Today's readings: Ps 102, 148; Isa 7:10-25; 2 Thes 2:13-3:5; Luke 22:14-30
“Many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first” (Matt 19:30). After years of following Jesus, the disciples still struggled with this concept. When they sat down with him at his last Passover meal, “A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest” (Luke 22:24). They were resuming an argument begun back in the ninth chapter of Luke. We can deduce these events from Matthew and Luke are thematically related, because both contain assurances from Jesus that the disciples would be rulers over the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt 19:29, Luke 22:30). How might it be significant that Luke chose to place this conversation in the context of the Last Supper?
Each time we take communion, we are reminded howJesus served at that Last Supper table. By presenting the bread and wine as his body and blood, he foreshadowed his ultimate service – following his mission through to his death. We are also reminded that, as his followers, we do not seek to glorify ourselves, but to serve.
We should not serve – should not make an effort to be “the last” – simply to secure ourselves an eventual position among “the first.” We all know people who make a great show of being humble, people who engage in the same type of public piety Jesus rebuked. Sometimes maybe we even are those people. Jesus was not offering some miracle piety formula like [Unnecessary Martyrdom] + [Self-abasement] = [First]. That would be pointless, because God already loves each and every one of us fully. He was also not teaching us to be doormats, because true service requires strength. Rather, he was teaching us the structure and society of God’s kingdom, so unlike the world we encounter. In God’s kingdom, we recognize the leadership and love of humble service.
When we leave the communion table, we leave ready to meet the world in all its need and disarray. We leave ready to share and implement the truth of the Good News. We leave ready for service for its own, holy sake.
Comfort: Odd as it may sound sometime, service is a great freedom.
Challenge: Find a way to serve, and do it without fanfare.
Prayer: God of Peace, I am your humble servant.
Evening readings: Ps 130, 16
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 90, 149; Isa 8:1-25; 2 Thes 3:6-18; Luke 22:31-38
Friday, December 10, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Find the Room In Your Heart
Today's readings: Ps 18:1-20, 147:12-20; Isaiah 7:1-9; 2 Thes 2:1-12; Luke 22:1-13
It almost sounds like an excerpt from a cold war novel, but the disciples followed Jesus’ instructions, and prepared the Passover meal. Are we as willing to follow Jesus’ instructions today? Or do we claim Jesus didn’t really mean to give your shirt when someone takes your coat? Or to give to everyone who begs from you? Or to lend without expecting return? (Luke 6:29-35) Suddenly we’re social workers, expertly avoiding any “foolish” giving that might “enable” undesirable behaviors. Is it possible Jesus doesn’t instruct us solely to benefit the recipients of our charity, but to benefit us? God loves each of us as much as the beggar in the street, and grace need not be unilateral. The disciples could have easily disregarded Jesus’ instructions, and just snatched up the first available room. The end result would have been the same, right? Only if the room was the point. The point was trusting Christ enough to believe even crazy-sounding instructions were an extension of his love and purpose.
Our world is polluted with cheap grace. Checks to charitable groups and soup kitchens on holidays are commendable, but too often we substitute them for actual relationships with those who need us – and God’s love – the most. Why do we think charity is noble – until someone asks for it directly? Once, when a Liberian refugee our church helped resettle placed a list of needs on our bulletin board, I overhead someone say: “They’ve always got a hand out.” About a refugee. In church. Lest we become judgmental, let’s consider our own attitude toward the beggar on the street. Are we second-guessing Jesus’ intended result and grabbing the first available room, or are we taking time to follow the instructions, trusting in a greater purpose?
Comfort: Jesus and his teachings are trustworthy.
Challenge: The next time someone asks you for money or other help, give it to them if you can and meditate on your feelings about it.
Prayer: God of Peace, I will trust your instructions.
Evening readings: Ps 126, 62
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 102, 148; Isa 7:10-25; 2 Thes 2:13-3:5; Luke 22:14-30
“… a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters and say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” ‘ He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.”
