Romans 12:3-13--Contributing

This week’s readings  have shown us what God wants from His church: that it reconcile all people to Him and each of us to each other. Today’s reading, Romans 12:3-13, focuses on the parts each of us play in bringing that about.  Let’s look dig into it. 

First, it tells us the each of us—every one of us—is expected to contribute in some way. We are all joined into “one body,” we “belong[] to each other,” and should “be devoted to one another,” so we owe it to each other.   Romans 12:5, 10. Indeed, that point is so crucial that it is reiterated in 1 Corinthians 12:14-26.  

Second, we each contribute in different ways. God gives each of us a unique set of inclinations and skills. He gave them to us so that we can each make unique contributions. Romans 12:6.

Third, we are to be discerning about what type of contributions we make. Romans 12:3. For example, I really like music, but I recognize that given my dearth of musical skills, I would add zero value to a worship team or choir and that I would be miserable trying. Instead, I try to contribute in ways that are better aligned with how God has wired me. He’s given me a love of scripture and the ability to write, so I put my energy into these devotionals.  He’s also given me a love of gardening, so I work in the UALC Community Garden.  Consider what you enjoy and are good at and start there. And along the same lines, be open to the fact that you might be able to contribute in more than one way; don’t sell yourself short. 

Fourth, whatever our gifts are, we are to use them to the fullest. As Romans 12:11  puts it, we are to “never be lacking in zeal.”  That can require significant time and effort, but it is worth it. 

Fifth, although this is beyond the text of today’s reading, it is important to note that God blesses us when we put our skills to work for Him. There is the satisfaction inherent in the work itself.  We also develop wonderful relationships as we join others in serving. Service is also a great antidote to despair.  For example I experience joy when I do the work involved in putting one of these devotionals together, I have been blessed with lasting friendships through the community garden, and God gives me peace as I do those things.   Is that hard or inconvenient sometimes? Yes, but the blessings always outweigh the difficulties.  

Finally, there are multiple ways to contribute. There are lots of ways you can do that within UALC, some of which are described here. There are also ways you can help the church deliver God’s love to the broader community, as discussed here,  here, and here.  Pray over them, follow God’s lead, and jump in. You, the folks you serve, and the folks you serve with will be glad you did. 

Prayer

Lord, thank you for the skills and talents you give each of us and the blessings you shower down when we put them to work for you. Help everyone of us to discern how we can do that, plug us in where you want us to serve, help is to be all in, and to savor the good that results.  We pray this in the name of the one who came to serve, Jesus the Christ.

Galatians 6:14 & 16--Countercultural

“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

***

“. . .  I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.” Galatians 6:14, 17 (NIV)

 

These statements from Saint Paul call us to an intensely countercultural world view. That becomes evident when we consider the Greek underlying them and the context they were written in.  

They call us to “boast” in the cross.  The Greek word translated as “boast” means to exult, vaunt, speak loudly of, and the cross was something that, at that time, an object of horror, revulsion, and disgust. It was something not discussed in polite society.  They call us to be “crucified,” to the world, and to crucify something meant to utterly destroy its power. The Greek word translated as “mark” meant to have a brand or tattoo identifying one’s master, much like a steer’s brand identifies its owner. In short, those statements called believers to boldly adhere to a belief system that was viewed as foolishness by the wider world. See 1 Corinthians 1:23-31. See also, Galatians - resisting a compromised Gospel.

So what does that look like in our time?  Several things come to mind.

Jesus taught and perfectly exemplified humility, and was the embodiment of scripture that consistently condemns pridefulness. Matthew 20:25-28; Luke 14:7-11; John 1:14; Wisdom Principles--God Loves Humility and Hates Pride. Our culture exults those who exult themselves.  We should not, and should reject those who do.

Jesus is truth and the embodiment of scripture that consistently condemns lying. John 14:6; John 1:14; Wisdom Principles--No Lying. Our world is numb to blatant and repeated lies. We should not be.

