Lectionary for 1/31/09

Today's readings are Zechariah 10.1-11.3 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Zech.+10.1-11.3 ) and 2 Timothy 3.1-18 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=2+Tim.+3.1-18 ).

 

Our reading in 2 Timothy today is one of the most straightforward clear Law and Gospel passages in the whole Bible.  In case a reader doesn't know about this Law/Gospel dynamic, it's probably time to mention it.

 

In the Law, God tells us what we must do to be holy.  Do this and live.  Don't do it and die.  This is God's command, by which a man will live if he does every part of it without fail.  God's Law is not restricted to the Old Testament in any way.  We see it very clearly in the first nine verses of 2 Timothy 3, often phrased in the negative, saying what is bad, rather than in the positive, saying what is good.  To live by God's Law we must avoid all that God says is bad and do all that God says.

 

In the Gospel, God tells us what he has done to make us holy.  Because God has done this we can receive forgiveness and live. If he didn't do it we would die.  This is God's proclamation of forgiveness, not based on any works that we do, but entirely based on the works of God.  The Gospel is not restricted to the New Testament.  We see it throughout the Old Testament as well.  But here, in the New Testament reading, we see it, maybe slightly veiled, in 2 Timothy 3.10-17.  What has God provided for us?  Examples of believers, rescue from persecution, belief in the accounts of Scriptures, which have also been given to us so we can read and understand about the salvation provided in Jesus.  And that salvation in Jesus is itself a Gospel statement, as it is by faith we are saved.  God's provision of Scripture is a Gospel work because through the Scripture we can meet and receive the Jesus we need.

 

Do we live by the Law?  Not at all.  The Law shows our sin and our need for a savior.  Do we, in Christ, do the works of the Law?  Yes.  He shows us what is pleasing to us and gives us a desire to do what pleases him.  So we do many of the works of the Law. 

 

Do we live by the Gospel?  Most certainly.  The Gospel provides us with what we need.  Otherwise we would never be pleasing to God.  Do we do the Gospel?  No.  We cannot do the Gospel, as it is what God has provided for us.  The Gospel is God's work, not ours.

 

Lord, seeing the requirements of the Law we confess our sin.  Thank you for providing forgiveness and redemption through Jesus Christ.  May we return thanks and live in faith, knowing that you are the one who has redeemed us from the curse of the Law.

 

 

 

Lectionary for 1/30/09

Today's readings are Zechariah 9.1-17 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Zech.+9.1-17 ) and 2 Timothy 2.1-26 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=2+Tim.+2.1-26 ).

Our reading in Zechariah tells about what it means to be saved by God. We are retrieved from the hands of our enemies, God's enemies.  We are placed under his guardianship.  He watches over his people to be sure no harm comes to them.  He delivers people of various different nations from their enemies.  He does this all himself.  The enemies are systematically destroyed, though apparently not immediately or he would not have to stand guard over his people.

What do we see about this topic in 2 Timothy 2?  Rather a lot, actually, so I won't go into great detail.  Observe how Timothy and Paul are both people who get to follow Christ in sufferings.  The life of the Christian has its share of suffering.  It has its share of attacks.  People will say bad things, do bad things also, against us simply because of our testimony of Christ.  In our country right now the attacks often run along the lines of statements that Christians are ignorant, stupid, misinformed, antisocial, or a little bit dangerous.  In other countries the attacks may be more severe and be manifested as physical persecution.  In some places the opposition tends to be through systematically ignoring the Christian faith.  It differs in different places.  But Christians can expect to have suffering and attacks.  Yet in all this, we are exhorted to remember Christ.  We confess his resurrection.  We put our own desires to death and live to his desires.  We confess him in all things.  And we know Christ guards us and confesses us before the Father in heaven.

May the Lord use his people in the honorable tasks for God's household. 

Lectionary for 1/29/09

Today's readings are Zechariah 8.1-23 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Zech.+8.1-23 ) and 2 Timothy 1.1-18 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=2+Tim.+1.1-18 ).

Today we read about restoration and sustenance.  The Lord who is restoring Israel is the very same Lord who is sustaining Paul.  The same Lord who promises blessing to the land of Israel in the time of Zechariah promises his blessing and provision to those who love him, even to the thousandth generation.  Of course, the number "thousand" in the Bible typically refers to that number you wouldn't even count because it is so big.  He promises blessing on those who love him forever.

