Blood

15 This is why he’s the mediator of a new covenant (which is a will): so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance on the basis of his death. His death occurred to set them free from the offenses committed under the first covenant. 16 When there is a will, you need to confirm the death of the one who made the will. 17 This is because a will takes effect only after a death, since it’s not in force while the one who made the will is alive. 18 So not even the first covenant was put into effect without blood. 19 Moses took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the Law scroll itself and all the people after he had proclaimed every command of the Law to all the people. 20 While he did it, he said, This is the blood of the covenant that God established for you. 21 And in the same way he sprinkled the meeting tent and also all the equipment that would be used in the priests’ service with blood. 22 Almost everything is cleansed by blood, according to the Law’s regulations, and there is no forgiveness without blood being shed. 23 So it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be cleansed with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things had to be cleansed with better sacrifices than these. 24 Christ didn’t enter the holy place (which is a copy of the true holy place) made by human hands, but into heaven itself, so that he now appears in God’s presence for us. (Hebrews 9:15-24, CEB)

A will only takes effect when the person who wrote it dies.

It takes blood to enact a covenant. We see that in the Hebrew Scriptures as well as the sacrifice in the New Testament. Blood is shed and the promise is given.

Know that promise is for you, and for everyone.

Love as you go and help everyone see this.

Loving People. Loving God.

Die

6 While we were still weak, at the right moment, Christ died for ungodly people. 7 It isn’t often that someone will die for a righteous person, though maybe someone might dare to die for a good person. 8 But God shows his love for us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us. 9 So, now that we have been made righteous by his blood, we can be even more certain that we will be saved from God’s wrath through him. 10 If we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son while we were still enemies, now that we have been reconciled, how much more certain is it that we will be saved by his life? 11 And not only that: we even take pride in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, the one through whom we now have a restored relationship with God. (Romans 5:6-11, CEB)

Picture this:

Jesus looks at the cross.

Then looks at you.

Then Jesus says, “Absolutely worth it!”

When we were separated from God and our sin was a barrier to us being with God, Jesus came and died for us. Nothing you can do to change that.

Christ did what he did when you absolutely did not deserve it. And that gains us eternity with God.

Love as Christ loves you.

Loving People. Loving God.

Love each other

31 When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Human One has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify the Human One in himself and will glorify him immediately. 33 Little children, I’m with you for a little while longer. You will look for me—but, just as I told the Jewish leaders, I also tell you now—‘Where I’m going, you can’t come.’ 34 “I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. 35 This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.” (John 13:31-35, CEB)

This is how they will know you are my disciples, when you:

Make sure everyone follows the rules?

Make sure everyone mates with the right people?

Do not do anything someone might think is lewd?

Are perfect in every way?

No none of these. People will know you are a disciple of Jesus when you love people like Jesus would. Accepting them as they are, the way God made them. And saying they are lovable the way they are.

Not telling them they need to change, be different, not do those things before they are lovable. But loving them as they are.

We are to love one another as God loved us.

Loving People. Loving God.

who

17 “When it was time for God to keep the promise he made to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had greatly expanded. 18 But then another king rose to power over Egypt who didn’t know anything about Joseph. 19 He exploited our people and abused our ancestors. He even forced them to abandon their newly born babies so they would die. 20 That’s when Moses was born. He was highly favored by God, and for three months his parents cared for him in their home. 21 After he was abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted and cared for him as though he were her own son. 22 Moses learned everything Egyptian wisdom had to offer, and he was a man of powerful words and deeds. 23 “When Moses was 40 years old, he decided to visit his family, the Israelites. 24 He saw one of them being wronged so he came to his rescue and evened the score by killing the Egyptian. 25 He expected his own kin to understand that God was using him to rescue them, but they didn’t. 26 The next day he came upon some Israelites who were caught up in an argument. He tried to make peace between them by saying, ‘You are brothers! Why are you harming each other?’ 27 The one who started the fight against his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who appointed you as our leader and judge? 28 Are you planning to kill me like you killed that Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he lived as an immigrant and had two sons. (Acts 7:17-29, CEB)

Who appointed you as leader and judge? Well at this point no one really, or no one that anyone other than the appointee knew about. God knew what Moses would be called to be and do but no one else at this point did.

God has a plan for us and yes we can choose to go a different direction, but God will always follow us and guide us.

Moses fled and spent time in Midian, where God was with him.

Know that you have a gift and a part to play in God’s plan.

God has named and claimed you and made you God’s child.

Go and journey with God.

Loving People. Loving God.

a step

32 When Mary arrived where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her crying and the Jews who had come with her crying also, he was deeply disturbed and troubled. 34 He asked, “Where have you laid him?” They replied, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus began to cry. 36 The Jews said, “See how much he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “He healed the eyes of the man born blind. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?” 38 Jesus was deeply disturbed again when he came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone covered the entrance. 39 Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said, “Lord, the smell will be awful! He’s been dead four days.” 40 Jesus replied, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you will see God’s glory?” 41 So they removed the stone. Jesus looked up and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 I know you always hear me. I say this for the benefit of the crowd standing here so that they will believe that you sent me.” 43 Having said this, Jesus shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his feet bound and his hands tied, and his face covered with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.” (John 11:32-44, CEB)

Why was Jesus crying here?

I know Jesus loved Lazarus and was moved by those around who were grieved at the death of Lazarus, but is that why Jesus cried?

Or was Jesus moved to tears because they didn’t get what he had been telling them all along? That if you truly believed he was the Christ, that death is not something to worry about.

They didn’t get that death is a step in the story of our lives to be eternally with God. We will all die, but that isn’t the end. Death is a step in the story.

So be in the world sharing God’s love.

Loving People. Loving God.

