"Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you.” St. Thomas Aquinas
9-17 1 Kings 21:17-29; Psalm 61,62,68; 1 Corinthiens 1:20-31; Matthew 4:12-17
Matt.4:12-17 From the time that John was brought into custody Jesus went to Galilee and began preaching the message that John began :17 Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
God reigns.
God is like a conductor of an orchestra, the maestro of the New Covenant and this is the beginning of a new concert.
The ministry of John, to ‘prepare the way for the One who is to come,’ is complete.
John was born with a mission, to introduce the Messiah to the world.
He knew his ministry was over when Jesus appeared on the scene.
Once John saw Jesus and baptized Him, John knew he must pass his thousands of followers to Jesus. John disappeared from the scene when he was arrested and Jesus picked up where John left off.
With the power of the Holy Spirit Jesus touched lives and healed souls, drawing all back to God through His Son.
All the Jews had to do is turn back to God.
John paved the way. Jesus did the rest.
Think about it: Are you like John, preparing the way for
Are you paving the way for the Gospel by sharing your time and your Christ-Joy as you linger with another who may be seeking?
Find one with whom you can enjoy a special activity together: hiking, crafts, sharing a meal or whatever is of mutual interest.
It’s a perfect way to build trust and guide another into the Christian life.
Are you ready to share your journey to Christ? Perhaps a turning point drew you into a deep relationship with Christ? Can you picture your journey so you can share this with someone at a moment’s notice?
Think about it now so you’re prepared for that perfect moment when the Lord presents you with the opportunity.
9-18 1 Kings 22:1-28; Psalm 72,119:73-96; 1 Corinthiens 2:1-13;
Matthew 4:18-25
Matthew 4:18-25
Psalm 119:73 Your hands made me and fashioned me. :88 Revive me according to Your loving kindness so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth. :94 I have sought your precepts.
Psalm 119 pops up often in our daily readings.
This Psalm chugs through the Hebrew alphabet repeating the same theme with a variety of words: accolades to God, a thankful heart, acknowledging God’s love and mercy.
Then there is the “action” item.
119:94 “I have sought your precepts,” requires a heart devoted to seeking the most God can give us. Precepts, words of understanding, affirmations to follow, standards to live by, an all-embracing endeavor.
Think about it: Did you try to read all of Psalm 119 in one sitting? With this ‘lectionary’ we read very small chunks at a time.
It’s better that way.
Seek, find, embrace, chew on God’s Word.
It takes time, doesn’t it.
It’s like taking daily vitamins.
We don’t feel any change when digesting a little pill but after awhile we know our bodies remain strong because of our daily dose.
In the same way, Psalm 119 or other pieces of scripture, when digested a little at a time, bring soul-healing when munched regularly.
How is your daily dose helping you?
There were many parts to the Temple in Jesus’ day. A Jew could actually live in the temple undetected with ample provision if clever enough. Only the priests could enter the Holy Place where they placed the daily bread and wine. The oil kept the 7-armed lamps lit and incense burned constantly to remind the priests of God’s presence behind the curtain, the Holy of Holies.
Matthew 9 Jesus saw Matthew sitting at a tax collection point and called him to “Follow Me.” Matthew followed and later joined Jesus as He was reclining at table with other tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees asked why this [riff-raff] were dining with a Rabbi such as Jesus. 9:12 Jesus said,”It is not those who are healthy who need a physician but those who are sick. 9:13 . . . I did not come to call the righteous but those who are sick.”
We can ask ourselves throughout the day if we have ‘done our best’ for the Lord’s sake. For instance, at the grocery store can we say, “I did my best” by purchasing only healthy foods and not wasting our hard earned money on items we know are not good for our bodies? Do we honor God when we deal with traffic snarls or a snarling personality?
9-19 1 Kings 22:29-45; Psalm 71,74; 1 Corinthiens 2:14—3:15;
Matthew 5:1-10
1 Corinthiens 3:6-:8 “I planted, Apollos watered but God caused the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he
who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. :9 for we [Paul and Apollos] are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”
Matthew 5:1-10
1 Corinthiens 3:6-:8 “I planted, Apollos watered but God caused the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he
Paul was not only a prolific missionary but he took time to linger in places where he knew people needed help maturing in the Christian faith. Sometimes he spent up to two years in one place in order to build leaders who desired a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. These leaders, like Apollos, would then continue Paul’s work in a specific place while Paul moved on.
Timothy is another example of one who grew in the faith from a seedling to a strong tree that could withstand stormy times. Timothy was young, open, eager and ready to roll with Paul. Yet, he knew he was to linger in one place at a time in order to ‘make disciples’, leaders, those who could teach others.
Paul was gifted at preaching and teaching. Yet, only a handful were eager to ‘die to self and live for Christ’ by taking the necessary time and energy to grow in Christ. As usual, there were plenty of new seedlings but few who could ‘water’ others through teaching, discipleship.
