Wednesday - January 31, 2024

The Reverend Dr. Neil G. Thomas

SCRIPTURE


Mark 5. 1-20


Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man


They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.


When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”


Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”


“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.


A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.


Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.


As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.


WORDS OF HOPE


At first glance, this scripture seems a little weird. Jesus arrives on the other side of the sea and is confronted by a man who has made his home among the tombs, among the dead. This is his environment and his expectation based of his circumstances and Jesus meets him. Mark says that the man fell to his knees at the sight of Jesus and is confronted by his own question, “What do you want from me?” In the ensuing conversation Jesus offers him freedom from the impure spirits that had tormented him and sends them into surrounding pigs who run off, rushing down a steep bank and into a lake where they are drowned.


Those who witnessed these events, those who saw the impact of Jesus’ encounter with the man were both confused and perhaps frightened, asking Jesus to leave their region. The man is left to witness to his own people just what Jesus had done for him and, with his testimony, the people were amazed.


Of course, as with all Scripture you must be able to contextualize them within the times that they are written. Pigs are not kosher and the book of Deuteronomy states that the Israelites shall not eat their flesh or touch their dead carcass. In their tradition they are unclean, and it is understandable why pigs are used in this miracle.


The bigger story, for me, in this miracle is in the question that the man asks of Jesus, ““What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?” While this is a question from within him, from the “legion”, this is a question that is vital for us all.


We are so often taught a theology of asking God for things. This is not a bad thing. In my daily prayers I often find myself asking God for things, for answers, for other people to be blessed. However, it is less regular that I sit in my own life and ask God to tell me what God wants from me. Is this your story as well?


The more I thought about this today, the more I realized that perhaps, if I spent more time asking God this question, perhaps I would have more clarity for my life and my vocational work.


Believe me, I am grateful to a God who has often rescued me from numerous situations that could lead me on a destructive path or a path that is not beneficial. I am grateful to God who has offered me ways to follow the call that I believe that God has placed in front of me. I am grateful to God who reminds me every day that my everyday actions can make a difference. Today, I am convicted by the question what more can I do for God and what does God want from me.


The conclusion of this story is a testimony to what happens when you are listening to God’s response to our question. For the man in the story, he found wholeness and healing. He found a new life that bore testimony to others, leading them to belief in Jesus.


Friends, our story is a testimony for others and Jesus calls us to live our story – a story that is still evolving and not yet finished. However, this story has an impact and will help others to see your changed life. This is the miracle.


In the words of one of my favorite hymns, Amazing Grace, “I once was lost but now I’m found.”


May we take a moment, amid our asking God for blessings, to also ask God, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?”


PRAYER


God, thank you for your faithfulness toward me, hearing my prayers and responding to my needs. Hear me today, O God, as I ask You – What do you want from me? Amen.


DEVOTION AUTHOR


The Reverend Dr. Neil G. Thomas

Senior Pastor

Pronouns: he/his/him

Need More Inspiration? Read our Daily Devotions

Friday - May 23, 2025

By Dan Peeler • May 23, 2025
SCRIPTURE John 7. 1-9 Jesus was staying in Galilee. He did not wish to go to Judea because the Jewish leaders were looking for an opportunity to kill him. Now, the Jewish festival of Booths was near. So, his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing; for no one who wants to be widely known acts in secret ... WORDS OF HOPE Does your family tell you what to do with your life? Today’s Scripture reading is a good indication that Jesus’ family sometimes did. We know that the brothers referenced are indeed his blood relations, not his spiritual family. We often use the terms “brothers and sisters” today for other members of the Christian community but, it is clear that there is a distinction made here between “Brothers” and “Disciples”, one as Jesus’ birth family and the other as his followers. I am always fascinated by the prospect of growing up in the same house with Jesus as an actual brother. The few times the Gospels ever refer to Jesus’ at-home relationships, we get a good idea that his siblings were not his fanboys. Proximity does not equal closeness and his siblings never seemed to have much of a clue as to who he was or what his purpose might be. Since they were related to him however, they felt it was their family duty to tell him to do what they determined was best for him. Sound familiar? They certainly had a good idea that their brother was extraordinary. When they speak of his works, we know they must have witnessed him doing some pretty amazing things around the house and they became impatient, not understanding why he was hanging around the old town and not seeking fame and fortune in the big city…especially during a huge festival where he was certain to have a large audience. Shouldn’t someone with his gifts want to become “widely known”? He was sure to bring fame to the whole family! Sure, the jealous Jewish leaders were busy plotting his death, but wouldn’t the prospect of being famous be worth taking the chance? The difference between us and Jesus is that we never read about him throwing a tantrum and yelling, “It’s MY life!” at his meddling brothers. He knew who he was even if they didn’t. That is the lesson he still teaches us. Our families are always generous with advice, some of it actually good, and we should be grateful for their intentions, but if we follow Jesus, we should already know the way that is right for us. He did tell us to love all of our neighbors, even the ones who are related to us. Besides, some of them are good cooks. PRAYER Help us to love and appreciate our families, both of birth and of choice. May we remember that all of us are the beloved children of the same Divine Parent. Give us the patience of Jesus. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Dan Peeler Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

