March 31: 1 John 2–Jude

By Darrell Pursiful

When someone who tends to see the world in black and white stakes out the middle ground, I take notice. The author of the Johannine letters was such a person. His letters are filled with light and darkness, truth and falsehood. When 2 and 3 John are set side by side, they create a tension that should not be easily resolved. The message of 2 John is to have nothing to do with heretical teachers. The message of 3 John is to have nothing to do with those who, in their zeal to avoid heresy, reject authentic teachers with the highest credentials.

The congregations of the primitive church were linked together by an ad hoc network of traveling prophets and teachers, pastoral correspondence, and the occasional apostolic visit. It was a situation prone to abuse. Heresy could creep in, so in 2 John the Elder warned “the elect lady” to be careful whom the church accepts. On the other hand, isolation could breed parochialism, so in 3 John he warned Gaius to be careful whom the church rejects.

A church leader named Diotrephes was turning away the Elder’s hand-picked messengers. Perhaps he did so in the name of “doctrinal purity,” but the Elder knew that for Diotrephes heresy was just a handy pretext. His real motivation was that he loved “to be first.” His appropriate authority to guard the church from harm had gone to his head.

March 30: 1 Peter 1–1 John 1

By Betty Clark

Remember the fad of the Pet Rock, the inanimate object that was elevated to the position of pet and maybe even family member? What a curious phenomenon it was to see a human being look to a hardened lump of minerals for companionship. No matter what doting and affection was lavished on that pet rock it could not live, nor breathe, nor contribute unselfishly to any human relationship.

In today’s passage, we hear of the “living stones” that are to build up the foundation of the early church. Indeed! The most non-conforming stone was appointed to be the corner stone- Jesus Christ himself! Certainly we see no resemblance to the aforementioned pet rock!

Are we to be, as today’s Christians, pet rocks or living stones? Are we to sit in our appointed pews, week after week, like cold rocks with little to offer outside of taking up space? Are we content to have love and care lavished upon us, yet give nothing in exchange to build up the kingdom?

May we reject the daily, no hourly, temptation to remain mere pet rocks and may God breathe life and inspiration into us so we may continue the good work that began centuries ago, holding up the foundation of our faith as living stones with purpose and strength in love through the power of Jesus Christ, our cornerstone and Lord!

March 29: Hebrews 11–James 5

By Bruce Conn

Be doers of the word and not hearers only. This reading has a wonderful unintended circularity to it. Starting with the roll call of the saints in Hebrews 11 who lived by faith and ending with James’ incessant exhortation that we live this way, we are told to be the gospel.

The saints of old lived without promise of the glory that we know, and we are challenged to live up to their example of faith. And how are we to do this? By being doers of the gospel. What do we do? Sing with me, “Rescue the perishing, care for the dying.” We are to live the gospel. “Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom” (Jas 3:13)

March 27: Hebrews 2–10

By Rebecca Cooke

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” Over and over we are admonished to open our ears (how ironic to us in this FCBH journey) and heed the message. We parents give warnings quite often in an effort to prevent our children from going astray and the eminent punishment involved. Who has not heard (or used) the phrase “This hurts me more than it does you”? As a child, we believe the parent speaking those words must surely be lying. As a parent, we understand how painful it is to watch our children act out, or act ugly as I say sometimes. We feel a little like maybe we could have prevented it all if we had been more strict earlier or warned them more often.

Hebrews 2-10 begins with the refrain, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” And it continues with an explanation of how God surely understands our mistakes, as the human, Jesus—who is also the high priest who came to earth and suffered what we have. He is therefore able to sympathize with our weaknesses (4:15). He is able to deal with us with more compassion because he has been flesh. He is the new covenant, the new promise of God’s love and judgment, the new sacrifice.

March 26: 1 Timothy 6–Hebrews 1

By Jack Colwell

A profound description of the nature and function of Scripture is recorded in 2 Timothy 3:16. We are simply told that Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, training, correction, and reproof. Many fundamentalists want to go beyond this description and enforce additional mandates. Some rigidly insist that inspiration means that God dictated every word of Scripture verbally. Others demand acceptance of the untenable notion that the Scriptures are somehow inerrant or infallible. Actually, only God is infallible and inerrant. Artificial man-made dogmas about Scripture violate its nature. We do well just to let it speak for itself.

March 25: 1 Thessalonians 3–1 Timothy 5

By Connie Jones

When Paul urges the Thessalonians to live out Christ’s teaching “not in a dogged religious plod, but in a living, spirited dance” (1 Thess 4:1, The Message), I was reminded of choir practice. Sometimes when we’re rehearsing an anthem for Sunday morning, Stanley will “exhort” us to “bounce through a musical phrase, “dance lightly over the notes,” or “sing like we’re ringing bells.” Then he’ll go on to tell us what he’s actually hearing—which is more like we’re “plodding soldiers on a death march,” in that we’re landing so heavily on each note the “joyful dance” of the music is lost. We laugh in recognition of the “dogged serious plodding” we are in fact, doing, and then strive, over and over, to “make the music dance.”

If, as followers of Jesus, we take ourselves and the details of the journey too seriously—if we worry about “getting it right”—then we lose our spontaneity, we get bogged down, we don’t experience the beauty, and we’re certainly not having any fun!  On a regular basis we need to recognize our serious plodding and break into “living, spirited dance”!

Thanks, Paul!

Thanks, Stanley!

March 24: Philippians 2–1 Thessalonians 2

By Bryan Whitfield

These days Paul’s notes of joy challenge me. He’s in jail, unable to visit the friends he holds dear. He cannot proclaim the gospel message, go where he wants to travel, or choose what he eats. In every way, his life is limited. But he makes a list of blessings, not trials. He can barely contain his joy that the Philippians have offered financial support. With their generous gift, they have also sent Epaphroditus to work with and to encourage him. I wonder: when I face limits in my life, might I follow Paul’s example and discover thankfulness and joy?