Don’t be Cain

This is the message that you heard from the beginning: love each other. Don’t behave like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he kill him? He killed him because his own works were evil, but the works of his brother were righteous. Don’t be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have transferred from death to life, because we love the brothers and sisters. The person who does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that murderers don’t have eternal life residing in them. This is how we know love: Jesus laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. But if someone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but refuses to help—how can the love of God dwell in a person like that? (1 John 3:11-17, CEB)

Cain killed his brother out of jealousy.

Life is a gift given to all of us, and sometimes it seems like other people get all the good stuff while we slog through the crap. And sometimes life isn’t fair.

A lot of times though the things we say are weighing us down are things we might get a little out of context and make bigger than they are. I’m not trying to say bad things don’t happen, but attitude is a lot in life. The world and people put down those who seem to have it better and easier and we think if we hold them down that somehow their luck will come to us. and that isn’t how this works. Cain didn’t get what Abel had by killing him, Cain got punished for taking a life.

Don’t be Cain and think that killing your Abel will change things for the better because it won’t.

Walk and journey through your life and make the best of it and know that you don’t walk alone.

God is always with you.

Love the world as you are loved.

Loving People. Loving God.

Can you tell…

My brothers and sisters, when you show favoritism you deny the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has been resurrected in glory. Imagine two people coming into your meeting. One has a gold ring and fine clothes, while the other is poor, dressed in filthy rags. Then suppose that you were to take special notice of the one wearing fine clothes, saying, “Here’s an excellent place. Sit here.” But to the poor person you say, “Stand over there”; or, “Here, sit at my feet.” Wouldn’t you have shown favoritism among yourselves and become evil-minded judges? My dear brothers and sisters, listen! Hasn’t God chosen those who are poor by worldly standards to be rich in terms of faith? Hasn’t God chosen the poor as heirs of the kingdom he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the wealthy make life difficult for you? Aren’t they the ones who drag you into court? Aren’t they the ones who insult the good name spoken over you at your baptism? (James 2:1-7, CEB)

Can you tell who is more loved by how they look?

Like the story says, one wearing a gold ring and one in filthy rags, which is more loved? By their appearance, you can not tell who is more loved by the world. But who is more loved by God? Neither, they are both loved the same. Both are sinners and need to be redeemed and are loved by God equally.

We can not see what God sees when we look with our own eyes or the eyes of the world. We must look through the eyes of God and treat everyone as God treats them.

Love all.

Love Out Loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

wanted to prove

A legal expert stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to gain eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What is written in the Law? How do you interpret it?” He responded, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.” But the legal expert wanted to prove that he was right, so he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He encountered thieves, who stripped him naked, beat him up, and left him near death. Now it just so happened that a priest was also going down the same road. When he saw the injured man, he crossed over to the other side of the road and went on his way. Likewise, a Levite came by that spot, saw the injured man, and crossed over to the other side of the road and went on his way. A Samaritan, who was on a journey, came to where the man was. But when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. The Samaritan went to him and bandaged his wounds, tending them with oil and wine. Then he placed the wounded man on his own donkey, took him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day, he took two full days’ worth of wages and gave them to the innkeeper. He said, ‘Take care of him, and when I return, I will pay you back for any additional costs.’ What do you think? Which one of these three was a neighbor to the man who encountered thieves?” Then the legal expert said, “The one who demonstrated mercy toward him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:25-37, CEB)

But the legal expert wanted to prove that he was right.

How many times do we communicate to make sure that people see things the way we do? Or to make sure that our answer is the one that everyone believes?

The majority of the issues in the world today can be boiled down to communication. We don’t listen to learn or hear, we listen to respond. The average person hears 4-5 words before they are formulating how they will respond. And the problem is if the person speaking goes on a tangent on word 6 and you have shut your brain down and are more focused on the response, you will make no sense and will cause a bigger issue than there originally was.

