John 19:8-16
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
I imagine you know the feeling of going to a gathering where you aren't exactly sure what's going on or who's in charge. You look around to your fellow participants and try to half-heartedly follow them, all the while peering around to see if you can discover who is really in charge. Eventually, you just sorta give up and wait for something dramatic to reveal who is in charge.
This somewhat resembles our spiritual life. While we should be following the Word of God, instead we tend to listen to just about any voice in the cacophony. We try to follow along with what everyone else is doing, but eventually our hearts get so confused we just settle into a routine and go through the motions, waiting for something dramatic when we will decide with conviction. And so we go along, waiting.
As the church, we are charged with being active voices in the crowd, going out and telling everyone that Jesus is the voice of Truth, the authority we need to listen to, the one true guide who will lead us into everlasting and abundant life. We are charged with pointing to Christ, helping everyone filter out all the competing voices that lead our hearts astray.
In this Scripture, Pilate doesn't realize who is really in charge. The people in the crowd don't realize Jesus is the true King, so they listen to the voice of the religious leaders who tell them Jesus is a threat. Only Jesus is confidant that God alone is leading everyone through this, guiding the world to ultimate redemption through the death and resurrection of Christ the King.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Friday, October 28, 2016
John 19:1-7
John 19:1-7
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Can you imagine how miffed Pilate would be if he were reading this story today? Here he is, all set to make a fool out of Jesus, ready to humiliate him and mock him, and he ends up as the hero of the story. When history looks at Pilate, they don't remember him for his power and renown -- they remember him as the one Jesus got the better of, even though he never would have guessed this teacher would have been able to do so. He didn't realize how big the story was.
Jesus doesn't seem to be in any position to win, but he does, just as he always does, just as he ensures the church always endures. It is his body, and it will not be defeated. Society has been ready to write the church off before, persecuting them to the point of feeding them to lions, but the church endures, because it is the body of Christ, and it shall not die. That's why I don't buy into the anxiety about the church today -- there are certainly things the church needs to do differently, areas we need to reform, but we aren't going anywhere, because we are Christ's body, and we shall triumph in the end!
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Can you imagine how miffed Pilate would be if he were reading this story today? Here he is, all set to make a fool out of Jesus, ready to humiliate him and mock him, and he ends up as the hero of the story. When history looks at Pilate, they don't remember him for his power and renown -- they remember him as the one Jesus got the better of, even though he never would have guessed this teacher would have been able to do so. He didn't realize how big the story was.
Jesus doesn't seem to be in any position to win, but he does, just as he always does, just as he ensures the church always endures. It is his body, and it will not be defeated. Society has been ready to write the church off before, persecuting them to the point of feeding them to lions, but the church endures, because it is the body of Christ, and it shall not die. That's why I don't buy into the anxiety about the church today -- there are certainly things the church needs to do differently, areas we need to reform, but we aren't going anywhere, because we are Christ's body, and we shall triumph in the end!
Thursday, October 27, 2016
John 18:38-40
John 18:38-40
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
It's an injustice, right? A guilty man is set free, and an innocent man is condemned to die. It's worthy of our righteous indignation.
But the crazy thing is that this reversal trickles down to us. We, the guilty, are set free from our prison of sin and death due to the death of the innocent man. His blood liberates us, even though we don't deserve our freedom. It's a gift he gives us, and he allows this to happen. It's not the power of the Roman empire that holds Jesus to the cross -- it's the power of God's love and his will for us to be free.
So you have benefited from the death of an innocent man. May we live in such a way as to honor this amazing gift.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
It's an injustice, right? A guilty man is set free, and an innocent man is condemned to die. It's worthy of our righteous indignation.
But the crazy thing is that this reversal trickles down to us. We, the guilty, are set free from our prison of sin and death due to the death of the innocent man. His blood liberates us, even though we don't deserve our freedom. It's a gift he gives us, and he allows this to happen. It's not the power of the Roman empire that holds Jesus to the cross -- it's the power of God's love and his will for us to be free.
So you have benefited from the death of an innocent man. May we live in such a way as to honor this amazing gift.
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
John 18:28-38
John 18:28-38
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Jesus came to bring life, and the people demanded death. When their own laws didn't allow him to be put to death, they went to their occupiers and asked them to put their Savior to death.
Jesus came as the truth, and Pilate was wondering what the truth was. He was asking the wrong question -- "Who is truth?" is what he could have asked, and the truth was standing before him.
The light of the world was standing before him, but he could not see it. The people refused to see it, so threatened were they by his changing of the religious order. He was calling the people to God, but they weren't ready to hear his voice. They stopped their ears and yelled for his death.
Their sin is our sin, as hard as that is to admit. I have sinned and denied Christ. I have ignored him and preferred my own comfort. I have built walls of my own kingdom and kept him out.
So I fall on my face before God, and he offers grace and forgiveness to all who ask. There is life on the other side of death, there is hope on the other side of despair, and there is a way forward through the cross of Christ. Rejoice!
