ACTS 8:26-40

THE BACKGROUND

For today’s reading, we jump ahead four chapters in the book of Acts.  We get to witness one of Philip’s great moments.  Philip’s story begins with verse 4.  We will join the story in verse 26.  Luke is the writer of the book of Acts, and in Luke’s writing, the Holy Spirit plays a very active part. 

THE DETAIL

• The Holy Spirit is active already at the beginning of this story, through “an angel of the Lord”.  The angel tells Philip to head down the road “that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” It does indeed “go down”.  There is an elevation change of over 2500 feet, when traveling from Jerusalem to Gaza.  That’s 2-1/2 times the elevation change of going “down the mountain” from Saluda to Tryon.  And it is a wilderness road, but not a green forest sort of wilderness; it was a rocky, barren desert. (v. 26)
• Philip chances upon an interesting sight.  He spots an Ethiopian eunuch, reading in his chariot.  He had the fancy wheels (a chariot), because he was a high court official to the queen of Ethiopia, whom they called the “Candace”.  He was on his way home from Jerusalem, and had taken a break. The Holy Spirit tells Philip what to do next.  (vv. 27-29)
• While he was resting, the eunuch was reading aloud a passage from the prophet Isaiah; 53:7-8, to be exact.  (vv. 30-33)
• Then, the eunuch asks Philip if he understands this passage. (v. 34)
• Philip now knows why he was sent here.  He tells the eunuch all about Jesus. (v. 35)
• Apparently, they were moving again, because they came upon some water.  The eunuch asks Philip the Big Question --  “What is to prevent me from being baptized?”  You see, this man obviously loves the Lord God Yahweh, because he’s reading the prophet Isaiah.  But since he is a eunuch, it is impossible for him to fully participate as a regular believer.  Deuteronomy 23:1 makes this crystal clear.  So, he asks Philip if there is a roadblock that would prevent him from being baptized.  (v. 36)
• They simply stop the chariot, and the man is baptized.  No 10 weeks of classes, no cross examination by the bishop.  Just get out and get baptized!  (v. 38) *
• It gets weird in verse 39.  The Spirit “snatched Philip away”, whatever that means.  More importantly, the eunuch “went on his way rejoicing”.  (v. 39)
• We now hear that Philip “found himself” at Azotus.  This is a city just north of the road from Jerusalem to Gaza.  It says that he worked his way north along the Mediterranean coastline, all the way to Caesarea.  (v. 40)

THE TAKEAWAY

If you are one of Jesus’ disciples, you might find yourself in some surprising places!  How often do we resist an “urge” to say or do something for the Lord?  Be like Philip, and allow the Spirit to guide you. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Was Philip wrong in baptizing this man against the Law of God?  If not, and this story took place today with a gay or transgender person, would the Holy Spirit still want this man to be baptized?  If not, how would that be different than baptizing a eunuch?

*NOTE: 

You may have noticed that the text jumps from verse 36 straight to 38.  It skips verse 37.  Older translations, such as the King James Version, include a verse 37.  It reads “And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”  And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”  Newer translations often omit verse 37, and put it as a footnote.  There is a good reason for this.  Since the 1600’s, when the King James Version was written, older manuscripts of the Bible have been discovered.  The older manuscripts do not include these words.  We do not have any original manuscripts for the Bible.  It stands to reason that the older the manuscript, the closer it would be to the original.  Most have concluded that these sentences were added later.  The practice of editing Holy Scripture did occur from time to time.  In this instance, it is a fairly obvious addition. 

Whether you decide to include verse 37, or keep it as a footnote.  This is a powerful story about the inclusion of all people into the Kingdom of God.  Everyone is welcome, even eunuchs!
 

1 JOHN 4:7-21

THE BACKGROUND

John has been teaching about love.  Today, he will turn up the heat another notch.  This is a difficult passage to read for two reasons.  First, it weaves in and out, making a tightly-knit point about our relationship with God and with one another.  But it also points a finger at us, making us re-examine our relationships.  I’ll try to break this into chunks, to maybe help us understand it better. 

THE DETAIL

• The first “chunk” is the opener.  The rest of the passage will dig into what these two verses (7 and 8) mean. Basically, we Christians must love one another, because God is the true source of all love.  This is so true that John states that “if you don’t love others, you don’t know God!”  (verse 8, my paraphrase)
• The remainder of the first paragraph goes about intertwining the love that God first showed us with the love that we should show for others.  Verse 10 is great.  More important than our love for God is God’s love for us.  His love is greater—He gave his only Son to demonstrate that love for us! Since He has done this, the most important thing we can do is demonstrate this love those around us. 
• The second paragraph simply states that the way we connect to this love is through faith (confessing that Jesus is the Son of God).  It is not about being strong in good works or being a good person.  It is simply in having faith. Those other things are important, but faith is Number One.
• The third paragraph speaks repeatedly about perfection.  John wrote this in Greek, many centuries ago.  To those around John, reading these words in Greek, they would understand it through the Greek meaning for “perfection”.  For them, spiritual perfection wasn’t achieving some high level of moral purity.  Perfecting one’s faith meant the process of becoming mature in the faith.  Achieving a sort of full-grown faith.  This is a lifelong process.  When we reach spiritual maturity, we will not fear death, the judgement day, or anything else.  This process comes through prayer, studying the scriptures, and with the help of the Holy Spirit loving everyone around us.  (vv. 17-19)
• Here’s where the rubber meets the road.  After all this love talk, John throws down the gauntlet.  If we hate someone or a group of people, we cannot truly say that we love God.  If you want to question this, then you need to reread this entire passage.  (vv. 20-21)

