Entrapment

Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a widow but no children, the brother must marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman; when he died, he left no children. The second married her and died without leaving any children. The third did the same. None of the seven left any children. Finally, the woman died. At the resurrection, when they all rise up, whose wife will she be? All seven were married to her.” Jesus said to them, “Isn’t this the reason you are wrong, because you don’t know either the scriptures or God’s power? When people rise from the dead, they won’t marry nor will they be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like God’s angels. As for the resurrection from the dead, haven’t you read in the scroll from Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God said to Moses, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He isn’t the God of the dead but of the living. You are seriously mistaken.” (Mark 12:18-27, CEB)

The Sadducees don’t believe in resurrection but ask a question about resurrection. They want to get Jesus to say something they can us against him.

This in and of itself violates God’s commandments. Love God. Love neighbor. This is not loving Jesus but is trying to get something against him.

If this is how you operate, maybe you should reevaluate why you do what you do.

Love should be the foundation of everything we do.

Love like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

Remains…

Little children, I’m writing to you because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus’ name. Parents, I’m writing to you because you have known the one who has existed from the beginning. Young people, I’m writing to you because you have conquered the evil one. Little children, I write to you because you know the Father. Parents, I write to you because you have known the one who has existed from the beginning. Young people, I write to you because you are strong, the word of God remains in you, and you have conquered the evil one. Don’t love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in them. Everything that is in the world—the craving for whatever the body feels, the craving for whatever the eyes see and the arrogant pride in one’s possessions—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world and its cravings are passing away, but the person who does the will of God remains forever. (1 John 2:12-17, CEB)

The person who does the will of God remains forever.

We are not to be conformed to this world. And do and be what God has called us to be. And what is it that God calls us to do and be?

Love. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul. And love your neighbor as yourself.

Love God. Love everyone else. Simple.

Love. and remain.

Loving People. Loving God.

Liar

This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. The one who claims, “I know him,” while not keeping his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in this person. But the love of God is truly perfected in whoever keeps his word. This is how we know we are in him. The one who claims to remain in him ought to live in the same way as he lived. Dear friends, I’m not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the message you heard. On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light already shines. The one who claims to be in the light while hating a brother or sister is in the darkness even now. The person loving a brother and sister stays in the light, and there is nothing in the light that causes a person to stumble. But the person who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and lives in the darkness, and doesn’t know where to go because the darkness blinds the eyes. (1 John 2:3-11, CEB)

The one who claims, “I know him,” while not keeping his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in this person.

But God loves those who keep God’s word. What word?

Not a new commandment but one from old, from the beginning.

What drives out darkness and brings light?

In my mind, and with what God commanded, that’s love.

Love is what we are told to be and do. And the one who does not love is not a follower of God.

Love like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

Don’t Doubt???

It was still the first day of the week. That evening, while the disciples were behind closed doors because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with joy. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you don’t forgive them, they aren’t forgiven.” Thomas, the one called Didymus, one of the Twelve, wasn’t with the disciples when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, “We’ve seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger in the wounds left by the nails, and put my hand into his side, I won’t believe.” After eight days his disciples were again in a house and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus entered and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here. Look at my hands. Put your hand into my side. No more disbelief. Believe!” Thomas responded to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus replied, “Do you believe because you see me? Happy are those who don’t see and yet believe.” Then Jesus did many other miraculous signs in his disciples’ presence, signs that aren’t recorded in this scroll. But these things are written so that you will believe that Jesus is the Christ, God’s Son, and that believing, you will have life in his name. (John 20:19-31, CEB)

If you have grown up in a congregation or been attending one for some years you have probably heard this text before, as it is the gospel text for the second Sunday of Easter every year. You have probably also come to know it as The Doubting Thomas Text.

Why is it that Thomas gets the name doubter?

We don’t call Judas, Betraying Judas. Or Peter, Denying Peter. And yet these are those two disciples’ downfall. (Side note: We would need to have a discussion about Judas, he didn’t betray but handed over, and that is different, but to make a point here I am using betray.)

