Matthew 3:13-17

Matthew 3:13-17 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  This baptismal scene sums up so much of Christianity.  Christ has come to us, and while John doesn't quite understand what is happening, Jesus presses forward, and as John is participating in what Christ is doing, the heavens are opened and the presence of God is revealed in the midst, and God's favor is announced.
  I was at an interview yesterday evening with two musicians talking about dissonance -- they were discussing how introducing dissonance can grab the attention of the listener, and the presence of it can help the listener appreciate how the music comes together and emerges through trials.  In the same way, we're in John's shoes -- Christ comes to us, and when we don't understand that, often due to hardship, we're left wondering if we should turn and walk away out of confusion, or engage with what Christ is doing, participating in the actions of the church, waiting to see what Christ can do.
  When we choose to receive what Christ brings, we discover that God is here, God is at work, and that the Lord's ultimate and eternal favor is announced.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Early yesterday, our CEO sent an email to the company announcing the sudden and untimely death of a colleague at our firm.  To call it unexpected would be an understatement.  He and his wife had recently had their first child, and he was one of the nicest and most helpful people in the firm to work with.  Everything about his death is heart-breaking and painful. 
  Death is inconvenient, it is hard, and it has sharp edges that cut those of us left behind as it claims its victims.  There are no words that will set things right for his wife and child -- there will always be a hole in their lives.  I toss and turn it over in my mind, and there are no easy words or answers for the challenging questions that are cast by the ultimate darkness.
  In these times, verse 9 is a rock to cling to amidst the chaotic storms -- For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.  As I ask big questions and wonder why such things happen to such good people, I remember that the God who comes as Judge is the same God who comes as Savior.  God ascended the cross because God longs for us to be saved, for us to live with him. 
  In challenging times, let us encourage one another and build one another up.  Life is hard, and we need one another.  We need to be reminded of our ultimate hope in Christ, and we need to know that the fight of the darkness, while overwhelming, is futile.  Christ has won, and Christ shall win, each and every day. 
  So hug your loved ones and tell them you love them, and may the hope that lives in you be apparent to those around you.

Colossians 4:2-4

Colossians 4:2-4 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I was in a hotel gym and there was a sign on the wall listing all the rules for the gym.  The last one, looking out for my health, advised me to stop at the first sign of stress.  I doubt I'd make it very far in an exercise regimen if I stopped at the first sign of stress -- I'd never lift a weight or break a sweat if I did that!
 And yet many of us treat our religious devotions with the same attitude.  We follow them when things are going well, when it's easy, but the second that things turn challenging and faith starts to ask a lot of us, we set it down, always promising to pick things back up, but finding good excuses not to do so.  We choose the easier path.
  So let us continue steadfastly in prayer, always looking for God to open a door to declare the mystery of Christ!

Ephesians 6:12-13

Ephesians 6:12-13
English Standard Version (ESV)

  So there I was, sitting in a plane in Minneapolis on Saturday morning.  It was 2 degrees, or negative 2 (at that point, does it really matter?), and they had to bring a special truck in to de-ice the engine because there was too much ice inside.  We were just sitting on the tarmac, waiting for the truck, and that provided my mind enough time to contemplate all the terrible things that might happen if there was too much ice in the engine.
  And then a voice reminded me that I have been claimed by the Almighty God.  I have been redeemed from the grave, and while the arms of death will reach for me, they cannot hold me, because the God of eternal life has saved me from death and is preparing me for life eternal.  Death is not my destiny -- I am saved for life, and for light.  I have nothing to fear, for death is but a window through which I will pass, into life eternal.
  Claim your armor, friends.  In our baptisms, we are claimed by Christ, and death cannot seize us.  The enemy will remind us of death and of our past, but the Gospel reminds us of life.  Choose life this morning, and ignore the whispers of the enemy.  Instead choose to worship the Lord with a joyful noise!

Jeremiah 46:27-28

Jeremiah 46:27-28 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Fear not.  Take 30 seconds and think about all the reasons there are to fear in the world -- you can be afraid for any multitude of reasons, some local and some national and some global.  Look far enough ahead and the fears multiply, to the point where we worry for our children and we worry for our country.  Political leaders count on your fear to drive your votes to them, as though they alone can save you from your fears.
  Only God can save us from what we truly fear.  We fear death and destruction, and while political leaders may promise that they can prevent these, they are ultimately powerless in the face of such enemies.  Only God can and has faced down death.  Only God can predict his resurrection.  Only God can deliver us through the shroud of death and into the kingdom of eternal life. 
  So fear not, for God has claimed you through the waters of baptism, and restored you to eternal life.  Fear not, and live your life as a treasured servant of the Kingdom of life.  God has delivered you and has good plans for you -- so rejoice in the love and power of the King!

