pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: sacrifice


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Undignified

Reading: 2 Samuel 6: 12b-19

Verse Fourteen: “David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might”.

Today’s passage gives us two sides of worship. On the one hand we see some rituals being practiced. On the other hand we see unabashed and heart-led worship. Both “styles” or forms still have a vital place in our worship of God.

David uses rituals to worship God in several ways. After six steps are taken, David stops the procession. The priests and Levites sit down the ark and a sacrifice is offered as a thanks to God. The calf and bull are a way of thanking God for blessing them with the ark and its return to Jerusalem. The procession also ends with the proper sacrifices. David’s choice of attire is also ritualistic. The linen ephod is a religious garment. David chose to take off his royal robes and to don a garment worn in service to the Lord. In this choice he is telling all that he too will serve and honor God. The ceremony ends with blessings. David blesses the people in God’s name and also blesses them with gifts of food. Although our rituals might be different, we too have our worship traditions and practices. Our sacraments, liturgies, creeds, and other traditions help us to worship God.

David and the people also spontaneously worship God from the heart. “David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might”. He worships with reckless abandon before God. He worships with all his might. In our churches we might clap during a praise song. We might raise our hands toward heaven. In some churches we still dance before the Lord. As David dances with all his might, the people celebrate and worship with shouts and trumpets and other forms of music. There is joy in their worship. We too use music in our worship and maybe even lift up an unscripted shout or “Amen” once in a while too.

This passage always reminds me of a song. It is called “Undignified” and the verse simply reads, “I will dance, I will sing, to be mad for my King. Nothing Lord is hindering this passion in my soul”. This song is a good reminder that we should not allow anything to inhibit our worship of God. The chorus shouts, “And I will become even more undignified than this. Some may say it’s foolishness, but I’ll become even more undignified than this. Lay my pride by my side, and I’ll become even more undignified than this”. Today, Lord, may we lay aside our pride and unashamedly live out our gospel faith, worshipping you fully in all we do and say today. Amen.


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Saving Relationship

Reading: Psalm 20

Verses Six and Seven: “Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed… we trust in the name of the Lord our God”.

Relationship is the key to our faith. In today’s Psalm, David speaks of the relationship we have with God. One of the keys to any good relationship is communication. David opens with one of our key communication tools: prayer. He asks God, “May the Lord answer you… protect you”. As the faithful we are to bring all things to God, trusting in God’s response. David then prays for blessings of help and support from God.

Another way we communicate with God is through our acts of worship. Often this occurs on Sunday mornings as we gather for corporate worship. How we choose to live our day to day lives is also an act of worship if it brings glory to God. When we offer some of ourselves or some of our time, talents, and resources, it is an act of worship. When we give to God or to others because of the love of God overflowing from our hearts, it is worship. When we sacrifice self and place God and neighbor ahead of our own interests and desires, we are also modeling for others the witness given by Jesus Christ.

David goes on to ask that God may give us the desires of our heart and for our plans to succeed. He is petitioning God to grant us a good life. David is not hoping that the king or any of us are billionaires, but that we find contentment and that God provides for all our needs.

As he closes, David turns to the salvation we find through our relationship with God. In verse six he writes, “Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed”. When we confess Jesus as Lord, we are saved. We are anointed with the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, with the “saving power of God’s right hand”. David goes on to acknowledge that some people “trust in chariots and horses” – the things of man, the things of this world. “But…”, David writes. “But we trust in the name of the Lord our God”. David observed that those who trust in the things of this world are “brought to their knees”, but the faithful “rise up and stand firm”. We do so because we stand on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ our Lord. Thanks be to God for the great love that calls us into this saving relationship. Praise be to the Lord! Amen.


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Love First

Reading: Psalm 138

Verse Eight: “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever”.

