Snakes…

“How terrible it will be for you legal experts and Pharisees! Hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. You say, ‘If we had lived in our ancestors’ days, we wouldn’t have joined them in killing the prophets.’ You testify against yourselves that you are children of those who murdered the prophets. Go ahead, complete what your ancestors did. You snakes! You children of snakes! How will you be able to escape the judgment of hell? Therefore, look, I’m sending you prophets, wise people, and legal experts. Some of them you will kill and crucify. And some you will beat in your synagogues and chase from city to city. Therefore, upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been poured out on the earth, from the blood of that righteous man Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the temple and the altar. I assure you that all these things will come upon this generation. (Matthew 23:29-36, CEB)

If anything in all of the scriptures points to Jesus’ humanity, I would say this should be towards the top of the list. Here Jesus is calling legal experts and Pharisees, hypocrites and snakes. This is when we get into that fit of rage and go off on someone. We call them names and point fingers. This is not the speaking of a loving God or an advocate but someone who is fed up. To me, it shows we all have the ability to do what God calls us to do and love. Jesus in other parts of the scriptures forgives and heals and loves openly and accepts people where they are. So if Jesus can lose it here and still be loving, maybe all of us can still be loving even if we lose it every now and then.

So know there is always hope. And try not to call people snakes, but know if you do, you are in good company.

Loving People. Loving God.

good news

As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the good news. But everyone hasn’t obeyed the good news. As Isaiah says, Lord, who has had faith in our message? So, faith comes from listening, but it’s listening by means of Christ’s message. But I ask you, didn’t they hear it? Definitely! Their voice has gone out into the entire earth, and their message has gone out to the corners of the inhabited world. But I ask you again, didn’t Israel understand? First, Moses says, I will make you jealous of those who aren’t a people, of a people without understanding. And Isaiah even dares to say, I was found by those who didn’t look for me; I revealed myself to those who didn’t ask for me. But he says about Israel, All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people. (Romans 10:15b-21, CEB)

Have you ever known something so great you wanted to share it with everyone? And you are so excited to share it, but when you share it people react like it isn’t anything big at all. People you thought would be so elated are shrugging their shoulders and just walking away like you didn’t say anything.

And yet others you thought wouldn’t react are trying to hear more…

This is what it is like to share God’s love with the world. Sometimes people won’t want it or to hear about and others will be so moved they need to hear more.

Our job is to share love with everyone. If they accept it great, and great even if they don’t. We don’t get to choose how people receive it or ask for it. Our job is to have beautiful feet and share the love God has given us.

So share love generously and do it all the time and know that God works in and through that.

Loving People. Loving God.

Build you up…

I’ve become a fool! You made me do it. Actually, I should have been commended by you. I’m not inferior to the super-apostles in any way, even though I’m a nonentity. The signs of an apostle were performed among you with continuous endurance through signs, wonders, and miracles. How were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself wasn’t a financial burden on you? Forgive me for this wrong! Look, I’m ready to visit you a third time, and I won’t be a burden on you. I don’t want your things; I want you. It isn’t the children’s responsibility to save up for their parents but parents for children. I will very gladly spend and be spent for your sake. If I love you more, will you love me less? We all know that I didn’t place a burden on you, but in spite of that you think I’m a con artist who fooled you with a trick. I haven’t taken advantage of you through any of the people I sent to you, have I? I strongly encouraged Titus to go to you and sent the brother with him. Titus didn’t take advantage of you, did he? Didn’t we live by the same Spirit? Didn’t we walk in the same footsteps? Have you been thinking up to now that we are defending ourselves to you? Actually, we are speaking in the sight of God and in Christ. Dear friends, everything is meant to build you up. I’m afraid that maybe when I come you will be different from the way I want you to be, and that I’ll be different from the way you want me to be. I’m afraid that there might be fighting, obsession, losing your temper, competitive opposition, backstabbing, gossip, conceit, and disorderly conduct. I’m afraid that when I come again, my God may embarrass me in front of you. I might have to go into mourning over all the people who have sinned before and haven’t changed their hearts and lives from what they used to practice: moral corruption, sexual immorality, and doing whatever feels good. (2 Corinthians 12:11-21, CEB)

Paul is telling the Corinthians that he is a fool for them. Because the things he is doing are meant to build up their faith.

Leaders in the church do things they would never do to help those in their care deepen their faith. This is evident in youth workers who act way younger than their physical age to help the youth of congregations hear, see, and live the word of God. And the end is meant to deepen faith and help people grow.

Paul is one who spent time talking about being all things for all people and sometimes we try to do things so others will see God’s love. Deepening faith is something leaders in the church want for all people.

