Be One.

“I’m not praying only for them but also for those who believe in me because of their word. I pray they will be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. I pray that they also will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me. I’ve given them the glory that you gave me so that they can be one just as we are one. I’m in them and you are in me so that they will be made perfectly one. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you have loved them just as you loved me. “Father, I want those you gave me to be with me where I am. Then they can see my glory, which you gave me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, even the world didn’t know you, but I’ve known you, and these believers know that you sent me. I’ve made your name known to them and will continue to make it known so that your love for me will be in them, and I myself will be in them.” (John 17:20-26, CEB)

This is Jesus’s high priestly prayer, in which he prays for himself, the disciples, and all who will follow him. This is for all who will follow him because of the words and actions of believers.

I wonder, though, how many have chosen not to follow Jesus because of the words and actions of people who claim to follow? Here, Jesus prays that all would be one. That we would move in the world and be united in the love God has given us. Yet people who claim to follow Jesus use their faith for hate and to work to eliminate people from existence, is this being one? Is this working for what God has called us to work towards?

We were taught what the bible said in order to keep power in place for certain groups of people. Jesus was killed because he was going against the power structures of the world and trying to show us a better way to live.

When we are one, we love all as God made them and do not try to make people fit into our boxes.

Lose your box.

God does not fit, and neither will I nor anyone else.

Love.

Loving People. Loving God.

seen God

The Word became flesh
    and made his home among us.
We have seen his glory,
    glory like that of a father’s only son,
        full of grace and truth.
John testified about him, crying out, “This is the one of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than me because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace;
    as the Law was given through Moses,
    so grace and truth came into being through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
    God the only Son,
        who is at the Father’s side,
        has made God known. (John 1:14-18, CEB)

No one has seen God but Jesus, the Word made flesh, who dwelt among us, has made God known.

Grace was given through Jesus being here, and we have seen how we are to live.

So go and be like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

keep the words

Then he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. “Look! I’m coming soon. Favored is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy contained in this scroll.” I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown them to me. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I’m a servant just like you and your brothers and sisters, the prophets, and those who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!” (Revelation 22:6-9, CEB)

Favored is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy contained in this scroll.

What are the words on the scroll?

Is it love?

Love God, Love Neighbor? That is really what Jesus told us. The command he gave the disciples was to love one another, and God told Paul that nothing God had made is profane, so those two together tell us all that all people are to be loved.

So favored is the one who loves, without question or judgment.

Love.

Loving People. Loving God.

heavenly power

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.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. He said to them, “This is what is written: the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and a change of heart and life for the forgiveness of sins must be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. 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.” He led them out as far as Bethany, where he lifted his hands and blessed them. As he blessed them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. They worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem overwhelmed with joy. And they were continuously in the temple praising God. (Luke 24:44-53, CEB)

Heavenly Power!

Jesus told the disciples he was sending what had been promised, that they needed to stay in the city until they had been furnished with heavenly power.

The Spirit is coming.

Are you ready for heavenly power?

Loving People. Loving God.

Simeon

A man named Simeon was in Jerusalem. He was righteous and devout. He eagerly anticipated the restoration of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. The Holy Spirit revealed to him that he wouldn’t die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Led by the Spirit, he went into the temple area. Meanwhile, Jesus’ parents brought the child to the temple so that they could do what was customary under the Law. Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said, “Now, master, let your servant go in peace according to your word, because my eyes have seen your salvation. You prepared this salvation in the presence of all peoples. It’s a light for revelation to the Gentiles and a glory for your people Israel.” His father and mother were amazed by what was said about him. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “This boy is assigned to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that generates opposition so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your innermost being too.” There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, who belonged to the tribe of Asher. She was very old. After she married, she lived with her husband for seven years. She was now an 84-year-old widow. She never left the temple area but worshipped God with fasting and prayer night and day. She approached at that very moment and began to praise God and to speak about Jesus to everyone who was looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:25-38, CEB)

Simeon was a devout and righteous man who followed God.

