What’s your nature…

a rotting body is put into the ground, but what is raised won’t ever decay. 43 It’s degraded when it’s put into the ground, but it’s raised in glory. It’s weak when it’s put into the ground, but it’s raised in power. 44 It’s a physical body when it’s put into the ground, but it’s raised as a spiritual body. If there’s a physical body, there’s also a spiritual body. 45 So it is also written, The first human, Adam, became a living person, and the last Adam became a spirit that gives life. 46 But the physical body comes first, not the spiritual one—the spiritual body comes afterward. 47 The first human was from the earth made from dust; the second human is from heaven. 48 The nature of the person made of dust is shared by people who are made of dust, and the nature of the heavenly person is shared by heavenly people. 49 We will look like the heavenly person in the same way as we have looked like the person made from dust. (1 Corinthians 15:42b-49, CEB)

This passage is one of the passages that makes people think our bodies are not going with us when we are in the fulfillment of God’s kingdom. Because the first Adam is made of dust and is physical and the second Adam is made of Spirit and is spiritual. That is why the Spirit comes after the physical body. And according to this you can have a physical body and not have the spirit.

But if you have the spirit, you are a part of the second Adam and are going to be in the heavenly realm.

So what is your nature? Is it physical or spiritual? How can you know?

But at the very end there, Paul says we will look like the heavenly person in the same way we have looked like the person made from dust. We will be both physical and spiritual. We will have both natures. We will be in and not of.

So show your spiritual side by going into the world to show light in the place that need it, to share love as you go and make the world a brighter place.

Love People. Love God.

What did he mean?

16 Soon you won’t be able to see me; soon after that, you will see me.” 17 Some of Jesus’ disciples said to each other, “What does he mean: ‘Soon you won’t see me, and soon after that you will see me’ and ‘Because I’m going to the Father’? 18 What does he mean by ‘soon’? We don’t understand what he’s talking about.” 19 Jesus knew they wanted to ask him, so he said, “Are you trying to find out from each other what I meant when I said, ‘Soon you won’t see me, and soon after that you will see me’? 20 I assure you that you will cry and lament, and the world will be happy. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman gives birth, she has pain because her time has come. But when the child is born, she no longer remembers her distress because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. 22 In the same way, you have sorrow now; but I will see you again, and you will be overjoyed. No one takes away your joy. 23 In that day, you won’t ask me anything. I assure you that the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Up to now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive so that your joy will be complete. (John 16:16-24, CEB)

I love this passage, because Jesus says, “soon you won’t be able to see me; soon after that, you will see me.” And the disciples are like what does he mean? What is soon? Where is he going? What does all of this mean?

And Jesus, of course, hears or knows what they are talking about and explains again and in crystal clear Jesus form. So no one still understands what Jesus is talking about.

You will cry and the world will rejoice! You will be sorrowful, but that sorrow will become joy.

He didn’t plainly say what was happening, that he was going to he arrested, beaten, put on trial, and killed, and then 3 days later come back to life and then go back to be with the Father. He didn’t say this plainly because they wouldn’t have believed it. I say this because I wouldn’t have believed it. Even after it happened the disciples questioned it.

People still question it today. It is hard to believe. But isn’t that what faith is, believing what we can’t believe?

So stop worrying about figuring out what Jesus meant by everything we have written down that he “said.” Because all you have to do is have faith that the promises are true, not understand everything completely now.

Love People. Love God.

United States of Grace

United States of Grace – A Memoir of Homelessness, Addiction, Incarceration and Hope by Lenny Duncan.

This is a must-read book for anyone who claims to be a disciple of Jesus and a lover of God.

I was waiting for this book ever since I read Dear Church. I was ready when this book arrived for me to read. But I wasn’t. Lenny pulled back the veil and ushered us into the most intimate parts of his life. Lenny showed us the young abused man who set out on his own, and the father who was reunited with his daughter. He showed us the drug addict and sex worker just trying to make their way in life. He reveals why he loves this country and gives everyone us of us every reason to hate it. We are taken to the heights of being covered by God’s grace and to the depths of almost being lynched.

I was not ready for the roller coaster ride that the United States of Grace is. I was not ready to feel the depth of love, and hatred that I felt as I read about Lenny’s life. Lenny bore his soul and let us peak into who he is and why.

I saw grace in a way I have never seen as a Lutheran Pastor and saw God in a new and exciting way that will forever change the course of my life.

This book will change your understanding of grace, and help you see just how immense the love of God is. as Lenny said, ” I can look back and see that it was God’s grace completely unmerited and frankly unwanted entering my life in the way an invading force of mercy often does; it is overwhelming and all-encompassing.”

