NOVEMBER NOBLESSE 24-30

Can you feel it?  

There is a sense of change in the air.  

Leaves are gone, chill winds whip like a frenzy around us, and stores skip past our day of Thanks-Giving in preparation for Christmas.  

Likewise, our churches begin to anticipate a new season in Christ.  

We also begin thinking about the Christ Mass, now called Christmas.  

Yet, we must never forget to give thanks, not only on this special day at the end of November but every single day.

Again, before we continue our devotions, here are a few quotes and a note of ‘transition.’

CS Lewis: “When we lose one blessing, another is often, most unexpectedly, given in its place.”

Henri J. M. Nouwen: “The discipline of gratitude is the explicit effort to acknowledge that all I am and have is given to me as a gift of love, a gift to be celebrated with joy.”

TRANSITION:  Some churches follow a pattern of worship according to seasons and, at the same time, focus on the ‘seasons’ of Christ’s life.  This last week of November we finish a year of scripture readings and begin to transition from the growing season into Advent.  We spent late Spring, Summer and Fall growing with Christ as we watch the fields grow fresh produce.

In the same way, as the Holy Spirit is ‘planted’ into Christ followers at Pentecost, growth follows.  With nurturing from the Apostles, these ‘new plants in Christ’ were watered and fed and grew strong.  Then the harvest came when many were called to be leaders.  They were called to ‘feed and water’ by discipling, or teaching, others.  The ever rotating process of growth is to plant, feed, grow, harvest, then begin again.  With growth, Christ followers multiply.  

During this Pentecost season, we walked with Jesus and learned how to live a Christ-centered life.  Now we transition into a new season where we begin again as we walk through the pageant of the coming, advent, of Christ.  We change gears as we prepare for the celebration of Christ’s birth-day in December.  

Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of November, marks this transition with a change of color, in the sacramental churches, from green of the 'growing season' to a soft blue of Advent, four Sundays of anticipation and preparation for Christ's birth.  Every denomination celebrates this transition differently but all churches retain our focus on Christ as we celebrate the presence of Jesus as Lord of our Life.

     

11-24  Last Sunday after Pentecost: Christ the King Sunday 

Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalm 46; Colossians 1:11-20; Luke 23:33-42

Luke 23:34  And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” 

The last scripture in this year’s selections pierces the heart.  Jesus’ body was pierced with a crown of thorns and then heavy nails pinned him to the cross.  We end another year of reading through scripture with emphasis on the Gospel of Luke.  We begin again with emphasis on the Gospel of Matthew as we anticipate a new beginning during Advent.

Yet, these words, “Forgive them for they know not what they do,” rings in my soul.  Sometimes I meet a person who is not polite or who tries to cut corners or does something that I know a devoted Christian would never do.  I pray quickly in my heart, “Forgive them, Lord, for they do not know You.”  I then pray that they would be drawn into the presence of the Lord.

Some days I step back after watching the news and wonder, has any one of these people who profess ideologies so against God's best for us ever heard the Gospel? 

  Do they know how much they hurt the Lord with their strong rhetoric against that which God desires for us?  “Forgive them, Lord, for they do not know what they do,” is my constant prayer.  

We are called to know Christ and make Him known to others.  Truly knowing Christ Jesus means maintaining an intimate relationship with Him.  Peter, James and John spent most of each day for three years with Jesus to learn everything they could before being called into leadership roles.  Yet, they still did not understand much until the Holy Spirit descended into the souls of the Christ followers.  

There is no way we can truly ‘know’ God through His Son unless we spend daily time with Him.  Even then it might take our entire life to truly ‘know’ Him.  While we are growing a little closer to the Lord each day, we most likely bubble over with this ‘newness’ of life and share with others what we learn.  We are spreading the Gospel, the story of Jesus Christ.

Think about it:  The more we know Christ the more we want to tell others.  The more we tell others, the less we will have to pray “Forgive them for they know not what they do.”  We cannot influence the world but perhaps we  can influence those closest to us:  family, friends, those at work, those we see often.  That small beacon of light that glows within us grows brighter as we grow more intimate with the Lord.

  

Sometimes the weight of the Cross, the weight of being a responsible Christian, can be overwhelming.  Whenever other’s words or ideologies pierce your heart, step back, breathe deep and ask the Lord to embrace you and hold you tight.  Let the Lord give rest to your soul. 

Pray the words of Jesus, “Forgive them for they know not what they do.”
 

11-25 Joel 3:1-2,9-17; Psalm 106:1-48; 1 Peter 1:1-12; Matthew 19:1-12

Psalm 106:47 “Save us O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.”

Instead of a sweet melody you might hum in the shower, this Psalm speaks of ungodly behavior time and again, from the beginning of the Hebrews’ salvation experience with the Exodus, until and through their Babylonian captivity.  The numerous times God’s grace ‘saved’ these wandering people is amazing.  Each time God helped them through a rough spot that they got into themselves, mostly by not seeking God’s direction, they would ignore the Lord or choose their own way.  

At last, by the end of this Psalm, God’s people are begging the Lord to rescue them, to bring them back to Jerusalem.  “Bring us back to our temple worship so we can glorify you properly,” they seem to say.  Easier said than done.  Yet, God is faithful and does bring them back to the land of promise.

Think about it:  Is our Christian walk any different?  We go about our merry way giving little regard to daily time with our Lord.  We make our own decisions without prayer or without counsel of another Christ-centered person. 

When it is too late, we realize that the decision we made for ‘self’ is not the best.  We call upon our Lord to rescue us by saying, “If you save me from this situation I will do anything you want.”  

