Tag: apostle peter

Saints, Sinners, and Sacrifice (Mark 8:31-38)

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

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes and be killed and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

He called the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (New Revised Standard Version)

Saintly Sinners and Sinning Saints

People cannot be separated easily into the categories of saints or sinners. We are much more like saintly sinners or sinning saints. 

If we look closely, everyone is, at the same time, both beautiful and hideous; holy and depraved; full of faith and full of fear. And when it comes to the church, it is both the place of spiritual sensitivity toward others, as well as a den of decadent self-interested individuals. 

So, anyone searching for a church or a community that is a nice clean upward path of success with everything done to perfection with no one ever being hurt or unhappy, will be sorely disappointed. Such an organization or institution does not exist; and, it never did.

Yet, with that reality in mind, Jesus stands right alongside imperfect people, despite all their flaws, shallowness, and self-interest. Jesus is very well acquainted with people’s damaged emotions and open putrid spiritual abscesses. Yet, Christ treats everyone with mercy; Jesus never tires of rehabilitating and reforming.

Christ’s disciple, Peter, is the poster child for humanity’s mix of faith and failure. He stepped out of a boat in great faith and walked on the water, only to begin sinking because of his great fear. (Matthew 14:22-33)

It was Peter who made a bold and right confession of faith, and then turned around and bought into a satanic agenda. Yet, Jesus was right there, next to Peter all the way. Christ both rebukes and loves, all the while never abandoning us, but always working in and through us to accomplish good and right purposes.

The bald fact of the matter is that following Jesus involves pain and sacrifice. That’s the reality of living in a broken mixed-up world. What’s more, Christ’s Church is still imperfect and in the process of becoming holy. So, if we will admit it, we are all like Peter – a little devil who needs to get in line behind Jesus.

Everyone gets frustrated or disgusted with church, or really any consistent gathering of people. It’s easy to complain and even avoid others. It’s much harder to take up our cross and lose our life for the sake of Christ and others. We truly can choose to put love where love is not, even when we do not feel loved.

Imagine that your family has gathered for a holiday. Everyone is together. But you are struggling with tiredness and anger. Your spouse is sulking. Your teenage kids don’t want to be there. You worry about your aging parent. And you’re anxious about whether your crazy uncle is going to be nice or go on some weird political rant.

You want to be present, to celebrate the holiday. Your family is anything but a Hallmark card. Everyone’s hurts and hang-ups are not far from the surface. But you are together for a reason, to celebrate and experience joy. It may be a twisted human version of togetherness and spirituality, but it’s still a foretaste of the heavenly banquet that is to come. So, you deal with it all, and find some peace and satisfaction, transcending the carnal and experiencing the sacred.

In much the same way, the church gathers together in an imperfect way, a crazy mix of sinner and saint. But we gather in and around Jesus – and that makes all the difference. There’s a reason for doing this that is bigger than all our dysfunctional ways and dyspeptic attitudes. 

Jesus Christ is building his church, and he will keep it going until the end of the age. Fellow saints and sinners, Jesus isn’t finished with us yet!

The Sacrifice of Jesus Is Needed

Jesus openly stated openly that it is necessary for him to suffer deeply and die a cruel death. It’s God’s plan. But Peter didn’t like that plan, at all. So, he took Jesus aside and rebuked him, believing Jesus to be off his rocker for even suggesting such a terrible scenario. Jesus, however, turned the tables on Peter and rebuked him right back because being Christ-centered without being cross-centered is satanic.

Peter presumed to know what was best for Jesus. He believed the suffering of the cross would never happen. Peter’s perceptions were dim and limited. He did not the reality of how the world truly is; and that Jesus needed to offer himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the entire planet. 

Sometimes, like Peter, we may believe that the way I see and the way I perceive is the way things really are; or, at least, how I think they should be. 

Peter had been walking with Jesus for a few years, watching and enjoying him. It was all good. So, in his mind, it should never change; why try and fix something that isn’t broken? Oh my, but broken the world is!

Just because it was good for Peter did not mean it was good for everybody or should always be this way. If Peter had his way, we would likely be in hell. We, like Peter, are finite humans with limited understanding and perceptions.

