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  • Community Essentials

    Community Essentials

    Psalm 133; John 20:19–31; Acts 4:32–35; 1 John 1:1–2:2

    Security is a very important thing. In many respects, a number of the high-profile political arguments are over what exactly is security. Differing opinions of what includes security and the perception of who is responsible for such security can really create the potential for discord.

    The reason security should be part of our analysis of (in practicality) policies and reactions. Life experiences can dramatically affect one’s personal perception of security, and may dramatically affect what one considers essential for security.

    As we read Psalm 133, the essentials of security were pretty minimal. Modern conveniences didn’t exist. Concepts such as hospitals and medical care would exist until centuries later. Food, wild animals, and war were the biggest security things. Security was generally among one’s “brothers”. In other words, family was security. Security was also firmly ground on God’s blessings.

    We can find in many things. Often unity goes hand-in-hand with security. The disciples were unified in their following of Jesus and their . Fear would not seem to be a security characteristic. Yet fear often drives the pursuit of security, and fear often provides a unifying characteristic so that people are in pursuing the same security with the same motive.

    The unified fear of the Disciples after the crucifixion of Jesus was transformed into a unified sharing of resources that we see in Acts. This passage in Acts is often held up as one of the litmus tests of “true” Christians and the “true” church. There is an ideal in it that most of us can appreciate; look out for the benefit of others.

    The part that those that hold this up as a litmus test disregards what got them there in the first place. First, we had the unifying story of the 11 original Disciples. Then in the same spirit of unity, the greater circle (of at least 60 or 72) raised 1 of their number (Matthias) to the 12. Then, as the group expanded, there were the struggles that the people of the church has with the Jews and with the Romans. Again, shared fears (and realities) created security in unity.

    This creates emotional security that allows one to be free to care for others in a way that is rarely seen in history. Even in more collectivist cultures, what is described in acts is unusual.

    This is not to say that we shouldn’t strive for it, but this unique time and place should not be a litmus test for the “perfection” of one’s and one’s church. In many respects, those that use it as a litmus test are using worldly stuff (i.e., mammon) to define “real” Christians.

    The real litmus test can be found in 1 John. A that submits to be held accountable to the Word of God, and to each other. True unity is knowing that your fellow Christians are looking out for your interests, in particular, the growth up, wide, and down of your faith in and relationship with Jesus Christ.

    To be fair, this kind of community is often harder to find than a community that shares stuff. Be so united, loving, and with one’s self (versus one’s stuff) is probably the highest bar to hurdle.

    ※Reflection※

    • Can you imagine a community of commons, such as the one in Acts? What would you expect of such a community towards you (and your family) and towards others? How about those outside the community? What would be the requirements of membership in such a community?
    • Are you in a community where your spiritual struggles and growth are shared, encouraged, strengthened, sharpened, and questioned (for improvement)?
      • If not, what would it take for you to be in one? How would you get started with one? Should you?
      • If so, how did the group form? How would you keep it together and focused? What are lessons from it that you can share so that other groups like yours could be formed?

    ※Prayer※

    Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of : Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

    Second Sunday of Collect, Book of Common 2019
  • Living Speech

    Living Speech

    Psalm 133; Daniel 2:24–49; John 12:44–50

    One of the gifts of being human is speech. One of the curses of being human is speech.

    Perhaps the whole reason for the King of Babylon’s test of all the and wise men was that they all talked too much. Perhaps (as many paid consultants today) they were more than happy to all their words (with some being wise, maybe) with the king. Perhaps the king was done with all the words and just wanted an answer.

    Of course, his demand for the wise men and magi to know the dream without being told it was pretty harsh. Yet, perhaps the desire to no longer having to listen to empty words created the opportunity to words of weight. Daniel spoke God’s to the King of Babylon. By faithfully delivering God’s word to the King of Babylon, Daniel was obedient. Daniel also used the human gift of speech as a vector of grace and blessing. This doesn’t mean that it would be listened to, or that it would be transformative in any long-term way. That wasn’t Daniel’s responsibility.

    Even as the of God—part of the Trinity—Jesus spoke as God directed. Jesus spoke with Truth, grace, and . Jesus’ summary of his words (no judgment, not his words, people won’t necessarily listen).

