Worship for the Weekday
While We Were Yet Sinners
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Romans 5:8
But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
16. From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard him thus no longer. 17. Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. 18. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19. that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20. So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Because God took the initiative in offering us redemption, we have the privilege and the responsibility of serving as representatives of Christ to the world. As humans, we see in others all the character flaws, all the ways they live counter to what we believe and everything that is wrong with them. As Christians, though, we are to view others through the eyes of Christ. We are to extend to others the same redemptive love that God extended to us when he sent his son to die on a cross.
We did nothing to deserve such a gift! In fact it seems as if we did everything in our power as a human race to deny God, and to go counter to everything we know to be right and good and true! We just kept testing the limits, relying upon ourselves, trusting in other people. And we kept being disappointed, let down, and finding ourselves alone and weak and confused. And we still do!
What is our excuse since Christ? We say we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior. What does that mean? Really. What does it mean? Are we truly living our lives as an expression of our faith in the redemptive love of God through Jesus Christ? Are we making every decision after prayer and reflection? Are we living in line with God’s will? Are we treating others as if we are Christ’s ambassadors?
The thing that catches us up every time, is that we forget whose idea it was to “save us” in the first place! We’re not forgiven because we’re so holy and good and pure and righteous! We’re forgiven in spite of the fact that we are not any of those—and never will be! We’re saved because of God’s initiative! His son became our sin for us! God’s grace is why we are able to testify to the cross! God. Not man. Not you or me. Not anybody you’ll ever meet—no matter how close they may come to modeling perfection!
What’s the point for us? Through Christ—because of Christ—God has entrusted to us a ministry of reconciliation. We are to be Christ to the world. We are to remember that God blesses us with his unspeakable, abundant and unearned grace. And the purpose of our lives is to share that message with the world. Everything we do and say is to be an announcement of God’s redemptive love—demonstrated by Christ on the cross.
That’s it! It’s that cut and dried! We are Christ’s ambassadors!
I hope today you use your best diplomatic abilities as you spread the good news of the Cross to every one you meet. And that you rejoice in and catch your breath in awe of God’s grace – for you and to you.
Mary
A Cheerful Recipient of God’s Abundance
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2 Corinthians 9:6-15
6. The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7. Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work. 9. As it is written, "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever." 10. He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11. You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God; 12. for the rendering of this service not only supplies the wants of the saints but also overflows in many thanksgivings to God. 13. Under the test of this service, you will glorify God by your obedience in acknowledging the gospel of Christ, and by the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others; 14. while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
God’s love is so extravagant that it overflows and runs over into the world! His love cannot be contained or confined! And in response to that generous, bountiful, overflowing abundance, our love for others also overflows! We just can’t help it. We are so very blessed; so deeply loved; so full of God’s grace, that we can’t help but be extravagant in our giving! Not just financial giving, but giving our love, our comfort, sharing our abundance, distributing our resources in tangible, meaningful ways. It’s just too much to be contained!
One of the side benefits of our generosity – and, really, the only reason we should give generously, is to bring glory to God. Through sharing our resources, our love, our talents, abilities, and knowledge of the redeeming grace of God, we are able to promote thanksgiving to God. If we testify to the fact that our wealth originates from God’s plan, the recipients of our gifts understand that since God is the source, they are in turn expected to give generously – in accordance to their own ability.
God has a perfectly conceived plan for every one of us to be abundantly provided for! He gives seed to the farmer, who sells it the baker, who makes bread for our nourishment. And that example can be expanded thousands of times over to illustrate how God has planned out the most intricate weaving together of our lives. He’s got it all figured out—always has! The trick is to “tap into” the mind of God, so that we can do what He intends us to do—and do it without holding back anything in reserve! After all, he gave us his own son! How can we even think about being stingy in light of that sacrifice?
Another message in these verses is one of encouragement and hope. We don’t need to worry about what we have, or what we might lose, or what we might never acquire. God is going to make sure that we have enough—either through our own resources, or through the generosity of others. Just like the farmer and the baker, he places us in the lives of those who need what we have to offer. Likewise, he places “helpers” in our lives, too. He sends us guides and mentors, friends and teachers, brothers and sisters in Christ. In other words, we lack for nothing!
Beyond that, we are to accept our situation in life for what it is—part of God’s plan. We have all we need. Is it all we want? Maybe not. But is it what we need? Probably. If it’s not, then maybe we need to look around and see what’s going on in our lives. Are we in tune with God’s plan for us? Are we doing what we need to do for ourselves? For others? Included in my spiritual gifts are generosity and servanthood. I don’t have a lot of money, but I try to be generous with my genuine care and concern for the people in my life. I give of myself, and my spiritual gifts, because I have love in abundance! What I lack in financial resources, God has more than made up for in not only my capacity to share love and comfort with others, but in the love and comfort I receive from others!
My challenge is to accept that the abundance God has poured over into my life, is what I need! It’s what he has determined is necessary for me to do what glorifies him. I don’t know about you, but in the big scheme of things, I feel pretty blessed that God has hand-picked the blessings he bestows upon me!
I hope today you cheerfully accept God’s blessings in your life. And that you are able to generously pour out blessings upon others.
Mary
The Wholeness of God
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John 14:5-14
5. Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" 6. Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. 7. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him." 8. Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied." 9. Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, `Show us the Father'? 10. Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. 12. "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. 13. Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; 14. if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.
Philip kind of summed things up, didn’t he? “Show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied.” How often do we limit God by asking for “only a little” of what he can give us? Just do this one thing, and I’ll believe. Just allow that and I’ll know you’re for real. I can remember when I was little, praying that my 3rd sister would be a brother! Boy was I mad at God when I found out he didn’t answer my prayer. But what he did do is give me a lovely, warm, loving, and amazing member of my family! My youngest sister is incredible! And so is God! He gave me my brother a year later! Maybe even then he was laying the ground work for me to understand that HE was in charge! And it’s a good thing, because I would have missed out on knowing and loving my sister—and her husband, and her four beautiful children!
Of course, Jesus is speaking here on a bit higher level than whether or not our childish prayers will be answered. Jesus was and continues to be the only answer we need! If we would only recognize that! He offered his beloved disciples not only comfort but a promise—that they would never be alone, even after he went back to heaven. They would have the gift of the third person of God—they would be the first recipients of the “wholeness of God” through receiving the Holy Spirit. Oh, how I long to have been in his presence, even for just a minute! I would have settled on being the woman who touched the hem of his robe! Surely the disciples were reassured after Jesus spoke to them about all this.
