REFLECTIONS ON THE READINGS

FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2023

ISAIAH 51:1-6

BACKGROUND

The people of God are returning from Babylonian captivity, only to find their homes ruined and their temple destroyed.  God, through Isaiah, gives them a pep talk and hope for the future.

DETIAILS

• God calls to mind their long and thorny history.  They are “hewn from the same rock” as Abraham and Sarah.  Today, we might say “cut from the same mold”.  He reminds them of their long relationship with Him, and how he has delivered them and cared for them countless times.  He will comfort them (“Zion”).  (v. 3)
• God shares his vision for their future.  He wants them to be a light to the whole world (“the peoples”).  (vv. 4-5)
• Then, is an interesting twist.  It is both alarming and comforting.  But it helps us to put things into perspective—God’s perspective.  (v. 6)

TAKEAWAY

Most of us are not born Jewish, so we are not blood relatives of Abraham and Sarah.  We are “the peoples” referred to in verse 5.  Romans 8:14 states that “…all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God”.  We are adopted children, then, because of our faith in Jesus Christ.  This vision, therefore, applies to us as well.

The double call to listen/take heed in verse 4 should get our attention.  God has a vision, and He wants us to listen.  Note that when Isaiah says “people”, he is referring to God’s chosen people.  But when he says “peoples” (plural), he is talking about the rest of the world. God’s chosen, wanted to return to the Promised Land, and simply work on not sinning, but in being good. God’s vision for them is altogether different.  He wants them to go out and teach others about our God.  Show the world justice!  Be a light to the nations!  I don’t think this is what they thought they were signing up for.

Verse 6 is a stark reminder that everything in this life is temporary. The only thing we can count on is God and the salvation that comes through faith and trust in Him.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The saying goes that nothing is certain except death and taxes. Verse 6 clearly states that the only thing we can rely on is God, and the salvation and the adoption that comes through faith in his Son.

As Disciples of Christ, we are to “be Jesus” to those around us.  We are expected to continue His work by teaching, acting justly, and letting the light of Jesus shine through us.  How are you doing?  Is your light shining?

ROMANS 12:1-8

BACKGROUND

This reading from Romans starts with the word “therefore”.  That tells me that Paul is concluding a logical discussion.  It makes we want to look back, and find out what he’s talking about.  In this case, he is talking about a) how we have died with Jesus through our baptism (Romans 6:5-11) and b) how God now dwells in us, since we are “in the Spirit” (Romans 8:9-11).

DETAILS

• Therefore, because of “a” and “b” above, we should present ourselves, body and soul, to God.  We’re not expected to be like an Old Testament blood sacrifice, but as a dedication to serving Him.  We don’t do this to earn “brownie points” of grace with God, but do it out of loving gratitude for what God has first done for us.  (v. 1)
• Over the centuries, verse 2 has come to be interpreted as encouragement for some sort of spiritual isolationism.  I see this verse differently.  Let’s break it down into four parts:
  1. Do not be conformed of this world
  2. Be transformed by the renewing of your minds
  3. So that you may discern what is the will of God
  4. What is good and acceptable and perfect.

Parts 1 & 2 are the “what” and 3 & 4 the “why”.  God  does not want us to isolate ourselves from “this world”.  He wants us to refocus our minds, and concentrate on discerning the will of God, especially to seek out “what is good and acceptable and perfect”. So, it sounds like it is more like a treasure hunt than a game of hide and seek.

• I’m thinking of a Minnesotan phrase I learned from Garrison Keillor.  People in Minnesota say that “he got the big head” when someone thinks too highly of themselves.   Paul is telling us Christians not to “get the big head”, but work together as a seamless team.  (v. 3) 
• When we work together, we are Christ’s body.  And since we all have spiritual gifts, they work together to do the work of God.  I’ve seen this happen, and it is a beautiful thing.  Have you? (vv. 4-8)

TAKEAWAY

After thinking about verse 2 in this way, God seems more interested in my interacting with the world, rather than protecting myself from it.

Our bodies and our being should be offered to the Body of Christ as a loving sacrifice, freely giving of our time and spiritual gifts to serve the Lord. By pooling our spiritual gifts, we can work together to do God’s work in this time and place.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How often do you attempt to “discern the will of God”?  Maybe we should try to do more of this.

What spiritual gifts have you been blessed with?  How are you using them to build the Body of Christ?

MATTHEW 16:13-20

BACKGROUND

Jesus’ ministry is in full swing.  He’s teaching, preaching, and healing.  He’s causing quite a commotion.  Jesus now asks his disciples a provocative question—“Who am I?”

If you were in my class a few weeks ago, we were talking about Peter’s “real” name.  I mistakenly said that it was Cephas.  Today’s gospel lesson will fix that mistake.  (Nobody’s perfect!)

