Why do you serve?

Therefore, I have a request for the elders among you. (I ask this as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and as one who shares in the glory that is about to be revealed.) I urge the elders: Like shepherds, tend the flock of God among you. Watch over it. Don’t shepherd because you must, but do it voluntarily for God. Don’t shepherd greedily, but do it eagerly. Don’t shepherd by ruling over those entrusted to your care, but become examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive an unfading crown of glory. In the same way, I urge you who are younger: accept the authority of the elders. And everyone, clothe yourselves with humility toward each other. God stands against the proud, but he gives favor to the humble. (1 Peter 5:1-5, CEB)

If you serve because you have to, then you need to step away. We should serve the church because we want to, not have to. We need to do it not so we get recognition but so that God’s love is made known.

God loves all of creation and our serving should serve that and show that.

Loving People. Loving God.

I am the Gate

I assure you that whoever doesn’t enter into the sheep pen through the gate but climbs over the wall is a thief and an outlaw. The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The guard at the gate opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. Whenever he has gathered all of his sheep, he goes before them and they follow him, because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger but will run away because they don’t know the stranger’s voice.” Those who heard Jesus use this analogy didn’t understand what he was saying. So Jesus spoke again, “I assure you that I am the gate of the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and outlaws, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief enters only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest. (John 10:1-10, CEB)

In Jesus’ day sheep pens were three sided areas with an opening or possibly 4 sided with what would be an entrance or gate area, but there was no gate. The shepherd would need to sit/lay/stand in the opening to keep the sheep in and the predators out.

Like this picture. Jesus literally is the one who keeps us safe. Looks out for us and watches over us. Being a part of the body is not a hindrance to life, but is life beyond our imagination.

Know you are loved and cared for by God.

Loving People. Loving God.

Celebrate!

All the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around Jesus to listen to him. The Pharisees and legal experts were grumbling, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose someone among you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them. Wouldn’t he leave the other ninety-nine in the pasture and search for the lost one until he finds it? And when he finds it, he is thrilled and places it on his shoulders. When he arrives home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Celebrate with me because I’ve found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who changes both heart and life than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to change their hearts and lives. (Luke 15:1-7, CEB)

How many of us would leave 99 sheep in the pasture where wolves or other predators can get them to find the one that wandered off?

Seem foolish until you are the 1.

This is the beginning of the lost things chapter where we talk about it being about repentance. The lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son or the prodigal son. Really these stories are about the shepherd, not the sheep, and the woman, not the coin, and the father, not the son. They are about the one doing the looking.

Jesus is looking for you. And when Jesus finds you he throws a party!

Celebrate. Share the love of the one who searches for you gives you.

Loving People. Loving God.

honor all

For the sake of the Lord submit to every human institution. Do this whether it means submitting to the emperor as supreme ruler, or to governors as those sent by the emperor. They are sent to punish those doing evil and to praise those doing good. Submit to them because it’s God’s will that by doing good you will silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Do this as God’s slaves, and yet also as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil. Honor everyone. Love the family of believers. Have respectful fear of God. Honor the emperor. (1 Peter 2:13-17, CEB)

As God’s chosen people we are free to live in God’s love. Yet we need to submit to the institutions of our life.

Sometimes these rulers do not do the will of God and seek their own agenda. We must know when God is calling us to follow their rule and to know when we must stand against tyranny.

We should not cover up evil but seek to show love in everything.

Help eradicate evil and honor God in showing love.

Loving People. Loving God.

chosen

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who are God’s own possession. You have become this people so that you may speak of the wonderful acts of the one who called you out of darkness into his amazing light. Once you weren’t a people, but now you are God’s people. Once you hadn’t received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, since you are immigrants and strangers in the world, I urge that you avoid worldly desires that wage war against your lives. Live honorably among the unbelievers. Today, they defame you, as if you were doing evil. But in the day when God visits to judge they will glorify him, because they have observed your honorable deeds. (1 Peter 2:9-12, CEB)

We are God’s chosen people. A people set apart to share God’s love with the world.

We once didn’t belong but God has claimed us as God’s people and made us a people. We came from all different places and were all included by God because God created everything and gets to decide who is in and who is out. We don’t get to make that decision and if you think you do, please sit down and let God handle this.

Our divisions don’t mean a thing in God’s chosen people.

You are loved as you are and you are a part of God’s people.

Loving People. Loving God.

Fishing

Later, Jesus himself appeared again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. This is how it happened: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two other disciples were together. Simon Peter told them, “I’m going fishing.” They said, “We’ll go with you.” They set out in a boat, but throughout the night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples didn’t realize it was Jesus. Jesus called to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” He said, “Cast your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” So they did, and there were so many fish that they couldn’t haul in the net. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard it was the Lord, he wrapped his coat around himself (for he was naked) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they weren’t far from shore, only about one hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire there, with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you’ve just caught.” Simon Peter got up and pulled the net to shore. It was full of large fish, one hundred fifty-three of them. Yet the net hadn’t torn, even with so many fish. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples could bring themselves to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. (John 21:1-14, CEB)

So Jesus appeared to the disciples twice after he was crucified and resurrected and what do they do? 4 of them go back to what they did before Jesus called them. Like nothing ever happened or the last 3 years were not real.

