GENESIS 18:20-32

THE BACKGROUND

This is a continuation of last week’s story.  Three travelers appeared at Abraham’s camp.  As was the custom of the day, he fed them, and provided shelter from the desert heat.  But these were no ordinary travelers; they were from God. 

THE DETAIL

• They tell Abraham that they are on a reconnaissance mission; they’ve heard how bad things were in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.  If they are as bad as they had heard, they were to destroy those cities.  The text literally says that “the Lord” said these words.  In fact, the Lord stays behind, while the other two continue on the mission.  More on that in the takeaway.  (vv. 20-22)
•  Abraham and the Lord engage in an interesting discussion.  Abraham asks the Lord if He really would destroy entire cities, the good along with the bad.  (v. 23)
• Abraham gets bolder, and asks if the Lord would do this if there were fifty good people living there.  He is even so bold as to say “Far be it from you to do such a thing…”  That takes nerve!  The Lord says if 50, then no.  (vv. 24-26)
• In the following verses, Abraham bargains the Lord down to ten!  (vv. 27-32)
• If you read further, you will discover that they did not even find ten righteous people living there.  Only Lot’s family was spared.

THE TAKEAWAY

The astonishing thing to me is that the Lord is one of the three who met Abraham near the oaks of Mamre.  Not only that, but they had a candid conversation!  Tradition has it that if you see God’s face, you would be struck dead.  So, how did this discussion take place?  This makes me wanting for details, and finding very few.  So, rather than focus on the “how”, let’s focus on the discussion.

Abraham essentially gets God to change his mind. Abraham appeals to His sense of decency and fairness.  Now, keep in mind that Abraham’s brother Lot lives in Sodom, so Abraham knows that there is at least one good family there.  But the point is that Abraham changes God’s mind. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

There was a rock band in the 60’s named the Moody Blues. In one of their recordings, the lead singer shouts out “YOU CANNOT PETETION THE LORD WITH PRAYER!!!”  According to this story above, is appears that we can.

COLOSSIANS 2:6-15

THE BACKGROUND

Paul wrote this letter to a church that a fellow disciple established.  In his letter, Paul has been talking about Jesus being present at the creation of the world.  He has reminded them that they are reconciled with God through Jesus’ death on the cross. He encouraged them to remain steadfast in their faith.  Now, he focuses in on giving them some sound advice about their faith-walk.

THE DETAIL

•  He encourages them to strengthen their faith by being “rooted” and “built up” in Jesus. A tree receives its nutrients from the soil through its roots.  Likewise, being rooted in Jesus means that all our “nutrients” and strength should come from Jesus.  This strength will cause us to be built up in faith—we grow.  (vv. 6-7)
• He cautions them against being persuaded by other influences, such as philosophy, deceit, or believing in “elemental spirits” rather than being rooted in Jesus.  That last one has puzzled scholars for centuries.  Here’s one possible explanation.  Back then, it was thought that everything was made from four elements—earth, wind, fire, and water.  Some even revered these elements to the point of worship.  This could be what Paul was referring to, but maybe not.  The point is that we should be rooted in Jesus, and not influenced by other distractions.  Since Jesus is the head of everything, we should focus on him, and nothing else.  (vv. 8-10)
• Paul reminds them of the full meaning of their baptism.  He even calls it a spiritual circumcision.  Through baptism, they (and we) have died with Jesus on the cross, are buried and are raised with him.  We are his and he is ours.  (vv. 11-12)
• The next paragraph reminds us of what life would be like without Jesus—we would be dead because of our trespasses.  But because of Jesus, we are alive together.  Our sins are nailed on Jesus’ cross, and we are forgiven!  (vv. 13-15)

THE TAKEAWAY

Even today, we can be lured away from being rooted in Jesus.  It is easy to pin our hopes on the stock market, our savings, or on a political leader. This passage encourages us to forget about all that other stuff, and pin our hopes on Jesus.

LUKE 11:1-13

THE BACKGROUND

Today’s gospel lesson follows last week’s lesson. Last week, Jesus had dinner at Mary’s house, while her sister Martha listened to Jesus rather than serve the men. They are on the road again, and Jesus has stopped to pray.

THE DETAIL

• After Jesus finishes praying, a disciple asks him to teach them how to pray. So he taught them the prayer we call The Lord’s Prayer.  You may notice that “for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory” is absent.  Jesus did not teach them this.  This doxology was added soon after, in the early years of the church.  Some churches omit this, because Jesus did not teach it. Others include it, because it is a fitting praise ending to the prayer.  (vv. 1-4)
• He then teaches them about prayer through two parables.  The first is about a man asking his friend for bread in the middle of the night.  At first, it doesn’t look like he’s going to get any bread.  But because of his persistence, he does.  This is completely in line with this week’s passage about Abraham. Persistence will change God’s mind.  (vv. 5-8)
• Jesus encourages us to ask, search, and knock; if we do, we will receive an answer. (vv. 9-10)
• Finally, Jesus likens our prayers to a child asking their father for something. A good, loving father gives his child food when the child asks.  It is the same with our father in heaven.  (vv. 11-13)

THE TAKEAWAY

Remember that in the opening line of the prayer in verse 2 we call God our father.  This is something that we are very used to.  Paul says that some even called God “Daddy” when they prayed!  But to the faithful of Jesus’ day, this was a radical idea.  God was an almighty being, far off.  To call him father or daddy was a new concept.  It signaled a change in our relationship with God to a more intimate, loving one.  It is not only right to call Him Father, but to expect that He will lovingly answer our prayers as well.

