Not all, but all

Before the Festival of Passover, Jesus knew that his time had come to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them fully. 2 Jesus and his disciples were sharing the evening meal. The devil had already provoked Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew the Father had given everything into his hands and that he had come from God and was returning to God. 4 So he got up from the table and took off his robes. Picking up a linen towel, he tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he was wearing. 6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand what I’m doing now, but you will understand later.” 8 “No!” Peter said. “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t have a place with me.” 9 Simon Peter said, “Lord, not only my feet but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus responded, “Those who have bathed need only to have their feet washed, because they are completely clean. You disciples are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 He knew who would betray him. That’s why he said, “Not every one of you is clean.” 12 After he washed the disciples’ feet, he put on his robes and returned to his place at the table. He said to them, “Do you know what I’ve done for you? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you speak correctly, because I am. 14 If I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you too must wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example: Just as I have done, you also must do. 16 I assure you, servants aren’t greater than their master, nor are those who are sent greater than the one who sent them. 17 Since you know these things, you will be happy if you do them. (John 13:1-17, CEB)

This reading is usually found on Maundy Thursday, where in the gospel of John there isn’t a last supper because Jesus is the paschal lamb and in John we get the new commandment to love one another as I have loved you. And here Jesus shows that love to the disciples by doing the roll of a servant. He ties a towel around his waist and washes the feet of the disciples. Peter tells Jesus he will never wash him, but Jesus responds with if I do not wash you you have no part of me, Peter then wants everything washed. And this little side adventure seems to distract us from the fact that Judas is still here.

The text tells us, “The devil had already provoked Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray Jesus.” But Judas has not left yet. Judas is one who is washed by Jesus. Jesus said not everyone of them was clean but all of them were cleaned.

We need to remember that Jesus served the one who handed him over. We don’t choose who we serve for God. We are called to love and serve all.

Loving People. Loving God.

Godself

13 When God gave Abraham his promise, he swore by himself since he couldn’t swear by anyone greater. 14 He said, I will certainly bless you and multiply your descendants. 15 So Abraham obtained the promise by showing patience. 16 People pledge by something greater than themselves. A solemn pledge guarantees what they say and shuts down any argument. 17 When God wanted to further demonstrate to the heirs of the promise that his purpose doesn’t change, he guaranteed it with a solemn pledge. 18 So these are two things that don’t change, because it’s impossible for God to lie. He did this so that we, who have taken refuge in him, can be encouraged to grasp the hope that is lying in front of us. 19 This hope, which is a safe and secure anchor for our whole being, enters the sanctuary behind the curtain. 20 That’s where Jesus went in advance and entered for us, since he became a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:13-20, CEB)

Since God made a promise with Abraham and couldn’t swear on anything bigger than the Godself, God swore God would bless Abraham and multiply his descendants.

God’s promises are sure and we can take them to the bank. We can count on God because what God has promised always happens.

Trust in God and share that grace with everyone.

Loving People. Loving God.

Keep growing

So let’s press on to maturity, by moving on from the basics about Christ’s word. Let’s not lay a foundation of turning away from dead works, of faith in God, 2 of teaching about ritual ways to wash with water, laying on of hands, the resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgment—all over again. 3 We’re going to press on, if God allows it. 4 Because it’s impossible to restore people to changed hearts and lives who turn away once they have seen the light, tasted the heavenly gift, become partners with the Holy Spirit, 5 and tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age. 6 They are crucifying God’s Son all over again and exposing him to public shame. 7 The ground receives a blessing from God when it drinks up the rain that regularly comes and falls on it and yields a useful crop for those people for whom it is being farmed. 8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it’s useless and close to being cursed. It ends up being burned. 9 But we are convinced of better things in your case, brothers and sisters, even though we are talking this way—things that go together with salvation. 10 God isn’t unjust so that he forgets your efforts and the love you have shown for his name’s sake when you served and continue to serve God’s holy people. 11 But we desperately want each of you to show the same effort to make your hope sure until the end. 12 This is so you won’t be lazy but follow the example of the ones who inherit the promises through faith and patience. (Hebrews 6:1-12, CEB)

Just keep moving forward in all things. Even when it seems others around you are moving away or falling back, we need to keep growing in faith and working towards sharing grace and mercy in every and all things.

When the rain comes, the ground is blessed and through our giving love and mercy to all we are also blessing those around us by shining God’s light into a world that is dark.

Let us always seek to be the light and to show love so others see the mercy that is available for them.

