Hope

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God, for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its enslavement to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning together as it suffers together the pains of labor, and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what one already sees? (Romans 8:18-24, NRSVue)

Who hopes in what they have already seen?

If you have seen it, it is not hope.

Belief and faith are the keys to the promises we have received. All of creation was made by one creator, and all of that creation waits in expectation of what is to come in the fulfillment of the promises we hope in.

Hope is everything.

I live every day in the hope of the coming kingdom.

Pentecost

It was still the first day of the week. That evening, while the disciples were behind closed doors because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with joy. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you don’t forgive them, they aren’t forgiven.” (John 20:19-23, CEB)

This is the giving of the Spirit in John. It happens on the day of the resurrection.

Jesus appeared to the ten disciples behind the locked doors, because they were scared for their lives. Ten because Judas and Thomas are not there. Judas is dead, and Thomas is somewhere. Maybe not scared out in the world telling about Jesus.

But Jesus appeared, even though the doors were locked, showed them who he was, and breathed on them. As God breathed into Adam, as breath is when the Spirit comes to us.

The word for Spirit in Greek and Hebrew means wind, spirit, or breath.

Maybe it is that we are born of water and spirit. When we are born, there is a lot of water, and when we take our first breath, the spirit enters us, and we cry out.

Breath gives us life.

Spirit gives us life.

Live in the Spirit.

Who we should be

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up a mountain. He sat down and his disciples came to him. He taught them, saying:
“Happy are people who are hopeless, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
“Happy are people who grieve, because they will be made glad.
“Happy are people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth.
“Happy are people who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, because they will be fed until they are full.
“Happy are people who show mercy, because they will receive mercy.
“Happy are people who have pure hearts, because they will see God.
“Happy are people who make peace, because they will be called God’s children.
“Happy are people whose lives are harassed because they are righteous, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
“Happy are you when people insult you and harass you and speak all kinds of bad and false things about you, all because of me. Be full of joy and be glad, because you have a great reward in heaven. In the same way, people harassed the prophets who came before you. (Matthew 5:1-12, CEB)

Want to post something in public places that shows how we are to live in the light of the love of God and be who God has called us to be? Then you should not post the 10 Commandments. Because, first off, you need to decide which version of the commandments you are posting. That’s right, there are at least three different ways the 10 Commandments are numbered. And these are rules which are impossible to keep, in their given form, and especially in the way Jesus explains them.

But the beatitudes we have here give us a model for a way to live.

Most of us can say we know what it is to be hopeless.
We know what it is to grieve.
We have been humbled at probably one point in our lives.
We have hungered and thirsted for the right thing to happen.
We have shown mercy.

If we can live in a way that brings hope to others, see them in their grief, be humble enough to know we are not always right, to work for the best of all people, to be merciful in all of our actions, to have hearts that seek goodness for all, to work for peace in all things, and to not harass people for being alive, then we will be living as God called us to live.

Stop trying to follow rules you will never actually follow and love.

Period. Just love all and look out for the needs of others first.

Love.

Children without fear

All who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons and daughters. You didn’t receive a spirit of slavery to lead you back again into fear, but you received a Spirit that shows you are adopted as his children. With this Spirit, we cry, “Abba, Father.” The same Spirit agrees with our spirit, that we are God’s children. But if we are children, we are also heirs. We are God’s heirs and fellow heirs with Christ, if we really suffer with him so that we can also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:14-17, CEB)

We did not receive a spirit of bondage that leads us to a life of fear. We are freed and made children of God, and if children, heirs to the kingdom.

We do not need to live our lives in fear, but as sisters and brothers of Christ, who can live in the trust and promise of the kingdom.

Jesus is always with us. Live a life without fear!

flames…

When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak. There were pious Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered. They were mystified because everyone heard them speaking in their native languages. They were surprised and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all the people who are speaking Galileans, every one of them? How then can each of us hear them speaking in our native language? Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; as well as residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the regions of Libya bordering Cyrene; and visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the mighty works of God in our own languages!” (Acts 2:1-11, CEB)

This passage actually says two different things.

It says that those gathered were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages. And it says that the crowd heard those speaking, but heard it in their own language. So what really happened? Did people speak in languages they did not know? Did people hear in languages they did not know, but somehow it was translated to their own language, so they understood it? Yes. Both of those happened.

And on top of that, there were flames on their heads.

What a day!

Can you imagine if we all understood each other and worked together for the betterment of the world?

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the people and kindle in us the fire of your love!

Angry Judgment

The one who comes from above is above all things. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all things. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever accepts his testimony confirms that God is true. The one whom God sent speaks God’s words because God gives the Spirit generously. The Father loves the Son and gives everything into his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever doesn’t believe in the Son won’t see life, but the angry judgment of God remains on them.” (John 3:31-36, CEB)

This is why we can not read passages out of context. To read just this passage means that the Spirit is given generously, but if you do not believe in the Son, you won’t see life; only angry judgment of God remains.

