Weekly Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Ephesians 5:1-14, John 9

1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV) 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”

John 9:39 (ESV) 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”

Ephesians 5:1-2 (ESV) 1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

John 9:25b (ESV) One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

Sight is an integral sense. Being able to see allows us to not only avoid danger but also enjoy the wonders around us. I took my glasses off the other day before heading into a hardware store. I thought I could manage for a few minutes without them, but I found out rather quickly that I was wrong. I wandered around aimlessly for way longer than I should have. I had to get closer and closer to signs, squinting constantly, to try and make out what I was looking for. I could’ve admitted my error, walked back to the car and grabbed my glasses, but I pressed on. It was only after leaving the store and realizing that I missed four things off of my checklist, that I admitted my error and placed the spectacles permanently back in their proper place.

If we’re honest with ourselves our stubbornness, or blindness, extends beyond the banal trip to the hardware store. Our blindness is how we see God and His ways. Like Samuel, we need constant reminding that we do not see the same way that he does. We gravitate toward outer appearances, but God sees the true nature of our identities. He sees our hearts. This is why Jesus is truly mystifying. Listen to this rendering of Isaiah 53:2-6 from the Message Bible.

Isaiah 53:2-6 (MSG)The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,a scrubby plant in a parched field.There was nothing attractive about him,nothing to cause us to take a second look.He was looked down on and passed over,a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.One look at him and people turned away.We looked down on him, thought he was scum.But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.We thought he brought it on himself,that God was punishing him for his own failures.But it was our sins that did that to him,that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!He took the punishment, and that made us whole.Through his bruises we get healed.We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost.We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way.And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong,on him, on him.

Christ by all outer appearances was just a man, and more specifically a very common peasant. Yet he worked signs and wonders and taught with authority. He healed the sick, the blind, and the dead. But the most tremendous thing about Christ was His heart, the heart that humbled itself to the point of death. To those consumed with power, this humility was anything but inspiring. Humility is not often associated with kingship, and to the Jewish leaders this peasant in no way possessed the qualities necessary to sit on David’s throne. Or did he?

What quality did David possess that made him honorable in the Lord’s eyes? It wasn’t his cunning, skill, fierceness, tenacity, or leadership style. No, it was his heart. He had a heart after God. Likewise, Christ possessed this same disposition to its fullest. His heart was and is still to submit fully to His Father’s will, even to the point of death. This is the way of King Jesus, who the Apostle Paul tells us to imitate.

We, like the man who was formerly blind, can now see. Our eyes have been opened and we have been called to worship in Spirit and Truth, and to follow this King. This week, I implore you to put your Jesus lenses on. What was blind now sees, and what it sees specifically is Christ. Follow Christ by imitating His ways, and you will find the path clearer and clearer each day.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus give us eyes to see you more clearly and hearts to follow you more dearly. Help us to be your imitators this day and forevermore. Amen.

John 4:4-7 (ESV) 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”

John 4:4 tells us that Jesus needed to go through Samaria. Why? If for no other reason, it was to meet this one woman who needed to meet Him whether she was aware of it or not. Jesus sat by Jacob’s well wearied from travel and thirst. He was greeted by a samaritan woman who had come to draw water at the most inopportune time of day, noon. Why not seek out water in the cool of the early morning or later in the evening? It’s possible she came at this time to avoid the crowd, not draw attention to herself, or possibly to seek solitude. All of these ideas are speculative, but we sense from the intimacy of the conversation that ensues that they are alone.

The scripture tells us, through Christ’s revealing, that she has had five husbands (v18), yet it doesn’t indicate why. This could be due to divorce or worse death. Either one would significantly burden one's emotional and spiritual well-being. She comes to the well seeking physical refreshment, yet it is here that she will receive something greater.

Jacob, whose well this is said to be, encountered God. He wrestled with the Angel of God and left with a blessing, a new name, and a mark from the encounter. Likewise, this Samaritan Woman wrestles with God himself. Her epiphany will leave her forever changed. She will leave nourished by the living water that brings eternal life and will be given the ability to worship in spirit and truth. Here she has encountered the living god who has told her everything she ever did. He has searched her, and known her. In His revelation, she is no longer a woman with a broken past, or a dirty samaritan, she is a daughter of the living God.