    What is interesting is how Jesus says all this is really just a result of God’s commanded speech, which is life.

    Eternal life. Jesus’ speaking was eternal life.

    ※Reflection※

    • Is your speech of God? Is your speech produce eternal life?
    • As a follower of Jesus, how do you temper your speech so that is more of God and less of you?
    • What makes human speech of “eternal life”

    ※Prayer※

    Heavenly Father, you have delivered us from the dominion of sin and death, and brought us into the of your beloved Son: Grant that, as by his death he has called us to life, so by his love he may raise us to eternal joys; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the , one God, now and for ever. Amen. [Easter Saturday Collect, Book of Common 2019]

  • Shun To Death

    Shun To Death

    Psalm 77; Job 5:8–27; 1 Peter 3:8–18a

    . That seems straightforward. However, we beings often make it far too complicated. Or, even worse, we make it about .

    The Christian life is not about others; it is about us. What we do, as the household of God, matters. Far too many people have taken words like Peter’s and turned them into bludgeons and daggers. People have taken these words and applied them to a world that is perishing. Instead, these words apply to us so that we do not continue down the road of the perishing.

    Part of the Lenten “” is the awareness of our mortality. In the COVID era, we are probably a bit more aware of it than we would “normally” be. Barring wartime, there isn’t as much of a focus on our imminent demise as there is now.

    Perhaps the ought to be praising God for a whole year of , though that doesn’t make it easy. Our mortality, organization mortality, operational mortality, the death of normal have all come. Small Businesses had struggled. Some have died. This is not something to be happy about. Many (but not all) big companies have become stronger. Again, though, Lent isn’t about business (though businesses like to sell it).

    Shunning evil and facing mortality (Lent) is for us.

    Yes, we want the world to come to know and follow ! Much of our worldliness needs to die for that to happen. Perhaps the deepest and hardest struggle we Christians have is, what of our worldliness needs to die?

    ※Reflection※

    • What worldliness of yours needs to die?
    • If you are on social media, look at what you and like. Is it Christ-honoring/following, or is it worldly?
    • How do evaluate what is worldliness and what isn’t? Does your understanding match that of others? Why does it matter? Why doesn’t it matter?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, we know that our sin was nailed upon the cross. Help us the worldliness in our lives that needs to go with our sin. Amen.

  • Forging Character

    Forging Character

    Psalm 50:1–6; 1 Kings 14:1–18; 1 Timothy 1:12–20

    You probably believe that you have never had a prophesy (a “word” from God) spoken “over” you. You might be right. As such, you’ve never had someone say to you, “I thought of you when I read/heard this.” Nor have you heard, “I felt I had to this with you.” Nor have you ever had your spirit “struck” by a sermon, a song, or a moment.

    If you’ve never had any of these happen, it might be time to stop reading this and God when it has happened (note, this wasn’t a whether).

    Not all prophetic words are positive for a person. Jeroboam, his wife, and their (Abijah) received a prophetic word. It wasn’t good. There are multiple points that are sad.

    Abijah was probably very young when he died (based on context). As he was young, he hadn’t developed the bad habits of his and . That he was the only member of the family to be honored in death is telling.

    The other sad part is that Jeroboam and his wife (and by extension their children) heard and witnessed the prophetic word coming true and their hearts were not (it seems) changed. God has relented in punishment (or reduced it) when a person repents. Jeroboam didn’t bother.

    Paul emphasizes God’s relenting tendencies by his own testimony. He reminds Timothy that he (Paul) was the of Christ and Christians before he became the champion he was. In just a few words, Paul shows us the depth of the tragedy of Jeroboam and all those like him throughout history and today.

    Paul’s is also important regarding his instructions to Timothy about “waging war” (the implication being a war of faith) and the cast out Hymenaeus and Alexander. It may well be that this passage is about Timothy either mourning or trying to drawback Hymenaeus and Alexander into the .

    It would make sense as Paul reminds Timothy that the prophetic word that was “over” him was about waging a war of faith. The situation with Hymenaeus and Alexander seemed to require some sort of battle with the two. Paul told Timothy that he (Paul) had let them free. As Paul was Timothy’s mentor, the strong implication is that Paul wanted Timothy to do the same.

