pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: law


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What Truly Contaminates

Reading: Matthew 15:10-20

Matthew 15:18 – “What goes out of the mouth comes from the heart. And that’s what contaminates a person in God’s sight.”

Heart in Fire and Water Isolated on Black Background. Computer Graphics.

Leviticus 11 through 15 contain the laws of Moses that deal with being clean (or unclean if you break a law.) Many of the laws in these five chapters were concerned with keeping healthy. Eating certain foods, for example, in a time without refrigeration often led to illness. So… do not eat pork. Since five chapters worth of dietary and other cleanliness laws were not enough, the religious leaders added more over time.

“Wash your hands before eating” was one of them. This rule is not found anywhere in the Law. But this manmade rule had power in Jesus’ day. His disciples had just eaten without washing their hands, breaking “the elder’s rules handed down to us.” Jesus responds to the Pharisees’ criticism by quoting from Isaiah 29, where the prophet speaks about “empty worship.”

In verses 10-20 Jesus addresses and explains what truly contaminates or makes a person “unclean.” To be unclean is to be separated from God. He declares that it is NOT what we put into our mouth that matters. Food just comes out and goes into the sewer. However, “What goes out of the mouth comes from the heart. And that’s what contaminates a person in God’s sight.” What comes out of our mouth matters. And that all comes from the heart. It is in the heart that one finds the sources of sin: “evil thoughts… sexual sins… false testimony… insults.” These are some of the things that have the power to “contaminate” or to make us unclean before God.

Jesus is talking about what John Wesley would later call “personal holiness.” If we practice personal holiness (or holiness of the heart,) then we walk in right relationship with God. And if we walk in a right relationship with God, then we tend to walk in right relationships with one another. Living out our social holiness, we do not harm others. Instead, we do good and practice love, mercy, grace, compassion… And what flows from the mouth is good and pleasing to the Lord our God. May it be so for us all.

Prayer: Lord God, empower us to look deep within our own hearts. Give us the strength and the courage to root out those things that can separate us from you, leading us to then treat others as “less than.” Transform our hearts and lives, O Lord, filling us with love and grace and compassion and mercy. Then, may these flow from our hearts and may they be upon our lips. Amen.


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Redeeming the Lost

Reading: Romans 11:1-2

Romans 11:1a – “So I ask you, has God rejected his people?”

Photo credit: Mitchel Lensink

As we begin two days in Romans 11, we begin with the first two verses. These verses continue Paul’s argument against salvation through the Law. Instead, Paul sees grace as the saving agent. In our two verses today, Paul touches on when God’s people (or us) are not faithful to God. Verse 1 begins, “So I ask you, has God rejected his people?” When I first read this verse, to be honest, my mind said, “Maybe.” I thought of the policies and things done today by those claiming to be Christian, and thought, surely God is at least deeply grieved by this. But upon more reflection, I realized that this has been going on since the actual time of Jesus. In his day it was the Pharisees who used the Law for their own purposes. Later it was those who led and funded the Crusades. There have always been folks who have used “faith” as a weapon.

Paul’s response to his opening question is this: “Absolutely not!” God always remains faithful. Paul offers himself as proof. He is an Israelite through and through – and he loves and follows Jesus. Paul invites us to remember Elijah. He felt like he was the only faithful person left. But the faithful were actually down to a small fragment – 7,000 who had not turned to idols. Through the faithful, God redeemed the lost. God continues to do so today. You and I – we are living examples. Through our sin and failures, God has not rejected us once. Through grace we are redeemed again and again. Like the story of Elijah and God’s faithfulness, our story of grace and redemption has power. Our story can change lives. Who do you know that needs to hear the story of how Jesus changed your life?

Prayer: Lord God, today many worship idols. They aren’t carved of stone or wood but are found in the mirror, parked in driveways, stashed in bank accounts, put forth in social media. These folks are as lost as most in Elijah’s day. So, Lord, use us to turn people to you – some back to you, many encountering you for the first time. Fill our stories with a Holy Spirit power – with the power to change lives. Amen.


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A Confessing Faith

Reading: Romans 10:5-9

Romans 10:9 – “Because if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and in your heart have faith that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

As we step into Romans 10 today and tomorrow, Paul begins with Moses and the Law. For Moses and for the Jews, righteousness comes through keeping the Law. Do all these things and you will live. Except no one can keep all of the Law. It is not possible. Therefore, if we cannot keep the Law, then it cannot bring life. The greatest effort to keep the Law still leaves one dead in their sin.

