God's gracious sacrifice

Good morning brothers and sisters,
Today's reading is challenging, so if you can, read it through at least twice. In the first two chapters of this letter Paul argued that everyone sins; he reinforces that point here. We have all sinned, so we all need God's forgiveness, God's grace. Paul says until Christ our sin was in forbearance like a loan we couldn't pay. God wasn't collecting the loan; he wasn't demanding the penalty for sin, but the sin wasn't forgiven either.

Then, amazingly, God offers Jesus as a sacrifice for sin. That shows righteousness because the debt of sin is paid for rather than just overlooked, but the debt we couldn't pay is paid by God. By paying our debt God offers forgiveness to everyone: Jews and gentiles, the whole world. We join ourselves to Christ by faith and so we trade in our sin for Christ's righteousness. We can't boast about our goodness because God did it for us. Our role now is to accept God's amazing love, to let go of guilt and fear, and to make our lives shine with love and gratitude to the God who loves us so much.

Blessings on your day,
Sam

Romans 3:19-31

¹⁹Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. ²⁰For “no human being will be justified in his sight” by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. 

²¹But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, ²²the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, ²³since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; ²⁴they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; ²⁶it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.

²⁷Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. ²⁸For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. ²⁹Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, ³⁰since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. ³¹Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

protecting the conscience

Good morning brothers and sisters,
This section of Paul's letter is about being Christian in a pagan society and in particular the relation of Christians to idols. It seems that a lot of the meat available in cities like Corinth at that time was offered to idols in some form before being sold. Paul tells his readers that they don't need to screen their meat or examine where it comes from because idols have no power and all good gifts come from God. They are also free to eat whatever a friend serves them for the same reason. But if their host tells them that the meat they are eating was sacrificed to idols, the Christian should decline to eat it. The reason is that they want to avoid the appearance of supporting idol worship.

Obviously, meat sacrificed to idols isn't a big deal for us today, but the principle is very important. The point is that Christians are free to do pretty much anything, but we are also called to protect the conscience of others and to reflect on how our actions represent our faith. That means often we might decide not to do something, not because it's bad, but because it risks giving someone the wrong impression. We're called to live peacefully with others and to do everything we can to show the world Christianity at its best. Our freedom is important, but our witness to God's love is even more important.
blessings as you bear witness today,
Sam

1 Corinthians 9:23-33

23“All things are lawful,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other. 25Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience, 26for “the earth and its fullness are the Lord’s.” 27If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience.


28But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29I mean the other’s conscience, not your own. For why should my liberty be subject to the judgment of someone else’s conscience? 30If I partake with thankfulness, why should I be denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. 32Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, so that they may be saved.

the variety of God's wisdom

Good morning sisters and brothers,
In our reading for this morning Paul explains why he is a prisoner, which is that he has shared God's grace in Christ with the gentiles. In Christ God's love is breaking into the world in a bold, new way. Paul has been given the honor of proclaiming that love to gentiles. One line here particularly catches my attention as it speaks to the power and diversity of the church's calling: "Through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places." The church is full of such a variety of people and experiences, and there is an even wider array of gifts outside the church that God wants us to welcome in. Our calling is to help make the church reflect the dizzying variety of God's wisdom so everyone, even the rulers and authorities who are used to pandering to their "base" can see what real diversity looks like.

May God bless our next steps,
Sam

Ephesians 3:1-12

1This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-2for surely you have already heard of the commission of God's grace that was given me for you, 3and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, 4a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. 5In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: 6that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.


7Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God's grace that was given me by the working of his power. 8Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, 9and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; 10so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.

greetings

Good morning friends,
This morning lift up the family of Ambassador Holbrooke as they mourn his loss. We also lift up others who mourn in this Christmas season.

As I mentioned Sunday, the readings for Advent skip around a good deal. We've read the end of Romans recently, and now we are reading some of the beginning. This is a powerful and important letter, one I think we'll study in supper and scripture sometime in the early spring. Paul greets the church in Rome, a church he has not visited at this point, in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. He sees himself as set apart as a messenger of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That gospel, that good news, in a nutshell is that in Christ all people have access to God and our called to belong to Christ. Belonging to Christ makes a claim on our lives and it frees us from other claims that seek to separate us from God. This call to all people, not just the people of Israel, is a radical change in understanding and one Paul takes pains to explain later in this letter. May you feel God's grace with you today.

God bless,
Sam

Romans 1:1-7

1Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, 6including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

7To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

living together

Good morning friends,
December is here already; I pray it starts well for you. Tonight we're beginning an Advent series at the Boulevard about expecting Jesus. We'll talk about what people at the time expected in a savior, what we expect today, and what we hope for. I'm hoping for an open conversation with different voices at the table; those conversations offer us new perspectives on an exciting story. You'll notice during Advent that our readings jump around a bit. I hope these daily readings shed some light on the readings for Sunday and help you prepare for the birth of Jesus at Christmas.

Our reading for today comes from the last section of Paul's letter to the Romans. This is Paul's most theological letter with the first 11 chapters spelling out God's grace in Christ for all people. The later chapters beginning in chapter 12 tackle practical implications of the theology Paul has explained. In our reading for today Paul talks about life in community, especially dealing with differences of opinion. Christianity was a Jewish movement that became more open as time went on. One of the difficult tensions in many communities during the first century was how Jews and gentiles could get along when much of Jewish law and custom at the time intended to keep Jews apart from their gentile neighbors. Food was a major part of that division and sharing food was a major part of how the Christian communities grew closer together. Here Paul writes that we shouldn't be troubled or look down on our neighbors because they choose to eat differently or keep different holidays. God seeks all of us out and none of these differences can overshadow God's love.

