The Righteous In Christ Shall Flourish

Those who trust in their riches will wither, but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.  Proverbs 11:28

Who are these who will flourish like green leaves? According to the proverbs it the righteous who shall flourish. The problem with that is that none of us can be found righteous by our own merit; our own good deeds. Paul wrote to the Romans (3:9-10): What then? Are we any better off? No, not at all; for we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin, as it is written: “There is no one who is righteous, not even one..."

But, God provided us a way to be found righteous in His sight. He sent His only begotten Son to die for us; for our sins; upon the cross. This was for all people.

We are not found righteous by the works of our own hands; but, by faith in the one who died for us. Thanks be to God we are found righteous because of Jesus' work on the cross and will flourish in the Kingdom of God, now and forever.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Revelation 2:8-11 Synagogue of Satan

Revelation 2:8-11 NIV
There were "fake" Jews in the church in Smyrna even as there are "fake" Christians in the church today. In John's vision, Jesus warned the church in Smyrna about them. There were some within the church who said they were  Jews; but, were not. They belonged to the synagogue of Satan. Oh, no, they probably did not worship Satan outright. Simply "pretending" to worship God makes them followers of Satan. Either you are for Jesus or you are not. There is no in between.

Be aware of those who say they are Christian and are not. They will slander the name of Jesus and all who follow in his way. They will cause much dissension and make every attempt to distract the faithful from proclaiming the gospel. But, they will not prevail.

Even though we are persecuted for his name's sake, we have assurance that all who are faithful, even to the point of death, will be victorious and not suffer at all by the second death.

May God grant that we will always be faithful to Him.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Acts 24 Truth

Acts 24
Have you ever been in the position where no matter what you say to defend yourself; what you believe or what you have done, you continued to be attacked? It seems that there will always be those who just always have to be right and refuse to hear the truth. They refuse to accept the truth and they will go to all lengths to persecute those who desire to speak the truth. Jesus was not found guilty; but, he was crucified. Paul is tried over and over again. He has not been found guilty; but, his accusers are always ready to accuse him in their attempts to be rid of him. Paul, an innocent man, spends an inordinate amount of time under guard as the Jews continue to attempt to discredit him.

Paul is locked up and one would suppose that this would keep him from speaking the truth about the resurrection through Jesus. At least, that's what the Jews want; for the truth to be silenced. But, no, it does not have that effect. In fact, the bondage enables him to testify over and over again to the truth. There are still jailers and judges as well as the Jews, themselves, who accuse him who must listen over and over again to the truth of Jesus the Messiah.

I know I'm repeating this; but, let me say it again.... God knows what He's doing. He has a plan. Speak the truth. Testify to His goodness through Jesus Christ. Do not be afraid. He is with you now and always and works all things for the good of those who love Him according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

May God grant us the strength and the courage to speak the truth in love, always, for His glory.

God's Peace - Pr.

Acts 23:12-35 Oaths

Acts 23:12-35 NIV
Wow! What a good example to not go making vows that you're not going to be able to keep!

Some Jews formed a conspiracy to have Paul killed. They vowed not to eat or drink until he was dead. Their plot was thwarted by the Roman guard as Paul was transferred to Caesarea to protect him. A few years actually transpired from the day they made these oaths until Paul's death. Although, I cannot see where scripture says they broke this oath; I have a strong feeling that they broke it not too long after they made it.

God had plans for Paul. Even as a prisoner, he would continue to share the Good News with others. No one can know all the plans of God. It is really not in our best interest to make oaths that are contrary to His will.

"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matt 5:33-37)

May God help each of us to refrain from making oaths or promises that we will not be able to keep. May He guide us so that we refrain from persecuting those whom He has called and sent. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Acts 21:17-36 Saved By Grace Through Faith

Acts 21:17-36 NIV
They all claim to serve the same God, the one true God. Yet, there is an uprising against Paul in the city. The Jews are pretty excited about what Paul has been doing among the gentiles. The words that come through him have turned the gentiles to the worship of God. Yet, the Jews are zealous for the law. They are so zealous that they are not at all happy in their perception that Paul undermines the law.

Christians, beware that you do not follow in the footsteps of those Jews who persecuted Paul. The law does not save. It is only by God's grace through faith that we are saved. Be careful not to become a stumbling block to others by insisting that they do or don't follow certain rituals or traditions attributed to the law. There is only one God. May God open our eyes and hearts to His great love for us so that we might in unity love and serve Him as well as all of His children.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Acts 16:11-15 Down To The River To Pray

Acts 16:11-15 NIV

I have always had a very strong inner desire (maybe need) to be near water. I spent most of my married life, until a few years ago, looking for a little piece of land on the water that we could actually afford. But, I finally found it. It is a very small piece, indeed, on a river at the head of a bay. It took a bit to convince my husband that we should purchase it. He doesn't appear to have the same desire to live near what as I have. He referred to it for a long time as the swamp. We purchased it for a get-away camp and ended up living in it. It is small; but, it is ours. I drive down the tree-lined driveway and thank God for giving it to us. Here, I am able to know peace. It is my place of retreat. Here near the water, I have my place of prayer.

