Gospel for June 10, 2018

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Mark 3:20-35
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Prophets, visionaries and saints seldom have a smooth ride. In the Gospel of Mark, the distance between the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and public controversy is very short.  Jesus has allowed his disciples to pluck grain on the Sabbath, and has healed on the Sabbath, in defiance of the Pharisees’ interpretation of the law. He has even dared to forgive the sins of a paralyzed man before healing him, a prerogative reserved to God alone!

There are three divergent reactions to his ministry in this passage:

• he is so popular with the people (the ha’ eretz, the ‘people of the land,’ i.e., the common folk, he can’t even find leisure to eat!
• his family react anxiously, because they believe he may be mentally ill.
• the most religious people of the day, the teachers of the law, are determined to discredit him because in their view he is flouting the law.

Jesus counters the accusations that he is in league with the devil with a deft use of logic — if Jesus is casting out demons, then he is de facto the enemy of the demons. How then can he possibly be on Satan’s team?

If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.  If Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he can’t stand, but has an end.

Jesus’ next remark is a little cryptic:

no one can enter into the house of the strong man to plunder, unless he first binds the strong man; and then he will plunder his house.

Who is the strong man, and who is the thief? In a surprising twist the strong man seems to be Satan, who is being bound by Jesus! And what is being plundered?  Perhaps those who are being held in bondage by Satan are being released!  This would be consistent with his own sel-description of his mission:

For the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

He has come to rescue those held hostage by the strong man.

Then there is an even more cryptic passage, when Jesus warns against blaspheming the Holy Spirit.  He says this because the teachers of the law have accused him of having an unclean spirit.  In other words, if Jesus truly is the Messiah, the Son of God, then they are guilty of rejecting not only him but God!

No doubt, Jesus’ family members can see the tension building and they seek to do the “responsible” thing — this is a family intervention to try and ‘talk some sense into Jesus.’

But Jesus declares that his ultimate loyalties transcend family and biological ties.  And so does his true family.  He has handpicked this new family, his disciples, in Mark 3:13-19.  And now he seals them, and presents the criterion required to be a part of his family:

For whoever does the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

APPLY:  

There are two key takeaways from this passage.  One addresses the issue of the “unforgiveable sin.”  The other, our relationship with Jesus.

On the issue of the “unforgiveable sin” of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit there is much confusion.  We tend to think of blasphemy as a form of speech, like ‘taking the name of the Lord in vain.’  What Jesus addresses here, though, seems deeper.

What the teachers of the law have done, in accusing him of being possessed by Beelzebul  (the Lord of the Flies, aka the prince of demons) is to invert the moral universe.  Good has become evil, and evil good.  The prophet Isaiah has a similar warning:

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
who put darkness for light,
and light for darkness;
who put bitter for sweet,
and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20).

But why is this moral reversal unpardonable, when Jesus clearly says all sins of the descendants of man will be forgiven, including their blasphemies with which they may blaspheme — all sins except the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?  Here is my take: receiving forgiveness of sins requires an awareness that one has sinned,  followed by  repentance.  That means that the pardoned sinner has a moral conscience that can recognize how they have violated the moral law. However, those who have called good evil and evil good are no longer capable of discerning good from evil.  Therefore they see no need to repent.  Instead of recognizing God’s moral authority they have become a law unto themselves.  If they could recognize their sin, they could repent; but because they have become blind to it they do not.

Jesus also addresses this same issue with the Pharisees in John 9:41, when he tells the Pharisees that:

 If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

As the popular proverb puts it, “there are none so blind as those who refuse to see.”

The second important application in this passage is far more positive: what does it mean to be a member of the family of Jesus?  The answer is quite simple:

For whoever does the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

We can certainly elaborate by citing Galatians 4 and Romans 8 in describing our adoption as children of God for Christ’s sake; and 1 John in describing the blessings of being called children of God.  But this is very concrete — do God’s will by trusting him and obeying him, and you are a member of Christ’s family.

RESPOND: 

There’s an old saying that if you are worried that you have committed the unpardonable sin, don’t worry — you haven’t.  Your conscience is still intact.  You are still sensitive to the reality of sin, and capable of repentance.

Perhaps it is more important for us to concentrate less on the “don’ts” here, and more on the “do’s” —  do strive to do the will of God through the power of the Holy Spirit.  The rest will likely take care of itself.

Lord, I am conscious daily of my sin and my need for your grace.  Make me ever more sensitive to your Holy Spirit so that I may continue to grow.  And make your will ever more clear so that I may obey it.  I want to remain a part of your family! Amen. 

PHOTOS:
"respond-to-gods-light" uses the following background photo: 
“Light on door at the end of tunnel” by Dusan Bicanski is in the Public Domain.

Epistle for June 10, 2018

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1
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OBSERVE:

This section is embedded in a longer passage in which Paul explores the dichotomy of present suffering  and the promise of future resurrection.

