Exodus 34.1-28, Luke 7.18-35 - Lectionary for 4/20/10 - Tuesday, Easter 3

Today's readings are Exodus 34.1-28 and Luke 7.18-35.

How great is the Lord's care for his people!  When they have departed from the faith, when they have rejected God and made idols for themselves, when God has withdrawn from the community because of their sin, yet the Lord calls Moses to himself.  Our Lord restates the covenant with Moses.  He will show himself to be the God of all mercy.  He will place his people safely in the land he promised to Abraham.  he will remove the current inhabitants before them.  He will caution his people Israel against alliances with these people who will tempt them into unfaithfulness.  Through the holidays God has proclaimed the Lord will show his provision to his people.  

Our Lord has visited his people.  He has given them his covenant.  And in these last days he has shown himself through Jesus, making a new covenant in the blood of the perfect sacrificial Lamb, God the Son himself.  All this salvation has been accomplished by God in Christ.  It is not of our own works.  It is not of our own imagination.  We can surely look to our Lord and Savior knowing that he has shown his steadfast love for all generations.

Exodus 33.1-23, Luke 7.1-17 - Lectionary for 4/19/10 - Monday, Easter 3

Today's readings are Exodus 33.1-23 and Luke 7.1-17.

The people of Israel are rightly timid after their encounters with God.  They realize that he is the mighty one.  This we also can see even through our observation of nature.  The complexity of our world, the intricacy of all creation cries out to us and illustrates God's power.  Yet through our own observations we are unable to see God's love.

God's chosen people, Israel, likewise hide themselves from God's presence.  Some of this is at the suggestion of God himself.  If he is among them he will surely kill them.  They are stubborn and faithless.  Contrary to popular wisdom, God doesn't love the sinner and hate the sin.  No, it's sinner and sin together consigned to death and hell.  So out of his infinite mercy God has masked his glory.  He has revealed himself to Moses and Joshua, outside the camp, protecting the bulk of the nation from his consuming presence.  Even at a distance we see that the people are moved to worship.

In these last days God has revealed his glory to the world through the person and work of Jesus.  We no longer have to look at God from a distance, in a pillar of cloud at the tent where just a couple of people go to meet with God.  We have seen, heard, and touched Jesus (1 John 1).  God has shown his glory in these last days in his Son (Hebrews 1).  He is the one who brings life to all who believe (John 1).  Our God has visited us and we can stand before him by faith in Christ.

Exodus 32.15-35, Luke 6.39-49 - Lectionary for 4/18/10 - Third Sunday in Easter

Today's readings are Exodus 32.15-35 and Luke 6.39-49.

Our Old Testament passage today truly tempts me to write about the New Testament reading.  But my goal is to write about the Old Testament readings this year.  It doesn't take a very close reading of the passage in Exodus 32 to see why I might want to avoid trying to find Law and Gospel in the passage.  All in all it is pretty much doom and gloom.  Yet we do see Gospel, and we see it in a very unexpected place.

Moses brings the tablets of God down from the mountain to find the people of Israel involved in idolatry.  He gathers those who will pledge to be faithful to God, the tribe of Levi, and commands them to begin killing those who have departed from the faith.  That day the Levites kill about three thousand men.  Where's the gospel?  Didn't the whole nation engage in idolatry?  Don't all the people who have not followed God's commands wholeheartedly and constantly deserve to die?  Has not God proclaimed clearly that he is the righteous God who requires perfect righteousness from his people?  

We see that God does not leave everyone to die in sin.  He provides salvation.  He calls us to our senses.  He lets us see that our sin deserves death.  He then points us to the forgiving mercy which he has shown in Jesus Christ.  Indeed our Lord will come in judgment, but he says he will do it in his own time.  In these last days he has come in judgment and has poured out that judgment on Jesus.  Christ has died for our sin.  Here is the Gospel the Lord gives us.  Though God's people depart from their faith, though we are quick to forget and to go our own way, our Lord has taken the matter of atonement and forgiveness into his own hands for us.

