which one?

“What do you think? A man had two sons. Now he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ “‘No, I don’t want to,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went. “The father said the same thing to the other son, who replied, ‘Yes, sir.’ But he didn’t go. “Which one of these two did his father’s will?” They said, “The first one.” Jesus said to them, “I assure you that tax collectors and prostitutes are entering God’s kingdom ahead of you. For John came to you on the righteous road, and you didn’t believe him. But tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. Yet even after you saw this, you didn’t change your hearts and lives and you didn’t believe him. (Matthew 21:28-32, CEB)

“Which one of these two did his father’s will?”

Well, I guess technically the first one did because he did go and work in the vineyard, but I actually say he did not do it, because he told the father no. He did not do what the father wanted him to when the father asked.

That is why tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom sooner. Because they heard what needed to be done and did it. While we hear what needs to be done and complain about it because it doesn’t fit our scenario.

So which one will you be? A son that doesn’t listen and complains about what needs to be done, or a tax collector/prostitute that follows Jesus?

examples

Therefore, I have a request for the elders among you. (I ask this as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and as one who shares in the glory that is about to be revealed.) I urge the elders: Like shepherds, tend the flock of God among you. Watch over it. Don’t shepherd because you must, but do it voluntarily for God. Don’t shepherd greedily, but do it eagerly. Don’t shepherd by ruling over those entrusted to your care, but become examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive an unfading crown of glory. In the same way, I urge you who are younger: accept the authority of the elders. And everyone, clothe yourselves with humility toward each other. God stands against the proud, but he gives favor to the humble. Therefore, humble yourselves under God’s power so that he may raise you up in the last day. Throw all your anxiety onto him, because he cares about you. Be clearheaded. Keep alert. Your accuser, the devil, is on the prowl like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith. Do so in the knowledge that your fellow believers are enduring the same suffering throughout the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, the one who called you into his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will himself restore, empower, strengthen, and establish you. To him be power forever and always. Amen. (1 Peter 5:1-11, CEB)

I urge the elders: Like shepherds, tend the flock among you. Watch over it and do so eagerly. You are entrusted leaders, and lead by example. Show love in all you do and do not hoard power or yield power to make people do your will, but lead them to show forth the love of God in every and all actions.

Humble yourselves and submit to God, and lead the people by showing them how God loves.

Love like Jesus. And lead with integrity, by being an example of what God is to you.

suffering

Dear friends, don’t be surprised about the fiery trials that have come among you to test you. These are not strange happenings. Instead, rejoice as you share Christ’s suffering. You share his suffering now so that you may also have overwhelming joy when his glory is revealed. If you are mocked because of Christ’s name, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory—indeed, the Spirit of God—rests on you. Now none of you should suffer as a murderer or thief or evildoer or rebel. But don’t be ashamed if you suffer as one who belongs to Christ. Rather, honor God as you bear Christ’s name. Give honor to God, because it’s time for judgment to begin with God’s own household. But if judgment starts with us, what will happen to those who refuse to believe God’s good news? If the righteous are barely rescued, what will happen to the godless and sinful? So then, those who suffer because they follow God’s will should commit their lives to a trustworthy creator by doing what is right. (1 Peter 4:12-19, CEB)

We all as Christians have thought about how we suffer for our faith. Some of us say we suffer when actually we are just having to deal with the fact that people will not ned over and give us what we want because we say we are Christians.

And saying one is Christian does not actually mean one is a follower of Jesus. Going into a sanctuary and staying for a worship service or returning weekly for worship does not make one a Christian, any more than standing in a garage makes one a car. And suffering in the sense of the reading is not because we do not get our way.

Suffering, according to the reading, is actually loving as Jesus does and welcoming all, and getting hit by the stones being thrown by those claiming to follow God.

Love like Jesus and follow the path of inclusion and be prepared to get hit by a stone.

