John 15:26-27

”When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf.” vs. 26

According to John, one of the prime tasks of the Holy Spirit was advocacy. Because Jesus had not defended himself at his hearing before Pilate, all sorts of malicious and defamatory things were being said about him by his enemies, the religious leaders. After his death and resurrection the Holy Spirit came to equip his disciples to be his advocates and spread the good news of his life and love for all people–and that’s what they did! In our time that Spirit-filled ministry of advocacy continues for the people of God. Jesus told us that he is present among us in the hungry, the naked, the imprisoned, and the poor. Being faithful to his call means that we will gladly take up the spiritual work of advocacy on their behalf. We’ll write letters, testify, sign petitions, lobby, and do all we can to be their defenders. There are some who think congregations ought not to be involved in such things–they believe it’s too divisive and political. But many others believe that our call is clear–we have been commissioned to reach out to the least and the lost, and one of the most effective ways to engage in such ministry is through advocacy. As we testify on their behalf, we are actually testifying on behalf of Jesus.

Thought for the Day: What does an advocate do?

Romans 8:26-27

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.” vs. 26

Praying isn’t always an easy thing, even for believers. Oh, we can do a pretty good job of moving through our daily prayer lists. We know what we would like for the people we love; peace, healing, joy, wisdom–and it’s not hard to just pass our desires along to God. So that part of prayer is a piece of cake. But it gets tougher when we address the needs of the larger community and begin to think about the awful stuff we see on the news every day. We know we should be praying for those things too, but where do we start? On a macro level our world seems hopelessly confused and divided, and solutions, if there are any, seem beyond our pay grade. Paul knew that feeling and told the Romans that when we get to the end of our understanding in our prayers, the Spirit takes over. In our weakness, if all we can do is groan and whine, even our garbled sighs are good enough. God understands and makes astounding connections even in our moments of confused silence. What’s really important is that we keep on praying even if we think God must be getting bored. Prayer is that time of fusion, the coming together of the Christ within and the Christ beyond, and it always is good for our souls.

Thought for the Day: When do I get tongue-tied in my prayers?

Romans 8:22-25

“For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen?” vs. 24

We regularly hear people of faith speak of the future with great confidence. It appears that they have no doubt that one day love will conquer and that evil will be defeated. They speak of peace on earth with great conviction, as though it’s going to be happening in just a few more years. And when it comes to life after death there is no question of their certainly. They say that they know what happens when we die, that their faith gives them blessed assurance. And many of us agree with such believers. Our confidence about the future is beyond doubt. But some wonder! We confess the creeds along with everyone else, but sometimes questions are there too. Are the things we say we believe in really true, especially those things that have to do with the future? It’s not that we don’t believe–we just don’t know! Paul seems to have understood those feelings as he writes to the Romans about hope. He says that when it comes down to it, our faith is not based on what we know, but on what we hope. And his words ring true for us. We don’t know what the future will bring, but we sure hope for the fulfillment of Jesus’ promises. And amazingly enough, our hope is enough to sustain us. It’s hope that pulls us to worship, it’s hope that brings comfort when death draws near. Hope may not be everything, but it is enough for faith!

Thought for the Day: Why do I keep on hoping?

Psalm 104:24-34, 35b

“Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord!” vs. 35

Psalm 104 is a beautiful song of praise to the creation. Verse 24 describes its intent well, “O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” The psalmist knows that God has created all things and that the spirit of God sustains and nourishes every living creature. And then come these words, “Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more.” It’s an almost jarring sentiment, and we’re hard-pressed to know what to do with it. In fact, those who chose passages for each Sunday’s lectionary readings exclude it. They recommend that verse 34a not be read or sung in worship. The advice is understandable, yet we wonder. Isn’t this how many of us actually feel? The creation really is spectacular and wonderful. Every day we’re overwhelmed by its beauty and intricacy. But at the same time we’re so aware of the evil–there are so many people doing absolutely despicable things–and we’d love it if God would just do something about it. Indeed, as it is for the psalmist, that’s sometimes our daily prayer! The problem is that sin and wickedness cannot be excised by getting rid of people–that’s been tried and it doesn’t work. The good news is that one day the Son’s love radiation will destroy every vestige of evil–both in ourselves and in the world!

Thought for the Day: How does awareness of evil affect me?

Acts 2:14-21

“No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.’” vss. 16-17

When the Spirit blew into the lives of the disciples with firepower beyond their imagining, no one was quite sure what was happening, and they naturally sought understanding in scripture. And the old prophet Joel gave them clarifying insights. Joel had said that one day the Spirit would be poured out upon all flesh, and there would be dreams and visions for everyone. Men and women, young and old, all would be transformed by the Spirit! This is still our Pentecostal experience! Every year we take stock of whose we are and look with enthusiasm toward the future, expecting our dreams and visions to become realities. And this year, post-COVID, it really feels good to hope! The last year has been full of trials and tribulations and our enthusiasm has waned. Some imagined that the Spirit had departed! But in Christ, days of suffering are signs of a vibrant future. God isn’t nearly finished with us and the best is yet to come–one day all flesh will be resurrected! This is only the birthday of the Church and not a final reunion! We can’t even imagine the glories of the days to come!