The passage picks up in the middle of things.  Paul is quoting Psalm 116:10 from the Greek Septuagint translation:

I believed, and therefore I spoke.

He declares that he has the same faith and that’s why he preaches.  So, to what is he referring ?

Paul has described the Christian’s dilemma in the previous verses:

we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves (2 Corinthians 4:7).

And though the Christian is hard pressed, persecuted, and struck down, nevertheless through the power of the crucified and resurrected Christ there is life even in the face of suffering, weakness and death.

So Paul is reaffirming his faith that because of the death and resurrection of Christ, the Christian has hope:

knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will present us with you.

It is helpful to remember that this is not an essay on Christian doctrine that Paul is writing, but a living letter to a living community of faith.  So he is writing specifically to apply the truths of the Christian Gospel to their lives:

For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

Moreover, the message of the resurrection is not merely about “pie in the sky in the sweet bye and bye.”  Resurrection life empowers the believer to make it through suffering and difficulties now:

Therefore we don’t faint, but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.

Thus Paul picks up on a theme he has explored elsewhere:

For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory

In Romans 8:18 he says:

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.

Suffering is real enough, and perplexing, and very hard — but if compared to the glory that is to come, it is light and for the moment.

In fact, Paul says, to the eyes of faith what is unseen and spiritual is far more durable and real than what is material and visible:

we don’t look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

There is a spiritual and eternal reality that eyes cannot yet see. And Paul makes a profound claim about eternal life:

For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.

This is suitable language for Paul who is a tent-maker by trade. He understands the lifestyle of the tent-dweller who is just passing through on the way to somewhere else.

APPLY:  

We are merely pilgrims in this world – all of us.  The Christian has come to terms with this reality.  Nothing here in this world is permanent, including suffering and hardship.

So, it is incumbent on us to hold our possessions lightly, to love our family and friends but not hold on too tightly, and to recognize that we are citizens of another land.  We are passing through.

And when suffering and loss come, as they inevitably will, we are to fix our eyes not on the temporary but on the eternal.  We and our loved ones and fellow believers will have a lasting home instead of a flimsy tent.

RESPOND: 

This passage reminds me of a church member whose life was filled with blessing, but also with affliction.  He had been a successful accountant, an elected County Judge, a family man.  But while he was still serving as County Judge, he had been riding his motorcycle and had been hit by a car and severely injured.

The four years that followed were a period of intense therapy and rehabilitation; he was in almost constant pain, and never escaped his wheelchair for more than a few steps.

And yet, after his lengthy rehab, he was frequently at church; he saw the baptism of his son and grandsons; he  went to the beach and dipped his almost useless feet in the waves.  He even gave his testimony in church.

When he died, four years after his accident, he had lived a full and a rich life of faith — and the words of Paul apply so directly to a life like that of my friend:

Therefore we don’t faint, but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory.

And now, I can say with utmost confidence, that these words also apply to my friend:

For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.

Our Lord, we can waste our time and energy asking why suffering happens, and tie ourselves in knots over it. Or, we can identify with your cross, and recognize that what that means to us is that through your suffering and resurrection we have also transcended our sufferings.  You have given us life eternal that begins now and continues forever.  Amen.

 PHOTOS:
“A Light Momentary Afflictions (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)” by JohnNineTwentyFive is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for June 10, 2018

 

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 138
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This is a Psalm of praise that includes various elements:

• David expresses his personal praise of Yahweh.
• He calls upon the kings of the earth to give thanks to Yahweh.
• The Psalm includes thanksgiving and supplication.

David’s introduction may seem strange to us:

I will give you thanks with my whole heart.
Before the gods, I will sing praises to you.

We are reminded that the faith of Israel was still very much in minority.  In their bondage in Egypt, they had been surrounded by the gods of the Egyptians; in Israel, even after centuries of freedom, they continued to encounter the diverse gods and goddesses of the Moabites, Canaanites, Assyrians, and so on.

David’s answer to this religious “pluralism” is to double down on his loyalty to the God of Israel:

I will bow down toward your holy temple,
and give thanks to your Name for your loving kindness and for your truth;
for you have exalted your Name and your Word above all.

Then David expresses his confidence that the fame of the Lord will spread to all the nations:

All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, Yahweh,
for they have heard the words of your mouth.
Yes, they will sing of the ways of Yahweh;
for great is Yahweh’s glory.

He is making it clear that there is only one God, who has revealed himself to Israel through his Name and through his Word — and this God deserves to be worshipped by all people everywhere.

And yet, despite Yahweh’s magnificence and majesty, he is compassionate and deeply concerned for the humble and lowly:

For though Yahweh is high, yet he looks after the lowly;
but the proud, he knows from afar.

This God, who is Lord of all creation and deserving of praise from all, is nevertheless deeply concerned for those who are victimized by the powerful.  This concern derives from God’s enduring love.  This inspires the Psalmist’s confidence to pray:

Though I walk in the middle of trouble, you will revive me.
You will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies.
Your right hand will save me.
 Yahweh will fulfill that which concerns me;
your loving kindness, Yahweh, endures forever.
Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.

