Thursday - the work of our hands

Prayer:  We offer You our lives this day O Lord.  We offer You our actions this day O Lord.  We offer You the words we speak to others this day O Lord.  May we live and move and have our being in You O Lord our Creator and Redeemer.

Read  St. Luke  11: 42

Herbs and tithing.    The Pharisees were following the law of Moses in thinking the law of tithing applied to agricultural produce.    They were so persistent in wanting to keep the laws that they would go to the extreme of  writing a law on tithing herbs.     Jesus says by going over board in one area of the law,  they have totally forgotten justice in the community and the love of God in their hearts.  

While the Pharisees are wanting to be righteous men through following all the laws of Moses plus creating laws to uphold the laws of Moses,  they have totally forgotten that to be righteous means following God with their hearts, minds, and soul. 

While it is easy for us to nod our heads and say, “oh those horrible Pharisees”  are we equally as hardheaded and hardhearted as the Pharisees?  While we don’t make laws to uphold laws,  over the decades,  our Churches have drifted away from mission – from justice and love of God to keeping money for the Church building.  Are we the Pharisees of this age?  And if we are,  are we going to change to become a Church of justice and love of God?

The background to tithing is Deuteronomy 14: 22 – 29.  Tithing was a tenth part of one’s field produce each year.   If the person was not near the Lord’s dwelling,  then the tithe of produce would be turned into a tithe of silver.    And what was the tithe for?   The tithe was to feed the Priests (Levites),  the foreigners,  the fatherless, and the widows who live in your town.    Boy,  our understanding of tithe is very different these days isn’t it.  We just tithe money instead of the work of our hands.   We give our money tithe to the Church and other non-profit organizations but do we give to the foreigners, the fatherless, and the widows in our community?    Do we tithe the work of our hands to foreigners,  the fatherless, and the widows in our community?

Today,  think about how the work of our hands can be used to help bring justice and the love of God into our community.

Prayer:  O God,  lover of all nations.  We pray for peace in our hearts,  peace in our homes,  peace in our nations,  and peace in our world.  The peace of Your will and the peace of our need.  This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.   #225  Oxford Book of Prayer.

Wednesday - Right living

Prayer:  Save us,  O Lord,  while we are awake and guard us while we are sleeping... that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in Your peace.  Amen.  #605  Oxford Book of Prayer.

Read  St. Luke  11: 37 – 41

This portion of scripture from verse 37 to the end of Chapter 11 are teachings concerning right living of the Pharisees.    Each of the teachings by Jesus begin with the words “Woe to you”.  There are six Woes which we will look at each day this week.

The Woes begin when a Pharisee invites Jesus to his house for a meal.  That in itself is amazing.  On the whole,  the Pharisees were hesitant about Jesus’ teaching.   Yet here is one Pharisee that has provided Jesus with hospitality.

The Pharisee is surprised when Jesus does not wash his hands before the meal.   This was standard Jewish law.   Washing one’s hands before the meal was not only for hygienic purposes but also part of the elaborate laws kept by the Pharisees.     It was expected.

Pharisees were the group of people who kept the law well beyond the law.   They had laws for governing the laws of Moses.    They thought this was the best way to follow in God’s path.    In answer to the Pharisees question of why Jesus didn’t wash his hands,  Jesus gives an example of what really keeps a person religiously clean.  Jesus compares the Pharisees  love to God and keeping the laws to keeping  the outside of the cup and plate clean but the inside is dirty.   The Pharisees keep the law outwardly so everyone can see them keeping the law,  but inwardly…. inside their hearts and souls and minds  the Pharisees are greedy and wicked.  Wow!  This is a powerful statement to make when you are in the home of a Pharisee.   Jesus states to the Pharisee that he should give what is inside the dish to the poor.     

This seems extremely harsh doesn’t it.  The Pharisee invites Jesus to his home and all he gets is blasted by Jesus for not living within the love of God.     But perhaps we also need to reflect why the Pharisee invited Jesus to his house in the first place.   Was the hospitality one of kindness or was it one where the Pharisee was going to teach Jesus all that he was doing wrong.     Something to reflect upon.

Prayer:  Almighty God,  give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness and put upon us the garment of Your  light.  May our inward thoughts and our outward actions this day be acceptable in Your sight.  O Lord our maker.  Amen.

Tuesday - angry Ministers

Prayer:  Lighten our darkness, we ask You O Lord.   And by Your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this day.  For the love of Your only Son, our Saviour,  Jesus Christ.  Amen.    #601  Oxford Book of Prayer.

Read  St. Luke 11: 33 – 36

Christianity uses a lot of imagery.    Here in these verses,  Jesus is telling the crowd about light.    When we light a  lamp,  we don’t hid the light but put it in a place where the light can lighten up the dark areas.  Jesus continues telling the crowd that we put lamps in places so that those who come in our homes may see the light.

