trust in trouble

Good evening friends,
Please keep Barb Miller in your prayers as she begins rehab at Hill Haven following a fall on Sunday. Our reading today reminds us that faith requires discipline to be the people God calls us to be. When we really trust and follow God, we will sometimes find ourselves in places we wouldn't ordinarily like to be. Even then, God's word is free, powerful and effective. Faith means trusting God, and God is trustworthy in life and in death.

God bless,
Sam

2 Timothy 2:1-13

You then, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; ²and what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well. ³Share in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier’s aim is to please the enlisting officer. ⁵And in the case of an athlete, no one is crowned without competing according to the rules. ⁶It is the farmer who does the work who ought to have the first share of the crops. ⁷Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things.

⁸Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, ⁹for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. ¹⁰Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. ¹¹The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; ¹²if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; ¹³if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.

welcoming parent

Good afternoon friends,
Today's reading is a familiar one for many of us; it's Jesus' parable of the prodigal son. This week our theme is worrying about our children and trusting God to care for them. We usually read this story from the perspective of the son; it's also worth reading from the father or mother's perspective. Give that a try and see how you feel. Remember, God loves to welcome us home.

God bless,
Sam

Luke 15:11-32

¹¹Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. ¹²The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. ¹³A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. ¹⁴When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 

¹⁵So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. ¹⁶He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. ¹⁷But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! ¹⁸I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; ¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’ ²⁰So he set off and went to his father.

But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. ²¹Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²²But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; ²⁴for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate. 

²⁵“Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. ²⁷He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ ²⁸Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. ²⁹But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. ³⁰But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ ³¹Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³²But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”

perfect love casts out fear

Good afternoon friends,
Today's reading isn't so much about facing the end of life. Instead it is about God's love, which is the foundation we need to face the end of our lives or the lives of those we love with courage and confidence. We love because God loves us first. When we love others we express God's love and get to know it better.

As we move towards perfection in love, in other words, as we start to love unconditionally, we become less worried about death or judgment or any of the things that scare us about death. The more we love and the more we trust God's love, the more we can trust that in life and in death we abide in God. As we rest in God now, we know that death is just a transition to resting in him even more completely. The unknown is scary, but we know that we will be with God, and that is enough. I hope you'll be in worship tomorrow so we can talk together about facing the end.

God bless,
Sam


1 John 4:9-21
⁹God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. ¹⁰In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. ¹³By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

¹⁴And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. ¹⁵God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. ¹⁶So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.

¹⁷Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. ¹⁸There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. ¹⁹We love because he first loved us. ²⁰Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. ²¹The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.

in life and in death

Good afternoon sisters and brothers,

In our passage for today Paul reflects on his own life and death in the light of facing persecution and the possibility of death. He knows that he can glorify Christ as he lives and as he dies. Part of him wants to die so he can be with Christ; the other part of him wants to stay to continue serving the churches in ministry. The truth is that in every moment of our life, God is with us. We are never alone and we can trust God's love.

Blessings,
Sam

Philippians 1:20-24

²⁰It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death.

²¹For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. ²²If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. ²³I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; ²⁴but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.

teach us to number our days

Good morning friends,
Just a reminder that if there are any particular questions or concerns you'd like me to touch on in the sermon on end of life matters, today or tomorrow would be great times to give me a call or an email. Of course, there will be other opportunities, I'm sure, but this is a good one. Today's passage is a Psalm traditionally credited to Moses. It's a reflection on the fragility of human life. Even though the days sometimes drag, our life passes quickly. In the rush and frustration of that, we put our trust in God, who is eternal. When we remember how short life is, we realize each moment, each opportunity to love and share and savor is precious.

God bless,
Sam

Psalm 90:1-17

Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

You turn us back to dust, and say, “Turn back, you mortals.”

For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past,

or like a watch in the night.

You sweep them away; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning;

in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.

For we are consumed by your anger; by your wrath we are overwhelmed.

You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your countenance.

For all our days pass away under your wrath; our years come to an end like a sigh.

The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong;

even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.

Who considers the power of your anger? Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.

So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart.

Turn, O Lord! How long? Have compassion on your servants!

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,

so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us,

and as many years as we have seen evil.

Let your work be manifest to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,

and prosper for us the work of our hands— O prosper the work of our hands!

