)
Hebrews 11:30-31
By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When the walls come tumblin' down
When the walls come crumblin' crumblin'
When the walls come tumblin' tumblin' down
"Crumblin' Down" by John Mellencamp
What can be done by faith? There's the old gospel song, "Faith Can Move Mountains." Hebrews 11:1 reminds us "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." In short, faith isn't about us. Faith is about what happens around us.
Joshua had to have faith that the walls would come tumblin' down. Sound is powerful, but city walls were built to turn armies away, much less a bunch of priests with horns!
Rahab was promised that by hiding the Israelite spies she would be spared when the invasion began. By faith she believed that promise. It's easy to imagine that someone in the army might not get the memo and slaughter her family though. By faith, God protected her family.
It is by their faith that they have confidence in the salvation promised by God Almighty. They are saved by God's grace through faith. When all seemed unlikely from a human point of view, God makes good on promises, on covenant made with Joshua, Rahab, and with us.
With a mighty leader, with a prostitute, God keeps promises. If you have ever wondered if God's promises are for you, know this is true. Have faith and and the promise of life in God true.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Friday, March 7, 2014
Guilt Offerings
)
Leviticus 5:14-15
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: When any of you commit a trespass and sin unintentionally in any of the holy things of the LORD, you shall bring, as your guilt offering to the LORD, a ram without blemish from the flock, convertible into silver by the sanctuary shekel; it is a guilt offering.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you feel that it's real I'm on trial
And I'm here in your prison
Like a coin in your mint
I am dented and I'm spent with high treason
"Take Me to the Pilot" by Elton John
Dented and spent with high treason, let's face it, Elton's music is beautiful but the lyrics of Bernie Taupin take us to places we would have never gone. Dented and spent with high treason, our punishment could just as easily be "a guilt offering to the LORD, a ram without blemish from the flock, convertible into silver by the sanctuary shekel." If you're guilty then that's a guilt offering.
What's special about the guilt offering is that it is made on behalf of the sinner when the sin is unintentional. How's that for the truth about sin, it doesn't have to be intentional. "Whoops, I didn't mean to do that, can I get a do-over?" is not an acceptable offering.
Sin hurts others. Even when we don't mean it, sin hurts others. Just as bad, it hurts us too. It is up to us to make an offering to be absolved. These days my neighbor doesn't want a ram without blemish from my flock. Their back yard is only so big and it would freak out the dog.
No, instead we have to confess, first to God and then to those whom we have sinned against. No, it wasn't intentional, but it was still harmful. We didn't mean to do it, but we did it. If we think that puts us on trial, then yes, it's real I'm on trial.
Beside God, none of us are innocent, that too is the nature of sin. In Christ, we are not flawless, but we are forgiven. So take me, pilot of my soul.
Leviticus 5:14-15
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: When any of you commit a trespass and sin unintentionally in any of the holy things of the LORD, you shall bring, as your guilt offering to the LORD, a ram without blemish from the flock, convertible into silver by the sanctuary shekel; it is a guilt offering.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you feel that it's real I'm on trial
And I'm here in your prison
Like a coin in your mint
I am dented and I'm spent with high treason
"Take Me to the Pilot" by Elton John
Dented and spent with high treason, let's face it, Elton's music is beautiful but the lyrics of Bernie Taupin take us to places we would have never gone. Dented and spent with high treason, our punishment could just as easily be "a guilt offering to the LORD, a ram without blemish from the flock, convertible into silver by the sanctuary shekel." If you're guilty then that's a guilt offering.
What's special about the guilt offering is that it is made on behalf of the sinner when the sin is unintentional. How's that for the truth about sin, it doesn't have to be intentional. "Whoops, I didn't mean to do that, can I get a do-over?" is not an acceptable offering.
Sin hurts others. Even when we don't mean it, sin hurts others. Just as bad, it hurts us too. It is up to us to make an offering to be absolved. These days my neighbor doesn't want a ram without blemish from my flock. Their back yard is only so big and it would freak out the dog.
No, instead we have to confess, first to God and then to those whom we have sinned against. No, it wasn't intentional, but it was still harmful. We didn't mean to do it, but we did it. If we think that puts us on trial, then yes, it's real I'm on trial.
Beside God, none of us are innocent, that too is the nature of sin. In Christ, we are not flawless, but we are forgiven. So take me, pilot of my soul.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Looking and Seeing
)
Acts 9:3-8
Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every time I look at you
I go blind.
"I Go Blind" written and performed by 54-40 from the album by the same nam. (The Hootie and the Blowfish version was recorded ten years later.)
In Scripture blindness was a special kind of affliction. It wasn't treated as a physical ailment, it was considered a spiritual illness, an indication of sin.
Samson's life proved this. Even though a powerful judge of Israel, he was not attentive to his Nazirite vows. When he was taken by the Philistines one of the things they did to him was to blind him.
