Proper 13
Devotional
Pause Before The Pulpit
Personal Reflections For Pastors On The Lectionary Readings
John 6:24-35
Do you minister to people like these who were chasing Jesus around the lake? I'm referring to those who believe, not for the forgiveness of sins, but for what they can get out of him -- in this life and in eternity. It's easy to detect some of these people, for they are ones who are bitter with God when he doesn't answer their selfish prayers. They want money, they want relationships, they want better health, and they want whatever they think will make them happier. But God does not always give them what they want when and how they want it! They are people who are chasing after food that perishes, when what they really need is food that endures for eternal life.
Are we this way at times? Do we make bargains with God that sound something like this: "God, I'm working hard for you, day in and day out. I sacrificed a lot to serve you. Now God, please bless me." What are we working for: food that perishes or food that endures for eternal life?
Our most important work on earth, according to Jesus, is: that you believe in him whom he [God] has sent. What we do as a pastor counts for nothing if we don't believe in Jesus. What our people do at their jobs and the things they do in the church, count for nothing it they don't believe in Jesus. Apart from him, anything we do is merely working for things that perish. I'm not saying that everything else we do, whether as pastors or parishioners, is worthless. No, it is all important if it is first preceded by the work of believing in Jesus Christ.
Every unbeliever works hard at many things, but all they do will perish with them for all eternity. Believers, who take seriously what Christ taught in this text, see that the most important thing they can do in this life is to first of all believe in Jesus. Then everything else they do, whether at work, at school, or at church, is done to serve that primary purpose. This is why many unbelievers see life as meaningless and without purpose, for it's all coming to nothing anyway. But believers in Christ see all that they do in this life as important for serving God's primary purpose for them -- faith in Christ.
The key to determining whether we are working for food that perishes or food that endures for eternal life is to check how thirsty and hungry we are. Jesus said: I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. Are we hungry; not for physical food, but for spiritual food? This spiritual hunger is seen in a dissatisfaction, or discontent, with what we have. Do we always need to be buying something to be happy? Do we find ourselves constantly wanting to move to another parish? Is the grass always greener somewhere else? That may well be a spiritual problem that only Jesus can satisfy.
The Apostle Paul, who spent the first part of his life working for food that perishes, wrote to the Philippians: I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:11-13). The Christian church today is desperately lacking for people who have learned to be content. This is a huge spiritual problem. The solution to it begins with the pastors and their own lives. When we have allowed the Lord to deal with us in this area, then we, like Paul, can share with others what we have learned.
May we get better and better at going to the Bread of Life for food that endures for eternal life; not just merely faith in him for salvation and eternal life, but to truly grow up in him. Yes, God wants us in heaven with him, but he wants more than that. He wants a meaningful relationship with people who aren't chasing after him for food that perishes, but are abiding in him for food that endures to eternal life.
A Pastor's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Please help me to see where my priorities have been wrong and where I have been selfishly demanding of you food that perishes. Lord, help me to be a role model for others that they, along with me, might work for food that endures for eternal life. Thank you. Amen.
Ephesians 4:1-16
When teaching and preaching on the book of Ephesians, I like to compare this little epistle to a tractor and trailer. The first three chapters are the tractor. They contain the power to pull the trailer -- the last three chapters. In other words, without the power of the gospel, we would be unable to live out the Christian life.
Verse 1 of our text is the hitch pin between the two sections: I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called. What we are called to be (a child of God), has been spelled out in the first three chapters. It is a life in Christ and he in us. Paul was urging the Ephesians to understand that if they profess to be children of God, then they are to live like children of God. They are to lead a life that is worthy of (or reflects) who they are as children of God.
Oh, how important this message is for the church today! We profess to be a "Christian nation," but is our nation as a whole leading a life worthy of the calling to which [it has] been called? I think not. Our churches are filled with people who profess to be Christians, but are they leading lives that are worthy of the calling to which [they] have been called? Far too many are not. What are we to do? We are to faithfully preach law and grace, but if all they are hearing is grace, we need to apply more law.
