Hebrews 12:25-29

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe;” vs. 28

The writer of Hebrews goes to great pains to make connections for his readers between what happened in Jesus and the stories of God’s interactions with Israel. Because most of us have rather sketchy knowledge of the Old Testament passages he makes reference to, some parts of Hebrews are hard to decipher. In this section the writer is making connections between the shaking of Mount Sinai and the much anticipated quaking that is to come as a part of the last days. While we probably don’t even think like this anymore, there is a word of promise here that is worth hanging on to. Those who are in Christ, those who dwell in the peaceable kingdom, have nothing to fear. Our future is secure! And because we have that hope, all that is expected of us is deep thanksgiving, which will obviously include heartfelt worship and praise. Sometimes we might wonder why we should go to church, because there are times when it seems boring or inconvenient.  But the early Christians don’t seem to have wondered why. For them it was the very best way to offer God thanks for a beautiful and a guaranteed future! And so it is for us! Even in those times when it doesn’t seem very likely.

Thought for the Way: Is my future shaky or secure?

Hebrews 12:18-24

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering…” vs. 22

Because the writer of Hebrew was writing to people who had become Christians and were also well-versed in the intricacies of the Hebrew scriptures, Old Testament allusions abound. Here he makes reference to the gathering of the Israelites at the foot of Mt. Sinai when according to Exodus the people were terrified by the sight of the Lord’s activity on the mountain, the darkness and fire and fierce tempest.He contrasts the warnings received on that day with the celebration awaiting believers on Mount Zion. He says that the next time that we gather before the Lord there will be a festal gathering, a celebration of new life. It’s important to note that this writer does not focus on the warnings, and imply that they are still in effect for those who live in Christ. Some of us have had warnings like this thrown at us by overzealous preachers who are fixated with messages of gloom and doom. In reality those stories are in our scriptures strictly as a point of contrast with the message of hope and comfort that is ours through Christ Jesus. One day we will stand before God, but it’ll be a day of jubilation, and not of condemnation.

Thought for the Day: How do I react to a message of gloom and doom?

Psalm 103:1-8

 “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” vs. 8

The psalmist would have been surprised to learn that many Christians avoid the Hebrew scriptures as much as they can, having been brainwashed into believing that they contain nothing but tedious laws and stories of a vengeful demanding God. Of course all we need to do for another perspective is to actually take time to read those scriptures.. In reality the pages of the Old Testament are filled with remarkable passages like this one that affirm the absolute goodness of God and the uncompromising mercy and grace that is central to God’s nature. How sad it is that we spend even a single day imagining that the Lord is out to get us or cause us harm! We have been created in the image of God, and in spite of our brokenness, that goodness has never been taken from us. Here we find that God’s love is not only unconditional, it’s steadfast! There is nothing that can stop the Lord’s love from flowing into our lives. No matter what we do, no matter where we wander, Divine Love will continue to sustain and support us. In fact, the abundance of God’s love is beyond our human understanding. It’s exactly what we need in these troubled times when dysfunction and confusion seems to have taken over. No matter how unsteady and unreliable our leaders might become, God’s love will continue to be our hope and our joy, as long as we live and beyond.

Thought for the Day: When do I most need assurances of God’s steadfast love?

Isaiah 58:13b-14

“if you call the sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honourable; if you honour it, not going your own ways, serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs; then you shall take delight in the Lord,” vss. 13b-14a

Those who have spent a lifetime worshipping on a weekly basis probably do so for a variety of reasons. For some it’s simply a habit and they don’t really think too much about it. But for others it truly is a delight! While few spend the whole day in church, those who do worship consistently report that the time spent with their faith community is well worth it. Not only do they get a chance to meet with friends and neighbors, there’s always a chance they’ll get acquainted with someone new. And the liturgical experience, whether familiar or new, generally gives a chance to sing–and God knows, that’s always good for our spirits. And then there are the scriptures and the sermon, a chance for us to hear a new gospel truth or be reminded of ways we can put our faith into action. Prayers help us to center our attention on our relationship to God and give us time to offer the names of hurting family or friends. But probably the center of the service is Holy Communion, that mysterious meal in which we become one with Jesus and get a chance to actually taste his forgiveness and love. Isaiah is right. Keeping the Sabbath is a never-ending delight.

Thought for the Day: What do I find delightful in worship?

Isaiah 58:9b-12

“If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,

then your light shall rise in the darkness.” vss. 9b-10

In recent weeks we have seen multiple photos and videos from occupied Gaza that show the radical effects of hunger and starvation. Hundreds have died and many more hundreds have died in their efforts to reach food distribution centers. The pictures of the children are heartbreaking. They aren’t dying as the result of bomb blasts or gunfire but because they are being denied food and nourishment. It isn’t that food is unavailable. Less than fifty miles away truckloads with the needed supplies are waiting for permission to enter the land and deliver the food. It truly is a humanitarian crisis! And most of us deal with it by avoiding the pictures–they’re just too hard to look at! The prophet knew about such things. He knew how humans love to speak evil and point fingers to assess blame. But he also indicates that there’s nothing more important than offering food to the hungry and satisfying the needs of the afflicted. We all know about the atrocities of Hamas–and the Palestinians have been severely punished for those actions–surely it is now past time to stop the ongoing starvation of the innocents.

