Advent Week 1

Psalm: Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 

Old Testament: Isaiah 64:1-9 

Gospel: Mark 13:24-37 

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Welcome to the first week of Advent, the beginning of the Christian Year. I was asked today why we should even celebrate the Christian Calendar. The question wasn’t accusatory, but it still brings up a good point-- why should we celebrate the Church year rather than just doing topical sermons and mini-series? Part of the answer has to do with the consumeristic culture we live in, but it is true across all cultures-- the Christian Calendar reminds us all time is God’s time, not the retail cycle or even our own. The Christian Calendar reminds us that despite Party City advertising that “Nobody has more Christmas for less,” Christmas is fundamentally and firstly about the Incarnation of Almighty God. Hopefully, we can capture that as we gather each week, and then as we spread out into our cities and neighborhoods, we can stand against the consumerism and greed that defines our culture. The Christian calendar is important for other reasons, but particularly at this time of year when we are bombarded with calls to buy, buy, buy we can find our fulfillment in Christ.

Ordinary Time Week 24

Psalm: Psalm 100 or Psalm 95:1-7a 

Old Testament: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 

Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46 

Epistle: Ephesians 1:15-23

The last few weeks, the theme has definitely been the final Judgment at the end of the age. In some churches, this type of topic might get a lot of pulpit time and thought. I have never been in a church where the end times was the primary doctrine that determined all else. But, I think we have all heard of churches and denominations where the end-times – pre-tribulation or post-tribulation, rapture or no rapture, a few elect and baptized saved or pretty much everyone going to heaven – is hotly debated and declared.  I, as do many others, believe a more moderate view that holds to the basic tenant that Jesus is coming back, so be ready. I must say from my perspective, this is the safest view based on the amount of predictions that have been wrong since Jesus’ Ascension and Jesus’ words that no one knows the day or the hour of the Son of Man’s return except the Father.  It is a bit ironic that those who profess to know when Christ will return base their predictions from the Bible when the Bible itself says no one knows the time.

Ordinary Time Week 23

Psalm: Psalm 123 or Psalm 90:1-8, 9-11, 12 

Old Testament: Judges 4:1-7
  or Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18 

Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30 

Epistle: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

We have all heard the Parable of the Talents about a man who goes on a journey and gives to three servants 5 talents, 2 talents and 1 talent, respectively. The two servants who received 5 and 2 talents are both able to double their master’s investment, while the servant who received 1 buries it in the ground and has only the 1 talent to return when the master comes back. The first two servants are rewarded, called “good and faithful” and “enter into the joy of [their] master.” The final servant however is called a wicked and lazy slave who is thrown into the outer darkness.

Ordinary Time Week 22

Psalm: Psalm 78:1-7 or Psalm 70 

Old Testament: Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
or Amos 5:18-24 

Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13 

Epistle: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

This is a tough teaching this week because it concerns things that are mostly mysterious and un-experienced, but which are also hotly debated and deemed crucial to some. This week, we have a discussion of the “Day of the Lord,” “the Rapture,” or the “wedding feast.” The idea is that Jesus will return again and God will set up his Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. This idea is difficult for us to discuss because I think most of us, myself included, didn’t realize there is another way to believe. For those of us who grew up during the era of “The Late Great Planet Earth”[1] or a few decades later the “Left Behind”[2] series, we might have thought this was the one and only way to understand the end times and Christ’s return. But I would encourage anyone who thinks this to do just a little bit of research on the topic and you will discover how this idea is a very fringe idea not held by the vast majority of Christians throughout time and even not a majority idea held by Christians today. The idea really gained popularity in the United States during the 19^th century and is held today mostly by Evangelicals and Fundamentalists. As an Evangelical myself, I am guilty of thinking that my beliefs are most right and historical, but this isn’t the case.

Ordinary Time Week 21

Psalm: Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37 or Psalm 43 

Old Testament: Joshua 3:7-17 or Micah 3:5-12 

Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12 

Epistle: 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13

The last few weeks I haven’t seen much of a theme emerge in our readings, but this week the clear theme is leadership. We see examples of both good leaders and poor ones. In the Old Testament readings, we first see Joshua continuing the godly leadership of Moses and essentially repeat the parting and crossing of the Red Sea from 40 years earlier. The scene is when Israel stands on the east side of Jordan River preparing to cross over and take possession of the Promised Land. This scene sets the stage of all that is to come during the conquest but, for a people plagued with disobedience and complaining, stands as an example of faithfulness. Joshua takes the commands from the Lord and executes them perfectly. God stops the waters from the river and is symbolically present in the Ark of the Covenant. Through this act, God not only brings his people into the Land, he also shows the Canaanites that he has power over the waters (a symbol of chaos) and is claiming ownership of Canaan.