Jesus tells us to love those who do us wrong and to forgive. He and the scriptures he embodies tells us to do good to those who do us wrong. Matthew 5:38-48; John 1:14;  Wisdom Principles--How to Deal With Those Who Do You Wrong. Our culture stews in grievance and revels in revenge. We should break that toxic cycle. 

Jesus and the scripture He embodies tell us to welcome strangers and to recognize their inherent dignity as human beings. Matthew 25:31-46, especially vv. 35, 38, 43, 45;  John 1:14; Wisdom Principles--Don't Discriminate Against Foreigners  Our culture is demonizing and abusing them. We should support them.

Will that be hard?  Yes, at times. Does scripture demand it? Yes, all the time.  But do we want to buy into a world system that is so clearly at odds with what Jesus taught? No. We must therefore crucify that system’s hold over us and boldly demonstrate our allegiance to Jesus.  

Prayer

Lord, draw us to you and what you desire, even—especially—when the world goes in other directions. Give us the strength to go your way. We ask this in the name of Him who created and sustains the World, Jesus Christ.

Acts 7:54-60; Jude 17-15 and Ephesians 6:10-18--Dealing With Distortions & Attacks

As I dug into Acts 7:54-60, I was struck by its similarity to Jude 17-25. I was also struck by how both readings parallel Ephesians 6:10-18. Given that God often repeats Himself  when He communicates key precepts, it strikes me that we should spend some time looking at the directions given in all three of those scriptures. 

Initially, it is important to note all three address the same dynamic: that some will seek to distort or suppress the truths that Jesus gave us.  The broader context of Acts 7:54-60 described how the Jewish religious leaders killed a particularly effective messenger of that truth and persecuted the very early church in Jerusalem. See Acts 6:8-15; 7:54-8:3. Similar actions against the church as it spread were addressed in Ephesians 6:10-18. Jude addressed folks who attempted to thwart the church through false teaching and poor examples.  Each of those scriptures identified three ways to respond to those things.

The first is to focus on the truth God has revealed to evaluate and respond to those distortions/threats.  Acts 7:55 (NASB)  tells us that St. Stephen “gazed intently” at what the Holy Spirit had revealed. Jude 17  tells us to remember the truths revealed by the Apostles. Ephesians 6:14  tells us to make truth central to our responses to distortions/attacks. Each of those scriptures tell us to use undisputed truth as the benchmark for identifying and responding to distortions and attacks.  

The second is to pray and pray hard. Acts 7:59 and 60 tell us that St. Stephen “prayed” and “cried out” to God in the midst of the attack against him, and the underlying Greek words describe intense prayer. Jude 20 tells us to respond by “praying in the Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 6:18 similarly tells us “pray in the Spirit.”  That makes sense because we cannot adequately respond to distortions/attacks on our own. We need God’s wisdom and strength so, we must ask Him for it. 

The third is to not completely write off the individuals who make the distortions/attacks. That is implicit in today’s reading; one of those attackers was “Saul,” who later became St. Paul, one of the greatest expositors of God’s truths. See  Acts 7:58; 8:1; 8:3. Similarly, Jude 23  tells us to extend mercy to those distorting the faith despite their corruption. That is also implicit in Ephesians 6:12’s  reminder that the source of distortions and attacks is not the individuals who make them, but something behind them.

Those principles continue to be relevant today. The distortions/attacks addressed in Acts, Jude, and Ephesians have receded into history, but new ones emerge in every age. Today they include Christian nationalism, the subordination of scriptural principles to political allegiances, and the prosperity gospel.  New distortions/threats will undoubtably arise as time goes by. We will therefore be wise to keep these principles in mind 

 

Prayer

Lord, draw us ever more fully into your word because it is truth. Draw us ever more fully into ongoing conversation with you so we receive your wisdom.  Fill us with your love and mercy, even for those who distort your truth and attack your church. We ask these things in the name of the one who is truth itself—Jesus the Christ. 