Reformation Sunday

Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teaching. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They responded, “We are Abraham’s children; we’ve never been anyone’s slaves. How can you say that we will be set free?” Jesus answered, “I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave to sin. A slave isn’t a permanent member of the household, but a son is. Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you really will be free. (John 8:31-36, CEB)

We have never been anyone’s slaves…

While this is probably true for those speaking this day to Jesus, their ancestors were slaves in Egypt. We remember the things we want to remember and forget those that make us look bad. But here is the thing: God loves us and knows everything about us, even those things we forgot or want to forget.

And here is the other thing, actually, all of us are slaves to something. Money, wealth, our houses, our cars, our need for more. We are all held in bondage to something we need to release, let go of and give ourselves completely to God.

Something in our life is a hold back that keeps us from following God completely and that is our sin, our thing that enslaves us.

What enslaves you?

What do you need to release, to follow God completely?

who I am

Mary said,
“With all my heart I glorify the Lord!
    In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior.
He has looked with favor on the low status of his servant.
    Look! From now on, everyone will consider me highly favored
        because the mighty one has done great things for me.
Holy is his name.
    He shows mercy to everyone,
        from one generation to the next,
        who honors him as God.
He has shown strength with his arm.
    He has scattered those with arrogant thoughts and proud inclinations.
    He has pulled the powerful down from their thrones
        and lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away empty-handed.
He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,
        remembering his mercy,
    just as he promised to our ancestors,
        to Abraham and to Abraham’s descendants forever.”
(Luke 1:46-55, CEB)

Mary sang how the glory of God was what made her be who she was.

That God was her savior and that she was lifted by God.

God shows this same mercy to everyone. God gives strength to those who need it. God helps those who need it and fills the hungry with good things.

God is always there for you. And we, like Mary, need to hold in the depths of our hearts a rejoicing in God. For God made us who we are, and that is a beautiful thing.

Be proud of who I am. God made you, and God is proud of you.

deceive

But you have paid attention to my teaching, conduct, purpose, faithfulness, patience, love, and endurance. You have seen me experience physical abuse and ordeals in places such as Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I put up with all sorts of abuse, and the Lord rescued me from it all! In fact, anyone who wants to live a holy life in Christ Jesus will be harassed. But evil people and swindlers will grow even worse, as they deceive others while being deceived themselves. But you must continue with the things you have learned and found convincing. You know who taught you. Since childhood you have known the holy scriptures that help you to be wise in a way that leads to salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:10-15, CEB)

Who is deceiving us today?

Or who deceives you?

Deceive means “to cause to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid.” Many are saying, “You can’t make this up,” while making things up and passing them off as facts. The current leader of the United States said they were going to lower drug prices by over 100%. This means we would be paid to take those drugs, but this has not happened and drug prices along with many other items costs are going up. We are being deceived to believe that we are doing great when we are not.

Lies do not make a person great. Being a person of integrity is what makes one great. Do not be deceived.

Live a life that honors God by being a person of integrity and do not deceive others.

obvious…

Understand that the last days will be dangerous times. People will be selfish and love money. They will be the kind of people who brag and who are proud. They will slander others, and they will be disobedient to their parents. They will be ungrateful, unholy, unloving, contrary, and critical. They will be without self-control and brutal, and they won’t love what is good. They will be people who are disloyal, reckless, and conceited. They will love pleasure instead of loving God. They will look like they are religious but deny God’s power. Avoid people like this. Some will slither into households and control immature women who are burdened with sins and driven by all kinds of desires. These women are always learning, but they can never arrive at an understanding of the truth. These people oppose the truth in the same way that Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. Their minds are corrupt and their faith is counterfeit. But they won’t get very far. Their foolishness will become obvious to everyone like those others. (2 Timothy 3:1-9, CEB)

What is obvious?

Merriam-Webster defines obvious as “easily discovered, seen, or understood.” But this is still vague. There are people who say something is obvious when others do not see it or understand it. For instance, a lot of people are saying you can’t make this stuff up on the internet while saying things that are completely made up. It is obvious to them what is correct, but to me, it is obvious that they are not seeing things clearly, so which of us do not get it?

