4 Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." 6 Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy." 7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a boy'; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD." 9 Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the LORD said to me, "Now I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant."

all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had given to Israel. 2 Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 8 So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our LORD; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

In these short five verses the prophet delivers two very different prophecies. In the first two verses he addresses a confrontational prayer to the Lord on behalf of the people of Israel and particularly Jerusalem. The people of Jerusalem are suffering greatly. They have been allowed to return from exile in Babylon to their homes, but their homeland was devastated. Jerusalem had been destroyed 70 years earlier when their ancestors had been taken into exile. The temple, the city, the wall, and the farmlands were all in ruins, and they lacked the resources to begin anew. Their condition was akin to the conditions that the people of Haiti find themselves, and the Israelites had no international assistance to come to their rescue. The prophet promised to cry out to the Lord until vindication and salvation were received by his people.

            In the next 3 verses, the prophet described what that salvation and vindication would be like. The description is some of the most beautiful, metaphoric language in the bible. The culmination of his description was that the Lord would rename his people. No longer would they be named Forsaken and the land named Desolate, but they would be called My Delight Is in Her and the land would be called Married. The Hebrew word referring to the land and people married to the Lord is Beulah. Hence, the old hymn Dwelling in Beulah Land. Where could there ever be a better dwelling than a land that is married to the Lord? Salvation represents a totally new relationship with the Lord… “as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.”

            What fascinates me about this text is the response that the prophet anticipates from the people. Once Jerusalem is saved, all the nations will know about it because of the expected result; “her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch.” We Christians in America should rejoice in our salvation. We have all the material possessions that we could want, and we have the saving grace of Christ. Yet, where is the burning torch? We tend to hide our faith because we are embarrassed to share it with others. Maybe people will think that we are self-righteous. Perhaps, we only care about ourselves: “As long as I get to heaven, that is all that matters.” Currently, America is sharing our faith with the people of Haiti by providing assistance, but should we not also being sharing our faith by our witness to those around us who are in need of Christ in their lives? If you are being saved by Christ, let your torch burn so that others might see and believe, also.

1 But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.  4 Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life. 5 Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you; 6 I will say to the north, "Give them up," and to the south, "Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth -- 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."

Before reading this text in the bible, imagine yourself in the sandals of someone listening to the prophet. The reality was that conditions were pretty grim. The Israelites that were in captivity in Babylon had been allowed to move back to Jerusalem by the royal edict of the Persian King Cyrus. Their return had been prophesied by the prophets, especially as noted Isaiah chapters 40-55. The return did take place as prophesied, but the resettlement did not meet the expectations of the people. Not all the Jewish people scattered throughout the Mideast had been able to return. Those who did return faced great hardships. The city wall had not been completed, and the people were subjected to attack by surrounding, hostile neighbors. There was not enough food to go around, and even the temple was still in disrepair. The surrounding area was pretty desolate, and it seemed like it would take generations to recover the former glory of the City of David. This description was the context of the prophecy in this particular text. Now read the text.

            If conditions were as bad as I describe, how do you suppose a listener would respond to this glorious prophecy? Especially glorious are the parts about the nations bringing materials and wealth to Jerusalem and the return of relatives still scattered about the world. The prophet said that the people would rejoice when this happened: “your heart shall thrill and rejoice.” Listeners probably reacted with some disbelief, considering the reality of current conditions, but also with hope that the prophecy would prove true, and as soon as possible.

            However, there is a part of this prophecy that would be mind blowing and difficult to accept for a Jerusalemite of this era. A Jerusalemite could certainly welcome revenge against those who have been oppressing them, but the Lord had a different vision and plan. The Lord expected these former enemies to journey to Jerusalem and to worship alongside the Jews. This vision was totally outside of the comprehension of those who understood themselves to be the chosen people of the Lord. The Lord was the God of the Israelites, not the Gentiles.

            This attitude may seem very self-centered to us modern people. We know that Jesus Christ came to offer salvation to all people, not just a select group. However, we are splintered into a multitude of denominations that are unable or unwilling to worship together. A group of people have been known to pack up a leave a church over a minor dispute and start a new church rather than worship together. We also tend to congregate along racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic classifications. Do you think that in heaven there will be the Baptist and Pentecostal sections? Or will there be the section for rich folks separate from poor folks? Are there First Class and Coach Sections in Heaven? We had better get used to praising God together while we are on earth! Or we might all end up in the baggage bin in heaven.

18 Samuel was ministering before the LORD, a boy wearing a linen ephod. 19 His 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. 20 Then 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. 21 And  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. 22 Now Eli was very old. He heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 23 He said to them, "Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. 24 No, my sons; it is not a good report that I hear the people of the LORD spreading abroad. 25 If one person sins against another, someone can intercede for the sinner with the LORD; but if someone sins against the LORD, who can make intercession?" But they would not listen to the voice of their father; for it was the will of the LORD to kill them. 26 Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the LORD and with the people.

This story is primarily about God and his covenantal relationship with his people Israel during a serious transitional era in their history. Israel had been a loose confederation of tribes with only sporadic leadership provided by various judges that God raised up when enemies threatened. Now, the tribes were in the process of becoming a nation. The current leadership was vested in the priesthood of Eli and his sons Hophni and Phinehas in the temple in Shiloh. However, the extreme corruption of the two sons made that family unfit to continue to provide leadership for the people. So, God provided a new prophet, priest, and judge, who would lead Israel through this transition period… Samuel. The child Samuel was dedicated to God by his faithful mother Hannah who prayed to God for a boy child. After he was weaned she brought him to the priest Eli so that he might serve God in the temple in Shiloh. God’s covenant with and love for his people transcends all human failings. The failed leadership of the Eli family may have put a bump in the road for Israel’s progress, but God provided a new leader.

            At this point in the story of Samuel, Samuel had not yet spoken. Samuel “did not yet know the Lord”. God would call to him in the middle of the night (chapter 3), he would have plenty to say later, and God would “let none of his words fall to the ground.” (1 Samuel 3:19) Even though Samuel said nothing, this text is still about him. His relationship with God began even before he was born when his mother prayed for a child. He then spent his time “ministering before the Lord”, and he “continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people.” Therefore, by the time God called to Samuel in the middle of the night, he had served God before he knew God.

            This story is illustrative of our world. Many people run around saying that they cannot find God or God is absent or they see no evidence of God. It is as if they expect a bolt out of the blue; that is they expect God to just show up when they need him wherever they are and whatever they are doing. Yet, the Bible teaches us that many times God appears to those who are already serving him in his presence. This Biblical truth is why we go to worship service, learn in Sunday School, study the Bible, pray, and lead Christian lives. God is with us and is more evident when we serve and obey him.

14 Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! 15 The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. 16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. 17 The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing 18 as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. 19 I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. 20 At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the LORD.

The prophet paints a beautiful and poetic picture of a future day when all relationships between Israel and the Lord will be made right. The Lord will turn away all of Israel’s enemies (there were many) and the people would live in safety with no fear. The Lord would then live in their midst and “will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” It is difficult to imagine a more idyllic relationship between God and his people than one where God himself sings in exultation. The New Jerusalem Bible translates the particularly difficult verse 17 as one where God actually dances for his people! This future day is certainly reason for the chosen people of God to sing and rejoice as the prophet calls them to do. But this rejoicing is very difficult for us Americans to experience.

            We admire and encourage radical individualism. We appreciate and honor the type of person who can make things happen and get the job done without any outside help. Our culture supports innovation, capitalism, and economic growth. Many major breakthroughs have occurred because our culture nurtures individual motivation and hard work. At the same time, our self-sufficient society is one of instant gratification. If we want it, we buy it. If we do not have the money, we buy it anyway. We rejoice in the present and the very near future. For some, the Christmas season is a time of rejoicing because of expectations of an event that will occur in the very near future. Some of the expectations can be beneficial because they involve family, fellowship, and renewed relationships. Some of the expectations are about the exchange of presents that has become exacerbated by the marketing efforts of those in the business of making and selling “presents.” Regardless of what type of expectations people have at Christmas, they tend to be short term. When Christmas is over, many people sink into a deep funk.

            The prophet calls upon us to rejoice for what will happen many years in the future. It is not about “me” or even my immediate family. For the Jew of the prophet’s era it was about the future of Israel and Jerusalem. The Jew could rejoice in the present for what was to come for his or her people. For our era it is about the future of the church. Can we envision a day when the Lord will be in our midst, will rejoice over us, renew his people in love, and exult over his creation in song? That day began with the birth of the Christ church, but it is still becoming. Can we rejoice for the Christmases of the future?

