week of February 8, 2009

collect for the 5th Sunday after Epiphany

Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.


Readings for the week

Monday

Ps 80 + 77, [79] Isa. 58:1-12 Gal. 6:11-18 Mark 9:30-41

Tuesday

78:1-39 + 78:40-72; Isa. 59:1-15a 2 Tim. 1:1-14 Mark 9:42-50

Wednesday

Ps. 119:97-120 + 81, 82; Isa. 59:15b-21 2 Tim. 1:15-2:13 Mark 10:1-16

Thursday

Ps. [83] or 146, 147 + 85, 86; Isa. 60:1-17 2 Tim. 2:14-26 Mark 10:17-31

Friday

Ps. 88 + 91, 92; Isa. 61:1-9 2 Tim. 3:1-17 Mark 10:32-45

Saturday

Ps. 87, 90 + 136; Isa. 61:10-62:5 2 Tim. 4:1-8 Mark 10:46-52

Life in & by the Spirit

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Isaiah 57:3-13; Galatians 5:25-6:10; Mark 9:14-29

I've been struck by how often Paul refers to the Holy Spirit in chapters 3-6 of Galatians. I recently read this blurb for a commentary by a former New Testament professor of mine, Gordon Fee -

Galatians: A Pentecostal Commentary
"In this insightful commentary, respected New Testament scholar Gordon D. Fee unpacks Galatians with a major concern for readers to consider the book of Galatians as if the Reformation had never happened, which takes the focus off the justification by faith or by works issue. Fee explains 'the concern lies not in how one begins life in Christ, but whether, once begun, one must also add these aspects of the law to be completed in one's faith in Christ.'"

"If we live (are alive) by the Spirit, let us also walk (live it out, day by day, step by step) by the Spirit." (5:25) After describing what that looks like from yet another perspective, this time restoration of a brother and humility, he sums up his appeal:

"Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." (6:7-8)

To say it a different way, John Piper wrote a book entitled "Future Grace," in which he talks about not just looking back and receiving grace for salvation, for the beginning of this new life in Christ, but trusting in God's grace for every step of the way, today and tomorrow. Or, as we confess, "we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life..." which can be read as "we trust the Holy Spirit who is the Lord and the give of life, right now and in every moment to come..."

This places life in the Spirit, for me, today, in the mode of humble, dependent, risky and courageous Christian living, and rescues it from the spooky or "crazimatic" category. That is not to denigrate the gifts of the Spirit, but to place them in that realm of trusting in grace, trusting the Holy Spirit, and not the manifestation (or supposed manifestation). The whole gifts of the Holy Spirit discussion can be so pressed that they become, rather than circumcision for example, what is needed to "become completed in one's faith in Christ."

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Collect for Purity, BCP, page 355)

concatenation

Friday, February 6, 2009

Daily Office Bible readings, ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

This new life through the Spirit of God will bring about transformation into the image of the One whose children we are, into the likeness of the One who loved us to the end and who dwells now in us. There's a good sermon by Tim Keller that I've linked below for you to download if you want to. It's on this passage.

He draws one of his points from Jonathan Edwards. Edwards uses a big word to speak about "the fruit of the Spirit" - it's "concatenation" (a series of interconnected events or things). He says that the while Paul refers to fruit in the singular, he describes that singular fruit in a plural and varied manner. Each fruit is interdependent on the others. You can't have or be growing in one and not the others. Gentleness may just be personality, if there's not faithfulness and self-sacrificing love; joy may be present, but only if there is no need for patience...

(Gifts of the Spirit are not interdependent nor interconnected, within the individual - they are interconnected within the Body of Christ, cf. 1 Cor. 12)

This is what the Spirit does. Yes, we cooperate; but if the Spirit is present he will do it. Gradually, with some seasons much more productive than others, but surely - for the pleasure of the One who planted the seed, and waters it, and gives it growth.

"How to change" can be found at
free sermons from Redeemer Presbyterian, NY

faith working

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Daily Office Bible readings, ESV

Isa. 55:1-13; Gal. 5:1-15; Mark 8:27-9:1

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. (Galatians 5:6)

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. (Mark 8:35)

O the many ways I seek to save or preserve my life. Little manipulations, ways of thinking or posturing myself (even if only in my own heart or mind), my contributions to secure myself and help God do what I don't really trust him to do. In the midst of trying to live a "Christian life," is it truly possible to lose one's life?

