Week
of 5 Epiphany B
This is a Three-Year Lectionary based on the Lutheran Book of
Worship 3-year Lectionary (for public worship), "Prayers of the
Day..." (Propers), p. 13-41, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis,
1978. It is based, with only minor variations, on the Revised Common
Lectionary, used by many denominations, including the Episcopal,
Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches:
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and:
http://www.commontexts.org/rcl/usage.html
The daily readings are the Propers (Lections) for the following
Sunday, so that the daily devotions can prepare us for worship.
Additional Lections are from Common Service Book of the Lutheran
Church, "Scripture lessons for Matins and Vespers," United Lutheran
Church of America, General Rubrics VIII. Scripture lessons for
Matins and Vespers, p. 299 - 304, Philadelphia, 1918.
The previous 2- year Bible Study based on the Lutheran Book of
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Podcast Download: Week of 5 Epiphany B
Sunday 5 Epiphany B
First
Posted February, 8, 2009;
Podcast: Sunday 5 Epiphany B
Job 7:1-7 – Life is Hard
and Fleeting;
Psalm 147:1-13 – Praise the Lord;
1 Corinthians 9:16-23 – Servant of the
Gospel;
Mark 1:29-39 – Jesus begins Public
Ministry;
Job Paraphrase:
Isn't life on earth hard? Don't we spend our days like
slaves, whose chief desire is for shade. Aren't we laborers
desiring wages. Job had miserable nights and months of
idleness. Job laid down but could not sleep; he tossed and
turned until dawn. Job was afflicted with boils; his flesh
was full of maggots. When they began to heal, he broke out
again. Job's days flew by like the swiftness of a weaver's
shuttle. He had no hope beyond physical life.
Job asked God to remember that Job's life was transient, and
he was afraid that he would never see goodness.
Psalm Paraphrase:
Let us praise the Lord! Praising God is appropriate because
he is gracious. The Lord builds up his Church (New
Jerusalem), and gathers the outcasts of God's people
(Christians are the New Israel; the New People of God).
He heals their broken hearts and bandages their wounds.
He is the Creator, who determined the number of stars and
named them. Our God is greatest in power, and unlimited in
understanding. The Lord uplifts the oppressed, but he
destroys the wicked.
With thanksgiving let us sing to the Lord, accompanied by
stringed instruments. He is the Lord who created the clouds
of heaven, and rain for the earth. He provided grass for the
hills. He provides food for all the animals.
The Lord is not impressed with the strength of a horse or of
a man. God is pleased by those who fear (respect the power
and and authority of) God; who love and hope in his
steadfast love.
Praise the Lord, Church (the New Jerusalem)! Praise God,
Zion (Jerusalem; God's people; the Church)! It is God alone
who can strengthen that fortress. Only God can bless us with
sons.
1 Corinthians Paraphrase:
Paul's preaching of the Gospel was not worthy of special
commendation; Paul had to preach the Gospel because of
Jesus' command (Matthew 25:31-46). But even if he had not
been under Christ's commission, he would have been glad to
proclaim Christ's message without cost, because he had
received it without charge. Paul rejoiced in that he was
able to give the Gospel message at no charge to others.
Because of Paul's spiritual “rebirth,” he was not enslaved
by anyone, but he voluntarily became a servant of all
others, so that he might win some to Christ and eternal
life. He had been a devout Jew, so he presented the Gospel
to Jews as a Jew. He had the freedom of those who have been
released from obedience to the Law, in order to save the
Gentiles who were not under the Law, but he taught converts
to trust and obey Jesus' teachings by the indwelling Holy
Spirit. To the weak he proclaimed the Gospel as one who was
also weak. He did so in order that he might save as many as
possible, and so that he would also share in the blessings
of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).
Mark Paraphrase:
After calling Simon (Peter), Andrew, James and John to
follow him, Jesus entered the synagogue in Capernaum. Jesus
taught with authority and had healed a demon-possessed man
(Mark 1:16-28). Afterward Jesus and his disciples went to
the home of Simon, whose mother-in-law was ill with a fever.
