The Cosmic Overture

Old Testament: Nehemiah 5 & 6

Poetry: Psalm 21

*New Testament: John 1

Today I want to focus on what is often called the “prologue” or “preamble” of John, or John 1:1-18.

Read any modern translation of this passage, and it will sound like the Word (Logos) is a person. If it is read this way, then it seems to be communicating that this person was with God from the very beginning, and was actually God. This person created everything and was active in the world and with his people. Finally, in verse 14, this person became flesh and was among us as Jesus. It certainly sounds like this passage is saying God became flesh.

If that is the way you understand this passage, you are definitely not alone. Most Christians for a very long time have read it this way, and would probably say that Jesus is as much God as the Father (co-equal) and has always existed with him (co-eternal). The understanding is that they share a divine essence but are distinct persons. If you throw the Holy Spirit into the mix and hash out a few more considerations (possibly over centuries of bloody dispute), you have a Trinity doctrine.

If you’re reading this, then it’s likely you come from a Biblical Unitarian perspective, meaning you believe that God is one person (the Father), not three. But these words exist on the internet, so virtually anyone on earth or in space can read them. There is a chance you have a Trinitarian understanding of God. If that’s you, please know I am not here to criticize your beliefs. The times and places for that are few and seldom fruitful.

Let’s do an interpretation experiment. By making a very small shift in perspective, the passage reads quite differently. What if we thought of the Word not as a person, but as a personification? Or, in this context, a literary device that imbues a non-person with qualities or abilities of a person. You know, like when opportunity knocks, fear grips, or sin crouches.

If we think of the Word as a thing that is being personified, what is the thing? We could spend lifetimes diving into this question, but for the purposes of our experiment, let’s approximate it to the wisdom of God. 

Is this too far of a leap? I’ll leave that up to you, but I want to mention that there is scriptural precedent for personifying God’s wisdom. Proverbs is a hotbed for this kind of language (see 1:20-33, 8:22-31, 9:1-6). Also, the adventurous and curious (nerds!) can find many examples of personification of God’s wisdom in the deuterocanonical writing called Wisdom of Solomon. It is likely not in your Bible, but if you have Catholic friends, it might be in theirs.

So, what does the passage look like if, when we encounter “Word” in the text, we think of the wisdom of God? It might be understood something like this:

God’s wisdom was right there with God from the beginning. The wisdom of God is God, since you wouldn’t think of his wisdom as something separate from him, but as a quality or extension of him. God created everything through his wisdom. God’s wisdom is life and light to his people. John the baptizer came to testify to this wisdom and prepare the way for it to come in a new and powerful way. God’s wisdom was in the world, and not everyone recognized or accepted it, yet those who did became children of God. And now God’s wisdom has been “made flesh” in Jesus.

If we look at the passage from this angle, we are less likely to come away with the conclusion that God somehow became human, and more likely see Jesus as the human who uniquely embodies divine wisdom. Jesus is the culmination of the entire Hebrew wisdom tradition, the target of the arrow passing through the Pentateuch, the Prophets and the Writings. He is close to the Father’s heart, making Him (Jesus’ Father and his God) known to us, and representing him more closely than anyone ever could. Some would call this Wisdom Christology.

When I encountered this interpretation, it clicked for me, and I found it helpful for making sense of the passage. I offer it not as the one true interpretation that you should also adopt, but as one of many possible interpretive options. I’m very glad if it is as helpful to you as it was to me, but if not, thanks for considering it.

-Jay Laurent

Reflection Questions:

1. John’s gospel begins very differently than the other gospels. What do you think was John’s motive behind beginning his gospel with the Word?

2. God reveals his wisdom in many ways, but most notably through Jesus. What are some other ways?

3. From later in the chapter in verse 45, what do you think Philip means when he says they’ve found the one Moses and the prophets wrote about?

4. What are some issues/problems created by having a human God?

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Builders, Unite!

*Old Testament: Nehemiah 3 & 4

Poetry: Psalm 20

New Testament: John Intro – found below

“Teamwork makes the dream work.” I’m sure this saying or one like it is on many framed posters in the workplace. I can’t utter it without a smirk on my face. It is cheesy, but there is a powerful truth at the core of it. When people work together, the result is something greater than just adding up what each would have accomplished individually. It is more than just the sum of the parts. It is the secret sauce, or added little something you get when people are connected and integrated. Iron Man is better with Hulk and Captain America. Michael Jordan is better with Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. Neil Peart is better with Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee.

