God's Gift of Scripture with Belton Joyner

Before you read these verses from Lamentations, let me give you a filter to use. If the anguish in the text is physical, raise your left hand. If the anguish in the text is emotional, raise your right hand. (I assure you; this will be good exercise!) Okay. Close this down for a moment and try that.…………………….How did it go? How many times did you lift your right hand? How often did you lift your left hand? Were there times you lifted them both at the same time?Brokenness in our relationship with others can express itself physically and emotionally. It is not surprising that the Lamentations poet sees both as evidence of how we feel (or don’t feel) God’s presence in our life.Over against these hurts, pains, afflictions, we also get some good news: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases” (v. 22). . ..”The Lord is my portion…therefore I will hope in him” (v. 24)_...“The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him” (v. 25)…”For the Lord will not reject forever” (v. 31)…”…he does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone” (v. 33)…”You came near when I called on you; you said ‘Do not fear.’’ (v. 57)These same affirmations of God’s caring goodness are expressed in the Psalm referenced in today’s study. God heals! God forgives! God redeems! (Psalm 103:3-4).If we think the writer of Lamentations is being open and forthright in naming all the ways he has suffered (Remember raising your left hand and your right hand?), can we also believe that he also understands and proclaims a God who brings healing and acceptance and new beginnings? Both of these experiences are indeed lived in the real world. Yes, God lives in the real world.What Someone Else Has Said: In Grace Matters (Jossey-Bass), Chris Rice quotes a friend who said: “I think the big paradigm shift is understanding that three is only one detail that matters: God loves you. Unless we are gripped by that fact, it’s too dangerous to do anything. It’s about God’s action among you, or it’s nothing…The more we understand who God is, the more we are changed.”Prayer: As you prepare this lesson, let your prayer begin: “Where have You been, Lord? I need You. Put me on the timing of Your schedule…”

Have you ever blamed God when things did not go as you thought they should? That tone of accusation against God leaps out from this week’s reading in Lamentations. Even though Israel’s disobedience in dealing with Egypt planted the seeds of this destruction, the poet sees God as the villain.  Look at Lamentations 2:5: God is like an enemy. Look at Lamentations 2:6: God has destroyed the temple. Look at Lamentations 2:7: God has delivered the holy places into the hands of the enemy. At a minimum, we can say, “This ain’t going to look too good on God’s resume!”Interestingly, even though the writer plops all the blame onto God, these verses still call upon the people to make pleas to God for help. Lamentations 2:18 begs for Israel to pray to the Lord. Lamentations 2:19 calls for prayer night and day. Lamentations 2:20 asks God to ponder what has happened to God’s people. The text of Psalm 130 is the kind of prayer that one might offer in such a time of distress.  Guess what. The biblical evidence in these verses is that we can be open and honest and authentic in our prayers to God. Did we somehow think that God did not know what we were actually thinking and feeling? God’s judgment would not be against what we are feeling, but against our failure to acknowledge it before God.This is not to say that any attitude or prejudice or anger is acceptable to God. It is just to say that there is more authenticity in my prayer when I do not try to hide it when, as the title of this session says, I am “broken, cut down, and scorned.”When I see the honesty in these Lamentations verses that blame God, I get increased confidence in the report of the more powerful and loving actions by God.  A relationship with God has little meaning unless we bring all of who we are.Some congregations have a tradition of not singing “Alleluia” during these days of Lent. Lamentations helps us see that some prayers indeed are real simply because they do not include a claim of “Alleluia.”  What Someone Else Has Said: Kel Groseciose (Why Did God Make Bugs and Other Icky Things?, Dimensions for Living) wrote: “It is quite possible for people of all ages to pray with childlike trust and openness. Children aren’t the only ones capable of using simple, direct language. “Prayer: As you prepare this lesson, let your prayer begin: “Here’s what I’m thinking, Lord…”

