THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD

ISAIAH 9:2-7

THE BACKGROUND

Originally, this was intended to be a coronation song for a king.  It was a royal hymn of praise to him and a hope for the future of God’s people. This was written 700 years before Jesus’ birth.  It is doubtful that the people of Isaiah’s time would cherish and preserve this for that length of time unless it made sense to them.

Early Christians were quick to recognize how well it fit their understanding of Jesus the Messiah.  The people of Isaiah’s day did not, of course, say “this is about Jesus!” Is it possible that god provided Israel, through Isaiah, with a meaningful prophecy for that time, and at the same time provided Christians with a prophecy to point to the birth of our Savior? Each will have their own answer to that question.  For the purpose of this reflection, we will explore the traditional Christian understanding.

THE DETAIL

• The passage begins by speaking of a people who have walked in darkness, but have now seen a great light.  To me, this refers to us Gentiles.  Most Christians today are not Hebrews; we are Gentiles.  Before Jesus came, God’s saving grace was reserved for the Jews.  With Jesus’ birth, we now become heirs of the kingdom.  (v. 2)
• Next, there is a shift from war to peace.  Who makes this happen?  Isaiah makes it clear that it is the Lord’s doing, not mankind. The Israelites were sorely outnumbered in the battle of Midian, but they won the battle.  (Judges 6-7)  God was given all the credit of winning that battle.  (vv. 3-5)
• The passage ends with famous lines.  These have been incorporated into Handel’s Messiah. I can also see the coronation hymn of Isaiah’s time shining through as well.  (vv. 6-7)

THE TAKEAWAY

God has chosen to send his very son to earth, to live a life like ours, and to rescue us all from sin and death.  It is God’s saving grace alone that does this!
 

TITUS 2:11-14

THE BACKGROUND

Titus was a trusted member of Paul’s inner circle of followers.  He is mentioned several times in Paul’s letters.  This letter was written to Titus, who had been put in charge of straightening out the church on the island of Crete.  Within this brief letter are some interesting points for us to consider.

THE DETAIL

• The first verse of this passage is the key verse, and the reason for its selection on Christmas Eve.  God’s free gift of grace has appeared to mankind, when He sent His son to earth for our salvation.  (v. 11)
• Jesus has taught us, by words and example, how to live a godly life.  This should be our response to what God has already done for us.  (v. 12)
• The “blessed hope” that we wait for is Jesus return.  When he does, he will purify and redeem us his people.  (vv. 13-14)

THE TAKEAWAY

I am thankful that God has redeemed us all through the life, death, and resurrection of His only son Jesus.

LUKE 2:1-20

THE BACKGROUND

Luke the Evangelist provides us with the beautiful account of Jesus’ birth  I don’t need to expound on the detail; you all know these words very well.  Instead, let’s focus on what the birth of our savior means for us.

THE TAKEAWAY

• Sometimes, we call the birth of Jesus “The Incarnation”. What does this word mean?  In Latin, “carne” means flesh or meat.  It follows that the work “incarnation” means in the flesh.  For us believers, the word reminds us that God decided to take on skin and bones and dwell among us.  He came to teach us, love us, heal us, and die for us.
• The angel Gabriel told Mary to name the baby Jesus. Well, sort of.  “Jesus” is the Greek version of the Hebrew name “Yeshua”1, which means “the Lord saves”.  Even his name points to his divine purpose!
• Couldn’t Jesus have been born to a better family than that of a lowly carpenter?  Why not a priest of the house of Levi—wouldn’t that be more appropriate?  Why was he born in a stable?  Shouldn’t he have been born in a palace, or in Jerusalem, and not in a barn in little Bethlehem?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT 

Why did dirty shepherds2 come to worship him, and not somebody more appropriate?  Why did the Magi bring gifts, and not the high-ranking clergy of Joseph and Mary’s faith?  Everything God does has a reason or a purpose.  What might those reasons be?

Footnotes

1. Names are different in different languages.  Take, for example, the name James.  That’s how we say it in English.  But in German it is Jacob.  In French it is Jacques.  The name “Jesus” is the Greek form for the Hebrew name Yeshua.  In English, this is translated as Joshua.  But for some reason, we use the Greek form Jesus.
2. Being a shepherd was one of the lowest jobs you could have.  It was a dirty job, too.  Shepherds were so dirty, that by Jewish law it would take them several days of ritual cleansing to enter the temple for worship.  Yet, in Luke 2, they come before God’s presence just as they are.

ISAIAH 61:1-4, 8-11

THE BACKGROUND

This is a dialogue between the people of Israel in exile (through the prophet Isaiah) and God.  It comes at a time when they are returning home from captivity in Babylon. Their homes and the temple will be in shambles, and will need to be rebuilt.  There will be a lot of hard work ahead of them.  This passage offers words of encouragement for them, as well as for us.

THE DETAILS

This passage can be broken into three parts; 1) the prophet speaks, 2) God answers, and 3) the prophet and people speak again.

• In verse one, the prophet says something like “boy, have I got good news for you!” 
• In the last part of verse one through four, he gives the details.  Proclaiming liberty to the captives, comfort to those who mourn, etc. 
• He gets to the heart of things in verse 4.  “Oh!  By the way! You’ve gotta build up some ancient ruins and repair ruined cities.”  They were all built with large, heavy stones, so there would be a lot of heavy lifting. They will definitely need to be “oaks of righteousness” for all the stone work that lies ahead.
• God speaks in verses 8 & 9.  He says that because he loves justice, he will faithfully give them their “recompense”.  So, what is that?  I looked it up.  Recompense means a payback or compensation for their trouble.  So, what does it mean for God to do something “faithfully”?  It means that we can trust God to be dependable. We can be sure that He will compensate them for their trouble.    The compensation doesn’t come in the form of a stimulus check.  Better than that, they will become famous.  Their reputation will be known far and wide.
• The remaining verses read a lot like psalm or praise-prayer.  They have reason to pray-sing this prayer, because God has delivered them, is bringing them home again, and promises them fame.

