Happy are they

Jesus came down from the mountain with them and stood on a large area of level ground. A great company of his disciples and a huge crowd of people from all around Judea and Jerusalem and the area around Tyre and Sidon joined him there. They came to hear him and to be healed from their diseases, and those bothered by unclean spirits were healed. The whole crowd wanted to touch him, because power was going out from him and he was healing everyone. Jesus raised his eyes to his disciples and said: “Happy are you who are poor, because God’s kingdom is yours. Happy are you who hunger now, because you will be satisfied. Happy are you who weep now, because you will laugh. Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and condemn your name as evil because of the Human One. Rejoice when that happens! Leap for joy because you have a great reward in heaven. Their ancestors did the same things to the prophets. But how terrible for you who are rich, because you have already received your comfort. How terrible for you who have plenty now, because you will be hungry. How terrible for you who laugh now, because you will mourn and weep. How terrible for you when all speak well of you. Their ancestors did the same things to the false prophets. (Luke 6:17-26, CEB)

The beatitudes in Luke.

Happy are you who are poor, because God’s kingdom is yours.
Happy are you who hunger now, because you will be satisfied.
Happy are you who weep now, because you will laugh.
Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and condemn your name as evil because of the Human One. 

Usually not things that we think would make us happy. Being poor, hungry, or weeping. These are normally things we associate with being unhappy and down trodded. But is happy the best word here? Usually we read this as blessed. And even society would say that being poor, hungry or weeping is not a sign of being blessed, but does one have to be doing great according to society to be blessed?

You see we get hung up on what society says is best we lose sight of what God has told us. We can be in any state of existence and be blessed. Following after God and being who God created us to be in the world will make you blessed. Maybe not rich, full, and happy, but blessed.

So follow where God is leading knowing that it won’t mean an easy happy life, but a life that is what God has asked us to live and a shining light in a dark world.

Loving People. Loving God.

What?

When an unclean spirit leaves a person, it wanders through dry places looking for a place to rest. But it doesn’t find any. Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house cleaned up and decorated. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself. They go in and make their home there. That person is worse off at the end than at the beginning.” While Jesus was saying these things, a certain woman in the crowd spoke up: “Happy is the mother who gave birth to you and who nursed you.” But he said, “Happy rather are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.” (Luke 11:24-28, CEB)

I have read this passage several times and looked at the context, and just wonder, why is this a lectionary text? I mean it is in Luke and it needs to be read, but why these 5 verses together?

It seems to me the spirit here leaves of its own will because it wants a better place. But not finding it goes back and the person has cleaned up their life and made it better, so more spirits come to mess the person up. So Jesus says that person is worse off now than before.

Then we get the weird comment about Mary being blessed. But Jesus turns that as he often does, to blessed are the ones who hear and do God’s will.

So I guess the just here is listen to God and follow where he leads. Love out loud and be blessed by hearing and doing.

Loving People. Loving God.

reverence

Since you call upon a Father who judges all people according to their actions without favoritism, you should conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your dwelling in a strange land. Live in this way, knowing that you were not liberated by perishable things like silver or gold from the empty lifestyle you inherited from your ancestors. Instead, you were liberated by the precious blood of Christ, like that of a flawless, spotless lamb. Christ was chosen before the creation of the world, but was only revealed at the end of time. This was done for you, who through Christ are faithful to the God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory. So now, your faith and hope should rest in God. As you set yourselves apart by your obedience to the truth so that you might have genuine affection for your fellow believers, love each other deeply and earnestly. 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. Therefore, get rid of all ill will and all deceit, pretense, envy, and slander. (1 Peter 1:17—2:1, CEB)

“you should conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your dwelling in a strange land” We should conduct ourselves with integrity and live in a way that shares love with all. God forgave us and claimed us not because of what we did, or are doing, but because of love. We need to live in a way that shows that love in everything we do.

We need to get rid of ill will, all deceit, pretense, envy, slander. We need to lift people up and love them with integrity. Being who we are regardless of where we are.

