21 December 2009
Psalm 61, 62; Zeph. 3:14-20; Titus 1:1-16; Luke 1:1-25
The time has come for rejoicing, not that the work of deliverance is complete but because the Lord has declared His intentions for His beloved. He has promised that He will act on Israel’s behalf, will return them to the land, will deal with their enemies, and will set all things to rights. In addition to all that, He will be in their midst and will exult over her with singing. Because of the promise the prophet encourages rejoicing. Worship should never wait. In this time of waiting for the fulfillment of the promises of the Lord to return and establish His everlasting kingdom we are called to worship Him for those promises and to live as those who know the future and are confident that He will do as He has promised.
Zechariah did not believe but doubted the word of the angel. One would think that an angelic visitation in the holy place where only the priest could go would be enough to convince him that this would happen, but the years of waiting and hoping had dulled his ability to believe. The incense offering Zechariah was making represented the prayers going up to God and here an angel tells him that his own prayers have been answered. The sign given is that he will not be able to speak until the promise is fulfilled. He is unable to convey the fullness of what he has seen and heard until after it is done. For someone like me it would be incredibly difficult not to talk about something as awe-inspiring as this event for the period of time necessary to bring it to pass. No promise is made concerning when this will be, I wonder if Zechariah was thinking about a similar promise to Abraham and how long that took to fulfill.
Paul writes to a leader instructing him how to arrange the affairs and leadership of the church. Paul describes himself as an apostle of the truth in the hope of eternal life. He is counting on God, who never lies, to fulfill that promise and, as we know, Paul bet the farm on that promise. Paul went to prison and continued to preach and write about the truth, went to his death proclaiming the truth. Truth is important to Paul, something to be defended and taught in the belief that the Holy Spirit was carried to the hearts of the elect in the truth and the truth itself was the hope of the world. We have a foretaste of what is to come and the promise of what it will be, now is the time to stand in that hope.
For You alone my soul waits in silence;
from You comes my salvation.
You only are my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
20 December 2009
Psalm 24, 29; Gen 3:8-15; Rev. 12:1-10; John 3:16-21
The beginning of all the trouble in the world. At that time we knew how to react to sin, to hide from God. He knew what had happened and He came anyway and had to call us out of hiding. As sin becomes more prevalent, we no longer see it for what it is and we no longer feel the need to hide, instead believing we are righteous. Isaiah got quite a surprise in the temple one day and in the light of God’s holiness, saw himself as sinful and therefore shouldn’t have been in the temple. By the coming of Jesus, God walked among us and we decided we were more righteous than God. Today we talk very little about righteousness and, in the words of CS Lewis, put God in the dock and ask for explanations from Him about how a loving God could allow horrible things to happen. It’s easier than looking at ourselves.
Our sins deserve the death penalty but God’s love wouldn’t allow Him to execute that judgment. We were given a chance at reprieve in Jesus’ death on the cross. Our sins, all of them, are transferred to Him if we are willing to believe and to accept His Lordship over our lives. Accepting His sacrifice is also acceptance of the law at one level as in order for Him to take our sins we have to be willing to agree on what they are which then provides us with a definition of righteousness for the future. Like our first ancestors, some refuse to come out of hiding in the darkness and come to the light because they prefer their sin to change. Dealing with sin requires us to come at His summons and confess our sins in order to receive pardon.
Satan is the great accuser, the one who wants the law applied down to the letter and punishment for sins to the nth degree. His defeat in heaven is the sign that the judgment of God is at an end, we no longer have an accuser. It is his desire to destroy God’s plan for salvation, to destroy the baby before it is born, before it can begin to proclaim God’s love. He has hated us from the start and it was his plan to destroy us in death. The revelation of John tells us that there will be a time when sin and death are destroyed and it requires a battle in the heavens. Sin is an awful thing, no matter what it is, a little thing like a piece of fruit eaten in disobedience to God’s command necessitated all of this. Maybe we need to reconsider that reality as a check in our lives.
Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle!
Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
he is the King of glory!
Psalm 24, 29; Gen 3:8-15; Rev. 12:1-10; John 3:16-21
The beginning of all the trouble in the world. At that time we knew how to react to sin, to hide from God. He knew what had happened and He came anyway and had to call us out of hiding. As sin becomes more prevalent, we no longer see it for what it is and we no longer feel the need to hide, instead believing we are righteous. Isaiah got quite a surprise in the temple one day and in the light of God’s holiness, saw himself as sinful and therefore shouldn’t have been in the temple. By the coming of Jesus, God walked among us and we decided we were more righteous than God. Today we talk very little about righteousness and, in the words of CS Lewis, put God in the dock and ask for explanations from Him about how a loving God could allow horrible things to happen. It’s easier than looking at ourselves.