Revelation 22:1-5

Revelation 22:1-5 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  It's no surprise to anyone that we're living in a divided time. MLK day is a day to remember that we were once incredibly divided as a country and that we still have a lot of work to on healing the racial divisions in our country.  There are political divisions as well, rifts that seem to be growing deeper rather than shallower.  It's fascinating to me to look at my children and wonder what the political and social landscapes will be when they are my age. 
  A question I heard recently -- What kind of world would you want if you weren't guaranteed what country you would be born in?
  That question sticks with me.  As an American, especially one born into opportunity and privilege, it's easy for me to take things for granted.  But knowing everything I do now, having been to a country where they bake cakes out of mud to feed their starving children who are running through the streets naked because they don't have anything to wear, that question haunts me some evenings, late into the night.  The world is divided between the haves and have-nots, and health and wealth and opportunity and illnesses visit some populations more than others.
  So what kind of world would you design?  Scripture gives us a vision of what the final-state will be, one where we are gathered around the water of life and we have leaves that offer healing to the nations.  We will be centrally fixated on God, and no darkness will enter that place.
  Until we reach that day, however, what should the world look like?  And what can you do to help get it there?

Hewbrews 11:1-3

Hebrews 11:1-3 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Faith is hard.  It's about what we don't see, but we believe in the depths of our hearts, despite what circumstances may be screaming -- because the hope that we have is stronger than the doubts that linger at the edges of our minds.  We hope, we cling to that hope because there is something within us that reminds us that there is more than just this world.  The Holy Spirit whispers to us, and sometimes shouts, to remind us that we were created on purpose and for a purpose, and that you are called to align yourself with that call of the Holy Spirit.  We believe, and it sustains us through the long and dark nights, trusting in God to strengthen our hope and faith, to draw us forward and prepare a place for us.

Hebrews 10:19-25

Hebrews 10:19-25 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Last night Rachel and I were talking about the epidemic of loneliness that's sweeping the country.  It was about a year ago that Britain announced the creation of a Minister of Loneliness, a position that might have seemed outlandish years ago but now seems strangely fitting.  It starts young but is very real for adults, too, and the mental and physical health impacts can be devastating.  How did we become so lonely?
  Now, this is highly influenced by my belief system, but I don't think it's a coincidence that the epidemic of loneliness is spreading as the influence and attendance in the church is dwindling.  At it's best, the church is a community place where broken people gather together and find true community, defined by the honest sharing of our joys and concerns.  In the church, we should find a community that celebrates with us at life's highest moments and grieves with us in the moments of our deepest sorrow.  In a pastor, we should find an individual willing to be honest about the challenges of discipleship but also encouraging the community to gather together and remind one another of the common hope we have in Jesus Christ.  In the church, we should be stirring up one another to love and good works, encouraging one another through regular meetings, and developing true, lasting community in Christ. 
  Without the church as a regular gathering point, where people from all walks of life gather to find strength and comfort in one another, where people point to the strength of the Holy Spirit as something beyond themselves and tell our stories, offering encouragement as we point out where we have found grace and healing in our past, it's easy to see how we can become lonely, because there is something deeper at the church.  There, we find a lasting hope, and we point beyond the struggles to the redemption.  We share a hope.
  So let us strive to ensure our churches are places where people from all walks of life and where men and women both find open and welcoming community, where we are supported and encouraged, and realize we are not alone on the walk of discipleship.

