Reflexion, A Spiritual Community

The way Luke introduces John the Baptist has a familiar ring:“The word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness” (Lk. 3:2)For example: “The word of the LORD that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri” or “The word of the LORD that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel”- Luke is obviously forging a link between John and previous prophets• Jesus will soon say, John was a prophet “and more than a prophet” (v. 26)◦ John also appears as an eccentric character• we usually focus on John's wardrobe and diet◦ but his message was edgy too – “fire and brimstone”“He said to the crowds . . . ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? . . . . His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.' So with many other exhortations he preached the good news to the people.” (Lk. 3:17-18)

1 Corinthians 8:1-6  It's not one of my favorites, but this time something happened- it was like I saw a glint of light sparkle from one of the verses• so I started digging at it◦ I took my investigation as far as I could,◦ but when that wasn't enough, I consulted a biblical scholar• in a few minutes I'll share with you what I discovered,- but first, we'll take a brief look at this passage 

 Reading the stories of Jesus,Have you ever wished you could hear the tone of his voice?- for instance, I imagine a note of disappointment or sadness when says,“Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip?”• Philip was one of the first disciples to follow Jesus◦ so he's traveled with him as long or longer than the others◦ if anyone should know Jesus, it's Philip• Jesus has completed his work, and his time with his disciples is winding down◦ now, near the end, Philip doesn't know Jesus as well as the Lord desired- bear with me as I read through statements Jesus made re: himself“I am the bread of life” (Jn. 6:35)“I am the light of the world” (Jn. 8:12)“You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world” (Jn. 8:23)“I am the good shepherd” (Jn. 10:11)“I am the Son of God” (Jn. 10:36)“I am the resurrection and the life” (Jn. 11:25)“You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am” (Jn. 13:13)In an ultimate statement regarding his person, “Truly . . . before Abraham was, I am” (Jn. 8:58)And in this same conversation: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life”In a few minutes Jesus will say, “I am the true vine” (Jn. 15:1)• the cumulative effect of these self-revealing statements,◦ should have convinced Philip he's seen the Father in Jesus• one insight we can draw from this conversation:◦ Jesus wants to be known by his followers,◦ and in knowing him, he wants us to know God, his Father

For some theologians and many believers,Paul's letter to the Romans is the heart of the Christian faith- but what they see as the central message isn't my favorite part• chapter 8 and this chapter speak directly to our need• that is, our connection to God and life in the Spirit◦ then chapter 14, where we learn what living our faith looks like in practice- a natural division occurred in churches of the Roman Empire• the split occurred along both ethnic and cultural lines◦ they consisted of both Jewish and Gentile members◦ Paul was clear re: his ministry, to Jews first and also to Gentiles• in some churches, this became a problem – Galatians◦ there is a hint of that same tension here (and in Colossians)◦ only it has a slightly different look – based on practice

Do you have a favorite psalm; for instance, Psalm 23?Whether one psalm speaks to me and another one doesn't,- depends a lot on my mood at the time I read them• the Psalms are moody, and some of them match my mood perfectly• whenever a psalm speaks to me, it's effect is palpable◦ it not only gives me something to think about,◦ but also stirs up significant feelings- the Psalms speak to our frustrations, conflicts, and heartaches• there are psalms that encourage and console• others give us wise counsel and guidance• more than once, a psalm has met me in my grief• many psalms are reminders that God is with us

Jesus crossed an international border looking for restMatthew says, he “went away” and “withdrew”- he needed space where he was free from the desperate crowds• care givers have to be careful to care for themselves• otherwise burn out can take out a care giver◦ during this brief respite, Jesus and disciples were off the clock- last thing they wanted was to hear the cry of a Gentile woman• Jesus buries his face in a newspaper or checks his cell phone◦ seeing that he ignores her, she begins pestering his disciples◦ and it worked – in frustration they went to Jesus“Send her away, for she is crying out after us”• they broke but not because they were more merciful than JesusHelmut Thielicke, “They can't take the woman's misery. The woman clearly feels that too, otherwise she would have turned to the weary and therefore more helpful disciples. She realizes, however, that they are not merciful in yielding to her cry for help. They just have weak nerves.”◦ so far, she has been rejected and not helped

