A Bit of a Surprise My brother called. He asked me to look for information about a church that one of his former High School students was just assigned, to be their pastor. He said "it was a bit of a surprise" when that student went into the ministry. I said, "It was a bit of a surprise for me too." Silence. And then we talked some more. It got me thinking. It got me looking back. "It was a bit of a surprise for me too." I was in high school. I had other things I was interested in doing. I still have some of those interests. But there was a point where everything changed and it was no longer possible to do anything else. I cannot remember the date but I remember the day. Everything since that time fits together and makes sense. But it is true. It was a surprise. It was a surprise for my friends. And it took some time for me getting used to the new path I was on. I have heard other pastors relate their stories. One tells how: suddenly one verse in the Bible made perfect sense and his future was set. Another told how three phrases from the Nicene Creed suddenly took hold ("God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God"). Another told how he suddenly started believing Jesus' words in the Bible; and he was no longer welcome in his religious group. On and on go the stories. It seems surprises are more of a pattern than we realize. In the Bible:
We should have expected this. God will surprise and God will do the unexpected. After all, He is the God of Grace; the God of unearned and undeserved love and mercy. Everything in our relationship with God is by Grace. It is the experience of blessings we have no way to expect or get ready for. This is God who called Moses from a burning bush, who chose the smallest child in the family to be King David, who shut the mouth of the lion, who walked with the three young men in the middle of the fiery furnace -- And how many other ways did He surprise His people? No one saw any of that coming. And that's how God loves to come to His people; with the unexpected grace. And then He chose to be born in a stable; call fishermen and a tax collector for disciples; eat with sinners; touch the lepers; and heal on the sabbath. He did salvation by being arrested, abused, crucified, and killed. Paul celebrates the surprise. He says, "Jews demand signs, and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, ..." (1 Corinthians 1:22-23) and "the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18) Easter morning comes along, and how many of His followers did Jesus surprise? Mary Magdalene, the Emmaus disciples, the ten in the upper room -- and Thomas a week later. How many does Jesus surprise today? Countless millions all around the world: suddenly seeing that there is eternal life right there in Jesus' words; or surprised that the truth in Jesus keeps on pursuing and calling them. But that is exactly what we should have expected of a Living Jesus who is working and acting and calling souls and gathering followers to be His kingdom, His people living forever with Him. If you look through your life, how many ways has this living Jesus surprised you? How many ways has His hand worked behind the scenes in ways that you slowly became aware of? How many ways has He nudged, called, and reminded you of His words? And how often has that been unexpected? Lord Jesus, You are the Shepherd and You guide me in ways that I do not expect. But You are Lord and You know how to lead me. Guide me in things that I do not expect, and help me to grow in faith, following You and learning of You -- until that day when You surprise me with Life and Glory that lasts for all eternity. Amen. _______ ((And now to tie up a loose end from yesterday. I shared a German devotional thought: "Verzweifle nicht, Seele, Gott troestet, hoert deine Bitte, sieht deine Not. Er wird dir zur richtigen Zeit helfen und dir erhabenen Frieden gewaehren." The translation is: "Despair not, Soul! Trust God [who] hears your prayer, [and] sees your need. He will at the right time help you and bring you sublime peace."))
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Giving Thanks - Why the World Thinks We Are Weird There is a very different perspective we have about giving thanks to God - different from the rest of the world. It sets us apart and it requires some explanation. Paul talked about it in one of his earliest letters, and in what might be his last; and the theme is consistent from one to the other. In the early one he said, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances ..." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) In the later one he said, "Rejoice in the Lord always; ... do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (Philippians 4:4-6) Does he really mean that we should thank God right in the middle of trouble? Paul wrote this the first time while on a mission journey. But then he wrote the second one while a prisoner in Rome. And if that's not extreme enough he started that second letter telling how he expected to lose his case and be executed. "With thanksgiving"? How does that work. This is the right time of the year to explain. It's Easter season. We are only a few weeks from Easter. we are still saying in our worship services, "Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!" We are living in the time of the Resurrection. "Christ the firstfruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:23) We are living in the age of eternal life. Jesus said, "Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall He live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die." (John 11:25-26) No matter what happens we are not out on our own. We are connected with Jesus and are under His protection. That does not mean we will not face problems, hardship, suffering, even hostility in this world. Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation." (John 16:33) But it does mean that none of those things can separate us "from the love of God in Christ Jesus". (Romans 8:39) We are secure, connected with Easter and the risen Lord Jesus. So we pray and we give thanks. We call out to God in the middle of our problems, and we thank Him that He promised, "I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) We raise our prayers to God in the middle of sickness or suffering, and we give thanks that Jesus "bore our griefs and carries our sorrows". (Isaiah 53:4) We turn to God in distress, and we thank God that He is "a well-proven help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1) One day we will have to face death. We will call out to God on that day, and we will thank Him that He promises, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand." (John 10:27-28) It may be difficult to learn, and it may be one of the hardest exercises of faith, but it is a very real part of our life as Christians. We live an eternal Easter. The more difficult the challenge, the more difference it makes that we are connected to Jesus, to His sin-forgiving cross, and to His rising on the Third Day. The rest of the world may not understand this, but it is part of the blessing of being a Christian, It changes everything in life. It gives a calm and a peace. God is in charge. And you are loved. No matter what may challenge, Jesus is still the Living One. "Neither death nor life, nor angels [nor viruses], nor [problems today], nor [the mess that waits tomorrow], nor [worries], nor height nor depth, nor [any way that you can mess up anywhere] in all [of God's good] creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39 - kind of) So bring the petitions. Bring the call for help. Bring the cry from deep within the soul. And know that God's heart is turned toward you and His ears are open to your prayers. Thanks be to God we have a Savior and Friend, and we can turn to Him and find "grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 5:16) It is indeed like the guy wrote on Facebook this week, "Verzweifle nicht, Seele, Gott troestet, hoert deine Bitte, sieht deine Not. Er wird dir zur richtigen Zeit helfen und dir erhabenen Frieden gewaehren." Lord Jesus, thank You that You will always be with me, always hear my prayer, and so often answer before I even know how to pray or what to pray for. Thank You for the countless joys and blessings You give and that You have my back when the problems are all around. Thank You that death is defeated, that I will not come to my end, and that You hold and keep my soul. Thank You that Your Easter changes everything, and that finally there will be joys at Your right hand forever. Amen. And Then ... Nothing Happened - and it was wonderful! It came at the end of the Gospel of John. Seven of the disciples were sitting around and Peter decided to go fishing. What else should they do? They didn't have any clear plan. So ... fishing. And they caught nothing. In the morning Jesus was on the shore and told them to cast the net to the right side of the boat, and there was an amazing catch. The story goes on and soon they are on shore; and there was a charcoal fire with fish and bread laid out on it. Jesus said, "Bring some of the fish that you have caught." and they did. Jesus said, "Come and have breakfast." and they did. (John 21:1-12) And nothing happened ... Nothing. At all. Only breakfast. Do you know how fantastic this is? Jesus was just there, having breakfast with them. No "Kingdom Business." No Great Commission, plans for evangelizing the world, or amazing miracles. Only breakfast. Jesus was taking time, just being with them. It was time to slow down and enjoy the moments; and that was true both for the disciples and for Jesus. Some bread. Some fish. Enjoying the taste, the warmth of the fire, and the company. Actually this is "Kingdom Business." This is, at its heart, what the kingdom of God is. It's a theme that forms the "bookends" of the Bible, from the 3rd chapter of Genesis to the 2nd last chapter of Revelation. In Genesis the Lord came walking in the Garden in the cool of the day. There was no more work of creating to be done. God was resting. And He came walking in the Garden to spend time with Adam and Eve. He created them to know God, to walk with God, to have fellowship (spending time together) with God, and to share with them all kinds of blessings (material and spiritual) for all eternity. But they had turned away, followed another