pray
OLIT Post for July 27, 2025, Proper 12, Year C
Resources for July 27, 2025, Proper 12:
Christ the Image of God
Blog: https://lifeinthetrinity.blog/2022/07/11/making-requests-of-god/
Printable Blog: https://lifeinthetrinity.blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/making-requests-of-god.pdf
Audio: https://lifeinthetrinity.blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/olitsermonlindarex2022jul24.m4a
The Perfect Atonement
By Linda Rex
November 3, 2024, Proper 26—This year on October 11, 2024, many observed a special day called Yom Kippur. On this important day of the year, the holiest on the Jewish calendar, many fast and pray, cease from all labor, and gather together for a special service. In Leviticus 16, we learn there were specific sacrifices that the ancient nation of Israel observed on this day, which is often known as the Day of Atonement.
Two goats would be offered, and each would have a specific role to play—one would be offered to God in sacrifice for the sins of the people. Blood from the goat offered to God would be taken by the high priest into the most holy place (never entered except by the high priest on this day, once a year), and the high priest would sprinkle it on the mercy seat and in the tent of meeting, purifying them. And then there would be a bull offered as well, for the high priest’s cleansing, and its blood would be offered with that of the goat, and the great altar would be cleansed. Then the other goat would have the sins of the people laid on it, and as Azazel’s goat, it would be sent out into the desert to carry away the sins of the people. There were many more offerings than just this (Lev. 23:26-32; Num. 29:7-11), but what I’ve shared so far enables us to begin to see the significance of our New Testament passage for this Sunday, Hebrews 9:11-14.
In all those years of animals being offered in sacrifice, the Levite high priest offered up the means of grace given them by God for the annual renewal of the covenant for the ancient Jewish people. The sins of the people were cleansed, the covenant renewed, but only an external cleansing or purification occurred. Nothing was done for the inward work of transformation which was actually needed.
Now, though, because Jesus is the perfect offering, the person who had no sin, who lived a genuine human existence as the Son of God in human flesh, we have a greater, more perfect sacrifice. He willingly walked the road to the cross, allowed himself to be crucified, because he knew he was fulfilling every one of these sacred events in the life of his people. He would be both the goat who was offered and the goat who took away our sins once and for all. He would be the bull who would cleanse us of our own personal sins. He would be both the great High Priest and the perfect Atonement, for us.
The author of Hebrews explains how the Son of God came in human flesh and took on the role of our high priest through his own sacrificial self-offering. In this particular passage, the author explains that Jesus Christ entered into “the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands…not of this creation.” The tabernacle being described is actually heaven itself, for the Son of God, having taken on human flesh, lived a genuine human existence, was crucified and died, and was resurrected. Like the high priest who “ascended” into the holy of holies to offer the sacred sacrifice once a year, Jesus ascended into glory, still bearing our humanity, and offered himself in our place on our behalf. Today he continues to act as our divine Mediator and High Priest. Jesus has become our place of perfect rest in relationship with God, for he offers our prayers up to the Father in the Spirit, and offers us the high priest blessing of peace in return. Because he is without blemish, perfect in every aspect, he fulfills the sacred aspects of this day in his own person. As Thomas F. Torrance says, “Christ Jesus IS the atonement” (TFT, Atonement, 94).
Unlike the human high priest who had to offer a bull for his own personal cleansing, Jesus did not need any special offering for himself. As God in human flesh, Jesus was the perfect Lamb of God, as John the Baptizer described him, who was offered for the sins of all. Jesus was filled with the Spirit from conception, received the anointing of the Spirit for ministry, and lived and walked by the Spirit throughout his life and ministry. He lived in perfect unity with his Father in the Spirit each day, and was ever faithful in the Word of God and prayer.
Not only is Jesus the One who intercedes for us, but he is also the One who is sacrificed for us. What is cleansed is not just the outer person, but the inward person. For Jesus, in his perfect life and death and resurrection, writes God’s law on our inward parts, and then sends us the Spirit after his ascension so we can begin to live as new persons, in right relationship with his Father in the Spirit as we trust in him and walk in the Spirit. As the author of Hebrews says, “how much more” will Christ’s blood cleanse our inner mind and heart, enabling us to serve God as he always intended? This was always God’s plan, and in Jesus Christ, he accomplished it! And this sounds to me like some very, very good news!
Dear Trinity, thank you for the marvelous work you have done to bring us into relationship with yourself through Jesus in the Spirit. Thank you, dear Jesus, for your perfect self-offering, and for standing as our High Priest, interceding for us and mediating for us in the Spirit at all times. Thank you, heavenly Spirit, for growing us up into the maturity that is Christ. We are simply grateful for all you have done and are doing. Amen.