In verses 6 and 7 Paul removes the responsibility for finding or earning eternal life from our hands. In a very roundabout way, Paul reminds us that we don’t need to go to heaven or hell – either figuratively or literally – to find Jesus. No, he writes, “The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.” Jesus in Spirit is right here with us. We don’t need to go on a search for Jesus. God has already done the work. It’s not about us doing anything. The Spirit of Christ is here, available to us.

Verse 9 confesses faith in the work that has already been done on our behalf. Here we read, “Because if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and in your heart have faith that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Faith in Jesus is the way to salvation. If we believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, then we receive grace, the gift that defeats the power of sin and death. Freed from the power of sin and death, we are able to live as light and love in the world, inviting others to know the source of light and love and grace: Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior.

Prayer: Lord God, we first thank you for the gift of salvation received through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We thank you for doing the hard work that defeated the power of sin and death. We thank you for the grace that flows from Christ’s sacrifice, the grace that removes our sin and makes us new again. We ask that you would use us to reveal these things to the world, so that others can come to a confessing faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Amen.


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Life in the Spirit

Readings: Psalm 119:112 and Romans 8:6-11

Romans 8:11 – “The one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your human bodies also, through his Spirit that lives in you.”

Paul offers us a choice as we continue in Romans 8. We can choose to be selfish. This is our natural inclination. If this is the choice we make, we cannot please God. In fact, when selfish we become hostile to God, refusing to submit to the Law, to God’s will and way. Being selfish, we are consumed with ourselves and with what benefits us. Choosing this life leads to death. It is the choice many people make. It is the choice we make at times, even if we profess Jesus as Lord.

At the other end of the spectrum, we can choose life in the Spirit. This is a life of peace lived with a sense of belonging. We live as children of God who experience God’s righteousness through the Holy Spirit that lives in us. This leads us to seek to live within God’s will and way. This was the choice the psalmist made. The psalmist declares, “I have decided to keep your statutes forever, every last one.” In its simplest form this boils down to loving God with all that we are and loving neighbor as Christ loves us.

When we seek to live this way – led and guided by the Spirit living in us – then we experience life lived in right relationship with God and with all of creation. We come to know the truth of Paul’s words: “The one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your human bodies also, through his Spirit that lives in you.” All of life is blessed, even the hard days, because Christ in Spirit is with us. Always. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, in the quiet early morning, it’s just you and me as I sit here at my desk. It feels easy to choose to you. Yet, this is not the normal reality. We live mostly in the world, where the choice to be selfish is elevated as the right choice. But you call us to be in the world, not of the world. Set us apart in spirit and in our daily living. May your love guide us and may your grace save us when we fall short. Amen.


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Joy That Attracts

Readings: Psalm 119:111 and Matthew 13:1-2

Psalm 119:111 – “Your laws are my possession forever because they are my heart’s joy.”

In the opening verses of Matthew 13, Jesus heads out to the lake. We see that a large crowd came and gathered around Jesus. The lake can be a fun place to go, especially on a warm day. But the crowd was there because Jesus was there. He was the attraction.

Today social media alerts us to where our favorite food truck is that day or to who is having a flash sale that we do not want to miss. If we want to grab a coffee with a friend, a quick text or phone call can set that up. As we remember that almost all communication in Jesus’ day was by word of mouth, we have to wonder what drew a large crowd to the lake. For that matter, how did word of Jesus spread at all?

Verse 111 of Psalm 119 reads, “Your laws are my possession forever because they are my heart’s joy.” The psalmist loved God’s laws because they brought joy to his or her life. They want to hold onto this joy forever. God’s instruction, living by God’s will and way, this brings joy to our hearts as well. Do others see it or feel it in your life? Does our daily walk with Jesus and the Spirit lead us to overflow with joy (and love, hope, peace…)? I think those touched by Jesus spiritually and/or physically overflowed with joy because of how their encounter with Christ changed their lives. These stories are what drew the crowds to Jesus. May it be so for you and for me as well.

Prayer: Lord God, fill us with your joy today. Fill us so full that others sense it, see it, want it. Prepare us to respond when we are asked about our joy. Give us the words of witness that draw others in, that attract others to Jesus Christ. Amen.


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Always Seeking to Deliver

Reading: Romans 7:15-25

Romans 7:21 – “So I find that, as a rule, when I want to do what is good, evil is right there with me.”

