Changes

As they battered him with stones, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, accept my life!” Falling to his knees, he shouted, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” Then he died. Saul was in full agreement with Stephen’s murder. At that time, the church in Jerusalem began to be subjected to vicious harassment. Everyone except the apostles was scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. Some pious men buried Stephen and deeply grieved over him. Saul began to wreak havoc against the church. Entering one house after another, he would drag off both men and women and throw them into prison. Those who had been scattered moved on, preaching the good news along the way. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and began to preach Christ to them. The crowds were united by what they heard Philip say and the signs they saw him perform, and they gave him their undivided attention. With loud shrieks, unclean spirits came out of many people, and many who were paralyzed or crippled were healed. There was great rejoicing in that city. (Acts 7:59–8:8, CEB)

Saul was in full agreement with Stephen’s murder…

Saul. The one we know as Paul. The one who wrote letters in the New Testament. The one who started churches and had planned on going to Spain. The one who spread the good news of Jesus across the known world.

He was at the stoning of Stephen and was a major persecutor of the followers of the Way.

But Jesus changed all that.

The baby born to us. Changed the world. Not overnight. It is still changing.

God changed you. God will change them.

Know you are changed by Jesus to share love.

Share God’s love in all you do.

Merry Christmas

In the beginning was the Word
    and the Word was with God
    and the Word was God.
The Word was with God in the beginning.
Everything came into being through the Word,
    and without the Word
    nothing came into being.
What came into being
    through the Word was life,
    and the life was the light for all people.
The light shines in the darkness,
    and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light.
A man named John was sent from God. He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that through him everyone would believe in the light. He himself wasn’t the light, but his mission was to testify concerning the light.
The true light that shines on all people
    was coming into the world.
The light was in the world,
    and the world came into being through the light,
        but the world didn’t recognize the light.
The light came to his own people,
    and his own people didn’t welcome him.
But those who did welcome him,
        those who believed in his name,
    he authorized to become God’s children,
        born not from blood
        nor from human desire or passion,
        but born from God.
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. (John 1:1-14, CEB)

Jesus is the word of God.

John tells us the Word became flesh and tented or dwelt among us.

Jesus, God, came to us.

To live with us.

To love us.

To show us how to love.

Know God loves you. On this Holy day that we celebrate the birth of Love here on Earth.

Share that love in all you do.

Merry Christmas.

Shepherds…

In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should be enrolled in the tax lists. This first enrollment occurred when Quirinius governed Syria. Everyone went to their own cities to be enrolled. Since Joseph belonged to David’s house and family line, he went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to David’s city, called Bethlehem, in Judea. He went to be enrolled together with Mary, who was promised to him in marriage and who was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for Mary to have her baby. She gave birth to her firstborn child, a son, wrapped him snugly, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the guestroom. Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord. This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.” When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go right now to Bethlehem and see what’s happened. Let’s confirm what the Lord has revealed to us.” They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw this, they reported what they had been told about this child. Everyone who heard it was amazed at what the shepherds told them. Mary committed these things to memory and considered them carefully. The shepherds returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Everything happened just as they had been told. (Luke 2:1-20, CEB)

The unlikely witness of shepherds.

Shepherds are like used car salespeople today. Most people do not trust them because the job has a reputation for being underhanded or shady. That is not fair to the people who have those jobs, but in Jesus’ day, a shepherd was not considered a reliable witness in court.

But the first witnesses to the birth of God are shepherds.

Shepherds who watch their flocks, as Jesus will.

Shepherds who lay down their lives for their flocks, as Jesus will.

Shepherds who are what kings are referred to, which Jesus is.

Shepherds are the most appropriate first witnesses to the newborn king of the kingdom of God, because He is our shepherd.

Humblely born in a feeding trough, when his own family could not make room for him in their home.

He came to show us what love is and how to live that out in the world.