It is no different today except that there are no longer throngs of people eager to hear the Gospel. Many who hear, are perfectly content to simply attend church. It takes daily time with the Lord to grow, live a faith-filled life, and be willing to ‘die to self and live for Christ.’
Think about it: Are you one who needs to be encouraged
to ‘chew’ on the Word of God? Or do you have a ravenous hunger to know more? Are you open to being led by one who can teach you how to grow into a deeper relationship with Christ Jesus?
Are you considered a mature plant, a leader, by others . . . one who is eager to lead another into the grassy meadows of our faith journey?
If you are interested in walking into God’s presence more deeply do you know where to seek help doing so? Have you asked the Holy Spirit, who was called into you at baptism, to guide you?
Lots of questions?
Seek another to help you find the answers that God has placed on your heart.
9-20 2 Kings 1:2-7; Psalm 69, 73; 1 Corinthiens 3:16-23; Matthew 5:11-16
1 Corinthiens 3:16 “Do you know you are a temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you? :17 . . . the Temple of God is holy so you are holy. :23 And you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God.”
There were many parts to the Temple in Jesus’ day. A Jew could actually live in the temple undetected with ample provision if clever enough. Only the priests could enter the Holy Place where they placed the daily bread and wine. The oil kept the 7-armed lamps lit and incense burned constantly to remind the priests of God’s presence behind the curtain, the Holy of Holies.
When the Holy Spirit was called into us through Baptism, God’s presence entered our soul, where the presence of God presides . . . if we let Him.
We can be baptized and the Holy Spirit can enter into us but we must make the choice to allow the Presence of God within us to reign over our lives.
Easier said than done, isn’t it.
We can say ‘yes’ to Jesus but there is so much more to our life in Christ.
We, as God’s creation, are as precious to God as the Hebrew’s Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Only when we call upon the Holy Spirit within us to help us glorify God in all we say and do, does His Holy Presence come alive within us. Too often, other concerns or interests suck the holiness from us only because we do not take the time to nurture our souls with Holy acts: prayer, worship, digesting God’s Word.
Think about it:
Simply by saying the Lord’s prayer each day we remind our soul that our Father in heaven takes priority over our lives. “Our Father, who art in Heaven HALLOWED by thy Name! . . . Give us this day, give us our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses so we are able to forgive those who trespass against us. . . . keep us from being overtaken by evil or that which does not glorify You. . . .”
We could continue: “Thank you, Lord, for sacrificing Your Son, our eternal sacrifice, so that our sin is covered by His blood. Thank you for planting the Holy Spirit within me to direct my path each day, O Lord.”
It’s our choice to make . . . daily. We can either be the glorious temple God created us to be, empowered by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, or we can remain an empty shell, desolate, like a pile of stones without purpose.
It’s our choice.
Daily . . . hourly . . . every millisecond.
All we need to do daily is affirm to the Lord [and ourselves] that we, indeed, can be the gleaming temple of God in Christ. . . a light that shines so brightly that we draw others into God’s Presence.
9-21 Celebration of the life of Matthew, the Apostle
Proverbs 3:1-6; Psalm 119:33-40; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Matthew 9:9-13
Why do we celebrate the lives of specific Christian individuals?
God chose all of us to use our gifts and talents to further the Gospel message but there are exceptional people who made a huge impact on the world as they suffered for their faith. It is important to celebrate the lives of those who helped to shape our Christian doctrine.
Matthew’s words about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ may be the first scriptures read by those who begin reading the Bible. Matthew is one of the first to witness Jesus’ life as he spent nearly three years with Him and taught for over fifteen years after Christ's death.
Throughout scripture Jesus says that those who have sinned deeply and understand their forgiveness from God, love God deeply, give back to God judiciously, and are
willing to sacrifice more of themselves than those who have sinned little.
Matthew overcharged when he collected taxes from the Jews to enhance the Roman coffers. He exploited those who could barely pay and had zero compassion for many Jews who were so severely taxed that they lost their homes.
Jesus may have used Matthew as an example of one who truly repented, turned his life around, made amends for his sin and lived an exemplary life once he understood his sin. According to tradition, Matthew the Apostle brought the Gospel to Syria, Media, Persia, Parthia, and finished his preaching in Ethiopia where he was martyred.
Think about it:
Where were you when Jesus grabbed you and give you such a big hug that you hugged Him back? Were you simply a Christian because you were baptized in a
Christian church? Were you indeed living a life in sin when the Lord impressed you with a need to change your life?
My dear friend of 92 once told me that he asks each individual he sees, “Are you a Crockpot Christian or a Microwave Christian?” Crockpot Christians are those who have known Jesus from a very early age but never could pinpoint when Christ became Lord. Their relationship with Christ ‘simmered’ over many years and they eventually realized their deep love for Our Lord.
