Revelation 1:4b-8

“To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” vss. 5b-6

While it’s unlikely that the writer of Revelation was the apostle John, it did come from a church leader bearing that name and living in the mid to late first century at a time of intense persecution. The book is styled after the form of Jewish apocalypticism and reminds us of the writings in Daniel in the Hebrew scriptures. In his opening doxology John makes clear that he belongs to the kingdom of the living Lord Jesus Christ, the One in whom he has found both love and forgiveness. It was the existence of this shadow kingdom within the Roman Empire that gave the emperors such heartache. They rightly saw that this kingdom, which stretched across national borders, was claiming the loyalty of Romans from every class and background. Ultimately the Emperor Constantine tried to subvert the Church by making it the religion of the Roman Empire, but that was never her destiny. As a kingdom of priests, those mediating the presence of the Divine, we have only one Lord, and we serve best when we are the leaven within the state and not the spiritual arm of the state. Our loyalties are to Christ the King and not some political lackeys.

Thought for the Day: How is loyalty to Christ different from loyalty to the nation?

Daniel 7:13-14

“To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.” vs. 14

One of the consolations that the losers have in our elections is that the winners aren’t going to be around forever. Even while we’re appalled at the policies and regulations that come with a change in regime, we know that nothing in our politics or government is permanent. We can rejoice or endure but in a few years things will be different. But not so with our Lord Jesus Christ! Early believers took these words from Daniel as a confirmation of what they already believed about the kingdom of God. And to a large extent this is what we continue to trust is true. We are citizens of different nations, but our first allegiance is to Christ, the One who is the head of the Body. This loyalty transcends party spirits and has no connections to Christian nationalism. Membership in the Body is spread around the world, and in that Body the Spirit of Jesus continues the work of reconciliation and sanctification. And one day, we have come to believe, there will be an Omega Point, a coming together of all that exists, and our final resting place will be in the Divine Presence, completely free from the brokenness of our beautiful world.

Thought for the Day: Where do I see evidence of Christ’s lordship?

Daniel 7:9-10

“As I watched, thrones were set in place,  and an Ancient One took his throne;

his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire.” vs. 9

These images are a part of the apocalyptic vision recorded in the book of Daniel to give hope to people living in the midst of a crisis. They’re vivid and imaginative and were intended to convince the readers that God was in control. Unfortunately, even though apocalyptic images were never meant to be understood literally, this description of an “Ancient One” with white hair sitting on a throne has become the picture of God for too many people. And even if they don’t use these precise terms, when they speak of God they’re imagining a solitary bearded old man off in the clouds on his heavenly throne. Naturally such an image will often be discarded as folks move through adolescence, but all too often no effort is made to reimagine the image of God. As a result, for too many people, when the crises of life come near, all they have in their God reservoir are those old discorded memories, and spiritual strength eludes them. What a blessing it is when we can take the time through study, prayer, and meditation to develop an image of God that rings true and that is adequate for every season of life.

Thought for the Day: What is my image of God?

Mark 13:3-8

“Then Jesus began to say to them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and they will lead many astray.’” vss. 5-6

We would do well to heed the warning that Jesus gave to his disciples, “Beware that no one leads you astray,” but it’s so hard to tell who the deceivers are. We live in a time when truth itself has been called into question, and people have become adept at misleading others. It’s really hard to tell who the truth-tellers are. Sometimes people we have learned to trust reveal themselves as holding contrary opinions. And what’s even worse are those times when we discover that we’ve been the deceivers all along, and that the people we’ve been disagreeing with are actually right! Because deception has become so commonplace it’s important for believers to sort out those things which are beyond doubt. These are the truths that we hold most dear and that we will use as the guiding principles of our lives. They could be basics like “Jesus is the source of unconditional sacrificial love and in him I find forgiveness and life,” or “The world is both good and broken.” It just might be that things get a lot worse in the decades to come, and that there will be wars and insurrections even in our own country. We just can’t foretell the future–but we can prepare ourselves for anything by holding fast to those things we know to be true.

Thought for the Day: What do I know to be true, beyond a doubt?

Mark 13:1-2

“As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’” vs. 1

It’s not surprising that the disciples were impressed by the temple. King Herod, in an effort to impress the Jews, had spared no expense in its construction, and modeled it after the magnificent temples he’d seen in Rome. It was considered a wonder of the world! And for the more rustic Galilean disciples, it was almost beyond belief. Some of the foundation stones they marveled at can still be seen today, and people still wonder how they could lift and maneuver such massive blocks of limestone. But Jesus wasn’t the least bit influenced by the grandeur. It seems he just shrugged his shoulders and told them it wouldn’t be long before those beautiful stones would come crashing to the ground. That’s pretty much still how it is with our construction projects, especially those that congregations have attempted in recent years to house their burgeoning numbers of members. Before long, all their energy and money is spent in taking care of their buildings, and they find themselves cutting back on mission and ministry. Sometimes, after a time, the congregation even disappears–all that remains are the bricks and mortar. It’s such a delicate balance. The church does need an external presence, but its real foundation is nothing less than Jesus Christ, and his Body is a people, and not a building!