This is part of what Paul was getting at in 1 Corinthians 12 when he was talking about spiritual gifts within the body of Christ. People have different strengths and abilities they bring to the table. Not everyone does the same thing, and nobody can do everything. Instead, we specialize in something and rely on others to do their part. When everyone is contributing, things are working like the proverbial well-oiled machine. When someone is missing, things are not as efficient or effective as they could have been. Paul recognized the strength that emerges out of our interconnectedness and unity.

Rewinding back to Nehemiah chapters 3 and 4, we can see the same principle in play. The context is that they are returning to a ruined Jerusalem after being in exile. The walls need to be rebuilt to ensure the safety and security of everyone in the city, and so that they can work towards getting back to something resembling normal again. Chapter 3 gives us a less than riveting account of the names and jobs of those working to repair the city and its walls, but in chapter 4, things get juicier as enemies threaten to come make war with them to stop their progress. 

This threat prompted a needed pivot in strategy. Some people would be stationed with sword or bow to defend the city against attackers, while others continued to build. Some did dual duty, building with one hand while holding a weapon in the other. It was an “all hands on deck” situation that required the effort of everyone in order to succeed. It wasn’t easy, but they were able to accomplish the goal.

The mutual support of everyone involved and the guidance of good leadership made the result something greater than you would think possible. After experiencing something like this, you might look back and say, “Wow, I don’t know how we did it.” This creates awe and wonder in our hearts, not because of our own abilities, but because of the power of working together while following and cooperating with God’s spirit. The lines start to blur between what I’m doing, what you’re doing, what we’re doing, and what God’s doing.

What could this say about what God is like? God does not prefer to do all the work alone, but would rather delegate and involve his children in the work. When we say humanity is the image of God, this is not about appearance, but vocation. We image God not by looking like him, but by sharing in his work as his agents. Through our actions, others can experience a taste of God. Does this remind you of anyone? We can see God by looking at Jesus, whose God-imaging abilities are unparalleled. Jesus was the only human who perfectly and faithfully stepped up to the work God gave him to do.

You may sometimes feel like you don’t have much to offer the body of Christ. Whatever you can do, even if you think it is insignificant, is beautiful and desperately needed in the church and in the world we reach out to. We cannot do this without you. And perhaps paradoxically, you can’t do this without us. And we can’t do this without God. But somehow this machine works when you put it all together.

-Jay Laurent

Reflection Questions:

1. What are some things you can do to help build up the church?

2. Can you think of times in your past when being part of a team allowed you to accomplish something amazing?

3. What is your favorite team (doesn’t have to be sports)? What is it about the members of the team that allow them to work so well together?

Gospel of John Introduction

John, “the disciple that Jesus loved”, wrote the gospel of John, as well as 1, 2, & 3 John and Revelation.  John told us his purpose in writing this gospel in John 20:31, “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Many times in the Gospel of John, John contrasted light and darkness.  For example 1:6-9, “There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John [the Baptist].  He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.  He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.  The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.”

Then 3:19-21 states, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.  But whosoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

Then in 8:12, John wrote, “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”

The most well-known verse in the Bible is found in John 3:16.  I’ll close with John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

-Steve Mattison

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Your Trials

THEME WEEK – PETER: 1 Peter 1

Old Testament: Nehemiah 1 & 2

Poetry: Psalm 19

This week at FUEL we focused on the life of Peter. Peter is an amazing character in the Bible. His life was full of ups and downs. His faith was high and it was low. Yet, Peter was used to do great works for God. I find a lot of parallels between Peter’s life and ours as believers.  Today’s devotion is not as much focused on Peter’s life, but rather how he uses what he learned from his life experiences.

1 Peter 1 starts by proclaiming the good news and our hope in Christ. He says in verse three, that through mercy we have been given a new birth through the resurrection of Jesus. Now Peter continues this by saying that even though we have our hope in Jesus we will have a lot of grief and many trials. This is true for our lives as well, most of us have gone through something that is incredibly challenging. Life can really beat us down or we build sandcastles on false beliefs. But when you have a living hope through Jesus Christ, you have a strong foundation to rely on during the waves of life.