DETAILS

• Most of the disciples answer Jesus’ question literally, telling him what other people think he is.  Everyone expected Elijah to return before the Messiah’s coming.  Jeremiah 31 refers to a new covenant.  Maybe some thought Jesus was a new Jeremiah.  Jesus’ ministry was similar to John the Baptist’s, in that it focused on spiritual growth more than it did temple worship. Regardless, there was definitely a lot of confusion about who Jesus really was.  (vv. 13-14) 
• Simon Peter makes a bold move.  He tells Jesus who he thinks Jesus is—“The Messiah and Son of the living God”.  Jesus is thrilled with his answer.  (vv. 15-16) 
• Simon was the name given this disciple at birth.  When Simon proclaims Jesus the Messiah, Jesus gives him the name “Peter”. Peter is the English version of the Greek name “Petros”.  (The Gospels were written in Greek.)  In Greek, the word “petra” means “rock”, so we have a little play on words.  The gospels were written in Greek, but Jesus didn’t speak Greek, he spoke Aramaic.  Jesus said the word—Kepha (or Cephas), which means rock.  That’s why sometimes Simon Peter is referred to as Cephas.  I like to think that Jesus is calling Simon “Rocky”.  (But don’t tell anybody I said that.)  (v. 17)
• Jesus proclaims that “on this rock I will build my church”.  In fact, Peter eventually goes to Rome, where he heads the Christian church until his martyrdom.  Many consider the first pope of the Christian church.  One thing is certain—this church would grow and grow. Peter truly was the rock on which the Christian church has been built.  (v. 18)
• The next verse is often taken to be the authorization for clergy to hear confession and give absolution of sins.  To me, this is more of a statement that what we Christians do on earth is blessed in heaven. (v. 19)
• Now, Jesus tells his disciples “now don’t tell anybody”.  If this seems weird to you, read on past today’s reading. Immediately, Jesus starts to teach them how he must suffer and die.  They don’t take that very well.  In fact, Peter himself rebukes Jesus for this teaching!  They have a lot to learn, so it was right for Jesus to tell them to keep a lid on it.  (v. 20)

TAKEAWAY

Verse 17 states that Peter did not come to this conclusion on his own, but had some help. Jesus says “…flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.”  Paul tells us that no one can say that Jesus is Lord, except with the help of the Holy Spirit.  So, our very faith is a gift from God!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Today, many people have many ideas about who Jesus was. 

Who do you say that he is?

ISAIAH 56:1-8

BACKGROUND

The Israelites have returned from Babylonian captivity.  They are rebuilding the temple, their homes, and their lives. They have learned their lesson well, that they were disobedient to God, and were sent into captivity.  Now, many want to focus on being really, really good, so that doesn’t happen again.  They were intent on keeping all the laws of Moses.  This eventually led to them isolating themselves from the rest of the world.  God sends Isaiah this message, to remind them that he has bigger plans for them.

DETAILS

Note: The text assigned for Sunday omits verses 2-5.  I’ve included these for our study, because they support the overall lesson.

• It starts out easy enough.  “Be good, maintain justice, keep the Sabbath.” They already knew this stuff.  But he’s just getting started.  (vv. 1-2)
• Through Isaiah, God tells his people that if foreigners have decided to follow Him, they are welcome to worship in the temple. The Jews just wanted to focus on themselves and their own behavior.  God is forcing them to think beyond themselves, and think about others-- let other people in!  (v. 3)
• Then, God says that even eunuchs who love the Lord are welcome.  Deuteronomy 23:1-8 make it crystal clear that eunuchs could not even enter the temple, let alone worship.  So, this message through Isaiah is something new; a change in policy.  How do you think the conservative Israelites might have felt about letting the eunuchs into the temple?  (vv. 4-5)
• The last part of this passage is key—God wants his house to be a house of prayer for “all peoples”.  Everybody is welcome.  The promise is that anyone who loves the Lord is accepted by God.  (vv. 6-7)
• And just in case they didn’t get the point, He says “remember that you were outcasts, and I gathered you in.  Now, I’m going to gather others!” (v. 8)

TAKEAWAY

Foreigners (non-Jews) are allowed to have a relationship with God. This is good news for me, since I am not Jewish.  I can take comfort in knowing that if I have “joined myself to the Lord”, then I am also welcomed.  My gifts and sacrifices are lovingly accepted by my Lord.

It is easy for us to simply “keep our own backyard clean”, and not get involved with other people’s troubles.  God tells us that we need to get involved.  We need to do more than “be good”.  We need to help the people who live on the margins of society, even if they aren’t exactly like us.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

In our churches, all too often people are shunned, if they aren’t exactly like us.  Maybe they’re having marital problems, mental problems, or they speak, act, or dress differently than us.  What sort of message would Isaiah have for us, if he were around today? 

ROMANS 11:1-2a, 29-32

BACKGROUND

Paul has been struggling with the Jews’ rejection of Jesus as their Messiah.  He has been agonizing over this since chapter 9:1. This will be the final installment on that subject. 

DETAILS

• For starters, he hits the nail on the head. Has God rejected the Jews?  Heck no! (v. 1)
• Paul states that God has not rejected His people (even though they rejected Jesus).  (v. 2a)
• God’s promises are forever.  They can’t be taken away, if His people misbehave. (This is good news for me, when I misbehave!  (v. 29)
• The next verses are a little confusing, so let me try to explain.  He uses the word “disobedient” to describe their rejection of Jesus.  In effect, Paul is saying that because the Jews rejected Jesus, it sort of opens the door for us Gentiles.  Now that we Gentiles have received mercy, it is the Jews’ turn to receive God’s mercy.  Once, we were on the outside looking in, but now the roles are reversed.  (vv. 30-31)
• The picture of God imprisoning us all is not a very attractive one to me.  If I may, I’d like to rephrase it like this: “Since he has given us a free will, and we know we’re going to stumble, he is waiting patiently to be merciful to all of us.” (v. 32)

TAKEAWAY

Over the centuries and even today, there are many Christians who hate the Jews for rejecting Christ.  We fail to remember these chapters from Romans, and all the irrevocable promises that God has made to them.  God still loves the Jews.  How can we not do the same?

