JEREMIAH 17:5-10

THE BACKGROUND

During Jeremiah’s time, both the Egyptians and the Babylonians were strong adversaries. God’s people were threatened from both sides.  Some advocated forming an alliance with Egypt against the Babylonians, others supported doing the opposite.  In today’s reading, Jeremiah begins by saying “Thus says the Lord…”  This indicates that he is not offering the hearers his opinion; he is alerting the listener that the words about to be spoken come directly from God.  We are about to hear what God has to say about the situation.

THE DETAIL

• The first sentence is a real attention-getter.  If you put your trust in “mere mortals”, and turn away from the Lord, you are cursed.  Note that this is an either/or statement.  There is no room for trusting in both.  (v. 5)
• The Lord says that trusting in other people is like planting a shrub in the desert. There’s no hope of survival.  (v. 6)
• Instead, those who trust in the Lord will be blessed.  (v. 7)
• Trusting in Him is like a tree planted by a river, growing rich and strong.  It is able to withstand threats of heat or drought, and will bear fruit continuously.  (v. 8)
• Here, God asks a rhetorical question.  It’s sort of like the question that men ask about women—“Who can understand them?” (v. 9)
• Finally, God reminds us that He tests our minds and our hearts.  He knows in whom we place our trust.  (v. 10)

THE TAKEAWAY

This passage uses the word “trust”.  You could easily substitute the word “faith”.  The meaning would be the same.  It is clear from this passage that we should put our faith and trust in God.  We should not pin our hopes on promises made by mere mortals.  All too often, we put too much trust in our friends, family, and elected officials.  Yet, they come and go.  Our trust should be devoted to God and God alone.   Anything else is asking for trouble. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I’d like to say that I ascribe to this message totally.  But is this really true?  I trust my wife.  I trust my family and certain friends.  We must depend upon others to successfully navigate our daily lives.  But ultimately, it is only our faith that saves us. Trusting in the Lord is our only true hope for the future.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:12-20

THE BACKGROUND

Much of Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth was written to address concerns that had arisen there.  There was some disagreement within the congregation about the resurrection of the dead, as stated in the opening verse of today’s passage.  You may recall from last week’s reading, that Paul provides a good list of eye-witnesses of the resurrected Jesus. (1 Cor. 15:5-8)

THE DETAIL

• It is clear from this first verse that some in Corinth claimed that there is no such thing as the resurrection of the dead.  Paul challenges them with logic, stating that you cannot say that Jesus was resurrected, and yet not believe in resurrection.  (v. 12)
• Paul continues with this logical line of reasoning, stating that if there is no resurrection, then even Jesus did not rise from the dead.  And if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then our faith is in vain. In other words, if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then he was simply jus another very good preacher.  (vv. 13-14)
• To make matters worse, if Jesus was not risen from the dead, it makes all the apostles liars! (v. 15)
• The remainder of the paragraph addresses the consequences of not believing in the resurrection (vv. 16-19):
  • This king of faith is futile—it gets us nowhere.  It is like believing in the Easter bunny.
  • Our sins have not been forgiven, so we still bear them all.
  • Our loved ones who have died have no hope of eternal life.
  • If we pin our hopes on an un-resurrected Christ, we are a pitiful lot.
• But since we do (don’t we?) believe in the resurrection, Jesus is the “first fruits” of the dead.  [And the little list above is null and void.]  (v. 20)

THE TAKEAWAY

I will be the first to admit that I find the resurrection of the dead a difficult concept to comprehend. I have many unanswered questions about the details.  But Paul makes it clear in this chapter of his letter that:

1. There were many, many eyewitnesses to the resurrected Jesus.
2. Without believing this, Jesus was just a really nice guy.  Nothing more.

Since we are all disciples (followers) of Jesus Christ, we know that Jesus was the son of God.  We trust in the witness of those who have gone before us.  We proclaim the resurrection of the dead when we recite the creeds, even if we do not have all the details.  We have faith.

LUKE 6:17-26

THE BACKGROUND

Today’s reading goes to the core of Jesus’ teaching.  This passage is usually called Jesus’ “Sermon on the Plain”.  In Matthew 5 & 6, we read of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Here, Luke describes a different location—a level place.  But if you read the Sermon on the Mount, you will notice some similarities as well as some differences.  We don’t go into that sort of analysis here, but I encourage you to do that for yourself. 

I have often wondered: “Why would Jesus repeat himself, once on a hillside and once on a level place?” This is what I’ve surmised.  When a presidential candidate is on the campaign trail, he or she gives a speech to the listeners.  Some of this speech is tailored to the needs of the crowd, but the core of the speech will be the same throughout the entire campaign.  The conclusion that I’ve come to about Jesus’ speeches is that its contents are the core of Jesus’ ministry-mission.  They are part of reason why he was sent to us in the first place—to tell us what is important to God.  I have a feeling that Jesus spoke this message more than twice in his life.  These two gospel writers chose to only include one occurrence in each of their accounts.   

THE DETAIL

• In the previous verses, Jesus was on a mountain, praying with his apostles (the 12). Afterward, at the beginning of our passage, he came down [off the mountain], where he was joined by his disciples*, and a “great multitude”.  Note that this large group also included people from Tyre and Sidon.  These were gentile areas.  (v. 17)
• We read about the people who came to hear and see Jesus.  Some wanted to hear his teachings.  Others came out of desperation.  They were ill, either physically, mentally, or spiritually. They came to be healed.  (v. 18)
• Jesus cared for them, healing them, and teaching them.  What a sight it must have been, to see “the power came out from him”, as he healed the sick!  As you may recall from my explanation of previous healing accounts, Jesus did this for two reasons.  First, he did this out of love and compassion for those in need.  Second, these miraculous healings alert those around him that Jesus is something out of the ordinary; somebody who requires them to stop, listen, and contemplate.  (v. 19)
• Now that Jesus has accomplished his two-fold purpose in healing, it is time for him to teach.  These next verses sound very much like the Beatitudes of Matthew 5.  We’ll summarize them in the takeaway.  (vv. 20-23)
• New to this speech are a series of “woes”.  These are in direct contrast to each of the “blessed” statements.  You can make a little chart, if you like, to line each up with the other.  (vv. 24-26)

