Devotion.al

Tag: name

  • One of the Fam

    One of the Fam

    Matthew 12:46–50; John 14:18–26

    The passage from John would have created a rather large stir in the culture. publicly equated non-blood relations as equal to familial relations.

    The was first in the culture. A good way to think of it is how a person is called in many Asian countries. The family comes before the personal/ name. One only calls another by their individual name by permission (accepted into a close relational circle) or by blood.

    Americans and other Western cultures might tend to equate this with Mr., Mrs., and Ms. However, that is not the same, nor are they intended to be. Modern Western cultures (except for the remaining nobility, perhaps) do not hold the family in the same way. That is not a knock against Western Culture, just merely a of differences.

    It should was highly likely that mom and brothers had one of two responses, 1) there goes the crazy kid again, 2) WE are his family, not THESE people.

    It’s not that Jesus was disrespecting his family, and certainly not his mother. Jesus was redefining what it meant to be a member of his family, which was not exclusive to his mother (and father) and brothers. This new family included them; it just included a bunch of (like you and me).

    As Jesus was completing his final discourse with his disciples, he told them that they were not orphans, nor were they abandoned. This is, again, family language. How severe their separation was from their families at that point or later is conjecture.

    The use of the family language tells us that something was happening there. The concept of what is family was changing. The boundaries of familial blood were replaced with the boundaries of God’s saving work on the cross.

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, we thank you that you have called us into a family larger than we can imagine. Help us that we are indeed family, despite our many differences. May our lives be ones of that draw more into your family. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) Have you ever been party to the breaking of family bonds (either by you or others)? What were the various reactions?

    2) If you were Mary or Jesus’ brothers, what would your response have been, especially as Jesus’ response was so public?

    3) Why is the concept of family (not the stereotypical “nuclear” family) so critical to the and its people?

  • Seashell Summer

    Seashell Summer

    Matthew 3:1–13; Mark 10:35–40; John 13:1–11; 1 Peter 3:18–22 (read online ⧉)

    What is one thing you think of when it comes to Summer? How about a Summer trip or vacation? Today is the first day of Summer. Today is also National Seashell Day, in honor of trips to the ocean being the summer trip that many people take.

    For those of us more familiar with coastal life, the sea may not represent the most interesting thing. For many, it is a place of recovery and . For others, it is a place of and majesty (there really is nothing like a storm on the Pacific coast). For others still, it is a place of and fun. Then for others, it represents the most dreaded time of all, concentrated time with family.

    The seashell actually has a place in the Christian world, too. If you are familiar with Lutheran, Episcopal/Anglican, and Roman Catholic traditions, it is not uncommon for the priest to pour water over an infant 3 times using a seashell invoking, “In the of the Father (pour 1), and in the (pour 2), and in the Holy Spirit (pour 3).”

    Where and how the seashell (in particular the Scallop seashell) was tied to baptism is tied to 2 men. The first would be St James the Greater who supposedly used the seashell to beg for alms on his pilgrimage, allowing even the poorest person to feel generous and able to give. How this exactly would have gotten tied to baptism is a , so is unlikely.

    The other likely avenue is St. Augustine, who had a vision of a boy trying to empty the sea with a seashell. After suggesting the boy why of this pointless activity, the boy retorted why are you trying to comprehend the entirety of the mystery of the Trinity. This as some greater weight, tying in water, pouring of water, and the Trinity. Still, someone would have had to make a huge leap.

    There is another theory that John the Baptist used such to “aid” in baptism. However, one of our Jewish friends made a valid point that John would not have used an “unclean” (or non-Kosher) item to do such. Of the 3, the tie to Augustine makes the most sense.

    However, there appear to be mosaics and frescos that predate Augustine that still have the seashell. Take your favorite theory and it’s fine. Just note that using a seashell for baptism is not mentioned in the Bible, so it is neither necessary nor forbidden.

    The methods of performing baptism (immersion once, immersion thrice, pouring, drawing the cross, infant, child, confessing, adult) have long been an issue in the church. It is one well worth wrestling over for it is a command of Jesus. Yet, seashells are a weird non-sequitur, and there may be others you can think of. Such traditions and symbols can be valuable, but only if used and explained.

