Tag: Worship (Page 1 of 26)

It’s always kind of interesting when you come to a major realization that you weren’t expecting. Something big that was unforeseen. Something major out of the blue.

The disciples had to have a lot of those times. Time after time Jesus was making the unexpected happen. You would think that after a while they would get used to it and actually start expecting those types of things. Well, if that ever happened, we don’t see much evidence of it.

In today’s gospel lesson we get one of those situations where the unanticipated happens and it has a consequence beyond what was expected. It’s a familiar story that most of us probably know. It culminates in Jesus going out with some of the disciples to fish even though they had been there all night. Jesus tells Peter put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch and Peter, after explaining that they had already tried this all night with no results complies, taking Jesus at His word, almost resigned to the fact that he needs to do this because of his Teacher’s request, but he isn’t expecting anything different.

But what he gets is vastly different! Not because of the large number of fish that they end up catching, but the realization of why they caught that many of Who it really is that was with them. The fact that Jesus commands fish and waves and boats and weather and everything. The fact that this Jesus – Who is right there in the boat with them – is holy; and he isn’t. The unexpected realization and encounter with his own sinfulness and Jesus’ holiness. “Depart from me, Lord, because I am a sinful man,” he says. That was unexpected. We were just going out and doing some fishing and hanging out. “Depart from me, Lord, because I am a sinful man.”

But the story doesn’t end there. The story ends with Jesus comforting Simon saying “Do not be afraid! From now on you will be catching people!” Another unexpected twist! Another different – wonderful ending! It doesn’t end with Peter’s sinfulness. It ends with Jesus using Peter despite his sinfulness because of Jesus’ holiness.

God uses us too. Even when we’re unholy; when we’re sinful; when we’re far away: He makes the unexpected expected. Because of Jesus’ holiness, we are forgiven and no longer sinners. We are no longer stuck with an unfruitful bounty, but rather bountiful in His harvest, in His catch, and what He desires of us.

Jesus has saved us and forgiven us and now He uses us to share Him for unexpected results for everyone else. Praise the Lord!

Scriptures

• Luke 5:1-11
• Psalm 138

What would you be willing to give up? What is your level of commitment?

Most of us, if pressed, would say that we would die for Jesus and our faith (I hope!). That’s good. That’s as it should be. But sometimes there are other commitments – smaller than death – that we don’t seem able to, well, commit to; Work through; play through. They seem too much; be they financial requests, time commitments, or requests to volunteer. Or maybe they are helping someone out when it’s inconvenient.

In our Scriptures for today we hear about a young Christian, Timothy, who is “all in” on his commitment. This is someone who was – as an adult – circumcised in order to be a better witness of Jesus to the audience that he was going to.

That is a commitment! That’s putting yourself on the line; “out there” (literally)!

In our lesson from First Timothy we’re told to “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patient endurance, and gentleness.” We’re told to “fight the good fight of faith.” That’s not just in the big things, that’s not just our life and death situation, that’s for our living situation as well. It’s for the little things. It’s for all the things. It’s for the small commitments and the big. It’s “all in.” That’s what God wants of us – all of us: our heart, mind, soul, strength – everything. He wants us to be “all in” because Jesus was all in. He didn’t just come and give His life. He came and gave us living. He lived so we might live abundantly. He died so we might live forever. He desires and wants all of us because He gave all for us.

“Thank You, Lord Jesus, for being “all in” for us. Help us in our commitment to be all in for You in everything; for You and others. Amen.”

Scriptures

• Acts 16:1-5
• 1 Timothy 6:11-16

What rule book do you base your life upon? What do you use as the basis for the decisions that you make? What foundational tool do you use as the basis for right and wrong?

The answer for this is the Bible. Holy Scripture. The Word of God.

It is the only rule, source, and norm for our basis of right and wrong, good and bad, godly and ungodly, dos and don’ts. Everything else comes from the mind and aspirations of man. But the Bible is truly the Word of God.

Scripture testifies to this about itself. That might seem contradictory, but it’s not. Everyone has a foundation, and every other foundation is wanting; every other foundation is fallible; every other foundation changes with the times, with the culture, with attitudes and desires.

But God’s Word is the same as God — the same yesterday, today, and forever. God doesn’t change and His Word doesn’t change.

There may be some different applications depending upon the world, our environment, and the culture. But God’s Word remains the same.

It still tells us about God and His desires, His plan, His salvation. It still points us to the Messiah, to the Christ, to Jesus. It still tells us what is objectively right and wrong, not subjectively changing by what is desirable and undesirable.

God’s Word still saves, because God’s Word still tells us about the Savior. It tells us of our need for a savior because of sin and that this Savior died for that sin. It tells us about life that is to come and a new creation that awaits. It tells us about a future that is certain. What better foundation do you want as you live your life? There is no better!

“Thank you, Lord, for Your Word which is unchanging; which is edifying; which is helpful; which is loving; which is perfect; which is right. Help us to read it, to learn it, to live it, and to share it. Through faith in Jesus and in His name, Amen.”

Scriptures

• Nehemiah 8:1-3, Nehemiah 8:5-6, Nehemiah 8:8-10
• 2 Peter 1:20-21
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17
• Psalm 19:1-14

Peter is a fun and interesting character. His mouth always seems to be getting him into trouble. But you have to look up to the guy for his boldness and his courage.

In our lessons for today, we hear about the confession of Peter. In one of the readings, he’s dragged before rulers and elders because He dared to heal someone in the name of Jesus. And he didn’t back down when they asked him “what happened.” He boldly pointed to the name of Jesus as the reason that a man was healed.

In the other lesson Jesus asked the disciples who the people say that He is and Peter is the one who steps up with an answer. The right answer. “

You are the Christ!”

In a parallel passage, we’re told that Peter wasn’t able to answer this because he was just that much smarter than everyone else,.but he was given that answer by God.

That’s pretty impressive!

We have all of Scripture and the Holy Spirit to be able to point us to Jesus as the Christ. And yet sometimes we fail to make that confession. If not in Word, then often in action. We fail to act like Jesus is the Christ, the Chosen, the Anointed one of God. We act in ways that put other people or other things or other ideologies in front of Jesus. We act in ways that don’t set him as Lord and Savior in our life; for all of the world. We have in mind our things instead of God’s things. We need to deny that and everything that puts us at odds with God and His ways; His plan; even if that means suffering.

We need to see – and share – Jesus as the Christ. We need to see in Jesus as the answer to everything that is needed – in our life and that of the world.

“God, thank you for showing us through the Holy Spirit that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and the answer to all of our needs through the cross and empty tomb. Help us now to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him no matter what. Give us the boldness of Peter to step up and step out in faith. Because Jesus is everything. In His name, Amen.”

Scriptures

• Acts 4:8-13
• Mark 8:27-35

We jump from Jesus as a baby to Jesus when He was almost a teenager.

At 12 we see Him prioritizing being in the temple – “His Father’s house” – learning from the teachers and also amazing them with His answers. He was growing “in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”

We see Wisdom making a grand appearance in the Old Testament passage today as well. In in we see a young Solomon ask for this beautiful, godly, essential gift from God – and receive it, and a whole lot more, in spades!

Yet, there is something different in Solomon’s wisdom and that of Jesus. There is something different in what Solomon had and his father David did. The quintessential gift and characteristic that must lay at the foundation of wisdom and every other gift: Faith. A heart not only of understanding, but one that is always toward God in what it wants and with righteousness in how it acts.

A heart that hears and understands others, the world and its ways, is a wonderful, necessary, godly gift and one to be greatly desired (especially by a young king), but to have a humbly faithfulness, righteousness, and heart toward God gives everything meaning and full understanding.

“Lord, grant us godly wisdom, we pray. But grant our heart even more, faithfulness, righteousness, and a heart toward You in everything. Grant us Faith and trust in Jesus, the newborn King for us in all things always. In His Name do we pray. Amen.”

Scriptures

• I Kings 3:4-15
• Luke 2:40-52
• Psalm 119:97-104

Waiting can be difficult, especially when we do we don’t know when we will get what we are waiting for.

Simeon was one who patiently waited for the Lord’s Christ and was promised by God that he would see Him before he died.

Likewise, we wait for the second coming of the Lord’s Christ and are also promised by God that we will see Him when He returns – whether that be while awaiting our own resurrection or waiting while we are still alive.
And when He returns, we will see Him just as He promised and we will be with Him forever.

But, right now, we are still waiting. So, what do we do in the meantime, while we wait?

We COME to receive, and we GO to give.

Yes, waiting is hard; but when we know how that wait will be fulfilled beyond imagination, makes it easier and well worth it! Any while we wait, let us be about His business; let us receive, love and share, and let us share!

“Come, Lord Jesus! We joyfully await You!”

Scriptures

• Luke 2:22-35