Verse for the week of May 13^th:

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.

  (John 15:9)

Abide is not a word that many people use a lot.  When I hear this word, I think of the hymn ‘Abide with me,’ which comes from these words of Jesus.

If you look up the word abide, the dictionary says it means to continue, to endure, to dwell, and to last.  All of these words create the notion of staying with the person or object.  Jesus is calling for the disciples that he is instructing during this final discourse of his to stay or dwell in his love.

But what does it mean to stay in Jesus’ love?  How do we remain in his love?  What does it look like in daily life?

Jesus answers these questions in the next verse.  Right after he tells the disciples to ‘abide in my love’ he says ‘if you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love.’  Hence, Jesus says that to abide or remain in his love is to keep his commandments.

Now you may think–But which ones? Isn’t this legalism?  

In terms of which commandments, I think that when the disciples would have heard this saying they would have in their minds Jesus’ words from earlier that evening.  For earlier in the evening which is the night of the Last Supper, Jesus told his disciples that he is giving them a new commandment—that they love one another as I have loved you (see John 13).

I think that Jesus is calling his disciples to the task of loving one another.  That it is through loving one another that we keep his commandments and thus abide in his love.  Another way to think of this is to remember what Luther said about the 10 Commandments—he thought that the first three dealt with loving God and the other 7 dealt with loving neighbor and hence the totality of the 10 Commandments came down to love.  That when we seek to love God and neighbor, the observance of these commandments would come naturally for they flow out of loving others.

I think that the intention of Jesus’ words here are not meant to create a legalistic religion or path to righteousness, but rather they demonstrate that our faith in him which is about a relationship means more than simply knowing things about Jesus or even believing certain doctrines or dogmas.  Rather, by trusting in Jesus and seeking to be in relationship with him (abiding with him), this means that we seek to live out a life of faith and this life of faith calls us to be attentive to our neighbor.   For if we seek to be like Jesus, we will love others (hence fulfilling the commandments) just as he first loved us.  This is not a legalistic in the sense that we do things so as to merit Jesus’ love and gain worthiness, rather we do them because this is what was first demonstrated to us and ultimately manifested in Jesus’ act of dying on the cross. 

Hence, when we want to abide in Jesus’ love we look to the kind of love that Jesus first showed to us and then we seek to embody that love to others around us.  As we accomplish this, we abide in his love and are strengthened in our own faith and then propels us to love others even more—not to gain favor, but as a response to his marvelous and wonderful love first show to us.

May 6^th:

Text—John 15:1-8

Jesus tells us that he is the true vine and that to remain and bear fruit, we must stay connect to the vine that is Jesus.  How do you see Jesus as the true vine?  How are you staying connected to the vine?  What is it in your life that needs pruned?

May 13^th:

Text—John 15:9-17

The text calls us to love one another.  As Jesus loved us, so now we need to love each other.  The text also reminds us that it is Jesus who has chosen us and appointed us to go and bear fruit.

May 20^th:

Text—Acts 1:15-17, 21-26— Rite of Confirmation @ 10:15 Service

The text recounts the disciples’ decision to replace Judas as one of the 12 Apostles.  They cast lots between 2 people and it falls to Matthias, who is now one of the witnesses with the others about the resurrection of Jesus.  What does it mean to be an apostle?   How are all of us called to be witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection?

May 27^th:

Text— Acts 2:1-21—Pentecost Sunday

On this 50^th day after Easter, we hear of the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples with tongues of flame.  People were confused and amazed and many came to believe Jesus as Messiah as well as became followers of Jesus.  How do we sense the Holy Spirit moving in our world?  In our community?  In our lives? 

Recently, someone asked me about this phrase.  If you attended any of the Lenten Services, you may have noticed that we used this phrase as part of our liturgy.

I must admit that I used to struggle with this phrase many years ago.  I remember first encountering this phrase while in seminary.  Growing up within the Lutheran Church, we only used Setting 1 & Setting 2 in the LBW.  Within these two setting of Holy Communion settings, we never use the words ‘Let us bless the Lord.’  We may have said things like ‘The Lord bless us…’ {p. 74 LBW} or ‘you (God) have blessed us with these gifts…’ {p. 68 LBW}.  When I was in seminary, the worship professor wanted to expose us to the entire hymnal so that as people studying to be pastor we would be familiar with them and comfortable leading them and using them in a variety of settings within congregations.   This meant that we used some of the other parts of the LBW.  Some of the ‘other services’ within the LBW are Morning Prayer p. 131; Vespers p. 142; or Responsive Prayer p.161 and it is within these other services that this phrase ‘let us bless the Lord’ appears.

I am not sure where I came to the conclusion that we do not bless the Lord, but rather it is only God who blesses us.  But somehow, this was the conclusion that I had drawn.  And without using some of the ‘other services’ within the LBW I never really had to say ‘Let us bless the Lord’ or was exposed to this phrase.  Thus, never gave much thought to whether or not we could bless the Lord.

Then, during seminary—I remember one day, we were using the Morning Prayer Service {p. 131 LBW} and there it was—part of the liturgy where we say or sing ‘Let us bless the Lord.’  I can even remember not singing the response ‘Thanks be to God.’  The reason that I did not complete the response was that it struck me as odd—can I really bless God?  Can I say those words with integrity?  How can I a sinner in need of redeeming, bless the Lord?  Isn’t I who needs God’s blessing?

