Isaiah 6.1-7.9, 1 Peter 2.13-25 - Lectionary for 11/30/09

Today's readings are Isaiah 6.1-7.9 and 1 Peter 2.13-25.

Immediately after the Lord calls Isaiah he reveals a tale of political woe and intrigue.  The foreigners are coming.  They have authorities placed over them.  They will be doing their job by sacking and plundering.  Yet in fact God is the Lord over all.  In 1 Peter we see that there are lines of authority drawn and that they are drawn by God.  We may not always know what our leaders are doing but we can have confidence that they are not ultimately doing it outside of God's will.  It may be to guard against evil.  It may be to provoke Christians to take a stand for the Gospel.  It may be to inflict judgment on Christians for their unbelief.  The fact is, we rarely know why God is doing things the way he is doing them.  But we know that our Lord and Savior is in all and over all.  He is indeed the beginning and the end.  He is the one who establishes kingdoms and he is the one who will bring all of them to an end as he ushers in his eternal kingdom.

As we look at what our earthly kingdoms are doing, let us rejoice in the heavenly kingdom.

--
Dave Spotts
blogging at http://capnsaltyslongvoyage.blogspot.com and http://alex-kirk.blogspot.com

Isaiah 5.1-25, 1 Peter 2.1-12 - Lectionary for 11/29/09

Today's readings are Isaiah 5.1-25 and 1 Peter 2.1-12.

What makes some people believe and others disbelieve?  The Arminian is ultimately forced to assert that man is capable, by his own good effort, of choosing to believe on Christ.  The Calvinist is ultimately forced to assert that as God has chosen some as his special people he has also chosen some for destruction.  Neither of these viewpoints comports with today's Scripture readings.  God himself goes to look for fruit where there should be good fruit.  It is his vineyard, he has planted it, he has tended it, and there is no reason at all why it should not be providing abundant good fruit.  But it is not.  We are told that unbelievers depart from God's mercy and grace.  They follow their will and desires rather than God's will and desires.  God's will is only ever that everyone might believe in him and look to him through Jesus Christ for hope and salvation.  But man, destined to disobedience by God's curse for sin, follows his destiny and disobeys, disbelieves, departs from the covenants and promises of God.  Time and again, when God has revealed his love and redemption to man, we depart from that promise.  God has iven us a freedom - not to believe, but to act on our disbelief.  Some do.  Many do.  If we believe on Christ it is entirely God's work.  If we do not believe, that is our work.

May the Lord work in us.  May we stop fighting. 

Isaiah 2.1-22, 1 Peter 1.13-25 - Lectionary for 11/28/09

Today's readings are Isaiah 2.1-22 and 1 Peter 1.13-25.

After condemning the people of Israel for being far from God (Isaiah 1), the Lord makes this very warm invitation.  Who can come to the Lord?  Anyone!  He will gather all who desire.  He will teach us his ways and guide our paths.  It does not depend on our preparation or our holiness.  It depends on the good call of the Lord, who warmly calls us all to come with him.

What do we have to fear?  There is no reason to doubt God's providence.  What assurance of salvation do we have?  God is good to his word and promise.  Our Lord, who died for the sins of the whole world, promises to save all who believe on him.

Daniel 5.1-30, Revelation 21.9-27 - Lectionary for 11/25/09

Today's readings are Daniel 5.1-30 and Revelation 21.9-27.

The kingdom of Belshazzar is coming to an end.  His realm has been weighed in the balance and found wanting.  Despite the wealth, the power, the culture, his earthly kingdom is doomed.  This wonderful civilization, the Babylonian empire, rose to world leadership only to decline within a few generations.  Like all earthly kingdoms it has a time limit.  This is the ultimate in planned obsolescence.  The kingdoms of this world come to an end to be replaced by other earthly kingdoms.  It's happened as long as we have tracked history and it will as long as we are here tracking it.  