voice, listened to other words and broke the fellowship that God had formed with them. What follows is the Great Quest; God pursuing and finding and wining and bringing us back. It would cost God sending His only-begotten Son; (John 3:16) and it would cost Jesus laying down His life for His friends. (John 15:13) Finally, in Revelation, there is the voice from the throne; God exulting and saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with man. He will dwell with them and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God." (Revelation 21:3) Notice how God repeats it three times, "with man ... with them ... with them"! This is God's great desire and quest, to have us with Him and have the fellowship restored. He planned and arranged and has pursued this for thousands of years, going even to the death on the cross to have us with Him. In between Genesis and Revelation, there is the Gospel of John. That Gospel begins with "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, ..." (John 1:14) It ends with "Come and have breakfast." (John 21:12) And nothing happened for a while. Only breakfast. Only Jesus being with them and they with Jesus. It is quite remarkable that this is how the Gospels finish, breakfast and perhaps a walk along the beach ("And after saying this He said to [Peter], 'Follow Me.' Peter turned and saw the disciple ... who had been reclining at table close to him ..." (John 21:19b-20a)). Think back to Genesis and how the Lord came walking in the Garden to spend time simply being with Adam and Eve. But that time together did not happen. It would take a few thousand years but there on the beach at the end of the Gospels God would finally have time being with us; with no work to be done, only time to spend together and enjoy His people. There is a simple and quiet sweetness in this. And it helps to form our image of heaven and what it will be like when Jesus returns. That is a part of what it means to know the risen Lord Jesus, and why it is so sweet being a Christian. Lord Jesus, thank You that you call me You own, and Your friend. Thank You for the promise of an eternity of life. And thank You that the sweetest part of salvation is to have You as my Friend. In my quiet times, and there are a lot of them right now, be with me and guide my soul, that my thoughts may turn to You. Amen. It's the Little Things It's the little things. We know this is true. It's the little things that stick with us. A sound, a smell, an unexpected detail that lingers in our memory. Those are the things that make special memories vivid and keep them in our memories year after year. We know how it feels. Someone says to us, "It's just like it was yesterday. I can still ..." and then those little details are told and shared. We have experienced this. It is part of our history, the story of our lives, and at times it has made us who we are. If we were sitting together I could ask you to think back on one of those memories and tell me one of the vivid details. For women it might be the smell of their mother's kitchen or the odor of the flowers on your wedding day. For a guy it might be the feel of the bat striking the ball, or the feel of the basketball as you let it go in that one shot at the end of a game. For me, I can still feel the descent, down from Frisco Pass on my bicycle at close to 60 mph, around the curves, tucking for more speed ... Yes, it is the little things. As a Pastor I have walked through a cemetery and "heard" and "seen" the memories of those I have cared for. Years ago, toward the end of my time serving a congregation for 18 years, that walk was very slow and had a lot of pauses, remembering a joke, a smile, a story that I had heard dozens of times. It is the little things that fill our lives. And so it was with the disciples. That first Easter was filled with the vivid memories. For Peter, "... the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself" -- was a vivid memory from when he and John ran to the tomb. (John 10:7) For the women, "And they came up and took hold of His feet ..." -- was a vivid memory from the way back from the tomb when Jesus met them. (Matthew 28:9) For the disciples " ... a piece of broiled fish ..." -- became a vivid memory from the upper room, when Jesus appeared to them but they had a hard time believing that He was really alive. And at some point someone told it to Luke, who wrote it down. (Luke 24:42) For seven of them " ... a charcoal fire in place, with fish on it, and bread" and "large fish, 153 of them" -- were vivid memories of a breakfast with Jesus when they went back to try some fishing again. (John 21:9, 11) These are memories involve senses, feelings, and experiences they lived through. They include:
These are vivid details that stuck deep in the minds of the different disciples. And they are the memories of the first Easter that did not fade with the years that passed. They fill out the story of Easter and they are the kind of texture that witnesses to the truth of the empty tomb and the living, glorious body of the risen Jesus, with a victory that is wonderfully true. And they are details that thrill the heart of the Christian, and lead us to say, "Christ is Risen; He is Risen Indeed!" Lord Jesus, You show the truth of Easter through such wonderful details. You invite me to know You and lead me to hope for the day when I will see You, hear You, and reach out and touch You. Guide my spiritual life that I may have the times of worship, and the sweetness of the promises of Your word filling my life and days. Amen. Easter Evening - Jesus in Worship There is a question we sometimes ask and answer in our church. It goes like this: "Is Jesus the one we worship, or is He the one who leads our worship?" The answer is: "Yes! He is both. He is the one we worship because He is God. And He is the one who leads our worship because He is one of us." He is Man, born of the virgin Mary, born under the Law, to redeem those under the Law. (Galatians 4:4) He became one of us with flesh and blood, fingers and toes, able to be tempted, and needing to go to His Father in prayer. Jesus regularly went off by Himself to spend long hours in prayer. And we are used to verses that show us Jesus in worship. Such as when Jesus said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children, ..." (Matthew 11:25) And Jesus went up to the temple for the feasts. And He went to the synagogues weekly. He observed the Sabbath. He was a man of worship and prayer. Part of worship was what happened before the meals. For example, with the feeding of the 5,000 what happened before the meal? Jesus took the 5 loaves and 2 fish and then "looked up to heaven and said a blessing." (Matthew 14:19) That word is important. In Greek it is eulogaysen. It could be translated "He prayed the blessing." It means to talk to God in worship and to speak God's praises for the blessings we have received from His Fatherly care. It is to bless God because we have been blessed by God. His blessings are active. He gives our daily needs. In fact He gives us our days, with life and breath, sun and rain, food and drink, house and home, and so many other good things. Our blessing is to speak His praise, to tell of His goodness and to do so with faith, knowing that He is a loving God. When Jesus spoke the blessing that day before feeding the crowd, what did He say? I read in a commentary this week that no doubt His speaking the blessing before the meal would be special and intimate. What would it be like to be there and hear the Son of God thanking and praising His Father for the daily blessings He had received, and then to include the loaves of bread and the fish in that wonderful thanksgiving. Now that is worship! We do know something of how it likely started. A traditional Jewish mealtime prayer begins, "Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the universe ..." As a mealtime prayer it then continues with thanks and praise for the blessings received, including the meal. The wording is very old. It goes back at least to King David. Psalm 103 begins, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, ..." (Psalm 103:1-2) and then David goes on to enumerate the blessings. It's a good pattern of worship. So we come to Easter. It is the normal pattern for us to think about Easter and picture the disciples worshiping Jesus. The women returning from the tomb worshiped Him. (Matthew 28:9) Mary Magdalene cried out "Rabboni" and apparently clung to Him. (John 20:16) And a week later Thomas said, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28) But then Luke tells us how Jesus walked with the two on the road to Emmaus. And as He did so, Jesus explained to them why the Christ had to suffer and enter into His glory. They got to Emmaus and "urged Him strongly" to stay. And then it was time for the meal. "He took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him." (Luke 24:30-31) Later that evening they explained to the disciples back in Jerusalem "what had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of the bread." (Luke 24:35) Notice the pattern? Jesus begins the meal by praying the blessing. It is an act of worship, just like with the feeding of the 5,000, and then with the feeding of the 4,000. But this is Easter! And Jesus is not done with worship, with leading us in the worship of His heavenly Father. He prays the prayers and speaks the praises of God as He receives the blessings of daily bread. (Let me assume here that later on when Jesus shared breakfast with His disciples on the shore that meal also started out with worship and prayer. (John 21:9-13)) He is still one of us. He is still the One who leads our worship. And as He worships His Father He calls us His "brothers." (Hebrews 2:12) Looking back: It's right there in the Psalm of Good Friday. After the word from the cross, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Psalm 22:1) And after the description of crucifixion (Psalm 22:7-18) there is Jesus looking forward to worship. "I will tell of Your name to My brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise You: ... From You comes My praise in the Great Congregation; My vows I will perform before those who fear Him." (Psalm 22:22-25) When Jesus "took the bread, prayed the blessing, and broke and gave it to them" it was the beginning of that hope being fulfilled. He was