Luke 20:19-26

Luke 20:19-26 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  There's a debate in church circles about whether you should tithe on the gross or net income.  Dave Ramsey's got an article on it.  Some church people will debate whether it's robbing God or not.  You can make a strong case for either -- the Biblical writers didn't anticipate the 1861 Revenue Act, when 3% of all incomes over $800 were taxed (Wouldn't it be nice to go back to that?), pointing the way to the passing of the 16th Amendment in 1909 that would codify the income tax.  And so because it's not spelled out, there's solid arguments for either.
  Here, the Pharisees are hoping to trap Jesus, either for being an insurrectionist and telling the people not to pay taxes to Rome, or for pledging allegiance to Rome and turning the people against him. 
  What Jesus is talking about here, and always, is that all things belong to God, and if we lose that fact in the debate over minor things, we'll miss the major things.  What the tithe is all about is remembering that all gifts come from God, and that we would have nothing without God.  In an agrarian culture, the tithe was intended to be the first 10% of the harvest.  One didn't collect everything and then partition aside 10% once it was clear how much was there.  The first 10% was set aside, and only then did the rest flow towards other uses.  The gifts of the harvest were the gifts of God, and the tithe was intended to direct the heart to glorify God for the good gifts that are received.
  And so decide how you will give.  Be intentional and decide upfront, because if you wait until you have gathered everything and give out of the leftovers, it's not the same, because then you give in to the heart's tendency to try and secure ourselves first, and then reach out to God.  I'm not telling anyone not to pay their rent with the first 10%, but I do think you need to be intentional on the front to decide how to give, and then follow through, in whatever way enables your heart to give glory to God and remember that God is the giver of all good gifts and wants to pour blessings upon you.

Mark 9:42-50

Mark 9:42-50 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  We've entered hand sanitizer season -- the time of the year when every occasion is marked by the slathering of ourselves with hand sanitizer.  Schools have giant bottles of it at every door, and grocery stores station it by the entrance.  (If you're debating whether or not they really work, here's an interview from the University of Toronto, and here's a link to the CDC's website.)  Hand sanitizer isn't the most charming liquid around, but we like not getting sick more than not covering our hands in it at every possible turn, so we use it.
  In Mark's Gospel, Jesus is talking about how we love and value the Kingdom of God.  He's essentially instructing us to rank our desires, and then to figure out how to get the Kingdom of God to be first in our lives, first in our hearts, and first in our priorities.  Jesus is trying to help us understand how much greater the Kingdom of God is than anything else in our lives, and so our first goal should be to pursue the Kingdom at all cost, because it's far greater, and it's eternal -- so to spend our time pursuing lesser things and missing out on the Kingdom is a tragedy.  It's such a tragedy that Jesus tells people that if their eyes are leading them to sin, and thus away from the Kingdom, it would be better to lose your eyes than to lose the Kingdom.  If a hand drags you farther from Christ, it's better to have one hand and be closer to Christ.  No price is too high to pay for an enduring relationship with God.
  What I love about the Gospel is that God shows us that God is willing to pay the ultimate price for a relationship with us.  God sacrifices Jesus Christ to pay the price for sin so that we might be restored.  We don't have to figure out how to fix the relationship -- God does it for us.  Jesus is urging us to recognize that fact and live like it's the most important thing in the world.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I still remember trying to ride 25 miles on a bicycle not long after I had mono.  The words of my doctor ("You can ride your bicycle, just don't fall off, because your spleen might explode") were fresh in my ears, and I hadn't exactly kept up a rigorous training schedule because, well, I kept falling asleep.  I was the bicycle leg in a relay race, and I let my team down that day -- my lack of training hurt us all.
  Paul is urging us to treat our spiritual endeavors as seriously as we would if we were training for a race or preparing for a big test.  We're to prepare -- to set aside time for individual training, to find groups to train with that will push us farther, to study ways to improve and let our minds be focused on excelling in matters of faith. 
  Paul's also pointing out that the prize we get from spiritual endeavors is much better.  It's a permanent prize, a wreath of glory that will not fade with time or slip from memory.  Better than any trophy or medal, the eternal prize we receive as our reward is richer and deeper than we can imagine.
  The metaphor isn't perfect, as there are no standings, and the riches of eternal life are a gift we receive, not a prize to be earned through our efforts and training and discipline.  But our spiritual life is richer the more we train, and our relationship with God and with others guides us the more we focus upon it.  There is much to be gained, and if we focused on it as much or more as we focused on other things, the world would benefit from the selfless love that might pour forth from our churches.

1 Corinthians 15:3-8

1 Corinthians 15:3-8
English Standard Version (ESV)

  If you want to discover what happened, the best way is to talk to someone who was actually there and watched it.  If you want to know the details of a sporting event, go find someone who had tickets.  If you want to hear about an event, find an eyewitness.  We learn most reliably from people who were there.
  In 1 Corinthians, Paul is listing the people who saw Jesus after his resurrection so that if anyone had questions or doubts, they could go ask the people who saw him after he was raised.  The church didn't have anything to hide (well, there was hiding from the Roman empire, but that's another topic for another day) -- Jesus had really and truly been raised, and they wanted the world to know about it, because it truly changed everything.  Jesus had predicted his own death and resurrection, and if that was true, then the other things he said were true, which is earth-shattering and monumental, because he said things with real implications on how we live and treat our money and one another and the world around us.  If he was really raised from the dead, then our lives should be changed.  And, Paul says, if you have questions about whether he was raised from the dead, here's a list of people who can verify that he was!
  So let us ask the hard questions and dig into the faith, because it absolutely matters, and the facts back it up!