There is an old aphorism that goes something like this: “Be careful what you ask for, you might get it.” This saying may describe the situation in this text. The book of Malachi was written sometime after the people of Israel returned to Jerusalem and Judah after the Babylonian exile. It was probably written about 450 BC, some 70 years after the people returned and rebuilt the temple and the city walls. They were glad to be back in their own county and worshipping their God in his temple. However, their lives did not match their expectations, and they complained that God was not keeping his covenant with them (“Where is the God of justice?”).

            Through the prophet, the Lord promised to return to his temple, but first he will send “my messenger” to prepare the way. Since the time of the very early church, this prophecy has been interpreted to refer to John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way for Jesus. However, it is important to understand what the prophet expects the Lord to do when he arrives. The Lord will purify his people just like a refiner of precious metals burns out impurities with fire or a weaver of cloth washes the cloth in strong lye. We Christians believe that Jesus came to bring forgiveness of our sins. Yet, verse 5 is more than we (or the people of Malachi’s time) bargained for. When the Lord comes he will draw near in judgment and bear witness against those who are sinners. Malachi lists a number of types of sinners, but the all encompassing one is those who “do not fear me [the Lord]”.

            Along with the expectations of the coming of the Prince of Peace, the prophet expected that the coming of the Lord would bring justice along with purification. The people had asked for the Lord to make his presence known in his temple, but they would also receive God’s expectations in return. As we prepare for Christmas, we may have expectations for celebrating the birth of the Christ child, but remember that his birth, life, teaching, healing, death, and resurrection require us to make choices and respond to his grace. One of the disappointments at Christmas time is caused by having selfish expectations without realizing that Christmas is not about us but about Christ. What are God’s expectations for us at Christmas time?

14 The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: "The LORD is our righteousness."

The December issue of National Geographic contains a fascinating article about the Hadza people (http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/12/hadza/finkel-text) who live in the northern part of Tanzania, Africa. The Hadza are a very primitive group of hunter-gathers who are totally dependent on local game and natural plant production for food. They have no crops, no livestock, and no permanent shelters. They have virtually no material possessions. Their only worldly possessions include a bow and arrows for hunting, a stone pipe for smoking, a knife, an ax, a cooking pot, and a blanket. They are excellent hunters and live from kill to kill and on various tubers, honey, berries, and fruit from the baobab tree. The author notes the freedom that the Hadza have: they are “Free from possessions. Free of most social duties. Free from religious strictures. Free of many family responsibilities. Free from schedules, jobs, bosses, bills, traffic, taxes, laws, news, and money. Free from worry.” This so-called freedom is much deeper than their simple lifestyle. The Hadza have no concept of time. They live totally in the present. Their past consists of transmitted survival wisdom from generation to generation, and their future requires no planning or preparation. Hence, they have no real hope for a future any different from the present. The present condition becomes the future.

            The Hadza represent an almost unique situation. Most cultures, civilizations, communities, churches, and individuals have various hopes and expectations for the future. Jeremiah was a voice of hope crying out in a time of severe and complete destruction of the Judahite/Jerusalemite culture in which he lived. Hope for the Judahite culture was conceived as a God anointed king in the Davidic linage who would restore things to match God’s intentions for his people. Jerusalem would be safe and secure, and the people would live in a culture of justice and righteousness. God’s order and shalom would permeate society. For Jeremiah’s generation, hope represented redemption from the dismal conditions of life.

            While we Americans have experienced nothing as totally devastating as Jerusalem did at the hands of the Babylonians, we do experience various devastating circumstances: losses in war, death, severe illnesses and disabilities, loss of jobs, loss of homes, hunger, absence of health care, and a culture based largely on greed. The American love affair with money and material possessions (much the opposite of the Hadza) has made us captive to a huge amount of worry about the future. Our hope for the future has been replaced by worry and despair for the future. The voice of Jeremiah is still a breath of fresh air just as it was 2600 years ago. God continues to fulfill his promises through Jesus Christ. However, notice that God’s promises as expressed by the prophet all relate to the community of God not to individuals. The Lord makes and keeps promises to the community of faith. With the advent of Jesus Christ future hope is held together within the body of Christ, also known as the church. If there is hope in the future, it is through the body of Christ, not through the U.S. Congress, the military, or any other body. If you are concerned about our collective (East Texas, The United States, the world) future, become an active disciple of Jesus Christ through your church. You are the church; become a part of a future filled with hope.

1 There was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 Now this man used to go up year by year from his town to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the LORD.4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; 5 but to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the LORD had closed her womb. 6 Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb. 7 So it went on year by year; as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. 8 Her husband Elkanah said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?" 9 After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the LORD. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. 10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD, and wept bitterly. 11 She made this vow: "O LORD of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head." 12 As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14 So Eli said to her, "How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine." 15 But Hannah answered, "No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD. 16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time." 17 Then Eli answered, "Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him." 18 And she said, "Let your servant find favor in your sight." Then the woman went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer. 19 They 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. 20 In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, "I have asked him of the LORD."

It was a point of crisis both in the history of disobedient Israel and in this dysfunctional family of Elkanah, Hannah, and Peninnah. After entering the land of Canaan, the people did exactly what Moses warned against, and they descended into moral, social, and religious depravity. The book of Judges recounts the tribes fighting amongst themselves and taking up the worship of foreign gods and idols. The country was in chaos as noted in scripture: “In those days there was no king in Israel; all the people did what was right in their own eyes.” (Judges 21:25). Within the family in this text, chaos also ruled. Peninnah was goading Hannah because she had no children. Being childless in those days was considered a serious shortcoming that brought shame upon the wife; plus, women depended on men for their very livelihood. A widow would not survive without sons to take care of her. Also, the ancient understanding of continuation of life after death was wrapped up in the continuation of the linage through progeny. So being childless was a very big deal, and being constantly reminded of it led to significant discord in the family.

            This story is about the action that Hannah took in righting her own world which also resulted in providing future hope for Israel. All alone she went to the temple to pray to the Lord regarding her dilemma. Her husband Elkanah, a religious man who made an annual pilgrimage to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice, was left at the dinner table. She walked past Eli, the priest, who ended up wrongly criticizing her of being drunk. She did it all on her own. The Lord answered her prayer with the gift of a son.  In fulfilling the vow that she made in the temple, she gave him back to the Lord to serve the Lord as a nazarite when he was a toddler. She then had other sons and daughters.

            Her faith in the Lord not only brought redemption to her house, but also would bring redemption to Israel. Hannah named her son Samuel, and he established a new era of stability in Israel by combining the roles of judge, prophet, and priest. He would lead Israel for many years, and he would anoint both Kings Saul and David. Israel was going through a period of great change and turmoil, and Samuel would lead them through it; all because a woman had opened her heart to the Lord and become part of God’s plan for humankind.

Cpl. Klay South, United Stated Marine Corps, was shot in the face at point blank range with an AK-47 while clearing houses of insurgents with his patrol in Fallujah, Iraq, on November 11, 2004. This occurred during his second tour of duty in Iraq during which he had already been wounded by shrapnel in his back, but he returned to action as soon as he healed. The ambush in Fallujah took out his jaw, teeth, and part of his tongue. He was also shot in the foot at the same time. Cpl. South was transported to Bethesda Naval Hospital where he underwent 40 surgeries over the next 2 years. Cpl. South has a website www.veteransofvalor.com where he describes his ambush and the excruciating pain that he endured over his long period of healing and rehabilitation. There are several video clips of him, and he can talk, which is a miracle, but you can tell that he has some difficulty forming his words. In 2007 he visited wounded Marines in the hospital and met a young Marine who had lost both of his legs and the use of his arms. As Klay was leaving the hospital, he decided to dedicate his life to helping wounded veterans like himself, so he formed the organization Veterans of Valor that helps severely injured veterans. Check it out on the internet. Now Sgt. Klay South has been redeemed as he has redeemed others.

            His story is the story of Ruth. Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi had suffered from the death of her husband and both sons. She was left empty; with nothing. She had no means of support or comfort in her old age. She was bitter and angry with the Lord for dealing so adversely with her. Ruth stayed by her side with great loyalty, love, and kindness. When Ruth married Boaz and produced a son, Naomi was transformed into a very different person. She was redeemed. At the same time Ruth was redeemed; she then had security, safety, a husband, and a son. By serving Naomi in her abandonment, Ruth herself was served.

            The best way out of the pit of bitterness, loneliness, and misery, is to help someone else out of a deeper pit. We are more blessed when we serve or help someone else that when we allow ourselves to turn inside to a pity party that causes us to withdraw from life. Sure, sometime life can be overwhelming, and we need to take care of ourselves and ask the Lord to take care of us. Then it is time to ask the Lord what we can do to serve him by helping others.