Help others see God’s love and if it means you need to stretch a bit and do something you wouldn’t do, then maybe give it a shot and let others see God’s love.

Loving People. Loving God.

The unforgivable sin…

They brought to Jesus a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak. Jesus healed him so that he could both speak and see. All the crowds were amazed and said, “This man couldn’t be the Son of David, could he?” When the Pharisees heard, they said, “This man throws out demons only by the authority of Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” Because Jesus knew what they were thinking, he replied, “Every kingdom involved in civil war becomes a wasteland. Every city or house torn apart by divisions will collapse. If Satan throws out Satan, he is at war with himself. How then can his kingdom endure? And if I throw out demons by the authority of Beelzebul, then by whose authority do your followers throw them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. But if I throw out demons by the power of God’s Spirit, then God’s kingdom has already overtaken you. Can people go into a house that belongs to a strong man and steal his possessions, unless they first tie up the strong man? Then they can rob his house. Whoever isn’t with me is against me, and whoever doesn’t gather with me scatters. “Therefore, I tell you that people will be forgiven for every sin and insult to God. But insulting the Holy Spirit won’t be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Human One will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit won’t be forgiven, not in this age or in the age that is coming. (Matthew 12:22-32, CEB)

Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is how I remember this, but here in the CEB it is “But insulting the Holy Spirit won’t be forgiven.” And to me, that doesn’t really make it any clearer. Jesus continued above, “And whoever speaks a word against the Human One will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit won’t be forgiven, not in this age or in the age that is coming.” Which I take to me, say what you want about me, because it will all be forgiven, but if you say they spirit can’t do what the spirit is doing then you will never be forgiven. But what is speaking against the Spirit?

The thing that constantly comes to my mind when this verse comes up is saying that God/the Spirit can’t do something. God is all-powerful and the creator of all, so God can do whatever God wants to. Even if we think it impossible, even if we do not want it to happen. God can and will do whatever God wants and for us to say it can’t happen is speaking against the Spirit.

We do not have to understand, nor do we always get to understand. That is why it is called faith.

Just love and let God do what God will and enjoy the ride.

Loving People. Loving God.

Hold fast

“Write this to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: These are the words of the one who is holy and true, who has the key of David. Whatever he opens, no one will shut; and whatever he shuts, no one opens. I know your works. Look! I have set in front of you an open door that no one can shut. You have so little power, and yet you have kept my word and haven’t denied my name. Because of this I will make the people from Satan’s synagogue (who say they are Jews and really aren’t, but are lying)—I will make them come and bow down at your feet and realize that I have loved you. Because you kept my command to endure, I will keep you safe through the time of testing that is about to come over the whole world, to test those who live on earth. I’m coming soon. Hold on to what you have so that no one takes your crown. As for those who emerge victorious, I will make them pillars in the temple of my God, and they will never leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from my God. I will also write on them my own new name. If you can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. (Revelation 3:7-13, CEB)

You have little power but have stayed the course and held to following where I have led you.

When we go with the world we stray from God and we do not share love. We look out for our own needs and desires and we hurt others in the process. God is calling us to love and to hold to loving all. That is how we show the world God exists. Not by pointing out others’ flaws or sins or by telling people they are going to hell for how they live. Jesus asked where accusers were and then said he also didn’t accuse. We are called to love.

Loving People. Loving God.

alive or dead

“Write this to the angel of the church in Sardis: These are the words of the one who holds God’s seven spirits and the seven stars: I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, and you are in fact dead. Wake up and strengthen whatever you have left, teetering on the brink of death, for I’ve found that your works are far from complete in the eyes of my God. So remember what you received and heard. Hold on to it and change your hearts and lives. If you don’t wake up, I will come like a thief, and you won’t know what time I will come upon you. But you do have a few people in Sardis who haven’t stained their clothing. They will walk with me clothed in white because they are worthy. Those who emerge victorious will wear white clothing like this. I won’t scratch out their names from the scroll of life, but will declare their names in the presence of my Father and his angels. If you can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. (Revelation 3:1-6, CEB)

You have the reputation for being alive but are in fact dead.

Your works are far from complete in the eyes of God, not that works save you, but without works faith is dead.

If you truly believe and are alive in Christ you will be moved to works of justice and lifting the lowly.

You can not say you love God and then hate anyone or work to make anyone’s life harder. This is really appearing to be alive but being dead.

Do not appear alive. Be alive and share the love God has given all of us.