Love out loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

tell

“Brothers, children of Abraham’s family, and you Gentile God-worshippers, the message about this salvation has been sent to us. The people in Jerusalem and their leaders didn’t recognize Jesus. By condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. Even though they didn’t find a single legal basis for the death penalty, they asked Pilate to have him executed. When they finished doing everything that had been written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead! He appeared over many days to those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people. “We proclaim to you the good news. What God promised to our ancestors, he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it was written in the second psalm, You are my son; today I have become your father.“God raised Jesus from the dead, never again to be subjected to death’s decay. Therefore, God said, I will give to you the holy and firm promises I made to David. (Acts 13:26-34, CEB)

This is Paul speaking to the gathered believers in the synagogue in Antioch.

Paul is telling them how Jesus is the messiah, the savior, we are waiting for, using the scriptures they would know to proclaim the truth to them.

How can we tell others about Jesus in a way that is not confrontational, and use the things they know to help them understand who Jesus is?

We have the tools to help others know Jesus. Go and tell everyone the story of how God interacted with your life to show you God’s love.

Loving People. Loving God.

righteous

Afterward, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at a kiosk for collecting taxes. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Levi got up, left everything behind, and followed him. Then Levi threw a great banquet for Jesus in his home. A large number of tax collectors and others sat down to eat with them. The Pharisees and their legal experts grumbled against his disciples. They said, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do. I didn’t come to call righteous people but sinners to change their hearts and lives.” (Luke 5:27-32, CEB)

People always seem to be hung up on what they see and think about you without actually asking you if what they think is correct. They assume that they are right and go with that without thinking about other options or ways.

And by they I mean me, and you. We all do this.

But as Jesus says here, healthy people do not need a doctor, but those who are ill.

We need to go to those who are ill and not worry about what the righteous say because if the righteous were really righteous, they would have already gotten Jesus’ message and been with those we are going to be with.

Love out Loud! And don’t worry about what others say.

Loving People. Loving God.

Supervisor…

This saying is reliable: if anyone has a goal to be a supervisor in the church, they want a good thing. So the church’s supervisor must be without fault. They should be faithful to their spouse, sober, modest, and honest. They should show hospitality and be skilled at teaching. They shouldn’t be addicted to alcohol or be a bully. Instead, they should be gentle, peaceable, and not greedy. They should manage their own household well—they should see that their children are obedient with complete respect, because if they don’t know how to manage their own household, how can they take care of God’s church? They shouldn’t be new believers so that they won’t become proud and fall under the devil’s spell. They should also have a good reputation with those outside the church so that they won’t be embarrassed and fall into the devil’s trap. In the same way, servants in the church should be dignified, not two-faced, heavy drinkers, or greedy for money. They should hold on to the faith that has been revealed with a clear conscience. (1 Timothy 3:1-9, CEB)

I read this passage in the Common English Bible above and thought this seems a little stranger, or different than I remember it being in the past. SO I went and read a few verses in the NRSV, the usually translation used by the denomination I serve, and I was reminded what this is about.

Supervisor is a translation of Bishop. Honestly, I think this passage sets up Bishops and pastors to be something they can not be.

Bishops should be beyond reproach and their families also. We are all human and can not be beyond reproach. We can strive to be a follower of Jesus and love all people and do all the right things, but we all will fail, and to say that the leaders we follow in the church have to be perfect is not helpful.

Know that those who lead the church are people just like the rest of us. Church leaders make mistakes and need forgiveness. Church leaders will fail.

But their conscience could be one that always seeks goodness for all.

Love as you go, and know we all need to be reminded that God loves us.

Loving People. Loving God.

envious?

What is the outcome of this, brothers and sisters? When you meet together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All these things must be done to build up the church. If some speak in a tongue, then let two or at most three speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. However, if there is no interpreter, then they should keep quiet in the meeting. They should speak privately to themselves and to God. In the case of prophets, let two or three speak and have the rest evaluate what is said. And if some revelation comes to someone else who is sitting down, the first one should be quiet. You can all prophesy one at a time so that everyone can learn and be encouraged. The spirits of prophets are under the control of the prophets. God isn’t a God of disorder but of peace. Like in all the churches of God’s people, the women should be quiet during the meeting. They are not allowed to talk. Instead, they need to get under control, just as the Law says. If they want to learn something, they should ask their husbands at home. It is disgraceful for a woman to talk during the meeting. Did the word of God originate with you? Has it come only to you? If anyone thinks that they are prophets or “spiritual people,” then let them recognize that what I’m writing to you is the Lord’s command. If someone doesn’t recognize this, they aren’t recognized. So then, brothers and sisters, use your ambition to try to get the gift of prophecy, but don’t prevent speaking in tongues. Everything should be done with dignity and in proper order. (1 Corinthians 14:26-40, CEB)

There are gifts given to all. We all have a gift to us to make the kingdom a better place, and we should not want the gift that another has.

