Mark 6:21-29

“The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her.” vs. 26

Those who operate without a moral compass often make decisions with far-reaching effects for the flimsiest of reasons. Herod makes a foolish promise to the step-daughter who has entertained him and his presumably well-lubricated guests. The girl’s mother seizes on the opportunity to rid herself of a well-hated nemesis–and John the Baptizer loses his head. Herod’s stated regard for his oaths and his guests is pure theater and indicates a complete lack of principle and values, even when accompanied by crocodile tears. He would rather plunge his country into war than lose face! Of course he wasn’t the first such fool, and he obviously hasn’t been the last. Millions of people have lost their lives in senseless wars at the whim of heartless sovereigns who stand on the sidelines, relishing their luxury while their subjects perish. Such is the way of empires everywhere! What a contrast Jesus presents as he comes announcing the coming Reign of God! And what joy it brings to see signs of that power popping up across the land! How blessed it is when Christ-centered people of all faiths lead the way in establishing pockets of peace and justice where the hurting of this world can be embraced by the sacrificial love of God! And praise God for those prophets who, like John, stand with the poor and the broken, and who gladly take every opportunity to speak truth to power.

Thought for the Day: What can happen when truth is spoken to power?

Mark 6:14-20

“for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him.” vs. 20

Herod ruled over Galilee and Perea (a territory east of the Jordan and the Dead Sea) on behalf of the Romans and was involved in a series of clashes with the king of Nabatea. He had arrested John because of his comments about Herod’s marital status, but because of John’s popularity he hesitated to kill him. Instead John was imprisoned in Machaerus, a palace fortress, on the eastern highland over the Dead Sea. Herod who was widely traveled, a member of the Imperial jet set and a regular visitor to Rome, evidently found amusement in conversing with John, and perhaps hearing stories about the decadence of the Jewish religious establishment in Jerusalem. It seems likely that Herod, familiar with both privilege and prestige, lacked a moral compass, and simply acted in line with his base desires. Everything hinged on maintaining control and doing whatever he could to stay in power. When those are the operative principles, as we see again and again among our politicians, there is little chance that the words of a prophet are going to make a difference. Power closes minds! The most effective change always comes from those with well-calibrated moral compasses working from the outside in and the bottom up.

Thought for the Day: Why do the powerful have closed minds?

Ephesians 1:8b-13

“so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.” vs. 12

Early Christian communities had to deal with a variety of issues as they began to consider how to live as Christ’s people in a culture teeming with alternatives. The process wasn’t easy and leaders struggled to offer prescriptions that aligned with the gospel and the traditions. There were obviously many disagreements, just as there are in contemporary congregations. But there was general agreement that all those who had believed the good news and had put their hope in Christ should live for the praise of his glory. That continues to be a mark of genuine worship in our communities of faith. No matter what our denomination, we share an appreciation of what has been done for us in Christ. So when we come together there has to be room for genuine, unbridled praise and thanksgiving. And some congregations have become masters at making songs of praise the core of their worship. Their singers are magnificent and the music is loud and fast with many repetitions and repeated phrases. Of course such “performances” aren’t for everyone and some followers of Jesus prefer chorales and quieter songs–tastes vary widely. But those who hold up holy hands and sway with the rhythms have discovered a powerful way to offer their testimony, one that speaks volumes to those who are searching for a more “lively” expression of faith. And when Christ is glorified how can any be critical?

Thought for the Day: What makes worship come alive for me?

Ephesians 1:3-8a

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us.” vss. 7-8a

When soldiers die in battle we commonly say that they have shed their blood for the sake of their country, and that they died to maintain our freedom. And of course we set aside days to remember their great sacrifice. Early Christians had a similar regard for the death of Jesus on a cross. They had almost all been reared in a religion that required the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sins. So when Jesus was crucified, almost at once they began to understand his death in sacrificial terms. In fact, they believed that his death marked the end of that whole era of blood atonement. No longer would people need to offer sacrifices to atone for their sins, from now on, by the lavish riches of God’s grace, redemption had been taken care of. Jesus had died so that all might be set free! And it was all a gift! Now there are some who don’t like this kind of language–the notion of a blood atonement is repellant to them. We can understand the objection. And certainly it’s barbaric to think of God requiring such a thing of Jesus. But we can understand the power of the imagery–the shedding of blood for the sake of another is the ultimate statement of love. And because it is, the cross of Christ will always be the center of our faith!

Thought for the Day: Which is the more powerful symbol in your life? $ or T

Psalm 85:8-13

“Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.” vs. 10

The psalmist knew that there was nothing but good ahead for the people of Israel. Even though they had rebelled against the Lord, there would be a restoration. They would not be forsaken–salvation was at hand. Ever since those days the people of God have lived in anticipation of that moment–Jesus called it the coming of the Kingdom of God. And while we often think of that restoration as being a part of a far distant future, Jesus told his followers that it was at hand, that it could be experienced in the here and now. Where do we see that? It is as the psalmist described. Salvation comes when steadfast love and faithfulness meet; when righteousness and peace kiss each other. And just as our attentive eyes catch regular glimpses of the Christ, we also see the signs of that salvation. It happens all the time in families and congregations all over the world. Love and faithfulness come together, and when they do, righteousness and peace are not far behind. Of course we always long for the end of rebellion and idolatry–such yearnings are natural. But brokenness will never have the last word in a universe circumscribed by the absolute and steadfast love of God! No wonder the psalmist always broke into praise by the time his psalm had ended–it’s the only fitting response for any of us.

