Jude 17-25 Laughter is a Shield

 

Observation: In one of the shortest books of the bible, Jude, a Christian leader, finishes up his letter by encouraging believers to stay faithful even in the face of scoffers, and to have mercy on people who waver in faith or succumb to fear. 

Application: I watch a fair amount of standup comedy on Netflix and other streaming services. One big difference I've noticed that there seem to be two categories of comedians. Some use their comedy as a way to tell the truth, and to process their own lives, and maybe help us all process experiences we hold in common. Others use comedy as a shield from the truth: as a barb to point out the foibles of others, and as an escape from looking inward at their own lives. 

It's the second kind of comedy that I think of when Jude mentions "scoffers." Scoffers laugh at others because they are afraid to look inside themselves. They "punch down," at safe targets for ridicule, rather than reveal too much about themselves. Not only is this bad for our spirits, but in fact, it tends to be less funny. If you use your laughter to escape truth, you'll end up with tired tropes that are just one more step removed from reality. 

I'm not a comedian, of course. I speak only as an audience member. But in this lesson from Jude, I hear a lesson about life. Jude says to be aware that there will be scoffers in the end times--really, there will always be scoffers, but maybe more so as our world cries out with more and more pain--but believers don't scoff back. We pray, and we have mercy on the fearful. After all, scoffing is a defense mechanism. We poke fun at others when we lack the courage to look inside ourselves. But mercy is for the brave. Mercy comes only from the Spirit of God. 

Prayer: God, have mercy on me when I scoff at others. Help me to be brave, rely on your spirit, and be changed from the inside out. Amen.    

Revelation 22:8-21 Moments of Wonder

 

Observation: These verses conclude not only John's vision of a future heaven, but the book itself, and the Christian Bible. What stands out to me are:

1) the words "do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near"

2) the names for Jesus found here: Alpha and Omega, First and Last, Beginning and End, Root and Descendent of David, Bright Morning Star. 

Application: It's hard to find a simple, plainspoken life application for a cosmic text about the fate of the universe like Revelation. What does it mean for my daily life that Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the Root and Descendant of David? What bearing does a truth of that magnitude have on the ordinary patterns of my existence? 

I'm reminded in this new era of space exploration, with the James Webb telescope beaming back mind-blowing images of grandeur, and a moon exploration craft speeding back to us as we speak, that there needs to be a place for awe in our daily lives. We can't get so wrapped up in our busy schedules that we don't take a little time for "wow" in the presence of an infinite God. 

We shouldn't seal up the words of wonder that we hear from Jesus, the Lord of creation. Let's share them, and reflect on them. There needs to be more awe in our world. And our times of wonder can help fuel us up for the daily tasks: "let the righteous still do right; let the holy still be holy."

Prayer: Jesus, Alpha and Omega, you are indeed awesome. Give us moments to pause and take in all that you are, and all that you have done for us. By these moments, give us hope and faith to carry on. in your name, Amen. 

2 John 7-11 "The Antichrist"...It's A Lot Less Scary Than You Think

 

Observation: This is one of the only places where the word "antichrist" appears in the New Testament (no, it does not appear in the Book of Revelation). The author of this short letter defines "antichrist" as "anyone who does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh". This was a theological disagreement among early Christians. John's community believed Jesus was fully human, others didn't.  "Antichrist" was not a term for some cosmic end-times monster, but for people who were "anti" the John community's beliefs about "Christ". Not so scary, really. Yet they did draw a hard line that believers were not to support or have fellowship with people of this opposing view. 

Application: Second John strikes at the heart of a question I've been struggling with for years. How much disagreement in a community of faith is too much? At what point do peoples beliefs become so extreme and so contradictory as to become "anti-Christ"? And what do we do when we get there? Shunning in the way this letter describes--not welcoming with or eating with these folks--in itself seems extreme. If this were strictly followed, a lot of Thanksgiving Dinners would have to be canceled.

I'm not sure where the line is for me. I've had wonderful interfaith partnerships, as well as partnerships with Christians whose beliefs differ sharply from my own in various ways. Yet I do take very seriously my role as "pastor" and spiritual guide to the people of my congregation, and I am contacted often by organizations whose beliefs and agenda are so different from the ones I find in Christ, that can't promote them or give them a platform here. 

The basic takeaway I get from 2 John is: just because it has Jesus' name on it does not mean it's from the Lord. Unfortunately, there is too much evil and deception in the world for Christians to simply trust that anything with the "Jesus brand" is good. Yet if it is in fact "anti-Christ", it will be ultimately defeated by the truth, because we know the Way, the Truth and the Life, and he has won already. 

Prayer: God, guide us in the truth. Guide us to Christ, and away from ways of thinking and living which oppose him. In your name we pray, Amen. 

1 Peter 5:1-11 Humble Leaders

 

Observation: Near the end of this letter, Peter encourages elders of the church to lead humbly, not lording their leadership over others but instead serving as an example. Humble leadership is also non-anxious leadership. When we realize God is truly in charge, we can cast our cares and anxieties on God. 

Application: On the recommendation of a huddle member, I've been listening to a podcast called The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. It tells the story of a Seattle megachurch in the 1990s and 2000s, led by a very strong and domineering pastor, who saw faith as a constant battle and treated many personal interactions the same way. At first, this attitude was refreshing and people were attracted to this pastor's forceful strength. In the end, however, this style caused the collapse of the church. 

We all need to think  and pray about what humble leadership looks like. On the one hand, we need to claim authority in Christ. We are called and given gifts to set an example of faithful living for others. We can't sell ourselves short, or apologize for who God made us. At the same time, we often need to take a step back, and ask, "am I lifting up Jesus' way, or insisting on my own?" I'm working on that balance in my own ministry and I suggest you do the same. We're all leading someone. Let's lead humbly. 

Prayer: Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner. Put your grace and love before me always, and help me lift you up. In Jesus' name, Amen. 