For the first weeks of Lent, we shall be walking in the Book of Lamentations. As a whole, it must be one of the saddest books in the Bible.  Jerusalem has fallen and the steady question of “Why? Why?” goes unanswered. It is a lament about hunger, rape, dying children, rejection, destroyed property. As the title of this week’s lesson says, comfort seemed far away.Most of Lamentations is written as a poem.  One dimension that is lost in translations is that in the original Hebrew, lines of the poem appear in alphabetical order…something like this:Always I amBeaten, butCan I say toDivinity, will IEver be able toFind and enjoyGrowth in life?As I was typing this, my phone rang. It was a former student who now serves as a pastor in a hurricane-damaged area.  He said his wife and son were ignoring him. His neighbor was blaming him for yard trash caused by a fallen tree.  No one in his congregation had checked on his well-being.  He even went to the town office and found the place was closed. Equipment needed to clear the debris was too expensive to buy or rent. He closed the call by saying, “Thank you. I just wanted to tell someone.” Truth to tell, I was honored that he felt free to dump all this on me.I mention this incident because I think God must have been pleased that the writers of Lamentations felt free to lay their genuine thoughts and feelings on God. I don’t have to pretend in front of God.  I can unload my deepest hurt, my newest doubt, my daily weariness onto God’s open ears. What a gift! I don’t have to pretend in front of God!What Someone Else Has Said: In The Christian Art of Dying (Eerdmans), Allen Verhey says “…Christian hope is not inconsistent with lament.” Then, he quote Clifton Black: “The spine of lament is hope: not the vacuous optimism that ‘things will get better,’ which in the short run is usually a lie, but the deep and irrepressible conviction in the teeth of present evidence, that God has not severed the umbilical cord that has always bound us to the Lord.”Prayer: As you prepare this lesson, let your prayer begin: “Let me be truthful with You, Lord. Right now, some things are not going well. Where are You?...”

 This week’s lesson closes out these reflections on Paul first letter to the Thessalonians.   The apostle speaks again of the coming again of Christ. As we wait for that Good Day, we are to be patient and helpful with all (vv. 14-15). We are to live a life of thanksgiving (v. 18).  We are to refrain from evil (v. 22). We are to share this word with all (v. 27).  Earlier today, a friend of mine said he was going to come to visit me tonight. So, I made sure I had on hand his favorite diet drink, a magazine I knew he enjoyed, and had the TV set on the game I knew he would want to watch.  It worked.  We had a delightful time.But, suppose I had not known when he was going to come. Would I have had the caffeine-free Diet Coke in the refrigerator? Would I have pulled Our State magazine off the rack? Would I have bothered to find out which channel was carrying his ball game?The apostle Paul reminds the Thessalonians that they do not know when the Lord will return (v. 2). They simply must be prepared at all times—day or night. Always keep caffeine-free Diet Coke in the refrigerator! We stay prepared for our Lord’s return by wearing the breastplate of faith and love (v. 8). We stay prepared for the Lord’s return by the way we live with (and for) each other (vv. 11-15). We stay prepared for the Lord’s return by accepting the peace of assurance that God will give us (v. 23).Today I went to a nearby library to cast my votes in the early voting of the upcoming General Election. I was astonished that even though the signs pointed the way (“Vote Here”), there was no one in line. Usually in early voting, I take my place at the back of a slowly moving line. Maybe I had hit the timing jackpot! I reached for the door that would lead to the voting booths. The door was locked. I tried another door. It was locked. As I turned in mystery, a woman opened her car door, stepped out and said, “If you are looking for early voting, it starts tomorrow.” I wanted it today, but it comes tomorrow. I’ll be ready.Will I be ready for the “tomorrow” of our Lord’s return?What Someone Else Has Said: Bruce Metzger (Breaking the Code, Abingdon) wrote: “…the central truth… is the clear and direct affirmation: Christ will return, as he had promised, and will destroy the forces of evil and establish God’s eternal kingdom.”Prayer: As you prepare this lesson, let your prayer begin: “Come, Lord Jesus! Come, Lord Jesus! Help me to live with the joy of expectancy. Help me to live with the opportunity of present-day serving…”

