pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Human Wants

Readings: Nehemiah 5, Nehemiah 6, Nehemiah 7

Nehemiah 6:16 – “The nations around us were afraid and their confidence was greatly shaken. They knew that this work was completed with the help of our God.”

Internal unrest almost derails the building process. Taxes had gone up due to Persia’s growing war with Greece. A famine has set in. As is almost always the case, these factors hit the poor the hardest. And is often the case, the wealthy and powerful take advantage of the most vulnerable. How little things have changed in 2,000+ years. The poor (roughly 95% of the population) find themselves indebted to the small landowning class. The poor are losing what little they have. Some children have become slaves and more are on their way. The righteous Nehemiah intervenes on behalf of the poor. Land and homes and interest and slaves are returned or freed. The work continues.

External opposition attempts to strike next. Sanballat and Geshem try to lure Nehemiah away to a quiet secluded place… Their human want is for power. They want to eliminate this political rival. After Nehemiah refuses four invitations, they send a letter accusing him of treasonous acts. He replies, “You are simply inventing this.” Tobiah and Sanballat try hiring an Israelite to sullen Nehemiah’s reputation. But God helps him to see and avoid this trap as well.

The wall is finished – in 52 days! This is so amazing that “The nations around us were afraid and their confidence was greatly shaken. They knew that this work was completed with the help of our God.” The gate doors are built and hung. The priests and Levites are appointed to their roles. Hanani and Hananiah are appointed to rule over Jerusalem. This should be easy – it’s almost uninhabited at this point. No homes have been rebuilt. Nehemiah then registers all the families that returned from exile. This list is almost an exact match to the one in Ezra 2 – except there are more singers. The people return to their towns and villages. The spiritual work on the people’s hearts begins in tomorrow’s reading.

Prayer: Lord God, you walk faithfully with Nehemiah and with your people. Yet some forget. This leads to the human tendency to want to accumulate. This want resides in us too. When that tendency surfaces – whether for things or for power – when that desires calls, remind us that we are to be stewards not hoarders, caretakers not overlords. Remind us of our call to love all of your children. Amen.


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Mercy and Justice

Reading: Psalm 123

Verse 3: “Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.”

This week’s Psalm is a song of ascents. It would’ve most often been sung as people made their way up to the temple. As they walked and as they prepared themselves for worship, the opening verse would set the tone: “I lift my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven.” Read today, these words feel like words spoken to a benevolent God who reigned from a distant place. Christ has not yet come to bring God’s presence among and within us.

Verse 2 can be difficult. Slaves and masters, maids and mistresses – these terms have negative connotations. We cannot dismiss them as “then” and skip on to verse 3. These relationships were common for a long time in our world and even in “Christian” circles. This is a sad truth of our common history. Here in the Psalm the writer parallels these relationships with their traditional relationship with God. It speaks to a dependence on the one with power, to a trust in their good care and benevolence. The psalmist looks to this God to show mercy to the people.

Verses 3 and 4 reveal the unfortunate reality of many power dynamics. The faithful in the Psalm are not the ones with power. They are enduring contempt and ridicule. Those with power are prideful and arrogant. The faithful call on a good God to have mercy, to end this injustice. At times we are in this position, calling in God to intervene on our behalf. In these times we too lift our eyes to heaven. But sometimes we are in an observers role – we are not the one with all the power but we do have some power to act. We see or become aware of an abuse of power. In these cases we cannot remain silent. Our good God calls on us to intercede on behalf of the oppressed, bringing justice and mercy to the situation. Stepping out in faith, the God of mercy will be with us.

Prayer: Lord God, walk with us day by day. In your presence, encourage us in those times of suffering. Be our defender, be our redeemer. And in your presence, O Lord, spur us to action when injustice and oppression are evident in our worlds. Empower us to work for justice and good. Walk with us day by day, O God. Amen.


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Choose Life

Reading: Romans 6:15-23

Verse 22: “Now that you have been set free from sin… the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”

As we continue today in Romans 6, Paul uses the term “slave” often. Paul is using this term to emphasize one’s total commitment and belonging to someone or something. In our passage, one is either a slave to sin or a slave to God. For each of these choices, there is an outcome. If you belong to sin, the outcome is death. If you belong to God, the outcome is righteousness. Paul rejoices that the Christians in Rome have obeyed the teachings of Christ, becoming slaves of righteousness. The rejoicing continues today. As Jesus taught, the angels in heaven rejoice when someone who was lost is found, when someone without Christ becomes saved.