We have to prove our point, but that was never told to us to do. We were told to love God and love our neighbor. and a neighbor is someone who lives close to you. And what is close. Well, that is relative. When we try to prove our point or make sure we are right, we are listening to respond and not to learn or hear.

We need to hear. And listen without responding. Listen to empathize, to learn, to be moved and to learn more about the one speaking. To broaden our horizons and community. To make real neighbors and to love them as God loves us.

Listen to learn and broaden.

Love Out Loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

might be

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life. God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him isn’t judged; whoever doesn’t believe in him is already judged, because they don’t believe in the name of God’s only Son. “This is the basis for judgment: The light came into the world, and people loved darkness more than the light, for their actions are evil. All who do wicked things hate the light and don’t come to the light for fear that their actions will be exposed to the light. Whoever does the truth comes to the light so that it can be seen that their actions were done in God.” (John 3:16-21, CEB)

Everyone knows John 3:16 or at least has seen the reference on a poster at a sporting event. We think that is the verse we all should know from this passage. And while it is a great verse to hear and comprehend, is it the end all be all of this passage or section of scripture.

For God so loved the world that God sent God’s only Son so that everyone who believes in the Son won’t perish but will have eternal life. Now there is a lot here we need to unpack. All who believe. Not how I believe or you believe, or we ant someone to believe, but all who believe as they believe in Jesus will have eternal life. That means you can not exclude someone because they sin differently than you or because their lifestyle doesn’t match what you think should be included. And when is it that God loved? And is that a continual love? The answer to the first question is not actually given, but to the second the answer is yes. The word used here for love is αγαπε and is in the form of third singular aorist active indicative. The important part there is aorist active, this is a verb that happened in the past but has continual action into the future. Meaning from whatever point God loved the world that love continues to have action into the future forever. There is not a moment after the time God so loved, that God does not so love the world.

But all of that on that verse to say I don’t think that is the most important verse here. John 3:17 says that God did not send God’s Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him! Jesus didn’t come to condemn us. Jesus didn’t come to give us all the reasons we don’t measure up. Jesus didn’t come to give people rocks to throw because others live in different ways than them. Jesus came so that the world might be saved.

Jesus came to save us. To show us a better way.

So the next time you see a John 3:16 poster, ask the holder if they know what John 3:17 is…

Love Out Loud!

Loving People. Loving God.

Integrity

“Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him into slavery in Egypt. God was with him, however, and rescued him from all his troubles. The grace and wisdom he gave Joseph were recognized by Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and over his whole palace. A famine came upon all Egypt and Canaan, and great hardship came with it. Our ancestors had nothing to eat. When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there for the first time. During their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family. Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his relatives—seventy-five in all—and invited them to live with him. So Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our ancestors died. Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had purchased for a certain sum of money from Hamor’s children, who lived in Shechem. (Acts 7:9-16, CEB)

Joseph was a man of integrity. Many tried to hang him out to dry and make him do something he knew he shouldn’t, but Joseph never did.

And Joesph being a man of integrity not only affected him but those around him. Pharaoh heard of Joseph’s family and brought all of them from their home to live with Pharaoh. The whole family, because Joseph was who he is all the time.

Why should you be a person of integrity? For what it gets you? No not for what it gets you, but for what it gives the world.

More love. And we all need more love.

Loving People. Loving God.

What is prayer actually?

My brothers and sisters, what good is it if people say they have faith but do nothing to show it? Claiming to have faith can’t save anyone, can it? Imagine a brother or sister who is naked and never has enough food to eat. What if one of you said, “Go in peace! Stay warm! Have a nice meal!”? What good is it if you don’t actually give them what their body needs? In the same way, faith is dead when it doesn’t result in faithful activity. Someone might claim, “You have faith and I have action.” But how can I see your faith apart from your actions? Instead, I’ll show you my faith by putting it into practice in faithful action. It’s good that you believe that God is one. Ha! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble with fear. Are you so slow? Do you need to be shown that faith without actions has no value at all? What about Abraham, our father? Wasn’t he shown to be righteous through his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? See, his faith was at work along with his actions. In fact, his faith was made complete by his faithful actions. So the scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and God regarded him as righteous. What is more, Abraham was called God’s friend. So you see that a person is shown to be righteous through faithful actions and not through faith alone. In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute shown to be righteous when she received the messengers as her guests and then sent them on by another road? As the lifeless body is dead, so faith without actions is dead. (James 2:14-26, CEB)

How many times a day do you tell someone, “I’m praying for you”?