Being a Christian is not making bargains with God.  The Lord will rescue us time and again but just as any loving Father, there are consequences.  These consequences may challenge us in new ways so that we grow closer to our Lord.  In the same way the Hebrew people took decades to learn how to focus on God, we also may take decades to truly understand the commitment we made when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  Jesus loves us so much that He wants the best for us.  Sometimes the ‘best’ is being sent to Babylon.

Can you think of a Babylon experience as a consequence for turning away from the best path that the Lord may have laid out for you?  Did you grow from that experience?  God so loved us that He desires the best for us.  If we keep our eyes on the Lord, great things may not happen but at least we will not feel like we were sent to Babylon.

11-27 Obadiah 15-21; Psalm 119:145-176, 128,129,130; 1 Peter 2:1-10; Matthew 19:23-30

Obadiah 21 “Those who have been saved shall go up to

Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s”

This last verse of this one-chapter book says it all.  The end result of God’s intervention is divine rule over all the nations with Mount Zion as the capital.  This is totally opposite of what was actually happening.  But God promises to make ‘good’ out of a bad situation IF, and only IF, God’s people return to Covenant relationship with their One and only God. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The book of Obadiah, the shortest book in the OT, is nestled between Amos and Jonah and was written about 587BC.  Obadiah means “servant of the Lord.” This oracle declares judgment against the people of Edom, southeast of Judah beyond the Dead Sea.  Jacob’s brother, Esau, lived in Edom long before these events.  Edom became wealthy by capturing fleeing Hebrews, who were then sold to the Babylonians, during Jerusalem’s capture (587-586 BC). 

These verses show God’s promises for Judah.  Obadiah announces the day of the Lord’s judgment upon nations for their shameful behavior.  He then proclaims God’s promise: The return of Israel’s exiles to the Promised Land, their domain over Edom and the Lord’s universal Sovereignty.

Think about it:  Are we reading more of the same?  Perhaps.  Do we find ourselves repeating the same sin against God no matter how hard we try?  Sometimes it is hard to break a habit.  Just as the Israelites could not break the habit of turning away from God to worship other gods or other nations,we are no different. 

Sometimes by ignoring God’s best for us, not listening to that small, directive, voice within us, that murmuring to ‘change direction’ we are caught in a very uncomfortable situation.  Our conscience has been pierced by the power of the Holy Spirit within us.  If we do not practice daily moments of quiet listening, we cannot hear that voice.  That voice directs our path and protects us from what we might think to be a disaster.  God just sees our ‘digression’ as a learning experience.  We are no different than these Israelites.  YET, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us.

11-27 Obadiah 15-21; Psalm 119:145-176, 128,129,130; 1 Peter 2:1-10; Matthew 19:23-30

Obadiah 21 “Those who have been saved shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s”

This last verse of this one-chapter book says it all.  The end result of God’s intervention is divine rule over all the nations with Mount Zion as the capital.  This is totally opposite of what was actually happening.  But God

promises to make ‘good’ out of a bad situation IF, and only IF, God’s people return to covenant relationship with their One and only God. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Obadiah, the shortest book in the OT, is nestled between Amos and Jonah and was written about 587BC.  Obadiah means “servant of the Lord.”  This oracle declares judgment against the people of Edom, southeast of Judah beyond the Dead Sea.  Jacob’s brother, Esau, lived in Edom long before these events.  Edom became wealthy by capturing fleeing Hebrews, who were then sold to the Babylonians, during Jerusalem’s capture (587-586 BC). 

These verses show God’s promises for Judah.  Obadiah announces the day of the Lord’s judgment upon nations for their shameful behavior.  He then proclaims God’s promise: The return of Israel’s exiles to the Promised Land, their domain over Edom and the Lord’s universal Sovereignty.

Think about it:  Are we reading more of the same?  Perhaps.  Do we find ourselves repeating the same sin against God no matter how hard we try?  Sometimes it is hard to break a habit.  Just as the Israelites could not break the habit of turning away from God to worship other gods or other nations, we are no different.  

Sometimes by ignoring God’s best for us, not listening to that small, directive, voice within us, that murmuring to ‘change direction’ we are caught in a very uncomfortable situation.  Our conscience has been pierced by the power of the Holy Spirit within us.  If we do not practice daily moments of quiet listening, we cannot hear that voice.  That voice directs our path and protects us from what we might think to be a disaster.  God just sees our ‘digression’ as a learning experience.  We are no different than these Israelites.  YET, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us.  

In order to practice ‘listening’ to that small voice of God’s direction within us, take a few moments throughout the day to stop, sit down, put away what you are doing.  Breathe deep and slow about five times.  Linger in nothingness.  Only ask the Lord to come alive in you by saying, “Come Holy Spirit . . . fill my heart with Your Love.”  Wait.  See what happens.

Note of THANKS-GIVING   November 28, 2019

We have had little sleep but much JOY over the past week.  The day we moved into our new little abode, the

Lord surprised us by finding a buyer for the abode we left!  God is so very faithful - seldom early but never late.  During the time of unpacking we negotiated, stopped, prayed, negotiated some more and prayed some more.  “Are we honoring you, Lord?  Give us clarity and discernment, Lord.”  He did.  

I give THANKS, also, for my smart phone Hot Spot!  I have tried to be faithful by posting meditations daily.  I was resigned to not posting the other day because the internet had not been hooked up yet.  I gave thanks to the Lord for grace, knowing I would have to post a day late.  Voila!  The Lord popped into my head, “Hot Spot.”  Sure enough, I was able to connect my computer to my phone and post the daily meditation!