 

Ephesians 6:10-12 Doing Battle

 

Observation: At the close of this beautiful letter (which is really more of a sermon) Paul reminds listeners they need to put on spiritual armor from God, to defend themselves from evil. The armor, and the weapons described, are not physical but spiritual. the belt of truth. The breastplate of righteousness. Shoes of readiness to share good news. The shield of faith. the helmet of salvation. The sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. Just as the weapons and armor are not physical, neither is the foe. It needs to be said again and again: OUR ENEMY IS NOT FLESH AND BLOOD. It is systemic and spiritual evil: the principalities and powers. This enemy is not any one person, but rather uses people, and the systems of power people establish, to harm us and the world God loves. 

Application: Whew, did I ever need to read these words today. It's been a very eventful few days.

 

Over the weekend we were praying for a man in our church who had a very serious head injury.

On Monday, I attended a continuing education event where one presenter, in very strong terms, reminded us that speaking out against specific evils in the world is part of preaching the Gospel. Another presenter discussed ways to understand and preach to communities experiencing collective trauma. 

This morning, I showed up to a County Commissioner meeting with our friends and allies at Benzie Faith in Action. We used public comment time to speak up for increased public funds for affordable housing. The testimony was honest, a little raw, and very powerful.

We were followed by a woman (not connected with our group) who was literally shaking with anger. She shared some of the hateful and profane partisan language used by demonstrators, both verbal and in print, on bumper stickers and signs visible to children, at a recent parade right here in our county. I was shocked by her words, but even more so by the report itself. 

I end this last few days with a profound sense that I have been equipped and sustained by God, and that together, we have been doing battle. Not against any party or person, but against the evil behind it all: an evil that has been breaking spirits and traumatizing communities. An evil that would love nothing better than for us to turn on our flesh-and-blood neighbors, and take our eyes off the larger game it is playing. An evil that deals death in our communities and in our world. 

An evil that was defeated--completely and conclusively--in the cross of Jesus Christ.

 An evil which turns tail and runs at the presence of the Risen Lord Jesus, 

in whose name we are baptized.

 

Our spirits are equipped and armed for these times. In the word of God, we have a sure defense from all the hatred, despair, anxiety, fear and apathy surrounding us. 

It cannot hurt us permanently. It will not win. It has already been defeated. 

Though hordes of devils fill the land

all threat'ning to devour us,

we tremble not, unmoved we stand;

they cannot overpow'r us.

This world's prince may rage,

in fierce war engage.

He is doomed to fail;

God's judgment must prevail!

One little word subdues him.

God's Word forever shall abide,

no thanks to foes, who fear it;

for God himself fights by our side

with weapons of the Spirit.

If they take our house,

goods, fame, child, or spouse,

wrench our life away,

they cannot win the day.

The kingdom's ours forever!

-Martin Luther

Prayer: Lord, Thank you for defending me on all sides from the powers and principalities that seek to harm me and my neighbors. Help me to be confident in your defense and boldly preach your Gospel to all people. 

     

James 5:1-6 If We Don't Fix It, God Will

 

Observation: James, the brother of Jesus, is the head of the church in Jerusalem. Compared to many first-century churches in the Mediterranean world, the Jerusalem church is not wealthy. This probably colors James' approach to the wealthy, which is fairly harsh. "Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire." James accuses rich landowners of holding back wages from farm workers, which is expressly forbidden by the Torah (Leviticus 19:13). James' overall point is that riches are not forever, and when they're gone, if those with wealth don't do justice, God will. 

Application: Yesterday, for my cold, gloomy day off, I binge watched the series The White Lotus. With all the prerequisite warnings--that this show is on HBO, that it is for adults, and that even as an adult there were one or two scenes which had me reaching for the fast-forward button--overall it was excellent. The show is about a high-end Hawaiian resort, the guests who can afford to stay there, and the staff who are tasked with fulfilling their every desire. Jennifer Coolidge, known as a comedic actress, won a well-deserved Emmy as outstanding supporting actress for her role. She plays a wealthy single woman, in deep throes of an alcohol addiction and of grief for her mother, whose ashes she has decided to disperse in the sea. 

The relevant point here (there is one, I promise!) is that her wealth can not solve her problems, and in fact exacerbates most of them. Our culture, just like the culture in which James lived, has made an idol out of wealth, and created a system of sacrifice, and dare I say, worship, around those who have it. It's not healthy, it's not holy, and it's making us miserable--rich and poor alike. If we don't do the necessary work of justice, of caring for one another, for our families, for our communities, then eventually, God will. No matter how much we have or what we think it can do for us, we are dust, and to dust we shall return. What we take with us is not material wealth, but faith in God and love of our neighbor. 

Prayer: God, help me use what means I have to be a blessing for others. Help me use my voice, my education, my role in my community, as a voice for justice. In Jesus' name, Amen. 

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 Inauthentic vs. Authentically Interested

 

Observation: Paul writes about how he has become a "slave to all", even though he really believes himself to be free in Christ. The upshot of this is, he's able to adapt to and respect customs of both Jews and Gentiles, in order to build relationships and share his Gospel message with as many people as possible. I'm not sure if everyone is aware, nowhere in the New Testament does Saul permanently "change his name" to Paul when he begins following Jesus. Instead, the Book of Acts starts out calling him Saul, and later calls him Paul, because in the beginning of the narrative Saul (a common name among Jews) is interacting more with Jews than Gentiles, and when he is out preaching mostly to Gentiles, he goes by the more common Greco-Roman name Paul. Fun fact. 

Application: Quick Confession. I am not a huge fan of Christian media. Christian rock, Christian films, what have you, it's just not something I pay a lot of attention to in my downtime. As worship music, there are lots of songs I enjoy singing with a congregation, but it's not where I have the radio tuned seven days a week. The reason why, for me, is because in certain contexts it feels inauthentic. Not that I don't think these artists believe everything they're singing. It's just that some Christian music feels like it's not actually there to entertain you or make you think, the way other music is. It's there to drive home a message. Like, if we record a song that sounds enough like something else you like, that you keep the radio tuned there for a while, we'll "catch" you, and be able to give you the "Jesus pitch." You may disagree, but that's how I sometimes experience Christian rock outside of a worship setting. Unless it's done exceptionally well, it feels inauthentic. 