My grandchildren have been helping me with social media, by interpreting a slew of new acronymsAcronyms are abbreviations for phrases, titles, or names, using only the first letters of each word- for instance, USA, BTW, or RFK• acronyms look strange, initially◦ a popular political insult is RINO: Republican In Name Only• this came to mind when reading a quote by Justin Martyr◦ a first century philosopher who became a Christian- he quoted the part of Jesus' Sermon we've been going over (Mt. 7:21-27) Justin Martyr, “. . . let those who are not found living as He taught, be understood to be no Christians, even though they profess with the lip the precepts of Christ; for not those who make profession, but those who do the works, shall be saved . . . . And as to those who are not living pursuant to these His teachings . . . are. . . “Christians only in name”• Jesus continues with his theme from last week"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven"◦ and now he concludes the Sermon with a parable

We're nearing the end of Jesus' SermonI think we must admit, there have been surprises along the way- but it has been a journey of wonder, skirting the edges of the kingdom of God• at the same time, the Lord has exposed us, to truth that is deep and difficult• so, what does Jesus want to say to us this morning?- though he's never one to sugarcoat the hard things, Jesus is being rather blunt, don't you think?• maybe what we hear is a tone of voice that offends◦ we ask, Where is God's compassion and mercy?• if Jesus must deliver this truth, couldn't he at least be polite?◦ but is there a polite way to shout, “The building's on fire”? or "Run for your lives"?◦ when Jesus is direct and rough, even then he loves us

Before we explore what Jesus is saying in these verses,There are three issues that need to be addressedFirst:- belonging to a church family can sometimes be devastating• I've met people whose first real family was their church◦ it became their lifeline, until one day it fractured◦ an angry and hostile faction split the church• those on sidelines were so disillusioned, and so hurt,◦ they never ventured into another church◦ their church became their second destructive and dysfunctional family- a similar sadness occurs when we discover a particular religious leader's true colors,• when the mask comes off and the real person is exposed◦ maybe they were with us during a difficult time,◦ maybe they quoted scripture and prayed with usbut now we see them for what they are

Every Easter, until COVID, my dad would host a Sunrise Service(First at the Pacific Amphitheater and later the Verizon Amphitheater)And most every year he would tell the same story; this one about Mary Magdalene  - you might expect people to say, “Oh no, not this story again,”     ~ but instead it was, “Oh! This is one of my favorite sermons”    ~ about forty years ago, a Sunrise Service was held at San Clemente High SchoolI went because I heard Eddie Piorek was going to speakHe also told the story of Mary Magdalene  - I'm don't intend to recover or carry on a tradition today    ~ but last week—Palm Sunday—we read the story about another Mary,the one who poured perfume on Jesus' feet    ~ it felt right to spend a moment with the Mary in today's story,who lost Jesus and then found found himJohn, in fact, highlights three Marys who appear in connection with Jesus' death  Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who prepared Jesus for his burial (Jn. 12:7)  Mary Magdalene, who stood by the cross and later came to the tomb,  And Mary the mother of Jesus

John 12:1-8INTRO: I know this is Palm Sunday and I read the wrong storyHowever, this is like an introduction to this big occasion, because   Jesus came to stay in the home of his friends the day before his grand entrance   - by the time he reached Bethany, his ministry was winding down    ~ when we read to the end of this chapter,          We come to the end of Jesus' service to the crowds (in John's Gospel)    ~ they will hear nothing more from him, personally  - in fact, this important detail of limited opportunity is highlighted in this chapterI wonder how long Mary had been wanting to bless Jesus in this way  - she not have been sure she'd ever have the opportunity    ~ but here he was, right there in her home         if she chickened out now, would she have a second chance?    ~ turns out, she wouldn't! it was now or never  - later on, Jesus will talk about missed opportunities — vv. 35-36 & 46

