Category: Daily Bible Reading Blog

A blog following the daily readings from the Revised Common Lectionary.

Real Life (1 Thessalonians 3:6-13)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment

But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 

For now we really live since you are standing firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. (New International Version)

What does it mean to really live? Everyone has their own conceptions of what the good life is. But to live life to the full, to really live in sync with how life actually is (and is supposed to be) brings us true satisfaction, contentment, and meaning.

In the radical individualism of the West, it may seem foreign or strange to us that the Apostle Paul’s life was very much bound up in the lives of others – in the churches he established and with the believers who had come to faith in Christ. For Paul, to really live was to see spiritual growth and development in the places where he ministered.

The thing that really got Paul excited, what really melted his butter, was leading others to Christ, forming them into churches, and watching them carry out their missional mandate by doing the same things that he did with them. I can relate to Paul’s joy and satisfaction over Christian discipleship.

There’s nothing quite like mentoring others in the faith, helping them mature in that faith, and sending them out to live according to the model of faith that you’ve demonstrated for them. To see the Word of God take root in individuals and communities of people is like no other sort of joy and contentment.

In the midst of discouraging circumstances of persecution and distressing situations of opposition, it was gratifying, encouraging, and motivating for Paul to hear a good spiritual report from his protégé Timothy about the Thessalonian church’s faith.

Whether we acknowledge it or not, or like it or not, every one of us is inextricably connected to the other. And that is especially true in families, and in the family of God. The Thessalonian believers’ steadfast commitment to Christ and the Christian faith was a crucial and important dimension of Paul’s own persevering faith.

The Apostle had been on the front lines of faith – taking the good news of grace and forgiveness in Christ to the nations. To have his churches endure through all their own troubles and challenges is a great boon to Paul. They each derive confidence and inspiration from the other. Everyone’s faith is confirmed and strengthened when everyone is striving to live for Christ.

All the believers in Christ were really living because they stood firm in the Lord and were immovable in their faith commitments. Assurance and reassurance comes not in isolation, but through the interdependence and interaction with others who share the same values.

Parents don’t really live, unless they see their children living a life of abundant joy and satisfaction. And it’s the same with spiritual mothers and fathers; they truly live when their spiritual children are walking in faith and patience with the Lord.

This is why Paul was grateful and could not thank God enough for the Thessalonians’ life of faith. God’s powerful and gracious work in the church brought out all kinds of thanksgiving. With that sort of dynamic happening, Paul could face any tribulation with the confidence and trust needed to keep going.

Prayer is the logical response to a healthy spiritual and relational dynamic of faith. The greater the good relations, the greater the desire to come and keep imparting needed teaching and encouragement for the Christian life. In other words, spiritual growth begets spiritual growth.

The best way the Thessalonian converts and all the churches become rooted in faith is by God helping them to have their love increase and overflow for each other, and for everyone else. What’s more, God intends that the love Christians have for one another be a model and a witness to and for the world.

Christian community is the place we learn to love. As we practice again and again how to love one another in the church, we then take this love into the world in loving even our enemies. For if we are to follow our model and leader, Jesus Christ, then we will infuse each word and every action with the love of God in Christ – which is the light that draws others into a healthy spiritual and relational dynamic.

We must pray, as Paul did, for love to increase amongst us, so that our hearts are strengthened with genuine purity and holiness of life. For unless love grows and flowers, selfish desires will increase and turn our love inward to the point of taking love away from God and the world.

It is imperative that we have a genuinely loving stance toward each other as believers, and toward others in the world. Apart from this love – given graciously to us through the cross and resurrection of Christ – there is little hope for anything bad in this old fallen world to ever be better.

The bottom line is that churches wither and die because they lose sight of love; Christians lose faith and go their own way because they forget about love; and believers throughout the world continue on because loving prayers, loving ways, and loving words come their way, despite difficulty and hardship they face.

So, let us love one another as Christ loved us. For this is the way our faith is strengthened and our hope is kindled to keep enduring until Jesus returns to this earth and makes all things new and right. This is real life.

May almighty God give you grace to persevere with joy, so that the work of love begun in you may be completed, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Be Renewed (Joshua 24:25-33)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year A1 Comment
Joshua renews the covenant with the people of Israel, by David Martin (1639-1721)

On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws. And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the Lord.

“See!” he said to all the people. “This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the Lord has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.”

Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.

After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.

And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants.

And Eleazar son of Aaron died and was buried at Gibeah, which had been allotted to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim. (New International Version)

All things, if they exist for any length of time, require renewal. This is especially true of relationships, and in particular, our relationship with God.

The book of Joshua is closely connected to the book of Exodus. God’s special relationship with Israel was confirmed with a covenant. God’s gave the Law to Moses as the leader of the people. And God brought a mighty deliverance to the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. These are all themes that linger with importance into the leadership and life of Joshua and the Israelites as they entered and inhabited the Promised Land.

Joshua was a faithful attendant to Moses, a model soldier, and an effective spy. After the death of Moses, Joshua was the appointed successor to bring Israel into Canaan and capture it. He was just as faithful to God and the people as Moses had been. In taking the land, Joshua made sure to do the following with the people:

  • Reminded all the Israelite tribes of their covenantal relationship and obligations to God
  • Allocated the land to each of the tribes, as specified by God’s command
  • Circumcised all the males that had been born during the forty years in the desert
  • Established cities of refuge, and cities for the Levites (because they had no land inheritance)
  • Admonished the people to be steadfast in observing the laws given to Moses by God 
  • Made it clear what the consequences are for any break or breach in the covenant agreement

Joshua did all of this by facilitating a covenant renewal ceremony. There were still some Canaanites in the land, and so, the Israelites were at risk of worshipping foreign deities and engaging in intermarriage. The people needed to have a collective memory of God’s deliverance, covenant, and law.

The covenant renewal emphasized obedience to the law and fealty to God because the Israelites are a holy nation, set apart for the Lord’s purposes. They were to serve the Lord with faithfulness and sincerity. There were to be no foreign gods whatsoever. Obedience would bring blessings, whereas disobedience would lead to the land being cursed.

As the mediator between God and Israel, Joshua commanded Israel to make a firm choice about what they were going to do. He was holding them accountable and ensuring they actively participate in the covenantal agreement.

The people declared that they would not forsake the Lord to serve other gods. And Joshua pledged to hold them accountable to their words and commitments.

Just as Israel was to be renewed in loyalty to their God, so we, too, in each generation of believers, must experience a renewal of our relationship to the Lord. We do so through reaffirmation, recording our response, and setting up a remembrance of the renewal.

Reaffirm

To reaffirm is to make a renewed commitment to something, usually verbally. In affirming God as the Lord, we are saying, “I believe!” So reaffirming repeats the belief, and makes it clear that you still feel that way. We make promises and make plans to keep them. We vow to be faithful and restate our love for God and God’s Word.

Joshua repeated, restated, and reaffirmed God’s Law for the people, so that they would know exactly what their responsibilities are, and pledge to keep them always.

Record

To record something is to establish a written record of what was said. Joshua made sure that everything was written down so that nobody in the future could say something contrary, or forget what was said.

One of the most powerful ways we can engage in personal renewal is by actually recording our promises and commitments to the Lord in a journal. The act of writing, in-and-of itself, is a transforming practice. And when we couple the practice with important and impactful words of intention and desire, then we are doubling our chances of actually following through and doing what we say we will do.

Remember

Memory is more than the mind. Remembering is activated with tangible things that we can see, touch, or smell. With the Israelites, Joshua set up a huge stone as a remembrance of what was said and promised. And he engaged the imagination by stating that the stone heard it all – and would hold them all accountable.

Physical objects, such as the cup and the bread in Christian communion, press the remembrance much better and deeper into both our minds and our hearts. Anything in life that is vital to remember ought to have a tangible item which symbolizes the importance of the memory.

Experiencing renewal in life doesn’t simply happen, but is an intentional process of reaffirming, recording, and remembering. Concerning God’s Word, Holy Scripture is something worth putting the effort into in order to realize new life and a renewed relationship with the Lord.

O God, King eternal, your light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive from us all wrong desires; incline our hearts to keep your law; and guide our feet into the way of peace; so that, having done your will with cheerfulness during the day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Encouragement for Today (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 

For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (New International Version)

Everyone needs encouragement. Everybody wants some good news in their lives. People must not only have food, drink, clothing, and shelter, but also words that they can live by – words that can sustain them and help to make ends meet for their daily lives.

The Thessalonian Christians needed some good words of encouragement. They believed the Lord Jesus was coming soon. Any day now, at any time, Christ will return and take us to be with him forever. And yet, day after day, there was nothing but the anticipation, along with the expectations that weren’t realized.

On top of it all, some of the believing brothers and sisters died. So, what happens to them when they die? Will they somehow be excluded from enjoying Christ’s return? And, by the way, are we missing out on something here? Did Jesus come, and we somehow missed it?

The believers in the Thessalonian Church were left with concerns – not only for those who had died, but for those who were still alive. Perhaps somebody, even themselves, were being excluded from the gracious visitation of God. They were curious, but most of all confused.

Hope needed to be clarified for the Christians. A confident expectation would help sustain them in this life. They can keep laboring in the Lord with faith, have hope for the future, and realize love in both this life and in the life to come.

Christ will descend from the clouds with a cry of command, the sound of a trumpet, and lift the faithful into heaven. In other words, for those people who were living in the Roman Empire, Christ will arrive with the fanfare and pageantry of any Roman Emperor. Peace and security are here – not from Ceasar – but from a Sovereign who is greater than any earthly ruler.

I realize that many believers today see this vision of the coming Christ as a literal description. Maybe it is, and maybe it isn’t. But whatever it is, the Apostle Paul intended to assure the Thessalonian faithful that the promises of God were backed up by a power even greater than that of Rome.

Furthermore, true peace, security, and hope are not found in the Pax Romana of Rome, but in the gracious rule and reign of God. Christ is the Lord; Ceasar is not. The Thessalonians, therefore, were encouraged to let God be the source of their peace. For the One who calls you is faithful.

The encouragement we need is really not so different from what the Thessalonians needed to hear. Two thousand years later, like them, we continue to look for signs that assure us that God has not forgotten us; that we will not be left behind; and that we will not be separated from those who have already died.

As world problems continue, and as time marches on, we may grow weary. We might then place more hope and confidence in the power of a national government that offers us peace and security, as we patiently wait for God. Like the Thessalonians, all we really need is the assurance that God’s power and God’s promise is real.

We might not see Christ coming down from the sky today, or even next week, or next year. But we can still embrace the hope we need in order to get by every single day.

Although an apocalypse is coming, it is actually in the little things of life that helps sustain us till then. An encouraging and timely word from a friend; praying with a fellow believer; giving thanks to God for all things; and living with an awareness of the spiritual throughout the world all these things strengthen us and enable us to see God at work.

Through a consistent walk with God, day after day, the power and presence of God becomes real to us – maybe just as real as a dramatic scene of Christ coming down from the clouds – and offers us hope to face each new day with courage and compassion for a world in desperate need of salvation.

Almighty and all-sufficient God, give me strength to live another day.

Let me not be a coward in difficult circumstances, or to turn tail and run in the face of hard responsibilities.

Help me not lose faith in other people.

Keep my heart tender and wise, in spite of others’ ingratitude, treachery, or meanness.

Preserve me from minding the little stings of life, or of giving them to others.

May my heart be pure; and may I live honestly and fearlessly, so that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of inward integrity.

Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things.

Grant me today some new vision of your truth.

Inspire me with a spirit of joy and gladness.

