NUMBERS 21:4-9

THE BACKGROUND

The people of God have are wandering in the Sinai wilderness.  Jews consider this time the honeymoon part of the relationship between Yahweh and his people. It is during this time when Mosaic Law was expanded to become the 613 Laws of Moses so diligently observed by the Pharisees of Jesus’ time.  All these regulations laid out how the people of God could “get the attention of Yahweh and then be in the divine presence.”1  It detailed how to be in a long-term relationship with God.

Those who followed Moses out of Egyptian slavery were a miserable lot.  They complained at every turn.  By the time we get to chapter 14 in Numbers, God has had enough.  He declares that He is going to purge the flock.  That generation will not see the Promised Land. Chapter 14 is an interesting read. Moses does some serious negotiation with Yahweh, and makes Him modify His plans. 

THE DETAIL

• By the time we get to our passage in chapter 21, the Jews have already been to Mt. Sinai.  God provides them with food and water, during their entire journey.  But they are sick of eating manna, and tired of all the desert walking.  They complain to Moses. (v. 5) 
• God does not take it well—this is the last straw. He sends poisonous snakes, and they kill many Israelites.  God is working his plan of attrition, as outlined in chapter 14. (v. 6)
• But wait!  There’s more!  The people go to Moses.  They repent. This softens God’s heart, and his divine grace shows through.  He doesn’t eliminate the snakes, but provides a way for the people to save their lives. (vv. 7-9) 

THE TAKEAWAY

The main reason for the inclusion of this passage from Numbers is it’s connection with the Gospel lesson.  But it is a good lesson to study all by itself.

God has chosen the people of Abraham to be his favorites.  He has delivered them from slavery, and cares for them daily on their journey to a land he has promised to them.  He loves them.  But they are a contrary lot.  They complain at every turn, and God’s compassion is continually tested.  He decides to wait for the new generation of Israelites to mature, before they arrive at the Promised Land.  More than once, he alters his plans, because of Moses’ intervention.  In this passage, we see God’s love and grace in action.  He knuckles under when His people are sorry, and they want to start anew. He doesn’t take away the scourge, but He provides a way for them to save their lives. 

I find comfort and assurance in this story.  God keeps changing his mind out of love for us.

1 “Reading the Old Testament”, Barry L. Bandstra, Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, chapter 4.

EPHESIANS 2:1-10

THE BACKGROUND

Paul’s letters always begin with a greeting, followed by a foundational theological statement.  Our passage follows this statement.  The passage also contains one of my most cherished Bible verses.  (vv. 8-9)

THE DETAIL

• The first paragraph (vv. 2-3) are written in the past tense.  They refer to the time before we knew Jesus, and claimed him as our savior.  Paul says that, because of our sinful lives, we were “dead men walking”.  (My phrase, not Paul’s)  Paul paints a dark picture of life outside the grace of God.
• Verses 4 & 5 are the turning point.  God snatches us up out of our dead and dreadful lives, and saves us.  This He does by His “grace”2.
• Beginning with verse 6, and going to the end, this passage is all written in the present tense.  Now that we are believers, not only are we alive with Christ, we are raised up with him, and get VIP seating alongside Jesus! (v. 6)
• Just to make things clear, Paul restates who and what saves us.  It is God’s free gift to us, those who believe.  We have nothing more to do with it than believe.  We can’t brag about it, because it was a free gift.  (vv. 8-9)
• God did all of this beforehand.  Now, it is our job to respond to the free gift by doing his work on earth. (v. 10)

2 A pastor friend of mine defines grace as “God’s love, freely given”.

THE TAKEAWAY

This passage makes it crystal clear to me where my salvation comes from.  It is not from earning it through an accumulation of divine brownie points; it is a free gift.  I can’t “work my way to heaven” or “get right with God” by doing good things.  But I do those good things because of God’s grace, his undying love for me in spite of my failings. 

Paul wrote this as a “before and after” situation. But to me, the need is ongoing. As humans, we are drawn to sin like moths to a flame.  We are in continual need of God’s saving grace.

A pastor once told me that the word “salvation” means “God’s salvaging operation”.  I recently read that some people somewhere in Scandinavia discovered an intact sailing ship from the 1700’s.  They engaged the services of a salvage company, and carefully brought the ship off the bottom.  They restored her to her former glory.  It was a big salvage operation.  God is like that in our lives.  He continually plucks us up off the ocean floor, and restores us to life.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

In what ways have you caused yourself to sink to “the bottom of the ocean”?  What can you do, to prevent this from happening again?  (This is what we call repentance.)  God has better things to do, than to be continually fishing us out of the water.  Let’s fix that.  But thanks be to God for His undying love and grace, and the gift of His son!

JOHN 3:14-21

THE BACKGROUND

In the beginning of John chapter 3, we find the dialogue that was the meeting of Jesus with Nicodemus.  Our passage today is Jesus’ teaching moment, which is the result of that encounter.  We are not sure if Nicodemus heard these words or not.  But they were spoken in response to the subject of their discussion—what (and/or who) saves us.

THE DETAIL

• Verses 14 & 15 are a direct reference to our Old Testament lesson for today.  For the Israelites, their lives were spared, if they kept their eyes fixed upon the serpent of bronze.  For us now our lives are spared, if we keep our eyes fixed upon the cross of Christ. 
• Verses 16 & 17 show the love of God for us, giving us His son so that we inherit eternal life, rather than condemnation for our sinful lives. 
• Verses 18 – 20 contrast light with darkness. Jesus is “the light” in the Gospel of John.  Darkness, on the other hand, is life without The Light. 
• As with our passage from Ephesians, deeds come after God’s saving grace.  They are not the means for achieving His grace; they are our response.

THE TAKEAWAY

It is easy for us to take the free gift, and walk away. True gratitude and love are expressed when we show our gratitude by doing God’s work in our surroundings.