You may hear something today you haven't heard beforeSo I'm going to try to make this as clear as possible- we need to consider the larger context that surrounds and informs verses 12-14• not only the context of this chapter, but in Jesus' entire Sermon- the first big idea is this:• the key to interpreting these verses is love• it may not look like it at first, so we jump to other verses to shed light on these◦ but those similarities turn out to be coincidence and not real connections◦ if we stay with the themes of the Sermon, we will see how these verses fit Three times in Matthew we find the phrase, “the Law and the Prophets”- two of those times occur here in the Sermon• in one other place he says “the Prophets and the Law” -- reversing the order◦ there Jesus is referring to John the Baptist's ministry, and he said,"For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John" (Mt. 11:13)

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened Matthew 7:7-8Intro: Before we explore what God has for us in these verses,We need to address a misconception about what Jesus is promising- reading these verses closely, something piqued my curiosity• in verse 7 Jesus encourages us to ask, seek, and knock• then verse 8 is a virtual repetition of verse 7, only it's more like a guarantee◦ is is as though Jesus is saying, “Do this! You'll see that it works”- then–as if that were not enough–Jesus adds an illustration• we'll come to that in a moment, but the point is we can count on God's favorable response• why does Jesus make this effort to convince us to go to the Father to ask, seek, and knock?

Judge not, that yo be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measured you use it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1-2Intro: Until recently, whenever I came to this chapter I felt lostI was able to follow the continuity of Jesus' Sermon this far,- but I was not able to see how chapter 7 fit with what came before it• I assumed that our Lord chose to add these random lessons as an afterthought◦ but I made a mistake, and that was thinking I had come to a new chapter◦ and the new chapter appeared different from the previous chapters• but the truth is that the chapter breaks in the Bible are artificial◦ they weren't inserted in the Scriptures until 16th century◦ this created the illusion of one thought ending and a new thought beginning- the thread of the Sermon's central themes continue through chapter 7 to the end• previously, Jesus had been teaching his disciples with their spiritual development in view:◦ this included:The revelation of a true righteousnessOffering service to God without seeking recognition from othersHow to eliminate anxiety by seeking first the kingdom of God

Did you know, many Christians avoid the Sermon On the Mount?The problem is that they misread the Sermon- they think Jesus demands a perfection that is beyond us• what actually happens in the Sermon is that it empowers us◦ we learn the way of sincerity, integrity, and mercy• whatever else it might mean to be Christian,◦ above all, it means to be a “good person”◦ loving, caring, helping, serving- I feel that what we go over today can't be “just another talk”• we need to know how to get Jesus' teaching into our hearts, and minds, and our everyday lives• this verse, that I skimmed over last week,◦ teaches us where we need to go from here

Jesus is explaining and extending what he had said in verse 21“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”In scripture, the heart can have several meanings- here, it isn't the physical organ that pumps blood through our bodies• nor is it exclusively the seat of our feelings or emotions• here the heart is the central hub of our entire inner life◦ our perspectives, perceptions, and assumptions◦ our thoughts, feelings, and emotions◦ our needs, desires, and drives◦ our motives, intentions, and habits◦ our actions and reactions, beliefs, and commitments- the heart stands for your complete interior “person”• what Jesus wants is for our hearts to belong to God◦ and that's where we left off◦ his last point is that we cannot serve both a heavenly Father and a materialistic god

We're still in the Sermon On the Mount,But I'm going to begin by reading a of couple verses from Psalm 139- this is one of the very popular Psalms• its beautiful and haunting poetry are easy for us to follow◦ and at the same time, carries us from heights of the heavens◦ and depths of the ocean, to the abyss of our own souls• it begins:“ O LORD, you have searched me and known me!”◦ but then it ends:“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Ps. 139:1 and 23-24)- although David begins confessing God has searched him and known him,• he ends the poem with a request that God will search him◦ I think that's because he realizes God knows his heart,◦ and he does not know it as well as God• the truth is, we can fool our own hearts about how righteous we are