What I feel Paul means when he says he has become "all things to all people", is not inauthenticity. He wasn't pretending to be like people he's not really like. It's authentic interest in others. It's genuine curiosity and listening. It's not a "bait and switch" where he learns how to imitate others' customs and language, to give them a message they wouldn't otherwise want to hear. It's being his real self. Saul, from Tarsus, who went to Hebrew school, who remains a deeply committed Jew, who believes he has encountered the Messiah. And Paul, a citizen of the Roman Empire, who knows his Greek, his philosophy, his rhetoric, and genuinely appreciates the good aspects of the culture in which he lives (RATHER than trying to shelter himself or his listeners from it.)

Please, don't get me wrong. If you like Christian Rock and Christian movies, great. But if you're a believer in Christ, and it's not your cup of tea, don't waste your time and money. Be you. God likes that person. God has plans for that person. Really.

Prayer: God, thanks for making me who I am. Help me appreciate and listen to others. Help me listen to and build friendships with all kinds of people, for your sake. Amen.    

Jonah 3:1-10 Prepared For A Response

 

Observation: After God's "subtle hint" of abducting him by means of a giant fish, Jonah realizes he is not going to get out of prophesying to the people of Nineveh. He doesn't want them to listen. He wants God to give them what-for. Yet he still begrudgingly marches a day's walk into this city and crying out "Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" And something totally unexpected happens. They repent of their evil ways, in a big, dramatic fashion. This wasn't supposed to happen! What does Jonah do now that they've actually responded to him? 

Application: I have an embarrassing story to tell. As a committee chair for my son's Cub Scout pack, I gathered with other families to plan a "join night" event for our pack last night. We did all the prep we had time to do. We shared flyers with the students of his school; we shared events online; we told friends. But all of this was rather last-minute, and to be honest I was expecting a few inquiring families, but not much more. Instead, we were totally overwhelmed! We could hardly get the grill going before there were twenty kids requesting burgers! I ran out of craft supplies and had to ask my sons to step back and let newer kids give it a try! It was kind of a mess, and I felt really awkward for not believing that we actually had something good going on here that folks would want to know about. Hopefully they'll forgive us for not expecting such a big response. 

I guess that's not a spiritual story, but it does speak to an attitude I have to fight against in these times. In my calling as a pastor, I've gotten way too used to asking, "what will we do if nobody shows up?" and not at all accustomed to asking, "What if the response is totally overwhelming? What if God's Word really does what it promises to do, and people's hearts are moved? What if something shifts, and all of a sudden we're surrounded by people whose lives God has changed?" I don't want to be caught off guard, like Jonah was. If we are bold enough to spread the word, we should be prepared for big stuff to happen. 

Prayer: God, you exceed our expectations every day. Thank you. Help me be ready for the big things you will do. Amen.  

    

1 Timothy 4:6-16 Training in Godliness

 

Observation: The author gives Timothy, a young Christian pastor, advice on how to lead a church. Provide sound teaching to the community. Have nothing to do with "profane myths and old wives tales" (teaching that contradicts what he has already learned) and train himself for godliness the way an athlete trains for a physical challenge. 

Application: Today, I exercised on the elliptical machine for the first time in...a long time. Many months, to be honest. My kids got up obscenely early, and we dropped them off at the bus stop for their first day of school. We're getting our bodies and minds back into "the routine" that will be normal for a new school year. 

This season of transition is a good time to remember that "godliness," which I would define as spending time with Jesus and actively trying to follow him in daily life, is a skill that does not happen by accident. An athlete does not accidentally get up in the morning and run miles while others sleep. Neither does a disciple of Jesus make progress in a spiritual path. It's a series of little decisions, day by day, hour by hour. It's not always forward motion. There will be setbacks. But if we are expecting that our prayer life, our worldview, our acts of love and justice, our way of living, will just change on their own, without our opening up space in our lives everyday, we will be disappointed. 

Now is a good time to recommit. Let's get back to training. 

Prayer: Jesus, I am here for you today. Thanks for meeting me where I am. Amen.  

Proverbs 19: An Ethic for Work, An Ethic for Generosity

 

Observation: My obvious statement of the day is, the Book of Proverbs is full of proverbs! While some biblical books are full of stories, laws, prophecies or poetry, Proverbs is full of short pieces of advice. Some mention God and faith. Others are just common sense teachings that anyone might find useful. This short passage includes a little of both. The first proverb is about the value of hard work. The second is about the value of following God's commandments. The third is about the value of giving to the poor. 

Application: In Western culture, we certainly value hard work. And we value living by the "rules," although often the rules by which we live are more centered in our own cultural norms than God's Word. But do we value generosity? Let me ask a different way: do we feel the same level of guilt around being lazy, or not following rules, as we do with not sharing what we have with others? I would guess not. 

I'm not one to appeal to guilt as a motivation for doing things--we are grace people, freed from all sin by God's generosity--but guilt is still an emotion that pops up for all of us, and it's worth examining. Why would we feel worse about not working hard enough, than we do about not giving to those in need? Both are biblical values. But only one is reinforced by our culture. I would venture to say, in our market-driven world, that we are much more conditioned to value hard work than generosity, even to the point of making assumptions about other people's work ethic as an excuse not to share with them. Today, it's important that we go back to God's word and allow God's Spirit to reshape all our values, not just the ones supported by our surrounding culture. 

Prayer: God, change my heart. Forgive me when I am lazy, or try to go my own way. Forgive me when I withhold your gifts--for they are indeed yours--from those in need. In Jesus' name, Amen. 

Jeremiah 8:4-13 "Peace, Peace"

 

Observation: Jeremiah has scathing words of criticism for the people of Judah. They refuse to repent of their greed. From the least to the greatest, everyone is greedy for unjust gain. They cry "Peace, peace," when there is no peace. For this reason, God threatens to give their fields to conquerors. Their regime shall be overthrown. 

Application: Wow. On the one hand, there is a Bible scholar's voice in my head, reminding me that it's irresponsible to take the words of a prophet, addressed to Judah, a nation which has a covenant with the Lord, and apply it directly and uncritically to a modern secular democracy like the United States in 2022. It's not an apples to apples comparison. 

