community

Brothers and sisters, we want to let you know about the grace of God that was given to the churches of Macedonia. While they were being tested by many problems, their extra amount of happiness and their extreme poverty resulted in a surplus of rich generosity. I assure you that they gave what they could afford and even more than they could afford, and they did it voluntarily. They urgently begged us for the privilege of sharing in this service for the saints. They even exceeded our expectations, because they gave themselves to the Lord first and to us, consistent with God’s will. As a result, we challenged Titus to finish this work of grace with you the way he had started it. Be the best in this work of grace in the same way that you are the best in everything, such as faith, speech, knowledge, total commitment, and the love we inspired in you. I’m not giving an order, but by mentioning the commitment of others, I’m trying to prove the authenticity of your love also. You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you could become rich through his poverty. I’m giving you my opinion about this. It’s to your advantage to do this, since you not only started to do it last year but you wanted to do it too. Now finish the job as well so that you finish it with as much enthusiasm as you started, given what you can afford. A gift is appreciated because of what a person can afford, not because of what that person can’t afford, if it’s apparent that it’s done willingly. It isn’t that we want others to have financial ease and you financial difficulties, but it’s a matter of equality. At the present moment, your surplus can fill their deficit so that in the future their surplus can fill your deficit. In this way there is equality. As it is written, The one who gathered more didn’t have too much, and the one who gathered less didn’t have too little. (2 Corinthians 8:1-15, CEB)

Who are your resources for?

Or to state that a different way, why are you blessed now?

We are blessed to be a blessing.

When we have more resources, we should build a bigger table and not a bigger wall.

When we share in our surplus, when we are in need others will share with us. It is not a quid pro quo but a maintaining of relationships in the community. We all support one another.

When we share love, love will be returned.

Love always.

Love always wins.

Loving People. Loving God.

Are you the one?

John’s disciples informed him about all these things. John called two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord. They were to ask him, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for someone else?” When they reached Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you. He asks, ‘Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for someone else?’” Right then, Jesus healed many of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he gave sight to a number of blind people. Then he replied to John’s disciples, “Go, report to John what you have seen and heard. Those who were blind are able to see. Those who were crippled now walk. People with skin diseases are cleansed. Those who were deaf now hear. Those who were dead are raised up. And good news is preached to the poor. Happy is anyone who doesn’t stumble along the way because of me.” After John’s messengers were gone, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A stalk blowing in the wind? What did you go out to see? A man dressed up in refined clothes? Look, those who dress in fashionable clothes and live in luxury are in royal palaces. What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. He is the one of whom it’s written: Look, I’m sending my messenger before you, who will prepare your way before you. I tell you that no greater human being has ever been born than John. Yet whoever is least in God’s kingdom is greater than he.” Everyone who heard this, including the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and legal experts rejected God’s will for themselves because they hadn’t been baptized by John. (Luke 7:18-30, CEB)

Tell what you have seen.

Tell what you have experienced.

People are healed.

Relationships are restored.

What are you looking for as proof?

Is not knowing love enough?

If love is not enough, what would be enough?

While we wait, we can show love to those who are not loved.

While we wait, we can lift up the downtrodden.

While we wait, we can bring hope to the hopeless.

Let us be light and show love in all we do.

Love always wins.

Loving People. Loving God.

Love

May you have more and more grace and peace through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory. Through his honor and glory he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, that you may share the divine nature and escape from the world’s immorality that sinful craving produces. This is why you must make every effort to add moral excellence to your faith; and to moral excellence, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, endurance; and to endurance, godliness; and to godliness, affection for others; and to affection for others, love. If all these are yours and they are growing in you, they’ll keep you from becoming inactive and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Whoever lacks these things is shortsighted and blind, forgetting that they were cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, brothers and sisters, be eager to confirm your call and election. Do this and you will never ever be lost. In this way you will receive a rich welcome into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. So I’ll keep reminding you about these things, although you already know them and stand secure in the truth you have. I think it’s right that I keep stirring up your memory, as long as I’m alive. After all, our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I am about to depart from this life. I’m eager for you always to remember these things after my death. (2 Peter 1:2-15, CEB)

Love. Above all else. So you are growing, becoming active and fruitful in the Lord.

As we wait for Christ to fulfill the kingdom, let us work on being loving to all humanity. Let us seek justice and equality for all humanity.

Because moral excellence leads to knowledge, knowledge leads to self-control, self-control leads to endurance, endurance leads to godliness, godliness to affection for others, and affection for others leads to love.

So love.

Loving People. Loving God.

patience

We know that the whole creation is groaning together and suffering labor pains up until now. And it’s not only the creation. We ourselves who have the Spirit as the first crop of the harvest also groan inside as we wait to be adopted and for our bodies to be set free. We were saved in hope. If we see what we hope for, that isn’t hope. Who hopes for what they already see? But if we hope for what we don’t see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:22-25, CEB)

Who hopes for what they already see?

We do not hope for something we have. We hope for something we do not have or are waiting on. We have patience when we have to wait.

Patience in the promises God will deliver.

Patience as we hope for the fulfillment of the kingdom.

Patience as we wait for the healing of the nations.

Patience as we wait for love to be fulfilled.

As you wait in patience, be hopeful of what is in store, and work towards sharing love in all you do.

Loving People. Loving God.

All Humanity!

In the fifteenth year of the rule of the emperor Tiberius—when Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea and Herod was ruler over Galilee, his brother Philip was ruler over Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was ruler over Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas—God’s word came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. John went throughout the region of the Jordan River, calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins. This is just as it was written in the scroll of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
A voice crying out in the wilderness:
    “Prepare the way for the Lord;
        make his paths straight.
Every valley will be filled,
    and every mountain and hill will be leveled.
The crooked will be made straight
    and the rough places made smooth.
All humanity will see God’s salvation.”
(Luke 3:1-6, CEB)

John went where most normal people wouldn’t go to make sure that all humanity heard the message.