Be still and know

Good morning brothers and sisters,
Today's Psalm is a favorite of mine for facing change, and aging is a change. No matter what happens, we can trust God to be with us and to guide us. Whether we listen to that guidance is up to us.

God bless,
Sam

Psalm 46:1-11

¹God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

²Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, 

though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;

³though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah

⁴There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, 

the holy habitation of the Most High.

⁵God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; 

God will help it when the morning dawns.

⁶The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.

⁷The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

⁸Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.

⁹He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; 

he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.

¹⁰“Be still, and know that I am God! 

I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.”

¹¹The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

power of fear

Good evening friends,
Today many of our Orthodox brothers and sisters are celebrating Christmas, so it's a great night to give thanks for their rich tradition of faith and ritual. Our reading for today continues yesterday's reading about the visit of the wise men to the baby Jesus. We see King Herod's desperation to hold on to power. The power of fear is a terrible thing. May we trust God and leave fear aside.

God bless,
Sam


Matthew 2:13-23
¹³Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” ¹⁴Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, ¹⁵and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”

¹⁶When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. ¹⁷Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: ¹⁸“A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”

¹⁹When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ²⁰“Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” ²¹Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. ²²But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. ²³There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazorean.”

The Lord is my light and salvation; whom shall I fear?

Good evening friends,
First, a huge thank you to all the folks who made a successful dinner and talent show possible. Especially, I want to thank Karen Kingsbury, Bob Hicks, Donna Gipner, Karen Simpson, Lea Smith, Gabby, Scott Fralick, Amy Nowack and Michelle Hicks. It was a really fun evening with opportunities to watch many different talents and share great fellowship with the community.

Today's reading is a look at trusting God from a different angle. We need to trust God most when things are not going well, and we can trust God. Even if all our friends abandon us, God will not leave us alone. Both the opening and closing lines of this Psalm are favorites of mine, words I turn to when I am confused or afraid: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?...Wait for the Lord, be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord.

May we learn to trust and wait in this season and always,
Sam


Psalm 27:1-14
¹The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? ²When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh— my adversaries and foes— they shall stumble and fall. ³Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.

⁴One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. ⁵For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.

⁶Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord. ⁷Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! ⁸“Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!” Your face, Lord, do I seek. ⁹Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation! ¹⁰If my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up.

¹¹Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. ¹²Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence. ¹³I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. ¹⁴Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

be still

Good evening friends,
Sorry this is getting out so late today. Since Advent is about waiting and preparing for Jesus, and especially since Sunday's sermon is about making time to wait when the world seems like it's moving too fast, I thought some Psalm's about waiting would be appropriate. Today's Psalm is about trusting God to take care of us. The closing stanza is a word of hope for many people in tough or confusing times. God says to us, "Be still and know that I am God."

It's hard to be still when everything is in motion. It's hard to know that God is God when everything seems uncertain. But when we just trust God to be God, it takes an enormous weight off our shoulders. When we trust God, we realize that a lot of our worry comes from trying to take God's place in different areas of our lives. God is God, and we are in God's hands. Don't you feel more relaxed just remembering that?

God bless,
Sam

Psalm 46:1-11
¹God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. ²Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
³though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

⁴There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. ⁵God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.

⁶The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
⁷The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

⁸Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth. ⁹He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.

¹⁰“Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” ¹¹The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

knowledge of love and love beyond knowledge

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Tonight at 7 at Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church we will have an opportunity to worship with our neighboring churches for Thanksgiving. It should be a fun worship service and a great opportunity to get to know our neighbors. I hope to see you there.

Our reading today is Paul's prayer that the Christians in Ephesus would come to understand God's amazing love in Christ. He also prays that they would come to know that love even beyond the power of knowledge. Knowledge is important, but the most important thing we can know is that God loves us. The more we know that, the more we can trust God and the less fear can touch us.

God bless,
Sam

Ephesians 3:14-21

¹⁴For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. ¹⁶I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, ¹⁷and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.

¹⁸I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. ²⁰Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

children or adults

Good evening brothers and sisters,
Paul continues his argument that quarreling and division is a sign of poor spiritual life. Teachers, pastors and other leaders are God's servants to build up the church, but it is all about God. The teachers we follow can make a big difference in our life, but the foundation of our life is Jesus. As the election draws closer, let's remember what is important. We are each made in God's image; we are brothers and sisters in Christ. Our political opinions are important, but they are not ultimate.