1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. 3 But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. When they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband. 6 Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the LORD had considered his people and given them food. 7 So she set out from the place where she had been living, she and her two daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go back to the land of Judah. 8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back each of you to your mother's house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The LORD grant that you may find security, each of you in the house of your husband." Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud. 10 They said to her, "No, we will return with you to your people." 11 But Naomi said, "Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight and bear sons, 13 would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the LORD has turned against me." 14 Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. 15 So she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law." 16 But Ruth said, "Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die, I will die-- there will I be buried. May the LORD do thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!" 18 When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home.2 So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. 3 Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 "Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8 At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, "Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Stand up and take your mat and walk'? 10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-- he said to the paralytic-- 11 "I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home." 12 And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

Then Job answered the LORD: 2 "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 'Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you declare to me.' 5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; 6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."  7 After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has done." 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the LORD had told them; and the LORD accepted Job's prayer. 10 And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends; and the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11 Then there came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they ate bread with him in his house; they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him; and each of them gave him a piece of money and a gold ring. 12 The LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand donkeys. 13 He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 He named the first Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. 15 In all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job's daughters; and their father gave them an inheritance along with their brothers. 16 After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children, and his children's children, four generations. 17 And Job died, old and full of days.

The very ending of the story is not unexpected based on the very first two chapters of the book of Job. The heavenly court has tested Job with the loss of his family, all of his worldly possessions, and despicable running sores all over his body. God finally restored everything two fold, and Job lived happily ever after. However, God told Job’s three “friends” something very surprising: “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” This affirmation of Job is unexpected because Job had been accusing God of being unjust is his treatment of him throughout the dialogues with his friends. Job refused to repent for 38 chapters in the book because he knew that he had done nothing deserving of his treatment by God. The three friends stated in long arguments that Job’s suffering was due to his sins and God’s punishment. Hence, the readers of this story know that suffering is not necessarily due to the judgment of God. Good people suffer in this life.

Of course, that does not answer the question that this book raises, and that is “why do good people suffer?” And we do suffer; there are 1 billion people in this world who are hungry. There are approximately 50 million people in America without adequate health care. If God does not bring suffering as a punishment, then why does he allow suffering to occur? Humankind has struggled with this question for several thousand years, and we do not agree on an answer. Perhaps, it is the wrong question. A better question might be: “what do we do about suffering, or how do we respond to it?”

Most Christians would answer that it is appropriate to pray to God for ourselves and for others who suffer. However, that may be a partial answer. Another perspective might become apparent by considering the creation of the world by God. Although the Genesis story clearly tells us that the total creation was good, and humankind’s creation was very good, God gave us free will, and we sinned almost immediately. Creation remained somewhat good, but less than perfect. To achieve the recovery of a good creation, we can consider ourselves as co-creators along with God. After all, we were created in his image with some of the same attributes as his but to a much lesser extent. As we become aware of the suffering around us, we have the innate ability to choose between helping and not helping those who suffer. This is a heavy load because there is much suffering in the world. However, Jesus did command us to love one another, and we are our brothers’ keeper. Our response to the suffering in this world is an enormous moral issue. Are we up to the challenge?

1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind:  2 "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3 Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare to me. 4 "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements-- surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone 7 when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?

 34 "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that a flood of waters may cover you? 35 Can you send forth lightnings, so that they may go and say to you, 'Here we are'? 36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts, or given understanding to the mind? 37 Who has the wisdom to number the clouds? Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens, 38 when the dust runs into a mass and the clods cling together? 39 "Can you hunt the prey for the lion, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, 40 when they crouch in their dens, or lie in wait in their covert? 41 Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God, and wander about for lack of food?

       Job learned that “you must be careful what you ask God for.” He had demanded to see God in person in order to present his case; finally at the end of 36 long chapters of poetic debate between Job and his “friends”, God showed up in person. But Job did not get exactly what he had bargained for. Job had decided that his piety had been in vain; in spite of being obedient to God, he was being punished by God. God was unjust for making Job suffer, and Job thought he could convince God of his innocence and God’s injustice. God had obviously been listening to Job and his friends for a long time and knew what was on Job’s mind. Therefore, God came in a whirlwind and immediately started grilling Job with a series of rhetorical questions. In an extended monologue, God asked Job three basic questions: 1) Who are you (to question me)? 2) Where were you (when I created the cosmos)? 3) Can you (do the mighty things that I do)? And Job did not get the chance to say anything!

            God’s lecture also reveals some of the divine attributes of God to us. God is the creator of all that was and is. Humankind was not present when the earth, heavens, and the rest of the cosmos were created. Although the descriptions in the text are scientifically archaic, the more scientists learn about the cosmos and the physics of creation, the more we realize how awesome God truly is. God is also providential; he keeps it all together and working. God did not wind up the clock and walk away and let it run down. God is involved in his creation even to the extent of providing for the livelihood of animals.

 God is also sovereign over humans and his creation. Job had complained out of a lack of knowledge, and God had the big picture that humans are not privy to. God has even “given understanding to the mind”; hence, Job was able to conceive of God because gave him the ability. Recent scientific evidence indicates that humans are hard wired to believe in a supreme being. Some people think that indicates God is a figment of our imagination. However, it proves to us believers that God gave us the innate ability to believe in him and love him. Of course, he also gave us the freedom of choice. We can choose God or reject God. In spite of all of his suffering, Job never rejected God, he struggled mightily with understanding God, but he always believed.

            That still leaves us struggling with understanding God when we suffer, and we do suffer. Who has not suffered and cried out to God for relief just as Job did? However, we do have a God who knows a lot about human suffering. Christ suffered greatly and felt abandoned himself. God himself suffers with us, and whenever we do suffer he is not only with us, but he suffers with us.

Then Job answered: 2 "Today also my complaint is bitter; his hand is heavy despite my groaning. 3 Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his dwelling! 4 I would lay my case before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. 5 I would learn what he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me. 6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? No; but he would give heed to me. 7 There an upright person could reason with him, and I should be acquitted forever by my judge. 8 "If I go forward, he is not there; or backward, I cannot perceive him; 9 on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him; I turn to the right, but I cannot see him. 10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I shall come out like gold. 11 My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside. 12 I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured in my bosom the words of his mouth. 13 But he stands alone and who can dissuade him? What he desires, that he does. 14 For he will complete what he appoints for me; and many such things are in his mind. 15 Therefore I am terrified at his presence; when I consider, I am in dread of him. 16 God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me; 17 If only I could vanish in darkness, and thick darkness would cover my face!

      Who would attempt to argue a case against God himself in a courtroom? In this particular text, that is exactly what Job envisioned. Job had been arguing back and forth with Zophar, Bildad, and Eliphaz, who were his so-called friends. The basic argument was that all three were convinced that Job had committed some grievous sin, and God was punishing him for his iniquity. They tried to convince Job that if he would repent of his sin (whatever it was) then God would restore him. Job refused to admit to something that he had not done, and he would not take their advice. Either Job was very stubborn or he had a high sense of justice and integrity, or some of both. In either case, Job wanted to take his argument directly to God and state his case. On the other hand, Job lamented that he could not find God in order to state his case. I think most of us have wondered at times where God was when it seemed like life was so unfair. Perhaps we were suffering some serious illness, loss of a loved one, financial problems, and the like, and we found it difficult to get much support from God.

            But Job suffered most, not because of his material and family losses and his physical pain, but because of his loss of trust in God’s fairness and justice. Both Job and his friends assumed that bad people were judged as bad by God, and God brought suffering of some kind into their lives. This cause and effect was the standard orthodoxy of their era. Likewise, good people were judged as good by God, and God rewarded them.  The three so-called friends were simply stating their acceptance of the inverse of this “retribution model”. That is, if Job were suffering, it was because God was punishing him because God judged him as sinful. Job did believe that he was suffering because God was punishing him, but Job also knew that he had done nothing to deserve his punishment. In Job’s mind God was unjust because he was punishing him for something he did not do.

            Job’s dilemma is the same dilemma we often find ourselves in. Life can be very unfair, and we might very well wonder why God lets bad things happen to us even when we have been good. Bad things happen to good people. Good Christians suffer mightily. When that happens to us we might also ask the same thing that Job did: “where is my God, and why is he letting this happen to me?” There is no single good answer to the question that has been asked for thousands of years. However, we do have a God who knows a lot about human suffering. Christ suffered greatly and felt abandoned himself. God himself suffers with us, and whenever we do suffer he is not only with us, but he suffers with us.

7:1 So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. 2 On the second day, as they were drinking wine, the king again said to Esther, "What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled." 3 Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have won your favor, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me-- that is my petition-- and the lives of my people-- that is my request. 4 For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have held my peace; but no enemy can compensate for this damage to the king." 5 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, "Who is he, and where is he, who has presumed to do this?" 6 Esther said, "A foe and enemy, this wicked Haman!" Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen. 9 Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, "Look, the very gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, stands at Haman's house, fifty cubits high." And the king said, "Hang him on that." 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the anger of the king abated.9:20  Mordecai recorded these things, and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 enjoining them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same month, year by year, 22 as the days on which the Jews gained relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and presents to the poor.

