Category: John - Wittenberg Door Campus Ministry

John 3:1-17 - Lectionary for Trinity Sunday

6/4/2020

6/4/20
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 historic one-year lectionary.

In the third chapter of John’s Gospel Jesus affirms God’s supernatural character. He gives birth, even to old people like Nicodemus. But, in verse eight, he does it through means that we will not completely understand.

Do we see some irony here, at least a little bit, when Nicodemus affirms that he doesn’t understand? He want to understand. He’s trying to understand. He assumes that he will eventually be able to understand, because he’s a smart guy!

This is exactly the problem, and it’s a problem that most of us have. We want the kingdom of God to be something that we can grasp clearly with our senses, that we can wrap our mind around. We want to be able to describe everything, and not only describe it, but explain it. When we observe that the world is full of complexities which we can’t explain, such as gravity, which we seem only able to describe, our world will tell us that science is complex because it’s real, but religion is something different.

The fact is, the God who created all this complexity is himself able to be just as complex as he wants to. He gives some descriptions of himself in Scripture, and he allows us to make some sense out of his creation, which may help us understand him a little better, but he remains the one who is inexplicable.

This Trinity Sunday, then, when we confess that God is one in being and three in person, that he has one will and one desire but three persons who arevery different in appearance, yet he is really one, all at the same time, all eternal, all unchanging, we are confessing something we cannot possibly explain without lapsing into some sort of heresy. Like Nicodemus, we can’t fully wrap our heads around God. But he remains the one who is working in our world. He is still the one who rescues us from sin, death, and the grave, through means we really don’t think should be able to do that.

Like Nicodemus, then, we are called to believe on the Lord, not to explain the Lord. Believe on him. He is the redeemer of the world.

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.

John 14:23-31 - Lectionary for Pentecost Sunday

5/28/2020

5/28/20
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 historic one-year lectionary.

In John 14:27 we are given a great promise by Jesus, sadly a promise that we ignore. Jesus promises to give his peace to his people, not the kind of peace that the world gives, but a divine peace. They should not let their hearts be troubled. Why? Because they have God’s peace with them.

The increasing secularization of some parts of the West have also been filled with increasing strife and anger. To this bush league analyst, the anger seems to be rooted in an insecurity. “Our world is falling apart, it isn’t working the way we want it to, we want to have love and peace, but it isn’t where we expected to find it. It’s threatened, so we’re going to scream profanities and break things.” It seems to me that the people who would like to be known as being all about tolerance, love, and peace are the exact same people who threaten violence against others who are not like them, especially against Christians.

Some Christians have, at times, responded with anger, or at least frustration. That isn’t the right response. What did Jesus promise? He promised the peace of God. This is a peace which passes all understanding. It is able to guard us from fear. It has proven able to keep the Chrsitian saints and martyrs over the ages. It has enabled many to go fearlessly with the message of the Gospel to warring factions, to tribes of headhunters, to the sickbeds of people suffering from plagues, and to lay down their lives in countless other ways.

Why can we do this? It’s because in God’s peace our hearts are not troubled.

My thoughts may be troubled by the evils all around me. They should be. My actions may be changed because of knowledge of risks and dangers. That’s fine. But my heart cannot be troubled if it is kept in Christ’s peace.

This is perplexing to those who have been taught that Christianity is about power, oppression, bigotry, and hostility. They don’t know what to do when they encounter the love of God. They may be mistrustful. We can understand it. They may be frustrated to find that people they thought were no different are, in fact, different because of the work of the God they were taught was an illusion. They may scream. They may threaten violence. They may break things, including our bodies. But they cannot shake the peace of God, though they try.

How does the Christian respond? Come, you frustrated, anxious, troubled people. The peace of God is there for you as well. Trust that Jesus is the one who sends the Holy Spirit, who works forgiveness, who breaks down the alienation between you and God, and who gives life and immortality. Receive the peace of God which passes all understanding. It is for you as well.

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.

John 15:26-16:4 - Lectionary for Easter 7

5/21/2020

5/21/20
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 historic one-year lectionary.

Jesus promises his followers an abundant life. He promises that he will always be with them. He promises that no harm will come to them. And in this week’s Gospel reading from John 15:26-16:4, He adds some promises. “They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God” (16:1-2, ESV).

These aren’t the daily promises from Jesus that you want to have come up on your phone app that gives you God’s word for the day, in bite size inspirational format. Really, when I say I want some good news, I don’t want an answer such as “it could be worse, much worse.”

There is, however, great hope in this passage. The reason that Christians may end up as outcasts and even targets of terrible, murderous acts, is that those who do these awful acts didn’t know the Father or the Son (16:3). People who are not partakers of God’s promises end up throwing all sorts of anger and hatred toward those who know God’s grace. People who have no hope of eternal life really have a hard time with those whose hope is steadfast.

Christians have a sure and certain hope, and it is a hope in the resurrection. We have an abundant life, a destiny of all we will ever or can ever need, in the future. It matters little what happens to us in the meantime. Our pleasure is found in the heavenly realms, and, sometimes - often - by God’s grace, to some extent, we have great comfort and pleasure in this life as well.

Christians have a promise of the presence of Jesus with them, day by day, through the end of the age. It’s the risen Lord, the one who has even been through death on our behalf. And if he is with us to the end of this age, he’ll be around when our mortal bodies wear out and die. It’s all right. He’s been there before. He defeated that enemy called death and promises us safe passage right on through.

