pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: kingdom


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Born of the Spirit

Reading: John 3:1-10

Verse 3: “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

In our passage for today and tomorrow, Nicodemus comes to Jesus “at night.” He is a Pharisee, an expert in the Law. All of who and what Nicodemus is comes from his knowledge of the Law and from his strict adherence to the Law. Nicodemus’ religion is all in his head. It is all through his own efforts that he is ‘holy.’ Yet he is drawn to Jesus. Jesus too was an expert in the Law, just in a much different way. Jesus was an expert at living out the heart of the Law.

The conversation begins with a polite compliment: “Rabbi, we know…” We? Jesus and the Pharisees are at odds with each other. The “we” likely refers to a very small group within the Pharisees who do actually believe what Nicodemus says. As if answering the question that Nicodemus was afraid to ask, Jesus says, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” Caught totally off guard, Nicodemus attempts a joke. Jesus does not laugh. He presses on. In Jesus’ way of saying it’s not about strictly following all of the rules, he tells Nicodemus, “No one enters the kingdom of God unless he [or she] is born of the water and the Spirit.” Yes, we are all born from the water of the womb. This is what gives us life – here on earth. (And maybe Jesus is referring to John’s baptism – which the Pharisees looked down their noses at.)

Jesus is saying to Nicodemus and to all people that we must also experience a second birth, a spiritual birth, if we want to be a part of God’s kingdom – both here and one day in eternity. To experience this new life one must be “born again” – born of the Holy Spirit. Accepting Jesus as the Messiah, as our Lord and Savior, this invites the gift of the Holy Spirit to come into our heart. Jesus compares this Spirit to the wind. One doesn’t know where the wind comes from and one does not know where it might blow you. There is unknown and there is a lack of control. For a man of great knowledge and of strict control, this must’ve been a very scary thought. It is for most of us.

Prayer: O God, indeed your Spirit leads and guides in ways we don’t often understand. So we try and reign it in. We try and limit it. Free me from my fears and doubts. Enable me to be more in tune, more in step with the Spirit of Christ alive in me. Amen.


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The Change Within

Reading: Matthew 17:1-9

Verse 4: “Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here.'”

Upon the mountaintop Jesus changes. He is transfigured – he is given a new and exalted appearance. Right before their eyes, the holiness and divinity of Jesus is revealed. In that moment, “Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here.'” He recognizes the blessing of standing in the very presence of God.

What if we were to encounter this Jesus more often? When we enter into a time of prayer, when we sit down to read and study our Bibles, when we enter the sanctuary for worship – do we enter with a sense of expectation, with a sense that the divine might show up, with a longing to encounter the presence of God? My friends, the divine shows up 100% of the time. It might not be in dazzling light that is beyond words, but God is ever present to us. What needs to change in us that would allow us to encounter the holy more regularly?

Peter, James, and John were changed by their encounter with the divine. Entering into that space with Moses and Elijah, clearly for a purpose, Jesus was changed. We too will be changed when we allow ourselves into the divine that is always there, ready and willing. Change can be hard but it is definitely part of our faith journey. If we are not changing, if we are not growing, then we are not on a journey. Growth is often incremental, yet it is still growth. And these inner changes, they should affect our outward appearance too. Time spent in the presence of the divine will be reflected in our lives.

The change in Jesus on the mountaintop was amazing and powerful. It was a reflection of the power of God. It was a glimpse into the kingdom of heaven. The change that God desires to work in each of us is amazing and powerful. It is a reflection of the power of God in the world. May you and I be a glimpse of God’s kingdom here on earth.

Prayer: Lord God, please continue to work in me, day by day, moment by moment. In small ways, in big ways, in all ways, change me into who you designed and created me to be. Lead me to boldly follow and courageously step where you call me to go. Amen.


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God Alone

Reading: 1st Corinthians 3:1-9

Verse 6: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.”

