Category: Year B

Hebrews 12:1-3

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith, “who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising its shame.”  Our Lord experienced the ultimate in suffering and shame; the cross was painful physically, mentally, and spiritually.  It was awful.  Yet, there was joy set before him.  This does not mean Jesus relished in the pain; rather, he clearly understood what his suffering would accomplish: the saving of many lives.
 
            Trying to make sense of this great sacrifice on our behalf can be mind-blowing.  No earthly illustration or word-picture can begin to adequately capture the idea.  However, perhaps what we can understand is undergoing the necessary discipline, effort, and pain in order to accomplish a goal.  Back in the day, I was a cross country runner (back far enough for Sherman to set the way-back machine).  When I was running I would sometimes get that super nasty pain in my side while running.  It is called a side cramp, or side stitch.  If you have never experienced it, the pain feels like an intense stabbing, as if someone were taking a knife and twisting it inside you.  There is really only one thing to do when this occurs:  keep running through the pain and it will subside in a few minutes; to stop running only exacerbates and prolongs the hurt, not to mention losing if it occurs during a race.
 
            Jesus faced the cross knowing that he was going to experience terrible excruciating pain.  He also knew that not facing the shame of it all and avoiding the agony would only make things worse and not take care of the problem.  Jesus endured all the foulness and degradation of the cross for you and me.  The pain was worth it to him.  He did not circumvent it, but embraced it so that the result would be people’s deliverance from sin, death, and hell.  The end game of his redemptive work was joy over deposing the ruler of this dark world.
 
            Suffering often does not fit into our equation of the Christian life; but it should.  Since Jesus bled and died for us, it is our privilege to follow him along the way of suffering.  Holy Week is a time to reflect and remember on such a great sacrifice, and to consider our Christian lives in the face of such great love.
            Gracious Lord Jesus, I give you eternal thanks for your mercy toward me through the cross.  It is a small thing for me to follow you even it means great suffering on my part.  My life is yours.  Use it as you will, through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Isaiah 42:1-9

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            As we journey with Jesus through the last days of his life in Holy Week, there is the reminder and the remembrance that God is concerned with justice.  “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.”  Indeed, in the person of Jesus and through his redemptive events there is the ultimate work of justice.
 
            It is possible that when we think of the word “justice” we might immediately imagine something punitive.  Justice in this sense is the doling out of judgment to one who has hurt another or transgressed the law.  The biblical concept of justice certainly has this connotation, but only secondarily.  The primary usage and understanding of justice in the Old Testament is justly providing a victim with a need they have.  In other words, it is furnishing the hungry with food, shelter for the homeless, freedom for the enslaved, and the poor with basic necessities.  It is to indefatigably work on behalf of another who cannot gain what they need on their own.
 
            So, when God talks of his servant bringing justice he means that he sees the vast needs of humanity across the earth and vows to do something about it.  This is why God the Father sent God the Son, in order to establish the basis for justice for all nations and all people.  Through the death and resurrection of Jesus our primary and most basic needs for life are met:   especially, the grace of forgiveness.  And through this great love, God’s forgiven people are to spread both their spiritual and material wealth to those locked in circumstances of injustice.  The implications for this are immense and reach across to every area of life, whether it is political, economic, relational, emotional, or spiritual to everyone despite differences of race, ethnicity, gender, even religion.  This is why Christians ought to be at the forefront of concern and action for ministries of justice and reconciliation.  We are to stand up for the oppressed and those in need because Jesus made it possible for us to do so.
            Just God, I praise you for your grace and power working together to bring justice to people.  Fill me with your Spirit so that I might point others to the singular work of Jesus on the cross.  Open my eyes to see the immense need around me, and lead me to understand how I might help.  Thank you for acting justly on my behalf in so many ways.  Amen.

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            Show me a spiritual sourpuss, and I’ll show you a person who lives without daily gratitude toward God and others.  But show me a gracious person who liberally gives thanks, and I will show you a person profoundly in touch with God’s steadfast love.
 
            The psalmist chose to give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!  I wonder how much different each day would be if we began it with the psalmist’s great call to worship:  “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” 
 
            There is a misguided notion that only certain people have the attitude of gratitude; some folks are just naturally ornery, and some are just born happy.  But the truth is that gratitude and giving thanks is a practice that must be carefully cultivated.  As it grows and develops, gratitude bears the fruit of joy.  Yes, thankfulness is a daily decision of faith that we need to make in order to have the kind of attitude that pleases God and blesses others.
            Loving God, this is the day you have made; I rejoice in it, and am glad that your steadfast love covers all things.  Help me to connect every good thing with your gracious hand upon me so that I will not look and act like I was baptized in pickle juice.  To the glory of Jesus Christ, I pray.  Amen.

John 12:34-50

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            Everybody has a philosophy of ministry, that is, of how to proceed with the actual doing of Christian service to others.  Just because we might not have a written statement on it does not mean no philosophy exists.  Let’s think the thought that Jesus had a philosophy of ministry… which he did.  If we take his words as being weighty, then perhaps he actually articulated what he believes about handling people.  Contained in today’s Gospel lesson is the heart of Christ’s approach:
 
“Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me.  And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.  I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.  If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.”
 
Here are several observations about Christ’s philosophy of ministry:
 
1.      True faith is Trinitarian faith.
2.      Jesus came to dispel darkness by deposing its ruler.
3.      Jesus did not come to nit-pick or harangue people.
4.      Jesus came to save the world.
5.      Jesus has the authority to save the world.
6.      Believing in Jesus brings salvation.
 
Folks who are into people-pleasing and angling for people-praise will actually not get judged by Jesus; they will be judged by the words of Jesus on the last day.  This means that, for us, there really is neither a precedent nor a need to do the Spirit’s work for him.  Instead, we believe in Jesus and allow our faith to shape our conversations with others.  A philosophy of ministry does not need to be complex; it just needs to be Christ-centered.
            Great God of deliverance, thank you that you sent your Son, Jesus, to save people from their sins.  I believe in you and what you did and what you stand for.  Each time I open my mouth, may you form my words so that they are not judgmental, but helpful in bringing others to faith.  Amen.