Medium

"I do not know how to speak for I am only a youth," Jeremiah 1:6.

Ever listen to a young man talk about some piece of wisdom he's learned through his years? Afterwards, ever talk with fellow cronies about the young man's arrogance to presume wisdom? Yeah? Well, this scripture's talking about a young man likewise concerned. Just a newbie. But then, God. Yes, God. God says to the kid, To whomever I send you, you go. Don't fear them. Whatever I tell you to say, you say. I consecrated you before you were born. I appointed you. I am with you. I deliver you. I put my words in your mouth. I make you a prophet. The thing about God is that his word doesn't depend on our hierarchical (or geriatric) structures. Arrogance comes in not listening to God's word, whomever his medium.

As we visit with a brother or sister today, diligently, we compare any voiced message against God's Good Book, not against our age. And, together, young and old, we give thanks to God for the faithful testimony of his word.

Young

"How can a young person live a pure life?" Psalm 119:9.

It's a tough, evil world, despite moments of deep joy. Young people face challenges that older folks never had (well, remember that they had). Purity for young men or young women doesn't come easy at all. Not just sexual purity, hugely difficult as that is. Purity includes keeping honor, integrity, humility, loyalty to something grander that mere self. So how to do this? Here's what the Good Book says: Guard life according to God's word. With the whole heart. Don't betray God's commands. Store up God's word in the heart. Seek to learn God's demands. Speak the laws out loud. Enjoy living in God's rules. Think about God's orders. Study God's path. Ever remember God's word. Hmm. Sounds like the same path old people should live in, too. To life.

Dear God: You rise above the cosmos more than worthy of our deepest striving to hear and live by your eternal word. Your path alone leads us to a life worth the living. And we praise you! And we thank you! for never leaving us without witness to your goodness.

Announcement

"The word of the Lord remains forever," 1 Peter 1:25.

We were first birthed, flesh and blood, into this world and felt the promises of life. Promises a dying world could not deliver. Flesh, like grass, withers and its flower perishes. But then we heard the word of God, the announcement of good news, the living and abiding message, the truth, the eternal word: Though Christ suffered death, God raised him from the dead and gave him glory! And we obeyed this truth. So now we've been re-birthed through this living forever word. To living hope. Ransomed by Christ's blood. Called to be holy through Jesus' resurrection. We have not seen him. But we love him. Born to an imperishable life. Hope of fulfilled promises by faith in his word.

Dear God: We, brothers and sisters, today share an inexpressible happiness that taps into Jesus' glory because of your faithful word. And, together, we thank you for our salvation into forever.

Totally

"Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing," Luke 4:21.

Jesus did it. Jesus did it all. Every crossed t, every dotted i. Everything the law said a human must do, Jesus did it. Jesus delighted in doing the will of God. He fulfilled the law. So what did this more-righteous-than-thou man do? I mean, what did such meticulous observance of the rules look like? Like this: Announcing good news to poor people. Giving freedom to slaves. Helping blind people see. Relieving unfair burdens. Proclaiming God's acceptance. In short: Doing people good. So, fulfilling the Scripture totally, Jesus ended the law's curse against our great Fail. He finished fulfilling his life's ambition in his dying word, It's done. Totally.

Dear God: When we, brothers and sisters, see your Word at work in this world we marvel. Thank you for such love. We want to be like him. Praise you, God, for bringing us a man, one of us, one from you, who fulfilled the desires of your heart!

Piercing

"We must explain to him the way we have lived," Hebrews 4:13.

Nothing (it says) in all creation hides from his eyes. (Whose eyes? God's.) In fact, every single person is naked to him. (Yipes! that's kind of embarrassing! Yes. But not because God sees us without underwear - that's just normal, like, duh! But because he peers into our very souls!) Every single person lies exposed to his examining eyes. God discerns the very thoughts. God distinguishes between conflicting motives. God dissects spirit from soul. How does he do that? By his Word. Yeah. It's a living Word. It's action-packed. God's Word's got razor-sharp cutting edges. When we give our life's accounting to him, he knows the truth of it. And that's why we've got to have our high priest, Jesus, take the examination for us.

Dear God: We, brothers and sisters, seek your help today prepping to obey you. And, together, we give thanks for your living, active, sharp, piercing, discerning Word that cleanses us, inside out, truly, in its washing waters.

Them

"And in keeping them there is great reward," Psalm 19:11.