“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He centered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 9:11–14 NASB
“But now Christ has made his public appearance as High Priest of a perfect tabernacle. The good things that were predicted have arrived. This new tabernacle does not derive from its shadow type, the previous man-made one. It is the reality. As High Priest, his permission to enter the Holy Place was not secured by the blood of beasts. By his own blood he obtained access on behalf of the human race. Only one act was needed for him to enter the most sacred place of grace and there to institute a ransom of perpetual consequence. The blood of beasts and the ashes of the burnt sacrifice of a heifer could only achieve a very temporal and surface cleansing by being sprinkled on the guilty. How much more effective was the blood of Christ, when he presented his own flawless life through the eternal Spirit before God, in order to purge your conscience from its frustration under the cul-de-sac rituals of the law. There is no comparison between a guilt- and duty-driven, dead religious system, and the vibrancy of living your life free from a sin-consciousness! This is what the new testament priesthood is all about!” Hebrews 9:11–14 Mirror Bible
“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4–9 NASB
[Printable copy: https://lifeinthetrinity.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/olitthe-perfect-atonement.pdf ]
[More devotionals may be found at https://lifeinthetrinity.blog ]
[Related study questions: https://lifeinthetrinitystudies.wordpress.com/group-study-questions-based-on-the-revised-common-lectionary-year-b/ ]
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[Art work and poetry: https://lifeinthetrinitystudies.wordpress.com/olitcreative/ ]
Our Life of Fellowship
by Linda Rex
September 29, 2024, Proper 21 | After Pentecost—Back in 2013, I accomplished a huge goal in my life by completing my Master of Pastoral Studies degree at Grace Communion Seminary. As part of this project, I wrote a thesis on the New Testament passage which happens to be one of the RCL passages for this Sunday, James 5:13–20.
I had to do an extensive exegesis on the passage, and also examine it in the light of historic orthodox Christian teaching, as well as within the context of our theological journey within Grace Communion International. As I began to study this passage, I examined it in the light of Christ-centered Trinitarian theology, since Jesus needs to be the lens through which I look. Even though my thesis had to do with the importance role relationships play in experiencing health and wholeness, it brought forth some important nuances about our life of faith within the Body of Christ, and what our life of fellowship with one another should look like.
Here is a summary passage from that thesis:
God has called us all into relationship with himself in Christ by the Spirit. As believers we live in relationship with one another in Christ, as well as in union with the Father, Son and Spirit. Throughout all of life, we are to live in relationship with God, responding to him in prayer and in songs of praise in the good times and bad. As believers, we live as members of the Body of Christ in the Spirit, and as such we have a responsibility to one another. When a brother or sister is ill, they are encouraged to call for the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them so they may experience the care and concern of both God and their brothers and sisters. When a brother or sister is struggling with weaknesses, we minister God’s grace to them in prayer and/or in other ways. We are encouraged to confess our faults to one another and to pray for one another so we may be free. And we call erring brothers and sisters back to their center in Christ when they wander away. As we participate with Christ in his ministry of care for others, we share in the spiritual blessings that come from the harvest he seeks in the lives of his people as he conforms them to Christ.
As you can see, life in fellowship with others is vibrant, alive, and active. It is a life of sharing, caring, and serving one another. There is a responsibility to one another, and a deep sense of humility, joy, obedience, and reverence before God, as we walk in intimate relationship with him.
When we look at our Christian fellowships today, how many of them look like this? I don’t say that to be critical, but to show that the Holy Spirit does not change. When the Holy Spirit draws us together into spiritual fellowships—this is what it looks like. This is where Jesus Christ shows up—living in us, with us, and through us by his Spirit. This is where the Father’s presence rests, and we live in the joy of mutual indwelling through Jesus in the Spirit. In my mind, this looks a lot like what GCI calls healthy church.
The question is not whether our church is or is not following some guideline to be healthy church. The question is, are we in union and communion with our Triune God—Father, Son, and Spirit? Are we united with Christ? If so, then, how are we living that out in our relationships with one another? Living it out relationship with one another looks like getting into face-to-face relationships with people who may be like us or different than us. And relationships can be very messy, and difficult. In fact, some relationships may be even painful or distressing. And that may make us very uncomfortable.
But the point is—we never do any of this alone. There is one human being who has dealt with just about any kind of person that has ever existed—and he still lives as God in human flesh—the resurrected Jesus Christ. Our ability to live with others in warm fellowship is made possible by Jesus Christ living in and through us by the Holy Spirit. It is the life of Christ actively flowing in and through us which brings about this warm fellowship which characterizes the Body of Christ. Are we opening ourselves up to the Holy Spirit? Do we draw close to God through listening to his Word, praying, and practicing the many other spiritual disciplines such as silence, solitude, generosity, and service? These are things we do to open ourselves up to allow God to live his life of warm fellowship in and through us. And this is our life of fellowship as the Body of Christ.