      God loves technology too!  It’s a great tool to send forth God’s wisdom and to touch hearts wherever these thoughts and His Word appears. 

His word never goes out void.  Praise God from whom ALL BLESSING flow.

And so, today is the official day to give THANKS.  Our hearts are bursting!

In fact, I could not select from just one book.  
Each reading points to Thanks and blessings. 
Each passage speaks for itself.

EnJOY!

11-28  Thanksgiving BLESSINGS !  
Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Psalm 100; Philippians 4:4-9; John 6:25-35

 Deuteronomy 26: "When you go into the Promised Land and settle in it and grow crops, you shall take some from the land and offer it to God in a place where God says.  :3b  “Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors

to give us. :4b A wandering Aramean was my ancestor . .  :10 So now I bring the first fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me :11 Then you shall, together with the Levites and aliens who reside among you, celebrate with all the bounty the Lord, Your God , has given to you and to your house." 

Think about it: We think we are so clever to ‘create’ the First Thanksgiving after the pilgrims and American Indians shared a meal together.   The Hebrew people celebrated their First Thanksgiving! when they entered the Promised Land after having left Canaan, Israel, to go to Egypt many decades earlier.

Psalm 100  “Make a Joyful noise onto the Lord, all ye lands.  Serve the Lord with gladness. Know, ye, that the Lord, He is good. It is He who has made us and we are His.  We are his people and the sheep of His pasture.  Enter into His gates with THANKSGIVING and into His courts with praise!  Be thankful onto Him and bless His name for the Lord is GOOD and His mercy endures to all generations.” 

Think about it: What a perfect psalm to sing when basting that Turkey or making that mince meat pie or the green bean casserole with the mushroom soup or those candied yams or grinding together fresh cranberries with orange to make the best condiment ever!

I memorized this when I was in third grade.  I then stepped away from any acknowledgement of God for about 20 years.  When I began to seek Him, at the age of thirty, this psalm came forth as if I’d memorized it afresh.  God’s Word never goes out void.  This version is a mixture of KJV and NASB and me.  The gist is that I do make a joyful noise as this psalm bursts forth at the most interesting times.  Yesterday I unpacked a ‘dish-pack’ of endless glasses. The paper alone could fill a house. It seemed to take forever. I make a JOY-Full noise and smile.

Philippians 4:4  "Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say Rejoice! :6 Do not worry but in everything , by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. :7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in

Christ Jesus. :8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just whatever is pure and pleasing and commendable, if there is any excellence, and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” :9 Keep on doing the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in Me, and the God of peace will be with you."  

Think about it: What more can I say! God is so very good to us.  Hubby and I feel totally blessed and at peace with all that is happening around us.  The Lord has given us energy in these late years we never knew was in us.  We ARE keeping on, rejoicing in Him, giving praise every five seconds or so.  The Lord has truly given us clarity of mind as we unpack, negotiate, pray, and unpack some more.  Where are those bowls so we can have some oatmeal? LOL

John 6:  The crowds found Jesus to be fed with loaves

and fishes again but Jesus tells them to work for the food of eternal life :29  "Believe in Him who God has sent. :33 The bread of God comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world." 

Think about it:  This takes place just after the feeding of the 5000.  The crowds follow Jesus and the apostles as they take the boat across the sea of Galilee.  The people walk around the top part of this large lake and meet Jesus and  his crew as they arrive in Caesarea.  Jesus gives them food for the SOUL and reminds them of the GREAT THANKSGIVING of the previous day.  
       Can you imagine bringing some dried fish and pita bread to your community event and feeding all who attend?  “He broke it and blessed it.”  
      It’s in the breaking that blessing comes forth.  It’s in the brokenness that life blooms anew.  Our brokenness is mended because of our life in Jesus, God’s only begotten Son.  Jesus suffered greatly as he was broken on the Cross for us so that we might live each moment giving thanks, even if some moments bring tears and heartbreak.

At this time we are filled with joy but remember those in our family who are no longer with us.  Some died far too young.  They are celebrating a grand thanksgiving with our Lord!  Amen!

11-29  Isaiah 24:14-23; Psalm 140, 141, 142, 143:1-12; 1 peter 3:13–4:6; Matthew 20:17-28

1 Peter 3:13-17  “Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good?  But if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed.  Do not fear

what they fear and do not be intimidated but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord.  Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence.  Keep your conscience clear so that when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame.”

This passage is from a letter of instruction that circulated among the churches in Asia Minor and was referenced in the second century by such great theologians as Polycarp, Tertullian, Iraneaus and Clement of Alexandrea.  Christianity was developing at such a great pace during the time of the Apostle Peter’s life that he most likely preached these words where he could and had his words written down to send out to other Christian communities.

During this time of Roman rule, members of the household, especially women and slaves, were expected to follow the rules and the religion of the patriarch.  In this letter, there is a hint of non-conformity.  Those who are drawn to God though his son, Jesus Christ, are to live according to their conscience and not according to the patriarch.  Faith in Christ may cause suffering, not from some outside forces, but from intimidation or from those who do not understand.

Think about it: Suffering does not have to be overt.  We ‘suffer’ when we choose to put Christ first and ever-so-politely refuse an invitation by a neighbor to have brunch on a Sunday morning.  We need not make the point with our neighbor that everyone should go to church on a Sunday morning.  Yet, we can say, “Because I made a personal choice to make living in Christ a priority, I have dedicated Sunday mornings to worship and give thanks for all of the blessings the Lord has provided each week.”   We can then move on to say, “I’d love to have brunch with you any other day of the week.”

