pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: reconciliation


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Embolden and Empower

Reading: John 20:19-23

John 20:21 – “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.”

Following the risen Lord’s encounter with Mary Magdalene, Jesus goes to the disciples later that first day. They have heard the news from Mary. But simply hearing these words does not change their current reality. No one has ever been resurrected in this way. What it means is totally unknown. Fear is what the disciples primarily know at this point. They just killed Jesus. What is in store for his followers?

Standing amongst the disciples, Jesus says, “Peace be with you.” This standard Jewish greeting meant more now. For example, we casually say, “How’s it going?” to friends today. Or, to a friend struggling with grief, we can look them in the eye and ask, “How are you doing?” After showing the disciples physical signs of his identity, Jesus says, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.” The disciples are to continue the work of Jesus. To make this possible, Jesus breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” This indwelling presence of Christ himself will lead and guide, strengthen and encourage, embolden and empower the disciples as they return to the world.

Jesus also reminds the disciples of what that work looks like. As people of peace, they are to work at reconciliation. This task involves reconciling people to God and to one another. Our sin is what separates us from both. As people of peace, this work of reconciliation continues to be our task. Emboldened and empowered by the Holy Spirit, may it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, breathe anew the Holy Spirit into our lives this day. Guide us to claim the Spirit’s power and Christ’s peace as we seek to bring healing and wholeness to our sinful and broken world. May this work begin within as we reconcile ourselves to you and to one another. Amen.


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Moving Forward

Readings: Numbers 15, Numbers 16, Numbers 17, Numbers 18

Numbers 18:29 – “You will present each gift offering to the LORD from all your gifts, from its best portions and its holiest parts.”

On the heels of choosing fear over faith and being doomed to wander the wilderness for 40 years, in chapter 15 God details the offerings to be given when they do enter the Promised Land. The wander is clearly a detour. God has a plan. So God reviews the offerings required for unintentional sins. God is clear that there is no reconciliation offering for deliberate or intentional sin. They are cut off. In the next chapter we will see what that looks like. The chapter closes with instructions to place blue fringes on all of their clothing. Blue represents holy. The fringes will remind them of the commitment to their holy God.

Chapter 16 contains challenges to Moses and to Aaron. Korah and his Levite clan want more power. Dathan and Abiram think Moses has too much power. Korah and his family are gathered. God plans to consume Korah’s entire household. Moses intercedes for the innocents. God relents. Dathan and Abiram refuse to appear before Moses. They and their families are swallowed up by the earth. Korah and his 250 followers are consumed by God’s fire. The community grumbles against these deaths and therefore against Moses and God. God sends a plague. Moses sends Aaron out into the community to stop the plague. Aaron stands between the dead and the living, halting the plague.

To reiterate God’s call on Aaron, the staffs of the 12 tribal leaders are gathered and placed with Aaron’s staff before the chest. Aaron’s staff buds, revealing God’s choice. The people lament. For now they fail to see the humility required to be in God’s presence. Today’s readings close with priestly duties and their compensation. It mostly reiterates earlier instructions but also adds a requirement of the priests. Since they belong to the Lord they will not be given a land inheritance. Instead they will receive the tenth of the crops and herds given to the Lord. In turn God will require them to give 1/10 of this to the Lord as their gift offering. It is to be “from its best portions.” May we too return to the Lord a portion from the best of our blessings.

Prayer: Lord God, in spite of the Israelites’ disobedience and rebellion and sin you keep the plan moving forward. You see and know the end results. In our lives we disobey and rebel and sin. You continue to work in our lives as well, leading and guiding, shaping and forming us into who and what you call us to be. In response, may we gratefully give our best to you in all situations. Amen.


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A Heart for Relationship

Readings: Leviticus 15, Leviticus 16, Leviticus 17, Leviticus 18

Leviticus 18:4 – “My regulations and my rules are the ones you must keep by following them: I am the LORD your God.”

Chapter 15 deals with genital emissions. Didn’t ever think I’d ever start a journal entry or blog with those words! These laws deal with becoming unclean via contact with emissions from the body. The concern and the remedy are the same as we read about in recent chapters. Wash the affected items and bathe the body. Contact with male emissions rendered one unclean until evening. Contact with a woman’s emissions made one unclean seven days – because of contact with blood. Two birds were sacrificed in both cases. One was a purification offering; the second was as a wholly burned offering.

