He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation… Colossians 1:15

One of the most rehearsed questions of our time is simply: Who is Jesus? With the popularity of The Davinci Code, the exploration of alternative gospels, this question has been answered in so many ways that we are culturally confused. Even Christians are subject to confusing “cultural truth” from biblical truth. The cultural truth that seems to be predominating today is that Jesus was a man that, over time and for reasons of power, the Christian Church made into a god.
While we in the Christian Church would not argue with the real humanity of Jesus, we would point to the historic witness of the Bible and the ancient Church to reveal the truth of what we believe. This passage from Paul’s letter to the Christians at Colossae is a case in point. This assertion of the unique relationship of Jesus to our heavenly Father was written early – most scholars believe around 60 A.D. (C. E.). Thus, our understanding of the divinity of Christ was established long before there was any power in the Church. Paul was imprisoned, the Christians were soon to be ejected from Synagogues and become a persecuted minority. Any need to distort the truth of Jesus Christ would have been subject to the remembrances of those who knew him and walked with him. Any grasping of power at this time in our history was wishful thinking at best.
Yet, St. Paul and the early Christians were willing to risk their lives for the truth about Jesus as they understood it. Hardly the calculating picture for doctrinal development many suggest.
The point I am making is that the beliefs we hold didn’t just happen. They were based upon the clear and recorded witness of those who knew, followed and witnessed to Jesus as the Christ. From the distant vantage point of the 21st century, we can easily be led astray by theories that have no historical truth or little historical value. The language of our faith witness has changed, to be sure. And it will change again. But the content is, at its core, the same: Jesus came as God’s only Son to be the Messiah of all humankind and draw us into a living relationship with God. 21st century disciples are confident in that relationship because we are confident in the integrity of witness from the 1st century until today. So, don’t be distracted and do be assured that the truth of God will stand the test of time.

Lord Jesus, thank you for the witness of those who knew you and who you are. Empower me with this assurance of faith. Amen

In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12

Michael Josephson is a lawyer. He remembers the very moment when his journey towards ethical leadership began. He was a new father and was up walking with his infant son and thinking about the course he was teaching on ethics and law at Stanford Law School. Ethics and law centered, he said, on what was legal – not what was moral. As he walked his son that night, the question struck him, “Would I want my son taught ethics the way I am teaching it in law school?” The answer was an immediate “no.” So, Mr. Josephson began his search into the world of global ethics. He discovered, after much research and study, that there are universal laws for moral behavior that can be found in any culture, anywhere in our world.

The Golden Rule, quoted from Jesus above, is one of them.
I have often wondered at the simple grandeur of this teaching from Jesus. There is no great equation here. The spiritual truth beneath it is simply that others deserve the same respect and care that I would want for myself. If what I am doing doesn’t meet that criterion, then I should stop it. Behavior is what this is all about – how we relate our feelings to others as well as how we judge them.

I remember Martin Luther’s teaching on the 8th Commandment (as he has them numbered), “Thou shall not bear false witness.” Luther takes the Golden Rule and applies it in this manner: We should put the best possible construction on the behaviors of our neighbor.

I wonder how many needless hurts and conflicts could be avoided if we simply applied the Golden Rule to others as Luther suggests. How many destructive rumors and hurtful reactions would be stopped in our hearts and minds before they see the light of day? The truth is that we often put the worst possible construction on the behaviors of others. We assume that they mean us harm instead of the other way around. So, when a phone call is not returned we assume the other person is angry or dismissive of us when, in fact, they just may have become very busy. When a person doesn’t speak to us in passing, we assume that they no longer like us instead of thinking that they are simply preoccupied.
Here’s the deal: Just for one week join me in insisting on putting the best construction on the behaviors of others and let them have the burden of proving us wrong – it could be interesting.

Lord Jesus, help me see the right more quickly than the wrong. Amen

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.” Luke 17:20-21

I watch them come into the sanctuary and I am moved. Some of them come in wheelchairs, some with walkers and some just shuffle more slowly than they used to. These are the visible saints who have laid the foundation for the ministry we now share. When I see them, I know that the kingdom of God is among us.

