Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain (Mark 4:7,8a).
Read Mark 4:1–20
I recently heard about someone who was daunted to read the Bible and didn’t know where to start. Perhaps sometimes we feel unqualified to read and understand God’s word, which is, of course, freely available to us in Australia and New Zealand – on our shelves and online. Or perhaps we don’t feel daunted so much as preoccupied by many things. We may not even notice that we are being distracted away from God’s word. Some of these thoughts and distractions could be considered the weeds that grow around the plants, choking them.
If you’re a person who enjoys these devotions but doesn’t know where to start in the Bible for your own personal reading, let this parable encourage you. We can hear the words and teachings of Jesus right here. He tells a story and explains it! Sometimes, we are encouraged to consider which type of soil we are. I also like to think we are gardeners, flinging about seeds and letting God judge the soil and the types of plants that spring up. Where do you place yourself today?
Perhaps we are all, at times, the plants themselves that are springing up but are at the risk of being dwarfed or strangled by weeds. Let’s do some weeding today! If God’s word is the seed, what’s stopping it from bearing more fruit in your garden? Lord God, thank you for the privilege of your word, available to me, to enable me to grow and bear fruit in your kingdom. Help me identify the weeds that stop me from reaching the potential growth you want for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Sal is married to Pastor Matthew Huckel, and they live in Victoria with their six children. Music, theology, literature and languages are passions the family share and explore together. Sal loves writing, speaking, and walking to the beach at every opportunity.
Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother (Mark 3:35).
Read Mark 3:20–35
In today’s reading, Jesus is in trouble again. Firstly, he is in trouble with the religious authorities because he is casting out demons. Their logic seems to go something like this: We are important religious people, true representatives of God’s people, and we can’t cast out demons. So these demons won’t answer to God. They must only answer to Satan, and if they can be cast out by Jesus, then Jesus must be a representative of Satan. Their argument doesn’t make much sense, and Jesus quickly refutes it. Jesus is God’s true representative because he is healing those people that Satan is seeking to destroy. God is indeed much more powerful than any demon.
Secondly, Jesus is in trouble with his family. They seem to think he is doing too much, isn’t even taking time to properly eat, and is upsetting the religious authorities. They’d like him to dial it back a little, not rock the boat and take things a bit more slowly. It seems like they are ready to stage an intervention (for his own good, of course).
These gospel stories often act as a mirror to our own thoughts and motivations. As proclaimers of God’s kingdom, are we ready to rock the boat? Are we prepared to take on the demons of our time? Or do we believe those messages that the world tells us – you aren’t good enough, you need more stuff to make you happy, you can’t make a difference to injustice and hatred, look after number one because no one else will, don’t rock the boat? Are we too busy caring for ourselves to spend time in the kingdom of God?
The Holy Spirit wants to fill us with the wisdom and courage, to choose life in the kingdom of God. The world wants us to reject God’s strength and depend on our own to choose death, separated from the only one who can save us. Choose life!
Lord of Life, open my eyes to the lies of this world of death. Help me to choose you – to choose life. Amen.
Neil Bergmann is currently the chair of Lutheran Earth Care Australia and New Zealand. A retired computer engineer, he worships at Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Rochedale, Queensland. He enjoys reading, cooking and spending time with his family.
Read Mark 2:13–22
There are many aspects of Jesus’ earthly ministry we look to as models for how we can proclaim the kingdom of God. We preach the good news through word and action. We examine God’s word in our Sunday services, youth groups, schools, community service agencies and electronic media. We care for and support our local communities through many different outreach activities, and we support the world’s poorest and most vulnerable through our national and international development agencies. We pray for the sick and provide practical care for friends and families who need it. These are all excellent examples of what it means to choose to spend our time in the kingdom of God rather than in the kingdom of this world.
In today’s story, Jesus models another challenging aspect of the kingdom. He eats with sinners and tax collectors. From our modern Christian perspective, we would rightly believe that we are all sinners (and also all saints), and we can rejoice because Jesus chooses to be with us, even though we are sinners. I don’t think that is the point of this story.
By sinners, I think Jesus is calling us to be in solidarity with society’s outcasts, those that we normally wouldn’t think of inviting, those who make us uncomfortable. And Jesus doesn’t just want us to help them; he wants us to eat with them and spend time with them, get to know them, and make sure they know the kingdom of God is something real and that they are welcome there. Luckily, even though this is hard, we don’t do it alone. The Holy Spirit is there to guide and support us.
Jesus, friend to the outcasts, help us to be generous, welcoming and hospitable to those the world tells us are unworthy. Amen.