When Jesus and his disciples came upon the man who was born blind, they asked who sinned to cause his blindness.
Saul of Tarsus persecuted the Church of Jesus Christ, for this he was blinded until the Lord lifted his blindness.
Blindness, in the case of two of Samson and Saul was a result of sin. Samson and Saul were filled with pride. Samson carried his fair share of vanity to boot. But because of their blindness, because they recognized the sin in their lives through their blindness, they sought the Lord in new ways. Their new faith in the steadfast God brought them to a new relationship with the Lord. They both approached the Lord in contrition and obedience. They did what they were called to do. They fulfilled their vocation.
It can be pointed out that their obedience led to their violent deaths. Samson died at the destruction of the Philistine temple which he brought down on all who attended the party held to shame him. Paul's death is not reported in scripture or history, but he was presumed to be beheaded at the hands of Nero in the mid first century. Yet, they both met their fates with their faith fully known. They met their faith fulfilling their missions on earth.
The Lord is never a fan of sin, but the Lord can use us even in our sin to accomplished the work of the kingdom. That's powerful.
As for the man born blind, it was the Lord who opened his eyes, which cost him his spot in the temple and in the community. His blindness was not the result of sin, yet to accept vision and the Lord cost him all that he had.
We have blind spots in our lives too. Some are the result of our sins, some aren't. But it is up to us to seek and find the blindness in our lives which are like Paul's and the which are like the man Jesus healed. Our Lord is the only one who can give us the answers to those questions, and our Lord is the only one who can heal us from that blindness too. Otherwise we are like Samson and die blind.
Acts 9:3-8
Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every time I look at you
I go blind.
"I Go Blind" written and performed by 54-40 from the album by the same nam. (The Hootie and the Blowfish version was recorded ten years later.)
In Scripture blindness was a special kind of affliction. It wasn't treated as a physical ailment, it was considered a spiritual illness, an indication of sin.
Samson's life proved this. Even though a powerful judge of Israel, he was not attentive to his Nazirite vows. When he was taken by the Philistines one of the things they did to him was to blind him.
When Jesus and his disciples came upon the man who was born blind, they asked who sinned to cause his blindness.
Saul of Tarsus persecuted the Church of Jesus Christ, for this he was blinded until the Lord lifted his blindness.
Blindness, in the case of two of Samson and Saul was a result of sin. Samson and Saul were filled with pride. Samson carried his fair share of vanity to boot. But because of their blindness, because they recognized the sin in their lives through their blindness, they sought the Lord in new ways. Their new faith in the steadfast God brought them to a new relationship with the Lord. They both approached the Lord in contrition and obedience. They did what they were called to do. They fulfilled their vocation.
It can be pointed out that their obedience led to their violent deaths. Samson died at the destruction of the Philistine temple which he brought down on all who attended the party held to shame him. Paul's death is not reported in scripture or history, but he was presumed to be beheaded at the hands of Nero in the mid first century. Yet, they both met their fates with their faith fully known. They met their faith fulfilling their missions on earth.
The Lord is never a fan of sin, but the Lord can use us even in our sin to accomplished the work of the kingdom. That's powerful.
As for the man born blind, it was the Lord who opened his eyes, which cost him his spot in the temple and in the community. His blindness was not the result of sin, yet to accept vision and the Lord cost him all that he had.
We have blind spots in our lives too. Some are the result of our sins, some aren't. But it is up to us to seek and find the blindness in our lives which are like Paul's and the which are like the man Jesus healed. Our Lord is the only one who can give us the answers to those questions, and our Lord is the only one who can heal us from that blindness too. Otherwise we are like Samson and die blind.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Car Ride
)
Exodus 12:31 (NRSV)
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron in the night, and said, “Rise up, go away from my people, both you and the Israelites! Go, worship the LORD, as you said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She says, let's go
"Let's Go" written by Rick Ocasek and recorded by The Cars from "Candy-O" (1979)
There are very few commands that are as easy to discern as "Get out." There are even fewer responses more apt than "Let's go."
Ever have to wait for an airplane to take off? It's considered an on-time departure if the plane rolls away from the gate at the assigned time, and if it stays on the tarmac for hours, it's still an on-time departure. Waiting becomes a way of life on the tarmac.
Perhaps the greatest trial of the Exodus was how long it took before Pharaoh let the Israelites go. There were the pleas and the plagues. Exodus devotes six chapters of text to the trial Pharaoh put the Israelites through--and the plagues God put the Egyptians through--before the command to be gone was given. Even then, they were hardly ready.
It was said that the people had to leave with kneading bowls wrapped on their shoulders because the dough had yet to rise for bread.The people ate the Passover meal with their staffs in their hands, their sandals on their feet, and their robes girded about their loins. They ate hurriedly and left nothing. They knew they had to get going, they just didn't know when departure time was.
