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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May the Lord make his people faithful.

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

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

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

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

 

Deuteronomy 31.30-32.27, Matthew 20.1-16 - Lectionary for 10/30/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 31.30-32.27 and Matthew 20.1-16.

The thrust of both our readings today is that the Lord is exactly the kind of Lord who lavishes care on people who don't particularly deserve it and who often complain to him in return.  See how in the Old Testament reading we see the people of Israel repaying the Lord's favor and kindness by desiring other gods and ignoring the true God who has provided them with all they need.  In our New Testament reading we see that the people who seemed perfectly happy to be hired in the morning and work all day are upset because the master showed his care for others who didn't work all day as well.

The Lord is presented throughout Scripture as a God who cares for his people and governs them in his love.  What do we have to be jealous of?  Is it that the Lord shows love for others we don't think deserve it?  Maybe that means we need to realize that we don't deserve God's favor either.  Maybe that makes us uncomfortable.  Maybe that's a good thing, as it may remind us that our Lord's love does not cease.

May our Lord draw us lovingly to himself today.  May we rejoice in seeing him do the same to others.

Deuteronomy 31.1-29, Matthew 19.16-30 - Lectionary for 10/29/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 31.1-29 and Matthew 19.16-30.

Today we read about the two ways to gain eternal life.  Yes, two ways.  Before you throw rocks, hear me out.  There are clearly two ways in Scripture which are revealed which will lead us to eternal life.

Way 1: Live a righteous life before God keeping his commands and decrees, trusting that his commands are good and right.  Indeed, if we do this we will be perfect and we will enter life.  This is not my opinion.  This is what Jesus says in Matthew 19.17.  This is a way to eternal life and blessing.  It will work for everyone who does it, bar none.  Nobody is prohibited from keeping God's commands and decrees, trusting that his commands are good and right.

Way 2: Live a life of humility before God, trusting that his commands are good and right and that they have been fulfilled in Christ, who forgives us when we sin against God and when we confess our distrust in him.  Jesus summarizes this now in Matthew 19.26.  It's impossible with man, but possible in God's will.  Our Lord has kept the decrees of God on our behalf.  We trust in his righteous ability to keep those commands and to fulfill all things, and that he has done it for us.

Two ways.  Go ahead, choose one.  In way #1, we have to earn our own merit before God.  We have no recourse when we fail.  There is no repentance.  There is no forgiveness.  One strike and you are out.  There is no second or third strike in this game.  In way #2 we have repentance for our sin.  We have forgiveness in Christ.  We have a perfect Lord who has already overcome the world.

I think we'd better stick with way #2, don't you?

Now you can throw rocks if you disagree.

Deuteronomy 30.1-20, Matthew 19.1-15 - Lectionary for 10/28/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 30.1-20 and Matthew 19.1-15.

What does God do for his people when they endure hardship?  Of course, our attempts to answer that always fall short.  We don't know God's plan exhaustively.  We have no idea of the depths of his mercy and grace.  And in this very complicated world with an incredible number of interactions among people and events we have no clue of all the implications of any one situation.

Here's something we do know from today's reading.  We do know that the Lord uses hardship, among other things, to remind us of the Lord's promises and his compassion.  When we face difficulties we can look to our Lord and see that he is the one who ultimately resolves all troubles.  We can look at our situations and see how they are all ultimately related to the sinful condition of the world.  We can look at Jesus Christ, who has redeemed the world to God.  We know that we can look from our hardships to the life-giving Lord who has promised final deliverance.

So what does the Lord plan for us today?  We don't know.  But we do know that our Lord and Savior, in Matthew 19.14, says children may come to him for his blessing.  We who look to him in faith can come to him this day as well.  We can know that he is always with us, caring for us, and is the one who will bring us through all our trials.

Deuteronomy 29.1-29, Matthew 18.21-35 - Lectionary for 10/27/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 29.1-29 and Matthew 18.21-35.

What does it mean that all the Israelites are members of the covenant?  God has proclaimed a covenant that can be kept by faith, not by works.  All those people who are joined with the people of Israel, every man woman and child, partakes of this covenant.  Yet we see that everyone is perfectly able to depart from the covenant.  It is altogether possible to walk away from God's grace and try to be saved by works, by obedience to the Law.  Of course, we are not able to keep the Law perfectly with all our hearts all the time.  We will fail every time.

So in the New Testament we see that people are saved by grace through faith, not of their works, but by God who saves them.  This salvation is the gift of God, it is not something we can do.  In some ways, salvation is a matter of non-doing rather than doing.  We fight the urge to depend on our goodness for salvation.  We fight the desire to trust in ourselves.  Yet all the while we are concerned with doing good.  The works of righteousness which God has ordained are things we are to do, things which delight God, things which serve our neighbors.  We are certainly to do lots of good works.  But those are not what save us.  Salvation is rather a non-done work, as it is already done by Christ on our behalf.

We partakers of the covenant have the privilege of clinging to Christ and His righteousness as our hope.  This is the belief in the covenant the Lord has delivered to his people.  It is the very same covenant he made at the beginning of time.

Deuteronomy 28.1-22, Matthew 18.1-20 - Lectionary for 10/26/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 28.1-22 and Matthew 18.1-20.

Look at the love the Lord has for his chosen people.  His love exceeds reason.  Here's an example.  Is a lone shepherd actually going to leave 99 sheep to wander unsupervised on a hillside while he goes to look for the one who strayed?  Not at all.  The unsupervised sheep will be prey themselves or at least will wander away.  But our Lord and Savior comes to rescue us when we stray.  His loving care is able to protect us when we are not wandering and to rescue us when we are wandering.  This is no earthly shepherd.  His love exceeds all reason and ability.

As we read and consider the cursings and blessings we are given in Deuteronomy, let us remember that these cursings and blessings are spoken by the Lord who chooses to bring blessing upon his people.  All around us we can see evidence of his mighty hand of blessing.  May the Lord bless us to return thanks to him for his lovingkindness today.

Deuteronomy 27.1-26, Matthew 17.14-27 - Lectionary for 10/25/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 27.1-26 and Matthew 17.14-27.

Today we see several frustrating events in the ministry of our Lord.  First, the disciples are not able to cast out a demon due to their lack of trust in God.  Then the disciples are distressed by Jesus' foretelling of his death.  Peter then agrees that Jesus should pay the temple tax, thus indicating that he does not think Jesus is really the Son of God.  These are aggravating situations indeed.  Jesus deals with our unbelief all the time, showing that he is the Lord who cares for us even when we treat him with doubt, even when we bring shame to him.  

See how Jesus shows his mighty power and forgiveness to Peter?  Notice he corrects him and then provides Peter's need to pay the tax, as well as giving him the opportunity to pacify the leaders and pay for Jesus as well.  And Peter finds this money in the mouth of the first fish which comes up.  He presumably catches others, which can then be sold or eaten.  Jesus takes Peter's lack of understanding and gives him an opportunity for prosperity, at least a little prosperity he wouldn't have had otherwise.

Such love that our Lord has for us.  He takes annoying situations and makes them work for his glory and our good.

Deuteronomy 25.17-26.19, Matthew 17.1-13 - Lectionary for 10/24/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 25.17-26.19 and Matthew 17.1-13.

Our reading in Matthew today points us to the supremacy of Christ.  When God appears in power, we look to Christ.  When we think we have a good idea about something great to do, we are to hear Christ and His Word.  No matter what the situation, we are to hear, trust, and obey our Lord and Savior.

