Sunday, November 6, 2016
The Daily Readings for November 7, 2016
Joel 1:1-13
The word of the LORD that came to Joel son of Pethuel: Hear this, O elders, give ear, all inhabitants of the land! Has such a thing happened in your days, or in the days of your ancestors? Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation. What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten. Wake up, you drunkards, and weep; and wail, all you wine-drinkers, over the sweet wine, for it is cut off from your mouth. For a nation has invaded my land, powerful and innumerable; its teeth are lions' teeth, and it has the fangs of a lioness. It has laid waste my vines, and splintered my fig trees; it has stripped off their bark and thrown it down; their branches have turned white. Lament like a virgin dressed in sackcloth for the husband of her youth. The grain offering and the drink offering are cut off from the house of the LORD. The priests mourn, the ministers of the LORD. The fields are devastated, the ground mourns; for the grain is destroyed, the wine dries up, the oil fails. Be dismayed, you farmers, wail, you vinedressers, over the wheat and the barley; for the crops of the field are ruined. The vine withers, the fig tree droops. Pomegranate, palm, and apple-- all the trees of the field are dried up; surely, joy withers away among the people. Put on sackcloth and lament, you priests; wail, you ministers of the altar. Come, pass the night in sackcloth, you ministers of my God! Grain offering and drink offering are withheld from the house of your God.
Revelation 18:15-24
The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud, "Alas, alas, the great city, clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls! For in one hour all this wealth has been laid waste!" And all shipmasters and seafarers, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, "What city was like the great city?" And they threw dust on their heads, as they wept and mourned, crying out, "Alas, alas, the great city, where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in one hour she has been laid waste." Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints and apostles and prophets! For God has given judgment for you against her. Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "With such violence Babylon the great city will be thrown down, and will be found no more; and the sound of harpists and minstrels and of flutists and trumpeters will be heard in you no more; and an artisan of any trade will be found in you no more; and the sound of the millstone will be heard in you no more; and the light of a lamp will shine in you no more; and the voice of bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more; for your merchants were the magnates of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery. And in you was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slaughtered on earth."
Luke 14:12-24
He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." One of the dinner guests, on hearing this, said to him, "Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" Then Jesus said to him, "Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for everything is ready now.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my regrets.' Another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my regrets.' Another said, 'I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.' So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, 'Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.' And the slave said, 'Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.' Then the master said to the slave, 'Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner.'"
Morning Psalms
Psalm 80 Qui regis Israel
1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up your strength and come to help us.
3 Restore us, O God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
4 O LORD God of hosts, how long will you be angered despite the prayers of your people?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
6 You have made us the derision of our neighbors, and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
8 You have brought a vine out of Egypt; you cast out the nations and planted it.
9 You prepared the ground for it; it took root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered by its shadow and the towering cedar trees by its boughs.
11 You stretched out its tendrils to the Sea and its branches to the River.
12 Why have you broken down its wall, so that all who pass by pluck off its grapes?
13 The wild boar of the forest has ravaged it, and the beasts of the field have grazed upon it.
14 Turn now, O God of hosts, look down from heaven; behold and tend this vine; preserve what your right hand has planted.
15 They burn it with fire like rubbish; at the rebuke of your countenance let them perish.
16 Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, and son of man you have made so strong for yourself.
17 And so will we never turn away from you; give us life, that we may call upon your Name.
18 Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Evening Psalms
Psalm 77 Voce mea ad Dominum
1 I will cry aloud to God; I will cry aloud, and he will hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; my hands were stretched out by night and did not tire; I refused to be comforted.
3 I think of God, I am restless, I ponder, and my spirit faints.
4 You will not let my eyelids close; I am troubled and I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old; I remember the years long past;
6 I commune with my heart in the night; I ponder and search my mind.
7 Will the Lord cast me off for ever? will he no more show his favor?
8 Has his loving-kindness come to an end for ever? has his promise failed for evermore?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? has he, in his anger, withheld his compassion?
10 And I said, "My grief is this: the right hand of the Most High has lost its power."
11 I will remember the works of the LORD, and call to mind your wonders of old time.
12 I will meditate on all your acts and ponder your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy; who is so great a god as our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders and have declared your power among the peoples.
15 By your strength you have redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph.
16 The waters saw you, O God; the waters saw you and trembled; the very depths were shaken.
17 The clouds poured out water; the skies thundered; your arrows flashed to and fro;
18 The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lit up the world; the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was in the sea, and your paths in the great waters, yet your footsteps were not seen.
20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Psalm 79 Deus, venerunt
1 O God, the heathen have come into your inheritance; they have profaned your holy temple; they have made Jerusalem a heap of rubble.
2 They have given the bodies of your servants as food for the birds of the air, and the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts of the field.
3 They have shed their blood like water on every side of Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.
4 We have become a reproach to our neighbors, an object of scorn and derision to those around us.
5 How long will you be angry, O LORD? will your fury blaze like fire for ever?
6 Pour out your wrath upon the heathen who have not known you and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon your Name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob and made his dwelling a ruin.
8 Remember not our past sins; let your compassion be swift to meet us; for we have been brought very low.
9 Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your Name; deliver us and forgive us our sins, for your Name's sake.
10 Why should the heathen say, "Where is their God?" Let it be known among the heathen and in our sight that you avenge the shedding of your servants' blood.
11 Let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before you, and by your great might spare those who are condemned to die.
12 May the revilings with which they reviled you, O Lord, return seven-fold into their bosoms.
13 For we are your people and the sheep of your pasture; we will give you thanks for ever and show forth your praise from age to age.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.
The Daily Meditation for November 7, 2016
From Forward Day By Day
Written by Richelle Thompson
Luke 14:13-14 (NRSV) But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.
My son came home with empty pockets after his first no-parents outing with friends. When I asked about the change from the convenience store, he said he had given it to the cashier. Mom, he said, she looked like she needed it more than me.
Nearly every day, I see people asking for money or food or work. When my children are with me, they always admonish me to give, even if we just helped another person a block earlier. I know it’s not possible to give to every person on the street who asks. Many social workers say that this is not even the best way to help, that my money would be better spent in donations to charities that work for long-term solutions.
But I pray to be like my son, to listen to the still, small voice, and when the urge to give doesn’t go away, to respond in generosity and with good spirit.
Let not the needy be forgotten, O Lord. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. Amen.
Written by Richelle Thompson
Luke 14:13-14 (NRSV) But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.
My son came home with empty pockets after his first no-parents outing with friends. When I asked about the change from the convenience store, he said he had given it to the cashier. Mom, he said, she looked like she needed it more than me.
Nearly every day, I see people asking for money or food or work. When my children are with me, they always admonish me to give, even if we just helped another person a block earlier. I know it’s not possible to give to every person on the street who asks. Many social workers say that this is not even the best way to help, that my money would be better spent in donations to charities that work for long-term solutions.
But I pray to be like my son, to listen to the still, small voice, and when the urge to give doesn’t go away, to respond in generosity and with good spirit.
Let not the needy be forgotten, O Lord. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. Amen.
Join more than a half million readers worldwide who use Forward Day by Day as a resource for daily prayer and Bible study.