20 Wisdom cries out in the street; in the squares she raises her voice. 21 At the busiest corner she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: 22 "How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? 23 Give heed to my reproof; I will pour out my thoughts to you; I will make my words known to you. 24 Because I have called and you refused, have stretched out my hand and no one heeded, 25 and because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when panic strikes you, 27 when panic strikes you like a storm, and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. 28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but will not find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, 30 would have none of my counsel, and despised all my reproof, 31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way and be sated with their own devices. 32 For waywardness kills the simple, and the complacency of fools destroys them; 33 but those who listen to me will be secure and will live at ease, without dread of disaster."

            You have heard of Lady Liberty and Lady Justice; and you may think that you have not heard of Lady Wisdom; but you do know her. Wisdom is not secret. At the busiest street corners she cries out so everybody can hear, and all have access to Wisdom. We all know Wisdom; there is no secret Wisdom that one has and another does not. No church can claim to know special Wisdom that other churches do not have access to. However, not all listen to Lady Wisdom and heed her words. Scoffers love to scoff, and fools hate her knowledge. Some even turn their backs at her reproofs. And what is Wisdom? You already know. For all of the decisions that we make and actions that we take, there are consequences. If one takes a pathway to destruction, destruction occurs. The complacency of fools destroys them. “As ye sow, so shall ye reap!”

            But you already know Wisdom; these verses from Proverbs mostly serve to remind us that we can choose between right and wrong, good and evil, sin and righteousness. And we know the differences between these choices; we cannot claim ignorance or blame someone else for our foolishness. And when we are paying the consequences, it is too late to take back our actions; we can only learn and grow wiser for the next set of choices. Unfortunately, when we continue to resist Wisdom, and find ourselves in the midst of calamity and panic stricken, the world turns its back on us and Wisdom laughs at our stubbornness.

            The overarching theme (if there is one) in the book of Proverbs is the healthy fear of the Lord. The foolish choose to ignore this Wisdom. The wise fear the Lord. Fear had a very deep meaning to the ancient ones who wrote these scriptures. Fear did not mean cowering in the corner but respecting, loving, and obeying the Lord. The wise are those who “do justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with their God.” The wise pray, read the bible, go to church, and practice loving their neighbors. As I stated at the top: you know Lady Wisdom. You knew about Wisdom, this article is simply a reminder.

            What you may not know is that verse 23b can be translated as “I will pour out my Spirit into you.” The word for Spirit is the same one from Genesis that refers to God’s Spirit (wind) that swept over the face of the waters. Wisdom may demand that we make the right choices, but God is always close by to guide us and help us make those choices. We just need to remember to ask.

The interesting thing about wisdom literature such as Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanac is that two aphorisms can contradict each other even though they both contain wisdom for successful living in community. For example: “Many hands make light the work” and “too many cooks spoil the broth.” No single wisdom saying stands alone independent of others. Here we have some seemingly disjointed texts that proclaim wisdom regarding the preference of a good name over riches and the practice of social justice. If one juxtaposes these two themes, one could conclude that a good name is given to those who are fair in their business dealings and charitable to those in need. A good name does not preclude having riches, but a good name takes precedence over gold and silver.

Dov Seidman, CEO of a company that helps companies develop ethical corporate cultures, discusses in the September 7, 2009, issue of Business Week, the rebuilding of trust within American companies. A severe lack of trust has caused a collapse of the financial industry because banks did not trust that companies would repay loans, and money quit flowing. He noted that companies that have built trust have done so by trusting others. For example, Netflix allows employees to take whatever vacation they need. The company trusts their employees with the intent that the employees will trust the company management that they work for. He gives numerous examples of building trust by trusting.

Similarly, one can have a good name by granting others a good name. A good name has to be earned but a good name can be destroyed by a malicious distortion of facts and wanton defamation of character. Currently our country is engaged a spirited discussion regarding the reformation of our health care system. Medical costs have been rising at several times the rate of inflation, and more importantly, close to 50 Million Americans are without medical coverage. Most agree that reform is necessary, but we disagree on how to improve our system. Honest and open discussion is crucial to finding a solution. However, discussion and even argument can take place while granting a good name to those on the opposite side of the argument.

We can do the same thing in our daily lives. In our business dealings and various relationships, we may disagree strongly with people, but we can still grant them a good name by not tearing down their personhood. If we grant others a good name, we will be regarded in a similar fashion. When we destroy the good name of others we destroy our own good name.

8 The voice of my beloved! Look, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills. 9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look, there he stands behind our wall, gazing in at the windows, looking through the lattice. 10 My beloved speaks and says to me: "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; 11 for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. 12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. 13 The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. 14 O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. 15 Catch us the foxes, the little foxes, that ruin the vineyards-- for our vineyards are in blossom." 16 My beloved is mine and I am his; he pastures his flock among the lilies. 17 Until the day breathes and the shadows flee, turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle or a young stag on the cleft mountains.

This book in the Hebrew Scriptures is unique for several reasons: 1) God is not mentioned in the entire book (the book of Esther also has this distinction; 2) it contains none of the more typical biblical themes such as covenant, sacrifice, law, commandments, the Israelites, the Exodus from Egypt, any of the patriarchs, and so forth; 3) it is written predominantly in the voice of a woman; and 4) it is a romantic, erotic, sensual series of love poems about a woman and man. The book may be one of the oldest in the bible. Although it was written much later, the poems were problem songs and drama that originated in oral form prior to 1000 BC. Interpreters, both Jewish and Christian, have struggled with it for centuries, and some puzzle as to how it has survived as part of the church canon.

It does have some interesting qualities. The typical male/female relationships in many ancient cultures were very patriarchal. Even the Hebrew Scriptures describe a culture where the man dominated the woman, and women were treated as mere possessions, at best. Perhaps this book was intended to balance the culture from a different perspective; one where a woman took the initiative in fantasizing and trying to satisfy her own needs and desires. The protagonist in Song gives a voice to voiceless women. She also fights against societal conventions that seemingly block her access to the one she loves.

The different perspective on male/female relationships is very evident when compared to the one ordained in Genesis 3:16 after Adam and Eve disobeyed God: “To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pangs in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” Clearly the biblical writer of Song did not see the woman as subservient to her man, nor did he see the relationship as existing only to produce children. Perhaps this writer was trying to balance other texts within the Hebrew Scriptures by instilling love into the relationships between men and women.

5 The king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom. 6 So the army went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim. 7 The men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. 8 The battle spread over the face of all the country; and the forest claimed more victims that day than the sword. 9 Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 

14 Joab said, "I will not waste time like this with you." He took three spears in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absalom, while he was still alive in the oak. 15 And ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him, and killed him. 

31 Then the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, "Good tidings for my lord the king! For the LORD has vindicated you this day, delivering you from the power of all who rose up against you." 32 The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" The Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up to do you harm, be like that young man." 33 The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"

Those who recognize the name of David’s son Absalom will recall the story of David’s military general Joab killing Absalom while he hung helplessly by his hair in a big oak tree. Absalom had attempted a military coup against his own father, and he had chased David out of Jerusalem and taken over the royal city, palace, and government. The battle that led to Absalom’s death was fought between David’s loyalists and the Israelite army under Absalom. It was a civil war that led to the deaths of 20,000 men fighting over who was to be the king. It was not a war fought to protect Israel, which David was anointed to do, but one fought because of two huge egos.

It is very sad that Absalom tried to take the throne and kill his own father, but David’s own behaviors brought it about. David’s life took a downturn after his affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah. He developed poor relationships with his family, the people of Jerusalem, and much of Israel and Judah. His children mimicked David’s behaviors rather than listen to his God-talk. His oldest son Amnon raped and trashed his own sister Tamar. David took no action. Perhaps it was difficult to correct his son for following in his father’s footsteps. A few years later Absalom killed Amnon in revenge for raping their sister. Absalom was in exile for several years but was finally restored to his place in Jerusalem. David could hardly correct Absalom when David had killed many people; especially Uriah. Upon his return to Jerusalem, Absalom set about undermining his father’s authority and winning over the populace to his side. After all, David had done similarly to King Saul, his predecessor.  

David did not “walk the talk” in his life, and his sons mimicked his walk rather than abide by his talk. For all his elegant and eloquent psalms and prayers, his walk did not mirror his talk. The same thing is true today. If we want our grandchildren and children to grow up to be good Christians, we have to live a Christian lifestyle not just talk about Jesus. We may talk a good faith on Sunday when we are in church, but those who look up to us see us daily and how we deal with people.

