Same mind

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2:5-11, NRSV)

As I read this passage again for the I don’t know how many times, I was struck by the fact that I knew but may not have sunk in.

Jesus was God. He could have not been put on the cross. He could have stopped all of it from happening. He could have made it all go away. He had the power to stop it.

But He didn’t.

You see, it is not about things going our way.

It is not about us getting to have a great life and everything we have ever wanted.

It is not about us escaping pain or suffering.

It is about us thinking of the other before ourselves.

You see that is what Jesus did. he thought of you, rather than Himself and went to the cross for you!

So have the same mind as Jesus and think of the other first.

Complete joy

We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us—we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. (1 John 1:1-4, NRSV)

The word of God came into the world so we may have joy and that our joy maybe made complete.

Jesus came to show us a way of life that would give us pure joy. Not always good times, or freedom from anxiety or persecution, but true and complete joy in the Father.

And we all spread this joyous news so that all may gather and fellowship in His name!

So go and shout it from the mountaintops that Jesus Christ has come to make our joy complete!

Became flesh

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. (John 1:1-18, NRSV)

And the word became flesh and dwelt among us. Or more literally the word became flesh and tented among us.

The word of God that moved over the waters and brough creation into being has come and made camp among us!

He has found favor in us and has made His home with us.

We are His creation and His dwelling place.

Let the light shine in and through you into this darkened world!

A big House

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!” Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together. To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. For there the thrones for judgment were set up, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.” For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good. (Psalm 122, NRSV)

When I read this Psalm I instantly thought of Big House by Audio Adrenaline. So I went looking for a picture of God’s Big House.

Google it if you want, but to find a picture of God’s Big House that isn’t a church is not difficult, but the other options I got on that search were football stadiums. Which is a place where worship happens, but not always of God.

I found a picture of Solomon’s Temple, which is above and on the right. It is God’s house as prescribed in God’s written word to His chosen people. But is this the house we are all going to? It was destroyed around 72 CE.

So where is or what does the House of the Lord look like?

Well according to Audio Adrenaline it is a big big house with lots and lots of room. There is plenty of room for all of us at the dining room table and there is a big yard where we can play football.

It is a wonderful place that we will all be filled with joy to go to.

 

Memories Jar

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”  2 Corinthians 5:17

Now is the time we say we are going to spend less time watching TV, and being on our phones. We are going to join the gym and go every day. We are going to eat healthier and do what is better for our bodies. We are going to get in shape. Well not to bust your bubble but round is a shape…

Memories JarThis year I have something for all of us to try. Get a jar, maybe a mason jar, like the one pictured, or another jar. Make sure there is a place for this jar where you and your family walk by it every day. Now also make sure there are paper and a writing implement nearby. This jar is your 2016 Memories Jar. Whenever there is something someone wants to remember they write it on a piece of paper and put it in the jar. Then you and your family will open the jar on 12/31/16 and relive the memories of your year. You will see what you have to be thankful for over the past year, and have so many things to look forward to in 2017.

But also remember that these memories include God, because we are thinking of becoming something new, and God already did that for us. He made each of us new at our baptisms, and He is walking with us. So by reading over the memories of the past year, you can also see how God has walked with you.

May God bless our years ahead together in His mission and ministry!

Where

One day, as he was teaching the people in the temple and telling the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came with the elders and said to him, “Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?”  He answered them, “I will also ask you a question, and you tell me:  Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?”  They discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us; for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” So they answered that they did not know where it came from. Then Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.” (Luke 20:1-8, NRSV)

Jesus usually didn’t answer a question with an answer, but more likely with another question. You see Jesus wanted to know where people were coming from and what their intentions were.

The leaders in the temple came to Jesus and asked Him where the authority He did the things He did came from. So He, wanting to know why they wanted to know this, asked where the baptism of John came from. If they said man, then He knew they were working the system and wanted to keep themselves in power rather than follow God, and if they said Heaven it would mean they wanted what God wanted. Even though they thought that He would ask why they weren’t baptized, or why they didn’t believe.

So they do not answer or say they do not know. So He does not tell them. But would they have listened or believed Him any how.

Jesus’ authority comes from the Father. So believe Him and follow after Him.

What Would Jesus Do

Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves; and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. He was teaching and saying, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. (Mark 11:15-18, NRSV)

Jesus enters the temple and sees the money changers and those selling animals for sacrifice for worship.

This was necessary because the temple had its own money and did not use Roman money. And people traveled long distances and did not bring the animals they needed for sacrifice and needed to get them somewhere. So these money changers and animal sellers were necessary for worship.

But they were taking money from the people rather than leading them to worship.

They were using the people to make money. We are not in the business of making money. We are in the business of connecting people with God.

So always remember that Jesus calls us to lead others to God and if that means the table needs to be turned, then the tables need to be turned.

Jesus presented

After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.” There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. (Luke 2:21-40, NRSV)

Mary and Joseph followed the law and had Jesus circumcised on the 8th day and presented the sacrifice they had to.

He was designated as Holy to the Lord. And Simeon who was waiting to see the deliverance of Israel saw Him and proclaimed to Mary and Joseph the wonders of the Child.

And Anna told them that they would be pierced and in agony because of what this Child’s life would bring.

They did as they were supposed to under the law in presenting Jesus and were presented with a knowledge of their Son they probably wish they didn’t have, but was nothing they shouldn’t expect after the way they were introduced to the fact they would have a child.

He is the savior of the world!

called

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD under Eli. The word of the LORD was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. The LORD called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. The LORD called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” Then the LORD said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering forever.” Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” He said, “Here I am.” Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, “It is the LORD; let him do what seems good to him.” As Samuel grew up, the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. (1 Samuel 3:1-19, NRSV)

If it were as easy as the picture makes it seem to answer a call from God none of us miss it.

We might ignore it, or decline it, but as one who is called, it is not always this apparent.

Like Samuel sometimes it is not apparent what is happening and we feel like we are being called by or to something but it isn’t clear.

Ask your pastor or a friend who is a clergy/pastor/priest about their call story and I bet there will be details like Samuels.

God doesn’t give up on us, so know He is calling you also!