John 1:37-42

“He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.”

According to John’s gospel, after John the Baptizer pointed out Jesus to a couple of his disciples, they decided to check him out by spending some time with him in the place where he was staying. One of those disciples was Andrew, and he was blown away by what he heard and observed. As soon as he left, he went to find his brother, Simon, also one of John’s disciples, and insisted that he too “come and see.” And that’s how evangelism works! One person discovers good news, and is so moved by the discovery, that an invitation goes out to family and friends. Many times this happens in our congregations. People are so moved by their experience that they can’t keep silent. Others are invited to come and worship or share in an activity, and before long still others are coming and seeing. Sadly in many instances, the excitement doesn’t last for long. It isn’t that the gospel is no longer good news, but we run out of enthusiasm for sharing. And when that happens the whole spirit of a congregation begins to wane. Everything seems routine. That obviously didn’t ever happen with Andrew and Simon. Their excitement lasted for a lifetime and they never tired of urging folks to “come and see.” Epiphany is a good time to refresh evangelism efforts–it always begins with those we know the best.

Thought for the Day: What’s the excitement level in my congregation?

John 1:29-36

“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” vs. 29

John the gospel writer begins the story of Jesus’ ministry, not with his baptism at the hands of John the Baptizer, but with John’s testimony concerning Jesus. John the Baptizer is the first witness, the first to recognize that the Spirit rested on Jesus, and he quickly spreads that good news among his disciples. The words he uses, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” are a forecast of what is to come, a vision of Jesus’ sacrificial death on Calvary. These words show us that Christians had begun using this image to describe Jesus very early in their life together. In fact the image of Jesus as the Lamb of God  continues to be used regularly in worship. It’s the hymn that is sung during Holy Communion in many congregations. It’s not that Jesus was a fuzzy cuddly lamb, but that he was the sacrificial lamb that had been central in temple worship, and his death has everything to do with forgiveness. Some people question that image, and wonder how one death can take away the sin of the world. Still the image persists, and we love to sing the Agnus Dei, (Latin for Lamb of God). It’s a precious symbol that, for many,  captures the message of sacrificial love better than anything else.

Thought for the Day: What’s my favorite metaphor for forgiveness?

1 Corinthians 1:5-9

“He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” vss. 8-9

Paul regularly encouraged people to prepare for the imminent return of Jesus so that they might be ready when that time came. Here he gives the impression that it will be possible for them to be blameless on that day. Now there are some believers who do believe in a kind of perfectionism, that bit by bit, through the years, we can improve until we are virtually perfect, and no longer subject to sin. It’s doubtful that this is what Paul had in mind and it’s really foolish to imagine that we could actually pull this off. We will be in need of the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit until the day we die. Now we can make some improvements, but that only comes through daily repentance and forgiveness. And it may be that we and the people who know us best will be able to see the difference. But we will remain in this good and broken world as long as we live. In fact, as soon as we start to get cocky and think we are pretty decent folks we can probably count on messing up. And ultimately it’s only because of God’s faithfulness that we can have any hope at all. It’s in God’s perfection that we find our own.

Thought for the Day: How have I changed for the better through the years?

1 Corinthians 1:1-4

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus…” vss. 3-4

Paul had worked as a tentmaker in Corinth for about 18 months during his second missionary journey. During that time he had also proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ in every venue that was open to him. He knew the people well, and they knew him. After he left he continued to write to the congregation that had sprung up while he was there. A couple of those letters and perhaps part of a third are a part of our New Testament. Evidently someone in Corinth would ask Paul’s guidance on issues being faced by the congregation, and in return he freely offered his opinions and convictions. His letters offer priceless perspectives on what was happening! He begins this letter with a familiar apostolic greeting. His words are a reminder that our relationship with God rests on the grace that has been poured out among us through the Lord Jesus. This particular congregation often dealt with divisions and conflicts, showing that such issues have troubled followers of Jesus from the beginning. Paul did not hesitate to share instructions and admonitions, but he always presented his guidance from the perspective of grace and peace.  Because we continue to struggle with differences, we would do well to pay attention to what he had to say and remember that life in Christ always begins with grace!

Thought for the Day: Why is church unity so difficult?

Psalm 40:1-11

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.” vss. 1-2

We’ve probably all imagined what it would be like to be caught in a pit of quicksand. Maybe we’ve seen a movie or video showing some person slowly sinking out of sight. It’s the source material for nightmares! Can you see it now? You’re walking a rainsoaked path through a jungle area and wander onto a muddy flat. The muck is deep and clings to your feet. Suddenly you’re stuck and unable to move and the sinking begins: knees, thighs, waist. Alone you cry for help! And then your rescuer comes, bending, he catches hold of your arms and pulls you to safety, a rock on which you can stand. The psalmist says that this is what the Lord does when we lose our way. His words sound like the testimony we’d hear at an AA meeting. We know the stories. In the face of addiction God acts to rescue and restore. The Lord gives power when our own strength has disappeared. At the bottom, at the end of our resources, our God comes and we are saved. It may be that this is our own tale, one that we should never be reluctant to share. This is what God is for us–this is what God can be. That’s why every day is a time for thanks and praise.