We ‘suffer’ by feeling we have not been as neighborly as we should.  Perhaps we can turn this around.  How have we demonstrated our Christian life to our neighbor and those around us in our daily walk?  If, indeed, we let the light of Christ’s grace flicker in our neighborly conversations, a bit here, a smidgeon there, wouldn’t that neighbor know that we dedicate our Sunday mornings to the Lord?

If we live each day according to the precepts in 1 Peter, and become that glowing light of Christ to others in our daily deeds, we should, in time, develop such conviction for living according to God’s will that Joy pours out of us even when our soul suffers.  Our neighbor will see this and, because of our grace toward our non-believing neighbor, God will work through us to show our neighbor  “The Way, the Truth, and the Life” in Christ.

Our “suffering” should come from grief in our soul over those who do not yet know Christ.  That’s why ‘suffering’ through our daily prayer for those we love  is the best kind suffering.   We may suffer for their souls but they see our JOY.

11-30  Last day of November and Celebration of Andrew the Apostle

Deuteronomy 30:11-14; Psalm 19:1-6; Romans 10:8b-18; Matthew 4:18-22

Deuteronomy 30:14 The Word is very near to you.  It is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.

Psalm 19:2 Day to day pours forth speech and night to night declares knowledge.

Romans 10:8b-18  [See Deut 30:14] The Word is near you, on your lips and in your heart.”  :9  If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that god raised him from the dead, you will be saved.   :10 for one believes with the heart and so is justified and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.  :17  Faith comes from hearing and hearing comes through the word of Christ.

Matthew 4:18-22 Calling of the disciples by the Sea of Galilee were brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew.  Other fishermen were James and John, sons of Zebedee.  “I will make you fishers of men.”

        Once again, all the scriptures tie into one another.  We do not realize that much of the New Covenant scripture ‘quotes’ words from the Old Covenant.  

The old becomes new when Jesus begins drawing His crew together.  

       Andrew was one of the first picks to be Jesus’ disciple.  He ran home to tell Peter and that’s how Peter became not only one of the ‘pack’ but became an Apostle of apostles, the leader of the pack.  If it were not for Andrew’s role to simply say, “yes” to Jesus and eagerly “evangelize” his brother, His-story would be very different.

Deuteronomy says it all.  God, the Word, is very near from the very beginning of creation.  God’s people had difficulty understanding the presence of the Word, in God, without the human story that Jesus gives us.   Thus, in Romans, this phrase, “The Word is very near you,” is repeated again.  Indeed, the WORD MADE FLESH is in

our hearts because of Jesus’ advocate, the Holy Spirit. 
      The Word drew Andrew into Jesus' presence and did the same for Peter when Andrew fetched his brother and led him to Jesus and into a whole new life.

Matthew tells the story.  Because of the holy boldness of Andrew telling his brother about Jesus, these fishermen will also become ‘fishers of men.’  We hear the story every year after we celebrate Easter.  'He is risen, now Go Fishing!’

Think about it.  My favorite verse I memorized is Romans 10:9.  If I not only speak of Jesus to all the world but also believe in the miraculous resurrection of our Lord, I will be saved from eternal damnation.  By memorizing verse 9 and 10, we have something to share with another person in five seconds or less.

Evangelization cannot get any easier than this.  When the Word becomes flesh and dwells in us and when we speak the Word to others, God does the rest.

Jesus taught this motley crew enough in three years to tell the world for centuries to come.  Because of the Word written on paper and because of one like Andrew who speaks the Word to others, Jesus remains alive in souls of millions to this day.  

Just one person, by instinctively sharing his excitement with his brother, began what we now call “evangelization.”  One person.  A few words.  Go Fish!

NOVEMBER NOBLESSE 16-23

If you are just joining us, we hope your journey through daily scripture meditations will be enjoyable.  

Five to six minutes a day with the Lord is so refreshing.  

If you have been following this blog for awhile, 
CONGRATULATIONS!  

The Lord will reward you well for your perseverance. 

Again, we begin with wisdom from sages who, by their contribution, helped to form the Christian doctrine we have today.  They are called “Fathers” of the church, even when some very significant women are included in this group.

"When you sit down to eat, pray. When you eat bread, do so thanking Him for being so generous to you. If you drink wine, be mindful of Him who has given it to you for your pleasure and as a relief in sickness. When you dress, thank Him for His kindness in providing you with clothes. When you look at the sky and the beauty of the stars,

throw yourself at God’s feet and adore Him who in His wisdom has arranged things in this way. Similarly, when the sun goes down and when it rises, when you are asleep or awake, give thanks to God, who created and arranged all things for your benefit, to have you know, love and praise their Creator.”      Basil the Great

"You will not see anyone who is truly striving after his spiritual advancement who is not given to spiritual reading.”   Athanasius of Alexandria

"The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, the fruit of service is peace."

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

11-16 1 Maccabees 2:1-28; Psalm 87,90,136; Revelation 20:1-6; Matthew 16:21-28

Matthew 16:21-23  “From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders

and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day and be raised.  And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.’”

And then Jesus continues with the now famous words, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

These verses are only the beginning.  The quote in bold is a plot summary and the first of four passages that predict Jesus’ death.  Jesus’ rebuke to Peter is a teaching moment.  Notice that Jesus does not say, “Get away from my sight, Peter.”  Jesus purposely calls out Satan as the culprit working through Peter’s human concern.  