The emphases in 1 Thessalonians 4 might have “Twenty-first Century” stamped on them. (1) There is the issue of sexual holiness (vv. 3-7). Does that sound like today? (2) There is the issue of how to relate to those outside our usual culture (vv. 11-12). Can you name those who come to engage our culture?  (3) There is the issue of the torment of missing loved ones who have died (vv. 13-18). Whose name is on your list?[1] Paul is clear that appropriate sexual behavior is not defined by society; it is defined by God (v. 8). Some folks might be surprised to note that the apostle understands that sexual expression can be exemplary of holiness (v. 4). Obviously, those in the Thessalonian church were in a culture where abuse of sexual gifts was common. (Look at 1 Corinthians 5:1, 6: 13, 18 for other examples.) Paul says, “Let your sex life be holy!”[2] Evidently, Paul noticed that some in the congregation at Thessalonica were slacking off work responsibilities and taking advantage of what he called “outsiders.” How do you define “outsider”? Might it be by language? Might it be by place of birth?  Might it be by religious vocabulary? Might it be by economic measurement? The Twentieth Century New Testament renders 1 Thessalonians 4:12 this way: “so that your conduct may win respect from those outside the Church.” How do you relate to outsiders?[3] In the closing verses of this chapter, Paul offers a word of hope and expectation to those who have lost loved ones. He is saying, “It ain’t over. Death does not have the final word.” This would have been a big question for that first-generation church. They might have been wondering, “Even if Christ saves those who have died, what about us who have not died? If Christ comes back before we die, will He save us too?”  The living and the dead are all alive in Christ.Wow! There are at least these three issues in this chapter: sexuality, outsiders, death of loved ones. Paul may have been writing to Thessalonica, but his message surely has my Zip Code on it!What Someone Else Has Said: Carl Michalson (Faith for Personal Crises (Scribners), wrote: “To be like God is not our responsibility; it is our sin…To be responsible to God is our task, .and that task defines our very being as a human being.”Prayer: As you prepare this lesson, let your prayer begin: “Thank You, grace-giving God, for moving in this very world where I live, to challenge me, to support me, to comfort me. You are with me so I do not travel this journey alone…”

Just days before I write this, a major hurricane (Helene) tore across western North Carolina, destroying buildings, damaging property, and even killing people. Friends who had family or colleagues in that area were often tormented in not knowing how their kin and acquaintances were doing. Were they hurt? Had they survived? Did they have food to eat? The usual systems of communication were out. Access was limited. Anxiety was the order of the day.Finally, the news began to filter through the distress, and in many, if not most, cases, the realities of what had happened to loved ones became available.I thought of that as I read in 1 Thessalonians 3 how Paul was greatly disturbed about what might be happening to that early Christian community in Thessalonica. He worried that persecution had taken a toll on the believers (v. 4). He was tormented by the possibility that many in that congregations had given in to worldly temptations (v. 5).Evidently, the email system was down so Paul knew that someone had to go in person to Thessalonica to find how things were going, so he sent Timothy to check it out. Can’t you feel his nervousness, his torment, as he waited for a report? But, the news was good (v. 6). The believers in Thessalonica had been faithful, still had an appreciation of Paul, and had come through times of distress with faithfulness. Hooray!Can I be a Timothy? Can I be one who finds where God’s presence and power is still at work, even in those places that are threatened by pressures of the world and challenged by those who choose not to live by love? Can I give evidence of the initiative of God in a setting that seems devoid of divine caring? Sometimes it is hard to be a comfort to those in distress, but God’s Light shines in ways and places where we least expect it.The prayer that closes this chapter (vv. 11-13) gives us a handle for being a sign of God’s continuing, abiding presence. What would love (v. 12) look like this this situation? What would holy living (v. 13) look like in this situation? Thanks be to God for such gifts!What Someone Else Has Said: Karl Barth (God in Action, Roundtable Press) wrote: “(The Church) arises from the election, decision, and disposition of God toward (humankind).”Prayer: As you prepare this lesson, let your prayer begin: “Thank You, Lord, for continuing to bless us with the Church. You bless us within the Church and You bless the Church to be for others…”

In this letter to the church at Thessalonica, Paul refers to himself and the rest of his team as “apostles” (1 Thessalonians 2:7). The New Testament word is apŏstŏlŏs, a word that means “delegate” or “representative.”  They came on behalf of Jesus Christ.  I got curious about how languages other than English had translated apŏstŏlŏs. In Spanish, it is apóstol. That word is usually translated “chief disciple.” In French, it is apôtres, a word often rendered “advocate for a cause.” The Russian word is anoctophbl, which some folks have said means “enthusiast.” In German, this verse uses apostel; one way to translate that is “someone who is sent out.”  The Chinese word shĭtũ is sometimes said to mean “follower” or “protégé.”   Each of these translations opens up an emphasis on what an apostle is and what an apostle does. One way that encourages me is to realize that apostles of Jesus Christ have one thing in common; that one thing is Jesus Christ. That means that the ways in which we express that relationship with Christ will vary from time and place and person. We are gifted in different ways and express our relationships with Jesus Christ in differing ways.Acts 17:1-9 tells of a visit Paul and Silas made to Thessalonica. It did not go well. Some of the leaders of the town accused Paul and Silas as coming to turn the world upside down (Acts 17:6). They meant that as an insult and a legal charge against Paul and Silas, but I cannot help but wonder if we Christians might actually have a calling to turn the world upside down.  The world’s values are not the values of Jesus Christ.  In a Sunday School class I attended we got into a major discussion, comparing “profit” and “prophet.” The world judges by profit; the Gospel judges by prophet.  I met some values in this focal text. There is value in expressing thanks for the richness of our community relationships. There is value in letting others know how much they mean to you. There is value in renewing contacts that have nourished us. There is value in letting others know of the spiritual gifts we see in them.  No wonder Paul wanted to go back to Thessalonica!What would Paul write to your congregation?

