1 Peter 2:6-10

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” vs. 9

As the age of denominationalism slowly grinds to an end, it’s easy to become discouraged. It’s not easy to accept that what we found so helpful and precious means virtually nothing to our children and grandchildren. But the extinction of dinosaurs did not mean the end of life on earth, and so it is with the Church. We live in a beautiful but broken world, full of suffering and pain, and we are God’s own people sent to proclaim unconditional love and practice sacrificial service. We have no clear vision of what that will look like in the centuries to come but we do know there will be faith communities who gather regularly for encouragement and worship. Some of us are quite comfortable where we are in this time of transition, and that’s okay. Our traditions have fed us well, and will continue to do so until the end. But at the same time it’s fun to stick our necks out for some glimpses of the future. God really is doing incredible things in some very surprising places. Folks who have lived in darkness for a really long time are actually beginning to emerge into the light. Maybe we can even learn to reach out of the box occasionally and lend a hand!

Thought for the Day: What excites me about the future Church?

1 Peter 2:2-6

“Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood…” vss. 4-5a

Travelers to Israel and Palestine often find themselves being bussed from one ancient ruin to another. While some historic sites have been partially reconstructed most remain destroyed, maybe just a pile of rocks at the bottom of an archeological dig. Leaders will tell the pilgrims not to focus on these worn and eroded rocks but on the living stones, the people being used by God in new and wonderful ways. It’s so easy to forget that the Church is more than an assortment of worship centers scattered randomly about the land. Those buildings wear out and are sold, with some being repurposed into restaurants or offices. Their disappearance does not mean that the Church is dying. And as we see our congregations and denominations diminishing we should also know that God is even now building a holy priesthood out of living stones all around us. It’s invigorating to go out into our communities and listen to what’s going on–often it’s like wandering into a spiritual construction zone. As Jesus said, “The Spirit blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound of it, but you don’t know where it is going, or where it is coming from.” People may not be coming to church much any more, but the church is certainly going to them!

Thought for the Day: Why aren’t most congregations growing any more?

Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16

“Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.” vs. 5

Redemption is one of those words that is used regularly by Christians and often connected with Jesus’ death on the cross. It describes the process by which we are made right with God through grace. It’s interesting that the psalmist, long before Jesus, also knew about redemption, and claimed it as his own, a gracious gift from his faithful God. It signals that no matter how we have lived, no matter what brokenness has messed up our lives, redemption is also a part of our story. Because the psalmist knew the faithfulness of God he made a decision to commit his spirit, his whole self, into God’s gracious hands. According to Luke Jesus used those same words as he hung on the cross, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Of course that wasn’t a last minute decision for Jesus–that’s how he’d lived out his entire life. And that’s exactly the way millions of folks are living right now in this fractious and divisive world. When it’s so hard to figure out a satisfactory way of life with such a multitude of options, it just makes sense to commit our whole beings into the hands of our redeeming God. All the pressure is removed and we are freed to live joyfully and thankfully as we learn to love the awesome people God is connecting us with every day. With God as our rock and fortress we have nothing to fear!

Thought for the Day: Who is God going to connect me with today?

Acts 7:59-60

“Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died.” vs. 60

Alone among the gospel writers Luke reports that Jesus spoke words of forgiveness from the cross, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing?” And now we hear similar words from the first martyr, Stephen, as he is being stoned. Their voices remind us that sometimes people of faith can participate in  wretched and ugly acts of persecution and even murder. Sometimes we just plain get it wrong! We can see this clearly in retrospect, but it’s harder to detect when we’re caught up in the passions of the times. Church folks have engaged in genocide, tortured fellow believers, burned witches, defended slavery, practiced homophobia, marginalized women—the list goes on and on. And always they’ve thought they were following God’s laws. Truly it can be said that if it weren’t for God’s grace, none of us could stand. What a blessing it is then that forgiveness is the last word heard from Jesus and from Stephen! It’s often hard to figure out the will of God in times of contention and strife, and all we can do is muddle our way through. Sometimes it takes years for us to see where we’ve been on the wrong side of justice–and some never figure it out at all! How good it is when we can take God’s forgiveness to heart, and then receive the courage to keep on muddling!

Thought for the Day: When have I been wrong when I thought I was right?

Acts 7:55-58

“Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.” vs. 58

Paul was very open about his past, that he had in fact been involved in the persecution of the followers of Jesus. In his letter to the Galatians he writes that he violently persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it, not out of hate, but because he was zealous for the law. Luke provides a snapshot of one of his most vicious attacks, the stoning of Stephen, one of seven deacons who had been appointed to serve in the Jerusalem faith community. In conformity with the law of Moses, Stephen, accused of blasphemy, was dragged outside the city gates, and his accusers were invited to cast the first stones, having first handed over their coats to Saul (Paul’s Hebrew name). It’s unlikely that Paul ever forgot the sight of the rocks crushing Stephen’s head, and we may wonder if ever felt guilt in later years. In his own testimony he implies that he did not, in his estimation the amazing grace of God meant the forgiveness of all his sins. Some have a tough time believing that God’s grace can cover such horrendous deeds, even when the perpetrators have asked to be forgiven. But Paul taught that all sins, even the most horrible acts, have been wiped away in Christ Jesus. And his teachings have carried the day!

Thought for the Day: Can someone like Paul ever be trusted again?

