1 Peter 5:6-11

“Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.” vs. 8

The fact that the words “discipline” and “disciple” come from the same Latin root word gives us some important clues about the nature of discipleship. Those who want to be disciples or followers of Jesus aren’t merely signing up to learn, but should expect to be disciplined in their approach to living. In this little verse from 1 Peter the word “discipline” is used to translate a Greek word meaning “self-control” that is occasionally used to describe an athlete’s training process. For some of us, those who avoid discipline at all costs, this is a scary thought. As followers of Jesus are we really expected to be like athletes in training and spend long hours practising self-control? The answer of course is “yes,” that is the expectation, and what makes it even harder is that we don’t have coaches or drill sergeants who will force us to do the work. At this point, faced with the knowledge that the discipline has to come from within, most of us would be inclined to give up. We don’t have the mental strength to control our passion for self-indulgence. But there is hope! The apostle Paul struggled with the same thoughts and he came to realize that self-control is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. What we can’t do on our own, God does! And by God’s grace we can actually live the disciplined life of faith! It’s a daily struggle to be sure, but it can be done!

Thought for the Day: How much self-control do I have?

1 Peter 4:12-14

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” vs. 12

The little communities of Christians that popped up in the Roman Empire were regularly subjected to intense persecution that depended more or less on the whim of the ruling authorities. The ordeals had almost become a way of life, something they could expect at any moment, and there really wasn’t any recourse except to renounce their faith. Of course some did drop away…but most remained faithful, and even began to look at their suffering as a blessing, an opportunity to share in the sufferings of Christ. They were confident that, even as Christ had risen from the dead, they too would experience new life and enter into his glory. Now there does continue to be life-threatening persecution for people of faith in our day, but generally our experience with “fiery ordeals” is non-existent. Our challenge is not persecution but complacency! And it turns out that our daily exposure to riches and soft living is much more of a challenge to faith than suffering. When there is no cost to discipleship, grace is cheapened and devalued, and few people see the point of following Jesus. But some do! Even among us there are those who understand the radical nature of the call and who boldly adopt the ethic of Jesus in their daily living. As they show mercy and work for peace they are clothed in the elusive glory of God and are blessed beyond measure.

Thought for the Day: How is my life different from that of a non-believer?

Psalm 68:32-35

“Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel; and whose power is in the skies.” vs. 34

There’s no doubt that when Israelites saw thunder and lightning, they marveled at the raw energy and strength of their awesome God. Regularly they sang praises to the dynamism exhibited in nature and gave thanks that such a God was the Lord of Israel. In our time, most would dismiss such notions as being pre-scientific and no longer see the hand of God revealed in hurricanes or tornados. Some would even say that the rapid advances in scientific knowledge have even made belief in God obsolete. In other words, as the gaps in human knowledge have been filled, the need for a God to fill the gaps has been eliminated. Such persons predict that very soon humans will see the light and abandon their primitive superstitions, obviating any need for churches, mosques, or temples. Of course such predictions are based on a false premise, i.e. that the God of Israel was a “god of the gaps.” Such was never the case. Rather, the God of Israel was firmly rooted in the realities of this world and is revealed more fully with every advance in human knowledge. As a result, the more we learn about our universe the more reason there is to praise our amazing God. Indeed the God who was made flesh in Jesus is present in every aspect of our existence. As Paul told the Athenians, “in him we live and move and have our being.”

Thought for the Day: How has my understanding of God changed?

Psalm 68:1-10

“Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds—his name is the Lord— be exultant before him. Father of orphans and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.” vss. 4-5

The ancient Canaanites worshipped a storm god who rode upon the clouds, showing his strength and power with periodic displays of thunder and lightning. The Israelites were familiar with this god and incorporated his attributes into their songs of praise to the Lord, who in their estimation had brought all things into existence. But the Lord did more than ride upon clouds…he was the father of orphans and the protector of widows…he looked out for the poor and the helpless. That sense of God’s benevolence that we glimpse in Israel’s psalms became foundational for followers of Jesus. We continue to believe that the God of the Universe, the one who became flesh in Jesus, has a heart for the weak and the outcast, not just widows and orphans, but all who fall by the wayside in humanity’s ongoing competition for dominance and wealth. Some might scoff at this notion and ask why such folks have such a hard time if God is on their side. The answer of course is obvious. God cares, but we don’t…and we are the hands and feet of God in this world. We can’t blame God for neglecting the poor when God has provided everything that is needed to help them. The truth is that when we fail to care, God’s work doesn’t get done!

Thought for the Day: Why do I think everything I have is mine?

Acts 1:6-14

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” vs. 8

According to the book of Acts, a continuation of Luke’s gospel, during the 40 days after Easter, the disciples had a number of encounters with the risen Jesus before he met with them for a final time on the Mount of Olives just outside of Jerusalem. During that last encounter Jesus gave them a promise, (the Holy Spirit would come upon them,) and a mission, (they would be his witnesses to the ends of the earth). At this point they had no idea what that would mean…and Jesus didn’t add any clarification before he left. None of them had a clue of how this mission would play out or what the results would be. All they knew for sure was that they were going to be empowered and that from then on their lives would be spent in testimony. That same lack of clarity has been a constant in the lives of Jesus’ followers ever since. We don’t know what God will make of us once that elusive Spirit starts blowing where it wills. All we can really do is sit back and see what the days and years will bring. The possibilities for witness are endless as the Spirit activates our gifts. Who knows what our lives will be like in five, ten, or fifty years? It’s all an adventure…and we’re the ones who get to live it!

