Category: Year C

Galatians 3:15-22

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment


              If the Apostle Paul were living in our day, I’m pretty sure he could have his own reality show if he wanted.  Paul is a terribly interesting man.  His adventures are legendary in church circles.  One of the most interesting things about Paul is his piercing intellect and flawless rhetoric.  Today’s New Testament lesson has Paul taking on a Galatian heresy.  Maybe we could call it “Law and Grace:  SFU (Special Faith Unit).”  
             The folks who were holding to the law were reminded by Paul that the promise to Abraham was a contract or covenant made by God that was binding, permanent, and divinely ratified.  The law, on the other hand, was not – it was designed to be in effect for a specific amount of time, temporary, and only bound the people of God until the promise was fulfilled in Christ.
             So, why in the world was there a law to begin with if it is no longer in effect?  Paul said, “It was added because of transgressions.”  So there we have it.  It was as if the Israelites were precocious and disobedient little children who needed some firm boundaries and rules in order to keep them safe and lead them to the time when they would grow to maturity.  Once adulthood arrived there was no longer any need for the law.
             The law was never designed to be permanent.  So, when Christians cling to a rules-based faith they are showing their gross immaturity and need to grow up and embrace the permanent reality of living in the Spirit.  Grace is the permanent and pervasive reality that governs everything Christians are to do and say.  It cannot be earned, only accepted, not achieved, but only given by God.  Until we can grasp this fundamental truth of Christianity, the Christian life will never make sense.  Only until we release our expectations of rules and let go of our orienting around law will we discover the liberation of a grace-filled existence.
             Gracious God, you saved me through Christ alone by faith alone.  Now help me to live by grace alone as the highest and greatest truth operative in the universe and in the kingdom of God.  Amen.

Malachi 3:5-12

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
            “You people are robbing me, your God.  And, here you are, asking, ‘How are we robbing you?’ You are robbing me of the offerings and of the ten percent that belongs to me.  That’s why your whole nation is under a curse.  I am the LORD All-Powerful, and I challenge you to put me to the test.  Bring the entire ten percent into the storehouse, so there will be food in my house.  Then I will open the windows of heaven and flood you with blessing after blessing.”
 
            When God feels cheated and lays-down a challenge, then things probably aren’t going so well.  The point to derive from this word from God is not to legalistically make sure you are giving your due, although that would help.  God was upset because the people simply were not generous.  And they weren’t generous because they didn’t trust that God would take care of them.  The people were much too busy with their own stuff, their own houses, and their own situations.  They were much too busy making money, tending to their families, and making sure the mortgage payment was in on time….  Are we still talking about ancient Israel?
 
            Do what you need to do for God, and trust him for the rest – that is the principle God is looking for us to follow.  Give without holding back and you will find a generous God at the other end doing the same.  Wouldn’t that be a much better situation than the one you’re now in?
 

 

            Generous God, you give and give again, even though we are fickle and only give when we feel like it.  I trust in you to care for me in all things, including my finances.  And I will celebrate your faithfulness when you meet all my needs and more through Jesus Christ my Lord.  Amen.

Galatians 3:1-9

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
            “You stupid Galatians!  I told you exactly how Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross.  Has someone now put an evil spell on you?” (CEV).  So, Paul, what do you really think of the Galatians’ attitude?  The apostle was totally exasperated with this church.  Having embraced the gospel of grace the Galatian churches turned around and started practicing a gospel of works.  This did not just raise the ire of Paul; he went spiritually Rambo on them.  The Christian life, Paul argued, was thoroughly imbibed with grace – so much so that there is no room whatsoever for Christianity to practically exist outside of grace.  If we were saved by grace, we continue to live by grace.
 
            The Galatian heresy, or stupidity, or whatever you want to call it, still exists.  Having been redeemed by the grace of God in Christ, there are “believers” who persist in declaring a gospel of judgment for any and all who are different.  Whereas they were saved by grace, stupid believers set up a system of works for folks like the LGBTQ community.  Somehow they cannot be saved and sustained by grace because they are in a special class of sinner.  In this system, somehow Muslims can only be saved and sustained by proving how bad they are, and not by grace, because they are terrible people who want everyone else dead.  Somehow they need a gospel of judgment….  I see stupid believers everywhere (said in a hushed whisper).
 
            If I seem perturbed, I guess I am.  I would like to think I’m living along the lines of the Apostle Paul, but I know the human heart’s propensity toward thinking better of itself than it really is.  It seems that, without fail, someone inevitably feels the need to remind me that God cares about truth whenever I talk about grace, as if grace isn’t the highest truth that one could hold.  If it isn’t the gospel of grace it is not biblical – it is a perverted gospel – and the evidence of it is folks who downgrade the crucifixion of Christ and living by the Spirit in favor of group-speak and fighting the culture wars.  Lord, have mercy, Christ have mercy.
 

 

            Gracious God, you are merciful and save all who come to you by faith in the name of Jesus.  Help me to see grace for what it is – scandalously free and exorbitantly wonderful – bought with the price of Christ’s blood.  Amen.

Luke 5:17-26

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
            Jesus came to this earth to forgive sin and transform sinners.  Today’s Gospel story has a paralyzed man brought to Jesus in an unorthodox way.  His two friends carried the man on a mat, but could not get close enough to Jesus to be noticed.  This was not about to stop the two friends.  They just took him to the roof, created a hole in it, and lowered the man right in front of Jesus!  Our Lord was impressed with their faith, healed the man, and said “My friend, your sins are forgiven.”
 
            There is a very important observation about this story that we need to notice:  the man was healed because of the faith of his friends.  Yes, that’s right.  Read the story again.  It was the faith of the two men in bringing their friend to Jesus that led to the healing and transformation.
 
            If this does not inspire, impel, and inform you to pray diligently by bringing your friends to Jesus in prayer I’m not sure what would move you.  Sometimes great miracles are not brought about by a lone person praying for his/her personal change but by believing people who do not give up in bringing their friend to Jesus.  Think of one person right now for whom God has laid him/her on your heart.  Pray today and every day until there is a breakthrough.  In the metaphorical sense, create a hole in the roof and place your friend in front of Jesus and watch what kind of healing and renovation of life he can affect.
 

 

            Healing God, I thank you for doing your good work of forgiving sins and transforming sinners in Jesus’ name.  I pray you will deliver my grandson from the scourge of epilepsy and give him a new life full of spiritual power through Jesus.  Amen.