Grave

"You have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God," Romans 6:22.

Well. That hardly sounds like fun. I mean, the being set free part sounds great, but becoming slaves? of God? What means this? Don't want to be a slave to nobody. Want to be free! Don't want anybody, not the PC persons, not the government, not even God, and especially not super-righteous people telling how to live my life. Yeah. So, Scripture asks, How's it going? Doing your own thing giving you all you hoped? Are you free from consequences of stupid decisions? Find yourself blaming others more and more for your lot in life? Finding greater meaning for your short life? Does the grave loom nearer? Here's what the Good Book says: Slaves of God become more like God, and then they get life forever. Solid, worthy, satisfying, good life. Forever. Sky kingdom.

Touching bases with a brother or sister today, we encourage each other to live like Jesus, to serve our God faithful to the end. The sacrifice yields crazy more than its price. And, together, we give thanks to God for exchanging our grave prospects into the birth of real life.

Alive

"You are not under law but under grace," Romans 6:14.

And since we're under God's grace, to God we offer our bodies, our whole selves. (Hmm. And here I thought that grace meant license to steal, lie, deceive. You know, to do what a man's gotta do to get by. No - quite the contrary!) Jesus died for us. God raised Jesus from the dead. Death has no power over Jesus. Jesus lives for God. And so do we. God's generosity fills us and spills over us and overwhelms us. We present the very parts of our bodies, hands, feet, eyes, to God as his tools for doing good. They're God's hands, God's feet, God's eyes. Alive! Grace brings life, not the dead rot of lies. Sky kingdom!

We extend a hand to a brother or sister today, instrument of God's grace. And together, experiencing his grace, we give him thanks.

Death

"Are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" Romans 6:3.

Huh? What's with the baptism thing, all of a sudden? We were talking about faith and being made right with God. Talking about Jesus and his death. About the free gift of God's grace in Christ. We're saved by faith in Jesus, not by works of law. So, why not just keep on living it up in the ways of sin since doing good works got us nowhere anyway? Yeah. Why not?! Well, here's why not --> because we died. We died with Jesus. We died to just keeping on living it up in the ways of sin. Oh, really now? When did we die with Jesus? When we were baptized into him. That's what the Bible says, if you can believe that.

With a brother or sister today, we remember being dunked into Jesus, we reflect on our death with Christ. And, together, we give thanks that God raised us up with Jesus out of the grave into life. New life. With Jesus.

Foundation

"The God of gods, Jehovah God, speaks and summons the earth," Psalm 50:1.

God, you, the only God! You bring the earth into light all day long from sunrise to sunset. You shine from your perfect city of beauty! You come mightily to judge over your people! You call out the skies and the earth! You gather your people faithful to the covenant of sacrifice! (Thank you, God, for the Lamb slain from the foundation of the earth!) Every resource of the wild belongs to you! The wealth of a thousand hills is yours! You don't need us to sustain you! But we offer to you a sacrifice of thanksgiving. We worship you. You alone! You deliver us in the day of trouble. And we glorify you, O worthy God!

With a brother or sister today, we praise our deliverer God! He does not need us, yet he loves us with steadfast love. So, together, we give thanks.

Rightened

"So, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," Romans 5:1.

Wait a minute! Being what? justified. being made right. being given right to belong. To belong where? To belong in the heart of God's welcome. And through whom were we rightened? through Jesus Christ. Our Lord. Who secured for us this righteousness? (Let's say it again) Jesus! And what did we do to tap into this standing upright? We believed him when he said he did it. That's what we did. Faith. Justified by the faith that what Jesus did sufficed. And we have peace. Safety. Security. Calm. Quiet. Home. Sky kingdom. We have peace with God.

Joyfully we touch home with a brother or sister today and speak of God's welcome. We belong! And, together, we give grateful praise to God. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Credit

"It will be accounted to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead," Romans 4:24.

OK. Let's unpack this. To whom is the thing going to be accounted? It'll be credited to people. To what people? to the ones who believe in God. To the ones who do what? to the ones who believe. Who believe in what? In God. In what God? In the God who raised Jesus from the dead. That is, to us who believe in that God. And what is it, the thing to be accounted to us? What's the credit about? Righteousness. Justification. Having the right to belong, flawless, in the kingdom of God. Faith. Sky kingdom!