Many students of the Bible think that 1 Thessalonians is the first book written for the New Testament. Some even pin it down as early as 51 AD. That would be about two decades after the death and resurrection of Jesus. And, already these believers are looking forward to the return of Jesus (1 Thessalonians 1:10).It is interesting that this early New Testament book is already teaching about the doctrine of the Trinity, God in three persons. The authors greet the Thessalonians in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:1) and then proclaims all that has been done by the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 1:5-6).  It is almost like a trinitarian doxology!Many in the church in Thessalonica had been pagans, worshipping idols (1 Thessalonians 1:9). But check out Acts 17:1-4 and see that Paul also went to a Jewish synagogue in Thessalonica and preached in a way that converted some of the Jewish community. The folks in the Thessalonian church brought differing backgrounds to their journey with Christ.  Does your congregation reflect that kind of welcoming hospitality for differences? I got to thinking about the church that I attend. Of course, I do not know everyone’s life story, but I think over the pews and I see life-long members; I see a friend who was baptized at age 50; I see other colleagues who grew up in other faith traditions; I see couples who once would not have a place at the Table because of their sexual identities; I see one fellow who is still much in a searching mode; I see a youth who comes because he was told to; I see a first-time visitor who does not seem to be comfortable following the order of service; I see a family with one member who grew up in a non-Christian community outside the United States; I see one whose native language is not English; I see a couple who escaped a Communist takeover in their native country; I see a woman who appears to be a street-wanderer looking for help…well, you get the idea. Differences, but now sharing in the life of the Church. Look around your pews. I am thinking that God has done some remarkable assembly work there too!

These familiar verses in John 15:1-17 are filled with surprises and difficulties. There are lots of places where the meaning is not easy to find. Join me on a journey to figure out some of it!Jesus says He is the true vine (v. 1). Usually, when I think of a vine I think of a weed that grows where I don’t want it. Jesus is talking abut a plant that provides fruit.God is the vinegrower (v. 1). Other translations say “vineyard keeper,” “vinedresser,” “gardener,” “cultivator,” “husbandman.” No matter which version you have, it is clear that God is taking care of the plant.God gets rid of those who don’t believe (v. 2). Yes! God has a plan called “free will.” If I do not accept His gift of salvation, I am free to move on without it. Some traditions teach that God elects some to be saved and some not to be saved (predestination), but our tradition says that the choice is ours and God will honor our decision.God trims those who do believe (v. 2). Yes! If I do believe, I am set free to move into the world bearing the fruit of peace, the fruit of justice, the fruit of service. Good fruit bears more fruit and keeps on living. My rough edges are pruned so I can stay connected to the vine for nourishment.I get anything for which I pray (v. 7). Good! A new car! Extra money for the season basketball tickets!  Political election! Uh, there is a proviso on this promise from God. The prayer has to be according to the Word and will of God….”…if you abide in me, and my words abide in you.”There is more here for reflection. What about friendship with Jesus (v. 14)? Is Jesus speaking of His own death when He says there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (v. 13)? What kind of fruit will last instead of turning bad (v. 16)? How do the commands of Jesus enable us to love one another (v. 17)?Scripture that makes me keep pondering is a special gift.