Our Daily Bread - A Difficult Hill
By David Roper
Read: Psalm 110 | Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 40–42; Hebrews 4
He will drink from a brook along the way, and so he will lift his head high. Psalm 110:7
High in a fold of Jughandle Peak in the mountains north of our home in Idaho lies a glacial lake. The route to the lake goes up a steep, exposed ridge through boulders and loose stones. It’s a strenuous ascent.
At the beginning of the climb, however, there is a brook—a spring that seeps out of soft, mossy earth and flows through a lush meadow. It’s a quiet place to drink deeply and prepare for the hard climb ahead.
In John Bunyan’s classic allegory of the Christian life, The Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian arrives at the foot of a steep ascent called the Hill Difficulty, “at the bottom of which was a spring . . . Christian now went to the spring and drank to refresh himself, and then began to go up the hill.”
Perhaps the difficult mountain you face is a rebellious child or a serious medical diagnosis. The challenge seems more than you can endure.
Before you face your next major task, visit the spring of refreshment that is God Himself. Come to Him with all your weakness, weariness, helplessness, fear, and doubt. Then drink deeply of His power, strength, and wisdom. God knows all your circumstances and will supply a store of comfort, of spiritual strengthening and consolation. He will lift up your head and give you strength to go on.
Father, at this moment I turn to You for strength in my weakness, energy for my weariness, and faith in my doubt.
To help strengthen your trust in God, read Hope: Choosing Faith Instead of Fear at discoveryseries.org/q0733
He who overrules all things . . . enabled Christian to . . . continue on his way. John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress
© 2016 Our Daily Bread Ministries
Nuestro Pan Diario - Una montaña difícil
Por david h. roper
Leer: Salmo 110 | La Biblia en un año: Hebreos 4
Del arroyo beberá en el camino, por lo cual levantará la cabeza (Salmo 110:7).
En lo alto de un pliegue de la Cumbre Jughandle, entre las montañas al norte de nuestra casa, hay un glaciar. La ruta para llegar hasta allí asciende por una cresta empinada y angosta, cubierta de lomas y piedras sueltas. La subida es agotadora. Sin embargo, allí hay un manantial que brota de un terreno blando y cubierto de musgo que atraviesa una pradera exuberante. Es un lugar tranquilo para beber y prepararse para el duro ascenso.
En El progreso del peregrino, la clásica alegoría de la vida cristiana, de John Bunyan, Cristiano llega al pie de una empinada subida llamada Collado Dificultad, «… en el que había una fuente […]. Cristiano se acercó a la fuente, bebió y se refrigeró. Emprendió después collado arriba…».
Quizá la difícil montaña que enfrentas es un hijo rebelde o un diagnóstico médico grave. El desafío parece insuperable. Antes de enfrentar la próxima tarea difícil, acude a la fuente de refrigerio: Dios. Preséntale tu debilidad, agotamiento, desesperanza, temor y duda, y bebe profundamente de su poder, fortaleza y sabiduría. El Señor conoce todas las circunstancias y te dará un caudal de consuelo y fortaleza espiritual. Él levantará tu cabeza y te dará fuerzas para seguir avanzando.
Señor, dame fuerza en mi debilidad, energía en mi agotamiento y fe ante mis dudas.
«Aquel que dispone todas las cosas [… dejó] a Cristiano que siguiese su camino». John Bunyan
© 2016 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario
Unser Täglich Brot - Bergauf
Von David Roper
Lesen: Psalm 110 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: Jeremia 40–42; Hebräer 4
Er wird trinken vom Bach auf dem Wege, darum wird er das Haupt emporheben. Psalm 110,7
Hoch in den Bergen nördlich von unserem Wohnort liegt ein Gletschersee. Der Weg dorthin führt über einen steilen Gebirgskamm durch Fels und Geröll. Der Aufstieg ist ziemlich anstrengend.
Am Anfang des Weges allerdings ist eine kleine Quelle. Ihr Wasser kommt aus dem weichen, moosigen Grund und fließt durch eine üppige Weide. Dort kann man in Ruhe rasten, etwas trinken und sich auf den schweren Aufstieg vorbereiten.
In John Bunyans Pilgerreise, der klassischen Allegorie über das Leben als Christ, gelangt Christ an den Fuß des Berges der Beschwerde. „Er trank aus der Quelle, die am Fuß des Berges hervorsprudelte, und stieg singend den Berg hinan.“
Der große Berg, vor dem du stehst, ist vielleicht ein ungehorsames Kind oder eine bedrohliche Krankheit. Es scheint, als würde alles über deine Kräfte gehen.
Ehe du die nächste größere Aufgabe in Angriff nimmst, geh zur Quelle der Erquickung, zu Gott selbst. Komm zu ihm mit all deiner Schwäche, deiner Müdigkeit, deiner Hilflosigkeit, deinen Ängsten und Zweifeln. Nimm einen tiefen Schluck von seiner Kraft, Stärke und Weisheit. Gott kennt deine Situation und wird dir genug Trost, geistliche Stärkung und Hilfe schenken. Er wird dich aufrichten und dir Kraft geben für den weiteren Weg.
Vater, ich komme zu dir und bitte um Stärke in meiner Schwachheit, Energie in meiner Müdigkeit und Glaube in meinen Zweifeln.
Der Herr aber, der alle Dinge nach dem Rat
seines Willens lenkt, schickte es so, dass Christ seinen Weg
weiterziehen konnte. John Bunyan, Pilgerreise
© 2016 Unser Täglich Brot
Хлеб наш насущный - Трудное восхождение
автор: Дэвид Роупер
Читать сейчас: Псалом 109 | Библия за год: Иеремия 40-42; 1 Фессалоникийцам 5
Из потока на пути будет пить и потому вознесет главу. — Псалом 109:7
Высоко в горах к северу от нашего дома в штате Айдахо расположено ледниковое озеро. Дорога к нему пролегает по крутому склону через валуны и каменные россыпи. Восхождение грозит многими опасностями.
А в самом начале тропы находится родник, бьющий из мягкой, устланной мхом земли и текущий по цветущему лугу. Это тихое место, где можно вдоволь напиться и подготовиться к трудному восхождению.
В известной книге Джона Буньяна «Путешествие пилигрима» христианин подходит к подножию крутой горы под названием «Затруднение». Там «из-под земли бил источник чистой, очень вкусной и свежей воды. Христианин... напился из источника и стал подниматься вверх».
Возможно, ваше «затруднение» – это непослушный ребенок или тяжелая болезнь. Трудность кажется неподъемной.
Прежде всего придите к источнику сил, то есть к Самому Богу. Принесите Ему свою слабость, усталость, беспомощность, страх и сомнение. А затем исполнитесь Его силой и мудростью. Бог знает ваши обстоятельства и пошлет необходимое духовное укрепление. Он вознесет вашу голову и дарует силы для пути.
Отче, я прихожу к Тебе за поддержкой в моих немощах, силой в моей усталости и верой в моих сомнениях.
«Тот, Кто управляет всем... помог христианину... продолжить путь». — Джон Буньян «Путешествие пилигрима»
© 2016 Ministères NPQ
Notre Pain Quotidien - Une colline ardue à gravir
par David Roper
Lisez : Psaume 110 | La Bible en un an : Jérémie 40 – 42 et Hébreux 4
Il boit au torrent pendant la marche ; c’est pourquoi il relève la tête. (Psaume 110.7)
Juché au haut du Jughandle Peak, dans
les montagnes situées au nord de notre maison de l’Idaho, se trouve un
lac glaciaire. Le chemin qui y conduit escalade une falaise raide et nue
entre rochers et pierres lâches. Il s’agit d’une ascension épuisante.
