Lectionary for 11/30/08

Today's readings are Isaiah 6.1-7.9 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Isaiah+6.1-7.9 ) and 1 Peter 2.13-25 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=1+Pet.+2.13-25 ).

Let's pick up a smattering of observations from today's readings.

1)  God is the purifier of his people.  He is able to use the means he chooses to accomplish his purpose.  Once he has declared his purpose accomplished it is accomplished.

2)  It appears that God punishes sinful disobedience and refusal to hear him by making it difficult for people to hear him.  This is consistent with Jesus' speaking in parables - not to make his meaning clearer but to hide it even more from those who did not wish to hear.  

3)  For those whose desire is to hear and obey God he provides all they need.

4)  We are commanded to do things which bring order to society.  These are decidedly good things we are to do.  And with our Lord enabling us we can actually do them.

Did you ever notice that people who reject Scripture still say some things in Scripture are good and right?  This means that the person who refuses the authority of Scripture is deciding that some parts are appropriate and some are not.  What criteria are in use?  Human wisdom?  The wisdom of which human?  How do we decide what is good and what is not?  This is a losing proposition because it invariably puts the fallible human as the judge of what is wise.  Yet we don't have to look at ourselves long to see that we are fallible.  Since Scripture claims authority and since we see its authority appears valid in many many things, why don't we decide we are fallible and accept what the Lord has said?  Maybe that's related to point #2 above.  

Lord, let us be ready to hear and receive from you.  Let us not hide in our own wisdom, clinging to our own judgment as that which will determine whether you are right or not.

Lectionary for 11/29/08

Today's readings are Isaiaha 5.1-25 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Is.+5.1-25 ), 1 Peter 2.1-12 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Is.+5.1-25 ), and Amos 1.1-9.15 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Amos+1.1-9.15 ).

Our reading today points out the judgment of God poured out on the world.  We can still look around and see that this world is full of toil, disappointment and sorrows.  It's a rough life and people who engage in it can be hurt.  Just yesterday on the news we heard of a store where a mob of bargain hunters had arrived prior to the opening time of the store, knocked down the doors of the store, and rushed in, trampling an employee to death.  People doing their duty are harmed and even killed simply because of people's greed and lack of forbearance.  And we can all ask ourselves what kind of self-centered desires are running our lives.  Maybe they don't spur us to harm retail sales associates.  But maybe we are busy running down other people with our mouths, with our attitudes, with common bits of discourtesy, by making their lives harder, harming their reputations, thinking the worst rather than the best of them.   

Our Lord has more than enough judgment to pour out on this world for the sinful attitudes that undergird such behavior.  Our Lord has a perfect understanding of all that is going on in our hearts and minds.  And he is not shy about confronting sin in order to put an end to it.

But look at the distinction he makes between those who believe on him and those who do not.  In 1 Peter 2 we see the identity of those who believe God as he has revealed himself in Scripture.  Those who believe are honorable, a royal priesthood before God.  Let us look realistically at our identity.  May we live according to that identity we receive as believers on Christ, living for him in this world, bringing kindness, joy, and redemption to those around us.

Lectionary for 11/28/08

Today's readings are Isaiah 2.1-22 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Is.+2.1-22 ), 1 Peter 1.13-25 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=1+Pet.+1.13-25 ), and Isaiah 3.1-4.6 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Is.+3.1-4.6 ).

See today the invitation of our God, portrayed in Scripture as the creator, sustainer, and ruler of the universe.  He calls us people to come to him in joy.  He calls all people to trust him and enter into the fellowship which he has prepared for his people.  He invites us to walk along with him, safe from all harm in his protective hand.  He welcomes us despite our weakness, despite our sin and shame.  And as we see in 1 Peter, God himself has sent his son to bear the penalty for our sin and shame so we don't have to bear that penalty.  With what a huge price has our Lord bought us!

What of those who determine they will reject the offer the Lord extends?  In the final day they will face the wrath and judgment of the Lord.  He is God over the believing and the unbelieving alike.  He has welcomed people to be his people, to walk as his friends.  Those who refuse are stating that they are able to run their own lives, to care for themselves, to stand in the final day as their own judges, their own lawgivers, their own wise, good and kind rulers.  

We see in today's reading that only those who are perfect can stand in that final day.  And there is only one who is perfect, the one true God.  If we think we can stand in our own righteousness we need to look again at the standard which God has proclaimed.  It is not a standard we can uphold.  It is a standard only he can fulfill.  Let us not deceive ourselves.  Let us not think we can prove ourselves good enough.  Let us not lean on our own wisdom, twisted as it is.  Let us cast ourselves rather on the perfect righteousness of Jesus, who lived a perfect life, died a shameful death taking our sin upon himself, and lives again because he himself is the resurrection and the life.  Let us look to his coming and celebrate him in all we do and say.

 

Lectionary for 11/27/08

Today's readings are Isaiah 1.1-28 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Is.+1.1-28 ) and 1 Peter 1.1-12 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=1+Pet.+1.1-12 ).  

This year it just happens that the American Thanksgiving holiday coincides with the first day of Advent.  There's an obvious tie-in there, right?  Many times around a Thanksgiving table people will try to express some of the things for which they are thankful.  What about giving thanks for the coming of Christ and the expectancy of his coming yet again?  What about giving thanks that we are not bound to the sacrificial system we read about in Isaiah, but that we have been called by God himself to approach his throne by the name of Jesus Christ, our Righteousness incarnate?  

We have been given a living hope in the resurrection from the dead - for eternal delight to those who believe and for condemnation to those who don't believe.  And our Lord has promised that all who desire to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ may come to him.  For this we can surely give thanks.

