servant

Jesus knew what they intended to do, so he went away from there. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them all. But he ordered them not to spread the word about him, so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:
Look, my Servant whom I chose,
        the one I love, in whom I find great pleasure.
I’ll put my Spirit upon him,
        and he’ll announce judgment to the Gentiles.
He won’t argue or shout,
        and nobody will hear his voice in the streets.
He won’t break a bent stalk,
        and he won’t snuff out a smoldering wick,
            until he makes justice win.
And the Gentiles will put their hope in his name. (Matthew 12:15-21, CEB)

Jesus was God’s servant.

Jesus came to show the world love.

Jesus came to be the link for us to God.

Jesus healed and included all people.

How can we be more like Jesus?

How can we love and help heal society?

How can you be a servant?

Great things

Those who had been scattered moved on, preaching the good news along the way. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and began to preach Christ to them. The crowds were united by what they heard Philip say and the signs they saw him perform, and they gave him their undivided attention. With loud shrieks, unclean spirits came out of many people, and many who were paralyzed or crippled were healed. There was great rejoicing in that city. Before Philip’s arrival, a certain man named Simon had practiced sorcery in that city and baffled the people of Samaria. He claimed to be a great person. Everyone, from the least to the greatest, gave him their undivided attention and referred to him as “the power of God called Great.” He had their attention because he had baffled them with sorcery for a long time. After they came to believe Philip, who preached the good news about God’s kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Even Simon himself came to believe and was baptized. Afterward, he became one of Philip’s supporters. As he saw firsthand the signs and great miracles that were happening, he was astonished. (Acts 8:4-13, CEB)

The people saw great things.

Many people came to see the healings and to be healed.

Have you seen these kinds of things?

I see things every day that baffle me. I see things that make me wonder if God is there, with all the hate and injustice. And I wonder what makes people stay in faith.

What keeps you in your faith?

What keeps you connected to God?

So many times I wonder and question, and yet through the trials and uncertainty, I know that God is always there and always will be. The promises show me that. History has shown me God is always with me.

There is no sign that would change my mind, because love reigns and always will.

Hold tight to your faith and trust in the promises.

Baptism in water?

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on everyone who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. They heard them speaking in other languages and praising God. Peter asked, “These people have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. Surely no one can stop them from being baptized with water, can they?” He directed that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited Peter to stay for several days. (Acts 10:44-48, CEB)

As Lutherans, we say in our service of Baptism, “baptized you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.” I have always wondered at this, as it seems like we are saying that the baptism of the Holy Spirit happened here. However, this reading shows us that the baptism of the Holy Spirit could be something that happens before water or any time the Spirit feels the whim to do it.

We are all born of water, and born of Spirit when God makes that happen.

Do not try to box God in, but go with the Spirit.

Baptized

At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River so that John would baptize him. John tried to stop him and said, “I need to be baptized by you, yet you come to me?” Jesus answered, “Allow me to be baptized now. This is necessary to fulfill all righteousness.” So John agreed to baptize Jesus. When Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up out of the water. Heaven was opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting on him. A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son whom I dearly love; I find happiness in him.” (Matthew 3:13-17, CEB)

Jesus came to John at the Jordon to be baptized. John said that Jesus should be the one baptizing him, and yet, for the proper order of things, Jesus said you should baptize me.

And Jesus was baptized. He came up out of the water, and the heavens opened, and the Spirit came and rested on him as a dove. Then a voice said, “This is my Son whom I dearly love; I find happiness in him.”

Jesus was baptized. To be cleansed? To be initiated?

It is necessary to fulfill all righteousness.

We do not get it, and that’s ok.

We do not have to understand everything.

