Pastor Steve Richards

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 2 Corinthians 7:10

What is the difference between God’s way of sadness and the world’s way of sadness? Consider two of the people central to this Holy Week: Peter and Judas. After the Last Supper, Peter followed Jesus to the home of the high priest where he proceded to deny three times that he even knew Jesus. When he realized what he had done, he “wept bitterly”. That was the first step toward his restoration that came when Jesus appeared to him and then his conversation with the risen Jesus at the lakeshore. On the other hand, Judas, who betrayed Jesus when he lead the high priest’s servants to Jesus in the garden, was “seized with remorse” and plunged into the world’s kind of sadness. In Matthew’s gospel, we read how Judas threw back the money at the feet of the chief priest and went away and hanged himself. Two types of sadness; two different results.

Paul’s letter to the Corinthians was intended to prompt sadness, a sadness that would lead to repentance.I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds. (7:4)No doubt the Corinthians were upset by the rebuke that Paul had given them. Paul’s only motive was to lead them closer to Christ and deeper in faith.

Sometimes we must face rebuke, as painful as that may be, in order to reach a depth of faith that leads us ever closer to Christ. The Corinthians could have read the letters of Paul and destroyed them – “Who does Paul think he is to talk to us that way!” But instead, they received his words, embraced their sadness as a step toward repentance.

This is Holy Saturday – a day between great regret and astounding hope. What I choose to do with this day will determine which way I will go.

com·mend o deliver with confidence.

This morning, I stopped at 2 Corinthians 6:4 – commend ourselves. As a servant of God, have I delivered myself with confidence? Paul provides a list full of paradox. How do we react to suffering, difficulties, and hardship? Most of us don’t have to put up with beatings and imprisonments and if we did would we respond with kindness and sincere love?

Somehow the reading feels appropriate for a Good Friday. This is a day of paradox. An instrument of Roman torture became a symbol of God’s grace and love. Jesus, beaten, tortured, imprisoned, executed and as a result draws us ever closer to God. This week, a child asked, “why it is called Good Friday?” I replied, “It wasn’t good for Jesus but it was good for us.”

Part of the task of being a Christian is to be able to grieve and celebrate at the same time.

In the words of the song, “Amazing Love”: Amazing love, how can it be; That you My king would die for me; Amazing love, I know it’s true; It’s my joy to honor you; In all I do I honor you.

To honor the gift of Jesus Christ, let us commend ourselves in every way.

As I complete today’s readings, the word that comes to mind is relationship. I cannot imagine life without relationships, and yet relationships can be our greatest challenge in life. Finding the right relationships, establishing healthy relationships, overcoming dysfunctional relationships, and growing in relationship – especially with God.

In the book of Ruth, we read about the relationship between Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. (1:16) In Psalm 61:4, we read of the psalmist’s longing for a relationship with God. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wing.

And then Paul writes: if we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us (5:13-14) The energy to get up and go on as a Christian comes not from a sense of obligation nor a fear of being punished, but from the response of love to the love which has reached out, reached down, and reached me (and you). It may cause us to do things in ways that surprise or even shock other people. That’s relationship!

Today is Maundy Thursday. We remember a Passover meal that Jesus shared with his disciples, offering a new covenant, a new relationship formed out of God’s love for each of us. God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ. Relationships are not to be taken for granted but to be embraced and nurtured in love and service.

There is a section in the newspaper that I usually avoid. In the middle of the Metro section are two pages filled with assaults, murders and sex crimes. All are horrible but somehow the stories have not risen to a level of significance that puts the story on the front page. I am grateful for that, because if these stories were unavoidable, I would stop reading the newspaper.

How grateful I am that the book of Judges has come to an end. More stories like the one in today’s reading and I might skip the Old Testament readings for a while. There was a point a few weeks ago, when I felt that way about the long lists of laws. Then it was the battles where whole cities were destroyed and the people killed. And in the book of Judges, it has been an increasing moral depravity. Enough! The author of Judges makes this final analysis: In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. The problem: everyone did as they saw fit. The solution: a king. I’ve read enough to agree with the assessment of the problem. I beg to differ on the solution. A king might help for a while, but it won’t be the solution. What they/we really need is a Savior.

Paul describes a treasure that we can carry within ourselves that will make all the difference. The treasure is the gospel. The gospel is “Jesus is risen from the dead”. With all the trouble in this world and in your life, it may feel like you are being crushed. What if you could carry a treasure within you so that no matter what you faced you would not lose heart? Don’t fix your eyes on what is seen but on what is unseen.

Today is Wednesday, but Sunday is coming. Stay focused on Sunday. Sunday is Easter. It is the resurrection and life.

Not more than three verses into today’s reading and my thought is – “What in the world were they thinking?” Really, have they not been paying attention? We’ve read enough of the Bible to know creating an idol, establishing their own religion, and hiring their own priest – this will not turn out well. What were they thinking?

But by verse six, it becomes clear: Everyone did as they saw fit. And isn’t that the problem? How often my first thought is not my best thought and my first act is a thoughtless act. I am not at my best and certainly not functioning at a level that would make God proud when I am thinking, speaking and functioning as I see fit. But I used to think I was!

We don’t have to finish the book of Judges to know there is a problem that the people cannot fix themselves. And the problem is that they are living as they want. God is no longer part of their decision making.

Instead I want to be a letter of recommendation written with the Spirit of the living God. The developing story in Judges – I don’t want to be that. That’s the story of lives headed for trouble, lives focused on themselves. I want Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 3. I want to be a life that becomes God’s letter of recommendation – don’t you? To be someone whose first thought and first act has become the Spirit of God living within me. A letter that does not fade with time and is not easily deleted.