Lord, we look forward to your coming.  We celebrate the coming of our savior and the expectancy we can hold, looking for both the season of Christmas and for the return of Christ to gather his people to himself.

Lectionary for 11/26/08

Today's readings are Daniel 6.1-28 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Dan.+6.1-28 ), Revelation 22.1-21 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rev.+22.1-21 ), and Daniel 9.1-27 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Dan.+9.1-27 ).

Daniel 9.3-19 is one of the most moving prayers in the Bible.  As we read it we join Daniel in confessing our sin and acknowledging the sin and guilt of our own nation.  We plead that God will have mercy for the sake of his name, to show that he is the kind of God who cares for his people.

Today is the last day of the Church calendar.  Advent begins tomorrow.  In the time of Advent we celebrate the coming of the Christ who redeems us from our sinful condition.  Today, however, is a day of intercession.  We pray that we will see the deliverance of God.  Then tomorrow we rejoice because of the expectation of that deliverance.

May the Lord add hope to our confession of sin today.  May we see God's deliverance from sin, truly and effectually, in Jesus Christ.

Lectionary for 11/25/08

Today's readings are Daniel 5.1-30 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Dan.+5.1-30 ), Revelation 21.9-27 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rev.+21.9-27 ) and Daniel 7.1-8.27 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Dan.+7.1-8.27 ).

As I am writing this, millions of families in my country are preparing for a celebration of Thanksgiving.  They will probably center that celebration around a gathering of family and maybe an assortment of friends, along with a big dinner, some sort of noble feast, full of food, drink, talking, and laughing.  This is how we seem to kick off the season which is affectionately termed "the holidays" - the period from late November through the first of January, with three major holidays.  It's good that we value gatherings with our families.  It's good to have a jolly feast now and then.  Once in a while it's a fine thing to eat until you think you're going to burst.  All the rejoicing we have is, in fact, a very dull foreshadowing of the fullness of joy we can look forward to in eternity, celebrating in the marriage supper of the Lamb, where the Church, his bride, is ushered into eternity.

Yet even as we look at the great times of celebration we may have in the upcoming six weeks or so, there's something more important we need to watch.  As we inculcate the precious gift of family togetherness, the inter-generational learning, the opportunities to see people we haven't seen for a long time and learn from their adventures, it is absolutely critical that we remember why we are here in the first place.  Let's take a quick look at the historic Church calendar and realize what is happening.  The season of Advent begins about this time of year, lasting four weeks, taking us up to Christmas, which then lasts twelve days and is replaced by Epiphany.  Advent is a time of longing for the coming of Christ.  Christmas is a time of celebration of Christ's presence, and Epiphany is a celebration of Christ's youthful life up until the baptism of John.  So we expect Christ, we celebrate Christ, and we watch as the man Jesus grows to adulthood, preparing to bear our sins.  This season of holidays is a time of watching our Lord and Savior.  What better way of doing that than in the context of a family gathered together?

So my question comes up. Are we so caught up in the busy attitudes of these holidays that we forget to watch our Lord?  Are we so busy shepherding our children through the holiday season that it is more like a forced march than a holiday?  Are we focused on the tasks rather than on the giver of all good?  Have we turned delight into drudgery?  In Daniel chapter 5 we read about a culture which has turned feasting and celebration into an end in itself.  It is weighed in the balances and found wanting.  Let us never be like that.  Let us rather look to Christ, the master of the feast, the Lord of life, and celebrate him.

Lectionary for 11/24/08

Today's readings are Daniel 4.1-37 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Dan.+4.1-37 ) and Revelation 21.1-8 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rev.+21.1-8 ).

You know, as we approach the time of the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, we see that people are really pretty good.  It's the season of kindness, charity, feasting.  Individuals and organizations give more food to food banks and homeless shelters at this time of year than at other times of year.  Many churches  have drives to fill laundry hampers with gifts for poor people within their congregations and outside of their congregations.  The guy with the red kettle shows up on the sidewalk and people put money in rather than snatching the kettle and running away.  Snow starts falling and people shovel each other's cars out, give people a push to get started in a slippery place, and share their mittens and scarves with others.  Companies, big and small, throw parties for their employees and even ignore the fact that half the employees didn't get anything much done for the last half of the day before a paid holiday.  We can look at our society and at ourselves and say we are pretty good.  We've made this great culture, we are generous, we are kind, we are ready to help the poor, we are spreading prosperity all over the place.

Now look at Nebuchadnezzar.  Are we acting the same way he did at the beginning of Daniel chapter 4?  It would seem we are.  We glory in our good deeds.  We suggest that we are  the savior of our nation. We claim sovereignty over all creation, though we didn't create it and we don't sustain it.  We, like Nebuchadnezzar, are a people just waiting to be humbled.  And when we read our selection in Revelation we see that those same Nebuchadnezzar-like tendencies are the character qualities of the people who are cast into the lake of fire in the end.  Though we deny being adulterers, murderers and sorcerers, we cannot deny that we are liars.  We cannot deny that we are ultimately faithless.  We deceive ourselves and others, claiming goodness which is not ours.  We put our faith in ourselves and our possessions rather than in God's provision for us in Christ.  Truly we are people who are subject to God's condemnation. 