God has revealed himself in these last days in the person of his Son.  What additional revelation do we need?

Deuteronomy 24.10-25.10, Matthew 16.13-28 - Lectionary for 10/23/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 24.10-25.10 and Matthew 16.13-28.

Jesus tells those who believe on him to take up their cross and follow him.  This is not always a pleasant journey.  We sometimes think of our "cross to bear" as some sort of difficulty.  What if we think of it as our lethal injection or an electric chair?  The cross was a tool of execution.  It is in fact Jesus' death.  It is our death too.  Taking up Jesus' cross leads to death.

Well what of this?  As we think biblically we see that death in Christ is great gain.  We lose our life in the reality of Jesus' resurrection.  We do not gain this world.  We gain eternity.  We do lose our own attempts at righteousness, justification, wealth, and worldly accomplishments.  Those will all pass away with our earthly body - when the cross gets hold of us.  We gain Jesus' life,  Jesus' righteousness, justification from the One who is just, the riches of heaven and its eternity.  This is great gain.

Let us then deny ourselves and follow Christ.  It seems like foolishness for now.  It grants life and eternity.  There's nothing foolish about that.

Deuteronomy 21.1-23, Matthew 16.1-12 - Lectionary for 10/22/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 21.1-23 and Matthew 16.1-12.

We've been walking through God's commands to Israel as they prepare to enter the promised land.  Today he points out to them that life in society is really pretty tough.  Actions have consequences.  Laws have consequences.  Sometimes you plan something and it works but it may have a result you didn't plan on or desire.  

God cares about just treatment.  He talks here about just treatment when someone has been murdered but the killer is not found.  That person, even if unknown, is treated with respect.  He talks about justice for captives who have been taken into families.  He talks about just treatment for the children of unloved wives.  When it comes time for an inheritance they are to be treated justly.  He talks about just treatment for parents of rebellious children, and for those rebellious children themselves.  Even criminals who have been executed are not trampled and defiled.  Their very bodies, as something created somehow to bear God's image, receive dignity in their treatment.

No matter how you stack it, God's standard for love of neighbors in our community far surpasses our ideas.  We do not find this kind of legislation anywhere but places where God's Word has been taken seriously.  May the Lord give us a deep and genuine love for our neighbors.

Deuteronomy 20.1-20, Matthew 15.21-39 - Lectionary for 10/21/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 20.1-20 and Matthew 15.21-39.

Our reading today in Deuteronomy 20 shows Israel on conquest as different from other nations.  Let's remember some of the features of the Israelite behavior.  First we see that they were voluntarily understaffed.  Rather than compelling everyone who could hold a sword or throw something to join the fight, they sent those who were fearful or who would be preoccupied with other obligations home.  Better to have soldiers deactivated than distracted.  Second we see that the Israelites were inspired with courage from the true God.  The priests were there not just to give comfort or, as in paganism, to make sacrifices and hope something good might happen, but to remind the soldiers of the definitive command and promises of God.  Third, we see that Israel was merciful in this conquest.  They first demanded surrender, second they engaged in a seige so as to demand surrender.  The goal was to subdue the people, not to exterminate them entirely.  They were not to engage in wanton destruction of cities, forests, fields, or those who did not surrender.

This invasion of Israel actually showed a good deal of love for the people who were already in the land.  What?  Loving your neighbor whom you are invading?  Yes.  In their invasion, Israel was bringing knowledge of the true God.  They were bearing with them God's blessing, peace, and health for the people they overcame.  It would be counter-productive to go around engaging in looting and plundering.   They were bringing God's kingdom to the region.  This is a great blessing to the people.

May we also be messengers of God's kingdom, his blessing and peace wherever we are.

Deuteronomy 19.1-20, Matthew 15.1-20 - Lectionary for 10/20/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 19.1-20 and Matthew 15.1-20.

Garbage in, garbage out - is this a rule for holy living?  I suppose it can be a rule for holy living, but it is an inferior rule.  Here's a partial reason for that.  How many rules do we need?  What kind of information and influences are we taking in on purpose?  What do we get simply by being in this world?  Can we avoid them all?  And if we do avoid them all, does that make us holy?  In fact, we see in Matthe 15 that a change in behavior doesn't necessarily signify a change in heart.  We can clip the leaf clusters from a poison ivy vine, handle the vine, and still get poison ivy.  And like poison ivy, we are toxic.

The garbage that comes out of our lives shows what was inside.  What kind of garbage do we see?  How do we respond to hardship?  Do we act with a hard heart and become bitter?  How do we respond to blessing?  Do we find ways to treat that as a cures too?  How do we see our good works?  Maybe we compare ourselves to others and thus proclaim ourselves holy.

In the most holy person we find evil.  Should we wash our hands and purify ourselves from uncleanness?  Yes, but it is not enough. Moreso we plead that our Lord will wash our hearts.  May the Lord bring out good fruit from our lives.

Deuteronomy 18.1-22, Matthew 14.22-36 - Lectionary for 10/19/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 18.1-22 and Matthew 14.22-36.

One of the common complaints that I've heard about the more liturgical church traditions is that there is an emphasis on the priest or pastor leading, representing the congregation to God and representing God to the congregation.  Is this not, however, what we see in Deuteronomy 18.15-19?  Here we see that it was good and right that the people of Israel would want a mediator between themselves and God because they were afraid to face God's holiness.

The priesthood in the Old Testament is foreshadowing the priesthood of Christ in the New Testament.  Likewise, in the age of the Church, we still have those who look back to our Lord and Savior.  They make prayers on the behalf of all the saints.  Those prayers are traditionally called "collects" as they serve to gather together the needs of all the people and bring them before the Lord.  The pastor proclaims the Word of God, including our Lord's forgiveness for the sin we confess.  This is God speaking to his people through the human messenger. 

Again and again in Church practice we see people looking forward or backward to Christ, the true Mediator between God and man.  While this in no way excuses every believer from faithful prayer, true confession, and diligent service, it does remind the believer that he does not stand on his own.  He can look to the true Mediator, Christ the Lord, who has stood between sinful man and the holy God,  redeeming and guarding his people so they would not perish.

Deuteronomy 17.1-20, Matthew 14.1-21 - Lectionary for 10/18/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 17.1-20 and Matthew 14.1-21.

We often hear people complain about the idea of legal discipline and vengeance as it is presented in the Bible.  Many times I have heard people suggest that the legal system under the Old Testament was harsh.  Just look at all the killing!  And what's this "eye for an eye" thing?  

Of course, the "eye for an eye" described to a property owner how careful he had to be with his livestock and personnel because if they should harm someone else he should have the same harm inflicted upon himself, showing that the lives and well-being of others is very important.  But that's not in this passage.  This passage in Deuteronomy talks about the death penalty. 

Observe that evidence needs to be marshalled.  Circumstantial evidence will not do.  You need eyewitnesses to a serious crime.  You cannot convict someone on the basis of one witness.  Two or better three witnesses are required.  It is unacceptable to have witnesses who disagree.  They need to be able to tell what happened and show that they actually saw it.  These witnesses appear before multiple judges.   The trials are open to all.  And if someone is to be put to death, the witnesses are the first to begin the execution.  The rest of the community participates as well. 

This is no arbitrary or bloodthirsty process.  It follows the rules of law.  It involves everyone in protecting the defendant.  When it is clear the defendant cannot be protected, he is executed, but everyone has to participate.  It's a terrible thing with a strong deterrent factor.  We do not want to die, and we especially don't want our family and friends to have to kill us.

