Luke 4:24-30

“When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage.” vs. 28

At first glance the response of Jesus’ hometown congregation seems out of proportion to what had been said. It almost appears that we’re only getting fragments of the conversation…and that could be the case. The gospels are frequently pretty sketchy and at best we’re getting a brief summary of all that Jesus did and said. But it’s also true that the folks in Nazareth aren’t that much unlike people that we’re acquainted with. They’d been disrespected! They thought Jesus was putting them down. Oh how quick we are to respond with anger when it appears someone isn’t giving us the respect we think we have due. We regularly hear stories about sports figures who provoke fights because someone “dissed” them. There are many people who are sensitive about their reputations and don’t like it when it appears they’re being insulted. And thin skins aren’t found only on streets and playgrounds…we’ve seen such folks in all of our congregations. They carry chips on their shoulders and their anger can flare up quickly in response to perceived insults. It’s not that anger isn’t an appropriate response to real injustice, but so often it’s rooted in plain old pettiness. And sometimes those flashes of anger lead to painful confrontation and pointless division. We’d all be better off swallowing our pride and putting the best construction on what others say or do.

Thought for the Day: What do I do when I’m disrespected?

Luke 4:21-23

“All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’” vs. 22

When Jesus returned to his hometown after his experience with the Spirit in the wilderness he was invited to speak in the synagogue. He was the “hometown boy made good” and people were proud of the reputation that had preceded him. Initially the response is positive and the people are actually amazed…they’re surprised that he speaks with such polish and grace. But then there’s a problem! Jesus is more than they could handle. His words seem presumptuous and disrespectful, and demand more of them than they’re willing to give. Their words turn nasty, “Just who does he think he is?” That’s how it is with Jesus. He’s more than he first appears. When we first come near him we hear the message of grace and are impressed. But there’s more to his story. He invites us to follow and then lets us know that this will involve discipline. In order to gain our lives we are going to have to lose them…and that likely has not been part of our gameplan. There’s a radicality to the mission that will involve sacrifice. For some people that’s enough and they start looking for another messiah, some other more palatable leader. Jesus does have a good reputation…many speak well of him. But there’s more to following him than meets the eye…and the foolish turn away!

Thought for the Day: Why are some people turned off by Jesus?

1 Corinthians 13:8-13

“Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.” vs. 8

Christianity is known for its trends. Every few years there is a major breakthrough of some sort and we become obsessed with the newest and the latest worship practices and doctrinal statements. At those moments there are endless debates and arguments among various denominational factions, and occasionally some brand new groups are birthed. Religion has always been a fertile ground for speculation and controversy. Some new preacher, some high profile biblical scholar, some spirit-filled dynamo captures our attention and we begin to believe we’ve got all this God and Jesus stuff figured out. And it’s all a charade! All the new liturgies get boring, preachers dry up, and the spirit-filled have swallowed the doves feathers and all. That’s how it’s always been in the church, and Paul saw the trend at the very beginning. He tells the Corinthians that all the things that have been such a concern to their body will come to an end…but the love that comes straight from the heart of God and that has drawn them together will remain forever. It’s what is left when all else has let us down! God never ever stops loving…and that will continue to be the glue that holds any faith community together. It’s the most valuable possession we have.

Thought for the Day: If love never ends, why do people stop loving?

1 Corinthians 13:1-7

“And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” vs. 2

Occasionally we meet the people who Paul describes so well. Sometimes they’re the pillars of congregations, steeped in biblical knowledge and able to answer any theological question. They’re clever and gifted people, generous in their giving and faithful in worship, but they don’t have a clue about love. They’re harsh in their judgments and careful to let people know that they have the proper church pedigree, and they completely miss the point of following Jesus. Jesus doesn’t give a rip about church doctrines or hierarchies…he doesn’t even care how many bible verses we can quote. What Jesus wants to see in his disciples is deep and compassionate love for one another and for the world. He wants to see love in our eyes and in our smiles and in the tender hugs we give to those who are hurting. The old camp song puts it well, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love,” and the more we can demonstrate that love in daily living, the better life will be for us all. Oh how our mission has suffered with our countless debates and frequent splits in the pointless pursuit of orthodoxy and purity! It sounds like a cliche, but it’s true, “all we really need is love.”

Thought for the Day: What’s the primary attribute of a lover?

Psalm 71:1-6

“Upon you I have leaned from my birth; it was you who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you.” vs. 6

For the psalmist the Lord was not some divine being who existed apart from creation and who periodically checked in to see how he was doing. Not at all! The God he loved and worshipped was intimately present to him…the Lord was a rock and had tenderly breathed life into him at his birth. At no moment of the psalmist’s life would God be absent from him…and he could call on him always…God would be as close as his breath. What a comfort it is to know that our God is so connected to our hearts and minds! Of course there will be times when we wander from God…at least it seems as though we do…in reality that’s not possible. But there are other powers in the universe and we can often feel their influence…ugliness and evil are close at hand. In those moments it feels so good to call on the God who has never gone away, the God in whom we live and move and have our being. The God who brought us into existence will sustain us in times of danger and despair and give hope when our enemies come near. Even though we aren’t protected from every calamity we do find our strength in the Lord. In our God we have eternal security, and therefore with the psalmist our praise is continually of the Lord.

Thought for the Day: What is my major source of security?