In verses 19-21 Paul speaks of the weakness of our human nature and of the “benefit” of living in sin. He summarizes by stating: “These things lead to death!” He ends this section by contrasting this to living as ones belonging to God: “Now that you have been set free from sin… the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.” What a contrast! Instead of death we find holiness and eternal life. Living a holy life bears witness to the world. It reveals the love and grace of God available to all people. Living a holy life brings an assurance of eternity lived within the love and light of the Lord. Freed from sin, we live as disciples of Jesus Christ, loving God and loving neighbor with all of our being. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, what a stark contrast: life or death? It seems such a simple choice. Yet the flesh is weak and the power of sin is strong. Lord, how I need you. Only with you can I choose life. Only with you can I be holy. Be present in my heart, O God, leading me to walk in the way that leads to life. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Holy Spirit. Amen.


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Choose Grace

Reading: Romans 6:12-14

Verse 14: “For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”

Photo credit: Jon Tyson

Paul writes to the Christians in Rome. It is a body of believers made up of both Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. They are struggling with the place of the Law in the life of the church. Paul recognized that trying to be righteous through adherence to the Law was not sufficient. Through Christ he came to understand that grace was necessary in the battle against sin. With only the Law, the guilt and shame remained. One remained dead in their sin. Only through grace could one be made new again. Only through a saving relationship with Jesus would one die to sin’s power, becoming a new creation in Christ that was “no longer slaves to sin.”

In today’s text Paul recognizes the battle between sin and God. He saw this as a choice – certainly daily but more realistically moment by moment. The choice was whether we would let sin reign or let God reign. Paul encourages us “not to let sin reign in your mortal body.” The evil desires are there. Temptation is real. So too is the power of Christ to withstand these temptations. To that end, Paul instructs us to “offer ourselves to God” as we seek to be people of love and grace. Paul invites us to choose holy living.

Paul challenges the Romans Christians and all who would choose Christ to honor God with all of our choices. We are called to speak words of love, healing, and grace – not words of hate, gossip, and slander. We are to offer our hands in service to God and one another – not as instruments to take and hoard for ourselves. Following just the Law does not produce the love in our hearts that leads us to be Christ in the world. It is grace that produces love – a love that leads us to live as witnesses to Christ’s love and grace. It is a choice. May we choose grace.

Prayer: Lord God, the battle is a regular part of life. You know this well. You created us with the ability to choose life or death, sin or holiness. Fill us with the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ alive in us, so that our choices and our living bring you the glory. Amen.


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A Simple Faith

Reading: 2nd Kings 5:1-14

Verse 3: “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

As we begin the first of two days in 2nd Kings 5 let us focus on the supporting characters. Tomorrow we’ll look at the main characters: Naaman and Elisha. Verse 1 sets the scene. Naaman is a great and powerful man, an army commander from Aram. He is highly regarded by the king of Aram. But Naaman has leprosy, a skin disease.

The main supporting character is a slave girl from Israel. She was taken captive, possibly in a raid led by Naaman. She surveys his condition and declares, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” What an honest and strong faith she has! Just go and see the prophet and be healed. Her declaration leads Naaman to the king, who says, “By all means, go.” He sends a letter along to the king of Israel, expecting Naaman to be healed. This is a lot of trust to place in the faith of a simple slave girl.

The king of Israel receives the letter and tears his robes. He fears that the king of Aram is trying to pick a fight by asking him to do the impossible. What a contrast to the faith of a simple slave girl. Elisha intercedes and Naaman is sent to Elisha. A servant of Elisha – not the prophet himself – comes out and gives instructions. Angry and insulted, Naaman is ready to go home mad. But his servants intervene, calling him to trust in this simple slave girl’s faith. Naaman submits and he is healed. He in made clean.

What a great healing comes from the contagious faith of a simple slave girl! In this big old world most of us are not a Naaman or an Elisha. Yet we can practice a powerful faith, one that trusts in the power of God and invites others to do the same. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, in my heart I know that you can do anything. Help me today to reflect that in my words, actions, and thoughts. Doing so, may others come to know you too. Amen.


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Really That Simple

Reading: Galatians 5:1 and 13-21

Verse 14: “The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”

Paul begins our passage today with a word of encouragement: “Christ has set us free. Stand firm.” No longer living under the Law, Paul has found freedom in Christ. Yes, he still wrestles with sin, as we all do, but he has been freed from the guilt and shame. No longer remaining stuck there, Paul has been freed to follow Jesus Christ and to live captive to Christ. No longer hindered by that old “yoke of slavery” to the Law, Paul stands firm in his faith in Jesus Christ and invites us to join him.