 

James 1:17-18--Being First Fruits

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.” James 1:17-18 (NASB, other translations here)

This week’s readings have shown how God extends his grace to us through Jesus, and  how we should respond to His loving initiative.  Today’s reading continues that, reminding us that every “good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father[.]” It also tells us how we should respond to those “good things”—we are to be “a kind of first fruits among His creatures.” 

What does that mean? What are “first fruits” and how do we go about being such fruits? The context of James’ letter provides guidance.

James was writing to Jewish Christians who would have been familiar with the Hebrew scriptures, what we now refer to as the Old Testament. Those scriptures required farmers to sacrifice a sample of the very first of their crops.  The purpose was to show their gratitude to God and their trust that He would help them successfully bring in the rest of their crops. Leviticus 23:9-14. James’ statement that God desires us to be like “first fruits” can therefore be read as a direction that Christ followers manifest that kind of gratitude to and trust in God.  

That reading is consistent with other scripture and reflected in liturgy. Ephesians 5:20; Colossians 3:15; and 1 Thessalonians 5:18 each tell is to constantly thank God for the good things he does for us. Lutheran liturgy recognizes that it “is right to give [God] thanks and praise” and that such gratitude is “indeed right and salutary[.]” Lutheran Book of Worship, pp. 68, 88, 109.   As our  Catholic friends put it, “[i]t is truly right and just, our duty and salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Father most holy, through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ” (emphasis added).

So how do we do that? 

One way is to end each day with a review of all the good things God did for you that day. Consider the prayers He answered and how He did that. Think about what went well and God’s role in those things, even if you didn’t pray about them. Were there any things or interactions that struck you as “God things”?  Think about the good things that you would otherwise take for granted: good health, provision, safety.  Write them down and thank God for them. If you are too tired to do that at the end of the day, do it first thing the next morning. Regardless of when you do it, that discipline will help you realize how faithful God is, focus your thanksgiving, and give you peace to face whatever is coming.  It will  make you “a kind of first fruits.”

Prayer

Father, thank you for lovingly extending yourself to us. Jesus, thank you for going through all you went through on our behalf. Holy Spirit, thank you for persistently and selflessly working in, among, and through us.  Thank you, thank you, thank you. 

 

Luke 1:46-55--What Mary And Jesus Show Us About True Blessing

Two things jumped out at me from this reading (Luke 1:46-55)

First, both Mary and Jesus identify humility as a precondition to true blessing. The blessings Mary describes come to those who are “humble,” those who “fear” God, who regard themselves as His “servant,” and who are “hungry” apart from God. Luke 1:48, 50, 52. They are not available to those who are proud, who seek to control others for their own benefit, or view themselves as sufficient apart from God. Luke 1:51, 52, 53.

Jesus says the same things in his beatitudes. He tells us that the truly blessed are those who “poor,” “poor in spirit,” and “meek.”  Luke 6:20 ; Matthew 5:3; 5. The underlying Greek words (hyperlinked above) refer to folks who share the same attributes/attitudes Mary identified.  And like Mary, Jesus tells us that those blessing do not flow to those who are self-satisfied. Luke 6:24-26.

Second, prayer is an essential part of developing such humility. This is important because that level of surrender does not come naturally. Once again, Mary and Jesus provide parallel insights, this time from their examples.

Initially on this point, it is important to note that both Mary and Jesus exemplified that humility. Mary’s humility is shown by her surrendering her own life plans to do God’s will; her enduring the great difficulties involved in carrying out His will during Jesus’ gestation, birth, and early life; her continuing involvement in His ministry; standing by Him during His agony on the cross; and faithfulness after His ascension. Luke 1:26-56; 2:1-50;  Matthew 1:18-25; Matthew 2:13-23; John 2:1-5; 19:25; Acts 1:14.  Jesus likewise conformed His every action to the Father’s will and ultimately “emptied himself, taking on the form of a servant[.]” Philippians 2:7; John 4:34; 5:19; 6:38; 8:28. 

So how did they do that? After all, both were fully human and hence had the natural inclination to follow their own desires rather than God’s. How did they overcome that? 