Christians have a promise that no eternal harm will come to them. Will they be cast out of the synagogue? Sure. Will they be threatened? More than likely. Will some of them be killed? That’s without a doubt. But the promise isn’t against pain and suffering. It is that, regardless of what happens in this life, Christians are partakers of the resurrection. We may endure terrible things here and now, but our Lord Jesus is able to protect us and take us to our eternal home.

He didn’t tell the disciples all those things before he was about to leave them. He knew they would forget. In fact, they seem to have forgotten in the hours and days shortly before and after Jesus’ execution. But he showed them, through his resurrection and his appearances, that he is able to be with them.

Whatever the temporal situation, we have a confidence that will not fail.

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.

John 16:23-33 - Lectionary for Easter 6

5/14/2020

5/14/20
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 historic one-year lectionary.

Jesus tells his disciples, in today’s Gospel reading, that there will come a time when they will be asking the Father directly for things, in Jesus name, and that they will receive what they are asking for. The disciples received this news joyfully. In verse 30 they seem to think it’s about time they were recognized as spiritual people who will no longer really need Jesus. They have decided, since he is now finally thinking highly of them, that he must have come from God.

Now that I put it that way, we see how tremendously haughty the disciples were, and how little they regarded Jesus. They don’t seem to care that he is their one and only hope for reconciliation with God. They don’t think it matters that God’s attitude of care for them is based on the fact that they have believed that Jesus came from the Father. They really haven’t latched on to anything Jesus has said about laying his life down for their sakes. Not at all. They are glad that Jesus has finally recognized that they are the kind of people who should be able to speak directly with the Father.

Sadly, I fear that many in my culture and generation have the same attitude toward Jesus. They are possibly glad that he came and did . . . something . . . but they aren’t really sure what it was, why it mattered, or how it applies to them. After all, we’re good people and the Father ought to be really glad that He knows us!

Am I the only one who finds this attitude offensive? And by that I mean, am I the only one who would look at it and honestly say it is offensive to God, who gave his one and only Son to die for the sake of sinners who were at enmity with God? Do we not see that the only way we can stand before the Father is because of the Son?

What happens when the disciples think they are able to stand in their own righteousness? Jesus is executed and the disciples scatter, plunged into hopelessness and despair. May it never be so for us. Rather, may we have the wisdom and grace to look to Jesus, the one and only savior, finding in his righteousness that we can stand before the Father. Jesus, who came from the Father and has exited from this world, now sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for his people. Therefore, we can stand before God, clothed in the righteousness of the Son. This is our confidence.

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.

John 16:5-15 - Lectionary for Easter 5

5/7/2020

5/7/20
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 historic one-year lectionary.

John 16:8-11 gives us an unexpected view of the work of the Holy Spirit. He convicts the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment. But those three elements of his conviction aren’t carried out in exactly the way we would think.

Usually we think of sin as things we do or fail to do. But here, the conviction of sin is because the world has not believed in Christ. That’s at the heart of sin. We’re normally uncomfortable with that because, after all, it is very indistinct. Stop sinning! Believe on Jesus! All right, how do I do that? Belief isn’t exactly something we do, certainly not the same way we would mow the grass or take out the garbage. It’s hard to see how we are doing on it. But that is the opposite of sin. Believing on Jesus is how we fall into righteousness. The Holy Spirit tells us to do this.

When the Holy Spirit convicts of righteousness, likewise, he doesn’t show us how we are supposed to be righteous. Jesus explains the conviction of righteousness “because I go to the Father.” That’s an odd way for us to understand righteousness. But in God’s presence everything must be holy. Jesus is the one who is holy and goes to the Father. He promises to bring us also. The Holy Spirit convicts us of righteousness. Not only do we see that Jesus is the righteous one but that he will gather us together with him.

Finally, the Holy Spirit convicts us of judgment. Is it our judgment? Not at all. What about those other people, the people we don’t like? No. It’s judgment upon “the ruler of this world.” That’s the devil. He stands judged. His plans will fail. This is very good news. The devil gives us all sorts of grief. Day after day we hear that God is irrelevant, that we did whatever is good ourselves, and that man is the measure of all things. This is not so. It’s an idea that was crushed to death by Jesus’ death on the cross. The death of Christ killed the devil’s rule. We just haven’t gotten over all the effects yet. But it’s done. The Holy Spirit reminds us that the devil has been defeated.

These three areas of conviction - of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment - direct our eyes to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who has brought healing and life to this world. We are rightly glad in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

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.

John 16:16-22 - Lectionary for Easter 4

4/30/2020

4/30/20 Read the passage here.
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 historic one-year lectionary.

In John 16, Jesus tells his disciples that he is going to go away for “a little while.” They really don’t understand what he is talking about. In retrospect, we have a fairly good idea, as did John when writing the Gospel, what Jesus meant. As with many prophecies, there are two fulfillments.

First, Jesus is going away from his disciples. He is going to be arrested, tried (sort of ), crucified, and killed (really, entirely). He will be laid in a tomb and left there. Yes, he’s going to rise from the dead, something his disciples failed to remember. But he is going away. This should bring joy, as through his death, burial, and resurrection Jesus works the way of salvation to all who believe. After being dead for a few days, he will show his disciples that he is victorious over death. That’s really good news.