Each day and each encounter provides us with an opportunity to draw close to God, to worship God. Psalm 138 is a Psalm of praise from King David. It praises God for His love and faithfulness. It encourages us to “sing of the ways of the Lord”. It speaks of God preserving our lives when we walk in the midst of trouble. The Psalm is a powerful reminder of God’s love for us, His dear children.

These few days at Annual Conference have been filled with worship. Sometimes the songs and worship have been slow and reflective. Sometimes the songs have been upbeat and energetic. Sometimes the music has been loud and passionate. Our worship has also included much besides music. We have shared scripture and been blessed by the proclamation of the Word by several gifted pastors. Through each of the messages and the conference itself, the idea of “love first” has been the focus. To me, this is what our worship should do. In all of our styles and in all if the components of worship, our worship should first express our love of God.

Verse eight today reads, “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever”. When we offer our lives as a living sacrifice to God’s love, then we experience a love that lasts forever. When we surrender our lives to God, we begin to live into and to live out an everlasting love. In doing so, we discover the first half of our verse: our purpose. We are all created to love as Jesus first loved us: fully and completely. There is no greater love than the love we see modeled by Jesus. May our lives today be living acts of worship, overflowing with the grace and mercy of God, as we seek to love first. May it be so for me and for you. Amen.


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The “Why”

Reading: Mark 3: 20-30

Verse 20: “When His family heard about this, they went to take charge of Him”.

The big crowd gathered to hear Jesus teach. Our passage tells us that it is, well, so crowded that Jesus cannot eat. There is no room! Mark writes, “When His family heard about this, they went to take charge of Him”. They think that Jesus is not taking care of Himself and they go to have a family intervention. This has gone on long enough! Truth be told, at one time or another, we have found ourselves in this situation. That big project is due tomorrow and we forego sleep and maybe even food. Our mom or spouse or roommate warns us about how we are living. Or maybe we just sneak into the office on a day off to “catch up” – and we get the look we deserve. But sometimes, like Jesus did, we too get a look because of our faith.

Sometimes our choices of faith get us that look. I think that Jesus did not eat because it meant less teaching time. Look at all the people who are here to hear the Word. In a similar way, we encounter people without faith who do not understand us sacrificing something for our faith. They have questions like, “Why would you help pay her electric bill when you know the lights will get shut off next month too”? They wonder why we would spend a week of vacation going on a mission trip instead of going to some resort in the Caribbean. Some even wonder why in the world we would get up early on a Sunday to go sit on some hard pews when we could sleep in on the one day we could. Lots of people wonder why we do this or that for some guy named Jesus who lived two thousand years ago.

When the looks come, how do we react? How do we respond – whether it is family coming to ‘save’ us or whether it is a friend trying to talk some ‘sense’ into us or whether it is an acquaintance questioning the ‘crazy’ choices we are making? I think we begin with the story of how Jesus makes a difference in our life. When we share from the heart what Jesus has and is doing in our life, people begin to get a glimpse of faith and to sense what Jesus offers them as well. Yes, how we live our life tells our faith story. But our words are important too. They fill in the “how” with the “why”. Our words build understanding. So today, may we introduce people to Jesus with our actions and decisions and may we begin to welcome them into a personal relationship with our words. May it be so today.


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Here I Am

Reading: Isaiah 6: 1-8

Verse Eight: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? Who will go for us’? And I said, ‘Here I am. Send me’!”

Isaiah is blessed by his vision of God on the throne. It is an awesome sight to behold. Yet he is also reminded of his own life and that it falls short of the glory of God. He knows he is unclean. As soon as he utters this confession, one of the seraphs takes a coal from the altar. It is brought to Isaiah and the coal is put to his lips. As this is done, the seraph says, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for”. Isaiah is made pure and holy once again in God’s sight.

For Christians today, we have a similar experience. In the house of the Lord, we sense God’s glory as His presence is with us in worship. As we approach the altar, we confess that we too are unclean, living with sin in our lives. Just as the coal is brought to Isaiah, the fruit of the vine and the bread is brought to us. When we take the elements that represent Christ’s atoning sacrifice upon our lips, our guilt is removed and our sins are no more. They have been atoned for by Jesus. Through the sacrament of communion we are each made holy and perfect in God’s sight.

