Hebrews 10:5-10

“And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” vs. 10

Christians love to argue and debate about just how it is that they have salvation. They choose among a multitude of atonement theories and quote multiple bible verses, all to show that they, out of all people, know precisely just how it is that God chooses to operate. Their way is the way of salvation, and unless we’re on the same path we don’t have a chance. Oh what hubris! As if anything we write or concoct makes the slightest bit of difference to the great I AM! The writer of Hebrews also pretends to know a lot of details about scriptural passages that mean virtually nothing to most of us, but at least in the end he lets us know that our sanctification is totally in the hands of God, and that it happened through Jesus once for all. Our ideas and doctrines mean nothing; not even our good deeds make the slightest bit of difference. It’s all God, and it’s all gift! And once we get that basic truth through our skulls we can stop our debating and arguing and get down to the business of loving in God’s peaceable kingdom! Enough of our petty distinctions and prideful assertions! The good news of Christmas is for all people for all time! Amen!

Thought for the Day: If all is a gift, what’s the point of denominations?

Psalm 80:4-7

“O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.” vss. 4-5

It’s not unusual to hear people complain about God. Many can not understand how a good God could have created a world in which so many ugly things are going on, seemingly without end. We’ve heard those promises about a peaceable kingdom and restoration, but we get tired of waiting. Even now at Christmas, as we get ready to celebrate our Savior’s birth, awful things keep on happening, and we long for some sort of respite. And so we join the psalmist in his complaint, “How long O Lord will you be angry with your people’s prayers? How long will our food and drink consist of nothing but our never-ending tears?” Those are hard questions, and we shouldn’t feel bad for asking them. They come naturally to us because we can’t quite comprehend the Divine Presence, or as J. B. Phillips, a famous bible translator, once wrote, “Your God is Too Small.” Caught as we are in our little fragment of time and space, our minds can’t quite grasp the larger picture, and we likely never will. What we do know is that God’s love is unconditional, and we are never apart from God in our suffering. In fact, God loves us so much that God suffers with us!

Thought for the Day: When have I been angry at God?

Psalm 80:1-3

“Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.” vs. 3

Ever since the beginning humans have been deeply aware of the brokenness that is a part of life in this incredibly good world. We can easily grasp the magnificence of the creation with our senses. We see how everything fits together and how each little thing has its place. The beauty of sunrises and sunsets continues to amaze, and the scents of blossoming fruit trees regularly remind us of the passing seasons. And then there’s the love that is the heartbeat of nature’s harmony–it touches us all, and celebrates our basic unity. But along with all the goodness, there is that darkness that continues to bedevil our unity, and undermine our stewardship of creation. We can’t escape the ugliness or overcome our ravaging histories. We know that more is expected, but our best efforts fall short, sabotaged by our idolatrous pursuit of money, sex, and power. The psalmist, fully aware of the human condition, knew there was only one hope, and so he prays for restoration, a healing of the brokenness, and salvation for our souls. That’s why Christmas is such a big deal! It marks the very beginning of that restoration and reminds us that every person is a beloved child of God and can be a source of divine love and mercy. And some years that salvation is more than a dream. We actually see and feel it in ourselves and others.

Thought for the Day: What does restoration feel like?

Micah 5:4-5a

“And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great   to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace.” 4-5a

After Jesus’ death and resurrection his followers searched the scriptures for clues that he was indeed the messiah they’d been waiting for. When they read these verses from Micah about the coming king, in their eyes this was the perfect description of Jesus. He was not only the Good Shepherd, he was most certainly the one of peace. For some reason, even though it’s a dominant theme of Christmas, and Jesus said in his first sermon, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” many religious folks are more drawn to warmongers. In fact, the first Christian nationalist, Constantine, had his troops march into war under the banner of Christ. We continue to be drawn to tough leaders, big talkers who make threats against anyone who doesn’t fall into line with their policies. But that’s not who Jesus is! In his kingdom peacemakers are heroes, and gentle leaders are the difference makers. Under their rule the poor are taken care of, the hungry are fed, and the broken people are restored. No wonder Luke records the song of the angels to the shepherds in the fields as having been “Peace on earth among those whom he favors.” 

Thought for the Day: To what extent do I have peace in my life?

Micah 5:2-3

“But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old,   from ancient days.” vs. 2

Micah lived near Jerusalem during the time Judah was being threatened by the massive Assyrian Empire. Their armies had already ravaged the northern kingdom of Israel and thousands of refugees had fled south. As a prophet Micah not only critiqued the leaders of Judah he also proclaimed a message of hope. Remembering that the great king David had come from the little town of Bethlehem, he maintains that history will repeat itself, and a new leader will emerge for Judah. We can understand Micah’s desire for a king who would make Israel great again. It’s what we do when we’re dissatisfied with the power structure, and are convinced that someone new is needed. Humans have harbored such hopes for thousands of years. But the same old problems persist! New leaders become old leaders in a recurring cycle, and the brokenness of creation is never addressed. What humanity needs is a spiritual revolution, and the breaking in of the peaceable kingdom ushered in by Jesus. He may have been from Bethlehem, but he wasn’t anything like David. He came introducing a kingdom infused by love that has brought restoration and mercy to billions, and his rule will never end!

Thought for the Day: Why do people put their trust in rulers?

