had to…

Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was making more disciples and baptizing more than John (although Jesus’ disciples were baptizing, not Jesus himself). Therefore, he left Judea and went back to Galilee. Jesus had to go through Samaria. He came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, which was near the land Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus was tired from his journey, so he sat down at the well. It was about noon. (John 4:1-6, CEB)

This is the beginning of the story of the woman at the well. When Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman.

It is always interesting to me that the text tells us Jesus had to go through Samaria. Most Jews would go out of their way to go around Samaria. But Jesus goes to Samaria, to encounter a woman at the well Jacob had given to Joseph. This was to say that the covenant of God is not only with the Jews, but will be with all people. And the people we think should not be included are the very people Jesus had to go to.

Who are the people you would exclude, that Jesus had to go see?

Who are the people that want to exclude you and are not happy Jesus had to come see you?

We all are included because it isn’t up to us.

So love like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

one body

So remember that once you were Gentiles by physical descent, who were called “uncircumcised” by Jews who are physically circumcised. At that time you were without Christ. You were aliens rather than citizens of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of God’s promise. In this world you had no hope and no God. But now, thanks to Christ Jesus, you who once were so far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Christ is our peace. He made both Jews and Gentiles into one group. With his body, he broke down the barrier of hatred that divided us. He canceled the detailed rules of the Law so that he could create one new person out of the two groups, making peace. He reconciled them both as one body to God by the cross, which ended the hostility to God. When he came, he announced the good news of peace to you who were far away from God and to those who were near. We both have access to the Father through Christ by the one Spirit. So now you are no longer strangers and aliens. Rather, you are fellow citizens with God’s people, and you belong to God’s household. As God’s household, you are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. The whole building is joined together in him, and it grows up into a temple that is dedicated to the Lord. Christ is building you into a place where God lives through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:11-22, CEB)

Physical circumcision means nothing for the new covenant with God. And even the old covenant was not first based on circumcision, Abram was not circumcised until after the covenant was made. It was a sign of the covenant, not a means to get the covenant.

God made us one with God regardless of what we say separates us or keeps us apart.

We are fellow citizens with all of God’s people.

Loving People. Loving God.

Reconcilled

The Son is the image of the invisible God,
        the one who is first over all creation,

Because all things were created by him:
        both in the heavens and on the earth,
        the things that are visible and the things that are invisible.
            Whether they are thrones or powers,
            or rulers or authorities,
        all things were created through him and for him.

He existed before all things,
        and all things are held together in him.

He is the head of the body, the church,
who is the beginning,
        the one who is firstborn from among the dead
        so that he might occupy the first place in everything.

Because all the fullness of God was pleased to live in him,
        and he reconciled all things to himself through him—
        whether things on earth or in the heavens.
            He brought peace through the blood of his cross.

Once you were alienated from God and you were enemies with him in your minds, which was shown by your evil actions. But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through death, to present you before God as a people who are holy, faultless, and without blame. But you need to remain well established and rooted in faith and not shift away from the hope given in the good news that you heard. This message has been preached throughout all creation under heaven. And I, Paul, became a servant of this good news. (Colossians 1:15-23, CEB)

We are made right with God by Jesus.

Through the life Jesus lived here on earth to show us how God wanted us to treat each other and live in love we are made right with God.

It is not anything we do, it is the way Jesus lived and we should live.

We love like Jesus because God’s love compels us to love others.

That is good news, that we are reconciled through Jesus’ life, and not our own or what we do because even when we try to love, we don’t always get it right.

But let us strive to live like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

First stone…

They each went to their own homes, And Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he returned to the temple. All the people gathered around him, and he sat down and taught them. The legal experts and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery. Placing her in the center of the group, they said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone women like this. What do you say?” They said this to test him, because they wanted a reason to bring an accusation against him. Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger. They continued to question him, so he stood up and replied, “Whoever hasn’t sinned should throw the first stone.” Bending down again, he wrote on the ground. Those who heard him went away, one by one, beginning with the elders. Finally, only Jesus and the woman were left in the middle of the crowd. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Is there no one to condemn you?” She said, “No one, sir.” Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on, don’t sin anymore.” (John 7:53-8:11, CEB)

I have always found this passage interesting.

First of all, only the woman caught in the act of adultery is brought to be stoned, what about the man? It does take two to adulter…

And Jesus when pushed finally says, “Whoever hasn’t sinned should throw the first stone.” Meaning if one of you has not sinned and broken the law, you can throw the first stone and then everyone else is free to join in? That is one way to read that, and these men are legal experts and Pharisees. Didn’t Paul say he was a Pharisee and blameless under the law? Why wouldn’t one of these Pharisees be able to throw a stone? But we also forget that there was someone there who could have thrown a stone but didn’t. He says, after the others have dropped their stones and left, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on, don’t sin anymore.”

We get so caught up in what others are doing when we should focus on what we are doing and how we are living a life that shows God’s love for the world.

So don’t judge, love.

Loving People. Loving God.

Seal…

In the same way, David also pronounces a blessing on the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from actions: Happy are those whose actions outside the Law are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Happy are those whose sin isn’t counted against them by the Lord. Is this state of happiness only for the circumcised or is it also for those who aren’t circumcised? We say, “Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” So how was it credited? When he was circumcised, or when he wasn’t circumcised? In fact, it was credited while he still wasn’t circumcised, not after he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that comes from the faith he had while he still wasn’t circumcised. It happened this way so that Abraham could be the ancestor of all those people who aren’t circumcised, who have faith in God, and so are counted as righteous. He could also be the ancestor of those circumcised people, who aren’t only circumcised but who also walk in the path of faith, like our ancestor Abraham did while he wasn’t circumcised. The promise to Abraham and to his descendants, that he would inherit the world, didn’t come through the Law but through the righteousness that comes from faith. (Romans 4:6-13, CEB)

What is it that makes us right with God?

