The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
TO PONDER
I once heard a sermon from a pastor who said that excuses are the means by which we justify ourselves. He went on to explain that part of humanity's sinful condition is that we are all 'justification junkies' that we are hooked on the idea of justifying ourselves, our decisions, and actions. I'm sure if you think about it, like I did when I first heard the idea, you will see how accurately it often describes our attitudes and our actions.
What is interesting about what Paul says in todays scripture is that we are all without excuse when it comes to acknowledging God. Even those who perhaps have not yet had the opportunity to hear the gospel have ample opportunity to at least acknowledge God as Lord and Creator as they live in and interact with his wonderful creation which demonstrates his eternal power and divine nature.
If he has left us with no excuses, then he has also left us with no means to justify ourselves. Trying to do so is a pointless exercise. The only justification or salvation we can have has to come from beyond us. This is why the gospel is good news, it is the means by which we are justified - and we don't even need to come up with our own excuses. The only reason or excuse we have for our justification is the all encompassing, self sacrificing, grace and love of God for us.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, your steadfast ,Ove for me never ceases and your mercy is never-ending. Please help me resist the temptation to justify myself when things go wrong or I make mistakes. Help me not to make excuses but instead to turn to you so that I once again can stand in your righteousness which you revealed to us through your son Jesus and his life, death, and resurrection. Amen
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
TO PONDER
Have you ever been ashamed? Maybe you have been ashamed by something you have done or perhaps you have been ashamed by association by the actions of someone else? We usually feel shame when we know we have done something wrong or we have failed to meet a certain standard, whether that standard was set by us or imposed on us by someone else.
So here is the million dollar question, "Have you ever been ashamed of the gospel?" Have you ever held back from sharing the gospel with someone because you have been afraid it might offend them or damage your relationship with them? Have you ever tried to dodge that question about what you did on Sunday that meant you were not free to have brunch with your friends? This kind of behaviour hints that there is something about the gospel that we are ashamed of; something about it which doesn't sit right with the standards and expectations of the world around us.
The reality is that this is absolutely true, the gospel is completely at odds with the world around us. It clashes with the expectations of the world around us because it reveals the power and righteousness of God and that forces us to face the reality that we are not the ultimate authority or power in our own lives. When the world hears that message it highlights the guilt and shame of a life lived in opposition to God. But for those who believe it is the power of God for salvation.
Don't be ashamed of the message of the Gospel, proclaim it boldly and see how God uses it to change the lives of those around you.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, sometimes it is easy to lose sight of the gospel and to begin buying into the 'wisdom' of the world around us. Please help me to not be ashamed of the message of the gospel and to boldly live and proclaim it in every setting. Amen
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
TO PONDER:
It's a passage that I've heard preached at many installation services...a call to Pastors to hold before the people the Word of God whatever situations they find themselves or their people in; to lay foundations that give a solid standing for the people. All of that is true. But this is not just a passage for preachers. The word that is used here means 'announce, proclaim, deliver the truth, make it known, set it forth.' Paul is saying "Proclaim the Good news" - declare to the world what God has already done. Tell them that in the midst of their brokenness, grief, hurt, and struggle, there is a God who loves them and is with them. Make it known that they are not alone, that God has rescued them. Announce to them the treasure of the good news which is for them. It's a call to Timothy and all of us and it doesn't just happen in Church...it happens over coffee, on a park bench, in a playground as families gather, at the bedside of a loved one, over a phone call and in an office.
Proclaim the good news of Jesus in every circumstance of life. Will you find a way to do that today...whatever situation you encounter and whatever place you happen to be in?
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, your Word is such a treasure to me...help me to share it, proclaim it, announce it boldly so others may take hold of that treasure too. Amen.
