ISAIAH 53:4-12

THE BACKGROUND

On September 12th of this year, we studied the third of Isaiah’s “Servant Songs”, as they are called.  To refresh your memory, I have copied the background paragraphs from that study below.

The year is ca. 550 BC. The People of God are in exile in Babylon.  Isaiah writes to encourage God’s people to be strong in the face of trials.  A “Servant of Yahweh” appears in Isaiah’s writings. Four “songs” are written. 

This servant is never identified by Isaiah.  Biblical scholars have debated hotly as to who this might be.  Several answers are possible.  But let’s look at the bible passage for today, and leave the “who” for later.  T

This week, we look at the fourth of these songs. 

THE DETAIL

Rather than follow our usual format, I am going to focus on some key phrases.  This song was written about this unnamed “suffering servant”. I will refer to him as “the servant” here.  At the end, we will discuss who this might be.

1. Phrases like “borne our infirmities”, “carried our diseases”, “wounded for our transgressions” indicate that the servant has shouldered the burdens of many.  The servant takes them willingly, and silently.  Verse 10 states that his life will be an offering for sin. 
2. His death is a “perversion of justice”.  He stands silently before his accuser. 
3. In the end, he gets his reward.  He “divides the spoil with the strong”, and the Lord will allot him a portion with the great.
4. He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

THE TAKEAWAY

It did not take long for Jesus’ disciples to recognize how closely this sounded Jesus.  It helped them to see God’s master plan, which was carried out by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. 

So now, we must ask ourselves “Was Isaiah writing about Jesus or not?”

At this point, we need to get into a “which came first, the chicken or the egg” discussion.

First, the chicken.  Some say that Isaiah was a prophet, and he was writing this prophecy about the coming Messiah.  He was prophesizing about Jesus.  It certainly sounds like Jesus.  End of story. But not so fast.  Isaiah wrote these words about 550 years before Jesus was born.  Isaiah certainly knew nothing about Jesus.  So, did he write down something he did not understand?  Just as importantly, what would compel the people of God to preserve these words for over 500 years, if they did not make sense to them? Imagine if Billy Graham had a vision from God, and he wrote it into a book.  He tells us that it doesn’t make sense now, but we should keep reading it. In 500 years it will make sense to those people, but not to you.  Do you think that we would carefully preserve that writing for 500 years?  I don’t think so. 

Now, the egg.  God talks to people in need.  In Isaiah’s time, the people were in exile in Babylon.  People suffered.  God gave them inspiration through Isaiah.  Later on, more than once, the people of God suffered for their faith. Isaiah’s words would be a source of strength to those suffering for their faith.  Jesus most certainly was familiar with these writings of Isaiah.  Through Isaiah, God revealed the redemptive quality of silent suffering servitude.  This was a new concept for his chosen people.  God the Father gave these words to Isaiah because He believes them to be the way we should all behave in the face of adversity, especially when our faith is challenged.  It only makes sense that Jesus would behave in this most godly way.  Were these words written about Jesus?  Yes.  But they are also written for our instruction.  If we all behaved like this, the world would be a much different place, wouldn’t it?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Since we are children of God, we are called to act like Jesus in the world we live in.  Are we prepared to be a Suffering Servant, too?

HEBREWS 5:1-10

THE BACKGROUND

The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians.  It explains the meaning of Jesus’ life within a Jewish context.  Understanding two things will help us to understand this passage better.

A high priest intercedes for the people to God for the atonement of their sins.  He does this once a year on Yom Kippur.  There is only one high priest, and atonement is only given once per year.  Also, there were at least two requirements to become a Jewish priest.  First, one must be borne of the house of Levi.  Second, one must belong to the priestly guild.  Not all Levites were priests, but all priests were Levites.

THE DETAIL

• The first part of today’s passage provides us a good description of the duties of a high priest. (vv. 1-4)
• Jesus has already been called our high priest in Hebrews four times, by the time we get to today’s reading.  We are told that God appointed him our high priest, when He said “Your are my Son, today I have begotten you”. This sounds like what God said at Jesus’ baptism and at his transfiguration, sort of. But this is also a direct quote from Psalm 2:7.  Next the writer of Hebrews quotes God as saying “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”  This is a quote from Psalms 110:4.  I’ll explain this in the takeaway.
• Being our high priest, he offered prayers to his Father for us.  The most detailed account of this is found in John 17, which we call Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer.  (v. 7)
• Jesus obeyed the Father, and suffered for our sake.  (v. 8)
• We are to obey the Son, receiving eternal life in doing so. (v. 9)
• Jesus has the authority to do all this, because his is our high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.  (v. 10)

THE TAKEAWAY

Jesus was from the house of Benjamin, like King David.  He was not a Levite.  Because he was not a Levite, he could not belong to the priestly guild.  I imagine that when the writer of Hebrews called Jesus our high priest, many were saying “Now just you hold on there!  How is this possible?  He doesn’t meet the two basic requirements!”  Verses 4-10 are the answer to this question: 

1. God claimed Jesus as his own at his baptism and transfiguration.
2. God called Jesus our high priest forever, by the order of Melchizedek. 

So who was this Melchizedek dude?  Genesis 14:17-20 holds the answer.  Long before Moses, Aaron and the Levites, Abram went to the holy city of Salem (not the one near Raleigh, NC).  The king of Salem was also a high priest in that holy city.  His name was Melchizedek.  He blessed Abram.  Abram then gave him a tenth of his possessions as benevolence for the blessing. Since God called Jesus to the priesthood by the order of Melchizedek, He sort of cancelled out the other requirements, I guess. 

Jesus’ obedience to the will of his Father perfected him, so that he could serve to be our Lord.  He demonstrated this obedience and perfection in living as a model of the godly life.  (This model is spelled out in today’s reading from Isaiah.)  Jesus  did an awesome job of living his life to this model.  As children of God, we are called to do likewise.