How does this type of penalty differ from the surrounding culture of the day?  If someone was accused of wrongdoing an avenger could go kill him.  End of story.  If a king, judge, or other powerful leader wanted someone dead, he could have that person executed.  End of story.  There were no requirements for testimony, no requirements for eyewitnesses, no opportunities for appeal.  The Biblical mandates are very kind and gentle.

Our Lord values truth, justice, and redemption.  Did people commit crimes and then live due to lack of witnesses?  No doubt.  How have we committed crimes and sins against our Lord and Savior?  Yet we live because he took on our sin, becoming sin for us, becoming a curse in our place.  We are all condemned.  We have three eyewitnesses - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  We deserve nothing but death.  Instead our Lord has lavished life and salvation on us by his grace through the faith he imparts to us.  Thanks be to God for his wonderful gifts.

Deuteronomy 15.19-16.22, Matthew 13.44-58 - Lectionary for 10/17/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 15.19-16.22 and Matthew 13.44-58.

As we read the commands about offerings and the various feasts that Israel is to celebrate, we notice that the Israelites do not lose their offerings in any way.  They take their offerings to the appointed place and they eat them along with everyone else.  It's more like a banquet than like paying taxes.  We also see in the different holidays that everyone participates, including the poor who would not have means to celebrate God's goodness.

While our Lord did appoint private property - you can't have the prohibition against stealing without having private property - he is intensely interested in seeing that the poor and hungry are cared for.  Within the context of God's community there should be no crushing poverty.  God provides the needs for his people, using his people to do it.

May the Lord ever bless us to care for those in our community who need our care.

Deuteronomy 14.1-2, 22-23; 14.28-15.15; Matthew 13.24-43 - Lectionary for 10/16/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 14.1-2, 22-23; 14.28-15.15; Matthew 13.24-43.

Our reading in Deuteronomy underlines for us that we are not to hold too tightly to this world's things.  Every seventh year was to be a Sabbatical year.  It was a year of release.  Slaves you purchased from among your countrymen would be released.  Debts would be forgiven.  Not only were the Israelites to practice this debt amnesty, but they were to be especially generous at this time, sending their servants away with gifts.  Every seventh year the people of Israel would see God's provision for them at a time when they were prohibited by law from providing for themselves.

How does this relate with our New Testament reading?  Look again at the parable of the weeds.  This is not an example of good human farming methods.  It is not a good idea to leave our gardens with all sorts of weeds growing.  Yet this is what our Lord does with this world.  He allows sin.  He allows the work of the enemy to continue.  He allows this counter to our human wisdom.  Just like the Israelites who grant forgiveness of debts and see that their Lord gives them all they need, we grant forgiveness of sin and see that our Lord has already settled the problem of sin on the cross and will settle the problem of the sinner in the day of judgment.

Have we been shown mercy?  Let us then go and show mercy.

Deuteronomy 13.1-18, Matthew 13.1-23 - Lectionary for 10/15/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 13.1-18 and Matthew 13.1-23.

I'll just point out briefly today that some of what the Bible says makes no sense to our own ideas of logic.  In today's readings we see that those who are not faithful to God and his will should be destroyed, even if they are our families.  We are to accept no lack of faith and righteousness as they are defined by God.  The standard is incredibly high.  Every one of us is guilty.  Then in our New Testament reading Jesus makes some very cryptic remarks essentially indicating that the Word of God is planted everywhere, that it accomplishes its purpose and bears fruit except where it is violently choked out.

Are we violently choking out God's Word?   To be realistic, we have to admit that we are.  That's the way we typically operate, at least on some level.  We do want to do things our way, according to our timetable.  

We can take heart because God's Word is mighty.  It accomplishes its purpose. Even in the unfruitful ground it is creating nourishment.  Even the birds who snatch the Word away end up dropping it, allowing it to be fruitful.  God's Word is greater than we are.  Our nature is to choke and destroy God's Word but it grows, blossoms, and bears fruit anyway.  There's nothing wrong with the Word.

Why the parables?  It seems that Jesus is speaking in parables so that if we insist on closing our eyes, stopping up our ears, and turning our backs we are able to do so.  Jesus speaks in mysteries apparently so we can ignore what he says if we insist.  Let's don't ignore it.  May the Word of God dwell in us richly, bringing forth an abundant harvest.

Deuteronomy 12.13-32, Matthew 12.38-50 - Lectionary for 10/14/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 12.13-32 and Matthew 12.38-50.

Many times Christians are uncomfortable with the idea of a particular place for God's presence.  We like to emphasize his omnipresence, which is a true and biblical concept.  Yet we see in many places throughout Scripture that God appoints a particular place for worship, as he appoints particular ways of worship.  Has this idea passed away in the New Testament?

Jesus makes clear in Matthew 28 and many other places that he himself is, in fact, the New Testament place of worship.  He comes to be with his believers.  He has broken the bounds of worship in Jerusalem by having fellowship with believers wherever they are assembled in His name.  

What about referring to the local church building as "God's house" or the ideas of focusing attention on a cross, a crucifix, an altar, or a copy of the Scripture?  We do not worship the building, the furniture, or the book but we do worship the Lord who is revealed in those things.  We do not worship the building, the furniture, or the book but we do find the true presence of Christ with his people as we worship him in spirit and truth.  And since he has promised to be with us in bodily form in his Supper we may rightly treat his real presence with particular honor.  

We've all heard the question, "If Jesus walked into your local church would he be welcome?"  So we proclaim that Jesus is really present in our local churches.  Do we honor him?  He has appointed a place of worship, and that is where we are gathered in his name.

Deuteronomy 11.26-12.12, Matthew 12.22-37 - Lectionary for 10/13/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 11.26-12.12 and Matthew 12.22-37.

Our Lord gives us the option of receiving his blessing or his curse.  He makes it quite clear.  Through faithful obedience, particularly loving the Lord with all our heart and acting in accord with that love, we receive God's blessing.  What is the force of this?  If we look honestly at the Law of God we see that we will never succeed.  Luther compares the Law to a light which does nothing but show our failure.  It leaves no room for self-righteousness.  

Even in this passage loaded with the condemning light of the Law in Deuteronomy we find that God is giving promises.  He is saying that by faith we can bring our offerings.  By faith we can rejoice before the Lord.  By faith we can live in the blessing of God even though we fail in our attempts at keeping God's Law.

We see this, of course, much more clearly when in the New Testament we read that Jesus died for our disobedience to God's Law.  He gave himself in our place so we could live and rejoice in his righteousness.  There's the Gospel which we need so much after reading the Law.

Deuteronomy 11.1-25, Matthew 12.1-21 - Lectionary for 10/12/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 11.1-25 and Matthew 12.1-21.

Who is the Lord of the Sabbath?  Jesus clearly identifies himself as the Lord of the Sabbath today.  He also points out that he is free to do good on the Sabbath.  

There's a lot of debate about the Christian view of the Sabbath.  I'll simply propose today that we consider that the believer is in the presence of the Lord of the Sabbath all the time.  The Sabbath is the time of rest from our labors.  As we saw in yesterday's reading, the labors from which we most need rest are those labors we enter into as we fight with sin.  Sin is the curse, the Sabbath is the rest from the curse of sin.  Christ our Sabbath has ushered us into an eternal Sabbath, the deliverance from sin.  What day of the week is the Sabbath?  Today.  What do we rest from?  We rest from sin because of Christ's love for us.  Will tomorrow be the Sabbath as well?  Yes it will.  The Sabbath-day's rest from sin will last forever.  After all, we are in the presence of the Lord of the Sabbath who has promised never to leave us or forsake us.

