EZEKIEL 37:1-14

THE BACKGROUND

This coming Sunday is the Sunday before Palm Sunday.  We will end our Lenten journey talking about the resurrection.  The prophet Ezekiel wrote this message during the Babylonian exile. The spirit of the People of God was broken.  All hope for a future nation was lost.  It appeared to them that they would fade away into Babylonian life, never to return home. This message of Ezekiel offers them hope.  It also offers us hope, when our future seems bleak.

THE DETAIL

• The Lord transports Ezekiel to a desert valley.  A war had been fought there many years ago.  The remains of the fallen were all around.  There were nothing left but dry bones.  (vv. 1-2)
• The Lord asks Ezekiel if these bones can live.  The prophet is wise, and redirects the question back to the Lord.  The Lord answers by commanding the prophet to prophesy to the bones, telling them that the Lord will bring them back to life. (vv. 3-6)
• Flesh came upon the bones, but there was no “breath” in them.  (The word in Hebrew for “breath” also means “spirit”.)  The breath-spirit is blown into them, and they live.  (vv. 7-10)
• The Lord then announces to Ezekiel that this vision has been a metaphor for the house of Israel. Israel believes that they are washed up and dried out.  But the Lord has other plans.  He “will place his spirit-breath within” them, and they shall live.  (vv. 11-14a)
• Best news of all is that He will place them back on their own soil!  (v. 14b) 

THE TAKEAWAY

Like Israel in exile, we may also feel like those dry bones—hopelessly lost and forgotten.  God promises to breathe new life into us—breathe his spirit into us, renewing our spirit.

ROMANS 8:6-11

THE BACKGROUND

The first part of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome is devoted to making the point that everybody is a sinner, and we cannot save ourselves.  Our only hope of salvation is a free gift, obtained by our belief in Jesus as God’s Son.  Now, Paul talks about our new lives in the spirit, contrasting it with our old, former lives “in the flesh”. 

THE DETAIL

• We have a choice to live “in the Spirit” or “in the flesh”.  This is a life or death choice; it is one or the other.  If we do not focus on living our lives in the Spirit, we are turning our backs on God.  (vv. 6-8)
• Paul lifts the reader up now—“but you are not like that, you are in the Spirit”. God dwells in us. Oh, by the way, all those others who are not in the spirit do not belong to him.  (v. 9)
• While verse 9 emphatically states that we do live in the Spirit, Paul now uses the word “if” several times.  I suggest reading these passages twice, once as-is, and second time substituting “since” for the word if.  You’ll feel the full impact of the words.  “If/since” we are now in the Spirit, our old bodies are dead because of sin.  But because we are raised with Christ into life in the Spirit, we experience a sort of rebirth or resurrection.  (vv. 10-11)

THE TAKEAWAY

When taking about choosing life in the spirit, Paul is not talking about our accepting Jesus as our savior; he’s talking about our daily lives.  We must make this choice in our daily walk with Jesus.  We live in the flesh when we serve our own selfish interests. Life in the Spirit involves self-giving, rather than self-serving. We should die to our old selfish ways, and daily strive to live our lives in the Spirit, giving of ourselves to others.  In this passage, Paul lifts Jesus up as our superhero of self-giving.  We need to strive to live like Jesus!

JOHN 11:1-45

THE BACKGROUND

This is the story about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.  It can be considered one of the high points of the gospel of John.  It also marks a turning point in the gospel narrative, shifting from the stories of Jesus’ signs or miracles to Jesus discussing God’s glory.  In today’s passage we have both.  We also get a glimpse of Jesus’ tender side.  He loved this family, perhaps more than any other.  That is clear in this reading.  But the real question for you and me is what God wants us to understand about Jesus through this story.  This is a long story.  Let’s get started.