This is a turning point for the disciples.  Jesus’ words dive into their souls hard because they, too, will be called to follow the path of Jesus . . .  to death.  Although Jesus does not like what He must do, He must do it.  

It’s time. 

     Jesus must die in order to have and give us resurrected life.  Reality hits Peter like a hammer and filters down to the others as Jesus continues this end-game teaching.  As the apostle, Paul, says in Philippians, “To live is Christ, to die is gain.”

Think about it: You might be chosen by God in Christ to not only LIVE in Christ, but to die clinging to Jesus’ name.  We all will die but many of us might hope to just go to sleep at the ripe old age of 112 and not wake up.  

Unfortunately, most of us will not make it quite that far.  

As we walk through these stories leading to Jesus’ death, we cannot help but think of those we love who have died or who are dying at this very moment. 

Do you wonder about their souls?  Are they ready to meet the Lord?  

Make a list of those you know and love who may be ‘on the

fence’ or far from knowing the Lord.  Pray through that list and ask the Lord how you can influence any or all of them before the end of their lives.  

We never know when it is our time to be with the Lord so do it now.  

Prayer is powerful.  The Lord will lead you to your next steps. 

11-17   23rd Sunday after Pentecost

Malachi 4:1-2a; Psalm 98; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13; Luke 21:5-19

2 Thessalonians 3:8  Paul said, “We did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you.”  :10b “Anyone unwilling to work

should not eat.”  :12 “Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.” :13 “Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.”  

  Paul’s exhortation to new Christians stems from the other scriptures we read today.  Being a Christian is not easy.  It means being the example to others by working hard, sharing the Good news, not for financial profit but for the wellbeing of each who says, “Yes” to God in Christ Jesus.

Likewise, Malachi, the last book of the old covenant, sets our sites on the new covenant.  “Watch out,” says the prophet.  If you do not choose to hear God you will become like old wood and stubble and be burnt up.  Malachi 4:2a “But for you who hear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings.”

      

The Gospel of Luke is just as full of woe.   Becoming a Christian is not easy.    A devout Jewish family who ‘lost’ a member, because that person became a follower of Christ Jesus, disowned and had a funeral for that family

member. We have to remember that there was no hind sight here.  Jesus seemed like a Jewish renegade who broke all God’s rules.  Only after His death and resurrection, after the Holy Spirit came to God’s people, did massive numbers of Jews have ‘ahaa’ moments when they made the connection . . . that Jesus is, indeed, Messiah.

And so we focus on Paul’s words to the Thessalonians.  Paul tells Jesus’ leadership team, long after the Lord has left this earth, “Show the skeptics that we are not trying to make money by sharing the miracles of Jesus.  Earn you own money for the mission you are on.  Make sure you work for the wages you receive . . . really work . . .  so that others will know that you are serious in your leadership and have faith to do your best.  God will do the rest.”

As we near the end of this green, ‘growth’ season and prepare for the “Advent” of the New Covenant, Jesus Christ, selected scripture passages are tougher to swallow.  During these six months since Resurrection Sunday, we have grown from swallowing simple, encouraging passages to chewing hard on tough exhortations.  The scriptures help us mature in Christ.

Think about it:  Do you recall when you were new at living the Christian life?  Did someone walk beside you, teaching and encouraging you with words of encouragement?  Have you matured to the point that you are doing this for someone else?  Showering another with the kindness, grace, mercy and love of Jesus is a great example of nurture for a fragile soul.  As that soul gains strength through Christian fellowship, worship, prayer, scripture study and so much more, we can share some realities outside that sweet cocoon. 

We live, not for ourselves, but for the One who saved us from eternal separation from God.  As we learn to live a holy and righteous life, we become holy and righteous and are used by our Lord as much as we allow God to use us.  Yet, we do not get paid for helping another grow in Christ.  Our ‘pay’ is knowing we helped to nurture another soul in preparation for eternal life with our Lord.  Being a Christian is not easy but the eternal reward is out of this world!

11-18 1 Maccabees 3:1-24; Psalm 89; Revelation 20:7-15; Matthew 17:1-13

Psalm 89:3-4  God said, “I have made a covenant with

my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David: ’I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.’”

      Each psalm has a story behind it.  This hymn is of particular importance as it reminds us of God’s covenant relationship with David.  This is a prayer to God to uphold and protect David’s kingship followed by a plea that God reaffirm the covenant with David and restore the fortunes of Israel.  The present form of this psalm dates to the Babylonian exile (587-538 BC).  This poem represents the strongest endorsement of the kingship of David’s line found in the Old Testament. [New International Bible p.832]

We know the story of David and how God chose him specifically to be king after Saul’s demise.  Saul turned away from God one too many times so God chose not to continue His covenant relationship with Saul’s descendants.   A covenant is different from a contract that can be broken by either side.  Yet, God, by the very fact that He chooses the one with whom He makes covenant, cannot break it because of His very nature.  Covenant means that God, forever, eternally,  will never leave us nor forsake us even if we step away from our commitment to God.

God, by choosing to ‘covenant’ with David and all his descendants, maintained His presence through the Davidic line through which Jesus’ mother, Mary, and Mary’s husband, Joseph, both descended.  Therefore, Jesus, in his humanity, is the ‘son of David’ even though his ‘seed’ is many generations removed from David.  It also follows that Jesus in his divinity is the Son of God.

Indeed, God did ‘establish David’s descendants forever and build a throne for all generations’ through God’s Son, Jesus Christ.  When we say, “yes” to Christ, we are adopted into Jesus’ family of God.  David represents the Old Covenant relationship with God.  Jesus, through his death and resurrection became our New Covenant.  

