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Loving Our Neighbors like God

Psalm 146: 1-10, Mark 12:28-34 The psalmist in Psalm 146 gives praises to the Lord for all the great things God has done and continues to do. In comparing this passage with Mark 12 where Christ talks about the greatest commandment it is not only to love God with your whole being but to exercise that love to others – to your neighbor. In the account in Luke 10 a scribe asks, “Who is my neighbor?” to which Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan. Why does the psalmist praise the Lord? It’s because of the love God shows to God’s children. God is trustworthy – not like many the leaders of whom we are not to put our trust in. But our help and hope come out of God’s love for us. God is faithful and just. Here some of our neighbors are mentioned: the oppressed, the hungry, the prisoner, the blind, the immigrants, the orphan, and the widow. God takes care of them, loving the righteous. In Mark 12 Jesus tells us the first greatest commandment is to love the one true God with all our h
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Wiping Away Tears

  Isaiah 25:6-9, Revelation 21:1-5a   It was hard choosing which two Lectionary readings to write on this week. The gospel story of the Rising of Lazarus is one of my favorites. But since I’ve touched on that account in the past I was drawn to the Isaiah and Revelation passages that talk about wiping away tears. Isaiah prophecies of a time to come where the Lord of Hosts will make a feast of the best foods for all people. Earlier in verse 4 it tells how the enemies of the Lord will be defeated and the poor, needy, and distressed championed. Then it is said that the Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces and disgrace will be removed. Not only this great feast for all but the Lord will swallow up death forever. Salvation has come to those who have waited on the Lord. Instead of tears they will be glad and rejoice in God’s salvation. In Revelation we have John’s vision of God’s final salvation coming. He sees a new heaven and a new earth. A voice tells him this is the home of
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Job’s Restoration/David’s Redemption

  Job 42:1-6, 10-17; Psalms 34:1-8, 19-22   After Job has a long talk from God, Job answers acknowledging his own lack of knowledge compared with God’s. He talks about uttering things he did not understand. Now after hearing and seeing God he repents in dust and ashes. What is his reward for this humility? God not only delivers him from all his troubles, but God restores his fortunes twice as much as he had before. He lives till 140 seeing four generations. In the 34 th Psalm, David praises God for deliverance from trouble. He addresses the myth that the righteous have no troubles – just ask Job. David says in verse 19 that many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord will rescue them from them all. He brings up the point, however, that God is with us during our struggles. This suffering soul cried out and was heard by God who saved him from every trouble. He tells how the angel of the Lord surrounds those who fear him and delivers them. Verse 8 talks about tasting to
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Reverent Submission II

Mark 10:35-45, Hebrews 5:1-10 In the gospel of Mark, James and John ask Jesus if they could have the high status of sitting next to Christ in glory. In answer Christ asks the question of whether they can drink the cup – basically go through the same suffering Jesus will go through and be metaphorically baptized by fire like Christ will be. To this they reply yes. Jesus confirms that they will actually do so – little do they realize what this will mean. However, he can not appoint who will sit next to him, only God can. The other ten disciples when they hear of this arrogance of James and John become angry with them. Jesus turns this into a teaching moment turning the hierarchy of the world upside down. He says he who wants to be great must be a servant. In regard to James and John wanting first place in the seating Christ says who ever wishes to be first must be a slave of all. He hits them with a surprising sentence – something they didn’t expect. It is that he, the Son of Man, ca
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God Our High Priest, Mediator

Job 9:1-4,14-16,32-35; Hebrews 4:14-16 Job’s complaint in chapter 9 is that there is no way he can reach God to take God to court to declare his innocence. He is not sure that if he summoned God that God would answer. In verse 29 Job says, “What’s the use of trying.” Then he states what our Hebrew scripture will later fulfill. “If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together…then I could speak to God without fear.” But Job bemoans he can’t do it in his own strength. Some translations use the word advocate for mediator – like a lawyer to help us in our defense. The Hebrew word can also be translated as umpire – an impartial judge who would make bargaining safe. Hebrews answers his plea, yet it comes years later after Christ has done his work on the cross for us bringing us justification to God. Jesus is said to be the great high priest. In the Old Testament the Israelites would offer sacrifices to a priest who would forgive their sins. This is no longer
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Being Put to the Test

  Psalms 26, Job 1:6-22 These two scriptures have been put together quite interestingly. In Psalms 26, David is asking to be tested while in Job the accuser, some believe to be the devil, asks that the righteous Job be put to the test. David is known as a man after God’s heart as expressed in this Psalm, but he is also known as one of the greatest sinners. Did David with Bathsheba stand up to the test? Job is described as blameless and upright. So, what is the temptation sent to him? It’s losing everything and terrible sores on his body. Yet he passes the test. He does not curse God. I love his statement that I myself was able to claim after I lost my dream car in an accident, “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” David in his Psalm gives reasons why he himself is blameless and upright. He talks about walking in integrity and faithfulness. Walking is a metaphor used to describe how one behaves in all aspects of life. He has unwavering trus
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Having Salt in Yourselves

  Mark 9:38-41, 49-50; James 5:13-20   The disciples are concerned. Someone who is not one of them is casting out demons in Christ’s name. Jesus here doesn’t agree with their exclusivity telling them to welcome those who are not against us since they are for us. This makes me think of the different denominations who serve the risen Christ. We are not to be against them since they are outside our group. Their goal is the same to serve Christ. Whoever welcomes you or gives you a cup of water because you bear the name of Christ will not lose their reward. Then Christ uses the metaphor of salt. If it’s good it does good, but if it loses its saltiness it isn’t effective anymore. So, Christ tells them to have salt in yourselves – concentrate on your own spiritual life versus condemning those who are not in your group. Be at peace with one another. This is counter to those who argue and are dogmatic about their point of view versus being peaceable. James tells us how to keep the salt in
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