Not stewardship

38 As he was teaching, he said, “Watch out for the legal experts. They like to walk around in long robes. They want to be greeted with honor in the markets. 39 They long for places of honor in the synagogues and at banquets. 40 They are the ones who cheat widows out of their homes, and to show off they say long prayers. They will be judged most harshly.” 41 Jesus sat across from the collection box for the temple treasury and observed how the crowd gave their money. Many rich people were throwing in lots of money. 42 One poor widow came forward and put in two small copper coins worth a penny. 43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I assure you that this poor widow has put in more than everyone who’s been putting money in the treasury. 44 All of them are giving out of their spare change. But she from her hopeless poverty has given everything she had, even what she needed to live on.” (Mark 12:38-44, CEB)

This verse comes out ob Stewardship Sunday where pastors say how great this woman is for understanding and placing her life in the hands of God. And excuse my French but that is bullshit.

Jesus starts this passage by saying to beware of the legal experts, the people who are in power in the religious center. And says how they will cheat widows out of their homes. Then he comments on a poor woman who puts into the collection box her last two coins, the money she needed to live, because the religious center has convinced her if she doesn’t God won’t love her.

She needed that to live on but has been tricked into giving more than she needs to. It should be the religious center that is giving to her to help her.

Do not call her a model of stewardship, call the leaders out who oppress those who should be lifted up.

Loving People. Loving God.

Does it work that way?

12 The next day, after leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 From far away, he noticed a fig tree in leaf, so he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing except leaves, since it wasn’t the season for figs. 14 So he said to it, “No one will ever again eat your fruit!” His disciples heard this. 20 Early in the morning, as Jesus and his disciples were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered from the root up. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look how the fig tree you cursed has dried up.” 22 Jesus responded to them, “Have faith in God! 23 I assure you that whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea’—and doesn’t waver but believes that what is said will really happen—it will happen. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you will receive it, and it will be so for you. (Mark 11:12-14, 20-24, CEB)

“Therefore I say to you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you will receive it, and it will be so for you.” So if you don’t get what you pray and ask for it’s because you didn’t believe?

Jesus curses a fig tree, and some say that the fig tree wasn’t old enough to have figs even though it was in leaf. So it was cursed to never have figs and the disciples were amazed. We have the ability to move mountains but I can honestly say I have never moved a mountain. And I have prayed for and believed I would receive it and I didn’t get it.

Sometimes we just have to say, this doesn’t make sense or I don’t understand it. But never lose faith in the promises we have seen will be ours.

Loving People. Loving God.

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.