Ordinary Time: Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Old Testament Lesson

Job 6:1, 7:1-21

One of the things we see about Job is he is unafraid to voice his complaints. There is a thin line between being someone that complains all the time and being someone that is not afraid to let others know when they are hurting. Part of being in relationships is the ability to help others and to allow others to help you.

We can't be helped by God until we admit we need help. We can't be forgiven until we ask forgiveness; we can't be comforted until we ask for comfort. Likewise, with our church, we can't receive the comfort and community it can give us until we allow it to become a vital part of our lives. Job was voicing his hurt today. While we don't want only to complain in life, we do need to let others know when we need their help.

New Testament Lesson

Acts 10:1-16

This is one of the great images in the the Bible. We see here that God is saying to Peter, all that He has made clean is clean. No longer must he live by the old dietary rules and the old Leviticus system, he was now to live by grace.

We are not saved by our works. We are not saved by the systems we live by. We not saved by our families. We are not saved by anything else but grace. Salvation comes through faith by grace. Peter could have eaten only clean animals, that was not salvation. Salvation comes by grace. Today, you are not saved by your actions, you are not saved by being a "good person." You are saved by believing in Jesus Christ and by making Him your Lord. That is through grace and grace alone.

Gospel Lesson

John 7:1-13

We see that Jesus was divisive. You had to have an opinion of Him. The same remains true today. You must have an opinion of Him. He must be your Lord, or He must just be a good fellow that had some good things to say. There really is no in between. Either He is the Lord of our life or He is just someone you read about.

There is no in between with Jesus. Which will it be today? Will you obey and serve Him? Will you follow Him or will you follow your way? The crowd was split on Him today; some believed, others didn't. Today, do you believe? Do you obey? Today, what is your opinion of Jesus?