THE TAKEAWAY

Most of Jesus’ teachings, the Sermons on the Mount and Plain, as well as his parables tell us about what is most important to God.  Jesus uses the phrase “the kingdom of God” to explain these priorities. Since we are unfamiliar with kingdoms, the words lose their value to us.  I suggest that we consider these teachings to explain to us what God’s World is like.  These are the priorities and values He holds dear.  They should be the priorities and values we also hold dear.  This is how we should think and behave in “God’s World”. If you take a close look at these, they are in direct contradiction to normal human values.  We value the “woes”!  This is not good.  If we are Jesus’ disciples, then we need to try to embrace Jesus’ values, not our own human values. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

In case you’d like a list of human values, here’s a starter list for you.  Compare this to Jesus’ “blesseds” in today’s reading, as well as his parables about the lost sheep and coin, the Good Samaritan, etc.

• Look out for #1, because nobody else will. 
• Keep your own back yard clean, and don’t worry about the others.
• It’s all about getting ahead, about being Top Dog. 
• The lead dog in a dog sled team has the best view.  BE THE LEAD DOG!
• Avoid the sick, lame, and lazy at all costs.  They just want to take your money.
• I’ve worked hard for my money.  It is all mine.  I don’t owe anybody anything.
• Don’t worry, be happy!
• Life is short, grab for the gusto!

I think we have a long way to go, before our world conforms to God’s world, don’t you?

* In Luke, the apostles are the 12 that Jesus chose to be his inner circle of pupils.  Luke uses the word “disciples” to include not just the 12, but all of the followers of Jesus.  This is why we are all Jesus’ disciples.  We, too, follow Jesus in our daily faith-walk.

ISAIAH 6:1-13

THE BACKGROUND

This event records Isaiah’s call as a prophet of God.  Both Israel and Judah have experienced a level of prosperity, but it was at the expense of the lower class.  Just as to this day, the rich got richer and the poorer got poorer.  Meanwhile, Assyria to the north is gaining military might. To Isaiah, the future looks bleak. God needs a spokesman to instruct His people on the consequences of their actions (and inactions).

THE DETAIL

• Things went from bad to worse on the death of King Uzziah.  The united kingdoms of Israel and Judah were threatened by Assyria. This was a political crisis.  In the midst of this crisis, God provided Isaiah with a vision.  Isaiah is in the temple in Jerusalem, when he receives this vision.  God comes to Isaiah.  In this vision, he sees God sitting on a high throne.  His regal robe fills the temple.  (v. 1)
• The Lord is attended by seraphs.  We actually don’t have an accurate description of them, other than what is given here.  The word “seraph” is only used six times in the Old Testament.  The word means “fiery ones” or “serpent”.  Ancient Hebrew scholars consider them not to be angels, but a different sort of being.  Whatever they were, they had three pairs of wings.  One pair was used for flying, and one pair for covering their faces. Apparently, they also could not gaze upon the face of God without perishing.  The third pair was used to cover their “feet”.  Now, you can believe that Isaiah really meant their feet, but most scholars feel differently.  A euphemism is like when you are at a restaurant with friends, and you tell them “I’m going to go ‘wash my hands’”.  Everybody knows that you’ll probably do more than just wash your hands, but it is the polite thing to say.  The word “feet” is used in the Old Testament as a euphemism for their private parts.  Another example can be found in the book of Ruth, chapter 3, verses 1-6.  Ruth “uncovers the feet” of Boaz.  Simply because of this, they get married and have a child.  So, with the third pair of wings, the seraphs were being modest in the presence of the Lord. (v. 2) 
• Back to the story.  As the seraphs flew, they praised the Lord, causing the whole place to shake like an earthquake.  If that wasn’t enough, the temple was filled with smoke.  (vv. 3-4) 
• Isaiah panicked. Not only does he feel out of place here, but he has seen the face of God.  By rights, Isaiah should be dead.  (v. 5)
• Next, something cool happens.  A seraph carries a burning coal from the altar fire to Isaiah, and cauterizes his lips. He declares Isaiah’s sin and guilt to be gone.  (vv. 6-7)
• Now, the Lord speaks, asking for someone to speak for us*.  Isaiah volunteers, saying “send me!”  (v. 8)
• In most churches, the reading will end with verse 8.  But the lectionary allows the option of continuing to verse 13.  We will call this the “fine print”.  God gives Isaiah a heads up as to what to expect. It’s not going to be easy, and it’s going to take a long time.  (vv. 9-12)
• There’s a slight glimmer of hope at the very end.  Almost all of God’s people will be wiped out; cut down like a tree.  But in the stump is a holy seed.  (v. 13)

THE TAKEAWAY

God came to earth to speak to us as well, in life-work of Jesus.  God calls us to speak for Him today.  The world is in political crisis.  It is also in environmental crisis, people are starving, the rich still neglect the poor, and on and on.  There is much work to do.  People will stop their ears, and shut their eyes.  No matter.  We must press on, and do the Lord’s work.

* The Lord uses the plural “us” instead of “me”.  Some like to reason that this is a reference to the Holy Trinity.  This would not have made any sense to Isaiah.  The concept of the Holy Trinity would not begin to form for another 800 years.  We Americans are not familiar with how kings speak.  Even into the 19th century, kings have used a verb tense called the “majestic plural”.  They rarely said “I”, but used “we” instead.  Another example of this occurs in Genesis 1:26.
 