THE TAKEAWAY

Many of our Old Testament readings come from the time surrounding their Babylonian captivity.  This was a profound time in the history of Israel.  Israel would never be the same again.  A few years ago, we suffered through a prolonged pandemic.  Our lives have not been the same since.  We will still have COVID outbreaks that cause isolation and hardship, but fortunately not as devastating as those early years.  Back then, we waited, and hoped for relief.

This is Advent!  Waiting and hoping for our salvation is the main theme for this season. During the pandemic, we were waiting to be released from our captivity, so we could live life again.  We also wait for our Savior, who comes to us on Christmas Day.  He will release us from our captivity to sin and death.  Praise be to God!

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-24

THE BACKGROUND

These are the closing lines of Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica.  When you close a long letter to a dear friend, you want to leave them with something special—a special pearl of wisdom or piece of advice.  This is what Paul says to them.

THE DETAILS

• The first paragraph gives us a bunch of “do’s” and “don'ts”. 
  • Verses 16-18 tell us to continuously rejoice, pray, and give thanks, because this is the will of God.  I’d like to raise my hand right now, and ask “do we get a lunch break?”  I’m sure we are not to take this literally, but rather that this should be one of our primary focuses in life.  Even so, that’s a lot of praying, thanking, and rejoicing. I’m gonna work on that!
  • Verses 19 through 22 are just as difficult. They speak for themselves.  In “Food for Thought”, I will share a story.
  • The last paragraph is a blessing from Paul to this church.  It is right for us to “hitch a ride” on this blessing as well.  Paul asks that God will sanctify us—make us holy.  Our entire being—spirit, body, and soul—will be kept sound and blameless!  (I don’t know about you, but I could use a little help in that department.)  And this is how we should be until Jesus comes again. 
  • The last sentence talks about that “faithful God” again.  We can depend on Him to do this for us.

THE TAKEAWAY

During my days as an employee of a large corporation, we would set goals and objectives for the upcoming year.  We were required to include one “stretch goal”—a goal that was impossible to achieve, but would be great to strive for.  I believe that is what Paul is asking of the church and us—that rejoicing, praying and giving thanks without end be our stretch goal. We know that we cannot realistically achieve this, but a lot of good will come from trying.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Verse 19 states that we should not “quench the Spirit”. It brought to mind an experience I had about 45 years ago.  I attended a worship service in the loft of a barn.  It was a Pentecostal service.  There were folding chairs, electric guitars, a drum set, and hay, of course.  They started singing a song which was basically the first two verses of today’s psalm, Psalm 126.  They sang it over and over.  The Holy Spirit showed up, and affected the congregants in a variety of ways. I was in shock and awe, but there she was—the Holy Spirit.  Alive and well, and not “quenched” in the slightest amount.

Over the years, my spiritual life has been guided by about a half dozen pastors.  Each in his or her own way has contributed greatly to my spiritual growth.  Some took great pains to ensure that there was order to the worship service and to all the inner workings of the church. Others let the Spirit loose, at least with regard to church administration. 

We sometimes place demands on our churches and our faith relationship that can “quench the Spirit”.  This is not a good thing. 

How might we cut the Holy Spirit loose into our lives? Wouldn’t that be a good thing?
 

JOHN 1:6-8, 19-28

THE BACKGROUND

The Gospels were written by individual disciples, in various places, for various groups.  Most early churches read from only one Gospel.  It wasn’t until later, that they were all gathered up to form the beginning of the New Testament.  If today’s reading sounds familiar, it is because last week we read Mark’s account. This week, we get John’s version. 

THE DETAILS

• Verses 6-8 are a sort of introduction to John the Baptist.  Keep in mind that in the first five verses of John’s Gospel, he refers to Jesus as “the word” and “the light”.  So, when you see “the light” here, John is talking about Jesus.  The gospel writer makes it clear that John the Baptist is not “the light”, but is a forerunner, testifying to the light.
• While the basic story is the same as last week’s passage from Mark 1, this story gives us a peek at the tension that will develop between both John & Jesus and the established religious authorities. In verse 19 we learn that “the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to…” find out what was going on out there near Bethany.  In verse 24, we learn that they had been sent from the Pharisees.  More questions ensue.  This is the beginning of a conflict that will end in Jesus’ crucifixion. 
• John the Baptist does his best to disarm the situation.  “Hey, I’m only baptizing with water.”  But then he adds “but the one coming after me…”.  He’s telling everyone, even those who hold the power positions in the big offices “It’s not about me.  I’m just the forerunner; the herald.  And then he says in verse 27 “You have no idea what’s headed your way!”  [My personal paraphrase.]

THE TAKEAWAY

John comes to help us prepare for the Messiah.  He urges us to repent.  That word “repent” is an odd old word to me.  It conjures up images of some weirdo carrying a sign that says “repent”.   The word repent, then, has become almost a joke to many.  But this is no joke.  We all fall short.  We all need to reexamine our lives.  Jesus is coming this Christmas, and we are not ready.  Let’s cleanse our hearts, and make them ready for the Savior!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day had it all figured out.  They had answers for every question.  Then, along come John the Baptist and Jesus, who upset the apple cart.  It makes me wonder about our churches, especially when we claim to have all the answers.  I have a pretty good feeling that we are in for quite a few surprises, when Jesus returns.

ISIAH 40:1-11

THE BACKGROUND

These words were written at the end of Babylonian captivity.  It is sort of God’s pep talk to His people, to prepare them for the long journey home.  The passage speaks of redemption and hope for the future.  It also contains a verse which is quoted in today’s gospel lesson.

