Isaiah 5:1-7

“Let me sing for my beloved my love-song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.” vs. 1

Isaiah imagines the Lord singing a love-song for the nation of Israel and it’s rather like a country western. It starts with an image of a vineyard, one planted with care on a very fertile hill, but the refrain turns dark in a hurry, “when I expected it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?” Isaiah’s song reflects the deep disappointment that God had for the much loved people of Judah and Jerusalem. The prophet could not imagine that God would continue to have patience and that God would act soon to ravage the vineyard so carefully planted and nourished.

Such feelings have been expressed by faith leaders, contemporary prophets, concerning our own country. We have long believed that our country is under God and exists to be a blessing for the whole world. We have enjoyed great prosperity and have been a beacon of light for the global community. But now some are questioning and wondering if we have lost our focus. Aid programs are being abandoned if they have no direct benefit to our own prosperity. We’re more interested in deporting refugees than in welcoming them!

Part of this can be traced to our obsession with prosperity and accumulating wealth beyond the imagination of ordinary folks. Billionaires have taken control and have little interest in making life better for the poor. And the Lord’s love-song has become only a distant memory!

Thought for the Day: Which nations does God favor?

Matthew 21:28-31

“Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.’” vs. 31

When he was challenged by the chief priests and the elders in the temple Jesus told them a little parable about a father who asked his two sons to go work in the vineyard. One says that he will work but fails to do so, the other refuses, but then goes. Jesus’ follow-up question has an easy answer, and his opponents quickly respond. And then Jesus nails them with an unexpected and insulting observation. Sinners will enter the kingdom of God ahead of them!

Jesus didn’t win any friends among the religious establishment that day in the temple, but he couldn’t have given a more fitting response. The kingdom of God is particularly designed for those that religion labels as unworthy, and it’s the broken and downtrodden who are received with open arms.

In our faith communities this presents a special challenge. Many of us have cultivated lifestyles that fit societal standards and we enjoy gathering for worship with “proper folks” who live by the same norms. And often there is a strict unwritten divide between us and less respectable people. So it hurts our feelings when Jesus indicates that he prefers the company of the “lowly ones.” We might wonder if he’d even feel welcome in our congregation.

Thought for the Day: Is my congregation more like a country club or a hospital?

Matthew 21:23-32

“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

In general the people who heard Jesus teach in the course of his ministry didn’t question his authority. He didn’t belong to any particular school of thought or claim to follow some famous rabbi. He spoke from the heart and conveyed the truth through parables and metaphors. He didn’t need a stamp of approval from the religious leaders who controlled the temple. As a result, when he came to Jerusalem and started teaching in the temple those priests and elders were upset. They wanted to see his credentials, and Jesus refused to play their game.

We can’t blame the leaders for their questions. They were doing their jobs. We have the same high regard for credentials. Congregational councils take great care in checking the backgrounds of those they call to preach or teach. They ask for letters of accreditation.  There are just too many charlatans wandering around looking for opportunities to lead people astray. 

But sometimes we encounter people who speak and act with an authority that is not derived from any board or council and we know in an instant that they are authentic messengers of divine truth. We see it in their eyes and in their hearts. Like Jesus, they command our attention and enrich our lives. 

Thought for the Day: Why are religious people so easily fooled?

Philippians 2:5-13

“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

Paul concludes this section with what seems at first to be an ominous imperative, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”  Some might even infer from these words that the whole matter of our salvation is up for grabs, that it depends not on grace but on hard work. Of course that’s not the case. Our salvation is by grace, but it’s also a scary proposition. 

It’s scary because it doesn’t come to us as a rulebook with clearcut definitions and procedures. And as we begin to unpack it we discover that there will be mystery and a high degree of uncertainty as it unfolds in our lives. And it will be absolutely unique to who we are. And because it’s not a roadmap designed to get us into heaven, it can even be confusing. The final destination is secure, but there’s a good deal of mystery involved in our daily walk. 

As Paul indicates, sometimes we won’t even be able to move from one day to the next without fear and trembling–in fact there are hard decisions to make even in the course of a single day. The one consolation that we have is that God is at work within us to bring about a harvest of goodness, and God’s will will be done! And ultimately, that is our salvation!

Thought for the Day: How is God at work in me?

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

Because we tend to focus on the theological writings of Paul in our scriptures we don’t appreciate the vision that he had for our life together as the followers of Jesus. These words to his friends in the congregation at Philippi, are beyond inspiring. They come straight from the heart of God and deserve to be memorized and put into practice in every community of faith on the planet.

Just the one phrase, “in humility regard others as better than yourselves,” could transform our lives and relationships if only we would take them to heart. The world tells us that selfishness is the way to prosperity and influence, and often it seems as though the loud and the obnoxious dominate the public discourse. But that’s only an illusion. In reality the real power lies with those who put aside their ambition and conceit  and learn to walk with the poor and the lowly. These are the humble leaders who make a difference for good in the world.

We can generally spot such folks a mile away. They are the ones who are listening and asking questions, honestly trying to understand the needs and the interests of others. They take time with people and their kind smiles and gentle affections kindle sparks of love in even the most stubborn and resistant hearts.

