aSacredRebel

Sure thing

Remember those early days after you first saw the light? Those were the hard times! Kicked around in public, targets of every kind of abuse—some days it was you, other days your friends. If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them. If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn’t touch your real treasure. Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set you back. So don’t throw it all away now. You were sure of yourselves then. It’s still a sure thing! But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion. It won’t be long now, he’s on the way; he’ll show up most any minute. But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust; if he cuts and runs, I won’t be very happy. But we’re not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We’ll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way. (Hebrews 10:32-39 MSG)

Have you even been kicked around or looked down upon for your beliefs?

Have you ever lost something, or freely given it away, because you know you have something that can never be taken for you.

We are together for each other but what we have in Christ can never be taken from us.

But what the author of Hebrews tells us is that we need to have that fire we had when we first believed in the promise of Christ all of our lives. Things will always be hard as a believer and follower of the way and we need to hold tight to the promise. It is a sure thing that will hold us all of our lives.

humbled

O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord. For you have rejected your people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of things from the east and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners. Their land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is filled with horses, and there is no end to their chariots. Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made. So man is humbled, and each one is brought low— do not forgive them! Enter into the rock and hide in the dust from before the terror of the Lord, and from the splendor of his majesty. The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. (Isaiah 2:5-11 ESV)

Let us walk in the light of the Lord!

Take a look around your home. What is central to your life according to the contents of your house?

How many things have you purchased that we’re suppose to make your life easy, or wonderful, or perfect? We see ad and want the things we see our friends, co workers, and people walking on the street have. We think these things will make our lives great, so we spend our money on them, but what do they actually do?

The take up space in our lives and the place of something more important?

What did you see around your house? What is central? The TV? The Internet? The kids? The dog? The cat? From where I am sitting typing this I can see 2 pictures of Jesus and a picture of my wife and youngest daughter from Ash Wednesday worship 2012 (they have ash crosses on their heads).

I’m not any better than anyone else though please don’t think I mean that. Because I can also see for. Where I am sitting our computer, tv, wii, stereo, BluRay player, DVD player, 2 printers… You see we have idols from the east and things that can take the place of God.

So walk in the light of the Lord and allow Him to have control, so the idols can’t take control.

Slaves

Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. But if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and if he begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and put him with the unfaithful. That slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded. (Luke 12:41-48, NRSV)

What will Jesus find you doing when He returns?

Are you building His kingdom and doing His work? Or are you making rules and forcing people to live in the fashion you think they should so that your rules are followed?

Jesus was not one to keep the rules when the ultimate issue of one of God’s children was in need.

So what will Jesus find you doing? Will you be building up His people and using the gifts He gave you in mercy, grace, and love towards others? Or will He find you judging those around you by how they act or act wrongly around the rules you have setup. The only rule God uses for you is grace and love. And He has the right and authority to judge, we can only judge if we allow ourselves to be judged by the same judgement.

So what slave are you?

Young son, Old son, a Father on the run…

This post is a little early because this text is not until later next month in the lectionary. But this is one of my favorite biblical stories and a parable and is after misunderstood, so it plays well into a blog I follow called the synchroblog. This months theme is “August Synchroblog – Parables: Small Stories, Big Ideas”.

We start with a parable from the 15th chapter of the Gospel of Luke…

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.” And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”” And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” And they began to celebrate. “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.” But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, “Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!” And he said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.”” (Luke 15:11-32 ESV)

Now we know this story as the story of the prodigal son, because this story is obviously about the younger son in the story. We hear how he proclaimed his father dead and requested his portion of the estate. He then went away and squandered his money on prostitutes, and wild living.

Interesting that the story does not say he spent his money on prostitutes. It says he squandered his property in reckless living. Sure he spent his money wrong, but it says nothing about prostitutes. He did a lot of bad things, proclaiming his father dead and asking for money he was not due yet, but we are reading into the story when we say there are prostitutes. Now the older brother (I can hear y’all saying…). Yes the older brother did say prostitutes, but where did he get his information from? He stayed on the farm and was a good son, he couldn’t have known what he actually sent his money on.

