The Lectionary Passages for Thursday, May 13, 2021 (The Ascension of Our Lord)

Below are NRSV translations of the lessons from Acts (Acts 1:1-11), Psalms (Psalm 47 or Psalm 93), the Letters (Ephesians 1:15-23), and the Gospels (Luke 24:44-53) Please make any comments concerning the passages you want. Together, let's discuss the Word of God.

Acts 1:1-11

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Psalm 47

Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with loud songs of joy.

For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome, a great king over all the earth.

He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet.

He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah

God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.

Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.

For God is the king of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm.

God is king over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.

The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted.

Psalm 93

The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed, he is girded with strength. He has established the world; it shall never be moved;

your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.

The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring.

More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters, more majestic than the waves of the sea, majestic on high is the Lord!

Your decrees are very sure; holiness befits your house, O Lord, forevermore.

Ephesians 1:15-23

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Luke 24:44-53

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

Sunday's Message - After Christmas Lite

Here's the message I offered during the celebration services in the First United Presbyterian Church of Brilliant, Ohio and First United Presbyterian Church of Mingo Junction, Ohio on Sunday, April 18, 2021.

Luke 24:36-48 [Contemporary English Version]

While Jesus’ disciples were talking about what had happened, Jesus appeared and greeted them. They were frightened and terrified because they thought they were seeing a ghost.

But Jesus said, “Why are you so frightened? Why do you doubt? Look at my hands and my feet and see who I am! Touch me and find out for yourselves. Ghosts don’t have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

After Jesus said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. The disciples were so glad and amazed that they could not believe it. Jesus then asked them, “Do you have something to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish. He took it and ate it as they watched.

Jesus said to them, “While I was still with you, I told you that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Books of the Prophets, and in the Psalms had to happen.”

Then he helped them understand the Scriptures. He told them:

The Scriptures say that the Messiah must suffer, then three days later he will rise from death. They also say that all people of every nation must be told in my name to turn to God, in order to be forgiven. So beginning in Jerusalem, you must tell everything that has happened.

After Christmas Lite

Now we’re a couple of weeks away from Easter and although I’d be kind of surprised if any of y’all have thought about it, Christmas was a little less than four months ago; therefore, if you haven’t done it, it may be time to take down the lights and throw away what’s left of the fruit cake. Of course, this also means that we have over seven months before we even have to start worrying about putting up decorations and cranking out holiday goodies. Talk about your good news.

And you know, when you think about it, Easter and Christmas have sort of developed an interesting relationship. For example, when it comes to importance, I think Christmas tends to beat Easter hands down, and that’s true even among Christians. My gosh, there’s no way a bunny with a basket can beat a jolly old elf with a sack on his back, right? And maybe that explains why something interesting has happened to Easter, and I’m talking about in my life-time. You see, for most our children and grandchildren, and I certainly include my daughter, as it relates to gifts, well, Easter has sort of become Christmas Lite.I mean, think about it. When you were a child, what sort of stuff did you get at Easter: chocolate bunnies and jelly beans and those wonderful peeps that come out of the package all soft and squishy and in less than a week become as tough as shoe leather or your typical steak from Ponderosa? (Do you remember Ponderosa? Gosh I’m getting old) Now that’s the kind of stuff my brother and my sister and I got, there in a basket with the vinegar-scented eggs we dyed the night before, surrounded by artificial grass. That was Easter. But now, man, that bunny brings all kinds of stuff, and I’m talking about toys and money and all that other mess we only got on our birthdays or Christmas. And I’ll tell you, because of this change, I think Easter has become a lite version of Christmas, at least as it relates to what’s given.

And I’ve got to tell you, I think that’s a real shame on a lot of levels, especially as it relates to what we receive as a result of the resurrection. As a matter of fact, if we look carefully at the passage we read this morning, I believe we can find three very definite gifts that the risen Christ offered his disciples and that he offers us right here and right now. And so, for the next ten minutes or so, we’re going to look at what these three gifts were and why they’re still important today. And like I said, all three are grounded in this story of the crucified Jesus appearing to his disciples.

For example, first, in this story, I believe Jesus offered them and offers us a tangible hope, and I’m talking about one that’s as solid and as real as a wooden cross and an empty tomb. I mean just listen to what the Evangelist Luke wrote:

While Jesus' disciples were talking about what had happened, Jesus appeared and greeted them. They were frightened and terrified because they thought they were seeing a ghost.

