John 1:37-42

“He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.” vs. 39

The two men wanted to know where Jesus was staying and he gives them a simple invitation, “Come and see.” And so they did. They came and saw and stayed for an afternoon of conversation, and it changed the trajectory of their lives. They became convinced that Jesus was the messiah. Somewhere in the course of our days many of us have had the same experience. We’ve taken steps toward Jesus, stayed with him long enough to know what he was about, and seen him from that point on as the incarnation of the Christ, the Light of God. It really is an extraordinary, life-changing experience, one that gives our lives a focus and a purpose. In Jesus we discover all that we need to know about God and about life in this world. In him we find steadfast love and our compass for daily living. In him our own Christ-light begins to shine and people see our good works and give glory to God. It seems incredible that such momentous changes can have such small beginnings, yet that’s how it was for Andrew, and so it has been for every believer since. “Come and see,” our Savior says, and once we do our lives are transformed and the darkness is illuminated.

Thought for the Day: What’s my “come and see” story?

John 1:29-36

“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” vs. 29

In John’s gospel John the Baptist was the first witness and was sent to bear testimony to the Word who had become flesh in Jesus. Accordingly, when he saw Jesus in the neighborhood after his baptism, he declared him to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. That seems a strange designation for the one who the gospel writer later calls the good shepherd, but it’s been a precious metaphor for believers, one that has had a prominent place in worship for centuries. In the Jewish sacrificial system, the lamb, symbolizing innocence and purity, was the most common sacrifice and the shedding of its blood was early on linked to the forgiveness of sin. It’s no surprise then that the early Christians, looking to make sense of Jesus’ innocent suffering and death, began using the language of sacrifice to describe what had happened. During Jesus’ ministry he had regularly forgiven the sins of the broken as he encountered them on the journey. What had happened for individuals during his lifetime was now extended to the whole world through his death. Jesus was the Lamb of God and his death was inextricably linked to forgiveness and became part of the core gospel message. It’s important to make one distinction though! Our sins are forgiven not because Jesus died, but because he loved us so completely!

Thought for the Day: For whom would I give my life?

1 Corinthians 1:6-9

“God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” vs. 9

When we think about the Church it has become second nature to think of it in terms of denomination–we tend to identify as Baptists, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, etc., or maybe generically as Evangelicals. Paul wouldn’t have known what we were talking about! In those days there was no common organizational structure. There was no fixed hierarchy; there wasn’t even a common creed or theology. The New Testament hadn’t been thought of–the only scriptures were the Law and the Prophets. For Paul the Church in its infancy was a fellowship (the Greek word is koinonia), in which believers experienced an intimate connection with Jesus Christ and with one another. There was a strong emphasis on generous sharing and members relied only on the Spirit of God and their mutual love for guidance in daily living. There’s an appeal to that vision of the Church, and many wish that we could be done with the constant doctrinal bickering and contentious divisions. They long for the simplicity of koinonia and a Jesus-centered life together. And it could be that some day, when the absurdity of denominationalism causes its demise, there will be a return to a Jesus-centered faith with no boundaries or distinctions. What a blessing it would be to simply celebrate our unity in Christ and not be torn apart by our differences! For many it would be a dream come true!

Thought for the Day: Where have I experienced Christ-centered koinonia?

1 Corinthians 1:1-5

“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him…” vs. 4

Paul stayed in Corinth for about a year and a half on his second missionary journey and was likely quite familiar with those who were a part of the little congregation that he started there. When he gets word that things are not going particularly well he sends a letter to address what had become a divisive situation. He isn’t angry with them, and lets them know in his greeting that he holds them in high esteem. Even though they have lots of questions and some behaviors have been troublesome, the presence of Christ is obvious among them–they have been enriched in every way. It’s likely that our communities of faith are the same. We who have been called to be saints and have been gathered into congregations are the body of Christ in the place where we live. Sometimes we get off track, many times we have questions, and occasionally we behave poorly, but we are still people of faith, saved by the grace of God. As we look around at our worship gatherings we see folks with remarkable gifts, people in whom the Spirit of Christ can be seen clearly. Not only are we a blessing to our communities, we are God’s gift to one another. Thanks be to God for the amazing brothers and sisters in our congregations!

Thought for the Day: What gifts are most evident in my congregation?

Psalm 40:6-11

“I have not hidden your saving help within my heart, I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.” vs. 10

The psalmist was writing to give thanks to God for blessings received–he’d had some problems but was now doing well. His words reveal his appreciation and also indicate that he had been faithful in sharing the good news with others. And just in case the Lord hadn’t noticed, he is careful to mention the wonderful things that he had done. As we read between the lines we can’t help but wonder about his purpose–it almost seems as though he’s providing the list to insure continued blessings. If so, it wouldn’t be surprising. We too have the sense that our good deeds should provide some insurance against future calamity. And if there’s a hint that things are starting to “go south” in our lives, we’re quick to remind God that we deserve better. Of course that’s not how life works–we can do all sorts of commendable things and then get hit by horrendous disaster–good works do not guarantee good health or good luck. But that doesn’t mean that God has abandoned us–God’s steadfast love continues in every circumstance. And when tough times come our way we can be confident that our prayers will be heard and one day joy will be restored. That’s just how it is with our loving God!

Thought for the Day: How have my good deeds been rewarded?

