Jim:
1 Kings 5:1-6:1, 7
Today I noted verse 5, a part of the message that Solomon sent to King Hiram of Tyre. “So I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord said to my father David, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.’” The house that Solomon intended to build was not for God, but for the name of God. The temple, then, would not be understood to contain God, but would point to God and to Israel’s relationship with God. (Later when Isaiah saw God in the temple, the hem of God’s robe filled up the space and the vision seemed to spill over into the heavenly court.)
Acts 28:1-16
I took comfort from verse 15. “The believers from there, when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.” Again, the Christian faith is seen to be a corporate faith, one that creates communities and relationships, not an individual faith that can be practiced in isolation. Paul, who himself had offered encouragement to those on the ship, now receives encouragement himself. The main reason that we gather to worship on a regular basis is to praise God, but one of the effects is mutual support and accountability. Even Paul needed to know that others were standing with him.
Mark 14:27-42
Verse 36 is poignant. “(Jesus) said, ‘Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.’” Jesus, at a moment of real crisis, a time of personal torment, is able and willing to express his preference for a different outcome, but to also turn his life over to God. This is a part of Jesus’ perfect obedience that we talk about. That doesn’t mean that Jesus always liked what he was called to do, but he was willing to do it anyway and to trust God in the process. Incidentally, it is very appropriate for us to express our concerns to God, to badger and pester ever, but our effort should be to do God’s will, even when we disagree or don’t understand.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Random Thoughts
Jim:
1 Kings 3:16-28
What a great story! What Debbie and I commented on this morning is that neither of us remembered that the two women were prostitutes. And yet, as low in society as they were, they had access to Solomon’s counsel. The story also has that great moment when the real mother offers to give up the child rather than see it killed, which provides Solomon with all the evidence he needed.
Acts 27:27-44
Verse 35 is interesting. “After (Paul) had said this, he took bread; and giving thanks to God in the presence of all, he broke it and began to eat.” Paul was not celebrating the Lord’s supper per se, but notice the words that are used. Paul “took bread”, offered “thanks to God”, “broke” the bread, and began to eat. Very similar to accounts of the Lord’s supper. And clearly Paul is mindful of God’s presence in the events transpiring around him. But every meal we eat should remind us of the Lord’s supper and of God’s gracious love for us made manifest in Jesus Christ.
Mark 14:12-26
Verses 18 and 19 struck me this morning. “And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.’ They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, ‘Surely, not I?’” Only Judas had formed any intent at this point to betray Jesus, but all of the disciples were “distressed” that it might be they of whom Jesus was speaking, and so none of them, according to Mark, denied Jesus’ assertion very strongly. Our sinful nature leads us to this situation, to the point that we realize what we are capable of, even betrayal against God’s will and purpose. If we are honest we’ll recognize our potential to turn away from God. But we will also recognize God’s grace and mercy in forgiving and loving us nonetheless.
1 Kings 3:16-28
What a great story! What Debbie and I commented on this morning is that neither of us remembered that the two women were prostitutes. And yet, as low in society as they were, they had access to Solomon’s counsel. The story also has that great moment when the real mother offers to give up the child rather than see it killed, which provides Solomon with all the evidence he needed.
Acts 27:27-44
Verse 35 is interesting. “After (Paul) had said this, he took bread; and giving thanks to God in the presence of all, he broke it and began to eat.” Paul was not celebrating the Lord’s supper per se, but notice the words that are used. Paul “took bread”, offered “thanks to God”, “broke” the bread, and began to eat. Very similar to accounts of the Lord’s supper. And clearly Paul is mindful of God’s presence in the events transpiring around him. But every meal we eat should remind us of the Lord’s supper and of God’s gracious love for us made manifest in Jesus Christ.