But Jesus said, “Why are you so frightened? Why do you doubt? Look at my hands and my feet and see who I am! Touch me and find out for yourselves. Ghosts don’t have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

After Jesus said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. The disciples were so glad and amazed that they could not believe it. Jesus then asked them, “Do you have something to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish. He took it and ate it as they watched. [Luke 24:36-43, CEV]

Now I recognize that for most of us all this seems a little odd, and I’m talking about Jesus saying that he wasn’t a ghost and all this business about him showing his hands and feet and then eating a piece of baked fish. I mean, Luke seemed to go out of his way to prove that the resurrected Jesus was really “flesh and bones.” But even though that may not be all that important to us, I’m telling you it was absolutely crucial for the Jews back in the day. You see, they believed that, although a person had both a body and a soul, those two parts couldn’t really be separated. In other words, you couldn’t have a living soul without a body anymore than you could have a living body without a soul. And for that reason, to have any genuine life-after-death, a person would need both a resurrected soul and resurrected body. And because of that, the physical resurrection of the dead was a huge deal. And I’ll tell you, I believe that’s why Luke made sure his readers knew that when Jesus was raised, he not only had a soul, he also had a physical body. And right there was the reason they could have hope. You see, since Jesus was raised, so would they. It’s like the Apostle Paul wrote:

If we preach that Christ was raised from death, how can some of you say that the dead will not be raised to life? If they won’t be raised to life, Christ himself wasn’t raised to life. And if Christ wasn’t raised to life, our message is worthless, and so is your faith. If the dead won’t be raised to life, we have told lies about God by saying that he raised Christ to life, when he really did not.

But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life. Just as we will die because of Adam, we will be raised to life because of Christ. Adam brought death to all of us, and Christ will bring life to all of us. But we must each wait our turn. Christ was the first to be raised to life, and his people will be raised to life when he returns.[1 Corinthians 15:12-15, 20-23, CEV]

You see, because of the physical resurrection of Jesus, those disciples were offered a very tangible hope. 

Something that’s every bit as true for us as it was for them. You see, to find hope, we don’t have to rely on spiritual assumptions or metaphysical ideas. No sir, like I said a minute ago, our hope can be grounded in something as solid as wooden cross and an empty tomb and as real as a man who still had nail holes in his hands and feet and who could still eat a piece of baked fish and as definitive as being in the presence of a person whom God raised from the dead but also being confident that he was the first, not the last. You see, in his appearance to his disciples, Jesus offered them and offers us a tangible hope. And that’s the first gift we can claim from this passage.

And second, he also offered them and us a very definite witness, and I’m talking about something on which we can rely when he’s gone and something that will enable us to pass on the reason he came and the life he lived and the message he taught to all those folks who live around us. And I believe Jesus pointed to that witness when he said this to the his disciples:

Jesus said to them, “While I was still with you, I told you that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Books of the Prophets, and in the Psalms had to happen.”

Then he helped them understand the Scriptures. He told them:

The Scriptures say that the Messiah must suffer, then three days later he will rise from death. [Luke 24:44-46, CEV]

In other words, he took what we call the Old Testament and showed them how it all pointed to his coming. In other words, why he came and how he lived and what he taught, man, that stuff wasn’t new at all. You see, it was actually the continuation of the old. And for that reason, people could trust it.  As a matter of fact, the Evangelist John kind of referred to this when explained the reason he wrote his gospel by saying, “Jesus worked many other miracles for his disciples, and not all of them are written in this book. But these are written so that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. If you have faith in him, you will have true life.” [John 20:30-31, CEV] You see, Jesus helped them understand by pointing them toward the story itself. 

And brothers and sisters, I’m telling you, that’s just as true for us as it was for them. You see, we don’t have to figure out the nature of God through mediation. Instead we can read the story of God’s relationship with us from moment he said “Let there be light” to that time when he’ll recreate his heaven and earth. And we can take that story, with all its narratives and poetry and lessons, and we can apply them to new situations that could have never been envisioned by those who first wrote them down. And that’s why I believe that in his appearance to his disciples, Jesus offered them and offers us a definite witness. And for me, that’s the second gift we can claim from this passage. But that’s not all.

Because third, I think he also offered them and us a clear mission. In other words, we know exactly what we’re called to do as disciples, and again it’s right here in this passage we read. I mean, remember, after proving to them that he was flesh and bone and then helping them understand scripture, Jesus said, “They also say that all people of every nation must be told in my name to turn to God, in order to be forgiven. So beginning in Jerusalem, you must tell everything that has happened.” [Luke 24:47-48, CEV] Now that what Luke wrote. And about forty days later, right before he ascended into heaven, “Jesus said to them, ‘You don’t need to know the time of those events that only the Father controls. But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.’” [Acts 1:7-8, CEV] You see, according to Jesus, their job was very clear, to tell people about him.

And guess what, I believe that’s our job too. You see, we’re also called to share the love and the mercy and the compassion of Jesus Christ to the world around us. And even though some of us can do this through the words we use, that’s really not the only way to share. Given the chance I think we can all come up with all kinds of ways to show others what following Jesus is all about and why we’ve decided to trust him with our lives. And you know, the way we choose to do that should probably be based on the abilities we’ve been given by God. It’s like what Paul wrote to the Romans: 

God has also given each of us different gifts to use. If we can prophesy, we should do it according to the amount of faith we have. If we can serve others, we should serve. If we can teach, we should teach. If we can encourage others, we should encourage them. If we can give, we should be generous. If we are leaders, we should do our best. If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully. [Romans 12:6-8, CEV]

I’m telling you, in our own way, we all can tell others about Jesus. And for me, that’s the very clear mission Jesus offered to his disciples and offers to us and the third gift that we can claim from this passage.

