All In This Together

Jeremiah 5:1-9
Living as we do in an age of divisiveness, perhaps it is helpful to be reminded by the prophet that sometimes we are more united than we realize, and that it isn’t always a good thing. “Then I said, ‘These are only the poor, they have no sense; for they do not know the way of the Lord, the law of their God. Let me go to the rich and speak to them; surely they know the way of the Lord, the law of their God.’ But they all alike had broken the yoke, they had burst the bonds” (Jeremiah 5:4-5). Sin is sin. Disregard for the Lord is a problem no matter where it happens or by whom it is perpetrated. Jeremiah surveyed the people of his day and found that no matter their place in the social spectrum, no matter their level of achievement, no matter how well-educated or politically connected they might be, they still fell short of God’s intentions. Interestingly, the fact that Jeremiah assumes that the poor might be less righteous based on their place in society is unusual in scripture where God continually shows great compassion for the oppressed and impoverished. Of course, the prophet quickly finds that there is no status in life where God’s will is followed consistently.

Finger pointing, it would seem, will get us nowhere. What we need is not more accusations against others, but a thorough self-examination to remind us that we, too, have fallen short of God’s will for our lives and that we, too, whoever we may be, whatever our station in life, must allow God to work in and through us to bring us to righteousness. As Paul reminds us in our epistle lesson today, “There is no one who is righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10). Driving in the car earlier today I experienced a modern interpretation of Paul’s words as I passed cars festooned with stickers in support of one cause or another. I applaud these folks for standing up for their beliefs, but I also hope that in their zeal for a particular cause they do not lose sight of the fact that they, too, need the mercy and forgiveness of God as found in Jesus Christ if they are to walk in paths of faithful obedience and true discipleship.

Perhaps with the realization that sin is a part of every life we may discover a sense of unity and fellowship with others. There is no one who is without sin. No one. And here, if nowhere else, we stand united. It isn’t much, but at least it’s something.

Prayer: Forgive us when we sin against you and against one another, and help us to recognize our need for the entire community of faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

No Exchange Policy

Jeremiah 2:1-13, 29-32
Romans 1:16-25
Portions of two of today’s readings intersect to offer a word of warning for those whose attention is not on God and the divine will. “Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look,” we read in Jeremiah, “send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has ever been such a thing. Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for something that does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this, be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the LORD…” (Jeremiah 2:10-12). In his letter to the Romans, Paul makes the same point clear, saying, “they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever!” (Romans 1:25). In each case, the issue is one of idolatry, the placing of anything – any aspect of life, any activity, any idea or concept – between ourselves and God. The people of Israel had “changed gods,” according to the prophet, had chosen to serve “the creature rather than the Creator,” in the words of Paul. As a result, the heavens should be “appalled… shocked… (and) utterly desolate,” according to Jeremiah.

While it is easy to place such comments in the past tense and therefore to see them as historic failings, we ourselves must continually be aware of our own focus, that in which we place our ultimate allegiance. The problem, even within the Christian community, is that we find the idolatries of others to be so much worse than those we carry. We easily remove the speck from the eye of fellow believers while the log remains firmly lodged in our own. Why is that? Why is it that people of faith have so much trouble finding common cause on this issue? If nothing else, we Christians should be able to pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our day to day lives and God’s help in our effort to cast aside whatever it is that blocks our view of God’s will. We all fall short of God’s intentions. We all have “changed gods” at some point in our lives. We all have been bedazzled by the creature and lost sight of the Creator, if only for a season or for a moment. We all stand in humble need of God’s forgiveness and grace, and it seems to me that prayers of confession should replace words of accusation and acrimony on all levels.

Then, perhaps, once we have recognized our common plight as sinners in need of redemption, we can pray for one another, humbly and honestly seeking what is best even for those with whom we disagree strongly, for God’s glory is certainly not served in our willful disregard for the hurts and needs of others any more than by our inability to remain focused on the one by whose grace we all live.

Prayer: Lord of light and life, we confess that we have not always followed you and your will for our lives. Forgive us when we allow anything to distract our attention from your glory, and restore us in our faithful obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Band of Believers

Mark 2:1-12
One of the more poignant aspects of the healing of the paralytic is the obvious compassion for this man on the part of his friends who were willing to do whatever was necessary to get him into Jesus’ presence. “Then some people came, bringing to [Jesus] a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven’” (Mark 2:3-5). Mark says that when Jesus “saw their faith,” he first forgave the paralyzed man and then healed him. The plural pronoun their tells us a lot. It was not simply the faith of the man in need that moved Jesus. In fact the paralyzed man’s faith may not be indicated at all. Their may refer only to the people who believed that Jesus could heal their friend.

