pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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One

Reading: John 17:6-11

John 17:11 – “Holy Father, watch over them in your name… that they will be one just as we are one.”

Photo credit: Wylly Suhendra

Returning to John 17 today, Jesus’ prayer continues. The focus shifts to those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Jesus refers to all believers as “the people you gave me from this world.” Those who “belong” to Jesus – and this includes you and me – are those who keep God’s word as the rule of life. We have received God’s words, some of them from Jesus, and we understand that Jesus was sent by God. Sent as God incarnate (in the flesh) we understand Jesus as the revelation of God on earth.

In verse 9 Jesus states, “I’m praying for them.” We are part of “them.” Jesus prayed then for all who believed in him as Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit continues to pray for all believers. Your name and my name are lifted into God’s presence. As this prayer of Jesus continues, he prays, “Holy Father, watch over them in your name… that they will be one just as we are one.” Because we are not of this world once we become a new creation in Christ, we need watching over. We become targets of Satan once we declare belief in Jesus. The spiritual battle amps up once we declare that we belong to Jesus. This is our reality. This is why Jesus prays for unity.

As the body of Christ we are called to mirror the unity that we see between Jesus Christ and God. This unity, this intimate connection, is grounded in and empowered by love. The love of Christ in our hearts guides us to also pray for one another and at times to be the answer to those prayers. This love leads us to keep one another safe, cared for, provided for, comforted, encouraged, connected… Walking together with Jesus Christ, may we be one as Jesus and God are one.

Prayer: Lord God, unity is often hard. This world and its ruler are constantly seeking to pull us away from you and back into our old selfish ways. Christ in Spirit seeks to counter this, building our connection with you. Open our hearts to continue to receive your word, your love, your presence. And receiving, may we in turn live out these gifts in our faith communities, bring you the glory. Amen.


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All the Glory

Reading: John 17:1-5

John 17:3 – “This is eternal life: to know you [God], the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent.”

Photo credit: Uta Scholl

John 17:1-11 is this week’s gospel reading. Today we read verses 1-5 and tomorrow we read verses 6-11. Today’s reading is about glorifying God and Jesus Christ. Jesus begins by acknowledging “the time has come.” His time on earth is soon to end. In John’s gospel, Jesus is arrested in chapter 18, beginning the short journey to the cross. Jesus asks God that this would be a time of glorification for God and himself. God will be glorified through Jesus’ grace and obedience lived out in these final moments. Christ will then be glorified in the resurrection. After rising from the grave, Jesus will return to the place of glory in heaven that he has shared with God since “before the world was created.”

We too will one day experience this “glorification.” Jesus thanks God for those given to him – all believers – and for their gift of eternal life. It is interesting how Jesus defines eternal life: “to know you [God], the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent.” To know God is to love and obey God’s will and way. Jesus modeled this throughout his ministry – especially on the cross. This example of love and obedience is what Jesus is talking about in verse 4 when he says he finished “the work you gave me to do.” Jesus came to reveal God to us.

My friends, this is our work too. Our task (or work) as Christians is to reveal God (and therefore Jesus) to the world. Through our example, through our witness, through our words and actions, we are called to show our love of and obedience to God. Living this out, we will in turn love our neighbors as Christ first loved us. Doing so, we bring God in Christ all the glory. May it be so for you and for me today and every day.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for choosing us. Thank you for drawing us into your family and into an eternal relationship with you. Lord, help us to realize our call and our “work’ and to live into both each day. In our words, in our actions, and in our presence, may others experience your love, grace, forgiveness… In these ways, use us to bring all the glory to you. Amen.


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Only through Surrender

Reading: Acts 17:22-31

Acts 17:27-28 – “In fact, God isn’t far away from any of us. In God we live, move, and exist.”

Photo credit: Greg Rakozy

Returning to Acts 17 today we focus on God’s presence with us. To get the people of Athens to understand this, Paul begins where they are at. After walking around the city, Paul noticed that they are very “religious.” There are idols to many, many gods. He even finds one “To an Unknown God.” The Athenians are covering all the bases, just in case they missed one. This is Paul’s opening. He tells the council and others gathered to listen, “What you worship as unknown, I now proclaim to you.” Paul then begins to tell them about God, creator of everything. God is the giver of “life, breath, and everything else.” Paul is working towards God’s omnipresence – God everywhere, all the time.