Make me the cup of strength to suffering souls.

I ask all of this in the name of my Deliverer, Lord, and Friend, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The End of the World (Matthew 24:1-14)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment

The Final Sign

Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (New International Version)

I am a suspicious person when it comes to end-time gurus. I find most of them to be false teachers, trying to scare people into their own little group, like a bunch of nuts in a fruitcake.

Yet, Jesus is an end-time preacher, giving an answer to those who asked him about the future and how things will literally shake up and shake out at the end of the world. So, because I trust him when he lays out what will happen, I believe there is a time coming when there shall be a judgment of the living and the dead.

Christ’s disciples had heard Jesus pronounce doom on the Jerusalem temple, and wanted to know about when this was going to happen, along with the signs leading to it. Jesus then went on to tell them about a much bigger picture than what the disciples were asking for; Jesus described not only the end of the temple, but also the end of the world as we know it.

I often find myself warning people about buying into those who constantly and confidently talk of the end, as if they have the inside track on it. Jesus did the same; so I’ll take my cues from him. Notice the warnings he offered his disciples concerning signs of the end time:

Don’t let anybody fool you

Watch out for deceivers. False teachers are those who claim to be Christians and have insider information from all their great study. Stay clear of them. Their sense of superiority, because of their supposed knowledge, will trick many people. Don’t be fooled by them.

Don’t be afraid

Anyone who pays any sort of attention to the news – whether local, national, or international – is likely to be concerned about the state of our world. We may even become terrified. But Jesus wants us to avoid being fearful all the time. And that will only happen if we listen as much or more to him than we do people who whip up a frenzy and get us all upset – much like talk radio hosts do to their audiences; or hack preachers do to spiritually vulnerable Christians.

We can be wise and discerning without being fearmongers and constantly worried. In times of crisis and disaster, Christians really ought to be the calmest people on the planet.

Armies may surround me,
    but I won’t be afraid;
war may break out,
    but I will trust you. (Psalm 27:3, CEV)

Wars, rumors of wars, coups, famines, and earthquakes happen. All these, and more, are signs – just like a woman with labor pains, about to give birth. When we look ahead, we may feel apprehensive, upset, and afraid with pain. But our fear will eventually give way to joy. Before things get better, things will get a lot worse. Disaster and destruction will lead to the renewal of all things.

The world will hate you

Because there is fear and deception, the Church will become an oppressed victim. The world hates those who truly follow Christ. All that has been simmering underground will break out in persecution against believers.

So, it ought not surprise any Christian or any Church when there is intolerance and disdain against them. Anyone following Jesus should expect the same treatment he received in his last days on earth.

Many “Christians” will turn against each other and hate each other. They will drop out and refuse association with Christ or his Church. The outside pressure will become intense enough to force a crumbling of the Church on the inside. Parishioners will tear each other to pieces.

Unfortunately, the world’s hate leads to the church’s apostasy – a turning away from faith. And this situation is a ripe situation for false teachers to rise and have their way. People will glory in their shame.

The ones who stick it out will be saved

The true believer holds onto faith, despite the intense pressure of hatred. This isn’t salvation by works; it’s salvation by a faith that is authentic, genuine, and the real deal. This faith remains as a testimony to all that love still exists and will never be extinguished.

And then the end will come.

There shall always be the good news in the middle of all the terribly bad news. Divine sovereignty will always be above the world’s hate and disorder.

Therefore, let the believer be the herald of good news and give themselves to the mission of faith, grace, hope, and love in Christ. No matter where or when you locate the time of great tribulation, it is always open season on gospel proclamation.

God will make something out of nothing. Trouble, hardship, oppression, persecution, and death are the signs of the end. Now is the time for faith and patience. Now is the opportunity to love with the light that penetrates the darkness of hate.

Eternal God, you are the light of the minds that know you, the joy of the hearts that love you, and the strength of the wills that serve you. Grant us to know you that we may truly love you; to love you so that we may truly serve you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.