THE DETAIL

I’ve broken this passage into five sections.  The Takeaway appears in each section:

1. The first section proclaims to God’s people that they have been punished long enough; their “penalty is paid”.  They were sent to Babylon as a punishment, and now it’s time to go home.  (vv. 1-2) The penalty for our sins has been paid by Jesus’ dying on the cross. 
2. The next verses are a proclamation, which is cried out by “a voice”.  Prepare a highway!  Cut it straight through the desert wilderness! (vv. 3-5) We also need to clear a path for Jesus to enter our hearts this Christmas.  Let’s tidy up!
3. A new voice then cries out a reminder of our human frailty. We are as frail as grass, but God’s word lasts forever. (vv. 6-8)  As I grow older, these words take on richer meaning.  God’s Word is the only thing of lasting value. 
4. Then comes our call to action.  Big things are about to happen, so we need to get to a high place, so people can hear us, and proclaim to the people that they should not fear, because the Lord is near!  (v. 9) We need to share the Good News!
5. This passage concludes with a sweet promise of care and comfort.  The Lord will come to us, gather us in his arms, and gently lead us.  (vv. 10-11)  We should not fear the Lord’s coming.  We should look forward to it, knowing that we will be loved and cared for.
    

2 PETER 3:8-15a

THE BACKGROUND

The letters of Peter were written to the churches to provide them with encouragement in the face of persecution.  Today’s reading has an apocalyptic flavor, like those found in Revelation and Daniel. This literary form was often used to strengthen the resolve of those whose faith is being tested.  This style of writing provides a “big picture” view of history.  It shows that God is in control, no matter how badly things may appear at the present time. 

THE DETAIL

• The first paragraph makes two interlocking points.  The first is that there is a big difference between our concept of time and “God Time”.  We want results in a day and a half; our creator’s concept of time is much broader. We’re waiting for Jesus’ return any moment, and God is being patient.  The reason for his patience is that he wants more people to love him. (Hint: It’s our job to get more people to love God.)  This reminds me of the love he has for humankind; he doesn’t want to lose any of us, so he waits.  (vv. 8-10)
• The second paragraph asks a question that we should ask ourselves—“What sort of people should we be, while we wait?”  We are told that while we wait, we should lead lives of godliness and holiness. (vv. 11-13)
• In case you didn’t get the point, the answer is repeated.  We should strive to be ”at peace”, and to be “without spot or blemish”.  I’m not sure which is harder to do, be at peace or be perfect!  But Peter does say to “strive to be”, rather than that we “must be”.  This reminds me of something my pastor told me long ago. He said that the word “salvation” means “God’s salvaging operation”.  In other words, our salvation is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process; we are continually falling into sin.  We need to be continually “salvaged” by God’s grace and mercy.  (vv. 14-15)

THE TAKEAWAY

Apocalyptic writings all seem to differ in the details.  Apocalyptic writers are less concerned with accuracy.  They’re trying their best to describe a cataclysmic, indescribable event. In this passage, Peter uses the words “melting” and “dissolving” to describe the event.   We moderns want accurate details.  The differences between descriptions might be troubling for us. While details differ, the point is always the same—the end will bring indescribable chaos, but the faithful will have nothing to fear.  Because of our faith, we are protected from harm.  God is our refuge and strength.

So, while we wait for Jesus to return, we’re not going to be afraid.  Instead, we’re going to work on being perfect and at being at peace.  I don’t know about you, but I have a lot of work to do!  Thanks be to God, that he is patient, forgiving, and continually saving me from self destruction.

MARK 1:1-8

THE BACKGROUND

With Mark, we get no shepherds, no manger scene, no Mary and Joseph stories.  We get right down to the business of Jesus’ ministry, beginning with the story of John the Baptist.

THE DETAIL

• Mark begins his gospel with a paraphrase of Isaiah 40:3.  Immediately after quoting Isaiah, Mark tells us about John the baptizer (or Baptist, if you prefer).  Mark is saying that John is the guy that Isaiah was talking about!  (vv. 1-2)
• He tells us of how John did his work in “the wilderness”.  I always think of a mountainous forest.  That is not the case here.  His wilderness was more like a desert, but with a river running through it. John proclaimed a baptism of repentance and forgiveness.  (v. 4)
• John is definitely a unique person, both in dress and diet.  But the people were drawn to him and his message, so he must have been quite charismatic.  But despite his weirdness, they came repentant, and were baptized.  (vv. 5-6)
• John was clear on his vocation—he was just the forerunner, the messenger.  That the one coming after him was far more important. His job was to personify Isaiah 40:3 by preparing the way for the Messiah.  (vv. 7-8) 

THE TAKEAWAY

What do you do, when your expecting a special house guest?  Around our house, there is quite a lot of cleaning, menu planning, shopping, etc. Jesus is coming on Christmas day. We must prepare ourselves for his arrival.  How do we do this?  We use the season of Advent for self-examination, repentance, and renewal; we cleanse our hearts. 

Jesus is coming!  He brings the Holy Spirit!  Get ready! 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The opening lines from today’s first reading brought to mind a sweet old Advent hymn.  These words were written nearly 400 years ago, somewhere in in the mid-1600’s.  These words still ring true today just as they did then. 

Comfort, comfort, O my people,

Speak of peace, now says our God;

Comfort those who sit in darkness,

Mourning ’neath their sorrows’ load.

Speak unto Jerusalem

Of the peace that waits for them;

Tell of all the sins I cover,

And that warfare now is over.

Hark, the voice of one who’s crying

In the desert far and near,

Bidding all to full repentance

Since the kingdom is now here.

O that warning cry obey!

Now prepare for God a way;

Let the valleys rise to meet him

And the hills bow down to greet him.

O make straight what long was crooked,

Make the rougher places plain;

Let your hearts be true and humble,

As befits his holy reign.