Thursday - May 22, 2025

By Dr. Pat Saxon • May 22, 2025
READING “If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet shatter every closet door.” Harvey Milk WORDS OF HOPE It is ironic that this morning, when I am called to write a devotion that comes out on Harvey Milk Day, I read a NYTimes article on a Pee Wee Herman documentary shown at Sundance this January. Essentially, Paul Reubens, the actor who eventually took on the persona of Herman, speaks of getting involved with an attractive man in the 70’s, moving in and beginning an intimate relationship, but then, feeling that he was losing his identity, ended that relationship, and decided to go back in the closet. According to Mark Harris, “The shock is that, out of what he acknowledges was “self-hatred” and “self-preservation,” as well as ambition and the practical impossibility of surviving as an out Saturday-morning children’s star in the 1980s, he hid his true self even from many close associates and friends.” (NYTimes, May 12, 2025) Harvey Milk, on the other hand, was a visionary civil and human rights leader who was one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. “Milk’s unprecedented loud and unapologetic proclamation of his authenticity as an openly gay candidate for public office, and his subsequent election gave never before experienced hope to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) people everywhere at a time when the community was encountering widespread hostility and discrimination.”* One of his successes was mobilizing to defeat Proposition 6, a California ballot initiative which would have mandated the firing of teachers who were openly gay. Milk felt strongly that we had to come out to fight for our rights: “We are coming out to fight the lies, the myths, the distortions. We are coming out to tell the truths about gays, for I am tired of the conspiracy of silence, so I’m going to talk about it. And I want you to talk about it. You must come out.” Milk received regular death threats and knew that with the animus in some circles there was the possibility of his getting killed. One of the multiple copies of his will includes a directive “in case of my assassination” and included the quotation at the beginning of this reflection. On November 27, 1978, Dan White, a disgruntled former city supervisor, assassinated both ally-mayor George Moscone and Harvey Milk. But instead of curtailing the LGBT+ movement, it helped fuel greater commitment to claiming our rights. The juxtaposition of these two stories-- along with the resurgence of intolerance and hostility particularly toward the transgender community fueling the passage of bills and executive actions-- has raised the possibility of some people feeling the necessity of going back into the closet or not risking coming out. And this morning I worry that we will harshly judge folks who feel that they need to choose safety. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I want us to be loud and proud, to speak and write, and to advocate and protest for our rights. But I don’t want to see what has happened in some circles about the Israeli-Arab crisis—the labeling of anyone who does not support Israel 100 percent, no questions asked, as anti-semitic. As followers of Jesus, we must give each other more respect, care, and love than that. PRAYER Justice Loving God who created each of us “fearfully and wonderfully,” help us push back against all that would oppress and turn back the progress we have made. And help us honor and support each other –even when our choices about whether we can live out loud and proud-- are different. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR  Dr. Pat Saxon

Wednesday - May 21, 2025

By Hardy Haberman • May 21, 2025
SCRIPTURE Leviticus 19:13-14 “You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning. You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.” WORDS OF HOPE These are part of the commandments given in Leviticus that are often overlooked by people with only a cursory understanding of the Holy Scriptures. They are often dismissed as the Levitical Code and relegated to something only the priests followed, and indeed a lot of Leviticus is arcane and not particularly relevant to today’s world. Yet there is wisdom here that is tough to overlook. We live in a world where stealing and defrauding workers seems to be a “business model” and keeping money as long as possible and as much as possible is a national pastime. Maybe it’s time we took some of the scriptural commandments to heart and rather than just posting them on walls, we tried to understand their meaning. That last line in particular sounds like a biblical version of DEI. Funny how thousands of years ago the writers of this book knew it was morally wrong to make things inaccessible to those with disabilities. Inclusion and equity is the message of Jesus as well. He didn’t turn people away because they looked different or had disabilities or were outcasts of society. He opened the way for them and welcomed them with open arms. I am reminded of a friend of mine when I was growing up had polio. His family had built a swimming pool in their back yard so he could do exercises in the water and improve his muscle condition as he recovered from the disease. Swimming pools were a rare luxury in the 1950’s and my friend was generous. He welcomed me and my friends over to his house to swim whenever he was there. He modeled grace, even though he was profoundly disabled, and I never saw his disability as something to be shunned. PRAYER God of many names, may we deal fairly with all we come in contact with, and may we use our skills and actions to remove stumbling blocks to your grace. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR  Hardy Haberman