Our sins deserve the death penalty but God’s love wouldn’t allow Him to execute that judgment. We were given a chance at reprieve in Jesus’ death on the cross. Our sins, all of them, are transferred to Him if we are willing to believe and to accept His Lordship over our lives. Accepting His sacrifice is also acceptance of the law at one level as in order for Him to take our sins we have to be willing to agree on what they are which then provides us with a definition of righteousness for the future. Like our first ancestors, some refuse to come out of hiding in the darkness and come to the light because they prefer their sin to change. Dealing with sin requires us to come at His summons and confess our sins in order to receive pardon.
Satan is the great accuser, the one who wants the law applied down to the letter and punishment for sins to the nth degree. His defeat in heaven is the sign that the judgment of God is at an end, we no longer have an accuser. It is his desire to destroy God’s plan for salvation, to destroy the baby before it is born, before it can begin to proclaim God’s love. He has hated us from the start and it was his plan to destroy us in death. The revelation of John tells us that there will be a time when sin and death are destroyed and it requires a battle in the heavens. Sin is an awful thing, no matter what it is, a little thing like a piece of fruit eaten in disobedience to God’s command necessitated all of this. Maybe we need to reconsider that reality as a check in our lives.
Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle!
Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
he is the King of glory!
19 December 2009
Psalm 55; Zech. 8:9-17; Rev. 6:1-17; Matt. 25:31-46
The promise of blessing is announced. The link is clear between the trouble of the past and the hand of the Lord as well as the promise of plenty which is His will and His doing. The reality is that all that we have and all that we are is simply gift, it need not have been this way. It is important to realize He is both source and supply. The earth need not yield to our efforts to obtain daily sustenance, that the environment is designed to support life and cooperate with us to produce all that we need is a result of His desire and plan. The conditions He sets forth for this blessing of His people are simple: speak truth, render true (impartial) judgment, make peace, don’t devise evil against one another and don’t give false oaths. If we could do those few things we would be an extraordinary community, but so much more is possible by the power of the Spirit He has given us.
We are called to extend mercy and love to one another. The way that we live bears witness to whose we are. As He has loved the world, so are we called to love the world in practical ways, providing for one another as the need and opportunity arises. One of the collects for mission in Morning Prayer says, “Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace; so clothe us with your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. This Gospel lesson not only says that, it tells us how we can reach forth our hands in love.
The judgments of God are revealed. The beginning of the end is announced. John is now a prophet and is telling us what is to come, the wrath of God will be poured out. The scene is ominous and tells us that what is to come is fearsome. There in the midst of this is the vision of the martyrs crying out for divine retribution on those who shed their blood. John would certainly have seen and known Christians who paid with their lives for their testimony. We live in a day when brothers and sisters in Christ are shedding their blood regularly and yet in America we don’t see it and have little or no connection to the persecution of others. Today is a good time to begin praying for the persecuted church around the world, that is one way of reaching out to others in the Name of Jesus.
Give ear to my prayer, O God,
and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
Attend to me, and answer me;
Psalm 55; Zech. 8:9-17; Rev. 6:1-17; Matt. 25:31-46
The promise of blessing is announced. The link is clear between the trouble of the past and the hand of the Lord as well as the promise of plenty which is His will and His doing. The reality is that all that we have and all that we are is simply gift, it need not have been this way. It is important to realize He is both source and supply. The earth need not yield to our efforts to obtain daily sustenance, that the environment is designed to support life and cooperate with us to produce all that we need is a result of His desire and plan. The conditions He sets forth for this blessing of His people are simple: speak truth, render true (impartial) judgment, make peace, don’t devise evil against one another and don’t give false oaths. If we could do those few things we would be an extraordinary community, but so much more is possible by the power of the Spirit He has given us.
We are called to extend mercy and love to one another. The way that we live bears witness to whose we are. As He has loved the world, so are we called to love the world in practical ways, providing for one another as the need and opportunity arises. One of the collects for mission in Morning Prayer says, “Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace; so clothe us with your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. This Gospel lesson not only says that, it tells us how we can reach forth our hands in love.
The judgments of God are revealed. The beginning of the end is announced. John is now a prophet and is telling us what is to come, the wrath of God will be poured out. The scene is ominous and tells us that what is to come is fearsome. There in the midst of this is the vision of the martyrs crying out for divine retribution on those who shed their blood. John would certainly have seen and known Christians who paid with their lives for their testimony. We live in a day when brothers and sisters in Christ are shedding their blood regularly and yet in America we don’t see it and have little or no connection to the persecution of others. Today is a good time to begin praying for the persecuted church around the world, that is one way of reaching out to others in the Name of Jesus.
