John 1:43-46

“Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’” vs. 46

Nathanael was quick to dismiss the idea that Jesus was the messiah. For one thing he was from a town that had no standing in tradition. It wasn’t even mentioned in the scriptures. Nathanael wasn’t the only one to make such snap judgments. Most of us do the same sort of thing when introduced to someone whose geographic origins are suspect. We’re quick to dismiss folks because of their ethnicity or color. But Philip knew what he had experienced,⁴⁶Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”  so all he had to say was “Come and see!” and that changed everything. That little invitation remains the best way for us to introduce people to Jesus. If we care at all about evangelism and spreading the good news of Jesus, the best way is to invite people to share our experience. Arguing with someone or debating fine points of theology usually has no effect at all, except to possibly drive them away. But if we can invite others to our worship community or small group or ask them to be a part of a service project, it makes all the difference in the world. It’s in the shared experience that your friend or acquaintance will begin to understand why this Jesus guy is so important to you, and it may even change their life. Even if they don’t get him at first, usually, as in Nathanael’s case, it doesn’t take them long to catch on!

Thought for the Day: When have I invited someone to “Come and see?” 

1 Corinthians 6:16-20

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?” vs. 19

Some of us who grew up in pietistic homes became accustomed to hearing that much of which we enjoyed doing and that seemed to be fun, was in fact horribly wrong. Our parents scrutinized what we ate or drank, how we behaved, what we read or saw, and who we associated with. Regularly they would remind us that our bodies were the temple of the Holy Spirit. Their motivation was good; they didn’t want us to go to hell. But the cumulative effect of that repressive upbringing often drove young people from the church. They couldn’t wait to escape the bondage of the rules, and once they were able to do as they pleased, indulged as if there were no tomorrow. What is often missed in all of this is that our parents had a point. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and it does make a difference how we use them. We were not knit together in our mothers’ wombs in order that we might abuse God’s greatest gift. And yet we do! We destroy our lungs, livers, and hearts, eat every unhealthy fast food imaginable, destroy relationships with pornographic obsessions–but still there is hope. We are not alone. And our roommate, the Holy Spirit, can give us the courage, strength, and wisdom to lead a clean and holy life!

Thought for the Day: How have I abused my freedom? 

1 Corinthians 6:12-15

“‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are beneficial. ‘All things are lawful for me,’  but I will not be dominated by anything.” vs. 12

One of the first reactions people have to the gospel of grace is, “Wow, if all my sins have been forgiven in Christ, I am free to do whatever I please.” When Paul heard that reaction, he went apoplectic. That attitude makes a sacrilege of the gospel! It is true that in Christ we have complete freedom, but we will by no means do anything we please. There are just too many things out in the world lying in wait, eager to get control and enslave us. Paul was stubborn. Having been set free, he didn’t want to be dominated by anything. Many of us know exactly what he means. In our freedom we have experimented with any number of interesting diversions. On the surface they seem innocuous, not a threat to anyone–some even claim to be beneficial–but once they get a hold on you they can suck up time and money, and even ruin health and relationships. Sometimes their captivity is so complete we are driven to the edge of despair and beyond. Anyone who wants to live freely in Christ quickly learns to inventory the ways they spend their time or money, and when things get out of control, they turn away from the distraction and recommit themselves to those things which make for joy. 

Thought for the Day: What threatens to dominate my life?

Psalm 139:13-18

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.” vs. 14

The psalmist had obviously taken time to reflect on the wonder of his own body, and he was in awe. Every part has a function and a purpose and they are engineered to work together in perfect harmony. And because he wrote 2500 years ago he had only a minimal knowledge of anatomy or physiology–he knew little or nothing of internal organs, nervous or circulatory systems, or the wonder of the human brain. Now, because we are the beneficiaries of advanced knowledge, we tend to take such things for granted–we have complicated explanations for the evolution of our bodies, and too many have left God out of the equation. Not so the psalmist! In his estimation all the credit went to our Creator, the One who knit us together in our mothers’ wombs, who intricately wove us in the depths of the earth. It really is a blessing when we see our physicality as a gift from God, and begin to treat our bodies as our most precious possession, something to be nurtured and loved, and not abused. In our time, after centuries of trial and error, we know exactly how to feed and care for our physical selves to get maximum performance and satisfaction. Those who pay attention, who learn the secrets of healthy living, receive enormous blessings, because our loving God doesn’t make junk!

Thought for the Day: When did I start treating my body as a precious gift?

Psalm 139:1-6

“Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.” vs. 6

The relationship that this psalmist had with God went beyond personal. Instead of painting a picture of a God on a throne in heavenly courts or a storm god riding on the clouds, he describes God with intense intimacy. He doesn’t claim to know God; in his estimation such knowledge would be impossible. Instead he speaks of the knowledge God has of him–there is nothing in him or about him that is not known to God. Those of us who pride ourselves as being able to hide from God or who harbor dark secrets in our hearts are taken aback by words such as these. If God has such knowledge of me and what I’m about, how could God possibly love me? Indeed that is the great mystery! Given who we are and how we behave, we, for whom love is so totally conditional, can’t even imagine the steadfast love of our God. Yet that is what the God who was revealed in the person of Jesus is like. And when we get over the shock of it all, we have to admit that it feels really, really good to be so fully known, and yet not judged. If it hasn’t dawned on us yet that this is what God is like, we need to take another at Jesus. Besides him, there is no other! Praise God!

