correct worship

Good afternoon friends,

Jesus and the Samaritan woman talk about worship, and Jesus tells her that he is the Messiah. He hasn't been that staightforward with anyone else before this point. It's remarkable that Jesus choses someone out Israel for this revelation. God is full of surprises, and the human categories that divide us don't mean anything to God. The passage is also a good reminder that worship is not about how or what we do, but about our spiritual connection with God.

Blessings,
Sam

John 4:19-27

¹⁹The woman said to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet. ²⁰Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.”   ²¹Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 

²²You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. ²³But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. ²⁴God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 

²⁵The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” ²⁶Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.” ²⁷Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you speaking with her?” 

horses and judgment

Good morning sisters and brothers,

Tomorrow evening at 7 we are joining in a worship service for Christian Unity. The service will be co-led with folks from our North East Church Cluster neighbors (Episcopal, Methodist, Lutheran and Catholic Churches) and will focus on how we are one church even though we are different. The service takes place at St. Mark's and St. John's Episcopal Church on the corner of Culver and Rosewood. I hope you can make it.

Today's passage continues the judgment of the world. As we read these pretty horrifying passages I think about how much in our world stands against God's desire for a loving, peaceful world. We are so tied to greed and selfishness that only drastic measures can bring about a new government of peace. 

God bless,
Sam

Revelation 9:13-21

¹³Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, ¹⁴saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” ¹⁵So the four angels were released, who had been held ready for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, to kill a third of humankind.

¹⁶The number of the troops of cavalry was two hundred million; I heard their number.  ¹⁷And this was how I saw the horses in my vision: the riders wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur; the heads of the horses were like lions’ heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. ¹⁸By these three plagues a third of humankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. ¹⁹For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they inflict harm. 

²⁰The rest of humankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands or give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.²¹And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their fornication or their thefts.

Good morning friends,

Merry Christmas to you! Tonight, I hope many of you can join us for Christmas Eve worship at 7pm. It's a joyful celebration of God's love with music and the wonderful story of Jesus' birth. Our reading today tells a piece of the lead up to that story. Joseph and Mary were engaged and Mary became pregnant, but not by Joseph. Mary knew this was from the Holy Spirit, but Joseph had to make the obvious assumption. As often, God doesn't leave this story the way it was going. Joseph is a character we don't learn much about, but this small story gives us some insight into this brave and faithful man. May you find new strength in the amazing gift of Jesus this season.

God bless,
Sam

Matthew 1:18-25

¹⁸Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 

²⁰But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ²²All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ²³“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” ²⁴When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, ²⁵but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

worship and life

Good morning friends,

Today's reading gives us more of the Prophet Isaiah. Speaking through Isaiah, God warns Israel that all the worship and sacrifice in the world can't make up for the violence and oppression the people are committing. God cares more about our actions than our religious ceremony. That doesn't mean worship is useless, only that we have to practice what we preach and live our faith all week.

God bless,

Sam

Isaiah: 1:1-15

The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.²Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. ³The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib; but Israel does not know, my people do not understand. 

⁴Ah, sinful nation, people laden with iniquity, offspring who do evil, children who deal corruptly, who have forsaken the Lord, who have despised the Holy One of Israel, who are utterly estranged! ⁵Why do you seek further beatings? Why do you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.⁶From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and bleeding wounds; they have not been drained, or bound up, or softened with oil. ⁷Your country lies desolate, your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence aliens devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners. ⁸And daughter Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a shelter in a cucumber field, like a besieged city. ⁹If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we would have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah.

¹⁰Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! ¹¹What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. ¹²When you come to appear before me, who asked this from your hand? Trample my courts no more; ¹³bringing offerings is futile; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation— I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity. ¹⁴Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them.¹⁵When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.

welcoming the world, part 2

Good morning friends,

Today's reading continues the thought from yesterday about the nations coming to worship in Jerusalem. 

God bless,

Sam

Isaiah 60:9-14

⁹For the coastlands shall wait for me, the ships of Tarshish first, to bring your children from far away, their silver and gold with them, for the name of the Lord your God, and for the Holy One of Israel, because he has glorified you. ¹⁰Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in my wrath I struck you down, but in my favor I have had mercy on you. ¹¹Your gates shall always be open; day and night they shall not be shut, so that nations shall bring you their wealth, with their kings led in procession.