This is rest indeed.  I wonder how many of us will remember that as we go about our busy days?

Deuteronomy 9.23-10.22, Matthew 11.20-30 - Lectionary for 10/11/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 9.23-10.22 and Matthew 11.20-30.

Are we laboring with God's commands?  Are we striving to do what the Lord has told us to do, to keep the commands he has given us, to love him with all our heart?  This is the command of God.  We are to come to him in obedience and in true heartfelt repentance for our sin and failure.  And on one level the Lord has made it easy on us.  Unlike the gods of the pagans, we do not have to figure out by intuition or by natural revelation what would be pleasing.  We have the Scripture which tells us clearly what it is that God expects.

So what do we do?  We fail in keeping his commands.  We are heavy laden by the Law of God.  We are burdened down with our effort to obey.  We are weary.  What shall we do?  He tells us - come to him.  We can trust in our Lord, Jesus, who has kept the law on our behalf, who has borne the penalty for our sin in his body.  We can look to him and we will see that he is the gentle one.  He is the one who has stooped down to lift us up when we could no longer lift ourselves.  He is the one who gives us rest from the sin which we see so very clearly when we try to keep God's Law.  This is the Gospel.  Christ has done what we need.  We have only to look to him in repentance and faith.

Deuteronomy 9.1-22, Matthew 11.1-19 - Lectionary for 10/10/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 9.1-22 and Matthew 11.1-19.

Consider John's disciples who came to ask Jesus if he was the Christ.  Look at Jesus' answer.  He does not simply say that he is the Christ.  He points his questioners to his works.  We likewise will do well to look to Jesus' works.  What has he done?  Has he lived in this sinful world and become acquainted with sorrow and the grief that we endure?  Has he seen the fruits of sin in people's lives?  Has he seen the crushing weight of God's Law upon sinful people?  Has he taken on the sin of the world and died so that we might live?

Let us not ask, "What would Jesus do?" but rather, "What did Jesus do?"

Deuteronomy 8.1-20, Matthew 10.24-42 - Lectionary for 10/9/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 8.1-20 and Matthew 10.24-42.

In Deuteronomy 8.15 we see that the Lord led Israel through the wilderness "that he might humble [them] and test [them] to do [them] good in the end" (ESV).  This humbling and testing goes on in our age as well.  Our Lord and Savior brings us through many trials.  Daily we are confrtonted with the temptation to live by our own wisdom, to depend on our ability.  Yet we do not live by bread alone, but by God's Word.  We do not live based on our covenant, but on God's covenant.  We do not live by our toils but by the toils of Christ on our behalf.

What does our Lord do when we choose to live by our own wits, when we exercise our free will, which is actually a bound will, when we try to have it all our own way?  Ultimately he allows us to do so.  He warns us it is the path of destruction.  He throws obstacles in our way.  He lets us endure the challenges and sufferings that come to people in every socio-economic class.  He lets us see the sinfulness of sin as we are sinned against and as we sin against others.  He lets us find that there is no adequate recourse for sin and suffering outside of himself.  But ultimately he lets us strive to earn our own salvation, to live our own way.

Let us not go down the path of destruction by exercising our will, living by our word.  Let us rather be humbled and tested, that our Lord may do us good in the end.  And this is the good he has promised.  Dying he will die for us and our sin.  He will show us that he has borne our shame and grief.  He will show us that the resurrection he experienced is the resurrection we will have, a resurrection to eternal life.  He will show us that he is indeed our living hope on this earth and in the life to come.

Deuteronomy 7.1-19, Matthew 10.1-23 - Lectionary for 10/8/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 7.1-19 and Matthew 10.1-23.

God has chosen his people.  They are to be his holy people.  Yet counter to some modern non-Christian religions, he does not give believers the command to destroy infidels.  Here in Deuteronomy 7 is an example of a command which God gave but which expired.  In Christ we are to bring the Gospel to all nations, including the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and all the other Ites we can find.  Yet we do not make covenants with unbelievers.  We do not marry with them or give our children in marriage to them.  We do not turn away from the Gospel of Christ for any reason whatsoever.  We are a people called to be holy to the Lord.  When we are called to account, we speak the Word of God in the power of the Spirit and we trust that our Lord will work though us with His Word.  

This Christian life is quite different from all those other religions which are set on world domination.  They convert through the sword and by constraining behavior.  Christ converts through the Spirit and he changes behavior through repentance and forgiveness.  It couldn't be more different!

Deuteronomy 6.10-25, Matthew 9.18-38 - Lectionary for 10/7/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 6.10-25 and Matthew 9.18-38.

Jesus looks at the people.  They are weary and harrassed.  They are like sheep without a shepherd.  When we consider the pastoral office, it's important to consider that the pastor serves as our Lord's shepherd for the sheep of his flock.  The shepherd acts on the behalf of the master.  He acts to guard and nurture the flock.  He protects them from their weariness.  He sustains them when they are weary, moving them to safety and nourishment.  And he makes sure they are nourished with all they need.

How many of our pastors today do not do the work of a shepherd, but do the work of an administrator, a coach, even a sheep that wants its flock to provide for it?  The biblical role of a pastor is that of Christ himself, laying his life down for the good of his flock, giving them the words of life and forgiveness they need, feeding them with true food and true drink which does not perish.  This is the ministry of the shepherd.

Lord, may those who are the shepherds of your flock, as well as those who are the sheep of your flock, look to you for their provision.  May we all together rejoice in the life you have given, the work you have ordained for us, the gifts you have provided for the good of your people.  May we all in turn show the world that you are the good shepherd, who protects your flock from being weary and harrassed.

Deuteronomy 5.22-6.9, Matthew 9.1-17 - Lectionary for 10/6/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 5.22-6.9 and Matthew 9.1-17.

Today we see more of the crushing weight of God's Law.  He is a consuming fire, the one who scares everyone off the mountain of his presence.  He gives commands and we are to keep all of them flawlessly.  He cautions us to be very careful.  If we keep God's commands flawlessly we are promised a rich inheritance.  

How will we keep these commands?  If we look to ourselves for that ability we will either lapse into despair or into self-righteousness.  We will either realize we cannot do God's command or we will deceive ourselves by saying that we in fact keep God's command and that it's everyone else who is some sort of a sinner.

This will not do.  We realize we fail constantly.  Yet we do not plunge into despair because our Lord has told us of his good favor, his love and kindness.  He has reminded us that his desire is to bless those who turn to him in belief.  And he has shown us that mercy in Christ.  Which is easier?  To forgive sin or to heal someone who can't walk?  We can do neither, just as we cannot keep God's commands.  But Jesus can do all of this with perfect ease.  He shows his divinity in his ability to do what no human can do.  And that includes taking on the penalty for all our failure to follow God's Law.  We are crushed, but he is crushed on our behalf.  We are in despair but we turn to him in hope.  We realize we cannot be righteous in ourselves but we turn to his perfect righteousness.

Christ has delivered us from the curse of the Law.

Deuteronomy 5.1-21, Matthew 8.18-34 - Lectionary for 10/5/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 5.1-21 and Matthew 8.18-34.