Is there no hope for us then?  Certainly there is hope and it is great hope.  When we see our sin, our failure to measure up to the perfection of God, we are being humbled like Nebuchadnezzar.  And look at the lengths to which God may go to humble someone and bring his eyes to see that his true provision is in God.  He humbles Nebuchadnezzar about as far as a human can be humbled.  May he never need to humble us that far.  May our Lord give us a tender heart to hear his correction and receive his direction.  May he turn our eyes to look at his perfection and see it in stark contrast to our sin.  And may he make us to rejoice in the fact that in Jesus Christ all the wrath of God against our sin is poured out.  May we gain hope in this season when we consider the resurrection of the dead and how Jesus is himself the firstfruits of the resurrection - rising to show the power of God over death, he will also raise us in the last day.  Take heart and believe on the Lord.  He is raising all people in the last day - those who believe on him to eternal bliss and those who do not believe on him to condemnation.  May we cast our cares upon the Lord who is all our true goodness and righteousness.

An Occasional Sermon from Romans 15

Rather than the lectionary today I'll post an occasional sermon I prepared for an event tomorrow, November 21.

Hear the word of God as recorded in Romans 15.1-14 (ESV).

15:1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

"Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,
and sing to your name."

10 And again it is said,

"Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people."

11 And again,

"Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and let all the peoples extol him."

12 And again Isaiah says,

"The root of Jesse will come,
even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;
in him will the Gentiles hope."

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.

Thanks be to God.

 

We see in this text today that our duty is to bear with those who are weak, building them up in the faith.  "We who are strong" – that would be anyone who is hearing this Scripture.  Do we hear what God says to his Church?  Do we receive the riches of the living Word of God, Jesus Christ?  Are we people called according to his name?  There can be no strength which is stronger than that.  If the Lord has proclaimed us to be his holy vessels, immortal, recipients of every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus, who is stronger than we?  We are indeed strong.  And we have a holy obligation.  This is God's command.  We are to please our neighbor, not for his whims or sinful desires, but for his good. 

What does our text today tell us about pleasing our neighbor for his good?  In verse 3 we see that Jesus did good for those who believe on him by enduring suffering for our sake.  Jesus has given us hope, according to verse 4.  In verse 5 we try to live in harmony with one another.  In verse 7 we welcome one another.  But see how we are moving to talk about Jesus rather than us?  So let's take a good look at Jesus.

Generally I hesitate to use terminology like this.  But it seems to fit the context of this passage of Scripture so I'll put down my discomfort for a moment.  We see here that Jesus himself is an example of bearing with the weak.  Now before there's any misunderstanding, Jesus is far more than an example.  The incarnation is not so we can have an example.  It's so we can have a savior.  Yet at the same time, Jesus, living a perfect life on my behalf, does live in such a way that I can learn how I should live as well.

In verse 8 we see that Christ confirmed God's promises, showing the Jews about God's faithfulness.  In our attempts at doing what is good for our neighbor we too show God's faithfulness and how Jesus himself is the fulfillment of the promises of God.  Our service to our neighbor is radically God-centered and not neighbor-centered or self-centered.

In verses 10-12 we see that these demonstrations of God's mercy and faithfulness are not only good for the Jews but also for the Gentiles.  While we show God's love to our neighbors quite purposely we also show God's love to countless onlookers.  Do our neighbors talk to their friends about what those strange Christians are doing?  Sure.  Do people see us caring for our neighbors?  They might.  What happens as we go about doing good?  We develop a reputation.  And while it may be tempting to take the honor and glory for our reputation as our own, we can't do that.  Our service to our neighbor is God-centered.  It isn't about us.  It's about Jesus, who laid down his life for us.

This is, of course, exactly where our attempts fall apart.  We fail to do the duty our Lord has given us.  We grumble about our annoyingly weak neighbors like they grumble about us.  We want to do what pleases us.  And if there's any doubt in our mind about that, picture a Thanksgiving dinner.  It's been cooking all day, the house is full of wonderful smells.  There's turkey in abundance, a big pot of gravy, mounds of stuffing, corn with too much butter to imagine.  Fresh bread and a couple of pies are baking in the oven.  We are ready for a feast fit for kings.  Then the phone rings.  The homeless shelter has just called.  We pack up the dinner, piping hot, drive to the shelter and drop off the food.  Because we need something to eat, we drive by the nearby fast food restaurant and stop near the dumpster.  After a few minutes of rummaging around we find some cold, limp, only partially eaten food.  Ahh, the delight of half of two whoppers!

We like to please ourselves.  Unlike Christ in Philippians 2, if we have heavenly delights we do consider them something to be clung to.  We consider our comfort more important than the comfort of others.  We fight for our own way.  We get the surveyor to check the exact property line so as to make sure our neighbor doesn't put a picket fence in our yard, and if he does do it, we don't assume it is an accident.  We look down on those who are not dressed as nicely as we are. And we are jealous of those who are dressed more nicely than we are.  This ought not to be.  It is not the way of our Lord and Savior.

In light of this, what will we do?  We don't need just an example.  We need a savior.  We don't need to be told what to do.  We need the ability to do it.  We don't need to be confronted with our sinful failure any more, at least not today.  We need to see Christ's forgiveness.  And that brings us to the good news in this passage.

In verse 13 Paul prays for the Romans.  In verse 14 he states his conviction that the Romans are full of goodness, knowledge, and the ability to serve one another in love.  How does this come about?  It is nothing we can do on our own.  It is not something we can work up by trying and trying to serve our neighbors.  It is not something we can do just because we see the example of Christ.  The best we can hope for under those circumstances is self-righteousness which draws attention to our own goodness rather than Christ's promises.  No, we don't do good works on our own.  We do them in dependence on Christ's forgiveness.  We realize that Jesus did not care for his own comfort but he cared for our good.  He took our sin upon himself and died for it, the just for the unjust, to redeem us to God the Father.  Jesus Christ died our death and then rose again to live our life.  And in this era of the resurrection Jesus is living our life through us.  As we serve our neighbors we are serving Christ.  More importantly, as we serve our neighbors, it is actually Jesus serving them.  We are his hands.  He is our head.  He is our heart.  He is the one who gives us the desire to serve.  He is the one who shows us what is for the good of our neighbor.  He is the one who proclaims his glorious provision and love.  He is the one who is exalted in all things.  And he does this through us.

