Romans 13:1-2 By: Greg Wolflick

Romans 13:1-2

13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

Much has been written on the meaning of these controversial verses written by Paul in his letter to the Romans. And one could use these verses to justify all types of political behavior and pose all sorts of vexing questions like “Were Christians in Germany during the Second World War supposed to support Hitler?” I don’t know and frankly I don’t care about the theological answer to that question or any related questions.

If you read the verses that follow you will see that Paul is trying to convince Roman Christians to honor the authority of the Roman Empire given that they were living in its capital. Was this a divine direction that all Christians are to honor the government authority they are subject to in all circumstances? That is a question well above my pay grade.

I believe that Paul was trying to convey a few things.

First, and foremost the ultimate source of all authority is God. It is His authority and His law that really matters. If you spend 90% of your time complaining and fighting about what some earthly government is doing or not doing you might have some misguided priorities. Paul wanted us to focus on God’s law and His will not that of the government.

Second, if you follow God’s law you will likely be OK with the Government. Don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t fight, love others, and you won’t run afoul of the laws of the government you are subject to.

Third, Paul was not looking for some revolt against the Roman Empire. He wanted the Roman Christians to be spending their energy on growing the kingdom of God, spreading the Good News, setting a good example by loving not only one and other but all people in all circumstances. The revolution was bringing God’s kingdom to earth as it is in heaven, not undermining the Roman authorities.

Finally, I think Paul was likely writing knowing that the Roman authorities would get wind of his letters. And the fact he was urging Roman Christians to honor the Roman law was going to keep the Roman authorities off the backs of the Christians. He didn’t want the Christians persecuted or made out as enemies of the state. That would undermine their ultimate priority of growing God’s kingdom on earth. If people saw the Roman Christians as outlaws those same people would be less likely to listen to Christ’s message as shared by his followers.

I have heard people say I am a Democrat first and an American second (or a Republican first and an American second). For me, I believe we should be Christians first. Everything after that will take care of itself and is of little consequence in the Kingdom of God.

I end where I usually start, I am the most broken person I know saved only by the mercy, grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ whose death and resurrection we celebrate in this season of Lent.       

Acts 17:26-27 By: Craig Carlson

Acts 17:26-27 - “From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.  God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”

We live in a world filled with racial issues, ethnic divides and a struggle to understand cultural and religious differences.  I find this passage a welcome reminder that this has all been planned by God and we need to remember and apply this teaching from Paul.

There are two incredibly significant statements contained in this reading.  The first statement, that “from one man he made all the nations” tells us that God’s world is for everyone.  The second statement, that “he marked out…the boundaries of their lands” supports the first statement and adds a twist that He intended for His people to live in different nations.

I believe the first statement speaks to physical differences, those of complexion or color for example, and signifies that while we may look different now, we started from the same blood.  Therefore, the treatment of anyone in God’s kingdom based on physical differences is not to be condoned by any means.   I find that most (though sadly not all) Christians agree relatively easily with the concept that the color of one’s skin makes no difference in the eyes of God.

The challenge and the revelation for me can be found in the second statement, which speaks to different nations and lands.  This likely refers to differences in customs or beliefs.  This is where society tends to get more uncomfortable.  But if God has laid out the world intentionally into different lands and boundaries, he has done this knowing that such geographical boundaries would lead to different ways of thinking that lead to different customs, beliefs and even religions.  

The reading goes on to say that all these people should seek Him and reach out to Him.  So if all people, regardless of complexion or color OR even beliefs or customs, are to seek Him, shouldn’t we also be accepting of them?  I believe this to indicate that all the people of the world are our brothers and sisters, regardless of our differences.  I find it revealing, and even inspiring, that God planned for such differences so specifically!  

I pray that I can be more accepting of those from other lands that may look, think or act differently from me.  I pray that as a society we can look past such differences and accept all the children of God equally.  Amen.

Acts 16:37 By: Jim Larson

But Paul said to the officers: "They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out." Acts 16:37


 The apostle Paul, unjustly arrested and abused, strongly objected, demanded redress, and so received justice. 

 Most of us at some time in our lives have experienced what Paul did. Hopefully not to the degree that Paul suffered. A teacher's accusation of cheating, an unwarranted traffic stop are but two examples of injustices that may have happened to you. And like Paul, I am sure you protested loudly and demanded justice. 

