pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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The Lord’s Commendation

Reading: 2nd Corinthians 8-10

2nd Corinthians 9:8 – “You will have everything you need always and in everything to provide more than enough for every kind of good work.”

Today’s reading first focuses on giving generously and then shifts to a call to general obedience in chapter 10. Paul takes up a call to support the church in Jerusalem. A famine in Judea has brought poverty upon them. The church in Macedonia, Paul shares, has given very generously even though they have problems there too. He reminds them that they began the collection well and calls them to finish well. Paul tells them that he is sending Titus and another brother to help them complete this work. Paul invites the Corinthians to “show them the proof of your love,” setting for them an example.

Paul wants their gift to be a “real” gift – not forced. He reminds the church that those who sow seeds generously reap generous crops. Encouraging them to give what they decide in their hearts, Paul speaks of God’s power: “You will have everything you need always and in everything to provide more than enough for every kind of good work.” God will supply them all that they need in the future. There may come a time when they receive from the church in Jerusalem. But for now, as they support their brothers and sisters, those in Jerusalem will give thanks and will pray for the church in Corinth.

Paul addresses his authority as he calls for obedience in chapter 10. Some in Corinth feel that Paul’s letters are “powerful and severe” but that Paul is shy and weak when in person. Paul invites them to obedience, lest they feel his authority given by God when he visits. He reminds the church that it was he and his companions that first brought the gospel to Corinth. Paul closes with a reminder that it is the Lord’s commendation that matters. May this be the approval that we seek as well.

Prayer: Lord God, create in us generous and obedient hearts. Empower each of us to step forward in faith, trusting in your loving provision. Through the power of our love for you, may others experience your love for them. Amen.


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Restore Us, O God

Reading: Psalm 126:4-6

Verse 6: “He [or she] who goes out weeping… shall come home with shouts of joy.”

Photo credit: Shane Rounce

Turning to the second half of Psalm 126 today we bump up against reality. Life happened to Israel and it happens to us. At times our humanity and our tendency towards selfishness and sin gets us to a place of exile, either from God or from one another or from both. And sometimes the actions or decisions of others negatively affect us. And… at times we get sick or a natural disaster impacts us or… In all of these circumstances and situations we too can cry out to God, “Restore our fortunes, O Lord!”

In verses 5-6 comes the promise and the hope. The reality of our times of sorrow or grief or sadness is that life goes on. As the Israelites continued to sow, even with tears in their eyes, we too must continue to keep moving. As we become able to, we need to resume living. The promise is that eventually we will “reap with songs of joy.” God will be at work, will walk with us through our sorrow…, and will bring joy back into our lives. It is this hope that enables us to work through our sorrow, grief, sadness…

Through tear-filled eyes and with heavy hearts the Israelites trusted in God to restore them. They knew that God was and is loving, faithful, and steadfast. Their trust rested upon these things. May we too recall the “great things” that God has done in our lives, trusting that “He [or she] who goes out weeping… shall come home with shouts of joy.” May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, in those moments of doubt and fear, when sadness and grief are about to win the battle, whisper your hope into our hearts. When it is difficult to take that next step, grant us courage and bring us the strength to step forward. When our hearts fill with sadness, wrap us in your love. And when loneliness sets in, send a brother or sister in Christ our way. Walk with us always, O God. Amen.


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Sow Seeds

Reading: Matthew 13:18-23

Verse 23b: “This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Today we read Jesus’ explanation of the parable of the sower. Unpacking it for his disciples, Jesus covers the gamut of belief. He begins with those who hear the word of God but do not understand it. It does not even begin to take root, so it falls away quickly and easily. Then Jesus moves on to the three “soils” who hear and understand the word of God. Some, after receiving it, fall away because of the trouble or hardship caused by their faith. And others fall away because the cares and concerns of the world are stronger than their faith. Lastly, Jesus tells us that some will hear and understand and apply the word to their lives. These go out and do what Jesus says to do, leading others to faith by their witness. This is the crop yielded from their faith: new believers.

These various soils were the reality of Jesus’ day. People heard and accepted his teachings to various degrees. Some were all-in for the long haul. Many others were not. This has remained true throughout the ages. Even so, the task laid out in the parable remains the task of the disciple: sow seeds and trust that God will be at work, sprouting seeds into faith that lasts.