Jesus went to her and took her by the hand, the fever left
her, and she got up and fixed them lunch. Because of the
healing of the demoniac in the synagogue, the news spread
throughout the region, and at sunset, a great crowd of
people gathered at the house where Jesus was, bringing all
who were sick or possessed with demons. Jesus healed many
who were sick, and cast out many demons, but Jesus would not
allow them to speak, because they knew him.
In the morning Jesus got up well before sunrise, and went to
an isolated spot to pray. His disciples found him and told
him that the crowds were seeking Jesus again. Jesus said he
wanted to go on to the next towns in Galilee to preach his
message there also. That was the reason Jesus had come
outside before the crowds arrived. So Jesus and his
disciples went from town to town in Galilee preaching his
message, and healing those who were demon-possessed.
Commentary:
Job was a man who was afflicted with an agonizing skin
disorder. He didn't blame or curse God. He continued to
trust in God's goodness and righteousness. His one hope was
to see his creator face-to-face. He didn't have any reason
to hope for life beyond death. Death was seen as a shadowy
existence. Life for Job ended with physical death, and he
saw his lifetime hurrying by while he was forced to be idle
and in misery.
The Book of Job existed as an oral narrative long before it
was written down, in perhaps in 1000 to 800 B.C. It is
prophecy, because it is the inspired Word of God. Job was
expressing the longings for a mediator, an advocate, a
redeemer and vindicator. He longed to have a face-to-face
relationship with God.
The period of trouble Job suffered did lead to spiritual
enlightenment, and to a personal knowledge of God. In the
end Job realized that he had known a lot “about” God, but
hadn't known God with personal knowledge and experience (Job
42:5: this is the key verse of the entire book). After Job
came to this realization, God healed him and restored to Job
more than he had before his suffering (Job 42:10-17).
Jesus is the fulfillment of the hope Job expressed. Jesus is
our mediator of the New Covenant between God and mankind
(Job 9:33-35 RSV), which Jesus established on the night of
his “Last Supper” (Matthew 26:26-28). Jesus is the
fulfillment of of a redeemer who redeems us, who pays for
our release, from the penalty of for sin and death, which is
eternal destruction (Romans 6:23). He is our advocate who
defends us before God (Job 16:19-21; Hebrews 2:17; 4:14-16).
Jesus is the Righteous Judge who is going to return at the
end of time on the Day of Judgment where we will all be
accountable to him for what we have done in life (Job19:29;
Matthew 25:31-46).
The Book of Job foretells what God has done for us to heal
us spiritually, to restore us to personal fellowship with
God, and to eternal life, through Jesus Christ (John 14:6).
The Psalmist praised the Lord for God's willingness and
abundant ability to heal broken hearts and bandage the
wounded, not just physically but spiritually. The Lord
upholds the poor and oppressed, but he opposes the wicked.
In a sense, we are all born with a spiritual terminal
illness. We have all sinned (disobeyed God's Word) and fall
short of God's righteousness (doing what is right, good, and
true according to God's Word; Romans 3:23, 1 John 1 8-10).
The penalty for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23; see God's
Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right). Only by faith
(obedient trust) in Jesus Christ can we be “born-again” to
true eternal life, only by the gift of the indwelling Holy
Spirit which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his
disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy
Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and
has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14;
Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).
Paul is intended by God to be the prototype and example of
the “modern,” “post-resurrection,” “born-again” disciple
(student) and apostle (messenger; of the Gospel) of Jesus
Christ, which we can all become. Paul was following the
Great Commission which Jesus gave to his disciples as his
parting command, to wait in Jerusalem (the modern equivalent
is the Church), until they had received the gift of the
indwelling Holy Spirit, (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8), and
then they were to go into all the world, making disciples of
Jesus Christ, and teaching them to trust and obey all that
Jesus teaches (Matthew 28:19-20).
Paul was as much an apostle as the remaining eleven of the
Twelve original disciples (minus Judas Iscariot, the
betrayer), although he had never known Jesus during Jesus'
physical ministry. He was following the method that Jesus
had demonstrated, of making “born-again” disciples of Jesus
Christ. Paul himself had been discipled by a “born-again”
disciple, Ananias, until Paul received the Holy Spirit (Acts
9:10-18). Then Paul repeated the process with others
including Timothy, who he told to repeat the process with
others also (2 Timothy 2:2).
