Month: October 2021

Our scripture today is 1 Timothy 1:12-16.

“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” 

Paul writes this testimony of his conversion to encourage Timothy in his ministry. He holds himself up as an example of one who first opposed Christ, but later received Christ and has taken on the work of the kingdom. Paul wants Timothy (and us) to know the joy of forgiveness and that no one is beyond God’s love and His saving mercy.

Like Paul and Timothy, there is Kingdom work waiting for us. We have all been commissioned to share the love Jesus brought to God’s children. It is the next step after repenting and being forgiven, to make disciples of all the world.

Each of us have different gifts and different locations to share God’s love. We may not be called to far flung places as were the early disciples, but then again, God will send us where we are needed. Let us listen for God’s voice and respond to the assignment we are given with energy and joy.

Gracious God, You have saved us from sin to be raised to eternal life. May we be obedient servants and effective voices in Your world. Amen.

Our scripture today is ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭9:11-15‬.

“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.”

Paul writes of how the priests of the Abrahamic Covenant made sacrifices for the sins of the people. He then explains how much more God has done for us in the New Covenant through the life, death and resurrection of our Lord. In Him we have the final sacrifice for all of God’s children, and we are set free from the reign of sin.

We have a responsibility in this, not that we could do anything to save ourselves, but by accepting Jesus Christ we connect with God totally and forever. Some of our communion liturgies state “we offer ourselves as a living sacrifice”, a promise to dedicate our lives to doing His will. By this, we become part of the work of His kingdom.

We have much to do in this troubled world, many are in need of help we can’t give as individuals. This is where the church is called as the body of Christ to help our brothers and sisters. Pray for ways to be part of this effort, that all may be cared for through the love of God.

Loving Lord, we have been blessed to be a blessing to the world. Help us to see the needs and answer them with the resources and love You have given us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭15:8-11.

“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”

Jesus has warned us before that what we say and do is what defines us. It is often the case that what humans say and do are two different things, and this is what leads us into disobedience to God’s law. Jesus makes the point that we do even worse, “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (v. 9). We have replaced God’s law with our own.

This straying from the path God intends for us by making wrong choices separates us from Him. While God is always willing to welcome us back, we must recognize our sin and ask His forgiveness. He understands our weakness and longs to help us, but we must first admit our selfishness and return to Him.

God wants the best for us but our free will gives us the ability to do wrong. If this were not so, we wouldn’t have free will. We must always be aware of our capacity for sin and work diligently to avoid it. Sin is easy, faith is hard. Trust in the Lord and He will keep you in His care.

Gracious God, we follow what we want and find ourselves lost among the things of the world. Help us to see Your truth and love in all things and to share that joy with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3:1-5.

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”

‬Are we living in the last days? It is easy to see many of the things Paul warns about happening now. It is a scary world out there and rather than trying to make a difference, sometimes we throw up our hands in despair and cry “Come Lord Jesus!”

Jesus wants us to be ready for His return, but He doesn’t want us to give up. Every generation has faced trials and opposition from the world. Ever since we turned from God to selfish disobedience, sin has been a presence in our world. 

Jesus knows this and came to be with us to show us the way back to an eternal connection to God. Our joy is that we can have this relationship every day, and share the love we know in Him with everyone. The old hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness” tells us we can have “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow”. Instead of living as if the end is upon us, we must live in Christ and know our salvation is assured.

Loving Lord, we are often frightened and confused about the future. Help us to see the blessing we have in our Savior and live secure in that promise. In Your name we pray. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2:3-10.

“Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

Paul writes to Timothy to remind him of the duty we have in Christ. He uses examples to show how our focus must be on pleasing God and not letting outside things interfere with our efforts. Even when we are treated unjustly (as Paul is, imprisoned for preaching the Gospel), we are called to continue to the best of our ability.

How are we holding up in difficult circumstances? It is hard to share joyfully when we are oppressed by the actions of the world and beset by illness. Paul experienced both of these but continued in his ministry and he exhorts us to do the same.

We will always face difficult times and situations due to the sin that entered the world through our disobedience. However, God calls us back into a relationship with Him through our repentance and His forgiveness. The Good News of Jesus Christ is our gift from God and He is the only way we can be saved.