Jesus says that our eyes are the lamp of our body.  If we live wide-eyed in wonder and belief then our body fills up with the light of Christ.   If we live in squinty-eyed greed and distrust,  our body becomes a dark, dank cellar.   

Christ calls us to keep our eyes wide open,  to keep our lamps light,  so we don’t get musty and murky.    Christ calls us to keep our life as well light as the best lighted room in your house.  

How do we keep our eyes wide open and our lamps light?    Belief and gratitude in God the Father,  Christ the Son,  and the Holy Spirit.    Daily gratitude to God through prayer,  reading the Scriptures,  Worship,  meditation upon God’s word.    Simple really.     By praying daily (or hourly!),  by reading God’s Holy Word,  by worshipping God,  by meditating upon God’s Word we grow as Christians.  We become alive in the body of Christ.   

The Christian life is a very simple life.  God does not ask us to do anything.   Through the Easter Story,  we know that God has already forgiven us.   Yet,  out of our gratitude to God  we strive to become the light to light up an often very dark world. 

Over the last ten years,  I’ve noticed that Ministers and Elders are frequently angry.  They attend meetings and get frustrated with either the lack of enthusiasm or being told there isn’t enough money.  Out of this frustration and anger comes cynicism and humour that isn’t funny.    Frustrations continue to build until the Ministers and Elders are only looking at the financial side of Church or the meeting side of Church and are forgetting the simple side of Church.     The simple side of Church is the love of Christ poured out for the forgiveness of our sins.  Simple.    

Today,  pray for the leadership of our Churches.  Pray that all Ministers and Elders will give to God their problems instead of letting the anger build up inside of them which leads to unhealthy lives.   Pray that all Ministers and Elders remember to pray each and every day (hour!  J)    Pray that the light of Christ will shine in the hearts of all Ministers and Elders.  Pray that all Ministers and Elders will keep their eyes wide open to the love of God!

Prayer:  Divine Healer,  be lay before You today all spiritual leaders—ministers and elders.  Heal them from their physical infirmities.  Heal them from their spiritual infirmities.  Heal them from the emotional infirmities.  Heal them from their mental infirmities.   Provide to them Your healing,  Your strength,  Your wisdom,  and Your love. Protect them with Your healing,  Your strength,  Your wisdom,  and Your love so that they will continue to serve others with Your gladness and Your joy.  But in all things,  may Your will be done.   May all ministers and elders know that this day,  they are upheld in Your care through our prayers.  This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Alleluia!

Monday - the sign of Jonah

Prayer:   As we rise up from our sleep this day O Lord,  may we go forth and do Your work.  Help us at all time and in all things.  Deliver us from every evil thing of this world and from pursuit by the devil.  Save us and bring us to Your eternal kingdom.  For You are our Creator,  You inspire all good thoughts in us and in You is our hope.  Glory, glory, glory O Lord,  now and forever and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.   #590  Oxford Book of Prayer

Read St. Luke  11: 29 -  32

The Sign of Jonah.  Jesus turns to the crowd and says, “This is a wicked generation.  It asks for a miraculous sign,  but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.”   What?  What is Jesus saying here?          Remember the story of the Prophet Jonah?  God sent the Prophet Jonah  to wicked Nineveh so that the people would repent and return to God.  But Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh.   Jonah had a temper tantrum instead.   Jonah did not believe that by going to Nineveh and prophecying that the people return to God that anything would happen.   After many trials,  Jonah reluctantly went to Nineveh.  And the city repented and returned to God.

Here the crowds around Jesus are looking for proof that Jesus really is the Messiah.  Now,  from our side of history here today we read the New Testament Gospels and can’t understand why the people did not understand that Jesus was the Messiah.   We can figure it out!  But we read the story in the Gospels  and we know the ending.  This makes a big difference.   

In our churches today we are looking for miraculous signs  that our Churches will be filled with people.  God didn’t promise us that.   We  look for miraculous signs that our Churches will be financial stable.  God didn’t promise us that.     We look for miraculous signs that our Churches will be able to do missions in our community.  God didn’t promise us that.   We look for miraculous signs that our Ministers and Elders will spiritually lead the Church.  God didn’t promise us that.

And so,  are we really any different than the crowd who was following Jesus?  They had Jesus right in their midst, and yet they still wanted more signs that Jesus really was the Messiah.  Do we need more signs too?

What did God promise us?   That all our sins are forgiven and we are given eternal life.

It is out of our love and gratitude for God that we push up our sleeves and go out into the community helping the poor,  healing those who hurt,  caring for those who can’t care for themselves,  and loving those who think there is no love left in the world.

What will you do today to bring about the love of God to your community?

Prayer:  Holy Father,  keep us in Your truth.  Holy Son, protect us under the wings of Your cross.  Holy Spirit,  make us temples and dwelling places for Your glory.  Grant us Your peace all the days of our lives.  O Lord.  Amen.   #600 Oxford Book of Prayer.