 Be, let me ask you a question. What if you were witness to the unjust treatment of someone else? If so, did you speak up, protesting loudly and demanding justice? 

 Rural Steele County Minnesota, School District 28, maybe ten or twelve students, year 1945, Mildred Hankerson teacher, that sets the stage. Perhaps Mrs. Hankerson should not have been a teacher. She was quick to anger, lacked empathy, and was very impatient with "slow" learners. 

 La Von Ripka was a "slow" learner. Not that she was stupid, she just needed more time to make a concept clear. Mrs. Hankerson picked on La Van a lot, not in private, but out loud in front of all the kids. 

 One day, after Mrs. Hankerson's tongue had reduced La Von to tears, one of the kids stood up and protested loudly. Interspersed with expletives, he demanded that Mrs. Hankerson back off, stop picking on La Von, treat people fairly, and so on. All this delivered in as loud a voice as a sixth grade boy could muster. 

 Retribution was swift. Abuse was piled on the blasphemer. I remember things; like Reform School, be expelled, and many other dire threats. I remember the villain's younger brother going home from school crying because Jim was going to reform school and he would have to do Jim's chores. 

 Well, reform school didn't happen, neither did the expelling. Mrs. Hankerson didn't change. She still picked on kids. But, she didn't come back the next year. 

 What do you think the Apostle Paul would think about this story? 

Luke 10:36-37 By: Dennis Fernandez

Luke 10: 36, 37

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

These verses come from The Parable of the Good Samaritan. A man walking down the street in a very bad part of town was beaten, robbed and left to die. Could have happened right here in LA. Three different guys see this dying man in desperate need of aid. First, the Priest (like Andy or Lee) does not stop but crosses to the other side of the street and keeps on going. Next, the Levite (churchgoer like you and I) quickly walks by on the other side of the street ignoring the man’s necessity for help. Finally, the Samaritan (the guy you would least expect) not only helps him but takes him to an inn, cares for him, and pays for his whole stay and more.

Jesus then asks a no-brainer question: “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The lawyer answers, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus then responds, “Go and do likewise.”

Jesus’ statement is very simple and to the point – Be a neighbor. Our calling from God is this – to love God and be a neighbor to others by meeting their needs. To love God means to show mercy to those in need. Neighbors should not be determined by race, religion, nationality, sexuality or gender; neighbors consist of anyone in need. Jesus would not want us to rule out certain people as neighbors.

Even though Jesus’ message seems so simple, we still struggle with being a good neighbor. We often, like the Priest or Levite, are too busy and hurried to stop and help. Sometime we fear being injured ourselves or getting sick from touching or assisting the needy. Or the neighbor is not like us so we avoid engaging with them. The bother, the situation or discomfort stops us from helping.

I often struggle with judging or challenging those begging or looking for handouts. Do they really need money; are they really homeless living on the streets? In front of Carl’s Jr in Montrose I was approached by a man who rode up on a bike. He said he was hungry and asked for money to buy some food. I don’t like to give cash so I asked him what he’d like at Carl’s, then proceeded in to purchase a burger and fries. Coming out to provide a needed meal and feel good inside for helping a neighbor, the man was nowhere to be found. This just compounded my distrust for beggars and the needy.

But then I’m reminded again by this parable, Jesus says “Go and be a neighbor” – no matter when, where, who or how.

Mark 2:27 By: Elisabeth Kennedy

Then he said to them, "The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath.” Mark 2:27

Jesus got into a lot of arguments about keeping the Sabbath! Six verses after this one, we hear how much these debates got to him: Mark tells us he was both angry and deeply distressed at the attitudes he was encountering. Here in our verse, he goes to the heart of the debate swirling around him. Why did God create the Sabbath? People were getting tied up in knots about how to keep the Sabbath because they missed the point, they forgot the why, and Jesus wanted to take them back to that. 