Do you want power?  Do you want riches?  Do you want glory?  Look to God's kingdom.  Look to the new Jerusalem we see in Revelation 21.  Not only are there dishes of gold, it looks like the whole city is made of gold and precious jewels.  And this is an eternal city, a perfect city.  It's the real kingdom, the genuine article.  This is almost enough to make us think that Plato got some things right, as he said there would be earthly shadows of an eternal reality.  God's city described in Revelation 21 is the reality.  This is a real kingdom.  This is real life. 

May we ever look to the Lord, Jesus Christ, the cornerstone on whom the kingdom of our Lord is built.  May we believe him when he looks to heaven and says, "It is finished."

Daniel 4.1-37, Revelation 21.1-8 - Lectionary for 11/24/09

Today's readings are Daniel 4.1-37 and Revelation 21.1-8.

The kingdoms of this world will pass away.  All will fall from their glory.  All will decay.  Every last one will crumble and rot, given enough time.  History has shown this to be the pattern.  There is only one kingdom that will endure, and that is the one we see in Revelation 21.  God's kingdom, with Christ the King coming to take his bride, the Church.  This is the kingdom that will endure forever.  So there is our question.  Do we trust in our human institutions above God's Church?  Do we look to our own resources rather than to what our Lord and Savior has done on our behalf?  Or are we living in accord with the desires of our heavenly king, living like true partakers of life, those who have been washed in baptism and cleansed from their sin?  Thanks be to God that we are called time and again to repentance and to receive the forgiveness which our King has purchased for us.  Let us walk, therefore, as the Bride of Christ.

Daniel 3.1-30, Revelation 20.1-15 - Lectionary for 11-23-09

Today's readings are Daniel 3.1-30 and Revelation 20.1-15.

In today's reading we see two very important signs.  First, in Daniel, we see that the Lord protects those who are suffering for their faith.  In this instance he protects Daniel's three companions and keeps them alive and unharmed by the flames they endured.  In Revelation we see the saints who are killed for their faith being present in heaven immediately with Christ.  God protects his faithful people and keeps them ultimately unharmed, though sometimes they may lose their mortal lives.

Now what of the thousand years here in Revelation 20?  Against the believers in a literal thousand year reign of Christ, I just mention a few problems.

1) It makes no sense at all for Christ to come and have a reign of perfect glory on earth then for Satan to be released.

2) 1000 is ten (a number of completion) cubed - a sign of the trinity and hence perfection.  The number 1000 is generally used figuratively in Scripture except when counting specific people, for instance, in a census.  In this highly figurative passage of Scripture we would expect that a thousand years refers to a tremendously long period of time.

3) There is no reason in Scripture to make us think there will be several different times of Christ's return and judgment.

The most reasonable answer to this difficulty is that which the Church has held as a general consensus view, that the thousand years is a figurative number and that the period coincides with a time of tribulation (hence the people who are killed for their faith).  This would be the age of the Church.  At the end of that age, Christ will come to claim his own, the dead will be raised, and there will be final judgment.

Daniel 2.1-23, Revelation 18.1-24 - Lectionary for 11/21/09

Today's readings are Daniel 2.1-23 and Revelation 18.1-24.

Today we jump to Revelation 18.  Amid the plagues being poured out on Babylon (probably a figurative name for either Rome or Jerusalem, hence the seat of spiritual and economic life) we see something especially sad.  Look at verse 11.  There is weeping, not so much because of the destruction of Babylon in and of itself, but because of the loss of commerce.

We look at a passage like this and think of the end of the world, but we are also well advised to think of our own day and age.  Have we replaced a concern for genuine well being with a concern for economic power?  Have we replaced a concern for learning, growing, repenting, and believing with a concern for health, wealth, and shows of vigor?  What are our priorities?  Are they priorities which will be destroyed in the end of the world or are they priorities which will last into eternity?