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Jesus came to bring life, and the people demanded death. When their own laws didn't allow him to be put to death, they went to their occupiers and asked them to put their Savior to death.
Jesus came as the truth, and Pilate was wondering what the truth was. He was asking the wrong question -- "Who is truth?" is what he could have asked, and the truth was standing before him.
The light of the world was standing before him, but he could not see it. The people refused to see it, so threatened were they by his changing of the religious order. He was calling the people to God, but they weren't ready to hear his voice. They stopped their ears and yelled for his death.
Their sin is our sin, as hard as that is to admit. I have sinned and denied Christ. I have ignored him and preferred my own comfort. I have built walls of my own kingdom and kept him out.
So I fall on my face before God, and he offers grace and forgiveness to all who ask. There is life on the other side of death, there is hope on the other side of despair, and there is a way forward through the cross of Christ. Rejoice!
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
John 18:25-27
John 18:25-27
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
"Peter!" We want to shout. "Peter -- what are you doing? You've denied Jesus once! Don't do it again!" We wonder at Peter's audacity to deny his Lord and Savior not once, but three times, when Jesus told him that this is exactly what he would do, and he does it anyway. We wonder at how he could do such a thing...
And then we go and do it ourselves, right? We deny Christ when we sin, whether in our actions or our inactions. We deny Jesus when we ignore the hurting and sorrowful and mourning. We deny Jesus when we choose our own selfish actions rather than selflessness. We deny Jesus when we choose not to risk the demands of love and instead opt for a safer path. We deny Jesus in many ways, day after day.
Peter denies Jesus three times this night, and he is sorrowful when he recognizes his sin. It is even more sorrowful when we deny Jesus and fail to recognize our sin. May we repent and be grateful for mercy.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
"Peter!" We want to shout. "Peter -- what are you doing? You've denied Jesus once! Don't do it again!" We wonder at Peter's audacity to deny his Lord and Savior not once, but three times, when Jesus told him that this is exactly what he would do, and he does it anyway. We wonder at how he could do such a thing...
And then we go and do it ourselves, right? We deny Christ when we sin, whether in our actions or our inactions. We deny Jesus when we ignore the hurting and sorrowful and mourning. We deny Jesus when we choose our own selfish actions rather than selflessness. We deny Jesus when we choose not to risk the demands of love and instead opt for a safer path. We deny Jesus in many ways, day after day.
Peter denies Jesus three times this night, and he is sorrowful when he recognizes his sin. It is even more sorrowful when we deny Jesus and fail to recognize our sin. May we repent and be grateful for mercy.
Monday, October 24, 2016
John 18:19-24
John 18:19-24
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
The high priests hated Jesus -- they hated him for the threat he posed to their positions of power. They were secure at the top of the religious food chain, but here came Jesus, preaching selflessness and sacrifice and submission, and they had spent so much energy securing themselves and their position that the idea of serving others had become repulsive to them.
It's hard to follow Jesus -- there is a part of us that hates submitting to his Lordship, because our selfish hearts view it as sacrifice that costs everything but gains nothing. We worry what we will get out of it.
Jesus, however, paints a new picture, and it takes a lifetime of faithful obedience to train our hearts to understand this new paradigm. He promises us the Kingdom, and he shows us the way to God -- he IS the way to God! -- assuring us that our sacrifice may seem painful at the time, but it is actually the road to blessing. Jesus sacrifices for us, then fills our hearts with grace and love, pointing us outward, to share what we have received.
But the high priests only view it as a threat. They don't realize it is actually the road to satisfaction, if we are willing to receive what Christ offers.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
The high priests hated Jesus -- they hated him for the threat he posed to their positions of power. They were secure at the top of the religious food chain, but here came Jesus, preaching selflessness and sacrifice and submission, and they had spent so much energy securing themselves and their position that the idea of serving others had become repulsive to them.
It's hard to follow Jesus -- there is a part of us that hates submitting to his Lordship, because our selfish hearts view it as sacrifice that costs everything but gains nothing. We worry what we will get out of it.
Jesus, however, paints a new picture, and it takes a lifetime of faithful obedience to train our hearts to understand this new paradigm. He promises us the Kingdom, and he shows us the way to God -- he IS the way to God! -- assuring us that our sacrifice may seem painful at the time, but it is actually the road to blessing. Jesus sacrifices for us, then fills our hearts with grace and love, pointing us outward, to share what we have received.
But the high priests only view it as a threat. They don't realize it is actually the road to satisfaction, if we are willing to receive what Christ offers.
Friday, October 21, 2016
John 18:12-18
John 18:12-18
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
It's easier when one person takes the fall, when they assume the blame that should rightfully be spread upon the entire group. The blame falls harder on that one person, but the others are then free.
