Daily Lesson for February 10, 2022

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Romans chapter 12 verse 15:

Several years ago at Wednesday night church a woman announced that her husband had been cleared of a terminal diagnosis he received just months before. He had been misdiagnosed, his symptoms were treatable, and he would die with his actual condition and not because of it.

Those present there that night erupted into a hearty thanksgiving, including joyous applause from the wife's best friend who I remember breaking out in a huge, and genuine smile -- and then tears of joy.

What made that moment so memorable for me was the fact that the best friend also had a husband who had been diagnosed with a likely terminal illness and they had not received nearly so good a news. Yet, the tears were genuine joy.

There's all kinds of things happening around us. Good news and bad. Someone just got their dream job, another is awaiting test results for their nephew, somebody's grandson just got kicked out of the military, while another grandson by another child was just accepted into Stanford with a full ride.

Let us rejoice with those who rejoice. And let us weep with those who weep. And let us rejoice and weep a wet tear at the same time.

God does. I am sure.

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

Daily Lesson for February 9, 2022

 Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Romans chapter 12 verse 3:

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 

Desmond Tutu just died. I loved his humor and will miss it so very much.

He liked to tell the story of being spotted by woman in an airport in America. “Wait,” the woman said, “I know who you are. You’re Nelson Mandela!”

The Lord has a way of keeping us humble. 

Let’s embrace it. 

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Daily Lesson for February 8, 2022

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from John chapter 8 verses 2 through 7:

2Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. 3The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, 4they said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’ 6They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’

I once heard the legendary and very humble pastor Jim Jackson say that whenever someone came to him and confessed adultery his response was to first tell them they could never throw rocks at anyone else ever again.

I don't know what Jesus wrote in the ground. Someone once joked that he asked the question, "Where is the man?" That is a good question -- and a clue that this wasn't about adultery so much as it was politics. They were more out to get Jesus than they were the woman and her man. But they didn't mind destroying her life (literally) in order to put Jesus in a bad place. That happens all the time today. The rocks keep flying.

Another idea is that what Jesus wrote there on the ground were the sins of all those standing around him and the woman. They were written in sand -- not in stone, like the stone of Moses. They were forgiven and forgotten, but now brought to mind when the woman was brought before Jesus.

But anybody who has ever really themselves been guilty and then forgiven ought never to throw rocks, nor relish in those who do.

Our sins have been forgiven and largely forgotten, but they will always be brought to mind when we stand in the judgment seat over others. This ought to keep us from throwing rocks.

"Go and sin no more," is enough. Anything more than that and you can bet something ulterior and evil is at work.

And it's at work all the time.

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

Daily Lesson for February 7, 2022

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Hebrews chapter 13 verse 2:

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.

This Christian hospitality stuff can be hard, and uncomfortable, and even dangerous.

When we were young and idealistic, Irie and I once allowed someone to stay with us for a fortnight. It grew to be a pretty exasperating experience. Some have indeed entertained angels, but this woman was not one of them!

It could have been worse. I had a friend up in Vermont who out of Christian sincerity invited a troubled soul to stay in the community with him and his family. The guy ended up burning down the town school. That wasn't a good day; and it reminds me that Jesus said we are to be "Innocent as doves and also as shrewd as snakes." My friend grew a lot more snaky shrewd after that disaster.

Be careful, friends. Be sensible. Don't put yourself or your kids or your church or community in danger.

But, remember, there are angels out there. And there are doves. And there are snakes. Feed and show hospitality to them all -- within reason, and as is required.

And also remember what our Lord said:

"When I was a stranger, you welcomed me . . ."

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

Daily Lesson for February 4, 2022

 Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Psalm 69 verses 9 and 10: 

9 I have become a stranger to my own kindred, 

an alien to my mother's children.

10 Zeal for your house has eaten me up; 

the scorn of those who scorn you has fallen upon me.

Flannery O’Connor once said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you odd.”

So many I know have lost relationship with friends, and family, and loved ones over their understanding of the truth and the import of telling it.

Rarely does a week go by without me receiving a text or call from someone who has come to a point of utter estrangement.  It’s tough, and they often feel so alone — especially in these parts. It can feel like a lonesome valley. 

But it is not altogether lonesome. 

There are brothers and sisters and whole churches full of friends also to be gained (Mark 10:29). There are others out there looking to share firelight and life. 

Jesus knew the rejection too. His mother and his brothers thought he had lost his mind. His hometown tried to kill him. But painful as those things were, He couldn’t in good conscience be anyone other than who He was. 

Flannery O’Connor was right, the truth will make us odd.  

But it will also make us free. 

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Daily Lesson for February 3, 2022

 Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Psalm 71 verse 15:

“My mouth shall recount your mighty acts

and saving deeds all day long; 

though I cannot know the number of them.”

One of my childhood pastors John Claypool used to like to ask people, “What’s saving your life, right now?”

Our lives have been saved so many times — by books, and friends, and strange invitations, and sometimes sermons, and gracious — if also hard — words spoken by someone we trust with skin on, and unexpected and course-altering conversations out in the parking lot after lunch at Bojangles. 

I’ve been saved so many, many times. I am grateful for them all — the ones I know and the ones I had had no idea. I’ve been saved. And I’m being saved right now. 

How about you?  What’s saving you, right now?

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Daily Lesson for February 2, 2022

 Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Luke 2:29:

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace.”

Today is the 40th day after Christmas, the day upon which Mary and Joseph were said to have come to the Temple for the Presentation of Jesus.

Old Simeon was there in the Temple, waiting for the coming of the Lord before his death. In seeing the baby Jesus, he told God he was ready to go. 

The time comes for every generation to be dismissed in peace: peace within one’s own soul, peace within the family, peace with all the earth and cosmos. It is a gift to be ready to go.

In recent days we’ve lost some mighty strong souls. And this year has been full of the passing of persons very significant to me personally. I mourn their losses, but know they were ready to go. 

I think it was my pastor Charlie Johnson who I first heard say that the church teaches us how to die. The course of study is hard and it involves lots of continuing education. But we do learn by watching.

And one day, we’ll teach as well. 

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.