One can easily slip into a satanic mode of believing that because something is going fine for me that everyone else is doing okay, too. I like it, I want it, so what’s the problem? 

The problem is that we too easily view life through selfish lenses. In such a state, we fail to:

  • see other people’s needs
  • perceive a lost world with any sense of reality
  • understand that Jesus has an agenda different from our own

Our limited perceptions come out in saying things such as:

  • “Oh, she’s just depressed because she is avoiding responsibility.” 
  • “People on government welfare are lazy.” 
  • “He’s addicted because he doesn’t want to help himself.” 
  • “They’re picketing because they’re a bunch of malcontents.”

Statements like those are legion, and betray a satanic worldview devoid of grace. It’s a compulsive need to find blame. It’s a belief that if there’s personal suffering, there must be personal sin. 

We belong to one human family, and therefore, we are all in this life together. One person’s joys are our joys; one person’s struggles are our struggles. The detachment we can have toward other humans is completely foreign to the words of Jesus. 

The Christian life always involves suffering, and Jesus invites us to follow him in his way of sacrifice.

The Sacrifice of Christ’s Followers Is Needed

There is a way to reverse a satanic agenda and demonic thinking: self-denial. Jesus issued an invitation to fall in line behind him and walk with him in his suffering. 

Self-denial is not so much doing something like giving up chocolate for Lent; rather, it’s giving up on ourselves as our own masters. It’s a decision to make the words and ways of Jesus the guiding direction for life. It’s the choice to quit holding onto the way I believe things ought to be, and take the time to listen to Jesus.

The logic of Jesus is relentless. Life comes through death. We give up our lives to find life. It’s unhelpful to adulterate our lives by serving the gods of success and perfectionism. Jesus invites us to quit our moonlighting job with the world, and go all in with him. In this way, we find abundant life. 

Jesus was encouraging not only submission to suffering, but also an embrace of suffering. In doing so, we find reward and joy. For those familiar with this path, suffering is a blessing. In walking this road, they find the true purpose and meaning of life. 

Few people suffered as much as the nineteenth-century missionary medical doctor to Africa, David Livingstone.  He was a pioneer explorer who opened up the interior of Africa to the outside world. He had two reasons for doing so: To take the good news of Christ’s suffering to the African people; and, to open Africa to legitimate trade, so that the illicit slave trade would end. 

Dr. Livingstone’s hand was bitten and maimed by a lion. His wife died while on the mission field. The one house he built was destroyed in a fire. He was often wracked with dysentery and fever, or some other illness in the jungle. 

Someone once commented to him that he had sacrificed a lot for following Jesus. His response: “Sacrifice? The only sacrifice is to live outside the will of God.” When asked what helped him get through the hardship, he said,  “The words of Jesus to take up my cross are always ringing in my ears.”

We may mistakenly believe that we must watch out for ourselves; push for our personal preferences; that if I accept the invitation to follow Jesus in the way of self-denial, I will be miserable and people will walk all over me. Those thoughts are merely demonic whispers in the ear.

There are two differing ways of thinking and acting: 

  1. The way of success, perfection, and a pain-free life as the evidence of God’s working. 
  2. The way of suffering as right and necessary in order to connect with God and be in solidarity with those who suffer. 

Suffering, rejection, and execution did not fit into Peter’s church growth plan. But according to Jesus, we do not exist only for ourselves, to be in some sort of spiritual country club. We exist to follow Jesus in his path of sacrifice and suffering for a world of people who desperately need to know the grace of forgiveness, and the mercy of Christ.

Since Jesus died, we are to die to ourselves. Since Christ lives, we are to live a new life. In God’s upside-down kingdom, joy comes through suffering. We follow Jesus as the mix of sinner and saint that we are. Amen.

The Truth about Lying (Acts 5:1-11)

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

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”

When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”

“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”

Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. (New International Version)

We all know what a deceitful liar is because, well, we have all lied and practiced deceit in our lives. How ubiquitous is lying? According to one Harris poll:

  • The average person tells at least 2 lies every day. (That’s the equivalent of 730 lies per year)
  • 60% of people lie at least once in a 10-minute conversation.
  • 40% of people deceive prospective employers by lying on their resumes.
  • 90% of peoplelie on their online dating profiles.
  • 80% of spouses lieto their partner about their spending habits.
  • 50% of teenagers lieto their parents about their whereabouts.