    While denominations have been formed over methods and timing of baptism, none of them deny the significance of baptism. Wesleyans (such as the Church of the Nazarene, of which Generations is a part) believe that baptism is an outward sign (public profession) of inner faith. Other traditions hold that baptism is the by which a person (particularly a child) is irrevocably sealed to the family of God. There are myriads of understandings.

    What isn’t up for debate is whether one should be baptized. The symbolism of death and resurrection. The public profession of faith. The commandment of Jesus. All are part of the Christian journey and life.

    One thing to leave you with. The tradition (inherited from the Jews) is baptism in “” water. If you do make a trip to the sea or rivers, take some and remember your baptism.

  • Rescuers & Yachts

    Rescuers & Yachts

    Ezekiel 33:1–16; Matthew 14:22–34; Colossians 4:2–6 (read online ⧉)

    When sailing ships were still the primary transportation across the oceans, John was lost overboard during a storm. Before his friends (the crew) could rescue him, they lost sight of him in the storm. By providence, there was another ship nearby that did see him and was able to rescue him. John was very grateful that the ship was nearby.

    Many days later, John was eating at a local pub, and started telling his story of his rescue. One of his listeners spoke up after John’s tale and said that he, too, had a similar tale. Will, for that was his name, started talking to John, and they became friends.

    More time passed. John and Will had gathered a number of people around them, and they formed a rescue society, whose purpose was to be the nearby boat to save people in the storms.

    They saved many people over the years. Their society grew. They gathered more and more to their camaraderie. Other people joined just to the tales of rescue. Then, as John, Will, and others got older, the warmth of the and camaraderie kept them indoors. Soon after, the gatherings became focused on boats. Their rescue society, over time, transformed from rescue society to yacht club.

    Some have said that the true of yacht clubs is not the wealth, but the rescues they forgot about.

    “Making people fully functioning followers of Christ,” and “Encounter, Connect, ” are the 2 common phrases (or statements) at Generations Community church. Then there is the “” (friends who are like family), too. Your church (if it isn’t Generations) may have similar mission statements or values. Something along these lines is quite common among American churches.

    It’s not that these are bad. They really should be second.

    We have been rescued. Have we forgotten? We are called to be the ones who help to rescue those who are lost at sea. All too often, however, we are comfortable at the yacht club.

    Framily is great. Encounter (-ing God), Connect (-ing with God and Others), Serve (the World) are good, too. Becoming fully functioning followers of Christ (sanctification) is great! However, if we only keep it to ourselves, is it really all that great?

    The world doesn’t need more people hiding behind their walls. The world needs the of Christ.

    These few words cannot contain the responsibility that each of us must and should feel. This does not mean to be annoying or aggressive. It means be asking and praying for the right to occur, and even many conversations over time. It means being grace-filled in our conversations with others, just as Jesus Christ poured grace over and into us.

    Paul’s words tell to season our conversations with the salt that is Jesus Christ. Be the light.

  • Gifts or Curses

    Gifts or Curses

    1 Corinthians 12:1–14 (read online ⧉)

    You have probably read this passage many times, and probably heard a few sermons on it. You might have even delved into it during your investigations of your spiritual gifts. And we will get to that. However, there is a warning in these verses that we often miss.

    “…you used to be enticed and led astray by mute idols.” We often immediately dismiss this or skip over it partially because of its past tense language, and our belief that we are good to go. However, the Greek is in imperfect tense. In other words, Paul is really saying they were (past tense) and are now being enticed by the mute idols.

    How could they still be being enticed? For so long, the pagan speaking in with the interpreters controlled the culture. Habits are hard to break.

    One of the other interesting things is about being cursed. There are a number of interpretations. One of the easiest is the Jewish tradition that a man who dies on a tree is cursed. Other commentators observe that the Greek though doesn’t have “is”. “Anathema” may also be interpreted as curses. In other words, these Christians were using Jesus’ name to , and in the context of the verses that follow, the implication is that Christians were using Jesus to curse…Christians.

    This sounds appalling, doesn’t it? There were definitely some not good things going on in Corinth!

    We miss so much being separated in time, space, and culture from our brothers and sisters in Christ.

    Divisions had been built up. Instead of supporting and bolstering one another, they were daring to curse one another in Jesus’ name. In the name of the one who came to break the chains, they sought to bind others.

