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. 

DEURTERONOMY 4:1-2, 6-9

THE BACKGROUND

The setting for the book of Deuteronomy is Moses’ long, final dissertation to Israel, before they enter the Promised Land.  The first three chapters are a detailed recounting of their years of wandering in the wilderness.  Beginning with chapter four, Moses gives detailed instructions to Israel.  Many of these instructions become part of the 613 “Laws of Moses”.  The book ends with Moses’ death in chapter 34.

THE DETAIL

• Moses begins by telling them what he’s going to tell them—some rules to live by. (v. 1)
• He then states that these rules are complete.  They shall not to add or subtract from them.  This verse shares a theme with today’s gospel lesson.  More on that later.  (v. 2)
• The next paragraph gives the reason for all these statutes and ordinances. These will set them apart from the other nations around them.  The completeness and justice of Israel’s law will bring them respect from other nations. (vv. 4-8)
• The passage closes with a caution to follow these rules closely, and pass them on to their children.  (v. 9)

THE TAKEAWAY

The Laws of Moses shaped everyday life in Israel. The law was complete and just.  It ordered the lives of Israel, which set them apart from the surrounding cultures.  You could tell that they served Yahweh simply by their actions.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Based solely upon our actions, can people recognize us as Christians?
 

JAMES 1:17-27

THE BACKGROUND

In recent weeks, we have studied Old Testament Wisdom. Many believe the Book of James to be a collection of Christian wisdom rather than an epistle.  That is how we will approach this book.

THE DETAIL

• God is called “the Father of lights” in verse 17.  This is a reference to Genesis 1:14, where he created the “lights” we call the sun and moon.  This Father is generous with the gift of divine wisdom.  James is about to share this heavenly wisdom with us, so we can live our lives as good Christians.  We Christians have been given this gift so we may be like the first fruits of God’s creation. (vv. 17-18)
• If you have a temper, like me, these next verses hit the nail on the head. There is no room for being angry for the children of God.  James tenderly says that anger “does not produce God’s righteousness”.  I would say it much more bluntly than that!  (vv. 19-20)
• Furthermore, instead of wickedness and sordidness (whatever that is), we should be meek and welcome the word of God.  (v. 21)
• The next paragraph is where the rubber meets the road.  James encourages us to show our faith in our actions.  He uses the illustration of looking in a mirror to make his point.  He says that when we look in the mirror, our shortcomings are clear.  But as soon as we turn away from the mirror, we forget. This reminds me of some Sundays.  In church, I am reminded of my shortcomings. I receive forgiveness.  I am inspired to live according to Jesus’ teachings. On the drive home, if I’m being tailgated or am cut off by another driver, all that inspiration evaporates in an instant.  James tells me “Don’t let that happen!”  No anger. Be meek.  Show the love of Jesus.  At this point, I should do a U-turn, and go back to church. (vv. 22-25)
• Verse 26 addresses the problems surrounding what comes from our mouths. James is a little harsh here, but his point is well-made. 
• “Religion”, or our faith in action, is best demonstrated in how we treat the disadvantaged around us.  James names the famously disadvantaged—orphans and widows.  More on this in Food for Thought.

THE TAKEAWAY

James gives us good direction on how to be recognizable as Christians.  These actions are not our salvation, but our response to Jesus’ dying on the cross. Faith in him is what saves us.  Our actions, hopefully good, are merely expressions of thankfulness for what he has first done for us. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

James uses widows and orphans as sort of “poster children” for those around us who are in need.  Who around you needs God’s love?  Since we are followers of Jesus, it is our job to be his hands and feet in this place. Here’s a starter list.  Feel free to add to it.

• The hungry
• The poor, or those who cannot make ends meet
• The uninsured (especially health insurance)
• Those mourning the loss of a loved one
• Those suffering from illness

MARK 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

THE BACKGROUND

It would be an understatement to say that Jesus and the scribes and Pharisees did not get along.  They seem to constantly criticize him.  He, in turn, gives it right back to them.  Some theologians believe that Jesus’ family might have been from the sect of Pharisees.  He seems to be very familiar the ins and outs of the sect, as well as the pitfalls. Whatever it was, Jesus again turns a confrontation into a teaching moment. 

