Why do they care?

On one of the days when Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests, legal experts, and elders approached him. They said, “Tell us: What kind of authority do you have for doing these things? Who gave you this authority?” He replied, “I have a question for you. Tell me: Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin?” They discussed among themselves, “If we say, ‘It’s of heavenly origin,’ he’ll say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘It’s of human origin,’ all the people will stone us to death because they are convinced that John was a prophet.” They answered that they didn’t know where it came from. Then Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things.” (Luke 20:1-8, CEB)

The leaders of the temple wanted to know who gave Jesus the authority to teach in the temple. Shouldn’t they know?

And honestly, if he is teaching sound doctrine and in line with the scripture, why do they care?

They care because it takes away from their power.

Do you hold on to power? Do you care more for what is taken from you or for those who are enriched by what they get from what used to be yours?

When we hold more tightly to power and our own well-being we are not being who God called us to be.

Let go of power and let love flow.

integrity

The governor nodded at Paul, giving him permission to speak. He responded, “I know that you have been judge over this nation for many years, so I gladly offer my own defense. You can verify that I went up to worship in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago. They didn’t find me arguing with anyone in the temple or stirring up a crowd, whether in the synagogue or anywhere else in the city. Nor can they prove to you the allegations they are now bringing against me. I do admit this to you, that I am a follower of the Way, which they call a faction. Accordingly, I worship the God of our ancestors and believe everything set out in the Law and written in the Prophets. The hope I have in God I also share with my accusers, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. On account of this, I have committed myself to maintaining a clear conscience before God and with all people. After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring gifts for the poor of my nation and to offer sacrifices. When they found me in the temple, I was ritually pure. There was no crowd and no disturbance. But there were some Jews from the province of Asia. They should be here making their accusations, if indeed they have something against me. In their absence, have these people who are here declare what crime they found when I stood before the Jerusalem Council. Perhaps it concerns this one statement that I blurted out when I was with them: ‘I am on trial before you today because of the resurrection of the dead.’” Felix, who had an accurate understanding of the Way, adjourned the meeting. He said, “When Lysias the commander arrives from Jerusalem, I will decide this case.” He arranged for a centurion to guard Paul. He was to give Paul some freedom, and his friends were not to be hindered in their efforts to provide for him. (Acts 24:10-23, CEB)

In the face of probable death, Paul calmly describes what had happened to him in the temple and how he reacted. Paul’s accusers are not there to give testimony, so Paul asks others to name a crime he committed. It seems the charges are fabricated and a way to remove Paul from the temple, when all he was doing was offering a sacrifice, as is part of the worship of the people he is a part of.

Paul is a man of integrity.

Are you a person of integrity? The same in person as online? The same to everyone? Do you have different personalities and say different things to different people, or are you the same, in person, online, in every situation?

Be a person of integrity.

stand fast

The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they shouted, “Away with this man! He’s not fit to live!” As they were screaming, throwing off their garments, and flinging dust into the air, the commander directed that Paul be taken into the military headquarters. He ordered that Paul be questioned under the whip so that he could find out why they were shouting at him like this. As they were stretching him out and tying him down with straps, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Can you legally whip a Roman citizen who hasn’t been found guilty in court?” When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. He asked, “What are you about to do? This man is a Roman citizen!” The commander went to Paul and demanded, “Tell me! Are you a Roman citizen?” He said, “Yes.” The commander replied, “It cost me a lot of money to buy my citizenship.” Paul said, “I’m a citizen by birth.” At once those who were about to examine him stepped away. The commander was alarmed when he realized he had bound a Roman citizen. The commander still wanted to know the truth about why Paul was being accused by the Jews. Therefore, the next day he ordered the chief priests and the entire Jerusalem Council to assemble. Then he took Paul out of prison and had him stand before them. Paul stared at the council and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with an altogether clear conscience right up to this very day.” The high priest Ananias ordered those standing beside Paul to strike him in the mouth. Then Paul said to him, “God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit and judge me according to the Law, yet disobey the Law by ordering that I be struck.” Those standing near him asked, “You dare to insult God’s high priest?” Paul replied, “Brothers, I wasn’t aware that he was the high priest. It is written, You will not speak evil about a ruler of your people.” Knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, Paul exclaimed in the council, “Brothers, I’m a Pharisee and a descendant of Pharisees. I am on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead!” These words aroused a dispute between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. This is because Sadducees say that there’s no resurrection, angel, or spirit, but Pharisees affirm them all. Council members were shouting loudly. Some Pharisees who were legal experts stood up and insisted forcefully, “We find nothing wrong with this man! What if a spirit or angel has spoken to him?” The dispute became so heated that the commander feared they might tear Paul to pieces. He ordered soldiers to go down and remove him by force from their midst. Then they took him back to the military headquarters. The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Be encouraged! Just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so too you must testify in Rome.” (Acts 22:22—23:11, CEB)

Our reading starts with, “The crowd listened to Paul until he said this.” What is it that Paul said? And who was he speaking to?