Thought for the Day: How does it feel to be so intimately known?

1 Samuel 3:1-5, 10

“Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’” vs. 10

When Hannah, in her old age, had borne a son, she dedicated him to the Lord, and when the boy Samuel was weaned she brought him to the priest, Eli, and left him to serve in the temple at Shiloh. Each year she would make him a new robe and bring it to him, and he grew and prospered, and ultimately the Lord called him to serve as a prophet to Israel. The story of his call is touching. Asleep in the temple, he hears his name called, and thinks Eli is calling. But Eli hasn’t called, and tells Samuel it was the Lord, and that he should listen. The next time the Lord calls Samuel does listen and goes on to become one of the great leaders of Israel. This pattern has been repeated through the centuries whenever there has been a need or a crisis. People don’t volunteer to become leaders, they are called. It happens again and again among women and men, the young and the old.Often when it’s least expected, we hear our name called. And if we have the insight and the courage to listen we can be drawn into roles that are full of meaning and purpose. The tricky part is discernment. In a world where scams abound it’s hard to know if it’s the Lord who’s calling. At that point, all of us need an Eli!

Thought for the Day: How do I practice discernment?

Mark 1:9-11

“And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.” vs 10

According to Mark, after his baptism Jesus received an epiphany that forever changed the direction of his life. Prior to that moment we know virtually nothing about him, only that he had come to the Jordan from Nazareth in Galilee, a small hamlet near the city of Sepphorus. There are some who believe that Jesus must have known of his divine origins as a child, and that he knew the trajectory of his life from the beginning. But, apart from one random story in Luke’s gospel, there is no scriptural basis for that understanding. Indeed, Mark tells us his call was like a bolt out of the blue, unexpected and overwhelming, with both visual and aural elements, and that from that point on Jesus believed himself to be the Chosen One of God, the long awaited messiah. Not long after that experience, after some time in the wilderness being tested and trained by the Spirit, he began his teaching, preaching, and healing ministry. Life-changing epiphanies are rare, but not unknown among us. Spiritual leaders like St. Francis, Martin Luther, John Wesley, and even Joseph Smith claim to have had life transforming experiences. Most of us learn to be content without such “eureka” moments–it is enough for us that Jesus did. It’s a blessing to just follow in his way!

Thought for the Day: What epiphany-like moments have I had?

Matthew 2:1-12

“On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” vs. 11

Matthew really didn’t have much to say about the birth of Jesus. According to his sources, Joseph had a home in Bethlehem and the child was born there–there’s no mention of an inn or a stable. But he does add a follow-up story about wise men from the East that captures our imagination and that provides parts for three tall boys in our Christmas Sunday School pageants. While we spend time speculating about the magi and their origins, the real star of Matthew’s story is the star. Its sudden appearance in the heavens propelled the wise men on their journey and the story reminds readers that Jesus belongs to the nations and not just the Jews. From early on the Church has celebrated the festival of Epiphany to commemorate the visit of the magi. Jesus is the manifestation or epiphany of the Divine Presence for all people and during the season of Epiphany we’ll be celebrating all the ways in which the Light of God was revealed in him through the course of his ministry. This is also the time of the church year in which we emphasize the natural inclination of Christians to let their light shine in the presence of others. It is often thought of as the season of evangelism and outreach.

Thought for the Day: How does the light of Christ shine in my life?

Mark 1:4-8

“And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins” vs. 5  

John’s ministry along the Jordan attracted large numbers of people, most of whom seemed to have had a strong awareness of their own sinfulness. There were ways within Judaism for them to deal with this issue–the law was quite precise in explaining how people could find atonement through the sacrificial system. But John offered another way, a baptism with water accompanied by the confession of their sins. It wasn’t complicated and didn’t require compliance with temple regulations. In fact it was so popular that there are followers of John the Baptist,now known as Mandaeans, still practicing the religion that he founded. Groups of them can be found in many areas of the Middle East. Other followers of John became disciples of Jesus, because Jesus too made forgiveness a central feature of his ministry. We don’t really know if he actually baptized anyone but people were regularly comforted by his forgiving words. And in our time confession and forgiveness are a regular part of most Christian worship services. As hard as we may try to be good, all people wander from the Way of righteousness and regularly experience guilt and alienation. Even modern sophisticated folks need to hear words of forgiveness before restoration can occur–and it’s likely that this is how it will always be.

Thought for the Day: When do I most often need a word of forgiveness?

Acts 19:1-7

“When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied—” vs. 6

When Paul encountered disciples of John the Baptist in Ephesus he convinced them that their baptism was lacking. When he then baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues. Luke’s description of this event has provided the impetus for what has been called the Pentecostal movement. Preachers have convinced believers that they have not received the “full gospel” and that there is something lacking in their faith. As a result millions have been rebaptized and have begun to practice speaking in tongues as proof that the Holy Spirit has entered their lives. They like having a kind of external evidence that the Holy Spirit is present. The problem is that, as Paul experienced in Corinth, speaking in tongues is not the best indicator of the Spirit’s presence, and its public practice can often lead to division in congregations. Rather than worry about whether they need a new spiritual practice, believers would be well advised to concentrate on public demonstrations of love, joy, peace, and patience. When these are present people are unified and we can be confident that the Holy Spirit is present. Speaking in tongues can be a fine private meditation practice, but it quickly divides when it goes public–and that’s not how the Holy Spirit works.

Thought for the Day: What’s lacking in my faith?