St. Mark’s Lutheran

Oh why do I get dragged into these things? Revelation, what was I thinking?!?

In the reading for today Rev 9:13-21 the sixth trumpet sounds and the full force of the demonic hordes are unleashed upon the earth. The angels that have been standing sentry at the 4 corners of the world are removed. This time - a time that had been held ready for the hour, day, month and year - is none other than armaggedon, the last day. As the plagues and the woes increases, so did the hardness of the hearts of men. And this is no different. In the final battle the demons kill 1/3rd of the people alive, but men did not repent from the works of their hands.

A everything is going to hell, the people of that time focus more intently on the gold and silver and bronze and the works of their hands. The call of God to look beyond the world to higher things goes unheeded at the same time the signals will never be stronger.

The core of reveletion is three sevenfold visions - seals, trumpets and censers. The sixth in each case is the final battle. This reading is best understood by looking at the three together Rev 6:12-17 and Rev 16:12-16. The vision is terrifying. Lord please let me not be present at that time. The great dragon released from the abyss, combined with the political and religious forces under his dominion will kill a third of humanity. What exactly is contemplated is not known - but it looks very much like modern warfare with fire and smoke and sulphur. John would have known about Pompeii. The description is of 1000’s of Pompeii’s.

In the middle of war and financial panic and the prosperity gospel being preached what do we worry about? Do we see it as a call by God to get right with him through Christ, or do we worry about how to protect our gold and silver and the works of our hands. The message of Revelation is the original hellfire sermon. Judgment day is coming - will you be able to stand? Or are you looking for a rock to hide your stuff under?

May the Lord protect you in that day.

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I am torn. The lectionary has the 2nd reading coming from Revelation. As the time of the church year winds down this makes sense, but Revelation is about the last book of the bible to treat in a blog format. It is just way to “indirect” in its words. Personally, I know the NT much better than the OT (outside of the Torah). If this was Genesis through Deut, then I’d feel better, but we are in the minor prophets. Micah to be exact. The Gospel Reading is marching through Luke, but that would get way too confusing with the Sunday Sermons coming from Matthew. I am torn, but Revelation appears to be the best course.

Reading: Rev 9:1-12

We pick up Revelation in the middle of the 2nd cycle of visions. The first grouping was seals on a scroll. The last grouping is the censors/bowls. This grouping is trumpets. The first 4 trumpets have sounded. The effect of those trumpets is the physical world gone mad. God’s good creation is twisted becuase of sin and producing all kinds of natural disasters that destroy things like the ocean, and the fresh water and the grass. Never all the natural resource. Never even half of them. God is merciful in the midst of evil. But the next three trumpets are Woe!

With the fifth trumpet, the demons are let loose upon unbelieving men. They are allowed to torture people for five months (not all the time, but enough to always be mindful of them). They have no ability over those with the seal of God, and the demons have no authority to kill. But all of that raises the question, why are they released, and who gives them their authority? The hard answer is that it is God - And that God does this for his good purposes, and the good of those afflicted. The suffering without recourse to death is a call to repent and turn to God - to find eternal life instead of the longed for destruction. The demons do the will of the Father bound by his limits. Like Satan in Job.

God does not want evil. Neither does he want the sinner to die. Since mankind saddled him with the former, God uses it as a goad to accomplish the latter. The devil wants to torment us and convince us that our sins are not forgiven, that there is no God, that we have no hope - stings like a scorpion. The mission of the Christian is to call out during these times that there is a saviour - Jesus Christ. The devil wants to destroy the human race - abaddon, the destroyer. Christ has saved it and is recreating us.

May the Lord grant you the insight to calm the troubled souls in your life.

Alternate readings: Micah 5:1-15 , Luke 10:25-37

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A couple of thoughts: 1) I think I’m getting too long in these posts. The meduim and the original intention was a quick hit. I’m going to try and shorten them. 2) I’m also going to tighten up the focus on one of the readings for the day. What that means is the other readings will now be listed last.