“If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.! That doesn’t mean he’ll give you a baby brother when you ask for it! It doesn’t mean you’ll hit the winning lottery numbers just because you really need the money and beg for a chance to win! It’s about hiding the words of Christ in our hearts. It’s about fully grasping the unity of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I think God is so big, he couldn’t be contained as one entity! His love and power and might are so expansive, he needed more than one way to manifest them! And Jesus reassured his friends that God would allow them to continue without his physical presence in their lives. Because He was sending to them another part of himself – the part they would need to sustain them and empower them and embolden them to continue the work that Christ has started on earth.
How does all this apply to me as I head off to work today? Well, maybe it means that I allow God to work in me as I walk in the front door and “put on a happy face” as I pass the offices of my coworkers. Perhaps it means I take a phone call from someone who really annoys me, but is clearly in need of someone to “vent” to. Maybe I just do the best job I can do, and give 100% to the tasks I’m assigned and thank God for an opportunity to use by abilities to serve children in need. I don’t know if that’s enough. But some days that’s all I can do! It’s about an attitude, and intention, and really, it’s about discipleship. I choose every day, every minute, if I’ll continue the ministry of Jesus Christ, or not. I can live through and with the Holy Spirit in my life, or I can deny the amazing gift and limit myself, and my effectiveness in ministering to others in the world.
I hope today you embrace the “wholeness of God” as you go out into the world. And that you do great works in the name of Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit.
Mary
Trust and Obey
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John 12:23-33
23. And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. 24. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26. If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him. 27. "Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? `Father, save me from this hour'? No, for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28. Father, glorify thy name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." 29. The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." 30. Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. 31. Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out; 32. and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." 33. He said this to show by what death he was to die.
Jesus’ feet have been anointed with oil, the Triumphal Entry has occurred. The plot has started to thicken. . . more and more people are drawn to Jesus – it’s become a huge movement throughout the country. The rulers of the day are getting more and more anxious about the power this man has to influence his followers, and to draw people to himself. And it’s not a good thing in their minds! Word will get back to the Roman authorities that the Jewish leadership has lost control of the population, and Rome will come in and close the synagogue, and the leaders will be “demoted.” The Pharisees have had just about enough. Even when Jesus goes off to “hide” the people search for him. Even when he goes into seclusion to pray, seekers find him!
Jesus explains that he must die and be buried so that new life can come through him—just as a seed must be planted and “die” to become a flourishing plant. And he freely acknowledges that he’s dreading what is to come. But he also declares his intention to be obedient. The voice from heaven, affirming Jesus’ declaration is not for his sake—it is for the crowd around him, so they will know and believe that Jesus is from God. It is to verify beyond doubt that what Jesus is saying is true.
God has declared war on Satan—once and for all time. While it may seem that the cross was a victory for Satan, it was really his ultimate defeat—because Jesus obeyed. The kind of love he demonstrated in that act of obedience and submission to God’s glory is unimaginable for us! It is impossible to comprehend someone willingly submitting to torture and painful, agonizing death. And yet, Jesus did it. He turned it over to God, knowing that only through God’s power and will would he be able to be obedient.
“He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” The kind of love Jesus demonstrated is unimaginable! The notes in my bible explain that “to love one’s life here and now—to concentrate on one’s own success—is to lose what matters. Love for God must be such that all other loves are, by comparison, hatred.” Not that we are to hate our lives, or to hate our family and friends—just that the intense, tremendous love we have for all of them pales in comparison to the love we should have for God. I don’t like should. We have that kind of love because we want to reciprocate the love he has for us! It’s as if we are compelled to have love for him above all other loves, because of his love, demonstrated in the person of Jesus Christ.
Obedience to God’s will is the only choice. It’s not necessarily, in fact rarely is, the easiest path. It often involves hardship, turmoil, suffering, even dying to ourselves. But is the only path we can follow once we are saved. When we know the truth, when we believe with our entire being that Jesus is Lord and Savior of the world, what else can we do? God’s been trying to teach me obedience lately. I say “trying” only to point out my limitation – not his! He is working so hard in so many areas of my life, and I’m not making it easy for him. I’m tired, I’m busy, I’m not ready, I’m not willing, I’m not . . . you can fill in the blank!
But God keeps at it! He doesn’t leave me alone to my own resources and my own plans! He’s in charge, thank goodness! And he is refining me and shaping me, and teaching me to trust and obey him above all else. I am so grateful for that! A friend pointed out to me this morning that it is really a privilege to be refined. It is, indeed! To be so valued by God that he would even bother! That is truly a privilege and a blessing.
I hope today you declare war on Satan in your obedience to God’s will. And that you revel in the blessing of God’s refining work in your life.
Mary
One With God
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John 10:24-38
24. So the Jews gathered round him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." 25. Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness to me; 26. but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. 27. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 28. and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. 29. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30. I and the Father are one." 31. The Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32. Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of these do you stone me?" 33. The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we stone you but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God." 34. Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, `I said, you are gods'? 35. If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and scripture cannot be broken), 36. do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, `You are blaspheming,' because I said, `I am the Son of God'? 37. If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38. but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."
The subtitle to this section of chapter 10 is “The Unbelief of the Jews.” The Jews weren’t questioning Jesus’ miracles. They believed they came through divine appointment – the ability to perform them. That’s how they were thinking at this time: that priests and kings – and prophets – were divinely appointed. But to declare that you were one with God? That was just more than they could wrap their minds around! Even though way back in Psalm 82 man is declared to be “God’s representative” on earth. But there is still a subtle difference, isn’t there?
To say, “I am a representative of God” is okay with everyone. We can accept and understand that. To be an emissary, or an ambassador is acceptable, even to be divinely appointed or selected doesn’t send us over the top. But to say “I am God” by announcing I am “of” God and “from” God and I am one with God?! That’s just over the top! But wait a minute. . . how can we believe the works are divinely inspired, without accepting that in order to do the works—in the name of God—he was not “part” of God? Even John the Baptist announced that the Messiah – divinely appointed and incarnated in the form of a man – was about to appear on the scene!
Jesus talks about the unbelievers not being his sheep. Shepherds were pretty amazing! Sheep are pretty dumb! The shepherds recognized the bleat of every single sheep—they heard the nuances of each one’s call—out of hundreds of sheep! And they literally risked their lives to protect them from predators, from falling off a cliff, or from harm of any kind. They were devoted to their sheep, beyond reason. Sound familiar? Maybe that’s why Jesus is referred to as “The Good Shepherd.” Jesus loves us even more than a shepherd loves his sheep! And he is able to do that because he is God!