We continue seeing passages that give us some good insight into the distinction between Law and Gospel.  See how when God commands us to do things they seem to be things that we really can't do?  Or if we can do them we don't always want to do them?  And recall how in recent readings in Matthew Jesus has turned up the heat on some of the Law - murder includes unfair criticism of your brother, for instance.

So where's the Gospel?  Look how Jesus does what is needed and good.  Jesus is able to command the weather, something none of us can do. Jesus casts out demons with seemingly no effort, something else we can never do.  Jesus' ability to do things on our behalf is astounding to everyone.  Should it surprise us then when he says he can become sin for us and die for our sins?  Should it surprise us when he says he will be with us always? 

Our Lord in his Gospel has accomplished great things, fulfilling God's Law, that we couldn't do and wouldn't want to.  He can even make us desire to do God's Law, thus making us people who will love and serve our neighbors.  May we have the grace to follow our Lord in thankfulness today, trusting his promises.

  

Deuteronomy 3.1-29, Matthew 7.1-12 - Lectionary for 10/2/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 3.1-29 and Matthew 7.1-12.

I fear that Matthew 7.1 is the only Bible verse people in much of modern Western society know, and that they know it quite badly.  What is judging in the Bible?  We are in fact to make moral decisions and assess whether something is right or wrong.  But we are not to condemn out of hand without knowledge.

So how should we judge?  We look at the facts.  We consider Scripture.  If something is sin we identify it as sin for which Christ died.  If something is not sin we identify it as something which is good in the sight of our Lord.  We consider that our sin is every bit as serious, maybe more serious, than the sin of those around us.  And we rejoice in Christ's atoning sacrifice.

Who's judgmental?  It must be those people who have decided that Christians are judgmental.

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

Deuteronomy 2.16-37, Matthew 6.16-34 - Lectionary for 10/1/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 2.16-37 and Matthew 6.16-34.

I wonder if we think about those people who are not Israel, who are not God's specially chosen people.  In Deuteronomy 2.19 we see that God has made promises to people who are not the children of Abraham.  God has given the territory of Ammon to the descendants of Lot.

What do we know about Lot?  He was a nephew of Abraham.  He was not in the line chosen to receive the promise of God.  He departed from the city of Sodom when the city was due to be destroyed by fire.  He fell into sinful disbelief and fear before bearing children with his daughters who were concerned their family line would pass away if they didn't get him drunk and impregnate themselves.  This is the story of a family that is a real wreck!

God promises to care for lots of people who have messed up families.  God promises to care for all sorts of people who fall into fear and disbelief.  God promises to care for all his chosen people, those he has adopted not of the biological descendants of Abraham but those of the spiritual seed of Abraham.  He promises to be with us, never to leave us, never to forsake us.  He will be with us to the end of the world, even though our families are messed up, even though we fear, even though we believe only weakly.  We who have seen the deliverance of God are delivered indeed.  We have a place and an inheritance which our Lord will guard for us. 

Deuteronomy 1.37-2.15, Matthew 6.1-15 - Lectionary for 9/30/09

(Posting early due to an appointment altogether too early in the morning on the 30th)

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 1.37-2.15 and Matthew 6.1-15.

In our modern world's culture of governmental charity and a welfare state, I wonder how many people are actually quiet heroes.  In Matthew 6.1-4 we see our Lord's command to give quietly.  The United States government doesn't seem to think this actually happens.  I think it happens a whole lot more than we know.  How many times have you known someone who had a need which was known and that need was taken care of?  How many people have you known who are in lower income groups, raising children, and routinely receive bags of hand-me-down clothes?  How about the young couple just getting started who receive a basket of food just because someone knew they could use it?  Have you ever gone looking for an excuse to give something to someone?  I know I have, and sometimes I've managed to pull it off too.  I wonder how many Christians have quietly adopted other people's children by giving their parents clothing, lunch money, Christmas and birthday presents, and making sure those children make it to sporting events, music lessons, even doctor visits.

Of course, once we talk about this in the blogosphere we ruin it.  So don't talk about it.  Just go do something.  Have fun!  Your Father sees you and will reward you with his smile of delight.

Deuteronomy 1.19-36, Matthew 5.21-48 - Lectionary for 9/29/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 1.19-36 and Matthew 5.21-48.

We continue looking at this Law/Gospel idea.  Let's take the beginning of our reading in Matthew for an example.  What's the big thrust of verses 21-26?  It's clearly got a big emphasis on law.  Jesus starts out reminding us of the law about murder and then he applies the same kind of penalty against those who are angry with their brothers.  Did you have a brother growing up?  I did.  Nobody can provoke anger more effectively.  And in our world we are surrounded by brothers and sisters.  Jesus paints us as all being in the same family.  Fact is, there are a lot of people who are good at provoking anger and we're good at being provoked.  We are good at deriding those around us.  We are good at mocking and criticizing.

Is that enough law?  There's plenty of sin that we do.  Now look at verse 23.  This isn't just about when we are angry.  What about if someone else is angry?  Good grief!  I have to be responsible for that person's anger too?  This is too much, isn't it?

Jesus says if we know some situation where someone has something against us or we have something against someone we are not even to finish making our offering.  We don't even try to enter into worship when there is unforgiveness.  It's futile because by definition we are guilty, and that guilt is just as bad as the guilt of murder.

So there's the law.  Go ahead.  Take it and apply it.  If the shoe fits, kick yourself with it.  If it doesn't, go look for your feet.  There's plenty here to convict each of us.

Where's the Gospel?  It's right there, but we had to look.  "Come to terms with your accuser" (v. 25).  Who is accusing us?  It may not be the other person.  If I'm angry with my neighbor, if I've been mocking my neighbor in my heart, he is not accusing me.  Who is accusing me?  God is my accuser.  Wait a minute!  This is worse!  I'm guilty of murder and I'm not being accused by a person, but by God!  But this in fact is the Gospel because I come to terms with my accuser through the completed work of Christ on the cross on my behalf.  I come to terms with my accuser because Christ died in the place of murderers.  I come to terms with my accuser because Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin for me.  I come to terms with my accuser because my accuser has given himself for me.  There's the Gospel.  There's the forgiveness.  There's the renewal of access to worship. 

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

Deuteronomy 1.1-18, Matthew 5.1-20 - Lectionary for 9/28/09

Today's readings are Deuteronomy 1.1-18 and Matthew 5.1-20.

Here we see two lawgivers - Moses and Jesus.  I'm going to give a simple challenge today, but beware.  It's a challenge that will take a lifetime or longer to master.  When reading today's passages, try to look at that distinction between Law and Gospel clearly.  Remember the Law is that which we do at God's command.  The Gospel is what God does on our behalf.

I'll kick off the thoughts with a few leading questions from Matthew 5.3.

What does it mean to be poor in spirit?

Is this a command for us or is it a description of us?

How do we fail to be poor in spirit?

What could we do to truly be poor in spirit?

What are the identifiers of someone who is truly poor in spirit? 

If we try to do something to be poor in spirit does that negate it and make us not blessed?

What is the kingdom of heaven?

What does it mean that it is ours?

How does the kingdom of heaven become ours?

What has Jesus done to make the kingdom of heaven ours?

How will we see the kingdom of heaven?

What assurance is there in knowing that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor in spirit?

After looking at this statement of Jesus, summarize what God commands and what God promises.

That Law and Gospel paradigm fits awfully well.

Malachi 3.6-4.6, Matthew 4.12-25 - Lectionary for 9/27/09

Today's readings are Malachi 3.6-4.6 and Matthew 4.12-25.

