Category Archives: Devotions
We all know God loves us, but far too often the stresses, anxieties and problems in life crowd Him out of our view. Here find a moment to re-focus and remember how incredible it is that God loves us, and what it means to live in His presence, in the peace that passes all understanding…
Augustine, Luther, Vatican I and the Purpose and Mission of God’s People.
Thoughts which carry me to Jesus, and to the cross:
“ And as they came down the hill-side, he warned them not to tell anybody what they had seen till “the Son of Man should have risen again from the dead”. They treasured this remark and tried to puzzle out among themselves what “rising from the dead” could mean. (Mark 9, Phillips)
Have you never read this scripture— The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; This was from the Lord, And it is marvellous in our eyes?” ” (Mark 12 Phillips)
[1]Let us love him, for he made these things and he is not far off,44 for he did not make them and then go away: they are from him but also in him. You know where he is, because you know where truth tastes sweet. He is most intimately present to the human heart, but the heart has strayed from him. Return to your heart, then, you wrongdoers, and hold fast to him who made you. Stand with him and you will stand firm, rest in him and you will find peace.
Concerning the use of sacraments it is taught that the sacraments are instituted not only to be signs by which people may recognize Christians outwardly, but also as signs and testimonies of God’s will toward us in order thereby to awaken and strengthen our faith. [2] That is why they also require faith and are rightly used when received in faith for the strengthening of faith.
…so the Church, constituted by GOD the mother and teacher of all nations, knows its own office as debtor to all, and is ever ready and watchful to raise the fallen, to support those who are falling, to embrace those who return, to confirm the good and to carry them on to better things. Hence it can never forbear from witnessing to and proclaiming the truth of GOD, which heals all things, knowing the words addressed to it: “My Spirit that is in thee, and My words that I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, from henceforth and for ever.”*
Today is the last day of the Liturgical year. Not a big deal to some, but to me, it has some significant meaning.
It lies between the Sunday of the CHirst the King – the Sunday that celebrates His victory for us, which we know is coming, and the beginning of Advent, a season of repentant waiting for Jesus to become Immanuel, that is, God with us! (Note the exclamation point; it is there for a reason.)
Like the disciples after the transfiguration, I have questions about the cross. Not about the necessity, but the fact that Jesus volunteered for it with joy, to save you and me. We so desperately need not just a Savior, but a brother, who leads us back to the Father. It is truly a marvelous mystery to treasure, this grace that unites us to God.
We get to know this through the sacraments, those moments when God draws us near and unites us to Himself. As He originally cleanses us, cutting away our stone-hard hearts, and replacing them with His Heart, His Spirit (see Ezekiel 36:25) He then cleanses us of not only all sin, but all unrighteousness–all injustice. All the damage done to us by our sin, the sin of the world, both present and in the past. And of course, the incredible feast where Jesus feeds us with His body and blood. The Lutheran Augsburg Confession nails the purpose: not to define us to the world, but to strengthen our faith, to lay the foundation and build our lives on Jesus.
This is why Augustine talks of such an intimate relationship with God. It is of the most incredible value, so much so that He begs us to return to our heart, for that is Jesus, our Heart. He recognized, the hard way, that there is no option, no other name in which to find comfort, hope, and a relationship that heals.
This is what the world needs to know!
Vatican I sees this clearly! It is the purpose of the church, the purpose behind preaching, catechizing, teaching, and distributing the sacraments. Not just to indoctrinate people. Not to receive their tithes and offerings, and building artistic edifices. This is what ministry is! This is why we are here! This is the very thing at the heart of the Reformation (at least Luther/Melanchthon’s portion of it), and for some, the Counter-Reformation.
It is who we are, and I pray all the church, Lutheran, Catholic, Orthodox, and others, return to this ministry in the next year…AMEN!
Saint Augustine. (2012). The Confessions, Part I (J. E. Rotelle, Ed.; M. Boulding, Trans.; Second Edition, Vol. 1, p. 104). New City Press.
