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Author Archives: John D. Willome

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About John D. Willome

I post a blog of daily devotions that are my prayer journals based on scripture.

Judas and Barabbas

10 Dec

Matthew

26 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

3 At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, 4 plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”

6 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. 7 While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.

8 The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. 9 “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”

10 But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? 11 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. 12 She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. 13 I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

14 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests 15 and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

Matthew 26:1-16

27 Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death. 2 Then they bound him, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.

3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”

“What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”

5 Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.

Matthew 27:1-5

15 Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd—anyone they wanted. 16 This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas. 17 As the crowds gathered before Pilate’s house that morning, he asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 (He knew very well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.)

19 Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.”

20 Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death. 21 So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?”

The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!”

22 Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

23 “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”

But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

24 Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”

25 And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death—we and our children!”

26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

Matthew 27:15-26

Mark

14 It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”

3 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.

4 Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. 5 “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.

6 But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me? 7 You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them. 11 They were delighted when they heard why he had come, and they promised to give him money. So he began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

Mark 14:1-11

6 Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner—anyone the people requested. 7 One of the prisoners at that time was Barabbas, a revolutionary who had committed murder in an uprising. 8 The crowd went to Pilate and asked him to release a prisoner as usual.

9 “Would you like me to release to you this ‘King of the Jews’?” Pilate asked. 10 (For he realized by now that the leading priests had arrested Jesus out of envy.) 11 But at this point the leading priests stirred up the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus. 12 Pilate asked them, “Then what should I do with this man you call the king of the Jews?”

13 They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

14 “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”

But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

15 So to pacify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

Mark 15:6-15

Luke

22 The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, was approaching. 2 The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction.

3 Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, 4 and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. 5 They were delighted, and they promised to give him money. 6 So he agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him when the crowds weren’t around.

Luke 22:1-6

13 Then Pilate called together the leading priests and other religious leaders, along with the people, 14 and he announced his verdict. “You brought this man to me, accusing him of leading a revolt. I have examined him thoroughly on this point in your presence and find him innocent. 15 Herod came to the same conclusion and sent him back to us. Nothing this man has done calls for the death penalty. 16 So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.”

18 Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd, and with one voice they shouted, “Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas was in prison for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder.) 20 Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

22 For the third time he demanded, “Why? What crime has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death. So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.”

23 But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded. 25 As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and murder. But he turned Jesus over to them to do as they wished.

Luke 23:13-25

John

12 Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. 2 A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate[a] with him. 3 Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.

4 But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, 5 “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” 6 Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.

7 Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

John 12:1-8

2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.

John 13:2

38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime. 39 But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. Would you like me to release this ‘King of the Jews’?”

40 But they shouted back, “No! Not this man. We want Barabbas!” (Barabbas was a revolutionary.)

John 18:38-40

Dear God, so I started this because I was thinking about Judas and his disillusionment with Jesus and who he was turning out to be compared with who Judas wanted Jesus to be.

Last year, I was listening to a Catholic “Bible in a Year” podcast, and I remember a new thought coming to me when I was listening to Maccabees for the first time. The text referred to Judas Maccabeus. Now, I know his name was also pronounced Judah, so I might be making a reach here, but after realizing there were so many people in the New Testament names Judas, including another disciple, it made me wonder if Judas hadn’t been named for a revolutionary hero from 160 years before he was born.

Everyone in the New Testament was longing for a victorious Messiah who would triumph over Rome and make Israel great again. Even Zechariah’s prophecy over John the Baptist in Luke 1 shows that they were looking for a savior from Rome, not a savior from their own sins:

67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:

68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
    because he has visited and redeemed his people.
69 He has sent us a mighty Savior
    from the royal line of his servant David,
70 just as he promised
    through his holy prophets long ago.
71 Now we will be saved from our enemies
    and from all who hate us.
72 He has been merciful to our ancestors
    by remembering his sacred covenant—
73 the covenant he swore with an oath
    to our ancestor Abraham.
74 We have been rescued from our enemies
    so we can serve God without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness
    for as long as we live.

76 “And you, my little son,
    will be called the prophet of the Most High,
    because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
77 You will tell his people how to find salvation
    through forgiveness of their sins.
78 Because of God’s tender mercy,
    the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    and to guide us to the path of peace.”

Luke 1:67-79

I think the other disciples had the same problem. Take this story about James and John:

51 As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. 53 But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. 54 When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 So they went on to another village.