There are times when I find myself facing fears or concerns, issues or questions that leave me, in effect, spiritually paralyzed. When that happens, when I am facing doubts or struggling with my faith, it is the love and support of the wider community that so often pulls me through. Over the years, friends, family members, congregants, even relative strangers willing to express their confidence in God, have “carried” me to Jesus and helped me learn to stand again in the faith. So often it is their actions that remind me of the forgiveness that I have received and of the healing that I need. And at other times I have been blessed to help do the “carrying,” lending my support to those in need of forgiveness and healing. This is one way that the community of faith expresses its concern for one another in times of need.

Ours is a complicated and trying world, full of darkness, rocked by injustice. But when we as God’s people are willing, not only to carry those in need, but also to dig through the obstacles they encounter, then our faith can become a source of light and life for all.

Prayer: Lord, help us to care for one another and especially for those in need of encouragement and hope, so that together we may share the love of the gospel with a hurting world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Always Working the Angles

Luke 15:1-2, 11-32
There is something very sneaky about the younger brother in the parable of the prodigal son. He takes his father’s money, squanders it on a hedonistic lifestyle, and then comes crawling back home. But even in these destitute circumstances that he has brought upon himself, the younger brother has conditions. “How many of my father's hired hands,” he asks himself, “have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands’” (Luke 15:17b-19). The younger son has come looking for a job! Even though the father owns slaves (see verse 26), and servitude would have been by far the more humbling offer to make, the young man asks for gainful employment.

I’m not sure, but I think the actions of the younger brother may be intended to reflect the bargains we sometimes try to make with God. We, too, have squandered much of what God has given us; we, too, find ourselves in need of mercy and grace; we, too, find ourselves turning to God; yet we, too, try very hard to make a deal, one that is more advantageous for us. We could accept the lowest level of servitude, because we deserve nothing more, nothing better. But why not ask for a job instead (and would a corner office be too much to expect?).

It’s called working the angles, and it’s what the prodigal son was all about. It’s what we do, too, pushing God to give just a little more, be just a little more forgiving, and a little slower to anger. Like the waiting father of Luke 15, God is willing to hear us out and to give us more than we deserve. How thankful we should be! The challenge we face is to think of God’s patience and generosity every time we pray, “forgive us our debts/trespasses as we forgive our debtors/those who trespass against us.” If God is giving us more than we deserve, even more than our audaciousness leads us to expect, we simply must show the same regard for others and cut each other some slack.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for your endless and abiding love and ask for help in forgiving and loving one another. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Aren’t We All?

Luke 7:36-50
"If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him - that she is a sinner" (Luke 7:39). According to Luke’s gospel this is what Jesus’ host was thinking to himself as a certain woman of the city tended to Jesus during dinner. Jesus, of course, knew the thoughts of his host and responded with a parable about forgiveness. But both Luke and the Pharisee of Luke’s story refer to the woman as “a sinner.” Aren’t we all sinners? Couldn’t this be said of anyone who touched Jesus?

Luke and the Pharisee in the account are using the term “sinner” in a very particular way. Whatever this woman was known for—prostitution?—it was significant enough to set her apart from the rest of her community, like the large “A” that Hester Prynne is forced to wear in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter. That much is never questioned in Luke’s story. The woman tending to Jesus is guilty of something that her society does not accept as appropriate. Yet, in reflecting the grace of God Jesus is willing to offer forgiveness to this particular woman anyway, to claim her as one of God’s children, and to lift up her actions as commendable compared to the sparse hospitality shown Jesus by his host.

The point seems clear. We may wish to judge one another, to point out the faults of those around us, to call others to account for their misdeeds, but if Jesus was willing to forgive a woman of her sin—a woman who was without question guilty—then perhaps we should not be in too big a hurry to condemn or judge others. Jesus will always have the final word anyway, and in grace that final word may come as a real surprise to us.

Prayer: Lord, may we who have been forgiven by you, find ways by which to forgive one another. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Strange Things Indeed

Luke 5:12-26
The story from Luke today is a familiar one. A paralyzed man is brought by his friends to the place where Jesus is teaching and healing. As the account draws to a close, Luke says, “Amazement seized all of them, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, ‘We have seen strange things today’” (Luke 5:26).