Here is what Paul said, “When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I had a visionary experience. 18 I saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Hurry!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem at once because they won’t accept your testimony about me.’ 19 I responded, ‘Lord, these people know I used to go from one synagogue to the next, beating those who believe in you and throwing them into prison. 20 When Stephen your witness was being killed, I stood there giving my approval, even watching the clothes that belonged to those who were killing him.’ 21 Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’” (Acts 22:17-21, CEB)

Paul was speaking in Jerusalem at the temple to Jews and Romans. Paul was both a Roman citizen and a Jew. He stood for what he believed in in the face of many dangers and never backed down.

Paul is a model for us to stand fast in our beliefs and to always be a person of integrity. Paul never wavered in his convictions. Do we bend ours?

And all of us, like Paul, have sordid pasts. Paul watched the clothing of those who killed Stephen, and yet, God sent him to be a beacon of hope for the Gentiles. Your past is just that, your past, not your present or your future. Hold fast to the love of God that claims you as Their child and live that love out loud.

Parable of the talents?

As they listened to this, Jesus told them another parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought God’s kingdom would appear right away. He said, “A certain man who was born into royalty went to a distant land to receive his kingdom and then return. He called together ten servants and gave each of them money worth four months’ wages. He said, ‘Do business with this until I return.’ His citizens hated him, so they sent a representative after him who said, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’ After receiving his kingdom, he returned and called the servants to whom he had given the money to find out how much they had earned. The first servant came forward and said, ‘Your money has earned a return of one thousand percent.’ The king replied, ‘Excellent! You are a good servant. Because you have been faithful in a small matter, you will have authority over ten cities.’ “The second servant came and said, ‘Master, your money has made a return of five hundred percent.’ To this one, the king said, ‘You will have authority over five cities.’ “Another servant came and said, ‘Master, here is your money. I wrapped it up in a scarf for safekeeping. I was afraid of you because you are a stern man. You withdraw what you haven’t deposited and you harvest what you haven’t planted.’ The king replied, ‘I will judge you by the words of your own mouth, you worthless servant! You knew, did you, that I’m a stern man, withdrawing what I didn’t deposit, and harvesting what I didn’t plant? Why then didn’t you put my money in the bank? Then when I arrived, at least I could have gotten it back with interest.’ “He said to his attendants, ‘Take his money and give it to the one who has ten times as much.’ ‘But Master,’ they said, ‘he already has ten times as much!’ He replied, ‘I say to you that everyone who has will be given more, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for my enemies who don’t want me as their king, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’” (Luke 19:11-27, CEB)

As I read this, my thoughts went to Matthew 25:14-30, the parable of the talents. Because it is basically the same story.

Here in Luke, the king calls together 10 servants and gives them each the same amount. When he returns, we hear about three of them. My first wonder is what about the other 7? I mean, one got 1000%, and the second got 500%. Could we say one got 900%, and another 800%, and another 700%, and another 600%, and another 400%, and another 300%, and then the last got 200%, because the last one wrapped the money in a scarf for safekeeping and has 100% of what was given to them.

At least at the end of Matthew, the only one thrown out is the servant with one coin. Here, all the enemies of the king are slaughtered before him.

This parable about us using what we have been given or face banishment or death is weird. We have been graced with a gift to give the world and are freed to serve. This is what we are called to do and be, and we should not do that because we are trying to avoid eternal punishment or the wrath of a vengeful king/creator.

Use what you have been given out of love, and know that it will always be replenished.