worshiping, praising His Father and telling of the blessings of God "to [His] brothers." Looking forward: I finished the sermon today wondering and expecting that on Judgment Day also Jesus will be leading us in worship. Will that will be part of the whole experience on that day? From the Psalm ("... in the midst of the congregation I will praise You: ... From You comes My praise in the Great Congregation ...") it looks like it is absolutely certain. It will be. On Judgment Day Jesus will lead us in worship. He will still be one of us, the Son of Man, risen from the dead and glorified, and still one of us. What an amazing day that will be! But that is exactly why He came and was born for us. It was to take us who had wandered far from God, to purchase and win us by His blood, and to bring us back into fellowship with God, where there is glory and praise, celebration and joy for all eternity. Lord Jesus, lead me in worship, that my heart may be turned to God; that I may learn the pattern of praise for the countless blessings of each day; and that I may look forward with longing to that day when I join my voice to Yours in the songs of eternal life. Amen. No Condemnation "There is ... now no condemnation ..." (Romans 8:1) That is the most amazing news we could hear. No condemnation! ((At the end of this devotion read the entire Chapter 8 of Romans. It will do you good, no matter how many times you have read it before!)) There was a survey. They asked people questions about the pandemic. A lot of people responded that they thought it was judgment from God. Or that God was trying to get our attention, and they were reading their Bible more than they have in a long time. Or that this could be heralding the end of the world. It's a natural reaction. Suffering comes, tragedies happen, even the latest plague, and we wonder. We look inside. We examine our lives. What have we done with our days? Have we failed to do good and done wrong instead? How have we treated others? What sins have we taken into our souls? And there is enough in each one of us to make us tremble. "Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep for ever ..." (Thomas Jefferson) But in the face of all the fears and worries Paul comes along and says, "There is therefore now no condemnation ..." (Romans 8:1) "Therefore" means we should have been paying attention to what Paul was saying before this. In the first 7 chapters of his letter to the Roman he tells about
"Therefore now no condemnation ..." is what God has been preparing and bringing us into for a very long time. In fact the plan was put in place "before the ages" (1 Corinthians 2:7), "from days of eternity" (Micah 5:2). Now it has come and no matter what anything around you looks like this is the time of "therefore now no condemnation". But this is specific and that was only the first part of the verse. "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) What does it mean to be one of "those who are in Christ Jesus"? More often we hear verses about Christ being in us. But Paul is turning that around and talking about being "in Christ." In an earlier letter Paul said, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. ..." (2 Corinthians 5:17) In a later letter Paul says that God "raised us up with Him and seated us in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus ..." (Ephesians 2:6) Being "in Christ Jesus" means that Jesus carried us in His body on the tree. Peter says, "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness." (1 Peter 2:24) To be in Jesus is to be in the shelter from the storm. It is to be kept by Jesus Himself, in the one safe place that holds together even when the entire world is coming apart. When there is chaos and turmoil all around to be "in Christ Jesus" is to have been brought safely through the time of judgment and be set free. To be "in Christ Jesus" means that we are connected with God and cannot be destroyed ever, not in all eternity. That is the shelter He gives to every one of His people. It is like it says in Psalm 46, "Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way, though the mountains fall into the heart of the sea." (Psalm 46:2) Or Psalm 27 "For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me ..." (Psalm 27:5) Or Psalm 121 "The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul." (Psalm 121:7) The promises are all bound up "in Christ Jesus." So all of us who shelter "in Christ" are not just sheltering. We are sheltering in Him with promises that last forever. Lord Jesus, You are my shelter from the storms of life; let me find my shelter in You. With You are promises, bold, eternal, enduring, and strong; let me find my strength and courage in You. You are the Savior who took all the condemnation and took it away; lift my worries and let me find my peace and joy in You. And whatever the days ahead may bring let me remember that I am safe in You. Amen. As Time Goes By ... Day by day time passes by. The pace is constant. 