Follow God and know it is going to work out, even when we do not get it.

changed

He stayed with the disciples in Damascus for several days. Right away, he began to preach about Jesus in the synagogues. “He is God’s Son,” he declared. Everyone who heard him was baffled. They questioned each other, “Isn’t he the one who was wreaking havoc among those in Jerusalem who called on this name? Hadn’t he come here to take those same people as prisoners to the chief priests?” But Saul grew stronger and stronger. He confused the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. After this had gone on for some time, the Jews hatched a plot to kill Saul. However, he found out about their scheme. They were keeping watch at the city gates around the clock so they could assassinate him. But his disciples took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the city wall. When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him. They didn’t believe he was really a disciple. Then Barnabas brought Saul to the apostles and told them the story about how Saul saw the Lord on the way and that the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them about the confidence with which Saul had preached in the name of Jesus in Damascus. After this, Saul moved freely among the disciples in Jerusalem and was speaking with confidence in the name of the Lord. He got into debates with the Greek-speaking Jews as well, but they tried to kill him. When the family of believers learned about this, they escorted him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. God strengthened the church, and its life was marked by reverence for the Lord. Encouraged by the Holy Spirit, the church continued to grow in numbers. (Acts 9:19b-31, CEB)

The people who were still a part of the Jewish religion that knew Saul before he met Jesus on the road wanted Saul to still be here. They could not understand the change and wanted to eliminate the new Saul.

Sometimes people get upset when we change and no longer support what they support. We have seen this in current political systems. People who supported a particular person and way of thinking, who “suddenly” change their mind or direction, are thrown under a bus or left to fend for themselves. Those who faced no public ridicule are now getting death threats.

Do not ridicule someone because they are not the person you imagined or wanted them to be. Maybe they are the person God needs them to be, and in accepting that, maybe you will be the person God wants/needs you to be.

Let God change you, and accept those who God has changed.

Go!

In Damascus there was a certain disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, “Ananias!” He answered, “Yes, Lord.” The Lord instructed him, “Go to Judas’ house on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias enter and put his hands on him to restore his sight.” Ananias countered, “Lord, I have heard many reports about this man. People say he has done horrible things to your holy people in Jerusalem. He’s here with authority from the chief priests to arrest everyone who calls on your name.” The Lord replied, “Go! This man is the agent I have chosen to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites. I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” Ananias went to the house. He placed his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord sent me—Jesus, who appeared to you on the way as you were coming here. He sent me so that you could see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly, flakes fell from Saul’s eyes and he could see again. He got up and was baptized. After eating, he regained his strength. (Acts 9:10-19a, CEB)

How many times has God told you to do something that has scared you or was something you did not want to do?

Ananias was instructed to visit Saul, the person known for persecuting the followers of the Way. He had heard stories and knew that Saul would be hateful to him. Ananias was going off what he knew and had heard. And yet he, like many of us, go. We follow God, knowing that God has a deeper understanding than we do.

We follow, knowing that God’s plans are better than our plans.

We go. Even in the face of fear. Even in the unknowing.

Go.

spewing…

Meanwhile, Saul was still spewing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest, seeking letters to the synagogues in Damascus. If he found persons who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, these letters would authorize him to take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. During the journey, as he approached Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven encircled him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice asking him, “Saul, Saul, why are you harassing me?” Saul asked, “Who are you, Lord?” “I am Jesus, whom you are harassing,” came the reply. “Now get up and enter the city. You will be told what you must do.” Those traveling with him stood there speechless; they heard the voice but saw no one. After they picked Saul up from the ground, he opened his eyes but he couldn’t see. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind and neither ate nor drank anything. (Acts 9:1-9, CEB)

Saul was spewing murderous threats against followers of the way.

We all know people who seem to be hateful to our following Christ. But it is not too late for anyone to have a change of heart and mind.

Remember the passage above follows Saul holding coats at, and approving of, the stoning of Stephen.

God had and has a plan for all people. And God is not impatient and is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and will return when we all have come to understand the love of God.

Know there is a plan for those spewing hate, just as there is a plan for you.

