Proper 27
Devotional
Pause Before The Pulpit
Personal Reflections For Pastors On The Lectionary Readings
Mark 12:38-44
Our Gospel Lesson touches on two extremes; the proud and the humble. Just as both extremes were in the temple that day, so too, we often see both extremes in our churches.
The proud group, which in this case was the scribes, was known as the religious elite. When I read Christ's description of them, I get a knot in my stomach, for I've seen far too many of these types in the church as well. These men loved fine clothes that drew attention. They liked being greeted in the marketplaces and recognized for their "importance." They selected the best seats at the synagogues. By devouring widows' houses, Jesus probably meant they exploited the generosity of people of humble means, like the widow in the second half of our text, and their prayers were something else! Apparently these went on and on, no doubt in an attempt to impress people with their religiosity.
Do you see any of yourself in this description? We are all prone to pride at times. Depending on our personality, and possibly our position in the church, it doesn't take much for some of us to start swaggering either. There's nothing wrong with dressing well. In fact, a pastor should always use good taste in what he/she wears; but if we are dressing up so people will notice us, we are more likely to offend them than impress them.
Do we like to be noticed when we are out in public? There's nothing wrong with being noticed and conversing with others, but if we're on a popularity "trip," and wanting to impress people because we are a pastor, we will turn people off. Do we enjoy being in front of the congregation? There's nothing wrong with being in front of people, unless we are there largely because we like attention. Pastors who try to be "cute," so people will be impressed with their humor, intelligence, or good looks, will lose people's trust rather than gain it.
Do you make it a point to talk often about money and giving to the church? There's nothing wrong with preaching and teaching on stewardship, but if we are trying to get money out of people in order to fund our pet programs or make ourselves look good (which a strong financial report often does), then we are going to lose people's trust even further.
What about your prayers? Are they long, drawn-out efforts to impress people? There's most certainly nothing wrong with pastors praying, for it is a vital part of our ministry. However, a pastor who doesn't know how to pray a prayer that is appropriate for the setting which he/she is in, will soon be written off as a fake.
Second only to the importance of faith in Christ and love for God and people, is genuine humility. The pastor who dresses nicely, yet modestly; who is friendly in the church and in public, but not overly so; who is basically inconspicuous in front of others; who does not take advantage of people financially; and who prays prayers that fit the occasion, is more likely to be trusted and loved by their parish and much more effective in the community, than one who is careless.
In addition to humility, is the important quality of generosity, as brought out by Jesus in reference to the poor widow. She didn't have much, but she gave what she had by faith. That is all Jesus expects of us, too. Some people he blesses with abundance and others with very little, but he does expect cheerful generosity in proportion to what he has given us. This goes not only for our money, but our time as well. Generous pastors, compared to those who are selfish and stingy, quickly gain the trust and respect of the parishioners. May God help us to be pastors who reflect the person of Christ, both in the church and in the community.
A Pastor's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
I desire to be humble before you and all to whom you would have me minister. Help me to see anything about me that is offensive and immediately correct that, so I do not turn people away from hearing the gospel. Give me faith to be generous, as a faith response to your blessing upon me. Thank you. Amen.
Hebrews 9:24-28
This is now the fourth lesson, in a series of five Epistle Lessons from Hebrews. The emphasis in each text has been on the superiority of the atoning, sacrificial work of Christ in comparison to the old sacrificial system. With each lesson we have been reminded of how blessed we are to live on this side of the cross, historically speaking. I've also cautioned us to be careful not to let church traditions, rituals, and ceremonies, overshadow the glory and power of the cross. For if we are not careful, we could find ourselves going, not "back to the future," but forward to the past; to a religious system as weak, or weaker, than that of the old sacrificial system. It is crucial to the ministry of the church, that everything in the church of human origin must serve the gospel, and not the other way around.
The emphasis in the first half of this text is once again on the superiority of Christ. How good to know that he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. Christ did not have to die over and over again for each new generation. Unlike the activity in the temple, which had to be repeated again and again, Christ was sacrificed once to bear the sins of many.