Au début de l’ascension se trouve
toutefois un ruisseau qui sort d’un sol malléable et mousseux pour
couler à travers un pré verdoyant. C’est un lieu paisible où se
désaltérer et bien se préparer à cette ascension ardue.
Dans l’allégorie classique de John Bunyan portant sur la vie chrétienne, Le Voyage du pèlerin,
Chrétien est arrivé « au pied de la colline de la Difficulté, au bas de
laquelle coulait une source […] Chrétien s’approcha de la source, et se
rafraîchit en buvant de son eau, puis il commença à monter » (France,
La Croisade du Livre Chrétien, 1982, p. 65).
Il se peut que la colline de la
Difficulté que vous affrontez soit un enfant rebelle ou un diagnostic
grave, soit un défi qui vous semble insurmontable.
Avant de vous attaquer à votre prochaine
grande tâche, rendez‑vous à la source rafraîchissante qu’est Dieu
lui‑même. Confiez‑lui vos faiblesses, vos inquiétudes, votre
impuissance, vos craintes et vos doutes. Puis buvez à sa puissance, à sa
force et à sa sagesse jusqu’à satiété. Dieu connaît toute votre
situation et vous apportera réconfort, force spirituelle et consolation
avec générosité. Il vous relèvera et vous donnera de poursuivre le bon
combat de la foi.
Le Maître de tout amena Chrétien à continuer son chemin. John Bunyan
© 2016 Ministères NPQ
Blessed!
Matthew 5:1-12
“Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to Him. And He opened His mouth and taught them.” (Mt 5:1-2)
Jesus’ teaching begins with a word. Blessed. In Greek, makarios. Not quite “happy.” It’s not a feeling. Blessed. It’s a condition, an umbrella under which you live out your existence. Blessed. Nine times it gets repeated, and each time turned a little bit like a diamond, displaying each of its facets.
We call them “beatitudes,” blessings. The first four are inward. They point to the disciple and his condition coram Deo, before God. The poor in spirit, the mourning, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. In a single phrase, blessed are the beggars.
“We are all beggars, this is true.” Luther had written those words in preparation for his death. In those days, it was common to spend a great deal of effort planning one’s burial and carefully choosing one’s last words. We don’t know if Luther actually said these words. They were written on a piece of paper on a night stand next to his bed. We are all beggars, this is true. Poor in spirit. Mourning. Meek. Hungry and thirsty for righteousness.
This is not what you might expect, and certainly not the impression you would get by tuning in to popular Christianity and the prosperity preachers you see on TV or read in books. Their message is quite the opposite. Blessed are the rich in spirit. Blessed are the glad and happy. Blessed are the strong and powerful. Blessed are those whose cups runneth over with righteousness. Of course! Isn’t that the way of all religion? Using God to become a winner. God technology. Plugging into the power. Getting your life in order, maximizing your potential, actualizing your self-esteem, being all that you can be in all the fabulous ways you can be it, all with the “help of God” of course.
That’s what we expect. Keep the rules and God will reward you. Health, wealth, happiness, love. It’s all yours in faith. Just believe hard enough, name it, claim it. Hey, it worked for the guy on TV didn’t it? He’s the picture of success. Nice suit, nice car, pretty wife, squeaky clean, drug free, honor roll kids. God’s on the side of the winners. He always helps the winning football team. “I’d like to thank God for helping me make that game-winning touchdown or kick that last-second field goal.” God is always on the side of the winners. You never hear anyone say, “I’d like to thank God for that loss today. We’re truly blessed.” “I’d like to thank the Lord for that fumble in the red zone when we could have won the game.” “I just want to praise the Lord for the blocked field goal with time running out.”
Blessed are the poor in spirit. That’s right. Not the poor, as in financially lacking. That’s Luke. Poor in spirit. The spiritually impoverished, the spiritually bankrupt. Beggars. Blessed are those who have nothing to offer God but their sin, the messed up lives, their broken hearts, their dysfunctional families. Blessed are those who look at the inventory of the commandments and come to the conclusion, “I’m bringing nothing.” Blessed are those who have come to the conclusion they can’t do religion. Blessed are those who realize they haven’t kept a single commandment in thought, word, or deed not matter how good they might look to the world. Blessed are those who, like the tax collector in the temple, can’t even lift their eyes to heaven but beat their breasts and say “Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Blessed are the beggars.
Blessed are those who mourn. Did Jesus just say mourn? To mourn suggests something something died. Blessed are those who experience the pangs of death? That’s right. Those who mourn. Those who grieve. Those who weep over the ravages of Sin in their lives and the lives of others. Those who experience loss for the sake of the kingdom. Those who have “bought the farm” to own the pearl of great price. You think being a Christian means being happy? Rethink.
Those who mourn are open, giveable, receivable. They are like soil plowed under and turned over, the good soil in which the seed of the Word actually produces a harvest of fruit. The kingdom is not about winning in this world but losing. Losing your life in order to save it. Losing your self in order to be find in Jesus.
Blessed are the meek. Yes, the meek. Not the strong and mighty, but the meek and lowly. The losers, the little ones, the door mats of the world. Blessed are you. The earth is yours. Everyone seeks to grab it by power; you get it by gift. Everyone asserts their right to it; it is granted you to receive. The meek. It’s so counterintuitive. It cuts against the grain of our thinking, the way we run our lives. We want to be strong, to be in charge, to be in control. The meek? What war have the meek ever won? Do the spoils ever go to the meek?
Jesus calls Himself meek. “Come to me, all you who are weak and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus is meek, and in His meekness likes hidden strength. It’s the strength that turns the other cheek to the striker, that loves the enemy, the blesses the persecutor, that lays down His life for the sinner. And here we get a hint: These Beatitudes, the “blesseds” are first and foremost about Jesus. He is them, and He does them. For us, for you.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Not simply hunger and thirst. That’s Luke. And that can be taken care of by a square meal and something to drink. You can supply that. But you can’t supply righteousness. You can’t make yourself holy. Oh, you can do righteous things, works of righteousness, but you can’t conjure up righteousness. We are beggars all, said Luther. Hungering, thirsting for a righteousness not our own. Jesus, who knew no Sin, became Sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. What we hunger and thirst for, what humanity seeks in its religions and philosophies, is found in Jesus. In Him you are satisfied.
The next four beatitudes turn the disciple to the neighbor. Life before one another. Blessed are the merciful, the pure-hearted, the peacemakers, the persecuted. They reflect the merciful, pure-hearted, persecuted Prince of Peace who is their Savior and Lord.
Blessed are the merciful, the undeservedly kind, those who love the loveless, who lay down their lives for others. The mercy they show is also the mercy they receive, not as a reward, but in the way of the Lord’s Prayer and forgiveness when we pray “forgive us in the same way we forgive those who sin against us.” You who have received mercy and are aware of the mercies of God are conduits of mercy, showing the mercy of God to others. You are as the moon is to the sun, reflecting the sun’s light into the darkness, shining with a light not your own, that men may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Blessed are the pure in heart, those who are innocent of the evils of this world. “Ignorance is bliss,” we say. In this sense it’s true. To be ignorant of evil is to be blessed, and yet how can anyone walk in this world and be ignorant of evil? Proverbs says, “Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”? Can you? Yes, you can. But not in yourself. Our hearts are anything but pure. They are the place where Sin resides and originates – murder, hatred, envy, lust, pride, prejudice, lies. It all goes on in our anything but pure hearts.
