(Acts 7.55-60; 1 Peter 2.2-10; John 14.1-14)

O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Psalm 104.24

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power. Revelation 4.11

Proverbs 26: 20, 21, 22

For lack of wood the fire goes out,

And where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.

As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire

So is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;

They go down into the inner parts of the body.

The first thing in responding to this proverb is to hate strife and the drama that it unleashes. And that hatred is all too uncommon. Do you want to hear something surprising? There is something inside of us that enjoys the sparks of controversy. We easily nurse grudges, dredge up old offenses, pounce on the new gossip. Why? Are we bored? Stupid to goodness? Competing? In what game?

We’ve heard before Paul’s insistence that jealousies, slander, and rivalries are markers in the terrain before we come upon Christ. And James goes further in claiming that the sophistication that breeds this chaotic (but remember, exciting!) living is a demonic wisdom. So, even though every once a while our Christianity will require us to enter some strife, don’t develop a taste for the battle. If for no other reason, hate strife for its inefficiency!

But whence the sparks that inflame these passions? Put our finger of those and then avoid them and maybe we can find some calm. Our series of proverbs give the answer to that question as 1) secret words, 2) a particular kind of personality, and 3) even a weird yet universally held appetite for gossip are the things that produce strife and drama.

Let me just say one thing that responds to all three of these nasty sparks: We must find something to do, something that holds our attention, other than gossip. There is an immature Christ-following that is bored or restless or aggressive - constantly monitoring one’s own position against another: “Teacher, we saw someone…and tried to stop him.”

NO! Quit looking around. Serve God! Do something! Produce! And in your doings look neither to the right hand or the left.

Bible Reading: Romans 11:17,18

Think how unusual it is that you, of all people, would be joined to Christ! That’s what Paul is saying. Don’t become cocksure. We “do not support the root, as though Jesus Christ were now the private possession of Gentile Christians. He, Israel’s Messiah according to the flesh, supports them.” (Wright, 685)

(1 Kings 22.24-40; Matthew 5.17-26) 



My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63.8 



Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched the leper and said, “I do choose. 
Be made clean!” Mark 1.41

Proverbs 26:17Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own

Is like one who takes a passing dog by its ears.

This proverb says, ‘Keep your head down and live quietly.’ Don’t play the hero.

Can we connect this saying with the previous ones on laziness? If so, the sluggard escapes his duties by weaseling into other people’s arguments! We’ve all known the person who comes around only when controversy arises. For this slacker, anything apart from a brouhaha is too tedious to be endured.

Now we have to hear this proverb under the law of Christ. It is our task to single-mindedly interest ourselves in one another. And occasionally this interest will take the form of something like “meddling.” We might find ourselves immersed in problems of a fellow believer, grasping a spare oar and rowing alongside to extricate him from a bad turn.

We might even have to inform him that he’s in a tricky spot and needs help.

Here’s how our proverb helps us: Help other people CAUTIOUSLY. Be RELUCTANT to take up their problems as your own burden - don’t enjoy it. And get out of that dependent relationship ASAP.

But the law of Christ says: If necessary: BEAR ONE ANOTHER’S BURDENS. You have to. Do it quietly, unsentimentally, and with all thought to solving the problem and getting back to your own business as soon as possible.

Don’t let the business of Christianity become busybody-ness. That dog will bite you!

Bible Reading: Romans 11: 11,12

God works through the trespass and failure of the Jews to bring salvation to the Gentiles. As the Jews rejected the Messiah and handed Him over to be crucified, the way was being up for all peoples to come near to God.

Again this is a historical fact that will presumably not be duplicated. But it is worthwhile to remember that God makes even the wickedness of men to accomplish His means. Don’t be afraid of institutionalized and structural sins. Deal quickly and severely with your sin and preach forgiveness of sins to persons. And then relax: Jesus is upholding all things by the word of His power.

Passage to Prepare Us for Worship: 2 Timothy 4:7

(1 Kings 19.1-21; Matthew 3.1-17) 



May the Lord give you increase, both you and 
your children. Psalm 115.14 

 



Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me; 
Do not stop them; it is to such as these that the 
kingdom of God belongs.” He took them in his 
arms and laid his hands on them in blessing. 
Mark 10.14,16

Psalm 15

O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent?

Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

He who walks blamelessly and does what is right

And speaks the truth in his heart;

Who does not slander with his tongue

And does no evil to his neighbor

Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;

In whose eyes a vile person is despised,

But who honors those who fear the LORD;

Who swears to his own hurt and does not change;

Who does not put out his money at interest

And does not take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be moved.

This psalm, along with the 24^th, describes those who live before the Lord. In this company is much variety, but too an underlying similarity. This song celebrates that similarity.

Those who dwell with God, as any others, live in the world of neighbors, opinions, promises, business issues, dealings in commerce and law. But how they navigate through this world is different, in both senses of the term - both dissimilar and distinct.

We read in the New Testament about the people of God raising the attention of the surrounding society to God by their works. We wonder, what sort of goodness could have such an effect? Well, start here.

Of course, this psalm highlights people’s disposition and behavior, not in the sacred tabernacle, but in the profane and mundane. Another reminder that our relationship to God MUST affect our speech, our checkbook, our opinions about the wicked.

As we concentrate on praying for our family today, ask God to form these traits in each member.

Bible Reading: Romans 11: 7-10

Here a mystery. The children of Israel hardened, blinded, deafened, entrapped, forced to stoop over. They failed to find what they were seeking. What were they seeking? To establish their righteousness.

That reversal is of course a matter of history. But let’s not miss out on the general lesson: it is altogether possible to want what is good and right and go about obtaining it the wrong way. Trust God! Find out what He has said! Wait on Him!

(Acts 2.42-47; Psalm 23; John 10.1-10) 



Must I not take care to say what the Lord puts into my mouth? Numbers 23.12 


Jesus said, “I say to you that listen, Love your
enemies, do good to those who hate you.” Luke 6.27

Proverbs 26: 15

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;

It wears him to bring it back to his mouth.

For the couch potato, the problem is not that this task is too hard - every task is too hard! Even the most basic motions are too onerous to bring to conclusion. Go ahead and ask lazybones: He’ll tell you that life is hard!

The sluggard starts…really well! But follow the trail of deeds half done and you’ll soon overtake him. As you walk up he’ll be settling down for another siesta or frantically starting something new.

Do you bring things to closure? How many times did I hear my dad repeat his favorite slogan: “Attention to detail and closure.” It is just at these two points where people mark themselves as sluggish or diligent.

Finish things you begin. Be cool, stay in school until graduation. Finish sentences that you’ve bothered to start. Give concentration to one chore before you start another.

This finishing will cost you, especially some other startings. You’ll have to dismiss most of your good ideas that occur while you’re still working out the first one. It will take time to finish, more than you would think. You’ll have to slow down your thoughts and think through the job to its completion. You’ll need more time than you think at the end of things.

Every duty that God gives you He gives the strength and imagination to carry out. If you are overwhelmed, consider that one of the reasons might be you’re strung out: you’ve begun Scene III before the scenery is exchanged from Scene II; introduced the new play while the curtain drops on the previous.

Bible Reading: Romans 11:1-6

As I write this I’m on an airplane with a fellow missionary - but his is a Messianic Jewish ministry! God has not deserted his people!

(1 Kings 18.25-46; Matthew 2.13-23) 



It is vain for you to rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for
he gives sleep to his beloved. Psalm 127.2 



Jesus said to the disciples, “When I sent you out without a purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything ?” They said, “No, not a thing”. 
Luke 22.35

Proverbs 26:14 

As a door turns on its hinges,

So does a sluggard on his bed.

Today I would rail against inertia. “Organs are made for action… they are made to work, not to be; and when they work well they can be well.” (Salter, On Asthma quoted in Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough) When T. Roosovelt was young, sickly, and listless his dad read a book by a Dr Salter that urged people to move at all costs. And so he developed an exercise program for young TR.

Remember, lethargy in one area of life quickly spreads to others. Maybe your thought life is out of control because you never willingly budge from your couch! Maybe your spiritual conditioning is linked with your physical conditioning. Are we not embodied people? So take a walk. Bike. MOVE! WORK!

The old Christians used to speak of an unseemly love of ease. They too would obsess over which diets or schedules dulled the spirit, lowered the mental defenses, invited despair.

I’m not mainly talking about gaining or losing weight. Why would the whole of diet and exercise discussion be whittled down to how we appear before people? No, the really important question is - In our moving and eating habits do we make it easy or difficult to set our minds on the things of the Spirit?