THE DETAIL

• It begins with a little refresher as to who this “certain man” Lazarus was, as well as his sisters.  There was a pre-existing relationship between them and Jesus, but now, Lazarus is ill. They send word to Jesus-the-healer, identifying Lazarus as “he whom you love”.  Yes, they were close friends indeed.  (vv. 1-3)
• Jesus sort of shrugs off the call to come and heal his friend, stating that God had bigger plans. This must have seemed quite confusing and even frustrating to those around him! (vv. 4-5) 
• Surprisingly, Jesus dilly-dallies two days before heading to Lazarus’ aid!  Finally, he tells his disciples they’re going.  A discussion ensues.  They know that going there is dangerous for Jesus.  But Jesus has a mission, and nothing will deter him. (vv. 6-10)
• He confuses is disciples by saying that Lazarus has “fallen asleep”.  He clarifies this, which confuses Thomas into saying something rather silly.  (vv. 11-16)
• By the time they got there, Lazarus has already been dead four days.  A large crowd had gathered, even some from Jerusalem. Martha, hearing that Jesus was on his way, came to greet him while he was still far off.  (This was a customary practice of the day.)  Mary stayed at home, which you may recall was her custom. (vv. 17-20)
• Martha tells Jesus that if he had been there while her brother was still alive, that he might have been able to do something.  I sense that she was not very happy with the situation.  They talk about Lazarus rising again.  Martha expresses her belief in resurrection on the last day. But Jesus has something different in mind.  (vv. 21-24)
• Next, we have the key verses of this passage.  Jesus makes one of the “I am” statements that appear throughout John’s gospel (see below), and this one is a biggie.  He is the resurrection and the life.  Those of us who believe in him will never die. (vv. 25-26a)
• Then, Jesus asks her if she believes what he just said.  (v. 26b)
• Now, it is her turn to make a profound statement.  She says yes, and furthermore calls him the Messiah that they’ve been waiting for. (v. 27)
• Now, she and Mary trade places.  Mary also expresses frustration in Jesus’ not being there to heal her brother.  (vv. 28-32)
• Seeing Mary weep causes Jesus to weep.  There is no doubt that he loves this family!  Even though he knows what he is about to do, it must have broken his heart to put them through all this agony.  (v. 33)
• The scene shifts quickly to the site of the tomb.  Many are there.  Many share Mary and Martha’s frustration and confusion.  He orders the stone to be rolled back, in spite of the stench. Jesus prays aloud, not so much to ask his Father for assistance, but to demonstrate to the crowd where Jesus’ power originates, that they might believe. (vv. 34-42)
• You know the rest. He shouts to Lazarus to come out of the tomb, which he does.  Orders are given to care for the living Lazarus.  (vv. 43-44)
• The passage concludes with an important note.  Many of “the Jews” (I suspect that these were of the school of “doubting Jews”) were moved to believe in Jesus.  (v. 45)

THE TAKEAWAY

John states in 20:31 that he wrote his gospel so that the reader might come to believe in Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God.  In this story, a woman (not a man!) proclaims Jesus as just that.  On these last days of our Lenten journey, it is fitting that we remind ourselves that Jesus truly is the resurrection and the life.  He is the Messiah, God’s Son, our brother and savior.

FURTHER READING

The “I am” statements in the gospel of John:

1. Bread of Life (6:35, 48, 51)
2. Light of the World (8:12, 9:5)
3. Door of the Sheep (10:7, 9)
4. Good shepherd (10:11, 14)
5. Resurrection and the Life (11:25)
6. Way, the Truth, and the Life (14:6)
7. True Vine (15:1)

1 SAMUEL 16:1-13

THE BACKGROUND

When God’s People entered the Promised Land, God wanted them to be a theocracy; God at the top, then some religious leaders, then the people.  They tried this for a while, but it did not go well.  His people begged Him to give them a king.  Reluctantly, He chose Saul as their king.  Saul was disobedient to God, and suffered mental illness later in his reign.  Today’s story is about the selection of David as Israel’s second king.  Usually, kings are kings for life.  But God doesn’t care about that.  He plans for Samuel, his prophet, to anoint David to replace Saul.

THE DETAIL

• Samuel doesn’t like Saul any more than God does. God tells Samuel to prepare some oil for the anointing of a new king.  God is basically telling Samuel to perform an act of treason, but God is the boss, after all.  (v. 1)
• Samuel knows that if Saul finds out about this mission, Samuel will be executed.  But God has a sneaky plan cooked up.  Samuel is going to pretend that he’s going to Jesse’s house merely to perform a sacrifice. (vv. 2-3)
• Samuel did what he was told.  The elders meet Samuel on the road.  They were worried what it meant that God’s number one man was coming to their town.  This could mean some very bad news.  He invited them along to assist with the sacrifice.  But first, everyone must do some sanctifying (ritual cleansing) first.  It was sort of like washing your hands before you handle food.  (vv. 4-5)
• Spotting Jesse’s eldest son, Samuel thought he must be the one.  God says “no”.  Samuel was basing his opinion on appearance.  God has a different selection criterion in mind.  He knows what’s in their heart, and that’s what is important to God.  (vv. 6-7)
• Next, we have the short “interview process” for the kingship.  All but one of Jesse’s sons pass before Samuel, and all are rejected.  “Are there any more?” he asks.  “Oh, just the youngest, and he’s out in the field with the sheep.” David is summoned from the fields and anointed on the spot, right in front of all his rejected brothers.  (vv. 8-13)

THE TAKEAWAY

The key verse comes in verse 7.  “…the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Many will focus on the last part of this quote, and that is a good thing.  God does indeed look beyond outward appearances, and into our hearts.  But more important for understanding today’s lesson is that God “sees” differently that we humans “see”.  In addition to seeing, I suggest that God also thinks differently than we do.  Take, for example, the beatitudes that Jesus spoke on the Sermon on the Mount.  The very human attributes that mortals think are shameful are the ones that Jesus calls “blessed”.  We will talk more about sight and blindness in the gospel lesson for today.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

It is important to see things as our Father sees them, but our human weakness gets in the way.  What can we do to get this God-sight?
 