Reading Acts 28:17-31

Over the weekend our reading of Acts came to its conclusion. Instead of jumping to the new reading, I’m pulling this one from Saturday.

The story of Acts is the spread of the Gospel from Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. The story of Acts is also the story of Jesus through the Holy Spirit’s guidance and leadership of His church. Luke brings both of those threads, not to a conclusion, but a fulfillment. Paul is now in Rome. The old phrase all roads lead to Rome is the operative one. The ends of the earth have been reached at least metaphorically. Even though the ends had been reached the message was still proclaimed and the nascent church still under the guidance of Jesus. Paul lived in Rome two years (under house arrest) and preached to all who came to him. And he did this preaching openly and unhindered. The Spirit and Jesus had opened a door to the gentiles and the Roman world. And They brought people to Paul - He welcomed all who came to him.

I said a fulfillment instead of an end. Luke ends the story with a picture of what the church looks like. In chains, but free to preach. Always welcoming, always drawing those whom Jesus and the Spirit call. One day there will be an end to preaching and teaching. One day the time of grace will be over, but until then the message continues to go out to the ends of the world. The last picture Luke leaves us with is a fulfillment of the promise at the start the Jesus would be with us always. The purpose of that presense is to save the lost. There are always doors being held open. One day they will close, but until that judgment it is a time of grace. We welcome all in the name of the Lord, teaching them everything He told us.

May the Lord grant you eyes to see those open doors.

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I’m changing my titles to reflect a little more of the content. I believe search engines actually pull more from the headings than anywhere else. So, while I’ll keep the day, I’m adding more info about the post.

Readings
Hosea 13:4-8
Acts 27:27-44
Luke 9:18-27

Meditation
If you’ve been reading the story of Paul and the voyage to Rome today’s reading strikes calm amidst the storm. Paul, the prisoner, has essentially taken over as captain of the boat. The boat had been drifting with bad winds and the waves. The cargo has gone overboard and the crew has no idea where the are exactly. Paul promises they will all survive. They’ve been in this drift for 14 days, and the finely tuned ears of the sailors hear the wash of waves against land. Afraid of running onto sharp shoals (undersea rock cliffs) the crew throws out anchors to slow or stop the boat. If they can only hold until daylight, then they might have a chance. But some of the experienced crew decide the time is right to make a break. Paul stops them. He tells the centurion, unless they stay, we’re all hosed. The soldiers force the sailors back. They cut the dinghy loose. Everyone is in the same boat.

And that is when the calm happens. Paul tells them all to eat - to share a meal. They haven’t eaten for two weeks. Yes its dark, yes there is no life raft, yes we are going aground. Eat, the outcome is in God’s hands, but he works through people. Fed people are more prepared to swim (remember Phelp’s 5000 calorie diet?) Paul took bread, gave thanks to God before everyone and began to eat. Luke tells us the number, 276 people.

They make it to daylight and try and beach the ship. They do hit those shoals and the boat is being broken apart by the waves. Once again people want to do something stupid - kill all the prisoners. But the other leader steps forward. The centurion stops them, and gives the orders. Swimmers overboard first. Non-swimmers, grab a plank of the breaking up ship. In the middle of disasster, calm and order emerge. This time from a secondary source.

Where does that calm and order come from? It comes from the faithful Paul. God said not one would be lost - and Paul believed it. He so believed it that the crew followed his orders. His influence was such that at the tensest moment, with the sound of danger right over the side, everyone stopped worrying to eat. And the calm passes from one leader to the next. The centurion, needing Paul’s orders to stop the sailors from leaving, now takes his own action in abandoning the ship orderly. The calm comes from the promises of God.

That is also true in our lives. 401K’s crash. Houses sit unsold. Sons and daughters wander away. Parents and spouses pass away. The waves are all around. We have a sure Word. God is making all things new. He has a mission - to save sinners. We are one of those saved sinners. Occasionally we have to swim for it. Our sin leads us into dangerous shoals, but God is at work through it all. If the tension is a little high - take time for a meal - take eat this is my body given for you…

May the Lord keep you safe and calm through the shipwrecks we pilot ourselves into.