John 10:6-10

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” vs. 10

It’s stunning to find out how many people in this world actually know us by name, and even more than that, how many know our social security numbers! In such an environment, many live in constant fear of being scammed or bamboozled, or even having their retirement funds drained. Yes, there are thieves in the streets who could possibly steal our purses or wallets, but there are literally millions of folks sitting at computers around the world, stealing identities, and sending bogus messages via email, texts, or social media in hopes of a big fraudulent pay-off. Some have learned to recognize the scams and are adept at blocking unknown calls or texts, but it’s a real bother to have to live that way. We’d love to just trust everyone and live without fear. But as Jesus told his disciples, thieves and bandits were all around, and they needed to pay particular attention to the voice of the Shepherd. We’d be well advised to do the same. That’s not easy–it really is hard to know who is trustworthy! It takes care and discernment to hear Jesus in the daily messaging that comes our way. His way will have little to do with the material treasures of the world, and everything to do with a life of spiritual abundance. And there will never be any strings attached! Or hidden fees!

Thought for the Day: How have I been scammed? 

John 10:1-5

“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” vs. 3

There are echoes of Isaiah 43 in these beautiful words from Jesus. Centuries before the prophet had written, “I have called you by name, you belong to me,” and now Jesus restates this magnificent truth in a way that each believer can understand. For some it’s a reminder of baptism, that rich moment in time when all the grace and love of God is made personal for individuals. In the water and the word the presence of the Spirit is celebrated and we can know for certain that we belong to God, and that Jesus is our shepherd. It is true that we are a part of a community, and we know that all people fall under the umbrella of God’s grace. But sometimes it’s comforting to celebrate the individual relationship we have with Jesus. Think of it! Jesus knows our names–every one of us, saints and sinners alike. Each of us have significance in Christ, we’re not just part of a countless horde clamoring for attention. We are noticed. We have a name, and Jesus calls each one of us on a journey that is chock full of meaning and purpose. And no matter where we walk, whether in green pastures or shadowy valleys, we bring healing and hope to the hurting.

Thought for the Day: When have I heard Jesus call my name?

1 Peter 2:23-25

“For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.” vs. 25

When left to our own devices we can manage to get ourselves into every kind of trouble imaginable. Humans seem to have an infinite capacity for mischief and wrongdoing, and sometimes it can be the ruin of us. In order to live well we need some sort of internal compass that can be our guide through the maze of distractions that face us every day. And since that sort of internal capacity seems to be lacking in so many, perhaps our next best option is to find a good shepherd. And when people have become acquainted with Jesus, that’s exactly what they’ve done. As Peter puts it, instead of going astray like sheep they have made Jesus the shepherd and the guardian of their souls. When that happens instead of wandering from one misadventure to another, people focus their attention on the one who gave himself for the sake of the world. And because Jesus is the living presence of God and not some dead hero of the ancient world, there is active daily guiding that takes place. We are led away from the self-serving pitfalls of modern consumerism into the way of righteousness, a compassionate life-style that is rooted in humility and service. What a difference it makes when we simply trust the guidance of the shepherd–under his direction we will experience the restoration of our souls.

Thought for the Day: When do I most need guidance?

1 Peter 2:19-22

“If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval.” vs. 20

It was not unusual in the Roman provinces for households to include a number of slaves, and it’s evident that many of those slaves became followers of Jesus. Peter in his letter advises those slaves to patiently endure when they are mistreated. They should take consolation in knowing that Jesus suffered in the same way, and he is to be their great example. In fact, it could be possible that their masters would be impressed by their humble obedience. During the 19th century in the United States, Peter’s words were understood by Christian slaveholders to be an endorsement of slavery as God’s plan for some people. Their pro-slavery stance brought about divisions in some denominations that are evident even now. In reality of course, Peter was not endorsing slavery as an institution. But he was advising anyone who suffered unjustly to focus on Jesus as an example of hope and endurance. It’s still true that suffering almost always brings with it elements of injustice and unfairness–and some know full well how difficult it is to endure when it comes our way. But when we do suffer, it’s not that God approves of the suffering, that’s surely not God’s intention. Suffering has many causes! But our one sure consolation is found in the loving arms of Jesus.

Thought for the Day: Why did some Christians become abolitionists?

Psalm 23:4-6

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.” vs. 6

Many in Israel claimed to belong to the house of David–it was the most prestigious lineage that anyone could hope to have. But this psalmist believed that he was of the house of the Lord, and he would be a resident in that house for as long as he lived. It was the best! He wasn’t being pursued by his enemies, wolves and bears weren’t nipping at his heels. Instead he was being followed by goodness and mercy. It’s hard to imagine what that means, yet for some believers this is precisely what life in Christ is like. As we dwell in Christ, and if we pause along the path to consider where we’ve been, we are amazed to discover that the way is littered with evidence of goodness and mercy from the time we were born. All that ugly stuff that we thought we’d been dealing with has virtually disappeared and we realize how fully we have been blessed. People of good will have enriched and nourished us, and helped us on the way. Where there should have been guilt and judgment we see instead the tender mercies that have brought healing and consolation. Of course there is that special dwelling place that still awaits, promised by Jesus himself, but we’ve been living in the house of the Lord for a long time now–and the blessings are unmistakable.

Thought for the Day: Where do I see goodness and mercy in my past?