preach

My brothers and sisters, I myself am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and are able to teach each other. But I’ve written to you in a sort of daring way, partly to remind you of what you already know. I’m writing to you in this way because of the grace that was given to me by God. It helps me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I’m working as a priest of God’s gospel so that the offering of the Gentiles can be acceptable and made holy by the Holy Spirit. So in Christ Jesus I brag about things that have to do with God. I don’t dare speak about anything except what Christ has done through me to bring about the obedience of the Gentiles. He did it by what I’ve said and what I’ve done, by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of God’s Spirit. So I’ve completed the circuit of preaching Christ’s gospel from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum. In this way, I have a goal to preach the gospel where they haven’t heard of Christ yet, so that I won’t be building on someone else’s foundation. Instead, as it’s written, Those who hadn’t been told about him will see, and those who hadn’t heard will understand.
(Romans 15:14-21, CEB)

“In this way, I have a goal to preach the gospel where they haven’t heard of Christ yet…” Does such a place exist?

Possibly. Notice Paul does not say he wants to take Christ to the people he goes to; he says he wants to preach the gospel where they have not heard it. There is no place you can go that Christ is not already there; that does not mean that all have heard the gospel.

How do we preach the gospel and speak of what Christ has done so all will come to hear and know they are loved by the creator of the universe?

I have a goal to preach the gospel in all I do and say. So all will know they are loved my God.

Love like Jesus. Preach in everything you do.

dedicated

So then, brothers and sisters, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to keep living the way you already are and even do better in how you live and please God—just as you learned from us. You know the instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. God’s will is that your lives are dedicated to him. This means that you stay away from sexual immorality and learn how to control your own body in a pure and respectable way. Don’t be controlled by your sexual urges like the Gentiles who don’t know God. No one should mistreat or take advantage of their brother or sister in this issue. The Lord punishes people for all these things, as we told you before and sternly warned you. God didn’t call us to be immoral but to be dedicated to him. Therefore, whoever rejects these instructions isn’t rejecting a human authority. They are rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. You don’t need us to write about loving your brothers and sisters because God has already taught you to love each other. In fact, you are doing loving deeds for all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. Now we encourage you, brothers and sisters, to do so even more. Aim to live quietly, mind your own business, and earn your own living, just as I told you. That way you’ll behave appropriately toward outsiders, and you won’t be in need. (1 Thessalonians 4:1-12, CEB)

Who is your life dedicated to? Why do you do what you do?

Do you do things to gain respect or get stuff?

We should dedicate our lives to God and to being Their love in the world. We do not do what is best for us, but what the world needs.

We do not seek to gratify ourselves, but to be the witness God needs us to be in the world.

Dedicate your life to God.

produce

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the desert of Judea announcing, “Change your hearts and lives! Here comes the kingdom of heaven!” He was the one of whom Isaiah the prophet spoke when he said: The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, “Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight.” John wore clothes made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. People from Jerusalem, throughout Judea, and all around the Jordan River came to him. As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. Many Pharisees and Sadducees came to be baptized by John. He said to them, “You children of snakes! Who warned you to escape from the angry judgment that is coming soon? Produce fruit that shows you have changed your hearts and lives. And don’t even think about saying to yourselves, Abraham is our father. I tell you that God is able to raise up Abraham’s children from these stones. The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and tossed into the fire. I baptize with water those of you who have changed your hearts and lives. The one who is coming after me is stronger than I am. I’m not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. The shovel he uses to sift the wheat from the husks is in his hands. He will clean out his threshing area and bring the wheat into his barn. But he will burn the husks with a fire that can’t be put out.” (Matthew 3:1-12, CEB)

I have to say the CEB has softened this a bit, and I prefer the NRSV, “You brood of vipers who told you to flee the wrath that is to come.” But still, John does not mince words here.

He sees those he did not expect to see at the place he was baptizing people, and he calls them out.

Would we be so bold?

Then he tells them if they are really there because they have changed, then the fruit of their life should show that. We should not have to say we are Christian; our lives should show it in the fruit we produce.

So let love flow through your life and have the fruit of your works show love in all you do.

Love like Jesus, and the world will know who you follow.

Who are you?

This is John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?”
John confessed (he didn’t deny but confessed), “I’m not the Christ.”
They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
John said, “I’m not.”
“Are you the prophet?”
John answered, “No.”
They asked, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
John replied,
“I am a voice crying out in the wilderness,
    Make the Lord’s path straight,
    just as the prophet Isaiah said.”
Those sent by the Pharisees asked, “Why do you baptize if you aren’t the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?”
John answered, “I baptize with water. Someone greater stands among you, whom you don’t recognize. He comes after me, but I’m not worthy to untie his sandal straps.” This encounter took place across the Jordan in Bethany where John was baptizing. (John 1:19-28, CEB)

Who are you?