In verse 27 Paul proclaims that God created humanity with a natural desire to seek him, “perhaps even reach out to him and find him.” This thought resonated with many of the Athenians just as it does today. We all want to understand life and to find meaning and purpose in this life. Paul speaks to this, saying, “In fact, God isn’t far away from any of us. In God we live, move, and exist.” God is near to us. In God we find all that we need. As he continues, Paul touches on an important aspect of faith in God. One cannot chase after this god and that god, seeking this here and that there. This has been the call to worship the one true God since the days in the wilderness. In verse 30 Paul tells the audience that God “directs everyone everywhere to change their hearts and lives.” To be in relationship with God, to experience God’s presence in Spirit, one must be willing to surrender one’s life to the Lord. Only through surrender do we experience the fullness of God’s love and grace. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, help us to seek your presence today. Lead us to reach out to you. Guide our hearts to rest in your heart. In your presence may we experience the fullness of life – not only breath and existence but also meaning and purpose rooted in humility and service. Here we surrender all of ourselves to all of you. Receive us and change our hearts and lives each day, shaping us more and more into the image of your son Jesus. Amen.


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Daily in Christ’s Spirit

Reading: John 14:15-21

John 14:16 – “I will ask the Father, and he will send another Companion, who will be with you forever.”

Photo credit: Diego Gennaro

Chapter 14 begins with Jesus explaining that he is the way, the truth, and the life. There is a promise of presence both now and in heaven in these words. Jesus is preparing the disciples for life after his death and resurrection. As we turn to this week’s gospel lesson, Jesus defines this promised presence. In verse 15, Jesus states, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” The coming gift of this presence begins with living in right relationship with God. Jesus centers the relationship on keeping his commands. He lifted just two. The first is to love God with all that we are: heart, soul, mind, and strength. The second is to love one another just as Jesus loves us: unconditionally, humbly, completely, sacrificially.

Verse 16 feels conditional, based on verse 15. In verse 16 we read, “I will ask the Father, and he will send another Companion, who will be with you forever.” As we press on we see that “knowing” Jesus leads to knowing the “Companion” or Holy Spirit. Reading on, knowing Jesus is again tied to keeping his commands, which is tied to knowing the Spirit. To “know” Jesus is to follow him, to walk in his footsteps, to model our lives after his example. This forms a relationship with Jesus. Through this relationship, the Spirit will “live with you and will be with you.” Receiving this presence, we have Christ in our hearts. In us and loving us, Jesus tells us that he will “reveal myself to them.”

The Spirit – the counselor, comforter, advocate, companion – will be with us and will make Jesus known to us. The Holy Spirit empowers, leads, and guides us to keep the love commands. It teaches us and reminds us and convicts us, leading us to grow in our relationship with Jesus. With Christ’s eternal presence in our hearts and lives we are far from “orphans.” In fact, it is just the opposite. Through the Holy Spirit’s presence, we have Christ with us always. May we choose to walk daily in that presence and love.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for Jesus’ love. It is a love that conquers sin and death. It is a love that conquers hate, pride, greed, lust, selfishness… It is a love that calls us in, that fills us, that sends us out to be love in the world. Following Christ’s example, use us today to make others feel loved – by us and by you. Thank you, O God. Amen.


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We Must Choose

Reading: Psalm 66:18-20

Psalm 66:18 – “If I had cherished evil in my heart, my Lord would not have listened.”

Photo credit: Nadine Shaabana

Continuing in Psalm 66 today, the psalmist hits on a reality. We can easily fool ourselves into thinking all is okay with God. We can rationalize unkind thoughts, harsh words, and even unethical behavior. We can pretend that maybe God didn’t notice. We can tell ourselves that if it’s just once in a great while, it’s probably fine. But the psalmist reminds us of this reality: “If I had cherished evil in my heart, my Lord would not have listened.” In all of these cases of maybe’s and what-if’s, we are cherishing the world.

With God, there is no gray area. The psalmist, the prophets, Jesus, Paul, and the other apostles all painted the black and white reality. Love God or love the world. Walk in the light or dwell in the dark. Choose life or death. Even the ancients understood this clear choice. Framed long ago as good versus evil, for the faithful it still comes down to living by God’s will and way or living by the ways of the world.