When Paul and his fellow missionaries arrived in Philippi, a city with very few Jews, they knew where to look for the local prayer meeting. They headed down to the water to look for the Jews who would be gathered there to pray.

In Jesus' day thee needed to be ten men in order to establish a synagogue. In lieu of this, the people met for prayer near the water if possible. I tried to find out if there was any reasoning behind this meeting being near water; but, my research was in vain. I do not know why the Jews gathered at the water to pray. I know a few of the reasons that I do. First of all, it is very quiet and peaceful here. But, more importantly it reminds me that in the beginning water covered the whole earth and God pulled back the water so that there was land. Then, taking some of that land that had been under the water (mud), He created humankind. We are people of the mud - taken from what my husband would call a swamp... Living near the water I am also constantly reminded of my baptism into the Body of Christ and that my sins have been washed away through the death of my God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, my Lord. Through the waters of baptism, I have been freed from all bondage. So let's all go down to the river to pray...

For a bit of listening pleasure here's one of my favorite songs:  Down To The River To Pray - Alison Krauss  

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 19:17-27 Were You There; Would You Have Been

John 19:17-27 NIV
Who was there? Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Who had the courage to witness the crucifixion of Jesus. The two criminals who were crucified with Jesus were with him. The soldiers who nailed him to the cross were there. Many of the Jews may have witnessed his crucifixion, from a distance, as Golgotha was not too far from the city. They were able to read the sign. Did they read the words "JESUS OF NAZARETH. THE KING OF THE JEWS" as he struggled to carry his cross to his death?

The three Mary's were there to witness his death; Jesus' mother, Mary, and her sister Mary and Mary Magdalene were there. Where were the close disciples whom he had called? Peter was probably still in hiding. But, John was there. John, the disciple who loved Jesus, was there.

Every year at Good Friday, a very small crowd gathers at Zion to remember our Lord's death with a Tenebrae Service. We sing a verse of "Were You There?" with the snuffing out of each candle. It causes me to wonder how many would have been there at his death. Would we have made it to his crucifixion had we been there? Would we have been too afraid of being found a sympathizer to be found near him at his death? Or, would we have found something more pleasing to ourselves to attend instead?

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 18:28-40 Religion and Politics Crucify Jesus

John 18:28-40 NIV
Religion and politics don't go very well together. The Jewish leaders used politics to their advantage in order to rid themselves of Jesus.

On the one hand, they would not enter the palace of the governor as the praetorium had been and was still a place of contention between the Romans and the Jews. It was considered an unclean place and if the Jewish leaders had entered it they would not have been able to participate in the Passover Meal, due to being unclean. So the governor; Pilate comes out to them.

The Jewish leaders have no charge to bring against Jesus. Instead they respond arrogantly to the governor when asked what the charge was. "If he were not a criminal we would not have handed him over to you." That sounds to me as if there is a bit of hostility on the part of the Jewish leaders toward Rome. In effect, what difference whether they are inside or outside of the palace? Their contentious attitudes have made the whole area, themselves included, unclean.

The Jewish leaders manipulate and intimidate Pilate into having Jesus executed. They are willing to have a convicted murderer released in order get rid of the truth that Jesus has been busy proclaiming. They want Jesus gone and they will use even the tradition of the Passover as an excuse to get rid of him.

Yes, certainly, it is every Christian's right and responsibility to become politically engaged. We must, at times, speak out. We must speak the truth. But, it is very dangerous for a church to start mixing religion and politics. When the state becomes involved in your faith; you might just forget who your true God is and what His will is for all people. It is very dangerous, for everyone, when church leaders manipulate people into supporting specific political agendas or politicians. All I have to do is take a walk back in history to have that affirmed. Take a look at the world news of today; at the unrest (the killings and massacres) of countries where political parties are religious parties. Take a look back to Nazi Germany where even the churches supported Hitler. And... don't forget the unrest of the even earlier church when church and state were one. Priests and Popes were disposed at the whim of the state in order to be replaced by someone who was more in line with the state's leaders political and religious views. Our reading today brings us to the trial of Jesus at which we find the religious leaders manipulating and intimidating the Roman Governor, Pilate, into crucifying an innocent man.   

Jesus said his kingdom was not of this world. All who believe in him are a part of that kingdom; even though, we live in this world. We live in both and must be responsible citizens of both. But, let us not confuse the two. A final thought:  Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's and don't be playing one against the other. That, my friends, has been the source of many wars. Religion and politics don't go very well together. Remember, the Jewish leaders used politics to their advantage in order to rid themselves of Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 12:20-22 Do You Want To See Jesus?