And what does that actually mean?

After all of the shootings, which seems to be a daily occurrence now, we hear people say sending thoughts and prayers. But what are the thoughts and what are the prayers?

I recall seeing somewhere a meme of a Pope saying that prayer is us asking God to do something about hunger (or insert worldly need here) and then going and feeding the hungry.

Faith without works is dead, and we as Lutherans have a hard time with this because we are saved by grace so we can’t earn our way but just because works don;t get us to heaven doesn’t mean we don’t have to do them. James clearly says Faith without works is dead. It will help no one.

And our out verse for doing things as Lutherans is Ephesians 2:8-9 “You are saved by God’s grace because of your faith. This salvation is God’s gift. It’s not something you possessed. It’s not something you did that you can be proud of. ” We can not earn our way, that is God’s doing, but we leave off the next verse, verse 10 which says “Instead, we are God’s accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to do good things. God planned for these good things to be the way that we live our lives.” God planned good things for us to do to be the way we live our lives. We are saved to do good for others.

So don’t just say I’m praying, do something.

Loving People. Loving God.

Terrible

“How terrible it will be for you, Chorazin. How terrible it will be for you, Bethsaida. If the miracles done among you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have changed their hearts and lives long ago. They would have sat around in funeral clothes and ashes. But Tyre and Sidon will be better off at the judgment than you. And you, Capernaum, will you be honored by being raised up to heaven? No, you will be cast down to the place of the dead. Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” (Luke 10:13-16, CEB)

I read this and I think of Jar Jar Binks from The Phantom Menace. “The bosses will do terrible things to me if I be going back there…” Some people like Jar Jar and others think he is the downfall of the Star Wars empire. I think he is a great character that adds to the move and brings in a new race of beings. Why fault someone for adding a creature we do not like. And why do we have to like everything?

We all have been warned of things before. And sometimes we listen and sometimes we don’t. And that sometimes leads to things we wish would not have happened.

The bottom line in all of this is we are to love all and share with all.

We are give love to share with the world and we need to do that. Not based on who is worthy or how we view people or things but equally to everyone.

So go and love.

Loving People. Loving God.

What are you for?

Once they heard this, they were beside themselves with anger and began to shout, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” The city was thrown into turmoil. They rushed as one into the theater. They seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from the province of Macedonia. Paul wanted to appear before the assembly, but the disciples wouldn’t allow him. Even some officials of the province of Asia, who were Paul’s friends, sent word to him, urging him not to risk going into the theater. Meanwhile, the assembly was in a state of confusion. Some shouted one thing, others shouted something else, and most of the crowd didn’t know why they had gathered. The Jews sent Alexander to the front, and some of the crowd directed their words toward him. He gestured that he wanted to offer a defense before the assembly, but when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” This continued for about two hours. The city manager brought order to the crowd and said, “People of Ephesus, doesn’t everyone know that the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you must calm down. Don’t be reckless. The men you brought here have neither robbed the temple nor slandered our goddess. Therefore, if Demetrius and the craftspeople with him have a charge against anyone, the courts are in session and governors are available. They can press charges against each other there. Additional disputes can be resolved in a legal assembly. As for us, we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since we can’t justify this unruly gathering.” After he said this, he dismissed the assembly. (Acts 19:28-41, CEB)

A lot of people spend a lot of time talking about what they are against.