    The Body of Christ is not to be divided. The spiritual things (often called the Gifts of the Spirit) are for the Body, not for the individual. While Paul addresses these, in our context we need to look at the purpose of these gifts and look at the opening of this group of verses.

    The deceit of the pagan world is the so-called mute idols that the “empowered” and “enlightened” with those with the appropriate monetary compensation. We are so advanced over the benighted Corinthians…the stock market, houses, stuff, buildings, collections, knowledge, and even data. We have our own voiceless idols. Just like in the day of the Corinthians, the “wise” put a voice to the mute.

    Sadly, we have also seen false gifts of the spirit used. The false idols and their followers can seem to be full of the gifts of the spirit, which ties onto Paul’s point because these “gifts” are used to divide, rather than unite. This is an indicator of the source of the “spirit” used.

    On the other hand, we have many brothers and sisters in Christ that are truly mute. We have others that are hurting. We have others who are angry. We have others that are so lost in the current disarray. The gifts and graces that we have been granted by the Spirit are intended to build up one another, encourage one another, and unite us .

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, we see the world divided around us, and even in your body. Help us to be unifiers, so that your body is one, and so that the world may be one. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) Have you have been told you have a particular gift or grace form the ? If not, will you commit to prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in discovering it?

    2) If you are aware of your gift or grace, how have you used it to build up the body and unite it?

    3) Other than , what are other signs that a “gift” or “grace” is of a worldly “spirit” or of the Holy Spirit?

  • 3 is 1 and 1 is 3

    3 is 1 and 1 is 3

    Deuteronomy 6:4–5; Matthew 3:13–17; Matthew 28:16–20; 1 Peter 1:1–2 (read online ⧉)

    This is one of those odd “Liturgical” Sundays in the Christian year. It to specifically observe the creedal declaration of and faith in the . We have Sundays set aside for Advent, Lent, Christmas, , . These are event-based. It’s not that they don’t have doctrinal pieces in them; their beginning is based upon an event.

    There is an additional oddity, especially for people who call the Bible the Word of God…Trinity appears nowhere, at least not as an explicit term. That’s also what makes this Sunday interesting. A foundational theological basis for orthodox Christianity is not found explicitly in the Bible, yet is one of the key doctrines upon which orthodoxy is defined (i.e., Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses being non-Trinitarian believers).

    One of the biggest things that the Trinity teaches us by its very example is that not everything can be explained by science or even a sound rationalization of the faith. The Trinity can only be believed (ultimately) by faith. The concept that God (the Father) is God, Jesus is God, the is God, while, God (the Father) is neither Jesus nor the Holy , Jesus is neither the Holy Spirit nor God (the Father), and the Holy Spirit is not God (the Father) nor Jesus (An aside: even writing that sentence, which is a simplified excerpt of the Athanasian Creed, hurt my head a bit).

    The beauty of the Trinity is that by the above (for example), we are automatically brought into the realm of knowing that we can not fully understand God. Which is good. When we think we fully understand God, we are in deep danger of having made our own god who is not God.

    While the Trinity does not expressly as a word in the Scriptures, that does not mean it is not present. We need to start with the beginning, though. God is one. One of the biggest dangers with the Trinity is that the confusion that we are talking about 3 gods, rather than 1 God.

    In the Gospels, Matthew has the 2 best almost explicit statements regarding the Trinity. With Jesus’ baptism, Jesus is baptized, “laid upon” by the Holy Spirit, and blessed (and proclaimed) by God (the Father). All 3 persons of the Trinity are present and noted as being present (rather than in other places where they can be assumed to be present).

    In many respects, however, it is Jesus’ Commission of the Disciples (now Apostles) to baptize in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that there is an expression of the doctrine and persons of the Trinity (yet, still no word “Trinity”).

    While this is so, there is something critically important in Peter’s letter. Peter all but declares the Trinity in his opening. There are several reasons this is important. First, it’s Peter. His place as one of Jesus’ core disciples, and his place as commissioned of the church (by Jesus) makes his words critically important to our understanding of the church.

    Before the “doctrine” was declared, before the Athanasian Creed was , before the understood writing of the Gospels, Peter brought the Trinity to the church.