Mark 14:12-26
Verses 18 and 19 struck me this morning. “And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.’ They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, ‘Surely, not I?’” Only Judas had formed any intent at this point to betray Jesus, but all of the disciples were “distressed” that it might be they of whom Jesus was speaking, and so none of them, according to Mark, denied Jesus’ assertion very strongly. Our sinful nature leads us to this situation, to the point that we realize what we are capable of, even betrayal against God’s will and purpose. If we are honest we’ll recognize our potential to turn away from God. But we will also recognize God’s grace and mercy in forgiving and loving us nonetheless.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Wisdom and Encouragement
Jim:
1 Kings 3:1-15
Verse 9 struck me today. “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?” This was the request that Solomon made to God, the wisdom necessary to govern well. I hope (or wish) it is the prayer of all those who govern or who seek to govern. Humility before God and all people and the wisdom necessary to recognize good from evil can make a huge difference in the quality of governance in any nation. Perhaps we should offer this prayer ourselves for those who govern us or who seek elected office, especially at this time when our nation is as divided as it is. May God bless our leaders with the wisdom to know right from wrong, and the humility to govern fairly.
Acts 27:9-26
Paul encouraged the passengers and crew of the ship on which he was sailing as they endured a horrific storm at sea. “So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that is will be exactly as I have been told” (verse 26). This is sort of a counterpoint to story of the stilling of the storm as told in the gospels. In that case Jesus caused the wind and waves to cease while marveling at how little faith the disciples had. In this case, Paul displays faith in God even though the storm continues unabated. In our stormy lives it would do us well to trust God to do exactly what God has promised. (This will be our primary text for worship tonight, and I plan to use it conjunction with one of the gospel texts on the stilling of the storm. We'll see how it goes.)
1 Kings 3:1-15
Verse 9 struck me today. “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?” This was the request that Solomon made to God, the wisdom necessary to govern well. I hope (or wish) it is the prayer of all those who govern or who seek to govern. Humility before God and all people and the wisdom necessary to recognize good from evil can make a huge difference in the quality of governance in any nation. Perhaps we should offer this prayer ourselves for those who govern us or who seek elected office, especially at this time when our nation is as divided as it is. May God bless our leaders with the wisdom to know right from wrong, and the humility to govern fairly.
Acts 27:9-26
Paul encouraged the passengers and crew of the ship on which he was sailing as they endured a horrific storm at sea. “So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that is will be exactly as I have been told” (verse 26). This is sort of a counterpoint to story of the stilling of the storm as told in the gospels. In that case Jesus caused the wind and waves to cease while marveling at how little faith the disciples had. In this case, Paul displays faith in God even though the storm continues unabated. In our stormy lives it would do us well to trust God to do exactly what God has promised. (This will be our primary text for worship tonight, and I plan to use it conjunction with one of the gospel texts on the stilling of the storm. We'll see how it goes.)
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Crossing the Kidron, Tee Shirts, etc.
Jim:
1 Kings 1:32-2:46
Admittedly this passage sounds like something out of a Godfather movie, with all of Solomon’s enemies being killed off, one by one. But I have always been fascinated by one detail in particular. In 1:37 Solomon tells Shimei, “on the day you go out, and cross the Wadi Kidron, know for certain that you shall die…” The reasons for this are immaterial. What is interesting is that according to John 18:1, “After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden…”, and shortly thereafter Judas betrays Jesus. I can’t believe that it is a coincidence that in each case crossing the Kidron means death. For Shimei or Jesus to have remained in Jerusalem would have meant protection. It seems Jesus knew that leaving Jerusalem meant making himself vulnerable, that like Shimei, he would be killed by the authorities. As to the rest of the passage in 1 Kings, Solomon was doing what kings did to secure their power and to tighten their grasp on the throne.
Acts 26:24-27:8
I focused on 1:29 this morning. “Paul replied, ‘Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are listening to me today might become such as I am—except for these chains.’” Three things strike me here. One is that even in bondage Paul speaks of the true freedom found in Jesus Christ. Secondly, Paul understands that God alone can accomplish the transformation of lives. Paul might be a part of the process, but God is the one who will bring it about. And thirdly, while Paul might have used his circumstances to plead for mercy or to try to escape imprisonment—which might have happened had he played his cards right—he instead uses this opportunity to proclaim the gospel to an ever extending range of people.