Day by day and moment by moment, this is the choice: Will we live for God or for the world? Will we do what is good and just and loving? Or will we do what is selfish, greedy, and evil? When we choose God, we walk in relationship with the Lord. We hear God’s voice and God hears our voice. When we choose the world, self becomes the sole focus. Walking with God, in right relationship, we daily experience God’s faithful love for us. Day by day, moment by moment, may we choose love.

Prayer: Lord God, so often we must choose. You or the world? One way is filled with pleasures and all we could ever want. Or so it is said. The other way is filled with peace, joy, love – all we really need. It is true. You are true. Lord, guide us to choose your will and way. There we find life to the full. Amen.


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Rescue and Salvation

Reading: Psalm 66:8-17

Psalm 66:10 and 12 – “But you, God, have tested us – you’ve refined us like silver… we’ve been through fire and water. But you brought us out to freedom!”

When was there a time that God delivered you? Was it through the ending of something – a job, a relationship, a life? Was it through a time of testing, when life was difficult? Was it through an illness or an addiction? Looking back on the experience(s), offer God a few words of praise and thanksgiving.

As we spend time in Psalm 66 today and tomorrow, the psalmist rejoices in God’s rescue. In verses 10 and 12 we read, “But you, God, have tested us – you’ve refined us like silver… we’ve been through fire and water. But you brought us out to freedom!” After 400 years as slaves in Egypt, God rescued the Israelites. These were hard years – oppressed, no freedoms, hard labor. But God brought them out, parted the sea, led them through the water. Then came the time in the wilderness. It was like a testing by fire, refining and refining the people until they were ready to enter the Promised Land. Looking back on God’s work, the psalmist offers praises and burnt offerings.

At the end of today’s reading, the psalmist invites his or her audience to “come close and listen.” There is a story to tell and a God to praise. Returning to your time(s) of deliverance, what story do you have to tell? And who can you or who do you need to invite to come close to hear your story of God’s rescue and salvation?

Prayer: Lord God, the trials, the hardships, the sufferings – they are not easy in the moment. But you are always at work, always leading and guiding us through – even when we cannot see it in the present moment. Lord, help us to share these experiences – not the pain but the rescue, not the valley but the presence. In the sharing, may others come to know your love and salvation. Amen.


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Share the Good News

Reading: Acts 17:22-31

Acts 17:24 – “God, who made the world and everything in it, is Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn’t live in temples made by human hands.”

Photo credit: Clay Banks

Acts 17 comes during Paul’s second missionary journey. He has seen a lot so far on his mission to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Athens, however, is a different beast. It is a city filled with all kinds of idols and with a population that loves to debate and learn new things. Paul has spoken to enough people that he’s been invited to speak before a large group. He begins by addressing their spirituality. Paul uses this common ground to introduce his God. He does so this way: “God, who made the world and everything in it, is Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn’t live in temples made by human hands.” It is important to note that Paul does not degrade their religion or tell them his is better. He simply tells them about the God that he worships and follows.

Paul then tells them about how God created humanity to “seek him, perhaps even reach out and find him.” We are indeed created for relationship with God and with one another. Paul then turns to the crux of our faith: Jesus resurrected. This is too much for some to hear. They walk away from Paul, as some will do when we share our faith’s power over sin and death. Paul will persist. He will continue to tell all who will listen about his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Many will come to a saving faith as he shares the good news. May the same be true for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, encourage and equip us to be sharers of the good news. Work in us to develop our stories of faith so that we can tell others what Jesus has done for us. Empower us and guide us by your Holy Spirit, Christ alive in us. Amen.


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Love Revealed

Reading: John 14:8-14

John 14:9 – “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”

Photo credit: Milo Weiler

Moving to the second half of our John 14 reading, Jesus responds to Philip’s request to be shown God with this truth: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” Jesus reminds Philip, the other disciples, and us that all the words he spoke came from God. All the miracles or works that Jesus has offered – they are done through God who dwells in Jesus. In Jesus, we see and hear our best example of God. Yes, God is fully present in the Old Testament and in the rest of the New Testament, but the person of Jesus found in the gospels is our fullest and clearest revelation of God. In Christ we see the heart of God – the love – lived out here on earth.

