Hope Men's Ministry

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Devotion 2.7.24

2 Kings 2

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”

“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.

13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

This week is a week in which we take on the G.O.A.T conversations. Travis Kelce now ranks right up there with wide receiver Jerry Rice, hurdling past Gronkowski and other tight ends, with his record receptions in post-season, made possible by Patrick Mahomes, who is now also achieving past THE Tom Brady early in his career. Our friend Ryan Hyatt asked if Mahomes is the greatest Texas Tech athlete ever? That's easy but it's difficult if you look at the vast number of professional athletes that Tech has produced. Another Tech great played for KC early in its existence named Earl Holub, and if you look at female athletes, Sheryl Swoopes has certainly achieved well above every Tech athlete with Olympic gold (3X) and WNBA greatness with the then-Houston Comets (4X champion and 3X MVP), to name a few of her successes. GOAT conversations are fun, but they should always be started with "it depends."

Christ asks the disciples who they think he is in Matthew 16:

4 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

The answers show a certain amount of "it depends." They are still unclear as to who Christ truly is. Elijah is considered one of the more major of the major prophets, his significance filled on his duty and time of service (what he faced as a prophet who followed God faithfully), and that God spared him death as he ascended to heaven in a chariot of fire. He still holds a prominence to this day in the Jewish faith, and clearly did at this time in our readings.

A reading yesterday about Moses in the presence of God and today about Elijah must mean this Sunday is Transfiguration Sunday, a day we observe Christ in the presence of Moses and Elijah as Peter, James and John watch on a mountaintop. That Jesus is on a mountaintop with these two figures in Israel's history puts Him high up there, as his disciples grapple with who He actually is. Peter, though, knows exactly who Christ is as the Spirit speaks through Peter, giving Him a status all His own. We know, as did Peter, Christ is the Messiah. He is God's Son, who has been with the men He visits during Transfiguration and with His Father since before time and creation.

To Israel, the Transfiguration makes a statement. To us, it affirms our faith and what we know/believe. We pray that we share this faith with others so that they, too, get to know Christ.

Hope Men's Ministry is a ministry in service to Hope Lutheran Church and School. Our purpose is to grow, unite, and share God's Word to all men through meaningful activities. These activities center on fellowship, service, conversation, prayer, study and devotion as we seek to become men of God as He created us to be.

Monday, February 5, 2024

Devotion 2.5.24

Psalm 50

3 Our God comes and will not be silent;a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages.4 He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people:5 “Gather to me this consecrated people, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness,

for he is a God of justice.

Kids are funny, especially in school. You can divide them into three groups: compliant, non-compliant, and in-betweeners. The compliant ones, who make up most of the class, are good kids with moderate to great learning skills. The non-compliant are testers, who test every boundary and rule established. Sometimes the non-compliant are smart. Sometimes they are the class clowns with true wit. Sometimes they are just angry. The non-compliant run few in number, but they can influence the next group and ruin your class environment. In-betweeners are those who are swayed by either side, depending on the class make up.

As a principal, when they are sent to you for disciplinary purposes, you handle what these kids did based on merit. Do they really deserve to be in my office? Most of the time, definitely, but there are those times when they are sent because the teacher is just having a bad day or they are caught up in the group. As the principal, you have to judge and decide an appropriate punishment for the situation. You want the punishment to fit the infraction.

God will judge His people: believers and non-believers alike. His judgment will be a righteous judgment. His justice swift and certain. In this passage, God is to judge Israel. Now, those who believe in the saving works of Christ are His people, who will be clothed in grace when Christ returns to judge the world. We pray that we do proclaim His righteousness to others who do not believer, either by choice or by not having heard the promise of God's salvation. We pray that the Spirit move them to faith to enjoy the fruits of a faithful life as well as eternity with Christ.

Saturday, February 3, 2024

Devotion 2.4.24

Mark 1

Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place
35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

One of my favorite phrases that is indicative of our current culture is "me time." I first saw it in a post from a friend who was going to law school on weeknights and weekends in Houston. One afternoon, he sought escape and posted he was getting some "me time." I understood what he went,, but it made me laugh. I wondered what my dad's generation would have thought about "me time?" Or his dad's, when often times alone time was an outhouse or bathroom?