Exodus 32.1-14, Luke 6.20-38 - Lectionary for 4/17/10 - Saturday, Easter 2

Today's readings are Exodus 32.1-14 and Luke 6.20-38.

Today we see that God's ways are not our ways and our ways are not God's ways.  While God is giving Moses the commandments on the mountain the people of Israel fear for their well being and make other gods.  This is all the more amazing because the Lord had appeared to the elders of Israel in glory shortly before.  He had taken them personally out of Egypt, parted the Red Sea, destroyed Egypt's army, and guided the people of Israel with a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire.  This same God was providing the entire nation with food on a daily basis.  But now they turn their back on what they have seen with their own eyes.  They prefer their own solutions, their own guidance, to God's rule.

We are too often like this.  We see what our Lord has provided and we choose to follow our own way.  Not content with God's revelation in Scripture we seek our own philosophy.  Not content with the way God has worked in history through his church we try to build a new and different church.  Not content with the proclamation of Christ's atonement on our behalf and his satisfaction for our sins we try to invent a new Jesus, a Jesus according to our own character.

This ought not to be.  While the Bible never gives us warrant to run our lives counter to society just for the sake of being different from society, the Bible does tell us that God's ways are not our ways, his thoughts are not our thoughts.  We see remarkable contrasts in what Christians value in Scripture when compared to their larger culture.  We see people who give of themselves and their resources in order to bring Christ's healing love to fruition in this world.  We see people who are at the forefront of science, medicine, invention, and education.  These are people who know the Lord has given them gifts to serve their neighbors.  We see Christian people who do even menial tasks cheerfully, knowing that those very tasks are means of God ministering to the world.  The Bible paints a different picture than the picture of society we would create for ourselves.

Lord, let us be conformed to your image.  Create in us a desire to live according to your values.  Use us as you nurture and care for this world.

Exodus 31.1-18, Luke 6.1-19 - Lectionary for 4/16/10 - Friday, Easter 2

Today's readings are Exodus 31.1-18 and Luke 6.1-19.

In our theological categories we are often used to the idea of circumcision as the sign of the covenant.  It is part of the covenant God makes with Abraham, no doubt.  But here in Exodus 31 we see that the Sabbath is proclaimed as the sign of the covenant.  Let's look briefly at the similarities and distinctions between circumcision and the Sabbath.

Both are outward and visible signs.  Circumcision changes a man's appearance.  Observance of the Sabbath changes visible behavior.    Both are appropriated truly by faith.  Neither would seem to accomplish anything productive.  Both are commanded by God.  But there is a significant difference.  While circumcision is something that man does as a sign of his obedience, the Sabbath is something that God does.  It is God who provides the additional food needed by people who are not going to work one day of the week, or one year of seven years.  It is God who shows himself to be the living God who sustains his people.  They are to keep his Sabbath and he promises they will live through it.

Jesus shows himself to be the Lord of the Sabbath.  He himself becomes our Sabbath-day's rest, giving us rest from the toils with sin.  He himself promises to sustain us and bring us into his rest.  He takes this sign, a day of rest, and one of seven years spent in rest, and fulfills it, giving his people an eternity of rest.  May we have the grace to rest in our Lord and Savior.

Exodus 25.1-22, Luke 5.17-39 - Lectionary for 4/15/10 - Thursday, Easter 2

Today's readings are Exodus 25.1-22 and Luke 5.17-39.

Today we continue to see God meeting with his people according to his command and according to his revelation.  I'll make just a few brief observations.

God has a special place appointed to meet with his people.  Though he is the God who is present everywhere it is appropriate for us to seek out a special place of worship.  The church building is a visible place for God's assembled people, the true Church, to gather.  In that special place we can dedicate ourselves particularly to worship, minimizing the distractions which call our attention to more ephemeral things.

God has given special furnishings for this house of worship.  These furnishings are symbolic of his presence.  They are decorated according to designs he has given.  They are appointed to be filled with his real presence.  Likewise in the local church it is appropriate to have furnishings which point to the unity of God's people and the finished work of Christ on the cross.