Luke 9:51-56

Or when they put their mother up to asking for seats of honor in what they perceived to be the Kingdom Jesus would establish as Messiah:

17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. 18 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man[b] will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. 19 Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

20 Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 “What is your request?” he asked.

She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

Matthew 20:17-22

And then the other disciples got jealous and had to be rebuked by Jesus:

24 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:24-28

My point is, no one could begin to fathom what your plan was. Judas was the weakest, most deceptive, and the one willing to act on his frustration that you weren’t living up to your “promise” as a Messiah, but everyone else figured you were there to take over our world at that time. But your plan was so amazing. So different.

And why do I bring Barabbas into this? Well, because he was the revolutionary the Pharisees stoked the crowd/mob to set free. He was the kind of leader they wanted. It was easy to get behind them. Earlier in the week, some of them saw what they perceived to be the “make Israel great again” Messiah triumphantly enter the down on the donkey to great fanfare, but not one of them knew what was happening or what would happen. They were thinking what everyone else was thinking: “This is it! It’s go time!” And even the Pharisees might have been down with that kind of Messiah had he not always turned his ire on them and not the Romans. But instead he angered them, made a scene at the Temple, and basically dared them to kill him. So by the end of the week, the Pharisees and those they were able to get in the crowd were sick of it. They wanted someone they perceived to be strong. They wanted someone who would fight for them because they were under siege. In the end, Barabbas will be remembered for all time not because of the actual things he did, but because he was the mob’s preference when they had to choose between your true Messiah and a person they thought would fight for them.

So what was it that Jesus did? What was his plan? It was actually remarkably simple: Teach us to love, serve, forgive, pray, and repent, and then show us how to do all of these things. He taught us to not make idols out of things and simply worship you. He showed us how miraculous you can be. He destroyed racism through the acceptance of not only Samaritans, but Gentiles too. He taught us that we should render unto the government what is the government’s. He didn’t show any interest in exerting power, but showing mercy instead. He prayed, served, persuaded and suffered. He exhibited how power. He taught us through his example. And then the most surprising things happened: he ascended to heaven and left us as his/your church to carry on.

Father, I can make idols out of the government. I can make idols out of my job. My wife. My children. I’m sorry for worrying about who will govern me–as if I have the power beyond one American vote in Texas to do anything about it. I’m sorry for worrying about the economy, or even where my next meal or paycheck will come from. What was it the people of Jesus’s time, including the disciples and even John the Baptist, who was disappointed with Jesus (18 The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing. So John called for two of his disciples, 19 and he sent them to the Lord to ask him, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” Luke 7:18-19), were wanting? They wanted power. The wanted peace. They wanted security. They wanted influence. But that is not what you came to give. So I am sorry for wanting those things too. What you have given me is a knowledge of you and an expectation that I worship you–and it’s actually to my benefit when I worship you. You have given me people to love–family, friends, and “neighbors” in my community. Basically, you have given me the two things you expect from me: to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love my neighbor as myself. That’s it. And the more I do those things, including my neighbors and my world within my small sphere of influence, the more I find that the fruits of your Spirit are growing in me. So help me to do that today. Oh, Lord, thank you for making me your child. Thank you for being here with me in this moment. And thank you for not being the kind of Messiah everyone around Jesus wanted.

I pray all of this in the name of your Messiah, Jesus,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 10, 2023 in John, Luke, Mark, Matthew

 

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Matthew 6:19-34

07 Dec

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Matthew 6:19-34

Dear God, I think it all comes back to idols. It seems to be, sitting here this morning, that I could replace the words “worry about” with “make an idol of” and it would capture Jesus’s meaning.

The other line in here that really got me was, “And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!” Oh, my. Is the light I think I have actually darkness? How can I tell. I’m sure the Pharisees at the time thought they had light, but Jesus called it darkness. There are some national Christian leaders who have embroiled themselves in politics that I would say have confused darkness for light.

I was listening to statistics this morning that said that the overturning of Roe v Wade a few years ago has actually led to more abortions overall in our country. Yes, some states have seen a decrease, but others states have seen an increase and have even strengthened their laws supporting abortion. So was the “light” of overturning “Roe” a light after all, or was it the beginning of a backlash that would actually lead us into further darkness through hardening of hearts.

