DAY 273 - Freedom

Galatians 5:13, 17-18, 24-25 (NIV) ¹³ You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Why do some live with a wrinkled brow of worry while others seem to exude an air of peace? This question is about living freely, and the answer lies in remembering there are two sides to the Cross. The front side of the Cross is what happens when human beings get their own way … the most devious people but also the most decent. The front side of the Cross is the bondage we make for ourselves as we try to control and manipulate life independently of God. But there is another side to the cross, the side no one noticed that day on Golgotha. From the backside we see that the Cross was a freely chosen strategy of God in His Son to subject Himself to all of our bondage that He might loose us from it.

Paul says that the world has been crucified to him, both the good that the world has to offer and the worst that the world might attempt to do. When the world gave to Jesus its worst, He continued to trust, and God honored that trust in raising Jesus from the dead. And that is what Paul means, that he has already died to the worst that the world can do to him. And, of course, no one can ever live entirely free until they have broken the bondage to fear of death’s finality.

What is true of the best the world can offer is certainly also true of the worst that the world can do to us. The world can offer us success but it can also deny us success and give us failure. The world can offer us love, but it can also deprive us of love and give us loneliness. But certainly the worst of the worst that the world can do to us is what it did to Jesus. It can take our life and give us death. Death is ultimate bondage and the most convincing evidence that you and I are not in control, that life is not at our beck and call, it is not organized around our needs and wants.

The cross is the dividing line between believing in ourselves and our dreams for our life and trusting in God who has His own plans for us. The Cross is the place where we either put to death His sovereign will over our life or we die to our own efforts to keep everything under our control. We stand either on the front side of the Cross in bondage to the best that the world has to offer and the worst that the world promises to do, or we stand on the backside where we are set free.

From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope October 23, 1988

© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell

DAY 272 - Deliver Us From Evil

-->

Galatians 1:1-4 (RSV) Paul an apostle -- not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead -- and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father; to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.  

“Grace to you,” Paul says, “and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age.” Commentaries point out that “deliver” here does not mean deliverance from the presence of evil, but deliverance from the power of this present evil age.

Evil is a pervading power to influence us to do wrong. Evil is more than a flaw or a character defect that we can overcome by self-effort. Evil breeds out of more than being raised in a dysfunctional family, or because we were poor, or because we were too easily wealthy, or for any other purely human reason. Evil is always more than the person or group doing evil. And evil is always deceiving. Even the wicked often claim they have a righteous reason to do evil, and often religion helps them find that righteous reason. The final answer to why human beings make each other miserable has to do with the presence and power of evil.

How powerless Jesus appeared against the power of evil. How could this Galilean carpenter turned itinerant preacher who draws after Him a motley mob of religious bureaucrats, prostitutes and a garden variety of sinners conquer evil. How could this Jesus whose life ends on a Cross as an object of ridicule believe His death would conquer evil? Yet, Jesus saw the conquering of evil to be His mission on earth, to set the prisoners free from the clutches of evil.

Jesus saw Himself as the strong arm of God, armed with God’s power, spearheading the attack on the power of evil, but He appeared so powerless, crucified on a Cross, King of the Jews written on a placard over His head as a kind of joke. But, the joke backfired and Jesus proved to be a King in a way that no one could have possibly imagined.

Jesus did more than teach us how to deal with a few moral flaws in our lives. Jesus did more than offer teachings on raising our children so they would turn out good. To be delivered from this present evil age is to be delivered from the fear and terror that some people seek to inflict on others. Jesus is the power of God for salvation to deliver us from this present evil age.

From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope November 4, 2001

© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell

DAY 271 - A Day in the Life of the Holy Spirit

-->

From Acts 16 (NIV) ¹⁴ One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. ¹⁶ Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. ¹⁸ She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. ²² The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. ²³ After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. ²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. ²⁷ The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”²⁹ The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ³¹ They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household.” ³² Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. ³³ At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.

