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Mark 4:26-34 - Lectionary for Pentecost 4B

6/14/2018

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6/14/18
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.

Like many Americans of my age, I enjoy a little gardening. The scenario in Mark 4:26 and following makes some sense to me. I prepare the space and plant some things. The seeds don’t seem like much of anything. And, especially if it’s a little cold, we go through some time wondering if anything will come of it. However, there’s really not much to be done about it. We sleep, rise, work, rest, repeat. Some days or even weeks later, God provides an increase. We care for the garden as well as we reasonably can. Yet, ultimately we are unable to bring life where the conditions won’t sustain it.

Jesus describes the Kingdom of Heaven this way. We plant God’s Word in our hearts, in the lives of those around us, anywhere we can. The world is the field. We pray and hope for the best. By His mercy and grace, God takes His Word and makes it grow. We don’t know how. Our labor is used by God but it is according to His will, not ours. Our fear, our anxiety, our sleepless nights - these make no increase. Only God brings the increase. We can rest in faith, knowing that God  will do His will, and that His will is good. May He bring a great increase.

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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2 Corinthians 5:1-10 - Lectionary for Pentecost 4B

6/13/2018

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6/13/18
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’d like to take a close look today at 1 Corinthians 5:4. Here, the apostle is referring to our earthly life as a tent. To most people at Paul’s time, a tend was not quite as disposable as it is to the average American wannabe camper. It was considered durable, often passed from one family member to another. But it was not permanent, like a house.

However, Paul’s comment in verse 4 speaks of the trials we endure while in our earthly tent. Greek philosophy, like much that we find in current Americans, says that death is a way for the real person to escape from the prison of the mortal body. To use Paul’s metaphor, we who live in a tend want the tent ripped away so we can be homeless. I suppose we would never worry about the tent leaking or catching fire if that were to happen. But it would have some definite disadvantages.

Paul says the Christian has a different approach. Rather than seeking to be unclothed, we pray that God would clothe us more. Picture the tent, but with some solid walls, then maybe a roof, a floor, and all the rest. The Christian sees this mortal life not as something to be escaped, but a time awaiting greater fulfillment. We endure trials now. One day the Lord will show us how He is our protector and the one who has made us safe from all harm. He has begun to do this in his resurrection. He will complete it in ours.

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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Ezekiel 17:22-24 - Lectionary for Pentecost 4B

6/12/2018

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6/12/18
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.

Ezekiel is notoriously difficult to interpret. I’m tempted to end this blog post right here.

Actually, our Old Testament passage for this week, from Ezekiel 17:22-24, is pretty easy to deal with. Here God, through Ezekiel, says he will take a cedar sprig, plant it, and make it grow to be fruitful and provide shelter for all. The challenging question here is what kind of fruit a cedar produces. But that doesn’t seem the point of the passage.

Here’s the point. God, by His mercy and according to His plan, provides shelter and care for all who recognize Him as the Lord of all. He does it not because the people are good or worthy, but simply because He can and He wants to. He makes it available to all, so that all will know He is LORD. And he does it as a good thing.

In these last days, Jesus, theo ne cut off from his people and raised up on a tree rose from the dead and promised eternal shelter to all who believe. This is God’s good and merciful will.

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 1 - Lectionary for Pentecost 4B

6/11/2018

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6/11/18
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 1 comes up frequently in the reading calendar. Because of the content of our Old Testament and Gospel passages this week, I’d like to focus on the picture of a righeous man like a tree. Verse 3 describes him planted by water, yielding fruit, and not withering. This is a stable man. He has what he needs, and more. He is safe and secure. And he brings comfort and supply to others. This can all be demonstrated from the text.

The tree does not have its own supply of water. It finds it outside of itself. In the same way, the righteous man feeds on God’s Word.

The tree does not produce fruit for itself. It needs no fruit. But as it produces fruit, it can plant more trees and it can feed others. The righteous man’s righteousness produces fruit, such as love, kindness, and goodness. The fruit of the Spirit is good for others.

A tree does use its leaves. But others do also - for shade, comfort, rest, even economic gain as the leaves are used to improve soil. The righeous man gives people rest and joy as they find protection and peace in his shade. It is a great blessing to be a righteous man and to know others!

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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