Psalm 40:1-5

“He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.” vs. 3

Sometimes we underestimate the impact of our testimony in the lives of others. We imagine that our influence is minimal and that people are unaffected by what we say about faith and our relationship to God. Actually, nothing could be further from the truth! The psalmist had experienced blessings in his God connection. Life had hit a rough spot but he had continued to trust and God had lifted him up. In response he couldn’t help but tell his story and give praise to God. And he has confidence that through seeing what had happened to him many others would in turn learn to trust in the Lord. That’s why it’s so important to offer times for personal testimony in our faith communities. Over and over we’ve all seen how powerful those stories can be–sometimes they have much more impact than even a well-crafted sermon. This isn’t just a matter of reciting bible verses and repeating a few theological maxims. Instead, what we hear in those testimonies is the unvarnished interaction of the Spirit of God and our own human hearts. Initially it takes some courage to open our mouths–we expose ourselves to the critique of listeners. But in our willingness to be vulnerable, others are moved, and their faith is nourished and strengthened–and before long they’ll be singing the same song.

Thought for the Day: What is my testimony and with whom have I shared it?

Isaiah 49:1-7

“he says, ’It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’” vs. 6

The prophet speaks of Israel as the servant of the Lord, a nation destined for restoration, and to be a light to the nations. We can’t help but wonder at the incredible optimism that underlies this passage. Israel had fallen and its royal house had been exiled–Israel had lost all standing in the eyes of other countries. But the prophet insists that God has not abandoned the nation. There is still a plan for the people of God–they will not only be restored to their ancient lands, they will be a light to the nations. It’s that conviction that has sustained the community of faith ever since. No matter what happens, no matter how we might stumble or fall, God still has a plan for us. Through us, flawed though we may be, the good news of God’s love will be channeled to the end of the earth. And it’s happening now! Not through the grandiose, aggressive posturing of political entities, but through the steadfast faithfulness of the body of Christ. We have representatives in every corner of the globe and through us the hungry are fed and the poor hear the good news. Our mission never ends–we are the chosen ones of God.

Thought for the Day:  What is God’s plan for me today?

Matthew 3:16-17

“And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.” vs. 16 

According to the gospels, Jesus’ ministry began with a divine encounter just following his baptism. We don’t know his frame of mind or intentions when he entered the water–that remains a mystery–but we do know what happened as he emerged from the river. As Matthew puts it, the heavens were opened to him and he saw the descending Spirit of God in the form of a dove. It was an incredibly powerful experience, a vision that changed the direction of his life. In that moment he knew that he had been loved and chosen by God. Filled by the Spirit he went into the wilderness to pray about his response to the call, and, after 40 days of meditation and testing, emerged to begin his transforming ministry. Not many of us have experiences that are even remotely similar to that of Jesus, but some do. From time to time we hear their stories, how in a moment of prayer and reflection they felt touched by the Spirit and filled with a sense of the Divine Presence. While those powerful times don’t come to most, we have all received that same call to serve and love, and on our good days we will similarly feel the enriching nudge of the Spirit–and we will be transformed! 

Thought for the Day: How does the Spirit of God come to me?

Matthew 3:13-15

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.” vs. 13

The relationship between Jesus and John the Baptist has been a source of endless speculation from the beginning. That there was a connection is obvious, it’s mentioned numerous times in all four gospels. Mark and Luke tell us that Jesus, having been raised in Nazareth, traveled from Galilee to the Jordan where John was baptizing. Since John’s baptism included the confession of sins, it could be concluded that Jesus too was aware of his need for repentance. It may be that he was intending to become one of John’s disciples. Matthew feels a need to provide clarification. So he adds a bit of dialog to the other accounts. Jesus, Matthew affirms, didn’t need forgiveness, he was submitting to baptism as a mark of his total identification with sinners. Whether the story needed Matthew’s corrective can be debated. Many have no difficulty believing that Jesus was just like every other human who has lived. In their estimation, such a Jesus is even more appealing. The fact that he knows what it feels like to wrestle with issues of sin and guilt is for them a huge comfort–if Jesus was a sinner it’s certainly not a deal breaker. Of course such a notion has never been a part of orthodoxy. Most of us have grown up believing that Jesus was without sin–and that he took our sins upon himself to insure our forgiveness. For the orthodox it’s hard to imagine anything else!

Thought for the Day: Why was Jesus baptized?

Acts 10:39-43

“All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” vs. 43

The book of Acts gives us a sense of the early Christian message through sermonic vignettes from Peter and Paul. In this one, from Peter, we learn that the chief gift available to believers was the forgiveness of sins through the name of Jesus. Most of us have no problem with Peter’s proclamation. Indeed, because we are sinners and regularly wander from holiness, it gives great consolation to know that God forgives, and that forgiveness is freely available through Jesus. At times however, church leaders have regarded forgiveness as their personal treasure and have used it as a lucrative money maker. Some of the old cathedrals of Europe were built with funds raised from the sale of indulgences, a church invented scheme to absolve people of all penalties for sin through the payment of a fee. Such distortions have been an embarrassment to the church and a huge stumbling block to the spread of the gospel. It really is absurd to believe that the precious forgiveness offered by Jesus to broken and wounded people could be monetized, and then withheld at the whim of pastors or priests. Forgiveness is offered to all as a free gift from God, and those who trust that good news receive its cleansing power. The only thing that keeps anyone from enjoying that peace is lack of faith. Those who cannot trust can never know peace!

Thought for the Day: How can unbelievers receive forgiveness?