pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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One in Christ

Reading: Galatians 3:6-9 and 26-29

Galatians 3:29 – “Now if you belong to Christ, then indeed you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.”

In Galatians 3, Paul is working to bring unity to the churches in Galatia. There is division between the Jewish Christians and the Gentile Christians. The division centers on the importance (or not) of the Law in terms of faith in Jesus Christ. To the Jews, this feels essential. To the Gentiles, this is a non-issue.

Paul uses Abraham as his example of someone who God declared righteous – about 430 years before the Law was given by God through Moses. It was Abraham’s belief and obedience that led God to declare him righteous. Not only that, but God also “preach the gospel in advance,” declaring that the Gentiles would be blessed (saved) through Abraham’s descendants – all in the basis of belief and obedience to the Lord Jesus.

On this basis Paul can write, “You are all God’s children through faith in Jesus Christ.” For all who are baptized into Christ, for all who profess Jesus as Lord and Savior, they have “clothed yourselves with Christ.” The old self is gone and the new has come. As one in Christ, all social, economic, ethnic, and gender divisions are gone. Clothed with Christ there are no such things as Jew or Gentile, democrat or republican, slave or free, upper class or lower class, male or female, single or married. All are one, all are equal in Christ. With this truth, Paul sums up in verse 29, writing, “Now if you belong to Christ, then indeed you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.” All who believe are blessed to inherit the promises: the salvation of your soul and the gift of life eternal. We hold these promises. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for your wife open heart- one that loves all of humanity, one that seeks a saving relationship with us all. In you there is just one kind of person: a child of God. Help us to see all who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior this way too. All equally loved, all equally belonging, may we come to truly live as one in Jesus Christ. Amen.


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Radical and Unconditional

Readings: Isaiah 56:1-8 and Matthew 21:12-16

Isaiah 56:6-7 – “Everyone who keeps the Sabbath… who hold fast to my covenant: I will bring them to my holy mountain, and bring them joy in my house of prayer.”

Photo credit: Jon Tyson

Beginning with Isaiah 56 we feel the connection that God desires to have with all people who act justly and do what is right. To those who keep the Sabbath and honor the covenant, God’s salvation is “coming soon.” God’s prophet includes two groups that are normally excluded from the temple: immigrants and eunuchs. In verses 6 and 7 we read, “Everyone who keeps the Sabbath… who hold fast to my covenant: I will bring them to my holy mountain, and bring them joy in my house of prayer.” In New Testament language we would say there is no Jew or Gentile, no slave or free, no rich or poor… All people – all – who are devoted to God’s ways are welcome in God’s “house of prayer,” the temple. These were radical words to the closed-circle Jews of Isaiah’s day.

Turning to Matthew 21 we see another prophet doing and saying radical things. Entering God’s house, Jesus forces out the people changing money into temple coins and the folks selling animals for sacrifice. Quoting from our Isaiah 56 passage and Jeremiah 7:11, Jesus denounces these profiteering practices. Cleared of these “crooks,” the blind, the lame, and the children enter the temple. Jesus makes space for these normally excluded groups, mirroring the spirit of Isaiah 56. He heals the blind and the lame and rejoices over the children. The religious leaders are angry about all of this. Their closed circle has been broken wide open by the radical and unconditional love of God present in Jesus. May this breaking open of the circle and of our hearts also be our regular practice as we seek to follow Jesus’ example.

Prayer: Lord God, it is a beautiful thing when you reclaim and include those often excluded and unwelcome by the religious of the world. You create each and every one of us in your image. You weave each of us together in the womb with intention and purpose. From our first breath you long to walk in relationship with each of us. Lord, as you walk with us, fill us with your radical and unconditional love. Filled with this great love, may our regular habit be to include and welcome all people into your house and into your family. Amen.


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Bring Your Kingdom

Reading: Luke 11:1-13

Luke 11:9 – “Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Today’s passage holds three connected teachings on prayer. The first gives us a model for prayer. The second teaches us to be persistent in our prayers. The third reflects on the goodness of God’s answers to our prayers.

Our passage begins with a disciple asking Jesus to teach them how to pray. Jesus models a prayer life that is worth emulating. The disciple wants to have what Jesus receives when he prays: joy, peace, strength, hope. The prayer Jesus teaches is a simple prayer. It begins with praise to God and quickly moves to seeking God’s will. Notice the focus: God. It then shifts to needs: our need for daily provision and our need for forgiveness – both given and received. The prayer model closes with a plea for protection from the world, our source of temptation.