Paul addresses the church in Corinth as “worldly” people. In them he still sees jealousy and quarreling. He asks, “Are you not acting like mere humans?” In the same way that Jesus was calling his followers to more in the Sermon on the Mount, so too is Paul challenging the Corinthian church to rise above the petty struggles of the world. Caught up in these worldly cares, the church is divided. Christian love and care and fellowship are hard to find or experience in this church at this moment.

Voicing a humility that is currently lacking in Corinth, Paul reminds them that he and Apollos are “Only servants, through whom you came to believe – as the Lord has assigned to each his task.” Pointing up to the power of God, he continues, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” Yes, he and Apollos and others have humbly served. But God alone sprouted and grew their faith. God alone.

This perspective is important for the church to understand and to live out. It remains as important today as it was in Paul’s time. Yes, all have been blessed with gifts from God and we are all expected to use these gifts to build up the church and the kingdom of God. But the gifts are not inherently ours. They are from God. And it is God alone who does the work of healing or transformation or salvation. Yes, we play a role. We are only “servants.” Like Paul we too know that we must rely on God alone to change lives, including our own. As Paul concludes, “We are God’s fellow workers.” Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, you alone have the power to save, to redeem, to restore, to bring new life. I am powerless to bring change or to make anything grow. Yet I know you call me to service. So I ask that you would use me today as your fellow worker. Put me to your work. Fill me with guidance from the Holy Spirit so that you may be made known. Amen.


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The Beloved Community

Reading: Matthew 5:1-12

Verses 1-2: “His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.”

Photo credit: Clay Banks

Today we begin in the Beatitudes. These “blessed are” statements start off the longest teaching of Jesus recorded in the scriptures. While each statement certainly has meaning and value yet today, we will focus on the whole. Much of Jesus’ teaching pointed to a bigger picture. That is part of what he is doing with the Beatitudes. As a whole these statements paint a vision for the beloved community, for the church. A kingdom-living community of faith will reflect and live out these ideals.

Much of what Jesus said was counter-cultural and it remains so today. To be a peacemaker or to be humble, to be willing to face persecution, to openly desire God – these marks of the Christian are not the norm in the world. To comfort the mourning, to be pure in heart – these are also not the norms of our world. Yet we, as followers of Christ, are called to stand out from the world and to stand up against much of what the world values and pursues. Living out these ideals we will come to stand alongside those that the world devalues and marginalizes. In humble service we will minister to those close to the heart of God. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, lead me past self and closer to your heart. Open me to the folks and situations that break your heart. Use me to build up your vision for the world. Amen.


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Who Are We?

Reading: 1st Corinthians 1:26-31

Verse 26: “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.”

Today Paul casts a vision of the wideness of God’s kingdom and love. It was a start, a beginning point. Since these days our understanding of the wideness of God’s love has grown and grown and grown.

Paul begins this section with an invitation to “think of what you were when you were called.” This is a great question for us to reflect on too. Who and what were you before Christ called you into a saving relationship? As we consider the wideness of God’s love today, let us ponder another question: Who and what would you be if you never heard the call of Jesus Christ upon your life?

Continuing on, Paul admits that most called by Jesus himself were not wise or influential or noble. Quite the opposite – they were considered foolish and weak by the world. Many who were called were lowly and despised. And yet the Lord called them. And because Christ called them, they received “righteousness, holiness, and redemption.” Praise be to God!

In spite of ample evidence of the wideness of God’s love, at times the church has struggled with this concept. We continue to struggle today. We love to claim that all are welcome and that we have “open doors.” Yet in the swath of Christianity humanity has added lots of “but”s. You’re welcome here but you can’t speak from the pulpit. Our doors are open but please fix that “sin” before you come in. Limits? Barriers? There are none in the wideness of God’s love.

Today’s “Disciplines” devotional offered this truth: “Some arrogantly claim the right to declare who gets to sit and eat” at the table of grace and love. Every single person is created and formed by God. Each of us carries the spark of the divine within us. Who are we to say that another child of God is worthy of or unworthy of receiving righteousness, holiness, and redemption?