We visit with a brother or sister today recognizing mutual faith. Faith in God who handed Jesus over due to our blunders, in God who raised Jesus to justify us. And at the empty grave, we stand together looking into the sky anticipating his appearing.

Showcased

"God showcased Christ Jesus to show he was right to overlook past sins," Romans 3:25.

What?! When was God right not to call the bad guys to account? That's justice? Yeah, and when did God put Jesus on display to mark his own righteousness? It was when Jesus freely yielded himself as a sacrifice worthy against all the wrongdoings ever done by humans. Us. That's when. When Jesus' blood poured from the nails in his hands, his feet, from the lashings on his back, from the thorns beaten into his scalp, from the spear into his side. When his blood splashed onto the mercy seat. That resolved all sin. When God received our faith in Jesus' sacrifice to suffice against justice. That's when. Mercy. Severe mercy. Against severe sin. What a worthy God!

As we visit today with a brother or sister we meet again at the foot of the cross. We marvel in God's justice and mercy. And, together, we give thanks to our righteous God!

Epic

"All people sin and fail against God's glory; they are made right by the free gift of his generous redemption in Christ Jesus," Romans 3:23,24.

Yes. For each of us it's been an epic fail. Not that we haven't done good along the way - of course we have! The challenge to real glory remains the damage we've done to others, damage that cannot be undone. Even Camelot, like all fantasy, was just a brief illusion of shining ... and then the generic rot set in. Betrayal. Lies. Dishonor. Sin. Shame. Guilt. So God does what no law can do. No statutes. No regulations. What no rules can do. God forgives, calls people righteous. Because he wants to. Because that's the way he is. Generous. Grace. Free gift to us. Great cost to him. Redemption.

With a brother or sister today, we confess our sin and rejoice in God's redemption! Freely given, freely received. And, together, we give humble, obedient thanks for Jesus' love.

Excuse

"When you judge somebody you condemn yourself since you do the same thing," Romans 2:1.

It's true! There's no excuse for judging other people. No excuse at all. It's easy to think that by judging somebody else wrong that somehow that makes what we practice righteous. But it's wrong. Do we condemn others for making a federal case about racial rights as though biblical freedom were about social justice? (We know biblical freedom is about spiritual freedom from sin!) And then, we turn around and make a federal case about having to wear masks in church as an infringement on our social freedoms? No excuse. No excuse at all. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We, every one of us, need someone to save us from ourselves.

With a brother or sister today we determine to stop judging each other. We will extend mercy to one another. And, together, we give thanks to God, the only God, very compassionate and merciful.

River

"God: our refuge and strength, our helper," Psalm 46:1.

You, dear God, our very present help! Whenever trouble arises - You! Our refuge (where else can we go?). You! Our strength (all other arms fail us). So we're not afraid. What if the earth shakes and quakes? No fear with you, our help! What if mountains slough off into the waters? No fear! What if tsunamis come? No fear! O, God, dear God! A joyful river glides smoothly through your unshakeable city, your home. You! You, the Most High! You keep this unwavering place fixed. For us. You! Our refuge and strength, our help right now in times of deep distress. You! High tower. Solid ground.

We contact a brother or sister today and give, and get, courage to press on through to the city of God. And, together, we give thanks for that solid sky kingdom.

Freedom

"God gave them up," Romans 1:24,26,28.

What means, Give up? Does it mean like, seeing that you've lost a wrestling match, so you give up? Or like, you've had enough of the thing, so you just give up trying altogether? Or like, you don't get the riddle, so you give up to get the right answer? No, no, and no. When God gives up, it doesn't mean anything remotely similar. To get what God gives up on, it helps to see who the them are that God gives up on: people who refuse to acknowledge God as God, but who prefer to bow down to gods (or even not-gods) of their own making. (In other words: us.) God gives up and hands these folks over to freedom. Freedom to do whatever we please ... and to live with unfiltered consequences of these pleasures. It's a scary thing to be the recipient of God's giving up.

Today, with a brother or sister, we remind each other who God is, creator of heaven and earth, undisputed lover of humankind. Even after we received the consequences, God yet redeemed us with Christ Jesus. And, together, we give him thanks for not giving us up for ever.

God-ness

"What cannot be seen about God is seen clearly, being understood from the world's creation: his eternal power and god-ness," Romans 1:20.