The freedom Paul finds is not a “you can do anything you want” freedom but a freedom lived within the bounds of Christ’s words and example. Paul identifies the filter for determining this line in verse 14. Here he reminds us: “The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” Is he speaking of the old Jewish Law or of the new law of Jesus Christ? Or is it both? I believe it is both. Jesus himself said that he did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5). He fulfilled it by being God’s love lived out in the world. Doing so, Jesus was led by God or the Spirit, as Paul refers to in verses 16-18. Led by the Spirit, Christ was not captive to the desires of the sinful nature. We too can claim this Holy Spirit power and the freedom it brings.

In verse 19-21 Paul gives quite the list of “acts of the sinful nature.” Even though quite the list, it is quite incomplete. That maybe being a given, the sins on Paul’s list and on any other list we can generate come down to following the single command given in verse 14. If we truly love our neighbor more than self, we will not sin against them or against God. It’s really that simple: love unconditionally and fully.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to see with your eyes of love. This is where so many of my relationships and my interactions begin, with what I see. So let me see all as you see them, as a beloved child of God. Then lead me to love them – all of them – in a way that they come to better know your love. Amen.


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Set Free!

Reading: John 8: 31-35

Verse 31: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples”.

Photo credit: Pablo Heimplatz

In this passage from John 8, Jesus is talking about the freedom we find in Christ. In our text today he is speaking to some Jews who has believed in him. Because of some hard teachings they have fallen away. In the opening verse he says to them, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples”. To be a disciple one must follow the teachings and the example of the teacher or rabbi. In this case, it was Jesus.

The Jews were people of the Law. The words of Moses and future religious leaders guided all of life. By Jesus’ day the following of the Law – over 600 statutes – had become one of two things. For the select few who could adhere to the Law, it became a source of pride and exclusion. For all else it became a burden – something impossible to attain, something covered in guilt and shame. While Jesus did not come to abolish the Law (Matthew 5:17), he did come to reveal the heart of the Law: to love God and to love neighbor. These two commands were the heart of the Law. According to Jesus, all of the Law hung on these two (Matthew 22:40).

Trying to live under the Law, many were “slaves” to sin. They were always worried about breaking some law and they were ever being reminded to do and be better. This led to many being outside the family, outside the temple or synagogue, outside the community of faith. Jesus offered and still offers a better way. In and through the blood of Jesus we are set free. If we are in Christ sin no longer has the power to condemn. In faith we are forgiven and cleansed, restored back into family. The guilt and shame that kept one outside are no more. Jesus wants all people to understand this gift. Because of the blood of Jesus Christ we are set free. This is the truth that Jesus offers. It is our truth. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, you are the way and the truth and the life. Your love breaks every chain and ushers me into the family of God. In you is freedom; in you is hope. Thank you Jesus! Amen.


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One by One

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”.

Tonight many churches will celebrate Maundy Thursday. This night is the beginning of establishing Jesus’ upsidedown kingdom. Judas has been prompted by Satan to betray Jesus. Jesus knows this. The one who just rode into Jerusalem triumphantly, like a great king, strips off his outer garments and gets a basin, water, and a towel. Jesus kneels at the feet of Bartholomew and Andrew and Thomas and Simon and James son of Alphaeus… He kneels at twelve pairs of feet and washes them all. Jesus even washed Judas’ feet.

Imagine the contrast in this moment: king to slave, teacher and Lord to servant. As the disciples considered this most realized that Jesus has always been more of a kneel at the feet type than the king type. After telling the disciples that he has set the example for them, Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, no messenger greater than the one who sent him”. In Jesus’ kingdom, all are equal. All are worthy of having their feet washed. Even Judas.

In the second section of our passage, Jesus tells the disciples, “I will be with you only a little longer”. Having their full attention, Jesus says, “A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another”. Jesus had just demonstrated this love one disciple at a time. One by one, Jesus loved each disciple. He commands us to do the same – to love one another. This is the defining mark of a disciple. It is how “all men will know that you are my disciples”.

Jesus knelt at the feet of each disciple. He did not just wash Bartholomew’s feet and then say, ‘Do the same’. He did not just wash Judas’ feet, thinking of the later impact. Jesus washed all of the disciples’ feet, one by one, loving each one by one. This is the heart of the gospel: “love one another as I have loved you” – one by one, each and every one, one at a time, love one another. It doesn’t matter if it’s the person you most adore or if it’s your Judas standing before you. The message is the same: love one another as I have loved you. Jesus washed Judas’ feet too. May we love as Jesus loved.

Prayer: Lord God, it’s easy to think of a pair or two of feet that I’d rather not wash. Yet I know those are the ones I most need to wash. They are not the ones that most need cleaned – they are the ones I most need to wash. Lead me to them, O Lord. Amen.


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Fringes and Edges

Reading: Matthew 9: 9-13

Verse 11: “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners”?

Photo credit: Marten Newhall

Our passage today opens with Jesus calling another disciple as he walks along the road. The man he calls us named Matthew. He was sitting in his tax collector’s booth when Jesus said, “Follow me”. It’s hard to say what an equivalent calling would be today. Tax collectors were almost universally disliked and hated. They worked for the occupying force, the Romans, collecting taxes to pay for the enemy to stay in power. Most tax collectors gathered well above and beyond what the Romans required. Becoming rich was a side perk of this government job. Being wealthy was nice but the occupation limited one’s circle of friends. Matthew’s crowd would be limited to other tax collectors and others who took advantage of others. Money lenders, prostitutes, slave traders… would have been among the crowd at Matthew’s house as Jesus joined them for dinner.

Upon seeing the crowd that Jesus has chosen to become a part of, the Pharisees ask, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners”? Why would Jesus call one of these to discipleship, to following him? Why would Jesus sit amongst this crowd of sinners? I suppose some people today think the same thing when they see their pastor emerging from the hymn sing at the local brewpub or when they see members of the outreach team exiting the local strip club. In response Jesus says, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick”. Jesus did not come to just sit around the temple or local synagogues chatting with the faithful about the scriptures. Yes, Jesus did this and this habit continues to be a very important part of our faith journey. But Jesus also spent the majority of his time doing ministry out in the world – among the tax collectors and sinners, among the hurting and broken, among the Gentiles and others who were marginalized by the religious establishment. These are the ones in need of a “doctor”. These are the ones in need of healing, wholeness, love, a sense of community.

Who are the tax collectors of your neighborhood or community? Who are those on the fringes and edges? How can you minister to these that Jesus surely would have?

Prayer: Lord God, make my heart and will more like yours. Guide my feet to those in need of your love and care. Bring me past the barriers and fears in my mind, trusting more fully in your guidance and direction. Amen.


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Ministers of the Gospel

Reading: 1st Corinthians 9: 16-23

Verse 19: “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible”.

Photo credit: Priscilla du Preez

Our passage today begins with a part of Paul’s call story. Because of his encounter with the risen Christ he has a clear mission to preach the gospel or good news of Jesus Christ. In Acts 9 it is revealed that Paul is Jesus’ “chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel”. This is why Paul is “compelled to preach” the gospel. Although most of us do not have the singular, radical life changing moment like Paul had, as people who declare Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we fall under the great commission that Jesus gave in Matthew 28 to “make disciples of all nations”.

Some are called to be preachers, some to be teachers, some to be worship leaders, some to be ushers, some to be worker bees… All are called the be ministers. Under the great commission we are all called to minister to the world, sharing the good news with a world in need. While most of us are not evangelical missionaries like Paul was, all of us have a story of faith and all of us can share our love of Jesus with others. Some of us will share through formal roles in the church, some will share through volunteer roles, some will share through specific encounters with friends and neighbors. All of us should share our faith in the ways that we live our day to day lives.

Paul was one who lived out his faith in all he did and with all he met. It was an intentional choice he made after Jesus worked a 180° change in his life. This radical change led Paul to spend the rest of his days telling others about the Lord. In verse nineteen we read, “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible”. A slave was the very bottom of the social order. It was a place of total subservience. Paul was willing to be a slave to Jesus in order to save as many people as he could. Paul would become like his audience so that he could best communicate Jesus’ saving power to them. With the Jews, for example, Paul drew on his Jewish upbringing to help the Jews come to Christ. He found common ground. This is the most natural and comfortable way to share faith with others. Today, for example, a young Christian mom would most naturally share her faith while spending time with another young mom. Similarly, a recovered Christian alcoholic would most comfortably share his or her faith with a seeker just beginning the path to recovery. Common interests, shared experiences, similar places in life… provide great opportunities for natural gospel conversations.

Knowing why Jesus matters in our lives is the beginning of being able to share our faith. Step two is a willingness to have the conversation when the Holy Spirit nudges us and provides an opportunity. We are all called to be ministers of the gospel. Do you know your story of faith? Are you willing to share the story of what Jesus means to you? It is our call. May we all choose to be willing slaves of Jesus Christ, seeking to “win as many as possible” by sharing our love of Jesus Christ with the world.

Prayer: Lord God, I am not too sure where I would be without you. With you, I know my days and my future lie in your hands. Make me a willing slave, willing to share my love of you whenever and wherever the Holy Spirit gives opportunity. As always, use me as you will. Amen.