Prayer: Lord God, when my eyes narrow and my heart starts to harden as I begin to judge another’s worthiness, rain down your powerful love from in high, washing me clean of all that may limit another’s access to the table. Amen.


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The Light!

Readings: Isaiah 9:1-4 and Matthew 4:12-17

Verse 16: “The people living in darkness have seen a great light.” (Matthew 4)

Our passages today are connected. In Isaiah 9 we read a prophecy about a day to come when one who is light walks among the Gentiles. At the time of this writing it would have been a radical thing to consider. It was maybe even a bit scandalous. God, our God, stepping outside this tightly constructed circle drawn securely around Israel? How could that ever be?! God is the God of Israel. Those Gentiles are clearly outside of God’s love, mercy, light…

Fast forward several hundred years and Jesus, God in the flesh, moves into the land of the Gentiles. Doing so, Jesus begins to fulfill these words of Isaiah: “The people living in darkness have seen a great light.” Darkness was and continues to be an absence of God’s presence. Light was and is God’s presence. Coming as the light that illuminates the darkness, Jesus proclaims: “Repent, for the kingdom of God is near.” Repent, turn away from the darkness within. Turn and walk in the light as the Christ has come. The light is here.

Turning back to Isaiah 4, we see the result of walking in the light, of walking with Jesus Christ. There is a joy and a rejoicing that comes from a life lived in Christ. There is a freedom from the darkness: “You have shattered the yoke that burdens them.” The light of Christ in our hearts wards off the darkness. And even when we stumble and stray into the darkness now and again, the light always shines, drawing us back even as it drives away the darkness. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, let your light shine into my life, showing me the way to go, lighting the path that you would have me walk. When temptation creeps in, blast it with your light. O light of the world, be with me always. Amen.


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Do Not Wait Idly

Reading: Revelation 21:1-6

Verse 3: “God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and God will dwell with them. They will be God’s people, and God will be with them and be their God.”

As we turn to the new year we receive this vision of a new heaven and earth. In John’s vision he sees “the new Jerusalem” coming down to earth. As 2023 begins there is a sense of possibility ahead. There is hope for our lives and for our faith. God’s promise is right here.

In his vision John hears these words: “God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and God will dwell with them. They will be God’s people, and God will be with them and be their God.” It is a return to life as it was in the garden. God will walk and talk with us. God will be present so there will be no death, no pain, no tears. Life as we know it – “the old order of things” – it will be no more. Christ declares, “I am making all things new.” The one who is “the beginning and the end” will usher in an eternity of love and light, of grace and peace, of unity and joy. What a day it will be.

Hearing this promise, getting a sense of what this day will be like, it brings us joy and hope. We long for the day. And yet we do not wait idly. We do not just hang out and watch the world go by. No, the kingdom of God has already drawn near. And it remains near, as close as the Holy Spirit that dwells in our hearts. We are called to live with hope and joy, with light and love, with grace and peace. We are called to share these with a world in need. May it be so as we await the one who makes all things new.

Prayer: Lord God, as we wait, may we build. As we live as your witness in the world may we draw others in. As we live faithfully may others come to look to you, the only hope we have. Amen.


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Praise Lived Out

Reading: Psalm 148

Verse 13: “Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.”

The psalmist calls for praise. Following the order found in Genesis 1 in the creation story, the writer calls for praise from all parts of our existence. From the sun, moon, and stars, all the way to humanity, the call is to praise the Lord our God. In verse 13 we are provided with the ‘why’: “Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.” God alone is worthy of our praise. Yet praise is more than simply worshipping God.

Walter Brueggemann argues that our lives should be praise lived out. Yes, we are to worship and praise God for all that God has done and continues to do. But our praise cannot stop in the past or even reside just in the present. Our lives and our praise must also be a part of building God’s kingdom here on earth. Jesus – God with us – best personifies this idea. His life of praise was lived out in the ways he sought the lost and the least; in the ways he healed and cared for the orphan, the sick, the widow; and, in the ways he gave mercy and grace to the outcasts, the marginalized, the sinners. Jesus revealed a new way of being and living in the world. It was the way of love.

