Truly I tell you…

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[ Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’]] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’ One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’ (Luke 23:33-43, NRSV)

I will be the first to say that I are not an English major. However, I know that the placement of a comma is important.

Like in the phrase, “Let’s eat grandma!” Without the comma, it could be a very bad situation for grandma! The phrase is “Let’s eat, grandma!” We are telling grandma we want to eat, not that we want to eat grandma.

It is the same with our text today. Where does the comma goes changes everything.

You see in the original text there was no punctuation. So the comma was added later by a committee. So where does it actually go?

Did Jesus say to the thief, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Or did Jesus say, “Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in paradise.”

Is it something that happens today, or is it something that Jesus told him today?

You see we want to say it is the first. That today will be the time that Jesus is in paradise with the thief. However, there is a little theological issue here. According to the Apostles Creed where does Jesus go from the cross?

“He was crucified by Pontius Pilot, died and was buried. He descended into hell.”

So if the thief is with Him, they are together in hell. But Jesus told Him they would be together in Paradise! So what is it?

It is like many things with Jesus, not a clear straight forward answer. Or as my Jazz Studies professor always said, “Yes.” It is not either or, it is both and. The comma is saying that today the thief will be with Jesus in Paradise, and Jesus is telling him today, because He has someplace to go before He gets to Paradise, but the thief will know nothing of it.

You see the earlier statement of Jesus from the cross is the big one. Father forgive them!

Jesus is asking God to forgive us! To forgive us from all of the evil we have done. All of the things that led us to nail Him to that cross. And that is immediate! That is now!

Eternity is not something we wait on, it is something we are actively participating in right here, right now!

And that is what Jesus defines with the thief! You are forgiven, and it starts now! Welcome to paradise! For you are living in me, so even in death, and even in hell, you are with me, and that my friend is paradise. To be with the living God.

So live in eternity here and now and grasp hold of the life that God has for you!

life

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.” But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’ (Luke 18:9-14, NRSV)

Where does your life come from?

Is it from within you? (this could be a trick question…)

The text above tells us that if we think to highly of ourselves we will be brought down. Or as my momma always said, “son, don’t be to big for your britches…”

We are not made alive by anything that is in us of our own doing. We are made alive by the power of God and  our acknowledging that we are sinners. We need to call upon the Lord and ask Him to be merciful to us, humble sinners. Lost and dead without Him.

So acknowledge where your life comes from. And ask for forgiveness. Live in the light and show forth your darkness and let the light over take it.

Patience

Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Indeed we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. Above all, my beloved, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your ‘Yes’ be yes and your ‘No’ be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. (James 5:7-12, NRSV)

Have you ever walked through a dark valley. or a dark forest?

You can’t really tell where you are going unless you have a flashlight, or a guide.

We have to watch out for ourselves in moments like that and can not really be worried about those around us.

Job endured the darkest hour where everything he had was taken, everything except his life, and his God!

You see no matter what happens or the darkness we are walking through, God is right there, holding our hand and seeing us through.

GPS

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, ‘The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, “Look, here it is!” or “There it is!” For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.’ Then he said to the disciples, ‘The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. They will say to you, “Look there!” or “Look here!” Do not go, do not set off in pursuit. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking, and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed all of them. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulphur from heaven and destroyed all of them —it will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, anyone on the housetop who has belongings in the house must not come down to take them away; and likewise anyone in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it. I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken and the other left.’ Then they asked him, ‘Where, Lord?’ He said to them, ‘Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.’ (Luke 17:20-37, NRSV)

Two will be in the bed and two will be in the field and one will be taken and one will be left…

But tell me, which do you want to be?

We are to under go suffering. And the world around us is in tribulation. It seems that the Lord has no control, but is that our perception…

You see, He has control over the situations of this world. We need to be on prayer and constant contact with Him so that we know the plan.

If we are not praying for the needs of others and that God’s will is done in our lives, then what will happen?

Have you ever tried to drive somewhere you had never been, without directions? Without a map? without a GPS?

If you are trying to navigate through life without a GPS (a God position system…) then I suggest a recalculation of your existence. God has the plan and will let you know if you will only let Him in to show you what is temporary, and what is eternal.

 

Cosmic vending machine

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ When he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, ‘Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’ (Luke 17:11-19, NRSV)

How many times do you ask God to help you when things are going well in your life?

Are you there to say, “Thank you Lord for the many blessings you have given me. For my health and the health of my family. For my job and the many wonders from you in my life.”

Most of us do not seek out God when everything is good, only when we perceive we are in need do we run after Him. Only when we need something do we cry out, “Lord help me!”

Much like these 10 lepers, who were not included in society any more because of their disease. They were put out of the village. They had nothing. So they cried out. And Jesus healed them! All 10 of them.

They were all healed, but only one stopped to turn around and give thanks.

But think about it honestly, would you be one of the 9 or the lone one? Would you have stopped and gone back to God and said thanks! Or would you have gone on now that you have gotten what you want?

We treat God like a cosmic vending machine, going to Him in our need and not spending time to deepen the relationship. He loves you too much to let you suffer, but we can not use Him like a magical genie that will heal all our needs and never spend time with Him.

God is not our cosmic vending machine! Give thanks this day for all He has given you.

Increase!

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, “I repent”, you must forgive.’ The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ The Lord replied, ‘If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea”, and it would obey you. ‘Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from ploughing or tending sheep in the field, “Come here at once and take your place at the table”? Would you not rather say to him, “Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink”? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, “We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!” ’ (Luke 17:1-10, NRSV)

Have you ever wanted your faith increased?

I think we all have. We see the tasks before us and we think there is no way I can do this…

And yo know what?

You are right. There is no way that you can do what is requested of you.

Jesus is telling the disciples that if they had the faith the size of a mustard seed they could tell a tree to uproot itself and throw itself into the ocean. We read this as a derogatory remark, like their faith is not enough.

But what if Jesus was saying, You know what you can’t tell this tree to move, but you have just enough faith to do what I need you to do, as long as you include me in the walk, we will be able to do what ever comes in front of you.

It is not about us having enough faith to make it on our own!

It is about trusting the one who gives us faith to always see us through the thing we can not do on our own!

The Gettysburg Address

On the 150th Anniversary of the giving of this speech it is good to remember…

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Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that this nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember…

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imitate…

So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2, NRSV)

Who do you imitate?

Or better yet, who imitates you?

Even if you don’t have any children, you have someone who imitates you.

Someone who looks up to you.

Someone who imitates your moves, your actions.

Someone who looks to you for how to react to a given event…

And how do you lead them?

The writer of Ephesians tells us to speak the truth, and to not let anger lead us to sin. We have to at all times speak the truth and not make up stories to get our way. Because if we are imitating God, then it is not about our way,but His way.

We will speak His truth and do what He has called us to do.

So how are you leading your mini me, and what do you use as a guide to lead you?

Sign…

When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.” They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them. “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls. (Luke 21:5-19, NRSV)

Many would tell us this passage is one that tells us when the end is coming…

But hasn’t all the things that Jesus says will happen before the end all ready happened again and again and again? These are things that seem to be every day occurrences.

Jesus also tells us elsewhere that no one knows the time, no one knows the day or the hour. Jesus himself does not know when the end will come, so how do we think we can figure it out?

This passage is comfort for those it was written for. It was a notice to say all of these things you are going through do not mean the end is near, but have faith and live in the hope that Jesus is the promised Messiah and all is well.

Jesus is giving us the same promise. Not asking us to figure out the day the world will end, but giving us the promise that all will be well when we trust in Him.