Heavenly Father, Jesus, Spirit, thank you for including us in your life and love. Thank you, Jesus, for all you have done and are doing to make this possible. And thank you, heavenly Spirit, for always and forever working in and through us to enable us to live in fellowship with you, God, and one another, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
“Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. Elijah was aa man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” James 5:13–20 NASB
[Printable copy: https://lifeinthetrinity.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/olitour-life-of-fellowship.pdf ]
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Rooted and Grounded in Love
By Linda Rex
July 28, 2024, Proper 12 | After Pentecost—One of the prayers I find myself praying out of the Bible is the New Testament passage for this Sunday, Ephesians 3:14-21. Praying the scriptures is a great way to participate in the divine conversation between our Father and his Son Jesus in the Spirit.
In this particular prayer, the apostle Paul brings the believers in Ephesia back to their central identity in Christ. He begins by stating that every nation, family, and person finds their source or name in our heavenly Father, who created all things through Jesus Christ and by the Spirit, to reflect his very being. In Paul’s reflective prayer we find expressed his adoration of this one God, who indwells humans and grounds them in the love freely flowing between the Father and Son in the Spirit.
As we face the conflict and polarization found so often within our current culture, it is important to remind ourselves of where we find our origin, and what our purpose is in this world. So often our culture and society seek to define us and to tell us who we are and who we need to pledge our allegiance to. We find ourselves drawn to take sides and to embrace hostility, hate, and violence as the means to effectively enforce our distinctions and differences. We seem to forget, in the process of trying to protect ourselves and our position, that we were not created to live in this way.
As those grounded in the love of God in Christ by the Spirit, we are, whether we like it or not, bound to one another with cords that cannot be broken. Christ has brought the entire human race together in his person as God in human flesh, having lived our life, died our death, and risen, and returned into glory, and sent the Spirit. Our differences and distinctions were intended to create a greater, more magnificent whole, rather than creating a conflagration of anger and hate, resulting in conflicting sides. What a tragedy, that in this time when there needs to be a unified effort towards a greater, more peaceful and holy oneness, we have instead found more and more ways to create division and disunity!
That great American experiment that is our nation was meant to be a collection of persons from many backgrounds, ethnicities, and races joined together in equality into one nation, unified and free. Our experience of this ideal has been mixed and often far from what was intended. It most certainly has not been a true reflection of our Triune God. If we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that too often we have not been free, but enslaved in some way—to debt, to addictions, to materialism, to hedonism. Many of us have been at odds with one another in some way, refusing to let go of our prejudices, our positions of power or position or wealth, to love and serve one another. How we desperately need to pray this prayer of unity, calling us up to who we are in Christ!
No human government will ever be an expression of the kingdom of God on earth, for the kingdom of God is meant to be established within human hearts and lives. It is God, through Jesus in the Spirit, coming to live in human hearts who realigns us with the truth of our existence. It is God’s power at work in this world, in and through us, who enables us to reframe our existence and our identity within the Triune life and love, in Father, Son, and Spirit. It in Christ in us by the Spirit who unifies us and makes us one.
We need to be wary of anyone who uses religion as a means to promote a new national agenda. We are not Christian nationalists. Instead, we need to come humbly before the God who elevates and demotes leaders of nations, and seek his direction and will. It is God, who dwells eternally in other-centered, self-giving love, who directs our steps and guides our decisions. He is the one who “finds his ultimate expression” in us as human beings, and who will move to accomplish his purposes and plans as we respond to the lead of his Spirit. He knows what he has in mind and who it is he would have accomplish it. As we trust in his love, his indwelling presence through Jesus in the Spirit will do more than we could ever ask or imagine.
… I bow my knees before you, Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of your glory you may grant that we may be strengthened with power through your Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith—that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that we may be filled with all your fullness, dear God. Now to you who are able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to you be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. [drawn from the ESV]
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:14–21 NASB
“Overwhelmed by what grace communicates, I bow my knees in awe before the Father. Every family in heaven and on earth originates in him; his is mankind’s family name and he remains the authentic identity of every nation. I desire for you to realize what the Father has always envisaged for you, so that you may know the magnitude of his intent and be dynamically reinforced in your inner being by the Spirit of God. This will ignite your faith to fully grasp the reality of the indwelling Christ. You are rooted and founded in love. Love is your invisible inner source, just like the root system of a tree and the foundation of a building. Love is your reservoir of super human strength which causes you to see everyone equally sanctified in the context of the limitless extent of love’s breadth and length and the extremities of its dimensions in depth and height. I desire for you to become intimately acquainted with the love of Christ on the deepest possible level; far beyond the reach of a mere academic, intellectual grasp. Within the scope of this equation God finds the ultimate expression of himself in you. We celebrate him who supercharges us powerfully from within. Our biggest request or most amazing dream cannot match the extravagant proportion of his thoughts towards us. He is both the author and the conclusion of the glory on display in the ekklesia, mirrored in Christ Jesus. The encore continues throughout every generation, not only in this age but also in the countless ages to come. Amen!”