We see in the tabernacle the centrality of the mercy seat, the place where God sits to show his mercy.  It is on top of a box, raised up like an altar.  He shows mercy between the cherubim, in the midst of his holy angels.  Inside the box are the commandments, above which God sits to show mercy.  Later the ark will also contain signs of God's provision, namely Aaron's rod that budded, signifying a special priesthood; and a jar of manna, signifying the food that God gives for his people.

Lord, may we see in our places of meeting the signs of your presence.  May we rejoice that indeed, though invisible, you are present with us, providing the grace and mercy we need.

Exodus 24.1-18, Luke 5.1-16 - Lectionary for 4/14/10 - Wednesday, Easter 2

Today's readings are Exodus 24.1-18 and Luke 5.1-16.

As the people approach God with sacrifices according to his command, ehty see the Lord renewing his covenant.  We look to this as an example of how God allows himself to be approached according to his plan, according to his revelation, in the times, places, and means which he has designed.  We can recall here also the covenant God made with Abraham.  Recall how God bound himself to a sacred covenant as he walked between the parts of the slain animals, yet he prevented Abraham from doing so.  God has bound himself to a covenant never to abandon his promise or his people.  Here with the blood on the altar our Lord renews his covenant with his people, but now with all Israel, not just with Abraham.

Our Lord promises to reveal himself in glory.  In these last days he has revealed himself in the glory of Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of the Father, in whom is grace and truth.  In our Exodus passage today we see how the leaders of Israel gather in the presence of God.  They are presented with his glory and respond in fear and trembling.  Yet they eat and drink, and do not die.  Likewise, when we are partakers of the Lord's supper we eat and drink in the very real presence of the Lord who has revealed himself in glory.  As partakers of God's promise we eat and drink to our benefit, not to our condemnation.  We do not die, for we have a real participation in the resurrection of our Lord.

Let us look to the promises of our risen Lord who has appeared to us in glory.  Let us be joyful partakers of him as we eat and drink.  Let us see this eternal life which he has prepared for us.  

Exodus 23.14-33, Luke 4.31-44 - Lectionary for 4/13/10 - Tuesday, Easter 2

Today's readings are Exodus 23.14-33 and Luke 4.31-44.

Our Old Testament reading today points out the sharp distinction between the people of Israel and the nations that are to surround them in Canaan.  While this passage is often criticized as giving license to believers to practice violence, even genocide, I would take issue with that idea.  The pagan Canaanites and other surrounding people were engaged in practices such as human sacrifice, ritual prostitution, self-harm to try to appease gods, and the like.  They were following the kind of religious practices which not only contradicted everything the Lord shows about his character, but which also would prove deadly to his chosen people.  These surrounding people could (and did) flee for self-preservation.  Those who saw Israel from a distance and came to them individually, expressing repentance for their sins and a desire to live as people of God's covenant community were able to do so.

What we see in this passage is that God sets his people apart from the practices and lifestyle of the culture at large.  He gives them means of approach to his holiness by which they show themselves to be dedicated to him rather than to their own opinions.  The true religion of the Bible is not characterized by our own wisdom.  It is not a religion dedicated to our own shows of righteousness.  It is characterized by God's people approaching him on his terms, not on their own terms.  We do not work out our way of righteousness  We accept the provision of righteousness that our Lord has made us.  This ultimately looks radically different from anything we could devise.

How do we work out our salvation?  By trust in Christ's finished work.  How do we know our Lord is with us?  We know because he has promised to be with us.  We can't see it with our eyes.  We believe, teach, and confess things which seem like foolishness.  Yet they are what our Lord has given us.  They are the means by which we approach his holiness.  They are the means by which he has promised to come to us and visit us with his presence.  They are the means by which he builds us up in the faith.  They are our safe haven.  Let us then receive the proclamation of God's forgiveness, the provision of new life in baptism, the nurturing or our faith in communion, and the knowledge that he has indeed promised to be with us forever.  

Exodus 22.20-23.13, Luke 4.16-30 - Lectionary for 4/12/10 - Monday, Easter 2

Today's readings are Exodus 22.20-23.13 and Luke 4.16-30.