What is our response to this great love?   It is a great love which has been poured out for us before we were able to do anything.  As the Lord incarnate, Jesus, the living Word of the Father has come to suffer for our sin so that we may partake in his life, we rejoice in our savior.  As the Lord has given the Holy Spirit to live within us, we joyfully receive guidance, comfort and encouragement in all righteousness.  As the Father will judge us based on Christ's righteousness rather than our own, we courageously approach his throne bringing our petitions before him.  And as the Lord has placed us in the context of his body on earth, the Church, we work to bring good rather than evil to our society.  We work to bless our neighbor, loving him as ourselves.  We reach out our hands to our communities in love, not our love but the love with which the Lord has loved us, laying down his life for us.

In the final analysis, when God restores and sustains people in this world, he does it to us and through us.  We are his instruments of blessing and mercy.  Thanks be to God for using us in his gracious work.

Lectionary for 1/28/09

Today's readings are Zecharaiah 6.1-7.14 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Zech.+6.1-7.14 ) and Romans 16.17-27 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+16.17-27 ).

I recently removed myself from an email list which I had followed for several years.  The list owner contacted me when he saw my unsubscription, saying he has appreciated my contributions to the list.  Thinking I owed him at least a brief reason I observed that it seemed I was in a very different theological world than the one presented and assumed in the organization that sponsors that list so thought I should move on.  The owner contacted me back observing that they tried to keep things broad enough to include everyone who would embrace the Gospel.  Since the comments seemed to bring the conversation to an adequate conclusion I chose to let the matter rest.

This idea that by broadening our theological stances and embracing diversity we are making the Gospel something which will draw people to Christ more effectively is very dangerous.  It is exactly what Paul, in today's reading, is saying not to do.  Let me draw out some of the details in that statement I made.

First, we are not to broaden our theology.  There is one Gospel.  We are to watch out for people who are divisive theologically, i.e., those who have beliefs which disagree with the pure doctrine the Lord has given.  The very reason we articulate theological stances is to make our beliefs absolutely clear and to protect God's people from a theological broadening.

Second, we do not embrace diversity, whatever that means.  We pursue truth, which, wielded by the Holy Spirit is a very sharp tool indeed, moving quickly and precisely to convict of sin, bring repentance, and create faith in Christ.  Pursuit of diversity leads to those flattering people Paul talks about being accepted and given a voice.  It creates a message which is muddled and confusing.  It makes our understanding the mediator of truth, rather than truth to be the mediator of our understanding.

Third, the Gospel is the power of God, created by God, administered by God, accomplishing God's purposes.  We don't do anything to it.  The Gospel itself is the power of God (Romans 1.16).  God is quite able to draw people to himself through the means he has prepared and given his Church.  We don't mess with the Gospel.  This is more of that self-serving flattery Paul talks about.

How broad is the true Gospel?  The Gospel is that Jesus was crucified, the atoning sacrifice for sin, atoning for the sin of the world, applied to all who believe  How broad is that?  We need not play around with the plans our Lord has given us.  When we try to broaden the scope we ultimately end up with a false gospel which is culturally conditioned and which applies only to certain types of people, certain demographic groups, certain socioeconomic groups, people who engage in particular behaviors or who choose not to engage in particular behaviors.  

Lord, take your Gospel.  Work through us today using your Gospel, wherever we go, whatever we say, whatever we are busy doing.  Use our hands, our heads, our hearts, our mouths to reveal your Gospel in this world.

Lectionary for 1/27/09

Today's readings are Zechariah 4.1-5.11 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Zech.+4.1-5.11 ) and Romans 15.14-33 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+15.14-33 ).

God's work of purification, drawing a people to himself, removing sin and darkness from his presence, is not a work that always makes much sense to us.  Like today's reading in Zechariah we often find the affairs of this world confusing.  Yet we see, time and again, that God's people are at work.  As we look at Paul's example, we see that there is always something to do for our Lord.  There is always some place to go.  There is always someone who needs to hear of the forgiveness wrought by God in Christ.  If we run out of people here, there are people somewhere else.  If we delay in one place there will be a new generation of people where we were before, some of whom have not heard because in the darkness of our human hearts we neglect to tell people of the light of the Gospel.  There is always something to do for Christ, every day, anywhere we are.  

This work we do for Christ every day doesn't always make a lot of sense to us.  How does removing dust from my furniture minister before Christ?  Does it not restore order and cleanliness to the world he created?  How does changing a baby's diaper minister before Christ?  Does it not show love and care for our neighbor who is unable to care for that need?  How does sitting at the reception desk transferring phone calls to different corporate offices minister before Christ?  Does it not serve those unseen neighbors who needed to speak with the right person?  Truly all our work is done before Christ.  It all contributes to his work in this world.  It is all important.  