The Sabbath was made for us, Jesus insisted. It serves us, it helps us, it lifts us up, it frees us. I think of this and a familiar tape plays in my head. I really should keep a Sabbath, the tape says. It’s so good for me!Every few years I have a surge of resolve and I do keep a Sabbath—for a few weeks at a time, sometimes for a few months. It’s always both tremendously difficult and highly rewarding. Resting for one day a week is a compelling discipline, with abundant benefits. Self-help gurus generally back up biblical wisdom in this area: it’s good to rest. My perfectionism, my competitiveness, and my addiction to productivity are well into overdrive most of the time, and a siesta from all that crazy is just what the doctor ordered.

Rest is good. That’s why we are supposed to have a Sabbath, right? To rest. But it’s so easy to think of rest as a luxury, an option that is nice, but not exactly at the core of what Christians are called to do. It’s an enriching self-help idea that is easily dismissed when something urgent takes up our bandwidth. Maybe that’s why this is the only commandment of the Ten Commandments we consider optional—not really a moral issue, like the other nine are.

The Hebrew verb “shabbat” doesn’t mean rest, though. Shabbat means STOP! Cease. Desist. Halt. Quit. End. The good, valuable, meaningful stuff we do for six days—on the seventh day, it needs to stop. God didn’t stop what he was doing (creating the world) on the seventh day because he needed rest. God stopped, and made the seventh day holy. Then God commanded us to do the same. For us, for our sakes, God made stopping holy.

When we still don’t get it, Deuteronomy 5:12-15 spells it out in all caps. We need to stop for one day a week, Deuteronomy says, because unless we stop, NO ONE ELSE WILL GET A BREAK. Our kids. Our staff.Our servers. Our cars and appliances (that’s “oxen and “donkeys” in the old world). Deuteronomy specifically mentions low-paid workers and foreign immigrants (v. 14). There are people that serve us for nothing or almost nothing, and unless we suspend our rounds of consuming, they don’t get to stop their rounds of labor. There are immigrants who are vulnerable to how people on the inside call the shots, and if we aren’t careful to build in buffers and safety zones, they don’t get to stop their cycles of desperation and dependence. 

Then Deuteronomy delivers the zinger. Remember, it says, that you were once a slave too (v. 15). You’ve been freed! So just stop—stop once a week, put it all down. Otherwise you’re creating some serious crazy that’s putting everyone around you into bondage. 

Jesus got really mad about people missing the point of Sabbath, endlessly wrangling about what was technically “work” and what checked the box of “rest.” He was criticized for freeing a woman from a lifelong disability through healing her on a Sabbath day, and he responded that it was right to untie a bond on a Sabbath (Luke 13:16). Healing and setting free are what Sabbath is about. 

What do you need to STOP so that freedom can happen? When you STOP, who else will also be set free?

Matthew 25:35 By: Darren Kennedy

“…for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me…” (Mat 25:35 NRS)

When I first read these words from Matthew back in my childhood home of Kansas, they meant something much different than they do today. Since I moved to Cairo to teach in a seminary here in 1999, I have started taking special interest in the Bible’s references to Egypt. According to Matthew 2, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph fled the terror of Herod’s death squads to find refuge and peace in my current home of Egypt (Matthew 2). In a literal way, Gentile Egyptians welcomed a family of refugees and literally welcomed Jesus Christ himself. As a Presbyterian minister with a son named Calvin, I am also pleased that the people of Geneva welcomed the stranger and French refugee John Calvin into their midst after he fled from persecution in France. In both these cases, we can look back in hindsight and see the remarkable ways that God used the hospitality of ordinary people like us in the larger purposes of God’s Kingdom here on earth.  

Jesus’ words from Matthew 25:31-46 picture him in the future judging “all the nations.” Unlike many other prophetic words of the future, Christ’s words here are self-referential. In essence, Jesus describes in some detail both how he will assess the way we spent our time on earth and in doing so what he values most. With these words, Jesus fleshes out more what he has already proclaimed to be the greatest commandments just 3 chapters earlier in Matthew 22: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind… [and] You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Surprising his eschatological audience, Jesus tells them that when they offered the poor food and drink or welcomed the stranger they actually welcomed Jesus himself. Here, loving God in Jesus Christ is directly connected to loving the suffering, the stranger, and the powerless.

