Category: Year A

It’s Time To Wake Up – First Sunday of Advent (Romans 13:11-14)

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

Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is already the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone; the day is near. Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us walk decently as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in illicit sex and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (New Revised Standard Version)

But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over; dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can’t afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don’t loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about! (The Message)

I like metaphors, that is, word-pictures that help illustrate and visualize a concept or idea. That’s probably why I like the Apostle Paul, because I find in him a guy who appears to have the same affinity for metaphors that I do.

In the New Testament reading on this First Sunday of Advent, Paul gives four metaphors to help us grab ahold of what he wants to get across to us:

We are not in some holding pattern, passively awaiting heaven. This is because our salvation is not yet complete. Completeness won’t happen until Jesus returns, until the second advent of Christ. Therefore, we are to be active now, working on our faith commitment to Jesus and to his church.

In this advent season, as we remember Christ’s first “advent” (or “coming”) to this earth, we are equally anticipating the second coming of Christ – not knowing quite when that will occur. Only until this event happens will our salvation come in all of its fullness.

The church is a unique community of persons who continually have an eye toward the future return of Jesus. And this future orientation is supposed to give shape to how we live in the present time.

The world-wide Christian community presently follows the way of deliverance. This current time and place is not the arrival point. Today doesn’t mark the time in which our salvation is fully realized or acquired.

In other words, we are to avoid acting as if this is our permanent home. Rather, we are pilgrims on this earth, sojourning through it as if we were but camping out. Our true home is someplace else. And we will get there when Christ comes again.

There is a stark contrast between those who put all their eggs into the present earthly basket, and those who maintain a future orientation of working now with an eye out for Jesus to return. This contrast is illustrated by Paul with images of what it’s like to live for and in the Roman society; and what it’s like to live with Jesus as Lord, instead of Ceasar.

Are you asleep or awake, living for the night or in the day?

Therefore, keep awake, for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening or at midnight or at cockcrow or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. (Mark 13:35-36)

Paul, taking his cues from Jesus, exhorted the believers to stay alert and be prepared for the end when it comes. Living for the nighttime is a metaphor for giving-in to one’s personal sinful desires; whereas living in the daylight hours is a picture of following the words and ways of Jesus.

What are you wearing? What are you taking off, and what are you putting on?

Using the metaphor of clothes – undressing and dressing oneself – Paul is talking about exchanging one set of clothing for another. This isn’t merely putting on a different pair of jeans than what you already have on. It’s much more radical than that. It’s doffing the tuxedo and donning the overalls. The picture is one of doing something completely different than what you’ve been doing before.

Paul wanted a complete makeover, a total change of moral and ethical behavior that is consistent with the gospel of Christ, and not with typical Roman society. It involves taking up one’s cross and following Jesus. It’s gritty and dirty and gets down to it; instead of avoiding hard work and seeking to have someone else do what is unpleasant to me.

Our allegiance and commitment to Christ is on full public display – not in placards with Bible verses on them, but with the sweet aroma of living a humble and just life in all of its simplicity and holiness.

Will you do the works of darkness, or take up the armor of light?

The darkness represents the unjust life of lies, selfishness, conflicts of interest, relational discord, and immoral actions. The light is meant to convey a beautiful life of integrity, wholeness, righteousness, and peace through loving actions.

Christians are to progressively take on the character of Christ, and not of whatever political character happens to be in power.

Using the metaphor of armor points us not only toward the struggle we confront in living a moral and righteous life, but also toward Christ who is our Divine Warrior. Jesus is the One who fights the battle and wins the victory.

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Do you know what time it is? Is there any hopeful expectation?

The Christian is one who knows the time is nearer now than when they first believed. We may not know the precise date on the calendar when Jesus will come again, yet we are convinced that he is returning soon.

Therefore, the believer has no business spending time in trying to predict the day of the end. Instead, the believer must remain faithful and persevere to the end with a firm commitment to Christ, and a dedication to doing what is good, right, and just.

So, herein lies the challenge for every believer: Those of us who name Jesus as Lord will continue to live in a world of injustice and unrighteousness. Christians are continually being pulled in differing directions all at once, all the time.

It’s a hard slog. Yet the Christian finds joy and satisfaction in knowing who they are, who they believe in, and who is coming back to make all things new.

Christianity involves a whole lot more than praying a salvation prayer once, then going on one’s merry way, doing whatever the heck one wants to do.

Rather, Christianity is a radical existence of waking from sleep and changing allegiances from immoral leaders to the true sovereign of the universe.