And really Thomas asked for no more that the other 10 there (Judas and Thomas were not there) got. They didn’t know who Jesus was until they saw his hands and his side, and that is what Thomas asked for.

And to make a point even more clear, the word doubt doesn’t appear in this text in Greek. There is a Greek word for doubt and that is διστάζω. That word does not appear in this text. The part that is translated as doubt is ἄπιστος ἀλλὰ πιστός. And the CEB above helps with this by translating the text as “no more disbelief. Believe!” The text, ἄπιστος ἀλλὰ πιστός is do not be un pistos but pistos. Pistos is the Greek word for faith, belief, or trust. It means all three. Jesus didn’t say do not doubt but believe. He said do not be unbelieving but believe. Do not be unfaithful but faithful. Do not be untrusting but trusting.

To me, the opposite of belief is not doubt. Doubt pushes me to question and find the answer. Doubt is not something we as followers of Christ should avoid. God is big enough for our doubts.

Live into the questions and follow where Jesus is calling us.

Faith is not about the easy path, the one without questions. Faith is about following and loving like we were told to do.

Love Like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

light

Jesus shouted, “Whoever believes in me doesn’t believe in me but in the one who sent me. Whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I have come as a light into the world so that everyone who believes in me won’t live in darkness. If people hear my words and don’t keep them, I don’t judge them. I didn’t come to judge the world but to save it. Whoever rejects me and doesn’t receive my words will be judged at the last day by the word I have spoken. I don’t speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me regarding what I should speak and say. I know that his commandment is eternal life. Therefore, whatever I say is just as the Father has said to me.” (John 12:44-50, CEB)

Jesus never said to believe in him, he pointed people to God.

Jesus also said here he didn’t come to judge the world but to save the world. If people hear the words he doesn’t judge them if they don’t keep them. So why do so many who claim to follow Jesus feel like they need to do something that Jesus never did and said he would not do?

We need to be light. Shine on God and show people love. Not judge them because they don’t accept it the way we expect them to.

Love like Jesus.

Do not judge.

Be Light.

Loving People. Loving God.

confidence

After their release, Peter and John returned to the brothers and sisters and reported everything the chief priests and elders had said. They listened, then lifted their voices in unison to God, “Master, you are the one who created the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. You are the one who spoke by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant: Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth took their stand and the rulers gathered together as one against the Lord and against his Christ. Indeed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with Gentiles and Israelites, did gather in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and plan had already determined would happen. Now, Lord, take note of their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with complete confidence. Stretch out your hand to bring healing and enable signs and wonders to be performed through the name of Jesus, your holy servant.” After they prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking God’s word with confidence. (Acts 4:23-31, CEB)

We have all been filled like these disciples were filled.

We are filled with the Holy Spirit. We can be confident in what we are speaking.

The Holy Spirit will give us the words to speak.

We can confidently share our faith and the love God has give us with everyone around us.

Love like Jesus.

Speak with confidence.

Loving People. Loving God.

Devoted

The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. All the believers were united and shared everything. They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them. Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity. They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47, CEB)

They were devoted to the teachings, gathering for meals, praying, and worshiping.

They were not telling people they were living a life of sin.

They were not trying to make people live their lives exactly like everyone else in the group.

They were gathering for meals, worship, learning, and praying.

And God was adding to their numbers. They weren’t doing that, God was.

God was bringing in all kinds of people, and they were gathering, eating, learning, and praying. Not worrying about the rest.

Maybe we can learn a lesson.

Loving People. Loving God.

‘especially’ Peter

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they could go and anoint Jesus’ dead body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they came to the tomb. They were saying to each other, “Who’s going to roll the stone away from the entrance for us?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away. (And it was a very large stone!) Going into the tomb, they saw a young man in a white robe seated on the right side; and they were startled. But he said to them, “Don’t be alarmed! You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised. He isn’t here. Look, here’s the place where they laid him. Go, tell his disciples, especially Peter, that he is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you.” Overcome with terror and dread, they fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. (Mark 16:1-8, CEB)

Go, tell his disciples, especially Peter, that he is going ahead of you into Galilee. That is how the CEB (Common English Bible) decided to translate the sentence, “ἀλλ’ ὑπάγετε εἴπατε τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῷ Πέτρῳ ὅτι προάγει ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν·”

I had to go and look at the Greek on this one because the “especially Peter” stuck out to me. I remember reading this passage many times and it was always, go tell the disciples and Peter in the NRSV.