That's totally weird. The invisible things are seen? How can you see what you can't see? Well, whatever it is, it can be seen clearly somehow. Clearly. From the very start, from the get-go, of all creation it's been understood. This invisible thing. These invisible things. OK. What are the invisible things that somehow are perceived ever since the beginning? Here's what: God's eternal power. And. God's god-ness. God's divinity. God's deity. (That's why we say: God. And why we don't say: something.) Therefore: every human being is without excuse when we worship anything that is not God. When we wrong each other. No excuses. We knew. Clearly.

With a brother or sister today, we confess anew need for forgiveness. And, together, we joy in the Good News of forgiveness through Jesus. And, together, we give thanks to this God who, clearly, shows his love to us in Jesus.

Unashamed

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes," Romans 1:16.

Who believes what? Believes that we'll have a good crop? That we'll find life on Mars? That we'll get the girl (or the boy)? Faith that we'll get through this? No. It's not faith that somehow things will work out the way we want them to work out. The power is not in us, in us who have faith in something, in anything. (Nor in a personified universe! Good grief, No! what do the stars care?) The power is in God himself, in his goodness: in the Good News that God's grace floods over us through Jesus' sacrifice. To us who believe. To anyone who believes that. Who believes the gospel. That's what. God's good news!

With a brother or sister today, we tell the good news of God's unimaginable generosity. Unashamed (ever always!), we believe in the power of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. And, together, our thanks overflows for God's salvation.

Ransomed

"I'm indebted to cultured people and to uncultured people, to the smart and to the thick headed," Romans 1:14.

Well, now. I sort of get being under obligation to cultured people, smart people. After all, they're worthy (maybe) of my respect. (As long as they don't get too self-important!) But obliged to unrefined boors? To people that aren't the sharpest pencils in the box? Well, now. That's just wrong. And yet. And yet. The Good Book says, I count all things as refuse in view of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. It says Jesus became poor so I may become rich ... (wow!) I'm the uncultured, unintelligent one Jesus ransomed. The Word of the cross is for everyone. Every single one.

We put up with every brother or sister that Jesus made us family with. After all, they put up with us as part of their family. And together, Jesus' family, we give thanks to the God who pays no mind to any of our pedigrees.

Obedience

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ," Romans 1:7.

To whom? To all of you. If we were southerners we'd properly say: To all y'all. Not you, singularly, but you, plurally. OK. But, still, who's You? You is all persons whoever you may have been, who in obedience to faith are called to belong to Jesus. To you: Grace. Generosity. Kindness. Goodwill. Favor. And. And peace to you. Concord. Agreement. Security. Safety. Health. Welfare. Shalom. And where does all this grace and peace come from? From God. What God? The God of the Bible who made so many promises way long ago, about Jesus. His son. Raised from the dead. Alive forever. From this God. (And from his Christ!). Who loves you. To you, whom he loves. Whom he calls (you, all you) holy.

We visit with a brother or sister today with whom our God has made us holy. We remind each other of his deep love for us. And overjoyed, together, we give thanks.

Deliverer

"I waited for Jehovah God and he paid attention to me," Psalm 40:1.

You heard my cry, O Lord! You lifted me up out of the muck, out of the slippery pit. You set my feet up high on a rock. You steadied my feet for the path ahead. You gave me a new song! Hear my praise song for you, God of us all! Others will see what you did, and they, too, will trust you. There's no other true place than you; the rest is lies. How happy the people who trust in you: You consider us with great care ... You have done so much for us. So much more than we can even say! Nobody compares with you. I want to do whatever you want, for you. For you alone, forever the Deliverer!

With a brother or sister today we tell of redeeming love. The theme of our lives until we die: God's redeeming love. And, together, we give thanks for Jesus, our Lord and Christ.

Bumper

"To the congregations," Galatians 1:2.

Really, it's an amazing thing. God's deal. I mean what God has done, and continues to do. So, here is the story of Jesus. Of his life, death, burial, and resurrection. Of his sky ascent, of his glorification beside God. Of the plan for his appearing once again to bring his own home. Now here's the amazing thing: God has entrusted this message to his people. The church. The congregation. Get it? Not to you alone in nature, not to me reveling in my own solitude. Remember the bumper sticker: Jesus, yes; Church, no? Well, that's not Bible. Not God's deal. God's deal is -- well, read all about it. Usually early in most NT letters. His congregation: the body of Christ. The message of Jesus lives among the diverse people making up his one body.