...but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
TO PONDER:
"That...the cross...it scares me." His face covered with a moko (facial tattoo), Taffy cast a formidable presence as he stood at the back of the Church and pointed to the cross up above the altar. Taffy had gone into the shop across the road to buy a packet of cigarettes and when he came out, he said, "my feet just walked me across the road and into the Church.' As imposing as he was as a man, Taffy was frightened, exposed, and rendered impotent when face to face with the cross of Jesus Christ. Having just been released from jail for assault, and knowing that there were others in the community out for revenge,Taffy was sick of looking over his shoulder and the constant worry about the safety of his family. Face to face with Jesus and his powerful love, demonstrated in the self-giving sacrifice of his life to give freedom and peace and life, Taffy knew that the cross was calling him to a different life, a new life. For a moment, he got it. For as we walked to my car following the service to go to the second service in town, I came face to face with a knife that he pulled from somewhere, in front of his body. "After hearing what you said, I don't think I need this anymore - what should I do with it?" It went into the boot of my car...
Christ crucified was calling him. Offering him to give him more power than he had ever experienced. The power of love, the power of forgiveness, the power of acceptance...the power to live. But it necessitated him giving up all those things that he held on to for security, for worth, for identity; things that were powerless in the face of such grace. The cross was the answer to the struggles he faced...it was also a stumbling block which he couldn't get over...for two weeks later as a Detective questioned me for three hours over the knife in the back of my car, I wept internally that Taffy had chosen the old life and done something with another =knife, that ultimately placed him back in jail for life. Christ crucified offered him more...Christ crucified showed him another way...Christ crucified exposed the emptiness of the life he had chosen...but receiving it was just a step too far for him to take.
Christ crucified... the fullness of the power of God...for all of life. That's the good news we are called to receive today...and called to proclaim. For the cross is all we need.
PRAYER:
Thank you for the cross Lord, thank you for the price you paid, bearing all my sin and shame, in love you came, and gave amazing grace. Help me to proclaim it with my life, for I know it is the only means of life for all people. Amen.
So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
TO PONDER:
It's a common source of joking in our family. Everyone in our family knows who it is. The one who is always in the passenger seat when heading to the shop. The one who always remains behind when the rest of the siblings are doing their own thing. She is known as the ‘favourite child’. But as she constantly says ‘You are all my favourite. I love everyone just the same.’
That’s precisely the truth that Peter declares in our passage today. As he meets Cornelius, he declares that there is no room for favouritism or partiality in the kingdom of God. God's love for all is the same. The result of the gospel at work in our lives is a changed outlook that no longer uses people to get what we want, or as a means to get where we want to go. It no longer makes judgments about others because of background or appearance. The grace of God gives us a new perspective. It sees all people simply as people that Jesus loves enough to die for. Now there’s a radical thought that can transform a community! As a meme going around on social media says, "You will not look into the eyes of someone today that God does not love.'
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, help me to love others today with the same inclusive grace that you have shown to me. Amen.
Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
TO PONDER:
"The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.' It's not just an oath that is sworn in a court of law, it's a desire that lies deep within each of our lives. We want to know the facts. We want to possess the truth. We want to take our experiences in life, what we know, what we have been told, what we believed or what we wanted to believe and define what is true. For when we know the truth, we have some power, predictability, stability and security in our lives.
That's what Pilate wants. That's what we want.
Jesus doesn't give Pilate the straight answer he is looking for. Truth is not something that can be possessed but it is a life that is to be lived. That's why Jesus came. That was the purpose of his life. Not to give us part of the truth. But to tell us the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth; to demonstrate what truth looks like in a human life and teach us how to belong to that truth. Jesus comes from out of this world into this world, to speak a truth not to possess, but to speak a truth that we are to live as we listen to his voice. It speaks to us in the midst of voices that proclaim the world is falling apart, and tells us, 'I am making all things new.' It speaks to us that in a world that is divided and increasingly intolerant 'to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you'. In a world of uncertainty, instability and fear, it speaks truthfully, "...do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.' In a world that says death is the end, so grab what you can now, truth speaks, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die will live.'
That's a truth that I want to belong to and listen to today. What about you?
PRAYER:
Jesus, you are the way, the truth and the life. Help me listen to your voice and live by the truth you reveal to me in every circumstance I face day by day. Amen.
And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
TO PONDER:
It was sad to witness. A grown man striving, searching for his father's approval and affirmation. It was the goal of all he undertook, the focus of all his endeavours. He was an incredibly talented man, successful in so many ways, a blessing to the community and his Church. Yet what he craved was for his dad to say "I am proud of you." His dad was...he told everyone else...yet not the one who most needed to hear it. All the achievements, all the accolades were bitter sweet because what he most wanted to hear was his father's affirmation.
