David Bahn – Reflections – Page 314 – Light from the Word and through the lens

Death and Life and Times of Joy and Trial

July 25, 2015

1 Samuel 2:6

The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.

Hebrews 13:20–21

May the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make you complete in everything good.

I receive these daily Bible verses from a Moravian Daily Texts email subscription. The Moravians are the older cousins of Lutherans with their roots reaching back to 100 years before Martin Luther to Jan Huss, aCzech reformer who was martyred for his faith. The Moravian Church, or Unitas Fratrum (Unity of Brethren), as it has been officially known since 1457, arose as followers of Hus gathered in the village of Kunvald, about 100 miles east of Prague, in eastern Bohemia, and organized the church. This was 60 years before Martin Luther began his reformation and 100 years before the establishment of the Anglican Church. This Christian group publishes these daily texts – both the two-verse variety which i use for these devotions as well as a more lengthy reading for those who wish to delve more deeply into Scripture.

Today’s texts pair two verses from disparate parts of the Bible; one from the Old Testament, the other from the New Testament. As is often the case, these verses align in such a manner that I gain new insights or “aha” moments fairly quickly. This is certainly true today. As Hannnah prays (1 Samuel 2), she acknowledges the ultimate reign of God. She has seen the power and grace of God at work in the birth of her son. She has taken him to serve in the Lord’s temple under the care of Eli the priest. Her prayer will be echoed by Mary as she meets Elizabeth before the birth of Jesus.

In Jesus’ resurrection we see how God actually does bring to life – not only giving a child to Hannah who had been barren, and to Mary who was a virgin, but to Jesus who was killed. Consider Isaiah 53:10

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

The fullness of God’s reign over life and death is seen in these three verses; and Jesus’ full participation in that reign becomes clear. God put Jesus to death, but raised him back to life. This was not, however, some careless act on God’s part. It was part of God’s will and redemptive plan.

We believe that Jesus’ death was not an accident, and that his resurrection was a vindication of his life and faith. Would it not be true that God’s plans are being worked out in our lives as well? If that is so, we can be confident of God’s good and perfect will to establish us in the same hope and glory that was displayed in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Perhaps that will put into perspective all that happens in our lives and the world around us – both in times of joy as well as times of trial.
A Truth Anyone May Embrace

July 24, 2015

Isaiah 12:1 (NKJV)

O Lord, I will praise you; though you were angry with me, your anger is turned away, and you comfort me.

John 6:37

Christ says, “Anyone who comes to me I will never drive away.”

There are only a few sermons I have heard over the years that I can recall the theme. A message based on John 6:33 is one of them. Rev. John Niermann (now graduated to the eternal realm of Christ) was my vicarage supervisor for a time at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Preaching on this text he assured the people that when they turn to Jesus he would not reject them. Over and over he made his point. At the end of the service one woman expressed deep emotional appreciation for sharing that word of truth. That was more than 35 years ago. It was a simple but powerful message.

The ultimate disposition of God toward repentant sinners is one of grace, mercy, comfort, love, and acceptance. This is not good news to the happy sinner, the strong agnostic, or the willful reprobate. They wish only to continue along the path of their own moral judgments, treat God as an optional life-adornment, or continue blissfully ignorant of their need for a Savior.

Those who recognize and acknowledge their sin, however, hear Good News in Jesus’ words. God comforts the contrite. He welcomes sinners. Struggling agnostics, unhappy and distressed sinners, repentant reprobates will find a place in Jesus’ heart. Guilty-conscience-laden Christians, insecure followers, worried doubters, and honest seekers will find Jesus to be a solid rock and tower of hope, mercy, goodness, faithfulness, and love.

God’s ultimate attitude is one of grace. That is a truth that anyone may embrace.
How’s it goin’?!?

July 23, 2015

Jeremiah 30:19 (NIV)

I will add to their numbers, and they will not be decreased; I will bring them honor, and they will not be disdained.

Matthew 13:31–32

Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

“How’s it goin’!?!” A friend of mine and I will adopt New York accents and ask each other that question. I think it may be a line from a movie, but I’m certain his accent and mannerisms are more authentic than mine; he’s Italian by ethnicity and has some New York roots. Of course the answer to each other is simply to echo the question back and forth. No one ever answers the question, but when we do we usually simply say, “fine.”

Life wasn’t so fine for the people of Israel in Jeremiah’s day. They were in exile. The same would be true for the early followers of Jesus: they would be persecuted. But make no mistake: God’s reign would spread, God’s people would be restored. Honor would come to Israel. Followers of Jesus would become so numerous that people would flock to their gatherings.

With few notable exceptions the Christian Church in North America is a struggling dishonored, disdained, and smallest of all movements. Sports and entertainment get all the good headlines. Movies debut regularly to multi-million dollar weekends. People gather in sports bars and around water coolers to talk about their favorite team. Kids and parents spend hours each week practicing soccer, baseball, football, volleyball, and other pursuits for various reasons (some very good, others not so good). All the while, Christian churches struggle to make ends meet and see numbers dwindling (for various reasons – some good, others not so good – as well. It wasn’t always so: for several decades in North America the church was part of the fabric of everyday life.