MARK 10:35-45

THE BACKGROUND

All through Mark’s gospel, the disciples don’t seem to get it.  At times, they actually act a little stupid.  Today’s lesson is a classic example of this.  It is also a classic example of Jesus love and patience with these two obnoxious disciples.

THE DETAIL

• James and John are brothers.  They must have been trouble, because Jesus called them “the sons of thunder”.  They approach Jesus and ask a bold question. (v. 35)
• Jesus says “Yeah, what do you want?”  [In my version] In this version, he also is thinking “This ought to be good.” (v. 36)
• They have the audacity to ask Jesus for the two highest power positions, when Jesus is “in his glory”.  By “glory”, they’re talking about when Jesus is the Messiah-king, after they boot the Romans out of Israel.  Sitting to the left and right of the king would be the two top positions in the king’s court.  They really were clueless, weren’t they?  (v. 37)
• Jesus’ response is amazing.  He is loving and patient, but corrects their thinking.  Keep in mind that he has told them three times that he would suffer and die. Actually, the third time occurs immediately before this passage!  Will they “drink the cup” that he will drink?  Yes, they will indeed.  But who sits where is not up to Jesus, but the Father.  (vv. 38-40)
• The other ten apostles got upset when they heard about this request.  Wouldn’t you be upset?  But Jesus gathers them all together, and gives them (and us) a God-lesson. He tells them to forget about “who’s on top”, and start fighting to be on the bottom—to be a servant-slave to all. (vv. 41-45)

THE TAKEAWAY

Being a servant-slave to all is at the heart of what it means to think and act like a child of God.  To love, teach, feed, heal, and give of oneself-- this is what Jesus did.  This is what God wants us all to do. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

James and John clearly did not “get it”.  They were thinking in earthly terms, not divine.  Are we so different?  We want to grab the free gifts of forgiveness and eternal life, but balk at being a slave to all and loving our enemies.  Are the details of living a Christian life like a buffet line, or is it a package deal? Can we “pick the cherries”, and skip the tough stuff?  Or, does the cost of discipleship require us to take the whole package?

AMOS 5:6-7, 10-15

THE BACKGROUND

One of the commentaries that I read summarizes the background better than I can.  It reads like this:

” Amos preached in the Northern Kingdom (Israel) about 750 BC. Israel, also called “house of Joseph,” was enjoying a period of great prosperity, which diverted their attention from the growing menace of Assyrian power. Amos believed that unless Israel ceased her unrighteous, immoral ways, God would abandon them to Assyria. The people, however, relied on their special relationship with God and viewed their prosperity as a sign of God’s blessings. ‘Gate’ means the entrance to a city or village, where elders met to hold court and dispense justice.”

THE DETAIL

• Verses 6 and 14 are at the heart of Amos’ plea to the people.  “Seek the Lord and live.”  The admonition in verse 6 is that if they don’t change their ways, 
  • The Lord will destroy the northern kingdom of Israel. 
  • Bethel was where their main temple of worship was located; this will be “devoured”. 
  • Nobody will be able to stop this process, once it is under way.
• Wormwood creates a bitter oil. Justice in the land has a bitter taste—it is not justice at all. Right-actions are driven into the ground.  (v. 7)
• The “they” in verse 10 are those who are acting unjustly.  They hate it when the elders dispense real justice at the gate, and they hate hearing the truth. 
• Verse 11a gives a glimpse at two of the injustices that the rich and powerful have done to the poor.
• Next come the consequences of their bad behavior.  (vv. 11b-12)
• Verse 13 is a little confusing.  Let’s paraphrase it this way—“If you are a smart and just person, this is a good time to keep your mouth shut!”
• The remainder is a final plea from Amos for the people to love good actions and hate evil ones. He suggests that for those who heed his warning, will be a spared, and be a “remnant of Joseph (Israel)”.  (vv. 14-15)

THE TAKEAWAY

This was written nearly 3,000 years ago.  Yet, it could be applied to our time and our country.  We cut the taxes for the rich, and attempt to eliminate programs that feed and heal the poor.  Things haven’t changed much, have they?  Shall we expect God to get angry again, devour, and break out like fire?  What shall we do?  Shall we keep our mouths shut, for it is an evil time?  Or shall we speak up against greed and injustice. Perhaps if we do so, we will become God’s “remnant” in this time and place.
 

HEBREWS 4:12-16

THE BACKGROUND

This book was written to Jewish Christians, to explain the life of Jesus within the context of the Jewish faith.  Today, Jesus is called “our high priest”.  It is helpful to know what this is.  There was only one high priest at a time.  Once a year, he would offer a sacrifice to God for the sins of the people.

It is also good to know that one of a king’s duties was to sit on his throne and hear court cases. Kings acted sort of like a one-man supreme court.

THE DETAIL

• But first, we are reminded that God’s word is as sharp as a two-edged sword.  There’s no escaping it; somebody’s gonna get cut! This sword divides soul from spirit. Talk about a fire and brimstone sermon—this one is intense!  Not only is there no place to hide, we are naked; totally exposed, sin and all. (vv. 12-13)
• But here’s the good news—we have Jesus, our great high priest.  Since he’s already ascended to the Father, he’s better than your average high priest.  Because of this, let’s “hold fast to our confession [of our sins]”.  (v. 14)
• This is the part I like.  We are reminded that Jesus lived among us, and knew temptation.  He understands.  He can sympathize with our temptation and weakness, even though he himself was sinless. (v. 15)
• Not that Jesus is seated on a throne at his Father’s right hand, he will judge us.  But we may approach boldly because of what we just heard in the previous verses.  We will receive mercy and grace, because of what Jesus first did for us, dying on the cross for our sins.  (v. 16)

THE TAKEAWAY

It is good to remind ourselves that Judgement Day will come, and we will all need to give an accounting of our lives.  But we can take comfort in God’s loving grace, who gave His only son as a sacrifice for our sins.