Living here in Egypt, I struggle with this theological truth. Each day on my way to work, I pass broken people who are desperate for food, water, and welcome. While I strive to serve where I can, the overwhelming needs often leaveme pondering the reality that Christ identifies himself with many of the hungry, broken people I pass by every day. My prayer for myself and other Christians is that these words of Christ would not produce guilt so much as compassion and hope inside us; that they would empower and inspire us to serve. In other words, the suffering people of this world offer us an opportunity to draw closer to Christ here and now in this world. When we love others deeply throughour words, time, and actions, we embody the love we proclaim for Jesus and wonderfully experience his intimacy with us even more.

Like the United States, Egypt is currently facing a dramatic refugee crisis prompted by turmoil in the Middle East. Syrians are pouring into Egypt in an effort to escape the terrors of Islamic State (IS). In the past few weeks, many of our Egyptian Presbyterians fled their homes in and around Areesh on the Sinai Peninsula in the wake of brutal attacks on Christians there. I remember in the past, joyfully traveling to Areesh for our seminary’s annual retreat and the wonderful times of fellowship, laughter, and worship we experienced there. Today, the people who once hosted us have fled for their lives in fear and sadness. These people—Christians and Muslims alike—are the strangers that Jesus calls us to welcome and serve. My heart swelled with pride when I saw our seminary’s graduates open their doors and welcome these refugees: feeding them, quenching their thirst, and finding them housing. There, in cities like Ismailia, my former students inspire and teach me with their compassion, empathy, and embodied faith.They are doing the very things Jesus calls us to do in Matthew 25.

Jesus’ words here reframe and rephrase the questions I often ask myself in regard to the stranger or refugee. My human suspicions often presume an equation that assumes the Other is dangerous until proven otherwise. Here, Jesus overturns such a view by putting himself into the place of the stranger. As a follower of Christ, I am invited to encounter the loving heart of God here in this broken, haggard, and culturally different stranger. May we all enjoy the blessing of welcoming the stranger and some day experience the joy of Christ saying, “…you did it to me.”

Matthew 2:13-14 By: Carleigh Fernandez

Matthew 2:13-14 (NLT)

13 After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!

Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

14 That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother.

Because Mary is the only female in this passage, I automatically find myself wanting to identify with her. Yet when I really think about it, we actually have very little in common. I am neither a teenager, a married woman, a mother, nor subject to life or death based on my decision making skills. I can’t even begin to imagine the stress of being a teenage mother recovering from giving birth in a barn. Let alone just days later being told I need to leave immediately without time to prepare anything. But this is what God asked of Mary. And while from my millennial and earthly point of view, it was asking a lot, from His vantage point, it was another opportunity for Him to show His power in sustaining His people in even the most dire of circumstances. 

On the topic of God’s power: we are often told throughout the Bible that His power is made perfect in our weakness. Mary and Joseph’s escape with Jesus makes them refugees, a status that many would say puts them in a remarkably weak position in society. It is also a status which I believe really cannot be fully understood until experienced. I like to think that this means Jesus feels a special solidarity with refugees undergoing even the most horrific of crises, not only because of his dedication to the poor and meek, but also because he and his family probably suffered through similar hardships. More likely than not, countless people turned away Jesus, Mary, and Joseph from their houses, neglected to help provide for them, and may have even discriminated against them for being foreigners. But how would people have treated them had they known that Jesus was the son of God? Or that he going to grow up and change the world both during their lifetimes and for thousands of years beyond? My guess is they would have reacted a bit differently, and may have even gone out of their way to help.

Who are we turning away, neglecting to provide for, and possibly even unfairly judging? And are we doing so simply because we perceive them as foreigners, even though they were forced to flee from their country, for reasons completely outside of their control? Most importantly, are our neglect and indifference, to blame for people in our own backyards not having the means to provide for themselves, or feeling unwanted, inadequate, or powerless? Many of these foreigners that are deemed as lesser or unwelcome are simply strangers who need our kindness. As Christians, we are called to allow our weakness of being judgmental and exclusionary toward strangers be made perfect in His power through caring for, and welcoming foreigners as if they were Jesus himself. We should listen to their stories, and hear how they came to be our physical neighbor, and not just our metaphorical one that the parables told us to love. What do we have to lose by listening to the story of a woman who was forced to leave her country just after giving birth in a primitive hospital abroad? Probably nothing. But what do we have to gain? Probably a whole lot of perspective, and maybe even a chance to understand the life of Jesus in an entirely new light.