Give ear to my prayer, O God,
and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
Attend to me, and answer me;
Thursday, December 17, 2009
18 December 2009
Psalm 40, 54; Zech. 7:8-8:8; Rev. 5:6-14; Matt. 25:14-30
The former days of Jerusalem are remembered, the failure to heed the Word of the Lord. They are reminded of two basic things, that they disobeyed and that God judged their disobedience. They were not simply losers in the battle for the city with other nations, this was the judgment of God being executed against their sin and that judgment was righteous in the sense that it was deserved by their failure to keep covenant. The second part of the reading tells that not only is God righteous, He is also merciful. The return of the exiles has nothing to do with their obedience, it is God’s desire alone that has allowed them a hope and a future and the future He promises is peace and righteousness. The vision is of old and young in the city, and faithfulness and righteousness are the hallmarks of the relationship.
This Gospel lesson haunts me as a leader in the church in America. We have been given many talents by God, freedom, money, you name it we have it, and yet we are providing less return on investment than the one talent guy who buried his talent. Are we being faithful stewards of those talents with which we have been entrusted? It seems we have tried to hoard those things instead of sharing them in order to grow the kingdom. We have a great responsibility to the One to whom they belong and we will be required to give an accounting of our stewardship.
This 5th chapter of the Revelation is an amazing one. Where before there had only been the one on the throne who was worthy to receive glory and honor, now comes the lamb and the reaction of the elders and the living creatures is to fall down in His presence and offer Him the exact worship they had previously offered the One on the throne! Their worship is then followed by the angels and all the creatures in heaven, on earth and under the earth, all of creation explodes in the worship of the lamb. Our joy should be to join in that worship in the power of the Spirit at every opportunity as we recognize the worth of both the Father and the Son to receive our worship.
Blessed is the man who makes
the LORD his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.
Psalm 40, 54; Zech. 7:8-8:8; Rev. 5:6-14; Matt. 25:14-30
The former days of Jerusalem are remembered, the failure to heed the Word of the Lord. They are reminded of two basic things, that they disobeyed and that God judged their disobedience. They were not simply losers in the battle for the city with other nations, this was the judgment of God being executed against their sin and that judgment was righteous in the sense that it was deserved by their failure to keep covenant. The second part of the reading tells that not only is God righteous, He is also merciful. The return of the exiles has nothing to do with their obedience, it is God’s desire alone that has allowed them a hope and a future and the future He promises is peace and righteousness. The vision is of old and young in the city, and faithfulness and righteousness are the hallmarks of the relationship.
This Gospel lesson haunts me as a leader in the church in America. We have been given many talents by God, freedom, money, you name it we have it, and yet we are providing less return on investment than the one talent guy who buried his talent. Are we being faithful stewards of those talents with which we have been entrusted? It seems we have tried to hoard those things instead of sharing them in order to grow the kingdom. We have a great responsibility to the One to whom they belong and we will be required to give an accounting of our stewardship.
This 5th chapter of the Revelation is an amazing one. Where before there had only been the one on the throne who was worthy to receive glory and honor, now comes the lamb and the reaction of the elders and the living creatures is to fall down in His presence and offer Him the exact worship they had previously offered the One on the throne! Their worship is then followed by the angels and all the creatures in heaven, on earth and under the earth, all of creation explodes in the worship of the lamb. Our joy should be to join in that worship in the power of the Spirit at every opportunity as we recognize the worth of both the Father and the Son to receive our worship.
Blessed is the man who makes
the LORD his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
17 December 2009
Psalm 50; Zech. 4:1-14; Rev. 4:9-5:5; Matt. 25:1-13
We like to measure things but we don’t know how to properly measure them. Do not despise the day of small things is the word of the Lord and yet we, particularly in America, constantly despise small things. Here, the rebuilding of the temple has just begun and yet even that is a major triumph in that no one thought it would even be started. The vision of the lamps connected to the two olive trees is a picture of who we are to be in the church, filled with the Spirit and knowing that we are connected to a continual source of more. Our problem is that we get disconnected from that source and when we do, we begin to make wrong judgments and allow ourselves to be discouraged rather than looking for small signs of God’s grace.
The bridesmaids were not prepared for the coming of the bridegroom, their lamps had gone out and they had no oil. In that time of waiting on the return of the bridegroom from his work of preparing the bridal chamber, (see John 14.2-3) we must indeed remain connected to the source of our life and hope, the Holy Spirit. We know that meditation on His Word and prayer are the ways in which we remain connected and that we need the fellowship of brothers and sisters in Christ in order to encourage one another and yet we allow ourselves to be distracted by many things as Martha did and fail to choose the best thing. It is in our choices that lose our connection, it requires wisdom.