During the Passover, the nation had been rolled away from the gate, but they were still in line on the runway for takeoff. Then they were cleared by the tower for take off, they heard those words, “Rise up, go away from my people."
So don't just get ready, be ready. Lent is about to begin, the time is coming, and we need to be ready.
Exodus 12:31 (NRSV)
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron in the night, and said, “Rise up, go away from my people, both you and the Israelites! Go, worship the LORD, as you said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She says, let's go
"Let's Go" written by Rick Ocasek and recorded by The Cars from "Candy-O" (1979)
There are very few commands that are as easy to discern as "Get out." There are even fewer responses more apt than "Let's go."
Ever have to wait for an airplane to take off? It's considered an on-time departure if the plane rolls away from the gate at the assigned time, and if it stays on the tarmac for hours, it's still an on-time departure. Waiting becomes a way of life on the tarmac.
Perhaps the greatest trial of the Exodus was how long it took before Pharaoh let the Israelites go. There were the pleas and the plagues. Exodus devotes six chapters of text to the trial Pharaoh put the Israelites through--and the plagues God put the Egyptians through--before the command to be gone was given. Even then, they were hardly ready.
It was said that the people had to leave with kneading bowls wrapped on their shoulders because the dough had yet to rise for bread.The people ate the Passover meal with their staffs in their hands, their sandals on their feet, and their robes girded about their loins. They ate hurriedly and left nothing. They knew they had to get going, they just didn't know when departure time was.
During the Passover, the nation had been rolled away from the gate, but they were still in line on the runway for takeoff. Then they were cleared by the tower for take off, they heard those words, “Rise up, go away from my people."
So don't just get ready, be ready. Lent is about to begin, the time is coming, and we need to be ready.
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Love at First Sight
)
Genesis 29:10-12
Now when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, and the sheep of his mother’s brother Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of his mother’s brother Laban. Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept aloud. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well you've heard about love givin' sight to the blind
My baby's lovin' cause the sun to shine
She's my sweet little thing, she's my pride and joy
She's my sweet little baby, I'm her little lover boy
"Pride and Joy" by Stevie Ray Vaughn
Ah Jacob, the mama's boy. Let's face it, scripture shows us Esau was his father's favorite. Esau was the outdoorsy hunter guy and Jacob was sort of a wimpy kid. Still, it was Jacob who bullied Esau in the end, and it was that bullying that forced Jacob to flee from his father's home. It was also time to seek a wife, so here's Jacob killing two birds with one stone.
When he saw Rachel he was in love, it was love at first sight. In Mario Puzo's "The Godfather" they say Michael got struck by a lightning bolt when he first saw the young and beautiful Apollonia. That's one way to describe it. Love at first sight and bam, lightning bolt.
Like a lightning bolt, it changed his life. He saw here and knew that he wanted to be with her forever. For Jacob, she made the sun shine. He knew he would love her forever.
Psychologists say love at first sight is not necessarily permanent. It's as easy to fall our of love at next sight as it is to fall in love at first. But that's not a good story, not in this case. Who was your first love? Who is your last love?
God wants to be our first love, with all others coming in behind. We are called to love Jesus, and by his love we will be able to love others more and better. By his love, all that we have and all that we give are multiplied far, far above whatever we can do without him.
So love God, because it is the Lord who makes the Son to shine.
Genesis 29:10-12
Now when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, and the sheep of his mother’s brother Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of his mother’s brother Laban. Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept aloud. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well you've heard about love givin' sight to the blind
My baby's lovin' cause the sun to shine
She's my sweet little thing, she's my pride and joy
She's my sweet little baby, I'm her little lover boy
"Pride and Joy" by Stevie Ray Vaughn
Ah Jacob, the mama's boy. Let's face it, scripture shows us Esau was his father's favorite. Esau was the outdoorsy hunter guy and Jacob was sort of a wimpy kid. Still, it was Jacob who bullied Esau in the end, and it was that bullying that forced Jacob to flee from his father's home. It was also time to seek a wife, so here's Jacob killing two birds with one stone.
When he saw Rachel he was in love, it was love at first sight. In Mario Puzo's "The Godfather" they say Michael got struck by a lightning bolt when he first saw the young and beautiful Apollonia. That's one way to describe it. Love at first sight and bam, lightning bolt.
Like a lightning bolt, it changed his life. He saw here and knew that he wanted to be with her forever. For Jacob, she made the sun shine. He knew he would love her forever.
Psychologists say love at first sight is not necessarily permanent. It's as easy to fall our of love at next sight as it is to fall in love at first. But that's not a good story, not in this case. Who was your first love? Who is your last love?
God wants to be our first love, with all others coming in behind. We are called to love Jesus, and by his love we will be able to love others more and better. By his love, all that we have and all that we give are multiplied far, far above whatever we can do without him.
So love God, because it is the Lord who makes the Son to shine.
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