Wherever we go, whatever we do, may we take the Gospel with us, working joyfully as Christ's hands in this world, drawing people to our Lord, removing sin and darkness.

Lectionary for 1/26/09

Today's readings are Zechariah 2.1-3.10 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Zech.+2.1-3.10 ) and Romans 15.1-13 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+15.1-13 ).

God has surely revealed his will in various ways in the past.  Look at the picture of salvation he gives us in Zechariah 3.  Like the high priest Joshua we stand before the Lord in filthy clothes.  The battle with sin is a terrible battle, one which is destructive of life and property.  We will not and cannot clean ourselves up.  God in his mercy cleanses all who believe on him.  He has taken away the old garments of human effort and placed on us righteousness, our new garment. It is not of ourselves.

Likewise we see in Romans that this salvation we receive came through Jesus, who bore sin on our behalf.  How then should we love our neighbor?  Did Jesus prefer us to himself?  No doubt.  We are to love our neighbor the same way, dealing wih that person's weaknesses, bringing the message of liberty, deliverance in Christ, the "new clothes" that the Lord puts on us as he did on the high priest in Zechariah.

Salvation is of the Lord!  May he reveal it to people through us this day.

Lectionary for 1/25/09

I notice that I missed a day and that yesterday's post used the readings from Friday.  Ah, well, as Linus van Pelt would say, "five hundred years from now who will care?"

Today's readings are Zechariah 1.1-21 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Zech.+1.1-21 ) and Romans 14.1-23 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+14.1-23 ).

We have a fine line to walk as we consider Romans 14.  Has the Lord given us freedoms?  Yes he has.  We are free, as Paul puts it, to eat and drink.  Righteousness is not a matter of the law but a matter of being a partaker of God's grace.  So how do we conduct ourselves in front of others?  We surely should help others realize that they are free in Christ to eat and drink and do all good things.  But at the same time, there are some people who will be made to stumble in their faith.  Paul points to them as those who are weak in their faith, though in much of American evangelicalism they would be considered people who are strong in their faith.  What do we do with the person who self-righteously says that alcoholic drinks will never cross his lips, even in celebration of the Lord's supper?  The answer is actually quite clear.  If the person is being self-righteous about it we should point out the Scriptural freedom that we have to partake of good things the Lord has provided but not to be mastered by them.  What do we do with the person who fears alcoholic drinks because of his weak conscience?  If he partakes of alcohol, even in the Lord's supper, it may be a violation of his conscience and lead him to decide he has sinned and is maybe not even a believer.  This is a weaker brother and we dare not make him stumble.  We can gently remind him of the liberty which is in Christ to partake of good tings and not be bound by them or sin through them.  But we should leave him free to avoid the alcohol.  He is a weak brother and we are to guard him.  The real difficulty is telling the difference between the self-righteous and the weak.  They don't go around wearing signs.  Best to treat all like weaker brothers and yet exercise our liberty in Christ, gently but not flagrantly.

Lectionary for 1/24/09

Today's readings are Joel 2.18-32 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Joel+2.18-32 ) and Romans 11.25-12.13 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+11.25-12.13 ).

There is a movement within Christianity which says God has dealt in the past with Israel, making them partakers of a covenant.  He is now dealing with the Church, exclusive of Israel.  This view says that God will, at some point in the future, turn back to Israel, bringing that national entity to salvation.  Followers of this philosophy often point to passages like Joel 2 and Romans 11 to prove their points.  But this philosophy does not hold up.  It has many failings, some of which will be demonstrated as I lay out the following biblical ideas which tie in to today's reading.

First, notice that God has indeed dealt with Israel, calling them a chosen people, promising them restoration and blessing.  Yet the covenant God made with Abraham was related to Abraham's trust in him.  The covenant of God is given by God's grace before we do anything.  It is received by faith.   In these last days, not only Israel, but all people from all nations who believe on Jesus are partakers of the covenant of God.  The covenant made with Israel has not changed.  It is still received by faith just like it was in bygone years.