Christians are called to be disciples of Jesus Christ (Acts
11:26c), who have been “born-again ” and who then go into
the world to repeat the process. We have experienced the
truth of the Gospel and eternal life, and are offering them
freely to anyone who is willing to receive them by faith
(obedient trust) in Jesus Christ.
Many people in the world today are only concerned about
their present life and pursuing their own physical and
material goals and worldly success. They don't understand
that there is life beyond physical death, as Jesus'
resurrection and healing miracles demonstrated.
Many people today are only interested in what “Church” can
do for them physically and materially. People who came to
Jesus seeking only physical healing and feeding received
only that. Physical healing is only good until the next
illness and physical feeding only lasts until the next meal.
Only Jesus is able to heal and feed us spiritually and raise
us from death to eternal life.
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
Monday 5 Epiphany B
To
be used only if there is a 6 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise
skip to 8 Epiphany.
First posted February 9, 2009;
Podcast: Monday 5 Epiphany B
Psalm 32 – The Savior,
Jesus Christ;
Paraphrase:
Those whose sins and transgressions are forgiven are
blessed. Blessed are those to whom the Lord ascribes no
iniquity, and who have no deceit in their souls (innermost
being; the eternal part which survives physical death).
When the psalmist did not confess his sin, he was afflicted
by the hand of God. He suffered physically; his body wasted
away; like one in the heat of summer, his strength was dried
up.
Then the psalmist acknowledged his guilt and did not hide
his sin. He confessed his transgressions and the Lord
forgave the guilt of his sin.
So let those who are godly pray to the Lord. When beset by
troubles and distress as in a flood, let us pray to the Lord
and we will not be swept away. The Lord is our hiding place;
he saves us from trouble, and surrounds us with deliverance.
The Lord will teach us the right way to live. He will watch
over us and give us his counsel. Don't be like a horse or a
mule, without understanding, who must be controlled by a bit
and bridle, to do what his master wants.
“Many are the pangs of the wicked; but steadfast love
surrounds him who trusts in the Lord” (Psalm 32:10). Let the
righteous be glad and rejoice in the Lord. Let those who are
upright shout for joy.
Commentary:
We have all sinned (disobeyed God's Word) and fall short of
God's righteousness (doing what is right, good, and true,
according to God's Word; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). The
penalty for sin is eternal destruction (Romans 6:23). God
loves us and doesn't want any of us to perish eternally
(Romans 5:8; John 3:16-17).
God knew we would all sin if given freedom to choose whether
or not to trust and obey God's Word. He designed a Savior
into Creation from the very beginning (John 1:1-5, 14).
Jesus is God's only provision for forgiveness of our sins
and salvation from eternal destruction (Acts 4:12). God
offers forgiveness and salvation as a free gift to all who
are willing to recognize and confess that they are sinners,
and accept salvation through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus
Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9; see God's Plan of Salvation,
sidebar, top right, home).
God didn't cause evil in this world, but he allowed the
possibility, so that we could have the freedom to choose
whether or not to do God's Will. God disciplines us as a
good father disciplines his children, so that we will learn
to live according to God's Word and grow to spiritual
maturity.
Throughout the history of God's dealing with his people,
Israel, recorded in the Bible, when things were going well,
Israel would turn away from obedience to God's Word and to
idolatry. Then God would lift his providence and protection
from them, and they would be afflicted by their enemies.
When they were suffering they would confess and repent of
their disobedience and the Lord would forgive and restore
them. I personally have experienced that cycle in my own
life (see Personal Testimonies, sidebar, top right, home).
The Lord wants us to learn to trust and obey his Word, in
the Bible, and in Jesus Christ, the “living Word,” the
fulfillment, embodiment, and example of God's Word lived in
human flesh in this world (John 1:1-5, 14). When we do, he
will demonstrate his power and faithfulness to deliver us
from troubles. As a result our faith will grow and be
strengthened.
Jesus promises that if we trust and obey him, he will give
(“baptize;” anoint” with) the indwelling Holy Spirit, which
only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who
trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). By the indwelling Holy
Spirit we are spiritually “born-again” to eternal life (John
3:3, 5-8). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that
one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22;
Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).