But he goes one step farther – here’s the kicker – he says that we are all God—each of us individually was divinely planned, created and born into this world by God’s will. Thinking about ourselves as “part of God” presents us with a tremendous dilemma! It holds us to a much higher standard of behavior and thinking than if we were merely “believers” in God. Since we are of God, we have the promise of his divine protection and care. If we are of God, we are one with Christ – God’s son. If we are of God, we have the promise of eternal life in heaven with him!
It’s almost too much to bear—the honor, the privilege, the responsibility! Jesus was offering these Jews something so incredible, so incomprehensible, so amazing and radical, that they just couldn’t accept it! He performed miracles, he lived the life he told others to live, he “practiced what he preached” and still they did not believe. What do we need in order to believe, accept and understand this radical truth? Jesus already died on the cross! What else can be done, or said?
What miracle are we waiting for?
I hope today you feel the loving hand of God upon his beloved sheep. And that you stay within the sound of his voice, so you don’t stray too far from his protection and care.
Mary
Invest in a Certain Future
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1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 29-34
20. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. . . . 29. Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 30. Why am I in peril every hour? 31. I protest, brethren, by my pride in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 32. What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." 33. Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals." 34. Come to your right mind, and sin no more. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
In “The Message” these last couple of verses are translated: Awaken to the holiness of life. Ignorance of God is a luxury you can’t afford at times like these. What Paul is saying in this particular scripture is pretty convicting – for me, at least! He asks us to think about how we’re living. Are we living like we really believe in the resurrection? Are we making the hard choices, rather than taking the “easy way out” and succumbing to the pressures of this world? Are we being true to our “rebirth” as Christians, or are we settling for how our outward appearances look?
These are hard questions to apply to ourselves. On the one hand, God wants us to see himself reflected when we look in the mirror. Christ’s death – but more importantly his resurrection – changed us into creatures capable of reflecting God’s energy, love, power to a fallen and sin-filled world. But are we standing in the light of salvation and rejoicing in the resurrection we’ll have through Christ? Or are we going through the motions, and hoping it’s enough? That’s what Paul wants to know. That’s what he warns about.
God knows we’re full of sin. He knows because he created us. And because he loves us so much, he sent himself/his son to demonstrate the depth and breadth and height, the power and strength of his love for us. If we don’t believe all this is the case, then why do we bother even pretending? It’s hard work to be a committed, prayerful, reflective and intentional Christian. But at least we know the reward that awaits us at the end of time! Isn’t it a wiser investment of our time, energy, resources to live like resurrection people!? Isn’t Easter better than Good Friday?
Wise up. Change you ways. Make an investment in eternity. Perfection is not required – that was already achieved for us in Christ Jesus. But striving for that perfection is certainly the minimum requirement!
With all the talk these days about Social Security running out and the stock market being so uncertain, unemployment and building costs fluctuating, and oil prices back and forth, isn’t it reassuring to know that there is one thing, one truth, one hope upon which we can base our lives? Jesus Christ, crucified, dead and risen!
I hope today you decide to keep investing in the certain future promised us by Christ upon the Cross. And that you’ll yield a huge dividend when Christ comes again to judge us all.
Mary
The Great Irony
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Matthew 10:1(NIV), 17-22, 40-42 (MSG)
He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. . . Stay alert. This is hazardous work I’m assigning you. You’re going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don’t call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove. Don’t be naïve. Some people will impugn your motives; others will smear your reputation—just because you believe in me. Don’t be upset when the haul you before the civil authorities. Without knowing it, they’ve done you—and me—a favor, given you a platform for preaching the kingdom news! And don’t worry about what you’ll say or how you’ll say it. The right words will be there; the Spirit of your Father will supply the words. When people realize it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that makes the feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own family. There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate! . . . We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father, who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God’s messenger. Accepting someone’s help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work I’ve called you into, but don’t be overwhelmed by it. It’s best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won’t lose out on a thing.
This sounds pretty hard! Jesus tells us that being a true Christian is never easy, so don’t expect that once you become a Christian, your life is going to be a bed of roses! In fact, just the opposite is true—you’re going to feel like you’re “swimming upstream.” People will think you’re nuts! They’ll think you’ve lost touch with reality! They’ll think . . . well, who knows what they’ll think! But Jesus says it doesn’t matter what they think! It only matters what God thinks!
So what’s the “payoff” for us? “We are intimately linked in this harvest work.” Wow! Intimately linked with Christ! Of course, we know he was crucified! But he also rose from the dead! So to be one with him, I guess we’re expected to go through a similar process. We will be rejected and scorned by some, but that is not to deter us from proclaiming the good news! He’s saying it’s okay if we don’t stand on the street corner, or erect altars in our cubicles at work. He’s saying all of us don’t have to go on television and preach to the masses.
Jesus wants us to reach out to those in need – physically, emotionally, and spiritually – and offer any aid we can. It may be a meal prepared and served at CARITAS; it may be sitting quietly with a friend, listening to them unburden themselves; it may be sharing scripture with someone who is torn between living their current lifestyle and turning their lives over to Christ. No act of love is too small or insignificant.
“When people realize it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that makes them feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own family. There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate”
I hope today you choose Christ over “some idol that makes you feel good.” And that you proclaim Jesus to everyone you meet by the small acts of kindness you do.
Mary
The Great ‘I AM’
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Jeremiah 17:5-10
5. Thus says the Lord: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, whose heart turns away from the Lord. 6. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. 7. "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. 8. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." 9. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt; who can understand it? 10. "I the Lord search the mind and try the heart, to give to every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings."
We can live our lives two ways: dependent upon our own resources, abilities, strength and wisdom, or dependent upon God. It’s really that simple! I’ve tried it both ways, and I can tell you that left to my own resources, I’m an utter failure! Oh, things may go along fine for a while. I might even have a few good days, weeks, or months, where everything seems to be going my way! But then something happens. Maybe not something big and terrible and life-changing, but something that is difficult to deal with. And that’s where my trouble starts!
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. Whose trust IS THE LORD. When my trust is in myself—well . . . I’ve already told you! So many times I have told God, “Thanks, but I’ve got this under control.” I’ve told Him more than once that I didn’t need any help in dealing with a situation at work, rearing my children, deciding on whether or not to move, choosing to begin a new friendship, and on and on and on. And every time I tell Him that, he responds, “OK. Go for it! Let me know how it all turns out for you!”
