pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Crosses of Love

Reading: Matthew 10:32-39

Matthew 10:38 – “Those who don’t pick up their crosses and follow me aren’t worthy of me.”

In the second half of this week’s gospel lesson, Jesus is addressing our public witness. Verses 32-33 offer an invitation of sorts: reflect Jesus out into the world, be welcomed one day into heaven. If one chooses not to accept the invitation to reflect Jesus to the world, then one will be denied a place in heaven. Jesus is reminding us how important it is that our faith is evident in all that we say, do, and think – everywhere, all the time.

Verses 34-39 reveal the challenges, the cost, and the difficulty of living a life fully committed to following Jesus. Acknowledging the battle between the ways of the Lord and the ways of the world, we’re reminded that Jesus did not come just to bring peace. The full commitment to Jesus requires that we love Jesus more than anything – more than family, more than self. The second is being addressed when Jesus says, “Those who don’t pick up their crosses and follow me aren’t worthy of me.” Our crosses are to be like the cross that Jesus died upon. He died for a purpose: to defeat the power of sin – all that holds us captive, all that keeps us from fully loving God and neighbor.

Today we celebrate a holiday. 161 years ago the last slaves in the US were freed. That unjust system was officially brought to an end. Many bore crosses of love in the fight to end slavery. People of faith led the way in this fight. Today there are many unjust systems that our faith calls us to fight against. The social justice issues of our day include racism, poverty, homelessness, unequal access to education and healthcare – just to name a few. The way of Jesus is centered on love – loving God and neighbor more than self. What cross of love are you feeling led to carry on behalf of those Jesus loves?

Prayer: Lord God, as we celebrate the steps taken many years ago to end an unjust, oppressive system, open our eyes and hearts to the unjust systems that are in practice today. Spark in us a love for the other that emboldens us to stand, to speak, to fight for and alongside the voiceless, the powerless, the suffering. Bearing that cross of love, may all come to experience life abundant in this world. Amen.


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More and More

Reading: Romans 6:1-5

Romans 6:4b – “Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too can walk in newness of life.”

In today’s reading Paul argues that grace transforms our lives. Yes, it is grace that leads to the forgiveness of sins. Some in the Roman church, however, have argued that more sinning equals more grace, so sin away! In response to this idea, Paul writes, “Absolutely not!” In fact, Paul adds, it should be just the opposite because “All of us died to sin.” When we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we commit to live as he lived. This leads to a death to sinning. But the reality is that this is not a final death. Yes, as we walk with Christ, we mature in our faith. Yet the reality is always this: we sin less as we grow in Christ, but we are never sinless.

The process of dying to sin is an ongoing process. As we mature, we come to realize that this thing we’ve always done, well, it is in fact sin. It never felt like it before, but suddenly we realize that is. And then we must die to that thing, letting go of a part of ourselves. We then walk a little closer to Christ. The good news is that we can do this again and again. Paul emphasizes the ongoing nature of this process in verse 4, where he writes, “Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too can walk in newness of life.” Dying to sin, again and again, we will be raised to new life over and over.

There is a transformation, a healing, that occurs in our soul when we are forgiven and made new. As we are made more and more like Christ, we gradually learn to let go of the guilt and shame of our sin. We learn to trust God’s love and grace more and more. And as we repeat the process, sinning less, growing in Christ, we learn to love and extend grace to others more and more. Doing so, we better reflect Jesus’ light and love to the world, drawing others to the goodness of God. Day by day, may it be more and more so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for walking with us daily on this long and often slow journey of faith. Thank you for your patience and steadfastness that draws us back to the well of grace again and again. Each time we drink of it, O God, shape us more and more into the image of Christ. Use us day by day, Lord, to be light and love in and to the world. Amen.


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Many Hagars and Ishmeals

Reading: Genesis 21:8-14

Genesis 21:14a – “Abraham… took some bread and a flask of water, and gave it to Hagar. He put the boy in her shoulder sling and sent her away.”

Continuing in chapter 21 this week, Isaac has grown out of infancy. He is no longer nursing. No longer dependent upon just Sarah, Abraham throws a big party to celebrate. Abraham’s other son, Ishmael, is about 14 years old. Sarah sees him enjoying himself at the party and she makes a decision: he must go. Ishmael will not share in her son’s inheritance. While we might be shocked by her decision, it has been a long time in the making.