God continues to point out Israel's failings through Malachi.  Notice that some of the people are moved by God's condemnation, they apparently repent and gather to faithfully talk together.  It would certainly seem as though their talk is centered, not on the latest dairy goats or chariot production, but on what God has done in his people.   

What has the Lord done in his people?  This is in our New Testament reading, as the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy is revealed.  The people who were dwelling in darkness see a great light.  Christ the Lord has come.  God has visited his people bringing redemption and healing with him.  

I mention Law and Gospel on this blog a lot.  We recall that Law is what we are told to do.  Gospel is what God has done for us.  Here we have an opportunity to work on distinguishing between Law and Gospel quite clearly.  What has God commanded?  It's all over the place in this reading.  We realize we have not done it and that no matter how hard we try we will still fail.  We do not find hope and salvation in Law.  We find conviction of sin, we find restraint of sin, and we find God's values proclaimed.  But we do not find salvation.  How about Gospel?  This is where God delivers hope and salvation to us.  Look at all the Gospel statements.  Christ has come.  He has revealed God's mercy.  He has called people to be with him.  He proclaims deliverance from disease and affliction.  He rescues his people from sin and death.  There's the Gospel.

Thanks be to God who has brought the Gospel in Christ.

Malachi 2.1-3.5, Matthew 4.1-11 - Lectionary for 9/26/09

Today's readings are Malachi 2.1-3.5 and Matthew 4.1-11.

If we look at today's reading through a lens of Law and Gospel we will see that they fit together quite well.  Notice how in Malachi we see all manner of ways the people try to make excuses for their neglect and disrespect of the Lord.  We have dishonored God and brought ourselves under his righteous condemnation.  Is this part and parcel of being human?  Not in any way.  Jesus, the perfect Son of Man, when tempted by the devil, a formidable foe indeed, confronts him with the Word of God.  Humanity does not sin by nature.  Sinful humanity does sin by nature.  Who has faced that temptation, overcome it, and prepared life and hope?  Jesus Christ, our perfect Lord and Savior has faced our great foe and has defeated him.  We need not justify ourselves, for there is one who justifies us, Jesus, the one who by his nature is perfectly just.  We need not earn God's love, for there is one who loves us divinely, Jesus Christ, love incarnate.  What then is our job?  Believe on him, not on ourselves.

Malachi 1.1-14, Matthew 3.1-17 - Lectionary for 9/25/09

Today's readings are Malachi 1.1-14 and Matthew 3.1-17.

What kind of offering do we bring to our Lord?  The offering we are to bring to the Lord is a perfect unblemished offering, something precious and perfect.  What can it be, though?  We have nothing which is unblemished.  All that is undefiled has fled from this world with the entrance of sin.  And our Lord needs and wants nothing.  There is nothing at all we can offer him.

We read today God's call to repentance through his prophets, Malachi and John the Baptizer.  What is pleasing to God?  Nothing of ours.  But one man, the man Jesus Christ, is pleasing to God.  He is the one who came, undefiled, to offer himself as a perfect offering to the heavenly Father.  He is the one who is beloved.  And he is the one who has called a people to himself, baptizing them into his name, promising his presence with them, bringing them to eternal life.  This is what is good and pleasing to our Lord.

Nehemiah 9.22-38, 1 Timothy 6.3-21 - Lectionary for 9/24/09

Today's readings are Nehemiah 9.22-38 and 1 Timothy 6.3-21.

"Ahh, this is the life!"  Those words of wisdom came from the back seat of my car as we dawdled along an Interstate highway in fairly heavy traffic near St. Louis some years ago.  We were on a family vacation.  My two daughters and the older daughter's best friend were in the back of our aging subcompact car.  My wife and I were in the front seat.  What inspired this comment from my daughter's friend?  Well, we had just spent a day going places and doing things - museums and the like - and they were now packed into the car.  My wife had just handed chunks of cheese to the back seat so the girls were relaxing and having a snack.  Quite a life!

Do we have that kind of contentment?  That's what we have described for us in 1 Timothy 6.  Do we find that regardless of our circumstances, even quite humble circumstances, possibly crowded, tired, and delayed, we are content?  Paul reminds us that we do have what we need.  In verse 8 he observes that food and clothing is adequate.

"Ahh, this is the life!"

Lectionary for 9/23/09

Today's readings are Nehemiah 9.1-21 and 1 Timothy 5.17-6.2.

How are we to consider our elders in Christ?  They are worthy of double honor.  They are to be defended when accused.  The presumption of innocence should lie on Christian leaders. Yet in our society today, even within the Church, we see a presumption of guilt.  We see elders mocked, treated with derision and disdain.  Rather than being an honorable place of service before the Lord it is a thing of dishonor, a burden to be avoided.

Even as we receive the biblical command to treat elders well, we need to notice that those who persist in sin should be rebuked publicly.  This is the very same treatment that every believer who persists in sin is to receive.  The elder in Christ is no more impervious to the rightful condemnation for sin than any other believer.  

Can we practice this kind of critical loyalty in our relationships?  Can we respect our pastors and elders, protect them, hold them blameless, and at the same time be willing to confront genuine sin, even to the point of condemning it publicly?  This is exactly the kind of friends our pastors and elders need.

Lectionary for 9/22/09

Today's readings are Nehemiah 7.1-4; 8.1-18, and 1 Timothy 5.1-16.

What attitude should the Church have about widows?  We should take care of them.  Paul first gives a quick definition of widows.  He observes that the children of widows should learn to care for them.  They have been cared for by their parents and should take care of the parents in return.  Younger widows should be encouraged to move on with their lives in some ways.  Paul's point of view is that the younger widows will end up desiring to marry rather than to live as widows.  This is fine and should be encouraged.

What about older widows who don't have children who are able to care for them?  We re to care for them.  They can devote themselves to serving the Lord by serving fellow believers.  In turn, the Church should care for the widows the Lord has entrusted to her.  

Paul anticipates that there will be more demand for care than the Church as a whole can meet.  He encourages families to care for their widows.  Sadly, in this modern age, we see there are many widows but they turn not to their  families, not to the Church, but to their government for help and support.  This encourages people to look to the world for care and comfort rather than looking to the body of Christ.

Know any widows?  Know some way to care for them?  It's an honorable occupation.

Lectionary for 9/21/09

Today's readings are Nehemiah 5.1-16; 6.1-9, 15-16, and 1 Timothy 4.1-16.

Yesterday we saw the Church as a fortress.  How do people depart from that truth?  Look at 1 Timothy 4.1-5 and notice that people frequently depart from the faith by coming up with rules and regulations which they think will guard them from error.  Paul specifically mentions abstaining from marriage and from certain foods.  Yet how many times have we seen within Christianity that it is exactly the people who abstain from marriage, avoid certain foods and drinks, and otherwise add laws to God's Word who are considered the strong and dedicated Christians?  Paul would take issue with that.  These are the people who have departed from the faith.  They have plunged themselves into bondage to the law, and it's a law of their own making, not God's Law.

When we fall from grace we fall into legalism.  When we fall from grace we fall into moralism.  When we fall from grace we fall into self-sufficiency.  Let us determine never to do that.  And by God's grace we will hold to our Lord by faith, knowing that we can do no more.

Lectionary for 9/20/09

Today's readings are Nehemiah 4.7-23 and 1 Timothy 3.1-16.