Every valley will be filled and every mountain leveled and everything crooked will be made straight and rough places will be made smooth. All obstacles will be removed.

What obstacles do we put in front of others and ourselves?

What can we do, like John, to move out of our comfort zone to prepare the way of the Lord?

As we wait for God, let us prepare the way and remove obstacles that keep love from flowing.

Loving People. Loving God.

Depend on others

Jesus called the Twelve together and he gave them power and authority over all demons and to heal sicknesses. He sent them out to proclaim God’s kingdom and to heal the sick. He told them, “Take nothing for the journey—no walking stick, no bag, no bread, no money, not even an extra shirt. Whatever house you enter, remain there until you leave that place. Wherever they don’t welcome you, as you leave that city, shake the dust off your feet as a witness against them.” They departed and went through the villages proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere. (Luke 9:1-6, CEB)

Jesus gave the disciples power and authority. However, they needed to rely on others for daily needs.

They could cast out demons and heal the sick, but they needed others for a place to sleep and something to eat.

We can not do this life alone. We need community to help us.

Share love. Share resources.

Be love.

Loving People. Loving God.

Stay.

What do I think about this? Just this: since Christ is proclaimed in every possible way, whether from dishonest or true motives, I’m glad and I’ll continue to be glad. I’m glad because I know that this will result in my release through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. It is my expectation and hope that I won’t be put to shame in anything. Rather, I hope with daring courage that Christ’s greatness will be seen in my body, now as always, whether I live or die. Because for me, living serves Christ and dying is even better. If I continue to live in this world, I get results from my work. But I don’t know what I prefer. I’m torn between the two because I want to leave this life and be with Christ, which is far better. However, it’s more important for me to stay in this world for your sake. I’m sure of this: I will stay alive and remain with all of you to help your progress and the joy of your faith, and to increase your pride in Christ Jesus through my presence when I visit you again. (Philippians 1:18-26, CEB)

I want to know if Paul is contemplating what he may be considering here.

“But I don’t know what I prefer.”

“I’m torn between the two…”

“I want to leave this life and be with Christ, which is far better.”

“However, it’s more important for me to stay in this world for your sake.”

Is Paul considering taking his own life? It is far better to be with Christ, but I need to be here for you, so I won’t leave this place.

He is in prison and beaten up. He does decide, “I will stay alive and remain with all of you to help”.

As we wait it is hard. We will be weighed down by life and circumstances, but all of us form the community that shows God’s love to the world We need each other and we are not the image of God without each piece.

Stay. Know you are needed.

Loving People. Loving God.

why do you?

Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that the things that have happened to me have actually advanced the gospel. The whole Praetorian Guard and everyone else knows that I’m in prison for Christ. Most of the brothers and sisters have had more confidence through the Lord to speak the word boldly and bravely because of my jail time. Some certainly preach Christ with jealous and competitive motives, but others preach with good motives. They are motivated by love, because they know that I’m put here to give a defense of the gospel; the others preach Christ because of their selfish ambition. They are insincere, hoping to cause me more pain while I’m in prison. What do I think about this? Just this: since Christ is proclaimed in every possible way, whether from dishonest or true motives, I’m glad and I’ll continue to be glad. (Philippians 1:12-18, CEB)

Why do you preach Christ? Some of you might say, “I don’t preach Christ.” To which I would say you do, however, let me rephrase what I said.

Why do you share the love of God, or claim to follow God? Do you share Christ to gain something personally? Do you share Christ so that others may know the love of God?

What is your motivation? Love? Gain?

God knows why you do what you do.

Share God and God’s love out of love for all as we wait for the Lord to come and fulfill the kingdom.

Love always wins!

Loving People. Loving God.

Sign

When the crowds grew, Jesus said, “This generation is an evil generation. It looks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except Jonah’s sign. Just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Human One will be a sign to this generation. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from a distant land to hear Solomon’s wisdom. And look, someone greater than Solomon is here. The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they changed their hearts and lives in response to Jonah’s preaching—and one greater than Jonah is here. (Luke 11:29-32, CEB)

What sign are you looking for?

What sign would make you believe?

Jesus said the only sign given will be Jonah’s sign. What is Jonah’s sign?

Jonah spent 3 days in a big fish’s belly, like a tomb.

And someone “greater than Jonah is here.”

Do we see the sign and believe?

What are we waiting for?

Loving People. Loving God.

enter by the gate

“Look! I’m coming soon. My reward is with me, to repay all people as their actions deserve. I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Favored are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right of access to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs, the drug users and spell-casters, those who commit sexual immorality, the murderers, the idolaters, and all who love and practice deception. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to bear witness to all of you about these things for the churches. I’m the root and descendant of David, the bright morning star. (Revelation 22:12-16, CEB)

“Favored are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right of access to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.” Does this mean if my robe is dirty I have to climb over the wall? And is washing their robe something they do?

And what does it mean to be favored? You are elevated above the rest, but does that mean the rest are still included they just aren’t favored?

Deception practicing people are outside. But are they included and not favored?

This passage out of context is not really telling much because one could read it is you didn’t wash your robes, you are not included. However you can also read it if you wash your robes you are favored, and the rest are just outside but still included.

My issue here is I have to wash my robes. Some can’t wash their robes, so how are the included?

How do we who can do something make sure those who can’t get the same access we have?

Advent is about waiting for the coming of a baby and waiting for the coming of our Lord to fulfill the kingdom. How can we work for justice and equality for all as we wait?

Loving People. Loving God.