¹²For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid waste. ¹³The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the plane, and the pine, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will glorify where my feet rest. ¹⁴The descendants of those who oppressed you shall come bending low to you, and all who despised you shall bow down at your feet; they shall call you the City of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

the way of the wicked

Good morning friends,

Monday we read the beginning of Psalm 73, where the author talks about how it often seems like the wicked do better in life than the righteous. As we continue we'll see that line of thought continue. We'll also see how the psalmist started to see things in a different way.

God bless,

Sam

Psalm 73:10-28

¹⁰Therefore the people turn and praise them, and find no fault in them.¹¹And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”¹²Such are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.

¹³All in vain I have kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.¹⁴For all day long I have been plagued, and am punished every morning.

¹⁵If I had said, “I will talk on in this way,” I would have been untrue to the circle of your children. ¹⁶But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, ¹⁷until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end. ¹⁸Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin. ¹⁹How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors! ²⁰They are like a dream when one awakes; on awaking you despise their phantoms.

²¹When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, ²²I was stupid and ignorant; I was like a brute beast toward you. ²³Nevertheless I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. ²⁴You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me with honor. ²⁵Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you. ²⁶My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. ²⁷Indeed, those who are far from you will perish; you put an end to those who are false to you. ²⁸But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, to tell of all your works.

Good evening friends, 

Today's reading gives us the Prophet Amos warning Israel about where their actions are leading them. God gives us a lot of freedom, but we are responsible for how we use that freedom. God (through Isaiah) warns Israel that worship, religion, and sacrifice are not the most important part of being faithful. The most important part of being faithful is treating others with justice and righteousness. When we treat our neighbors unjustly, even if we spend all our time in church, we're really worshiping an idol, and we'll be held responsible for that.

God bless,

Sam

Amos 5:16-27

¹⁶Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord: In all the squares there shall be wailing; and in all the streets they shall say, “Alas! alas!” They shall call the farmers to mourning, and those skilled in lamentation, to wailing; ¹⁷in all the vineyards there shall be wailing, for I will pass through the midst of you, says the Lord. ¹⁸Alas for you who desire the day of the Lord! Why do you want the day of the Lord? It is darkness, not light; ¹⁹as if someone fled from a lion, and was met by a bear; or went into the house and rested a hand against the wall, and was bitten by a snake. ²⁰Is not the day of the Lord darkness, not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?

²¹I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. ²²Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. ²³Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps.

²⁴But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream. ²⁵Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? ²⁶You shall take up Sakkuth your king, and Kaiwan your star-god, your images, which you made for yourselves; ²⁷therefore I will take you into exile beyond Damascus, says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts.

prepare the way

Good morning friends,
One last reminder, a group of folks from UPT are going to hold a short worship service in front of the Rochester City School District office this morning at 8. The office is at 131 W. Broad downtown; that's just west of Broad and Plymouth on the south side of Broad St. There will be plenty of parking nearby. We're worshiping there as an opening to our observance of the Children's Sabbath, a day set apart for lifting up the needs of children in our community. So come, sing, raise your voice for children and for justice.

Today's reading introduces us to John the Baptist, one of the most powerful voices for justice in the New Testament. John came to call people to repentance and prepare the way for Christ. May we hear his word for our generation as well.

God bless,
Sam

Luke 3:1-6

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, ²during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

³He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, ⁴as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. ⁵Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; ⁶and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

economics and theology

Good afternoon friends,
Today's reading tells another story about opposition to the gospel. In this case the opposition comes from gentiles and its heart is economic. As often happens, the people making the criticism mask their economic concern with a concern about the appropriate worship of the Goddess Artemis. Often when we get upset the real causes can get mixed up with other things. The first step in resolving a problem is figuring out what the real problem is.

God bless,
Sam

Acts 19:21-34

21 Now after these things had been accomplished, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go through Macedonia and Achaia, and then to go on to Jerusalem. He said, ‘After I have gone there, I must also see Rome.’ ²²So he sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself stayed for some time longer in Asia.