Mark 13:28-37
Today I underlined verse 37, “And what I (Jesus) say to you I say to all: Keep awake.” It reminds me of a tee-shirt I saw a long time ago that said, “Be alert. The world needs more lerts.” Actually, I think Jesus’ words are an interesting way to express the gospel. Keep awake. Pay attention. Take nothing for granted. Be actively engaged in the work of the kingdom, because that is what God’s people are to do. It is impossible to be a static Christian. To be a Christian is to be at attention, to be busy. Like the bumper sticker says, “Faith is a verb.” To relax, to doze off is to miss one’s calling in the faith. Or to put it another way, be a disciple of Christ, the world needs more Christians.
1 Kings 1:32-2:46
Admittedly this passage sounds like something out of a Godfather movie, with all of Solomon’s enemies being killed off, one by one. But I have always been fascinated by one detail in particular. In 1:37 Solomon tells Shimei, “on the day you go out, and cross the Wadi Kidron, know for certain that you shall die…” The reasons for this are immaterial. What is interesting is that according to John 18:1, “After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden…”, and shortly thereafter Judas betrays Jesus. I can’t believe that it is a coincidence that in each case crossing the Kidron means death. For Shimei or Jesus to have remained in Jerusalem would have meant protection. It seems Jesus knew that leaving Jerusalem meant making himself vulnerable, that like Shimei, he would be killed by the authorities. As to the rest of the passage in 1 Kings, Solomon was doing what kings did to secure their power and to tighten their grasp on the throne.
Acts 26:24-27:8
I focused on 1:29 this morning. “Paul replied, ‘Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are listening to me today might become such as I am—except for these chains.’” Three things strike me here. One is that even in bondage Paul speaks of the true freedom found in Jesus Christ. Secondly, Paul understands that God alone can accomplish the transformation of lives. Paul might be a part of the process, but God is the one who will bring it about. And thirdly, while Paul might have used his circumstances to plead for mercy or to try to escape imprisonment—which might have happened had he played his cards right—he instead uses this opportunity to proclaim the gospel to an ever extending range of people.
Mark 13:28-37
Today I underlined verse 37, “And what I (Jesus) say to you I say to all: Keep awake.” It reminds me of a tee-shirt I saw a long time ago that said, “Be alert. The world needs more lerts.” Actually, I think Jesus’ words are an interesting way to express the gospel. Keep awake. Pay attention. Take nothing for granted. Be actively engaged in the work of the kingdom, because that is what God’s people are to do. It is impossible to be a static Christian. To be a Christian is to be at attention, to be busy. Like the bumper sticker says, “Faith is a verb.” To relax, to doze off is to miss one’s calling in the faith. Or to put it another way, be a disciple of Christ, the world needs more Christians.
Monday, August 27, 2007
God's Help in Times of Struggle
Jim:
There is an idea at work in the 1 Kings and Acts passages that provides comfort when we reach the words in the Mark passage.
1 Kings 1:1-31
Verse 29 says, “The king [David] swore, saying, ‘As the Lord lives, who has saved my life from every adversity…’” David readily recognizes God’s presence in his life during times of turmoil and struggle, and also recognizes that it was by God’s grace that he has survived. No matter what the challenge, be it Saul’s attempts to kill him, or Absalom’s treason, or any other event, God has been with David as a source of strength and comfort, and so, near the end of his life, David can describe God as the one who has brought him through “every adversity.”
Acts 26:1-23
Paul, on trial before King Agrippa, made a similar claim saying (in verse 22), “To this day I have had help from God, and so I stand here, testifying to both small and great…” Looking back on his life Paul knew that it was by God’s grace that he had accomplished what he had, that God had preserved him in times of challenge and struggle. This confidence motivated him as he looked toward the future and what might await him. Paul is not afraid.