You see, he’s better at letting his children learn from their mistakes than I am! He’s willing to stand back and let us test our abilities. He’s willing to let us make foolish decisions, bad choices, and just downright dumb mistakes! And then He stands back and lets us go at it! But He does something else, too! He mourns for us when we turn our backs on Him—not for himself, but for us. Because He loves us so much that He can’t stand for us to be hurt. He doesn’t gloat when we go running back to Him either. He doesn’t say, “I told you so” in a condescending tone, with a smug demeanor. No, he welcomes us back! He rejoices! He throws a party in heaven every time we realize that HE IS ‘I AM.’
I AM is all we need. He’s all we’ve ever needed. I have often wondered why God made us the way he did. I wonder what he was thinking when he breathed a soul into the first man. Oh, I know he could see the future. I know he knew, even then, that the world would be the way it is today. I’m certain he looked ahead and saw that we would continue to reject and refuse him. I just can’t figure out how he has the capacity to let us live anyway!
I AM. God of all creation. God of the eons before a star was placed in the sky—before the sun. God of the centuries before the first angel presumed to be His equal and fell from grace. God of the centuries yet to come – a future we can’t even imagine! God. I AM. He’s in charge. He’s willing to let us figure that out on our own. And he’s willing to welcome us back when we finally “get it.” He is just so amazing!
I don’t know if I’m in kind of an odd mood this morning because I spent 6 ½ hours on I-64 in a snow storm between Virginia Beach and Richmond (a 1 hr. & 50 min drive under normal circumstances!)yesterday afternoon/evening. I saw at least 100 accidents. The road was literally a parking lot. Tow trucks, fire trucks, rescue squads, and nothing for us to do but sit in our cars and wait for it all to be “cleared away.” Those hours afforded me some time to think—always a dangerous proposition! All this stuff ran through my mind and while I never did “figure out God,” I certainly came to love him more deeply and fully as I witnessed the worst and the best of humanity yesterday.
And as I sat in my car, periodically turning the engine off so it wouldn’t overheat, I communed with God—because He was really the only one there with me! I’m not sure if I’m even making a point or not. I just know that I need I AM every minute of every day of my life. And I am absolutely certain He has, does and always will do a better job of running the world than I!
I hope you have a chance today to commune with the great I AM – just the two of you – one on one. And that He reveals to you His tremendous and unspeakable love, demonstrated through his covenant of grace.
Mary
The Foolishness of God
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1 Corinthians 1:18-31
18. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart." 20. Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21. For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23. but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24. but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26. For consider your call, brethren; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth; 27. but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, 28. God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29. so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption; 31. therefore, as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord."
This world just doesn’t make sense sometimes! There is so much going on that is disturbing, sad, frightening, silly and downright bizarre! And how are we, as Christians, supposed to contend and compete with all this craziness? How are we to live our lives and go about our business, do our jobs and raise our children, live like we’re saved and practice Christian morals and values? Well, these verses make it pretty clear—not that it’s easy—just clear to those of us who have heard the good news!
“The world” cannot comprehend a humble servant, preaching love, kindness, hope and forgiveness! “The world” can’t understand a philosophy of life that advocates against fighting back and getting even. “The world” can’t understand that we do not live without hope and without fear of the future! “The world” looks at us and thinks that we’re the ones who are mad! We’re the ones who don’t have a clue! We’re the ones who just don’t “get it!”
But we are not of this world. We are strangers and sojourners, remember?! We love because Christ loved us. We are kind and gentle, because that is how love is appropriately demonstrated. We don’t need to glorify ourselves, because we are God’s glorious creations and we don’t need the world’s approval or affirmation. We have hope in the future, because we know what awaits us at the end of time. We don’t need to “get mad” or “get even” because our battle has already been won for us – on the cross.
We must seem mad to this world full of corruption and greed. We certainly appear crazy we make a choice to live within our means, and without jealousy for what others have. We look like fools when we don’t live up to the “You’re fired” or “Fear Factor” or “Survivor” mentality of demeaning competitors in the most detestable ways imaginable, using any means. We choose to live in peace, take a stand on moral issues, volunteer in our community, serve at church, pray, worship, and honor our Lord and Savior.
God chose the world’s foolishness to show His wisdom! If you look around and see what can be accomplished when people are challenged to be at their best – in response to a horrible disaster like the tsunami – God is telling us, “See what you are capable of accomplishing?!” He wants us to understand that no matter what happens, He is with us, in us, and works through us—if we’ll only allow Him into our hearts and minds. He is the source of our life, and worshiping him by how we live is our only purpose on this earth.
If we weigh every decision we make based on that presumption, we will certainly spend eternity in heaven, worshiping at the feet of God, in brotherhood with His son, caught up by the Holy Spirit!
I hope you’ll join me today, looking ahead to the rapture, living like I believe it will come! And that you scoff at the world’s wisdom, knowing that God is the source of all wisdom, knowledge and truth.
Mary
He Will Set Me Upon a Rock
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Psalm 27:1-6, 13-14
1. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2. When evildoers assail me, uttering slanders against me, my adversaries and foes, they shall stumble and fall. 3. Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. 4. One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. 5. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent, he will set me high upon a rock. 6. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies round about me; and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord. 13. I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! 14. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the Lord!
I had intended to go to the New Testament this morning, but had stray bookmark between the pages containing this psalm and the start of Psalm 28. Not a bad way to set a proper attitude before going out into the world! If we set God above us, as our beacon and our place of refuge and comfort, what can the world throw at us that we won’t be able to handle? God has been faithful to David time and time again, and he lifts these words not only to comfort those around him, but to remind himself of God’s faithfulness.
When we at our lowest point, when all our reserves have been depleted, when we feel as if we just can’t make it one more second—that’s when God stoops down and cups His hand and lifts us up above the cares and troubles of this world. That’s when He’s the most sure and the most reliable. When we’re at our weakest, He’s our strength. When we’re down in the mouth, he’s our song! When we just don’t think we can go on one more day—that’s when He rescues us. That kind of confidence in God gets us through everything life throws our way!
The world is so loud and intrusive and so David retreats to the sanctuary of God’s love and help, comfort and protection. We need to create a sanctuary within ourselves—a quiet place carved out just for God. And when the world closes in on us, we can go to that place and find calm and soothing and “recharge our batteries.”