Ephesians 3:14-21 Mirror Bible
[Printable copy: https://lifeinthetrinity.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/olitrooted-and-grounded-in-love.pdf ]
[More devotionals may be found at https://lifeinthetrinity.blog ]
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When We Cannot Pray
By Linda Rex
May 19, 2024, Day of Pentecost | Easter—One of the reasons people give for not being a Christ follower is that they do not believe they could ever be a person of prayer. Our understanding of prayer and all that it involves is often influenced by the way in which we were raised. I personally could never talk to God using “thee” and “thou” because this manner of prayer seems distant and disconnected from God. Others find this language quite helpful and needful. Our exposure to people who pray a certain way may also cause us to believe prayer is something we never want to do or never could do well.
Over the years, the Lord has helped me to come to a deeper understanding of what it means to pray. I have learned that prayer, when it starts with me and is about me, is often a self-centered or dictating monologue, where I tell God what he should do and what I want or expect from him. This is not what prayer is meant to be. As Jesus taught us to pray, our conversations with God are to revolve around Jesus Christ, the will of our heavenly Father, and his kingdom purposes being worked out here on earth by his Spirit. Prayer recognizes and confesses the love of God for us, and his care and provision for us each day.
As we come in the cycle of the Christian calendar to this day of Pentecost, we are reminded of the precious gift given to all—the Holy Spirit. The Spirit awakens us to faith in Christ, draws us together into spiritual community, the Body of Christ or the Church, wherever and however it gathers in the name of Jesus and worships God in Spirit and in truth. As believers are united with Christ by the Spirit, they participate in the inner fellowship of Father and Son in the Spirit.
In our New Testament passage, Romans 8:22–27, we are reminded that being swept up into the inner life and love of the Trinity means we participate in their fellowship with one another. This is where prayer begins—not within ourselves, but within the face-to-face relationship of our Father and his Son in the Spirit. Jesus gives us the things of the Father in the Spirit. And our response through prayer and worship is given to the Father by Jesus in the Spirit. We open ourselves up to the Spirit and remain in a position of listening and humble openness. Doing this, we know in our own spirit the desires of our Father and are moved to pray in agreement with God’s will.
The apostle Paul reminds us that all of creation longs for the transformation of all God’s children, for then creation will be restored to God’s original design. Our longing for heaven and all its glories is an expression of our own yearning for restoration and renewal. We long to be what God always meant us to be—beloved children living in union and communion with God—whether we realize it or not. The agonies and sufferings that go with our current existence, whether personal or global, are all a part of the process of what Paul describes as spiritual pregnancy. Birth pangs come unexpectedly and last however long it takes for the birth of the child. God has been working for millennia to bring his children home to himself. He is never in a hurry, it seems. We may wish he would hurry up. But he will bring us all, in his good time, to the glory he always designed us to share in.
The union and communion evident within the inner relations of Father, Son, and Spirit are fundamental to our understanding of what it means for us to pray. Even though each member of the Trinity is unique, the Persons of the Trinity are so well united that each one knows the other’s thoughts and intents. This is how the Spirit knows the mind, heart and will of our heavenly Father. And our Father knows the mind, heart, and will of Jesus and of the Spirit. And Jesus is one with his Father and one with the Spirit. It is this deep, whole knowing we are brought into through Jesus in the Spirit. This is God’s design for every human being—that we each participate in this deep knowing and being known.
We so often trivialize prayer into a brief formula or ritual. And there are times when prayer seems to be impossible or difficult. We may know it is something we should do, but our prayers seem only to reach the ceiling. It is important to remember that prayer begins within the Triune life and love where we are held, accepted, and beloved. Jesus prays for us. The Spirit intercedes for us. When we cannot come up with the words, it is God through Jesus in the Spirit living in us, who prays in our place and on our behalf.
This is why even written prayers or prayers from a common prayer book can be so powerful. It is our own spirit communing with God through Jesus by the Spirit which is central to prayer. Having a prayer partner, or a small group, who is Spirit-filled and Spirit-led, can be very helpful in enabling us to commune with God in prayer. I’m grateful to my friend Paula, who has faithfully prayed with me each week for many years. Our weekly prayer time has helped me to weather the dry seasons in my relationship with God, and to grow spiritually as we faced life challenges and difficulties together. It takes a willingness to be vulnerable, patient and understanding of each other’s differences, and the grace of God’s Spirit to come together with others to pray. But it is well worth it.