GENESIS 18:1-10a

THE BACKGROUND

This is the well-known story of Abraham and Sarah and the three messengers.

THE DETAIL

• We are told that the Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre.  I’m not certain that Abraham knew this straightaway.  I doubt it.  But we get insider information.  (v. 1)
• Abraham appears to be a very gracious host to these strangers.  He is, in fact, merely observing the custom of the day.  In a desert climate, when travelers appeared, you were expected to provide food, drink, and shelter.  Not offering these would be unthinkable.  Desert travel is risky business.  Everybody is expected to provide this level of hospitality.  (vv. 2-8)
• As he was watching them eat, they asked about his wife Sarah.  “She’s over there in the tent.”  (v. 9)
• One of them says something incredible.  He predicts that she will bear a son to Abraham.  (v. 10a)

THE TAKEAWAY

You may know the rest of the story.  Sarah overhears this, and laughs to herself.  She has a right to laugh, because she is over 90 years old.  Not only that, but Abraham is older than her. What are the chances that two people of that age could conceive, let alone Sarah give birth? 

A few verses later, she denies laughing.  But one of the messengers says something that is key-- “Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?” (v. 14) Let’s hope that nothing that wonderful happens to those of us who are “up in age”!  But when God has  plan, nothing gets in the way.

COLOSSIANS 1:15-28

THE BACKGROUND

It is good to remember that we have the benefit of time.  This is something that the first century Christians did not have.  Over the eons, church leaders have sorted out the details of the relationship between God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  We are very familiar with the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed.  In the first century, the church fathers, like Paul, had to remind believers of Jesus’ place in the big picture.  About half of today’s lesson is just that.  In doing so, Paul uses some phrases and concepts that are interesting to ponder. Let’s have a look. 

THE DETAIL

• Paul starts out by stating that Jesus is “the image of God”—Jesus is what God looks like.  This is not news, actually.  In early June, our gospel lesson has Philip asking Jesus to show them the Father.  “Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.’” (John 14:9) 
• The next two verses sound a lot like the first chapter of the gospel of John.  Jesus was there at the beginning of creation.  (vv. 16-17)
• Here are two statements worth thinking about.  Jesus is the head of the church.  (And we are Jesus’ body in this time and place.)  He is also the firstborn of the dead; he leads the way for us in eternal life. (v. 18)
• We now get a description of Jesus’ life-saving mission.  I like how he says “through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things.”  Our Father wanted to make things right between us and him.  He sent His son to do this.  Jesus dutifully obeyed the Father’s will.  (vv. 19-20)
• Paul shifts from the Father and Son to us.  Before we knew Jesus, we were lost, doing things that were displeasing to the Lord.  Now that we have followed Jesus, we are made right with God through Jesus’ death on the cross.  Paul goes on to urge us to remain steadfast in this faith, and not stumble.  (vv. 21-23a)
• Paul then talks about his own mission as a servant of the gospel.  He has suffered greatly for this mission, but that doesn’t matter. (vv. 23b-25)
• He takes pleasure in revealing the ancient mysteries that are now revealed to us, the saints. In fact, God wants all of us Gentiles to share in the riches of this mystery.  (vv. 26-27)
• By learning and understanding this mystery, we become “mature in Christ”.  (v. 28)

THE TAKEAWAY

If you’re wondering what the mystery is that Paul is talking about, he already told you.  It is there in the first half of the lesson.  It is the mystery of Jesus being there at the very beginning, doing the Father’s will, and coming to earth to reconcile the difference between God’s expectations and our failure to live up to them.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

1. Who is doing all the work in this passage?
2. What is our job, according to this passage?

Answers

1. God alone.
2. Remain steadfast in faith

LUKE 10:38-42

THE BACKGROUND

This story can be a troublemaker, if you let it.  Fortunately, I have a new insight on this story, which I recently learned from a female Palestinian Lutheran Pastor.  But first, let’s look at the story.