1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-11

THE BACKGROUND

So, we’ve finally “eaten” our Oreo cookie about the gift of tongues.  (Chapters 12-14)  If you didn’t read last week’s reflections, you might want to ignore this last sentence. This week and next, we will study the concepts of salvation and resurrection. 

THE DETAIL

• Paul starts out as if he were starting a new letter.  He reminds them of the Good News (the gospel message) that he proclaimed to them, they received, and stand.  (v.1)
• The next verse contains an interesting point.  But overall, he says that they are being saved, if they hold to the message he taught them; otherwise his teaching was in vain.  But notice in the beginning of this verse he doesn’t say “which also you were saved”, he says “you are being saved”.  Many of us Christians like to point to the time and place, long ago, when we were saved.  I only need to look back to yesterday to recognize this saving grace.  For me, salvation is an ongoing action.  Trust me—I need this saving grace daily!  I suspect that you need it too.  So if someone asks me when I was saved, I hope I say “yesterday” or “this morning”!  (v. 2)
• Verses three and four make up a concise description of Jesus’ mission on earth.
• Next, comes a listing of the times that the resurrected Jesus was seen by his followers, ending in Paul himself.  These witnesses to the resurrection become important in next week’s study.  (vv. 5-8)
• Paul starts out humble in verse 9, but by the middle of verse 10 he begins to brag a little. But then he checks himself, and credits it all to the Holy Spirit’s work, all for the purpose of bringing these Corinthians to Christ.  (vv. 9-11)

THE TAKEAWAY

There are several things that we can take away from this passage.  But I want to focus my thoughts on verse 2.  One of my pastors taught me that salvation is “God’s salvaging operation on each of us”.  This operation is on-going; it needs to continue in all of us daily, as long as we draw breath.

LUKE 5:1-11

THE BACKGROUND

This year, we are studying the gospel of Luke.  This week, we read about Jesus’ calling of his first apostles.  In chapter 4, we have the temptation of Jesus, which we are saving for Lent.  Also in chapter 4, verses 31-39, he teaches in the synagogue in the lakeside town of Capernaum.  There, performs some miracles, including healing Simon  Peter’s mother of a high fever.  He is preaching, teaching, and performing miracles.  Word spreads.  People gather.

THE DETAIL

• He is teaching on the shore of Lake Gennesaret (AKA the Sea of Galilee).  The crowd presses closer.  He sees some fishing boats, and one is Simon’s.  They hop in, and he continues to teach from the boat. (vv.1-3)
• Here’s where it gets interesting.  Jesus, a carpenter by trade, suggests that they go into the deep water and lower their nets.  Everybody knows that fish are not in the deep water, but inshore.  Peter’s crew has spent all night fishing, and has come up empty-handed. But what the heck.  Why not listen to the carpenter?  (vv. 4-5)
• You know the story.  The catch is so abundant that their fragile nets are breaking; the boats are so full they nearly sink!  (vv. 6-7)
• Simon Peter knows a miracle when he sees one, and falls on his knees.  His words sound a lot like Isaiah’s words in the first reading. (v. 8)
• All of the fishermen were amazed at this catch.  So much so, that Zebedee’s sons James and John, along with Simon Peter, abandon their fishing business and follow Jesus to become “fishers of men”, or “catching people” as our NRSV translation calls it.  (vv. 9-11)

THE TAKEAWAY

Everybody in this story was common folk.  Even Jesus was “only” the son of a carpenter from the hick town of Nazareth.  None of them were qualified clergy.  Jesus performed miracles for two reasons.  One was out of compassion for the outcasts, the suffering, and the sick.  The other reason was to alert those around him that he wasn’t just your ordinary Nazarene carpenter.  Something bigger was going on.  Simon Peter, James, and John recognize this, and drop everything to heed the call. We, too, are called to do Jesus’ work in our surroundings.  People are weak and suffering.  People are living lives without purpose or meaning.  We are ordinary people, called to share the Good News just as Paul shared it with the people of Corinth.  None of us may be pure or qualified, but that doesn’t matter.  Jesus calls us all.

NEHEMIAH 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

THE BACKGROUND

Our first reading is from the book of Nehemiah.  The books of Ezra and Nehemiah are considered by biblical scholars as one book.  Both books are the memoirs of each person, and each book includes the other.  They both lived during the same time period and the same place.  Both were Jews in exile in Babylon.  Ezra was a scribe & priest, Nehemiah was a cupbearer for the Babylonian king.  Cupbearers were charged with tasting the king’s wine first to ensure that a) it was good wine, and b) not laced with poison.  They lived in Babylon at the time that the Jews were allowed to return to the Promised Land.  Ezra went with the first wave, Nehemiah with the second.  Ezra was responsible for the spiritual guidance of the returning Jews. Nehemiah’s job was to lead the work crews who would repair Jerusalem’s city walls and gates.

The fortifications were just completed when our passage begins. 

THE DETAIL

• A meeting has been called.  Attendance is not optional, it is required.  Everybody must attend. (v. 1)
• Ezra brought the scrolls containing the law of Moses.  He read the law to the people, and it took all morning.  Everybody was very attentive.  (vv. 2-3)
• Ezra opened with prayer, and the people said Amen.  (vv. 5-6)
• The book of the law was read with interpretation.  You see, the scrolls were in Hebrew.  By this time in Judah’s history people were speaking Aramaic.  It was like the difference between modern English and the English of the 10th century.  If you've ever read Chaucer or Beowulf, you know what I'm talking about.  (v. 8)
• The next paragraph consists of words of comfort from Ezra and Nehemiah.  They tell the people not to weep, because the law is good and just. “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Why might they be weeping?  It does not say, specifically.  For sure, reading the law is like standing before a magnifying mirror; you see all your wrinkles, warts, etc.  Those assembled in Jerusalem had not heard the law in a very long time, if ever.  They had a lot of “warts”.  (vv. 9-10)

THE TAKEAWAY

Self-examination is not easy, but it is necessary.  We all need to take an honest look at ourselves, from time to time. It is good to remember that “The joy of the Lord is our strength”.  The way of the Lord is good.  But sometimes we stray off the path.  It is good to read Holy Scripture, and periodically reflect on our actions.  Lent is coming soon.  We’ll have plenty of time for self-examination.