Neil Bergmann is currently the chair of Lutheran Earth Care Australia and New Zealand. A retired computer engineer, he worships at Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Rochedale, Queensland. He enjoys reading, cooking and spending time with his family.
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed (1 Corinthians 15:51,52).
Read 1 Corinthians 15:51–58
My oldest cousin has lived his whole life with autism and intellectual disability. But his parents never treated him as disabled. He was just different. He has lived such a full life; he works hard, flies kites and drones, is a master fisherman, and has an epic model train set he built with his late father since childhood. He loves his TV and loves for me to watch him play Formula One racing games on it! He has attended church faithfully every Sunday since childhood and is now in his mid-60s. As special people in his life have passed away, he wonders what happens when we die. The last time I saw him in person, he asked me, ‘Will there be big-screen TVs in heaven?’
Finally, we get the low-down from Paul. The timetable of how all he has talked about in this chapter will go down:
- Not all will be asleep (in death); some will be awake (alive).
- In an instant, the transformation happens.
- The trumpet fanfare blasts (marking the end of time – the siren that the game is over and your team just won the grand final!).
- The dead are raised and, along with those alive, take on their imperishable body.
How will we feel at that point? It stands to reason we will be happiest beyond what we can fathom. To be beyond our very best – death-proof, suffering-proof, retaining the essence of who we are now but transformed with glorified bodies.
So, how did I respond to my cousin?
‘It’s great that your TV makes you happy. Scripture tells us your deceased brother and dad will be there in heaven, and my mum and dad too – not old and broken – but better than the best they were in their lifetime. I know you will be the happiest you have ever been seeing them whole again and seeing Jesus. Even happier than when you enjoy your PlayStation on your big-screen TV.’
Heavenly Father, we look forward to what you have prepared for us – your house with many rooms. We look forward to seeing those who have gone before with tears of joy and happiness beyond measure. We look forward to this because of you, Lord Jesus, your salvation won for us on the cross. See you soon. Amen.
Stephen Abraham is a retired Lutheran pastor and musician who served as a school pastor and church planter in Mawson Lakes, South Australia. Stephen retired early due to a spinal injury, leaving him largely housebound with chronic pain (documented by Lutheran Media on its Messages of Hope YouTube channel and radio program). As his condition allows, Stephen still preaches, takes chapel and serves his local church and school. He also writes and records personal songs, worship songs and Christian meditations, which he shares on his YouTube channel (youtube.com/StephenAbrahamMusic).
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3).
Read 1 Corinthians 15:1–11
When did the religious faith that was passed on to you become your own? Some of us may have had a conversion as an adult leading to baptism. For some of us, the lights came on gradually; for others, it was an epic, vivid experience. Some of us who grew up baptised in the faith just always believed (which was my experience). Yet, I distinctly remember a time in my teens after doing the whole ‘going to church because my parents made me’ thing where I thought to myself, ‘I’m just going to read Gideon’s NIV New Testament and check it out for myself’. I specifically remember reading 1 Corinthians 15:3–8 with wide-eyed wonder, and even with my un-theologically-trained eye, thinking, ‘This must be where we get some of the Apostles’ Creed from!’
This verse tells us so much in so few words. It tells us that faith is meant to be passed on – given and received. It tells us that talking about our faith – what it is and why we believe it – is just what Christians do! It is in our DNA. Faith is meant to be passed on from friend to friend, sister to brother, parent to child (or even child to parent!). In this verse, we get both a personal testimony from Paul and an early creedal statement that did indeed form the basis of latter official creeds of the church.
If you haven’t done it before, here is something worth role-playing. How would you respond if someone asked you what you believe and why? (Maybe spend a minute now or later and write down your response.)
Even in this brief creedal nutshell, Paul personalises this faith statement by owning up to his own ‘warts and all’ experience of railing against the early Christians in verses 8 to 10. I reckon that is pretty gutsy and honest. What is powerful, though, is that he contrasts it with what coming to believe in the gospel meant for him personally; he went from hating on it to heralding it big time!
Holy Spirit, thank you for the way you moved in those who shared the faith with me. Thank you for guiding me to faith. Heavenly Father, give me the opportunity to share my faith with others and give me the courage to do it – warts and all. Thank you for saving me, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Stephen Abraham is a retired Lutheran pastor and musician who served as a school pastor and church planter in Mawson Lakes, South Australia. Stephen retired early due to a spinal injury, leaving him largely housebound with chronic pain (documented by Lutheran Media on its Messages of Hope YouTube channel and radio program). As his condition allows, Stephen still preaches, takes chapel and serves his local church and school. He also writes and records personal songs, worship songs and Christian meditations, which he shares on his YouTube channel (youtube.com/StephenAbrahamMusic).
