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1 Corinthians 7:29-31 - Lectionary for Epiphany 3B

1/17/2018

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1/17/18

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.

I’m one of the people who has received accusations. “You people” (meaning Christians?? It isn’t clear) aren’t involved in caring for (fill in the blank) the same way “we enlightened people” are. Therefore you’re evil and want everything to go to ruin. This accusation is often accompanied by a diatribe about Christians being “so heavenly minded they are no earthly good.”

Sorry, but this isn’t the picture the apostle Paul gives us in 1 Corinthians 7:29-31. The Christian, acutely aware of the reality of eternity, knows he doesn’t have much time on this planet. He also knows that his best efforts will have a limited effect. The world is passing away. That doesn’t mean that we pillage and plunder it. It means that we focus on what we can do, what is of highest priority, and that we consciously avoid thinking that our earthly existence is permanent.

Notice that the marriages, work relationships, sorrow, and joy in our earthly life are important, but that the apostle tells us to be ready to set them all aside. We are confronted, day by day, with eternity, a world we don’t currently experience as we will in the future.

The text, then, calls us to give attention to our priorities. We look not to our husband or wife, our employment situation, our personal enjoyment, or even our personal suffering. Those are not ultimate circumstances. They will pass away. What remains forever? God’s Word. So while we care for our families, while we care for our planet, while we do our best work at school, at the office, and in the community, we are looking forward to that which is eternal. We are so heavenly minded that we might just be some earthly good.

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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Jonah 3:1-5, 10 - Lectionary for Epiphany 3B

1/16/2018

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1/16/18
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.

The book of Jonah often serves as a reminder of God’s gracious ways. Time after time, the God of all calls people to repentance and change. This even for his prophet, Jonah. After Jonah’s refusal to go to the people of Nineveh, the Lord sends him again. The unwilling prophet does speak God’s word, a message of warning.

For the time being we lay aside the questions about God’s intention. God’s revealed character always seeks to reconcile people to himself. What is God’s message to the people of Nineveh? They are being warned. Flee destruction!

When confronted with their options, the people of Nineveh believe God. They don’t want to be destroyed. They engage in life change, at least for the time being.

Now we can question God’s attitude. Does his forgiveness in verse 10 mean that God’s attitude has changed? Does it mean that the people’s righteous response pacified him? Does it mean that God lied to the people, saying the city would be demolished but not really meaning it? Not at all.

God in his mercy has several layers to his revelation. He remains the just judge of heaven and earth. Because all have sinned, all deserve destruction. He has provided only one way of rescue, through his substitutionary death on the cross in the person of God the Son. His desire is to reconcile the world to himself. And he is quite able to do that. But he has chosen to do it only through the means he prescribed. It is only as people turn from their sin and trust that he is the God who has provided rescue that they are actually delivered to safety. God rightly condemns the world and all in it. He also rightly forgives the people of Nineveh.

What is our reaction? Do we become mired in our unbelief? Do we remain hostile to God’s work? May the Lord have mercy on us.

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 62 - Lectionary for Epiphany 3B

1/15/2018

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1/15/18
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.

Psalm 62 reminds us to trust in the Lord. This is not an uncommon theme in the Psalms, or, for that matter, throughout Scripture. However, it’s particularly powerful in this Psalm that the reader is warned against trusting in his own wealth, his strength, and his ability to rob or oppress.

Normally when we are told to trust in the Lord, we assume that we are the weaker ones, the ones who are subject to being attacked and overcome. But here we are warned against trusting in the fact that we ourselves could attack or overcome.

A key to this is in verse 9. We read that important and unimportant people alike are illusory. We come, we go, we pass away. Even our weighty decisions and great efforts are not so very weighty or important.

My generation of young people, as well as the generation which is young today, and doubtless many others, have been taught that they need to change the world. The future depends on them. When I speak with teenagers, almost without exception, they expect to do great things. This is wonderful! There’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to and even expecting to make the world a much better place.

While I still have some idealism left, I have come to realize that the greatest influence I can have on my world is on those immediately around me. I can make a difference in a few people, for a little while. Maybe the work I do will have a ripple effect and spread. Then again, everyone else is doing the same thing. Since we approach our world with many different perspectives and values, those ripples will often  oppose each other. What will protect us from discouragement and defeat?

It’s exactly as the Psalmist says. Trust the Lord. Find our stability in Him. He is not going to change based on the ripples of my actions. He will never be defeated. I can trust in His purposes and priorities. I can know that He will prevail, even when it may temporarily look like failure. There’s hope yet.

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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