THE TAKEAWAY

This is not an easy passage to read.  It seems to go in circles.  This is definitely not an easy passage to apply to our lives!  It challenges our views on life.  Imagine loving absolutely everybody.  But God does this—He loves everyone.  Our job, therefore, is to do the same. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I have been doing some electrical work around the house.  One of the tasks associated with this is making a good ground connection. Three types of wires come out of the wall—a black one, a white one, and a plain copper wire.  The plain copper wire is called the ground.  It leads back somewhere to a metal pipe that is driven into the ground.  So, I’m wiring an outlet.  A ground wire comes into the box, and another wire goes out and on to the next outlet. Another ground wire must then be connected to this particular outlet.  All three wires must be twisted together tightly, so that there is a solid connection to that pipe in the ground.  Without it, the whole system does not work properly.  This whole passage is like those wires, twisting tightly together--  “God is love… we love God…  God loves us… we love one another”.  All of this is bound together, connecting us with God who grounds us in His love.  Our job is simple, but not easy.  We must love God and love one another.  Every one another!

JOHN 15:1-8

THE BACKGROUND

Here, we have a beautiful parable about Jesus, the True Vine. For this passage, I’ll comment on a few verses, but summarize the whole in The Takeaway.

THE DETAIL

• Jesus’ opening statement is that he is the true vine, and his Father is the vine grower. Jesus is stating that he is the true connection to the Father.  (This implies that all the others are not.)  (v. 1)
• Furthermore, we are the branches.  We are connected to Jesus, the True Vine.  Our job is to bear fruit.  What else are branches supposed to do, eh?  (v. 5)
• Uh-oh.  If we don’t bear fruit, we will be “pruned” and thrown into the fire.  This is not good!  (vv. 2b & 6)
• What to do?!? All we can do is abide in Jesus, and everything will be OK.  (And try to bear fruit, of course.)  (vv. 7-8)

THE TAKEAWAY

As we just read in the previous passage, our salvation comes from confessing our faith, not by what we do or do not do.  But it is clear that God has expectations of us.  Since we claim Jesus as our savior, we have a job to do.  We must “bear fruit”.  We must do good things for Jesus out of love and gratitude for what he has already done for us.  Abiding in Jesus means being connected to him, just like a branch is connected to the stem of a vine.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Most of us have done some pruning in our gardens.  We know that it is necessary for the plants to thrive.  Yet, most of us do not respond well when we are told that we are wrong, or are doing the wrong thing.  Ask yourself—am I bearing fruit for God?  Or, am I in need of a little “pruning”?

ACTS 3:12-19

THE BACKGROUND

This bible passage is the second half of a fascinating story that begins with verse one of this chapter. On their way to the temple to pray, Peter and John meet a man who was lame since birth.  They heal him in the name of Jesus, and he walks.  The people who were there in the courtyard all rushed up to Peter, John, and the healed man.  Peter explains why and how this happened.  In next week’s reading, they are called before the council and the high priest, just like Jesus was.

THE DETAIL

• Peter’s speech is similar to the one he gave in Jerusalem at Pentecost (Acts 2).  It is an explanation of Jesus’ life, implication of the Israelites in his death, and a call for their repentance.
• Peter reminds them of their relationship with God by referencing Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their ancestors.  (v. 13)
• He calls Jesus the “Holy and Righteous One” and the “Author of Life” in verses 14 & 15. Peter was challenging them to change their view of Jesus. He wasn’t a criminal who was crucified.  He was the Righteous One.  Even more than that, he was the Author of Life.  And you killed him.
• Peter makes it clear that the man’s healing was not Peter and John’s doing, but that the power came from Jesus alone. (v. 16)
• Peter tells them that he understands that they acted out of ignorance. (v. 17)
• Then, he delivers the good news.  It was all part of God’s plan.  (v. 18)
• Now, they have forgiveness if they repent.  (v. 19)

THE TAKEAWAY

Only a few weeks before, Peter denied Jesus out of fear.  Now, with the help of the Holy Spirit, fear is gone.  We, too, have the Holy Spirit to give us courage and the words to proclaim the Good News to those around us.
 

1 JOHN 3:1-7

THE BAKCGROUND

In last week’s second reading, John makes it clear that we are all sinners, and need the forgiveness that comes through believing in Jesus.

Once the God News spread, a wide range of beliefs began to appear.  Their concept of the Trinity was not clearly defined, and opinions were all over the map.  By the time of John’s writing, one group felt that divine knowledge, rather than faith, is what brings us closer to God.  Our actions did not matter, according to this belief; it was spiritual knowledge that mattered. 

THE DETAIL

• Verse one reminds us that we are God’s children.  This is not only because we are His creation, but because we have been baptized into Christ.
• Verses 2 talks about a process that theologians call “eschatology”.  I call it the “already, but not quite”.  John says that our spiritual development is an ongoing process that will not be complete until Jesus is revealed at his return.  This is in opposition to those who felt that knowledge was the key.
• Along this journey, we strive to be pure and sinless, just like Jesus.    (v. 3)
• The last paragraph makes it clear that we all sin, but those who walk in the light of Jesus strive to be sinless.  (vv.4-6) 
• Righteousness (right actions or doing the right thing) is an integral part of being a Christian. It cannot be separated from living a spiritual life. (v. 7)

THE TAKEAWAY

We are all works in progress. It is sort of like a mortgage. You put some money down, and you start making payments.  If someone asks you if you own your home, you would answer yes, even though you only own it partially.  It is not until the final payment that you fully own your home.  We Christians are like this mortgage.  We will not be complete until Jesus returns.  In the meantime, we are works in progress.  Being God’s children means that we are totally His. We cannot claim to be His in spirit without demonstrating this in our actions. 