The elders around the throne have crowns and yet in the presence of the one seated on the throne, whose name is not given, they throw down their crowns and give glory to Him, who alone is worthy of glory. They recognize their own unworthiness in the light of His glory. Praise and worship, either in prayer or song, is essential to our lives as followers of Jesus. We need to constantly remind ourselves that we are children of the King of kings and Lord of lords. Our worship here is the place where we are filled and refreshed, and our lives are to be worship. How can we worship with our lives today, as living sacrifices?
The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly
I will show the salvation of God!"
Psalm 50; Zech. 4:1-14; Rev. 4:9-5:5; Matt. 25:1-13
We like to measure things but we don’t know how to properly measure them. Do not despise the day of small things is the word of the Lord and yet we, particularly in America, constantly despise small things. Here, the rebuilding of the temple has just begun and yet even that is a major triumph in that no one thought it would even be started. The vision of the lamps connected to the two olive trees is a picture of who we are to be in the church, filled with the Spirit and knowing that we are connected to a continual source of more. Our problem is that we get disconnected from that source and when we do, we begin to make wrong judgments and allow ourselves to be discouraged rather than looking for small signs of God’s grace.
The bridesmaids were not prepared for the coming of the bridegroom, their lamps had gone out and they had no oil. In that time of waiting on the return of the bridegroom from his work of preparing the bridal chamber, (see John 14.2-3) we must indeed remain connected to the source of our life and hope, the Holy Spirit. We know that meditation on His Word and prayer are the ways in which we remain connected and that we need the fellowship of brothers and sisters in Christ in order to encourage one another and yet we allow ourselves to be distracted by many things as Martha did and fail to choose the best thing. It is in our choices that lose our connection, it requires wisdom.
The elders around the throne have crowns and yet in the presence of the one seated on the throne, whose name is not given, they throw down their crowns and give glory to Him, who alone is worthy of glory. They recognize their own unworthiness in the light of His glory. Praise and worship, either in prayer or song, is essential to our lives as followers of Jesus. We need to constantly remind ourselves that we are children of the King of kings and Lord of lords. Our worship here is the place where we are filled and refreshed, and our lives are to be worship. How can we worship with our lives today, as living sacrifices?
The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly
I will show the salvation of God!"
16 December 2009
Psalm 119:49-72; Zech. 3:1-10; Rev. 4:1-8; Matt. 24:45-51
The high priest is a representative of the people. As he stands before the Lord, Satan rightly accuses him of being unprepared and unfit for the Lord. Satan knows righteousness, he is the ultimate legalist and here we see a foreshadowing of the coming of Jesus. By fiat, the Lord declares Joshua to be righteous and provides him with the clean garments required to come into His presence. It is all about grace and mercy triumphing over judgment but it does not mean there is no judgment. The passage ends with the Lord making a promise to Joshua concerning the future of the nation and the peace and prosperity it will enjoy.
Jesus says there is such a thing as judgment. The master chooses between his servants and makes distinctions between them. The delay in God’s coming again seems to either encourage us to speculate on the signs or to lose our sense of expectant waiting and go pursue other interests. Christians are to be in the mode of expectant waiting, a waiting that knows what it is waiting for and is preparing for the coming or advent of what it is waiting for. We are called to be “faithful and wise” if we are to be commended and blessed. Faithful relates to knowing our Lord and continuing to do His will even when He is absent and wise relates to remaining prepared for His return that we would greet Him with joy and not shame.
The scene in heaven at the throne is glorious and awe-inspiring. The idea of a door in heaven standing open is a thrilling idea and yet John wisely waits until the angel with the trumpet bids him come up. The majesty of God should give us an indication of what we are waiting for, what is to come. All of heaven worships and proclaims His glory with the three-fold proclamation in which we join our voices each Sunday in the celebration of the Eucharist. As we either sing or say those words we should be reminded that our hearts are indeed lifted up to heaven with the chorus who forever sing this song that never becomes rote but ever remains spontaneous praise in His presence.
You have dealt well with your servant,
O LORD, according to your word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
for I believe in your commandments.