This week I met with Harry Robinson – a few of you may know himHe is a man of God and a visionary, and for awhile we worked together- he is also someone I love and respect• during our long, rambling conversation, Harry said something that woke me up• he said, “I've been finding beauty lately–everywhere”- it seems I need to be awakened to beauty• friends do this for me – though they don't always know it◦ maybe, I've been trudging through too much muck, concerned with◦ the condition of our nation and disappointed with obnoxious Christians• but since our meeting on Tuesday, I've been seeing more beautyI'll tell you why we begin with beauty todayBecause Jesus has been warning us away from behavior- we could describe as “ugly religion,”• and it has been spreading through our culture in recent years◦ it's always been here: people who enjoy heated arguments◦ who assume it's their job to pronounce judgments,◦ who will always act like they're more righteous than others• it's possible you've seen your share of ugly religion

Jesus has given the world this incredible prayerRecited every day and prayed in almost every language,- it contains the essence of what everyone needs to say to God and ask of him• and yet, when Jesus taught this prayer to his disciples,◦ it was in a side comment he felt needed to be included• up to this point, Jesus theme beginning in verse 1 was, "Don't advertise your spiritual devotion and service to God"◦ he follows this statement with three examples: charity, prayer, and fasting• there are four parts to each example:First, “Don't be like the hypocrites, to be seen by others”Second, “The hypocrites are rewarded when others notice them”Third, “Serve God in secret, keep it between you and the Father”Fourth, “Your reward will come from the Father”◦ this was how he began this second example, "Don't pray like the hypocrites"◦ but then the Lord swerved onto a side-trackDon't pray like the Gentiles• and he was still off-topic when he taught them the "Lord's Prayer" (AKA: the “Our Father”)◦ the impression I get reading this is that Jesus felt this point required elaboration◦ in a sermon that defines our spiritual life, prayer is key!

The next point of Jesus' sermon has to do with prayerI don't think you need me to teach you anything about prayer- one year in Russia, an orphan tried to teach me the alphabet• but she gave up on me – there was just one letter, I could not pronounce well enough to please her◦ I couldn't even hear the sound she was making when she said the letter• prayer isn't like that– prayer is the native language of every child of our heavenly Father◦ we may feel we're not doing it right,◦ but God hears what we feel and need even if we can't put those things into words- there's no Christian life or experience without prayer• if you want lessons on prayer, read the Psalms◦ there you'll find every prayer imaginable, and nothing is out of bounds• otherwise, there is also Paul's explanation of how God's Spirit helps us and prays within us◦ and in those instances, words are optional

 Peter and Andrew were knee-deep in Lake Galilee. A school of fish swam near shore, so they threw a net into water, dragging out whatever it collected. Jesus, walking the shore that morning, stopped and called to them. When they turned and looked at him, he said, “Follow me.” It was as if they were waiting for that moment, because they dropped everything to go with him. As Matthew tells the story, it was not long after they got the call that they were sitting on a nearby mountainside, listening to Jesus teaching lessons on True Righteousness and how to walk that spiritual path. They heard, first the Beatitudes, then the impossible requirement (5:20), after that Jesus ran through several examples of what the True Righteous looks like. Now Jesus takes them to a new gate, where written on a sign hanging from it was the word “Beware.” 

Today we reach the end of this second part of the SermonBut not until Jesus takes us all the way to end of the trail we're on- we've been following a theme that began with Jesus saying,Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. . . . For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Mt. 5:17-20)• we've seen the heart of the Law and Prophets is relational• Jesus will confirm this later on in Matthew's gospel when he is tested by a lawyer“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets" (Mt. 22:35-40)◦ notice he makes reference to "the Law and the Prophets" again,and he says that love for God and others is the summation of those Scriptures

There's a fateful story in the Bible that begins like this:It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (2 Sam. 11:2-4)

You know the directory in the mall, with the little star that reads, “You are here”?Well, let's figure out where we are in Jesus' Sermon- we've been through the Beatitudes • we've made the transition from Jesus' closing remarks to his declaration that he had not come "to abolish the Law or the Prophets," • but to empower them so they do in our lives what they're meant to do; ◦ and that is to turn human hearts toward God

 Approaching 2025, I found myself struggling with hope for the new year- I think of myself as an optimist• for instance, Divorce equals two Christmases and two birthdays- but today's world looks grim• vicious election cycle, out of control inflation, wars, many tragedies, etc.• I have been searching for hope 

We need to know where we are in Jesus' SermonVerses 17-20 are the heart of the Sermon (perhaps the heart of the entire Bible)- these verses hold the key to interpreting the rest of Sermon• unfortunately, many Christians read this passage, but don't understand it- speculations have resulted in some big errors:• one, is that Jesus and St. Paul were not on the same page◦ i.e., Jesus taught we're made righteous by the Law◦ Paul insisted we're righteous by faith, and not works of the Law• another error: the Sermon was meant for a Jewish audience not for Christian disciples◦ because of this kind of misreading and faulty interpretation, it's really important that we get this right

Back in the days, when I was the pastor of a sizeable church,We would celebrate Christmas with big productions. One year, when the stage was crowded with props and children, the music still ringing in our ears, I went to the microphone with my Bible in hand. As I began to speak, a girl six or seven years old, who had been sitting on a step right in front of me, stood up. She turned around, and with hands on her hips looked up at me and said, “Boring!”- Christmas is a challenge – we run through the same story every year• but here's a twist:◦ we've heard (plenty of times ) that Jesus is God's Christmas gift to world◦ but coming to Christmas through the Sermon, we hear something new• Jesus announces that he is not God's only Christmas gift◦ we are also God's gift to the world–we're not the big one;◦ we're more like stocking stuffers – but still, we're salt and light

These last two Beatitudes on Jesus' list are not easy to digestJesus envisions a grim future for us – and if so,- we're expected not only to survive it, but to rejoice and be glad• John Chapman was the Abbot of a monastery in Britain• he was also a spiritual director to others, especially through letter writing◦ one man who wrote to him, wanted his insight as to◦ how he could extricate himself from a painful situationChapman, “I cannot possibly show you a way out . . . . [what you have is] the simple experience that suffering is really suffering and that the chief feeling it causes is rebellion against it, and even against Providence for allowing it. ¶ It is all a nasty medicine, but works wonders.”- we agree it's a nasty medicine, but doubt it works wonders• we're more of the opinion expressed by Helmut Thielicke,Thielicke, “What a ghastly prospect! It makes one ask in all seriousness how Jesus could ever have gained disciples with an appeal like that.”• so I think what we need to do first, is back away from these verses◦ and get an aerial view of the entire Sermon

The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation. They say that Godbecame Man. Every other miracle prepares for this, or exhibits this, or results from this.C. S. Lewis, ". . . In the Christian story God descends to re-ascend. He comes down; down from theheights of absolute being into time and space, down into humanity . . . down to the veryroots and sea-bed of the Nature He has created." (C S Lewis)Incarnation literally means “embodied in flesh…or taking on flesh”The union of the Divine Nature with human nature…as the Son of God assumed ourflesh, body and soul.

Jesus is sitting on a mountain overlooking Sea of GalileeHe is teaching a course on “Christian Spirituality”- we are now five weeks into his introduction: The Beatitudes• prior to teaching this course, Jesus had been announcing, "the kingdom of heaven is at hand"◦ the course he teaches is meant to prepare us for that kingdom◦ the Beatitudes reveal characteristics of the abundant life--the truly "good life"• Jesus is not giving us a new list of rules◦ he isn't telling us what we should be doing, but describing what his followers are becoming• all through this course, Jesus is working from the inside-out◦ this is obvious in the next Beatitude we're going to probe“Blessed are the pure in heart”