When we’re sad and troubled, God promises to cradle our heads in His lap. When we’re feeling unloved and unwanted, God promises to lift us up – high upon a rock – so that our spirits are revitalized, and we feel His closeness and personal involvement in our lives. When we’re overwhelmed and overcome, He’ll draw us to Him, and set us at the foot of His throne – as we behold the beauty of the Lord. To be in that presence is surely a comfort, a joy, affords a deep sense of fulfillment and of being loved beyond words.
Sometimes all I need is to remember how much God loves me! In a class I attended the other night, the facilitator explained it this way: Imagine the look of a three-year old, looking at a Christmas tree all light up and under it are all the wonderful treasures Santa has left—the look on that child’s face, the feeling that is projected through the twinkle in those eyes, the little cheeks, flushed with excitement, the heart racing with anticipation and expectation – that’s how God feels every time He looks at you!
He loves you more than a three year old loves Christmas morning. He loves you more than anything! And He will do anything to make us understand that! In fact, He already sent His Son/Himself to earth. He wanted so much to demonstrate that He not only knows and understands what it is to be human, but that in our humanness, He loves us, because we are His creations.
Wow! I hope today you can bask in the comfort and joy of knowing God loves you more than a three year old loves Christmas! And that he gave us Christmas so that He could demonstrate His love for us on Good Friday, and create a new covenant on Easter morning.
Mary
Rise, and Have No Fear
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Matthew 17:1-13
1. And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart. 2. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light. 3. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4. And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah." 5. He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." 6. When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with awe. 7. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no fear." 8. And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. 9. And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of man is raised from the dead." 10. And the disciples asked him, "Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?" 11. He replied, "Elijah does come, and he is to restore all things; 12. but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not know him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of man will suffer at their hands." 13. Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
I’ve always thought of this passage as “the beginning of the end.” Jesus was preparing the disciples for what was to come. They don’t seem to understand this experience at first, but Jesus helps them connect the dots, finally, and thus provides them something hopeful. They can look back upon this experience and draw on it when they are at their most desperate, sad and lonely after Christ’s death. They can use the memory of the light emanating from their beloved teacher, friend, and brother as they grieve the suffering and death he endures.
I wonder if they thought of this experience in the hours after Jesus died. I wonder if they felt hope and joy and reassurance. Or if they were so overcome with fear and felt so disappointed and confused that it didn’t matter what Jesus had told them, or what they believed. Of course I know the resurrection was for all of us – but I think it might have also been personal – for their benefit. After all this time, they still have to be led to the truth. They weren’t dumb or slow – they were just regular men, caught up in history! And this whole concept (Jesus/son of God/the Messiah) was pretty hard to grasp!
In so many ways, we are just like them. We don’t always “get it” when it comes to applying our faith to our daily lives. We forget about the saving grace of God, and the sacrificial gift of His Son. We don’t apply the lessons we have learned about what it means to call ourselves as Christians. We forget the road to the cross, the kind and gentle man, with the inner strength and courage that we can only imagine. We forget the resurrection! And God understands that we are just “regular” people, trying to live our lives—just like the disciples with Jesus.
Our task is to seek out that bright cloud and the voice that declares, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." Like the disciples, we are to rise, without fear, and go out into the world. We are declare the resurrection! Christ is risen! The tomb is empty! Have you really thought, long and hard, about what that means to you? Have you made Christ your personal savior? Jesus died for you, personally. He had you in mind as he carried that cross, bruised and bloody up the hill . He thought of you when he called out to God to forgive “them.” You and I were included in that plea.
I hope that today you are encased within the bright cloud of the voice of God. And that you accept Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.
Mary
I Will Not Be Afraid
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2 Timothy 4:1-5
1. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2. preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching. 3. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, 4. and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. 5. As for you, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.
Hebrews 13:5-6
"I will never fail you nor forsake you." 6. Hence we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid; what can man do to me?"
Last night as I listened to the news, received prayer requests, and got caught up on all the recent events in the lives of some of our friends and neighbors, I was a bit taken aback! A lot is going on! Not just the war, not just Virginia’s men and women being placed in harm’s way and dying, not just the Mayor-elect of Richmond charging full-steam ahead as he points out all the problems with the city. And more than that, not just the TB scare at a local high school, a full couple of days at my office – when I left last night the clinical staff was in “high panic mode” over a couple of issues. And it just goes on and on, an acquaintance missing—family not sure where he is, father of an old friend passed away, friends dealing with some serious, scary life issues, and the tsunami, and the mudslides in California. It just goes on and on.
It would be easy to get into a high panic mode myself. It happens when we are overwhelmed by all the bad news. All of life’s uncertainties, any time more than a couple of things happen that are out of our control, we can slip into the “woe is me” frame of mind. But these scripture offer us comfort and hope, and a way to deal with all the troubles in the world, and in our lives. It’s not as easy as hust reading a few verses from the bible, I know that. Going to scripture is just one part of the process. But it’s an important part! I’m pretty sure that the catastrophes described in the bible are equal to or exceed anything you’ll hear on the news. OK, the tsunami is probably close to “biblical proportions.” It’s terrible. And we feel helpless. And then there’s the day-in-day-out stuff that makes up our life.
How are we supposed to get our kids to school, and get ourselves to work, and do the grocery shopping, go to PTA, meetings at church, work overtime, mow the lawn, etc., etc., etc., as if nothing is wrong in the world?
"The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid; what can man do to me.” These verses pretty well sum up the how. Our trust in God’s plan for us, individually and as a world, is what gets us through the day. And our faith is how we determine what we’ll do about all the issues we deal with, what we’ll do, what we’ll say, what we’ll think, what we’ll teach our children, and how we’ll live our lives. That’s the only way I know how to do it! Trust, keep the faith. Even on those days when it doesn’t seem like it’s true, God is in charge. Knowing that makes me feel much better, because I am powerless to alter the course of history. I am incapable of undoing one single event I hear about on the news. And I am unable to imagine living in a world that is controlled by mankind’s whims and folly!
I hope today you re-charge your “faith batteries” by taking a few minutes to read the promises of scripture. And that you reassure your children, yourself, and everyone you meet, by telling them God is charge.
Mary
Nailed to the Cross with Christ
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Romans 6:8-14
Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the Cross with Christ, a decisive end to a sin-miserable life—no longer at sin’s every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you: God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That’s what Jesus did.
That means you must give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don’t give it the time of day. Don’t even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time—remember, you’ve been raised from the dead!—into God’s way of doing things. Sin can’t tell you how to live. After all, you’re not living under that old tyranny any longer. You’re living in the freedom of God.