Thought for the Day: What’s my story?

Isaiah 49:5-7

“He says, ‘It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’” vs. 6

As the prophet considered the mission of Israel he had come to believe that the Lord had a larger vision for his Servant. He tells the people that they have been given as a light to the nations. The salvation of God was for all the world and not just the descendents of Abraham and Jacob. That prophetic vision was a massive step forward for the Jewish people and it was picked up by Jesus who insisted that his disciples’ mission was to go with the gospel to the whole world. As members of the Body of Christ we have learned that this is our commission too, and Epiphany has become a time for us to reflect on that evangelical mission to be the Light of the world, not only as individuals but as communities of faith. Some days it seems as though darkness has gotten a second wind among us. There is a sense that something is wrong, and that our leaders are more interested in the exercise of raw power than the promotion of the common good. Sometimes we imagine that we’re on our own in healing the brokenness, but that’s never the case. It’s together that we are the Light of Christ, and together we make a difference.

Thought for the Day: How will I be the light today?

Isaiah 49:1-4

“And he said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’ But I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my cause is with the Lord, and my reward with my God.’” vss. 3-4

Even as the people of Israel languished in their Babylonian exile, their prophet continued to assure them that collectively, they are still the servant of the Lord. So in this beautiful Servant Song he takes note of Israel’s long mostly futile history of sketchy obedience, and then reaffirms their continuing call. It’s a reminder that God doesn’t give up on those who have been chosen, even when it appears their labor has been in vain, and that’s certainly true for we who are called the Body of Christ. As the Christian Church there is much that we have done that has been fruitless and even contrary to the mission of Jesus. We have been caught up in struggles for power and glory. Our leaders have succumbed to political pressures and have adopted the ways of our broken world. We’ve engaged in crusades, supported slavery, and ignored the poor. In short our witness to the Way of Jesus has been a joke. Nevertheless, our call to be the hands and feet of God in the world is still in effect. Because we are loved unconditionally, the forgiveness and mercy of the Lord is our strength!

Thought for the Day: How does the Church get off track?

Matthew 3:15-17

“And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’” vs. 17

Jesus’ baptism was likely quite routine. We don’t know John’s method but it was likely full immersion. That was the tradition in Judaism, and many homes would have had a mikvah or bathtub for use in purification rituals. Since John wouldn’t have had a mikvah handy, he likely just used a pool in the river. But what happened after the baptism wasn’t at all what Jesus anticipated. He had a full-blown encounter with the Spirit of God and even heard a voice affirming him as God’s beloved Son. That experience changed the trajectory of his life in a big way–in fact it changed the course of human history. From that point on Jesus believed that he had received the stamp of God’s approval, and that he had a divine mission, though he didn’t quite know what that might be. In our experience baptism has taken on a different meaning. Only occasionally does it involve a life-changing encounter with the Divine. For many it’s a ritual that comes so early in our lives that no memory remains. But that doesn’t mean that it’s meaningless! On the contrary it’s the most powerful celebration of God’s love and grace we will ever experience. In the waters of baptism we are named and claimed as God’s own children, and its cleansing power is forever.

Thought for the Day: How do I remember my baptism?

Matthew 3:13-15

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’” vss. 13-14

All the gospels begin their accounts of Jesus’ ministry with the story of his baptism in the Jordan River at the hands of John the Baptizer. John was already well-known and his baptismal ministry had attracted widespread attention. Even King Herod was aware of him and wary of his influence. So it’s really not strange that Jesus would come down from Galilee to see what was going on. He may even have intended to become one of John’s disciples. At any rate he had come to be baptized, just one of many who were seeking spiritual transformation. Later on, after Jesus’ ministry exploded and John had met a tragic end, there was some confusion about which of them should be regarded as the messiah. John’s disciples had remained attached to him, and they wondered about this upstart from Galilee. Matthew, in writing about Jesus’ baptism much later, makes sure that his readers knew that Jesus was superior, and that even John recognized it. What we do know is that Jesus was likely very surprised by what happened immediately following his baptism. This was not what he had expected, and it changed his life, and the course of human history!

Thought for the Day: What effect has your baptism had on you?

Acts 10:34-43

“Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” vss. 34-35

It’s a new Peter that speaks to Cornelius and his family in Caesarea–he’s been converted to a brand new way of understanding the salvation of God. He’d grown up as a devout Jew and had an extremely narrow sense of who was included within the boundaries of God’s Peaceable Kingdom. But following his vision in Joppa he had concluded that God shows no partiality, that God does not love one nation more than another. What God cares about is goodness, the goodness that is planted in the heart of every human being, and  when that goodness shines through the ubiquitous brokenness of humanity, God rejoices. For some reason Christians have had a hard time believing this and putting it into practice. We’ve invented denominations of every description and burnished their boundaries with rituals and traditions, all in an attempt to make clear who is in and who is out. And we all do it! Conservatives judge liberals and liberals mock conservatives, and then we act surprised when we see goodness in those we judge and mock. Perhaps we need conversion as much as Peter. Good news rests within the hearts of all people and all are capable of being light in the midst of darkness.

Thought for the Day: When has someone’s goodness surprised me?