Everything must be done so that the church may be built up … For God is not a God of disorder but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:26b,33a).
Read 1 Corinthians 14:26–40
Paul seems to be giving some very specific advice in this part of 1 Corinthians. He details exactly how many people should prophesy, precisely who should be allowed to speak in church and when, and how and when people should speak in tongues.
We Lutherans have an established system for how the Sunday service goes, how the church should be run, and who is to run the church. And any decisions or action is made under the orderly guidance of a committee (and, of course, the roughly three to five sub-committees). We’ve really got this instruction from Paul to be orderly down-pat, haven’t we? So good, in fact, that it’s prone to putting one to sleep from time to time (not speaking from experience or anything).
But I want to pause and reflect on the overarching message behind this part of 1 Corinthians. Based on the rest of the letter and Paul’s writings, he clearly wants us to remember that the God we worship is a God of order and peace, not chaos. But more than that, the Jesus we worship always gave space for the quiet, the humble, the people who weren’t always the loudest in public. And you have to think that this is somewhat of what Paul is trying to do here – make sure that certain rowdy Corinthians weren’t just using worship as a time to show off their own talents and skills. As a corporate body, the church should be a space where all feel heard. Where all get to be part of the worship. Not just the loudest or the most charismatic or the ones who have always done the speaking, and that’s just how it is. And that’s what orderly worship should be for – not for keeping the same people in control year after year but for allowing everyone to participate at the right and fitting time.
Some of the most seemingly chaotic/disorganised church services I’ve been to have been where children are involved, or we’ve tried to include multiple languages and people of differing backgrounds. But although these services seemed chaotic, everything still happened at the right time. And most importantly, the joy felt by the people in God’s house was like no other (and there was certainly no one asleep)!
God’s sense of order tends to be a little different to ours: I wonder what embracing that means for your own worship time – both in and outside the church building?
God, you call us to seriously consider the ways in which we worship. We thank you that, throughout the Bible, you demonstrate many ways to worship. Please help us to worship you in a way that is orderly and peaceful but also full of life and inclusive of all your people. Amen.
Emma lives in Adelaide and is studying a Master of Divinity at Tabor College. She also works as a freelance videographer, filming weddings, events and factual videos. She’s currently trying to work out how these two passions can fit together. Emma has a heart for youth camping ministry and for effectively communicating Christian concepts to the younger generations. Despite being in her early 20s, she’s a self-confessed grandma who loves reading, gardening, embroidery, cardigans and drinking tea.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it (1 Corinthians 12:27).
Read 1 Corinthians 12:27–13:3
These lines from the song ‘If We Are the Body’ by the Christian band Casting Crowns always come into my mind whenever I hear this passage:
But if we are the body
Why aren’t his arms reaching?
Why aren’t his hands healing?
Why aren’t his words teaching?
The reason they stick with me is because when I look around the church, I think these exact thoughts. Why aren’t his feet moving or his hands healing? Why does the body seem so dysfunctional?
I read this verse the morning before starting two weeks of youth camp leading. As often happens for me before camp, a lot of my insecurities were playing through my head. I wasn’t as funny as that other leader, good at making quick decisions or small talk, or as energetic or experienced with kids. It was then that I opened up this very passage we’re reading today. I realised how camping ministry is a perfect example of Christ’s body working. It’s a beautiful way to see just how God brings flawed people with different skills and abilities together. Some camp leaders are skilled at making campers comfortable, can do and fix just about anything, can get into deep theological conversations, notice the quiet kids, and so on.
If everyone fits that one specific leadership model I have always held up as the ‘ideal’ leader, then camp wouldn’t function. What’s more, the whole church wouldn’t function at all. And I know there are plenty of amazing body parts in the church that I don’t get to see and things that I’m involved in that other church members don’t know about, either.
I think the church needs to constantly look at itself and ask how we can better function as a body. But I also know that the body has many internal parts that keep working, even when the outside looks old, bruised or dysfunctional.
A body is never in perfect condition. But you’d be amazed at how adaptable the brain/head can make it. As the head, Christ guides us and knows exactly how to use each body part, no matter how broken.
I encourage you to celebrate a part of Christ’s body today that you might not have thought to appreciate before.
Dear Heavenly Father, today we lament that in the body of Christ, the arms aren’t always reaching, the hands are not always healing, and the words don’t always teach. Please forgive us when we fail in this. We find joy in knowing Christ is the head of our body, and we can trust that his hands do reach, heal and teach. Please show us this today. Amen.
