The Lord your God is in your midst

Zepaniah 3:14  Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! 15  The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. 16  On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. 17  The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing 18  as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. 19  I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. 20  At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the LORD.

Zephaniah is thought to be a contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah, and like Jeremiah he prophesied against the corruption and apostasy of the descendants of Abraham – both in Judah and in Israel. Having noted that they would be judged for their failure to live a life worthy of Godly people, Zephaniah then concludes his dire warnings with a song of hope: the Lord God will restore the strength of his people and will sing over them with joy. In addition to expressing his love for the remnant who survives the judgement, he will recover the lame, the outcast and all who were shamed by their defeat.... and their blessings will be restored.  

This is so often the pattern of our relationship with out Creator: words of warning mixed in with words of encouragement. When we strut the earth as if we are accountable to nobody, we need to hear God’s warning of our impending fall; but when we are bruised and hurting, we can hear God’s words of encouragement and blessing.  Christmas is the moment when we discover, like Zephaniah, that the “The LORD, your God, is in your midst” (Ch3:17). Let us be chastened if we ignore Him, and be encouraged if we are longing for Him.  

To Sing 

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee

is mighty, is mighty.

He will save and rejoice over thee

with joy, with joy.

He will rest in his love,

He will joy over thee with singing.

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee

is mighty, is mighty, is mighty.

Tapu Moala 1972 Scripture in Song

First Sunday in Advent

1. The Lord is Coming

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 14.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

Hold Fast

Hebrews 10:11  And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12  But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, "he sat down at the right hand of God," 13  and since then has been waiting "until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet." 14  For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15  And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying, 16  "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds," 17  he also adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more." 18  Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. 19  Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20  by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21  and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22  let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23  Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24  And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25  not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The invitation is to be in a Covenant with our Creator. This is a relationship that offers a life lived  “in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”  But the reality of our Christian faith is that our very human spirits do not always live up to this Covenant: our doubting thoughts seek to undermine our “full assurance”; our unfaithful hearts reveal an “evil conscience”; and our “washed with pure water” bodies wander into sin. For this reason the writer urges us to “hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering”. The best way to do this is to meet together, encouraging each other to stay faithful – provoking “one another to love and good deeds”.   

Those who follow Jesus do not act alone: our faith is one of communal support and encouragement.

First Sunday in Advent

1. The Lord is Coming

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 14.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

You are Mine

Isaiah 43:1  But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3  For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you. 4  Because you are precious in my sight, and honoured, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life. 5  Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you; 6  I will say to the north, "Give them up," and to the south, "Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth-- 7  everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." 8  Bring forth the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears! 9  Let all the nations gather together, and let the peoples assemble. Who among them declared this, and foretold to us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to justify them, and let them hear and say, "It is true."

In the 6^th Century BC the people of God were conquered by the Babylonians and carried off into exile. The Prophet Isaiah had told them that their sinful acts of oppression and greed had caused them to lose God’s protection (Isaiah 1:15). Now he adds reassurance to his earlier words of judgement: despite being exiled from their homes and temple, God has not been left behind in their homeland: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you”. God has instructed Isaiah to tell his people that they are still “precious in my sight”.    Here is the core truth: even if we wander far away from Godly paths, God does not leave us. Even when we abandon God, our Creator does not abandon us!

First Sunday in Advent

1. The Lord is Coming

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 14.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

Whose Kingdom & Whose Truth?

John 18:33  Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" 34  Jesus answered, "Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?" 35  Pilate replied, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?" 36  Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." 37  Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

This conversation is written as if John was standing right next to Jesus, recording his conversation with Pontius Pilate.[1] Obviously this is not the case. It is a reconstruction that seeks to teach a theology of the Kingdom of God. This conversation uses the question “Are you a king?” to challenge those who hear this Gospel to think about their ultimate loyalties: would they be loyal to a temporary political power; or would they let an eternal spiritual power hold them accountable for their daily living? John challenges politicians, traditional leaders, and family heads to hold themselves accountable to a greater, spiritual authority.

Jesus-followers choose to hold ourselves accountable to a truth that is greater than the petty power-play of politicians, the gratuitous grasping of the greedy, and the pompous posturing of the pious.

First Sunday in Advent

1. The Lord is Coming

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 14.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

      

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[1] The fifth Prefect of the Roman province of Judaea, from AD 26–36.

Steadfast in the Faith

Colossians 1:9  For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10  so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. 11  May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12  giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13  He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16  for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers--all things have been created through him and for him. 17  He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18  He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19  For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20  and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. 21  And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22  he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him-- 23  provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel.