Jesus Christ has established his church, "the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth" (1 Tim. 3.15b, ESV).  A pillar and a buttress are specifically warlike objects.  They are the defensive walls, the fortifications, protecting that which is inside.  Our Lord here is very clear that we are a people at war, not at peace, and our job is to defend the truth.  From the pillar we can see falsehood coming.  As the falsehood - the gates of hell which will not prevail against the Church - comes to attack, we have identified it and the defensive wall of the Church is to hold against all falsehood.

What do we see instead?  We see today a weakened Church which makes compromise, which does not guard the truth, which does not protect against false doctrine.  We see a Church which is a "voluntary association of likeminded people."  We see a group of people who are assembled around the Scripture but who are not prepared to take a stand on the wall.  We see a group of people who are ready to take a stand on the wall but who don't know truth and error.  They have not looked at the truth adequately to identify the attackers.  We see a group of people who have allowed falsehood into their midst for so long that they no longer consider it an important issue.

May the Lord cleanse us, forgive us, give us eyes to see rightly, give us hearts to guard the truth, and restore his Church to be the true pillar and buttress.

Lectionary for 9/19/09

Today's readings are Nehemiah 2.11-20; 4.1-6 and 1 Timothy 2.1-15.

The apostle Paul is particularly concerned that believers should pray.  We pray everywhere, for all people.  We pray especially for rulers.  We pray for our protection.  When we pray for the rulers we pray that they will do the right thing, which will result in our protection.  We develop this attitude of prayer, thanksgiving, and meditation on the Word of God as we realize that our true battles are spiritual battles.  We develop an attitude of trust in our Lord as we realize that our true battle is a battle he has won, the battle against sin, death, and Hell.  We develop and attitude of quiet dignity as we realize that our Lord is God over all the rulers for whom we are praying.  We do not have to fear in our conflicts.  We do not have to worry about where our government is leading us.  We do not have to wonder about the outcome.  We can have the utmost confidence that our Lord is caring for the affairs of State.

So when we are tempted to say, "there's nothing I can do but pray," we are reminding ourselves that we think the battle is ours.  The battle is not ours. 

Lectionary for 9/18/09

Today's readings are Nehemiah 1.1-2.10 and 1 Timothy 1.1-20.

Our reading in 1 Timothy brings to mind the suggestion, first made by the Unitarians, then picked up by evangelical Christians with Rick Warren at the forefront.  The suggestion is that doctrine divides and that what we need is more deeds, less of an emphasis on creeds.  What does Paul have to say about this?  He says that creeds are essential!  Having an adequate understanding of the Gospel as passed down from the Lord through his apostles is critical.  This is what the early Church classified as "tradition" and goes a long way to explain their emphasis on tradition.  Literally, tradition is that thing which was "traded" from Christ to his apostles and has been traded from them to us through the Scripture and their proclamation of biblical truth.  

What do we need?  We need creeds.  We need good solid confessions of faith.  We need the kind of understanding of the faith that raises up servants of God who will stand and proclaim God's truth fearlessly regardless of the personal costs they will incur.  Is our faith built on the true Gospel that has been given to us by our Lord?  Is it built on the shifting sand of our own experience and feelings?  What kind of foundation do we need?

You might ask what will happen if we focus on creeds and not deeds.  I ask in return if the Holy Spirit is no longer working through his people in this world.  I would ask if our emphasis on creeds makes us less likely to love our Lord and love our neighbor as ourself.  I would ask if an emphasis on creeds makes us less aware of the defeat of sin and death on the cross.  I would ask if an emphasis on creeds makes us less aware of the righteous wrath of God revealed against all unrighteousness.  In fact, an emphasis on creeds will make Christians more staunch social and cultural activists.  We will realize more acutely what our Lord values.  We will strive to work as his servants in this harvest field which surrounds us.  Surely, an emphasis on creeds will result in laborers reaching out to their neighbors with the compassion of their Savior.  

Creeds, yeah.

Lectionary for 9/17/09

Today's readings are 2 Chronicles 36.1-23 and Colossians 4.1-18.

Colossians 4.1 tells masters how to treat slaves - justly and fairly.  What is the motivation for such treatment?  It is because the master also has a master, but a heavenly master.  

It's easy to bypass verses like these today.  We may simply pass them by observing that we are not in a slaveholding culture so there is nothing to be gained by them.  We may decide to apply a verse like this to our employer/employee interactions.  Yet I think both these reactions tend to limit our understanding of what Paul is addressing.

In the first century Roman culture, slaves were a little different from employees.  And if your view of slaves is that of Gone with the Wind or Uncle Tom's Cabin you are barking up the wrong tree as well.  A slave is personal property, no doubt.  That slave gets to go where the master says to go, do what the master says to do, and can be terminated through being granted freedom, being sold, or being executed at the pleasure of the master.  However, within the typical Roman family, slaves were also part of the "familia.  They were under the protection of the "pater familias" who would be responsible to see that they had all they needed.  By most it was considered a serious responsibility to own and be responsible for a slave.  In many less wealthy families the family members would work alongside the slaves in the backbreaking labor of farming a small plot of land to eke out an existence.  In some families, the slaves would be the educators of the children, the accountants for the stores, the technical support department for the company, whatever was needed.  In short, many many times the slave was an integral part of your household, someone you would depend upon.

How do we treat those people we work with?  How do we treat those people we live with, even if they are not of the same social standing as we are?  How do we treat those people over whom we have the power of freedom and captivity, life and death?  How have we been treated by our heavenly master?  As believers in Christ we are to treat those around us with the kind of dignity our Lord and Savior has accorded us.  We do what is best for them.  We enable them to achieve what is noble and good.  We provide for their needs.  And we shepherd them as a good shepherd cares for his flock.

Lectionary for 9/16/09

Today's readings are 2 Chronicles 35.1-7, 16-25 and Colossians 3.1-25.

2 Chronicles 35.22 makes a very interesting statement about God's revelation.  Neco king of Egypt spoke to Josiah.  Josiah did not recognize that God was speaking through Neco.  In this passage God has hidden himself behind a human king.  He has actually spoken to Josiah but Josiah did not recognize that it was God speaking to him.  He thought it was his enemy.

How often we fail to recognize the voice of our Lord!  He speaks all around us but we don't understand what he is saying.  We try to explain what we are hearing and what we think the Lord is saying but we too often read circumstances or earthly and possibly demonic voices to be God's voice.  We are prone to interpret things wrong.

Thankfully, the Lord has spoken to us in these last days through Jesus Christ, the living Word of God, and has revealed him in a definitive way through the writings of the Bible.  If we want to be sure of hearing from God, we need only open the book and read it.  This is in sharp distinction to every other religion in the world.  Even Islam, which has a definitive book, does not have a definitive savior who has done all we need to receive life.  And the other world religions don't even come close.

Let us rejoice in the living God who has revealed himself to us in clear ways we can understand.

Lectionary for 9/15/09

Today's readings are 2 Chronicles 34.1-4, 8-11, 14-33, and Colossians 2.8-23.

In his efforts to cleanse the temple, Josiah is brought face to face with God's word.  Yes, as we have seen numerous times lately, the temple has become a catch-all for dirt and clutter.  God's word has been forgotten.  Even the priestly workers who found the Scripture seemed unaware of its existence.  What happens when Josiah is brought face to face with God's word?  He is brought to repentance.  He realizes his sin.  He realizes the failing of the people of Israel.  He realizes God's holy demands which must be kept.  