And you know, when you think about it, these Easter gifts may actually be more important then anything we receive at Christmas. I mean, after reading this story of his appearance to the disciples, we now know that he offers everyone who follows him a tangible hope and a definite witness and a clear mission. And so as we move away from what’s become sort of Christmas Lite, let’s all consider doing two things. First, let’s claim what he offers. And second, let’s decide that Easter can stand on it’s own.

The Lectionary Passages for Sunday, April 18, 2021 (3rd Sunday of Easter)

Below are NRSV translations of the lessons from Acts (Acts 3:12-19), Psalms (Psalm 4), the Letters (1 John 3:1-7), and the Gospels (Luke 24:36b-48) Please make any comments concerning the passages you want. Together, let's discuss the Word of God.

Acts 3:12-19

When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, “You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you. “And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out..."

Psalm 4

Answer me when I call, O God of my right! You gave me room when I was in distress. Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.

How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame? How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? Selah

But know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.

When you are disturbed, do not sin; ponder it on your beds, and be silent. Selah

Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.

There are many who say, “O that we might see some good! Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!”

You have put gladness in my heart more than when their grain and wine abound.

I will both lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.

1 John 3:1-7

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.

Luke 24:36b-48

...Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence. Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

The Presbyterian Church of Hopedale Celebration Service - Sunday, December 27, 2020

Here's a copy of the order and the podcast of the worship service I led in the Presbyterian Church of Hopedale, Ohio on Sunday, December 27, 2020. Below was our order of worship.

Announcements 

Our Call to Worship: Psalm 148

Leader: Praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights!

People: Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host!

Leader: Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!

People: Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!

Leader: Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.

People: He established them forever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

Leader: Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command!

People: Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!  Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!

Leader: Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!  Young men and women alike, old and young together!

People: Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven.

Leader: He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him.  

People: Praise the Lord!

Congregational Song

Prayer of Confession

Gracious God, we confess that we've sinned against you. We’re about to enter a new year, but instead to looking forward with hope and faith, we allow 2020 to shape our expectations and actions. As a result, we fail to claim the opportunities God has put before us. Merciful Lord, forgive us and help us trust you as we move forward.

Words of Forgiveness

Gloria Patri

Affirmation of Faith: The Apostle's Creed

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.  Amen. 

The Prayers of the People: (followed by The Lord's Prayer)

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.  Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.

Offering Our Gifts to God

Doxology

Scripture Lesson: Luke 2:22-38

Sermon: Happy New Year

Congregational Song

Charge and Blessing 

Postlude

Sunday's Message - Happy New Year

Here's the message I offered during the celebration services in the Presbyterian Church of Hopedale, Ohio on Sunday, December 27, 2020.

Luke 2:22-38

And when the day of purification, according to the law of Moses, came, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it had been written in the law of the Lord, “Every first born male is called holy to the Lord.” And they came to offer a sacrifice according to what has been said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem who’s name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and pious, as he waited for the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he might see the Christ of the Lord. And he went in the Spirit into the Temple. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus for them to do what is the custom of the law concerning him, [Simeon] took him into his arms and praised God and said, “Now you may release your slave, master, according to your word, in peace, because my eyes have seen your salvation, the one prepared before all the people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory to your people, Israel.” And his father and mother were amazed at what they heard concerning him.

And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, “Behold, he is destined for the falling and rising of many in Israel and for a sign that is spoken against. (And through your own self, a sword will pierce.) So that the thoughts of many hearts might be revealed.” 

And there was a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, from the tribe of Asher. She had lived many days, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. And she was a widow for as long as eighty-four years. She didn’t leave the Temple, fasting and praying night and day. And at that hour, she came and gave thanks to God and spoke concerning [Jesus] to those who waited for the ransom of Jerusalem.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year, well, almost. Right now we’ve got less than a week before that huge ball drops in Times Square, wearing a mask of course, and we officially enter 2021. But we’ve still got a little while to wait for that to happen, and that’s a good thing, because in these last few days we have the chance to do two things before we turn the calendar. 

For example, we have the chance to look back on 2020, and I’ve got to tell you, on a lot of levels, it’s been a year for the books. My gosh, we faced a global pandemic like nothing we’ve seen in one hundred years. And although folks are just starting to get vaccinated, as of last week, here in the United States, we’re still looking at new hospitalization of 120,000 each day and a daily death rate of about 3,000. And speaking of the United States, have we ever had political year like we just endured? Not in my memory. And just like COVID-19, it’s still going strong, with the President and his supporters saying he’d have won by a landslide without massive voter fraud while the courts, the states and even some people in his party say that the election was clean and that Joe Biden won fair and square. Yeah boy. And I’ll tell you, as an old history teacher, never in the history of the United States has the military had to say that they won’t interfere in an American election. Wow. Man alive, for the world and for our country, this has been a year like no other. 