Blessing on your day,
Sam

Romans 14:1-9

Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. 2Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. 3Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. 4Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.


5Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. 6Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God. 7We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. 8If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

Thanksgiving

Good morning friends,
Our reading for this morning gives us a glimpse of Israel's thanksgiving tradition. The first-fruits offering was an offering of gratitude for God's gift of a good land for Israel. Not only did the offering remind the people of what God had done for them, it also reminded them of the story of their liberation from slavery. Telling the story again with each offering helped keep their gratitude alive. The offering also reminded them of their responsibility to care for others. They offered their first fruits to God by celebrating a harvest meal with their family along with the immigrants in the land and the Levites. The Levites were the priestly tribe; they had no land of their own so they relied on the offering of their brothers and sisters from other tribes. The immigrants likewise had no land and relied on the kindness of their hosts. As former wanderers the Israelites, and we Americans, are called to care for the immigrants God brings to our land as part of our gratitude to God for his gifts. As we give thanks with family today, may we always remember that all we have and all we are comes from God, and God calls us to reach out to others.

Thanksgiving blessings,
Sam

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

1When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, 2you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. 3You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, "Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us."



4When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, 5you shall make this response before the Lord your God: "A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. 6When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, 7we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; 9and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me."You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. 11Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.

saved by grace

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Like many of our readings from Psalm 119, today's talks about clinging to God when we're in trouble. One line in particular caught my attention because of the movie we are watching with the confirmation class. The movie we're watching is about the life of Martin Luther. Early in his life as a monk his mentor in the monastery gave him a cross and told him when he felt overwhelmed with guilt or fear to think about Jesus and to pray, "I am yours; save me." The simplicity of the prayer struck me. We have a basic need to know we are in good hands; we need a place to take refuge when we feel under attack. For the psalmist, for Martin Luther and for all people of faith that refuge is God. The psalmist feels that concretely when considering God's teachings in scripture; Luther felt it when he considered Christ on the cross. How do you especially feel God's protection?
We are yours, Lord; save us,
Sam

Psalm 119:89-96

89The Lord exists forever; your word is firmly fixed in heaven.
90Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
you have established the earth, and it stands fast.
91By your appointment they stand today, for all things are your servants.
92If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my misery.
93I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life.
94I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts.
95The wicked lie in wait to destroy me, but I consider your decrees.
96I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad.

faith and proclamation

Good morning friends,
Today is world communion Sunday, a day we celebrate that despite everything that divides the church, despite language and distance and history and politics, in the Lord Jesus we are one. We celebrate that unity at Christ's table and we celebrate it in our giving as we support the PCUSA Peacemaking Offering that helps spread God's peace in the world. Our second reading is fitting for that day as Jesus reminds his disciples that it's a terrible crime to hurt the faith of anyone. We should watch our behavior to make sure it doesn't get in the way of anyone coming to Christ. Jesus also reminds his disciples that if we really live into our faith, even a little faith can go a long way.

I keep finding myself touched by our first reading. We see Paul's deep care for his young colleague Timothy and we see strong presentations of the meaning of the faith. Paul's language is at once intimate and soaring. We learn that Timothy is a third generation Christian and we are reminded that God comes to us not because of who we are but because of his amazing grace. May you hear and believe that God is calling you to walk with Christ today. We all have a role to play in proclaiming the gospel.

God bless,
Sam

2 TIMOTHY 1:1-14
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 2To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3I am grateful to God-whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did-when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 5I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. 6For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; 7for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

8Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, 9who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, 12and for this reason I suffer as I do.

But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. 13Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.


*Luke 17:1-10
Jesus said to his disciples, “Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! 2It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. 4And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive.”

5The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 7“Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’? 8Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’? 9Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? 10So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’”

living water

Good morning friends,
This passage continues God's lament about Israel's faithlessness. There're are two main images in this passage that are related. One is the image of exchange: Israel has exchanged it's true God for false gods. The other image is futility: the things Israel has taken up are useless; things that don't profit instead of things of true value that God gave them. My favorite example in this passage is the image of the people abandoning God, the fountain of living water and making broken cisterns (water containers) for themselves that don't hold water.

How many of our choices come down to something like this? How often do we chose something new and shiny that turns out to be junk? How often do we try to set up our lives on our own instead of seeking the true life we only find in God? Fortunately, Jesus offers us that living water again. Jesus promises to give us water that will satisfy us entirely. It's never too late to come to the living waters of God. Come be refreshed.

God bless,
Sam


Jeremiah 2:9-19
9Therefore once more I accuse you, says the Lord, and I accuse your children’s children. 10Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has ever been such a thing. 11Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for something that does not profit. 12Be appalled, O heavens, at this, be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the Lord, 13for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water.

14Is Israel a slave? Is he a homeborn servant? Why then has he become plunder? 15The lions have roared against him, they have roared loudly. They have made his land a waste; his cities are in ruins, without inhabitant. 16Moreover, the people of Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of your head. 17Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the Lord your God, while he led you in the way? 18What then do you gain by going to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Nile? Or what do you gain by going to Assyria, to drink the waters of the Euphrates? 19Your wickedness will punish you, and your apostasies will convict you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the Lord your God; the fear of me is not in you, says the Lord God of hosts.