Luke 6:27-36

“But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.” vs. 38

For those not familiar with the teachings of Jesus these words are shocking. And even many believers are surprised at his description of God. They have assumed that God wreaks vengeance on the ungrateful and the wicked, and to see that Jesus actually said that God is kind and merciful to them is a bit of a jolt. Some might even be a bit disappointed–they like the notion of a judgmental and unforgiving God. And when Jesus told his disciples that they should be merciful as God is merciful some might have wondered if they could actually do that. It is true that Jesus’ words here are challenging and difficult. We just don’t see them modeled in our culture or society. Instead we are taught that it’s just fine to attack our enemies and slander their names. And we certainly don’t see many folks out in the world who don’t expect anything in return for their generosity. In fact almost all benevolence is regularly considered to be self-serving–at the very least we’ve grown to expect a sizable deduction on our income tax returns. Now Jesus does assure those who live in his way that there will be blessings on the journey, but he’s not talking about financial gain. The reward he has in mind is far better than that!

Thought for the Day: How can I love people that I can’t stand?

1 Corinthians 15:42-50

“The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven.” vss. 47-50

Paul knew nothing of the work that astrophysicists are doing in their study of the universe, but we can be fairly confident that he would be intrigued by their widely publicized assertion that humans and all living things are made of stardust. That phrase fits very nicely with his belief that all humans were created from the dust of the earth. Certainly it’s a charming way to look at our common origin without denying the work of the Divine Presence who brought all things into existence. We are all stardust! All the elements making up our bodies originated in the stars! And then, to carry it a step further, we can say that in dying we return to the stars. “Dust we are, and to dust we shall return!” We came from God and we will one day return to God! This way of looking at the new life that waits for us beyond death emphasizes our unity with all of humanity and all distinctions fall away. We spend entirely too much time and energy talking about our differences, rather than affirming our basic unity with others, and celebrating the fact that one day we will all be One with Christ, our Maker and Redeemer.

Thought for the Day: What is stardust?

1 Corinthians 15:35-38

“But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?’ Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.” vss. 35-36

Paul was not born with a “Minnesota Nice” gene, (if there really is such a thing!) In this instance, confronted with what he considered a dumb question, he gives a rather snarky reply, addressing the questioner as a fool. It’s not the sort of thing a pastor would say in an adult bible study class. But Paul really did think it was foolish to imagine that someone who died would have the same body in the resurrection. And to prove his point he went to the natural world. He believed that when a seed was planted it died, and it did not grow unless it disintegrated, and was given a new body. Obviously his conclusion was based solely on observation and not a deep knowledge of botanical science, but the metaphor is a good one. Essentially he’s saying that our resurrected bodies will be nothing like the ones we are now enjoying and using. The new life will be outside the realm of space and time in which we now exist, we don’t even have words that can adequately describe it. We are certainly welcome to come up with our own private notions about life after death, and there are plenty to choose among. But we should always remember that the reality will be much more wonderful than we can imagine–and that’s a very good thing!

Thought for the Day: What do I imagine about life after death?

Psalm 37:8-11, 39-40

“But the meek shall inherit the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.” vs. 11

While we’re quite familiar with the beatitudes found in Matthew 5, one of them is likely to leave us puzzled. Just what did Jesus mean when he said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth?” Obviously he was remembering this verse from the Psalms, but on the surface, his words could easily be called counterfactual. This isn’t how things happen! In this broken world it’s the powerful who get the land. Whatever they want they take, either by stealth and force, and the meek are generally left with nothing. For years Palestinian Christians have clung to this verse as a point of hope in their dismal circumstances. Perhaps one day the land they’d once owned would be restored! But now the West Bank is being colonized by Israel. Settlers have been coming in by the thousands and Palestinians are being displaced. Some Americans are saying that all of them should be removed from the land and resettled in other countries. But land is precious, and hope is persistent. The gentle and meek among the Palestinians continue to trust that one day their prayers and claims will be heard, and the words of Jesus and the psalmist will become a reality. Even if the turmoil over land ownership continues for generations, the faithful will continue to hope, and perhaps one day the meek will inherit the land.

Thought for the Day: What chance do gentle people have in this world?

Psalm 37:1-7

“Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices.” vs. 7

Evidently the psalmist knew of folks in positions of power who, in spite of their supposed allegiance to the ways of the Lord, were prospering as they walked in the way of wealth. They were likely the talk of the marketplace and an irritant to those who were actually living in righteous ways. We know what it’s like to know of such people–if we don’t experience their practices personally, we’re regularly informed of what they’re up to via social media. Such knowledge is irritating! We can easily work ourselves into a fury of righteous indignation every day with just an hour or two of doom scrolling on our smartphones. The psalmist advised the people of his day to silence their iphones, wait patiently for the Lord, and not fret over those who grab the headlines with their shady behaviors. Of course that’s easier said than done. For some fretting has become second nature in these troubled times and it seems impossible to turn it off. Those who practice meditation say that it takes a certain discipline to be still before the Lord, but it can be done. There’s so much beauty in this world, it really is a pity to waste our precious time fretting when we could be rejoicing! 

Thought for the Day: What do I spend time fretting about?

