Tag Archives: Doers of the Word

Caught between Flesh and Spirit

Living in the Spirit

May 28, 2021

Scripture Reading:

Romans 8:12-17
So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

We live in an age of paradox. Many seem to have no control over “the flesh”—anything of the world. I do not want to read another story or hear another news report about people of power—politicians or the wealthy or celebrities or clergy who are caught in adultery or some sexual deviance, even sex trafficking of children. Some of those same people want to control every aspect of the lives of others on issues they may have created by locking people into poverty, limiting their educational opportunities, and ignoring their health care. Jesus called them hypocrites.

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practise what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. . . . ‘But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. (Matthew 23:1-4, 13-15)

Those caught in the middle between self-righteousness and injustice are called to address such hypocrisy or become a part of the problem.

Prayer: Lord, make us doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves*. Amen.

*From James 1:22

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Doing God’s Word

Living in the Spirit

June 20, 2020

Scripture Reading: Matthew 10:24-39

‘So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

‘Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. –Matthew 10:26-33

Jesus spoke some challenging words. Read the whole scripture for today. It is tough. The world was tough then; it is tough today. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;. rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

I love history and have found myself watching more TV then usual as I shelter in place. I have found some interesting history pieces to watch. The American West is a rerun about the settling of the West in the USA following the Civil War. I have enjoyed watching it but knew most of the history it covers. I did not know that Henry McCarty was from New York or that he did not know who his father was. His mother brought him to live in the New Mexico area where she died when he was a teen leaving him to raise himself. He spent his time sharpening his skills with guns and supported himself stealing cattle.  An  encounter with a rancher whose cattle he was attempting to steal resulted in the rancher hirng him. This first father figure was very important to him. When the rancher was murdered, Billy the Kid was born.

We who are privileged need to search our hearts to determine where we as a society are killing peoples souls, seek forgiveness for our sin, and repent of our actions that are discriminatory, demeaning, and demoralizing.

Prayer: Lord, open our eyes to see how the systemic injustice that is rampant in our world. Once our eyes are open, makeus doers of your word* to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

*See James 1:22

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Jesus’ Worldview

Living in the Spirit
August 31, 2018

Scripture Reading: James 1:17-27

But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.

 If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. –James 1:22-27

The book of John tells us that Jesus is the Word (John 1:1) I think James is picking up on that idea when he instructs us to be doers of the word—model our lives after Jesus. He practiced what he preached, and he did not cherry pick the words he read and applied.

I am thankful the book of Mark includes the story of the Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7 24-30) it described an encounter Between Jesus and a foreign woman that went against the ideas of Jesus’ culture. Jews did not interact with gentiles. Yet when this woman brought her daughter to Jesus to be healed his first reaction was to turn her away, but she challenged him on following his culture rather than his heart and the heart won.

In our diverse world, we encounter different ways of being all the time that may be uncomfortable for us at first because it is not of our culture or what some call our worldview. What we must discern is how our interaction with others appears through Jesus’ worldview and adapt our worldview accordingly.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.