ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday, November 14

Luke 4:16-30

 

²⁸When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. ²⁹They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. ³⁰But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

Within about six verses in this chapter of Luke the crowd in the synagogue goes from loving what Jesus says to literally driving him out of town “so that they might hurl him off the cliff.” Whenever I hear someone say that we should be more like Jesus, or that I as a preacher should be more like Jesus, I pray that they aren’t referencing this particular example. So, what had the people so enraged?

Jesus seems to say (using the examples of the prophet coming to the widow at Zarephath, and another prophet healing Naaman the Syrian) that the Word of God comes to the foreigner – and the people in the synagogue didn’t like that idea. They wanted the Word of God to come to them, and believed that it had and would. So, I suppose, while I certainly don’t want anyone to hurl me off a cliff – or even to try – I hope that the message we proclaim is one that continually expands our idea of who gets to be the audience for God’s message.

Peace,

Pastor Jenn

ASLC Devotions -- Tuesday, November 13

 

 

Ruth 3:16-18

 

¹⁶[Ruth] came to her mother-in-law, who said, “How did things go with you, my daughter?” Then she told her all that [Boaz] had done for her, ¹⁷saying, “He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, ‘Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’” ¹⁸She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today.”

I wrote yesterday that these two women continue the theme of commitment and caretaking throughout the story, and these verses come at the end of an encounter between Ruth and Boaz, a man who has the ability to provide for her with an offer of marriage. Naomi has done some match-making to ensure this happens, but everyone seems to be a willing participant.

While we certainly don’t believe today that a woman needs to be married in order to be cared for, and have a place in the community, this was the reality for Ruth and Naomi. Ruth’s union with Boaz gave them both security, something they couldn’t take for granted as widows. If you didn’t take the time to read Ruth yesterday, or even if you did, take time to read it today! It’s a great story!

Peace,

Pastor Jenn

ASLC Devotions -- Monday, November 12

Ruth 1:16-18

 

¹⁶But Ruth said, “Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; Where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. ¹⁷Where you die, I will die— there will I be buried. May the Lord do thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!” ¹⁸When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

These verses are often read at weddings, as verses of commitment. Ruth is the daughter-in-law of Naomi, the woman her son married after the family had fled from a drought and famine-stricken land to the land of Moab. But while they were there, all of the men in Naomi’s family die – her husband, and her two sons. Naomi decides to return to the land of her people, and the daughters-in-law begin to return with her. When she implores them to turn back, Orpah does, but Ruth speaks the words above.

Ruth leaves behind the country that she knew, people she loved, and her religion. She makes a powerful statement of commitment to her mother-in-law, and Naomi sees that it won’t do any good to argue with her – she’s coming along. This gift of commitment continues through the book of Ruth; if you haven’t read it recently, I encourage you to do so. It is short – only four chapters.

Peace,

Pastor Jenn

ASLC Devotions - Friday

 Hebrews 9:24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

We say it almost every Sunday in the Apostles' Creed - I believe in Jesus who... sits at the right hand of God.

One of those phrases that trips off the tongue and we don't even think about it as we think about moving down the home-stretch of worship toward Communion. But it's really significant. It's significant that when Jesus died on the cross he didn't stay dead. Obviously, he rose from the dead and opened the gates of eternal life to all who believe. We get that part. But it's also important that he hasn't been resting on those laurels for the past 2000 years. No, he's sitting at the right hand of God - "appearing in the presence of God on our behalf" according to the writer of Hebrews.

Jesus is there at God's ear speaking up for us. "Oh, come on, forgive Seth, he doesn't know what he's doing." "Give Betty a break. I love her." If you're going to have an advocate speaking up on your behalf with the judge, Jesus is a good one. Son of the judge. Perfect and blameless. He's walked in our shoes here on Earth so he knows what it's like. I'm glad he's there, in the true heaven, appearing in the presence of God on our behalf.

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

Remember to join us for worship at 8:30 and 11 this coming Sunday and visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar of events and ministry opportunities.

ASLC Devotions - Thursday

Romans 5:8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.

I was at a lecture a couple weeks ago with a great New Testament theologian (I know, you're all jealous!). He was talking through Romans and reminded me of something I once knew but that reinforced this verse and it's meaning for me. Slavery was common in the Roman empire. But it wasn't quite like the slavery we know from the American south. Slaves were either enemies captured in war or were debtors. It wasn't always a life-long condition, which is how we often think of it. People were sold into slavery and bought out of slavery with some regularity. When you bought someone out of slavery it was called "redemption" - you paid the debt they owed that got them into slavery in the first place, with interest of course. People did that for their family, for their friends, for business associates.

That's what Christ did for us - bought us out of slavery - redeemed us. But Paul reminds us in Romans that we weren't friends at the time. We didn't deserve it. We hadn't done anything to deserve it. We in fact still rebel against the God who bought us out of slavery on a regular basis. Some thanks that is! Christ bought us out of slavery not because we deserved it, not because we had earned it, not because we were friends, but WHILE WE STILL WERE SINNERS Christ died for us, because God loves us. End of story. For me that really drives home the familiar words, "Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me."

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

Remember to join us for worship at 8:30 and 11 this coming Sunday and visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar of events and ministry opportunities.
 

ASLC Devotions - Wednesday

John 13:35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

So, did your candidate win last night? Or did the opposition win? Or perhaps, do we not know yet? I wrote this last week, so people of the future, tell me - do we have an undisputed winner yet  on Wednesday morning?

Because Jesus clearly said, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you voted for the right candidate. No, that's not right... it was everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you mock and ridicule people who voted for someone else. That must be right.

It's old hat and almost sounds trite at this point to decry the increasing polarization in American society in American elections. It seems that we can't even talk to people who have different political views anymore. We question one another's American-ness, or Christian-ness, or sanity. We avoid even having the conversation. It just seems a long long way away from Jesus' vision of the beloved community, doesn't it? So today, if you had an Obama sticker on your car, hug a Republican. And if you voted for Romney, buy a Democrat a cup of coffee. Might be a good start.

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

Remember to join us for worship at 8:30 and 11 this coming Sunday and visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar of events and ministry opportunities.
 

ASLC Devotions - Tuesday

Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things belong to us and to our children for ever, to observe all the words of this law.

There are many things we don't know about God. Life would be so much easier if we did. We'd understand things about human suffering, about God's will for the world, about what's going to happen when we die - all those kinds of things. Many of us (myself included) spend time wondering and worrying over these things. Things that there is really no way to know the answer to - as Deuteronomy puts it, "the secret things" that belong to the Lord. 

We do know certain things about God - there are things that have been revealed, that belong to us and to our children forever. The writer calls it "to observe all the words of this law." Jesus summarized the law by saying "love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind and love your neighbor as yourself." That's what we know about God. That's the stuff that's been revealed to us - that it's our job to love God and love our neighbor. That's probably enough to keep us occupied for at least one lifetime. So let's focus on that and leave the secret things to God.

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

Remember to join us for worship at 8:30 and 11 this coming Sunday and visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar of events and ministry opportunities.