Bethel United Church of Christ
  • Home
  • Church Info
    • Church History
    • Pastor's Page
    • Related Links
  • Get Involved
  • Photos
  • Contact
    • Submit a Prayer Request
    • Join Our Church Newsletter

Message from the Pastor                         week of april 3 - 9, 2016

4/5/2016

0 Comments

 
Last evening in the Isaiah Bible study, we engaged in a discussion about suffering injustice and forgiving.  The following verses from Chapter 26 raised the issue.  I am presenting them here the way I do the Journeys Crossing Bible study pages, most Thursdays.
Picture
So, what has been your experience with “the wicked” ?  Have you ever known one of “the wicked” to get straightened out and behave in a righteous manner ?  Isaiah 26, verse 10 states that bad people just don’t get it:  they don’t see or acknowledge “the majesty of the LORD.”  Just as a parent tells a child ‘You’d better stop that or you’re gonna get it,” but the child continues misbehaving until the parent actually pulls him up short, so wicked people don’t “see” the hand of God… perhaps not even when it whacks them upside the head.
Most of us can tell of bad experiences, when someone has done us wrong: lying, cheating, stealing, hurting, ruining.  In our Bible study group, we can share real-life events, holding them up in the light of the written Word.  Do you have a time and a place where you can give and take, in an atmosphere of holy confidence ?  Especially when other people are behaving “unjustly” or “perversely” toward us, it is a great blessing to be surrounded with encouragement.  Left to ourselves, it is so easy to just pray for God to burn up those wicked people !  But we may learn better ways to cope with the trauma and stress of living in this world.
In John’s gospel, as in Matthew, Mark and Luke, we read how Peter swore he would stick with Jesus no matter what— even to death… and then we see how Peter denied that her even knew Jesus, three times.  Wicked !
In The Acts of the Apostles (chapter 9), we read how Saul of Tarsus approved when they stoned St. Stephen to death, and then how Saul went on to persecute the church.  Wicked !
I find it really instructive, in Acts chapter 4, how the church prayed when the authorities persecuted them unjustly:
     they raised their voices together to God and said,
“Sovereign Lord, Who made the heaven and the earth,

     the sea, and everything in them…
For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles
and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever Your hand and Your plan had predestined to take place.  And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to Your servants to speak Your word with all boldness,  while You stretch out Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”
     Notice that, in their prayer, they ask three things of God: 
1) Look at their threats (wickedness), 
2) grant us boldness to speak Your word, and
3) You heal and perform signs and wonders in the name of Jesus.
Notice that we, ourselves can pray this way in the face of any wickedness that worldly people do to us.
Notice that we can pray this prayer while forgiving— letting go of— the sins and loving the sinners (as Jesus told us to do). 
Let go and let God. 
Who can predict whether sinners will turn from their wicked ways ? 
Only God knows.
I am so thankful for the story of Jesus accepting Peter back, in John 21 ! 
I am so thankful for the story of Jesus (through the bold, forgiving love of a guy named Ananias) receiving that mean old persecutor Saul into his service !
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Contact info

    Rev. Dan Bassett
    Bethel United Church of Christ
    2451 Bethel Church Rd
    Elkton, Virginia 22827
    540-298-1197

    betheluccelktonva@outlook.com

    Archives

    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    July 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.