But is that what the rest of Scripture tells us?

Did the thief on the cross believe in Jesus? He said he was executed for crimes that did not fit the punishment and was probably hoping that something could happen. He did not trust or believe in Jesus as this passage seems to demand.

According to this passage, the thief should have received angry judgment, not a day in paradise.

So what do we believe?

Angry judgment, or loving father?

so that…

The end of everything has come. Therefore, be self-controlled and clearheaded so you can pray. Above all, show sincere love to each other, because love brings about the forgiveness of many sins. Open your homes to each other without complaining. And serve each other according to the gift each person has received, as good managers of God’s diverse gifts. Whoever speaks should do so as those who speak God’s word. Whoever serves should do so from the strength that God furnishes. Do this so that in everything God may be honored through Jesus Christ. To him be honor and power forever and always. Amen. (1 Peter 4:7-11, CEB)

Do this, so that…

Do what?
show sincere love to each other,
open your homes to each other without complaining,
serve each other according to the gift each person has received.

And we do this so that in everything God may be honored.

We show love to show we have been loved.

We show love because we have been loved.

Love. So that others love God.

Divine standards

Therefore, since Christ suffered as a human, you should also arm yourselves with his way of thinking. This is because whoever suffers is finished with sin. As a result, they don’t live the rest of their human lives in ways determined by human desires but in ways determined by God’s will. You have wasted enough time doing what unbelievers desire—living in their unrestrained immorality and lust, their drunkenness and excessive feasting and wild parties, and their forbidden worship of idols. They think it’s strange that you don’t join in these activities with the same flood of unrestrained wickedness. So they slander you. They will have to reckon with the one who is ready to judge the living and the dead. Indeed, this is the reason the good news was also preached to the dead. This happened so that, although they were judged as humans according to human standards, they could live by the Spirit according to divine standards. (1 Peter 4:1-6, CEB)

What are divine standards?

No human desires?

And just where do human desires come from?

We are all created in the image of God, and our emotions are God’s emotions, so I would think that our desires are God’s desires.

God made everything, and when God saw it, it was good.

And then we come in and take it to the extreme, and make something good, a bad thing.

So what are divine standards?

Love. When our desires show love for others and not just self.

Love is the divine standard.

Priestly Prayer

When Jesus finished saying these things, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, so that the Son can glorify you. You gave him authority over everyone so that he could give eternal life to everyone you gave him. This is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent. I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I shared with you before the world was created. “I have revealed your name to the people you gave me from this world. They were yours and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. This is because I gave them the words that you gave me, and they received them. They truly understood that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. “I’m praying for them. I’m not praying for the world but for those you gave me, because they are yours. Everything that is mine is yours and everything that is yours is mine; I have been glorified in them. I’m no longer in the world, but they are in the world, even as I’m coming to you. Holy Father, watch over them in your name, the name you gave me, that they will be one just as we are one. (John 17:1-11, CEB)

Be one, as we are one.

Jesus here prayed about the revealing of God in the world to those first chosen. And that those and all who are in him would be one, as Jesus and the Father are one.

We are to be so united with those who are a part of the church, the body of Christ, that we are the same as them.

We have eternal life because we know God. And now we need to work on being one with everyone else who has eternal life as well.

Be one, as they are one.

who are you

Jesus continued, “I’m going away. You will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I’m going, you can’t come.” The Jewish leaders said, “He isn’t going to kill himself, is he? Is that why he said, ‘Where I’m going, you can’t come’?” He said to them, “You are from below; I’m from above. You are from this world; I’m not from this world. This is why I told you that you would die in your sins. If you don’t believe that I Am, you will die in your sins.” “Who are you?” they asked. Jesus replied, “I’m exactly who I have claimed to be from the beginning. I have many things to say in judgment concerning you. The one who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.” They didn’t know he was speaking about his Father. So Jesus said to them, “When the Human One is lifted up, then you will know that I Am. Then you will know that I do nothing on my own, but I say just what the Father has taught me. He who sent me is with me. He doesn’t leave me by myself, because I always do what makes him happy.” While Jesus was saying these things, many people came to believe in him. (John 8:21-30, CEB)

“If you don’t believe that I Am, you will die in your sins.”

One of the reasons I like the CEB is because it does not add words that are not in the text to confuse the text more. Especially in John. There are several places in John where Jesus says, “ἐγώ εἰμι” which is “I Am.” This is Jesus saying the name of God that was given to Moses at the burning bush. In many translations, like the NRSVue for instance, these are usually translated as I am he, and this completely loses what Jesus was saying.

I Am is the name of God, and the people Jesus was speaking to would have heard this and understood that. They heard him claim the name of God and still had the audacity to ask who are you?

What would you have done?