Mark 10:35-45

“James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’” vs. 35

According to Mark, the disciples were obsessed with greatness and glory. They’d been nothing when Jesus called them, but after a few months on the road they began vying for corner offices in the executive suite. At first this was an internal competition, something discussed privately, but before long James and John were bold enough to approach Jesus directly–they wanted him to do for them whatever they asked. They were looking for places of authority and power in the coming kingdom. A lot of us can identify. One of the ways we measure success is by noting how many people we have power over. Often we hear parents brag about their children by noting how many are under them in their job or profession. By the world’s standards the more people “under us” the better we’re doing. It happens everywhere–it’s why pastors want to be “lead” rather than “associate.” That’s why titles are important in the workplace–we want designations that reflect the perceived power of our position. And being a follower of Jesus doesn’t remove that lust from our hearts. No matter how faithful we are, we will most often have a concern for status and how we measure up with regard to others. We should note that this desire didn’t work out well for James and John, and in the peaceable kingdom it has no place at all.

Thought for the Day: What worldly aspirations have I had?

Hebrews 5:1-10

“He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people.” vss. 2-3

During the days of Temple worship in Jerusalem, the high priest was in charge of the whole sacrificial system. He was the one who organized the days on which sacrifices could be made, made sure there were always priests available, and provided plenty of animal sacrifices for purchase by the penitent. According to the writer of Hebrews the best of the high priests were gentle in dealing with the sinners who brought their offerings because they were fully aware of their own weaknesses. They too needed the forgiveness of sins. While such a system seems primitive and obscure in our time, we are aware of pastors in our congregations who possess those same gentle spirits. The best of them know their people intimately and treat even the wayward with respect and dignity. They seldom pass judgment in their sermons and are always ready to lift up the broken and comfort the weary. Often they’ll share stories of their own struggles with faith and temptation–they make no effort to cover up the fact that they too are sinners. While that might be disturbing to some–they want their pastors to be perfect–most people are pleased that their pastor has flaws. Somehow it makes them more believable!

Thought for the Day: What flaws does my pastor have?

Psalm 91:14-16

“With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation.” vs. 16

Humans have always appreciated longevity, and the psalmist considered long life to be one of God’s choicest blessings. Most of us would agree, and do whatever we can to increase our years. We’re deeply aware that not everyone gets a chance to live long; some don’t survive infancy and too many fall prey to accident, war, or disease before they’ve even reached thirty. Knowing that death can come at any age adds appreciation for the years we do get, and drives our desire to add even more. In our times, advanced medical procedures and careful attention to nutrition and exercise have enabled many to live far beyond expectations. Centenarians are becoming more common and, barring disease or accident, most people fully expect to live into their 80’s and 90’s. What’s been discovered though, is that sometimes old age isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. Quality of life issues pop up regularly with advancing years and we wonder if getting old is always a blessing. Sometimes the memory goes, arthritis can make movement a pain, and loneliness is often an issue. Life can become a burden–it’s not strange then that some begin to despair and even long for an ending. But when our genetic wiring is good and we can age with faculties and bodies intact, life continues to bring delight, and each day is greeted with thanksgiving. We may not know how many we have left, but thank God for today!

Thought for the Day: What do I fear about aging?

Psalm 91:9-13

“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” vss. 11-12

Many people love the song, “On Eagle’s Wings,” the one based on Psalm 91. It could be the tune, the phrasing and the notes are beautiful, but the words have a power all their own. We like to imagine being lifted up from the cares and concerns of life and being carried away to a safe place, and we don’t much care whether it’s by the hands of angels or the wings of eagles. What’s interesting though is that the song speaks most clearly to us in the wake of death or disaster! Most often we haven’t been protected at all! And that’s generally how life is. Ugly and bad stuff happens, and most of us lack immunity. But still we love this psalm, probably because it helps to lift us from feelings of darkness and despair. It is so good to know that in God, we can count on being lifted up when danger lurks, and it’s a protection that goes far beyond episodic miraculous rescue. Our Lord does take care of us, and angels stand at ready, in our neighborhoods and communities, to take us by the hand and walk with us through tumultuous times. It’s all a part of God’s love for the entire creation.

Thought for the Day: When have I been lifted up?

Isaiah 53:10-12

“Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain. When you make his life an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days; through him the will of the Lord shall prosper.” vs. 10

While it may once have seemed logical to understand the death of Jesus as a fulfillment of Isaiah 53, such a notion is now regarded by many Christians as untenable. For one thing the prophet was not referring to events that were to come, rather he was commenting on things that had already taken place, i.e. the tragic defeat and exile of Judah at the hands of the Babylonians. And secondly, he implies that God intentionally crushes those who he loves with pain. And while that belief was accepted as doctrinally sound for centuries, many followers of Jesus find it impossible to believe that God was responsible for Jesus’ death. They find it unthinkable to claim that forgiveness has come through God’s intentional sacrifice of his Son, a type of divine child abuse. It is true that Jesus died on a cross, but not because God willed it! Jesus died at the hands of the Romans as a consequence of his profound love for sinners. So what does the death of Jesus have to do with forgiveness? Some struggle with that question–it’s hard for them to find the linkage. Others don’t have an answer, but continue to see the cross as a metaphor for forgiveness, a universal forgiveness that is ours as a gift of sacrificial love.

Thought for the Day: What does Jesus’ death have to do with forgiveness?

