And Now What?

Psalm 98; Isaiah 42:5–9; Acts 10:34–43

It is not, by far, unique to American Christianity to be tied to a country. God fought for England, Scotland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Russia, and plenty of other places supposedly, as leaders quickly pulled God in their plans of military conquest (or defense). God, and in particular the brand (i.e., Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, etc.), was used to support the war (often against other Christians, sadly).

If historians and church critics were honest and while the church often was part of it, most of it was really about politics, power, jealousy, and wealth (maybe some honor). The Israelites were set apart as a nation of God-followers. They were unique as being the nation of God and the People of God. No human could take that away from them. It remained part of their self-identity even as they wandered from God.

Isaiah’s call was transformed from that of an Israelite to the Israelites, to that of an Israelite to the world. That this was in the midst of relocation, the threat of deportation, and the reality of being dominated makes it especially powerful. When one is assaulted, one tends to turn inward. If one turns outward, it is usually on the attack. Isaiah reached outward (in a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ) to restore, reconcile, and call the world to God.

Thus, Peter’s words are really nothing more than the conclusion to the stage that was set with Isaiah all the way back to Abraham. God is for the world to be reconciled to God!

The message of Christ—the message of God—seems to have been lost by the church, who is called to be the messenger, ambassador, and bride of God.

Many of us have not learned the basics of our faith. Many of us have not learned how to speak well of our faith. Many of us have not learned how to be brave in the face of those who do not believe.

We are called to reflect and respond. What God has called us to do, we should be doing, even though we may be very bad at it. While God will praise the results, God cherishes the hearts the pursues the aim of God…reconciliation of the world to the one who created it.

※Reflection※

What are your thoughts about how you will be responding and learning to respond to God’s call on your life?

※Prayer※

Jesus, we are called by your title—Christ. Help us to be called by your mission, that we bring the world to your embrace. Amen.

2021 05 07
Follow Through The Veil
Psalm 98; Isaiah 49:5–6; Acts 10:1–34

It’s not enough to restore a backslidden, rebellious, unloving, non-grace-filled, unjust people who either don’t acknowledge or hate God. On top of that, the whole world that doesn’t know God is going to look to you for the light of God. No pressure.

Or how about a valorous warrior, who lead 80 soldiers from the front, a Gentile (dirty to Jews) who followed the Jewish (dirty to Greeks) faith. A person used to pressure was visited by an angel. Military? Yes. Politics? Probably. Messenger of God?

Or how about a simple fisherman, who met this wandering carpenter, followed him, befriended him, deserted him, experience a transformative experience of his friend into the Son of God (and resurrected to boot), going from a simple follower to a leader of leaders of a new faith tradition, and then receive a vision overturning his entire dietary understanding and eventually his understanding of who Jesus died for (everyone).

You and I are not Isaiah, Cornelius, or Peter. We are not going to be written of in the Scriptures (they’re closed). Our dreams and visions may be remembered by the internet and perhaps friends and family. No one else. Not like Isaiah.

Some followers of Jesus may turn out to be very much like Cornelius, faith-filled followers of Jesus (eventually in Cornelius’ state) who are also valorous soldiers. However, having a personal meeting with an angle and meeting someone greater than any pope, archbishop, bishop? Probably not.

While most of us can see aspects of ourselves in Peter, his life is beyond ours. He physically walked with Jesus. He learned directly from Jesus. He met Jesus after the resurrection (embodied). Not going to measure up to that.

We’re not called to that. Maybe. What we are called to is a better and deeper relationship with God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

If you’ve been baptized, it is hoped that you understood (if you were an adult) or were taught (if baptized as an infant or child) that baptism is God’s seal on you (from one perspective) and a public tying of you to the faith. Baptism is only supposed to be at the beginning of the journey. It isn’t the end.

As we look at Peter’s life, he was transformed day by day. He did not remain the same. That is truly one we can be like Peter.

※Reflection※
- How have you changed since you first followed Jesus?
- What is the biggest part of you changing in submission to Jesus now?
※Prayer※

Lord, change us into the followers you see us to be, rather than the ones we are. Amen.
2021 05 06
Enter In
Psalm 80; Isaiah 65:17–25: John 14:18–31

I might be a nerd (okay, “might” should be replaced by “am”). When I was young I was fascinated by the stories of elves. In particular, I grew up with the Pinis’ Elf Quest. As I got older, I learned about the “real” elves of The Silmarillion (Tolkien’s Elves). I was fascinated by their mythic slowness. Life, death, marriage, war, and all those things that define much of human life changed in such strange ways.

