Hope

Jesus knew what they intended to do, so he went away from there. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them all. But he ordered them not to spread the word about him, so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:

Look, my Servant whom I chose,
        the one I love, in whom I find great pleasure.
I’ll put my Spirit upon him,
        and he’ll announce judgment to the Gentiles.
He won’t argue or shout,
        and nobody will hear his voice in the streets.
He won’t break a bent stalk,
        and he won’t snuff out a smoldering wick,
            until he makes justice win.
And the Gentiles will put their hope in his name. (Matthew 12:15-21, CEB)

What do you hope in?

Jesus told those he healed not to tell the story. Do not spread the word.

So what was prophesied through Isaiah would come true.

When he makes justice win, and all nations will put their hope in his name.

When Justice wins. It seems we are far from this. But when that happens all nations will hope in Jesus name!

Hope in the name of the one sent to show us how to live, who we await his return, that was thought to be soon, and has been delayed. Maybe, just maybe, God is working on hearts to understand justice, mercy, grace, and love. And Jesus will return when justice wins.

In the mean time, let us continue to hope in Jesus and spread justice, mercy, grace, and love in everything we do!

Loving People. Loving God.

free

Tell me—those of you who want to be under the Law—don’t you listen to the Law? It’s written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman. The son by the slave woman was conceived the normal way, but the son by the free woman was conceived through a promise. These things are an allegory: the women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, which gives birth to slave children; this is Hagar. Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and she corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because the city is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. It’s written: Rejoice, barren woman, you who have not given birth. Break out with a shout, you who have not suffered labor pains; because the woman who has been deserted will have many more children than the woman who has a husband. Brothers and sisters, you are children of the promise like Isaac. But just as it was then, so it is now also: the one who was conceived the normal way harassed the one who was conceived by the Spirit. But what does the scripture say? Throw out the slave woman and her son, because the slave woman’s son won’t share the inheritance with the free woman’s son. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we aren’t the slave woman’s children, but we are the free woman’s children. Christ has set us free for freedom. Therefore, stand firm and don’t submit to the bondage of slavery again. (Galatians 4:21-5:1, CEB)

So we are free and should not submit to slavery again.

Stand firm in who we are and for what God has called us to. Even in the face of others saying we are not a part of the promise.

When it becomes about who we are and what we do, then it is not about freedom but captivity and slavery. We are not slaves to the law and do not need to be bound by that. We are not a people of rules to keep, but a people of love.

Love the world as God loves you and know that if you are told differently than this that they are not a part of the promise.

Religion is about rules. God and hope are about love.

Loving People. Loving God.

harvested

This calls for the endurance of the saints, who keep God’s commandments and keep faith with Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Favored are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so they can rest from their labors, because their deeds follow them.” Then I looked, and there was a white cloud. On the cloud was seated someone who looked like the Human One. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Another angel came out of the temple, calling in a loud voice to the one seated on the cloud: “Use your sickle to reap the harvest, for the time to harvest has come, and the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So the one seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. Still another angel, who has power over fire, came out from the altar. He said in a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle to cut the clusters in the vineyard of the earth, because its grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle into the earth, and cut the vineyard of the earth, and he put what he reaped into the great winepress of God’s passionate anger. Then the winepress was trampled outside the city, and the blood came out of the winepress as high as the horses’ bridles for almost two hundred miles. (Revelation 14:12-20, CEB)

The time has come and is now here and the earth was harvested.

And when the harvest was reaped the winepress was trampled and blood flowed as high as the horses bridle for 200 hundred miles!

That’s a lot of blood. And that calls for endurance.

Stay the course and do not let what is coming or what is happening deter you from saying what needs to be saying and being who God created you to be.

As I write this I think about a call I just got from a pastor at a local congregation, of a different denomination than mine, where I am playing for their 4th of July concert. He said someone came to him after our rehearsal and said that I had a pride flag on my bass case and he asked if I would make sure I didn’t bring that into the sanctuary on the day of the concert. I told him I usually kept my case backstage and would not bring the case into the sanctuary. But I looked at my case and I did not see a pride flag. I saw several things that probably made some blood boil in that congregation but no pride flag. Also, I will have in my rainbow earrings and my rainbow bracelet, and those have never been an issue, or I haven’t heard about them. But that is what we need endurance for. I will not remove the stickers from my case, because they are obviously making a statement, and I will not change who I am because someone doesn’t like it. This may be the last time I play in this church because of this and if so, that is their loss. We need to endure and stand up for those who do not have the rights and liberties the rest of us do. Endure. For the sake of love.