MARK 10:17-31

THE BACKGROUND

In Jesus’ day, if someone was prosperous, it was an indication that they were blessed by God. Prosperity allowed the rich person more leisure time, so they could devote more time to spiritual studies and charitable giving.  (At least in theory.)  This fact will become important later on in today’s passage.

THE DETAIL

• Jesus is on the road again.  As he walks along, a man runs up and kneels before him. It sounds like he is not only eager to talk to Jesus, but has great respect for him as well.  He calls Jesus “Good Teacher”, and asks what he needs to do go have eternal life.  (v. 17)
• Jesus starts by challenging the “Good Teacher” label.  He says that only God is good.  Now, we know that Jesus was/is God, but right now in the story that’s a secret.  The common thought of the day was that God was the only perfectly good being; everybody else fell short.  (v. 18)
• Then, Jesus listed some of the Ten Commandments.  “You know these, right?”  (v. 19)
• The man says “Yeah, yeah, I’ve kept all of those since I was a kid.  (v. 20)
• Then, Jesus lowers the boom.  “One more thing—sell everything, give the money to the poor, and follow me.”  (v. 21)
• You know the rest. The man was rich.  This was too much to take.  He left shocked and broken-hearted.  (v. 22)
• Jesus then turns to the disciples, and drives the point home.  It’s really hard for a wealthy person to enter the kingdom of God. He gives the example of a camel and the eye of a needle*, to make his point.  (vv. 23-26)
• The disciples are astounded at this teaching.  They are of the thinking that this rich man was blessed by God, which was why he was rich in the first place.  If this rich man can’t make it, what chance do they stand?  (v. 26)
• Here is the glimmer of hope—the Good News.  Jesus says for “mortals” (us humans) it is impossible, but not for God.  In other words, our salvation must come from God, not from our own actions.  (v. 27)

THE TAKEAWAY

Remember that the rich man asked “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”  Jesus’ answer was true.  There is nothing that one can do to earn their way to heaven.  Jesus’ second point in this discussion is that he recognized the man’s wealth.  Jesus must have known that the man’s wealth had become more important to him than his faith.  This, I believe, is why he challenged him to sell everything, and follow him.  He was telling the man to reorder his priorities.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

It is all too easy for our possessions to overtake our faith life.  If the chips were down, and we had to give it all up to follow Jesus, would we? If our answer is yes, maybe it’s a good time to reevaluate our giving, our service, and our commitment to the Lord? It’s a matter of priority.  Whatever our answer, we must still put our trust in God’s grace and our sins at the foot of the cross of Jesus.  We can find comfort in Hebrews 4:15-16.

* The Eye of a Needle

There are two separate understandings of what Jesus meant by this phrase.

1. Some bible scholars point to the fact that the city gate had two gates or doors.  One was large, so that wagons, camels, and mounted horsemen could travel through them. That was the main gate.  There was also a smaller gate for pedestrians.  It was easier to open for foot traffic. This was called the “eye of the needle”. It was, some scholars say, what Jesus was referring to in this story.  It is difficult for a camel to fit through such a small doorway.
2. Other theologians believe that Jesus was referring to a sewing needle.  It is infinitely more difficult for a camel to pass through a sewing needle.  It is impossible.  (v. 27)  They believe that Jesus was using hyperbole (an exaggerated statement) to show how difficult it would be.

Jesus’ intent does not change, no matter which of these you choose.  It’s just a stronger statement with the second.  But if you prefer to read the bible literally, you might want to stick with #1.

GENESIS 2:18-24

THE BACKGROUND

The first book of the bible begins with two creation stories.  In many ways, they contradict one another.  But that doesn’t matter, as long as you are looking for the God lesson in each.  The second creation story begins with Genesis 2:4.  This is the beginning of the story of Adam and Eve.  We join this story in progress.  In the first part of this story, God first creates the earth, then Adam. Then, He creates plants and trees, including the tree of knowledge and evil.   God tells Adam not to eat the fruit of this tree.

THE DETAIL

• God realizes that Adam is alone, and needs companionship.  He needs a helper.  (v. 18)
• So, God creates the animals, including birds, cattle, etc.  Interestingly, God brought each to the man for him to name.  Naming signifies a certain degree of dominance. It’s like how we name a pet when we bring it into our home, to make it our own.  (vv. 19-20a)
• But there’s a problem. None of these is an adequate partner for the man.  (v. 20b)
• God’s solution is to perform surgery on the man.  He anesthetizes the man, removes something from him, and uses it to make a woman. We all say that this thing God removes from the man is a rib.  But the translation is not clear on that.  Since tradition has chosen the rib as the body part, we’ll stick with that. (vv. 21-22)
• The man likes what he sees!  He says “Finally, someone like me” (sort of, but a little different).  He names her “Woman”.  (v. 23)
• The concluding verse is the key link to today’s gospel lesson.  The above story explains why a man and woman leave their parental homes, and become “one flesh”.  That expression has an obvious and intentional sexual insinuation.  (v. 24)

THE TAKEAWAY

For those of us who have had a good married relationship, we know the truth in verse 18.  It is not good for us to live alone.  Within the framework of a committed relationship, love grows.  We become a team.  We become one flesh, not only in bed, but in our daily lives.  This is what God wills for everyone—to live together as a loving, married couple.