He anticipated the fulfillment of scripture and the coming of the Messiah.

The Spirit revealed Simeon would not die until he had seen the Messiah.

Are you like Simeon?

Are you devout?

Are you righteous?

Are you looking for the coming kingdom of God?

Oh, to see Jesus, and know God is fulfilling all things for the kingdom to come.

Let us look for Jesus.

In the world.
In each other.

So that we might love like God.

Loving People. Loving God.

Is this supposed to impress?

The angel who spoke to me had a gold measuring rod with which to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. Now the city was laid out as a square. Its length was the same as its width. He measured the city with the rod, and it was fifteen hundred miles. Its length and width and height were equal. He also measured the thickness of its wall. It was two hundred sixteen feet thick, as a person—or rather, an angel—measures things. The wall was built of jasper, and the city was pure gold, like pure glass. The city wall’s foundations were decorated with every kind of jewel. The first foundation was jasper, the second was sapphire, the third was chalcedony, and the fourth was emerald. The fifth was sardonyx, the sixth was carnelian, the seventh was chrysolite, and the eighth was beryl. The ninth was topaz, the tenth was chrysoprase, the eleventh was jacinth, and the twelfth was amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was made from a single pearl. And the city’s main street was pure gold, as transparent as glass. I didn’t see a temple in the city, because its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb. (Revelation 21:15-22, CEB)

How do you feel about reading the description of the city of God?

And it is measured as a person, or rather, an angel measures things. Does this mean there is another way to measure things?

But the city is gold and covered in jewels. From my understanding of this, we will walk on gold and sit on jewels. The things we spend time and energy getting will be our seats and pavement in the Kingdom of God. They are construction materials at best.

We need to refocus our desires on God’s and love like we were commanded to.

Loving People. Loving God.

The second death

Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look! I’m making all things new.” He also said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Then he said to me, “All is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will freely give water from the life-giving spring. Those who emerge victorious will inherit these things. I will be their God, and they will be my sons and daughters. But for the cowardly, the faithless, the vile, the murderers, those who commit sexual immorality, those who use drugs and cast spells, the idolaters and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.” Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues spoke with me. “Come,” he said, “I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” He took me in a Spirit-inspired trance to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. The city had God’s glory. Its brilliance was like a priceless jewel, like jasper that was as clear as crystal. It had a great high wall with twelve gates. By the gates were twelve angels, and on the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel’s sons. There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. The city wall had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the Lamb’s twelve apostles. (Revelation 21:5-14, CEB)

This is the second death. Their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur…

The first death is the human one, and the second death is eternal separation from God. For those who do not follow what God has called us to do, the cowardly, the faithless, the vile, the murderers, those who commit sexual immorality, those who use drugs and cast spells, the idolaters and all liars.

Let’s look at that list:

Cowardly
Faithless
Vile
Murderers
Drug Users
Spell Casters
Idolaters
Liars

Ok, I am one who will suffer from the second death. I am a drug user; I take pills every day for medical conditions. I am a coward when it comes to some things, I am sometimes faithless, I also idolize things and put them before God from time to time. I am sure I have told a lie, although I strive to tell the truth in all times and places. I have killed bugs, so I am a murderer.

None of us will get by the list I have above. And I left off the sexual immorality committers. The word here means those who engage in sexual immorality, which is any gender and is distinguished from adultery. What does that mean? It is not adultery but any other sexual immorality. I would think it is rape, using people as property for your own pleasure and the like, but I would not say it is anything that is part of a loving consentual relationship of any gender.

So, who will befall the second death?

I fall back on Grace, and thank God that is not my call.

There is grace for that!

Loving People. Loving God.