Loving People. Loving God.

What?!?

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like someone who planted good seed in his field. While people were sleeping, an enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat and went away. When the stalks sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared. “The servants of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Master, didn’t you plant good seed in your field? Then how is it that it has weeds?’ “‘An enemy has done this,’ he answered. “The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them?’ “But the landowner said, ‘No, because if you gather the weeds, you’ll pull up the wheat along with them. Let both grow side by side until the harvest. And at harvesttime I’ll say to the harvesters, “First gather the weeds and tie them together in bundles to be burned. But bring the wheat into my barn.”’” Jesus left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” Jesus replied, “The one who plants the good seed is the Human One. The field is the world. And the good seeds are the followers of the kingdom. But the weeds are the followers of the evil one. The enemy who planted them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the present age. The harvesters are the angels. Just as people gather weeds and burn them in the fire, so it will be at the end of the present age. The Human One will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that cause people to fall away and all people who sin. He will throw them into a burning furnace. People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Those who have ears should hear.” (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, CEB)

A landowner planted seeds but when the crop grew there were weeds there too. The workers asked how this happened, and of course, weeds grow…

But the workers ask if they should pull the weeds, and the answer is no. Because as we are in this age, there are things around us that keep us from doing God’s will, and those are weeds, and if all of them were removed, some of us that follow God might get swiped in the process. So we let them all stay together until the harvest or the end of the age.

But the interesting part to me was, “The Human One will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that cause people to fall away and all people who sin.” All people who sin. Isn’t that all of us? I mean some of us try to love and follow Jesus and love everyone else, but we still sin. We still don’t get it right. Are all of us going into the fire?

No, we are not all going into the fire. God in the end will separate out all the bad stuff and the rest will remain in the eternal kingdom. So remain with the bad and focus on loving.

Loving People. Loving God.

Fruit

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you dressed like sheep, but inside they are vicious wolves. You will know them by their fruit. Do people get bunches of grapes from thorny weeds, or do they get figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, and every rotten tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit. And a rotten tree can’t produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, you will know them by their fruit. (Matthew 7:15-20, CEB)

What kind of fruit do you produce?

Is it good fruit? Are you loving to everyone in and out of the building of the church?

People will know you by your actions and not the company you keep or the names you call yourself.

Going to church doesn’t make you a follower of Christ any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

Follow Jesus. Love everyone.

They will know we are Christians by our love.

Loving People. Loving God.

Bless

When God gave Abraham his promise, he swore by himself since he couldn’t swear by anyone greater. He said, I will certainly bless you and multiply your descendants. So Abraham obtained the promise by showing patience. People pledge by something greater than themselves. A solemn pledge guarantees what they say and shuts down any argument. When God wanted to further demonstrate to the heirs of the promise that his purpose doesn’t change, he guaranteed it with a solemn pledge. So these are two things that don’t change, because it’s impossible for God to lie. He did this so that we, who have taken refuge in him, can be encouraged to grasp the hope that is lying in front of us. This hope, which is a safe and secure anchor for our whole being, enters the sanctuary behind the curtain. That’s where Jesus went in advance and entered for us, since he became a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:13-20, CEB)

God gave Abraham a promise that Abraham would be blessed.

And that promise is one that was kept and is a marker for all following promises of God.

God keeps God’s word. The promises are sure.

Know Abraham was blessed and you are blessed too.

Loving People. Loving God.

Jesus

This is why it’s necessary for us to pay more attention to what we have heard, or else we may drift away from it. If the message that was spoken by angels was reliable, and every offense and act of disobedience received an appropriate consequence, how will we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? It was first announced through the Lord, and then it was confirmed by those who heard him. God also vouched for their message with signs, amazing things, various miracles, and gifts from the Holy Spirit, which were handed out the way he wanted. God didn’t put the world that is coming (the world we are talking about) under the angels’ control. Instead, someone declared somewhere, What is humanity that you think about them? Or what are the human beings that you care about them? For a while you made them lower than angels. You crowned the human beings with glory and honor. You put everything under their control. When he puts everything under their control, he doesn’t leave anything out of control. But right now, we don’t see everything under their control yet. However, we do see the one who was made lower in order than the angels for a little while—it’s Jesus! He’s the one who is now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of his death. He suffered death so that he could taste death for everyone through God’s grace. (Hebrews 2:1-9, CEB)

Who is in control?