People need to do research and be open to learning things that are different from what they think is right to expand their understanding and grow into a better human for all of society, rather than just cling to what they were taught and not let go regardless of facts or new ideas.

Do not be stuck in what you were taught; be open to learning and growing.

if it is your will…

Jesus left and made his way to the Mount of Olives, as was his custom, and the disciples followed him. When he arrived, he said to them, “Pray that you won’t give in to temptation.” He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed. He said, “Father, if it’s your will, take this cup of suffering away from me. However, not my will but your will must be done.” Then a heavenly angel appeared to him and strengthened him. He was in anguish and prayed even more earnestly. His sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground. When he got up from praying, he went to the disciples. He found them asleep, overcome by grief. He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray so that you won’t give in to temptation.” (Luke 22:39-46, CEB)

How many of us use prayer for a time, as my seminary professor, Dr. Vitalis-Hoffman, told us not to do, “put all of our begs into one ask it?” We ask God to give us what we want. What we desire.

And here Jesus knows what is going to happen tomorrow, he is going to go to trial, and be convicted and murdered, lynched. And his ask of God is not do not let this happen, even though he asks for the cup to be removed, but yet, not that if your will is for this to happen. Jesus asked for the will of God to be done.

When was the last time you prayed to God and asked for God’s will to be done?

Maybe we need to change the way we pray…

patient

Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must be patient as you wait for the coming of the Lord. Consider the farmer who waits patiently for the coming of rain in the fall and spring, looking forward to the precious fruit of the earth. You also must wait patiently, strengthening your resolve, because the coming of the Lord is near. Don’t complain about each other, brothers and sisters, so that you won’t be judged. Look! The judge is standing at the door! Brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as an example of patient resolve and steadfastness. Look at how we honor those who have practiced endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job. And you have seen what the Lord has accomplished, for the Lord is full of compassion and mercy. Most important, my brothers and sisters, never make a solemn pledge—neither by heaven nor earth, nor by anything else. Instead, speak with a simple “Yes” or “No,” or else you may fall under judgment. (James 5:7-12, CEB)

Be patient.

Patient, as we wait for the coming of Jesus, as farmers are patient in waiting for water to feed their crops.

For we know that Jesus is coming back, and it will happen soon. And soon, of course, is a relative term, because disciples and prophets have been saying for over 2000 years that Jesus was coming back soon.

But as we wait, patiently, we must love all. Show compassion and mercy in all we do, so that we are preparing the way of peace and making God’s love known, so we are ready when Jesus returns.

Simply be a person of integrity, having compassion, mercy, and love for all.

against

When someone in your assembly has a legal case against another member, do they dare to take it to court to be judged by people who aren’t just, instead of by God’s people? Or don’t you know that God’s people will judge the world? If the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to judge trivial cases? Don’t you know that we will judge angels? Why not ordinary things? So then if you have ordinary lawsuits, do you appoint people as judges who aren’t respected by the church? I’m saying this because you should be ashamed of yourselves! Isn’t there one person among you who is wise enough to pass judgment between believers? But instead, does a brother or sister have a lawsuit against another brother or sister, and do they do this in front of unbelievers? The fact that you have lawsuits against each other means that you’ve already lost your case. Why not be wronged instead? Why not be cheated? But instead you are doing wrong and cheating—and you’re doing it to your own brothers and sisters. Don’t you know that people who are unjust won’t inherit God’s kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Those who are sexually immoral, those who worship false gods, adulterers, both participants in same-sex intercourse, thieves, the greedy, drunks, abusive people, and swindlers won’t inherit God’s kingdom. That is what some of you used to be! But you were washed clean, you were made holy to God, and you were made right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:1-11, CEB)

What do you have against a brother or a sister? Why can you not decide this in the church? And why do you want to cheat your brother or sister?

We should decide our differences among ourselves and show the world love.

Do not worship false gods or get caught up in wanting more than God has already provided. Love and give mercy.

Love like Jesus and have nothing against a brother or sister.