Verses 5-10 tell the story of a friend in need. Hospitality was and is highly valued in Judaism. In the story a man cannot offer hospitality. He turns to his neighbor, who initially refuses to help. But because of his friend’s persistence around doing a good and right thing, the friends give his what is needed. Connecting to the idea of prayer, Jesus says, “Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Our reading closes by unpacking what verse 9 means in terms of God’s answers to our prayers. Jesus tells us that our heavenly Father, who is good, will surely give good gifts to his children. Running through the bread example and this portion is the meaning of “bring your kingdom.” In the translation that we know better it is worded “your will be done.” This good and right alignment will most often yield a fish or an egg instead of a snake or scorpion. And when our prayers yield what we see as a snake or scorpion at first – may we keep the faith in our good God who works all things towards good for those who love God.

Prayer: Lord God, prayer is at the center of our relationship with you. It is the place where we can openly and honestly express all that is on our hearts and minds – our needs, emotions, struggles, joys, praises. Help us to focus on the ways that our lives bring your kingdom into this world. Empower us to walk and live in faith. Amen.


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Communion = Community

Reading: 1st Corinthians 11:23-32

1st Corinthians 11:28 – “Each individual should test himself or herself, and eat from the bread and drink from the cup in that way.”

Photo credit: Geda Zyvatkauskaite

We seek to “stay in love with God” through various means of grace. One of these is Holy Communion. This sacrament first reminds us of Christ’s loving sacrifice on our behalf. The giving of his innocent blood in place of ours made atonement for our sins, paying the price for forgiveness. We approach this gift with a deep sense of awe and reverence.

Sometimes we do something for a while and it becomes just going through the motions. Perhaps you’ve felt that before with something like the Lord’s Prayer. For the church in Corinth, the Lord’s Supper had become one of those things. It was now causing more harm than good. It was creating division in the church. At this point it was more like what we’d call a “love feast” than what we recognize as a communion with its liturgy and formality. In Corinth, it had become a “private meal” with the rich getting drunk and stuffed while the poor were left hungry and thirsty. The church has forgotten that love, sacrifice, service, and community were at the heart of the Lord’s Supper.

Paul addresses this situation by reminding the church that the Lord’s Supper is centered on and celebrates the new covenant made by Jesus Christ. He also reminds them, though, that this communal celebration begins with individual preparation: “Each individual should test himself or herself, and eat from the bread and drink from the cup in that way.” Each person must come before God, humbling confessing and repenting of their sins. This necessary step prepares each to be made “new” again as the blood of the Lamb washes away their sin. To not take this step is to hide or hold onto one’s sin. This brings judgment and condemnation instead of forgiveness and grace.

For each person to come before God, to confess and repent, it levels the playing field. It places us all equally before the table of grace, all sinners redeemed by his blood. In this way, community is restored. It brought one body to the one bread, one blood. That was Paul’s goal. It should be our goal. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, draw us to our knees, to the place of confessing and repenting of our sins. Open up our hands and hearts to release all that separates us from you and from one another. As we come clean, thank you for making us clean. Thank you for your great love that washes away our sins and failures. Thank you for your redeeming love. Amen.


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Modeling Christ

Reading: Acts 10:34-38

Acts 10:34-35 – “God doesn’t show partiality… whoever worships him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”

Today’s scripture from Acts 10 serves as a bridge between the first two of John Wesley’s three simple rules. Peter first acknowledges that “God doesn’t show partiality.” He has come to understand that God accepts the Gentile Christians as they are. Peter now sees that their attempts to make these believers Jews first (then Christians) was wrong and was doing harm to these brothers and sisters in Christ. We too can do harm when we seek to elevate what we think is right over what God is doing at the time. We too can put up barriers to people coming to Christ. We do this when we say or imply that they must look or act or dress or… like us to attend church or to be baptized or…

Peter then recognizes that the Gentile Christians are worshipping God and are living out the example of Jesus. Getting past himself, he has come to understand that they are totally acceptable to God. Indeed, “He is Lord of all!” Reflecting back on his three years with Jesus, Peter can see how Jesus himself engaged one and all. Jesus did not show partiality. Instead he demonstrated welcome, acceptance, and love to all people.

Our passage closes with this observation about Jesus: “He traveled around doing good and healing everyone.” Jesus sought to do good to all. He didn’t first check to see if they really believed in him or belonged to a church. Sometimes faith or belief even came after the good act or after the healing. May we always be generous with our acts of kindness and love. Modeling Christ to others, we draw them towards Jesus and his love.

Prayer: Lord God, open our hearts wide too. Lead and guide us to see all people as Jests saw them. Each person was worthy of his time, his attention, his efforts, his love. Help us to engage our world this way too. Amen.


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God at Work

Reading: Mark 2:1-12

Mark 2:2 – “So many gathered that there was no longer space, not even near the door.”

Photo credit: Milo Weiler

In Mark 2 we find a story that is not directly about prayer but can speak to us about prayer. We’re early in Mark’s gospel. According to what’s written, Jesus has healed people and is beginning to draw a crowd. Of those who packed out the house in today’s reading, how many do you think prayed on their way there?

The story first focuses in on four people who have brought their paralyzed friend to be seen by Jesus. Surely all five prayed in the way to see Jesus. So great was their perseverance, so strong their love for their friend, they tore open the roof to get their friend before Jesus. And Jesus’ initial words? “Child, your sins are forgiven.” Likely not what these five were praying for. Great for the man, but…

Jesus then perceives the thoughts of the legal experts. He calls them out. What prayers do you think they quickly muttered? They certainly were not praying to be put in their place by Jesus. Yet they are. Their thoughts opened the door for God to work good in many ways. It is at this point that the man is healed, answering the prayers of the group of five. In this moment, the crowd is amazed and praises God.

While many prayers went unanswered this day, God was still very much at work in the lives of all of these people. We hold hope for the legal experts. Maybe this humbling experience led to growth in their faith too. God’s desire was and is to draw all people to a saving knowledge of God. So may we continue to pray faithfully, trusting in God to work good in our lives and in our world.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the reminder to ever seek your presence, to linger in that space, expecting good from you. Help us to ever be open to what you are doing, especially when it is beyond our limited vision or understanding. Draw us closer to you, moment by moment, encounter by encounter. Amen.


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For All People

Reading: 1st Timothy 2:1-4

1st Timothy 2:1 – “First of all, then, I ask that requests, prayers, petitions, and thanksgiving be made for all people.”

As we begin 1st Timothy 2, Paul encourages Timothy (and us) to offer prayers for everyone – “for all people.” Paul assumes that Timothy will pray for the regulars: family, friends, people he knows who need specific prayers. This is likely familiar territory. Maybe you, like me, have a standard list of people and situations that you pray for every day plus a few that are in your prayer list for a time or a season.

Paul next singles out praying for “kings and everyone who is in authority.” Why would Paul do this? Well, look no further than our current reality. In Timothy’s day it was the Roman authorities and the Jewish religious leaders who were persecuting the church. What prayers might Timothy lift for those in authority? What prayers might help lift that are in alignment with God’s will and heart? May our godly thoughts on these questions guide our prayers for our leaders.

In verses 3 and 4 Paul gives Timothy (and us) the “why.” Paul reminds us that it is “right” and that it “pleases” God when we offer prayers for all people, especially for those that are hard for us to pray for. It is our charge. First and foremost, it should be so because God desires for “all people to be saved” and to come to “a knowledge of the truth” – to understand and know God’s will and heart for themselves. Second, to pray hard prayers, that changes and empowers our hearts too. As our prayers become better aligned with God’s desires, our world will better reflect God’s kingdom here on earth. May our prayers work towards this goal and hope.

Prayer: Lord God, open our hearts wide, enabling us to pray as you call us to pray. And, Lord, open wide the hearts of our leaders, filling them with what fills your heart: mercy, grace, compassion, love. Guide all of our leaders to be leaders for and of all people, working for the good of all people. Amen.


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The Will to Choose

Readings: John 3:16-16 and 34-36, and John 14:1-7

John 3:17 – “God didn’t send his son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”

Photo credit: Kelly Sikkema

John 3:16 is about as well-known as any verse in the Bible. God sent his one and only son into this world, taking on flesh, becoming one of us, so that he could die on our behalf, removing our sins, opening the way for us to enter eternal life. This is a beautiful picture of sacrificial love.

The next verse reminds us of God’s unconditional love: “God didn’t send his son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” God’s first choice is not to be a God of judgment but a God of love, mercy, grace, and salvation. This is what God desires for all humanity, not judgment. God also created humanity with free will or the will to choose. So we can choose to not choose Jesus as our Savior. We can choose to live for self. We can choose to be judged. We can choose to ignore the words of life that Jesus speaks, to ignore the prompting and guidance of the Holy Spirit. In doing so, we invite “the angry judgment of God” upon ourselves.

