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Devotion.al

Tag: guilt

  • Measuring Value

    Acts 3:1–26, Acts 14:8–18

    All of us have experienced—or know some close who has—a significant health issue, whether going on for years, or for a short time. Often those health issues come with significant costs, too, making a bad situation even worse. It also isn’t necessarily a matter of good or bad health care insurance. It is all the stuff surrounding the issue that often has the greatest cost.

    In the era of Acts, and even as recent as today, people who are disabled (physically or developmentally) are viewed as a waste. What the crippled men experienced is, sadly, no different than what many experience today. Outcast. Forced to beg. Their families brought them to beg. Guilt people into giving. That was their value.

    We all have a temptation to judge people on the value they bring to us. Do they make us happy? Do they take care of us? Or the flip side, what does this continuing relationship doing to me? How is this keeping me from what I want to do?*

    When we judge people by value, we judge people just as if they were things. People are not things. They have God’s image in them (Imago Dei).

    Peter, John, Paul, and Barnabas could have allowed themselves to be valued by the results of the healings. Had they done so, however, they would have not been acting within the framework of God, and it’s questionable how effective they would have been afterward. Instead, they pointed to Jesus. They could have allowed themselves to be used, as many of us do to gain “friends” and influence. They pointed to God.

    1) Have you ever found yourself evaluating people on their value to you?

    2) Have you ever believed that someone pretended to like or even love you because of what you could do for them?

    3) Do you think God values you because of what you can do for God, or is there something else?

    *This, of course, does not mean remain in an abusive relationship.

  • Sin In The End

    Psalm 25, John 19:28–30, Hebrews 10:1-14

    The End. It’s the end.

    Jesus has declared it so.

    What is the end? The remembrance of your sins.

    The beauty of the cross is that the record of our sins has been amended. While some say that they are wiped out completely, it is probably better to say they have been struck from the record. It’s not as if they didn’t happen (and God doesn’t forget); it is as if they didn’t happen. Is this a nuance, yes. Does it, at the end, mean the same thing? Yes.

    Yet, understanding that they have been struck-out helps us better understand some things. The measurement of the sin and the consequences in our lives of that sin remain. When we stand before the throne of God, sin after sin is struck through by the blood of Jesus. We still have to deal with it now. The penalty of eternal separation from God is removed.

    There is another important piece, which is alluded to in Hebrews. The sins are gone (from a legal perspective). Stop guilting yourself about it. You confessed them (right?). You asked for God’s forgiveness (right?). Done. No longer carry the burden. Does this mean that there are not things you have to do? Sorry, you will still have some reconciliation to do with others, but with God you’re good.

    Guilt and shame can be the biggest barriers to the Very Good Life. Jesus got it.

    1) Have you ever had unrelenting guilt or shame? Are you still burdened with one today? Why have you not released it to God?

    2) There is a concern that we can keep committing a sin because God will always forgive us. How does a personal relationship with God keep that from becoming an issue?

    3) Why is it important to understand that with God a sin’s penalty is taken away, while the earthly penalty remains?

  • Monday after Easter

    John 1:19–23, Acts 2:22–32

    Not it! That what John says, at least. Yet, his behavior causes people to call into question what his purpose is. If we look at this part of John’s story through the lens of today’s media and internet world, someone saying, “not it,” is not quite what is expected. Many people, especially in tech and politics seem to paint themselves in a Messianic light. They want people to emotionally believe that the person in question will save them. Both the person wanting it and the people giving it understand that the person in question is no Messiah. However, there still seems to be this need.

    We can see it in people who claim to know Jesus, too. They attach themselves to politicians and church leaders in an almost Messianic way. It’s actually pretty sad. Jesus should be their Messiah. Actually, Jesus is their Messiah, but they’ve forgotten in their hearts. Christians have no excuse to look at others being their savior. They have already claimed to know that Jesus is the one and only savior (i.e., Messiah).

    John wants nothing to do with the Messianic bit. He’s more than satisfied pointing to the true Messiah. For John, pointing to the Messiah and getting people started in the right direction is for him the very good life. John’s lifestyle doesn’t really call to people. There really aren’t a lot of people saying, “I want to live in the desert, wearing a fur coat, drinking only water, and eating bugs.” As strange as the life he lived out was to people, he still drew people. He didn’t say, “live just like me.” He did say, “repent.” His lifestyle wasn’t the goal. Jesus was the goal.

