Ephesians 4:11-16

“The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…” vss. 11-12

Sometimes when a congregation is involved in the call process and candidates are being considered for the position of pastor, there’s some confusion about what pastors should be expected to do. Suggestions are received from members and the resulting job description is likely to be beyond the capacity of Jesus to fulfill. Some congregations want their pastors to do everything and expectations are high. But essentially a pastor has one general purpose…”to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” To put it crassly, a pastor is like a strength coach and will focus her every energy on getting every member involved in ministry through training, solid preaching, encouragement, and education. The most gifted pastors will do everything possible to develop a setting where all members are encouraged and freed to use their gifts in both serving and leading. Every saint has a baptismal calling and has been designated for important work within the body of Christ. Some will be involved in nurture and others in outreach but all have been gifted by the Spirit to make a difference for good. Pastors are called to cast a vision of the possibilities and then get out of the way. It’s the well-equipped saints who will change the world!

Thought for the Day: The most effective pastor I’ve known.

Ephesians 4:1-10

“I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…” vss. 1-2

As holy and called followers of Jesus we are to lead lives that reflect our calling. Of course we are saved by grace but that can never be an excuse for careless and shameful living. There are standards to be upheld…and they are not complicated. Whatever our place in life, whether president, engineer, or teacher, we are to exhibit humility, gentleness, and patience…and bear with one another in love. So how is it that we find folks claiming to be Christians who behave in such contrary ways? They act like street toughs, bullying all they encounter, insisting on their own way, and are always looking for immediate gratification. Some would say that we shouldn’t judge such people, that we’re all sinners and behave poorly. And of course that’s true. But the problem is that many don’t even consider gentleness and humility as options in our changing society! Some even believe that aggression and toughness are admirable traits, a necessary way to navigate in our hyper-competitive world, a better way for even Christians to behave. Fortunately there are still believers who continue to practice patience and forbearance in their dealings with others. It’s such a pleasure to bask in their gentle presence…it’s almost like snuggling up to Jesus.

Thought for the Day: How do I show my gentleness?

Psalm 78:23-29

“And they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved.” vs. 29

There were regular prayers of thanksgiving among the Israelites for the gracious provision of the Lord during their time in the wilderness. Those psalms and songs insured that they would never forget that they had been kept from starvation by the hand of God. And because that was true God would surely continue to keep them safe and provide for their every need. It’s also true that since then countless millions of people in our world have starved to death because food was not available to them. And we wonder, “Where is God for such folks? Why weren’t they showered with the “bread of angels” and pigeons brought in by the wind?” Those are good questions and we struggle for answers. The best answer is that the food is available…the earth produces in abundance…we’re just not very good at distribution! Surely it is God’s intention that all people have plenty to meet their bodily needs…and some say we’re getting better at the business of sharing. Certainly it’s on our minds…every congregation worth its salt has programs to provide food for the hungry…and massive numbers of people are being fed through their efforts. This is how God works in our world. We are the hands of God in making sure that the hungry will eat and be well filled…such is God’s gracious will.

Thought for the Day: How am I helping to feed the hungry?

Exodus 16:9-15

“When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.’” vs. 15

When the Israelites saw the flaky substance on the ground, they said, “Man hu,” which in Hebrew means, “What is it?” Their question sounds like “manna,” the word used to describe the life-sustaining bread provided by God in the wilderness, and reminds us that sometimes we don’t recognize God’s blessings even when they’re showered upon us. We do know that we need nourishment of every kind in the course of daily living, bread that feeds both our bodies and souls. We’ve gotten pretty good at figuring out needed daily nutrients for bones and muscles, but we’re not nearly so adept at spotting and consuming the spiritual food God regularly provides. Often it seems so ordinary that we can’t even see that it’s good for us. For instance we’re told that meditation is better than fish oil for personal well-being but we’re skeptical and suspicious. We could meditate, and all of us have the time. Instead we ask “what is it?” and don’t even try. We don’t have a clue that in the meditative silence God can come in a big way and give us soul-strength for every challenge. Manna is like that. It’s so ordinary and readily available, like the bit of bread in Holy Communion. What a pity that so many of us just say “man hu” and never bother to follow up!

Thought for the Day: Where do I find my manna?

Exodus 16:2-4

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.’” vs. 4

The story of the Exodus, Israel’s defining historical narrative, was passed from generation to generation for hundreds of years. Every child knew that their ancestors had been released from bondage by the hand of the Lord and had wandered through the wilderness through forty years of privation and provision. In the process the people had learned an important truth: their greatest test would come, not in the times when they had nothing, but in the periods of extravagant blessing. So it goes for us! Like them we tend to complain about scarcity and regularly make our laments known to God. We crave abundance…and love it when prosperity rains down in our lives. This text reminds us that material blessings are always a test of our faithfulness…and too often, we end up failing the test. We get more than we deserve and immediately want more…and our greed blinds us to God’s intentions. Instead of gladly sharing what we have received we quickly turn to hoarding and putting our own needs first. Instead of learning from the experiences of those who have gone before us we repeat their errors…and our blessings often become a curse.

Thought for the Day: How have good times tested me?

