Bible Readings and Devotion for January 24, 25, 26, 27, 2021

Here are the references for the readings.  Please look these up in your print Bible, your smartphone app Bible, or your online Bible.

January 28

Matthew 9:9-13

Malachi 1:9-14

Psalms 71, 73

Genesis 28

January 29

Matthew 9:14-17

Malachi 2:1-9

Psalms 74-77

Genesis 29

January 30

Matthew 9:18-26

Malachi 2:10-17 

Genesis 30

Psalms 75, 76, 79, 82

January 31

Matthew 9:27-38

Hebrews 12:1-11*

Psalm 78:1-40

Genesis 31

Devotion for January 28, 29, 30, 31, 2021

By Pastor David Tinker

There is the famous poem often entitled, “Footprints in the Sand.” It has been shared numerous times in the past several decades.  Here is that poem:

“One night I had a dream…

I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord, and
Across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; One belonged to me, and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of my life flashed before us, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that many times along the path of my life, There was only one set of footprints.

I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in my life
This really bothered me, and I questioned the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
You would walk with me all the way;
But I have noticed that during the
most troublesome times in my life,
There is only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why in times when I
needed you the most, you should leave me.

The Lord replied, “My precious, precious
child. I love you, and I would never,
never leave you during your times of
trial and suffering.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”

This is a wonderful poem, but it does not tell the whole story of the support we have in our faith.  Our reading today from Hebrews 12:1-3. We read, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Essentially, as we go through life’s ups and downs, we have two powerful faith resources.  We have Jesus, such as the poem asserts.  We also have what Hebrews refers to as the, “great cloud of witnesses.”  We have one another.  We have the broad support of Christians of every time and place who are with us in support and prayer.

Looking back at the Footprints poem. It could be that, instead of just 1 set or 2 sets of footprints, that we see a beach full of footprints during tough times.  We have many of the faithful who are with us when life gets tough.  Yes, we always have God.  We also get to have one another in the body of Christ.

When we are united to Jesus, we are never truly abandoned nor alone.  God is with us.  All those joined to Jesus are with us.

Prayer

Draw your church together, O God, into one great company of disciples, together following our teacher Jesus Christ into every walk of life, together serving in Christ’s mission to the world, and together witnessing to your love wherever you will send us; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Prayer from Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Copyright © 2021 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.

Bible Readings and Devotion for January 24, 25, 26, 27, 2020

Here are the references for the readings.  Please look these up in your print Bible, your smartphone app Bible, or your online Bible.

January 24

Matthew 8:5-13

Hebrews 10:1-10

Psalms 40, 61, 62, 65, 67

Genesis 24

January 25

Matthew 8:14-22

Hebrews 10:11-25*

Psalm 68

Genesis 25

January 26

Matthew 8:23-34

Hebrews 10:26-39

Psalm 69   

Genesis 26

January 27

Matthew 9:1-8   

Malachi 1:1-8

Psalm 66, 70, 72

Genesis 27

Devotion for January 24, 25, 26, 27, 2020

By Pastor David Tinker

Being a follower of Jesus is a team sport.  We do life together. Scripture teaches us that we are one body of believers. We worship together.  We pray together.  We have communion with God and one another.  We are baptized into a community of faith, not just a, “Jesus and me,” relationship. We strive together side by side to love our neighbors as ourselves.  We are lovingly commanded by Jesus to love one another.  We support one another throughout the highs and lows of life.  We gather around those in grief for continued support. As we sing and commune, we are united to the eternal throne room of God and to the body of Christ in every time and place.  We bring our unique gifts, contexts, and experiences into the workings of our life together.  We are the team of the people of Jesus. 

The biggest reason a person of faith in Christ is not gathering with others is due to getting out of the habit.  That is what our reading from Hebrews 10:24-25 is talking about.  The author notes, “And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”  Over time, some people had gotten out of the habit of gathering. 

A habit takes just a short time to form or to fade.  About three weeks is all that is needed.  Missing a week of worship can be painful.  Missing two in a row is hard, but not so hard as the first.  At three weeks a person may start feeling that not attending worship is normal.  The opposite is true for making the positive habit.  Striving to be at worship on three or more successive weeks will make the habit.

I know full well that the COVID19 pandemic has thrown so much of this faithful discipline out the window for so many.  My hope and prayer for all of us is that in the months to come, however many that is, our situation will improve enough for us to return to meeting as would be beneficial to all of us.  Life will get better, and being able to have all generations of our congregation at worship will be one of those better things.

Prayer

God of grace, you have given us minds to know you, hearts to love you, and voices to sing your praise. Fill us with your Spirit, that we may celebrate your glory and worship you in spirit and truth, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen

Prayer from Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Copyright © 2021 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.

Bible Readings and Devotion for January 21, 22, and 23, 2021

Here are the references for the readings.  Please look these up in your print Bible, your smartphone app Bible, or your online Bible.

January 21

Matthew 7:13-20

Hebrews 9:23-28

Psalms 52-55

Genesis 21

January 22

Matthew 7:21-29

Hebrews 11:17-29

Psalms 56-58, 60

Genesis 22

January 23

Matthew 8:1-4

Hebrews 11:30-40

Psalms 59, 63-64 

Genesis 23

Devotion for January 21, 22, and 23, 2020

By Pastor David Tinker

I have heard a statement such as this hundreds of times in my life.  When discussing the ministry of Jesus and a connection with time, a person will say something such as, “In months after Jesus died,” or, “About 20 years after Jesus died.”  These statements always bother me. I will tell you why these do.