Kolb, R., Wengert, T. J., & Arand, C. P. (2000). The Book of Concord: the confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (p. 46). Fortress Press.
McNabb, V., ed. (1907). The Decrees of the Vatican Council (pp. 17–18). Benziger Brothers.
The Re-formation, not the Reformation
Thoughts which carry me to Jesus, and to the Cross
“who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:5, NET)
While perfect restoration to the divine image awaits the day of Christ’s appearing, the work of restoration is going on now. There is a slow but steady transmutation of the base metal of human nature into the gold of God-likeness effected by the faith-filled gaze of the soul at the glory of God—the face of Jesus Christ!
We are coming up on the 508th anniversary of Martin Luther asking for a discussion on 95 points, or theses, which concerned him about the teachings of indulgences and purgatory. This discussion focused a lot on the Doctrine of Justification, and the Doctrine of Sanctification — in other words, how are are delivered from sin, and how we are transformed, as the Holy Spirit works a miracle in us.
In the midst of what became the “Reformation,” as sin prevailed and divided the church, what was lost in the process was central issue–the “re-formation” of the sinner into a saint. Lives would be taken–by both sides, the church would be fractured, and fractured again,
One of my favorite novelists (W.E.B Griffin) wrote a line I will not forget, “I regret it was necessary” in regards to an action he had to take in war. I deeply regret the reformation, and I deeply regret the fact that 500 years later we have become so divided that we forget the core of it – the re-formation of the sinner.
It is all about God’s power at work, God’s ability to care and protect us as He transforms un into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ (see 2 Cor. 3:16ff, Col. 1:28-29, Romans 12:1-3, Ephesians 2:8-10. This is where the discourse was supposed to go, but horribly did not.
We need to talk about how we are re-formed, for the sake of our people. We need to know the power and ability of God, the grace by which we are rescued from our bondage to sin, the sin which separates us from God, and would result in our condemnation unless it was dwelt with. We need to talk about what the Holy Spirit does to us after we are made righteous in Christ, how we are made holy and perfected/made complete.
We don’t need to talk about these things in an academic manner, or with arcane and technical language. That would only serve a small contingent of people, those labelled “theologians.” We need to discuss it for the people like Theophilus (which means friends of God) to whom Luke wrote his gospel, and the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, Written so Theophilus, a common ordinary person could know the truth, and as the Apostle John writes, “31 But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name. John 20:31 (NLT2)
Our people need to have the assurance of God’s work in their lives, anything else is a minor tidbit of information. He is re-forming us! Amen!
Tozer, A. W., & Smith, G. B. (2008). Mornings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings. Moody Publishers.
The Priceless Value of Being Spiritually and Physically Broken
Thoughts which carry (or perhaps drag) me to Jesus, and to the Cross
“My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.” (James 1:2–4, NET)
With the Christ as leader, he resolved “to do great deeds,” and with weakening limbs and dying body, he hoped for victory over the enemy in a new struggle. True bravery knows no real limits of time, for its hope of reward is eternal.
In one of George MacDonald’s books, there is a woman who has met a sudden sorrow. “I wish I’d never been made!” she exclaims petulantly and bitterly: to which her friend quietly replies, “My dear, you’re not made yet. You’re only being made—and this is the Maker’s process.”
Christian believers are wrongly taught if they believe that the Christian life is a guarantee against human trials and problems. If they believe that, they have mistaken earth for heaven and expect conditions here below which can never be realized until we reach the better world above….
If we cannot remove our problems, then we must pray for grace to endure them without murmuring. We will learn, too, that problems patiently endured will work for our spiritual perfecting.
My complaint today is that God keeps stealing my pity parties!