EXODUS 20:1-17

THE BACKGROUND

God began his relationship with his chosen people when he chose Abraham and Sarah to parent a great nation.  Many decades later, they find themselves in Egypt, serving Pharaoh as slaves.  God, with Moses’ help on the ground, delivers his people from slavery.  They wander in the desert wilderness for 40 years.  During this wandering, they find themselves at the foot of a holy mountain—Mount Sinai.  It is here that God gives his people some basic rules for living.  We call these rules the Ten Commandments.

THE DETAIL

The Ten Commandments may be broken into two sections or tables.  Table One concerns our relationship with God (vv. 1-8).  Table Two concerns our relationship with others. (vv. 9-17) God begins by reminding them of what He has done for them.  He reminds them that they have been in relationship for a very long time, and that he has cared for them on their life’s journey.

THE TAKEAWAY

Many sermons have been preached on this passage.  I would like to focus on verse 5b  “…for I the Lord your God am a jealous God…” and verse 6 “…[I am your God] showing steadfast love... to those who love me and keep my commandments”.  God loves us to the point of being jealous.  He wants our love in return.  Keeping his commandments are just one way of showing Him our love and gratitude.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

If we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that we regularly break most of these commandments. What can we do about that?
 

1 CORINTHIANS 1:18-25

THE BACKGROUND

We Christians do cherish the cross.  We wear it as a necklace or earrings.  Many of us have a cross on a wall in our homes.  It has come to symbolize our faith in Jesus, and that is a good thing. But we need to remind ourselves of what the cross really was two thousand years ago.  It was the method that they used to execute the worst of society’s criminals.  A modern day equivalent would be the electric chair or a hangman’s noose.

THE DETAIL

• Paul begins today’s passage by splitting people into two groups:
  • Those who are perishing (non-believers)
  • Those who are being saved (believers)
• Paul states that reverence to the cross is foolish to those who don’t believe.  If you’re a non-believer, it’s downright ridiculous to cherish an implement of execution.  But If you are a believer, “it is the power of God”. (v. 18)
• Paul quotes Isaiah 29:14b in verse 19.  Keep in mind that Paul is quoting from memory*, so the words don’t exactly match.
• In verses 20-22, Paul challenges the reader to consider God’s wisdom, which is far different than human wisdom. 
• Paul drives a stake in the ground, when he says “… but we proclaim Christ crucified…”  (v. 23a)  He is saying that, foolish or wise, this is what I believe, and I don’t care what others may say.
• He wraps it up nicely in verse 25.

THE TAKEAWAY

There is some graffiti that was unearthed in Rome.  It makes fun of a Roman named Alexemenos for worshiping Jesus on the cross.  It must have seemed odd to non-believers back then for people to worship someone who was executed in this manner.  We wouldn’t think of wearing a necklace which had a little gold hangman’s noose on it, would we?  That would be foolish. But we do understand the power of the cross.  We proudly proclaim Jesus’ dying on the cross as our key to salvation.

*He could also be quoting from the Septuagint, which was a Greek translation of the Old Testament, written a couple of centuries before Jesus arrived on the scene.  It frequently differs somewhat from our translations of the Bible from the Hebrew.
 

JOHN 2:13-22

THE BACKGROUND

Jesus goes on a rampage in the temple.  I must admit that this story has always been a puzzle to me.  Why did Jesus do this?  Let’s investigate it together.   

THE DETAIL

• Jesus was near Jerusalem for the Passover, so he and his disciples went “up to Jerusalem”. Jerusalem was built on a high hilltop, so “up” is appropriate. 
• When he sees all the commercial activity going on in the temple, he becomes angry, and makes a mess of things.  He says “Take these things out of here!  Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!”  (v.16)
• His disciples recalled Psalm 69:9.  (v. 17)
• Jesus is questioned by the Jewish authorities.  Jesus, of course, turns this confrontation into a teaching moment.  It appears to be a riddle of some sort.  To the Jews, it seemed absurd to rebuild this magnificent stone temple in three days.  Jesus, of course, was referring to himself and not a stone building.       (vv. 18-22) 

THE TAKEAWAY

As I stated earlier, this story was puzzling to me.  Part of the temple practice required the people to bring an animal to the Lord’s temple to be sacrificed for various reasons.  Many would show up, and buy their sacrificial animal on the spot. Since many came to the temple from distant lands, they would need to exchange their currency for local tender, in order to make their purchase.  It all seemed very practical.  So why would Jesus be upset?  The answer lies in his word in verse 16, and his disciples observation in verse 17. Jesus had a zeal or passion about keeping the Lord’s house pure.  The Lord’s house should be a place of worship and nothing else.  But over time, practical matters crept in, creating a distraction from what was important—worship.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Lent is a good time for us to reflect on many aspects of our spiritual lives.  This can include questioning why we go to church, and what we do there.  Quality worship can be summarized in the word ACTS.  That stands for:

• Adoration—Praising God.
• Confession—Admitting our failure to live up to His expectations.
• Thanksgiving—Thanking God for his many blessings.
• Supplication—Asking God to provide for our needs.

Anything we do in church that is more than this is not worship, but extra.  What might this be?  Are we there to:

• Worship God or be entertained?
• Offer praise and thanksgiving, or get a religious “warm and fuzzy”?
• Connect with God, or do we treat church more like a Christian club?
• Discuss our relationship with God, or discuss politics and current events?
• Gather to glorify God for what he has done for us, or gather to conduct “church business”.

To be sure, many of these “extra” things are part of being a responsible modern Christian.  But they have their time and place.  Knowing Jesus’ reaction to the “clutter” in his Father’s house, we should work hard to prevent to cluttering up our worship time. We should adopt a little of Jesus’ zeal for God’s house and purity of worship. 

GENESIS17:1-7, 15-16

THE BACKGROUND

At the conclusion of the story of Noah and the flood, we learn the details of the dispersion of his descendants across the world. Immediately following this, begins the story of Abram and Sarai (chapter 12).  God promises Abram that of him he will make a great nation.  But Sarai is barren, and no heir is forthcoming.  In accord with local customs & practices, she offers her servant-girl Hagar to bear a surrogate child for them.  Ishmael is born of this union.  They think they have their ducks in a row, and God’s promise will be fulfilled through Ishmael.  But they have a big surprise in store for them.