Psalm 119:49-72; Zech. 3:1-10; Rev. 4:1-8; Matt. 24:45-51
The high priest is a representative of the people. As he stands before the Lord, Satan rightly accuses him of being unprepared and unfit for the Lord. Satan knows righteousness, he is the ultimate legalist and here we see a foreshadowing of the coming of Jesus. By fiat, the Lord declares Joshua to be righteous and provides him with the clean garments required to come into His presence. It is all about grace and mercy triumphing over judgment but it does not mean there is no judgment. The passage ends with the Lord making a promise to Joshua concerning the future of the nation and the peace and prosperity it will enjoy.
Jesus says there is such a thing as judgment. The master chooses between his servants and makes distinctions between them. The delay in God’s coming again seems to either encourage us to speculate on the signs or to lose our sense of expectant waiting and go pursue other interests. Christians are to be in the mode of expectant waiting, a waiting that knows what it is waiting for and is preparing for the coming or advent of what it is waiting for. We are called to be “faithful and wise” if we are to be commended and blessed. Faithful relates to knowing our Lord and continuing to do His will even when He is absent and wise relates to remaining prepared for His return that we would greet Him with joy and not shame.
The scene in heaven at the throne is glorious and awe-inspiring. The idea of a door in heaven standing open is a thrilling idea and yet John wisely waits until the angel with the trumpet bids him come up. The majesty of God should give us an indication of what we are waiting for, what is to come. All of heaven worships and proclaims His glory with the three-fold proclamation in which we join our voices each Sunday in the celebration of the Eucharist. As we either sing or say those words we should be reminded that our hearts are indeed lifted up to heaven with the chorus who forever sing this song that never becomes rote but ever remains spontaneous praise in His presence.
You have dealt well with your servant,
O LORD, according to your word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
for I believe in your commandments.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
15 December 2009
Psalm 45; Zech. 2:1-13; Rev. 3:14-22; Matt. 24:32-44
What a glorious promise this prophetic word is! A man with a measuring rod is going out to lay out the plan of the rebuilt city and an angel says, in essence, don’t bother, the city you build won’t be big enough to hold all those who will come and live here. The Lord promises greatness such as the city has never seen and punishment for the nations who had plundered her. It is a wonderful thing to think of being the apple of God’s eye. John saw this same vision and described it in Revelation 21 when he saw the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, its architect and builder God Himself.
Jesus continues to speak of the end of time. His comparison is with the days of Noah, and Genesis 6 tells us that the land was filled with sinfulness, the only intention of man’s heart was only evil all the time. In our world today we can see that reality on a daily basis on the news and the internet. Jesus warns us to be prepared and stay awake for that day is coming. When God judged the earth at the time of Noah, only he was found righteous enough to be the seed of the new creation. Our hope is in Christ alone and His righteousness, but we are called to emulate Him and live by the Spirit as a means of preparation for eternal life in His kingdom. Our pleasures are to be kingdom pleasures and our delight in Him. This life is preparation for eternity.
The letter to the church at Laodicea is almost the opposite of the letter to Philadelphia. There is nothing good in this letter. The Laodiceans are deceived in heart and mind, they do not see their own condition. I wonder sometimes about the church in the west as we have become so carnal in our desire for wealth and ease and we fail to see and address suffering and injustice all around us. Do we recognize our need or are we satisfied and therefore lukewarm?
I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;
therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.
Psalm 45; Zech. 2:1-13; Rev. 3:14-22; Matt. 24:32-44
What a glorious promise this prophetic word is! A man with a measuring rod is going out to lay out the plan of the rebuilt city and an angel says, in essence, don’t bother, the city you build won’t be big enough to hold all those who will come and live here. The Lord promises greatness such as the city has never seen and punishment for the nations who had plundered her. It is a wonderful thing to think of being the apple of God’s eye. John saw this same vision and described it in Revelation 21 when he saw the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, its architect and builder God Himself.
Jesus continues to speak of the end of time. His comparison is with the days of Noah, and Genesis 6 tells us that the land was filled with sinfulness, the only intention of man’s heart was only evil all the time. In our world today we can see that reality on a daily basis on the news and the internet. Jesus warns us to be prepared and stay awake for that day is coming. When God judged the earth at the time of Noah, only he was found righteous enough to be the seed of the new creation. Our hope is in Christ alone and His righteousness, but we are called to emulate Him and live by the Spirit as a means of preparation for eternal life in His kingdom. Our pleasures are to be kingdom pleasures and our delight in Him. This life is preparation for eternity.
The letter to the church at Laodicea is almost the opposite of the letter to Philadelphia. There is nothing good in this letter. The Laodiceans are deceived in heart and mind, they do not see their own condition. I wonder sometimes about the church in the west as we have become so carnal in our desire for wealth and ease and we fail to see and address suffering and injustice all around us. Do we recognize our need or are we satisfied and therefore lukewarm?
I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;
therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.
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