John 1:6-8

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.” vss. 6-7

As the gospel writers retold the stories about John the Baptist, they all refer to his baptismal ministry in the wilderness and his interaction with Herod, an encounter that eventually led to his death. But the gospel writer John also writes that the Baptizer was sent from God to be a witness who would testify to Jesus as the Light of the world. And that’s what he did. He was the first witness, but he was by no means the last. In fact the rapid growth of the Jesus movement was due entirely to hundreds and thousands of witnesses who testified to Jesus in both word and deed. It might seem to some that we’ve reached a point where witnesses are no longer needed. Sometimes it appears that everyone has heard the good news and knows that Jesus is the Light of the world. Now it’s certainly true that people know about Christmas, and would be able to say that it’s about the birth of the Jesus baby, but we can wonder how many have actually seen the Light. That’s a different story entirely, and it may be that there is still a need for witnesses, people who will actually share their faith stories, and testify to the joy they have in Jesus. And if we don’t tell those who have never heard, who will?

Thought for the Day: What is my testimony about Jesus?

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

“May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” vs. 23

This is a tough time of year for us to be worrying about being pure and blameless in the eyes of God. Temptations abound, and we are faced with an endless stretch of eating, drinking, and buying that is unparalleled at other times of the year. Some of us might even worry about falling out of God’s favor as indulgence invites us to engage in semi-riotous living. Paul knew better than to heap that burden on his friends. He knew that if it were all up to us, we wouldn’t stand a chance on the road to repentance. We’d fall off the wagon at the first hint of temptation! Paul told the folks in Thessalonica that he was praying for them, and that God would be in charge of change in their lives. And because what Paul wrote is true, any of us can become the person God has programmed us to be. Not because our own will, but because the Spirit of God is continually refurbishing our spirits and souls. So if God has planted an image of our better self in our minds, we shouldn’t be concerned, because as Paul wrote, “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.” We don’t have to “prepare to meet our Maker.” That’s the Spirit’s job, and it’s being taken care of.

Thought for the Day: What does my “better self” look like?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-22

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” vss. 16-18

At first glance it appears that Paul is giving the Thessalonians a new set of impossible rules for their new life in Christ, that it would be their duty to rejoice, pray, and give thanks continually. That would be a grim set of directives indeed, a whole new series of things to feel guilty about at the end of the day. But that’s not what he has in mind. He’s simply describing what it’s like to be in Christ, that it’s a total transformation of our manner of living. And he’s right! No longer will an onslaught of tears rob us of joy, no longer will prayers be confined to a fixed time of day, and always we will find occasion to give thanks to God for the great privilege of life in this spectacular world. And we live this way, not because we’re following rules, but because the Holy Spirit has touched our spirits with serenity and incomprehensible peace. At this time of year, as we see the secular world joining our spiritual celebration, we are having a multitude of opportunities for exultant rejoicing, fervent prayers, and effusive thanksgiving. We can behave as though we haven’t a care in the world, because by God’s standards, we really don’t! We don’t even need that old Christmas movie to remind us that it really is a wonderful life!

Thought for the Day: How would I describe my wonderful life?

Psalm 126

“May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.” vss. 5-6

Most of us are well aware of the awful things that can happen in the course of a lifetime. We read about them in the papers, see the reports on the news, and hear the sad tales from our network of friends and acquaintances. We know all about dread diseases, sudden deaths, horrible accidents, and devastating break-ups, but for the most part we’ve figured out ways to insulate ourselves from the pain and sadness of it all. For years at a time we can go blithely on our respective ways, mostly carefree and happy, and then one day, it happens to us! And it’s awful! We imagine we’re the first ones ever to feel such pain– it’s overwhelming, and our laments know no bounds. Time stands still and sleep eludes us–friends try to console us but their words seem empty. It’s hard to imagine that we will ever feel joy again! It’s in that moment that people of faith make an astounding discovery. Out of the darkness comes a glimmer of light, and after crying our eyes out, we rediscover laughter. The psalmist was right. Those who sow in tears do reap with shouts of joy, and broken hearts are filled with hope. We emerge from the valley of the shadow of death with goodness and mercy as our companions and rediscover what it is to live and love.

Thought for the Day: How did I recover from my deepest pain?

Isaiah 61:8-11

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” vs. 10

The prophet’s testimony is exactly what we need to hear as we move through this second week of Advent toward Pink Candle Sunday. He used the most exultant language at his disposal to describe what God had done for him, and those who live in Christ know exactly what he means. God has clothed us with the garments of salvation! All of the sin, and the guilt associated with that sin, has been removed from our lives, and we have been freely and graciously forgiven. With that burden lifted we can greet each day with shouts of joy and live each day with smiles on our faces and a bounce in our steps. Our song will regularly be, “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Because joy is contagious, that attitude can change the environment in which we live, work, and play. Even the bad stuff that drops uninvited into our days will be a momentary blip, and ultimately will be swallowed up by the joy that fills our hearts. And it’s not just positive thinking! The joy of our salvation really changes us, and everyone will see the difference!

Thought for the Day: How do I show daily joy?