I’m getting on a tangent now, but I think one of the most damaging things Christians can tell non-Christians when defending a position–whether it be abortion, gay marriage, or even the environment– is, “Because the Bible says so.” Why shouldn’t I lie? Well, there are all kinds of reasons why you know it is not best for me to lie and I can articulate many of them. Why shouldn’t I steal? Why shouldn’t I commit adultery? These are all pretty easy to explain, and that is one of the things we tell our children when we are teaching them your values and right from wrong. “God doesn’t just make up rules to make up rules. He does them because he knows they are what’s good for us.” And that makes sense. But when we look at something like gay marriage or same sex relationships, too often we abandon all of that nuance and just say, “Because God says so.” And that’s a very judgmental thing for a LGBTQ+ person to hear.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I have really digressed off of the original passage from the Sermon on the Mount that I have above. I wanted to talk about idols and how they fail us. I wanted to talk about putting my faith in you. But maybe some of us have made idols out of these issues as well. We think if we can just get homosexuality purged from our land then you will reward and bless us. It’s not about the sinner. It’s about the sin and saving ourselves from their sin. So help me to prayerfully work through these issues in the way Jesus would have me. Help me to lead with love and humility, worshipping you with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and then loving my neighbor as myself. I offer all of this to you, flawed as I might be.

I pray all of this under the mercy of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 7, 2023 in Matthew

 

Matthew 15:29-39

06 Dec

Jesus returned to the Sea of Galilee and climbed a hill and sat down. A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn’t speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all. The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn’t been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking, and the blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel. Then Jesus called his disciples and told them, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry, or they will faint along the way.” The disciples replied, “Where would we get enough food here in the wilderness for such a huge crowd?” Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?” They replied, “Seven loaves, and a few small fish.” So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to the disciples, who distributed the food to the crowd. They all ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food. There were 4,000 men who were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children. Then Jesus sent the people home, and he got into a boat and crossed over to the region of Magadan.
Matthew 15:29-39

Dear God, when I read this passage this morning, I just thought about the impossible things in my life. There are a few things I’m thinking about that cause me to just feel overwhelmed and even hopeless. Work situations. Family relationships. Political obstacles within our community. Then there are the politics and situations in our country and the world. But bringing it back down to the level of my life, there are some things on my heart that seem as difficult/impossible to solve as feeding all of those people seemed to the disciples.

I wonder if there is a similar pattern here for me to follow. When the disciples asked, ““Where would we get enough food here in the wilderness for such a huge crowd?” Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?” So maybe my incredulity with you is simply being met with the question, “How much do you have to bring to the table?” Perhaps I need to take more stock of what I have and not what I don’t have. I’m going to ruminate on this today. In my family relationships that are strained. In my work situations that seem too big for me to handle. In my spheres of influence. Instead of asking myself what I don’t have, I want to start with what I do have, offer it to you, give thanks, break it, and then step back and watch what you will do with it.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, give me your eyes to see today. Give me your ears to hear. Let me be your hands and voice in this world. And comfort me when I’m in pain.

I pray all of this through Jesus, my Lord,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 6, 2023 in Matthew

 

John 10:1-21

05 Dec

10 “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, 7 so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. 9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

17 “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

19 When he said these things, the people were again divided in their opinions about him. 20 Some said, “He’s demon possessed and out of his mind. Why listen to a man like that?” 21 Others said, “This doesn’t sound like a man possessed by a demon! Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

John 10:1-21

Dear God, once again, this story gets taken out of context because of a chapter break. It actually appears to be a continuation of his conversation with the Pharisees in chapter 9 after they had gotten made at him for healing the blind man on the Sabbath. And once again I’m going to say that if I had been there I don’t think I would have believed.

One thing I like about John’s telling of the story is that Jesus is not a benign character. As C.S. Lewis put it, we are left with only one of three opinions about who Jesus was: Liar, Lunatic, or Lord.

John’s thesis for the book is in the opening verses of the book:

1 In the beginning the Word already existed.
    The Word was with God,
    and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
    and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,
    and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
    and the darkness can never extinguish it.

6 God sent a man, John the Baptist, 7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

John 1:1-14

If I don’t believe these first 14 verses then my only choices are that he is a liar or a lunatic, but he cannot be Lord. But if I believe the first 14 verses then Lord is the only option.

So why do I believe these first 14 verses now, but I wouldn’t have believed them then? Well, there are a few reasons that I think are fairly objective, although I know I am influenced by what I’ve been taught over my lifetime.