How interesting that the presence of God in the healing and teaching ministry of Jesus is considered strange by those who witnessed it. To be honest, though, it shouldn’t surprise us. Think for a moment about your own life. What events do you consider common, ordinary, unexceptional? You may be thinking about the errands you need to run or the tasks you need to accomplish at work. Maybe you are considering your housework or your school assignments, maybe your plans for the evening. Whatever the case, I suspect that none of us are prepared to witness an exchange like the one that Jesus had with the Pharisees or his healing of the paralyzed man. And yet, if what we say we believe is true; if God is Sovereign over all creation and present in all we do; if Jesus Christ is Lord of all; if the Holy Spirit is constantly at work in our midst inspiring, guiding, blessing us all, why should Jesus’ actions be called “strange”?

They aren’t, they just fall outside of the normal mindset for most of us. Strange would be going an hour – let along a day – without some sign of grace appearing in our lives. Strange would be no order within creation. Strange would be no kindness in those around us, no gentleness, no encouragement. A world devoid of God and God’s many, many blessings…now that would be strange. Strangeness, it would seem, is in the eye of the beholder, but for the eye of faith, God’s work should be the norm not the exception.

Prayer: Lord, give us eyes to see that your grace surrounds us and sustains us all the days of our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

When You’ve Got Forgiveness…

Matthew 9:1-8

In years past the dietary supplement Geritol was sold with the slogan “When you’ve got your health, you’ve got just about everything.” Jesus seems to differ significantly with that viewpoint. “And just then some people were carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven’" (Matthew 9:2). For Jesus it is more appropriate to say, “When you’ve got forgiveness, you’ve got just about everything.”

The reason I say this is because forgiveness is Jesus’ first response to the paralytic and the faith this man’s friends demonstrated. What Jesus wanted them—and especially the man who was paralyzed—to know was that in their faith they had found right relationship with God and been reconciled to him. This was, after all, the heart of Jesus’ ministry. His preaching, teaching, calling, healing, and exhorting were all focused on restoring the connection between God and God’s people. Everything else followed from there.

Every time that Christian communities gather a typical part of their worship, regardless of where it takes place, is the confession of sins and the assurance of pardon. God’s people are encouraged to acknowledge their failings and to name them before God. This in turn provides the opportunity to hear God’s grace proclaimed. We know we have failed; we also know that God loves us anyway and is working through the love of Jesus Christ to keep the relationship with God open, and that through that relationship all else becomes possible.

When the paralyzed man was brought to Jesus by his friends, Jesus’ first impulse was to assure him of his forgiveness. When Jesus did heal the man it was a further confirmation of God’s love and compassion, proving that when you’ve got forgiveness, you’ve got just about everything.

Prayer: Lord, we have failed you in so many ways. Forgive us, we pray, and help us to walk according to your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Placing Our Confidence In God

Nehemiah 1:1-11

Our Old Testament reading this morning includes a heartfelt prayer of confession, one that resonates with contemporary life. “Both I and my family have sinned,” says Nehemiah. “We have offended you deeply, failing to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses” (Nehemiah 1:6b-7). Not only does Nehemiah confess his sins and the sins of his people, but he goes on to remind God of promises made, of assurances given, that if the people should turn and seek God they will be restored. Nehemiah shows contrition and seeks mercy, but does so with confidence in God.

In my tradition we enter into confession with the same confidence in God. Yes, we have sinned and turned away from God’s will. Yes, we deserve God’s judgment. But we also know with certainty that in Jesus Christ death and sin have been defeated and that we are forgiven. The relationship between God and God’s people remains intact. In turning to God we are relieved of the weight of our sins and encouraged to live for God and one another. Though Nehemiah would find many things about our modern world to be unsettling (to say the least), I believe his trust in God would continue to serve him well. Still, even at this distance in history, Nehemiah’s prayer remains an example of faithfulness.

Prayer: “O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name” (Nehemiah 1:11a).

Unforgivable

Matthew 12:22-32 According to Matthew Jesus had just healed a blind and mute demoniac by casting out the demon that plagued the man. While the crowds wondered if Jesus could be the Son of David the Pharisees accused him of being of the devil. They reasoned that there was no other way for Jesus to command evil spirits unless he was in league with them. Jesus’ reply to this accusation is direct. He ends by warning the Pharisees that “people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:31-32).

The Pharisees had witnessed the work of God and yet willfully discounted it attributing it instead to Beelzebub. It is this hardness of heart, this stubborn denial of the truth, that separates one from God. If we deny the Holy Spirit’s work we have essentially hung a “do not disturb” sign on our lives telling God to leave us alone. According to Jesus, God is inclined to do just that, to leave us to our own sinful destruction. If, however, we acknowledge God’s work in the world, we will find opportunity for grace and forgiveness even when we fall short of God’s intentions. A willing and obedient faith opens us to God’s grace. A refusal to accept what God is doing leaves us closed off and withdrawn from that same grace.