THE DETAIL

• This passage begins by telling us that Abram is 99 years old at the time of this God-event.  God appears, and states that he is going to make a covenant with Abram. (vv. 1-2)
• God repeats the promise he made earlier (12:1-3), that He will make of Abram “exceedingly numerous”; He will make Abram “the ancestor of a multitude of nations”.  (vv. 3-5)
• Next, God renames Abram, saying that his name will now be Abraham.  (v. 5) He does the same with Sarai in verse 15. We will discuss the significance of renaming in the takeaway below.
• Our text eliminates verses 8-14.  These verses give the details of the cutting aspect of the covenant (see second bullet below).  But instead of cutting animals, this time it is circumcision. 
• Verses 15 and 16 turn God’s attention to Sarai. He begins by renaming her, and then states that He “will give you a son by her”.
• What we do not see in this selection is verse 17. When Abraham hears what God said (in verse 16), he “fell on his face and laughed…”  In my paraphrase of this verse, Abraham says “How’s THAT going to happen—I’m 99, and Sarah is 90.  Seriously, God???”

THE TAKEAWAY

“In the ancient world, having the authority to give names implied mastery.”*  You may recall that Adam named the animals in the Garden of Eden. Jesus renames Simon Peter.  In our text, as part of the covenant, God renames Abram (“Exalted Father” in Hebrew) Abraham (“Father of a multitude of nations”).  Both Sarai and Sarah mean “princess” in Hebrew. But the point of renaming them is that they now belong to God; it is a binding relationship, such as a marriage.

In modern times, when we make a binding promise, it is usually written on paper, sealed by a notary, and sometimes registered with a county clerk. In Old Testament times, the promise was bound by cutting animals in two.  Details of one such covenant is found in Genesis 15:9-11.  But in the case of God’s covenant with Abraham, the cutting is more personal; it is circumcision.  Circumcision was practiced in some other ancient cultures.  The illustration below is taken from an Egyptian hieroglyph.  But for Abraham’s clan, this procedure would take on a new religious meaning.  It seals the promise between God and the people of Abraham in a very personal way.

Just as we read last week with Noah, God is the initiator of the promise-making.  It is God who draws near to Abraham and Sarah, and wants to engage in a close relationship.  In both cases, the humans involved are obedient, but God is the one desiring the relationship.  He wants this same relationship with all of us.  If you are in doubt, pick up a bible and flip through it.  It is full of God’s reaching out to us, our failure, and His forgiveness.

As a result of Abraham’s faithfulness, God does the impossible.  Abraham and Sarah do miraculously bring Isaac into the world. Isaac is the fulfillment of God’s promise.

* “Reading the Old Testament”, Barry L. Bandstra
 

ROMANS 4:13-25  

(I strongly recommend reading The Message for this passage.)

THE BACKGROUND

If you have ever belonged to an organization consisting of two very different types of people, you know that there can sometimes be problems between the groups.  In most of the early churches, the congregation consisted of a mix of Jews and Gentiles.  In 49 AD, Emperor Claudius expelled a large segment of the Jewish population in Rome, including the Christian Jews.  This left the Gentile Christians behind, in charge of keeping the church going.  The Christian Jews returned after Claudius’ death, five years later, finding Gentiles in church positions they had vacated. This must have made for some tense moments.  Christian Jews placed high importance on the keeping of Old Testament Law and traditions. In this passage, Paul explains the importance (or the lack of importance) of keeping these laws and traditions.

THE DETAIL

• The opening line says it all.  Abraham did not keep his promise with God through obedience to the law, but through faith.  The law was given through Moses, who lived 600 years after Abraham. Abraham, therefore, had no Old Testament or Ten Commandments; Abraham’s righteousness was based purely on his faith in God and God’s promise.  (v. 13) 
• Verses 14 & 15 further support the statement made in verse 13.
• Paul expands upon this further in verses 16-22. The bottom line is the same as the opening line—getting right with God (being “reckoned as righteousness”), is not based upon our actions, but upon only our faith and nothing more.
• Paul then sums it up by saying that it is no different for us Christians than it was for Abraham.  Abraham was “reckoned to him as righteousness” purely on the basis of faith.  What “reckons us to be righteous” with God is not our actions; it’s all about faith. (vv. 22-25)

THE TAKEAWAY

Paul is not throwing out rules and laws.  Elsewhere, he points out their value.  He tells us that it is the laws of Moses that provide us with a good conscience.  They provide the framework for living together in harmony.  But the law not the road to salvation, any more than it was for Father Abraham.  It is our faith in Jesus Christ, his death on the cross, and his resurrection that saves us. 
 

MARK 8:31-38

THE BACKGROUND

We are about halfway through Mark’s gospel at this point. Jesus has been preaching and teaching, healing and performing miracles.  Jesus and his disciples are on their way to the villages of Caesarea Philippi, on foot, of course.  As they walk, they talk.  It is on this road where he asks them who they think he is.  This is where Peter proclaims Jesus to be the Messiah. Today’s passage comes right after that event.

THE DETAIL

• Jesus must have felt comfortable with his disciples. After all, Peter has just declared Jesus to be the Messiah.  So he tells them what lies ahead; he will suffer, die, and rise again in three days. (v. 31)
• Peter takes him aside, and “rebukes” him.  (v. 32)  I wondered what he might have said.  Then, I discovered what Matthew tells us— Peter said “God forbid it, Lord!  This must never happen to you!” (Mt. 16:22) 
• Jesus’ response seems a little harsh.  In fact, it is the same response that he gave Satan at his temptation (Mt. 4:10).  Why would he react like this?

As is typical for Jesus, he turns this into a teaching moment.  We might want to entitle the second paragraph “The Cost of Discipleship”.  Let’s look at what he says.