As we celebrate His birth, be a beacon of hope and love in a world that needs that now more than ever.

faith

Understand that in the same way that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness, those who believe are the children of Abraham. But when it saw ahead of time that God would make the Gentiles righteous on the basis of faith, scripture preached the gospel in advance to Abraham: All the Gentiles will be blessed in you. Therefore, those who believe are blessed together with Abraham who believed. All those who rely on the works of the Law are under a curse, because it is written, Everyone is cursed who does not keep on doing all the things that have been written in the Law scroll. But since no one is made righteous by the Law as far as God is concerned, it is clear that the righteous one will live on the basis of faith. The Law isn’t based on faith; rather, the one doing these things will live by them. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us—because it is written, Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed. He redeemed us so that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, and that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:6-14, CEB)

No one is made right by works of the law, so the righteous one will live by faith.

By faith in God.

By faith in the promises.

By faith to love as we are told to do.

When we have faith in the promises, God and all we have heard, we are children of Abraham and heirs to all the promises.

When we have faith, it becomes our righteousness.

Have faith.

Trust in God.

Believe the promises.

hold fast

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. “Look! I’m coming soon. Favored is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy contained in this scroll.” 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. 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!” Then he said to me, “Don’t seal up the words of the prophecy contained in this scroll, because the time is near. Let those who do wrong keep doing what is wrong. Let the filthy still be filthy. Let those who are righteous keep doing what is right. Let those who are holy still be holy. “Look! I’m coming soon. My reward is with me, to repay all people as their actions deserve. I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Favored are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right of access to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs, the drug users and spell-casters, those who commit sexual immorality, the murderers, the idolaters, and all who love and practice deception. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to bear witness to all of you about these things for the churches. I’m the root and descendant of David, the bright morning star. The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who is thirsty come! Let the one who wishes receive life-giving water as a gift.” Now I bear witness to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy contained in this scroll: If anyone adds to them, God will add to that person the plagues that are written in this scroll. If anyone takes away from the words of this scroll of prophecy, God will take away that person’s share in the tree of life and the holy city, which are described in this scroll. The one who bears witness to these things says, “Yes, I’m coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:6-20, CEB)

Hold fast to Jesus. Do not add to what was said, and do not take away.

Let all who are thirsty come, and they can receive the life-giving water as a gift.

Do not love or practice deception.

Jesus is coming.

Love the world while we wait and show them God’s love.

God with us

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ took place. When Mary his mother was engaged to Joseph, before they were married, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband was a righteous man. Because he didn’t want to humiliate her, he decided to call off their engagement quietly. As he was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child she carries was conceived by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you will call him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Now all of this took place so that what the Lord had spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled:
Look! A virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, And they will call him, Emmanuel. (Emmanuel means “God with us.”) When Joseph woke up, he did just as an angel from God commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he didn’t have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to a son. Joseph called him Jesus.(Matthew 1:18-25, CEB)

God with us.

Joseph was soon to be wed to Mary, and she was found to be with child, and Joseph did not want her to be stoned, which was what the law called for. So he had decided he was not going to marry her quietly, so she could escape the punishment. But God told him that the baby was God’s and that Joseph was the one chosen to be the father on earth for Jesus.

Joseph was chosen, just as Mary was.

Can you imagine what that must have felt like?

The pressure of raising the Son of God?

Do we listen to what God tells us to do?

Listen to God. You are chosen, as Mary and Joseph.

Love and do what God calls you to do.

true

The one who comes from above is above all things. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all things. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever accepts his testimony confirms that God is true. The one whom God sent speaks God’s words because God gives the Spirit generously. The Father loves the Son and gives everything into his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever doesn’t believe in the Son won’t see life, but the angry judgment of God remains on them.” (John 3:31-36, CEB)

When you believe what Jesus said, you confirm that God is true.

Jesus speaks the truth of God, and when we believe that and speak that same truth, we speak God as true.

When we believe what Jesus told us, we have life.