And those are just lies that have been admitted. So, how many more lies and deceptions are there really out there?…

We also all know why we lie. You will likely find yourself in these top five reasons for lying:

  1. Fear of punishment
  2. Protection from harm
  3. Avoidance of shame or embarrassment
  4. To gain advantage and/or power over others
  5. Out of habit and/or compulsion

However, maybe you aren’t in touch with how lying really impacts you, how powerful deceitfulness truly is on your own psyche and personhood. Lying has major consequences for us including:

  • Loss of trust and damage to relationships
  • Loss of physical health and damage to mental health
  • Loss of job and damage to reputation
  • Loss of resources and experience of damages in lawsuits

In the instance of two people, Ananias and Sapphira, it meant loss of life and damage to the fellowship of new believers in the fledgling church.

The couple’s guilt, in front of the Apostle Peter and the entire church, is that they were counterfeit community members. Ananias and Sapphira were not what they seemed to others. They were not truthful because they were not vulnerable.

By lying in order to achieve an honor and a status they had not earned, Ananias and Sapphira not only dishonored and shamed themselves as patrons; they also unwittingly exposed themselves as outsiders who were pretending to be honest believers. In short, the two of them were imposters.

Their deceit demonstrates that they were still functioning within the existing Roman patronage system. Yet, true followers of Christ in the believing community, purposefully practiced a different system. The Christians had an interpersonal relation of giving and receiving love – which worked out itself in sharing all things in common with one another, without the class distinctions of the patronage system.

The cross of Christ abolished walls of separation and established a truly egalitarian society. To feign equality, but actually still live about in the inequitable world, is tantamount to rejecting the work of Christ’s cross.

The deception of Ananias and Sapphira was an attempt to appear just like Barnabas – who was the real deal, and the consummate steward of resources. Barnabas was an encourager, always thinking of others and the needs of the community (Acts 4:36-37).

Ananias and Sapphira wanted to look generous, but their motives were really to give in order to maintain their class status, and not for the sake of love. What’s more, their lie about it and their lack of honesty and vulnerability was clearly seen by Peter and interpreted by him as nothing less than lying to the Holy Spirit of God.

One of the purposes of the Holy Spirit is to form God’s people into a community that uses resources in accordance with a deep concern for others. It’s not surprising, then, that Ananias and Sapphira’s fakery of generosity is presented as falsifying the work of the Spirit. Their deception was an outright threat to Christian spiritual identity and community.

Like Ananias and Sapphira of old, our contemporary lying is typically to misrepresent who we are and how we are really doing and feeling.

The most common lie of people in the United States is saying “I’m fine” when they are really and truly not okay. Anxiety, depression, and the appearance of negativity is a source of guilt and shame for many Americans – so they lie about how they’re really doing.

It’s better to fake it, they believe, because no one actually cares how I’m doing. There is still very much a cultural stigma around people who admit not feeling well or not being okay. And that, my friends, very much needs to change.

It’s always good to begin with being honest with small things and avoiding white lies. Instead of lying, practice gratitude. Being thankful for all the small things in life is a truthful replacement to a lie. I wonder what Anania and Sapphira would have been like with that sort of healthy spiritual practice. But alas, we can only imagine.

In the case of you and I, we need not have to wonder. We can begin today by observing the good, the beautiful, and the truthful, and express gratitude for all the little ways for the good which is seen.

Grant me today, O God, some new vision of your truth. Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness. Make me the cup of strength to suffering souls; in the name of the strong Deliverer, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dealing with a Clash of Belief (Acts 3:17-4:4)

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

“And now, friends, I know you had no idea what you were doing when you killed Jesus, and neither did your leaders. But God, who through the preaching of all the prophets had said all along that his Messiah would be killed, knew exactly what you were doing and used it to fulfill his plans.

