October 31st

John 1. What an embarrasment of riches to comment on in John 1! At the end of this long chapter, when Nathaniel asked Jesus how he knew who he was, and Jesus says, 'I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you,' it likely means that Jesus knew that Philip was a serious student of the law of God, a serious seeker. Philip is flattered and impressed by Jesus' powers of observation and proclaims him the King of Israel on the spot, when others likely would have required a little more in way of evidence. Jesus responds by telling him, in effect, 'You ain't seen nothing yet!'--'You will see much greater things than this,' he says. But following Jesus means more than seeing and believing great things about him. In a few chapters, Jesus will be telling his apostles that those who believe in him will do the things that he has done; and even greater things than he has done! That, in my opinion, is plenty to chew on for one day! Are we prepared, willing, and expecting to do greater things than Jesus did? RS

October 30th

Ruth 4. It must have been a deep blow indeed to Naomi, and a cause of no little shame, to have had to move to Moab, and an even deeper blow when her two fine sons, Mahlon and Chilion, took for themselves Moabite wives. Moabites! EGAD! Moabites, as was very plainly stated in the law of Moses, were not permitted in the Israelite assembly. To marry a Moabitess was definitely marrying down not up. And even though she ended up getting on splendidly with her daughters-in-law, it was likely an embarrassment for her to return to Bethlehem with one of them in tow, even such an impressive one as Ruth.

But no-longer-bitter Naomi is singing a different tune about Moabites at the end of chapter 4, as she bounces her beautiful grandson, the future gandpa of King David, on her knee! Boaz has straightened out the issue of the other redeeming kinsman; Ruth is married and, we presume happy; because her mother-in-law is happy. All is right with the world. In the greatest of turnarounds, God, for Naomi, turns out to be not a mean old man in the sky but a beautiful young Moabite! RS

Ruth 3

Ruth 3. As a Moabit outsider, a woman, and a widow, Ruth is at the bottom of the societal heap; but her decision to leave her own land and people for Naomi and Naomi's God and people has made the Bethlehem headlines. She does not seem to realize it, but she is a celebrity, and for all the right reasons.

Her commitment back in chapter 1 has tongues wagging, has her employer and Naomi's kinsman, Boaz, feeling a good bit more energetic; it has even put the old bitter Naomi back in fine mother-in-law form! The two woman hatch a plot to nab the wealthy Boaz as a husband for Ruth, that ends up with a dolled-up Ruth sneaking around a grain pile and Boaz sitting up in the middle of the night singing Kum Ba Ya! The plan works; Boaz is thrilled at the prospect of having this hot-young-mysterious-foriegn-faithful girl as a wife. But oops! There is a problem, as we shall see tomorrow. In the end, living by commitment, creativity and wits gets you only so far. Naomi and Ruth must now sit by and wait and see if other help is forthcoming. RS

Thanks to Ken for inviting me to guest write in this space for a few days! ...Well, Ruth's commitment to down-in-the-dumps Naomi gets her no thanks and only the barest acknowledgement. We would have expected more; Naomi offers nothing. And on their return to her own country, Naomi, with Ruth standing right beside her, says to her old friends, 'I went away full, and now look: I come back with nada--zilch!' I'm sure Ruth apprectiated that.

It does not get much better from there for Ruth; at least not initially. At the beginning of chapter 2, Naomi is still little more than dead weight, offering very little help or encouragement. Things do begin to change, however, and on several fronts, during this chapter. Ruth's commitment to Naomi has set more things in motion than she has realized, which is what tends to happen with true commitments. Things begin to turn around for the good; but as we shall see in chapter three, Ruth's commitment will require more from her than patience, endurance, and hard work. Commitment will require of her, as it does of us, all of her wits and creativity. RS

October 27

Ruth 1

The first words of Ruth in the bible are powerful words. She tells Naomi that she does not want to leave her, even though the future looks very dim for Naomi and for Ruth if she stays with Naomi. Ruth declares, "Your people will be my people and your God my God." Ruth's commitment to Naomi and Naomi's God extends beyond the circumstances of the moment. That commitment is at the heart of Ruth's life. She is determined to build the rest of her life around that commitment.

October 26

Joshua 24

"But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord"

Joshua is challenging the people in their relationship with God. He recounts all that God has done for Israel. He challenges them to turn away from other gods. He builds to verse 13 where he says "choose for yourself this day whom you will serve". Then he adds the phrase, "but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord". The decision of the rest of the nation has no influence upon him. Joshua is committed to serving God. Do the decisions of others make a difference in your faith?

October 24

John 13:1-11

The act of washing the disciples' feet during the last meal becomes a defining moment in his life. Jesus' servant heart is clearly portrayed. He models the attitude and action that he desires for his followers. He wants us thinking beyond ourselves to serving others. Have you washed the feet of anyone this week?

10/23 - John 12:20-26

John 12:20-26

"The man who loves his life will lose it"

This is a hard teaching from Jesus. The teaching forces me to reflect upon my life. What do I love? Where are my priorities? Spend some time today reflecting upon what it is about life that you love and what would Jesus have you change.