Isaiah 61:1-4

“The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners…” vs. 1

After Jesus was baptized by John, and when he had come out of the river, the spirit of the Lord God came upon him, and he realized that in his baptism with water he had been anointed, and more than that, he had been sent with good news for the oppressed and the brokenhearted, just like the prophets of old. In our time billions of people have been dipped, sprinkled, or dunked just like Jesus, and millions even have baptismal certificates to prove it. Unfortunately most of the baptized regard their baptisms as more of an insurance policy than a call to ministry–it’s their ticket to get through the pearly gates. But sometimes people echo the words of the prophet, they’ve felt the spirit of the Lord upon them–it’s a real thing and happens in the here and now. These are the ones who take up the cross of Jesus and march through time proclaiming good news to the hurting and the helpless. We see them in our congregations and in the streets, their joy is palpable and their smiles heal broken hearts. They are the oaks of righteousness among us, the planting of the Lord, and in them the kingdom comes.

Thought for the Day: What is an oak of righteousness?

Mark 1:5-8

 “I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” vs. 8.

Our scriptures indicate that there is a difference between water baptism and spirit baptism. The one is connected with John the Baptist and the other with Jesus. Jesus himself received both, being baptized in the Jordan River by John, and then anointed with the Holy Spirit when he came up out of the river. The early church adopted baptism with water as both a mark of a believer’s faith and a reminder of God’s grace. As doctrines began to emerge in the Church it was understood that when people were baptized with water they also received the Holy Spirit. Currently, in some denominations the baptismal ritual has two parts: baptism with water in the name of the Triune God, and baptism with the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. The problem is that while water baptism is easily documented and dated, spirit baptism remains clothed with mystery. Some say that it should be distinguished from water baptism, and that people can be filled with the Holy Spirit without being baptized. Their argument is undoubtedly true, but it leaves us with a boatload of questions. What we can say is this: being baptized into Christ is more than a watery ritual, and will always include the marriage of our spirit with the Holy Spirit of God. We may not be able to adequately define that marriage, but the experience will change our lives.

Thought for the Day: Why was my baptism important?

Mark 1:1-4

“John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” vs. 4

When Mark wrote his gospel, very likely the first of the four we have in the New Testament, he didn’t include any stories about angels or shepherds or the birth of a baby in Bethlehem. Perhaps he hadn’t heard of such things. But he does know about John the baptizer and his ministry in the wilderness of Judea, and he knew how influential John was–many had considered him to be the messiah. Mark, though, found in the writings of Isaiah a passage about a voice crying out in the wilderness, and believed that it fit John like a glove. John’s ministry was one of preparation. He had appeared in the wilderness to prepare the way for Jesus, and from what we read in Mark and the other gospels, that’s exactly what he did. John was the catalyst for the work of the Spirit, and through him Jesus received his call to bring good news to our good and broken world. This is the way the Spirit has continued to work through the years. We become who we are called to be because some other person has been the faithful voice of God in our ears, and through that person the Holy Spirit has changed our lives. By hook and by crook we have made our way out of the wilderness, and into the presence of the Shepherd. It’s a never ending good news story!

Thought for the Day: Who has been my John?

2 Peter 3:11-13

“But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.” vs 13

Prior to the testing of the atomic bomb in New Mexico in 1945, hundreds of scientists were working in labs all around the country to see if such a bomb could be built and delivered. Using mathematical formulas a few physicists projected a doomsday scenario in which the unknown forces generated by an atomic explosion could actually ignite the atmosphere and cause the oceans to disappear, a description that is remarkably similar to the apocalyptic scene pictured in Second Peter. Of course other physicists, also using mathematical formulas, showed that the probability of such an event was close to zero. The bomb was successfully tested and a decision was made to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and induce a Japanese surrender. Now many countries have atomic weapons and their presence clouds the future of humanity–the probability of a doomsday scenario is now much greater than zero! Peter does provide a word of hope for struggling humanity. He believed that ultimately the future would bring new heavens and a new earth, and that there would be new life. That’s a powerful vision, one worth hanging on to in these turbulent times. And it could be that the new creation could happen without humanity’s destruction of the old! Who knows? Only time will tell!

Thought for the Day: What could trigger an atomic war?

2 Peter 3:8-10

“But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.” vs. 8

Climate change has been accelerating in recent years and there is continuing debate around the world about what needs to be done. Some say that the survival of humanity is at stake, and that unless drastic steps are taken to eliminate the use of fossil fuels there will be a global catastrophe. Many are wondering how much time we have to make the necessary changes. That’s a big question. How much time do we have? In the early years of Christianity leaders were projecting that the day of the Lord was imminent, and people wondered how long it would be before Jesus returned. Peter couldn’t tell them, but he did know that the Lord had a different calendar. It could happen very soon, but then again, maybe it wouldn’t. That’s still the way it is when we start talking about the future–we just don’t know how much time we have. That’s true for the global community as we debate climate change, and it’s true for us as individuals as we consider how our life journeys are going. We could have a lot of time to get things in order, but then again, maybe we won’t. Suffice it to say that if we do have significant aspirations, it might be a good thing to act now and not put things off!

Thought for the Day: What unrealized dreams do I have?