• He tells his disciples and the crowd that followed that if they want to be his followers, they must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. (v. 34, italics emphasis is mine) The cross in that time was the equivalent of our electric chair—a device for executing the worst criminals.  This must have been a shocking statement.  Jesus was challenging their thinking; to reconsider their priorities. He must have known that they would suffer for believing in him.
• Verse 35 is an interesting paradox.  It must have been puzzling at the time, because Jesus offers a small explanation in verse 36. 
• He hits the nail on the head in verse 37. What is your life actually worth? How much would it cost you to buy eternal life?  (You can’t earn it.  It’s too expensive. )
• Knowing what’s in store for his followers, he encourages them to not be ashamed of what is about to happen.  It is part of the divine plan.  If they are ashamed of the divine plan, they’re going to find themselves in an “awkward position”, when Jesus returns in glory. (v. 38)   

THE TAKEAWAY

Jesus was sent to earth with a mission.  He had a long list of things to do.  The last but not the least of these tasks was to suffer and die for our sins.  It was probably not something that Jesus was looking forward to, at least to the suffering.  Maybe Peter’s rebuke was yet another temptation for him.  A temptation for Jesus to avoid the pain. The temptations he endured in the wilderness were similar in nature to the rebuke he received from Peter.  No wonder he called Peter Satan.

We are all Jesus’ disciples here on earth today.  We must be prepared to sacrifice for our beliefs.  Jesus makes it clear that this is a life or death decision.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

When we shy away from an opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus to those around us, aren’t we in some way ashamed of sharing the gospel?   (Please note that I’m saying “we” and not “you”.)  But it’s true, isn’t it?

GENESIS 9:8-17

THE BACKGROUND

The story of Adam comes to a close in Genesis chapter 5. In chapter 6, we learn that the people had become wicked and violent.  God has decided to hit the reset button—to start over. You know the story-- Noah and his family are called upon to build a ship, gather the animals two-by-two, and so on.  Today’s lesson intercepts the story after they have found dry land, and all the people and animals are off the ship.  Noah immediately builds an altar, and makes a sacrifice to God.

We all know this story well.  But what is the God Lesson in this story?

THE DETAIL

• God takes the initiative, and establishes a covenant—a solemn promise.  This covenant is not only made with Noah and his sons, but with the animals of the arc as well.  God promises never again to destroy the entire earth by flood.  (vv. 8-11)
• God creates the rainbow, to act as a visual reminder of his promise to all living things on earth, that he will he will never again destroy all flesh by flood.

THE TAKEAWAY

We did not request God to make this covenant with us, He decides to do it all on his own.  This is yet another example of his steadfast love for an undeserving people.

In preparing this study this week, I learned that in ancient times, hanging one’s bow up meant that the fight was ended.  You could say that by God hanging his rain-bow in the sky, He promises not to do that gain.  He understands that if we are left to fend for ourselves, we are not going to be rid our sinful nature.  If you read on, you will see that this is true.  In the verses starting with 9:20, Noah gets drunk and naked, and weird stuff happens.  Even Noah!

1 PETER 3:18-22

THE BACKGROUND

In the verses immediately preceding today’s selection, verses 13-17, we learn that Peter is talking about the suffering that often comes to those who do the Lord’s work.

THE DETAIL

• Peter reminds us that Jesus also suffered for doing the will of the Father.  He died once for all.  He died one time, on the cross, and  died for all mankind of all time.  He did this, to bring us all closer to God. (v. 18a)
• Verses 18b – 20 need to be read as one chunk, but they also need to be broken down.
  • After his death on the cross, his spirit (which was very much alive) descended into Hell (or the dead) to proclaim the gospel message even to those who had died.  Remember the Apostle’s Creed?  (vv. 18b-19)
  • These spirits in prison/hell include the disobedient ones from Noah’s time.  (v. 20a)
  • The same water that saved Noah saves us through our baptism.  (vv. 20b-21)
  • Jesus now reigns in heaven at God’s right hand, and all angels, authorities, powers, etc. are under his authority.  (v. 22)

THE TAKEAWAY

Peter tells us that it is okay to suffer the faith. He reminds that Jesus suffered for doing this, too.  It is Jesus’ suffering that saves us, and that in our baptism we are cleansed from our sin.  Jesus’ one-time sacrifice of himself saves us all!
 

MARK 1:9-15

THE BACKGROUND

• The lectionary is a list of bible readings that we use as a chart to navigate the church year.  It is a three year list, labelled A, B, and C.  We are currently in cycle B, which features the gospel of Mark. Mark’s gospel is the smallest, most concise of all the gospels.  What it lacks in detail, it makes up for in energy.  Today’s gospel reading covers the baptism of Jesus and his temptation, all in six short verses.

THE DETAIL

• Verses 9-11 describe Jesus’ baptism.  He is baptized by John the Baptist before he calls any disciples, performs any miracles, or does any teaching. This is the beginning of his ministry.  Baptism is a great place to start.  As Jesus comes out of the water, his Father proclaims “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
• Immediately, Jesus is whisked away to spend 40 days of fasting and meditation in the “wilderness”.  While there, we are told that he was tempted by Satan.  No details are given by Mark.  You need to look elsewhere for detail.  But we do know that angels cared for and protected Jesus from “wild beasts”.  (vv. 12-13)
• After Jesus’ retreat in the wilderness, John the Baptist is arrested.  This signals the end of his ministry, and the beginning of Jesus’.  (v. 14)

THE TAKEAWAY

• The words that God speaks at Jesus’ baptism, are similar to those spoken at his transfiguration, but they are also different. Here at his baptism, God is speaking to Jesus—“…with you I am well pleased”.  At the transfiguration, God is speaking to Jesus’ apostles—“…listen to him”.
• When I hear the word “wilderness”, I think of forests and perhaps mountains.  Jesus’ wilderness was different.  It was more of a rocky, near desert terrain, similar to New Mexico.  And there were definitely wild beasts there.  Most notably lions, bears, snakes, and scorpions inhabited this region back then.  He needed those angels for protection. 
• Jesus must have been on an emotional high after his baptism.  After all, some pretty incredible things took place.  But isn’t that the way it always goes—just when things are going great, that’s when we are most tempted to stumble.  We know from the other gospels (Mt. 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13) that Jesus is tempted to use his divine power for personal gain.  I find it a comfort to know that Jesus was indeed tempted, and endured them.  It tells me that he understands what it is like to be human, and how difficult it is sometimes to do the right thing rather than the tempting thing.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

We are all blessed with certain gifts from God.  For some, it is compassion and understanding; for others it is prosperity and power.  Whatever blessings we receive from above, we are expected to use them wisely. All too often, we are tempted to keep them to ourselves, and use them for our own personal gain.  Instead, we are called upon to use them to build up the Body of Christ.  How are we doing with this challenge?

