossians, we are also instructed to put on more than clothes each day.  We are also called to put on compassion and kindness and humility.  These traits help us to see others as God sees them and to treat all as worthy of God’s love and of our love.  They help us to see the person and not their circumstances.

We are also called to put on gentleness and patience.  These two traits help us to treat people as God would treat them.  When we are gentle and patient we understand that some people require more time and attention than others and we are willing to offer this.  They help us to invest both deeply and long term in others so we can build relationships.

And we are called to forgive as God forgives us.  This encompasses two main components: there is no limit to how many times to forgive and it is a gift freely given with no strings attached.  People who are in need often walk a hard path in life.  It is easy to stumble along this path.  Clothing ourselves with forgiveness allows us to give mercy and encouragement over and over and over.  This shows we are in it for the long haul.

Lastly we are called to cover all of these traits in love.  It binds the other traits together in the perfect unity of the love of Jesus Christ.  This love of Christ must be what motivates all the others as well.  We cannot be compassionate, kind, … without the love of Christ being the driving force.  Without love the other traits will falter and fail.  May we clothe ourselves well this day so that all we meet can see Jesus Christ within us and experience His love shining forth from inside of us.

Scripture reference: Colossians 3: 12-14


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The Journey

Our journey of faith draws us ever closer to God.  We are, however, not constantly growing each and every day.  Our growth is sometimes like that second cousin that you only see at the occassional reunion, wedding, or funeral.  You see him and marvel at how he has changed since you last saw him, but his growth has been gradual.

This journey of faith has its valleys and moutain tops as well as its wrong turns. There are moments when we connect powefully to God or the Holy Spirit and feel a growth spurt.  There are also times when we turn aside and stumble in our sin.  As we walk through the times of sin and repentance, looking back we can also see signs of overall growth.  Things we once did not see as sin are things we now wrestle with and our cycles of repeating the same sin has greater intervals in between.  We can see God and the Holy Spirit at work within us.

Our journey will also have seasons like the one described in Psalm 80.  We will have times when we cry out to God followed by what feels like silence.  We will have times when it feels like we are subsisting on the ‘bread of tears.’  In these times we long for His presence, for the touch or the whisper of the Holy Spirit.  The Good Shepherd is always near.  He never is far from His sheep.  So in these seasons we must continue to pray, to read His word, to seek His face.  In response to our faithfulness, suddenly He will be there.  It will seem like God never left.  All will be well.

Scripture reference: Psalm 80: 1-7