Hope sure to the end

So let’s press on to maturity, by moving on from the basics about Christ’s word. Let’s not lay a foundation of turning away from dead works, of faith in God, of teaching about ritual ways to wash with water, laying on of hands, the resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgment—all over again. We’re going to press on, if God allows it. Because it’s impossible to restore people to changed hearts and lives who turn away once they have seen the light, tasted the heavenly gift, become partners with the Holy Spirit, and tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age. They are crucifying God’s Son all over again and exposing him to public shame. The ground receives a blessing from God when it drinks up the rain that regularly comes and falls on it and yields a useful crop for those people for whom it is being farmed. But if it produces thorns and thistles, it’s useless and close to being cursed. It ends up being burned. But we are convinced of better things in your case, brothers and sisters, even though we are talking this way—things that go together with salvation. God isn’t unjust so that he forgets your efforts and the love you have shown for his name’s sake when you served and continue to serve God’s holy people. But we desperately want each of you to show the same effort to make your hope sure until the end. This is so you won’t be lazy but follow the example of the ones who inherit the promises through faith and patience. (Hebrews 6:1-12, CEB)

We press on, doing what God has called us to do.

We press on, being open to the moving of the spirit to be where and do what God calls us to do and be.

We press on, to make sure hope is seen and felt to the end.

Even in the darkest of moments, there is hope. God is always with us.

Trust in God and live in hope.

Loving People. Loving God.

Do you know what you ask?

James and John, Zebedee’s sons, came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. They said, “Allow one of us to sit on your right and the other on your left when you enter your glory.” Jesus replied, “You don’t know what you’re asking! Can you drink the cup I drink or receive the baptism I receive?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said, “You will drink the cup I drink and receive the baptism I receive, but to sit at my right or left hand isn’t mine to give. It belongs to those for whom it has been prepared.” Now when the other ten disciples heard about this, they became angry with James and John. Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the ones who are considered the rulers by the Gentiles show off their authority over them and their high-ranking officials order them around. But that’s not the way it will be with you. Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant. Whoever wants to be first among you will be the slave of all, for the Human One didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and to give his life to liberate many people.” (Mark 10:35-45, CEB)

I always find this request very interesting based on what we as Lutherans confess every week in worship through the creed. Now James and John would not have known these creeds or probably have been told this is they way it will be in the coming Kingdom. Now we confess that Jesus ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father. Now if Jesus is at God’s right hand, who is at Jesus’ left side? Yes, that would be the Father. So James or John is asking to be seated in the place of the Father.

When we seek glory and fame we are not following Jesus.

Following Jesus means we take the seat of least notability and are ready to serve all.

Follow Jesus, don’t speak fame, be ready to serve.

Loving People. Loving God.

Serve

An argument broke out among the disciples over which one of them should be regarded as the greatest. But Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles rule over their subjects, and those in authority over them are called ‘friends of the people.’ But that’s not the way it will be with you. Instead, the greatest among you must become like a person of lower status and the leader like a servant. So which one is greater, the one who is seated at the table or the one who serves at the table? Isn’t it the one who is seated at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. “You are the ones who have continued with me in my trials. And I confer royal power on you just as my Father granted royal power to me. Thus you will eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones overseeing the twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:24-30, CEB)

If you think being a follower of Jesus is going to raise your status you have some waking up to do.

Being a follower of Jesus is going to make you to be amongst the lowest of lows.

In order to be great in the kingdom you need to be ready and willing to serve everyone.

We are called to serve, not be served.

Loving People. Loving God.

WHAT?!?!

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls spoke with me. “Come,” he said, “I will show you the judgment upon the great prostitute, who is seated on deep waters. The kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and those who live on earth have become drunk with the wine of her whoring.” Then he brought me in a Spirit-inspired trance to a desert. There I saw a woman seated on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names. It had seven heads and ten horns. The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing, and she glittered with gold and jewels and pearls. In her hand she held a gold cup full of the vile and impure things that came from her activity as a prostitute. A name—a mystery—was written on her forehead: “Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes and the vile things of the earth.” I saw that the woman was drunk on the blood of the saints and the blood of Jesus’ witnesses. I was completely stunned when I saw her. Then the angel said to me, “Why are you amazed? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and the seven-headed, ten-horned beast that carries her. The beast that you saw was and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. Those who live on earth, whose names haven’t been written in the scroll of life from the time the earth was made, will be amazed when they see the beast, because it was and is not and will again be present. This calls for an understanding mind. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated. They are also seven kings. Five kings have fallen, the one is, and the other hasn’t yet come. When that king comes, he must remain for only a short time. As for the beast that was and is not, it is itself an eighth king that belongs to the seven, and it is going to destruction. The ten horns that you saw are ten kings, who haven’t yet received royal power. But they will receive royal authority for an hour, along with the beast. These kings will be of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. They will make war on the Lamb, but the Lamb will emerge victorious, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those with him are called, chosen, and faithful.” Then he said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples, crowds, nations, and languages. As for the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will destroy her and strip her bare. They will devour her flesh and burn her with fire because God moved them to carry out his purposes. That is why they will be of one mind and give their royal power to the beast, until God’s words have been accomplished. The woman whom you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:1-18, CEB)