    It is Paul’s preceding words that provide the “silver lining” to Hymenaeus and Alexander being handed over to Satan. They can still return, for Jesus Christ is every faithful and loving. In addition, Paul added a “to be taught” clause, meaning that his is that Hymenaeus and Alexander are likely to return.

    ※Reflection※

    • It can be hard to let someone fall away as Hymenaeus and Alexander. What can we observe about God in these situations? What can we observe about ourselves?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord Christ, thank you for your faithfulness toward us and the unending you pour into our lives. Help our hearts to see your faithfulness and grace poured out for the world. Amen.

  • Freely

    Freely

    Psalm 147:1–11; 1 Corinthians 9:16–23

    Psalm 147 opens up powerfully. It really is good to sing praise to God. Every worship leader hopes that it is the pleasure of everyone who attends (whether physically or online) finds it a pleasure to praise God through singing.

    Of course, the psalmist is a songwriter/performer, so is obviously a tad biased towards this form of praise. There is indeed something powerful about music. On the other hand, there are plenty of people who find their best time of worship and praise through prayer or stillness.

    The heart of worship is honoring God. A heart that honors God, worships God. Those people faithfully for the next experience of God’s love.

    The of experiencing God’s faithful love produces a that can seem odd to a person who does not believe the same. has such an expectation. That is part of what motivates his approach to his (Christ directed) mission to the .

    Paul’s response to God’s faithful love? Share the Good News freely. Not only freely in regard to cost, but also freely to whomever, and freely however.

    In many respects, the whomever and however continue to be a problem in regard to sharing the . In some church somewhere, someone is saying, “Let’s not share the Good News with those people.” In another church (or maybe the same one), someone is saying, “We just can’t do it that way.”

    It’s easy to say, “Paul would…,” but the reality is that we don’t know what Paul would have done. We can only at the “heart” of Paul as seen through his words.

    We are often quite ready to put boundaries on many things in our lives. With whom and how (granted, without changing the Truth) however, the fewer boundaries we place the more likely we are to be where God already is.

    ※Reflection※

    • What surprising/unexpected ways have you seen the Good News shared/spread?
    • How should honoring/praising/worshiping God lead to sharing the Good News of the Gospel?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, may we find ways to share the Gospel that builds bridges of and love. Amen.

  • Abandon Ship

    Abandon Ship

    Jonah 3:1–5, 10; 1 Corinthians 7:29–31; Mark 1:14–20

    Jonah may have been the most successful preacher in history. He preached and an entire city repented, and a large city, at that. The church celebrates 4000 in one day as a supreme act, yet cranky Jonah exceeded that by far.

    We often question and scorn Jonah for running away from his call. It would be similar to you being called to North Korea to preach, “.” The destination is a scary place for such a preacher.

    Nineveh was known for the cruelty visited upon the defeated. People were impaled, beheaded, “stretched”. They worshipped a number of gods. They were enemies of Israel, and they were not friends of God. It was a good place to avoid.

    Jonah just followed his common sense. It seemed suicidal to go to Nineveh. There seemed no of safety by God, so why go?

    Plus, the demise of Nineveh seemed to be a positive for Israel. With the fall of Nineveh, perhaps things would be better for Israel.

    If Jonah’s logic were to be followed, then the world would be lost. This is why ‘s call for a sort of “disengagement” is very important to evangelism.

    Often, going to those crazy places is what we are called to do. There are people from many denominations that willing went where they are not welcomed to the Gospel. In many of those same countries (and more besides), there are indigenous believers whose very lives are in danger for the common they hold with us.

    Holding too firmly onto our understanding of the way things “should be” is generally us being too tied to the ways of the world. Holding on too firmly to the world often blinds us to the call on our life that God has made.

    Simon, Andrew, James, and John did not hold too tightly onto the world. Although the don’t tell us such, it would be inhuman if the 4 men felt nothing as they left their livelihood, families, and much of their . There was still something about that caused them to release the world and follow him.

    ※Reflection※

    • What would you do or where would you go if you believed God was sending you?
    • What are some of the ways of the world that hold Christians back from reaching the world for Christ?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, us the strength to forgo the world in whatever ways you call us. Give us the discernment to recognize your will and your call. Amen.