On the other hand, there are plenty of people of faith in our country today, who do claim a close relationship with the same Lord in whose name Jeremiah spoke so many years ago...and we have a lot of the same problems Jeremiah warned about. We let greed cloud our judgments. We hold fast to lies. We cry, "Peace, peace!" when there is no peace. And when God calls us on it, we don't repent. We double down. It's true, our nation has no specific "deal" with God the way Judah did. But there are a lot of baptized people here, who are called to commit their lives to Jesus. And for us, reading the prophet's words today should remind us that just saying there is peace in our land doesn't make it so. Ignoring greed and injustice doesn't make it go away. It makes it worse. There's not a lot of "good news" in our text today, except that the truth is ours if we will have it, and it has great power if we can swallow our pride and speak it. 

Prayer: God, help us to be a prophetic people. Deliver us from denial and lies, and give us faith to know that what we allow ourselves to speak about in your presence can indeed be healed by your mercy. In Jesus' name, amen. 

Life Together, Ch. 1: Community Through Christ and In Christ

 

Observation: One of the most important themes in Life Together shows up only a few pages into chapter one. Christian community only happens through and in Christ. A shorthand for this concept is "mediated relationships." In any relationship between Christians, or between a Christian and others, Christ is the "mediator," the one connecting us. "In him all things hold together" (Colossians 1:17). Human love and community on its own, for its own sake, quickly becomes possessive and self-serving. Through Christ, we can connect with one another as God intends.

Application: This hits home hard for me today. The irony is, at least for me, it's easiest to be aware of Christ as mediator in my relationships--as the one who connects me and my family, me and my church, me and my friends and neighbors--when the stress level is low. In a vacation, party, or retreat setting, where spending time together is the whole point, you can see Jesus everywhere. But on a day like today, which feels like one last all-out sprint through an obstacle course to the end of another VERY eventful school year, when I'm an hour late in blogging because I made (hopefully) one last unscheduled trip to my daughter's school, Jesus is still there, but he's harder to see. When I really need him to keep me connected to God, to my family, and to the world, he often does so unnoticed and without any gratitude on my part. Yet he still does it for free. I saw a church sign on my little detour that said, "The price of God's grace has not changed. It's still free." The same is true of Christian community. Thanks be to God. 

Prayer: Jesus, thanks for keeping me connected to others. Forgive me for taking your work for granted. Amen.   

From Bonhoeffer's "Life Together": Taking the Temperature of Community

"Christian community is like the Christian's sanctification. It is a gift of God which we cannot claim. Only God knows the real state of our fellowship, our sanctification. What may appear weak and trifling to us may be great and glorious to God. Just as the Christian should not be  constantly feeling his spiritual pulse, so, too, the Christian community has not been given to us by God for us to be constantly taking its temperature." Life Together, ch. 1

This summer, I plan to share some insights from reading a classic text of Christian spirituality, which I'm reading together with my discipleship huddle: Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Life Together. 

Observation: This paragraph reminds me of the saying, "a watched pot never boils." Whether we're looking at our own spiritual growth or the spiritual harmony and closeness of a Christian community, it's death to overanalyze it. I appreciate Bonhoeffer's metaphor of "constantly taking the temperature" of a Christian community. You won't have time for that if your community, like his, is focused on doing whatever loving task is in front of them, large or small.

Application: Bonhoeffer's words convict me, as I'm sure they have convicted many other faith leaders in the decades since this book first was written. Pastors by nature are hand-wringers and temperature-takers. We thrive on surveys and input and metrics because we feel personally responsible for the quality of Christian community that people experience in our congregations. The challenge for me in this text is to take a step back, and remember that I'm not the one responsible for a church being what it needs to be: that's God. And the invitation is to rejoice in the knowledge that what may appear weak and trifling to me may be great and glorious to God. 

Prayer: Holy Spirit, take your place as rightful leader of our community. Help us take a break from taking our temperature, and just start doing things healthy churches do. Amen.   

Luke 1:39-57 The Holy Spirit in Community

 

Observation: Today is the commemoration of Mary's visit to Elizabeth. When Mary finds out she will become pregnant by the Holy Spirit and be the mother of the Son of God, the first thing she does is go to Judea--a long journey from rural Galilee--to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who has also become pregnant under miraculous circumstances. Elizabeth is "filled with the Holy Spirit" the moment she hears Mary's greeting. Her unborn baby jumps. Elizabeth exclaims, "Blessed are you among women!" And Mary sings a song of God's liberation, humbling the mighty and lifting up the lowly. 

Okay, I admit, my interpretation of this story is maybe a little peculiar, but I think there's some evidence to back it up, and I think it's relevant to our lives today, so here goes. 

Traditionally, we assume that when the angel Gabriel comes to visit Mary and says "you will conceive and bear a son", and "The Holy Spirit will come upon you," that she conceives immediately after that, alone in her home in Nazareth. The Holy Spirit comes to her while she's by herself, right when she says, "Let it be with me according to your word." But the text of Luke 1 does not say that. In fact, Luke does not narrate the precise moment when Mary conceives. Instead, Luke fast forwards to the visitation, when Mary and Elizabeth are together, and sure enough, here's the first appearance of...drumroll please...the Holy Spirit. Do you see where I'm going with this? All in one moment, baby John jumps, Elizabeth shouts, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb," and Mary begins to sing a song of praise and freedom. Is it possible that the Holy Spirit waits until Mary is in a safe place, with a family member she trusts, and that Jesus is actually conceived, not in Nazareth, but in Judea? I believe that is a possible interpretation. 

Application: Maybe you find my theory odd, but I honestly do think it matters for our daily faith, and here's why. As far as I know, there is no point in the Bible where the Holy Spirit comes upon someone when they are one hundred percent alone. Invariably, a visitation from the Holy Spirit comes upon a community--at least a couple of people together. That's how God tends to work. Not just on isolated individuals, but on groups. Could the Holy Spirit have made an exception in Mary's case? Sure. God can do whatever God wants. And strictly speaking, once Mary conceives, she's not alone anyway. But even if so, it seems this profound moment would be the exception to prove the rule. If we need the Spirit, if we are calling upon the Spirit, if we expect the Spirit, we should expect it together. Certainly the early church thought so. That's why they followed Jesus' command to stick together in Jerusalem after he ascended. That's why it's important for Christians to stick together now. 