What did we just read?

a great prostitute who is seated upon the deep waters, who the kings of the earth have committed sexual immoralities with, and the inhabitants of the earth have become drunk on the wine of her whoring…

Then another woman covered in purple seated on a beast covered in blasphemous names. Something about the woman being drunk on the blood of the saints and Jesus’ witnesses.

Please do not read this and think it speaks to present times. Remember that Revelation is a book written to a people to give them hope in darkness and to remind them God is always with them. So maybe we can read this and know that God is going to be with us through the strange darkness that life sometimes is.

Know God is always with us, even when we don’t understand.

Loving People. Loving God.

Welcome

So welcome each other, in the same way that Christ also welcomed you, for God’s glory. I’m saying that Christ became a servant of those who are circumcised for the sake of God’s truth, in order to confirm the promises given to the ancestors, and so that the Gentiles could glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises to your name. And again, it says, Rejoice, Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and all the people should sing his praises. And again, Isaiah says, There will be a root of Jesse, who will also rise to rule the Gentiles. The Gentiles will place their hope in him. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:7-13, CEB)

Welcome each other as Christ welcomed you.

Nothing was asked for, everything was given.

All are welcome.

That decision was made long before you existed.

You are asked to welcome each other as Christ welcomed you.

Loving People. Loving God.

rises from the dead.

“There was a certain rich man who clothed himself in purple and fine linen, and who feasted luxuriously every day. At his gate lay a certain poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. Lazarus longed to eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Instead, dogs would come and lick his sores. “The poor man died and was carried by angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. While being tormented in the place of the dead, he looked up and saw Abraham at a distance with Lazarus at his side. He shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I’m suffering in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received good things, whereas Lazarus received terrible things. Now Lazarus is being comforted and you are in great pain. Moreover, a great crevasse has been fixed between us and you. Those who wish to cross over from here to you cannot. Neither can anyone cross from there to us.’ “The rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, Father, send Lazarus to my father’s house. I have five brothers. He needs to warn them so that they don’t come to this place of agony.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. They must listen to them.’ The rich man said, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will change their hearts and lives.’ Abraham said, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, then neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16:19-31, CEB)

“neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.” Well someone did rise from the grave and some people still don’t get it.

I wonder as I read this passage is it about hell, Jesus rising from the dead, or something else? Or is it about all of these and more?

One could argue it is about hell and the river is the river Styx, but is that biblical? One could say it is about Jesus foretelling his death and resurrection. Or you could take in the context of the chapter and see the story before is about divorce and marriage, or relationships and maybe this is a commentary on how we treat those around us, or if we even see those around us.

I would argue it is more about the last above than either of the others. I would say that hell, as we know it in Evangelical Christian understanding, does not exist, and is not biblical. Jesus will die and rise again, so he will come back from the dead and people still don’t buy, but honestly, I believe Jesus is commenting on relationships and the lack of people seeing other people as people. We come up with all kinds of ways to say those people are not like us so therefore they do not belong.

No one is less of a person than anyone else.

Gender doesn’t make you less of a person.

Skintone doesn’t make you less of a person.

Nationality doesn’t make you less of a person.

Sexuality doesn’t make you less of a person.

We are all children of God.

See each other through God’s eyes.

Siblings. Fellow travelers.

Love Like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

Hope?

Then, when the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Another angel came and stood at the altar, and he held a gold bowl for burning incense. He was given a large amount of incense, in order to offer it on behalf of the prayers of all the saints on the gold altar in front of the throne. The smoke of the incense offered for the prayers of the saints rose up before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the incense container and filled it with fire from the altar. He threw it down to the earth, and there were thunder, voices, lightning, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:1-5, CEB)

This is part of a book meant to bring hope, even with fire raining from Heaven to Earth.

Bad things happen and God is not a puppet master. We are never promised a smooth walk on this side of the kingdom. We are promised God will always be with us.