Short term memories

31 Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teaching. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They responded, “We are Abraham’s children; we’ve never been anyone’s slaves. How can you say that we will be set free?” 34 Jesus answered, “I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 A slave isn’t a permanent member of the household, but a son is. 36 Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you really will be free. (John 8:31-36, CEB)

“We are Abraham’s children; we’ve never been anyone’s slaves.”

Well the children of Abraham were slaves in Egypt. So did these people forget their history?

And as Jesus says, even if you weren’t actually a slave, you are a slave to sin. We are all sinners and fall short of what God intends for us and only because of Jesus are we able to be free.

So don’t think you aren’t a slave. We all are.

Let Jesus set you free to be a slave of all!

Loving People. Loving God.

Go and do likewise.

25 A legal expert stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to gain eternal life?” 26 Jesus replied, “What is written in the Law? How do you interpret it?” 27 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.” 28 Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.” 29 But the legal expert wanted to prove that he was right, so he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 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. 31 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. 32 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. 33 A Samaritan, who was on a journey, came to where the man was. But when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. 34 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. 35 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.’ 36 What do you think? Which one of these three was a neighbor to the man who encountered thieves?” 37 Then the legal expert said, “The one who demonstrated mercy toward him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:25-37, CEB)

“Go and do likewise.”

We spend a lot of time unpacking this story, how the priest and the Levite saw the person and didn’t help, but then the Samaritan who those Jesus was talking to would have not liked helped the person. We also say the Samaritan probably didn’t like the hurt man, but how do we know who the hurt man is. He is just someone who was in Jerusalem. Do we assume he is Jewish? He may not be. But the point of the story Jesus is telling really doesn’t depend on who the people are. That is Jesus’ whole point.

We are supposed to help others, to live for others. To give what we have for others.

“Go and do likewise.”

It is that simple. When we do for others, others will be doing for us and there is no need to worry. Plus when we do for others our cup will be refilled.

“Go and do likewise.”

Loving People. Loving God.

There’s no distinction.

21 But now God’s righteousness has been revealed apart from the Law, which is confirmed by the Law and the Prophets. 22 God’s righteousness comes through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who have faith in him. There’s no distinction. 23 All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, 24 but all are treated as righteous freely by his grace because of a ransom that was paid by Christ Jesus. 25 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, 26 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. 27 What happens to our bragging? It’s thrown out. With which law? With what we have accomplished under the Law? 28 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. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t God the God of Gentiles also? Yes, God is also the God of Gentiles. 30 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. 31 Do we then cancel the Law through this faith? Absolutely not! Instead, we confirm the Law. (Romans 3:21-31, CEB)

There’s no distinction.

None. Every last one of us is filled with sin and separated from God. There is nothing any of us can do to bridge that gap. We are forever mired by our sin.

There’s no distinction.

We all need Jesus and Jesus is there for all of us. Jesus bridges the gap that we can not.

There’s no distinction.

We are all lost without Jesus and because of his faithfulness to the plan we are all made right. We do not get to choose who is in and who is out. Jesus already did that, and we are all in.

There’s no distinction.

Loving People. Loving God.

who is serving

So then the first covenant had regulations for the priests’ service and the holy place on earth. 2 They pitched the first tent called the holy place. It contained the lampstand, the table, and the loaves of bread presented to God. 3 There was a tent behind the second curtain called the holy of holies. 4 It had the gold altar for incense and the chest containing the covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. In the chest there was a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the chest there were magnificent winged creatures casting their shadow over the seat of the chest, where sin is taken care of. Right now we can’t talk about these things in detail. 6 When these things have been prepared in this way, priests enter the first tent all the time as they perform their service. 7 But only the high priest enters the second tent once a year. He never does this without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins the people committed in ignorance. 8 With this, the Holy Spirit is showing that the way into the holy place hadn’t been revealed yet while the first tent was standing. 9 This is a symbol for the present time. It shows that the gifts and sacrifices that are being offered can’t perfect the conscience of the one who is serving. 10 These are superficial regulations that are only about food, drink, and various ritual ways to wash with water. They are regulations that have been imposed until the time of the new order. 11 But Christ has appeared as the high priest of the good things that have happened. He passed through the greater and more perfect meeting tent, which isn’t made by human hands (that is, it’s not a part of this world). 12 He entered the holy of holies once for all by his own blood, not by the blood of goats or calves, securing our deliverance for all time. (Hebrews 9:1-12, CEB)

I was struck by this sentence as I read this passage today, “It shows that the gifts and sacrifices that are being offered can’t perfect the conscience of the one who is serving.”

The one who is serving here is speaking about the priest or the pastor. And the gifts being offered can’t perfect the conscience of them. Meaning our leaders are flawed and need the sacrifice of Jesus just like everyone else. This tells me something I already knew. I know I’m flawed and no where near perfect. But this passage makes it clear that God doesn’t see the leaders as perfect and knows we all need help.

Share God’s love with everyone, even those that lead you.

Loving People. Loving God.

What do you want

29 As Jesus and his disciples were going out of Jericho a large crowd followed him. 30 When two blind men sitting along the road heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Show us mercy, Lord, Son of David!” 31 Now the crowd scolded them and told them to be quiet. But they shouted even louder, “Show us mercy, Lord, Son of David!” 32 Jesus stopped in his tracks and called to them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 33 “Lord, we want to see,” they replied. 34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they were able to see, and they followed him. (Matthew 20:29-34, CEB)

“What do you want me to do for you?”

What would your answer to Jesus be if he asked you, “What do you want me to do for you?”

And if Jesus did that for you, then what would you do?

Does Jesus have to do anything more than he has already done for you to believe in the promises and live your life based on his?

We need to trust the promises we have and live like Jesus and love out loud.

Loving People. Loving God.