THE DETAIL

• The Pharisees criticized Jesus and his disciples for eating with unwashed hands. One of their rules involved ritual washing, which was a law that was in addition to the Laws of Moses.  (vv. 1-5)
• Jesus’ response focuses on the gap between their actions and what should be written on their hearts.  He says that they go through the motions of obeying commandments, but “their hearts are far from me”.  Their worship is vain!  (vv. 6-7)
• More to the point, the rules they are following are not God’s commandments, but are merely human traditions.  These were not part of the Law of Moses.  (v. 8)
•  When Jesus says “Listen to me, all of you, and understand”, it is time to stop what you’re doing and pay attention. (v. 14)
• Jesus says that it’s what comes out of a person that makes them unclean, not what goes in.  He gives us a starter list, but we all know that the complete list is a lot longer. (vv. 15, 21-23)

THE TAKEAWAY

This story begins as a discussion about Jesus’ disciples not following certain traditional rituals.  True to form, Jesus changes the subject slightly to a lesson about the source of evil.  The source of evil is not external, it is within all of us.  It is up to us to control what comes out of our mouths, rather than what and how things go into that mouth.  I don’t know about you, but washing fruit is a lot easier than controlling my tongue! 

JOSHUA 24:1-2, 14-18

THE BACKGROUND

Upon the death of Moses, leadership of the people of Israel was handed over to Joshua.  In the years to come, he would lead Israel to claim the Promised Land from the Canaanites, as well as serving as their prophet. 

In chapter eight, the people of Israel gather at Shechem, to proclaim their allegiance to Yahweh. Today’s reading occurs at the end of Joshua’s life.  He calls upon all the people of Israel to recommit themselves to the covenant they had made years ago at this place. 

THE DETAIL

• The first two verses tell us that Joshua called this meeting of all the people of Israel. 
• In the verses omitted from this reading (vv. 3-13), Joshua recounts the history of Israel, reminding them of everything that God has done for them.
• Verse 14 starts with “Now therefore…”.  It is Joshua’s way of saying “Look.  Because God did all this for you, you need to:
  1. Serve him in sincerity
  2. Put away all those other [false] gods”
• Verse 15 is Joshua’s stake in the ground.  He says that now is the time to decide who they will serve.  He’s gonna chose Yahweh.
• The happy ending is the last paragraph.  The people all vow to put away the Canaanite gods and serve the Lord.

THE TAKEAWAY

It is a good thing for all of us to do; to review God’s blessings, and resolve to serve Him better. Many churches provide opportunities for their members to recommit their lives to the Lord.  Some do this during the altar call, and others through a more formal rededication liturgy.  We can also do this individually.  Whichever way you chose, consider doing this. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I know many Christians who put God first in their lives.  But, I also know people, both Christian and non-believers, who have allowed other things to become their main focus.  There are those who are obsessed with managing their finances.  Some love shopping to the point that they overload their homes with seldom-used goods.  Others allow sports or other activities to totally occupy their thoughts and minds.  For many, it seems, there is no room left for God. Joshua calls us all to step back and review our priorities.  Where does God appear in our list of priorities?  How do we show this in our actions?

EPHESIANS 5:10-20

THE BACKGROUND

We have been studying the book of Ephesians since July 11th.  Today’s reading is the last passage we will read from this book.  Paul wants to close his letter with some sage advice on how to live one’s life as a Christian.  He leaves his readers with a clever analogy in order to make this point memorable.

THE DETAIL

• Paul is going to tell us how to be strong.  He reminds us that God is our source of power; we need to tap into this power. (v. 10)
• Paul tells us that the strength we need is like a suit of armor.  He lists the parts of armor that a Roman soldier would wear.  Then, for each piece of armor, he lists the Christian’s equivalent.  I will list the Christian armor below.  (v. 11)
• But first, he describes the enemy.  They aren’t opposing warriors, as a Roman soldier would face, they are “the wiles of the devil”, “cosmic powers of darkness” and “spiritual forces of evil”. (v. 12)  Let’s discuss these in The Takeaway.
• Our armor consists of:
  • Truth and righteousness (v. 14)
  • Proclaiming the gospel of peace (v. 15)
  • Faith (v. 16)
  • The word of God (v. 17)
• Above all, we must pray for each other, including our spiritual leaders.  (vv. 18-20)

THE TAKEAWAY

So, what exactly are “the wiles of the devil”, “cosmic powers of darkness” and “spiritual forces of evil”? I believe that the force of evil is very real and present in our daily lives.  The devil is too cunning to appear in red, with a forked tail and horns. I believe that evil presents itself in those around us, and in very subtle and surprising ways.  I have seen evil actions in friends, relatives, & acquaintances.  I’ve seen it in business, politics, and even in religious authorities.  All of these have used God and the bible to win over our confidence.  As a Christian, it is my responsibility to use the life-actions and words of Jesus as a benchmark, to test the words and actions of those around me.  If I see a few “red flags” pop up, on goes my armor! 