Even when they phrase it as a positive, it is usually slanted towards what they are against. If I were to say that someone is Pro-Life, I usually think that someone is anti-abortion.

The people of Ephesus were worried that Artemis was being defamed. But the ones there speaking for the Way were not saying anything against Artemis. They were proclaiming God’s love. We do not speak about what we are against but what we are for.

We as followers of the way are for love.

We are for everyone understanding that God loves them.

Loving People. Loving God.

God vs gods

Once these things had come to an end, Paul, guided by the Spirit, decided to return to Jerusalem, taking a route that would carry him through the provinces of Macedonia and Achaia. He said, “After I have been there, I must visit Rome as well.” He sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he remained awhile in the province of Asia. At that time a great disturbance erupted about the Way. There was a silversmith named Demetrius. He made silver models of Artemis’ temple, and his business generated a lot of profit for the craftspeople. He called a meeting with these craftspeople and others working in related trades and said, “Friends, you know that we make an easy living from this business. And you can see and hear that this Paul has convinced and misled a lot of people, not only in Ephesus but also throughout most of the province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands aren’t really gods. This poses a danger not only by discrediting our trade but also by completely dishonoring the great goddess Artemis. The whole province of Asia—indeed, the entire civilized world—worships her, but her splendor will soon be extinguished.” (Acts 19:21-27, CEB)

What god(s) do you worship?

I have said in sermons before if you show me your check book I can tell you what you worship. The register of where our money is spent will show what we worship.

And there are many gods. But only 1 God. And yes you can say, but there are 3 persons to God. Well yes. Christians believe that God is 3 in 1 but not 3, just 1.

I have icons in my office and cups that look like Budha. We can turn any thing into an idol and any idol into a god.

But we must be a light to the world that there is only 1 God and that is the God we should all worship. Not an idol or a handmade replica, but God.

Worship God. And share the love God has given you.

Loving People. Loving God.

Peace

After these things, the Lord commissioned seventy-two others and sent them on ahead in pairs to every city and place he was about to go. He said to them, “The harvest is bigger than you can imagine, but there are few workers. Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers for his harvest. Go! Be warned, though, that I’m sending you out as lambs among wolves. Carry no wallet, no bag, and no sandals. Don’t even greet anyone along the way. Whenever you enter a house, first say, ‘May peace be on this house.’ If anyone there shares God’s peace, then your peace will rest on that person. If not, your blessing will return to you. Remain in this house, eating and drinking whatever they set before you, for workers deserve their pay. Don’t move from house to house. Whenever you enter a city and its people welcome you, eat what they set before you. Heal the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘God’s kingdom has come upon you.’ Whenever you enter a city and the people don’t welcome you, go out into the streets and say, ‘As a complaint against you, we brush off the dust of your city that has collected on our feet. But know this: God’s kingdom has come to you.’

Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” The seventy-two returned joyously, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit themselves to us in your name.” Jesus replied, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Look, I have given you authority to crush snakes and scorpions underfoot. I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, don’t rejoice because the spirits submit to you. Rejoice instead that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:1-11, 16-20, CEB)

After these things… The sending out of the 12 and the transfiguration and Jesus calling others to follow and them giving excuses as to why they needed time.

Jesus sends out 72 in pairs. To share God’s love. To proclaim peace to places they are welcomed.

Would you go now? With a friend?

Shake the dust off your feet if they don’t accept you. Don’t even take the dust from their floor if they do not want to hear of my love. I wonder how many of us take this to heart and are ready to run when the heat goes up just a bit. We see the slightest hint of trouble and we are ready to turn tail and run.

God gives us strength and love to stand in the midst of our enemies. In Psalm 23 we ask for God to prepare a table in the midst of our enemies, so we can eat with them. Jesus ate with Judas and washed his feet!

We should be able to stand in the midst of those who do not want to hear about the love God has for them and still tell them God loves them.

Let us share the love we have been given so all may come to see and know the love of God.

Loving People. Loving God.