It is human nature to rebel against the law, which tells us what we should and should not do. But it is also human nature to take advantage of grace. That is why Paul raised this issue with the Roman church when he asked: Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? (Romans 6:1-2). You see, we want to drive the "tractor," but we don't want to pull the "trailer." Or put another way; we want God's grace, because we don't want to go to hell when we die, but we don't want to live the Christian life, because we want to do what we good and well please. Paul was telling the church in Ephesus that it doesn't work that way. If we want to be children of God, we are to live like children of God. We don't live godly lives to be saved, but rather we live godly lives because we are saved, by faith in Christ alone.
In addition, this text points out the purpose of our calling and the use of our gifts which God has given us. The gifts God gave each of us serve the purpose of equipping the saints for the work of ministry, [and] for building up the body of Christ. Our ministry is to be first and foremost a ministry of the word. We are to teach and preach God's Word so that the saints (believers in Christ) are equipped to serve God in his church. However, far too many congregations have this wrong. They think they hire the pastor to do all the work. And when he or she can't get it all done, they hire multiple staff. Is this really God's intention for the church? Is this really the most effective way to reach the lost? I think not, for the most effective churches are those where every believer is a minister, and the pastor is the one who trains and equips them to do the work of ministry and to build up the body of Christ.
The temptation for all too many pastors (including yours truly) is to do the work ourselves. We get frustrated with people who are too busy, so we just do it all ourselves. However, we are not doing them, nor the Body of Christ, any favors. Every time we let people off the "hook" of their God-given responsibilities, we are enabling them to remain immature Christians.
Preach on this text, fellow pastor, and pray that the Holy Spirit will convict people if they're failing to get involved in God's kingdom work. Also, pray for wisdom and time to train them; then set them free to use their gifts to serve the Lord.
A Pastor's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Thank you for your power that has not only called me to be your child, but enables me to live like the child of God I am. Lord, thank you, too, for the gifts you have given me to equip the saints. Help me to know how to do that; and then to set them free to serve you, even if they don't do it exactly the way I would. Give me patience with those who refuse to get involved in the ministry at this time in their lives. Help me to know how to preach your word in a way that your Spirit might convict them and prompt them to serve. Thank you. Amen.
Do you minister to people like these who were chasing Jesus around the lake? I'm referring to those who believe, not for the forgiveness of sins, but for what they can get out of him -- in this life and in eternity. It's easy to detect some of these people, for they are ones who are bitter with God when he doesn't answer their selfish prayers. They want money, they want relationships, they want better health, and they want whatever they think will make them happier. But God does not always give them what they want when and how they want it! They are people who are chasing after food that perishes, when what they really need is food that endures for eternal life.
Are we this way at times? Do we make bargains with God that sound something like this: "God, I'm working hard for you, day in and day out. I sacrificed a lot to serve you. Now God, please bless me." What are we working for: food that perishes or food that endures for eternal life?
Our most important work on earth, according to Jesus, is: that you believe in him whom he [God] has sent. What we do as a pastor counts for nothing if we don't believe in Jesus. What our people do at their jobs and the things they do in the church, count for nothing it they don't believe in Jesus. Apart from him, anything we do is merely working for things that perish. I'm not saying that everything else we do, whether as pastors or parishioners, is worthless. No, it is all important if it is first preceded by the work of believing in Jesus Christ.
Every unbeliever works hard at many things, but all they do will perish with them for all eternity. Believers, who take seriously what Christ taught in this text, see that the most important thing they can do in this life is to first of all believe in Jesus. Then everything else they do, whether at work, at school, or at church, is done to serve that primary purpose. This is why many unbelievers see life as meaningless and without purpose, for it's all coming to nothing anyway. But believers in Christ see all that they do in this life as important for serving God's primary purpose for them -- faith in Christ.
The key to determining whether we are working for food that perishes or food that endures for eternal life is to check how thirsty and hungry we are. Jesus said: I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. Are we hungry; not for physical food, but for spiritual food? This spiritual hunger is seen in a dissatisfaction, or discontent, with what we have. Do we always need to be buying something to be happy? Do we find ourselves constantly wanting to move to another parish? Is the grass always greener somewhere else? That may well be a spiritual problem that only Jesus can satisfy.