23 About that time no little disturbance broke out concerning the Way. ²⁴A man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the artisans. ²⁵These he gathered together, with the workers of the same trade, and said, ‘Men, you know that we get our wealth from this business. ²⁶You also see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost the whole of Asia this Paul has persuaded and drawn away a considerable number of people by saying that gods made with hands are not gods. ²⁷And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be scorned, and she will be deprived of her majesty that brought all Asia and the world to worship her.’

28 When they heard this, they were enraged and shouted, ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’ ²⁹The city was filled with the confusion; and people rushed together to the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s travelling-companions. ³⁰Paul wished to go into the crowd, but the disciples would not let him; ³¹even some officials of the province of Asia, who were friendly to him, sent him a message urging him not to venture into the theatre. 

³²Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing, some another; for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. ³³Some of the crowd gave instructions to Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed forward. And Alexander motioned for silence and tried to make a defence before the people. ³⁴But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours all of them shouted in unison, ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’

God in creation

Good afternoon friends,
As we talk about evangelism in different cultures in Acts, we'll take a quick detour over the next couple of days to look at the gospel's call and power for all people in Paul's letter to the Romans. This is one of the most important letters in the Bible for clearly explaining the meaning of the gospel. In today's passage Paul explains that nature and the world itself testify to God enough that even without teaching, we should be able to recognize God. Instead of searching for the God of the universe, we tend to create our own gods and look to them to try to control our world. God is the only one who deserves our worship. We'll see where Paul goes with this argument tomorrow.

God bless,
Sam

Romans 1:16-25

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁷For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. ¹⁹For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. ²⁰Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; ²¹for though they knew God, they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. ²²Claiming to be wise, they became fools; ²³and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, ²⁵because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen.

agreeing to disagree

Good morning church,
Today's reading shows us Paul advising the church on how to handle differences in religious observance in the church. The short version: "Honor God with your worship and choices and don't worry about how other people live or worship; that's between them and God." There are always different ways of doing things, and faithful Christians will not always agree. That's OK. God's bigger than we are in every way.

God bless,
Sam


Romans 14:1-6
Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarrelling 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.


5 Some 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.

I was glad when they said, "Let us go to the house of the Lord."

Good afternoon friends,
Today's reading is one of several Psalms called Psalms of Ascent. What that means is they were songs sung by pilgrims as they came to the end of their journey to worship in the temple in Jerusalem. The psalmist in this case rejoices in the beauty of Jerusalem and the opportunity to worship with the other people of God in God's house. Do we feel the same joy when we come to the house of the Lord? How could we open ourselves to that joy more?

God bless,
Sam

Psalm 122

¹I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

²Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.

³Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together.

⁴To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

⁵For there the thrones for judgment were set up, the thrones of the house of David.

⁶Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.

⁷Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.”

⁸For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you.”

⁹For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.

renewal

Good afternoon sisters and brothers,
We've been reading about how Hannah and Elkanah gave their son Samuel to God at the temple of Shiloh. Today we hear about the state of worship at the sanctuary. While Eli was a faithful priest, his sons were not. As the story continues from there we'll see that Samuel is God's instrument for renewal and reform in Israel's faith.

God bless,
Sam

1 Samuel 2:11-21
¹¹Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, while the boy remained to minister to the Lord, in the presence of the priest Eli. ¹²Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord ¹³or for the duties of the priests to the people. When anyone offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, ¹⁴and he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.

¹⁵Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the one who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.” ¹⁶And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first, and then take whatever you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now; if not, I will take it by force.” ¹⁷Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord; for they treated the offerings of the Lord with contempt.

¹⁸Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy wearing a linen ephod. ¹⁹His mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year, when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. ²⁰Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the Lord repay you with children by this woman for the gift that she made to the Lord”; and then they would return to their home. ²¹And the Lord took note of Hannah; she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

asked of the Lord

Good afternoon friends,
We read yesterday about Hannah's prayer for a son; today we see that prayer fulfilled. Hannah in tern fulfills her promise to God. As soon as she weans her son, Samuel, she brings him to the temple in Shiloh and leaves him with Eli, the priest. It's hard to imagine giving a child to someone who is almost a stranger to raise and care for. It's hard to imagine wanting a child so badly and then trusting him to someone else. But somehow, that is how God's story continues. What can we learn from Hannah about loving a child and loving God?