HEBREWS 1:1-4, 2:5-12

THE BACKGROUND

Have you ever experienced something remarkable or unexplainable that took you a while to figure out?  This is what happened after Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.  It was like they said “Wow!  What was that?”  People’s reactions and understanding varied.  The apostle Paul wrote many letters, in part to explain the significance of Jesus’ life.  The writer of Hebrews does the same.  But in this case he is writing to the Jewish community.  He is explaining the meaning of Jesus’ life from a Hebrew perspective. We will be studying this book for several weeks.  During this time, we will learn a little about Jesus’ impact on the Jewish-Christian community.  In order to do this, we’ll need a little “Hebrews 101” lesson, but not today. Today’s selection is of a sort of an introduction.  Please note that reading the book of Hebrews takes a lot of concentration.  I will do my best to navigate us through this.

THE DETAIL

• The book begins with a “once upon a time” statement.  Once upon a time, God spoke to us through the prophets… (v. 1)
• But NOW (2,000 years ago), God has spoken to us through his very Son.  This Son is the heir of all things, and was there at the beginning of creation.  (v. 2)
• Verse three is a biggie, and needs to be broken down.  Jesus is:
  • The reflection of God’s glory
  • The exact imprint of God’s very being
  • He sustains (gives life) to all things through his word
  • He sat down beside the Father, once his mission was complete
• Jesus’ position in the heavenly hierarchy places him above the angels, second only to God the Father.  (v. 4)
• Next, we learn that the angels do not have control of our world, we humans do.  (vv. 2:5-8)
• But, for a little while, God changed this hierarchical order when Jesus took human form and walked with us.  (He was “below the angels” during his incarnation.)  (v. 9a)
• Now, after his suffering and death, he has tasted death for everyone and is now crowned with glory.  (v. 9b)
• Jesus is the pioneer of our salvation, through whom we receive the glory to be called God’s children. (v. 10)
• The one who sanctifies* (Jesus) and those who are sanctified (us) all have one Father. Jesus is proud to call us his brothers and sisters!  (vv. 11-12)

* to sanctify = to make holy

THE TAKEAWAY

This passage sets things in order:  God the Father, followed by the Son.  Next come the angels, followed by us humans.  But God sent his Son to teach us and give us God’s life-sustaining word. Now, he is back home in heaven, and we are left in charge. 

FOOD FOR TOUGHT

Now that we are in charge of this world, what shall we do? Satisfy our personal longings, or live our lives the way Jesus did?
 

MARK 10:2-16

THE BACKGROUND

Jesus has been teaching the disciples and everyone around him about the Kingdom of God.  Along with his teaching, he is miraculously healing many. He has caught the attention of the established religious authorities.  Today’s gospel lesson is one of the many challenges they threw down to trap him.

THE DETAIL

• This time the Pharisees challenge him with a question about divorce—“is it lawful?”  (v. 2)
• They knew the answer, of course, so Jesus turns the question back to them.  They answer correctly.  (vv. 3-4)
• Next, Jesus raises the bar.  He says that God provided this law to Moses, because of their hardness of heart.  This is significant.  We’ll discuss it further in the takeaway.  (v. 5)
• Jesus goes on to remind them of God’s intent from the very beginning.  That “the two shall become one flesh” and no one shall separate them.  (vv. 6-9)
• When he is alone with the disciples, he raises the bar even further.  (vv. 10-12)
• Then, in a seemingly unrelated move, he rebukes the disciples for sending little children away from Jesus.  He says that we all need to receive the kingdom of God as a little child, in order to enter it.  More on this below.  (vv. 13-16)

THE TAKEAWAY

Let’s take the last point first.  After all, it’s a biblical concept.  Jesus again talks about being like a little child, in order to enter the kingdom.  A couple of weeks ago, we learned that children were not as cherished as they are these days; they were tolerated.  They were low on the totem pole.  Jesus is reminding his disciples to live the Christian ideal of being the servant of all. 

In verse five, Jesus says that God gave a law to Moses, because of the peoples’ “hardness of heart”. What might this mean?  I take it that God’s ideal would be for married couples to remain married.  But at the urging of the people, and the realities of life on earth, He was persuaded to allow divorce, under certain conditions.

Jesus taught us many things about the Kingdom of God.  He taught us that in this kingdom, we would forsake the flock the earnestly seek out every single lost sheep.  He taught us that the poor are more blessed than the rich, meek more blessed than the bold, etc.  He taught us that we should be ready to give our lives for him and the gospel (Mk. 8:35). We should rid ourselves of our material possessions, and follow him (Mk. 10:21).  And, we should live our lives as though we were the slaves of others (Mk. 10:43-44).  I truly believe that God wants us Christians to live our lives according to this model. But our hearts are also hardened by “real life”.  None of us is ready to give up everything we own, or be a slave to everyone—especially the meek, the poor, the homeless, etc.  The same goes for divorce.  God would prefer for us all to remain married, and not divorce.  But when a spouse is abusive, negligent, or adulterous, reality steps in.  I believe that God does not want innocent victims to suffer needlessly.  Yes, Jesus presents the utopian ideal.  But he also died on the cross for all of our failures.

NUMBERS 11: 4-6, 10-16, 24-29

THE BACKGROUND

The book of Numbers is an interesting combination of a narrative of Israel’s wilderness wanderings and organizational instructions from God.  Up to this point in Numbers, Israel has been encamped at Sinai, getting instructions from God, and eating manna.  In the verses preceding today’s selection, they have broken camp, and are on a three day’s journey.