God bless,
Sam

1 Corinthians 3:1-10

And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. ²I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, ³for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? ⁴For when one says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely human? 

⁵What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. ⁶I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. ⁷So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. ⁸The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. ⁹For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building. ¹⁰According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it.

David and Saul

Good morning brothers and sisters,
David's defeat of Goliath was the beginning of his rise to fame in Israel. As we see today, it was also the beginning of his difficulties with King Saul. Saul quickly became jealous of David, a fact that gives shape to the rest of First Samuel. We'll watch David and Saul alternate between love and distrust, even to the point of violence. In all this we will see political maneuvering and the mysterious guidance of God.

Blessings on your day,
Sam

1 Samuel 18:1-16

When David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. ²Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. ³Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. ⁴Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that he was wearing, and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. ⁵David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him; as a result, Saul set him over the army. And all the people, even the servants of Saul, approved.

⁶As they were coming home, when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. ⁷And the women sang to one another as they made merry, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” ⁸Saul was very angry, for this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands; what more can he have but the kingdom?” ⁹So Saul eyed David from that day on. ¹⁰The next day an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand; ¹¹and Saul threw the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.

¹²Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. ¹³So Saul removed him from his presence, and made him a commander of a thousand; and David marched out and came in, leading the army. ¹⁴David had success in all his undertakings; for the Lord was with him. ¹⁵When Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in awe of him. ¹⁶But all Israel and Judah loved David; for it was he who marched out and came in leading them.

...there's gonna be a floody, floody...

Good afternoon brothers and sisters,
Today's reading actually gets Noah and his family into the ark to survive the flood God sends. It's hard to imagine being cooped up in a small space with all those animals. It's also hard to imagine what Noah's neighbors would have said as he built a giant ship in the middle of the desert. His courage and faithfulness are pretty amazing.
blessings on your faithfulness,
Sam

Genesis 7:1-12

Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation. ²Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and its mate; and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and its mate; ³and seven pairs of the birds of the air also, male and female, to keep their kind alive on the face of all the earth. ⁴For in seven days I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights; and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.”

⁵And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him. ⁶Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came on the earth. ⁷And Noah with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. ⁸Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, ⁹two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. ¹⁰And after seven days the waters of the flood came on the earth. ¹¹In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. ¹²The rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.

not a spirit of cowardice

Good morning brothers and sisters,
You've probably heard me talk about the letters to Timothy before, but just in case: Timothy was one of Paul's favorite protegees. The two clearly had a close relationship and Paul mentored Timothy as a young leader of the church. Here Paul talks about our calling as Christians, which is not a calling to timid faith but to bold trust in God. Even when things are challenging, we can trust that the God we put our trust in is worthy of that trust. We are ultimately safe in God's loving arms, so we are free to follow and proclaim Christ boldly.

God bless,
Sam

2 Timothy 1:1-14

Paul, 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.

doubting Thomas

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Today's reading comes from John's account of Jesus' resurrection. In John, Jesus appears first to Mary Magdalene and then, in today's passage, to the 11 apostles. This is the story of "doubting" Thomas, a character many of us might identify with. Doubt is a part of faith, but trusting Jesus goes deeper than our doubts. Don't let your doubts make you feel like you're not a disciple, because discipleship is about the journey. At the same time, doubts that keep us from moving forward do hinder our development as people and as believers. When doubt leads to exploration and growth, it's a huge blessing. Take your doubts to God in prayer and study; you may be surprised what you learn.

God bless,
Sam

John 20:19-31

¹⁹When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. ²¹Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” ²²When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” ²⁴But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” 

²⁶A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” ²⁸Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” ³⁰Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. ³¹But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

faith and works

Good morning friends and happy leap day,
Our passage for today has a controversial history in the church dating from the protestant reformation. The reformers like Luther and Calvin were guided by a few core commitments. One of the most important was that people are saved by God's grace alone through faith instead of by their good deeds. This belief continues to be important in our Presbyterian tradition. Since James emphasizes that faith without works is dead, this passage was often used as evidence against the reformers' focus on faith.

In reality, there isn't a conflict because James is right and the reformers agreed with him. Faith doesn't just mean believing something; it means being committed to something and putting our trust in something. So believing that God exists is one thing; as James says, even demons believe. But having faith in God is something else entirely. Faith in God means we trust and commit to following God. That means our faith will be reflected in our actions, so people can see our faith by how we serve our neighbors.

