John 2:8-11

“Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” vs. 11

In Chapter 20 John wrote that “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book, but these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and through believing have life in his name.” Because of this reference many believe there was a “signs source” that John used in constructing his gospel. It would make sense for John to have done this. He knew that nothing cements faith more than seeing a sign or a miracle, and indicates here that this is how Jesus’ disciples came to faith. We’ve seen that great truth in our congregations. Occasionally there are times when we have miraculous experiences: people with dread diseases are prayed for and receive healing; people with addictions receive cleansing and a new start; or “lost” children are found and come to faith. When those things happen and they are publicly known, it is not at all unusual to hear people say, “Now I know for sure that there is a God.” The sign has caused them to come to faith! Signs are important, and some of us have come to faith because of them. But Jesus in his words to Thomas following the resurrection also says that this isn’t the only way that we can come to faith. “Blessed are those who have not seen, yet have come to believe.”

Thought for the Day: How have signs affected my faith?

John 2:1-8

“And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’” vss. 4-5

As we read the gospel of John there are a number of occasions when humor creeps into the text. Who can read this little exchange between Jesus and his mother without chuckling? This is the only mention of the wedding in Cana in our scriptures and it’s actually given special status. It’s the occasion for the first of Jesus’ signs. It’s an almost stereotypical picture of a proud mother and a slightly irritated son. “There is no wine,” she says, and Jesus basically replies, “So? What does that have to do with me?” And then, totally ignoring his reluctance, she tells the servants to do whatever he told them. And we all know the rest of the story! It’s become a regular feature of wedding homilies and prayers in our congregations. “As you gladdened the wedding in Cana of Galilee by the presence of your Son, so by his presence now bring your joy to this gathering.” At the very least it’s a reminder that it’s a good thing for us to have a joyous time and celebrate together in our communities of faith. There’s nothing wrong with eating and drinking and giving glory to God, particularly when folks are getting married. Marriage is one of the best ways we have of celebrating our hopes for future joy!

Thought for the Day: What’s the most joyous wedding I’ve been to?

1 Corinthians 11:7-11

“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” vs. 7

From the beginning it has been enormously difficult for humans to recognize that life is communal, particularly when the culture has been taken captive by the curse of individualism. Some actually begin to believe that everything is up to them, and that any talk of the common good is misguided. Our spiritual ancestors would have found such notions ridiculous. For them it was perfectly obvious they were a chosen people and that the community worked best when individuals sacrificed their own desires and goals for the greater good of the nation. That’s why Paul made such a big deal out of being one in Christ and recognizing that other’s needs had a higher priority than our own. In Corinth there weren’t many Spirits! There was one Spirit working in all the members of the Body without exception, and the gifts that were made manifest were for the good of all. Of course this isn’t just true in the Church. Every kind of human association, whether in a community, city, state, or nation works best when the highest priority is the common good. It is incredibly destructive when gifted individuals put all their energy and resources into building fortunes for themselves. Soon a few people control all the wealth and it’s always the poor and folks on the fringes that suffer the most, and that is certainly not the will of our Lord Jesus.

Thought for the Day: How do I use my gifts for the common good? 

1 Corinthians 12:1-6

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.” vs. 1

The folks in the Corinthian congregation were having a hard time figuring out spiritual gifts. Because they had different notions of what the gifts were, they believed that some were more valuable than others and disputes had broken out. In particular, those who were speaking in tongues had come to think of themselves as more connected to the Holy Spirit than others were. Paul devoted a large portion of his first letter to the Corinthians to address their divisions and to correct their misinformation. Because all had been gifted through the indwelling presence of the Spirit there was no place for spiritual arrogance of any kind! Some of us understand what Paul is saying to the faithful. We’ve seen that “holier than thou” attitude in our own congregations. When we give the impression that we’re a notch above others in the way we practice our faith, that smugness is a complete turn off to any who might be struggling in their spiritual life. Most people are already feeling less than inadequate in their relationship to Jesus, and it really doesn’t help when their pew-mates give the impression that they have it altogether. That’s why Paul reminded the Philippians to regard others as better than themselves. When his words are taken into our hearts our entire congregations are blessed.

Thought for the Day: When have I encountered spiritual arrogance?

Psalm 36:8-10

“They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.” vss. 8-9

Writing about twenty-five hundred years ago the psalmist was convinced that God was the source of all goodness, life, and light. And with all the pondering, parsing, and theologizing that has gone on since, we really can’t do any better. Oh, we’ve changed names for God and come up with new ways of describing the “Great I Am.” For some, “Ground of All Being” is a particular favorite, or maybe “The Divine Mystery.” It gives us a sense of pride to come up with names that describe nothing particularly well. But when we’re done playing around with the name of God, we’re in the same place as the psalmist. In God is found light and life and every manner of goodness, and outside of God there is nothing! And to top it all off, all things are bound together by God’s steadfast love and mercy. And since that is how things are, there’s not much left for us to do than to daily bow our hearts before God in thanksgiving and praise, and then savor every blessed moment that has been given us to enjoy in the course of our lives. Certainly our time is limited within this creation, just a blink in the eye of the Eternal, but that’s all the more reason for us to rejoice and be glad in it.

Thought for the Day: Am I savoring life or wasting time?