Think about it:  When we accept Jesus as Lord of our life and grow in relationship with Him, we embrace New Covenant life.  When we accept this New Covenant, Jesus Christ, we become a new creation and may take a new

name.  For instance Saul was renamed Paul.  His ‘old’ self was washed away by the shed blood of Jesus Christ and he became a new personality with a name that gained a new reputation pleasing to God.   

We may not change our name but we become a new person as we join the family of God.  We begin our covenant life with God in Christ, through baptism.   Do you notice the changes you have experienced since you claimed Jesus, the anointed One, as your Lord and Savior?   Take a few minutes to jot down the ‘turning points’ in you Christian walk.  Each growth spurt or challenge you have overcome with Jesus’ help may be a turning point.  Perhaps you do have a new name like: Overcomer, Joy-filled, Satisfied, Blooming nicely, Confident, Strong in Spirit.  The list of positive, encouraging names for our our new life in Christ is endless and so are His descendants.

11-19 1 Maccabees 3:25-41; Psalm 97,99,94; Revelation 21:1-8; Matthew 17:14-21

Revelation 21:5-7 “And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ . . . Then he said to me, ‘It is done!  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.  Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.’”

     We are nearing the conclusion of this six month period of growth as disciples of Christ Jesus.   Thus, we are near the end of the new covenant scriptures, Revelation.  John sees God’s hand in making all things new.  Jerusalem still stands as Zion, the place of God but, just as God created the Garden of Eden for creation’s new beginning, God begins again by redeeming, not by changing, the place where redeemed humanity who, by faith, have accepted Jesus as Lord, will reside.  

Jerusalem, the ‘City of God’ still has walls and gates but God will, once again come to us not to replace but to redeem creation.  John sees the heavenly city descend to this renewed earth.  This world, the object of our Creator’s love, is important to God.  God shows us that it is not us who ‘redeemed’ the world but God. 

The fulfillment of God’s love is a city in which the redeemed are ‘one’ in community.  There is no autonomy here.  We are ‘one’ created and guided by the I AM.  Only the sinless, made so by the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, may reside with the I AM in this ‘City of God.’

Throughout these last verses in Revelation we are reminded that God IS.   “I AM” . . .  ‘I AM the Alpha”, the first.  “I AM the Omega”, the last.  God is first, last and everything in between.  God creates and then redeems creation.  All that does not belong in the kingdom of God, :8 “ . . . the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, the murderers, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake the burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

God IS the water of life.  God IS eternally with us, actively directing our soul, IF . . .  we continue to abide, continue to say yes, continue our faith journey with God as our forever Savior.  The souls of all who continuously, actively, remain ‘children’ of God through his Son, will be part of this redeemed city.

Think about it:  Does John’s vision seem ‘out of this

world’?  John allows another dimension, God’s dimension, to show him another aspect of God’s presence.  It’s like no

other reality that John experienced.  Yet, God and God’s redeeming love are definitely a reality to those who lay their life before Him. We do not need to seek this ‘other’ dimension as John did.  We simply need to trust that there is another dimension to our life, beyond the life we currently live.

Indeed, by actively participating in Christian community, church, and by actively seeking to know Christ Jesus and make him known to others, we are already in a new dimension, the dimension of submission to God:Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Are you resting in the love of God?  Do you know, intimately connect with, God’s redeeming power in your life?  Can you imagine being part of a ‘city’ where only the redeemed reside?  Take a minute to imagine where you would be in this city.  Would you cling to the outer walls, would you press into the crowd milling about in the center with all the action?  Would you be a leader or follower?  

All we need to know is that God so loved us that he gave his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to be the ultimate sacrifice so that we could live eternally if we choose . . .  if we choose to live, and die, as one in Christ Jesus.

11-20 1 Maccabees 3:42-60; Psalm 101, 109:1-30, 119:121-144; Revelation 21:9-21; Matthew 17:22-27

Matthew 17:27 Jesus said, “However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook, and

take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel; take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

They are ‘home’ in Capernaum [northern tip of the sea of Galilee] when the tax collector approaches Peter.  Why Peter and not Jesus?  Peter is already known as the Apostle, the ‘right hand man’ with Jesus.  Remember that Jesus and the disciples have been visibly active for a few years.  Jesus has, once again, told his disciples of his impending death . . .  and then he moves on to other things, like taxes.

Every male over the age of 20 pays a ‘didrachma’ or two drachma tax annually except the ‘sons of the divine one’, the king.  Jesus talks to Peter about this and reminds Peter that He and Peter also have ‘divine sonship’.  Jesus’ divine sonship is natural and Peter’s is adoptive.   Jesus, the natural and divine presence of God, will be declared King and Lord of all after his death, resurrection and ascension.  Peter, being ‘one’ with Christ as His disciple and Apostle, has adoptive sonship.  Yet, Peter (and the rest of their world) does not yet realize this.  Therefore, in order to not cause consternation among the Jews who pay taxes, they will pay taxes.  This is also a way to draw the Jews who do not follow the teachings of Jesus into His presence.

Of course they carry no money so Jesus tells Peter

to ‘go fish.’  This recurring theme is familiar to Peter the fisherman.  He will, all too soon, fish for lost souls.  God provides!  Of course he catches a fish and of course he follows Jesus’ orders to open the mouth of the fish.  Peter finds a Greek ‘Stater’ which is worth a full Shekel.  Equal to two didrachma, this is the perfect amount for both Jesus and Peter to pay the tax.  Neither too much nor too little but just right.