Then there are those who come, body’s sound, spirits wounded and sometimes crushed. They are those whose lives have been battered by tragedy or circumstances beyond their control. They could rage and God – who would blame them? – but they don’t. They could turn away from church because their dreams have been lost or at least on temporary hold – but they still come. And when I see them, I know the kingdom of God is among us.

Then there are those who come who are at the top of their game. These include those newly in love, those who have rediscovered love after years of marriage as well as those whose careers are on track. These are the business women and men, the teachers and students, athletes and artists who come to receive the touch of God and give thanks for their blessings. And when I see them, I know the truth of Jesus’ words – the kingdom of God is among us.

Only God can take such an odd mixture of people are fashion a patch-work quilt of beauty. The Holy Spirit stitches us together with faith and creates a pattern of compassion and joy.

The next time you are in church, look around and you just might see the kingdom of God as Christ promised. The next time you are in church, whisper a prayer because you just might be the very person someone else needs to see for them to discover the kingdom of God and their place in it.

Lord, give me the spiritual sight to see your kingdom and my place in it. Amen

Do not rejoice when your enemies fall, and do not let your heart be glad when they stumble, or else the Lord will see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from them. Proverbs 24:17-18

     There is an old rabbinic tale about the angels rejoicing when the Israelites crossed the Red Sea and the Egyptian army was destroyed by the resurging waters. All of heaven erupted in celebration and song – except God. When asked by an angel why he wasn’t rejoicing along with all of the heavens because his chosen had been saved, God replied, “How can I rejoice when my children the Egyptians have been destroyed.”
     This proverb comes like a breath of fresh air in chapter 24. All the proverbs around it are warnings not to be like the wicked. Then comes this proverb teaching us not to rejoice when the wicked get their dues. More than that, it actually suggests that if we rejoice then God will take note of our rejoicing and turn our enemies free from his judgment. Why?
     I think it is simple. God never punishes without intending to save; that is, God always uses judgment to lead to healing and restoration of relationship. The motive is always God’s eternal love. God loves our enemies as well as us! Our rejoicing in their downfall is cause for God’s displeasure.
     So, Michael Vick goes to jail – there is no pleasure in that. But that he has been found by God’s grace is surely a source of joy.
So, terrorists are discovered and destroyed – there is no pleasure in that. That many innocent lives have been saved is surely a source of joy.
     When the neighbor who has spoken unjustly against me or the fellow member of my church has gossiped about me and they become the object of such behaviors by others I can find no joy in that. But if they should then develop empathy for others who experience the same, surely I can rejoice in that reconciling working of God.
     The point is simply this: just as I would not want anyone to be happy at my pain, so I will not feel justified or glad when those who have sinned against me experience their own pain.

Lord Jesus, please create in me a heart like yours. Help me not to be glad when those who have hurt me are themselves hurt but to rejoice when healing and learning come from it. Amen

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it died not fall, because it had been founded on rock. Matthew 7:24-25

     Not long ago I was in conversation with a man who dismissed the counsel of a friend with the old adage, “He’s so heavenly minded that he’s no earthly good.”
     As I reflected on that statement, it occurred to me that the adage assumes an eternal perspective can create an unrealistic view of the world. I thought of this text again. There is realism in the text that belies the assumption of the adage. Jesus knows that our lives will be beset by storms. The question isn’t whether they will come but when and how will we deal with them.
     Deflecting reality in the name of faith is not Christian. Jesus teaches his disciples to face reality and then place it within the context of our faith. Denial is not the consequence of faith. Instead, it postpones the power of faith to interpret our circumstances and motivate us to act.
So, the comments I made last week on drought and flooding can be placed within the larger context of global warming. The shrinking ice cap is related to the record breaking heat and the changing patterns of atmospheric highs and lows. Jesus would not want us to be so unrealistic as to deny what has become an unavoidable truth. But the Savior would not want us to despair because of the magnitude of our dilemma. We are invited to stand on the rock of a faith centered reality and then to build upon it.
     We don’t build with one great act. Instead, we do little things that add up to great change. Drive less. Walk more. Think and act green. Write our politicians and talk with your friends. This is the earth that God loves and has given us as a gift… let us treasure it and care for it.

