The Daily Lectionary with Commentary for Thursday, February 15, 2024

 

The Daily Lectionary
with Expository Commentary by Kenny Sallee, ThM
Thursday, February 15, 2024

Seeking Forgiveness and Understanding

Psalm 25:1-10; Daniel 9:1-14; 1 John 1:3-10
(Revised Common Lectionary Year B)
(Lent 1)

Introduction

In this thematic exploration, we delve into the profound messages of Psalm 25:1-10, Daniel 9:1-14, and 1 John 1:3-10. These passages collectively offer a rich tapestry of themes centered around seeking divine forgiveness, understanding God's ways, and living in the light of truth. Psalm 25:1-10 portrays a heartfelt plea for guidance and forgiveness, highlighting the believer's trust in God amidst trials. Daniel 9:1-14 presents a fervent prayer of confession and acknowledgment of God's righteousness, set against the backdrop of Israel's historical struggles. Finally, 1 John 1:3-10 calls us into fellowship with God and one another, emphasizing the importance of walking in the light and confessing our sins to maintain a truthful and righteous life. Together, these scriptures guide us in understanding the depth of God's mercy, the importance of confession, and the transformative power of living in His truth.

A Psalm and A Prayer
Responsive Readings from the Psalms and Prayers
for Public Worship and Private Devotions
Psalm 25:1-10
Your Paths are Love and Faithfulness

Psalm 25, a deeply personal prayer of David, is an earnest plea for God's guidance and protection. In verses 1-10, David expresses his unwavering trust in the Lord, despite facing adversaries and personal anxieties. This section of the Psalm resonates with themes of seeking divine direction, understanding God's ways, and a heartfelt desire for forgiveness. As we delve into these verses, we find a profound acknowledgment of God's steadfast love and faithfulness. It's a passage that speaks to the heart of those yearning for a closer walk with God amidst life's challenges.

1    To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
2            O my God, in you I trust; *
        Do not let me be put to shame;
            do not let my enemies exult over me.

3    Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; *
        Let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

4    Make me to know your ways, O LORD; *
        Teach me your paths.

5    Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
            for you are the God of my salvation; *
        For you I wait all day long.

6    Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, and of your steadfast love, *
        For they have been from of old.

7    Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; *
        According to your steadfast love remember me,
            for your goodness’ sake, O LORD!

8    Good and upright is the Lord; *
        Therefore he instructs sinners in the way.

9    He leads the humble in what is right, *
        And teaches the humble his way.

10  All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, *
        For those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

Heavenly Father, in the spirit of Psalm 25, we come before You with open hearts. Lord, we lift up our souls to You, placing our trust and hope in Your unfailing love. In a world where paths often seem unclear and obstacles loom large, we seek Your guidance and wisdom. Teach us Your ways, O Lord, and lead us on Your paths of righteousness.

As David sought Your face in times of trouble, we too, seek Your presence in our lives. Forgive us our transgressions, as we strive to learn from our mistakes. Help us to embody Your love and faithfulness in our daily walk, being mindful of Your grace that guides and sustains us.

May we always remember Your mercy and love, which have been from of old. In moments of doubt or fear, remind us that You are our Savior and our hope rests in You. Guide us in truth and teach us, for You are the God of our salvation, and our eyes are ever toward You.

Be with us today and every day in Jesus Christ, Who taught us to pray:

“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”

Daniel 9:1-14
Daniel Prays for the People’s Forgiveness

Daniel 9:1-14 is a profound passage which portrays the prophet Daniel as he earnestly seeks God's mercy and forgiveness for his people. Set during the time of the Babylonian captivity, Daniel, realizing the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy regarding the seventy years of desolation in Jerusalem, turns to God in prayer and fasting. He adorns sackcloth and ashes, traditional signs of mourning and penitence in Jewish culture. Daniel's prayer is a heartfelt confession of the sins of his people and an appeal to God's unfailing mercy. He acknowledges the rebellion and iniquities of Israel while contrasting them with God's righteous acts. This passage is a touching example of intercessory prayer, demonstrating a deep sense of communal responsibility and a strong faith in God's covenantal love and forgiveness.

9 1 In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus, by birth a Mede, who became king over the realm of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the LORD to the prophet Jeremiah, must be fulfilled for the devastation of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.

3 Then I turned to the LORD God, to seek an answer by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying,

“Ah, LORD, great and awesome God, keeping covenant and steadfast love with those who love you and keep your commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong, acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and ordinances. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.