And this story is about the younger son repenting… Then how does it fit with the other 2 stories that proceed it.

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:4-10 ESV)

Now both of these stories have the line about repentance and angels rejoicing. Don’t get me wrong it does include repentance, and angels rejoice when we repent, but is this chapter about repentance? If so how does a sheep repent? And how does a coin repent?

A sheep repents by saying, “I’m sorry I’ve been baaaaaaaaad!” and a coin repents by saying, “I promise I’ll change!”

A sheep and a coin cant repent. The stories are about how far a person will go to search for that which they love. A shepherd loves his sheep and will do anything, including leaving 99 in the wilderness and possibly among wolves. The shepherd wants to find his sheep so he goes and looks for it. And the woman who only has 10 coins when she loses 1 she tears her home apart looking for it. When one has a little money you protect it and search all over when you lose it. But both of these people want to rejoice with all of those around them. It is a huge party like angels singing in heaven!

But if it is not about the repentance of the younger son, then what is this story about? Well look at how it begins. Does it begin, “Here was a man who had a father and an older brother”? Or does it begin, “There was a man who had a father and a younger brother”? No the story begins, “There was a man who had two sons…”

The story is about the father. The story is about a father who will go to any thing and dishonor himself to no end to get his beloved children back. The younger son returns and it says that while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. The father ran, something a man of his stature would not do. And we assume that this man also would not have left is property, but why? The stories that proceed this one show us the lengths a shepherd will go by leave the majority of his flock in a dangerous place to find one, and a woman who turns her house upside down. The father was looking for his son, be that on the edges of his property or where the son had gone to. He father still shamed himself by running to the son, after he let his son tell him he was dead. Then he sets his son apart from the slave by giving him shoes and a robe. And the ring is not just any ring, it is probably a signature ring of the house hold. The father listens to the son repent, but knows where his heart is because he turned around and came back, and there the father was all the time waiting for his son, his beloved child to turn around.

If you will it is the Finding Nemo story of the bible. The father that looks all over the ocean to save a son the has gone astray. He risked life and fin for the an that he loved. Isn’t that exactly what God does for each of us and the loving father did for the wayward younger son in the story?

And then there is the older son… The one who knows all the rules and keeps them. He does what is the right thing to do at the right time, and expects that to be what keeps him in good graces. He walks the line and keeps the rules. He is not happy when the younger brother comes back and gets what he as the older son who has kept the rules deserves. So he does what every good rule keeper does when grace comes in, he gets upset and will not join the rejoicing. So the Father dishonors himself again to go out from the party and get the older brother who needs to be involved in the rejoicing, because the father needs his family together. He needs all of us and will go to great lengths to get us all to the party.

So look to the Father and the rejoicing He is doing when we come back home, but also realize that are is following us as we walk away, waiting and hoping and following us the way. He loves us and will do whatever it takes to get us home.

Here are the other blogs that participated in this months synchroblog. Please give them a read!

Jesus’ Parables are Confusing? Good! – Jeremy Myers

Parabolic Living – Tim Nichols

Seed Parables:Sowing Seeds of the Kingdom – Carol Kunihol

Parables – Be Like the Ant or the Grasshopper – Paul Meier

The Parables of Jesus: Not Like Today’s Sermons – Jessica

Penelope and the Crutch – Glenn Hager

Parables and the Insult of Grace – Rachel

Changing Hearts Rather Than Minds – Liz Dyer

Follow in faith…

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, Through Isaac shall your offspring be named. He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. (Hebrews 11:17-28 ESV)

Have you ever felt like God was leading you to do something and when you started it the people were against you?

The author of Hebrews tells us that Moses chose to not be called the son of Pharaoh and to be mistreated by his people in order to do what God had called him to do. We need to be ready to do the same and follow God regardless of the reaction of the people.

Are you ready to follow in faith?

Hoped for…

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. (Hebrews 11:1-7 ESV)

What have you hoped for?

For the past few years I have been looking for a call to a congregation as their spiritual leader. I have hoped time and time again that the congregation I was talking to was the one for my next place to be where God needs me to be.