The Lord will teach us the right way to live, he will guide,
protect and empower us through his indwelling Holy Spirit
(John 14:17, 26). By the indwelling Holy Spirit we
experience his love and power.
Jesus is the only way to be forgiven and restored to
fellowship with God which was broken by sin, the only way to
know divine, eternal truth, and the only way to have eternal
life in paradise restored in Heaven (John 14:6).
There is a Day of Judgment coming when everyone who has ever
lived will be accountable to God for what we have done in
this lifetime. Those who have trusted and obeyed Jesus as
their Lord and Savior will enter God's eternal kingdom in
Heaven, but those who have rejected Jesus as their Lord and
Savior, who have refused or failed to trust and obey him,
will be condemned to eternal destruction in Hell with all
evil (Mathew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10).
God's Word contains wonderful promises, but also ominous
warnings. The warnings are designed to keep us from the
consequences of disobedience. Only those who trust and obey
Jesus now, in this lifetime, will be blessed, now and
eternally.
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
Tuesday 5 Epiphany B
To be used only if
there is a 6 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8
Epiphany.
First Posted February 10, 2009;
Podcast: Tuesday 5 Epiphany B
2 Kings 5:1-14 – Naaman the Leper;
Paraphrase:
Naaman was the commander of the army of the king of Syria.
His master thought highly of him because the Lord had given
him victory over Israel. He was powerful and had great
courage, but he was a leper. On one of Syria's raids into
Israel, he had captured a girl from Israel, who he had given
to his wife for a servant (slave). The girl told her
mistress that if Naaman went to the prophet in Samaria the
prophet would cure his leprosy. So Naaman told the king who
he served what the Israelite maid had said. The king told
Naaman to go to that prophet, and the king wrote a letter to
take to the king of Israel.
Naaman left, taking ten talents of silver, six thousand
shekels of gold and ten festal garments, and brought the
letter to the king of Israel. The letter told the king of
Israel that the king of Syria had sent Naaman to Israel to
be healed of his leprosy. The king of Israel suspected that
the king of Syria was was trying to provoke an argument.
Only God could take or give life; what made the Syrian king
think that the king of Israel could heal Naaman's leprosy.
Elisha was the prophet that the maidservant of Naaman's wife
had been speaking of. When he heard that the king of Israel
had torn his cloths (an act of ritual mourning), Elisha told
Israel's king to allow Naaman to come to Elisha, so that
Naaman could realize that there was a prophet in Israel. So
Naaman came to the prophet's house. And Elisha sent a
message through Elisha's servant telling Naaman to wash
seven times in the Jordan river and his flesh would be
healed and he would be ritually clean.
But Naaman was angry and left because he had expected the
prophet himself to come to him, call on God, and wave his
hand over his leprous skin and heal him. Weren't there
rivers in Syria he could have bathed in? But his servants
approached Naaman and suggested that if the prophet had
asked him to do some great thing, Naaman would have done it.
Why not simply wash and be healed. So Naaman went to the
Jordan and washed seven times and his flesh was restored,
and became like that of a small child, and he was clean.
Commentary:
According to Easton's,* Benhadad II was the King of Syria,
and Joram (Jehoram) was King of the Northern Kingdom of
Israel. The Northern Kingdom was ruled by a series of
ungodly kings who were warned about the consequences of
disobedience and idolatry by the prophets, but didn't heed
the warnings until it was too late. Benhadad set seige to
Samaria in about 850 B.C. which was broken at the last
moment by divine intervention (2 Kings 7:1-20).
In 723 B.C. King Sennacherib of Assyria laid siege to
Samaria, and conquered it in 721 B.C. As the result of the
Assyrian policy of exiling the conquered people to other
conquered lands of the Assyrian empire, the Northern Kingdom
of the ten tribes effectively ceased to exist. The remnant
of the weak, poor and old of the Israelites, who were
allowed to remain, intermingled both racially and in
religion with other nations brought in by the Assyrians and
became the Samaritans of Jesus' time.
A talent of silver contained three thousand shekels,
weighing slightly more that ninety-four pounds. Gold
weighed double the weight of silver,** so six thousand
shekels was about three hundred seventy six pounds. In 1962,
when gold was thirty-five dollars an ounce, the value was
estimated as high as eighty thousand U.S. Dollars.*** It
took a large caravan to transport and guard it (2 Kings 5:9
RSV).