Our Lord, Comforter of the nations, let us go and love our neighbors in Your name, for their good.  Let us bring glory to You as you work in this world through us.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit – Amen.

Lectionary for 11/19/08

Today's readings are Jeremiah 38.1-28 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+38.1-28 ), Matthew 27.57-66 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+27.57-66 ), and Jeremiah 39.1-44.30 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+39.1-44.30 ).

Today our readings are full of contrasts between man's expectations and God's fulfillment of his promises.  Here, in a nutshell, is what I'm seeing.  Hopefully it can be of some encouragement.

Man hopes for deliverance from destruction.  This hope is easily shaken, as we see ourselves, like Jeremiah, doubting, being starved, being thrown into cold damp holes partially filled with mud, expecting to be beaten and executed.  We look to Christ as a deliverer and see him dead and buried. Like the king of Judah we expect that one or another of our political enemies will kill us in the near future.

What do we see when God moves is that he always, always keeps his promises.  Our Lord's keeping of his promises may not be in the timing we hoped for.  It probably will not be in the manner we would expect.  If we were the Lord we would surely plan things out differently.    Yet the world is the Lord's and in his time, through his means, he will bring his people safely to his side.  Trust in the Lord!  Do not walk by sight.

Lectionary for 11/18/08

Today's reading are Jeremiah 37.1-21 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+37.1-21 ), Matthew 27.33-56 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+27.33-56 ), and Revelation 17.1-18 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rev.+17.1-18 ).

As we wind down the church calendar for this year we see the severity of God's judgment.  Saints are imprisoned and killed.  The Son of God is put to death at the hands of sinful man, and is not only put to death but he is put to scorn and ridicule.  It is not enough that this sinful world brings death to the bodies of the saints.  They are also subject to ridicule and mockery.  As people mocked our Lord, they will mock his people.  As our Lord was subject to death, so are we.  How will we respond?  Like Jeremiah we can trust in our Lord's hand of mercy and providence.  Though we should die yet our God has placed us in perfect safety.  Let us look together at the death Jesus died, abandoned, scorned, and tortured, all on our behalf.  And let us not stop looking there, but let us look on to the resurrection.  Jesus himself is the resurrection and the life.  We come to the Father through his resurrection.  And we know that Jesus rose again from the dead on the third day, that he ascended into heaven where he sits at the right hand of the Father, and that he will come from there to judge the living and the dead - everyone.  May we be found in him!

Lectionary for 11/15/08

Today's readings are Jeremiah 30.1-24 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+30.1-24 ), Matthew 26.57-75 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+26.57-75 ), and Revelation 15.1-8 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rev.+15.1-8 ).

Our God is coming to pour out righteous judgment on the earth.  He will surely judge those who have sinned against him in thought, word and deed.  He is preparing that judgment.  We can see in Revelation the "behind the scenes" look at the coming judgment - a great and terrible judgment as our Lord prepares to pour it out on the world.  Some have resisted sin and are standing before God, bearing witness to his greatness.  We see in Jeremiah that in God's wrath he will spare his true people, gathering them to himself.  And we see in Matthew the means by which he gathers his people to himself.  He is gathering them to himself in these last days through the humility of Christ the Lord, our Savior, who has refused to give a defense, knowing that his children by the adoption of faith are unable to give a defense.  Our Lord likewise stands before human judgment without defending himself, subjecting himself to the tyrrany of sinful man, becoming subject to sin for us, on our account.  Though we deny him as Peter, he will not deny us.  He will make no defense.  His claims are true, his evidence sure, and his divine right rejected by sinful man.

What a savior, who bears our sin, who dies on our behalf, who is himself the resurrection and the life, and will protect his people against every evil of man and even against the terrible wrath of God against that evil.

Lectionary for 11/14/08

Today's readings are Jeremiah 29.1-19 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+29.1-19 ), Matthew 26.36-56 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+26.36-56 ), and Revelation 14.1-20 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Rev.+14.1-20 ).

As we approach the end of the Church calendar our readings talk about the end of time.  See the incredible wrath of God poured out against all ungodliness.  See that our Lord is not planning to remain silent and allow sin to reign forever.  See how he brings judgment, death, and destruction upon all those who choose to live their own way, not by faith in the risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

What are we to do as we approach the final day?  Though I'm not an extremist saying that I'm pretty sure the end of times will come in my earthly lifetime or in anyone else's, I know that every day which passes brings us another day closer to the final judgment of God.  Do we throw up our hands and wait for everything to come to a head?  Not at all.  What does Jeremiah tell the captives in Babylon?  Buy houses, have children, plant fruit trees.  What is our "wartime" mentality in these last days?  We are to go about life conscious of the fact that the end is near. And we are to go ahead and make the decisions that will lend to the well being of our society in the time of our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. 

With all the doom and gloom forecasts in our world financial markets, this is the perfect time to invest in the future.  With all the doom and gloom forecasts in housing markets, this is the perfect time to live in a house we can afford.  With all the doom and gloom about world energy availability it is a fine time to have a reliable vehicle which uses fuels we have now and to use that vehicle to go to work, contribute to the economy, take the family someplace to have some fun, and to pick up a nice apple tree to plant in the yard and enjoy a few years down the road.  We go on with our lives, knowing that the Lord will bring the end to pass in his good time.  We just go on with our lives while believing in the sufficiency of our Lord's death in our place.  Rejoice in the Lord and live the life he has given you today.