Jesus, fresh off a day of healings and preaching, has been very active at the beginning of His ministry, and He also seeks a solitary moment. He finds quiet in a "desolate" place (ESV) which the NIV describes as "solitary." Clearly the newly called disciples are not accustomed to his routines based on their response when they find him. Jesus is demonstrating what is important for us in a week of passages that talk about seeking God as a source of renewal and strength (Isaiah 40) and seeking to do His will with those around us (1 Corinthians 9). Christ takes time to connect with the Father to seek His will, pray for strength and all Christ might have prayed for.

How we start the day matters. It sets the tone for the rest of the day. Praying and seeking time with God, the Father, by taking things to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, and by seeking strength and renewal for each day from the Holy Spirit is a great opportunity for genuine "me time."

Friday, February 2, 2024

Devotion 2.2.24

Mark 1

Devotion 2.1.24

1 Corinthians 9

Paul’s Use of His Freedom19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

An attribute of a great teacher is that he or she listens. Listen for what? you ask. Listen for understanding in terms of the subject. Listen to the student (child - teen) describe an interest level in what you are teaching. Listen to see if he or she is grasping the content. Listen to his or her life story to check and see if anything may be interfering with the ability to learn at several points along a year. Listen to learn what interests him or her outside what you are teaching and use it as learning cues.

In short, you listen.

Paul is saying this about our effort to share the gospel with others. In order to reach a group of people, I listen and become them. Paul is now a follower of Christ, but in order to "win those" not following Christ, he becomes someone they can identify with. He learns their story and shares the gospel from their perspective. From Jew to Gentile, from a follower of the law to a person who is weak, Paul listens to them, and he determines the best approach to share with them the gospel has made for him and the hope it can bring to them.

In Evangelist training, a section is on "learning the community" in which we serve and are surrounded by. How do we listen to that community to determine where it stands on things like faith. In Stephen Ministry, we are taught to listen to best approach how to minister to someone in need.

Paul sums up his approach very simply: I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings (v 23). Pray we listen and learn, create those relationships for the purpose of sharing the gospel with those around us.

Devotion 1.30.24

Isaiah 40

27 Why do you say, O Jacob,

and speak, O Israel,

“My way is hidden from the Lord,

and my right is disregarded by my God”?

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary;

his understanding is unsearchable.

29 He gives power to the faint,

and to him who has no might he increases strength.

30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,

and young men shall fall exhausted;

31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint.

Marathon season is upon us in Texas. The great race is occurring monthly in the big cities here in Texas, starting with the White Rock in Dallas, going to Houston, then the Austin marathon. Many runners run marathons in spite of the number of miles that discourages most folks (26.2). They run them to accomplish something: check of an item on a bucket list; move to the next level of achievement; advance to the greatest of all marathons (Boston) by qualifying using time from a race here (skilled and advanced runners); and, fill in the blank (you name a reason I haven't).

The race marks a season of preparation. You don't wake up the morning of a marathon and say, "I think I'll run 26 miles today." You set it as a goal months in advance, develop a training plan, and then execute until the big day. There are highs and lows, ups and downs, hills and valleys where you question your drive, your ability, your commitment, your plan, and ultimately why you got yourself into this situation to begin with.

Then there is, in the aftermath of the event, a period known as recovery.

How do you bounce back after running for three or more hours over terrain in elements you may not have been able to prepare for, such as weather or even in perfect weather? Believe it or not, you have to build that into your plan as well.

Life is a marathon is a metaphor we use considerably in our writings and speaking. Paul uses it in 1 Corinthians 9 in fact, the Epistle reading for this week coincidentally. What connection does this have in today's reading? Israel has been beaten down by outside forces (Assyria and Babylon) as a result of ignoring and failing to worship God. God is a restorative God though, so after the failure to hear His Word and live it, judgement by Isaiah ensued. After judgement, Isaiah promises a restorative period for the remnant of His people, a new reign in the form of a king unlike the world has ever seen, a Messiah.

Starting in chapter 40, the servant's work will be described. Christ restores us. Life as a marathon will beat even youth down, but those who wait for the Lord will have their strength renewed. We shall run and not be weary as a result of His restoration, walk and not faint. That's a promise fulfilled by God the Father in this passage by sending His Son Jesus Christ. We are restored in the eyes of God and walk with Him in His light.