Paul writes to the Christ-followers in Colossae that since he had heard of their love for him he had prayed for them....that they may be strong. He noted that this strength is initiated and rooted in Jesus, who is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation”.

We who follow Jesus are brought closer to God through our faith in Jesus. This is not something that enhances our status, or boosts our personal standing. We become the reconcilers of those who are estranged and the servants of our world.    

First Sunday in Advent

1. The Lord is Coming

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 14.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

Bear Good Fruit

Matthew 3:1  In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2  "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." 3  This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'" 4  Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5  Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6  and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7  But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8  Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 9  Do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10  Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11  "I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12  His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

John the Baptist challenges the religious people of his day at their deepest place – he is baptising them as if they were goyim ( גוים) who were converting to Judaism. His point was that Jewish people were behaving like unbelievers, and needed to reconvert to the faith. He is particularly scathing when he meets the religious leadership: he points out that their link to Abraham did not qualify them for God’s special favour. Instead God wants “fruit worthy of repentance.”  The point is made: God seeks the quality of our living rather than the religious groups we claim as our own.   

First Sunday in Advent

1. The Lord is Coming

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 14.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

In Remembrance

Matthew 26:6  Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7  a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. 8  But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, "Why this waste? 9  For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor." 10  But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. 11  For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12  By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial. 13  Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her."

Jesus is publicly anointed by a woman at the house of Simon the leper. She has no name, no history, and no reason is given for her action. But “what she has done will be told in remembrance of her”.   The core of the life and teaching of Jesus had to do with affirming the no-bodies of life. He is to be found at the house of a leper, he allows a woman with ‘no name’ to find affirmation – and he hangs out with people like you and me. Jesus-followers do not find their affirmation in fame or wealth or power. We find our worth in this one thing: that we are loved by God.   

Last Sunday after Pentecost

56 Christ the King

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 341.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

I am what I am

1Corithians 15:1  Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, 2  through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you--unless you have come to believe in vain. 3  For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4  and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5  and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6  Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7  Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8  Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9  For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them--though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11  Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

 

"I am what I am" is a song originally introduced in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical La Cage aux Folles (1983–1987). The song was then released by Gloria Gaynor and has taken on a life of its own beyond the musical. It has become an anthem of self-assertion against the abuse and derision that is experienced by gay people.[1]

However, these words are much older than this. They are found in the writings of St Paul (1 Cor 15:10). But they are not original to Paul, because they originate in Exodus 3:14 where Moses asks for insight into the character of God: “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’”  

When Paul uses this phrase he is not offering a defiant assertion of his identity, but is rather asserting the new identity that he finds in Christ. He has been welcomed by Jesus, even though his persecution of Christians made him “unfit to be called an apostle”.  This then is the good news of our faith: we are not condemned to be trapped by our past – we can become more: “I AM”, The God of all Creation, will take up residence in our lives and transform us. We can become a visible expression of “I AM” in our own living.  When a Jesus-follower says “I am what I am” we speak of the way God is at work in us transforming us to become what God has dreamed we can become.

I am what I am
I am my own special creation
So come take a look
Give me the hook or the ovation

It's my world
That I want to have a little pride
My world
And it's not a place I have to hide in

Life's not worth a dam till I can say
I am what I am

Songwriters: OWEN,MARK

Published by Lyrics © EMI Musi

Last Sunday after Pentecost

56 Christ the King

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 341.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

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[1]  It eventually became one of two Gaynor songs to serve as rallying cries for the gay pride movement (the other being 1978's "I Will Survive").

Jesus Needs It!

Luke 19:28  After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29  When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30  saying, "Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31  If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it.'" 32  So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33  As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" 34  They said, "The Lord needs it." 35  Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36  As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37  As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38  saying, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!" 39  Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, order your disciples to stop." 40  He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out."

I have heard many sermons that use the name of Jesus to persuade people to donate their hard earned cash/possessions to keep the local church – and pastor - solvent. So when I hear that “The Lord needs it” I am already looking for the catch. Whether it is my money, or the colt tied up outside the house, the question that rings in my mind is – “Who says Jesus needs it?”

The story of Jesus and the colt offer us a clue in dealing with demands for money or possessions. The fact is that everything we have belongs to God. With God’s blessing we are to use and enjoy our possessions in God’s service.  So when Jesus asks for the colt, it is freely given. But this has nothing to do with enriching an individual, or entrenching the power of the religious institution.

