Daily Devotion for Lent 2021 - Day 30

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 3

As we read Paul today, it is important that we understand that he was having an intra-faith argument rather than one faith critiquing another (as it is often seen today).  Christianity was still viewed as a Jewish sect within Paul's day and it was definitely from a minority position as Paul wrote it.

Today, with Christianity being the majority and with the kind of persecution we have seen against the Jewish people (such as the Holocaust), it is highly important that we see Paul's words within the context of which they were written.

If we said today that Judaism kills while Christianity gives life (verse 6), it would likely be lifted up as hate language.  However, Paul never saw this as anything but a Jew who has a new revelation of the Messiah informing other Jews by utilizing the same faith.  There was always a Jewish understanding of being a light to the nations and Paul sees himself within this tradition.

As he speaks of the veil of Moses, he is talking of where Moses speaks directly with God and it causes his face to shine.  Exodus 34:35 states, "the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again."

Karl Barth said to "Take your Bible and take
your newspaper, and read both.
But interpret newspapers from your Bible."

Paul uses this story to say that when we are in Christ, the veil is removed or the glory of God is revealed.  It is one way of saying that as Christians, it is important for us to look through the lens of Jesus Christ.  The old question, "What would Jesus do?" should actually be key for us as we consider our interpretation of any Biblical texts as well as our responses in life.

This question actually relates to my opening response to Paul.  As we have become the clear majority and hold power over minority religions, I believe that Jesus would have us tread with caution as he calls us to love our neighbors.  The parable of the Good Samaritan reminds us that it is not always the supposed religious superior that follows through with action regarding the will of God.

So as we move through Lent, where do you perceive that you have power over another?  How do you use the lens of Christ to shine a light upon this relationship?

Prayer for the day:

Mysterious God, I find that you draw me into deeper relationship with you constantly.  A lot of the time, I believe that I'm trying to draw closer to you with the prayers I pray or the scripture I read.  Help me to understand the difference and to see that my actions are a response to the grace I receive.  May this spill over into my relationships with others.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Photo by Ken Walton via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2021 - Day 8

Scripture Reading: Galatians 3 (NRSV)

One of the things I've been involved with on and off during my career as a pastor has been ecumenical work. I've served on the Ecumenical Relations Committee of the World Methodist Council which seeks to strengthen the ties between Wesleyan denominations and other Christian bodies.  

In ecumenical work, you must find the similarities - what are the things on which we agree?

If we go quickly to the things in which we disagree, we will likely weaken the ties that bind!

As we look at today's reading, Christianity at this point in history would still be a Jewish sect.  It has not broken off into something distinct in the faith but we see the beginnings of this break in today's chapter.

Paul is not asking Gentiles to become Jewish in order to follow Christ.  He is saying that both Gentile practices and even the Jewish Law are subservient to Christ.  It is a new way of defining oneself.

As we see Paul continue to prioritize Christ over the Law, it is hard for us to understand just how radical it was for the first century Mediterranean world.  It was changing our worldview.

Verse 28 may be one of the most important verses in the Bible and we still struggle with it today:

There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

This is not to be used to diminish those things that make us unique.  We can still celebrate all of our diversity.  But what it does is establishes our common ground with all of the diversity in the world.  Paul is prioritizing Christ over every category that we could come up with.

For ecumenical work, we start with Christ.  We end with Christ.  We recognize that we are both "in Christ."

Sometimes we find common affection
for those very different from ourselves.

How can we apply this to conflicts in today's world?  While Christianity is not universally adopted, there are Christians involved in most conflicts within the United States.  There are Christians within both major political parties in our country today.  There are Christians within the various factions involved in the debates over race in the United States.  There are Christians within the push and pull over gender issues and how we deal with human sexuality.  

So as we live out our lives in this complex world, we have to ask ourselves, "What does it mean that I am baptized in Christ?"  What is this common understanding of how I relate to God with others.  We often will imagine that "when we all get to heaven" we will discover a harmony with one another.

What Paul seems to be asking is that when we are baptized, shouldn't we be cutting to the chase?

Prayer for the Day:

Blessed God, we value so much our individualism.  Sometimes we may hold it up to such a great value that we lessen who we are in Christ.  We value personal faith in Jesus Christ that comes to us and reaches out to us.  But we may forget that Christ is moving toward us all.   Let us think more deeply about what it means to be "in Christ."  We pray these things in the name of the One who Opens the Hand to us.  Amen.

Photo by Katriona McCarthy via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.