Epistle for December 2, 2018

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Paul expresses his warm feelings for the Christians of Thessalonika in what is believed to be his first letter to one of his mission churches.  He had visited Thessalonika during his second missionary journey, around 50-52 A.D.  He may have written this letter during the winter of the following year while he was preaching in Corinth.

Paul obviously had a very positive relationship with the Christians in this city on the coast of Macedonia:

How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you?

He prays that he may revisit them again and restore whatever is lacking in your faith. This is perhaps a euphemistic way of saying that they still have some growing up to do in their discipleship.

On the one hand, he praises them for receiving the Gospel so readily, and he shares the report from Timothy that they are filled with faith and love.

But Paul also reminds the Thessalonians of the moral demands of the Gospel and how they are to live together in community.

And he prays for their love for each other and for others in general, because love is a real mark of Christianity.

Paul’s ultimate prayer is that God may:

….so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Paul is not merely interested in their initial response to the Gospel, but that they continue to grow in grace so that when Christ returns they may be prepared.

APPLY:  

This passage is a gentle reminder that our relationship with God is dynamic, not static.  What I mean by that is that even after we have turned to Christ in faith, we are to continue to grow in Christ.

The goal is holiness, and the best definition of holiness is love.  We may find it hard enough to love the members of our own community, but loving those outside of the community is the real challenge. True holiness focuses on relationship with God and with people:

‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the greatest and first commandment.  And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:37-39).

One thing seems pretty clear: if we love God, we will find ourselves obeying his commandments because we are grateful for his love.  And if we love our neighbor, we won’t do those things that are harmful to them, and we will only do those things that are beneficial to them.   

Part of the dynamic nature of our relationship with God is the reminder that Jesus will return. And the way to be ready for his coming is to be like him — loving, holy and blameless.

RESPOND: 

This passage is not only appropriate for this Advent season, it seems appropriate for our circumstances today.

I was in church on Sunday when I heard the pastor say that he believed we Americans should welcome Syrian refugees to our country, and offer them hospitality.  This is despite the fears of terrorist extremists.

He went on to explain —  what better witness can we as Christians offer to non-Christians about the love of Christ?  What a terrific opportunity!

My reaction was mixed.  I thought it was a gutsy statement to make, because I felt sure that some of his church members would react negatively to his comments.  And I confess my own apprehensions about security.

But I was also convicted.  I realized that he was speaking from a perspective of Christian love and holiness. And if I truly believe that Jesus is returning, as he promises to do, then we ultimately have nothing to fear!

I need to be clear about my motives for ministry — do I truly love, or do I merely fulfill a legalistic duty?  Blamelessness and holiness involve being truly yielded to the One who is coming.

Lord, help me prepare for Your coming by becoming more loving, blameless and holy in your sight.  Amen.

PHOTOS:
"1 Thessalonians 3-12" by New Life Church Collingwood is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for December 2, 2018

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 25:1-10
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This Psalm, attributed to David, addresses the issues that a warrior with a checkered past might wish to bring before God.

The first three verses are a statement of faith from a proud man who nonetheless understands that the Lord is the source of his strength:

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be put to shame;
do not let my enemies exult over me.

This is a man whose enemies are not merely figurative, but openly and actively hostile.

He asks for wisdom and guidance in the ways of the Lord:

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.

He reminds the Lord of his mercy and love that have been from of old. His faith is grounded in the history of Israel and Israel’s God.

But this is also a personal prayer.  Without listing his sins, he asks for pardon based not on his own merit but on God’s mercy:

Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!

A quick survey of David’s life reveals a man of courage, action and loyalty, but also a man of violence whose sexual indiscretion and subsequent crimes nearly wrecked his life.

As we learn from 2 Samuel 11 & 12, David did repent, and was forgiven.

Finally, it seems fitting to close this particular reading with David’s description of God’s character and benevolence:

Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

This description of God’s love and faithfulness is conditional:

….for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

Only those who keep God’s laws will be able to follow God’s paths.

APPLY:  

This is a good model of prayer for the believer, especially in times of uncertainty and even danger.

We are reminded as we read this Psalm in Advent that this season was not originally intended to be merely a season of Christmas lights and early gift shopping.

Advent in the liturgical season was originally intended to be a kind of “Lenten” season.  Just as Lent prepares us for the celebration of Easter resurrection by focusing on self-denial, self-examination and repentance, so Advent was intended to be a time of self-denial, self-examination and repentance in preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ.

What better way to prepare for the coming of Christ than to ask for instruction in God’s ways, God’s guidance, and forgiveness of sins?

All that David asks for is delivered in the person and teaching of Jesus.  And as we pray this prayer, we find the same answers in Jesus.

RESPOND: 

Back in the 1970’s when I was a very new Christian many Psalms were put to music and sung as praise songs in worship.  I learned this Psalm first as a praise song and then taught it to my fellow church members when we went on a mission trip to a Heifer Project site near Puebla, Mexico.

[Click here to listen to “Unto Thee, O Lord” on youtube.com]

It was a reminder that I can repent because of the great mercy of God.  I am to trust God in all circumstances. I can seek his guidance above all else.  Although I am accepted by God’s grace for the sake of God’s steadfast love, my growth in grace is conditional on my keeping the demands of the covenant. And the only way that I can keep God’s commands is with his help:

Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation.

Lord, hear this Psalm as my prayer to you — to trust you, to seek your mercy, your guidance, and to become more faithful to your covenant.  Amen

PHOTOS:
 
"His way {explored}" by Charlotte Tai is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Old Testament for December 2, 2018

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Jeremiah 33:14-16
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

The Prophet Jeremiah writes in a time of crisis and disaster, when the Babylonians conquered Judah and destroyed Jerusalem.  No surprise, then, that he is often called “the Weeping Prophet.”

That background makes this passage all the more poignant.  Though the northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians in 722 B.C., and Judah to Babylon in 587 B.C., Jeremiah is reminding the Jews of the promises of God despite the terrible circumstances.

He reminds them of the promise of God that David would have an enduring dynasty in Judah:  

Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever (2 Samuel 7:16).

Jeremiah uses the same metaphor that Isaiah 11:1 and Zechariah 6:12 use to describe the Messianic descendant of David:

….I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David….

The imagery is suggestive of the branches that grow from the side of a tree or stump in the Spring of the year, during the time of renewal.

This Davidic Messiah will rule as an ideal leader:

….and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

Even more significantly, this Messiah will save his people in Judah and Jerusalem.  The name of this Branch will be called:

“The Lord is our righteousness.”

This title has definite Messianic connotations that point to a role exceeding a mere human king.

APPLY:  

For Christians, this passage has long been viewed as a messianic prophecy about the first coming of Christ, with a nod to the second coming.  This promise is about hope and not doom and gloom.

The designation of Jesus as the righteous branch means that he is a descendant of David, fulfilling the ancient prophecy about the Davidic dynasty. But his mission is not only to Judah and Jerusalem, but to all of us.

St. Augustine once said that:

The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed;
the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.

John Wesley has a sermon entitled “The Lord Our Righteousness” in which he points out that the Righteousness that saves us comes from Christ alone.  This Righteousness pardons our sins and gives us power over sin.

Paul speaks for us all when he speaks of  salvation:

….that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith (Philippians 3:9).

RESPOND: 

This prophecy speaks to us and for us in this Advent season.  The promises of God are for us!  Jesus is our righteousness.

Lord, I have no righteousness of my own. I am completely dependent on your grace and your righteousness.  Thank you for this undeserved gift!  Amen. 

PHOTOS:
"Jeremiah 33:14" by Sapphire Dream Photography is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.