How does this work?

He told another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in his field. It’s the smallest of all seeds. But when it’s grown, it’s the largest of all vegetable plants. It becomes a tree so that the birds in the sky come and nest in its branches.” He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in a bushel of wheat flour until the yeast had worked its way through all the dough.” “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that somebody hid in a field, which someone else found and covered up. Full of joy, the finder sold everything and bought that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one very precious pearl, he went and sold all that he owned and bought it. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that people threw into the lake and gathered all kinds of fish. When it was full, they pulled it to the shore, where they sat down and put the good fish together into containers. But the bad fish they threw away. That’s the way it will be at the end of the present age. The angels will go out and separate the evil people from the righteous people, and will throw the evil ones into a burning furnace. People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth. “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. They said to him, “Yes.” Then he said to them, “Therefore, every legal expert who has been trained as a disciple for the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings old and new things out of their treasure chest.” (Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52, CEB)

The kingdom of heaven is like…

Mustard seed. The smallest seed to Jesus that becomes the biggest most invasive thing in your garden.

Yeast. Which once put into something can not be removed and spreads throughout all of what it was added to.

A found treasure.

Pearls.

A net full of fish, of which the bad ones are thrown back… “The angels will go out and separate the evil people from the righteous people, and will throw the evil ones into a burning furnace. People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth.” But who are these evil people? There are people who claim to be followers of God that others would say are evil because those claiming to be Christians are actively working to make it impossible for others to live. That to me is evil, so are they thrown back, but they say they are followers of Christ, how does that work?

Sometimes Jesus’ this is like this is easy, mustard, yeast, treasure, and sometimes it’s not, fish thrown back, so do we get it?

The little things you do to show love to this world and the people that God created in it will go a long way to work into the fabric of society and help bring the fulfillment of God’s kingdom. And I pray that by doing this we will not be seen as evil and cast back. But I err on the side of love.

Loving People. Loving God.

Believe?

At that time some of the legal experts and the Pharisees requested of Jesus, “Teacher, we would like to see a sign from you.” But he replied, “An evil and unfaithful generation searches for a sign, but it won’t receive any sign except Jonah’s sign. Just as Jonah was in the whale’s belly for three days and three nights, so the Human One will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. The citizens of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it as guilty, because they changed their hearts and lives in response to Jonah’s preaching. And look, someone greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will be raised up by God at the judgment with this generation and condemn it because she came from a distant land to hear Solomon’s wisdom. And look, someone greater than Solomon is here. (Matthew 12:38-42, CEB)

Why do you believe in God?

“An evil and unfaithful generation searches for a sign”

Do you believe because you saw a sign? A wonder? A miracle?

We see people who changed and say they haven’t, and still are not worthy of being included, because we only see with our eyes.

To truly believe you need to see with your heart and know that what you are told is true, and not need to see it.

Seeing isn’t believing, believing is seeing. When you see with your heart, the eyes don’t need to see it, because you know it is true.

Believe the promises and share the mercy, grace, and love you have been given.

Loving People. Loving God.

Ourselves…

“The tent of testimony was with our ancestors in the wilderness. Moses built it just as he had been instructed by the one who spoke to him and according to the pattern he had seen. In time, when they had received the tent, our ancestors carried it with them when, under Joshua’s leadership, they took possession of the land from the nations whom God expelled. This tent remained in the land until the time of David. God approved of David, who asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. But it was Solomon who actually built a house for God. However, the Most High doesn’t live in houses built by human hands. As the prophet says, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. ‘What kind of house will you build for me,’ says the Lord, ‘or where is my resting place? Didn’t I make all these things with my own hand?’ “You stubborn people! In your thoughts and hearing, you are like those who have had no part in God’s covenant! You continuously set yourself against the Holy Spirit, just like your ancestors did. Was there a single prophet your ancestors didn’t harass? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the righteous one, and you’ve betrayed and murdered him! You received the Law given by angels, but you haven’t kept it.” (Acts 7:44-53, CEB)

We want to do something to be seen.

David wanted to build a Temple to be remembered, not because it was what God wanted.

We harass the prophets and tell them they are wrong when what they say doesn’t line up with our vision of what should be happening.

We look out for ourselves in everything we do.

What if we actually learned from our history and saw that God sends people to help us and guide us when God sees we might be a little off course?

What if we didn’t harass those who are different or see things differently but listen and try to see where they are coming from?

How would the world be different if we just didn’t look out for ourselves?

Loving People. Loving God.