Be happy with who God made you to be, and live that life out loud in love.

Do not be envious of others. But be who God set you here to be.

Loving people. Loving God.

Fishing for people…

One day Jesus was standing beside Lake Gennesaret when the crowd pressed in around him to hear God’s word. Jesus saw two boats sitting by the lake. The fishermen had gone ashore and were washing their nets. Jesus boarded one of the boats, the one that belonged to Simon, then asked him to row out a little distance from the shore. Jesus sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he finished speaking to the crowds, he said to Simon, “Row out farther, into the deep water, and drop your nets for a catch.” Simon replied, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and caught nothing. But because you say so, I’ll drop the nets.” So they dropped the nets and their catch was so huge that their nets were splitting. They signaled for their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They filled both boats so full that they were about to sink. When Simon Peter saw the catch, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Leave me, Lord, for I’m a sinner!” Peter and those with him were overcome with amazement because of the number of fish they caught. James and John, Zebedee’s sons, were Simon’s partners and they were amazed too. Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on, you will be fishing for people.” As soon as they brought the boats to the shore, they left everything and followed Jesus. (Luke 5:1-11, CEB)

How does one fish for people? What bait do we use? Or is there even bait?

I am not a fisherman. I do know there are different types of fishing, and different methods. Clearly here they dropped nets in the water. They didn’t use poles. So the fish are just caught by surprise as they are just casually swimming along.

Is that how we fish for people? Snag them in a net and bring them against their will? Or do we use the right bait to lure them in, and then keep them? This all just sounds wrong.

It isn’t about luring people in or trapping them. Jesus told Simon he would fish for people, because Simon would be sharing the love that God had given him to others, and that would have them wanting to know more.

We are not convincing people, tricking people, luring people. We are sharing what we have and what everyone needs, love.

Love out loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

why

When daybreak arrived, Jesus went to a deserted place. The crowds were looking for him. When they found him, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said to them, “I must preach the good news of God’s kingdom in other cities too, for this is why I was sent.” So he continued preaching in the Judean synagogues. (Luke 4:42-44, CEB)

Why did Jesus come to earth?

Jesus pretty clearly says here, “I must preach the good news of God’s kingdom in other cities too, for this is why I was sent.” Jesus came to spread the good news of God’s kingdom.

This is something we all can do.

Share the love we have been given.

Live in a way that shows the love God has for us and all creation.

Love out loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

God’s Way

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him. They didn’t believe he was really a disciple. Then Barnabas brought Saul to the apostles and told them the story about how Saul saw the Lord on the way and that the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them about the confidence with which Saul had preached in the name of Jesus in Damascus. After this, Saul moved freely among the disciples in Jerusalem and was speaking with confidence in the name of the Lord. He got into debates with the Greek-speaking Jews as well, but they tried to kill him. When the family of believers learned about this, they escorted him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. God strengthened the church, and its life was marked by reverence for the Lord. Encouraged by the Holy Spirit, the church continued to grow in numbers. (Acts 9:26-31, CEB)

People get in the way of the Spirit moving the way God intends sometimes.

You see we have free will to do what we want, and sometimes we think that our way is the way God wants things to go. But most of the time when we think God thinks like us, that is just us thinking that God thinks like us. We want God in a box and things to go our way.

The disciples didn’t believe Saul had changed until one of their own stood up for Saul. But in all of this, God’s Spirit still moved and accomplished what God intended.

I have always said God’s will will be done through us, or in spite of us.

Love out loud and try to stay out of God’s way.

Loving People. Loving God.