The Colossians had the opposite problem.  Notice that they were being bound not by ignoring God, but by seeking to set up rules and regulations which go beyond his word.  This will also drive believers away from faith in Christ and to faith in themselves.  

Let us trust in the Lord, not in our own plans, our own ideals, our own imaginations.  Our Lord has revealed himself to us.  That's the revelation we need.

Lectionary for 9/14/09

Today's readings are 2 Chronicles 33.1-25 and Colossians 1.24-2.7.

The life of the believer in Christ is a life of repentance.  Look at Manasseh, the king of Israel.  When we start reading his story we see him as quite a failure.  He is faithless, pursues idolatry, even sacrifices his children to false gods.  Quite a leader!  I found myself thinking his life story would end in his arrest, captivity, and some sort of vile death.  But God, who is rich in mercy, had a different plan.  He brought Manasseh to repentance.  He heard Manasseh's prayer.  He granted him forgiveness and used him as a channel for God's blessing to be poured out on many.

Do we live a life of repentance?  Do we know that God is near and ready to hear our prayer?  Do we realize that God has made an approach to him ready in Christ as revealed in Word and Sacraments?  Do we see that our Lord will enable his people to "walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith" as we are told in Colossians 2.6-7?  Doubtless we forget often.  There's yet another thing about which we can repent.

Thanks be to the Lord who hears our cries, grants us repentance, and pours his forgiveness out upon us.

Lectionary for 9/13/09

Today's readings are 2 Chronicles 32.1-22 and 

Colossians 1.1-23.

The first chapter of Colossians is one of the most "packed" chapters in the entire Bible.  Look at the way God is described.  What kind of a Lord does the Bible introduce?  This is not like the gods of the Assyrians.  They are mere idols.  They are really only as powerful as the people who believe them.  They are no gods at all, but the spirits of this world, especially of their worshipers.  But the God of the Bible, this triune God is someone altogether different.  He created all the world.  He filled all the world.  He sustains all the world.  He lovingly cares for everything that happens.

Lord, may we ever look to you, the true and living God, in faith and trust knowing that by your mercy you have done all things that are right and good.

Lectionary for 9/12/09

Today's readings are 2 Chronicles 31.1-21 and Philippians 4.1-23.

A recurring theme in today's reading is that of giving.  The Israelites under Hezekiah give of their goods and do it so abundantly that Hezekiah orders storerooms to be made to keep it all.  The Philippians have been giving to Paul again and again.  When God's people give generously there's an unmistakable impact on the world.  Throughout history it has been Christians who have formed hospital organizations.  It has been Christians who have formed orphanages, feeding programs for the poor and hungry, ways to clothe the needy, all these things our society needs.  And how do they do it?  By steadfast planned giving and occasional special gifts.  A quick look at statistics about charitable contributions in this country says that it's the social and political conservativees, specifically conservative Christians, who tend to do a lot of charitable giving.  It's the social and political liberals, with a much smaller concentration of Christians, who are always talking about taking care of the poor.

What can we make of this?  God has blessed his people with the resources they need.  He has also blessed them with an understanding of human need.  Through their ongoing generosity this world is a different place than it would be without them.  Maybe the Lord will bless us to make a difference for someone today.

Lectionary for 9/11/09

Today's readings are 2 Chronicles 29.1-24 and Philippians 3.1-21.

Hezekiah made a good start as the king.  He exalted God.  It's striking to see that he had the "filth" cleaned out of the temple.  We don't know how much time had passed since the temple was appropriately consecrated, maintained, and used.  But some time had passed.  Somehow things weren't pristine the way they were supposed to be.

Have you ever had this happen to you?  I clean up my garage and my basement once in a while.  I'm always amazed at how much work it is.  It seems only yesterday that I put things tidily on the shelves, swept the floor, and left everything in very good order.  Now look at it!  There are broken things lying around, nothing is where it belongs, the shelves seem full and there's no space anywhere.  It's dirty, cobwebby, and generally the kind of place you want to avoid.  What happened?  Neglect, that's what.  So I clean it up and tell myself that I will keep it clean and tidy.  Three or four months later...all over again.  And our lives, or worship are like this.  Want another example?  Have you ever gone on a diet?  Have you ever quit smoking?  The average overweight person by the end of his life has lost hundreds and hundreds of pounds.  Smokers quit smoking dozens of times.  It's amazing how that can happen.  But before we point fingers, let's realize that faithful people quit believing and faithless people start believing every day, many times a day.  On one level, one person can be brought to faith countless times in a day as he realizes the redemption the Lord has poured out. for him.  On another level, of course, like the continual presence of the temple in Jerusalem, the salvation of the Lord has always been there for those who believe.

Hezekiah started out well.  He saw the rubble.  He had the rubble cleaned up.  He had the temple consecrated and began the sacrifices God had appointed.  Like Hezekiah, we can make a good start as well.  We can clear out the rubble, bringing ourselves in repentance to our Lord, seeking the forgiveness which he has promised, the forgiveness which he has purchased for us.  Are we going to keep that basement of our life clean?  Doubtful.  But our Lord has given forgiveness for that as well.  We can come to him, dirty basement and all, asking for his cleansing work day by day.

May the Lord work faith in our hearts.

Lectionary for 9/10/09

Today's readings are 2 Kings 9.1-13; 10.18-29 and Philippians 2.12-30.

Jehu looks like he will be a great deliverer.  He will overcome the house of Ahab, he will demolish the worship of Baal, he will be faithful to the anointing he has received as the true king of Israel.  It seems like a good plan, right?

Like any political leader, like any human leader at all, in fact, Jehu fails.  He accomplishes great things as the leader of Israel but he continues with the worship of the golden calves, contrary to the command of God.  This is typical of our leaders.  They simply aren't as good as we would like.  Then again, normally they are not as bad as we could imagine.  But we are able to find something disappointing in every leader we have.

What do we take from a passage like this?  First, our leaders are fallible.  They are going to disappoint us.  That does not mean they aren't the leaders God has placed over us.  It means they are sinful people like the rest of us.  Second, when we are in positions of leadership we need to realize we are fallible as well.  Is our leadership marked by repentance?  It should be, for we sin all the time.  Third, we should look to the Lord who enables leaders to lead.  It is his direction that matters.  What is God's priority in our situation?  If we are pursuing that priority we will not go wrong.

Lectionary for 9/9/09

Today's readings are 2 Kings 6.1-23 and Philippians 1.21-2.11.

Do we have the mind of Christ?  Looking at the first 11 verses of Philippians 2 we see that Christ's mind is one of humility, such deep humility that he came to serve rather than to be served.  He cared so greatly for everyone who would die without redemption from sin that he took the sin of the world upon himself, giving himself to die in our place.  Here we see someone worthy of honor.  Christ merits our praise.  He is exalted by God the Father to his own right hand because of his humility.

None of us will ever have the mind of Christ.  We really won't.  But we are called to have it in the measure that our Lord has given it to us.  We show we have that mind when we look to other people's interests rather than our own.  We show that mind when we give people comfort, affection, and sympathy though they really don't deserve it.  We show that mind when we consider others' interests to be more important than our own interests.  Now here's the big difference.  Christ was truly more concerned with our interests than with his.  We may do a decent job of pretending others' interests are more important than our own, but we know that in fact we still think our interests are more important.  We're just acting like others' needs are more important.  There's the difference.  

Nevertheless, let us look to Christ, the one who truly humbled himself on our behalf.  May he give us grace to humble ourselves for others and to seek his forgiveness for our failure to do so.