It may seem a small issue, maybe a pet peeve of sorts.  For me, these statements miss a major and central point to everything that we do as followers of Jesus.  When we just say, “When Jesus died,” we are skipping over the event which make everything which Jesus did matter.  We are missing that Jesus was raised from the dead.  We are missing the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord.  We are missing that he is still alive.  I prefer to make note of this event in time by stating something such as, “When Jesus died and was raised again,” or, “(so many days/weeks/years) after the resurrection of Jesus.”

When we note only, “When Jesus died on the cross,” we are potentially leaving him in the tomb.  We could be going through life with the assumption that he is still dead.  We could be reinforcing the misunderstanding about what happened after Jesus died and rose again.  Sometimes I get the impression from people, even some professing Christians, that they live and believe in a way that pretty much assumes Jesus is still dead.

Central to our faith is that the Jesus who died on the cross and was placed in the tomb is now alive again, never to die again.  On that third day he was raised to life again.  Then on the 40^th day following that, Jesus ascended out of our sight.  He did not die again when he ascended.  We understand that he is alive and present for us in the throne room of God as well as through the various spiritual connections we have with him in life.

Our reading from Hebrews works from the faith assumption that Jesus continues to live for all eternity.  We read in Hebrews 7:15-17, “(referring to Jesus) It is even more obvious when another priest arises, resembling Melchizedek, one who has become a priest, not through a legal requirement concerning physical descent, but through the power of an indestructible life. For it is attested of him, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.””

The risen Jesus is the one with the indestructible life.  Jesus is the one who is priest forever.  It is not just some warm feeling or vague memory.  Jesus is truly alive, and we can know him, serve him, delight in him, and follow him both now and forever.

Prayer

Almighty God, by our baptism into the death and resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ, you turn us from the old life of sin. Grant that we who are reborn to new life in him may live in righteousness and holiness all our days, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Prayer from Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Copyright © 2021 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.

Bible Readings and Devotion for January 13, 2021

Here are the references for the readings.  Please look these up in your print Bible, your smartphone app Bible, or your online Bible.

Matthew 5:13-20

Hebrews 6:1-12

Psalms 34-35

Genesis 13

Devotion for January 13, 2020

By Pastor David Tinker

One of my favorite passages of scripture is Ephesians 2:8-10, which read, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.”

This passage reminds us of the proper role of good works in our lives of faith. Being good and doing good and right things is not to bring about our salvation from the power of sin, death and evil.  There is nothing we can do to overcome sin on our own.  Instead, we rely upon the grace of God brought to us by the work of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.  We do not and cannot look to our own power, for it is both insufficient and it is not how God works things for our life and hope and salvation.  We simply rely upon what God has done for us in Jesus.

Verse 10 of that passage from Ephesians does tell us to do good things.  These are good works and right actions are the holy and good results of God’s work for us.  Restoring us to fellowship with God and a life of good works is the plan and purpose for what Jesus has done.  Good works are good, but these do not save us.  Good works are the fruit of God’s work to save us.

Here are two good reasons for doing good in response to God’s grace.

Martin Luther is said to have noted something like this:  “God does not need our good works, but our neighbors do.”  In other words, we are saved by God’s power. The good things we do are to build up and benefit the lives of the people we encounter in this life.

The second reason is noted in our reading today.  In Matthew 5:16 we read the words of Jesus:  “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”  Jesus teaches us to serve and love our neighbors so they will see God’s love for them.  As they see God’s love, they will respond by giving glory and praise to God.

There are two responses to God’s love.  One is to glorify and worship the Lord.  The second is to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Prayer

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated unto you; and then use us, we pray, as you will, but always to your glory and the welfare of your people, through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen

Prayer from Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Copyright © 2020 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.

The grave stone for the great uncle of Pastor David Tinker.  This is located in Norwich Bridge Cemetery in Huntington, Massachusetts.

Bible Readings and Devotion for January 12, 2021

Here are the references for the readings.  Please look these up in your print Bible, your smartphone app Bible, or your online Bible.

Matthew 5:1-12

Hebrews 5:1-14

Psalms 29-30, 33

Genesis 12

Devotion for January 12, 2020

By Pastor David Tinker

As I have gone through decades of being an adult, I have had increased exposure to the death of loved ones and friends.  When someone close to our heart dies it is often more painful than we expect.

Our reading from Matthew today is one of the most familiar passages of God’s Word for many people.  It is what is often referred to as the, “Beatitudes.”  A beatitude is an announcement of supreme blessedness from God.  Our Lord Jesus is announcing a blessing or a special gifting to his followers in the various situations noted.  In times of loss we have greater comfort from the words of Jesus here.  He says in verse 4, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”  He is saying that he blesses us with mourning and with comfort.

The blessing of mourning makes sense to me in this way.  To mourn the death of a person one usually needs to have had a loving connection with the now deceased.  With no connection, we would not have much reason to grieve.  God loves us, and this enabled us to love and connect with others.  We are blessed with the ability to love one another, and therefore, we experience grief when one of our circle of care dies.

The deeper meaning of the word comfort is often misunderstood in modern culture.  We often associate it with a soft, easy chair.  Historically it is about being strengthened and supported.  God’s blessing to us is that he will support us as we experience grief.  God’s promise is that we are not alone without support in seasons of grief.  The Holy Spirit is always present for us.  Our prayers can always cast the burden of grief on our Lord who cares for us.  The community of faith and the love of God give us strength in times of loss.

We are blessed with love, with morning, and with God’s help when we mourn.

Prayer

Eternal God, your love is stronger than death, and your passion more fierce than the grave. We rejoice in the lives of those whom you have drawn into your eternal embrace. Keep us in joyful communion with them until we join the saints of every people and nation gathered before your throne in your ceaseless praise, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Prayer from Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Copyright © 2020 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.