Jumping forward to John 14, it is a heavy moment. Sandwiched around the command to love one another “as I have loved you” is the news of Judas’ betrayal and of Peter’s denial of knowing Christ. Jesus tells the disciples to not be troubled but to trust in God and in him. He then promises that he will come back for them so that they can be with him in heaven. In response to Thomas’ confusion, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus’ life and example are the way to know God and God’s truths. They are the way to live the life that God intended for us to live, the life here and now that leads one day to life eternal. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, you sent your son to save and redeem us. You desire this for each and every one of us. It must break your heart to see the one you wove together in the womb, the one you created for relationship with you, choose the ways of the world. Lord, break our heart for what breaks yours. Amen.


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Worthy is the Lamb

Reading: Revelation 3-5

Revelation 5:5 – “Don’t weep. Look! The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has emerged victorious so that he can open the scroll.”

Chapter 3 concludes the messages to the seven churches. The church in Sardis looks good on the surface but is really dead. They need to remember what they first learned, changing hearts and lives. If so, their names will be declared in heaven. The church in Philadelphia has little power but they have stood strong. They will be pillars in heaven, names written there. And Laodicea… neither hot nor cold, just lukewarm. This church is perhaps most relevant today. Jesus is about to “spit them out.” They are “miserable, pathetic, poor, blind, naked.” Yet Jesus stands at the door and knocks. If they hear and open the door, he will come in and be with them. If they emerge victorious, they will sit with Jesus on his throne in heaven.

Chapters 4 and 5 shift to heaven as John enters his second Spirit-led trance. At the center God sits on the throne. 24 elders on thrones surround God. There are seven torches and four living creatures before the throne of God. The creatures have six wings and are covered all over with eyes. They never rest but praise God, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.” The elders join in the praise, declaring God to be the one worthy of glory, honor, and power.

John then noticed that there is a scroll in the hand of God. He weeps because no one is worthy to open it. Then an elder says, “Don’t weep. Look! The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has emerged victorious so that he can open the scroll.” The Lamb, Jesus Christ, comes and takes the scroll. The elders, the living creatures, millions of angels, and all of creation praises and worships the Lamb, the one who was slain. What a glorious day it will be!

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the reality check as we began today. Draw us out of the comfy middle ground. Empower us to stand boldly for you. And thank you for the peak into heaven, for the reminder of your majesty and power, for the reminder of who and what the Christ child will be and become. All praise and honor and glory are yours! Amen.


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Life to the Full

Reading: John 10 and 11

John 10:10 – “The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came so that they could have life – indeed, so that they could have life to the fullest.”

In today’s reading we really see the division created by Jesus’ words and ministry. It is first revealed in the healing of the blind man. The “light of the world” ends the man’s darkness, restoring his sight. There is division amongst those who now see him. Some say it is the blind man and others say it just looks like him. This question is answered as the man is brought to the Jewish leaders. Calling in his parents, they testify that he is their son who was born blind. They say they don’t know how he sees. Even though he has already told them, the leaders ask again. He asks them, “Do you want to be his disciples too?” They insult him. In response he reminds them that God doesn’t listen to sinners but to those who are devout and do God’s will. The man is expelled from the synagogue.

The story transitions next to spiritual blindness. Jesus centers this teaching on the shepherding metaphor. The shepherd enters through the gate, the sheep know his voice, he leads them out. Jesus declares, “I am the gate.” Others come to “steal, destroy, and kill.” The good shepherd, Jesus, “came so that they could have life – indeed, so that they could have life to the fullest.” Life to the fullest. What an image! What a reality for those who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

The metaphor continues with Jesus telling the Pharisees that he will “lay down his life for the sheep.” Unlike the hired hands now listening to the story, Jesus cares about the sheep – and about the sheep not if this pen too! More division reveals itself as they argue about Jesus having a demon. Others ask, how then could he heal this man?

As chapter 11 closes, Jesus tells the “Jewish opposition” that the signs he does should testify to his being one with the Father. He invites them to see this, to believe in him. But they are ready to stone him. As Jesus’ time has not yet come, he escapes, going out to Bethany to minister there.

Prayer: Lord God, reading these stories we so clearly see that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Yet when we step away, going out into that world, we can become blind to needs, to our own sin, to injustice. Lord, help us to live with eyes wide open, living and enjoying the fullness of life that you give to all who believe. Amen.