Second, notice that Jesus' death in our place is termed in Scripture as an atonement for the sins of the whole world.  Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  He died not only for our sins, but for those of the whole world.  He has opened the doors of salvation to everyone, regardless of national identity, who believes.  And this salvation is mediated through the Church, a worldwide and invisible entity, rather than the nation of Israel, a localized and visible people group.  The Church includes all those of Israel who believe.  God has not shifted his focus to deal with the Church (i.e., Gentiles) as opposed to Israel.  He has radically broadened the scope of the people to whom covenant promises are made.

In what way is God going to save and restore national Israel?  He will do it to the extent that the individuals who make up national Israel repent and believe on Christ, just like he does for every other nation on earth.  As Abraham said to the rich man in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, they have Moses and the prophets.  They can believe.

May we realize the riches, the breadth and depth of the salvation our Lord has promised.  He is not only the God to those who are near, but the od to those who are far off.  As we read in Romans 12.1, then, in view of the mercies of God, let us present our bodies as a living sacrifice to our Lord.

Lectionary for 1/22/09

Today's readings are Joel 2.1-17 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Joel+2.1-17 ) and Romans 11.1-24 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+11.1-24 ).

Against all opposition, against all human reason, against all ready understanding of what we would do if we were God, today's reading shows us that the Lord is the deliverer of his people.  To all those who return to him in repentance and faith he shows himself to be the one who leads and protects his people.  No matter what enemies are coming against them, God's people can stand firm in the knowledge that the Lord is their protector.  It is upon those who do not believe that the ultimate destruction falls.

How far does this calling and grace extend?  See in Romans how those who are of Israel by ancestry but who are not continuing in the faith are cut off from the tree but now in Christ all who believe are grafted in, becoming one.  The Church, those called in faith in Christ, replaces national Israel and is now in the New Testament pictured as that to which people flock for protection.  The body of Christ is the fulfillment of the Israelite kingdom.  Those who are in Christ by faith are the true children of Abraham, regardless of their biological ancestry. 

Let us thank our Lord today for drawing his people from all nations to receive his blessing and protection, which is found wholly in Christ. 

Lectionary for 1/21/09

Today's readings are Joel 1.1-20 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Joel+1.1-20 ) and Romans 10.1-21 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+10.1-21 ).

Joel tells us of a famine.  The enemies of God's people have stripped the land of all its goods.  There is a drought.  The animals and people are hungry and thirsty.  Things are looking bad.  Will the people look to the Lord for help?  We see in Romans 10 a similar situation.  There is a drought, a famine, but the thing that has been missing is God's word.  Who will speak the word of God to the people of Israel?  Why can they not hear?  Though they may disobey and reject the call of God they will certainly not believe without hearing.

I was thinking yesterday about how God creates faith in our hearts through the proclamation of the Word.  Ultimately we will not have faith without hearing the Word.  and we will not hear the Word of God if nobody is sent to bring it.  May we be faithful ourselves also to ask the Lord for opportunity and calling to proclaim Scripture.  May we be ready to hear from those who lay out the Scripture in our hearing.  May we be moved by the Holy Spirit acting through the proclamation of the Word.

Lectionary for 1/20/09

Today's readings are Ezekiel 47.1-14 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ezek.+47.1-14 ), Ezekiel 47.21-23 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ezek.+47.21-23 ), and Romans 9.19-23 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+9.19-23 ).

I expect we all remember playing a game called something like "if I were king for a day."  What would we want to do in this world if we were in charge of everything for a day, a week, a month?  Maybe we'd want to accomplish good things, heal diseases, bring prosperity and order, stop crime, educate people.  There are all sorts of good goals we can have.  Often we have strong opinions about how to reach those goals.  And some of the plans we have to reach our goals might even work.

Over and over again in Scripture we see that God has plans.  He has goals for this world.  Yet our Lord does not carry out his plans in the way we might expect.  This is seen in our Ezekiel reading ever so clearly.  Consider the way a river works.  It starts in one place and unless it has water from other sources flowing into it the river will become smaller and smaller until it ends.  The water that starts flowing will evaporate and be absorbed into the ground before too long and the river will be gone.  Not so with God's river.  Entirely without receiving nourishment from other sources, this healing, nourishing, life-giving river of God grows and grows.  As it provides for the people the river of God takes nothing and gives everything.

Our Lord has given us life, eternal life, through his giving of himself.  He does not strip us of our identity.  He does not strip us of our creativity.  He does not strip us of our intellect.  In fact, he gives.  The only thing he removes is sin.  In return for our sin he gives us life and provision for all we need.  We simply receive it by believing.  And here is the place many of us stumble.  We do not have to use our plans for accomplishing world peace.  We do not use our plans to bring prosperity and order.  We do not use our plans to create society in our own image.  That image, the background we have, the nature we have lived with, is like a river which, when not fed, dries up.  No, we do not use those plans.  We use God's plans.  We work as the Holy Spirit directs, as the Scripture has revealed to us, to bring good, healing, and life to our world.