Prayer: Holy Spirit, come to us. Not to me, but to US, as we pray, worship and serve your world together. Amen.  

Revelation 21:15-22, "Resistance is Futile" ;-)

 

Observation: The end of John's apocalypse--a mystic vision from God--includes the holy city, the New Jerusalem, descending from heaven so that God and humankind can dwell together. John is pretty specific about measurements for this city. Twelve gates, adorned by twelve precious stones, golden streets, and a total measurement of about 1400 miles on each side (hence, Star Trek fans will notice its similarity to a "Borg cube.") Yet even in this gigantic city, one thing is missing: there's no temple, because in this city, closeness to God is a given, anywhere you go. The temple is God. 

Application: Just as with many verses from Revelation, you can go down all sorts of rabbit holes if you try to take it literally. You could plot out what water, sewer, and electricity would need to be for such a facility, get with some urban planners, and predict the cost of construction and predicted population. That's one way to resist what the text is really trying to say to us. 

You could also do a deep dive into the symbolism, talk about the precious stones (which happen to be the same ones on the high preist's breastplate in the Old Testament, which means the city itself is a temple!) or other details of the text. That might yield some intellectual insights, but it might also distance you from the meaning of the text for our hearts. Another way of resisting the meaning. 

The best way to stop "resisting" the meaning of this text, for me, is to just ask: what is God saying to me in the midst of this? And to that, the answer is simple. "I want to be close to you." God's desire is to live with us, in such a way that there aren't any divisions between the holy and the common, between the people we wish we could be and the people we know we are. There won't be temples or churches, where we set aside a little of our time, talent and treasure for a little of our week. We will live together with the one who created us and saved us. It may not look like a "Borg cube", and it may not be solid gold, but it will be deeply meaningful and rewarding. It will be life as God meant it to be. 

Prayer: God, sometimes I use my mind to take a step back, and resist hearing what you have to say to my heart. Help me take a break from that today. Amen. 

Acts 11:27-30 Dwelling Together in Unity

Observation: In a time of famine, the church in Antioch (Paul's home church) undertakes the first large scale relief effort to benefit Christians in Judea, where this whole movement started. Christians in this time share a close bond, which in that time was socially similar to kinship. Much of their property was held in common. Caring for members in the community was a high priority at a time when there was no social safety net. It was not just a figure of speech to say they lived like a family.

Application: The psalm for today is Psalm 133, which begins, "how good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!" I don't think it's a coincidence that this is the verse quoted at the beginning of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Life Together, which I am just beginning to read in a small group. This passage from Acts talks about the same kind of community, caring for one another in concrete ways, that the psalm and Bonhoeffer's book address. What I'm hearing from God right now is it's time for Christians to look at how we are interdependent, how we should connect to each other, and how those connections should stand out in a culture that places a high value on independence and self-sufficiency. 

Prayer: God, I can clearly hear you calling us into discernment. Help us to figure out Christian community for this new age. Amen.   

Acts 9:32-35 Here and There Among All the Believers

 

Father Henry Whitehead, curate of St Luke's Parish, Soho, London, 1854 

Observation: This short healing story from Acts 9 stands out in two big ways for me. First, Peter is very precise in his language of healing. He says to Aeneas, a paralyzed man, "Jesus Christ heals you." Peter never claims credit for the things he does in Jesus' name. In fact, the whole point is to bring honor to the Lord.

The second thing I notice is that Peter meets Aeneas by going "here and there among all the believers." He's on patrol, so to speak. His job as shepherd of the flock is to be walking around, visiting with people and listening to their problems. 

Application: Aeneas's healing story reminds me of a book I read several years ago called "The Ghost Map," a nonfiction account of the cholera outbreak of Soho, London in 1854, an early test case for the germ theory of contagion that was later proven correct. Doctor John Snow has, rightly, been given credit for pinpointing a certain well in Soho that was making people sick due to unsanitary conditions. But the other part of the story is where Dr. Snow got much of his raw data: from an Anglican priest named Henry Whitehead, who knew who was getting sick, where, when, and which well they drank from, because he was doing the same job pastors have done for centuries. He was going "here and there among all the believers." He walked the streets, talked to people at home, at work, and all around his parish--which meant not just those who faithfully worshipped at his church, but everyone who lived and worked nearby. He was responsible for their spiritual welfare, but because he cared for the whole person, he provided a vital piece of the puzzle for a public health mystery that had plagued Europe for centuries and caused untold deaths. God put Father Whitehead in the right place at the right time. 

Pastors do a lot of things. In fact, each new generation seems to pile on a new job title: administrator, therapist, cruise director, community organizer, entrepreneur, broadcaster, the list goes on and on. But Peter's story in Acts 9, and the story of Snow and Whitehead, remind me of a role that can't be neglected: shepherd. It's important to be in one another's lives at times other than Sunday. To visit, and check in, both physically and digitally, not just in times of crisis but on regular days too. We could all stand to follow Peter's example. You never know what tasks God will assign you until you go "here and there among all the believers."

Prayer: God, send me out on patrol today. Help me connect with the people in my "parish" here in Northern Michigan, both members of our church and those in our neighborhood. I'm ready to work. Amen. 

Ezekiel 1:26-2:1 Who You're Talking To

 

Observation: The prophet Ezekiel has a grand vision of God's glory and holiness from exile in Babylon. He describes what he sees as best he possibly can, given his frame of reference, comparing it to fire, amber, and rainbows. It's not hard to see how some readers, beginning in the 20th century, believed Ezekiel had an encounter with extraterrestrials. His account is not so different from the "close encounters" that seemed so widespread in the decades after World War II. Still,  although Ezekiel has a hard time making sense of his vision, he has no doubt that he is in the presence of The Lord. 