We like to hide behind the identities we construct, yet God sees through them. He knows everything we’ve ever done and extends his grace beyond it giving us a new identity as fellow heirs with Christ. So, bring to him your sin and shame. Let him search you and know you, and wash you clean with living water. He will give you eternal life, and fill you with a never-ending fountain of grace.

PRAYER: O Lord, you have searched me and known me. Nothing is hidden from you or too much for you. Help me cast off my burdens at your feet, and sustain me by the living water of your spirit. Amen

Romans 5:6-11 (ESV) 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Timing is everything. We’ve all had those chance encounters that have fundamentally altered the state of our lives. If we’re willing to accept it, they are not just chance encounters, they’re providential. They reveal to us something about the divine nature of God, how he is always orchestrating something larger than we can conceive. Paul wants us to know three things in this passage.

First, Christ died for us at the right time. He says that while we were still weak and sinners Christ died for us. Many of us sadly think that we must get our lives right before Christ can forgive us. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Christ died for us when we were at our worst. If salvation in any way depended on our efforts to straighten out our lives we would not be able to obtain it. Christ died at the right time for the un-godly, which means you, me, and everyone we know. He died for us when we needed Him most.

Second, Paul wants to cement the fact that he died for us despite our efforts or lack thereof. No matter how hard we try to remove and absolve ourselves of sin we cannot do it. We also cannot fix others, though we try. Paul wants us to know that salvation is in no way dependent upon our perfectly curated identity. He died for us, saved us, and reconciled us while we were enemies of God (v10). Jesus said from the cross, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” Our sin placed Him in the ultimate space of humiliation. Yet it was in his humiliation and in our depravity that Christ did his greatest work! He died to make us whole.

Lastly, He continues to hold us fast. John Chrysostom said, “If God brought us near to himself when we were far off, how much more will he keep us now that we are near!” We have received grace through reconciliation, and He strengthens us to endure through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Timing truly is everything. Christ died at exactly the right time. He died for you at your absolute worst. In that, we rejoice!

PRAYER: O Lord, we thank you for your timing. You have purposed our salvation by your divine will. You died when we were at our worst. Help us to live and move and have our being in you. Help us to be conduits of your grace to a world that needs it, that it may be reconciled to you. Amen

Joel 2:12-13
12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord,“return to me with all your heart,with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.”Return to the Lord your God,for he is gracious and merciful,slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;and he relents over disaster.

Lent is a season of repentance. It is not intended to be a time for showiness. Instead, Lent is a time for deep introspection. Our first temptation comes on Ash Wednesday. The imposition of ashes is intended to remind us of our mortality, drawing us closer to Christ who humbled himself to the point of death for us. Yet, like everything in our world, the little cross on our head made of last year's palm ash can easily become a virtue-signaling badge of honor.

Yahweh spoke through the prophet Joel, to remind His people that what He really desired from their fasting, weeping, and mourning was not an external show of faith. Rather He desires a heart that is truly torn apart. A heart that has truly altered its direction toward Him.

One could easily misinterpret this passage to think that the LORD’s affection toward us is conditioned upon our repentance. However, Joel actually says that we should turn our hearts to Him because He has already shown us affection. The apostle Paul echoes this idea in Romans 5:8.

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God is already gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. Like a good Father he has already made up his mind toward us, he just longs for us to see it and live in it. This is repentance, setting our minds on the affection that already exists.

Cyprian of Carthage wrote, “Let us turn to the Lord with our whole mind, and, expressing repentance for our sin with true grief, let us implore God’s mercy. Let the soul prostrate itself before him; let sorrow give satisfaction to him; let our every hope rest upon him.”

Repentance from a torn heart is setting our every hope to rest upon Him, not for who we think He will be but rather for who He says he already is.

Prayer:
Lord God, forgive us for our many sins.
Rend our hearts to yours, that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways. To the glory of your name. Amen

Today is Tuesday, November 1st, 2022 and it is the feast day of All Saints.