Creator God, in Jesus Christ you bring heaven and earth together. Empower your people to work for the healing of spirit and land. Amen

  Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it died not fall, because it had been founded on rock. Matthew 7:24-25

     While we swelter in the heat down South, the pictures of the upper Midwest tell a different story. Our drought and heat remain record breaking while the floods rise in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. As reporters wade the swollen Fox River, the earth outside my home is packed clay – no longer able to receive the little moisture we get from a passing storm.
     Jesus reminds us that, just as we cannot control the weather, we cannot always control the circumstances of our lives. The storms of life come and flood our days – sometimes without respite. Just as we look at the present weather conditions of our country and wish it could be more balanced, so we look at the storms in our lives, the plenty in the lives of others, and wonder why it isn’t fair.
     That’s only human. But there is another way. We can build on the rock solid spiritual foundation of Jesus Christ. Our lives, like the weather, can be very inconsistent. His promises and presence remain, as the Bible says, “in season and out.”
     Jesus teaches that we can live from the inside out. When we have inner confidence, the seasons of rain or drought can be met with serenity. When we live from the outside in by looking at the lives of others and comparing our experience to what we see in them, our inner confidence becomes as fickle as the weather. Built on the rock of Christ our lives take on an eternal perspective. From that place of safety we can see the seasons of drought or flood come and go while the faith we stand on remains. 
    

Lord Jesus, empower me to build my life on the solid rock of your grace and love. When my inner confidence flags, be the high ground. Amen

The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps.     Proverbs 16:9

             God has given each of us an amazing gift: the awareness of the future. With this gift, we plan and hope and strive. In some sense, to be human is to lean into the future while standing in the present. Those who pay no attention to the future are destined to be surprised – and often unpleasantly.

            But the gift we have is limited. We are called to work responsibly for the future – of ourselves, our loved ones and our world. This work requires reflection and deliberate action. But even the most purposive planning and strategic action cannot anticipate the unknown. Our awareness of the future can never be confused with knowledge of the future.

            Only God knows the future.

            That’s what this proverb articulates so well. The person of faith understands, often struggles with and then accepts this critical distinction between our future orientation and God’s future formation. The  result is a confidence in the future because we plan and act with deliberation and intention but trust that, no matter what happens, God is directing the steps we take and has already taken into account the challenges and difficulties we had not anticipated.

            Let me give you an example of our failure in knowing the future. Many years ago, while I was in college in the Pacific Northwest, I watched as the stock in a particular lumber company collapsed because of the advent of the p.c. onto the market. The collapse was because the seers of that day predicted that the pc would eliminate the use of paper. Well, most of us have a pc or an Apple equivalent, but we are now able to say with certainty that the demise of paper products was prematurely predicted.

            In our lives, it is the same thing. We look to the future – and some are clearly better at it than others – and plan for it. But our confidence is ultimately in the One who shapes the future than in a particular shape of the future we believe is to come. The proverb is as apt today as it was nearly 3,000 years ago – that’s not surprising because spiritual truth is as eternal as the God who gives it.

            Lord Jesus Christ, ground me in the certainty that you hold the future so that I can be free to anticipate, plan and work for the future. Amen

Beloved, pray for us. I Thessalonians 5:25

     What a simple, yet profound, verse. After writing an entire letter to the Christians in Thessalonica, after speaking of his prayers for them and God’s great grace for them and the world in Jesus Christ, simply asks them to pray for him This was a man who could bless a handkerchief, send it hundreds of miles to someone who would be healed by it and others who touched it would experience the touch of God’s Holy Spirit! This great man of prayer, asks for prayer. Why? – because he understood what saints throughout the history of our faith have experienced. Prayer is powerful. We don’t know how or when or why, but prayer changes things. We don’t always see it, but we have confidence that it does because we trust in God’s promises and have personally experienced it.
     One of the quiet, personal things that I do is walk the sanctuary before worship and pray for those who will come. I believe that the Holy Spirit is set loose, lives are much more open and the power of our faith is more focused when I do this - and it reminds me why we are coming together. We aren’t together for what I or the musicians, or the other pastors do. We are there to meet God. Such prayer sets me free to be more fully present – to those who come, but especially to God. I believe it also opens our worshiping community to God too. I don’t know how that can happen. I just know that when we pray for our worship there is a significant change in what happens in the nave.
     Lately, I have been moved to pray for my neighborhood as I walk the dog. I don’t know many of my neighbors. I don’t know the joys or challenges of the households around me. But I know that each of us, regardless of our faith tradition, needs the gracious presence of God in our lives and homes. I don’t know if I’ll ever hear or see anything as a result of this practice. But I don’t need to. God hears. God acts. God loves. And for some crazy reason, God has promised to do those things in response to our prayers.
     Why not join me when you can and pray for our worship – for those who will come to be surrounded in God’s presence? Maybe you’ll even pray for your neighbors. (By the way, I pray silently… and I’d recommend you do to.)