GENESIS17:1-7, 15-16

THE BACKGROUND

At the conclusion of the story of Noah and the flood, we learn the details of the dispersion of his descendants across the world. Immediately following this, begins the story of Abram and Sarai (chapter 12).  God promises Abram that of him he will make a great nation.  But Sarai is barren, and no heir is forthcoming.  In accord with local customs & practices, she offers her servant-girl Hagar to bear a surrogate child for them.  Ishmael is born of this union.  They think they have their ducks in a row, and God’s promise will be fulfilled through Ishmael.  But they have a big surprise in store for them.

THE DETAIL

• This passage begins by telling us that Abram is 99 years old at the time of this God-event.  God appears, and states that he is going to make a covenant with Abram. (vv. 1-2)
• God repeats the promise he made earlier (12:1-3), that He will make of Abram “exceedingly numerous”; He will make Abram “the ancestor of a multitude of nations”.  (vv. 3-5)
• Next, God renames Abram, saying that his name will now be Abraham.  (v. 5) He does the same with Sarai in verse 15. We will discuss the significance of renaming in the takeaway below.
• Our text eliminates verses 8-14.  These verses give the details of the cutting aspect of the covenant (see second bullet below).  But instead of cutting animals, this time it is circumcision. 
• Verses 15 and 16 turn God’s attention to Sarai. He begins by renaming her, and then states that He “will give you a son by her”.
• What we do not see in this selection is verse 17. When Abraham hears what God said (in verse 16), he “fell on his face and laughed…”  In my paraphrase of this verse, Abraham says “How’s THAT going to happen—I’m 99, and Sarah is 90.  Seriously, God???”

THE TAKEAWAY

“In the ancient world, having the authority to give names implied mastery.”*  You may recall that Adam named the animals in the Garden of Eden. Jesus renames Simon Peter.  In our text, as part of the covenant, God renames Abram (“Exalted Father” in Hebrew) Abraham (“Father of a multitude of nations”).  Both Sarai and Sarah mean “princess” in Hebrew. But the point of renaming them is that they now belong to God; it is a binding relationship, such as a marriage.

In modern times, when we make a binding promise, it is usually written on paper, sealed by a notary, and sometimes registered with a county clerk. In Old Testament times, the promise was bound by cutting animals in two.  Details of one such covenant is found in Genesis 15:9-11.  But in the case of God’s covenant with Abraham, the cutting is more personal; it is circumcision.  Circumcision was practiced in some other ancient cultures.  The illustration below is taken from an Egyptian hieroglyph.  But for Abraham’s clan, this procedure would take on a new religious meaning.  It seals the promise between God and the people of Abraham in a very personal way.

Just as we read last week with Noah, God is the initiator of the promise-making.  It is God who draws near to Abraham and Sarah, and wants to engage in a close relationship.  In both cases, the humans involved are obedient, but God is the one desiring the relationship.  He wants this same relationship with all of us.  If you are in doubt, pick up a bible and flip through it.  It is full of God’s reaching out to us, our failure, and His forgiveness.

As a result of Abraham’s faithfulness, God does the impossible.  Abraham and Sarah do miraculously bring Isaac into the world. Isaac is the fulfillment of God’s promise.

* “Reading the Old Testament”, Barry L. Bandstra
 

ROMANS 4:13-25  

(I strongly recommend reading The Message for this passage, but the comments below relate to the verbiage in the NRSV.)

THE BACKGROUND

If you have ever belonged to an organization consisting of two very different types of people, you know that there can sometimes be problems between the groups.  In most of the early churches, the congregation consisted of a mix of Jews and Gentiles.  In 49 AD, Emperor Claudius expelled a large segment of the Jewish population in Rome, including the Christian Jews.  This left the Gentile Christians behind, in charge of keeping the church going.  The Christian Jews returned after Claudius’ death, five years later, finding Gentiles in church positions they had vacated. This must have made for some tense moments.  Christian Jews placed high importance on the keeping of Old Testament Law and traditions. In this passage, Paul explains the importance (or the lack of importance) of keeping these laws and traditions.

THE DETAIL

• The opening line says it all.  Abraham did not keep his promise with God through obedience to the law, but through faith.  The law was given through Moses, who lived 600 years after Abraham. Abraham, therefore, had no Old Testament or Ten Commandments; Abraham’s righteousness was based purely on his faith in God and God’s promise.  (v. 13) 
• Verses 14 & 15 further support the statement made in verse 13.
• Paul expands upon this further in verses 16-22. The bottom line is the same as the opening line—getting right with God (being “reckoned as righteousness”), is not based upon our actions, but upon only our faith and nothing more.
• Paul then sums it up by saying that it is no different for us Christians than it was for Abraham.  Abraham was “reckoned to him as righteousness” purely on the basis of faith.  What “reckons us to be righteous” with God is not our actions; it’s all about faith. (vv. 22-25)

THE TAKEAWAY

Paul is not throwing out rules and laws.  Elsewhere, he points out their value.  He tells us that it is the laws of Moses that provide us with a good conscience.  They provide the framework for living together in harmony.  But the law not the road to salvation, any more than it was for Father Abraham.  It is our faith in Jesus Christ, his death on the cross, and his resurrection that saves us. 
 