24 hours and it is the next day. 7 days and it is the next week. Life goes on, step by step with the same pace regardless of whether we think it is dragging or moving way too quickly. Events happen. Milestones in life come along. And God has measured out the days and hours. Graduations, moving on to new schools, building relationships, marriage, children being born, anniversaries, retirement, grandchildren, and life goes on. King Solomon said "There is a time for every purpose under heaven", and made his list. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) But then he said something else. "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity into man's heart." (Ecclesiastes 3:11) We love the times, the experiences, the things that have to do with the days and years, the flow of the times of our lives. And we desire eternity, to have the good and beautiful things last. Even the hard times can form memories that we fondly hold on to. The first apartment, the time when money was short and we were so very careful about the budget. How many couples have I heard look back and reminisce. One of the richest men i know, one time was in a mood to remember. He sat there with his wife and talked with us about the hard times when money and food were scarce; and they talked about the old worn out furniture, the meals they shared, and the time they spent together. These are times and days we will be talking about for a long, long time. We will talk about the days at home, the events we missed, the special things we had to go through to work or to shop, the problems with money and the things we could not find in the stores. Others will talk about school being out, graduations that did not happen, and the setbacks in finding work and making their way in life. Some of us will talk about loved ones we missed, and funerals with only a few. I have seen the things that come through social media. Things like this: "Since I have been at home for the last month, the dog seems happier than he has ever been. The cat, on the other hand, looks at me like, 'How come you are still in my house? And there is a lot of "pretending to be going crazy" humor being passed around. But the days go on and it is like my mother used to say, "This too will pass." Days ahead will be different, and we will get back in the pattern of things being new and different. But we were created to desire a balance between change and things that last. It is in our nature to be in a that balance between the two. That is why King Solomon comes to his final words on wisdom how he does. In the last chapter of Ecclesiastes he says, "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth ..." (Ecclesiastes 12:1) There is an anchor in the relationship and eternity in belonging to God. Jesus renewed the call of God to know eternity, "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) Did you catch that? Jesus used the name of God, "I Am," and made it part of the promise to be with us to the end of the age. In fact, in the word order in the Greek Jesus did something very interesting. He put the words "with you" in the middle of the words "I Am." It actually reads, "I with you Am ..." The promise "with you" is embedded within the name of God. It is who He is. He is the "with us" God. And that is exactly what we hear at the end of the Bible. The voice from the throne filled with excitement that "Now the dwelling of God is with Man." (Revelation 21:3) Lord Jesus, in the middle of things that come and go, when everything in life will pass, help me to find my anchor in You. I am created to live in the hours that are fleeting, and the days that are so full of change. I need the eternity that is in You. Help me hear Your promise of eternity so deep and lasting that You put the promise within the very name of God. And by Your promise, help me then, to live in this world of change with confidence and peace. Amen. Promises Promises provide the landmarks and guideposts for our lives. There is a reason for that. We do not live our lives unconnected from others. We live in a complex set of relationships. And promises are the key pieces, sitting at the center of those relationships. Promises to be back home. Promises to be faithful. Promises to provide for our family. Promises to set aside the little irritations and seek to see each other in the kindest way. We are able to have homes, families, marriages, and all our relationships because of promises. God gives promises. He has given those promises from the beginning, starting with the blessing, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it ..." (Genesis 1:28) Adam and Eve were called into a relationship with God and there were promises. There was also a promise God asked for when He told them not to eat of that one tree. Promises are the key pieces, sitting at the center of our relationships. Sometimes promises are broken; and then either there is forgiveness or our relationships and our lives are damaged. Jobs are lost and marriages can fall apart. Distrust comes in, and our relationships change from being a blessing to being a curse; and usually it is a curse to both of those in the relationship. What then would happen when Adam & Eve broke the promise and turned away from God. There was a curse -- ashes to ashes, dust to dust -- and death entered. But God brought a new promise. The Seed of the woman