Power

I’m not writing these things to make you ashamed but to warn you, since you are my loved children. You may have ten thousand mentors in Christ, but you don’t have many fathers. I gave birth to you in Christ Jesus through the gospel, so I encourage you to follow my example. This is why I’ve sent Timothy to you; he’s my loved and trusted child in the Lord; he’ll remind you about my way of life in Christ Jesus. He’ll teach the same way as I teach everywhere in every church. Some have become arrogant as if I’m not coming to see you. But, if the Lord is willing, I’ll come to you soon. Then I won’t focus on what these arrogant people say, but I’ll find out what power they possess. God’s kingdom isn’t about words but about power. (1 Corinthians 4:14-20, CEB)

This is authentic Paul. A letter written to the church in Corinth by Paul. He says he was their father as he gave birth to them in the Christ through the gospel. Paul is telling them to be like him. He tells them that he would look into the people that are speaking against them, not at their words, but who they are and what power they posses. Because God is not about words but power.

Which is true, but the only power we should follow is God’s power. Not Paul, not any Christian.

When people tell you you need to be like them, that only holds true when that person is Jesus. Anyone else is giving you rules to follow and that is not faith but power they are yielding over you.

Love as God does and be like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

Hope

Jesus knew what they intended to do, so he went away from there. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them all. But he ordered them not to spread the word about him, so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:

Look, my Servant whom I chose,
        the one I love, in whom I find great pleasure.
I’ll put my Spirit upon him,
        and he’ll announce judgment to the Gentiles.
He won’t argue or shout,
        and nobody will hear his voice in the streets.
He won’t break a bent stalk,
        and he won’t snuff out a smoldering wick,
            until he makes justice win.
And the Gentiles will put their hope in his name. (Matthew 12:15-21, CEB)

What do you hope in?

Jesus told those he healed not to tell the story. Do not spread the word.

So what was prophesied through Isaiah would come true.

When he makes justice win, and all nations will put their hope in his name.

When Justice wins. It seems we are far from this. But when that happens all nations will hope in Jesus name!

Hope in the name of the one sent to show us how to live, who we await his return, that was thought to be soon, and has been delayed. Maybe, just maybe, God is working on hearts to understand justice, mercy, grace, and love. And Jesus will return when justice wins.

In the mean time, let us continue to hope in Jesus and spread justice, mercy, grace, and love in everything we do!

Loving People. Loving God.

free

Tell me—those of you who want to be under the Law—don’t you listen to the Law? It’s written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman. The son by the slave woman was conceived the normal way, but the son by the free woman was conceived through a promise. These things are an allegory: the women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, which gives birth to slave children; this is Hagar. Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and she corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because the city is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. It’s written: Rejoice, barren woman, you who have not given birth. Break out with a shout, you who have not suffered labor pains; because the woman who has been deserted will have many more children than the woman who has a husband. Brothers and sisters, you are children of the promise like Isaac. But just as it was then, so it is now also: the one who was conceived the normal way harassed the one who was conceived by the Spirit. But what does the scripture say? Throw out the slave woman and her son, because the slave woman’s son won’t share the inheritance with the free woman’s son. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we aren’t the slave woman’s children, but we are the free woman’s children. Christ has set us free for freedom. Therefore, stand firm and don’t submit to the bondage of slavery again. (Galatians 4:21-5:1, CEB)

So we are free and should not submit to slavery again.

Stand firm in who we are and for what God has called us to. Even in the face of others saying we are not a part of the promise.

When it becomes about who we are and what we do, then it is not about freedom but captivity and slavery. We are not slaves to the law and do not need to be bound by that. We are not a people of rules to keep, but a people of love.

Love the world as God loves you and know that if you are told differently than this that they are not a part of the promise.

Religion is about rules. God and hope are about love.

Loving People. Loving God.

harvested

This calls for the endurance of the saints, who keep God’s commandments and keep faith with Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Favored are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so they can rest from their labors, because their deeds follow them.” Then I looked, and there was a white cloud. On the cloud was seated someone who looked like the Human One. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Another angel came out of the temple, calling in a loud voice to the one seated on the cloud: “Use your sickle to reap the harvest, for the time to harvest has come, and the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So the one seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. Still another angel, who has power over fire, came out from the altar. He said in a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle to cut the clusters in the vineyard of the earth, because its grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle into the earth, and cut the vineyard of the earth, and he put what he reaped into the great winepress of God’s passionate anger. Then the winepress was trampled outside the city, and the blood came out of the winepress as high as the horses’ bridles for almost two hundred miles. (Revelation 14:12-20, CEB)

The time has come and is now here and the earth was harvested.