Them? Them what? The judgments. What judgments? The judgements of Jehovah God. But aren't they so oppressive? Hardly. They're sweeter than candy. They're better than exquisitely worked gold. They're true! They're good! Yep. Respect for the Lord, honoring his Word: it's clean. It lasts. God's command's pure. It opens eyes to reality. God's orders are right. Their observance creates heartfelt happiness. God's rules create wisdom in plain people. God's teaching's perfect for making dead souls live. Word of God: warns people away from death. Word of God: keep it and find great reward.

Dear God: we, brothers and sisters, need you to keep our words and our thoughts acceptable to you. We want to keep your Word. And, together, we give thanks for the great reward your Word promises. Praise you, Lord!

Strength

"The joy of the Lord is your strength," Nehemiah 8:10.

The setting: Three generations earlier, Judah had been utterly destroyed. Forcibly removed from their ancestral lands, the captured people relocated to a distant country. And now, in fits and starts, small bands of people returned to their wasted homeland. Only a few leftover grandparents remembered former glories, most of the returnees born foreigners to the land. Through hardships they rebuilt the temple. They rebuilt Jerusalem's walls. And now, these survivors meeting as a Great Congregation in the open air at one of the wall's gates heard the Word of God read for the first time (again). The priest read the Book, the helper priests scattered through the crowd to explain the meaning, the people understood. And the people wept. And that's the place where it said: Do not mourn. Do not weep. Do not be grieved - the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Dear God, we, brothers and sisters, hear your Word convict our hearts of sin, we mourn. We weep. We grieve the loss we caused. But then, we hear your Word speak hope, redemption, forgiveness, eternity. And, as you wipe away our tears, together we confess, You are our joy! We understand who you really are! Thank you!

Statutes

"Happy are those who follow the Lord's teachings," Psalm 119:1.

Dear God, Jehovah - we really are blessed when we follow in your ways! When we keep your rules, when we keep from doing bad stuff and ask for your help wholeheartedly, that's when we're the happiest! You really mean for us to follow your orders, and when we do ... well! that's when we really understand you, we really get it then. We truly want our ways to stay steadfast in meeting your demands, because that's when we feel the safest, with no shame. We want to stand loyal to you! And that feels really good. When we think about it, we know your commands are fair and we praise you! We praise you, O God, and we will meet your statutes, and in this we know, we know (!) that you will never leave us.

We remind each other today, brother or sister, that God is good, all the time, and that obeying him brings lasting happiness. And, together, we give thanks to our God who will never abandon us in his righteousness.

Uncommon

"No one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him," Matthew 11:27.

Well, now. That's pretty exclusive, isn't it? Nobody except Jesus knows God? And just the people Jesus chooses to let in on it? Yep. Nobody else. So, what do you have to do to have Jesus choose you to let you in on it, too? What extraordinary feats of spiritual prowess, of mountainous faith, of supernatural self-control, of uncommon goodness do you have to achieve to get to know God? Well. Here's Jesus' bar that must be met: Come to me. (That's it - come to Jesus.) Who should come to Jesus? This is who: All you who struggle and are burdened down with troubles. Yes, you (us). Jesus said: Learn from me. Jesus said: I am gentle, I have a humble heart, I will give you rest. Jesus said: my yoke's easy.

As we meet today with fellow strugglers, brothers and sisters, we recognize Jesus in the very way we receive each other, just like he received us. And, together, we bow in thanksgiving to God, whom Jesus revealed.

Exotic

"You always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me," Matthew 26:11.

That's what Jesus said to his disciples as they criticized a woman for wasting a fortune in exotic fragrances on him. Just think how much good that could have done to feed poor people, orphans, or widows. I mean, it was a lot (!) of money that she squandered. We'd think that Jesus would agree with his disciples. But we'd be wrong. Jesus does not care about quick-witted criticism of someone else. Jesus cares for what a person does with what a person does have. Actual action. Not for intentions: if only they had opportunity and means ... After all, Jesus' feeding agenda begins with two loaves of bread. Anyway. She, said Jesus, prepared him for burial. What was that worth?

We take opportunity today to visit with a brother or sister to share with each other God's bounty, freely given. And, together, we thank Jesus that he shared in our poverty so that we might share his wealth. Praises to you, O God!

LIkewise

"Whoever loves God must also love his brother," 1 John 4:21.

