JEREMIAH 31:31-34

THE BACKGROUND

Last week, we thoroughly discussed the situation in Judah.  Through Jeremiah, God tells His people that He is fed up.  It is time to take action.  It is nicely summarized for us in Jeremiah 30:14b.

“I have dealt you the blow of an enemy; the punishment of a merciless foe, because your guilt is great, because your sins are so numerous.”

But right in the middle of Jeremiah’s gloom and doom prophecy, there is a change of tone.  Chapters 30 and 31 are called The Book of Consolation. In ancient times, when conquering armies carried people into exile, they never returned to their homes.  They faded away, assimilating into the culture of the victors.  Here, God offers a glimmer of hope.  He will not forsake His people.

THE DETAIL

• God tells His people that the day will come when he makes a new covenant with His people. A covenant was the Old Testament equivalent of a binding contract.  (v. 31)
• The new covenant will be different.  This time, it will be written on their hearts.  It is interesting that God’s anger surfaces here, right in the middle of this promise.  Yes, He is definitely angry with His beloved people.  (vv. 32-33a)
• In the latter part of verse 33, He sheds His anger, and His love shines through—“I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
• Verse 34a indicates that their relationship will be so close, so tight, that we won’t even need to teach one another about God; we will all just know Him. 
• The second half of verse 34 is the key verse.  God will not only forgive our sins, but He will forget them!

THE TAKEAWAY

To “forgive and forget” is one of those catch phrases that we use, but also abuse.  Oftentimes, we forgive, but we do not forget.  In this passage, God tells us that when He forgives us of our sins, not only are they wiped clean, but He forgets them!  If we were to go to the pearly gates, and bring up one of the sins that have burdened our hearts all those years, Saint Peter would say “Hmm, I have no record of that.”  
 

ROMANS 3:19-28

THE BACKGROUND

At the time when Paul wrote this letter to the churches in Rome.  They consisted of two ethnic groups.  There were ethnic Jews who believed in Jesus as the Messiah.  There were also many Gentile (Greek, and other non-Jews) Christians in this church.  Some worshipped together in the same church.  There was, of course, a degree of tension between the two groups. The main question that is being addressed by Paul is how the Law (of Moses) interacts with the “Righteousness of God” as presented in the gift of His son. Or, how the New Covenant compared to the Old Covenant.

I would like to define two words, to help with our understanding of the text:

1. “Justified” is a legal term, which means to be absolved of a crime.  In this context, Paul is talking about the forgiveness of sins.
2. “Righteousness” means “right actions”.  Therefore, the righteousness of God refers to the loving actions that God does for us, the people he loves.

THE DETAIL

• The passage starts out talking about those “under the law”, or the non-Christian Jews who put their trust in obeying the Laws of Moses.  The law silences them, because it makes them aware of their failure. They are accountable to God for their actions.  And we all know that “no human will be justified in His sight”.  (vv. 19-20)
• But now*, God takes action—He performs a righteous act. This act has been mentioned by the prophets in times past.  But now*, God has chosen to disclose it.  (v. 21)
• This righteous act is the gift of His son for all who believe.  God’s gracious love alone does this.   (v. 22a)
• It doesn’t matter if you are an ethnic Jew, a Gentile, black or white, or an Asian Christian; there is no distinction.  (v. 22b)
• There is no distinction, because we have all sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God. We cannot justify ourselves by obeying the Law, or any church rules.  (v. 23)
• Instead, our justification comes as a free gift from God!  Why is this?  Because He has shown His love for us by sacrificing His only son as an offering for our sins.  All we do to receive this free gift is to believe in Jesus.  What a deal!  (vv. 24-25)
• Why would God do such a thing?  It was to prove to us that He is righteous, and does this good act to prove it to us. (v. 26)
• So, we’ve got no business bragging about being a Christian.  God gets all the bragging rights.  All we did was take the free gift!  (v. 27)
• We are free from the Law.  Our sin-crime is absolved because of our faith in Jesus, and not by our actions. (v. 28)

* Paul means “now that Jesus died for our sins”. 

God’s loving grace is clearly evident in this passage.  We need to know that we cannot save ourselves by obeying the Law of God.  The Law was provided as a mirror, so that we can recognize the ways in which we do not measure up to God’s expectations.  But our salvation comes to us as a free gift from God. We must simply believe in Jesus to receive it.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Does that mean that we are off the hook for obeying the Law, and don’t have to do good things?  Of course not!  God still has expectations of us.  He wants us to show our love for Him in our actions.  He expects us to love and forgive one other.  These actions are not things we do to earn “God Brownie Points”.   They are actions we take to show our love and gratitude to the righteous God who saved us in the first place.

JOHN 8:31-36

THE BACKGROUND

At this point in John’s narrative, Jesus is zig-zagging between Jerusalem and Galilee.  Along the way, he does and says enough to agitate some of the devout Jews we call Pharisees.  Other Jews, like his apostles and many other disciples, believe in him.