10/22 - Luke 10

Luke 10

Notice the number of disciples has grown from 12 to 72. The 72 are sent forth and have an incredible experience. "The seventy-two returned with joy" They had experienced the power of God and had seen "even the demons submit to us in your name". Jesus' response is his own joy. He says a prayer of thanksgiving and tells the disciples how blessed they are to have experienced this.

There are moments in our lives when God calls us to step beyond our comfort area to a new task. The danger is that we are so overcome with uneasiness or even fear, that we do not respond. The moment passes and we miss what God wanted.

October 21

1 Corinthians 12

The ministry fair we had last Sunday is a good example of the image that Paul uses in this chapter. I am very glad I am not in charge of all those ministries! In fact, I am not in charge of any of the ministries. If those ministries were dependent upon me to exist, it would not be good. But God does not call me as a pastor to do everything, God calls me to use my gifts in service. As God calls me, so God calls you to use your gifts. Those ministries are possible because a variety of people are using the gifts and abilities God has given them. The end result is a multitude of ministries that bless people's lives.

Spend some time today think about how God is calling you to serve.

October 20

Matthew 25:14-30

This passage is often used to discuss finances and how we handle the money God has given us. What if we use it to consider the abilities God has given us? What if we ponder the thought that God has given each one of us gifts and abilities for a reason? That until Jesus' return, God is counting on us to carry out the work of God. God is not only counting on us, but God has empowered us to carry out the service that needs to be done. If we think about the "talents" in the story as the abilities God has given us, how are you using those "talents" in service of God?

10/19 - 1 Peter 2:1-10

1 Peter 2:1-10

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God"

This passage defines who we are. Notice in this passage, the you is plural. The description here is about me being part of the people of God, not a description of me.

We belong to God. As a holy nation, we are set apart for God. As priests we are to do the work of God. In essence, God is counting on us to do God's work.

October 17

Acts 9

I love Ananias' reaction to the Lord telling him to go to Saul. He has never considered that Saul might become a follower of Jesus. Why would he think that Saul might follow Jesus? Saul has persecuted Christians and has now sought to raise the level of persecution by traveling to find the Christians who have fled Jerusalem. Who would ever imagine that such a person would convert?

Saul's conversion is a story that reminds us to never give up on someone encountering God. You never know when or where it might happen.

October 16

Acts 8

"Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went"

In chapter 7 Stephen is put to death. His death is the beginning of a persecution of Christians in Jerusalem. The persecution forces Christians to flee to the surrounding countryside. Chapter 8 tells stories of how they proclaimed the gospel in these new areas.

This is a great example of how God can turn something that is bad, Stephen's death and the following persecution, to something that is good, the expansion of the gospel. The story is also gives us a glimpse of how the early Christians were always looking for opportunities to share what God had done through Jesus Christ. Wherever they went, they looked for opportunities to share their faith.

10/15 - Matthew 28:16-20

Matthew 28:16-20

This passage contains what is called the "Great Commission." These final words of Matthew's gospel contain Jesus' marching orders to "go" and "make disciples". This commission has been viewed by Christians as instructions not only to the disciples but for all followers of Jesus. Our commission is to live our lives, through word and action, in such a manner that we share the story of what God has done for us. Who has God put in your life that needs to hear the story of what God has done for you?

October 14

Matthew 10:1-23

Try to imagine the feelings of the disciples as they are receiving these words of instructions from Jesus. It is one thing to watch Jesus heal a person, it is another thing to receive authority to do heal the sick, raise the dead, drive out demons from Jesus. Imagine how they felt as they walked away from him on this first mission. I believe they felt excitement, wondering what God might do through them, and fear, what if God did nothing, at the same moment.

We are called to go and tell. We may never raise the dead or heal a leper, but we have the same call to proclaim the kingdom of God as the disciples did. Who do you need to tell about God? Who do you need to invite to church? Pray about who you need to invite. Ask God to give you the courage and the opportunity to offer the invitation.

October 13

Matthew 9:32-34

"Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel."

There are moments in life when we are amazed. We can't believe what we have just seen or heard. A response similar to what the people have in watching Jesus cast out the demon. They could not believe what they had seen. The common reaction is to tell our story of amazement to others. The telling usually begins with something like, "You won't believe what....."

When it comes to spiritual experiences, we tend not to be quite as vocal. When we have an amazing experience of God, we tend to be less vocal. Sometimes it is because the experience was a very private one, other times it is because we are afraid of how others might react if they heard what happened. Yet, we are called to be witnesses for what God has done for us. What if God is counting on you sharing your experience to help another person?

October 12

Matthew 3

John gives witness to the coming of the Christ. John clearly understood his role. He was to prepare the way.

When we give witness to our faith, it is not about us. Giving witness is pointing the way to another. If we make it about us, we have missed the point.

10/10 - Luke 18:18-30

Luke 18:18-30

Christians have argued for centuries regarding what Jesus meant when he said, "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Some have said that he literally means the eye of the needle. Others have stated that the eye of the needle was a small gate in the wall of Jerusalem. Either way, what astounded the disciples was the idea that it is difficult for a rich man to get into heaven. They lived with the understanding that wealth was a sign of God's blessing. If a rich man can't get in, who can?