And this chapter in John is after we get that Jesus did many more things but these were written so you would believe. So was this chapter added later? Maybe, but without it we do not get Jesus asking Peter if he loves him and restoring him for the 3 times Peter denied Jesus.

But really what would you do if you were in the disciples’ shoes? (or sandals I guess…)

They didn’t question who Jesus was, for they knew who he was now.

Would we know Jesus?

Do we see Jesus in our daily lives?

You should. in the people all around you…

Loving People. Loving God.

get rid…

Therefore, get rid of all ill will and all deceit, pretense, envy, and slander. Instead, like a newborn baby, desire the pure milk of the word. Nourished by it, you will grow into salvation, since you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:1-3, CEB)

I wonder what life would actually be like if we all lived by these verses?

If we let go of all ill will and all deceit, pretense, envy, and slander can you imagine what life would really be like?

If we lived off the love that God gives us and shared that and only allowed love to be our thought.

Get rid of the bad and focus on love.

Loving People. Loving God.

Good news

Do this because you have been given new birth—not from the type of seed that decays but from seed that doesn’t. This seed is God’s life-giving and enduring word. Thus, All human life on the earth is like grass, and all human glory is like a flower in a field. The grass dries up and its flower falls off, but the Lord’s word endures forever. This is the word that was proclaimed to you as good news. (1 Peter 1:23-25, CEB)

You have been given a new birth one that comes from a seed that will not decay.

It is a new birth from God’s life-giving and enduring word.

This is good news for all people. A new birth for all people.

Proclaim it and share it.

Love, Grace, and Mercy for all!

Loving People. Loving God.

What a walk!

On that same day, two disciples were traveling to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking to each other about everything that had happened. While they were discussing these things, Jesus himself arrived and joined them on their journey. They were prevented from recognizing him. He said to them, “What are you talking about as you walk along?” They stopped, their faces downcast. The one named Cleopas replied, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who is unaware of the things that have taken place there over the last few days?” He said to them, “What things?” They said to him, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth. Because of his powerful deeds and words, he was recognized by God and all the people as a prophet. But our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him. We had hoped he was the one who would redeem Israel. All these things happened three days ago. But there’s more: Some women from our group have left us stunned. They went to the tomb early this morning and didn’t find his body. They came to us saying that they had even seen a vision of angels who told them he is alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women said. They didn’t see him.” Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! Your dull minds keep you from believing all that the prophets talked about. Wasn’t it necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then he interpreted for them the things written about himself in all the scriptures, starting with Moses and going through all the Prophets. When they came to Emmaus, he acted as if he was going on ahead. But they urged him, saying, “Stay with us. It’s nearly evening, and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. After he took his seat at the table with them, he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he disappeared from their sight. They said to each other, “Weren’t our hearts on fire when he spoke to us along the road and when he explained the scriptures for us?” They got up right then and returned to Jerusalem. They found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying to each other, “The Lord really has risen! He appeared to Simon!” Then the two disciples described what had happened along the road and how Jesus was made known to them as he broke the bread. (Luke 24:13-35, CEB)

Why did they not know it was Jesus? I mean in John’s gospel Jesus appears to the disciples and shows them his hand and side, so there are wounds, were there no wounds for Cleopas and the other to see?

And why did they not recognize him? If they were disciples they had followed Jesus or went around with him probably for a while so they should have known what he looked like and his appearance probably didn’t change much. I’m not sure though the toil death has on one’s appearance.

But Jesus asks them about the stuff that had happened and when they laid it out he got upset because they hadn’t gotten it. They had heard what Jesus said during his ministry and they saw the signs and everything that happened, and yet they still questioned what the women said.

I wonder if we would have been the same way?

Would we have heard what Jesus said and not actually have heard it?

Sometimes I think we are slow to get it, but the disciples show us that we are still ok even when we are slow to understand.

This could have been a time I would have actually ran. I would love to take that walk with Jesus and hear him tell the stories of the Hebrew Scriptures and open up the wonders of the stories that tell about my faith and hear him tell of God’s love for all creation. When I finally understood who he was and he was gone, I would make that 7-mile hike back as fast as I could so that the others could know it was really all true.

Let us not question it and wait for Jesus to show up to tell us. Let us have faith and trust that Jesus has risen and is always with us.

Loving People. Loving God.

Invite

Then Jesus said to the person who had invited him, “When you host a lunch or dinner, don’t invite your friends, your brothers and sisters, your relatives, or rich neighbors. If you do, they will invite you in return and that will be your reward. Instead, when you give a banquet, invite the poor, crippled, lame, and blind. And you will be blessed because they can’t repay you. Instead, you will be repaid when the just are resurrected.” (Luke 14:12-14, CEB)

When you have a party, invite those who no one else would invite. It isn’t about giving to get something in this life, it is about sharing what we have been given so that those who do not have will also have.

Simple. Store up your treasure in what God has given you and know that that source will never run dry.

Loving People. Loving God.