And when the harvest was reaped the winepress was trampled and blood flowed as high as the horses bridle for 200 hundred miles!

That’s a lot of blood. And that calls for endurance.

Stay the course and do not let what is coming or what is happening deter you from saying what needs to be saying and being who God created you to be.

As I write this I think about a call I just got from a pastor at a local congregation, of a different denomination than mine, where I am playing for their 4th of July concert. He said someone came to him after our rehearsal and said that I had a pride flag on my bass case and he asked if I would make sure I didn’t bring that into the sanctuary on the day of the concert. I told him I usually kept my case backstage and would not bring the case into the sanctuary. But I looked at my case and I did not see a pride flag. I saw several things that probably made some blood boil in that congregation but no pride flag. Also, I will have in my rainbow earrings and my rainbow bracelet, and those have never been an issue, or I haven’t heard about them. But that is what we need endurance for. I will not remove the stickers from my case, because they are obviously making a statement, and I will not change who I am because someone doesn’t like it. This may be the last time I play in this church because of this and if so, that is their loss. We need to endure and stand up for those who do not have the rights and liberties the rest of us do. Endure. For the sake of love.

Loving People. Loving God.

What?!?

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like someone who planted good seed in his field. While people were sleeping, an enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat and went away. When the stalks sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared. “The servants of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Master, didn’t you plant good seed in your field? Then how is it that it has weeds?’ “‘An enemy has done this,’ he answered. “The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them?’ “But the landowner said, ‘No, because if you gather the weeds, you’ll pull up the wheat along with them. Let both grow side by side until the harvest. And at harvesttime I’ll say to the harvesters, “First gather the weeds and tie them together in bundles to be burned. But bring the wheat into my barn.”’” Jesus left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” Jesus replied, “The one who plants the good seed is the Human One. The field is the world. And the good seeds are the followers of the kingdom. But the weeds are the followers of the evil one. The enemy who planted them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the present age. The harvesters are the angels. Just as people gather weeds and burn them in the fire, so it will be at the end of the present age. The Human One will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that cause people to fall away and all people who sin. He will throw them into a burning furnace. People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Those who have ears should hear.” (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, CEB)

A landowner planted seeds but when the crop grew there were weeds there too. The workers asked how this happened, and of course, weeds grow…

But the workers ask if they should pull the weeds, and the answer is no. Because as we are in this age, there are things around us that keep us from doing God’s will, and those are weeds, and if all of them were removed, some of us that follow God might get swiped in the process. So we let them all stay together until the harvest or the end of the age.

But the interesting part to me was, “The Human One will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that cause people to fall away and all people who sin.” All people who sin. Isn’t that all of us? I mean some of us try to love and follow Jesus and love everyone else, but we still sin. We still don’t get it right. Are all of us going into the fire?

No, we are not all going into the fire. God in the end will separate out all the bad stuff and the rest will remain in the eternal kingdom. So remain with the bad and focus on loving.

Loving People. Loving God.

Fruit

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you dressed like sheep, but inside they are vicious wolves. You will know them by their fruit. Do people get bunches of grapes from thorny weeds, or do they get figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, and every rotten tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit. And a rotten tree can’t produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, you will know them by their fruit. (Matthew 7:15-20, CEB)

What kind of fruit do you produce?

Is it good fruit? Are you loving to everyone in and out of the building of the church?

People will know you by your actions and not the company you keep or the names you call yourself.

Going to church doesn’t make you a follower of Christ any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

Follow Jesus. Love everyone.

They will know we are Christians by our love.

Loving People. Loving God.

Bless

When God gave Abraham his promise, he swore by himself since he couldn’t swear by anyone greater. He said, I will certainly bless you and multiply your descendants. So Abraham obtained the promise by showing patience. People pledge by something greater than themselves. A solemn pledge guarantees what they say and shuts down any argument. When God wanted to further demonstrate to the heirs of the promise that his purpose doesn’t change, he guaranteed it with a solemn pledge. So these are two things that don’t change, because it’s impossible for God to lie. He did this so that we, who have taken refuge in him, can be encouraged to grasp the hope that is lying in front of us. This hope, which is a safe and secure anchor for our whole being, enters the sanctuary behind the curtain. That’s where Jesus went in advance and entered for us, since he became a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:13-20, CEB)

God gave Abraham a promise that Abraham would be blessed.

And that promise is one that was kept and is a marker for all following promises of God.

God keeps God’s word. The promises are sure.

Know Abraham was blessed and you are blessed too.

Loving People. Loving God.