Emma lives in Adelaide and is studying a Master of Divinity at Tabor College. She also works as a freelance videographer, filming weddings, events and factual videos. She’s currently trying to work out how these two passions can fit together. Emma has a heart for youth camping ministry and for effectively communicating Christian concepts to the younger generations. Despite being in her early 20s, she’s a self-confessed grandma who loves reading, gardening, embroidery, cardigans and drinking tea.
Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many (1 Corinthians 12:14).
Read 1 Corinthians 12:12–26
St Paul uses the imagery of a human body – something we can all relate to. Every single part of our body has a role, even the bits that surgeons can remove without causing too many problems. (Just what are tonsils or adenoids useful for?) Different body parts seem to get used more often, and there are usually some parts we like more than others. It doesn’t matter what part it is: if anything is missing, the whole body suffers from its loss.
It is over 35 years since I did my army training. From the very first day, it was drilled into every recruit that you are part of a team. The whole team suffered if anyone failed in their role, was injured or unreliable. That sounds tough, and, at times, it was. But the opposite was also true. If the team succeeded at any given task, the whole team celebrated. Every individual was valued and important. Everyone had a role to perform. But we all worked together to make the entire unit successful.
The Christian body is called the church, and unlike the denominational bodies we construct, the true Christian church is that which the Holy Spirit calls and gathers into the one body of Jesus Christ, who remains the head. As St Paul wrote earlier in this chapter, every Christian is given the gift of the Holy Spirit. God may also give us different skills and abilities to serve as part of the body of Jesus here on earth.
Can you play music to support the worship of your local congregation? Are you good at welcoming people? Maybe you are good at explaining God’s word to those exploring the Christian faith. You could be one of those precious people who get into the menial tasks nobody really likes to do, but you recognise that they still need to be done. What you do is never as important as where you put your trust. Do you trust Jesus to lead the church as our head? Then that is enough for whatever work God has given you to do to be valued and important.
Heavenly Father, thank you for calling and equipping me as part of the body of Jesus. Please give me strength, courage and endurance for the work you have given me. Help me support others so we build up the one body of Jesus together, serving the world today. Amen.
Mathew is married to Sonja, and they are in the process of moving from the Barossa Valley in South Australia to Tabor in Western Victoria. They are blessed to have two adult sons, one married, but, as yet, no grandchildren. Mathew enjoys gardening, cycling, writing letters, and sharing adventures with Sonja.
Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread (1 Corinthians 10:17).
Read 1 Corinthians 10:14–11:1
I have barracked for the Mighty Richmond Tigers since I first moved to Victoria, aged 10, in 1977. It is hard to imagine, but many other people support other football teams, codes, or even interests other than sports. That’s the freedom we have as individuals. Differences like this help create a diverse and interesting community.
We may have the freedom to follow and express our different preferences in our daily lives, but St Paul is very clear about where we must put our trust. We are to flee from idolatry. Martin Luther described what it means to have a god or idol: ‘A god means that from which we are to expect all good and in which we are to take refuge in all distress’.
Our senses are bombarded constantly with messages that imply our lives would be so much better and more fulfilling if only we used this product or if we followed this advice or avoided these foods. Put your trust in this product to give you less grey hair, lose weight, gain financial security, or be a little bit happier – the devil is trying to shift our attention from Christ alone to anything else that captures our interest, even if it is for a moment.
In most instances, the products or experiences offered are harmless in themselves. Things that support healthy and growing relationships can be received as good gifts from the one true God. This puts everything in the correct order, whereby we put our trust in God alone and receive from him all the experiences that make us unique in our own way.
Binding us together is the one body and blood of Jesus Christ. Joined together through receiving Jesus’ body and blood is where we experience true unity. This unity is an exclusive gift, however. We are called to put our trust in Jesus Christ alone. Paul warns that we cannot drink from both the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.
Whoever you barrack for, or whatever your interests may be, enjoy these as God’s gifts to you. But put your trust in the Triune God, who is the giver of all that is good, especially this gift of eternal life.
Heavenly Father, thank you for binding us into the true unity of Jesus through his body and blood. Help us value the gifts you provide, using them to build up relationships with those around us. Amen.
Mathew is married to Sonja, and they are in the process of moving from the Barossa Valley in South Australia to Tabor in Western Victoria. They are blessed to have two adult sons, one married, but, as yet, no grandchildren. Mathew enjoys gardening, cycling, writing letters, and sharing adventures with Sonja.