  • This story has endured even though Christians have failed to live up to it.
  • It stands to reason you would reach out to us and proactively find a way to reconcile us to yourself.
  • When I follow you and let the Spirit work in me my life is better.
  • I’ve literally experienced you miraculously answering prayer.
  • But the most objective one that I think I can argue is that none of Jesus’s disciples recanted their testimony that Jesus rose again from the dead. They went through a lot of suffering for a lie with no upside for them if they were lying about it.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, you are my shepherd. I am dumb as a sheep, but I will follow you. I can do that. But please help me to do that. Love others through me. Help me to love you with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength and love my neighbor as myself. Give me this day my daily bread. Forgive me, and help me to forgive others. Come into this world through my life and the life of the Church body. And please help me through my temptations.

For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 5, 2023 in John

 

John 8:1-20

04 Dec

8 Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

11 “No, Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

13 The Pharisees replied, “You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony is not valid.”

14 Jesus told them, “These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don’t know this about me. 15 You judge me by human standards, but I do not judge anyone. 16 And if I did, my judgment would be correct in every respect because I am not alone. The Father who sent me is with me. 17 Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact. 18 I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.”

19 “Where is your father?” they asked.

Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” 20 Jesus made these statements while he was teaching in the section of the Temple known as the Treasury. But he was not arrested, because his time had not yet come.

John 8:1-20

Dear God, I’m trying to do my best lately to take stories and put them in their context. For example, today’s verse of the day from Bible Gateway was John 8:12:  Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” What we miss is what has the Pharisees to whom he is speaking at the moment upset is that he just made them look like fools over the woman caught in adultery. His last words to the woman are what he said right before he said this. Jesus was bringing light. He wasn’t excusing sin, but he was forgiving it. He wasn’t condoning it, but he was having mercy on it. And then he turns and reminds everyone that they are walking in darkness, but if they follow him they can walk in the light. It’s all part of the same story.

Again, I’ll admit that if I had been there I don’t think I would have even come close to believing that Jesus is the Messiah. And even though I know errant teaching has crept into what I think I know about scripture, I am grateful to at least have this foundation, flawed as it might be, to lean on and build on. Jesus goes on to claim things about himself that I wouldn’t have believed in the moment. It was too fantastic. But now it all makes sense.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, as I get ready to head into this day, I am going to have a lot of opportunities to love people and have mercy. I am also going to have opportunities to encourage them to you and to a higher standard. To go and sin no more. But first, let that start with me. I am sorry for my sin. I am sorry for the multiple areas I fail you. I am sorry for my thoughts and my words. For what I have done and what I have failed to do. Help me to carry the humility of that repentance into my day as I then encourage others to let go of their sin, turn from their ways, and embrace your mercy and a relationship with you.

I pray all of this under your authority,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 4, 2023 in John

 

John 6:22-71

03 Dec

22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them. 23 Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten. 24 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him. 25 They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

26 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. 27 But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man[f] can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”

28 They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”

29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

30 They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? 31 After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[g]”

32 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. 33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”

35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me. 37 However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. 38 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. 39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. 40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

41 Then the people[h] began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

43 But Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said. 44 For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. 45 As it is written in the Scriptures,[i] ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.)

47 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. 48 Yes, I am the bread of life! 49 Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. 50 Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”

52 Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked.

53 So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. 54 But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.”

59 He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

60 Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”

61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? 63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) 65 Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”

66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. 67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”

68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.[j]”

70 Then Jesus said, “I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.” 71 He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later betray him.

John 6:22-71

Dear God, I was sitting in church this morning and the pastor was talking about how weird the Christmas story is. All of your decisions were peculiar. After he would tell us a different part of the story he would make us repeat, “Wow, that is so weird!” What I was sitting there thinking was, “Wow, if I had been there I’d never have believed any of this.”

So as I read this passage this evening (which John 6:35 was the verse of the day for Bible Gateway), can’t help but think that I would be one of the bad examples in this story. I’d have wanted a sign. I’d have been weirded out about eating the flesh. I’d have walked away, IF I had been attracted in the first place. Frankly, I’m the kind who probably wouldn’t have sought out Jesus in the first place if I had been there 2,000 years ago.