THE DETAIL

• It appears that a group of the Israelites were more trouble than the rest.  They are called “the rabble”.  They are stirring up trouble, complaining about the monotonous food they were provided.  They were sick of eating only manna.  They remembered the “good old days” of slavery in Egypt (!).  At least they had fresh produce to eat.  They wanted some meat to eat.  (vv. 4-6)
• This complaining upsets Moses greatly.  He goes into a tirade with God, and does some complaining of his own.  He is sick and tired of carrying the burden of these people on his shoulders.  He’d rather die than carry on.  (vv. 10-15)
• First, God answers Moses’ complaint.  He tells Moses to gather 70 elders of the tribes of Israel.  Next, God draws near in a cloud, and distributes some of the spirit that was on Moses to all the elders.  They prophesied in a manner much like the giving of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.  (vv. 16, 24-25)
• Interestingly, two of the 70 didn’t make it to the event; the Spirit still rested upon them within the camp.  Someone reported this to Moses.  Maybe they were expecting these tardy two to be punished for their receiving the Spirit.  Instead, Moses makes a brilliant statement.  It’s OK. In truth, he’d like to see everyone this spirit-filled.  (vv. 26-29)
• In the verses omitted, verses 17-23, there is a dialogue between Moses and the people. The people demand meat, and Moses argues with them.

THE TAKEAWAY

By God’s providing manna for the people, God gave them what they needed. Manna was all they needed for their wilderness journey.  But the people complained about the monotony of the food, and wanted more.  God’s answer to the people and to Moses’ frustration is twofold.  First, He provides Moses with some help.  Moses’ burden is shared with 70 elders.  Second, in the verses following today’s selection, we read that God provided an abundance of quail for them to eat. 

The important thing to takeaway from today’s lesson is Moses’ reaction to the two elders receiving the Spirit within the camp.  This is similar to the gospel lesson for today.  We should pray for the Spirit to rest on everyone, and not just an authorized few.
 

JAMES 5:13-20

THE BACKGROUND

Over the past few weeks, we have been reading from the book of James.  It is a book of Christian wisdom and instruction; a guide on how to live a good Christian life.  Next week, we move on to the book of Hebrews for our second readings. 

THE DETAIL

• James encourages us to pray for one another, in any sort of difficulty.  What is most interesting to me here is that the prayers and concerns are for the whole community of believers.  The faith community should be a working, loving, praying community, caring for the needs of one another.  This is not to say that praying for our personal needs is not important.  But here, we see the value of a loving, Christian community living their lives as the Body of Christ.  (vv. 13-15)
• This community is so tightly-knit and loving, that they feel comfortable confessing their sins to one another.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be so trusting of our brethren, that we could do this today? What a relief it would be to confess our sins to those who love and understand us.  (v. 16) 
• James uses the example from the life of Elijah to illustrate the power of prayer.  Through the power of prayer, Elijah started and stopped a drought.  Surely, we are all capable of this same level of prayer power!  (vv. 17-18)
• Verses 18-19 are a sort of opposite of one part of today’s gospel lesson.  In today’s gospel, Jesus talks about stumbling blocks to faith.  Here, James encourages us to lead others back to faith in Jesus.

THE TAKEAWAY

Prayer is a powerful tool, especially when used within a faith community.  Not only should we pray privately, but we should pray together. We should keep in mind that together, we are the Body of Christ.  Together, we are Jesus’ hands, feet and heart in the world around us.  We should not only pray, but be prepared to act on these prayers.
 

MARK 9:38-50

THE BACKGROUND

By this time in Mark’s gospel, Jesus’ ministry is in full swing.  He has preached, healed and taught thousands of followers.  Now, he is focusing on teaching his disciples the details of The Way.  This is what the early church called following Jesus—The Way.

THE DETAIL

• In the first paragraph, John reports to Jesus that somebody else is casting out demons in Jesus’ name.  They wanted to shut him down.  Jesus’ response is similar to Moses’ response in our first reading.  He says “Whoever is not against us is for us.”  My daughter would say “It’s all good.”  I think it is important for us to recall these words of Jesus when we start criticizing other denominations.  (vv. 38-41)
• Then, Jesus seems to change the subject, or does he?  He warns his disciples not to put a “stumbling block” in the way of the faith of “these little ones”.  Who are these little ones?  I take them to be those who have recently, maybe tentatively accepted Jesus.  They need spiritual nurture.  At this point, it doesn’t take much for people to be turned off by other’s actions.  It is important for us believers to show our faith by our actions.  We need to set a good example to others, so that they do not stumble on their faith journey.  (vv. 42-48)
• Next, Jesus talks about salt in a weird sort of way.  He talks about salt looing it’s saltiness.  Frankly, I don’t think Jesus was much of a cook.  Salt doesn’t behave like that, but all other seasonings do. But Jesus’ point is clear.  If we let the spiciness of our faith fade, how can we do His work effectively?  We need to season our teaching and preaching well, so others can see that Jesus lives within our hearts.

THE TAKEAWAY

Are these three paragraphs related or not?  I believe that they are.  The first one tells me that there’s more than one acceptable “way to skin a cat.”  The second tells me to be cautious about my actions, so that I do not negatively affect the faith-walk of those around me.  The third warns me to spice it up, not down, when I am cautious about my actions. 

This week, we will break from tradition, and not read the Gospel lesson last.  This week, we will look at the readings chronologically.  After all, since James’ writings were based upon Jesus’ teachings, it makes sense to lay down the foundation before studying the application.

JEREMIAH 11:18-20

THE BACKGROUND

Jeremiah lived during the time of exile.  Being God’s spokesman to His people, Jeremiah had a tough job.  Chapter 11 is a dialogue between God and Jeremiah.  Today’s selection is only a part of this dialogue.  In the verses shown in paragraph form, God is speaking to Jeremiah.  The verses that are indented like a poem (today’s reading) are from Jeremiah. This is Jeremiah’s lament, or complaint to God.  12:1-4 is more of Jeremiah’s lament.  He was clearly in misery over the task before him.

