November 24, 2025
Seeing to It!
“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”
Colossians 2:8
There is some debate amongst Biblical scholars about whether Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians. Some say he did, some question if it was written by one of Paul’s followers. While the question of authorship will never be settled fully, we still can identify the message found within this letter. Essentially it is clear that the author believes that the teaching of Christ is the supreme guide to live one’s life by. In our devotional verse, the people of the Colossian church are warned not to be deceived by philosophy or human traditions. These human traditions no longer apply since they have accepted Christ as their Lord.
Colosse was in Asia Minor, just across the Aegean Sea from Greece, the home of philosophy. Philosophy was a major part of the thinking of people of that time in that area. Much of philosophic thought was counter to the teaching of Christ. There is also a reference here to, “human traditions.” This might be interpreted as either the Law of the Jews or the societal mores of the time. In any case, the author firmly states that these philosophies and traditions hold no value and distract believers from the truth that can found in Christ.
We may read these words and think that we would never be distracted in our faith by outside interests. In reality, it can happen to us rather easily. There are so many interferences that can clutter up our lives and cause to lose our faithful focus. Whether these distractions are rooted in our personal lives, the pull of society around us, or simply because we become weary, we can lose our way. But as we ponder the beginning of the Advent/Christmas season that is looming on the horizon, we can consider how to regain our focus. May we find time in these coming weeks to shut out those things that might draw our attention elsewhere and center ourselves around the journey to Bethlehem and the joy that we find in the birth of the Christ child!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck
November 20, 2025
Bad Shepherds!
“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 23:1
Our devotional verse this morning comes from our first reading for Sunday morning. These are the words of the Lord spoken through the prophet Jeremiah. In this passage the Lord is condemning the leadership of the Jewish people. Those leaders are the shepherds referred to in this verse. They have not cared for the people of Israel. Their flock is going to be scattered and the shepherds will be punished for their misdeeds and failures. The day is coming when the Lord will raise up a new king who will be faithful shepherd and who care for the people. This is interpreted as being a prophecy of the coming of a savoir who would be Christ.
As a child I learned a lot from the Looney Tunes cartoons each Saturday morning. Every time I hear music from the Barber of Seville on the classical station I think of Bugs Bunny. Another recurring character was Sam the Sheepdog who punched in and out each day as he protected the sheep. Despite the devious machinations of Ralph the Coyote, Sam never failed to protect his sheep.
All this aside, we find shepherds playing a large role in the birth narrative of the Christ child in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus refers to himself as the, “Good Shepherd” in the Gospel of John. (John 10:11a) It seems that being a shepherd, while not generally being thought of as a princely occupation, was viewed as an honorable profession in Israel. Perhaps the world might be a better place if more people sought to be a humble, honorable shepherd of the people in their lives. May we, as followers of Christ, seek to inspire others by caring for those around us with the model of the good shepherd as our template!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck
November 19, 2025
Temporary Satisfaction?
“Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death.”
Proverbs 10:2
When I first started reflecting on the above Proverbs Wednesday verse, I was perplexed about the connection between the sections of the verse. I understand the concept of treasure obtained through unethical practices being of no value. Although that does not seem to stop some people from continuing their efforts to accumulate ill-gotten items. But how does that line up with the words about righteousness being the antidote of death?
Perhaps is has something to do with the viewpoint by which we make our decisions. Are we operating out of a desire for immediate gratification? If so, and the larger consequences are not a concern for us, then we might tend to grasp temporary satisfaction without regard to the source of that fulfilment. However, if we approach our decision making from the perspective of how our actions effect our eternal soul, we may have to adjust our thinking.
At first blush this sounds like a daunting task, considering the eternal consequences as we try to decide between an order of buffalo wings or the house salad at the 99. Well, perhaps that may not be a good example, but you get my point. It would be difficult making your way through the day with your future hanging on each decision. Perhaps a simpler way of viewing this might center around us trusting ourselves to make sound decisions based upon our understanding of Christ and his teachings.
