Matthew 10:24-39

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father…So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.” vss. 29-31

When Jesus sent out the newly chosen disciples to expand his mission in Galilee he didn’t pull any punches.. The religious leaders had been hostile to him and he rightly anticipated that they wouldn’t be any kinder to the Twelve. To comfort them he tells them not to worry or be afraid. They would not be abandoned by God. In fact, God would be closer to them than the hairs of their heads!

While it’s unlikely that any of us will be mistreated because we’re walking in the way of Jesus, it’s still good to know that we are not alone in life. We are not a set of solitary individuals wandering aimlessly with no connection to anyone or anything until the day we die. Rather, each one of us is immersed in the loving and sustaining presence of the Divine, even when we are not aware of it. 

In fact, to be alive is to be connected! Not only to God but to one another. Humanity is like one giant organism that has spread through the entire world. Like a grove of aspen trees on a mountain meadow, we appear as individuals, but we’re tied together by an unseen complex of root systems. All are One! And God is in All!

Thought for the Day: How am I like everyone else?

Romans 6: 5-11

“So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” vs. 11

Sometimes Paul comes across as a hectoring and scolding parent in his letters to the early believers in their little house churches. Like some pastors he can turn the good news of the gospel into some new impossible commandment. We might even wonder why he makes the plain truth seem so complicated. But as he gives vent to his passions in writing to the Romans about baptism he concludes with what at first sounds  like an order, but is really an incredible word of promise and hope.

Think of it! By the healing power of God we have been set free from the bondage of sin. Our brokenness has been made whole! In Christ we are alive! And it’s not an impossible dream! We can actually live in harmony with the creation and with one another. We can know and experience love in all its glory and beauty. Each day can be full of joy and peace and delight! Life in Christ is wonderful and it is within the realm of possibility.

And there isn’t even anything we have to do to live this way. There’s no special diet, no formula to follow, and no purchases necessary. This life is free and available to all. 

And countless people are living this way! You see them every day. You can tell by their smiles and the joy in their eyes. Grace has set them free!

Thought for the Day: Why don’t all people live this way?

Romans 6:1b-4

“Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” vs. 4

Paul had all the details worked out. He could explain what happened in Jesus from a theological perspective and it all made sense to him. Jesus had died and had been raised from the dead; in baptism we are buried with Jesus and then like him, we receive new life. It was simple! But he had discovered that too many baptized believers were living as if they had not been baptized. They didn’t even see a problem with continuing to live in sin. What had happened to them hadn’t translated into a new way of living.

It’s likely that Paul continued to be frustrated by this on-going reality, one that persists into our generation. Again and again we observe family members and friends who really should know better, living as though baptism was only a ritual for becoming a member of the church. They know the letter of it, but not the spirit, and as a result don’t have a clue about the wonder of new life with Jesus. They just don’t sense the presence of the Divine in their daily lives, and seem to be oblivious to the healing power of grace. Grace isn’t a license to do as we please, it’s a dynamic force that ushers us into the world of Love.

Thought for the Day: How am I experiencing the newness of life?

Psalm 69:16-18

“Do not hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress—make haste to answer me.” vs. 17

This psalmist seems to have run out of patience with the Lord. His passion for the temple has gotten him a boatload of enemies, and they never tire of tormenting him. Through it all the psalmist has continued to trust in the Lord as a source of mercy and steadfast love! But at this moment he’s just not feeling it! It’s as though the Lord has stopped smiling on him. In distress he asks God to hurry up and answer his prayers.

That’s a tough situation to be in. People of faith are by nature people of prayer. They regularly pray to God in every time of need. In fact they pray every day, and many times a day. Some pray daily for hundreds of people.  And when a person has prayed the same prayer for a loved one for months and years at a time, it’s natural to begin to wonder, “What’s going on Lord? It’s about time for some answers!”

At that point there are some who would recommend just giving up on the prayer, but those are the folks who believe that the point of praying is getting results. And that’s not anywhere close to the truth. We pray in order to stay connected with God and with one another. Prayer is the connective tissue of the community. And God knows, there are greater rewards for prayer than getting what we want!

Thought for the Day: What’s the greatest benefit of prayer for me?

Psalm 69:7-10

“It is zeal for your house that has consumed me; the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” vs. 9

In the Gospel of John Jesus begins his ministry by cleansing the temple, and John writes that his disciples remembered this verse from Psalm 69 as they watched him chase out the sheep and cattle while overturning the tables of the moneychangers. His zeal had taken control of him, maybe even replacing his good judgment. He loved the temple so much and he hated to see it being profaned. Some would say that ultimately his zeal meant his death. It gave ammunition to his religious enemies.

Sometimes that’s what happens when we become passionate about some good thing. We throw all of our energy into supporting a cause or protesting injustice, and we are so convinced about the rightness of our position that we risk losing friends and being estranged from family members. And sometimes if we get involved in demonstrations or civil unrest we never quite know what the consequences of our actions will be. It’s conceivable that we could be arrested.

Most of us aren’t willing to take such risks, maybe because we don’t have enough passion for the cause, or maybe because we don’t like confrontation. There are many reasons for remaining on the sidelines in moments of tension. But thank God for the prophets and for those bold enough to make a stand!  It’s because of people like them that injustices can be overcome!

Thought for the Day: Do I ever have passion for anything? How do I keep a lid on my zeal?