So, being a student—it seemed natural to begin a study about this phrase and determine whether my conclusion that it is only God who can bless was correct or incorrect.  Could I say with integrity, ‘Let us bless the Lord?’

I started by looking up the definition of bless.  For after all, what does this word literally mean?

In the dictionary there are many definitions listed—some are: 1) to consecrate; 2) to glorify; 3) to invoke divine favor upon.  In my mind I tended to think about the definitions 1 and 3 which seems to be more to be what God does and not what we do to God.  However, the second definition—to glorify makes sense.  That the word bless is in some ways similar to the words:  glorify or praise.

Within a Hebrew dictionary—it lists the Hebrew word for bless when used with God ‘Bless God’ the intent of this phrase is to declare God as the origin of power for success, prosperity, or fertility.  Hence, praising God for how God bestows blessings upon us—for everything comes from God and by saying ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul’ or ‘Let us bless the Lord’ is actually a statement of belief that God is the source and origin of all things and that we are acknowledging God for all that He has done.  From then on, I never had any problem with the response, ‘Let us bless the Lord.’  When I hear this, I give the affirmation and say ‘Thanks be to God.’

Verse for the week of May 6^th:

Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.

  (I John 4:8)

These words sound harsh, don’t they?  ‘Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love’.  And if you read the entire section, it goes on and becomes even more specific.  Verse 21 says, ‘The commandment we have from him is this:  those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.’

This is quite a challenge—we must love our brothers and sisters.  And the meaning of brothers and sisters is not just biological siblings, but it is all of our brothers and sister throughout the world.

Again, quite a challenge—for there are people who are very difficult to love.  It is much easier to take pot shots at and make fun of or put them down.  It can be much easier to be negative towards others rather than seek to love them (at least a little).

However, the words from I John are very clear and straightforward.  We, as people of faith, are called to care for and love those around us—even those whom we may not like.  We are called to love, because it is God who first loved us.

Think about it in this way; should we really be declaring that someone is unlovable to us even though they are loved by God?  God loves the whole world so much that he sent his Son to die in order to reconcile the world to himself.  If we are to be like God, then just as God loves us so we should love others.  God is able to be able to see the good in each person; can we also do the same?

It is not an easy thing to love one another, particularly if they have done something to us or are hostile in any way towards us; however God calls us to do this because he has done it for us and for the rest of humanity. 

This section on loving one another, reminds me of part of the Lord’s Prayer—where we pray ‘Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.’  The idea is that just as we have been forgiven by God, so we also should extend that forgiveness to others.  For should we withhold something that has first been given to us?

This is the same in loving others.  Because God first loved us, we should go and be able to be like Him in seeking to love others.  And if we can’t do this, what does that tell us about ourselves?  Are we willing to only receive, but not give as well?  Isn’t that selfish and very ungodly?

How do you show your love towards your neighbors?  How do you seek to demonstrate love for those whom you may not like?  How does God’s love go through you so that you can love others?

Verse for the week of April 29^th:

Jesus said, ‘I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

  (John 10:11)

This image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is one of the more familiar images within the Bible.  Jesus as the one, who oversees the flock to protects, cares for and guard the sheep is one that brings comfort and reassurance to many people.

As I thought about this image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd—particularly the one who lays down his life for the sheep; the popular book The Hunger Games came to my mind.  Recently, Michelle and I saw the movie plus I finished reading the book in the last week.  It is an interesting book and one that keeps your attention as the plot is developed.  I thought about the book because of the actions of the main character in the book—Katniss.  If you are unfamiliar with the books, it occurs in a post-apocalyptic United States where the country is divided into 12 territories along with a Capital.  At some point in the past there was a rebellion, which was squelched.  And in order to prevent another war and keep the peace, the Hunger Games was instituted.  The Hunger Games are a fight to the death amongst two ‘tributes’ from each of the 12 districts.  The ‘tributes’ were selected at random by a lottery where each youth from age 12-18 have their name entered into the drawing based upon several factors—two being the older you are the more times your name is entered as well as being able to trade another entry of your name in the drawing for food and other daily needs.

The drama at the beginning of the book comes about because Katniss’ younger sister Prim has her name entered into the drawing for the first time and Prim is sure that her name will be drawn.  Katniss tries to reassure her that her changes are not great and that she will be alright.

The day of the drawing comes and just about everyone from the area is gathered for this ‘Reaping’ (the name given to when they draw out the names of the tributes).  All the youth who are entered into the drawing are all lined up and the representative from the Capital is there to draw the name.  She reaches in and draws out a name.  She reads it and it is Prim.   Prim cries and Katniss shouts out.  And in an instance, Katniss calls out that she volunteers (which is just about unheard of).  She steps up and for all practical purposes gives her life for her sister.  She has become the one who voluntarily given herself for the sake of her sister.

In some ways she is emulating this passage in that she has become the good shepherd and gives herself up for another.  She seeks to protect and provide for her sister and in many ways models what Jesus is talking about in this passage.

While Katniss does this for her family and her sister that she loves, Jesus does this for all of the world.  He is the one who volunteers to go and become the sacrifice for all of the world—for we all are under judgment and in some ways our name has been drawn as one who is subject to death, yet Jesus (like Katniss) calls out and says that he will go in our place.  What love Jesus has for the world that he is willing to take our place and go and suffer for our benefit and thus becoming the Good Shepherd.