It’s like moving from seeing shadowy forms just before the dawn to seeing clearly in the sun’s full light of day.

It’s as if I’ve been given a completely new set of clothes to put on, giving up the rags of this world for the raiment of being adopted into royalty.

We remain continually vigilant, always watching, always praying, always believing, always loving – knowing that our salvation is at hand, nearly here, and could happen at any moment.

God of justice and peace, from the heavens you rain down mercy and kindness, so that all on earth may stand in awe and wonder before your marvelous deeds. Raise our heads in expectation, that we may yearn for the coming day of the Lord and stand without blame before your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility (1 Kings 16:1-7)

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

This message from the Lord was delivered to King Baasha by the prophet Jehu son of Hanani: “I lifted you out of the dust to make you ruler of my people Israel, but you have followed the evil example of Jeroboam. You have provoked my anger by causing my people Israel to sin. So now I will destroy you and your family, just as I destroyed the descendants of Jeroboam son of Nebat. The members of Baasha’s family who die in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten by vultures.”

The rest of the events in Baasha’s reign and the extent of his power are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel. When Baasha died, he was buried in Tirzah. Then his son Elah became the next king.

The message from the Lord against Baasha and his family came through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani. It was delivered because Baasha had done what was evil in the Lord’s sight (just as the family of Jeroboam had done), and also because Baasha had destroyed the family of Jeroboam. The Lord’s anger was provoked by Baasha’s sins. (New Living Translation)

“With great power there must also come great responsibility.” Uncle Ben to Peter Parker, Spiderman

That’s one of those popular modern proverbs that resonate with us because we readily acknowledge the truth of it. No matter the culture, ethnicity, or place, we all have an inherent sense of justice and what is right.

And that makes sense to me, since we are created in the image of the Lord who is a God of justice and cares about what is right and good. So, whenever a person or a people buck their conscience, and practice injustice, it will raise the ire of both other people, as well as God.

Anger, at its core, is a response to injustice. Whenever we are treated unfairly in some way and are denied what we need to survive and thrive in this life, it makes us mad! Not only that, but it also makes God mad, too.

The use and abuse of power is a vital issue. Power must not be accumulated simply for someone (or a particular group of people) to enjoy its privileges. Power is given by God to individuals and groups so that they will use their position and authority for the common good of everyone.

To possess power is to possess a great moral responsibility for making good and just decisions. If the people in power fail to do this, then they shall be held accountable by a sovereign God who has ultimate authority over everyone and everything.

King Baasha of Israel was given a solemn responsibility by God to ensure the proper worship of God and to provide for the needs of everyone in the kingdom. In a theocratic society such as ancient Israel, the king served as the person who was responsible for knowing the commands of God and making sure that they were fulfilled. And that meant that justice for all should be ensconced throughout the land, and injustice should be eradicated wherever it is found.

By discarding the proper worship of God, and instead following other gods who engaged in injustice, Baasha was shirking his responsibility and setting up the nation for the misuse and abuse of power. So, God was determined to uproot the evil so that it didn’t destroy the whole nation.

“Whoever has been given much will be responsible for much. Much more will be expected from the one who has been given more.”

Jesus (Luke 12:48, ERV)

We all possess some level of power – whether it be small or great. Everyone is held responsible for what they have. If we have been blessed with talent, wealth, knowledge, time, position – or whatever it is – it’s expected that we benefit others. With whatever we have received, we are, in turn, to give for the sake of another.

Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well. (1 Peter 4:10, CEV)

It’s not a matter of how much or how little power you have been given, but how faithful you are with the power you actually possess. Those who are trusted with something valuable must show they are worthy of that trust by stewarding their resources and their decision-making well. (1 Corinthians 4:2)

God’s anger serves the purpose of fueling God’s great purposes in justice for all people everywhere. And if we channel our own anger into love for all humanity, then we are rightly ordering our own power in good, redemptive, and responsible ways.

Almighty and eternal God, empower us all by your Spirit to be good, just, and faithful stewards of the power and authority you have given to us. Help us to live conscientiously, to bless others graciously and generously with the grace and generosity given to us by your goodness. May the very life of Christ be manifested in us and through us to your glory and honor. Amen.

