1 John 4:7-16

“No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.” vs. 12

Many of us have profound questions about God and do all we can to find satisfactory answers. Inevitably that search will be frustrated…God is beyond space and time and inaccessible to our mortal minds. As John tells us clearly, no one has ever seen God. But that doesn’t mean we have nothing to say about God or that we can never experience God’s presence. John goes on to say that God is love and if we love one another God lives in us and, this is really astounding, God’s love is perfected in us. That’s a pretty audacious statement! It implies that God needs us and that, apart from its human expression, God’s love is incomplete. Our own experience gives support to what John says. We can talk about love until we’re blue in the face and even write country western songs about it, but it remains nebulous and theoretical until we feel its presence in our connections with one another. That’s how it is with God. God is only an idea or a concept until we choose to love one another. It’s in our loving that God becomes real and we can actually say that we know God. We may never ever find words to describe the reality that is God. Classes and books will always be insufficient. But for many people that’s just fine. The God they’ve found in their loving relationships is all the God they’ll ever need.

Thought for the Day: If God is love, in what sense is love God?

Psalm 22:25-31

“Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord, and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.” vss. 30-31

It’s not unusual in these days of rapid technological advancement to read about the future benefits of artificial intelligence, robotics, cancer vaccines, immunotherapy…the list goes on and on. But rarely is there ever any mention of God in such articles. The message seems to be that future generations will have no need of faith or religion. Super-computers will direct every aspect of our lives and bring health and prosperity beyond our imaginations. They will become our God! As followers of Jesus it’s hard to know what to make of such talk. It is true that remarkable advancements are on the horizon and many of them will enhance our lives. But it’s hard to believe that the essential nature of humans will be changed…we’ll still be dealing with the complexities of relationships and struggling to find light in dark places. Sin is never going to go away and we will continue to yearn for love and peace. Computers will never be more than tools…they will never replace the Lord of the universe…and the virtual realities that we dabble in won’t come close to replacing actual reality. More precisely, every person yet unborn will stand in need of God’s gracious care! There will always be a place for the proclamation of good news in the context of a caring community of faith!

Thought for the Day: What will life be like in 2068?

Acts 8:32-40

“Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus.” vs. 35

If we were to share the good news about Jesus with someone we probably wouldn’t start with a passage from Isaiah. It would be a lot easier to go straight to one of the gospels. But Philip didn’t have a New Testament…the gospels hadn’t been written yet. Yet he firmly believed that the Hebrew scriptures were a jumping off point for telling the story of Jesus’ life…and he was right. Early believers had found dozens of connections and studying those passages became a central part of Christian worship and education. It really wasn’t possible for them to know and understand Jesus’ life and teachings without looking at the scriptures that were the foundation of his ministry. Jesus was a Jew and his whole mission and ministry was guided by what he had learned from the law and the prophets. The Ethiopian listened eagerly and the chariot ride was long. When Philip wrapped up the lesson with the story of resurrection and new life, his pupil was ready to be baptized and join the community of believers. In later years meetings like this proliferated and the gospel spread rapidly through Africa, Asia, and Europe. In every place where the good news of love and forgiveness was proclaimed hungry hearts were satisfied and thousands came to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the incarnate Word of God.
Thought for the Day: What do the Hebrew scriptures teach me about Jesus?

Acts 8:32-40

“He asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ 31He replied, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.” vss. 30b-31

Visitors to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem are sometimes surprised to see that there is an Ethiopian Orthodox Chapel and Monastery included in the complex. It’s been easy for mainline Christians to forget that the gospel took root in Ethiopia hundreds of years before it reached Germany or Norway. Many trace the origins of that thriving community to the Ethiopian eunuch mentioned in Acts. According to the story it was the deacon Philip, guided by the Holy Spirit, who initiated the contact. The eunuch, traveling by chariot, had been studying Isaiah as he rode along but wasn’t understanding. He needed a guide…and Philip is glad to help. Many of us get the eunuch’s dilemma. It’s easy to pick up a bible and read but often we won’t have the foggiest notion of what a particular passage means. Even the most learned of us need guides to help us understand things like context and literary style. How good it is when we can find a willing mentor who can unpack the intricacies of scripture and help us understand. Sometimes our eyes are opened and new insights flood our thirsting spirits. Of course we need to be careful about who we welcome into our chariots…there are fraudulent teachers everywhere. But when we find someone that we can trust it’s a massive blessing, and our hearts will be enriched.

Thought for the Day: Who is my scriptural guide?  

John 10:16-18

“I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” vs. 16

John knew that Jesus was more than a tribal Christ with negligible interest in people outside of Judaism. Even though his mission had begun among the Jews and was initially directed to them, the divine intention had always been universal. John reports that Jesus saw himself as the shepherd of all people, and not just a few. The message of grace and love that had been the center of his life was intended for all wandering sheep of every time and place. One of the great tragedies of Christianity is that Jesus’ vision has never been realized. Over and over again the petty pretensions of would-be pastors and missionaries have led to splits and divisions within the flock of believers. Christians have been so hampered by the tensions and outright warfare within that they’ve been left with no enthusiasm or energy for bringing people together. In recent years there have been some signs of hope, indicators that perhaps at long last that vision of Jesus for unity might become a reality. What a blessing it would be if all his followers could work together in bringing love, justice, and peace to this world…and even work with those of other religions to create space for harmony and tolerance! At this point it seems a dream, but who knows? The Spirit of God has unifying power…and miracles can happen!