So. The Word has just gotten through discussing confessing Jesus as the son of God. Discussing that people with God's Spirit abide in God. And God in them. That we (having the Spirit) believe the love that God has for us. That we do not fear God's judgment any longer because we've been perfected in God's love. Because we're like God in this world. God loved us first, and we learned to love God from God's first love for us. So now we love God and we love a brother (or sister), too. But who, exactly, is this brother (or sister) we're to love? Ah. Good news: Jesus tells us exactly. He tells us in the story of the Good Samaritan. So, we go and do likewise.

As we visit with a brother or sister today, we express God's love for one another. And, together, we give deep thanks for God's deep love for each, and all, of us.

Council

"God has taken his place in the council of gods," Psalm 82:1.

Weird. Totally weird. The scene shows a gathering of the gods. We might think of Osiris, Thor, Vishnu, Gaia, Izanagi, Baal, Ix Chel, a sort of super-council of all earth's gods ever. But it gets weirder. We'd need to include our own names in that council, if Jesus can be trusted. Yeah, that's right. Our names. Jesus quotes Most High God from that psalm: I said you are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you. Jesus' comment about that is this: Scripture cannot be broken. Weird. Weird. Weird. But then, God says to them (us) all: But you will die and fall like men and their heroes. Why death? They were weighed in the scales and found wanting. They judged unjustly. They failed justice to the weak, to the fatherless, they failed the rights of the afflicted and of the destitute.

As brothers or sisters to Jesus, son of the Most High, mediator between us and God, we join his work to rescue the weak and needy. And, together, we give thanks to God who now includes us, his ambassadors, in reconciling the world to himself.

Red

"Your sins are red like deep red cloth, but they can be as white as snow," Isaiah 1:18.

That's what God said. God said, Let's talk about this together. God said, Your sins are bright red, but you can be white like wool. God's soaking bleach for getting rid of blood-red stains? If we are willing and obedient to him. To God. So, we do wash ourselves and make ourselves clean. What does that mean? We remove evil deeds and stop evil. We don't pursue worldly privilege. Yes, we learn to do good. But what does that mean? Here's what God said it means: We seek justice. We correct oppression. We bring justice to the fatherless. We plead the widow's cause. Sky kingdom.

As we, brothers or sisters, help lift each other's loads today, God purifies us. And, together, we give thanks for sharing in God's bounty.

Spirit

"Where is their God?" Psalm 115:2.

O God, Eternal Spirit: You live way up in the skies - above the skies! You do anything, free to do anything you care to do. Human hands fashion idols from earth's stuff. Idols' wordless mouths stay silent. Yet your word, O Spirit, creates worlds. Idols' blind eyes see nothing. Yet you notice our distress. Idols' deaf ears fail. Yet you, God, hear every call to you. Idols have dead noses. Yet you, O Spirit, sense the fragrance of every kindness. Idols' frozen hands feel nothing. Yet you hold everyone as your child. Idols' exquisitely immobile feet stand impassive. Yet you fly to our aid. Idols' breathless throats remain speechless. But you, Jehovah God, are breath itself, you command the air, you are Spirit! And your Word speaks into our hearts. Glory to our hands? Never! Not to our creative fashion: All glory goes to you, Jehovah, to your name, above all names.

With each other, brother, sister, we look up to find our able God directing his kingdom in justice and fairness. And, together, in spirit and truth, we give thanks to God, one and only true Spirit.

Grudges

"To sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant," Mark 10:40.

So Jesus talked about a baptism not yet undergone. But wait! He had already been baptized by John in the Jordan River. So what's this? There are two baptisms. One, in water to join with Christ. Two, in the life of his church to join with Christ in suffering. He's talking about the second here. It's about how he's going to sink into suffering death. And that his congregation would follow him to sink into that same suffering baptism. So, Jesus asked his followers, Are you able to drink this cup of suffering? They said, Sure! and can we sit beside you in power? So then Jesus denied power to grant seating. To be water-baptized into Christ initiates a life of service like Jesus served. Not about power, privilege, or fame. Jesus still asks: Are you able to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized? (And let God sort out seating arrangements?)

We remind each other today, brother or sister, that to suffer hardship, insult, indignity, injustice without grudges leads into Jesus' service baptism. And, together, we give thanks to God for the opportunity to share the load with each other.

Pleased

"The Holy Spirit, shaped like a dove, descended on him," Luke 3:22.