THE DETAIL

• On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus stops at the home of Martha.  You know her brother Lazarus, and her sister Mary.  But it states that it is Martha’s home.  In those days, that only meant that Martha was a widow, and her husband had left her the home.  (v. 38)
• Her sister, Mary, sat at Jesus’ feet, listening to his words.  In those days, you sat at the feet of your teacher to learn.  (v. 39)
• Martha complains to Jesus that Mary is not doing what she is supposed to be doing.  Boldly, she tells Jesus “Tell her to help me.”  (v. 40)
• Jesus tells Martha no, that Mary may sit at his feet and learn.  (v. 41)

THE TAKEAWAY

This Palestinian pastor provided me with a great cultural insight into this story.  She said that even today, women in that culture are expected to prepare meals for the men.  It is the men who discuss important matters.  The lines of division are very clear, and Mary had crossed the line. She chose to abandon her duties, and listen to Jesus’ teaching.  Martha was doing what was expected of women.  Mary was shirking her duties.  Martha was devoted to serving and Mary to learning.

This pastor goes on to say that both learning and serving are equally important in Christian life. Serving is a vital part of what we do, but it comes after learning.

There is a great story in the book of Acts about this.  In chapter 6, there is a dispute amongst the believers.  Some of the widows were being neglected, because the church leaders were too focused on teaching, not serving.  They solved this by setting up a separate group to ensure that all the widows would not go hungry.  They came to realize that they must strike a balance between teaching and serving. 

This same tension exists in today’s gospel lesson.  Mary steps out of her expected role, and wants to learn.  Jesus tells us that learning is vital.  We must all find the balance between learning and serving. 

DEUTERONOMY 30:9-14

THE BACKGROUND

The book of Deuteronomy is a very long covenant between God, Moses, and His people.  It is a detailed listing of The Laws of Moses, including the Ten Commandments.  It is not a complete list—more are to be found in the book of Leviticus.  (There are 613 in all.)  The people of God are about to enter the Promised Land, which is occupied by the Canaanites.  These laws define a new, God-approved way of living which is uniquely different from the Canaanites. 

THE DETAIL

• Just before verse 9 of our passage, verse 8 speaks of obeying God’s commandments.  God says that if they are obedient, things will go well for them; they will be blessed with prosperity.  (v. 9)
• The second part of this sentence is at the core of the reason for doing this.  I’m going to switch the order around thusly:

“When you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, you will obey the Lord your God, and observe his commandments and decrees…” (v. 10)

• The next paragraph is a little word of encouragement, and needs little explanation.  God seems to say “Aw, come on.  It’s not that hard.  You can do it!” (vv. 11-14)

THE TAKEAWAY

In the chapters preceding our passage, God lays down a series of blessings for those who follow these laws for living, as well as a series of curses for those who do not.  God’s message is clear—“If you love me, you will do these things, and you will be blessed.  They are do-able, so don’t tell me that it is too hard.  Do them and we will be in a close relationship.  Do them, and you will prosper.”  Some have turned this and other passages into a tit-for-tat plan for financial gain.  I have even heard some preachers claim that if you donate $100, you can expect to receive $10,000, because the bible says you’ll receive a hundredfold for your generosity.  I’ve tried that, and I’m still waiting for the $10,000 to roll in!  But what I have experienced is that when I’m in a close relationship with God, living my life “in the Spirit”, there is an inner peace and joy that is worth that $10,000. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Living in the Spirit requires “letting go, and letting God”.  Are you ready?  You can do it. “It is not too hard for you.” (v. 11b)

COLOSSIANS 1:1-14

THE BACKGROUND

For the next four weeks we will be reading from the letter that Paul wrote to the church in Colossae. The city of Colossae was situated in what is modern day Turkey.  It was once a commercial center for the production of red-dyed wool.  It was a textile town.  There is no evidence that Paul ever visited Colossae.  It appears that this church was the result of a man named in today’s passage—Epahrus (“ee-PAF-ruhs”).  Epaphrus reported to Paul of the success of this church, and Paul has written these words of encouragement to them.  They are good words of encouragement for us as well.

THE DETAIL

• This is Paul’s classic opening line in all his letters.  It includes the “to” and “from”, as well as a blessing.  Paul mentions Timothy, who is one of his constant traveling companions.  (vv. 1-2)
• Paul and his companions have heard of their faith, and thank God for it when they pray.  (vv. 3-4)
• Here is a beautiful section, which describes the “hope laid up for us in heaven” because of our faith in the gospel message, the good news that Jesus has died for our sins. (v. 5)
• Their faith has borne fruit, because they have truly comprehended the grace of God.  (v. 6)
• Paul gives full credit to Epaphrus (with the Holy Spirit’s help, of course).  (vv. 7-8)
• In verses 9- 11, Paul now gives them the details of his prayers to God for this church:
  • That they may be filled with knowledge and spiritual wisdom
  • That they will lead lives worth of the Lord. 
  • That they will bear fruit (not peaches and berries, but souls).
  • That they will be made strong [in faith].
  • That they will be prepared to endure hardship for their faith with patience and joy (!).
• This section of his letter is concluded by giving thanks to the Father, and reminding them that they have been rescued from darkness, and are transferred life in the kingdom.  (vv. 12-14)

THE TAKEAWAY

Through Paul, God gives us a good shopping list for spiritual growth.  Verses 9-11 lead the way.  The clincher is there in verse 11—when we endure hardship for our faith, we must to so not just with patience, but with joyful patience!  That’s gonna take some effort, but at least we know that we have the Holy Spirit’s help.