Jesus says, "I am the bread of life."  Let us come to the Lord for life.

Lectionary for 1/19/09

Today's readings are Ezekiel 44.1-16 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ezek.+44.1-16 ), Ezekiel 44.23-29 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ezek.+44.23-29 ), and Romans 9.1-18 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+9.1-18 ).

In our Ezekiel reading we see some of the temple servants who participated in Israel's idolatry.  They did not hold firmly to the Gospel, serving God in truth as God had commanded.  These unfaithful servants are assigned duty which does not have responsibilities for important matters.  They are among those to be taught and led by the faithful priests.

It seems in today's evangelicalism that we are driven by service. A recent study of megachurches considered service activities and attendance at various meetings throughout the week to be the sign of maturity in Christ.  It seems the busier we are about God's business the more spiritually mature we are.  This is not accurate.  Without a doubt you can fill your life with feeding the poor, singing songs in the church choir, volunteering around the church building, producing audio/visual displays for the worship services, playing an instrument in the church band, even participating in or leading a Bible study or prayer group and never once reflect seriously on the enormity of your sin and Christ's forgiveness for you.  Of course, you can also fill your life with playing with your children, polishing the car, removing every weed from your yard and garden, and sweeping the driveway and sidewalks while never reflecting on sin and forgiveness.  The fact is, no matter what we are engaged in, no matter what makes us busy, we are quite able to ignore our Lord and Savior.  The fact is, we have all done so and we will do it again and again. 

What has our Lord provided for us when we live like atheists?  He has provided repentance and forgiveness.  He has provided those who are proclaiming the Scripture for us, teaching and reminding us.  And he gives us busy times and times to stop all our running about and listen to him.

Lord, let us hear your words of forgiveness and hope.  Conform us to your image.  And may we also speak words of forgiveness and hope to others as you enable us.

Lectionary for 1/17/09

Today's readings are Ezekiel 39.1-10 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ezek.+39.1-10 ), Ezekiel 39.17-29 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ezek.+39.17-29 ), and Romans 7.21-8.17 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+7.21-8.17 ).

The choice of the passage from Romans struck me today as I was reading it.  Very often we tend to read chapter 7, close our Bibles, then read chapter 8 as if nothing came before it.  Of course, Paul was not thinking in chapters and verses, nor were the Romans reading in chapters and verses.  To see these two chapters together points out God's grace shown to us sinners in a marvelous way.

Here's what I mean.  We think of the struggle against sin as something which is ultimately discouraging.  And in a sense it is discouraging.  But right after talking about the struggle he has with sin, Paul thanks God for the riches of the mercy of Christ.  This points up a question we should ask ourselves more often.  How does my sin point to the glory of God? Should I sin so grace may abound?  No, that's not the answer at all.  I should strive not to sin.  But when I do sin, and I will do so regularly, my knowledge of my sin points up God's righteousness and forgiving grace all the more.  What will I do about this sinful man who rises up in me daily?  Thanks be to God, Christ has died in his place.  I can come with repentance and receive forgiveness because no matter how much that sinful man rises up to try to kill the new creation, the sinful man himself has been crucified with Christ.

Oh Lord, have mercy on us.

Thanks be to God.

Lectionary for 1/16/09

Today's readings are Ezekiel 38.1-23 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ezek.+38.1-23 ) and Romans 7.1-20 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+7.1-20 ).

Sanctification versus justification?  Judicial sanctification?  Progressive sanctification?  Sometimes it seems we might need a gift of the Holy Spirit just to figure out what the theological terminology people throw around might mean.  There are a few terms that might make more sense in light of today's passage.  And since people keep throwing theological terms around we might as well get them straight.  After all, just because we don't choose to use difficult language doesn't mean we don't know what it says.  Or to put it in another way, one could determine to be abstruse, but rather elect to eschew obfuscation.  

In both our reading passages today we see the dreaded reality that believing people who are being shepherded by Christ come under attack, both from within and from without.  God addresses the nations who would choose to attack his people.  They will not ultimately succeed so they had best not start in the first place.  Terrible things happen when we act in a hostile way toward God's people.  That's the big message of Ezekiel 38.  Now how about Romans 7?  That's not about other nations attacking God's people.  It's about God's people living with sin.  It's about attacks from within.  And this brings me to some often misunderstood theological terms.