EPHESIANS 5:8-14

THE BACKGROUND

In the beginning, Christians met in small groups, and were taught about Jesus, and what his life, death, and resurrection meant for them.  As their numbers grew, they became more visible.  They interacted with non-Christians more and more.  Sometimes they clashed.  There was also the temptation to slide into non-Christian behavior.  Paul and his disciples’ writings shifted gears.  They turned from the basics to how to live their lives as Jesus’ followers.

THE DETAIL

• Paul contrasts two lifestyles—living in the light (of Jesus) or living in darkness (without Jesus).  We are urged to good things (the “fruit”) that reflect the fact that we truly are children of the light.  This fruit is everything that is good, right, and true.  (vv. 8-9)
• Things that are not good, right, and true should not only be avoided; they should be exposed!  Secrecy is shameful.  Unfruitful works should be brought to the light of day.  They should be exposed.  (vv. 10-13)
• This section ends with the words of encouragement that doing this will cause the light of Christ to shine on us.  (v. 14)

THE TAKEAWAY

We all know people who say that they are Christians, but don’t show it in their everyday actions.  Paul urges us to put our actions where our mouth is.  Bear fruit of the Spirit, and make it obvious that we are Christians by our actions.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Much of the rest of this letter (5:17-6:18) gives us examples of how to behave as Christians.  It is not a complete list, but it is a good start.  We must beware of thinking we have all the answers (see the Gospel lesson).  We need to examine our thoughts and actions regularly, comparing them to the teachings of Jesus.  This is what the season of Lent is all about.
 

JOHN 9:1-41

THE BACKGROUND

In my bible, this very long story is entitled “A Man Born Blind Receives Sight”.  If I could, I would change the title to “The Story of the Blind Pharisees”.  By the time you’re done reading these reflections, I hope that you will agree with me.  But first, I need to make something clear.  I’ve said this before, but it is critical to understand who the Jews and the Pharisees were before we start.

The Jews—this term is often used in the New Testament to refer to a group of religious people where opposed to Jesus and his teachings.  We must not forget that Jesus’ human family was Jewish.  When they took Jesus to the temple for naming, for example, they were following the tenets of the Jewish faith.  All of Jesus’ apostles and disciples were Jewish.  The fact is that while some Jews hated Jesus, many more Jews loved their Jewish brother (Jesus).

Pharisees-- There were several Jewish sects during this time.  These sects intended to live their lives in a more devout, God-pleasing way than your average Jewish person.  Pharisees were one of these strict and conservative sects.  They did their very best to obey all of God’s commandments, not just the ten but all 613 of God’s laws.  They studied and discussed Holy Scripture constantly. They had everything figured out (or so they thought).  They had all the answers about God, because they knew the bible (the Old Testament) inside and out.  When Jesus came along, he didn’t fit into their image of the Messiah.  This is where the trouble all began.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.  Let’s break this story down into some big chunks.

THE DETAIL

• The first paragraph sets the stage.  A man born blind comes to Jesus for healing. The disciples ask a strange (to us) question.  They want to know who sinned for this man to be born blind!  Back then, it was thought that all sickness came upon people because of sin.  Moreover, the Old Testament states that some sins are punishable to the offspring of the sinner, for several generations.  Jesus says that it is not applicable in this case, but that the man was there so Jesus can do this miracle.  And then he heals the man with some spit-mud (!) (vv. 1-7 )
• Now the doubt and confusion begins.  People are so used to seeing this man as a blind man, they think he must be someone else!  Also, Jesus has disappeared from the scene, and will return later.  (vv. 8-12)
• Back then, when you were healed from a profound disease, you were supposed to go to the temple to be examined.  This is what the crowd did.  There, the confusion got even worse.  Some were hung up about Jesus healing on the Sabbath.  Others wanted to deny that it happened at all.  There was denial and confusion all over the place. His parents were even brought in. It got so comical that the formerly blind man asked the Pharisees if they wanted to be Jesus’ disciples! (verse 17) This did not winning him any awards with the Pharisees.  Finally, in verse 34, they call him a sinner (not pure and holy like them), yell at him for having the nerve to teach them, and throw him out.  (vv. 13-34)
• Jesus reappears, and has a discussion with the man he had healed.  The man states that he believes in Jesus, and worships him.  (vv. 35-38)
• Here is the key verse, and the whole reason for the healing in the first place.  Jesus healed the man to tell people to open their eyes to see who Jesus really was.  Furthermore, Jesus claims that many who think they see are actually blind. (Who might that be?)  The sarcasm is obvious.  (v. 39)
• Some Pharisees hear this and say “Who do you think you’re talking about—surely not us?”  [My translation]  Jesus answers with a little word play/banter to say yes, I’m talking about you. (vv. 40-41)