At the end of chapter 7, Paul describes his own struggle to do and be good in the world. He often does the things he hates to do. In his mind, he knows God’s Law is just and good and right. If it were up to his mind, he’d do all the good stuff: worship God, love neighbor, meet the needs of the poor… But he just can’t quite…

In verse 21 Paul writes, “So I find that, as a rule, when I want to do what is good, evil is right there with me.” Have you found this to be true in your life? That fleshy part of you – that part that just wants pleasure, that part that easily turns to pride and judging, that part always seeking to elevate self to the throne – that fleshy part is always pulling you away from holy, God-pleasing living. Paul chooses the word “war.” And in those moments when he feels like he is totally losing the “war” – it is then that Paul feels like a “miserable human being.” Ever felt this way? Ever allowed sin to win and you instantly see how it hurt someone you love?

Paul correctly realizes two things in verses 24 and 25. First, on his own, his fate is “dead corpse.” Ouch. Second, and most importantly, he realizes that Jesus Christ is his deliverer. Jesus is always with us too, always fighting for us in Spirit, always seeking to deliver us from temptation and sin. Through Jesus Christ, we will have the victory over sin and death. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, the power of evil is strong and pervasive. It runs rampant in our world. All sorts of messaging, people, and situations draw us to sin. We need you Lord. Desperately. Be the constant voice too, calling us to good and holy living. Empower and equip us, O God, to live by your will and ways. Amen.


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Life in Christ

Reading: Romans 6:12-19

Romans 6:14 – “Sin will have no power over you, because you aren’t under Law but under grace.”

As we turn to Romans 6 today and tomorrow, we read Paul’s arguments about sin and the new life that we find in Christ Jesus. Today’s section begins with this advice: “Don’t let sin rule your body so that you do what it wants.” Here Paul is acknowledging a reality. Sin is always there, always trying to draw us in. Because of this, we must battle every day so that we are not used “as weapons to do wrong.” Instead, Paul encourages us to offer ourselves to God, as people “who have been brought back to life from death” so that we can be used “as weapons to do good” in the world.

Although sin and temptation are powerful, Paul reminds us, “Sin will have no power over you, because you aren’t under Law but under grace.” By the grace made available through Jesus Christ, we are no longer held captive to sin and the guilt and shame that keeps us entangled in our sin and its consequences. As Paul explores our freedom from sin found in Jesus Christ, he lays out the choice we make on a very regular basis. Do we offer ourselves as “slaves of sin,” setting our course towards death? Or do we offer ourselves as “slaves of righteousness,” which leads to holy living? Paul understands that for each of us who seek to follow Jesus, as it was for him, this is a choice made again and again, over and over, many times each day. Each time may we choose life in Christ.

Prayer: Lord God, we face an almost steady stream of temptation. We’re encouraged to just do what feels good, to just sling that verbal barb, to just get more and more for self. We soon enough learn that, as Paul wrote, one sin often leads to another and another. Soon we are enslaved. Lord, we want to choose your will and way. We want to live as children of righteousness. We want to do and be good in this world. O Lord, help us. Only through and with the power of the Holy Spirit inside of us do we stand a chance. Lead and guide us, O God. Strengthen and encourage us. Thank you. Amen.


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Through Faith

Reading: Romans 4:13-17

Romans 4:16 – “The inheritance comes through faith, so that it will be on the basis of God’s grace.”

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he references Abraham and his faith. For Paul and others working to welcome the Gentiles (all non-Jews) into the “church,” Abraham was a key Old Testament figure. For the Jews, he was the father of Israel, one of the pillars of their faith. Abraham’s radical obedience to God made him one of the Jew’s primary examples of faith lived out. An absolute obedience to God was important for those in the body of Christ too. Being the persecuted minority, it took a great amount of faith and obedience to stay true to Christ.

In our Romans passage, Paul points to two facts about Abraham that were relevant for the church of his day. In Rome (and in other places) there were serious tensions between the Jewish Christians and the Gentile Christians. The former wanted the latter to basically become Jews first, Christians second. This meant following the Law. Hold on, says Paul. First, he reminds them all that God “appointed” Abraham to be “the father of many nations.” It is not just the Jews who will be blessed through Abraham’s example of faith. For Paul, this meant that all peoples would be welcome in the body of Christ.