Mutually recognizing a brother or sister in Jesus today we see Christ at work. His congregation. His church. His assembly. And, together, we give thanks that he has given us all each other. Sky kingdom.

Do-gooder

"To God's church, to the people Christ Jesus made holy, called saints alongside everybody everywhere calling on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Corinthians 1:2.

Well, I ain't no saint, but. And that disclaimer opens up our right to smear somebody else. (What we mean: I ain't a self-righteous do-gooder, right? - Truth: the rest of the smear displays not being a do-gooder.) Anyway. What's a saint, anyway? We think of real (not self-righteous) saints as those exceedingly rare persons of extraordinary goodness who quietly, continually help out others even at cost to themselves. (Distinct from a hero, who's done an extraordinary one-off deed.) The Bible says Jesus made all his people everywhere (his church) saints. So. His people never start off their speeches with, I ain't no saint. And they never complete the rest of that speech either. They speak to impart grace. Sky kingdom.

Visiting with a brother or sister today, we talk of Jesus' marvelous power to change sinners into saints. Awed, we speak grace to messed up hearts. And, together, we give thanks to God.

Experiences

"Since you really want spiritual experiences, look intentionally for over-the-top ways to build up the congregation," 1 Corinthians 14:12.

Been way up on the mountain? Breathtaking view? Close to God? Yes! Or how about a once-in-a-decade, God-inspiring concert? Or alone with ear buds or headphones singing praise out loud, unabashedly? Close to God? Yes! Of course! These, and the like, remain special personal times feeling God's presence; peace, wonder, joy fills the soul. But we do not confuse such precious moments with God's intentional spiritual experiences for us. To be in church. (O, brother! not that again! Yeah, and, O, sister!) No, not to be in church. To build up the body of Christ into Jesus' wholeness. Really messy job. Ya gotta get dirty to get rich. Rich, so rich, in spiritual experiences.

We grow Jesus' congregation today by contacting a brother or sister. We speak mutual words of courage in tough seasons. We point each other to Christ. And, together, we give thanks for God's kindness for real spiritual experience.

Avoid

"Do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing?" 1 Corinthians 11:22.

Yipes! Scorn for God's congregation? Shaming people of low income? What in the world's this talking about? Talking about communion. The Lord's Supper. Breaking bread. Together. Talking about meeting together. Fellowship. Sharing lives together in Jesus. Recognizing each individual brother or sister as brother or sister. Appreciating individual parts of the whole, the living body of Christ. To dissect the body of Christ scorns the church of God. To avoid a brother or sister for their low standing shames Jesus' people. So we will not do that. Rather, we participate together in the body of Christ and share together in his covenant. Kingdom of God.

With a brother or sister today, we affirm the fellowship of Christ. We encourage all to assemble and commune. And, together, we give thanks that God has not avoided us.

Real

"How one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God," 1 Timothy 3:15.

In God's household? Yep. Well. It speaks of real love, of pure hearts, of good consciences, of authentic faith. (Versus using the Bible to pursue stupid controversies). Pursuing personal morality, real to the Gospel. (Versus rejecting Bible teaching and shipwrecking faith). Men praying with hands lifted up in real holiness, not in rage. Women dressing up with real good works, instead of baubles. Elders being fit for real service, not with their own lives in shambles. Deacons serving in real faith, not for personal gain. Yes. Real in the household of God. That is, in the church of the living God. How to behave. For real. Sky kingdom.

With a brother or sister, today, we tell of our real life in Jesus. We press on in holiness. And, together, we give thanks that the living God makes us real, his very own household.

Song

"Therefore: Draw near to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace," Hebrews 4:16.

"A better hope is introduced through which we draw near to God." 7:19. "Consequently he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God." 7:25. ("The law can never make perfect those who draw near." 10:1). "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith." 10:22. "Whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." 11:6.

Our song:

He offered himself as a perfect sacrifice
to God.
He has paid the ransom for our sins,
and will remember them no more.
For this reason, he is he mediator
of a new covenant,
Which he bought with his blood.
For we have a great high priest
Who has entered in the presence of God.
Therefore:
let us draw near
to God.