May we ever seek Christ and his kingdom above all else.  That will never pass away.  It will never disappoint.  It is not subject to burning and destruction in the end of this age.

Daniel 1.1-21, Matthew 28.1-20 - Lectionary for 11/20/09

Today's readings are Daniel 1.1-21 and Matthew 28.1-20.

When I was reading today's selections I thought very seriously about writing something about Daniel chapter one.  After all, anyone who reads this blog will fully expect that I'll write something about Matthew 28.18-20.  For that matter, in the Treasury of Daily Prayer I see an outstanding comment on that passage from no less than Jerome.  What should I do?  The expected or the unexspected?

After filling a mug with espresso I came to my senses and decided that it would only be right to point out a few things from Matthew 28 which many through the centuries have observed.  Unfortunately it seems in the past couple of centuries, since Enlightenment thinking has captured the Western Church, we have changed the emphasis given to this passage in Scripture, to the great detriment of the Church.  Here's a list of some of the most important points from Matthew 28.18-20.

1) Jesus claims all authority.  We do not have authority outside of Jesus' command.  We simply follow his directives.

2) Those people Jesus called, and ordained are to go and make disciples.  We see them calling and ordaining others to continue the task.  Our expectation is that an incredible number of believers will receive this call and ordination, but we see it is not something that we claim for ourselves.  It comes from outside of us.

3) The apostles make disciples of all nations.  Unlike our Reformed brethren who seem to consider this a partitive genitive, indicating that the disciples will be part of the whole (all nations), thus defending their view of particular atonement, the indicative verb is "make disciples" and the words translated "of all nations" are an accusative case direct object, the recipient of the discipling action.  It is quite a universal activity.

4) The participles "baptizing" and "teaching" indicate the way we make disciples.  Baptism is the entry into the discipleship of the Church.  Teaching must follow.  It makes no sense to baptize people and then not teach them for the rest of their lives. 

5) In the Bible "the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" seems to indicate not only the authority of God but also some level of performative work.  This trinitarian formula claims God's active work in the situation.  Those baptizing are doing the work of God, claiming people in Christ's authority for his kingdom.  This indicates very clearly that baptism is not man's work but God's work, not our affirmation of our acceptance of God's offer, but his grant of a place in his kingdom.  Through his messengers, Christ is baptizing people into his own name and authority. 

Remember the teaching too!  May we know the Lord in his glory and splendor as he has revealed himself through Jesus Christ, claiming us for his own in holy baptism.

Jeremiah 38.1-28, Matthew 27.57-66 - Lectionary for 11/19/09

Today's readings are Jeremiah 38.1-28 and Matthew 27.57-66.

As many today remember Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231), known for her works of medical mercy, our readings point us to the way Jeremiah and Joseph of Arimathea laid down tir lives for their Lord.  Especially in Joseph we see a telling work, as Joseph gives up his tomb for the Lord.  Why would he do this?   Of course, we realize such tombs were typically used for multiple burials over a period of time and that Joseph would be able to use the tomb later himself.  Yet what we see is that in giving his tomb Joseph is symbolically expressing that he has died with Christ.  His life is already laid down with the Lord's, to be taken up again in the resurrection at the end of the world.

Throughout history we can see many who have laid down their lives for the Lord who laid his life down for them.  May the Lord give us grace that we also can lay down our lives to take up the life of the resurrection provided for us in Christ.

Jeremiah 37.1-21, Matthew 27.33-56 - Lectionary for 11/18/09

Today's readings are Jeremiah 37.1-21 and Matthew 27.33-56.

Today we see Jesus, the Lord and Savior of the world, die for the sins of the world.  What reactions do we have?  Look to the text and see that some people are doing their jobs, some people mocking the Lord, some people are standing around without many clues about what is happening, some people are wondering if anything is going to happen.  We can see this same range of reactions in our modern societies.  Some people actively revile the Lord.  Some people seem to be oblivious of anything going on.  And there are countless points between the two poles.  There is one commonality, though, in what I've just described.  Everyone on that spectrum is acting in unbelief.  All are included in the condemnation of God.  None is looking to the Lord in faith.