Have you had the experience of trying to tell someone something you knew as true but they would not listen? Do you know the frustration? Paul was frustrated in his effort to serve God and do the right thing. Do you know that frustration? His first missionary journey was less than a shining success. Paul set out to set the world on fire for Jesus Christ but at best he simply started a few brush fires.

Everywhere Paul went he experienced frustration, until Philippi, until Lydia. In Philippi we see a snapshots of the power of the Holy Spirit opening Lydia’s heart to trust the good news of Jesus, driving out a superstitious spirit from a girl, and freeing the jailer from the life of superstitious hopes in the gods, self-sufficiency, and trust in the Roman government.

These are snapshots of God’s power at work in strange and unexpected ways. When we prepare for the journey of trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit, everything is under our control. But, once launched on the journey we enter a place where we are not in control. Once launched on the journey we live by faith. We trust even though we never foresee how or when God will choose to intervene and touch our life. We do not know which roads God will call us to travel. We do not know how God will exercise God’s power and at any moment break out in such a thing as we never imagined. It is this spirit of expectancy, of not knowing but trusting, waiting, and following God’s will as best we know it, this spirit of wondering what God will do next that distinguishes a living faith from a dead religion.

From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope May 27, 2001

© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell

DAY 270 - How Inclusive Should We Be

-->

Acts 11:1-18 (NIV) 11 The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. ² So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him ³ and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.” ⁴ Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: ⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. ⁶ I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. ⁷ Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’⁸ “I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’⁹ “The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ ¹⁰ This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again. ¹¹ “Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. ¹² The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³ He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. ¹⁴ He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’ ¹⁵ “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” ¹⁸ When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Does it make any difference how inclusive we are? It does, and here is why: who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way? Do we, individually and as the church, help or hinder the work of God? God gave Peter a vision, not an argument or an opinion, and did not ask for a vote. God gave Peter a vision, and it happened three times. And at the very moment of the vision there was a knock on Peter’s door and three strangers, all Gentiles and servants of a Roman officer were standing before him. They had been sent to Peter to both give something Peter needed and to receive from him something they needed, and with that Peter understood the vision was not about food that was unclean, but rather about people he had always thought were unclean. God gives the vision. God gives people to help understand and implement the vision.

When Peter spoke of Jesus and saw the response of the people, he remembered scripture and the Word of the Lord slid some solid conviction under his feet. The vision was not just about food. It was about people he had always thought were unclean. The invitation from the men sounded so much like God’s invitation to take and eat that Peter then understood.

From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope May 13, 2001

© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell

DAY 269 - Tabitha, Arise

-->

Acts 9:36-40, 42 (NIV) ³⁶ In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. ³⁷ About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. ³⁸ Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” ³⁹ Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. ⁴⁰ Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. ⁴² This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

The raising of Tabitha was not about eternal life. Her time to die would return, but for now she was an exception to the rule that said death is permanent. But, why Tabitha? Why would God make her the exception? Granted, she was a disciple of Jesus. She was a very good person. She made clothes and gave them to the village widows. But, she has a minor role in the church at Joppa and even after being brought back to life she does not seem to play an important role in continuing the work of Jesus. If God was going to make an exception, why not make Stephen the exception, rather than allowing him to endure the hard, slow death of being stoned? Stephen was boldly proclaiming the truth about Jesus when his life was cut short. Why not make Stephen the exception? Or James, or Peter?

-->

If our “why” questions question the choice and the fairness of God, we may hear no answer. But if our why question is about what God is saying to us and showing to us in making Tabitha an exception to the rule of death, then we can hear an answer that will make a difference to our life.

Why Tabitha? Because God chose to show to the church again that there is someone more powerful than the permanency of death in the world. That Someone is Jesus. Tabitha, arise. Arise out of the certainty that many had about death. Arise out of the shaky belief that the resurrection of Jesus was only for Jesus and is uncertain for you or me. Arise out of a forgone faith where everything is a forgone conclusion and the expectancy of hope has been dashed by the reliability of death and rules. Tabitha was raised temporarily from the dead to demonstrate the permanent power of the risen Christ, and to call women and men to a life of faith in the rule of God. And many people believed in the Lord. That is why Tabitha was raised. Tabitha, arise is the presence of the risen Christ.