 Peter also faces many trials in his life such as when he was called out on the water by Jesus, he took his eyes off of Jesus and began to sink because of his lack of faith. Peter also denies Jesus three times. He is ashamed and scared because of what might happen to him so he turns his back on Jesus. But even through all of these difficulties and trials Jesus calls him back. I know that I have taken my eyes off from Christ and maybe even have denied my faith. But he continues to call me back and offers grace.

Peter uses his life experiences to help strengthen fellow believers. He says in verse six and seven that trials come and that “these have come so that your faith … may be  proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” Even when we face trials and setbacks in our life, we can still return to Christ. Or as Amber shared on Monday night, we all need a comeback. So the next time you find yourself sinking, think about Peter and remember that if he can be pulled out of the water, so can you!  Peter reminds us in verse 23 “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”

-Camden Bormes

If you would like to hear Amber speaking on comebacks, check out the FUEL 2023 Monday Evening General Session on youtube (where you can also find all the other general sessions as well). Amber starts speaking, with sound, at 36 minutes.

Reflection Questions

  1. What trials have you already been through? Have they helped to prove the worth of your faith? If so, how?
  2. Are you currently in need of a comeback (has a trial beaten you down)? What steps could be useful in the process of a comeback? How might the living and enduring word of God play a part?
  3. What can we learn from Peter about faith? About Jesus? About God?
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Peter and Cornelius

THEME WEEK- Peter: Acts 10

Old Testament: Nehemiah Intro – found below

Poetry: Psalm 18

This devotion comes from Acts chapter ten. The Centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort was a devout Christian man named Cornelius. Being known for the faith of all his house and his charitable actions toward the Jews, Cornelius is definitely the kind of guy you want around when change needs to be made. Now Cornelius has a vision, and in this vision he is instructed to seek out Simon Peter, afterwards he listens whole heartedly and dispatches a group to go find Peter and bring him to meet Cornelius. While the group is going to find Peter, Peter goes to a housetop to pray. On the housetop he becomes hungry and he is shown a vision. In this vision, a large sheet descends from the sky and in it are a multitude of unclean animals; birds, reptiles and all kinds of four footed animals. A voice instructs Peter to get up, kill and eat. But Peter is hesitant. He doesn’t want to, for he follows the tradition of the time and won’t eat anything considered unclean by tradition. The voice tells Peter “What GOD cleansed, no longer consider unholy” three times and the sheet is taken back up into the sky.

 At this time, while Peter is thinking over what he witnessed, the men sent by Cornelius arrive at the house of Peter. The Spirit tells Peter to receive the men without misgivings and after they greet one another Peter invites them in to stay.

So finally the stage is set. These men have come to take Peter to meet a Gentile, as Peter is starting to rethink what GOD considers holy and unholy. Breaking down traditions.

The group takes Peter and some others from Joppa to Caesarea to meet Cornelius and as he enters the house Cornelius bows to worship Peter. “Stand up” Peter says “for I too am just a man.” There with Cornelius were multiple other gentiles. Peter says “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”

Cornelius gives the account of the vision he received and how he was instructed to reach out to Peter, and to hear the preaching of Peter. 

So Peter begins to preach. Starting with the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and his anointing. Then to the death and resurrection of Jesus, ending with the fact that Jesus appeared to those who ate and drank with him before his crucifixion. And while Peter was still preaching to those gathered the Holy Spirit descended upon all those that were in the room, Jew and Gentile alike. 

The believers that came with Peter were amazed that the gentiles also could understand the speaking of tongues. 

Acts 10:47-48 reads “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.”

So that’s the story of Acts chapter ten, but what do we learn? Our preconceived notions of what “GOD wants” may not always be true, just because our traditions teach us something doesn’t mean it’s right. Even though everyone is doing something doesn’t make it right.

But this passage is beautiful in its own way. Just because we may not belong to the house of Israel, doesn’t mean GOD’s love isn’t for us. While it seems like a surface level idea, this passage plainly shows our adoption into the family of GOD.

-John Evans

Reflection Questions

  1. Peter described to Cornelius who Jesus was. How would you describe Jesus?
  2. Are there any areas in which perhaps your ideas of what “God wants” is actually different than what God truly wants? Explain.
  3. What does it mean to you to be a part of the family of God?