Once Isaiah is made clean, he hears God asking, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us”? in response, Isaiah says, “Here I am. Send me’!”. Isaiah has been blessed and cleansed by God and now he is prepared to go out to serve the Lord as one sent by God. Today we receive the same call. This very day may we each respond as Isaiah did, saying, “Here I am. Send me!”


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All About Love

Reading: Psalm 1

Verse Six: “The Lord watches over the way of the righteous”.

Psalm One is about delighting in the Law of the Lord. It speaks of the blessing and protection one lives in when one chooses to live out the Law. It also speaks of the consequences of not doing so. This Psalm is written from the Jewish perspective but it applies equally well to Christianity.

A devout Jew would make every effort to follow the Torah. To them it was a way of life. It was much more than a list of rules that one must follow. Obedience was not perfect and when a Jew sinned a sacrifice would be made, as prescribed by the Law. A devout Jew would study and meditate on the Law all of their lives, ever drawing closer to complete obedience.

A faithful Christian makes every effort to walk in the ways of Jesus. To us this is a way of life. It is much more than a list of dos and don’ts that one must follow. Obedience is not perfect and when we sin, the sacrifice has been made, fulfilled on the cross. A faithful Christian studies and meditates on the Word all of their lives, ever drawing closer and closer to Jesus.

The psalmist knows the Law well. He delights in following the Law. Today, as followers of Jesus, we too delight in living as Jesus lived, drawing joy from life. Jesus himself valued the Law. He told us that He came to fulfill the Law, not to abolish it. Jesus came to be the ultimate example of how to live out the Law. Jesus even identified the two greatest commands: love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as you love yourself. Love and more love. God and His Law are all about love. Jesus and His life are all about love. May we also be all about love.


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Love Well

Reading: 1st John 4: 7-21

Verse Twelve: “If we love each other, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us”.

How many times does the word ‘love’ appear in your Bible in our passage for today? In my NIV translation the word ‘love’ appears 26 times. It is certainly the theme of the passage!

As one reads this passage over a few times one gains the sense of the connectedness of the love between God and us and between each other. This idea of love being interwoven brings to mind Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12, where it speaks of how we support and encourage and help and strengthen one another. It concludes with these words in verse twelve, “a cord of three strands is not Quickly broken”. This passage common to wedding ceremonies implies that God’s love added to our love for one another gives great strength and durability to our relationships.

Love comes from God and is in God. If we know love, we know God. God’s love is shown in sending His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Since God loves us, we should love one another. Verse twelve in our passage today states, “If we love each other, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us”. There is a definite connection between the love of God and our love for one another.

Above all God is love. There is no better way to show the love of God that is in us than to love each other. May we love well today.


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Sheep of the Shepherd

Reading: John 10: 11-18

Verse Fourteen: “I am the Good Shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me”.

In the ancient Jewish world the occupation of shepherd was looked down upon. In spite of people like Moses and David being shepherds, it was still a job that came with much scorn and ridicule in Jesus’ day. So when Jesus, this man who some saw as the Messiah, called Himself a shepherd, it must have raised an eyebrow or two. It seems to always shock the people when God chooses someone or something unlikely to lead or lift up… the last of Jesse’s sons, the stutterer, the dreaded tax collector, the title of shepherd. Anything is possible with God.

Despite being a shocking choice to His audience, the choice of shepherd makes perfect sense. In His role as Savior, Jesus will endure scorn and ridicule from the religious authorities, the Romans, and even from the people He came to save. Like a shepherd, Jesus Will and continues to protect His sheep. He continues to lead and guide and teach His sheep, fulfilling His statement, “I am the Good Shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me”. He helps us to know His better and He knows each of us by name.