THE DETAIL

• Jesus is addressing the Jews who have chosen to believe in him.  He says something that he knows will challenge their thinking. He says that if they are truly his disciples, they will know the truth. Not only that, but this truth will set them free.  (vv. 31-32)
• These disciples are taken aback.  They live in a time where about a third of the population was slaves.  But they were Jews, and not slaves to anybody—ever! (Apparently, they had forgotten about Egypt and Babylon.)  They had taken the bait that Jesus had laid out for them. (v. 33)
• Here is the teaching moment that Jesus was waiting for.  He tells them that if they are sinners (which we all are), t35-36)hen they are in slavery to their sins!  (v. 34)
• They could be freed, sold, or retained, solely at the discretion of the heir.  (vv. 35-36)

THE TAKEAWAY

Many of us have some bad habits.  (May we call them sins?) These habit-sins are nearly impossible to break.  Some of us carry the burden of past sins with us our whole lives.  Jesus tells us that the only way to free ourselves is to put our trust in him, placing our sins at the foot of his cross.

JEREMIAH 14:7-10, 19-22

THE BACKGROUND

It seemed like a good and simple plan.  God created our world.  Then, he created us.  He gave us some guidelines for living our lives.  He did all this so we could be in a loving relationship with him.  The people of God in Jeremiah’s time claimed to love Him, but did not show it in their daily lives.  I did a quick scan of chapters 1-13.  Several verses popped out, showing the situation:

Jer. 3:1  If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man’s wife, will he return to her?  Would not such a land be greatly polluted? “You have played the whore with many lovers, and would you return to me?” says the Lord.

Jer. 3:19-20  I thought how I would set you among my children, and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful heritage of all the nations.  And I thought you would call me My Father, and would not turn from following me.  Instead, as a faithless wife leaves her husband, so you have been faithless to me, O house of Israel, says the Lord.

Jer. 7:8-10   Here you are, trusting in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, “We are safe!”— only to go on doing all these abominations?

The book of Jeremiah is not a happy book.  Last week, we studied how God listens to our prayers, and is willing to change his mind to lovingly grant our petitions.  In today’s reading, God is fed up.  He is tired of seeing His people run off and do anything else but be in a loving relationship with Him.  He has turned a deaf ear to their pleas.

THE DETAIL

• This reading begins with a confession by the people that they have sinned against God.  The word “apostasy” means the act of refusing to follow God’s path.  (v. 7)
• The people call out to God.  They beg Him not to be a stranger, and not forsake them. (vv. 8-9)
• God acknowledges their philandering ways. “They love to wander.”  Don’t we all know someone who is like this in their marital relationship?  Don’t they always come back, begging for mercy, and professing undying love, only to repeat the cycle?  God does not accept their empty words.  He’s fed up. It’s time to take action,  (v. 10)
• In the next verses, God uses the word “we” to refer to Himself.  We Christians quickly to jump to the conclusion that He is referring to the Holy Trinity.  But this was written hundreds of years before Jesus and before the concept of the Holy Trinity was formulated.  God was using what is called the “Majestic Plural”.  Kings and queens use “we” instead of “I”, when making proclamations. It seems weird to us, but it was a common practice.  When God uses the Majestic Plural, he is ascending to his throne to make a proclamation. Verse 19 is full of “we” and “us” referring to our Lord as our king. 
• The dialogue shifts back to the people in verse 20, so the “we” here is the wayward people of God, begging for forgiveness once again.  In the end, God says no.  It’s too late.  It is time to do something about it.  (vv. 20-22)

THE TAKEAWAY

Sometimes, things go haywire, in the world of computers. The first thing you should try, when you have a problem is to turn the computer off, and restart it.  We call it hitting the reset button.  Quite often, that is all it takes.  I like to say that when God created the Flood in Noah’s time, he was hitting the reset button.  Things had gotten bad on earth, and He wanted to start over.  In Jeremiah’s time, things had gotten out of control again.  It was time for God to hit the reset button, and send His people into exile.

Fortunately for us, God has taken a new direction. Since then, He decided to send His only Son to us, to clarify the Law of Moses, teach us The Way, and die for our sins. There will be no more reset buttons, at least until Jesus’ second coming! 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

So, as far as we know for sure, God doesn’t use the Reset Button anymore.  Do you think we might be due for one, if He still does?

2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8, 16-18

THE BACKGROUND

Paul is concluding his letter to his beloved friend Timothy.  Paul is writing this from a Roman prison cell.  Increasingly, it appears that he will not survive imprisonment this time, and will be put to death soon.

THE DETAIL

• Paul calls himself a libation—a sacrificial drink-offering.  He knows that his time has come.  He offers his life’s work as a sacrifice to God. (v. 6)
• He lists his accomplishments three ways in verse 7.  Let’s look at each separately.  He has:
  • Fought the good fight. Being an evangelist in Paul’s time was a constant struggle.  Because of his work, he had been beaten, imprisoned, and thrown out of towns.
  • Finished the race. His work is complete.  He does not say “won”, but finished.  There is still much work to be done, but it must be left for others like Timothy to do.  For us, to do, also.
  • Kept the faith. Paul has stuck to the basics of the faith.  While other evangelists of his day have strayed into the weeds with their preaching, Paul has remained true to the teachings of our Lord. 
• Having thus summarized his life’s work, he is ready for his crown.  Not only does he get one, but all those who long for Jesus’ reappearing.  (v. 8)
• In the second paragraph, Paul appears to be talking about the first hearing he had, due to his current imprisonment. Even though no one came to support him, it did not matter—the Lord stood by him the whole time.  He vows to continue putting his trust in the Lord, focusing on the promise of Jesus.  (vv. 16-18)

THE TAKEAWAY

We, too, are called to fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith.  We can finish the race, trusting in the promises of Jesus.
 

LUKE 18:9-14

THE BACKGROUND

In the following parable, Jesus contrasts the attitudes of two people.  In order to gain the full impact of the message, it is good for us to understand how society in Jesus’ time regarded these two figures.

• A tax collector was local person, who was a government employee.  In other words, he would be a local Jew, employed by the Roman government.  His job was to exact taxes for Rome from the local Jewish populous.  Often, they would exact more than required, and keep the difference for themselves.  They were considered dishonest and traitors to the Jewish community. 
• We often have a distorted perception of Pharisees.  Because they clashed so many times with Jesus, we think of them as the villains of the story.  In some ways, they were the villains.  But in fact, Pharisees were considered the cream of the crop, religiously speaking. In Jesus’ time, there were several special religious sects, for those who wished to set themselves apart from the common religious community—Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. All three followed a stricter faith walk than the average lover of God.  Some theologians even suspect that Jesus came from a Pharisee family.  This might explain why Jesus was extra critical of their ways.  He knew all too well the pitfalls of that faith-walk.  He had insider information.

THE DETAIL

• Jesus notices that some of those around him “trusted in their righteousness [we would say self-righteous], and regarded others with contempt”.  They had an attitude problem.  Jesus tells them this parable to challenge their thoughts and actions.  (v. 9)
• So, as the story goes, a tax collector and a Pharisee come to the temple to pray.  (v. 10)
• The Pharisee prays first.  He has worked hard in his faith-walk.  He is proud of his accomplishments.  “Other people” have not worked as hard.  He is confident that he has pleased God with his hard work.  (vv. 11-12)
• The tax collector, on the other hand, is keenly aware of his failure to live up to God’s expectations.  He stands “far off” in the back of the temple.  He displays penitent body language, and pleads for God’s mercy.  He knows that he is a sinner.  (v. 13)
• Then, Jesus turns conventional thinking on its ear. He says that that sinful, traitor-of-a-tax-collector is the one to go home forgiven (“justified”), not the holy man! (v. 14a)
• Jesus summarizes why this is.  It’s all about attitude.  Humility is to be treasured.  If you want to exalt yourself, you can expect to be humbled by God.  (v. 14b)

THE TAKEAWAY

I have heard people say things like “I’ve been a Lutheran my whole life”, or “I’m Baptist to the bone!”  God knows what is in our hearts.  He is looking for us to walk humbly, rather than proudly.  Paul tells us that only God has the bragging rights to our salvation.  All we did was take the free gift. 

2 KINGS 5:1-17c

THE BACKGROUND

This is a story about a miracle that the prophet Elisha performed in the Northern Kingdom of Israel (aka Samaria).  It is also a story about pride and humility.

Note: The selection to be read in church omits verses 4-6.  I have included the whole story here, to provide the whole picture.