MATTHEW 15:10-28

BACKGROUND

This passage is actually two separate stories.  The first is a lesson—Jesus is teaching the crowd.  The second takes place in a different location, and has a different lesson. Some churches will omit the first story, but we’ll look at both.

DETAILS

In the first story, the teaching, he says something very radical and controversial.  Jesus states that it doesn’t matter what you eat or drink. In effect, he has just nullified centuries of eating Kosher.  The disciples point this out to Jesus in verse 12, saying that “the Pharisees didn’t like it when you said…”  Jesus doesn’t care, of course.  Jesus’ point is clear—it is what we say or do that defiles us, or makes us unclean.  God doesn’t care what you eat or drink, as long as you behave in a loving and godly manner.  The Pharisees didn’t like this, because they were trying very, very hard to be good.  In the process, however, they weren’t acting in a loving way to their neighbor.

The second story is complicated.  A pastor friend of mine has a hard time with Jesus’ words, and so do I.  I will try to explain them as best I can.  A Canaanite woman (NOT a Jew) approaches Jesus, and asks for him, SHOUTS for him to cast out a demon from her daughter.  The disciples want to get rid of her because she was shouting.  Jesus’ answer is astonishing and troubling—basically, He says he only came for Jews, and not Gentiles!  Then, he insults her by calling her a dog.  NOTE: In Jesus’ day, dogs were not highly regarded.  Calling someone a dog would be a serious insult.  So this is a racial slur.  This is not my Jesus!  Why would he say this?  My belief is that Jesus was “messing with” the disciples, saying something about her that they might say or be thinking.  I believe that he was leading them along, before he shows them that true faith knows no boundaries.  The woman has unswerving faith in Jesus, he recognizes this faith, and Jesus heals her daughter.

TAKEAWAY

Rules are a good thing. They provide structure for our lives, and give us simple guidelines for daily living.  But sometimes, rules need to come second to human compassion. Jesus teaches us that the #1 rule is to love God and our neighbor.  Everything else hangs on this one rule. 

According the passage from Romans, and according to Jesus’ reaction to the loud woman, faith breaks down all barriers.  Rules are secondary.  Faith is number one.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I don’t know about you, but Jesus’ words about “what comes out of a person” ring true for me. I do the most harm with my words. Sometimes I say things I shouldn’t, and those words can’t be taken back.  Sometimes, being a follower of Jesus requires showing kindness when we really want to do something else.  That’s what Jesus did in this story.

1 KINGS 19:9-18

THE BACKGROUND

Ahab was the king of the northern kingdom of the Jews that was called Israel.  (The southern kingdom was called Judah.)  King Ahab married a Phoenician woman named Jezebel. She did not worship the God of the Jews Yahweh; she worshiped the Canaanite god Baal.  Elijah was the head prophet of the Jews, and the main spokesman for Yahweh.  Chapters 17 and 18 are full of the confrontations between the prophets of the Baal cult and Elijah.  It’s a wild story, and I encourage you to read it.  In the end, Elijah wins; Jezebel is outraged, and sets out to exterminate Elijah.  Elijah flees to the holiest of mountains, Mt. Sinai.  He calls a conference.  He needs a “God moment”, and he’s going to get one.

THE DETAIL

• God asks Elijah why he came.  Elijah gives God the little speech he has prepared. He makes it sound like he’s the only faithful one left.  (vv. 9-10)
• God has compassion on Elijah.  He says “Go outside, and I’ll give you a glimpse of me.” Wild things happen, but no God. Finally, God is present in a “gentle breeze” (in this translation, rather than “a still small voice” of the King James).  Elijah covers his face, because it is believed that if a sinful person saw the holiness of God, they would be struck dead.  FYI, a mantle was a special garment—a cloak, which signifies that Elijah is a prophet.  (vv. 11-13a)
• Now it gets weird.  God again, asks Elijah why he’s there, and Elijah gives God the exact same answer!  I sense arrogance or irritation in his words.   What do you think?  (vv. 13b-14)   
• This time, God shows compassion on Elijah, and gives Elijah detailed instructions.  Not only is he to appoint two kings who are faithful to Yahweh, but God appoints Elisha to relieve Elisha of his duties.  Looks like there is going to be a “house cleaning”, with lots of people being killed.  That’s the way it was back then!  (vv. 15-17)
• Then comes the key verse.  There are also 7,000 faithful, who have refused to worship Baal.  They will be spared.  They will become a remnant of Israel.  So, surprise, surprise, Elijah wasn’t the only faithful one left after all.  (v. 18)
   

THE TAKEAWAY

When I read these stories from the Old Testament, I always find myself scratching my head, wondering what the God Lesson is for me in all of this.  Two things are clear to me, after studying this story.