Soon after Ishmael was born, tension and strife arose between Sarah and Hagar. Sarah became jealous and envious. So, using her power over Hagar, Sarah severely mistreated Hagar. It was so bad, Hagar ran away. But God saw Hagar and her suffering. The Lord guided her back into Abraham’s household. Hagar continued to experience and endure harsh treatment from Sarah. Similar things happen today in situations where a person or group has power over others. Immigrants are mistreated by employers. The working poor are taken advantage of by payday lenders, greedy landlords, and others eager to exploit them. Non-whites are targets of unjust systems, profiling, and discrimination. Yes, there are many Hagars and Ishmeals in our day.

Abraham is greatly upset by Sarah’s decision. God offers assurances and a promise, making Abraham feel better about his role in the abuse. But what about Hagar and Ishmael? In verse 14a we read, “Abraham… took some bread and a flask of water, and gave it to Hagar. He put the boy in her shoulder sling and sent her away.” Bearing and raising his child all these years, enduring abuse from his wife all these years – and this is the result? Ishmael is old enough to understand what is happening too. Abraham has been “Dad” for 14 years, treating Ishmael as an only child, a gift in old age. And now this? Sent into the desert to die?

Let us sit with the emotions of the abused and discarded for a while. We finish the story tomorrow. Feel the feels for a day.

Prayer: Lord God, oh how we feel for Hagar and Ishmael. Fourteen years of feeling less than, always powerless and voiceless. Fourteen years of putting one’s head down, enduring abuse, just getting through. And now this: abandoned, sent away, evicted. God, don’t let the feels be limited to this story. Open our eyes and hearts to the Hagars and Ishmeals in our own communities. And move us beyond seeing. Move us to action. May we be the voice and strength for the voiceless, the powerless, the weak. Amen.


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Compassion and Love

Readings: Matthew 9:35-39 and 10:1-4

Matthew 9:37 – “The size of the harvest is bigger than you can imagine, but there are few workers.”

Photo credit: James A. Molnar

Our gospel passage opens with Jesus doing what Jesus did. He is going here and there, to villages and cities, preaching and healing. Jesus is proclaiming the “good news” of love and grace and forgiveness. He is healing “every disease and every sickness.” All that Jesus does and says is driven by compassion. Merriam-Webster defines compassion this way: “sympathetic consciousness of other’s distress together with a desire to alleviate it.” Jesus saw the needs and brought hope and healing and wholeness to the “sheep without a shepherd.”

In response to the needs, Jesus invites the disciples – then and now – to do as he is doing in this passage. In verse 37 we see why he invited them and why he invites us into this work: “The size of the harvest is bigger than you can imagine, but there are few workers.” The harvest is the saving of souls through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Just as it was in Jesus’ day, there are many people today who do not believe in Jesus. The harvest remains huge. So we do as Jesus asked, pleading with the Lord to send out more “workers.” As we plead, though, we realize that we are often the answer to our prayers.

Moving into chapter 10, Jesus gives the disciples authority to do as he has been doing. Empowered to heal, the disciples will find opportunities to share the good news. The twelve are then named: Peter, Andrew, James… They are filled with compassion and love for the lost sheep of Israel, just as Jesus was filled. We too can be filled with compassion and love. We too can be sent to the lost sheep of this world. O Lord, may it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, as I sit at my desk, as I walk my loop in just a little while, I see and will walk past many houses, past home after home. Some know you but many do not. The harvest is plentiful. The same is true for us all, Lord, no matter where we live. Fill us with compassion, fuel us with love, empower us through the Holy Spirit. Then send us out to share the good news and to invite others into the healing and wholeness found in you. Amen.


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Radical Hospitality

Reading: Genesis 18:1-8

Genesis 18:2b – “As soon as he saw them he ran from his tent entrance to greet them and bow deeply.”

Turning to Abraham and Sarah’s story today and tomorrow, we do so with some context. It has been about 25 years since Abram listened to God’s call, leaving almost all behind to go where God would lead him. We recall that as he left, he did so with a promise: through Abram many nations would be blessed. For his radical obedience, Abram was declared righteous by God. As years passed, patience waned. Abram and Sarai took matters into their own aged hands, producing an heir through their Egyptian servant Hagar. God then reiterated the covenant, telling the newly renamed Abraham that nations and kings will come from him. Thirteen years later, three men visit Abraham.