For the glory of the Lord

Now o’er earth is shed abroad;

And all flesh shall see the token

That his word is never broken.

INTRODUCTION

December 3rd is the first Sunday in the season of Advent. It also marks the beginning of the church year.  If you are not familiar with this season, I’ve provided an explanation in the following paragraphs.  If you are familiar with this season, feel free to jump to the next page.

The season of Advent in the church year begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas.  This year, it begins on November 29, 2020. 

The word “advent” means “coming”.  The season of Advent observes three “comings” of the Messiah: 

1. The historic event, which took place in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago.
2. His coming to us this Christmas in 2023. 
3. His return to earth, sometime in the future, when he will reign as our king.

Especially in the first weeks of Advent, we review the bible passages referring to his return.  The emphasis shifts in latter weeks to the first two.

What we do during Advent is prepare our hearts for the coming of the Christ Child on Christmas Day.  We do this by self-examination; reflecting on the ways that we have not lived up to our end of our relationship with God. We resolve to make a fresh start. We often do daily family devotions, and sometimes light candles on an Advent wreath.  This is my favorite season of the church year.  Join me as we wait, watch, and prepare for Jesus to come into our hearts on Christmas Day. He is certainly already in our hearts; but by reliving the moment and this season, we rekindle our faith. 

ISAIAH 64:1-9

THE BACKGROUND

At this point in Israel’s story, they have returned from captivity in Babylon.  They are working to rebuild their country and their lives.  From the content of this passage, they are feeling discouraged and abandoned by God.  This passage is a lament, or a prayerful expression of sorrow.

THE DETAIL

• The passage begins with Israel’s plea-payer to God. They feel alone.  They are begging God to make Himself known, like He did in olden times.  (vv. 1-5a)
• The give God their confession.  They admit that they have sinned, and even their righteous deeds are like a “filthy cloth”.  (vv. 5b-7)
• They appeal to God to rekindle their relationship, and make Himself known to them again.  (vv. 8-9)

THE TAKEAWAY

We all experience ups and downs in our spiritual lives.  This passage speaks well to those down times.  But there is hope and yearning in this passage as well.  Sometimes even our good deeds feel like a filthy cloth. Why?  Has our sin and guilt dragged us down or distracted us?  Let’s start by confessing our sins to our Lord. We can take comfort and refreshment in the knowledge that we are forgiven.  Let’s clean those dirty rags!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Have you ever felt like God has “hidden his face from you”? (v. 7b)  How can we lift ourselves up from these lows, and renew our relationship with Him? Prayer and reading scripture are a good start, along with confession and forgiveness.  Observing the season of Advent provides us an opportunity to do just that.  Best of all is service.  By serving others, we are putting our faith into action.  Doing God’s work renews our relationship with God.
 

1 CORINTHIANS 1:3-9

THE BACKGROUND

This is the introductory portion of one of Paul’s letters to the church in Corinth.   This church was both abundantly blessed not only with spiritual gifts but also with internal problems.  Yet, Paul starts out his letter with love and praise. 

THE DETAIL

• Here is the main theme of this passage, the theme of thanksgiving.  How appropriate for this holiday week!  But Paul is not talking about a harvest thanksgiving.  His thankfulness is for the church in Corinth, and all that they have been blessed with.  (vv. 3-4)
• These blessings include speech, knowledge, and spiritual gifts. (vv. 5-7a)
• The “revealing of” and “the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” are references to Jesus’ second coming.  The church back then was waiting patiently for his return, as we do today.  (vv. 7b-8)
• Finally, are reminded that we are called by God into fellowship with His Son Jesus.  (v. 9)

THE TAKEAWAY

The church is Corinth was a mess!  If you were to read the whole letter, you would discover that this church was full of petty rivalries and disputes.  But in spite of this, they were blessed with an abundance of spiritual gifts.  Paul praises their faith and energy, and is thankful for their work.

We, too, are blessed with gifts.  Yet, since we are sinful beings, we and our churches end up doing unchristian-like things.  Thanks be to God, that he loves, forgives, and blesses us in spite of our “warts”!

MARK 13:24-37

THE BACKGROUND

One of the themes of Advent is waiting and watching for Jesus’ second coming.  If today’s gospel lesson sounds familiar, it is because Mark and Matthew both record this discourse of Jesus.  Early this month, we studied Matthew 24 & 25, which contains many of these words. Today, we will focus on the areas not previously covered in our studies.

Mark 13 has often been called “The Little Apocalypse”. Apocalyptic writing is a style of writing which includes wild visions and scenes from the end of time.  Other apocalyptic writings occur in our bible, including Revelation, the second half of Daniel, and some of Ezekiel.  Today’s reading begins with verse 24.  To best understand today’s reading, I suggest that you start by reading all of Mark 13. 

THE DETAIL

• By the time we get to the beginning of our passage, Jesus is speaking of the end times; of his return.  This is the form of a prophet poem.  Jesus is basically saying that when the end comes, everything will be turned upside down.  The sun won’t shine, and neither will the moon.  The universe, with all its stars, will come crashing down.  No wonder there will be suffering!  (vv. 24-25)
• Jesus gives us hope and good news from this chaos. When Jesus descends, he will send forth his angels to gather up “the elect”; those who love and serve him. So, we can take comfort in knowing that if we are present for the chaos in verses 24 & 25, we will be protected from all this by our Lord.  (vv. 26-27)
• Jesus teaches us the parable of the fig tree. These are key verses for some who study the end times.  I will discuss this in detail under the Takeaway.  (vv. 28-31)
• Verses 32-37 have been discussed at length in studies we did a few weeks ago, from Matthew’s version instead of Mark’s.  A quick summary is found below.