When I began preparing today's talk, there was a sudden moment when I felt very smallThe spiritual wisdom of Jesus rivals every other enlightened text- even gurus, like Gandhi, who rejected Christianity have admired the Sermon• reading the words of Jesus, and trying to explain them to you,◦ leaves me feeling inadequate and foolish◦ like a four-year old who is told, “Explain quantum physics- what I know about these two Beatitudes, I learned on the job,• not from other Bible teachers or commentaries,◦ but in my own ministry of applying the words of God to the lived experience of people on this journey• what we'll go over today may be challenging, but it will be practical and liveable,◦ and what I believe Jesus wants us to learn

Welcome back to Jesus' Sermon On the MountHe begins with the Beatitudes – not to be confused with "benedictions"- they are more like a series of riddles• he describes conditions in which people are already blessed◦ already acceptable to God and discovering the abundant life◦ but what he says sounds like the opposite of abundant life• we would never tell a friend who is grieving, “You're so blessed”◦ and even in Jesus' time and culture meekness was a deficit- for this reason, we must pat attention to both lines of each Beatitude• the first line is an incomplete picture◦ something else comes after the situation Jesus identifies◦ his “Blessed are” lines are explained in the “for they shall be” lines• Jesus surprises us in order to enlighten us◦ he reveals the contrast between worldly values and heavenly◦ I admit, the most difficult place to practice the Beatitudes is in real life

Recently, I came across an interesting ad:The caption said, “Free AI Sermon Generator”“Free AI sermon outlines help you preach a confident, creative message. AI sermon starter ideas make your sermon fresh and relevant.”- I realized, from now on my life could be easy; for example,• last week I mentioned my frustration with “kingdom” (bringing to mind the idea of a nation with borders)

Last week I gave my introduction to the Sermon On the MountThis week we're going to look at Matthew's introduction- but first, I have a question – and it's for me as much as anyone:Are we ready for this?- the Lord has made many changes in our exterior lives,• but the big challenge of the Sermon is what it does on the interior◦ we've cleaned up our speech; what about our thoughts?◦ we've given up bad habits; what about desires and resentments?• I rationalize my inner life:“My thoughts don't hurt anyone” and “I've a right to my private thoughts”◦ the Sermon tells me, “Not any more”

A couple weeks ago someone told me,“Your next series of talks should be about The Sermon On the Mount”- that title has a pleasant ring to it, doesn't it?• isn't that where Jesus talks about birds and lilies? Love your enemies? Do not judge?• it's like a friend has invited us on an outing:“Hey, go with us to the park for a picnic. We're going to sing our favorite worship choruses, then share our favorite Bible verses.”- but the reality is, the Sermon isn't butterflies and rainbows• it doesn't read like a collection of Hallmark greeting cards• it contains the most intense demands in all of scripture◦ some Christians have given up on it

The prophetic ministry of Elijah provides one of the most entertaining stories in all the Bible. When it comes to phenomenal miracles, Elijah's only rival would be Moses. His spiritual stature as a man of God is equal to the greatest heroes in scripture, and yet St. James wrote, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours” (Jas. 5:17). Like us, Elijah could be frightened, discouraged, and ready to give up.Elijah would have been a fun person to know– if you like surprises. For instance, this final episode begins with a surprise. It seems we were supposed to already know he was going to be swept up to heaven by a whirlwind. He certainly knew that his work was done and something significant was about to happen, but it's not likely he was aware he would take a ride unlike any other in the entire history of humankind. As we walk the last leg of his journey with him, it's as if he already has one foot out the door.

Psalm 3 is the most loved, most quoted, and best known of all PsalmsThere are lots of reasons for this.It's short – just six verses. But though it's so short it's incredibly deep.It's simple – easy to understand.  The Lord, the shepherd is God.  I am the sheep. I get it!And there is something uniquely encouraging, comforting, and empowering about this Psalm.So, this morning, I'd like to give you Psalm 23 as a “fixed focal point” for your faith – through all the different seasons and experiences of your life.