We shift our attention, for the balance of this devotional, to a couple of key points that the author made and that have great significance for the church. The first is found in verse 27 and reads: it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment. One of many spiritual ideas floating around in the world, is that of reincarnation. It is a philosophy on death that has absolutely no biblical basis. People who do not believe in Christ's death and resurrection, have fashioned this idea out of their own theories of death and the afterlife. The belief was intended to give them hope, but instead it has robbed them of any hope they might have had.
This passage couldn't be clearer; we die once. Not twice, not three times, not seven times, or more. We have but one life to live and after that the judgment. Yes, there will be a judgment for everyone. Those who are found with faith in Christ will be given eternal life. Those without faith will be given eternal death in hell. There is no cycling through, again and again, to try to get it right. This life is the only shot we have. We must not believe otherwise, if we are to properly prepare our parishioners for death and the afterlife. We must educate them on this, for they are being influenced by a lot of different ideas in the world on death.
The other key point the author made was that Christ will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. The justification part of sanctification is done, but we are not completely sanctified until Christ comes the second time. We could compare this to a concert we want badly to attend, but we have no idea how or where to get tickets. In fact, we heard that the tickets were so expensive, no one could afford them anyway. How would anyone get into the concert? Only if the artist were to throw the doors open wide and let everyone in -- free of charge. But we still need a ticket, albeit a free one, to get into the concert. We have no idea how to find or obtain one. One day, some one comes up to us and offers us a free ticket! Would we believe it was for real? Would we trust them, that they had the authority to extend this great act of grace and mercy to us?
Dear friends, the eternal, heavenly "concert" has been bought out by the artist who holds all the "tickets." They are free for the asking. There is nothing we can do to improve our chances of getting one, nor is there anything we can pay or do to ensure that the tickets are good, once we get them by faith. Everything has been taken care of. The preparations have been made. The big event is all that remains, and we wait for it to be announced. Are you ready? Are your parishioners ready? May it not take any of us by surprise.
A Pastor's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Thank you that you are all sufficient for my sins and the sins of the whole world, past, present, and future. Lord, help me to believe in you alone for salvation, and to rest in the fact that there is nothing I can add to what you have done to increase my chances of entering heaven, or to make it surer. I look forward to your glorious return! Amen.
Our Gospel Lesson touches on two extremes; the proud and the humble. Just as both extremes were in the temple that day, so too, we often see both extremes in our churches.
The proud group, which in this case was the scribes, was known as the religious elite. When I read Christ's description of them, I get a knot in my stomach, for I've seen far too many of these types in the church as well. These men loved fine clothes that drew attention. They liked being greeted in the marketplaces and recognized for their "importance." They selected the best seats at the synagogues. By devouring widows' houses, Jesus probably meant they exploited the generosity of people of humble means, like the widow in the second half of our text, and their prayers were something else! Apparently these went on and on, no doubt in an attempt to impress people with their religiosity.
Do you see any of yourself in this description? We are all prone to pride at times. Depending on our personality, and possibly our position in the church, it doesn't take much for some of us to start swaggering either. There's nothing wrong with dressing well. In fact, a pastor should always use good taste in what he/she wears; but if we are dressing up so people will notice us, we are more likely to offend them than impress them.
Do we like to be noticed when we are out in public? There's nothing wrong with being noticed and conversing with others, but if we're on a popularity "trip," and wanting to impress people because we are a pastor, we will turn people off. Do we enjoy being in front of the congregation? There's nothing wrong with being in front of people, unless we are there largely because we like attention. Pastors who try to be "cute," so people will be impressed with their humor, intelligence, or good looks, will lose people's trust rather than gain it.
Do you make it a point to talk often about money and giving to the church? There's nothing wrong with preaching and teaching on stewardship, but if we are trying to get money out of people in order to fund our pet programs or make ourselves look good (which a strong financial report often does), then we are going to lose people's trust even further.
What about your prayers? Are they long, drawn-out efforts to impress people? There's most certainly nothing wrong with pastors praying, for it is a vital part of our ministry. However, a pastor who doesn't know how to pray a prayer that is appropriate for the setting which he/she is in, will soon be written off as a fake.