Love like Jesus in the meantime, and show the world love.

know the love

This is why I kneel before the Father. Every ethnic group in heaven or on earth is recognized by him. I ask that he will strengthen you in your inner selves from the riches of his glory through the Spirit. I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. As a result of having strong roots in love, I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers. I ask that you’ll know the love of Christ that is beyond knowledge so that you will be filled entirely with the fullness of God. Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us; glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations, forever and always. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21, CEB)

The author of Ephesians says some powerful things here that I hope you, the reader of this devotional, hear and take to heart.

As the author says to the Ephesians, I type to and for you:

I ask God to strengthen you so that you remain true to God and not succumb to glory for yourself.

I ask Them that Christ will live in your hearts.

I ask Them that you have the power to understand the love They hold you with and that you will give that love away.

I ask Them that you know the love by which Christ holds you and the power that love has to transform your life and the life of the world.

May God give you all these things and shower you with love forever.

Epiphany

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the territory of Judea during the rule of King Herod, magi came from the east to Jerusalem. They asked, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We’ve seen his star in the east, and we’ve come to honor him.” When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and everyone in Jerusalem was troubled with him. He gathered all the chief priests and the legal experts and asked them where the Christ was to be born. They said, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what the prophet wrote: You, Bethlehem, land of Judah, by no means are you least among the rulers of Judah, because from you will come one who governs, who will shepherd my people Israel.” Then Herod secretly called for the magi and found out from them the time when the star had first appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you’ve found him, report to me so that I too may go and honor him.” When they heard the king, they went; and look, the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. They entered the house and saw the child with Mary his mother. Falling to their knees, they honored him. Then they opened their treasure chests and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Because they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another route. (Matthew 2:1-12, CEB)

Warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went a different direction.

These magi, wise men from what we would today call the Orient, came to find the king whose star they saw at its rising. They were led to the newborn by God through a method these men understood.

God guided them as God guides us today.

We see these men in the nativity scene with the shepherd in the manger. But the reading above says they entered the house. So they weren’t in the manger, and our scene we idolize is not true. We should not keep this as a picture of what happened, regardless of how much joy that scene gives us.

The scene of the wise men coming to God is us, and we need to see that as it happens.

Know that God comes to you in ways you understand to help you know the love God has for you and for all of creation.

Let God give you your epiphany, and then go and help others see the love God has for them!

Cross Eyed

What more can I say? I would run out of time if I told you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. Through faith they conquered kingdoms, brought about justice, realized promises, shut the mouths of lions, put out raging fires, escaped from the edge of the sword, found strength in weakness, were mighty in war, and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured and refused to be released so they could gain a better resurrection. But others experienced public shame by being taunted and whipped; they were even put in chains and in prison. They were stoned to death, they were cut in two, and they died by being murdered with swords. They went around wearing the skins of sheep and goats, needy, oppressed, and mistreated. The world didn’t deserve them. They wandered around in deserts, mountains, caves, and holes in the ground. All these people didn’t receive what was promised, though they were given approval for their faith. God provided something better for us so they wouldn’t be made perfect without us. So then, with endurance, let’s also run the race that is laid out in front of us, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let’s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up, and fix our eyes on Jesus, faith’s pioneer and perfecter. He endured the cross, ignoring the shame, for the sake of the joy that was laid out in front of him, and sat down at the right side of God’s throne. (Hebrews 11:32—12:2, CEB)

“Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don’t see.” (Hebrews 11:1)

There are so many in the scripture who lived their lives in the hope of what God was doing. In the promises that would be fulfilled.

We too can live in faith and hope. Fixing our eyes upon Jesus, faith’s pioneer and perfector. The one who gave us what we believe in and perfected that faith by trusting in the plan He did not really see.

I had a shirt many years ago with the saying Cross-eyed on it with a Cross, and Hebrews 12:2. Fix your eyes upon Jesus, be cross-eyed.

That is how we survive life and how those named in Hebrews 11 survived. They lived in faith, trusting God in everything.

ii

Be Cross Eyed! As you look at the two i-s above look at the white space between them, it makes a cross. When we focus on the cross we keep Christ center and allow our faith to guide us.

Focus on Jesus and live by faith.