Paul

Wednesday, Third Week in Lent

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by Matthew B. Harper

1 Corinthians 8:11 – So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed.

Paul reminds us that there are no other gods, and all false idols are simply that – false. But just because we know that truth, we have that knowledge, that doesn’t mean that all others do. And those people who are weak in the faith may be easily misled when they see us do ‘unchristian’ things.

All to often we strive to justify our actions by dividing our time into ‘sacred’ and ‘secular’ time. This is false, for there is no moment that isn’t sacred. There are no ordinary moments in all of life. There are no moments that are not gifts to us from God, and no moments when we are free from our responsibility to God.

Our faith and our ministry are not something that we should ever be willing to put aside or turn off. There are no moments in all of time that we stop being Christians. Our responsibility is to not simply hold our faith in our minds, but to also hold it in our hearts and live it in our lives, and our lives will be viewed by others. We may have great knowledge of the ways of God, but we must not let our knowledge lead others astray. It is true that it would be their lack of knowledge that is the danger, but Paul cautions us to act out of Love, not Knowledge.

There are no ordinary moments in life, and we must act out of love to all people, in all times.

Remind yourself today, every time you think of it, that there are no ordinary moments. Simply remind yourself that this very moment has never been before, will never be again, and is a gift to you from God.

“That it may please thee to give us a heart to love and fear thee, and diligently to live after thy commandments, We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord” BCP 150

Monday, Third Week in Lent

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by Matthew B. Harper

1 Corinthians 7:27 – Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife…

In this Chapter of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he seems very negative about marriage and about sexuality altogether. It may very well be my least favorite passage in Paul’s letters. It must be remembered though that Paul is here assuming that Christ would return within his lifetime, or very soon after. With that in mind it was important to put aside worldly things and focus only on the Lord.

Paul calls his celibacy a gift and it is one I was not given. Yet here I am. I have always been in relationships with women and most of my close friends have always been women. My greatest dream in life has never been more than to be a good husband and father. And here I am, single, childless, and celibate. It is a kind of suffering for me, but even in suffering meaning can be found.

And being totally unavailable has produced some great gifts. There are a few women in my life for whom I am able to be totally devoted to without any ulterior motives. When we talk and write I can open my heart to them totally without wanting anything other than friendship. For some of them this is something unique from a man.

God gave children to Abraham and to Zechariah when they were old men, and I pray that someday I might sail the world with my wife and children. But that is in the future and in God’s hands.

So for now I live and serve. And like the reluctant monk who used to pray: “Lord give me continence, but not yet,” I pray “Lord give me continence—but not forever!”

“That it may please thee to give to all people increase of grace to hear and receive thy Word, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord” BCP 150

 

Lectionary: Fourth Sunday in Lent

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by LA

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

In 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Paul is writing to early Christians of a first-century Greek church but he might as well be writing to contemporary believers on my own prison gallery today. It is of the utmost importance that we understand that once we know Christ spiritually and claim him as our Lord our lives are no longer our own, but his. Bought with a price. Too many of my fellow inmates who claim to be followers of Christ never really follow him anyway or in anything consistently.

In verse 20, Paul states that we are “Ambassadors of Christ.” We need to act as such. Our old self is dead. Lent 4C 2CorWe are New Creatures in the Lord. It does us no good to be claiming Christ and still be doing the same old things and acting the same old ways as before we accepted him. This is an important concept for all believers the world over, but it is even more vital in a prison environment where everyone watches everyone else, at all times.

Anyone can talk the talk but people in here want to see if you walk the walk. Our Christian walk is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal. I personally must always be mindful that the eyes of those who would do the will of our infernal adversary are always on me. Watching and waiting with baited breath for my stumble and their chance to advertise it as an argument against the veracity of the Gospels.

In a place of abounding darkness such as this the Christian prisoner must be the light in dark places. Only by our good example will others be drawn to ask us about our Lord. As believers in Christ, the whole world holds us up to a much higher standard and rightly so, for if gold rusts what should iron do?

 

Third Sunday in Lent

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By Matthew B. Harper

Exodus 20:13 – You shall not murder

All of us have broken a commandment or two. We have lied, or coveted, and surely we have treated our parents with disrespect at one time or another. Some will even confess to adultery. But we console ourselves by saying that these are only ‘minor’ commandments. Well I write to you today as a murderer serving time in prison. That’s a major commandment by anybody’s standard.

But the truth is that there are no distinctions in the commandments of God. The Exodus story calls the last commandment as important as the first. In the eyes of God we are sinners, and all of us need the mercy of God through Christ.

Paul makes a distinction between our lives of flesh and spirit. In the flesh I serve my time in prison, so be it. But no time in prison can repay even a tenth of the crime that I have committed. It is only by the mercy of God that in the spirit I am justified.

And yet no mercy of God can still in me the nature to sin. Even Paul bemoaned the fact that he did those things that he did not wish to. Our flesh is weak, and we all succumb to temptation more than we ought. By the grace of God we are given the strength to overcome much of this nature and to become children of God.

Be careful how we judge others, for all of us are found wanting. We live in the world, and there must be justice and punishments of the world, but we cannot let ourselves think that this is the justice of God. All are found wanting in the eyes of God, and by the mercy of God all who ask will be forgiven.