Think about it: This is another ‘life lesson’ for all of us.  Jesus has little time to teach Peter how to be ‘in’ the world but not ‘of’ the world so others could follow his example.  Just like Jesus and Peter, we may not agree with how our government uses our money but we are obligated to pay taxes because we live in this earthly world.  In order to draw others into the loving arms of our Lord, we must live an exemplary life and follow secular rules while, at the same time, remain fulling dedicated to our life in Christ Jesus.  

Not easy!

     We are blessed to have a ‘voice’ for debate and a

VOTE to hopefully draw the best leaders into our governing body.  It is up to us to follow the Law but it is also up to us to follow biblical precepts.  Just as Jesus and His disciples had to follow the ‘law of the land’ they did not have to follow the secular world in its debauchery. 

      

Make a quick assessment of your walk with Jesus.  Are you following the Laws of this most amazing country we live in?  Do you understand the freedom we have to  follow Jesus and the life He calls us to live?  Do you pay your taxes even if you disagree with how they are used?  Do you use your voice to share with others, how to live in Christ and live in the secular world at the same time?
Do you carefully select your local, state and national representatives to make choices that coincide with biblical precepts whenever possible?  

Now, ‘Go Fish’ and see what God brings forth.  
You might be surprised!

11-21 1 Maccabees 4:1-25; Psalm 105:1-45; Revelation 21:22—22:5; 

Matthew 18:1-9

Revelation 22:3-5  “There shall no more be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall worship him; they shall

see his face, and his name shall be on their foreheads.  And night shall be no more; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they shall reign for ever and ever.”

This is pretty much the grand finale of the Book of Revelation.  We are coming to the end of this year’s readings in a few days so each passage draws us more deeply into visions of eternity.  

It is hard to imagine a life of such purity, beauty and glory.  No more living in a world nearly bursting in sin.  No more dealing with the weight of gravity.  No more catching our breath after coughing through pollen or pollution.  No more listening to screeching music from cars with no mufflers.  Beauty and glory will surround us.  Sounds of  praise and worship, sights to behold beyond our comprehension and, greatest of all, we will be face-to-face with our Lord.

There will be no more temple for we who are baptized in Christ Jesus are now God’s temple, with the throne of God’s grace nestled within our soul.  The Father and the Son share the same throne.  The Holy Spirit swirls in our midst.  No lamps will be lit, no sun or moon to give light because there is no night.  God’s GLORY about is will be unimaginably bright.  

The gates of our eternal kingdom will never close as newbies enter continuously.   Nothing and no one unclean

will enter but only those written in the Lambs book of life.  Our soul will never thirst because the ‘river of the water of life’ will be flowing from the throne of Lord and the Lamb through the middle of the city.   

         On either side is the tree of life with twelve kinds of fruit producing each month and the leaves of the tree for healing of the nations.  One side reminds us of the Old Covenant life directed by the Law of Moses.  The other side reminds us of the New Covenant life directed by Jesus, the Lamb of God.  The fruit represents the 12 tribes of Israel in the Old Covenant and the 12 Apostles of Jesus in the New Covenant.  “And the Lord thy God and the Lamb will reign forever and ever.”  

Think about it:  Do you wonder what eternity will be like for you?  Do you worry that you will not be invited into God’s kingdom after life on this earth?  

       Eternity: No time, no space, no sense of dimension we experience on earth.  Non-stop celestial Glory and praise.  We’ll be in the presence of the Word made flesh.  We will

understand all that is a big question mark when we study scripture.  The Word will be written on our forehead . . . will be imbedded in us . . .  will be understood completely.  We won’t even have to ask the long list of questions we wonder about as we study God’s Word.  We will know!  A complete understanding of the Lord, thy God will be imbedded within our soul instantly. 

Do you want to join the celestial choir when you die?  Just say, “Yes” to the Lord’s invitation to be a child of God through Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son who was crucified and whose blood covers our sin nature.  Say ‘Yes’ to the everlasting love our Lord desires to pour into your heart and soul.  Say ‘Yes’ to the Lord’s daily graces He bestows upon us.  Worship and glorify Him as often as possible.  Prepare your heart right now in the same way you might prepare for a running marathon.  Remain spiritually ‘fit’ at all times.  Be ready.  Anticipate.  Get excited!  

    Life on this earth seems wonder-filled and awesome but just wait until you are fully in the glorious presence of Heavenly Glory!  You think your church worship is awesome?  Good.  Now quintuple that experience and then quintuple it again.     WOW!

11-22  1 Maccabees 4:36-59; Psalm 102, 107:1-32; Revelation 22:6-13; 

Matthew 18:10-20

1 Maccabees 4:59  Every year this dedication of the temple would be observed with joy and gladness for eight days beginning with the 25th day of the month of Chislev.

This is the reason we read Maccabees, the grand ending of the book. Tradition says that the Jewish celebration of Chanukah began with this story.  How can anyone

understand the deep impact of this celebration if we do not know the story?  Chanukah is not a major celebration

for the Jews.  In fact, many who celebrate these eight days of gift giving think it was created to coincide with the Christian celebration of Christmas. [note: Many think the Christian celebration of Christmas was created to coincide with the pagan celebration of solstice or worship of the evergreen tree]  
This thinking is incorrect.

In fact, in this passage, the exact date was chiseled into Jewish hearts - the 25th day of the month of Chislev on the Jewish calendar.  The Jewish calendar still follows the path of the moon, which is the same for the Gregorian Calendar which Christians follow.  So, these dates are not on the same day every year.  [In the same way, Jesus was born on a specific day in December if you study a combination of bible scriptures.]