Nehemiah Introduction

The book of Nehemiah was written by Nehemiah, the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes.  This is the exciting sequel to the book of Ezra.  Ezra oversaw the rebuilding of the temple.  Nehemiah oversaw the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem in an amazing 52 days.

The two important themes of the book are:
1. The amazing way God protected and provided as the returned exiles rebuild the wall around Jerusalem with amazing speed
2. The importance of being loyal to God.

I particularly appreciate chapters 8 and 9 where Ezra read the law of Moses to all the people; the people listened attentively and worshiped God.

May we be able to say, like Nehemiah in 13:31, “… Remember me with favor, O my God.”

-Steve Mattison

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Feed My Sheep

Theme Week – Peter: John 21

Old Testament: Ezra 9 & 10

Poetry: Psalm 17

Peter has experienced so much with Jesus that it is difficult to wrap our minds around everything. Miracles, explanations of the Kingdom, who God is, how to live, even being resurrected to life are some of the actions and ideas that God accomplished and conveyed through His Son. Peter took it all in. Peter was undergoing a transformation through his relationship with Jesus.

Peter knew and stated that Jesus was the Messiah (the Christ), the Son of the Living God. (Matthew 16:16) This idea was revealed to him by God, but Peter stumbled when Jesus was on trial. He was terrified and rightly so. He saw the cruelty, the brutality released on Jesus so he denied him three times.

On the shore that morning, Jesus wants Peter to understand that he forgives him. After a miraculous catch of fish and eating a fish and bread breakfast, Jesus asks Peter if he loves him more than these?  “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” This time Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” Peter said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”

Jesus is direct with Peter. He will express his love for Jesus by feeding, by taking care of his sheep. Of course, Jesus had taught them that his followers were his sheep. At that time, we were the ones that had not yet entered the sheep pen by the gate. But Praise God that Peter showed his love for Christ. He truly Followed Jesus. He became brave speaking to the crowds about believing and being baptized into Jesus. We are encouraged and challenged by what Peter said and did. He did feed the followers of Jesus then and we are still receiving that food and care today through the scriptures. Along with Peter, we have the chance to feed and care for the followers of Christ. We will faithfully follow the plan that God sets for our lives. We will follow Jesus Christ.

-Rebecca Dauksas

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you love Jesus (even if you have failed him before)?
  2. What job do you think Jesus has for you to do for him? How will you do it?
  3. Will you follow Jesus? How?
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The Purpose of Jesus

THEME WEEK – PETER – John 18

Old Testament: Ezra 6-8

Poetry: Psalm 16

This morning we read John chapter 18 – an emotional chapter that covers the arrest and trial of our Messiah, the King of the Jews. 

While the events we read about in this chapter and the next are completely unjust and cruel, they had to happen. Jesus knew what he was born for; he knew for what purpose he was sent to the world by God. He had already revealed his future several times in the gospels leading up to the crucifixion. Not only did Jesus predict his own death, but his life, ministry, and death was also prophesied in the Old Testament, beginning approximately 2000 years before his birth. This was God’s plan from the very beginning, and it was never supposed to be easy. 

God set his perfect plan in place long before Jesus was on earth, and when his time came he knew by whom he was sent and for what purpose, and he was determined to fulfill it, faith unwavering through every trial until death. He had many opportunities to walk away, and we know a part of him wished he could (Matthew 26:39), but our good and perfect Savior put his trust fully in God, and obeyed until the very end. This was no easy task. Though he remained without sin, Jesus of Nazareth was a human, just like us. He encountered countless trials that most anyone else would crumble under the weight of, and ultimately faced a gruesome death that most would run away from. 

We needed the sacrifice of a perfect human man to be saved. Through Christ we are redeemed. Without his tragic death, a sacrifice made both by God and by his Son, our fallen world would be doomed to live apart from God in sin and brokenness forever. But because we have a genius God who came up with the most perfect plan on our side, and because one man had unbreakable faith and steadfast love for the God he served and the world he was sent to save, we have the promise of a beautiful future – a kingdom not of this world (John 18:36). 

Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

John 18:37

-Isabella Osborn

Reflection Questions

  1. Have there been times in your life that you were scared to do what you knew God was calling you to do? 
  2. What can we learn and apply to our own lives from the ultimate display of love and faithfulness in Jesus’ sacrifice?
  3. What are some reasons you think the Jews were so adamant that the savior sent to them by their God should be put to death? What do you think you would have done in that situation? What are some ways we can guard our hearts from the lies of this world that lead us away from God’s will for us?  
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Who is Jesus?

*THEME WEEK – Peter: Matthew 16

Old Testament: Ezra 4 & 5

Poetry: Psalm 15

Today’s devotion comes from Matthew chapter 16:13-15. In the story, we hear Jesus ask Peter a question. This is what it says:

“Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 

In a society that always asks who you are, it’s nice to hear Jesus say, who do you say I am? Isn’t that a better question to ask? So many times we’re worried about who we are and what people think of us. We’re worried about what we’re doing and feeling . We’re worried about how people see us. Jesus cuts through that and asks the real question – who do people say he is?

There’s so much to unpack with that question when we ask – who do people say Jesus is? We can use that in a personal way. We can use it in a way to re-center and refocus on what’s truly important.

So here’s a good question. Who do you think Jesus is? Do you get to say who he is or does God tell us who Jesus is and we need to re-center and refocus what he really is to us. Do you have a real view of Jesus, or a caricature of something you’ve made up in your mind? Too many times we make Jesus what we want him to be rather than what he is. He is the Christ, the son of the living God. He is our savior. He is our Messiah. He is our Lord.

Do you see him that way? If Jesus asks you who he is, would you have a good answer? Are you living that out? So here’s your question for today – who do you say Jesus is? 

-Andy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. Who do you say Jesus is?
  2. How do you live that out?
  3. How does your answer to the question “Who is Jesus?” make a difference in your life? How does it help you re-center and refocus?
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On the Water

THEME WEEK – PETER: Matthew 14

Old Testament: Ezra 1-3

Poetry: Psalm 14

Today’s passage of Matthew 14 has a lot to unpack. There is much to learn from each story there, but my focus for this passage has always been the last portion: walking on water. Because while John’s death was tragic, and the feeding of the 5,000 is wondrous, the story of Peter stepping out of the boat has always been one of mixed emotions for me. 

Starting in verse 22 we read:

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Jesus has performed miracles before this story. It should be no surprise that he could walk on water, but it truly must have been a sight to see. Coming through wind and darkness and waves, it was enough to make the disciples proclaim him to be a ghost. But Jesus calls through the wind and the lapping of the waves and over the creaking of the boat to reassure his followers. And Peter’s immediate response is one that I’ve always found commendable. He asked Jesus to call him out. 

He wants Jesus to call him out on to dark water to do something terrifying that he knows he’s completely incapable of doing on his own. He is fully aware that only Jesus, using the power and authority given to him by God alone, can help him do this great thing. 

So he asks him to call him out. How often do we ask to be called out into dangerous waters? Usually my request is, “Lord, keep me safe. Keep my family safe. Keep my life simple.” It’s not “Lord, send me out into water well over my head.” 

Peter asked to be called out because he knew that Jesus would help him. And I feel like he should get credit for this. And yet as we read further we see Jesus tell him he has little faith. 

But Jesus! He was the only disciple who stepped out of the boat! 

Poor Peter. He boldly trusts Jesus and goes out on the water but he loses focus. Rather than keeping his eyes on Christ he starts seeing the waves and winds and realizes just the sort of situation he’s in. He’s standing over deep water and the sea is not calm. This is no peaceful frolic. This is scarier and bigger than he expected, and suddenly the danger and the risk is all he can see. Christ is forgotten. 

If we are called to do big things for Christ, we cannot expect it to be simple and peaceful. We live in a world of sin, full of wind and waves, and he is calling us into it to do his work. But he’s right there. He is giving us the authority and the power to do great things. Unfortunately, sometimes all we can see is the danger. 

It takes great faith to step out onto the water, but having faith for a moment isn’t enough. Continuing on in faith despite obstacles and fear is what we are actually called to do. We cannot just step out of the boat. We must go forth as we are called. Keep your eyes on Jesus. 

Some things to think about:

What waters do you feel called on to? 

What do your winds and waves look like? 

What are some practical things that can help you focus less on your obstacles, and more on Jesus? (Maybe it’s deepening your prayer life. Maybe it’s getting a fellow Christian to go alongside you.)

How can you pray bigger prayers and in what areas of your life can you ask Jesus to call you out over deeper water?

My prayer for you today is that you are bold in your faith. I pray that you are able to see Jesus in areas in your life and that you hear his calling. I pray that you not only step out of the boat but that you also continue on toward him, trusting him to keep you above the water. 

-Jenn Haynes

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Can’t Throw Stones

*THEME WEEK – PETER – Luke 5

Poetry: Psalm 13

Old Testament: Ezra Intro – see below

This week many are gathering for a week of FUEL – a youth and young adult camp of the Church of God. Our theme for the week matches FUEL’s theme of Peter and our writers this week will all be participants and staff at FUEL. Have a great week seeking God, growing faith and loving more and more!

The past few weeks, I have been thinking about this a lot. We are so quick to cast stones when someone hurts us, or we find something out about someone that we think is wrong or sinful. I have seen this in myself recently. I have been quick to judge people when I don’t agree with their opinions or beliefs. I was very excited to have an opportunity to write about Luke 5. The story about Jesus choosing his first disciples has always been one of my favorites. But I never took the time to read deeper into it.

Luke 5: 31

Jesus replied to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

In this verse, Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees who are watching Jesus have dinner with tax collectors and sinners. In this time, it was crazy and unheard of to associate with these types of people, because they were considered unclean. But Jesus responds and says it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the SICK.

We are to have the same attitude as Jesus and realize that we ourselves are sick. We have all at one time sinned. Jesus has come and brought us, the sick, out of our sickness so that we can do the same for others.

He shows the same act in Luke 5:8-11

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful Man!” For he and all those with him were amazed at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s partners.

            “Don’t be afraid,” Jesus told Simon, “From now on you will be catching people.” Then they brought the boats to land, left everything, and followed him.

Jesus called to the lost. He went to the darkest places to reach people and has instructed us to do the same.

It is hard to reach out to people sometimes. Especially when we know their past. But how can we judge someone, when Jesus comes to us and says, “You are forgiven.” It says in James 2:10

“For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all.”

We all know that we have sinned before, we are all sinners, but Jesus calls us – to love each other, and show everyone who HE truly is, WASH THEIR FEET.

Wash the sinner’s feet. Love them and serve people as Jesus would serve. We are all sinners, no matter what it may be, we have all fallen short somewhere.

Jesus washes the feet of his disciples in John 13:1-5. He is free of sin, and yet he washes their feet. In this time, washing of someone’s feet was an act of service. Jesus was willing to serve everyone no matter who they were. We are called to do the same.

It is easy to judge and to say, well I couldn’t do that for this person because… (You fill in the blank). I have done it. I have judged people whether that be at work, or even when I was in school. I have judged and said, “Well that person is too far gone. There’s no way I could forgive them.” But the truth is, that everyone deserves Christ’s love. We are called to be free of judgement and full of love and forgiveness.

 You can’t wash feet and throw stones. We can’t do both.

Instead choose to wash the feet of everyone you can, not literally, but be kind and show them Christ’s love.

-Hannah Eldred

Reflection Questions

  1. When have you judged someone else and believed them to be too sick (in their sins) for Jesus to cure? How have you been proved wrong? What examples from the Bible and people you know prove that Jesus heals sinners and changes lives?
  2. Jesus called Peter to catch people not fish. What is Jesus calling you to do? What might you have to leave behind (as Peter left behind his fishing boats and nets)?
  3. How can you – will you – show others the love of Christ this week?

Ezra Introduction

The book of Ezra was written by a man named Ezra who was a Godly scribe and priest – a direct descendant of Aaron the first high priest.  The book starts with the decree of the Persian King Cyrus proclaiming the Israelites could return to Jerusalem and build a temple for God.  This was prophesied in Jeremiah 25:12; 29:10; 50:1-5; and Isaiah 44:28-45:5,13.

The first half of Ezra details the people who returned, and then describes the fits and starts of building the temple, along with the stiff opposition to building that temple.  (It took 23 years to rebuild the temple.)