1. I know that God wants you and me to have a relationship with Him.  If that weren’t so, the Bible wouldn’t be so thick!  But I also know that God is jealous (Exodus 20:5), and doesn’t like competition.  This story tells me that He has no room for “other gods” working into our relationship with Him— God hits the reset button.  Just like the Noah’s arc story, and Babylonian captivity,.  He gives his people a fresh start with new leadership.
2. In spite of all the bloodshed, I see God’s steadfast love at work.  He shows Elijah compassion on Mt. Sinai, by giving him the direction he so desperately needs, and by naming a successor.  He also reassures Elijah that he is not alone.  There are many other faithful servants besides him.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

• In our relationships with others, we expect faithfulness.  It seems like the most unforgivable sin in relationships is unfaithfulness.  Are God’s expectations any different?  I doubt it. 
• Oftentimes, it seems like everyone is out to get us. Nobody is on our side, and we’re the last one standing.  Maybe this is a good time to call a conference; to have a talk with God. 

ROMANS 10:5-15

THE BACKGROUND

Paul is still wrestling with the problem of why his fellow Jews don’t recognize Jesus as the Messiah.  But during the process, he addresses a bigger question.  He makes us consider the source of true righteousness.  More importantly, it asks (and answers) the question—“What saves us?”  “How do we get right with God?”

One word is used frequently here and elsewhere.  “Righteousness” needs definition for this passage to make sense.  Let me break it down.  “Righteousness” means:

• doing the right thing
• doing the right actions
• ”doing good” or “being good”

THE DETAILS

• Verse 5 and 6a contrast the difference between righteousness that comes through obedience to the Law of Moses (v5) and the righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus as the Son of God (v6a). 
• For the time being, skip 6b starting with “Do not say…” down to verse 9.  Here we find the answer to the question.  Faith in Jesus is the one and only “right action” that saves our souls.  Actually, Paul has already stated this in verse 4:  “For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”  This is game-changing good news!
• Now, let me explain verses 6b-8.  They were weird to me when I first read them.  Paul was an Old Testament scholar.  (The New Testament hadn’t been written yet!)  I believe he was patterning these verses after Deuteronomy 30:11-14.  In fact, Romans 10:8 is a direct quote of Deuteronomy 30:14.  If I were to paraphrase these verses, I would write “You can search high, you can search low.  But in the end, the answer is right there in front of you—faith in Jesus.”
• He concludes this thought with a call to action. The only way that other people are going to know about Jesus is if we share the good news
   

THE TAKEAWAY

If I am required to flawlessly keep all the 613 Laws of Moses, in order to save my soul, then I am doomed.  But thanks to Jesus’ death on the cross, all my shortcomings & all my sins are forgiven. Now, my #1 act of righteousness is having faith in him as my savior.  What comes next?  I must put my faith into action by sharing the Good News with those around me, and loving my neighbors.

MATTHEW 14:22-33

THE BACKGROUND

Jesus is making his way around the Sea of Galilee, preaching, teaching, and healing. 

THE DETAILS

• This time, he actually does get a little quiet time.  He gets some time alone to pray.  For some odd reason, he sends the boat containing the apostles on ahead.  After he’s done praying, he simply walks out to the boat!  (vv. 22-26)
• Peter is the courageous one.  He asks if he can do that!  Jesus says “sure!”  Peter’s mind gets the better of him, he begins to doubt, and he starts to sink. Jesus lifts him up.  The apostles are astonished, and declare Jesus to be the Son of God.  (vv. 27-33)

THE TAKEAWAY

• Clearly, Jesus has planned to do this, but why? It’s not like we have ever seen someone walk on water, except in the movies.  The purpose of these miracles is to point to Jesus’ divine nature.  He was no ordinary person.  I believe he did this miracle to strengthen the conviction of his disciples, and enhance their relationship. It worked, because of their proclamation in the last verse.
• I especially love the part about how Peter’s doubts got the better of him.  Jesus declared Peter “the rock”.  Actually, that’s what “peter” means—the rock.  Yet, “the rock” has doubts, and almost drowns.  But Jesus, ever caring, simply helps him into the boat.  In my moments of doubt, I find reassurance in Jesus’ love and patience for my human weakness, my moments of doubt.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How much faith do we need to get right with God?  Jesus even gives us the size—as small as a mustard seed.  That’s all that is needed!

ISAIAH 55:1-5

THE BACKGROUND

This part of the book of Isaiah was written when the Israelites were in exile in Babylon.  It is a call to God’s People to remain faithful to Him, in spite of their present situation. 

THE DETAIL

• The word “Ho” is strange to us, and needs to be explained.  The expression in Hebrew is a call to the listener to listen attentively.  We might say “Hey—listen up”.  That’s what “Ho” meant to the people of Isaiah’s time. (v. 1a)
• Now that God has our attention, He calls us to a banquet.  We are called to come and quench our thirst and eat for free.  (v. 1b)
• We are asked why we waste our time and money on “food” that does not satisfy.  When I was a kid, we were warned about eating things that were “empty calories”.  God urges us to turn away from these “empty calories”, and focus our appetite on rich, satisfying “food”.  This is the “food” being offered at the Lord’s banquet. By now, I believe you should realize that God is talking about spiritual food.  (v. 2)
• The Lord beckons the reader to come to Him. He promises that He will provide leadership, like the days of old under David.  He promises that His People will be treasured by the entire world.  (vv. 3-5)

THE TAKEAWAY

For God’s People in exile, these were words of hope in promise at a time of utter despair.  We Christians today are also called to come to the banquet.  We know that the king promised in verses 3&4 is Jesus.  We also know that people the world over come to him for wisdom and salvation.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How much of our life is spent focusing on “empty calorie” activities?
 