LUKE 24:36b-48

THE BACKGROUND

Just prior to today’s reading, we read the “The Road to Emmaus” story (vv. 15-35).  These two disciples walked down from Jerusalem, meeting Jesus along the way. Jesus broke bread with them, their eyes were opened, and he vanished.  They headed back to Jerusalem to tell the others.  Today’s reading picks up where these two are explaining everything to the apostles.  Note: The distance from Emmaus to Jerusalem is about the same as from Tryon to Saluda. The elevation change is also similar. The two disciples did a two to three hour walk back up the mountain after dinner to share the good news with the others.

THE DETAIL

• The two disciples (one was Cleopas, the other is not named) have just returned from Emmaus, where Jesus revealed himself to them.  They are telling the apostles what had happened, when suddenly Jesus appears. (v. 36b)
• They thought they had seen a ghost, and were terrified.  (v. 37)
• Jesus calms them down, and encourages them to put aside their doubts. A reference to Thomas? (v. 38) 
• He tells them he’s not a ghost, because he has flesh and bones.  Touch me and understand.  (vv. 39-40)
• To drive the “it’s really me” point home, he asks for something to eat.  Also, since he is truly human, he was probably hungry, right? (vv. 41-43)
• Now that they are convinced that it is truly he, Jesus teaches.  As he did on the road to Emmaus, he explains how his life was a fulfillment of scripture.  (vv. 44-45)
• Then, he gives them an assignment.  They are to get out of these locked rooms and spread the word.  (vv. 46-48)

THE TAKEAWAY

Jesus’ resurrection is sometimes hard for us to fathom.  It was no less difficult for his followers.  He responds to their doubts and fears with patience and understanding.  I am thankful that we have these details from the gospel writers to confront our doubts with their experiences.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

In Luke’s time, spreading the Good News was not easy.  They could be hauled in, and have to appear to court.  This is what happens to Paul and John after the story from Acts.  They could also receive a lot of ridicule and social isolation in doing so.  Things are not so different today.  The social isolation and ridicule are more subtle, but they are definitely still present. 

How can we effectively share this good news with those around us who need it?  It is what the Lord expects of us.

ACTS 4:1-12

THE BACKGROUND

This is a continuation of last week’s story.  Peter and John have healed a man who had been lame since birth.  They attracted a crowd in doing this, so Peter explained to them that it was the power of Jesus’ name that cured the man.

THE DETAIL

• As a result of the healing of the man, and of their preaching in the temple portico, five thousand people accepted Jesus that day.  Then, a large group of representatives of the religious authorities had Peter and John arrested.  They spent the night in jail.  (vv. 1-4)
• They are brought before the council to be questioned.  It should be noted that this body is the “Who’s Who” of Jewish religious hierarchy. This is the same body that Jesus went before when he was tried; the time when Peter denied Jesus three times out of fear.  Now, they are questioning Peter and John.  (vv. 5-7)
• But Peter is a different person.  He now is filled with the Holy Spirit.  He speaks out boldly.  He asks why they’ve been called before the council for performing a good deed.  (vv. 8-9)
• Peter claims the name of Jesus for being the power to heal the man. (v. 10a) 
• Then, the accused becomes the accuser.  Peter points the finger squarely at them, blaming them for Jesus’ death.  He includes the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead, which would have agitated the Sadducees in the room.  The phrase in quotes is from Psalm 118:22.  This was a verse that was in common use at the time.  Now, Peter applies it to Jesus, and rightly so.  (vv. 10b-11)
• The key verse, for me, is verse 12.  “There is salvation in no one else…”
• Peter’s speech continues past today’s selected scripture.  In the end, they tell Peter and John to stop preaching in Jesus’ name.  Peter and John refuse, and they are dismissed from the council.  (vv. 13-22, not printed)

THE TAKEAWAY

Peter has changed.  He now speaks boldly before those he once feared.  This is the Holy Spirit in action.  This same Holy Spirit is in us.  We can count on the Spirit’s presence to guide our thoughts and words, when we are called to witness for Jesus. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Believing in Jesus not only saves us from something (eternal death), it saves us for something.  What is God saving you for?
 

1 JOHN 3:16-24

THE BACKGROUND

We are halfway through our study of the little book of 1 John.  It is a favorite of many famous Christian fathers.  St. Augustine once said “This book is very sweet to every healthy Christian heart… it should constantly be in the mind of God’s holy church.”  John Wesley said “How plain, how full, and how deep a compendium of genuine Christianity!”

John calls us to action.  The beginning of this passage should begin with verse 11b, which states “… we should love one another.”  In fact, this entire book is about love. 

THE DETAIL

• John states that for Christians, love is defined by what Jesus did for us on the cross.  And, since we are Jesus’ disciples here today, we must be like Jesus, willing to lay down our lives for each other in Christian love.  (vv. 16-17)
• Verse 18 simply states “Let’s do this!”
• Verse 19a says that when we demonstrate this level of love, we will know that we are “from the truth”.  That we are truly Jesus’ disciples, and children of God. 
• Not only that, but when we demonstrate this level of love-commitment, it reassures and strengthens our faith.  John uses the phrase “our hearts condemn us” to describe the doubt that occasionally arises in our minds.  John is saying that the best thing we can do to overcome these doubts is to love others in our daily actions.  (vv. 19b-22)
• John wraps it up by reminding us that loving one another is Jesus’ commandment.  And by loving one another, we abide in him and he in us.  (vv. 23-24)

THE TAKEAWAY

I was taught that actions speak louder than words.  It appears that John agrees with that teaching. We can claim Jesus as our savior, but if we don’t show it in our actions, they are just words.  But, by showing God’s love to others, we strengthen our faith.  We knit the bond of love to our savior a little tighter.  We abide with him.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Think of ways that you can show the love of Jesus to those around you.  Then, get busy!
 