This translation is from “The Message.” Sometimes I am challenged to figure out what I’m reading, and this translation puts it in modern-day English for me! Of course I always first, or after the fact go back to my NIV translation—which is closer to the original translation. My NIV bible notes indicate that “the believer who dies with Christ is raised to a new quality of moral life here and now. Resurrection in the sense of a new birth is already a fact, and it increasingly exerts itself in the believer’s life.”
That means that the more we come to understand the power of Christ’s death and resurrection, the more we want to turn our lives over to God and to doing what is right in His eyes. It becomes harder and harder to sin when we have to walk past the mirror of our salvation every time we walk out the door! I like how we’re told “Don’t even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life.” Don’t even go back there—look ahead to eternal life, and weigh your actions based on that promised reward!
I also like the fact that this translation states that “When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us.” God made man, taking on the form and shape of imperfect, sin-filled creatures to save us from ourselves. Wow! How could we ever repay that kind of act? We can’t! And that’s the point. Since we have received a gift for which we could never repay our God, we are compelled to use the gift for our own good and for the good His world.
We hang on every word of scripture, and search out the truths we need to rely upon to live a live worthy of the gift. And though we know that the best we could ever do is try to be perfect, we also know that our sincere attempt is adequate—because of Christ.
I hope today you’ll declare your own decisive end to a sin-filled existence. And that never again will death have the last say in your life.
Mary
Walking on the Water
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Matthew 14:22-33
22. Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24. but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. 25. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. 27. But immediately he spoke to them, saying, "Take heart, it is I; have no fear." 28. And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water." 29. He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; 30. but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." 31. Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32. And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
Aren’t we so often like Peter? We believe, really we do, in Jesus Christ and his saving message, but when we get to a rough patch, we need reassurance. When we’re troubled, we ask for a sign. We forget that Jesus himself was the sign! His life, his words, everything he did! And yet, we doubt the saving power of Jesus Christ! We say, “Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water.” And we step out of the boat, but we only go so far before our “human reason” kicks in. We limit our own faith by our humanity!
Jesus tells Peter (and us) not to fear, to take heart. He stands at a distance, like a parent bidding a baby to take those first steps unaided and unsupported by strong, loving arms, and we take that tentative first step! But we look down! We falter, and we fall with a “plop.” Only through the rest of our life, we don’t usually have soft padding upon which to land—it’s the cold, hard, unforgiving ground – and it hurts!
Jesus offers us a way not be afraid. He bids us to trust in him, never look away. Keep our eye on the prize, so to speak. He waits for us with loving arms, and reassures us that he won’t let us fall so far that we are beyond redemption. He stands at a distance, giving us freedom of choice, and allowing us to make our own decisions. I have two teenagers—and I know how challenging that part of loving and nurturing someone can be! All too often I want to rush in and tell them what to do! But Jesus is stronger and wiser than that. He understands that the only way our faith is increased is through trial and error. We believe, we falter, we turn back to him. He can deal with that!
When the wind whips up around us, we have to fight to keep our footing. But Jesus is the calming force in our lives. Look to him, trust in him. Take a step out of that boat! Walk across the water to him. He waits for you. With open arms and a loving gaze. And even better—he’ll catch you just as you start to go under. You might get wet—but you won’t drown.
I hope today as you are cast about by the winds of this world, you’ll take a leap of faith and turn to Jesus to calm the seas in your life. And that you’ll honor our Lord and Savior by saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Mary
Proclaim Him from the Housetops
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Matthew 10:26-39
26. "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27. What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops. 28. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's will. 30. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32. So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; 33. but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. 34. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36. and a man's foes will be those of his own household. 37. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38. and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.
I have always found it fascinating that Christ declares his intention, not to wash away the sin all sinners, not to forgive everyone who has transgressed, not to wipe out dissention between believers and their families; but to wash clean those who seek salvation; to forgive those who ask for redemption, to stand firm in the cause of Christ, against a lost and sinful world. Jesus knew better than any of us can even imagine, how powerful is the force of evil in our lives. Satan battles every day—every minute—for ownership of our souls.
Jesus warns us not to be easily persuaded against what he preaches. He understood that it would not be easy all the time. He knew that we might have to turn our backs on our best friend, or even members of our families. Eternal life in heaven with God is worth any price—even losing our place in this world in favor of the next. The battle is as old as time – since Lucifer fell from grace. And it will wage on until Christ comes again. And Jesus doesn’t want us to be caught off guard. He doesn’t want the evil one to have an unfair advantage in this battle!
Of course, he does. Because we are human beings, and thus flawed. The same knowledge Christ has of us – of our inner thoughts, fears, weaknesses – so does Satan; because he was once a part of the heavenly realm and so a part of that cosmic knowledge. That does give him an unfair advantage! So we must be ever on our guard. We must ever clothe ourselves in the full armor of God. We must ever be ready to take a stand, to choose what is right over what is easy. We must be ever watchful lest we be led astray by those whom we love and care about.
The battle is for our souls! And Jesus doesn’t want us to lose that battle! Too much is at stake to blindly go about our lives with no awareness of all the ways Satan can district and deter us. The world offers too many opportunities to be lead astray for us to let down our guard for even a moment. So how do we wage this war? How are we sustained through it? How do we win?
We don’t win! But Christ does – always. We wage the war armed with the power of his death and resurrection. We endure through going to scripture and relying upon God’s inspired words in the bible. We seek out the truth of Jesus Christ and ask him to arm us against the evil one. And we need the love and power of Jesus Christ to stay in the grace of God! Satan uses his past unity with God to have power over our hearts and minds.
God knows us from the inside out. He would never let us go down without a fight. He’ll defend us to the end—he already has! He sent his son! The battle was won in advance. We are now responsible for keeping the watch. I thank my God that he has already provided for my final victory! I long to rejoice with Him in heaven! I am ever in his debt for revealing his truth to me and for sending his precious son – himself/God/man – to redeem me and set the line of defense firmly in place.
I hope today you are able to stand strong against the forces of sin and evil in this world. And that you proclaim from the housetops how great is your Savior and Redeemer, sent by God/part of God/man incarnate.
Mary
Right+Wise
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Ephesians 5:1-2
1. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Hebrews 12:28-29
28. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe; 29. for our God is a consuming fire.
Romans 5:12-17
12. Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned -- 13. sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. 15. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16. And the free gift is not like the effect of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. 17. If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
A lot of “therefore’s” this morning! Of course, the therefore’s mean “because of Christ’s sacrifice!” God sent his son to earth, therefore, he became like one of us. Christ died on the cross, therefore our sins were and continue to be forgiven. Because of the cross, we have the gift of grace, freely offered, therefore we live a life filled with and demonstrated by our gratitude, obedience, servanthood, reverence, awe, and love.