We see today a continued description of the character qualities God has prescribed for those who trust in him.  Once again we have to realize that we are guilty.  Though we may try we are always guilty when we compare our lives to God's righteous standard.  Either we have to lower the standard of God by explaining it away in some way or we have to realize that we are in fact sinners.  Even the most socially conscious of us, the most culturally sensitive, the most honest, the most generous, the most just one of us is going to fail in some respect.  We don't pay attention to everything the Lord has said to us.  We are not like the righteous people the Lord describes.  

What do we see in Exodus 22.27?  The person who cries to God is heard by God.  Our Lord is the compassionate God.  He is the very one who provides for the needs of his people.  He is the one who reaps vengeance on mistreatment, including the mistreatment we inflict, even the mistreatment we receive.  When we call out to our Lord in repentance we know he is the compassionate and mercivul God.  He is the one who can provide food for his people even though they rest one of seven days, even though they give their land a rest from cultivation every seventh year.  He gives us what we need according to his power and plan, not according to our wisdom or diligence.

Does this mean we should all quit our jobs for a year every seven years?  No, it really doesn't mean that.  It does mean that we are to be characterized by a radical dependence on the Lord rather than on ourselves.  And we see as we confess on a daily basis that our Lord is the one who gives us what we need and that he gives it because he is good and kind.    Do we look for proof of this?  Let us look no farther than the fact that our Lord has given himself for us, his real life for our life, his real death for our redemption, his real bodily resurrection as the firstfruits of the resurrection of the dead, his real presence among his people as the fulfillment of his promise never to leave us or forsake us.  Surely we can trust that he will provide our every need.

Exodus 20.1-24, Luke 4.1-15 - Lectionary for 4/11/10 - Second Sunday of Easter

Today's readings are Exodus 20.1-24 and Luke 4.1-15.

A few years ago (I probably blogged about it, in fact), I saw a church sign which said, "Feeling bad?  Take two tablets, the 10 Commandments!"  My sudden application of the brakes to make sure I read correctly could have caused an accident if there had been more traffic.  Normally I don't have to read beyond Exodus 20.3 to feel a burden of conviction.  After all, how many times every day do I elevate something else before God?  How many times to I prefer my comfort?  How many times do I doubt God's real presence with me?  How many times do I take things into my own hands?  How many times do I decide that when worst comes to worst at least I can pray in case that will accomplish something?  I doubt I need to recount any more ways that I fall short of that first commandment, do I?  Yet I take comfort in knowing that we are all that way to one extent or another.  We all fail at the various commandments of God.  We don't do them willingly and with our whole hearts, with pure motives, all the time, as God minimally demands.  Maybe the church sign should have said, "Feeling good about yourself?  Take two tablets, the 10 Commandments!"  Indeed, our Lord convicts us of sin through his law.

See in verses 18-21 how the people fear God's presence?  When the living God announces his presence and tells what his demands are we should fear and tremble.  We who are sinful wish to escape from the presence and glory of God.  He is a consuming fire.

Notice here, though, that while God is making himself plain to his people, he is also describing the characteristics of his people.  I've heard it stated that in Hebrew these are actually indicative mood statements, descriptions, rather than imperative mood commands.  Unfortunately, the Lutheran Study Bible on my desk doesn't corroborate that, I have no significant understanding of Hebrew, and a comparison of the Septuagint would be worthless as the second person plural imperative and indicative are identical forms.  Yet, whether these commandments are phrased as commands or descriptors, they say something important about God's people.  As our Lord has redeemed us from other gods, he has given us a desire to come to him.  He invites us into his presence through Word and Sacraments, promising hat he is here to show his love to his people.  He gives his name to us, placing it upon us in baptism, promising that he will defend that which is called by his name.  He has given a time of rest, particularly a Sabbath day's rest from the toils of sin, effective today and every day in Jesus Christ.  He has shown the value of parents who guide us and care for us, the very flawed picture of God's care for us.  He has valued our lives and has shown us how to value the lives of others.  He has called us into an exclusive relationship with himself, pictured in our exclusive relationships with our husbands or wives.  He has shown that we are his prize possession which he will guard, teaching us that we should honor that which belongs to someone.  He himself is the truth, thus removing falsehood from the lips of those who are called by his name.  He is the one who has provided all we need, showing us that we need no desire of that which belongs to our neighbor.  Our Lord has called us by his name and has given us what we need.  We are thus free to show that in all our actions and attitudes.  He describes his character, the character he has placed upon us, in these commandments.