Isaiah 53:4-9

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.” vs. 5

Israel’s exile in Babylon meant a complete overhaul of the nation’s self-understanding. They had seen themselves as special, as God’s Chosen People, but now they had lost wealth and power, along with their standing in the world. The prophet, living with the exiles in Babylon, used the figure of a Suffering Servant to help them understand what had happened to them. His description of the Servant’s suffering is stunning in its detail and painted a picture of sacrificial atonement that was dear to their hearts. It’s a brilliant, insightful passage whose images captured the hearts of the people, and helped them understand their deliverance as a gift of God. Many centuries later, after the death and resurrection of Jesus, as believers tried to make sense of his suffering by turning to their scriptures, these verses jumped from the page. It was as though Isaiah had been writing about Jesus of Nazareth–the description worked so perfectly. As time went on and theologians began to craft what became the orthodox teachings of redemption and atonement, Isaiah became the major prooftext for their now familiar doctrines. And whether we subscribe to those teachings or not, there is little doubt that these 2500 year old words from an ancient prophet are still a remarkable way for hurting people to find meaning in suffering. 

Thought for the Day: What does the death of Jesus have to do with my sins?

Mark 10:23-31

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” vs. 25

People have had a hard time with this saying of Jesus. In our wealth-worshipping culture, in a country where so many aspire to becoming rich, we wonder how in the world he could have spoken such heresy. Many preachers, to assuage the consciences of congregants, have bent over backward to come up with sermons that take the sting out of his words. They tell stories about camels and needles and make it seem as though he was really encouraging humility, that this was just Jesus’ metaphorical way of telling his followers to seek moderation in all things. And their hearers go away relieved, thankful that they don’t need to be troubled by their excessive wealth. The problem is that Jesus meant what he said. Wealth is a huge issue in our capitalistic world and we should all be troubled by our obsessive infatuation with possessions. Now Jesus isn’t saying that the rich are going to go to hell when they die–but he is telling us that kingdom living requires the renunciation of riches. We can never know the joy and peace of simple living when our minds are preoccupied with investments and returns. Is it possible in our world to live simply? Of course, as he told the disciples, “for God all things are possible.” By grace, we who have so much, can learn to live as though we have nothing.

Thought for the Day: What would I do if I lost my wealth?

Mark 10:17-22

“Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’’ vs. 21

The man was at a crisis point, and probably surprised to find himself there. He’d lived a good life, exemplary even, and had reaped the blessings of hard work and enterprise. He was likely envied by most of his peers–yet something just wasn’t right, and he was plagued by a sense of uneasiness. So he asked Jesus a question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”, and got a religious answer, “Obey the commandments!” At that point he likely began to breathe a bit easier–he’d done that for his entire life. If that was the requirement he had nothing to worry about. And then Jesus crushed his spirit, “Sell what you have, and give the money to the poor!” Oops! As good as he was, he couldn’t part with his wealth. So he went sadly away–and we can’t blame him. That’s what most of us would have done too! Of all the things we’re called on to do as we follow Jesus, everything else is child’s play when compared to the challenge of giving our money away. We don’t even like to give in support of budgetary needs in our congregations and we groan when pastors talk about making financial commitments. But Jesus regularly talked about money! He knew that nothing reveals the state of our souls more vividly than reckless generosity.

Thought for the Day: Why is it so hard to be generous?

Hebrews 4:12-16

“Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” vs. 12

There are times in our reading of scripture or in listening to a sermon, that some word or phrase absolutely nails the truth of who we are. We are pierced to the core and feel the righteous judgment of God in our hearts. It’s as though our secret thoughts and desires have been exposed and we can actually feel the shame wash over us. Of course we don’t reveal to others what we’re feeling–that would be embarrassing–it’s enough that God knows. For some that’s an awful feeling, one that leaves them filled with shame and remorse–they may even begin to doubt that  wretches such as they can have salvation. Purity has escaped them and they feel dirty. Now, if that’s where our thinking leaves us, we are to be pitied, because our story doesn’t end there. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that in Jesus we have a great high priest who understands us on the inside, and that he sits on a throne of grace. And even if that terminology doesn’t speak to us, we can easily get the point. It doesn’t matter what secret sin lurks in the depths of our soul, all that garbage is nothing when compared to the love of God that has been made known in Jesus. All of us have been cleansed, set free, and forgiven.

Thought for the Day: When have I been nailed by a sermon?

Psalm 90:15-17

“Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil.” vs. 15

The psalmist believed that all the blessings and afflictions of his life came by the hand of God–nothing was accidental. There’s something to admire about that sense of connectedness to the Divine, and the psalmist is right about God being actively present in all areas of our lives. We only get into trouble when we begin thinking of God as the somewhat disconnected arbitrary agent of good and evil. But it is true that when we believe that we’ve had an especially long run of bad days, we’re likely to ask God to even things out a bit. We reason that we’d be able to handle the tough times better if we knew for sure that they’d be followed by a series of blessings. Of course that’s not how life works. Our days are actually a mixture of good and bad and God is never absent. And what is even more spectacular, it’s during the hardest times, the periods of suffering, that God comes closest and offers blessings of peace and comfort. After a time, when we have become more experienced with living, we will be able to wring gladness out of every day. When God is hanging around there will always be signs of beauty and grace–even in the toughest times.  It’s simply a matter of having eyes to see!

Thought for the Day: How well do I handle bad days?