Psalm 36:5-7

“Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.” vs. 6

The psalmist had gathered information about God, not only from the stories of his ancestors, but from observation of the creation. There, uncluttered by human myth, he learned from what he saw in the clouds, mountains, and the seas. It was there that he began to grasp the unfailing laws of the universe, and realized that in nature all things work together for the benefit of humans and animals alike. Many of us have that same appreciation of the world and have come to see the boundless love of God in all creatures, and especially in those with whom we live, work, and play. Let’s face it, no matter who we are, rich or poor, our dearest companions are the people and pets with whom we interact daily. While not every pet is a charmer, and not every person in our circle of friends brings delight, all living creatures are dear to the heart of God. Every beating heart, every mountain range, and all the trees of the forest are a reflection of God’s goodness and mercy, and how blessed are we who have the privilege of being alive in this time and place. In all the universe, there is nowhere better! And that’s even true on the days we wish we were somewhere else!

Thought for the Day: How do I give daily thanks for the goodness of God?

Isaiah 62:1-5

“For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch.” vs. 1

Once the Babylonian refugees started straggling back to Jerusalem the prophet brimmed with optimism about the future. He proclaimed confidently that God would vindicate Jerusalem and restore her to greatness. While things didn’t turn out exactly as the prophet expected, he was actually just doing his job. People need to hear that there is hope for the future and that better days are coming. There’s little need for pessimistic leaders among the people of God. In fact we all like to hear words of promise for the future–it’s what keeps us going. The prophet even uses marriage as a metaphor in this passage. No young couple madly in love imagines anything but a bright tomorrow for themselves–their love will not dissipate but grow stronger with the passing years. And maybe there will even be children to bring added joy to their days. So it must be among those who are in Christ! There is no reason to give in to the pessimism of political disappointments. God is bigger than all that negativity and in fact has a glorious future in mind for us all. And for us this is more than optimism! Our faith is built on the resurrection, the cornerstone of our convictions for the life that lies ahead. God is and will be forever!

Thought for the Day: Why is it hard for me to be positive about the future?

Luke 3:21-22

“and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’” vs. 22

Luke doesn’t tell his readers why Jesus joined the crowds who were baptized by John at the Jordan, but he does report that after his baptism Jesus took time for prayer. It’s not surprising to learn this about Jesus, prayer seems to have been a regular part of his daily routine. It was during this initial time of prayer that Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit, heard the affirmation of God, and received his call. While he didn’t yet have a clear picture of what that might mean, he did know one thing for sure. He was deeply loved by God and was precious in God’s sight. And for the rest of his earthly life, that was all that he needed! That’s pretty much the way it is for all who have been baptized into Christ. For most the baptism is pretty routine–pictures may have been taken–and there’s probably a certificate or two. It’s later on that the exciting stuff begins to happen and the Jesus experience is repeated in us. We’ll not get a call to be the messiah (that job has already been taken), but we will be regularly visited by the Holy Spirit. And always, when the Spirit comes near, we will receive assurances of God’s love, and direction for our ministry. And the key for us, as for Jesus, will be regular prayer!

Thought for the Day: How has the Holy Spirit directed me?

Luke 3:15-17

“John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.’” va. 16

The gospels tell us that excitement was building in the area of the Jordan River where the prophet John was preaching and baptizing. People were coming to John from the whole region and many believed that he was the promised messiah. But according to Luke, that’s not what John believed. He knew people needed to repent and change their lives, but he also knew that their good intentions were not enough. They would need more than a dip in the Jordan, they needed a dose of the Divine, they would need the purifying presence of God’s Holy Spirit. And that’s what they got in Jesus! Jesus did not come baptizing, but in him people did experience the healing and restorative power of God. It’s hard to know exactly what that spirit baptism involves. Currently there are a multitude of religious groups that emphasize the gifts of the Spirit, and each of them have their advocates. But even if we are reluctant to embrace some of the more radical approaches to Spirit-infused living, we must acknowledge that there’s more to the new life in Christ than habitually following the old ways just because that’s what we’ve always done. Change is always a part of a healthy spirit-filled life!

Thought for the Day: What changes in church have been hard to accept?

Acts 8:14-17

“The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).” vss. 9-10

Early believers didn’t belong to any religious group and there was no organized Church. Most of them were practicing Jews but they also were a part of a Jesus Movement. Within that movement all kinds of incredible things were happening and there were no rules or procedures in place–people were coming to faith and many were being baptized. Some were having powerful experiences with the Holy Spirit and others were not. And in all that confusion there emerged a power that captured and transformed lives. The movement spread rapidly, and no one was really in charge. As the gospel of John put it so well, “The Spirit blows where it chooses, and you can hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is going or where it is coming from.” There have been times in the history of the Church when the Jesus Movement has re-emerged. Many can remember the “Jesus People” who even made the cover of Time magazine in 1971. Again it was a confusing time for the Church but the Jesus Revolution became a national phenomenon. Ultimately, it’s hard for movements to be sustained–the excitement fades, and organizations take over. Of course it’s probably necessary to have rules and procedures. But it’s really sad when the Spirit of Jesus is no longer blowing freely!

Thought for the Day: My experiences with the Jesus Movement.