    When Peter preaches to the people of Jerusalem he uses the recent story of Jesus’ life and death. He then uses what they know (scripture) to drive home the point. Then, instead of beating on them for their collective part in the death of Christ, he announces the resurrection. Wait? What? No guilt trip? Nope. Just some random guy pointing to Jesus. Some guy whose life was dramatically changed. Pointing the way to Christ. That is what Peter did.

    When it comes to the very good life, the greatest joy may be pointing someone to Jesus. Why? Jesus is the key to the very good life, the key is free, and the number is unlimited.

    1) What is the very good life to you?

    2) Both John and Peter point to Jesus. Why is pointing to Jesus part of the very good life?

  • Practice Feasting

    Deuteronomy 14:22–26, Acts 2:36–42

    Feasting in the presence of the Lord is a strong theme in all the Jewish feast times. Feasting in God’s presence provides a physical reminder that it is by God’s grace and power that there is something to feast with. It also reminds us that God is God. It keeps us balanced so that we do not think that the feast is because of ourselves or our works.

    That something so basic and essential to living (food) is considered a vital part of righteous worship, should help us to not dismiss it. While we may joke about church potlucks, in many respects such gatherings are feasting in the presence of the Lord. While overeating is not good, eating together is.

    When the early “church” of Acts eats together, we’re talking about all sorts of people. While they all were Jews (at this point, with some Gentile converts), that doesn’t mean they all got along. There were fishermen, tax collectors, Levites, merchants, soldiers, guardsmen. In other words, there was a cross-section of Jewish society. They made it a practice of breaking bread together. There is a context to this breaking of bread. These people listened to the Apostles’ (we’d say the New Testament) Teaching (sermons and preaching), to fellowship (more than meet and greet at the door), and prayer. It is all four elements together that were practiced.

    1) Have you ever made the decision to avoid the sermon or other teachings? How about fellowship? How about breaking bread together? How about prayer?

    2) This is not to be a guilt trip, but a time of reflection. Why did you avoid 1 or more of these practices? Is it a regular thing? If so, what can you do to restore this 4-fold practice into your life?

    3) In Acts 3:41, Luke notes that about 3000 people were added to the church. Just like today, a place where 3000 people could gather to hear/learn, fellowship, break bread, and pray is pretty hard to find. How do you think the early church did it? How can that inform the practices in your life?

  • How Do We Look?

    Psalm 120, Mark 13:9-13, 2 Peter 1:20-2:9

    Psalm 120 is a lament. The psalmist is among those who live a life of lies. These same people are warmongers, seeking strife and conflict. The psalmist is living in foreign lands that seek no peace, but the cry of the psalmist’s heart is for peace. The psalm begins with the end. God answered him, the rest of the psalm is about what the problem was. The truth is that while the psalmist was referring to a specific people, we all know the type. There are those that do not seem happy unless there is conflict. There are those who do not trust peace. When one does not have peace, one resorts to force fairly quickly. We are all guilty of this to some degree. Sometimes the response is yelling, crying, ambivalence, disregard. These all are violent to the heart and soul of others, and often to ourselves. We quickly think that all violence is physical. The truth is that violence is the outward sign of an inward pain.

    Jesus’ words in Mark are certainly not comforting. They can be terrifying. The internal strife of families torn apart. Neighbors calling out neighbors. Remember the Second Great Commandment? Love your neighbor as yourself. This is the outward sign of it not being so. Jesus is warning that his peace is not the peace of this world. All too often, the peace of this world is bought and paid for by blood and death. The peace of God is not so. The psalmist understood this. The response of the psalmist to those around him was, “God save me!” It wasn’t a slap to the face, or something more. It was prayer. As Jesus continues, he refers to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the source of the peace of God. When the Holy Spirit resides in us, we can respond to those around us with a grace and wisdom that is not ours.

    The God-ly wisdom of the Holy Spirit requires our humility. Peter has to confront people already who say that they have a new revelation from God. Peter is quick to point out that the prophets themselves did not understand their prophecies (unless granted so by God). It was only after the fact that it was proven that their prophecies were true. This is an important thing as the church, and groups that masquerade as the church, often have those that call themselves prophets or revealers or divine actors of some sort that are bringing a new truth from God. Often these new truths are then used in ways that are violent to the hearts and souls of the innocent (and even not-so innocent). These people use the power of media, guilt, society, anything at all to crush the hearts of the people of God. We too can be guilty of using God in this same way. God’s ways are the ways of peace. God’s ways are the ways that sooth and heal.

    1) Has some “religious” person ever said something to you that was hurtful? How did that make you feel toward the religious they claimed to follow?

    2) Often (and rightly) people are told that if they are abandoning religion because of people, then they are looking at the people not God. What does that mean, then, when we also say, “we may be the only Jesus they every see?”

    3/FD) Being a peace-lover or peace-maker does not mean being a pushover. How does one make peace without violence?

  • God Uncontained

    Psalm 72; Isaiah 6:1–5; Acts 7:44–53

    The opening verse of Psalm 72 is a passionate plea to God regarding the transition from David (the king) to Solomon (the king’s son). The plea consists of a having a wise, compassionate, righteous, and feared earthly king of Israel, whose backing is the King of Creation. Up through verse 17, it is about humankind. Verses 18 and 19 show all that precedes is based upon God’s wondrous deeds and glory.

    The glory of God takes center stage in Isaiah’s vision. Confronted with God’s glory, Isaiah gives in to despair, knowing that he is unworthy of being there, and on top of it, he lives among people who have forgotten by whose name they are called. These people proclaim God’s name, praise him and offer sacrifices to him. Yet, as Isaiah knows the words that come from their mouths are far from their hearts. Isaiah feels guilt of association, and likely the feeling of having failed to change their hearts.

    The people had exchanged the God of the Living for the god that was the temple and rules. The people had exchanged relationship with God for empty phrases and actions. In the midst of his response to the Sanhedrin, Stephen (Acts 7:44-53) recalls that God made it all and that the Tabernacle (the tent of worship) and the Temple (built by Solomon to replace the Tabernacle) were just human places. Whether Tabernacle, Temple, or church building, nothing can contain the glory of God.

    1) Scripture is filled with specific places where God met with people. If God is everywhere, why are places still important?

    2) Why is limiting God to specific places a problem? Why can it be a problem when there are not places set aside to meet with God?

    3/KD) Can you think of a specific place where you have met or experienced God? Have you ever gone back to that place? How did it feel?

  • Guilty and Free

    Psalm 103, 1 Samuel 4:1-22, Isaiah 43:14-25

    Imagine being someplace you’ve never been and driving down the road only looking at the rear-view mirror. Your peripheral vision would catch some of the more dangerous things, but you would miss a lot. All too often we go through life this way. You may not have escaped your past, but you cannot embrace the future without looking forward.

    Much of life is common among people. We live and die. We love and hurt. We fail and succeed. We have regrets and we have gratitude.

    For many people, this year has been very hard: huge changes; life-changing events; lives lost; lives gained; big mistakes; new jobs; loss of jobs; moving; being forced to move. There are many that are looking to set aside this year, and so very ready to start the new one, yet many will be filled with fear, unsure of what will come.

    In 1 Samuel, we read of a very bad time. The Ark of the Covenant, a Godly object—that many staked their identity and security on—was lost to a powerful enemy. Their leader (judge) and his sons have died. All seemed lost. The Israelites were fearfully looking toward the future.

    By the time of Isaiah, the people were again looking to the future with fear. There had just been a declaration of guilt (Isaiah 42) and failure. The so-called People of God had been reminded of their failure to fulfill their role. The judge of the universe had declared their guilt. Just as many are fearfully looking to the new year, so, too, were the People of God fearful of what came after their conviction.

    “Do not remember the past events, pay no attention to the things of old. Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming…” (Isaiah 43:18-19)

    1) Be deeply honest with yourself. What do you fear in regards to the coming year?

    2) One can fear what is coming and still trust God. It is the type of fear that is the key. How can fear be good or bad?

    3/KD) What is the one thing you are most worried will happen next year? What is the one thing you are most looking forward to next year?