What's the rest of the story?  Jesus gives up his spirit.  The temple curtain separating man from the presence of God splits in two, there's a great earthquake, there's a little bit of a resurrection, and some people realize that Jesus must have been exactly who he said he was.  God's action in time and space catches the attention of sinful people and provokes a response.

May the Lord work in us.  May he provoke in us a response of faith.  May we not be condemned by our doubt, mocking, indifference, or ignorance of our Lord's work.  May the Lord fill us with awe so that we say, with the centurion, "Truly this was the Son of God!" 

Jeremiah 33.1-22, Matthew 27.11-32 - Lectionary for 11/17/09

Today's readings are Jeremiah 33.1-22 and Matthew 27.11-32.

What do we do with the innocent Son of God?  We see him today in our reading, standing before Pilate, accused of all manner of crimes which he did not commit.  We see Jesus today accused for our sin, for what we have done.  Jesus silently stands before Pilate accepting the blame for all our sins, for our lying, for our envy, for our power-hungry desires.  He is the one whom all the judges, all the officials, really everyone present knew had actually done no wrong.  For what was Jesus killed?  He was killed to satisfy the desires of the people.  But even more so, he was killed to satisfy the anger of God the Father against the desires of the people, not only those present, but every son and daughter of Adam's race, all the partakers of the curse against sin.

What do we do with this innocent Son of God?  Crucify him!  Let his blood be on our heads!  Here is the enigmatic statement of sinner and saint.  Let the blood of Christ be on our hands, on our heads.  We killed him.  And truth be told, if we can find someone else to pay for our crimes we're all for it.  But in a greater way, may the blood of Christ be on our heads, for it is the blood of the perfect Lamb of God which cleanses from sin.  It is the blood of Christ interposed for us and our sin which appeases the wrath of God.  It is the blood of Christ which purchases my deliverance.  Let the blood of Christ be on us all.

Jeremiah 31.1-17, 23-34; Matthew 27.1-10 - Lectionary for 11/16/09

Today's readings are Jeremiah 31.1-17, 23-34 and Matthew 27.1-10.

What is this language of covenant the Lord gives us in Jeremiah 31?  Recall that in the Scripture a covenant is a holy agreement.  In human covenants we make a solemn promise before God to one another.  In divine covenants, God is always the initiator and the one who truly promises to keep the covenant.  Man is a partaker of the blessings and indeed the recipient of some of the curses inherent in the covenant, but God's promise to all mankind consistently remains intact.

Now we see a new covenant.  In the old covenant deliverance is marked with blood of animals on the doorposts of houses.  Words of deliverance are passed on using human means and human persuasion.  In the new covenant deliverance is marked by the blood of Jesus on the cross.  This is God's sacrifice, not man's.  Words of deliverance are passed on as forgiveness is proclaimed in Jesus' name, i.e., in his authority by his servants speaking in his stead.  Acts of deliverance such as baptism, absolution, and communion are not seen biblically as man's acts, but as God delivering salvation and life to his people.  Again, we are looking at God's sacrifice, not man's.  This is a fundamentally new covenant.

May the Lord be our God.  May we be his people.  May we realize that as God has granted deliverance through his work, we ourselves do not speak with persuasive words or shrewd arguments, but we proclaim Christ crucified for sinners.

Jeremiah 29.1-19, Matthew 26.36-56 - Lectionary for 11/14/09

Today's readings are Jeremiah 29.1-19 and Matthew 26.36-56.

Sometimes we all feel like we are captives.  We're captive to our job, to our malfunctioning lawn mower, our pets that seem to run our lives, our debts, our household projects, sometimes even to our family members.  We spend almost half our work year earning money to pay taxes.  We do feel like captives, even if we haven't been deported as the Jews were in Jeremiah's time.

