James 1:22-27

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” vs. 27

James cuts to the chase in his first century letter to believers. Already he was aware of those who used religion as a facade, as a societal means to improve their own standing. It’s nothing new! We know what he’s talking about–while about 70% of Americans claim to be Christian, only about 20% worship weekly. In fact, the majority of Americans never bother to worship at all. Yet we continue to claim we are a Christian nation! Of course, “going to church” hardly serves as a marker of an authentic follower of Jesus. What really counts for James is how well we care for widows and orphans in their distress–and being unstained by the world. He mentions widows and orphans because they were the ones who fell through the cracks in the economic system of his day. We could add others to the list. Times have not gotten any easier for the needy in the world. There are more refugees now than any other time in history. Millions are hungry and desperate for assistance. And true believers of all religions are in this world to provide care for them by any means possible: legislation, housing, refugee resettlement, hunger relief. And that is happening! James would be pleased to see what people of faith are doing–they’re doers of the word and not just hearers!

Thought for the Day: What’s my favorite relief organization? Why?

James 1:17-21

“You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness.” vss. 19-20 

The letter of James was written to congregations of early Christians who had an appreciation for Judaism and provides a different perspective from that of Paul. The writer begins his words of guidance with three basic principles for life in Christ. “Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, (and) slow to anger.” Wow! It’s hard to think of any more sage, or obvious, advice for getting along with family and friends. Most will readily agree with James, but we have a devil of a time following through. And it’s the third element in what he says that has become most problematic. We know that listening is more important than speaking in communication, and it’s right to put an emphasis on it. But these last years have seen a real uptick in anger expression. Everywhere we look we see angry people! Over and over again we see scenes of shouting, enraged crowds demanding one thing or another. Our politicians are loud, angry, and arrogant, and it’s all filtered down into our exchanges with family and friends. We can’t even talk about the pandemic without getting angry! And what James says is true. Anger never produces God’s righteousness! Instead it feeds on itself, escalates, and ultimately results in alienation or estrangement. When we feel anger coming on, the best thing we can do is go back to listening–and continue the argument with our mouths shut!

Thought for the Day: How has anger impacted my life?

Psalm 15

“O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill? Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart…” vss. 1-2

According to this worship liturgy, there were strict standards for entry into the temple sanctuary on the hill of Zion in Jerusalem. Any who presumed to enter the house of the Lord had better be sure that they had their ducks in a row, that their lives were in order. Presumably, a priest asked the questions, and the people responded with a brief litany of what was expected. Congregations have developed similar standards as they reopened for worship in these last months. Who may enter for worship? Those who wear masks and maintain social distancing, and who have been properly vaccinated. And people have pretty much complied–we’ve seen that this is the prudent thing to do to avoid contagion. But just imagine if we posted signs saying, “Entry restricted to those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from the heart.” Most folks would turn on their heels and walk away. That’s simply not an appropriate message for congregations that proclaim the gospel of grace. The churches of Christ are not exclusive clubs for the perfect–we’re hospitals for sinners! We come with our imperfections to hear a word of mercy and forgiveness and to love one another in our weakness. It’s as we leave and go into the world that we take the psalmist’s words to heart. It’s here that we will walk blamelessly and speak the truth from our hearts.

 Thought for the Day: What happens in a hospital for sinners?

Deuteronomy 4:7-9

“But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children—” vs. 9

It’s not unusual for the faith convictions of our early years to be eroded away by the passage of time. Some of us grew up in homes with parents who were committed followers of Jesus, believers who made sure that we worshipped and learned the basic teachings of scripture. At a particular age we may have made our own declarations of faith and vowed to follow Jesus all the days of our lives. But then life happens–and it’s easy to forget the environment in which we were raised. Confirmation vows slip from our minds, social media dominates our days, and we become much more enamored of sports and music idols than the person of Jesus. Occasionally we’ll stumble across the bible we got from our parents, but it sparks nothing more than a wave of nostalgia–like finding our old report cards stored away in an attic. Religion becomes a cultural thing and soon Christmas is our only connection to our past faith. Absent any significant nurturing, our own children seldom worship and grandchildren know nothing of the truths that fed our spirits in those younger years. It takes only three generations for faith to disappear from our families and it happens again and again. No wonder the Israelites were told to take care–our connections to God are delicate and need constant attention.

Thought for the Day: Will my grandchildren be followers of Jesus?

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6

“You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!’” vs. 6

Even in its best years Israel was not a particularly imposing country. It lacked size and resources and wasn’t in a position to rule or conquer. Through most of its history it was subject to the whim of its more powerful neighbors and was always in danger of being swallowed up. As time passed they began to realize that their God was their strength–and no other nation had been blessed with the statutes and the commandments that they had been given. Their leaders told them that their obedience to those laws was a sign of wisdom and discernment–and their commitment to the rule of law would make them stand out among all other nations. In our age we’ve come to realize the truth of Israel’s conviction. The major reason for the breakdown of any nation is the dissolution of standards, those moments in which it fails to live up to the idealism of its founders. Again and again we’ve seen the corruption of ruling parties and their devotion to wealth and power undermine a country’s strength and morale. When money speaks more loudly than commitment to justice, and voices of wisdom and discernment are stifled, we can expect decline to follow. The basic commandments of God are immutable and when they are broken, disaster is sure to follow!

Thought for the Day: What makes America great? How are we doing?