1 CORINTHIANS 12: 12-31a

THE BACKGROUND

This week’s second reading is a continuation of last week’s.  In verses 1-11, Paul addressed an issue they were having in the church in Corinth.  Those who had received the gift of speaking in tongues from the Holy Spirit claimed a spiritual superiority over the other members of the congregation.  Paul has already made his point.  But, since he is a caring father to this congregation, he follows it up with a metaphor, to drive the point home.

THE DETAIL

• Paul likens the church to a human body.  Our bodies have many parts, but we are still only one body.  He reminds the people of their diversity (Jews and Greeks, slaves and free), even so, they are all one body together.  (vv. 12-13)
• In verses 15-21, Paul goes into great detail.  It would be absurd for any one part of the body to exist without the other.
• I love verse 22, where it says “even the weaker parts are indispensable.”  I think Paul is using a little sarcasm here, aimed at the so-called “stronger” members who speak in tongues.  We all know that we need to honor and respect our bodies, even the lesser body parts.  There was little honor or respect for the “lesser” members of that congregation. (vv. 22-25)
• Paul concludes this metaphor by saying something like “When you hurt in one place, your body hurts all over.”  They need to fix this. (v. 26)
• Starting in verse 27, Paul presents a short list of gifts of the Holy Spirit.  The gift of tongues in last in this list.  Nobody has all of these gifts.  We are all given one or another.  It takes all of these to make a full body in Christ.  (vv. 27-30)
• He concludes the discussion by urging us to strive for the greater gifts, which he will tell us about next.  We’ll look at that next week. (v. 31)

THE TAKEAWAY

The important thing to take away from this lesson is that every single baptized Christian has been blessed with at least one spiritual gift.  Not only is it important for us to identify and use ours to build up the body of Christ, we must also need to realize that everybody has a gift.  There are some members at my church whose gifts are obvious, and it is a beautiful thing to see these gifts in action.  But there are other members whose gifts are not as obvious.  Like some body parts, they are more hidden.  But God gives us all whichever spiritual gift He chooses.  Let us learn to love and respect each other, knowing that together, we are one body. 

LUKE 4:14-21

THE BACKGROUND

This year, we will be working our way through the gospel of Luke.  Today, we are only in the fourth chapter.  So far in Luke, We’ve read about the birth of Jesus, the work of John the Baptist, and Jesus’ baptism.  Last week, we read (in John) that three days after his baptism, he performed his first miracle (or sign).  What happens next in Luke is the temptation of Jesus, but we’re saving that for Lent (March 6th).

THE DETAIL

• After the story of Jesus’ temptation, he was filled with the Holy Spirit.  He traveled about in Galilee, teaching in his homeland.  (v. 14)
• At that time, worship in the synagogue consisted of two scripture readings followed by an explanation.  The first scripture reading was from the law of Moses, from one of the first five books of our bible.  The second was a reading from “the prophets”.  Oftentimes, visiting teachers would be invited to explain the readings. It appears that As Jesus traveled around Galilee, his reputation grew.  He was asked to give the explanation of the text.  People liked what they heard, and spread the news.  (v. 15)
• He came back to his home town of Nazareth, and went to the synagogue on the Sabbath.  The attendant gave him the scroll containing “the prophets”.  Standing, Jesus searches the scroll, and finds the text he’s looking for:  Isaiah 61:1-2a.  He reads it and sits down.  (vv. 16-20a)
• All eyes were on Jesus, waiting for the explanation.  (v. 20b)
• His explanation is simple:  “Now is the time Isaiah was talking about. This scripture is fulfilled now!”

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THE TAKEAWAY

You might remember how the crowd reacted to his explanation.  We’ll get to study that next week.  This week, we’re going to focus on why Jesus chose that passage, and what it meant.  Verses 18-19 are from Isaiah.  Jesus said:

• “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
• because he has appointed me to bring good news to the poor.
• he has sent me to proclaim release of the captives 
• and recovery of sight to the blind, 
• to let the oppressed go free, 
• to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

In modern business, it is expected that companies have what is called a Mission Statement.  It is a statement that captures who they are and what they do.  Churches even have them.  I believe that when Jesus stood up, chose this passage, and read it, he was stating his mission statement.  In other words, Jesus was saying “God sent me here to fulfill this prophecy, and I’m going to do just that.”

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Jesus’ mission is also our mission here in this time and in this place.  Reread his mission statement above.  How do you and I continue his work here and now?

ISAIAH 62:1-5

THE BACKGROUND

This section of the book of Isaiah was written after their return from exile.  God’s people had returned to find Jerusalem a pile of rubble, in many cases.  It was not all peaches and cream.  There was a lot of rebuilding and restructuring of society. It was hard, often discouraging work. God offered these words of encouragement and promise to his beloved people.

THE DETAIL

• Isaiah states that he was so excited about Zion-Jerusalem’s future, that he had no choice but to spread the news.  Have you ever had some secret news?  Did it ever make you want to burst, because you could not tell anyone? This is how excited Isaiah was about the future of God’s people.  He couldn’t keep it in any longer.
• The word “until” indicates that they are not totally where they need to be. We’re talking the “righteousness” of God’s beloved.  Remember that “righteousness” is a fancy word for acting or behaving in the “right” way; in a God-pleasing way.  This indicates that God’s beloved need to work on their actions and their attitudes. (Things haven’t changed much, have they?)
• When they (and we) finally get it right, other people  will stand up and take notice.
• When they (and we) finally get it right, God will give us a new name.  What does this mean?  Think about when you get a new pet or a new baby enters your household. You give it a special name.  Maybe it is a nickname that you give a favorite grandchild.  This tells everyone that there is a special connection between you.  This is what it means when God renames His people.  “Now that you’ve got it right, I’m giving you a special new name.”
• What follows is a list of former and future nicknames, ending with Beulah, or “Married”.  This is a link to the next and final point.
• Isaiah likens God’s delight in us to the delight between newlyweds.  This is not a new concept, but Isaiah works this imagery beautifully.  If you’ve ever been lucky enough to experience the feeling of an intensely loving experience with another, then you know the feeling.  God tells us that this is how thrilled he’ll be, when we start living our lives “righteously”. 

