... " book, and any bookstore has a large section of such books, from How To Build a Patio to How to Repair Your Motorcycle. We are a sort of "do it yourself" people. Many who can afford to have anything and everything done by others like to do it themselves. The Epistle of James is a kind of "How to" manual for the Christian life. That's appealing, isn't it? We hear a lot in church about what we should do, but perhaps not enough about how to do it. My prayer is that, throughout this series, I will not forget ...
... to the judges only by the sound of the voice — not by any see-me-showmanship. The power to convince, convict, and control is not in the contestants own hands. It is in their tongues. The power of the tongue was of central concern to James in today’s epistle text. And what power it has. Did you know the tongue can lift up to 80 times its own weight? In fact, did you know the strongest muscle in the body is the tongue? The only other muscle that comes close is the masseter muscle — that’s the thick ...
... comes to light more through a series of steps than with any blazing “eureka!” moment. Even as scientific discoveries advance through a series of “Cha-Cha-Cha’s,” a life of faith progresses through the same dance refrain. In today’s epistle text the author of 2 Peter refers back to the moment of Jesus’ mountaintop transfiguration and his own witness of that event. But while most view the transfiguration as a crowning moment in Jesus’ earthly ministry. Peter sees something else. Through the ...
... badly” because you believe the “camera” is off? We all know from the Genesis story of Abraham and Sarah’s shared meal with some passing strangers that we might at anytime be “entertaining angels unawares.” But the directive from 1 John in this week’s epistle text takes that mandate a step further. It is, in fact, sometimes much easier to extend hospitality and help to a stranger than it is to the neighbor we know, the “brother or sister” we see every day and know who they are and from ...
... got up and the farmer started shootin' at me. Gettin' away, I caught myself in a barbedwire fence. That's what happened to me." The pastor asked, "Well, where are you going now?" The man said, "Well, I'm goin' homeif it be the Lord's will." In his little epistle, James says to us to exercise caution. When making plans about buying and selling, he says we should always say, "I will do such and such, if it is the Lord's will." What does he mean? FOR ONE THING HE IS AFFIRMING THE UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE. Take the ...
... to us and our experience? Won't we experience a form of "culture shock" greater than any we have ever known before? But wait. Before you decide to be buried with a bottle of Extra-strength Tylenol by your side to help you cope consider today's epistle lesson. The text from James declares that heaven should not be such a "shock" to our systems after all. (I want to thank Dr. Paul Jaw of Montclair, New Jersey, for helping me to understand this text over lunch one day.) First, the writer reminds us, that ...
... you to drive your car around the beltway seven times, honking your horn all along the way? What if your GPS insisted this was the only way to reach your desired destination? Would you “have faith” and follow directions? Doubt it! But in today’s epistle text it is that degree of faith that the author holds up as part of our great “cloud of witnesses.” At Jericho Joshua got some pretty bizarre sounding instructions from God. He and the people were to stomp around the city seven times while blowing ...
... live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:1-2). In his epistles, John speaks of it in these words, "We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us -- and we ought to lay down ... his Son out of love for us and "while we still were sinners Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). John affirms this in his first epistle, "This is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 ...
... must result in loving work, obedient work, life-enhancing work, or it is not salvation-faith. James was absolutely right when he wrote in his epistle that if a man says he has faith but has not works, his faith is dead (James 2:17). Even Martin Luther agreed with ... and failures, he is immediately led to love others in spite of their sins and failures. This is what John meant in his epistle when he wrote, "We love, because he first loved us" (1 John 4:18). This is why Jesus taught that true Christians are ...
... was freedom, and the second, "which remains hidden within me to this day, tormenting me, was the desire for sanctity." He wanted to be both a hero and a saint, but he discovered that, no matter how hard he tried, sainthood was very elusive. A legend, the Holy Epistle, greatly affected him; it told the story of a stone that fell out of heaven, broke, and a written message was found inside: "Woe to him who uses oil or drinks wine on Wednesdays and Fridays!" So moved was Nikos by this legend, that he made a ...
... with the letter written to Titus. The letter was a response to some of Titus’ complaints about Crete, the place Paul had assigned him. Titus hated Crete. He wanted to get out of there, and the sooner the better. Paul, or another author, responded with the pastoral epistle we now have. In essence, he told Titus that if Crete had not been a bad place there would have been no reason to send Titus there. “For this cause,” said Paul, “I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are ...
... what you're doing?" One must be committed to be a kokua. (2) Christ became our kokua. That is the message that permeates Peter's epistle. We were not saved by our own hand, we were saved by the love poured out on Calvary. It was love that brought Christ ... Christ. If there is not at the heart of the universe a heart of love, then nothing else we believe matters. So, the epistle of Peter says, "Fervently love one another from the heart . . ." This is the ultimate secret of the Christian: Love. 1. "We've Been ...
... driver sped by and yelled, "Leave us alone you religious nuts!" From around the curve the three men of the cloth heard a big splash. "Do you think," said the rabbi, "we should just put up a sign that say, "錬ridge out ahead'?" A failure to communicate. In our Epistle for the day we read these words: "Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds ...