It is no big secret that i have had a lot of health issues over the last 40 years, and face more to come. There are times, like the last week, where it seems like something else is going to be added, another thorn in the flesh. If it is not me, its my staff, (one with covid, one with severe bronchial issues) or this friend (dealing with a staff infection that keeps coming to the surface) or that friend. (hmmm, maybe it’s not good to be close to me?)
These kinds of things are wearying, and take a tax on me spiritually, and when it comes to my own health, I wonder when they will render me ineffective, useless, worthless. Is there a day soon coming when I can’t disciple people, a day when I can’t preach, or play in the worship liturgy band, or even do my greatest love, handing people the Body and Blood of Christ at the altar.
Giving place to those anxieties and fears is emotionally and spiritually debilitating! The thoughts alone can paralyze you, as they drain your faith, as well as your confidence, and leave me like a lifeless pile of dead leaves…
SO then God steals my pity party.
First, in my “on this day” memories on FB, there is a picture of one of the holiest ladies I know, who sat in our church office for over 40 years, just loving and caring for people, for the kids, and for the 7 pastors that were blessed to serve her over the years. Then I thought of another lady of faith, Grandma Myrtle, and also my wife’s mother, who though both bed bound- find a lot of meaning and usefulness in praying for others.
And then I get to my devotional reading, and the prayer of St. Francis that even though life was slowly fading from his body he believed that God still had great things for him to accomplish through prayer–recognizing the assault on his emotions and faith to be demonic. As i read that, I realizing it is not the health issues that wipe me out, but the fears and anxieties, the feelings of helplessness and worthlessness that are the problem. And these problems are demonic, trying to hide the grace of God which would allow me, as James says, to rejoice in these things.
The other readings also tug strongly at me, as they attempt to separate me from my self-pity, despair and depression. The idea that I am not “made” yet, but being renovated, and made for eternal life is indeed comforting and empowering, sustaining Francis’ belief that God will still work with me now. And as Tozer points out – any suffering is part of the process of making us–of perfecting us.
I can, even tired and worn, alive and with meaning because the Lord is with me. (you too!)
Pasquale, G., ed. (2011). Day by Day with Saint Francis: 365 Meditations (p. 271). New City Press.
Shelley, M. (1986). Helping those who don’t want help (Vol. 7, p. 45). Christianity Today, Inc.; Word Books.
Tozer, A. W., & Smith, G. B. (2008). Mornings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings. Moody Publishers.
Visions of Fire and Brimstone are Needed Still, But Who Needs It Has Changed.
Thoughts which carry me to Jesus, and to the cross.
“Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, for without it no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, that no one be like a bitter root springing up and causing trouble, and through him many become defiled.” (Hebrews 12:14–15, NET)
““And you, son of man, groan with an aching heart and bitterness; groan before their eyes. When they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you will reply, ‘Because of the report that has come. Every heart will melt with fear and every hand will be limp; everyone will faint and every knee will be wet with urine.’ Pay attention—it is coming and it will happen, declares the sovereign LORD.”” (Ezekiel 21:6–7, NET)
Those who saw them, however, were greatly amazed that they differed from all others by their habit and life and seemed almost like wild men. In fact, whenever they entered especially a city, estate, town, or home, they announced peace, encouraging everyone to fear and love the Creator of heaven and earth and to observe the commandments.
I think it was Moody who came up with the idea that having people put in hell for a minute would drive them to the cross. At least he had the first half of preaching law and gospel correct!
But perhaps there is another who needs to visualize, and even experience the wrath of God, to contemplate its horror.
I am talking about those who minister to others. It might be a pastor or priest, a deacon or even and internet apologist. It would include the Bible Study leader, and also the Christian who could make an impact in their community.
How much would it change your heart to share the experience of Ezekiel, who pictured people so overwhelmed by the wrath of God that their hearts melt, their hands can no longer hold or lift anything, and quite colorfully, they can’t control their bladders. (other translations say their legs become like water-attempting to clean up the mess!) To observe people experiencing that furious a revelation of God, delivering the punishment they deserve should change how we minister, and how we are motivated to minister.
