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John 17:1-11 - Lectionary for Easter 7A

5/25/2017

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5/25/17
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

What is eternal life all about? John 17:1-11 makes it clear that, as far as Jesus is concerned, eternal life is not about duration. It’s about knowing the true God. Those who are keeping God’s word by looking to Jesus in faith have eternal life. They have received God’s word. They are perfectly secure in Christ.

Eternal life is the way God brings glory to himself. He is not content with his people simply getting along in this world fairly well. He is not content with his people being kind or generous. He is not content with his people living a number of happy years here. God brings glory to himself by giving his people what they could never gain on their own. He gives eternity. It is not earned by our merit or by anything else we do. It is God’s good pleasure.

This should inspire us with confidence. Do we wonder that we are accepted in Christ? What if we had a false assumption? What if our faith was not genuine? The question of the passage is not whether our faith is genuine. It is whether God’s choice is genuine. John presents us with a God who has made a very genuine choice to redeem his people. This is the great good news of eternal life.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us

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1 Peter 4:12-19; 5:6-11 - Lectionary for Easter 7A

5/24/2017

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5/24/17
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Our reading from 1 Peter 4 and 5 this week brings a much-needed corrective into modern Christianity. There are many who would suggest that the Christian, the true Christian, will not endure suffering. This is an attactive message. We would like to live a godly life which is victorious in every sense of the word. We expect eternal life and a resurrection. This is certainly true. But we also seem to expect that we will not endure the kind of suffering that Jesus did.

Peter points out to us that when we are suffering we are put in a position to understand Jesus. When we suffer we are reminded of our dependence on God. When we suffer we are reminded of the nature of our enemy, Satan, who would seek every opportunity to harm us.

Are we going to suffer in this life? Certainly. It is by God’s grace that we have times which are not filled with suffering. What is our response then? We look to the Lord, the author of our salvation, who has endured every trial and temptation that we ever will.  Jesus alone has gone through suffering without sin. He alone is able to sustain us through all the trials of this life. And this is his great promise. So we don’t despair when life hurts. We look to God in hope.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us

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Acts 1:12-26 - Lectionary for Easter 7A

5/23/2017

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5/23/17
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

In recent decades there have been numerous battles over the nature of the Bible. How will we discuss the infallibility of the Scripture? How are we going to view the original manuscripts, which we do not have any longer? How will we deal with the variant readings in the many copies of the text? How can we understand the historic views of inspiration and the authority of the Scripture?

Our reading from Acts 1:12-26 speaks to this, in a way. Granted, not many will be satisfied with the way the reading addresses the issue, but it speaks to it nonetheless. The events in Acts chapter 1 underline the apostles’ view of the Bible. That is, it points out that the apostles certainly seemed to believe the Bible would speak about everything which was necessary, and that the ideas the Bible gave them could be rightly applied to their current situation.

When Peter observed that Jesus had selected twelve apostles, but that the count was now down to eleven, Peter’s conclusion was that there was an apostle missing. He saw that there was biblical warrant to replace personnel at times. He devised some criteria which were consistent with the ways the other apostles could be identified. He brought the issue to the other Christians who were assembled. They agreed and a new apostle was selected.

The selection of a replacement apostle seems a minor issue, at least by some measures. There were only twelve. They didn’t all need to be replaced at once. Many could argue that it was not biblically necessary to replace Judas, but that it was permissible. What is important in this episode, though, is that the Christians could consider their current situation in light of Scripture, then make a decision to do or not do something.

Do we believe that God speaks through the Bible? If so, we do well when we consider our life, our callings, our work, and our society in light of the Word of God. Then, and only then, will we be ready to consider different topics and see if God has spoken about them. We are then ready to receive divine guidance and participate in Christ’s harvest field.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Psalm 68:1-10 - Lectionary for Easter 7A

5/22/2017

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5/22/17
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

When we consider our world, the problem of evil is remarkably persistent. We try to fix things but they become broken again so very quickly. There’s always crime. There’s always offense. There’s always illness. One thing after another breaks down.

This happens on the more mundane scale as well. Why won’t the lawn I mowed stay mowed? I just mopped that floor, and now it is dirty again. How many times will I have to knock the cobwebs down on my porch? And I really thought I just got my car fixed, but here it is, going to the shop again.

Our world is always going to be entering into decay. It doesn’t last forever. None of God’s creation seems permanently stable. But in Psalm 68:1-10, we meet the God who can care for that creation. Even though everything would fall apart, God is there sustaining it, restoring it, nourishing it.

It may seem difficult, or even impossible, to do away with trouble. But God can care for it, as easily as the wind can blow away smoke or a fire can melt wax. The trouble that seems large to us is quite manageable to God. The situation that we could never find a way around is something which the Lord can cut through quickly and easily.

With this great news in hand, the Psalmist looks to God in hope. He’s the one who provides food and water in the desert. He’s the one who takes care of his flock.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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    About Throwing Inkwells

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