LUKE 10: 25-37

THE BACKGROUND

This is the well-known parable of the Good Samaritan.  Many think that this is a story to tell us to be nice to people.  But Jesus tells this story for a different reason; to teach us a different lesson.  Let’s see if we can learn what Jesus wants us to learn.

THE DETAIL

• As Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem, a man who is an expert in the Laws of Moses (remember our first lesson?) confronts Jesus, and asks him a poignant question.  (v. 25)
• Essentially, Jesus says “You tell me!”  (v. 26)
• The lawyer’s answer is spot-on, but interesting.  It is a combination of the first of the Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 6:5) and an obscure law from Leviticus 19:18—love God, and love your neighbor.  (v. 27)
• Jesus approves of this answer.  (v. 28)
• Here comes the clincher, and the motivation behind Jesus telling this story.  The lawyer, wanting to justify himself, wants to know who has to be his neighbor.  In other words, he is asking Jesus who his neighbor isn’t.  (v. 29)
• I won’t go into the details of the story, which you probable already know.  But one point needs to be made.  The first two people to come upon the injured traveler are good, righteous Men of God.  The third is from Samaria.  Samaritans were despised by those Jesus told this parable to.  Jesus chose to identify the good helper as somebody that society hated. (vv. 30-35)
• Jesus sets the hook, and asks the lawyer who is the injured man’s neighbor.  The lawyer does not say “the Samaritan”.  He can’t even bear to say the word!  But the point has been made.  (vv. 36-37)

THE TAKEAWAY

We’re no different than that lawyer, really.  We want to draw boundaries around who we must love.  But Jesus makes it clear that we must love everyone, including our enemies. It’s going to take some effort, but at least we have the Holy Spirit beside us, to help us along.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Who are on your “Samaritan list”?  Here are some thought starters:

• Muslims
• Chinese
• People from India
• People who do not love the Lord
• That *#%& person down the street who is so obnoxious. 
• People who voted for “that other man” in the last election

ISAIAH 66:10-14

THE BACKGROUND

The book of Isaiah can be divided into three parts—the time before, during, and after Babylonian exile. Our passage comes at the end of the third section.  It is a lot like the end of the whole story.  But it doesn’t tell us about what people did; it tells how the people should feel.

What the people did, upon returning to Jerusalem was rebuild the city walls.  Walls and gates are there to protect the people from invaders. Nehemiah led the work crews to rebuild the walls, to make Jerusalem a safe place to live.  (The neighbors were very unhappy about this!) 

THE DETAIL

• Our passage begins with a call to rejoice.  Jerusalem is safe and secure.  God’s house (the temple) was in operation, and people could conduct their lives without fear of attack by outsiders.  (v. 10a)
• Jerusalem is “personified”—Jerusalem becomes a woman.  She is Mother Jerusalem.  A nursing child is a beautiful image.  We used to joke about this regarding our own kids.  After nursing, they were so blissfully at peace that they seemed to be drugged!  This is the image reminds God’s people that they should feel blissfully happy and secure. (vv. 10b-12)
• Now, the Mother Jerusalem imagery fades, and God Himself is the comforter.  God will comfort them, they will be joyful, and be at peace, assured that they will be protected from their enemies.  (vv. 13-14)

THE TAKEAWAY

In our story, God has brought his people home and cared for them.  They can feel as safe and secure as a nursing child.  We, too, can rejoice in the knowledge that God also loves us. He has sent his son to teach us, lead by example, and die for our sins.  Those of us who are in Christ know that God is our comfort and guide.   We should also be blissfully at peace, secure in the fact that our God loves us, nurtures us, even dandles us on His knee. 
 

GALATIANS 6:1-16

THE BACKGROUND

These are the concluding words of Paul’s letter.  He uses this opportunity to summarize the key points of his letter.  Much of this is review for us.  But because these points are so important, reviewing is good to do. Most often, Paul is concerned about the whole community of believers, rather than developing a personal relationship with Jesus.  In this part of the letter, he dedicates instruction not only to the community but to individuals as well. 

One thing to note is that these letters were often dictated to a scribe.  There were good reasons to do this.  Sometimes, the letters were more legible than if written by the one dictating.  Also, scribes can write smaller, and use less paper.  This will become evident in verse 11.

