February 17, 2023 — “The Most Hated of All Books”

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:10-16

“You mean we are really blessed by being persecuted for doing what is good and by being insulted for being righteous? Now that’s hard to take! Seeing ourselves blessed by God in such times is very tough. How can we be glad when we are persecuted, spoken about badly, and have evil lies told about us when we are trying to do good? But that is exactly what we see in the book of Acts. The early disciples considered it a privilege to suffer for the name of Jesus. In his first letter, Peter constantly reminded believers to make sure that if they were going to suffer, they would suffer because they had done what was right, not what was wrong. You see, the journey of discipleship is about developing the character of Christ and carrying on the great tradition of faithfulness demonstrated by the prophets. If they faced persecution for doing right, shouldn’t we think we will? Even more, history has repeatedly reminded us that those who suffer to bring a blessing to others have a witness that cannot be silenced. That’s why God is not ashamed to be called their God and why the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to them. More than just being happy, Jesus said these people will have a great reward!” (heartlight website; What Jesus Did!)

Many people who call themselves “Humanists” reject the claim that the Bible is the word of G-d. They are convinced the book was written solely by humans in a superstitious and “unenlightened” time. They believe that because the writers of the Bible lived in an unenlightened era, the book contains many errors and harmful teachings. And there are parts of the bible many might find to be offensive, outdated, if not prejudiced and misogynistic. But, as a person who spends a lot of his life writing about and reading the scriptures, we also see the bible not as a static piece of writing that can only be interpreted in one manner, form, or design. In other words, we see the bible as the “living, active Word of G-d”. And by “living and active” I mean as a book that speaks to us throughout time, not just within one span of time.

Yes, you can find enough reasons to hate the Bible, but you cannot say that the Bible is outdated, or unenlightened, or static. No matter what is happening in the world, I can turn to the scriptures and find many passages that will give wisdom, guidance, and hope to face the multifaceted happenings and concerns of this world, this community, and my life.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, help me to know that being persecuted for doing what is right is following in the steps of Jesus. Give me the courage and the passion to help lead others to the wonderful discovery of you, your grace, and your great reward. Amen.

Pastor Dave

February 16, 2023 — “The Most Loved of All Books”

“And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”  Luke 4:16-22

“I can’t think of a more powerful moment for a synagogue worshiper! The scroll is unrolled. The Scripture is read. Then, with breathless wonder, the words are heard: “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, …” and “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” Luke wants us to know that Jesus’ ministry is Spirit-anointed, Spirit-led, Spirit-empowered, and Spirit-fulfilled. Jesus’ actions are connected to God and to the Old Testament promises by the Holy Spirit. Because of the work of the Spirit, deliverance will come at the hands of this Jesus who ministers to outcasts. His ministry is no accident; it was prophesied by the Spirit. So what’s there to learn for us in this? Ministry must be led by the Spirit and be consistent with the promises of Scripture and the example of the Savior. Clearly, in Jesus’ case, that requirement means ministry is about deliverance, grace, and reaching outcasts. How does our ministry compare?” (heartlight website; What Jesus Did!)

There are many places today where the bible is not welcome – and there are plenty of people who have never read the bible. I was talking to a woman the other day about a service for her deceased mother, and I asked her if they wanted a particular scripture passage read at the service. She told me she had her mother’s bible, and then she exclaimed: “The bible is really hard to read – I feel stupid reading it.” And I said, “The bible is hard to read, but that is why we need to keep on trying.”

I know the statistics say that the bible is the best-selling book of all time, and yet, I find it funny how many people have never read it. People have a copy in their home, perhaps it was given to them as part of an estate sale – and yet they have not read it, cracked it open, or even tried because, like my friend listed above, they feel stupid trying to understand it. But we cannot learn to appreciate what is in the Bible by staring at it – or keeping it locked away in a drawer.

My friends, we need to become more Biblically literate so that we can help others become Biblically literate. There are so many translations and Study Bibles printed today that everyone should be able to find a copy that speaks to them – if not is understandable to them. If you are having trouble finding a version of the Bible that is helpful and understandable, just ask your pastor for some help.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, we so often block the Holy Spirit through our own fear. Help me feel the Spirit today so I will read and meditate on your word. Amen.

Pastor Dave