As we start a new school year, walking the talk becomes very important for Christians of all ages. People watch Christians to see what they do and how they act. Living a Christian life far outweighs all the words spoken on Sunday morning. Do we walk the talk?

26 When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead, she made lamentation for him. 27 When the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son.1 But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD, and the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds; 3 but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. 4 Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him." 5 Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; 6 he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity." 7 Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul; 8 I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added as much more. 9 Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, for you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. 11 Thus says the LORD: I will raise up trouble against you from within your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this very sun. 12 For you did it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun." 13 David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD."

Most folks know what a parable is; Jesus told many parables throughout his ministry.  The power of a parable is that it draws the listener (or reader) into the story. We hear a parable and see ourselves as one of the characters participating in the story. In this very familiar text the prophet Nathan told King David a parable about two men and a pet lamb. The rich man takes the lamb away from the poor man to serve as supper to the rich man’s house guest. Before Nathan can finish the parable (if he ever intended to) David finished it for him; “the man who has done this deserves to die; he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” David had trapped himself within the parable because Nathan then responded: “You are the man!” David had taken Uriah’s wife (Bathsheba) and had her husband killed.

Why didn’t David see himself in the parable until Nathan pointed it out to him? Was it because David was not very smart and slow on comprehension? Did he understand the parable? Did he think that he had fooled God with his manipulations? No! David did not see himself in the parable because he was human… just like us.

Today we read or hear the parables that Jesus told so many years ago. However, our response is pretty much the same as David’s was 3000 years ago… who me!? “That parable must be about somebody else.” When we hear the parable of the Good Samaritan does it ever occur to us that we might be the priest or the Levite passing by on the other side? Of course not, that must be somebody else. When the sower of seeds tosses seeds on the path or the rocky ground or amongst the weeds, we think that must be about somebody else. We are the good soil bearing 100 fold. When Jesus talks about the goats and sheep in Matthew 25: 31-46, we believe that the goats must be others. Surely we are the sheep that will “inherit the kingdom prepared” for us.

If we do not let ourselves become all of the characters in the parable then we become David, and all we can say is “who me”?  Actually a parable is a good time for self examination and confession; which brings us back to David. David cannot ever escape the consequences of his sin. What he had done cannot be undone. However, he did reboot his relationship with God. The last portion of this scripture is: “David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD.” David did finally understand the parable and realized that it was about him. He did confess his sin. Once we understand that the parables of Jesus are about us, we can confess our sin as well. And the one who died on the cross for you and me can take them away.

Everybody knows at least two stories about David. The first story is about a young shepherd killing a huge warrior named Goliath with a sling and stone. The second story is about a king who had an adulterous affair with Bathsheba. It is hard to understand how the man “after God’s own heart” could have changed so much over the years. At one point in his life David was able to put his entire trust in the Lord, and later ignore and break 4 of the 10 commandments. What happened to David? We only know what the bible says, but there are some clues given throughout the story of David and particularly in chapter 11.

In his earlier life David was always at the front of the action, whether it was leading the men in battle or leading the procession of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. He could be seen dancing and leaping with all of his might in front of the ark as it entered the city’s gates. He had numerous dialogues and interactions with people, and made sacrifices to the Lord and distributed the food to the children of Israel. He personally led the people in the mourning of Saul, Jonathan, and Abner. He wrote poetry and played a lyre.

However, in the Bathsheba incident we find a very different David. The bible says that he sent the troops out with Joab to fight David’s enemies while David spent afternoons on his couch. This entire story consists of David sending messengers to do his bidding. He sent someone to identify the woman bathing. He sent someone to summon her to his bed. He sent another to summon the poor husband Uriah into his presence. We have the picture of a king who has withdrawn from his own people and has surrounded himself with lackeys to do his bidding. David became a sad isolated figure, who was out of touch with his community, with a lot of free time on his hands.

As a reclusive, isolated figure, David began to think only about David rather than his people. He had no concern about anything except his own wants and desires. When he saw Bathsheba bathing he was aware only of his own lust for satisfaction. She was the wife and daughter of two of his special chosen warriors; yet, he had no concern for anyone except David. The immoral behavior from David was, at least in part, due to his lack of any community relationship. Like David we are very dependent on a community relationship; that is why church is so important. Christ instituted the church as a community of believers to support and nurture each other so that we may minister to the world. There is great joy in caring and serving others rather than being concerned only with self. Find a church if you do not already have one. If you have one, attend.

Nathaniel really did not want to be with his father at that moment, but he would not dare say anything about his discomfort. In 550 BC, Jewish boys did not talk back, complain, or show any reticence about obeying. His father said that they were going to the synagogue, and Nathaniel went along without uttering a single word. Nathaniel had grown weary of listening to the Rabbi read the scripture that the group of Hebrew scholars was working on. He understood how important it was to the older generation that had been carried off into captivity by the Babylonian army some 36 years earlier, but he had been born in a little town in Babylonia and had never worshiped in the Jerusalem temple. The older generation was trying to recover the traditions and religions that had been taken away, and Nathaniel was trying to live in the present reality. He had no hope for the religion of the past.

The present reality was that Nathaniel’s ancestors did not heed the admonition of Moses when they entered the promised land. They worshipped foreign gods and idols, practiced social injustice, and were immoral. They ignored the prophets who warned them of God’s coming punishment for their sin. God punished them by giving them over to the conquering Babylonians. His people were all aliens in a foreign land, surrounded by a pagan culture, and they lived in very poor conditions. Nathaniel reasoned that the Lord had abandoned his people, so he might as well blend in with the Babylonian culture. He had no hope of being rescued by the God who had lost his patience with Israel. They would suffer for their sins forever.

Nathaniel was shaken from his reverie when the learned scholar, Eleazar Bar Jeconiah, appeared at the front of the synagogue. The noted scholar began reading from a portion of the second volume of Samuel about the ancient King David. Nathaniel thought that he knew the complete story regarding this religious and opportunistic king of Israel, but Eleazar was reading a section of the text that Nathaniel had never heard before. After the reading, the great Rabbi interpreted the text. The successful King David wanted to build the first temple to the Lord God, but the Lord told him that task would be left up to his son who would follow him.

Then Eleazar dropped the bombshell: The Lord promised to make David a house that would exist forever through his offspring. Even though the people of Israel would be punished for their sins, the house of David would exist forever as the protector of the people. In other words, the Lord would never desert his king or his people regardless of their sins. When Nathaniel and his father walked home after Synagogue, he walked with a new spring in his step. There was a new hope in his heart. In the midst of the current misery, he understood that God had not abandoned his people. They were suffering, but the Lord would raise up a new king out of the house of David, and he would save them from their sins. In the mist of suffering, God’s steadfast love is manifested as hope. There is always hope.

Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle 4 And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 He had greaves of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. 7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and his shield-bearer went before him. 8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us." 10 And the Philistine said, "Today I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man, that we may fight together." 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. 19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, took the provisions, and went as Jesse had commanded him. He came to the encampment as the army was going forth to the battle line, shouting the war cry. 21 Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. 22 David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the ranks, and went and greeted his brothers. 23 As he talked with them, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him. 32 David said to Saul, "Let no one's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." 33 Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth." 34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God." 37 David said, "The LORD, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine." So Saul said to David, "Go, and may the LORD be with you!" 38 Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail. 39 David strapped Saul's sword over the armor, and he tried in vain to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them." So David removed them. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the wadi, and put them in his shepherd's bag, in the pouch; his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine. 41 The Philistine came on and drew near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 The Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the field." 45 But David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This very day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army this very day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD's and he will give you into our hand." 48 When the Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.

The story of David slaying Goliath is a very familiar one that does not need repeating; however, I would like to make some observations. Goliath was larger than most of us imagine; he was 9’9” tall, and he had been repeating his challenges to Israel for 40 days. Just imagine an entire army under the leadership of a mighty warrior, King Saul, completely stymied as to what course of action to take. When the young boy David showed up he immediately noticed something that these seasoned veterans did not. Goliath’s face and forehead were unprotected, and he had a person carrying his shield. If a soldier were to approach him with conventional weapons, he would grab the shield from the shield bearer and become invincible. It is not hard to picture the Israelite soldiers taking wagers as to how long David would last against this beast.

The bible says that “David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.” Goliath was fooled by the shepherd’s staff in David’s hand, and did not realize that he needed his shield before it was too late. David accomplished what experienced warriors could not with conventional weapons. His choice of weapon required some unconventional thinking along with his careful observations. As a result, something very small felled a very large giant of a warrior.

Many of us are concerned about the state of our society: rampant use of drugs, corporate corruption, high unemployment, failed banks, home foreclosures, the price of gasoline, and so forth. We have some huge problems that seem invincible, and a lot of organizations (our federal government for one) are trying to solve them, but they are stymied pretty much like King Saul’s army was. Perhaps something smaller and an unconventional choice of “weapons” might bring change to our society.

