Acts 2:1-14

“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.” vs. 4

Luke tells us that before he left Jesus had promised his disciples that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them and they would then be his witnesses throughout the earth. After his departure they went into the city of Jerusalem and waited, probably wondering what this experience might be like. They might even have been confused about what he meant. The Holy Spirit is inherently mysterious and  some days later when the Spirit came it was quite a spectacle! There was the sound of a mighty wind, tongues of fire, and a babble of voices speaking other languages. And ever since then we’ve been trying to figure out what happened. Just who is this Holy Spirit anyway? We say in the creeds that we believe in the Holy Spirit, but that’s about as far as we can go. We certainly can’t objectify the Spirit–our definitions will always miss the point. What we do know is that the Holy Spirit is pure energy, the dynamic presence of God spurring us into action and driving us from our comfort zones. It just might be that this is what the Spirit is about today. Too many Christians are hanging on to the past for dear life, afraid to lose cherished traditions, doctrines, and denominations. Maybe we need another outpouring of the Spirit, a redefining of Church, and a recommitment to the humble, self-giving ministry of Jesus.

Thought for the Day: How does the Church need to change?

John 17:24-26

“I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” vs. 26

John 3:16 is familiar to Americans, and some even know what it says! It provides the premise behind the entire gospel of John, “For God so loved the world that he sent his only Son…”. The gospel then continues with a series of signs designed to convince readers that Jesus was that Son. At this point, near the end of the book, Jesus reveals his deepest desire, namely, that those who are his followers would take his place in the world. From this point on it will be through them that God’s unconditional, sacrificial love will be poured into this hurting world. From now on they will be Christ to all who yearn for eternal life. And sometimes that’s exactly what has happened! Millions have experienced the love of God through caring and kind encounters with those carrying the name of Jesus. Unfortunately there’s another part to the story! Crusaders flying the flag of Christ have killed millions.  Some of our largest denominations have been unabashed advocates of slavery. Vile anti-semitic statements by Christian leaders  provided fuel for the death camps and ovens of the Second World War. Missionaries have overseen the slaughter and persecution of indigenous people on every continent. It’s a horrible record! Some even wonder if the Church can recover from its history. Can the Spirit-filled mission of Jesus be revived and restored? 

Thought for the Day: What should the Church do with its history?

John 17:20-23

”I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” vss. 20-21

John reports that Jesus spent his last evening with his disciples praying for unity, not only in their little group, but among all who would one day come to believe. We are certainly aware of his concern, and today many continue to offer prayers for unity–we even sing about it regularly in our worship services. But it’s been devilishly difficult to achieve. Instead of coming together in mission to make a difference for good, we’ve spent enormous energy in separating into cliques, sects, and denominations of every kind. Every year hundreds of congregations decide they can’t live in love with one another and various factions head off in different directions. And the Church of Christ has suffered enormous damage! According to Jesus in John it’s our unity that will convince the world that the gospel is true. Conversely, our disunity is causing the Christian Church to lose enormous credibility in the eyes of the world. Believers are leaving church by the millions–and unless things change they’re not going to be back. They’re sick of the posturing and tired of our inability to live according to the simple teachings of Jesus. 

Thought for the Day: What’s the biggest roadblock to Christian unity?

Revelation 22:16-17, 20-21

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.” vs. 17

As the book of Revelation draws to a close we see that the author’s final word is invitational. Not only do believers invite the Lord Jesus to come into their lives, there is a heartfelt invitation for the thirsty to come and drink from the water of life. And who are the thirsty? It could be any one of us. Some thirst for justice and peace, for an end to violence and endless wars. Some of us are walking in the deep darkness of pain and sadness. Overcome by the injustice and the randomness of illness and accidents we yearn for words of hope and consolation. Others have a deep poverty of spirit and thirst for signs that God is near and that their lives have purpose. And where do we find this water of life? Once it was felt that we could find it in the church–but for some that’s just not happening. Too many are leaving their congregations because they feel the living water no longer flows there. And we can’t blame them! Outside observers say they see no difference in the lives of those who worship regularly. Their values, habits, and practices are exactly the same as non-churchgoers. Perhaps it’s time for every congregation to fix their fountains. We just can’t keep on ignoring all the thirsty people.

Thought for the Day: Where do I find Living Water?

Revelation 22:12-14

“See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone’s work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” vss. 12-13

From the beginning Christian believers realized that there was a huge discrepancy between the peaceable kingdom promised by Jesus and the actual realities of life. And while they could in their faith communities experience the joy that came with loving and serving, they sensed that it wasn’t enough. The world needed a new creation, a return of Jesus to complete the transformation of society. So they loved the vision of John, and with him, prayed that Jesus would come again soon. We know that feeling. Even though there are now billions of Christians in the world, the peaceable kingdom seems only a dream. If anything, things have gotten worse–fully 100 million people have been displaced from their homes and are seeking refuge from poverty and war. Even those who have plenty of stuff find themselves gripped by a spiritual poverty that grinds away at their souls. No wonder so many are praying, “Come, Lord Jesus,” and not just as a table prayer. And what happens with the return of Jesus? Some forecast a great day of judgment with blood flowing in the streets. But others say that such a picture is inconsistent with the steadfast love of God. In fact, they say, Jesus is actually coming now, and if we look closely we will see love bursting forth in the most unexpected places.