THE DETAIL

• Jeremiah tells God that it was He who pointed out the evil ways of the people, and Jeremiah saw it right away.  (v. 18)
• Jeremiah was not aware of what he was in for.  He did not realize that doing God’s work would provoke the people to murderous thoughts.  (v. 19)
• In spite of these threats, Jeremiah remains steadfast; He will continue to speak for God.  He calls upon God to fight for him against his adversaries.  (v. 20)

THE TAKEAWAY

In many ways, this lament sounds like it could be applied to Jesus’ life.  Many early Christians did just that.  But these words can also be applied to anyone who is faithful to God in the face of their adversaries.  These words can be applied to you and me.  Be like Jeremiah in verse 20.  Remain committed to the Lord in the face of opposition.
 

MARK 9:30-37

THE BACKGROUND

In the book of Mark, Jesus predicts his suffering and death three times.  (8:31, today’s reading, and 10:33-34)  Each time, the apostles do not get it.  We studied the first time last week.  When Jesus did this, Peter rebuked Jesus.  Jesus says those famous words “Get behind me, Satan!”  Let’s see what happens this time.

THE DETAIL

• Jesus and his apostles are traveling south from Caesarea Philippi, on their way to Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee.  He is trying to avoid the crowds, because he wants to teach the apostles something very important.  Dealing with large crowds would prevent him from teaching his close group.  (v. 30)
• What he is teaching them is God the Father’s plan—that Jesus would suffer, die, and rise from the dead.  (v. 31)
• Here’s something amazing.  The apostles did not understand Jesus.  This is the second time he has told them this, but they still don’t get it.  Not only that, they were afraid to quiz him on this teaching, so they said nothing!  (v. 32)
• Along the way, there must have been quite a commotion amongst the disciples, because Jesus asked them about it when they arrived in Capernaum.  (v. 33)
• Nobody spoke up.  Apparently, they were too embarrassed to tell him that they were bragging about who was better than whom.  (v. 34)
• Jesus sits them down, and explains that their thinking is backward for apostles. They should be arguing over who is the lowest, not the highest.  (v. 35)
• Here comes the part that is easy to misunderstand.  He tells them that they should welcome little children.  That welcoming these children is the same as welcoming Jesus.  In our modern society, children are held high.  They are gifts from God.  But in Jesus’ time, children were merely tolerated  Children had the same social stature as women, beggars, lepers, slaves and tax collectors.  Jesus is telling his disciples to be worthless slaves, if they wish to be “first” in God’s pecking order.  They should be bragging about who is the lowest, not the greatest.  He flips their value system upside down.  (v. 36)

THE TAKEAWAY

To truly be God’s children, we should adopt God’s value system.  This is not going to be easy!  Let’s see what James says on the subject.
 

JAMES 3:13-4:3, 7-8a

THE BACKGROUND

As I’ve said in the past, the book of James is a book of Christian wisdom.  It gives us sound direction on how to live up to being children of God; how to live our lives as Christians.

THE DETAIL

• The reading begins with a call to wisdom.  Not the kind that is static, but that is active.  Wisdom should show forth in our actions.  (v. 13)
• Four faults are then singled out—bitter envy, selfish ambition, being boastful, and finally being dishonest.  All of these, James tells us, are evil, and are not attributes of the wise Christian.  (vv. 14-16)
• Instead, we should try to be peaceable, gentle, willing to yield (there’s a toughie!), full of mercy, without partiality (does he mean no racial prejudice, too?), hypocrisy, and full of good “fruits”.  (vv. 17-18)
• The next paragraph deals with our arguing amongst ourselves.  Doesn’t this sound like today’s Gospel?  These are covetous urgings.  In a way, they can also be murderous; for sure, they can kill the love we should have for each other.  (vv. 4:1-3)
• Finally, we need to give in, and give it to God.  We must work hard to resist the temptation to do these things. Instead, we should strive to draw near to God, and adopt his priorities, putting ours aside.  (v. 7)

THE TAKEAWAY

Remember Philippians 2:5, 7-8:

 “Let the same minds be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of god, did not regard equality with god as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

In today’s readings, we see the difference between God’s way and our way.  Through our baptism, we have become children of God.  Maybe, just maybe, we need realign our thinking to our Father’s way.

ISAIAH 50:4-9a

THE BACKGROUND

The year is ca. 550 BC.  The People of God are in exile in Babylon.  Isaiah writes to encourage God’s people to be strong in the face of trials.  A “Servant of Yahweh” appears in Isaiah’s writings.  Four “songs” are written. 

This servant is never identified by Isaiah.  Biblical scholars have debated hotly as to who this might be.  Several answers are possible.  But let’s look at the bible passage for today, and leave the “who” for later. Today’s passage is the third song. To understand the whole package, it is good if you’d read all four songs.

THE DETAIL

• God gave this unnamed Servant the gift of inspired teaching.  Each morning, God speaks to him, and he obeys God’s call. (vv. 4-5)
• The Servant suffers for heeding God’s call.  The Servant’s faith and committment is strong.  He remains resolute.  (v. 6)
• The Servant finds strength in his faith.  The phrase “set my face like flint” reminds me of Indian arrowheads. Have you ever held one?  They are hard, and they are sharp.  This is the hardness of the Servant’s strength!  “You wanna fight?  BRING IT ON!  God is on my side!”  (vv. 7-9)

THE TAKEAWAY

Two basic interpretations are possible for this reading. Both are valid.  Choose which you prefer.

1. This is an Old Testament prophesy about Jesus the Messiah, prophesied by Isaiah over 600 years before Jesus’ birth.  All these Servant Songs certainly sound like they’re talking about Jesus.  Jesus demonstrated this strength in his faith-walk while here on earth.  We should do likewise.

2. God recognized the desperation of the people in exile, and sent them a word of encouragement.  This Servant could be anyone or everyone.  Jeremiah suffered in this way.  It is likely that many others in exile also suffered for their faith.  200 years before the birth of Jesus, the Jews were under intense pressure to conform to Greek customs and religious practices.  The atrocities are written down in the book of Maccabees.  These words would also be a comfort and source of strength to them. Jesus personified these words when he walked this earth.  He is our role model.  Many, many others since Jesus have suffered for their faith.  Let us all set our face like flint, and know that it is the Lord God Yahweh who helps us when our faith is challenged.

