Waiting

Degas, Waiting. 1882.

Readings

1. Old Testament: 15:1-21

2. Psalm 6

3. Gospel: John 14:18-31

4. Epistle: 1 Pet. 1:13-25

Devotional
"Its time to go." Her words flowed through the couch and zapped me like lightning. The baby is coming. The panic hit next, like thunder. We aren't at the hospital. How long does it take to come? I WILL NOT DELIVER A BABY IN THE CAR. She gets up and goes to the kitchen. And starts washing dishes. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I'm in the car already, honking the horn. We break all land speed records getting to the hospital... only to wait for twelve more hours for my first son to be born.

Waiting is hard. You feel powerless and out of control, at the mercy of time, circumstance, and other people. And the temptation is to treat God like the fast forward button on the remote control, to escape the tension of waiting by having him fast forward to the moment when the tension is eased. But the readings today invite us to think about waiting in a different way. What if God is more concerned with *how* we wait than he is with the fact that we are waiting?

Two contrasting visions of faithful Christian waiting are presented in the readings today. In Psalm 6, the person who is waiting is in anguish. They want to be relieved, they want the waiting to end. But the Psalm is included in the hymnbook of the people of God that we might recognize something- that our waiting is from God, and whether in anguish or in hope, we must receive the delay of our gratification as the next step in the dance of relationship with Him. And we are are empowered to keep dancing, even in anguish, by the knowledge of his good intentions toward us.

1 Peter invites us to consider the question of our holiness in the midst of waiting. We are to see ourselves as exiles in a strange land, still beholden to the country of our Father from whence we came. We are to strive to live our lives according to our old Constitution. This waiting for Jesus is an active waiting- it actively resists the temptation to clutch at impermanent things for salvation. This waiting, more triumphant in tone than that of Psalm 6, nevertheless finds its strength in the same place: the promise of God's goodness to his people. 

How does the delay of your gratification shape your dance with God? Can you conform yourself to the kingdom of God in our present waiting?

Hymn
O Christ Our King Creator Lord

Prayer
Pray Psalm 6 aloud.

What Lasts Forever

Readings

1. Old Testament: Ex. 14:21-31

2. Psalm 1

3. Gospel: John 14:8-17

4. Epistle: 1 Pet. 1:1-12

Devotional on Psalm 1
One of the most obvious landmarks in Savannah are the massive oak trees which are everywhere. They are scattered around the city, sometimes clearly by design, as in Forsyth or Daffin Park, but sometimes as if by the hand of a profligate Johnny Appleseed god. There is a massive oak in the house next door to mine which looks as if it has stood for a thousand years. It dwarfs my house, and my span of life.

The last three or four weeks we have remembered what was always true, but which we in our arrogance are prone to forget- that the things which we take as permanent are no more permanent than the wind. Our health isn't permanent, our jobs aren't permanent, our wealth isn't permanent. And (even more disorienting), when we cry to God about our loss of permanence, we realize that the wind which blew all these things away is operating in some cases at his instigation, but always at least at his allowance. 

There is, however, something that lasts. Something that God doesn't blow away. Something like the oak trees of Savannah. Something that is still possible, even in the winds of change. Psalm 1 paints a picture of a follower of Jesus who sole purpose is delight in God's law (v. 1-2). This is no self-righteous, self-exalting holiness either; it yields fruit and blesses the community (v. 3). The self-obsessed schemes of the world, which sought to make us healthy, wealthy and wise, and which promised permanence pre-pandemic, have been blown away, and revealed that which lasts, and which God will not blow away. You want to do something that lasts forever? Learn to delight in God's law. Learn to delight in holiness. Learn to bless your neighbor by being faithful to God.

Hymn
O Christ Our King Creator Lord

Prayer
O MOST dear and tender father, our defender and nourisher, endue us with your grace, that we may cast off the great blindness of our minds, and care of worldly things, and may put our whole study and care in keeping of your holy law ; and that we may work for our necessities in this life, like the birds of the air, and the lilies of the field, without care. For you have promised to care for us, and have commanded that we should cast our cares upon you, who lives and reigns, world without end. Amen

Sunday Worship (4/19/20)

Join us for worship at 5 pm this Sunday by clicking this link. Download and print out our order of worship here.

He is Risen!

Trust

1. Morning

   1. Psalm 97

   2. 1 Cor. 15:30-41

2. Evening

   1. Psalm 15

   2. Exodus 12:40-51

3. Hymn

   1. The Lamb Has Overcome

4. Prayer

   1. O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his
      disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith,
      that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives
      and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
      now and for ever. Amen.

Devotional: Psalm 97
From Rev. Martin Antoon:
I have three memories that stand out as my earliest of my life.  The first was an incredibly unremarkable day one morning in three-year-old preschool.  I don’t know why I remember it.  The second was cutting a chunk out of my hair when I was four.  Maybe slightly more significant, but still not that noteworthy in the grand scheme of things.  But I also have another memory from my four-year-old days.  For whatever reason, I decided to stick a paper clip in an electrical socket.  You could blame me for my lack of knowledge of simple electrical currents, or you could blame the apparent lack of oversight from whatever teacher was supposed to be watching.  But I remember a loud buzzing noise, which was followed by a teacher walking over to me, not saying a single word, picking me up, and promptly setting me down somewhere else.  And the question I remember thinking to myself was this:  “Why did she do that?”

As the virus continues its global course, something is becoming clear.  The reason we are collectively so unsettled is not just because we worry for our safety.  After all, we do things all the time that, in theory, jeopardize our well-being.  The fear of the virus lies in the fact that we truly have no idea what the next months, or maybe even year, could hold.  It’s scary.  We want to know that somebody is in control. 

What does the Psalmist mean when He says “The Lord reigns?”  We use that language a lot.  Simply put, it means two things are true.  Nothing happens outside of God’s control, and God works all things together for good for those who love Him.  It might, at times, leave us asking the question “Why did He do that?”  We might truly suffer in the midst of everything going on, but we can take comfort in one thing:  though we may not have the answers, God does.  He invites us to ask the question knowing that it will ultimately strengthen our dependence on Him.  The answer to my four-year-old-self’s question is painfully obvious now.  I just didn’t have the understanding required to see it at the time.  Thankfully, the person in charge did.  We don’t have the wisdom to understand God’s master plan, but thankfully we can trust that He does.

Finding Joy in the News

Texts:

1. Morning

   1. Psalm 103

   2. 1 Cor. 15:12-28

2. Evening

   1. Psalm 111

   2. Exodus 12:28-39

3. Hymn

   1. The Lamb Has Overcome

4. Prayer

   1. O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus
      Christ destroyed death and brought life and immortality to
      light: Grant that we, who have been raised with him, may
      abide in his presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory;
      through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the
      Holy Spirit, be dominion and praise for ever and ever. Amen.

Devotional: Psalm 103
There is a lot of bad news on the news. Obviously. Stories are full of sickness, incompetence, governments fighting with one another, and with themselves. There are lies, counter-lies, narratives and counter-narratives, statistics floating everywhere. Reading it all is seriously disheartening. And if you are as addicted to the news as most of us are (news which flows into us through our phones, which we need so desperately to maintain a connection to the outside world in an age of social distancing), the news shapes our emotional experience of our day-to-day lives. What if that fight we had with our spouses or roommates was really about the stress we are carrying from the news?

The Psalmist offers us a better way. He offers us an emotional experience full of joy and praises to God. God has forgiven him, healed him, redeemd him, loves him, gives him good things, and is righteous (v. 1-6). Does the Psalmist just live in a perfect, privileged world? Is that why the writer expresses joy? Some of us feel too guilty to express joy right now, because the news has told us that we have what others don't... 

The Psalmist's life and his joy isn't based on his circumstances. The opposite in fact- he knows he is going to die, and his days are limited (v. 15-16). But the joy remains, because it's based on the news he is reading. It's based on his knowledge of God, which he has gained as a result of reviewing the things that God has done in the world- saving his people, redeeming them, and making Himself known to them.  You are going to die, you will be forgotten by mankind- a hard truth. But nothing in comparison to the joy which comes from knowing that you have not been forgotten by God!

Reflections
1. Which news shapes your emotional experience in the day-to-day: CNN, or the good news of the gospel? 
2. Is it time to unplug for awhile?
3. When reading todays news, it feels like you only have two options: to be a sheep who goes along with authority, or a jerk who thumbs his/her nose at authority. How might taking the gospel as our formative news subvert both of those options? Are you a sheep or a jerk? How does the gospel of God's acts in history free you?

The Question of the Resurrection

The Question of the Resurrection

Texts:

1. Morning

   1. Psalm 93

   2. Mark 16:1-8

2. Evening

   1. Psalm 66

   2. 1 Cor. 15:1-11

3. Hymn

   1. The Lamb Has Overcome

4. Prayer

   1. Grant, Almighty God, that we who we celebrate with awe the Resurrection of your Son may be found worthy to attain to everlasting joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever, Amen.

Devotional: Mark 16:1-8
Easter Sunday is over, and as I look out my office window it is raining. The confidence and assurance that we felt at the pronouncement of the Good News ("the battle's done and the victory is won, the Lamb has overcome," from the hymn above) wavers. Was it ever there at all?

We have so many questions about the resurrection. They are good questions. They need to be asked. That sort of thing doesn't happen, does it? Wasn't it just propaganda, drawn up by the early church to legitimate its claim to power? Maybe everybody was just confused? Hallucinating? Weren't ancient people more superstitious? Ask the questions. Look for answers. Start here, and don't stop until you get some.

The Gospel of Mark is interested in a different question though. Mark is interested in the questions, not that we ask of the Resurrection, but that the Resurrection asks of us. In fact, most scholars agree that Mark ends at chapter 16 verse 8. Not with a bodily appearance of Jesus, but with an empty tomb, and the women who loved him there, shocked and afraid. It is as if the author is asking US, "just what do you think happened here?" Answer the question. Ask for help. Start here, and don't stop until you know. 

If the resurrection didn't happen, then you are left with a rainy Monday in quarantine, 2020. If the resurrection did happen, then Jesus is Lord. Easter is still on, for the next three weeks of the Christian calendar, but really all year round. Anything can happen. Joy is possible. Redemption is possible. Hope is possible, in this life and the next. What do you say?

Reflection
1. Did it happen?

2. How does the truth of the Resurrection shape my joy and hope today?

3. What does it look like to live, not by optimism or by pessimism, but by faith?

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday

Join us for worship at 5 pm this Sunday by clicking this link. Download and print out our order of worship here.

He is Risen!

Good Friday: Beloved Failures

Texts:

1. Morning

   1. Psalm 22

   2. John 13:36-38

2. Evening

   1. Psalm 40:1-14

   2. John 19:38-42

3. Hymn

   1. Christ the Lord is Risen Today, in anticipation of Easter

4. Prayer

   1. Our Gracious God and Heavenly Father, You have loved us, even when we were dead in our sins. Your grace made us alive together with Christ. You have called us out of darkness and into your light. We confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. Forgive us, O God, and bless us by your Spirit, that we might have the courage to walk in the good works to which you have called us, to the praise of your glorious name, Amen.

Devotional: John 13:36-38
Rev. Martin Antoon:

I’ve been a Miami Dolphins fan ever since I was six years old.  If I could have it over, it’s possible I might pick a different team to save myself what would become over two decades of incessant heartbreak, but it’s far too late for that now.  Among the countless games over the years, one particular game stands out in my mind.  The year was 1999, and the Dolphins had one of their best teams in a long time.  They were so good that they did a very un-Dolphins thing and made the playoffs.  After a good win against the Seahawks in the first round, they faced the Jacksonville Jaguars in the next round.  The Dolphins were supposed to be strong contenders.  Dan Marino was wrapping up a legendary career at Quarterback.  They had a strong group of receivers, and the star-studded defense was one of the best in the league. 

To say that the Dolphins lost the game would be putting it mildly.  To this day, it still stands as the worst playoff loss in NFL history over the past 80 years.  All the expectations pointed to a strong team that could deliver when needed, but the results were disastrous.

Peter’s final moments in the Upper Room with Jesus ring oddly similarly to the 1999 Miami Dolphins.  Peter is confident that in the closing hours of Jesus’s life, as the authorities close in to unjustly arrest Him, he will remain strong beside Jesus.  “I will lay down my life for you,” says Peter.  But Jesus tells Peter another story about how things will end.  Instead of laying down his life, he is told that out of fear and cowardice, he will deny the same friend he has just promised to defend.  Not only will he deny Jesus, but he will do it three times.  Not surprisingly, this is exactly what happens.  Peter’s expectations of heroism and strength were replaced by shame and failure as Jesus goes on trial and Peter seeks only his own safety.  He sends Jesus to the cross alone. 

I suspect most of us had ambitions entering this era of quarantine where we were going to change for the better.  We were going to kick our spiritual lives into overdrive.  We were going to spend quality time with our families.  We were going to pick up a hobby.  We were going to read more.  We were going to serve and love others.  We were going to be strong when the circumstances tempted us to be weak.  And while we possibly did improve some areas of our lives, you probably found that you were far weaker than you had aspired.  And maybe you feel like a failure. 

The Dolphins may not have won a playoff game in the last 20 years, but I still love them.  Peter may have failed, but Jesus still loves him and draws near to him with unconditional mercy.  It’s not because of our strength that God loves us, it’s in spite of our weakness.  God offers grace to failures.  The beautiful final scene with Jesus and Peter after the Resurrection is not one of shame and anger as Jesus confronts his betrayer.  It’s a scene of forgiveness and breakfast as Jesus welcomes him back.  Jesus doesn’t want your record of accomplishments, He wants you.  

Maundy Thursday: The Daily Heroic

Texts:

1. Morning

   1. Psalm 102

   2. Mark 14:12-25

2. Evening

   1. Psalm 142/143

   2. Mark 14:12-25

3. Hymn

   1. Christ the Lord is Risen Today, in anticipation of Easter

4. Prayer

   1. Our Gracious God and Heavenly Father, You have loved us, even when we were dead in our sins. Your grace made us alive together with Christ. You have called us out of darkness and into your light. We confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. Forgive us, O God, and bless us by your Spirit, that we might have the courage to walk in the good works to which you have called us, to the praise of your glorious name, Amen.