ROMANS 9:1-5

THE BACKGROUND

For the past month, we have been studying about living in the spirit vs. living in the flesh.  In chapter 9, Paul changes the subject.  He now discusses the fact that fewer and fewer Jews were claiming Jesus as their Messiah.  In the early years of the church, most Christians were Hebrews. But as time went on, more and more Gentiles accepted Jesus, and fewer Jews.  This will be the topic of our discussion in the upcoming weeks.

THE DETAIL

• Paul opens up his heart to the reader.  He is in anguish over this subject, and he’s telling the truth.  (vv. 1-2)
• He tells us that it would almost be easier if he was cut off from Jesus, so he could be like “his people”, his fellow Israelites.  He, of course, doesn’t mean it; that is obvious as we read on.  This was how deep his agony was on the subject.  Remember that Paul was a devout Jew.  So much so that in the beginning he persecuted Christians. He loved “his people” and his rich heritage.  (v. 3)
• He goes on to explain that the Israelites had it all—the traditions; the promise; the whole, long, rich Old Testament story. Then, along comes the Messiah, and they miss the boat!  All he can do is praise the Lord.  (vv. 4-5)

THE TAKEAWAY

Most of us have friends and relatives who have not accepted Jesus as their savior.  Because of this, it is easy to sympathize with Paul in his agony.  In recent gospel lessons, Jesus has taught us to do the work, and let God do His part. Paul definitely did his part, but was sad that more of his fellow Israelites didn’t accept Jesus as the Messiah.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Over the years, Christians have looked down upon the Jews.  They have been persecuted time and time again for what a few of them did to Jesus. Stop for a moment, and consider all that we owe to “God’s Chosen People”.  We have all the stories of the faithful presented to us in the Old Testament.  We receive the Ten Commandments through them, as well as two stories about the creation of the world.  God never changes His mind about the promises He’s made. He still loves the Israelites. Maybe we should, too.
 

MATTHEW 14:13-21

THE BACKGROUND

For several chapters, Jesus has been teaching crowds, and gathering a lot of attention.  Then, in Matthew’s gospel comes the story of the arrest and beheading of John the Baptist.

THE DETAIL

• When Jesus heard about the death of John the Baptist, he hops onto a boat to find a deserted place.  I believe he wanted to mourn his cousin and lay low for a while. But the Sea of Galilee is only so big. And all you have to do is climb a hill to see which direction Jesus was heading and you could go there by simply running around the edge of the lake.  (v. 13)
• So, when Jesus steps off the boat, he is immediately confronted by those he has hoping to avoid.  Instead of being frustrated, has compassion for the crowd. (v. 14)
• It grows late.  The disciples don’t want to be responsible for feeding all these people. Jesus has other ideas, and tells them to get everyone to sit down.  “Feed them”, he says.  (vv. 15-16)
• The disciples give Jesus a reality check. “Look, Jesus.  We’ve only got five loaves of bread and two fish.”  (v. 17)
• You know the rest of the story.  A miracle happened that day.  (vv. 18-21)

THE TAKEAWAY

Other than the practical side of feeding the large crowd, what was the spiritual significance of the story?  What is the God Message?  Why did Jesus do this?  First of all, when God’s people were wandering in the Sinai desert, God fed them mana.  (Exodus 16:2-12)  Also, in 2 Kings 4:42-44, Elisha feeds a large crowd with a small amount of food.  This would tell those being fed that Jesus wasn’t your average traveling preacher—Jesus was a prophet!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

In our first lesson, God feeds his people spiritual food.  In this lesson, God’s son feeds both body and soul.  Do we feel this level of love and compassion for the hungry in our midst?

ISAIAH 44:6-8

THE BACKGROUND

This portion of Isaiah was written during the early years of Babylonian captivity.  God’s people in exile were having second thoughts about the strength of their God.  After all, The Babylonian’s god, Marduk, defeated their Yahweh,  and Yahweh’s chosen people were hauled off to Babylon.  Was Marduk stronger than Yahweh?  Through his prophet Isaiah, God answers His people in three short verses.  Biblical scholars believe that this passage takes the form of a courtroom scene. 

THE DETAIL

• God comes out with both guns blasting, so to speak (v. 6a).  “Thus says the Lord…” tells God’s people that what they are about to hear doesn’t come from Isaiah, but straight from God.  God presents three titles or qualifications  for himself:
  • He is the King of Israel
  • He was, is, and will be their Redeemer
  • He is the Lord of hosts.  (“Hosts” refers to the heavenly army of angel-warriors.)
• And, if you still have any doubts in your little heads, “…besides me, there is no god.”  In other words, Marduk is a figment of their captors’ imaginations. (v. 6b)
• This is the verse that indicates a courtroom scene. God is calling for witnesses.  Who else is there that a) is like me, or b) can predict the future?  Nobody, of course.  (v. 7)
• The passage concludes by telling the reader no to fear for the future.  God is in control.  Put your trust in the one and only true God.  (v. 8)

THE TAKEAWAY

The people of God in exile feared for their future, as we do.  We are plagued my many other false “gods” that vie for our trust and faith. Listen to the words of God.  Put your trust in Him. 

ROMANS 8:12-25

THE BACKGROUND

For the past several weeks, we have been studying the difference between living in the flesh and living in the Spirit.  Next week, with chapter 9, we will change subjects.  So today’s passage wraps up what we’ve been discussing. 