    In lieu of prayer or questions, and in honor of the tradition in more “liturgical” churches to speak it on Trinity Sunday, below is the Athanasian Creed.
    ※Athanasian Creed※

    Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic[1] Faith. Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the Catholic Faith is this, That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.

    For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit.

    But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is all one, the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.

    Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit.

    The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated.

    The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible.

    The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal.

    And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal.

    As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible.

    So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Spirit Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.

    So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.

    So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord.

    And yet not three Lords, but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity, to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; so are we forbidden by the Catholic , to say, There be three Gods, or three Lords.

    The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten.

    The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten. Likewise also the Holy Spirit is of the Father, neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.

    So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons, one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other, none is greater, or less than another; But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together, and co-equal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, must thus think of the Trinity.

    Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation, that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

    For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds, and Man, of the Substance of his Mother, born in the world; perfect God, and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting; equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead, and inferior to the Father, as touching his Manhood.

    Who although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but one Christ; one; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of the Manhood into God; one altogether; not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven; He sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into everlasting, and they that have done evil into everlasting fire. This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.

  • Despairing Flames of Joy

    Despairing Flames of Joy

    Ecclesiastes 3:16–4:3; Job 3:1–26 (read online ⧉)

    Let’s be honest, Ecclesiastes is not the most uplifting book of the bible. In many respects, it can be a bigger downer than the story of Job. Both books are generally put under (along with Proverbs) the category of wisdom literature.

    Wisdom literature often doesn’t seek (though people search wisdom literature for it). Wisdom literature seeks understanding. That would seem to be the same thing, yet if we look at all the clicks a person makes on their computers or on Facebook, we know things about them, but it does not mean we understand them.

    The hard thing about Ecclesiastes is that the writer (“the Teacher”) is quite willing to confront the of the world, facing it head-on. Most of us would prefer to avoid the darkness of the world, and so such writers make us uncomfortable. This is a good thing.

    It is for times such as this, that wisdom literature may help us. Wisdom literature won’t hand us the cure (whether for disease or human depravity). Wisdom literature can help us step back from our immediate responses and reactions, and help us to develop a framework with which to handle reality.

    Ecclesiastes 3:16 begins with the of wickedness where and righteousness are supposed to prevail. It is not just with police brutality. It is not just with racism. It is not just with the distribution of wealth. It is not just with misogyny. It is with humanity.

    This is not a paean to make us feel better about ourselves or to deaden anyone’s anger, frustration, pain, or in the drama that is 2020. This might, might, be the straw that finally breaks the camels back, and brings Christianity where it needs to be, united on our knees in , supplication, confession, remorse, celebration, and reverence.

    Seems to be an odd mix? That is the beauty of wisdom literature. Conclusions drawn from it, just like in life, are not always easy to put in a .

    As the Teacher seems to envy the dead and the neverborn, Job wishes that the day of his birth had never come. Similar to George in It’s a Wonderful Life, Job believed that it would have been better were he never to have been born. This is often the of despair in our lives, as it was in Job’s.

    “When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: fear God and keep his commands, because this is for all humanity.” —Ecclesiastes 12:13

    “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.” —Acts 4:12

    Often, it is these two verses that can keep despair at bay. The passage from Ecclesiastes is the conclusion of this book of wisdom. The passage from Acts was Peter’s first public sermon and strong proclamation of the Gospel.

    When lost in despair, or tending toward despair, God remains steadfast.

    ※Prayer※

    God, thank you for your steadfast love for all . Help us rely and in that. May we look at our fellow humans as people who are looking (whether they know it or not) for the wisdom that only you can provide. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) How is your soul in this turmoil?

    2) How do you view your fellow humans at this point?

    3) How do you attempt to redeem the darkness of yourself and your fellow humans?

  • NIMBY

    NIMBY

    Zechariah 7:8–12; Matthew 4:25–5:13; Luke 10:25–29 (read online ⧉)

    Pentecost was only 2 days ago. We should be being filled with the eager to do God’s will and speak with God’s voice. With what has been happening, however, God’s voice may indeed be being spoken. It is being drowned out with violence, anger, hatred, , mourning, apathy.

    It is easy for many to cast aside those who are destroying places. There are many among them that are truly those who seek to stir up trouble. On the other hand, there are many among them that feel that the only way they will be listened to is through destruction. While many might decry that, the reality is that destruction is what sells.