καὶ τῷ Πέτρῳ is the part in question in the sentence. Kai is the word translated as and in the NRSV and especially in the CEB. I learned it means and. I looked it up in a dictionary and got several meanings: both, and, also, even, but. Not especially.

But I have always wondered about that statement from the angel, go tell the disciples and Peter. Was Peter not a disciple? Go tell the disciples, also Peter? Go tell the disciples, even Peter? None of these work well for Peter. But I feel like it is probably because Peter doesn’t feel like a disciple, and naming him means he still is. Jesus wants him to come to Galilee. Jesus sees Peter as a disciple. Even with what Peter has done. Peter is also a disciple and a friend of Jesus.

Know no matter what you have done or will do, Jesus will want you to come.

Especially you.

Loving People. Loving God.

change

This is what I’m saying, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood can’t inherit God’s kingdom. Something that rots can’t inherit something that doesn’t decay. Listen, I’m telling you a secret: All of us won’t die, but we will all be changed— in an instant, in the blink of an eye, at the final trumpet. The trumpet will blast, and the dead will be raised with bodies that won’t decay, and we will be changed. It’s necessary for this rotting body to be clothed with what can’t decay, and for the body that is dying to be clothed in what can’t die. And when the rotting body has been clothed in what can’t decay, and the dying body has been clothed in what can’t die, then this statement in scripture will happen: Death has been swallowed up by a victory. Where is your victory, Death? Where is your sting, Death? (Death’s sting is sin, and the power of sin is the Law.) Thanks be to God, who gives us this victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! As a result of all this, my loved brothers and sisters, you must stand firm, unshakable, excelling in the work of the Lord as always, because you know that your labor isn’t going to be for nothing in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:50-58, CEB)

We will all be changed.

If Jesus returns while we are alive or if we have already died.

We will be changed.

And that is not something we are waiting for…

We have been changed. By the love of God into what God created us to be.

So go and be.

Be love.

Be change.

Be hope.

Love like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

Look, fool!

But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have when they come back?” Look, fool! When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t come back to life unless it dies. What you put in the ground doesn’t have the shape that it will have, but it’s a bare grain of wheat or some other seed. God gives it the sort of shape that he chooses, and he gives each of the seeds its own shape. All flesh isn’t alike. Humans have one kind of flesh, animals have another kind of flesh, birds have another kind of flesh, and fish have another kind. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. The heavenly bodies have one kind of glory, and the earthly bodies have another kind of glory. The sun has one kind of glory, the moon has another kind of glory, and the stars have another kind of glory (but one star is different from another star in its glory). It’s the same with the resurrection of the dead: a rotting body is put into the ground, but what is raised won’t ever decay. It’s degraded when it’s put into the ground, but it’s raised in glory. It’s weak when it’s put into the ground, but it’s raised in power. It’s a physical body when it’s put into the ground, but it’s raised as a spiritual body. If there’s a physical body, there’s also a spiritual body. So it is also written, The first human, Adam, became a living person, and the last Adam became a spirit that gives life. But the physical body comes first, not the spiritual one—the spiritual body comes afterward. The first human was from the earth made from dust; the second human is from heaven. The nature of the person made of dust is shared by people who are made of dust, and the nature of the heavenly person is shared by heavenly people. We will look like the heavenly person in the same way as we have looked like the person made from dust. (1 Corinthians 15:35-49, CEB)

Look, fool!

A seed dies and is not itself when it grows out of the ground.

It has changed. Like we are changed.

We were once dead, but now we are alive in Christ.

Live like Jesus.

Love like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.