Tuesday - May 20, 2025

By Carole Anne Sarah • May 20, 2025
SCRIPTURE Ephesians 4: 21-24 (NLT) Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. WORDS OF HOPE I was ten years old when I chose to become a Christian. I thought I would automatically think and act like the new person I was supposed to be. That idea did not last long. I still had some pretty uncharitable thoughts. I was still tempted to lie when I thought it would be to my advantage. In short, I discovered following Christ meant I had to put some effort into being Christ-like. Over time, I learned that it is definitely worth the effort. I also learned that the "Jesus Way" makes my life easier and more rewarding. My brother Butch told me an interesting story illustrating how this works in everyday life. He was approached by a customer looking for something in the department next to his. He had just received a message that his supervisor wanted to talk with him, but he decided to help the customer first. Together he and the customer located what was needed, but a necessary component was on a top shelf. He was about to search for a ladder to access it when "George," the person in charge of that department, returned. Butch showed him what the customer needed and asked if George would finish helping the customer so Butch could respond to his supervisor. "You have a ladder in your department. Get it, and help the customer yourself," George responded sharply. Butch admitted he had several thoughts about things to say or do. Still, he recalled that he had prayed that morning for God to guide him in all his interactions that day. So, he said, "OK," and helped the customer. The next day, he prayed for God's guidance and grace as he started his day. He specifically asked God to help him deal kindly with the troublesome co-worker. Towards the end of the day, Butch saw an opportunity to finish cleaning and tidying his area early. Then he went to George and said, " I've finished early in my area. Can I help you with anything?" Astounded, George said, "I have never had anyone offer to help me, especially after how I treated you yesterday." He apologized for his behavior. Butch accepted the apology and said he had often needed grace from others too. Together they attacked the tasks in George's department. Now, they help each other when they can. That story illustrates the "Jesus Way" pretty well, as I see it. It is easier to meet an unpleasant encounter gracefully if you have started your day in communion with God. Notice that I did not say that my brother, the "Christian" in this story, is a role model for all to follow. He is not. He is human and my brother, so I know there are plenty of other times he has been the one in need of grace. And God is always there for him, granting grace as needed. I love the story because it reminds me that God can create some delightful endings from the mess in our daily lives. We don't have to quit our jobs to serve God, and we don't have to speak from a pulpit to deliver a powerful message. PRAYER Beloved God, Thank you for providing encouragement through our fellowship with one another. Thank you for your infinite grace and for making our lives better. Help us to remember that every person we encounter and every situation is an opportunity to practice love and grace, as you have taught us. Multiply your love through us. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Carole Anne Sarah

Monday - May 19, 2025

By Thomas Riggs • May 19, 2025
SCRIPTURE  Acts 11:20-21 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. WORDS OF HOPE “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” In Acts chapter 11, we read about the church in Antioch, a community of believers that emerged as a result of the scattering that followed the persecution triggered by Stephen's martyrdom. As the believers dispersed, they spread across regions including Cyprus, Cyrene, and Antioch. It was in Antioch, as in so many places, where the Good News took root and prospered because of the faithfulness of the followers of the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand guided them in their speech and in their actions. Indeed, throughout the book of Acts, we discover that the scattered and persecuted church integrated spiritual practices and material generosity. Prayer, worship, evangelism, and fellowship are closely knit together with care for those in need. We read at the end of the 11th chapter that they respond to the Spirit’s leading to provide for a prophesied famine. We see that in our own faith community, where these believers respond not only on Sunday mornings, but on every day of the week in feeding the hungry, caring for children, rallying to causes, and so much more. It is in the midst of this narrative about faithfulness and response, teaching and serving, evangelism and outreach, that the final words of Acts 11:26 are: “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch”. When we model our church life after the first-century believers in Antioch—living as faithful disciples, discerning and responding to the Spirit, remaining mission-focused, and treating our material resources as deeply connected to our spiritual lives—we reveal to the world a clearer and more compelling picture of what it truly means to be “Christian.” PRAYER When we mirror the church of Antioch, walking faithfully in step with the Spirit, hearts attuned to the call of mission, hands open in generous surrender, seeing no divide between soul and substance— then, and only then, Lord Christ do we offer the world a glimpse of the name “Christian” in all its truest, most radiant beauty. Help us to do so. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Thomas Riggs

Friday- May 16, 2025

By Donna Jackson • May 16, 2025
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