Lectionary for 11/12/08

Today's readings are Jeremiah 25.1-18 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+25.1-18 ) and Matthew 26.1-19 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+26.1-19 ).

As we read today we see God's mercy and his strict judgment.  Our Lord warns people, again and again, to turn from their ways and look to him in love and trust.  He gives them means of grace to enable them to turn to him.  And how quickly God's people desert him!  Again and again we turn our backs on our Lord.  We deny that his word and his actions in this world are good.  We wish we could be God for a day, just one day, and straighten out all this world.  We exalt ourselves above our Lord.  

What incredible forbearance our God shows for his people.  Yet at some point our Lord does give us over to our desires, whether a desire to trust his faithfulness or a desire to go our own way.  Those who trust in themselves will reap the fruit of their labor, their own righteousness, their own goodness.  They will be cast off to be prisoners to human desire, prisoners of Babylon, a nation which is destined for destruction due to its refusal to believe in the Lord.  

But what of those who have trusted in Christ's faithfulness?  Christ, our Passover, invites his people to dine with him, to trust in his riches, to reap all the benefits of his provision.  He goes ahead of his people in death and shows himself victorious over death.  He dies for our sins so we may live in his righteousness. He indeed keeps the Passover with his disciples.  He has given us heavenly food and drink, all the nourishment we need.  He has given us means of grace.  He has given us his sure promises.

Lord, renew our trust in you. Lead us to your Passover.  Make us partakers of your blessings.

Lectionary for 11/11/08

Today's readings are Jeremiah 23.21-40 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+23.21-40 ) and Matthew 25.31-46 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+25.31-46 ).

In today's readings look how the world is full of people who claim to know God's will.  They proclaim what must be pleasing to God.  Many of them claim a mandate from God to do this or that.  And these people are speaking, allegedly in the name of the Lord.  Not only are they dedicated to their cause but it seems they are effective servants of God.  People are hearing them and accepting what they have to say.  What does our Lord say about this situation?  He says that he is the one who gives true callings and appoints his messengers with the message they are to carry.  He is the Lord who accomplishes in the world what he wishes to accomplish.  And in Matthew we see that Jesus himself is in the world.  The people who are sick, hungry, and in prison are being used by our Lord as his masks.  He is there in the prisoner, in the hospitalized person, in the beggar on the street.

What is our response to this?  First, we want to be very hesitant to appoint ourselves as ministers of Christ.  It is God who appoints, who gives a calling, who gives a message, and who is himself the Gospel.  This is not something to be taken lightly.  Thanks be to God he has given us the message in the Scripture.  We do not have to discern his priorities without his written word.    Second, we want to look for Christ's presence everywhere.  He may be there in the homeless person who asks for a dollar.  How would our Lord have us minister to those around us? He has appointed that they be around us.  Finally, as the people Jesus characterizes as "sheep" in Matthew 25 find out, we need to also realize that we will not recognize Christ in the poor, sick, and imprisoned.  When we are serving our Lord best we are probably unaware that we are doing anything in particular to serve him.  On the contrary, we simply go around doing what the Lord has given us to do each day.  The Lord brings his work to us and enables us to minister in his name, often without being aware of the importance of what we are doing.

Lord, may we see everything we do today as a holy opportunity to delight in you.  We pray you will take what we are doing and use it in your kingdom in ways we would never anticipate.  And we pray you will guide us willingly into many opportunities to serve our neighbors for your sake.

Lectionary for 11/10/08

Today's readings are Jeremiah 23.1-20 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+23.1-20 ) and Matthew 25.14-30 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+25.14-30 ).

In the parable of the talents we have another parable which is difficult for us to understand .  This difficulty is again probably due to our man-centered bias that God will act in a way which is merciful to the humble, that he would always be giving and forgiving every imaginable sin, and that he would never ever cast away someone who feared him, as the servant with the one talent seems to.  As we look more closely at this parable we see that in fact our Lord did show the servant what to do with the talent, that he expected him to act in accord with his master's desires, and that he is acting quite rightly to accomplish his will of delivering his grace to those he chooses at the end of the parable.

First off, how did our Lord show his servant what to do with the talent?  The servant condemns himself.  He knows the master gathers where he has not planted.  He knows the master uses his resources to gather an increase.  But this servant stubbornly ignored the master's habits and procedures, preferring to act according to his own plan.  Our God desires to show his riches to the world.  He does not desire his riches to be buried and hidden away.  The Light of the World has revealed himself to mankind.  This is our second point.  God has revealed his desire and expects us to act in accord with it.  Let us act according to his obvious desire by displaying his riches.  Even putting the investment out for interest would do so, says the master.  It might not make the kind of increase that the others who were apparently more speculative did, but it will be in accordance with what the master desires.  By acting according to his own fears and by devising his own plan to keep this large sum of money safe the servant thwarted the master's plan.  At the end of the parable the master shows that he is going to deliver his grace to those who will be stewards according to his desire.  This is altogether righteous.  The servant who was disobedient receives the very reward that he has prepared.  Do we receive the grace of God and strive to hide it?  What does our Lord give us? He makes his grace invisible.  He may take it from us. Do we receive the riches of salvation and avoid sharing it with others through thought, word and deed?  Will he not let us keep to ourselves and our own plan of salvation rather than his plan of salvation?  Does he not come to his own who reject him and then turn to the Gentiles?

Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, has given himself so as to draw all people to himself.  He has died to apply forgiveness of sins to everyone who believes.  How dare we hide such a great salvation from those around us?  Our Lord will accomplish the proclamation of his good news.  And if he finds us unwilling to reveal that good news he will take the good news of salvation and give it to those who believe him enough to act in accordance with his desire - to reveal him as the light of the world.  May we repent of our evil selfishness.  May we take this gift of the Gospel and share it with the world around us.  And may we take courage.  We don't have to become successful futures traders for the Lord.  We can go into the marketplace and open a savings account for him.  We can bring his light with us wherever we go.  We have the resources of our great and mighty Lord available, openly, living and working in our lives, wherever we are, from day to day. 

Lord, work through us.  Gather an increase to yourself.

 

Lectionary for 11/9/08

Today's readings are Jeremiah 22.1-23 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+22.1-23 ) and Matthew 25.1-13 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+25.1-13 ).

The parable of the virgins is a particularly difficult parable.  It is very difficult to avoid reading it in a way which exalts our foresight and provision, making the believer (the virgin) the person responsible for being well equipped for heaven, procuring all he needs and preparing wisely so as to present himself in good order at the Lord's coming.  What will we do then?

First, we need to remember that the supplier of the oil for the lamps is not mentioned.  Our Lord has supplied his Holy Spirit - the universal "oil" of Scripture, to bring us warmth and light.  He has given us what we need.  As we acknowledge this work of God, as we trust in his supply and not ours, we are promised that we will have all we need.

It seems that some people, though they presumably had access to the "fuel" of the Holy Spirit, chose to reject that and depend on their own supply.  When they asked other humans for a share in their supply, the response was negative.  Am I in a position to give the Holy Spirit to you?  What spiritual blessing can I give you?  I am not your source of life.  You must go to the true source of life.  Yet the people in this parable, the foolish virgins, rather than waiting in the dark for the Master to come with oil aplenty, seek out supply through their own human means.  And you have to realize that Palestine in the 1st century was not crawling with all-night lamp oil stores.  Where do you go in the middle of the night when you need more oil for your lamp?  All I can say is that you'll have about as much success finding an all night fishing tackle shop in the Sahara desert.  

When we seek our own method of filling our spiritual lamp with the Holy Spirit we find nothing but a dry fuel tank.  We have to wait for the Master to come.  He has a limitless supply.  We see our poverty, which is obvious since we have no lamp and really can't see anything at all.  We call upon the Lord and we receive what we need.

What would have become of those foolish young ladies if they had simply waited in the dark?  The Lord who is the light of the world would care for them and welcome them into the feast.  Let us be wise.  Are we waiting in the dark?  The Lord is here through word and sacraments.  His kingdom is at hand, and he welcomes us to his feast.  He brings light and life through the resurrection of the Son, another thing which happened at night when we couldn't see anything.  Let us rejoice in him and be ushered into his light.

Lectionary for 11/8/08

Today's readings are Jeremiah 20.1-18 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+20.1-18 ) and Matthew 24.29-51 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+24.29-51 ).

Let's consider briefly the example Jeremiah gives of the ready and expectant waiting Jesus is talking about in Matthew 24.  Jeremiah has obediently given prophetic words of God's coming judgment.  He has warned people to repent.  He has confronted them with the doom to come, and it is a real threat which everyone can see.  Yet Jeremiah's detractors are intent on slandering him, casting doubt on the truthfulness of his prophetic revelations.  What response does Jeremiah give?  He responds in faith, trusting that the Lord has given his word and will bring it to pass.

How are we to work in this kingdom our Lord has delivered to us?  We are to work in the way he has appointed.  Has he told us to live in faith, believing Jesus has borne our sins to his death and has risen victorious?  Then we are to live in that faith.  What of those who doubt, who say we are living a fool's religion, that we are deluding ourselves?  So be it.  We continue to walk by faith and not by sight.  What of those career aspirations?  What of the desire to have a full garage with an attached house?  If the Lord blesses us with such a lifestyle so be it.  But we walk by faith in the risen savior and consider heavenly treasure to be of the greatest value.  

Lord, may we be found faithful.  Even as we scurry about doing the things this life has thrown at us, let us be faithful to trust in you, living out our hope in the resurrection.  

Lectionary for 11/7/08

Today's readings are Jeremiah 11.1-23 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+11.1-23 ), Matthew 24.1-28 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+24.1-28 ) and Jeremiah 12.1-19.15 (http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+12.1-19.15 ).

Today's post is an article I wrote based on today's reading for inclusion in a homeschool newsletter.

It is not uncommon, especially in a major election season, to talk about the candidates and the state of our government or society using biblical metaphors.  Candidates we like tend to be protrayed almost as Christ figures while those we don't like . . . well, they aren't portrayed as the savior.  And we have seen a lot of that in recent months, weeks, and days.  Either our society will be delivered from destruction or it will most certainly crash and burn, with all but a remnant going "into the fire that never shall be quenched, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9.43-44, KVJ).  Not exactly a nice place.

This apocalyptic fervor has been bubbling in my circles, as it may have been in yours.  And to see a prime biblical example of that destruction we have to go no further than Matthew 24, where Jesus talks about the signs of the end of the age, the birth pangs of the end of the world.  I was reading this passage today and considering where the Gospel could be, where the good news might come into this passage.  If we are having birth pains for the end of the world, what is the good news our Lord has given?

In Matthew 24.13-14 we read, "...the one who endures to the end will be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world ... " (ESV).  And what is that gospel?  This is the gospel we won't find in our society at large.  We won't learn it from our government officials.  We won't learn it from public programs.  We won't learn it from the international financial community, the banking industry, or any other organization our elected officials claim as foundational to our society.  That gospel is that Christ has died for our sins, the just for the unjust, atoning for sin once and for all by paying our penalty in his body.  Our Lord and Savior himself is the Gospel.  And he is seeing to it that this forgiveness in Christ's name is proclaimed to all the world.