Gracious God, we are humbled that even though we have fallen You are willing to raise us with Your son into eternal life. Help us to love others as You first loved us, bearing the things of the world until that day You call us home. Amen.

Our scripture today is Colossians 3:1-4. 

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 

Paul writes that our lives have been changed by Christ’s teaching and presence. We must not be drawn to the temporary things of earth, but instead focus our hearts and minds on what He has promised. God wants our full obedience and our full attention. 

As humans, our thoughts often wander to places and things not even remotely connected to what we are doing. This ability to imagine is a gift from God that allows us to discover new things and new ways of doing them. However, selfish imaginings can lead us astray.  

Paul reminds us to “seek things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (v. 1), so that our energy is used wisely, for the good of the kingdom. We have been given a wonderful intelligence to share with others, according to God’s plan. Then when Jesus returns we may “appear with Him in glory”, (v. 4) having been good stewards of our intellectual gifts. 

Loving Lord, You gave us minds that we might seek solutions to the problems we face. Help us to see that all wisdom comes from You and to use it for the good of all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture today is 1 Thessalonians 4:14‭-‬18.

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Paul gives us his vision of Christ’s return in this passage. It is both a statement of belief – Jesus died and rose again – and our hope for future redemption through our faith in Him. Paul tells us to encourage each other with these words, that all may come to know that Jesus will return for us.

Paul wants us to understand that our faith both calls us and enables us to bear the trials Jesus said would occur while we are here. We pray that we may be faithful followers, sharing His love with the world until the day of His coming. Then, we will all be together with Him.

What a wonderful blessing and promise! However, we must be careful to make our faith in Him the center of our belief and not what we think His return will be like. No one knows when He is coming or the specifics, but we do know He will come in glory to take us home.

Loving Lord, we are thankful for Your redeeming power and we know You will return for us. Help us to be strong in our faith and patient as we wait for that day. Amen.

Our scripture today is Philippians 2:14-18.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Paul tells us that we need to act “without grumbling or disputing” (v. 14). We certainly need to hear and heed this today. We are surrounded by negative communication it seems, and we must ensure it doesn’t become part of our lives. God wants us to perform our tasks with energy and joy.

While our labor is necessary for our needs and those of others, we should see our work in the world as a gift from God. It is a chance to participate in His plan, to be part of the advancement of the kingdom. We are called to use our skills to be good stewards of all the resources we have been given.

In addition to the things our work may produce, doing it cheerfully sends a message to those around us. Attitudes are contagious. God has things for all of us to do and we can accomplish them together with gladness.

Gracious God, in Your wisdom You have given us work in our world, that we might help make it a better place for all. May we do all things for You and each other. In Your name we pray. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Hebrews 4:14-16.

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Paul reminds us that Jesus was fully human and knows everything we feel. He came to be one of us, so we could see that with God’s help we could also enter His kingdom. He taught that we must remain connected in faith to be saved.

He showed that even when life is difficult we have a refuge in God. Through prayer and thanksgiving we share with Him, and through spreading the Good News we share with others. This “up to the Lord and out to people” pattern is what makes us His children.

Jesus shows through His humanness that this is possible for us as well. We are called to follow and bring others with us, sharing the joy we have found in Christ. Our Savior shows us the only way to the Father is through Him.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for Your example of faith and work. Help us to share our faith through the work of Your kingdom with all our brothers and sisters. Amen.

Our scripture today is Luke 16:13-15.

“No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”

Jesus warned against placing undue value on the accumulation of wealth. It was a problem then; it remains a problem today. Jesus said “you cannot serve God and money” (v. 13).

This doesn’t mean money is bad, it’s only a tool. How we obtain money, what we use it for and what actions we are willing to undertake for it is what makes money an issue in our lives. Jesus warned that when we place more value on money than the lives of God’s children, we fall into sin.

Jesus wants us to see that we are God’s greatest treasure, far more valuable than anything else in creation. We must treat each other as God intends, using our wealth for the good of all. He has untrusted us with all the earth’s riches and calls us to use it wisely to care for each other.

Loving Lord, in our selfishness we often place our petty “wants” above the real needs of our brothers and sisters. Forgive us and bless us to bless others, being generous with the gifts You have given. Amen.
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