This came to mind as I read the passage of Isaiah. A person who dies at a hundred will be as if cursed. These days, we celebrate those who live beyond one hundred, trying to learn their secret (there doesn’t seem to be one).

As Isaiah continues, he shares how God will provide the life essentials to everyone. God will provide a way where everyone need not fear for their well-being. The implication of no orphans or widows (the weakest and most vulnerable) is there too.

How these verses end is also interesting. The serpent is definitely an allusion to the serpent in the Garden of Eden, whose food continues to be dust. On the other hand, the life and death (and the taking of life to live) of Creation and its creatures ends, too. It indeed would be a new creation, or perhaps Creation as intended before the Fall.

The totality of this promise of warmth and belonging won’t be experienced on this side of life. The Father does still love us, however, and that is ours to hold onto.

Remaining “in” the Father and “in” Jesus though is a little more than just sitting. It is an active pursuit of a relationship with God, through the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that remains to teach and guide us, even today.

Yet, just because the Holy Spirit is here and present, does not mean that we do nothing. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would teach us. Teaching, though, requires students. Until we die (and maybe even after), we are all, to be constantly learning about God.

※Reflection※
- How can the finite (us) not continue to learn more about God (infinite) day-by-day?
- What are you doing to learn more about God?
- Who are you bringing with you as you learn?
- Is anyone bring you along with them as they learn?
※Prayer※

Holy Spirit, nudge our hearts and minds to pursue relationship with you that we know God better than we did yesterday. Amen.
2021 05 05
Dirty Work
Psalm 80; Isaiah 32:9–20; James 3:17–18

“Tremble, all of you who are at ease;
shudder, all of you who are secure!”
—Isaiah 32:11 (CEB)

Isaiah’s words were directed towards people who were confident that the military might and influence of Egypt would protect them from other enemies. Something along the lines of, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Except that alliances switched all the time. Relying on Egypt—especially Egypt—was not a good long-term plan.

The church, too, often practices the same thing with its Egypt…the government. This is not a new thing. It is not a Democrat or Republican thing. It isn’t a Tory or a Labour thing (political parties in the UK). Whether we gather from history the intertwinings of the church with the later years Roman Empire, to the Roman Catholics ties to many Western European countries, to the Orthodox ties with Eastern European countries.Many critics and critiques of the church claim that the church lost its way when Emperor Constantine. True, the church was blinded by the freedom to be and impose with power. However, that wasn’t the real issue. The real issue was the people of the church.

Slowly, ever so slowly, discipleship became catechism. Passing the catechism test (which could be very stressful) was all that was needed to be a “member”. Catechism faded away too, to a point where many people don’t even know some of the core tenants of the faith they espouse. Then people were baptized into a faith their parents didn’t practice (i.e., the Church of England) or thought they were Christian because of the place they were born (the US).

There were a lot of steps in between. There were even successful attempts to fix the situation (John Wesley’s bands, classes, and societies; the Sunday School movement). However, they lost steam as the world changed. They also lost steam as the church chose to both withdraw from the world and to attack the world.

One cannot be the light to a people one does not know; one cannot be the light to people one acts towards as if hatred were the motivation, rather than love.

“What of the wisdom from above? First, it is pure, and then peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good actions, fair, and genuine. Those who make peace sow the seeds of justice by their peaceful acts.”
—James 3:17–28 (CEB)

Part of the spiritual work that we are called to is creating the healthy spiritual soil from which the green of life. Healthy spiritual soil is pure (and is being purified), gentle, obedient, merciful, acts in the ways of Christ, fair, and genuine. From that healthy spiritual soil, we have the strength, drive, ability, and even natural response to bring peace and justice into the world.

※Reflection※
- What is the condition of your spiritual soil?
- What does your soil need more of? Fertilizer, minerals, water, sand, loam?
- Why does ignoring the state of your soil endanger your continued spiritual health and growth?
※Prayer※

Holy Spirit, guide us to nourish the soil that will bring honor and glory to you, the Father and the Son through our lives. Amen.
2021 05 04
Junk Food Fast
Psalm 80; Isaiah 5:1–7; Galatians 5:16–26

Both Psalm 80 and the passage from Isaiah 5 are not warmhearted Scriptures. They both address the reality that the Israelites have not been faithful to God.