Do we fear?  We fear rightly.  We dare not approach our Lord in his glory trusting in our own works.  We dare not approach our Lord in our righteousness.  But he has purchased us, we are his possession, we are called by his name, we are created in his image, we stand before our Lord not in our own righteousness but in the righteousness of Jesus, his Son.  We have been called to approach him through the means he has given us, and we are perfectly safe in that.  We have been called to come to our Lord.  He makes his name be remembered.  He comes to his people.  He blesses his people.  This is our great and mighty Lord.  

Returning to the blogosphere

Thanks for the kind statements and prayers.  After being migraine free for about a week it's time to return to the blogosphere tomorrow.

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

Blog Takes a Break

I'm going to take a bit of a break from posting on this blog, probably for a week or so.  I have a long history of migraine headaches and am hitting a bad cycle of them.  Time to back off from as many time-critical demands as I can so as to concentrate on those which are genuine obligations.  Desperate for some lectionary posts?  Check the archives.  While you do, pray for me to get back onto an even keel.

Exodus 10.21-11.10, Hebrews 4.1-16 - Lectionary for 3/31/10 - Wednesday in Holy Week

Today's readings are Exodus 10.21-11.10 and Hebrews 4.1-16.

In today's reading we see that our Lord threatens destruction against unbelieving Egypt.  As if the plagues they had sustained thus far were not enough, they are now threatened with the death of every firstborn of the nation.  Egypt has already been plunged into various hardships which threatened their water supply, their food supply, their sanitation, and all their physical comfort.  Now, after enduring a night that lasted three days, they are threatened with the loss of their future leaders, an overturn of all the customs of inheritance, a tremendous social upheaval.  All they need to do is release Israel from bondage.

Why does Pharaoh refuse to grant God's demand given through Moses?  This ongoing refusal angers Moses.  It is very provocative.  Yet God has told us many times that Pharaoh's refusal results in God's showing his wonders and his majesty.  Notice in Exodus 11.3 that the people of Egypt understood that the Israelites had God's favor and they did not.  They were willing to give what they had to the people of Israel.  Doubtless many of them would even ask to join with Israel, becoming members of the covenant community as well.  In this way the offspring of Abraham can become a blessing to another nation.

As with the people of Israel, our society looks at us.  We proclaim God's wonders.  Do we exhibit them?  We suggest that our Lord is mighty.  Do we live as if he is mighty?  We say that the Lord is forgiving.  Do we confess our sins and seek his forgiveness?  We say that the Lord gave himself for our sins.  Do we realize that we are without hope except for this forgiveness?  May the Lord display his wonders in our society, showing through us his nature, a nature that convicts of sin, brings people to repentance, grants them forgiveness, and makes them walk in new life through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Exodus 9.29-10.20, Hebrews 3.1-19 - Lectionary for 3/30/10 - Tuesday in Holy Week

Today's readings are Exodus 9.29-10.20 and Hebrews 3.1-19.

As we continue to follow the conflict between God and Pharaoh we see that Pharaoh continues to harden his heart against God's calling.  He knows he is wrong.  He admits he is wrong.  He makes promises to let Israel go and he goes back on those promises.  He confesses he is wrong, asks forgiveness, then sins against God and Moses yet again.  His heart seems to soften then harden again.

We find it easy to condemn Pharaoh, but we are really very much like he is.  We know what our Lord has revealed to us in Scripture yet we secretly think there are some things that we would do differently.  We have the audacity to think we are right and God is wrong.  We know God's calling but we question his wisdom.  We confess our sin and then we go sin again.  We harden our hearts again and again.