Honestly, Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not. For the small fraction of people who were there when you were on earth it would have been a bad thing, but for the rest of us I think it’s a good thing. I’m not looking for more than you. I’m not looking for someone who will claim to add something to my relationship with you that I don’t already have. I consider myself fortunate to have been introduced to you as an eight-year-old child and raised from there in a church. I’m grateful for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes conferences I’ve been to. I’m grateful for the people you put in my life like Henry Parish (the tennis coach who got me involved in FCA). I’m grateful for the youth minister who came to my church my senior year–right when I had a significant shift in my relationship with you. I’m grateful for the woman you introduced me to when I was 19 who would later become my wife and stretch me intellectually and theologically. I am grateful for the opportunity to work at a Christian music and book publisher which gave me access to all kinds of Christian music and reading/study materials. I am grateful for Laity Lodge, the adult retreat center where I got inspired over 23 years ago to start doing these prayer journals. I am grateful for Gary Thomas and the Sacred Marriage book that he wrote which gave me a new paradigm for loving my wife and accepting your formation of my life through her. I am grateful for the children you gave me, who have stretched me, formed me, and taught me to be more sacrificial. I am also grateful for how you have revealed at least a little of your perfect love for me through my imperfect love for them (So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. – Matthew 7:11). I am grateful for you giving me work to do in nonprofits so that I have learned more about people who are marginalized and live on the edges of our society. I am grateful that you have taught me to be aware that there is so much I don’t know and to accept that instead of being defensive and fighting against it. I am grateful for the friends you have given to me. I am grateful for what you have taught me through my parents–both the good examples they gave me and the bad. I am grateful you taught my wife and me how to give when we had very little and that you made that an important part of our lives. You know, I could go on and on. As I sit here, I am grateful for so much. I haven’t even mentioned how grateful I am for my job, the home I have, the middle-class American lifestyle my wife and I have, our health, or any of that.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I would have ignored you if I had been there 2,000 years ago, but I embrace you now. I am grateful. I am so grateful.

I offer you my worship in Jesus’s name,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 3, 2023 in John

 

Hebrews 1:1-4

02 Dec

1 Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. 3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. 4 This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names.

Hebrews 1:1-4

Dear God, this was the Verse of the Day on Bible Gateway this morning, and the beginning of verse two really struck me. You spoke through the prophets in the Old Testament, but you spoke through your Son 2,000 years ago. Part of what Jesus did by coming to earth was not only to live sinlessly, be martyred and then rise again, but also to teach. Sometimes, as amazing as it sounds, I don’t think we ingest the teaching as much as we should. I mean, sure, we look at some of the stories and parables Jesus taught, but do we really take and apply them?

So as I sit here this morning, I am wondering what I think, off of the top of my head, Jesus was mainly teaching when he was here:

  • Worship you with everything we have
  • Love our neighbors
  • There will be a sorting at the end of the age. I’ve tried to get away from this one, but it’s there. He said it several times, and in different gospels.
  • Worry about your own repentance first before you worry about the sins of others (and when you have repented, have mercy on the other like you have mercy on me)
  • Have faith in you (God) and not in ourselves (consider the lilies)
  • Have mercy while not sacrificing the standard you set (woman in adultery)
  • Have self-awareness so that I won’t be hypocritical
  • Don’t be oppressive to others from my own self-righteousness (Pharisees)
  • Forgive (70X7)
  • And this isn’t explicitly in there, but I think it is implicitly in there: Don’t worry about things you cannot control like the government, but serve in the sphere of influence where you put me
  • Do not pursue wealth or the things of this world
  • Sometimes even bad things happen so that you can get glory when they are redeemed, or the thing can lead to redemption itself
  • Spend time alone with you in prayer. Even he survived his earthly experience by regularly getting alone with you (and Moses and Elijah here and there as well)

I would say that is a pretty good list. Of course, it’s not completely conclusive. I’m sure I missed a lot of things, but this is what I carry with me. Sure, I fail in all of them. I like to judge without repenting. I often don’t come close to loving you and worshiping you with part of my heart, much less all of it. I am hypocritical. I worry about things out of control and make idols of them. And I often fail to set aside time to just spend it with you.

Father, yesterday, I was feeling distant from you and really dry. One interesting thing I did was to go back and listen to some 1970s and 1980s Amy Grant songs that meant a lot to me when I was a young Christian. It helped me tap into that just a little bit. A little like playing certain songs from the beginning of my wife’s and my relationship brings a flood of affection for her. So even this morning, I was still listening to some of those old Amy Grant songs like “I Have Decided” and “Sing Your Praise To The Lord.” It’s good stuff. So let me just affirm to you in this moment, “I have decided I’m going to live like a believer. Turn my back on the deceiver. I’m going to live what I believe. I have decided being good is just a fable. I just can’t because I’m not able. I’m going to leave it to [you].”