  • Not Yours, But God’s

    Not Yours, But God’s

    Psalm 69:1–5, 30–36; Genesis 17:1–13; Romans 4:1–12

    “Abram” translates to “exalted ancestor”. “Abraham” translates to “ancestor of a multitude”. While Ismael was Abraham’s son (the son he had with Sarah’s servant), it didn’t quite connect with Abraham as Ishmael wasn’t a result of him and Sarah (his wife and love).Both names had their own sting. “Exalted ancestor” requires more than just the son of a servant, but grandchildren. “Ancestor of a multitude” probably stung worse, for that would seem to imply even more. He had only one.

    Yet, as Scriptures attest to (and Paul recapitulates) Abraham trusted God, and Paul notes that God “attributed” to Abraham righteousness. The strong implication for many commentators was that God “considered” Abraham because of his faith/trust, not because of his actions. In addition, many infer that it also means that God viewed Abraham as righteous in spite of any possible failings or sins that Abraham had.

    Circumcision was the that in some respects “remembered” the covenant that God made with Abraham. One could view it as God choosing Abraham’s descendants, setting them aside, and treating them as righteous, even when they weren’t. The Israelites were for God. The males bore the mark.

    The similarity between circumcision and baptism are often drawn. Especially in the Christian traditions that baptize infants, it is quite simple. Even in the traditions that perform believer’s baptism, the imputation of righteousness is still there.

    When we are baptized (as infant or believer), the righteousness we receive is that of . It isn’t ours. Just as in circumcision, or even infant baptism, the is performed before the child has a choice.

    The reality is that almost the entirety of our relationship with God…the entirety of our becoming more like God…is because of God.

    Paul draws baptism and circumcision . Paul needed his Jewish brethren to understand that baptism was a valid entrance into the of God. He also needed the to understand that baptism was part of tradition that went back in time, tying them to a tradition and people and God they were only beginning to understand.

    ※Reflection※

    • What traditions family, cultural, and/or religious tie you to the past? Why is being rooted in the past helpful when going ?
    • The majority of church traditions/theology (there are outliers) believe in only one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. Why do you think that is?

    ※Prayer※

    God, your word goes to a past we do not fully know. Your word also goes forward to a time we cannot see. Thank you for the guidance that your word provides us, and may we share the of your word to others. Amen.

  • The Tax Man Comes

    Mark 2:13–17; Luke 19:1–11

    Zacchaeus has been a staple in Children’s church for years…♫♪“Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he.”♪♫ His stature makes him identifiable for children. They understand being too short to see things that all the adults get to see.

    What gets lost for the children is Zacchaeus’ place in society. Most lessons that I am aware of avoid that reality. Oddly enough, we actually have a similar situation today.

    It may be dressed differently, but perhaps in our technological entrepreneurs, we have the new tax collectors. Many people want to be them, if only for the wealth. poke at them saying that they are exploiters. Others say that they must not be paying their fair . Others still feel trapped by them, yet still use the technology that has been developed.

    There is a major difference in that the technological entrepreneurs are not the “scum” of the earth for everyone; not like Zacchaeus and the other tax collectors.

    However, people don’t know what to do with them. Politicians in various capitals (state or national capitals) don’t know how to deal with them. The politicians need them, hate that need, and want to control them.

    “” people appreciate the tech, but now are beginning to question the trade-off. They admire the technologists, but they them.

    The tax collectors were just hated; Jesus chose one as a follower. Tax collectors were hated; Jesus dined with them. Tax collectors were cast out from the ; Jesus came to them.

    We all now are in an interesting place. We need technology to connect with one another. We are, in many ways, more dependent upon the technologists than we used to be.

    If we are not careful, we will despise them because of our dependence, and because of the control over our lives that we may perceive them to have. This is, in many respects, the same situation as the tax collectors.

    The tax collectors lived well. However, they were the ones that were the first line of defense against the Romans. the Romans , and they leave.

    ※Questions※

    1) Who else might be the “tax collectors” in your ?

    2) Are you the “righteous” or the “sinner”? Which do you like?

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus, may we not act like the “righteous” and be humble and thank-filled as the “sinners”. Amen.