Matthew 21:23-27

“When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’” vs. 23

The question of authority was important for the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. Authority was what legitimized a person’s words and actions, it was what ordered the hierarchy and established a chain of command. In their eyes if Jesus lacked proper authority for the things he was doing, he was violating sacred boundaries and should be disregarded. The Church has long struggled with that same issue. We’re very particular about credentials when it comes to congregational practices. Unless a person has been properly authorized we are reluctant to allow them to officiate at our rituals or to preach from our pulpits. We are not to cross certain sacred boundaries without having a stamp of approval from our particular denominational hierarchy. Now to some extent this is understandable–proper order and proper credentials are important to our life together. But sometimes we forget that this is all human convention, and has virtually nothing to do with how the Spirit of God operates. As the gospel of John puts it, “The Spirit blows where it wills…and you do not know where it is going or where it is coming from.” Rather than doggedly following our time-worn practices, as followers of Jesus we should always stand ready to be surprised by God.

Thought for the Day: What are the signs of true spiritual authority?

Philippians 2:4-13

“Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;” vs. 12 

These words from Paul to the Philippians have been much debated through the centuries. If salvation is by grace and a gift from God, what might it mean for them to “work out (their) own salvation with fear and trembling?” Obviously reactions to that question have been legion. In fact, Soren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher, known as the Father of Existentialism, titled one of his major works, Fear and Trembling, a book in which he worked out his perspectives on Paul’s imperative. Understanding Kierkegaard’s thesis might be difficult for most people, but Paul’s instructions do deserve careful reflection. It is true that all have been gifted with salvation, but our journey toward salvation is very much an individual matter. And we won’t know where we are going until we get there, sometimes after a lifetime of painful struggle. In other words, following Jesus requires action–it’s not a passive enterprise. Kierkegaard wrote, “If anyone on the verge of action should judge herself according to the outcome she would never begin.” The Philippians didn’t have Paul around to tell them what to do–each of them had to figure it out. And so it goes with life–we’re all just “figuring it out,” and we do it with fear and trembling. And the good news is, at the end we will have our salvation!

Thought for the Day: What do I know now that I wish I’d known long ago?

Philippians 2:1-4

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.” vss. 3-4

As Paul bares his soul to his friends in the Philippian community, we see clearly what he desires for them in their life together. Living in Christ will be different from life in the world. No longer will they be dominated by desires to accumulate power, prestige, and wealth. Instead, coming from every level of society, they will adopt new standards and put aside their selfish ambitions and petty conceits. In essence they will be the Body of the Risen Christ, full of humility and love, and looking only to the interests of others. Some of us have been blessed to be a part of such communities, and it is a truly wonderful thing to experience. Our congregations have included people from all walks of life: CEO’s, executives, police, teachers, workers, servants, bosses, artists, people with a variety of gifts and talents, but in their community of faith each of them have sought only to love and serve, following the example of Jesus. There’s no flaunting of wealth or power and people don’t know GPA’s or credit scores. Members of such a community come together in a mutual love of the Lord and a desire to assist others in times of need. This is life in Christ as Paul imagined it, and when it happens God is glorified.

Thought for the Day: Where have I experienced community as Paul described it?

Psalm 25:1-9

“Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; worship the Lord in holy splendor. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over mighty waters.” vss. 2-3

There are some who say that this psalm reflects a quite primitive view of God, a throwback to a Thor-like god who throws his hammer to produce the lightning and thunder of a summer storm. And it’s true that our ancestors, living before the time of meteorologists, did attributive natural disasters and disturbances to God. But that’s no reason to discount what this psalmist writes. In fact, there’s something quite appealing in seeing the hand of God in nature, and giving glory to God for the wonders of our universe. It’s true that Elijah did not find God in the earthquake, wind, or fire (1 Kings 19), but that doesn’t mean that the power unleashed in such events cannot fill us with awe. In recent weeks there has been a string of hurricanes bumping into the Florida peninsula: the sheer force of the wind coupled with thunder, lightning, and  enormous amounts of rain can’t help but leave us slack-jawed. We humans are impotent in the presence of such power. It’s not that the hurricane is God, or that God deliberately chose its path to punish Floridian sinners. But it’s a humbling reminder that God is God, and we are not! “Praise to the Lord, the King of all creation!”

Thought for the Day: What forces of nature impress me the most?

Ezekiel 18:25-32

“Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!” 31a

The legal system of Israel was uncomplicated and relatively easy to understand. If people lived according to the law and did what was required by God they would be blessed. If they broke the law and lived according to the ways of wickedness they would be punished. The prophet believed their life choice was obvious: those living in wicked ways should get themselves a new heart and a new spirit in order that they might live. We who live by grace and not by the law may feel relief that we don’t have to worry about such things–but that’s not the case! There are plenty of times in life when we need to turn things around and get ourselves new hearts and spirits. Such changes are the core of the gospel of grace. When we turn back to God in repentance, confessing our sins, the forgiveness we receive is infused with restoration. The words of absolution are not just high-sounding words, they’re words that actually create in us a new spirit and a new heart. It’s not that we by our own reason or strength can conjure up the changes, but the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit is the transforming agent. The prophet believed that threats paved the way to change–Jesus taught us that the road to new life is paved with words of love. Thanks be to God!

Thought for the Day: Which is more likely to change me, a threat or a word of love?