JOHN 10:11-18

THE BACKGROUND

This selection is part of a teaching of Jesus. It follows the healing of a blind man. This is a familiar pattern for Jesus: Perform a miracle to alert those around him that he is not the average man on the street, and then teach them a bit of the message  that he was sent to proclaim.

It is best to read this passage as an allegory.  An allegory is where the characters in the story represent real life people.  It is a tricky business to use this extensively when understanding the bible. Many have gone down weird paths using this technique.  But in this case, Jesus himself instructs us that it is an allegory.  In the verses just ahead of today’s passage, Jesus says “I am the gate”.  (v. 7) I’m sure that you can think of others.

It is also helpful to read Jeremiah 23:1-6.  The bad shepherds in this passage are the bad rulers of Israel and Judah, both the religious and political rulers.  God says that he will appoint new “shepherds” for his people.

THE DETAIL

• Jesus states that he is the Good Shepherd, the shepherd promised by Jeremiah.  He also tells us that he is ready to lay down his life for the sheep.  (v. 11)
• The hired hands could be the religious leaders who opposed Jesus’ teaching, and handed him over to the Romans.  The wolf could be either Satan, or the Romans in charge of his crucifixion.  (v. 12)
• But all that doesn’t matter!  What matters is that Jesus loves us, and knows us.  He is willing to do whatever it takes to show his love for us, including laying down his life for us.  (vv. 13-15)
• Jesus says that he has “other sheep”, too.  I believe that he was speaking to a Jewish crowd, and that the other sheep are us Gentiles.  This is the good news for you and me!  (v. 16)
• Jesus tells us that the Father loves him because of this love and willingness to die for us.  He received this command from the Father. (vv. 17-18) 

THE TAKEAWAY

Since we are Jesus’ disciples, we must follow his lead. We love and care for one another, even to the point of being willing to die for one another.  This is how we demonstrate our conviction to Jesus’ love for us. 

Lately, the emphasis on our spiritual relationship seems to be personal.  Many focus only on what I call a “Me and Jesus” faith relationship.  Being a true disciple of Christ means getting involved in a community of believers.  We must love others, even those who are out of our comfort zone.  This is not always easy, but it is what we are called to do. Fortunately, we have the Holy Spirit to help us on our way.  Having a strong “Me and Jesus” relationship is a good thing, but it is only the beginning of our faith journey.  Loving one another is the next big step.

ACTS 4:32-45

THE BACKGROUND

Today, we get a glimpse of what it was like to be a Christian in the early years of the church.  This description seems almost fairy tale-like. But if you read chapter 5, it was not a perfect situation.  But let’s focus on the positive for now.

THE DETAIL

• Verse 32a sets the tone for this whole passage.  “…the whole group… were of one heart and soul…”  My father-in-law tells a joke.  Actually, he tells many of them.  But this joke goes “Do you know how we know that Jesus and the apostles had cars?  The bible tells us that they were in one Accord.”
• Verse 32b is where it gets very interesting.  We learn that they all pooled their resources.  Verse 34 & 35 explain further that land, houses and possessions were sold, and the proceeds given to the apostles to distribute.  “There was not a needy person among them.”  This sounds more like a hippie commune to me than a Christian church!  But it demonstrates the love and conviction of the church in those early years.  This concept of sharing not only is the enaction of Greek ideals, but also the Hebrew concept of Jubilee.  Details for that are laid down in Deuteronomy 15, the purpose being to achieve a poverty-free society.  Even though our passage states that they were of one heart, there were pockets of resistance to the sharing.  Chapter 5 offers one example of this resistance, and its consequences.
• There was great energy and power in the early church, with apostles witnessing and sharing Jesus’ teachings.  (v. 33)

THE TAKEAWAY

It takes great conviction for people of faith to share their wealth with others.  It is not natural.  It is interesting to read that this was successful, at least for a time.  What I realize most after reading this passage was their sense of community.  They were one big loving, caring community of faith.  If you needed something, whether it was food, money, or a shoulder, it was there for you.  Jesus’ last commandment was for us to love one another.  These Christians were simply following orders, but doing it enthusiastically. 

These days, our faith walk is often a very individualistic one.  The emphasis today is on Jesus being our own personal savior.  It is more about “me and Jesus” than being a community of believers.  Many modern hymns contain more personal words (me, my, mine) than communal words (us, we, our).  St. Paul speaks of the Body of Christ being a group of individuals who pool their spiritual gifts to form one dynamic, very effective body.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Can one Christian be the Body of Christ all by themselves?  Don’t we need our brothers and sisters by our side, forming a strong Body of Christ? Isn’t that what the world needs? Isn’t that what we also need?

1 JOHN 1:11-2:2

THE BACKGROUND

This book reads more like a sermon, than a letter.  It does not follow the traditional form of a letter, with an opening greeting and such, as we see in Paul’s letters.  So let’s read this passage like it was one of John’s sermons, which was saved for our edification.  John makes many good points in this passage.