There is also a personal application to this parable. Our receptivity and obedience rises and falls. Some days, for example, we hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and we respond in faith. Other days we are deaf or lazy or… and the word is not responded to. And God the sower continues to scatter seeds of faith into our soil, looking for us to be good soil that produces a crop. May we do all we can to be good soil.

Prayer: Lord God, today I ask that you would use me to sow seeds of faith in other people’s lives as you sow seeds in my soil. Use me as you see fit. Amen.


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Seeds and Soil

Reading: John 12:20-36

Verse 24: “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.”

In today’s passage Jesus speaks of life and death. There are layers to these words that Jesus shares. He is speaking personally as his own death looms just days away. In verse 24 we read, “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.” Christ, the single seed, must die so that the Holy Spirit can come, empowering more than one person to produce fruit for the kingdom of God. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus will be present in spirit in the hearts of all who believe.

Jesus is talking to Andrew and Peter, to all the disciples, and to all the disciples who will one day read these words. Like Jesus we too must be willing to surrender self to God – to hate this earthly life. Once we surrender then we become that kernel of wheat that dies so that it can produce other seeds. These seeds that we plant in the hearts and lives of others are what the Holy Spirit can work with to build the kingdom of God.

There is another connection, another layer here too. In Luke 8, in the parable of the sower, Jesus spoke of the soil and of sowing seeds. The parable discussed 4 “soils,” from the hard path to the fertile soil. Part of the Lenten journey has been to look within, to reflect on the condition of our soil. Our soil must be good in order to help produce a crop 100 times what was sown for the kingdom. The parable also addresses how to sow. Abundantly is the answer. We are to share the light and love of Jesus Christ with all people – even the ones who appear hard-hearted. There is no limiting the power of the Holy Spirit!

To close, a John Wesley question: How is it with your soul?

Prayer: Lord God, day after day help me to surrender self to you. Help me to lay my pride, my judging, my self-doubt at the foot of the cross. Lead me from there to live a life that shines the light and love of Christ on others, planting and nourishing the seeds of faith in their soil. Amen.


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On the Fringes

Reading: John 4: 27-42

Verse 35: “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for the harvest”.

When was the last time you met someone like the woman at the well? When was the last time you had a conversation with someone who was not like you, who was outside of your normal circles of friends and acquaintances, who was not among the popular and accepted folks in the community? Every community has them. It may be only one or two who live outside the norms of society. It may be thousands who live on the fringes in your community.

In verses 5-26 of John 4, Jesus made the choice to engage one of these people. He stepped over many barriers to draw in this woman at the well, to help her find the living water that only he can give. The disciples return just as the conversation between Jesus and the woman ends. They have been in town getting food. In response to their offer of physical food, Jesus speaks instead of the spiritual food he has to offer.

Some of the people we might meet on the fringes are in need of physical food. Some on the fringes are in need of a place to belong, to feel loved. Some are in need of support and guidance and direction in life. Some on the fringes have other basic needs – heating fuel, gas to get to work, clothes for the kids. Before we can begin to have the spiritual conversations with someone on the fringes we must cross a barrier or three and we must help them cross barriers as well to find a place of trust and security and honesty. Jesus models this well in the story we read in John 4.

Jesus also acknowledges that we all play a role. In verse 37 he says, “One sows and another reaps”. We may be like Jesus was with the woman at the well – beginning the conversation and following it through to a profession of faith. But most of the time we are just one step in the process of someone becoming a follower of Jesus.

In our passage today, Jesus encourages the disciples and us to be a step in the process. In verse 35 Jesus tells us, “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for the harvest”. These words are just as true today as the day he spoke them. Some people are curious. Some are hurting. Some are angry. Some are alone. Some are grieving. Many are on the fringes and want to come into community. Open your eyes and look. The fields are ripe. Go forth to be the love of Jesus to one in need of connection.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to see those in need. Help me to live well – to foster a deep love for the marginalized and others with needs. Open my eyes and my heart, O God. Amen.


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Enduring Patience

Reading: James 5: 7-10

Verse 8: “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near”.

Patience, patience, patience. Patience is such a tough thing to practice, especially when the situation is difficult. The difficulty can come from a variety of angles. For the brothers and sisters in Christ that James is writing to, the difficulty comes from the persecution and suffering that they are enduring. When we have been experiencing times of stress or distress, we have known how hard it is to patiently endure. This is what James is addressing in our passage today.