First off, let's get the distinction between sanctification and justification.  Justification is what happens when God proclaims us to be not guilty.  Christ died to take my sin.  I was justified by his death on my behalf.  It happened when Jesus died.  Of course, I had to be conceived before I was around to receive that justification.  And I had to hear that Christ died on my behalf before the Lord created faith in my heart to believe.  But while I was still a sinner Christ died for me.  That's justification.

Sanctification didn't happen to me when Christ died for me.  Sanctification means "being made holy."  Though God proclaims me not guilty I can and do sin.  And God proclaimed me not guilty before I was even born.  I didn't hear or care about being made holy until after I was born.  Just as it is possible for a judge to declare someone not guilty of crime and for that person to live a life of crime rather than live a crime-free life, it is possible for me to be proclaimed not guilty by God but proceed to live an unholy life.  But God calls us to a life which is sanctified.  He cleans us by his Spirit when we believe (it seems to be at the same time that we realize his justification and trust in his work).  This is what some people might call "judicial sanctification."  We have been washed, cleaned up, our clothes have been cleaned and pressed, and our hair combed by our heavenly Father.  Now, what happens immediately afterward?  We proceed to untuck our shirt, run our fingers through our hair, and stick a piece of chewing gum behind our ear.  Or we might strive to live the "clean" life the Lord has prepared for us.  Some of us jump right into the hog wallow.  Some of us sit down tidily in our party clothes and try to keep our noses clean.  But the fact is we will all need continual cleaning.  Just like we continue to need showers, haircuts, and simply find that our freshly brushed teeth don't stay clean, we need ongoing washing from the Holy Spirit.  This is "progressive."  That's what Paul is talking about in Romans 7.  He is in Christ.  That's clear.  He has been justified.  He has received God's super wash, hot wax, and detail service.  And he tries to avoid driving through puddles and ditches.  But there's a sinful desire within each one of us which drags us toward that hog wallow, or at least toward the dirty basement.  At the very least we end up with morning breath and need to brush our teeth.  

God diagnoses this tendency as sin.  That's why he has given his Law.  That's why he has given his word.  It works like a mirror to show us our sin.  It also works like telescope to show us our savior.  And when we look through the telescope of God's written word to see our savior, God's living word, who is standing right next to us always, we find an incredible close-up view.  How wretched we are!  Look at him!  Now look at us!  I know it will never be good like Jesus, but, Lord, let me clean up my act and turn to you in repentance because no matter what I do I'm still filthy!  Thanks be to God, he gives us a savior who can cleanse us again and again, no matter how we sin.  And thanks be to God that he gives us a savior who convicts us of sin so we are not as harmful to ourselves and our neighbors as we might be.  

Lord, protect my neighbors from me.  May I walk in your holiness this day.

Lectionary for 1/15/09

Today's readings are Ezekiel 37.15-28 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ezek.+37.15-28 ) and Romans 6.1-23 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+6.1-23 ).

Today we read about God gathering his people from the nations where their sins have scattered them.  He will gather them together under one shepherd, into one flock, prepared to serve him in righteousness.  In Romans we also see that God has called his people together through the justification they receive by faith in Jesus' death on their behalf.  

This passage in Romans is often used to urge people to, in effect, earn their salvation.  "Present yourself to God.  Maybe he will forgive you.  Maybe you can live a holy life and receive God's blessing.  Maybe you can hold fast to the Lord and desire him like none other.  That will show you are serious enough about God that he should keep you in his life and salvation."  This is a dangerous teaching.  While paved with good intentions of urging people to live a life which is pleasing to God in Christ, it leads to discouragement, separation from God, and dependence on the self rather than on Christ's righteousness.  We are urged to live a life pleasing to God.  Certainly that is God's command.  It is what we are to do always.  But our life of holiness, good works, and service to God earns us nothing.  We fail every day.  Every day we find some way to take the glory for our good behavior as our own glory.  Every day we sin and we then sin again when we justify ourselves.  Every day we do something which the people around us see as good but we realize we were doing it to be praised by them rather than entirely to serve God by serving our neighbor.  