Thought for the Day: What does “Come, Lord Jesus” mean to me?

Psalm 97:1-2

“The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.” vss. 1-2

A long time ago, as our faith ancestors began to articulate their image of God they were adamant in claiming that the Lord was greater than all the gods of the nations. They believed that it was foolish for people to worship idols made of clay or wood. Their God was king of all the earth, greater than the rulers of the nations, and God’s throne was founded on the principles of righteousness and justice, the core values of their developing religion. While we continue to understand God as the source of all Being and the creator of the universe, using “king” language to describe God has lost some of its impact. Kings just don’t have the same significance in our world, and they certainly don’t have much power! We’ve had to find other terms to describe God, ones that are consistent with our experience. Still the psalmist got one big thing right. Clouds and thick darkness are all around God! And because that’s the way it is, we will be forever stymied in trying to know God! Oh, we try hard enough! But God remains hidden–but not absent! And righteousness and justice are still at the heart of the God mystery–and believers embrace those values. They have become the guiding principles of our lives.

Thought for the Day: What’s my favorite word for God?

Acts 16:25-34

“At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay.” vs. 33

There are some who wish that the Church could return to its first century roots as described by Luke in the Acts of the Apostles. They would love to see men and women following the guidance of the Holy Spirit as they establish congregations and proclaim the good news of Jesus. And in some places that’s exactly what is happening. With little regard for tradition or theology evangelists are baptizing and teaching, and new congregations are being established. The energy is palpable in these communities of faith and thousands of believers are being added to the Church. For others this pentacostal model is disconcerting and troubling. They’ve become accustomed to denominations where there are strict protocols and traditions. The Holy Spirit is spoken of, but there’s confusion about what the Spirit does. Paul’s baptism of the jailer’s family has become a prooftext for the validity of infant baptism–but it’s not seen as a model for outreach in our congregations. We might even be critical and wonder if the names of these family members were properly recorded in the parish records! Obviously there is a need for structure in the church, and traditions can be wonderful. But because the Holy Spirit is at work in all our congregations there has to be room for spontaneity and spiritual energy–and maybe even some “surprise” baptisms!

Thought for the Day: How can structure inhibit mission?

Acts 16:16-24

“She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ‘I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.’ And it came out that very hour.” vs. 18

In the Roman world slavery was a way of life. Paul likely encountered the practice everywhere he went–in fact, as he preached and his words were taken to heart, slaves listened too and some became a part of those early congregations. It does not seem to have occurred to Paul that the whole institution should be challenged–it was just the way things were. But Paul was also aware of another kind of slavery, one of the spirit, and when confronted by the slave girl in Philippi, moved to free her from her spirit of divination. Ironically, the girl had irritated Paul by calling him a slave of the Most High God, one who proclaimed a new way of salvation. Paul may not have seen it at the time, but she was right. Paul had been taken captive by the Spirit of Christ on the road to Damascus, and had been daily following the instructions of that Spirit in his mission activities. That’s one of the great paradoxes of life in Christ. On the one hand we have been set free from the burdens of sin and death and given the gifts of peace, and joy. But we have also become slaves of the Spirit, compelled by our call to serve and love in the name of Jesus–and what a blessing that slavery is!

Thought for the Day: In what ways am I a slave?

John 14:25-27

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” vs. 27

World peace has proven to be elusive. There’s a dismal rhythm in human history–devastating wars are fought, peace conferences are held, participants are hopeful, some years pass…and then we’re ready to fight again! Tens of millions of casualties in one generation are forgotten by the next–it seems we’ll never fight the “war to end all wars.” Even in our “enlightened” times there are legions who are hungry for blood to be shed. It really is a disheartening story! Those who live in Christ however, have discovered that there is another kind of peace, one that persists even in the midst of wars and the rumors of wars. Jesus talked about that peace in the context of his departure–it’s his promise to his disciples that they’ll never be alone, even when he has gone away. Billions of his disciples have found comfort in that promise through every kind of conflict and disaster. In the presence of pain, suffering, and misfortune, even when beset by diseases of the mind and body, believers have found serenity that defies logic and human understanding. It’s a peace that comes with surrender, not  of armies but of our anxieties and worries. In that moment a weight is lifted and the delicious peace of God fills our souls and calms our spirits.

Thought for the Day: How do I surrender my anxieties?

John 14:23-24

“Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.’” vs. 23

It’s obvious from the gospel of John that loving Jesus is synonymous with loving others in the same way that he poured out his sacrificial love on us. Most of us have discovered however that his commandment is easier said than done. We tend to have the darndest time conjuring up the will to love the jerks we encounter in daily living. So how can that actually happen? The key is found in the love of God for us. We simply don’t have the reserves built up in our hearts to sustain self-giving love. But as we surrender to the love of God, as we humbly relax into it, and allow ourselves to be loved, our hearts are filled and we are transformed. It’s almost magical as it occurs and certainly miraculous. Again the process is not easy. Some are so filled with shame and self-loathing that they think themselves unworthy of love. Others have giant egos and believe themselves capable of doing everything. They even think that they can love without humbling themselves! And what a joke that is! But when we trust that the Universe is crafted and sustained by love, and know that we are loved deeply and completely just as we are, love can percolate up from the depths of our hearts and actually be seen and experienced by others. And it happens every day!

Thought for the Day: How’s my loving going?