What does our Lord say to the captives?  Marry, have children, buy homes, farm the land, do business, pray for the nation you are visiting.  It may well be a very long visit.  While you are captive in that land, work to improve the land, increase your family, spread wealth around, change that land for your Savior.

This runs counter to a lot of the teaching I've heard, particularly from some of the popular Calvinistic sources.  We are told we should maintain a "wartime" mentality.  We should give everything away.  We should devote ourselves to service projects, particularly in economically depressed areas.  We should devote our lives to something worthwhile, like the teaching of the Bible.  We want to ignore all earthly pulls and claims, striving for victory which results in heavenly blessing.  

This all sounds very nice, very spiritual, but it isn't the picture the Scripture gives us.  Rather, as we are engaged in this wartime captivity we are to carry on the vocation the Lord has given us.  We are to raise our families.  We are to be God's instrument in giving people their daily bread.  We are to be diligent in our occupations, also teaching our children to be diligent and to serve their neighbors for the Lord's sake.  Our Lord will end the captivity at some time.  Our job is to be fruitful in the society that holds us captive, praying for that society as well.

Jeremiah 26.1-19, Matthew 26.20-35 - Lectionary for 11/13/09

Today's readings are Jeremiah 26.1-19 and Matthew 26.20-35.

Who is faithful to the Lord?  Our Savior tells his apostles that one of them will betray him.  None of them wishes to be the one who betrays the Lord.  Often we point to Judas as the one who betrays the Lord.  While this is true it is inadequate.  Not only Judas, but the rest of the twelve deny their Lord.  Not only Peter denies the faith, but the others deny the faith by their flight.  Not only the apostles, but we deny Jesus in our hearts and attitudes.  We fall into disbelief and live as if the Lord is not God.  We fall into doubt of our Savior's providence.  We live like atheists.  Every one of us betrays the Lord.  We fail daily.  Though we wish to fear, love and trust in God at all times, we fall short and deny our Lord, betraying him to death.

Thanks be to God that in the midst of this passage of Matthew, sandwiched right between messages of doom and gloom, Jesus points to his body and his blood - his perfect sacrifice on our behalf.  Jesus points us to our sin.  Then he points us to his blood which is poured out for the forgiveness of sins.  Are we partakers of his body and blood?  Are we partakers of his divinity?  Then we have the life-giving forgiveness flowing through our mortal bodies.  We are proclaimed faithful, though we know our doubt.  We are proclaimed forgiven though we know our daily denial of the Lord.  We will be called to eat and drink with our Lord in his kingdom.

Jeremiah 25.1-18, Matthew 26.1-19 - Lectionary for 11/12/09

Today's readings are Jeremiah 25.1-18 and Matthew 26.1-19.

As we near the end of the year in the Church calendar we see our readings bringing us closer to God's final judgment and redemption of the world.  It's an increasingly dark time in our readings.  We see God's wrath poured out.  We see the imagery of a bitter cup of wine.  And we see Jesus anointed for burial.  We are near the climax of the whole plot of the Bible, as sin is about to reap its reward. 

How does sin gain its prize of death?  It will gain its reward as Jesus, the perfect and complete Man, dies for the sin of Adam's race.  God's wrath will be poured out on the head of his perfect Son.  The wages of sin will be death.  But the gift of God will be eternal life, as we will see in our future readings about the resurrection.

Lord, even as we see and fear your wrath, let us see the object of your wrath, your only son, who bears the penalty of sin in our place.  Let us look to you for hope and deliverance.

Jeremiah 23.21-40, Matthew 25.31-46 - Lectionary for 11/11/09

Today's readings are Jeremiah 23.21-40 and Matthew 25.31-46.