Easter Sunday 2

Open to us, Lord,  the doors of Your Church.  Make wide open the doors of Your Church and hear our prayers and have mercy upon our souls.  Open to us, Lord,  the voice of Your Church.  We will sing Your praise all the day long.   Open to us Lord,  the wisdom of Your Church.  We will pursue the study of Your word all day long.  Open to us Lord,  the fountain of Your living water so that we thirst for Your Word in the sermons.  Open to us Lord,  the peace which passes all understanding so that we can share Your Church with this world and the next.  Amen.

Easter Week Saturday

Prayer;  Holy God,  Holy Mighty,  Holy Saviour of the world,  with great delight we give  You our love.  Holy God,  Holy Mighty,  Holy Saviour of the world,  we ask for Your presence of peace. Holy Spirit,  You are light and life itself,  a living fountain of knowledge and wisdom.  Cleanse our sins so that we may shine the light and love of God the Father,  and Jesus Christ His only son,  and the Holy Spirit to those we meet this day and in the next.   This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Each of the Saturday’s  in Easter we will reflect upon the Apostles Creed.   The Apostles Creed was written over decades  as Christians gathered together and decided to put in writing what they believed.  This was not an easy task.  It took decades to write and re-write.  Yet the Christians did not stop because they got discouraged.  The Christians kept going because they knew how important it is for all Christians to be able to state what they believe.   

Reflection:  What do you believe?   Can you state in a paragraph what the love of God, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit means to you?

Repeat several times the Apostles Creed:  

I believe in God the Father Almighty,  Maker of heaven and earth

And in Jesus Christ His Only Son our Lord

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost

Born of the Virgin Mary

Suffered under Pontius Pilate

Was crucified, dead, and buried

He descended into hell

The third day He rose again from the dead

He ascended into heaven

And sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty

From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead

I believe in the Holy Ghost

The holy catholic Church

The Communion of Saints

The Forgiveness of Sins

The Resurrection of the body

And the Life everlasting.

Amen.

Reflection:  What does it mean to believe in a God who creates?  Does God ever stop creating?  In Genesis,  it states that God created the world out of chaos.     Out of chaos came hope and love.  Does this comfort you knowing that God can create out of chaos and bring hope and love into the world?   How does God bring hope and love into a very chaotic world?

Sit in silence for a few moments.   Let what you have read today wash over your thoughts and your mind.

Prayer:  Thank You God that You are our Creator and Redeemer.  You take what we view as hopeless and destitute and make it into our lives filled with great hope and  with renewed life.  Renew our lives today O Lord with Your hope and Your great love.  Amen.

Easter Week Friday

Prayer:  Great God,  we are blessed that we can keep Your Word.   We rejoice that we can keep Your Word in our hearts, and minds, and souls and rejoice in Your glory.  Now and forever.  Amen.

Time of reflection….

“Even more blessed are those who hear God’s Word and keep it.”  St Luke 11:28

 Today we will focus on how to keep God’s Word.  What does it mean to keep God’s Word?   First we must understand that God gave us Jesus so that we might have eternal life.  The Easter Story of Resurrection!  Hallelujah!    God asks us for nothing in return.  How amazing is that.   Our gift that we can give to God is our love and gratitude and knowing God’s Word.     Second we must understand that we will only keep God’s Word by knowing what “the Word” means.   We keep God’s Word by reading the Scriptures daily and reflecting upon these Scriptures.   Eventually the Scriptures will become part of our lives.

Many years ago in Sunday School,  memorizing portions of the Scripture was a neat way to teach the Bible.   Now that method of learning Scripture is out of fashion as it just lead to memorizing Scripture but not making it a part of one’s life.   But sometimes  knowing several verses of the Bible is a good thing.    Being able to call up portions of the Scriptures when we are in a sticky situation is a good thing.  

Reflect for a moment:  what is your favourite Bible passage?   

What attracts you to this Bible passage?   For some people it is the image that the Bible verses portray.  For other people,  it is the message that comes from the verses.

Can you repeat your favourite Bible passage without looking up the verses in the Bible?

Each day this coming week,  try to memorize a portion of Scripture.   By memorizing the Scripture,  it becomes part of us – then the Word of God becomes alive.  

“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it”  St Luke 11: 28  (NIV, Zondervan  1983).

Funny thing sitting in the Doctor's office today wondering what was up with my ol' body.  There were no other patients.   So what does a person do when they are all alone?  Sit and pray.  It was a wonderful hour of sitting and praying for family and friends and all those who hear God's Word and keep it.   Blessed.

Prayer:  Great God,  help us this day and every day to hear Your Word and to obey Your Word.   You are a fountain of living Water that when we are thirsty for Your Word,  Your Word is present.   We thank You that we can read and listen to Your Word each day.  Alleluia!