Genesis 43:3-11, 15

“Then Judah said to his father Israel, ‘Send the boy with me, and let us be on our way, so that we may live and not die—you and we and also our little ones. I myself will be surety for him; you can hold me accountable for him.’” Genesis 43:8-9a

When Joseph’s brothers sold him into captivity they believed they’d seen the last of him. For them it was a good solution. Of course their father was upset but Joseph would no longer be a thorn in their sides–and they hadn’t had to kill him. Little did they know that years later he would show up in their lives once more, and they would be held accountable for what they had done. The Hebrews made this story a part of their scripture as a reminder that the consequences of sin can hang on for a lifetime. Examples of this show up in our life stories as well. In too many families, even when we try to forget the painful and ugly stories, the memories of the abuse can never fade completely away. Decades later, a person or a story from the past can show up, and old pains are experienced anew. The Joseph stories from Genesis had a happy ending and the Hebrews learned that even when we fall short, God can turn what was intended to be evil into a great good. And sometimes that happens for us too. Our sorrows are turned into joys, and our garbage heap becomes a garden of delight.

Thought for the Day: A time when my bad became a great good.

Luke 6:24-26

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.’” vss. 24-25a

Jesus’ words about poverty and riches leave no doubt about where he stood on the matter of economic inequality. His sympathies are squarely on the side of the poor and his words about riches make most of us squirm. Again and again, particularly in Luke’s gospel he warns about the dangers of wealth, and on one occasion he even tells a rich man to sell what he has and give the proceeds to the poor. Of course many believers have figured out ways to ignore these teachings about money and focus on the spiritual side of faith. We love to talk about giving our hearts to Jesus but would never dream of giving him our bank accounts. Some used to feel at least a little bit guilty about our greed, but not any more. We’ve seen a radical shift in values, and now even many Christians are approving of our country’s overt worship of riches. Some are saying that our government has no responsibilities for the poor and needy and applaud the elimination of virtually every aid program being currently funded. Sooner or later true believers are going to have to make decisions about where they stand. Either Jesus was blowing smoke or he was speaking the truth. The choice is becoming more clear-cut with each passing day. Which will it be? Billionaire oligarchs or the poor and needy?

Thought for the Day: How will I step up to help the poor?

Luke 6:17-23

“Then he looked up at his disciples and said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.’” vss. 20-21a

Luke’s Sermon on the Plain parallels Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount and contains similar teachings. Together these two sections of the gospels contain the core of Jesus’ message to his disciples and to the crowds who came to hear him. If we really want to know what Jesus believed and taught there is no better place to start. Even though many in the crowds had come because of Jesus’ reputation as a healer, they were also interested in what he had to say. His touch provided healing for physical problems but his words would feed their souls and shape the trajectory of their lives. He begins with offering a series of blessings that address the poverty of their situation. Even though they were poor and hungry they had a place in the kingdom of God and they would be fed. And on top of that, their tears would be turned to laughter. That’s such a positive and hopeful message, and it must have been compelling for those who heard it. And that’s probably why the earliest devotees of Jesus were the poor and needy. For those who are hungry there’s still no greater gift than to be lifted out of poverty.

Thought for the Day: If I were poor what would I do?

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

“If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.” vss. 19-20

Believers have always been fans of Valentine’s Day. Way back in the third century there was a St. Valentine who performed works of love and service in the area of Rome. As the years passed, stories and myths helped to preserve the memory of his life and martyrdom, and February 14 became his feast day. At some point in the Middle Ages Valentine’s Day came to be associated with romantic love and now even unbelievers are sending valentines to those they love. It’s a good thing to elevate the presence of love in our broken world, and certainly followers of Jesus will join the now mostly secular celebration. Jesus was all about loving and called his disciples to even give their lives in acts of love and service. But as wonderful as it is to be engaged in loving in this world, Paul reminds us in Romans 8 that there is nothing in all creation that is of more value than the love of God in Christ Jesus. In fact, he says that not even death can separate us from that great love. How do we know that? Well, it’s all about the resurrection of Christ. As he tells the Corinthians, because Christ was raised from the dead, we can be confident that we too will have new life.

Thought for the Day: How is romantic love different from Jesus’ love?

1 Corinthians 15:12-15

“If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.” vss. 13-14

There are some who are troubled when believers testify that they have put their trust in Jesus so that they can go to heaven when they die. They believe that the new life in Christ is something to be experienced in the here and now, and that we don’t have to wait until after death to draw close to God. And of course they are right. The kingdom of God comes to us in this life, and we don’t have to wait until we die. But that truth doesn’t mean that we should abandon resurrection as a basic tenet of the Christian faith. Paul is right. Having confidence in the resurrection of the dead is central to what we believe. And without that hope we would have nothing to say to those who are dying. As it is, when believers sense that the end is near, we can bring comfort in a multitude of ways. Not only can we assure them of forgiveness and encourage them to put aside their guilt, we can comfort them with the good news of peace and new life that is ours beyond death. How awful it would be to have nothing hopeful to say to the dying! Christ is Risen, Alleluia! We too will live again!

Thought for the Day: What do I say to someone who is dying?