THE DETAIL

• Naaman was the head of the military in the army of the Aramites.  Aram was situated just north of Samaria.  It’s capital was Damascus.  Naaman was not only a great warrior, but he was a “great man”.  The Hebrew word translated as “great” in this translation could also be translated as “influential”.  The good news was that this man, who was a great warrior and influential, was highly respected by the king of Aram.  The bad news is that he had leprosy.  Leprosy was a contagious, incurable disease.  A cure for this disease was only discovered in the mid-1940’s. People suffering from it experienced crippling of the hands and feet, paralysis, and blindness.  Because it was so contagious, there were laws which excluded its victims from normal society.  (v. 1) 
• The Aramites went to war, off and on, against the Northern Kingdom.  On one of these battles, a Samaritan girl had been taken captive, and became the handmaiden (a slave) to Naaman’s wife.  This slave girl knew of Elisha, and believed that he could heal Naaman’s leprosy.  She mentioned him to Naaman’s wife., who must have then mentioned it to Naaman.  (vv. 2-3)
• Naaman is desperate to be cured of this shameful disease, so he goes to the king, and tells him. The king offers to write a letter to the king of Samaria.  In order to hide his shame, Naaman heads south with a mammoth amount of money, as well as ten fancy suits of clothes.  (vv. 4-5)
• Naaman first went to the king of Israel with the letter.  The king freaked out, tearing his garment.  (This is a universal sign of extreme despair.  It is done when grieving, when someone blasphemed against God, etc.)  In the king’s case, it was his way of saying “How can you expect me to cure someone of leprosy?” He was also afraid that Naaman’s king was trying to start a fight.  (vv. 6-7)
• Elisha, on the other hand, tells the king—“Why did you tear your clothes?  Send him to me, so I can show him the power of our God.” (v. 8)
• So, Naaman proceeded to Elisha’s house, dressed in his finest, riding in a war chariot pulled by war horses, and bringing a treasure chest full of money.  All of this was intended to impress Elisha into doing something for this foreigner.  But Elisha was not impressed.  He doesn’t even come out to see Naaman.  Instead, he sent a servant out to tell him what to do.  What an insult!  (vv. 9-10)
• Naaman is visibly upset.  He has not only been upstaged by Elisha, but he was told to simply wash in the river! He wants nothing to do with it, and leaves in a rage.  (vv. 11-12)
• His servants convince him to do as he was instructed.  In humility, he goes to the river and washes seven times, as instructed. It works!  (vv. 13-14)
• He returns to Elisha, praising the God of Israel.  And he gave him the present of money.  (v. 15)

THE TAKEAWAY

This story prepares us for understanding the gospel lesson for the day.  Also, verses 9-10 show me that Naaman was a very proud man.  He had preconceived notions about what would happen, based on his pride.  Naaman had to first learn to be humble before he could approach the man of God for healing. The same holds true for us.  It is impossible to approach God without humility.

2 TIMOTHY 2:8-15

THE BACKGROUND

Paul continues to give Timothy (and us) some very useful device, in spite of the fact that Paul is chained and in a Roman prison.

THE DETAIL

• In verses 8 & 9, Paul instructs Timothy to remember something.  And in eight short words, Paul explains why he is not ashamed to be in chains in a Roman prison.  The words below in bold type are the words.  Each has my explanation.  Paul says that Jesus is:
  1. Christ—the Anointed One.  He is the Messiah, in spite of his shameful death.
  2. Raised from the dead—His resurrection is the proof positive we need to put our trust in him.
  3. Descendant of David—He is our king.  The promised rule of the Davidic line has been restored.
• Paul says it is for this reason that he suffers—to bring the Good News of salvation in Christ Jesus to all.  (v. 10)
• What follows is either a summary of his teachings or an old Christian hymn.  Either way, it encourages us to be faithful, even in the face of suffering or embarrassment.  (vv. 11-13)
• We are reminded that when we Christians argue amongst ourselves, not only do we accomplish nothing, but we spoil the name of Jesus to those [non-believers?] who might be listening.  We come off as hypocrites, since we are not showing love for one another.  (v. 14)
• Paul closes with words of encouragement.  Don’t be ashamed, but present yourself with confidence, as you are approved by God himself. Good advice for us as well!  (v. 15)

THE TAKEAWAY

Paul’s eight words say it all.  The problem we Christians have is that we can’t keep it that simple.  We need to wrangle with one another, discussing the finer points of prayer, number of sacraments, what a proper baptism is and isn’t, when to baptize, etc.  We fail to realize how foolish we look to non-believers.  In one breath we say “love your neighbor”, and in the next we argue with our brothers and sisters over details.  Yet, we all agree on those eight words.  Let’s get along!
 

LUKE 17:11-19

THE BACKGROUND

Several lessons can be gleaned from today’s Gospel.

THE DETAIL

• Jesus is headed to Jerusalem.  This will be a one-way trip.  At the time of this story, he was in the border area between Galilee and Samaria. While the Jews tolerate Gentiles, they hate Samaritans.  Oddly, Samaritans worship the God Yahweh, but have somewhat different traditions than Judean Jews.  I guess their “wrangling” over details went ballistic at some point in time.  (v. 11)
• Ten lepers approach him, but they kept their distance.  This was required by Mosaic Law.  After all, lepers were highly contagious.  (v. 12)
• They call Jesus “Master”, which was normally a title for Jesus that only his disciples used. I take it as an expression of humble admiration and faith.  They ask for mercy.  (v. 13)
• Jesus healed them on the spot, and told them to show themselves to the priest.  This was according to the instruction from the Torah—if you were cleansed from leprosy, a priest needed to examine you.  If he deemed you clean, you could re-enter society.  If not, you were still an outcast, and could not touch or come in contact with anyone.  (v. 14)
• One of the ten was so elated at being cured, that he returned to Jesus, shouting praises to God.  “And he was a Samaritan.”  (vv. 15-16)
• Jesus is quick to point out that this “foreigner” was the only one of the ten to return and praise him.  He sent him on his way.  (vv. 17-19)

THE TAKEAWAY

This story holds several lessons for us.  First, for many of the onlookers, they would be reminded of Elisha’s miracle healing. It might tell them that Jesus is no ordinary itinerant preacher.  Second, Jesus’ promise of saving grace is not reserved for “God’s Chosen People”, but is for everyone, including this despised Samaritan.  Third, we should remain humble and thankful when receiving God’s healing grace, acting like the one in ten.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

When it comes to living our lives under God’s grace, are we like the Samaritan leper or like Naaman? Are we puffed up and proud, or humble and thankful for God’s loving grace?