Chapter 16 establishes the Day of Reconciliation (or Atonement.) Aaron bathes in the holy of holies and then wears special, set apart clothing. A bull, a ram, and two goats are gathered. The bull is sacrificed first to purify Aaron and his household. Lots are cast over the goats. One becomes “the Lord’s” and one becomes “Azazel’s.” Incense is then burned in the holy of holies. The smoke represents the prayers of the people. The first goat is sacrificed. Blood is sprinkled, making reconciliation for the peoples’ sin. Aaron then does the same for the tent and the altar, reconciling them to God’s holiness. Azazel’s goat, the scapegoat, is brought to the entrance and Aaron presses his hands onto its head, confessing all the sins of the people. It is led away and released into the wilderness. Aaron bathes and changes back into his normal priestly clothing. This day of self-denial and Sabbath will be observed annually on the 10th day of the 7th month.

Chapter 17 and 18 begin the “Holiness Code” that runs through chapter 26. All animals slaughtered are to be killed at the entrance to the tent of meeting because it involves the shedding of blood. Blood is life, it is sacred. Blood is not to be consumed. Chapter 18 deals with sexual actions. It begins with a warning: don’t be like the Egyptians or Canaanites. God demands better, holier behavior: “My regulations and my rules are the ones you must keep by following them: I am the LORD your God.” Within the great detail of this chapter we find a simple truth: God is prohibiting sexual sin. This is sex that only gratifies self. Sex for personal gain or sex outside of covenant relationship makes one unclean or unholy. Such perversion will “cause the land to vomit you out.” PS – don’t offer up your children to that Canaanite god Molech!

Prayer: Lord God, sandwiched between the health codes we began today with and the personal conduct codes we ended with we find your heart for relationship. We see your desire to provide a way for your children to be reconciled to you. Eventually you’ll send Jesus as the final atoning sacrifice. For your heart bent on relationship with us, your children, we rejoice and offer our thanks and praise. Amen!


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God Still Provides a Way

Readings: Leviticus 5, Leviticus 6, Leviticus 7

Leviticus 7:30 – “Your own hands must bring the LORD’s food gifts.”

Chapter 5 opens with a few more ways that we can sin – by withholding information in a trial, by touching something or someone unclean, by carelessly swearing. A purification offering is required. Access is also made available to the poor. If one cannot afford an animal from the flock, doves or pigeons are acceptable. If one can’t afford this, choice flour is acceptable. This provides all people with equal access to all parts of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Then the text turns to unintentional sin against the “Lord’s holy things.” In addition to the purification offering, one-fifth of the value of the holy thing is given as a compensation offering.

Chapter 6 begins as chapter 5 had, with some other sins we could and do commit. These sins are deception, cheating, lying, and swearing falsely in things dealing with property. Again the one-fifth compensation offering is added to the purification offering. The rest of chapter 6 and most of chapter 7 covers “Priestly Instructions.” It covers the priest’s roles in the various offerings. Detail is added in terms of how they perform their duties and in how they are to eat their portions that provide compensation for doing their priestly duties.

Chapter 7 closes with a few more instructions for the people. They are not to eat anything that has touched something unclean. They are not to eat the fat of the ox, sheep, or goat. They are not to eat blood. And they must bring their offering to the Lord with their own hands. While most of what we read today pertains to another time, this last one remains true. We must bring our own confessions to the Lord. We must repent of our own sins. We take responsibility for ourselves. So be it.

Prayer: Lord God, today’s readings remind me of two things. First, we can and do sin in many different ways. Some are intentional, some are unintentional. Second, you still provide a way to be reconciled and forgiven. Thank you for your unending grace and mercy. Amen.


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Changed Hearts

Readings: Genesis 42, Genesis 43, Genesis 44, Genesis 45

Genesis 45:7 – “God sent me before you to make sure you’d survive and to rescue your lives in this amazing way.”

Today’s reading covers the story of the reunion of Joseph and his family. The famine has spread far and wide. Jacob hears that Egypt has grain to sell. He sends 10 of his sons to buy grain, keeping Benjamin home. Joseph’s initial reaction with his brothers is harsh, accusatory, and searching. He sends the 10 “spies” to jail with the charge to decide who goes to get Benjamin. In the morning he states that he will keep just one while the others go. Simeon is put in jail while the others leave to retrieve Benjamin, “proving” they are not spies. Joseph has their grain sacks loaded – and places their silver back in there too. Jacob finally relents and sends Benjamin along with gifts, the original silver, and more silver for more grain.

Upon arrival the brothers confess about the silver to Joseph’s household manager. He dismissed it as a gift of God, stating that he received their silver. Simeon rejoins them at Joseph’s home. Seeing Benjamin overwhelms Joseph for a moment. He invited his brothers to a meal, seating them oldest to youngest. He gives Benjamin a portion five times larger. Joseph eats at a table set apart, as is the custom in Egypt.