On whom? Jesus. When? When the sky split open. When? When Jesus was praying. When? Right after coming up out the water. What water? The Jordan river. Where? At Bethany village. Where? Where the baptizer, John, was. What's the big deal? Baptizing John said that God said that the man John saw the Spirit settle on, that that man is the Son of God. So, this baptizer, this prophet, this witness, John, said the reason God sent him, John, baptizing with water was so that he, God, might reveal that man, Jesus, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And that he, Jesus, baptizes with the Holy Spirit. Nobody there that day missed it. Besides that, everybody heard the voice. From the sky. It said: You're my beloved son, I am very pleased with you. God's not been heard saying that very much about men.

Today we meet with a brother or sister and we marvel about God's pleasure with us, born anew by water and Spirit. And, together, we praise God for receiving us as he received one of us, Jesus. Sky kingdom.

Crypt

"We were buried with Christ by baptism into death," Romans 6:4.

So didja get baptized? Hmm. Sometimes not even sure what that means. Yeah, something to do with water. And religion. But not really sure exactly. (And some folks say it's not about water or religion at all!) Well, here the Good Book says baptism's about death. And dying. About burials. About crucifixion. (Yipes!) Yep. Baptism's about putting a rotting carcass into the crypt. Don't let some sweet religious fantasy lull us away from what's going on. Going under that water places us in a tomb with another dead body. But that body did not rot. Because God brought him back to life. Baptism isn't just pretending to die. Being buried in that water is to die to sin, because that's what Jesus died to. Once. For all time. Baptism is about joining up with Jesus. And baptism into Christ is about being raised up out of that water grave. With Jesus. To life. To new life. About resurrection. By God's power.

Today, we speak to each other, brother or sister, remembering we've died to sin and are alive to God in Christ Jesus. And, together, we speak thanks to God for raising us up out of baptism's grave to hope of forever life with Jesus.

Hear

"Jehovah God's voice sounds over the waters," Psalm 29:3.

As Jesus got pulled up from under the surface of the baptismal waters, a voice shouted through a split-open sky above: You are my son, I love you. You make me happy! God's voice thunders over many waters. His voice's power tells of his majesty. His voice snaps trees like toothpicks. God speaks, the earth jumps at his voice, mountains dance. His voice lightnings the skies. God's voice births wild creatures and levels forests. You, people of God, shout: Glory! All you, sky-creatures, bring glory! and power! to God. You: worship God in the blinding light of holiness. God's throne commands the baptismal floods. God's voice announces strength to his people, the blessing of peace. Word.

With a brother or sister, we hear the Father speak once again to his son's baptism. And, together, we give thanks to God that he births us as brothers and sisters to his son.

Overwhelm

"When you pass through the waters I will be with you," Isaiah 43:2.

And God goes on to say: And through rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. Doesn't sound like baptism, does it? Yet, it's talking about redemption. About what God paid to redeem the people he loves. God says: I have redeemed you, I have called you by my name. God goes on to say: You are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you. God says: Fear not, for I am with you. So, when we enter the water and the water covers us, that's where we meet the God who draws us safely out of it. When the fire of his Spirit baptizes us, we meet the God who draws us through it into Christ's one body. When the conflagration comes to destroy the earth, we meet the God who transforms us to be like his Son. Face to face, from glory to glory. Sky kingdom.

When we meet with a brother or sister today, we remind each other of baptism into Christ - and God's promises of safety through every trial. And, together, we give humble thanks to God who loves us so.

Middle

"Wisdom begins with respect for Jehovah God," Psalm 111:10.

Dear Lord, right from the middle of the congregation, we give you thanks with whole hearts. Your works are great! Anyone who explores what you've created delights in your works. What you do is glorious, splendid, righteous. It lasts forever. We remember what you've done. Your grace and mercy rest enthroned in our minds. You provide for the needy. You remember your promises. Everything you do is good, it's fair. We trust your orders. They were made true. You've set us free. Your name is holy and awesome! Our wisdom journey begins as we obey your orders. We praise you forever!

Meeting with a brother or sister today, we talk about God's wonder-work in Christ, our wisdom. And, together, we give thanks that he empowers us to follow his wisdom into eternity.

Unadulterated

"Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God," 1 Corinthians 1:24.

Ever wonder about the secret of the universe? Of course we have! Or, what's it all about, anyway? Who hasn't asked?! Well. Here we are, perishing, languishing in the inevitability of taxes and death. We whine about the former but dread the latter. We see so much potential in this fitful life on earth, we have precious few moments of unadulterated joy in it, and then we wonder why even bother - it'll all end way too soon. The grave stares up at us. The grim reaper's on the move. Don't ask for whom the death bell tolls: it tolls for thee. But. God has placed Christ in the middle of all this to save the perishing. Christ changes us from lost people to saved people. For the saved, Christ! Is! The! Power! Of! God! And! The! Wisdom! Of! God!