In mid June the UM ARMY (the United Methodist Action Reach out Mission by Youth) descended on the Newton Community. Armed with various unconventional “weapons” such as hammers, nails, paint brushes, lumber, screwdrivers, and the like, they attacked a Goliath of projects throughout the area. They replaced rotted porches, built wheel chair ramps, painted houses, cleaned up yards, cut grass, and many other things. They also touched the lives of the people they helped in ways that no governmental organization ever could. Once again, like David did 3000 years ago, these young people showed us what it takes to slay big giants with something small. The total story and pictures of the action are at http://www.newtonmethodist.com/UM%20ARMY%202009/ .

34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. 35 Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel. 16:1 The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons." 2 Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me." And the LORD said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.' 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you." 4 Samuel did what the LORD commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Do you come peaceably?" 5 He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed is now before the LORD." 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." 10 Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen any of these." 11 Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here." 12 He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; for this is the one." 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

This is one of the messiest stories in the entire bible. God had Samuel anoint Saul as the king of Israel, but Saul did not please God or Samuel, and God decided to replace him. In the interim, Samuel grieved the loss of Saul, and God was sorry that he had chosen Saul. God chastised Samuel for grieving over Saul, and commanded him to go to Bethlehem and anoint a new king, who was a son of Jesse. Samuel did not want to go, and he claimed to be afraid of Saul even though he had bested Saul in the past. God ordered Samuel to go and to take a heifer along for a sacrifice. Samuel did as he was commanded and went to Bethlehem. When he arrived, the elders strangely trembled with fear at the site of the elderly prophet. Jesse then paraded 7 sons before Samuel for selection as king, but God rejected all of them even though Samuel was ready to take the first one. God scolded Samuel for picking the first one based on appearance, and Samuel scolded Jesse for not bringing his youngest son in for the selection parade. What an embarrassing event it must have been for the rejected brothers to see their youngest brother anointed king. This event did set the brothers against David similar to the way Joseph’s brothers turned against him. However, the messiest part of this emotional drama had to be when Samuel left and returned home leaving David to deal with his family and Israel to deal with having two kings at the same time. This would set Saul against David in a conflict that would last for many years.

The classic interpretation of this text focuses on God’s selection of David based on his heart rather than his appearance. However, the messiness of the text is also important and teaches us many things. Life is messy and things do not always happen in a nice, orderly fashion. God gives us the freedom to make choices, and we, like Saul, make bad choices and impact God’s plans and will. We are not puppets on strings being controlled by God, and what we do does make a difference in the world. However, God’s ultimate plan will be accomplished, and God is ready to make changes in order to make it happen. God replaced Saul with David in order to accomplish his will, and he can do that anytime he chooses. If we are not obedient to his will, he can replace us. Life will be a lot less messy if we are obedient to God’s will.

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2 Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory." 4 The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. 5 And I said: "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" 6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: "Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out." 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I; send me!"

“Don’t believe anything that I tell you,” is a paradoxical statement. If you try to do what the statement says, then you cannot believe the statement itself. In that context, we can view this text as paradoxical. This is Isaiah’s call or initiation by God to begin his life as a prophet. God does this through a vision while Isaiah is performing his priestly duties in the temple. God appears in all his glory to the lowly human. The scripture refers to a high and lofty throne, a royal robe that fills the entire temple, Seraphs in attendance singing his praises, smoke that fills the temple, the very foundation of the temple shaking, and God’s glory filling the whole world. Truly, God is an awesome God. So awesome is the sight that Isaiah is sure that he is doomed. An imperfect, sinful man who comes face to face with the majesty of God surely cannot survive.

The paradox is that this almighty God of Hosts has come to personally call Isaiah to an important ministry of prophecy to the people of Israel. We sometimes overlook this paradoxical nature of God. God’s glory is really indescribable. Isaiah has done as good a job of trying to put this experience into words, but the words hardly capture the full extent of God’s glory and might. And yet, this awesome God has revealed himself to this imperfect being and called him to prophesy in God’s own name. Of course, God is not really dependent on Isaiah; God can handle anything that God chooses all by himself. But God has chosen to reveal himself to sinful humans and use them to carry out his will.

We Christians understand this paradox even better that Isaiah did. Refresh your memory by reading the 3^rd chapter of the gospel according to John. The revelation of God par excellence was 2000 years ago when God the Father sent his only begotten Son as a human to live among us, teach us, feed us, heal us, and save us. The complete revelation of God was manifest in the personhood of Jesus Christ, a humble carpenter from Galilee who died for all humankind. We do, indeed, have an awesome God, but our awesome God loves us more that we can ever comprehend!

The last line that Isaiah utters is, “Here am I; send me!” God has transformed him into a person acceptable to carry out God’s mission. By accepting Christ we are also transformed in many different ways; one of which is that we are acceptable to carry out God’s mission. Christ calls all Christians to follow him as his disciples. Can we answer the same way that Isaiah did: “Here am I; send me!”

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. "This," he said, "is what you have heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."  6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

This is the season for the ascension of our Lord and Pentecost. The ascension of Jesus is the preparation of the disciples for what is to come on Pentecost. The ascension is described only in Luke and Acts which were written by the same author. These two texts have a lot of points in common: 1) Jesus is taken into heaven, and the Holy Spirit will be sent to take his place on earth. While Christ instituted the church, the Holy Spirit constitutes the church as an ongoing ministry of Christ; 2) the disciples are to witness for Jesus to the entire world; 3) the disciples are to wait for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on them before beginning their witness. The Holy Spirit will empower them to carry out this mission. We know the rest of the story. Pentecost comes, the disciples are baptized with the Holy Spirit, and the church begins with explosive growth from their witness.

However, these two accounts have some distinct differences. In the account from Acts, the disciples ask Jesus “is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" Jesus tells them that it is not for them to know, and he assigns them the mission of witnessing to the ends of the earth. Also, as Jesus is lifted into heaven, the disciples watch him ascend. Two men in white suddenly appear and say to the disciples “why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

These two additions to the ascension story serve to reassure the people of Luke’s community that even though Jesus has not returned yet, he will someday in the future. If we can imagine that Acts was written a few years after the Gospel, it is very likely that Luke’s church is wondering when (and if) Jesus is coming again. The early church lived in the shadow of the expected parousia or second coming of Jesus. The men in white are telling the disciples (and Luke is telling his church) to shift their focus from gazing into heaven expecting Jesus to return immediately, and to get to work fulfilling the assigned mission. When the Holy Spirit does come, the disciples do just as they have been commanded. They begin the task of witnessing to the “ends of the earth.” Now it’s our turn. The fruitfulness of the Holy Spirit in a Christian’s life is in witnessing for Jesus Christ. Surely Jesus has done a lot for all of us, but when is the last time we told someone?

9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. 12 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.  17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

How can Jesus command his disciples to love one another? Is it realistic to expect us to love each and every person in the church? How about those that do not deserve love? Some people are mean spirited or cantankerous or just plain jerks! Even if I wanted to love people like that, how can I force myself to love them? Love is a feeling that you have for someone, and it’s either there or it’s not! Right? No, that’s wrong! Hollywood and the mass media of our culture have presented love as a deep seated emotion that we feel for someone else. The bible’s meaning for love is quite different.
            Throughout the gospel of John, the writer speaks about love in many different contexts, but there are 3 that are the most widely quoted. The first is John 3:16, which we all know by heart. The greatest example of love is God’s love for us. Jesus refers to that same love in today’s text referring to the love required in dying for one’s friends. The perfect example for love is the cross of Jesus. The second is in chapter 13 where Jesus illustrates love by washing the feet of his disciples. The 3^rd occurs at the very end of John where the resurrected Christ asks Peter 3 times if Peter loves him. Each time when Peter answers in the affirmative, Jesus says, “feed my sheep.” Those who love Jesus serve others.

            It is clear that love, according to the Gospel of John, is something that one does for another. I may or may not like some persons, but Christ commands me to love them by serving them. Even to the extent of dying for them if necessary. Divine love from God and Jesus is true love, and we do our best to reflect that love to those around us by serving them. It is what we do not what we feel. We do not have to like that person across the aisle from us, but we have no choice… we must love him or her. Jesus did command us to love one another. It is not a suggestion.

            Of course, there is a very positive side to this commandment. The greatest joy we can ever hope to have is the joy of Christ within us as we abide within his love. We were created to be loved and to love; to be a part of the body of Christ and lifted up by the love of the Holy Spirit is the Church’s ultimate destiny. That love permeates our individual and corporate beings permitting us to experience the divine joy of loving and serving one another.