Get this book.

Left you behind

From Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I’m sent to bring about the faith of God’s chosen people and a knowledge of the truth that agrees with godliness. 2 Their faith and this knowledge are based on the hope of eternal life that God, who doesn’t lie, promised before time began. 3 God revealed his message at the appropriate time through preaching, and I was trusted with preaching this message by the command of God our savior. 4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior. 5 The reason I left you behind in Crete was to organize whatever needs to be done and to appoint elders in each city, as I told you. 6 Elders should be without fault. They should be faithful to their spouse, and have faithful children who can’t be accused of self-indulgence or rebelliousness. 7 This is because supervisors should be without fault as God’s managers: they shouldn’t be stubborn, irritable, addicted to alcohol, a bully, or greedy. 8 Instead, they should show hospitality, love what is good, and be reasonable, ethical, godly, and self-controlled. 9 They must pay attention to the reliable message as it has been taught to them so that they can encourage people with healthy instruction and refute those who speak against it. (Titus 1:1-9, CEB)

Have you ever felt like someone taught you something and seemed to not finish the teaching process but then they were gone?

That is how I imagine Titus from the statement in verse 5. “The reason I left you behind in Crete was to organize whatever needs to be done and to appoint elders in each city, as I told you.” I imagine Titus being upset that Paul left him and went about business somewhere else. Titus had been traveling with and learning from Paul and now Paul just up and leaves him.

“Am I not good enough for this?”

“What did I do wrong?”

“Did I really mess it up that bad?”

When in reality Paul was saying you are ready to fly on your own. It was the push out of the nest to make Titus fly. Sometimes we misinterpret what others mean by their actions. When that happens, ask.

And know at some point we all have to fly, and you might falter at the beginning, but have confidence and you will soar!

Love People. Love God.

Who are you thankful for?

3 I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers. 4 I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy. 5 I’m glad because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now. 6 I’m sure about this: the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus. 7 I have good reason to think this way about all of you because I keep you in my heart. You are all my partners in God’s grace, both during my time in prison and in the defense and support of the gospel. 8 God is my witness that I feel affection for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. 9 This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight. 10 I pray this so that you will be able to decide what really matters and so you will be sincere and blameless on the day of Christ. 11 I pray that you will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to God. (Philippians 1:3-11, CEB)

Who are you thankful for in your life? And how do you show that you are thankful?

There are many people who are a part of my life that I do not see every day. And yet when I stop and spend time with God, I think about them and thank God for allowing them to be a part of my life. So many times we get hung up on all the bad things in our lives if we just stop and think about all of the wonderful people God has surrounded us with we can be thankful for the rich blessings God has given us.

And wouldn’t it make the world a better place if we all prayed for all of those who were a part of life everyday? And if we all prayed Paul’s pray, “This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight.” How much brighter would the world be?

Pray for all people especially those who blessed you, so they might be a blessing to others.

Love People. Love God.

Prayer

6 “I have revealed your name to the people you gave me from this world. They were yours and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 This is because I gave them the words that you gave me, and they received them. They truly understood that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 “I’m praying for them. I’m not praying for the world but for those you gave me, because they are yours. 10 Everything that is mine is yours and everything that is yours is mine; I have been glorified in them. 11 I’m no longer in the world, but they are in the world, even as I’m coming to you. Holy Father, watch over them in your name, the name you gave me, that they will be one just as we are one. 12 When I was with them, I watched over them in your name, the name you gave to me, and I kept them safe. None of them were lost, except the one who was destined for destruction, so that scripture would be fulfilled. 13 Now I’m coming to you and I say these things while I’m in the world so that they can share completely in my joy. 14 I gave your word to them and the world hated them, because they don’t belong to this world, just as I don’t belong to this world. 15 I’m not asking that you take them out of this world but that you keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They don’t belong to this world, just as I don’t belong to this world. 17 Make them holy in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 I made myself holy on their behalf so that they also would be made holy in the truth. (John 17:6-19, CEB)

This is part of Jesus’ high priestly prayer from John where he prays for himself, the disciples, and then for those who will believe. This is the section on the disciples.

Jesus thanks God for the disciples and asks that God protect them.

You see we are in and not of this world, so the world will not understand us. Yet we need to share the love we have with the world.

Sometimes we are called to stand against the things of this world and we will not be accepted, yet we must always stand in love, knowing that God has sent us to share love.

So be bold and live in the world sharing the love God has shared with you, knowing that God goes with you.

Love People. Love God.

