Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
TO PONDER
Do the names Bruce Wayne, Peter Parker and Clarke Kent ring a bell for you? Why might you remember them?
Bruce Wayne was the civilian identity for Batman. Clarke Kent was a journalist who would slip off his suit jacket and trousers in a phone booth and be transformed into Superman, and Peter Parker was a very ordinary individual who became Spiderman. All three individuals were superheroes and possessed superpowers. They freed people from danger and saved citizens from evil. Oh, if only they weren’t fictitious!
In today’s text, Paul highlights the relationship between the Lord and the Holy Spirit. The Lord is the Holy Spirit. This underscores the Christian belief in the Trinity where God exists as three persons (God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit). Each separate member of the Trinity is the one person. Each one carries a level of power that surpasses the limits of human belief.
Paul asserts and provides surety to the Corinthians and to us, that the presence of the Holy Spirit brings freedom. Freedom to the church of Corinth of the day from the Old Covenant which was characterised by religious rules and laws of the time. In total contrast to the New Covenant of grace through faith in Christ, where believers are molded and shaped through the Holy Spirit into Christ-like people. We are set free to live in a way that reflects the glory of God, shining His light to those around us.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, (that is, living in our hearts) there is (i.e., we have) freedom.
PRAYER:Lord of all. We do not need fictitious superheroes when we know, love and have You. You, (our Father), sent Your one and only son (Jesus), to win our freedom from the chains of sin and slavery. You remain living with us through the Holy Spirit and mold us into Your likeness. Thank You for the surety and freedom that being your child provides for me. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
TO PONDER
I find it interesting when I talk to people with a pet dog how many of them reveal rather frustratingly, a story about their dog’s bad habit, that can’t seem to be rectified, even after the most dedicated and pin-pointed training.
Chewing furniture or the shoes left at the back door. Digging holes in the back lawn whenever someone is not home. Or deciding that the bed sheets blowing (and drying) in the wind are just too good to refuse and that they deserve to be played with, tackled, dragged, and most often literally ripped off the clothes-line!
No matter how devoted the training, being shown a better way and freed from the old pattern, our four-legged friends think they know better and for any one of a number of reasons (instinct, excitement, simple forgetfulness or even revenge) they revert to the old habit.
If I think honestly about this, we (well at least I), are not much different.
Today’s text highlights this for us and instructs us to ‘stand-firm!’ Being Christ’s disciples does not insulate us from the works of the evil one. Like the pets that we have just discussed, we can, and will continue to be tempted and revert to our sinful ways and bondage to sin. Paul’s message to the Galatian’s is as valid today as it was at the time of his writing to them. We should resist any temptations to drift back or return to the hole that Christ has dragged us from - to freedom.
We are not bound to sin like we once were. Christ has set us free and we need to walk forward in a disciplined manner. Standing firm in every second of every day, for each step we take, and each decision we make.
PRAYER: Awesome God. I know that just because I am Your child, doesn’t mean that I am insulated from the works and temptations of the evil one. I know though, that You are with me, walking by my side as I journey on. Thank You for the freedom You have given me. Help me not to revert back to my old sinful habits, but to stand firm, resist the many worldly temptations that are tactfully laid before me, and live in the freedom that You have provided me. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
because anyone who has died has been set free from sin
TO PONDER
Have you ever been awestruck while contemplating the incredible transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly? This process magnifies the journey of a plain, some would say ugly, wriggly caterpillar (often called a “grub”) to a splendid, graceful and beautiful butterfly. This transformation without a doubt, is one of nature’s most magical makeovers.
As Christian’s we are brought to our Heavenly Father via a worldly shepherd (Minister, Pastor or Priest) in Holy Baptism to be marked with the cross on our forehead and become one of God’s family.
It is through our Baptism that we die from our old self. Our sins are nailed to the cross with our crucified Lord and Satan no longer has dominion over us. We are born again with a new life just as Jesus rose from the grave to a new life on Easter Sunday conquering death. We are freed from the enslavement of sin and freed from our final earthly demise (death). We are dead to sin! We are set free!
This transformation for us as Christian’s, by the grace of God, makes the caterpillar‑to‑butterfly journey seem insignificant by comparison.
PRAYER: God of Grace. Thank You for choosing me to be brought to the baptismal font to become a member of Your family. I do not deserve Your grace. Your acts of divine love for me have conquered death and won my freedom from the bondage of sin. Thank You for personally crafting my incomprehensible transformation. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
TO PONDER
GO TO JAIL. Go Directly to Jail. Do Not Pass Go. Do Not Collect $200. This today, is still the most unenvied of scenarios for anyone playing a game of Monopoly. Unless that is, you have a ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card.
The ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card for anyone who is not familiar with this, is exactly what it says. It allows a player to exit jail immediately on their turn, without paying a fine or attempting to roll doubles with the dice. That is, they are free immediately! The threat of jail-time, and the resulting loss of freedom to participate in the game, earn personal income, invest in property, or collect rental returns is completely eliminated with a ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card.
Well as Christians, we have so much better than that in the journey of life that we live here on earth daily. Jesus has given this to each one of us already. We have a real ‘You are Free’ card!