That kind of ministry is what Hebrews describes, this passion to share with people a peace that doesn’t make sense. To work that people can see God, and approach Him boldly, for they have not rejected the grace of our Lord. I love the thoughts, just as I would love to be described as the two men St. Francis described! To seem like wild men, as we passionately seek to be at peace with others, a peace only possible in Jesus.
To know what people face if we fail, and they come short of the grace of God. That will tame the zeal and focus it on ministry. It will stop us from being condescending–and focus us on serving. It will change our attitude that we are battling those sinners, and remind us we are on a rescue mission to save them.
True revival will begin, the more we realize what God is rescuing us all from…as will the most incredible worship. May we
Pasquale, G., ed. (2011). Day by Day with Saint Francis: 365 Meditations (p. 269). New City Press.
Life: God’s Version of ‘Take Your Child to Work’ Day Week 7: Dad’s Happy! (so are we) A sermon on Luke 15:1-10
Life: God’s Version of
‘Take Your Child to Work’ Day
Week 7: Dad’s Happy! (so are we)
Luke 15:1-10
† In Jesus Name †
May the grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus be yours, and may you rejoice as others who were lost are found!
Intro – The Job is done!
There were days that I went to work with my dad that were more special than others.
We were doing something with cement, building a new stone wall, or patching some foundation, or creating a walkway. As we laid down the last wheelbarrows load of cement, as we were younger we always watched my dad take out a pencil and carve his initials in the last section.
As we got older, my brother and then I would do enough work, and do it well enough, that our initials, STP and DTP would join TEP in some corner of the project.
And then off to Howard Johnson’s for an ice cream shake and a beer.
There was great joy, the job was done. Something was created, something was made right!
Time to celebrate!
That is the same thing that happens in heaven, every time a sinner is found and brought home. And like my dad and brother celebrating, like the shepherd finding the one, and the lady who found the silver coin, there is incredible joy, and a party that goes beyond belief.
And what is really cool – because life is God taking his kids to work, we get to celebrate as well!
And what a celebration it is! Dad is happy, and so we are happy.
Sort of like the shepherd who carries home his sheep…and the woman who found her very valuable coin.
Law – We don’t like those…. People/Sinners
The context of Jesus’ parable cannot be overlooked.
The Pharisees and those that studied the law didn’t get it. Both of these groups focused on living their lives as holy as possible, trying to eliminate any practice or behavior that wasn’t allowed for in scripture. They were devoted to their way of life, and proud of it, because of the effort put into it.
As hard as they practiced their disciplined life-style, they forgot to love their neighbor, to be concerned about them, and they just looked down on them, because they didn’t follow.
When they Jesus spending his time with these lesser beings, they are ticked off—if he’s truly God’s holy chosen messiah, he should be with them, praising them for their diligence and hard work.
Here again how the Bible declares the scene.
2 This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!
Imagine Jesus coming back today, and sitting here in church, and then we invite him to come eat with us, and his response was to leave, and head down to a picnic with…. Hmmm… who you do you think you are holier than? Or maybe those horrible rotten sinners who…
Or maybe, instead of heading to lunch with us, he heads to a jail in Colorado, to spend a couple hours with a 22year old assassin.
Maybe that puts us in the mood of a the pharisees.
“Pastor, you can’t mean that Jesus would rather spend His time with “him” rather than us…
My only reply – is God’s job today to search for the one, or the ninety nine?
Who is the lost coin that needs to be found – us or him?
Yet the interesting thing is, that God would have some of his kids with Him, to make the point of God’s love – to be there, as God does what only God does. As God works on Him seeking to finished the job that began as Jesus died for everyone of his sins.
And those of us who can’t go to jail to visit him, can God at work by praying for him, and for his family, as they realize that only Jesus can deal with the depth of his sin.
For in prayer, asking God to be at work, we confess that we believe God can and desires to save everyone.