Wrong

4 But I have said these things to you so that when their time comes, you will remember that I told you about them. “I didn’t say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I go away to the one who sent me. None of you ask me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Yet because I have said these things to you, you are filled with sorrow. 7 I assure you that it is better for you that I go away. If I don’t go away, the Companion won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will show the world it was wrong about sin, righteousness, and judgment. 9 He will show the world it was wrong about sin because they don’t believe in me. 10 He will show the world it was wrong about righteousness because I’m going to the Father and you won’t see me anymore. 11 He will show the world it was wrong about judgment because this world’s ruler stands condemned. (John 16:4-11, CEB)

The world is wrong. The world is wrong about sin, righteousness, and judgement.

They are wrong about sin because they don’t believe in Jesus. If the world believed in Jesus they would know that love is the answer. That we need to love people and let God handle the rest. We do not help people by pointing out what we think they are doing wrong, we help people by loving them and showing them that God loves them. Because none of us are able to stand before God they way we are, it is only because of Jesus that we are able to approach the throne. So if you are telling someone they can not be in God’s presence because of their sin, remember you are in the same place.

The world is wrong about righteousness because they did what they did to Jesus.

The world is wrong about judgement because the rulers of the world are in it for power and not to help the people.

Remember we are called not to be served but to serve, and to love the world as God loves us.

Love People. Love God.

Vision

9 I, John, your brother who shares with you in the hardship, kingdom, and endurance that we have in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and my witness about Jesus. 10 I was in a Spirit-inspired trance on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice that sounded like a trumpet. 11 It said, “Write down on a scroll whatever you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” 12 I turned to see who was speaking to me, and when I turned, I saw seven oil lamps burning on top of seven gold stands. 13 In the middle of the lampstands I saw someone who looked like the Human One. He wore a robe that stretched down to his feet, and he had a gold sash around his chest. 14 His head and hair were white as white wool—like snow—and his eyes were like a fiery flame. 15 His feet were like fine brass that has been purified in a furnace, and his voice sounded like rushing water. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and from his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword. His appearance was like the sun shining with all its power. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. But he put his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I was dead, but look! Now I’m alive forever and always. I have the keys of Death and the Grave. (Revelation 1:9-18, CEB)

Have you ever been in a spirit inspired trance? I can honestly say I haven’t.

This vision we get from John here is very interesting. It is loaded with imagery that is intense and vivid. It makes us wonder what it all means. And we then try to say this is what it means.

Here is my take on the vision. It was a vision given to John that can give us insights into what God was trying to tell John, but may not translate to us today. And the way we see it, may not be the way it was intended for John or the way John actually saw it.

We can learn something from this but shouldn’t put all our eggs in that basket.

See the vision, and follow God knowing God will always be there.

Love People. Love God.

Understand

44 Jesus said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law from Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. 46 He said to them, “This is what is written: the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and a change of heart and life for the forgiveness of sins must be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 Look, I’m sending to you what my Father promised, but you are to stay in the city until you have been furnished with heavenly power.” 50 He led them out as far as Bethany, where he lifted his hands and blessed them. 51 As he blessed them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 They worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem overwhelmed with joy. 53 And they were continuously in the temple praising God. (Luke 24:44-53, CEB)

I would love to have been there for verse 45. Then Jesus opened their minds to understand the scriptures. Now remember the scriptures at that point in time were the Hebrew Scriptures. The New Testament had not been written yet. But to have your mind opened so you understood the scriptures!

I would love to say that I understand the scripture and what they say and how they impact my life. But when I open the Bible and read a passage I think I have figured out something new hits me and I’m back at square 1. It is frustrating and hard to try to say I get it, when it seems like I hardly ever do.

But we have the power of the Spirit living in us and God will continually guide us to know how to live.

So go into the world loving as you go.

Love People. Love God.

Added on

19 After the Lord Jesus spoke to them, he was lifted up into heaven and sat down on the right side of God. 20 But they went out and proclaimed the message everywhere. The Lord worked with them, confirming the word by the signs associated with them. (Mark 16:19-20, CEB)

They went out proclaiming the message everywhere. Do you know this was added on to the end of Mark? The original ending to the gospel of Mark was, “Overcome with terror and dread, they fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.” And scribes or followers of the Way thought this wasn’t a good ending to the gospel of Mark, so they added on. Mark didn’t want his gospel to end though in my opinion. Mark was telling us that the story of Christ continued the story from the chosen people of God and now the story continues through us.

We are adding on to the story every day. By living out lives out loud and living love out loud in the world.

We are sharing God’s love with he world as we go, and are continuing the story.

Love People. Love God.