would come. He would take the curse, carry the "dust-to-dust" in His own flesh, and bring us back into the blessing. (Genesis 3:15) From that point Prophecies, Psalms & Hymns, Sacrifices in the Temple, and the drama of the history of God's people from Abraham on would all be about His coming. "The virgin will conceive ..." (Isaiah 7:14) "But you, Bethlehem, Ephratha ..." (Micah 5:2) "The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all ..." (Isaiah 53:6) "God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." (Genesis 22:8) Again, God brought a new promise. The seed of the woman -- He Himself is the promise. He gathers in His existence, in his birth, life, cross and empty tomb, all the promises there could ever be. He restores, exalts, glorifies, forgives, purifies, and transforms all who are connected to Him. Paul said, "all the promises of God find their 'Yes' in Him. That is why it is through Him that we utter our 'Amen' to God for His glory." (2 Corinthians 1:20) Promises are the key pieces, sitting at the center of our relationships. Because the promises are collected in Jesus, that changes completely the whole character of Christianity. What we have is not a traditional religion. If we did it would all be about us approaching God -- with prayer, repentance, worship and seeking His favor. What we have instead is a connection with God, built on the promises that God has made to us, brought to us, and "sealed" with the living, breathing Promise of God -- Jesus Himself. All the promises of the Bible are bound together in the living, risen-from-the-dead, Jesus. The promises are just as eternal as Jesus, and He is eternally living. He says to us, "Until heaven and earth pass away," (Matthew 5:18) and that's only the beginning. "The word of the Lord endures forever." (1 Peter 1:25) In fact we could add the word forever at the end of each of those promises. "I will never leave you nor forsake you forever!" (Hebrews 13:5) And behold I am with you to the end of the age, forever!" (Matthew 28:20) God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, forever! (Psalm 46:1) There are times in life when we have to hold on to promises. And some of those times it is a long time of holding on to promises. As the days drag on, remember that there is one person who gives promises, and then remembers them and keeps them. It is not only for a few days. He remembers for thousands of years, stands by them century after century, and will continue on keeping promises forever. He has called you His friend. Lord Jesus, help me to hear Your promises. Help me to know that You remember. And help me to build my life around all the amazing promises I have in You. Amen. "I'm Not Very Religious, But ..." So began a brief conversation. He had been talking with my wife, and called out "Hey Reverend!" It is interesting how people all over seem to want to start a conversation and head straight to religion and matters of the soul. I remember a well known writer years ago saying it is a myth that people don't want to talk about religion. They deeply want to talk about spiritual things. Is there a God? What is the soul? Is there a heaven; life after death; judgment? That writer years ago said that when someone involved him in such a discussion, it seemed like every ear nearby was trying to listen in. Other conversations were muted. People managed to move closer. And often they joined in, fascinated and discussing for a long time. He was a Christian, highly educated and able to say what we believe in a clear and interesting way. And so we stood and talked. Not long and not in depth yet, but we talked. During his time working from and staying at home, he has been reading Marcus Aurelius and Seneca, Roman philosophers and Stoics. We did not get into what they believed. That may be next time. I may have to brush up on that. And I remember a High School teacher leading an "experimental" class on philosophy saying about Christianity, "The belief system of one third of humanity should not be rejected out of hand." It seems almost like we have wandered with Paul Into the Areopagus in Athens where the Greek philosophers met to discuss all the "new things." (Acts 17:17-21) What happened back then? Paul noticed all the altars to idols, and began to talk with others about spiritual things. He "reasoned with" them, and then the ears around him started to perk up and want to hear more. And they brought him into their discussion and asked him to tell more. This is how it happens. So often the conversation starts when we least expect it. This business of being stuck inside because of a virus is one of those times we would not expect to turn into such a time. But -- Christ Is Risen! Jesus is alive and He is doing His work of gathering people into faith and into being His people. Because Jesus is evangelizing and calling souls to faith, expect the unexpected. (I got to say that to someone this last month!) Expect the unexpected. We do not see the openings, but He does. We do not know who is suddenly open to hearing the Gospel but He does. We have an informal motto in our congregation: "We are not that good but we have a friend who is." What did Paul