One day we will realize that prayer is nothing more than close, intimate conversation with Someone who knows us thoroughly and loves us completely. We will see that often the best prayers are when we are listening and responding to God’s concern for his world and others. Our hearts will warm as we hear the voice of God’s Spirit speaking Jesus’ “Abba, Father” in our spirit, reminding us we are beloved, forgiven and accepted. We will understand that God has always been reaching out to us, sharing himself with us through Jesus in the Spirit, and including us in his life and love. And all the things we have made prayer into will fall away as we meet our Lord face-to-face in glory. How we, and all God’s creation, long for that day!
Thank you, Father, for your desire to have us be your beloved children, who live in close, loving fellowship with you through your Son in the Spirit. Teach us to pray, Lord. Enable us to listen more than speak, to hear your affirmations of your love and grace, and to allow your Spirit to lead us as we pray. Thank you, Jesus, for bringing us into the center of your Triune life and love. In your name and by your Spirit, we pray. Amen.
“For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:22–27 NASB
[Printable copy: https://lifeinthetrinity.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/olitwhen-we-cannot-pray.pdf ]
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A Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation
By Linda Rex
May 12, 2024, Ascension Sunday | Easter—This Sunday, as we reach the end of the Easter season, we pause to consider the ascension of Jesus Christ. This often overlooked celebration is actually an important part of the Christian calendar. Jesus Christ did not just rise from the grave, bringing all of humanity through death into resurrection. He also ascended, to be seated at the Father’s right hand in glory in the fellowship of the Spirit.
Apart from the ascension, our human flesh would not have been brought home with the resurrected Jesus into face to face union with his Father in the Spirit. Apart from Jesus’ ascension, we would not have been sent the gift of the Holy Spirit sent from his Father. It is the Spirit through whom Jesus and his Father come to dwell in each of us. By faith, the Spirit makes our very own what Jesus has forged for us all in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension. And the coming of the Spirit is what we celebrate on Pentecost, which will be next Sunday, May 19th.
The apostle Paul, in our New Testament reading for Ascension Sunday, records how he constantly prays for the church members in the various congregations to whom this circular letter was sent. Paul is very grateful to God for their faith in the Lord Jesus. The apostle’s most urgent plea is for those hearing the letter to be given “a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” The only way that any of us can come to know God, or come to understand his calling, his power, or his glory, is by God’s Spirit giving us enlightenment. And Paul says that this is only possible because of the resurrection power which brought Jesus up from death at work in each of us by the Holy Spirit. As we pray for enlightenment, for ourselves or others, God begins to open our minds and hearts up to the truth.
Paul also acknowledges that whatever we may do as those gathering in Jesus’ name, we do only as participants in Jesus’ life with his Father in the Spirit. His heavenly Father has placed all things under Jesus’ feet, and made him head of the church, which is made up of those who by faith are united with Jesus in his death and resurrection. Consider for a moment what it means that God in Christ is reigning over all.
Then consider even more deeply what it means that human flesh in Jesus Christ is reigning over all. The ramifications of this are mind-blowing. But isn’t that the way God always meant it to be? From the beginning, God intended human beings to participate with him in reigning over all he had made. He gave humans the responsibility to tend the earth, to be stewards of all he had made. But we chose to go our own way and to follow the lead of the evil one, who ever stands in opposition to God and seeks to divide, destroy, ruin, and enslave at every point. The evil one, who does not submit to God’s will and God’s love, is ever drawing us to follow him and obey his will or our own self-will instead.
No matter how powerful or intense the evil one is, he cannot stand against what God has done for humankind in the person of Jesus Christ. In Jesus, now, human beings are united with God in a way where they will never be separated, ever. Jesus has and will forevermore, be fully human and fully God. We, as Paul says, are God’s portion. We are God’s inheritance. What God has done in the Lord Jesus Christ, he has done for each and every person, whether they know it or believe it or not. The gift has been purchased, wrapped and sent—will we leave in on the desk and never touch it? Will we push it away and refuse it? Or will we simply rip it open and begin to enjoy the benefits of this precious gift each and every moment of the rest of our life.
Moving our thoughts away from ourselves at this point is critical. Here we look at the example of Paul and his heart towards those who would hear the words in this circular letter. He was praying that they not only would receive the gift given, but that they would revel in it and be able to experience the full benefits of the gift they were given in Jesus Christ. As we go about our daily lives, who might we pray this prayer for? How might our life in relationship with family, friends, and community be different if we prayed this prayer over those we encounter day by day? As we ask the Lord for his enlightenment, his wisdom, and all the other things Paul mentions here, perhaps we might also ask the Lord to give us heart to pray for others that they too to be given the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.