Thought for the Day: How does selfish ambition differ from selfless ambition?

Psalm 25:1-9

“Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.” vss. 8-9

The psalmist has nothing but praise for the Lord. God is good, the epitome of loving kindness, and wants nothing more than for sinners to learn the way and walk on the path of righteousness. In other words, we are accompanied in our brokenness by the Lord, and not abandoned. And as we learn the way, we do so, not among the sinless and the perfect, but among folks just like ourselves, sheep who have gone astray.

And we will be known for our humility! Again and again our scriptures declare that it is the humble who are closest to the heart of God. That’s such a contrast with the way of the world where pride and arrogance dominate, and our leaders disparage the humble as being weak and ineffectual. People are taught to flaunt their riches and beauty and take pride in testosterone fueled displays of strength and vulgarity.

How different life is in the Kingdom of God! Here it is that sacrificial service is valued and cherished, and people learn humility by walking in the way of Jesus. Here gentleness is encouraged and soft voices murmur words of love in the ears of the hurting and the discouraged. The weak are lifted up, the wounded are healed, and the broken discover that the genes of their souls have been infused with the presence of God.

Thought for the Day: Where did I learn humility?

Ezekiel 18:25-32

“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin.” vs. 30

The prophet was speaking to the house of Israel, the nation that had come out of the wilderness and settled in the land of Canaan. What they were doing as individuals was not his primary concern. When he calls them to repentance he has in mind the complete reorientation of the entire nation. He wants them to live as God’s own people, one that is different from all the other peoples of the region. Instead of being concerned about power and riches for the king’s household, they are to care for the poor and the needy who live within their borders.

It’s not unusual in our day for politicians to call our country to repentance. What they have in mind are the folks engaging in what they define immoral behavior, particularly that of a sexual nature. They say that it is because of such persons that God will bring judgment down upon us all.

 But when the prophet called Israel to repent he was talking to the nation’s leaders, the greedy ones who were neglecting and abusing the poor and needy. Jesus picked up on that message in his Matthew 25 parable about the last judgment, where it is the nations are called to account for the way they’ve treated the poor, the hungry, the thirsty, refugees, and those in prison. 

Thought for the Day: How could our nation repent if it so desired?

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

The prophet quoted a proverb that was common in Israel, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” The proverb was a way to understand why bad things were happening in a person’s life, and it reflects a view that is even common today. Why am I having such a tough time? Well, it must be my parents’ fault. My mom or dad screwed up and now I’m the one who suffers.

The proverb continues to have credence because to some extent it is true. Consequences for careless and reckless living are passed on to succeeding generations. We’ve seen this in our families and in our communities. And we’re constantly telling our politicians that the legislation they are putting into law will have disastrous effects on our children and grandchildren. Our behaviors do make a difference to those who come after us.

But both Ezekiel and Jeremiah agree that the proverb should not be used. And Jesus did not blame the parents for the blindness of their son.The past does not define our future! We aren’t bound to suffer because our parents behaved poorly! We have agency and can change–we are fully capable of repentance and can live new lives in Christ Jesus.

Thought for the Day: How has my life changed for the better?

Matthew 20:10-16

“But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you.’” vss. 13-14

The laborers in the vineyard had not been treated unfairly. The owner had paid them the usual daily wage, exactly what had been agreed upon when they started working. They grumbled because the owner’s generosity with other workers had led them to believe that they would be getting more.

This parable points to a huge problem that people have had with kingdom living. While we gladly accept the gracious mercies of God for ourselves, we have an incredibly hard time believing that such love and mercy should be extended to those less deserving than ourselves. It just doesn’t seem fair that the same forgiveness should be offered to pedophiles as was given to Mother Theresa. 

If only we could learn to be content with what we are and what we have, and not even worry about what others get and have. But that is so hard! We’re forever measuring and comparing, so afraid that others are getting more than their due. And in the process we completely miss out on the joy of living. We have so much! Why do we even think we need more?

Thought for the Day: What is most likely to rob me of contentment?

Matthew 20:1-9

“When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.” vss. 3-4

There really aren’t any words that are adequate to describe the kingdom of heaven, and Jesus doesn’t even try. Instead he tells parables, stories that paint a picture of what life in the kingdom is like. He’s not talking about some otherworldly place beyond the clouds, he’s describing what life in the here and now can be like when we’re in touch with the Spirit of God.

In the parable of the laborers in the vineyard Jesus is describing what must have been a familiar activity in the life of a small village. A landowner goes into the marketplace to hire workers from among those lounging about looking for a job. He finds one group early in the morning and agrees with them about what the daily wage will be. When he still needs workers and comes back a couple of hours later, he hires them too, promising only to pay whatever is right.

Jesus here touches on a basic expectation that we have about life in this world. Whatever the circumstances or conditions we are experiencing we do have a sense that we will be treated fairly. Life can be very good, and it’s unlikely we will have any complaints, as long as we are getting our just rewards.

Thought for the Day: When have I been treated fairly in my life?