JOHN 8:31-36
Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” (NRSV)
Grace to you and peace from God our creator, from Jesus Christ, our redeemer and friend and from the Holy Spirit, our sustainer and guide.
Did you ever know anyone who was really bad about asking for directions? (There were lots of chuckles and nods.) Yes, I know one too. GPS has helped tremendously, but even so, there are still times when it would be… helpful, let’s say… to ask directions. There is no shame in asking for directions. No one can possibly know how to get everywhere or how to do everything.
On the other hand, the directions better be simple or I have a hard time following them unless I have them written down. And then I have to consult them often. Sometimes it seems my memory is no better than a goldfish’s!
And that is why it is a good thing we have the scriptures written down. I can consult them as often as I need to… and I need to often!
“Continue in my Word.” says Jesus.
There is SO MUCH contained in this tiny little sentence. Continue in following Jesus by living out his teachings, becoming his Living Word here in the world. Our Pacifica Synod Bishop Andy Taylor often says that if all the Bibles were suddenly taken away, the church would survive because WE are the Body of Christ, the Living Word, and the Word of God would live on through us. That’s a big responsibility… to be the only Bible some people read. We better get it right. We better love as Jesus loved. Wow. I don’t want to mess that up.
Except that I already have.
Except that God says we can’t mess it up.
Jeremiah tells us the new covenant cannot be broken. God has made it by decree, not by agreement. Usually a covenant is an agreement by two equal parties, but not this one. God made it. Alone. We can enter into it, but we cannot change it. We cannot break it. God loves, and has written that love on our hearts. And it will be there, regardless. It is a big risk, God is taking. WILL THAT LOVE BE RETURNED?
God’s Word is Love, God’s power is Love. God’s will is love.
But love that is not returned can hurt deeply.
I listen to The Daily Audio Bible each day, which consists of a sequential reading of the Bible over the course of a year from each of the following: Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms & Proverbs. Today the proverb was Proverbs 26:18-19
“Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking.”” (NLT) This passage has an all too familiar ring to it. Words of hate turn into hate that takes other kinds of actions too. And whether using a lethal weapon, or words designed to hurt, a person can be killed just as dead. There is no place for hate in God’s realm. It takes us all further away from God’s highest and best will and design.
God knows this love is likely to be painful… and that it will take a long time for us to get it right, to be able to love God in return, if we ever can. It seems like we are losing ground these days… there is way more hate being expressed than love, it seems. This week has been a terrible example: a white supremacist killed two black people in a Kentucky grocery store, a partisan pipe bomb sender, and a massacre during services at a synagogue.
And these are just the big public examples. There are thousands of small examples each week; where we are forgetful of the good we intended, or preoccupied with our own stuff, or less than diligent about carrying out our responsibilities or, as the proverb suggests, we use words designed to hurt. Paul reminds us, we all “fall short of the glory of God” so thanks be to God that “now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, …the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe… are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:21-24, NRSV)
We need God. We need God’s grace. And thanks be to God we have been given it in equal measure to our need. It is ours to spread around. Will you, in these moments of silence, dedicate yourself to being part of spreading God’s mercy around? Think about who in your life, needs to be on the receiving end of God’s mercy through you? Who might not have anyone but you to convey God’s grace to them? Who might only be able or willing to hear God’s mercy from you?
(30 seconds of silence)
Holy God, come into our hearts and increase our faith. Inspire us in serving your people and being the church for the good of the world. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
blessings to you,
Pastor Karla
Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Words To Live By 