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Getting back into your rut (if you are not time focused)/schedule(if you are extemely time focused) can feel good while at the same time you hope you learned something by being outside of it. My parents made the trip to West Henrietta and we had a great time including carving some pumpkins with the kids. Then the day they leave, the ministers of Rochester East and West circuits had their semi-monthly get together. This one was attended by the Current President of the Eastern District (Brunner) who recently announced that he will not be standing for re-election. There is nothing more sad than a politician who has stopped campaigning. The negatives go up and the attention to detail (like names) goes down.

I’m going to pick back up the Story of Acts. Paul has been before Festus and Herod Agrippa. Festus concludes that Paul is a good scholar, but that he’s gone mad. Probably the equivalent of how most Americans think of most college profs - good enough guys but spending too much time around books can be dangerous for one’s health. Agrippa is bemused at Paul - “You think in so short a time you can make be a Christian?” The two of them find nothing that would hinder Paul’s release, except that he’s appealed to Caesar - so pass the buck, get him out of the region. Acts traces Paul’s route by ship until today’s reading - Acts 27:9-26

The ship has sailed late, and the winds have turned against it. Even Paul can see this as he warns the centurion not to set out, but the captain of the ship wants to risk it - time is money and the harbor is not big enough. Let’s make a run for Crete and a chance to make some money. Paul turns out to be correct. The winds and the winter storms bear down on the ship and cover the stars. The cargo goes overboard and the crew have given up all hope of being saved.

And God acts. Paul, unable to resist, gives an “I told you so”, but promises that no life will be lost. That is quite a promise for ancient sailing. The effects of the earlier foolhardiness are not canceled. God does not mystically put the ship and cargo in a bubble and move it to port. The ship will wreck, but the God will preserve the people. His purpose in this is to get Paul to Rome. God has granted [Paul] all those who sail with [him].

How many times have you seen before hand what was going to happen, but are powerless to stop or greatly alter the course? You advise, and talk and wrangle, but the group or institution has other motives and driving forces. At least for me, those moments before were always the worst. I’m usually tempted to give in to despair. A viscious gallows humor comes over me. The correct response is prayer. Turn it over to the only one who does have power. All things work together for His purposes. Those things working might be tradgedy or consequences, but through prayer find your purpose in His purpose and you will be saved.

May the Lord prosper your prayers.

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Reading
Acts 24:1-24 (from Thursday)
Acts 25:1-12
Hosea 9:10-17

Meditation
The passing the buck continues. Felix the governer, whom Luke pays a slight compliment in that he had knowledge of “the way”, hears all the charges and says - “Let’s wait for that low down tribune who sent you here in the first place.” Then he puts Paul under house arrest. It is interesting that the High Priest felt it important enough to a) attend this trial himslef and b) to hire a personal lobbyist - Tertullus. Everyone would have spoken Greek. It was an official trial, so maybe Latin was required - Tertullus is a Latin name. The more likely reason though is the hiring by the High Priest of a friend of Felix to plead the case. Just like companies high ex-congress-critters to talk to current congress-critters.

Felix talks with Paul on and off for two years. Luke’s compliment earlier combined with these talks and his alarm and quick sending away of Paul combine to a partrait of a man who intellectually knew and heard the truth in Paul’s testimony, but he would not change his life. It is a sad picture. Ultimately, Felix was waiting for a bribe. Surely if the High Priest came down and hired a lobbyist, Paul had some friends and money that would come forward. He waited in vain as Paul preached to him.

Eventually the passing the buck continued. Felix gives way to Festus who re-hears the trial. Festus gives the prisoner Paul the choice - “Paul, do you want to go to Jerusalem?” Knowing full well what was going to happen their, but it would be Paul’s choice. Paul, says no thanks, Festus, do your job, I appeal to Caesar. That appeal is not the call to go to Rome, but for Festus as Caesar’s rep to do his job, rule on the case. Festus passes the monkey up the ladder. To Caesar you shall go - and the will of God is accomplished through corrupt and reluctant rulers. Paul will preach in Rome.