Let us not be fooled!  Our Lord will accomplish his will, his good and perfect will.  Just as he delivers Israel out of the bondage they endure in Egypt, he will also deliver his people out of their bondage to sin.  He has done what is necessary.  Through Christ's death and resurrection the burden of sin has been released.  We simply continue to live in it, taking it upon ourselves, hardening our hearts over and over.  Yet Jesus has broken the bonds of sin.  He has cancelled the debt that we owed.  He has taken our sin upon himself.  He has risen victorious over death, hell and the grave.  He has done all that is necessary to complete his perfect will.  All that remains is for him to gather his people to himself.

Lord, we confess we live in a state of contradiction.  Though you have forgiven our sin yet we live as though we are slaves to sin.  Grant us your forgiveness and remind us of your promise that you will never leave us or forsake us.  Accomplish your good will in and through us.

Exodus 9.1-28, Hebrews 2.1-18 - Lectionary for 3/29/10 - Monday in Holy Week

Today's readings are Exodus 9.1-28 and Hebrews 2.1-18.

Today we read that the Lord continues to pour out plagues on Egypt.  Now he makes it very clear that he is distinguishing between his people, the Hebrews, and the Egyptians.  He spares the livestock and crops of the Hebrews from the plagues which destroy livestock and growing plants.  Pharaoh's confession in Exodus 9.27-28 is telling.  "This time I have sinned; the LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.  Plead with the LORD, for there has been enough of God's thunder and hail.  I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer" (ESV). 

How many times do we see God's displeasure against sin?  We know what our Lord has commanded, at least certainly enough to know we are repeat offenders.  We know he calls for perfect righteousness.  We know he has defined that righteousness.  We need only to read the Ten Commandments to realize that we fail.  For that matter, we need only to read the first commandment to realize that.  Really?  Do we love and trust God only, with our whole heart, all the time, no matter what?  Or do we daily erect other false gods?  

What has our Lord shown us in this passage?  He makes a distinction between those who are united by their calling and their faith in him, those who have held to his promises and continued with God's covenant community, and those who are not his people.  We can even see in our modern society that there are some situations which are much worse for those who are not involved in a local church, for those who are not placing their hope in God, for those who are trusting in themselves and nothing but themselves.  Our Lord shows us daily that it is by his grace we live.  

In closing, let's simply observe that Pharaoh seemed persuaded, as we seem persuaded.  Did he let the people of Israel go?  Not this time.  When we are persuaded, when we confess our sin, when we promise to go and sin no more, we are equally liable to go back on our promise.  We are equally likely to forsake our commitments.  But we'll see in a subsequent reading that God delivers his people anyway.  He will accomplish his will and desire regardless of the weakness of our faith.  In Christ, sinners are saved, period.  In Christ, sin is atoned for, period.  In Christ we can look forward to the resurrection of the body, period.  Jesus himself is the resurrection and the life.  This is not dependent on the quality of my faith.  It is not dependent on my perseverance.  It is not dependent on me at all.  It is dependent on the validity of God's promise.  Let us then look to our Lord, the one who makes his mighty promises and who keeps them.

Exodus 8.1-32, Hebrews 1.1-14 - Lectionary for 3/28/10 - Palm Sunday

Today's readings are Exodus 8.1-32 and Hebrews 1.1-14.

Our Lord continues pouring out plagues on Egypt.  Notice just a few things.  First, both frogs and flies had some sacred significance to Egyptians.  God is turning something that is significant to the local culture into a curse against that culture.  He is showing that what they honor is something which he can use to inflict judgment on them.  Also notice that beginning with the plague of flies God makes a distinction between Egypt and the Hebrews.  He brings no plague of flies on the Hebrews but he does on the Egyptians.

Pharaoh and his advisers start to recognize that this is God's hand and that they cannot either cause these things to happen or control them.  Moses can pray that the Lord will remove a plague and it will be removed.  But Pharaoh and his wise men are unable to do anything about the situations.

When we realize that we are in trouble, when we realize that we are unable to help ourselves, when we see that the things our culture values are not all we would like them to be, may we also look to the Lord who uses those things in our lives.  May the Lord show us the distinction between his blessing and his curse.  May the Lord show us how he has come to bring life, hope, blessing, all embodied in God the Son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life to redeem this world to himself.

Exodus 7.1-25, Mark 16.1-20 - Lectionary for 3/27/10 - Saturday, Lent 5

Today's readings are Exodus 7.1-25 and Mark 16.120.

At God's command Moses goes to Pharaoh with the demand that Pharaoh should let his people go.  Pharaoh, again, as we would expect, denies the request.  He does not want to release his slave population.  He knows that if they leave the Egyptians will be without a valuable labor force.  He may also fear their rebellion spreading to other segments of the population.  Notice how God has prepared Moses for this.  He has warned Moses that he should not expect a positive response but instead that God will deliver his people from Egypt through supernatural signs and by bringing trouble on Egypt.  

This is exactly what God does in this world.  He overturns our judgment, our wisdom, our plans through his supernatural signs.  He works counter to our expectations.  We plan out how our lives should go.  We take steps, wise steps, well reasoned steps toward furthering our lives, our careers, raising our children, any number of other things.  We think we are well reasoned.  Yet our Lord overturns reason again and again.  He shows himself to be the supernatural Lord who works in ways we would not expect.  

Two of the ways God works in counterintuitive ways are pictured in this reading.  First, a serpent is something which would be dangerous.  Yet the serpent God creates not only does no harm to its master, Aaron, but it also overcomes many other serpents.  The serpent God creates provokes the magicians of Egypt to do something quite dangerous, in creating dangerous serpents of their own.  God takes what would normally be an accursed animal and shows his glory through it.  Second, he shows through turning the water of Egypt to blood temporarily that he is the master of life and death.  He is able to bring terrible destruction on the people of Egypt, just as he brings good on them, good which they never even noticed because it was so plentiful and seemed so permanent.  

We realize that we take God's provision for granted.  We often act as though this world is all there is.  We act as though we will never have a shortage of common materials, all of which are ultimately provided by our Lord.  We act as though God does not matter.  Yet in this time of Lent we are brought face to face with the fact that the Lord is real, that he is acting in the world, and that his ultimate goal is to redeem us from the death we cannot avoid by dying that death on our behalf.  We see that this world is on the brink of eternity.  It is not our permanent resting place.  Our Lord has gone before us in resurrection to eternal life.  He likewise calls us to join with him by faith.  We need not fear the serpents or the water which we cannot drink.  He gives us life forever.

Exodus 5.1-6.1, Mark 15.33-47 - Lectionary for 3/26/10 - Friday, Lent 5

Today's readings are Exodus 5.1-6.1 and Mark 15.33-47.

In our Old Testament reading we see the people of Israel, who have been suffering from oppression, suffering still more.  When Pharaoh hears of their plan to leave he increases their workload, imposing a demand on them which they cannot fulfill.  The people of Israel receive penalties and cry out even more to the Lord for deliverance.  Pharaoh gloats that the people have not been delivered from their labors.

How often are we like Pharaoh?  When someone wants something that we don't want to grant we increase that person's labors.  The teenager wants some special privilege so we parents impose burdensome tasks on the child.  An employee is dealing with a situation away from work which would be made much easier if he were to leave a little early.  We say it would be fine as long as all the day's work is done and then we find extra work.  Someone who has offended us wishes to be reconciled and we make it more difficult because, quite frankly, we want to hurt that person.  We pile heavy burdens on those we disagree with, burdens we would not be willing or able to move no matter how hard we tried.