And as we look at our own lives and families, I think the same kind of turmoil has been going on there but not so public. I mean, some of us have said good-bye to family members who’ve passed while also saying hello to some brand, new people who I think we can call cute little cuddly bundles of potential. Friends have gotten sick and others have recovered. Diagnoses have been good and not so good. We’ve seen some doors open and watched others close. And you know, on a very personal level, I certainly hope changing the calendar will change some of the fortunes of my little family. For example, as a member of the high school class of 2020, my daughter’s senior year was crazy and so was her first semester at WVU. It’s like I told her, most people won’t remember the class of 2019, because it was a lot like the class of 2018. And most people won’t remember the class of 2021, because it will probably be a lot like the class of 2022. But the class of 2020, man, no one will forget. Let’s just say 2020 has been interesting to say the least.

But of course, today isn’t just about looking in the rear view mirror. As a matter of fact, if that’s all we do, you know, to look back, I think we’re in big trouble, because let’s face it, we have absolutely no power to change the past. It’s in concrete. It’s a done deal. You see, the only thing we can do with what’s already happened is to learn from it, both good and bad, and hopefully decide to repeat the good and avoid the bad. In other words, as we stand in line for a new year and wait to move up, right now we can look forward, and we can begin to make what I guess people all over the world call new year resolutions. You see, right now, we can look at 2021 as a blank slate and what we resolve is the stuff we intend to write in the next twelve months. And even though, what we’ve gone through will shape the kind of things we might want to do, undo or redo, I think there are three resolutions we can make that might have an enormous impact on how we live during the next year. And I’ll tell you, I believe we can see these three decisions in the passage we read from Luke. You see, if we look at the examples of both Simeon and Anna and if we consider what they did and said, I believe that we might be setting ourselves up to have a pretty happy new year. And let me share with you what those things are.

You see, first, we can decide that starting today, we’re going to look for the presence of God in simple things, you know, in places that are unassuming and in events that are unimpressive and in people who are modest. In other words, we can decide that we’re going to try as hard as we can to see God in the simplicity that surrounds us. Which, when you think about it, is a lot different from what we’re encouraged to do now-a-days. I mean, let’s face it, we are not exactly living in the golden age of humility. Man, everything has to be big and bold and beautiful. That’s where we find our national leaders and the stars of sports and show business, that’s where they live. And because of that, it seems natural to look there for God too. My goodness, God must be in not just the wind and the fire but the strongest wind and the hottest fire. He’s in a raging storm that’s been stilled and five thousand people miraculously fed, you know, in unbelievable things like the heavens being torn apart and the Steelers missing the play-offs after starting 11-0. You see, that’s where God hangs out; therefore, that’s where we can expect to see him, right? 

But you know, that’s not the way Simeon saw it; and I’m talking about a man who’d waited for the consolation of Israel and to whom “the Holy Spirit [revealed] that he wouldn’t see death before he might see the Christ of the Lord.” Man, if he’d been looking for God in the huge, he’d have missed that ordinary infant born in the  sticks, to a family so poor that all they could offer God was a pair of pigeons. You see, it was in a baby where Simeon saw the promises of God. And you know, the same could be said of the prophetess Anna, who saw that same baby Jesus and gave thanks to God. They were looking for the presence of God in the simple. 

And you know, we can do the same thing ourselves. I’m telling you, we can decide to recognize that God is all around us 24/7, if we take the time to look. You see, we can see him in the sun that rises every day or in the faces of the children that are in our lives. And we can see him in those little acts of kindness and concern that we’re going to miss if we’re not really looking. And we can certainly see him in this place, in this community, in this church. You see, he’s here every time we get together and sing the songs and pray the prayers and hear the word and share in that same Holy Spirit. Remember, for Elijah, God wasn’t in the whirlwind but rather in that still, small voice. I’m telling you, just like God became flesh in the form of a baby lying in a manger, this will truly be an amazing new year if we make the decision to look for God in the simple. And that’s one.

And second, we can also decide, starting today, to praise God for sending Jesus Christ into our world, to praise him every single day for something that can kind of get lost in the shuffle and that we may even take for granted from time to time. I mean, although I think most, if not all of us here this morning believe that God entered our time and space through the person of Jesus Christ, but outside of the period around Christmas, how often do we really thank him for that? Now, like I said, I don’t think it’s because we don’t believe or because Jesus just isn’t important to us. That’s not the case, but let’s face it, we’ve got a lot things happening in our lives, don’t we? I know in my own house, it seems like we’ve got all kinds of stuff going on. Man, there’s church and preschool and college, smart phones and ipads and Netflix. It’s enough to drive you crazy. In fact, there’s just not much time to give thanks. 