THE TAKEAWAY

We want to have answers for everything.  The last thing we want to hear from our pastor is “I don’t know” or “It is a mystery”.  We scour Holy Scripture for answers, and figure out answers to all life’s questions.  Because we think have found the answer in the bible, we know that the answer is the right one.  When the chips are down, we stick to our guns, knowing that we have found the answer in God’s Word.

This is exactly what the Pharisees had done!  They had everything so figured out, that they did not recognize God when he was staring them in the face!  Instead of sending them a Messiah that met their expectations, God sent the Messiah to be the son of a Nazarene carpenter, born in a barn.  God’s Messiah did not lead a political revolution.  God’s Messiah led a spiritual revolution.  Jesus challenged the Pharisees’ thinking, and they did not like it.  God sent them a curve ball, and they struck out. 

I wonder what surprises God has in store for us. As I go through life studying scripture, I plan to keep my eyes open.  I will remember that God sees things differently than I. (See 1 Samuel 16:7) We should all keep our eyes open, and be prepared for a couple of God-surprises along the way.

The First Sunday in Lent

My father always told me that there is a time and a place for everything. The season of Lent is observed in many churches. It is a time that is set aside to reflect on our sinful nature: how we have fallen short of God’s expectations of us. Just as Jesus fasted 40 days in the wilderness, we will pursue this subject for 40 days (not including Sundays). Some will also fast.  The purpose is to sharpen one’s spiritual focus, and draw nearer to God.  Let’s begin our Lenten journey.

GENESIS 2:15-17, 3:1-7

THE BACKGROUND

We join Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden for the famous event— The Fall. Most preachers and teachers will pick this story apart in fine detail, like eating fried chicken off the bone. They will pick those bones clean. I prefer to stand back and look at the big picture, and ask the question: “What is the main thing that God wants me to learn from this story?”

THE DETAIL

• God puts Adam in the Garden of Eden, and gives them only one rule— don’t eat the fruit of one tree. (vv. 15-17)
• Time passes. Enter, the beautiful Eve. The “serpent” starts messing with her mind, filling her with notions of wisdom. He convinces her to eat the fruit. (vv. 1-5)
• She eats the fruit, and gives some to Adam. The serpent was right! Their eyes were opened, and they became aware of their nakedness. They go to the mall and by some clothes. (vv. 6-7)

THE TAKEAWAY

Sorry about the mall comment. Sometimes my sense of humor steps in.

You know the rest of the story. But this is enough of the story for the God Lesson for today. In Genesis 1 we learn that God made us, “and it was good”. This is one of the God Lessons in Genesis 1. We are God’s creation, and we are good.  But here in Genesis 2, we read about a big exception.  We see human weakness in action. For me, the God Lesson here is this: If we were given paradise and only one rule, we would break that rule. Do you doubt me?  If you see a sign that reads “Wet Paint”, and you’re a normal human being, you wonder how old the sign is, and if the paint is still wet. We want to touch it. God created us good, but we’re not perfect. We are created good (Genesis 1), but we are also drawn to do the very thing that we should not do (Genesis 2). Without God’s help, we are a hopeless mess. 

Welcome to the season of Lent!

ROMANS 5:12-19

THE BACKGROUND

Paul wrote this letter to the Christian church in Rome. That church consisted of an odd mix of both Christian Gentiles and Christian Jews. The first three chapters paint a broad-brushed perspective of various types of people, pointing out how they have fallen short of God’s expectations (sinned). In chapter 2, Paul turns on his audience, and says “and what about you…?” Do you think you are any better? He drives the point home in 3:23– “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

THE DETAIL

• Paul reminds the reader of Adam’s fall, which was today’s first lesson. (v. 12)
• Paul explains that even though the law didn’t come until Moses, mankind’s attraction to sinful behavior was already in place. (vv. 13-14)
• Paul now contrasts “the free gift” (of salvation through Christ) with “the trespass” (The Fall). The sin of one man (Adam) caused death. But our sins have been justified* through the free gift offered by one man (Jesus).
• The next three verses repeat one another, contrasting the two in different words. I believe Paul does this to drive an important point home.  He’s saying that Adam gave us death, but faith in Jesus gives us life! (vv. 17-19)

THE TAKEAWAY

While it is very important for us to reflect on our sinfulness.  We should never forget that Jesus is our lifeline.  His free gift to us is forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How many times does Paul say the “free gift” in this passage?

