Mark 7:14-15, 21-23

“Then he called the crowd again and said to them, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.’” vss. 14-15

Jesus spoke these words in response to the Pharisees’ insistence upon complete adherence to the most minute points of their laws, particularly those which dealt with proper eating and drinking. Most of those ordinances had arisen through the centuries to help people understand what was necessary for complete obedience to God’s basic commandments. The rabbis believed that if one were attentive to the minor points of the law there would be little danger of committing a major sin. It was a reasonable premise…but things had gotten out of hand. The whole purpose of the law had been forgotten…instead of being a blessing, a way to order life in community, it had become a curse. So Jesus calls the people back to the basics: God is not concerned with the externals…what counts with God is what is on the inside! What’s important is a clean heart, and not clean hands! It’s a simple teaching, yet one that is devilishly hard to put into practice. Because of our judgmental nature we tend to focus on externals, how we and others behave in public settings. What a blessing to ourselves and to others when our focus shifts and we begin to care for the health of our souls!

Thought for the Day: What is proper soul care?

Mark 7:1-8

“Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them.” vss. 1-2

The Pharisees were not particularly health conscious…they weren’t worried about germs or pathogens. When they noticed that some disciples had not washed their hands they objected on religious grounds. This was a violation of the law…and they felt obligated to speak up. In our supposedly enlightened times it’s tempting for us to laugh at their legalisms…except that we’re prone to do exactly the same things. Many of us establish some pretty rigid standards for religious behavior and we can be pretty unforgiving about violations. Practices that have developed out of a particular heritage can become codified in our congregation or denomination and sometimes we’re unable to tolerate variations. A new version of the Lord’s Prayer can cause controversy in the extreme and God help us if someone suggests a new way to do communion. Jesus taught his disciples that the essence of the law was the love of God and of neighbor…anything else was subject to interpretation and change. We’re still learning that lesson…and too often we lose the battle with legalism and biblicism. Of course we need order in our liturgies and worship…of course there are behaviors that are immoral and wrong…but grace is the core of the gospel and love is its manifestation.

Thought for the Day:  What is biblicism?

James 1:22-27

“But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.” vs. 22

Surveys in recent years have shown that many people regularly associate the word “Christian” with the word “hypocrite.” Reasons for such an association might vary but it’s certainly not something for Christians to be proud of. Some might say this has happened because the popular culture is at war with our faith and has plotted to ruin its reputation. Others believe the association has been well earned, that Christians often behave in ways that are contradictory to the basic teachings of Jesus. To put it simply, we haven’t been walking the talk! James was aware of such things way back at the beginning and forcefully addresses the issue in his epistle. In his estimation too many people were getting caught up in the fine points of doctrine and religion and were failing to show compassion and generous love. What we often forget is that people notice such things! When they see self-professed Christians acting in pompous and condescending ways they’re turned off to the faith. They know perfectly well that Jesus was a humble servant, one who gladly gave his life for the broken and needy. When his followers seem to be serving only their own selfish needs their witness becomes a joke…they are hearers who have badly deceived themselves. The world knows integrity when it sees it…when it’s absent it is not impressed!

Thought for the Day: Why don’t Christians practice what they preach?

James 1:17-21

“You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness.” vss. 19-20

According to James those who are followers of Jesus are a kind of first fruits of God’s creatures. We have been given the power to live as God intends, a template of righteous living for others to emulate. James indicates that as God’s righteous ones the first thing for us to do is to be quick to listen and slow to speak. Of course James isn’t the first to hold up the virtues of listening…nor was he the last. It’s one of those bits of wisdom that has permeated the culture…yet few have learned to do it well. It should be easy to keep our mouths shut and our ears open but it’s notoriously difficult. Really, there’s no greater gift that we can give another person than our respectful attention to what they’re saying. Often our reflective listening will ease stress and calm anxiety…and it’s the first step in healing a broken relationship. Especially if we don’t allow what has been said fuel an angry response! James mentions that too…we should be slow to anger, for anger undermines righteousness and accelerates brokenness. In the current political climate some have found it difficult to listen and easy to become angry. Perhaps it’s time we stepped away from our rancorous and divisive assertions and simply keep our mouths shut. Ugly responses, no matter how clever, only drive us apart and have no value in the kingdom of God.

Thought for the Day: What makes a person a good listener?

Psalm 15

“O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill? Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart;” vss. 1-2

Many of us are pretty comfortable thinking of ourselves as sinners. We know what we’re like on the inside and that we regularly wander from the path of righteousness. It’s an identity that grows on us and we certainly don’t have any trouble with times of confession during worship. There’s no problem with this self-perception…most would even say it’s healthy. It becomes a difficulty only when we forget that in Christ we’ve been forgiven and cleansed. And as righteous persons we are subject to the highest standards. In the words of the psalmist, we are called to walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from our hearts. Too often we see people in the public eye explaining their abysmal behavior by playing their “I’m a sinner too” card. That may be true but it’s no excuse for immoral and indecent acts, and it’s certainly no excuse for the lying that has become so common among us. Those who claim to be followers of Jesus should be living exemplary lives, actively pursuing justice, and their behavior should be beyond reproach. Some might wonder if they’re up to that kind of living, and the answer is, “of course.” The Holy Spirit is at work daily in our lives to produce the fruits of righteousness…and that fruit is intended to be visible.