Each of these scripture could really end with the “therefore” statement. In my bible margin I have “righteousness” written next to the Ephesians passage. I don’t remember writing it, but I looked up righteous in the dictionary this morning. Webster’s defines it as: [Old English: see right + wise] acting in a just, upright manner; doing what is right; fair and just. So how do all the therefore’s, Jesus, and righteousness tie in? I guess that together, for me, they are the foundation for why I have chosen a particular way to live. Once we are saved, by God’s grace, through our faith in Jesus Christ, righteousness is really the only option.
Roman 5:15 states “But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. “ In light of this free gift, how can we decide to live in any other way than by doing what is right, and praying for discernment on what is wise. Is it wise to openly defy the ways of the world? Not by worldly standards! But from the perspective of whose reward we seek, what free gift we have received, and hope to keep, then righteousness is our only option!
God is so big, and so good, and so all-sufficient, all-loving, all-inclusive of every superlative you could ever list, that we are recipients of it all even though we could never earn it! Death reigns no more – not the death of the Old Testament; not the death of spirit. God’s gift of abundant grace must be reciprocated with “acceptable worship, with reverence and awe” not because he needs it, but because he deserves it! It is only the beginning of what we could ever do to express our gratitude and thanks! A song that just love ponders how the singer will react when she gets to heaven. She poses the questions, “Will I dance for you, Jesus? Will I fall to my knees? Will sing ‘halleluiah’ or in awe of you be still? I can only imagine.”
I cannot even begin to imagine! The recounting of the times humans actually came in contact with God is amazing! They trembled with fear – not because they felt in danger, but because humans are incapable of grasping and comprehending that kind of power. Righteousness is the only choice we have. To do what is right and wise in the eyes of God is all we can do as a small down payment for that unimaginable meeting with God in heaven when Christ comes again!
I hope today you live wisely and choose to do what is right in the eyes of God. And that you are called “righteous” by your brother, our savior, Jesus Christ.
Mary
Paradox, Servanthood, Thrones in Heaven
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Luke 22:7-16, 24-30, 36-37
7. Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8. So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the passover for us, that we may eat it." 9. They said to him, "Where will you have us prepare it?" 10. He said to them, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house which he enters, 11. and tell the householder, `The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I am to eat the passover with my disciples?' 12. And he will show you a large upper room furnished; there make ready." 13. And they went, and found it as he had told them; and they prepared the passover. 14. And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him. 15. And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; 16. for I tell you I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." . . . 24. A dispute also arose among them, which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25. And he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26. But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. 27. For which is the greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28. "You are those who have continued with me in my trials; 29. and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, 30. that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. . . 36. He said to them, "But now, let him who has a purse take it, and likewise a bag. And let him who has no sword sell his mantle and buy one. 37. For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, `And he was reckoned with transgressors'; for what is written about me has its fulfilment."
Jesus has grown to love these 12 men so very much. They are more than brothers to him, they are more than sons. They hold a special place in his heart; he knows their quirks and their preferences, and most importantly he sees beyond the rough exterior into their hearts and souls. They are amazing, good and strong men—each in their own way. Jesus is on the one hand sad to depart from their company – their relationship, their bond, their unity and loyalty to each other, and to Jesus—is probably as close to heaven as he could achieve while here on earth. And he will miss them.
But, Jesus must have been so tired – physically, emotionally, and spiritually drained by this point. He must have on the other hand, wanted the physical suffering to be over so he could get back to heaven, or to escape it all together and stay with these brothers and friends, who he deeply loved, here on earth. He warns the disciples that hard times are ahead for them as well. And they must also prepare for what is to come. They must rely upon each other now, as they had come to rely upon Jesus.
My bible notes indicate how unusual it would be for a man to be carrying a water jar – that was typically strictly “woman’s work” in this day. It is the beginning (or the beginning of the end) of a time of paradox and a testing of faith, a time when everything these men knew and trusted and believed would be questioned, and tested. This first paradox ties in with Jesus’ urging that the servant become greater than the master. In other words, don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and do the hard work that is ahead. So far, you’ve had me in your presence to spur you on, to guide you, instruct you and encourage you. Now you’re about to be on your own and you’ll need to rely upon each other.
Of course we know what follows: the betrayal by Judas, the 3 denials by Peter, the torture and death, and the resurrection! Judas must have loved Jesus so deeply to have grieved so deeply that he was inconsolable. He must have felt as if he had erred so horribly that he could not live with the burden one minute longer. But Peter, Jesus knew, would be okay. He was the brash, shoot from the hip guy. He would spit out the denials, but would finally, through his regret and his tears, come to understand exactly what Jesus had talked about. I wonder if this is the point when it all came together for him?
I hope you spend today demonstrating your love and affection for all of God’s children—with their quirks, bad habits, annoying tendencies and all. And that you are ever able to do the work required to bring about God’s kingdom.
Mary
Cheerful in the Midst of Drama
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Matthew 13:51-58
51. "Have you understood all this?" They said to him, "Yes." 52. And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old." 53. And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54. and coming to his own country he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55. Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56. And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?" 57. And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." 58. And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
Matthew brings to a close a long list of parables which Jesus has shared with the disciples and with many others. Maybe Matthew was trying to arrange the parables in this way for convenience, or maybe Jesus had really “been on a roll!” I’ve never really understood what verse 52 meant until I read The Message version of this passage. It points to the example of an old country store – where the owner always keeps on hand your “regular” items, but also has available anything else you can think of at the time. The Message says that any person well-trained in the kingdom of God has at their disposal what is needed to bring others to the faith.
But then we go on to read about the reception Jesus got when he returned home and continued his ministry among his family and the friends and neighbors with whom he grew up. On the one hand they are amazed at Jesus’ wisdom and breadth and depth of knowledge. They certainly felt the power of the Holy Spirit emanating from his being—though they didn’t understand what it was – just an odd “vibe.” They wonder how “one of them” could have become seemingly so well educated—he’s just a carpenter, a common tradesman—like me, like all of us!
On the other hand they’re quite upset that one of their own would attempt to “show off” his knowledge and try to tell them how to live and how to act, and especially since what he is telling them is counter to everything they believe and accept as the truth! “How dare he!?” Have you ever felt that way? At work, especially, it can be challenging to exert your Christian beliefs and exhort your faith when your co-workers view you as “one of them.” They’re not on the same wavelength. They don’t see what religion or a faith life has to do with work (usually!)