The grain sacks are filled in the morning and again the silver is replaced. Plus Joseph’s silver cup is hidden in Benjamin’s sack. They leave for home but quickly Joseph’s servants catch up. The brothers profess their innocence and declare death to the one who did such a thing. Slavery will do fine says the manager. The cup is found in Benjamin’s sack. Returning, Judah steps up, recounting Jacob’s words and offering himself in place of Benjamin. Moved, Joseph clears the room of all Egyptians and weeps loudly, revealing himself to his brothers. He assured them that this was all God, saying, “God sent me before you to make sure you’d survive and to rescue your lives in this amazing way.” Plans are made for Jacob and his whole household to move to Egypt, where Joseph can take care of them. The brothers go home and Jacob is overjoyed to hear that Joseph is alive.

It is quite the end to the story that began with selling a hated brother into slavery. Joseph proceeds with caution when he first meets his brothers, but ultimately sees that their hearts have changed. In grace and love reconciliation is found. May we also be people willing to offer the grace and love that leads to forgiveness and reconciliation.

Prayer: Lord God, open our hearts to be people of grace and love and forgiveness. Help us to see how you have been at work, leading and guiding. Empower us to trust in your good plans. Amen.


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Loving Deeply

Reading: Romans 6:1-11

Verse 8: “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.”

Photo credit: Shane

In Romans 6 Paul writes of our new life in Christ. Our new life begins with our baptism into Christ – professing our faith in Jesus as the Lord of our life and as the Savior of our soul. Our old worldly self is left behind figuratively as we become a new creation in Christ. In reality, though, our old self is still there, trying to be reborn again and again in us, tempting us towards sin. Into this reality, Paul writes, “we are no longer slaves to sin.” Because Christ lives in us, sin no longer has “mastery” over us. Through the Spirit of Christ in us, we can use his power to resist the temptations.

As new creations in Christ we live differently. In verse 8 we read, “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” Taking on and welcoming in the Spirit, committing to follow and walk in Jesus’ example, we walk in a new way in the world. Just as Christ “lived to God” so too are we to live. In a general sense this means advancing and building the kingdom of God here on earth. This entails being love lived out, being kindness and mercy for all. This means we live as persons of peace and of healing and of restoration and of reconciliation. At times this will call us to stand out as we stand up against injustice and oppression and other forms of evil, just as Jesus himself did. This leans into the cost of discipleship that we heard Jesus speaking of yesterday in Matthew 10. May we lean in well, loving deeply into Christ Jesus.

Prayer: Lord God, make me a willing servant, a faithful follower. Open my eyes and my heart to the ways you want me to love well in this world. Use me to draw all peoples into your kingdom here on earth. Amen.


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What Great Love

Reading: Romans 5:6-8

Verse 8: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

As we turn to Romans 5 again today we begin with the fact that Jesus “died for the ungodly.” It was “when we were still powerless.” We like to think that we’d die for our spouse or child, that we’d sacrifice ourselves for someone innocent or in the line of duty. While this is likely true for most of us, it is also highly unlikely that we’d die for an abuser or for a career criminal or for a person who has failed or wronged us again and again. Christ did both. He died for us, for his brothers and sisters in the faith. And he died for that other us – the one who abused his love and grace, the one who sins over and over, the one who fails to keep his commands again and again and again. “While we were still sinners…”

Perhaps even more amazing is the fact that God initiated this action. We were powerless to save ourselves. We still are. Usually one waits for the offensive or harmful behavior to change. Usually one waits for the other to come grovelling back. Have you ever offered forgiveness before the other changed their ways, before they could get “I’m sorry” out of their lips? God did this, modeling for us the power of unconditional love and undeserved reconciliation. And if that were not enough, consider this. God knew that Jesus’ death would not put an end to sinning. God sent Jesus to the cross anyway. God did so because in the death and resurrection we find the way to living in right relationship with God. What great love God has for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, when one considers the depth of your love for sinners like me, it is hard to fathom. Your love is so great and your sacrifice so selfless, it is difficult to grasp. I am left to offer a simple and humble thank you. Thank you. Amen.


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Peace and Joy

Reading: Romans 5:1-5

Verse 2: “We have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.”

Photo credit: Eugene Zhyvchik

This week’s passage from Romans 5 is all about peace and joy, two of the wonderful gifts that we receive from God. These words that we read today and tomorrow must have been of great encouragement to the church in Rome. These words can be of great encouragement to us today.