As we pray this prayer over those God puts in our minds and hearts, we may discover ourselves swept up into what Jesus is doing in this world by the Spirit. And we may find ourselves held in the midst of the life and love of our Father and his Son in the Spirit. And we can rejoice, for that is where we were always meant to be.
Heavenly Father, thank you for all those you have brought to yourself, and those you have created for your glory. May your precious Spirit enlighten each and every person. May you draw each one closer to you and bring them to a deeper faith in your Son Jesus. May your perfect love enable us to see and experience the resurrection power of Jesus at work in us and in the lives of those near us and dear to us, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
“For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:15–23 NASB
“Now He said to them, ‘These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.’ And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising God.” Luke 24:44–53 NASB
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Compelled by the Gospel
By Linda Rex
February 4, 2024, 5th Sunday in Epiphany—I’ve always been fascinated by the story of the apostle Paul. I’ve often wondered how often he heard Jesus preach and whether he was one of the people who tried to trap Jesus with questions and sought to have him killed before his crucifixion. The profound change which occurred in Paul’s life when he encountered the risen Lord years later is remarkable and seems almost impossible. And still, it is beautiful to witness such a tremendous change in a person’s life when it does happen.
Paul’s experience of the living, resurrected Jesus was so life-altering that he began to preach the gospel he formerly had rejected. And he joined himself gladly to the group he formerly had persecuted and put in prison. He felt no shame in declaring that Jesus Christ was Lord of all, and that it was necessary to repent and be baptized in his name.
In fact, in the passage for this Sunday, 1 Corinthians 9:16–23, we find the apostle Paul declaring that he felt compelled to preach this gospel. The Mirror Bible has Paul saying, “this Gospel has my arm twisted and locked behind my back!” He could not be silent about what had so dramatically changed the direction of his life. And he got great satisfaction in preaching this good news at no cost to the people he served. Rather, he made himself a servant to them, adjusting himself to the needs and preferences of those around him, within the limits of his Christ-life, so that he could win new converts to Christ.
I find this passage to be challenging at times, for I wonder how well I myself have responded to the calling God has given me to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Paul calls this good news we have been given a stewardship—a responsibility for the sake of the one to whom this good news belongs. In other words, do I recall daily that my focus needs to be serving Jesus Christ and sharing his good news with others? This isn’t just because I happen to have a master’s degree in pastoral studies, but because I have been given God’s grace and am made a participant in Christ by grace through faith. Every one of us has been given this gift—but do we share it with others?
Every one of us who has come to faith in Christ has been given the blessing and gift of the good news of Jesus. So, in that sense, we each have a stewardship of the gospel. We are made stewards of the good news of Jesus Christ, and Paul encourages us by his example to do whatever is necessary so that we can share this good news with others in such a way that they are able to understand it, experience it, and believe it. This is done through both word and deed, and as Paul demonstrates, involves meeting people where they are to bring them along with us into the embrace of the Father through Jesus in the Spirit.
I’m learning that it is easy to get wrapped up in my personal preferences when it comes to living out the gospel as I understand it. It is easy to get so locked into a particular belief system that I don’t make room for someone who is struggling, or who has been wounded, or who simply needs to experience the love of God in Christ through my words and actions.
Historically, I was taught as a child to not be involved with people who weren’t a part of my fellowship. In fact, I was taught to see them with suspicion and to hold them at arm’s length. I find that today I have to pray fervently for God to tear down these walls and do the necessary work to bring me into relationship with people so that I can share the good news with them and show them God’s love. Thankfully, God is always faithful to enable us to reach out with his love and grace when we seek his empowerment and guidance. He goes ahead of us and provides divine appointments in which to do this. I truly appreciated Dan Roger’s recent sermon on this topic—I encourage you to watch it (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YOWpITjaRo).
Our challenge in this new year as those who follow Christ is to participate with Jesus in what he is doing today to share the good news with every person in the world. What is Jesus up to and how can we join in? Perhaps this is something we can begin to make a part of our everyday prayer life, as we listen to the Lord and seek to follow the lead of his Spirit. I would be interested in hearing from you about ways in which the Lord enabled you personally to participate in his ongoing ministry of sharing the good news with others.
Heavenly Father, thank you for including us in your life and love, through your Son Jesus Christ and in the Spirit. Lord Jesus, who would you like me to share this good news with today? How would you have me love and serve this person, these people, you have brought me into relationship with? Grant me the grace to love courageously, serve humbly, and speak boldly the words of life, in your name, empowered by your Spirit. Amen.