John 12:20-26

John 12:20-26 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  In the realm of verses that belong on greeting cards, this isn't near the top of the list.  Churches and preachers who peddle in pop psychology to keep everyone happy won't be reading this from the pulpit very often, and it's unlikely to get quoted on social media very often.
  But it's so important that we grasp how complex and complete the call of discipleship is.  I wish it was easy and simple, but it's not -- Christ has called us into something wonderfully deep  Splashing around in the surf at the beach is fun, but for us to grow into the Christians we are called to be, we've got to leave behind the surf and head out into the deep waters of Christianity, where we wrestle with hard concepts and struggle to die to ourselves.  It's only there that we realize that our very survival is dependent upon abandoning all hopes of securing our own future, for there in the deep we recognize that life itself depends on dying to the self and rising in Christ.  He, and he alone, has secured the victory over the enemy, and the punishment that we deserved was absorbed by him so that we might find eternal life.
  It's a challenging concept for us to grasp, especially if we're simultaneously trying to buy into the concept that if we just try a little harder, we can do anything we like.  No, we are lost, but the wonder of faith is that God loves us just the same, and that while we cannot save ourselves, we also don't need to.  Our mission is to follow Christ wherever he might lead, and in so doing we will discover a life that is deeper and richer than we might have been able to imagine on our own.

Proverbs 2:1-8

Proverbs 2:1-8 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  There's a strong temptation to turn Christianity into an equation.  If we do X, and contribute Y, and spend time with Z, then God will love and give us what we need.  Equations are simpler, and they're straightforward.  The problem is that the Bible doesn't work in equations. 
  The Bible has Moses, who kills a man, runs away, and then God finds him in a field with some sheep before sending him back to lead the people out of slavery.  The Bible gives us David, who is a man after God's own heart, yet he commits adultery and has a man killed.  The Bible tells us about Peter, who spends years in the direct presence of Jesus and yet denies knowing the man when a girl asks him about it.
  The Bible is messy and complicated, like the real world.  Just because we pray for someone we love to be healed, this doesn't mean it happens.  Just because we tithe, that doesn't mean we'll receive material blessings.  Just because we read the Bible for 10 minutes every day, that doesn't automatically mean God will give us what we think we want.
  But the Bible does promise us that if we open ourselves up to be led by the Holy Spirit and allow our lives to be molded as God sees fit, we'll discover unbounded grace and limitless freedom in Christ.  We'll discover that our true worth is defined in Christ and that we are challenged to love and serve one another without limits.  We'll find ourselves intellectually challenged every day, and relationships will be seen as opportunities to grow in the knowledge of how God is at work in the world.  Our lives are transformed when we seek God above all else, because we discover ourselves welcomed into the halls of eternity where the King will give anything just to be with you.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5

1 Corinthians 2:1-5
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I was watching a squirrel run across an electrical wire the other day, and it occurred to me that the squirrel probably had no idea how much power was in the pathway -- it saw it as a way to get from point A to point B without realizing that the wire underneath was coursing with electricity, with power, beyond what the squirrel could imagine. 
  In the church, one of our goals is to communicate how much power is available through the Holy Spirit.  The danger is that church can become a routine and we can forget what's really happening behind the scene -- we forget that the reason we gather is because of God, the God who created the universe and who defeated sin and death through his victory on the cross.  It is my prayer that we remember this, that we come forward in awe, well aware of the immense power of God and how God has chosen to use this power for us, that we might not be separated by sin but rather redeemed and reconciled to God through Christ. 
  May the power of the Holy Spirit be with you today, enlightening the eye of your mind and your heart to see the world the way that God sees it, as a beautiful place worth love filled with people called by God back into discipleship.