Thought for the Day: What’s the toughest thing about being righteous?

Deuteronomy 4:7-9

“But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children—” vs. 9

It’s not unusual for the faith convictions of our early years to be eroded away by the passage of time. Some of us grew up in homes with parents who were committed followers of Jesus, believers who made sure that we worshipped and learned the basic teachings of scripture. At a particular age we may have made our own declarations of faith and vowed to follow Jesus all the days of our lives. But then life happens…and it’s easy to forget the environment in which we were raised. Confirmation vows slip from our minds and we become much more enamored of sports and music idols than the person of Jesus. Occasionally we’ll stumble across the bible we got from our parents, but it sparks nothing more than a wave of nostalgia…like finding our old report cards stored away in an attic. Religion becomes a cultural thing and soon Christmas is our only connection to our past faith. Absent any significant nurturing our own children seldom worship and grandchildren know nothing of the truths that fed our spirits in those younger years. It takes only three generations for faith to disappear from our families and it happens again and again. No wonder the Israelites were told to take care…our connections to God are delicate and need constant attention.

Thought for the Day: Will my grandchildren be followers of Jesus?

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6

“You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!’” vs. 6

Even in its best years Israel was not a particularly imposing country. It lacked size and resources and wasn’t in a position to rule or conquer. Through most of its history it was subject to the whim of its more powerful neighbors and was always in danger of being swallowed up. As time passed they began to realize that their God was their strength…and no other nation had been blessed with the statutes and the commandments that they had been given. Their leaders told them that their obedience to those laws was a sign of wisdom and discernment…and their commitment to the rule of law would make them stand out among all other nations. In our age we’ve come to realize the truth of Israel’s conviction. The major reason for the breakdown of any nation is the dissolution of standards, that moment it which it fails to live up to the idealism of its founders. Again and again we’ve seen the corruption of ruling parties and their devotion to wealth and power undermine a country’s strength and morale. When money speaks more loudly than commitment to justice and voices of wisdom and discernment are stifled, we can expect decline to follow. The basic commandments of God are immutable and when they are broken, disaster is sure to follow!

Thought for the Day: What makes America great? How are we doing?

John 6:62-69

“Simon Peter answered him, ’Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’” vss. 68-69

From time to time disciples wander off and cease to be a part of a worshipping community. It could be that they’re burned out and want a break from heavy involvement…or maybe they’ve gotten upset, something that sadly seems to happen with some frequency. Of course it could also be a faith crisis…they question the teachings they’ve heard and decide to check out other possibilities. It’s not unusual for folks to start thinking such things…but when it comes to finding other paths to enlightenment many people find themselves echoing the words of Peter. “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life.” And that’s really how it is for followers of Jesus. They know enough of the world and things that are being practiced and taught, and they’re convinced that they aren’t going to find a better way to live than the Way and Truth of Jesus. And so they continue walking with him. Their faith is their strength mid the joys and disappointments of the journey and even grows stronger year by year. They know in their hearts that Jesus is the Holy One of God and have come to believe that following in his steps brings both comfort and hope. For them it is the very best way to live.

Thought for the Day: Who would I follow if I didn’t follow Jesus?

John 6:56-61

“When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?’” vs. 60

Many people are attracted to the person of Jesus. His teachings point us to a way of life that is admirable…we can all agree on how important it is to love others and give ourselves in humble service. But there are some teachings that have been contentious from the very beginning, and one of those has to do with eating his flesh and drinking his blood. John tells us that many of his disciples found his claims to be a stumbling block…they couldn’t accept it. And the passage of time hasn’t made acceptance any easier…we’re still debating communion beliefs and practices. In fact our disagreements about this matter have led to some of the deepest divisions within the Body of Christ. Many are so set in their convictions that they will refuse to commune with those holding contrary views. But not everyone is so rigid! In recent years we’ve seen some of the barriers come down as believers have realized that Holy Communion is an opportunity to come together in spite of differences in order to celebrate unity. Jesus’ teaching is still difficult…it’s hard for our little minds to comprehend how bread and wine can be flesh and blood. But we don’t have understand food in order to be nourished by it, and so it is at the Lord’s Table. Those eat and drink will be fed and satisfied…and that’s the bottom line!

Thought for the Day: Which of Jesus’ teachings is most difficult for me?

Ephesians 6:16-20

“Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel…” vs. 19

Every week in thousands of congregations around the globe preachers are called upon to present the word, usually in the form of a sermon. They need our prayers! Proclaiming the word of God is a scary proposition…the responsibility is great. It’s not a matter of showing off rhetorical skills or trying to impress with clever or witty stories. Rather, as Ephesians plainly states,  the preacher is charged with presenting with boldness the mystery of the gospel. It’s an enormous challenge. So many pieces have to fall into place…the needs of the congregation, the situation of the world, the context of the scripture…all these things will have a part to play in the development of a fitting message. Occasionally the preacher will have a vision of what needs to be said but struggle to find the words…mysteries are notoriously difficult to explain. Hours can go by with no inspiration. And sometimes the message falls flat…the words that are finally said seem woefully inadequate and the preacher is wracked with guilt. But sometimes it works…the prayers of congregants are heard, the Holy Spirit gives the words, and by the grace of God the gospel is proclaimed and heard. And the humble preacher gives all the glory to God!

Thought for the Day: What makes for a good preacher?