THE TAKEAWAY

Verses 28 & 29 are Jesus’ parable of the fig tree. To some Christians, this is a key passage for predicting the end times.  To them, the fig tree represents Israel.  The sprouting of leaves on the dormant tree is said to be the restoration of Israel as a nation in 1948.  When Jesus says “this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place”, they say that once Israel has been restored as a nation, the end time will occur within one generation—40 years.  Since 75 years have now passed since 1948, it is time to revise this claim. The key to understanding this “prediction” is to go straight to verse 32.  Jesus admits that he really doesn’t know when he will return; that is up to his Father is heaven.  In other words, this information is none of our business.  What is our business is preparedness.  Jesus tells us to keep awake.  That’s our part in this whole process.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The big question here is how do we prepare, and keep awake?  We can’t possibly stay awake 24/7.  I will quote Barbara Rossing, a Lutheran theologian, seminary professor, and expert on this subject.  She says it better than I:

“We do not know when Jesus is returning again.  That is why we must live our lives at every moment as Jesus taught us.  The message to Matthew’s [and Mark’s] readers was the same as the message today:  Whatever traumas befall us, we are to be urgent in loving our neighbor, urgent in caring for the world that God created, urgent in feeding the hungry and visiting prisoners, urgent in living faithfully as Christ commanded us to live.” 

Barbara R. Rossing, “The Rapture Exposed”, (Basic Books, 2004), page 181.

TIME TO CONFESS

I made a big mistake.  The reflection titled "For November 19, 2023" are the readings scheduled for November 26th.  The reflections below were read today, November 19th.  Please accept my apologies, if there was any confusion.

NOTE BEFORE WE BEGIN

This is the third and final study on the “Day of the Lord”, or the “end times”.  I hope that you have come to understand this subject a little better.  Perhaps we can all look forward to that day with hope and expectation, rather than fear and dread.

This week, I will rearrange the order of the passages, and close with the epistle reading.

ZEPHANIAH 1:7, 12-18

THE BACKGROUND

The message preached by Zephaniah, and the complacency of God’s people sound very similar to last week’s reading from Amos.  The surprising thing is that they lived about 125 years apart!  So, it seems that history has a way of repeating itself.  And things are no different today.

THE DETAIL

• Zephaniah announces that the day of the Lord is at hand, and he’s set to act.   (v. 7)
• The people are so complacent, that they think God doesn’t care, and won’t do anything, if they disobey Him.  The phrase “complacency on their dregs” is a confusing phrase.  Maybe it means this:  When grapes are pressed to make wine, you have the fermenting juice on the top, with the dregs (the solid grape matter) down in the bottom of the vat.  If you don’t stir up the dregs, they will thicken, and destroy the wine.  Zephaniah is telling these spiritually lazy people that God is about to stir things up! (v. 12)
• When you build a new house, and plant a garden, you have probably made plans to enjoy yourself in your new surroundings for a few years.  Zephaniah tells the people to not get too comfy; God is going to clean house.  (v. 13)
• And clean house he does in the final paragraph. The first part of this, verses 14-16, sound like a war.  But the last verses sound more global; like an epidemic or global disaster.  (vv. 14-18)

THE TAKEAWAY

Complacency is the reason God is upset with His people.  They are complacent in spiritual matters.  Laziness is another word for complacency.  They are spiritually lazy to the point of being arrogant with God. But let’s examine our own selves. What about our spiritual laziness?  Or are we living up to God’s expectations?

MATTHEW 25:14-30

THE BACKGROUND

Jesus is wrapping up his teaching, and is about to be betrayed, tried, and crucified.  He concludes his teaching with some lessons about the day of judgement.

THE DETAIL

Jesus teaches us a new lesson using a parable.  Remember to look for only one God Lesson in this parable, and not get hung up on the detail.

• The story goes that a rich man was going on a journey, and entrusts three of his servants with his bank account.  He gives the servants five, two, and one talents respectively.  Now, a talent is a lot of money—15 years’ wages.  So, in today’s wages, at $50,000 per year times 15 years, a talent is worth $750,000 in today’s wages.  Yep, a lot of money. 
• Well, the guys who got the most money, invested it, and doubled their money.  This pleased the owner.  But the guy who was given the least, went and buried the cash.  When the owner returned, he said “here’s your money back”. The owner was not happy.  He threw that servant out “into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  (There is a lot of teeth-gnashing in the gospel of Matthew.) 

THE TAKEAWAY

So, what’s the God Lesson for us?  Why did Jesus teach this parable?

God entrusts each of us with spiritual gifts.  Every one of us has been blessed with spiritual abilities of one sort or another.  God expects us to use these gifts to build up his kingdom; to grow the Body of Christ.  Some of us are spiritually lazy, and do not use the gifts He has given us.  We disappoint God with our lack of action.  Let’s do our best to recognize our gifts, and put them to good use.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:1-11

THE BACKGROUND

Paul is wrapping up his letter to the church in Thessalonica by giving them words of encouragement regarding the “day of the Lord”, or Jesus’ return.

THE DETAIL

• Paul starts out by saying “I don’t need to tell you any of this, but…”, and then he goes on to tell them anyway.  (v. 1)
• He uses two analogies, to illustrate the unpredictability of when Jesus will return  (vv. 2-3):
  • It will be like a “thief in the night”.  I’m surprised that he uses the word “thief” to describe Jesus.  But just as how you never know when someone will break into your house, you never know when Jesus will return.
  • It will be like a woman going into labor. (Here’s one we can all understand!) Unless your labor was induced, or you were scheduled for a C-section, you never know when that baby is coming. 
• Next is the heart and soul of this passage. We are ”all children of the light”. Yes, you and me!  Since we are in Christ, we live in Jesus, the light of the world, not in darkness.  (vv. 4-5)
• Then, we are encouraged to keep awake (or vigilant), and eagerly await his return.  (vv. 6-7)
• Now, we put on armor.  But this is not ordinary armor.  This is the armor of faith, hope, and love.  These are unusual weapons.  (v. 8)
• More words of encouragement— “God has destined us not for wrath, but for salvation”.  Paul is telling us not to worry, that God has our back.  (v. 0_
• We can be so confident in this, that even if we do fall asleep, we know that we will still live with him!  (v. 10)
• Since we know that God will save us, we can use our energy to encourage & build up one another.  (v. 11)

THE TAKEAWAY

So, then, we should not be fearful for what lies ahead, as long as we are in Christ Jesus.  Our job is to remain faithful, and encourage & build one another up in faith.  In love, faith, and hope, we await his coming.                   