THE DETAIL

• The very opening verses of this book go straight to the matter.  John is explaining what he and the apostles were doing; they were simply sharing with everyone all that they had witnessed.  They were spreading the Good News.  (vv. 1-3)
• The second paragraph contrasts walking in light versus darkness.  Living in darkness is living our lives without Jesus as our guide.  We should be living in the true light of his teaching.  Early Christians called this The Way.  When we walk in The Way, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.  (vv. 5-7)
• In my church, verses 8-9 are quoted often.  They are used as a preface in the rite of confession and absolution, which we do every week. These words remind us that we should not try to kid ourselves into thinking that we are perfect, good, and sinless.  We all need Jesus!  (v. 10)
• John concludes by telling us why he is writing this—so that we will not sin.  But he knows that we will, so he reminds us that Jesus is our advocate; he is our atoning sacrifice, as well as the whole world’s.

THE TAKEAWAY

Why did they witness?  “So that our joy would be complete.”  (v.4)  There is no doubt displayed in their actions, only determination and joyful obedience.  They had seen the risen Jesus.  They were committed to serving him, regardless of the cost.  Many would die for their belief in Jesus.  Yet, their joy would not be complete without serving him. 

JOHN 20:19-31

THE BACKGROUND

These are the closing lines of the Gospel of John, his conclusion to the gospel story.

THE DETAIL

• This is Jesus’ first appearance to all the apostles, after his resurrection.  Well, except for Thomas, that is.  Somehow, Jesus infiltrates the room, in spite of the locked doors. Yet, he is not a ghost, because the apostles are able to touch his wounds.  What an interesting event!  (vv. 19-20)
• Next, he tells them that they must continue the work that he had started.  He then breathes the Holy Spirit on them, to give them the power they need for the task.  (vv. 21-22)
• He further explains that they have the authority to forgive or withhold forgiveness of sins. (v. 23)
• Now we hear that Thomas was not present.  When Thomas returns, he doesn’t believe that Jesus was there.  He has to see for himself.  (v. 25)
• Jesus appears the following week, and Thomas is there.  Jesus does not scold Thomas for being skeptical.  Instead, he is patient and understanding.  “Put your finger here… Do not doubt, but believe.”  Thomas doesn’t even need to touch Jesus, he believes on the spot.  (vv. 26-28)
• What Jesus says next is more for us than for Thomas.  “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”  (v. 29)
• John explains why he wrote this all down.  It wasn’t so that we would have a complete biography of Jesus’ life.  He wrote down just enough for us to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God…”  (vv. 30-31)

THE TAKEAWAY

Look at Jesus’ reaction to Thomas’ behavior.  Long before this, Jesus told them all that was going to happen.  That he was going to die and rise from the dead.  Yet, Thomas doesn’t believe.  Jesus had every right to be angry with Thomas.  Instead, he has patience and understanding.  In my times of doubt, I am always comforted by this. I know that my Lord understands, and loves me in spite of my moments of doubt.

For the Sundays beginning with Easter and following, the first lesson does not come from the Old Testament; it comes from the book of Acts.  We shift our focus from the old promise to the actions of the apostles, who will spread the Good News with the help of the Holy Spirit.

ACTS 10:34-43

THE BACKGROUND

The Holy Spirit has called Peter to go to the house of Cornelius in the city of Philippi. Cornelius is an officer in the Roman army, and a Gentile.  But he is a “god-lover”.  This is what they called non-Jews who worshipped Yahweh, but did not fully convert to all the Jewish practices, namely the dietary laws and circumcision. The Holy Spirit called Peter to bring the Good News to Cornelius’ household.  At this point in time, most of the Christians were Jewish, and kept all the Laws of Moses.

THE DETAIL

• Peter begins his speech by making a bold statement.  He says that “…God shows no partiality.”  Because of what the Holy Spirit has revealed to him early in this chapter, Peter now knows that Yahweh is not just interested in a relationship with His “chosen people”; God loves everyone, showing no partiality to the Jews. (This is very good news to all of us Gentiles!)  (v.34)
• He then says “You [already] know his relationship with the people of Israel, and the teachings of Jesus [the] Christ.  By the way, Jesus is Lord of all “.  (This is my personal paraphrase of verses 35 & 36.)
• Peter goes on to concisely explain the life and ministry of Jesus.  (vv. 37-39)
• He concludes with Jesus’ death and resurrection, adding that he and those who came with him that day were witnesses to all of this.  (vv. 40-41)
• Now comes the clincher.  Jesus not only commanded them to spread the news.  Jesus is the one ordained by God to will judge us all.  Not only that, everything you (Cornelius) know about the prophets—they all testified about him.  (vv. 42-43)
• The rest of the story, not included here, is that Cornelius and his entire household believed in Jesus, and were baptized that day.  The Holy Spirit came, and caused them all to speak in tongues, just like those at Pentecost.

THE TAKEAWAY

No longer do the Jews have exclusive access to God’s love.  God sent Jesus to gather us all in, even Roman army officers.  He commands us all to preach the Good News of Christ to everyone, regardless of who they might be.  
 

1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-11

THE BACKGROUND

This reading is really the tip of a huge iceberg.  Chapter 15 is 58 verses long.  After the 11th verse, Paul shifts into a long discussion on the resurrection—its truth and meaning.  Apparently, some believers in Corinth were questioning whether or not the resurrection actually happened.  This would be a wonderful study and basis for a sermon, but who wants to hear 58 verses of the bible read on Easter Sunday?  I do recommend that you at least skim over the entire chapter, if you have time. But let’s focus on what Paul says in these eleven verses.