 This first sentence of 2 Kings is an odd way to begin a new chapter. The transition from the previous book to this one could have been much smoother. For instance, the last lines of 1 Kings provide all the explanation we need for this new episode:Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria . . . and he reigned for two years. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother . . . . He served Baal and worshiped him and provoked Yehovah, the God of Israel, to anger in every way that his father had done (1 Ki. 22:51-53)Instead of this clear statement regarding the throne of Israel passing from the deceased father to the firstborn prince, we have an odd report of Moab's rebellion. Why? 

 King Ahab left the battlefield, victorious over the Syrians, but he arrived home moody and sullen. In theory, there's no reason for kings to be “moody and sullen.” If they are troubled, they have counselors. If they feel sad, they have jesters. If they need comfort, the priest is always on call. Having the luxuries afforded them by wealth and power, one imagines they could avoid ever being moody and sullen.Ahab may have assumed he did a good thing, releasing the enemy king who had attacked Israel, and sending him back to Syria with a slap on the wrist. But as he was riding through his troops with them congratulating him, there was suddenly that miserable prophet standing in his way, telling him God did not want King Ben-hadad to go free, and Ahab would pay for that wrong he did in releasing him. That spoiled everything. 

 Today's episode requires an explanation, because my plan was to skip this chapter. For the past seven weeks we've been immersed in the story of Elijah, but for some reason he does not appear here; not even his name is mentioned. But that is one of the curiosities in this episode that interests me. There are still gifted seers through whom God delivers messages to King Ahab, and these three fill the void that Elijah leaves. However, not even one of the three is named, but each one is identified by a title: the first is simply “a prophet,” the second is “a man of God,” and the third is “a certain man of the sons of the prophets,”I have two reasons for including this chapter in the story of Elijah, even though we lose sight of him. First, there is a strong connection between the end of this episode and a moment in the next episode where an unusual phrase is repeated using the exact same words. The link is strong enough to suggest a theme that deserves attention.The second reason I'm including this chapter is because I-love-this-story! The first time I discovered a truth revealed in this chapter, it was something I desperately needed to learn. So, here we go. 

 The Elijah with whom we spent time in the previous chapter is hardly recognizable in this episode. He is no longer the prophet who lost heart and had been wallowing in defeat, sulking in a cave. He was transformed. Once again he is on the move, and you would have had to jog to keep pace with his long, rapid strides. Every time his foot hit the ground, it raised a small, meaningful dust cloud. He was on assignment for Yehovah–nothing could stand in his way. The wild and fearless prophet was back.God had given him three tasks to perform involving three men: Hazael, who would become king of Syria; Jehu, would become king of Israel; and Elisha, who would become his replacement. Elijah began with the third task; and as the Lord would have it, Elisha, his protégé would complete the other two assignments after he was gone. So at least he could cross the Elisha task off his “to do” list. 

 Elijah was excited–an energetic excited–an excited he had not allowed himself to indulge until now. The tide was turning. The entire crowd witnessed God's answer from heaven. They had been won over. They had chanted, “Yehovah, he is God! Yehovah, he is God!” The king was there too. He saw it for himself. Now he also knew who was the real God.Running off to Jezreel was a bold move for Elijah. King Ahab had a palace there, and the royal family used it to retreat from the demanding affairs of state in the capital city. But the contest had been huge, the miracle breathtaking, and the response of the crowd overwhelming. This was the beginning. God was brining Israel out of their idolatry and back to himself. Elijah was confident of it–maybe overconfident. He may have missed one detail.What happened on Mount Carmel was a substantial breakthrough, and one could imagine that a spiritual revival was underway. However, Elijah may have overlooked one potential fly in the ointment: Queen Jezebel. 