Second only to the importance of faith in Christ and love for God and people, is genuine humility. The pastor who dresses nicely, yet modestly; who is friendly in the church and in public, but not overly so; who is basically inconspicuous in front of others; who does not take advantage of people financially; and who prays prayers that fit the occasion, is more likely to be trusted and loved by their parish and much more effective in the community, than one who is careless.
In addition to humility, is the important quality of generosity, as brought out by Jesus in reference to the poor widow. She didn't have much, but she gave what she had by faith. That is all Jesus expects of us, too. Some people he blesses with abundance and others with very little, but he does expect cheerful generosity in proportion to what he has given us. This goes not only for our money, but our time as well. Generous pastors, compared to those who are selfish and stingy, quickly gain the trust and respect of the parishioners. May God help us to be pastors who reflect the person of Christ, both in the church and in the community.
A Pastor's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
I desire to be humble before you and all to whom you would have me minister. Help me to see anything about me that is offensive and immediately correct that, so I do not turn people away from hearing the gospel. Give me faith to be generous, as a faith response to your blessing upon me. Thank you. Amen.
Hebrews 9:24-28
This is now the fourth lesson, in a series of five Epistle Lessons from Hebrews. The emphasis in each text has been on the superiority of the atoning, sacrificial work of Christ in comparison to the old sacrificial system. With each lesson we have been reminded of how blessed we are to live on this side of the cross, historically speaking. I've also cautioned us to be careful not to let church traditions, rituals, and ceremonies, overshadow the glory and power of the cross. For if we are not careful, we could find ourselves going, not "back to the future," but forward to the past; to a religious system as weak, or weaker, than that of the old sacrificial system. It is crucial to the ministry of the church, that everything in the church of human origin must serve the gospel, and not the other way around.
The emphasis in the first half of this text is once again on the superiority of Christ. How good to know that he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. Christ did not have to die over and over again for each new generation. Unlike the activity in the temple, which had to be repeated again and again, Christ was sacrificed once to bear the sins of many.
We shift our attention, for the balance of this devotional, to a couple of key points that the author made and that have great significance for the church. The first is found in verse 27 and reads: it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment. One of many spiritual ideas floating around in the world, is that of reincarnation. It is a philosophy on death that has absolutely no biblical basis. People who do not believe in Christ's death and resurrection, have fashioned this idea out of their own theories of death and the afterlife. The belief was intended to give them hope, but instead it has robbed them of any hope they might have had.
This passage couldn't be clearer; we die once. Not twice, not three times, not seven times, or more. We have but one life to live and after that the judgment. Yes, there will be a judgment for everyone. Those who are found with faith in Christ will be given eternal life. Those without faith will be given eternal death in hell. There is no cycling through, again and again, to try to get it right. This life is the only shot we have. We must not believe otherwise, if we are to properly prepare our parishioners for death and the afterlife. We must educate them on this, for they are being influenced by a lot of different ideas in the world on death.
The other key point the author made was that Christ will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. The justification part of sanctification is done, but we are not completely sanctified until Christ comes the second time. We could compare this to a concert we want badly to attend, but we have no idea how or where to get tickets. In fact, we heard that the tickets were so expensive, no one could afford them anyway. How would anyone get into the concert? Only if the artist were to throw the doors open wide and let everyone in -- free of charge. But we still need a ticket, albeit a free one, to get into the concert. We have no idea how to find or obtain one. One day, some one comes up to us and offers us a free ticket! Would we believe it was for real? Would we trust them, that they had the authority to extend this great act of grace and mercy to us?
Dear friends, the eternal, heavenly "concert" has been bought out by the artist who holds all the "tickets." They are free for the asking. There is nothing we can do to improve our chances of getting one, nor is there anything we can pay or do to ensure that the tickets are good, once we get them by faith. Everything has been taken care of. The preparations have been made. The big event is all that remains, and we wait for it to be announced. Are you ready? Are your parishioners ready? May it not take any of us by surprise.
A Pastor's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Thank you that you are all sufficient for my sins and the sins of the whole world, past, present, and future. Lord, help me to believe in you alone for salvation, and to rest in the fact that there is nothing I can add to what you have done to increase my chances of entering heaven, or to make it surer. I look forward to your glorious return! Amen.
