not guilty

35 The next morning the legal authorities sent the police to the jailer with the order “Release those people.” 36 So the jailer reported this to Paul, informing him, “The authorities sent word that you both are to be released. You can leave now. Go in peace.” 37 Paul told the police, “Even though we are Roman citizens, they beat us publicly without first finding us guilty of a crime, and they threw us into prison. And now they want to send us away secretly? No way! They themselves will have to come and escort us out.” 38 The police reported this to the legal authorities, who were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 39 They came and consoled Paul and Silas, escorting them out of prison and begging them to leave the city. 40 Paul and Silas left the prison and made their way to Lydia’s house where they encouraged the brothers and sisters. Then they left Philippi. (Acts 16:35-40, CEB)

Paul was a Roman citizen and that gave him rights, to not be beaten for not being guilty. Which of course didn’t happen here.

The authorities wanted to make an example of Paul and Silas that if you spread things they do not agree with you will be beaten and put in prison. Then they tried to let Paul and Silas go quietly to not cause a scene, which backfired.

Paul and Silas did leave, but not right away, and the authorities that tried to stop the message probably only fueled the fire.

Never stop sharing the love God has shared with you for God is always with you.

Loving People. Loving God.

Jesus prays

20 “I’m not praying only for them but also for those who believe in me because of their word. 21 I pray they will be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. I pray that they also will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me. 22 I’ve given them the glory that you gave me so that they can be one just as we are one. 23 I’m in them and you are in me so that they will be made perfectly one. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you have loved them just as you loved me. 24 “Father, I want those you gave me to be with me where I am. Then they can see my glory, which you gave me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25 “Righteous Father, even the world didn’t know you, but I’ve known you, and these believers know that you sent me. 26 I’ve made your name known to them and will continue to make it known so that your love for me will be in them, and I myself will be in them.” (John 17:20-26, CEB)

This is always the reading on the last Sunday of Easter, or at least one of the sections from this prayer. You see John 17 is the high priestly prayer of Jesus split up in three sections, one where he prays about himself, then about the disciples, and then this section where he prays for all who will come to believe because of the disciples. Which is you.

Jesus prayed for you the night before his death in the garden. Jesus prayed for everyone.

We need to help others know they are loved by helping them know that before they were here God prayed for them.

Love always and pray without ceasing.

Loving People. Loving God.

after before

14 The Word became flesh and made his home among us. We have seen his glory, glory like that of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified about him, crying out, “This is the one of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than me because he existed before me.’” 16 From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace; 17 as the Law was given through Moses, so grace and truth came into being through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made God known. (John 1:14-18, CEB)

He who comes after me is greater than me because he existed before me.

Jesus comes after John in birth order, but Jesus was here and existed before John as one who created everything.

Jesus has always been here, he just stepped down from being God to take on the form of a human to show us how to love.

Jesus has always been here and will always be here.

Love the creation made by Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

Favored

6 Then he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. 7 “Look! I’m coming soon. Favored is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy contained in this scroll.” 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I’m a servant just like you and your brothers and sisters, the prophets, and those who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!” (Revelation 22:6-9, CEB)

Favored is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy contained in this scroll.

Is that Revelation?

Is that the New Testament?

Is that the Bible, Hebrew Scripture and New Testament?

You see when this was written, the Bible was not a thing. It was not formed until hundreds of years later. So what prophecy are we needing to keep?

Favored is the one who keeps the prophecy in this scroll, so that may not even be Revelation, it could be a scroll the angel had.

When it comes down to it, I will error on the side of doing the greatest commandment according to Jesus, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and might and love your neighbor as yourself.

Love. It covers a multitude of sins.

Be favored and love!

Loving People. Loving God.

Fulfilled

44 Jesus said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law from Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. 46 He said to them, “This is what is written: the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and a change of heart and life for the forgiveness of sins must be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 Look, I’m sending to you what my Father promised, but you are to stay in the city until you have been furnished with heavenly power.” 50 He led them out as far as Bethany, where he lifted his hands and blessed them. 51 As he blessed them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 They worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem overwhelmed with joy. 53 And they were continuously in the temple praising God. (Luke 24:44-53, CEB)

Jesus here is appearing to the disciples after the 2 from the road to Emmaus have run back to Jerusalem.

He comes and explains to all of them that this is what was supposed to happen and what he had been telling them all along. And then he ascends into heaven. But even though Jesus is ascended, he is still with us.

Jesus is always with us.

God is always with us.

Even when we go through trials and tribulations and trouble is all around, God is always with us.

God’s will will be done. We can count on that.

Loving People. Loving God.

a sword will pierce

25 A man named Simeon was in Jerusalem. He was righteous and devout. He eagerly anticipated the restoration of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26 The Holy Spirit revealed to him that he wouldn’t die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Led by the Spirit, he went into the temple area. Meanwhile, Jesus’ parents brought the child to the temple so that they could do what was customary under the Law. 28 Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said,29 “Now, master, let your servant go in peace according to your word, 30 because my eyes have seen your salvation. 31 You prepared this salvation in the presence of all peoples. 32 It’s a light for revelation to the Gentiles and a glory for your people Israel.” 33 His father and mother were amazed by what was said about him. 34 Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “This boy is assigned to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that generates opposition 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your innermost being too.” 36 There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, who belonged to the tribe of Asher. She was very old. After she married, she lived with her husband for seven years. 37 She was now an 84-year-old widow. She never left the temple area but worshipped God with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 She approached at that very moment and began to praise God and to speak about Jesus to everyone who was looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:25-38, CEB)

I always loved this passage where Joseph and Mary tale Jesus to the temple to do what needed to be done under the law and they are met with Simeon and Anna and are told things about Jesus they probably didn’t want to hear.

