1 Peter 3:18-22

“in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water.” vss. 19-20

Peter reminds us that in the early years of the Church, believers gravitated toward the image of the ark as a metaphor for the meaning of baptism. It was easy to understand: just as the waters of the flood lifted the ark and preserved the lives of Noah’s family, so the waters of baptism bring new life in Christ. And thus the ark became a favorite decoration for the walls of the places where Christians worshipped. And Peter also has an answer for those who wonder about the salvation of those who are not baptized. In his world, they aren’t left out! In fact that was Christ’s Saturday mission after his redemptive death on the cross! Peter’s  teaching even made it into the Apostle’s Creed with the words, “he descended to the dead”! Those who missed the boat in Noah’s day heard the good news from the Christ, even though they had not obeyed. What happened on the cross is for all people of all times! That’s what makes it the greatest news ever told. Peter is not intending to disparage baptism, not at all, he wants only for us to see it as grace, a symbol of life and salvation for all.

Thought for the Day: What’s the best age to be baptized?

1 Peter 3:13-17

“Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence.” vss. 15b-16a

The people Peter was addressing were living in turbulent times and their situation was quite different from ours. Believers were very much a minority group and regularly faced questions and even persecution from their adversaries. Peter advises patience in suffering but also a boldness in responding. And then he adds a phrase that could be useful for us. “Do it with gentleness and reverence,” he says, and we need to pay attention. We do occasionally have opportunities to have faith conversations with others and we should not be shy about sharing what we believe and describing the hope that faith gives us. But sometimes those exchanges get out of hand–religious differences can bring deep animosities to the surface and even rupture relationships. There’s a tendency to express faith convictions in strong and forceful ways–even when none of us have concrete proof for what we are saying. We’re passionate and quick to slide into making distorted claims in defense of our positions. Such debates are seldom helpful and often divisive. How good it would be if we could be gentle in our conversations–and show reverence for those having contrary opinions. We’re all just doing our best in this complicated world to make sense of life, and it’s wonderful when our thoughts can be helpful to others–and the kinder we are, the more likely it is that this will happen!

Thought for the Day: Why is religion a forbidden topic for conversation in some homes?

Psalm 66:8-20

“Bless our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard, who has kept us among the living, and has not let our feet slip.” vss. 8-9

We still don’t know when or if life will return to normal as we continue to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. For some the middle of May is seen as a time to loosen restrictions and begin to open up the economy. Others are more pessimistic and believe the virus will be a part of our lives for months, or even years to come. Regardless, decisions will be made–and we can pray that they will be wise and informed. And what else can we do? The psalmist has a suggestion. He writes, “Bless our God…let the sound of his praise be heard, who has kept us among the living…” Not all have been affected by the virus in the same way. Many have been able to escape it by virtue of their station in life or occupation. It has had a disproportionate effect on the poor and the aged, and those working in crowded conditions. Health care workers have been hit hard. But if we are among the living, certainly there is room for thanksgiving and praise. There’ll be other days for debating the mysteries of why bad things happen to good people. For now, we are alive, and that’s worth a boatload of alleluias! And there’s no good reason to keep our “thank you’s” to ourselves!

Thought for the Day: How has this virus changed my life?

Acts 17:26-31

“For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’” vs. 28

Luke remembered that Paul’s debate with the Athenians on Mars Hill contained a couple of apt references to Greek poets, and that Paul seemed to share their perspectives on the Divine Presence. Paul taught, as did those ancient philosophers, that all people are the children of God, in biblical terms he’s saying that we’re all born in the image and the likeness of God. Using a modern metaphor we could say that we have a Divine genetic imprint, God’s DNA, flowing in our blood and finding a home in the cells of our heart. Paul goes on to say that because we are God’s offspring, much is expected, that it’s our calling to stop living like runaways, and turn our attention to being God’s hands and feet in the world. In a word, Paul says that all people should repent, (his message is exactly the same as that of Jesus) and start giving their lives to acts of service and love. Of course not many paid attention to Paul that day on the Areopagus, and his call to repentance fell on deaf ears. The Athenians enjoyed the speculation and philosophical conversation, but they quickly lost interest when Paul called on them to change. A lot of us are like that. It’s fun to debate and share ideas about God, but when it comes to following the Jesus Way, whole bunches of us prefer the cheap seats on the sidelines!

Thought for the Day: Why do folks enjoy speculating about God?

Acts 17:22-25

“For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.” vs.23

The people Paul encountered in Athens were proud, sophisticated, and tolerant of a variety of religious views. They had a long history of debate and philosophical conversation and loved to hear scholarly presentations with a universal perspective. Of course, Paul is no slouch himself–he had sat at the feet of the finest Jewish teachers and likely was familiar with the Greek philosophers. Like a skilled debater he starts his presentation at the Areopagus by reporting observations made during his tour of popular tourist stops. He has noticed an interesting altar inscription and reports that he has astounding information about their unknown god. He agrees that the Lord of the Universe is invisible to human eyes but goes on to say that this God is the creator and sustainer of all that exists. His statement of faith continues to be our own basic understanding of the Divine Mystery. We may not be able to find words to adequately describe God’s awesome presence, but we do believe that this God is the Ground of all Being. This basically unprovable truth is undeniably believable, and people of faith for many generations have continued to depend upon it for their healing and hope.

Thought for the Day: What do we miss if we deny the existence of God?