And I’ll tell you, for that reason, I really think it’s important for us to read and reread what Simeon said right after he took Jesus into his arms and began to praise God. You see, just like he said, Jesus is still God’s salvation, but not just for me or for you but for all people, those whom we like and those whom we don’t, folks who follow the rules right along with those who do their own thing, men and women who are fortunate to grow up in God-fearing families and to live in comfortable Christian homes as well as those who were raised with virtually no knowledge of God and who’ve been dumped on by the some of those whom the world considers “righteous.” Man, he’s still a light to the Gentiles and a glory to Israel. It’s just like the prophet Isaiah wrote: “Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. ...Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God.” I’m telling you, if starting today, we make this our focus, I’ll guarantee we’ll be praising for the next three hundred and sixty-five days. And wouldn’t that be a wonderful new year resolution? That’s number two.

And third, if we really want to enter 2021 in the best possible way, we can also decide to recognize that we live in a world that desperately needs to hear this good news. I mean, throw a dart into a crowd; there’s a better than even chance you’re going to hit a person who feels a little bit lost. Maybe they feel lonely and isolated. Maybe they’re being crushed by abuse they didn’t choose or bound to addictions they just can’t seem to break. Or maybe they’ve simply lost their sense of direction, having joined with so many others in our society who have confused fulfillment with greed and righteousness with intolerance and faith with certainty. In other words, maybe they reflect the kind of world that Simeon saw, when he said to Mary, the mother of Jesus, “Behold, he is destined for the falling and rising of many in Israel and for a sign that is spoken against. (And through your own self, a sword will pierce.) So that the thoughts of many hearts might be revealed.” 

But you know, regardless of the reason, right now, we live in a world, man, we live in a community that’s hungry for some good news, not the burden of pseudo-religious legalism, not the empty hypocrisy that’s traded political power for eternal truth, and not the quick-fixes promised by ideas that are the spiritual equivalent of cotton candy, something that tastes good going down but that has the nutritional value of Styrofoam. Right now, people need to hear about the Father who loved the world so much that he gave his only son. And they need to hear about the son who lived and died and rose again to give us direction and forgiveness and hope. And they need to hear about the Holy Spirit who surrounds us and fills us with love and grace and faith even on our worst day. I’ll tell you, for a community of workers, and that’s exactly what we are, the harvest is ready. And if, starting on January first, we decide to hop in our combines and get to work; if this is what to do as a result of birth of Jesus, this will truly be wonderful new year. 

Well, we’re closer to the new year now than when I started; therefore, soon we’ll be able to say farewell to all the craziness of 2020 and move into all the opportunities and possibilities awaiting us in 2021. And as we stand here and look forward, we can make some decisions that’ll determine what we’ll do. And among all the other stuff can promise, we can resolve to look for God in simple things and to praise him for sending Jesus Christ into our world and to recognize that we live in a place that desperately needs to hear the good news. And if we do those things, we just might have every reason to look ahead and say happy new year.

Advent & Christmas Devotional 2020 - Day 22 | Fourth Sunday of Advent, Dec. 20

Keep the dream alive

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.” The angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.” — Luke 1:13–20

Howard Thurman wrote, “As long as man has a dream in his heart, he cannot lose the significance of living.” But what happens when the dream in our hearts — that earnest prayer — is delayed? How do you keep hope alive when days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months and months turn into years?

Zechariah knew all too well what it was like to wait. He had long hoped for a child, and it was only in his old age that God answered by sending Gabriel — the angel of Advent conception announcements — with the good news: You will have a son, and his name will be John. Zechariah was shocked and perhaps a bit skeptical. But we know how the story goes. Elizabeth delivers John, who would later emerge from the wilderness with a message to prepare the way of the Lord.

Many years ago, I held on to a dream of having a child. I held on even after my boyfriend, whom I thought would become my husband, was killed in a jeep accident in Africa. I was in my early 30s — still time to find and meet someone to start a family with. I held on to the dream, and I prayed. Each birthday, though, gifted me a sense of growing hopelessness. There were many dark nights of my soul as I cried to God, wondering why this was not to be for me.

God, though, was answering in the most amazing way. When I finally married in my 40s, I saw just how God answered my desire for children. My bridal party had 17 flower girls: children from the rural community I was serving as a pastor. In addition to the flower girls, there were the boys who served as ushers. There were many more children who came together to form a choir that sang during the ceremony. They might not have been my biological children, but they were indeed mine, given to me by God to be part of their lives and tell them the story of a God who hears our cries, no matter how long it seems we are waiting.

Thurman urged all to “keep the dream alive.” Yes, keep it alive because we are never too old for dreams to be answered.

Pray

Ever-listening God, I surrender the dreams I hold in my heart, dreams that are new and dreams that have been way overdue in coming true. Grant me a sense of peace as I wait to see how you will answer me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Go deeper

Name a dream that was answered in an unexpected way. What was it? Who was involved? How did you feel? And, more importantly, how can you see God’s hand in it now?

We Light the Advent Candles - Four candles burning brightly announce that Christ has come...