They must be purified by the One who alone is pure in heart. They must be washed, baptized, and when Jesus washes the heart, it becomes pure. You are pure in heart for you are baptized into the pure-hearted One who makes His heart your heart.
Blessed are the peacemakers, literally the peace doers. Those who do peace, who bring “shalom” to others. They shall be called “sons of God” for they are reflections of the Son of God, the Prince of Peace, the One who brought peace by His wounds. We are not by nature peace doers. You don’t have to read far in the Bible to encounter the first murder when Cain killed his brother Abel.
Peace doing and persecution go together. Step in the breach between two warring parties and they will both turn on you. The Prince of Peace is rejected, despised, persecuted, crucified. That’s how much this world wants peace. It is willing to kill the Prince of Peace to keep it from happening.
Blessed are you. You. You the disciple. You the baptized believer, child of the kingdom. Blessed are you when others revile you, persecute you, slander you because you bear the name Christian. Blessed are those Christians in Egypt whose worship services are interrupted with bombs and gunfire at the hands of Muslims. Blessed are those Christians in communist lands who are driven deep underground. Blessed are those who are mocked and ridiculed by the “wise” of this world. Blessed are you when people laugh at you for believing in Christ, when people exclude you for being a Christian, when people mock you for speaking the name of Jesus. Don’t be sad, be glad! Rejoice! You are walking in prophetic sandals.
The beatitudes are first and foremost about Jesus. He is the Blessed One from whom all blessings flow. He is the One who became poor in spirit, though He was rich. He is the One who mourned over our Sin, the man of suffering, acquainted with sorrow. He is the meek One, who turned the other cheek, who gave His back to the whips of this world, who went as a Lamb to the slaughter. He hungered and thirsted for our righteousness, and in His hunger and thirst we are filled.
He is the Merciful One, whose mercy knows no bounds. He is the pure-hearted One, innocent of Adam’s sin, whose heart overflowed with nothing but love. He is the peace maker, the One who did our peace to death on a cross that we might have shalom, peace that surpasses our comprehension, peace that that world cannot give. He is the persecuted One, who absorbed this world’s hatred and buried it in His death.
Jesus is and does all these things. He is the Blessed One. And you, baptized into Him, are blessed.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen
“Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to Him. And He opened His mouth and taught them.” (Mt 5:1-2)
Jesus’ teaching begins with a word. Blessed. In Greek, makarios. Not quite “happy.” It’s not a feeling. Blessed. It’s a condition, an umbrella under which you live out your existence. Blessed. Nine times it gets repeated, and each time turned a little bit like a diamond, displaying each of its facets.
We call them “beatitudes,” blessings. The first four are inward. They point to the disciple and his condition coram Deo, before God. The poor in spirit, the mourning, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. In a single phrase, blessed are the beggars.
“We are all beggars, this is true.” Luther had written those words in preparation for his death. In those days, it was common to spend a great deal of effort planning one’s burial and carefully choosing one’s last words. We don’t know if Luther actually said these words. They were written on a piece of paper on a night stand next to his bed. We are all beggars, this is true. Poor in spirit. Mourning. Meek. Hungry and thirsty for righteousness.
This is not what you might expect, and certainly not the impression you would get by tuning in to popular Christianity and the prosperity preachers you see on TV or read in books. Their message is quite the opposite. Blessed are the rich in spirit. Blessed are the glad and happy. Blessed are the strong and powerful. Blessed are those whose cups runneth over with righteousness. Of course! Isn’t that the way of all religion? Using God to become a winner. God technology. Plugging into the power. Getting your life in order, maximizing your potential, actualizing your self-esteem, being all that you can be in all the fabulous ways you can be it, all with the “help of God” of course.
That’s what we expect. Keep the rules and God will reward you. Health, wealth, happiness, love. It’s all yours in faith. Just believe hard enough, name it, claim it. Hey, it worked for the guy on TV didn’t it? He’s the picture of success. Nice suit, nice car, pretty wife, squeaky clean, drug free, honor roll kids. God’s on the side of the winners. He always helps the winning football team. “I’d like to thank God for helping me make that game-winning touchdown or kick that last-second field goal.” God is always on the side of the winners. You never hear anyone say, “I’d like to thank God for that loss today. We’re truly blessed.” “I’d like to thank the Lord for that fumble in the red zone when we could have won the game.” “I just want to praise the Lord for the blocked field goal with time running out.”
Blessed are the poor in spirit. That’s right. Not the poor, as in financially lacking. That’s Luke. Poor in spirit. The spiritually impoverished, the spiritually bankrupt. Beggars. Blessed are those who have nothing to offer God but their sin, the messed up lives, their broken hearts, their dysfunctional families. Blessed are those who look at the inventory of the commandments and come to the conclusion, “I’m bringing nothing.” Blessed are those who have come to the conclusion they can’t do religion. Blessed are those who realize they haven’t kept a single commandment in thought, word, or deed not matter how good they might look to the world. Blessed are those who, like the tax collector in the temple, can’t even lift their eyes to heaven but beat their breasts and say “Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Blessed are the beggars.
Blessed are those who mourn. Did Jesus just say mourn? To mourn suggests something something died. Blessed are those who experience the pangs of death? That’s right. Those who mourn. Those who grieve. Those who weep over the ravages of Sin in their lives and the lives of others. Those who experience loss for the sake of the kingdom. Those who have “bought the farm” to own the pearl of great price. You think being a Christian means being happy? Rethink.
Those who mourn are open, giveable, receivable. They are like soil plowed under and turned over, the good soil in which the seed of the Word actually produces a harvest of fruit. The kingdom is not about winning in this world but losing. Losing your life in order to save it. Losing your self in order to be find in Jesus.
Blessed are the meek. Yes, the meek. Not the strong and mighty, but the meek and lowly. The losers, the little ones, the door mats of the world. Blessed are you. The earth is yours. Everyone seeks to grab it by power; you get it by gift. Everyone asserts their right to it; it is granted you to receive. The meek. It’s so counterintuitive. It cuts against the grain of our thinking, the way we run our lives. We want to be strong, to be in charge, to be in control. The meek? What war have the meek ever won? Do the spoils ever go to the meek?
Jesus calls Himself meek. “Come to me, all you who are weak and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus is meek, and in His meekness likes hidden strength. It’s the strength that turns the other cheek to the striker, that loves the enemy, the blesses the persecutor, that lays down His life for the sinner. And here we get a hint: These Beatitudes, the “blesseds” are first and foremost about Jesus. He is them, and He does them. For us, for you.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Not simply hunger and thirst. That’s Luke. And that can be taken care of by a square meal and something to drink. You can supply that. But you can’t supply righteousness. You can’t make yourself holy. Oh, you can do righteous things, works of righteousness, but you can’t conjure up righteousness. We are beggars all, said Luther. Hungering, thirsting for a righteousness not our own. Jesus, who knew no Sin, became Sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. What we hunger and thirst for, what humanity seeks in its religions and philosophies, is found in Jesus. In Him you are satisfied.