Other places in the Scriptures note that the Israelites were faithful in their actions, or at least they attempted to complete the requirements of the Law. Those same places, however, observed that while the actions were “per the book”, their hearts were far away from the heart of the Law (true purpose). It could be said that they were further from the heart of the Law than they were from their relationship to God, and that’s saying something.

As I am looking to sending my last 2 kids to college this fall, I couldn’t help but reflect on my own college freshman year. One of the first things I thought of was the food (like any teenage male). Yes, it was cafeteria food, but like most male teenagers it was quantity, not quality. One of my favorite foods was corn dogs, which I still like. The quantity I would eat at one sitting hurts my stomach at this point. One or two corn dogs a month wouldn’t be horrible, but it wasn’t one or two, and it wasn’t once a month.

Corn dogs are, bluntly, junk food. They’re tasty (to me, at least). Hot dogs can be okay for you (really, they’re just a sausage). Cornbread isn’t too bad (depending). The combination, especially deep-fried, is not healthy. On the other hand, if one were to only eat a particular food, no matter how healthy it might be on its own, our bodies would break down, as no food has all the nutrients that our bodies need.

While misunderstanding God’s intent is one thing, but doing wrong is something different. Paul‘s message to Galatians talks about the spiritual “junk food” that they were consuming. What we have been taught to think of as sins (understandably) were the ways of the surrounding culture.

They were part of the surrounding culture and thus were a norm. As these practices were part of the culture, learning to understand that they were not part of a God-honoring life would require self-sacrifice and discipline. If they were to continue their cultural practices, their spiritual bodies would become fatally obese.

G.K. Chesterton wrote, “the Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.”

For the Galatians, dieting from their cultural norms and expectations would have been found very difficult, and probably a little hard to explain to their friends and family. For American Christians, so much of our culture has what we think are Christian trappings, but is actually the junk food of the American culture. Figuring out what is healthy and what is not in our culture for the Christian life is the obligation of the Christian community.

Without question, though, there is a need for significant spiritual dietary changes.

※Reflection※
- What is one thing you know is an American Christian “thing”, but isn’t present among Christians in other countries?
- How are you evaluating the culture around you and its influence on your walk with Christ?
- Are you rightly evaluating the cultural pieces you agree with and disagree with?
※Prayer※

Lord, we need the Holy Spirit to change our spiritual diet. Help us, in community, to work out what is and isn’t of you. Amen.
2021 05 03
Open Invite
Acts 8:26–40; Psalm 22:25–31; 1 John 4:7–21; John 15:1–8

In many respects, the story of the Ethiopian is one of my favorites. It, along with the Samaritan woman, reflects the love and grace of God.

Yesterday, in Amos 9:7, Cushite was used as a disparaging term toward the Israelites infidelity to God. A Cushite is what the Old Testament calls…an Ethiopian. So, the people group used to disparage the Israelites…can have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

Then there is another issue. The Ethiopian was a eunuch. Per the Law, a eunuch was not permitted in the Temple. Granted, tradition had redefined things a bit.

One thing often disappears in this is the reality that one cannot reproduce biologically when one is a eunuch. However, as a Christian one still produces children…spiritual ones (think Paul and Timothy).

The Ethiopian was already on the spiritual journey, for he was going to worship at the Temple. It means that he was a worshiping as a Jew. He was, then, almost there.

The Ethiopian is symbolic of just how outside of God’s “family” a person can be, and still be called into relationship. We could dismiss the so-called minor issues of the Ethiopian, however, the Law helped to define what was holy for the Jews.

So, this isn’t a minor thing. Instead, it shows that while God is holy and separate, God still makes a way for those whose hearts are open to the movement of the Holy Spirit. That’s pretty open. God’s grace is wide open.

※Reflection※
- Have you ever felt so separated from God, that God would never take you back?
- How would you explain this grace to a person who does not understand holiness?
※Prayer※

Jesus, you are the reason for this grace that we have been given. Thank you for what you did for us on the cross. Amen.
2021 05 02
Even Smaller Than That
Psalm 22:25–31; Amos 9:7–15; Mark 4:30–32

The Lord’s condemnation of Israel puts Israel in the same category as the people that were pushed out of the Promised Land in the beginning. In many respects, the church in the West probably is similarly categorized. You may have had your instantaneous response of, “Yes, THAT part of the church has THAT issue.” Yes, they probably do. And don’t forget that they see some issue with you.

This is human. It is also the future saving grace of the church. Yes, that there are two such severe wings of the church is actually a great potential for the greatest grace lived out since the last reformation.