9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

(Rev 7:9-10)

All Saints is a feast day where we remind ourselves of the assurance of the promise of God. Namely that those who are alive in Christ will be resurrected to meet Him even if they have already passed away. The Thessalonians were deeply concerned about what would happen to those who have passed before Christ's Return. Paul wrote this in response beginning in 1 Thess 4:13

(1 Thess 4:13-18) "13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words."

The beauty of All Saints Day is that it allows us the opportunity to grieve, while also providing us an opportunity to hope. We have all lost someone near and dear to us and we will all certainly continue to experience grief and loss throughout this life. Yet, through Christ, we are promised that we will rise again to meet Him at His return.

The beauty of this reading from Revelation 7 points to the great multitude from every tribe, tongue, and nation that will be brought to eternal life through Christ. Many of us try to figure out who and who is not part of the elect, but the conclusion that we can derive from Revelation is that more than we ever imagined will be counted among the faithful. I suspect that many of us will witness the rising of Saints that we had personally written off, or had somehow concluded that they were not believers. Only God knows who will rise on that day, but until then we can take heart knowing two things.

1) A multitude that no one can number will be saved and

2) Salvation belongs to the Lord.

As you take time today to reflect on the loved ones who have passed, remember that Salvation belongs to God, not man.

This is great news!

Scripture tells us that He is a shepherd and overseer of our souls (1 Peter 2:25), and that He is patient toward us desiring that all will reach repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

How wonderful it will be to be seated at His table and enjoying eternal life with all of the saints devoid of grief or sorrow.

(Revelation 19:9) And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

Let Us Pray:

Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical Body of your Son: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

I hope that this message helps bring you to a sense of awe about the Resurrection of Christ.

9 And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while.10 When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.11 And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.12 And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out.13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’14 But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’15 And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!”17 But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?

18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

19 The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people.

(Luke 20:9-19)

Hey all, grace and peace to you. It has been a while since I've uploaded anything. A lot has happened since the beginning of the year. We welcomed our fourth baby, Phoebe Louise, into the world in January. I took on some new responsibilities at both work and church. I'm serving our church, Resurrection Anglican, as a teaching elder and preaching 2-3 times a month. I wanted to bring you all something special based on the Sunday lectionary and here it is. Every week that I preach I will bring you the expositional sermon based on the Sunday readings. This one is based on one of my favorite gospel parables "The Prodigal Son." I've also started adding the Sunday Lectionary Gospel reading to the podcast on Sundays to bring context to the collects we pray. I pray that this nourishes your soul. Stay tuned, there will be another next week. Enjoy, and God Bless!

Every night this month I will post a short liturgy and reading through a chapter of Proverbs. This is a go at your own pace experiment, when it's all done you will be able to revisit it frequently for nightly encouragement. I hope you enjoy this Patreon only series. 

LITURGY

Welcome to Wisdom for the Evening a liturgy for weary souls in need of rest and wisdom.

OPENING WORDS

I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest; for you, Lord, only, make me dwell in safety. PSALM 4:8

PSALM 134

1 Behold now, praise the Lord, *

all you servants of the Lord,

2 You that stand by night

in the house of the Lord, *

even in the courts

of the house of our God.

3 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary *

and sing praises unto the Lord.

4 The Lord who made heaven and  earth *

give you blessing out of Zion.

A READING FROM HOLY SCRIPTURE

Proverbs 1 (ESV)

The Beginning of Knowledge

1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

2 To know wisdom and instruction,

to understand words of insight,

3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,

in righteousness, justice, and equity;

4 to give prudence to the simple,

knowledge and discretion to the youth—

5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning,

and the one who understands obtain guidance,

6 to understand a proverb and a saying,

the words of the wise and their riddles.

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;

fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The Enticement of Sinners

8 Hear, my son, your father's instruction,

and forsake not your mother's teaching,

9 for they are a graceful garland for your head

and pendants for your neck.

10 My son, if sinners entice you,

do not consent.