THE DETAIL

• Paul reminds them what he had previously taught them, that Jesus lived, died, was buried, and rose on the third day.  (vv. 1-4)
• Paul provides a long list of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances. (vv. 5-8)
• Paul gets around to humbly including himself in the list.  (vv. 9-10)
• He concludes this section by saying that Paul and the apostles did this for their (and our) benefit. (v. 11)

THE TAKEAWAY

These verses are good for me to read during times of doubt.  It wasn’t just a couple of people making this up—there were many witnesses and many appearances.  We can rest assured that Jesus not only died for our sins, but rose on the third day. He truly is Lord of All!
 

MARK 16:1-8

THE BACKGROUND

For the Jews, the Sabbath begins on Friday evening, and ends on Saturday at sundown.  You are not allowed to do any work on the Sabbath, so completing the burial operations on Jesus’ body had to wait until the first day of the week—Sunday morning.

This passage comes at the end of Mark’s gospel.  Verses 9- 20 are about Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances.  It should be noted that these verses are absent in the older manuscripts of Mark’s gospel.  Some have concluded that these verses were not part of the original gospel, but were added at a later time. 

THE DETAIL

Three women who were close to Jesus are assigned the task of caring for Jesus’ body.  But they had a big surprise waiting for them.  The body was gone!  A young man in a white robe explains that Jesus was raised from the dead, and was no longer there.  The women fled in terror and amazement.

THE TAKEAWAY

Those poor women went to the tomb in grief and left in terror.  They were so filled with fear, they spoke of this to no one.  From the other gospels, we learn that it took some time before the apostles believed them. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Why might these women been so full of fear?  Were they afraid of being ridiculed?  After all, who ever heard of anyone rising from the dead?  Don’t we also share this same fear?  Why are we so reluctant to share the good news of Jesus’ resurrection?  We should listen to the young man at the tomb, and not be alarmed or afraid.  We should be like Paul and the others, sharing the good news with others. 

The following includes the alternate Gospel reading, which is much shorter than the primary selection.  If Pastor decides to use the longer lesson, I will add a reflection for that passage later on this week.  

ISAIAH 50:4-9a

THE BACKGROUND

Most believe that this part of Isaiah was written during Israel’s exile in Babylon, around 550 BC.  They are the third of four song-poems that theologians have called Servant Songs. They describe the experiences of an unnamed servant of the Lord.  Who was this servant?  Some say it was God’s people, in this case Israel.  Some say it describes the prophets.  Christians want to conclude that these words refer to Jesus.  I would like to say yes and no to all three!  But before I do, here are all four song-poems1:

Song One,  Is. 42:1-6  He will bring justice to the nations. 

Song Two,  Is. 49:1-6  I make you a light to the nations.

Song Three, Is. 50:4-9  Turned my back to those who beat me.

Song Four, Is. 52:13-53:12  Bruised for our iniquities.

1  Table from “Reading the Old Testament”, Bandstra, chapter 10.  Thompson Wadsworth Publishing

THE DETAIL

• The first thing to note that this song is written in the first person (“me” instead of “he”).  It is a personal recounting from an unnamed person who has been called the Suffering Servant.  Could this be Isaiah’s testimony?  (v.4)
• So, the servant’s ears are opened, and he listens to God’s directives.  He obeyed God, and “did not turn backwards”.  (vv. 4-5)
• Because of his conviction, he endures pain, suffering, and humiliation.  (v. 6)
• He is unmoved.  The words “I have set my face like flint…” are striking to me. Flint is a rock that is so hard that they used to make cutting tools from it.  This is determination!  (v. 7)
• The remaining verses show dignity and resolve in the face of danger.  They seem to me to be like a boxer in a ring with his feet firmly planted.  “Bring it on!” the servant seems to say. (v. 8)
• And finally, the servant proudly declares that “It is the Lord God who helps me…”  With God on his side, the others don’t stand a chance.  (v. 9)

THE TAKEAWAY

So who was this servant?  The Bible doesn’t say!  Let’s look at two or three possibilities.

• Early Christians were quick to see Jesus in these words.  The suffering described in Songs 3 & 4 is very descriptive of what Jesus endured. But think about it for a moment. These words were written over 500 years before Jesus walked the earth.  The people in exile would not have said “that’s Jesus!”  Imagine going into a publisher today with a manuscript that does not make sense, and asking for it to be published.  “No, it doesn’t make sense now, but it will in 500 years.” Do you think they’ll publish it? No.  These songs must have made sense to the people of Isaiah’s day.  These words were preserved for over five centuries before they applied to Jesus.  But they sure do apply to Jesus’ suffering…
• Perhaps it applied first to God’s people, suffering for their faith in exile.  They were in a foreign land which had weird religious beliefs, customs, and language. The Jews most certainly were outcasts. They were probably ridiculed, and perhaps at times even suffered physical pain for their faith.  These songs could have provided them with a spiritual strength to stand up to the opposition, and remain faithful. 
• Perhaps Jesus recalled these words during the final days of his time here on earth.  Maybe he drew strength from these words.
• Maybe we can also draw strength from these words, whomever they describe.  We are God’s people.  These words are also for us.  They can describe all of us who suffer for being steadfast in our faith to our Lord in the face of adversity.  Yes, I believe that these words were written for all of us.

PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11

THE BACKGROUND

It is believed that this passage is actually the words to a hymn sung in the very early church.  Paul uses these beautiful words to instruct and encourage the church in Philippi.

THE DETAIL

Let’s divide this hymn into three sections.