Prayer seemed to be key. 

Luke’s Gospel tells us that Mary conversed with God (albeit through His angel) about how she was to accomplish what He was asking of her, a form of prayer. Luke 1:34-38. It also relays that she “treasured” and “pondered” what God was doing around her, which seemed to be a sort of prayer. Luke 2:19; 51. 

Jesus provides an even clearer example. Luke reports that Jesus prayed in connection with key events in His ministry, and those reports likely capture only a small portion of Jesus’ prayer life. Luke 3:21-22; 5:16; Luke 6:12-15; 9:18-21; 11:1-4.  Jesus emphasized the importance of prayer to His disciples. Mark 14:38; Luke 11:5-13; 18:1-8; 22:40.  And perhaps most relevant here, He exemplified a prayerful response to powerful temptations to deviate from the Father’s will. Matthew 26:36-44; Mark 14:32-39; Luke 22:39-44.  

Prayer

Holy Spirit, draw us to Jesus and His example of humble submission to the Father’s will. Draw us into prayer on a regular basis and especially when we are tempted to go our own way. We ask this in the name of Him who perfectly did the Father’s will, Jesus the Christ. 

 

Additional Resources

Additional scriptures considering humility are collected at Wisdom Principles: God Loves Humility and Hates Pride.  

Another meditation on today’s reading is found at What We Can Learn From Jesus' Nativity: The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-53) .

Other meditations on other aspects of Jesus’ nativity are collected at What We Can Learn from Jesus' Nativity: The Annunciation through Simeon & Anna .

Luke 1:26-38--Mary’s Grit & God’s Compassion

Two things have always struck me about this passage. One is Mary’s courage. Not only did Mary show tremendous faith in taking on the awesome task God asked of her, she handled the very stressful encounter described here with remarkable composure. The other is God’s grace in helping her through this.  Several things stand out:

 

1.  Mary is very brave. Other accounts of Gabriel’s appearances indicate that he is a terrifying creature who incites strong, sometimes debilitating, reactions.  Daniel 8:15-18, 27  and Luke 1:11-12 While Mary is “greatly troubled,” v. 29, she keeps her composure far better than the other, more mature, folks Gabriel appeared to. Maybe that’s why God chose her to be Jesus’ mother; she was going to have to go through some very tough stuff.

 

2. We should not be surprised that God selected someone as brave as Mary to be Jesus’ mother. His word consistently stresses that we need fortitude to accomplish all that He calls us to. Scriptures reflecting that are collected here.  Those scriptures, and this passage, illustrate that the path to God’s greatest blessings/works is often scary. 

 

3. God therefore helps us deal with the doubts that might undermine fortitude, doubts that naturally arise, when He calls us to challenging tasks. We see an example of that here in God providing the sign/proof about Elizabeth’s unlikely pregnancy. Luke 1:36-37. It follows a pattern we see regarding His calls:

a. God sometimes provides initial signs to build faith as the person He calls starts on the big, daunting, task God calls him to. We see that in the call of Gideon (Judges 6:11-40) and Moses (Exodus 3:7-4:17).

b. God likely does that because He knows our weakness/fears, Psalm 103:13-14, and gives us the help we need to overcome them. 1 Corinthians 10:13.

 

4. The nature of the sign God gives via Elizabeth’s pregnancy is also worth noting. It was meant as a proof of the promises He just made, but it could not immediately have had that effect because it relied on a fact Mary could not immediately verify. Its full ratifying effect could only occur later, when the existence of that fact is confirmed.  We see that pattern elsewhere in scripture; God points to a future occurrence as proof of His present declaration. See e.g.Exodus 3:11-12 and John 2:18-22. What do we make of that?

a. God recognizes and accommodates the flagging nature of our faith. He realizes that the trust that immediately results from an encounter with Him will subside over time. He also knows that the work He gives us to do will outlast that initial trust. He therefore gives us something to recall in the future to revive trust. 

b. It is reassuring because it illustrates that our initial lack of comprehension does not preclude our eventual effectiveness. Mary probably didn’t understand what God was talking about when He brought up Elizabeth’s pregnancy, but that did not stop her from fulfilling the mission God gave her. We see the same dynamic in the Disciples’ initial incomprehension of Jesus’ statements about his upcoming death and resurrection. They didn’t get it when those statements were made, See Mark 9:31-31 and Luke 24:1-8, but that didn’t stop them from ultimately getting done what God called them to. A similar dynamic is discussed at “Fear does not equal Failure and Doubt does not equal Disqualification.”

