July 24, 2013

Last night there was a very good turnout for the preview service for Wesley Downtown, held in the sanctuary of St. Paul UMC at Walnut and Jefferson. Brian Mattson led the music and Matt Kerner preached and led communion. I think it was a good indication of things to come, both for the college ministries and for the proposed adoption of St. Paul by Wesley. August 18, at 11:30 am this service launches.

Deuteronomy 18

Verses 1-8 Gifts for priests and Levites – reading about these special provisions for the Levitical priesthood reminds me of the way Roman Catholics treat their priests. I hold in tension the special office of priest and the priesthood of all believers. As one ordained to word and sacrament, whose life has been dedicated to the vocational service of God through the church, I identify with Aaron and his descendants, and at heart I am a lay person set aside, a first-born dedicated to the house of God. Now I hold the office of chair of the board of ordained ministry, and today I will do some work in that area. Next week I travel north to attend the candidacy summit at camp Jo Ota and speak to the candidates. 

Verses 9-14 a call to holy living – these verses especially mention guarding against the pagan practices of child sacrifice, fortune telling, interpreting omens, witchcraft, mediums, and calling up the spirits of the dead. The people who God would throw out of Palestine did such detestable things, and His people are to be careful to avoid such practices. In America (and around the world) there are these things done openly, often for compensation. Given that these practices are detestable to God, his followers must be careful to avoid anything that is not his will. In common practice around this culture in which I live is the reading of one’s horoscope, the signs of one’s birth by astrology, Chinese fortune cookies, Ouija (wigi) boards, séances, etc. Do Christ-followers realize the danger to their faith of these practices?

Verses 15-22 describe true and false prophets. The article in my Chronological Life Application Bible discusses the Qumran community and their writings known to us as the “Dead Sea Scrolls” especially as it relates to their expectation of Messiah. Interestingly, they describe two, maybe three messiahs, and all three descriptions are fulfilled in Jesus the Christ.

Guide me today, most Holy Lord as I live a dedicated, consecrated, submitted life. Guard me from anything that would replace You, offend You, and/or desecrate this temple of my body and mind.