believe

39 Examine the scriptures, since you think that in them you have eternal life. They also testify about me, 40 yet you don’t want to come to me so that you can have life. 41 “I don’t accept praise from people, 42 but I know you, that you don’t have God’s love in you.43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you don’t receive me. If others come in their own name, you receive them. 44 How can you believe when you receive praise from each other but don’t seek the praise that comes from the only God? 45 “Don’t think that I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, the one in whom your hope rests. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, because Moses wrote about me. 47 If you don’t believe the writings of Moses, how will you believe my words?” (John 5:39-47, CEB)

What do we believe?

People read the Bible every day and they read the same passage, how do they get different interpretations? Well we all read the Bible through our own lenses. We have learned things through our lives and been told things that influence everything we read. We see things through our lenses. Some might say we reflect what we have learned in what we read. And it is hard for us to let go of those preconceived notions and ideas, because in some ways it is saying what we have learned is wrong, and that then is saying our upbringing is wrong, and that is hard. And it doesn’t mean that what we learned is wrong, it was based on the best information at the time, so it could have been right, but information and things change, so we need to allow things to move forward, and that holds true for our beliefs also.

The people here were unable to accept Jesus as the Messiah because they did not see him fulfilling what they were taught the messiah would be.

How do we get caught up in the faith or our fathers, and not allow the faith that God wants us to have now come in?

role model

7 in every way. Offer yourself as a role model of good actions. Show integrity, seriousness,8 and a sound message that is above criticism when you teach, so that any opponent will be ashamed because they won’t find anything bad to say about us. 11 The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. 12 It educates us so that we can live sensible, ethical, and godly lives right now by rejecting ungodly lives and the desires of this world. 13 At the same time we wait for the blessed hope and the glorious appearance of our great God and savior Jesus Christ. 14 He gave himself for us in order to rescue us from every kind of lawless behavior, and cleanse a special people for himself who are eager to do good actions. 15 Talk about these things. Encourage and correct with complete authority. Don’t let anyone disrespect you. (Titus 2:7-8, 11-15, CEB)

We need to live our lives in such a way that people see we are genuine.

This doesn’t mean we don’t mess up, but when we do we say we are sorry and work to correct injustices. We are to be models of Christ’s love to us and the world.

Are we really doing this as the church though?

How can you do this, to help others see God?

clean or unclean

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. 10 In fact, there are many who are rebellious people, loudmouths, and deceivers, especially some of those who are Jewish believers. 11 They must be silenced because they upset entire households. They teach what they shouldn’t to make money dishonestly. 12 Someone who is one of their own prophets said, “People from Crete are always liars, wild animals, and lazy gluttons.” 13 This statement is true. Because of this, correct them firmly, so that they can be healthy in their faith. 14 They shouldn’t pay attention to Jewish myths and commands from people who reject the truth. 15 Everything is clean to those who are clean, but nothing is clean to those who are corrupt and without faith. Instead, their mind and conscience are corrupted.16 They claim to know God, but they deny God by the things that they do. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified to do anything good. (Titus 1:5-16. CEB)

Everything is clean to those who are clean, but nothing is clean to those who are corrupt and without faith.

So who decides who has faith or who is corrupt?

Because truly who can live up to the guidelines for elders?

Be without fault? I mean only Jesus was without fault, and that really depends on who you ask.

Faithful to their spouse. Ok, for this one we might find a few…

Have faithful children who can’t be accused of self-indulgence or rebelliousness. In some ways a father can control their children, but we are each our own creation of God and no one person can truly control another and to judge a person based on their family is not what God would do, so why should we?

They shouldn’t be stubborn, irritable, addicted to alcohol, a bully, or greedy. At all or what? I mean aren’t we all stubborn in something, and irritable at times? Seems a little like we want these people to be perfect, and as far as I know there was only 1 perfect person and he was also God.

High expectations?