Addressing the main tension, Paul turns to the Law and Abraham. He reminds those holding onto the Law as the admission price to the church that Abraham was declared righteous long before the Law even existed. Therefore, “The inheritance comes through faith, so that it will be on the basis of God’s grace.” God’s promises come through faith. Like it was with Abraham – “our father in the eyes of God” – to all who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, God will “give life to the dead.” All who have faith in Jesus Christ will inherit eternal life and all of the other promises. Not through the Law, but through grace. As it was in the early church, may it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, father of us all, thank you for opening wide the doors of your church. Long ago you established faith as the point of entry. Even so, today we can still try to limit access – sometimes very intentionally, sometimes in ways that we don’t always see or recognize. Lord, break down these barriers and open our eyes to other ways we can limit access to the body of Christ. Make us a people who see and treat all as they are: all created by you in your image, all worthy of a place at the table of grace. Amen.


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Surrendering Control

Reading: John 3:1-3

John 3:3 – “I assure you, unless someone is born anew, it’s not possible to see God’s kingdom.”

Today and tomorrow we dive into Nicodemus’ conversation with Jesus. In verse 1 we learn that Nicodemus is a Pharisee, a leader amongst the Jews. As a Pharisee, he is set apart from others Jews. He knows the Law inside out and keeps it devoutly. He is also a part of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. Nicodemus is a powerful man by cultural standards. Nicodemus would appear to be “on top of the world” when viewed through the lens of “success” in his day. And he comes to Jesus at night.

Nicodemus calls Jesus, “Rabbi” – a term for Jesus that in John’s gospel always implies incomplete faith. He acknowledges that Jesus is “one who comes from God.” The Pharisee is not referring to this in terms of a Jesus being the Messiah but a prophet. Yet he must be wrestling with this distinction. Nicodemus must be questioning his own faith somehow. Why else would he come under cover of night to ask Jesus some questions? Perhaps Nicodemus is sensing that there may be something more than a faith that is well within his control. Maybe he has seen from afar how following Jesus has changed people’s lives.

Jesus opens the conversation with this earth shaker: “I assure you, unless someone is born anew, it’s not possible to see God’s kingdom.” With these words, Jesus resets the direction and tone of the conversation. Jesus is the one with power and authority. Being “born anew” has nothing to do with following the letter of the Law or any other moral guideline. It has everything to do with surrendering the control of one’s life and faith to God. It is the only way to see God’s kingdom from the inside.

Prayer: Lord God, faith is so much easier when it is on our terms. Doing what we think is required is manageable. It is safe, comfortable. This happens when we think we’ve somehow “arrived” spiritually. And it falls short of seeing and being your kingdom here on earth. Open our hearts to the power of your love, mercy, and grace. Guide us out of our easy, gentle, static faith into a place where we are transformed daily, born anew again and again, each time closer to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Make it so, O God, make it so. Amen.


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Grace Unending

Reading: Romans 4:13-17

Romans 4:16 – “The inheritance comes through faith, so that it will be on the basis of grace.”

Turning again to Romans 4 today we read that the promise of God to “inherit the world” did not come through the Law. The Law was not even yet in existence when Abram was declared righteous because of his faith. So for Abraham’s descendants – those Paul was writing to then and to us now – the inheritance also comes through faith. One can work really hard to keep the Law (or to do any number of things that we think are pleasing to God), but we will always ultimately fail, bringing upon ourselves the “wrath” that Paul references in today’s reading.

On the opposite end of the scale, we find God’s grace. This free gift of grace is the “basis” for inheriting God’s promises: forgiveness of sin and eternal life. God does not weigh out our worthiness or keep track of how much good we need to do to settle our account. Salvation is not centered on a contractual relationship. There are no transactions needed between us and God in order for us to inherit the promises. There is a grace that washes away our sins and welcomes us back into connection with God and with one another. There is a transformation that occurs – again and again and again…

Paul speaks of this transformation at the end of our passage. This rebirth, this gift of new life over and over, it occurs when God “gives life to the dead.” Once dead in our sin, grace redeems and restores us to life in Christ. Rooted in God’s unconditional love, grace is unending. For the promises grounded in love and grace, we say, thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, living in this world, it can be easy to slip into doing and trying to earn. It is the way of the world: checklists, comparative analysis, judging, then self-doubt, shame, defeat. Your love offers a different way, a better way. Driven by love, you call and reach out in mercy. Fueled by mercy, your grace draws us back to you again and again. Standing there once again, in your love and grace, it feels like we never left. Thank you for loving us this completely, this unconditionally. How great is your love, O Lord. Amen.