we will not serve your gods

Daniel 3:1-18
1 John 3:1-10
Luke 3:15-22
Psalm 16

Daniel 3:18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up.

There is certainly a lot of pressure these days to conform to the dominant culture. Perhaps we aren't in danger of being thrown into the blazing furnace, but there is a danger of losing our jobs, reputation, family etc ...  The people who have given in to the culture's demands to bow to the gods can lie, cheat, and make all kinds of trouble for us if we say we will not worship their gods.
The scary thing is that people will compromise, that is they will give in, but in their minds they are only doing it a little so they can move on.  The question is what are they thinking they are moving on to?  The cruel twist here is that when we compromise we are not putting ourselves in a good position.  God will not save us form the blazing furnace unless we are actually in the blazing furnace.  The compromise is really us saying to God "we don't trust you".
I am a republican, and shamefully I have to admit that they are the party of compromise. They make a lot of promises, but then they give in because they buy the lie that if they can get a long with their opponents things will go better for them in the future.  Never works.  The enemy will just take advantage because they sense we are weak.
I admire people that have the faith and the strength to not give in and bow to the other gods. Yes, we tend to make fun of them.  We call them the far right, or the lunatic fringe, or whatever.  But in the end I fear they will have the last laugh. We fool ourselves thinking that we will gain advantage with our intelligence and sophistication.  Well, those are two words that I am learning to not like much any more.  They are a deception and a trap.  They prey on our pride and insecurity. They lead us to bow to the other gods.
Let us all be more like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to learn when to stand firm and to see clearly the traps set before me.  Help me to love my brothers and sisters enough to stand for them as well.

Amen

one of you will betray me

First:	Isaiah 50:4-9
Resp:	Psalm 69:8-10,21-22,31,33-34
Gospel:	Matthew 26:14-25

Matthew 26:22 Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?”

I asked the question once why in our specific liturgy of the sacrament, the words that are spoken say something like "when our Lord handed himself over", instead of "when our Lord was betrayed."  The answer was a reasonable one, based on the translation of the word for betrayed, the sense of handing oneself over, becoming vulnerable, is implied.  But still, every time I hear it, I substitute the word betrayed.  Maybe it was my Lutheran upbringing and that was the version of the liturgy that I heard all my life, or maybe it is because that is what was going on in the actual account in scripture.
Jesus was betrayed.  Yes, he allowed for that to happen by voluntarily giving himself up for us, but he was betrayed.  I think, that even though there is a sense where these two translations are the same, the word betrayed has a different, and to me, more meaningful sense.  Why do I come to the table?  Yes Jesus handed himself over, but is was my sin that is the reason.  It is I who betrays him. It is I  who needs forgiveness.  It is I that arrogantly says "Surely it is not I, Lord?"  For me, putting the emphasis on the fact that Jesus handed himself over, allows me to slide just a little in the misguided belief that it is not I.  But if it is not I, then why do I find myself at the table?
I think betrayal is a big part of the story of our transgression and our reconciliation. Satan was the most cherished cherub. He was a guardian angel of the throne of God.  He was one in whom God put great trust.  He betrayed that trust.  Adam and Eve where the pinnacle of Gods creation.  It was they that had God's trust to live in and tend the garden.  They betrayed that trust.  And it is I, that God loves and died for, and yet when I sin, it is I that betrays that love and trust.  Betrayal is a big and powerful word.  I think it would do us well to contemplate that.

Father, by the power of your Holy Spirit, lead me to feel your love and honor your trust.  Make me aware of my willingness to betray that love and trust and to seek you forgiveness and reconciliation.                                                                                                                                             Amen