Mark 13:14-27
Confidence in times of struggle is something to which Christians should lay claim. According to Jesus, “in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now…” Being a Christian does not remove struggle from one’s life. Struggle, adversity, difficulty are never completely removed from the life of the believer. Whatever the truth about Mother Teresa and her faith, it is clear that she faced times of doubt and conflict. We all do. Jesus seems to promise nothing less. But David and Paul each knew what we must hold on to, that in God is our ultimate deliverance, that, in the words of the psalmist, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth (Psalm 121:2).” When we face times of trial, we may lean on God’s grace and providence for help.
There is an idea at work in the 1 Kings and Acts passages that provides comfort when we reach the words in the Mark passage.
1 Kings 1:1-31
Verse 29 says, “The king [David] swore, saying, ‘As the Lord lives, who has saved my life from every adversity…’” David readily recognizes God’s presence in his life during times of turmoil and struggle, and also recognizes that it was by God’s grace that he has survived. No matter what the challenge, be it Saul’s attempts to kill him, or Absalom’s treason, or any other event, God has been with David as a source of strength and comfort, and so, near the end of his life, David can describe God as the one who has brought him through “every adversity.”
Acts 26:1-23
Paul, on trial before King Agrippa, made a similar claim saying (in verse 22), “To this day I have had help from God, and so I stand here, testifying to both small and great…” Looking back on his life Paul knew that it was by God’s grace that he had accomplished what he had, that God had preserved him in times of challenge and struggle. This confidence motivated him as he looked toward the future and what might await him. Paul is not afraid.
Mark 13:14-27
Confidence in times of struggle is something to which Christians should lay claim. According to Jesus, “in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now…” Being a Christian does not remove struggle from one’s life. Struggle, adversity, difficulty are never completely removed from the life of the believer. Whatever the truth about Mother Teresa and her faith, it is clear that she faced times of doubt and conflict. We all do. Jesus seems to promise nothing less. But David and Paul each knew what we must hold on to, that in God is our ultimate deliverance, that, in the words of the psalmist, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth (Psalm 121:2).” When we face times of trial, we may lean on God’s grace and providence for help.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Finding God in David and Jesus
Jim:
2 Samuel 18:19-33
Maybe it’s because I am a father, or maybe it’s because I have recently witnessed a father grieving at the death of his son; whatever the reason, I find a great poignancy in these verses today. David’s grief at the death of Absalom, despite Absalom’s treachery, is touching. For me, though, the real poignancy of David’s grief lies in it’s resonance with the grief that God suffers, not in the death of Jesus––though that surely grieved God as Father––but in the disobedience that we, God’s people, continue to demonstrate. In this context then, David’s words in verse 33 become a foreshadowing of God’s actions in Jesus Christ: “Would I had died instead of you…” That’s exactly what God does in the crucifixion.
Mark 12:13-27
Verses 24 and 27 struck me today: “Jesus said to them, ‘Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God?…He is God not of the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong.’” The argument in this passage is about a very minor point in relation to the resurrection. Jesus quashes the conversation by claiming that his opponents are not well-informed about scripture or about the power of God. God is not at work in the minutia of arcane debate, but in the daily miracles of life and the grace that we experience. If we really paid attention to what God was doing we would not worry about issues such as this one (to whom will a woman be married in the resurrection?) but would rejoice and live in love and in community with God and with one another.
2 Samuel 18:19-33
Maybe it’s because I am a father, or maybe it’s because I have recently witnessed a father grieving at the death of his son; whatever the reason, I find a great poignancy in these verses today. David’s grief at the death of Absalom, despite Absalom’s treachery, is touching. For me, though, the real poignancy of David’s grief lies in it’s resonance with the grief that God suffers, not in the death of Jesus––though that surely grieved God as Father––but in the disobedience that we, God’s people, continue to demonstrate. In this context then, David’s words in verse 33 become a foreshadowing of God’s actions in Jesus Christ: “Would I had died instead of you…” That’s exactly what God does in the crucifixion.