What happens, then, is that the others who deserve the blame often forget their culpability. They deny that they were guilty, even as the guilt eats away at them. They shape their lives to isolate the memory of pain, and it erodes part of us.
I believe that sin is still real, and that it has power over us. When we forget that we are guilty, because Jesus took the full punishment of our sins, we shape our lives to avoid mention of sin. We don't like thinking about it, so we ignore it, but it eats away at us. We forget to be grateful for the freedom Christ has given us, and instead we become imprisoned to other lessor gods who promise us freedom at a lower price, albeit a freedom that often rings hollow after time.
Peter's denial is complicated, driven by fear, unaware of the events circulating in the air that will take place in the coming days. He reacts impulsively, and impulse leads us to protect our own skin.
So let us not shrink back in culpability. May we accept our sin and our role, and may we embrace the freedom that Christ gives us. We must go through the cross to get there, but the light that shines on the other side is worth enduring the pain.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
It's easier when one person takes the fall, when they assume the blame that should rightfully be spread upon the entire group. The blame falls harder on that one person, but the others are then free.
What happens, then, is that the others who deserve the blame often forget their culpability. They deny that they were guilty, even as the guilt eats away at them. They shape their lives to isolate the memory of pain, and it erodes part of us.
I believe that sin is still real, and that it has power over us. When we forget that we are guilty, because Jesus took the full punishment of our sins, we shape our lives to avoid mention of sin. We don't like thinking about it, so we ignore it, but it eats away at us. We forget to be grateful for the freedom Christ has given us, and instead we become imprisoned to other lessor gods who promise us freedom at a lower price, albeit a freedom that often rings hollow after time.
Peter's denial is complicated, driven by fear, unaware of the events circulating in the air that will take place in the coming days. He reacts impulsively, and impulse leads us to protect our own skin.
So let us not shrink back in culpability. May we accept our sin and our role, and may we embrace the freedom that Christ gives us. We must go through the cross to get there, but the light that shines on the other side is worth enduring the pain.
Thursday, October 20, 2016
John 18:7-11
John 18:7-11
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Think of friction -- when things aren't going the way they are intended, it's challenging. If you are driving in a rut and try to break out, it's challenging to overcome the borders of that rut. If you've been doing the same thing every day for 20 years and try to change, it's hard to break free of old habits. If your furniture has been sitting in the same spot in the living room for 7 years, there will be an indentation in the carpet, and you'll have to lift it to slide it anywhere -- there is resistance that has formed.
If the plan had been for Jesus to live a long life and never suffer, then he would have resisted any change to that plan, right? When the group showed up with clubs to take him by force, he would have joined Peter and fought back, right? If human forces were trying to change God's plan, Jesus would have resisted.
Instead, Jesus goes along with it, for this has been the plan all along -- Jesus would suffer and die like a common criminal, but God would use this suffering for the salvation of all humankind. His death was not a deviation from the plan, but rather part of the plan all along. I doubt Judas had a big enough vision to recognize the sovereignty of God over all of life, but his betrayal only moved the plan along, and Jesus didn't resist, for this was his cup to drink.
All of this was so that you and I and every soul on earth might not be doomed by sin but rather freed by grace for life in Christ. That's the plan. Our responsibility is not to resist God's plan at work in our lives, but go along and join in with the work of the Holy Spirit leading us forward.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Think of friction -- when things aren't going the way they are intended, it's challenging. If you are driving in a rut and try to break out, it's challenging to overcome the borders of that rut. If you've been doing the same thing every day for 20 years and try to change, it's hard to break free of old habits. If your furniture has been sitting in the same spot in the living room for 7 years, there will be an indentation in the carpet, and you'll have to lift it to slide it anywhere -- there is resistance that has formed.
If the plan had been for Jesus to live a long life and never suffer, then he would have resisted any change to that plan, right? When the group showed up with clubs to take him by force, he would have joined Peter and fought back, right? If human forces were trying to change God's plan, Jesus would have resisted.
Instead, Jesus goes along with it, for this has been the plan all along -- Jesus would suffer and die like a common criminal, but God would use this suffering for the salvation of all humankind. His death was not a deviation from the plan, but rather part of the plan all along. I doubt Judas had a big enough vision to recognize the sovereignty of God over all of life, but his betrayal only moved the plan along, and Jesus didn't resist, for this was his cup to drink.
All of this was so that you and I and every soul on earth might not be doomed by sin but rather freed by grace for life in Christ. That's the plan. Our responsibility is not to resist God's plan at work in our lives, but go along and join in with the work of the Holy Spirit leading us forward.
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
John 18:1-6
John 18:1-6
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
So the crowd, the ones with torches, lanterns and weapons, shows up and says they are looking for Jesus. If I'm Jesus, I'm pointing in the other direction, saying "He just went that way." It's dark, they'd never notice, right? I'd totally be smirking as they stormed off in search of him.