11 If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;

let us ambush the innocent without reason;

12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive,

and whole, like those who go down to the pit;

13 we shall find all precious goods,

we shall fill our houses with plunder;

14 throw in your lot among us;

we will all have one purse”—

15 my son, do not walk in the way with them;

hold back your foot from their paths,

16 for their feet run to evil,

and they make haste to shed blood.

17 For in vain is a net spread

in the sight of any bird,

18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood;

they set an ambush for their own lives.

19 Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain;

it takes away the life of its possessors.

The Call of Wisdom

20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street,

in the markets she raises her voice;

21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;

at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:

22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?

How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing

and fools hate knowledge?

23 If you turn at my reproof,

behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;

I will make my words known to you.

24 Because I have called and you refused to listen,

have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,

25 because you have ignored all my counsel

and would have none of my reproof,

26 I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when terror strikes you,

27 when terror strikes you like a storm

and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

when distress and anguish come upon you.

28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;

they will seek me diligently but will not find me.

29 Because they hated knowledge

and did not choose the fear of the LORD,

30 would have none of my counsel

and despised all my reproof,

31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,

and have their fill of their own devices.

32 For the simple are killed by their turning away,

and the complacency of fools destroys them;

33 but whoever listens to me will dwell secure

and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end. Amen.

A period of silence may follow.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

THE COLLECT

Visit this place, O Lord, and drive far from it all snares of the enemy; let your holy angels dwell with us to preserve us in peace; and let your blessing be upon us always; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

THE SONG OF SIMEON

Lord, now let your servant depart in peace,*

according to your word.

For my eyes have seen your salvation, *

which you have prepared before the face of all people;

To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, *

and to be the glory of your people Israel.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end. Amen.

Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.

CONCLUDING SENTENCE

The almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless us and keep us, this night and evermore.  Amen.

Mark 11:1-11 / Psalm 118:24-29

As we enter into Holy Week we look at a classic passage from Mark’s Gospel. This account depicts Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling prophesy.

Zechariah 9:9 (ESV) says

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your king is coming to you;

righteous and having salvation is he,

humble and mounted on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Jesus rode into town as a humble king. One who in every way could not only level with the people, but rule them with both humility and strength. He came not to take over in a physical sense, but rather to save and liberate His people from eternal separation from God. He rode into town as a humble servant, instead of a warrior king.

Saint Augustine said: The master of humility is Christ who humbled himself and became obedient even to death, even the death of the cross. Thus he does not lose his divinity when he teaches us humility.…

(Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (ACCS) (29 Vols.))

His arrival was worthy of Honor and his disciples led the charge by shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Here they sang a Hallel Psalm, Psalm 118. This Psalm was traditionally sung leading into passover as a petition to God, it was a song that was currently on the lips of the people.

Psalms 118:24-29 (ESV) says

24 This is the day that the LORD has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Save us, we pray, O LORD!

O LORD, we pray, give us success!

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!

We bless you from the house of the LORD.

27 The LORD is God,

and he has made his light to shine upon us.

Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,

up to the horns of the altar!

28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;

you are my God; I will extol you.

29 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever!

The word Hosanna in Hebrew means “Oh Save!” As the psalm began to be sung on the pilgrimage to the Temple for passover it started to take on a dual meaning. It went from being merely a word for help to also being an exclamation of praise looking forward to the Messianic Kingdom that was promised. Hosanna was a way of both asking for salvation, and praising God for his promise.

As those on their way to the temple sang to God asking for salvation, they were greeted with the Lord himself riding on a donkey ready to bring salvation to the world. Most Israelites were expecting a warrior king who would bring swift justice, what they got instead was a humble Lord who could relate in every way to his people, who came not to create an earthly kingdom that would fade away with time but rather an eternal glorious kingdom. They were greeted with a king who said these words to his people.

Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV) 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Now as we wait, we sing the same song. We sing to Christ knowing what he has already accomplished and knowing what he is returning to do. We sing because our Lord defies expectation, he is gentle and lowly, willing to take our yoke and trade it for rest in him.

Let the words of our lips sing forth His praise.“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

May peace and grace abound to you… I’ll see you next time.