What then is the purpose of the passage in Romans?  Paul exhorts people to turn their actions and attitudes to the Lord knowing what he has done for them.  We are to live for and serve God in Christ because he died to serve us.  And that is the minimal expectation of God.  We are to engage in perfect, 24/7/365 obedience.  Paul is not encouraging us.  He is bringing us face to face with our sin.  Then we look back to the promise God gave through Ezekiel.  He is in the process of drawing his people together out of their sin and bondage, presenting them to himself, purifying them for his service, and nourishing them, protecting them, leading them as a shepherd leads his sheep.  The sheep continue to wander.  The shepherd continues to guard them and provide for them.

Let us turn in repentance to the Lord our shepherd.  And let us receive his forgiveness with thanksgiving.  Will we sin again?  No doubt.  And when we do let us remember that when we sin, when we grieve our Lord, we turn back to him in repentance for forgiveness, which he has provided freely.

Lectionary for 1/14/09

Today's readings are Ezekiel 3.33-37.14 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ezek.+36.33-37.14 ) and Romans 5.1-21 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+5.1-21 ).

The one and the many are a frequent theme of dispute in ancient philosophy.  There was endless debate about whether there was actually one thing in the universe or if there were multiple different things.  This debate was phrased as a debate between those who thought there was just one substance, normally existing in very small particles which gathered in different ways to make multiple appearances, and those who thought there were multiple different substances.  "The many" therefore had a long history of referring to "all the things there can be" as opposed to "one thing."  

Paul's statements in Romans 5.19 seem to echo this distinction.  See how universal the curse of sin is.  Through one man's sin "many" (meaning everyone) are made unrighteous.  Likewise through one man's obedience "many" (meaning everyone) are made righteous.  This is yet another passage in the New Testament where the Holy Spirit speaks in uncomfortably universalistic terms.  Jesus died for the sins of the whole world.  He redeemed the world to himself.  Through the death of Christ the whole world is made righteous.  

Yet we do not affirm that the game is over.  Jesus has conquered and everyone is going to heavenly bliss because he has redeemed the world.  We don't affirm that because over and over again the Scripture puts a requirement on being a participant in Christ's death and resurrection.  And that requirement is one which can make us as uncomfortable as the universalistic statements we saw earlier.  What must we do to be saved?  We must believe on the Lord.  Don't we need to take on a laundry list of ways to improve our lives?  Actually we don't.  God is certainly the one who has ordained good works in this world.  He uses those good works to accomplish his purpose.  They are a good thing.  The Christian should expect to desire to do good works and should engage in them even when that desire seems a bit cold.  But they are a way of loving our neighbor.  They are a way God's kingdom comes and his will is done on earth as it is in heaven.  They are not the way of salvation.  We are participants in Christ's death and resurrection by believing that it is sufficient.  That's it.  Those who don't believe are condemned.  They get to work out their own salvation.  Those who believe are made righteous.  They participate in Christ's righteousness.  That is the end of the story.  At that point the game is over.  Jesus has conquered and everyone who believes that is going to heavenly bliss because he has redeemed the world.  Those who don't believe get to figure out their own way to heavenly bliss.  Scripture says there isn't another way.  We can participate in Adam or we can participate in Christ.

Lord, let us trust you rather than ourselves.  

Lectionary for 1/13/09

Today's readings are Ezekiel 36.13-28 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ezek.+36.13-28 ) and Romans 4.1-25 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+4.1-25 ).

Today we read in Ezekiel about the uncleanness God perceives when he looks at our lives, at our sin.  All our attempts at being pleasing to God, doing the right thing, seeking to live a life within his commands and blessings, all of them are vile in his sight.  What then should we do?  Should we pursue whatever our desires are, heedless of what God's command might be?  That would no more be pleasing in his sight than our attempts at righteousness.  That is no answer.  So what do we do?  We look to the reading in Romans and see what Abraham does. He turns to God but not in works.  He turns in faith, believing God's promises.  And the Lord sees that faith as righteousness.  The opposite of sin is not good deeds but faith.  By faith we receive the Holy Spirit who lives and works in us.  The Holy Spirit in turn does works of righteousness through us, not to show our goodness but to show God's goodness.  

May we look to our Lord in trust.  May the Lord account righteousness to us.  May the Lord work through us this day bringing glory and praise to himself. 

Lectionary for 1/12/09

Today's readings are Qzekiel 34.1-24 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ezek.+34.1-24 ) and Romans 3.19-31 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+3.19-31 ).