The next four beatitudes turn the disciple to the neighbor. Life before one another. Blessed are the merciful, the pure-hearted, the peacemakers, the persecuted. They reflect the merciful, pure-hearted, persecuted Prince of Peace who is their Savior and Lord.
Blessed are the merciful, the undeservedly kind, those who love the loveless, who lay down their lives for others. The mercy they show is also the mercy they receive, not as a reward, but in the way of the Lord’s Prayer and forgiveness when we pray “forgive us in the same way we forgive those who sin against us.” You who have received mercy and are aware of the mercies of God are conduits of mercy, showing the mercy of God to others. You are as the moon is to the sun, reflecting the sun’s light into the darkness, shining with a light not your own, that men may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Blessed are the pure in heart, those who are innocent of the evils of this world. “Ignorance is bliss,” we say. In this sense it’s true. To be ignorant of evil is to be blessed, and yet how can anyone walk in this world and be ignorant of evil? Proverbs says, “Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”? Can you? Yes, you can. But not in yourself. Our hearts are anything but pure. They are the place where Sin resides and originates – murder, hatred, envy, lust, pride, prejudice, lies. It all goes on in our anything but pure hearts.
They must be purified by the One who alone is pure in heart. They must be washed, baptized, and when Jesus washes the heart, it becomes pure. You are pure in heart for you are baptized into the pure-hearted One who makes His heart your heart.
Blessed are the peacemakers, literally the peace doers. Those who do peace, who bring “shalom” to others. They shall be called “sons of God” for they are reflections of the Son of God, the Prince of Peace, the One who brought peace by His wounds. We are not by nature peace doers. You don’t have to read far in the Bible to encounter the first murder when Cain killed his brother Abel.
Peace doing and persecution go together. Step in the breach between two warring parties and they will both turn on you. The Prince of Peace is rejected, despised, persecuted, crucified. That’s how much this world wants peace. It is willing to kill the Prince of Peace to keep it from happening.
Blessed are you. You. You the disciple. You the baptized believer, child of the kingdom. Blessed are you when others revile you, persecute you, slander you because you bear the name Christian. Blessed are those Christians in Egypt whose worship services are interrupted with bombs and gunfire at the hands of Muslims. Blessed are those Christians in communist lands who are driven deep underground. Blessed are those who are mocked and ridiculed by the “wise” of this world. Blessed are you when people laugh at you for believing in Christ, when people exclude you for being a Christian, when people mock you for speaking the name of Jesus. Don’t be sad, be glad! Rejoice! You are walking in prophetic sandals.
The beatitudes are first and foremost about Jesus. He is the Blessed One from whom all blessings flow. He is the One who became poor in spirit, though He was rich. He is the One who mourned over our Sin, the man of suffering, acquainted with sorrow. He is the meek One, who turned the other cheek, who gave His back to the whips of this world, who went as a Lamb to the slaughter. He hungered and thirsted for our righteousness, and in His hunger and thirst we are filled.
He is the Merciful One, whose mercy knows no bounds. He is the pure-hearted One, innocent of Adam’s sin, whose heart overflowed with nothing but love. He is the peace maker, the One who did our peace to death on a cross that we might have shalom, peace that surpasses our comprehension, peace that that world cannot give. He is the persecuted One, who absorbed this world’s hatred and buried it in His death.
Jesus is and does all these things. He is the Blessed One. And you, baptized into Him, are blessed.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen
Night Light for Couples - Time and Wisdom
Night Light for Couples,
the couples' devotional from Focus on the Family ministry founder Dr.
James Dobson and his wife, Shirley, brings spouses together each
evening, helping them stay connected with each other and their Lord.
“For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.”
Generosity comes in many forms. One version is material gifts. Another is the sharing of our time and wisdom. I (jcd) recall the example of one man who gave up two hours and influenced my life for years. When I was in college, my aunt heard a speech by a well‐known Christian psychologist, Dr. Clyde Narramore. “We need Christian young men and women in the field of mental health,” Dr. Narramore said to the audience. “If you know of promising students who are interested, I’ll be glad to meet with them.” My aunt told me of this invitation, and I called Dr. Narramore for an appointment. He graciously agreed to see me, even though he was busy and didn’t know me from Adam.
As we talked in his living room, he laid out a plan for how I could become a psychologist. It’s been over forty years since that conversation took place, yet I still remember the advice he gave me that day. It shaped the next five years of my life and helped channel me into a profession I love.
You may not have the financial means to help people in need, but you can offer them your time and insights. It may be just what they need to point them in the right direction.
Just between us…
“For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.”
Generosity comes in many forms. One version is material gifts. Another is the sharing of our time and wisdom. I (jcd) recall the example of one man who gave up two hours and influenced my life for years. When I was in college, my aunt heard a speech by a well‐known Christian psychologist, Dr. Clyde Narramore. “We need Christian young men and women in the field of mental health,” Dr. Narramore said to the audience. “If you know of promising students who are interested, I’ll be glad to meet with them.” My aunt told me of this invitation, and I called Dr. Narramore for an appointment. He graciously agreed to see me, even though he was busy and didn’t know me from Adam.
As we talked in his living room, he laid out a plan for how I could become a psychologist. It’s been over forty years since that conversation took place, yet I still remember the advice he gave me that day. It shaped the next five years of my life and helped channel me into a profession I love.
You may not have the financial means to help people in need, but you can offer them your time and insights. It may be just what they need to point them in the right direction.
Just between us…
- Who has influenced us through their gifts of time and wisdom?
- In what areas do we have expertise, insights, or available time that might help someone else?
- Who do we know who might benefit from our generosity?
- From Night Light For Couples, by Dr. James
& Shirley Dobson
Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved.
Standing Strong Through the Storm - CHOOSING LOVE OVER HATE
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
At the early age of eleven, Sam was living a pious Muslim life in the southern Philippines. He prayed at mosques on Fridays and fasted during Ramadan. Sam was the only one of his siblings sent to school where he excelled both in classroom and sports. He was everybody’s favorite, popular and well-loved.
But everything changed one afternoon. After school, Sam passed by his grandfather’s house who happened to be a Christian. He saw a maroon book with ‘Kitab Injil’ (The Gospel) written on the cover. He opened it and started reading. “I was drawn to Jesus because his teachings were so different...Help the needy, obey and respect parents, do not be a false witness...they were not taught in Islam. Before that, I only knew to repay evil with evil.”
So Sam committed his life to following Jesus and His teachings in the Bible. He was just a fifth grader then. Although he was the only Christian in his family, Sam’s parents and siblings respected his new faith. But outside his home, among his friends, it was a different story. “You’re a kafir (infidel)! You are not my friend anymore.”
It was very painful for Sam to be deserted by his friend. His classmates at grade school kept a good distance from him. Some mocked him, calling him kafir. There were times during classes when kids would throw their shoes at him. They bullied him by writing stuffs on his uniform, filling his bag with sand, and even punching him.
One day, a friend-turned-enemy yelled at him. “You Christians are filthy! Christians are garbage!” Sam cried and ran home. There were times when he was tempted to fight back, but he remembered the words of Jesus to love the enemies, to bless and not curse. In his heart, he prayed for those who bullied him and repaid them with a kind smile instead.
Sam, now seventeen, has endured physical harassment, insults, and discrimination from friends and school mates for boldly telling them that he is a Christian.