We see today God's condemnation of the harmful false prophets who were arising in Israel at the time of Jeremiah.  We can easily picture God's condemnation on many modern-day self-proclaimed prophets as well.  One of the cautions we typically have about prophets is their self-ordination.  In verse 21 we see that God did not send these people but they seem to have sent themselves.  But look at the passage a moment more.  Look at verse 22 and see that even though those prophets sent themselves they certainly had access to God's words and character.  They would be able to prophesy the truth.  The issue is not the fact that they sent themselves.  It's that they did so and continue to do so without listening to the Lord.

What is the content of the preaching and teaching we hear?  Is it from the Lord or is it some person's idea of what the Lord should have said?  Is it from the Lord or is it some imitation for the truth, intended to make us feel good?  Is it from the Lord or is it our idea of what we do to live a good and clean life?  The words of life are available to all of us.  May the Lord teach us to stand in his council and proclaim his true words to his people.  This will turn people from evil.  This alone is what a prophet is to do.

Jeremiah 23.1-20, Matthew 25.14-30 - Lectionary for 11/10/09

Today's readings are Jeremiah 23.1-20 and Matthew 25.14-30.

Our Lord and Savior has given us great promises.  See the how in Matthew 25 the master gives property to his servants and instructs them to care for it.  This property, by the way, is no small amount of money.  A talent is approximately enough money to support a war ship at the time for about a month.  See that the master does not give specific instructions or promise a particular reward.  But when he returns he gives tremendous rewards.  What of the person who doesn't even use common sense to make moderate gains with the investment?  That person loses what he is given.

With this proclamation of the Law Jesus condemns all that we would do of our own accord, following our wisdom.  The servants who are commended are not acting like typical servants but are acting like their master.  The servant who is condemned acts according to his character, not the character of his master.

What is our calling?  We are to put our own desires aside.  We are to lay down our way of doing things.  We are to give up the kind of security that we think we can protect.  Instead, we are to take on the character and actions of our master who has given us all we need.  How could we do this, except our Lord has himself taken on our character?  The Lord Jesus Christ has taken on human nature so he could come as we are except without sin.  He then took our sin for us, becoming sin for sinful man.  Hence we take on his character, living as our divine sin-bearer.  This is not our work.  It is the work of our Lord and Savior.  

Lord, give us faith to do, in dependence on you, the works which you would do, to go where you go, to reap on your behalf where we did not sow, to gather where we did not scatter, to draw all people to you.

Jeremiah 22.1-23, Matthew 25.1-13 - Lectionary for 11/9/09

Today's readings are Jeremiah 22.1-23 and Matthew 25.1-13.

The themes of our reading today are becoming quite familiar.  We are warned against our infidelity to our Lord.  Even in the midst of God's bringing of destruction upon the people of Israel, though, he is calling them to repentance.  Turn from your evil, trust in the Lord, and you will be forgiven.  Look to the future!  Like the wise virgins in Matthew 25, takes teps that seem foolish in this age.  Prepare for the future coming of the Lord.  Take his word for it.  He will not follow expected patterns.  So prepare in unexpected ways.  

Do we look for our Lord when we least expect him, later than we would plan, but coming in his power and majesty to make all things right?  May we ever have such trust in him.

Jeremiah 11.1-23, Matthew 24.1-28 - Lectionary for 11/7/09

Today's readings are Jeremiah 11.1-23 and Matthew 24.1-28.

As we read in Matthew today we see Jesus' teaching to his disciples about the last days.  There will be times of destruction.  People will lead other people astray.  There will be persecution, lawlessness, a decline in love for the Lord.  There will be claims that Christ is working miracles and calls which may deceive people, leading them to trust the signs rather than the true Christ who has already completed the work of salvation.