The Restorative Powers of Grace (Jeremiah 31:10-14)

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

Listen to the Lord’s word, you nations,
    and announce it to the distant islands:
The one who scattered Israel will gather them
    and keep them safe, as a shepherd his flock.
The Lord will rescue the people of Jacob
    and deliver them from the power of those stronger than they are.
They will come shouting for joy on the hills of Zion,
    jubilant over the Lord’s gifts:
        grain, wine, oil, flocks, and herds.
Their lives will be like a lush garden;
    they will grieve no more.
Then the young women will dance for joy;
    the young and old men will join in.
I will turn their mourning into laughter
    and their sadness into joy;
        I will comfort them.
I will lavish the priests with abundance
    and shower my people with my gifts,
        declares the Lord. (Common English Bible)

In the seasons of our lives, when we go through those times of difficulty, it feels like a hard slog uphill that never seems to end. But it will not always be this way. Suffering will eventually give way to rejoicing; sickness will turn to health; estranged relationships will reconcile; and broken spirits will be made whole again.

God is the expert in restoration. Dilapidated communities, broken individuals, and peoples in diaspora can find fresh hope amid challenging circumstances. The initiative, interventions, and actions of God are what make the difference in turning sorrow to joy.

The Lord gathers scattered people together, as well as making the disparate parts of people into a unified whole again. And in this gathering action of God, no one is left behind. Attention is given to the stragglers, to those unable on their own strength or ability to journey on the road back to the Lord.

With the Lord’s movements of mercy, those with unfortunate circumstances are turned into the fortunate ones. The underprivileged become privileged. Grief, lament, and mourning give way to joy and a new lease on life. A great reversal occurs with God’s intervention. Sorrow is transformed into praise. Goodness is found in abundance because the Lord is a good God.

God calls people to action, to a response of experiencing the restorative powers of grace. The Lord encourages such behavior because it helps us never forget that no one and no circumstance is ever beyond the renewing grace of God. The effect of God’s merciful activity in the lives of people is singing, shouting, listening, and proclaiming.

With spiritual renewal, there is no mumbling of words, no timidity about being off tune when lifting a song of praise and thanksgiving. The lonely person, fragmented group, depressed community, polarized neighborhood, or scattered nation who becomes restored by God’s merciful grace is a newly minted exuberant people. Singing organically arises from them.

God’s restorative work causes shouts of joy to emanate deep within the soul. In fact, the Lord’s activity is so wonderful that even the rocks will cry out if the people don’t. A last second win in the sports stadium amongst thousands of fans doesn’t even hold a candle to the celebrative shouts of believers gathered and restored.

Whenever a people hear God’s voice and respond, it results in restoration. The desire to listen is then heightened, and obedience to God’s will becomes the norm, instead of the exception. Increased proclamation of good news happens, as a joyous and privileged response to God’s amazing grace. More and more people are included within the community, and hope rises beyond what anyone thought was possible.

Rescue and redemption are at the heart of God toward lost and wayward humanity. Divine intervention leads to restoration of individuals, neighborhoods, faith communities, even nations. Like a faithful shepherd over a flock of sheep, the Lord actively seeks the lost, brings them home, and continues to stand watch over them as a compassionate guardian.

And just as God redeemed the people out of Egyptian slavery and took them to a good land of abundance, so the Lord shall return those persons exiled from that abundant place and restore them to the peace of settled rest. The restoring action of God gathers the scattered. The lost are found. That which is fragmented is made whole. Those previously disabled become able. The weak become strong, the sick healed, the hungry fed, and the prisoner freed.

In times of famine, disease, poverty, hardship, confusion, and scant resources, there is hope. The Lord knows how to restore fortunes and bring untold abundance amid the most difficult of situations.

True joy comes through hard suffering. The pains of childbirth give way to unspeakable joy.

Christians are about to enter the season of Advent, after the long months of ordinary time. God, in Jesus Christ, is about to enter the world through a woman, in the flesh. The gracious work is about to begin, of ransoming, redeeming, and restoring a sinful world that had exiled itself from peace and abundance. In Christ, our lives are about to become full of blessing.

Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the spiritual blessings that Christ has brought us from heaven! (Ephesians 1:3, CEV)

“I am the gate. Those who come in by me will be saved; they will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness. I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep.” (John 10:9-11, GNT)

May you know and experience the restorative grace of God in Christ today and every day. And may this upcoming season bring you fresh hope and a renewed faith. Amen.

Injustice Makes Everything Weird (Zechariah 11:4-17)

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

This is what the Lord my God says: “Shepherd the flock marked for slaughter. Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Praise the Lord, I am rich!’ Their own shepherds do not spare them. For I will no longer have pity on the people of the land,” declares the Lord. “I will give everyone into the hands of their neighbors and their king. They will devastate the land, and I will not rescue anyone from their hands.”