Let us share this life in everything we do and continue to show that God is true.

heirs

I’m saying that as long as the heirs are minors, they are no different from slaves, though they really are the owners of everything. However, they are placed under trustees and guardians until the date set by the parents. In the same way, when we were minors, we were also enslaved by this world’s system. But when the fulfillment of the time came, God sent his Son, born through a woman, and born under the Law. This was so he could redeem those under the Law so that we could be adopted. Because you are sons and daughters, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” Therefore, you are no longer a slave but a son or daughter, and if you are his child, then you are also an heir through God. (Galatians 4:1-7, CEB)

Even heirs need trustees and guardians.

People who own it all still need guidance to do the right thing and learn the way to live.

We are free to be the people God created us to be, but in being free, we are also called to serve. So we are not free to do as we please. We need to show God’s love in all we do.

Our trustees and guardians are the ones who showed us God’s love and helped us learn how to pass that on.

Be a purveyor of love and help others spread God’s love.

all y’all

Before faith came, we were guarded under the Law, locked up until faith that was coming would be revealed, so that the Law became our custodian until Christ so that we might be made righteous by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian. You are all God’s children through faith in Christ Jesus. All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Now if you belong to Christ, then indeed you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:23-29, CEB)

You are all God’s children through faith in Christ Jesus.

There is no separation based on nationality.

There is no separation based on economic class.

There is no separation based on gender.

We are all included. We do not get to decide who is in or out. God already made that decision, and They said all y’all can come. Everyone is welcome.

All y’all belong to Christ and therefore are descendants of Abraham, and heirs to the promise.

All y’all are welcome!

Little faith

Jesus went home with Peter and saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her. Then she got up and served them. That evening people brought to Jesus many who were demon-possessed. He threw the spirits out with just a word. He healed everyone who was sick. This happened so that what Isaiah the prophet said would be fulfilled: He is the one who took our illnesses and carried away our diseases. Now when Jesus saw the crowd, he ordered his disciples to go over to the other side of the lake. A legal expert came and said to him, “Teacher, I’ll follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens, and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Human One has no place to lay his head.” Another man, one of his disciples, said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” When Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. A huge storm arose on the lake so that waves were sloshing over the boat. But Jesus was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, rescue us! We’re going to drown!” He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you people of weak faith?” Then he got up and gave orders to the winds and the lake, and there was a great calm. The people were amazed and said, “What kind of person is this? Even the winds and the lake obey him!” When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake in the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed came from among the tombs to meet him. They were so violent that nobody could travel on that road. They cried out, “What are you going to do with us, Son of God? Have you come to torture us before the time of judgment?” Far off in the distance a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons pleaded with him, “If you throw us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” Then he said to the demons, “Go away,” and they came out and went into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the cliff into the lake and drowned. Those who tended the pigs ran into the city and told everything that had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole city came out and met Jesus. When they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region. (Matthew 8:14-34, CEB)

There is a lot happening here.

Peter’s mother-in-law is healed.
Others are healed.
A lawyer said they would follow, and Jesus responded with a cryptic message about home.
A disciple said to Jesus that they needed to bury their dead before following, and Jesus responded to let the dead bury their dead.
Jesus slept on a boat in a storm.
Jesus heals two men possessed by sending the demons into pigs, who killed themselves.

Jesus sleeping on a boat in a storm is what caught my attention. Having been on a boat in a storm, I understand the disciples’ worry. I was on a 25-foot sailboat in 6-7 foot waves. Which is probably similar to what was happening here. The boat was going up and crashing back down and it was unnerving.

Our captain had it under control and made a 90 degree turn into a harbor protected by a concrete wall without harming us. I still can hear the sound of the motor out of the water as we rose with each wave. Scary does not begin to describe it.

So I get what the disciples were thinking here. But Jesus was sleeping through the storm, which is something I can not fathom. If the boat is rising and crashing down, how was he sleeping? He was so sure nothing was going to happen that he relaxed so to let sleep come.

That is the message we need to hear. In the midst of the storm of life, we need to settle into the arms of God and know that no matter what happens, God is with us and the storm will fade. We are safe in the arms of our creator.

Do not let your little faith get in the way of our awesome God.