With a brother or sister today, we sing our song with respect, with awe, with joy for our God. And, Yes!, in thanksgiving we, together, in uttermost confidence, draw near.

Fitting

"Therefore: through Jesus let's always offer up our sacrifice of praise to God," Hebrews 13:15.

Sacrifice? What sacrifice? Here, our fitting sacrifice to God: to confess out loud Jesus Christ as Lord. And, to do good. That's our sacrifice, too. Oh! And, to share our stuff. There it is. That's what God's looking for from us after what he's done for us. That we live out the goodness of the sky kingdom in this world. That we share stuff (and hearts), citizens in the sky kingdom. That we press on speaking God's love in Christ. That we end frustrated searches for heaven on earth: We look ahead to God's timeless, free city, our home. That we marshal every good thing to do God's will for us in Christ.

With a brother or sister today, we hear each other's confession: Jesus is Lord! We assert common hope of eternal life (God promised it before the ages started!). And, together, we say, Thank You, Lord!

Ergo

"Therefore: let's give thanks for receiving an unshakable kingdom," Hebrews 12:28.

Therefore. So. Thus. As a result. Accordingly. Ergo. Consequently. What ought to result after receiving this kingdom? Thanksgiving! Praise! Honor! Power! Glory! To whom? to God! To this God, who (make no mistake about it) is a consuming fire. He has not righteously made us toast in a fiery holocaust! Rather: He adopted us in Jesus. He has made us his own children in his forever sky kingdom! Wow! Therefore. So. Thus. As a result. Accordingly. Ergo. Consequently. We, thankfully, gratefully, worship God (and God alone!) in deep reverence. In mind-blown awe.

Today, when we show God's love to each other, brother or sister, we revere God awesomely. And, together, we give thanks. Therefore.

Zion

"You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God," Hebrews 12:22.

Victory! This is the sky kingdom! The heavenly Jerusalem! You have come to the (multiplied) million angel gathering! Dressed for celebration! To the Congregation of the Firstborn! To the gathering made up of you and all peoples ever registered in the sky! You've come to God, the Judge! To the spirits of perfected righteous people! You've come to Jesus' sprinkled blood! Compared to what (good grief, are we kidding!)? We have not come to scorching, burning fire, to darkness, to gloom, to hurricane, cacophonous horns, to terror words of damnation. No! Jesus' bloody sacrifice calls for mercy, against Abel's blood's just cry for vengeance. Mercy. Grace. Joy. Sky kingdom!

Joined with a brother or sister today, we celebrate victory in the sky kingdom's streets! Jesus paid it all; all to him we owe. And, together, with the chosen from every nation, we give joyful thanks for life with Christ.

Surrounded

"We fix our eyes on Jesus alone, the beginning and end of our faith," Hebrews 12:2.

Look around. We're surrounded. Yes! surrounded by a huge cloud of witnesses to God's faithfulness. A massive cloud points our eyes away from all else and toward Jesus. So we run a race with Jesus, and toward Jesus. We shake off resisting weights. (We dump clinging, hindering sin.) We endure. We endure because Jesus endured the cross. He did the cross for the joy beyond the cross. He starts our faith. He completes our faith. He's won the race. And we run the race, too, winners with him! We press on no matter the weariness, the opposition, the weak knees. (No! We will strengthen knees!) God calls us his children, and, in this race, he prepares us to share in his holiness. Sky kingdom.

We encourage, and are encouraged by, a brother or sister today as we turn our eyes to Jesus. And, together, we give thanks to God. He makes us his children.

Whole

"All these attested, faithful people did not receive the promise," Hebrews 11:39.

Who didn't get God's promise? Are they the bad guys? No. These are the good guys: people who believed God: they subdued kingdoms, worked to live right, closed lions' mouths, put out fires, survived battles, found strength, became war heroes, fought off alien armies, came back to life. O, yeah! But. Others of these same faithful people were tortured, mocked, beaten, imprisoned, stoned, cut in two, tempted, in cast off clothing, destitute, sick, treated badly, homeless, wandering about, living in caves. And why? Why didn't any of these get God's promise? Because God waited until you got here. So that they would not be made whole without you. Without me. That apart from us they should not be made perfect. By faith.

With a brother or sister today we marvel humbly at our God's long purpose, that he should include us all in his kingdom. And, together, we give thanks to God for Jesus' perfected and perfecting work.