selfish

So now there isn’t any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. God has done what was impossible for the Law, since it was weak because of selfishness. God condemned sin in the body by sending his own Son to deal with sin in the same body as humans, who are controlled by sin. He did this so that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us. Now the way we live is based on the Spirit, not based on selfishness. People whose lives are based on selfishness think about selfish things, but people whose lives are based on the Spirit think about things that are related to the Spirit. The attitude that comes from selfishness leads to death, but the attitude that comes from the Spirit leads to life and peace. So the attitude that comes from selfishness is hostile to God. It doesn’t submit to God’s Law, because it can’t. People who are self-centered aren’t able to please God. But you aren’t self-centered. Instead you are in the Spirit, if in fact God’s Spirit lives in you. If anyone doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ, they don’t belong to him. If Christ is in you, the Spirit is your life because of God’s righteousness, but the body is dead because of sin. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your human bodies also, through his Spirit that lives in you. (Romans 8:1-11, CEB)

Those who think about and look out for only themselves are hostile to God. Because God was not thinking about what was best for God when Jesus was sent here to earth. God was thinking about what was best for you.

We need to live in the spirit and follow where God is calling us. That will be focusing on the world around us and helping where needed and loving like God does, abundantly.

So love out loud and think about others before yourself.

Loving People. Loving God.

do not know

While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to share a meal with him, so Jesus went and took his place at the table. When the Pharisee saw that Jesus didn’t ritually purify his hands by washing before the meal, he was astonished. The Lord said to him, “Now, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and platter, but your insides are stuffed with greed and wickedness. Foolish people! Didn’t the one who made the outside also make the inside? Therefore, give to those in need from the core of who you are and you will be clean all over. “How terrible for you Pharisees! You give a tenth of your mint, rue, and garden herbs of all kinds, while neglecting justice and love for God. These you ought to have done without neglecting the others. “How terrible for you Pharisees! You love the most prominent seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces. “How terrible for you! You are like unmarked graves, and people walk on them without recognizing it.” One of the legal experts responded, “Teacher, when you say these things, you are insulting us too.” Jesus said, “How terrible for you legal experts too! You load people down with impossible burdens and you refuse to lift a single finger to help them. “How terrible for you! You built memorials to the prophets, whom your ancestors killed. In this way, you testify that you approve of your ancestors’ deeds. They killed the prophets, and you build memorials! Therefore, God’s wisdom has said, ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them and they will harass and kill some of them.’ As a result, this generation will be charged with the murder of all the prophets since the beginning of time. This includes the murder of every prophet—from Abel to Zechariah—who was killed between the altar and the holy place. Yes, I’m telling you, this generation will be charged with it. “How terrible for you legal experts! You snatched away the key of knowledge. You didn’t enter yourselves, and you stood in the way of those who were entering.” (Luke 11:37-52, CEB)

Is it best to know all of the things the scriptures tell us to do or to live a life of love that flows and helps others?

It is not enough to know what we should do and do the minimum to get by. It is not enough to know we should tithe and give a tenth of our crops, but not love those who are in need and give out of our abundance.

We need to give as God gave to us. Abundantly!

Loving People. Loving God.

integrity

We have conducted ourselves with godly sincerity and pure motives in the world, and especially toward you. This is why we are confident, and our conscience confirms this. We didn’t act with human wisdom but we relied on the grace of God. We don’t write anything to you except what you can read and also understand. I hope that you will understand totally since you have already understood us partly. Understand that in the day of our Lord Jesus, we will make you proud as you will also make us proud. Because I was sure of this, I wanted to visit you first so that you could have a second opportunity to see me. I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and then come to you again on my way back from Macedonia, at which point I was hoping you would help me on my way to Judea. So I wasn’t unreliable when I planned to do this, was I? Or do I make decisions with a substandard human process so that I say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? But as God is faithful, our message to you isn’t both yes and no. God’s Son, Jesus Christ, is the one who was preached among you by us—through me, Silvanus, and Timothy—he wasn’t yes and no. In him it is always yes. (2 Corinthians 1:12-19, CEB)

Let your yes be yes and your no be no. Live a life of integrity.

The one who tells the truth doesn’t need to have a good memory. You see if you are always spinning a tale and telling everyone things that aren’t always true, you have to remember what you told each person, but if you are always telling the truth you do not need to remember what you told someone because you have told them what you tell everyone.

Always be the same. that is how God made you and that is the best you to give to the world!

Loving People. Loving God.

light

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead. He’s the first crop of the harvest of those who have died. Since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came through one too. In the same way that everyone dies in Adam, so also everyone will be given life in Christ. Each event will happen in the right order: Christ, the first crop of the harvest, then those who belong to Christ at his coming, and then the end, when Christ hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he brings every form of rule, every authority and power to an end. It is necessary for him to rule until he puts all enemies under his feet. Death is the last enemy to be brought to an end, since he has brought everything under control under his feet. When it says that everything has been brought under his control, this clearly means everything except for the one who placed everything under his control. But when all things have been brought under his control, then the Son himself will also be under the control of the one who gave him control over everything so that God may be all in all. Otherwise, what are those who are getting baptized for the dead doing? If the dead aren’t raised, then why are they being baptized for them? And what about us? Why are we in danger all day every day? Brothers and sisters, I swear by the pride I have in you in Christ Jesus our Lord, I’m facing death every day. From a human point of view, what good does it do me if I fought wild animals in Ephesus? If the dead aren’t raised, let’s eat and drink because tomorrow we’ll die. Don’t be deceived, bad company corrupts good character. Sober up by acting like you should and don’t sin. Some of you are ignorant about God—I say this because you should be ashamed of yourselves! (1 Corinthians 15:20-34, CEB)

Jesus is in charge until all enemies are put under his feet, and then God is in charge.

So God is in charge of all things. So live in a way that shows the life that God gave you to the world.

Be with all people and be the same at all times. Do not let people change you from the creation God made you be and shine the light of God’s love always.

Loving People. Loving God.

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.