In church, we sometimes sing a sweet old Lutheran hymn— “Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness”.  I’m sure that it is not familiar to most of you.  It’s an old German hymn that was written around the year 1650, nearly 400 years ago.  One thing I like about singing these old hymns is that they connect me with Christians of all space and time.  I would like to share two of the verses here, because they are appropriate to Jesus’ return. 

Hasten as a bride to meet him,

Eagerly and gladly greet him.

There he stands already knocking;

Quickly, now, your gate unlocking,

Open wide the fast-closed portal,

Saying to the Lord immortal:

“Come and leave your loved one never;

Dwell within my heart forever.”

Jesus, source of lasting pleasure,

Truest friend, and dearest treasure,

Peace beyond all understanding,

Joy into all life expanding;

Humbly now, I bow before you,

Love incarnate, I adore you;

Worthily let me receive you,

And, so favored, never leave you.

ABOUT THIS SUNDAY

This Sunday is called “Christ the King Sunday”.  It is the day that we study and celebrate the concept of Jesus being our king.  We get a hint of this in the first lesson.  The passage from Ephesians leads us there, too. The Gospel lesson is the final destination. 

EZEKIEL 34:11-16,20-24

THE BACKGROUND

Oddly enough, this passage is one of my favorites.  To get the whole story, you need to read all of chapter 34.  But for those who don’t, these four verses sum up the problem:

1The word of the Lord came to me: 2 Mortal, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel: prophesy, and say to them—to the shepherds: Thus says the Lord God: Ah, you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. 4 You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bound up the injured, you have not brought back the strayed, you have not sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled them.

The shepherds in this prophecy are the leaders of the people, both the religious leaders and kings. The people are the sheep.  The “shepherds” are treating the “sheep” in a very ungodlike manner.  This prophecy is a judgement on the shepherds.

THE DETAIL

• Our reading starts with what God is going to do about that situation.  He’s going to shepherd the sheep Himself.  (v. 11)
• He’s going to round up his scattered sheep, feed them, provide them good pasture in Israel, etc. (vv. 12-16)  At the time God gave this prophecy to Ezekiel, God’s people were returning from captivity in Babylon.  Others had fled in many directions, when the Babylonians conquered Judah, 60 years earlier. Those people are called the “Diaspora”, meaning the dispersed ones.  God is going to gather them all!
• Since God is our true king, he is going to judge the peoples.  He will sort out the fat from the skinny sheep; the abusers from the abused. He will serve justice.  (vv. 20-22)
• Then, God makes a bold prophecy.  He says that he is going to give us a new shepherd, “my servant David”.  Now King David has been dead for about 400 years, when Ezekiel spoke this prophecy, so he didn’t mean that David, but someone from David’s lineage. 

THE TAKEAWAY

What I like about this prophecy is the accountability.  Ezekiel 34 makes it crystal clear that God holds governments and religious organizations fully accountable for the care of the poor, the needy, the victimized, and the underprivileged.  America is a land where people can choose how they worship God.  But that freedom does not exempt our government from the moral responsibility of caring for the less fortunate.  God expects people of faith and the government to shepherd his sheep.
 

EPHESIANS 1:15-23

THE BACKGROUND

Much of the Paul’s writings are like Campbell’s condensed soup.  You would never think of eating a can of that soup without diluting it, would you?  Paul’s writing is often so jam-packed with God Stuff, that it is hard to digest. Today’s reading is like that.  I hope I don’t water it down, but that I only make it easier to digest.

THE DETAIL

• This passage begins with Paul bragging on the Ephesian’s “love toward all the saints”. (v. 15)  The word “saints” here refers to all those who have accepted Jesus as their savior and Messiah.  The Catholic concept of canonized sainthood began in 993, some 950 years later. Don’t confuse the two. 
• Because of their love, Paul prays to God for them.  (v. 16)
• Paul’s prayer starts with verse 17.  It is a long and confusing prayer to follow.  Let me tell you a story, to maybe help you understand.

I’ve had the good fortune to travel to Venice, Italy.  While I was there, I visited the Doge’s palace.  The Doge of Venice was a sort of king, who was elected, and then ruled for life.  His palace was an outstanding place.  I learned that when you were granted an audience with the Doge, you had to go through several waiting rooms.  Each had doors that led into one and on to the next.  Each room was painted with murals that explained the greatness of Venice and the Doge.  At the end, you finally met the Doge.

Verses 17-20 take us on a similar journey, through seven rooms.  Come with me, and see where it takes us.