What does this have to do with a home school?  What place does it have in a homeschooling newsletter?  It's intimately connected to what we are doing in our homes every day.  Through distinctively Christian homeschooling we have the opportunity to exalt Christ in our homes every day and in every way, nurturing our children in the true hope of the Gospel of Christ rather than in their own wisdom and goodness.  We have the opportunity to be used by our Lord and Savior to raise up workers for his harvest, people who will enter the broader society and bring Christ and his Gospel to light in their world.  We have the privilege of focusing on the living Savior in everything we say and do throughout the day, rather than sequestering our children from the forthright discussion of the Gospel for hours a day in a government school. 

As we move from a political season into the season of Thanksgiving, then into Advent and Christmas, let's look to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and return thanks to him.  Let us show that he is welcome in our midst, and let us celebrate the true unadulterated humanity and deity of this Lord, the creator of the Universe, come to us in frail humanity, found as an infant in Bethlehem.  May the Lord bless us in our home schools.  May the Lord use us to minister Christ in our homes.  May the ripples of this ministry be God's tool to change the world, as the Gospel is proclaimed throughout the whole world.

Lectionary for 11/6/08

Today's readings are Jeremiah 8.18-9.12 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+8.18-9.12 ) and Matthew 23.13-39 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+23.13-39 ).

In the midst of doom and gloom scenarios, with Jerusalem reaping the rewards for her actions, ready to be exiled, broken down, crushed by the judgment of God implemented through the hands of human invaders, look how Jesus calls out to his people.  In Matthew 23.37-38 look at Jesus' call.  See that we have exactly the kind of savior who would gather those evil murderous people to himself.  See that we have the kind of savior who saves people in need of saving.  This is God's good and perfect will, to save people from the destruction they are creating as a result of their sin.  And see what the response of Jerusalem is.  The people refuse God's mercy.  They refuse to be saved from destruction, preferring to make their own way of salvation.  So our Lord, while weeping for his people, allows them to drive themselves to destruction.

Lord, turn our hearts.  Show us the folly of our sin and your grace poured out upon us through the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior.  May we believe in your name, in your way of salvation by grace through faith.  May we flee from our old works and be gathered to you.  We thank you that you have gathered a remnant of people, that not all have utterly rejected you. Keep your people by your grace. 

Lectionary for 11/5/08

Today's readings are Jeremiah 7.1-29 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+7.1-29 ) and Matthew 23.1-12 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+23.1-12 )

Yesterday the people of the United States elected many new officials, including the president.  An election day always gives us reason to pray and repent.   It's very rare that everyone is completely happy with the person who wins an election.  And we see that the people who are elected are sinners, just like we are.  As we read in Jeremiah today we see that our Lord allows nations to go their own way.  We who are his people may be faithful to his command, believing in his name.  Then again, we are not going to do it perfectly and history shows that we will fail again and again.  What does our Lord do?  He holds his righteousness up as our standard and lets us look around at our political and cultural landscape.  Does this drive us to repentance?  It should.

Regardless of what individuals are in authority in our government, we know the one Lord is in authority over heaven and earth and all that is in them.  Let us trust in the Lord together, using our surroundings as more than ample reason for repentance and trust in the One who is perfect.

Lectionary for 11/4/08

Today's readings are Jeremiah 5.1-19 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+5.1-19 ) and Matthew 22.23-46 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+22.23-46 ). 

In today's readings note how our Lord speaks his gracious truth in veiled words.  Even in the words he proclaims about the destruction of Judah there is an undercurrent which brings hope.  See that there will be a remnant saved, though all deserve destruction.   And the Lord saves a remnant in this world to show his glory and his grace.  If it were not for the mercy of the Lord, how we would all have perished.  Yet we see his mercy in every generation, creating faith in him, raising up a people who know that salvation is by grace through faith, not of works.

Let us not boast of our righteousness.  We don't have righteousness which brings anything but condemnation.  Let us not boast of our faith, but rather of the object of our faith.  

Lord have mercy.

Christ have mercy.

Lord have mercy.

Amen.

Lectionary for 11/3/08

Today's readings are Jeremiah 3.6-4.2 (http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+3.6-4.2 ) and Matthew 22.1-22 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+22.1-22 ).

In Matthew, Jesus continues the theme of the kingdom of God.  Here we see God as the master of a household who is preparing a wedding for his son.  It takes no serious imagination to think of Jesus the bridegroom and his bride, the Church.

Look again at the theme of rejection and acceptance in God's kingdom.  Who rejects God's call?  Those who were always publicly invited.  And it didn't take the Pharisees long to see Jesus was referring to national Israel, the people of God who have rejected God's call, as we read in Jeremiah 3.  Look how our Lord has populated His Church.  He calls all sorts of people.  Not just the good, not just the noble, not just the upright members of society.  He calls scoundrels, thieves, murderers.  You name the sin, the sinners are called to participate in the wedding feast.  And as we would expect, they are provided with what they need to participate.  For the idea of the wedding garment, picture a child's birthday party.  Everyone is invited, but when you enter you have to put on the party hat your host provides.  Our Lord has given his guests what they need.  Yet someone refuses to wear that righteousness, that imputation of the Holy Spirit.  What happens to that person?  He is cast out.  It is not because his past is more sinful than anyone else's.  It is because he chooses to participate in God's kingdom according to his own will and desires.