Second, Jesus goes away from the disciples and all Christians. Granted, we could have a discussion, and it is an important one, about the real bodily presence of Jesus in communion. But for now, let’s simply concede that from the time of Jesus’ ascension, 40 days after his resurrection, until his second coming, he is not walking around with the disciples. He is not telling them things. He is not entertaining their questions and answering them the same way, walking down the road or sitting on a rock or a chair somewhere. However, during this time, which may seem like the absence of Christ, he sends the Holy Spirit, he speaks to us through the written Word of Scripture, and he guides us in every way we need. He promises that he will be with us always, and he keeps his promise. During this time while we wait for Christ’s return, we recognize that he is creating reason for rejoicing in the world. He is drawing all nations to himself, redeeming them from sin, death, and the power of the devil. This is great news, because now, instead of only speaking to and influencing those people walking around in Israel where Jesus is walking around, he is reaching the entire planet, through his disciples who speak his word.

Because Jesus has gone to the Father, we have hope that he will continue to bring his words of forgiveness and life into all the world until he comes again. Thanks be to God for his great love!

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.

John 10:11-16 - Lectionary for Easter 3

4/23/2020

4/23/20
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 historic one-year lectionary.

In John 10:11-16, Jesus draws a sharp distinction between the person who is actually responsible for the good and future of a work (the shepherd) and the person who is merely hired to do a job (the hireling). I don’t know quite why this is, but many in our culture seem to have confused the situation, thinking that the bosses/owners/CEO type of people are those who pillage and plunder, leaving everything to go to ruin, as opposed to the lower level employees who supposedly actually know what is best, and will do it.

The leaders, particularly in business and industry, have a vested interest in the long-term well being of their companies. At least they should. After all, if you should run a business which not only can make you financially comfortable or even wealthy, but which also provides for the needs of those you employ, for the good of the community, and delivers good products or services at a fair price, allowing for many others to thrive, there’s a good deal to take pride in. We all know of an employer in our community for which people will say, “That’s a good place to work.” We also know of some that inspires responses such as, “Really, you don’t want to end up there.”

Jesus says that the true shepherd, the one who is responsible for the long-term good of the business (in this case, oviculture), is going to be diligent. He takes it as an assumption which all his listeners would share. The others, who happen to work for the shepherd, will flinch and run away when under pressure. In the final analysis, they don’t do what is best.

Jesus presents himself as the good shepherd. He is the one who lays his life down for his sheep, his people. He is the one who would work from sunup to sundown, and beyond, to care for his people. He is the one who shows mercy and kindness even to those who hate him, who would fight against him. He is the shepherd who insists the sheep get their medicine even when they don’t want to take it. He is the shepherd who interrupts his sheep in their pleasure to bring them to a place of safety when he sees danger approaching.

Have we arrived in a world where the sheep will insist on ruling? I hope not. It will not be a good world. Jesus, the good shepherd, knows what we need and how to guide us to those places we need to be. He gathers us together into one flock, following one shepherd, a shepherd who is able to provide all we need.

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.

John 20:19-31 - Lectionary for Easter 2

4/16/2020

4/16/20 Read the text here.
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 historic one-year lectionary.

In our Gospel reading for this week, from John 20:19-31, there’s something really important, tucked into the text, visible but not very noticeable. Let’s see if we can make some sense of it.

On the evening after the resurrection, I guess around sundown, because it’s still called “the first day of the week” but counting of days usually starts at dark, which would move us into the second day of the week - early evening, Jesus comes to the disciples who are locked into a room together, fearful for their safety. Locking a door is not really that strange. It’s a routine kind of safety precaution, especially in a city, especially when the city is crowded with visitors. It may have been a bit more unusual in 33 A.D., but it is certainly within normal boundaries. The ancient Romans typically locked doors and, if possible, had a guard and maybe a dog.

What’s more important is that the disciples are locked in because they are afraid of the Jews. That’s actually a very important problem. I admit to being in places where, as soon as I got there, I made sure the door was locked and the windows were covered. I preferred to be as invisible as possible and to make it as difficult as reasonably possible for someone to enter the room. Yet in Christ, I know that it is not rational for me to be actually afraid of what could potentially happen. We’ll catch that in a moment.

Jesus comes to the disciples who are locked in. Locks, doors, gates, prisons mean nothing to him. What does he tell the disciples? Among other things, he tells them they don’t need to be afraid. He gives them his peace. He sends them on a mission. He gives them power.

Now here’s the good part. Where are the disciples a week later when Jesus comes back specifically for Thomas who didn’t think they were right about seeing him after the resurrection? They are locked into the same room. Do you think they are fearful? It doesn’t say, but I hardly think John would have mentioned the locked doors if they weren’t fearful.

It takes several encounters with Jesus, over forty days’ time before he ascends to the right hand of the Father, and then it takes the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples for them to actually become fearless. Jesus has told them that they can have peace. He’s shown it to them several times. But they persist. It is only by the coming of the Holy Spirit that they finally become thoroughly convinced that the peace of God is for them.

If Jesus has called us, if we trust that he is the resurrection and the life and that he died and rose again for us, for our salvation, what do we have to fear? When I have been on the road and stayed in the kind of hotel or motel where I wanted to be invisible, I was not fearing for my life or well being. They could certainly have been in jeopardy, but my fear was nothing personal. My family kind of likes me and wants me to return from a trip. In one piece. We don’t have any fear about eternity. That’s not a problem. Yet we may find some situations intimidating.

What are you afraid of? Jesus kept coming back to the disciples, again and again, until they lost their fear. He does the same for us. Do we feel afraid? Let us call upon him, for he is our peace.

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.

John 8:46-59 - Lectionary for Lent 5

3/26/2020

3/26/20
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 historic one-year lectionary.