hold on…

Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and brother of James. To those who are called, loved by God the Father and kept safe by Jesus Christ. May you have more and more mercy, peace, and love. Dear friends, I wanted very much to write to you concerning the salvation we share. Instead, I must write to urge you to fight for the faith delivered once and for all to God’s holy people. Godless people have slipped in among you. They turn the grace of our God into unrestrained immorality and deny our only master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Judgment was passed against them a long time ago. I want to remind you of something you already know very well. The Lord, who once saved a people out of Egypt, later destroyed those who didn’t maintain their faith. I remind you too of the angels who didn’t keep their position of authority but deserted their own home. The Lord has kept them in eternal chains in the underworld until the judgment of the great day. In the same way, Sodom and Gomorrah and neighboring towns practiced immoral sexual relations and pursued other sexual urges. By undergoing the punishment of eternal fire, they serve as a warning. Yet, even knowing this, these dreamers in the same way pollute themselves, reject authority, and slander the angels. The archangel Michael, when he argued with the devil about Moses’ body, did not dare charge him with slander. Instead, he said, “The Lord rebuke you!” But these people slander whatever they don’t understand. They are destroyed by what they know instinctively, as though they were irrational animals. They are damned, for they follow in the footsteps of Cain. For profit they give themselves over to Balaam’s error. They are destroyed in the uprising of Korah. These people are like jagged rocks just below the surface of the water waiting to snag you when they join your love feasts. They feast with you without reverence. They care only for themselves. They are waterless clouds carried along by the winds; fruitless autumn trees, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom the darkness of the underworld is reserved forever. Enoch, who lived seven generations after Adam, prophesied about these people when he said, “See, the Lord comes with his countless holy ones, to execute judgment on everyone and to convict everyone about every ungodly deed they have committed in their ungodliness as well as all the harsh things that sinful ungodly people have said against him.” These are faultfinding grumblers, living according to their own desires. They speak arrogant words and they show partiality to people when they want a favor in return. But you, dear friends, remember the words spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the end time scoffers will come living according to their own ungodly desires.” These people create divisions. Since they don’t have the Spirit, they are worldly. But you, dear friends: build each other up on the foundation of your most holy faith, pray in the Holy Spirit, keep each other in the love of God, wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will give you eternal life. Have mercy on those who doubt. Save some by snatching them from the fire. Fearing God, have mercy on some, hating even the clothing contaminated by their sinful urges. To the one who is able to protect you from falling, and to present you blameless and rejoicing before his glorious presence, to the only God our savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, belong glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, now and forever. Amen. (Jude, CEB)

This is a book written by a person who says they are a servant of Christ, named Jude. Now, some say this is the brother of James, which would be the brother of Jesus. But all of this is speculation and we really are not sure who wrote this book.

As I read this, I see a person who is using authority to demean those who step outside the lines of what is accepted as truth, and to be a dutiful person and not rock the boat.

Sodom and Gomorrah were not destroyed for sexual immorality. The sin of Sodom as stated by the prophet Ezekiel, is: “This is the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were proud, had plenty to eat, and enjoyed peace and prosperity; but she didn’t help the poor and the needy. They became haughty and did detestable things in front of me, and I turned away from them as soon as I saw it.” (Ezekiel 16:49–50, CEB)

In the end, scoffers will come living in their own desires, or wanting to keep power as they have always had. Jesus was not killed because it was the plan; Jesus was killed because he would have ended the power of the leaders who were currently in place. God’s desire throughout the scripture is that all people are equal and the same. Nothing can keep us from God: “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.” (Galatians 3:28, CEB)

Love like Jesus, let go of power and live God’s grace, mercy, and love out loud.


associate…

I wrote to you in my earlier letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. But I wasn’t talking about the sexually immoral people in the outside world by any means—or the greedy, or the swindlers, or people who worship false gods—otherwise, you would have to leave the world entirely! But now I’m writing to you not to associate with anyone who calls themselves “brother” or “sister” who is sexually immoral, greedy, someone who worships false gods, an abusive person, a drunk, or a swindler. Don’t even eat with anyone like this. What do I care about judging outsiders? Isn’t it your job to judge insiders? God will judge outsiders. Expel the evil one from among you! (1 Corinthians 5:9-13, CEB)

In my earlier letter, well, Paul, this is the first letter we have from you to Corinth, unless of course we believe biblical scholars who say that the letters to the gathering in Corinth comprise many letters that were fragments that got put together.

Interesting here, Paul tells the Corinthians to not allow people who say they are believers who still obviously worship false gods, are abusive, drunks, swindlers, greedy, immoral people to be a part of the gathering. Expel the evil one from among you.

In the past week, I have commented on people’s comments on my social media posts for them to unfriend me if they support the current occupant of the White House. It is no longer about politics. It is about humanity.

Paul here tells us to not allow evil to be a part of the gathering we are in, to expel evil, and to judge those who are a part of the gathering. We can not allow people to say they are followers of Christ when they are not doing what Christ called us to do.

We are called to love and accept all people as they are. We are not to change anyone, but love them, and allow God to do the rest.

Love like Jesus. Expel evil from your midst.

All Saints Sunday

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.
“But I say to you who are willing to hear: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on the cheek, offer the other one as well. If someone takes your coat, don’t withhold your shirt either. Give to everyone who asks and don’t demand your things back from those who take them. Treat people in the same way that you want them to treat you. (Luke 6:20-31, CEB)

I write this as the current administration in the USA is preparing to cut off SNAP benefits for many in the country. They are going to set people in a state of hunger by denying them basic human needs of food.