And can you imagine the joy that would be in heaven, should this young man be brought home, carried by Jesus? Could God do it? He already has – in David’s case, in Paul’s case, in the case of one of the soldiers at the cross, a man named Longinus, who used his spear to prove Jesus was dead. Each a murderer was changed by the power of God’s love.
I know who the first person who would want to greet him when he gets before God’s throne. I mean after God the Father would welcome him home. Two forgiven sinners, saved by Jesus – what a image!
And I would pray we would all go ballistic with joy!
Gospel – Look at how God searches for us, finds us brings us home and rejoices!
Moving on to how incredible the gospel is–When both the lost sheep and the lost coin are found, the term used gives us a modern word- heurisko – the art and science of finding something, or someone. It combines intuition, deep research, intelligence, basically pursuing the thing with everything one is, and haves.
And Jesus came to find us, with everything He had and is, including His life.
To find all of us.
I saw something in Luke that I’ve never seen before in this parable, but it is there, both in Matthew’s account and the account from Luke we have today…
“Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness”
As I thought through this passage, this one verse captured my heart.
The 99 weren’t even home yet. They were still in need of their Shepherd for they were in the wilderness.
They were on the way, but they weren’t home, yet we still need Him to bring us home.
We still need Jesus, we still need the Spirit’s guidance, we still need the Spirit’s guidance to deal with temptation, to live a life with Him. And because we are really all more like the 1 than the 99, we know the Lord is with us. We and the pharisees aren’t the 99- we are the one, and Jesus is carrying us home. `1
We know that heaven went ballistic with happiness when we God put His mark on us. He was so happy.. another job well done.
And then he invites us to work with Him to share in His happiness, to share in His joy, as others are re-created in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
As He invites to go to work with Him, even as He takes on the toughest of jobs.
Amen!
Is it to horrid a thought?
Thoughts which carry me to Jesus and to the Cross!
“Say, ‘Mountains of Israel, Hear the word of the sovereign LORD! This is what the sovereign LORD says to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys: I am bringing a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.Your altars will be ruined and your incense altars will be broken. I will throw down your slain in front of your idols.I will place the corpses of the people of Israel in front of their idols, and I will scatter your bones around your altars. In all your dwellings, the cities will be laid waste and the high places ruined so that your altars will be laid waste and ruined, your idols will be shattered and demolished, your incense altars will be broken down, and your works wiped out.The slain will fall among you and then you will know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 6:3–7, NET)
4. But I was far too impetuous, poor wretch, so I went with the flood-tide of my nature and abandoned you. I swept across all your laws, but I did not escape your chastisements, for what mortal can do that? You were ever present to me, mercifully angry, sprinkling very bitter disappointments over all my unlawful pleasures so that I might seek a pleasure free from all disappointment.
It is one thing I suppose, for Augustine to rejoice in God in God turning Augustine’s joy and pleasures into sour, disappointing losses. It would seem to be another to rejoice in God fulfilling the destruction He has Ezekiel communicate to the people of Israel, as He rids them of their idols.
It may not be.., in fact, we need to rejoice and ask God to wreck our idols, destroying them, even if it costs us our lives. That sounds painful and it will probably be very traumatic, for these idols have burrowed deeply into hearts and souls. We don’t even recognize them as idols in some cases, they have managed to become so ingrained in our lives.
The Holy Spirit is the only one who can cut away that kind of idolatry, using the Scriptures to cut away all that is not of God. (see Colossians 2:11-12) It’s not pretty – because of the grip idolatry and other sin has on us, and our own attraction to it.
This brutal attack on our idols is God’s desire, even as it is our cry when we cry out for His mercy.
When the Spirit frees us from our idols, the freedom enables us to rejoice in the pain, to look with joy and fondness at God spoiling the joy we once found in our rebellion and sin.