In John 8:46-59, Jesus says some things which threw his Jewish questioners into an uproar. Christians recognize that Jesus’ words here are true and right, that he had every reason to say what he did. Let’s evaluate some of those claims.

First, Jesus says that he is speaking God’s words and that his listeners are apparently not of God. For a little context, we think about verse 46, where Jesus asks how his listeners can convict him of sin, based on his words and deeds. The fact is that they can’t do so. He is telling them the truth and doing things consistent with the truth. Christians seek, though they often fail, to say and do everything in a way that is consistent with God’s Word. Others can convict us of sin, no doubt. But they can’t bring an attack against Jesus which will stand up. If we are honest about God’s Word, we will realize that.

Second, Jesus flatly rejects their claim that he is a Samaritan and that he has a demon. He is seeking God’s glory, not his own. He knows where he is from, and it is not Samaria. He is willing to be justified by God. The Samaritans were normally viewed as substandard in matters of faith. They were descendants of those who had been deported from Israel by the Assyrians and had intermarried with foreign nations before coming back. Their orthodoxy was not trusted, in general. Jesus points out here that he is trustworthy. Christians don’t rely on the way Christianity in general has been managed through history. It is informative, but we don’t consider it normative. Practices are continued because they hold up to biblical scrutiny. They fit in with what Jesus passed down to his apostles and they passed down to us. This is what Christians claim to be pleasing to God.

Jesus claims in this passage to be the one who will take death away from all those who keep his word. His critics observe that Abraham and the prophets died. Jesus is portraying himself as greater than they are. Jesus does agree with his critics in this matter. He is claiming to be greater than Abraham and the prophets. He claims precedence over Abraham, and goes so far as to say, “before Abraham was, I am” (v. 58, ESV). This claim, in popular linguistic usage, could well be tantamount to a claim to be God. The Jews who heard Jesus certainly understood this to be a statement which would be a capital offense. Jesus seemed to be claiming divine authority.

Christians recognize that in the death and resurrection of Christ, as well as his perfect obedience during his life, that Jesus is proven to be exactly who he says he is, exactly who the Jews thought he said he was. He shows himself to be the one who is greater than death itself. He claims to be greater than Abraham. He certainly appears to be the very God of very God.

How do we respond? Like the Jews, do we become angry and reject Jesus? Or do we recognize that he has a valid claim to rule over heaven, earth, and us as well? The Christian recognizes Jesus as the Lord of all.

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.

John 6:1-15 - Lectionary for Lent 4

3/19/2020

3/19/20
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 historic one-year lectionary.

Our Gospel reading this week takes us to John chapter 6 and a miraculous food event. There’s certainly plenty to be said about it, but I want to look at the little, almost offhand comments about context that the Evangelist gives us. John is very detail oriented, particularly in matters of time and location. Of all the Gospels, John has historically been considered the most chronological one.

John places Jesus near the Sea of Galilee, and not only near it, but specifically on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. He was last seen in Jerusalem, so he is now in more traditionally Gentile territory. This is important when paired with the date information John gives us. It is nearly time for Passover.

Jesus, the true and lasting Passover Lamb, goes away from Jerusalem, the seat of divine power and the toyal throne, at the time of Passover, the time when God’s people remember and celebrate their deliverance from bondage. He brings that rescue to the people who would not be part of the “inside” group. They are not the Jerusalem Jews, but those who would be aliens and strangers in Jerusalem.

What happens? Jesus is surrounded by thousands of people who want to hear the Gospel and receive healing. Specifically, John says that the people saw the signs of healing that Jesus was doing. They wanted it for themselves. Or at least they wanted to see if He would do more healing. Regardless, they are swarming around Jesus.

So here John portrays Jesus as the one who leaves the place of his rightful throne, brings mercy and healing to all nations, and does it at the time of Passover, when rescue from bondage would be at the front of people’s minds. We know the rest of the story. Jesus feeds the huge crowd of people with the amount of food needed for lunch for two. They have more leftovers than they had at the start of the meal. God rescues people from every nation, cares for their needs, and reminds them that the true deliverance they need is that of eternal life. This is the Gospel of the Lord.

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.

John 1:19-28 - Lectionary for Advent 4

12/19/2019

12/19/19
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 historic one-year lectionary.

Our Gospel reading from John 1:19-28 introduces us to John, the forerunner of the Messiah. We meet John proclaiming the kingdom of God and baptizing repentant people. When asked why he was doing this, he denied being the Christ or the prophet to come, but says he can show the people to the Christ.

It’s so very easy for us to mix up our priorities. I regularly find myself talking with pastors and other church leaders who are frustrated because they haven’t been able to convert people to Christ. They have found that they are unable to put marriages and families back together again. They have failed in their prayers, in their counsel, in their administration.

My question in these situations, though I usually ask it more gently than this, is, “Who do you think you are, anyway?” If we think we are the savior, we will be disappointed, and so will the people we try to care for. Worse still, the people we try to care for may try to trust us as the savior, be deceived into looking for salvation to come from us, and fall from the grace of God into eternal condemnation. Who do we think we are, anyway?

Who are you, John? I’m a guy pointing people to Jesus, the Messiah. You should see what he is doing. He’s able to bring you forgiveness. He’s able to deliver life to you. He’s worthy to take away the sins of the whole world. Really, don’t trust me. Trust him. He’s the one you want to meet.

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.

John 8:48-59 - Lectionary for Trinity C

6/13/2019

6/13/19
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.