We tend to forget that God meant to overlay the

New Covenant over the Old Covenant, not to obliterate but to enhance His presence from beginning to end.  That’s why many Christian celebrations overlap the Jewish celebrations. 
All glorify God!  

The temple ‘light’ needed to burn perpetually just as the ‘light of Christ’ burns perpetually.  If you enter a ‘sacramental’ church (Catholic, Anglican/Episcopal, Lutheran) you will see the light of a candle burning near a magnificently clad box, the tabernacle, where the already blessed and transformed bread and wine are kept.  
       In these churches, the pageant of Christ’s death at Eastertide also celebrates the ‘new Light’ of Christ on the eve of Easter Sunday.  “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again” are words said weekly to remind us of Jesus’ death and resurrection.  On Easter Vigil, we

begin with brand new light on a huge candle, the light of

Christ, and enter a totally dark worship space where we can only see the tiny flicker of one candle.  
The cantor sings, “The Light of Christ” three times.  
And we sit in the dark as a canticle draws us into the Light of Christ.  
      This Christian celebration of new light is  just as moving as the celebration of New Light in the Temple during a very challenging time for the Jewish people. 

Since you may not have access to this glorious book of Maccabees, here is a quick summery of today’s reading:

“Judas, having crushed the enemy, was called to ‘Cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it.’  :41  Judas detailed men to fight these in the citadel until the sanctuary was cleansed from the profane destruction.  And he chose blameless priests devoted to the Law to help and removed defiled stone to an ‘unclean’ place.  They tore down the profaned altar and stored the stone until a prophet could tell them what to do.  Then, according to the Law, took unhewn stones and built a new altar like the former one.  

They made new holy vessels and returned the lamp stand, replaced the altar of incense, lit candles, placed bread on a table across from the lamp stands  and completed all the work.  Chislev 25 [9th month] 148th year, they offered sacrifice and burnt offering.  They decorated the temple front with golden crowns and small shields and restored the priest chambers.  

The Temple was now dedicated with song and harps and lutes and symbols.  God’s Chosen People celebrated for eight days!”

Think about it:  Have you ever taken part in the lighting of the Chanukah candle with a Jewish family?  In our town we all are invited to attend a celebration with a huge Menorah.  The Rabbi reminds us of the story.  Jews and gentiles mingle together as children are given small gifts . . .  each day for eight days!  Find a celebration in your town where all are invited.  It’s a wonder-filled learning experience.

Have you attended a ‘Sacramental’ church for Easter Vigil?  Most non-denominational churches do not celebrate the night before Resurrection Sunday so this might be an opportunity to see how the ‘Light of Christ’ is celebrated in a ‘liturgical’ or ‘sacramental’ church.  In the Catholic church, all who have been taking classes for nearly a year to know Christ and to better understand their baptism, are baptized and welcomed to the church body.  The service is long but glorious.  There might be 50+ who are formally giving their lives to Christ on Easter Eve. 

      In the Anglican/Episcopal and Lutheran churches is a celebration to behold.  Scripture from the old covenant

through the new covenant are read from the beginning of our ‘salvation history’ in Exodus.  Yet, the lighting of the ‘new fire’ in the quiet darkness as all enter the church is a stark reality of Christ piercing through the darkness with His message of God's love, grace and hope.  
       The ‘turning on of New Light’ becomes a glorious celebration in Christ Jesus.    You will not be disappointed if you attend just once.   The book of Maccabees shows us God’s presence during the darkest moments of life.  Our Lord is always with us and will never leave us nor forsake us.  God is our beacon of Light in this dark world.

11-23 Isaiah 65:17-25; Psalm 107:33-43, 108:1-6,33; Revelation 22:14-21; Matthew 18:21-35

Psalm 108:3 “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among

the peoples, and I will sing praises to you among the nations.”

Nothing beats a psalm to lighten up the day.  Sometimes, when we try to digest God’s Word and digest His promises to help us through the challenges of daily living, we need a breath of fresh air.  Psalms give us breathing room.  When all is said and done, sing a song!  Any song!  

Psalms were the songs of the day.  Hebrew people memorized and sang many of these glorious odes to God as they spent time worshiping in the Temple, spent time in the fields working long hours, and shared together at night.  We forget that their only distraction was other gods or family matters or how to survive.  
No small feat.  
Our greatest distraction is social media, technology, a grand supply of food, clothing and fun trinkets to distract us and so much more.

Think about it:  Life was hard for the Jewish people in Jesus’ day but do you think it is even harder now? 

    We have so much freedom, so many choices, and days filled with way too much to do because of those choices.  We need incredible discipline to take a daily break from everything, get away in a quiet place, and sing a Psalm or song to God.  

In fact, do you have a special place you can go to sing to the Lord?  Even though my hubby can hear me, I feel that my own space is in the shower.  Some sort of diddie comes to mind and I love to belt it out as I wash my hair.  It’s my space.  It’s my croaking voice.  It’s me and the Lord.  It’s JOY!  

Sing to the Lord a new song!  Find a joy-filled Psalm that draws your heart closer to God.  Memorize it. There are several Psalms that are only a couple sentences long.  I memorized Psalm 100 in the third grade, forgot all about it, and then remember it when I became a Christian at the age of 31, which is decades ago.  
       This psalm still fills my heart at the oddest times.  

Breathe deep, sing a song to Jesus, en-JOY the day!