False claims…

Stephen, who stood out among the believers for the way God’s grace was at work in his life and for his exceptional endowment with divine power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose from some who belonged to the so-called Synagogue of Former Slaves. Members from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia entered into debate with Stephen. However, they couldn’t resist the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. Then they secretly enticed some people to claim, “We heard him insult Moses and God.” They stirred up the people, the elders, and the legal experts. They caught Stephen, dragged him away, and brought him before the Jerusalem Council. Before the council, they presented false witnesses who testified, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and the Law. In fact, we heard him say that this man Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and alter the customary practices Moses gave us.” Everyone seated in the council stared at Stephen, and they saw that his face was radiant, just like an angel’s. (Acts 6:8-15, CEB)

This is the start of the time Stephen had to defend himself by stating all the things in the scripture that point to Christ.

It is interesting that the people who were listening and those who couldn’t resist the wisdom he spoke with from the Holy Spirit, stirred up people secretly to spread false claims about Stephen.

But God knows and will always be with you. SO when people around you spread false claims just give God the space to be with you and to show who is in the way of God’s love being spread.

Loving People. Loving God.

Over stepping…

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the Twelve aside by themselves on the road. He told them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Human One will be handed over to the chief priests and legal experts. They will condemn him to death. They will hand him over to the Gentiles to be ridiculed, tortured, and crucified. But he will be raised on the third day.” Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus along with her sons. Bowing before him, she asked a favor of him. “What do you want?” he asked. She responded, “Say that these two sons of mine will sit, one on your right hand and one on your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “You don’t know what you’re asking! Can you drink from the cup that I’m about to drink from?” They said to him, “We can.” He said to them, “You will drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left hand isn’t mine to give. It belongs to those for whom my Father prepared it.” Now when the other ten disciples heard about this, they became angry with the two brothers. But Jesus called them over and said, “You know that those who rule the Gentiles show off their authority over them and their high-ranking officials order them around. But that’s not the way it will be with you. Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant. Whoever wants to be first among you will be your slave— just as the Human One didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and to give his life to liberate many people.” (Matthew 20:17-28, CEB)

I love how the text says this, “Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons” She isn’t even named and this is probably a good thing. She asked for her sons to sit at the right and left of Jesus in the fulfillment of the kingdom.

Well now she probably didn’t know the seating arrangements in heaven and so didn’t know one of those seats is already taken.

We confess each week that Jesus ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God. So if Jesus is sitting to the right of the Father, who is at the left side of Jesus?

So which one of the sons is taking the Father’s seat?

We really need to think things through before we say them out loud…

Know you are loved, but also know your place.

Loving People. Loving God.

Blessed

May the God of peace,
        who brought back the great shepherd of the sheep,
        our Lord Jesus,
        from the dead by the blood of the eternal covenant,
    equip you with every good thing to do his will,
        by developing in us what pleases him through Jesus Christ.
    To him be the glory forever and always. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21, CEB)

This is a wonderful blessing or benediction. You may recognize the words if you have been in worship before. It is used as a sending blessing.

It is perfect for sending people into the world.

It asks for those who hear it to be equipped by God to share God’s good will and to do acts of justice and hope for all the community.

Because sharing love and loving those around us pleases God.

Loving People. Loving God.

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.