So happy are those who have their SNAP benefits taken away, for you will be satisfied.

How terrible for you who deny those SNAP benefits to those in need, for you will be hungry.

How do we, as the people of God, support an administration that willfully hates and causes suffering and blames it on someone else? I do not blame one party or even those in office. We claim to follow Christ, and yet allow this to happen. All are guilty of not being who God has called us to be. And if this is the case in our country, then how do we as the body of Christ step up and care for the hungry, the poor, the weeping?

Treat people how we want to be treated?

How do you want to be treated?

All Saints Day

We have also received an inheritance in Christ. We were destined by the plan of God, who accomplishes everything according to his design. We are called to be an honor to God’s glory because we were the first to hope in Christ. You too heard the word of truth in Christ, which is the good news of your salvation. You were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit because you believed in Christ. The Holy Spirit is the down payment on our inheritance, which is applied toward our redemption as God’s own people, resulting in the honor of God’s glory. Since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, this is the reason that I don’t stop giving thanks to God for you when I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers, and what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God’s powerful strength. God’s power was at work in Christ when God raised him from the dead and sat him at God’s right side in the heavens, far above every ruler and authority and power and angelic power, any power that might be named not only now but in the future. God put everything under Christ’s feet and made him head of everything in the church, which is his body. His body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:11-23, CEB)

The body of Christ is the fullness of Christ and God’s hands and feet in this world.

We have heard the truth and are the ones to be grace, mercy, and love to the world. We are God’s children and made saints through Their grace.

Saints are not super followers, but all of us. We are all made saints and sent to give grace, mercy, and love to the world.

So go, you saint of God and love like Jesus.

Reformation

Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, in order to shut every mouth and make it so the whole world has to answer to God. It follows that no human being will be treated as righteous in his presence by doing what the Law says, because the knowledge of sin comes through the Law. But now God’s righteousness has been revealed apart from the Law, which is confirmed by the Law and the Prophets. God’s righteousness comes through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who have faith in him. There’s no distinction. All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, but all are treated as righteous freely by his grace because of a ransom that was paid by Christ Jesus. 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, 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. What happens to our bragging? It’s thrown out. With which law? With what we have accomplished under the Law? 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. (Romans 3:19-28, CEB)

Martin Luther posted 95 Theses against indulgences on the Wittenberg Church door on the night before All Saints Day in 1517. Now, some historians say that Martin actually sent them in a letter and did not post them, but there is a handwritten note by Luther’s secretary, Georg Rörer, which was found later, that states that Luther “nailed theses about letters of indulgence to the doors of the Wittenberg churches on the evening before All Saints’ Day in 1517”. He may not have nailed them to the door but he posted them all the same.

Luther had been reading and discovered the bible said we did not achieve heaven through our works, or by paying the church to build a beautiful building. It was based upon the grace that came through the faithfulness of Christ. This is what saved us, and not completing works of the law.

We are made righteous by God and not by anything we do.

This does not mean we should do nothing. We must love as we are loved, for that is what God’s love leads us to.

Do not have faith in the law, but live in grace and love as you are loved.

comfort

From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, and Timothy our brother. To God’s church that is in Corinth, along with all of God’s people throughout Achaia. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed! He is the compassionate Father and God of all comfort. He’s the one who comforts us in all our trouble so that we can comfort other people who are in every kind of trouble. We offer the same comfort that we ourselves received from God. That is because we receive so much comfort through Christ in the same way that we share so many of Christ’s sufferings. So if we have trouble, it is to bring you comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is to bring you comfort from the experience of endurance while you go through the same sufferings that we also suffer. Our hope for you is certain, because we know that as you are partners in suffering, so also you are partners in comfort. Brothers and sisters, we don’t want you to be unaware of the troubles that we went through in Asia. We were weighed down with a load of suffering that was so far beyond our strength that we were afraid we might not survive. It certainly seemed to us as if we had gotten the death penalty. This was so that we would have confidence in God, who raises the dead, instead of ourselves. God rescued us from a terrible death, and he will rescue us. We have set our hope on him that he will rescue us again, since you are helping with your prayer for us. Then many people can thank God on our behalf for the gift that was given to us through the prayers of many people. (2 Corinthians 1:1-11, CEB)

God, who has comforted us in our troubles, wants us to be comfort for others in their troubles.

We can be a comfort to others by loving them. By not trying to fix their issues, but walking with them, and letting them know they are not alone. By loving them as they are and not judging them for bad choices or decisions, because we have all made bad choices or decisions.

We need to love as we are loved and comfort as we have been comforted.

Comfort all, as you have been comforted.