Approved

Luke 11:37-52
I love the subtle connections we find throughout scripture. In fact, we have a good example of one today. We know that the author of the gospel of Luke is also the author of Acts, so look at these two passages, one from today’s gospel reading and the other from a familiar account in Acts.

“Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed. So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors; for they killed them, and you build their tombs” (Luke 11:47-48).

“Then (Stephen) knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died. And Saul approved of their killing him” (Acts 7:60-8:1).

Jesus condemned the lawyers and Pharisees with whom he speaking in the very strongest of terms, going so far as to say they had concurred with the murder of prophets generations before. Based on that passage, then, what are we led to think about the man who would later become one of the greatest evangelists in the history of the Church? When first we see Paul (still called Saul), he is witnessing and approving of the murder of a Christian by a crowd made up of lawyers and Pharisees. (Paul was still a Pharisee at this time, as well.) Are we supposed to like Paul at this point in the story? Are we supposed to expect great things from him as an apostle? Hardly! In fact, Luke would have us understand what a devious and dangerous man Paul really was. And yet, when the time was right even this Pharisee had a role to play in the life of the Christian faith.

Now turn back to the account from Luke. Knowing that Paul will one day find a role in the life of the Church, are we free to assume that those to whom Jesus is speaking are beyond redemption? No! If Paul can be converted, so can anyone. Why? Because the Pharisees and lawyers in Luke’s account are figuratively guilty—they act out their approve of the killing prophets long before. But Paul was literally guilty of aiding and abetting in the murder of Stephen. If Jesus can redeem Paul, Luke tells us, then we must be slow in assuming anyone is beyond the redemptive power of God in Jesus Christ which, by the way, goes for you and me as well.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we sin and help us to live as your people, sharing the good news of our own redemption with the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Right Down To The Smallest Detail

Romans 16:17-27

How’s this for an odd little verse? “I Tertius, the writer of this letter, greet you in the Lord” (Romans 16:22). There may not seem to be much by way of theology here, but I happen to think verses like this one are often full of insight if we will only give them a chance to speak. So what is Romans 16:22 telling us?

For one thing, the spread of the gospel has always been a “team effort.” Paul may have displayed extraordinary zeal but there were always people like Tertius working behind the scenes, making sure that things got done. Look at the number of individuals mentioned in this passage alone: Timothy, Lucius, Jason, Sosipater, Gaius, Erastus, and Quartus all join Paul in sending their greetings. Paul was not alone in his efforts; Tertius had a role to play even if it was taking dictation from Paul.

Which brings us to a second point. The fact that Paul was dictating leads us to the possibility that the content of Romans drew heavily on what Paul would normally have said were he speaking directly to his audience. There has always been a place for oratory in the life of the church, for preaching and proclamation, which requires proximity. Paul was far more accustomed to evangelizing face to face than he was by letter, so much so that in his letters he frequently mentions his desire to be present with his readers. The Christian faith is based on relationships as much or more than it is on particular content, a fact the modern church would do well to remember.

Finally, even in this snippet of scripture, Jesus remains the point. Tertius offers his greeting “in the Lord” and not by the authority of Paul, or the church in Ephesus or Corinth, or even the Apostles in Jerusalem. Jesus is always the heart and soul of the message, even when one Christian says hello to another.

The faith is built upon community, connection, and the person of Jesus Christ, all of which are present in Romans 16:22.

Prayer: Lord, may we see your grace in even the smallest details or our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What’s In a Name?

3 John 1-15

I find mail addressed to “Occupant” to be very irritating. Almost as bad is receiving a phone call from someone who calls me James. Yes, that’s my formal name, but I go by Jim and anyone who really knows me will call me that. Our names are important to us because they are a part of our identity. To be called the wrong name, or to be addressed by something generic, robs us of our particularity in many ways. The author of 3 John makes an allusion to this fact in one of our readings for today. “Peace to you,” he writes. “The friends send you their greetings. Greet the friends there, each by name” (3 John 15). Greet the members of the community there, and call them each by his or her name.