Thought for the Day: What is my vision for the Church?

Acts 2:1-13

“And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.” vss. 2-3

Luke’s picture of the Pentecost has caught the attention of artists in every age and we’ve all seen their renditions of men and women caught up in Spirit-filled ecstacy, each with a tongue of fire rising from the tops of their heads. Luke’s image is powerful and reminds us that the coming of the Spirit is like the wind and is marked by the cleansing fire of baptismal rebirth. It’s worth noting that Luke calls it a violent wind–not a soft breeze wafting through the branches of pines in the park. His adjective is intentional. The coming of the Spirit is seldom gentle and hidden. Rather, it’s that forceful push from God that gets us out of our comfortable pews and into places we’d sometimes rather not be. God has to be like that. When we get in our ruts our inclination is to just keep trucking along, even if the way is boring and fruitless. Change is scary and means getting off our rear ends and into action. It means taking risks, playing with fire, and maybe burning our fingers. But when the Spirit drives us, we move, and that’s how rebirth and resurrection happen. And we don’t have to be artists to get the picture!

Thought for the Day: Times I’ve been jolted into action.

John 17:11-16

“And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.” vs. 11

As children of God and members of the peaceable kingdom we are daily reminded that we also live in the world and are subject to all its pressures and temptations. Like everyone else we get caught up in political drama, spend far too much time watching and worrying as the stock market rises and falls, and even imagine that self-indulgence will bring pleasure. Such things become the topics of daily conversations and lead us away from the joy of simplicity and the blessings of friendship. Frequently our dabbling in the ways of the world leads us into an ugly kind of partisanship that can destroy our peace of mind and ruin relationships. Even the refuge offered by faith communities can be infiltrated by our disagreements and worldly convictions. As we take up positions against one another our unity can be destroyed and our witness threatened. That was Jesus’ deepest fear as he got ready to leave his disciples. He knew how the world operates and he fervently prayed that his followers could remain one in the face of its temptations and threats. He also knew that sacrificial love was the only way to continue in unity with one another. It’s even more important than getting in the last word in any discussion or debate!

Thought for the Day: What’s the point of political bickering?

John 17:6-10

”I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.” vs. 6

We live in two realms, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world. They occupy the same physical space, but have vastly different values and operating systems. The world focuses on external and material desires and seeks our allegiance with promises of beauty, wealth and power. When Jesus began his ministry he called people out of the world and into a relationship with the Divine. He called that realm the Kingdom of God. Those early disciples listened and watched and became intimately acquainted with a new way of living, one that is rooted in sacrificial love, and that bears fruit through service. They discovered through him that they bore the image of God and were the light of the world. Through them, Jesus said, all those living according to the ways of the world could begin to know God, and live as children of God. He called that new way of living “eternal life” and said that it was God’s gift to the world. After Jesus’ death and resurrection signs of God’s peaceable kingdom have popped up all over the globe. We still see them today, even when the ways of the world seem so strong. All around people are being grasped by the good news and beginning to love and serve. Perhaps it will grasp even us, and we’ll see the kingdom today!

Thought for the Day: How has the good news grasped me?

1 John 5:11-13

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” vs. 13

John presumes that his readers believe that Jesus was the Son of God, and he also wants them to know that they have eternal life. It’s almost as though there is a difference between believing and knowing, and he’s saying to believers, “Wait a minute, there’s more!” In saying this he captures the exciting essence of the gospel, and encourages us to be diligent in proclamation. This is where evangelism gets exciting. Not only are we called to tell the story of Jesus to folks who have never heard, we also get to tell them that in Christ they already have eternal life. And this isn’t just the “pie in the sky by and by” variety of eternal life, this is “real life now” kind of living–and we don’t have to physically die to get it! What’s really sad is that a lot of people don’t know this. Instead they struggle on, caught up in the ways of the world, uncertain about meaning or purpose, and unimpressed with most types of religious expression. They think that if there is a God, they’ve just missed out! And that’s just so wrong! What they don’t know is that they are claimed, loved, and forgiven–and that in Christ they have life. They may have turned their backs on the gift–but the gift is never “returned to sender”! It’s theirs forever!

Thought for the Day: What’s the purpose of evangelism?

1 John 5:9-10

“If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son.” vs. 9

It is clear from the gospels that the ministry of Jesus was set in motion by his experience of baptism at the hands of John the Baptist. As he came out of the water he heard the testimony of God regarding himself, “You are my Son, the Beloved. With you I am well-pleased.” That affirmation was for Jesus a divine call to announce the arrival of God’s rule on earth–and that’s what he did until his life was cruelly ended by those he had been sent to love. For his followers that testimony was greater than any other human claim about God that might be made. Jesus was the beloved Son of God and they were willing to give their lives to spread that good news. It was important, not so much because of what it meant to Jesus, but what it meant to them. If Jesus was the Beloved, then by faith they could claim the same status, because his Spirit also dwelt in them. That continues to be our common legacy as we make our way through the 21st century. We too are the beloved children of God and the Spirit of Christ lives in our hearts. There is no better news in all creation, no human creed packs a greater wallop. No matter what others say or what we think, we are loved by God!

Thought for the Day: How do I know I am loved by God?