Here in the champions of faith chapter of Hebrews we see 3 heros of faith… Abel, Enoch, and Noah. And around hese heros we see an exposition on faith. It is impossible for us to draw near to God without faith and faith is not something we make ourselves. It is a gift given to us through the faithfulness of Christ to go to the cross.

We see that the universes was made from things that were not seen and we through faith ,are God who is unseen seen. We can be champions of the gift of faith if we will just draw ner to Him.

Treasure heart…

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” (Luke 12:32-40, NRSV)

Sell your possessions and give the money to the poor. Sell everything you own and give the money away…

How many of us find this possible? I know of only one person who actually did this. Mother Teresa Is the one I know of. I am sure there are more, but when we think of selling our possessions, for me she comes to mind. Now one would think this would bring us closer to God, but there were many years that Mother Teresa felt very disconnected from God…

But what is this verse telling us? It says do not be afraid, sell all your stuff, give the money away and then be prepared for when ever the Lord comes. And how many of us are going to do that?

We know that we do not give tithes and offerings until we get our lives right with God. Every knows it is impossible for someone who is not following the commandments and has their life in order to give to God and those in need.

If this is really the case why when Mother Teresa gave everything away and served the poor did she feel furthest from God? Plus that isn’t what Jesus said. He did not say where your heart is there your treasure will be. It is not get your life right and then tithing and giving will follow. It is where your treasure is there your heart will be also. If you really want to know where your heart is look at your check book and see where your treasure goes…. It might just be eye opening. Jesus tells us that if our treasure is somewhere that is where our heart will be. We will not put 100% into something we do not already have our treasure in.

So where is your treasure? And are you ready to give it to God so He can use you and our gifts in His ministry?

What’s so uncool about cool churches?

the gospel side

Unintended Consequences: How the “relevant” church and segregating youth is killing Christianity.

I recently spent six-months doing a rotation as a hospital chaplain. One day I received a page (Yes, hospitals actually still use pagers). Chaplains are generally called to the rooms of people who look ill: People gray with kidney disease, or yellow with liver failure, discouraged amputees, nervous cancer patients. In this room, however, was a strikingly attractive 23 year-old young lady sitting up cheerfully in the hospital bed, holding her infant daughter and chatting with family and friends.

Confused, I stepped outside and asked her nurse, “Why did I get paged to her room?”

“Oh, she looks fabulous. She also feels great and is asking to go home,” the nurse said.

“…And you are calling me because?” I asked in confusion.

The nurse looked me directly in the eye and said: “Because we will be…

View original post 1,344 more words

Treasure

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Matthew 6:19-24 ESV)

How many of us are tithing? And we could spend a good bit of time talking about that. You see in the Hebrew scriptures tithing was the portion of your income or estate that kept the temple functioning and giving was over and above that. So if we are not giving more than10% we are not following what the bible says about giving…

But what does it mean for me to give? We have all thought about it and pondered it. We have thought or heard someone say, “I’m not ready to give yet, my heart just isn’t there.” Or “I’m not ready for that yet because I’ve only been following for a while and not sure this is something I want to stick with…”

But what does Jesus actually say? Where my heart is there my treasure will be? If we had to get our heart right to completely understand and do giving the way Jesus did, none of us would get it because we only think of ourselves. Jesus did not say where my heart is there my treasure will be. He said where your treasure is here your heart will be also. We have to give up our god of money and wealth and status and give it over to God. We need to place our treasure in His hand, because that is where it came from in the first place.

So stop trying to get your heart in the right place before you give, give now and see how much more enlightened your heart becomes on who God is and what He has done for you.

Decrees or…

Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey! What will you do on the day of punishment, in the ruin that will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth? Nothing remains but to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still. (Isaiah 10:1-4 ESV)

How many of us have rules for how someone should act in a given situation? And then what happens when they don’t act that way?

We oppress people when we say they have to conform to our way of living and our way of thinking. We keep the widows and orphans in places where we can hoard our power over them. We can not hide from the wrath that is to come when we do not treat God’s people as our equals.

So we need to drop our preconceived notions and understanding for how every one should live and live as God’s light and show people the way to God and allow Him to make the world and people as He has designed them to be.