Almighty God, who seest that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to thy body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, and the Holy Spirit. Amen” BCP167

Saturday, Second Week in Lent

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By Matthew B. Harper

1 Corinthians 7:16 – Wife…you might save your husband. Husband, …you might save your wife.

Paul cautions us to remain tied to the people who would remain tied to us. Even if they are unbelievers, they may become saved through our lives and our ministry.

I am a young white male, a biker, a weight lifter, and wear too many tattoos. I am also a Christian, a teacher, and a worship leader. I often attract all sorts of people, and all sorts of friends. I turn none away, but minister to all who are in need, and all who will listen. I have often been criticized by some of my Christian brothers for spending time with men who were in biker gangs, or racist gangs, and it mystifies me. I have found many of these men to be good men, however misguided. Who will minister to them if not us?

Recently several men from the Christian Motorcycle Association came in to evangelize out on our recreation yard. These men from the CMA roared right onto the yard on beautiful bikes, and then in their leathers and tattoos they preached to men about our Lord. One older man, a semi-retired preacher, put 78,000 miles on his bike in the last two years just driving to different prisons across the country to evangelize! Paul cautioned the Corinthians to remain with God in whatever condition we were in when we were called.

So when you see bikers on the road, look to see if they wear a patch for an outlaw club, or for Christ. And even if they ride for a club, who will minister to them if not you? Minister to whomever God places before you; speak into whatever ears God has opened; turn none away. Christ’s table is open to all.

“That it may please thee to send forth laborers into thy harvest, and to draw all mankind into thy kingdom, We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord” BCP 150

Thursday, Second Week in Lent

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By Matthew B. Harper

1 Corinthians 6:19 – Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?

Paul begins this passage by quoting the Corinthians, and then rebuking them kindly. Are all things good and legal for us as Christians? Yes. The sin comes from how we use them and if we corrupt them. Anything on this earth can become an addiction and destroy, and that is the danger.

I know many men in here whose lives have been destroyed by their addictions to drugs and alcohol. Yet Paul tells Timothy in a letter to him to enjoy a drink of wine from time to time. Is there a conflict in this? Not at all. For Paul reminds the Corinthians that all things are permissible, but not all good, and we should not be dominated by anything. Alcohol, (like drugs, sex, money, clothes, food…) is not in and of itself evil, but to be dominated by an addiction for it is. For it is to be in subjection not to God, but to something of the world. The evil comes not from any one substance, but from our usage of it. The responsibility is upon us, as believers, to allow the spirit to help us discern the proper usage for God’s gifts.

Christ has purchased freedom for us but that does not mean that we are to indulge in anything we please with wanton abandon. We are to test all things by the spirit of God. Above all we are not to allow ourselves to become in subjection to the addictions to anything other than God. All things are permissible, but not all things beneficial, and our only addiction should be to God.

“That it may please thee to illumine all bishops, priests, and deacons, with true knowledge and understanding of thy Word; and that both by their preaching and living, they may set it forth, and show it accordingly, We beseech thee t hear us, good Lord” BCP 150

Second Sunday in Lent

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by Matthew B. Harper

Genesis 22:2 – He [God] said, “take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love…and offer him there as a burnt offering…”

The Burnt offering was the offering given at the Temple to pay for the sins that had been done. It was the blood sacrifice given to cover a multitude of sins.

Abraham was a tremendous man of God, but every time I read this I wonder if he was such a great father! The bible is clear, Jesus is clear, that nothing is to come between us and God. Not our spouses, not our parents, not even our children. So I admire Abraham’s faith even if I question if mine would be so strong. Jesus spoke to his disciples about the coming crucifixion. He told them quite openly of his coming suffering and death.

After the resurrection we find Paul writing to the Romans to teach them of how God did give his only son to pay for our sins. Abraham Loved God more than his family, and this was why he was willing to obey God and sacrifice his son. And God loved humanity so much that he was willing to sacrifice his son. God gave Abraham relief, and Isaac was spared; but we did not give God relief, and Paul preached Christ crucified. I can hardly fathom the great love of God, and it leaves me humbled and grateful.

“O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from thy ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of thy word, Jesus Christ thy Son, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever. Amen” BCP 166

Monday, First Week in Lent

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by Matthew B. Harper

1 Corinthians 1:10 – Now I appeal to you … by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.

There are many divisions within the church today. These divisions are not much understood, and it seems strange to non-Christians that we divide ourselves into denominations. We have so many “non”-denominational groups that they have become their own denomination. In prison there is no greater rift in Christianity than between the Catholics and the Protestants. Both groups seem to take a perverse pleasure in denying the Christianity of the other group. Within the Anglican Communion we have seen much upheaval in the last forty years, and much division.

This seems to stand in such sharp contrast to the words of Paul, who urges us to stand together in the faith and have no divisions among ourselves. And when groups come from the outside I see this truth in their ministry to the men in here. The styles of worship and the words they use to describe their relationship with God may vary, but their love and ministry in the work of the Lord do not vary. They stand firm on the promises of Christ, and minister in God’s Love, and the men in here see the truth in that. There may not always be unity of sentiment, but there is unity of affection.

When it really comes down to what the truth is, we stand united in God’s Love. And that is what Paul was talking about.

“From all blindness of heart; and pride, vainglory, and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice; and from all want of charity, Good Lord, deliver us.” BCP149