Prayer: Lord, we do not always acknowledge you as we should. Help us be open to your grace and live as you intend. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Which Day Was That Again?

1 Corinthians 11:23-34

Paul makes a poignant reference in our epistle reading for today. He could have chosen any number of ways to identify what we call Maundy Thursday: the night Jesus was arrested, the night Jesus celebrated the Passover, the night Jesus instituted the sacred meal. But Paul chose to call it the night of Jesus’ betrayal. “For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it…” (1 Corinthians 11:23-24a). By placing the meal into this particular context Paul heightens the tension between the grace of God and the sinfulness of humanity.

Judas would indeed betray Jesus to the authorities, but by the time the night was over Jesus would be disserted by his followers and denied by Peter. And the crowds who cheered Jesus on Palm Sunday would be screaming for his blood by Friday. Into this climate Jesus introduces a profound sign of God’s love, a meal through which believers find nourishment for the journey of faith and are reminded of the sacrifice made.

The truth is that we all betray Jesus every time we fall short of God’s will. But the sacrament of communion remains for us a sign that Jesus’ sacrifice was not in vain. As Paul reminds us, God’s love abounds.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for your continued love and mercy. Bless us in our efforts to serve you and forgive us when we fail. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Is This a Trick Question?

Matthew 9:1-8

“Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’?” (Matthew 9:5). According to Matthew this was Jesus’ question to a group of scribes who doubted his authority to forgive the sins of a paralyzed man. Is Jesus serious? Of course it is easier in that case to say “your sins are forgiven” than to say “ stand up and walk,” at least if we really expect something to happen. But that’s not the point.

The point is that the God of grace and forgiveness is also the God of hope and healing. To trust God in one area of our lives is to trust God in the other, and what God offers in each case is just as real. How often do we forget our need for forgiveness? How often do we focus solely on our need for wellbeing as we see it? And yet forgiveness, a release from the power of sin over our lives, is every bit as important as alleviating our illness or pain. In a very real way the sins of the paralyzed man kept him weighed down. Assuring him of God’s love allowed him to stand spiritually, just as healing him allowed him to stand physically.

Which is easier to say? If we slow down and pay attention we will see that by God’s grace we receive both healing and forgiveness and that in God’s love and mercy we find that we are strong enough to live as God intends.

Prayer: Lord, help us to stand as a forgiven people, healed of that which keeps us from you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A Total Lack of Courage

Mark 14:66-72

Peter had sworn that he would never deny Jesus, no matter what. But according to our reading from Mark this morning that’s exactly what Peter did. Bless Peter’s heart, though. The first two times he denied knowing Jesus were not to a person of power or authority, but to a servant girl (Mark 14:67-69). Apparently all of Peter’s courage was gone as was his promise to remain loyal to Jesus.

I’m not making light of Peter’s actions. I can’t honestly say I would have done any better—I don’t know because by God’s grace I’ve never been in that situation. And that’s the warning I take from this account. Words are easy, promises are cheap, but actions are sometimes very difficult. On the other hand, Jesus seems to have known Peter better than Peter knew himself because Jesus had predicted the denial. And ironically there is the good news that all of us need to hear: Jesus knows each of us better than we know ourselves and yet Jesus is willing to die for us, just as he was willing to die for Peter. The disciple may have lacked courage, but the teacher did not, and in the end God’s grace was made clear in the resurrection.

Spiritually we may each be lacking, but God’s love is powerful enough to call us, to claim us, to heal us, to hold us, to save us, and to send us. This we know because Jesus died for Peter…and for you and me.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when our courage fails or when we do not live up to our promises. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What’s the Matter With These People?

Mark 2:23-3:6

Our reading from Mark for today includes two incidents that took place on the sabbath day, times when Jesus broke the strictest interpretation of the law against work on the Lord’s day. But surely the only reason we know of these events is that there were some who opposed Jesus. I suppose that plucking grain may have been unnecessary as told by Mark, but it certainly was not “work.” And clearly, as Jesus showed over and over again, God’s mercy transcended the designation of days allowing acts of healing even on the sabbath, and even in the synagogue on that day.

So why would anyone object? Couldn’t they see the good that was going on? Didn’t they get it? Those questions are all fine and good until we start to think about the traditions, customs, ways of life to which we cling, even at the risk of hurting others. Don’t we know any better? Seeing the sin in others is so much easier than seeing it in ourselves. Perhaps that is the real message that Jesus is sharing with us in Mark today.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when our understanding clashes with your will and we refuse to give way. Amen.