MARK 8:31-38

THE BACKGROUND

We are about halfway through Mark’s gospel at this point. Jesus has been preaching and teaching, healing and performing miracles.  Jesus and his disciples are on their way to the villages of Caesarea Philippi, on foot, of course.  As they walk, they talk.  It is on this road where he asks them who they think he is.  This is where Peter proclaims Jesus to be the Messiah. Today’s passage comes right after that event.

THE DETAIL

• Jesus must have felt comfortable with his disciples. After all, Peter has just declared Jesus to be the Messiah.  So he tells them what lies ahead; he will suffer, die, and rise again in three days. (v. 31)
• Peter takes him aside, and “rebukes” him.  (v. 32)  I wondered what he might have said.  Then, I discovered what Matthew tells us— Peter said “God forbid it, Lord!  This must never happen to you!” (Mt. 16:22) 
• Jesus’ response seems a little harsh.  In fact, it is the same response that he gave Satan at his temptation (Mt. 4:10).  Why would he react like this?

As is typical for Jesus, he turns this into a teaching moment.  We might want to entitle the second paragraph “The Cost of Discipleship”.  Let’s look at what he says.

• He tells his disciples and the crowd that followed that if they want to be his followers, they must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. (v. 34, italics emphasis is mine) The cross in that time was the equivalent of our electric chair—a device for executing the worst criminals.  This must have been a shocking statement.  Jesus was challenging their thinking; to reconsider their priorities. He must have known that they would suffer for believing in him.
• Verse 35 is an interesting paradox.  It must have been puzzling at the time, because Jesus offers a small explanation in verse 36. 
• He hits the nail on the head in verse 37. What is your life actually worth? How much would it cost you to buy eternal life?  (You can’t earn it.  It’s too expensive. )
• Knowing what’s in store for his followers, he encourages them to not be ashamed of what is about to happen.  It is part of the divine plan.  If they are ashamed of the divine plan, they’re going to find themselves in an “awkward position”, when Jesus returns in glory. (v. 38)   

THE TAKEAWAY

Jesus was sent to earth with a mission.  He had a long list of things to do.  The last but not the least of these tasks was to suffer and die for our sins.  It was probably not something that Jesus was looking forward to, at least to the suffering.  Maybe Peter’s rebuke was yet another temptation for him.  A temptation for Jesus to avoid the pain. The temptations he endured in the wilderness were similar in nature to the rebuke he received from Peter.  No wonder he called Peter Satan.

We are all Jesus’ disciples here on earth today.  We must be prepared to sacrifice for our beliefs.  Jesus makes it clear that this is a life or death decision.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

When we shy away from an opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus to those around us, aren’t we in some way ashamed of sharing the gospel?   (Please note that I’m saying “we” and not “you”.)  But it’s true, isn’t it?

THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD

2 KINGS 2:1-12

THE BACKGROUND

Let’s do a little time travel!  Let’s go back in time nearly 3,000 years.  We’ll set our destination as the northern kingdom of Israel, and the time to about 850 B.C.  This was a long time ago, and in a culture totally different than ours.  In order to land on our feet, we’d better know the lay of the land.  They didn’t have a Bill of Rights or a constitution, they had a king.  There was no separation of church and state; they were completely connected.  Worst of all, no messiah/savior Jesus.  Elisha was the main Hebrew prophet of the day, and Elisha his apprentice.  Elisha has followed Elijah for many years, and was a devoted companion. 

The people of Israel had drawn away from the Hebrew God Yahweh, and found the Canaanite god Baal more appealing.  There is repeated confrontation between Elisha and the prophets of Baal.  The problem worsened when the Hebrew King Ahab married a Canaanite woman named Jezebel. With her came a host of prophets of her god Baal.  Maybe Ahab was more interested in expanding his trade options than in serving the God Yahweh. The grass must have looked greener in Canaan.  There was constant conflict between the prophets of Yahweh and the prophets of Baal.  These stories of conflict are found starting in 1 Kings 16:29.  They set the stage for today’s reading. 

Today’s reading is about the transfer of authority from Elijah to Elisha, and the end of Elijah’s stay on earth.  Understanding Elijah and this story is key to our study of the gospel lesson for today, the transfiguration of Jesus.  Elijah and Elisha are on a journey to cross the Jordan River.  They both know that Elijah is about to “check out”.  I can’t say “die”, because the story is not that simple.

THE DETAIL

• So, they set out, and find their way to Bethel. Along the way, Elijah urges Elisha to stay behind.  But Elisha is too devoted to him, and swears that he will never leave him.  (vv. 1-2)
• At Bethel, they are met by some Hebrew prophets came out from the city to greet them.  They confide in Elisha that the Lord is going to take Elijah from him. He says “Yeah, yeah, I know.  Now keep it to yourselves.”  (v. 3)
• The exact same thing happens at Jericho—“Stay here”.  “No, I will never leave you.”  And the prophets telling Elisha what is about to happen.  (vv. 4-5)
• By verse six, they are collecting an entourage. Again, Elijah tells Elisha to stay behind.  You should know by now that that ain’t happnin’!    (v. 6)
• Now it gets interesting.  At the bank of the Jordan River, Elijah takes off the outer coat he’s wearing—his mantle.  It is the garment worn by the main prophet.  He rolls it up, and strikes the water with it!  The waters part, and the two cross the river without getting even wet feet.   (vv. 7-8)
• After crossing, Elijah asks his companion if he has any requests.  Elisha really sticks his neck out, and asks for a big one.  He doesn’t ask for the power and authority that Elijah has, he asks him for twice the amount!  Elijah’s answer is interesting.  He doesn’t laugh.  This is serious.  He says that if Elisha can endure the intensity of his being taken up to heaven, that this wish will be granted.  If he can’t handle that power and glory, then he’s out of luck.  (vv. 9-10)
• The scene is nearly indescribable.  But Elisha holds on, and keeps watching.  He cries out.  It is over.  He tears his clothing in two, which is an act of grief and mourning.  (vv. 11-12)

THE TAKEAWAY

There are several points to take from this story.

