Change, Change, Change

What better way to begin the year than with Jesus' first public preaching found in this weeks Lectionary reading in Mark 1:15, Time's up, God's kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message. (from The Message by Eugene Peterson) The Greek word translated change your life, literally means to change your mind or turn around. It can sound like a one time decision. You are going the wrong way, make a U Turn and live happily ever after. However, as we read through the Gospels, we quickly see that the disciples kept veering of in the wrong direction and again and again and had to be brought back to the right way by Jesus. The Old Testament Lectionary Lesson comes from the Book of Jonah, which is a whale of a turn around. (Pardon the pun.) Yet, even after being spit up on the shore by the big fish, Jonah's path with God is still not easy, smooth or direct. What has been your experience? Has your Christian walk been a quick turnaround and steady climb, or has it been more like the disciples and Jonah, full of ups and downs and turns around?

Temple, Fig Tree and Sanctuary

In this weeks Lectionary reading for Sunday there are three references to sacred places. In 1 Samuel 3:1-10 it is the Temple, in John 1:43-51 it is the fig tree where Nathaniel is studying and in 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 it is the body. What do these three have in common? I could really use your help this week, so pray hard over these scriptures and blog back.

Grace and Peace,

Don Taylor

Got Spirit?

In the Acts 19:1-7 lectionary passage for this Sunday, St. Paul encounters a dozen followers of Jesus who were baptized into repentance through John the Baptist. Since they had not received the Holy Spirit in John's Baptism, St. Paul baptizes them with the Holy Spirit.
Did you receive the Holy Spirit in your baptism? If so, what difference does it make? What do you think? These and other questions will be addressed this Sunday. Let me know if you have a query about baptism you would like me to answer from the perspective of our Reformed Tradition.

Grace and Peace,

Don

Grace, Grace and more Grace

The Lectionary readings for the First Sunday in 2009 are full of grace, especially Ephesians 1:3-14 and John 1:10-18. What do you make of grace upon grace in St. John or grace lavished upon us, in the Words of St. Paul? Why so much grace poured out upon us? Perhaps another way to ask the question is to pose it like this. In this fallen world where we daily experience the folly and pain of others and add to that foolishness and suffering through our own acts and deeds, can we ever get enough grace? What do you think?

Christ Presents

Here are the readings for this Second Week of Advent:



Monday: Zechariah 6:12-13
Tuesday: Micah 5:2-4
Wednesday: Malachi 3:1-6
Thursday: John 1:1-8
Friday: John 1:9-18
Saturday: Mark 1:1-3
Sunday: Luke 1:5-13

As you read through these I would like your help for my Sermon on Sunday the 14th. The title is Christ Presents, instead of Christmas Presents, which make us think of what's under the tree the morning of the 25th. I'd like you to remember with me that the original gift of Christmas was Christ himself, coming to be with us.

Using the readings above, what are we called to do to Present Christ? I will be interested in your answer.

Finding Jesus in Christmas and Advent

More than any other activity, Advent can restore Jesus to the center of Christmas by reading and studying the Biblical passages related to Christ's coming. The following passages are for the first week of advent:

Monday: Isaiah 52:7-10
Tuesday: Isaiah 40: 9-11
Wednesday: Genesis 3:8-15
Thursday: Genesis 15: 1-6
Friday: Deuteronomy 18: 15-19
Saturday: Psalms 89:1-4
Sunday: Isaiah 11:1-10

Together this week these passages tell a story of a joyful, comforting, steadfast love, joy and peace coming into the world. Try reading and mediatating on each one this week and let me know what you've learned.

Grace and Peace,

Don

P.S. Thanks to Susan Mills for this idea!!

Advent Adventure

A few of you agreed with my last blog that Advent is worth the wait primarily because it's penitent, patient invitation is a welcome correction to this hectic, crazy season. My own monastic tendencies do find comfort in the contemplative waiting Advent encourages, but that needs to be balanced with what we are waiting for. Advent means "arrival," and the Biblical expectation of the Messiah, from Isaiah, to the Magnificat, to John the Baptist, to Jesus' intention to return at the end of the age, promises to shake things up. Hills become valleys, lions lie down with lambs, the poor are fed while the rich are sent away empty. Are we really ready for that?

In that sense Advent reminds me of an astronaut waiting in the ready room for take off. It can be a long time in that ready room as the rockets are checked and double checked, but when it is ready to blast off, hold on to your space helmet! We are waiting patiently, reverently, in Advent for God's new, prophesied order to finally come in true peace and joy. So far it's been a long wait and since no one knows the day or the hour who can say how much longer? When it comes however, it will be a blast!