• Room One: Paul asks God to grant us “wisdom and revelation”, that we may know him. By revelation, Paul means that heavenly wisdom and knowledge are revealed to us by God  (v. 17)     
• Room Two: Equipped with this wisdom and revelation, Paul prays that our “hearts are enlightened”. (v. 18a)
• Room Three:  Now that our hearts are enlightened, that we fully realize the hope we have in Jesus; the hope of eternal life.  (v. 18b)
• Room Four:  With hope in our hearts, we learn of our “glorious inheritance”.  (v. 18c)  This is the realization that we are children of God, and thereby inherit the kingdom.
• Room Five:  Now knowing about our glorious inheritance, we realize the enormity of God’s power. (v. 19)
• Paul’s prayer for this church and us is that God will reveal all of this, the above “rooms” to us.
• Room Six:  God energized Jesus with this power, when he raised him from the dead.  (v. 20a)
• Room Seven:  God placed Jesus at his right hand on the throne in heaven. (v. 20b) 
• We made it!  And look where we are—we are in heaven with Jesus and God the Father.  Now, we hear that Jesus rules over every ruler, authority, etc., both now and forever. Jesus is our KING!  (vv. 21-24)

THE TAKEAWAY

“Jesus is Lord of all!” We say it so often that we don’t really think about what we’re truly saying.  Thanks to Paul and this seven-room journey, we are able to fully understand how awesome Jesus really is.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How does a king differ from n elected president?  How does someone behave in the presence of the President of the United States?  How does someone behave in the presence of a King?
 

MATTHEW 25:31-46

THE BACKGROUND

The funny thing is that most of us Americans know very little about the relationship between a king and their subjects, since America has never had a king.  Presidents are elected, not born to rule.  And their rule is subject to inspection by Congress, the Supreme Court, and ultimately the people.  A king’s rule is absolute; whatever he says, goes.  Finally, a president serves for a maximum of eight years, where a king serves for life. 

One thing that kings did was judge.  We all know the story about King Solomon, the baby, and the two mothers.  His judgement in that case was very wise.  Kings in medieval Europe also served as judges, listening to disputes of the people, and handing out judgements.  (There were no appeals to those decisions, wise or otherwise.)

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus demonstrates his kingship by judging the people.

THE DETAIL

This lesson comes to us in the form of a parable or a description of the last judgement.

• Jesus returns to earth, and takes his rightful place on the throne.  Now, he does what kings do, he judges. (v. 31)
• Next, he does something similar to what God did in Ezekiel 34:20, he separates the good from the bad, the sheep from the goats.  (vv. 32-33)

Here’s where it gets interesting.  He praises the “sheep” for all the good things they did to him. They say “when did we do this?” (vv. 34-39)               

• His answer is profound, and is the heart of the God Lesson in this story.  “When you did it to one of the least of these…, you did it to me.” (v. 40)
• He repeats the same with the “goats”, telling them why they are going to the “eternal fire”. (vv. 41-45)
• His final words of judgement are chilling.  (v. 46)

THE TAKEAWAY

In some circles of faith, you must “work your way to heaven”.  You must be good, and do good things.  By doing so, you earn “grace”, or what I call heavenly brownie points. 

I am taught that God’s grace is a free gift to all who believe in his son Jesus Christ.  Eternal life would take many lifetimes of perfection to earn by human effort.  And someone as lowly as me would not stand a chance.  Thanks be to God that he sent his only son to die for all my sins!  I have life eternal for what he did for me. My part or responsibility is to show that gratitude by imitating His kindness and compassion, and serving Him by serving others around me. 

For me, the takeaway from this story is not that I must be good or be damned.  It is that when I serve those in need, I am serving Jesus. I will never be good enough to earn heaven by myself.  Thankfully, Jesus paid that price, and made it free for the taking.

BEFORE WE BEGIN

The liturgical church year is coming to a close.  The church year begins with the season of Advent, which begins on November 29th this year.  At the end of this cycle, here in November, we consider the Parousia, or Jesus’ second coming. 

Loosely speaking, there are two schools of thought regarding the “end times”.   Evangelicals teach a highly-developed concept of the rapture.  At the seminaries of contemporary churches (i.e. Lutheran, Episcopal, Congregational, Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, etc.), they teach a different understanding.  My reflections are based upon this contemporary understanding.  I hope you find my reflections on this topic inspiring rather than disturbing.

AMOS 5:18-24

THE BACKGROUND

Amos lived in the northern kingdom of Israel in the eighth century B.C., before the Babylonian exile. He was troubled by the injustice around him, especially the disparity between rich and poor, and the lack of concern that the rich exhibited for the poor.  If you want to read what is wrong with God’s people at this time, Amos 5:11-13 and 6:4-7 sum it up nicely.

THE DETAIL

• In the first paragraph, God’s people are looking for “the day of the Lord”.  For the people of Amos’ day, this meant the restoration of the glory days, like the time of Kings David and Solomon.  Amos tells his readers to be careful what they ask for. (v. 18)
• He uses the contrast between light and dark, night and day to convey his message of warning. (v. 18b and 20) The bear, lion, and snake are other images he uses to say “Be careful what you ask for!” (v. 19)
• Verse 21 makes a sharp left turn.  When God starts out a paragraph with “I hate”, I think it is time for us to pay close attention.  In Exodus 23:14-17, God tells his people to observe three annual festivals.  They are Passover, Pentecost, and the Booths (or Rosh Hashanah).  Here in Amos, He says that he hates them!  Why?  The answer is in The Takeaway below.
• Worse yet, in verse 22 he says that He doesn’t want their love offerings.  He doesn’t even want to look at them. 
• Even worse, He calls their songs of praise “noise”.  (v. 23) This is not good!
• What does God want? Justice, plain and simple.  (v. 24)

THE TAKEAWAY

Remember last week’s Gospel lesson, the Beatitudes?  “Blessed are the poor…”?  God’s chief concern is for the poor, the meek, the poor in spirit, etc. God expects us to mirror his love and concern for the care of the disadvantaged around us.

I love magnificent worship settings, and find them very uplifting and inspiring.  But if I don’t show God’s love in my daily actions; if I ignore the needs of the poor and broken in my midst, I behave exactly like Amos’ people.  God will find my worship displeasing and unacceptable. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

In America, one in five children go hungry.  Twenty percent of our children!  Are we to be like the people of Amos’ day, and ignore this tragic problem?  Or shall we be Children of God, and do His will on earth?