1. Elijah was one of the most famous of all the Old Testament prophets.  He worked many miracles, as would Elisha. The parting of the Jordan River is a hint to the reader that this prophet was on a par with Moses.  This is a key to understanding the meaning of the gospel reading for today.
2. Elijah was one of only two people in the Old Testament to never die, but go directly to heaven.  Enoch was the other person (Genesis 5:24).  The tradition was that Elijah would return to earth to herald in the second Davidic kingdom.  Gospel writers Matthew and Mark are quick to identify John the Baptist as their Elijah.
3. The people of Elijah’s time were torn between worshipping two deities—two ways of living and being governed, since religion and politics were intertwined. Some chose one, some chose the other. I imagine that there were many in the middle, trying to cover all the bases. 

2 CORINTHIANS 4:1-6

THE BACKGROUND

Have you ever done a difficult task to the best of your ability, only to have someone come after you, insult your work, and redo everything?  This is what happened to Paul in Corinth.  He built that church (the people, not a building) as best he could. When he left to spread the Gospel, other preachers swooped in.  They criticized Paul’s style.   They put him down.  They preached a different “gospel” than Paul  The details of their actions are given both in the previous chapter and in chapter 11.

The passage chosen for this Sunday begins with verse 3, but verses 1 & 2 are worth adding to the selection.  We’ll start there.

THE DETAIL

Paul states:

• We can’t become discouraged in our efforts to spread the gospel message.  God has given us this task, and we have to persevere.  It’s hard, but we have to keep plugging away.  (v. 1)
• We must lay it all out before our audience, including the things that are embarrassing.  Nothing should be hidden, or wrapped in clever speech.  The whole truth should be presented, so we may have a clear conscience.  (v. 2)
• Some may think that our gospel message is shrouded in mystery; that we’re holding some facts from them.  But this is only because they are blinded by outside influences.  (vv. 3-4)
• It’s not about us, it’s all about Jesus, and letting His light shine through us.

THE TAKEAWAY

In the verses preceding this passage, 3:7-18, Paul also uses the word “veil”, to call to mind how Moses veiled his face from the people.  His face was radiant, after he had seen the glory of God on Mt. Sinai.  The people couldn’t take it!  Moses had to cover up.  Some of Paul’s detractors were complaining about his preaching style and message. Paul says that his detractors’ “veil” is different.  They were being secretive; Paul told them everything.  They (“the world”) it hid the true meaning of the gospel from their gullible followers (“those perishing”); they were leading people away from the true Gospel message.  Paul tells everyone to keep it simple, and proclaim Jesus.  Let your gospel light shine! 

MARK 9:2-9

AN EXCERPT FROM MY PARAPHRASE OF THE BIBLE

Peter:  “Well, we thought that Jesus was taking James, John and me on a hike.  Then, it looked like we were going to do a little mountain climbing.  Little did we know what was in store for us.  Once we got to the top, Jesus’ whole appearance changed.  It was hard to describe.  He was dazzling white, I guess you could say.  I wished I had brought my sunglasses.  Then, it got really weird.  Suddenly Moses and Elijah showed up, and started talking with Jesus.  I wonder what they were saying.  Then, I started babbling, and said something about building little shelters for all three of them.  Man, was that a stupid thing to say!  But I was scared out of my wits.  You’d probably do the same, if you were in my shoes.  Anyway, suddenly it got cloudy.  That’s when a voice came from the cloud proclaiming Jesus to be his beloved Son, and that we should listen to him.  And then, just like that, BAM!  It was all over.  We walked down the mountain with Jesus.  The killer was that Jesus gave us clear orders to keep this to ourselves.  We couldn’t tell anyone until he had risen from the dead, whatever that meant.  Do you realize how hard this was going to be?” 

THE TAKEAWAY

The transfiguration of Jesus has always been a curious story to me.  Why did it happen?  What am I supposed to do with this story?  Over the years, I have come away from the story with a couple of points that I’d like to share with you.

1. On the mountain, Jesus’ appearance makes a radical change.  We get a temporary glimpse of his heavenly glory. This “glory”, as we call it, is a hard thing to take.  Moses had to put a veil over his face after his encounters with God on Mt. Sinai, because the people couldn’t stand to look on this radiance.  Elisha’s ordeal during Elijah’s ascension also required strength and endurance, to overcome the intensity of the moment.  Peter’s delirium is evident in his encounter with heavenly glory.  For one brief moment, we get to see Jesus in his true heavenly state, and we can’t take it.
2. Why Moses and Elijah?  I think of this occurrence as a sort of divine summit meeting.  Moses was there, because he was the first and biggest of the Old Testament prophets.  He was the shepherd, who led God’s people out of slavery in Egypt.  He was the giver of the law.  Elijah was there, not only because of the miracles that he performed, but because of his ascension into heaven.  Since it was expected that Elijah would return at the right time, he is a key player in this summit meeting.  The fact that these figures meet with Jesus and have a discussion cements Jesus’ place in the grand scheme of things.  This is not merely the son of a Jewish carpenter, but the messiah.  The Son of God!
3. The voice of God makes two appearances in the New Testament.  One is at Jesus’ baptism, and the other at his transfiguration.  Both times, He calls Jesus his Son.  This time, we are instructed to listen to him.  This is our takeaway.  Listen to Jesus.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Imagine that you have found a great preacher.  You have been attending his church for a few months.  He invites you to join him on a prayer retreat.  Something surreal happens on that retreat.  His face and clothes become incredibly radiant.  Suddenly, Jesus, Martin Luther, and Billy Graham are standing next to him.  They are having a conversation.  It doesn't stop there.  A voice booms out "I like this preacher.  Listen to him."  What would that tell you about that preacher?  How would that affect your opinion of the preacher?  What thoughts and feelings might have been in the minds of Peter, James, and John, as they hiked down that mountain?

ISAIAH 40:21-31

THE BACKGROUND

Have you ever felt like God abandoned you in your time of need? 