Loving People. Loving God.

asking

35 James and John, Zebedee’s sons, came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 37 They said, “Allow one of us to sit on your right and the other on your left when you enter your glory.” 38 Jesus replied, “You don’t know what you’re asking! Can you drink the cup I drink or receive the baptism I receive?” 39 “We can,” they answered. Jesus said, “You will drink the cup I drink and receive the baptism I receive, 40 but to sit at my right or left hand isn’t mine to give. It belongs to those for whom it has been prepared.” 41 Now when the other ten disciples heard about this, they became angry with James and John. 42 Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the ones who are considered the rulers by the Gentiles show off their authority over them and their high-ranking officials order them around. 43 But that’s not the way it will be with you. Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant. 44 Whoever wants to be first among you will be the slave of all, 45 for the Human One didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and to give his life to liberate many people.” (Mark 10:35-45, CEB)

Why were the other disciples angry? Because James and John did what they were thinking?

And do James and John actually know what they are saying when they say they are able to drink the cup that Jesus will drink? Or are they ready for the baptism Jesus will get?

And honestly if we think about what we profess in our faith, through the Apostles’ Creed what John and James are asking for really takes a twist. Right? We confess that Jesus ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father. So if Jesus is sitting at the Father’s right hand, who is at Jesus’ left hand? The Father. So either James or John are taking the Father’s seat…

Yeah, ain’t none of us good enough to sit in that seat!

But Jesus says to the disciples as he says to us. None of you will get any where by wanting to have the honor seat. You get there by following me and serving every one.

Jesus came to serve and to model for us the life we are to live.

Loving People. Loving God.

Servant

24 An argument broke out among the disciples over which one of them should be regarded as the greatest. 25 But Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles rule over their subjects, and those in authority over them are called ‘friends of the people.’ 26 But that’s not the way it will be with you. Instead, the greatest among you must become like a person of lower status and the leader like a servant. 27 So which one is greater, the one who is seated at the table or the one who serves at the table? Isn’t it the one who is seated at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28 “You are the ones who have continued with me in my trials. 29 And I confer royal power on you just as my Father granted royal power to me. 30 Thus you will eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones overseeing the twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:24-30, CEB)

If you want to be the greatest in the kingdom of God you will be a servant to all.

We need to give up the seat of honor and lower ourselves to the place of helping those in need, because that is what Jesus did and calls each of us to do.

Be a servant and don’t look for honor. But in everything you do share love.

Loving People. Loving God.

What?!?!?

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls spoke with me. “Come,” he said, “I will show you the judgment upon the great prostitute, who is seated on deep waters. 2 The kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and those who live on earth have become drunk with the wine of her whoring.” 3 Then he brought me in a Spirit-inspired trance to a desert. There I saw a woman seated on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names. It had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing, and she glittered with gold and jewels and pearls. In her hand she held a gold cup full of the vile and impure things that came from her activity as a prostitute. 5 A name—a mystery—was written on her forehead: “Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes and the vile things of the earth.” 6 I saw that the woman was drunk on the blood of the saints and the blood of Jesus’ witnesses. I was completely stunned when I saw her. 7 Then the angel said to me, “Why are you amazed? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and the seven-headed, ten-horned beast that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw was and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. Those who live on earth, whose names haven’t been written in the scroll of life from the time the earth was made, will be amazed when they see the beast, because it was and is not and will again be present. 9 This calls for an understanding mind. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated. They are also seven kings. 10 Five kings have fallen, the one is, and the other hasn’t yet come. When that king comes, he must remain for only a short time. 11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is itself an eighth king that belongs to the seven, and it is going to destruction. 12 The ten horns that you saw are ten kings, who haven’t yet received royal power. But they will receive royal authority for an hour, along with the beast. 13 These kings will be of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war on the Lamb, but the Lamb will emerge victorious, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those with him are called, chosen, and faithful.” 15 Then he said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples, crowds, nations, and languages. 16 As for the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will destroy her and strip her bare. They will devour her flesh and burn her with fire 17 because God moved them to carry out his purposes. That is why they will be of one mind and give their royal power to the beast, until God’s words have been accomplished. 18 The woman whom you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:1-18. CEB)

What does all of this mean?

A great prostitute with seven heads and 10 horns.

The heads are the mountains she sits upon and the horns are the kings that defile themselves with the prostitute…

Why is this verse out of the context of everything around it and what are we supposed to get from it? Sometimes when a Bible text is taken out of context it doesn’t have meaning, or can be read to mean something it doesn’t mean in context, in the context of the historical narrative where it sits. Actually all of the time a biblical passage is taken out of context, it is read wrong and used for the wrong reasons.

The Bible is a collection of books that tell us the story of human interaction with a God that created and loves them.

Don’t read more into than it means.