I know the importance of recommendations. I am wondering about today. Would your thoughts and deeds of this day be worthy of such a recommendation? What about tomorrow?

Samson seemed to have it all. His birth was nothing short of miraculous. His parents wanted to raise their son as God wanted. Dedicated to the LORD, he would be a leader of his people. And, he received special powers. But he was also arrogant, easily angered, and vengeful. And he had a weakness that would be his undoing. He was powerless in the presence of Philistine women. When face to face with his weakness, it was as if he had no brain. He told riddles and then put himself and his people at risk.

God gave Samson the power to kill the lion but that act led to his breaking the nazirite prohibition of touching a corpse or eating anything unclean. Somehow Samson would be remembered for what God could do through him – even through his faults and weakness. Maybe there is hope for us all.

If I may skip ahead a few chapters to 2 Corinthians 12:9. Paul received these words from Jesus: My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD. (Judges 10:6) Again and again, we see this verse and verses similar to it. If you were the parent and these were your children, what would you do? Cut them off? A lesson in tough love? Punishment? Seek professional help? Move away and leave no forwarding address? I’m growing weary of reading this! Life is better when they are faithful to God, and yet they just can’t seem to remain faithful. What must God be thinking? The Israelites are not the only people in the world. Maybe it is time to find other people – ones who would be grateful and remain faithful (if such people exist).

Why does God not give up on them? There are times when the people don’t want God to be part of their lives. At such times, God allows them to go without God and suffer the consequences. But God never gives up on them. Because God is faithful to God’s covenant. Humans break the covenant but not God. Rest assured – God is faithful. God will never let go.

Be on guard, stand firm in the faith; be courageous, be strong. Do everything in love. (1 Corinthians 16:13) Paul’s words to the believers. It is also what I know God to be. Let me be the reflection of these words today.

We know what it is like to be thirsty. I remember hot, humid summer days, working in corn fields and getting so dehydrated that our health was at risk. I can still recall how thirsty I was. There is a thirsting even deeper than the thirst for water.

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.

We read of this thirsting in Judges. To quench their thirst the people created images that they could worship, thinking if they could see their god their thirsting would be satisfied. Even when the unseen God, the LORD God, empowered them to win battles and secure their homeland, their longing to worship caused them to create a god they could see. Such gods would not and could not satifsy. I think we also struggle at times, wanting something we can see and touch, thinking that’s what will satisfy. But such attempts never fully quench the thirst deep inside.

The Corinthians believed in God, but the resurrection was hard for them to accept. They could not see it. They could not know for sure. Yet, Paul was saying it is the very heart of the Christian faith. It is good news about an event that happened, an event because of which the world can never be the same again. And those who believe it, and live by it, will never be the same again. It is the source from which we can drink and receive life and never be thirsty again. Thank God!

Make yourself useful. I remember hearing these words from an employer when I was in school. I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I just wasn’t doing anything particularly helpful. I was waiting to be told what to do when it was really my responsibility to anticipate what needed to be done and fill those moments when I was just sitting around. Make yourself useful.

The fourteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians contains some puzzling words. I have been to Corinth. Today, it is a pile of rubble, the ruins of a city long ago. The foundations of certain buildings and the layout of the marketplace can be seen, but there is little else. Nothing that can show us exactly how the Christians behaved. We are left with Paul’s letters, but Paul is responding to specific matters and often without describing exactly what was happening. By this point in 1 Corinthians we are piecing together a picture of chaotic place, lots of emotion but little order. It makes me wonder how a group of people could have experienced worship together. And then this verse: Women whould remain silent in the churches. Really? Well not exactly, not if we pay attention to what Paul says earlier in this letter or in other letters. Women were leaders in the church – and it would be hard to be a leader if you can’t say anything.

Once again, we do not know what Paul meant. I suspect the worshippers in Corinth knew exactly what he meant – as if calling out to a crowd – “You women keep silent in the churches” – and the women in question as well as everyone else would know who was being addressed. So, let’s take another step back to consider the point of this chapter. What stands out for me is a sentence from verse 26: Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. If you are going to do something in worship, make yourself useful. Don’t quarrel among yourselves. Don’t focus on yourself. Build up the church. So the church may be edified. Over and over again, Paul wants us to see the community of believers and how we must come alongside to encourage and build each other up.

Make yourself useful.

I woke up this morning with these words on my mind:

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.
This is not a favorite song of mine. I don’t ever remember these lyrics being on my mind. And it was dark outside when I awoke. So, my next thought was why are these the words that are on my mind (sometimes I think I think too much!).

Today’s scripture tells the story of Deborah, a judge who led the people to overcome the threats from the Canaanites. How the glory of victory went to a woman (Jael) because the men lacked the courage to face the enemy. The New Testament reading is focused on the greatest spiritual gift, the gift of love. Faith, hope and love – the greatest of these is love. And then I read the two psalms – both are prayers during times of illness. As I read these psalms, I stopped on the phrase from Psalm 41:10. May you have mercy on me, LORD.

I am not feeling ill this morning. I am not facing any especially significant challenges today (that I know of yet), but I am a pastor. I am very aware of many who awake this morning and life is cloudy. Maybe you awoke and looked in the mirror and all you could see was what is wrong with your life. I’ve also known those days – just not today.

May you have mercy on me, LORD; raise me up… Not so I can attack whomever or whatever has placed a cloud over my day, but so I can call to account whatever is blocking the sun, the glory of God from my life today. The clouds will not have power over my life, not today. Because love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

My prayer for you today is that whenever you look in the mirror you will see the mercy of God who gives you the grace and power to rise above the clouds and even remove the clouds. May this be a bright, bright sun-shiny day.