One day, sitting outside the entrance to his tent, the Lord appears to Abraham. There are three men standing near him. In verse 2 we read, “As soon as he saw them he ran from his tent entrance to greet them and bow deeply.” Abraham’s hospitality is just as radical as his obedience. Or is it the same thing? He invites the three men to stay a while, to be refreshed. My mind goes to Peter offering to build three shelters for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. These three men accept Abraham’s invitation and soon a meal is placed before them. The strangers have been well cared for.

Now, Abraham had a sense that the Lord was present in or through these men. Perhaps, like Peter, he wanted to hold onto this moment. This scripture raises some questions for us. First, do we do the same? When the presence of God shows up in an unexpected way, do we make room and time to be in that presence? And, second, whether in the form of a person or in the form of the Holy Spirit, do we offer radical hospitality in the moment? When we do, friends, we often receive great blessing. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, how will you show up today or tomorrow? The question is not “if” but “when” and “how.” Knowing that, prepare our hearts and spirits to receive your unexpected presence generously and abundantly. Lead us to offer our best to you, O Lord. Amen.


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What If?

Reading: Matthew 9:18-26

Matthew 9:16 and 21 – “My daughter has just died. But come and… If I only touch his robe…”

In Matthew 9 we find two “what if?” stories. They are similar to Abram’s story: What if I follow where God is calling me to go? In reality, Abram did have a bit more to go on. God has spoken to him, promised to show the way, told him there would be blessing in the going. For the ruler and the woman, they’d likely heard that this Jesus was healing people. In a moment of need, their thoughts were something along this line: What if the stories are really true?

In Mark 5 and in Luke 8 we find more detailed versions of this story. The ruler is named Jairus. His daughter has died. In Matthew he says to Jesus, “But if you come and place your hand on her…” The woman, unnamed in all three gospels, has had a bleeding problem for many, many years. She thinks to herself, “If I only touch his robe…” Both of these stories are about hoping against hope, about taking a desperate leap of faith.

I think that in both cases, if either would have told others what they were going to do, there would’ve been ridiculed or worse. It might’ve been the same for Abram when he announced that he was leaving. And it might be the same for you or for me when we are willing to put all of our hope in the Lord. In the gospel, Jesus did come and lay a hand on Jairus’ daughter. She lived again. The woman did touch Jesus’ robe. She was healed. What if we were to follow the nudge, to hope against hope, to take a big step of faith?

Prayer: Lord God, the same question – what if? – can look large in our lives at times. We ask ourselves the same questions: Can I trust this to you? Can I take this risk, this big step? In these moments, O God, whisper into our hearts, speak into our fears, fill us with your guidance and direction. Lead and guide us to follow faithfully, no matter the risk, no matter the cost. Just like Jesus. 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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A Big Step of Faith

Reading: Genesis 12:1-9

Genesis 12:1 – “Leave your land, your family, and your father’s household for the land that I will show you.”

Today we read from Genesis 12. This continues a long walk in Genesis that began last week with the creation story. The journey will culminate in mid-August with the Israelites beginning their move to Egypt. During June, the story will focus on Abram (later he becomes Abraham) and his faithful obedience to God. His radical obedience to God will become the model of faith in the Old Testament. His example continues to bear witness to us, even today. His call story is but one of many examples of Abram/Abraham’s willingness to follow God’s plans.

In verse 1 we read, “Leave your land, your family, and your father’s household for the land that I will show you.” The call to leave is a call into the unknown. Abram has lived in Ur and then Haran for 75 years. He is deeply connected to Terah, his father. As the patriarch, Terah’s home would be Abram’s religious, social, and economic hub for all of life. God calls Abram to leave all this – all he’s ever known – to go to a “land that I will show you.” With a promise of blessing and presence, Abram packs up all that is his and leaves for this unknown land. God leads. Abram follows. He worships and God confirms that Canaan is the land. It is promised to Abram and his descendants.