 Elijah found King Ahab sitting off by himself still as a statue, staring into nothing, and his face coated in confusion. Ahab wondered, “What just happened? How could it have happened?” His feud with Elijah had ended suddenly in a phenomenon of fire and blood. His army of prophets failed to rouse their Bah-al god, while from the sky Yehovah answered Elijah with a spectacle never before seen. The king was defeated, but it was a strange loss that left him groping for his next move. Elijah had proved himself to be the real deal, and Yehovah proved himself to be the true God. Would Ahab now have to switch gods? Reform his rule over Israel? Defy his wife Jezebel?Elijah's voice broke his trance. “Ahab,” he called to him, “Go up higher, get something to eat and drink. There's a sound of thundershowers coming our way.” 

 There must have been court officials who wished they could restrain King Ahab's poor decisions and thoughtless actions. But those with enough skill in diplomacy to hold a position in the royal court also had enough sense to value their lives. Ahab was too full of himself to take advise from anyone else, let alone, take orders.However, there was that one exception.From the time Elijah first set foot in Israel, the king willingly listened to him and did as he was told. Perhaps Ahab believed there was more that a slight possibility Elijah's words came straight from the God of Israel. Perhaps he respected Elijah for this reason. Or, maybe Ahab was afraid of Elijah. Anyway, when the prophet told him to assemble all the people of Israel, and summon the 450 prophets of Baal, the king obeyed him. 

 The village where Elijah had been living was on the Mediterranean coast, so I find it easy to imagine him walking the shoreline, allowing the onshore breeze to be refreshed. He listens to the rhythm of the waves and the squawking seagulls, and opens his heart to receive the moment. Then, hearing something else, he pauses, and shading his eyes from the glare of the sun's bright reflection glancing off the ripples that stretch to the distant horizon, he looks and he listens. And now, after many days, the word of Yehovah comes to him–again.Before we have finished reading the story of Elijah, we will have learned more about the mysterious Word of Yehovah, how it came to Israel's prophets, how it empowered them to obey it, and then how we can condition ourselves to become sensitive enough to the voice of God when he speaks his word to us. 

 Picking up from last week, directed by the word of Yehovah, Elijah came to the home of a widow in Sidon, north of Israel's border. She had helped Elijah when he was hungry and homeless. She let him stay in her home, in the small room upstairs. She hid him from King Ahab's spies. And, now, this! Her son was struck down with an illness. Was this the reward for her hospitality and kindness.Who is she? What is her name? We were never told, and now it's buried in a history archeology cannot retrieve. Her son is nameless too. Nameless, and yet we know them. We know about widows, we know the sons of single moms. There were a mass of them in biblical times and hundreds of thousands more today. We may not know the specifics of their personal identities, but we know enough to draw us into their dramas. 

A crooked king, a wicked queen, and a foreign god. You know this is going to be a great story. That's because in literature (and storytelling), evil is more entertaining than good. We can predict a good person's actions–they will be honest, kind, generous, and always choose what is right. The villains, however, are full of surprises. And they typically create the conflict that the heroes must overcome and resolve.There are times when the scoundrels are at their worst, the champions must be all the more outstanding. This is exactly what we find at the beginning of our story. If Ahab was the most wicked king in Israel's history, Elijah will prove to be Israel's most illustrious prophet.

This week a nearby church hosted a Vacation Bible SchoolMy fourteen-year-old granddaughter, Adrianna, volunteered to help out- on Friday, a friend sent me a video that she filmed the day before• when I watched it, there was Adrianna on a stage in front of a crowd of kids• she had a Bible in her hand, and from it she read a couple verses from the Psalms◦ then she gave a brief talk, encouraging everyone to trust God's love and faithfulness- Adrianna was superb – as if she were a professional and had done this for years• I was very impressed

In this final chapter we come to the end of the visionTo me, it feels like waking up from a dream- just before I woke up yesterday morning, I was enjoying a pleasant dream• I heard someone call me, and I was immediately awake◦ the house was completely silent◦ I then realized it was my dad's voice in the dream that called my name• for me, this chapter unfolds in the same sort of fuzzy way- four times, the voice of Jesus breaks into the flow of the chapter• however, it does not feel like an interruption• perhaps we could imagine the chapter flows like a documentary◦ John is narrating, then the camera shifts and Jesus delivers a live quote