APPLY:  

Like the Psalmist, we find ourselves in a pluralistic, and diverse culture, with a wide variety of religious, philosophical and political views. We may even find ourselves confused by the many choices that present themselves.

Like the Psalmist, our first responsibility is to turn our attention to the  worship of the true God, revealed in Scripture and confirmed in our faith.  That anchors us in a solid rock in this confusing world.

We are reminded that one of the true tests of good doctrine is whether it is expressed in compassion and service toward others.  As the Virgin Mary sings in her Magnificat in Luke 1:51-53:

He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down princes from their thrones.
And has exalted the lowly.
 He has filled the hungry with good things.
He has sent the rich away empty.

RESPOND: 

How do I remain true to God in a pluralistic and relativistic world?

• Be grounded in worship and praise of God
• Remind myself of God’s majesty, but also his regard for the humble and lowly.
• And rely on God’s lovingkindness.

Lord, keep my heart truly turned toward you; and empower me to emulate your “unfailing love and your faithfulness.”  Amen. 

PHOTOS:

“26: Daily Inspirational Bible Verses” by Tito & Eva Marie Balangue is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Old Testament for June 10, 2018

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
1 Samuel 8:4-20
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This passage describes the transition of power within Israel, but also describes a complete shift in political systems.

Up until this time, Israel has been a loose confederation of tribes, led by a charismatic individual whom they called a judge.  This judge had been identified by certain gifts of leadership and prowess, and was called by God for that particular time and circumstance.

It might be said that this was a “theocracy,” i.e., they were ruled by God; but there was not a centralized political authority.  In fact, there almost seems to have been a kind of loosely organized sense of democracy, at least in terms of the decisions made by each tribe in relation to one another.  Each tribe seems to have been represented by at least one elder, if not more.

Now, however, there was a movement toward political centralization and toward monarchy.

The motivation stated by the elders is related to their anxieties — Samuel is old, and his sons have proven to be corrupt and unworthy of leadership. Moreover, near the end of the passage the elders of Israel express their desire for a king to lead them in military campaigns.  They seem to believe that other nations led by a king have been more successful and secure.  Their motivation appears to be fear rather than confidence in God.

Naturally, Samuel takes all of this very personally.  He feels that this is somehow a referendum on his leadership, and he has been rejected.  But when he prays, God provides the alternative — and no doubt correct — interpretation.  God reassures him that God, not Samuel, is being rejected from leadership over Israel.  He also says that this has been a pattern for Israel since they were liberated from Egypt.  As they have sought security in false gods and idols, so now they are seeking security in a strong king rather than in God and his chosen prophet.

So, the Lord grants his permission, but with a provision — he tells Samuel to warn the people of the consequences of their actions.  Their children will become servants of the king; their servants will become the king’s  property; and the king will help himself to their land and livestock, taking the best for himself.  What Samuel describes to them is a feudalistic system in which they will lose their freedom and their rights.

Even worse, when they cry out to God, he will not rescue them from the bondage they’ve chosen.

Nevertheless, the people are determined that this is what they want – to imitate all the other nations around them, and to give up the unique relationship they have enjoyed with God.

APPLY:  

What is the leader to do when the people declare they “want to go in a different direction?”  Politicians, CEO’s, pastors have often experienced just such a crisis in leadership.

Perhaps rather than resisting the will of the people, however misguided the leader may think it to be, the best thing to do is to follow Samuel’s example — first, pray.

It may be difficult for the leader to come to the same conclusion that Samuel did. He only arrived there because God made it very clear to him in prayer. Samuel was reassured that he wasn’t being rejected, God was!  That might not be the same message we receive from God!

However, when the will of the people had become clear, Samuel still had a responsibility to advise the people as to the consequences of their decision.

Even today, good leadership requires that the leader accede to the will of the majority; however, good leadership also requires that the leader advise his/her constituency about the possible consequences of their decision.

RESPOND: 

Leadership can be a very lonely role.  Knowing one’s people, the context, the challenges and the risks means that the leader understands the possible benefits as well as dangers that lie ahead.

In my own experience, this means that when a church or a group has made a decision that I disagree with, or that I think unwise, I have a responsibility to advise them as to the possible consequences.  However, once the decision is made, I must do my utmost to execute their will – provided of course that it doesn’t violate my own sense of values and morality.  In that case, the leader must bite the bullet and resign.

Lord, I pray for your reassurance when I feel that I have failed to lead properly.  I don’t ask for the same reassurance that Samuel received.  I acknowledge that in any given situation I may have made mistakes.  But I do ask for your assurance of love and acceptance when my leadership has been passed over or rejected. And help me to discern when it is time for someone else to take over the reins of leadership.  Amen. 

PHOTOS:
The photo in the “Leadership” poster: “Mine, Mine, Mine” by Jason Samfield is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license.