Acts 26:1-23
Luke 8:26-39
In our reading from Luke this morning Jesus heals a Gerasene man possessed by a number of demons. Near the end of the account Luke tells us, “the man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you’” (Luke 8:38-39). In Acts, Paul tells King Agrippa the story of his Damascus-Road conversion. There the risen Lord said to Paul, “I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light…” (Acts 26:17-18).
Sometimes we concentrate so much on what it means to be “called” by God that we forget that we are also “sent” by God, often in the very same moment. Yes, the disciples were summoned to walk with Jesus during his ministry, and yes, Paul was drawn into the early church as a convert. Likewise, we are called to enter into the community of Christian fellowship. But the disciples were frequently sent throughout the countryside to perform tasks, on Pentecost Sunday they were practically propelled into the streets to proclaim the good news, and Paul found himself traveling the known world sharing the new of Jesus Christ. In the same way we, too, are sent as disciples and followers of Jesus into the world to “declare how much God has done” for us. This is where the doctrine of election can be seen as a two-way street of sorts. God chooses a people and sets them aside. But election is not solely a matter of salvation; it has every bit as much to do with service. To be one of God’s people, to follow Jesus Christ, is to embrace opportunities to share the good news, to bring light to those who face darkness, to live as though the faith has really made a difference in who we are.
The Gerasene demoniac was so utterly changed that others became frightened. Some who heard Paul speak remained angry and unmoved by his words. We can expect similar circumstances. But every so often we will find ourselves ministering to someone who is touched by the Holy Spirit through our words or actions. At moments like this we will have made the transition from those who are called to those who are sent. Each is vitally important. Each is the will of God.
Prayer: God, help us to live faithfully as your people, praising you and seeking your forgiveness, but also reaching out to others that they may know the good news of the gospel. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
You Are What You Love
Hosea 9:10-17
Luke 8:1-15
It is difficult to imagine harsher language than that contained in our reading from Hosea today. For their idolatry and disobedience to God the people will suffer greatly, says the prophet, and in profoundly disturbing ways. But there is one phrase in particular that intersects with the gospel reading from Luke. The people, says Hosea, “became detestable like the thing they loved” (Hosea 9:10). The “thing” is this case is the fertility god Baal, which is “shameful” in the eyes of God (v. 10).
Our reading from Luke is the familiar parable of the sower and the seeds, which compares different types of faith with the ways in which seeds either grow or die. “As for what fell among the thorns,” says Jesus, “these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature” (Luke 8:14). Jesus does not make the connection explicit, but he might as well have added, “they became detestable like the thing they loved.” God’s desire for God’s people, in the words of Jesus, is to “hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance” (v. 15). But all too often God’s people show no patience, no endurance, and therefore produce no good fruit. Instead they are attracted by “shameful things”, or by “the cares and riches and pleasures of life.”
We are familiar with the expression “you are what you eat.” Both Hosea and Jesus remind us that, likewise, we are (or we are like) what we love. So where is our attention? What are we attracted to? And what motivates our actions in the world? Are we drawn to the things of God and God’s will to bear good fruit with patient endurance? Or do we prefer the cares and riches and pleasures of life? This really is a serious concern because it demonstrates who we are as well as whose we are. If “we are (or are like) what we love” then certainly our focus should be on God.
Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we are distracted by the things of this world and fail to respond to your word and your will. Amen.
Luke 8:1-15
It is difficult to imagine harsher language than that contained in our reading from Hosea today. For their idolatry and disobedience to God the people will suffer greatly, says the prophet, and in profoundly disturbing ways. But there is one phrase in particular that intersects with the gospel reading from Luke. The people, says Hosea, “became detestable like the thing they loved” (Hosea 9:10). The “thing” is this case is the fertility god Baal, which is “shameful” in the eyes of God (v. 10).
Our reading from Luke is the familiar parable of the sower and the seeds, which compares different types of faith with the ways in which seeds either grow or die. “As for what fell among the thorns,” says Jesus, “these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature” (Luke 8:14). Jesus does not make the connection explicit, but he might as well have added, “they became detestable like the thing they loved.” God’s desire for God’s people, in the words of Jesus, is to “hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance” (v. 15). But all too often God’s people show no patience, no endurance, and therefore produce no good fruit. Instead they are attracted by “shameful things”, or by “the cares and riches and pleasures of life.”