“For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.” 1 Corinthians 9:16–23 NASB
“I live to preach; it consumes my total being. Your money is not going to make any difference since this Gospel has my arm twisted and locked behind my back! In fact, my life would be reduced to utter misery if it were not possible for me to preach the good news! If this was a mere career choice, then surely you could hire or fire me! But I am not for sale; I am employed by the economy of persuasion! So what’s in it for me, you may ask? The pleasure of declaring the Gospel of Christ at no expense is priceless! No, I am not cheating anyone or myself by foregoing the rights I might have as a preacher. So in a sense I am free from everyone’s expectation or management; yet I have voluntarily enslaved myself to all people. This beats any other motivation to influence people. I am like a Jew to the Jew to win them; I am disguised as a legalist to win those stuck under the law! To the Gentiles who have no regard for Jewish sentiment, I became like one without any obligation to Jewish laws to win them! Don’t get me wrong; I am not sinning to identify with the sinners! I am in the law of Christ! I am so persuaded about every person’s inclusion in Christ that I desire to be everything I need to be in order to win everyone’s understanding of their union with Christ. I do not present myself as super strong to the weak, but rather expose myself to their weakness in order to win them. I do not distance myself from anyone. My mission is to be exactly what is required of me in every possible situation to bring salvation to every kind of person, whoever they are! The gospel explains my lifestyle; it is so much more than a pulpit ministry to me. My life is inseparably joined to you in the fellowship of the good news!” 1 Corinthians 9:16–23 Mirror Bible
“In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. Simon and his companions searched for Him; they found Him, and said to Him, ‘Everyone is looking for You.’ He said to them, ‘Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.’ And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons.” Mark 1:35–39 NASB
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Talking to the Air
by Linda Rex
July 30, 2023, Proper 12 | After Pentecost—When I talk to some people about praying to God, they get extremely uncomfortable, especially if I mention Jesus or the Holy Spirit. For some people, doing this is the equivalent of having a tooth filled or being asked to give an impromptu speech before a stadium full of people. One believer said it was totally awkward talking to the air as though someone was there that they could not see—it felt weird and psycho. Other people I know believe prayer is best done at church, and saw no reason that it should be done at any other time. After all, this religious stuff is only for when we’re in church and has nothing to do with our everyday lives, right?
I’m sure you realize I am being facetious, and not serious. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that it’s not about getting our location of worship correct—it’s about worshiping God in Spirit and in truth (John 4:21-24). Jesus brought it out of the realm of religiosity and ritual into the space of personal relationship. Jesus, in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension brought all of us up into his own union and communion with his Father in the Spirit, and by the Spirit we participate in their inner life and love. The apostle Paul teaches that our bodies are the temple of the Spirit of God corporately and individually, with the indwelling Spirit enabling us to freely participate in intimate fellowship with God and each other as God always meant for us to do.
The apostle Paul in our reading for this Sunday, Romans 8:26–39, reminds the believers in Rome that in Jesus Christ the incarnate Son, the elect chosen One, all persons are elect and chosen, “predestined to be conformed to the image of [God’s] Son” (v. 29). In our gospel reading for today, Matthew 13:31–33, 44–52, Jesus’ parables point not only to the catholicity (the universal or cosmic scope) of the gospel, but also to the reality that God does all the heavy lifting. What we do is participate in what Jesus has already done, is doing today by his Holy Spirit, and will do when he returns in glory.
Paul explains that rather than working so hard to justify ourselves, we rest in the reality of God justifying us and glorifying us. Rather than trying to get ourselves right with God, we accept the reality that Jesus made/makes us right with God. Jesus interceded for us and continues to intercede for us as our advocate with the Father in the Spirit. And when we can’t seem to come up with the words we need to say, the Spirit intercedes for us, enabling us to commune with the Father through his Son Jesus and find healing and restoration. In this whole scenario, we find the triune God—Father, Son, and Spirit—bringing us into right relationship with himself, doing the hard work of uniting us with himself.
Our joy in all this is that the triune God—Father, Son, and Spirit—are for us. In other words, who can stand against us if the God of all stands in our place, advocating on our behalf, defending us and reconciling us? And our other joy is that nothing—in heaven or on earth—can separate us from God’s love. Not even the worst possible thing this world could possibly come up with. Not even the evil one or his demons.
So, we are invited to talk with our triune God, in every circumstance, in every situation, at all times. We are encouraged to speak to him as Father, as brother, as friend, and as mother. We are asked to give him our attention—to listen to him to hear his response, whether by written Word of God, or the myriad ways in which the Spirit finds to communicate with us through books, conversations, podcasts, videos, devotionals, worship music, spiritual disciplines, or the inner still small voice of the Spirit.