Let us not be fooled into donating money just because someone uses the name of Jesus. Let us donate generously only after a thorough investigation, ensuring that the work of Jesus is promoted rather than entrenching the power and status of the religious leader or the religious institution.

Last Sunday after Pentecost

56 Christ the King

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 341.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

       

Struggle

Acts 17:1-9  Paul and Silas in Thessalonica 1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 5 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go. 

This message 'turned the world upside down'. This is the nature of our relationship with Jesus: he takes us beyond what is comfortable. Someone once said that 'he comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable'. Pray to be disturbed by Jesus.

Who touched me?

Luke 8:43  Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her. 44  She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her haemorrhage stopped. 45  Then Jesus asked, "Who touched me?" When all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds surround you and press in on you." 46  But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me." 47  When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48  He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace."

Luke uses this chapter to tell of the particular emphasis of Jesus’ ministry. It begins with Jesus ignoring a religious and cultural taboo by walking into a graveyard and speaking to a mentally distressed man. He then associates himself with a woman who suffered from what his culture considered to be the defilement of menstrual bleeding. And finally he touches a dead girl – something that would put him outside of every that is accepted by his community.

This is about Jesus exercising a preferential option for the poor. He deliberately chooses to shower compassion and kindness on those who are kicked to the curb by society. And he drags his disciples, his friends, and everyone else with him. If we want to follow Jesus, we will spend time with people in the graveyards of their lives, with people bleeding from the wounds they carry, and speaking life to people who are dying.                

Last Sunday after Pentecost

56 Christ the King

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 341.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

Can anything good come from Nazareth?

John 1:43  The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." 44  Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." 46  Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." 47  When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" 48  Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49  Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" 50  Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." 51  And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

The Arabic name for Nazareth is an-Nāṣira  ( الْنَاصِرَة), a town that is currently the largest city in the North District of Israel. In the time of Jesus, Nathanael is scornfully dismissive of this town, implying that little of value could be expected from it. Today this town generates controversy and tourism in equal measure. There are ongoing tensions between Christians and Muslims over a site where a nephew of Saladin is believed to be buried, and Christians from all over the world come in pilgrimage.

Of interest is that “Jesus of Nazareth” is the appellation assigned to Jesus the Christ by history – but this is mostly the history of the English translations of the Bible. The original Greek form is   "Jesus the Nazarēnos" or "Jesus theNazōraios” (Ναζωραῖος) better translated as Jesus the Nazarene.[1] Around 331 Eusebius records that the Christ was called a Nazoraean, and that in earlier centuries Christians, were once called Nazarenes.

So where do we go from here? One thought that strikes me is that we are all known by the places we come from – but we are not trapped by them! We can be more than the environment we were born into – and we can be more than whatever our home town becomes. We are first and foremost the children of God. And God sees us for what we can become, and not for where we come from.    

Last Sunday after Pentecost

56 Christ the King

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 341.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

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[1] A Nazarene was an Israelite who had taken special vows of dedication to Yahweh whereby he abstained for a specified period of time from using alcohol and grape products, cutting his hair, and approaching corpses. At the end of the period he was required to immerse himself in water for cleansing.

You are what your eat

John 4:31  Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, "Rabbi, eat something." 32  But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." 33  So the disciples said to one another, "Surely no one has brought him something to eat?" 34  Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. 35  Do you not say, 'Four months more, then comes the harvest'? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. 36  The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37  For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' 38  I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."

In an 1863 essay Concerning Spiritualism and Materialism, Ludwig  Feuerbach wrote: "Der Mensch ist, was er ißt.", which  translates into English as 'man is what he eats'. A more modern form of this “You are what you eat”.

Jesus says this long before Feuerbach. He says that he “eats” the will of God and becomes what he should be. This then is the invitation for us all: if we want to be like Jesus we must make obedience to the will of God our overriding passion.  

Prayer

We offer and present unto thee, O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice unto thee; humbly beseeching thee that we, and all others who shall be partakers of this Holy Communion, may worthily receive the most precious Body and Blood of thy Son Jesus Christ, be filled with thy grace and heavenly benediction, and made one body with him, that he may dwell in us, and we in him.. Amen

Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in 1549

Ordinary 33 / Pentecost +26

55 See...Judge...Act

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 335.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

Hard Work

2Thessalonians 3:1  Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you, 2  and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people; for not all have faith. 3  But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. 4  And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will go on doing the things that we command. 5  May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.6  Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. 7  For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, 8  and we did not eat anyone's bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. 9  This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. 10  For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11  For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12  Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13  Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right. 14  Take note of those who do not obey what we say in this letter; have nothing to do with them, so that they may be ashamed. 15  Do not regard them as enemies, but warn them as believers. 16  Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with all of you. 17  I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the mark in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.