*This word is best understood like this: If you kill a person in self-defense, you have still killed someone, haven‘t you? But in a court of law, the judge would claim your actions “justified”. You were acting in self-defense. You are set free. Paul is saying that Jesus’ death on the cross has “justified” all our sinful acts. We are forgiven. We are set free.
 

MATTHEW 4:1-11

THE BACKGROUND

This is the famous story of Jesus temptation by the devil. He has just been baptized, and is about to begin his Father’s work.  Rather than to pick apart the story in infinite detail, let’s stand back and look for the God Lesson for us.

THE DETAIL

• Jesus has been fasting in the desert for nearly six weeks, and is very hungry. (vv. 1-2)
• In three very different ways, Jesus is tempted to abuse his divine power. One is to feed his hunger (a), one is to prove his divinity (b), and one is to use his divine power to gain political power (c). In each case, Jesus triumphs over the temptation by recalling his Father’s words. (a) Deut. 8:3, (b) Deut 6:16, (c) Deut 6:13.  Through it all, he remains focused on his divine mission to remain a humble servant to his Father, and do what he was sent to do. (vv. 3-11)

THE TAKEAWAY

I take great comfort in this story. It tells me that Jesus was human. He was tempted to do things that he knew he shouldn’t. I’ll even bet that during his 30+ years on this earth he was tempted more times than just these three times. But with this story, I see that he remained dedicated to his Father’s mission. He will walk in our shoes, liver his life as an example for us to follow, heal us, teach us and love us enough to die on the cross for us.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

When you are tempted to do something that is not according to God’s will, how do you respond?  Do you seek God’s wisdom in Holy Scripture, or do you use “human wisdom”?

ISAIAH 42:1-9

THE BACKGROUND

These words of Isaiah were written during exile. They present an unnamed servant of God. The attributes are given to this servant that are unusual for a prophet or king.  Over the centuries, Christians have felt that this passage points to God’s #1 servant, Jesus.  While this certainly is a valid argument, it does not explain what it meant to people for the 500 years between the writing of these words and Jesus.  Let’s look at what the passage says.

THE DETAIL

• Right off the bat, the first verse sounds a lot like verse 17 in today’s gospel lesson.  God is delighted with this servant of His.  God’s Spirit will rest on him, and he will serve the nations.  More on “the nations” in The Takeaway.  (v. 1)
• This servant is not your ordinary leader. This servant is soft-spoken; he is gentle.  Yet, his influence reverberates far and wide.  People will listen to him, even way out there on the coast.  (vv. 2-4)
• Now, God gives His servant his marching orders. He is to be a covenant or promise to the people.  He is to free people from their chains, and open their eyes.  (vv. 5-8)
• God says all this will happen exclusively to His chosen servant.   (v. 9)

THE TAKEAWAY

God presents us with a role model; with the type of behavior that He would value in someone who is His servant.  Jesus, being God’s son, came to earth to give us an example of this behavior.  But we, too, are God’s servants in this time and place.  As such, we should also strive to emulate these traits.  We should act with gentle authority.  We should work to free the unfortunate from their burdens, and open their eyes to the love of God through our actions. 

When “the nations” appears in the bible, it is a reference to the rest of the world.  It means “out there”, those “other people”.  He is talking not just about the Hebrews, but about us Gentiles, too.  God is telling His people through Isaiah that His vision is for all peoples to know and love Him.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How well do verses 1-4 describe Jesus?  How well do they describe you?

ACTS 10:34-43

THE BACKGROUND

During Jesus’ time, the People of God were a closed society.  The Hebrew people kept to themselves, except for whatever they were forced to do by the occupying Romans.  Jesus’ ministry, with a few exceptions, was focused primarily on the Jewish community. In the early years of the church, all of the believers were Jewish Christians.  This is about to change.  In the first part of chapter 10 (not included in today’s reading), God sends Peter a dream, sanctifying all food, even non-Kosher foods. 