So what are these idols? The things we chase after, mistakenly believing that obtaining them will lead to our peace and contentment, that will calm our anxiety. We are more sophisticated in our how we create our idols these days. But they still promise what they can’t provide, they still offer security, or fame, or health, or peace.
And God in his mercy, removes these idols crushing them, as your life seems sour, and without joy, and even dead. Jesus can and does bring life to the dead, and life where there was nothing.
We will find a whole different life as God cuts away the idols…
And we we rejoice in His work, and the difference it makes in life.
Saint Augustine. (2012). The Confessions, Part I (J. E. Rotelle, Ed.; M. Boulding, Trans.; Second Edition, Vol. 1, p. 64). New City Press.
I’m Not Sure Who Needs God’s Mercy and Peace more..
Thoughts which carry me to Jesus, and to the Cross
“So I said, “My endurance has expired; I have lost all hope of deliverance from the LORD.”” (Lamentations 3:18, NET)
“For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.” (Hebrews 4:15–16, NET)
“Listen to my appeal for mercy! Deliver me, as you promised.” (Psalm 119:170, NET)
985 The day you no longer strive to draw others closer to God—since you ought to be a burning coal all the time—you will become a contemptible little piece of charcoal, or a little heap of ashes to be scattered by the slightest puff of wind.
Back when I served as a prison chaplain, I had the incredible joy of seeing men who realized the depth of their sin, who had the Holy Spirit cut it away, circumcising their heart, just as the Apostle Paul describes in Colossians 2, the same experience that Luke describes in Acts .2:37. There is no doubt in that moment where they realized the depth of their sin, as the trauma they brough on themselves shattered them, that they were in need of God’s mercy and peace.
And there He came to them.
There is a strong part of me praying that the young man who took a life this week is able to see Jesus coming to help him. I am praying he experiences the mercy and love of God, and in that experience finds peace.
And yet, he’s not the only one in need of such peace. From the people who rejoice in his actions, to those who who want to strike back and anger — we all need it to. We all need to experience the mercy and love found in Jesus. (an example – a minister who rejoice in “blocking people” because they obviously need Jesus, seems to be in as much need of God’s love, mercy and peace as those he would deny it to.
Here is the bottom line, we are all hurting, we are all damaged by our sin, the sins of our family and community, and the weight of the sins of the world. In that pain and confusion we strike our, say things that don’t make sense in reality, but we are going by the rumors and gossip based on things taken our of context that has prevailed on both sides. (Example – politicians on both sides stating the other sides is 100% responsible for the environment that lead to Kirk’s death. I don’t know what the ratio is – but it is because of the caustic environment the man grew up in, then the sin of all is responsible.)
I even falter, resonating with Jeremiah’s words that my endurance has expired. I find myself overwhelmed at the hatred being spewed out by both sides, and I want to judge both sides, respond prophetically to both sides, to show them their own double standards that lead them to judge their perceived opponents, rather than encouraging them towards Jesus. Several times in the last few days, as I look at the responses to the shotting and I understand Jeremiah’s lament, and I fear I am becoming that piece of charcoal – burnet out by people refusing grace for one, and therefore denying its existence, even for them. WHat good is my voice against such a storm? How can I convince fellow believers never mind unbeleivers, that God’s love and mercy can be found even here–in these dark days.That Jesus is here… ready to forgive, to heal, to reconcile us to the Father, as one family..
The Jesus that would come to all of us. The Jesus whom embraced the crowds cry for his crucifixion, by dying to free them from sin.
He knows our pain, He’s lived through it, He’s seen the weight of sin try to crush us all – not just “them.”
Let’s not cry out for a man’s death, but cry out to God instead that he come to know mercy. And cry out our nation comes to know it as well.
.Escrivá, Josemaría. The Forge (p. 204). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.
He’s a Bit Possessive…
Thoughts which carry me to Jesus, on the cross
“However, God’s solid foundation remains standing, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” ”” (2 Timothy 2:19a, NET)
Many of us are interested in walking with God and pleasing God and resting in the promises of God. We have discovered that such a life on this earth begins with a complete change in relationship between God and the sinner; a conscious and experienced change affecting the sinner’s whole nature.