Application: Sometimes in reading the Gospels, and hearing the down-to-earth wisdom of Jesus and his intimate friendships with his disciples, we forget whose Son he is: indeed, the One whose nature he shares. Jesus encouraged us to pray in a simple way, as though we are approaching our own father for a conversation. And yet, the same one he called "Abba", or "daddy", is the creator of the cosmos, source of all existence, ground for all being. It's important to balance God's "imminence", the idea that God is indeed close to us and wants us to feel close to God, with God's "transcendence", the idea that God remains far beyond our grasp and understanding. Jesus encouraged us to pray, "Our Father," and so we do. But it's also important as we begin prayer to remind ourselves who that Father is, and stand in awe--or even fall on our face, as Ezekiel did--remembering who we're talking to. God is approachable, but God is also unimaginably big. We hold these things in tension. Yet we always have God's invitation: 'Stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you." 

Prayer: God, you are awesome in the true sense of the word. You are beyond anything we can know or understand. Thank you for sharing yourself with us, even though we will always be learning, through your word, through the sacraments, through your community, and most of all through your Son Jesus. Amen. 

Esther 8:1-17 A Minority Story

 

Observation: The Book of Esther takes place in Susa, the capital of the Persian empire. Esther and Mordecai, who are Jewish, have just averted an evil plot from Haman, a court official, to kill all Jews throughout the Persian Empire. Instead, the King sends out an edict that Jews are allowed to defend themselves from any and all attackers or enemies, and to plunder their property. This great victory for Jews living in this foreign land is celebrated to this day as the holiday of Purim. 

Application: Even though the book of Esther is one of the only Biblical books that does not mention God, it is a book close to the heart of many Jews in recent centuries, because they know what it is to live as a minority ethnicity and a minority faith. Tragic history has shown that a victory like the one Esther and her cousin Mordecai celebrate is not always the way things turn out. Living as a minority, Jews have too often faced persecution, violence, and even genocide. The book of Esther celebrates survival against all odds.

Christians in America today are not a minority faith. It's just a fact. Even amid the decline in church attendance, we hold a majority in most every state of our nation. Yes, we have denominational differences, and no, we don't share ethnic ties in the way that many Jews in our country do, but in no sense can Christians be considered a "minority."

Yet that was not always the case. The first few generations of Christians were found in small, tight-knit groups in majority pagan cities. Many of our ancestors in faith lived in cities whose  whole culture, economy and civic life were built around the worship of Greek and Roman gods. Confessing that there was only one God, whose Son was Jesus Christ, was considered very odd indeed, and often opened us up to ridicule and worse. In many places throughout the globe, Christians remain a minority, sometimes even facing the kind of persecution the first Christians faced. 

As I read the book of Esther, the simple message to me is compassion for those whose faith and culture are different from the majority. That means being aware of privilege that Christians may enjoy in our society without even knowing it, and making sure we do not repeat the mistakes of our past. 

Prayer: God, for your children, the Jews, who first shared with us your Word, I give thanks. Help us to honor them and be kind and considerate neighbors to them. Amen.   

Isaiah 49:4-6 Thinking Too Small

 

Observation: This is one of Isaiah's famous "Servant Songs" which were very important to early Christian understanding of Jesus' life, death and resurrection. They have guided our thinking, especially in Holy Week. In this song, the anonymous "servant" despairs because he feels his work is in vain. Instead of letting the servant "off the hook," God says, "It is too light a thing" for the servant to raise up and restore the people of Israel from exile. God has bigger plans. The servant will be "a light to the nations." Wow!

Application: As I'm thinking through my long to-do list for Holy Week, I'm actually feeling okay. Dare I say, I'm even excited! This will be a really meaningful week of worship. But this servant song does hit home for me often, when things don't go as planned, and I get discouraged. What I take from this servant song is a very important but strange truth: sometimes, when you're weary, it's not because you've taken on too much. It's because you're thinking too small. Now PLEASE understand that's not to say you should have a longer to-do list; in fact it might have to be shorter. It doesn't mean you should be working more hours; in fact, it might work out to less. But just like the servant, we may be weary and exhausted from focusing on the small stuff. From the stuff that we know, deep down, doesn't matter. We might be too focused on every detail that isn't right, every little complaint we've ever heard, all the nits that need to be picked (I hope my family will forgive me if that metaphor hits too close to home!). Instead, what God may want is for us to zoom out, and see the huge story of which we are a part, and take joy that we get to play a unique, though tiny, role within it. This week, we'll hear an epic love tory between God and humankind. We'll hear about the outworking of God's plan to save, heal and reconcile all creation, on the cross. The work was done on Good Friday, but the fruits are still being born with each passing day, until the final Kingdom of God. This is HUGE! And it's already DONE! All of it! Yes, we have lots of work ahead, because we get to be part of that ministry of reconciliation, the peace-making that flows out from the crucified and risen Lord. But it's not our job to do all of it. However this week goes, it's already done, It is finished. And we will shine brighter, as a "light to the nations," if we abide in that story for a while, and let some of the details fall by the wayside. 

Prayer: We adore you O Christ, and we bless you, for by your holy cross your have redeemed the world. Amen. 

1 John 2:24-28 Abiding

 

Observation: The writer of 1 John is likely either the same person or closely related to the writer of the Gospel of John. In both books, the word "abide" is essential. Even in this short passage, it shows up many times. God's teaching and God's anointing abide in believers. Believers abide in the Son and in the Father. Abide means to dwell, to live, and also to rest. I think of abiding as our default or home base: where we first wake up in the morning; what we do when there's nothing to do; where we go when there's no other place to go. 

Application: I'm having a lot of memories coming back from two years ago, when much of the world first went on lock-down in response to COVID-19. We all had to "abide" at home for a few weeks, and even after that, getting out into the world was a slow process. It continues to be. We couldn't venture out to work, to socialize, or even to worship. During that time, I think we learned about our "abiding place." Not just the physical space of our homes, but of where our hearts and minds automatically go in times of trouble, which tends to be where we spend the most time when things are normal, too. It could be a fearful and anxious place. It could be faithful and loving place. But it tends to be our home place in normal times. A funny example of this instinct is from the horror comedy "Sean of the Dead," starring Simon Pegg. The title character and his friends fin themselves in the midst of a Zombie apocalypse, and for no logical reason, they decide to hide out in the pub where they spend much of their free time. It's their abiding place. 