In His role as Good Shepherd, there are also some reversals. Jesus comes not just for those now in the pen – the lost sheep of Israel – but He also includes “sheep that are not of this pen”. Other peoples will come to know the voice of the Good Shepherd. Jesus also reverses the roles of sheep and shepherd. Traditionally, the lamb was sacrificed to make atonement for the sins of the person or the people. Jesus instead chooses to “lay down my life” as the atoning sacrifice. Jesus goes to the cross on His “own accord” as the final offering to pay the price for the sins of the world.

As the sheep of the Good Shepherd, may we walk each day in His care and protection, being ever blessed by His love and mercy.


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Love One Another

Reading: John 13: 1-17 and 31-35

Verse 34: “A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another”.

Today is a special day in Holy Week and in the life of the church. Today Jesus sets two examples for us that we continue to implement to this day. It is the last time that Jesus will be with His disciples in this life. Tonight many will gather in places of worship to celebrate Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday.

Rather than rushing through the Passover meal to get on to the inevitable arrest, trial, and crucifixion, Jesus slows down the pace and spends one last intimate night with His disciples. As verse one states, “He showed them the full extent of His love”. To do so, Jesus begins by washing the disciple’s feet. This is lesson one for the evening. The Master, the Teacher, kneels at each disciple’s feet as the servant and lovingly washes and dries their feet. After Jesus rejoins them at the table, He says, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you”. Lesson one is to serve one another in love.

This night, while still gathered around the table, Jesus will share the first Holy Communion. He will share the bread as His body that will be broken on the cross and He will share the wine as His blood that will pour out on the cross. This act of love is recorded in the other gospels. In Mark, Jesus calls it the new covenant through which all mankind will be forgiven our sins. Through the body and blood we are restored and made holy once again. Jesus’ great sacrifice – in giving His life as an atonement for our sins – it screams love.

After telling the disciples that the time has come, saying, “I will be with you only a little longer”, Jesus issues a new command. In washing their feet and in the sharing of communion Jesus has added two more examples of what this new command means. Jesus says to them, “A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another”. Today’s passage finishes with the bug ‘why’ – “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another”. This day, by our love, may all we meet know that we too are His disciples.


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Serve

Reading: John 12: 20-36

Verse 26: “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant will also be”.

Today’s passage from John is about sacrifice or giving of oneself. Jesus begins with the familiar illustration of the wheat kernel. If it remains on the stalk it remains just a single seed. If it is picked it is ground and becomes flour. Only when it falls into the ground does it die and produce more seeds. This is the natural cycle of life for seed-bearing plants. It is the cycle of life that mankind has observed for years. This concept is very familiar to Jesus’ audience and even to us in the ‘modern’ world.

Once Jesus has us at a good level of understanding, He goes on to parallel this with our faith journey. He basically says that if we hold tightly to life in this world, eventually we will lose it all. But if we are willing to allow self to die to the things of this world, then we will find true and eternal life. It is similar to the seed’s journey. Only when we are able to live life beyond ourselves and this world and its desires for we gain real life. Jesus goes on in verse 26 to say, “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant will also be”. When our lives focus in on serving Jesus as His followers, then we are ever with Him. This is a here and now as well as a forever promise.

When we live as a servant in the here and now, we experience Jesus all the time. Sometimes it is as we are His hands and feet, doing for others, that we sense His presence in us. And once in a while we are blessed to see Jesus in those we serve. It is a beautiful reminder that we are all God’s children. It is a wonderful reminder that as we do for “one of the least of these”, we do it for Jesus himself.

Jesus sets for us the ultimate servant’s choice this week. Later this week, on Good Friday, Jesus will give His life for us. He will fall into the tomb. But He will not remain there. On Easter, Jesus rises and walks out of the grave. He defeated the power of death and invites us to do the same. Through faith in Christ we too can gain eternal life. It is a glorious invite. Until we receive our final call, may we love and serve Him in this world. Verse 26 finishes with, “My father will honor the one who serves me”. May it be so for each of us this week!