So I shepherded the flock marked for slaughter, particularly the oppressed of the flock. Then I took two staffs and called one Favor and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock. In one month I got rid of the three shepherds.

The flock detested me, and I grew weary of them and said, “I will not be your shepherd. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish. Let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.”

Then I took my staff called Favor and broke it, revoking the covenant I had made with all the nations. It was revoked on that day, and so the oppressed of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the Lord.

I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.

And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord.

Then I broke my second staff called Union, breaking the family bond between Judah and Israel.

Then the Lord said to me, “Take again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hooves.

“Woe to the worthless shepherd,
    who deserts the flock!
May the sword strike his arm and his right eye!
    May his arm be completely withered,
    his right eye totally blinded!” (New International Version)

Injustice makes everything weird. Leaders who treat others with dishonor and disrespect are only looking to take advantage of people for their own selfish purposes. Unfortunately, such leaders try and make their leadership appear as if they care about the people they lead – even though they really don’t. This is what makes a group of people led by a charlatan feel insecure, confused, and unsure about things.

Today’s Old Testament lesson is a rather confusing allegory of ancient Israel’s history. Despite God’s desire to lead the people in righteousness and justice, many (if not most) of the leaders oppressed them.

As a sign of what was going on, and what was about to happen, the prophet himself was called to lead the people. He shepherded a flock that was marked for slaughter. The shepherds before him were only concerned about their financial bottom line and fleecing the sheep.

When the prophet took over, he used the shepherd crooks of “Favor” and “Union,” indicating that he was concerned to extend grace and form unity around what is right and just. Although the wicked shepherds were forced out from their leadership, the prophet became exasperated in caring for the sheep.

Thus, he destroyed the shepherd staffs – symbolizing God’s rejection of the flock. The owners of the flock paid the prophet thirty shekels of silver, which were then thrown into the potter’s field. New Testament readers will immediately connect this to Judas Iscariot. All of this is a demonstration of the wealthy trying to try pay off God for them not properly shepherding the sheep.

God, however, raised up another worthless and evil leader who shepherds the flock through oppression and injustice. For which the Lord then curses such leadership.

Yes, it’s all a convoluted affair – which is typically what sin does to everything and everyone it touches. Sin messes with and mucks up people to the point that they don’t know which way is up.

What makes it all even more complicated is the reality that the sheep are just as bad as their shepherds. The people got the leaders they deserved. So, the prophet had the unenviable task of watching over a group of people marked for divine judgment.

But, of course, not every single individual is guilty. Some are true victims who don’t deserve any of the injustice that was happening. And that is the very sad thing about the presence of unrighteousness, wickedness, and injustice – that good people, trying to do the right thing, have to endure such suffering of both body and soul.

And the prophet became a victim of the flock. No amount of money can make up for people who treat their leader poorly by refusing to accept the shepherd’s genuine care, clear warnings, and true counsel.

It’s a sad situation whenever people become so stubborn and self-centered that they are unable to receive good things when offered to them. The only thing people have to look forward to, in such a situation, is divine rebuke and retribution.

There are things much more valuable than money. Honor, respect, dignity, listening, obedience, wisdom, humility, righteousness, justice, and salvation are vitally important and needed – and of greater worth than any sort of financial sum.

Wolves are kept at bay by faithful shepherds who are concerned for the flock. This is how God leads and cares for people. So, evil shepherds who fleece the flock, as well as wicked sheep who oppress their shepherds, are especially heinous to God.

A flock who detests a good shepherd will end up getting a predatory tyrant for a leader, as a means of both divine judgment, and as a way of weaning people back to good leadership. Suffering at the hands of bad shepherds has its root cause in a failure to value and respond properly to the loving care and discipline of the ultimate and true Good Shepherd of the sheep.

It is impossible to be in right relation with God apart from listening to and obeying God’s Word. No matter who we are – whether leader or follower, shepherd or sheep – all must consider the worth of justice and the evil of injustice in navigating the world we live in. For injustice, indeed, makes everything and everyone a creepy sort of weird.

O God:
Give me strength to live another day;
Let me not turn coward before its difficulties or prove recreant to its duties;
Let me not lose faith in other people;
Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness;
Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them;
Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of conscious integrity;
Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things;
Grant me this day some new vision of your truth;
Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness;
and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls;
in the name of the strong Deliverer, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.