If God is our abiding place, that means God is kind of our mental and spiritual home base. Prayer and Bible study, worship, acts of service and love, sharing faith, advocating for vulnerable people, become more instinctive than forced. When our world gets turned upside down--like, for instance, in a huge unprecedented public health crisis--one who abides in God finds a way to continue doing that, even when they can't do it in the way they're used to. Of course, it always takes intention to create that kind of innate response: nobody but Jesus abides in God by their very nature. We have to work on it. But as we work on it, we find that god also abides in us, and we do find ourselves reacting in surprising ways under pressure. 

Prayer: God, abide in me, and help me to abide in you. In Jesus' name, amen.  

Revelation 19:9-10 Testify

 

Observation: Near the end of his vision, John, a first-century Christian leader, hears an announcement from an angel about the "marriage supper of the Lamb," a beautiful image of God's final celebration in which heaven and earth are wed together. John is overcome with emotion, and falls down to worship the angel, but the angel corrects him. "Worship God! for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Revelation talks a few times about the "testimony of Jesus," and I'm not sure if it means the words and teachings that come from Jesus, or the stories about Jesus. I'd guess both. Either way, who the angel is doesn't matter. What he says about Jesus is the most important thing. 

Application: I give myself way too much credit sometimes. When something goes well in my ministry, I feel good. When things seem to be going wrong, I feel bad. Those are just feelings, and like the weather, they come and go. But when I attach thoughts to those feelings--thoughts like, "this is going well because I'm awesome," or "this is not going well because I'm useless"--it's time to take a look at those thoughts, and ask whether they are accurate, or welcome in my mind. And the unequivocal answer, based not just on sociology or national trends but on the true Word of God, is no. Those thoughts aren't welcome because ministry is not about me. I'm a messenger. The One really doing the work is the "spirit of prophecy," AKA the Holy Spirit. The more we focus on the message--the testimony of Jesus--the less it's about us, and the less of our self-worth we invest into how our lives are going in this fleeting moment. In any task worth accomplishing among Christians, the testimony of Jesus--his words, his teachings, his story--is going to do all the heavy lifting. 

Prayer: Jesus, testify in my life and in my community. Help me be attentive to your words, and ready to share them. Help me stop focusing on me and start focusing on you. Amen. 

Romans 2:12-16 Apart From the Law

 

Observation: Paul is making the case to Roman Christians that no one, Jewish nor Gentile, is exempt from sin; therefore no one is exempt from God's judgment. Even Gentiles, who have no special covenant or "deal" with God, and who don't even know God's commandments to the people of Israel, still know right from wrong and go by their own conscience. Those who do have the benefit of God's law have a better roadmap for what God expects of them (not necessarily everyone), yet we still all need grace. 

Application: I grew up in a Christian household, but I was pretty young when I realized my friends didn't all believe the same things I did. My best friend in elementary school was the son of a conservative rabbi. Some of my closest friends in middle school, high school and college were secular. I learned an awful lot about kindness and generosity from people of different faiths and belief systems. I also learned early that being a Christian doesn't necessarily make someone a more moral or compassionate person. In some situations, it can even get in the way. Faith should never be worn as a badge of honor, or a character reference. Faith shouldn't puff us up. It should humble us. If we had it all figured out, we wouldn't need God. And if we had nothing to learn from neighbors, God would never have put them in our lives. 

Prayer: God, thanks for teaching me through the lives of others. Amen. 

1 Corinthians 10:1-13 None of This is Magic.

 

Observation: Paul is writing a divided church in Corinth, including many members who are Jewish. He gives the church a warning from the time of Moses: even though the Israelites were as close to God as one tribe of people could get, they still strayed from God all the time. The cloud of God's presence moved overhead, the sea parted for them, and they had food and drink provided from God's own hand. Yet still, they went after idols, they sinned, and they tested God. If it could happen to the Israelites, Paul suggests, it can easily happen to this new community of Christians. 

Application: I recently read an article about a congregation with a number of members who fell deep down the rabbit hole into Qanon conspiracy theories. Though they were very active in the church, and though the pastor tried every way he knew to engage them in loving conversation, anything he said that contradicted their beliefs about politics or current events drove them further away. For some members, no amount of preaching or Bible study could undo the damage that had already been done. They eventually left the church. 

It's not just QAnon. There are all sorts of ideas and ideologies that try to replace God, and demand our total allegiance. There always have been, since the time of Moses. Paul's dire warning is that just taking part in religious activity does not save us from every kind of false idol. Being baptized, receiving Communion, hearing God's word, prayer and conversation with other Christians are all important and transformative. But they're not magic. They don't automatically make us good people, or protect us from every form of falsehood this world throws at us. They don't take away our free will to accept or reject God's love and guidance each day. If God's Word or the sacraments don't have any place in our lives, or only a marginal one, I do believe making more space is always a good thing. Yet even those who take every opportunity to turn toward God still need to be humble and vigilant, and know that we're not perfect. Sometimes we'll still realize we were wrong. Sometimes we'll still need to repent and ask forgiveness. 

Prayer: God, thank you for your Word and your holy meal, which spark faith in my soul. May that spark catch fire. Guide my heart and mind today. Amen.      

Zechariah 3:6-10 In a Single Day

 

Observation: The prophet Zechariah is writing from Jerusalem, after the people have returned from exile in Babylon. During that time, the community was concerned with reestablishing its spiritual identity and rebuilding the temple. In Zechariah's vision, Joshua, the high priest, is being accused of sin by Satan. But an angel comes to Joshua's defense, and takes off his filthy clothes, replacing them with festival garments. God promises, "I will remove the guilt of this land in a single day." 

Application: Every Lent, and especially near Good Friday, one question always creeps up on me: "Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? If God is able and willing to forgive our sin, why doesn't God just do it?" Reading this prophecy from Zechariah, that God will remove the guilt of an entire nation in a single day, it seems that God is both able and willing to forgive at a moment's notice. What needs to be overcome is the voice of the accuser--"the Satan", in Hebrew--which tells us it can't be that easy. No way. Our sin is too big, our shame is too deep, our distance from God is too far. God can't, or won't, just forgive us. 