            Our graduating seniors can and should take this scripture to heart. In your quest for adulthood and life after High School, you will search for your niche in our society. When you were much younger, people asked what you wanted to be when you grow up. Now you are at that point in your life. You have probably given a lot of thought to that very recently, and are preparing for you future vocation whatever it might be. You may still be wondering what it might be. You may be stressed out because of the unknowns in your future. Regardless of your career path, the path of love and service as commanded by Jesus will lead you to peace and joy. Find a way to serve others as you take care of yourself and your family. Also, allow yourself to feel the love that Christ has for you.

44 While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, 46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, 47 "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" 48 So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

This short text is the climactic conclusion of a very long narrative that begins all of the way back in verse 1. In this climactic ending Gentiles are welcomed into the church through the activity of the Holy Spirit. This event is a big deal to the Jewish observers because they could not fathom the inclusion of Gentiles into the church. Their attitude may seem strange to our way of thinking, but after all, Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, and this was a watershed in the growth of the early church.

There are a lot of details missing from the baptismal event, and the order of salvation seems out of kilter to us who have become doctrinally rigid. Missing from this narrative is an act of repentance or profession of faith on the part of the Gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit. The method of baptism is not given other than to refer to water not being withheld. They are not baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Since a large group was involved (relatives and close friends) were children baptized along with adults?  But the greatest particular surprise is that the Holy Spirit fell on them before they were baptized, and He came without the laying on of hands! It is almost as if the Holy Spirit is indicating that He will choose and call people to Jesus without our direction.

But of course, this narrative is not really about sacramental theology, it is about the playing field being leveled by God Himself. It is not our responsibility to put boundaries around the church and decide who can enter and who cannot. While our church culture is not one of Jews and Gentiles it is diverse in terms of socioeconomics, color, ethnicity, culture, sex, and the like. We are tempted at times to put boundaries up that are functions of our own likes and dislikes rather than to be truly open to all sinners. And we are all sinners. That is why Christ died for all sinners. Like Peter said, “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” Peter opened his heart to the outsider… can we?

Who did this guy think he was? Philip was appointed along with 6 other men to distribute food amongst the widows to be sure that no one was slighted. The 12 disciples appointed others to take care of this task because “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.” (6:2) Philip was appointed to wait on tables, but in this text he was evangelizing an Ethiopian eunuch far from his own home in Jerusalem. He even had to chase down a chariot, interrupt the man’s reading, and ask him if he understood what he was reading. Then he had the audacity to lead him to Jesus Christ without getting permission to do so. Philip really should have let the duly appointed apostles do this sort of thing. Perhaps Philip could have run back to Jerusalem and got Peter to come minister to the eunuch.

We must be careful not to make this same mistake today. We have preachers who have been appropriately trained and appointed for ecclesial tasks, and they get paid to perform them. If there are unchurched people in the community who do not know Jesus, the clergy should call on them and bring them to church. There are surely enough clergy in East Texas to get the job done. When there is a prayer to be said at a church or community function; for example, a church fellowship and potluck, the laity should always politely wait until the pastor says the blessing on the food. If a church member is sick only a visit from the pastor counts. Lay visits are okay, but they just do not carry the same weight with God. It is essential that the pastor says all intercessory prayers on behalf of the congregation because God listens to pastors more than he does everybody else.

Now just imagine that Philip thought like that. The early church would have ground to stop without bold witnesses like him and others. Stephen was also one of the seven selected, and he gave his life as a witness to Jesus Christ. Throughout the generations of Christianity it has been bold and dedicated lay people who have kept the church for the next generation. Many of them were women. As I write this, it is Mothers’ Day, a time when we honor our mothers for all they have done for us. One thing that we forget is that they are the reason that we have church. Mothers bringing kids to church, teaching Sunday School, preparing potlucks and meals for bereaved families, doing vacation bible school, singing in the choir, and preaching and teaching the word of God.

The church is made up of all of those called by God into the body of Christ, and evangelism of the word is the responsibility of everyone. All of the studies and surveys show that a huge percentage of those who join the church are invited and brought by a lay person, not a pastor.

George Reeves played Superman on the old TV series before there were the slick looking special effects that are used in movies and TV today. His superman costume was drab looking (before color), his flying take offs were hokey looking, and his high level flying above Metropolis was simply a background running behind him. However, the coolest part of the show was when Clark Kent would furtively duck into a closet while taking his glasses off. You knew what was going to happen; the man of steel would appear and save the day.     Clark Kent was transformed into Superman. Although Lois Lane never quite figured it out, we knew that they were the same person.

             Peter, the Rock, also underwent a transformation, but one that was more complete than Clark Kent’s. The gospel account of Peter is far less than complimentary. Peter had always put his foot in his mouth whenever he said anything. He never understood what Jesus was trying to teach the disciples, and he denied Jesus 3 times because he was afraid of the religious authorities. Yet, in this scripture he boldly gave his testimony before the Sanhedrin, the principal authority of the religious, social, and political structure of the people of Judea. Not only were his words bold, they were elegant and rhetorically astute. He quickly threw the accusation back on the Sanhedrin by saying: “if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed…” This was a brilliant piece of rhetoric since it proved that they were simply jealous of the authority that Peter had.

            But what had happened to Peter? How could a bumbler become a fearless and brilliant witness for the Savior? Did he step into a phone booth and tear off his shirt revealing a big “S”? Had he always had this hidden talent and courage was just waiting for the opportune time to use them? Hardly. Peter was not the same person, but he had been completely transformed into someone very different. The key to his transformation is in verse 8, “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit…” The Holy Spirit was gifted to the church as promised by Jesus before his ascension into heaven in Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

            The Holy Spirit transformed Peter into a very different person. The manifestation of the Holy Spirit in him was his courage and ability to witness to others about his own faith. People wonder about the personhood and work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is very much alive and well in the church that was instituted by Christ, and he is very active in empowering us to witness to others and bring them to Christ.

12 When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, "You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. 14 But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you. 17 "And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. 19 Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out,

President Ahmadinejad of Iran has denied that the Jewish Holocaust of World War 2 in Germany ever really occurred. To deny the existence of an injustice is to prevent the healing of the wounds. The German people themselves still struggle with the series of events that led up to and included the mass extermination of 6 Million Jews. The atrocities that occurred in places like the Warsaw Ghetto will live in infamy for many generations. In the Warsaw Ghetto the Jews were moved into a 16 blocks area that was capable of accommodating about 100,000 people; yet over 400,000 were crammed in and subjected to starvation, brutality, total deprivation, disease, and overall inhumane treatment. During the height of the ghetto operation, 5,000 per day died. When the Treblinka death camp was opened they were herded into cattle cars and transported to the gas chambers. The story is a sad one in the annals of the human race in that people could treat other people with such savagery and lack of compassion. One can imagine the fear and desperation in the hearts of the Jewish people subjected to such treatment: “where is our God? Surely God will intervene and save us from these monsters!” Yet, it must have seemed that God had deserted them.

Such injustice has been around a long time. The scripture summarizes the events that took place about 2000 years ago when the gravest injustice in history took place. An innocent man was accused falsely, beaten, and hung on a cross to die. His own people turned him over to the enemy and insisted on the release of a guilty murderer. On the cross he cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Yet, it appeared that God was not present. God did not intervene to stop the crucifixion, but God triumphed over death and evil itself through the resurrection. Death and evil have already been defeated by Christ!

So where was God during the Warsaw Ghetto? God was very active through the actions of a Polish Catholic woman, and she smuggled 2500 Jewish children out of the Ghetto into the waiting arms of Catholic families throughout Warsaw. Her name was Irena Sendler. Hallmark recently released a movie about her called The Heart of Irena Sendler. She was captured by the German Gestapo and tortured before being sent to a firing squad. A bribe to a guard led to her escape. Because of her, some amount of Nazi injustice was defeated.

We still live in a world of massive and deep injustice. Some of it occurs far away and some is next door to us. It is only human nature to ask, “Where is God?” God could have rescued Jesus off of the cross by sending a legion of angels to defeat the Roman army, but God does not work that way. Rather, he is present with those like Irena Sendler who risk their own lives in the face of injustice to show compassion and love for God’s children who are being mistreated.

32 Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. 33 With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. 35 They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Give me that old time religion”? Of course that is the name of an old gospel song, but the nostalgia behind the words conjures up imagery of fellowship picnics with homemade lemonade, the old church cemetery, the full pews, the ice cream socials, and old fashioned gospel music. We always tend to idealize the “good old days,” by selectively remembering the good and forgetting the bad. Do we really want to turn off the air conditioning and break out the funeral home fans? Of course, the real question is what do we mean by “old time religion”? Most folks tend to focus on the church life that they experienced when they were teenagers or young adults, but I suggest we look further back than that. How about the earliest description of church that we have? The apostolic church that came into being shortly after Jesus’ death and resurrection!