We are familiar with the expression “you are what you eat.” Both Hosea and Jesus remind us that, likewise, we are (or we are like) what we love. So where is our attention? What are we attracted to? And what motivates our actions in the world? Are we drawn to the things of God and God’s will to bear good fruit with patient endurance? Or do we prefer the cares and riches and pleasures of life? This really is a serious concern because it demonstrates who we are as well as whose we are. If “we are (or are like) what we love” then certainly our focus should be on God.
Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we are distracted by the things of this world and fail to respond to your word and your will. Amen.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Accusations All Around
Hosea 9:1-9
Acts 24:1-23
Luke 7:36-50
In each of our readings today someone is being accused of something by someone else. In Hosea, Israel is accused by the prophet of “playing the whore, departing from (their) God” (Hosea 9:1), and of being deeply corrupted (v. 9). In response, the people find fault with God’s messenger. “The prophet is a fool,” they say, “the man of the spirit is mad” (v. 7). In Acts, Paul stands accused of being “a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). Paul, of course, denies any of this to be true (vv. 18-21). And finally in Luke, Simon the Pharisee is convinced that Jesus must not be a prophet or else he would have known the nature of the woman who was anointing his feet with ointment and tears (Luke 7:39). Jesus, for his part, points out Simon’s inhospitality and relative lack of faith (v. 41ff).
What are we to make of all these charges and countercharges? Is the Christian faith really all about arguments, litigation, and controversy? As often as it may seem so, the Christian faith is not about such divisive activities. Indeed, the call of Christ is to become a part of the community, his body at work in the world. The fact is that human sin makes this call far more challenging than it ought to be. As a result contentiousness arises, accusations are made, tempers flare. But notice that in each case God’s word is active, providing an alternative to human wrangling. In Hosea, God judges the people but continues to offer direction and hope. Paul is able to make a defense because, as we’ve seen earlier in Acts, he has the courage of conviction (Acts 23:11; see the previous entry, “Courage!”). Jesus offers forgiveness of sins to those who accept him and his message of salvation.
This does not mean that it is easy to follow the path of discipleship, nor will this eliminate all conflict from our lives. But if we are willing to listen for God’s word, to pray for guidance, to open our hearts to God and to each other, we will find—in time—that God offers us a new way to think and to understand our circumstances. Then we, like the woman with the ointment, may go in peace, (Luke 7:50) for our sins and our inhospitality will be forgiven and we will have another opportunity to live to God’s glory.
Prayer: Lord, help us to see past our conflicts and our controversies to the peace that you alone offer in Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Acts 24:1-23
Luke 7:36-50
In each of our readings today someone is being accused of something by someone else. In Hosea, Israel is accused by the prophet of “playing the whore, departing from (their) God” (Hosea 9:1), and of being deeply corrupted (v. 9). In response, the people find fault with God’s messenger. “The prophet is a fool,” they say, “the man of the spirit is mad” (v. 7). In Acts, Paul stands accused of being “a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). Paul, of course, denies any of this to be true (vv. 18-21). And finally in Luke, Simon the Pharisee is convinced that Jesus must not be a prophet or else he would have known the nature of the woman who was anointing his feet with ointment and tears (Luke 7:39). Jesus, for his part, points out Simon’s inhospitality and relative lack of faith (v. 41ff).
What are we to make of all these charges and countercharges? Is the Christian faith really all about arguments, litigation, and controversy? As often as it may seem so, the Christian faith is not about such divisive activities. Indeed, the call of Christ is to become a part of the community, his body at work in the world. The fact is that human sin makes this call far more challenging than it ought to be. As a result contentiousness arises, accusations are made, tempers flare. But notice that in each case God’s word is active, providing an alternative to human wrangling. In Hosea, God judges the people but continues to offer direction and hope. Paul is able to make a defense because, as we’ve seen earlier in Acts, he has the courage of conviction (Acts 23:11; see the previous entry, “Courage!”). Jesus offers forgiveness of sins to those who accept him and his message of salvation.
This does not mean that it is easy to follow the path of discipleship, nor will this eliminate all conflict from our lives. But if we are willing to listen for God’s word, to pray for guidance, to open our hearts to God and to each other, we will find—in time—that God offers us a new way to think and to understand our circumstances. Then we, like the woman with the ointment, may go in peace, (Luke 7:50) for our sins and our inhospitality will be forgiven and we will have another opportunity to live to God’s glory.