I expect most of us have heard preaching of this type, either saying we are in the last days of trouble or that there is some great tribulation yet to come.  Most of this type of preaching that I have heard seems aimed at scaring people into belief in Christ.  It also seems to give people a false pessimism about their society.  We look to the world around us for indicators of our faith, of the proximity and reality of Christ, of the truth of redemption.  This is the wrong focus.  Rather, we should look to the Scripture for indicators of our faith, the proximity and reality of Christ, the truth of redemption.  We are not led by our world and its turmoil.  There's always been the kind of turmoil Jesus talks about.  Does it grow worse?  Sure.  This is a sign that we are in the last days and that the world is ripe for the coming of Christ.  But at the same time we can look at the world in which we live and see that the Lord is the one guarding his people.  Do we not pray that the Lord will give us our daily bread?  Do we not forgive those who trespass against us?  

We are in this world.  Sometimes it's more difficult than other times.  But we're in the world, not of it.  We have the nurture, forgiveness, and protection of the Lord.  We can trust in his providence, not our own wisdom and ability.  We trust in his protection, not the locks and bars we may put on our doors.  We trust in his provision, not the ability we have to obtain and stockpile resources.  May the Lord be the Lord and we be his faithful followers.

Jeremiah 8.18-9.12, Matthew 23.13-39 - Lectionary for 11/6/09

Today's readings are Jeremiah 8.18-9.12 and Matthew 23.13-39.

Like father, like son.  We've all heard this adage.  It shows up very strikingly in today's readings.  What do the people of Israel receive?  Like father, like son.  The fathers have tried to make their own way.  They have failed to trust in the Lord.  Their society has spiraled downhill.  It's full of falsehood, deceit, violence, treachery.  People are trying to get what they want, when they want it, to profit themselves.  That's our nature.  Like father, like son, we decide to do what is right in our own eyes.  Like father, like son, we fall prey to the temptations of our own desires, our own dreams.  Like father, like son, we fall under God's judgment for our failure to trust in him.  We have the very same pattern in our New Testament reading today.  Like father, like son, the scribes and Pharisees have pursued holiness.  Like father, like son, they have encouraged people to make liberal offerings.  Like father, like son, they have been rigorous with themselves to keep the strictures of the Law.  Like father, like son, they have failed to find the righteousness of God because they have been so intent on their own righteousness.  Like father, like son, they protect the faith and kill the true prophets.

What hope is there?  Like father, like son, Jesus Christ, the Son of God is the very image of the loving and forgiving Father.  Like father, like son, Jesus Christ, the Son of Man is the true heir of Adam.  Like father, like son, we are gathered under the loving wings of Jesus, our Father hen, brooding over us, protecting us, nurturing us.  Do we bolt and run like our earthly father?  Do we  seek protection like our heaven-sent savior?  

May we see our Lord, saying, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" (Matthew 23.39b).

Jeremiah 7.1-29, Matthew 23.1-12 - Lectionary for 11/5/09

Today's readings are Jeremiah 7.1-29 and Matthew 23.1-12.  

What do we do about evil?  And what kind of evil is this that our Lord talks about in today's readings?  The evil we see in our land today is the very same kind of evil we see in the time of Jeremiah and in the time of Matthew.  We see the evil of people trying to make a way for themselves, to mediate their own redemption, to do good on their own terms rather than God's terms.  We see people working for their own profit rather than for the ood of God and what he has ordained.  This is a tremendous evil.  It seems that in the Bible the harder we try to work things out for ourselves the worse we do at it.  So what do we do?  What hope do we have?  Look again at the end of our reading in Matthew.  We humble ourselves before the Lord and allow him to do his work in us.  He  can then accomplish his will in and through us.

Jeremiah 5.1-19, Matthew 22.23-46 - Lectionary for 11/4/09

Today's readings are Jeremiah 5.1-19 and Matthew 22.23-46.

In today's reading we see demand after demand.  God has his holy demands and seeks out those who keep to that standard he has given.  In both Jeremiah and Matthew we read about the perfect commands of our Lord.  How does Jesus sum up all the Law?  Love God with all our heart and love our neighbor as ourselves.  This, in a nutshell, gives us all God expects of us.  