For the last ten years, we've sung all or part of "We Light the Advent Candles" during our Advent worship services. You see, as we go through the four weeks, we sing the verses sung during the prior weeks, and we add a new verse recognizing the candles that have been and are being lit on that particular Sunday. During this Advent season, we're going to focus on the meaning of each verse, as expressed in the song. 

The last message dealt with "Four candles burning brightly announce that Christ has come..."

Well, we’re almost there. We’ve made the final turn and we’re heading down the home stretch. In other words, Christmas will be here in just three days. And I’ll tell you, when I get to this point, as I have 63 times, I tend to feel the same sort of way, and it’s really not what I would have expected two weeks before. Now I recognize that I’m only talking for myself and my experiences may be radically different from what y’all are feeling right now. But when I get to these last few days, I sort of feel this weird sense of calm, something I can guarantee wasn’t there at the beginning of December. As a matter of fact, it’s like this uncomplicated and uncluttered, almost child-like view of Christmas, with all it’s simplicity and innocence and wonder.

Of course, like I said that wasn’t the case a few weeks ago. I mean, back then, all the stuff that needed to get done was overwhelming. Good night nurse, I had to get the tree assembled and haul all the decorations up from the basement and down from the attic. And even though these last few years, I’ve done my shopping online, I still had to do go on the sites and buy the stuff, another source of stress. And as to my life around the church, trust me, Advent isn’t exactly a relaxing time. Let’s just say, as we entered December, with all the decorating and purchasing and activities, my stress level was hovering between orange and red. But I can’t say that’s unusual. The same thing has happened every year, starting right after Thanksgiving.

But I’ve got to tell you, right now, I’m feeling a real sense of peace. You see, in the last week before Christmas, my stress and anxiety tends to tank, which is a good thing. And the reason, well, I don’t think it’s exactly rocket science. I mean, let’s face it, when I get to this point, the stuff that’s still in the basement and attic will probably stay there for another year. And as to gifts, I’ve either bought them or come up with a good excuse for why they’re late. And right now, all I have to do is to finish preaching this sermon that I’ve already written and do a traditional candle light service I’ve done before (that’s a no-brainer), because we all know that Christmas Eve isn’t the time to innovate, certainly not in a Presbyterian church. And if you don’t believe me, let me just tell you about a colleague of mine who decided to change his whole approach to the night before Christmas and found himself not only alone on Christmas Eve but called a Grinch by his congregation. No, by the time I get to this point in the Advent season, I really do feel this genuine sense of peace.

And that’s probably a good thing, because this morning we’re going to talk about the last verse of the song we’ve sung as we’ve lit the Advent candles. I mean, after singing “We light the Advent candles against the winter night, to welcome our Lord Jesus who is the world's True Light,” on the first Sunday in Advent, we sang, “The first one will remind us that Christ will soon return. We light it in the darkness and watch if gleam and burn,” and with that in mind, we talked about the second coming of Jesus. And on the next Sunday, we added, “We light the second candle, and hear God's holy Word, it tells us, cling to Jesus, prepare to meet your Lord,” and during that service we focused on how the Old Testament pointed to the coming of the Messiah, the Christ. And then last Sunday, we added, “Three candles now are gleaming and show us the true way, rejoice, the Baptist cries out, your Lord has come today,” and we looked at how John the Baptist can still help us to prepare to celebrate the advent of Jesus. Now that’s what we’ve done. And this morning, as the fourth candle was lit, we sang, “Four candles burning brightly announce that Christ has come, prepare, my heart, believe it, and give the Christ child room.” Now that’s what we sang. And because of that, we’re going to focus on the peace that surrounded the birth of Jesus, and we’re going to talk about this idea, that we can best understand the coming of Christ when we take a step back and appreciate its almost childlike simplicity.

And I’ll tell you, when you think about it, peace and simplicity is really what the birth of Jesus was all about, especially when you read how it’s described in the Gospel of Luke. For example, just consider the birth itself. This is what Luke wrote: “About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books. These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed. So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David’s hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David’s family. Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, and while they were there, she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.” [Luke 2:1-7, CEV] Now that’s what Luke wrote. And I don’t know about y’all, but this doesn’t seem all that impressive, you know in a CGI sort of way. I mean, where are the laser beams and explosions and special effects? And where are all the animals that just started talking in a Hanna-Barbera kind of way? And my gosh, where’s that beam that sort of shot right through the roof of the barn spotlighting that cute, chubbie, white baby (I mean, he certainly doesn’t look Jewish), a kid who was at least a couple months old lying in the manger there with his mother looking amazing given the fact that she’d just given birth? I can tell you, Debbie didn’t look like that right after Maggie was born, and she was in a hospital, not a stable. No, when you get right down to it, as described by Luke, this is a pretty unimpressive birth.

