Good morning friends, I wanted to welcome you to Rooted in Christ 2021.  I’m glad that you have decided to walk through scripture with us again this year!  These reflections have ebbed and flowed throughout the past few years, so let me share with you what my goal is this year. What I’m going to do, starting tomorrow, is going to be based off the Daily Lectionary from the Book of Common Prayer.  I’ll be using the reading guide found on BibleGateway.  You can find it here.  

https://www.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/bcp-daily-office/next

Each day’s reading has a Psalm, an Old Testament, a New Testament, and a Gospel reading.  I’ll reflect upon one of these readings daily. I’d encourage you to take time to read through each of these readings each day, however, as it will give a good overview of scripture.  

Here is the reason this year we will make this shift.  In previous years, the readings had different purposes, to read through the entire Bible, to read more slowly through the entire bible, and last year to look more deeply at a particular reading of scripture.  

I don’t know if you remember last year or not, but had this global pandemic thing happen.  Because of them, my reflections shifted and I began to do video devotional in addition to my written.  I was never fully crazy about the way that things were going with though, and I wound up moving the work closer to my weekly sermon preparation.  I hope everyone enjoyed it, but I was never really happy with it.  

So, we will shift a daily lectionary-based reflection this year, and let me tell you the main reason why.  This is what I do each day for my own personal devotional. I’ve been praying the daily office for many years; it is an essential part of my own spiritual discipline.  This year, I’m going to share this with you.  If you would like to not just read the daily readings, but also join me in the daily prayers, here is a great online resource that I would suggest – https://www.missionstclare.com/english/index.html, or you can get a Book of Common Prayer and go old school like I do!  

My video reflections, which I’ll add to these, will probably be a little less “professional” as I’ll just do a short reflection with my phone and add it to what we send out.  

I hope this year is a blessing to you!  

Here’s today’s reflection 

Today we’ll look at the Gospel reading – John 14: 6-14.  This is Jesus’ teaching about the Holy Spirit after having washed the feet of the disciples as well as surviving them communion.  He is getting ready to go to the cross, but before he does, He gives them several key teachings about love, the church, and the Holy Spirit.  

I love this passage, it is one that is used quite often at funerals, it is a reminder of Jesus’ gift of peace that he offers to us through the Holy Spirit.  The verse at the beginning is key, Jesus is telling us that He is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to the Father but through Him.  

This is so important for us to know and remember.  Jesus is the way.  He is the life.  And He is the truth. That is what He is.  He is not just a good moral teacher.  He is not simply a worker of good deeds.  He is not simply a philosopher or teacher.  He is life.  He is truth.  He is the way.  If we want to know the Father, we must know Him.  He points us to the Father.  No one comes to the Father but through Him. 

It is always, only about Jesus.  Not religion.  Not theology.  Not worship styles.  Not earthly politics.  Jesus.  He is the way, the truth, and the life.  I think about the words of Psalm 106: 20: 

Thus they exchanged their glory

For the image of an ox that eats grass.

That’s what we do when we make life about anything other than Jesus.  He is the way.  May we always remember that.  

If you’d like to get each day’s daily scripture reading sent to your phone along with this reading guide, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up!