But the reign of God is not always easily seen. It may certainly be manifest when people gather for worship and build beautiful places for religious pursuits, but it may also be manifest in the hidden-from-public-view of home prayer and mission groups seeking to impact their neighborhood and workplaces with the good news of God’s reign in Jesus Christ’s life, death, resurrection and second-coming at the Great Last Day. The reign of God comes when people hear God’s word, and by the power of the Holy Spirit play their sports and root for their teams, and debate politics around the water cooler in the daily rhythm of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

How’s it goin?!? Make no mistake: God reigns in grace and truth. Those who are his and who live under Christ in his kingdom do so with the confidence that his cause will be vindicated, and his blessings will be experienced by all who are drawn to Jesus
High Opinions and God’s Promises

July 22, 2015

1 Samuel 26:23

The Lord rewards everyone for his righteousness and his faithfulness.

Matthew 5:10

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Have you heard the joke about a man who experienced one hardship after another? Health challenges, financial troubles, relationship woes, and just pain bad luck followed him everywhere. He turned to the Bible for comfort and read that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond our ability to handle the temptation. On one particularly bad day he looked up at the heavens and said, “Lord, I wish you didn’t have such a high opinion of me.”

Perhaps you can identify with that sentiment. These two verses, however, point beyond the idea that God has a good opinion of those who suffer (that they can handle it). Jesus teaches that those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake are actually blessed. Are we to conclude that our pain is a blessing from God?!?

Pain (according to Paul Brandt and Philip Yancey) is indeed The Gift Nobody Wants. We avoid it as much as possible, medicate it when it intrudes into our lives, and consider it an enemy, not a gift. Pain warns us of graver danger: illness, evil, harm of some kind.

Jesus’ teaching, and the promise of 1 Samuel point us not to the pain, but to the faithfulness and favor of God, who invites us to embrace his reign in our lives and over the world. Jesus is at the right hand of God. He rules over all things. Nothing happens apart from his providential rule. Those who embrace that reign by faith discover a greater blessing than a worry-free, pain-free life. They experience a peace the world cannot give.

Whatever pain and difficulty we may experience today will fade away in the light of God’s goodness, love, grace, mercy, compassion, and faithful promises. Whatever pleasant and good things come our way are a reminder of the ultimate glory and bliss that are ours in the kingdom of God.
The Tender Mercies of God

July 21, 2015

Isaiah 25:8

The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces.

2 Corinthians 1:3–4

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction.

When I was young, my sister lost the tip of her finger in an accident. I recall my mom, holding her in her arms, crying with her, rocking back and forth in her rocking chair, wiping away the tears. It was a traumatic experience, but the tenderness of my mom certainly brought comfort to my sister. The image of a mother consoling her child, wiping away the tears will soften the hearts of most people.

Such is the image of God offered here: He consoles us in our affliction. He wipes away our tears. Notice, furthermore, that God’s consolation is for all tears and all affliction. Tears of regret: God wipes them away. Affliction of our own making: God comforts us. Weeping brought by the evil actions of others is comforted by the tender compassion of God. Sorrows that flow from loneliness, or loss are wiped away by the tender mercies of our God.

When we call to God in our distress, we do not call on an uncaring, unmoved, stoic deity. We call on the One who took on human flesh and wept at the tomb of his friend Lazarus, whose guts were moved with compassion at the crowd of people who were scattered and helpless – like sheep without a shepherd, who felt compassion on a widow whose only son had died, and raised him back to life.

May his name be praised forever and ever!
Life Without Masks

July 21, 2015

Psalm 139:16

Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me.

John 1:48

Nathanael asked Jesus, “Where did you get to know me?”

A mask from a First Nations tribe in Victoria, BC

There is something quite unnerving about being fully known. Most of us hide various aspects of our true self from others. From flattering clothes, to secret thoughts, to financial information safeguards, we keep our secrets, passwords, accounts and personal information well-guarded.

But God knows us as we are. He knows us from before our birth to our last breath and beyond. He knows when we rise, sit, sleep, and speak. And here is the most amazing part of all of this…He knows every wart, blemish, fault, failure, and foible, and loves every part of our being.

Sometimes we hide things from others because we believe those parts are unlovable. We imagine that certain aspects of our identity or certain experiences in our past render us unlovable. But God’s love is best experienced not by hiding any part of our being from him, but by letting him love us fully in every part. We cannot hide from God. He knows us fully. So we must either deny our true being, deny God’s true love or embrace his perfect love for us in every aspect of our being. Jesus came to save sinners. His love covers a multitude of sins!
The Peace of God: Better than a Mountain Brook

July 14, 2015

1 Samuel 17:37

Go, and may the Lord be with you!