As we stand on the brink of a new year, we often think of and reflect back on the year that is ending. May one of our questions be to ask ourselves if we loved as Jesus loved. And then may we consider how we can love God and one another more deeply and more completely in 2023. As we prepare to enter a new year, may we commit to being praise lived out, all for the glory of God.

Prayer: Lord God, as this 24 hours rolls into the next one, it is just another day. Yet it also is a significant change, a moment that calls me to reflection and introspection. Pause with me today, O God. Help me to consider how I can better praise you with my life in the coming year. Sit with me and show me how I can better live out my praise of you, my God, my Lord and Savior. Amen.


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4 Lessons

Reading: Matthew 3:1-6

Verse 3: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord.'”

Turning today to the first half of this week’s gospel text, we see that John the Baptist went out into the desert of Judea and began to preach. His core message: “Repent, for the kingdom of God is near.” Before we continue in the scripture, let me ask you a question: Where and when can you know God’s presence in your life?

John’s ministry was prophesied a long time ago, during Isaiah’s day. “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord'” comes from Isaiah 40. John’s calling was also reaffirmed by the angel Gabriel as he visited John’s father (Luke 1:11-17.) Even though he lived differently than the rest of the world – we’d maybe call him ‘eccentric’ today – people came to see and hear John. We see in the text that people came “from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.” They then heard his passion, they sensed his belief in the one to come, and they were moved. Many confessed their sins and were baptized by John. This was both a symbolic cleansing and a sign of their commitment to holy living.

There are four lessons that we can learn from John the Baptist. First, go where God calls you to go. Go where God leads. Second, don’t worry about fitting in. This can be a barrier to lesson 1. Be who God made you to be. Third, share what God gives you to share. Share what God places upon your heart. And lastly but most importantly, keep the focus on bringing the kingdom of God nearer to people’s lives. There is no better news than the good news of Jesus Christ. There is no other savior, redeemer, or healer. Bear witness to the Christ who changed your life. May we share this with others so that they too can know God’s wherever, whenever, however presence and love. May it be so today and every day.

Prayer: Lord God, John the Baptist was such a great example of ‘humble servant.’ He didn’t care where you sent him. He didn’t care how you asked him to live. He didn’t run from who you created and called him to be. He didn’t want or need the spotlight. He just wanted to help people be ready to meet Jesus. Create in me such passion and love for others. Amen.


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Rescued into the Kingdom

Reading: Colossians 1:10-14

Verse 13: “For God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.”

Paul opens the letter to the Colossians with thanksgiving and prayer. He is thankful for their faith and love, which are bearing fruit and are growing. In today’s passage Paul offers prayers for these believers. In verses 10 and 11 he prays for them to “live a life worthy of the Lord… to bear fruit in every good work… to grow in knowledge of God… to be strengthened” so that they have “great endurance and patience.” What an awesome prayer! It sums up really well the aim of the Christian life. It is a prayer that we can pray daily for our own brothers and sisters in Christ.

Paul upholds a life of faith that is active and engaged. He calls us to a life modeled after Christ, one that shines the light and love of Jesus into the darkness of the world. And Paul prays for strength. The life of faith is not easy. It comes with some challenges and times of difficulty. The darkness often rejects the light. Strength is needed for those times that require endurance and patience. To suffer quietly and without retaliation – this requires great strength, patience, and endurance.

Beginning in verse 12 Paul “joyfully” gives thanks. Because of their faithful living, the Colossian church has “qualified” to “share in the inheritance of the saints of the kingdom of light.” Their faith has led to adoption into the family of God. In verse 13 we read about what this means: “For God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.” These truths are ours as well. Rescued from our sins, we have been redeemed. Rescued from the darkness of this world, we now live as children of the light. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, empower me to live as light and love today and every day. May my life exude the joy of redemption and salvation. May the strength I find through the faith I have in you be a witness to a world living in pain and darkness. May my joy be contagious and infectious, Lord. Amen.