Thought for the Day: What has to happen for people to come together as one flock?

John 10:11-15

“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.” vss. 14-15

As John recounted the words of Jesus he often used the words “I AM” to remind his readers that Jesus was the one in whom the great “I AM” had become incarnate. Jesus was YHWH or I AM in human form…and through him we can catch a glimpse of God’s nature. Jesus’s words here echo those of Psalm 23 and we are reminded again that the Lord is our shepherd. And he adds one thing: he tells us that the good shepherd will lay down his life for the sheep. That’s how much we are loved by Jesus…he was willing to give his life for us. While we may not understand how Jesus’ death is connected to us we cannot deny that the image intensifies the nature of his love. We are loved so deeply by God through Jesus! So much that God in Jesus was willing to die! There’s power in that message, a power that has captured the imagination of countless believers through the centuries. We aren’t hopeless, hapless, bumbling sinners wandering our way through the confusion of life, we are precious in the eyes of God, we are loved! Someone has actually died for us! We have significance! Our lives are valuable! We have a good shepherd and there is nothing to fear…ever!

Thought for the Day: Why did Jesus have to die for me?

1 John 3:21-24

“All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.” vs. 24

Scripture teaches us that God is…beyond that there is little that we can know. We can assign attributes based on our highest human values, but those assignments usually say more about us than about God. God is inscrutable and unknowable, a frustrating combination, and yet John tells us that it’s possible to connect with God in an intensely personal way by trusting in Jesus the Christ and obeying his commandments. The commandments are plain, to love God and one another…nothing more is required, and those who are obedient dwell with God. That’s a pretty amazing promise, almost more than we can comprehend. Think of it! The Creator of the Universe abides in us in our loving. In our words of kindness, forgiveness, and compassion God speaks. In our deeds of justice, generosity, and self-giving God acts. We are the channels of peace and joy through which God flows into the hurting and stress-filled lives of the people around us. We don’t have to travel to the ends of the earth or study obscure texts to know God. God has already come close to us and actually dwells in our hearts. We just can’t get any closer than that! Blessed are those who find contentment in being the instruments of God’s grace. Through them love infects the world!

Thought for the Day: What are the signs of God’s presence in me?

1 John 3:16-20

“How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?” vs. 17

As early Christians began to live together in community one basic truth became apparent to them, a truth that came directly from the teachings of Jesus. They were convinced that a disciple’s actions and deeds revealed the state of their hearts. They could not believe that God’s love could possibly abide in any person having the world’s goods who saw brothers and sisters in need, and who yet refused to help them. That’s a hard truth for any of us to hear. We live in a land of plenty and. even though we complain about taxes, most of us have abundant possessions. And some of us are extremely reluctant to share our wealth…ridiculous as it sounds, we’re afraid we’re going to run out! That reluctance has done more to damage the reputation of Christianity than anything else. The world knows what Jesus taught…and when impressionable people see the self-proclaimed followers of Jesus hoarding their wealth and making scapegoats of the poor, the hypocrisy is obvious. If God is love and God’s love abides within us we cannot help but be generous in every possible way. It’s not by speech or words that we show forth God’s love, it’s by deeds and actions. Fortunately millions of believers have caught that vision…and the poor have been blessed by their extravagant sharing.

Thought for the Day: When will I run out of money?

Psalm 23

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” vs. 1

Wow, just repeating this simple verse brings a sense of calm and peace. No wonder so many people have claimed it as their mantra and use it regularly in meditation. Even unbelievers and non-churchgoers are familiar with it…and perhaps even turn to it for support in the unavoidable stresses of daily existence. Shepherds have a 24/7 relationship with their flocks…they travel with them during the day and protect them at night. And the Lord does that for us. And if we happen to wander off to explore where demons dwell we’re not abandoned. Our good shepherd will search until we are found and not rest until we are brought safely home. Everything we need will be provided: green pastures, still waters, restoration, hope in the presence of death. Nothing is left to chance. Of course some love to resist the shepherd…they claim independence and exalt in taking care of themselves. But many more love the shepherd’s constant care and compassion. They revel in the sense of security they feel and rejoice in knowing that goodness and mercy will follow them all the days of their lives. There really is no need to be anxious or fear the future…we don’t even have to worry if our retirement income is going to run out! No matter what the circumstances the Lord will take care of us…that’s just what a good shepherd does…and nothing can remove us from that shepherding love.

Thought for the Day: What does it feel like to not have a care in the world?

Acts 4:8-12

“There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.” vs. 12

The disciples were ecstatic! They had such good news for their leaders…and for the entire world. Through the Holy Spirit they had come to believe that Jesus was the Christ and that through him God’s salvation had come to humanity. As they traveled about proclaiming that audacious message it seemed foolish to some and improbable to others. It was just so hard to believe that God had been revealed in a leader who had suffered and died. But many did believe and because of their trust the gospel has come to us…and now it’s our turn to consider the truth of the story. There are some who have fully embraced the message but who have also turned it into law. They say that unless people accept Jesus as Christ they have no salvation. Their mission is to guide listeners into making that personal decision. It’s a worthy goal but that method can easily shift the focus away from Jesus. There is another way, a way that keeps our minds focused on God’s gift rather than the human response. Those believers celebrate the good news of Jesus and share it with all they encounter. They believe that the steadfast love of God has been revealed in Jesus and that it is for all and not just a few. They want all people to know that God loves them unconditionally…and that there are no strings attached to the gospel.

Thought for the Day: What are the benefits of confessing Jesus as Savior?