Loving People. Loving God.

proper view…

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and legal experts, and that he had to be killed and raised on the third day. Then Peter took hold of Jesus and, scolding him, began to correct him: “God forbid, Lord! This won’t happen to you.” But he turned to Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are a stone that could make me stumble, for you are not thinking God’s thoughts but human thoughts.” Then Jesus said to his disciples, “All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross, and follow me. All who want to save their lives will lose them. But all who lose their lives because of me will find them. Why would people gain the whole world but lose their lives? What will people give in exchange for their lives? For the Human One is about to come with the majesty of his Father with his angels. And then he will repay each one for what that person has done. I assure you that some standing here won’t die before they see the Human One coming in his kingdom.” (Matthew 16:21-28, CEB)

This is one of the passages I wait for.

And you are probably wondering about that. Jesus calls Peter Satan, or tempter. But before that he tells Peter the proper place.

We see the translation as, “Get behind me, Satan.” When is that really what Jesus says?

A few chapters ago Jesus called the disciples and he said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of people.” Follow me. ὀπίσω μου, in the Greek, is what Jesus said to the disciples in Matthew 4:19. And that is actually what Jesus says here to Peter. ὀπίσω μου, Get behind, follow me, know you place.

And here though Jesus says, Hold up Peter, This is what has to happen, and maybe what you are saying can happen, but you need to know your place and follow where I am leading. I always like to say that if you can’t see the back of Jesus’ head, then you are in the wrong place. We are not the leader. We are the follower or the mimicker of Jesus. And if we are trying to tell Jesus what to do that would make Jesus the mimicker of us.

So always make sure you have the proper view and follow to share love.

Loving People. Loving God.

healed

Jesus went home with Peter and saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her. Then she got up and served them. That evening people brought to Jesus many who were demon-possessed. He threw the spirits out with just a word. He healed everyone who was sick. This happened so that what Isaiah the prophet said would be fulfilled: He is the one who took our illnesses and carried away our diseases. (Matthew 8:14-17, CEB)

I have a lot of issues and heard a lot of things about this passage. Why does it matter that Peter’s mother-in-law got up and served them after Jesus healed her? Isn’t this saying that Jesus made her better so she could make him a sandwich? Or soup? Or whatever food you want to insert here?

No, it is not about her serving, but it is about restoration. And before I go here, I am not saying that a woman’s place is in the place of serving. When Jesus lived, women served, and she was restored to her place in society. When one was sick in Jesus day you were removed from society because you could not fulfill your role. Jesus healing people not only made them physically better but allowed them to be a part of society again. it is a total healing.

That is what Jesus does for us, and calls us to do in the community. to restore people to community. For all of us to be included and a part of the kindom.

Loving People. Loving God.

Happy with injustice…

The hidden plan to live without any law is at work now, but it will be secret only until the one who is holding it back is out of the way. Then the person who is lawless will be revealed. The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath from his mouth. When the Lord comes, his appearance will put an end to him. When the person who is lawless comes, it will happen through Satan’s effort, with all kinds of fake power, signs, and wonders. It will happen with every sort of wicked deception of those who are heading toward destruction because they have refused to love the truth that would allow them to be saved. This is why God will send them an influence that will mislead them so that they will believe the lie. The result will be that everyone will be judged who is not convinced by the truth but is happy with injustice. (2 Thessalonians 2:7-12, CEB)

Now I am usually not one to get political, and I also am not one to say “Look at these signs, and do they not line up with what the Bible tells us” but…

“The result will be that everyone will be judged who is not convinced by the truth but is happy with injustice.” Everyone will be judged who is happy with injustice. 1000 yards of buoys in the Rio Grande that are killing women and children and keeping refugees from seeking the place of respite they are coming for. And people are rejoicing over this. Or laws being put in place which will make children who have started hormone therapy to block puberty to be their authentic self are made to stop this and cause them to be something the know they are not. Laws against women doing what they need to to their own bodies by men who do not know better but only want control. They are happy with injustice and do not see the truth.

We need to give up on what the world thinks is best and look out for all humanity. That is seeking justice. That is living like Christ.

Do not be fooled by those who say this is what religion is or this is what the Bible says. Follow Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

imitate

Therefore, imitate God like dearly loved children. Live your life with love, following the example of Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. He was a sacrificial offering that smelled sweet to God. Sexual immorality, and any kind of impurity or greed, shouldn’t even be mentioned among you, which is right for holy persons. Obscene language, silly talk, or vulgar jokes aren’t acceptable for believers. Instead, there should be thanksgiving. Because you know for sure that persons who are sexually immoral, impure, or greedy—which happens when things become gods—those persons won’t inherit the kingdom of Christ and God. Nobody should deceive you with stupid ideas. God’s anger comes down on those who are disobedient because of this kind of thing. (Ephesians 5:1-6, CEB)

Live your life with love following the example of Christ.

Love like God does.

Look to the needs of others before yourself.

Love out Loud!

Loving People. Loving God.