I like the sentiment expressed in this verse. It is important to know and to respect those who share in the faith with us. It is important to value what each of us offers the community as a whole. While we will never know every other believer, we must recognize the unique gifts that God has given us all and the sacrifices that each of us makes. The author of 3 John is right to ask that each of the “friends” be greeted by name, even though the author did not know them, or did not have the space in which to write them.

I wish that I could call all of you who are reading these words by name. I wish I could acknowledge the unique gifts that each of you have received. I wish I had even an inkling of the sacrifices each of you make. Since I can not know these things I will simply tell you how blessed I feel to walk in faith with you and to know that others are serving our Lord and Savior the best they know how.

Prayer: Lord, bless each of us in our efforts to serve you that your love may spread to all in need. Amen.

(As this is my last post of 2011 I wish all of you a blessed 2012. May all of the challenges you face bring with them the sense of God’s presence.)

A Journey Completed

Psalm 122

One of the two psalms for this morning tells us of a journey completed. “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’ Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem (Psalm 122:1-2). “I was delighted when we began our trip to Jerusalem,” the psalmist is saying. “Now here we are, safely inside its walls.” A trek which began in gladness has come to a joy-filled conclusion.

The Christian faith is also a journey that, like all significant undertakings, has a purpose, a goal, a destination. We believe that someday we also will stand within the holy city under the fulfilled reign of God. Advent celebrates this expectation, it encourages us to plan and to prepare and to await that which we know to be coming, that which God will reveal to us in God’s time. Meanwhile we walk on together, a band of travelers, disciples led by a risen Savior, and as we journey we are filled with gladness for we know where we are headed and that someday we will arrive at the new Jerusalem and be filled with joy.

Prayer: Lord, you have invited us to walk with you. Guide our steps that by grace we may finish the journey and arrive at the destination you have prepared for us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

We Know You

Matthew 13:53-58

Perhaps familiarity does breed contempt. That certainly seems to have been the case for Jesus. Visiting his hometown he was confronted with a stubborn disbelief. "Is not this the carpenter’ son?" the locals asked each other. "Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us?" (Matthew 13:55-56). It was as if Jesus' roots in the community nullified his ministry. "He can't be special," folks were saying. "He's one of us."

But that's just the point, isn't it? Jesus was and is "one of us" in a very real way. Jesus, the fullest expression of God's love, shared our lives at a real time and a real place. He faced real pain, cried real tears, ate real food, experienced real joy and wonder, and offered real grace and truth. He could have accomplished so much if the home folks had only believed in him. The good news is that he still can.

Prayer: Lord of life, give us the faith we need to accept your gracious presence in our lives. Amen.

Swaying and Standing

Colossians 1:24-2:7
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7).

Christianity is a dynamic faith, fluid enough to meet the challenges of each succeeding generation of believers, yet solid enough to withstand the ebb and flow of history. This dynamism in part allows Paul to speak of both the presence of Jesus Christ in the life of the Colossian congregation, the faith that has been taught to them in particular, and the need for them to abound in thanksgiving, as well as the call for all believers to stand firmly rooted and built up in Christ, to be “established in the faith” (Colossians 1:7). Faith in Christ can be shared, can draw out a profound response, can guide lives and shape individual communities. But it also transcends the powers of the world and creates a secure and lasting structure. I think of it this way: the largest of buildings must sway in the wind to avoid breaking apart, but they must also have a solid foundation lest they topple over.

One of the great challenges we face as people of faith is learning when to sway and to when to stand firm. It is not an easy task and when the church has been most fragmented it is because it has chosen the wrong strategy for the time. When this happens we must go about the business of regrouping, of focusing once again on God’s will, and on living into the call we have received. Then we can learn once more when to sway and when to stand.

Prayer: Lord, you alone are our strength, and you alone are our guide in life. Help us to know what is needed that we may serve you fully and faithfully. Amen.