Viewing Amos as a vision of the church (a very loose interpretation, granted), there was a silver lining to being categorized alongside the enemies of God. God wasn’t done with them (Israel or the church), and they would eventually be restored.

In these times, we (even we cynics) must look for both the silver linings and the little ways that God is moving in the world, especially the Western World that appears to be alienated from or directly opposing God (including or especially in the church). We need to be actively looking for God’s mustard seeds.

※Reflection※
- What mustard seeds are you seeing in your life?
- What mustard seeds are you seeing in the lives of others?
- What will you do to nourish these mustard seeds you see?
※Prayer※

Lord, you are never sparing in sowing the seeds of grace. Help us to be equally generous as we share our lives which you have changed through your love. Amen.
2021 05 01
A Different Movement
Psalm 22:25–31; Amos 8:11–13; Acts 8:9–25

The diminished place in American society that the American church is finally beginning to truly wrestle with is where the church was in many other Western countries many decades ago. As it processes what this means, the American church what it means when “its place” is not the one of honor nor power.

God, however, isn’t as concerned about the church, per se, but about its people. The people (e.g., the future descendants of Psalm 22:30) will still proclaim the glory, mercy, and love of God. How it’s done, however, will be changing rapidly over the next few years. This isn’t the first time.

Much of what Jesus opposed during his time of ministry developed when God was quiet (the time between Malachi and John the Baptist). God was very quiet. Yes, there were pious and spirit-led people during those times. They led the people and helped the people. Sadly, over that same time period, others developed ways to “meet the mark” that resulted in broken hearts and spirits, and not in a good way.

The Western church may be in such a place. On the other hand, some of the Western churches aren’t experiencing decline; they are experiencing revival! While they are the exception, it just shows that God is moving.

There are plenty of Simons in the world. They are successful. They have influence. They have money. Yet, there will be those who, like Simon, will find the message about Jesus to be irresistible and abandon it all.

Like Peter, though, we will still need to disciple them so that they understand what it means to follow Christ. Even in the church today, there are people who bargain with God. Some will give so that God will give them what they think they want. There are a lot of Simons even in the church.

How God will speak, how God will move, how people will respond are all in question at this point. We cannot make any assumptions. Nor can we remain comfortable or complacent. God will act, let’s hope we’re beside God as it happens.

※Reflection※
- What changes in church do you see?
- What changes in you do you see toward God’s movement?
- How do you see how you will share about Jesus changing?
- What are your expectations for how God will move?
※Prayer※

Lord, as we wait for your movement, help us to be aware of the little movements all around us, so that we may be present when the big movements come. Amen.
2021 04 30

And Now What?

It is not, by far, unique to American Christianity to be tied to a country. God fought for England, Scotland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Russia, and plenty of other places supposedly, as leaders quickly pulled God in their plans of military conquest (or defense). God, and in particular the brand (i.e., Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, etc.), was used to support the war (often against other Christians, sadly).

If historians and church critics were honest and while the church often was part of it, most of it was really about politics, power, jealousy, and wealth (maybe some honor). The Israelites were set apart as a nation of God-followers. They were unique as being the nation of God and the People of God. No human could take that away from them. It remained part of their self-identity even as they wandered from God.

Isaiah’s call was transformed from that of an Israelite to the Israelites, to that of an Israelite to the world. That this was in the midst of relocation, the threat of deportation, and the reality of being dominated makes it especially powerful. When one is assaulted, one tends to turn inward. If one turns outward, it is usually on the attack. Isaiah reached outward (in a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ) to restore, reconcile, and call the world to God.

Thus, Peter’s words are really nothing more than the conclusion to the stage that was set with Isaiah all the way back to Abraham. God is for the world to be reconciled to God!

The message of Christ—the message of God—seems to have been lost by the church, who is called to be the messenger, ambassador, and bride of God.

Many of us have not learned the basics of our faith. Many of us have not learned how to speak well of our faith. Many of us have not learned how to be brave in the face of those who do not believe.

We are called to reflect and respond. What God has called us to do, we should be doing, even though we may be very bad at it. While God will praise the results, God cherishes the hearts the pursues the aim of God…reconciliation of the world to the one who created it.

※Reflection※

What are your thoughts about how you will be responding and learning to respond to God’s call on your life?

※Prayer※

Jesus, we are called by your title—Christ. Help us to be called by your mission, that we bring the world to your embrace. Amen.