Category: Year B

Matthew 18:6-9

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            A universal truism of this world is that sin exists.  Greed, envy, gluttony, sloth, anger, lust, and pride abound no matter where one goes on this planet.  And it is terrible.  Sin causes people to stumble, and, when unchecked, leads to personal and corporate destruction.  When sin is viewed as merely a character flaw, or simply part of the fabric of organizations and institutions, then hellfire is not far off.  Hell exists because of sin. 
 
            Jesus took sin quite serious.  He considers sin so awful that he used the height of hyperbole to communicate that radical, drastic, decisive action must be taken unequivocally to get rid of it.  Our Lord wanted there to be no mistake in his communication:  sin is not something to dabble in or take a shallow approach; sin must be eradicated at all costs.  The language is severe:  if your hand, foot, or eye causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better to enter life crippled or blind rather than be thrown into hell.
 
            Temptations will come.  What we do with them is of eternal significance.  We must get to the root of the sin, which is succumbing to temptation, and re-arrange our lives or alter our schedules in a radical way in order to remove putting ourselves in a position to sin.  Solid daily spiritual habits of Scripture reading and prayer; time for sleep and rest; attention to Sabbath; and, a regular exercise regimen are all ways to help ensure that temptation will not win the day.
            Holy God, you sent your Son to this earth to deal decisively with the world’s sin.  I choose today to walk in the forgiveness you offer through Jesus, and to avail myself of the Spirit’s power to forsake temptation in all its forms.  Amen.

1 John 2:18-25

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            In the past several centuries of Christian history there have been certain groups that have advanced various individuals as being the “antichrist.”  Attempting to identify a particular antichrist comes from a theological disposition that believes that a certain antichrist is the first link of a chain of end-times events.  Typically, a ruthless or dictatorial ruler, like Mussolini, Hitler, or Stalin receives the label of “antichrist.”  For some Protestants, the papacy continually gets set apart as being the antichrist.  As recently as a few days ago, Pope Francis received the dubious title from a group of end-times watchers because they claimed he allowed people to treat him as if he were Jesus, accepting worship and praise.
 
            But the term “antichrist” has not typically been used as a title for one person setting-off a bomb of world-ending trauma.  The earliest church, following the teaching of the Apostle John, understood antichrist not as an individual, but a class of people who deny that Jesus is the Christ.  Indeed, John plainly said the antichrist is anyone who forsakes the Father and the Son.  What is so disturbing about John’s talk of antichrist is that these persons arise from within the church, not outside of it.
 
            It has become much too vogue in some circles of Christian evangelicalism to identify and label enemies outside their small groups, leading to a xenophobic attitude of distrust and finger-pointing of all kinds of people.  The fingers, however, must first be directed within our own house.  It behooves us all to take up the instruction of John:  “Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you.  If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father.”  In other words, embrace the basic cardinal truth given to you.  Then you will not be deceived by anyone coming along denying the fundamental reality of God.
 
            It is the last hour – but not because of some politician, tyrant, or even religious figure.  It is the last hour because Jesus has accomplished redemption for us, and the only event left is the return of Jesus to judge the living and the dead.  Therefore we must all live with the possibility and tension that it could be today, and be prepared through proclaiming Jesus in all we say and do.
            Mighty God, you sent the Son to this earth to fulfill all your good promises.  Let me embrace Jesus so fully and completely that the truth of his reality comes pouring out of me in every area of my life.  In his name I pray.  Amen.

Esther 4:1-17

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            Queen Esther was a Jewess.  Normally, this would not have been a problem in the ancient Media-Persian kingdom ruled by Ahasuerus.  But it was not a normal kind of time.  The top aide of King Ahasuerus was an arrogant man, Haman.  Haman so loathed the Jewish people that he connived a way to get the king to issue an edict in which a holocaust of horror would be unleashed against the Jewish people so that they would be destroyed. 
 
            Esther found herself between the proverbial rock and hard place.  Neither the king nor Haman knew that she was a Jewess.  If she revealed herself, Esther could be killed.  On the other hand, if she used her position and influence in an inappropriate way by entering the king’s presence without being summoned, Esther could be killed.  There was no good option.  But in the kingdom of God, there is always an option.
 
            Being thrust into an impossible situation through circumstances not created by herself, Queen Esther came to the point of decision:  she would approach the king, but she would do it with all the prayer and fasting of her people behind her.  Esther had all the Jews in her city gathered for a three-day fast on her behalf.  Then, she would face the king and deal with the adversity that she did not ask for.
 
            When confronted with the face of evil; when dealt a set of circumstances you do not deserve; when hissing tongues breathe slander about you; when there seems to be no possible solution to your problem and no apparent possibility of hope; then, what do you do?  Everyone, at some point in their lives, faces a quandary beyond their ability to handle.  It is at such times, God is at his best.  If we will confidently face those times with all the humility we can muster through devoted fasting and prayer, who knows?  Perhaps God will show up and turn the tables….
            Sovereign God, you see and know all things.  Yet, I don’t always know you are there and I don’t always see you working behind the scenes.  When devious people plot behind my back and situations rise up to my neck, I look to you so that the plans of the wicked will not come to pass.  May the righteous thrive and not be destroyed.  May the mighty name of Jesus prevail.  Amen.

Psalm 124

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            A healthy way of viewing the biblical Psalms of the Old Testament is to look at them as the church’s prayer book.  The Psalms give voice to the experiences of our lives, especially when we have become mute with overwhelming circumstances.  One of the ways in which the ancient Israelites remained faithful was to take at least one annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  As they walked the slow journey to the city, and ascended the mountain to its pinnacle where the Temple stood, the Jews used the psalms of ascent to help them remember the Lord’s faithfulness and praise God.
 
            The actual physical trek up the mountain would mimic the spiritual experiences of the Israelites coming from the valley of the shadow of death, only to rise above seeming tragedy to the heights of God’s deliverance.  Israel was often alone in the world, with many enemies and only God to help them.  Imagine a large coterie of Jews joyfully ascending the temple mount shouting to heaven:  “Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”  Picture them searing the character of God on their hearts through loudly proclaiming:  “If it had not been the LORD who was on our side… then they would have swallowed us up alive.”
 
            If you have a flight of stairs in your house or your church, try a little exercise in this week:  leave a small copy of the Bible at the foot of the staircase and each time you ascend to the next floor say Psalm 124 or one of the other psalms of ascent aloud as you go up.  At the end of the week, take some time to discuss your experience with your spouse, friend, or pastor.  Think about how to further engraft the Psalms into your life so that they form and shape you in fresh ways.
            Saving God, just as you delivered the ancient Israelites from their bondage and brought them into a good land, so help me to rise above my circumstances and see your guidance in all things, through Jesus Christ my Lord.  Amen.