Preaching—the preaching of Christ crucified—is the word of God. Priests need to prepare themselves as best they can before carrying out such a divine ministry, the aim of which is the salvation of souls. Lay people should listen with very special respect.
St. Josemaria makes a bold and very accurate statement – that preaching only happens when Christ is shown to be crucified. That is what preaching is, the revelation of God’s love for us, shown in the death of Christ. (he would have gotten extra points if he had tied out baptism to it, for there we die with Christ that we may live with God forever!)
This cross is the foundation for who we are, it is the basis for our knowing we are his. Our baptism, in the God’s name, is where He marks us HIs own. It is no coincidence we make the mark of the cross over the person’s head and heart as we baptize them on God’s behalf, as as noted, in His name. It is that name that seals us to Him, that marks us indelibly as his
It is that promise that begins our walk with Him, as we have been born again, as we have been risen with Him, a new creation. The relationship changes, as we become His born again children, friend of Jesus, as we become part of the community, the family.
That is why preach has to be the proclamation of Christ crucified – for us. It is the reason we have hope, it is point of union with our incredible God.
Who is, more than a bit possessive of us, why He is a jealous God, and why the first commandment is that we can have no other God, but Him.
We are His… sealed into this relationship in Baptism.
AMEN!
Tozer, A. W., & Smith, G. B. (2008). Mornings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings. Moody Publishers.
Escrivá, Josemaría. The Forge (p. 200). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Life: God’s Version of ‘Take Your Child to Work’ Day: Week 3: The Family Business, a sermon on Hebrews 11:32-12:3
Life: God’s Version of
‘Take Your Child to Work’ Day
Week 3: The Family Business
Hebrews 11:32-12:3
† I.H.S. †
May the grace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ strength your trust in them, as it did all of His family throughout history!
Dad, I Can’t…
As we continue our journey of life in Christ, as we conitnue to compare it to God taking us to work like dad’s took their kids to work we come to an interesting passage in Hebrews,
One that desribes those our Father in heaven worked with before, those He raised up before, those He gave His Spirit too, empowering them and guiding them in the work He was doing.
It doesn’t help us that some have named chapter 11 as the Hall of Faith, as if these older and brothers of ours were superheroes, and we were the little brothers and sisters who looked up to them, wanting to be like them, and thinking that would be miraculous.
I mean, look around, not many of us have the physique of Samson, or the holiness of Samuel or the myriad of abilities and talents of King David. Those guys are heroes, holy, talented, able to withstand the most challenging of times—I mean hear what they did..
33 By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword.
And how they could embrace suffering,
But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. 36 Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 37 Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. 38 They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
I mean if we had to suffer like that, I would hope we would be like this..
But, too often I’II look at these hero’s and look at what God asks us.. and I tell him, “I can’t do that…” I feel the same way I did when my dad asked me to carry a couple of 12 foot long 2×4’s from the van to the house. I tried to pick up from one side. Not knowing how to pick them up in the middle and blance them om my shoulder.
We need to hear this line out of the middle of the passage, “Their weakness was turned to strength.”
Weights that impede us from running with endurance
If you try to carry a 2×4 or a board from one end, you will never be able to do it – the weight of the wood will bear to heavily on you. You won’t be able to carry/drag the weight very far. It will wipe you out.
The same thing goes for spiritual weights, they wreck our endurance…. Hear agin from Hebrews, “let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
Notice that sin isn’t the only weight, but it is “especially” important to toss away. Other you could ad our anxieties, fears, doubts, but really, all those go back to the idea of sin. It’s going to hurt to when I say this at first, but hear it out..
Most of our issues do get back to sin…even if it is simply the sin of not letting God be our God. That’s the one I am guilty of the most, as I try to play God, trying to lift the board by one end and wearying myself out too quickly, too completely.