The apostolic church is called that because it was founded by the original disciples (apostles) of Jesus. The key person was Peter, who was able to speak with great authority and heal people through the power of the Holy Spirit. The church exploded in growth as people joined in large numbers. These 4 verses are one of the summaries of the attributes of the first church. The apostolic church members were of one heart and soul, and they held all things in common. They were united in purpose, and the church was a socialist organization. Those who held property sold it, and the money was distributed to those who had need. Hence, there were no needy among them.

Although this church existed in a culture far different from ours, there are similarities. The Judaic culture was one that held wealth in high regard, and there was a big gap between the haves and the have-nots. Therefore, the early church was a radical, against the grain, revolutionary movement among a sinful society. Through the centuries, society and the church, and the relationship between the two have changed significantly. However, we find ourselves in a similar society; our culture places a very high regard on wealth, and the gap between poverty and wealth is large. The apostolic church took a position of transforming their culture rather than going along with it. Do we really want that “old time religion”?

15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.16 Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort.17 And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him.18 And they began saluting him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"19 They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. 20 After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. 21 They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. 22 Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). 23 And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take. 25 It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him. 26 The inscription of the charge against him read, "The King of the Jews." 27 And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left. 29 Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!" 31 In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also taunted him. 33 When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 At three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 35 When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, "Listen, he is calling for Elijah." 36 And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down." 37 Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was God's Son!" 40 There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 These used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem. 42 When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Then Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead for some time. 45 When he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph.

We all are familiar with the passion narratives in the various gospel accounts. Various movies over the years have portrayed the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. About 6 years ago Mel Gibson portrayed the bloodiest version of the crucifixion to appear on the screen. However, it is interesting to consider the various other characters in the story.

According to Mark almost everybody turned against Jesus just 5 days after his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Of course the religious authorities had been looking for the chance to get him out of the way for some time. The Roman soldiers parodied him with a purple robe and crown of thorns. He was beaten unmercifully, spit upon, and mocked. One of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, actually betrayed him, and his strongest and most loyal disciple, Simon Peter, denied him 3 times. The rest of the disciples ran and did not return. Even the criminals next to him derided him. The crowd that had been for him turned against him with some urging by the religious authorities. Only 3 women remained, and they watched from afar.

Strangely, the Roman Centurion in charge of executing Jesus said, “Truly this man was God’s Son.” He did not call Jesus the King of the Jews, the Messiah, a brave man, an innocent man, or any of the possible things that he might have noted while ordering his men about their assigned tasks. How did he know that Jesus was God’s Son when even the disciples had run away in fear and confusion? The contrast between the reactions of the Centurion and everyone else involved is huge. The religious authorities who were expecting a Messiah did not recognize the Messiah and had him killed. The disciples who were with Jesus for 3 years were totally confused. A Centurion, who had brutally killed many men in his career and trained others to do the same, recognized who Jesus really was.

What does this mean? Perhaps Mark is reminding us that sometimes the least likely people can become disciples of Christ. We may decide not to invite someone to church because we feel that they are beyond the reach of the church. “Surely this person is a hopeless sinner, and we do not want them in our church.” This attitude denigrates the power of the Holy Spirit to convict sinners, and it is not our decision whom God calls. We are called to be witnesses not judges, and as witnesses we should witness to everyone. We never know when that callous, brutal Centurion may become one of Jesus’ own.

It was a tough crowd to convince that God was really going to rescue them and bring them home again to Jerusalem. Many had lost hope and some of them did not want to be convinced. Reading about the events that took place some 2500 years ago, we are puzzled as to why some of the leadership of the Israelites in forced exile in Babylon abused the prophet who brought hope of a God given homecoming. One reason might have been because they had been blaming God for their suffering and misery over the years. They told themselves that the defeat of their ancestors by the Babylonian army and deportation must have occurred because God had deserted them in their time of need, or he had actually been overcome by the gods of the Babylonians. Many of them had turned to the idols and false gods of their adopted land. The prophet reminded them that God had allowed the defeat to occur because their ancestors had turned their backs on God. They had deserted God; he had not deserted Israel. No one likes to hear that things are going badly because he or she has deserted God; it is much easier to blame God.

            Perhaps an even greater reason for their confrontation with the prophet was complacency. Forced exile was very difficult to endure, but over the years some managed to profit from their new land. Many settled into the Babylonian lifestyle, and some even worshipped the Babylonian gods. Even those who maintained their Jewish heritage and religion became complacent.

            Many years after these events in the book of Isaiah, Jesus brought change, and the leadership fought the change that he brought. They were so tightly bound in their complacency, that they were totally blind to the Son of God. This week we celebrate the passion of Christ, which includes his death at the hands of those who could not move out of their comfort zone.

 Some things never change. Complacency can bring about rigor mortis in a nation, a community, or even a church. When it becomes time to change, it can be difficult move out of the box we have built around ourselves. Perhaps the prophet is speaking to us.

31 The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt-- a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the LORD," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

I had a small asparagus fern on the window sill over the sink. More accurately, it used to be small, but it had grown significantly over the months. I noticed that is started looking unhealthy and required watering every day to keep it alive. I examined it and found that it was grossly root bound. It was so root bound that it had actually broken the small plastic container that it was in, and the dirt was not even visible on the sides of the plant because of the roots wound around the outside. The plant had grown so much that it was killing itself in its small environment. I repotted it in a bigger pot with fresh dirt. It has been transformed from dying to growing once again.

            In many ways we are like that fern. When we are young we outgrow our clothes and shoes too often for our parents’ pocketbook. Each year of school is a little harder as we grown mentally. As we grow older, we tend to become root bound. We quit learning new things, become set in our ways, do not make new friends, and our lives become routine.

            In this text from the great prophet Jeremiah, he promises a time when God will give Israel a new lease on life. Over the years, God’s chosen people had become root bound and broken their covenant with God. God promised that he would transform his people by writing his law on their hearts. They will no longer require teachers to remind them of the covenant because it will become part of them. God will not only forgive their sins he will forget them. Jeremiah leaves the time frame open. He refers to “those days [that] are surely coming.” As Christians, we believe that Christ’s work is consistent with this prophecy.

However, born again Christians tend to stop growing and remain as little children spiritually. We went to Sunday school when we were young, read the bible, prayed when we went to bed, and opened our hearts and minds to the Holy Spirit. Like the fern, we are killing ourselves spiritually by not growing. Easter is a time of renewal. Even though we have already accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, we have become spiritually root bound, and we need to be repotted so we can grow again.

Then God spoke all these words: 2 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;  3 you shall have no other gods before me. 4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, 6 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. 8 Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 10 But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work-- you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it. 12 Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. 13 You shall not murder. 14 You shall not commit adultery. 15 You shall not steal. 16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

           Reactions to the 10 Commandments are fascinating. There is a lot of argument about having them posted in government buildings or having carved tablets displayed on courthouse lawns. It is an emotional issue on the part of many Christians who think that they should be displayed; yet, I have never seen them displayed on a church lawn. Regardless of where they are displayed, the question should be: “Do we live by them?” If you ask folks the content of the 10 Commandments, they will usually respond; “thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal”… and so forth. These last 5 commandments are easy to remember and also comforting because we think to ourselves; “I do not steal, kill, and so forth… hence, I am home safe!” They seem very self evident as to their meaning, and they are easy to follow.

            However, these five are less specific than it first seems. What does it mean to kill? The person who shot Pastor Fred Winters to death in the First Baptist Church in Maryville, Illinois, clearly broke this commandment. But what about abortion, war (especially collateral damage), capital punishment, self defense, taking someone off of life support, or smoking? Depending on the circumstances, the distinction between breaking a commandment or not can be fuzzy. We all know that stealing is wrong, but what about Bernie Madoff. The most recent numbers indicate that 65 Billion dollars were lost in his Ponzi scheme. Yet, he did not take money away from people; many begged him to take it. What is the definition of stealing?     

People do not remember the much longer first five commandments that have to do with God, Sabbath, and parents. In fact the commandment about honoring the Sabbath is longer than all of the others, and it includes a reminder relating the order of the 10 Commandments to the order of creation. Why does God speak so much about the Sabbath and so little about the more obvious sins against people? Could it be that God is more interested in forming a community set apart by the commandments rather than defining the specifics of each commandment? That community is responsible for reflection and discussion on how each member should treat other members rather than accusing each other of various violations. That is consistent with something that happened many hundreds of years after the commandments were given to Moses. Jesus came to bring people together into the community called “church”. The church is his body, and we are to take up our cross and follow him. Participating in the community rather than arguing over various interpretations is the particular calling of Christians.