Mark 12:13-27
Verses 24 and 27 struck me today: “Jesus said to them, ‘Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God?…He is God not of the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong.’” The argument in this passage is about a very minor point in relation to the resurrection. Jesus quashes the conversation by claiming that his opponents are not well-informed about scripture or about the power of God. God is not at work in the minutia of arcane debate, but in the daily miracles of life and the grace that we experience. If we really paid attention to what God was doing we would not worry about issues such as this one (to whom will a woman be married in the resurrection?) but would rejoice and live in love and in community with God and with one another.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Authority
Jim:
The readings today all have something to do with authority and what it is that motivates people to act one way or another.
2 Samuel 18:9-18
David had strictly forbidden anyone to harm Absalom, even thought Absalom was in open conflict with his father. But Joab, hearing that Absalom was stuck in a tree, took matters into his own hands and participated in killing the young man. He was doing the thing that made the most sense. A lot of societies and nations believe that traitors should die for their crimes, for putting the society or nation at risk, for turning their backs on those who trust them. And Absalom was a traitor, no mistake about it. But the king’s will was different from the “common sense” action, and here, I believe, David mirrors the actions of God in like circumstances, which is to say that David sought a different course of action, one that put him at odds with “common sense.” I think that doing God’s will can often put us on the side opposed to “what makes sense” to the world. That’s why it requires so much courage.
Acts 23:12-24
A group of 40 Jews wanted to murder Paul and so took an oath not to eat or drink until they had accomplished the task. This act of what they considered to be devotion to God would have put them at odds the Roman civil government. But it also put them at odds with the will of God. In our desire to see things done “right” we sometimes assume that we know God’s will, even if we don’t, or worse, that God would agree with our actions because there are the right thing to do. What is needed is patience on our part and hearts that are attentive to God’s voice so that we can understand what God is up to and not work against it.
Mark 11:27-12:12
In this reading, the issue of authority is spelled out unambiguously. The people who believe they represent God are unable to recognize the one who has been sent by God. For them, authority is about power and control. For Jesus, authority is about healing, saving, and calling. Authority for Jesus is about service. It is about sharing. It is about recognizing God’s love and compassion for all people and acting in accordance with it. The tenants believed they could control the vineyard, and they used all mean necessary to do so. But in the end there would be no way to escape the true authority of God as the creator of the vineyard.
The readings today all have something to do with authority and what it is that motivates people to act one way or another.
2 Samuel 18:9-18
David had strictly forbidden anyone to harm Absalom, even thought Absalom was in open conflict with his father. But Joab, hearing that Absalom was stuck in a tree, took matters into his own hands and participated in killing the young man. He was doing the thing that made the most sense. A lot of societies and nations believe that traitors should die for their crimes, for putting the society or nation at risk, for turning their backs on those who trust them. And Absalom was a traitor, no mistake about it. But the king’s will was different from the “common sense” action, and here, I believe, David mirrors the actions of God in like circumstances, which is to say that David sought a different course of action, one that put him at odds with “common sense.” I think that doing God’s will can often put us on the side opposed to “what makes sense” to the world. That’s why it requires so much courage.
Acts 23:12-24
A group of 40 Jews wanted to murder Paul and so took an oath not to eat or drink until they had accomplished the task. This act of what they considered to be devotion to God would have put them at odds the Roman civil government. But it also put them at odds with the will of God. In our desire to see things done “right” we sometimes assume that we know God’s will, even if we don’t, or worse, that God would agree with our actions because there are the right thing to do. What is needed is patience on our part and hearts that are attentive to God’s voice so that we can understand what God is up to and not work against it.
Mark 11:27-12:12
In this reading, the issue of authority is spelled out unambiguously. The people who believe they represent God are unable to recognize the one who has been sent by God. For them, authority is about power and control. For Jesus, authority is about healing, saving, and calling. Authority for Jesus is about service. It is about sharing. It is about recognizing God’s love and compassion for all people and acting in accordance with it. The tenants believed they could control the vineyard, and they used all mean necessary to do so. But in the end there would be no way to escape the true authority of God as the creator of the vineyard.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)