Naaman was willing to pay a great fortune for healing, but
was unwilling to do the simple act of faith in bathing in
the Jordan. Naaman was expecting a dramatic ritual, but was
unwilling to do the simple act of bathing that the messenger
of Elisha had relayed. He wondered why just any river
wouldn't do.
We are all spiritual lepers who are spiritually unclean and
dying, until we turn to Jesus Christ. Christian baptism is
the simple act of faith which cleanses us from our sin and
prepares us to receive the gift of the indwelling Holy
Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his
disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy
Spirit becomes the river of living water, flowing through us
and out into the world (John 7:37-39), giving spiritual
healing and eternal life. The Holy Spirit is the seal and
guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2
Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11,
15-16).
God's gift of forgiveness and salvation cannot be bought,
earned, or taken by force or deception. It can only be
received by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus (Ephesians
2:8-9). There aren't many ways to eternal salvation; there's
only one. Jesus is God's only provision for our forgiveness
and salvation (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God's Plan of
Salvation, sidebar, top right, home).
There are a lot of people today that seek dramatic rituals
and great miracles, thinking that then they will see and
believe. The same thing was true in the days of Jesus'
physical ministry. At his crucifixion the chief priests
mocked him, telling him to come down from the cross so that
they could see and believe (Mark 15:31-32). They had seen
the miracles Jesus had done even in the temple in their
midst, and had not believed. Jesus didn't come down from the
cross; he came up from the grave, but they still didn't
believe.
Christians are like the Jewish servant girl; we're citizens
of God's eternal kingdom of heaven, but in exile in this
secular world. We know where spiritual healing can be found,
and we can suggest to those who we work with and for, where
they can find spiritual healing and life. Naaman was a great
and powerful man, but he was willing to hear the testimony
of the servant girl, and guidance and correction of his own
servants.
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
* Easton’s Bible Dictionary, “Naaman” digital edition, SwordPROJECT BibleTime 1.6.4 (for Linux KDE 3.5.7) http://wwwbibletime.org
** ibid “Talent"
***The Oxford Annotated Bible, Revised Standard Version, Ed. by Herbert G. May and Bruce M. Metzger, 2 Kings 5:1-7n, p. 460, New York, Oxford University Press, 1962.
Wednesday 5 Epiphany B
To be used only if there is a 6 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8 Epiphany
First Posted February 11, 2009
Podcast: Wednesday 5 Epiphany B
Commentary:
Why shouldn't we expect to apply at least the same sort of discipline and effort in Christian discipleship that we apply in our worldly careers and pastimes? The Bible says that all who receive Jesus, who believe in his name (his whole character and reputation), receive the power (authorization) to become children of God, but they don't automatically become children of God; they must claim and appropriate that promise by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ. They must be spiritually “reborn” (John 3:3, 5-8), not by flesh and blood and the will of mankind, but by the will of God, by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34, only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).
*Later legend taught that the Rock followed them through the wilderness. The Oxford Annotated Bible, Revised Standard Version, Ed. by Herbert G. May and Bruce M. Metzger, Matthew 1:21n, p. 1172, New York, Oxford University Press, 1962.
Thursday 5 Epiphany B
To be used only if there is a 6 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8 Epiphany.
First Posted February 12, 2009;
Podcast: Thursday 5 Epiphany B
Mark 1:40-45 – Obedience;
Paraphrase:
A leper came to Jesus, knelt before him and begged him, saying “If you will, you can make me clean” (Mark 1:40). In pity Jesus reached out and touched him saying, “I will, be clean (Mark 1:41); and immediately the leper was healed. Jesus told him sternly not to say anything to anyone about his healing but to go to the priest and offer the sacrifice required by the Law of Moses (Leviticus 14:1-32). But the healed leper went out and spread the news of his healing so that Jesus was not able to openly enter any of the towns, but had to stay in the countryside.
Commentary:
Leprosy was considered a spiritual disease; an outward sign of spiritual corruption, and God's punishment of the afflicted. The afflicted had to stay outside of cities, and were required to warn passersby that they were ritually unclean. They were barred from participation in temple worship and all religious activities.