That is the hope. Even in the darkness, even in the earthquakes, and the catastrophes God is with us.

Love like Jesus. That shows that God is with us!

Loving People. Loving God.

Hardships

After this I looked, and there was a great crowd that no one could number. They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language. They were standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They wore white robes and held palm branches in their hands. They cried out with a loud voice:
“Victory belongs to our God
        who sits on the throne,
            and to the Lamb.”
All the angels stood in a circle around the throne, and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell facedown before the throne and worshipped God, saying,
“Amen! Blessing and glory
        and wisdom and thanksgiving
        and honor and power and might
            be to our God forever and always. Amen.”
Then one of the elders said to me, “Who are these people wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”
I said to him, “Sir, you know.”
Then he said to me, “These people have come out of great hardship. They have washed their robes and made them white in the Lamb’s blood. This is the reason they are before God’s throne. They worship him day and night in his temple, and the one seated on the throne will shelter them. They won’t hunger or thirst anymore. No sun or scorching heat will beat down on them, because the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them. He will lead them to the springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:9-17, CEB)

When the kingdom comes, we will be made pure through God, and every tear will be wiped from our eyes. There will no longer be hardships and we all will have survived.

Remember Revelation was written to a people that needed hope. It is a letter of hope in a time of darkness.

We need to have faith, trust that God is always with us even when we do not feel it.

Hope is always there.

Light is always there to push back the darkness.

Know you are never alone and the end will come and joy will reign.

Loving People. Loving God.

Parenthetical

As Jesus continued down the road, a man ran up, knelt before him, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to obtain eternal life?” Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except the one God. You know the commandments: Don’t commit murder. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t steal. Don’t give false testimony. Don’t cheat. Honor your father and mother.” “Teacher,” he responded, “I’ve kept all of these things since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him carefully and loved him. He said, “You are lacking one thing. Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me.” But the man was dismayed at this statement and went away saddened, because he had many possessions. Looking around, Jesus said to his disciples, “It will be very hard for the wealthy to enter God’s kingdom!” His words startled the disciples, so Jesus told them again, “Children, it’s difficult to enter God’s kingdom! It’s easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom.” They were shocked even more and said to each other, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them carefully and said, “It’s impossible with human beings, but not with God. All things are possible for God.” Peter said to him, “Look, we’ve left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “I assure you that anyone who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or farms because of me and because of the good news will receive one hundred times as much now in this life—houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and farms (with harassment)—and in the coming age, eternal life. But many who are first will be last. And many who are last will be first.” (Mark 10:17-31, CEB)

“Anyone who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or farms, because of me and because of the good news,” Jesus said, “will receive one hundred times as much now in this life—houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and farms (with harassment)—and in the coming age, eternal life.”

That parenthetical thought is what grabbed me. (with harassment).

If you leave your family behind for Jesus and the good news you will receive a new family, the body of Christ. Many brothers, sisters, children, mothers, and farms. Notice Fathers are left out of the list we will get because we all have one father who is God. Of course, God is also mother and many other things, but for this devotion and passage, God is the only father we have when we leave everything behind for Jesus. And all of these things come now, in this life. But we do not get rich, because we are helping all people. And because of all of this, the world gives us pain. We are harassed.

When we actually follow God and do what we are asked to do and give up everything we receive so much more but the world hates us for including those they think shouldn’t be included and for helping those they want to go away.

We will never do it on our own. We need each other.

Love like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

whose rule???

Then Pharisees and legal experts came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why are your disciples breaking the elders’ rules handed down to us? They don’t ritually purify their hands by washing before they eat.” Jesus replied, “Why do you break the command of God by keeping the rules handed down to you? For God said, Honor your father and your mother, and The person who speaks against father or mother will certainly be put to death. But you say, ‘If you tell your father or mother, “Everything I’m expected to contribute to you I’m giving to God as a gift,”then you don’t have to honor your father.’ So you do away with God’s Law for the sake of the rules that have been handed down to you. Hypocrites! Isaiah really knew what he was talking about when he prophesied about you, This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me. Their worship of me is empty since they teach instructions that are human rules.” (Matthew 15:1-9, CEB)

Whose rules are we following, God’s or man’s?

The Pharisees asked Jesus why his disciples were not keeping the rules handed down by the elders. These are not laws given by God but rules created by the elders based on what God had said. They are not commandments of God but interpretations of men. And which is more important, and that is exactly what Jesus asks.

You see the elders were allowing people to break the commandments of God by following man-made rules. And God’s rules are more important than making people or men happy.

Do what God is calling you to do. Honor God not man.

Loving People. Loving God.