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John 3:1-17 - Lectionary for Trinity B

5/24/2018

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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.

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Acts 2:14a, 22-36 - Lectionary for Trinity B

5/23/2018

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Acts 2:14a, 22-36 - Lectionary for Trinity B
5/23/18
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.

Rather than an Epistle reading for Trinity Sunday we have a reading from Acts chapter two. I’d like to draw your attention today to verses 22-24. Specifically, we ask what kind of Jesus is presented in Peter’s sermon?

In verse 22 we see that he is a man. We don’t need to say it apologetically. God regularly uses masculine terminology to describe himself. This, however, is not the “toxic masculinity” so often described by our culture. It is the kind of masculinity we men could all learn from. It is clear about duty, responsibility, and the need to care for others. Jesus is a real man. He is really masculine and he is human. His human nature is complete, like mine, but unlike mine, his is not destroyed by sin. Jesus is man, more man than I can ever be in this life.

Verse 22 also says Jesus is “attested by God.” His identity and work have been shown by divine evidence. God lives in Jesus. If we want to see God, we look at Jesus.

Verse 23 shows that Jesus was delivered over to death. This again is part of Jesus’ true masculinity. Someone had to die for sin. He didn’t want it to be you. He knew that he was the only one who could effectively die to take away your sin, so he did it. This was not an act of bullying cruelty on the part of the Father. It was the will of God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Central to Peter’s idea is that the people of Jerusalem killed Jesus. He was taken by sinners for the benefit of sinners.

Finally, in verse 24, God raised Jesus from the dead. His life conquered death. This Jesus who could die for you can also live for you. This shows God’s glory.

What is the result of having this kind of Jesus? In his resurrection God gives life and resurrection to all who believe. Jesus no longer lies in death. Through him, all can live. This is the message which moved thousands in Jerusalem to repentance and forgiveness that day. We, too, are set free in Jesus to receive his forgiveness and inherit life. It’s all because Jesus is such a powerful savior.

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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Isaiah 6:1-8 - Lectionary for Trinity B

5/22/2018

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5/22/18
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.

Many of the prophetic books of the Old Testament feature a description of the prophet’s call into his work as God’s prophet. Normally we find this right at the front of the book. Isaiah is a little different, as it is delayed to chapter six, nearly 1/10 of the way into the document. In this passage, we find Isaiah in the temple of God. He is confronted by the majestic presence of God and some of his angels, here identified as seraphs.

Right away, not only is Isaiah confronted by God’s holiness and power, he is also convinced that he himself is unworthy to stand before God. The presence of God himself is truly special. He is the holy Lord of all. He is the glorious one. There isn’t room in the temple to contain his glory, but it fills the whole earth. When God’s servants speak the whole temple shakes.

Throughout history, as long as Christians have built buildings dedicated to be church buildings, up until very recently those buildings have reflected the majesty of God. They are usually massive and tall. They are often full of architectural decorations that point to biblical themes. There’s usually artwork which reminds people of the events described in the Bible and of God’s glory. I read a book once which described the faith journey of a man who had wanted to be an atheist, but who was confronted by the otherness of God as he explored some cathedrals. He couldn’t escape the majesty of God. He couldn’t evade the idea that God was present. And because of God’s presence he realized, as did Isaiah, that he was someone in need of divine forgiveness.

This convicting work of God’s presence is what drives the Scripture out of liberal theology and civil religion. Rather than allowing God to describe himself and to think and act like God, those who proudly wish to be able to stand before him in their own righteousness, in their own version of godliness, with their own attitudes, thoughts, and desires will strip God of all his majesty and holiness. They, like Isaiah, are confronted by something deadly. However, unlike Isaiah, they desire to put it away and leave themselves as the lord. This will never do.

What does Isaiah do? He asks God for forgiveness. God grants it, but not right away. One of the seraphs brings a hot coal from the altar. These hot coals are used to burn up sacrifices. They can bring harm to Isaiah right away. But the seraph touches Isaiah’s mouth with it to purify him. His sin is atoned for. He is forgiven.

Once this is done, God is ready to put Isaiah to work. Who will he send? He’ll send Isaiah. At last, having seen God, having been convicted of sin, and having been cleansed Isaiah is ready to be used as God’s servant to help God’s people see their sin and God’s righteousness. The power of God isn’t gone. The conviction of sin isn’t gone. God is still God, but Isaiah has been changed.

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 29 - Lectionary for Trinity B

5/21/2018

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5/21/18
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.

Many modern people in the West have some sort of an idea of Christianity. But that view of Christianity rarely has much to do with the very specific descriptions of God’s holiness and sovereign power made in the Bible. Psalm 29 describes God as full of splendor, holy, and powerful. He is the one whose voice can snap mighty trees like the are twigs. His voice makes a whole nation jump like a calf. He provokes a response from all the people, and that response is to sing His glory.

How different this is from the “God is my peace” that people will talk about, the peace and beauty of a non-judgmental sorta mushy kinda loving always accepting godthing who likes us to go fishing or hiking and who would never let anything bad happen to anyone on purpose.

As we move into the Trinity season, the part of the Church year when we walk step by step through many of the foundational events of early Christianity, seeing how God has provided for His people, may we not lose sight of the true God. This is the enthroned king who can do according to his good pleasure. And what is his pleasure? In verse eleven of Psalm 29 we read that He gives strength to his people. This strength is a blessing of peace. Even when God’s voice is breaking trees, thundering, and making nations jump and leap, He gives a blessing of peace. The tree and even the ground is not our place of stability. God’s presence is.


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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