Lent 2010 #17

Romans 2:1-11 (NRSV)
Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. You say,* 'We know that God's judgement on those who do such things is in accordance with truth.' Do you imagine, whoever you are, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will
escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God's righteous
judgment will be revealed. For he will repay according to each one's deeds: to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honour and immortality, he will give eternal life; while for those who are self-seeking and who obey not the truth but wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be anguish and distress for everyone who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honour and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.


THOUGHTS:
You might have seen the article in last week's Washington Post about the juror who failed to show up for his second day of jury duty. (Check it out at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/05/AR2010030504193.html?sub=AR) Apparently the man was summoned for jury duty, seated on a jury and then participated in the first day of the trial. On the second day of the trial, however, he failed to show up. By day three the roles had been reversed. The juror suddenly found himself in the courtroom standing before the judge as a defendant who was charged with contempt of court. The one who had been called to judge was now being judged himself.

In many ways, this was kind of role reversal is what the apostle Paul was writing about to the Romans in our text for today. Paul makes clear that "God shows no partiality". Everyone, including the Gentiles, was subject not only to God's judgment, but also to God's "glory and honor and peace". This was quite a reversal in roles. The Jews were experiencing things from the eyes of the Gentiles and the Gentiles from the eyes of the Jews.

Paul suggests that God sees both groups equally. Ancestry alone was not going to give anyone a place of honor before God. All people would be judged accordingly. All people would be in equal need of God's grace and, through Christ's death and resurrection on the cross, all people would receive that gift. Thanks be to God for God's gift of grace to all!

PRAYER:
Loving God, we give you thanks that we all come before you equally as your children. We are in need of your grace and ask that you would freely bestow it upon us. Amen.

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Thoughts by Rev. Meredith Keseley, pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Abiding Presence.

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These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Feel free to share them with your friends!

View or subscribe to these devotions by RSS or email from
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Lent 2010 #8

PHILIPPIANS 3:2-12 (NRSV)

²Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh! ³For it is we who are the circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh— ⁴even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh. 

If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: ⁵circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 

⁷Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. ⁸More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. ¹⁰I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, ¹¹if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 

¹²Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

THOUGHTS:

Some people seem to have it all.  They come from the right families, attend the right schools, choose the right majors, land the right internships, make the right connections, and for them the sky seems to be the limit.  Yes, some people seem to have it all.  And some others try to get for themselves as many of the "right" things as they can.

At one time, Paul was one who certainly seemed to have all the right stuff.  He had a resumé of rightness, or of righteousness, that his friends would have looked at with envy.  But then he encountered Jesus Christ and Paul's eyes were opened to seeing that all of what he did, and knew, and achieved, was not enough to put him right with God; that no matter what, he would always come up short because he was a flawed, frail and finite human being.  Through his encounter with Jesus Christ, Paul learned the good news that he didn't have to rely on his own attempts at achieving rightness, and instead could count on the rightness of a relationship with God made possible to him through his faith in the crucified and risen Christ.  And so it is for us.

Like Paul, this Lenten season we can take heart in knowing that for us, it isn't about what we do, but about what God has done, is doing and will do for us.  That frees us to do what we do, know and achieve, not because we have to (in order to prove our worth, our value, our importance, our lovability), but because we want to.  Doing so not for our sake, but for the sake of others out of our love of God and our neighbor in response to what God has done for us in Christ Jesus.


PRAYER:

Gracious God, as we continue on our Lenten journey, help us always to remember that we love and serve you, and our fellow human beings, not to try to make us worthy of your love and forgiveness, but in response to the love and forgiveness that you have first showed us through your son, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

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Thoughts by Rev. Mark W. Olsen, Director of Admissions and Enrollment Services, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg

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These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Feel free to share them with your friends!

View or subscribe to these devotions by RSS or email from http://lentendevotions.blogspot.com

Also available on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7958874287

Lent 2009 #32

Philippians 2:3-8 
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.