Scripture is clear – strip off that weight!
Don’t let it trip you up!
Look to Jesus.
Here is the key to carrying our burdens,
“2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.”
Please hear that correct – he initiates and perfects our fatih.
Not our faithfulness – he initiates and perfects our faith, our trust in His – in the work He did at the Father’s command.
If we look at Jesus – we realize He picked up our burdens.
He carries them to the cross, they were dealt with there, and now, raised to life with Him, He carries us
If we are concentrating on what we can or cannot do, we lose sight of what Jesus has done. We are along for the journey, we travel by looking and trusting in what He did.
Again – Jesus initiates and completes our trust in Him, not our faithfulness.
It’s the entire reason He came, and here is what is amazing –
It was for joy set before him that He did it! For the joy of carrying us home, he carried our sin.
It was for the joy set before Him that endured the betrayals, from Adam and Eve, through Cain, and all those people mentioned in the chapter. They had faith in God, not in their faithfulness.
They found His strength in the midst of their own weakness, and learned to depend on God – who is their strength. Who is our strength, when we are at our weakest point.
And so we get to the bottom line,
“3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.
there is a secret to living in Christ, to working alongside of the Father in seeing people made perfect and mature in Christ—it is found in thinking about what Jesus has done for us, does with us.
And as He is perfecting our faith, as He has for every member of our faith family. He will sustain us, and carry us, and those whom follow…
Amen!
The Church isn’t supposed to convert people! It has a greater task!
Thoughts which carry me to Jesus and to the Cross
“For this reason I kneel before the Father,from whom every family in heaven and on the earth is named. I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:14–19, NET)
953 I think it is very natural for you to want the whole world to know Christ. But start with the responsibility of saving the souls of those who live with you and sanctifying each one of your fellow workers or fellow students. That is the principal mission that the Lord has entrusted to you.
Just as the early Church did not attempt to save its existence either by trying to make a concordat with Nero, Domitian, and Decius, or by stirring up a revolution against these tyrants, or by making an alliance with the Persian Empire, but simply by confessing the truth of the Gospel and building up a truly confessing Church whose members were prepared to die for the faith, so Luther and the early Lutheran Church confined themselves to do what the Church, according to its nature as an ordinance of God, can and ought to be doing.
There is a desire in most churches to see the world saved, I will never doubt that. But i think our idea of salvation is weak, and it confuses the ministry we are to share in as the church. I think St. Josemaria’s words here are profound – evangelism isn’t about what missionaries we send out do — it is about what we are doing in our communities, within our family structures, within the places where we live. Our work places, our doctor’s offices, and the stores we shop.
We are the evangelists, the missionaries, sent by God to this place–whereever you are reading this–and if you look around–there are plenty of people who trust in God, who don’t know Him. That’s why Sasse said that Luther and the early church weren’t content with becoming the state church-they had a mission – what the church was to be focused upon–what they were willing to die for… and did.
And it is not about making “converts.”
Not at all…
Look at what Paul prayed for the church in Ephesus…conversion wasn’t the experience he prayed for the church in Ephesus.
He prayed for them to experience the Love of God – to be filled with that which goes beyond any measure, that which cannot be fully explained. To encounter and experience the love of God who created us, and re-creates us in His image. When they do, a change certainly occurs, but not one generated by man. It is only through the ministry of the Holy Spirit! Get used to that, it is not us that converts people, we simply reveal the love of God, the very reason we have hope.
And it is so valuable a experience that martyrs across time have willingly given up their lives if it would help their captors know this love of God.
That is our mission – that is the good news we share with those whom we know, whom we love, and hate and are even indifferent towards..
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Escrivá, Josemaría. Furrow (p. 161). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Sasse, H. (2001). This Is My Body: Luther’s Contention for the Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar (pp. 203–204). Wipf and Stock Publishers.