And we wonder why church leaders fail…

Taxes

22 When the disciples came together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Human One is about to be delivered over into human hands. 23 They will kill him. But he will be raised on the third day.” And they were heartbroken. 24 When they came to Capernaum, the people who collected the half-shekel temple tax came to Peter and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” 25 “Yes,” he said. But when they came into the house, Jesus spoke to Peter first. “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect taxes, from their children or from strangers?” 26 “From strangers,” he said. Jesus said to him, “Then the children don’t have to pay. 27 But just so we don’t offend them, go to the lake, throw out a fishing line and hook, and take the first fish you catch. When you open its mouth, you will find a shekel coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.” (Matthew 17:22-27, CEB)

Who pays taxes, strangers or the kings offspring?

Of course the royal family doesn’t pay taxes, so why would Jesus have to pay tax? Especially in the temple, which is his Father’s house?

But to show that they do not want to offend they will pay the tax, with money they get from the Father.

This could be seen as Judas was seen in the gospel of John, as one who was stealing money, they wanted Jesus to pay so that their pockets would be lined rather than being worried about the money going to God.

Why do we give money to the church?

no more music…

21 Then a powerful angel picked up a stone that was like a huge millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “With such violent force the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, and it won’t be found anymore. 22 The sound of harpists and musicians, of pipers and trumpeters, will never be heard among you again. No craftsman of any kind will ever be found among you again. The sound of the hand mill will never be heard among you again. 23 The light of a lamp will never shine among you again. The sound of a bridegroom and bride will never be heard among you again because your merchants ran the world, because all the nations were deceived by the spell you cast, and because 24 the blood of prophets, of saints, and of all who have been slaughtered on the earth was found among you.” (Revelation 18:21-24, CEB)

Can you imagine a world with no art?

No crafts?

No music?

Nothing…

Well if there wasn’t God there would be none of these things. For God created us to be in community with each other and God.

So give thanks to God for music and art and crafts! Celebrate God’s wonder through these things very day!

Babylon’s Fall

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was filled with light because of his glory. 2 He called out with a loud voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a home for demons and a lair for every unclean spirit. She is a lair for every unclean bird, and a lair for every unclean and disgusting beast 3 because all the nations have fallen due to the wine of her lustful passion. The kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich from the power of her loose and extravagant ways.” 4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say, “Come out of her, my people, so that you don’t take part in her sins and don’t receive any of her plagues. 5 Her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God remembered her unjust acts. 6 Give her what she has given to others. Give her back twice as much for what she has done. In the cup that she has poured, pour her twice as much. 7 To the extent that she glorified herself and indulged her loose and extravagant ways, give her pain and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit like a queen! I’m not a widow. I’ll never see grief.’ 8 This is why her plagues will come in a single day—deadly disease, grief, and hunger. She will be consumed by fire because the Lord God who judges her is powerful. 9 “The kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality with her and shared her loose and extravagant ways, will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke from her burning.10 They will stand a long way off because they are afraid of the pain she suffers, and they will say, ‘Oh, the horror! Babylon, you great city, you powerful city! In a single hour your judgment has come.’ (Revelation 18:1-10, CEB)

When we love our own desires and wants more than we follow after and seek the Lord, the world will fall.

When we think we do not need anyone else and we will always be how we now are, then our kingdom will fall. When we say that we will always be queen and never see grief, then our world will collapse around us.

We were not made to venture through life alone, we need each other and we need God. So hand your life to God and allow God to have control. Know you will not make it for you own desires and wants, but will live a wonderful life if you allow God to be in control.

When we think we can do it alone. Our world will crumble, but with God, we will live a life we can only dream of.

Question on taxes

15 Then the Pharisees met together to find a way to trap Jesus in his words. 16 They sent their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are genuine and that you teach God’s way as it really is. We know that you are not swayed by people’s opinions, because you don’t show favoritism. 17 So tell us what you think: Does the Law allow people to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 18 Knowing their evil motives, Jesus replied, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin used to pay the tax.” And they brought him a denarion. 20 “Whose image and inscription is this?” he asked. 21 “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” 22 When they heard this they were astonished, and they departed. (Matthew 22:15-22, CEB)

They got together to trap Jesus. They wanted to make Jesus say something they could use against him.