When I read this week’s focal text and saw the title (“I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life”), I got curious. So, I pulled my exhaustive concordance from the shelf. Using the King James Version, it is supposed to list every time a word appears in the Bible. So, if Jesus is the Way, how many other times has that word appeared in the biblical text? How many times does the word “way” appear? I guess I was wondering: “How many ways are there?”  Now, before I tell you in the next paragraph, why don’t you make a guess?If I counted correctly (and these 88-year old eyes do occasionally fail to read correctly!), the word “way” is used in the Scriptures 769 times! Over against that immense competition, Jesus says that He is the Way (John 14:6).Jesus is speaking of an eternal presence in the house of God (John 14:2-3). And the Good News is that there are a lot of dwelling places in God’s house (John 14:2). Jesus is the Way to get there.One thing I like about this week’s focal text is the way the disciples push back when they don’t understand. After Jesus speaks of a way to get to God’s house, Thomas asks, “How can we know this way?”  After Jesus talks of getting to know God the Father, Philip sputters, “Show us how to do that.” These verses invite me to do more than just repeat the words of Jesus; I am invited to struggle with them—and with Jesus—until I live with them as Truth. Jesus is the Way and the Truth.Jesus gives meaning and purpose to our living; in fact, He is Life. We who believe in Him are likely to do good works (John 14:12), not in order to gain His approval, but because such good works grow out of our relationship with Him. We don’t do good works in order to gain His friendship, but we do good works because we are already friends with Him.These verses stir in me again the clarity of how John begins the gospel story, John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and lived among us.” Jesus is what it is like to have God in our midst.

Merry Christmas! I just looked over our notes on last week’s focal text and I see that I did not even mention that those reflection were for study just before Christmas Day. My excuse is that I was writing this in August 2024 and it’s 90 degrees today. Nevertheless, these verses about Jesus are indeed the fulfillment of the Christmas story.Of course, the nativity scene often shows the shepherds who slipped into Bethlehem to see the Messiah the angels had described (Luke 2:8-20). What an irony! Shepherds who come to see the Good Shepherd! Shepherds who left their flock to visit the Shepherd who never leaves His flock!The Old Testament word that is translated shepherd (râꜤâh) means “to tend to” or “companion.”  The New Testament word that is translated shepherd (pŏŏimēn) is sometimes rendered “pastor.” What clear and great ways of describing Jesus as our shepherd!  Ezekiel 34:1-6 describes a different kind of shepherd, one who has put self first, one who has ignored the needy, one who did not look for the lost sheep. What a contrast with the Good Shepherd!  Revelation 7:9-17 depicts a vision of God’s ultimate victory. The Lamb whose blood has been shed will be the Shepherd who guides those who gather to the water of life. Jesus, the Shepherd, is for the living and the dead!Ezekiel 34:11-16 talks about God as a shepherd. The text says God will search for His sheep (v. 11) and rescue them (v. 12). God’s sheep will then live in good ways (v. 14). Do you remember Wesleyan theological language? What Ezekiel has just described is what our theology labels prevenient grace, justifying grace, and sanctifying grace.  No wonder we celebrate the birth of Jesus as the birth of the Good Shepherd!

I was on my way to go see some friends from church. I followed my GPS directions and soon was on Latta Road. I stopped at a red light and then drove across into the neighborhood where they lived. That is when I saw the gate. It blocked my access. I could not get in, blocked by a closed gate.At the stadium, the gate is closed unless I have the right ticket.  And then there was the other day when I started out on the road I usually take into town. I drove two miles and the road was blocked. Workers were busy at work and I could not get through.These are not strange images, are they? We all have experienced being blocked by a closed gate. But Jesus calls Himself a gate (John 10:7).  He is a different kind of gate because the sheep can go in and go out; the gate is open (John 10:9).  Anyone can enter the sheepfold if they choose. Anyone can leave the sheepfold if they choose.Just before our focal text for today (John 10:7-13), there is an interesting verse. Jesus has been teaching some Pharisees and John 10:6 says “they did not understand what he was saying to them.” That happens to us, too, doesn’t it?  Jesus invites us to love people who are not lovable. Jesus asks us to set aside any notion that a person’s value is measured in dollars and cents. Jesus instructs us to forgive someone who has harmed us. I have to admit that sometimes John 10:6 describes me: “They did not understand what he was saying.” Jesus is an open gate when most gates open and close.There is an old gospel song “Swing Wide the Gates.” One of the refrains notes that I am headed for heaven: “Swing wide the gates for I am coming home.” Jesus is the gatekeeper and the gate is open.Remember those friends I couldn’t visit because it was a gated neighborhood and I couldn’t get in? One day I passed that gated neighborhood of my church friends. The gate was open. I did not enter. They told me later that they missed seeing me. Jesus has opened the gate to salvation and service, to community and mission. The gate is open. Will I go in?