See in today's reading how God himself will raise up a shepherd who will gather his scattered flock and will shepherd and feed them.  We have to ask ourselves what flock this is that God is gathering?  What is it that belongs to God?  Our final answer?  Everything.  Everyone and everything belongs to God.  It is all his creation, he is the one who sustains everything and provides for everything.  It all belongs to God.  What does this mean, then, that God will gather his flock and feed them?  It means that sustenance, eternal sustenance, life without need and without deprivation, eternal life without suffering, life of plenty is available for everyone on the planet.  It all belongs to God.  He is raising up a shepherd who is not going to go around willy nilly deciding that some of God's sheep are no longer his sheep.

In three sentences Paul sums this up in Romans 3.  Look at it here in the English Standard Version.  "For there is no distinction:  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

Who has sinned?  Everyone.  Who is justified by God's grace as a gift?  The same antecedent, "all."  Jesus Christ has paid for the sins of everybody everywhere in all times.  End of story.  But it isn't the end of the story.  Just like the sheep of a shepherd can starve themselves, just like they can run away from the flock, just like they can eat or drink things which poison them, the Lord who has gathered us and feeds us requires us to stay with his flock and eat and drink what he has given us.  We receive this forgiveness, this mercy, this provision by faith.  We take God at his word and trust what he has said.  We are then in perfect safety, eternally.  We have all we need as we receive his provision by faith.  But when we try to earn our salvation, when we go to work for our food, when we say the food the Lord has given us is not good and we want some other food of our own devising, we bolt from the flock and leave the place of safety God has provided us.

Let us all, man, woman, and child from every nation, look to the Lord who has redeemed the world in faith.  As many as have sinned "are justified by his grace as a gift."  And that justification is received by faith, which is another provision we can receive from our Lord.

Lord, grant us to believe today.  

Lectionary for 1/11/09

Today's readings are Ezekiel 33.1-20 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ezek.+33.1-20 ) and Romans 3.1-18 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+3.1-18 ).

Sometimes in all the hurly-burly of looking at God's proclamation of the Law we forget that God only ever confronts sinful people with their sin.  And this confrontation of sin is for one purpose and one purpose only.  God confronts us with sin so as to convict us of wrong and turn us from sin to its opposite - faith.  Remember, everything which is not of faith is sin.  Sin and faith, faith and sin, opposites.  In our readings today we see calls from sin to repentance.  And those who are being called have been shown God's mercy and grace.  

Are we walking according to faith?  Or are we depending on ourselves?  Do we believe that there is really and truly only one way to eternal life and blessing, and that the way God has appointed is through death for sin?  Do we believe that Jesus himself became sin for us and that we no longer have to bear our sin because Christ has borne it on our behalf?  Or do we try to wrestle righteousness into our lives by keeping the Law which is written against us to convict us of sin?

As those who have tasted the righteousness of God, for whom it has been proclaimed that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, as those for whom Christ proclaimed on the cross, "It is finished," let us take God at his word and walk by faith.

Lectionary for 1/10/09

Today's readings are Ezekiel 18.1-4 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ezek.+18.1-4 ), Ezekiel 18.19-32 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ezek.+18.19-32 ), Romans 2.17-29 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rom.+2.17-29 ), and Ezekiel 19.1-24.27 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ezek.+19.1-24.27 ).

We continue to see the demands of God's law.  In today's reading we see that without righteousness we will in no way inherit the kingdom of God.  When standing before the judge of all we must stand in perfect righteousness or we will be condemned.  Turning from righteousness into sin will condemn us.  We look for some of those Gospel promises and see that we don't get much aside from the promise that we won't be punished for the sins of our parents or our children.  But we won't be rewarded for their righteousness either.  That leaves us high and dry, alone, with no defenses but ourselves, standing before God's throne of judgment.

A quick review of the longer passage from Ezekiel chapters 19-24 shows us a good deal of hope.  God has chosen his people and will redeem them.  He will adopt his people, though they be sinners, into a right relationship with him, causing them to live a life of righteousness.  And it is not their own righteousness.  He is declaring what is unrighteous to be righteous.  He is declaring what is unclean to be clean.  He is taking the outcast and making him a prince in the heavenly realms.  There's the Gospel!  We cannot be justified or condemned by another person's righteousness or iniquity.  Each sinful heir of Adam gets to stand on his own.  But Jesus, who is fully man and fully God, who has our human nature but without sin, is the one who can justify someone else by his own righteousness.  And he has justified all those who believe on him.  This is our great good news.  The "littlest" sin separates us from God.  But Jesus, through faith in his righteousness, removes the sin and proclaims us righteous.