Once the temple was built, the Israelites needed priests to perform sacrifices and teach God’s laws to the people.  It was at this time that Ezra went from Babylon to Jerusalem in a second wave of returning exiles along with priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants.  

I love the description of Ezra found in 7:10, “Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.”

We see a glimpse of his faith in Ezra 8:21-23, “There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.  I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.”  So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.”

The second half of the book talks about addressing the sin in Israel, culminating in people’s confession of their sins and their pledge to live according to God’s laws.

I’ll close with Ezra 10:6, “… he [Ezra] ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.”

How often have you been this distressed over your own sins, let alone the sins of people who claim to follow God, or even the sins of our nation?  

-Steve Mattison

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Living Godly Lives in a Godless Age

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 34-36

Poetry: Psalm 12

New Testament: 2 Timothy 3-4

            During this week’s readings we’ve seen examples of many ways and reasons that people turn away from God.  We’ve also seen how people can be a complicated mixture of both faithful and obedient to God but also can lose their grip on faith and obedience through pride or greed and lose their intimate connection to God.

            Throughout scripture, God shows himself to be merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in love and forgiveness.  He is a God of second chances (and 3rd, 4th, and 5th chances).  Yet he is also a holy and just God and brings down the rod of discipline upon the people he loves to correct their corrupt ways when they refuse to repent.

            On this final day of the week, these Scriptures show us some pretty remarkable things about God’s patience and mercy, and also the dangers to neglecting the Word of God.

            Josiah began to reign as King of Judah at the tender age of 8.  When he was a young lad of 16 he began seeking God.  He decisively began to rid Judah of idols.  He arranged to have the temple repaired.  As the workers were working in the temple, cleaning out the relics in the back halls and storage units they came across a dusty old book.  It looked old and probably hadn’t been read for centuries.  It turns out that the dusty old book was the Bible, as it was constituted at the time of Moses.  It contained the teaching and laws that Moses recorded based on what he received from God along with the history of God’s people going back to creation.  King Josiah asked that it be read aloud to him.  As he listened to God’s word being read, he was overcome with horror.  He tore his robes.  As he heard God’s word being read he realized how far astray they had gone from doing God’s will. 

            Josiah called for a prophet of God to come and tell them what God was going to do.  He was going to bring his judgment against the people of Judah, there would be a disaster that was unprecedented.  However, King Josiah would be spared because of his love and faithful obedience to God.  God said: “Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard:  Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord.  Now I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here.’” (2 Chronicles 34:26-28)

            Josiah led the people to renew the Covenant.  He led them in celebrating the Feast of Passover which had not been celebrated since the time of Samuel.  He continued to purge the nation of its idols.  Josiah was rewarded for his humility and faithful obedience to God’s covenant. He was permitted to live out his life with the nation in peace.  In this instance, God is both gracious to Josiah for his humble and repentant heart, but he is also just and requires that Judah suffer the consequences for their disobedience.

            After Josiah died, there was a rapid succession of kings, who each “did evil in the eyes of the Lord.”  God continued to send prophets to warn his people to repent, but they would not listen. “Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful, following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the Lord, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.  The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.” (2 Chronicles 36:14-16)

            God gave second and third and fourth and fifth chances, but finally they were so hardened and disobedient that he had no choice but to let them be taken away into exile.

            Josiah was a man of God living in a broken and sinful world.  He did his best to lead others toward faithfulness and trust in God, but ultimately they rejected God and faced the consequences.  God showed mercy to Josiah for the sake of his humility and faithfulness.

            Like Josiah, we can be men and woman of God living faithfully in a broken and sinful world.  We can take heart, God sees our faithfulness and humility as we repent of our sins and turn to Jesus Christ and walk in obedience to Christ.  We have no guarantee that life will be easy as we live godly lives in a godless age.  In fact, we are warned that it will be hard.

            “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,  and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” -2 Timothy 3:12-17.

            Sadly, in Josiah’s day, the Bible was lost for hundreds of years in the back of the temple.  We are blessed, we have access to God’s word to read and study and obey…. But do we?

-Jeff Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1.  How do you suppose God’s people completely lost God’s word for hundreds of years?  Could that happen again in our age?
  2. Josiah humbled himself and repented. In what areas of your life do you need to humble yourself and repent?
  3.  As a result of this week’s devotions, what one change are you committed to making in your life?
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