Do you know who you are?

John here is asked if he is a bunch of people, he is not. He knows who he is not.

When we meet someone new, we usually ask what the person does. As if our employment is actually who we are. I am a pastor, but that is not who I am; it is part of my identity, but not the full identity.

As John and you, I was sent to help prepare the way of the Lord. To make valleys high and mountains low. To help hearts be open and ready for Jesus.

I am a child of God. Named. Claimed. Sealed. To give love to the world.

Who are you?

prepare

Standing up, Paul gestured with his hand and said, “Fellow Israelites and Gentile God-worshippers, please listen to me. The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors. God made them a great people while they lived as strangers in the land of Egypt. With his great power, he led them out of that country. For about forty years, God put up with them in the wilderness. God conquered seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave the Israelites their land as an inheritance. This happened over a period of about four hundred fifty years. “After this, he gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel. The Israelites requested a king, so God gave them Saul, Kish’s son, from the tribe of Benjamin, and he served as their king for forty years. After God removed him, he raised up David to be their king. God testified concerning him, ‘I have found David, Jesse’s son, a man who shares my desires. Whatever my will is, he will do.’ From this man’s descendants, God brought to Israel a savior, Jesus, just as he promised. Before Jesus’ appearance, John proclaimed to all the Israelites a baptism to show they were changing their hearts and lives. As John was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I’m not the one you think I am, but he is coming after me. I’m not worthy to loosen his sandals.’ (Acts 13:16-25, CEB)

Paul speaks to people who are following God, both people of Israel and those who are not. Telling them the history of God’s People.

This section ends with John, who was called and sent to prepare the way for Jesus. John was not the one we were waiting for, but one sent to prepare the way of the one who is coming.

All of us are like John. We are sent to prepare the way for Jesus. To help others see Jesus.

Are you preparing the way for Jesus?

Are you helping others see Jesus?

replacement

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem—a sabbath day’s journey away. When they entered the city, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter, John, James, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James, Alphaeus’ son; Simon the zealot; and Judas, James’ son— all were united in their devotion to prayer, along with some women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. During this time, the family of believers was a company of about one hundred twenty persons. Peter stood among them and said, “Brothers and sisters, the scripture that the Holy Spirit announced beforehand through David had to be fulfilled. This was the scripture concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus. This happened even though he was one of us and received a share of this ministry.” (In fact, he bought a field with the payment he received for his injustice. Falling headfirst, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines spilled out. This became known to everyone living in Jerusalem, so they called that field in their own language Hakeldama, or “Field of Blood.”) “It is written in the Psalms scroll, Let his home become deserted and let there be no one living in it; and Give his position of leadership to another. “Therefore, we must select one of those who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus lived among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when Jesus was taken from us. This person must become along with us a witness to his resurrection.” So they nominated two: Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. They prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s deepest thoughts and desires. Show us clearly which one you have chosen from among these two to take the place of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.” When they cast lots, the lot fell on Matthias. He was added to the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:12-26, CEB)

Judas, the one who handed Jesus over needed to be replaced, so Peter said, “Therefore, we must select one of those who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus lived among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when Jesus was taken from us. This person must become along with us a witness to his resurrection.” Someone who was with us from the beginning to the end. Did you realize there were people who traveled with Jesus from his baptism by John until after the resurrection? Not only did the 12 do this, but others as well.

I mean, that is what Peter said. One who has accompanied us the whole time from the baptism until Jesus was taken from us, ascended into heaven. And there were at least 2 of them, men that is. And I assume more and if there were men, there were probably women and children too. So how many actually traveled around with Jesus?

And if others were there, why do we only focus on the 12? Yes, they were selected by Jesus, but was Matthias? I mean, the lot could have been chosen by God and given to him, but why those 12? Why not everyone else?

I ask this to say, sometimes we get hung up on the little details that will not matter in the end. Yes, there were others who traveled with Jesus and the 12, and they are important, and yet we do not know who they were, and they still have an impact on the mission and ministry of God.

You are important and have an impact on the mission and ministry of God, even when you think nobody cares or sees it.

Do not worry about the little things. Know you are loved and sent to share love.

deceived

“Then if somebody says to you, ‘Look, here’s the Christ,’ or ‘He’s over here,’ don’t believe it. False christs and false prophets will appear, and they will offer great signs and wonders in order to deceive, if possible, even those whom God has chosen. Look, I’ve told you ahead of time. So if they say to you, ‘Look, he’s in the desert,’ don’t go out. And if they say, ‘Look, he’s in the rooms deep inside the house,’ don’t believe it. Just as the lightning flashes from the east to the west, so it will be with the coming of the Human One. The vultures gather wherever there’s a dead body. “Now immediately after the suffering of that time the sun will become dark, and the moon won’t give its light. The stars will fall from the sky and the planets and other heavenly bodies will be shaken. Then the sign of the Human One will appear in the sky. At that time all the tribes of the earth will be full of sadness, and they will see the Human One coming in the heavenly clouds with power and great splendor. He will send his angels with the sound of a great trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from the four corners of the earth, from one end of the sky to the other. “Learn this parable from the fig tree. After its branch becomes tender and it sprouts new leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you know that the Human One is near, at the door. I assure you that this generation won’t pass away until all these things happen. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will certainly not pass away. (Matthew 24:23-35, CEB)

Do not be deceived. We need to remain focused on Jesus and what we are called and equipped to do.