HABAKKUK 1:1-4, 2:1-4

THE BACKGROUND

We know very little about the prophet Habakkuk, other than that he was a prophet to Judah during the first stages of Judah’s downfall to Babylon.  The first two chapters of the book are a dialogue with God.  The third is a psalm-like prayer.

THE DETAIL

• The first chapter, which is exemplified in verses 1-4, seems to challenge God with the question “Why, God, are you allowing these brutal Babylonian pagans to conquer your chosen people.  As bad as we are, we are certainly more righteous than they are.”  In verse 4, the “wicked” are the Babylonians, and the “righteous” are the Judeans.  Habakkuk simply cannot figure God out.   Habakkuk asks why would God allow this to happen?
• The second paragraph, from the second chapter, has Habakkuk shrugging, and taking his place on the ramparts.  (More on ramparts in the Takeaway.)  In faith, he will await God’s answer.  And God does just that.  God tells Habakkuk to write down the holy vision, and make it understandable even to a runner.  (vv. 1-2)
• The vision calls for the people to be patient.  God will make things right, but it will take time.  Just wait for it.  (v. 3)
• In the final verse, “the proud” are the Babylonians—their spirit is not right in them. “The righteous” are the Judeans.  God’s chosen people are told to live lives of patient faithfulness.  (v. 4)

THE TAKEAWAY

A years ago, I had the privilege of walking on the ramparts of an old castle in France.  From the ramparts, the outer walls of the castle, I had a clear view of the surrounding countryside.  It is a beautiful place to go, especially when you are in prayer. Or in Habakkuk’s case waiting for an answer to prayer.

We all know and believe that God answers prayer.  But we often want immediate answers.  God answers in his own time, and calls on us to be patient and faithful. 

2 TIMOTHY 1:1-14

THE BACKGROUND

Paul wrote this while a prisoner in Rome.  His hopes of being released are fading fast.  In spite of this, Paul has words of strength and encouragement for Timothy.  Timothy’s family is mentioned in verse five.  Timothy’s father was a Jew who did not accept Jesus as the Messiah.   His mother and grandmother were Gentiles who had accepted Jesus as their savior.

THE DETAIL

• In spite of Paul’s impending death, he is upbeat and positive.  He writes of the “promise of life”.  He is referring, of course, not to life on earth, but eternal life. (vv. 1-2)
• Paul is thankful for Timothy and his family, who have been pillars of the church.  Paul would love to see him again, but probably knows that this will not happen.  Perhaps this is the reason for the tears.  (vv. 3-5)
• He reminds Timothy (and us) that through the Holy Spirit, we have the spirit of power, love, and self-discipline.  That’s quite a combination!  We’ll see why we need all three in the next verses.  (vv. 6-7)
• Timothy is encouraged to not be ashamed to stand up for Jesus or Paul.  We sing a song about standing up for Jesus.  It’s a fun and happy song.  But back in Timothy and Paul’s day, Jesus was considered by many to be nothing more than a criminal who was executed by the Roman authorities. And now Paul is in jail and will surely die there.  Both facts offer a lot of opportunity for embarrassment and shame.  But Paul reminds Timothy of God’s grace—the loving grace that the Father had by sacrificing His only son for us.  This is something to be proud of.  (vv. 8-10)
• Paul goes on to say that this is why he preached the gospel, and is why he is suffering for it. He encourages Timothy to have the love, power, and self-discipline (remember verse 7?) to do the same.  I love the beginning of verse 14—“Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit…”  (vv. 11-14) 

THE TAKEAWAY

We are blessed to live in a land where all are free to worship and practice our faith as we chose. We need to be committed to preserving this right for all people of faith, not just to those who believe as we do. Nobody should have to suffer for their faith like Paul and so many Christians of his day did. 

FOOD FOR THOUHT

What is the “good treasure” that is mentioned in verse 14?  (Hint:  see verses 8-10) 

How do we guard it?  (See below.)
 

LUKE 17:5-10

THE BACKGROUND

In the four verses just ahead of today’s reading, Jesus warns his followers of being a stumbling block to other’s faith, and of being willing to forgive others, even if they do it repeatedly.

THE DETAIL

• In response to all the above, the disciples ask Jesus to increase their faith. Obviously, they recognized the need for more faith for the challenges that lay ahead.  (v. 5)
• Next, Jesus tells them a parable.  He uses the example of a slave/servant and his master.  I’ll try to explain this in the Takeaway.