Jeremiah 1:8-10

“Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, ‘Now I have put my words in your mouth.’”

Jeremiah’s call experience was so vivid…he could literally feel the touch of the Lord’s hand on his mouth. The vision changed his life and from that point on he proclaimed the word of the Lord to all who would listen and even to those who wouldn’t. It wasn’t a joyful experience. From the testimony of scripture we learn that he was maligned and abused at every turn…the people did everything but take his life. Humiliation was a daily occurrence…he was even thrown in jail. That’s how it is with true prophets, men and women who have had an encounter with the Divine Presence and have been given a mission. There is nothing that can dissuade them. They will remain faithful until the end. Their testimony through the ages has been an inspiration to the people of God. From them we learn that there are values and principles worth dying for…we are encouraged to take a stand for the God of steadfast love and mercy. Followers of Jesus recognize the legacy that we have from the prophets and even take to the streets to stand with the broken and the abused. We have been blessed with so many prophetic voices even in our time and because of their influence, bit by bit the Kingdom of God is becoming visible in our world.

Thought for the Day: Who are some contemporary prophets?

Jeremiah 1:4-7

“But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am only a boy”; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you.’” vs. 7

The story of Jeremiah’s call gives a perfect example of the special connection that some people of faith have to God. According to his own testimony Jeremiah knew from his youth that God wanted to use him to speak for fidelity and justice in Judah. This isn’t a call that he sought…he would have avoided it had he been able. But he had no doubt that God had a mission for him, a work that he had been gifted to undertake, and in the end he had no choice but to accept. This is the way God has continued to work in our world through the ages. When there is injustice of any kind, when people are being abused by deceptive rulers and dominating powers, God sends a person with special authority to speak the truth. Such people are a gift to the world…often times they have had a transforming effect on society and great good has come from their work. It may even be that we will hear such a call in the course of our daily living. We’ll become involved in a situation that cries out for intervention and we feel convicted to act or speak. We shouldn’t be surprised if such times come to us…and what a blessing it is to the world when we obey!

Thought for the Day: How might I react to a divine call to speak?

Luke 4:17b-21

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,” vs. 18

After his encounter with the Spirit in his baptism Jesus had gone into the wilderness for 40 days of meditation while he wrestled with his call. There were so many possibilities and alternatives…and all sounded tempting. Finally clarity emerged and he came out of the desert with a clear vision for mission that came straight from the prophet Isaiah. Jesus didn’t invent a new religion but found in the scriptures the core values that would guide his life until the end. We too face conflicting possibilities for life in this world and many sound really good. There are so many things we can do to gain wealth and privilege for ourselves, and we don’t even have to break the law! In our culture we are free to accumulate to our heart’s content and no one bats an eye. But if we’re at all interested in walking the Jesus way those choices only lead us off the path. The old truths still apply: the Spirit-filled followers of Jesus will spend their lives in bringing good news to the poor and offering hope to those who are oppressed. The announced mission of Jesus certainly did not end with his death. Indeed, it was only getting started!

Thought for the Day: Where am I seeing Jesus’ work being done?

Luke 4:14-17a

“Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country.” vs. 14

When the Spirit connected with Jesus in a divine epiphany on the day of his baptism it wasn’t just a momentary experience. This dove had come to hang around! The power of the Spirit remained and continued to give support during the time in the wilderness. What could have been a devastating encounter with the Evil One turned out to be a blessing. In those forty days Jesus was able to sort out priorities and figure out his calling. He emerged with passion in his heart and a determination to carry out his messianic mission. Not surprisingly, he headed back to his home territory. He knew the grinding poverty there and the way the poor were being exploited by the rich. He’d seen first hand the heavy hand of the occupying Roman armies and had heard the cries of the hungry. He came with good news…the Kingdom of God was at hand…and he received a hearty welcome throughout the surrounding country. People were ready for liberation and they heard in Jesus’ voice a compassion that came straight from the heart of God. Jesus preached in synagogues and healed the sick, and daily the crowds grew larger. The least and the lost flocked to him…and he didn’t let them down. The Spirit was his guide and his strength.

Thought for the Day: How does the Spirit strengthen me?

1 Corinthians 12: 20-31a

“If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.” vs. 26

Contemporary culture, particularly in the Western World, is marked by a strong preference for rugged individualism, an attitude that has crept into the way we articulate our faith. Often we hear talk of personal relationships with Jesus and the resulting individual salvation that is ours. It’s a perspective that seems natural to us but it’s relatively rare in our scriptures. In the Old Testament the emphasis is on the nation of Israel and its liberation from the bondage of Egypt. There’s virtual no conversation about the salvation of individuals. The New Testament picks up that theme with its language about the Body of Christ and our participation in it. Paul tells us that individuals are inextricably bound together in the Church and what affects one member affects all. When one suffers, all suffer; when one is honored, all rejoice. It’s been hard to hang on to this concept in a culture that is obsessed with individual rights and that minimizes collective responsibility. We’ve been taught from our youth that we are to take care of ourselves and look out for number one. Paul’s use of the body metaphor is meant to negate some of that thinking. We are at our best as the people of God when we lay aside our obsession with personal salvation and begin to value the needs of others as much as our own. Individually we are weak and needy…together we are strong!

Thought for the Day: If I don’t look out for myself, who will?