God also sends a messenger to Peter.  The messenger is from the household of Cornelius, an officer in the Roman army.  Cornelius is a “God-lover”—a Gentile who loves Yahweh, but has not converted to Judaism. God prompts Cornelius to have a messenger go and fetch Peter. 

As soon as Peter finishes the dream, there’s a knock on the door.  It is Cornelius’ messenger.  Peter follows, and meets Cornelius.  It is clear to Peter that he has been called to preach the gospel to this Roman Gentile soldier!

THE DETAIL

• Peter’s first words are loaded with meaning—“I truly understand that God shows not partiality…”  It is clear to Peter that the Good News of Jesus is not just for His Chosen People, but for “…every nation…” (vv. 34-35)
• Peter goes on to explain the life and ministry of Jesus, his death, and his resurrection.  (vv. 36-41)
• He tells them that their mission is to “tell the people… that Jesus is the one…”, and that “everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins…”  Everyone. Even an officer in the Roman army. (vv. 42-43)

THE TAKEAWAY

The season of Epiphany began on January 6th. Epiphany marks the coming of the wise men “from the East” to worship Jesus.  These men, as well as Cornelius, are not Hebrews.  They signal the coming of a new age; God sent his son for all nations, including Gentiles like you and me.  In the words of Isaiah, “… the former things have come to pass, and new things I [God] now declare..”  (Is. 42:9)

MATTHEW 3:13-17

THE BACKGROUND

After the story of the visiting of the wise men, and the aftermath of their visit, the gospel of Matthew fast-forwards to John the Baptist’s work.  We join this scene, to find that Jesus has come to seek John out.

THE DETAIL

• Jesus comes to John to be baptized.  John tells Jesus that Jesus should be baptizing him! He’s right, you know.  (vv. 13-14)
• But Jesus wants to do this “to fulfill all righteousness”.  This is a confusing phrase.  Apparently, John got it, but I didn’t at first.  I had to think about the words.
  • To “fulfill” indicates the completion of something that was planned or foretold. 
  • “Righteousness” can mean two things.  It can mean adherence to the law, but it can also mean a right action.

“Fulfilling all righteousness” now means to me that Jesus had planned to do this.  It also means that Jesus felt that baptism was a “right action”, or a good thing for people to do.  He wanted baptism to be part of what it is to be a disciple of Jesus.  (vv. 15-16a)

• So Jesus was baptized by John.  Then things got wild.  God, Father and Spirit, appeared to bless the event.  The words spoken by God are very close to the first verse in today’s passage from Isaiah.  Yes, Jesus’ baptism most certainly was part of God’s plan.  (vv. 16b-17)

THE TAKEAWAY

Jesus’ life was one big example of living a godly life.  I believe that he was leading by example when he was baptized by John.  Did Jesus need to repent?  Of course not!  But I believe that he wanted to make it known that repentance and baptism are good and righteous actions for us all. 

ISAIAH 9:1-4

THE BACKGROUND

The Old Testament lesson for this Sunday is again from Isaiah.  This passage is quoted in today’s Gospel reading.  But this prophecy had a very poignant meaning for the time at which it was given; God’s people needed to hear what God’s expectations were of them. Interestingly, God’s expectations are the same for us.  The nations to the north of Judah were conspiring against it.  In chapter 7, God promises a king who would be “Emmanuel”, or “God with us”.  Today’s lesson talks about the time when this promised king will rule. 

THE DETAIL

• God promises that the gloomy days will be gone, and glorious times are coming.  Their relationships with the nations to the north (Naphtali and Zebulun) will be restored. There will be a time of peace and cooperation.  (v. 1)
• The people of the north (just mentioned) are not Jewish—they’re Gentiles.  They walk in darkness, because they do not know the Lord.  But in this new glorious time being foretold, the light of God will also shine on them.  (v. 2)
• This verse is addressed to the people of Judah. God is telling them that they will be the ones to bring this light to the people of darkness, the Gentiles. (v. 3)
• Finally, God reminds them that the people who lived in darkness are under a great burden.  God’s people will relieve them of this burden.  That’s a good thing!  (v. 4)
   

THE TAKEAWAY

The king of Judah ignored God’s advice and prophecy, and messed things up.  But those are just the details of the story.  God’s message to His people was that He wants His people to share His love with “the nations” (everybody).  In this time and place, we are God’s people.  We are the ones who share the Good News with those around us.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:10-18

THE BACKGROUND

We’re still in chapter one of Paul’s first letter to the church of Corinth, but look at this—he has already jumped into one of the big problems with that church.  What might that problem be?