THE DETAIL

• Verses 1 & 2 are a specific application of the Lord’s command to love one another. If someone has gone astray, the rest of the community should gently try to restore that person to spiritual health.  Bearing one another’s burdens is one way of obeying Jesus’ command to love one another. 
• This odd little verse, at least to me, means that we should all try to be humble, and not trick ourselves into thinking we are better than others. (v. 3)
• We should still carry our own loads, testing ourselves as we go.  (vv. 4-5)
• Here again is a contrast of behaviors, using the terms “in the flesh” vs. “in the Spirit”. It is presented in a sow/harvest metaphor.  Paul encourages us to conduct our lives “in the Spirit”, as we discussed last week. (Details are in chapter five.)  If we live in the Spirit, we reap those benefits. Do note that Paul is clear that salvation does not come from our works, but by faith.  Salvation is not the discussion point here.  But, when we get a chance to work for the good of all, especially for our fellow Christians, we reap the satisfaction and inner peace that comes from doing the Lord’s work.  (vv. 6-10)
• At this point, Paul has taken the pen from the scribe.  His letters aren’t as small as the scribe’s.  The next points must have been important enough for Paul to do this. Let’s pay close attention to what he has to say.  (v. 11)
• He wants to reiterate the importance of not falling into the trap of seeking salvation by following a set of rules (in this case circumcision).  We should not boast (or pin our hopes on) anything but the cross of Christ.  (vv. 11-14)
• What matters is that we are all new creations through our baptism in Christ.  Obeying or not obeying some old laws pale in comparison to that.  (v. 15)
• The last verse is Paul’s closing to this letter.  (v. 16)

THE TAKEAWAY

Both as individual Christians and as a faith community, we are guided by the Spirit to love one another in thought and in actions.  We should not just concentrate on “keeping our own back yard clean”, but become involved in the lives of those around us.  It’s part of Jesus’ command to love one another.
 

LUKE 10:1-11, 16-20

THE BACKGROUND

In the beginning of the previous chapter, Jesus sent his apostles (the twelve) out to do the same things that he had done—preach the Good News, heal the sick, cast out demons, etc. Last week, we read that he set his face on Jerusalem; he’s preparing to open the final chapter of his mission.  We read last week in 9:57-62 that Jesus was calling for people to follow him.  He must have had a large following; we call these people disciples.  Since many women followed Jesus, too, and were his disciples. Now, Jesus cranks up the mission into high gear.

THE DETAIL

• Jesus now appoints seventy “others” to go and do what the apostles had done previously. He sends them off in twos.  They are to go on before him; to the places he intends to stop on his way to Jerusalem.  (vv. 1-2)
• He gives them warnings and detailed instructions.  He tells them that sometimes it won’t be easy.  In those cases, just shrug it off, and go to the next town.  But to those who receive the word, proclaim that the “Kingdom of God has come near”. (vv. 3-11)
• This is key—Jesus tells them that whoever listens to them is listening to Jesus himself. What a powerful statement!  (v. 16)
• They return with great news—it worked, just as Jesus said it would work!  Jesus takes delight in their success, but then gives them a different perspective.  He says that instead of rejoicing in what they had done, they should rejoice in the fact that their strong faith has won them the keys to heaven.  (vv. 17-20)

THE TAKEAWAY

We are all Jesus’ disciples. We are all sent out to proclaim the Kingdom of God to anyone who will hear.  We should not concern ourselves with those who reject this message, but focus on those who want to hear the Good News.  Our salvation comes not from doing these good things, but from the faith that caused us to do them in the first place.

1 KINGS 19:15-16, 19-21

THE BACKGROUND

On the surface, we can call this passage “The Call of Elisha”.  But things get muddy in the details of the story.  Let’s start by looking at the people mentioned in this story.

Elijah is one of the most famous of the prophets.  If God had a baseball team, Moses would be at the top of the batting order.  Elijah would be on deck.  Elijah came from the small town of Gilead.  He was an outsider.  He is a loner; a voice crying in the wilderness.  But he is called by God to do some heavy lifting.  Israel’s King Ahab married a Phoenician princess named Jezebel.  When she moved to Israel, she converted Ahab to worshipping Baal instead of Yahweh. At this time in the story, Elijah is the only Jewish prophet remaining—Jezebel had all the others killed. And Jezebel is trying to assassinate him!  Elijah is tired, burned-out, and wants to die.  But God has other plans.

Elisha is named by God to replace Elijah.  Elisha, by contrast to Elijah, is wealthy and connected.  It is a time for a change.  Elisha is the right man at the right time.  He will move Israel forward, out of the dark days of the Ahab/Jezebel era.

As we join the story, Elijah has escaped harm, and is alone in the wilderness.  He sits under a solitary broom tree, and asks God to take his life.  God makes him eat, and sends him on a journey.  At the end of the journey, Elijah sits down and again asks to die. God appears to him “in sheer silence” with some instructions.