1 THESSALONIASNS 4:13-18

THE BACKGROUND

This passage contains a verse which Evangelicals believe to be the basis for their belief in the “Rapture”. I will be telling you about the other understanding; the one taught at the seminaries for the church organizations listed above.  If you are a devotee of the “Rapture”, I suggest you either skip this lesson, or read on to understand how others might interpret this. 

Most Christians at that time, including Paul, believed that Jesus’ second coming would happen at any moment.  Some Thessalonian Christians had already died, and were buried.  Their loved ones were concerned that the deceased would miss out on this eagerly-awaited event.  Paul explains it to them.

THE DETAIL

• Verse 13 states the concern; some are worried about their brothers and sisters in Christ who have already died.
•  In verse 14, Paul says “God’s got your back!”  (In different words, of course.)
• Verse 15 states, Paul states that “we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord…” He repeats this in verse 17.  He obviously thought that he would be alive to witness Jesus’ return to earth.
• Verse 16 gets to the heart of the matter.  When the trumpet sounds, and Jesus begins his earthward journey, the resurrection of the dead will happen first. 
• Those still living plus the newly-resurrected will meet Jesus “in the clouds”.  (v. 17)  The only details we have about what happens next is that “we will be with the Lord forever”. 
  • Scripture tells us that Jesus will return to earth to conquer evil and establish a 1,000 year reign.  Rapturists believe that this passage means that Jesus descends from heaven, but does a “U-turn” in the clouds taking the raptured to heaven.
• Contemporary Christians interpret this verse differently. The verb “meet” in Greek is “apantesis”, which refers to a custom of the day. When someone was on their way to your home to pay a visit, you would go out to “meet” them before they arrived at your door.  Then, you would escort them into your home.  Therefore, when Jesus returns, we will simply be part of the happy procession to lead him home.  I will give you three examples of this:
  1. When Mary goes to the home of her cousin Elizabeth, Elizabeth meets her on the road to her home.
  2. In the story of the prodigal son, when he returns home, the father runs to meet him “while he is far off”.
  3. After the death of Lazarus, Jesus heads to the scene. While he is still on his journey, both Mary and Martha have enough time and distance to make separate trips to meet him, before he arrives at their home.
• Verse 18 is probably the most important and overlooked verse of this entire passage.  Now that Paul has explained what will happen (that’s what the “Therefore” means), he says we should encourage one another with these words.  Paul thought he was writing words of encouragement, not words to scare people.

THE TAKEAWAY

When Jesus returns, we will all take part in the joyous parade!  It does not matter if we are alive or have already passed.  We will be part of the joyous celebration, and encourage, not terrify others with the good news of the second coming.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I was discussing with a pastor friend of mine the two different understandings of this passage; I was a little animated in my explanation.  He said “Don, it doesn’t matter.”  That stopped me dead in my tracks.  I thought about it, and realized that he was right.  If we are “in Christ”, it doesn’t matter whether it’s going to be the rapture or a parade—God’s got our back! 

Either way, we should be sharing the Good News, and bringing others to Jesus.  
 

MATTHEW 25:1-13

THE BACKGROUND

The 25th chapter of Matthew contains the last of Jesus’ parables.  The passion narrative begins in chapter 26.  Keep in mind that Jesus told parables to teach us one thing. Each parable contains one God Lesson. If we dig too deeply into these stories, we’re going to miss the God Lesson he intended for us.

It helps to know a little about the wedding customs of the day.  They were very different from how we do it today.  Back then, the groom would come to the bride’s house.  He’d take the bride and her bridesmaids, and make a procession back to his home.  That’s it!  They were married!  In this parable, Jesus teaches us another lesson about the kingdom, by comparing it to one of these wedding processions.

THE DETAIL

So, within the context of a familiar wedding scene, Jesus tells this story: 

• The ten bridesmaids prepare for the wedding feast, and put oil in their lamps.  (No flashlights back then, I guess.) They all filled their lamps, and some also brought extra oil.  (vv. 2-4)
• But wait! There’s a twist!  The groom is delayed.  It grows late, and all ten bridesmaids fall asleep.  (V. 5)
• When the groom finally arrives, some of the girls’ lamps are almost out of oil, but some have their extra flask of oil.  (vv. 6-8)
• There is drama. (vv. 9-10a)
• The groom and the prepared bridesmaids (and we assume the bride) go off to the wedding, and shut the door.  (v. 10b)
• Now for the sad part. When the foolish girls finally return, they are denied entry.  The groom even says that he doesn’t know them!  (vv. 11-12)
• Jesus gives us the moral of the story in verse 13:  “Keep awake… for you know neither the day nor the hour.”  The odd thing here is that all 10 fell asleep, yet Jesus’ point is to keep awake.  I do see that the winners in the story were prepared.  Maybe “be prepared” is also a good point.

THE TAKEAWAY

The point here is that nobody knows when Jesus will return.  Paul had a pretty good idea, and he was very incorrect.  Since nobody knows, we must be vigilant and prepared.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

My favorite bumper sticker:  “Jesus is coming.  Look busy!”  I know this was intended to be funny, but there’s truth in it.  Just make sure that you don’t just “look” busy, but are genuinely engaged in doing his work.

A famous Christian theologian was playing croquet with some of his students. (This is a very old story.)  The teacher asked the question, what they would do if Jesus were to return tomorrow.  One said that he would leave immediately, and make peace with his brother. Another said that he would quit the game, and do good works.  When they asked the teacher what he would do, he said that he would continue playing the game.  The point is that we should have already made peace with our brother, and should already be doing good works.  We should be at peace, knowing that we are totally ready.

If you knew that Jesus would return to earth sometime this week, what would you do differently?  Why aren’t you doing that now?