THE TAKEAWAY

God created us.  He knows us inside and out.  He knows what we are capable of becoming.  God has high expectations for us.  Yet, we continually fall short of His expectations.  Let us strive to measure up to what God wants us to be.  When we do, others will take notice.  When we do, God will be delighted.

1 CORINTHIANS 12:1-11

THE BACKGROUND

Two points will help us to understand this passage better.

The first is regarding one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, that of speaking in tongues.  In Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit make her dramatic entrance in that closed room, the disciples all speak in tongues; they fluently speak in foreign languages in which they were never formally instructed.  In the early church, this gift of the Holy Spirit continued to be given to new Christians at their baptism.  Last week’s reading (Acts 8:14-17) was about such a baptismal event. It was proof that you had received the Holy Spirit.

The second point has to do with Paul’s letter as a whole. Much of it was written about specific issues that needed addressing in this church in the city of Corinth.  Four chapters begin with “Now concerning ____ …” (See the first verses of chapters 7, 8, 12, and 16.)  Apparently somebody from that church sent word to Paul of these problems, asking him for a little help and guidance.  In chapter 12, Paul addresses the problem they had regarding the gift of speaking in tongues.  Some were claiming spiritual authority over their Christian brothers and sisters. Let’s see what Paul says about the matter.

THE DETAIL

• Verse one essentially says “Now let’s talk about spiritual gifts.”
• He then talks about their former days, when they were pagans; they worshipped mute idols.  Now that they are Christians, they praise Jesus by proclaiming him “Lord”.  At that time, the term “Lord” was reserved for those in political office; the people who controlled your daily life.  The #1 Lord of the Land was Caesar, followed by his regional governors, and so forth.  It would have been treason to call a Jewish carpenter’s son (whom the Romans crucified) “The Lord”.   You definitely need the courage and commitment supplied by the Holy Spirit to make that statement!  Courage and boldness of faith are just two of the gifts received from the Holy Spirit. (vv. 2-3)
• Next, he jumps into the heart of the issue.  There are all sorts of gifts.  All are given by the same Spirit, … same Lord, … same God who activates all of them in everyone.”  (vv. 4-6)
• This is the key verse.  Everybody gets some sort of “slice”* of the Holy Spirit, for the common good.  (v. 7)
• The following verses list some of the more notable gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is not a complete list, but a good assortment.  At the very end, as an almost “by the way” addition, Paul includes “tongues”.  His point was that the gift of tongues wasn’t as important as these.  (vv. 8-10)
• This passage concludes with the point that the one and only Spirit grants all these gifts as the Spirit choses.  (v. 12)
• Chapter 12 continues on, but it is not part of Sunday’s reading.  Paul likens a community of believers as a physical body.  All the body parts are needed to make the whole body work.  The body needs fingers, hands, eyes, ears, and even a tongue to do God’s work.  But in order to be a body, it also needs feet, armpits, and other smelly parts. All are necessary for the body to function.  It’s a powerful analogy, with which you may already familiar. I encourage you to read it. Then, in chapter 13, Paul tells us about the best gift of all.

THE TAKEAWAY

As I said last week, most churches believe that the gift of tongues was given out by the Holy Spirit less and less over the centuries. Some churches, called charismatic or Pentecostal, believe this gift is still given.  But in this passage, Paul makes it clear that it is only one of many precious gifts given to Christians through their baptism. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Which spiritual gifts has the Holy Spirit given to you?  Are you using these gift “for the common good”, or are you “hiding them under a bushel basket”?
 

JOHN 2:1-11

THE BACKGROUND

In John’s gospel story, this familiar story appears right after the story of his baptism. 

THE DETAIL

• This event takes place three days after Jesus’ baptism.  Jesus, his mom, and his disciples are invited to a wedding. You know the story.  (vv. 1-2)
• I love this dialogue so much, I have to paraphrase verses 3-5:

MARY:  They have no wine, Jesus, do something about it.

JESUS:  Aw come on, Mom!  I just got baptized.  Can’t you cut me a little slack?

MARY (to the staff): Listen to Jesus.  He’s got this.

• You know the rest of the story.  Water into wine, and it’s really, really good wine.  (vv. 6-10)
• Verse 11 is packed with several “goodies”:
  • This was the first of Jesus “signs”.
  • This sign revealed his glory.
  • His disciples believed in him.  (Can you imagine the sorts of things they said to each other after this happened?)

THE TAKEAWAY

We like to call them Jesus miracles, but John calls them signs.  Road signs keep you pointed in the right direction.  You may let your mind wander, not read the signs, and get lost.  But the disciples read the sign, and responded appropriately.  The purpose of this story is to provide its readers with the first of many “road signs” to guide them to realizing the true identity of Jesus.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Are you on the right road?

NOTE:  Sometimes in today’s study I quote from a new translation called The Message.  I sometimes refer to that for a fresh look or for a little clarity.  These words are shown in parentheses, as are some of my “side comments”. 

ISAIAH 43:1-7

THE BACKGROUND

This passage was written during Judah’s exile in Babylon.  They are defeated and broken-hearted.  Many questioned the power of Yahweh.  They wondered if the Babylonian gods might be stronger, since Yahweh’s people were defeated by them.  “Was our god weaker than theirs?”