John 6:62-69

“Simon Peter answered him, ’Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’” vss. 68-69

From time to time members wander off and cease to be a part of a worshipping community. It could be that they’re burned out and want a break from heavy involvement–or maybe they’ve gotten upset, something that seems to happen with some frequency, especially in this year of COVID. Of course it could also be a faith crisis–they question the teachings they’ve heard and decide to check out other possibilities. It’s not unusual for folks to start thinking such things–but when it comes to finding other paths to enlightenment some find themselves echoing the words of Peter. “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life.” And seems to be how it is for true followers of Jesus. They know what the world practices and teaches, and they’re convinced that they aren’t going to find a better way to live than the Way and Truth of Jesus. And so they continue walking with him. Their faith is their strength amid the joys and disappointments of the journey and even grows stronger year by year. They know in their hearts that Jesus is the Holy One of God and have come to believe that following in his steps brings both comfort and hope. For them it is the very best way to live.

Thought for the Day: If I left my congregation, where would I go?

John 6:56-61

“When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?’” vs. 60

Many people are attracted to the person of Jesus. His teachings point us to a way of life that is admirable–we can all agree on how important it is to love others and give ourselves in humble service. But there are some teachings that have been contentious from the very beginning, and one of those has to do with eating his flesh and drinking his blood. John tells us that many of his disciples found his claims to be a stumbling block and they couldn’t accept them. And the passage of time hasn’t made acceptance any easier–we’re still debating communion beliefs and practices. In fact our disagreements about this matter have led to some of the deepest divisions within the Body of Christ. Many are so set in their convictions that they will refuse to commune with those holding contrary views. But not everyone is so rigid! In recent years we’ve seen some of the barriers come down as believers have realized that Holy Communion is an opportunity to come together in spite of differences in order to celebrate unity. Jesus’ teaching is still difficult–it is hard for our puny minds to comprehend how bread and wine can be flesh and blood. But we don’t have to understand food in order to be nourished by it, and so it is at the Lord’s Table. Those who eat and drink will be fed and satisfied–and that’s the bottom line!

Thought for the Day: When is it proper to refuse communion to a worshipper?

Ephesians 6:16-20

“Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel…” vs. 19

Every week in thousands of congregations around the globe preachers are called upon to present the word, usually in the form of a sermon. They need our prayers! Proclaiming the word of God is a scary proposition–the responsibility is great. It’s not a matter of showing off rhetorical skills or trying to impress with clever or witty stories. Rather, as Ephesians plainly states, the preacher is charged with presenting with boldness the mystery of the gospel. It’s an enormous challenge. So many pieces have to fall into place–the needs of the congregation, the situation of the world, the context of the scripture–all these things will have a part to play in the development of a fitting message. Occasionally the preacher will have a vision of what needs to be said but struggle to find the words–mysteries are notoriously difficult to explain. Hours can go by with no inspiration. And sometimes the message falls flat–the words that are finally said seem woefully inadequate and the preacher is wracked with guilt. But sometimes it works–the prayers of congregants are heard, the Holy Spirit gives the words, and by the grace of God the gospel is proclaimed and heard. And a truly humble preacher gives all the glory to God! 

Thought for the Day: What makes a sermon great?

Ephesians 6:10-15

“For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” vs. 12

Even in the face of regular persecutions the early followers of Jesus knew that their greatest enemy was not the Roman emperor. They had a sense that beyond this world there were cosmic powers and spiritual forces battling every day for the soul of humanity. These invisible rulers and authorities were leading the struggle against the proclamation of the gospel of grace and their influences were subtle. We tend to have a different sense of cosmology, one that does not recognize the existence of such otherworldly dominions and instead embraces a scientific understanding of the universe. That doesn’t mean however that the early Christians were naive or mistaken. The wise among us still know that our most powerful enemies are not those of flesh and blood. There are forces beyond our understanding that have a powerful influence on our lives. Demonic spirits like racism and bigotry infect and influence millions. Lies and untruths sweep through the world of social media unchecked. Fear undermines convictions and distorts thinking. Greed, envy, and jealousy can capture our hearts in an instant and lead us to sacrifice decency and goodness on the altars of personal gain and narcissism. Paul was right! There’s more to this world than meets the eye–and woe to those who sell the enemy short.

Thought for the Day: How have racism and bigotry touched my life?

Psalm 34:15-22

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.” vs. 17

The psalmist was convinced that the Lord was just and would make sure that the righteous would ultimately be vindicated. He recognizes that good people will sometimes have bad things happen to them but firmly believes that God will listen to their cries for help and rescue them. We applaud such convictions and want badly to affirm them, but sometimes we wonder. Does God always come through for us when the chips are down? We’re so aware of the awful calamities that befall decent folks every single day. We’ve read the stories of atrocities that claimed the lives of millions of innocents. We’ve seen the pictures of children killed and maimed by the savageries of tyrants. Where is God in all of those horrendous events? What shall we make of scriptural assurances that seem to fly in the face of reality? The psalmist was no fool. He was very aware of the things that we wonder about. His times were no different than our own. But he chooses to believe that the Lord does care–in spite of evidence to the contrary. And so do we! It’s unthinkable to believe that ultimately evil will triumph! And so we continue to echo the assuring words of the psalmist. God does care–and is never absent in the midst of suffering. And because of God’s presence within and around us we dare to claim that goodness and life will have the last word! In the battle against evil, God wins!

Thought for the Day: When am I most likely to feel “let down” by God?