Parents, don’t let your kids get used to vegging in front of the blue screen or white screen. And all people, don’t waste your lives constantly watching movies! Don’t love sleep. Let your hands find something to do, and do it with all your might.The discussion returns to Israel. Let me give you a tip. When Paul cites OT Scriptures, it is worthwhile to look up the original reference and examine the context. Paul almost always never just cites the thought but wants us to hear the echo of the entire context.

Bible Reading: Romans 10: 18-21

(1 Kings 18.25-46; Matthew 2.13-23) 



It is vain for you to rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives sleep to his beloved. Psalm 127.2 



Jesus said to the disciples, “When I sent you
out without a purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything ?” They said, “No, not a thing”. 
Luke 22.35

Proverbs 26: 12, 13. 16

Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!

There is a lion in the streets!”

The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes

Than seven men who can answer sensibly.

What can you say? Your accusation has been completely trumped. You faulted the contractor for not following through on what he promised, but he gave a completely air-tight defense for just why he could not do what he said he would. His reasons leave you with gasping, with nothing to say.

Our series of proverbs today teach us that laziness most often doesn’t come to us as bald inactivity. Instead it is often clothed with excuses, the more shocking the better: how about, a “lion in the streets”? The lazy person always offers his version of mitigating circumstances, unforeseen obstacles, impassable mountains.

Here we discover a particular liability of intelligence: verbiage can stand-in for real doings. For instance, perhaps you have a spouse who has the common sense to understand that you’re not doing what you should be. But you can express yourself better than she. So her gentle (and, don’t forget, true!) admonitions to you sink to the bottom under the weight of your red herrings, sophistry, multi-syllable words.

There is more hope for a fool.

Part of your being saved from sin is leaving behind excuses! When you receive Jesus into your life you are implicitly laying yourself open to His Word which divides the joint from marrow, which discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. In your Christian life, you will soon fathom that you live before “Him with Whom we have to do,” and readily grasp that there is a Day when the Lord will judge “the secrets of men.” Under these truths, your flimsy excuses will soon seem thin, even to you. That’s walking in the truth! That’s when change can happen! That’s a good thing!

Bible Reading: Romans 10: 14-17

This paragraph is often used to demonstrate the importance of evangelism. But let it also delineate what evangelism must include: a spoken Gospel! Not enough to help people or live well before them!

(1 Kings 18.1-24; Matthew 2.1-12) 



O save your people and bless your heritage, be their shepherd and carry them forever. 
Psalm 28.9 


Jesus had compassion on the crowd; they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. Mark 6.34

Proverbs 26:11

Like a dog that returns to his vomit

Is a fool that repeats his folly.

First of all, for those of you barbarians who are not dog-lovers, I need to vouch for the simile in this proverb. Dogs do sometimes retch, vomit, look around mournfully, and then regretfully consume the Eukanuba, now at least partly given way to stomach acid. I’ve looked on and asked myself why. The only answer I’ve come up with is that, in the puke, they at least have a guaranteed next meal. So delicacy and decorum give way to brutal certainty.

Years later, Peter in his second letter quotes this proverb along with an additional image: a sow washing herself but then heading right back for the muck. (2 Peter 2:22) Both of these pictures portray animal instinct overriding humane goodness and appropriateness. But also let the shock hit: Middle-easterners, specifically Jews, would have alarming connotations raised by invoking the dog and pig.

Repeating foolish acts is shockingly offensive. Not learning from mistakes is, if nothing else, ugly.

But let me confess how often my silliness has reruns. “The follies of sin I resign” is for me more a nice turn of phrase than an established, observable fact. WHY DO I KEEP DOING STUPID THINGS?

I’ll admit my silliness, but I’m not alone in it. In counseling people this is often the wall we come up to: People admit their foolishness but don’t know how to leave it behind.

Let me tersely say several things. It’s your life and in your control. The fact is that some people do change. Jesus said, “I am the Way…Come and learn from Me” - we’re not going to succeed while ignoring this help. The Father said, “Throw your cares on Me” - a prayerless life is overwhelming. Man, as opposed to all other creatures, can remember and alter course even without repeated physical stimulus. You’re not an animal so don’t rely on instinct!

Bible Reading: Romans 10: 5-13

Paul says, the righteousness that is by faith is just as accessible as the message of Jesus Christ is accessible! There is nothing that needs to be added to the events; the key is to hear what has happened and believe!