After Sam joined the Open Doors’ discipleship program for MBB youths, he has become even bolder in seizing every opportunity to share his faith in Jesus. Sam knows that doing so might cost him his life someday.
“When I think of my friends, my heart breaks. I lost them, and though they turned out to be my enemies, I don’t hate them. Instead, I pray for them that one day they will meet my Lord Jesus and be changed.”
RESPONSE: Jesus wants me to not repay evil with evil but rather love, bless and pray for those who are my enemies.
PRAYER: Help me Lord to live among those who oppose me with the character of Jesus and respond to them with love and not hate.
At the early age of eleven, Sam was living a pious Muslim life in the southern Philippines. He prayed at mosques on Fridays and fasted during Ramadan. Sam was the only one of his siblings sent to school where he excelled both in classroom and sports. He was everybody’s favorite, popular and well-loved.
But everything changed one afternoon. After school, Sam passed by his grandfather’s house who happened to be a Christian. He saw a maroon book with ‘Kitab Injil’ (The Gospel) written on the cover. He opened it and started reading. “I was drawn to Jesus because his teachings were so different...Help the needy, obey and respect parents, do not be a false witness...they were not taught in Islam. Before that, I only knew to repay evil with evil.”
So Sam committed his life to following Jesus and His teachings in the Bible. He was just a fifth grader then. Although he was the only Christian in his family, Sam’s parents and siblings respected his new faith. But outside his home, among his friends, it was a different story. “You’re a kafir (infidel)! You are not my friend anymore.”
It was very painful for Sam to be deserted by his friend. His classmates at grade school kept a good distance from him. Some mocked him, calling him kafir. There were times during classes when kids would throw their shoes at him. They bullied him by writing stuffs on his uniform, filling his bag with sand, and even punching him.
One day, a friend-turned-enemy yelled at him. “You Christians are filthy! Christians are garbage!” Sam cried and ran home. There were times when he was tempted to fight back, but he remembered the words of Jesus to love the enemies, to bless and not curse. In his heart, he prayed for those who bullied him and repaid them with a kind smile instead.
Sam, now seventeen, has endured physical harassment, insults, and discrimination from friends and school mates for boldly telling them that he is a Christian.
After Sam joined the Open Doors’ discipleship program for MBB youths, he has become even bolder in seizing every opportunity to share his faith in Jesus. Sam knows that doing so might cost him his life someday.
“When I think of my friends, my heart breaks. I lost them, and though they turned out to be my enemies, I don’t hate them. Instead, I pray for them that one day they will meet my Lord Jesus and be changed.”
RESPONSE: Jesus wants me to not repay evil with evil but rather love, bless and pray for those who are my enemies.
PRAYER: Help me Lord to live among those who oppose me with the character of Jesus and respond to them with love and not hate.
Un Dia a la Vez - El juicio a los demás
¿Por qué te fijas en la astilla que tiene tu hermano en el ojo, y no le das importancia a la viga que está en el tuyo? Mateo 7:3
Quizá hoy sea el primer día que tomas este libro devocional en tus manos. Por eso quiero decirte que hace quince días estamos analizando los principios que nuestro Dios dejó para que tengamos una vida feliz. Este es un recorrido de veintiún días en los que estamos considerando todas las esferas que nos pueden afectar por la manera en que vivimos. Así que en oración le pedimos a Dios que nos dé entendimiento y que logremos obedecer su Palabra.
El juicio que hacemos de los demás dice mucho de nuestro carácter. No tenemos derecho a juzgar a nadie. Eso sí que es feo y es más común de lo que pensamos. Los cristianos especialmente somos ligeros para juzgar, pues somos rudos y duros con los demás.
Si alguno cae o falla, somos los primeros en hablar y evaluar.
¿Acaso olvidamos cómo hemos sido? ¿Es que no nos acordamos del fango del que nos sacó o nos rescató el Señor? Pidámosle a Dios que nos dé amor y misericordia por los demás.
Y que podamos tener en cuenta que nos medirán con la misma medida que medimos a otros.
Verse of the Day - November 06, 2016
Ephesians 1:9-10 (NIV) he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
Read all of Ephesians 1
Afterlife, Sex and Resurrection - Sunday Sermon for November 6, 2016 - All Saints Sunday
"Afterlife, Sex and Resurrection"
Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; then the second and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her." Jesus said to them, "Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive." (Luke 20:27-38, NRSV)
Grace and peace from God Our Father and from Jesus Christ who came to take away the sin of the world! Amen.
The other day I was watching a college football game. It was between the University of Clemson and North Carolina State. It turned out to be a fantastic game full of all kinds of drama. With only a few seconds to go North Carolina State was in position to win the game with a field goal. Just before the ball was snapped the head coach of Clemson called a quick time out. He wanted to rattle the place kicker. He had already missed a couple of field goals and I'm sure Clemson's coach thought if the young man was interrupted that perhaps some doubt and fear would overcome him and he would miss again. Well, Clemson's strategy worked perfectly. The young man tried his best but he was off by a couple of feet and the game went into overtime where Clemson went on to win the game.
I was amazed at the precise timing of Clemson's time out. It was faultless. It was called with just enough time to get into the young man's mind and create some doubt in his ability to kick the field goal. It was done just at the right time to rattle him. And it worked.
Our passage in Luke this morning deals with a time in Jesus' life that the same type of devilish strategy was being attempted on Jesus. It's the Wednesday of Passion Week. Jesus is already in Jerusalem. The Triumphal Entry has taken place, Jesus has already cleansed the Temple and now is fielding some questions by those that have surrounded him. The chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders have already questioned him on his authority. Who gave him the right to preach about God? Who gave Jesus the authority to go out and share his message?
Jesus answers their questions and then shares the Parable of Tenants. Afterwards some spies from the Jewish leadership group try to trip Jesus up with a rather sticky political question. They want to get Jesus in trouble with Roman government. Jesus gives them his famous statement of "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." Astonished by his answer the spies are rendered speechless. Jesus has faced everyone's questions so far and has come out ahead.
It's at this point we are at our passage. Jesus has handled a theological question and a political question. Now, it's the Sadducees turn. They ask Jesus what they think is a highly intelligent theological question with eschatological undertones. It's not so much their question as it is their strategy that we must keep in mind. In less than 48 hours Jesus will be hanging on the cross taking his last few mortal breaths. He will be facing firsthand all three questions that have been asked of him. They are similar to the temptations Jesus faced in the Wilderness.
This morning let's spend some time looking at the 3rd question - the one asked by the Sadducees. Not the question concerning marriage but the question underlining it concerning whether or not there is a Resurrection. Whether or not there is a time of everlasting accountability that results in either reward or punishment.
All throughout his ministry one of Jesus' main themes had been his teaching concerning the Resurrection. (Matthew 12:39-40, 16:27; 27; 62-64, Mark 8:31; 14:58, Luke 9:22; John 2:18-22; John 10:17-18). Jesus was constantly reminding his disciples what was going to happen to him, "The son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again."