That’s exactly how the Jews felt during exile in Babylon.  Before exile, back in Israel, they were behaving badly.  They really got what they deserved.  But now, they were in a foreign land, surrounded by foreign gods and customs.  There was no hope of ever returning back home.  It felt like God had deserted them; It felt like He had left them high and dry, right when they needed him most.   

THE DETAIL

• Let’s start in the middle, and work out to the ends. Verse 27 sums up the feelings of the people.  Words like “my way is hidden from the Lord” and that they felt “disregarded by God” indicate that they felt abandoned.  They thought that God had left them to waste away in Babylon.
• Verse 28a is a repeat of verse 21, the beginning of our passage.  “Have you not known?  Have you not heard?”  Isaiah is urging these discouraged people to remember what they have been taught of old. Remember the stories.  Remember God’s chesed*, his steadfast love.
• Verses 22-26 give us a global perspective—the view from God’s point of view.  We are like grasshoppers!  Have you ever ridden in an airplane, or been high up in a skyscraper?  That’s what people look like, isn’t it? 
• Verse 24 reminds us of the short-lived nature of humankind— our frailty.  Earlier in chapter 40, Isaiah says: 

 “All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field.  The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass.” Isaiah 40:6b-7

• Verse 26 reminds us that God created us all, calls us by name, and none are missing.  God is still there, and He loves us.
• Verse 28 speaks of God’s strength.
• Verses 29-31 say that He gives this strength to us. “Those who wait on the Lord”, those who are faithful and true, will get renewed strength from God. 

THE TAKEAWAY

Some of us would love to fly like an eagle.  Others would take great joy in merely being able to run or even walk again.  But our spiritual strength comes through being faithful to the Lord.  The Holy Spirit will give us the spiritual strength we need to soar like an eagle.  The Holy Spirit will not abandon us, because of God’s steadfast love for us. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How do we get this strength?  Sometimes, it is given through prayer.  Other times, we receive it by sharing our burden with fellow Christians, or by shouldering others’ burdens. 

*Chesed is a Hebrew word which is often translated as “steadfast love”.  It is more than that.  The Old Testament is full of examples of humankind’s failure to live up to God’s expectations.  It is full of stories of our sinfulness.  But through it all, we clearly see the love of God at work, loving us, and saving us time and time again.  This is chesed in action.  It is God’s unfailing love for us, in spite of our actions. 
 

1 CORINTHIANS 9:16-23

THE BACKGROUND

In the eighth chapter of Paul’s letter, he discussed the eating of meat sacrificed to idols.  Chapter 9 makes an abrupt turn.  Paul appears to be angry, and on the defensive.  Some of the Christians in Corinth have criticized Paul’s lack of sophistication in his preaching style.  They must have also taken some personal pot shots at him, because he defends not only his style, but his way of life.  He “had the right” to take a wife, and earn a wage.  But he gave all these up to be the type of apostle that he felt God expected him to be.  Let’s take a look at what he says.

THE DETAIL

• He tells us in verse 16 that he can’t brag about being a preacher; it was something God expected of him.  He couldn’t not be an apostle—he was compelled to do this.  He had no choice.
• He does all of this for free.  He can’t charge for something that God has compelled him to do—he is “entrusted with a commission.”  (vv. 17-18)
• He then says that his reward is in spreading the gospel message free of charge.  Other apostles were married, as we will see in the gospel lesson.  Other apostles might have been paid for their services.  But due to Paul’s inner urgency to preach the Gospel, and his conscience, he felt obligated to relinquish these rights.
• Verses 19-22a are his answer to those who criticized his unsophisticated style of preaching the gospel.  Some might think Paul to be wishy-washy, like a leaf in the wind.  But in fact, he is being clever and flexible.  He knows that he is most effective when he adapts to the situation; when he changes his style to fit the listener.   
• He drives the nail home in verse 23.  It’s all for the sake of spreading the gospel. And it sure did work, didn’t it?

THE TAKEAWAY

There are different ways of serving, but the same Lord is served.  Some chose to remain celibate, to devote their lives to service to the Lord, some do not.  Some chose to leave well-paying careers to follow a life of service to God.  There is no one way to serve God.

There is also no one way to worship the Lord. People of different ages and cultures respond to different styles of worship.  All give God the glory.  All are acceptable to the Lord.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Perhaps if we are more flexible and sensitive to those around us, we might become better at spreading the good news of Jesus. 

MARK 1:29-39

THE BACKGROUND

Today’s reading comes on the heels of last week’s Gospel lesson.   Jesus was teaching in the synagogue with authority, and cast demons out of some of those present. 

THE DETAIL

• Right after leaving the synagogue, they go to Simon (Peter) and Andrew’s home in Capernaum, in Galilee.  Simon’s mother-in-law is ill.  (Note: Simon Peter must be married, then, right?)  Jesus heals her on the spot, and she resumes her domestic duties.  (vv. 29-31)
• In that time and place, the next day began at sunset.  So, once the sun had set, it was no longer the Sabbath; work could resume.  People came to be healed, both physically and emotionally.  (vv. 32-33)
• It is interesting that Jesus did not permit the demons to speak.  He was not ready to have his full identity revealed.  He was on a mission.  Full disclosure would have interfered with that.  (v. 34)
• Early in the morning, Jesus finds a quiet place to pray.  He must have sneaked away from his disciples, because they had to “hunt for him”.  (vv. 35-37)
• Jesus tells them that they must move on to other villages. There is urgency in his words.  Why the rush?  Jesus says the he must “proclaim the message… for that is what I came out to do.”  And go, they did.  (vv. 38-39)

THE TAKEAWAY

Sometimes, we put so much emphasis on the cross that we draw attention away from the other parts of Jesus’ mission.  The healing and casting out of demons was done not only out of compassion for the sick and the outcast, but to demonstrate his power and authority.  This authority was recognized by some in the synagogue in last week’s passage.  Soon, he will begin to teach us about our relationship with God using parables and sermons on mount and plain.