THE DETAIL

• The Lord tells his people not to fear.  He reminds them that He created them and formed them.  These are reminders of Genesis 1 and 2.  He redeemed them from slavery in Egypt.  He has named them, so they are His very own.  (v. 1)
• The Lord now speaks of the journey back home.  This is the message of hope.  The Lord has not abandoned them.  He will ransom His people, just like an owner ransoms a servant from the bonds of slavery. (vv. 2-3)
• Why does He do this?  He does it out of love for His own.  (v. 4)
• He repeats—do not fear!  I’m gathering everybody up, and you’re going home.  (vv.5-7)

THE TAKEAWAY

The Lord loves us, and calls us by name.  We are his. He has redeemed us from our slavery to sin through the free gift of His son, who died on the cross for us.  He does not promise that our lives will be without hardship.  After all, His own son was crucified by his enemies.  But He does promise that He loves us, will be by our side throughout our journey, and finally bring us home.
 

ACTS 8:14-17

THE BACKGROUND

The people who chose the readings for the lectionary have chosen a story about baptism.  This sort of matches the gospel lesson for today, which is about the baptism of Jesus.  But this is an odd little story.  For me, it raises more questions than answers.  Maybe together we can figure it out.  (With the help of the Holy Spirit, of course.)

THE DETAIL

• Apparently some people in Samaria had accepted “the Word of God” or “God’s Message”. Word gets back to Jerusalem, which was the center of the Christian church in the early days.  They send Peter and John to check it out.  Remember that Samaritans were universally hated by the Jews.  The early church consisted mainly of Jews who had believed in Jesus as their Messiah and savior.  Peter and John and all the apostles would have fallen into this category.  They were headed into a region they despised. (v. 14)
• They must have gotten over it, because once they got there, they prayed for the presence of the Holy Spirit.  (v. 15)
• Here’s the odd thing.  These people has been baptized, but only “in the name of the Lord (or Master) Jesus”. The reason they prayed for the Holy Spirit was because it was evident to Peter and John that the Holy Spirit had not yet descended upon these Christians.  We’ll chew on this bone in the takeaway.  (v. 16)
• No matter. Once Peter and John prayed and laid their hands upon the Samaritans, they received the Holy Spirit.   (v. 17)

THE TAKEAWAY

In the early years, receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit was very obvious—you spoke in “tongues”. This is only one gift of the Spirit, but it is a very visible one.  It is believed by most that over the centuries this gift of the Holy Spirit has faded, and most believers do not receive this gift.  But a few churches today believe this gift is the only proof that one has received the Holy Spirit.  I do not speak in tongues, but there is no doubt in my mind that the Holy Spirit helps me at certain times. 

Why would the Holy Spirit be withheld from these Samaritan believers, until Peter and John intervened? Maybe the Lord wanted the church in Jerusalem to come to grips with their worldwide mission.  They had to get over their prejudices, and pray for their new brothers and sisters in Christ.  Maybe the Holy Spirit recognized a need in the Samaritan church’s understanding of Jesus, and called upon Peter and John to fill in the gaps of their understanding of Jesus.  One thing is for certain.  Peter and John set aside their personal feelings, and obeyed the Holy Spirit.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

All too often we want to keep Jesus for ourselves.  If someone attends our church that is different than us, it is too easy to ignore them.  The Holy Spirit calls us to do the opposite.  We are to go to them, lay hands upon them, and welcome them as our brothers and sisters.

LUKE 3:15-17, 21-22

THE BACKGROUND

You may recall that back in the middle of Advent, we read about John the Baptist.  We read that people heeded his call for repentance, and came to be baptized.  Tax collectors and soldiers even came forward and repented.  Today’s reading follows on the heels of that story—sort of.  In between that story and today’s reading are three verses about Herod’s arresting John, and putting him in prison.  (vv. 18-20, which are omitted from our lesson) Then, in verse 21 we get a flashback to John the Baptist in the River Jordan.  It’s weird, but that’s how Luke presents the story.  Maybe we should get out our biblical scissors and tape, and rearrange them.  But no, let’s leave it be, and just skip over verses 18-20, like we have it in today’s selection.

THE DETAIL

• People are coming to John’s preaching, hoping and looking for the Messiah.  John sets them straight.  “I’M NOT THE GUY!  But he is coming, so you’d better get ready.”  (vv. 15-16)
• John then turns up the heat.  “The Messiah is coming, and will separate the wheat from the chaff.  Worse yet, he’s gonna throw the chaff into the fire. DON’T BE THE CHAFF!!!”  (V. 17, my paraphrase)
• After everybody else has been taken care of, Jesus comes down to be baptized.  In Luke’s account, we don’t get the little dialogue between Jesus and John (Mt. 3:14-15).  In this story, he is simply baptized, and begins to pray.  (v. 21a)
• As he is praying, the heavens open up.  The Holy Spirit descends upon him in bodily form, sort of like a dove.  (What does this mean?  But how do you describe something heavenly, anyway?)  I especially like The Message’s translation for the words spoken from heaven: “You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.”

THE TAKEAWAY

No, John was not the guy. But he was the one spoken of by the prophets who would prepare the way.  And Jesus came and was baptized, which pleased his Father.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Why did Jesus come to be baptized?  He certainly had no need for repentance.  We get a hint from Matthew 3:15b “…it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.”  (Or, as The Message states it “God’s work, putting things right all these centuries, is coming together right now in this baptism.”)

JEREMIAH 31:7-14

THE BACKGROUND

Jeremiah was a prophet to Judah before and during the Babylonian exile.  In the first 29 chapters of this book, we read of Jeremiah’s dire prophecies regarding Judah’s wayward life and what they can expect, if they do not repent and turn to God.  They do not, and are conquered by the Babylonians.  Many are deported, including Jeremiah.  Judah is defeated and dispersed.  They are broken-hearted.  God sends a message of hope to His people through Jeremiah. Chapters 30-33 are this message of hope and consolation.