Thought for the Day: Where do I sense my path is leading?

John 14:18-21

”I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you.” vs. 18

To be orphaned is to be deprived of the guiding, protecting, and nurturing presence of parents, and when it happens at an early age, the experience can be devastating. Young orphans will feel unwanted, adrift on a treacherous sea, and easy prey for predators. Jesus uses that kind of language as he prepared his disciples for life without him. He promises that he won’t leave them as orphans, but will come to them and be with them. This is the great hope of Easter, a seasons that’s not so much about the prospects of life after death as it is the assurance of Christ’s constant and continuing presence within the community of believers. He goes on to describe the inclusive love that will be the identifying mark of his presence, a binding together love that comes straight from God. And because they are loved his disciples will naturally live according to his commandments. And what kind of life will that be like? Well, it’s first of all an ethic of unconditional love, a love that extends outward, including not only our fellow disciples, but even our enemies. In the world such love is unknown. Love according to the world’s standards is notoriously self-serving and exclusive. Only in the community of Christ do we and the world experience the sacrificial love that is at the heart of the gospel. Only where the resurrected Christ is present does such love even become possible.

Thought for the Day: What is sacrificial love?

John 14:15-17

“This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.” vs. 17

Those who are called into the community of Christ enter a whole new environment, one that is dominated by love, addicted to the teachings of Jesus, and empowered by the presence of the Holy Spirit. This community will come together for worship and for service, actively and consciously continuing the mission of Christ in the world. Not everyone will get it or understand; the number of the chosen will always be small, just enough to provide leaven and light. But that little group of believers will have an influence far beyond their numbers, not because of their smarts or savvy, but because of the Spirit’s pervasive abiding presence and transforming power. As we are changed into the image of the Christ, the fruits of the Spirit will abound: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. If this sounds idyllic, it is! This community brings all that our hearts could possibly desire, yet with it will also come the suffering that is natural cost of discipleship. And strangely enough, it will be in the sacrifices, in the crosses that we carry, that we will find our salvation and show forth the glory of God. Such is our call and mission as followers of Jesus! We are the living, breathing presence of Christ in the world! We are the Church!

Thought for the Day: How do I know if the Spirit is in me?

1 Peter 3:18-22

“And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” vs. 21

As early Christians pored over the Hebrew scriptures they found many passages which helped them understand the new thing that was happening in Christ Jesus. The flood mentioned in Genesis was reinterpreted and even found its way into the baptismal liturgy. The connection was easy. Just as the waters of the flood had saved Noah and his family, so now the waters of baptism brought new life to followers of Jesus. It wasn’t so much that those baptismal waters had special cleansing properties, but they were the means by which believers were connected  to the resurrection. Those who had been a part of fallen humanity were raised up in baptism and made members of the resurrected Body of Christ. Sadly, as the years have passed, baptism has degenerated into an empty ritual for many, a family custom that has lost most spiritual significance. Children are brought for baptism but often there is little continuing involvement with the community of faith and virtually no acknowledgment of the Risen Christ’s presence and power. In those instances it takes the active prodding of the Holy Spirit to provoke faith…and sometimes that does happen. Lives begin to change and there is active repentance and the baptized begin to actually walk in the way of the cross. Resurrection escapes its Easter bondage and oozes into daily living, and God is glorified.

Thought for the Day: How do I experience the living Christ?

1 Peter 3:13-17

“But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated,” vs. 14

Early Christians were not naive about what might happen to them if they were called by the Holy Spirit to be a part of the Church. Even though their aim was to do what was right, their actions could easily spark resentment, jealousy, and persecution. Here the Apostle tells them to hang in there and that in the midst of their suffering they would be blessed. It’s important to hear such assurances! No matter who we are, we like to be liked and we would prefer it if everyone gave us the benefit of the doubt and treated us kindly. But that’s not how this world is! Even the best intentions can be misunderstood and embroil us in controversy. Often we’re tempted to simply lay low, keep our mouths shut, and not make waves. The problem is that such quiescent behaviors allow demagogues and rascals free rein. Justice is threatened and mercy disappears. That’s why believers like Dietrich Bonhoeffer insisted that action was at the heart of the Christian response to evil. We are called to have no fear and not to be intimidated as we act to bring light to dark places and speak the truth to those who are in power. Our action will be different, full of reverence and gentleness, but we will not stand aside in the face of opposition.

Thought for the Day: Where do I feel a call to take action?

Psalm 66:13-20

“Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me.” vs. 16

This psalmist was convinced that his prayers had been answered and that God had delivered him from a multitude of difficulties. Things had gotten so bad that he’d even made some vows…and he wants the whole community to know that he keeps his promises. So he’s brought his offerings and made the appropriate sacrifices, and he doesn’t stop there. He invites all who will listen, all the faithful, to come near and hear his testimony. It’s an appropriate response to God’s goodness, one that many of us could make with joy. God continues to do good things in our lives and stand with us through tough situations. Our prayers and laments are heard and we receive continued assurance of God’s presence. What a blessing it is when we get the opportunity to stand before our fellow believers and tell everyone what God has done! These are important moments in our congregations. So often we just “go to church,” go through the rituals, say some prayers and listen to the sermon, and never hear that God is alive and real and is acting with power in the daily lives of the faithful. But when we hear one of our peers, not a paid preacher, offer such testimony, it warms our hearts and gives inspiration. It’s not just smoke and mirrors…God really does touch hurting lives!

Thought for the Day: If I were called to testify, what would I say?