We’ve all seen disputes like this. A friend is accused in general terms. There’s no evidence, not even a real charge, just an ad hominem attack. The friend takes the bait, poor fool. He answers the statement and says his accuser is wrong. The dispute escalates amazingly fast. Within moments, we almost think our friend, who is not a vegetarian, must be a cannibal.

In John 8:48-59, Jesus, accused of being a Samaritan with a demon, takes the bait. It is nothing more than bait, and Jesus knows precisely what to expect. He uses the opportunity to say that he doesn’t seek his own glory, but that God the Father does. He then makes a claim to be able to grant eternal life.

This, in turn, baits the Jews. They latch on to the discussion of eternal life, pointing out that Abraham, certainly a credible example, died. Ha! Take that!

Jesus’ response is that his glory comes from God but that, unlike the Jews, he needs to tell the truth (bang, take that). Furthermore, Abraham was glad to see the day of Christ. This is such an outlandish statement the Jews, forgetting for the moment that they have been called liars, point out the obvious fact that Jesus doesn’t appear to have been around at the time of Abraham, a couple of thousand years ago. Jesus ends the discussion by claiming to be pre-existent to Abraham, using the very name of God revealed to Moses in the Exodus. The Jews understand this as a claim of deity and move to using rocks instead of words to try silencing Jesus.

Jesus makes all sorts of claims we find amazing. There’s a supernatural, miraculous aspect to him. What sets him apart is that all his claims, upon examination, prove to be true. This is not like our friend, who, though he can prove that he eats steak, can’t prove that he doesn’t eat the neighborhood pets. A positive can be proven but a negative cannot be disproven. Jesus shows himself to be the eternal God the Son, who is greater than death. He’s the one we ought to be lieve. All his other clams are true.

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.

John 14:23-31 - Lectionary for Pentecost C

6/6/2019

6/6/19
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.

Over the years I’ve spent time with quite a lot of people who represent the fairly radical branch of Christianity that focuses a great deal on the work and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Our Gospel passage from John 14:23-31 should make certain people feel right at home. Then again, perhaps not.

As Jesus prepares to depart from his time walking with the disciples, he promises the Holy Spriit. Our friends who are enthusiastic about spiritual gifts become very interested at this teaching. What great works will the Holy Spirit do?

In fact, in verse 26, he teaches Christians to hold to Jesus’ word. There we go. He will teach them and help them remember what Jesus said. On the surface, there is no mighty work there. It seems pretty mundane. In fact, if we study the Scripture adequately, we might expect to remember what Jesus taught. This seems quite an anticlimax.

What’s really happening here? The Holy Spirit directs Christians to depend on Jesus. We don’t look for signs of power in ourselves. We don’t expect additional revelation of God. We don’t place our hopes on some fantastic experience. We rather are taught by the Holy Spirit to depend on Jesus. Christ crucified for sinner, forgiving our sins as we repent, raising us to life and hope - it all seems pretty quiet, but it is the most amazing work of divine power we can ever consider. The perfect God of all becomes one of us, even taking our sin and dying for it. And the Holy Spirit points us right to this Lord.

Come, Holy Spirit. Point us to Jesus.

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.

John 17:20-26 - Lectionary for Easter 7C

5/30/2019

5/30/19
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 this week’s Gospel reading, Jesus, praying for his people, prays especially for their unity. Their unity, in John 17:21, is like that of the Father and the Son. It is centered on the glory of God, which, in verse 22, has been given to those who believe in Jesus. It is also based on the name of God and his love, given to them.

Sadly, we often develop a low view of unity in Christ. Instead of gathering around God’s redemptive love in Christ, we gather around our common interests or common backgrounds. We fail to realize that the body of Christ, with all its diversity of age, cultural background, and language, is unified by its common confession of faith in Christ, God the Son, who is the one who reconciled the world to God by his death in our place. This is the common confession of the Church through history and in every culture. We are gathered, then, in a unity prepared by God, not by us.

This is why it is a failure when Christians emphasize their differences rather than their confessional unity. We are to be one in Christ. That means when people make ethnic or nationalist assertions about the Church they are falling short of their Lord’s call for unity. In my own church body I have heard and seen this. It is not always said in terms our broader culture would recognize easily. The presence of a national flag in a church suggests a special allegiance to that nation. Statements like “We are the church for young people” or “We aren’t your grandfather’s church” or even, “We’re the Norwegians, not the Saxons” describe our fractious attitude. Jesus prayes that we may be one, united around Him, regardless of all our other identifying marks. Christ crucified for sinners pulls us together in one true church that welcomes sinners to partake of Jesus’ forgiveness. May we be one.

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.

John 16:23-33 - Lectionary for Easter 6C

5/23/2019

5/23/19
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 Gospel passage from John 16:23-33 shows a sharp contrast between the attitude of Jesus’ disciples and the honest evaluation Jesus makes of them. Jesus gives them great encouragement. The time is coming when the discipoles will ask things boldly in Jesus’ name. They will not need to fear, because they have trusted Jesus and God’s love is upon them. This is excellent hope. The disciples affirm that they do believe in God really well. Everything should work out fine if this is the case. However, Jesus tells them they will be scattered in a time of tribulation. The opposition will come and they will flee.

I hope our intentions are as good as those of the disciples. But what I know is that Jesus’ evaluation is right and true. When opposition comes, God’s people tend to scatter and flee. Yet his promise is also good. He will not lose his people. We may be ready to flee, but he has given us His name and his promises. We can rely on him.When we need something, we can ask it without fear. So when trouble comes, we ask him to keep us safe and secure in His name. There we can have confidence.