THE TAKEAWAY

There was a TV series that my wife and I loved, called Downton Abbey.  It was about an English aristocratic family, their social circle, and the lives of the servants.  We also watched a program called “The Making of Downton Abbey”.  It was explained that it was not proper for the family to thank the servants each time they did a task to serve them.  If the family did this, they’d be thanking everybody all day long.  After all, it was the servants’ job to do what they did.  No thanks was required or expected.  We modern Americans are not accustomed to this, so Jesus’ parable might seem odd. Maybe knowing how servants and masters interact, we might better understand his parable. 

By telling this peculiar parable, I think Jesus is telling them that it is not how much faith you have, but about the quality or strength of we have.  Strength of faith comes from doing.  It comes from teaching, healing, feeding, picking up those who stumble and from forgiving.  It’s like spiritually pumping iron!  But if you think about it, this is simply our job as Christians.  We should not be looking for thanks, praise, or even for heavenly “brownie points”.  It is simply what we should be doing as lovers of God, servants of our Lord. When you get to that point, you’ve got a strong faith.

Amos 9:1a, 4-7

Although this reading is several chapters after last week’s reading, but it goes right along with it. As you may recall from last week, Amos was a prophet to the northern kingdom called Israel.  It was also known by other names, such as Jacob, Samaria, etc. The rich were getting richer, and the poorer getting poorer.  Those who were successful were insensitive to the needs o the less fortunate around them.  Amos is called in to alert them to their failure to show God’s love to the disadvantaged.  This week’s reading is aimed squarely at the insensitive rich.  This is God’s judgement on them. 

Archaeologists have indeed found beds of ivory in large homes in Samaria.  The surrounding settlements have much smaller homes—these were the homes of the poor.  Through Amos, God tells these people that their luxurious life will be short-lived. Amos was calling for repentance. But his prophecies fell on deaf ears.  Not long after, Babylonian armies came to destroy Israel, kill some, and cart off others.

Things are no different today.  For example, over the past 12 years, executive salaries have increased by a factor of 10, 20, or more.  Yet, the minimum wage has remained unchanged.  Beds are no longer made of ivory, but homes in resort towns are getting larger and more numerous.  While being wealthy is not itself sinful, it often leads people away from God’s desire to share our blessings with those less fortunate.

1 Timothy 6:6-19

THE BACKGROUND

In this letter to his beloved friend Timothy, Paul gives him some wise advice that would be good for all of us to heed. 

THE DETAIL

• We are encouraged to ascribe to that winning combination of godliness and contentment. We are told to be satisfied with what we have.  (vv. 6-8) 
• We are cautioned of the risk that comes from seeking wealth.  Calling wealth “the root of all evil” is a little strong, but it is not wrong. Paul lists for us some of the temptations that come from achieving financial success.  I’m sure that you can think of a few other traps that wealthy Christians might fall into.  Instead, Paul urges us to shun the pursuit of riches, and focus on godliness, faith, love, etc. (vv. 9-12)
• Paul then recalls the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.  (vv. 13-16)
• Paul closes by telling us that if we are indeed rich, we should focus on being humble.  We should set our hopes on the riches of life in Christ, rather than the uncertainty of riches.  (vv. 17-19)

THE TAKEAWAY

Last week, we touched on the humanized idol of Mammon—the god of riches.  You may recall that Jesus said that it is more difficult for a rich man to pass through the eye of a needle than to go to heaven.  He did not say it was impossible; it was simply going to be darned difficult.  Oftentimes, when people acquire wealth, their values change.  The “god” of Mammon takes precedence over living in Christ Jesus. It takes a strong person to resist this temptation.  Our call is to not lose our focus, which is living as humble servants to the Lord, sharing our abundance with others less fortunate.
 

Luke 16:19-31

THE BACKGROUND

The sixteenth chapter of Luke consists of two parables about the rich.  We studied the first one last week.  This week, we study the second.  In between, verse 14 states that when the Pharisees heard the first parable, they made fun of Jesus, because “they were lovers of money”.  So, Jesus responds with the parable that we will study today.

THE DETAIL

• This is the story of a rich man (who remains nameless) and a poor man named Lazarus.  The rich man lives a lavish life, and feasts daily. People of this stature were expected to share their scraps and excess with the poor.  Many dwellings even had benches outs them for the poor to wait on. But Lazarus got nothing from this man. (vv. 19-21)
• In the story, both die.  Lazarus goes “to be with father Abraham”, a Jewish concept of heaven popular at the time. The rich man goes to Hades (hell). (vv. 22-23)
• The rich man’s pleas for mercy go unheeded.  Finally, he begs father Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers.  And here’s the irony in the story:  Abraham tells the rich man that his brothers have all they need to know, to behave in a God-pleasing way.  They won’t change their ways “even if someone raises from the dead.”  Jesus is obviously talking about the stubbornness of the Pharisees. He is probably aware that they will not change their attitudes, even after he is raised from the dead in the weeks ahead.  (vv. 24-31)

THE TAKEAWAY

Now, we all know that our salvation does not come from doing charitable works, but by the blood of our Lord Jesus on the cross.  Since our faith is pinned to the cross, our actions should follow accordingly.  Just before this parable, in verse 15, Jesus says “…but God knows your hearts; for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God.”  We have always admired the wealthy members of our society, but God could care less.  He is concerned about what is in our hearts. He expects everyone to act with love and compassion to everyone, regardless of their social or financial status.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Could God have higher expectations for those with greater blessings?

AMOS 8:4-7

THE BACKGROUND

Under the long and peaceful reign of king Jeroboam II, the northern kingdom of Israel prospered. Peace and prosperity seemed to be everywhere.  Those at the top were careful to observe good worship practices, but in daily living they were cheating the poor to line their pockets.  Sometime in the 750’s B.C., Amos is called by God to speak His mind to those in control, calling for justice. 

THE DETAIL

• These abusers of the needy and poor are called to listen to God’s decree.  (v. 4)
• Some of details of their actions are listed.  First, they are anxiously waiting for religious festivals and the Sabbath to be over, so they can resume their dishonest trading.  (v. 5a)
• Second, they cheat the consumers by using bushel baskets of grain (ephahs) small, inflating the price (shekel) and using false balances to weigh goods.  The poor are being sold less of the grain they need to eat, just so the merchants can line their pockets.  (V. 5b)
• Once the poor are bankrupt, they will be sold into slavery for a pittance. (v. 6)
• The Lord promises that He will never forget their actions.  (v. 7)

THE TAKEAWAY

Throughout the Bible, both in the Old Testament and the New, 
God’s will is crystal clear.  He yearns for justice and for His people to have compassion on the underprivileged.  Are things any better today?
 

1 TIMOTHY 2:1-7

THE BACKGROUND

Timothy was one of Paul’s closest disciples.  Paul entrusted him to the care of several of the churches they had established in Asia Minor.  This letter, as stated in 1:18, is a list of instructions for Timothy to use as a guide as a church leader.

THE DETAIL

• The instructions start out by urging Timothy and his churches to pray for everyone, including kings and those in high positions.  
  We’ll discuss this in the Takeaway.  (vv. 1-2)
• This is a good thing, states the writer.  God wants everyone to be saved, including the political leaders.  (vv. 3-4)
• Now, it is made clear that there is only one God and one Mediator; they are God the Father and God the Son.  (v. 5)
• We are reminded that Jesus gave his live as a ransom for everyone.  (v. 6)
• The Paul concludes that he was appointed by God to proclaim this gospel, especially to the Gentiles.  (v. 7)

THE TAKEAWAY

During the time of the New Testament, the Roman emperor was their savior and their lord.  Granted, the Roman Peace saved them from petty political uprisings.  In later years, the Caesars were deified (glorified as gods).  There was only one lord, and that was Caesar.  Paul asks us to pray for Caesar and all our leaders.  In his day, there was no religious freedom, unless it was allowed by Caesar.  By praying for those in power, the hope was that they could live “a quiet and peaceable life”.  If Caesar became a Christian, so much the better.  (This would finally happen in 325).  Paul makes it clear that even Caesar is lower that God and Jesus.  1 Timothy 6:15 spells this out, stating that “…Jesus Christ … is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.”
 

LUKE 16:1-13

THE BACKGROUND

Jesus is on the road, teaching in parables.  Keep in mind that each parable is a lesson to its listeners.  Each parable has the purpose of teaching one lesson.  The more you get into the details of the story, the more you run the risk of missing the one single point.  In this story, the parable is in verses 1-8a.  Jesus explains the meaning in 8b-13.

This parable is perhaps one of his most puzzling ones.  It helps to know something about lending money in a Jewish community during Jesus’s time.  By Jewish law, lenders were not allowed to charge interest on loans.  Consequently, when someone wanted to buy a piece of property on credit, the property would be sold at 25-50% more than its true worth. This is how they got around the law.

Also, it helps to understand one word and its alternate meanings.  The word “wealth” used in most modern translations was translated as “Mammon” in the King James.  Mammon is a personified god of money.  The use of Mammon here seems to be more appropriate.

THE DETAIL

• A rich man employs a steward to manage his money.  The steward did a poor job of it, and squandered the boss’ money.  (v. 1)
• The boss calls in the steward, demands an accounting of the money lost, and pledges to fire.  (v. 2)
• The steward, worried about his future, concocts a strange plan.  He reduces the customers’ debts, most likely reducing the loan to its true price.  This wins him a new round of friends, and a promising future.  His boss’ esteem in the community also gets a boost, because of his supposed generosity.  Oddly enough, his master is impressed by this shrewdness, even though it cost him his profit. (vv. 3-8a)
• Jesus tells us the “moral of the story”.  First, the people “of this age” are more shrewd that “children of light”.  This is the key to understanding the sayings that follow.  He is contrasting his followers’ outlook on life to those around them.  (v. 8b) 
• Skipping to verse 13, Jesus states that we cannot serve two masters; we can either be shrewd and dishonest or be faithful to God by doing business in a compassionate way. 
• In between verse 8 and 13 are a bunch of Jesus’ sayings which are quite confusing. We can easily jump to the wrong conclusion.  I’m going to gloss over them.  If you choose to try to understand them, do so knowing what Jesus says in verses 8 and 13.  

THE TAKEAWAY

Martin Luther once said “Many a person thinks he has God and everything he needs when he has money and property.  In them he trusts and of them he boasts so stubbornly and securely that he cares for no one.  Surely such a man also has a god—mammon by name, that is, money and possessions—on which he fixes his whole heart.  It is the most common idol on earth”. 

The point is that in our economic relationships with others we should practice neighbor love.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

There is no doubting it. We are enchanted by mammon.  We idolize the rich.  Here’s a question for you.  Of these wealthy people, which practice neighbor love and which worship mammon?  Bill Gates, Donald Trump, Warren Buffet, Elon Musk, Taylor Swift.

EXODUS 32:7-14

THE BACKGROUND

God’s chosen people have been released from slavery in Egypt, and are at the foot of Mount Sinai.  Moses has been up on the mountain, communicating with God.  He has been gone a long time.  The people have grown impatient.  They have collected gold from the people, and made an idol. 

THE DETAIL

• God breaks the news to Moses.  Interestingly, He says “your people”, when referring to the people down in the encampment.  Earlier, in Exodus 5:1, God says “Let my  people go…” What has changed?  (vv. 7-8)
• God is angry.  He calls the people “stiff-necked”.  What might that mean?  (v. 9)
• He tells Moses to stand back, because he is going to obliterate them, and start over with Moses!  (v. 10)
• Moses does not step back.  He “implores” God to reconsider.  I have just learned that this word “implore” means something a little deeper in the original Hebrew.  It means to be almost sick with humble intensity.  So then, Moses humbly urges God to reconsider.  He cleverly uses God’s own promises to change his mind. ( vv. 11-13)
• Lo and behold, God does change his mind!  (v. 14)

THE TAKEAWAY

A few weeks ago, Abraham persuaded God to rethink His plans about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Now, we have another example.  This illustrates the willingness of God to listen to our requests, and perhaps change his plans.  I think it is key to remember “our place” when making these requests, and approach God with a humble spirit.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

What would it say about you, if God called you a stiff-necked person? How do we keep from having God call us one?
 

1 TIMOTHY 1:12-17

THE BACKGROUND

Timothy was one of Paul’s key people.  He was put in charge of several churches at various times.  He was with Paul on his second and third missionary trips. Paul wrote two letters of instruction to him.  In this portion of the first letter, Paul presents his own story.

THE DETAIL

• Paul begins by expressing his gratitude in Jesus for appointing him to serve the Lord.  He gives Jesus all the credit.  He deserves none of the credit, for the reasons that will follow.  (v. 12)
• He calls himself several unflattering names, including “a man of violence”.  (v. 13)
• He was saved, purely by the free and abundant grace of God. (v. 14)
• He calls himself the foremost (or worst) of sinners.  He goes on to say that this is why Jesus chose him for this mission; because he was such a bad sinner.  He used Paul as an example to show that no one is beyond forgiveness.  (vv. 15-16)
• Because of this, he concludes his witness with praise for Jesus.

THE TAKEAWAY

Paul has to be one of the most influential Christians of all time. Yet, he is humble, calling himself the worst of all sinners.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

If Paul is that low, where does that put us?

LUKE 15:1-10

THE BACKGROUND

As Jesus works his way towards Jerusalem, he teaches and interacts with the people.  Some religious officials are starting to criticize Jesus.

A note about tax collectors.  These were members of the Jewish community who were employed by the Romans to collect taxes from the Jews.  They were, in effect, traitors to their own people.  To make matters worse, many tax collectors used this authority to overcharge, and skim off some for themselves.  Needless to say, they were not held in high regard in the community.

THE DETAIL

• Part of the people who came to Jesus were tax collectors and other “sinners”.  No details are given.  They must have been undesirables, judging from what comes next. (v. 1)
• The scribes and Pharisees (the righteous part of the community) notice these ruffians, and grumble.  They must have been pretty vocal, because Jesus overhears their grumbling. (v. 2)
• He tells them two parables.  The first is the parable of the lost sheep.  The second one is the parable of the lost coin.  The point of both stories is the same, and is summarized in the last verse.  (vv. 3-9)
• Jesus uses these two parables to illustrate the joy that exists in heaven over one of the “lost” souls being “found.  (v. 10)

THE TAKEAWAY

It is an east trap to fall into.  You attend church regularly.  You tithe. You serve God by serving those around you.  Then, some tacky person shows up in church, and expected to be treated like a normal person.  This is what Jesus does, and people grumble.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Are you a grumbler or a greeter?