Thought for the Day: What can I do when it seems there’s nothing I can do?

Luke 12:54-56

“You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?” vs. 56

The people in the crowds who gathered to hear Jesus teach were adept at making weather forecasts. Years of agricultural living had made them experts on interpreting the skies and the winds. They were much more capable than we are when it comes to reading the book of nature. But Jesus called them hypocrites because they failed to grasp the significance of his mission in the context of the changing times. In our age we don’t have to know any physical science to predict the weather. We get our amazingly accurate forecasts just by looking at our smartphones. But we’re not much better than the folks in Jesus’ crowds at deciphering the spiritual dimensions of our existence. We tend to become completely bogged down with our material obsessions and actually miss the real point of living. There is a better way to live than in blind obedience to the power hungry misguided rulers of our world. We don’t have to be obsessed by the vagaries of the stock market or the latest Tic Tok or Etsy trends. We are called into that new life by the invitation of the Holy Spirit, and as we learn to savor the delights of gospel living, the joy of the kingdom will lift us from despair and give us hope.

Thought for the Day: What’s my interpretation of the present time?

Luke 12:49-53

“I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!” vss. 50-51

Often we imagine that Jesus was a man of infinite patience and deep serenity. Today’s text presents a different picture, one that may surprise us. Jesus told his disciples that he was having enormous stress as he continued his mission, and that he couldn’t wait until he was finished. And the main reason for his stress was the division that his ministry was bringing to many families. In some ways that knowledge can be a comfort to us. Because the same things that brought stress for Jesus can still plague our daily living. Everywhere we look we see division, certainly on a global and national level, but often in our families as well. And it produces enormous stress in our lives. And just because we have strong faith, and are seeking to show patience and peace on a daily basis we aren’t immune to the pain. It hurts to see our nation and our families struggle, and some days, like Jesus, we just can’t wait to be done with it all. The one thing we can’t do is retreat from the path of faith and obedience. We will continue to practice unconditional love and sacrificial service. That is our call and our mission, and even when stressed, we will continue to walk in the Way!

Thought for the Day: When am I most stressed? What do I do about it?

Hebrews 12:1-2

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us…” vs. 1

The stories of the ancestors were a great inspiration to the Hebrew Christians. These were the witnesses who had gone before them, sometimes making unbelievable sacrifices for the sake of those who would walk in their footsteps. As we have done our genealogical studies in this age of ancestral curiosity many have discovered people who have also endured great pain and affliction in the hope of making a better life for those who came after them. As we explore their stories in family archives we will likely want to prove worthy of their sacrifices, and as the writer of Hebrews suggests, lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely and run with perseverance the race that is set before us. You see, we are a part of a great community of saints, some who now rest from their labors, and we’re not running alone. We belong to those who have gone before us and those who will come after us. And always we will be keeping our eyes focused on Jesus. We know how he lived, and the great love he had for the people around him. Truly he was the pioneer and the perfecter of our faith, and in him, we, and those who come after us will enjoy all the blessings of the kingdom.

Thought for the Day: What sacrifices did my ancestors make?

Hebrews 11:29-40

“And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises…” vss. 32-33

The writer of Hebrews believed that all the heroes and heroines of Israel had lived by faith, just as had the ancestors of them all, Abraham and Sarah. It was a proud history. Yet even though those persons had been commended for their faith, none of them had yet received the perfection of their faith. They too were dependent on Jesus, the one who had been raised up from the dead and who now lived in glory. That provides an answer for the question that many have asked about the nature of salvation: can those who have not known Jesus receive new life in him? The passage makes the answer clear. The new life in Christ is for all people of all times, not just those who believe in Jesus or who have committed their lives to him. That’s hard to comprehend, and some may disagree, but it remains a powerful testimony to the unconditional love of God and the extravagant mercy contained in the gospel. Sometimes things are just too wonderful for our little minds to understand. But if there’s hope for Rahab the prostitute and David the adulterer, there’s obviously hope for us as well.

Thought for the Day: What is my faith leading me to do?

Psalm 82

“Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” vss. 3-4

The psalmist is imagining a council of the gods of the nations that has gathered to consider the state of human kind. Such gatherings are mentioned a number of times in the Hebrew scriptures, and can be understood as a precursor to the absolute monotheism that was typical of Judaism. In this instance the psalmist indicates that the God of Israel rose up at the council and pronounced judgment on the other gods. God has noticed that in the other nations the poor and the needy are being marginalized and abused, that they’re being taken advantage of by the wicked. God then lifts up one of the cardinal principles of the nation of Israel. Always the leaders are to give justice to the weak and the orphan and maintain the rights of the lowly and the destitute. It’s hard to miss the psalmist’s point! Yet we miss the mark again and again. Too many nations neglect the weak and the needy while offering the rich and the powerful every possible advantage. We’re seeing that again in our world as the gap between the rich and the poor increases to unprecedented levels. No matter how we imagine God to be, it cannot be that this is the dawn of the peaceable kingdom promised by Jesus. What is happening is not God’s intention.

Thought for the Day: Why does God care so much about the weak and the lowly?