The belief in Resurrection would turn out to be the singular event that would transform heaven and earth. Christianity is utter foolishness and nonsense void of the Resurrection. Without the Resurrection, Jesus, his life, his ministry are insightful but in the long scheme of things they are ultimately meaningless. Paul tells us in Romans 1:1-4, "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord." (NIV) and more visibly in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19, "But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied." (NIV)
Our passage this morning is a big deal. Oh, the Sadducees' question is juvenile but the foundation behind it is far from being juvenile. The Sadducees were doing their best to create a spirit of doubt, confusion and fear in Jesus' heart and mind. Like the coach of Clemson they want to get Jesus off his game.
The belief in an afterlife was not widespread among all the Jews. The Sadducees for example did not believe in an afterlife at all. Their theological viewpoints different greatly from the Pharisees. Where the Pharisees believed in the Law, the Prophets, the Writings and in Oral Tradition, the Sadducees only believed in what they called the words of Moses. In their minds Moses did not teach about an afterlife, about angels and especially about any type of human resurrection. The Sadducees also did not believe that there was going to be any eternal reward or punishment. All human beings could look forward to either good or bad was this life.
In our passage they did their best to get Jesus to understand that such an afterlife existence was a mere fallacy. They did their best to either show him to truth or to confuse him. Given when this happens I think it was their sole intention to put some doubt and confusion into the mind and heart of Jesus. I think we can see where they were being used by Satan to see if Jesus could be rattled. I think we can see where Satan uses them to try his best to get Jesus to experience some doubt and confusion about his mission and the love of His Heavenly Father. After all, the Cross is less than 48 hours away.
So, let's get the picture. Jesus is right on the doorstep of fulfilling his life mission. Everything he has done on earth is getting ready to come to a conclusion. If he ever needed clarity and faith it was now. For over the next 48 hours his mind, his heart and his soul would be tested as it never had been before.
And like the serpent in the Garden, here were these Sadducees standing there in the corner nudging him - "THERE IS NO RESURRECTION". "THERE IS ONLY THIS MORTAL LIFE" "THERE IS NO EVERLASTING PROMISE OR HOPE" "ALL WE HAVE IS TODAY" "THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY OR VINDICATION OR EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT OR REWARD" "THERE IS NO NEED FOR REDEMPTION". In other words after the Cross Jesus you will simply be dead All that you have preached will be dead. The total meaning of your life will mean nothing. You will have died in vain and nothing will be done through your death. There is no afterlife, no angels nor is there the hope of any human resurrection.
We must understand what is going on before we get to Jesus' answers. This is not just some question and answer session between Jesus and these Sadducees. This is a bunch of people steeped in the Torah, seen as the best of the best when it comes to being teachers of the Word telling Jesus that the thing he has put as his singular foundation - THAT GOD THE FATHER WILL RESURRECT GOD THE SON and therefore all mankind can be redeemed is all a bunch of nonsense.
And just to push home their point they posit the craziest of questions. To fully understand the absurdity of the context of their question Andrew Prior shares with us a similar question concerning the resurrection. It goes like this:
"A missionary meets a cannibal, and it does not go well. He is eaten. But the cannibal is so impressed by the demeanour (sic) of the missionary as he awaits death, that he is converted. So how will these two be raised from the dead? Part of the missionary would have to be part of the cannibal!" Who gets resurrected and how?
What a silly question. What a silly question from the Sadducees in one sense. In another sense it was like the time out from Clemson's coach. The coach was not interested in giving his team some new knowledge or a way to block the field goal attempt. His interest was in getting the North Carolina State place kicker rattled. His interest was in creating an atmosphere of anxiety, doubt and fear.
So, too, I think was this question of the Sadducees. They really didn't want an answer. After all they didn't even believe in the premise of their own question. If you don't believe in a resurrection or in an afterlife then why in the world ask a question about it in the first place? All they were interested in was to get Jesus rattled, begin to doubt and cause some confusion among his disciples and followers.
Unlike the young man in our football game, however, Jesus doesn't get rattled. Instead, he picks up on the question of the Sadducees and uses it as a platform to do some more teaching. He uses it as a launching pad to share some more on what we can expect in the life to come. Jesus takes the opportunity given to him to tell all of us about: Relationships in the afterlife, Angels and the Resurrection itself.
I. Jesus begins by telling all of us that Resurrected Life is going to be different than Mortal Life
What we shall experience in heaven will be far different than what we experienced here on earth. Here on earth we have to deal with all kinds of difficult issues:
- Issues revolving around the most intimate of human relationships, those involving marriage and family.
Our Mormon friends believe that marriage is for all eternity and that in heaven we will be given the opportunity to produce celestial children. It's a nice thought but it's not the truth. Our Muslim friends believe that if a man does the right thing for Allah then it is possible that once that person reaches heaven Allah will have 72 virgins waiting for them. The same deal is not for women just for men. Jesus doesn't agree and His Heavenly Father has made no such provisions.
Jesus puts those kind of human and sensuous thoughts to the side. He simply tells us that in Heaven resurrected humans will no longer be married or bear children. Marriage, sexual intimacy and childbirth are all a part of an earthly institution blessed by the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. Those human relationships and activities will not be a part of our heavenly existence. The relationships that we enjoy in heaven will supersede those that we can now experience in marriage and in families. Sin will no longer cloud our minds and God will reveal to us a whole new way to share life with one another.
Whether we realize it or not, Jesus words here have become a part of our traditional wedding vows.
"I, ___, take you, ___, for my lawful wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part."
"Til death do us part." Those words are not there to simply allow a person to remarry after their spouse dies but to testify of the reality of Jesus' words. Humans are married here on earth. Their marriage is earth bound. Humans have children here on earth. Parenthood and childhood are earth bound relationships. They will not exist in Heaven.
I'm sure some of your are right now unhappy while others are are relieved. Those of you that have had a great marriage feel a tinge of sadness in the fact that you will not be married on the other side. Those of you who have been married more than once may be a little relieved. After all, if you had a great marriage to Bob who after 40 years died and you remarried Sam who was with you for another 20 years - which one do you pick before you go inside those pearly gates? Bob who was the love of your young life and who helped you raise a family or Sam who was the love of your sunset years? Jesus tells us you won't have to flip a coin to see who you are going to be with in Heaven. Marriage won't exist.
And what about those whose first marriage was a disaster? Especially those whose divorced mate later came to faith. Now, when they get to heaven do they have to be reunited with their former divorced mate or do they get to keep mate # 2 or mate #3. You see, if we try to make heaven look like earth then we all get confused and messed up.
The reality is simply this. Our lives in heaven are not going to match our lives here on earth.
That is great news. For it means also that other human institutions that we find on earth will also not be in heaven. There will be no social classes, no slavery or gender inequality . There will be barrenness in heaven. Women will be equal to men. Slaves will be equal to their former owners. Poor will be equal to rich. The only standing in Heaven is that everyone will stand before the LORD as His children. Everyone will be one with the Father and with one another. The Great High Priestly Prayer of Jesus will be realized.
II. Secondly, Jesus reminds everyone angels do exist
While the Bible does not give us the precise time of the creation of angels; their existence is assumed from the very beginning. It is amazing that the Sadducees who prided themselves on knowing the Torah somehow missed all those passages in Genesis and Exodus that speak of angels. We have angels meeting with Abraham, Lot and Jacob. We have angels watching over the Children of Israel. The Torah and the rest of God's Word is full of stories and encounters with angels.
The reality is we find at least ten orders of angels mentioned in the Bible; Angels, Powers, Principalities, Dominions, Thrones, Archangels, Cherubim, Seraphim and the Elders. The Bible is clear to reveal to us that God has given angels great wisdom, freedom and power. God used angels to bring mankind insight, understanding and guidance. The Bible is clear that God has used angels to protect and watch over mankind.
Angels exist. That is just a fact. Think for a moment of where Abraham, Jacob, David, Elisha, Daniel, Mary, Joseph, Peter and the Early Church would be without angels. Think for a moment of how angels came and ministered to Jesus at the time of His temptation in the wilderness and how angels announce both his birth and resurrection.
Without God's holy angels our lives here on earth would be poorer. The writer of Hebrews wants us to be careful in entertaining strangers that come our way. We never know when we are in the presence of a holy angel. Aren't you glad this morning that God created angels and they are still being His messengers today?
III. Finally, Jesus nails it down once and for all - THERE IS GOING TO BE A RESURRECTION
I love the way Jesus reveals this. Knowing how much the Sadducees believed that they knew the Torah Jesus takes them back to the heart of the Torah. He takes them back to the burning bush to remind them that Moses very much believed in the Resurrection. The Resurrection is not some new idea but an old idea. As old as the Law itself. As old as creation itself.
It is here that Jesus also reminds his listeners of two vital truths:
- Not everyone will be resurrected to New Life. Notice Jesus speaks of those "considered worthy of taking part in that age". We must be careful here to understand that Jesus speaks of both a New Life and a Second Death.
- Resurrection Life therefore means that there will be a time of accountability that will result in a time of either reward or punishment.
Because the Sadducees refused to believe in an afterlife it did not matter to them how pure and holy they lived. For the most part they held on to certain tenets of the Jewish faith while at the same time befriending the tenets of Hellenism - Greek philosophy and cozying up to Roman authority. They were banking on their belief that there would not be an afterlife and therefore would not be a time of accountability, vindication or even everlasting reward or punishment. As far as they were concerned they were already at the top tier of society and financial wealth so why did they need Heaven? To achieve their high position most of them had already broken more than one commandment and if there was an afterlife then they might not fare so well. If there an afterlife then that would mean that they would need to repent and change their ways.
Jesus answers the Sadducees question in such a way as to help them realize that in just about 5 days they would no longer be asking such silly questions. When they begin to hear about Him coming out of that tomb on Sunday morning then they will need to begin to realize that their beliefs have been mistaken. No longer will there be any silly questions about a Resurrection, about an afterlife along with a time of accountability and vindication. I believe that Jesus was reaching out to them with the Good News of the Gospel. I believe he was wanting to tell them that they needed to get ready for the truth:
- There is an Afterlife
- There are angels
- There will be a resurrection - either to live forever in Heaven with God or to experience a second death in Hell
Today, as we come to a close we do so with a time of reflection and introspection. We may be here today and not truly believe in an afterlife or at least that there will be a time of accountability followed by an everlasting life in Heaven or in Hell. We may be living much like our friends the Sadducees - going for all the gusto we can in this life banking on the fact that there is either no afterlife or if there is then everyone gets to go to the Good Place.
Until then we will eat cake, have sex, raise children, gain weight, have cancer or a heart attack and die.
Jesus here is telling us that there is more. There is more than we can imagine. But along with that more - with the reality that there is a Resurrection there is also accountability, a judgment and either Heaven or Hell.
Today, in which direction are you going? Have you accepted the grace that Jesus offers you? Are you ready to be Resurrected to experience everlasting Life or the Second Death? The Sadducees thought they were tripping Jesus up but in the end Jesus used their question to share the Message of the Good News.
Yes - there is everlasting Life.
Yes - it is life that is far superior to our life here on earth.
Yes - there are God's Holy Angels.
Yes - there are wonders that are too great for us to behold.
Yes - there is Heaven and it is ours if we will:
- Repent of our sins
- Receive God's grace through Jesus Christ our Savior and LORD
- Be filled with His Holy Spirit and live out a life in the Spirit
Are you ready to respond to Jesus right now by opening the door to your life?
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted. Sermon shared by Ernie Arnold.
The Daily Readings for November 6, 2016 - All Saints Sunday
First Reading
from the Old Testament
from the Old Testament
"O that my words were written down! O that they were inscribed in a book! O that with an iron pen and with lead they were engraved on a rock forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me! (Job 19:23-27, NRSV)
This is the Word of the Lord
Psalm
Psalm 17:1-9
1 Hear my plea of innocence, O LORD; give heed to my cry; listen to my prayer, which does not come from lying lips.
2 Let my vindication come forth from your presence; let your eyes be fixed on justice.
3 Weigh my heart, summon me by night, melt me down; you will find no impurity in me.
4 I give no offense with my mouth as others do; I have heeded the words of your lips.
5 My footsteps hold fast to the ways of your law; in your paths my feet shall not stumble.
6 I call upon you, O God, for you will answer me; incline your ear to me and hear my words.
7 Show me your marvelous loving-kindness, O Savior of those who take refuge at your right hand from those who rise up against them.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me under the shadow of your wings,
9 From the wicked who assault me, from my deadly enemies who surround me.
Second Reading
from the Epistles
from the Epistles
As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you? But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 2:13-17, NRSV)
This is the Word of the Lord
The Holy Gospel
according to St Luke, the 20th Chapter
according to St Luke, the 20th Chapter
Glory to You, O Lord
Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; then the second and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her." Jesus said to them, "Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive." (Luke 20:27-38, NRSV)
This is the Gospel of the Lord
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.
The Daily Meditation for November 6, 2016
From Forward Day By Day
Written by Richelle Thompson
Ephesians 1:15 (NRSV) I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints.
If I hadn’t known him personally, I would think the stories were urban legends. In one account, Herbert Thompson, former bishop of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, left the Archbishop of Canterbury waiting on an airport runway while he talked with an airline baggage carrier. In another, Bishop Thompson ignored the long reception line to crouch on his knees after worship, praying at eye level with a young boy.
Among the bishop’s closest friends was a custodian, a man who didn’t graduate from high school but could charm the most stubborn of machines and coax the finest finish from a plank of wood. Another confidant: Nobel Prize winner Desmond Tutu.
Bishop Thompson modeled a joyful faith and a graceful embrace of all people, regardless of their station in life, educational background, financial acumen, race, age, or gender. He took time to be truly present with each person he encountered, which wreaked havoc on schedules but shone Christ’s love from the heavens, a reminder that practice for saintly living begins here on earth.
Written by Richelle Thompson
Ephesians 1:15 (NRSV) I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints.
If I hadn’t known him personally, I would think the stories were urban legends. In one account, Herbert Thompson, former bishop of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, left the Archbishop of Canterbury waiting on an airport runway while he talked with an airline baggage carrier. In another, Bishop Thompson ignored the long reception line to crouch on his knees after worship, praying at eye level with a young boy.
Among the bishop’s closest friends was a custodian, a man who didn’t graduate from high school but could charm the most stubborn of machines and coax the finest finish from a plank of wood. Another confidant: Nobel Prize winner Desmond Tutu.
Bishop Thompson modeled a joyful faith and a graceful embrace of all people, regardless of their station in life, educational background, financial acumen, race, age, or gender. He took time to be truly present with each person he encountered, which wreaked havoc on schedules but shone Christ’s love from the heavens, a reminder that practice for saintly living begins here on earth.
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