James turns to a familiar test of patience. He encourages them to consider the farmer. The farmer sows the seeds and then he patiently waits. With the sun and the rain that will surely come, he waits, trusting that the land will “yield its valuable crop”. It can be hard to have patience when growing crops. I have had a home garden for many years now. As I reflect back on each season I can now remember a familiar scene playing out. We would plant carrots, lettuce, and so on. Then about a week later I would go out to the garden, sometimes multiple times each day, checking to see if those little green shoots had popped up yet. Soon it became a practice in patience. Early in my gardening career my mind would question or doubt if the shoots took a little too much time to come up.

Our faith is a lot like that too. When the first trials or seasons of suffering come along, we do not have much patience. We quickly cry out, “How long, O God”? But as we spend a few more seasons in the valleys, experiencing God’s presence and strength and guidance… over and over again, we begin to build trust in God. Our doubts and questions and fears ebb away. We soon see these seasons as times of growth and maturing.

In verse eight James writes, “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near”. Be like the farmer, trust in God. For all who are struggling in the trial right now, cling to these words of hope and promise. To do so yields an unshakable belief that becomes your rock. As the faithful Christian endures the storms with patience and faith, we do come to know the truth of Jesus coming near. He never leaves us or forsakes us, especially in the trials. Be near to us, Lord Jesus, this we pray.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for being my anchor in every stormy gale. In the lows and in the highs and everywhere in between, your Holy Spirit is ever present. Thanks be to God. Amen.


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God Restores

Reading: Psalm 126: 4-6

Verse 5: “Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy”.

In our song of ascent this week we acknowledge with the psalmist that life is not always rosy. There will be times when it feels like our fortunes need restored too. The Negev is a dry, desert-like place in the southern part of Israel. There are many dry stream beds that flow only during the seasonal rains. In the understanding of the day, when God sends rain, it restores life and all are blessed. Looking to God in our dry or testing times can remind us of how God has restored us before and brought life back to us. To ask God to do that again is to remind ourselves that God is faithful and loving and will respond once again.

In verse 5 the psalmist writes, “Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy”. In our day to day lives, the real world continues along. The sun will rise soon this morning, bringing light and warmth to the earth. The rains will perhaps fall here today and will push on to the east later in the day. All over the community students will make their way to school and adults will go to work. Some will go with a sadness or a hurt because of a situation or circumstance in their own lives. In our Psalm, some go out to work to sow seeds because that is what needs done that day. Some of these sow in tears. But like the rains that refresh the desert and bring life, God will restore the fortunes of those who weep. They will find joy in life and will harvest with songs of joy. They will bring in the sheaves with joy because God has poured down His blessings into their souls and lives with His presence and love and provision.

In our memory banks we can recall dry seasons that we have walked through. As people of faith we store them up not to remember the trials but to remind ourselves of how God was present in the trial and of how God led us past or out of the trial. We remember how God’s blessings restored our faith over and over. We build hope and trust in God’s continued love and care and provision from this day forevermore. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Dear God, you are so faithful and so good to me. Over and over again you have restored me and brought joy and hope back into my life. Thank you also for my times in the desert because there I come to know you face to face. Amen.


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Gardeners and Bakers

Reading: Matthew 13: 31-33

Verses 31 and 33: The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed… like yeast.

Our two parables today are seemingly about something small – a tiny mustard seed and some yeast.  These two parables follow two others.  One is about the receptivity and sticking power of a seed of faith and the other about the weeds of sin that can grow in people’s lives.  Taken in the context of the today’s parables, the previous two are all about the planting of a small seed as well.

Just as the tiny mustard seed becomes a large tree that gives shelter and rest to many, the tiny yeast works its way through the whole batch of dough, causing it all to rise.  These are like the good seeds planted in the good soil that produce a crop 100, 60, or 30 times what was sown.  Satan’s “bad” seeds also work the same way – producing a crop that must be bundled at harvest time.

This brings us to two questions.  First, how are we planting seeds or being yeast?  Second, what kinds of seed or yeast are we planting or mixing in?  Like the sower and the baker, we are called to work in and through all areas of our lives – at work, at home, at church, on the ball field, in the restaurant… – and with all we meet all the time.  Like the mustard seed, we are called to offer even the smallest of kind words or the simplest act of kindness, trusting that God can do a mighty work through any act of love or kindness or grace or mercy or … that we can offer.  How? Any place, any size, any time.