Everything but the word of God will pass away, and nothing is to be clung to except the word of God. And here the word of God means Jesus. The Bible is a book of stories to help us know God and how God loves us. It was written in dead languages and translated, usually for political purposes, and points us to God, but it is not the thing we cling to.

Cling to Jesus and do not be deceived by those who claim to be him or try to lead you astray.

Love like Jesus.

we need each other

What more can I say? I would run out of time if I told you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. Through faith they conquered kingdoms, brought about justice, realized promises, shut the mouths of lions, put out raging fires, escaped from the edge of the sword, found strength in weakness, were mighty in war, and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured and refused to be released so they could gain a better resurrection. But others experienced public shame by being taunted and whipped; they were even put in chains and in prison. They were stoned to death, they were cut in two, and they died by being murdered with swords. They went around wearing the skins of sheep and goats, needy, oppressed, and mistreated. The world didn’t deserve them. They wandered around in deserts, mountains, caves, and holes in the ground. All these people didn’t receive what was promised, though they were given approval for their faith. God provided something better for us so they wouldn’t be made perfect without us. (Hebrews 11:32-40, CEB)

I had to read this a couple of times because of the last sentence. “God provided something better for us so they wouldn’t be made perfect without us.” Because this is the end of the faith chapter, some cheated death, and others endured death, and yet none of them received the promised but were given approval for their faith. Because “God provided something better for us so they wouldn’t be made perfect without us.”

God provided us, those who came after these told about here in the passage something better, so that those in the passage would be made perfect with us.

We need all believers, and until we understand that, we will continue to wait for Jesus to return.

We need each other.

Grace

So what are we going to say? Should we continue sinning so grace will multiply? Absolutely not! All of us died to sin. How can we still live in it? Or don’t you know that all who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried together with him through baptism into his death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too can walk in newness of life. If we were united together in a death like his, we will also be united together in a resurrection like his. This is what we know: the person that we used to be was crucified with him in order to get rid of the corpse that had been controlled by sin. That way we wouldn’t be slaves to sin anymore, because a person who has died has been freed from sin’s power. But if we died with Christ, we have faith that we will also live with him. We know that Christ has been raised from the dead and he will never die again. Death no longer has power over him. He died to sin once and for all with his death, but he lives for God with his life. In the same way, you also should consider yourselves dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:1-11, CEB)

We have received grace. I have a tattoo of a statement of a pastor friend of mine who told his story of how he used to cut himself in front of 30,000 of his closest friends at an ELCA Youth Gathering. His phrase is, “There’s Grace for That.” I have this on my right forearm, with other tattoos about suicide. Because there is grace for that.

But knowing there is grace for that does not mean we continue doing things that we know are wrong or harmful, and yet sometimes our own minds convince us we need to do them. We do not do wrong or harm to get grace; grace is there to help us move beyond the harm and live in the reality that our demons lie to us and our own minds can play tricks on us.

We are all enough as we are, and God’s grace is enough for all of us.

You are enough.

And no matter who you are or what you do, there’s Grace for that!

Be prepared

“But nobody knows when that day or hour will come, not the heavenly angels and not the Son. Only the Father knows. As it was in the time of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Human One. In those days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. They didn’t know what was happening until the flood came and swept them all away. The coming of the Human One will be like that. At that time there will be two men in the field. One will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill. One will be taken and the other left. Therefore, stay alert! You don’t know what day the Lord is coming. But you understand that if the head of the house knew at what time the thief would come, he would keep alert and wouldn’t allow the thief to break into his house. Therefore, you also should be prepared, because the Human One will come at a time you don’t know. (Matthew 24:36-44, CEB)

The Boy Scout motto is Be Prepared. Be ready for any situation. Now, is it really possible to be prepared for every situation you could encounter? No, it is not. However, you can be prepared for how you handle situations you are not prepared for.

This passage for the First Sunday of Advent, where we are preparing for the coming of Christ, as a baby, and for the return of Christ, helps us understand we do not know when this is going to happen, but in that we still need to be prepared.

It is not about knowing when, but being ready for when it happens.

We are prepared for this by doing what Christ has told us to do: Love God, Love neighbor.

Love.

Be Prepared.