    The Word that God gave Zechariah, “…make fair decisions…show love…show …” We honestly fail at all of these, perhaps even on a daily basis. Due to cultural conditioning what is fair or faithful or compassion may be drastically different person to person. It wouldn’t seem so, yet it is.

    The observation that God delivered to Zechariah is a warning to us all, “[they] turned a stubborn shoulder…closed their ears…hearts like a rock…”

    If we read the Beatitudes in the of Zechariah, they can take on the perspective of blessed are and blessings of. In other words, being blessed is not enough. We must also bless others. As we read the Beatitudes, we cannot just think of ourselves. We must also think of that which we are to do for others.

    This is, sadly, why the “expert in the law” asked a simple question, “who is my neighbor?” It is a simple question. It is also a simple answer. The answer isn’t, “my neighbor is…” The answer is, “I am a neighbor by…”

    ※Moravian prayer※

    Savior, with you we know good and . Help us do what we know as good and avoid evil, for with you, good will prevail. In your we pray. Amen.

    ※※

    1) Everyone you see on television and the is your neighbor. How will you be their neighbor?

    2) Why do we not want to be neighbors to others?

    3) What is the difference between being a Christian and being a neighbor?

  • Opprobrium

    Opprobrium

    Matthew 9:18–26; Mark 5:21–43; Luke 8:40–56 (read online ⧉)

    People often use scripture to justify certain things, or at least state that whatever “this” is, it is nothing new. One of those is a thought that the woman in today’s Scriptures had been bleeding due to a botched abortion. This, of course, is conjecture. There are several other medical conditions which this could fall under, so making this kind of conjecture is often not helpful. This is especially the case when such conjecture takes away from the mystery that is already present in the Scripture.

    Think about the other healings that performed. In the other healings, he was approached then would act. He was just on his way to heal someone else, and this women surreptitiously approaches him and just touches his clothes to be healed.

    The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) have slightly different tellings of the story. Yet, the woman’s initiative to approach Jesus and touching his clothing to be healed is consistent. Both Mark and Luke talk about the crowds surrounding Jesus. This took courage for this woman.

    The primary thought that this bleeding was similar to menstrual bleeding (hence the aforementioned piece about abortion). If that is so, while the woman would not have to declare “unclean” as a leper, should would be ceremonially unclean, and probably unwelcome, if anyone knew. She, probably some sort of outcast, would have to go among those who likely mocked and scorned her. If she was successful, for 12 years, to keep her condition secret, then she would have likely been overwhelmed by guilt and inadequacy.

    In Mark and Luke, this story takes on another interesting twist. She approached; she touched; she was healed. There was no “action” by Jesus. This unique aspect should be one of those moments where we stop and , what is different?

    Anything is conjecture, as the Bible does not directly say anything. One possibility is that in this story we see God and Man. The Godly left Jesus. Jesus the Man was surprised. Both aspects of Jesus were in full display. There is even this odd hint of the Water of being spent, which would then be refilled by God.

    On the other hand, there is an echo of the time in Eden after Adam and Eve had eaten the Fruit of the of Good and Evil. Adam and Eve had heard God walking in the Garden and hid because they were naked. God asked where they were. Adam and Eve revealed themselves in shame. Sounds somewhat like the woman who revealed herself.

    There is also the beauty of trust that this woman has. It isn’t just trust of being healed, but when she reveals herself and tells her story, there is a vulnerability that requires an explicit trust in Jesus.

    This woman has no name in the Scriptures (outlined here). Her cured affliction has been noted for history, but the shame of her condition is not tied to her name. Just as the shame that once weighed her down was gone, so was what needed . She left it behind. Her gift was that her legacy was not her condition. She moved forward in .

    ※ Prayer ※

    Lord, we thank you for taking our shame. Though we may still bear the scars and pain of it, the shame is gone. May this freedom that you have given us, not be misused or unused for your . Amen.

    ※ ※

    1) Why do you think each of the Gospel writers (especially Matthew), chose to tell the story the way they did? What do you think of the additional piece that Mark and Luke have?

    2) What is your biggest takeaway regarding the woman of our story?

    3) What do you think the was of those who were acting on Jairus’ behalf?