THE DETAIL

This passage can be broken into four parts:  1) I am a Spirit Child, 2) I am a Child of God, 3) I am a Child of Creation, and 4) I am a Child of Hope.

• We begin where we left off, discussing our life in the Spirit, as opposed to our former lives in the flesh.  (vv. 12-13)
• Living in the Spirit means that we are now Children of God.  We have been adopted by God to be his children.  We now may call him “Daddy”, which is what “Abba” means in the language that Jesus spoke.  Jesus used Abba (Daddy) when he prayed to his Father in the garden of Gethsemane.  This shows us that we may feel free to share our most intimate fears and frustrations with God, and even call him “Daddy” when we pray.  As God’s children, we inherit the kingdom, just like our brother Jesus.  (vv.14-17)
• The next section refers to all of creation being “in bondage to decay” (v. 21)  I take this to mean the stress and strain of God’s creation as evidenced in earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, rampant forest fires, global warming, etc.  Along with creation, we Children of God experience our struggle with life as we all (with the earth) await the revealing mentioned in verses 18 & 19.  “Revealing” refers to Jesus’ second coming, when a new heaven and a new earth will cease all of our struggles.  (vv. 18-23)
• Because we are Children of God, we wait in hope of God’s promises.  Knowing that we are saved, we can look to the future with hopeful anticipation.   (vv. 24-25)

THE TAKEAWAY

Even though things might be crashing down all around us, we can take comfort knowing that God has our back.  We are His children.  We wait in hope. 

MATTHEW 13:24-30, 36-43

THE BACKGROUND

Last week, Jesus taught us the famous parable about the sower sowing seeds.  This time, there are two sowers of seeds.  Interestingly, Jesus again only explains the parable to his inner circle.  Since we are within that circle, we can see the whole story. 

Jesus used parables to explain to the listeners about the kingdom of God.  This most certainly got their attention.  They were waiting for the Messiah to re-establish a kingdom to replace Roman rule, and rekindle the good old days of the Davidic kingdom. But they do not get a story related to anything that sounds like a political kingdom.  Maybe this is why he used parables, and didn’t explain them to the masses. 

THE DETAIL

• This time, after the sower plants good seed, another comes behind, that night and plants weed seeds.  (vv. 24-25)
• People (the servants of the sower) are shocked, and want to know where these weeds came from.  He says that an enemy planted the weeds.  (vv. 26-28a)
• The servants want to pull out the weeds, but their master says no.  That they would disturb the good seed growing alongside the weeds.  Better to take care of this at harvest time.  (vv. 28b-30)
• When Jesus is alone with his disciples, he explains the parable in greater detail.  (vv. 36-43)

THE TAKEAWAY

Sometimes, “weeds” grow within our churches.  We want to pull them out.  Listen to the master.  Pulling those weeds might disturb the good seed.  Allow God to be God.  He will sort it out.  Our job is to plant and let grow.  When we are confronted with “weeds”, we need to exercise caution.  James 5:19-20 encourages us to “bring a person back from sin”.  Jesus’ parable introduces a word of caution.  We must be aware of the tender shoots growing with the weeds; our primary concern should be not to disturb these.  These are the essence of the kingdom of God.

 

1 KINGS 3:5-12

BACKGROUND

King David has died, and Solomon is the new king.  He goes to a “high holy place” called Gibeon, to pray and make sacrifices.  It was customary for the people of that time to go to a special place to talk with God.  Most often, it was the top of a hill or mountain.  Think of Mt. Sinai.  Also, Jerusalem was a hilltop city, and the temple was the high point. These were the places where people believed they would get a God encounter.

DETAILS

• God comes to Solomon in a dream.  He asks Solomon “what shall I give you?” 
• As a king, Solomon might ask for many kingly things, such as:
  • Political or military power
  • Victory over enemies
  • Riches 
  • A long reign
• Instead, what does he ask for?
  • An understanding mind
  • The ability to discern good from evil
• God liked this answer.  He granted his request, and gave him wisdom.  But he liked his answer so much, that he gave him all the other stuff too!

TAKEAWAY

When we pray, it is so easy to ask for things for our friends and ourselves (i.e., health, happiness, safety, employment, etc.).  These are all good things to pray for.  But maybe we should also be asking God for wisdom and discernment.  Judging from God’s reaction to Solomon’s request, it is the most important thing.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Do you have a special prayer place?  It doesn’t have to be a mountaintop.  It can be a anywhere.  A friend of mine sails big boats in the ocean.  He says that his “God Place” is out on the open sea.  Where’s your “God Place”?
 

ROMANS 8:26-39

BACKGROUND

We have been working our way through the book of Romans since June 11th.  We will continue on this journey through September 17th.  In previous passages, Paul has focused on the concepts of sin & death, faith & life, and our Christian lives that often seem to ricochet between the two. Today’s reading  picks up where we left off last week, but it takes a new turn.  

