Luke 23:39-43

“Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’” vs. 42-43

We are familiar with the story of the repentant thief in Luke’s gospel. His testimony is an unexpected statement of faith and his humble request to be remembered by Jesus touches our hearts. And then Jesus’ response blows us away! He doesn’t just say, “Oh yes, I will be sure to remember you,” he tells the thief, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” We don’t know exactly what Luke meant when he recounted these words, definitions of Paradise are varied, but what we do know is that heaven can’t wait. It’s all about today! That’s not only good news for the dying, it’s the best news for those who are involved with everyday struggles in this broken world. No matter what cross we might be nailed to, no matter what the burdens of the past, the kingdom is ours today! That’s the message Jesus spent his lifetime preaching to the crowds who came to hear him, and that’s the message that brings us new life in the present. We know, of course, that this is but a foretaste of the life that is to come, but as fleeting as our glimpse might be, it is enough to bring us daily peace and joy. The gift is pure grace, undeserved love; and it is ours by faith alone.

Thought for the Day: Where am I glimpsing Paradise today?

Luke 23:33-38

“And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’” vs. 35

A large crowd had gathered to watch Jesus die. There’s something about a crucifixion or a lynching that draws onlookers–that’s still the way it is. Some of them probably had seen Jesus at the temple and now they didn’t want to miss his ending. The religious leaders weren’t there to watch–they’d come to gloat and mock the Pretender Messiah. But none of the people who were there, not even the disciples, realized that they were actually seeing a coronation. This was the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s hope, and the promised king had taken his throne on a cross. This is what made Jesus different from any other reigning king before or since, and this is what we’re celebrating this week on Christ the King Sunday. And when we think about it, it makes sense. Had he become king in any other way, had he been even greater than David, he would have been forgotten long ago. But because the cross was his throne he will be remembered forever, and each year our memories will become more precious. It is precisely because of Jesus’ crucifixion that we can pray with St. Francis, “In dying we will rise to eternal life.” Our King died with words of love on his lips, and that sacrificial love is transforming the world.

Thought for the Day: Why don’t some folks like crucifixes in churches?

Colossians 1:15-20

“He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.” vss. 17-18

Paul’s description of Christ is perhaps the most precious of all his words to the congregations he founded. As in the beginning of John’s gospel, Christ is here recognized as the firstborn of all creation, and not only as a creature, but as an actual partner in creation itself!  This elevated image of Christ took shape among believers only a few decades after the death and resurrection of Jesus, and continues to be central to our faith and our hope for the future. When Christ is the center of our life together, all of our divisions and petty differences fall away and we are bound together as the greatest force for healing and restoration on earth. In Christ the wisdom teachings of Jesus become our guide and blueprint for living. In Christ we learn to care for the creation and to love our enemies, even as we seek  justice for the oppressed and healing for the broken. In  Christ we learn to ignore the lies and deceptions of  blind guides while putting our trust and confidence in God. What a joy it is to live without fear while knowing that in Christ our lives are secure! Jesus was right. In him we will find rest for our souls, for his yoke is easy and his burden is light! 

Thought for the Day: What burden has Jesus laid on me?

Colossians 1:11-14

“He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” vss. 13-14

When the armies of Rome overran Jerusalem and the temple was destroyed it became painfully apparent to early Christians that a new age had dawned, a time foreseen by the prophets and announced by Jesus. A new kingdom had been birthed and the powers of this earth would not be able to prevail against it. As they reflected on what it meant to be a part of this Peaceable Kingdom they realized that in Christ they already had redemption, the complete forgiveness of sins. Now there was only one commandment, that they should love one another as they had been loved. There were no more hoops to jump through and no more obstacles to the healing of their brokenness. In Christ our relationship to God had been restored and we had been set free to live as children of the Light. Two thousand years later we too are the inheritors of that glorious kingdom and we have lived to see it extend all around the globe. Oh, the nations of this world periodically flex their muscles as they amass their weapons of destruction, but they’re only fooling themselves. Real power lies in the Creator of the Universe and in Christ the victory has already been won!

Thought for the Day: How does it feel to be a winner?

Psalm 46

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” vs. 1

It’s hard for us to imagine the turmoil that swirled around Martin Luther in the mid-1520’s. Encouraged by his writings the peasants had risen against the nobles, and when Luther denounced their violence, it is estimated that 100,000 of them were killed in brutal massacres by the armies of the Swabian league. In addition to the war, plague broke out in his home town of Wittenberg in 1527. Hundreds of people fled, while Luther remained behind to provide comfort for the sick and dying. And as all this took place Luther, despairing and despondent. wrote his most famous hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” based on Psalm 46. We may not agree with all that Luther said or wrote, but there is no denying his complete trust  in God. There are some who believe that we are now in similarly troubled times: We still live in the shadow of COVID and there are certainly wars and rebellions all around. That’s why the words of this psalmist continue to be a comfort. God is our refuge and strength, a bulwark that never fails! And the worse things get, the more likely we are to seek out God’s presence and power. Buoyed by the strength of that faith we are able to face every day with a joyful smile and a sense of peace in our hearts. That power comes not from our own will but from the never-failing presence of the God who is!

Thought for the Day: When has God been my refuge?