Instead, Jesus proclaims loudly who he is, even in the face of violent opposition. He has NO fear, because he knows the outcome. He trusts completely in the Father's ability to lead him through the valley of the shadow of death and into life on the other side. He knows the world cannot harm him, and so he confronts the world's power, determined to display that true power doesn't come armed with clubs and weapons, but rather is rooted in selfless love. God's love is infinitely powerful, beyond what weapons can hold, and Jesus roots himself in this. He has no reason to fear because true life extends far beyond what the world can threaten. This is why Jesus tells us not to be afraid of violence, because he knows that we are safe in the Father's arms, no matter what.
So take shelter and comfort in the Father's arms. His love is abundant enough to keep you safe, free from true harm, and even though we may die, in Christ we shall live!
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
So the crowd, the ones with torches, lanterns and weapons, shows up and says they are looking for Jesus. If I'm Jesus, I'm pointing in the other direction, saying "He just went that way." It's dark, they'd never notice, right? I'd totally be smirking as they stormed off in search of him.
Instead, Jesus proclaims loudly who he is, even in the face of violent opposition. He has NO fear, because he knows the outcome. He trusts completely in the Father's ability to lead him through the valley of the shadow of death and into life on the other side. He knows the world cannot harm him, and so he confronts the world's power, determined to display that true power doesn't come armed with clubs and weapons, but rather is rooted in selfless love. God's love is infinitely powerful, beyond what weapons can hold, and Jesus roots himself in this. He has no reason to fear because true life extends far beyond what the world can threaten. This is why Jesus tells us not to be afraid of violence, because he knows that we are safe in the Father's arms, no matter what.
So take shelter and comfort in the Father's arms. His love is abundant enough to keep you safe, free from true harm, and even though we may die, in Christ we shall live!
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
John 17:22-26
John 17:22-26
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
So let's say you're walking down the street and someone pulls up beside you in a car, gets out, hands you the keys and walks away, telling you that it's yours. You'd be all sorts of suspicious, right? It would have to be something shady, right? That doesn't really happen, unless it's bizarre.
We're so trained to be skeptical, we have trouble receiving what Jesus wants to give us. He wants to transform our lives for the better. He wants to change us from the inside-out, to eternally alter our destiny. He wants the absolute best for us, and he wants to give it to us for free. He has this free gift of eternal life that he is pouring into our lives, and all he wants is for us to receive it and be changed by his unconditional love. That's what he wants.
Will you open your heart today to receive this gift? That's our role in the equation -- we get what Jesus is giving to us.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
So let's say you're walking down the street and someone pulls up beside you in a car, gets out, hands you the keys and walks away, telling you that it's yours. You'd be all sorts of suspicious, right? It would have to be something shady, right? That doesn't really happen, unless it's bizarre.
We're so trained to be skeptical, we have trouble receiving what Jesus wants to give us. He wants to transform our lives for the better. He wants to change us from the inside-out, to eternally alter our destiny. He wants the absolute best for us, and he wants to give it to us for free. He has this free gift of eternal life that he is pouring into our lives, and all he wants is for us to receive it and be changed by his unconditional love. That's what he wants.
Will you open your heart today to receive this gift? That's our role in the equation -- we get what Jesus is giving to us.
Monday, October 17, 2016
John 17:13-21
John 17:13-21
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
I love the way the Bible anticipates In 1 Peter it talks about how Scripture was written so that people living centuries later would come to faith. Here, Jesus is praying not just for his current disciples, but also for the disciples who would come years later, hearing about the Truth through the testimony of the current disciples.
It's incredible to think that Jesus was looking forward to you. You didn't end up here by random chance, and you haven't heard the Good News of the Gospel by chance -- Jesus was praying that you would hear the Word through the work of his body, the church, and he was praying that you would be kept safe from evil.
That's an interesting prayer, that we be kept safe. What does it mean to truly be safe? We may think it means we are separated from anything that threatens us, but it often doesn't take much for us to not feel safe -- the threats can be imaginary at times, or we can take a distant action and be afraid that it will come near us. So safety can mean a lot of things, but I think Jesus is praying that, in the midst of whatever might be happening in the world, we are so confidant in the love and presence and power of God that we can be at ease. Even if the world seems to be closing in, safety is trusting so completely in God to know that we will not be separated from him, not even for an instant.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
I love the way the Bible anticipates In 1 Peter it talks about how Scripture was written so that people living centuries later would come to faith. Here, Jesus is praying not just for his current disciples, but also for the disciples who would come years later, hearing about the Truth through the testimony of the current disciples.
It's incredible to think that Jesus was looking forward to you. You didn't end up here by random chance, and you haven't heard the Good News of the Gospel by chance -- Jesus was praying that you would hear the Word through the work of his body, the church, and he was praying that you would be kept safe from evil.