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.

John 10:22-30 - Lectionary for Easter 4C

5/9/2019

5/9/19
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 Gospel reading for this week, from John 10:22-30, confronts today’s world head-on. The Jews demanded of Jesus that he tell them plainly if he was the Christ. Jesus responded by referring them to his works, since they had refused to believe his words. In other words, he had answered the question both in words and in deeds.

Western Christians face a world that regularly wants to be critical of some, but not all, of what Jesus did and said. Normally our world does not accept the Scripture as the reliable account of eyewitnesses or people who were with eyewitnesses, even though it is better documented in this regard than any other ancient text. They want to know why Christians are not the sme kind of activists for social change that will fit the unbeliever’s ideal. In fact, our world is generally interested in the words and deeds of Jesus which Christ himself does not put particular emphasis on, yet they ignore his actions to conquer sin and death and to reconcile humanity to God.

What deeds of Jesus will speak for him? His perfect obedience to the Law. His taking on humanity so as to redeem humanity. His death according to Scripture. His resurrection. His promise to be with His people. Here we find the Christ as he shows himself to be the savior. Will he tell us clearly? He has already done so.

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.

John 21:1-19 - Lectionary for Easter 3C

5/2/2019

5/2/19
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 John 21, Jesus appears to his disciples in a surprisingly unassuming way. The apostolic band, in sorrow and disappointment, is deciding to return to former ways of life. The fishermen are going to catch fish, care for their families, and conduct business as usual. After a fruitless night’s work, Jesus appears to them the way he had several years before. He tells them to cast the nets again.

We should notice that the boat is not far out in the water, but is still about a hundred yards out. In general, though we can easily make out a human figure at that distance and hear a voice across water, we really aren’t going to recognize a face. If we don’t know who to expect we will not be able to identify someone. The apostles recognize Jesus because of the context of their interaction. Jesus had previously provided a large catch of fish after a frustrating night, then he put them to work in His kingdom. Here he does it again.

We all have times of frustration and doubt. We are all tempted to follow circumstances toward our old habits. Often our Lord doesn’t intervene. He may use the circumstance to confirm that we were doing fine. But when he does intervene to redirect us, it is usually quite plain. He brings the huge catch of fish, he calls us by name, he gives us something we need to do.

When Jesus intervenes he does something else as well. As in John 21, he restores our relationship to him. He lets us see a purpose in what we are doing. Maybe he affirms it through circumstances or through people. But he uses those times of restoration to strengthen our relationship with him. He calls us to his side and sends us to do good in his kingdom. This is how we find ourselves as God’s servants, loving and serving our neighbor, feeding His sheep.

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.

John 20:19-31 - Lectionary for Easter 2C

4/25/2019

4/25/19
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.

Countless pages have been written about the apostle Thomas. Well, perhaps not countless, but it would take a long time to count them. We routinely forget that he is the apostle who, when others tried to persuade Jesus not to go to Lazarus, rather said he would go and die with him. In our Gospel for this week, though, Thomas is disheartened. He is fearful. He is unbelieving. He has heard but he has not believed.

I wonder if you have ever noticed that Jesus essentially made an extra trip to be seen by Thomas with the others, in very much the same way he had appeared the week before. Thomas is important to Jesus. So are we when we are having trouble believing.

So do we try to insist that Jesus needs to come around with his broken and wounded body for us to believe? No, we don’t get to insist on that, because Jesus already has. When he instituted the Sacrament, he said that his broken body and his shed blood were present for his followers and their forgiveness, that the bread and the cup are a “participation” in his body and blood. Jesus is there on the altar, just as he was there for Thomas. His words are also for us. “Do not disbelieve, but believe” (v. 27B, ESV).

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.

John 2:1-11 - Lectionary for Epiphany 2C

1/17/2019

1/17/19
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 Gospel for this week, from John 2:1-11, is a text very frequently used at wedding celebrations. The gist of it is that, while attending a wedding party, Jesus turns some water into wine, which proves to be the very best wine anyone can imagine. This passage is difficult to deal with, primarily because most of us already think we have exhausted it. But I’ll try to pull something useful out of it.

Please observe with me that in verse six the stone water jars are there for purification. Ceremonial washings were typical in Jewish homes which were dedicated to the Mosaic law. The fact that this household had six water jars and that each held about 20-30 gallons indicates that this is not only an observant home, but that it is a large household. This was not bathing water. It was water for purification. We can imagine that on a regular basis many people in the household would engage in a ceremonial washing that woule cleanse them from sin.

Again, note that upon Jesus’ command, the jars were filled with water, the normal substance that would be used within Judaism for cleansing. It was also, of course, something that could be used to quench thirst, but it would not be appropriate to drink this water once it was placed into the jars. They were special. Once you put the water into the jar, it was dedicated for its purpose.

See also that Jesus, and John the Evangelist, is vague about exactly what happens to the water. By the time it gets to the master of the feast, it is wine. It’s unclear whether the servants drawing it out of the jars found it to be water or wine when they drew it out. The specific timing of the change is not of consequence to God in the Scripture.

Finally, notice that this is a sign Jesus did to manifest his glory. It resulted in the disciples believing in him.