In the middle of examples of corrupt and reluctant rulers in our own day, How is God’s purpose being furthered? Is the church ready like Paul to be God’s instument in the opportunites God is creating?

May the Lord grant you eyes to see and legs to take those opportunities.

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Readings
Hosea 8:1-14
Acts 23:23-35
Luke 7:18-35

Meditation

A quick word about Hosea. Reading Hosea is always startling. You remember the early part with Gomer the prostitute and God telling Hosea to marry her - and forgive her. A clear type of GOD and Israel - of Christ and the Church. What is always striking are the prophesies that take up chapters 4 through 14. We get to thinking God moves in mysterious ways and wish that we’d get a straight answer, and then you read Hosea, and get the straight answer. It is a stinging indictment of apostasy to those who should know better. A call to repent and a promise of blessing. All in all a beautiful and awful short book.

Acts continues with Paul’s arrest and movement from Jerusalem to Rome. A great example of passing the monkey up the ladder. The Jews were going to kill Paul, a Roman citizen. The Roman tribune, head of the garrison, rescues Paul. They plot to kill him when he’s brought back out. Evidently the son of Paul’s sister (Paul’s nephew?) catches wind of this plot. (There is a whole bunch left unsaid there. Paul’s family is the great mystery about him. Elsewhere he complains about Peter being able to bring his wife…without mentioning his. Here his nephew is engaged in plotting to kill Paul?) Having second thoughts?…this boy tells Paul. Paul sends him to the Tribune. The Tribune sends Paul north to the coast to Ceaserea and Felix the governor. He attaches a classic in passing the buck. He’s charged with nothing deseving death, but when this plot was uncovered, I sent him to you. The accusers can follow him to you. No Paul and the rabble rousers are out of the Tribunes hands.

Felix of course takes kindly to this and starts thinking in the same way. What province are you from, i.e. where can I send you? I’ll hear you when your accusers arrive, i.e. lets wait and see if anyone really cares about you first. He commanded him to be guarded in Herod’s praetorium, i.e. this guy could be trouble, let’s move responsibility for a Roman citizen’s well being to the puppet ruler.

So why do we get this in scripture. It does tell of how Paul gets to Rome. My devotional view is that God even manages to use our dodging and weaving to His purposes. The Lord said back in 23:11 - You will bear witness also at Rome. And this is how he gets Paul there - through the slapstick fumblings of men just trying to survive (Felix, Tribune) or who think they are doing God’s will (Plotting Jews).

Even if you find yourself dodging and weaving, may the Lord grant you eyes to see what He is accomplishing through you.

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A day off, and the wife has planned something with the kids. 1 whole hour in the house with nothing but a couple of books and some coffee. Then I made the mistake, an old habit, of turning on CNBC. The Dow is below 10,000. Chickens are running around with there heads cut off. Back to the book.

Readings
Hosea 6:7-7:7
Acts 22:30-23:11
Luke 6:39-49

Meditation
Paul has been arrested in Jerusalem, and he’s pulled the Roman Citizen card. We have trouble understanding that in a squishy age. Romans would have thought nothing of sending a legion in to level a village that assualted a Roman Citizen. There was no ‘collateral damage’ in the ancient world.

That said, the story told of Paul before the Jewish council is pure comic genius. You see, the council was split in two over certain well worn ruts. The Sadduccees just wanted to more the Jewish people forward beyond silly superstitions. There was a progressive bright shining future of reason if you just give up such things as resurrection and angels and spirits. The Pharisees, aghast at this complete lack of character, would shout back. You can’t trust anyone who won’t acknowledge such simple and bedrock things as the resurrection. Let’s stand athwart history yelling stop.