 

Prayer

Father, help us to recall Mary’s courage when you call us to difficult things or put us in unsettling situations. Please extend the same sort of graces to us that you did to Mary when we are unsettled. We ask this in the name of Mary’s Son, Jesus. 

 

This reflection was excerpted from What We Can Learn From Jesus' Nativity: The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38).   The complete version of that reflection and other meditations related to Jesus’ birth are collected at What We Can Learn from Jesus' Nativity: The Annunciation through Simeon & Anna.  

Lectionary 139: A Layman’s Take

Key:

What these passages tell us about God

What these passages tell us to do

What these passages tell us not to do

Commentary/observations

Hyperlinks to additional resources

 

IS 5:1-7                                                                                             

Let me now sing of my friend, my friend's song concerning his vineyard. My friend had a vineyard on a fertile hillside; he spaded it, cleared it of stones, and planted the choicest vines; within it he built a watchtower, and hewed out a wine press. Then he looked for the crop of grapes, but what it yielded was wild grapes.

Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard: What more was there to do for my vineyard that I had not done? Why, when I looked for the crop of grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes?

Now, I will let you know what I mean to do with my vineyard: take away its hedge, give it to grazing, break through its wall, let it be trampled! Yes, I will make it a ruin: it shall not be pruned or hoed, but overgrown with thorns and briers; I will command the clouds not to send rain upon it.

The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his cherished plant; he looked for judgment, but see, bloodshed! for justice, but hark, the outcry!

PS 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20

R. (Is 5:7a) The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
A vine from Egypt you transplanted; you drove away the nations and planted it.
It put forth its foliage to the Sea, its shoots as far as the River.

R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Why have you broken down its walls, so that every passer-by plucks its fruit,
The boar from the forest lays it waste, and the beasts of the field feed upon it?

R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Once again, O LORD of hosts, look down from heaven, and see; take care of this vine, and protect what your right hand has planted the son of man whom you yourself made strong.

R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Then we will no more withdraw from you; give us new life, and we will call upon your name. O LORD, God of hosts, restore us; if your face shine upon us, then we shall be saved.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

PHIL 4:6-9

Brothers and sisters: Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me.
Then the God of peace will be with you.

 CF. JN 15:16

I have chosen you from the world, says the Lord, to go and bear fruit that will remain.

MT 21:33-43

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: 

"Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.  Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.  But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again, he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way.  Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, 'They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.' They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?"

They answered him, "He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times." 

Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes? Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit."

1.         God wants us to bear fruit for Him. See also John 15:8.

2.        God goes to great lengths to give us what we need to bear that fruit. We see that, in extreme, in today’s gospel.

3.        The type of fruit God looks for is righteous conduct towards God and our fellow man. See generally, Wisdom Principles--True Piety;  Wisdom Principles--Caring For the Weak and Vulnerable. Actions driven by pride, anger, and focus on material wealth are weeds. See generally, Wisdom Principles--Dealing With Anger;  Wisdom Principles--God Loves Humility and Hates Pride; Wisdom Principles--Rely on God, Not Material Wealth.

5.        At some point God withdraws His grace if we do not bear the fruit He is looking for. See also John 15:6.

4.        Today’s psalm and second reading illustrate how we should respond to our rebellion/sin against God: come to Him confessing our sin and seeking His mercy. God is eager to forgive us if we truly repent. See Wisdom Principles--God Loves Us and Calls Us to Himself