THE DETAIL

• The Lord instructs Elisha to anoint two new kings—one over Damascus and one over Israel.  Looks like King Ahab will be on the outside looking in!  Best of all, the Lord names Elisha as Elijah’s successor.  (vv. 15-16)
• Elijah found Elisha plowing a field behind a team of twelve oxen.  Very few farmers in that time and place could afford to keep twelve oxen.  This fact indicates that Elisha comes from a wealthy family.  There may also be some symbolism here.  There are twelve tribes of Israel.  This might be symbolic of his ability to lead a team of twelve tribes as well as oxen.  (v. 19a)
• But something weird happens.  Instead of anointing Elisha, Elijah simply throws his clerical robe—his mantle over Elisha!  So much for formality!  To my thinking, this is a strong indication that Elijah was totally burned out.  (v. 19b)
• Apparently after throwing his robe at Elisha, Elijah just kept walking!  Elisha catches up with him, and asks permission to say his goodbyes to his family.  (v. 20a)
• Burnt out Elisha’s response is gruff—“Go back again, for what have I done to you?”  (v. 20b)
• And back Elisha goes. He not only says his goodbyes, but slaughters the oxen to throw a grand goodbye party.  Then and only then did he turn from his farming and follow Elijah. (v. 21)

THE TAKEAWAY

I have known many Christians over the years.  Some surprise me when they say something like “yeah, I used to sing in the choir/teach Sunday School/collect clothing for the poor… but I don’t do that anymore.  I’m too old.”   I want to tell them this story.  You might be through with God, but God might not be through with you!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

What does God still expect from you?
 

GALATIANS 5:1-5, 13-25

THE BACKGROUND

As I said last week, in Galatians 5, Paul is angry.  After he left the church in Galatia, other Christians came in and urged the Gentile Christians there to conform to Jewish laws—especially those relating to diet and circumcision.  The lectionary calls for verses 1 and 13-25.  But verses 2-5 really show Paul’s anger, so I have included them in this reflection.

THE DETAIL

• In Paul’s opening statement, he declares that through Christ, we have been set free.  We are no longer slaves!  We must stand firm!  He will go on to explain all of this.  But right now, he drives this stake in the ground.  BAM!  (v. 1)
• When someone starts a sentence with “listen”, you know that it’s going to be intense.  Paul doesn’t pull any punches.  He says that if you allow yourself to be circumcised, then you don’t need Jesus, you need the law.  This is tongue-in-cheek, of course, because we all need Jesus.  But the point is clear.  Belief in Jesus is enough for salvation.  All that other stuff simply dilutes what Jesus has already done on the cross for you. (vv. 2-5)
• Alluding to slavery, we are told that we are called to freedom.  Freedom from having to comply to all those 613 Laws of Moses.  That doesn’t mean that we are free to have a wild all-night beach party.  No!  It means that we are free to care for one another without worrying about whether or not we are breaking one of God’s laws. (v. 13)
• How can this be? It is because the whole law is summed up in the law to love our neighbor as ourselves.  The law is simply detailed examples of how to love.  (v. 14)
• The key verse in this passage is verse 16.  Live by the Spirit, not the flesh. 
• Paul contrasts life “in the flesh” vs. life “in the Spirit”.  When he says “flesh”, he is not just referring to lusty desires.  He uses it to describe all the typical selfish desires that we humans have.  He gives us a short list in verses 20 and 21.  I’m sure you can think of a few more to add to this list—we are so good at living by the flesh!  (vv. 17-21)
• Being led by the Spirit is none of these things.  Verses 22 and 23 are a good starter list.  Let’s do these instead! 
• In conclusion, he says that our earthly desires are all nailed to the cross of Christ.  They die there.  (v. 24)
• Instead, we should be guided by the Spirit to do all those things listed in verses 22 and 23 (and more).  If we do those things, we are fulfilling the Law of the Spirit.  (v. 25)

THE TAKEAWAY

But rules are a good thing, right?  They give order to life, and keep us on the straight and narrow, right?  Most of the time, they do.  But sometimes, a person needs to be healed on the Sabbath.  Or in order to feed your family, you need to work on Sunday.  Sometimes loving our neighbor means pushing order aside to show compassion for those around us.  Because Jesus came, we are free from the worrisome burden of trying to comply with a bunch of detailed rules.  When we are in the Spirit, we may let love be our guide.

LUKE 9:51-62

THE BACKGROUND

At this point in Luke’s narrative, Jesus shifts from preaching in Galilee to working his way toward Jerusalem.  There, he will complete his work.  Along the way, he stops at some Samaritan villages.  The Samaritans were the people to the north of Judah.  Over the centuries, a division grew between them and the Jews of the south.  One example is that Jerusalem was not their worship center.  They worshipped on Mt. Gerizim.  There were many other sharp differences as well, but they still worshipped the Lord God Yahweh.

THE DETAIL

• A lot is being said in this first verse of our passage.  We’re being told that the time is coming for Jesus to be “taken up”.  It is not explained, other than to say that Jesus now is set on heading to Jerusalem.  I think he may know what lies ahead.  (v. 51)
• He plans to stop along the way and teach, as was his custom.  The next stop was at a Samaritan village.  But since they knew that he was headed to Jerusalem and not toward their holy mountain, he did not receive a warm welcome.  (vv. 52-53)
• The “Sons of Thunder”, James and John, wanted to get even with those darned Samaritans. Instead, Jesus rebukes James and John, and they move on to another village.  (vv. 54-56)
• Along the way, Jesus warns them of the pitfalls of living the life of an itinerant preacher. (vv. 57-58)
• Some interesting stories are included here.  Some people want to follow Jesus, but want to get things in their lives in order first. Jesus’ answers seem harsh.  But Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to suffer greatly.  There is no time to lose.  He calls others to share his sense of priority.  (vv. 59-62)

THE TAKEAWAY

The story of Elisha throwing a goodbye party sounded good.  But Jesus sets the bar higher.  He instills a sense of urgency in us.  God should come first!  Here’s the test:

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

You have a sink full of dirty dishes, but something tells you that you should read a bible story to your grandchild.  Which do you do?