If actions benefit us, but cause harm to others, they are to be avoided. If we turn away from another human in need, we need to turn back. If we seek to glorify ourselves instead of glorifying the Lord, we need to reconsider our motives. By seeking to live out Jesus’ command to love the Lord and each other, we live a life of righteousness for which we will be rewarded with the greatest of treasures, an eternal relationship with our God!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck
November 18, 2025
A Question of Truth
“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
John 17:17
“What is truth,” Pilate asked.”
John 18:38a
This morning’s devotion centers around two verses from the Gospel of John that are about the same subject, the truth. In our first verse we find the words of Jesus as he prays to the Lord for his disciples. The second verse contains the words of a somewhat philosophical Pontius Pilate as he questions Jesus about the charges brought against Jesus by the Jewish leadership. As we compare these two statements it seems that, while Jesus seems certain of the source of truth, Pilate is struggling to define what the truth really is.
Just for fun, I fired up Merriam and Webster’s online dictionary to get a solid definition on the word, “truth.” It is defined there as, “the body of real things, events, and facts.” In Jesus’ prayer, he states that the Lord’s word is that body of real things, events, and facts. Pilate however, seems to be less convinced that the truth is so easily understood. His struggle is rooted in the realm of humanity and how the “truth” can often be subjective.
When we were children, and when we have our own children, we exist in an understanding that we should always tell the truth. The reality is that the ‘truth-telling” may not always be the best path. Are there times when we have been less then truthful to save others from emotional distress? Have we ever skirted the truth to protect ourselves from pain or punishment?
Pilate’s struggle with the truth is because he is caught in the middle of push and pull between power and ethics. He knows his position depends upon him keeping the peace in Judah. However, the ethical aspect of his soul, causes him to question what Jesus has done to deserve death. By Roman law, Jesus was innocent of any crime. However, the Jewish leadership was convinced that Jesus had committed a capital offense. Pilate chose to do his best to shift the onus of the blame from himself by offering the Jewish leaders a choice between freeing Jesus or the criminal Barabbas. When the crowd cried for Barabbas, Jesus’ fate was sealed.
Determining what is truthful and what is false should be as simple as Jesus’ words about the truth’s source being found in God’s word. However, in a time when alternative facts and social media cloud the horizon of truth, we must look deep inside ourselves to determine what is truly true. May we seek to use as our compass in the journey to understanding the lessons we find in Scripture and the goodness that we find in our hearts!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck
November 17, 2025
The Cape Cod Driving Psalm!
“Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law.”
Psalm 119:109
The daily verse on Bible Gateway came from Psalm 119: 105. I was considering using that verse for our devotional today. As I usually do, I was glancing at the verses around it, searching for some context, when I came across 119:109. The phrase, “Though I constantly take my life in my hands” really spoke to me. It made me consider all the things in daily life where I literally am taking my life in my hands. Events like carrying two laundry baskets down two flights of stairs to the basement. That used to be a simple task, now it is akin to walking the high wire (I assume because I have never actually walked a high wire).
Another death-defying feat most of us wrestle with every day is traveling to roads of the peninsula known as the Cape. Whether you are driving on Route 6, parts of which are aptly nicknamed Suicide Alley, or traveling down Route 28 between Hyannis and Mashpee, yuck! You are exposing yourself to potential heartbreak. Even local streets like Buck Island Rd. offer their own special challenges. Would the author of Psalm 119 be able to be quite so faithful if they had to navigate around the maze of sewer project detours just east of Parker’s River? I think not!
Anyway, enough of that silliness. One of the most prominent themes found in Psalm 119 is the need to celebrate and trust in God’s word. The aforementioned verse 105 declares that the Lord’s word is a lamp to our feet and a light for our path. If we get lost, wander off the path, or take our lives in our hands, we can still be courageous because we have the Word of the Lord to guide us, care for us, and even save us from ourselves.
We are a people that like to believe that we are masters of our destiny. Most of us live with the thought that we have everything sorted out, we have a plan and path laid out before us. The challenge arises when we get tripped up by the inconveniences that all humans face. It is at those times that we need to admit that we need to have some faith, to seek to reenergize ourselves through the Word of the Lord. May we remember in days that are difficult to navigate, that our faith can help us to endure all the trials of life!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck