A New New Year's Resolution!!!
Reflections: Happy New Years!! Of course this is the time when many people set out to make New Year’s resolutions. Each year we try to become better people, but often our efforts fail for various reasons. Of course there is nothing wrong with trying to become a better person, or in Christian parlance to become more Christ-like, but often this can lead to just trying to be a better, more moral person, or to “drink less”, or “cuss less” etc…
Maybe this year you might try something different. Maybe a different way of looking at your life is a concept of “the exchanged life”. Dallas Willard describes this as, “How would Jesus live his life, if he were you!” Now that sounds a little daunting, but the reality is that I think Christian formation and the life we really always wanted is not as complicated as it may sound, or maybe how the church has made it out to be. What if each day you prayed in the morning, “God help me to hear your voice and listen and do what you would want me to do if you were me.”
Today’s reading is a great example of someone who is living an “exchanged life”. Philip, one of the deacons appointed by the apostles, is told by an angel to go down south to the road that leads of Jerusalem to Gaza. Now we don’t often literally hear from angels but stick with me. First and most importantly, Philip listens and changes his plans for the day and heads out the way he was told.
As he is on his way led by the Spirit, he meets an “Ethiopian Eunuch”, who has been to the temple for the annual pilgrimage and is going back home. He would either be termed a “God-fearer”, someone who desired to be converted to the Jewish faith, or someone who had already converted. Regardless, he is investigating the scriptures and specifically the prophet Isaiah who foretold of the Messiah. Upon the Eunuch’s prompting Philip gets the opportunity to link what he is reading to the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Eunuch apparently receives the message and asks to be baptized. Philip baptizes him on the spot in the water and is then taken away in the Spirit. Quite a day for Philip!
Are these encounters only for the first apostles/deacons, or are we meant to live this kind of adventure filled, Spirit led lives. Has God stopped using his people to reach new people with the Good News, or is He still arranging for these Divine Encounters through His Holy Spirit, which leads and guides us. I happen to believe that God still searches to and fro for those who will stop, listen and obey His voice. Of course this is always in line with the guidance of Scripture and God would never lead us to do something contrary to what He has already revealed in the bible.
So if you are looking for a New Year’s resolution, would you resolve to listen to God’s voice in a more intentional way? If you do, I have a feeling you will meet some interesting characters in 2013, and become more involved in God’s story of reaching the world with the Good News! This is in line with we just celebrated at Christmas when God became “one of us”, Emmanuel. And as this Emmanuel grew up and left this planet, he said to His disciples/friends, “Now you will do even greater things than me.” Amen.
Psalm 150
1 Praise the Lord.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.
1 Chronicles 2:18-55
Caleb Son of Hezron
18 Caleb son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah (and by Jerioth). These were her sons: Jesher, Shobab and Ardon. 19 When Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrath, who bore him Hur. 20 Hur was the father of Uri, and Uri the father of Bezalel. 21 Later, Hezron, when he was sixty years old, married the daughter of Makir the father of Gilead. He made love to her, and she bore him Segub. 22 Segub was the father of Jair, who controlled twenty-three towns in Gilead. 23 (But Geshur and Aram captured Havvoth Jair, as well as Kenath with its surrounding settlements—sixty towns.) All these were descendants of Makir the father of Gilead. 24 After Hezron died in Caleb Ephrathah, Abijah the wife of Hezron bore him Ashhur the father of Tekoa.
Jerahmeel Son of Hezron
25 The sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron: Ram his firstborn, Bunah, Oren, Ozem and Ahijah. 26 Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam. 27 The sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel: Maaz, Jamin and Eker.
28 The sons of Onam: Shammai and Jada.
The sons of Shammai: Nadab and Abishur. 29 Abishur’s wife was named Abihail, who bore him Ahban and Molid.
30 The sons of Nadab: Seled and Appaim. Seled died without children.
31 The son of Appaim: Ishi, who was the father of Sheshan. Sheshan was the father of Ahlai.
32 The sons of Jada, Shammai’s brother: Jether and Jonathan. Jether died without children.
33 The sons of Jonathan: Peleth and Zaza.
These were the descendants of Jerahmeel 34 Sheshan had no sons—only daughters.
He had an Egyptian servant named Jarha. 35 Sheshan gave his daughter in marriage to his servant Jarha, and she bore him Attai. 36 Attai was the father of Nathan, Nathan the father of Zabad, 37 Zabad the father of Ephlal, Ephlal the father of Obed, 38 Obed the father of Jehu, Jehu the father of Azariah, 39 Azariah the father of Helez, Helez the father of Eleasah, 40 Eleasah the father of Sismai, Sismai the father of Shallum, 41 Shallum the father of Jekamiah, and Jekamiah the father of Elishama.\
The Clans of Caleb
42 The sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel: Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph, and his son Mareshah, who was the father of Hebron. 43 The sons of Hebron: Korah, Tappuah, Rekem and Shema. 44 Shema was the father of Raham, and Raham the father of Jorkeam. Rekem was the father of Shammai. 45 The son of Shammai was Maon, and Maon was the father of Beth Zur. 46 Caleb’s concubine Ephah was the mother of Haran, Moza and Gazez. Haran was the father of Gazez.
47 The sons of Jahdai:
Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah and Shaaph. 48 Caleb’s concubine Maakah was the mother of Sheber and Tirhanah. 49 She also gave birth to Shaaph the father of Madmannah and to Sheva the father of Makbenah and Gibea. Caleb’s daughter was Aksah. 50 These were the descendants of Caleb.
The sons of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah: Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim, 51 Salma the father of Bethlehem, and Hareph the father of Beth Gader. 52 The descendants of Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim were: Haroeh, half the Manahathites, 53 and the clans of Kiriath Jearim: the Ithrites, Puthites, Shumathites and Mishraites. From these descended the Zorathites and Eshtaolites.
54 The descendants of Salma: Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth Beth Joab, half the Manahathites, the Zorites, 55 and the clans of scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, Shimeathites and Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the Rekabites.
Acts 8:26-40
Philip and the Ethiopian
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” n30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”[b]
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
My eyes fail with watching for your promise; I ask, “When will you comfort me?” Psalm 119:82
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
God of endings and beginnings, may we bring glory tonight as we close this year and begin another. May our faith in your promise remain strong as you breathe your spirit upon us. Amen.
Maybe this year you might try something different. Maybe a different way of looking at your life is a concept of “the exchanged life”. Dallas Willard describes this as, “How would Jesus live his life, if he were you!” Now that sounds a little daunting, but the reality is that I think Christian formation and the life we really always wanted is not as complicated as it may sound, or maybe how the church has made it out to be. What if each day you prayed in the morning, “God help me to hear your voice and listen and do what you would want me to do if you were me.”
Today’s reading is a great example of someone who is living an “exchanged life”. Philip, one of the deacons appointed by the apostles, is told by an angel to go down south to the road that leads of Jerusalem to Gaza. Now we don’t often literally hear from angels but stick with me. First and most importantly, Philip listens and changes his plans for the day and heads out the way he was told.
As he is on his way led by the Spirit, he meets an “Ethiopian Eunuch”, who has been to the temple for the annual pilgrimage and is going back home. He would either be termed a “God-fearer”, someone who desired to be converted to the Jewish faith, or someone who had already converted. Regardless, he is investigating the scriptures and specifically the prophet Isaiah who foretold of the Messiah. Upon the Eunuch’s prompting Philip gets the opportunity to link what he is reading to the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Eunuch apparently receives the message and asks to be baptized. Philip baptizes him on the spot in the water and is then taken away in the Spirit. Quite a day for Philip!
Are these encounters only for the first apostles/deacons, or are we meant to live this kind of adventure filled, Spirit led lives. Has God stopped using his people to reach new people with the Good News, or is He still arranging for these Divine Encounters through His Holy Spirit, which leads and guides us. I happen to believe that God still searches to and fro for those who will stop, listen and obey His voice. Of course this is always in line with the guidance of Scripture and God would never lead us to do something contrary to what He has already revealed in the bible.