From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope May 6, 2001

© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell

DAY 268 - Extravagance

-->

John 12:1-9 (NIV) 12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. ² Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. ³ Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ⁴ But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ⁵ “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” ⁶ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. ⁷ “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. ⁸ You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

Do you find the actions of Mary appealing or appalling? Do you regularly experience the bountiful life God wants for you? I invite you to go with me on a visit to the home of Mary and Martha to see and feel what happened that day and to remember that it can happen to us as well. It was probably a Sunday or Monday when Jesus and His disciples made the trip to the small village of Bethany, about two miles from Jerusalem. This was the place where Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. They came to the house of Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary. Martha had prepared supper and that was her way of expressing her extravagant love for Jesus. Meanwhile Mary was sitting listening to Jesus. Suddenly, without explanation she dashed to bring into the room a jar of very expensive perfume, and she began pouring the perfume on Jesus’ feet and spreading it with her hair. Though perhaps shocked or surprised, everyone breathed in the fragrance of Mary’s extravagance, except Judas, who pointed out that the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor.

Judas was not really interested in the poor, and partly because of his greed Judas did not get the message of Mary’s act. Her act was not a wild, reckless deed. Rather, ointment was what was used to anoint kings. Mary was saying and showing in the most complete way she knew that Jesus was her king.

It may not be greed that keeps us from seeing and appreciating Mary’s act. Maybe it is other insecurities of life, or the sheer lack of faith in the generosity of God towards us. So we find the spirit of Mary appalling? Are we alive with energy, extravagant with emotions, totally in love with life? And if we find the spirit of Mary appealing which kind of anointing do we need to give Jesus?

From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope April 1, 2001

© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell

DAY 267 - Repent And Trust in God

-->

Luke 13:1-9 (NIV) 13 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. ² Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? ³ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

“Why me?” is one of those questions that seems to be buried deep and no matter what our theology we raise the question. Sometimes there are truthful and reasonable answers to that question based on consequences to behavior, but that is not the kind of answer we’re seeking. One day as Jesus was teaching a crowd of people, he noticed some in the crowd who had been discussing the “why them?” question. Why did God allow some Galileans to be slaughtered while they were in the Temple preparing to offer sacrifices to God? Popular thinking went like this: God was all-powerful, God was just, and therefore these calamities must happen because of some human sin, and they got what they deserve.

Were the Galileans worse sinners than anyone else? No, but unless you repent …  Were the eighteen people killed at Siloam worse sinners than anyone else? No, but unless you repent … Isn’t that a strange thing for Jesus to say when life has just dealt us a hard blow? When the pain of grief, the pain of a divorce, the pain of a lost job, when these big bolts of pain his us, they tend to turn us inward upon ourselves. We begin to utter “me, me” prayers. And soon we are cut off from any awareness of God’s love. But, God does hold us accountable for the way we use the gift of life God has given us. On that we can be absolutely sure. Unless you repent, you too will all perish … in your resentments, your regrets, your self-pity and your pain.

There is an old tale about a person who is lost in the woods on a dark, dark night. Danger is all around him. Suddenly a storm hits. A bolt of lightning flashes across the sky. The wisdom is that the fool looks at the lightening; the wise person looks at the path illumined before him. You have cancer – do you look at the lightning or at the path? Your marriage is over – do you look at the lightning or at the path? You will have to look for another job – do you look at the lightning or at the path.

Repentance is choosing to look at the path. This is a decision of the soul and not just the mind. The decision can happen because of the way God has worked with us. Lightning strikes. Do you look at the path that leads you to a deeper trust in God? The lightning strikes.  Do you look at the path that leads you in a direction you have wanted to go for years? The lighting strikes. Do you look at the path that leads you to a security in life you have never known before? When lightning strikes it can be distracting, but when lightning strikes there is always light.

From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope March 18, 2001

© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell