Category: Year B

1 Timothy 1:12-20 – Grace for the Biggest Sinner

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
“This saying is reliable and deserves full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I’m the biggest sinner of all.” (CEB)
 
            Toward the end of his life, the Apostle Paul reflected upon the grace given to him by God.  In writing to Timothy, his protégé, he distilled his reflections into one short succinct phrase: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 
 
            Before Christ got a hold of his life, Paul actively opposed Christians as much as he could.  He had the persecution of Christ’s followers down to a science.  But God had mercy on Paul and delivered him from his misguided and tortuous ways.
            Paul was forever grateful for the grace of God.  He knew he didn’t deserve anything from God.  Paul knew firsthand the words of the Lord Jesus: “I didn’t come to call righteous people, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)
 
            Once your heart has been captivated by God’s mercy, you are never the same.  Your life has a new and wondrous perspective.  Your soul is filled with love.  Your mind is changed and charged with the realization that God is not only good but has given you a status as his beloved – a privilege and a position which you neither earned nor deserve.  Gratitude erupts from your lips: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, to save me, the chief of sinners!”
 
            You don’t need a past like Paul’s to know God’s grace.  Whether you are now a follower of Jesus after having lived a life far from God; or, you can’t remember a time when you didn’t know God; or, you grew-up in faith, walked away from it all, then were captured by grace and came back to Christ; from whatever backgrounds we all come from, it is the saving grace, the delivering mercy, the infinite love, the abiding compassion, and the undeserved kindness of Jesus Christ which makes your world spin the opposite direction on its axis.
            Take time throughout the day to utter that simple phrase over and over: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.  What does this mean for the world as it is right now? What does it mean for you?

 

Loving Lord Jesus, there are not words to express my gratitude for your salvation given to me.  I was once lost, but now am found by the endless mercy of God.  May sinners be saved, as was your servant Paul, so that the world will be undone and changed forever by grace.  Amen.

2 Corinthian 2:12-17 – God Prepares the Way, Not Me

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
“When I went to Troas to preach the good news about Christ, I found that the Lord had already prepared the way.  But I was worried when I didn’t find my friend Titus there. So I left the other followers and went on to Macedonia.
I am grateful that God always makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory. God also helps us spread the knowledge about Christ everywhere, and this knowledge is like the smell of perfume.   In fact, God thinks of us as a perfume that brings Christ to everyone. For people who are being saved, this perfume has a sweet smell and leads them to a better life. But for people who are lost, it has a bad smell and leads them to a horrible death.
No one really has what it takes to do this work.  A lot of people try to get rich from preaching God’s message. But we are God’s sincere messengers, and by the power of Christ we speak our message with God as our witness.” (Contemporary English Version)
 
            God is the One who calls people to himself.  God is the powerful sovereign ruler of the universe who prepares the way for people to proclaim the good news of deliverance in the name of Jesus.  God is the Being who dominates the Holy Scripture.  God is the main and principal actor in the unfolding drama of redemption of the Bible.  God is the Great Shepherd who calls, gathers, assures, forgives, teaches, leads, and sends people throughout the ages.  God is the diligent and careful farmer who enables the knowledge of Jesus to spread across the earth and cause a bloom of grace to flower.  God is the divine florist who produces the sweet smell of salvation from the rancid field of relational separation.
            You see, my friend, that unless we capture the vision of a God who orchestrates and animates his self-revealing to others,  you and I will muck around this world trying to live the Christian life in the misguided notion that leading others to Jesus Christ is on our shoulders – that somehow our ability, or lack thereof, determines whether another person is delivered from their brokenness and finds God.
            Oh, my goodness.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Those who are estranged from God, like vulnerable lost sheep in the world, are called by the shepherd, not us.  We simply go in the enablement of God’s power and blessing to pick up lost sheep and carry them back to the fold.
You and I are messengers, couriers from God with a life-giving message of forgiveness and deliverance for all whom the Lord calls – and His voice can be heard across the entire world.
We are field-hands who enter the harvest and enjoy the gathering of fresh grain into God’s great storehouse of grace.  You and I did not make anything grow.  God was really behind the planting, the growth, the given rain, and the producing of fruit.  In many ways, we’re just along for the tractor ride.
Many Christians put far too much emphasis on themselves – what they should and could be doing, as if the salvation of others depended on them.  But God is behind every good and beautiful thing in this earth.  Learning to trust his leading and power makes all the difference in a world needing Jesus.

 

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me to the beginning of this day.  Preserve me with your mighty power that I might be an instrument in your grand orchestra of salvation, blowing the sound of Jesus Christ in melodious sounds of deliverance; with the breath of the Holy Spirit giving the wind.  Amen.

Job 6:1-13 – In the Throes of Suffering

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
“Oh, that my grief were actually weighed,
all of it were lifted up in scales;
     for now it’s heavier than the sands of the sea;
therefore, my words are rash.
 The Almighty’s arrows are in me;
my spirit drinks their poison,
and God’s terrors are arrayed against me.
 Does a donkey bray over grass
or an ox bellow over its fodder?
 Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
or does egg white have taste?
 I refuse to touch them;
they resemble food for the sick.
 Oh, that what I’ve requested would come
and God grant my hope;
     that God be willing to crush me,
release his hand and cut me off.
 I’d still take comfort,
relieved even though in persistent pain;
for I’ve not denied the words of the holy one.
 What is my strength, that I should hope;
my end, that my life should drag on?
 Is my strength that of rocks,
my flesh bronze?
 I don’t have a helper for myself;
success has been taken from me.” (Common English Bible)
 
            The Old Testament character of Job is famous as the poster boy for suffering, grief, and sorrow.  A divine and devilish drama was taking place behind the curtain of this world of which Job had absolutely no clue about.  All he knew was that he lost everything – his family, his wealth, and his standing before others.  The only thing left was his own life – and he was in such physical pain and emotional hurt that he was ready to die.
            Yet, the greatest pain of all seems to be the silence of God.  Job has no idea, nothing to grab a hold of, no earthly sense of why he was going through such intense and terrible suffering.  His cries, tears, pleas, and expressions of deep hurt seemingly go un-noticed.  Job felt truly alone in his horrible pain of body and spirit.
            This is a very old story, probably having taken place 4,000 years ago.  We’re here all these millennia later knowing the story – why Job suffered, as well as the end of the story.  But Job himself never knew why he suffered, even when God spoke and restored his health and wealth.
            It is so very easy and normal to ask the question, “why?”  When we are in the throes of emotional pain and our prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling, there is only trust left for us.  We do what is unthinkable to others who have never known God – place our complete reliance and hope on the God for whom we know is not really sleeping or off on a vacation.  He’s there.  For whatever reasons which we might never know this side of heaven, God chooses to remain silent.
            The genuineness of faith is not determined by giving the right answers to a theology questionnaire.  Genuine faith is made strong through the trials, sufferings, pain, and lack of understanding in this life.  We all suffer in some way.  How we choose to respond to that suffering, either by cursing God and becoming bitter, or holding to God even tighter and becoming better, is totally up to you and me.

 

God of all creation, you see and survey all your creatures here on this earth.  Sometimes I just don’t understand what in the world you are doing or not doing.  Yet, today I choose to put my faith, hope, and love in you.  I may not know what I’m doing, but you always work to accomplish your good purposes; through Jesus Christ, my Savior, along with the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Acts 15:36-41 – Intense Argument

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Some time later, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit all the brothers and sisters in every city where we preached the Lord’s word. Let’s see how they are doing.” Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them.  Paul insisted that they shouldn’t take him along, since he had deserted them in Pamphylia and hadn’t continued with them in their work. Their argument became so intense that they went their separate ways. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus. Paul chose Silas and left, entrusted by the brothers and sisters to the Lord’s grace. He traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. (Common English Bible)
 
            Having continual consensus, complete harmony, and perpetual peaceful relationships are ideals, not reality.  Oh, it’s not that we ought not to strive for such things – it’s just that they aren’t going to be fully realized this side of heaven.
            Imagine if Paul and Barnabas, along with their entire coterie of people who traveled with them, decided that they wouldn’t go anywhere until there was 100% consensus on every decision to be made. It could be that they would never get anything done at all.  It’s sad when people can’t come together and be of one mind, but it happens now and will happen in the future.  Sometimes you just need to go do what you think is the best and right thing to do and step out and do it, whether others agree with you or not.
            I’m a bit adverse to taking sides on most things, but I admit to having a bent toward going with Barnabas.  His name means “Son of Encouragement.” He understands taking someone under his wing and giving them a second chance when they screw up.  Barnabas had a soft spot for John Mark.  Barnabas seems like the kind of guy who knows about grace.  This is a guy I could hang out with.
            Paul, on the other hand, has much more of a Type A personality.  He doesn’t have time for whiners or cry-babies.  There are things to do, goals to reach, areas to conquer.  Paul didn’t need someone in the group slowing them down with fear or lack of courage.  For all that I appreciate about Paul in the New Testament, sometimes he strikes me as being too driven and difficult to work with.
            Yet, in the end, taking sides isn’t really the issue.  It’s about God working his sovereign and good will through stubborn and stupid people like me, and maybe like you, who sometimes get lost in winning an argument.  Nothing is going to thwart God’s providential plans and purposes in this world.  So, rather than taking sides, I think I’ll rely solely on God’s grace and mercy in my life to work through me, despite my too often short-sightedness.

 

Holy God, you work your good purposes in and through your people, no matter what.  I want my life and work to be a joy to you and with others, and not a burden.  Create in me a clean heart.  See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting; through Jesus Christ, my Lord, in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.