do back then? He began by telling them about God, who made all things, and calls us to come and seek Him. And then he told them about Jesus. He said that God will judge the world by "a man whom He has appointed, and of this He has given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:31) They listened until Paul talked about the resurrection and then -- some mocked and some said Paul should come back some other time. But some believed: Dionysius and a woman name Damaris and others. Paul left with new believers in Jesus. (Acts 17:34) This is a very strange time, when there is an unexpected interest in spiritual things. It is important for us to see the doors opened in unexpected places and unexpected ways, even when it comes in words like, "I'm not very religious, but ..." We carry within us a word from God that gives life. And the world seems to be noticing right now how it is missing, and how much of a gap there is in the rest of life. Lord Jesus, make me ready. Prepare me for that unexpected time. Help me to see when my neighbor opens up to talk about spiritual things. And give me words and wisdom to tell about You in a way that will call and draw them to want to know more about the mercy, life and joy that is in You. Amen. Outside the Camp This is a surprisingly beautiful expression of God's love. But it sneaks up on you. It starts out in the Old Testament with the sacrifices that happened on the Day of Atonement. That was the day when the priest brought a sacrifice into the Holy of Holies. It was to atone for the sins of the nation. The blood was placed on the Mercy Seat. It was blood shed in the place of every Israelite, a sacrifice of an innocent in place of the guilty. By this point you should be thinking, "That is about Jesus, the innocent spotless Lamb of God offering Himself for the sins of the world." After the sprinkling of the blood the sacrifice was taken outside the camp to be burned. Because of carrying the sins, the sacrifice was not acceptable among the people of God. It was to be cast out and forsaken. The Letter to the Hebrews talks about "the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp."' (Hebrews 13:11) Outside the camp is the place of banishment and forsakenness. And then it makes this connection, "So Jesus also suffered outside the gate ..." (Hebrews 13:12) Jesus did not make His sacrifice in the temple, taking the place of being a clean and holy offering -- although He was. He was perfect in sinlesness. But He went "outside the camp" being made one with all that is unclean. It is the same astonishing theme. The Holy Son of God, stands with me, takes His place with me, identifies with me. That is why He could pray the prayer that belongs to sinners, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" "Outside the camp" -- it isn't the right place for Him, but it is the place He chose to be. I needed Him to be there, because that was where I was, "outside the camp." That's where we have all been ever since Adam and Eve had to leave the garden. But Jesus comes to us in our separation, so that He can bring us back into communion with God. We have the Son of God going all the way into the furthest darkness of our lives. He takes the guilt, the judgment and the death, receiving from us what He does not deserve. And then He gives us His innocence, His righteousness and His life. There is a hymn, "A Canaanite, She Comes to Pray". One of the verses reads: "Outside the camp, He came to win, My soul for God, And bring again, Mankind into Communion, Unraveling our twisted faith In Satan's lies; Christ's faithful death Has healed our separation." (Sung to the tune of "O Little Flock, Fear Not the Foe") Jesus brings the truth to us once again. We have a loving and merciful God, who, when we had fallen into sin, did not abandon us. He came to bring forgiveness. And He came to put the lie to everything the devil has been peddling. God does not hate us. And He does not take away the joys and blessings of life. "God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) And Jesus said, "I came that they might have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10) Jesus is the love of God revealed to us, so that we no longer fear the wrath of God. Instead we are called and warmed by His grace and mercy. We have a Savior who became the Sacrifice; and a Savior who Started our resurrection by rising from the dead Himself. Lord Jesus, You came to my darkness and brought the light of life. You came to dispel all the lies that led me astray and speak Your life-giving truth into my soul. You came to pray my sinner's prayer and give me Your prayer. You came into my separation and brought me back to God. You came to face down hell and open the gates of heaven. You came into my curse and brought the blessings again. You came to share my death and bring me into Your Easter. How can I thank You dearest Friend for all Your grace and mercy. Help me to walk in the countless blessings You give, to rejoice in them and not take them for granted. Amen. |
Rev. Mark WilligPastor Willig is pastor emeritus of Friends in Christ Lutheran Church. Archives
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