John 6:15-21

“But he said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’” vs. 20

It was a scary night for the disciples. Jesus had left them alone and gone off by himself and they had headed for home in their boat. The waves made the rowing difficult but it wasn’t the storm that frightened them. It was Jesus…he showed up where they hadn’t expected him and they were terrified. His words are familiar to us…we hear them often in the gospels, “Do not be afraid.” It’s a message we need to hear too. Unfortunately too many of our leaders do all that they can to ramp up the fear and we’re told to be afraid of everything…refugees, Muslims, drug traffickers, sex predators, child abductors, cancer, death, etc. In some people’s minds enemies abound…so they hunker down, erect barriers and walls, and avoid strangers. Obviously there are bad things that can happen in our world…there are storms, the winds blow, and we can find ourselves in scary situations. That’s real…but it’s also the truth that Jesus is among us, and he keeps on telling us that if he’s near there’s no need to be afraid. “Calm down,” he tells us. “The future’s not nearly so bad as you may think it is…and even when times get turbulent I’ll continue to be with you.” The neat thing about the disciples’ struggle on the lake is that when Jesus climbed aboard they immediately got to the place where they were going. That’s how it is with Jesus…with him we always arrive home in safety!

Thought for the Day: What do I fear?

John 6:1-14

“Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.” vs. 11

As we read these words from John’s account of the feeding of the 5000 we’re reminded of Holy Communion. Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed the bread to the people…and all who ate were satisfied. Sometimes we get sidetracked in our reflection and begin to wonder how Jesus did this, as though he were a highly skilled magician performing in Los Vegas…and that kind of thinking completely misses the point of the story. John tells us plainly that this wasn’t magic; it was a sign, a sign that that pointed to Jesus as the prophet promised by scripture. This was more than a supernatural feeding, it was a foretaste of the amazing feast that is the central part of our worship. Jesus didn’t just fill the stomachs of the crowd…he satisfied them! And so he does for us. That little bit of bread in Holy Communion, not even enough for a snack, is a taste of Christ’s presence, a reminder that Jesus is the Bread of Life. In him is sweet forgiveness and perfect cleansing, all we need to bring contentment to our hungry hearts. John’s story is an extravagant display of God’s abundant love…and of course there are leftovers. No one ever meets Jesus and goes away hungry…that’s just the way he is!

Thought for the Day: What part of worship is most satisfying for me?

Ephesians 3:19-21

“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” vs. 20-21

Early believers were amazed at the growth and the vitality of the movement that had started with only a few disciples in the days following the resurrection. It just didn’t seem possible that their radical message could have taken root so quickly and spread so far. They were pretty much a rag-tag group of volunteers with no expertise in marketing or public relations. Already there were congregations in all the major cities of the Empire. They had been successful beyond their imaginations. How had that happened? For them the only possible answer was the power of the Holy Spirit. Because of the power of God at work in their lives they’d been able to do more than they had even dreamed. With that as our heritage it’s strange that we now seem to be beset by a spirit of pessimism…so many look to the future and see a dying church. How could that possibly be? There are over a billion believers in the world….far more than the few dozen at Pentecost. Do we imagine that God has abandoned us? Absurd! The Holy Spirit is at work in a big way within the Body of Christ and that means we have an abundant power-filled future. Glory be to God for our bright and promising tomorrows!

Thought for the Day: How might the Church change in years ahead?

Ephesians 3:14-18

“I pray that… Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.” vs. 16a-17

We are regularly told in Paul’s letters that we are “in Christ,” that we are in fact his Body in the world. It’s a magnificent concept and helps us understand our part in Christ’s continuing presence. We are literally Christ’s hands and feet and it’s through us that the hurting find healing and captives are made free. In this passage however we are told that, not only are we in Christ, but Christ is in us, and it’s possible for Christ to dwell in our hearts through faith. For many believers this is one of the basics of the gospel message. For them the first step of faith is to invite Christ to come live in our hearts. They remember that old Sunday School song, “Into my heart, into my heart, come into my heart Lord Jesus, come in today, come in to stay, come into my heart Lord Jesus.” The effect of this teaching has been to make our faith commitment intensely personal…which can be a good thing as long as we don’t forget that the relationship is also corporate! We don’t only have a connection with Jesus through our hearts, but we’re also connected through the Body. And how do we know the connection is real and true? Well, as the old camp song puts it, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.” There’ll be growing love in both our hearts and in our communities…that’s just how the Spirit works!

Thought for the Day: How do I know Christ dwells in my heart?

Psalm 145:15-18

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” vs. 18

The psalmist has a compelling perspective. Not only is the Lord the awesome ruler of the universe, one who provides for the needs of every living creature, the Lord is the intimate source of strength and life, as near to us as our breath. It’s important for us to remember this, particularly when we struggle with isolation and a deep sense of loneliness. It’s possible to feel so alone as we make our way on the journey, as though it’s just us and our thoughts and nobody else. We can begin to imagine that no one cares, that there’s no one else in all the world that has us on their minds. Some people actually begin to believe that it doesn’t make any difference whether they live or die, that no one would even notice if they weren’t around anymore. In those moments it’s not that we’ve stopped believing in God, but we stop believing that God is near. It may very well be that our friends and family don’t have us in mind at every moment, but God is close, God’s being is a part of our essence. As another sage puts it in Psalm 139, “You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.” So does this make a difference for us? It can! Humans are notoriously fickle as companions and friends…but God is our friend forever.

Thought for the Day: When do I feel most alone?