When we chat with a brother or sister today, we speak with each other saved by the wisdom of God. And, together, we give deepest praise in the wonder of God's power.

Strong

"The child grew and became strong, becoming filled with wisdom. And God's grace was on him," Luke 2:40.

That's pretty much the sum total of the Word's summary of Jesus' life between his birth and age 30. Well, it tells of one incident when he was 12 and his parents lost him for 3 days, but they found him and he was OK. He was in the temple at the feet of the scholars, asking questions and listening. When his mom scolded him (no worries, that's the way God made moms), he just said that's where he was supposed to be. And then the Word summarized Jesus growing up again in case we didn't get it the first time: Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature with God and men. Wisdom: Life as God designed it. Life as God created it. Life as God purposed it. And doing it.

We grace each other, brother or sister, with wisdom to trust God for the outcome of our faithfulness to Jesus. And, together, we give thanks for Jesus who lived out God's wisdom in order to grace us with eternal life.

Lavishment

"He lavished these upon us in all wisdom and insight," Ephesians 1:8.

Who lavished? God. What did he lavish? The riches of his grace. Upon whom did he lavish? Us. (You. Me.) By what means did he lavish? All his wisdom. His insight. And what did we learn in all this lavishment? The mystery of his will. And what was that? His own purpose in Christ. So, what was God's purpose? To unite, integrate everything in Christ: to adopt us, family. When? When the time was full up. To integrate how much of everything? Everything: things in the skies and things on the earth. To the praise of his grace.

When we visit with each other today, brother or sister, we tell each other of God's wisdom in Christ. We participate in God's grand purpose in Christ. And, together, we praise his glorious grace making us sons and daughter through his Beloved, Jesus.

Vivifying

"Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies," Psalm 119:98.

O God, we love your law! We think about it all day long. We find a wisdom in it greater than anyone else has. Why? because your commands live with us always. We have deeper understanding than what the world's teachers give us. Why? because we think about your living teachings. We understand more than the elders. Why? because your orders abide in us. We avoid every evil way. Why? so that we can live by your word. We don't stop living out your rules. Why? because you yourself are our vivifying teacher. Oh, your words are so sweet to us: your abiding promises taste sweeter than honey on our tongues. We despise lying ways. Why? because your orders give us sage insight.

With a brother or sister today, we draw each other's attention to God's true wisdom. And, together, we revel thankfully in his living wisdom that brings us victory over the enemy, death.

Settling

"I give you a wise and discerning mind," 1 Kings 3:12.

Who said this? God. Who'd he say it to? Solomon. Why did God say this? Because that's what Solomon asked for. Why did Solomon ask for this? Because he wanted to govern God's people rightly. What did Solomon not ask for? To live long and prosper. Not riches. Not honor. So, God gave Solomon wisdom. And riches. And honor. And, too, he told him that if he followed in his ways, he'd give him long life. So. Wisdom: To discern between good and evil. Not like how to ace the test. Not like to solve the puzzle at the back of the paper. Not like which horse or stock to back. Not like the secret to the universe. No. Rather: wisdom to guide people toward God. God's wisdom leads people to Life even in hard times. Sky kingdom.

As we visit with a brother or sister today, we pursue God's wisdom before checking the day's news or weather or market reports. And, together, we give thanks for God's settling wisdom.

Severe

"My whole being, praise the Lord, all my being, praise his holy name!" Psalm 103:1.

O Lord, Jehovah God: We remember, we cannot forget, your kindnesses. You forgive all our sins. You heal our diseases. You save us from the grave. You load us with love and mercy. You satisfy us with good things. You make us soar again. You do what is right and fair. You show mercy, you're kind. You hold back flaring anger and have great love. Your scoldings pass, your anger ends. You've punished us less than our sins deserve. You've restrained from charging full restitution for our evil. Your great love stretches as far as the skies extend above earth. For people who respect you. You took our sins away as far as East goes away from West. You have mercy on people who fear you. You have mercy like a father with his kids. Yes, you remember how we are made. We come from dust. We're fireweed fields flowering so briefly, and then we're gone. But for people who fear you, your love goes on for ever. Forever. My whole being, praise the Lord!

When we greet a brother or a sister today we remind each other of God's goodness to us this past year, despite severe hardships. And, together, in hope, we look ahead for God's steadfast love in Jesus.