God bless,
Sam

James 2:14-19

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? ¹⁵If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, ¹⁶and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? ¹⁷So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. ¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. ¹⁹You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder.

as the deer

Good morning friends,
Today's reading is the basis of one of our songs for worship on Sunday. The writer has a strong relationship with God, but feels like God is far away. She also feels persecuted by enemies, some of whom used to be her friends. She remembers better times when she had the respect of her community, but now she feels alone and like everyone makes fun of her. People even pick on her because of her faith. The beauty of the psalm is its honesty about hardship and the psalmist's trust in God even when times are hard. I pray your day is easier than the psalmists, but that your faith would be strengthened and encouraged by hers.

God bless,
Sam

Psalm 42

¹As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. ²My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? ³My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me continually, “Where is your God?”

⁴These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I went with the throng, and led them in procession to the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival. ⁵Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help ⁶and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

⁷Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me. ⁸By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. ⁹I say to God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?” ¹⁰As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, “Where is your God?”

¹¹Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.

Deborah and Barak

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Deborah, the judge of Israel, encouraged Barak to lead the army of Israel against the the Canaanite King Jabin and his general, Sisera. Today we see that Barak agrees to go, but only if Deborah goes with him. Deborah seems disappointed in this response, maybe because Barak doesn't show enough trust in God. As we'll see, God does fight for Israel to save them. There are lots of place names here that can throw us off; some Bibles have maps in them, but in this case you can also just ignore them without missing too much. My suspicion is that some of these places won't even be on most maps of the Bible. Just enjoy the story as it unfolds. For those of us who are used to a more peaceful ethic, these violent passages can be challenging. I'm grateful that Jesus is the Prince of Peace, but also grateful that God can save the weak from more powerful enemies.

God bless,
Sam

Joshua 4:8-16

⁸Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” ⁹And she said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.

¹⁰Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and ten thousand warriors went up behind him; and Deborah went up with him. ¹¹Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the other Kenites, that is, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had encamped as far away as Elon-bezaanannim, which is near Kedesh. ¹²When Sisera was told that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, ¹³Sisera called out all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the troops who were with him, from Harosheth-ha-goiim to the Wadi Kishon.

¹⁴Then Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day on which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. The Lord is indeed going out before you.” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand warriors following him. ¹⁵And the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and all his army into a panic before Barak; Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot, ¹⁶while Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-ha-goiim. All the army of Sisera fell by the sword; no one was left.

more end thoughts

Good morning brothers and sisters,
Jesus continues his discussion of the "end of the age" in our passage for today. The big take away point to me is that the end will be scary and sudden, but God also takes our needs into account. It will also be a blessing because with the end, God's kingdom comes in power and everything will be made right. We can't predict the end, and Jesus himself felt it would come sooner than it has. We know God doesn't see time the same way we do.

The important thing when we think about judgment and the conclusion of history is that God will bring it at the right time. The appropriate attitude for us is trust because the end of time is in God's hands and God is more loving than we can imagine. There's also an appropriate level of urgency for our ministry because regardless of when the end comes, each day might be our last, so there's no point in waiting to do what we know we are called to do. Also, every day people we know face the day without the hope and joy that comes from knowing Christ. Today God might put an opportunity in your path to share a glimpse of that hope and love with someone.

God bless,
Sam

Matthew 24:12-22

¹²And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold.¹³But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ¹⁴And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.

¹⁵“So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), ¹⁶then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; ¹⁷the one on the housetop must not go down to take what is in the house; ¹⁸the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. ¹⁹Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! ²⁰Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. ²¹For at that time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. ²²And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

prayer and growth

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Jesus teaches the disciples about prayer in our passage for today. This passage is a troubling passage for those of us who have ever had a prayer not answered. At the same time, the Christian prayer that guides all others asks for God's will to be done. Prayer is effective, but not always the way we want or expect it to be. What I know from my own journey is that the more I pray the more I find myself in synch with God. I trust that process will continue in my life and I hope for the same in your life.

God bless,
Sam

Matthew 21:18-22

18In the morning, when he returned to the city, he was hungry. 19And seeing a fig tree by the side of the road, he went to it and found nothing at all on it but leaves. Then he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. 20When the disciples saw it, they were amazed, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21Jesus answered them, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done. 22Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.”