Lord, we look to you.  We pray you will take our desires and make them yours.  We pray that when you give us your Word we will receive him with joy.  And even more so, we pray that when we find ourselves in conflict with your will, our desires warring against yours, you will give us repentance and remind us of your forgiveness, which extends even to us.  Grant that we may receive your kingdom and blessings by faith and not strive to depend on our own works.

Lectionary for 11/2/08

Today's readings are Jeremiah 1.1-19 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+1.1-19 ) and Matthew 21.23-46 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+21.23-46 ).

I have the honor of proclaiming God's word publicly again this Sunday.  Maybe this sermon will be of use to someone.

 Our Lord has created a  "kingdom on earth."  He calls people to worship and serve him in this earthly life.   And that kingdom, since it belongs to our Lord, is under his authority, his rules, and subject to his will in every way. 

He has provided all we need.  In this parable he plants the vineyard, he fences it, he digs a winepress, he provides for its safety, and he engages laborers.  

 The vineyard, to Jesus' hearers, was a perfectly normal place.  They all knew what a vineyard was, what it needed, and more or less how to take care of it.  In the same way, God has revealed his will to us quite clearly.  In the Scripture we can read all about our Lord's character, his will, his good gifts, and what he requires of us.  We have only to read and understand.  The Scripture is not full of odd mumblings which are understandable only to specially trained prophetic people, mystical geniuses.  God has spoken to us clearly in his written word, and he has revealed himself in these last days in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ.

As with the setting of this parable, where the landowner provides the equipment needed to take care of the vineyard, our Lord has given means of grace to be exercised within his Church.  And in the exercise of those means of grace our Lord and Savior accomplishes something. Does he give the Scripture for nothing?  No, he gives the proclamation of Scripture to create faith in our hearts.  Does he bind people together in fellowship for nothing?  Not at all, he binds people together in fellowship so they can work as divine instruments in each others' lives.  Does he give baptism and communion for nothing?  No, we confess that somehow our Lord uses those sacraments in our lives.  God has given us means of grace, and they are real means of grace.  God is indeed active in the very things we do as we assemble together in his name.

As our Lord has equipped his people with his means of grace, he has appointed his Church to serve him.  We are to be good stewards of what he has given us.  And what has he given us, above all?  He has given us the Gospel of his Son, who died for our sin and was raised for our justification.  He has given us faith in the effectiveness of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ on our behalf.  He calls us to exercise that faith, casting down our human plans, leaving behind our schemes by which we can live an abundant life.  He calls us to trust, merely to trust, which may be the hardest thing in the world for us to do, as we have to stop trying to do something.  But this is the service our Lord has given us.  Do we believe in God the Son?  Do we believe he died for our sin?  Do we believe that he is the sufficient atonemnt for all our sin, past, present, and future?  Whether we believe or not, he has accomplished that atonement.  We no longer have to carry our sin.  We no longer have to strive with sin.  We have only to believe our Lord.  "It is finished," he cries, and it is indeed finished.

Yet as we look at this magnificent Gospel, we need to take a close look at our response to the Gospel.  Our response, the response of the "tenants" our Lord has engaged, has been to reject God's will.  We think what our Lord created and prepared for us actually belongs to us.  We take it as our own.  We try to operate it according to our designs.  We manipulate the Lord's calling so it fits our desires.  He sends us his messengers, in Moses and the prophets, in the form of the Church fathers, in the form of believing church leaders, and we reject their word. We consider that our Lord has been absent since the ascension and that he may as well be dead and gone.  Like the Israelites waiting for Moses to return from Sinai we take matters into our own hands.  We create habits of highly successful Christians, we follow the twelve steps to spiritual maturity, we try to come up with the right prayers, and we decide we have forty days in the absence of Jesus to accomplish in ourselves what the Holy Spirit did through day to day fellowship with Jesus over a three year period in the lives of Jesus' apostles.  We decide the kingdom of God belongs to us and follows our new measures.  We try to be relevant, modern, attractive.  We do violence to our Lord.  We deny the importance of Christ crucified, dead for our sins, and rising again on the third day.  We flee from the thundering judgment of our Lord against sin and thus we have a feeble savior. He isn't able to save anything.  The world didn't really need salvation anyway.

Our Lord will return in judgment against our sinful attitudes and actions.  He will confront us with our sin.  How have we beaten, shamed, and killed the servants he has sent us?  Have we even denied his very Son and put him to death because of our sinful desire to seize God's kingdom for ourselves?  Our Lord has judged the world, and his judgment is righteous.  The whole world is condemned under sin.  And our great sin, to kill God the Son, is the very instrument our Lord uses to atone for our sin.  

Let us look to the Lord.  Let us see the sinful rebellion which we have poured out on him, the pain we have inflicted on him, the death which he died at our hands.  Look to the Lord and hear the words of mercy which he proclaims.  "Father, forgive them.  This is the new covenant in my blood.  I will be with you.  I will never leave you or forsake you.  I am with you always."

In his death, our Lord has brought death to all who believe on him.  He has taken our haughty attitudes, our desire to rule the kingdom in his stead, and has borne the penalty for all of the sin we hold dear.  Our Lord has crushed the kingdom of the tenants.  He has cast out the old man. He has brought the new man to life in his resurrection.  Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is victorious over death, hell and the grave.  He has given that victory to all who believe that he has borne their sin.  And of those who believe he is building a new kingdom, replacing those crushed ruins that we have made through our selfish, sinful bungling.  Indeed we are saved by Christ's righteousness, not by our attempts at righteousness.  We are saved by Christ's righteousness alone.

Let us walk as partakers of Christ's righteousness.  Let us believe in the true Gospel,  that Jesus has condemned death, hell and the grave by his perfect life, death, and resurrection.  Thanks be to God for his wonderful gift!