Paul begins by celebrating the justification that we experience through faith in Jesus Christ. This is the process of being made right in God’s sight. It begins with a recognition of our sin and moves into confession and repentance. This opens the door for forgiveness, which is freely given by God without price to us. Being made right with God is an oft-repeated process that brings us peace again and again.

In verse 2 we read, “We have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” It is faith that empowers us to come to God with our flaws and failures, assured that in love God’s grace will flow into our lives. Because through Christ we are justified over and over, we have hope. It is a hope both for this life and for the life to come. We can rejoice in this life because we know that nothing can separate us from God’s love found in and through Jesus Christ. We have hope for the life to come because the forgiveness and reconciliation offered by God allows us to be in right relationship with God. This guides our way to heavenly glory.

The peace and joy found in relationship with Jesus allows and enables us to walk through the hard things of life standing on our faith. This eventually leads us to a place of hope. Our section today closes with these words: “God has poured out God’s love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.” Because of this indwelling presence of love in our very hearts, hope and joy never disappoint. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the peace and hope and love that you have set in our hearts through our relationship with Jesus Christ. Thank you for the grace and mercy that renews our relationship again and again. May we be people who reflect and share your love, peace, hope, joy, grace, and mercy into the lives of all that we meet. Amen.


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A Community Effort

Reading: John 11:38-45

Verse 44: “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

Photo credit: Wylly Suhendra

In the second half of our John 11 passage, Jesus moves into action. He says to no one in particular and therefore to everyone, “Take away the stone.” Practical Martha protests. Jesus draws her back to the spiritual: “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” And after a prayer to God, Jesus calls Lazarus out of the grave. The man dead four days walks out, still wrapped in his grave cloths.

This is one way that Jesus calls us back to life. But for almost everyone, he calls us back from spiritual or emotional death. We have fallen short and have sinned. We have separated ourselves from God and from one another. We come to a place of repentance and we are restored to a right relationship with God. But we still have our grave cloths wrapped around us. These take different forms: guilt, shame, remorse, regret. Often there are also real consequences that we must face. It is a very hard road to walk alone.

Jesus says, again, to no one in particular and therefore to everyone, Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” This last step of restoration is up to the community. It is something Lazarus cannot do on his own. It is something we cannot do on our own. To fully walk in the new life that Jesus offers, we need community. To restore our relationships, we need forgiveness and reconciliation. To begin to live again, we need welcome and engagement. Faith is a community effort. We are not always on the receiving end either. At times we will need to be the ones offering forgiveness… to others. May we be as willing to give as we are to receive.

Lord God, the community is such a beautiful thing. Walking together in faith is your plan and purpose for us all. Help me to be humble when I need forgiveness and restoration. Guide me to be generous when others need to receive. Bless your beloved community. Amen.


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May We Too Seek

Reading: John 9:24-41

Verse 36: “‘Who is he, sir?’ the man asked. ‘Tell me so that I may believe in him.’”

Photo credit: Diego Gennaro

As our passage in John 9 continues today, the formerly blind man is once again brought before the Pharisees. He reveals great insight and understanding about what has happened to him and about the one who healed him. The man states that God does not listen to sinners, so Jesus cannot be a sinner. He adds, “If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” The Pharisees refuse to see or understand. In anger they drive the man out.

Sometimes it is hard to see things in a new way or to wrap our heads around the way that the Holy Spirit might be working. As individuals and as churches we can get stuck in our way of doing things. We can cling to the old traditions that we have even though they are worn thin. We can hold fast to our way of reading and understanding the scriptures. In these situations and more we too could sometimes be called ‘blind.’ Young people or older people with new ideas can feel rejected, unheard, or unwanted by us and by our churches. It is the Pharisees’ refusal to consider or see or understand the new thing that God is doing in and through Jesus that drives what he says in verses 39-41.

Jesus seeks out the man who was insulted and then thrown out by the Pharisees. We might not be that blatant about it, but there are lessons here for us and our churches: be aware of how we can do this, be willing to hear or see or understand the new or different, AND be sure to seek out and offer words of reconciliation when necessary. The man welcomes Jesus’ invitation to know the Son of Man. He says to Jesus, “Lord I believe” and he worships Jesus. May we too seek those who are blind or lost or rejected, for they too are dearly beloved by God.

Prayer: Lord God, open my eyes fully so that I may really see you are your workings in the world. Open my eyes to see all people clearly as your beloved – those inside the church and those outside the church. Open my heart to truly love, value, and serve all people – those inside the church and those outside the church. Use my life to draw others to Jesus Christ, our hope and our redeemer. Amen.