Like Jesus, if we are faithful and vocal about our faith we may be shunned, or at least snubbed. I’ve actually been told I was too cheerful at work and it was making some of my coworkers uncomfortable because they had so much stress and so many problems they were dealing with that they couldn’t stand to be around someone who wasn’t responding in the same way they were! Of course that’s absurd. But it’s true. And my first reaction was anger. Then it was sadness. Then I began to pray, not only for the person who approached me, and for the staff under that person’s supervision, but also for myself. I prayed that I would not change my personality, nor would I deny the hard work I had done spiritually to get the point where I could “act joyful” in the midst of a crisis.
Yes, I have a tremendous amount of stress in my job. I have functional responsibility for aspects of staff performance throughout 5 offices in the State. And some days I do a lousy job of being “cheerful” because I don’t feel very joyful. But every day I find I must go to God to get me through—even on those good days! So the challenge, I guess, is to find the balance between practicing our faith, not offending others—if at all possible; and if that’s not possible, then being willing to deal with the consequences.
In the big scheme of things, compared to giving up divinity for 33 years to take the form of a human being, suffering a horrific death, and rising on the 3rd day for you and me—a little snub at work doesn’t really rate as persecution, does it?
I hope today you find ways to testify to God’s goodness and mercy by the way you respond to the stressful situations throughout your day. And that others wonder how in the world you can be cheerful in the midst of the drama.
Mary
Up to My Neck in Love
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Luke 7:29-35
29. (When they heard this all the people and the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John; 30. but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.) 31. "To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32. They are like children sitting in the market place and calling to one another, `We piped to you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not weep.' 33. For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine; and you say, `He has a demon.' 34. The Son of man has come eating and drinking; and you say, `Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' 35. Yet wisdom is justified by all her children."
Without Christ as the center of our lives, we are like restless children on a late summer day. They don’t want to swim—done that; don’t want to go for a walk—done that; don’t want to run through the sprinkler—done that; don’t want to . . . well, you get it! Luke is pretty in-your-face with these verses. First God sent John the Baptist and we didn’t like what he had to say, so we rejected him. Then He sent Christ—and we really didn’t like what He had to say. So what will it take to get our attention? What needs to be said or done to make us understand?
The Pharisees didn’t like to hear about the first being last and the last being first—they were pretty comfortable with their lifestyle and their place in the pecking order. They could not imagine giving all that up to accept mere “commoners” as equals. That would topple the whole system to which they adhered and proliferated! They didn’t want John to baptize them because that would be an acknowledgement that they accepted what he proclaimed. They certainly didn’t like what this rabble-rouser, Jesus, was saying – it was heresy! It was madness!
And how are we like these Pharisees? Are we a bit too comfortable in our faith? Do we “settle” for doing the “minimum required” to be considered a Christian? Do we go through the motions and hope secretly (and desperately) that it will be enough to earn us salvation? Do we dip our toes in the water, but never go in up to our knees, let alone jump off the high dive and become completely immersed in the love of God through Jesus Christ?
I had a rough time this morning—2nd morning after two weeks vacation is worse than the first! And we’ve got a lot going on in our family—and a lot planned in the next few months. And it’s hard to focus on the “now.” It’s hard to not get frustrated that it’s not all over and decided and settled. And I think God directed me to these verses to remind me about what’s really important! If you can’t practice your faith; if you can’t rest in Christ; if you can’t resist all the ways Satan wrangles his way into your mind and heart when you’re restless about the little things – inconsequential in the big scheme of things – then how in the world will you deal with a real tragedy? How will you remain faithful when your faith is truly tested?
How will you demonstrate you’re a Christian today if you’re crabby and restless? How? OK. I get it. So even though I’m running late this morning, and even though I haven’t even begun to put the Christmas “stuff” away, and my house needs a good cleaning, I have Jesus. And, if I’m not mistaken, that’s the whole point—not all the other nonsense Satan uses to distract me!
We can choose the “close enough” route, or we can dive on in the water. But we can’t have it both ways! Come on in—the water,s fine!
I hope you spend today immersed in the love of Christ – right up to your neck! And that you don’t let the “little things” distract you from the big picture.
Mary
We Shall Be Changed
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1 Corinthians 15:50-58
50. I tell you this, brethren: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51. Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52. in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53. For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality. 54. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55. "O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?" 56. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
We shall be changed. We shall be changed . . . Because of Christ death no longer becomes the final answer. Because of him, we will be changed from the human, fragile, finite beings that we are into the glorious, impervious, shining and eternal creatures that reflect God’s light throughout the heavens and on the earth! Really! We will become like Him! Not Him, but like Him.
We shall be changed. Our foretaste of that afterlife is experienced when we first give our lives to Christ. We become new creatures then. When we live with the certainty of Christ’s promise, and believe in life in heaven – worshiping our Creator in person, this world seems clouded over in a mist. Heaven will be so wonderful, so beautiful, so unspeakably and indescribably incredible, that we are spurred on to work toward achieving heaven. Our faith is the fuel. Heaven is the destination. Everything that happens along the way moves us one step closer to perfection in Christ Jesus.
His resurrection won this wonderful prize for us! His death was the price He paid on our behalf. Knowing this, believing it, we respond out of gratitude and reverence. We turn away from the ways of the world; we seek out the counsel of other Christians. We surround ourselves with godly friends and companions. We long for a world where everyone is “on the same page.” But God promised us, and Christ proved it true, that it will be worth any price we pay to reach our heavenly home.
No matter how difficult life on earth is; no matter how much pain, disappointment, discouragement, rejection, rebuke and ridicule we encounter and are expected to endure, we are already victorious! We accept and rejoice in the refinement God is doing to us. He is preparing us for perfection! And I don’t know about you, but I need a lot more work!
I’ve been home from work for two full weeks! This Monday will be especially challenging as I have been reminded of all the reasons I like being a wife and mother – a real homebody. But I have also gained some new insights about my place in the workplace. Perhaps God needs and wants me to be His voice there. And that makes leaving my house this morning a bit easier to deal with. You see, I’ve been changed. And I long to become the final, perfect finished product God has planned for me. So I labor and strive for that perfection.
While I’ll never achieve perfection in this life, I know it awaits me if I work as hard as I can to come as close as I can to that state.
I hope you spend today demonstrating how you are changed because of Christ. And that you find new ways in this new year to bring others to the truth.
Mary