That's an interesting prayer, that we be kept safe. What does it mean to truly be safe? We may think it means we are separated from anything that threatens us, but it often doesn't take much for us to not feel safe -- the threats can be imaginary at times, or we can take a distant action and be afraid that it will come near us. So safety can mean a lot of things, but I think Jesus is praying that, in the midst of whatever might be happening in the world, we are so confidant in the love and presence and power of God that we can be at ease. Even if the world seems to be closing in, safety is trusting so completely in God to know that we will not be separated from him, not even for an instant.
Thursday, October 13, 2016
John 17:6-12
John 17:6-12
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
How would you feel if you discovered that your pastor prayed for you every day, by name? What if you learned that the Pope prayed for you by name every day? I imagine you would be honored, touched, and probably a bit more motivated to live with the holiness of God foremost in your mind.
Well, here we have Jesus Christ, the Son of God, telling God that he is praying for his disciples. What this means is that the Word made flesh, God with Us, lifts you up in prayer. Jesus remembers you, and he has lived with the goal of bringing you into his kingdom. He loves you, and he is seeking you.
So when you are downhearted and dispirited and distracted, remember that the One who hung on the cross for the sake of the world loves you enough to pray for you, that you may feel the love and presence of God.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
How would you feel if you discovered that your pastor prayed for you every day, by name? What if you learned that the Pope prayed for you by name every day? I imagine you would be honored, touched, and probably a bit more motivated to live with the holiness of God foremost in your mind.
Well, here we have Jesus Christ, the Son of God, telling God that he is praying for his disciples. What this means is that the Word made flesh, God with Us, lifts you up in prayer. Jesus remembers you, and he has lived with the goal of bringing you into his kingdom. He loves you, and he is seeking you.
So when you are downhearted and dispirited and distracted, remember that the One who hung on the cross for the sake of the world loves you enough to pray for you, that you may feel the love and presence of God.
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
John 17:1-5
John 17:1-5
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
If we're being honest, and I'm not afraid to be, the concept of eternity blows my mind. I try to wrap my mind around the fact that the earth is over 6 billion years old and that I will be alive for 80-100 of those years. I think about the earth spinning on through space without me, and I shrink back in uncertainty, in fear. I try and grasp my smallness, and it overwhelms me. Eternity, life without end, is beyond what I can even begin to contemplate.
And yet, Jesus defines it so gently, so clearly -- to know God is to touch eternity. To know Christ is to begin to dwell in the reality of eternal life. We don't have to grasp the timeline of God -- we simply have to dwell in his presence, and we get a taste of eternal life. Eternity isn't about time or the lack thereof, it's about a relationship, about a person, about God.
The more time you spend with God, the closer you draw to eternity. The more effort you expend building a relationship with God, the more you begin to live in the eternal here and now. It's a choice we all get to make, each and every day. How will you lead your heart?
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
If we're being honest, and I'm not afraid to be, the concept of eternity blows my mind. I try to wrap my mind around the fact that the earth is over 6 billion years old and that I will be alive for 80-100 of those years. I think about the earth spinning on through space without me, and I shrink back in uncertainty, in fear. I try and grasp my smallness, and it overwhelms me. Eternity, life without end, is beyond what I can even begin to contemplate.
And yet, Jesus defines it so gently, so clearly -- to know God is to touch eternity. To know Christ is to begin to dwell in the reality of eternal life. We don't have to grasp the timeline of God -- we simply have to dwell in his presence, and we get a taste of eternal life. Eternity isn't about time or the lack thereof, it's about a relationship, about a person, about God.
The more time you spend with God, the closer you draw to eternity. The more effort you expend building a relationship with God, the more you begin to live in the eternal here and now. It's a choice we all get to make, each and every day. How will you lead your heart?
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
John 16:25-33
John 16:25-33
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
God loves you, and Jesus has defeated the world. If you remember nothing else today, remember those two things. Those facts can carry you through today, through the most difficult challenges you will face in life, through the veil of death and into eternal life. God loves you, and his love is unbreakable, unceasing, and nothing will ever separate you from it. Jesus has defeated the world, which means that no force can take you from the arms of the Father. God loves you, and he is the most powerful force in existence -- you are safe in the arms of the Father, no matter how challenging the outside world may seem.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
God loves you, and Jesus has defeated the world. If you remember nothing else today, remember those two things. Those facts can carry you through today, through the most difficult challenges you will face in life, through the veil of death and into eternal life. God loves you, and his love is unbreakable, unceasing, and nothing will ever separate you from it. Jesus has defeated the world, which means that no force can take you from the arms of the Father. God loves you, and he is the most powerful force in existence -- you are safe in the arms of the Father, no matter how challenging the outside world may seem.
Monday, October 10, 2016
John 16:16-24
John 16:16-24
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Let's imagine you win the lottery tomorrow -- you'd have tremendous joy, right? That would last for a while, but in time, be it weeks or months or years, studies show that your level of joy would be set at such a point that it would take even greater news to bring you the same exceeding jolt of joy. It becomes even harder, because we compare news to the last big event in our lives.