Paul writes to reprimand Christian people who “are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work”. He noted that he has set an example of toil and labour ,  and encouraged those who follow Jesus to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.  He also asked those who chose to emulate him to shun those who would not work. Mariam Kamell notes:“Verse 11 gives us one of Paul’s fun plays on words that help us realize his rhetorical brilliance. These disruptive ones will not “work” (ergazomenous), instead they work mischief (periergazomenous), building the counter to the positive of what they should be doing”.[1]

So what do we make of all this?

Many have used this passage to condemn those who are assisted by welfare grants. Many, many politicians who want to cut welfare budgets have quoted the following words as their justification:  “Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.”  This is not what this passage is about – and is an abuse of this text.  Instead, this is about those who should and can work but refuse to do so, and instead cause chaos in the community.

Jesus’ people are not the leeches and parasites of society: we are to work harder than anyone else, using our skills and strength to earn our own living. In this way the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere.

Ordinary 33 / Pentecost +26

55 See...Judge...Act

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 335.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

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[1] Mariam Kamell http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1848

Good Hope conquers Fear.

2Thessalonians 2:1  As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, 2  not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. 3  Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. 4  He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. 5  Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you? 6  And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed when his time comes. 7  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who now restrains it is removed. 8  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his mouth, annihilating him by the manifestation of his coming. 9  The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, 10  and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11  For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion, leading them to believe what is false, 12  so that all who have not believed the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned. 13  But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14  For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15  So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter. 16  Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, 17  comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.

The Jesus people in Thessalonica were afraid. The Roman Empire had become an unfriendly place for Jesus followers, and they were suffering persecution. The Emperor “opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God.”  They knew that Jesus had promised to return after his death, and were hoping that this would be soon so that he could rescue them. They are encouraged to “stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us”.  This passage recognises that fear is more debilitating than anything else that we face. And so the concluding words are ones of eternal comfort and good hope.

Jesus-followers are not impervious to fear: we learn to live with our fears because Jesus lives life alongside of us offering ‘good hope’ (2 Thess 2:16).

Ordinary 33 / Pentecost +26

55 See...Judge...Act

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 335.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

Sanctification

1Thessalonians 5:14  And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. 15  See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. 16  Rejoice always,17  pray without ceasing,18  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19  Do not quench the Spirit. 20  Do not despise the words of prophets, 21  but test everything; hold fast to what is good; 22  abstain from every form of evil. 23  May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24  The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this. 25  Beloved, pray for us. 26  Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss. 27  I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all of them. 28  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

The Christian life is not solitary. It is best lived in community where we share the other person’s joy and sorrow: “admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all”.  It is when we allow others to hold us accountable for our actions that we realise our potential to become Christ-like, or what Paul calls ‘entirely sanctified’.

Ordinary 33 / Pentecost +26

55 See...Judge...Act

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 335.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

A Society of Friends

Colossians 4:2  Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. 3  At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, 4  so that I may reveal it clearly, as I should. 5  Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6  Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. 7  Tychicus will tell you all the news about me; he is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord. 8  I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts; 9  he is coming with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here. 10  Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you have received instructions--if he comes to you, welcome him. 11  And Jesus who is called Justus greets you. These are the only ones of the circumcision among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12  Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you. He is always wrestling in his prayers on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in everything that God wills. 13  For I testify for him that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14  Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you. 15  Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16  And when this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you read also the letter from Laodicea. 17  And say to Archippus, "See that you complete the task that you have received in the Lord." 18  I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.

This is a very personal greeting.  Paul names individual members of the early Christian Church:  Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Mark the cousin of Barnabas, Jesus who is called Justus, Epaphras, Luke, the beloved physician, Demas, and Archippus,  The fact is that the Church of Jesus is much more than an historic institution ; it is more than a religious organization; it is more than the hierarchy of spiritual leaders; the Church consists of human beings who have committed their lives to following Jesus.  These are frail, fallible, struggling people who believe in someone larger than themselves.  

The invitation is for us to add our names to the long list of people who have gone before us. Let us walk in the footsteps of those Jesus-followers who led the way, and be grateful for their example.

Ordinary 33 / Pentecost +26

55 See...Judge...Act

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 335.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.