So, there I was, at Bennett Pointe Grill, having lunch with my grand nephew Francis. As I munched on my favorite (Mandarin Walnut Salad with Grilled Chicken and Honey Mustard Dressing), he asked me what else I had to do today. I said, “I’m writing one of those Bible study commentaries; this one is about Jesus as the Light of the world.”The waitress refilled my glass of unsweetened iced tea as Francis punched buttons on his cell phone, obviously in search of some particular item. He found it. It was a quote from the Frankenstein story. In that account, Walton writes his sister, asking, “What may not be expected in a country of eternal light?”  (In that book, this has to do with traveling to the North Pole.)Jesus answers that same question when He said that whoever follows Him will not walk in darkness (John 8:12).  Do I sometimes close my eyes to what the Light of Jesus reveals? And the truth is that sometimes the Light of Jesus shows me things I had rather not see. For example, I am super-busy but by the Light of Jesus I see someone in need. For example, I am more comfortable around people like me, but by the Light of Jesus I see folks who don’t speak my language or don’t have white skin or don’t vote the way I do. For example, I think I have this Bible passage all figured out, but by the Light of Jesus I see how someone else has heard and lived out this text. Truth to tell, sometimes I prefer to walk in darkness rather than by the Light of Jesus.And then there are those times that the day is filled with darkness. A loved one has died, but the Light of Jesus brightens the moment and I see the gates of heaven opened.  There is a friend who bears the uncertainties of disease, but the Light of Jesus reaches my friend’s heart and he knows he is not alone.  Recently, congregations that wanted to be open about their spirit of openness and welcome have been identified as “lighthouse churches.”  When that light is from Jesus, it is a light that does not go out. It becomes a signal that there is hope; it becomes a vision of a grace-touched community; it becomes a reminder that the hospitality of Jesus is alive and well. And, with Jesus, there is no power failure.

This week’s study begins a series of lessons that reflect on various ways in which Jesus described Himself: Bread, Light, Open Gate, Shepherd, Way—Truth—Life. True Vine. Our Lord reaches out to us in so many ways!These studies begin with the image and truth of bread.I remember my sixth grade Sunday School class from decades ago. We were discussing this text from John 6:35: “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life.’” One of my classmates said, “Bread? I think I’d rather have chocolate cake.” We roared with laughter and agreement. Miss Dellinger smiled and then asked, “If that is all you had to eat, which one would be better for you?” Our giggles turned into understanding.  The crowds who went looking for Jesus have stomachs that were full. This is after that remarkable miracle of feeding the five thousand and Jesus must have sensed that the crowd was now looking for chocolate cake (John 6:26). He reminds them that through belief in Him we can connect with heaven and have eternal life (John 6:35-40).  I got to wondering: What are the slices of chocolate cake that we sometimes choose instead of the Bread of Life? Might the cake be financial success? Praise and recognition from others? Comfort and ease? These are not the things that Jesus promises. In John 4:34, Jesus says, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me…” And that is the Bread that He offers to us.Many congregations have Holy Communion on the first Sunday of each month. Then, they use physical bread to convey the gift of spiritual bread. At the Table, we recall Jesus’ upper room experience with the disciples when He took the Bread and the Cup and said it was His body and His blood (Luke 22:19-20). And thus, we are fed.Jesus Christ is our nourishment for life.  Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life.

Can you believe that it is Advent already? We are on the countdown days ‘til Christmas.Usually when we recall the Christmas story, we think of the scene at the manger in Bethlehem: a baby, shepherds, wise men, angels, and, of course, Mary and Joseph. But that is not the Christmas account we get in the Gospel according to St. John. There is no star shining over a borrowed stable. There is no gold, frankincense, or myrrh.  Some students of the Bible think that the writer of the Gospel According to John wrote after the other Gospel writers, so he knew that the story of Jesus’ birth had already been told. John made his focus on what it all meant.  John’s account (John 1:1-18) begins with the theological truth that the Word that became flesh was an expression of God. In fact, that Word was God! After these more or less abstract descriptions, John moves into the recorded history, telling about the one we usually call “John, the Baptist.” (John 1:6-8). Then, this Gospel writer gives the summary truth: “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14) And it is that Word made flesh who makes God fully known (John 1:18).The Gospel writer uses “light” as a descriptor of Jesus (John 1:4-9). He was light in a world of darkness. Light helps us see what is around us. Light offers a view of where we need to be going. Light overcomes the darkness that would hide truth. But keep this in mind: Light also reveals some things we might want to keep hidden! The Light of our Lord is both for our path and to make visible the sin that we commit.Look at John 1:15. In the original Greek, the word “testified” is in the present tense: “testifies.” (Or as Henry Alford translates it: “beareth witness.”) I like to claim both the past tense (testified) and the present tense (testifies) as the timeless reality of the truth being announced by John, the Baptizer. It was true and it is true!