Many have made extensive comparisons of this miracle to Jesus’ atoning death and the symbolism surrounding communion. In communion, Jesus claims to give his body and blood to forgive. We don’t understand how the wine can also be blood, but historically Christians have accepted this statement, just as we have accepted the statement that the water became wine. We also don’t understand how partaking of the body and blood of Christ can bring forgiveness of sin, only that Jesus says it does. Again, historically Christians have accepted the statement, rather than trying to explain it. The jars are for purification. Jesus’ blood is for purification. Let’s see just one last element. There’s a whole lot of wine at this event. The master of the feast observes that the people have already had just about enough to drink. They can no longer tell the difference between good wine and not so good wine. But here Jesus makes anywhere from 120-180 gallons of very good wine. That’s a lot for any party, even from beginning to end. How much forgiveness does Jesus provide in his body and blood? He provides all that we might ever need. It’s overly abundant.

When Jesus is welcomed to our life’s events, we can know that there will be more than enough. What do we need? The big thing is God’s forgiving love. And it’s there, abundant and free. Jesus is welcome at the wedding.

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.

John 6:51-69 - Lectionary for Pentecost 13B

8/16/2018

8/16/18
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.

I’m going to go out on a little bit of a limb here. Normally when I write about our lectionary readings I take a stance that I’m pretty confident about. But John chapter six is one of those really difficult portions of Scripture. The Evangelist says that Jesus’ words were offensive to many of the people around him, but that he doubled down on what he was saying. This provoked many people to depart.

What was so offensive? Jesus was talking about eating his body and drinking his blood, and he was speaking in very graphic terms. To the people of Israel, who had always known not only that cannibalism is inappropriate, but also that you need to take special care in draining the blood from an animal to be eaten, this was especially offensive. But that’s precisely what Jesus says here. He is setting up the idea that eating his body and drinking his blood feeds people to everlasting life.

What could he possibly mean? This is where I walk out on that limb. But many others have walked on the same limb before. I think it will bear our weight.

It all has roots in the Old Testament. Jesus tells us that all the Scriptures are about him. Sometimes that’s a little hard to see, but we’ll try to deal with it. He’s God the Son. He knows better than I do. What of that command not to eat animals with the blood in them, and not to drink blood? Judaism has a history of holding very strictly to this command. They have special supervision and procedures for slaughter of animals. I recently spoke with a Muslim who told me that in the absence of Halal meat this particular family was fine with Kosher processing. The issue was making sure the blood was drained. Of course, I can’t say how closely different individuals hold to these standards or how they interpret them. What I can identify, though, is the strong opinion that you are not supposed to be consuming blood.

How do we see Jesus in this? John chapter six gives the strong impression that Jesus is saying the only blood we are to consume is his. Are we offended yet? What does the Christian have to do with that kind of a statement? We have to do one of two things. Thing one: “Jesus is speaking metaphorically and saying that he is the one who gives us true life.” Thing two: “Jesus is speaking quite literally here and he is saying the same thing when he institutes communion. Somehow, in a way we cannot understand, he is physically present for us in his body and blood in communion, and this is a way he nourishes us to eternal life.”

This was always a troublesome passage to me until I put it together with 1 Corinthians 10, where the apostle Paul says that the bread and the cup are “a participation” in the body and blood of Christ. So on this limb I walked us out to, I’m going to say that Jesus is getting literal with us. We can’t understand how it can be. The substance in the cup and placed in the mouth or in the hand certainly shows all the characteristics of wine and bread. But as Jesus is saying they are blood and body and that they are for eternal nourishment, I’m going to stop questioning him. The alternative is to be offended and walk away. Like Peter, then, I’d have to ask who I would go to. After all, Jesus gave me words of life. Nobody else seems to have those. I’ll go with it, though I can’t fully understand it. Let God be God.

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.

John 6:35-51 - Lectionary for Pentecost 12B

8/9/2018

8/9/18
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.

In John chapter six, Jesus refers to himself as the bread of life. He also says that those who believe him will not be thirsty. He is the one who is satisfying. The words of Jesus here would seem fairly metaphorical. He’s the fulfilling one. We’re all right with that. But the Jews would have been fine with that also. Teaching from God is fulfilling. There’s no problem there.

Jesus doesn’t leave it there. The Jews start complaining about him in verse 41, because of his claim that he came down from heaven. They know where Joseph and Mary lived. They saw Mary pregnant. They would have seen Jesus toddling around except that Joseph and Mary suddenly moved to Egypt for a while when he was young.

Rather than pushing the limits of the Jews’ understanding with his teaching, rather than walking it back a little, Jesus pushes on. He emphasizes the idea of bread of life, of the manna in the wilderness, of God using him, the bread of life, to deliver people, and then throws a few gallons of gasoline onto the fire by saying that it is by eating him, the bread of life, in the flesh, that people live forever. This is a recipe for an explosion.

The events in John chapter six are pivotal in the life and ministry of Christ. He draws a line. Either people will believe he is exactly who he says he is, the Messiah of God, God dwelling in human flesh, the one who can take their sins upon himself and atone for them, the one who give himself to be consumed by them, thus feeding them to eternal life, or the people will have to reject him utterly. There is no mediating the view. There is no walking it back.

This talk was offensive to many in the crowd. They rejected him. Yet Jesus never walked his statements back, not one step. He still identifies himself as the Christ who has come for you and for me. He still identifies himself as the only one through whom we receive life. He makes no bones about it. But we find on top of all of these claims that he died as was prophesied and that he rose from the dead. The Christian faith is built on these factual happenings. He said he could lay his life down and take it up again. He then proceeded to do so. This critical fact tells us that we accept or reject all his claims together. If he is reliable in the fact of the resurrection we are going to assume he is otherwise reliable as well. The apostle Paul says that the resurrection is the crucial event in Christianity. It has not been disproven. Nobody has ever been able to do so. We are then left with the question. Do we want to reject Jesus’ claim that he is the bread of life? Wouldn’t we rather take him at his word? He, after all, is the reliable one. Let’s not be like the Jews who took offense at Jesus in John six. Let’s recognize that he is trustworthy.