John 14:7-14

“Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.” vs. 12

Those who put their trust in Jesus in this world shouldn’t have to spend a lot of time figuring out how they’re going to spend their lives. John’s gospel makes it very clear that disciples will do the works that Jesus did, and in fact, will do even more. This doesn’t mean that we’re going to do even more spectacular miracles, we don’t have to do that, but together we’re going to touch many more lives than he did with healing love and forgiveness. It’s a matter of scale. He was one person and we are the Church, we are many people, and we have the capacity to transform humanity. And more than that, we’ve got a special God connection in Jesus. His Spirit informs, enlightens, and sanctifies us on the way, and with his power our power is unlimited. It is true that we will spend some time figuring out the particulars of our calling; we all love to be able to use our peculiar gifts and talents in ways that will be useful and give us joy. We might even be able to serve in a series of occupations or professions–but whatever it is that we choose, our primary calling is to do the works of Jesus. And it’s pretty obvious that there’s a lot of loving that’s left to be done!

Thought for the Day: What works of Jesus am I doing?

John 14:1-6

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” vs. 1

It’s no accident that we most frequently hear these words from the gospel of John in the context of a funeral or a memorial service. There are literally no more comforting words in all of scripture. It’s all here, all the hope and promise of our life in Christ. Whenever we feel discouraged, whenever our hearts are broken, there’s nothing better for us to do than to turn to God, and more specifically to turn to Jesus. We look to God because all things are in God’s hands; God is the creator of the universe. God brings us into existence and breathes life into us. We look to Jesus because he is the image of the invisible God; he is the Christ. He is our Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. In him we find our peace, our joy, and our comfort. In him we see, touch, hear, and feel the unconditional love of God. So it’s no wonder that when our tears are the freshest and our pain the most intense we find comfort in John’s words. And, oh yes, they are a vivid reminder that, if it’s death that has gotten us crying, in Christ Jesus we see a new beginning, both for those we love and for ourselves. For he’s gone to prepare a place for us, that where he is, we may be also. He is the Way! And when we know that, peace fills our hearts!

Thought for the Day: What verses would I like read at my funeral?

1 Peter 2:6-10

“Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” vs. 10

Peter was writing to the scattered Christians of Asia and Galatia, and reminding them that, though they were few in number, they possessed a power and presence that came directly from God. He wanted them to know that, even lacking the credentials of race or heritage, they were a holy nation and a royal priesthood. Peter’s metaphor is powerful and has been a favorite for the people of God through the centuries. Even today our chests can swell with pride as we consider who we are in this world of passing fancies and divided loyalties. We come from a variety of backgrounds and heritages, some are rich and some poor, many have a strong theological background while others are barely believers, but together we are the Church of Christ, God’s own people, chosen by the Spirit for service in the world. And what makes us special is not privilege, insider knowledge, or power! Rather, we are the people of grace! We are those who have received mercy–and we know it! Like Paul, we boast in our weakness, knowing we have done nothing to receive favors from God. All we are and have is a gift, it’s a knowledge that makes us proud and humble at the same time. In Christ, we are called to relax into life, and enjoy every passing minute and hour until our time runs out–and our service is over!

Thought for the Day: What keeps me from enjoying every moment?

1 Peter 2:1-5

“like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” vs. 5

There have been some who have railed against the closing of churches in this time of quarantine, claiming that it is an aggressive act by an oppressive government. Others have laughed at the notion that any agency could have the power to close the church, and such persons are exactly right. The Church of Christ can never be identified with bricks and mortar, or building materials of any kind. As Peter described it, the Church is made up of living stones that have been built into a spiritual house. We are a holy priesthood, called by the Holy Spirit to offer ourselves as servants to the world. Those who have traveled to the Holy Land are reminded of this great truth with every visit. They go to see the ancient ruins and scattered stones of fallen basilicas, but their real inspiration comes from the living stones, the people of Israel and Palestine who continue to faithfully serve in trying and difficult circumstances. As those stories are heard, hearts are moved and pilgrims are inspired. So it is among us. Our sanctuaries may be empty but the living stones are alive; inspiring, encouraging, and bringing the love of Christ to all who are in need. When historians look back, it could very well be that they will report that it was in this time that followers of Jesus grew in grace and in faith more than any other.

Thought for the Day: How have I grown in these last months?

Psalm 31:15-16

“My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.” vs. 15

One of the great truths of human existence is that we are not in control. While that may seem self-evident to those who are wise, it still comes as a shock to many. In our youth we are regularly told wonderful lies by those who love us, aphorisms like “You can do anything,” or an old favorite, “You can be anything you want to be as long as you believe in yourself and work hard.” When we’re fed a regular diet of positivity and self-reliance, it comes as a jolt to discover that ultimately we’re not in control, that there are a myriad of outside influences that powerfully shape our destinies. Now there certainly is some benefit to positive thinking, that can’t be denied, but it’s even more important to know that we are not in control, that we never have been in control, and we never will be. Certainly the psalmist knew that and he found it to be a great comfort–and so should we! Our times are in our Creator’s hands, and the One whose eye is on the sparrow, certainly has an eye on us. There’ll be plenty of twists and turns along the way, as the powers of the world and the forces of our environment open and close doors, but there’s no reason for our hearts to be discouraged. We are in Christ, and in Christ things will not always go as we have imagined, but they will always go well.

Thought for the Day: What did I imagine my life would be like?