In other words, it's hard to sustain joy when we base it on the things and events in the world, because we need more and more. We ask the world for more and more, and eventually we learn that our appetites can't truly be sated by the things in this world, because we were made for more.
True joy, the lasting and eternal joy that comes from Christ, can sustain and amaze us day after day, because the joy we find in Christ is deeper than our minds can fathom. We cannot plumb the depths of Christ and his amazing love, so we can truly lose ourselves in them, and the more we grow spiritually, the greater the depth of understanding and the deeper sense of awe we have. God loves you, and his love is the only thing in this world that can build sustaining joy.
If we base our moods on the happenings in the world around us, we will eventually find ourselves miserable, because they swing back and forth. If, however, we root ourselves in the life-giving love of God, we will discover a joy that knows no end.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Let's imagine you win the lottery tomorrow -- you'd have tremendous joy, right? That would last for a while, but in time, be it weeks or months or years, studies show that your level of joy would be set at such a point that it would take even greater news to bring you the same exceeding jolt of joy. It becomes even harder, because we compare news to the last big event in our lives.
In other words, it's hard to sustain joy when we base it on the things and events in the world, because we need more and more. We ask the world for more and more, and eventually we learn that our appetites can't truly be sated by the things in this world, because we were made for more.
True joy, the lasting and eternal joy that comes from Christ, can sustain and amaze us day after day, because the joy we find in Christ is deeper than our minds can fathom. We cannot plumb the depths of Christ and his amazing love, so we can truly lose ourselves in them, and the more we grow spiritually, the greater the depth of understanding and the deeper sense of awe we have. God loves you, and his love is the only thing in this world that can build sustaining joy.
If we base our moods on the happenings in the world around us, we will eventually find ourselves miserable, because they swing back and forth. If, however, we root ourselves in the life-giving love of God, we will discover a joy that knows no end.
Friday, October 7, 2016
John 16:8-15
John 16:8-15
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Most people aren't in a big hurry to talk about sin. Sin isn't very popular, especially in an age of doing whatever feels good & right. The popular idea is that if you aren't hurting anyone else, it's ok.
God, however, takes a bit of a different stance on the issue. Scripture teaches us a lot about sin, and it's just as much about what we don't do as it is about what we do. Whenever we turn from God, even if it's just in the very depths of our hearts and we don't say a thing out loud, we sin. We are in constant need of forgiveness, and so we repent, asking God to forgive us and thanking God for the grace freely bestowed upon us.
Humility isn't easy, but it's necessary. We are sinners in need of a Savior, and the God who comes to convict us of our sin is the same God who liberates us from that sin. We are free because of Christ, and so when Christ speaks to us of sin, let us remember that he does so out of love.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Most people aren't in a big hurry to talk about sin. Sin isn't very popular, especially in an age of doing whatever feels good & right. The popular idea is that if you aren't hurting anyone else, it's ok.
God, however, takes a bit of a different stance on the issue. Scripture teaches us a lot about sin, and it's just as much about what we don't do as it is about what we do. Whenever we turn from God, even if it's just in the very depths of our hearts and we don't say a thing out loud, we sin. We are in constant need of forgiveness, and so we repent, asking God to forgive us and thanking God for the grace freely bestowed upon us.
Humility isn't easy, but it's necessary. We are sinners in need of a Savior, and the God who comes to convict us of our sin is the same God who liberates us from that sin. We are free because of Christ, and so when Christ speaks to us of sin, let us remember that he does so out of love.
Thursday, October 6, 2016
John 16:1-7
John 16:1-7
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Sometimes, I like to think about spending a week in Bora Bora. If I'm honest, I'm not exactly sure where in the south Pacific it is, but I've seen enough pictures to tell me that I'd like to spend some time there. It would be hard to leave, though. You spend a week on some of the most beautiful beaches ever, and then at the end of it they (and your credit card company, who is going to want you to go back to work to pay for that) drag you back onto an airplane to go back to reality.
Imagine what it's like spending 3 years with Jesus Christ, son of the Most High God, and then one day he leaves. It'd be devastating, right? You've spent 3 years with the One who could describe what it was like before creation, with someone who can raise the dead and produce endless amounts of bread, and then he leaves you. How do you fill that hole?
Many of us try to fill that Christ-sized hole with distractions in life, through our work or a hobby or an addiction or relationships. We use all sorts of things, because we don't recognize that only the Holy Spirit can fill that void, revealing to us the love and presence of God that makes our life work. Only God can fill that desire for a relationship with the Almighty, and so we receive the Holy Spirit and pray for his guidance and love.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Sometimes, I like to think about spending a week in Bora Bora. If I'm honest, I'm not exactly sure where in the south Pacific it is, but I've seen enough pictures to tell me that I'd like to spend some time there. It would be hard to leave, though. You spend a week on some of the most beautiful beaches ever, and then at the end of it they (and your credit card company, who is going to want you to go back to work to pay for that) drag you back onto an airplane to go back to reality.