THE DETAIL

• Paul pleads with this church to get rid of the divisions that exist between them.  They are quarreling amongst themselves.  (vv. 10-11)
• At the heart of the problem is that they have grouped up into factions.  It appears that the division might be over who baptized each member.  (v. 12)
• Here’s a starter hint at where Paul’s coming from—it’s about Jesus.  More to follow.  (v. 13)
• As an aside, Paul tries to isolate himself from the foray.  He’s not sure, but he doesn’t think he baptized many in Corinth.  He seems to say “Don’t blame me!”  (vv. 14-16)
• Here’s another aside.  Apparently some preachers were more polished or eloquent speakers than Paul.  People must have been aligning with these fancy preachers.  (v. 17)
• Here’s the heart of the matter.  Paul’s message was and always will be about Christ crucified. Revering the cross might seem foolish to some.  After all, it was the equivalent of a hangman’s noose or the electric chair. It was a means of executing criminals. But to people of faith, the cross represents the power of God.  (v. 18)

THE TAKEAWAY

We are all guilty of this problem.  We like to think that our denomination is far superior to all those other ones.  Paul grabs us by the shoulders and says “Stop it!!!”  We are all washed in the Blood of the Lamb.  All our divisions are nonsense.  We need to love one another.
 

MATTHEW 4:12-23

THE BACKGROUND

This scene from the Gospel of Matthew is about the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.  He has just recently been baptized by John, and has called his first disciples.

THE DETAIL

• News comes to him that John the Baptist has been arrested by Herod.  Essentially, this signals the end of John’s ministry, and the beginning of Jesus’ mission. Jesus heads back to his home country, the northern region of Judea called Galilee.  (v. 12)
• He moves from his home town, and settles in Capernaum. It is about 30 miles to the northeast of Nazareth.  Capernaum is on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.  It is also the northern edge of the country of Judea. Immediately to the north are the Gentile lands of Zebulun and Naphtali.  (v. 13)
• Matthew quotes Isaiah 9.  He reminds his Jewish readers of the prophecy of Isaiah.  (vv. 14-16)
• Thus begins the work of Jesus.  The message is clear.  Scripture has now been fulfilled.  Jesus is the light that has dawned.  Jesus is here to preach not only to the people of Judea, but to those nasty foreigners to the north, too.  The light is for “the nations”.  The light is for the whole world.

THE TAKEAWAY

Matthew was quick to recognize that Jesus fulfilled this prophecy.  Jesus is the Light of the World!  We are Jesus’ servants in this time and place.  We, too, must shine the Gospel Light.  Jesus came for everyone, just as God told his people through Isaiah. 

Since I am going to be away for several weeks, I have prepared reflections for all the Sundays from January 11 - February 15.  Please scroll down to find the appropriate entry.

ISAIAH 49:1-7

THE BACKGROUND

In the central portion of the book of Isaiah are found four “Servant Songs”.  Last week’s first lesson was the first of the four.  This week’s first lesson is the second of these songs.  The third and fourth are found in Is. 50:4-9 and 52:13-53:1-12, if you are interested in looking them up.  In between the first and second song, a lot happens.  In chapter 45, God announces that he has appointed the Persian king Cyrus as the liberator of His People.  In chapter 47, Babylon is defeated and humiliated.  In 48:20, captive Israel is told to flee Babylon, and go home.  The songs describe a person who will lead them on the way of rebuilding.  The big question is who this servant might be.  I will provide three answers in the takeaway, all of which are valid.

THE DETAIL

• The Servant calls for our attention.  The Servant claims that he was called to be God’s servant, even before he was born. (v. 1)
• The Lord gave him the skills needed to do the job.  God names him “Israel”, or His chosen people.  (vv. 2-4)
• But The Servant is frustrated.  Things do not go smoothly.  He is frustrated.  (v. 4)
• God gives The Servant a pep talk, reminding him that God chose him for this task even before he was even born.  (v. 5)
• Then, God ups the ante.  The Servant is not to save only Israel, but the whole world!  (Remember the meaning of “the nations” from last week?)  (v. 6)
• God concludes the pep talk by telling The Servant that kings and princes will bow before him, because God has chosen him. (v. 7)
   

THE TAKEAWAY

So, who was this Servant? We never get his name.  Maybe that was intentional.  I see three possible answers.

1. To the liberated people of Israel, this Servant represented the one who would lead them home and guide them in the rebuilding of their homeland.  I believe that no one was named to this role because the role needed to be filled by many people.  It could be a standard by which all leaders would be compared.  This standard could be applied to anybody who did the Lord’s work.
2. To Christians, going all the way back to the very early days, these Servant Songs were applied to the life of Jesus. Jesus, being God’s son on earth, would most certainly aim to live up to these standards set by His Father.  It was his nature and mission to present us all with a perfect model of these attributes. 
3. These standards can also apply to us today.  We are God’s Servants in this time and place. These are God’s expectations of our behavior, as we serve Him where we live.  We are called by Him to do this work.  When we do so, we shall be “honored in the sight of the Lord, and God will become our strength”.  (Verse 5, slightly paraphrased.)