... them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead." This isthe primary emphasis of James' entire Epistle. We must be doers of the word and not hearers only. This is what has caused so many problems for the Epistle through the years. This is the reason Luther called it a "right strawy epistle". Luther was calling his church back to the core of the Gospel: Justification by grace through faith. Faith alone" was his battle cry, and he felt that James was ...
... up and apply them to the Christian life also? Over and over again, such is the case, even in the letters of Paul. After all, our Lord said that he came not to abolish the law and the prophets, but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). Contrary to our Epistle lesson, then, are we to live under the law? Does the Christian faith have about it a legalism after all? As Paul emphasizes, the answer is, "No." What Paul repeatedly underscores is that we are not saved by following the law, that is, we do not enter into ...
... world before you reach 30 or 40 or 50 . . . or 100? Have you slipped up along the way and feel you have missed the mark because of sins and shortcomings? Is there an identifiable maker's mark on you? If so, whose mark is it? Paul states in today's epistle text that all those who have received Jesus Christ into their lives are marked by a specific seal from God the red-hot presence of the Spirit in their hearts. What are the signs that reveal the marks of your Maker? Do you bear the Maker's mark? Or let ...
... part of the essential human condition. Wherever you find a human being, you find a potential "child of light," but you also find a "child of darkness." To be human is to have secrets. We all have secrets. The Ephesian author in today's epistle text is not trying to "out" all the deep, dark secrets that make up scar tissue on our souls. Christians are not called to be tabloid tattletales or some sort of pure-hearted paparazzi. Calling out shortcomings, catching others in sinful situations -- definitely NOT ...
... need to treat their brothers with respect. They were converted to an understanding that prayer must be a way of life. Prayer is vocal, but it must also be action. It must be the way we live our daily lives. Saint James, as he concludes his epistle, a letter based on action, that is being doers of the word, makes this point abundantly clear. Prayer, one's daily communication with God, is a staple of all organized religion and a central tenet to the Judeo-Christian tradition of which we are all members. In ...
... us. Paul is given some guidance for our journey together. We will come back to Vs. 1, but let’s begin with Vs. 2: Bear one’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Paul is talking about interrelatedness and interdependence. This principle is laced throughout Paul’s epistles. If one member suffers all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together (1 Cor. 12:26 R.S.V.). We who are strong ought to bear the failings of the weak (Rom. 15:1 R.S.V). The new life into which we have been ...
... Jesus in you.” Is there any higher compliment to a church body than this one: “the bouquet of Jesus is all over your church.” Or how about this compliment: “the bouquet of Jesus just gets stronger and stronger in your church.” In today’s epistle lesson, some of the ingredients of the aroma of Christ are spelled out. You know what’s so surprising about them? They’re not exotic. They’re not extravagant. First, they’re not exotic. We might even read the advice in today’s Ephesians’ text ...
... and discord, disorder and wickedness, the final harvest of these “fruits” will be peace and righteousness, and a community faith that is pleasing to God (v.18). While some commentaries see a division between James’ discussion between 3:18 and 4:1, the epistle writer seems to continue his thoughts on the need for those steeped in true wisdom to continue their acts of peacemaking within the community. The examples James uses in 4:1-3 are so startling, shocking even, that they have led many commentators ...
... . We comport a glory that is not ours, with the greatness found in the gift and Giver, not the bearer of the gift. What is this “face” we are called to present to the world? Throughout the gospels, Paul’s writings, and all the other epistles, there is one overwhelming “facial” quality that is extolled: love. Love God. Love neighbor. Love others and love the other. Love is patient, kind, never boastful or envious. Love rejoices in the truth. Love endures all things. Love never ends. John 5:41 reads ...
... willingly given up our lives for the sake of the Savior. We push away Mars bars only as a symbol to the world that we are pushing away anything that might come between ourselves and resurrection life of Christ Jesus. Paul’s words in today’s epistle declare that any disciple “who calls on the name of the Lord,” anyone who combines the heartfelt words of confession and the handful actions of faith, is welcomed into life eternal: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” In the ...
... of his life. All that Paul had known or taught before is gone, overwhelmed by a new trajectory. Now all Paul claims as his is the transforming experience of the risen Christ and his call to proclaim Christ to the world. In this week’s epistle text Paul begins by asserting that the gospel he received was “not of human origin” (“kata anthropon”). It is not clear whether Paul was specifically being accused by some in the Galatian community of preaching a message he had learned from some other source ...
... each Sunday comes from the Revised Common Lectionary. The lectionary follows the calendar of the Christian year, with an appropriate scripture reading for that particular liturgical day. The lectionary provides a scripture pas- sage from the Old Testament, the Epistles, and the Gospel. Prior to the established lectionary the scriptural passages for each Sunday were selected helter-skelter, with no rhyme nor reason to them. This ambivalent approach dates back to the Medieval church. The Roman Catholic church ...