Thought for the Day: When do church buildings become holy space?

Hebrews 10:19-25

“And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another…”  vss. 24-25a

As far as the writer is concerned the community of believers is in a position to live long and prosper. Their faith has brought them into the Divine Presence and they can live without fear, both cleansed and forgiven. Everything had been taken care of, which is precisely the position that we are in. And then he pointed to one of the basic truths of existence, life is communal! It’s in community that we are at our best and our first challenge there is to provoke one another to love and good deeds. But even as he wrote this the writer hinted that there was a problem in that early Christian community. His exhortation wasn’t going to work unless people were willing to meet together regularly, and some weren’t showing up! We know what that’s like. It’s one of the biggest challenges of our transient and mobile population. In most of our faith communities people just aren’t showing up! It seems like only a few believers have any interest in coming together for regular worship. There are a myriad of excuses. Sometimes it’s the preacher, occasionally the music, but most often it’s because they’ve found something better to do with their time. The problem is that when folks don’t show up, the whole community suffers, and the loving and good works can grind to a halt.

Thought from the Day: Why are most believers occasional worshipers?

Hebrews 10:11-14

“And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins.” vs. 11

As the writer of Hebrews recounts the sacrificial rituals of the temple, he suggests that even in the glory days of Israel, the whole system was an exercise in futility. Even though the priests faithfully, year after year, offered the same sacrifices on behalf of the people, they never really worked–sins were never forgiven. It’s possible to ask the same question about the rituals that are so dear to our hearts in our worship life. Carried on with exquisite attention to detail, accompanied by words and prayers that date back to the early days of Christianity, they are repeated week after week by pastors and priests. And it’s fair to ask, do they really work? And with the writer of Hebrews we can say, “Absolutely not!” While that might seem shocking to some, that’s the only possible answer. It’s not the rituals or our artistry in performing them that make any difference at all. What gives us forgiveness is the sacrificial love of the Divine Presence! And that love is not dependent on what we do. What we receive in the sacraments is the affirmation of what has already taken place. Their efficacy is not at all related to the skill or even the faith of those who preside. Rituals come and go, but the steadfast love of God remains forever.

Thought for the Day: What’s the purpose of rituals in worship?

Psalm 16:7-11

“You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.” vs. 11

There are times when current events overwhelm our ability to even process them and life can seem burdensome. Some folks were feeling that way last week when it became obvious that candidates they had backed in the election had been soundly defeated. They were discouraged and frustrated; a few were angry. It was hard for them to see a way forward in the current situation and some had a deep sense of foreboding about the future. Whether it was right or wrong for them to feel this way was not the question. Obviously many other people were exultant and optimistic as they watched the stock market reach new highs. In the midst of such mixed feelings the psalmist gives another perspective. There is another way! The Lord shows us the path of life and it’s not related to political parties or elections. Instead we are actually invited into the Divine Presence, and there we will find the fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore. He’s obviously not talking about material delights here, or the momentary thrills that come with sports or election victories. But there is a way to live that moves those things from the center to the periphery, and that is the path of life.

Thought for the Day: What gives me the most joy?

Psalm 16:1-6

“Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord;

I have no good apart from you.’” vss. 1-2

There are times in life when it’s good to just take stock of who we are, and perhaps more importantly, whose we are. The psalmist is doing just that. There doesn’t seem to be any particular crisis and he’s not pleading with the Lord to do an intervention. In fact he’s pretty satisfied with his situation and recognizes that he’s doing pretty well. Many of us know what that is like. We live in a country where we enjoy amazing freedoms and prosperity. Since we also love to complain we don’t always like to admit the blessings that are ours. But the truth is, we have it pretty good, especially when compared to the vast majority of people in the world. But people of faith will also recognize that God is the bedrock of our existence. Apart from God we are quite literally nothing, and everything in our lives that we cherish and love is of God. In God our future is secure; apart from God we have no future. Because God is our all in all, we could lose all we hold dear, and still have everything. That’s how amazing God is. Most days we don’t even think about things like this–it’s a blessing that we’ve come to take for granted–and that’s a good thing. Praise God!

Thought for the Day:  From one to ten, how good is my life today?

Daniel 12:1-3

“Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” vs. 3

Even though many have little interest in the apocalyptic messages found scattered through scripture, when we take the time to read them we can find what might be called “hidden gems.” Such is the case today with the vision recorded in this section of Daniel. These are words that those who might still be reeling with feelings about the recent election can hang on to with enthusiasm. Always, no matter how broken our world might seem there are going to be wise people, and in dismal circumstances they will be points of light and optimism. Their words and actions will break through all the foolishness and ignorance and they will be fountains of truth and hope. And when we see around us those whose words and actions are actually leading others in the way of righteousness, we will leap for joy. And the good news is that such folks are all around us in our communities as the hands and feet of Christ. And as we follow in their way we will be walking in the footsteps of Jesus and bringing unconditional love and sacrificial service to the multiplying numbers of hurting people. Even though we may seem to be living in apocalyptic times Daniel is right. There are plenty of things to give thanks for.

Thought for the Day: Where am I seeing wisdom in these days?