And I think we can say the same sort of thing about first people who came to see Jesus. Again, according to Luke: “That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep. All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord’s glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened. But the angel said, ‘Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. This very day in King David’s hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay.’ Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God. They said: ‘Praise God in heaven! Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God.’  After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.’ They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay. When the shepherds saw Jesus, they told his parents what the angel had said about him. Everyone listened and was surprised. But Mary kept thinking about all this and wondering what it meant. As the shepherds returned to their sheep, they were praising God and saying wonderful things about him. Everything they had seen and heard was just as the angel had said.” [Luke 2:8-20, CEV] Now I know this part of the story is pretty impressive, with flashing angels and a heavenly choir and all. Let’s get real, that’s impressive. But the guys who heard this just weren’t, were they? They were shepherds for crying out loud. And do you have any idea where shepherds stood on the ladder of success in ancient Judea? Well, not on the bottom rung, that was reserved for children and women and foreigners. But right above them were the shepherds. Let’s just say, the only parents who hoped their boys would grow up to be shepherds were shepherds. And yet it was to these rough men that the announcement came. And they were the ones who were the first to see Jesus. And after seeing him, they returned to their flocks and were never heard from again. I mean, if the birth was unimpressive, the ones to whom it was announced, man, they were mega unimportant.

And yet, I believe this is extremely important for us to remember as we make our final approach to our celebration Christmas. For example, because his birth was so unimpressive, that reminds us that Jesus really was and is one of us. You see, he wasn’t some kind of star child beamed down to earth. He didn’t spring from the head of Zeus like Athena nor was his birth the result of an elaborate game between the gods like Hercules. No, the birth of Christ just wasn’t dramatic at all. And I’ll tell you, that’s really a good thing, at least for us. You see, we don’t need to be superior to follow his example. And we don’t need to be god-like be his disciples. And we sure don’t need to be perfect to be considered one of his brothers and sisters. Instead we can be who we actually are, men and women who are made of flesh and blood but also animated and inspired by God’s spirit, human beings who are collections of a whole bunch of stuff that’s positive and negative, a race of folks who are both sugar and spice and everything nice as well as snips and snails and puppy dog tails. You see, because Jesus was a real person like us, we can find direction in his life and freedom in his death and genuine hope in his resurrection. You see, his birth reminds us that Jesus really was like one of us.

And since the first folks called to see him were a pretty motley bunch, well, that can remind us that he really did come to call other motley people, you know, people like us. You see, his message was never intended for just the high and mighty or those who are important or even self-important. Rather, he came to be the savior for folks on every rung on the socio-economic ladder, with particular focus on the guys and gals near the bottom, because they may have a greater need to feel secure than those at the top. And I’ll tell you why I believe that’s so important for us to recognize and to accept right here and right now. Since shepherds were the first to the manger, our relationship with him isn’t about who we are or even who we expect to be. And it isn’t about the work we’ve done or even the work we may have promised to do. And it’s sure not about what we’ve achieved or even what we believe we’re capable of achieving sometime in the future. As a matter of fact, when it comes to our relationship with Christ, it really doesn’t start with us at all. It all begins with him, who he is and what he’s done for us. Therefore, all we can really do is to trust and believe, you know, to trust in his work and to believe in his promises. You see, it really is good news that some pretty unimportant people were the first to come, because that can actually give us hope that we’ll be included too.

And so there it is, the birth of Jesus. And now, as we move into the last few days before Christmas and our pace settles into something less hectic and more peaceful, maybe we’ll be able to appreciate the simplicity of the whole story and remember that, based on his birth, Jesus really was like us and thanks to those who were first invited to come, we can believe that we’re invited too. And I’ll tell you, that really is good news, something that we can understand when we claim the simplicity and the innocence and the wonder that children can feel this time of year. Because let’s face it, when it comes to Christmas, “Truly wonderful the mind of a child is.”

A New Devotion - In the Image of God

Here's a new devotion that I wrote. You can find a recording of this devotion at the bottom of the page.

Luke 20:19-26

When the scribes and chief priests realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to lay hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people.

So they watched him and sent spies who pretended to be honest, in order to trap him by what he said, so as to hand him over to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor. So they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and you show deference to no one, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" But he perceived their craftiness and said to them, "Show me a denarius. Whose head and whose title does it bear?" They said, "The emperor's." He said to them, "Then give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were not able in the presence of the people to trap him by what he said; and being amazed by his answer, they became silent.

In the Image of God

Historically, we Americans have always valued our independence, and that’s the case even when it’s not in our personal interest to do so. I mean, in one way or another, we’ve been shaped by rugged individualism: the pioneer moving across country, the biker hitting Route 66, the person from the mail room who winds up owning the company. We like to see ourselves standing strong, captains of our own fate and masters of our own destinies. 

Of course, there’s a couple problems with this vision. First, most people who stand alone, die alone. And I think we all know that, when trying to solve a problem, two heads really are better than one. In other words, friends and family can take some sting out of a difficult job. That’s one problem.

But the second issue may be more important. If we believe Jesus Christ, our individual independence is a myth, and we owe the one who owns us. And that’s the point of the illustration he gave. I mean, just like we should be paying our taxes because our currency bears the image of American leaders, we owe God ourselves, our heads and hands and hearts, because we bear his image. You see, whether or not we acknowledge it, we really do belong to God, therefore, we have a responsibility to live the kind of lives God has called and equipped us to live, lives that reflect love for him and for one another.