It's not God's wrath that is overcome on the cross. It is our own.  Our wrath at God, at one another, at ourselves, and that wrathful voice, whether it comes from inside us our outside, that never stops bringing up the many ways we fall short. On the cross, the voice of shame goes to battle with the voice of God's love, and of course, Love wins. In a single day, all our centuries of missteps melt away like ice in springtime. When God enters into our shame, it cannot survive as it is. It must be transformed. It happened that single day--but it also happens every day. 

Prayer: God, silence the accuser in my heart. Come to me in the depths of my shame and show me your love. Transform my life by the power of your cross. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. 

Acts 10:25-28 Call No One Profane or Unclean

 

Observation: This chapter in the Book of Acts contains one of the most stunning transformations in Christian history. Because Jesus and all his original disciples were Jewish, the first Christians assume this will remain a Jewish movement. Even the miracle of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, though it happens to people from many nations, happens to all Jews. 

Then Peter gets this vision from God. While he's praying, a cloth is lowered from heaven, containing animals of all kinds, both lawful and unlawful for Jews to eat. When God commands Peter to eat, Peter refuses. God responds, "What God has made clean, you must not call profane." As Peter is reflecting on what this vision means, he gets an invitation to come to the house of a Gentile: Cornelius. Normally this would not be acceptable for a Jewish man at that time. Yet Peter remembers God's vision, and realizes it's time to stop calling any person unclean. This is a game-changer for early Christians, and opens the door for the Church to be a movement of both Jews and Gentiles worshiping together.

Application: We've seen a lot of change in our lives, but it's nothing compared to what Peter and other Jewish Christ-believers experienced in their time. Their great-grandparents had fought against invading Greek forces, and laid down their very lives in order to keep their Jewish identity and religious practices. And now, in the blink of an eye, Peter is being asked to consort with Gentiles, who he has been raised to believe are unclean. 

I see a parallel in today's church in the way we talk about people in the LGBTQIA+ community. I'll be 41 next week, and just in my lifetime, there has been a seismic shift in the way we discuss issues of gender and sexual orientation. It is my belief that the Church is being called to shift its thinking on these issues as well, so that all are welcome and affirmed, and no one is called profane or unclean for who they are. Not only that, but I believe this change can happen because of what we read in the Bible, not in spite of it. Peter's vision changes the way he sees his neighbors, so that he's welcomed by a community he never would have associated with before. I believe God can give us the same kind of vision if we are ready for it. 

Prayer: Holy Spirit, give us vision. Help us to see no one as profane or unclean. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.    

1 Samuel 9:25-10:1b Anointed

 

Observation: The people of Israel have lived under judges for centuries. Now they have asked God for a human king, like other nations have. After giving them a stern warning that kings are more trouble than they're worth, the prophet Samuel concedes. God reveals to him Saul, from the house of Benjamin. In this scene, Samuel privately anoints Saul as king over Israel, to "reign over the people of the Lord and save them from the hand of their enemies all around." This anointing with oil was an important part of the coronation of kings from then on (I know it continues to be practiced in the coronation of European kings and queens to this day. You can see this dramatized in the Netflix series "The Crown.") Anointing with oil symbolizes God's mandate for a ruler to reign in God's name, for the good of the people. 

Anointing is a very important part of Christian theology, as well. "Christ" is not Jesus' last name, but rather his title. It is Greek for "anointed". In Hebrew the word is "Messiah." And to those who believe in Jesus, it means he is God's chosen ruler of the people of Israel, and God's world. 

Application: It's kind of strange to refer to myself as "anointed," but since I'm baptized, that's what I am. We are anointed with oil after our baptism, to show that we too are connected to Christ, tasked with "ruling" in his name. But if you know Jesus, you know this simply means we serve and love others in his name. Unlike King Saul, who quickly let power go to his head, the power we receive from Christ at our anointing should be humbling. It means we have a duty to live in this world, and fully engage in our communities as ambassadors for Christ, our king. It means we have authority to speak boldly to the powerful, in defense of the powerless. And it often means taking up a cross, as Jesus did, rather than use our power and privilege to defend ourselves. It's awesome, in the true sense of the word. But in the colloquial sense, it does not always feel awesome. To quote a favorite movie, "with great power comes great responsibility."

Prayer: Jesus Christ, anointed king, I have been anointed in your name. I didn't do anything to deserve it, and apart from your Spirit, I do not have the gifts to live up to it. But because you have chosen me, help me and equip me to live as your ambassador. In your name I pray, Amen.  

 

2 Kings 5:9-13 Faithful in a Little

 

Observation: Naaman, the powerful and well-known Syrian military commander, has been laid low by leprosy. He hears about the prophet Elisha, from Israel. Naaman is angry when Elisha, without even leaving his house to address Naaman directly, simply sends him away to wash in the Jordan and be healed. Yet his servants talk him down, by saying, "if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, 'wash, and be clean?'" The story concludes, of course, with Naaman doing what Elisha says, and being healed by the Lord.  

Application: A hard lesson I have to learn over an over is that the small stuff counts. Even the tiny choices matter. The other night I found myself talking with my sons about manners. Just basic stuff, like saying "thank you" for a gift, even if it's not our heart's desire, or saying "I'm sorry" if you hurt someone, even if it's an accident. My oldest son especially has problems understanding why you can't just be honest about how you feel, and why any of this is a big deal. I remember as a kid, and even as a teen, thinking something similar: a lot of the social conventions my parents drilled into me seemed kind of "fake," like putting on airs, rather than just leveling with people about how you're feeling. Why say "thank you" if you're not thankful? Why say "sorry" if it isn't your fault? 

What I found myself saying to my kids is something that relates to this reading about Naaman. If you believe in big acts of kindness, then little ones are great practice. If Naaman would have been willing to do something big to be healed, then why not do something little? Not every day will be a great hero's journey. Some days will just be to the bus stop and back. Yet God gives you the short trips to make you ready for the longer ones. How we treat others when the stakes are low can have an effect on how the bigger days will go. I don't know who said it, but I think Elisha would agree: "If you're too big to do the small things, you're too small to do the big things." 

Prayer: God, train me to be faithful in small things. Help me value this day, no matter how big or small the choices in it will be, as a gift from you.