“Now it’s time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you, and send you the Messiah he prepared for you, namely, Jesus. For the time being he must remain out of sight in heaven until everything is restored to order again just the way God, through the preaching of his holy prophets of old, said it would be. Moses, for instance, said, ‘Your God will raise up for you a prophet just like me from your family. Listen to every word he speaks to you. Every last living soul who refuses to listen to that prophet will be wiped out from the people.’

“All the prophets from Samuel on down said the same thing, said most emphatically that these days would come. These prophets, along with the covenant God made with your ancestors, are your family tree. God’s covenant-word to Abraham provides the text: ‘By your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.’ But you are first in line: God, having raised up his Son, sent him to bless you as you turn, one by one, from your evil ways.”

While Peter and John were addressing the people, the priests, the chief of the Temple police, and some Sadducees came up, indignant that these upstart apostles were instructing the people and proclaiming that the resurrection from the dead had taken place in Jesus. They arrested them and threw them in jail until morning, for by now it was late in the evening. But many of those who listened had already believed the Message—in round numbers about five thousand! (The Message)

I believe a lack of self-awareness is at the middle of a great many sins in this world. A lot of folks just simply do not realize how they come across to others; what impact their words and actions have upon others; and their illogical and nonsensical forms of thinking.

It’s frustrating and maddening for those who can see the blind spots in another’s life. And, keep in mind, it’s the same for others concerning some area of thought or dogmatic belief we may hold to, as well.

Recently, I had one of those surreal conversations. I had made a statement, quoting a verse from one of the New Testament Gospels about what Jesus said. Later in the day, a person who heard me say it, approached me and emphatically stated, “Jesus never said that.”

Even though I went directly to the verse and read it, the person then stated, “But that’s not from the King James or New King James Version.” So, I went to the New King James and read it. “You have to go to the King James because that’s the most reliable.” And then, after reading it there, the person dogmatically stated, “Well, that was added by a scribe. Jesus didn’t really say that.”

Even after all this, and pointing the person toward the field of textual criticism and how languages get translated, they still refused to consider the evidence right in front of their face. Yes, indeed, it is maddening! (Note: The person went so far as to begin attacking my biblical hermeneutic and my faith, because well, if you cannot accept the evidence, then you must go the ad hominem route of discrediting the person. *Sigh*)

People generally do not like their beliefs challenged nor upended. And some persons will do just about anything to maintain those beliefs – including verbal attacks against someone’s very personhood.

Apostle Peter preaching, by Lorenzo Veneziano, c.1370

And that is exactly what happened with the Apostles Peter and John. Their proclamation of Christ and his resurrection struck a nerve with the Jewish Sadducees who were the keepers of proper worship and liturgy amongst the temple. The Apostles’ teaching was so scandalous and threatening to their own beliefs, that they used their authority to throw Peter and John in jail – just for proclaiming a message the Sadducees didn’t like.

It never feels good getting toasted by those who claim insight and knowledge but are, in reality, a bunch of ignorant simpletons who don’t want to change and will hold onto their sense of power and superiority at all costs.

Yet, the consolation to all of this, is that there are others who are open-minded enough to listen well and adjust their belief systems to match the truthful evidence given to them. And so, despite the efforts of the Sadducees to suppress apostolic preaching, the fledgling group of Christ followers were being added by the thousands.

It turns out that nobody can resist the Holy Spirit of God, no matter how much earthly pull and power they possess.

Today’s New Testament lesson reminds us and teaches us that:

  • Self-awareness of why we hold to our particular beliefs, matters. We ought to hold our dogmatism very loosely.
  • Proclamation of the gospel, that is, the good news of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, makes a difference in lot of people’s lives.
  • Opposition is to be expected. There are some who view the good news of grace as the bad news of judgment against themselves; they will oppose it by any means possible.
  • Humility will always serve us well in the spiritual life, whereas condescending arrogance will never help anybody. For God’s sake, please have enough humility to listen and learn, even if (and especially) you don’t like what you’re hearing – no matter which end of the discussion you are on.

If we want the world to be different, then the change begins with you and me. Christians have the opportunity, if they will take up the mantle, of being the most calm, humble, and attentive people in the room. In this time of the year, no other stance and skill can be more important amongst family, friends, and others during the holidays.

O Lord, you have told us what is good, and what you require of us: To do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly. Help us walk together in love and compassion towards the cross, humbly with you and one another. Let your Holy Spirit guide us on the right path to truth and reconciliation with humility; and enable us to hear each other, for we do not want to walk by pride or self-sufficiency, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Living Stones (1 Peter 2:4-10)

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

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
    a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
    will never be put to shame.”

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone,”

and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (New International Version)

The Apostle Peter describes Christians as “living stones” that form the temple of the Lord. In our worship we are like priests, carrying the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving into the presence of God.

This is who we are; it is our identity. Christians belong to God in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. We have been formed – and continue to be formed – into the people of God as one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

The word for stones in today’s text (Greek λίθος) specifically refers to large stones that have been hewn into shape. So Christians, as God’s holy people, have been set apart and shaped for the purpose of worshiping Jesus Christ. Instead of offering the blood of bulls and goats, like the select group of Old Testament priests did, we are all priests who now offer spiritual sacrifices because Jesus has taken care of the sin issue once for all. 

Christians continually offer to God the worship of Christ, and a holy life, in grateful response to Christ’s sacrificial death on our behalf. Jesus Christ is the Christian’s cornerstone and center, and is to be the Church’s passion and priority. In worship, God builds us into a community of faith who dedicate ourselves to knowing Jesus and making him known.

All of life (and not just a Sunday worship service) is to be a daily rhythm of God’s revelation to us, and our response to God in faith, thanksgiving, and an obedient life.

We were chosen to serve God, and to exist for worship. Worship is grounded in the triune God and centered in Christ. Worship is the heart and life response to the revelation of God in Christ. Genuine encounters of God’s revelation to us, and our response to those experiences, form us into disciples of Jesus.

For those who refuse God’s perspective, Jesus Christ is experienced as an obstacle. He becomes the rock which causes them to stumble and fall. Although the early Christians for whom the Apostle Peter addressed were often humiliated and ostracized, they are nevertheless God’s elect, honored, and precious people.

Peter, who was named “Rock” by the Lord himself, wanted his audience to know that they, too, are known by God as rocks, as precious living stones. So, he explained their identity by pointing out the parallels between them and Christ:

  • Christ is the living cornerstone—Christians are living stones
  • Christ was rejected by humans—Christians are strangers in the world
  • Christ is God’s chosen One—Christians are God’s elect
  • Christ is venerated by God—Christians are esteemed by God

Jesus has so closely identified with us, God’s people, that we are in a vital union with him. On account of Christ’s rising from death, Christians are like living stones who are acceptable to God through Christ.

As the late salesman on television from decades ago, Ron Popeil, used to say, “But wait, there’s more!” Christians have been born again, experiencing rebirth into a new life. Our identity has given us great privilege as building blocks into the following:

  • Incorporation into a new community, a temple that shares in God’s honor and symbolizes God’s presence and power
  • Membership in a holy and royal priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices of holiness and love (1 Peter 1:15, 22)
  • Inclusion into the chosen people—a disparate people who share together in common values, patterns of living, and redemption
  • Citizens of a holy nation who enjoy a covenant relationship with God and worship the Lord who brought them out of darkness and into light

God has created a community of people in Christ who did not previously exist. Together as Christians and people of God, we celebrate Jesus in worship and revel in his saving mercy, which has given us fresh hope and new life.

Therefore, I humbly and proudly adopt the identification of “Christian.” I am here because of Jesus Christ and all the faithful believers who came before me on the firm foundation of the apostles and prophets. I am part of the great stone structure called the Church. I know who I am. I know who my people are. And that sense of belonging no one can ever take from me.

Soli Deo Gloria

Lord of heaven and earth, we pray that you will bring justice, faith and salvation to all peoples. You chose us in Christ to be your people and to be the temple of your Holy Spirit; we pray that you will fill your Church with vision and hope. In the baptism and birth of Jesus, you have opened heaven to us and enabled us to share in your glory: the joy of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. May your whole Church, living and departed,

come to a joyful resurrection in your city of light. Amen.