ISAIAH 65:1-9

THE BACKGROUND

This part of Isaiah was written after the Israelites had returned home from their captivity in Babylon. In the years that followed, God’s people had divided into two camps.  One group closely followed the Laws of Moses.  Others embraced parts of the Canaanite culture and religious practices. There was a lot of polarity and tension, much like we have today.

THE DETAIL

• The Lord declares that He is ready for His people to seek him out, but they do not ask or call for Him.  Sadly, He calls out “Here I am, here I am”, but nobody calls on Him.  (v. 1)
• He calls out to them, but they are busy doing other things.  They are involving themselves in Canaanite rituals.  A list of activities follow, many of which are forbidden by Jewish law.  It is an impure act, for example to frequent the tombs of the dead.  Eating pork and “abominable things” is also forbidden. (vv. 2-4)
• They even have the audacity to claim that they are “too holy” to associate with the Lord! They must have thought their gods superior to Him.  (v. 5a)
• This does not set well with our Lord.  He will remember this, and fix it in His own time.  (vv. 5b-7)
• But here is the loving grace of God.  He calls His people “a cluster of grapes”.  Sure, there are some bad ones in the cluster.  But to destroy the cluster would mean destroying the good ones, too. His beloved will not have to pay for the transgressions of the bad ones.  (vv. 8-9) 

THE TAKEAWAY

God has high expectations for us, His people.  Many around us see God through different lenses than we do.  All think they are the holiest group.  God’s job is to sort this out, which He will in His own time. Our job is to strive to live godly lives as defined by the bible.  Meanwhile, we must try to get along with all those other groups, in spite of our differences.

GALATIANS 3:23-29

THE BACKGROUND

The church in Galatia was mainly comprised of Gentiles.  Apparently, some Jewish Christians became involved after Paul’s departure.  They not only believed in Jesus, but also believed that it was important to comply with all the Jewish laws, especially those pertaining to circumcision and diet.  In this section of his letter to this church, Paul is very angry.  He wants to set the record straight as to what is important and what is not.

THE DETAIL

• Paul says that before we put our faith in Jesus as our Savior, we were “imprisoned” by the [Jewish] law.  (v. 23)
• He calls the law our “disciplinarian”.  This was in effect until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith [and not by works of the law].  (v. 24)
• With the coming of Christ, we no longer need a disciplinarian—we are now children of God through faith!  (vv. 25-26)
• All of us who have been baptized, wear Jesus’ saving act like a beautiful robe.  (v. 27)
• Next, Paul wipes out all types of potentially separating factors.  It doesn’t matter who you are—we are all one in Jesus.  And if we belong to Jesus, then we are all sons (and daughters) of Abraham.  [Jewish, in a way.]  (vv. 28-29)

THE TAKEAWAY

Elsewhere, Paul makes it clear that the law has not been obliterated.  It still stands as a guide to the abundant life.  But our salvation is not linked to works of the law, but to faith in Jesus.  This is the good news for all!

LUKE 8:26-39

THE BACKGROUND

In the verses preceding today’s passage, Jesus and his disciples hopped onto a boat, and sailed across the Sea of Galilee.  A storm kicked up, and they almost drowned.  But to their amazement, Jesus calmed the storm. 

THE DETAIL

• They now come to the Gentile side of the lake, the eastern shore.  There was no invitation to come here, and there was no crowd waiting for him.  (v. 26)
• Instead of a crowd, they are met by a naked, crazy man who is possessed with many demons.  He is an outcast from society.  (v. 27)
• The demons recognize Jesus straightaway.  They beg Jesus not to disturb them, but it is not to be. (vv. 28-29)
• Jesus asks the demons what their name is.   They reply “Legion”.  It is good to know that a Roman legion consists of about 5,000 soldiers, so there were a lot of demons tormenting this poor soul.  (v. 30)
• A deal is struck. Instead of sending them into “the abyss” (Hell?), Jesus agrees to send them into a herd of nearby pigs.  The pigs destroy themselves!  (vv. 31-33)
• The swine shepherds saw this, and ran into town to report it.  The remarkable thing to me is that Jesus did not get in trouble for destroying livestock.  No! Everybody was focused on the formerly possessed man.  (vv. 34-36)
• Apparently, this was too much for these Gentiles to take.  They were not ready for the awesome power that Jesus possessed.  They asked him to leave!  (v. 37)
• So, Jesus left. Interestingly, the cured man wanted to follow Jesus. But Jesus asked him to stay behind and witness to this community to the miracle that had been performed.  (vv. 38-39)

THE TAKEAWAY

Jesus’ saving grace is available to everyone—even naked, crazy people!  But some people are not ready for the Good News.  Our task is to witness and share our faith experiences with everyone.  They may fall on many a deaf ear.  But there will always be some who want and need to hear the Good News.

