WATCHWORD:
1-5 Listen to the Message that God is sending your way, House of Israel. Listen most carefully: Don’t take the godless nations as your models. Don’t be impressed by their glamour and glitz, no matter how much they’re impressed. The religion of these peoples is nothing but smoke. An idol is nothing but a tree chopped down, then shaped by a woodsman’s ax. They trim it with tinsel and balls, use hammer and nails to keep it upright. It’s like a scarecrow in a cabbage patch—can’t talk! Deadwood that has to be carried—can’t walk! Don’t be impressed by such stuff. It’s useless for either good or evil.”
6-9 All this is nothing compared to you, O God. You’re wondrously great, famously great. Who can fail to be impressed by you, King of the nations? It’s your very nature to be worshiped! Look far and wide among the elite of the nations. The best they can come up with is nothing compared to you. Jeremiah 10:1-9
Meditation:
Fearless Faith
I read in the news about a teenager who was escorted out of a shopping mall by police for wearing a “Jesus Christ is Lord” tee-shirt. How could that be? Why not? We’ve taken Jesus out of our schools, off the playgrounds, off our government buildings, so, why not take Him off the clothes on our backs?
That’s okay. Doesn’t hurt me. Not my shirt. Don’t be rude, don’t argue. Keep a low profile. In other words, if you want to follow Jesus, keep your head down and your mouth shut. Right? No! That is not what we believe. We said, ”If you want to follow Jesus – you have to follow Jesus.” Well, there are parts…eh.
How about, “Love others as I have loved you.” How about that? Love others? Not those people! Parading around like that! They are sinners to the core. They are evil through and through, and they are going to burn in hell.” Okay, is that your judgment?
You know that Thomas Jefferson had the “red-letter Bible” created to highlight the “most important parts”, mostly those parts he agreed with. Interesting. Do you suppose we should have a “purple-letter Bible” to highlight those parts we simply can’t and won’t abide? That way we can skip right over some parts and not worry about them. We will still have to struggle with the image of The Lord is my Shepherd, you know, it seems to suggest He is the Shepherd of all…He is your shepherd and of “those people”. Oh, oh.
It seems to me that hatred, venom, political zeal, and utter blindness is altering the equation: If you want to follow Jesus – Shhhh… keep it to yourself.
I like Pastor Allen Jackson and what he teaches. Most recently he has been preaching on a theme of “Courageous Faith”, calling us to be strong in our faith and truly follow Jesus. He speaks of the sacrament of Baptism as a time requiring courage to stand and say “Jesus is my Savior and Lord and I want to honor Him with my life.” The real courage, though, comes when we act that out in our everyday lives, on the street, where we live, in the work place and in our relationship with all others.
I think most of my life I have not lived out with a courageous faith. When I’ve been confronted with an opportunity that Jesus has structured and placed before me, I have, in effect, denied Him. In my private time with him, many times I have muttered “Please forgive me when I have not follow you, Lord.” He guides me back on the path he leads me to follow.
How about you? Would you prefer the purple-letter Bible, to salve your conscience, maybe a little? Or do you follow Jesus without any exceptions? Courageous faith. Fearless faith. Amen.
Bulletin Board:
Memorial Day weekend. A time of remembrance. Remembering the loved ones that are no longer with us. Remembering those who stepped up, put their lives on the line, for our freedoms, for our vey lives. Maybe we should also remember the sacrifice of One who hung on a cross and died for our every sin. Now there is a remembrance worth holding dear. If you want to follow Jesus, you have to follow Jesus. Lest we forget.
Pastor Jackson Prayer:
Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I have gone underground with my faith. Help me to be Your servant – faithful to Your character in word and deed – demonstrating Your love and truth to my family, friends, and community. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