Having a conversation with God may require the use of what Larry Hinkle of Odyssey in Christ calls our “sanctified imagination.” It may mean stretching ourselves a little out of our comfort zone to try something new and scary, that may feel a bit weird at first. But in time, we may discover that it has become as normal as putting on clothes in the morning, or sending a friend a text. We may be surprised to find that it has actually become a part of who we are, something we always were meant to do as a part of our everyday life as God’s beloved children. And we will also discover that we are beginning to look just a little more like Jesus in the process.
Dear God—Father, Son, Spirit—thank you for loving us so much that you have done all that is needed for us to be in right relationship with you. Thank you, Jesus, and thank you, Holy Spirit, for interceding for us so faithfully. As we begin to take steps toward deepening our relationship with you, enable us to see with the inner eyes of your Spirit, and to hear and obey your Word to us, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, ‘For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:26–39 NASB
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From Death Into Life
by Linda Rex
April 23, 2023, 3rd Sunday in Easter or Resurrection—Today I was glancing at the headlines on one of my news feeds, and was struck by the strenuous effort being put into grabbing the attention of viewers. From the potential of catastrophic world conflict, to another mass shooting, to the destruction of natural resources, and so on, the amount of negative news, of death in some form or another, was significant.
Reading or looking at the news is a lot different than actually going through a tragic or horrific experience ourselves. In the same way, knowing that death has occurred is one thing. Realizing we ourselves are the ones who brought it about is another. It takes the movement of the Spirit within for us to be pierced to the heart and realize we are just as guilty as the one who pulls the trigger. It’s so much easier to point the finger at another than it is to have the humility and honesty to confess our own resentment, bitterness, hatred, or vengeful spirit.
Coming to terms with our own participation in Jesus’ death is important—not so we can stay in a place of guilt or self-condemnation, but so we can move with Jesus through death into resurrection. In what way is death at work in you and in your life? The way to see this is to examine what doesn’t look like Jesus in his perfect relationship with his heavenly Father. Ouch! That leaves a lot which may need to be left in the tomb with Jesus, doesn’t it?
But our honesty and humility about our need for Jesus is helpful here. We want to be like those who first heard the apostle Peter stand up to preach on Pentecost after the gift of the Spirit was given. When he explained to the crowd just whom they had recently crucified, they were devastated. But then they asked the right question: “What shall we do?” What Peter called them to was a turning around, back into relationship with Father, through Jesus, in the Spirit. He told them to demonstrate their repentance and receiving of God’s grace and his Spirit, this transformational change in their lives through baptism (Acts 2:36–37).
Later, in his epistle, Peter explained the cost of this redemption. It cost everything—the Creator of all offering himself freely, as God in human flesh, as a precious, unblemished Lamb, Jesus Christ, for our sakes. God always knew this would be what it cost for us to share in his life and still, the Son of God voluntarily gave himself over to be crucified. This profound expression of God’s love is the truth of our essence as those meant to be image-bearers of the Triune God. Because” God so loved the world”, we, through Christ, with sincere and pure hearts, love others “fervently.”
Because there was a great cost to our redemption and reconciliation with God, we live accordingly—with love and reverence toward God and genuine, other-centered love for others. The things that died with Jesus have no place in our lives anymore. As the apostle Paul said, we are no longer known by them. No, in Christ, we are new creatures—reflections of the Son of God, the perfect image-bearer of the Father. Because this is what is truth about us, we live like it.
In a world where this spiritual reality seems to be just a magical dream, we are called to lay down our lives, pick up our cross, and follow Jesus. This means death and resurrection. There is no resurrection without death coming first—death to all that was before. Then resurrection, washing away all that does not belong anymore in the new life which is ours in Christ.
So, in this world where death seems to be in control, we pray. Pray for the sick. Pray for those who cause pain and suffering for others. Pray for the bullies in this world—they come in all shapes and sizes. Pray for those held captive by greed, gluttony, addiction, power, popularity and every other chain this world offers. Pray for those who enslave others, who use others, and who destroy others. And we participate with Christ in bringing his life into these places where death seems to be reigning.
We pray and serve, because all of this death has already been swept up in Jesus’ death, and taken through the miracle of his resurrection. The stone has already been moved from the grave. Jesus has already risen. God’s Spirit is present and active in this world, and Christ is at work. We need to be about our Father’s business and join in, participating through prayer and service in what Jesus’ is doing to bring life where there is only death. Hallelujah!
Dear Father, we seem to only see and hear death anymore. We long to see and experience your triumph over death, Jesus. So, by your Spirit, move in our world, move in our lives, and do what only you can do. Transform us by your Spirit. Heal our families, our homes, our schools and universities, our governments, our society on every level. And heal us, Lord. We need you desperately. Amen.
“The cords of death encompassed me and the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the LORD: ‘O LORD, I beseech You, save my life!’ What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me? I shall lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the LORD.” Psalm 116:3–4, 12–13 NASB
“If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.” Peter 1:17–23 NASB
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