Our passage from John’s Gospel refers to those who commit sin as being slaves to sin. Sin in the passage is in a verb tense indicating that it is a habitual continuing action rather than the occasional lapse. Abiding in Jesus’ word and being His disciple, means that our relationship with Him has broken all chains that tied us to sin, and has also defeated the wages of sin, being death (Romans 6: 23). Jesus, has won us our freedom and cleansed us fully through His blood shed for us on the cross and His resurrection which crushed Satan and death forever. Yes indeed, we have a ‘You are Free’ card and not only for this life, but for the life yet to come in our eternal Heavenly home.
We are Free Indeed!
PRAYER:Merciful God. Thank You for freeing me and crushing the chains that once enslaved me to sin as well as defeating the wages of sin so I have the promise of eternal life with You. Continue to walk with me. I pray that Your spirit will work through me so that my Christian light burns brightly for everyone to see the freedom You have won for me and all my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
TO PONDER
Have you ever been accused of, or following self-reflection, found yourself being guilty of “going through the motions”? Whether in a relationship, your place of work, a voluntary role or even in caring or parental responsibilities, it can happen to anyone. “Going through the motions”; performing an action or task without conviction, genuine interest, effort, or emotional engagement. This implies the action(s) are being performed to fulfill an obligation or expectation. To find oneself “going through the motions” may happen for any number of reasons.
In many ways, the Pharisees of Jesus’ day were guilty of this, being fixated on following tradition and religious law rather than living out Jesus’ love and sharing it with others. Their accusations of Jesus eating with the unclean or healing the sick and telling the healed paraplegic to pick up their mat on the Sabbath are real examples. The Pharisees did not hold to Jesus’ teachings, but rather religious rituals.
John 8, verse 31 and 32 challenges all believers not to simply be a hearer of Jesus’ word but a doer! A true disciple doesn’t passively just know and understand the word but rather embraces it, actively lets it take root in their heart allowing the word to transform them inside out. We hold to Jesus’ teachings when we actively participate and commit to fully integrating Him into every thought, word and deed of our daily life. We should not be guilty of “going through the motions!”
As true disciples, being set free is not a distant hope, but a present reality. Jesus has set us free from both sin and death! His actions (for you and me) allow us to live freely here on earth as His active, committed disciples right now, with the promise of life eternal with Him in Heaven to follow.
We are free!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father. Thank You for sending Your son Jesus down to us to be crucified, to rise again, and to defeat sin and death once and for all. Keep me ever mindful that being set free is not a distant hope but a present reality thanks to Your love for me. Help me to live a Christ-like life in your name as evidence of my freedom for all to witness. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.
TO PONDER
"In Him" is one of Paul's favourite things to say in his letters to the various communities of faith in the early church. And it's no wonder, we see time and time again, individuals and communities looking for, or adding something to, faith in Christ as he only requirement for salvation and belonging to the body.
It's an echo of the word of Jesus throughout the gospels. In John 15, Jesus says "I am the vine and you are the branches. If you remain in me you will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing." In Mathew 19, Mark 10, and Luke 18 Jesus says, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
We can just as easily lose sight of the 'in Christ' message today as the people in the early church did. We can find it hard to imagine that there is anything we can't achieve through human ingenuity, scientific and technological advancement, and good old fashioned hard work. And let's be honest, over the years humanity has made huge leaps in its understanding of God's creation and how it works and functions. Yet despite all that, there is perhaps greater levels of poverty throughout the world than there has ever been, there is more global conflict that at any other point in my lifetime even though after WWII the whole world agreed 'never again'. Cases of loneliness, anxiety, depression and various other forms of mental health problems are continually on the rise, social cohesion is breaking down and we want to say "look at what we have achieved!"
However, human endeavour is not the problem. God gave us intellect and curiosity to engage with his creation and understand it. The problem is that we want to use those gifts apart from him. It is only 'In Christ' that we find real and ultimate truth, real and lasting solutions to things like sin and brokenness.
So, before you go off to enjoy your Saturday and whatever weekend plans you might have, ask yourself this question, 'How do I go about my plans for the day "in Christ"?' It's probably not your plans that are the problem, it's whether you planned to achieve them 'in Christ' or in your own strength and will.
PRAYER:Lord Jesus, thank you for reminding me that 'in you' I have life and can bear fruit that will last. I ask that you forgive me for the times when I have tried to do things apart from you and pray that you would help me, by the power of the Holy Spirit to live my life 'in you' each day and that through me others would see that with God, all things are possible. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
TO PONDER
Today's reading from Hebrews, chapter 8, is talking about the role of the High Priest in the Old Testament Temple system of giving animal sacrifice for the forgiveness of the people's sins. The writer of Hebrews is explaining how Jesus, by virtue of his sacrifice has become like our High Priest; the main difference being that the sacrifice Jesus made of his own life on the cross was a sufficient once and for all sacrifice. Hebrews 8:12 specifically is a quote from the Old Testament book of the prophet Jeremiah and is about the time when God will establish a 'new covenant'.