Okay. Have you heard this one? I used to have a beautiful lamp on my desk, but someone stole it. You’d think I’d be upset, but I am de-lighted.Okay. Have you heard this one? A priest, a pastor, and a rabbit go into a blood donation center. The nurse asks the rabbit, “What’s your type?” The rabbit replied, “I think I am a Type-O.”Unfortunately for my friends, I love that kind of humor. I enjoy the play on words. But when I come to today’s focal text (1 John 5:13-21), the double-meaning of words is not much fun. A mortal sin (1 John 5:16-17): does that mean physical death or spiritual death? Is a wrongdoing (1 John 5:17) simply making a mistake or is it choosing to do wrong? Does eternal life (1 John 5:20) happen before, after, or during the days we are breathing?Now you have come to the next paragraph and you probably are thinking that I am going to explain all these mixed meanings. No, I am not. The richness of our encounter with the Scripture is that it can meet us wherever we are and with what journey we bring. God can meet me wherever I am in my journey. The writer of 1 John tells us that when he addresses his readers: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. “ (1 John 5:13). This session is well titled: “Pray with Confidence.” 1 John 5:16 is a confusing verse. After the writer says we can pray for those who commit sins that are not mortal, he says not to pray about those who commit mortal (deadly) sins. What! Is he saying that we should not pray for someone about to commit a mortal sin?  No! We should not pray that an enemy commit a mortal sin! In our own sinful way, we may hope that someone we do not like will break their relationship with God by committing a death sin. No! We are not to pray that that will happen.The writer of 1 John must have known that many of his readers will be new in the faith. In several places (2:1, 2:12, 2:14, 2:18, 2:28, 3:1, 3:18, 5:21, for example), he names his readers as “children.” God loves the little children…like us!

Now I don’t know for sure, but I would not be surprised if research showed that Jude was the least read book in the Bible. (Did you have trouble finding it?)  Some students of the Bible think Jude was a brother of Jesus. Is he the “Judas” referred to in Matthew 13:55?  In any case, the author was one who wrote with considerable authority.Jude is greatly upset because there are those who have sneaked into the early Chrisian community, but whose false teachings and moral practices contradict the values and thought of the faithful (v. 4). He warns his readers that God does not hesitate to punish those who do these shameful things (vv. 6-7). In v.v. 12-13, Jude gets vigorously poetic in describing these troublemakers: “waterless clouds,” “autumn trees without fruit”, “wild waves of the sea,” “wandering stars.” That’s not something a Christ-follower would want on his or her resume!Jude’s advice is what we sing in this familiar Fanny Crosby hymn:   Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, Snatch them in pity from sin and the grace; Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen, Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save. Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.Take at look at all the stanzas of this hymn (No. 591). in United Methodist Hymnal)There is an interesting difference in how the closing benediction gets translated (v. 24). In the King James Bible, the injunction is aimed at those who can keep them (others) from falling and to present them in the presence of God. In the Revised Standard Version and in the Common English Bible, the blessing is so that you may be kept from falling and so you can come into the presence of God. It is as if these more recent translators have recognized that we ourselves are those who fall short of what God has intended.In either case (them or you), the one who can keep them or you---=and I say “me”, also—from falling into these wicked ways is Jesus Christ. I cannot do it on my own. If some have fallen, it is because they no longer let Jesus Christ shape their lives and decisions.