Is it circumcision? Is it baptism? Is it our faith?

All of these are works. Things we do. And none of these are what make us right with God. Following the law, which we can’t, will not make us right with God.

We are only right with God because God makes us right in that relationship. We do what God asks us to and be who God calls us to be because we are right with God. We can love the world because God first loved and loves us.

Loving People. Loving God.

Are you faithful?

Therefore, brothers and sisters who are partners in the heavenly calling, think about Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession. Jesus was faithful to the one who appointed him just like Moses was faithful in God’s house. But he deserves greater glory than Moses in the same way that the builder of the house deserves more honor than the house itself. Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant in order to affirm the things that would be spoken later. But Jesus was faithful over God’s house as a Son. We are his house if we hold on to the confidence and the pride that our hope gives us. (Hebrews 3:1-6, CEB)

We are saved by Jesus’ faith, but are we still faithful?

Are we living the way God has called us to live?

Are we doing what God has asked us to do with our lives?

Are we keeping the space God has provided for us the way God wants us to keep it?

We have all received a great gift, what are we doing with it?

Loving People. Loving God.

Might

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.” The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?‘Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:1-17, NSRV)

We all know John 3:16. For God so loved the world that God gave God’s only son so that everyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

But do you know John 3:17 without looking at it above?

God did not send God’s son into the world to condemn the world but so that the world might be saved through him. That is Pastor Jerry’s paraphrase. Jesus didn’t come to condemn. Jesus came so the world, the cosmos, might be saved. Saved. Not condemned.

If God didn’t send Jesus to condemn, I’m pretty sure God didn’t send you to condemn either.

Loving People. Loving God.

Faith

After Jesus finished presenting all his words among the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion had a servant who was very important to him, but the servant was ill and about to die. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to Jesus to ask him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they earnestly pleaded with Jesus. “He deserves to have you do this for him,” they said. “He loves our people and he built our synagogue for us.” Jesus went with them. He had almost reached the house when the centurion sent friends to say to Jesus, “Lord, don’t be bothered. I don’t deserve to have you come under my roof. In fact, I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to you. Just say the word and my servant will be healed. I’m also a man appointed under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and the servant does it.” When Jesus heard these words, he was impressed with the centurion. He turned to the crowd following him and said, “I tell you, even in Israel I haven’t found faith like this.” When the centurion’s friends returned to his house, they found the servant restored to health. (Luke 7:1-10, CEB)

Just say the word and my servant will be healed you don’t have to come.

Do you have this faith? Just say the word God, and I know it will be done. This is the faith we should all have. Knowing that when we ask and it is God’s will, it will be done.

Do we have this faith? You can. Just claim it. God has never let me down. God won’t let you down either.

Loving People. Loving God.

faith

But now God’s righteousness has been revealed apart from the Law, which is confirmed by the Law and the Prophets. God’s righteousness comes through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who have faith in him. There’s no distinction. All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, but all are treated as righteous freely by his grace because of a ransom that was paid by Christ Jesus. Through his faithfulness, God displayed Jesus as the place of sacrifice where mercy is found by means of his blood. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness in passing over sins that happened before, during the time of God’s patient tolerance. He also did this to demonstrate that he is righteous in the present time, and to treat the one who has faith in Jesus as righteous. What happens to our bragging? It’s thrown out. With which law? With what we have accomplished under the Law? No, not at all, but through the law of faith. We consider that a person is treated as righteous by faith, apart from what is accomplished under the Law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t God the God of Gentiles also? Yes, God is also the God of Gentiles. Since God is one, then the one who makes the circumcised righteous by faith will also make the one who isn’t circumcised righteous through faith. Do we then cancel the Law through this faith? Absolutely not! Instead, we confirm the Law. (Romans 3:21-31, CEB)

All have sinned and have fallen short. None of us can keep the law. But Jesus did not negate the law, we still have the law and always will until the fulfillment of God’s kindom. But we are made right because of Jesus’ faithfulness.

All of us are sinful and no sin is worse than another so we were without hope, but Jesus showed us how to live. If we can live in love and show God’s mercy to all we will be as God called us to be.

Believe that you are made right by Jesus and have faith that God doesn’t see your sin but sees Jesus, and love like Jesus loved.

Loving People. Loving God.

spirit

I’m grateful to God, whom I serve with a good conscience as my ancestors did. I constantly remember you in my prayers day and night. When I remember your tears, I long to see you so that I can be filled with happiness. I’m reminded of your authentic faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice. I’m sure that this faith is also inside you. Because of this, I’m reminding you to revive God’s gift that is in you through the laying on of my hands. God didn’t give us a spirit that is timid but one that is powerful, loving, and self-controlled. (2 Timothy 1:3-7, CEB)

I’m grateful for all of the people who have been with me on my journey. Who have helped me remain faithful when trials came and tested me. Their authentic faith helped me remain steadfast with God.

People in our lives are there to be a help, a lifting up of us when we come to places we can not seem to navigate on our own.

Who are those people in your life? Who has a spirit of power that has helped you see the faith you have?

Loving People. Loving God.