• The opening line instructs us to have the “same mind” that Jesus had.  The Greek word used here for “mind” is phronēte, which also means “thinking2.  One could say that Paul is encouraging us to be so much like Jesus that we actually think like Him. (v. 5)
• Next comes a very interesting point.  Jesus used to be in heaven with his Father, but he chose to set all that aside and take on human form.  Not only did he do this, he came in the most humble form—a poor carpenter’s son born in a barn.  Worse, he suffered a humiliating death for us.  (vv. 6-8)
• The song concludes with a hymn of praise. (vv. 9-11)

THE TAKEAWAY

Jesus gave up everything he had going for him, up there in heaven.  Yet, he obeyed the will of his Father, and became like us.  Not only that, he suffered and died a humiliating death. All this he did because of love. 

We are called to “have the same mind” as Jesus. As his disciples, we are to think and be like Jesus.  Just as Jesus was a humble servant for his Father, so should we.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Humility and servitude are not valued commodities today, any more than they were in Jesus’ time.  Are we truly prepared to be like Jesus, think like Jesus, and be willing to obediently suffer like Jesus, if called to do so?

2 I do not know ancient Greek.  This fact was taken from the commentary found in www.workingpreacher.com.

 

MARK 11:1-11

THE BACKGROUND

This is not the primary Gospel lesson for this Palm Sunday; it is the alternate Gospel lesson.  The primary Gospel lesson involves Jesus’ betrayal, trial, and death on the cross. 

THE DETAIL

• Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem with his disciples in tow.  He sends two of them ahead to get a donkey colt.  The instructions are interesting, and match exactly what happened.  Was this yet another miracle, or something that had been prearranged?  We do not know.  (vv. 1-6)
• Some put their garments on the beast, and Jesus climbs on.  A crowd forms.  Some throw down their garments into his path, others use palm branches.  They shout praises to Jesus, and say “Hosanna”. (vv. 7-10)
• After the “parade”, Jesus checks out the temple. It’s late.  He goes back to Bethany to spend the night.  (v. 11)

THE TAKEAWAY

• What an odd way to end a passage!  “Party’s over, let’s go back to Bethany.”  Bethany shows up several times in the Gospels. It is where Lazarus lived with his sisters Mary and Martha.  Jesus healed a leper there.  Jesus’ feet were anointed there. Bethany, perhaps Lazarus’ home, must have been a sort of home base for Jesus and his disciples.  It was only two miles from Jerusalem, about a 40 minute walk.
• There are a few words that we use in frequently church, but many do not know their meaning.   Halleluiah is one.  I challenge you to define “glory” to me.  Hosanna is also one of those words.  I don’t think a worship service goes by that I don’t say or sing this word a half a dozen times.  What does it mean?  I looked it up (again!).  The Webster definition means “a cry of acclamation and adoration”.  More important to know is what it meant to the Jews of Jesus’ day.  In Hebrew, it meant “pray, save us!”  They also said “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!”  Clearly, they were waiting for a political uprising, and the restoration of the kingdom of Israel.  Jesus did indeed save them, but he gave them something more precious than a political kingdom.
• Why did Jesus ride on a young donkey?  A triumphant king should make his victorious entry on a war horse.  Jesus had the power and authority to do this.  But Jesus chose this animal, I believe, to demonstrate his humility.  You cannot sit tall and erect, chest puffed out in pride, and do it all atop a baby donkey! 
• The road to Jerusalem also leads the opposite way. Going towards Jerusalem meant pain, insult, humility, intense suffering, and death.  Jesus could easily have made a U-turn, and saved his hide.  But he went “uncomplaining forth”, to obey the will of his Father.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Jesus obeys the Father silently and humbly.  Fame and fortune were at his fingertips.  He could have had it all.  But he chose this path out of love for us. 

Putting God first in our lives is not an easy thing. But as Jesus’ disciples, we are called to think like him, and be like him.  Let us keep reminding ourselves of his obedience, and “let the same mind be in us that was in Christ Jesus…”.

PSALM 51

Normally, we don’t look at the Psalm, except to read it as an opening worship.  But this one is extra special.  It is a beautiful prayer and meditation about our sinful nature, and our relationship with God.  It is a perfect prayer for us during our Lenten journey.  In my Lutheran denomination, we are very cognizant of our sinful nature.  Every worship service begins with a liturgy of confession & forgiveness.  We sort of take a spiritual “bath” prior to worship. We don’t go the “fire and brimstone” route, with lots of guilt being inflicted on the worshipers, but we do recognize our uncanny ability to disobey our Lord at every turn.  Martin Luther liked to say that we Christians are at the same time both sinners and saints.  Also, every Sunday is also supposed to be a “Little Easter”, so we take care to ensure that the Good News of the gospel shines through.  Lent is a time to confront our shortcomings, knowing that God loves us, and has forgiven us through the gift of His son.

I am especially fond of verses 10-12.  In years past, these words were part of a song that was included each week in our worship service.  This song is etched in my heart—it was, and still is, true worship.  Look at those words, and make them yours!

JEREMIAH 31:31-34

THE BACKGROUND

This passage is one of those “dual meaning” passages.  Originally, it was written during or just after Babylonian captivity.  It was written over 500 years before the birth of our Lord.  There is certainly no way that they could have heard these words and thought “They’re talking about Jesus!”    It was a message of hope to the captives that a better day was coming.  Since Jesus’ time, however, it has taken on new meaning.  It is quoted in Romans and Hebrews, and hinted at in Matthew, Mark, and John.  We’ll look at both meanings, since they have the same message, especially to us Christians.