Imagine what it's like spending 3 years with Jesus Christ, son of the Most High God, and then one day he leaves. It'd be devastating, right? You've spent 3 years with the One who could describe what it was like before creation, with someone who can raise the dead and produce endless amounts of bread, and then he leaves you. How do you fill that hole?
Many of us try to fill that Christ-sized hole with distractions in life, through our work or a hobby or an addiction or relationships. We use all sorts of things, because we don't recognize that only the Holy Spirit can fill that void, revealing to us the love and presence of God that makes our life work. Only God can fill that desire for a relationship with the Almighty, and so we receive the Holy Spirit and pray for his guidance and love.
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
John 15:18-27
John 15:18-27
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
It's always interesting when the Hugo Chavez's of the world have their people living in poverty while they are abounding in wealth and comfort. It's easy to make proclamations when the results of such words won't touch your life at all. I've got all sorts of advice for other people, but when it comes to issuing advice that will actually touch my life, I think twice about what I have to say.
That's what makes Jesus such an amazing leader. He didn't ask people to do what he wasn't going to do. When he warned them of suffering that was to come, he was going to endure it first. In fact, the very worst things that would happen would happen only to him. He didn't pass the buck on anything -- in fact, the most terrible things (the consequences of human sin) he shielded his followers from suffering by taking it solely upon himself.
In summary, Jesus sacrifices himself to make it better for us. He doesn't ask anything of you that he isn't prepared to do himself, or that he hasn't undergone. Jesus understands, and he is willing to pay whatever price is necessary to buy back your freedom.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
It's always interesting when the Hugo Chavez's of the world have their people living in poverty while they are abounding in wealth and comfort. It's easy to make proclamations when the results of such words won't touch your life at all. I've got all sorts of advice for other people, but when it comes to issuing advice that will actually touch my life, I think twice about what I have to say.
That's what makes Jesus such an amazing leader. He didn't ask people to do what he wasn't going to do. When he warned them of suffering that was to come, he was going to endure it first. In fact, the very worst things that would happen would happen only to him. He didn't pass the buck on anything -- in fact, the most terrible things (the consequences of human sin) he shielded his followers from suffering by taking it solely upon himself.
In summary, Jesus sacrifices himself to make it better for us. He doesn't ask anything of you that he isn't prepared to do himself, or that he hasn't undergone. Jesus understands, and he is willing to pay whatever price is necessary to buy back your freedom.
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
John 15:7-17
John 15:7-17
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
When people are engaged in a true covenant-based relationship, something amazing happens. It's no longer just about what you can get out of it -- but you're willing to sacrifice for the benefit of the relationship. It becomes more than two separate people, and it builds each and every day into something deeper.
Jesus is trying to teach the disciples that God wants to be in such a relationship with them. Many of the people in the crowds come for the miracles and the free food, but they leave when things get challenging. Jesus is trying to show us how staying faithful in the hard parts leads us into something wonderful, something indescribable, where God is for us and with us and we bring honor to the God of the universe by serving and loving him.
It's a hard concept to grasp, selfless love committed to something that often comes across as ambiguous and hard to describe. But Jesus shows us the depth of the Father's love and then invites us to trust him that it will be far greater than anything the world has ever known.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
When people are engaged in a true covenant-based relationship, something amazing happens. It's no longer just about what you can get out of it -- but you're willing to sacrifice for the benefit of the relationship. It becomes more than two separate people, and it builds each and every day into something deeper.
Jesus is trying to teach the disciples that God wants to be in such a relationship with them. Many of the people in the crowds come for the miracles and the free food, but they leave when things get challenging. Jesus is trying to show us how staying faithful in the hard parts leads us into something wonderful, something indescribable, where God is for us and with us and we bring honor to the God of the universe by serving and loving him.
It's a hard concept to grasp, selfless love committed to something that often comes across as ambiguous and hard to describe. But Jesus shows us the depth of the Father's love and then invites us to trust him that it will be far greater than anything the world has ever known.
Monday, October 3, 2016
John 15:1-6
John 15:1-6
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Often when companies have very successful portions, those will be split off into their own companies. They can then continue their growth as their own entity, unencumbered by ties to the parent company that may have been restraining them.
Jesus teaches us that, as Christians, we need a different mentality. When we're successful, it's easy to start taking credit for that and looking at other ties as restraints holding you back. If you do this, however, you forget about the very thing that provides you life. If you're a vine and you forget the crucial link back to the life-giving roots and try and strike out on your own, you'll soon discover that the real source of life is not self-provided, but comes from the branch.
We need Jesus. We can't live or thrive without him. Jesus invites us to dwell in the certainty of his grace. The hard part is that to truly thrive, we'll be pruned every now and again. This won't be easy -- and when it comes, we may start to blame the one who prunes us, not understanding that the pruning is crucial for our long-term sustained growth.