Philippians 4:7

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The waterfront near Veria (Berea), Greece – a beautiful and peaceful scene

I have a somewhat silly tradition of watching the movie Independence Day every year on the Fourth of July. Our family actually saw the movie when it came out — on Independence Day 1996. In that movie the President makes a rousing speech to motivate the people to fight to save their lives. He says, in part, “We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We’re going to live on! We’re going to survive!” With that the citizens of Earth mount a defense and ultimately win back their independence from an alien invasion from outer space.

In the texts above, Saul is sending David into battle against the Philistine giant, Goliath. His word is two-fold: Go and be protected by God’s presence. God’s presence allows David to go into battle with confidence. Paul is writing to the Philippian Christians to thank them for their financial support and to encourage them to remain faithful, seeking God’s provision and peace. The fuller context of this verse is his “blank check on prayer” invitation: “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).

Some would seek peace in the shade of a mighty oak tree, or in the quiet babbling of a mountain stream. While those are restful and peaceful places, God’s peace is not limited to quiet and restful places. God’s presence brings peace in the face of battle, and in the throes of daily life. This is a true gift: God’s peace that passes all that our minds can produce is something that guards us in times of battle or moments of rest.
We have nothing to offer; God has everything to give.

July 13, 2015

Joel 2:13

Rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God.

Luke 18:13

The tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”

Where do you go in the face of difficulties and disappointments? Some go to scripture and prayer. Some seek escape through drugs and alcohol. Others seek comfort through food. Still others go to sex, while more than a few go to gossip, depression, or despair. We all have our coping mechanisms – some good; some not so good.

There are similar possible responses to our spiritual condition. When we realize we have offended God we can resort to strong outward shows of contrition. We can resolve never to trespass again. We can seek to make up for our failure. We can confess our sins to a pastor or friend (a real option where powerful blessings ensue).

God’s call is to embrace a heart-change; to stand before God with no excuses, no justification, no outward evidence; only a broken heart. That is where we find grace. We have nothing to offer God. We have no right to be in his presence. We are undone. In that place, however, is the greatest hope and favor. We have nothing to offer, and God has everything to give. With torn hearts, and repentant prayers we turn to God and discover new hope, rich love, mercy, and grace.
Buildings, Boasting, and Easter Island Curiosities

July 7, 2015

1 Kings 8:29 (NIV)

May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, “My name shall be there.”

Hebrews 3:6 (NASB)

Christ was faithful as a Son over his house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.

An observation in a recent podcast caught my attention. The fact that the institutional church in Europe has declined so greatly has been closely connected with moral and spiritual decline there. If there is no one who is championing the cause, and nothing that represents presence of the cause is evident, the cause will become passe’, and ultimately an irrelevant curiosity. The mission is discarded in favor of a desire to maintain the monument, until the monument becomes a puzzling landmark – like the statues on Easter Island.

Solomon prayed for God’s attention to the temple he had built; that God’s name would be present there. And while people’s attention was drawn to the temple as a focus for their prayers, the temple itself was not to be their focus. All too soon, however, their attention was focused on the temple itself and God’s presence and promise were neglected.

The greatest reminder of God’s presence in the community, however, is not a church building. The greatest witness to God’s promises is people who hold to the confidence of God’s promises and boast of their hope in Christ. Jesus did that faithfully and is the ground and source of our confidence and hope.

A steeple, a cross, or a stained glass window remind us to gather as God’s people to hear God’s promises and go with God’s promises into the world. At best the church is a place where people celebrate the faithfulness of God and the place from which the people of God go to make a true difference in the world. That’s not a puzzling curiosity, but our true calling. Our church buildings will not become monuments as long as we keep the confidence and hope in Jesus firm until the end.
Patriotism, Evil Plans, and God’s Protection

July 4, 2015

Psalm 7:1

O Lord my God, in you I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me.

Matthew 5:11 (NIV)

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

The concerns have been raised this Fourth of July about possible terrorist attacks in the United States. Earlier this week there was a scare at the Washington Navy Yard that shots had been fired. Authorities are urging citizens to be vigilant. The internet chatter and other signals of possible trouble are said to be at an all-time high. With attacks in Europe, and the Middle East, and Egypt, and the intense fighting in Syria against ISIS, there is plenty evidence of evil’s intent: mayhem, death, terror, and destruction.

All this is evidence, however, of a greater evil intent and more vicious enemy. Satan, the accuser of our souls, destroyer of good, father of the lie, and thief is prowling like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). He is the chief villain, the head of the cabal, the prince of this world. His intent is to bring us all down; to undercut everything good that God has in store for his people.

Our salvation and security are in God’s hands. Our safety and protection come from him. While we live in a fallen world, we can be thankful for the service men and women, police officers, and who protect us from evil of every kind. We can thank God for the freedom we have as citizens of this nation – even as we repent for making those freedoms license for immorality. But let us not forget that whatever evil may befall us, no one can put Jesus back into the grave. No one can take God off his throne. God has saved us by his mighty power and abundant grace and love. Nothing can change that. Thank God!