This is one of the stories in the Bible that makes us ask a simple question: Could I? Very few of us go someplace without any planning. We want to know the route, the distance… We plan stops and we research where we’re going and what we’ll do when we get there. Imagine hearing the call of God to pack it all up and to head down the road in the U-haul, without knowing where, how long…? What would it take for you or for me to take such a step of faith?

Prayer: Lord God, what a powerful example of faith! Hearing your voice, we hope that we’d go. Yet we do hear your voice all the time. In the whispers and shouts of the Holy Spirit we hear the call to this person or to that situation. Call by call, build our faithful response. Step by step, continue to work in us, O Lord, bringing us closer and closer to Abram’s example. Thank you for your patience and your steadfast guidance, God. Amen.


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Only You, Lord

Reading: Psalm 68:1-10 and 32-35

Psalm 68:9 – “You showered down abundant rain, God; when your inheritance grew weary, you restored it yourself.”

Credit: Rebecca Gelaney

Psalm 68 offers words of hope. Attributed to David, much of the song remembers how God has acted in the past. These words also call for praising God. But when we dig deeper, reading the actual words, we see that the present isn’t very good. In verses 1 and 2 David invites God to show up, to scatter the enemies present, to drive them away now. As a means of trusting that God will show up, David then recalls times when God did show up.

God has been a father to orphans and a defender of widows. God has brought the lonely into community and has set the prisoners free. God has led the people through the wilderness. God has provided for the poor. God has lifted up the nation of Israel before: “You showered down abundant rain, God; when your inheritance grew weary, you restored it yourself.” In all of these ways and more, God has been good and loving. This is what we need to remember too, especially when it feels as if we are surrounded by enemies.

I do not know about you, but for me our world often feels heavy and dark. There is war and violence. There is a prevalent us versus them divide. Chaos and hatred seem to overshadow order and love. Harsh rhetoric has replaced civil conversation and discourse. Under this weight, I long for God to pour down love and grace, healing and wholeness. In this outpouring, the orphans, widows, prisoners, and lost would be blessed. True and full redemption and restoration begins here, on the edges.

The Psalm closes with a call to praise God. David invites us to sing praises to our strong and majestic God. He reminds us that it is God who gives us strength and power. O God, may it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, oh how we need you. While life feels fine in my little world, I know many are struggling – emotionally, financially, relationally. So, Lord, pour out your presence, your Spirit, your love and grace. Bring healing and wholeness to our society and to our world. Only you, O Lord, can heal the brokenness. Only you can redeem and restore. Amen.


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Be My Witness

Reading: Acts 1:6-14

Acts 1:8b – “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

As we pick up today’s passage, the risen Jesus has been with the disciples for forty days. He has offered “many convincing proofs” that he has risen and is alive. Jesus has promised the coming “baptism” of the Holy Spirit. In response, the disciples ask Jesus if it us now time for him to “restore the kingdom of Israel.” Not exactly. Remember, nothing remotely like this has ever happened before. The disciples are learning on the fly. An ever patient Jesus replies, “Rather, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” The power is the Spirit of God within Jesus that gave him the words to say, that showed him the next steps to take, that guided all of his actions and decisions. That same power is about to fall upon these first disciples, empowering and equipping them in the same ways that the Spirit did with Jesus.

The Holy Spirit can work the same way in our lives. Once we surrender to Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of our hearts and lives, we too have this same power available to us. Jesus continues in verse 8, telling the disciples, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Note the expanding circles. The community of believers, the earliest “church,” will begin in Jerusalem. It will be tested by fire but will grow through the disciples’ witness. The disciples will go out into wider Israel, entering even Samaria, to witness to the good news. Eventually the apostles – Paul, Timothy, Silas… – will carry the good news of Jesus Christ to the ends of the known world. At each place, the power found in the story of Jesus will change hearts and lives. As the two men in white robes indicated, this work will continue until Jesus returns. We await that day. While we wait, we do so with the same charge as those first disciples: be my witness. So may we do as the first disciples did, sharing our stories of faith, building the kingdom of God here on earth. Lord, may it be so!

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the gift of your power and presence that lives in our hearts. Continue to use that presence to refine and shape us, to deepen our faith, and to guide our unfolding stories of faith. Use us as you used the first disciples, taking our stories of faith out into the world, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with all that we meet. Enter their hearts too, O God, drawing them to you. Amen.