Luke 3:15-18

“His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’ So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.” vss. 17-18

Occasionally, when this Gospel passage is read as a part of worship, folks will actually laugh when they hear that Luke called John’s message “good news to the people.” It’s hard to see how being burned with unquenchable fire could possibly be considered “good news.” It only becomes good news when we realize that Luke is connecting the burning of chaff to cleansing and not destruction. It’s a message about the restoration of our broken world! It’s also true that as we move through these holidays some people really are having a hard time hearing any good news about anything. For them the carols, feasts, and family gatherings are reminders of sad losses–for one reason or another some loved ones have gone missing!  In their estimation Christmas just isn’t the “happiest time of the year” that the carol says it is. Fortunately Christmas is more than a cultural holiday! For believers its message is the good news of the healing that comes for them and the whole world through the Christ of Bethlehem. So even if we are feeling blue by this time of Advent, we can at least remember that today’s candle is pink, and Christ really is the joy of the world.

Thought for the Day: Why is Christmas good news for me? 

Luke 3:7-14

“And the crowds asked him, ‘What then should we do?’ In reply he said to them, ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’” vss. 10-11

As we move into the second half of Advent and prepare to celebrate Pink Candle Sunday, it’s tempting to wonder just who invited John the Baptist to the party. We’ll be focusing on joy but old grouchy John is telling folks that they need to repent by giving generously to people in need. It doesn’t seem to be a message that is related to joy, but John is exactly right. There is likely nothing that gives more joy to the human heart than gift-giving, and not just to family members who likely already have more than they need. What a blessing it is that we are being forcefully reminded every day of the opportunities we have to make life better for the poor! Some congregations have adopted hundreds of families through their angel tree programs. Every social agency is doing all they can to promote their worthy programs and encourage people who love Jesus to demonstrate their love with donations. It really is the “Season for Sharing”! In an age when the healthcare industry has become devoted to maximizing profits rather than promoting healing, costs have soared and the poor are paying the bills. We may not be able to do anything about the system, but we can certainly share what we have with those who have nothing.

Thought for the Day: What agencies am I donating to this Christmas?

Philippians 4:6-7

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” vs. 7

Paul told the Philippians not to worry about anything but in everything, with prayer and supplication, to let their requests be made known to God. That’s a worthy thought, but no matter who we are there will come a time when we will struggle to find the proper words for our prayers. The circumstances can vary. Perhaps a loved one has been snatched from life to death in an instant and our hearts are broken. Or a family member or friend struggles to escape the unrelenting clutches of dementia or Alzheimer’s. We want to pray, but what shall we pray for? We know that no words can erase the pain of death, or halt the progressive illness that’s taking our friend from light to darkness. But following Paul, we do the only thing we can, we keep on praying, and out of our babbling and confusion, the God who is beyond all human comprehension gives peace. We don’t get answers or miracles, but that deep and abiding sense that somehow in the Divine Mystery, all things are going to work together for good. And we learn that the best we can do for those caught up in the intractable miseries of life is to pray that they would be covered by a blanket of peace. When understanding fails us, we continue to trust that God is, and in every circumstance offers the deep peace that human hearts crave.

Thought for the Day: When am I at peace?

Phiiippians 4:4-5

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.” vss. 4-5

Somewhere along the way, Christians have gotten a reputation as dour, fun-dampening people, and to some sad extent this isn’t an exaggeration. We’ve seen folks in our congregations whose faces seem never to have smiled and to whom the term “kill-joy” could easily be applied. Somewhere along the line they seem to have gotten the message that following Jesus is a serious matter and that fun is one of the deadly sins. Paul provides a corrective to such people in his letter to the Philippians. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice.” He’s not saying that faith is a joking matter, but he does believe that it should be joyful. And what a difference it makes when we are. The smiles in our hearts that are made evident in our faces make us a magnet for hurting, lonely people. Some have actually tried this as an experiment. They’ve smiled at every person they’ve encountered in the course of a day, and taken note of the responses they’ve received. It’s stunning to see a smile change the mood of a person and elevate the level of love in a room. For some this comes naturally. They can’t hold back their exuberance about the life they have in Jesus. Some of the rest of us have to work on it. But what a difference joy makes! It’s the Christian’s magic pill!

Thought for the Day: Why is rejoicing hard for some?

Isaiah 12:2-6

“Surely God is my salvation;  I will trust, and will not be afraid,for the Lord God is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.” vs. 2

During the lifetime of the prophet Isaiah, the country of Israel was attacked and conquered by the Assyrians. Thousands of refugees from the north flooded Jerusalem and the land of Judah. Egypt was flexing its muscles to the southwest. A new power, Babylon, was rising in the east. Prospects did not look good for Isaiah’s homeland. But he did not lose faith, and he certainly did not despair. He writes a psalm for the people proclaiming his continued trust in the Lord, the source of his salvation. Nations have a way of trying to assert their dominance in our world too, and we’re reminded of that every day. Powerful countries are flexing their muscles and piling up stores of weapons. Since our country is one of them we might be tempted to put our trust in our own power and might. But that would be shortsighted. History tells us that Assyria, Egypt, and Babylon were all conquered and destroyed. Only Judah survived! The God connection is not to be trifled with–and we would be well advised to follow Isaiah’s direction and put our trust in the Lord, the one source of salvation and healing for our broken world. It’s not easy! When times get tough, most folks would rather have bombs than a bible. It seems impotent to rely on our prayers, even if that is the way of Jesus.

Thought for the Day: What do I trust for my salvation?