What is God's promise?  He repeats his promise in Exodus 6.1.  He will deliver his people.  In fact, he will deliver them in such a way that Pharaoh, who did not want them to leave, will drive them out himself.  Our Lord fulfills his promises.  He fulfills them in ways that we can't imagine.  He fulfills them in such a way that the very people who try to hinder his will are left speechless.  Consider the crucifixion of Christ.  The one who did no wrong is convicted as a criminal.  The one who is a king is stripped of all his authority.  The deathless one is put to a cruel death.  The sinless one receives the burden of the sin of the world.  The plans of sinful humans and of the devil seem to be complete as they have put the Lord of life to death.  But God has promised a savior and that's exactly what he delivers, counter to expectation, counter to reason, counter to all our plans against him.  In the resurrection of Christ we see God's triumph over death, hell and the grave.  Indeed our Lord's promises in Christ are fulfilled.

Exodus 4.19-31, Mark 15.16-32 - Lectionary for 3/25/10 - Thursday, Lent 5

Today's readings are Exodus 4.19-31 and Mark 15.16-32.

In Exodus today we see that Moses is returned to Egypt.  The Lord has prepared him to face Pharaoh.  The Lord has also prepared the circumstances of Moses' return.  He has observed that the people who were going to kill Moses were all dead and gone.  He has visited Aaron to arrange a meeting, since Aaron is going to act as Moses' spokesman.

Observe the mirror image in verses 21-26.  Pharaoh will be punished by the loss of his firstborn son if he does not allow Israel to go serve God.  Yet because of the Moses' failure to keep the covenant of circumcision God threatens to punish Moses on behalf of his child.  So doing, our Lord teaches us that the disobedience of his covenant people is very serious.  As we harm our children by our failure, so the Lord allows the blame to be on our heads.  Yet at the same time, through the shedding of blood, our Lord has appointed forgiveness.  He has called out a special people to himself, through the shedding of his own blood, received by faith.

As the Israelites could do, so also we can believe.  We, like them, hear that the Lord visits his people.  We know our Lord has seen our affliction.  May we, like the Israelites, bow down and worship our Lord and Savior, who has come to us to redeem us through the shedding of his own blood.

Exodus 4.1-18, Mark 15.1-15 - Lectionary for 3/24/10 - Wednesday, Lent 5

Today's readings are Exodus 4.1-18 and Mark 15.1-15.

Our Lord has promised mighty signs to Moses.  He has appeared to Moses in the burning bush which is not consumed.  He has shown that he can adjust the way nature works to bring about his will.  Yet Moses has trouble believing that God's power is in him and will work through him to deliver the people of Israel from their bondage.  The Lord gives multiple signs for Moses to perform.  Yet Moses still doubts, he still does not wish to speak out for God.  Therefore the Lord sends Aaron to convey the message he has given Moses to the Pharaoh, the people of Egypt, and the children of Israel.

Do we face fears and doubts?  We certainly do.  Look what we proclaim as a Christian gospel, after all.  We proclaim that sin is real, that it is an offense against God, who is invisible.  We proclaim that there is one God who is eternally existent in three persons.  Yet we maintain this is one God.  We proclaim that sin brings death and that only the death of a perfect sinless human in our place can deliver us from sin.  We proclaim that all humans are sinful, therefore to deliver us from sin we need a perfect human who must be specially provided by God.  We proclaim that the sin of one person somehow puts sin onto all people and that the death of the perfect human will pay the penalty of sin for all humans, including those who have already died.  We proclaim that the perfect one who died for human sin was raised from the dead and ascended to heaven.  We proclaim a bodily resurrection, a resurrection to life in blessing for all who believe and a resurrection to life in condemnation for all who do not believe.  We say that this eternal blessed life is procured not by our good works but by the good work of Jesus on our behalf.  Is this enough to make us doubt?  We Christians proclaim lots of things which seem utterly insane.  Yet we have reason to believe they are absolutely true.  

Just how supernatural is our Lord?  Just how able to create, sustain, and adjust this natural world is he?  Has he ever changed in this regard? While we fear that we are wrong, let us also look to our Lord in faith, knowing that he is the one who has done mighty signs in the world before and that he can continue to work in just the same way in the future.  He has promised never to leave us.  He has promised that he will be with us to the end.  Resting in this promise of Matthew 28, let us then trust that he will be just as good as his word.