How would you have taken hearing your very soul would be pierced by a sword because your son was to be a sign to many generations about the love of God?

Most of us wouldn’t know what to say or do about this. We would probably take our child and run screaming from the place. Yet Mary and Joseph just listen and do not react.

We react to the littlest things and turn away and hide when things don’t go our way, yet Mary and Joseph seem to take all of this in stride, maybe because the angels visited them and they knew that Jesus was different and from God. Maybe they already knew everything they were hearing so it wasn’t as scary the second, or third, or how many ever times it was.

How can we be like Mary and Joseph and take what comes in stride? Know that we are always in God’s hand?

Loving People. Loving God.

as an angel…

15 The angel who spoke to me had a gold measuring rod with which to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 Now the city was laid out as a square. Its length was the same as its width. He measured the city with the rod, and it was fifteen hundred miles. Its length and width and height were equal. 17 He also measured the thickness of its wall. It was two hundred sixteen feet thick, as a person—or rather, an angel—measures things. 18 The wall was built of jasper, and the city was pure gold, like pure glass. 19 The city wall’s foundations were decorated with every kind of jewel. The first foundation was jasper, the second was sapphire, the third was chalcedony, and the fourth was emerald. 20 The fifth was sardonyx, the sixth was carnelian, the seventh was chrysolite, and the eighth was beryl. The ninth was topaz, the tenth was chrysoprase, the eleventh was jacinth, and the twelfth was amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was made from a single pearl. And the city’s main street was pure gold, as transparent as glass. 22 I didn’t see a temple in the city, because its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb. (Revelation 21:15-22, CEB)

As I read this passage this time, this verse stuck out to me, “It was two hundred sixteen feet thick, as a person—or rather, an angel—measures things.”

216 feet thick as an angel measures things.

What is the difference between how a person and an angel measure things?

Is there actually a difference in the way humans measure things?

I guess there can be, that is why they say measure twice and cut once.

But measuring with God’s gold measuring rod, there should be no mistakes.

Just love and the measurement won’t matter.

Loving People. Loving God.

All is done

5 Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look! I’m making all things new.” He also said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 Then he said to me, “All is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will freely give water from the life-giving spring. 7 Those who emerge victorious will inherit these things. I will be their God, and they will be my sons and daughters. 8 But for the cowardly, the faithless, the vile, the murderers, those who commit sexual immorality, those who use drugs and cast spells, the idolaters and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.” 9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues spoke with me. “Come,” he said, “I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” 10 He took me in a Spirit-inspired trance to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 The city had God’s glory. Its brilliance was like a priceless jewel, like jasper that was as clear as crystal. 12 It had a great high wall with twelve gates. By the gates were twelve angels, and on the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel’s sons. 13 There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 The city wall had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the Lamb’s twelve apostles. (Revelation 21:5-14, CEB)

Oh to be in a place where there is no longer fighting and we all realize the peace we are living in. To see the fulfillment of the kingdom of God and to be a peace with everything.

We will live in the presence of God for all eternity and it will be a wonderful experience we can not fathom at this time.

Love everyone now and help them prepare for this wonderful time.

Loving People. Loving God.

If

23 Jesus answered, “Whoever loves me will keep my word. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words. The word that you hear isn’t mine. It is the word of the Father who sent me. 25 “I have spoken these things to you while I am with you. 26 The Companion, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I told you. 27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid. 28 You have heard me tell you, ‘I’m going away and returning to you.’ If you loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than me. 29 I have told you before it happens so that when it happens you will believe. (John 14:23-29, CEB)

If you loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than me. I have told you before it happens so that when it happens you will believe.

If you loved me. Do we love Jesus?

We show we love Jesus by loving others and do we love others?

Jesus gives us peace and the Holy Spirit to be our companion. And Jesus’ peace is not like we think of peace. It is never ending or failing and it doesn’t go away ever.

We can be in the midst of chaos and be at peace because Jesus is always with us and for us.

So show the world you love Jesus by loving the world.

Loving People. Loving God.

Do we judge?

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through town. 2 A man there named Zacchaeus, a ruler among tax collectors, was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but, being a short man, he couldn’t because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to that spot, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down at once. I must stay in your home today.” 6 So Zacchaeus came down at once, happy to welcome Jesus. 7 Everyone who saw this grumbled, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 8 Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my possessions to the poor. And if I have cheated anyone, I repay them four times as much.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this household because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 The Human One came to seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:1-10, CEB)

I read this passage start singing:

Zaccheus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he…

That song gets stuck in my head. But the thrust here is of how the people saw Zaccheus. They thought he was a cheat and a swindler because all tax collectors were.

But Jesus saw him and the effort Zaccheus went to see Jesus and Jesus said I love you and I need to spend time with you.

How do we judge others, by how we see them or how the world around us tells us to see them, or as Jesus sees them?

Loving People. Loving God.