1 CORINTHIANS 1:1-9

THE BACKGROUND

This is the introduction section of Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth.  It is chock full of God actions.  Keep in mind that God’s grace is “God’s love, freely given”.  The word “called” appears repeatedly.  The calling in all cases is done by God.

THE DETAIL

• This letter follows the classic form of Paul’s letters.  Paul and Sosthenes are the authors of this letter.  Paul reminds them that God has called him to be an apostle of Christ.  (v. 1)
• They are sending this letter to the church in Corinth, who are also called to be saints* by God. This is a remarkable statement. The church in Corinth was not comprised of fulfilled Jews.  They were outsiders—Gentiles.  Paul, who is a fulfilled Jew, states that God calls everyone.  God’s love is for the whole world.  (v. 2a)
• This letter is also intended for “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord”, namely you and me.     (v. 2b) 
• Next comes the customary greeting from God through Paul.  (v. 3)
• Paul also thanks God for bestowing His grace on this church.  (v. 4)
• God’s grace has been lavished on them (and us) in many ways—through speech, knowledge and “spiritual gifts”.  (vv. 5-7)
• He assures us that Jesus will strengthen us to the end, and that [because of Jesus dying on the cross] we will be held blameless on Judgement Day.  We are finally reminded that we have all been called into fellowship with Jesus, so God will be faithful to us.  (vv. 8-9)

* When Paus uses the word “saints”, he is referring to all those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord. The practice of canonizing saints did not begin until several centuries later. 

THE TAKEAWAY

This passage is rich in God-actions!  As we will see in the weeks ahead, the church in Corinth was far from perfect.  Yet, God lavishly blesses them with His love. This is good for us to understand, since we, too, are not perfect.  But God blesses us, warts and all!  We must always remind ourselves that we are all called to be God’s saints.  As saints, we are in fellowship with Jesus, and God will be faithful to us. Thanks be to God!

JOHN 1:29-43

THE BACKGROUND

The gospel of John begins with a very short introduction to John the Baptist’s mission.  The scene shifts quickly to John being questioned by the religious authorities.  John makes it clear that he is merely the one announcing the coming of someone greater than he.  Then, Jesus comes on the scene.  It should be noted that John also had disciples—people who followed him to learn his teachings.

THE DETAIL

• When John sees Jesus approaching, he tells his disciples “Here is the Lamb of God…”! (v. 29)
• John gives them his testimony, including the telling of Jesus’ baptism.  (vv. 30-34)
• The next day, Jesus walked by John and two of John’s disciples.  John again calls Jesus the Lamb of God.  (vv. 35-36)
• Those two disciples of John left John, and followed Jesus.  (v. 37)
• Jesus asked them what they wanted.  Oddly, they answer by asking where he was staying.  Jesus invites them to tag along, and see for themselves.  (vv. 38-39)
• One of the two was named Andrew.  Andrew went & got his brother Simon, saying “We have found the Messiah!”. When Andrew presented his brother Simon to Jesus, Jesus gave Simon a new name, straightaway.  He called him Rock.  (Aramaic: Cephas;  Greek: Petra; English: Peter, or Rock)  I like to say that Jesus called him “Rocky”.  Am I wrong???  (vv. 40-42)

THE TAKEAWAY

It’s good to know why Jesus renamed Simon.   In Holy Scripture where people or animals are named or renamed, it indicates a bond; it is the start of a new relationship.  When Adam names the creatures in the Garden of Eden, it indicates that they are under his care.  We do this, too.  We always name a pet as soon as we bring it home, even if it had a different name before. Sometimes, we give nicknames to our friends, children or grandchildren.  These indicate that there is a special relationship between them and us. This is what Jesus is doing with Simon Peter.

Jesus gets many titles in this passage.

• John the Baptist calls him the Lamb of God, as in the lamb sacrificed for the Passover act. The blood of the lamb saves the lives of the believers who have the blood smeared across their doorways.
• John the Baptist also clearly calls Jesus the Son of God (v. 34)
• The two disciples of John the Baptist address him as “Rabbi”.  Yes Jesus came to teach us many things.
• Finally, Andrew calls Jesus the Messiah.  God’s anointed one.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Jesus is, of course, all these titles and more.  What do you call him?