Lord Jesus, remind me to pray and trust you with the outcome. Amen


If you would like to receive Pastor Foss’ weekly devotion please email Robin Durdin at rdurdin@redeemer.org with your name and current email address.

… the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves… groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:21-23

     When I saw the wreckage along the I-35 corridor in Minneapolis, Minnesota, I was stunned. Having driven over that very bridge countless times in the 14 years that I lived in that area, I found myself driving it again in my mind’s eye. Then I heard the descriptions of the sounds of that collapse – and I thought of this text.
     Every now and then the mortality of humankind is linked to the groaning decay of creation. We saw it in the tragedy and aftermath of Katrina. We experienced it again with the collapse of a “safe bridge.” Thank God the death toll and destruction of this recent event is but a shadow to that of the mighty hurricane. But the connection is once again clear. Creation – whether the natural order of it or the man-made – is subject to decay and we cannot always know when or how it will occur.
     As of this writing, the possibility of a terrorist attack has been dismissed. The groaning of the girders of that bridge reminds us that only God can make and eternal work. Only our God has the power to make the temporal eternal – or even make the judgment of when the decay of life has reached a significant turning point. We reflect the image of God in our efforts to “out guess” entropy – in bridges, the ozone or ourselves. But our efforts are educated guesses at best.
     In the face of the limited life span of a bridge; in the prayers we say for the families of those who have been touched by the event in Minnesota; let us also stand before the awesome God of creation who, in Jesus Christ, has limited, once and for all time, the power of decay and death itself.
     Lord Jesus, you overturned death itself in your resurrection and we are thankful. Remind us that, though death’s reach is still in our world, there is a time and place where it no longer has power but serves the will of the Giver of Life. Amen

  For what does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? Luke 9:25

     My heart sunk and I thought of these words of Jesus when I first heard of the Federal charges being brought against Michael Vick, the Atlanta Falcon’s quarterback. What an incredible athletic talent. How sad that the character of his life has not caught up.
     Now I am not rushing to convict Mr. Vick. There is far too much of that going on. The tragedy of his flawed character has been demonstrated by many lapses of judgment in his past. But, in this case, I can only pray that his major error was in his misplaced loyalty to friends that were more of a hindrance than a support to him. The court will determine if that is the case or not.
     In any case, whether you are a fan of his or not, surely we can mourn the tragic waste of such talent. The loss of his inspirational play, the loss of income (at this point in time in terms of residuals and advertisement income) as well as the notable absence in training camp will have repercussions far beyond Mr. Vick himself. His team mates and coaches are already impacted. His family and fans are already experiencing the emotional roller coaster of the charges and the slowly unwinding of the litigation itself. Where it will end is anyone’s guess.
     But the wisdom of God remains steadfast. Those who chase the wrong dream or lose perspective because of pride risk losing so much more than income or prestige: They risk losing themselves – the best of who they are and could be. That’s the real tragedy here. (I am choosing not to address the whole issue of dog fighting which I personally find reprehensible!) Perhaps that is also the very point of redemption in this sad situation. Greatness is not the absence of difficulty – self made or otherwise. Its what we learn through it that counts. And, if we are willing to face ourselves and learn life’s great lessons through our own challenges, then we will be able to share that with others.
     I grieve for Mr. Vick – his family and teammates. But I also am called to look at my own life and ask where my perspectives are skewed. The blessing that I am already receiving from his tragedy is my own call to spiritual humility. After all, the words of the Savior remind me that nothing – not fame nor wealth nor anything – is worth the loss of my own self.

Lord Jesus, I pray for Michael Vick: that your strong arm of grace will lead him to self-examination and inner growth. And help my perspective to be spiritually grounded in your truth. Amen