Prayer: Lord, help us to see past our conflicts and our controversies to the peace that you alone offer in Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Whirlwind and Wisdom
Hosea 8:1-14
Luke 7:18-35
Yesterday’s readings from Hosea and Luke offered a contrast. Today’s readings present a similarity. “For they sow the wind,” writes Hosea, “and they shall reap the whirlwind…. Though I write for (Israel) the multitude of my instructions, they are regarded as a strange thing” (Hosea 8:7, 12). In Luke, Jesus teaches his followers that “wisdom is vindicated by all her children” (Luke 7:35).
In life there are consequences to our actions. Like it or not, certain steps will often lead to predicable results. As children, for example, we learn that eating too much birthday cake can leave us with a tummy ache, and that if we scribble on the wall with markers we are likely to get into trouble. As we grow older the stakes can become higher. Driving under the influence of alcohol can lead to an accident in which another driver is injured or killed. An abuse of trust can lead to alienation or the loss of friendships. When we “sow the wind” we may very well expect to “reap the whirlwind.” And at the same time the “children of wisdom” reveal or “vindicate” their source. Doing the right thing can often lead to positive results, for us and for others.
Christianity is not just a transcendent religion. It has a great deal to say about everyday matters, practical wisdom that can, and does provide us with renewed relationships, better health, fuller lives. Most importantly faith can lead us to a better sense of justice, righteousness, and humility before God; the chance for community to develop and for lives to be nurtured and focused outward. We won’t always get it right, but by God’s grace we can work toward the goals of faithful discipleship and obedience while offering our gifts and talents to the work of God’s reign. “And,” as the song attests, “they’ll know we are Christians by our love…”
Prayer: O God, help us to walk in right paths and to seek your guidance so that we may serve you and others all our lives. Amen.
Luke 7:18-35
Yesterday’s readings from Hosea and Luke offered a contrast. Today’s readings present a similarity. “For they sow the wind,” writes Hosea, “and they shall reap the whirlwind…. Though I write for (Israel) the multitude of my instructions, they are regarded as a strange thing” (Hosea 8:7, 12). In Luke, Jesus teaches his followers that “wisdom is vindicated by all her children” (Luke 7:35).
In life there are consequences to our actions. Like it or not, certain steps will often lead to predicable results. As children, for example, we learn that eating too much birthday cake can leave us with a tummy ache, and that if we scribble on the wall with markers we are likely to get into trouble. As we grow older the stakes can become higher. Driving under the influence of alcohol can lead to an accident in which another driver is injured or killed. An abuse of trust can lead to alienation or the loss of friendships. When we “sow the wind” we may very well expect to “reap the whirlwind.” And at the same time the “children of wisdom” reveal or “vindicate” their source. Doing the right thing can often lead to positive results, for us and for others.
Christianity is not just a transcendent religion. It has a great deal to say about everyday matters, practical wisdom that can, and does provide us with renewed relationships, better health, fuller lives. Most importantly faith can lead us to a better sense of justice, righteousness, and humility before God; the chance for community to develop and for lives to be nurtured and focused outward. We won’t always get it right, but by God’s grace we can work toward the goals of faithful discipleship and obedience while offering our gifts and talents to the work of God’s reign. “And,” as the song attests, “they’ll know we are Christians by our love…”
Prayer: O God, help us to walk in right paths and to seek your guidance so that we may serve you and others all our lives. Amen.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
What a Contrast (You Hockey Puck!)
Hosea 7:8-16
Luke 7:1-17
I’ll have to admit, the first person I thought about when I read the passage from Hosea for today was Don Rickles. Rickles, best known now perhaps as the voice of Mr. Potato Head in the “Toy Story” movies, first came to prominence as a comedian whose practice was to spew insults at his audience. Listen to what God says to the people of Israel through the prophet. “Ephraim is a cake not turned (half baked)” (Hosea 7:8), “Ephraim has become like a dove, silly and without sense” (v. 11), “a defective bow…. So much for their babbling in the land of Egypt” (v. 16). And those are the “funny insults.” God also accuses the people of self-mutilation for gain (v. 14) and for turning to other gods and other nations for their support (vv. 8, 16). As a result God will bring punishment upon them. “I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me,” says the Lord (vv. 12-13). I can almost hear Rickles’s voice exclaiming, “who do you think you are, you bunch of hockey pucks!”