Luke 22:1-12
It almost sounds like an excerpt from a cold war novel, but the disciples followed Jesus’ instructions, and prepared the Passover meal. Are we as willing to follow Jesus’ instructions today? Or do we claim Jesus didn’t really mean to give your shirt when someone takes your coat? Or to give to everyone who begs from you? Or to lend without expecting return? (Luke 6:29-35) Suddenly we’re social workers, expertly avoiding any “foolish” giving that might “enable” undesirable behaviors. Is it possible Jesus doesn’t instruct us solely to benefit the recipients of our charity, but to benefit us? God loves each of us as much as the beggar in the street, and grace need not be unilateral. The disciples could have easily disregarded Jesus’ instructions, and just snatched up the first available room. The end result would have been the same, right? Only if the room was the point. The point was trusting Christ enough to believe even crazy-sounding instructions were an extension of his love and purpose.
Our world is polluted with cheap grace. Checks to charitable groups and soup kitchens on holidays are commendable, but too often we substitute them for actual relationships with those who need us – and God’s love – the most. Why do we think charity is noble – until someone asks for it directly? Once, when a Liberian refugee our church helped resettle placed a list of needs on our bulletin board, I overhead someone say: “They’ve always got a hand out.” About a refugee. In church. Lest we become judgmental, let’s consider our own attitude toward the beggar on the street. Are we second-guessing Jesus’ intended result and grabbing the first available room, or are we taking time to follow the instructions, trusting in a greater purpose?
Comfort: Jesus and his teachings are trustworthy.
Challenge: The next time someone asks you for money or other help, give it to them if you can and meditate on your feelings about it.
Prayer: God of Peace, I will trust your instructions.
Evening readings: Ps 126, 62
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 102, 148; Isa 7:10-25; 2 Thes 2:13-3:5; Luke 22:14-30
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Brick by Peaceful Brick
Today's readings: Ps 33, 146; Isa 5:18-25; 1 Thes 5:12-28; Luke 21:29-38
When we talk about peace, it’s easy to get caught up in large scale visions that seem difficult if not impossible to achieve. Maybe one of the reasons worldwide peace can seem like little more than a dream is because lasting peace even within our own small communities is so rare. Like many things, peace is something we learn over time, and our understanding of how to create it grows slowly.
As he closes his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul offers several exhortations on how to “be at peace among yourselves” (v 13b). We would do well to review his list often, because many of the behaviors he describes are not our natural reactions. What is our natural response to idlers, the weak, and the faint-hearted (v 14)? In a culture that worships self-reliance, do we treat them with love or with disdain? What about people who do evil? Do we seek to do good for them (v 15), or do we want to see them get their just desserts? If God wants us to act this way, no wonder we also need to pray without ceasing (v 17)!
Peace is always a choice, but it is not always the easiest choice. When Paul and Christ speak of peace, they are sometimes talking about an inner calm, but they are also speaking about our actions. Just like agape love, shalom peace is more about what we do than how we feel. If peace has to wait on our feelings, it will be a pitiful sort of peace indeed. On the other hand, creating peace through action and relationship—like creating love through action and relationship—transforms our understanding of the world. Once we allow ourselves to be transformed into a people of peace, we might just find it easier to envision a peaceful world.
At first, our efforts at peace may be sloppy. But as we grow more skilled with them, we will be able to shape them into something useful, like the apprentice bricklayer who will one day piece together soaring castles.
Comfort: Peace in our actions creates peace in our hearts, our communities, and our world.
Challenge: One day a month, reflect on how well you are doing the following: admonishing idlers, encouraging the faint-hearted, helping the weak, seeking to do good to all, praying without ceasing, and giving thanks in all circumstances.
Prayer: God of Peace, teach me the foundations of peace making.
Evening reading: Ps 85, 94
When we talk about peace, it’s easy to get caught up in large scale visions that seem difficult if not impossible to achieve. Maybe one of the reasons worldwide peace can seem like little more than a dream is because lasting peace even within our own small communities is so rare. Like many things, peace is something we learn over time, and our understanding of how to create it grows slowly.
As he closes his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul offers several exhortations on how to “be at peace among yourselves” (v 13b). We would do well to review his list often, because many of the behaviors he describes are not our natural reactions. What is our natural response to idlers, the weak, and the faint-hearted (v 14)? In a culture that worships self-reliance, do we treat them with love or with disdain? What about people who do evil? Do we seek to do good for them (v 15), or do we want to see them get their just desserts? If God wants us to act this way, no wonder we also need to pray without ceasing (v 17)!