THOUGHTS:

I don't think that Paul is suggesting we look down on ourselves.  Know that you are a loved child of God, more valuable than you can imagine.  Accept that.  Own it.  Feel it.  You are loved.

Then, with knowing that, try to see everyone around you as being at least that precious too, for they are each also loved children of God.  And don't just think of them that way, treat them that way.  Not just your friends, but also those who might seem incidental to your life, or even as enemies to you!  Treat the person who screws up your lunch order as a loved child of God, with the dignity and compassion they deserve because of their status in God's eyes.  Love the person who backs into your car, for they are more valuable than any car could be.  And when someone tries to tear you apart, show them compassion.

That's what this passage says to me when it talks abut acting humbly and emptying ourselves as Jesus did.

PRAYER:   

Lord God, we know that you love us more than we could ever fully comprehend.  Help us to humbly accept that love, sharing it with all those we encounter during our journey in life, each day, every day.  For the sake of Jesus the Christ, AMEN.

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These devotions are provided by Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University.  Please feel free to share them with your friends!  For more information on our ministry and events, see http://gmu.edu/org/lutheran  

You can subscribe to these devotions by RSS or email from http://lentendevotions.blogspot.com

Lent Day #36

James 2:14-18 (NET)
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacks daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm and eat well," but you do not give them what the body needs, what good is it? 17 So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works.

THOUGHTS:
Martin Luther didn't like James, dismissing it as "an epistle of straw" at odds with the "good news" found in the Pauline doctrine of justification by grace through faith. Compare the verses above to Ephesians 2:8-9 (CEV):

8 You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God's gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. 9 It isn't something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about.

James pulls from Hebrew history and the teachings of Jesus to make the point that faith is active. It isn't merely a profession from our mind and lips. It isn't just a feeling resting in our hearts. Faith manifests itself in how we live our lives.

I admit that I am sometimes intoxicated with God's grace. My faith finds a home in this message of grace that comes out of the Gospels and Paul's letters. I struggle with judgement that isn't coated with grace. Yet I value James as an important reminder that our faith is lived out. If you have an extra half-hour this week, read all of James (it's quite short).

Remember that we cannot earn salvation with our works, but also pray about how your actions represent your faith. Is our faith alive -- moving us to act, or is it just a collection of inanimate thoughts? Jesus says those who believe do his work (AKA "God's will"). See John 14:12, (ESV):

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father."

Do you live like you believe?


PRAYER:
Oh God, we know that our actions fall short, and we praise you for loving and accepting us anyway. Fill us with your love for all people, so that our faith bubbles out of us into our actions -- so that we live our faith. May we always do your will. In Jesus name we pray. AMEN.

Lent Day #26

1 Corinthians 10:23-33 (ESV)
23 "All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

THOUGHTS:
What does Paul mean here? It is easy to understand that "not all things are helpful" ... that "not all things build up". His main point here is about food, but it is clear when he says "whatever you do" in verse 31 that he intends for this type of thinking to apply to extend to everything.

We know that there are many things we can do that are harmful or destructive. Some of these things are There are many things we know are harmful and destructive. There are things that can be done and said that tear down our neighbor and our environment. Paul indicates that it's also not helpful to do things that lead others away from faith. He says that we shouldn't do those things that lead others away from faith ... away from God.

He says that his liberty should be determined by "someone else's conscience" (verse 29). I have a hard time with this. I agree that we shouldn't be hypocrites -- that we live according to our beliefs. Yet, should we also try to live within a box of what others believe a Christian should be like? There are people who believe a Christian should never drink a drop of alcohol, yet Jesus drank wine. I could list for paragraphs various things that people think "good Christians" should or should not do -- with no scriptural basis.

So what does this passage mean for us today?

PRAYER:
Dear God, help us to wrestle with Your Word. Help us to live in the questions, knowing that we find you in the struggle and sometimes answers aren't the point. Allow us to immerse ourselves in you, that we might truly live. AMEN.