But then in Luke we find an entirely different “routine.” As Jesus approaches the city of Nain he encounters the funeral procession for the only son of a widow. Having compassion for her Jesus restores the man to life. The crowd’s response is telling. “A great prophet has risen among us!” they say, and “God has looked favorably on his people!” (Luke 7:16). The judgment of God through the prophet has been replaced by the people’s praise of God. Yes, God’s people are still prone to sinful waywardness, and God has rendered judgment against them for it. But God has never given up, either. In Jesus Christ God is calling the people back into right relationship, with God and with one another. There is hope for us because there is grace in God. Ultimately Christ’s sacrifice transcends our weakness and provides us with a path to salvation.
The prophet Hosea was not “playing for laughs” in his day. Nor was Jesus. But what joy we find when we realize that, despite our failings, God loves and cares for us—and always has.
Prayer: Gracious and loving God, help us to see your grace poured out for us, and to share your love with others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Luke 7:1-17
I’ll have to admit, the first person I thought about when I read the passage from Hosea for today was Don Rickles. Rickles, best known now perhaps as the voice of Mr. Potato Head in the “Toy Story” movies, first came to prominence as a comedian whose practice was to spew insults at his audience. Listen to what God says to the people of Israel through the prophet. “Ephraim is a cake not turned (half baked)” (Hosea 7:8), “Ephraim has become like a dove, silly and without sense” (v. 11), “a defective bow…. So much for their babbling in the land of Egypt” (v. 16). And those are the “funny insults.” God also accuses the people of self-mutilation for gain (v. 14) and for turning to other gods and other nations for their support (vv. 8, 16). As a result God will bring punishment upon them. “I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me,” says the Lord (vv. 12-13). I can almost hear Rickles’s voice exclaiming, “who do you think you are, you bunch of hockey pucks!”
But then in Luke we find an entirely different “routine.” As Jesus approaches the city of Nain he encounters the funeral procession for the only son of a widow. Having compassion for her Jesus restores the man to life. The crowd’s response is telling. “A great prophet has risen among us!” they say, and “God has looked favorably on his people!” (Luke 7:16). The judgment of God through the prophet has been replaced by the people’s praise of God. Yes, God’s people are still prone to sinful waywardness, and God has rendered judgment against them for it. But God has never given up, either. In Jesus Christ God is calling the people back into right relationship, with God and with one another. There is hope for us because there is grace in God. Ultimately Christ’s sacrifice transcends our weakness and provides us with a path to salvation.
The prophet Hosea was not “playing for laughs” in his day. Nor was Jesus. But what joy we find when we realize that, despite our failings, God loves and cares for us—and always has.
Prayer: Gracious and loving God, help us to see your grace poured out for us, and to share your love with others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Courage!
Acts 22:30-23:11
Luke 6:39-49
Sometimes what God wills from us is the very thing we feel that we lack. In my case it is patience. I never have enough of it, but God seems to expect it from me every day. Our reading from Acts this morning mentions another attribute that God calls for: courage! And on those occasions when God calls for courage, we may become jealous of the apostle Paul who seemed to have no lack of it. He was able to withstand all sorts of persecution and frequent confrontations with confidence. How did he do that? Acts says that at one particularly difficult time in his life “…the Lord stood near (Paul) and said, ‘Keep up your courage!’” (Acts 23:11). The Lord gave Paul courage to do what needed to be done. But what about you and me?
In Luke, Jesus offers us some insight into the matter. Jesus said, “I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built” (Luke 6:47-48). One way to make sure that the Lord is standing near to us is to make sure that, to the best of our ability, we are standing near the Lord. And it is not enough to be aware of God in Jesus. We also are called to draw near to Jesus, hear the words that he speaks to us, and then act on those words as his followers. The relationship between Jesus and disciples is one of encouragement, that is a granting or giving of courage—as the Lord did for Paul. When we hear the word of God and are led by it, then we are empowered to live in faithful obedience no matter what we encounter. Few of us may ever be called before a council as Paul was, to be examined about our faith. But all of us are called to live our lives, day in and day out, as the people of God. Frankly, even that can take a great deal of courage. By God’s grace the encouragement is there to be claimed if we will hear Jesus’ words and act on them. Our knees may still wobble, but we are now more aware of God’s presence in our lives.
Prayer: Lord, when we falter, when we shy away from the challenge, lift us up and encourage us to live as your faithful disciples.