JAMES 3:1-12

THE BACKGROUND

The book of James appears to be more of a collection of Christian wisdom than a letter from an individual.  Chapter Three focuses on one particular subject—the danger of loose lips and false teaching. If you look at verse one and verses eight and nine, the problem is clearly stated.

THE DETAIL

• Teachers of the Word are held to a higher standard than others.  (Now, I’m getting nervous!)  Teaching is one of the spiritual gifts listed by Paul several times in his writings.  Teachers were, and still are, a crucial part of God’s church on earth.  (v. 1)
• James admits that nobody’s perfect.  Everybody’s going to make mistakes.  Later, he goes beyond this statement, however.  (v. 2)
• James gives us several analogies which demonstrate how something  small cam control something much larger.  (vv. 3-7)
• In verse 8, James lets the cat out of the bag—he’s talking about our tongues. What damage we can do with that little thing!  (v. 8)
• In verses 9 & 10, we get a hint of what he’s talking about.  It is believed that some of the religious leaders (teachers), were acting less Christ-like and more human-like, cursing people more than loving them. 
• James gives some contrasting images, to make us consider our actions.  His point is that if you are “in Christ”, you give up these evil ways, and walk in the way of Jesus; the way of love. There is no room for these old behaviors.  (vv. 10-12)

THE TAKEAWAY

I can tell you from experience that an unbridled tongue is a dangerous thing.  We have all said things that we regret.  Once said, they are impossible to fully retract.  It is critical for us to remember our “place”.  We are Christians.  We represent all our brothers and sisters.  We do this in what we do and in what we say. 

MARK 8:27-38

THE BACKGROUND

Today’s gospel is about Peter recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, and about what it means to follow Jesus.  This is a familiar story, because it appears in three gospels.  If you like, check out Matthew 16 and Luke 9. Compare the three, to see what each writer includes and omits.

THE DETAIL

• Jesus and his disciples have been travelling.  They are now hitting the villages of Caesarea Philippi, to the north of the Sea of Galilee.  Along the way, he asks a simple question—“Who do people say that I am?”  (v. 27)
•  Their answer might seem strange to us.  Keep in mind that they did not have CNN or Fox News.  Everything was word of mouth.  No newspapers, headline news, or editorial pages.  You had to figure things out by yourself.  Herod himself wondered if Jesus might be John the Baptist raised from the dead.  (Mark 6:14-16)  You may recall from the Old Testament that Elijah did not die, but was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire.  People expected him to return as a precursor to the coming of the Messiah.  So, the disciples’ answers were not surprising to Jesus.  (v. 28)
• Then comes the clincher—“Who do YOU say that I am?”  Only Peter has the nerve to answer.  “You are the Messiah.”  (“The son of God” is omitted by Mark, as is the renaming of Simon to be Peter, the rock.) (v. 29)
• He says “Don’t tell anybody!”  This is difficult, but necessary.  He has a lot of teaching ahead of him.  If everyone starts calling him the Messiah, they’re going to expect stuff he’s not ready to deliver.  (v. 30)
• Since Peter has declared Jesus to be the Messiah, Jesus teaches them what the Messiah’s mission truly is.  The world expects the Messiah to be a warrior king who delivers them from the clutches of the Roman occupation.  Jesus is not interested in politics, but in our souls.  (v. 31)
• Peter, bless his heart, doesn’t get it.  He’s thinking like a human; he’s thinking politics.  He tells Jesus “Hey, man, don’t talk like that.  You’re the Messiah.  Don’t talk about suffering and dying.”  [My personal paraphrase.]  (v. 32)
• Jesus turns Peter’s rebuke back on Peter.  He calls Peter Satan!  I guess if he’s going to resist God the Father and Son’s mission, then he deserves the title.  Jesus tells Peter that he’s thinking like a human, and not like a disciple.  (v. 33)
• Jesus goes on to explain how to think like disciple.  (This is where we come in.)  We need to be prepared to be like Jesus, willing to “take up our cross and follow him”.  We need to be so committed to following him that we are willing to die for him.  We need to be like the Suffering Servant of Isaiah.  (vv. 34-38)

THE TAKEAWAY

This is not easy, but it is what we are called to do. It is called the cost of discipleship. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Are you ready and willing to take up your cross and follow Jesus, regardless of the cost?

ISAIAH 35:4-7a

THE BACKGROUND

The Israelites, God’s chosen people, were living in slavery in Egypt.  Led by Moses, God delivered them from slavery; they wandered in the desert for 40 years, and finally reached the Promised Land.  They prospered there for many years.  They peaked out with the reign of King David and his son Solomon.  After that, things went downhill.  The kings of Judah, the descendants of David, allowed for the worship of other gods, mainly the Canaanite god named Baal.  They ignored the prophets who spoke for God.  Finally, God allowed the Babylonians to defeat Judah in war.  Most of the survivors were carted off to Babylon, where they lived for 60 years.  Many longed to return to their homeland, but returning seemed impossible. The Babylonians had an army; they had nothing.  A revolt was out of the question.  It would take a miracle for them to go back home. 

Isaiah brings a message of hope from God during these discouraging times.  Isaiah gives the people hope.  He told the people that God was going to do something miraculous.  They needed to wait for it.  Today’s reading is part of this prophecy from God through Isaiah.

In 538 B.C., Cyrus II of Persia defeats the Babylonians, and sends the people of Judah home.  God had used a pagan king to liberate his people from exile.  They were going home!