A New Devotion - The Lesser of Two Evils

Here's a new devotion that I wrote. You can find a recording of this devotion at the bottom of the page.

Luke 13:22-30

Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then in reply he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out. Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God. Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."

The Lesser of Two Evils

In the United States, we had our presidential election a couple of days ago. And when I asked a friend of mine about the factors that shaped his vote, he told me that he voted for the lesser of two evils. Now that’s what he said. And even though I have all kinds of problems with that being your guiding principle in making an important decision, his response got me thinking. You see, I started wondering how often those words apply to our aspirations as people, even Christians. I mean, although we’d never admit it out-loud, I think we often strive to be the lesser of two evils. In other words, our goal is to be not as bad as those other guys. And so instead of working to be humble, honest and loving, we’re satisfied with being less arrogant and telling fewer lies and being a little less callous in dealing with others. You see, although we’re probably not good and righteous, we certainly not the worst. We’re simply the lesser of two evils. Now I believe that’s often how we think.

But this mind-set flies in the face of what Jesus taught in the passage we just read. I mean, he didn’t say strive to go through a door that’s not as board as the one some pass through. Instead he commanded us to seek out the narrow door. And instead of equating acceptable humility with elbowing our way to the second spot, Jesus told us to go to the end of the line intentionally, because the last will be first and the first last. As a matter of fact, if we want to be able to look into the future with peace and confidence, we need to accept that our Lord and Savior expects us to be better than the lesser of two evils.

A New Devotion - Us and Ours

Here's a new devotion that I wrote. You can find a recording of this devotion at the bottom of the page.

Luke 11:1-13

He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial."

And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' And he answers from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

"So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Us and Ours

About 90 minutes ago, I officiated a wedding at one of the overlooks in Pittsburgh. And even though it was a lot chiller than it was yesterday, since Notre Dame is playing Pitt in just a little while, the Goodyear Blimp was overhead and that was pretty cool (no pun intended) Anyway, during the service, right before they made their vows, I said the same thing I say in nearly every wedding I do. I had them look one another in their eyes and said to them, “I want you to remember this moment, because y’all are about to make your vows in the sight of God. And at that moment, everything is going to change. No longer will you be looking at the future as ‘me’ and ‘mine,’ ‘you’ and ‘yours.’ From that point onward, it’ll be ‘us’ and ‘ours.’” Now that’s what I said. And this is the reason: I believe those vows are the terms to a new covenant that’s being established. And once that covenant has been made, “the two will become one” and “what God has jointed together, let no one separate.”

And you know, based on what Jesus taught in the passage we just read, I think the same kind of thing applies to prayer. You see, Jesus didn’t teach me to pray for myself or for you or for them. Instead, I’m to pray for us:  for our daily bread, for the forgiveness of our sins and for God not to bring us to the time of testing. In other words, when I pray, I’m accepting that a covenant exists between myself, you and them. We have become one; we’ve become us. In other words, there’s a connection that exists between me and everyone else. And for that reason, for me to pray effectively, I really need to recognize those needs that exist beyond myself and my little circle of friends.

A New Devotion - Consequences

 Here's a new devotion that I wrote. You can find a recording of this devotion at the bottom of the page.

Luke 9:18-27

Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" They answered, "John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "The Messiah of God."

He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, saying, "The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised."

Then he said to them all, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God."

Consequences

In a few weeks, Americans will be selecting a president, but that’s 19 days away. Right now, both President Trump and Vice President Biden are trying to make the case for why we should vote for them. Sadly, I think there have been far too many attacks, at least when compared to any positive reasons to support either one. Of course, in spite of this, there have still been promises made, each of which, if implemented, will have certain consequences. For example, earlier today, I heard that the President wants to cut the corporate tax rate to 20%. Now it’s important to note that the rate was cut from 35% to 21% in 2017. And so what are the consequences of additional 1%? Well, on one hand, the President hopes that this cut will spur businesses to expand and reduce unemployment. On the other hand, right now, the national debt is almost $27 trillion dollars, and another cut in tax revenue will only increase that number. You see, statements carry consequences.

And that certainly includes statements of faith. There are consequences to saying that Jesus Christ is Lord. And that’s something that’s pretty clear in the passage we read. You see, I don’t think it’s an accident that right after Peter makes his declaration, Jesus immediate starts talking about his own suffering but also the consequences of making that kind of confession: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.” In other words, anyone who expects their lives to get easier after recognizing that Jesus is Lord just hasn’t read the book. You see, on one hand, life will become more challenging for those who live the faith they claim. But on the other hand, those same folks who willingly sacrifice so much, they’ll have the knowledge that when the Son of Man returns, they’ll hear their Lord say, “Welcome, good and faithful servant.” And even though the downside is self-denial and service, that’s one consequence that gives me a lot of hope and peace.