Lent Day #25

Romans 8:1-2 (ESV)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

THOUGHTS:
In Jesus the Christ we have been set free from the law of sin and death. What does this mean to you?

Do you live any differently because of this knowledge? Do you think this frees us to do whatever we want with no consequences? Probably not. We all know that there are consequences for our actions. We can hurt those around us. We know that we should love God and neighbor...

Maybe this "law of the Spirit of life" has set us free to love neighbor even when the law doesn't require it.

How does this impact your life?

PRAYER:
God, we ask that you are with us each day -- that every day you help us to set our hearts and minds on your ways -- that you help us to use this freedom we find in Jesus for doing your work here and now. Please lead us and guide us all the days of our lives. AMEN.

Lent Day #16

Philippians 2:1-8 (ESV)
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

THOUGHTS:
Paul writes to the Philippians to encourage unity in their community. He implores them to be "of one mind". I don't think this means we all have to think alike. He's not saying "check your mind at the door and toe the line". He's telling them that they shouldn't have rival factions among them. They should lovingly work out what they are going to do as a community so that they will be "in full accord". This reminds me of how Quaker (Society of Friends) communities traditionally do business: seeking consensus, and if they can't come to unanimous agreement, they table the issue to be decided at a later date. Then when they act, they are all "in full accord and of one mind." Is this what Paul is calling for?

Also, take another look at verses 3-4 (emphasis added): "...in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." I find it interesting here that he's not telling them to ignore than own interests, but rather to also look to the interests of others. However, "others" aren't aren't second rate, but rather more significant.

Our society tends to value the self foremost. We always look out for #1 (ourselves), right? Sure, we value certain causes and it feels good to be charitable, so when it comes time to give, we look in our wallet, pick the medium-sized bill and give it away. It feels good & we helped someone else -- we're doing God's work...but don't we put ourselves first, rather than others? We value the new iPod we want to buy more than the food that could be bought for a family who desperately needs it. I'm not saying it is intentional, but as we talked about at the "Gospel According to the Simpsons" on Friday, we all benefit from the misfortunes of others in one way or another...

As Shane Claiborne points out in "The Irresistible Revolution": The world doesn't have enough resources for everyone to have a big house with a white picket fence and 2.3 kids driving a SUV everywhere -- but there are enough global resources to meet the basic human needs of every person on the planet. When asked why there are so many poor people whose needs aren't being met, Rob Bell told his congregation that it is because we, as the body of Christ, haven't been doing our job.

What if each of us put the needs of all the lonely and hurting people that we pass each day above our own time commitments each day? What would it look like if we led our local congregations work with other congregations and communities to prioritize caring for all the poor people in our neighborhoods above building renovations, carpet cleaning, new sound system or discussions about changing worship services? What if all Christian communities united together with "one mind" to, working with other like-minded organizations, to attempt to wipe out hunger in the world? Is it really possible for us to treat others as more significant than ourselves?

Note that I'm not saying to neglect your own needs, but to consider the implications of thinking about the needs of others as more significant. I'm not advocating starving yourself to death to feed others for a few days! What I'm asking is if we might be able to start by putting the basic needs of others before the luxuries we want? I don't know if I can do it, but I pray that God help me to try...

PRAYER:
Dear gracious God, you have given us so much. Help us to share this bounty with those who have not been so fortunate, that their struggle may be as if it were our struggle. Lead us to be the Church, uniting all of Your communities to do Your work.. Aide us in doing Your Will in all aspects of our lives. In the name of Jesus, we pray. AMEN.

NOTES:
We'll be gathering at the George Mason Statue on campus at 8:45am tomorrow (2/24/2008) morning to carpool to the Washington National Cathedral to hear bestselling author Jim Wallis speak, worship there, and return to campus by 1:00pm. RSVP by email or at http://gmu.facebook.com/event.php?eid=10421801061 appreciated, but not required.