Peace is always a choice, but it is not always the easiest choice. When Paul and Christ speak of peace, they are sometimes talking about an inner calm, but they are also speaking about our actions. Just like agape love, shalom peace is more about what we do than how we feel. If peace has to wait on our feelings, it will be a pitiful sort of peace indeed. On the other hand, creating peace through action and relationship—like creating love through action and relationship—transforms our understanding of the world. Once we allow ourselves to be transformed into a people of peace, we might just find it easier to envision a peaceful world.
At first, our efforts at peace may be sloppy. But as we grow more skilled with them, we will be able to shape them into something useful, like the apprentice bricklayer who will one day piece together soaring castles.
Comfort: Peace in our actions creates peace in our hearts, our communities, and our world.
Challenge: One day a month, reflect on how well you are doing the following: admonishing idlers, encouraging the faint-hearted, helping the weak, seeking to do good to all, praying without ceasing, and giving thanks in all circumstances.
Prayer: God of Peace, teach me the foundations of peace making.
Evening reading: Ps 85, 94
Monday, December 6, 2010
Lamenting Social Injustice
Today's readings: Ps 122, 145; Isa 5:8-17; 1 Thes 5:1-11; Luke 21:20-28
“Social Justice” is a hot button topic among Christians. For some, it has become a code phrase for political applications of liberal theology. Conservatives use it to accuse liberals of building entitlement or socialist government programming. Conversely, liberals may embrace it to paint conservatives as selfish or uncharitable. The truth is, every Christian wants a just society, but we might differ on the means of achieving it.
American culture tends to equate justice with punishment. We create thousands of laws to punish the guilty, but spend comparatively little effort on ensuring society takes care of its poor and needy. We balk at the idea that what we own may be an impediment to justice for someone else. However, the lament beginning with Isaiah 5:8 provides a common sense commentary on the economics required to foster a just society:
In God’s realm there is enough for everyone, but we thwart the system when we amass more than we really require. We don’t all need to earn equal wages or own equal property, but we do need to work toward a society where everyone has at least what they need. And our feelings about what people may or may not deserve don’t count as much as we might like them to. Contrary to popular sentiment, Christ doesn’t ask us to evaluate what we think people deserve, but to evaluate how we as individuals and communities use the gifts God has given us to serve others. The change giving creates in the heart of the giver is as important as the need met for the receiver. Just as nothing really belongs to Caesar, nothing belongs to us either. Do we live like we believe that?
True peace is not just the absence of conflict, but the presence of a just society. A society is just when we are as concerned about the “least of us” as we are about ourselves.
Comfort: Justice costs less than selfishness.
Challenge: Take a hard look at whether you are using the resources God has entrusted to you to foster a just society.
Prayer: God of Peace help me create Your justice.
Evening readings: Ps 40, 67
“Social Justice” is a hot button topic among Christians. For some, it has become a code phrase for political applications of liberal theology. Conservatives use it to accuse liberals of building entitlement or socialist government programming. Conversely, liberals may embrace it to paint conservatives as selfish or uncharitable. The truth is, every Christian wants a just society, but we might differ on the means of achieving it.
American culture tends to equate justice with punishment. We create thousands of laws to punish the guilty, but spend comparatively little effort on ensuring society takes care of its poor and needy. We balk at the idea that what we own may be an impediment to justice for someone else. However, the lament beginning with Isaiah 5:8 provides a common sense commentary on the economics required to foster a just society:
“Ah, you who join house to house, who add field to field, until there is room for no one but you, and you are left to live alone in the midst of the land!”
In God’s realm there is enough for everyone, but we thwart the system when we amass more than we really require. We don’t all need to earn equal wages or own equal property, but we do need to work toward a society where everyone has at least what they need. And our feelings about what people may or may not deserve don’t count as much as we might like them to. Contrary to popular sentiment, Christ doesn’t ask us to evaluate what we think people deserve, but to evaluate how we as individuals and communities use the gifts God has given us to serve others. The change giving creates in the heart of the giver is as important as the need met for the receiver. Just as nothing really belongs to Caesar, nothing belongs to us either. Do we live like we believe that?
True peace is not just the absence of conflict, but the presence of a just society. A society is just when we are as concerned about the “least of us” as we are about ourselves.
Comfort: Justice costs less than selfishness.
Challenge: Take a hard look at whether you are using the resources God has entrusted to you to foster a just society.
Prayer: God of Peace help me create Your justice.
Evening readings: Ps 40, 67
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