THE DETAIL

• This passage starts with a word of encouragement—“be strong, do not fear!” God is coming to avenge your suffering. Those Babylonians are going to pay! “Recompense” is one of those big bible words meaning ”to pay for wrongdoing”.  The key phrase here is “He will come and save you.”  (v. 4)
• Verses 5-6a tell of miraculous things that will happen.  The blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and mute will speak. Something impossible is about to happen. This section mirrors part of today’s gospel lesson.
• The remainder of the passage states that the journey home will not be as difficult as the exodus from Egypt.  God is going to clear a path to lead them home, providing precious water for them on the desert journey.  (vv. 6b-7a)

THE TAKEAWAY

God still loves us and cares for us today.  He will lift us up from our despair and misery. He will come and save us. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Can you recall a time in your life when God provided you with the strength to escape an impossible situation?  It is good to recall these times, and thank Him for his saving love and care.
 

JAMES 2:1-10, 14-17

THE BACKGROUND

Martin Luther found the book of James troubling. The apostle Paul clearly and frequently states that our “salvation is a free gift.  It is not owing to works…” (Ephesians 2:8-9, my paraphrase)  James’ book of wisdom has a heavy emphasis on “works”. In today’s passage, he even goes so far as to say “Can faith save you?” (14b)  The difference between Paul and James is that James’ instruction was addressed to believers—people of faith.  They are already saved.  James is encouraging his Christian readers to show their faith in their actions.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.  Let’s look at the detail.

THE DETAIL

• Imagine the situation where a TV celebrity unexpectedly walks into the vestibule of your church.  At the same time, a homeless person enters through another door.  Most of us would be so busy swooning and fussing over that famous person; we’d ignore that shabby, smelly other person.  James reminds that Jesus has different priorities. Consider the words from the Sermon on the Mount “blessed are the poor”.  Jesus would fuss over the homeless person.  We should do likewise.  (vv. 1-10)
• Remember, James is writing to saved Christians.  He challenges them (and us) to show our faith in our actions.  Our actions should be a reflection of our faith. If we say one thing and do another, we are not sincere.  If the faith you profess is not shown in your actions, your faith is not alive.  (vv. 14-17)

THE TAKEAWAY

James speaks of accountability in verse 10.  It is true that we will all answer to our failings on Judgement Day.  But it is also true that our failings (or sin) are forgiven through Jesus’ death on the cross. We should strive to live a life free of sin, but rest in the assurance that our failings are nailed on the cross.

This passage is not intended to be a condemnation, but a word of encouragement to become alive in our faith.  We do this by doing.  Last week, we read James 1:22-- “Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers.”  The apostle Paul also encourages us to “bear fruit”.  Our motivation in “doing” is not to earn our salvation, but to show the genuineness of our faith to those around us. 
 

MARK 7:24-37

THE BACKGROUND

Jesus and his disciples are on the road again.  My father-in-law would claim that they drove a Honda, because “Jesus and his disciples were of one Accord.”  (One of his favorite jokes.)  But I believe that Jesus walked to Tyre from Capernaum, where he was teaching in chapter 6.  Tyre is located in modern day Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast.  At that time, it had a reputation for being a wicked city. Also, it was populated mainly by gentiles and not by Jews.  Why did Jesus go there?

THE DETAIL

• There is a hint here in verse 24 that Jesus might be trying to escape the crowds by going up to Tyre.  But it didn’t work.  He was healing people, and performing other miracles.  The word spread.  This was inescapable.  But maybe there was another reason for Jesus to travel to this region. 
• A Syrophoenician woman hears of Jesus’ presence.  “Syrophoenician” simply means that she is from the area of Syria/Phoenicia on the Mediterranean coast.  Her daughter is possessed by a demon, and she begs Jesus to exorcise the demon. (vv. 25-26) 
• What happens next is a little disturbing to most Christians.  Jesus “cops an attitude” with this gentile woman.  He tells her that “the children” (the Jews) should be fed first.  It is not fair to give this food to “the dogs”.  You need to know that in Jesus’ day, dogs were not loved as they are today; they were trash-animals.  Jesus is basically calling this gentile woman a trash-animal!  (v. 27)
• The woman responds with a humble but clever answer. (v. 28)
• Essentially, Jesus says “you got me there!”, and heals the child, even though the child is not present.  (vv. 29-30)
• On his journey home, Jesus swings by the Decapolis.  The Decapolis is a group of ten cities, all of which have a gentile population.  A deaf man is brought to him who also has a speech impediment.  Jesus cures the man of both ailments.  (vv. 31-35)
• Jesus orders everyone to keep this miracle to themselves.  But how can you not share something like this with others? The people tell everyone.  (v. 36)
• Next comes the link to today’s first lesson.  The people are astounded at what he has done.  It seems to be a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy.  [“Maybe this guy is the longed-for Messiah.”] (v. 37)

THE TAKEAWAY

This “don’t tell anybody” instruction happens frequently in the gospel of Mark.  We call it the Messianic Secret.  I believe that the reason Jesus said this was to delay what he know would become of him, once he is identified as the Messiah.  In addition to dying on the cross for our sins, Jesus also had many things to teach us.  He need time to relay this message to us, and tried (vainly) to buy some time by telling us to put a “lid on it”.  Now, of course, we need to remove this lid, and tell everyone!

Why would Jesus go to somewhere that is known to be a gentile area, if he considers them to be “dogs”?  Was it just to get away from the crowds, or did he go there knowing that he would show God’s love to non-Jews?  Maybe (and this is just my opinion), Jesus was leading his disciples on, adopting the attitude he knew they would have.  Then, he shows them the folly of this attitude, and heals the woman’s daughter.  He then follows this up by healing another person in another gentile city.  Just as James reminds us, actions speak louder than words.  Jesus’ actions tell us where his heart lies.  This is good news for us, since we are all gentiles.