But Jesus knew what they were doing and asked for a coin and then asked who’s image was on the coin. When they said Caesar, Jesus said, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

So what is the governments, and what is God’s?

And is it right for us to pay taxes?

Jesus said we should follow the leaders because they were placed in power by God, not in this passage but in others, and so we must give to the government what is theirs and also make sure that we give to God what is God’s. Notice that neither of these are if there is enough, but these are portions that belong to the ones it is being given to.

So pay your taxes, and surrender your life to God.

What do you want?

At that time Herod the ruler heard the news about Jesus. 2 He said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He’s been raised from the dead. This is why these miraculous powers are at work through him.” 3 Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of Herod’s brother Philip. 4 That’s because John told Herod, “It’s against the law for you to marry her.” 5 Although Herod wanted to kill him, he feared the crowd because they thought John was a prophet. 6 But at Herod’s birthday party Herodias’ daughter danced in front of the guests and thrilled Herod. 7 Then he swore to give her anything she asked. 8 At her mother’s urging, the girl said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a plate.”9 Although the king was upset, because of his solemn pledge and his guests he commanded that they give it to her. 10 Then he had John beheaded in prison. 11 They brought his head on a plate and gave it to the young woman, and she brought it to her mother. 12 But John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus what had happened. (Matthew 14:1-12, CEB)

You can have anything you want up to half of my kingdom, what would you ask for?

The head of one who spoke against your marriage on a plate…

Herod didn’t want to do this but had to because of the promise he made to her in front of the guests. But it makes us wonder about the question, what do you want?

If you were asked what do you want, what would your answer be?

World peace?
Enough money to not have to worry?
Your family to always be healthy?
People to understand each other?
God’s love to truly reign?

What do you want?

Accept

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: 2 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. 3 Don’t shepherd by ruling over those entrusted to your care, but become examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive an unfading crown of glory. 5 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. (1 Peter 5:1-5, CEB)

Listen to those who are trying to help you and guide you. God will have people be in your life to guide you and help you. Sometimes they maybe leaders and sometimes they maybe random people.

All people play a part in the body of Christ and do things for everyone else. We all play a part and need to do that so God’s plan will unfold as God designed.

Accept what God has given to you and allow God to work through your life.

Who is first?

9 I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, doesn’t welcome us. 10 Because of this, if I come, I will bring up what he has done—making unjustified and wicked accusations against us. And as if that were not enough, he not only refuses to welcome the brothers and sisters but stops those who want to do so and even throws them out of the church! 11 Dear friend, don’t imitate what is bad but what is good. Whoever practices what is good belongs to God. Whoever practices what is bad has not seen God. 12 Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, even the truth itself. We also speak highly of him, and you know that what we say is true. (3 John 9-12, CEB)

Whoever practices what is good belongs to God and whoever practices what is bad has not seen God. OK, who decides what is good and what is bad?

I have to ask this because I am writing this the day after the presidential debate in September of 2020, and there seems to have been a need for a rule that says when your time is up and the other person is talking you must remain quiet and allow the other person to speak. Now silly me, I thought this was an understanding in a debate that each person gets a turn, but in 2020 it seems we need a rule to say this. So who decides what is good and what is bad and who belongs to God and who hasn’t seen God?

Diotrephes probably thought he was fighting for God by excluding people, and that is where it starts, but my thought is that they actually followed God and then were led astray by greed or power, or not wanting to change to follow where God was taking them. It is truly easy to see how things get twisted and we think we are doing what God wants us to be we are really far from where God wants/needs us to be.

So always check yourself with others to see that you are staying with God and not following after the desires of the community. And know that only God can decide what is good, and who isn’t included.