Let me begin with a personal memory. This day would have been my son’s 64th birthday, but he died unexpectedly in 2019. So many memories! But one thing that came to mind as I read this week’s text was something my son said when he chaired the Staff-Parish Relations Committee of a United Methodist congregation in Michigan. He said, “Some folks in the congregation seem to be surprised that we hold the staff to higher standards than what is expected in secular work.”  What do you think?In 3 John, the writer contrasts Diotrephes with Demetrius. Diotrephes was living by standards of the world. Demetrius was living by the standards of God. For the writer, it boiled down to this: “Whoever does good is from God…” (3 John 11). That’s a pretty high standard!Did you notice that this letter writer blasts Diotrephes (3 John 10) for the very thing that the writer of 2 John tells the church to do (2 John 10).? What I learn from that is that context can shape whether something is good or not. The standard of “love” is always right, but determining what is loving varies from time to time. (For example, punching someone in the chest in a fit of anger is not good; applying that same pressure doing CPR to help someone who is not breathing is a good thing.)Many of the epistles in the New Testament are written to congregations, probably read before a gathering of the faithful. On the other hand, 3 John is addressed to an individual, Gaius. This reminds me of the importance of leadership. If you have been asked to head up some task in your congregation, read these verses and change that name to your name.  Would there be rejoicing because of your faithfulness (v. 3)? Would there be celebration because of your love for the strangers (v. 5)? Would there be a reminder of how you have offered support to the mission of the Church (v. 8)?Something jumped out at me when I just now re-read 3 John. Note how it closes: “Greet the friends there, each by name.” It’s one thing to say “I just love everybody there” and another thing to say “I love Hagar; I love Demetrius; I love Peter; I love Rebecca.” I am reminded that indeed God loves all of us, but also God loves each of us. For me, it makes a difference when I insert MY name!This letter is very practical. There is little of abstract theology in these verses, but notice how the writer acknowledges the practical application of the Good News of God. He speaks of good health (v.2). He enjoys friendly visits (v. 3). He sees other believers as members of the family (v. 4). Help for people who are traveling (v. 6). There is support, probably financial (v. 8). Simply getting together (v. 14).  Finally, after pondering how much this letter must have meant to Gaius, hearing from someone who had shared the faith journey. So, I immediately stopped and sent an email to someone with whom I had not been in touch in several years. Why don’t you do the same?

Where to begin? I am uncertain because I do not know what you have read or learned elsewhere. For example, did you know that the early church attached the name “John” as the author of this letter because it reflected so much of the spirit of that apostle? The feminine language [“elect lady” (v. 1), “elect sister” (v. 13)] was a common practice of describing the whole church that way. These three letters (1 John, 2 John, 3 John) are not necessarily to the same congregation and not necessarily from the same leader.It will not surprise you that when the writer of this letter calls on the church to love one another, the writer uses the word agape. We know that agape is more than romantic affection; it is more than sibling friendship. It is a self-giving that does not depend on the deservedness of the one being loved.If we are indeed to be an agape people, how do we deal with the instruction of this letter when it says not to receive or welcome anyone who brings false teachings (v. 10)? How can that attitude be considered agape? That’s a tough question. Wouldn’t you rather talk about the weather?  Wouldn’t you rather talk about who won last night’s football game?It won’t go away. How is it agape if I do not welcome someone with whom I disagree?  I mean, even Jesus ate with sinners!One possible understanding is that this is the exception that proves the rule. Another interpretation would be to say that by alerting the evil doers to the error of their way we are actually doing them a favor, even agape. Some look at this text and argue that we must at all costs protect the truth of Christ from those who would deny it. Some students of the Bible protest that verses 10 and 11 are aimed at a particular situation in a particular church in a particular time and are not intended to be universally applied.  So, what is God revealing to us in this text? It seems to me that the bottom line is that Jesus Christ is the truth and that His truth is love and living out that love is not always easy.

Sometimes it is hard to have hope. Last night I was watching a baseball game on television. It was the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs with nobody on base. The team at bat was behind 4-0. Time to pack up and go home, right? The batter was walked. The next batter got a single. The next batter got on base when the shortstop fumbled the easy out. The next batter hit a home run. The score was tied, 4-4. Extra innings. And guess who won! The prophet Jeremiah was living in such a time. It was the bottom of the ninth inning. God’s people were divided into two competing nations, Israel and Judah, northern and southern kingdoms. Leader after leader and follower after follower were hauled off into Exile. At almost every turn, the people of Yahweh were finding new ways to violate the Ten Commandments. As the saying goes, “It was all over but the shouting.” Sometimes it is hard to have hope. But the prophet Jeremiah has a different word, a new promise. The prophet announces that God is going to win the game! Sin will be forgiven (v. 34). The broken-apart kingdoms will come together as one (v. 31). Serving God in love will become part of who God’s people are (v. 33). In Luke .22:20, Jesus acknowledges that a new covenant is realized in Him. The apostle Paul understands that this victory is brought alive in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 11:25, 2 Corinthians 3:6). The writer of Hebrews knows Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of the promise (Hebrews 9:15). (The writer of Hebrews even quotes the Jeremiah text—Hebrews 8:8.) Sometimes it is hard to have hope. But God has sent Jesus Christ to restore our broken relationship with God. But God has sent Jesus Christ to restore our broken relationships with one another. A covenant is an agreement between two parties. We are invited to say “Yes” to this new covenant.