DETAILS

• We begin by examining the role of the Holy Spirit in our prayer life.  I love the words of assurance that the Holy Spirit “helps us in our weakness” and “intercedes with sighs too deep for words”. How beautiful is that?!!  By the way, the word “intercede” means that the Holy Spirit steps in and speaks to God for us, explaining to God what we mean.  Some Christians pray to saints and/or Mary. This verse tells us that the Holy Spirit is there to do this, and goes directly to God. The Holy Spirit is our helper. (vv. 26-27)
• Here is a verse that many of us love!  The problem is that we focus on the promise and not the two conditions.  The promise is that “All things work for the good…”  We like to stop there.  But the conditions are 1) …for those in Christ Jesus and 2)… who are called according to his purpose.  So, the promise only works for those of us who are of the faith, PLUS it only works when we are doing God’s will.  Am I wrong? Read it over again, and think about it. (v. 28)
• This next verses are ones that a wise person might gloss over, because it contains the word “predestined”.  Since I am not that wise, I will offer my perspective. Many denominations are split over this phrase.  Some claim that God has chosen some to be Christians before they were born, and other people not.  The argument is that if God has already chosen, then we have no free will in the matter of faith.  Free Will Baptists are one example of a denomination taking a firm stance on this issue.  While I am not a Free Will Baptist, I do believe that we all have a free will in matters of faith.  I believe what Paul is trying to say to the church in Rome is that God knew in advance that He wanted them to choose Jesus.  That should be a word of comfort to those suffering for their faith.  I do not believe that Paul intended this as a blanket statement for all Christians.  (vv. 29-30)
• The remaining verses are full of words that have to do with struggle.  For the early Christians, accepting Jesus as their savior often meant struggles with those around them.  Even today, living out our faith can often present us with difficulties.  (vv. 31-37)
• The conclusion to this passage is a beautiful word of comfort.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God!  (vv. 38-39)

TAKEAWAY

• How many times have we heard or said “I don’t know how to pray”?  It is good to remind ourselves that the Holy Spirit is ready to help.  Our prayers don’t have to be perfect; it is the Holy Spirit who makes them perfect.
• Jesus is the firstborn of a large family (v29). We are that large family.  As members of the family, we know that “God has our back”, when times get tough.  He is always there beside us.  Always.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

• Must our prayers be well thought out and beautifully composed, or may they also be no more than “sighs too deep for words”?
• How does knowing that we are forgiven change how we live our lives?
   

MATTHEW 13:31-33, 44-52

BACKGROUND

Here we have five of Jesus’ parables.  I could say that the first two are about big things coming from small beginnings, the next two are about the urgency of spreading the Word, and the last is about the end times. I’ll get to that, but first, I want to zoom out, and look at the big picture.

DETAILS

• We are halfway through the gospel of Matthew. So far in the story, Jesus has been:
• Born 
• Baptized
• Tempted in the wilderness
• Giving his keynote address (The Sermon on the Mount)
• Calling apostles and disciples along the way
• Performing miracles
• Teaching us about our relationship with God
• Now, he’s teaching us about the Kingdom of God. I think that Jesus is at the point in his ministry where he’s thinking “Now that I have their attention, let me tell them what I came here to tell them”.  But the people of Israel were waiting for the messiah to come, kick out the Romans, and re-establish the old kingdom of David and Solomon.  I’m sure that when he opened a parable with “the kingdom of heaven is like…” he had everyone’s attention.  They are waiting for him to share his military plan.  Can you imagine their confusion, when he doesn’t talk politics, but talks instead about a community of faith?  I’m sure there was a lot of head scratching going on. If he were to tell them to forget about politics, and focus on faith, I think he would have had an even more difficult time.  So, he used parables to make his points, and get people to talking and thinking.
• The first two parables talk about how a little of the right thing can create gigantic results.  These talk about our faith and our sharing the Good News to others, even a little bit.  (vv. 31-33) 
• The next two have to do with doing whatever it takes to obtain a precious thing.  Being part of the kingdom of God, or being one of God’s own children is this precious thing.  What would you do to obtain it?  What do we need to do to obtain it?  The answer is in the takeaway.  (vv. 44-46)  
• Now we’re fishing!  ( I like this part!)  And, we catch a lot of fish, both good ones and bad ones.  When we get ashore, we sort them out, throwing away the junk fish. Jesus tells us that this is what it will be like at “the end of the age”, when he returns.  The sorting will be done by angels, and it ain’t gonna be pretty. How do we make sure we are a good “fish”?  (Same answer in the takeaway.)  (vv. 47-50)
• The conclusion to this last parable is a little weird.  I take it to mean that now that we are trained in the kingdom of God, we can help the angels sort out fish!  (Maybe I got that one wrong.)  (vv. 51-52)

TAKEAWAY

How do we obtain this priceless treasure?  How do we make sure that we are one of the “good fish”?  By listening to and believing in Jesus.  If we do this from the heart, we should earnestly try to follow his teachings and value what he values.  His values and priorities are clearly stated by Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount and in the parables of the Kingdom of God.  We humans clearly have different ideas about this.  Jesus came to set us straight.  Maybe it’s time to re-evaluate.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How much time do we spend each week thinking and talking about worldly things like hobbies, politics, business, etc.; and how much time do we spend loving each other (even our enemies), and caring for those less fortunate than us?

ISAIAH 55:10-13

THE BACKGROUND

God’s people Israel have been in exile in Babylon for about 60 years.  God has decided that it is time for them to return home.  Our text for today is part of his encouragement to them for what lies ahead.  Think of it as a pep talk; the kind that a coach gives to his team before the big game.