The angels?

No not the angels.

You?

Ha, that is a good one. Are any of us really in control of our lives?

Jesus is crowned with honor and glory because he was faithful to do what God sent him here to do. Show us how to live and love.

Jesus is in control. Follow him and know that is the best life ever.

Loving People. Loving God.

Parables

Jesus’ disciples came and said to him, “Why do you use parables when you speak to the crowds?” Jesus replied, “Because they haven’t received the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but you have. For those who have will receive more and they will have more than enough. But as for those who don’t have, even the little they have will be taken away from them. This is why I speak to the crowds in parables: although they see, they don’t really see; and although they hear, they don’t really hear or understand. What Isaiah prophesied has become completely true for them: You will hear, to be sure, but never understand; and you will certainly see but never recognize what you are seeing. For this people’s senses have become calloused, and they’ve become hard of hearing, and they’ve shut their eyes so that they won’t see with their eyes or hear with their ears or understand with their minds, and change their hearts and lives that I may heal them. “Happy are your eyes because they see. Happy are your ears because they hear. I assure you that many prophets and righteous people wanted to see what you see and hear what you hear, but they didn’t. (Matthew 13:10-17, CEB)

Parables are devices that Jesus used to allow those who know to really know and those who didn’t know to never get a clue.

So you see but don’t actually perceive and hear but don’t really understand.

Sometimes, God’s word is confusing. We do not need to be discouraged when we are slow to grasp, just know that others don’t get it at all. And those are the people we need to live out loud for. So they might come to know that God loves them and wants them to be a part of the family.

Love out Loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

selfish

So I’m telling you this, and I insist on it in the Lord: you shouldn’t live your life like the Gentiles anymore. They base their lives on pointless thinking, and they are in the dark in their reasoning. They are disconnected from God’s life because of their ignorance and their closed hearts. They are people who lack all sense of right and wrong, and who have turned themselves over to doing whatever feels good and to practicing every sort of corruption along with greed. But you didn’t learn that sort of thing from Christ. Since you really listened to him and you were taught how the truth is in Jesus, change the former way of life that was part of the person you once were, corrupted by deceitful desires. Instead, renew the thinking in your mind by the Spirit and clothe yourself with the new person created according to God’s image in justice and true holiness. Therefore, after you have gotten rid of lying, Each of you must tell the truth to your neighbor because we are parts of each other in the same body. Be angry without sinning. Don’t let the sun set on your anger. Don’t provide an opportunity for the devil. Thieves should no longer steal. Instead, they should go to work, using their hands to do good so that they will have something to share with whoever is in need. Don’t let any foul words come out of your mouth. Only say what is helpful when it is needed for building up the community so that it benefits those who hear what you say. Don’t make the Holy Spirit of God unhappy—you were sealed by him for the day of redemption. Put aside all bitterness, losing your temper, anger, shouting, and slander, along with every other evil. Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ. Therefore, imitate God like dearly loved children. Live your life with love, following the example of Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. He was a sacrificial offering that smelled sweet to God. (Ephesians 4:17-5:2, CEB)

Who is the focus of your life?

Is God the entity you focus on?

Is it yourself?

Here the author of Ephesians says Gentiles “are people who lack all sense of right and wrong, and who have turned themselves over to doing whatever feels good and to practicing every sort of corruption along with greed.” They do not look at the needs of others, but only at satisfying their own desires and wants.

So do you seek self-gratification or to love as God loves?

Love as God loves, and do not focus on yourself.

Loving People. Loving God.

Please God

So then, brothers and sisters, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to keep living the way you already are and even do better in how you live and please God—just as you learned from us. You know the instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. God’s will is that your lives are dedicated to him. This means that you stay away from sexual immorality and learn how to control your own body in a pure and respectable way. Don’t be controlled by your sexual urges like the Gentiles who don’t know God. No one should mistreat or take advantage of their brother or sister in this issue. The Lord punishes people for all these things, as we told you before and sternly warned you. God didn’t call us to be immoral but to be dedicated to him. Therefore, whoever rejects these instructions isn’t rejecting a human authority. They are rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, CEB)

Live a life that is pleasing to God.

Love others, as God loves you.

Do not judge others, and help them to know that God loves them.

Do not be controlled by your own desires, but follow God and do as God directs you to.

Loving People. Loving God.