The language Paul uses in Galatians 5 says that the only thing that "works," the only thing of any avail (RSV), with any strength to acount for anything of value, is faith through love. Faith working through love. Later he will say that the "flesh" working produces all kinds of evil, but here he says that faith working is freedom, and faith at work in love, faith working itself out through love, is all that matters, all that can bring about life, love, joy, and peace...

That which is of me, which is my way, my seizing control, my having to secure my soul, save my life, is ultimately rotten and deadly. That which is of the Spirit, of an abandonment to the love of God in Jesus Christ, of a radical devotion to him who gave himself for us and our salvation, in this letting go and trusting, is security and life and peace, and salvation.

"Jesus, reduce me to love..."

trust is the way

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Daily Office Bible readings, ESV

So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.
(Galatians 4:31)

Paul is driving this point home, and will continue to hammer on it - in Christ we are free. We are children of freedom, not slavery; we are children by the Spirit, not the law; we are children through faith, not the works of the flesh.

He again appeals to the story of Abraham (cf. chapter 3), who was reckoned in right relationship with God on the basis of his trust in God. This story of Hagar and Sarah speaks of the "end runs" we tend to do to try to get to God's will for us, but not in God's way for us. I know I do this, and have recently been repenting for it. Of course, it's a deception to think we are trying to bring about God's will for us if we are not going about it in God's way for us - which is, of course, radical trust in him and not in "chariots or horses," not in our logic or wealth, or anything else.

And ultimately, that way of trusting in anything other than God, will be slavery. It will not deliver what it promises and will bring bondage and enslavement to that way - whether our logic or power or wealth or hoop-jumping or security-ensuring or approval-manipulating... only trust in God for life, for future, for the fulfillment of his promises as both the beginning and the way to live itself will bring freedom and increasing freedom in the love and Spirit of God.

Lord, help me trust you as a way of life, not just the way to life...

the Spirit of God's Son

Monday, February 2, 2009

Daily Office bible readings

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
(Galatians 4:4-7)

Again, Paul comes back to the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit in this discussion. Enslaved children coming to adoption as sons... this is a very interesting way of describing the Jewish and Gentile condition before and after Christ.

This new life begins with the heart of the children welling up with life and love and thanksgiving and in some way or another spilling over in intimacy, trust, and deepest security to our Father in heaven.

"Daddy!"

"Papa!"

Notice that Paul says, "God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts." Again, our principle story here is the baptism of Jesus. He commits himself to the Father and to his people and immerses himself in the Jordan; coming out of the water the Spirit descends from heaven upon him in the form of a dove, and the voice tears open heaven declaring, "You are my son, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased."

It is to this word spoken to us through the life and work and person of Jesus that the believer responds, "Father!" It is only a gracious gift of God that the Spirit hovers over us and begets in us new creation, gives us new life and even the faith to trust and believe.

It is possible, and this is the urgency of Paul's letter, to forsake this freedom and life and trust and love, and return to slavery. To return to trusting in lesser things, the elemental principles of the world, for example, and not in the scandalous love of God for us through his Son. I am so susceptible to this. What about you?

Father in heaven, thank you for loving us. Give us grace to trust you, and forsake everything else in which we so quickly trust for life and peace.

Week of 4th Sunday of Epihpany

Prayer for the Fourth Sunday of Epiphany

Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


Readings for Week of 4 Epiphany

Sunday Ps. 24, 29 + 8, 84

Isa. 51:9-16 Heb. 11:8-16 John 7:14-31

Monday Ps. 56, 57, [58] + 64, 65

Isa. 51:17-23 Gal. 4:1-11 Mark 7:24-37

Tuesday Ps. 61, 62 + 68:1-20(21-23)24-36

Isa. 52:1-12 Gal. 4:12-20 Mark 8:1-10

Wednesday Ps. 72 + 119:73-96

Isa. 54:1-10(11-17) Gal. 4:21-31 Mark 8:11-26

Thursday Ps. [70], 71 + 74

Isa. 55:1-13 Gal. 5:1-15 Mark 8:27-9:1

Friday Ps. 69:1-23(24-30)31-38 + 73

Isa. 56:1-8 Gal. 5:16-24 Mark 9:2-13

Saturday Ps. 75, 76 + 23, 27

Isa. 57:3-13 Gal. 5:25-6:10 Mark 9:14-29