Thought for the Day: When do I get discouraged?

Amos 7:10-15

“Then Amos answered Amaziah, ‘I am no prophet, nor a prophet’s son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”’”

As might be expected Amos’ message had not gone over well with the religious leaders of Israel. He was from Judah, and when he stirred up the poor against the rich in Israel, the high priest told him to take his message back to his homeland. In general that’s how it is with people. We don’t like to be criticized by outsiders. Whether it be in regard to our families, politics, or religion we’d just as soon that critics keep their noses out of our business. The sad result of that attitude is that we just keep on worshipping our old idols and making the same foolish mistakes over and over again. Really, it’s the people who aren’t captive to our system, culture, or theology who can offer the keenest insights about where we’ve gone astray and what we might do to get back on track again. Occasionally through history, such persons have been listened to, but most often they’re ignored. People would rather fight bloody civil wars than change their slavish ways. Blessed are those who open their ears to outsiders, reflect on what they hear, and then change what needs to be changed! After all, as any fool can attest, change is not a four letter word!

Thought for the Day: Why do we resist the advice of outsiders?

Amos 7:7-9

“And the Lord said to me, ‘Amos, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘A plumb line.’ Then the Lord said, ‘See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by;’” vs. 8

With the aid of a plumb line a worker can always find the true vertical and will know in an instant if a wall is crooked or straight. The prophet Amos uses it as a metaphor to describe how the people of Israel had wandered away from the way of the Lord. They no longer measured up…and there would be consequences! It’s a good question for any follower of Jesus too. How well do we measure up? As the years have passed are our lives still in plumb? Or have we yielded to the desires of the age and become careless about the way that we live? It’s easy to do when we’ve been steeped in a gospel of grace and assured of God’s steadfast love. We begin to imagine that it really doesn’t make any difference if we’re crooked or straight and that we can pretty much do as we please with no consequences. And that’s just not true! It’s not that we run the risk of going to hell when we die, but we can certainly mess up life in the present. Through Jesus Christ we know the way to experience joy in the midst of suffering. It’s simply a matter of being awake to the presence of the Divine in all that exists…including ourselves!

Thought for the Day: How’s my life measuring up?

Mark 6:7-13

“He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.” vs. 7

Jesus practiced what he preached. When he was rejected by the people of Nazareth he intensified his outreach and sent out his disciples to mirror his mission and his message in other villages of Galilee. He had known there would be setbacks, but he also knew that there were hundreds of hurting, needy people who were hungry for the gospel, and who were yearning for change. It’s a good reminder for us in these post-COVID times. Some congregations have had some real setbacks in recent months, and more than a few are battling for survival. They’ve lost members and are having significant financial issues…it may even feel as though all the spiritual energy has departed. There are places where tensions about regulations and restrictions have erupted into serious divisions. Pastors and congregational leaders are discouraged…they wonder if what is happening is an indicator of the increasing irrelevance of the church. Of course that’s not true! Even if some doors close, hundreds more are being opened. As we look around we can’t help but notice the hunger for meaning and purpose amid the turmoil of the times. People are searching for significance, and the good news of Jesus will never be out of date. What’s called for is a redoubling of outreach, not to restore the church of the past, but to invent ever more imaginative ways to go with the gospel. Our mission is at hand!

Thought for the Day: How’s my congregation doing? How can I help?

Mark 6:1-6

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.’” vs. 4

The people who thought they knew Jesus the best, the people of his own home town, took offense at his words when he returned to Nazareth during his Galilean mission. It isn’t that they weren’t impressed–they thought he was astounding and that his wisdom was unparalleled. Jesus wasn’t surprised by the rejection–it was what prophets had come to expect. The only prophet anyone had listened to in Israel’s history was Jonah and he had been preaching to Assyrians. It’s just difficult to hear a word from the Lord when it comes from someone you know well. The familiarity blocks our ears–and it’s really sad. Often the prophetic word that comes from a spouse or a family member is totally ignored, even when what they have to say is exactly what we need to hear. Somehow we can’t imagine that a person we’ve actually lived with, who knows all of our weaknesses, can offer wisdom that could change our lives. What a blessing it is when the day comes that our ears are opened to their intervention! There were a few people in Nazareth who did listen to Jesus in spite of their familiarity, and the text tells us that they were healed. That’s how it is when prophets come home–when we finally decide to listen, lives can be changed. Just because we know someone well doesn’t mean they can’t be trusted.

Thought for the Day: Why does familiarity breed contempt?

2 Corinthians 12:8-10

“Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” vss. 8-9

We don’t know what Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” might have been, though there’s certainly been plenty of speculation. Obviously it was something that bothered him and that he believed hampered his ministry–he let the Lord know that he wanted it gone. The answer that he got is profound. Grace is sufficient–power is made perfect in weakness. So instead of trying to hide his weaknesses, he gladly boasted about them. Would that many of us could get that through our thick skulls. We spend so much time denying and covering up that we lose all perspective of who we really are. People don’t care if we’re not perfect–in fact, they’re glad we’re not! It makes them feel better about themselves! So what if we’re not smart or pretty or athletic? What counts in life is rejoicing in the successes of others, and looking for ways to lift them up. The less we try to show off, the easier it is for Christ to show up in us. And, contrary to Paul, it really isn’t necessary to boast about our weaknesses–that can get old in a hurry!  

Thought for the Day: What things do I boast about?