Are we going to do that?  If we consider our attitudes adequately we will see that we fail utterly.  We do not love God with all our heart.  We do not love our neighbors as ourselves.  We place ourselves on the throne rather than as God's subjects at his feet.  That's the way we are.

Again, Lord, we come before you with thankful hearts.  You have carried our sins and offenses in your death on the cross.  You have risen from the dead to show yourself the victor and to be the firstborn among many brothers.  You will raise those who trust in you and your forgiveness as well to be your brothers in eternity.

Jeremiah 3.6-4.2, Matthew 22.1-22 - Lectionary for 11/3/09

Today's readings are Jeremiah 3.6-4.2 and Matthew 22.1-22.

God's call to his people is a call to depart from their spiritual adultery.  He commands that we have only one God.  There is none equal to him in this world.  Yet we fail to fear, love and trust him.  Even though most of us don't make the step of offering our children to idols, making sacrifices, and hanging out with the prostitutes in the pagan worship sites, we still fail to look to God with our whole hearts.  We fail to be solely devoted to him.  We are like those who are invited to the wedding feast in Matthew's Gospel and who make some half-wit refusal to the king.  What are we to do?

The fact is, whatever we do we will end up committing spiritual adultery.  We are despicable in this.  But see in Matthew 10 that the Lord of the wedding feast does fill his hall with guests.  None is worthy of attendance, but both bad and good are gathered into the hall for the wedding feast.  That includes us bad people.  Through Jesus' death on our behalf, through his giving himself as a substitute for us who were unworthy and who treated him with despite, we are gathered into the wedding hall.  Let us then rejoice in the feast our Lord has placed before us.  That's our duty, and it is our great delight as well.

Jeremiah 1.1-19, Matthew 21.23-46 - Lectionary for 11/2/09

Today's readings are Jeremiah 1.1-19 and Matthew 21.23-46.

Jeremiah the prophet lived at a significant crossroads in Israel's history.  He saw a free but embattled Israel, then lived to see a captive Israel.  He received God's command to serve as a prophet when he was young, but then lived to an old age. Throughout this long life, Jeremiah saw again and again that the Lord had called him and would sustain and protect him, regardless of the dangers he faced.  He was to proclaim God's word in boldness, to be rejected, to be ignored, even persecuted, and then to see God protecting him even through the persecution, famine, and deportation of his people.

Is our Lord bringing our culture into some sort of a period of difficulty like that faced by Jeremiah?  We hardly know.  But we do know that our Lord will provide for the proclamation of his word to our culture.  Those of us who are prepared to speak out in the name of the Lord will not be put to shame.  We will see God's hand of protection, no matter what happens in our society.

May the Lord make his people faithful.

Deuteronomy 34.1-12, Matthew 21.1-22 - Lectionary for 11/1/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 34.1-12 and Matthew 21.1-22.

Today is recognized as All Saints' Day, the day when we remember and rejoice in the lives of believers, living and dead.  Our readings point us to this reality, this promise of eternal life.  In this earthly life, Moses can go near the land of promise but does not get to enter it.  His sin and the frailty of his aged body prevent him from being a partaker of the promise, as did Abraham's sin and frailty, along with countless others over hundreds of years.  But Moses is blessed to see what he has longed for, to have a glimpse of what others will soon inherit.

We likewise will not enter the land of promise in this earthly life.  In our mortality though we can approach the promised land we will not inherit it.  We inherit the land only in our immortality, once our mortal lives have ended.  We look to Jesus, the forerunner, who in today's reading does enter the city of Jerusalem as a king, ready to inherit his throne.  We look in faith to Jesus who has risen from the dead as the firstfruits of the resurrection and has taken his immortal throne.  We look to the day when we, along with all the saints, will be raised in incorruptibility to an eternal life in the land of promise.  This is the promise made to all the saints.  This is why we an celebrate on a day like this.  All the saints, living temporally and living eternally, are living.  Our Lord is the lord of life.