THE DETAIL

• God tells his broken-hearted people to shout with gladness and sing.  They are to sing raises and pray for God to save a remnant of their race to continue on.  Note that God calls his people “Jacob”.  In the next verse of this passage He also uses the name “Ephraim”.  These are characters from the old stories of Abraham, Jacob, and Esau.  Using “Jacob” to refer to Judah and “Ephraim” for Israel reminds them of their long heritage and the promise of God’s continued love and care for them.  (v. 7)
• Here is the promise: God is going to gather up His dispersed peoples from all over, and bring them back to the Promised Land.  And not just those healthy and strong enough for the journey, but even the lame and women in labor.  No one will be left behind.  (vv. 7-9)
• Jeremiah now proclaims that “He [God] who scattered Israel will gather him [Israel]…”  So, the same God who scatters is now the shepherd who will gather his flock.  Sending his people into exile was seen by His people as a punishment.  God was hitting the reset button, just like he did with Noah and the flood.  Now, he’s a shepherd, gathering His people back together.  (v. 10)
• Here is the key verse, in my opinion.  God has ransomed and redeemed his people.  They are not strong enough to do this themselves.  God comes to the rescue.  (v. 11)
• The remainder describes the joy those in exile will experience, when they return home.  (vv. 12-14)

THE TAKEAWAY

How many coupons have you received in the mail that you have thrown away?  Most were useless slips of paper, not even worth the paper they were printed on.  But it seems there is always one that you can use.  It’s still just a piece of paper with ink on it.  But if you take it to the store and redeem it, it has value. God’s promise to us is that if we put our trust in him, he will transform our worthless lives into something of value.  He sends his son to redeem us and make us holy and happy.

EPHESIANS 1:3-14

THE BACKGROUND

This is the beginning of Paul’s letter to the young church in Ephesus.  The omitted verses, one and two, are simply the opening greeting. Now, Paul writes a beautiful faith-witness story.  Notice that it is God who does all the work.  Paul and his disciples merely receive these blessings by believing.  In verse 13, Paul tells us that we all get these blessings, too, when we believe in Jesus.

THE DETAIL

• Paul begins his letter by praising God for blessing us with “every spiritual blessing”.  (v. 3)
• Next comes a long list of actions that God has done for us:
  1. He chose us… (v. 4
  2. He destined us for adoption… (v. 5)
  3. He bestowed grace upon us… (v. 6)
  4. He has redeemed us and forgiven us… (v. 7)
  5. He has made known to us the mystery of his will (v. 9)
  6. He has given us an inheritance… (v. 11)
• We, too, get all of this, when we believe in him.  We are marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit [in our baptism].  (v. 13)

THE TAKEAWAY

God is great!  By His generous grace, he freely gives us all these gifts.  All we must do is believe in Jesus as our savior.  What a wonderful Christmas gift that is!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Paul begins this letter by blessing God.  We often talk about God's blessings for us.  Is it possible for a mere mortal to bless God almighty?  Perhaps we can bless God with our thanks and praise.  And just maybe bless him with our actions.

JOHN 1-1-18

THE BACKGROUND

This part of John’s gospel is called the prologue by biblical scholars.  It is so rich that I believe we could spend the next four weeks studying it. This prologue clearly defines who Jesus is, as well as his place in history. 

THE DETAIL

• In this prologue, John uses two nicknames for Jesus.  He does this to make a point.  The first nickname is the “Word”.  It is even more poignant in Greek—Logos.  Logos meant more than just “word”, it meant “the true word” or “the truth”.  Later in John’s gospel, Jesus will say that he is the way, the truth, and the life.  But here, Jesus is the Logos.  Furthermore, John states that Jesus was there at the beginning of creation.  Jesus existed at the beginning of time.  He took an active part in shaping God’s creation. (vv. 1-4)
• In the last part of verse 4, John introduces his second nickname—Jesus is the Light.  The Light of Jesus shines in the darkness, and this miserable, dark world cannot overcome his brilliant presence.  (v. 5)
• We shift now to mention John the Baptist.  The writer clearly defines John’s role.  He wasn’t the Light, but he testified to the Light.  (vv. 5-9)
• Now we switch back to talking about the Light, Jesus.  Even though he created the world, most did not recognize or accept him. (vv. 10-11)
• Here is one of the key verses:  But to those who did receive him, they became God’s beloved children.  (v. 12)
• The next key verse is verse 14.  “And the Word became flesh, and lived among us… full of grace and truth [Logos].”  Jesus-God took on human form.  He experienced life as a human being, including being tempted, rejected, criticized, and more.  He truly has “walked in our shoes”.  (v. 14)
• John the Baptist is again quoted, fixing John below Jesus in importance.  In the early days after Jesus’ life, John the Baptist had many followers, too.  This statement clearly defines the hierarchy of John to Jesus, making it clear who is on top.  (v. 15)
• Here is the third key verse.  We got the law through Moses, but we get the grace through Jesus.  Thanks be to God!  (v. 17)
• Finally, John says that while no one has seen God the Father, we clearly see what God the Father is like through the life of Jesus.  One of Jesus’ missions was to show us who God is by living his life as a model for us. (v. 18) 

THE TAKEAWAY

• By believing in Jesus as our savior, we become God’s beloved children.  (v. 12)
• During the 11 days that follow Christmas Day, we reflect on the meaning of his birth.  God took on human form, and lived among us. For a time, we could see, hear, and touch God.  What should we learn about God from this gift?  (v. 14)
• My pastor defines “grace” as God’s love, freely given.  The Law of Moses defines God’s high expectations for His people.  Not one of us is capable of keeping all these rules.  Through the gift of His son, we receive His grace.  Our sins are forgiven!  (v. 17)

NOTE: Last Sunday was in Advent, and this Sunday is after Christmas.  Maybe you went to church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.  But if you didn’t, you missed the climax of all that waiting and watching—the birth of our Lord.  If you haven’t already done so, I suggest that you read the gospel lesson for Christmas, Luke 2:1-20. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The birth of Jesus is called the Incarnation.  That word means “in the flesh”.  God appears to us “in the flesh”.  He lives with us and for us.  What does that mean to you?  Here’s one suggestion.  Read the familiar bible passage below, and meditate on its full meaning.  I’ve printed it here for you in a very different translation.  I’ve done this to help you to think about the meaning of the words rather than the words we’ve all memorized so many years ago.