THE DETAILS

• In verses 10, God speaks of rain and snow from heaven.  In verse 11a, he says that his word is like the rain.  We know that rain is essential for life.  It makes things grow.  It gives us all life. 
• Verse 11b (after the word “mouth”) is, for me, the key verse.  God tells us that his word is true.  That what He promises He will act upon.  For the Israelites, the promise was to return to their homeland.  For us, it is all of God’s promises, but especially his promise of forgiveness, eternal life, and gift of the Holy Spirit.  We like to say that “actions speak louder than words”. We value words less than actions. We are skeptical of promises, until we see them in action.  It is different with God.  His word is powerful.  Think about the creation account in Genesis 1.  God created the entire world with just his word.  Psalm 29 is one of my favorites.  It speaks of the power of “the voice of the Lord”.  Please read it.  God’s word is powerful, trustworthy, and true.
• Verses 12 & 13 are the pep talk.  God is telling his people to look forward to the journey ahead.  For sure, there will be rocks in the pathway, but going home is going to be joyful and peaceful, full of clapping and singing.  For the returning Israelites, there would be difficulties, but the homecoming would be worth the pain. 

THE TAKEAWAY

Perhaps the same applies for us, in this stage of our lives.  Our future is most certainly strewn with a few “rocks” in our paths. But our homecoming will most certainly be joyful and peaceful, full of singing and clapping.

ROMANS 8:1-11

THE BACKGROUND

We have been studying the book of Romans for several weeks now.  We have been learning about the relationship between sin and death, faith and life.  We have been taught that we are both sinners and saints—that we are still capable of sinning, but that we should choose life over death, a life of faith over a life of sin and death.

There is so much detail in the book of Romans, it is good to stand back and look at the big picture.

1. After a short greeting and introduction, Paul talks about sin in chapters 1-3.  The gist of these chapters is in 3:23—“…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.  We are all sinners!
2. Chapters 4 & 5 offer a glimmer of hope.  God’s free gift of salvation is there for the taking, and faith in God is how we get it.  It is free!  Just look at how many times “free gift” is found in chapter 5.
3. Chapters 6 & 7 speak to the ongoing struggle we have with our sinful nature.  The “Old Adam” is still within us.  We need to be ever vigilant, and resist the temptation to sin.

THE DETAILS 

• The first verse of this passage is all we really need.  It is a favorite verse of mine, so let’s take a closer look at it.  Two words stand out, needing explanation—“therefore” and “now”.
• “Therefore” refers to all the previous chapters.  1) we are all sinful, 2) God offers salvation as a free gift, 3) we still struggle with our sinful nature, but we have hope. THEREFORE, there is no condemnation…
• “Now” refers to Jesus’ dying on the cross.  For us, 2,000+ years have passed.  It really isn’t a “now” kind of event.  But for Paul and the early church, they could look at it from this point of view; for them, there definitely was a before and after. NOW (because Jesus died on the cross), there is no condemnation…
• Paul uses the word “flesh” to refer to our sinful nature—our natural urge to disobey and displease God.  Some are driven by worldly things, and live “in the flesh”. Others are guided by their relationship with the Lord.  They live “in the Spirit.  He reminds us that we are “in the Spirit”.  We are in a relationship with our Lord.  For us, there is no condemnation.  (vv. 5-9)
• By living in the Spirit, we have life.  The Spirit is life because of God’s righteousness. His right action of offering His son as a sacrifice for our sins.  (v. 10)
• The final verse uses “if”, but I prefer “since”. Since the Spirit dwells in us, we will live!  (v. 11) 

THE TAKEAWAY

Because we have faith in God through Jesus, we have “no condemnation”—we are “in Christ Jesus”. This is not something we earn by earning brownie points through good deeds.  It is free!  (See Romans chapter 5.)  We most certainly will fall into sin (See 3:23).  But we can rest in the assurance that we are forgiven through the blood of our Savior.  There is no condemnation.  Thanks be to God!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How do we ensure that we are “in the Spirit”?

MATTHEW 13:1-9, 18-23

THE BACKGROUND

Jesus is into the heart of his ministry.  He is healing and helping those in need.  He is teaching us about the relationship we should have with our Father.  He teaches us using parables.  These, as you know, are little stories with a point.  I was taught that parables have a single point to them.  If somebody starts going beyond one point, they have missed that point.  One Point per parable. 

In the missing verses, 10-17, we learn that Jesus only explains the parable to his disciples. 

THE DETAIL

We all know this familiar parable.  There is no need to go into the detail.  Better yet, in the second paragraph, Jesus himself interprets the lesson.  I can do no better.  But let’s ponder his interpretation, and what it might mean for us. 

• The seed is the word of God, including the teachings of Jesus.
• Jesus is the sower, as are his disciples. Since we are disciples of Jesus, we are also the sowers of “seed” to those around us.
• Sometimes, the seed takes root, sometimes not. 

In the missing verses, Jesus explains why he only interpreted it to his disciples.  Before his ascension, he tells his disciples to reveal all the “secrets” to everyone.  His work was done, so it was time to explain everything.

THE TAKEAWAY

Things haven’t changed since Jesus’ time.  God’s Good News is shared with people.  It takes root in some, and with others it falls on deaf ears.  As Jesus’ disciples, we are sowers of the Word; we are here to share the Good News.  It is not for us to fret over those who do not accept the free gift.  That is the Lord’s work.  (See Matthew 13:24-30, 37-43.)  Our job is to spread the Good News!