This was a hard thing for many Jews at the time of Jesus, and still today, to come to terms with. For generations, their identity had been that of God's chosen people. They were the only ones who had the promise of the Old Testament covenant with Abraham, and the covenant of the Law which God gave to Moses. They were the only ones with the 'correct' ritual processes of temple sacrifice to have their sins forgiven by God, and now God was doing something new. The writer of Hebrews goes as far as to say, in light of the 'new covenant', the old becomes obsolete.
I know our theme this week is forgiveness; however, I can't help but take a moment to reflect on the experience of those who found themselves living through the change from the old to the new and wondering if we are not living through something similar today.
Anyone older than 35 years of age, can probably look back on their life and realise that there was a time not so long ago where a Christian faith and worldview was not looked upon with the same suspicion and disdain. In fact, not that long ago (2016 according to census data), still more than half of the adult Australian population identified as Christian. That is no longer the case. There are things we did as church that made sense when most of our community knew who we were and what we were on about, but that situation has changed. The people we interact with in our wider communities see the world in increasingly different ways than those of us with a Christian worldview and faith. Even the idea of 'sin' is a foreign concept to many people.
That doesn't mean that we stop talking about sin, but we can't just assume that what we used to do is still all that God is asking us to do. Maybe in this new 'Post-Christian' world with it's rapidly shifting ideals, technological advancements, and an ever increasing presence of 'wickedness', God is still saying, "I will forgive their wickedness and forget their sins... but I need you to be my prophet". No longer will I use High Priests or temple worship, not just pastors or professional ministry workers and their Sunday worship services - see I am doing a new thing and I am sending you!"
PRAYER: Lord God, Thank you that you have forgive me and no longer remember my sin. Please help me to remember that this is also true of every person I meet, that in Christ, you have forgiven them and long for them to know your forgiveness and mercy. Help me to see when and where you are calling me to be the means by which you bring your grace and mercy into the lives of those around me. I ask for your forgiveness for the times I have failed to see where you have wanted to work through me. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
TO PONDER
The Bible has a few different images to describe our situation with sin and God's forgiveness. One of the more common is the 'legal debt' idea that occurs in today's reading. We still use this kind of language today when we talk about a prisoner released from gaol having 'paid their debt' to society. We understand that when someone hurts us or the community in which we live, tht there should be some kind of way to 'repay' or 'make up' for the wrong we have done.
In fact, it is such an ingrained way to think about sin and wrong doing in our culture and our legal system, that many Christians can still read words like the ones in todays reading and feel that, even though Jesus died for them, they still have to pay God back for all that He has done to free them from sin.
Now don't get me wrong, reconcilliation with those we have hurt or wronged, or even with those who have hurt or wronged us is something Jesus calls his followers to do, but not in order to earn forgiveness. Putting things right between ourselves and others is about restoring relationship, not earning God's forgiveness. Hear again how completely Jesus has dealt with your sin...
"having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross."
Jesus has paid your debt to God. It has been taken away. You no longer have anything outstanding on your ledger to God. You are completely free and forgiven because your sins were nailed to the cross with Jesus. So don't keep living as an indebted slave, trying to earn your freedom. You already have it, so go and live in it; giving praise to God for all that he has done.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for paying the price for my freedom and bearing the guilt and punishment for my sin. Please help me to live in the freedom tht you have won for me and to use that freedom to share the good news of all that you have done so that others might also come to know the freedom that you give. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
“Come now, let us reason together", says the Lord: "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool"
TO PONDER
I want to take us back to Chemistry class today. For those of you who don't know, I used to be a middle school maths and science teacher before entering ministry in the Lutheran Church. One of the things I used to teach was about the difference between a physical and a chemical change.
Physical changes are generally described as the kinds of changes we observe when something changes size or shape, perhaps even when something changes state, like water evaporating or freezing, even dissolving something is a physical change because while the thing dissolving might seem to completely disappear, it is still the same substance, just mixed in very small particles among the dissolving liquid. The key here is that the appearance changes but the substance doesn't.
Chemical changes on the other hand, occur when there is a chemical reaction and the chemicals involved bond together or break apart to create completely different substances, like when Bi-Carb soda is added to vinegar and carbon dioxide gas is formed.
I think we sometimes thing of God's forgiveness as a physical change. That it cleans us up on the outside but deep down we are still sinners. Today's bible reading certainly lends itself to that way of thinking and it has often been taught that way. The crimson stain of our sin is washed away by the righteousness of Christ. The mess is cleaned up, but we remain sinners.
I want to suggest though, that God is getting at something deeper here. The language in Isaiah 1 sounds 'transformational' to me. It's like God is saying you are like this, but I will make you something else. It's not a cover up, or a surface level paint job that simply gives the appearance of difference or cleanliness. It is a complete transformation. The God proclaims us righteous or clean, we are no longer what we used to be, he makes us something new in Christ.
How ave you considered your sin and God's forgiveness in the past? What would change if you saw God's forgiveness as something transformative, rather than just a cosmetic update?
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I thank you that through your death and resurrection, you have made me new. I ask that you would help me to remember the truth of your saving and redeeming work on the cross and the transformative power it has in my life. Remind me today, and every day, that in you I am a new creations, the old has gone and the new has come. May others see that reality in me. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.