7 “Righteousness is on your side, O LORD, but open shame, as at this day, falls on us, the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. 8 Open shame, O LORD, falls on us, our kings, our officials, and our ancestors, because we have sinned against you. 9 To the LORD our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him, 10 and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by following his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

11 “All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. So the curse and the oath written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against you. 12 He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers, by bringing upon us a calamity so great that what has been done against Jerusalem has never before been done under the whole heaven. 13 Just as it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us. We did not entreat the favor of the LORD our God, turning from our iniquities and reflecting on his fidelity. 14 So the LORD kept watch over this calamity until he brought it upon us. Indeed, the LORD our God is right in all that he has done; for we have disobeyed his voice.

Expository Commentary

Verses 1-2 — Introduction to the Context: Daniel identifies the time-frame as the first year of King Darius, and he understands from the books the number of years for Jerusalem's desolation, as prophesied by Jeremiah.

Verses 3-5 — Daniel's Acknowledgment of Sin: Daniel, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes, prays to the Lord, confessing the sins and iniquities of the people of Israel. He acknowledges that they have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned aside from God's commandments and ordinances.

Verse 6 — Ignoring the Prophets: He admits that neither the leaders nor the people listened to the prophets who spoke in God's name, addressing the kings, princes, ancestors, and all the people.

Verses 7-8 — Recognition of Righteousness and Shame: Daniel declares that righteousness belongs to the Lord, but shame belongs to the people, due to their unfaithfulness towards Him.

Verse 9 — God's Merciful and Forgiving Nature: Despite their rebellion, Daniel acknowledges that to God belong mercy and forgiveness.

Verses 10-11 — Ignoring God's Law: The passage emphasizes that the people have not obeyed God's voice by not living by the laws given through His servants, the prophets. This disobedience has brought a curse and great calamity upon them.

Verses 12-14 — Fulfillment of Curses Written in the Law: Daniel reflects on how God has fulfilled the curses and oaths written in the Law of Moses because the people sinned against Him. He notes that God has kept watch over the calamity and brought it upon them, for the Lord is righteous in all His works, but the people did not obey His voice.

This prayer of Daniel is a humble and contrite acknowledgment of the collective sin of the people and a plea for God's mercy and forgiveness. It's a powerful example of intercessory prayer and acknowledgment of God's righteousness and mercy, despite human failure and sin.

1 John 1:3-10
The Apostolic Message of Forgiveness

In the passage of 1 John 1:3-10, we delve into the heart of the Apostolic message of forgiveness. These verses encapsulate the profound teachings of the Apostle John, emphasizing the significance of fellowship with God through the confession of sins. John reminds believers that genuine fellowship is rooted in a shared experience of God's grace and forgiveness, highlighting the transformative power of acknowledging our shortcomings and seeking God's mercy. The passage serves as a poignant reminder of the essential role of forgiveness in the Christian faith, inviting readers to embrace the liberating truth that through confession and repentance, they can experience the profound love and mercy of the Divine.

1 3 We declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; 7 but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Expository Commentary

Verses 3-4 — Fellowship with the Father and the Son: These verses emphasize the foundational Christian belief in fellowship with God and Jesus Christ. The apostle John speaks of a shared life, a communion that is both with the Father and the Son. This fellowship is extended to the believers, creating a community bound together in Christ. The joy mentioned here is not just personal but communal, completing the joy of the apostolic message.

Verses 5-6 — God is Light and in Him is No Darkness: The imagery of light and darkness is central to these verses. Light represents truth, holiness, and divine revelation, while darkness symbolizes falsehood, sin, and estrangement from God. John asserts that fellowship with God is incompatible with living in moral darkness. This metaphor calls believers to live in the truth and moral clarity that God embodies.

Verses 7 — Walking in the Light: Walking in the light, as introduced in the previous verses, means living in honesty, truth, and openness before God. This verse promises that living in the light leads to mutual fellowship among believers and purification from sin through Jesus' blood. It's a call to a transformative lifestyle that reflects God's nature.

Verses 8-9 — Confession and Forgiveness of Sins: These verses deal with the reality of sin in the believer's life. Verse 8 warns against self-deception regarding sinlessness, while verse 9 offers hope through confession. The promise is clear: if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This is a cornerstone of Christian teaching on repentance and forgiveness.

Verse 10 — Acknowledging Our Sins: The final verse continues the theme of acknowledging sin. It warns that claiming we have not sinned amounts to calling God a liar, as it contradicts the divine message. This verse highlights the importance of honesty about one's sinfulness and the need for God's grace.

Conclusion: 1 John 1:3-10 conveys essential Christian truths about fellowship with God, living in the light, and the acknowledgment and confession of sins. John's message underscores the importance of truthfulness in the Christian journey and the transformative power of God's forgiveness. This passage encourages believers to embrace a life of honesty, purity, and fellowship, sustained by the grace and truth of Jesus Christ.

Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989, 1993 the 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. Commentaries are by Kenny Sallee, ThM, aided by ChatGPT.

The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year B. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2024, we will be in Year C. The year which ended at Advent 2023 was Year A. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org