So if you are looking for a New Year’s resolution, would you resolve to listen to God’s voice in a more intentional way? If you do, I have a feeling you will meet some interesting characters in 2013, and become more involved in God’s story of reaching the world with the Good News! This is in line with we just celebrated at Christmas when God became “one of us”, Emmanuel. And as this Emmanuel grew up and left this planet, he said to His disciples/friends, “Now you will do even greater things than me.” Amen.
Psalm 150
1 Praise the Lord.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.
1 Chronicles 2:18-55
Caleb Son of Hezron
18 Caleb son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah (and by Jerioth). These were her sons: Jesher, Shobab and Ardon. 19 When Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrath, who bore him Hur. 20 Hur was the father of Uri, and Uri the father of Bezalel. 21 Later, Hezron, when he was sixty years old, married the daughter of Makir the father of Gilead. He made love to her, and she bore him Segub. 22 Segub was the father of Jair, who controlled twenty-three towns in Gilead. 23 (But Geshur and Aram captured Havvoth Jair, as well as Kenath with its surrounding settlements—sixty towns.) All these were descendants of Makir the father of Gilead. 24 After Hezron died in Caleb Ephrathah, Abijah the wife of Hezron bore him Ashhur the father of Tekoa.
Jerahmeel Son of Hezron
25 The sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron: Ram his firstborn, Bunah, Oren, Ozem and Ahijah. 26 Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam. 27 The sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel: Maaz, Jamin and Eker.
28 The sons of Onam: Shammai and Jada.
The sons of Shammai: Nadab and Abishur. 29 Abishur’s wife was named Abihail, who bore him Ahban and Molid.
30 The sons of Nadab: Seled and Appaim. Seled died without children.
31 The son of Appaim: Ishi, who was the father of Sheshan. Sheshan was the father of Ahlai.
32 The sons of Jada, Shammai’s brother: Jether and Jonathan. Jether died without children.
33 The sons of Jonathan: Peleth and Zaza.
These were the descendants of Jerahmeel 34 Sheshan had no sons—only daughters.
He had an Egyptian servant named Jarha. 35 Sheshan gave his daughter in marriage to his servant Jarha, and she bore him Attai. 36 Attai was the father of Nathan, Nathan the father of Zabad, 37 Zabad the father of Ephlal, Ephlal the father of Obed, 38 Obed the father of Jehu, Jehu the father of Azariah, 39 Azariah the father of Helez, Helez the father of Eleasah, 40 Eleasah the father of Sismai, Sismai the father of Shallum, 41 Shallum the father of Jekamiah, and Jekamiah the father of Elishama.\
The Clans of Caleb
42 The sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel: Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph, and his son Mareshah, who was the father of Hebron. 43 The sons of Hebron: Korah, Tappuah, Rekem and Shema. 44 Shema was the father of Raham, and Raham the father of Jorkeam. Rekem was the father of Shammai. 45 The son of Shammai was Maon, and Maon was the father of Beth Zur. 46 Caleb’s concubine Ephah was the mother of Haran, Moza and Gazez. Haran was the father of Gazez.
47 The sons of Jahdai:
Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah and Shaaph. 48 Caleb’s concubine Maakah was the mother of Sheber and Tirhanah. 49 She also gave birth to Shaaph the father of Madmannah and to Sheva the father of Makbenah and Gibea. Caleb’s daughter was Aksah. 50 These were the descendants of Caleb.
The sons of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah: Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim, 51 Salma the father of Bethlehem, and Hareph the father of Beth Gader. 52 The descendants of Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim were: Haroeh, half the Manahathites, 53 and the clans of Kiriath Jearim: the Ithrites, Puthites, Shumathites and Mishraites. From these descended the Zorathites and Eshtaolites.
54 The descendants of Salma: Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth Beth Joab, half the Manahathites, the Zorites, 55 and the clans of scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, Shimeathites and Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the Rekabites.
Acts 8:26-40
Philip and the Ethiopian
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” n30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”[b]
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
My eyes fail with watching for your promise; I ask, “When will you comfort me?” Psalm 119:82
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
God of endings and beginnings, may we bring glory tonight as we close this year and begin another. May our faith in your promise remain strong as you breathe your spirit upon us. Amen.
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