Isaiah 9:2-7

Isaiah 9:2-7 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  We're in an age of political tumult -- there always seems to be chaos in Washington, and there is conflict in numerous countries.  Like you, I pray for peace where there is violence and wisdom where there is confusion.  I don't spend much time debating whether the Democrats or Republicans are right -- I pray for leaders to have humility to work together for the long-term good of the country and the best interests of the people.  There are days these prayers seem futile, but I worship a God who has raised people from the dead, so I'm not giving up quite yet.
  These prophecies point forward to Christ.  In the midst of worldly chaos, a Messiah would come.  He would break the rule of sin, and he would point forward to the day when the heavenly Kingdom would rule forever and there would be no more night, only light.  One day, you and I will dwell with God in unapproachable light, and violence and chaos will be no more -- every tear will have been wiped away.  I think the Wise Men got a glimpse of this when they visited the Christ child, for they fell before the child and worshiped, because they clearly saw what the future of the child held.  The Prince of Peace, whose reign would have no end, came into the world.
  Knowing that the world will one day be enveloped in peace, and knowing that death shall be nothing but a curtain you pass through on your way into the eternal kingdom of light, how will you live today?

Romans 2:1-5

Romans 2:1-5 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  We lean into God's grace -- it is the greatest gift that has ever been given.  By it, we who were dead were transformed into those who are alive.  We who were hopeless and lost are now filled with joy and dancing, for we have been found and will live in the light forever.
  Paul is speaking to the Romans, explaining to them that the kindness of God is not intended to give them the ability to judge others.  Instead, the kindness of God is meant to change the way they live with one another -- the grace of God that has been given to them should lead them to love and serve one another.  If the Romans accept God's love and then pass along only God's judgment, they've missed the point.  God's kindness should lead us to repent of our sinful ways and our lives should look different.  When we encounter our brothers and sisters who have sin and brokenness in their lives, we should be compassionate and empathetic, for that is how God treated us when we were sinful.  In all things, we reach out in love, praying that the same love that led us to repent will lead those in our community to repent and allow God to transform their lives.

Colossians 1:1-5

Colossians 1:1-5 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  One of my goals for the year is to see how much Scripture I can memorize.  I've always known random verses, but I've never been able to memorize a large chunk of Scripture -- because I've never made the effort.  I'm trying this because I think it will help me learn Scripture on a deeper level.  I have to pay attention to each word to know it, to record it into my brain where it will be for recall.  I'm trying... if I can do this for the next 363 days, I'll have done it for a whole year!  I'm almost there...
  One thing that stood out to me while staring at this particular passage is that faith in Christ and love for the saints is interconnected -- it's not separate.  We don't love Christ and passively ignore others -- our faith in Christ is demonstrated in the way we love others, and reports of the way we love travel around the community.  Paul has heard about the Colossians faith and love -- they are developing a reputation!  And they're clear about what motivates all of it -- their hope in heaven.
  Take a few deep breaths and picture yourself standing before the throne of God, where God dwells in unapproachable light and God's majesty emanates from every side and bathes you in love and grace and mercy.  Hold that image in your mind.  When you're finished, remember that you will dwell in such glory forever in eternity.  That hope should motivate us -- it should lead us deeper into faith, because we understand what Christ has done for us and we want to share that hope with others, and we do this through love.
  Who are the people you're praying for, the people in your life that you want to invite to experience the love and grace of God, and what is one simple act you can do for each person that will, in some small way, show them your love?

Genesis 1:1-5

Genesis 1:1-5 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Happy new year!  As always, I start my years with the Rose Parade, both because the floats are amazing and because it's a good reminder that somewhere in the world, the weather is warm and beautiful, unlike these gray Ohio winter days.
  January is seen as a time of new beginning -- perhaps you've made resolutions, striving to improve yourself and your life in some way, either through diet or exercise or cleanliness or increased devotion.  It's always a good idea to look ahead with hope, just as it's important to look backward and remember what it was about the previous year that brought you joy.  (Tim Ferriss recommends a year-in-review).  If you can look back with joy and forward with hope, you'd be in a pretty good place with much to be grateful for.
  Just remember one thing as you plan for the coming year -- God has truly amazing creative power.  With a word, God created the light and set it in the midst of the chaotic darkness, just as God's Word was able to divide land from sea and the stars from the sky.  God's Word created, and God's Word created the hope we share in Jesus Christ, and the same Spirit that moved over the waters in the beginning is at work in your life and your community today.  So when you look forward with hope and make plans for change, provide room for that Spirit to speak into you and lead you into the future.  God can inspire and lead us in certain ways, guiding us into the future and providing opportunities for us to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Let God lead you, and you'll be amazed at how God is still at work creating in the world today!