THE DETAIL

• This passage starts out by looking forward to the day of hope and promise.  The Lord will make a new covenant with us.  Other words for “covenant” include charter, treaty, pact, and testament.  (v. 31)
• The new covenant will not be like the old one.  Jeremiah reminds them that God freed them from captivity in Egypt, and was “their husband”.  He loved and cared for them. (v. 32)
• The new covenant will be richer than the old one.  No longer will the law be written on stone tablets, but within their hearts.  We will have intimate knowledge of God and God of us.  He will forgive us, and completely forget about our sins. (v. 33)

THE TAKEAWAY

• We divide our bible into two parts—the Old Testament and the New Testament.  The Old Testament was God’s covenant promise with Moses and the people of Israel.  The New Testament is God’s covenant promise sealed by the blood of Jesus on the cross.
• We live in the time between Jesus’ first and second coming.  Jesus has come.  He has died for our sins, and gone back to heaven.  He will come again to reign on earth.  While we wait for his return, we have a partial fulfilment of this scripture. Jesus has laid out God’s will before us. It can be “written on our hearts”, and is, in part.  But this prophecy will be fully implemented after his return.
• The New Testament writers quickly recognized Jesus in these last verses.  Through Jesus, our sins are completely forgiven.  We have a fresh start, a renewed relationship with our Lord. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How does His law and His will get “written on our hearts”?  I think prayer and studying the scriptures is a good start, don’t you?
 

HEBREWS 5:5-10

THE BACKGROUND

The book of Hebrews is one of those books of the bible that I try to avoid.  It is so dense and complicated, that it is easy to get distracted or bored, and move on.  I am thankful that we get to study it now, because it requires me to do the hard work of understanding it.  Unfortunately, we are going to need to learn about a couple of things before we can begin to understand this very precious passage.

Jewish High Priest 

There was only one of these at a time.  Only Levites were allowed to be priests; the high priest must be from the house of Levy. He alone was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, to be in God’s presence.    He alone was allowed to the make sacrifices for the sins of the people.  He was the people’s sole connection with God.  The author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is our high priest.

Melchizedek

He was a priest and a king at the time of Abraham.  He is only mentioned in Genesis 14:18-20 and in Psalm 110:4.  Abraham gave offerings to him, in reverence to Yahweh.  By contrast, the Levite line of priests was established many years later, at the time of Moses and Aaron, after slavery in Egypt. Since Melchizedek lived well before Moses and Aaron.  His qualifications to be a priest could not be linked to them.  He was a priest long before the Levites had this responsibility.

THE DETAIL

The writer of Hebrews is writing to the Christian Jews 

1. To explain Jesus’ divinity in Jewish terms. 
2. To show that he served as their (and our) high priest.
3. From where his authority came to serve in this office.

• Jesus was not of the house of Levy; he was from the house of Benjamin.  He was not qualified to be a priest, according to the Law of Moses. If you read Psalm 110 through a Christian lens, you might conclude that David is referring to the messiah. Therefore, God states that His son is a priest according to the order of Melchizedek.  He doesn’t have to be a Levite.  This is the point that the author of Hebrews is making; Jesus is fully qualified to be our high priest through the order of Melchizedek.  (vv. 5-6) 
• Verse 7 calls to mind Jesus’ prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane.

THE TAKEAWAY

We do not need the convincing argument that is presented here to know that Jesus is our Lord.  Through Jesus we have direct prayer access to God the Father.  Through Jesus’ obedient suffering on the cross, our sins are forgiven, and we have eternal life!  Hallelujah! 

JOHN 12:20-33

THE BACKGROUND

At this point in John’s gospel, Jesus has just raised Lazarus from the dead, and has made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, with palm branches and praises all around. Jesus is drawing large crowds wherever he goes.  In the verse just before our passage, the Pharisees say to one another “Look, the world has gone after him

THE DETAIL

• The “world” has indeed gone after him.  In this case, some Greeks approach the disciples, and ask to see Jesus.  They relay the request to Jesus.  (vv.20-22) 
• In verse 25 he says “Those who love their life will lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life”.  I do not believe we must actually hate our lives.  Jesus is telling us to put God’s plan for our lives above all else, even if it means putting our life at risk. 
• Jesus appears to ignore the request, but does so indirectly at the end.  Instead, he uses this as a teaching moment.  He speaks of the cost of discipleship.  Of putting service to Him above all else, including one’s own life.  (vv. 23-26) 
• The powerful words that attracted my attention are:  “Whoever serves me must follow me…”, presumably even to death, if necessary.  (v. 26)
• This passage gets very interesting in the second paragraph.  He is still talking about the cost of doing God’s will.  But now, he speaks about himself, rather than his disciples.  Jesus is troubled, because he knows what lies ahead.  But he left his heavenly home to teach, preach, and die for our sins.  He is on a mission, and that mission is about to turn dark.  But he doesn’t bail out of the mission.  He is faithful to his Father’s mission.  He has a job to do.  (v. 27) 
• You can tell that he is resolute in carrying out his Father’s plans.  Instead of asking to be saved from this ordeal, Jesus says “Let’s do this!” (My translation.)  In a voice from heaven his Father basically gives His son the go-ahead.  (vv. 28-31)
• Jesus finally gives those curious Greeks somewhat of an answer.  He says that he will “draw all people to himself”.  The people of Israel considered themselves to be God’s only chosen people.  With the coming of the Messiah, God choses to include everyone;  even us Gentiles.  (v. 32)

THE TAKEAWAY

When Jesus climbed on that donkey to enter Jerusalem, he knew where he was headed.  The road he traveled into Jerusalem also points in the opposite direction; he could have decided to save his life by going in that direction.  In spite of the pain and humiliation he is about to subject himself to, he presses on. He presses on to do his Father’s will, to be God’s ultimate expression of His love for us.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Jesus challenges us to put God’s mission for us above our own plans.  Jesus is setting the bar high.  Are you in?