Loving People. Loving God.

welcome

7 So welcome each other, in the same way that Christ also welcomed you, for God’s glory. 8 I’m saying that Christ became a servant of those who are circumcised for the sake of God’s truth, in order to confirm the promises given to the ancestors, 9 and so that the Gentiles could glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises to your name. 10 And again, it says, Rejoice, Gentiles, with his people. 11 And again, Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and all the people should sing his praises. 12 And again, Isaiah says, There will be a root of Jesse, who will also rise to rule the Gentiles. The Gentiles will place their hope in him. 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:7-13, CEB)

Welcome others as Christ welcomed you.

Broken. Not good enough. Fallen short.

God in Christ accepted us as we were, and welcomed us to be a part. That is how we welcome others.

We accept them as they are and don’t try and change them.

Welcome as Christ welcomed you.

Loving People. Loving God.

neither

19 “There was a certain rich man who clothed himself in purple and fine linen, and who feasted luxuriously every day. 20 At his gate lay a certain poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. 21 Lazarus longed to eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Instead, dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 “The poor man died and was carried by angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 While being tormented in the place of the dead, he looked up and saw Abraham at a distance with Lazarus at his side. 24 He shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I’m suffering in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received good things, whereas Lazarus received terrible things. Now Lazarus is being comforted and you are in great pain. 26 Moreover, a great crevasse has been fixed between us and you. Those who wish to cross over from here to you cannot. Neither can anyone cross from there to us.’ 27 “The rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, Father, send Lazarus to my father’s house. 28 I have five brothers. He needs to warn them so that they don’t come to this place of agony.’ 29 Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. They must listen to them.’ 30 The rich man said, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will change their hearts and lives.’ 31 Abraham said, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, then neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16:19-31, CEB)

I am always taken aback by this story.

The rich man has no name and the poor man is named Lazarus. Usually it is the other way around, those with money are given names and the rest of us are out of luck. Here the lowly is lifted up and those who treat others as low are not lifted.

Also the rich man tries to get Lazarus, whose name the rich man knows, to help him and do things for him in the afterlife.

And then the rich man tries to persuade Abraham to send Lazarus to inform his brothers. And Abraham says if they don’t listen to what Moses and the prophets told them they won’t believe if someone rises from the dead! Is this not the foreshadows of foreshadows!

There are people who still don’t believe with Jesus rising from the dead. Sometimes we see it right in front of us and don’t believe! What does it take for us to believe?

Loving People. Loving God.

What?!?!

Then, when the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 Another angel came and stood at the altar, and he held a gold bowl for burning incense. He was given a large amount of incense, in order to offer it on behalf of the prayers of all the saints on the gold altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense offered for the prayers of the saints rose up before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the incense container and filled it with fire from the altar. He threw it down to the earth, and there were thunder, voices, lightning, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:1-5, CEB)

The last seal on the scroll was opened and there was nothing. Silence for half an hour…

Then seven angels stood before God and the seven trumpets were distributed.

And an angel stood before the altar and took fire from the altar and filled an incense container and threw it down on the earth and there was thunder, voices, lightning, and an earthquake.

What does this mean?

It is a vision we try to make sense of to help us understand what is coming.

But really that is it, it is a vision. It could happen like this, and it might not. It might help us know what is coming and it might not.

Let us focus on what we know. The promises of God are always true and God is always with us.

So be about sharing God’s grace.

Loving People. Loving God.

washed and made white

9 After this I looked, and there was a great crowd that no one could number. They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language. They were standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They wore white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 They cried out with a loud voice: “Victory belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” 11 All the angels stood in a circle around the throne, and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell facedown before the throne and worshipped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and always. Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders said to me, “Who are these people wearing white robes, and where did they come from?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” Then he said to me, “These people have come out of great hardship. They have washed their robes and made them white in the Lamb’s blood. 15 This is the reason they are before God’s throne. They worship him day and night in his temple, and the one seated on the throne will shelter them. 16 They won’t hunger or thirst anymore. No sun or scorching heat will beat down on them, 17 because the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them. He will lead them to the springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:9-17, CEB)

I have always been intrigued by the statement, “They have washed their robes and made them white in the Lamb’s blood.” If you have ever gotten anything stained by blood, it is not easy to get clean, let alone white again. And as I type that I think, wow I sound like I have had a lot of blood on white clothes, and I haven’t but the few times I have, it has not been easy to get clean. But here they wash their clothes in The Lamb’s blood and they are made white.

That is because the Lamb here is the messiah, the one who makes all things new.

We are made new in the Lamb.

Trust in the promise and know that no matter what you are going through here, in the fulfillment of the kingdom all will be made right.

Loving People. Loving God.