God bless,
Sam


1 Samuel 1:19-28
¹⁹They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. ²⁰In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I have asked him of the Lord.” ²¹The man Elkanah and all his household went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and to pay his vow. ²²But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, that he may appear in the presence of the Lord, and remain there forever; I will offer him as a nazirite for all time.” ²³Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do what seems best to you, wait until you have weaned him; only—may the Lord establish his word.”


So the woman remained and nursed her son, until she weaned him. ²⁴When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. She brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was young. ²⁵Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. ²⁶And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. ²⁷For this child I prayed; and the Lord has granted me the petition that I made to him. ²⁸Therefore I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.” She left him there for the Lord.

Elijah and Baal

Good morning brothers and sisters,
When Ahab and Elijah meet, it is obvious the two don't care much for each other. Elijah dislikes Ahab for his worship of other gods, while Ahab feels threatened by Elijah's message. Elijah proposes a contest between God and Baal, so he assembles the people and the prophets of Baal to see which god is supreme. The first part of the contest is in today's reading; we'll finish the story tomorrow.

Blessings on the new week,
Sam

1 Kings 18:16-29

¹⁷When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” ¹⁸He answered, “I have not troubled Israel; but you have, and your father’s house, because you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. ¹⁹Now therefore have all Israel assemble for me at Mount Carmel, with the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” ²⁰So Ahab sent to all the Israelites, and assembled the prophets at Mount Carmel.

²¹Elijah then came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” The people did not answer him a word. ²²Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets number four hundred fifty. ²³Let two bulls be given to us; let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it; I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. ²⁴Then you call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the Lord; the god who answers by fire is indeed God.” All the people answered, “Well spoken!”

²⁵Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many; then call on the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” ²⁶So they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, crying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no answer. They limped about the altar that they had made. ²⁷At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” ²⁸Then they cried aloud and, as was their custom, they cut themselves with swords and lances until the blood gushed out over them. ²⁹As midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice, no answer, and no response.

political worship

Good morning brothers and sisters

Now that Jeroboam and Israel are separate from Judah and Rehoboam, Jeroboam worries that worshiping in Jerusalem will lead his people back to their brothers and sisters. As a result, he builds new houses of worship for Israel, which is a problem. The author of 1 and 2 Kings will refer to this worship decision as the “sin of Jeroboam” throughout the story. Notice that Jeroboam makes the decision not based on religious reasons but based on geography and political power. The reality is that political rulers can’t control religion and stay faithful to God.

Blessings,

Sam

1 Kings 12:25-33

²⁵Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and resided there; he went out from there and built Penuel. ²⁶Then Jeroboam said to himself, “Now the kingdom may well revert to the house of David. ²⁷If this people continues to go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, the heart of this people will turn again to their master, King Rehoboam of Judah; they will kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah.” ²⁸So the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold. He said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”

²⁹He set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. ³⁰And this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one at Bethel and before the other as far as Dan. ³¹He also made houses on high places, and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not Levites. ³²Jeroboam appointed a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month like the festival that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar; so he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made. ³³He went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month that he alone had devised; he appointed a festival for the people of Israel, and he went up to the altar to offer incense.

training in godliness

Good morning friends,
Today's reading is another piece of advice for Timothy, a young leader in the church whom Paul mentored. I really value the tenderness and encouragement. This is great support for a leader working hard in a community of faith. Two things Paul lifts up are the importance of training in godliness. Our faith is something we have to practice and work at. It doesn't just happen. Any work we do to become more faithful is more than worth the time we put into it. He also emphasizes the importance of scripture, both because it is part of the training in godliness and because he encourages Timothy to read scripture publicly as an important part of his ministry. That's a good reminder for our daily lives as well.

Blessings on your journey today,
Sam

1 Timothy 4:6-16

6 If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed. ⁷Have nothing to do with profane myths and old wives’ tales. Train yourself in godliness, ⁸for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. ⁹The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. ¹⁰For to this end we toil and struggle, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

11 These are the things you must insist on and teach. ¹²Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. ¹³Until I arrive, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching. ¹⁴Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. ¹⁵Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. ¹⁶Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.

emptied himself

Good morning friends,

Yesterday we saw how the Roman rulers and religious authorities used power. To protect their interests they nailed Jesus to a cross because they felt threatened by him. In direct contrast, today’s reading shows how Jesus sees and uses power. Jesus had all the power in the universe but instead of clinging to it he gave it up for us.