παράκλητος

Jesus answered, “Whoever loves me will keep my word. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words. The word that you hear isn’t mine. It is the word of the Father who sent me. “I have spoken these things to you while I am with you. The Companion, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I told you. “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid. You have heard me tell you, ‘I’m going away and returning to you.’ If you loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than me. I have told you before it happens so that when it happens you will believe. (John 14:23-29, CEB)

Jesus says, “The Companion” will be sent. The word in the original language is παράκλητος, paraclete. It is a term that applies to the Holy Spirit, which Jesus says after the term in our reading today, it is often translated as advocate, helper, or comforter. In the translation above, it is translated as companion. Louw & Nida gives a definition of helper, encourager, or mediator.

So the paraclete is not something you wear to play sports, or a bird you might have as a pet. It is a companion, a helper, an encourager, a mediator, an advocate.

Someone who stands in the gap and helps you on the journey and keeps you connected to the things that allow you to be who you were/are created to be.

We all have a παράκλητος, maybe it is time we all be a παράκλητος.

Stand in the gap for those who are losing rights.
Be an encourager for those who are being made less than human.
Be a companion to those who seem to be alone.
Help those who are being held down.
Advocate for the last, least, lost, and little.

This is what Jesus calls us to do by keeping his word.

Love all the world and be a παράκλητος.

Loving People. Loving God.

Who?

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through town. A man there named Zacchaeus, a ruler among tax collectors, was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but, being a short man, he couldn’t because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When Jesus came to that spot, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down at once. I must stay in your home today.” So Zacchaeus came down at once, happy to welcome Jesus. Everyone who saw this grumbled, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my possessions to the poor. And if I have cheated anyone, I repay them four times as much.” Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this household because he too is a son of Abraham. The Human One came to seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:1-10, CEB)

If Jesus were here today, who would he ask to go eat with?

As I typed that sentence, I thought of the current occupant of the White House. But then I also thought Zacchaeus sought out Jesus. Climbed a tree so he could see him. I can conjecture what the occupant of the White House would do, but I can not say for sure. But when Jesus would go to visit there, people would be upset, not those who think the current occupant is following Jesus, but those who are sure he is not.

We think we know the mind of God and that what we want is what God wants. That is a sure way to know that your god is not actually God, but your own creation. None of us gets what God wants all the time.

Be surprised, and do not let that surprise get in the way of God moving in the world.

Loving People. Loving God.

He did what?

Paul reached Derbe, and then Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy. He was the son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father. The brothers and sisters in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Paul wanted to take Timothy with him, so he circumcised him. This was because of the Jews who lived in those areas, for they all knew Timothy’s father was Greek. As Paul and his companions traveled through the cities, they instructed Gentile believers to keep the regulations put in place by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and every day their numbers flourished. Paul and his companions traveled throughout the regions of Phrygia and Galatia because the Holy Spirit kept them from speaking the word in the province of Asia. When they approached the province of Mysia, they tried to enter the province of Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn’t let them. Passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas instead. (Acts 16:1-8, CEB)

“Paul wanted to take Timothy with him, so he circumcised him. “

Now, did Paul actually do that, or did someone else, and Paul had Timothy get circumcised?

“This was because of the Jews who lived in those areas, for they all knew Timothy’s father was Greek.” But is not Paul the one who told us there is no Jew or Greek and circumcision is not needed? Yes, he is, but that, my friends, is a different book of the Bible, and why interpreting the Bible is so much fun.

You see, there are at least four Pauls in the New Testament. There is Paul, who wrote some of the epistles attributed to him. There is the Paul who is not Paul, meaning other people wrote under the name Paul. There is the Paul that might be Paul, or might not, scholars can not agree, and there is the Paul in Acts, who is the Paul who traveled and wrote, but sometimes seems to do weird things that are not in the letters attributed to Paul. And we jumble all of these into our heads, and they come out as one person. That is what makes interpreting the Bible interesting.

So is circumcision needed? Did Paul have Timothy circumcised?

Grace says no it is not. But Paul still may have to make things easier, because people do not always follow what God has called us to do.

So love. So your friend does not have to get circumcised to make things easier.

Loving People. Loving God.