Rev 5: Lamb of God

Rev 5 NIV
"Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

No one was found worthy to break the seal and open the scroll except for the lion of Judah who is the lamb of God. Jesus was deemed worthy because he was slain and with his blood he purchased for God people from every tribe and language and nation. (vs 9) He alone died for the sins of the world. He is worthy to be praised. And... in this vision of John, he is praised. Every creature in heaven and on earth praises him saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” (vs 13)

What an awesome vision this must have been! All people will come before the lamb who was slain for them. For those who have believed in him it will be a most joyous moment. For others it may not be quite so joyful. Jesus died for all people. He desires that all who would believe in him would follow him in his kingdom. He died for you. Receive him into your life. Enter into the kingdom of God as a priest to serve our God.

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

Luke 22:1-6 Too Many Witnesses

Luke 22:1-6 NIV
Yep, the less witnesses the better if you're planning on doing something that Satan is encouraging you to do. That would be the way to go. The chief priests, the teachers of the law, even Judas did not want too many witnesses for about what they were about to do to Jesus. They wanted to get rid of Jesus, but the people loved him. They didn't want the people turning against them, So, they needed a plan on how to get rid of him without anyone figuring out that they were setting him up.

The moral of the story: Beware of joining any group that thinks the way to do things is to get rid of their enemies when there are no witnesses.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 20:1-8 Answering Questions

Luke 20:1-8 NIV
Years ago, I worked for an insurance company. My boss liked to get more personal than I thought he ought to. Whenever he asked me a personal question, I responded with a counter question. I didn't even realize I did this until he pointed out my habit of answering questions with questions. It came naturally. I didn't plan my responses. I guess it may have been a way to protect myself, my privacy.

Jesus' responses were not always direct answers to questions, either. He skirted the questions. In Luke 20 we hear him ask a question in response to a question that the priests and teachers of the law had asked as they tried to back him into a corner. They wanted to know by what authority he did the things he was doing. "He replied, 'I will also ask you a question. Tell me:  John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?'” (vs 3-4)

The priests and teachers of the law could not answer Jesus' question. No matter how they answered, they, themselves, would be in trouble with someone, so they simply answered "we don't know." (vs 7)

Answering questions with questions will sometimes end the conversation when we are being grilled about something that is simply not for the other person to know. Sometimes, the best answer is "I don't know." The truth is we don't know a lot of things. There is nothing wrong in admitting that truth.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Lamentations 4 - Prophets and Priests to Blame

The lament continues. The people suffer. They are suffering, the lament tells us, because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests.

"But it happened because of the sins of her prophets
    and the iniquities of her priests,
who shed within her    the blood of the righteous." (Lam 4:13 NIV)

What were the sins of the priests and prophets? Simply put, they spoke falsely, in the LORD's name, to please the itching ears of God's people. The consequences were bad... really bad! Don't forget to read chapter 4 of Lamentations today to get a better idea of how bad things got for God's people.

Lutherans, as well as other denominations in the U.S., typically call their pastors. They meet each other; they hear him/her preach; they pray for God to help them discern whether He is calling the pastor to that community to serve; and, then the congregation votes. I cannot begin to tell you how tragic it ends when the people of God do not take seriously this discernment process. They must  listen to this man or woman they are considering calling to see whether they truly proclaim God's Word or if they speak to please the itching ears of those who call. I cannot begin to imagine how many congregations actually listen for and call those who are willing to serve their itching ears before the Word of the LORD. It is not good!

And, a word to the pastors and priests, who are called to serve: consider the consequences to the people that you are teaching falsely. Is your paycheck and retirement really worth the devastation that false proclamations will bring to the people, to the land? Consider the consequences, for all people, of your decision to proclaim the truth or not. Sure, some of them may not like you for speaking the truth. But, speak it anyway so that they might have life!

Let us part with a bit of good news: even in our reading today, God promises that the sorrow will pass.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 5 - One Honest Person Saves the City

A litany of sins... that's what we have this day in our reading... So sad! So very sad! We could pray that it not be the way it is. Yet, it is the truth. We like sheep have all gone astray... No one looks for the truth. Everyone has their own truth, according to the false gods that they worship.

According to the Word of the LORD:
“A horrible and shocking thing
    has happened in the land:
The prophets prophesy lies,
    the priests rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
    But what will you do in the end?" (Jer 5:30-31 NIV)

What indeed will we do in the end? How can one know the truth if even the prophets and priests allow their personal false gods to guide them? We must lean on the word that the LORD spoke to Jeremiah:

"Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem,
    look around and consider,
    search through her squares.
If you can find but one person
    who deals honestly and seeks the truth,
    I will forgive this city." (Jer 5:1)

Sounds pretty hopeless... But, is it? There has been one found who deals honestly and seeks the truth. His name is Jesus and He has come to save us. Thanks be to God for His mercy is great!

Have a blessed Christmas day!

God's Peace - Pr. J

1 Chronicles 6-The Priests

1 Chronicles 6 gives us the descendants of Levi and their alloted dwelling places including the cities of refuge.  These men, were a people unto themselves.  They were called specific to be separate from the rest of God's people to serve Him in His temple.  They were, one could say a holy nation, yet they lived within a larger nation. 

As those first Levitical priests were called and set aside to serve God, we too have been set aside to serve God.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  (1 Peter 2:9 NIV)

We have been called.  We have been chosen as a royal priesthood, a holy nation, to serve not just God in the heavens, whom we cannot see, but to serve all whom we can see, in this world, in the various nations of this world.  We are members of a nation within a nation.  We live in various nations, yet we are not of this world.  We belong to the kingdom of God.

But, always we must remember this call, this separation is from God.  We love and serve Him because He loves us.   Yet, we are holy, not because of the works that we might do, but because of the work that Jesus did for us.  We are holy because of the blood of Christ shed on that cross.  We are not members of this royal priesthood, a holy nation because of anything we or our fathers did.  It does not matter who our father's are or were.  It is not their blood-line that makes us worthy to be members of this royal priesthood, holy nation.  It is the blood of Christ shed for you. 

We are a royal priesthood, a royal nation.  We live and serve in this world, but we are not of this world...

God's Peace - Judy