What a contrast we have in our text today. Before Jesus does anything, before Jesus achieves anything, the Father affirms his identity and delights in who he is. His value is not in what he achieves or accomplishes or does, but in who he is - the beloved of God. If you struggle with self-worth. If you are constantly seeking the approval or affirmation of others, your Father in heaven wants you to know that he is so proud of you. Proud to call you his son or daughter. He loves nothing more than being with you. In the waters of baptism, he announced that truth, that reality, to heaven and earth! Nothing you do can change that. When the Father in heaven looks at you, he cannot but help smile and his heart bursts with pride. Let that love put a spring in your step today.
PRAYER
Gracious Father, I am who you say I am - your beloved child that you delight in. Remind me of that every day because I cannot hear it enough. Amen.
'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
TO PONDER:
Have you ever been accused of 'selective' hearing? We tend to use it in reference to people only hearing what they want to hear. But selective hearing is actually the ability to focus on and listen to a single speaker in a crowded or loud environment; to have selective auditory attention as it is sometimes called. Researchers have shown that our brain chooses what to listen to on the basis on what we are trying to do. So if someone talks to me while I am watching the football, I am probably not going to hear much of what is said because my brain prioritised the football commentary on the tv over the voices speaking to me because my goal was to watch the football!
Which makes our verse today very interesting. This is the seventh time that John is told, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." The Holy Spirit is at work in our lives, speaking to us as a Church together and also as members of Christ's church. He is, as Luther says, "calling us through the Gospel, enlightening us with his gifts and sanctifying and keeping us in true faith." The Holy Spirit is the one who helps us live and walk the way of Jesus. So are we hearing and understanding what the Spirit says to us because our goal is to live by the Spirit (selective auditory attention)? Or have we selectively tuned out the voice of the Spirit because other voices - success, peer respect, achievements, comfort, __________ (you fill in the blank) are actually our priority and goal? Are you cold, hot or lukewarm when it comes to your relationship with Jesus? Have you become complacent or apathetic when it comes to your faith? Are you intentional and focussed on living, sharing and growing in the life and way of Jesus? Spend some time this morning, as we start this work week, in self-examination. Let the Spirit guide you as you listen, understand and live what he says to you.
PRAYER:
Come Holy Spirit, give me ears that prioritise listening, understanding and obeying what you are saying to me today, that I may experience the joy and peace that your presence gives. Amen.
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.
TO PONDER:
Can you imagine what it was like to be there? Don’t you wish you had been there? That you could have seen what happened to have caused such a reaction, that transformed fearful disciples in the moment and filled them with power and courage and boldness to go. The sound of rushing wind. The tongues of fire. The speaking in tongues.
You don't have to imagine. For Pentecost is happening in our midst. The people were not amazed and astonished at the sound of the wind, the flaming tongues of fire, or the foreign languages that were spoken. They were amazed because they heard the mighty acts of God in their own native language. They heard the story of God connecting with and becoming one with their own story.
Every time we have a moment where we experience grace, or love or hope touch our life in a real way, Pentecost happens. Every moment we experience courage, gentleness or peace, the Spirit is speaking to us in our native language. Every occurrence of mercy, forgiveness or reconciliation that touches our lives is when we 'hear' the Spirit in our own tongue. It's a Word that one current worshipper heard that has him coming back again and again wanting to hear more. It's what prompted one online person to write an email and say, "I so enjoyed this morning's service. It really touched my heart and it all sank in.' It's what prompted an elderly woman in her 90's to reach out and say, "Today I experienced peace for the first time in over 20 years.' That's Pentecost. That's the power of the Word to speak in a way that will amaze and astonish you as you hear the deeds of God's power in your "native' language, the language that transforms your heart. How is the Spirit speaking to you today? What are you hearing that amazes and astonishes you?
PRAYER:
Holy Spirit, rain down, Come and speak in words that I can hear that my heart may overflow with joy. Amen.