Daily Liturgy and Scripture

There is a big difference between someone who is conforming their life to follow Jesus and someone who isn't. Paul seems to indicate that even when the example of Christ is before us, some will still follow their own way.

Reproducing ministry is more than just finding people who are willing to do the work, it also requires a standard to which those working can be held. Not because they are better than those to whom they minister, but because to represent Christ in his ministry is to act like Christ would act.

Perhaps one of the most important pieces of 2 Timothy 1 is the phrase, "What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus." This is a pretty good encapsulation of what religion should be in the Kingdom of Jesus: what came from Jesus, passed through the disciples, and continued being handed along through generations is that same pattern of...

Paul seems to have concerns for his leaders' development, even about trivial things such as quarrels about the law and also more serious topics such as enslavement to passions. The end result is leaders who are willing to be set apart, who will model what citizens of Jesus's Kingdom look like in person.

God has ordered the universe, and so the Kingdom which Jesus established will also be ordered. This means the chaos humans a capable of creating should not be its defining quality, but a more thoughtful approach to how we behave.

How do you know the person that should be leading your church? Paul gave Titus one good way to find them: look to their families. Titus apparently lived among a people that were known for being craven, so a person with a family that didn't fall prey to that would have been an exceptional example.

Human tensions can cloud divine intentions. God has included the complicated and contentious human race in his plan, which certainly complicates the march of heavenly progress. And yet, we are still part of that plan, so learning ot live with one another in a way that honors God is critically important.

We need a spiritual family. We need spiritual parents who lead us, spiritual siblings who walk with us, and spiritual children that we mentor. This structure is what helps us hear from God and one another, and this is a healthy Body of Christ.

Paul is training Timothy as a pastor, and he was apparently quite young compared to many who entered into the vocation. Paul moves past this issue and encourages Timothy in the things which are more important than age, such as discipleship and godly living. This had to come first if it was to be taught to others.

Christ is risen! The promise of resurrection is for more than just the Son of God, it is for all of us. Jesus set the stage for the future that will be ours, and the future of our glorified bodies will be also fellowship with him.

The reality of Jesus dying is important, because resurrection is part of our own future. Jesus was the first to show what God has for the future, and that is also true of victory over death. The victory belongs to him, and we follow in his footsteps, just as we follow him in life.

The idea of this Friday being good seems ironic. It is the remembrance of Jesus's death, and on the surface it seems tragic, not good. But this is the work of God, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the victory over sin and death, which is certainly good news.

Today, we remember the day that Jesus ate his last meal with his disciples. There had no doubt been many before, but this one was significant: it included an invitation even to his betrayer. Eating with enemies is not our practice, but it seems to have been Jesus's.

Being part of the Kingdom of Jesus requires humility from all. Nobody is higher than anyone, and all are subject to Christ. this requires mutual respect, and Paul breaks that down to everyone -- even slaves and masters -- who wishes to follow Jesus.

Submitting to one another is an act that signifies humility. Husbands and wives practice this to honor one another, passing the love that has been given us by Christ. Practicing that love which is of Christ is part of following him.

Why all these rules for holy living? The conduct of the early church was certainly observed by those around them, because the world was watching as a new Kingdom unfolded. The way they composed themselves was a reflection of that new Kingdom, and God was growing it.

Paul continues giving the characteristics of a community governed by Christ, and they very much have the traits of Christ himself: being truthful with one another, but not pacifying one another. Unity, care for one another, and self-denial for the benefit of others. If we are the body of Christ, this is his DNA.

When we talk about the Body of Christ, this is what it looks like. We are unified to God through baptism (which is a recognition of work already done by the Spirit), and we are equipped for work to do the work which is God's. All parts are important, there are no kings in this Kingdom except Jesus.

The mystery of Christ has been revealed through the history of God with his people, the Jews. Now that Christ has come, that mystery has a life that lived among us to follow. That eternal purpose is now our purpose, and God continues his work through the Church and the Spirit.

Christ does more than bring together Jews and Gentiles he brings peace. Not only between people and other people, but between people and God. His humanity reconciles the fallenness of humanity and creates a new Kingdom of co-heirs with him.

The work of the Kingdom is God's, and we are participants with God in that work. It's easy to look at that work and try to make it our own, but it really is a partnership. We have been adopted into God's family despite being God's enemy, all of God's doing.

It must have been difficult to be Joseph, not just because he was the adopted father of the Son of God. The pregnancy Mary went through would have doubtless been a topic of gossip, and many probably thought him a fool for staying with her. But he did, and that kind of humility would be common in the son he raised throughout his life.

Predestination can be a tricky subject in today's culture, but there might be a few points we can agree on. We are sealed for all eternity as heirs with Christ, through whom we can call God our Father. He is our redeemer, and the work of God continues to bring all things to Himself, including us.

The practice of slavery was different in Paul's time than our view similar to the American approach, but slaves were still the bottom of the latter in the ancient hierarchy. Paul is appealing to the master of a slave not merely to free him, but also to call the slave his brother in Christ. This would have been a disruption to the social order, but such was the way Jesus made for us.

The work of a church is always a little business combined with spiritual matters, and sometimes those do overlap. Even from prison, Paul is concerned for both in relation to the Colossians.