When I think of arming myself for battle, I think of using

• A bulletproof vest
• A helmet
• A machine gun
• A 9mm handgun

Paul’s list looks nothing like this!  Maybe that’s the point.  As Christians, our response requires us to set aside our natural human inclinations, and respond in a Christ-like way.  What would that be?  Review Jesus’ response to violence and hostility.  Review Paul’s list of “armor” above.  This is how God expects his children to respond.  (I never said it would be easy!)

JOHN 6:56-69

THE BACKGROUND

For the past few weeks, we have been studying the sixth chapter of John; we have been exploring the meaning of the gift of the Eucharist, or Holy Communion.  A few times, there has been an overlap of verses from the week before.  Today’s reading begins with the last three verses of last week.  This helps us to remember where we left off.  This week, we will focus on the reactions of those who heard these words. 

As with the second reading, this will be last week for this subject.  Next week, we return to studying the gospel of Mark.

THE DETAIL

• Jesus tells us that we must “eat his flesh and drink his blood”.  If we do, we will abide in him, and will live forever.  We are also given the location of this discourse, Capernaum.  This is a lakeside village, not far from his hometown of Nazareth.  (vv. 56-59)
• His disciples have a hard time swallowing this teaching.  “Who can accept it” is sort of like “What am I supposed to do with this information?”  John wrote this many years later, so his readers were familiar with the Lord’s Supper. But Jesus’ disciples didn’t know about the Eucharist.  This might have sounded a little cannibalistic to them.  For sure, it was weird and unsettling.  Please note that “disciples” means all of Jesus’ followers; Jesus’ apostles are called “the twelve” here. (v. 60)
• Jesus then challenged them to think outside “the flesh”, and think in terms of spiritual matters. No, Jesus is not talking about them consuming a chunk of his arm or leg.  He’s talking about a spiritual meal—consuming his teaching, his presence,  and his life.  (vv. 61-63)
• Jesus is aware that many cannot stomach this lesson.  He knows that many will fall away, including the apostle who will betray him.  It is all part of his Father’s master plan. (vv. 64-65)
• Many leave. Jesus turns to the apostles, and asks if they will also leave him.  (vv. 66-67)
• Peter speaks for the twelve (or at least eleven of them).  “We’re staying.  You have the words of eternal life.”  (v. 68)
• Peter says “We have come to believe…”, which indicates that it has taken them time to come to this conclusion. (v. 69)
• Verses 70 & 71 are not included in today’s reading.  It mentions that Judas Iscariot will be the one of the twelve to betray Jesus.

THE TAKEAWAY

There are several reactions to Jesus’ difficult lesson.  Some left him at this point, while others recommitted their lives to following him. One remained silent, and betrayed him later. 

Jesus’ teachings are fairly simple, but they are not easy.  If you’re in doubt, just take a second look at today’s second reading. If you need more, read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).  These teachings often run the opposite direction from modern human wisdom.  Many see these teachings as foolish & irrelevant, and reject them.  Others claim Jesus, but live their lives according to few of his teachings.  There are some who do their best to embrace all of them, knowing they will stumble along the way.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Where do you fall on this spectrum?  Jesus calls us to be his disciples in this time and place.  We all have a part to play.  We will all stumble and fall.  But we know that we are forgiven.  We must run the good race, knowing that the Holy Spirit is there to guide us.

PROVERBS 9:1-6

THE BACKGROUND

The book of Proverbs is a book of wisdom which was attributed to King Solomon.  The beginning verses of this book tell us the purpose of the book. These sayings were written for teaching “the simple, “to gain instruction in wise dealing, righteousness, justice, and equity…”  (Proverbs 1:3)  The word “simple” in this case means those who are not yet wise.

In the Old Testament times, wisdom was highly valued.  In the Proverbs, Wisdom becomes personified; Wisdom is a woman.  Let’s call her Lady Wisdom.  Proverbs 8:22 tells us that Wisdom was there even before God created the earth.  Perhaps wisdom is a facet of the personality of the Holy Spirit, and this is an Old Testament way of describing her.  In any case, Lady Wisdom teaches us how to be spiritually wise. 

Today’s reading is the first part of chapter nine.  In the latter part of this chapter, verses 13-18, Lady Wisdom’s actions are contrasted with her alter ego, Lady Folly.  If you have time, I encourage you to read those as well.

THE DETAIL

• Lady Wisdom has built a house, set a table, and prepared a feast.  (vv. 1-2)
• She sends out her servants to invite us simple people to a feast.  We will feast on her wine and bread.  This is the connection to today’s gospel lesson.  (vv. 3-5)
• Finally, she entreats us to not to live our lives immaturely, but to walk with insight or mature wisdom.

THE TAKEAWAY

The Holy Spirit is alive and well, working within us each day.  Let us pray for and work to increase our spiritual wisdom.  Let’s come to her banquet, and eat and drink.

EPHESIANS 5:15-20

THE BACKGROUND

These are part of Paul’s concluding instructions to the church in Ephesus.  They are similar to last week’s verses.  We learn more ways to become better Christians.

THE DETAIL

• Verse 15 encourages us to be wise.  I guess we need to read more Proverbs, then!
• We need to make good use of our time, because “the days are evil”.  This hit me odd at first.  But wasting precious time is sort of evil, isn’t it?  Our life on earth is a gift.  We should make good use of this precious gift of time.  (v. 16)
• We should not do foolish things, such as getting drunk.  This does not mean that drinking wine is forbidden.  After all, Jesus drank wine at the last supper.  It was the common beverage of the time.  What is meant here is overindulgence. Overindulgence in anything is not good; it is foolish behavior.  (vv. 17-18a)
• Instead, we should be filled with the Spirit, sing spiritual songs, and give thanks to God. (vv. 18b-20)

THE TAKEAWAY 

Here’s that wisdom thing again!  I guess we should “live our lives worthy of the calling to which we have been called…” (Ephesians 4:1) In this passage, God is calling us to be wise Christians, and be mindful of our actions. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

We Christians are not perfect.  Many non-Christians observe us doing unwise or ungodly things, and draw conclusions about the Christian life.  As ambassadors for Jesus, we need to be mindful of this, and strive to show the love of Christ in our actions.  (Easier said than done!)
 

JOHN 6:51-58

THE BACKGROUND

Jesus has been puzzling some Jews who followed him across the Sea of Galilee.  He has been calling himself bread from heaven.  This confused them, and they complained.  In today’s reading, Jesus concludes this discourse. He also adds another log to the fire. They have a hard time swallowing all this bread talk.  In fact, even some of Jesus’ disciples find this teaching confusing or difficult. Let’s see what he says.

THE DETAIL

• Today’s beginning verse is actually the climax of a long discussion that Jesus has been having with some followers.  Not only does Jesus say that he is the living bread, but that we must eat of his flesh. Since we believers know the rest of the story, we know that he is talking about holy communion.  John wrote these words many years after they were spoken, so the initial readers would also have understood this.  But imagine being amongst those sitting around Jesus when he spoke these words.  (v. 52)
• Quite frankly, verse 53 sounds like something I would have said!
• Now look what Jesus does.  He says that we must not only eat his flesh, but drink his blood!  If I didn’t already know about what he said in that upper room at the Last Supper, I’d find these words very difficult.  (v. 53a)
• This is interesting. In the second half of verse 53, he says that if we don’t do these things, we have no life in us.  Those are harsh words.  Fortunately, he goes on to explain. 
• In verses 54-57, Jesus explains that by receiving his presence in the body and blood of holy communion, we:
  • Have eternal life (v. 54b)
  • Will be raised up on the last day (v. 54c)
  • Will have a deep fellowship in him (v. 56)
• When we eat his body and drink his blood, the life that flowed from the Father to the Son also flows to us.  (v. 57)
• Jesus concludes this discourse by stating that this bread is different than the manna that given to the Jews of the Exodus.  With this food, we will live forever!  (v. 58)

THE TAKEAWAY

To me, these words of Jesus underscore the importance of the rite of Holy Communion.  Some churches, like the one I go to, include this meal as part of every Sunday’s worship.  We believe that it is important for to recall and relive these words every week.  They are an important way to come into a deep fellowship with Jesus.  They are part of how we receive eternal life, and are raised on the last day.  (vv. 54-56)  They are a means of receiving grace from God.

EPILOGUE

In the verses following today’s passage, we learn that many didn’t understand, and turned away from following Jesus.  It is here that Peter says his famous words “Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.”  (John 6: 68)  Let us feast on his words and receive him through the gift of Holy Communion.