The Microwave Christians, on the other hand, know they are sinners and, when the Gospel of God’s love and grace is understood, they are instantly on board. They know exactly what day their lives turned around and eventually mature into a solid life in Christ.
Did you have a Crockpot or Microwave conversion to Christ?
Or, are you still on the back burner trying to decide if you wish to enter into His kingdom and turn your life around?
Can you share the story of your transition into Christianity?
It’s good to be ready to share a bit of your story [in three minutes or less] when the Lord nudges your heart to share with someone who is seeking.
9-22 15th Sunday after Pentecost
Amos 8:4-7; Psalm 113; 1 Timothy 2:1-7; Luke 16:1-13
Luke 16:10 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is
faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.”
This story touches all of us. All the success and treasure we have belongs to God. Therefore, we are simply managers of the ‘estate’ given to us to enjoy. Of course we work hard to provide the best we can for our family but God is more interested in our ‘attitude of gratitude’ than our wealth.
By committing our lives to Christ, we have committed everything, all we have and all we have become, to the Lord. If we mismanage our lives, our assets, we dishonor God.
If we can further the Gospel by sharing our story, our hospitality, our gifts and talents, we are being faithful to God’s calling for us . . . in whatever capacity that might be.
Think about it:
We have been given a treasure from our faith in Christ Jesus: Our salvation and eternal life with God.
I’ve often thought of what I’d like for an epitaph.
I would love to be worthy of the words,“I did my best.”
Some days it’s an uphill battle.
Our thoughts, words, deeds and decisions are all important to our Lord.
At the end of the day wouldn’t it be a joy to say, “I did my best?”
9-23 2 Kings 5:1-19; Psalm 80, 77; 1 Corinthiens 4:8-21; Matthew 5:21-26
2 Kings 5 Naaman was a valiant warrior for the king of Aram but he was also a leper. 5:10 Elisha sent a messenger to tell Naaman to “Wash in the Jordan seven times and your flesh will be restored to you and you shall be clean.”
Naaman was outraged and left but his servant reminded him that this simple task will heal. 5:14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean.”
Leprosy was often a word used for any skin disease that was thought to be contagious. Naaman may have contracted a skin disease recently in his high-power career. We know from this passage that he was use to giving orders, not receiving them, much less from someone he did not know. Naaman was not a Jew so did not follow their covenant but he did want to be healed. Elisha’s solution, given to him by God, was so simple that Naaman thought it foolish. His servant, who was Jewish and who sought out Elisha, knew better. Only because there was a scant hope of healing did Naaman choose to humble himself by dipping seven times in the Jordan river. Indeed, he was healed.
Our churches have many resources from lay leaders, healing prayer ministry, clergy or classes that bring healing to our soul. If you are not already involved in a ‘healing’ ministry, from Bible study to healing prayer, ask yourself why. Humbling ourselves before the Lord daily is the only way we can heal our mind, body and soul.
Think about it: No matter what denomination in which you celebrate the life of Christ, it is important to consider all the ways you can ‘digest’ God’s presence through His Son within the community of your church family.
9-24 2 Kings 5:19-27; Psalm 78; 1 Corinthiens 5:1-8; Matthew 5:27-37
1 Corinthiens 5:6 “Do you know a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? 5:7 Christ our Passover has been sacrificed [for us] 5:8 Therefore let us
celebrate the feast, not with old leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
Unleavened bread is symbolic of the Passover when there was no time to wait for the daily bread to rise. That’s why dedicated Jews cleanse their homes of leavening, yeast products, before the annual Passover.
Each Sunday, at Holy Communion, we Christians celebrate the Passover feast in remembrance of Christ, our Living Bread. “Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed” . . . for us! Christ is the new passover, the unleavened bread, “without malice or wickedness but with sincerity and Truth.”
Just as the Hebrew people sacrificed a lamb and placed its blood on their doorways the night the Angel of death passed over them [so that their first born male child and animals did not die] so, also, God sacrificed His Son, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
Christ died once, for all. Yet His redemptive ‘action’ continues, to this day, to redeem souls. Even though Christ died once, we New Covenant people, Christians, celebrate Christ’s death and resurrection as often as possible. Some eat the ‘consecrated unleavened Bread’ at daily worship, others weekly and others not as often.
Christ’s presence continues to be with us if we choose to say, “yes” to Christ, always.
Digesting His presence daily, weekly, monthly or whenever possible, reminds us that the power of God in Christ, with the Holy Spirit, never becomes less, never withers, never ceases in us but becomes more real to us.
Seek the many ways your church community presents the Word of God to you so that we can retain your steadfast faith in Christ. Celebrate the presence of Christ daily by chewing on the blessings, the benefits, the best parts of each day. For the next week, daily record three ways Christ, our Passover, has blessed you through your church community.
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