Devotional: Mark 14:12-25
When I was 6 or 7 my family went to a ropes course in Western North Carolina. At the end of the course, I jumped off of the ropes and put my hands on the ground to steady myself. I remember the feeling of the leaves on my hands as I touched them- wet and soft. I remember the fear as the first yellow jacket flew out of the ground, followed by many. I remember the stinging pain as they swarmed me. And I remember the relief as my Father jumped down into the ditch and pulled me up. And I remember the welcome slap on my flesh, again and again, as he swatted the yellow jackets off. My deliverance was sensory. My Father's presence with me was sensory. 

Its that sensual presence with us that we remember on Maundy Thursday. "Maundy," derived from the Latin "mandatum," means "mandate or commandment." In the passion week narrative, Jesus gives the disciples a new commandment: that they love one another. And he expresses and models that love in very sensible, tangible ways: washing his disciples feet- can you feel the cool water?- and feeding them his body- taste the bread?- and his blood- has the wine gotten buzzy in your head? Jesus' love is sensual, tangible, embodied. Our God is not a God of abstraction, far off and removed from daily life. He doesn't call us into secret mysteries. The knowledge of him isn't in the first place mystical; unless by mystical we mean the glory and mystery of simple things, alive. The glory of smell and taste and touch. 

To keep the mandate ourselves is as tangible as it was on that first Thursday. We experience the presence of God when we get clean, when we eat together. And we mediate that presence to God, not just in formal religious worship (although that presence is most explicit and clear in those moments), but when we clean one another, feed one another, forgive one another, sustain one another. This presence is rarely spectacular in the way that we think of it: big and flashy. But it is spectacular in its quiet consistency, in its settled determination to bless one another and the world in tangible ways. To love God and to serve him, especially during this quarantine, is as Pope John Paul II said: "The heroic must become daily, and the daily must become heroic."

Reflections
1. Today: take a bath. A long one. Thank God for the water.
2. Today: eat a meal. Taste it. Have a glass of wine. Enjoy it. Praise God for it.
3. What are some small, daily, physical ways you can bless one another today?

Holy Wednesday: We Didn't Ask For This

Texts:

1. Morning

   1. Psalm 55

   2. Mark 12:1-11

2. Evening

   1. Psalm 74

   2. Mark 12:1-11

3. Hymn

   1. Christ the Lord is Risen Today, in anticipation of Easter

4. Prayer

   1. Our Gracious God and Heavenly Father, You have loved us, even when we were dead in our sins. Your grace made us alive together with Christ. You have called us out of darkness and into your light. We confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. Forgive us, O God, and bless us by your Spirit, that we might have the courage to walk in the good works to which you have called us, to the praise of your glorious name, Amen.

Devotional: Mark 11:27-33
Rev. Martin Antoon:

At this point, we’re starting to get pretty accustomed to suffering, aren’t we?  For some of us, it looks like being cooped up in the house for hours and days on end, burdened by the absence of consistency.  For others, it looks like lost jobs or the fear of their impending end.  For some of us, our suffering comes in the form of loved ones who are in danger of getting infected, or worse, loved ones who are sick.  The perpetual sense of suffering has started to color everything that we do and every thought that we have.  “I didn’t ask for this,” we think to ourselves.  The knowledge that we tried to keep ourselves at a distance seems to offer some consolation.  If we ascribe our condition to some impersonal force, we can try to alleviate its sting.

Jesus was also familiar with suffering during His life.  He brings our attention to Psalm 118 to reveal the depths of this suffering.  He is the stone that the builders rejected.  Considering the imagery creates a vivid scene.  In the grand construction of this “kingdom” being built by others, this particular stone is to be cast aside in rejection.  We have no use for it here.  It’s worthless.  So was Jesus considered to the world.  Yet never for a moment did Jesus think to Himself, “I didn’t ask for this.”  In fact, He volunteered Himself to be the stone that the builders rejected.  Unlike our suffering, He willingly entered into His.  And His suffering was personal.  It was from those who He came to save, us included. 

As we spend this week reflecting on Jesus’s final week of suffering, let’s use our present suffering to remind us of something important – Jesus’s hurt wasn’t some abstract idea of pain.  It was as real, piercing, and tangible as the suffering that we have felt amidst the virus.  And it was pain that we caused Him.  And rather than saying “I didn’t ask for this,” Jesus presses on, knowing that the fate of the cross awaits Him.  And He does it precisely so our present suffering would not be in vain.  Jesus doesn’t just love you when it’s convenient, He loves you even when it’s hard for you to love Him back.