Jesus then explains that those who believe in him will have more than an example to follow. Jesus tells the disciples then and now that believers “will do the works I do.” Through these works, God will be glorified through the name of Jesus. As we care for others, as we provide for those in need, as we comfort the ill and the grieving, as we speak words that heal broken relationships, as we extend a hand of welcome and belonging to all people, we model Jesus’ and God’s love for all of creation. As we bring peace to a storm, as we give voice to the powerless and marginalized, as we stand against injustice, as we free the prisoners, we model to others the love of God in Christ. In these ways and more, we reveal the love of God that dwells in us. This day, may the love of God in us reveal the Father’s love to all that we meet.

Prayer: Lord God, in Jesus you showed yourself to us. In his words and works we get a glimpse into who and what you are. At the core of it all is love. So, God, this day, use us as love lived out in the world. Amen.


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Time, Time, Time

Reading: Psalm 31:15-16

Psalm 31:15a – “My future is in your hands.”

Returning to Psalm 31 today, the psalmist turns to time and to how we spend our days. In verse 15 he or she declares: “My future is in your hands.” Another way to say this idea is this: My life is in your hands. In both cases we are speaking of our being resting in God’s hands. But as humans, we can struggle with this way of being. Our humanity wants to measure time quantitatively. This is the way of the world. We will all one day live our last day. In this understanding of time, we strive to have “enough.” So we gather and store up and save. The felt need to do these things leads to wanting to cram more and more into each day so that we can accumulate more and more just to…

The other way to measure time is in moments, in experiences, in encounters with the holy. In this construct of time we are able to live into God’s plans for our lives. We can experience life this way when we slow down. Not rushing from thing to thing allows us to watch the sunrise, to linger in the conversation, to notice the smile of the stranger, to relish the flavor of the food. Not focusing on accumulating for self, one is freed to be generous with our resources and time. Living this way, we deepen relationships with God and with one another. We encounter God in the small things and in the large. We find meaning and purpose in life. And, somehow, as life slows down, it gets richer, fuller, more abundant. May this be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, our future and our days are really in your hands – whether one moment or one day or 100 years. Open our eyes and hearts to your presence and purpose in all of life. Make us fully aware of how and when and why your Spirit moves. Draw us in. Deepen our lives. Amen.


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Living Stones

Reading: 1st Peter 2:4-10

1st Peter 2:9 – “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who are God’s possession.”

Returning to 1st Peter 2 today, we turn to the image of building. Peter reminds the early Christians and us today that we are “living stones.” This is a unique phrase. We are to be active in our faith. We are to live as a “royal priesthood” in the world. This is not a privilege thing. We are part of a “chosen race.” All of humanity is one chosen race. God hopes all people will find a saving relationship through Jesus Christ. Since we have found that relationship, we are charged with offering up “spiritual sacrifices” bringing hope and healing and redemption to the brokenness of this world. In these actions and images, Peter is connecting to the example of Jesus.

For the faithful, Jesus is the “cornerstone.” This is the firm foundation stone, the one upon which all else is built and stands. But for the non-believer, Jesus is the “capstone,” which causes people to stumble and fall. This is why many non-believers reject Jesus. His light and truth exposed darkness, bringing discomfort. But for the believer, light and truth build up our faith.

In verse 9 we read, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who are God’s possession.” First, we are chosen by God. Along with all of humanity, we are intended to be children of God. Faith is not a random occurrence. We are chosen to be holy, living just and righteous lives. But we are holy not on our own. We are holy because Christ is holy. Because of this, we belong to God, not the world. This allows us to follow and live out God’s will and way. Part of this living is our witness or testimony.

In the next verse Peter describes this as speaking of the “wonderful acts” of God that redeemed us as we were called “out of darkness into his amazing light.” In turn, our stories of faith help others to see how they can experience God’s life-changing mercy, grace, and love. As living stones, may we proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ so that he is good news to all people everywhere.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you first for Jesus, our sure foundation. And thank you for pulling us up out of the mire and filth of this world, washing us clean in your mercy and grace, redeeming us so that we can live our faith out in the world. Send us out today, O God, empowered by love to tell others of our Jesus, the one true cornerstone. Amen.