Devotion.al

Tag: Gentiles

  • Comfy Story

    Psalm 72; Isaiah 60:1–6; Micah 5:1–6; Matthew 2:1–12

    The richness of the story of the could probably fill volumes. Magi were people who retained, studied, and added to ancient knowledge. In many respects, they were a combination of priest, counselor, academic. They would be the people who advised the rulers but were probably not kings themselves. Them not being kings is not to dismiss the significance of their pilgrimage to Judea. Due to their likely significance to their king, being sent by the king was a of and to a king assigned by the heavens. They were ambassadors.

    Matthew is making a not-so-subtle point. The leadership of foreign peoples, who probably did not worship or God, came to , calling him king. The equivalent leaders of the Jews—Herod and the priests—appeared completely clueless that a king was born. Those who “should” have been first to proclaim God’s anointed one had to be told by unbelievers.

    Non-Jewish Christians(Gentiles) look to this story as Jesus being their savior, not just the savior of the Jews. This is true, and very much part of Matthew’s Gospel. For those of us “born” as Christians and/or raised in households and/or who have been Christians for a long time, we ought to re-read this story as a cautionary tale. There is often a point where we become a combination of Herod and the priests. We become numb and/or blind to the story and -changing nature of Jesus. It is the danger of becoming comfortable.

    The of Jesus’ birth shook the “should be”’s and the comfortable. The arrival of the wise men to a backwater town to visit some insignificant toddler disrupted the “proper” ways. When we are comfortable with the stories, it is time to reflect on our with Christ.

    1. What do you think the Magi thought when they met with Herod and the priests?
    2. Do you think your non-Christian friends or family would see you like the Magi or Herod and the priests? Why?
    3. How does the story of the Magi inform you regarding those who do not yet follow Jesus?
    4. [KD] Why do you think the Magi visited Jesus as a baby/toddler, rather than waiting until he was an adult?

  • Knowing Whose

    2 Chronicles 6:32–42; Jeremiah 31:7–14

    Solomon was ceremoniously blessing the newly constructed Temple. There is a lot of political pomp and circumstance that is part of the ceremony. It would have been expected, and much of the political speech dressed up in religious language had the firm foundation of the people and Solomon being very much aware that all of this was possible only underneath the protective wings of God. Solomon had completed a huge number of projects that were large and public. This is the height of national pride. In the midst of this national event, there is a humble recognition that the people will fall away from God (including Solomon), and a request that God be gracious and forgiving to those that repent.

    This wasn’t just a request of God, but a reminder to the people (the political and religious leaders would have had a “front-row” seat to the speech/) to remember whose they were. They were God’s people, and yet, Solomon included the God-following people that weren’t Israelites. He included them in this prayer. In the prayer of national importance, displaying national and tribal glory, Solomon included those outside of “the people.” Solomon, whose ancestors includes a prostitute (citizen of an city), a foreign widow (from the ancestral enemies), and a mother who had a potentially coerced adulterous with his father, who had had his mother’s husband killed. Solomon, as he was praying, very likely had his own family story in mind as he prayed. He was proof that God called and blessed people outside of the traditional boundaries.

    National boundaries will not prevent God from acting, calling, and redeeming. Even in exile, Jeremiah’s words are saying that the Jews will be called back to their ancestral lands, regardless of national boundaries. National boundaries are the works and rules of men. Though far away from home and culturally their identity, God still knew who they were, and was calling them home. The promise to shout for on the heights of Zion would be a public statement of their restoration, and their security in God.

    Cultural and national boundaries still do not prevent God from acting, calling, and redeeming. As Epiphany comes, most of us need to recall that we are God’s children not because of who we were born to or where we born, but because of Jesus’ on the cross. That sacrifice crossed boundaries of , “”, , gender, and even time itself to bring us into God’s family.

    1. Even before Jesus was born, God moved among the Gentiles. Why do you think that this is important?
    2. If God sets asides human barriers for relationship with him, why do we make so many? What barriers have you put between people and a relationship with God? What barriers have people put between you and your relationship with God?
    3. [KD] Why is it important to you that God ignores barriers between people?
  • The Family Story

    The Family Story

    Psalm 25:1-10, Nehemiah 9:26-31, Luke 21:20-24

    “All the Lord’s ways show love and to those who keep his and decrees.” (Psalm 25:10)

    “But they were disobedient and rebelled against you. They flung your law behind their backs and killed your prophets who warned them.” (Nehemiah 9:26)

    “…Jerusalem will be trampled by the until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24)

    It not a new thing that people God and then turn their backs on God later.
    Nehemiah recalls that people were inconsistent, following a Godly-ish , then falling away, falling to sin and oppression, then being restored. Could Nehemiah be wondering if the Israelites—finally returning home from Babylonian captivity—will last in their , or if they will fall away…again. Throughout the bible there is an optimism that God is gracious and compassionate, and as bad as things get, God is still there.

    God also never intended the story to be just about the Israelites. Through Jesus, the whole world (the Gentiles) has the opportunity to be part of God’s family and part of God’s redemptive story. So much of the story of God is about God seeking to restore right relationship between him and his people, including us today.

    1) Christmas is culturally a family time of celebration. Who are some people who don’t have family around, that you could invite to be part of your family this Christmas season? Or, do you need a family, just for a short time this season? Do we need ?

    2) God’s story is redemption and family. Is there a family relationship that needs to be restored? Is there a than needs restoration?

    3/KD) We are called to be like Christ. How can we show others, especially during Advent, what a redeemed life and a life with family (or framily) looks like?