So may we remember our roots, the source of our life, and look at the times of pruning as opportunities to continue to grow in the Spirit.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Often when companies have very successful portions, those will be split off into their own companies. They can then continue their growth as their own entity, unencumbered by ties to the parent company that may have been restraining them.
Jesus teaches us that, as Christians, we need a different mentality. When we're successful, it's easy to start taking credit for that and looking at other ties as restraints holding you back. If you do this, however, you forget about the very thing that provides you life. If you're a vine and you forget the crucial link back to the life-giving roots and try and strike out on your own, you'll soon discover that the real source of life is not self-provided, but comes from the branch.
We need Jesus. We can't live or thrive without him. Jesus invites us to dwell in the certainty of his grace. The hard part is that to truly thrive, we'll be pruned every now and again. This won't be easy -- and when it comes, we may start to blame the one who prunes us, not understanding that the pruning is crucial for our long-term sustained growth.
So may we remember our roots, the source of our life, and look at the times of pruning as opportunities to continue to grow in the Spirit.
Sunday, October 2, 2016
A Sermon for World Communion Sunday
*********
This morning, I want to talk about
our values. Think, for a second, about
what you value. How does your life
reflect that? If someone else was given
the facts of your life, detailing how you spend your time and energy, would
they say that those are your values?
Quick question – what does a 4 year
old value? Besides not listening?
What do we in Columbus value on
Saturdays in the fall?
What is valued by the country?
What about your company? What do they value? We recently learned what was valued at Wells
Fargo in the wake of their corruption scandal – we discovered that they valued
a yearly bonus more than maintaining integrity in their workplace. The question now is whether they will ever be
able to regain their once-clean reputation.
We learn about what companies value
by examining their choices. Companies or
people will often proclaim their values, but it’s much more authentic to simply
pay attention to their choices and infer their values from that. What they say and what they do doesn’t always
align.
So a good question for us, then, is
to learn what God values. If we are to
be the people of God, seeking to imitate God in all we do, we should learn what
matters to God and seek to duplicate those values in our own lives, right? If we were serious about following God, no
matter what, we’d want our lives to share the same values that God does.
So I think this reading from Exodus
is helpful because it teaches us about how God is building community with his
chosen people. He invites them up onto
the mountain to dine with him – it’s an amazing experience, and one that my
imagination can’t even begin to wrap itself around. What would it be like to eat dinner with
God? It would change you forever,
right? You’d never give in to the temptation
to go back to your old and sinful ways, right?
This story is so touching for me in
a lot of ways, because it really exposes a lot of my idols. The leaders of the community dine with God,
and then Moses goes up on the mountain for a little while, and it isn’t long
before the community is making a golden calf.
How could these people let that happen?
They’d eaten dinner with God!
Wouldn’t that be a pretty persuasive argument? How could that not shoot down any attempt to
build a god made out of gold?
But we value control. We value a god we can see and touch, one that
is safe and won’t ask too much of us.
Make a god out of gold, put it on a pedestal and it’s a pretty easy
relationship – this god won’t call you into uncomfortable and challenging
places. It won’t push you beyond your
comfort zone. It’s safe.
We know the real God isn’t like
that, but we have some urge in our hearts to control God, to be in charge. We value control. God calls us to give that up, but it’s
hard.
So this passage from Exodus shows
us what we value. What does God value?
It’s amazing that in Mark, we learn
about what Jesus does the night before he is wrongly put to death. Here is Jesus, the most innocent and perfect
man that ever lived, and the authorities of the church(!!!!) are trying to have
him put to death for challenging their own comfort levels. It’s a tragic story, but it reveals to us the
depths of God’s love, showing us how patient and kind he really is.
And here, the night before he is
wrongly put to death, Jesus isn’t out appealing his sentence, trying to
distance himself from his fate, doing anything to avoid death. No, he shows that he values community above
all else by sitting down with his friends at a dinner, gathering them around the
table, and breaking bread together.
Jesus shows that in his last moments as a free man before his wrongful
death, he wants to build community through sharing a meal together. He wants to bring people together and let
them be transformed by being in a community centered around the living
God. He wants them to be together, not
isolated and going through life alone, unprepared for whatever storms may
come. Jesus knows that there is much
coming that the disciples cannot predict or understand, and he wants them to
face these challenges together, rather than as disparate souls, alone against
the world.
So God values building
Christ-centered community. God values
people coming together to share resources, to break bread together. God values this, and so should we.
So my question this morning, is how
are you building community? How does
this value live itself out in your life?
Are you reaching out to those around you? It’s so easy to isolate ourselves – we have
so much to do, and we’re often exhausted, and it’s easier to just get home,
close the doors and relax.
But that’s not our call. Our call is to reach out to those around us,
even those who might betray and hurt us, and be in community with them, so that
we might all be transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit. That is what God values.
And so should we.
Let us pray
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