Hope Men's Ministry

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Lent Devotion 2.19.24

Romans 5

Peace with God Through Faith

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we[ rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

My truck received hail damage to the extent it needed to go to the shop for a few weeks in 2023 for repairs, which totaled $12K. Fortunately, our cars are covered with insurance and the hassle of trying to get it in for repairs is minimized by the plan we have. The truck is now as good as new.

"Flowing from the Cross: Six Facets of Forgiveness" looks at forgiveness as the cornerstone of our faith. It's the "diamond" in the ring between God and us. God's saving grace flows from the cross to us, so we are "covered" in grace. Our sinful nature still exists, so life will have its moments as Paul notes. We are to expect suffering in life, from the toll that sin takes on us even in a forgiven state, until we eventually die. Paul, though, speaks about viewing our lives from a different perspective based on the faith we now have.

As Pastor Lincon Guerra noted yesterday in his sermon, we are now at peace with God because of the suffering poured out by His Son, which ultimately led to His death. He was raised from the dead and that victory over death is now something we enjoy being in faith. Paul notes this peace enables us to endure suffering which produces endurance, and that produces character which produces hope. Our hope given to us by our faith, a gift from the Spirit, does not disappoint us.

We are cleansed from the stain of our sin, and we are covered by Christ's suffering, death and resurrection. Our suffering eventually produces hope for us through faith in Christ.

Pray with me: Gracious Father, we thank you for the gift of faith produced in us by your Spirit. We pray that we grow that faith and share that life-saving faith with others, so they, too, may be covered by the grace we enjoy.

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.

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Lent Devotion 2.18.24

Hebrews 9

13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Did you ever think you would examine the word clean and ask what it means to be truly clean? When I was a principal, I learned that our custodians had a different definition of clean than most of the staff. I finally decided one day to sit down with them to tell them corners mattered. Debris under desks that's left there and not vacuumed means the room isn't clean. Dust on ledges that isn't taken once a week and left to build up means the room isn't clean. When one objected to my analysis, I said, "You aren't my children and I'm not going to debate the finer merits of cleaning behind your ears with you. Clean means clean and I'm giving you the definition."

Once sin entered the world, and once God codified it in the law (Exodus 20), there were some who observed they were clean. They "followed" the law (in their minds). Christ blew that notion out of the water in the Sermon on the Mount and said that clean is a matter of the heart. The author of Hebrews notes the distinction of clean in the text today.

Dan Paavola notes that in the book, "Following the Cross," in his chapter titled "Clean." It's the first facet of forgiveness he describes in detail. Despite our efforts to remove the stain (of sin), our work is in vain. God removes that stain for good when he gives us the blood of his Son to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1). or as Hebrews notes, to "cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death."

Clean now means clean before God.

Join me in prayer: Gracious Father, we lift thanks to you for sending your Son to earth to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sinful nature and actions. We give thanks for the cleansing we receive through the blood He shed and from His resurrection and death. Forgive us from our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Be with us throughout our day and watch over us, forgiving us when we sin. Help us keep our focus on your Son's cross when temptation or test strikes. Amen

Friday, February 16, 2024

Lent Devotion 2.16.24

1 John 1

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

Remember the commercials that used the phrase, "Accept no imitation?" It was usually to get you to know that only the salve, cream, or treatment they were selling had that authentic healing formula.

Daniel Paavala, in the book "Following the Cross: Six Facets of Forgiveness" (Concordia, St. Louis 2020) notes that there are several "imitation forgivenesses." These forgivenesses take the spotlight off ourselves and cast the light (darkness actually) on others or other issues. I can understand, as a sinner who has used them myself, how we can deceive others as we seek false forgiveness, but I cannot understand how we can use them with God, who knows and sees all. Nevertheless, they cheapen our faith with God and our use of the gospel message with man.

First is the "periscope picture," named after the extension device to get a selfie with a group and things behind you. This imitation is so named because we do this when we confess a sin, but use our past perceived good life to shine on the others we compare ourselves to using their past. "I may be wrong, but I'm not like old so-and-so there, who's done far worse in his life."