The leper who came to Jesus expressed his conviction that Jesus could heal him, if Jesus chose to do so. Jesus showed him that he was willing and able to heal him, and was willing to touch him who was considered unclean.
Jesus told the leper not to spread the news of his healing, but to be restored to fellowship with the congregation of Israel by fulfilling the sacrifices required by the Law of Moses. But the leper disregarded Jesus' command. He may have thought that he was doing what was right in helping to glorify Jesus, but he was making Jesus' ministry more difficult.
Many people are interested only in what Jesus can do for them physically: for physical miracles of healing and feeding (John 6:15, 25-27). Jesus' physical miracles were intended to show that Jesus can also heal and feed spiritually. Those who came to Jesus only for physical healing got only that; they missed the spiritual healing and feeding that only Jesus can provide. Physical healing only lasts until the next illness; physical feedings only last until the next mealtime. Spiritual healing and feeding give eternal life.
Only Jesus gives spiritual healing, feeding and eternal life by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). Saving faith is more than the conviction that Jesus can do miracles; that's just opinion. Saving faith is not getting whatever one believes in if one “believes hard enough.” Saving faith is obedient trust in Jesus.
Too many nominal “Christians” today think that, since they want to do the Lord's will, that therefore whatever they choose to do must be God's will. They pray for the Lord to guide them, and then to do whatever they please. Unless and until one has been “born-again” by the gift of the Holy Spirit, they are deprived of the guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Many nominal “Christians” today “talk” to the Lord, but do they listen? Do they wait for the Lord to reveal his Word to them? Do they act in obedience to his Word?
Jesus commanded his disciples to stay in Jerusalem (the Church is the modern equivalent) until they had been given the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8), and then they were to go into all the world with the Gospel. In too many instances that is not happening in the Church today.
Consider the original disciples as they awaited Pentecost. Jesus had told them to await the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and they were waiting in Jerusalem, probably in the upper room where they had celebrated the “Last Supper.” While they were waiting, they decided to choose a disciple to replace Judas Iscariot, the one of the Twelve, who betrayed Jesus. They nominated two people they thought were most qualified and then chose one by lots; by chance, like rolling dice. Matthais was chosen, and was never heard from again in the New Testament record (Acts 1:15-26).
I am convinced that Paul (Saul of Tarsus) was the one God chose to be Judas' replacement. Paul is the prototype of a “modern, post-resurrection, born-again (John 3:3, 5-8) disciple and apostle” of Jesus Christ, as all of us can and should be. Matthias is never heard from again, but from the time of Paul's conversion (Acts 9:1-22), the rest of the Book of Acts, and most of the rest of the New Testament is written about or by Paul.
Consider the transformation the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit had upon Simon Peter. Peter usually “leaped before he looked;” he was enthusiastic but didn't follow through. On the night of Jesus' betrayal he told Jesus he would rather die than deny Jesus (Matthew 26:33-35; Luke 22:31-34), but when Jesus had been arrested, Peter denied him three times, even to a most menial servant of the high priest (Matthew 26:69-75).
The Disciples had been hiding in the upper room, with the door barred, for fear of the Jews (Jewish Authorities; John 20:19). On the Day of Pentecost, the “birthday” of the Church, Peter, filled, guided and empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit, boldly preached openly to thousands, proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:14-36).
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
Friday 5 Epiphany B
To be used only if there is a 6 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8 Epiphany.
First Posted February 13, 2009;
Podcast: Friday 5 Epiphany B
Jeremiah 9:23-24 – Glory in the Lord;
Paraphrase:
The Lord says to the wise, not to boast in wisdom; to the mighty, not to boast in might; to the rich, not to boast in riches. Let him who boasts, boast in knowing and understanding the Lord, whose ways are steadfast love, justice and righteousness, because he delights in these qualities.
The day is coming when the Lord will punish all who are outwardly “circumcised” but are uncircumcised (in their hearts), Egypt, Edom, Ammon, Moab, and the Arab tribes (Israel's neighboring countries), along with Judah (the remnant of Israel*), because all these peoples are uncircumcised, and the house of Israel is uncircumcised in their hearts.
Commentary:
God's wisdom is eternal and unchanging, unlike mankind's worldly wisdom. (1 Corinthians 1:17-25). “For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25).