Why would it be a difficult for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God? What is important to remember in answering this is that you are the rich person. If you have the ability to read this on-line blog, you are probably in the top 10% of wage earners in the world.

Most likely the rich ruler walked away he depended upon his wealth instead of God. You are in the position of the rich man in this story. The rich ruler walked away from eternal life out of a desire to keep all that he had. Neither you nor I want to walk away. I don't believe God is asking me to give away all that I have, but I do believe that God wants me to use my financial resources as a tool to bring about God's work. What do you believe about your money and God?

October 9

Matthew 6:2-4, 24-34

The passage today comes from the sermon on the mount. This sermon, which runs chapters 5-7 is the longest single teaching that we have. Jesus repeatedly challenges our thoughts and views on life in this sermon. In these particular passages he challenges how we view and handle our money.

How do we give? Do we give in such a way that it draws attention to ourselves? If so, we have received our reward.

Do we serve money as a master? He compares worship of God with worship of money.

Do we worry about the things we own? He tells us to trust God and center our lives in the moment.

10/8 - 2 Corinthians 9

2 Corinthians 9

This is the second chapter in which Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to finish taking the offering they promised to take. He provides them multiple reasons to complete the offering. Here are some of them:

- He had told the Macedonians that the Corinthians were giving generously
- If you sow sparingly, you reap sparingly.
- God loves a cheerful giver.
- Your generosity will cause men to praise God.

Do you ever have to be pushed to give to a situation in which you know you should give? Between chapters 8 & 9, Paul uses many reasons. Which of the reasons he uses would be most effective with you in encouraging you to give?

10/7 - 2 Corinthians 8

2 Corinthians 8

In 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 we read Paul's instructions on how to set aside money for helping the church the church in Jerusalem deal with the famine. What we find in 2 Corinthians 8 (also in 2 Corinthians 9 which you will read tomorrow) is Paul is dealing with a problem. The people in Corinth have said they would give an offering but they have not done so. In these two chapters Paul pushes them to complete what the offering. Read back over the chapter to see some of the ways that Paul encourages them to complete the offering.

The ultimate reason comes in verse 9. We give because that is what Christ did for us. He became poor so that we might become rich. As people who follow Jesus, he is our example.

October 6

Mark 12:41-44 and 1 Corinthians 16:1-4

In the Corinthian passage Paul mentions the collection. This collection was for the Jerusalem church. Jerusalem had been hard hit by a famine. The Jerusalem church was running low on money to meet the needs of the hungry. Paul had agreed to take up an offering from the churches he had started in support of the Jerusalem church during this crisis. In this passage he offers instructions as to how they should give. He teaches that their giving should be a regular part of their lives "on the first day of every week". He further instructs that "each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income". In essence, when you have a good week, you give more. When you have a bad week, you give less.

Those are good instructions for us. Giving should be a regular part of our lives One of the great things about tithing, which is giving 10%, is that it is directly tied to your income. The greater your income, the more you give. If you are out of work, there is no responsibility to give.

Our family tithes because of the teaching of scripture. How do you decide what you should give? What is the role of your faith in your giving?

October 5

Malachi 3

"Test me in this..."

This is the only time in the bible that God says, "test me". One thing I that says to me is that tithing was as difficult in the days of Malachi as it is today. There have always been financial pressures and choices that make giving 10 percent of your income difficult. But I think there is a reason that God challenges us to tithe, it is a great blessing to our lives. If you are not tithing, I would challenge you to at least begin moving toward tithing. It may not be possible for you to make the jump from what you are giving now to 10 percent in one year. However, you can create a plan to move up several percentage points each year until you are tithing.

Another line that caught my attention was that in tithing "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land". In the book "The Hole in the Gospel", which I would encourage you to read, Richard Stearns pulls together some startling numbers. He writes that if just the Christians in America would tithe, and the church would use that money to help others, every child in the world could be fed and educated, every person in the world could have clean water, and many diseases would be eliminated. If just Christians in the United States would tithe. If that happened, can you imagine what the nations of the world would say about the United States?

October 3

Psalm 100

This is my favorite Psalm. I love the way it describes entering into the presence of God with my mind centered on the Creator with praise and thanksgiving. I need this constant reminder. It is easy for me on Sunday morning to be distracted by many things; is the AC set for the right temperature, will the projection system work correctly, will I remember my sermon.....What is your attitude when you enter the sanctuary on Sunday morning? Maybe as you take your seat you could open the bible and read this Psalm to prepare your heart to enter the presence of God.

10/2 - Romans 1:1-7

Romans 1:1-7

"Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. And you are also among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ."

Paul is called by God. He says that you are also called by God. He has received grace and apostleship as a means to invite those who do not believe to relationship with God. He writes in 1 Corinthians 12 that you have received gifts from God not for yourself but for the common good. In essence, God empowers us not for ourselves but to do the work of the community of faith.

One of the reasons presence in the community of faith is vital is that it allows us to serve the community. If we are not present, how can we build the relationships that allow us to serve others?

October 1