Ezekiel 18:1-4

“Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die.” vs. 4

There was a proverb popular among the Israelites, “The parents have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth have been set on edge.” The point was clear: sometimes children end up paying for the sins of their parents. We would probably agree. We’ve all seen instances where children are the innocent victims of their parents’ follies. We could even adapt the proverb to our times, “The mother has taken crack cocaine and her baby was born addicted.” It happens again and again! But that does not mean God punishes parents by causing harm to their kids! Sometimes when a tragic death comes to a small child, moms and dads assume it’s because they’ve done something wrong, and they’re wracked by guilt in addition to the grief. But that’s not how God operates! There is plenty of ugliness in our world, and the things that we do can have any effect on others. Our actions can cause plenty of pain. Again, we see it over and over again, and it’s always a tragedy. But all lives belong to God and all lives matter to God! God is not interested in vengeance or getting even or destroying the lives of perpetrators. Restoration is always God’s intention, and forgiveness is the first step on that road to wholeness. 

Thought for the Day: What negative effects has your mom or dad had on your life?

Matthew 20:10-16

“And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’” vss. 11-12

Folks weren’t much different in Jesus’ day than they are now. No one liked it when hard-workers didn’t get credit for their labor, particularly when those perceived to be slackers received equal compensation. Everyone could relate to the complaint leveled against the landowner in Jesus’ parable–and so can we. During this time of massive unemployment and large government bailouts, hard-working, tax-paying citizens have been very aware of inequities, and we can’t blame them. In our hearts we believe that everyone should get just what they’ve earned, and not one penny more or less. But that’s not how it works with God’s mercy and grace! Where God rules, we don’t get what we deserve, none of us do. All people, even sinners and ne’er-do-wells, receive the gift of eternal life through the Lord Jesus Christ, and it doesn’t make any difference how many times we’ve stumbled or fallen. Some of us find that to be incredibly good news, but others grumble. They wonder why they’ve even bothered being decent folks and fail to see that goodness is its own reward. Of course it’s wonderful when we manage, mostly by luck and happenstance, to lead praiseworthy lives, but it’s spectacular when the broken and hurting are blessed far beyond their expectations. 

Thought for the Day: How does it feel to get more than you deserve?

Matthew 20:1-9

“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage.” vss. 8-9

Where God is in charge surprises abound. Jesus says that it’s like someone laboring in a vineyard for an hour, and then receiving a full day’s wages. Imagine what that would feel like–to open a pay envelope and find there $180 instead of the expected fifteen–you’d think you’d died and gone to heaven! And that’s what every day is like for the people of God! We receive far more than we deserve–all the abundance of God’s goodness is ours to enjoy for eternity, and we have it by grace, and not because we’ve earned it. For some that’s not a comfortable notion, they would rather believe that, even if we didn’t do a lot to deserve our pay, we at least have to do something. And it is true that in the parable, even the late comers labored for an hour. The problem is that such a focus can only lead to the conclusion that the owner is unjust–which was the complaint of some laborers. But that wasn’t Jesus’ point. He wants us to know that God’s mercy is boundless, and it’s extended to all, even when we’re undeserving. That’s a sustaining truth, one that will lift us through any number of down days. How good it is to have a God who loves extravagantly!

Thought for the Day: When do I feel most loved?

Philippians 1:27-30

“Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit…” vs. 27

Paul was consistent in his proclamation of the pure gospel, and insisted that salvation came by grace, and not through obedience to the law. But he also believed with all of his heart that it makes a difference how followers of Jesus live. Here he tells the Philippians, who he loves dearly, that they should live their lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. That same injunction applies to believers of every age, and most especially today. The way we live is the best evangelism tool that we have, and nothing destroys the credibility of our witness faster than having our hypocritical behaviors exposed for all to see. Now we aren’t going to be able to avoid making mistakes, and we regularly miss the mark when it comes to purity. No one is expecting us to be perfect! In fact our imperfections, when openly acknowledged, add credibility to our testimony. But there is a way to live that brings glory to God and light to the world–and this is what Paul is talking about. We may not be able to define such a life precisely, but we will know it when we see it! And when we can learn to live that way, blessings abound!

Thought for the Day: What’s a characteristic of a gospel-worthy life?

Philippians 1:21-26

“For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.” vs. 21

Paul had visited Philippi on his first missionary journey somewhere around 50 AD and managed to stay in touch with periodic letters, including this one written about 58 during one of his frequent imprisonments. He loved this little congregation and bares his soul as he openly shares with them deep feelings about living and dying. Many in our time have difficulty talking about the prospect of imminent death either for themselves or for others. For Paul it was no big deal! Living and dying were both the same for him. Either way he would be in Christ Jesus! What a blessing it is when we can come to that point in our faith journeys! Obviously, given the option, most of us would choose to go on living as we have in the past. It’s what we’ve gotten used to, and because of advancements in medicine, we have grown to expect we’ll be able to lead active lives for a good long time. Some don’t want to consider the prospect of dying–they don’t even want to think about endings. But the truth is that sooner or later death will be on our doorsteps and knocking on the door. Now we’ll never be able to prepare fully for that day, but we can certainly share our feelings about it with those we love. Our words are a powerful testimony of faith and can prepare the way for sweet goodbyes. 

Thought for the Day: With whom do I need to have a talk about my ending?