John 12:20-22 NIV
We want to see Jesus. At least, I do. What about you? Do you want to see Jesus? Do you want to walk with him? Do you want to talk to him? How about listen to him and follow?

Some Greeks (probably proselytes or Gentiles) went to Philip and told them that they wanted to see Jesus. These Greeks were probably proselytes or Gentiles; but, not full members of the Jewish faith community. Outsiders wanted to see Jesus.

Over the years, I have had people tell me that they desire to see Jesus. They are usually people who genuinely look for the coming of God in full glory (very faithful disciples) or outsiders to the faith (non-Christians). I don't hear it too often from your average run of the mill baptized Christian. What then is our faith all about, if it is not about seeing Jesus face to face, in His Kingdom? Is the church (visible church) really just a social club? Or, is it a place where we come in anticipation of being in His presence more fully and being filled with His word?

The bottom line is that these Greeks who did not know Jesus, wanted to meet him. Do you? You can, you know. He is present in the Word and Sacraments. He can be seen in your neighbors and even those you might consider your enemies. (See Matt 25:31-46) He is with you now and always. May God open the eyes of the world that all who seek Jesus, might see him.

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 7:9-24 Judging By Appearances

John 7:9-24 NIV
After letting his brothers think that he will not be going to the Festival of Booths, Jesus goes anyway. Without making his presence public, he was able to hear and observe the people there. There were those who were looking for him. There was a lot of whispering about him, but no one dared speak too openly. In other words, they were telling secrets; they were gossiping about Jesus. Then, in the middle of the Festival he makes his presence known by going into the temple and teaching. More whisperings... More judgments...

Years ago, while on a kayaking journey, I stopped in a small town to buy some food and to find a pay phone to call my husband as there had been no cell service for some time. It was a resort town where I had actually been known and quite welcome in the community just a few years before. Well, this time, I was not wearing my pastor's clothes. I was wearing a tank top and camouflaged pants over my swimsuit with a dingy, red and blue hat covering my long, unbrushed, hair. I admit that I looked pretty bad as I had been on the water for a few days. I was recognized by only one person who greeted me quite well. However, most couldn't see past my wardrobe and did not recognize me. It took three businesses before someone would even point me to the pay phone. I've only been back to that community when I had to go for work. It's just not worth the trip for me to be with people who would judge others by their appearances.

Not long ago, I walked into a smaller, local, department store with my teen-age granddaughter during school hours. She was heading to the make-up aisle and I was going to the grocery aisles. As we entered I noticed two clerks (I found out later one was a supervisor) watching us and whispering. It just sort of felt like they were talking about us. I went to the grocery aisle while my granddaughter went to the make-up aisle. As we split up, the supervisor immediately followed my granddaughter. She later told me that the woman had asked her: "Can I help you?" When she answered. "No, thanks," The manager then asked her, "Are you sure I can't help you?" Again, she replied, "No, I've got it." Again, she was asked, "Are you sure?" My granddaughter got her makeup quickly and came and found me. She was being discriminated against because she was a teen. I now avoid going into that store with or without my granddaughter. There are other business around where their employees don't follow my granddaughter through the store; that don't judge her by her appearance.

The reality is that people will and do judge by appearances. I tend to stay away from businesses that discriminate against someone because of their appearance. There will always be people around us who judge by appearances. We may like to deny that such blatant discrimination exists. But, jumping to false conclusions based on what one looks like is actually pretty common. It takes too much work for most people to actually listen to someone and to get to know them. It is much easier to judge them on their appearance and whisper about them behind their backs.

They whispered about Jesus and eventually, the whisperings (gossip) helped hang him on the cross. The people believed a lie and called out "Crucify Him."

God's Peace - Pr. J

Mark 15:1-32 The Horror Of It

Mark 15:1-32 NIV
Words cannot adequately describe the horror of how the world turned against God the Son the day that Christ was crucified.

He had been deserted by his friends; the church turned against him; the people wanted him crucified; the soldiers and even the criminals hanging with him mocked him. "The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews." (vs 26)

What do you want done with this one whom you call your king, Pilate had asked. Crucify him, the people replied. Indeed he was; he is, a King. He is our King. What would we do with this one we call our King? Often, we, as they did the day of his crucifixion, continue to turn our backs on him. There are days when it is as though we would rather have him hanging on a cross than interfering in our worldly lives. Our king, our gods, are of this world and Jesus is just in the way. Crucify him! Oh, I know you probably don't think in those terms. But, how often do we act as though he is not our King. After all, aren't we suppose to honor our King in all that we say and think and do?

Crucify Him, the people shouted. What would we say (what do we say) when he calls us to follow Him today? Crucify him? Words cannot adequately describe the horror of how the world (even His followers) have turned against God the Son; the Son of God, this day. 

God's Peace - Pr. J