Jeremiah 20:7-13

“If I say, ‘I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,’ then within me there is something like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.” vs, 9

Jeremiah had been called to speak the Lord’s word to the rulers of Judah during the last years of the kingdom. What he had to say went squarely against the foreign policy of the king and was hugely unpopular in the city of Jerusalem. Many would have liked to see him dead. He was not immune to their displeasure and at times thought he would quit bringing his controversial message. But he couldn’t keep his mouth shut! It wore him out not to speak of the awful things he saw happening! So he continued to speak and, for the most part, lost his friends!

Some know what that feels like. Over the last few years they have been convinced that our country has gotten off track and they’ve been willing to share their convictions with anyone in the room. And often that has not gone well. Arguments have been intense and long-time relationships have been threatened. Even family ties have been broken! 

Because of those reactions a few have decided to keep their opinions to themselves and not speak of anything that might be controversial. And they have found it to be so, so difficult. In those moments we have a sense of what a prophet’s life is like…and many say, “No thanks, Lord, that’s not for me!”

Thought for the Day: How courageous am I in my speech?

Matthew 10:1-8

“These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’” vss. 5-6a 

Sometimes as we read the teachings of Jesus in the gospels, seeking to learn his will for our lives, we’re surprised to discover how deeply rooted he was in his Jewish heritage. Here for instance we read that when he sent his disciples out to continue his ministry, he specifically told them to stay away from Gentiles and Samaritans. Their work should be done only among the Jews!

That news is disappointing to those who would prefer to believe that Jesus had been a Christian! But the truth is that Jesus wasn’t a Christian! He was thoroughly Jewish in his background and understanding of God. He had come to reform Judaism and not to start a new religion, so he focused his energy on those who could understand the radicality of his interpretation of the law and the prophets.

It was only later, after his own people had rejected and murdered him, that the mission was expanded. With his resurrection, under the leadership of his Holy Spirit, the good news began to be proclaimed to people of all backgrounds and races. And it was then that Jesus became known as Christ and his followers were known as Christians.

Thought for the Day: What is the relationship between Jews and Christians now?

Matthew 9:35-37

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” vs. 36

Sometimes when we hear the stories of refugees and asylum seekers trying to enter our country we get angry. Some wonder why these people don’t just stay in their own countries. And we have even less patience for the homeless people squatting wherever they can in all of our major cities. Our primary concern seems to be to keep them out of sight.

Contrast our attitude with that of Jesus, who when he saw the crowds of harassed and helpless people, had only compassion for them. His heart hurt and there wasn’t an ounce of judgment. In fact he was overwhelmed by the numbers and he told his disciples to pray that God would send laborers into the harvest. He knew he couldn’t meet all those needs by himself; he needed help!

The world hasn’t changed that much. In fact the number of the harassed and helpless has only increased. Around the world roughly 100,000,000 people have been forced from their homes and are living in refugee and displaced persons camps. That’s a number that is almost beyond our comprehension.

The fields are indeed white unto the harvest, and Jesus still needs our help. Thank God for those who are recognizing the problem and reaching out to refugees and the hungry! As someone has said, “Our work isn’t over until the last hungry person is fed!” It’s time for all of us to get on board!

Thought for the Day: For whom do I have the most compassion?

Romans 5:6-8

“But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.” vs. 8 

Some folks struggle with the meaning of the cross, especially as it relates to a satisfaction theory of the atonement. We can’t get our heads around the notion that the death of one person could atone for the sins of all humanity. And that’s okay! All those theories were developed by early Christians as they tried to make sense of Jesus’ death. Our salvation has nothing to do with whether we believe them or not.

But Paul in his letter to the Romans intimates that there is an important message connected to the cross. He sees it as an affirmation of God’s love for all people. When Jesus died, he wasn’t just giving his life for good people, he was dying on behalf of the scum of the earth, and that includes pretty much all of us.

We regularly hear stories about people who willingly give their lives for the sake of another person. There are people acting on our behalf: police, fire-fighters, soldiers, medical personnel, and others, who see it as their duty to put their lives on the line for those they serve. Many mothers and fathers would sacrifice life for the sake of a child. 

And that’s what the cross means for believers. They hang in our churches and around our necks as reminders of God’s self-giving love. Even in our brokenness and failure to resist temptation, we are loved by God, and there are no exceptions!

Thought for the Day: For whom would I give my life?

Romans 5:1-5

“Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand;” vss. 1-2a

Probably the biggest blessing of faith for a follower of Jesus is peace. Of course that doesn’t mean that we will never worry or be anxious! Even the most faithful folks will have plenty of concerns in the course of a lifetime. No one is perfectly calm all the time. But the faith that believers have gives  peace in our relationship with God. We just don’t have to worry that some day God is going to get us for our brokenness. Everything is going to be okay! 

How can we have that kind of confidence? The answer is pretty easy. Paul says it’s because in Christ we obtain access to grace. He is the solid rock on which we stand!

So which is more important, faith or grace? That’s one of those questions that is impossible to answer–faith and grace go together and cannot be separated. Where one is the other will be. Where there is no faith a believer will not have access to grace. Where there is no grace, faith cannot bring peace.

Both grace and faith are gifts from God. Together they bring us peace that is beyond human understanding. And both are inextricably linked to the work of the Holy Spirit. 

Thought for the Day: Am I more of a “faith” person or a “grace” person?