Living Like You Mean It

Titus 1:1-16

You may not be able to judge a book by its cover, but according to the writer of Titus you certainly can tell by the way a person lives whether he or she has faith in God. “They profess to know God,” we read, “but they deny him by their actions” (Titus 1:16a). I shudder to think what this means for me because I know there are times when I do not display godly living…like when I’m driving. It’s not that I try to run over pedestrians or play demolition derby, it’s just that I lose patience. Getting caught behind someone driving 20 in a 35 mph zone is frustrating to me. So is having someone ride my bumper when I think I’m going fast enough. Timid people in the left turn lane, drivers who slow to look at street numbers, those who dart out in front of me and then drive more slowly than I was going, these are the sorts of situations that get me riled up, and I know that other drivers can tell.

So what sort of message am I sending? I claim to know God and to be a follower of Jesus Christ. I have accepted the responsibility of ordained ministry. But on those occasions when I pound on the steering wheel or shake my head with disdain I am setting a pretty sorry example. I should be more spiritually mature, more forgiving of others the way God is forgiving of me. But…

The challenge is to live as though we really believe the good news of the gospel, to live in a way that bears out what we say when we profess our faith, to demonstrate that we know God and that it has made a difference. Otherwise we are denying everything we say to be true. When the traffic jams of life come along,––as they always do––how will we respond?

Prayer: Lord, help us to be faithful followers and to live according to your will so that others may know your grace and love. Amen.

Winning the 'Sin Olympics'

1 Timothy 1:1-17

Being convinced as I am that we are all sinners in constant need of God’s redeeming grace I find the words of 1 Timothy 1:15 to be interesting. “The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance,” we read, “that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…”. Up to that point the message is good news! The purpose behind Jesus’ earthy ministry, his life, death, and resurrection, was and is to save sinners. But then we read the next phrase: “––of whom I am the foremost.” The writer is claiming to be the greatest of sinners, the one most in need of what Jesus was offering. So here is my question. How did he know? Did the writer of 1 Timothy win the “Sin Olympics?” Was there some form of official proclamation? How did he know he was the foremost of sinners?

Of course he didn’t. This is hyperbole, intended to make a point. If God could work through this individual God was capable to working though anyone. And frankly, if there really was a “Sin Olympics” there would be a 3-billion-way tie for first place, because we are all in that boat together. Yet, God continues to find ways of working through us and in us to accomplish God’s will. We have neither stymied nor defeated God’s plan. We have in no way frustrated God’s ability to do what it is that God has set out to do. God continues to work in our lives, despite the sin, despite the shortcomings, despite the unwillingness on our part. “The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance!” In Jesus Christ we are forgiven, and we have not had to earn it or even compete for it.

How can this good news make a difference in your life today? Where will it lead you? Can you find a way to let go of your anger at someone else, knowing that if you are forgiven by God they are as well? Can you show greater generosity of heart to others than you’ve ever shown? Can you trust God in Jesus Christ to lead you where you need to be? All of these are appropriate work for today, and all are made possible because we, despite our sinful nature, have been engulfed by grace and granted release from our sins. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord, continue to forgive us, we pray, and to lead us toward the dawn of your coming reign. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

The Economy of Redemption

Joel 1:12-19
Luke 15:1-10
God must not have taken the same Intro to Economics class that I did in college, or maybe I just paid less attention than I thought. Either way God demonstrates a lavishness of forgiveness and salvation that defies human understanding. After spending the opening verses condemning God’s people for their waywardness, the book of Joel suddenly veers in a new direction. “(God) is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abiding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing…” (Joel 2:15). “I am sending you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied,” says the Lord (v. 19). If the people will simply return to God they will find all they need provided by God’s hand.

But the lavishness really becomes clear in the gospel account for today. There Jesus tells us of a shepherd who is willing to leave 99 perfectly good sheep to go look for one who is lost (Luke 15:3-7). What a crazy idea! I’ve been told by “real” shepherds that losing 6 or 8% of a flock in a year is not unusual, not with illness, age, predators, and so forth. So who risks 99 sheep to save one? Only God would take that kind of risk, would lavish that kind of salvation.

For many of us in the church this is stewardship season, the time of year when financial pledges are made and budgets are drafted. Perhaps, then, this is a good time to reflect on the lengths to which God is willing to go on our behalf before we determine what our commitment will be to God and the work of the church. Don’t expect God’s side of the ledger to add up, at least not in human terms. But while God is pouring out grain and oil and wine, and while the Good Shepherd is refusing to lose even one sheep out of 100, maybe we should strive to live more in accordance with God’s economics and less with what the world considers appropriate. I’m sure the one sheep would agree.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us our sins and our shortcomings and help us to live lives of generosity. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.