Hopefully we are choosing to sow good seeds and to act as good yeast.  In our simple and small acts and words we want others to see Jesus.  If we are all-in, 24/7 Christians then we are like the yeast – permeating all aspects of our own lives with our faith as well as permeating the lives of those we cross paths with each day.  What kind?  The kind that speaks love.  The kind that Jesus spoke.

The small seeds and the simple leavening yeast bear witness to the love of Jesus Christ in us and to the love He wants to share with the whole world.  May we be good gardeners and bakers today.


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Delve Deeper

Reading: Matthew 13: 24-30

Verse 24: The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.

Today’s parable immediately follows the parable of the sower with the four soils and the parable’s explanation.  Just as the audience is nodding in approval as they wrap their heads around this teaching, Jesus begins another parable with, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field”.  Yes, God is good so He would sow good seed.  Many would have thought back to the thorny soil in the last parable and connected the thorns with the evil one.  It is a logical connection.  But maybe not.  This is the nature of the parables.  They are intended to make us think, to lead us to delve deeper than the surface understandings, to challenge and push us forward, to pull us up short and to lead us to repentance.

Most folks who walked up as Jesus began the parable would understand the opening scene.  Evil has always existed in our world and evil men do evil things.  In almost all fields,weeds seem to be a constant presence.  And no, I did not plant weeds in my garden; but, yes, there are a lot of them.  So maybe the people there that day just dismissed the weeds as the ‘staff’ of everyday life.  For some, maybe Satan was the planter.  After all, he sows temptations into our lives all the time.

But then comes the twist.  No, don’t pull the weeds.  Let them grow alongside the wheat.  Huh?  The audience with the nodding heads would have become still.  Quizzical faces would have developed.  I imagine a long pause here by Jesus – for full effect.  Today we read the last verse and our mind connects to the judgment that will come.  Weeds to hell, good crop to heaven. Got it!

But do we?  Was or is that Jesus’ meaning?  What else could it mean?  How else could it apply to our lives?  What if the parable is about how we mature in our faith, not removing the sin until our roots are strong enough not to fall right back into it?  Just one of many possible applications!  Think, delve deep, wrestle with the things of God, find meaning for yourself.  God’s blessings on the journey.


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Reap

Reading: John 4: 27-38

Verse 35b: I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields!  They are ripe for harvest.

The disciples return just as Jesus finishes His initial conversation with the Samaritan woman.  It is an unusual scene by the norms of the day, but the disciples have seen Jesus engage any and all time after time.  He does not appear to be a man with any barriers.  The woman heads back to town to tell others of her encounter with Jesus and people from town head to the well to meet Jesus.  As the disciples have returned with food, they offer Jesus some.  His response puzzles them: “I have food to eat that you know nothing about”.  Staying on the surface level, they wonder if someone else has brought Jesus some food.  Further explanation is clearly needed.

Jesus then explains that the true ‘food’ that feuls Him is to do the work of God.  Perhaps knowing that the townspeople are heading their way, Jesus says, “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields!  They are ripe for harvest”.  Jesus and the disciples are about to be joined by people who are searching for the Messiah, the Savior of the world.  Jesus has down the seeds, now the harvest is at hand.  He tells them that the hard work is done – He planted faith in the woman who has in turn planted seeds in the people who approach.  The disciples will now “reap what they did not work for”.  Where do we fit in the story?

First, Jesus’ call to look to the fields applies to us.  There are many in our lives ‘ripe’ for the truth and saving grace of Jesus Christ.  It is our role to help people to the well so that they can drink of the ‘living water’ that Jesus offers.  Second, we need to be ready to reap what the Holy Spirit works in someone’s heart once they accept Jesus as Lord.  This “work” is the work of the Spirit.  We can only plant seeds and inspire searching.  God alone makes the seeds grow into faith.  Lastly, we need to be ready to step in and walk alongside that new believer, nurturing and guiding their growth.

As we look at those in our lives, who is searching, who is ripe to meet Jesus Christ?  What can we do today to sow seeds of faith?  How can we be ready to reap and walk with those new to faith?