John 3:16-18 (The Message translation)

16-18 “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

What do these words tell us about God?

What do these words tell us about ourselves?

1 SAMUEL 2:18-20, 26

THE BACKGROUND

Eli was the high priest for God’s People.  By tradition, this position should have gone to one of his sons.  But they were rebellious, and did not serve or respect God.  Hannah was a righteous woman who was not able to bear children.  She promised God that if she conceived, she would dedicate her son’s life to God’s service.  Once the baby was weaned, she took her son Samuel to Eli, to be raised in the synagogue. She and Elkanah, her husband, visited Samuel once a year.

THE DETAIL

• Our story starts out by us learning that Samuel is performing his duties, “ministering before the Lord”.  He is wearing a linen ephod.  An ephod is an over-garment, like an apron, worn by clergy during their service to the Lord.  (v. 18)
• Looks like his mother would make him a robe, and bring it to him each year.  Whether this was the ephod or something else, we do not know. (It doesn’t say.)  (v. 19)
• The high priest Eli blessed the parents, Elkanah and Hannah for the gift of their son.  His blessing included wishing for them “many children”. (v. 20)
• In the verses that the lectionary skips over, we are told that Hannah bore three sons and two daughters. (vv. 21-25)
• The story concludes by telling us that Samuel grew up tall, strong and righteous in the eyes of the Lord. (v. 26)

THE TAKEAWAY

Samuel honored his parents’ wishes, and devoted his life to divine service. In today’s gospel, Jesus follows a similar path.

COLOSSIANS 3:12-17

THE BACKGROUND

Paul’s letter to the faithful in Colossae is a loving letter of how to live as Jesus’ disciples.  Before their baptism, most were pagan Greeks. When they were baptized, the new Christians wore a robe of white.  Their lives were changed forever. 

THE DETAIL

• In the verses previous to this passage (vv. 5-11), Paul tells these new Christians to “put to death” the evil practices of their former lives.
• They must now “clothe” themselves in the Christian way of love and caring for one another.  The words “clothes yourselves” would have been a reference to the new white robe they robe in their baptism.  This should be a reminder to us all of our baptism, and the new life in Christ into which we are all called.  (v. 12a)
• What follows is a long list of Christian virtues.  I’ll give you an assignment in “Food for Thought”.  (vv. 12b-16)
• All of these virtues are summarized in the verse 17.  “Whatever you do, do it in the name of the Lord.” 

THE TAKEAWAY

During this Advent season, John the Baptist has called us to examine our lives, and change.  We, too, should put to death our former lives, and “clothe ourselves with these Christian virtues.  Here in this passage, Paul gives us the new direction; a new way to live our lives. 

Two of the virtues mentioned are meekness and humility.  In our modern culture, these might be considered weak or wishy-washy.  I believe that a person who is strong in faith that still be meek and humble; it’s more of having a loving, gentle approach to life rather than a measure of strength. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Make a list of all the virtues listed in verses 12b-16.  Then, prayerfully reflect on your own behavior.  How do you measure up to each of these?
 

LUKE 2:41-52

THE BACKGROUND

In “bible times”, it was customary to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for celebration of the Passover.  Elkanah and Hannah did this in our first lesson; Mary and Joseph are doing the same in today’s lesson.  They usually traveled with a large group with other pilgrims.  They did this for safety and protection.

THE DETAIL

• The story begins by telling us that Jesus’ family went to Jerusalem every year for the Passover. This year was no different.  Oh, by the way, he’s 12 years old.  It is good to know that he will have his Bar Mitzvah within a year.  After his Bar Mitzvah, he will be considered a man instead of a boy.  (vv. 41-42)
• You know the story. Mary and Joseph leave Jerusalem, thinking that Jesus is with the group.  They head out on foot on a three day journey back to Nazareth.  At the end of the first day, they look for Jesus. He is nowhere to be found.  They are beside themselves with anxiety.  They return to Jerusalem.  After three days,  they find him in the temple asking questions and learning.  (vv.43-46)
• They are upset. Jesus calms them by saying “where else would I be, but here in my Father’s house?”  (vv. 47-49)
• I find the next verse very interesting.  They did not understand his answer [at the time].  (v. 50)
• The happy ending is that Jesus went home with them, and was obedient to them.  Even though she did not understand all of this at the time, Mary treasured these things in her heart.  That’s what moms do, isn’t it?  (v. 51)
• This is we last story we have of Jesus’ childhood.  Luke summarizes it by saying that Jesus grew in wisdom and favor over the years following. (v. 52)

THE TAKEAWAY

• The first and last verses of this passage sound very much like those of our first lesson.  Perhaps this was intentional, or maybe not. 
• It is interesting to me that Jesus is already aware of “his Father’s” mission for him, even at this age. It is also interesting that his earthly parents did not understand what he was saying.  They knew that he was special.  But maybe they did not know that whole story, like many of us assume. 
• We consider the age of 12 to be pre-adolescent.  In Jesus’ culture, we was within a year of becoming an adult.  It was right for him to be in the temple, asking questions, wasn’t it?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Who were Jesus’ real parents?  Mary? Joseph? 

Were Mary and Joseph strict parents, or did they give Jesus a lot of freedom? 

Jesus was very aware of his Father’s intent, even at age 12.  Are we clear about God’s mission for us in life?  Are we walking that walk”?