Second are excuses. We excuse ourselves from responsibility from the sin. Adam did this when God asked him about eating the forbidden fruit when he said, "That woman you gave me made me do this." (Gen 3:12).

Finally, there is the "second chance" method. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." Or, "Okay, I'll let it go just this once." It's forgiveness with a condition. God forgives equally in abundance to all sinners who confess Christ is Lord.

John puts it in perspective in his epistle. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.... If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar...." Forgiveness is forgiveness, using the same measure of grace we are given for our sins that we give others who have sinned against us and whose forgiveness we are seeking. Seeking imitation forgiveness is lying to God and man. We may fool man, but we only lie to God in the process. God cannot be fooled or mislead.

Pray with me: Gracious and merciful Father, help us to be truthful and sincere in our forgiveness and in help us to be truthful when we come to you for forgiveness. Help us to see our sinful actions for what they are and to confess that sin to you and the brother we sin against. Please give us a full measure of grace for our sins, known and unknown, and hear our praise for you for sending your Son to make this grace available to all who turn to you and confess Christ is Lord, without conditions. Amen

Lent Devotion 2.15.24

Psalm 25:5 - 7

5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long.

6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,

for they are from of old.

7 Do not remember the sins of my youth

and my rebellious ways;

according to your love remember me,

for you, Lord, are good.

The Lutheran Hour spent a month focusing on the theme from a book, "Flowing from the Cross: The Six Facets of Forgiveness." (Daniel Paavola, Concordia University - Wisconsin, Theology Dept Chair, Copyright 2020, Concordia Publishing, St. Louis, Mo). Dr. Paavola, a professor, theologian, and practicing pastor, is also a wood-worker. To make the facets of forgiveness tangible, he constructed a wooden cube made from various woods available and native to the area in which he lives.

Forgiveness, as he points out, is the cornerstone of our faith, our relationship with God. In the first chapter, he refers to it as the "diamond in the engagement ring with God" (p. 2). The cross of Christ runs vertically and horizontally. The vertical axis is representative of man and God. We seek God, revere God, and go to God in times of need, both in thanksgiving and in supplication. The horizontal axis is our interaction with our fellow man. Christ speaks to this directly about these two important facets of relationships (God and man; man and man) as he teaches the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." (v 12)

Forgiveness is learned because our hearts are stained with sin. The process of forgiveness was not necessary before the fall of man. We lived in harmony and in the presence of God and creation. Since the fall, we learn the process of forgiveness since it is not a natural act.

We begin this journey of Lent learning about the act of forgiveness. How do we go about setting our hearts and mind on forgiveness? Join me in prayer:

Heavenly Father, please help me recognize my sin and bring it to you. Help me to unburden myself by leaving my sin at the foot of your cross. Please help me forgive others and I ask that you help others forgive me when I sin against them. All this I bring to you in your Son's name, whose precious blood was spilled in order for our forgiveness to be assured. Amen

Ash Wednesday 2.14.24

Matthew 6

Giving to the Needy

1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer

5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Fasting

16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Treasures in Heaven

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Today is Ash Wednesday, a day we begin our pilgrimage to the cross of Christ. Together, we remember the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ. Today is a day of repentance. What should we consider as we consider seeking God's forgiveness, grace and mercy? The reading assigned for the day is interesting. Christ, when he speaks in righteous anger, usually reserves it for the religious leaders of the day.

Why do we do what we do as people of faith? Christ speaks of doing actions of faith because it is the right thing to do. We do it out of response to the grace we've been given. Gone is the tithe, the command to give of your first fruits, and now we give because God first loved us and gave us a full offering of His Son. We do what we do not to be shining stars, to get the hall named after us or to be seen putting our star on the sidewalk, we do it quietly and privately. We don't do what we do to create fame on earth. We do it as a response.

That Christ felt the need to address it tells us to beware of our own motives. Put a check on our own egos. We pray that over Lent, if we sacrifice an activity, a food, or an object, we do it to put our focus on Christ and for no other reason. Not to brag, boast, or even tell, but rather, we do what we do to focus on Christ. Pray that we seek Christ and Him crucified over the next six weeks.