NOTE: This Sunday is Holy Trinity Sunday.  It is the time that we set aside to reflect on the concept of the Holy Trinity.  Our beliefs about the Holy Trinity were not firmly established until 325 AD at the Council of Nicea, many years after the bible was written.  In between these times, various explanations arose which attempted to explain the relationship between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The purpose of this council was to clear the air, once and for all.  The words of the Nicean Creed are found here, after the study of the gospel lesson.

PROVERBS 8:1-4, 22-31

THE BACKGROUND

The book of Proverbs is a compilation of wisdom literature.  Every culture has wise sayings to guide them on correct paths in life. From Poor Richard’s Almanac we get “A penny saved is a penny earned.”  A Japanese proverb is “Even monkeys fall from trees.”  Proverbs is the book of wisdom compiled to guide God’s people in living a godly life.  Sometimes, as in today’s reading, wisdom is personified—given human form. 

THE DETAIL

• Our passage begins with Lady Wisdom beckoning us to listen to her.  She calls us from every place where we might gather.  Note that in Old Testament times, all the important business was conducted at the city’s gates.  Marital matches were arranged there.  Grievances and trials conducted there, as well as business of all kinds. It is fitting that Widsom would go there to call us to her.  (vv. 1-4)
• Here is the key to this passage.  The very first thing that God did was create wisdom.  He did this before God created our world.  (vv. 22-23)
• In Genesis 1 is the creation story that most of us are familiar with.  (Genesis 2 is another different one.)  In Genesis 1:2, creation begins with “the deep”.  In the beginning, there was just water.  Wisdom tells us that she was created even before “the depths” were created. Then, in great detail, she describes how she was present when God created the other parts of our world. (vv. 25-29)
• She concludes this section by telling us that she was by God’s side when he created all this, and with Him delighted in His creation of it and the human race.  (vv. 30-31) 

THE TAKEAWAY

When someone builds a house, they begin by laying a good foundation.  Before God created our world, His foundation was creating Lady Wisdom. We should look to her for guidance in living lives that are pleasing to our Creator.  In these latter days, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us. Perhaps Lady Wisdom was the Holy Spirit’s predecessor.

ROMANS 5:1-5

THE BACKGROUND

This passage from Paul’s letter to the church in Rome is rich.  Many points can be made from studying it.  Since we are studying the Holy Trinity today, we will focus our study to the concept of the Holy Trinity presented here.  Remember that this was written nearly 300 years before the word “trinity” was used to describe God.  You will not find that word anywhere in our bible.

THE DETAIL

• In the opening verse of this passage, we learn of how Jesus has affected our relationship with God. By dying on the cross for our sins, he has justified us, made us clean, and opened the door.  Because of this saving act, we now have access to God’s abounding grace.  The free-flowing gift of God’s love.  (vv. 1-2a)
• So, if we can brag about anything, it is about God’s free gift of grace to us.  (v. 2b)
• OK, if you still want to brag, you can brag about your sufferings!  He goes on to explain why we might actually brag about suffering for our faith.  (vv. 3-5a)
• Because of our faith-hope, the Holy Spirit pours God’s love into our hearts!  (v. 5b) 

THE TAKEAWAY

In this passage we see all three—God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit acting in unity and in love to draw us close to God.  The Son clears the pathway which is cluttered by our sin.  The Holy Spirit follows close behind, pouring God’s love into our hearts.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Close your eyes, and try to visualize the Holy Spirit holding a five gallon bucket of God’s love and grace. The Spirit now pours this love all over us.  
 

JOHN 16:12-15

THE BACKGROUND

Today’s gospel reading is again from Jesus’ final discourse in the upper room.  It is part of his last instructions to his close friends and followers.  If you stop to think about it, the entire discourse, chapters 13-17, are all about God’s love for us.

THE DETAIL

• Even though this discourse is five chapters long, Jesus says that there is so much more that he’d love to tell them.  But he holds back, knowing that they can’t handle any more at that moment.  (v. 12)
• The good news is that they will get all of it later, when the “Spirit of truth” comes.  The Holy Spirit.  (v. 13a)
• Jesus then explains that this spirit isn’t acting on its own, but declares what Jesus and God the Father want us to know.  Jesus cleverly knits the wills of God Father and Son together.  He tells them that the message that the Holy Spirit will give them comes directly from both Father and Son.  (vv. 13b-15)

THE TAKEAWAY

Jesus gives us a very good description of how the Holy Spirit works in unity with the Father and Son to help us on our faith journey.  We can look to the Holy Spirit to continue to provide us with guidance flowing from God to us through this Spirit.

THE NICEAN CREED

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

English translation from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979 edition.