Many scholars believe the core of this passage may have been an early hymn of praise. It is certainly beautiful and memorable poetry as well as powerful truth. I pray Christ’s love would fill your heart today and every day.

God bless,
Sam

Philippians 2:4-11

⁴Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. ⁵Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, ⁷but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form, ⁸he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. ⁹Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

creatures and the creator

Good morning sisters and brothers,
First, with a few hitches last week we didn't end up starting our discussion of I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church. Tomorrow we'll remedy that with an after worship discussion and lunch across the street at the Boulevard. We'll visit for a little while in Christler Hall before heading over to dig into a great book. I still have copies, so even if you haven't started reading you're more than welcome to join in now; it won't take you long to catch up. We'll be talking about the introduction tomorrow.

Today's reading from Romans sets the stage for this towering letter. Paul begins by explaining how everyone has the chance to see God's majesty through the glory of creation, but many people choose to turn away from God. Instead of worshiping God, people set up idols to give holiness to our own ideas. Idols aren't limited to pagan cultures of the past, even people who take their faith seriously can fall into idolatry and put pieces of the world ahead of God. This reading pairs with the second chapter, which warns religious people that they are not safe from sin either. With that in mind, Paul argues that everyone falls short of God's calling, so we all need Christ's grace.

Blessings on your weekend,
Sam

Romans 1:16-25

¹⁶For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁷For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.” ¹⁸For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth.

¹⁹For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. ²⁰Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; ²¹for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened.

²²Claiming to be wise, they became fools; ²³and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. ²⁴Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, ²⁵because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Ash Wednesday

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the reflective season of Lent. Seasons in the church year are great opportunities to renew our focus on our faith and discipleship. At Laurelton we're kicking off the season with two reflective (and short) worship services and a 24 hour prayer vigil. The first service and the vigil starts at noon today in the sanctuary, and the second service begins at 6:40. Folks will be taking hour-long "shifts" to pray. Feel free to come by whenever, and to pray for whatever is on your heart. I'll be at the church the whole time so you never have to be alone.

Today's reading is a good reminder for Lent, when it's traditional (and still often useful) to fast as part of our spiritual preparation. God tells the people that denying themselves isn't any good if they use it as an excuse to be cranky or to show off their devotion. The point of fasting and worship is to come closer and glorify God. All our devotion is meaningless if it doesn't lead us to work for justice for those in need. We can't praise God and ignore our neighbor.

God bless,
Sam

Isaiah 58:1-12

¹   Shout out, do not hold back!
          Lift up your voice like a trumpet!
     Announce to my people their rebellion,
          to the house of Jacob their sins.
²   Yet day after day they seek me
          and delight to know my ways,
     as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness
          and did not forsake the ordinance of their God;
     they ask of me righteous judgments,
          they delight to draw near to God.
³   “Why do we fast, but you do not see?
          Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?”
     Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day,
          and oppress all your workers.
⁴   Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
          and to strike with a wicked fist.
     Such fasting as you do today
          will not make your voice heard on high.
⁵   Is such the fast that I choose,
          a day to humble oneself?
     Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush,
          and to lie in sackcloth and ashes?
     Will you call this a fast,
          a day acceptable to the LORD?

⁶   Is not this the fast that I choose:
          to loose the bonds of injustice,
          to undo the thongs of the yoke,
     to let the oppressed go free,
          and to break every yoke?
⁷   Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
          and bring the homeless poor into your house;
     when you see the naked, to cover them,
          and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
⁸   Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
          and your healing shall spring up quickly;
     your vindicator shall go before you,
          the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
⁹   Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
          you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.

     If you remove the yoke from among you,
          the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
¹⁰  if you offer your food to the hungry
          and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
     then your light shall rise in the darkness
          and your gloom be like the noonday.
¹¹  The LORD will guide you continually,
          and satisfy your needs in parched places,
          and make your bones strong;
     and you shall be like a watered garden,
          like a spring of water,
          whose waters never fail.
¹²  Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
          you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
     you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
          the restorer of streets to live in.