Luke 6:39-49
Sometimes what God wills from us is the very thing we feel that we lack. In my case it is patience. I never have enough of it, but God seems to expect it from me every day. Our reading from Acts this morning mentions another attribute that God calls for: courage! And on those occasions when God calls for courage, we may become jealous of the apostle Paul who seemed to have no lack of it. He was able to withstand all sorts of persecution and frequent confrontations with confidence. How did he do that? Acts says that at one particularly difficult time in his life “…the Lord stood near (Paul) and said, ‘Keep up your courage!’” (Acts 23:11). The Lord gave Paul courage to do what needed to be done. But what about you and me?
In Luke, Jesus offers us some insight into the matter. Jesus said, “I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built” (Luke 6:47-48). One way to make sure that the Lord is standing near to us is to make sure that, to the best of our ability, we are standing near the Lord. And it is not enough to be aware of God in Jesus. We also are called to draw near to Jesus, hear the words that he speaks to us, and then act on those words as his followers. The relationship between Jesus and disciples is one of encouragement, that is a granting or giving of courage—as the Lord did for Paul. When we hear the word of God and are led by it, then we are empowered to live in faithful obedience no matter what we encounter. Few of us may ever be called before a council as Paul was, to be examined about our faith. But all of us are called to live our lives, day in and day out, as the people of God. Frankly, even that can take a great deal of courage. By God’s grace the encouragement is there to be claimed if we will hear Jesus’ words and act on them. Our knees may still wobble, but we are now more aware of God’s presence in our lives.
Prayer: Lord, when we falter, when we shy away from the challenge, lift us up and encourage us to live as your faithful disciples.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Oops!
Hosea 4:11-19
Acts 21:37-22:16
Luke 6:12-26
I had finished writing my thoughts on today’s readings—a rather longer than usual entry—when my computer died. While I did not lose all of what I had written, I lost enough of it to take the time to reconsider it. Here is what I have learned this morning.
Thank goodness the word of God does not depend on people like me remembering to save their work on their computers. The prophet Hosea, the apostle Paul, and Jesus himself remain conversant with us today in part because, by God’s grace, their words have been preserved. That’s a profound reality. Over the centuries writers have come and gone, words have risen in importance and then fallen into obscurity, what some consider to be true has been surpassed by new understanding. But through it all, the word of God has remained available to us.
In my family Psalm 121 is of special importance. Generations of Freemans have read or recited it’s words before undertaking a journey. Many find comfort from Psalm 23, John 3:16, Micah 6:6-8, 1 Peter 2:10, and so forth. And while of our readings today only Luke’s may be particularly memorable, each represents God’s active participation in human life whatever the circumstances. If God was at work in Hosea, Micah, the psalmist, Jesus, Paul, and John, and if we have those words available to us today, then God remains at work now as well, the Holy Spirit reaching out to us from the pages of scripture.
My computer may have run out of battery power and I may have forgotten to save my document, but God transcends the feebleness of human language and human activity with everlasting love and truth. Thanks be to God.
Prayer: Almighty God, help us to trust in your word for guidance this day and always. Amen.
Acts 21:37-22:16
Luke 6:12-26
I had finished writing my thoughts on today’s readings—a rather longer than usual entry—when my computer died. While I did not lose all of what I had written, I lost enough of it to take the time to reconsider it. Here is what I have learned this morning.
Thank goodness the word of God does not depend on people like me remembering to save their work on their computers. The prophet Hosea, the apostle Paul, and Jesus himself remain conversant with us today in part because, by God’s grace, their words have been preserved. That’s a profound reality. Over the centuries writers have come and gone, words have risen in importance and then fallen into obscurity, what some consider to be true has been surpassed by new understanding. But through it all, the word of God has remained available to us.
In my family Psalm 121 is of special importance. Generations of Freemans have read or recited it’s words before undertaking a journey. Many find comfort from Psalm 23, John 3:16, Micah 6:6-8, 1 Peter 2:10, and so forth. And while of our readings today only Luke’s may be particularly memorable, each represents God’s active participation in human life whatever the circumstances. If God was at work in Hosea, Micah, the psalmist, Jesus, Paul, and John, and if we have those words available to us today, then God remains at work now as well, the Holy Spirit reaching out to us from the pages of scripture.
My computer may have run out of battery power and I may have forgotten to save my document, but God transcends the feebleness of human language and human activity with everlasting love and truth. Thanks be to God.
Prayer: Almighty God, help us to trust in your word for guidance this day and always. Amen.
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