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.

John 6:22-35 - Lectionary for Pentecost 11B

8/2/2018

8/2/18
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.

In John 6 a crowd, finding Jesus, ask him when he arrived in the place they were looking for him. Yes, that’s a strange question to ask. After all, they were looking for Jesus. Looking right through their pretense, which is to care about Jesus in order to get him to make food for them, Jesus tells them to work for some sort of eternal food (v. 27).

What are the works of God? This is a common question. We all seem to have the idea that it is by our works that we will earn God’s favor. Many times, especially in hospitals and speaking with people who think they are dying, I have had this conversation. The troubled person wants to know about confidence in God. He or she always says something like, “I have tried to be a good person. I hope I’m safe.” In effect, the question is, “Have I done the works of God? Have I found that eternal food?”

My answer in those cases is also predictable. “You haven’t worked the works of God well enough to redeem yourself. The good news is that Jesus has done what you could never do. He is the one who has kept God’s will perfectly and who is able to give you the credit for that obedience.” This is what Jesus means by doing the works of God. After all, in verse 29 he says that the work of God is to believe on God the Son.

Jesus tells his followers (who here may seem more like his mob of chasers) that he has taken care of the obedience, they need to trust his obedience rather than their own.

Does this mean that it doesn’t matter how we live? It doesn’t mean that at all. God has revealed his character in Scripture. He tells us what he values and what he hates. We don’t do the works that God hates. But we realize that it is not our obedience or failure which creates eternity for us. It is Jesus’ obedience and our trust in what Jesus has done.

This is truly food for eternal life. It will never pass away. Jesus has done all we need to enter into eternity without fear. We simply trust that he has done exactly what he promised and that it will be effective. This is doing the work of God. This is the food to 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.

John 3:1-17 - Lectionary for Trinity B

5/24/2018

5/24/18
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.

In our Gospel reading for this week Jesus makes an oddly cryptic remark. When Nicodemus is confused by Jesus’ statement about being born again, Jesus speaks of the Spirit and wind (the same word) and says that you can hear the wind but can’t really tell where it came from. How is Nicodemus supposed to understand this? In verses 10 and following Jesus points out that being a teacher is not merely a matter of having a particular knowledge base. Nicodemus needs to believe God even though he doesn’t fully understand him.

Like Nicodemus, we often fail. We may fail to understand what should be clear. We may fail to believe what would be easily trusted by a child. Regardless, we depart from the power of God’s love when we leave trust behind and depend only on what we can analyze.

Here Jesus calls Nicodemus and us to trust him. Just as we can feel and hear the wind, we can know that Jesus is present, working forgiveness and restoration in our world.

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.

John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 - Lectionary for Pentecost Sunday, Series B

5/17/2018

5/17/18
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.

With very few exceptions, Christians want to be known as spiritual people. We want the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Yet very often our hope is that the Holy Spirit would make us outstanding. We want the glory. We want the honor. We want the praise.

Our reading from John 14-15, however, shows the Holy Spirit in a different light What is the work of the Holy Spirit? In John 15:13 he does guide the disciples. But in verse 14 we find that the truth is all about Jesus’ glory, not ours. The Holy Spirit testifies about Jesus, not about you or me

This is actually very comforting. We may wish to have fame and fortune But when push comes to shove, we don’t want to be the standard for anything. If I am the standard of truth, goodness, and beauty, your standards are too low. Rather, we let Jesus be the standard. All else can be compared to him. This is the work of the Holy Spirit - to exalt Jesus. He alone is worthy.

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.

John 17:11b-19 - Lectionary for Easter 7B

5/10/2018

5/10/18
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.

In John17:11 and 15 Jesus specifically prays for his followers to be protected in this world by his name. He doesn’t ask the Father to rescue them out of the world, but to protect them in the world. Time after time we find ourselves wishing for release from this world and its trials. Yet that is not Jesus’ prayer for us. He is still using his people in this world to do his work, bringing his truth, bringing his love, showing the results of his grace.

On one level I understand very well why we would pray to be removed from the world. Our mortal lives are full of disappointment, hurt, and pain. One friend of mine recently commented that as she waited for a medical appointment that had been shifted from one physician to another one she suddenly had to deal with fear that was rather like an abandonment situation many years in the past. She knew it was irrational. That didn’t mean it wasn’t real. Others I work with deal with chronic pain. They may wish every day that the pain would go away. They are told in Scripture that in their heavenly home there will be no more pain. That sounds awfully good. Others live out the nightmare of trying to care for people who are suffering in poverty and who have nothing, no food, no clothing, no means of protection. It’s a nightmare because we realize that there will always be more people in need of care, and that for many of them there is no care we can provide which will bring healing.

What are we doing in this world? We are living out the will of God. We bring healing, mercy, grace, and charity where we are able. We remind others that the Lord who watches over us also watches over them. We remind our neighbors that Jesus gave his life for them as well as for us, and that we are willing to visit them with his care.

That’s a difficult road to walk down. But it’s the one the Lord has in mind. And we can take confidence as we walk that path. Jesus has prayed for us. God himself prays that we will be guarded in this world. It doesn’t get better than that. We therefore walk courageously through this world. Jesus has already gone before us. He’ll take care.

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.