Jeremiah 23:3-6

“I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.” vs. 4

Jeremiah told the people that one day the Lord would give them kings who would usher in a kingdom marked by righteousness and justice. No longer would they be afraid and none would go missing and lost. That prophetic vision took root in Judah and for centuries the people hoped for the arrival of that Peaceable Kingdom. They were still hoping when Jesus came on the scene and when he began to preach that the Kingdom of God was at hand, the people dared to hope that the promises of old were being fulfilled. And they were right, more right than they had even imagined! Jesus did usher in a kingdom of peace, but not one that fit any political category. This kingdom did not depend on the leadership of some king or president, but on the continuing presence of his Holy Spirit. Because it’s a Christ-led kingdom it does not depend on elections or coups or any legislative action. Of course there are some who still hold to the old notions and who believe that our hope and salvation is dependent on some earthly leader. But that’s not how God’s rule works! The Church of Christ is non-geographic and encompasses the entire world and through the Church God is bringing healing and peace, and a powerful message of forgiveness and hope.

Thought for the Day: Why do people put their trust in nations rather than the Church?

Jeremiah 23:1-2

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord.” vs. 1

The prophets regularly spoke of the kings of Judah and Israel as shepherds, and now Jeremiah takes his turn at lambasting their cruel and divisive oversight. The Lord who is the true Shepherd of the sheep had entrusted the kings with his flock and they had, with the possible exception of David, failed miserably. Almost all the people of Israel and Judah had ended up in exile, far away  from what had been the Promised Land. But Israel isn’t the only country that has suffered from inept and corrupt leaders. It’s been a perennial problem for all the people of God. Every nation needs shepherds who will guide them on the paths of righteousness, and too often arrogant and self-serving despots take control. When that happens chaos ensues and corruption abounds. Thank God for prophets in the lineage of Jeremiah who call them out and speak on behalf of the oppressed. By speaking the truth to those who are in power they expose the great wrongs that are being done. They give hope to the broken and lay the groundwork for the arrival of new shepherds, ones who will lift up the lowly and provide food for the hungry and protection for the poor. 

Thought for the Day: How is the shepherd of our nation doing?

Luke 21:12-19

“But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.” vs. 12

While it is true that in some parts of the world Christians are being persecuted and sometimes even killed because of their allegiance to Jesus, nearly all of us live in places where Christians are able to practice their faith freely and openly. We certainly don’t face the opposition that the earliest followers of Jesus experienced. Those folks had enormous courage and risked their lives by declaring their allegiance to Christ. But they didn’t back down and the Church continued to gain adherents. In fact, one early Church leader, Tertullian in 197 A.D. wrote, “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” Because opposition does inspire resistance, some Christians today operate with a chip on their shoulder. They seem to look for things to be upset about, e.g. people being encouraged to say “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas,” and imagine that Christians are being persecuted. The truth is that the greatest threat to our faith today is not opposition but apathy. Too many people who call themselves Christians don’t even show up for worship except on Christmas. And most importantly, they forget that old camp song, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

Thought for the Day: What is the greatest threat to my faith?

Luke 21:5-11

“And he said, ‘Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and, “The time is near!” Do not go after them.’” vs. 8

There’s nothing like questions about the end times to get people riled up. Most followers of Jesus don’t spend much time worrying about such things–they know that every generation brings new theories and predictions and so far every one of them has been wrong. So they know it’s pointless to even think about the end–God is in charge and that means there’s nothing to worry about. But some folks in our congregations just can’t let it go! They read all the books about the rapture and search the internet for descriptions of the Lawless One or the Antichrist. And when they’ve gathered enough fragments of unrelated proof they put together some more predictions about the time and place of Christ’s return. Jesus made it very clear to his disciples that they should just ignore the false prophets, and Paul had the same message for the people in the congregations that he started. As disciples we have a mission in the world, and it’s been the same from the beginning. Our call is to proclaim the good news of forgiveness and hope in every way we can. It’s that message that transforms lives and brings restoration to the broken and lost. Christ is here now and the Kingdom of Peace is at hand!

Thought for the Day: What’s the best way to avoid being distracted from our mission?

2 Thessalonians 3:10-13

“For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work.” vs. 11

We don’t know why some of the folks in Thessalonica chose to be idlers and busybodies, but we can make a reasonable guess. Paul had emphasized in his teaching that Christ would be returning soon and it could very well be that some quit working to make ready for his coming. Certainly that would be a tempting option, particularly if they weren’t crazy about the work they were doing. Why keep engaging in drudgery when paradise was just around the corner? There are some among us who ask those questions when they reach the point in life when the rat race loses its appeal. By reasoning that the end is coming soon they give up on being productive and take up channel surfing and the internet. It’s a sad decision! Even if they’re tired of their old work, there are a myriad of opportunities in the volunteer world, and often a person’s most fulfilling years come after retirement. It’s fun to hear our seniors complain about how busy they are. Some say they’re working harder than they ever have, and that they intend to keep doing it until the day they drop. There are few rewards in this world for idleness, and even fewer for being a busybody. For believers sacrificial service combined with unconditional love is a lifetime call.

Thought for the Day: How will I spend my golden years?