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Luke 11:14-28 - Lectionary for Lent 3

3/12/2020

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3/12/20
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.

When Americans think of exorcism, they conjure up a set of images that have remarkably little to do with reality. They may picture some sort of wizened exorcist who uses a series of special words, motions, and religious relics to engage in a head to head battle with evil forces which just might win. Sorry, that’s Dumbledore fighting with Voldemort. Let’s take a look at Luke 11:14-28 to get a clearer picture.

In this passage, Jesus was casting out a demon. We read that the demon was mute. The people involved in the incident recognized this because the person couldn’t speak, but after the exorcism he could speak. The text does not consider this a case of mental or physical illness. The apostle luke, according to early accounts, was a physician. He takes interest in specific details of physical conditions. This was not an illness he identified. It was a spiritual attack, as far as he could tell. He also reported that Jesus didn’t heal the man. Rather, Jesus cast a demon out. It was an exorcism, not a healing. We allow the text to lead us. The evangelist, who was an eyewitness or gathered information from eyewitnesses, reported it in this way.

What can we conclude? First, the Bible considers spiritual forces to be real. Here and in other places, evil spiritual forces attack and harm people. They can be confronted by God’s power and God’s Word. Second, Jesus is able to command even the evil spirits. They may be more powerful than we are, but in the end, they cannot stand before God’s Word. Third, when an evil spirit has been sent out of a person, it is important that the person be indwelt b the Holy Spirit so as to stop further effective attack.

How does this play out? Consistent with ancient Christian practice, when we baptize, we exorcise any evil spirits. They are commanded by God’s Word to depart as the person being baptized is being clothed with the Name of the Trinity. When praying a house blessing or any other consecration, we set aside the place or thing for holy use. God and the devil cannot inhabit the same place. The devil must leave. We don’t hestiate to claim people, places, and things for God and His purposes. We have every expectation that God has promised to redeem them for His good purposes.

Good by, Dumbledore. Hello, Jesus.

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Ephesians 5:1-9 - Lectionary for Lent 3

3/11/2020

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3/11/20
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 Epistle for this week, from Ephesians 5:1-9, is a passage which promises contention in today’s Western culture. From the outset, I’ll point out that the biblical norm for morality has hardly ever matched that of the broader culture. In articulating his stance, God’s stance, against sexual immorality, crudity, foolish talking, and covetousness (greedy desires), the apostle is going against the currents of culture. He says that Christians should be clearly, identifiably counter-cultural. They keep their sexual relationships within the bounds of one an and one woman, exclusively faithful for life, as was appointed for the first parents in the Garden. They speak words and engage in activities which bring good, not evil. They are content with what God provides, thogh they may work very hard for gain so as to benefit themselves, their families, and ultimately their society.

Why do Christians live this kind of life? it is not t o earn any favor before God. It is from gratitude that He has cared for us. The faithful marital relationship is a sign of God in Christ loving and giving himself for the good of one who is different from him in a particular way. It is a way of showing consistent care for another ,even if that care ends in death, which every lifelong relationship does. It is a sign of stability in a world where everything else seems to be changing. It is the one way we have found in all of human history to reliably bring forth a stable next generation.

What of the speech issues Paul brings up? Words can hurt. They can hurt very deeply. Along with the crudity and foolish talk, children and adults alike receive a message that they are not valued, that their dignity doesn’t matter, that they can serve as a punching bag. Do we really want to confess that all humans somehow bear God’s image so they can be mistreated? No. How has God in Christ treated His people? They are loved, comforted, forgiven by the one who lays his life down for them. Christians, go ahead. Swim against the culture’s current.

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Psalm 136:1-16 - Lectionary for Lent 3

3/10/2020

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3/10/20
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.

God’s steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 136 leaves us with no doubt, at least in words. But what about God’s actions? Along with creating and sustaining all things, along with leading His people in the wilderness, God brought the plagues on Egypt. The Psalm specifically mentions the death of the firstborn in Egypt. Some would say this is genocide, not love!

What kind of God are we looking at here? He is exactly the kind of God who moves his people to Egypt in the first place as a means of rescuing both Israel and Egypt from famine and death. He is exactly the kind of God who has promised his people a fruitful land and an everlasting hope, then tells those who would enslave and oppress the people of Israel that they can join with Israel and receive the promse also. he is exactly the kind of God who makes it known, when destruction is coming on the firstborn of Egypt, anyone can use a lamb as a substitute for the human firstborns. This is exactly the kind of God who provides a way out of trouble, makes it known, and watches people arrogantly ignore his way. His mercy is not in question. It is our arrogance that makes God look like an unloving God.

In the end, a passage like Psalm 136 leaves us with no reasonable response other than acknowledging God’s mercy and turning to Him, taking Him at His word, and seeing His love in action.

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Exodus 8:16-24 - Lectionary for Lent 3

3/9/2020

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3/9/20
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.

There is something about our passage from Exodus 8 which I have never understood. Perhaps I am not supposed to understand it, but simply to wonder at it. When God is showing His power over nature by bringing plagues upon Egypt, introducing things which they would find unclean, Pharaoh’s magicians attempt to make the same things happen. They want to show their power and ability to work by doing supernatural signs, no doubt, but they seem to have no concern about the damage their work could do. In this passage, they attempt to send gnats and flies upon Egypt. How do they intend to get rid of the gnats or the flies? This doesn’t cross their mind.

The whole idea is not that different from some of our world’s attempts to show power. Geneticists occasionally attempt to modify animal and even human genetic structures, not asking whether it is a good idea, but simply assuming since it is possible they should do it. Economists advocate experimental policies which could potentially change the world radically but may or may not change it for the better, and normally involve rearranging many people’s control over their own resources. Educational theorists atempt curricular changes which may have grave collateral effects but for which they have no escape plan or rehabilitation strategy. We even hear, occasionally, about people who engage in spiritual pursuits which have sometimes been suggested as ways that a very dark spiritual force could take over the person’s life. This is really not a good idea.

Why do we engage in this folly? A certain portion of the population will try to do anything at their disposal to replace the presence of God. We will do anything but believe in the God of the Bible. We will accept anything as long as it is not historic Christianity. We will go to whatever lengths we can to establish a new order in society, as long as we don’t have to deal with the exclusive claims of the God of the Bible.

Today, as in the time of Moses, God says that His people are to be let go, left free to worship him and look for his mercy, according to his word. Our world throws up all sorts of contrary ideas, even trying to do some very destructive things. The Lord is steadfast. He is going to gather His people to himself. We’ve seen it before. We will see it again. Best let God be the Lord and all others be pretenders. 

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