The Apostle Paul, who spent the first part of his life working for food that perishes, wrote to the Philippians: I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:11-13). The Christian church today is desperately lacking for people who have learned to be content. This is a huge spiritual problem. The solution to it begins with the pastors and their own lives. When we have allowed the Lord to deal with us in this area, then we, like Paul, can share with others what we have learned.
May we get better and better at going to the Bread of Life for food that endures for eternal life; not just merely faith in him for salvation and eternal life, but to truly grow up in him. Yes, God wants us in heaven with him, but he wants more than that. He wants a meaningful relationship with people who aren't chasing after him for food that perishes, but are abiding in him for food that endures to eternal life.
A Pastor's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Please help me to see where my priorities have been wrong and where I have been selfishly demanding of you food that perishes. Lord, help me to be a role model for others that they, along with me, might work for food that endures for eternal life. Thank you. Amen.
Ephesians 4:1-16
When teaching and preaching on the book of Ephesians, I like to compare this little epistle to a tractor and trailer. The first three chapters are the tractor. They contain the power to pull the trailer -- the last three chapters. In other words, without the power of the gospel, we would be unable to live out the Christian life.
Verse 1 of our text is the hitch pin between the two sections: I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called. What we are called to be (a child of God), has been spelled out in the first three chapters. It is a life in Christ and he in us. Paul was urging the Ephesians to understand that if they profess to be children of God, then they are to live like children of God. They are to lead a life that is worthy of (or reflects) who they are as children of God.
Oh, how important this message is for the church today! We profess to be a "Christian nation," but is our nation as a whole leading a life worthy of the calling to which [it has] been called? I think not. Our churches are filled with people who profess to be Christians, but are they leading lives that are worthy of the calling to which [they] have been called? Far too many are not. What are we to do? We are to faithfully preach law and grace, but if all they are hearing is grace, we need to apply more law.
It is human nature to rebel against the law, which tells us what we should and should not do. But it is also human nature to take advantage of grace. That is why Paul raised this issue with the Roman church when he asked: Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? (Romans 6:1-2). You see, we want to drive the "tractor," but we don't want to pull the "trailer." Or put another way; we want God's grace, because we don't want to go to hell when we die, but we don't want to live the Christian life, because we want to do what we good and well please. Paul was telling the church in Ephesus that it doesn't work that way. If we want to be children of God, we are to live like children of God. We don't live godly lives to be saved, but rather we live godly lives because we are saved, by faith in Christ alone.
In addition, this text points out the purpose of our calling and the use of our gifts which God has given us. The gifts God gave each of us serve the purpose of equipping the saints for the work of ministry, [and] for building up the body of Christ. Our ministry is to be first and foremost a ministry of the word. We are to teach and preach God's Word so that the saints (believers in Christ) are equipped to serve God in his church. However, far too many congregations have this wrong. They think they hire the pastor to do all the work. And when he or she can't get it all done, they hire multiple staff. Is this really God's intention for the church? Is this really the most effective way to reach the lost? I think not, for the most effective churches are those where every believer is a minister, and the pastor is the one who trains and equips them to do the work of ministry and to build up the body of Christ.
The temptation for all too many pastors (including yours truly) is to do the work ourselves. We get frustrated with people who are too busy, so we just do it all ourselves. However, we are not doing them, nor the Body of Christ, any favors. Every time we let people off the "hook" of their God-given responsibilities, we are enabling them to remain immature Christians.
Preach on this text, fellow pastor, and pray that the Holy Spirit will convict people if they're failing to get involved in God's kingdom work. Also, pray for wisdom and time to train them; then set them free to use their gifts to serve the Lord.
A Pastor's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Thank you for your power that has not only called me to be your child, but enables me to live like the child of God I am. Lord, thank you, too, for the gifts you have given me to equip the saints. Help me to know how to do that; and then to set them free to serve you, even if they don't do it exactly the way I would. Give me patience with those who refuse to get involved in the ministry at this time in their lives. Help me to know how to preach your word in a way that your Spirit might convict them and prompt them to serve. Thank you. Amen.