I believe that the meaning and purpose of life is to seek and come to know and have fellowship with the Lord God, our Creator (Acts 17:26-27). This lifetime is our opportunity to be spiritually “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) to eternal life. The accomplishment of these purposes is only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ, through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).
Unless and until we personally know and understand God, we don't know anything important and eternal. God has been progressively revealing himself and his purpose for Creation from the very beginning, first in the goodness and complexity of Creation itself, then through the Bible, then through Jesus Christ, the “living Word” (John 1:1-5, 14). The gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit is the ultimate revelation of the Lord to us individually and personally (John 14:21).
God has always, from the very beginning, intended to establish an eternal kingdom of his people who willingly choose to trust and obey God. This Creation has been designed to allow the possibility of sin (disobedience of God's Word), so that we have a real alternative to obedience to choose from, and so that we can learn by trial and error that God's will is our best interest.
Circumcision was the seal of the Old Covenant (Testament) of Law mediated by Moses between God and God's people. The gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit is the seal of the New Covenant (Testament) mediated by Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:26-28 RSV see note “g;” Hebrews 8:6-10), the “New Moses” between God and his people.
The people of Israel were physically circumcised, but many weren't “circumcised” in their hearts, their will and behavior. The circumcised under the Old Covenant was by men at God's command, and the circumcised were obligated to keep all of the Law of Moses. True circumcision is “circumcision that is of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter” (of the Law; Romans 2:29).
The New Covenant is forgiveness of sin and salvation from eternal condemnation by grace (as a free gift), to be received by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). The Holy Spirit is “the circumcision of the heart” which enables “born-again” Christians to know and fulfill the spirit of the law out of love rather than fear. Christians are freed from the condemnation of the “letter” of the Law, provided that they are obedient to the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:1-8).
Circumcision was of no benefit if circumcision was only outwardly (Romans 2:28). Likewise, calling oneself a Christian, calling Jesus one's Lord, or calling oneself “born-again” doesn't mean that one is saved.
Too often the nominal Church is not even trying to make “born-again” disciples. Many “churches” today teach the false doctrine of “Cheap Grace,”** the doctrine of salvation by grace (a free gift; unmerited favor) which is true, but without the requirement of discipleship and obedience (which is false; see False Teachings, sidebar, top right). These “churches” are not only not making “born-again” disciples, but are actually preventing their members from being “born-again” by telling them that they are automatically born-again by some church ritual such as water baptism.
This situation reminds me of the folktale of The Emperor's New Clothes (see also the link in "False Teachings, Spiritual Rebirth;" sidebar, top right, home. Not only are these Church leaders strutting around spiritually naked, but so are their members.
Knowing and understanding the Lord begins with reading God's Word. Many church members have never read the entire Bible, and don't read the Bible every day. Too many “churches” don't read the Bible texts as part of worship, and too often preachers' sermons are based on one or two verses, if they are based on the Bible at all.
Every Christian should read the entire Bible first of all, and then should read the Bible daily, with prayer and mediation, seeking to know and do God's will, one day at a time. Any average reader can easily read the Bible in one year, and there are lots of one-year reading schedules (see Free Bible Study Tools, sidebar, top right, home).
There are many false “churches,” false teachers and false doctrines in the world and in the Church today. How can a member know if their church is teaching Biblical apostolic doctrine, as received and and taught by the original Apostles and recorded in the New Testament, unless they have read the Bible?
The Christian Church is not just a “New Testament” church; the entire Bible is the Word of God, and one needs to read the Old Testament also, but from the perspective of the New Testament.
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
*Judah, the kingdom of the two tribes, was the remnant of Israel after the destruction of the Northern Kingdom of the ten tribes of the divided monarchy in 721 B.C. by the Assyrians. Jeremiah's ministry began 627 B.C.
**See: The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Collier Books, Macmillan Publishing Co., NY 1963 ISBN 0-02-083850-6
Saturday 5 Epiphany B
To be used only if there is a 6 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8 Epiphany
First Posted February 14, 2009;
Podcast: Saturday 5 Epiphany B
*The Oxford Annotated Bible, Revised Standard Version, Ed. by Herbert G. May and Bruce M. Metzger, Matthew 1:21n, p.