I pray this in the name of Jesus,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 2, 2023 in Hebrews, Hymns and Songs

 

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1 Chronicles 16:7-8

28 Nov

7 On that day David gave to Asaph and his fellow Levites this song of thanksgiving to the Lord:

8 Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.
    Let the whole world know what he has done.

1 Chronicles 16:7-8

Dear God, this is the verse of the day for Bible Gateway, but it also works for where my heart is this morning. I just want to worship. This passage is talking about getting the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem, and David leading the way with singing to you. Yes, I want to sing to you this morning. I want to worship you. I want to walk into this day–from the beginning–with faith in your support and provision.

Father, you really do not fail me. I’ve been disappointed in my life, to be sure. Things have gone wrong that I don’t understand. But all children get disappointed when their parents do something that might be the right thing, or might even be out of their parents’ control, but it doesn’t work out the way the child wants. That’s how I feel sometimes. The question is, do I take that disappointment, throw a tantrum, throw myself on the ground and kick and scream, or do I trust you and follow you?

Oh, my Father. Oh, my Jesus. Oh, my Holy Spirit. Triune God, please be with me today. Help me to carry you into this day. Help me to not only lead others in our work, but also to you. Help us to love you. Help my coworkers to discover you in a new way through my influence in their lives. Influence them through me, Holy Spirit. Move in our building. Move in my coworkers who are sick. Provide for us today. Give us, this day, our daily bread.

I pray all of this in the name of Jesus,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 28, 2023 in 1 Chronicles

 

Colossians 3:1-17

27 Nov

3 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Colossians 3:1-17

Dear God, verse 5 fascinates me:

5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

First, I am always amused that the lead-off hitter for these lists through the New Testament is sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. It’s even before greed. We’d like to think that sex wasn’t a problem before the sexual revolution 60 years ago, but it’s as old as time. I wonder what acting out in their sexual immorality looked like in Paul’s time. There wasn’t pornography. Was there just prostitution and affairs? It’s hard to understand, but it’s obviously a thing.

But that’s not really what I want to talk about today. I am doing this prayer to you towards the end of my day, and I am wondering why I feel so tired right now. Well, as I sit here and read this passage, I think it’s because I didn’t treat this day as a walk with you. I treated it as a walk through a mine field, all on my own. It wasn’t a day of worshipping you and then carrying you with me. A lot of different things went wrong, and I came home worn down. The world defeated me today. It didn’t defeat you because you weren’t leading me. I was doing it all on my own.

Father, I’m sorry for my sin. I’m so sorry. Yes, I let impurity get into me. Idolatry. Greed. Fear. I think about all of the things that need to be accomplished and I let it overwhelm me instead of charging into it armed with my God by my side, my Jesus covering me, and the Holy Spirit supporting me. You Triune Being is all around me, and I leave it behind. I’m sorry. I am determined to really carry you in my heart. To live with a sense of worshipping you in every breath. To till the soil of my heart and remove the weeds and thorns that choke out your Spirit. “I’m yours, Lord. Everything I’ve got. Everything I am. Everything I’m not. I’m yours, Lord. Try me now and see. See if I can be completely yours.”

I pray this in Jesus’s name,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 27, 2023 in A Star Is Born (Bradley Cooper & Lady Gaga Edition), Colossians

 

A Little Worship…A Little Repentance

26 Nov

Dear God, as I sit here this morning and think about praying to you my soul feels in the need to just spend some time worshipping you. I also want to come before you and apologize for spending so much time away from you over the last few days. I’ve felt very self-indulgent. I miss you. I’m sorry for how I fail. I’m sorry for my selfishness. I’m sorry for the rights that I claim as my own that aren’t actually mine. I’m sorry for when I am not a good witness for you. I’m sorry for not loving you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength or loving my neighbor as myself.

And now I want to just worship you. You are everything. You are good. You are powerful. You are not to be mocked. You are exacting in what you expect and yet merciful in knowing I am incapable of delivering to your standard. I add to my list of transgressions every day, and yet you have mercy for me. You answer my prayers with yes and no (and wait). You are a good father who gives good gifts to me. You are my God, and I love you.

And now I have some people who are on my heart. I have a relative, a friend, and a coworker who are all three facing different health issues, although all three are different in their severity. Oh, Lord, please help them. Help their families. Touch their bodies. Oh, help us all.

I love you, Lord. And I lift my voice to worship you. Oh, my soul, rejoice! Take joy, my King, in what you hear. Let it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear.

I pray all of this through the power of Jesus’s blood poured over my life,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 26, 2023 in Miscellaneous, Musings and Stories

 
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