Paul, bound before the council with his Roman guards close by, recognizes the well worn paths. Brothers, I’m a Pharisee, and I’m hear because of my hope in the resurrection. Not a false statement, but pushing the borders, but it does what he wanted. That council would rather argue old ruts than think about Paul’s testimony. And as the House breaks into violence, the Roman guards grab Paul and bring him back to the barrack - on his way to Rome.

What well worn ruts do we have in out lives that don’t allow us to even pay attention to Paul? Are we fighting over meaningless things, while the future whizzes by us and the prophet heads to Rome?

May the Lord give you the ability to discern what are ruts and what is worth listening to.

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Readings
Hosea 4:1-10
Acts 21:27-36
Luke 6:1-11

Meditation
The indictment against Paul has three parts and a part 3a. Men of Israel, this man, Paul, is teaching everywhere against: 1)The people, 2) The law and 3) This place (the temple) and 3a) He has defiled this Holy Place (the temple) by bring in Greeks. The three main charges are fair. Jesus himself, if these are what mattered, could be seen breaking these. Matt 21:33-46 - On account of this I say to you that the reign of God will be lifted from you and will be given to a nation, one bearing its fruit. Matt 5:17 - I have come not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. Matt 24:2 - You see this temple, I tell you the truth, not one stone will be left on another one. Jesus clearly had a different conception of the true people, law and temple. Jesus’s conception, the one Paul preached with such intensity, was a new people defined by faith in Jesus, a people who did not strain to fulfill the law themsleves but look to Jesus as their fulfillment, a people that were a living temple made of flesh and blood, not of stones.

Defilement comes not from what goes in, but what comes out. While it is important to watch what goes in, that is not what makes a person unlean. It is the actions that are taken, what comes out that defile. The actions of the Jews to try and kill Paul exiting the Temple were a greater defilement than the made up charge against Paul.

So how does any of that relate to us? Is there any area of our lives that traditions have become more important than the Word? At the time of the reformation, all kinds of activities, pilgimages, monastic vows, special feast days and the like were considered more important than a husband supporting his wife or a prince governing the land given to him. The traditions, which might be good in themselves, had displaced the real things God had commanded. They had even displaced the Gospel. Our response is you are attacking my people, my law, my holy places - kill the attacker. The appropriate response is not to forsake the traditions, but to repent of idolatry and restore them to the appropriate place.

May the Lord give you eyes to see your idols and legs to move them back where they belong.

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Readings
Hosea 2:16-23
Acts 21:1-14
Luke 5:12-26

Meditation
Being intentional about what you do and what you do not do is tough. It is easier to just drift along on the surface of life’s currents. We find the path of least resistance through the day, the week, the year…. In that way we act like electrons bumping along in a not straight path, occasionally going backword, but always moving in the direction of the electric current. Moving in the direction of whoever applies the strongest voltage.

That is not the full life that Jesus wants for us. Luke writes both the Gospel that bares his name and Acts. The heroes in them are all people who live intentional lives. Jesus sets his face to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51). He set his face knowing full well what was ahead - the cross. In the reading from Acts today Paul does the same thing. Paul has finished his third missionary journey. And the Spirit is telling him to go to Jerusalem. The Spirit is also telling Paul that imprisonment and affliction await (Acts 20:23). And is nice enough to send a prophet to visually remind him (Acts 21:11). In the face of that, and the people of Ephesus, and all his stops along the way begging him to not go, Paul intentionally goes to Jerusalem.

Minister’s who preach things like, You’re Best Life Now, are half right. God does want you to have your best life. The problem comes in our definition of that best life. We fill that term with meaning such as a full bank account or an easy path in life. We think of our best life in terms of that electron, please don’t put any large resistors in our path. The best life is the life that finds its purpose and end in Jesus Christ, the source of life. The Christian lets Christ define what the best life means. For Paul the best life was shipwreck and imprisonment for the sake of the Gospel. How do we discern what Christ’s best life for us is? Prayer, study, trials.

It may be like the old joke about wishing someone an interesting life, but may the Lord grant you the desire and power to live an intentional life. Amen.

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